TPUTH — Socially Generated Newspaper for Geeks, Designers and Venture Capitalists
Socially Generated, Machine Filtered, Hand Polished, Electronic Newspaper for Geeks, Designers & Venture Capitalists
TPUTH lists as its captains of industry four stalwart icons of the modern era: Eric of Google, Bill of Microsoft, Steve of Apple and The Jesus of Lebowski. Niiice.
Pullin' the trigger till it goes *click*.
via Daring Fireball.
CA’s Legislature Again Plays Politics Instead Of Doing Its Job
Though not as important to Californians as things like, ya know, passing a budget, it seems that my boss at the CPUC, Commissioner Rachelle Chong, is getting the political run-around and may lose her job. Appointed to the FCC as a commissioner under President Clinton, and then to the CPUC by Governor Schwarzenegger, her job is in jeopardy not because of her record or performance, which has been consistent, rational and balanced, but because she's a Republican.
But it's whose bid the committee won't hear today that's set off a bit of a controversy.Aides for Senate President pro tem Darrell Steinberg said last week that the committee would not hold a hearing for PUC Commissioner Rachelle Chong. Without the green light from lawmakers, the Schwarzenegger appointee's time on the panel will come to an end later this month.
Chong, who was first confirmed to the post in 2007, has been criticized by consumer groups who say she votes at the bidding of the telecommunications industry.
Chong's supporters cried foul, saying the Senate should at least give her the consideration of a hearing. They also pointed to her voting record, which is identical to Peevey's.
Those complaints have continued, with groups representing the business and Asian-American communities sending letters in support of Chong.
This morning, representatives from several of those organizations are meeting with Steinberg's office to make their case. UPDATE 7:40 : The meeting with Steinberg's office was cancelled by the advocates, Steinberg's office said.
"They're really withholding fair due process of a very highly qualified person," said Filipino Progress board member Norm De Young, who was scheduled to attend the meeting. "Our expectation is that if we present a fair, unbiased representation of the [appointee], that [Steinberg] will do his best to be fair and earnest on her behalf. Our expectation is one of fairness."
I only worked for the Commissioner for a few months, but I can still say this about her: to her core, Commissioner Chong is an earnest, incredibly sharp, hard-working public servant.
She has a stellar record on items she's spearheaded before the Commission, and always has the best interests of the state at heart. I certainly didn't agree with all of her assumptions or opinions, but she is utterly consistent and works from a thoughtful, considered, informed base. An intense free market advocate, she's also passionate about helping minority groups, immigrants, the poor, and those in rural areas. Though she never needed to do so, I saw the Commissioner give up some time at home with her beloved twins in order to personally visit non-profits for the elderly and immigrant groups to make sure they were prepared for the Digital Television transition. Her pet project? Minimizing the digital divide by ensuring that universal high-speed Internet access is available to all. Though it's a little-known fact, only around 10% of the CPUC's work focuses on telecom regulation. Therefore, her other big interests are just as important as her telecom-related priorities: upgrading California's energy grid to increase it's efficiency as a smart grid, and expanding the state's use of renewable energy.
Sure, anti-corporate groups are never going to like her. That's fine. That's their job, and Commissioner Chong, as someone with a free market worldview is an easy and natural target. But her worldview shouldn't be any cause for holding up her confirmation hearing. Her record is spotless and her tireless leadership speaks for itself.
Get to it, Sacramento. Reconfirm Commissioner Rachelle Chong.
Lebowski’s Calmer Than Glendale
Amidst a roaring fight over whether or not cell phone wireless towers (or antennas -- T-Mobile's plan hasn't even been finalized) are a safety hazard, interested readers in Glendale turned to Lebowski quotes to tone down the rhetoric. Good times in the comments.
Pete McFerrin: because helping residential property values should be the only goal of public policy, right? If I were a T-Mobile subscriber and I lived near that guy I would urinate on his front door every day, at the very least.SecretAgent: @Pete McFerrin: And he would take photos of you exposing yourself and you would then be another perma-loser on a state wide data base.
Pete McFerrin: @SecretAgent: "8-year-olds, Dude. 8-year-olds."
SecretAgent: @Pete McFerrin: 8 year olds? That would place you yet again on another data base.
Pete McFerrin: I am considering a boycott of this blog on the grounds that not enough people get Lebowski references. This aggression will not stand!
SecretAgent: @Pete McFerrin: I'm calmer than you, Dude. Calmer than you.
And if you're going to piss on someones property then at least do it on his area rug. You know the one, the kind that really ties the room together.
If only every wish to urinate on an idealogical enemy's property turned out so well.
(via Laura, who first introduced me to the greatness that is The Big Lebowski)
Let Reason Guide Financial Reform
A centrist Democrat after extensive poll research and discussion with lobbyists.
Paul Krugman vents via today's op-ed in The New York Times:
When I first began writing for The Times, I was naïve about many things. But my biggest misconception was this: I actually believed that influential people could be moved by evidence, that they would change their views if events completely refuted their beliefs.
And to be fair, it does happen now and then. I’ve been highly critical of Alan Greenspan over the years (since long before it was fashionable), but give the former Fed chairman credit: he has admitted that he was wrong about the ability of financial markets to police themselves.
But he’s a rare case. Just how rare was demonstrated by what happened last Friday in the House of Representatives, when — with the meltdown caused by a runaway financial system still fresh in our minds, and the mass unemployment that meltdown caused still very much in evidence — every single Republican and 27 Democrats voted against a quite modest effort to rein in Wall Street excesses.
Krugman then goes on to tell a short, rational, fact-based story of U.S. financial history and the events leading up to last year's market crash. Well worth the full read.
Bottom line? In all arenas -- health care and financial reform, national security, education, whatever -- Republican's continue to spout their trademark brand of crazy rhetoric. It's the so-called centrist Democrats that I can't stand. The Republicans will say anything to tear down the Dems and get their party back into power. Simple power play. I get it. They believe in themselves and, collectively, in their party. The centrist Dems, on the other hand, claim to stand by values in line with the Democrats yet believe in nothing but getting themselves reelected, by any means necessary. At best they're mercenaries, at worst nihilists. And while that must be exhausting for them, they're ruining the future for the rest of us.
History of SF Pet Cemetery Unearthed, Preserved
Image via honan.net
Today the Chronicle published my friend Sally's wonderful piece about a pet cemetery in San Francisco's Presidio national park. In danger of being demolished during the reconstruction of a main thoroughfare, the story caught Sally's attention while she visited from her current home, Berlin.
There is almost no official documentation on the cemetery, and little is definitively known about its history. . . . The cemetery, which has been officially full since 1963, has always operated in something of a gray zone."We don't patrol," said Harrell, who said that while he does not encourage the practice, "if you want to go bury your cat at night, nobody is going to arrest you."
Thanks to pet owners who flaunt the rules, the pet cemetery remains active - something that Ruth, an architect in San Francisco who did not want to use her last name, cited as a reason she buried her beloved 24-year-old cat Blinken there.
"I wanted someplace special," said Ruth, also noting the spot's spectacular bay view. "So my husband and I went on a Sunday afternoon, and I dug a hole up in what we call the 'good neighborhood' - an area with marble headstones, under a shade tree - and read a poem."
And thanks to Sally, a few more people have learned about this piece of local history and of the memories whose safety is now assured.
Behavioral Advertising Today, Privacy Issues Tomorrow?
"It appears incredibly benign," he said of the categorization that Google and Yahoo were doing. "It almost makes some people who worry about privacy look foolish, because it says, 'You like bicycles.'"
"What is not shown in this kind of thing, and possibly because Google doesn’t do this sort of thing — maybe because they don’t implement it yet — are the various kinds of psychographic, demographic activities that go on behind the screens."
Also interesting is the fact that both Yahoo and Google allow you to opt-out of categories that you've been sorted into via their ad algorithms (Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin).
I'd been to Google's new Dashboard before, but hadn't realized that, well, there's where you need to go to opt-out, if that's what you wish to do. To opt-out of Yahoo's categories, visit their Interest Manager (nice Orwellian ad-speak, no?).
via At F.T.C. Conference, Concerns About Advertising and Privacy - Media Decoder Blog - NYTimes.com (via Prof. Tuthill).
Warren Ellis Predicts The Future
Bruce Sterling’s comment about "Nazi layers" in his recent address to augmented reality (AR) company Layar comes true very fast, as the BNP releases a "British layer" that superimposes on your camera view of any British town a hyperlocal guide to population pressure, of "indigenous" British supposedly being "forced out" by what the rest of us call simply "other people". AR is self-selected mediation of the world. It lets us choose the glasses we want to see through. A nicked iPhone and credit card lets you buy criminal layers that establish where CCTV is densest in relation to regions with the wealthiest demographic, establishing the easiest predation. Soon enough, citizens of the digital cities are peering at everything through their AR phones, seeing not the city that’s in front of them, but the city they want to see.
via ‘Look out for Hollywood films about spelunking on the Moon’.
A Family Grows, Internationally
Amare & Zenebe Kysela
My friends Dave and Emily updated their blog today to announce that they've adopted two handsome boys, Amare and Zenebe. They've also shared the story of their first day together as a family in Ethiopia:
After a bit, Amare left and came back with the photo albums we had sent the boys. We all read through them and Amare identified all of us in English, including Luna and Apollo. Still not a peep from Zenebe, just lots of big eyes and intense focus. Then it was snack time and Amare led grace, the little show-off
He then proceeded to give us half of his biscuit.
The rest of the afternoon we spent out in the courtyard. Thankfully the intense, intense sunshine had crossed to the other side of the compound. The sun, the elevation and the dryness are wreaking havoc on our mucous membranes and fair skin! First, we played with the sidewalk chalk again and created body outlines of our entire family on the pavement -- fun! Then Amare wrote out (and sang) the entire English alphabet (OK, with a little help, but still)! Zenebe just squatted on the driveway and focused on his purple chalk masterpiece (abstract human figures, we believe). The afternoon ended with a rousing game of soccer. Actually multiple rousing games. Amare, another older boy, the guard and Dave with one ball, and Zenebe and Emily through the middle with a small ball. Zenebe really smiled (with teeth!) as he chased the ball around the garden, and Amare took on the big kid and adults. Clearly, we need to sign these boys up for soccer teams (which will make Emily a soccer mom?!?).
So, there's our first day as a family! A total whirlwind, and we can only imagine what it must have felt like to our boys. Regardless, we are totally in love with these two tiny little people and can't wait to play with them all day tomorrow. And we're exhausted!
Dave and Emily are two of the smartest, funniest, thoughtful, open and inspiring people I know. Urban gardeners, dog lovers, bike commuters, Strong Bad fans, scientists and teachers, Marine and Peace Corps veterans... I know they'd disagree with me but they're just about perfect.
I'm proud to have them as friends, and wish their newly-expanded family health and happiness.