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Little Black Submarines by The Black Keys really deserves to be an epic song of about nine minutes long. That’s why they aren’t Guns n' Roses or Queen. It’s typical Black Keys. At just over four minutes it’s long for a Black Keys song and hits hard and fast once it gets going. By the end of it you think you’ve heard about four different songs and all the guitar riffs leave your head spinning with more pleasure than a kid playing with a toy top.
And here is a look at the Jays logo changes over the years. I wonder if the 90s and 2000s will be known as years where designers and everyone else tried to be extra cool, but we go back to designing classic, simple looks over the next 20 years. I guess we’ll always need a bit of both; new and old. But in this case, I sure like the simple classic looks the best.
I couldn’t be happier with the Blue Jays new logo and uniforms. Best decision they could have made. I never liked any of their designs in between the classic uniforms and this new update to it. Good chance I’ll be buying some new Blue Jays apparel come next year. Goodbye Ricciardi era, hello Anthopoulos era.
This is a response to a great blog post by Joe Hewitt entitled Airplay TV.
Just heard that the Cubs have hired GM Theo Epstein away from the Red Sox. My first thought is that he will do what it takes to sign Albert Pujols and make him a Cub. They probably weren’t really in the hunt for Pujols but my hunch says he wants him and could get him since the Yankees have Teixeira, the Red Sox have Gonzalez, and Fielder is also a free agent for another big market team to get.
Realized one interesting difference between sports stars from 20 years ago and today. They used to be known or referred to by their last names instead of first names or hyphenated names. Gretzky, Jordan, Bird, Bonds, Griffey vs Sid, Lebron, A-Rod, Pedro, Tiger. Miss the old days when the coolest name for someone was just using their last name.
I expect that I am going to be writing posts to this blog more often. It's not that I have a whole bunch of more ideas that I want to post. I do have a pretty big list of ideas to write about which I have kept for a couple years even though I haven't written many posts yet. It's just that I've been thinking about writing on my blog a bit more and realized that the biggest reason I don't write on it is because it takes me too long to make a post. So I've decided if I actually want to use my blog a bit more, which I do, that I will have to make it simpler to make posts.
Having pictures really makes a blog better for people who are reading it. But this blog is more for me to write down my ideas and thoughts anyway. Not having to deal with making pictures for all the posts will save me a bunch of time and will allow me to quickly make posts. When I removed the pictures I also went through my blog posts and formatted them all similarly and decided on how I would format my new posts. I won't have to think about adding pictures or formatting my posts anymore, but can just focus on what I want to write.
I used to write blog posts offline in text files or word files and keep them on my computer. Then I would just copy what I had written and add a picture online. Editing offline has advantages but it's not nearly as simple as just posting online, and keeping it online only has other advantages too. I can also edit from any computer now obviously which is a plus. I deleted all the offline copies of my posts and will edit and keep my blog online only. This is the main change that will make it easier and quicker to make posts. I've given in to just keep my blog entries online only, just like when I switched to GMail for my mail a †few years†ago. I don't really know why I thought I needed a copy in text files offline. Writing this blog post was a lot easier to get done than my old system of editing offline and then posting after. To make this easier I also made a couple changes to the online editor such as adding more lines to it. Now it feels a bit more like editing offline.
Just in case I want to edit on my iPad 2, which I got a couple months ago when it came out. I always thought the iPad would be good for journalling or blogging as long as you are writing smaller posts. I've made writing posts simpler by not having pictures and keeping my files online only, which allows me to make shorter posts using my iPad if I want.
Simply, doing all of the steps above will make it way easier for me to post to my blog. I'm excited and think I will do more writing on my blog now. Making this post took way less time than I used to take writing a post, so I'm sure that by storing my blog online only and not using pictures will make we want to post more. Like I've found with many things in life, simplifying down to what matters most makes it easier to get things done and makes you enjoy things more in the end. In this case, simplifying the process to post to my blog will make me want to write in it more often and enjoy doing it.
I don't like pop ups, tooltips, mouseover menus, and information popups used in the design of software and websites.
On Windows 95 and 98 I used a program called TweakUI to disable tooltips throughout the operating system, but I miss it when using Windows 7. So I don't think I have ever really liked tooltips or mouseovers, but having used iOS for a couple years now I feel even stronger about this. I feel that tooltips or anything that automatically pops up in a little window or changes the interface when you move your mouse over it is distracting to the user interface and gets in the way of the user interacting with the computer. I think if software and websites were designed completely without mouse rollover effects and tooltip popups that the user's experience with computers would benefit greatly.
First of all I'll define what I mean by a tooltip or mouseover so you know what I am talking about. I am referring to any time you move your mouse over an object on screen and anything on the screen other than the mouse cursor changes. A simple mouseover effect on a menu or button can be useful and not too intrusive, but it is the simplest type of mouseover. A link on a website being underlined when you move your mouse over it is another example that isn't too annoying. A tooltip such as used often in Microsoft Windows supposedly to provide you help with what you will be clicking on is a bit annoying. A little window popup of information when you move over a link or other object is even more annoying. Special OS features like a small window of an application showing when you move your mouse over it on the taskbar is also a mouseover. All of these I refer to as mouseovers and while it may seem extreme I think all of these should be eliminated from user interface design.
We simply don't need extra information coming up on a mouseover because the interface should clearly show where the user should click the mouse to provide actions or more information. We can now design interfaces that are more simple and clear so that people understand where they need to click. They can see the menu, the buttons, the links, and any other information that they need to click. Rollovers might look fancy but at this stage in human computer interaction and software design if a user does not know where to click simply by looking at the screen then the design of the software is very poor.
Here are a few different predictions I have about the Blue Jays lineup for 2011. I haven't heard anyone talk about some of these possibilities at this point. A couple of these predictions are somewhat unlikely but I think there is a chance they could happen. These changes to the lineup are based on the Blue Jays having their current roster of players and working with what they have. If they make any other offseason moves it would obviously change the lineup and what lineup they go with. Also, I think the batting order will change quite a bit depending on who does well. Now onto what I think the Jays could do with their current roster for the 2011 season, beginning with the most unlikely.
People have mentioned other possible lineup changes but nobody has mentioned moving Wells. This would give them a better defense than Davis in LF and Snider in RF I think, and before last year there was talk about Wells' declining defense. They traded for Davis and he could just be a 4th outfielder, but if they actually traded for him you have to think they like him quite a bit. If they really want Davis in the lineup it would be gutsy to go ahead and move Wells to RF because this would give them the best defense and lineup with the players they currently have. Davis has more speed in CF than Wells but has a poor arm so can't play RF and it would mean he is at the top of the lineup every day. Snider in RF and Davis in LF of course is more likely so as not to upset Wells but I think there is a chance they could do this.
So as it turns out I haven't used this blog very much or made many posts. Honestly, it isn't very surprising. I knew I may not use it very much. One of the reasons I don't post too much to it is because I'm never sure exactly what types of things I should write on it or how much I should edit myself. But now I know that my main reason for originally making this blog isn't really going to work out.
My first post to this blog explained the reasons why I was creating this blog. My plan was to keep an online journal about my goals and I was going to keep it simple. I would make the format somewhere in between a Twitter log and a long format blog. I would post little updates about my goals often. However I realize that I don't really want to do that publicly. Of course it should be obvious because I never did post anything about my goals. Anyway, instead of writing about my goals on this blog I will be writing about my goals more often in a personal journal. Here are a few of the reasons why.
I realize I don't really need to write a post about what my blog is for. But just writing about this sets it in my mind a bit. Now I know that my personal journal is for writing all the little details about what I'm doing to reach my goals and about my daily life. And this blog is for writing posts that I edit a bit more and put at least a bit more thought into. I may still write some posts about my goals but they will be more thought out than I was originally thinking. And all of the little updates and writing about my goals will go in my personal success journal. Just knowing what this blog is for and what my journal is for will make it easier for me to write more often in both of them.
I will still use this blog for pretty much all the reasons I originally planned except for writing short posts about my goals and journaling daily on it.
Here are some predictions for what I think could be launched at Apple's next media event. Most likely Apple will have an event to announce some media hardware and software like iPods in the fall of 2010 sometime around September.
I think Apple wants to get everyone onto their iOS mobile devices which basically includes the iPhone and iPod Touch. The main reason for this is they can sell apps, games, books and other content on these devices and they can really only sell music on the older devices like the iPod Classic and iPod Nano. Because of this I think they will drop the price of the entry level iPod Touch even more. Of course this would cut into the price of the iPod Nano which I'll talk more about in a bit. The iPhone 4 may be quietly updated with a 64GB version replacing the 32GB version too.
I think the iPod Classic will finally be discontinued since the iPod Touch will now have a flash hard drive with 128GB of memory. It's pretty remarkable as it will truly be the end of an era for the hard drive based iPods without a touch screen which started 9 years ago in 2001. I also think that eventually the iPod Nano will be discontinued. My guess is that once the base iPod Touch hits the price of the iPod Nano at $150 it basically makes the iPod Nano redundant. I think that may happen this year, and if not in 2011.
This is a respone to an article titled 'The world doesn't need an Apple tablet, or any other', by Joe Wilcox of BetaNews.
It's an interesting article where he basically states that tablet computers can't become as popular as PCs, laptops, mp3 players, and smartphones, because it is a niche product and is too much of a middle product between laptops and smartphones. He has some interesting points. Tablets have definitely had trouble becoming mainstream devices and part of that problem has been overlapping market segments and the fact people may not buy four separate computers including a desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone.
I disagree with his article though. The main reason that I believe tablets will succeed and become popular is because I think they will replace laptops for regular users. It's that simple. Eventually, a typical home user will have a desktop all in one computer, a tablet portable computer, and a mobile smartphone. They may have only one or two of them. So the addressable market is anyone who currently owns a laptop or netbook. Below are some points answering some of the questions he poses. These advantages that a tablet has over a laptop and other reasons are why I think Apple's tablet and other tablets will replace laptops and netbooks.
Not having a regular keyboard is the big issue and a really good point. It was the same argument with the iPhone and makes an even better argument for tablets trying to replace laptops. But while touchscreen typing isn't as quick as a physical keyboard I think it will be good enough for a lot of people to provide the other benefits that a tablet computer gives you over a laptop. Also it will be better than an iPhone, allowing for four, six, or eight finger typing. That was a weird sentence I know. Anyway, there will eventually be small wireless keyboards that you can take on longer trips that work with tablets for whenever you can get to a desk and stand your tablet up. Or you can sync and do your longer typing on your desktop. I will admit that I think that touchscreen tablets that also have a keyboard like a traditional laptop will be popular for quite awhile, but I do think the great form factor of a tablet will be extremely popular as well and will win over every day users who don't need to type long articles. Just as now the iPhones and iPod Touch are quite popular but so are Blackberry devices and the Palm Pre with a hardware keyboard.
Hello World! Welcome to my blog. I've wanted to create one for quite awhile and I've finally done it. I have no idea how long I'll keep it going or how much I'll write in here. But here are some of my reasons for creating the blog. This first post will be a good reminder to myself of why I want to write in this blog and what kind of things to write about.
This is my main reason for creating this blog. I'm very into being organized, setting goals, and creating habits. I've read books like "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and "Getting Things Done" that have helped me very much in my life. I've read a lot of articles on websites like Lifehack, Lifehacker, Zen Habits, and many others. I always keep lists and notes on my mobile computer, which used to be a Palm Z22 and is now an iPod Touch. I've reached some important goals in the last few years. Lately I've had a hard time getting motivated enough to work on an important goal. I keep reading about how one of the best habits you can get into besides creating the habit to spend time working towards the goal every day is to tell people about your goal or journal publicly about it. So I finally decided to make this blog so I can write publicly about my goals and the progress I'm making or not making. Hopefully writing about my goal will keep me thinking about it and motivated to achieve it.
"Don't criticize, condemn, or complain." - Dale Carnegie
- Criticism is futile because it puts a person on the defensive and usually makes him strive to justify himself.
- Criticism is dangerous, because it wounds a person's precious pride, hurts his sense of importance, and arouses resentment.
- Instead of condemning people, let's try to understand them.
- Let's try to figure out why they do what they do.
- That's a lot more profitable and intriguing than criticism; and it breeds sympathy, tolerance and kindness.
- "To know all is to forgive all."
I asked myself for peace, and found a piece of me, staring at the sea. - Future Islands
All that glitters is gold
Don't believe what you've been told
People lie, people love, people go
But beauty lies in every soulI asked myself for peace
And found a piece of me
Staring at the sea...