Flameproof racism: an interesting article. The best quote in it?

Pitchford has achieved this by being much more than your ordinary moderator. In effect, he has stopped simply being the maintainer of a mailing list and has become the editor of a new kind of magazine. The Evolutionary Psychology list combines the quick, cheap distribution of the Internet with all the advantages that real magazines traditionally have over mailing lists: a really diverse readership and an editor who sits right next to a large wastepaper basket.

What is Social Informaticsand Why Does it Matter?

A serviceable working conception of "social informatics" is that it identifies a body of research that examines the social aspects of computerization. A more formal definition is "the interdisciplinary study of the design, uses and consequences of information technologies that takes into account their interaction with institutional and cultural contexts."

When I was a kid, I used to love to do magic tricks. I'd spend hours practicing my sleight of hand. Now? Now I can barely fool my kids.

The Hit List.

The Ethics of Information Architure

Did [your parents] ever take the time when you were a small child to clarify that the story of Hansel and Gretel is really a metaphor for the horrors that result without effective breadcrumb navigation?

What will and what won't the USPS deliver through the mail?

Sharpen your C# skills with online resources

Napster for Bluetooth. Oh geez.

The Web hasn’t been hyped enough.

Beyond the numbers applied to the Web – the millions of users, the billions of email messages and the trillions of dollars – and beyond the endless, important discussions trying to predict the Net’s effect on our institutions, the Web is touching us in ways so deep and so personal that we might as well give in and call it spiritual.

TheSpark.com Christmas Test! It classified my wife correctly, then recommended 14 items geared toward specific areas of her personality. And I come to realize that 2 of the 14 are already wrapped and sitting at home with my wife's name on it. Try it and be amazed.

What will be the killer app for mobile phones? I'm betting that a popular one will be advertiser-supported push: radio stations... talk, music, news. If the costs can be kept down to the user, I think this has a good chance of working. All it needs is a recommend-it feature to easily send clips to friends and you've got some viral action, too.

Interesting little article on devotion to singular methodologies. Or something like that.

Speaking of Rogue-like games... ever thought of building one? Maybe you'd just like a taste of what's out there.

User Interface Markup Language (UIML) is is an XML language for defining user interfaces.

You know, I don't normally link to anything profane or offensive. Well, okay, profane, anyway. But this article was just too funny.

Ballot usability study courtesy of Human Factors International. Oh, and don't forget to check out this neat toy that they've created.

BXXP: the Blocks eXtensible eXchange Protocol; a protocol framework. As noted on bxxp.org, BXXP is a framework for building application protocols. It's not a replacement for any existing protocol. Instead, it's kind of a "best hits" album of the tricks used by experienced application protocol designers since the early 80s.

Ha ha! Of course, there were some embellishments to Rothman's story, but still...

Amusing children's story...

I had the singularly most excruciating driving experience of my life this morning. It took me almost 2 hours for my regular 1/2-hour commute. The entire way I kept thinking, "It's just a dusting of snow! What the heck is wrong with you people??!!" So, now I know: when it snows, leave very very early or suffer the slow death of gridlock.

Nice idea... find your plagiarized material quickly and easily and then lynch the weasels!

X-men live! You know, I have a similar problem. All electronic devices that I use break down way before their expected lifetime. Am I generating an electric field that messes with them? Or is it just shoddy worldwide craftsmanship?

This is extremely disturbing. I mean, really, really wierd.

Quantum dots rule!

Good idea from Zeldman et al.

New study reveals that a close relationship with a parent is the single biggest factor in raising a "good" kid. Yes indeedy!

Hmmm... Well... I just don't know about this one.

Build my site, pleeeez!!

Enjoy this guide to univeral usability.

Why? Perhaps they sing a dirge for the earth; croon of the death of Gaea.

The 100 sleaziest moments in rock 'n roll.

stockcharts.com has a very yummy interface here...

So, it's true...

This is just really cool!

Ewwwww, gross update.

I watched the first part of Dune last night. About two-thirds of the way through, my wife turned to me and asked which version I liked better. The original movie has a certain something that this new version lacks. A sense of spirituality, a sense of inner depth... the inner voices of the characters. Yet this new version is long enough that it can include scenes that never appeared in the original. And it's action-oriented approach makes for a more compelling viewing experience. I would have to give this new version the nod, simply because it is more understandable. Of course, there's more to see, so I may have to revise my opinion.

STAR WARS: Technical Commentary on the Endor Holocaust. Hmmmm.

Metaman Lives!!!

I found this very useful Friday!

My wife mentioned recently that she'd like to do some volunteer work. I'm all for that, and thinking that I should too... Now there's an easy way to locate volunteer organizations in your area that are in need of help.

We finished our christmas shopping this weekend. Mostly, it was me finally getting off of my butt and taking the kids and buying Mommy's presents. And them me buying her presents. Got some great stuff, though. Hope your shopping is going as well.

The forest fires are still smoldering. Some links today, but widely spaced and intermittent...