Month: November 2006

Here is an interesting online activity that may serve as a diversion tomorrow evening as you wait for election results to trickle in.

A couple of years ago, Matthew Kane created a mashup that returns data on Republican and Democratic contributors that can be linked to zip codes. Enter your zip code and compare the number of contributors and the amounts contributed (note these data will be dated). Note that the addresses (Google map) of the contributors are also identified. I must admit I find the map locating contributors a little scary, but it does partially explain who gets what phone calls and visits.

Cindy forwarded this URL to me – I see David Warlick also reviews this site.

I encountered this article from C|Net News on China and the Internet. The article addresses concerns that China controls access to the Internet. By chance, Cindy and I are heading to China on Friday. I guess we will have the opportunity to investigate for ourselves. It will be a busy week preparing so that others can cover out responsibilities here. Hopefully, there will then be many interesting posts from there.

Google has acquired another online service. In this case, the company was JotSpot – a provider of free (at the low end) wiki space. As far as I know this is a little different than other acquisitions because the acquired product was free at the level of few users and limited space, but rather expensive at the unlimited end of the continuum (couple of hundred a month). It is true that the higher capability level of Flickr comes at a price, but the upgrade cost is minimal and this is a service to the individual. The high end of JotSpot seems more suited to commercial functions.

Comment by one of JotSpot’s founders.

Will educators find opportunities in this tool? I suppose it depends on the cost and security features that are available. As I understand proposed DOPA regulations, I would also think that this service would be considered a commercial social software site and blocked.

I am close to the limit of my tolerance for this political season. It is too bad television programming does not operate like Google – click on this 30 second ad only if you really want to hear it.

The newest topic of national significance seems to focus on whether John Kerry can tell a joke. I am trying to decide this for myself. The punch line was not that funny, but then punch lines taken out of context rarely are. I spent about 30 minutes this morning exploring YouTube attempting to find a piece that would include the minute before and after the 13 second punch line that seemed to imply those who serve in Iraq are stupid (CNN sound bite with spin). No luck.

My guess is that Kerry was speaking to young people and making a vague reference to the Viet Nam era and perhaps attempting to raise the spector of a draft. At least in such a context, the punch line would have made sense. Perhaps the comment would not have been funny, but at least it would have made sense. Those of us who faced the draft would understand – at one time college performance did have something to do with whether or not one ended up in the military. At one time, you left college and you would hear from the draft board.

I think the proper criticism of Kerry is that he was attempting to raise fear in young people that the draft will return. Unfortunately, targeting someone as engaging in fear mongering is not sufficient. Every politician does that. If spin options are available, it is desirable to label someone (despite the medals for valor he has been awarded) as unpatriotic.

I hate to leave you on this heavy note. Why not tell a joke!

“I thought you said your dog don’t bite” I said. “Ain’t my dog,” was the reply.

(Please do not ask for an explanation. I would rather be labeled as unable to tell a joke than spend any more time on this topic.)