Whatever Comes to Mind

Bathroom getting closer

2006-11-06T11:00:00.000-05:00

bathroom1
Originally uploaded by tgandee.

Continuing Project Bathroom: Cut more drywall out, to expose studs. Next step is to put tile(cement) board up, along with moisture resistant drywall.

We also removed the gas line in the bathroom, pulled the exhaust pipe out to move the exhaust fan, and remove a electrical outlet box from the new shower area.

Laundry Project: I've installed the dryer exhaust duct work and hooked up the washer and dryer. The washer needs new hose lines, but I've written that project off as done.

Sidewalk Habitat Demo - by The Leisurelies

2006-10-31T15:58:00.000-05:00

The Leisurelies have a new demo song out -- Sidewalk Habitat --

Demo with Mom

2006-10-26T10:41:00.001-05:00

loft - 77.jpg
Originally uploaded by tgandee.

This is what happens when my mom comes to work on my loft.
Project: Move the Dryer Electrical Box;
Result: Numerous holes in the drywall; Electrical line moved;

What's left to do: Get conduit and place the electrical box on wall. Run dryer exhaust vent down next to dryer electrical box.

2006-06-06T14:10:00.000-05:00

Nike + Apple = pretty damn cool.

http://www.nike.com/nikeplus/

I've just finished going through the site for Nike's new device to track runs that is integrated with iTunes and other software to track your runs and create an interactive running log with pace, distance, time, and pace
graphed with distance and time. I was a little skeptical about it, but Apple knows how to make an incredible product and market it. I think this product will change the way people train and track running the way Apple changed the way people listen and share music.

Generation Gap

2006-05-30T10:18:00.000-05:00

Miss Kris posted about the changing meaning of adulthood - I'll continue on the issues of hipster, child-bearing adults still in the single-minded adult world. This article on "Grups" talks about the adults that don't want to lose their self defined identity after becoming a parent or living an adult lifestyle. From a different perspective, those that are still living the single life in the city, are seeing more and more parents showing up at their favorite breakfast spot, climbing crag, bar/rock venue with kids in tow. These parents group together at the local coffee shop, hijack all the tables to create the McDonald's Playground for their undisciplined kids to run amuck. While climbing, outdoors off the state-park trail, I've seen more and more kids in tow to the crag. I'm all for teaching kids about climbing, at the right age. It's a great activity for a child, especially to responibility and focused thought. But parents that just plop a child in-front of routes with all their hiking gear a couple ropes to top rope the easy route, all day, while their kids scream bloody - murder because they're scared , kills the essence of the woods and outdoors. It also kills your focus on the wall, while you're already scared because you're on lead with very poor protection. I've seen disciplined kids at the crags stay quite, learn to respect those climbing, and interested in the outdoors. They were only created by parents that understood to respect why the rest of the crowd was there. This attitude of respecting those around you and teaching your kids the same is slowing dying as more parents are staying in areas where singles thrive. I understand that grouping together tables at the local bar and having good time is easy when you're a 20-something, but you are usually not bothering anyone else. The self-invovled hipster needs to look around before bring their latest accessory, their kids, to their favorite spot.

hash legs

2006-05-15T11:15:00.000-05:00

This is result of my second hash. For those that don't know what hashing is, I'll try to explain it. Essentially, it's a running club. The group meets at different locations each week, depending on who sets the trail. The "hares" set a trail from the parking lot, leaving markers (flour or tp) and the rest of the group has to find the trail to the finish. It's not a race, just an adventure into the unseen parts of town. My legs, shown left, got cut up in some woods. Luckily, there was a creek portion of the trail, so I got to wash off the blood half - way through. In the end, there is beer, food, and dirty/bloody/tired friends to hang out with and share stories from the trail. I'm sure my legs will see some more of this nasty-ness.

tablespoon of cinnamon

2006-03-12T11:51:00.000-05:00

So there is this wierd challenge that I was not aware of, the tablespoon of cinnamon challenge. On my visit to Destin this weekend I got to see this first hand.Here is the video -- Notice the dragon's breath right in the middle.

itunes blog search post

2006-02-03T11:08:00.000-05:00

I'm stealing this from cassi -

what to do: open iTunes/iPod or Windows Media Player to answer the following. Go to your library. Answer (by commenting or reposting on your own blog), no matter how embarrassing it is.

Number of songs: 4875 items (there are some podcast, audiobooks, and lost episodes in there), but mainly music -probably 99% of it.

Sort by song:
First Song: !!!!!!! - The Roots
Last Song: Zoo Station - U2

Sort by time:
Shortest song: Hail Satan - Tenacious D (but Bonus Track (Ani Difranco) 0:06 is number 2);
Longest song: it's an audiobook, but the song that's next is "Moving Shadow 01.1" - Mixed by Timecode.

Sort by artist:
First Artist: 2raumwohnung (on a DJ Tiga Album)
Last Artist: The Zutons

Sort by album:
First Album: 1 -- The Beatles
Last Album: Yoshimi Battles the Pink robots (The Flaming Lips), me too

Top Five Most Played Songs:
1. Epic -- Karsh Kale
2. I'd Rather Dance with You -- Kings of Convenience;
3. Judy and the Dream of Horses -- Belle and Sebastian;
4. Transatlanticism -- Death Cab for Cutie;
5. Space Walk -- Lemon Jelly;

Search:
"Sex":How many songs come up? 21
"Death": How many songs come up? 17
"Love": How many songs come up? 175
"You": How many songs come up? 353

Our music server at work has 68.3 days of songs -- so I have some other options if my measley 4800 doesn't work out for me.

Term of the Day: Quad-Core

2006-02-03T10:29:00.000-05:00

"Mooninites, duplicate, re-unight, and unialate. If you square the quad-lazer beholdith the quad glazer... I thought it was the quad glacier...yes, the quad glacier"

Quad Core Chips from AMD

"No one can defeat the quad lazer"

A little ATHF humor.

Opactiy in Design

2006-01-24T10:22:00.000-05:00

So I'm a web dork, I know this. Today's post is all about some crazy CSS features. Opacity and Alpha Channels have plagued web designers everywhere. Using opactiy on a dynamic site is really tough because size and shape of a div over background images determine your design style, if everything has to line up to the background image. At work, we've found two hacks for setting opacity for divs and for a background image of a div. Enjoy!

Google Map Mash-Up

2006-01-18T09:17:00.000-05:00

Google Map Mash-ups
I found this on Vinnie's Site. Some of my favorites:

Beer Maps

AP News

Frappr

MashMap

Interactive Transit Map

Package Tracker

There are many more, but you see for yourself. If you have a webserver, get the api and mess around with it yourself. It's free and there are manuals to use it -- Google Map API or other Google APIs and code samples

my dysfunction

2006-01-16T12:58:00.000-05:00

Your Social Dysfunction:
Happy

You're a happy person - you have a good amount of self-esteem, and are socially healthy. While this isn't a social dysfunction per se, you're definitely not normal. Consider yourself lucky: you walk that fine line between 'normal' and being outright narcissistic. You're rare - which is something else to be happy about.

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Please note that we aren't, nor do we claim to be, psychologists. This quiz is for fun and entertainment only. Try not to freak out about your results.

So i'm happy -- I guess that's a dysfunction.

I, TV

2005-10-16T22:05:00.000-05:00

I just saw I, Robot - I know I should read the book -- but it takes me forever to find time to finish a book -- and I'm not saying the movie is good or bad just taking an idea from it and running away on one of my tangents. Anyway, I was thinking about the ending and the Robot's logic of protecting the humans and mankind by keeping them from doing anything - going outside, getting in a war, polluting the earth, etc. Is that what are goal is with technology, to find a way to keep us completely safe from ourselves, our freewill. To keep us, and others, safe from wrong decisions 20 steps ahead, or even 2 steps ahead. Is that what makes us different from animals, the fact that we can control the safety of our lives and others' life. Are our creations there to protech us. This is just a string of thoughts, so don't read it as researched fact -- I'll think, and type through some examples I'm thinking of:

Media -- home/visited/interactive entertainment -- The expansion of entertainment with the use of technology has subdued the populus. Entertainment used to be crowd areas of sport or drama, stadiums and ampitheaters of people with limit security to contain the enthusiasm of victory or loss. With the games being brought to us via cable/satilite/local radio, the crowds can enjoy the sport with perfect safety. After the game, reports are made about weather or not to travel into the site of the sport - "after the game, riots break out"(but the report of riots are rarely broadcast now - due to enthusiasm for drunken brawls) -- Movie, TV Drama, sitcoms, "reality tv" fill in the gaps of time we have between our jobs, eating, and sleeping. -- Wake Up with the Morning Show, find out what happened the night before when you were watching the late show - come home to the news and financial planning maniac right before you sit down to enjoy that home-micro-ed meal(brought to by GE). So home entertainment has been around a while, and it's ever changing - BETA, VCR, DVD, Blockbuster, Netflix, TIVO, ipod video, etc. The mass media market grows every second - every tv, computer, cell phone, H2 with video screens captures another set of eyes. Right now you're glue to my words. What does this, the stationary entertainment, keep you from. Does it keep you from doing good or bad? Does it keep you from enjoying your time on earth? Does if keep you from interacting with other, good or bad? Does it keep you happy? Are you safe?

Transportation -- Modern cities grew out of the need to be in a central location for an industrial job(industrial, my meaning of a non-farm job). As the cities became crowded, planners developed methods of transporting goods and people further and further away -greater ships, trains, cars, trucks, planes. The great planners of the twentieth century saw the need for highways and superhighways, subways, elevated rails - where the public was safe from the vehicles and the vehicles keep the public safe. Advances in design and safety has led to faster and more secure transport. The secure transport lets people move away from the cities they work in. Giving them options of space, confort, securtiy, and health. And this transport, comforts them on the average hour and half commute to work each day. They can listen to their satilite radio, audiobook, new favorite pop star, or the morning show( insert station here).

Could we change the world, with technolgy holding us down? What would you be without technology? What would your purpose be?

This stream of thoughts went in many directions -- so comments all around would be appreciated.

Grey Winter

2005-10-14T18:04:00.000-05:00

The winters are starting all over the country. Georgia's weather is cooling down to reasonable tempertures, right before they drop to cold without warning.

Depression season starts for those that find themselves lonely on a weekend night.

Ants

2005-10-14T17:44:00.000-05:00

As I was sitting in a resturant, watching the busy traffic fill Ponce De Leon Ave., I started to think about space and the relationship of comfort. Some people want to be around others just to have them close, to feel the buzz of energy going on is other people's lives, and personal space is given up for comfort. Others may want complete space from everything, freedom to walk for miles, drive for miles, with no one around, that is comfort to them.

How do you transition a city to have less space to roam, more people in it, and have the comfort of personal and literal space? Atlanta is going through this transition now. Housing and Commercial Developments have grow exponentially since I've been in this city. The first years of college, the city had traffic problems, too many drivers, but everyone lived on the out-skirts of the city. Those that needed to commute in, did. Those that didn't, usually lived outside, only to come in on special occasions or that once-in-a-while weekend night. Now, we have so much housing development, the hum is back in this ant hill.

People are falling over each other whie living in the city, mainly because they refuse to get rid of their cars and legislate for good public transportation. With gas being so expensive, I'm glad I can walk to work - or it's close enough too. I don't want to move out of the area, because driving 30 min to work isn't fun.

When the Segway came out, it promised of times when personal travel would be fast, inexpensive, quiet, and stressfree. I can't imaging planning a city where people were trying to go really fast on personal carts because the space has gotten limited. The car is a bloated version of our bodies and as space gets limited, the cars get smaller, the people more packed in. Each city humming like an ant colony with cars driving all over eachother just to keep the status-quo going.

I guess this post is a my disgust with growth without actually growing, but more like shrinking.

I'll try harder

2005-09-26T06:57:00.001-05:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging in the last month. The new job is taking it's toll on my time. I've also gotten in a funk of laziness. I come home from work and I'm so drained from the day.

Other things going on --
I was suppose to go to a wedding in Houston this weekend, but that got post-poned because of the hurricane, so I went climbing. It was the first Trad climb I've ever done, and it brought the fear and nervousness back into climbing. Trad climbing, as so know as Traditional climbing, is placing your own gear for anchors while you climb. The gear is either wire nuts that slide into area or cams that close up to fit into spots then open to hold against the rock.

I've been climbing a lot in the last couple of weeks, going to gym during the week and heading outdoors on the weekends. It's a nice release from the daily grind.

I'll try harder

2005-09-26T06:57:00.000-05:00

You know you're a geek when . . .

2005-08-23T23:35:00.000-05:00

So I know some of you out there have had these moments, and I'm almost too embarrassed to talk about the ones I've had. Of course, this is the geekyest way to relate my geekiness.

The first moment I can recall is similar to the latest episode of "Brain fried because of programming". This memory of my geekiness came about because I was editing a video and using After Effects for far too many hours. I needed unlimited "undo"s in my project and I kept hitting CTRL+Z to undo. A few days after the 12 hour editing session, I recall thinking to myself "undo" for a real life stituation and I almost made a the finger motions to hit CTRL+Z while I was standing on the street.

These things happen when you're manipulating a false world with real actions. Your brain can't distinguish between walking down the street and "undo"ing graphic mistakes on a project, right?

Anyway, the latest episode of my geekiness came about only minutes ago. I was lying in bed thinking about climbing this weekend. I'm heading to Foster Falls, TN. I haven't been climbing outside in a while, so I was thinking about the climbs I want to do. Then I started thinking about this hot girl that climbs at the gym. I started to think if she would climb with me, of course she would be climbing more difficult routes because she's badass. Then I thought, "maybe I could try and top rope the climbs that she leads", 5.11s or so. Anyway, at this point my brain farted. I started to think that I might fall because of a syntax error in my Javascript. For anyone that codes, syntax errors hurt - because it's a stupid mistake in writing the language. Anyway, in my half dream state, I realized I was a geek because I put climbing and javascript in the same thought. I think it's time to stop coding.

2 weeks from Home

2005-07-21T18:46:00.000-05:00

I just got back from my 2 week vacation to the coasts. I was in New York for a week and Los Angeles for a week.

New York was a blast, mainly because I got to meet and see new and old friends. I saw all my favorite bloggers in Brooklyn while attending a fundraiser for a public advocate. We all got drunk and partied like we were old friends. I don't think I've ever partied with people I met online. I had a great time -- Thx bloggers --
I also went to a BBQ in the neighborhood I grew up in. I walked down past the first house I lived in and past a deli I used to frequent. After the partying in the city and Long Island, I went out to Orient Point at the end of Long Island to be with my sister and her family -- I get to see my little niece too. I was there for three days to relax and enjoy good food and family conversation. We took a tour of Long Island wine country on the day I was leaving. I wish I was more into the wine, I got sick of it after a while. When I went back to the city, I had one night to hang out in Manhatten - we ended up at this bar in the East Village -- KGB Bar -- great low key place. I wasn't up for much partying, so that ended my New York experience.

I'll go into the LA experience and more of the New York one when I have a little more time -- right now I'm a little tired.

Flickr

2005-07-18T16:03:00.000-05:00

Check out my pics on Flickr. It tells a little story of the last week and half.

2005-07-08T10:53:00.001-05:00

mohawk

2005-07-08T10:53:00.000-05:00

From the back

2005-07-08T10:35:00.000-05:00

Brooklyn View

2005-07-08T10:33:00.000-05:00

stache

2005-07-08T10:32:00.000-05:00

Rock Climbing at Sand Rock

Govt. Systems and IDs

2005-07-06T10:38:00.000-05:00

I just got 2 traffic violations in Alabama over the holiday weekend. It seems like there were a thousand cops out over the weekend, but I didn't get caught on the highway or city streets. I was tagged on a country road in Alabama on my way to Lake Martin. I was speeding; I always speed on those roads, they beg to be driven fast on. I realized that I didn't have proof of insurance as the cop was walking up to the car. He asks for this slip of paper, which I didn't have, and proceeds to be more concerned with the fact I don't have the paper than with the speeding. I don't think he even mentioned the speeding ticket until I had to sign for it. While I was searching for my insurance card, which is up-to-date, I found my registration card, which states, "proof of insurance provided". Shouldn't there be a system embedded in the car registration that states the car is insured. Cops have computers in their cars to check a nation-wide list of warrants and stolen cars, driver records, car registration. Why can't they have one more field to check insurance. The other reason some people have insurance is because it's the law (I thought Alabama didn't have that law though). Shouldn't insurance companies or the DMV check periodically or get a warning if a car is not insured. I showed this cop a 9 month old version of my insurance which shows my policy has been active for 20 years.

A little while ago, I stopped carrying a wallet. It cut down on the crap that I carried around day to day. I carry my ID, ATM card, and a credit card. I wish the card system would boil down to one card or embedded chip system, maybe with some biometric ID check. I'm tired of carrying cards and IDs for every little thing. We're in the Digital Age, why can't we act like it.

Casualties of War

2005-07-01T10:20:00.000-05:00

Brilliant use of the New Google Map API. See where soliders that were killed in Iraq are from. Use the (+) to see the war play out and the casualties rise. This is pretty amazing, but can you imagine if they made an app with the Iraqi deaths, civilian and military is their same space.

T - 5

2005-06-30T08:24:00.000-05:00

Alright folks, we're at T minus 5 days(business days). I have one week until I'm free to walk the earth, maybe like Cain, for a month. I have two books to read and probably a number of lectures and discussions I'll be putting on the ipod. If you have any sugguestion for podcasts, send them my way. The countdown will continue.

Sporting Event of the Year, for Atlanta at least

2005-06-29T17:17:00.000-05:00

Crowds lined up. The year long anticipation! It was all built up for this day, June 29th, 2005. The streets lined with cars trying to make their way through the traffic and congestion. Signs everywhere point to different parking zones, free, $5, street, turn here. Cops waiting on corners, security waving flags, orange cones sectioning off lanes for turning.

As I approach this mammouth building, I see people of all shapes and sizes. As I get closer to the parking lot, on my walk in, I see signs for reserved parking, family parking, over-sized vehicle parking. The people leaving the building look tired and beat. As I enter IKEA, a rush of air cleans me of the outside heat and humidity. I see instructions for my shopping endeavor, NO CART NECCESSARY. I just need to take notes and maybe an extra handbag for the little things. For those of you that have been to an IKEA before, you know the shock of a first time visit. The gargantuan maze that winds you around undtil you're sick of seeing every way to improve your 297 sq ft. place. I was amazed at way everyone approached this retail giant; it's like they had never see furniture before. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one in the store that wasn't holding something of valve. And I left just the same, with nothing. This place seems like an addition to Target, maybe a little nicer, but the same concept of warehouse, bulk shopping, just for furniture for this one.

As I made my way out, I found myself in the warehouse, self-service furniture section. This seemed like a mix between the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, with the government secret research warehouse and a Simpsons episode of going to Sams/Costco/(big bulk grocery shopping). How many people go down an aisle and just pick up a couch off a shelf?

I think the best part of a new store is seeing what they put in the impulse area. This place was pretty good: $2.39 travel mug and $3.99 100pk tea candles. "Shit, I forgot my 100pk of tea candle. Sweet they're right here!"

Anyway, I'll probably be going back there at some point. The stuff is really cheap. I just like the spectacle of a new store/new movie/new anything.

Oh, almost forgot -- Ikea is in a new developed part of town, so there are houses and apartment buildings and condos going up around it. I notice on my walk back to the car, that there is a apartment building right across the street from it. That's got to be the worst spot ever to live -- with the traffic on the weekends and the bright blue building screaming at you all day long.

Am I a Mark?

2005-06-28T11:35:00.000-05:00

So at lunch today, I got approached by a internet pyramid-scheme guy. These guys always seem to pick me. What is it? Do I look like a good mark, good salesman they want to recuit, a sucker. I've been approached by these guys so many times. Most of the time I'm sitting by myself, working on a journal, drawing, or reading in a cafe, waffle house, or coffee shop. The alone part is the easiest target. A salesman is never going to approach a group. The best approach I've seen are by the Church of Christ recuiters that basically tell you you're going to hell if you don't follow them. They approach in twos, so watch out college kids.

The guy today interupted me while I was reading, asking about the book, and the meal I was eating, looking for the hook to get me to talk to him more. My first thought was he was waiting for a friend, but these guys have no friends, only potential clients/worker bees for his end of the pyramid-scheme. It wasn't until after he mentioned his internet site, in the midsts of the conversation, that I realized what he was about. I was talking about the book, what I was interested in, technology, doing web development. He asked twice if I wanted to do contract work, the second time saying it wasn't on the computer (who does work not on a computer, not me, unless it's manual labor, no sales).

I always hope for conversation with someone just filling their time, trying to branch out and find out more on a subject whether it's about a book I'm reading or something I'm eating. That's what the blogs feel like, why don't people do that in the real world. Just stumble into someone's space and start to inquire about their interests. There isn't much unselfish interaction in the real world.

As for this guy that approached me, he realized I wasn't a sale pretty fast. He used a great exit strategy, the fake cell phone call. Why couldn't he just be honest, and say, "Well, it was nice talking to you, but doesn't look like you're going to fall for my fake money scheme".

I keep thinking about the guy in Garden State that says, "I'd like to tell you two about a great opportunity, for the both of you." while in the K-Mart type shop.

As for the check list on how to spot these guys:

he/she(I don't know if girls are dumb enough to go for these things, guys are)approach you when you're alone.

he ask about one or two things in the proximity (book you're reading, lunch, the weather)

he sways the conversation to talk about their product/service somehow

he uses some ridiculous statistic to seem smart/informed(ex.75% of college grads don't read a book all the way through after they finish college"So it's great that you read -- you must be part of the smart group -- Silly Rabbit Trix are for Kids

he asks if you have friends that would help you out, only if you've gotten past the part where you might be interested in the scheme.

and my favorite -- he asks, "what would do if you had free time" -- like his scheme is going to free up your time - look at him, he's not at work right now, he has all the time in the world to harass me

That's all I've got -- so if any of you out there have been approached by these guys, share your story.

Collective To-Do Lists

2005-06-28T09:06:00.000-05:00

I found this off someone else's blog. I guess it's a spin off of 43folders -- 43things. It's pretty cool to see what others are doing to further themselves, especially when you're trying to do the same thing. You start to understand that a lot of people have the same barriers in their life as you. There are probably some goals or things to do that you wouldn't have thought of but someone with similar goals might open you to new ideas or direction. I'll probably sign up in the next week or so and create a link off my blog.

What game character are you?

2005-06-28T09:04:00.000-05:00

I am Kong.

Strong and passionate, I tend to be misunderstood, sometimes even feared. I don't want to fight, I don't want to cause trouble, all I ask is a little love, and a little peace. If I don't get what I want, I get angry, and throw barrels and flaming oil at whatever's stopping me. What Video Game Character Are You?

Cartoons Save the Day!

2005-06-28T07:34:00.000-05:00

Everyday, when I turn on my laptop, I check out some toons before I start working. They make me smile! Doonesbury is the first one I go to, then maybe some Wulffmorgenthaler. Today I went down an alley I haven't been in a while. I hit up some Strong Bad Email off Homestar Runner. I wish I could sit around all day with an illustrator and think up cartoons. I can't really draw consistantly enough to have characters. My stories might be a little weird too, maybe like Sweet Cuppin' Cakes. I think this is freakin' brilliant

I busted out a drawing book of human figures the other day, so my vacation days might be spent drawing and reading. I think I have an anime drawing book too.

I still need book suggestion for my vacation, so get on it. I'm expecting all of you to have at least one book for me to read. I think James is the only one that has replied to my request -- with "The Life of Pi" -- which I tried to start a couple months ago. I have some conversations and books for the ipod and then my journal and sketch pad are both ready to go.

eminent domain for the private sector

2005-06-23T15:05:00.000-05:00

Click the title for the post on World Changing. This article talks about the recent Supreme Court Ruling that allows non-government, private groups to aquire land through emineant domain, siting that private corporations can yield profit while creating a public service and progress. This is a strange argument, does the ends justify the means. Should we be taking away private land from private owners (mainly residential, probably lower income) to meet the demands of a growing corporation because it might yield public good? Is land seizure from the the private to private have anything to do with public?

This court ruling was mainly centered around the 5th Amendment, (nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.). I remember when I was learning about this in 7th grade. The example that was used had to do with a woman that owned a house where the city government was trying to build a hwy exit ramp near Roosevelt Field Mall, when the mail was being constructed. This woman's house ended up being smack in the middle of the exit ramp turn around and she stood her ground. It was a funny site to image. Eventually, she was told to give her house up for saftey reasons.

I see the reasoning behind giving upland for a hwy, or train, or a park system, but how does a private company produce public good by seizing someone's land/house? The only thing I can think of is cleaning up neighborhoods, but that usually yields low-income subsidized housing which would be very low profit for a set number of years. Atlanta did this during the Olympics. They cleaned an area, where it was mainly shacks and burned out neighborhoods and they put in nice, clean housing and Dorms for Georgia Tech and Georgia State, while establishing the subsidized house after the Olympics.

Atlanta is a city where neighborhoods are flipped within 40 years, sometimes as low as 10 years. It seems that the profit machines only gain from poor construction (something that doesn't last more than 10 - 15 year) and the concept of flipping (tearing down only to rebuild). There is so much construction going on, and it never stops. You rarely see areas keeping the old structures and improving on them. I remember being in Amsterdam and seeing the store fronts that were all the same from the last 50-100 years. The construction teams would restore the fronts and reconstruct the insides.

Alright, this post went in couple different directions, but don't like seeing an ever-changing cities. I like cities to have it's own feel, an established architecture that blends with the local landscape, something that personalized for the city, not the same box apartments, target, townhomes, home depot facade.

Reading List

2005-06-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be on vacation for about a month and I need a reading list. Right now I'm reading "Yoga for People Who Can't be Bother to Do it" - Geoff Dyer. I'm still in the middle of Getting Things Done also, but that's not so much a vacation read. So help me out -- tell me what to read. I don't get into fiction as easily as I do Non-Fiction, but if it has a good flow and it's not about 19th Century country houses and family drama, I could possibly read it. Also, I'm going to be in NY, so those of you there, if you have something I could borrow for a couple weeks, I swear I'll send it back. Thanks.

It's Official! I quit

2005-06-17T13:19:00.000-05:00

I've given my notice. In three weeks, I'll be up in New York on vacation for a week, then in LA for a week and then Chicago for a weekend -- maybe at home a little while. Yes, I have the month of July off. I might do some freelance, but for the most part -- I'll be bumming around and staying with friends. I can't wait. I also can't wait for the new job, we'll see what this Flash Master T can really do.

Good-bye to a great job that got me into the professional world and hello to career development.

Recycle, Re-use, Reduce

2005-06-17T11:19:00.000-05:00

I just got a email about attending a Sierra Club meeting in Atlanta about The Beltline Project. This project would convert unused rail tracks that encircle midtown/downtown and create a low-impact local transit/park/path system to give inner-Atlanta residents a reason to not drive. This idea has been floating around for a while. Those of us in Atlanta know these tracks and sometimes walk along them in Piedmont Park or by North Ave. Can you imagine being able to walk/ride a bike/rollarblade/ take a trolley to get to the park or go to Ru San's or just get to a local Marta station. This system would make Atlanta a travel/tourist friendly location again, let people walk through the city and feel connected to rest of it.

Everyone bitches about public transit and park systems, here is a way to do something about it.

habit

2005-06-14T22:22:00.000-05:00

"Only the weight of implacable habit implelled it onward"
- Geoff Dyer from Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered to Do it

I like this quote, it made me think of those reations you have to familar stituations. Everyday actions or methods for going about the day. Coffee gets to the table; immediately, I empty a sweet 'n low packet then proceed to pour cream slowy into the cup. I watch cautiously as the chaos ensues. Tiny white speckles surface and expand into drops falling from the bottom of the cup. As they hit the top, the drops swirl into their center leaving a tail of white. Eventually, the white and brown mix. I watch this every time. Whole cream works the best.

Nokia Sensor

2005-06-14T08:49:00.000-05:00

Tech

The Nokia Sensor system was shown to me yesterday and it's a great new concept for local wi-fi personal connections. The systems stores your profile and whatever files you need to keep with you on your phone, like a hard drive. Within the network, or bluetooth range, you can pass messages and files to other people in area that also have sensor or bluetooth. It's more than just a meeting point for people in a close range, but I think that will be mainstream use.

I really like how new platforms and open networking models yields expansive growth in application development. For about 5-8 years in the boom, all the business and application models seemed to be focused on one platform with limited use. Now, the innovation is really taking off and creative technologist have many avenues to run down.

Punk Rock Show - Rock out with your Cock Out

2005-06-13T09:32:00.000-05:00

So I went to The EARL this weekend to catch a rock show. I've seen Beulah there, along with some other great local shows. Friday night, The Black Lips were playing. I've never seen them and the reviews said they were a great live act. When they went on, you could just tell these guys were punk. The lead guitarist was pouring a beer down fast and spittig some of it in the crowd without loosing a beat. Towards the end of the show the guitarist was smashed, which isn't bad for a punk show, he didn't stop playing or singing. I went to bathroom though and when I got back, my friend was a good 15 feet back from where I left him. I ask what happened, so he told me. The guitarist that was dancing all over the place, screaming, chugging beers, started puking beer down his shirt but he didn't stop playing, or singing. The next step though was sick. While still rocking out, he whip out his cock and pissed on stage -- while puking beer -- and playing guitar. The band didn't stop, by when the song was over, the other members packed up the stuff pretty fast. I don't think that was the last song.

2005-06-12T22:13:00.000-05:00

Dog sitting!

2005-06-12T22:08:00.000-05:00

Caroline dancing on the pack n' play.

Bugger!

2005-06-12T22:06:00.000-05:00

Caroline Part Deux!
She's such an angel. Caroline had a good time at Uncle Todd's apt this weekend. I think she's almost twice the size from the last time I saw her, but that was at 2 weeks. She has all these great faces, and she smiles a lot.

Google is the worlds largest media company!

2005-06-10T09:17:00.000-05:00

I just saw this and I'm in shock. I really don't know how they're a media company in what I think is media. But nonetheless, this is step in the right direction for media control. I just watched Manufacturing Consent, a documentary on Noam Chomsky and his book with the same title, and its great to see the control of information aggregation is moving towards open links and free connections based on content not ad-dollars. Their search and news and blogging, and everything else in that magic hat of theirs has changed the way we think and read and find anything. Instead of depending on one source to tell us what's going on, we are actually searching it out and finding out more than what's fed to us. The many-many model of the net, I've been on a kick about this lately, is realized. Google helped us that a set closer to making this world more democratic by opening the gate to information. Thanks Google! I don't know what I'd do without you.

Found

2005-06-09T12:55:00.000-05:00

I got this book for an ex-girlfriend. It seemed like her thing. She always had some weird things to say about little boys, but that was our thing to gross the other out(it went way to far sometimes, I almost got sick just having the words come out of my mouth). Anyway -- this book/magazine is awesome, go out and buy it now, RIGHT NOW! Get the dirty one too. I stumbled on this guy's site, I really don't know how, but it made me recall all the funny/sad/great human emotion in found articles. Enjoy!

The Colors are in! Are you hip enough wear these

2005-06-08T22:24:00.000-05:00

Warning: this is for geeky graphic artist and designers who actually know what CMYK values are for.

The top 10 most directional women's ready-to-wear colors for Fall 2005 (along with printing values) are:

I want a Burnt Orange pant suit to go with the Burnt Olive/Glazed Ginger purse
-- Remember these are Woman's ready-to-wear colors, I have to think in terms of those.

Personally, I would dig on some Morrocan Blue Suede Shoes.

Connections

2005-06-08T15:07:00.000-05:00

Some random blogs I'm reading on lately are posting about inter-connection and the social network of online friends. ( when I say random -- I mean that I haven't met her yet, in person).

So one statement or thought I'd like to continue on is with meeting people with AIM. Can you image if AIM, or whatever chat client you're using, had the capability of showing you, in a speedy format, all your friends online and then a web or net connection of all their friends and friends of friends, etc. in a 3D map of where they are, if they're online, color coded for work/friend/college/hs/etc. reason for the connection. So when the chat session was enabled it could show you -- if you want to have it open -- the reason you're connected (Vinnie's Ex-girlfriends' Sister's Raver Friend from College who is in Pgh (Pittsburgh, took be a while to figure that one out -- I'm not good with town nicknames or abbr.) -- ( I'll continue with this endless thought ) )where you are in relationship to this person (city or street or unknown), maybe put some other useless data in the window too -- like music listening to and weather in both places.

My point -- right, I should have one of those -- this would be a cool app. There would have to be specific advertising based on messaging content, enbedded links through web services like amazon/ebay/drug delivery service SMS/etc. to get it running and be worth while to program -- unless some over-zealous Jython programmer wants to take this on (James, want to expand you chat client) --

Enronic

2005-06-08T08:27:00.000-05:00

Reason #8,934 Not to work for a big, public company
I found this on Boing Boing. This is a great project in social networking and relationships. You can sift through an endless amount of emails regarding specific scandals within Enron according to the amount of emails sent between specific people and the content of the email. There must be some crazy queries being generated from this app. Aside from the privacy issue going on here, this is an incredible resource for anyone looking for that insight into inner workings of a large energy trader.

It's pretty funny that Enron released all the data, even the personal stuff. I'd hate to see my life be displayed in email form in front of the world, not that I write anything bad.

Let them eat . . . enchiladas?

2005-06-01T12:29:00.000-05:00

Thanks Vinnie!

This legislation is awesome, mainly because it's referred to as the Right to Eat Enchiladas Act. I guess Taco Bell was getting sued too much.

I guess we can't sue for everything now. Personal negligence, from eating, doesn't hold up in court.

Interesting article on the reaction of furniture designers to the obesity epidemic(yes, we're all too fat).
---Notice that Colin Powell was the keynote speaker at the National Restaurant Association's four-day conference -- what happen to him?

Beast Blender

2005-05-26T14:57:00.000-05:00

This site is very amusing. Have some fun creating your own monster in this crazy flash app.

3 Days, 4 States, 4 hotel rooms, 2 Cars, 1 Wedding

2005-05-23T14:07:00.000-05:00

This is probably the longest weekend I've had in a while. I started out on Friday at 6am, getting up early to go to work so I could leave early to get to the airport. I get to the airport, not realizing that there are 3 hour delays on all flights because the tower was struck by lightning. This translates to Todd getting screwed on the non-rev travel. Around 8pm I call my mom to figure out my best plan of action. She says to go to Milwaukee and drive to Chicago. At this point in my life, I know my mom is always right about this stuff. I list on the Milwaukee flight and I know my bag is going to end up in Chicago. I get on the flight with a rental car ready to go from Milwaukee to Chicago. I land around midnight, get the car (luckily the Budget clerk was still there) and head for Chicago. I get to the downtown area around 2am(3am Atlanta) -- 21 hour day. I wake up to a preset alarm at 5:15 and head to the airport to get a new car and my luggage that went to O'Hare. I get some donuts at Krispy Kreme and head back to the hotel when Kinsey is getting his nice 8 hours of sleep. We roll over to South Bend and have a few hours until the wedding. We get ready and head down stairs to catch a bus when I run into my old college roommate who I haven't seen in 4 years. We didn't realize we both knew the bride's family.

The wedding was beautiful. It was in the Notre Dame Cathedral and was a short mass, at an hour. I don't think I've ever made it through an entire Catholic Mass, but this one was short and entertaining, the Priest was funny.

From there, the party started at the hotel with drinks in the atrium and then moved to a hall for dinner and dancing. It took me a couple rounds to get the dancing going but wedding dancing is never a style contest, everyone looks bad. After the reception, the party moved to the rooms where the memories start to fade. I have some pictures, but I don't remember much of that part of the night. I woke up in a random room and had to check the door to find out where I was. After talking with the occupants of the room, I realized I was there partying til I passed out. I'll have to get some other accounts to make the complete story , but I'm sure it was a good time, at least the pictures show a good time. Weddings are just about the only time this is an acceptable practice after leaving college. No one questions the drunk actions at a wedding, unless there is a major faux pas -- puking on yourself, not kosher.

I got home around midnight after being at the Chicago airport all day. All in all a great weekend. I'm young enough to work through the really fun weekends with great friends while trying to do non-rev travel (stand-by). I'm a little tired today and I need a nap but I'll be able to sleep at some point. If anyone is reading this from the wedding, add your thoughts, experiences, and journeys from the Notre Dame wedding.

Keys to my heart !

2005-05-20T09:34:00.000-05:00

so i was bored - and I stumbled onto this ---

Most people who know me know this:

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free.

In love, you feel the most alive when your lover is creative and never lets you feel bored.

You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was ruthless, cold-blooded, and sarcastic.

Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with.

Your risk of cheating is high. You can't resist desire and lust.

You think of marriage as something that will confine you. You are afraid of marriage.

In this moment, you think of love as something you thirst for. You'll do anything for love, but you won't fall for it easily.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

360 Electrical Outlets

2005-05-20T07:28:00.000-05:00

This product is amazing!

Wulffmorgenthaler's Daily

2005-05-18T08:48:00.000-05:00

I forgot how funny these cartoons actually are.
Depression looms when you become envious of a cheese

Field Trip

2005-05-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

I want to take a field trip during work. Some of you out there have cool bosses that find it valuable to take their employees out every now and then to see a hot new movie or just get a beer to break the stress of the week (Super M). I don't have that and I want to get out of this cube right now. I have even considered taking up smoking (diy cigarettes), just to get away from these beige walls. I never knew my days working home were so important to me. I've only been on the full week schedule for four weeks, but it's killing me. I need windows, I need real light, I need noise. I'm thinking that a visit from a sketch-comedy group, where they kidnap me, would be pretty awesome right now. A recking ball through the wall would be cool too. I'm just waiting for some 3D to render so don't mind the ranting. I'll even give you a link to go to -- click here. Check out the cartoons at the bottom and click for the previous post. I think this is one of the funniest comic strips ever!!!!

Jon in the Morning Rules!

2005-05-17T08:56:00.000-05:00

KEXP is awesome! I listened to this station a while ago, but I'm starting to see the value while "zoning out" in the cube. Don't think I just found this -- I have to give credit where credit is due. Thanks Cassi.

Blink

2005-05-15T09:16:00.000-05:00

I just starting reading this book and the premise is very interesting to me. Basically, Malcolm Gladwell is setting up scientific reasoning behind the idea of split second decisions based on instinct or gut-feelings. How a very small portion of the whole can be used to map the whole. The first concepts are that our bodies can see patterns before our conscious mind can.

Ex. -- two decks of cards, one red one blue have different payouts and losses associated with them. The player doesn't know these payouts or losses beforehand just that he has to flip the cards over in no order to gain the most with minimal loss(the cards are big gains or big losses on the red deck, and moderate gains and losses on the blue deck). After 50 cards, the player has a feeling about the cards but doesn't know why. After 70, there is logic. But if the player was hooked to a heart-rate monitor and sweat gland reader - the player shows signs of knowledge at 10 cards. The heart-rate increases and the sweat increases on the red deck for the high risk cards.

This example in the book - first chapter - shows some sub-conscious relationship to what Malcolm calls - "thin slicing" - and intuition. Once we can pick these small signs from our body in specific situations, using our gut can be another tool for decision making.

Gladwell's 2nd Chapter is on doing thin-slicing samples with marriage consular and couples, or with a consular that uses thin-slicing to consul. He can tell from a 15 minute conversation, video taped with bio-feedback readers on the couples, if their marriage is a lasting relationship. The conversation could be about anything in their lives, pets, kids, household stuff. The reactions in their eyes and body motions shows signs that aren't displayed in the chat, but show strong emotions.

I'll get to my point now. Recently, or in the last couple of years, I've started to notice different signs from my body when I meet new people, or even interact with the established friends. I really don't know what these signs mean or why they came about, but I find myself using them to determine my relationships. Whenever I have a rash reaction to someone it's because, as cliche as it sounds, they put a bad taste in my mouth. That one glimpse of something sets everyone apart in my eyes, whether close and far for relationships. I can never explain it, but the instant it happens, everything has changed. There is no going back on the feeling.

In a philosophic reading, this has some determinism built into it. The logic behind the thin-slicing is that people don't change their ways, so that's the first assumption. If you don't change and the person you get the feeling about doesn't change, then you're body is shifting you in the direction it wants you to go (towards the person or away). The signs will show up over and over until you learn how to read them or decide to read them. Could the sub-conscious be a deterministic ground work that leads you to the end? This is complete babble from reading two chapters, so don't think to far into it, remember -- this is whatever comes to mind.

Silent Speech Technology

2005-05-12T10:44:00.000-05:00

Click the title for the article.

I've had this idea buzzing around in my head for a while, not the silent speech idea, but sub-vocal communication in loud environments. Basically, I want a system where I can tune in and out of conversations, the ultimate in egocasting. I want to be able to go out in public and decide what I want to hear, if it's my friends, the kids playing on the swings, the waiter at a resturant, or the person at the other end of the phone. BlueTooth enabled voiceboxes, that's the cat's pajamas. Think of the BlueTooth Sharking practices in Bars with phones transfered to voiceboxes. Someone tunes into your frequency to just say hi. So many cyborg possibilites. But with the good comes the bad -- advertising would have a field day with this one. Hackers trying to break the code that keeps you safe from sounds. I could go on and on about this but your imagination could drive my comments.

Tune into the right volume too.

Which one are you?

2005-05-12T09:47:00.000-05:00

Which Incredibles Character Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

I'm Edna -- Geez!
Well, she does have cool toys!

The True Artist

2005-05-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is just question I want to pose to my readers -- probably two of you. Anyway, what is the nature of the true artist? Is it a passion-driven individual focused on displaying his/her version of truth? Is is self-centered to encompass yourself with only your world and expect that world or vision to be valuable to society? How do you accend to a place where you are creative but your contribution has a world-centric view? (When I say worldcentric view, I mean concerning yourself with your impact not just at the local level of tribe or community, but with the world-country level.) I don't really have any links for this one. I'm just trying to get back into thinking about something other than myself, not that I'm self-centered (or maybe I am), but I just wanted to figure out how to effectively impact my local world while thinking globally.

That's all I have for now. I'm listening to KEXP. Great indie-rock station out of Seattle.

Adopt a Chicken

2005-04-29T10:39:00.000-05:00

I found this site on Flashkit.com. It's a neat like flash site with a bizarre premise. See for yourself.

Crazy DDR

2005-04-20T07:35:00.000-05:00

I got this off Boing Boing -- DDR video of a kid juggling clubs while playing. Some other blogs said it's not the easy level either -- link.

One Year

2005-04-19T11:49:00.000-05:00

Today is my 1 year mark at my company.

Let's recap the year . . .

Work -
Started wokring on a web based training app which I finished up in January, running without glitches. There were many content and function updates before live users worked through the app problem free. We've been running the app for 4 months without a support call. I've completed the web re-design, created ads for publication, and started a demo video for the software. All this without the aid of an Art Director, Editor, or Creative Director. I'm by myself here, that's why this takes this long.

Personal -
I've been in and out of relationships, but all in all, I've spent some great times with great people. I moved into my first apartment by myself. I live by some great friends who are usually there to have a scotch or beer with and enjoy great conversation. In the 8 months that I've been in my loft, I have completed a couple home-repair projects, making the place look more like me.

Sport -
I started rock climbing in July. It's led to uncontrollable spending on ridiculous rock climbing gear. I use everything though. I have two pairs of shoes, 12 quickdraws, 60m rope, gear sling, harness, cinch, ATC, chalk bag, and we have a slack line set up at a friends house, he has more gear too. I've lead 3 routes outdoors and I just took a class on leading in the gym. Hopefully, I can get on the roof of the gym soon, but it's scary up there. I want to leading 5.11s outdoors sometime this year. This is probably the best sport I've gone after. It involves a complete systems of focus, strength, technique, and endurance. It's all about you on the rock and puzzle to get up it.

Travel -
Right before I started the job last year, I hiked Mt.Whitney in Cali.(14.5k). That was amazing. Since then I haven't done many active vacations but I've travels quite a bit. In August, I saw the last Phish Concert Ever -- Conventry, VT (the pictures are amazing). In the fall, I saw NYC, San Diego, San Francisco, and Miami for play, work, and family. At the beginning of 2005, I flew to LA for a wedding in Phoenix. I drove from LA to Phoenix with some friends and partied with hs school folks, weddings are great. In February, I went to Squaw Valley to snowboard for three days. Most recently, I was in Miami to see my new niece and party with some friends. There were some road trips in there too.

Projections --
This year I'll turn 26, get over that hump of my mid-twenties. I see more trips to Miami to see my niece, some trips to New York for shopping, trips out west to see friends and climbing, maybe some european travel. I have a good grip on my life right now so I think I'll try and spice things up with responsibilty (maybe some cats or a dog). From this point, I can start being an adult with the perks of being young. I'm starting to go to more weddings, I'm even in some this year(not my own). Well that's it! I'm a year older and the world is still turning, so I'll keep turning with it.

Turn Off TV Week

2005-04-19T10:21:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm trying to get back into the Adbuster Culture. Turn-off TV Week (April 25-May 1) is a way to break the addiction. See if you can go a little further than a week. I turned my cable off for about 6 months. I watched TV at other people's homes if I was there, but tried to stay away from it.

During the NCAA Basketball Tounrey, I had to plug it the TV back in. I really enjoyed the escape when I came home from work, so I kept it in place since then. Next week, I'll see if I can get back into the groove of listening to music, reading, learning something new in flash/photoshop/programming, and cooking meals at home.

It's also beautiful outside -- Enjoy the Day -- Breath some fresh air!

iTunes playing -- Adbuster's Mix CD - "Live Without Dead Time"

reason

2005-04-19T09:10:00.000-05:00

reason
Originally uploaded by tgandee.

I was a little bored, and photoshop was right there to kick start the day. I went to freevibe.com, the government run anit-drug info site. I saw the Anit-Drug Campaign and thought of making my own. Incidently, coffee(or caffine) isn't on the site as an addictive drug. Smoking is on the site, but it's far down the list of dangerous drugs. This site is geared towards kids, so there are numberous statements about the effects of drugs on developing bodies. I never understood why these site don't talk about moderation. Every diet book I've been reading lately have said that red wine is one of the better drinks(on the same lines as grapefruit juice) for me, but in moderation. All the examples of drug use that kids grow up with are do or die situations. That might be the case with heorin or a poorly mixed batch of acid or x. Most kids are going to try something out, see if it kills them, and keep trying more and more. The Anti-Drug Campaign is giving them a false impression of the effects. There isn't much about legal drugs on the site either. Pain killers are fast becoming the new pot. Mainly because kids have access to free pills from their parents. Taking Zanex or Percocet on a regular basis will cause more damage to someone's state of mind then taking MDMA at rave once every six months.

I'm not trying to endorse drugs. But, I've never felt that those informing me about drugs have given me the full story.

Friendster Spam

2005-03-28T11:59:00.000-05:00

I'm starting to get Friendster Spam. At least that's what it looks like. A person with a minimal profile sent me a message for a web cam site for flirting. This is complete crap. I guess if I change my settings for recieving messages I won't get spam. I like getting messages from people I haven't seen in years, or who are distant friends through other friends. This is one more reason to live more in the real world and cut off annonymous messages from online social networks.

The web has so much potential for social interaction, but the potential for money making schemes ruins every aspect of the web.

iTunes playing: Secret Agent Radio -- downtempo, lounge, spy style music.

Little Caroline

2005-03-21T22:27:00.000-05:00

Little Caroline
Originally uploaded by tgandee.

Caroline's internet debut. She's only two days old and she is already getting on the net.

Truman Show

2005-03-19T17:59:00.000-05:00

I just caught the end of The Truman Show. It was great to see an example of some of Ishmael's definitions of man. The most noble part of the film was when Truman left the perfect land of his life and stepped into the unknown world, something he has never seen. His creator tells Truman the world is his and everything he needs is within the confirmed space of the tv show. This resembles the flight of man from eden. Why does everyone that has been watching the show cheer when he leaves? Fighting against the confined space of life and control, free will, is the ideology that is engrained in our culture.

Ishmael and an integral world

2005-03-17T15:38:00.000-05:00

I just read Ishmael: An Adventure of Mind and Spirit by Daniel Quinn. Actually, I didn't really read it, I listened to it. Audio books are dangerous, but I won't get into that right now. The concepts in Ishmael are fairly easy to follow. Basically, the web of life theory is expanded and explained as a history of Earth not of human evolution. Ishmael is a gorilla that has learned to communicate with humans. This gorilla seeks a pupil to teach the concepts of life and laws of nature. The narrator shows up to learn how to save the world, and gets a lesson in integral psychology. Basically, human history began with the agriculture revolution, when a human being decided to make his own food and life cycle and not depend on the cycle of life to provide for him/her by nature and natural laws. The human's life is now in his hands of his decisions not at the whims of the gods. Ishmael describes that every being on the Earth follows simple laws to survive and procreate. These laws of nature let them live in their space for their life duration and every other being can be in their space. This isn't to say that animals don't kill each other, but it is saying that they eat what they need and no more. This way creatures can survive for their duration and support the beings that need them. What they don't do is take more than they need.

Excess is the bane of human existence, at least that is what the theory tell us. When humans decided to kill more or wipe out a species to have more and save more, the decision led to the break down of the nature life cycle. We invade others' space to have more and feel in control, but each progressive advantage on any community(natural and social) brings us closer to destroying everything. Ishmael is telling us we're breaking down the life cycle that keeps everything healthy on Earth. This theory shows the habits and ideologies we have formed and are comfortable with. But this has to change or we will destroy ourselves.

I'll continue with these thoughts in the next couple entries, and get into other books I'm reading that focus on integral and holistic ideologies.

Nike is Going Green

2005-03-10T08:58:00.000-05:00

Who would have thought that Nike, the prime example of international labor law violators, would start moving towards sustainable manufacturing. Their new line, Considered features shoes that use less materials and glue, less toxic solvents, and they're hosting sites to encourage competitors to do the same. The Nike Website has more info. Good for them -- maybe I'll buy a pair sometime soon.

Wednesday's Gone

2005-03-10T08:43:00.000-05:00

I have to say that Wednesday is the best night of the week. I know it's Thursday right now, but last night was the amazing. Getting back into the routine of rock climbing, Mexican dinner, Mudcat, drunk dials, and Krystal always feels good Thursday morning. I can look on the couch and see a friend past out with a mound of Krystal Chik boxes surrounding them. And Mudcat. What can say about Mudcat. Last night there was this girl dancing the whole time I was there. She was in her own little groove. Nothing seemed to change her course except Mudcat's slide guitar. Seeing Mudcat and the crowd at Northside always brings a smile to my face. It helps me get through the week, especially those long drawn out weeks.

Ambient Displays

2005-03-08T12:16:00.000-05:00

The idea of ambient displays is slowing coming out in many different forms. On Metaefficient, for example, products that produce awareness of energy use throughout the house are the latest in energy-saving projects. WorldChanging.com is working on projects for products that would replace ordinary household items, like bathroom tile. Can this be the next trend in information-awareness? I think the AWARE Home at Tech should install some of these products or get into some of the research. There are some many applications and ideas for creating multi-purpose products that talk to each other. I know there are affordances of products out there that can give different feedback and responses for changing information, but blending them into the everyday and giving meaning to a new type of language that isn't harsh or doesn't impede on everyone else's lives, like cell phone rings and alerts, is a different goal to achieve.

Waking up to a traffic report on NPR is really annoying and I should change the station, but sometimes it is nice to know the Connector is backed-up. If there was a color code on my wall or a simple sound that triggered in my car when I embarked on my journey to work, I could think of a new plan for going to work. Accentus is doing this with musical tones and changes in trading markets for stock traders who have to watch market trends with numerous indicators. Their product give a series of tones that relate to certain markets and the rate or pattern of the sounds indicate the intensity and direction of the trend, if the market is going down or up. Investors have to keep track of indicators in many areas and this helps keep them on track.

These technologies are helping us generate a more efficient lifestyle while maximizing our input and output. I think it all boils down to the episode of the Simpsons when Homer gets on disability for being too fat and he works from home. His only task is to type "YES" or "NO" into his keyboard. At some point, he realizes that he can just type "Y" or "N", then he realizes that all his actions are "Y", so he gets a bobbing toy to click "Y" every few seconds. This results in almost blowing up the plant because the computer ask, "Would you like to shut down the plant?". Of course he is so fat at this point he can't even call the plant to warm them. I don't know what happens to the plant, but it's a funny take on technology and how we're trying to live more efficiently.

Dodgeball.com

2005-03-08T10:27:00.000-05:00

So I just joined Dodgeball.com. I was reading Vinnie's blog about social networking and physical spaces just last night and I stumbled upon this site about exactly that. Amazing how the consciousness and mental energy work to lead you to the things you're thinking about. Anyway, if any of my friends are geeky enough to try this and don't mind the privacy invasion, it will be cool to see if we're ever in the same spaces. Atlanta is small enough that we'll probably know if our friends are around though. I guess this technology is letting us be sucked in the computer chip even more. It will be nice to meet new people with similar interests though. If this were hooked into Friendster, that would be the bomb. You could let those 2nd or 3rd Degree Friends see your profile before you talked to them at the bar or restaurant. I 'll have another post about this social networking in physical spaces when I read and think more about it.

Right on! You rock! And welcome, dear friend, to Dodgeball.com!

Atlanta is unruly - that's why we've put our best code monkeys to work building tools to help you navigate this fine city in the context of your friends.

In case you were wondering...

Q: What is it?
A: dodgeball.com is a new social networking site built specifically for mobile phones.

Q: What does it do?
A: The idea is simple: tell us where you are and we'll tell you who and what is around you.
We'll ping your friends with your whereabouts, let you know when friends-of-friends are within 10 blocks,
allow you to broadcast content to anyone within 10 blocks of you or blast messages to your groups of
friends.

Q: Give me an example.
A: Okay, so you're having drinks at Luna Lounge. Send us a text message telling us where you
are and we'll send out a text message telling all your friends where you are AND send you back a
message letting you know if any friends-of-friends are within 10 blocks. If you have a camera phone,
we'll even send you their picture.

Q: How do I use it?
A: Whenever you're out, use your mobile phone to send a text message to "atlanta@dodgeball.com" with a
"@" and then the name of the bar or restaurant you're at. e.g. @Luna Lounge, @Bowery Bar. When
we get your text message, we'll check to see if there's anyone you know nearby.

Q: So, how do you know who my friends are?
A: You need to tell us who your friends are, just like you did with those other social networking sites.

Privacy with RFIDs

2005-03-07T18:23:00.000-05:00

It seems as though the Homeland Security Department has created another ID tag with the latest technology. The new card will feature Bluetooth and RF with Biometric info and personal security data. The user will authenticate with a swipe of the card and a fingerprint. It's got all the usually security features for government IDs (Wired Article). I'd like to see, but I know we'll know never unless a major screw up happens, if the Bluetooth signal will release information around the user. DC will start to see more wireless hackers and Bluetooth identity thieves in the coming months when the tags get their first go-around.

Will the general public need this type of technology to use a credit card, drive a car, leave/enter the country, access bank accounts? How would personal info and identities be affected by carrying them around in your pocket? What happened to the RF tags in the skin? Wouldn't people try and steal those too?

What's playing in itunes?
Orange Sky - Alexi Murdoch

Snowboarding in Squaw

2005-03-07T09:59:00.000-05:00

Snowboarding in Squaw
Originally uploaded by tgandee.

This is a better version

Catching Air

2005-03-07T09:16:00.001-05:00

squaw - feb 2005 009-1
Originally uploaded by tgandee.

This is me at Squaw on March 1st, 2005. Jumping this high is really scary, but once you commit and you make it, the ride feels amazing.

Public vs. Private Space

2005-03-03T15:31:00.000-05:00

Link - This is an interesting idea to combat the flow of information around us. I think it is amazing that there are few places left where cell phones don't work, unless you have the worst phone in the world (SIEMENS S46) but that's not the cell signal provider's fault. I was on the highest point in the lower 48 states, Mt. Whitney (14,500 Ft.) and I got a signal and made some calls. In most of the places I bring my computer, I can find wireless networks. This past weekend though, I was in Tahoe City, CA to snowboard and take a break from work. My cellphone didn't work (because of the phone, not service) and I didn't have my computer. It was amazing! I didn't worry about anything technical for 4 days. That might be a new record. I can't imagine if we could prevent the signals for entering our private space, as the link at the top suggests. I like thinking about the habits I create with technology and if I could break them or how I would survive without those affordances.

What affordance does your favorite technology give you?

Could you break the habit or lifestyle?

I know firefox's sage extention has given me the desire to start this blog and it keeps me informed about just about everything from news to Doonesbury. I would say this is my favorite technology right now and it would be hard to go back to the old model of news gathering with TV, Newspapers, Periodicals, and talking on the phone to friends. I know what my friends are reading, or I tell them to read something, and the conversation can be kicked off in person or on AIM. The rapid spread of information and critique accelerates the rate of learning. Is this access to information important to progress our lives or is it something to keep us going, something to fight depression or stagnation in our lives. This paragraph went crazy. Maybe I should stay on track. It would be hard to break the habit. Getting a new career away from the web would be a good start. I would probably have to get new friends too. This doesn't sound like a good idea so far. I don't think I could stop with the information feeds. Someday, though.

What's playing on your ipod today? ---
right now -- "Going Under" -- Rockers HiFi -- The K&D Sessions (Kruder and Dorfmeister)

Radio is Free!

2005-03-03T10:13:00.000-05:00

Metroblogging Atlanta gave me the good news. The YES service keeps track of playlists for all radio stations, and MTV(blah). This is very handy when you don't want to wait in you car to hear the list at the end of a set.

First Time

2005-03-03T09:47:00.000-05:00

Well, this is it. I'm creating a blog. I really don't know why, maybe I'm bored, or I'm tired of send out emails with all the little things that I see and hear about. I'm sure most people just delete what I send. This will be easy for them.

This space, as fitting for the title, will be a space for the crazy things I think about or read or see. I'll try and post pictures every now and again, but I don't have a digital camera yet. Somedays will have a lot of info, whenever the web is flooded with crazy tech/product/politcal news, and somedays it will have none. I might move this over to my server whenever I get off my fat ass and start messing with toddgandee.com or freshtrix.com. For now Blogger can hold it down.

Enjoy!