Category Archives: Uncategorized

Intellect thrives on sleep, but oversleepers die early. Does that mean that academics die early? I’m in the wrong business.

NYTimes: Is weblog technology here to stay or just another fad? Yet another weblog analysis focusing on the financial sustainability of weblog software companies. Weblogs are not a technology trend, they are a social phenomenon, and as such are not controlled by the state of the economy. As long as people feel the need toContinue reading “Just another fad.”

The verdict: monster trux. but only when the birthday boy cuts his hair to have an ironic mullet for the occasion. I guess that if Ming Tsai had grown a mullet, or even worn a mullet wig while cooking our dinner, it would have been a more contentious battle.

Researchers map the social network of comic book characters: “A closer look reveals the Marvel Universe’s artificiality… The Marvel network is only very weakly clustered – about 1.5 times more than a random network.” Who’s the most central hero in comic book history? Captain America.

A source that I often cite for statistics about information overload is the How Much Information? survey which was completed two years ago at the School of Information Management and Systems at Berkeley. If you’re looking for proof that we’re headed for a Borgesian end, look no further than these scary stats. Perusing the executiveContinue reading “How much info?”

Stanley Milgram’s seminal paper ‘The Small-World Problem’ (Psychology Today, 1967) tells the tale of the first social network study. Milgram had the brilliant idea to send packages to distant parts of America (Wichita, Kansas and Omaha Nebraska) with the instructions to try to move this pacakge to a target individual in Sharon, Massachusetts. The resultsContinue reading “The world just got smaller”

ok, I’m back! the conference was great, with more social networking than you can shake a bad pickup line at. in order to inspire networking, they even had a liquor-laden hospitality room open all night hoping to generate some new weak ties. I had the most excellent time I’ve ever had at a conference, thanksContinue reading “Cool city.. cool networks.. hot jazz!”

Nicholas Negroponte (co-founder of my fine institution) has been hearalding the future of 802.11 for a few years now, claiming that a grassroots movement could undermine other wireless efforts. I’ve been skeptical in the past, but I can say at the moment I’m pretty happy with the free wireless connection I’m getting from some officeContinue reading “Grassroots 802.11”

the ultimate test of any web design.. does it hold up to webTV? my first experience says NO.

ugh.. off to the airport in less than 5 hours. being a procrastinator makes life painful. i’m making a note: in the future, don’t leave things to the last minute, especially when mardi gras is at stake.