In a story full of great quotes, that was perhaps the greatest.
abject failure
...now browsing by category
“The first thing they told me was, ‘Leave your cats and get out.’”
Thursday, January 26th, 2012RIP Trade Shows, 2012
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011With Microsoft abandoning the event (it’s hard to blame them; the company has launched anything new at CES for years), I have a sinking suspicion that this January’s CES will be my last. Ah well… the timing has always been horrible (who wants to announce new products in January?) and the really big news gets leaked in advance anyway to the major blogging outlets. I think CES actually began its death a few years ago when Apple announced the original iPhone in San Francisco, hundreds of miles away, reminding everyone that location and physical presence at an event no longer means much of anything at all.
CES, I’ll mourn you the same way I mourned Comdex, Networld+Interop, and all those other big computer shows that used to be matters of mandatory attendance.
This Is How Hoarders Get Their Start
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
Yes, that’s a kids’ shampoo bottle.
Fact Checking the Cadillac World Thorium Fuel
Thursday, October 20th, 2011I’m writing about this here simply because I have nowhere else to put it: In the course of writing about alternate energy sources for autos, I’ve found (what looks rather obvious from the outset) that the much-reported-upon nuclear-powered “World Thorium Fuel” vehicle from GM is not a real concept vehicle but merely a 3D rendering from this fellow.
Somehow numerous outlets have convinced themselves that the “WTF” (red flag, IMHO) was “unveiled” at a 2009 auto show, that a laser-and-thorium-powered car was “introduced” at said show, and that it means that “nuclear cars [are] not science fiction any more” (that from a New York Times contributor!).
They’ve all been duped.
It’s just amazing how reportage feeds upon itself. It’s like a game of telephone. In the beginning someone probably noted that a guy that’s really good with computers mocked up a highly implausible Cadillac. Somewhere along the way the facts got lost, and by the time it hit the mainstream the WTF was a real prototype that you could tool around with and which would last for 100 years without a fill-up. I have no idea how the detail about the Chicago Auto Show came into the picture, but hey, what’s a good lie without something that sounds legitimate to back it up?
Here’s what Cadillac said in response to my query, just for the record:
We did not produce that concept. It was rendered by a freelance designer as a creative/visionary exercise. I don’t have a lot of details on the how’s and why’s of its creation….it just sort of appeared. We’re pleased that our Art & Science design was inspirational…..but outside of that, we don’t really have a view on it.
And Nowhere to Go
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011Pretty much where we were five years ago… and the trend is bleak. Sigh.
I’m Never Clicking on Anything Again
Sunday, August 28th, 2011Yesterday I fell prey to my first phishing attack in years. I caught it a minute after I clicked the link and provided my Twitter account info, but the damage was already done. It took nearly an hour to change all the relevant passwords. Had it been a more “secure” password that got compromised it would have been an all-weekend experience. Joy.
Reminder to self and everyone else: No matter who sends you the email, even if it’s your best friend in the world, and no matter how funny they say you looked in “this photo,” do not click the link!
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Thursday, July 14th, 2011Approaching the bar between the 75-degree, all-sun South Bay and the 58-degree, rain-and-fog City of San Francisco. Like passing through an invisible barrier of ugly weather.
The Definition of Winning
Monday, May 30th, 2011A selection of Senior High School Pictures
Municipal Serendipity
Monday, May 2nd, 2011Apparently from Glen Park Festival
Show Me “ALLIGATOR!”
Monday, February 14th, 2011It’s been Family Feud mania here for a couple of weeks (blame the iPad game), but nothing the kids have done approaches the awesomeness of this clip.
The Mails
Monday, January 31st, 2011This just appeared in my mailbox today. I live in San Francisco.
(click for large version/punch line)
More Lactose Please
Monday, January 17th, 2011Man was not made to consume this much cheese in this little time.
Young Lust
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011Scene: Virgin America flight from SFO to Las Vegas. I’m on the aisle.
Young Fight Attendent (to lady in window seat): What would you like to drink?
Lady in Window Seat: Water.
YFA (to wannabe hipster in middle seat): Something to drink?
Wannabe Hipster in Middle Seat (lecherous look): What’s up?
YFA: Excuse me?
WHIMS: What’s up?
YFA: I’m sorry?
WHIMS: Whassuuuuuuuuuuuupppppppppppp?
YFA: Would you like something to drink, sir?
WHIMS (utterly defeated that his come-on failed): Water.
Aaaaaand… Scene.
Sometimes It Sucks to Be Tall
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010From the Ottawa Sun…
A seven-year-old giraffe featured on a British television drama was struck and killed by lightning in South Africa Monday.
…
Hamley is not the first giraffe to be struck by lightning.
In 1996, lightning reportedly struck and killed a 5.5-metre tall giraffe that was standing on a hill in the Rhino and Lion Reserve in northeastern South Africa. A year later, its mate was struck and killed by lightning.
This Is Why You’re Lazy
Thursday, October 28th, 2010Getting things done is hard. It requires serious, daily effort. This article finally puts that struggle into words and explains why procrastination is such a damning problem for so many people — all by using people’s Netflix queues as scientific data. It’d be easy to make an “I’ll read it later” joke, but I’d never take the easy out. Besides, Jersey Shore is on.
In a nutshell:
The Misconception: You procrastinate because you are lazy and can’t manage your time well.
The Truth: Procrastination is fueled by weakness in the face of impulse and a failure to think about thinking.
About That Clerk Position…
Monday, July 12th, 2010I have a soft spot for this spam/virus I just received. In fact, I love it.
—
Like John Waters’ Moustache
Friday, June 18th, 2010Can someone explain to me why some otherwise attractive women pluck their eyebrows down to pencil-thin lines? It is the scariest thing on earth.
Perhaps This Is Why My Drain Is Slow
Thursday, June 10th, 2010
Plumber: “How did the water drain before?”
Me: “…”
The Other Pan Flute
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010The worst hold music of all time is now official: HSBC. A three-minute loop of what sounds like Zanfir played on a $30 keyboard. Key change!
Already Against DST
Sunday, March 14th, 2010Kid (circa 6pm): “When is it going to be night time???”
Me: “November.”