Listening to: Kingdom Come - Jay-Z

Lotus

Originally uploaded by tekuila.

Listening to: Children of the Damned - Iron Maiden

John highlighted this little gem of a quote:

Web standards are there to take the randomness out of web development and not to act as a policing tool.

Listening to: Gangland - Iron Maiden

I have been reading The Elegant Solution: Toyota’s Formula for Mastering Innovation - a book about the innovation process they use at Toyota. The book is overflowing with great lessons about a very pragmatic and sustainable innovation process.

One of the things that I found most interesting was the parallel between the Toyota process and the current thinking in software development - that you get something out there and then you iterate and iterate. In the language of the book… you avoid the temptation of trying to hit for the fence, but rather you build a game of single runs. One doesn’t look so flashy, but in the end it is far more sustainable.

It is always reassuring to see a MO replicated in very separate industry.

Listening to: The Instrumental - Lupe Fiasco Feat. Jonah Matranga

Ah… so it appears that Lucas actually created a deep multi-layered story - rather than - well you know.

Chewie’s first problem is what is happening between Luke and Leia. With a psychic link they can feel but don’t understand, thrown together in a life-or-death escape, they are looking at each other with a sparky intensity that Chewie gradually recognises as Romantic Tension. He’s no expert on human relationships but Chewie is fairly sure that that’s Wrong, so he does the only thing he can under the circumstances - he throws Han at her. Han is at first not interested but after a while starts to warm to the idea with an intensity that gives Chewie new worries.

src: Boing Boing

Listening to: Do You Wanna Ride - Jay-Z Feat. John Legend

Plant hardiness data, 1990 v 2006. Roughly speaking, areas suitable for growing traditional food crops are slowing moving north.

Global Warming Trend

Originally uploaded by jbdelong.

Listening to: Nothing - Paul McLaney

Found this over at Salon:

…the 10 executives, representing major utilities, aluminum and chemical companies and financial institutions, said mandatory reductions are needed and that “the cornerstone of this approach” should be a cap-and-trade system.

The officials, expected to elaborate on their plan at a news conference later Monday, include the chief executives Alcoa Inc., PB America Inc., DuPont Co., Caterpillar Inc., General Electric Co., and Duke Energy Corp.

Listening to: Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush

I am a huge fan of Parallels… it has transformed the way I look at computing. This CNNMoney article has some really interesting background info about the company.

Listening to: Postcard - Zillionaire

Last year I had some close dealings with a holder of some massive directory properties. These guys had this glint in their eyes when ever they talked about their directories. In the context of their portfolio and it’s other constituents this was a real education. It showed me how valuable these companies are. These are super valuable assets that provide long-term strategic advantage. I’m glad that Rod has spoken out about how foolish the sale of the NZ Yellow Pages is.

Listening to: Fix You - Coldplay

iPhone size comparison

Originally uploaded by freshyill.

Yup… big.

Listening to: Kingdom Come - Coldplay

For my own notes: Discovering Capistrano