Zest (The Chief Cook specifies only the very outer skin)
Batter. It was unbelievably delicious. An archetypal taste. We could have stopped right there.
There was really no need for the whipped cream or rum. But maybe next serving.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Orange Savarin
According to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/dining/231frex.html
Zest (The Chief Cook specifies only the very outer skin)
Batter. It was unbelievably delicious. An archetypal taste. We could have stopped right there.
There was really no need for the whipped cream or rum. But maybe next serving.
Zest (The Chief Cook specifies only the very outer skin)
Batter. It was unbelievably delicious. An archetypal taste. We could have stopped right there.
There was really no need for the whipped cream or rum. But maybe next serving.
Full Body Scans
Problem with full body scans?
Why not allow each passenger to pay extra to have the scan automatically posted to Facebook, along with a tweet containing the requisite tiny url (nothing implied here). And I'm sure that someone will be able to squeeze a reality show out of this.
They'll be lining up to go through twice.
Why not allow each passenger to pay extra to have the scan automatically posted to Facebook, along with a tweet containing the requisite tiny url (nothing implied here). And I'm sure that someone will be able to squeeze a reality show out of this.
They'll be lining up to go through twice.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Wonder of the Apple tablet
According to MG Siegler at Tech Crunch ( "The Wonder of Apple's Tablet" ), the still ontologically challenged Apple tablet is a "must have". And all tablets that came before it "sucked up until now".
The wondrous Apple tablet is wondrous because it's being described as wondrous before anyone outside of Apple is sure that it exists. The thing is the "Snakes on a Plane" of consumer gadgetry. Everyone has been talking about it. So now Apple may deliver it. Then we'll all have to buy it.
The iPhone was a transformational product because, oddly enough, it was the first mobile phone to take design and usability seriously. Its success was as much a credit to the (continuing) stupidity or callousness of the rest of the market as it was to Apple's willingness to take design and the associated expense seriously.
However, tablets have been around for years. They've been used widely in industry and in sales. They do not all suck. Some of them were pretty cool. Fujitsu alone made some very nice onessee note. But none of the tablets were successfully marketed to "gotta have it" consumers. So maybe it's fair to say that the marketing sucked. But please, not all of the tablets.
Note (added 1-28-10): It took about a month, but according to The New York Times ( http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/technology/companies/29name.html ) the folks at Fujitsu have realized that they are pad leaders, not pad followers.
After reading the "Mad Men" reference to the Carousel projector (which, like slates, was widely used commercially), I'm reminded of the one that I used to own. At this point, I'm more likely to head to eBay for a Carousel than to the line at the genius store.
On the other hand, I do need something to fill the critical gap between my netbook and my phone. I can only dream that the netbook (MSI for me) / notebook (MacBook) gap will be addressed soon. Then there will be more gaps. And more. How about a product line called "zeno"?
One last thought. Siegler mentions the problems that he and apparently many other users have been having with their large iMac displays. In the glow of the famous "1984" Mac ad, it's hard not to see a touch of irony. Maybe the hammer was a boomerang?
The wondrous Apple tablet is wondrous because it's being described as wondrous before anyone outside of Apple is sure that it exists. The thing is the "Snakes on a Plane" of consumer gadgetry. Everyone has been talking about it. So now Apple may deliver it. Then we'll all have to buy it.
The iPhone was a transformational product because, oddly enough, it was the first mobile phone to take design and usability seriously. Its success was as much a credit to the (continuing) stupidity or callousness of the rest of the market as it was to Apple's willingness to take design and the associated expense seriously.
However, tablets have been around for years. They've been used widely in industry and in sales. They do not all suck. Some of them were pretty cool. Fujitsu alone made some very nice onessee note. But none of the tablets were successfully marketed to "gotta have it" consumers. So maybe it's fair to say that the marketing sucked. But please, not all of the tablets.
Note (added 1-28-10): It took about a month, but according to The New York Times ( http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/technology/companies/29name.html ) the folks at Fujitsu have realized that they are pad leaders, not pad followers.
After reading the "Mad Men" reference to the Carousel projector (which, like slates, was widely used commercially), I'm reminded of the one that I used to own. At this point, I'm more likely to head to eBay for a Carousel than to the line at the genius store.
On the other hand, I do need something to fill the critical gap between my netbook and my phone. I can only dream that the netbook (MSI for me) / notebook (MacBook) gap will be addressed soon. Then there will be more gaps. And more. How about a product line called "zeno"?
One last thought. Siegler mentions the problems that he and apparently many other users have been having with their large iMac displays. In the glow of the famous "1984" Mac ad, it's hard not to see a touch of irony. Maybe the hammer was a boomerang?
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
They've Got You by the Bits
There's a piece in today's NY Times (Business Section) about a company that sells greeting cards on line. According to the article, the business has a team that analyzes and adjusts (thanks for not using the O word) the strategy for the company's "search ads".
For businesses that can't afford a strategy team, here's some free information.
1. Any garden variety search engine can find a literal phrase (e.g. "they've got you by the bits") and the number of results can be proportional to the content crawled.
2. Any garden variety search engine can do a good job of ranking results when the number of results is low. For example, a Google search for "they've got you by the bits" returns the most relevant results on the first page. Because there are only 2 results. It may be counter intuitive, but "needle in a haystack" searches are the easiest to present.
3. A common method for prioritizing search results involves popularity (e.g. how many people choose a result, how many people link to the content). That type of prioritization can tend to be self-fulfilling. Results become relevant because of their perceived relevance. And relevance can even be spammed. That's what the art of "search engine optimization" is often about.
4. Some search engines provide a means around all of that by allowing people to bid for placement. Yes, it's not necessarily placement in the result set. But from a user experience point of view it may as well be.
5. The type of search engines described in 4 (above) have become gatekeepers in a marketplace where "presence" is the only competative advantage. They've got you by the bits.
End of Strategy.
(And now, perhaps there will be three results).
__________
The importance of presence can lead to a nostalgic invocation of the old marketplace, where every merchant had a stall. But in that case, a shopper could touch the wares (quality) and shoppers could become loyal to a favored merchant (brand). That certainly doesn't seem to have been the case with the company that's profiled in The Times. Here's a link:
"The Science of Managing Search Ads", NY Times 12-22-09
The increase in the use of social media may bring things a bit closer to the original marketplace. But beware the mobs.
Added 12-28-09. Similar thoughts about Google in today's NY Times (Op Ed):
"Search, but You May Not Find", Adam Raff
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/28/opinion/28raff.html
For businesses that can't afford a strategy team, here's some free information.
1. Any garden variety search engine can find a literal phrase (e.g. "they've got you by the bits") and the number of results can be proportional to the content crawled.
2. Any garden variety search engine can do a good job of ranking results when the number of results is low. For example, a Google search for "they've got you by the bits" returns the most relevant results on the first page. Because there are only 2 results. It may be counter intuitive, but "needle in a haystack" searches are the easiest to present.
3. A common method for prioritizing search results involves popularity (e.g. how many people choose a result, how many people link to the content). That type of prioritization can tend to be self-fulfilling. Results become relevant because of their perceived relevance. And relevance can even be spammed. That's what the art of "search engine optimization" is often about.
4. Some search engines provide a means around all of that by allowing people to bid for placement. Yes, it's not necessarily placement in the result set. But from a user experience point of view it may as well be.
5. The type of search engines described in 4 (above) have become gatekeepers in a marketplace where "presence" is the only competative advantage. They've got you by the bits.
End of Strategy.
(And now, perhaps there will be three results).
__________
The importance of presence can lead to a nostalgic invocation of the old marketplace, where every merchant had a stall. But in that case, a shopper could touch the wares (quality) and shoppers could become loyal to a favored merchant (brand). That certainly doesn't seem to have been the case with the company that's profiled in The Times. Here's a link:
"The Science of Managing Search Ads", NY Times 12-22-09
The increase in the use of social media may bring things a bit closer to the original marketplace. But beware the mobs.
Added 12-28-09. Similar thoughts about Google in today's NY Times (Op Ed):
"Search, but You May Not Find", Adam Raff
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/28/opinion/28raff.html
Monday, December 21, 2009
A Train Runs Through It
Slushy weekend in this town.
Nice to live in a place where you can walk to "somewhere" - in this case including coffee, bakery, lunch, grocery, hardware, a real "non-chain" pharmacy, of course a CVS, of course a Walgreens, a post office, a library, a Thai restaurant and a bunch of tchotchke shops. Now if only I could take the train from here to ..... downtown? Chicago? New York? The rail line used to be the B&O. I wonder if Truman passed through here on his trip home after leaving office?
In the meantime:
Wonder what kind of counseling...
Nice to live in a place where you can walk to "somewhere" - in this case including coffee, bakery, lunch, grocery, hardware, a real "non-chain" pharmacy, of course a CVS, of course a Walgreens, a post office, a library, a Thai restaurant and a bunch of tchotchke shops. Now if only I could take the train from here to ..... downtown? Chicago? New York? The rail line used to be the B&O. I wonder if Truman passed through here on his trip home after leaving office?
In the meantime:
Wonder what kind of counseling...
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Resistance Substitution Decade
Ok, that's a pretty obscure title. Here's a list from Washington Post of the "Worst Ideas of the Decade":
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/opinions/outlook/worst-ideas/
In the intro, but not on the list, is Y2K itself. From an Information Technology (both dubious words) perspective, Y2K postponed the inevitability of the dot com deflation. Sarbanes-Oxley, which is on the list, may be the new Y2K. With its legions of arcane and dubiously effective processes, governance boards and consultants, SOX may be creating an appearance of activity by pouring money into the I.T. drain while addressing the rules but not the spirit behind the measure. If nothing bad happens, that may be a result of nothing happening at all. All fine as long as there's a budget,
If Y2K was the curtain around the dot com failure, is Sarbanes-Oxley (and its attendant busywork) the curtain around the failure of everything? Hope not.
If you're curious, here's the reference:
http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=123223&sid=e1696fbbec1f957889832aeeb8b93a20
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/opinions/outlook/worst-ideas/
In the intro, but not on the list, is Y2K itself. From an Information Technology (both dubious words) perspective, Y2K postponed the inevitability of the dot com deflation. Sarbanes-Oxley, which is on the list, may be the new Y2K. With its legions of arcane and dubiously effective processes, governance boards and consultants, SOX may be creating an appearance of activity by pouring money into the I.T. drain while addressing the rules but not the spirit behind the measure. If nothing bad happens, that may be a result of nothing happening at all. All fine as long as there's a budget,
If Y2K was the curtain around the dot com failure, is Sarbanes-Oxley (and its attendant busywork) the curtain around the failure of everything? Hope not.
If you're curious, here's the reference:
http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=123223&sid=e1696fbbec1f957889832aeeb8b93a20
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Dry, Refreshing and Scary
from Gavin Clark, The Register:
"It took Microsoft 20 years to shift from technology David challenging tech giants to opaque corporate entity of dark and unclear motives that screwed partners and the competition. Google achieved that in half the time".
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/16/noughties_review/page6.html
Apparently Apple has become so dark that the author couldn't see past its event horizon. Can Steve Jobs tunnel to another universe and come out as Ruppert Murdoch?
I wonder how Moore's Law applies to this trend.
Just noticed that the Register link points to Page 6. Uhoh.
"It took Microsoft 20 years to shift from technology David challenging tech giants to opaque corporate entity of dark and unclear motives that screwed partners and the competition. Google achieved that in half the time".
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/16/noughties_review/page6.html
Apparently Apple has become so dark that the author couldn't see past its event horizon. Can Steve Jobs tunnel to another universe and come out as Ruppert Murdoch?
I wonder how Moore's Law applies to this trend.
Just noticed that the Register link points to Page 6. Uhoh.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Low Hanging Coast
People have been pretty happy about the defeat of the "anti-rail" proposition 9 that was on the Cincinnati ballot last month. And they should be happy because the proposition would not only have had a negative impact on the area's economic infrastructure, passage would have been an international embarrassment, right up there with the meter stuffing grandma (if you remember her).
I'm just a tea party in reverse. I've been working downtown, but I don't live there. So I'm willing to be taxed without being represented. The real tea party was about representation, not about taxation (if you remember the real tea party). So I'll have to represent myself. Maybe it's time to stop being superior to COAST ( http://coast-usa.blogspot.com/ ). That's not really much of an accomplishment (sort of like kicking an empty can) and this isn't just another cross-town shootout. Is it?
Now would be a good time to start talking about how to achieve a real, valuable public transit solution for Cincinnati. It took Portland over 30 years (and $billions) to build its light rail system (they have a trolley too). We don't have a commuter rail system on the roadmap (yes I know) and we haven't begun to try to understand the model of community and government involvement, vision and cooperation that's required to build a system that works for the whole area. Not just for soapbox city.
It's sort of clear that the trolley would be an important influence in the development of the Vine Street corridor between UC and Downtown. Of course, the initial phase doesn't include the UC link. But as hard as it seems to have been to get people to understand the value of the trolley, it's going to be a lot harder to get the many organizations that govern the inner and outer reaches of "tri state" to understand the "business value" of commuter rail. That's a problem, because that's where the real value will be.
Business Courier ( http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/08/10/editorial1.html ) forecasts a 25% commercial vacancy rate for the Central Business District. If you want to attract the kind of people and businesses that can fill the vacancies, take risks, diversify The City's business base and put an end to the ever expanding, empty center, donut model of progress, all participants will have to understand and buy into the part that public transit plays. That includes the inner and outer burbs, especially if you want to have a chance at financing new infrastructure. As far as I can tell , very few of the suburbs have a clue about how their relationship to downtown is critical. That includes those that understand what's happening to them ( http://thenewmetropolis.com/a_crack.html ) as development and investment continues to creep outward. It even includes communities located along existing railroad rites of way.
And that's just commuter rail. How about intercity? Which do you think would bring more "quick start" value to Cincinnati? A 6 1/2 hour ride to Cleveland ( http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Rail/Programs/passenger/3CisME/Pages/3CDocs.aspx#EA ) or a 4 1/2 hour ride to Chicago?
So now that the coast is clear, isn't it time to start talking about the hard stuff?
Early failures will make future wins difficult or impossible.
How about some uses case? How would different kinds of riders use the trolley? Commuter rail? Intercity rail? What's the real benefit for each?
I'm just a tea party in reverse. I've been working downtown, but I don't live there. So I'm willing to be taxed without being represented. The real tea party was about representation, not about taxation (if you remember the real tea party). So I'll have to represent myself. Maybe it's time to stop being superior to COAST ( http://coast-usa.blogspot.com/ ). That's not really much of an accomplishment (sort of like kicking an empty can) and this isn't just another cross-town shootout. Is it?
Now would be a good time to start talking about how to achieve a real, valuable public transit solution for Cincinnati. It took Portland over 30 years (and $billions) to build its light rail system (they have a trolley too). We don't have a commuter rail system on the roadmap (yes I know) and we haven't begun to try to understand the model of community and government involvement, vision and cooperation that's required to build a system that works for the whole area. Not just for soapbox city.
It's sort of clear that the trolley would be an important influence in the development of the Vine Street corridor between UC and Downtown. Of course, the initial phase doesn't include the UC link. But as hard as it seems to have been to get people to understand the value of the trolley, it's going to be a lot harder to get the many organizations that govern the inner and outer reaches of "tri state" to understand the "business value" of commuter rail. That's a problem, because that's where the real value will be.
Business Courier ( http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/08/10/editorial1.html ) forecasts a 25% commercial vacancy rate for the Central Business District. If you want to attract the kind of people and businesses that can fill the vacancies, take risks, diversify The City's business base and put an end to the ever expanding, empty center, donut model of progress, all participants will have to understand and buy into the part that public transit plays. That includes the inner and outer burbs, especially if you want to have a chance at financing new infrastructure. As far as I can tell , very few of the suburbs have a clue about how their relationship to downtown is critical. That includes those that understand what's happening to them ( http://thenewmetropolis.com/a_crack.html ) as development and investment continues to creep outward. It even includes communities located along existing railroad rites of way.
And that's just commuter rail. How about intercity? Which do you think would bring more "quick start" value to Cincinnati? A 6 1/2 hour ride to Cleveland ( http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Rail/Programs/passenger/3CisME/Pages/3CDocs.aspx#EA ) or a 4 1/2 hour ride to Chicago?
So now that the coast is clear, isn't it time to start talking about the hard stuff?
Early failures will make future wins difficult or impossible.
How about some uses case? How would different kinds of riders use the trolley? Commuter rail? Intercity rail? What's the real benefit for each?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Aimez Vous Peru? Cookup - 11-01
We used to have "cookups" back in Sag Harbor where there was little else to do. We've been talking about doing it here (in Cincinnati). And we finally got around to it last month with Donald and Wendy (Wendy is a food critic from LA who's parked in Lexington). More about Donald later.
The theme was Peru. We had Seco de Res and Pisco Sours for the first time at Flor De Mayo on The Upper West Side. We've been back many times and, if you're ever in the area and you're hungry.. nuff said.
View Larger Map
Seco de Res was prepared by The Chief Cook. I made "green rice". Wendy made a bean dish on which I hope she'll elaborate as a comment below.
Seco de Res is a stew that's made with marinated beef (cilantro and dark beer - Negra Modelo seems to work well).
The Chief Cook has a technique for removing the leaves from the stems. That comb is part of Mandolin.
While the beans and Seco de Res cooked -- tapas and Pisco Sours! Ok tapas are not really Peruvian. But neither are we.
A bit of irrational exuberance followed. Donald, who is normally a pillar of rigorous rationality, was forced to participate. This was not a result of the Pisco. Probably a reaction to the egg whites.
I made green rice. Rice with a mixture of cilantro, garlic, oil, peas, carrots. Both the Seco de Res and the green rice contained peas and I know that the peas and carrots have a soup kitchen connotation. But it's authentic and it works.
Wendy made a bean dish. And I hope she'll describe it soon.
The table before....
....and during..
I guess the Asahi Super Dry connection could have something to do with Alberto Fujimori. But I doubt it.
We're gonna do this again. Maybe you're interested?
The theme was Peru. We had Seco de Res and Pisco Sours for the first time at Flor De Mayo on The Upper West Side. We've been back many times and, if you're ever in the area and you're hungry.. nuff said.
View Larger Map
Seco de Res was prepared by The Chief Cook. I made "green rice". Wendy made a bean dish on which I hope she'll elaborate as a comment below.
Seco de Res is a stew that's made with marinated beef (cilantro and dark beer - Negra Modelo seems to work well).
 |  |
The Chief Cook has a technique for removing the leaves from the stems. That comb is part of Mandolin.
While the beans and Seco de Res cooked -- tapas and Pisco Sours! Ok tapas are not really Peruvian. But neither are we.
 | The mystery ingredient in Pisco Sour is pisco, a grape liquor. Sugar syrup, lemon (sometimes lime) are added and shaken with egg white. Sprinkle a few drops of bitters on top. |
A bit of irrational exuberance followed. Donald, who is normally a pillar of rigorous rationality, was forced to participate. This was not a result of the Pisco. Probably a reaction to the egg whites.
 |  |
I made green rice. Rice with a mixture of cilantro, garlic, oil, peas, carrots. Both the Seco de Res and the green rice contained peas and I know that the peas and carrots have a soup kitchen connotation. But it's authentic and it works.
Wendy made a bean dish. And I hope she'll describe it soon.
 |  |
The table before....
 |  |
....and during..
I guess the Asahi Super Dry connection could have something to do with Alberto Fujimori. But I doubt it.
We're gonna do this again. Maybe you're interested?
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Concert:Nova - Playing With Light
Last night's performance at Concert:Nova's space on Reading Road. Playing with light in the dark is best. So forgive the photos. The performance, which featured many players from Cincinnati Symphony, was fantastic. They always are. Next up, in February, "The Essential Mahler". Will Schoenberg return as "Der Mahler"?
It began with coffee - all good things do.
Lot's of people. The concert had to be delayed while new seating was brought in.
Light play begins.
And music...
Fratres (Arvo Part). What's your favorite scoring? Recording?
It began with coffee - all good things do.
Lot's of people. The concert had to be delayed while new seating was brought in.
Light play begins.
And music...
Fratres (Arvo Part). What's your favorite scoring? Recording?
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Problems? Solutions?
Wendell Berry says that "simple solutions will always lead to complex problems, surprising simple minds" and, as Tonya says, I agree. But I've seen simple solutions solve complex problems. And (much) more often, I've seen complex solutions lead to complex problems --- much to the delight of the simple minds that knew there was at least another year of problem solving to keep them occupied.
According to Berry, who, at least as far as Wikipedia knows, has never had to write poetry or prose to please a corporate manager, "good and responsible use of family-sized holdings cannot be expected of people with the subservient mindset of corporate employees..". I agree with that as well. But it's unlikely that simpleminded corporate mindset is going to go away any time soon. Especially when it's bolstered by mindless media mindset. For me, it's hard to tell which drives which. Is it media -> corporate? Corporate -> media? Or even people -> media -> corportate? No one gets off the hook. Berry would like to see "leadership from the bottom". If leadership implies the ability to solve problems, I would be happy to see leadership from anywhere.
Maybe some of the uhmmm... use cases that are floating around the internet in the name of "social media" will eventually worm their way into the corporation and, if those tools are not "corp-opted" (or media-ated) and turned into Crisco, corporations will become a bit less leadership deprived, less simpleminded, less "top down".
Then those of us who don't want to have chickens in our back yards won't have to.
According to Berry, who, at least as far as Wikipedia knows, has never had to write poetry or prose to please a corporate manager, "good and responsible use of family-sized holdings cannot be expected of people with the subservient mindset of corporate employees..". I agree with that as well. But it's unlikely that simpleminded corporate mindset is going to go away any time soon. Especially when it's bolstered by mindless media mindset. For me, it's hard to tell which drives which. Is it media -> corporate? Corporate -> media? Or even people -> media -> corportate? No one gets off the hook. Berry would like to see "leadership from the bottom". If leadership implies the ability to solve problems, I would be happy to see leadership from anywhere.
Maybe some of the uhmmm... use cases that are floating around the internet in the name of "social media" will eventually worm their way into the corporation and, if those tools are not "corp-opted" (or media-ated) and turned into Crisco, corporations will become a bit less leadership deprived, less simpleminded, less "top down".
Then those of us who don't want to have chickens in our back yards won't have to.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Penne from Heaven
Abby is a friend who used to babysit for our kids. She grew up quite nicely and opened several restaurants. Camaje, which we've been to, is in Greenwich Village. Abigail is in Prospect Heights (or, if you're a bit older, Crown Heights).
Most afternoons we succumb to a sort of anxiety about what to have for dinner. Yesterday, for some reason, I thought of Abby as an inspiration. The result was a home cooked version of the "Spicy Italian Sausage and Local Swiss Chard" (the chard was purchased at a local market) from the Abigail menu.
While I was talking with a contractor about our upstairs bathroom, The Chief Cook removed the sausage from its casing - something that I wouldn't have done.
Not sure how it turns out at Abigail. This is what happened here:
According to The Chief Cook, I've shown too much food on the plate. She's probably right. But since there was a strong intent to eat what was shown, I'm not too concerned.
Most afternoons we succumb to a sort of anxiety about what to have for dinner. Yesterday, for some reason, I thought of Abby as an inspiration. The result was a home cooked version of the "Spicy Italian Sausage and Local Swiss Chard" (the chard was purchased at a local market) from the Abigail menu.
While I was talking with a contractor about our upstairs bathroom, The Chief Cook removed the sausage from its casing - something that I wouldn't have done.
Not sure how it turns out at Abigail. This is what happened here:
According to The Chief Cook, I've shown too much food on the plate. She's probably right. But since there was a strong intent to eat what was shown, I'm not too concerned.
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