Wednesday, April 28, 2004 :::

Other people have also been trying out gmail and have things to say about it, like brad of the bradlands.

there is also some impressive collaborative iTunes stats over at music mobs. link via scrubbles.

::: posted by johnok at 10:12 PM

Tuesday, April 27, 2004 :::

So I snagged a gmail account, before my preferred address is taken. I don't really plan on using it unless it catches on. there's a lot of very useful features, especially if you have a larger account, and I have to say it avoids the interminable load time that afflicts hotmail these days. If it were simply a matter of design and usability, I'd have to go with gmail.

::: posted by johnok at 10:47 AM

Monday, April 26, 2004 :::

a recent post on new york signage photoblog satan's laundromat reminded me of the existence of superneat chicagoland photoblog Chicago Snapshot - looking at all the pictures of downtown makes me nostalgic and wistful.

::: posted by johnok at 4:17 PM

Friday, April 23, 2004 :::

Someone is documenting all the starbuckses with photos, and I have to say the whole thing is really kind of creepy. Especially since I've been to about a third of them, and the rest I've walked by at some point or another. The web site also makes me orient my mental map of the city in terms of where everything is in relation to starbucks, which I find unsettling. link stolen from wonkette's post discussing starbucks as a site of political infamy.

::: posted by johnok at 10:32 AM

The other day, the morning news linked to a critique of prominent gender-theorist Judith Butler, written by Martha Nussbaum. Interesting reading. Gender Trouble is on the top of my stack of books to read, but I haven't cracked it open.

::: posted by johnok at 10:27 AM

Thursday, April 22, 2004 :::

I've made some changes to the sidebar. I'm probably make a few more.

::: posted by johnok at 1:11 PM

Wednesday, April 21, 2004 :::

oy vey, It's been a while, no? It's been busy busy here. but here's what I've been reading these days:

the april 19 and 26 new yorker, which has a number of very interesting articles, including a profile of young standup comics trying to make it in the world, including a nice veterinarians' daughter from NJ and a fresh-faced young man from alabama, ready to be disillusioned with the harsh reality the world has in store for him. There is also a great profile of Aaron McGruder of Boondocks fame.

oh, and I didn't actually read it, but there's also a profile wonkette's ana marie cox.

I also went to the stereolab concert last night as sort of a last minute thing - It was kind of weird to see them and hear all the songs without mary hansen. All in all a good concert - the tall people in the way moved somewhere else when the music started, those analog keyboards reverb nicely with the 9:30 acoustics and it wasn't too hot, and I ran into some friends from work.

::: posted by johnok at 7:49 PM

Friday, April 16, 2004 :::

I have finally been able to make a decision about graduate school - I will be starting the Ph.D. program in American Studies at GWU. The decision was a lot easier thanks to a deus ex machina arrival of a hefty funding package, which has made my life a lot easier and will allow my to avoid crushing levels of debt from student loans. It's all very exciting.

::: posted by johnok at 10:48 AM

Sunday, April 11, 2004 :::

there has been some excellent condi rice lampooning of late.

::: posted by johnok at 5:06 PM

Saturday, April 10, 2004 :::

It seems that wonderfalls has been cancelled - what a shame. The show really seemed to have had some promise. of course, friday night is ratings siberia anyway, so it was probably doomed from the start.

::: posted by johnok at 12:55 PM

Friday, April 09, 2004 :::

So it turns out that bribing one's way into overcrowded and popular restaurants in NYC is surprisingly easy. link via kottke.

::: posted by johnok at 5:44 PM