tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55232212012-01-22T20:11:55.255-08:00where I post my thoughts on design, politics, culture, and random subjects of interest.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.comBlogger1161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-11891334342544377952012-01-22T09:48:00.001-08:002012-01-22T09:48:35.797-08:00

I've never been attracted to cruise ship vacations and I'm even less interested now that I've seen the news of the Costa Concordia disaster. But any disaster also makes me imagine what it must have been like to be there. My guess is that the chaos of the evacuation and subsequent rescues were quite typical of many disasters even though the Captain of the Costs Concordia appears to have been

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-14662687223751437712012-01-06T15:23:00.001-08:002012-01-06T15:23:38.955-08:00

In Louis Sullivan's classic statement, "Form Follows Function" it is function that is usually seen as the dominant member of this design duality. It was one of the first design tenets that I learned in college and one that remains a core part of my design philosophy to this day. That said, I can't think of a single design project where the opposite wasn't true at least some of the time. The truth

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-55411381917225327752011-08-22T13:27:00.001-07:002011-08-22T13:27:21.394-07:00

A Map of the Border Between the USA and Canada as it Passes Through the Town of Derby Line, Vermont, a photo by amproehl on Flickr.The story of Derby Line Vermont begins with a mistake and ends with an intentional act inspired by the mistake. For most of it's 2000 mile length, the USA / Canada border follows the 45th parallel. I have already written about the exception at the Northwest Angle in

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-24798361043111399112011-07-28T11:32:00.001-07:002011-07-28T11:32:04.987-07:00

The Border Between Egypt & Sudan at the Wadi Halfa Salient, a photo by amproehl on Flickr.See the 52 villages in the map? No? That's because they were flooded by the damning of the Nile and the creation of Lake Nasser (known as Lake Nubia in Sudan). The strange bulge (known as a salient in cartography parlance) along this portion of the Egypt-Sudan border was originally surrounded the villages

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-78314798038457965912011-07-20T10:02:00.001-07:002011-07-20T10:02:21.185-07:00

I've been a user interface / interaction / user experience design for over 20 years. After all that time, I still don't feel 100% confident that an interface I'm working on is the perfect interface for the intended users. The place where interactive digital systems meet a range of interacting people is simply too hard to predict. One thing I am 100% sure of... I don't trust anyone who feels they

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-25821400286497378902011-07-07T07:44:00.001-07:002011-07-07T07:44:02.007-07:00

A Map of the Border Between New York & New Jersey on Ellis Island, a photo by amproehl on Flickr.For so many immigrants, stepping off a ship onto Ellis Island was synonymous with arrival in New York City. Many years later, after the immigration station had closed and the buildings lie decaying, the US Supreme Court would decide that Ellis Island, with one small exception, was part of New

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-89340514594771199682011-06-27T09:30:00.001-07:002011-06-27T09:30:34.981-07:00

A Map of the very strange border(s) between the Netherlands and Belgium at Baarle-Nassau, a photo by amproehl on Flickr.Without going into excruciating detail about allegiances to dukes, lords and kings, it is hard to explain the origin if this rather unique set of international borders. Suffice it to say that the land was bought, sold, and loaned through many generations to the point where the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-55699518369280499242011-06-22T12:58:00.001-07:002011-06-22T12:58:13.588-07:00

A Map of the Former Town of Monticello, CA in Relation to Today's Lake Berryessa, a photo by amproehl on Flickr.Where Lake Berryessa now stands there once was a fertile valley full of farms, orchards and the small town of Monticello, California. Before Monticello there were the Adobe buildings that were part of the Mexican-owned Rancho de Los Putahs. And before the Spanish arrived, there was the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-24888058371375436202011-05-24T10:49:00.001-07:002011-05-24T10:49:10.905-07:00

A Map of the Strange Kentucky Border at the New Madrid Bend in the Mississippi River, a photo by amproehl on Flickr.The border of Kentucky at what is known as "The New Madrid Bend" owes it's strangeness to the serpentine path of the Mississippi River. The River was supposed to define the western edge of the state of Kentucky and the Southern edge of Missouri. The result is an exclave peninsula of

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-6707590120787874042011-04-20T12:32:00.001-07:002011-04-20T12:32:19.930-07:00

A Map of "The Five Points" neighborhood in New York City and its relationship to today's streets and the old Collect Pond., a photo by amproehl on Flickr.This is my first attempt to try to render the story of "The Five Points" Neighborhood in historical layers. The neighborhood or more aptly, slum was also known as Paradise Square was always notorious but was made famous more recently as the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-74381822835573189202011-04-18T10:19:00.001-07:002011-04-18T10:19:16.638-07:00

Scary Skerry… A Map of the Strange Border Between Sweden and Finland on Märket Fyr, a photo by amproehl on Flickr.How did I not find this awesome border sooner. An island less than 1200 feet long with a border that takes more twists and turns than a Stieg Larsson novel. It is now possible to walk the length of this short island and cross an international border three times. However, despite the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-29317714514627568922011-03-23T20:33:00.000-07:002011-03-23T20:34:03.561-07:00

Newt Gingrich on March 7th:"Exercise a no-fly zone this evening."Newt Gingrich on March 7th:"I would not have intervened. I think there were a lot of other ways to affect Gaddafi."http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/23/newt-gingrich-attempts-to_n_839816.html

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-56298258571896330332010-11-17T18:21:00.001-08:002010-11-17T18:22:00.093-08:00

Although I didn't plan it, this post is related to my previous post on "Seeing Variety". Both posts explore perception.  Behind the brilliance of Christopher Alexander's "A Pattern Language" lies the idea of pattern recognition. Successful designs respect the patterns that enable people to feel good in a space or building. As a visual species, pattern detection is something we are all do. It

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-44033528794059577342010-11-13T10:28:00.000-08:002010-11-13T10:29:16.455-08:00

"The street is a room by agreement with walls contributed individually, a floor contributed publicly and a sky contributed by God and nature."-- Louis I Kahn

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-89967909446343550482010-11-05T17:45:00.001-07:002010-11-05T17:59:21.086-07:00

Seeing Variety Where Others See None. There is a desert dwelling community in India with forty different names for clouds. They are experts at gathering water and their interest in clouds, no doubt, stems from their need to know which ones will deliver rain versus those that just blow by. Like the Eskimo's snow, every culture seems to have a vocabulary to match it's passions. But seeing it from

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-21583912046641627212010-10-25T22:14:00.001-07:002010-10-27T13:52:08.742-07:00

The Medium is the Exploration: A Tribute to Magda McHale I was fortunate enough to know Magda Cordell McHale while I was a student at University of Buffalo. I took her class and Magda served as an advisor for my Masters thesis. All these years later, the image of Magda that sticks in my head is her at her desk, writing longhand, pen in one hand, cigarette in the other with the ashes falling on

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-75394653226534507552010-10-24T14:15:00.001-07:002010-10-24T14:15:46.372-07:00

@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } I've never been what would be described as a fan of Pearl Jam but I like their music. Perhaps from seeing him in the Sundance "Iconoclast" series, I've been generally aware that Eddie Vedder

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-33029544446556417712010-10-19T13:56:00.000-07:002010-10-19T13:57:09.382-07:00

While looking back on the last six months at my new job, it occurred to me that along with the rise in the level of collaboration with my Marketing, and Engineering coworkers came a feeling of having less control over the design. I was sharing very rough wireframes with the engineers and they were giving me very clear feedback. The engineers had been quite frustrated by the process prior to my

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-75801431463755377912010-08-27T11:19:00.000-07:002010-08-27T11:22:26.436-07:00

The City as Dance FloorThe city is one big dancewe're all on the dance floornot everyone dancesMost know they're on the floorsome have no clue,others ignore the danceSome dance only with their partnerthough dancers appear at every turnSome dance only with the familynever with a stranger.Which is why as a dancerit's so nice to seestrangers dancing with strangersa slight move left,while you slide

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-54891493232853174812010-06-27T21:08:00.000-07:002010-06-27T21:10:22.891-07:00

My letter to Nancy Pelosi after watching the documentary, "Gasland".Dear Speaker Pelosi,I just finished watching the documentary, "Gasland" and was appalled to learn that hydro-fraction wells drilled by the Natural Gas Industry are exempted from the Clean Water Act.This practice is doing incredible harm being to the natural environment and people across many states. The stories of what has been

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-43634812131412416952008-10-04T15:05:00.000-07:002008-10-04T15:14:45.284-07:00

Extremely Drug Resistant TuberculosisThis site launched yesterday and is worth exploring. XDR-TB stands for Extremely Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis. There is an overview slideshow of XDR-TB victims around the world that features the photographs of James Nachtwey. The website was designed by Dean Kamen of Radical Media. Nachtway was a TED Prize winner a couple years ago and is an amazing

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-44392906454527059822008-09-18T20:19:00.001-07:002008-09-18T20:19:57.301-07:00

I find what unfolded over the last week quite ironic. When it comes to discussing healthcare, something all Americans need and want, the Republicans think nationalizing the service is unthinkable. But when it comes to insurance, bad debt, and bad mortgages... things we don't really "want" (even when they're healthy) somehow the Republicans have found a way to justify these massive,

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-50329550736143535432008-08-12T08:52:00.001-07:002008-09-01T21:59:46.207-07:00

China's Hidden Export: Air PollutionThe run up to the Beijing Olympics was full of photos and news reports of Beijing's legendary smog. Almost any distance shot comes automatically with a smog-induced atmospheric view. The reports talked about concern over the affect of the air pollution on athlete performance. Well I'm starting to wonder, with everything that China is making and exporting over

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-92076304388808689582008-08-10T21:52:00.000-07:002008-08-10T22:08:37.337-07:00

A Thousand Drums in China2008 to be precise. If there's one image that I will remember from the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremonies it will be this one (photo by Michael Macor of the San Francisco Chronicle). 2008 individual drummers in perfect synchronization. What made it even more amazing is to see them drumming independently one second and then in absolute sync the next. The effect was all

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-26328980480093791442008-08-01T08:47:00.001-07:002008-08-01T22:26:21.286-07:00

The Science of Gods and VariablesIt occurred to me that there is a similarity between the number of variables in scientific models and the number of gods worshiped by people of faith. It seems like the trend over the millenia has been to reduce the number of variables and gods respectively. In the case of variables, the goal is zero while in the case of gods worshiped the trend has been towards

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-91325987050050321152008-06-03T21:19:00.000-07:002008-06-03T21:43:50.944-07:00

The Death and Future of PaperI first heard about this William Powers article, "Hamlet's Blackberry: Why Paper is Eternal" in an NPR story on the radio. The article celebrates the wonders of paper and fears its undoing by cold and cruel digital media devices like ebooks. Its ironic that I heard the piece on the radio since radio once faced the same types of arguments that are being made for paper

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-58971175196868888102008-06-01T22:20:00.000-07:002008-06-03T22:04:13.945-07:00

Mississippi River TypeMapThis is the latest map in my "Typography of Place" series... a map of the cities and towns that lie along the Mississippi River. For a larger, readable image, you can view it here on my Flickr site.The last two maps I did in this series (Silk Road and the Aleutian Islands) were very horizontal. So I wanted to try one with a vertical format. One of the things I am trying

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-30164881119609604392008-05-30T13:35:00.000-07:002008-05-31T19:44:44.842-07:00

Where in the World is "Coco Channel?"In case you were wondering, its here in between Little Coco and Landfall Islands. I stumbled upon this map today while reading about the remote tribes of the Andaman Islands. The Andamans are a chain of islands in the Bay of Bengal. Most are claimed and administered by India. Seeing "Coco Channel" made me smile.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-37170643814478094442008-05-23T09:02:00.000-07:002008-05-23T09:37:07.271-07:00

...and justice for allYesterday, a Texas Appeals Court rejected the lower court decision that had authorized siezing the children from the FLDS compound. This photo, by AP photographer Tony Gutierrez, was attached to the story. As a designer, I love images that are artfully composed but still relevant and meaningful. There is an elegant symmetry here between the repetitive columns of the court

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-20396090745873571482008-05-20T22:27:00.000-07:002008-05-20T22:36:27.617-07:00

Thomas Barnett's Bold Plan for War (& Peace)This TED talk is not a topic (how to improve the US Military) I would normally be interested in even less so one that I would want to promote. But Thomas Barnett is worth listening to.There are two ways to correct a problem. One way is to undo what was done and institute your plan; the other way is to embrace the problematic approach and propose a way

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-30439366469973007902008-05-20T20:07:00.001-07:002008-05-20T22:53:22.346-07:00

eBooks and the Future of the KeyboardNicholas Negroponte announced his vision for the next generation OLPC (one laptop per child). The new design takes its inspiration from a book although it can still be used as a laptop. Having worked on eBook concepts in the past, I've always felt that a dual-screened ebook was taking the "book" metaphor too seriously. But the new OLPC design uses the 2nd

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-66982970956502656952008-04-12T10:08:00.000-07:002008-04-12T11:01:24.801-07:00

Zooming, Reading and EducationBob Cringley has written several interesting columns about technology and the future of education recently that got me thinking about my experiences designing a Zooming User Interface (ZUI) for Sony. In his most recent column he talks about the video game paradigm as a model for the future of education. In the spirit of Steven Johnson's, "Everything Bad is Good for

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-3832721086275834002008-03-19T22:22:00.000-07:002008-03-19T22:43:52.317-07:00

Protesters & The Rule of Law in San FranciscoI walked through the Iraq War protest march on my way home from work tonight. It was great to still see so much passion about ending the war after 5 years of Bush and Cheney not listening. I was walking a bit faster than the parade and that led to an interesting experience. The police were all around... on foot, on motorcycles, monitoring the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-63592034768882364672008-03-16T22:43:00.001-07:002008-03-19T22:41:57.808-07:00

China & TibetAs I've been reading the news this past week about China squashing Tibetan protests, the image of a map with China dominating over Tibet typographically as much as militarily popped into my head. So I decided to quickly draw it up so I could post it. If it had a title it would be "A Political Map of China & Tibet". I find the term "political map" funny as so many of them involve

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-33585326793960536812008-01-25T21:55:00.000-08:002008-01-25T22:31:20.685-08:00

Heath Ledger and the Death of a ManHearing about the death of Heath Ledger was very sad news. He had so much to say even when saying very little.Despite what most people thought "Brokeback Mountain" was about, Heath Ledger's character gave me new insights into what it means to be a man. Everyone makes decisions in their life that they regret... men and women. But men seem to deal with regrets

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-49569129069728923742007-12-23T14:06:00.000-08:002008-04-12T11:10:36.215-07:00

Is Creationism Selling God Short?I've been seeing and reading a lot about Creationism lately. This includes the battle in Dover, PA to teach Creationsism, or rather "Intelligent Design" in school and the new natural history museum based on Creationism's re-interpreted timeline of the World.The Dover Case is an interesting story in and of itself. There is a key issue that came up in the case that

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-56207916231489994982007-12-22T11:44:00.000-08:002007-12-22T11:45:07.317-08:00

This is a quote from last year's TED Conference. It might be counter-intuitive to young designers but is very true."Creativity starts when you cut a zero off the end of your budget. It gets even better if you cut two zeros."

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-19943743250584460112007-12-21T10:25:00.000-08:002007-12-21T10:54:41.848-08:00

Design and Product ManagementThis is a letter I wrote to Jeff Flash after reading a presentation he wrote and posted on his blog about product management.Jeff,I downloaded and read your 10 Tips for New Product Managers presentation. Thanks for sharing this.I have some feedback and a question for you. I was wondering what your ideal stakeholder diagram is. There was one included from someone else

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-40287343571084169942007-11-27T18:27:00.001-08:002007-12-12T22:20:27.995-08:00

I love Adobe, I Hate AdobeI sent the following letter to Adobe Customer Service last week. I wanted to share it...I am a designer and have been a loyal Adobe & Macromedia customer for over 15 years. I have bought multiple versions of Photoshop, Illustrator, Director and Flash for myself and my staff over these years at multiple companies. After Apple, Adobe is the company serving the needs of the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-76819116560290504012007-10-26T15:08:00.000-07:002007-11-10T12:27:05.066-08:00

Slow MediaLast night I was thinking about maps... the appreciation of maps and the time it takes to create them. As I was thinking about it, the concept of "slow media" came to me. Maps are clearly a form of slow media relative to video, TV and a heavily cross-linked web page. It takes time to view a map. The type is often small enough that you can't read the whole thing from a distance. So

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-25777167895469594912007-09-04T22:14:00.000-07:002007-10-26T15:19:19.994-07:00

Hotel Del Over-crowdedThis is the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. For most of its life it has been an amazing place and a fantastic example of Victorian beach architecture. The original structure and the majority of the many expansions were all built out of wood. To step into the lobby or grand ballrooms is to step back in time and yet it has been preserved so you can enjoy it today.We have

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-82624003071115025662007-09-02T17:44:00.000-07:002007-09-04T22:14:31.504-07:00

Conflict in the Middle BeachThis a shot of Coronado Beach in San Diego. What happened here today was an amazing illustration of what I imagine must be much larger and frequent problems in the Middle East. Around 12:00 a group of around 30 Arabic-speaking people moved decisively into the middle of a bunch of other people already sitting and laying on the beach. They followed a leader who was

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-15534573934449693652007-08-31T16:07:00.001-07:002007-09-04T22:01:14.455-07:00

Boy Books & Girl ToysI'm a member of an all guys book club which is an endless source of humor for my wife. Last night we had a men's and women's book club meetup at a local bar. Richard, one of our members, met an attractive woman from their book club at the Commonwealth Club and suggested that the 2 clubs meet. She eagerly agreed so the date was set. It was a fun evening... mostly young, single

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-73127660952962264342007-08-12T21:22:00.000-07:002007-08-12T21:52:49.681-07:00

Bocce... Like father, like sonThis is Buzz and Alexander at Campo di Bocce in Los Gatos, CA. When I was living in New York, I would occasionally see older men playing bocce in some of the Italian neighborhoods. But there is something special about bocce that I think the Italians have known for a long time. Bocce is a game for all ages. It takes skill to master but almost none to play. But it is

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-43824147641624039292007-08-11T17:26:00.000-07:002007-08-12T22:01:01.493-07:00

Stumbled upon this billboard today. Its a smart campaign and a clever Acronym for Sony that they are using to promote the high image quality of their TVs, digital cameras and VAIO computers. Sony still has lots of challenges to overcome but maybe this is a sign they've turned the corner... at least from a marketing perspective.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-25896796860617094132007-08-11T17:24:00.000-07:002007-08-12T21:59:59.742-07:00

Old and New San FranciscoThis is an old but newly exposed apartment building just off Market Street In San Francisco. The city recently approved a new zoning plan for the Upper Market area that will allow for buildings along Market St. to be up to 10 stories tall. Since Market bisects the city at angle there are numerous odd-shaped lots like this one that will now be turned into large apartment

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-65801464779577698102007-07-30T17:47:00.000-07:002007-08-12T21:46:59.101-07:00

Delft De-constructedTwo shots of the Tulip sculpture and fountain in the courtyard outside the Disney Concert Hall in LA. The entire sculpture is composed of the shattered fragments of blue and white Delft pottery. The petals of the fountain appears a bit heavy as you approach it but the real joy of the piece is when you realize what its composed of. There is a fractal quality in the tiny floral

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-92038701792495481842007-07-18T12:18:00.000-07:002007-07-18T12:25:35.374-07:00

Writing and Remembering My FatherIt’s my Dad’s birthday today. It’s also been a bit more than 2 years since he passed away. My Dad always enjoyed reading stuff that I wrote and thought I would make a great writer. It is one of the things I’ve wanted to do and one of the reasons I keep this blog. But between my day job and my other pursuits, I am not yet devoting enough time to writing to make a

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-4244108127043390942007-07-11T09:00:00.001-07:002007-07-13T16:43:49.026-07:00

Remembering George YuGeorge Yu passed away this past weekend. George was an architect based in LA. Before striking out on his own, he spent time working for Thomas Mayne of Morphosis. He taught at Sci-Arc. As a designer, what I admired most about George was his belief in the purity of a concept. I suspect that many of designers start out strong in the concept phase. But over the years, the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-23315596552106734682007-07-04T20:58:00.000-07:002007-07-04T21:32:45.573-07:00

Lessons from Africa, Part 2This is Bi Kidude as she bowed to a standing ovation on the TEDGlobal stage. She is a 96 year-old Taraab singer from the island of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania. Bi Kidude could challenge just about anyone’s stereotypes. She is a Muslim woman who smokes, sings, dances, flirts and plays drums. Seeing her perform reminded me that everything in the Muslim world is

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-12731759385322965552007-07-04T15:59:00.000-07:002007-07-04T21:51:14.425-07:00

Lessons from Africa, Part 1In June I went to Africa for the first time. We attended the TEDGlobal Conference in Arusha Tanzania and then climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. I’m hoping to post my Kilimanjaro journal separately but wanted to start by posting a few of the lessons I learned while in Africa. This is the first (of many).I'm probably no different than most first time visitors to Africa… I brought

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-28700271974297076362007-07-03T23:52:00.000-07:002007-07-04T00:10:10.531-07:00

The Limits of ControlI'm ashamed to say it but when I wrote my previous post, I hadn't finished reading Adam Greenfield's insightful essay on the false trappings of "experience design". It is a must read for anyone calling themselves an experience designer.When I was first exposed to the term interaction design, IDEO was doing some consulting work for my group at Sony. Their design solution was

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-31240439917948986482007-06-28T12:05:00.001-07:002007-06-29T16:13:02.115-07:00

Multi-Domain Solutions DesignThis is an interesting post by Adam Greenfield that talks about the emergence of "experience design" and the realization among businesses that successful consumer solutions increasingly do not confine themselves to a single bucket of product, website or service.The challenges he speaks of are very reminiscent of the ones I faced at Sony (and that they continue to face

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-52792421298882982692007-06-24T15:24:00.000-07:002007-06-25T17:12:41.104-07:00

Hoods in the HaightJust saw the new Panhandle Bandshell for the first time... a small stage and bandshell made out of reclaimed car hoods. It looks cool both inside and out and the use of junked, reclaimed parts is totally appropriate for a neighborhood known for things like the "Free Store," the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic and spontaneous free concerts by the likes of the Grateful Dead within

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-15820641880202861052007-06-21T12:11:00.000-07:002007-06-21T12:24:31.194-07:00

William's Windmill This post by White African has a great summary of William Kamkwamba's amazing accomplishment and public introduction at this month's TEDGlobal event in Arusha Tanzania. Although he built a windmill from scratch and on his own, William was so quiet and reserved on stage that his story might never have been known were it not for everyone else singing his praises. But you can tell

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-63698894101924813592007-06-19T14:26:00.000-07:002007-07-23T22:26:19.026-07:00

Anne at Uhuru PeakAnne at the top of Mt. Kilimanajaro. It took us about 9 hours to climb the last 4000 feet to the summit. "Pole Pole" as they say in Swahili.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-40545998046817963652007-06-19T14:16:00.000-07:002007-06-19T14:38:27.365-07:00

Mt. Kilimanjaro from Shira CampThis is a view of the top of Kilimanjaro from the Shira Campsite. Of the 5 places we camped, Shira Camp was by far my favorite. The views up to the peak and down towards "Shira Cathedral" were amazing. It was also the one camp where it was warm enough to walk around in sandals and relax outside in the afternoon sun.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-23025463264555045942007-06-12T21:39:00.000-07:002007-08-12T21:42:10.637-07:00

Mt. Kilimanjaro: Summit Night: Night 4 into Day 5The porters woke us up around 11:30 at night. We scrambled into our boots and gaitors and up to the mess tent for some oatmeal and hot tea. Then we went back outside and saddled up for the climb. Headlamps were key as we started out for the summit at 12:30 AM. I'm amazed that the lead guide could follow a trail as you see almost nothing except the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-3680385131721518712007-06-11T21:32:00.000-07:002007-08-12T21:38:48.550-07:00

Mt. Kilimanjaro: Day 4 We had an awesome night sleep and we were feeling energized and ready for the Baranco Wall. We started out around 8:30. It was actually an enjoyable climb. A steep rocky trail intermixed with sections requiring hands and feet scrambling. An hour and half later we were at the top of the wall and were greeted by a Mars-like landscape. The landscape seems to change both as a

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-29465527435622618172007-06-10T22:13:00.000-07:002007-07-23T22:27:56.541-07:00

Mt. Kilimanjaro: Day 3Day three saw our first real taste of life at altitude. Anne felt it almost as soon as we left camp but was generally fine once we slowed our pace a bit. The scenery also transitioned from scattered shrubs, flowers and lichens to almost nothing but rocks. Anne commented that as we got higher and higher, the cover for bathroom breaks on the trail got fewer and smaller.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-68887443027072509592007-06-09T22:26:00.000-07:002007-07-14T22:34:44.935-07:00

Mt. Kilimanjaro, Day 2The second day was my favorite day on the mountain. We started out at 10,000 feet and hiked to 12,600 feet… our shortest hike of the 6 days and with breath-taking scenery the whole way. We started out at the forest’s edge in the Moreland zone and made our way into the Heather zone defined by smaller, moss covered trees and eventually just shrubs. We had lunch at a great spot

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-52851676195096619792007-06-08T16:15:00.000-07:002007-07-13T16:38:53.407-07:00

Mt. Kilimanjaro; Day 1Day 1 started at the Kigongoni Lodge in Arusha where we had our briefing the night before. The lodge is located at the top of a hill with the individual bungalows scattered along the steep hillside. It was our first encounter with porters carrying our bags in what was to become a daily pattern on the mountain. But were already at a bit of altitude and as Sunny, one of the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-27127786979281964242007-05-30T08:28:00.000-07:002007-06-19T14:15:56.404-07:00

Getting Ready for AfricaThis is a picture of our guest bed covered with clothes and supplies for our trip to Africa. Instead of making me psyched it ended up making me feel guilty. We're taking the trip to find about Africa and organizations that we might be able to support with time or money. We're also climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with a National Geographic guide and a eco-friendly guide company.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-70099864432361075502007-05-27T13:03:00.000-07:002007-05-28T22:10:37.432-07:00

View from Mt. Diablo SummitLooking East from the top of Mt. Diablo. We're half-way through our last training hike before leaving for Africa. 3 hours to the top but lots of nice views on the way up.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-11045265905435809712007-05-13T17:12:00.000-07:002007-05-28T22:09:49.676-07:00

Mount St. Helena from Mayacamas RidgeThis is a view of the mountain from the opposing ridge that separates Napa and Sonoma. It was taken just off Petrified Forest Road where we stopped to check out Mayacamas Ranch. After a 2 hour hike up into the canyon at Bothe-Napa State Park, we stopped for some serious barbecue at Buster's on the edge of Calistoga. Its almost embrarassing to say but we spent

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-47694880294636413572007-05-12T13:02:00.000-07:002007-05-28T22:07:54.270-07:00

View from Mt. St. HelenaThis is the view from the top of Mt. St. Helena (not to be confused with the more famous, Mt. St Helens in Oregon). Mt. St. Helena sits at the top of Napa Valley and despite being the tallest mountain in the Bay Area is not very well known. If you're looking to do all 4300 feet of it, you might be out of luck because the main route to the top starts in Robert Louis

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-79779364998149321592007-02-28T19:06:00.001-08:002007-05-28T21:59:49.911-07:00

Conduct UnbecomingSenator McCain is a Republican. But his biggest strength has always been his integrity and his honesty in voicing his views wherever they fall in the political spectrum.I'm a Democrat. Until recently, I had been thinking that I could see voting for him as President specifically for the above reasons. I believed that his integrity would lead him to make the right decisions

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1171132455783547342007-02-10T10:34:00.000-08:002007-02-11T14:41:09.780-08:00

The art of warInteresting winning photo by Spencer Platt in this year's World Press Photo Contest. It spurred me on to look at some of the other winners. Viewing the photographs gave me the uncomfortable feeling of how beautiful war and despair can be in the hands of top photographers. It reminded me of the images of Edward Burtynsky that I first saw at the TED conference in 2005. Having gone to

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1168029094973429672007-01-05T12:31:00.000-08:002007-05-28T21:59:18.111-07:00

Fanfare: Yes, Common Man: NoI just watched Arnold Schwarzenegger walk out on stage as part of his swearing in ceremony. He hobbled out on crutches to the tune of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man". I've heard Fanfare many times but never in place of a US state's equivelant of "Hail to the Chief". It was very strange. When I hear "Fanfare for the Common Man" I think of the dawn of human

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1162484914914262502006-11-02T08:28:00.000-08:002007-02-11T14:47:15.684-08:00

Trust but clarifyIn the Cold War era, the US and Russia eventually agreed to reducing their stockpiles of nuclear weapons. The agreeements included a "trust but verify" policy where each side allowed the other to witness or monitor the dismantling of weapons. It seems to me that we need a similar policy for George Bush's statements about the War on Terror. Bush said again today that, "the US does

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1162484617207161092006-11-02T08:23:00.000-08:002007-02-11T14:47:24.122-08:00

With friends like these...I couldn't believe the news this morning about John Kerry's bungled joke about education and the Iraq War. I'm not sure it would have been funny even if he hadn't bungled it. He told the joke while giving a campaign speach for Phil Angelides. Angelides has almost certainly lost the election against Arnold already but Kerry's joke sealed his fate. In a skit on The Daily

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1161488219226287972006-10-21T20:36:00.000-07:002006-10-24T09:39:19.443-07:00

This is looking west out of the Shoreline Amphitheater... the sun setting and the perimeter lights backlighting the wandering crowd. The view looked interesting but the low-res Sidekick photo makes it look almost mysterious.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1161487398645147222006-10-21T20:23:00.000-07:002006-10-24T09:35:25.236-07:00

The crowd chillin at Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit concert. Gillian Welch is on stage who, despite her comments that they play, "downer acoustic rock" is jammin with some great guitar riffs. Its shaping up to be a great night... Dave Mathews, Pearl Jam, the Foo Fighters and more Neil still to come.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1161149979902418582006-10-17T22:39:00.000-07:002007-02-11T15:01:00.472-08:00

Saying is believingWhen the Mark Foley scandal hit, the hypocrisy of the Republican Party finally became clear to many formerly firm believers. What was truly amazing was not that Mark Foley was gay, or that he was initiating inappropriate relationships with teenage boys or that his fellow Republicans attempted to cover it up. What surprised me the most was that he was leading a committee charged

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1160183316864191032006-10-06T18:08:00.000-07:002006-10-19T20:36:27.933-07:00

This is a good interview with Frank Rich, author of, The "Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina."Until a few years ago, Frank Rich was the lead Broadway Theater Critic for the New York Times. What's interesting about his switch to a serious political writer is its relevance to the Bush Administration's approach to the truth. He makes the case that the way

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1161317727251442282006-04-30T21:15:00.000-07:002006-10-19T21:19:30.196-07:00

Given a flawed blueprint, nature will sometimes use symmetry as a stand in. I learned this at a lecture by Greg Lynn on mutations in nature. One of his observations was that organisms attempt to create features even when they lack a complete instruction set. Lynn showed several examples of symmetrical mutations including a human hand with two mirrored thumbs. What initially appeared as just a

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1129417767896932872005-10-15T16:02:00.000-07:002005-10-16T18:54:51.546-07:00

I just bought the soundtrack to "No Direction Home" Martin Scorsese's new documentary about Bob Dylan. Anne and I watched the documentary on PBS and found it funny, insightful and amazing. The unfolding of Bob Dylan's life from a small town in Minneapolis to the voice of post WWII youth is incredible. Dylan says early in the film, "I wasn’t born where I was supposed to be so I've been

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1129316845677280492005-10-14T12:07:00.000-07:002005-10-15T16:10:55.536-07:00

I was reading the newspaper this morning. As I turned to the last page of the section and started reading a story about the war in Iraq, this is what I saw. The image is the result of the Macy's underwear ad on the back "bleeding" through to the image of the Iraqi boy on the front. While it is unplanned, it doesn't seem completely random. It seems representative of the mix of commercial and media

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1128969415972657072005-10-10T11:36:00.000-07:002005-10-15T16:01:17.613-07:00

Californians love to dine outside. It makes total sense in Southern CA but it can be a bit of a stretch here in San Francisco. This is a shot of the new Cafe @ the Beach Chalet at Ocean Beach. Its a bit like a small-scale version of the Bryant Park Cafe behind the Public Library in NYC. The interior is casual but well designed and the cafe opens up onto the yard behand the chalet. Service was

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1128367463523508452005-10-03T12:24:00.000-07:002005-10-06T14:22:09.003-07:00

A view of Tomales Bay from a cottage in Inverness, CA. Point Reyes has become one of our favorite places in California. It is a unique place in so many ways. In the photo above the far shore is protected Marin County ranch land. Tomales Bay is a pristine waterway restricted mostly to day sailors and kayaks. Most of Point Reyes itself was designated a National Seashore Park in the 1960's. The area

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1128227934396263072005-10-01T21:38:00.000-07:002005-10-06T14:37:08.500-07:00

This is the very Northern tip of Point Reyes. Its at the end of the McClures Ranch to Tomales Point trail... a beautiful five mile hike. Since the entire hike was shrouded in fog, it wasn't until we descended the final bluff that we saw that we were surrounded on three sides by pounding surf... the Pacific Ocean on one side and Tomales Bay on the other. The waves where the two bodies of water

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1128119017512871652005-09-30T15:23:00.000-07:002005-09-30T15:26:39.503-07:00

Weird... I saw this advertised in the San Francisco Chronicle today and just thought it was strange. The description of the scent reads like a catalog of stuff that would get caught in the Hummer's tire-treads (assuming your average Hummer owner ever takes it off-road).

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1128033374331398822005-09-29T15:36:00.000-07:002005-09-29T15:50:48.290-07:00

This is a new product called the Flypen. Although its being marketed as a toy, it does some pretty interesting things. You can write 1 letter commands like "S" for schedule and then write the details and it will remember them for you. You can also draw a keyboard and drums. Clicking on the instruments makes the sounds play from the pen's built-in speaker. It seems at least as sophisticated as the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1128023083599278702005-09-29T12:44:00.000-07:002005-09-29T15:59:51.946-07:00

Just snapped this at the Icer-sponsored ski jump on the Fillmore St. Hill in San Francisco. The delays and public outcry of local residents seems to have only fueled interest in the event. Even though it took place mid-day on a Thursday, attendance seems to be higher than for the SF Grand Prix bike race. Slow snow and a possibly poorly designed take-off area made for some nasty wipe outs at the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1127348299984340702005-09-21T17:18:00.000-07:002005-09-21T18:53:50.280-07:00

Just got back from an offsite meeting that was held at the Carneros Inn in Napa, CA. Amazing setting... especially this view of the Napa Valley first thing in the morning. Each room is simple, small but well appointed individual cottage. The architecture is a well executed blend of agricultural and industrial... a clear reference to the less chic surroundings of Carneros as compared to central

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1126906293586459322005-09-16T14:31:00.000-07:002005-09-21T18:55:09.046-07:00

Interesting article on Nintendo's new Revolution controller. It uses gyroscopic control for things like racing games or sword fights. It can also be used as either a vertical remote control or held horizontally in 2 hands as a traditional game controller. It will be interesting to see how the gyroscopic function is received. Its been tried before with limited success but physical gaming is a big

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1126904986047990052005-09-16T14:09:00.000-07:002005-09-21T18:53:01.936-07:00

In my ongoing series of city views on-the-run... here's Chicago from a taxi stand. You get a bit of Mies in the foreground, followed by a piece of the Chicago Tribune building with just a glimpse of the Hancock building in the distance. I was there for all of 14 hours but I'm hoping to be making longer trips in the future.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1126761286415443472005-09-14T22:14:00.000-07:002005-09-14T22:19:13.990-07:00

Just setting my blog up for mobile blogging. I shot this telephone pole in San Francisco the first day I got my Sidekick. I thought the archeology of past messages was kind of cool looking.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1126727565297840322005-09-12T12:43:00.000-07:002005-09-14T12:53:23.120-07:00

Bush’s Perfect StormI think it is ironic that Hurricane Katrina, a random natural disaster would shed so much light on Bush’s leadership as a president. At first, the problems on the Gulf Coast all seemed to be due to Hurricane Katrina’s wrath. But in many ways, it was careful and deliberate planning that caused the damage and destruction. The writing has been on the wall for New Orleans and the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1119037173813343352005-06-17T12:09:00.000-07:002005-06-17T12:39:33.836-07:00

Impeachment… Bush vs. Clinton Congressman John Conyer’s efforts to investigate Bush’s run-up to the Iraq War has got me thinking about which acts the US government is willing to prosecute and which it is willing to ignore. There are not many things about our government that get me angry. For the most part, I understand that governments, like most organizations are political.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1116353553306202672005-05-17T11:12:00.000-07:002005-05-17T12:52:35.716-07:00

Republican Strategy as Fast Food DietWhat if the Republicans' strategy was something like this... Get control of Washington (the senate, White House, etc.) and stay there as long as possible. While there, reduce taxes, raise spending and balloon the deficit. Ignore international relations by making decisions that are popular domestically but extremely unpopular in the international community. Do

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1116012872004070212005-05-13T12:34:00.000-07:002005-05-17T12:49:44.236-07:00

Hiking PinnaclesAnne and I spent last weekend at Pinnacles National Monument near Soledad, CA. Definitely deserves more traffic than it seems to get but we were happy to have the peace and serenity. The rock formations are not as dramatic as Yosemite but they are great given their proximity to the Bay Area. There are 2 trails that take you through caves. They were formed over time by rockslides

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1114032918883348342005-04-20T14:35:00.000-07:002005-04-20T14:54:51.950-07:00

I recently went kayaking in Richardson Bay between Sausalito and Tiburon. It was a pretty paddle through marinas and moored sailboats with a view of the San Francisco skyline. It was more urban than my normal jaunts in Tomales Bay but serene in a different way. I rented a fiberglass Necky kayak for the first time. The model was designed for slightly rough seas. It was most stable when it was

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1112975461197987182005-04-08T08:51:00.000-07:002005-04-08T09:02:38.620-07:00

Went to the opening of the Extreme Textiles Exhibit last night at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York. This is an amazing exhibit! There is something for everyone here... sci fi, fashion, cool factor and hi-tech. There is some amazing work being done around the world with fabrics. I heard that Matilda McQuaid, the curator had been thinking and planning the exhibit for more than a decade. She did

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1112995241580384572005-04-07T14:20:00.000-07:002005-04-08T14:59:20.496-07:00

Went to the Ashes and Snow exhibit today at Pier 54 in New York. It is definitely an interesting experience perhaps most of all because of the design of the "Nomadic Museum" that houses it. The building, designed by Shigeru Ban uses materials that reference the frayed edges of New York City... empty shipping containers, giant cardboard tubes, gravel and raw wood. The view down the central walkway

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1112457061074669842005-04-02T07:51:00.000-08:002005-04-02T07:51:01.073-08:00

Shot this through the back window of my cab while sitting in traffic. Its always interesting to be in a city like DC... seeing the major sites as a side effect of getting somewhere else. I shot this with the built-in camera on my T-Mobile Sidekick. I think the low resolution and the rear-defogger wires make for a romantic image... it almost has an Alfred Stieglitz's Flatiron Building quality to

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1112249704178308152005-03-30T22:15:00.000-08:002005-04-02T08:49:58.573-08:00

Third Person PerspectiveThis is an interesting article on the Supreme Court Case regarding file sharing networks. The article and the case have frequently referenced the 1984 Sony Betamax decision that allowed the use of VCR's despite the fact that they could also be used for illegal copying. Gary Shapiro of the Consumer Electronics Association called the Betamax case the, "Magna Carta" of the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1112211786135868312005-03-30T11:43:00.000-08:002005-03-30T11:43:06.136-08:00

This is a photo of Lake Wakatipu outside Queenstown, New Zealand. Its slightly enhanced but it was an amazing view on a "crisp" (cold in kiwi speak) beautiful morning. We were on our way to Mt. Aspiring National Park (somewhere in the center background) to go canyoning. Little did we know on the way there that canyoning would end up being the scariest thing we did in NZ.  

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1112209448629605922005-03-30T11:01:00.000-08:002005-03-30T11:04:08.630-08:00

OK, I've left Sony after working there for 10 years and I've decided to try and get this blog going again. A quick facelift and we'll see where it heads.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5523221.post-1062110355795689782003-08-28T15:39:00.000-07:002003-08-28T15:39:15.853-07:00

Tech News - CNET.com OK, so I might have posted too soon. After talking briefly about corporeal de-referencing, he goes on to kind of say that it was so 90s. That because of things like SARS and post 9/11 racial profiling that body referencing is back in. Still the previous idea is an interesting one. I think his longer term view seems to be the original point and that, as on many issues,

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09031193386772475926noreply@blogger.com0