Category: Living

Critters by Joe WilcoxOct 24, 20139:05 am

All This Googlism disturbs Me

Today, Ian Betteridge posts: “One thing that is impossible not to notice on Google+: There’s a very distinct skew towards big Google fans in commenting. It doesn’t matter which tech site’s page you look at, the (in my view, tedious) ‘fanboy’ mentality is hotter here than on any other social network”.

I commented on his post but want to draw more attention to Ian’s observation, to which I concur. I am rethinking my social service presence because of pervasive Googlism. While now immersed in the Google lifestyle, I am not a Google fanboy. But the leanings here are quite strong now, and tipping more all the time. Also, there is increasingly less tolerance for non-Google tech posts and more criticism of those regarding competitors like Apple.

Responsibility by Joe WilcoxOct 11, 20139:51 am

It's Time to Fire Congress

Constitutionally, the American people have few options to immediately penalize their representatives in Congress who forced Federal shutdown and threaten the debt ceiling. Someone would want to. According to Gallup, Congress’ disapproval rating is 85 percent. An AP-GfK poll shows even greater dissatisfaction.

Public Policy Polling says that “Hemorrhoids, toenail fungus, dog poop, and cockroaches all might be a little bit gross, but they’re all more popular than Congress”. Sadly, however, Brett Logiurato, writing for Business Insider, is right. The low approval rating doesn’t matter. States elect individuals, whose ratings often are much higher, not the body electorate.

Critters by Joe WilcoxSep 28, 20136:18 pm

Nighty Neko

The sleeper awakes.

Responsibility by Joe WilcoxAug 18, 201310:18 am

Conspiracy of Debt

We’re doing the worst thing people can do: lying to our young. Nobody, not even this president, who was swept to victory in large part by the raw enthusiasm of college kids, has the stones to tell the truth: that a lot of them will end up being pawns in a predatory con game designed to extract the equivalent of home-mortgage commitment from 17-year-olds dreaming of impossible careers as nautical archaeologists or orchestra conductors.

One former law student I contacted for this story had a nervous breakdown while struggling to pay off six-figure debt. It wasn’t until he tapped into one of the few growth industries open to young Americans that his outlook brightened. ‘I got my life back on track by working for a marijuana delivery service in Manhattan’, he says.
Matt Taibbi

Google by Joe WilcoxAug 16, 20138:08 am

Google+: Subliminal is sublime

Google+ reminds subscribers all about birthdays in the stream, and in sending wishes to someone from Nexus 7 FHD this morning, the default message, “Happy Birthday, +person’s name!”, lit up my synapses.

I wonder about the hidden, subliminal positive connotations of Google using a plus-sign before all subscribers’ names. Does seeing it make us feel happier?

Facebook uses “Like”, which is loaded with positive connotations, and Google copied the approach with +1, which makes sense for a company where numbers are so important—from the math behind search to all the data associated with the search keyword business model.

News Media by Joe WilcoxAug 6, 201311:51 am

Some Advice to the Washington Post's New Owner

Today, in the Guardian, former CIA analyst John Kiriakou accuses the Obama Administration of abusing the 1917 Espionage Act, claiming that “only 10 people in American history have been charged with espionage for leaking classified information, seven of them under Barack Obama”.

From Day One, the Obama Administration sought to plug any leaks. What’s said in the Oval Office stays in the Oval Office. That’s context for understanding the aggressive approach to whistleblowers. It’s philosophical. The current White House sees leaks as betrayals, so why not view whistleblowing as treason?

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 16, 20139:37 am

Pedal Power

My daughter broke down with our Toyota Yaris overnight. Waiting on AAA now. Lucky I have alternate transportation.

Living by Joe WilcoxJul 11, 20137:01 pm

My Vintage Bike

For my birthday, I bought a classic Guerciotti bicycle—from the 1980s, I believe. I sold my Masi Speciale Fixed to buy this beauty. I will truly miss Masi, but she goes to an owner who like me needs a smaller frame (51cm). I move up from a fixed-speed to gears, which suits my plans to ride lots more, lots farther. I wanted a lightweight, quality bike that offers much while looking less attractive to casual thieves, and the decades-old Italian road bike was available from a shop selling used roadsters.

I searched first for a 1970s Schwinn Super Le Lour II or Paramount but those coming on Craigslist were too large. The Guerciotti frame, with Corsa 487 tubing, is 53cm. That’s a tad larger than I should ride but nevertheless manageable.

Living by Joe WilcoxJun 28, 20138:23 pm

I Cut the Cord

The apartment was strangely silent last night and darker than usual. Gone was the flickering light filling the center room as one of us scanned the program guide. A year later than planned, we dismantled the TV shrine and took back the living room from the false idol. Henceforth, we will worship at a different altar. Finally, I cut cable’s cord—IPTV, really, but we all call it the other, eh?

I feel anxiety and elation at the dramatic change, which allowed us to rearrange the furniture such that the living room is more open, more inviting, and more suited to entertaining real people. The television now resides in the bedroom, more for the benefit of my wife’s sleepless nights (the thing is narcotic). We’ll stream from Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Netflix primarily—haha, maybe even iTunes. I had planned Google Play by way of Nexus Q, but the search giant nixes that option.

Critters by Joe WilcoxJun 18, 201310:18 am

Pug’s Raspberry

I sit in the doctor’s office with my sick daughter. The pug doesn’t like me much, nor the three others.

Living by Joe WilcoxJun 17, 20136:35 pm

Beggers can be Choosers

I am at IKEA and some guy asks for change. But I rarely carry cash and tell him so. I reach in my pocket and pull out four pennies. He looks and says, “I’ll ask […]

Critters by Joe WilcoxApr 20, 201311:21 am

So Long, Lou Lou

At one time, our little corner of San Diego had two neighborhood cats, Maine Coon Kuma and black beauty, with speck of white, Lou Lou. They lived in the same apartment complex, separated by one door, and sauntered about and inside each other’s alcove; we and Lou Lou’s owners always left a door open for our indoor-outdoor felines.

Lou Lou tolerated Kuma, at whom she hissed devilishly whenever he approached, swatting as her head pulled back. He never attacked, though, merely invaded her space. Kuma was a gentle giant.