tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36014412012-01-06T14:12:29.637-05:00Ruminations about interfaces...between people, between computers and people, and between my selfs. Also thoughts on time, memory, and the interweaving of the past and present.<p> <b>Note</b>: This personal blog has nothing whatsoever to do with some company whose trademark is <b>FaceTime</b> (note the difference in how it looks--it's a camelback punctuation service mark).Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.comBlogger2501100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-78520666313092287432010-01-29T22:44:00.002-05:002010-01-29T22:46:14.615-05:00

So I've moved to http://www.sokohl.com and http://www.regularjoeconsulting.com (my company).

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-69043617958636749022009-10-23T12:48:00.000-04:002009-10-23T12:49:08.981-04:00

what's it all about, Alfie?

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-48132365428641650192008-08-24T11:37:00.002-04:002008-08-24T11:38:50.827-04:00

Now I have a new job.Starting on Monday, I'll be leaving Keane after 3 and a half years.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-77870366080508161222008-02-27T11:04:00.002-05:002008-02-27T11:06:50.245-05:00

Best Products of 2007 Praveen is blogging about his favourite products of 2007. Here's what I said about the iPhone:I think we've seen with Apple that, once again, they have created a truly transformational product in the iPhone. It transforms the user experience, in that people think of it differently than they do, say, a Nokia phone. It's no longer a phone, it's an iPhone--and the connection

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-49069359074423524122008-02-09T07:25:00.000-05:002008-02-09T07:28:25.858-05:00

Savannah!What a great town! Beautiful, well-restored (other than the huge hole in the ground next to our hotel), and yet "real," somehow.Too, the ixda conference is going well.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-37078732192876557472008-02-06T16:36:00.000-05:002008-02-06T16:37:35.202-05:00

Lack of RecognitionDespite a lot, a lot of hard work, I am not being recognized professionally. Depressing.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-80633240754226456522008-01-07T23:15:00.000-05:002008-01-07T23:17:03.294-05:00

My Article Is On Line!My article on motorcycle dashboards makes it on line. Also, it's already been referred to.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-12858903099239595522008-01-04T14:44:00.000-05:002008-01-04T14:49:30.338-05:00

My Year in Cities Following Kottke's lead, here are the cities I visited in 2007:Scottsdale, AZPhoenix, AZBurlington, VTMontpelier, VTBoston, MALas Vegas, NVFayetteville, ARRising Fawn, GAThis list doesn't include rally sites or day rides on my motorcycle jaunts. Also, it doesn't include local (read: within 200 miles) cities.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-26258343799761236102007-12-08T08:04:00.000-05:002007-12-08T08:05:26.871-05:00

Good ReadReading great new Joe Conason about the Romney/Huckabee theocracratic views.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-29685836031003788212007-12-07T09:00:00.000-05:002007-12-07T09:06:16.488-05:00

Reconnecting with the PastI ran into an old elementary school friend whom I haven't seen in 30 years or so. Thirty years! So a bit of our recent time communicating has been to talk about our mutual past, our shared history, and our dim memories. "I remember the time that you...." "So do you remember when we...?" and so on.At the same time, it's neat to find out what people have done since then.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-27453612841187231062007-11-19T23:15:00.001-05:002007-11-19T23:15:27.413-05:00

Kim Wilson Originally uploaded by mojohand. Kim Wilson wailing away in Richmond at Toad's Place. I like this space for taking pictures...

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-79301566250516804252007-11-02T09:39:00.000-04:002007-11-02T09:41:29.090-04:00

T-birds in the HouseThe Fabulous Thunderbirds played a grand, grand show on October 26 at Toad's Place. Great to hear them again—I'd just heard them a couple of months before at the Birchmere. Also, Toad's Place is a good place for photographing, as evinced here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mojohand/sets/72157602841700674/

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-17080004097412921922007-10-26T20:48:00.000-04:002007-10-26T20:55:59.880-04:00

opening Act BluesSo I'm at Toad's Place for the Fab T-birds...and this lame bans, Prometheus Clay, is wailing away Or, more accurately, wanking away. Three piece noise band. Lots of guitar notes do not an SRV resurrect.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-31537101708732803262007-10-22T23:35:00.000-04:002007-10-22T23:37:50.174-04:00

Connecting with the PastOne of the main reasons I started this blog was to reminisce a bit about auld lang syne, as it were.Then, out of the blue, I hear that a dear friend, one of my alltime best friends from elementary school and high school days, just moved to Richmond! How cool, how utterly cool is that!?

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-56995157828782229312007-10-08T23:01:00.000-04:002007-10-08T23:20:44.800-04:00

Helpful Voice-recognition HelpRecently, my wife had a question regarding our Wachovia online bill-pay system. When she couldn't find an answer on the Web page itself, she followed a link that directed her to call the telephone help line.First she tried to cancel a payment...but saw no obvious place to do so. So she selected BillPay Help. She found this advice:Canceling a PaymentYou can cancel any

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-42237502758344153202007-10-04T09:35:00.000-04:002007-10-04T09:51:34.374-04:00

The Brave One's Not a Good OneI'm tired of lazy movie wriing. Having just watched Jodie Foster's latest romp through violence and depression (think The Accused hangs out in The Panic Room and formulates her Death Wish), I'm bitterly depressed that I spent $8.50 for the ticket to see this wholly unbelievable tale.The ease with which her character buys an illegal gun is beyond imagination: Not only

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-69608646115573577692007-10-01T09:51:00.000-04:002007-10-04T09:54:21.921-04:00

On the Road...and WorkingThe weather is great for motorcycling...so why not motorcycle! That's exactly what I'm doing. Yet with wireless I-net and a recently issued Blackberry, I can do my job from almost anywhere (except for major parts of West Virginia).

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-78839677513285053282007-09-20T10:07:00.000-04:002007-10-04T09:54:45.634-04:00

Foggy Without SleepWorking on a multicontinent schedule means I have calls at 7:00 a.m., meeting in the afternoon, and calls around 11:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Ugh. Be careful what you wish for....

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-49000477037413603692007-09-16T23:36:00.000-04:002007-10-04T09:55:15.149-04:00

First Days in GermanyCame across this note from the first week I spent in germany in October 1999:Well, it's been a full week, I can tell you--left last Monday, arrived Tuesday. Came to the office for a couple of hours, then went to the hotel they'd booked for me. Wednesday was a full work day! Thursday, too--and that night I went out with three of the guys from the company to eat & drink & chat.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-27078878174978774872007-09-13T10:05:00.000-04:002007-10-04T09:55:29.597-04:00

Coming Back from BostonHad a set of very good meetings with my former boss/now peer, Kathy. We had great discussions about IAs, UX, and the integration of our newly defined areas. It's a small but important step.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-49391676414158866142007-09-03T09:37:00.000-04:002007-10-04T09:55:44.444-04:00

Are You Es-in' Me?Unbelievable. Not the archaic title (it's users folks, not end users), and not the context-mapping marketing....but the freakin' price. In an Amazon.com email, they sent me this info:We've noticed that customers who have purchased or rated GUI Bloopers: Don'ts and Do's for Software Developers and Web Designers (Interactive Technologies) by Jeff Johnson have also purchased

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-46340598243778738642007-08-18T08:14:00.000-04:002007-10-04T09:56:00.093-04:00

Seeing and Not SeeingErrol Morris of the Times provides a thoughtful, exhaustive essay on how photographs are mementos, not the thing itself. Years ago I heard the term fetish used to describe photographs. That is, they are placeholders for the thing, the person, the event, the memory—not the thing, the person, the event, nor the memory itself.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-56535373471794703462007-08-13T10:58:00.000-04:002007-08-13T18:14:53.369-04:00

What the..., Blogger?How in the world did Blogger's spam-prevention robots determine that my blog might be a spam blog? What writing characterizes my silly little Blogger site as a threat? Indeed, I think it's the lack of context that makes robots so...well, ultimately stupid and useless. Perhaps characters like my way of showing decreased expedition:

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-44526480268949209772007-07-30T18:53:00.000-04:002007-07-30T18:54:22.942-04:00

User ExperienceSo the makers of the movie "Ratatouille" get the need to go to users' environments to do research. Why can't the corporate world?

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-7182308287158879712007-07-27T10:43:00.000-04:002007-07-27T10:47:35.344-04:00

IM Helps Fight War An interesting snippet on ZDnet about chat's use in wartime. Interesting that text messaging over a secure network was used...and I suppose is still being used. The other interesting thing is that the colonel mentions that users found other collaborative tools too wre "frankly too difficult for users to get their hands around."In other words, poor usability degraded warfighting.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-25991499387987848252007-07-26T09:02:00.000-04:002007-07-26T09:38:47.595-04:00

Riding on the WeekendMotorcycle-wise, I rode some last weekend. I went up to Lake Anna and rode on a guided Civil War ride done by my friend Bob Annandale. However, the group (the North Anna Lake Riders Motorcycle Club) are all Harley-heads...and go sllllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwww. Bob's leading, I'm following him, and we leave the rest in the dust...AND WE NEVER GET UP TO THE

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-79605559083953779862007-07-14T22:08:00.000-04:002007-07-14T22:17:21.796-04:00

Great RideHad a great ride today in western North Carolina. Came to Clemmons (just west of Winston-Salem) yesterday to ride in the 2nd Christian Neuhauser Memorial Ride. He was the editor-in-chief of Road Runner Motorcycle magazine. Sadly, two years ago, his Ural motorcylce collided with a semi on I-40.The semi won.Out of bad things, though, sometimes good things come. So last year, Christian's

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-52008103332278332402007-07-06T16:08:00.001-04:002007-07-06T16:19:35.682-04:00

Two Very Good MoviesWell, my tip for movies extends to these two: Once and Miss Potter. One a great music and unrequited love tale, the other a biopic with a delightful and poignant theme.Once tells the tale of an Irish busker and a Czech single mom who meet on the street. She likes his music, and he likes her smile, style, playing, and lyrics. Call this the movie that Music and Lyrics wanted to

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-16247583280147639412007-07-02T10:04:00.000-04:002007-07-02T10:09:57.077-04:00

Death in the Family Sadly, the brother of a close friend died suddenly Saturday. Rod had been traveling west with his nephew, taking a long-planned trip to Alaska. In Saskatchewan, Canada, Rod had difficulty breathing. His nephew got him to an ER, where doctors tried to stabilize him. They realized they needed to transport Rod to another facility; on the way, he passed away.Our friend Greg is

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-38959967320102949302007-06-29T19:08:00.000-04:002007-06-29T19:14:35.939-04:00

La Vie en FilmeRun, do not walk, to see La Vie en Rose, the great film about singer Edith Piaf. Having seen it Monday night at the Westhampton in Richmond, I felt utterly drained by the end...an engrossing yet enervating experience. Marion Cotillard is riveting as la môme piaf. Indeed, if Penelope Cruz can be nominated for her Volver performance, Cotillard should be granted one this week.Too, the

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-75994395584966098512007-06-19T09:40:00.000-04:002007-06-19T09:42:22.744-04:00

Stuck Inside of Memphis...Well, not really stuck..but watching the thunderstorms on the Weather Channel. Of course, they're pretty much in my path any which way I wanna go. I think I'll alter my route and go north to see Ft. Pillow, then back to my US 64 East trek, making Shiloh by late midday. My goals are to have Shiloh and Buford Pusser's Museum done by tonight :)

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-52176416105760714212007-06-19T09:35:00.000-04:002007-06-19T09:40:17.416-04:00

Latest from the RoadNot doing a great job of keeping up with blogging, but, well, sue me. I'm in the middle of an 11-day motorcycle trip. Already been out to Fayetteville, AR, for a Moto Guzzi rally.Yes, the Haven-meisters have done it again! Apparently a red Breva 1100 is to have changed hands yesterday, and they were riding east today and tomorrow. Still, Bob was grateful to Steve & also the

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-25815862959767980882007-05-01T12:45:00.001-04:002007-05-01T12:45:59.161-04:00

Detail of Moto Light Originally uploaded by mojohand. Love these lights on my motorcycle! They improve my visibility and how visible I am to others. Thoguh expensive, they are definitely worth it.Remember--we motorcyclists are out there! Be careful and watch for us.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-79097218576461589042007-04-25T10:20:00.000-04:002007-04-25T10:24:57.203-04:00

More on the RidgeRunners' Ride 2007Pictures of the ride. The route was, starting in Richmond, then West on River Road to SR 6SR6 west through Scottsville (still torn up), with a side trip to Schuyler, VA (home of Walton's Mountain creater Earl Hamner, Jr.)US 29 S to Colleen (after lunch in Lovingston).SR 56 west to Piney Grove, then SR 778 west/southwest to US 60.US 60 to the Blue Ridge

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-76797489261034062832007-04-23T11:02:00.000-04:002007-04-23T11:05:30.621-04:00

Tired from the Weekend, but Oh How Much Fun!  My brother Ray and my best friend Dave went motorcycling this weekend. They drove up from Georgia (Dave from Rising Fawn, picking Ray up in Lawrenceville NE of Atlanta) with Dave's new-to-him 1996 Honda Magna 750. I had Ray's '92 Nighthawk 750 here. More about the trip later, including pictures posted to Flickr. Suffice it to say, however, that we had

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-8913391365852445742007-04-18T16:12:00.001-04:002007-04-18T16:12:51.289-04:00

And they say the surge is working... Looks like Gen. Petraeus got some 'splainin' to do.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-79860149648498229932007-04-16T09:55:00.000-04:002007-04-16T09:57:19.615-04:00

Is Apple Still Cool?  Has Apple still got it? Forbes has an interesting discussion. I still think it is and will continue to innovate.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-87856229056394169962007-04-12T10:21:00.000-04:002007-04-12T10:22:08.219-04:00

So It Goes.  RIP, Billy Pilgrim. May you live forever on Tralfamidor.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-44544548093857069542007-04-11T08:38:00.000-04:002007-04-11T08:40:48.464-04:00

Shopping for Records  Went to Plan 9 Records the other day. While browsing through the LPs, I was struck by how many of them came from my peak period of record-buying—1971 through 1982 or so. Artists like Dan Fogelberg, Billy Joel, Frank Zappa, and so many others show up. It's almost like a slice of musical time.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-18489151254456447032007-04-09T09:56:00.001-04:002007-04-09T10:10:32.478-04:00

The Wayback Machine Redux  Yes, it's me, on Broad Street in St. Elmo...the area at the foot of Lookout Mountain, across from the Incline Pharmacy and almost next door to Kay's Kastle ice cream store Good gravy! What was I thinking back then?Lord, look at that collar! I was wearing the "uniform" of McCallie School, which by that time had turned simply private...before, it was military, from

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-82616453775941829352007-04-06T18:01:00.000-04:002007-04-06T18:23:46.662-04:00

Capturing the Past  In a few weeks I'm planning a motorcycle weekend. My middle bro Ray and my high-school friend Dave are planning to come up from Georgia (Lawrenceville & Rising Fawn, respectively). Dave's bringing his Honda Magna 750 in the back of his truck, while Ray will pick up his Honda Nighthawk 750 I picked up for him.The goal is to ride for a day or two together, and then they'll pakc

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-91580484732812491572007-03-29T20:24:00.001-04:002007-03-29T20:24:50.421-04:00

Bellagio at night Originally uploaded by mojohand. It was fun being in Vegas...up to a certain point. Winning almost $400 at roulette was a gas. Having to breathe my room neighbor's cigarette smoke and the gambers' smoke was not.Still, Vegas is Vegas. The fact that they do what they do and do it well is great. American commerce at its most designed.Oh, and the conference was great!

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-2015702464985477172007-03-28T23:51:00.000-04:002007-03-28T23:52:37.896-04:00

Social Economics  Sitting in McCarran Airport in Lo$t Wage$ after the IA Summit with Jason Hobbs and Andrea & Everett Wiggins, we got to talking about social network analysis (Andrea's field) and non-commercial Internet transactions (Jason's recent research topic). Andrea was talking about the interactions of people in Internet cafes in Ecuador. Jason was mentioning that, in South African

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-24156598090718709582007-03-24T10:37:00.001-04:002007-03-24T10:37:40.654-04:00

Content analysis Originally uploaded by mojohand. took a great pre-conference workshop from Indi Young on Friday. Matching content to task groups (and spaces!) is pretty mind-numbingly tedious.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-78709664163762521042007-03-21T09:43:00.000-04:002007-03-21T09:54:36.309-04:00

Vegas Bound!  I'm leaving on Thursday for the Information Architecture Summit 2007 in Las Vegas. I'm definitely looking forward to it. It's the one conference I've attended since its inception. Indeed, I've been to almost every one that's occurred:Boston San FranciscoMontréalVancouver. I missed only two summits (albeit in rather cool locations: Portland, OR and Austin, TX.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-21124229118914091832007-03-14T09:39:00.001-04:002007-03-14T09:39:57.353-04:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-87935543715918018062007-03-11T22:45:00.000-04:002007-03-11T22:48:39.788-04:00

Back Home  After spending the past five months in almost non-stop travel, I'm home...for awhile.Other than VA Beach this coming weekend for the Shamrock Race and the following weekend for the IA Summit in Vegas, I'll be working outta the house. Nice! Good to be able to walk the dog, ride the bike, get clothes out of my own closet instead of a suitcase, and go to klatsch at Betsy's.In other words,

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-45798302488313884232007-03-07T21:04:00.000-05:002007-03-07T21:06:27.575-05:00

Yet More Hidden Costs  So it now comes out that the surge isn't just 21,000 troops. From the AP:Gates said that the request for extra MPs is in addition to the 21,500 combat troops that President Bush is sending for the Baghdad security plan and 2,400 other troops designated to support them.Gordon England, the deputy defense secretary, told Congress earlier this week that the number of required

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-6529278936827497842007-03-06T08:03:00.000-05:002007-03-06T08:08:38.153-05:00

Why Do Republicans Hate the Troops?  Endemic to the Repbulican party is the hollow flag-draping and bloody shirt-waving posturing of the party as being "tough on defense." Instead and indeed, the truth is that the GOP is the party of big pockets for defense contractors. The recent revelations of deplorable Abu Ghraib-like conditions in Walter Reed and other outpatient care facilities shows just

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-43374531240895085142007-03-05T21:05:00.000-05:002007-03-05T21:07:56.536-05:00

VCU Wins!  'Nuff said! But sitting in Cambridge, Mass, watching my alma matter spank Geo. Mason. I think it's great—a come-from-behind victory that's as thrilling as any end of a game I've seen.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-74080058130435927942007-02-19T19:33:00.001-05:002007-02-19T19:33:04.885-05:00

Me, Jorge, and Susheet Originally uploaded by mojohand. Note the depth of the snow, relative to our legs--it's up to our knees! This shot is in Barre-Berlin, Vermont, just south of Montpelier. Too, this shot is on Thursday, when we ventured out to the Applebee's next to the Comfort Inn. Much, much snow.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-86060760898815227402007-02-18T23:30:00.000-05:002007-02-19T19:04:46.328-05:00

Jonesing for a Ride So the weather sucks, I'm stuck in Boston, my bike's in Virginia, and I really wanna ride. I've been reading Alexis' stories lately. Man, there's a woman who rides! 50K miles last year. Crazy, or what? I'd love to be able to do that. Tonight, Captain Bob & I were chatting about riding. We were talking about doing the four corners....7,000 miles in 21 days. He said, "That's

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-60708609112456339342007-01-01T08:37:00.000-05:002007-01-01T08:58:25.685-05:00

Ain't Bad Work If You Can Get It So, work for less than a year in a job for which you have no specific, relevant experience and gain $10 million? Seems that it worked for Catherine West, former Capital One credit cards prez.And folks wonder why we gripe at deals the bigs get. Sheeeesh....

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-33427628514005416972006-12-14T17:35:00.000-05:002006-12-14T17:37:53.874-05:00

Back in Phoenix... ...but only until Monday. It's been a great two-month project (other than a few personality glitches I can't go into). the client team was a perfect team: professional yet fun, demanding yet fair. That's the best way to be.As for our team, well, it has been an honor and joy to work with them. If I say more, I'll probably begin to tear up. So, for now, I'll just say, "You guys

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-91706686063526442202006-12-10T15:16:00.000-05:002006-12-10T15:21:11.211-05:00

Winter Riding Even though it's the 10th of December, I was able to ride my Breva 1100 for several hours. At one point, my onboard thermometer read 62 degrees! How neat is that? At least, as far as motorcycling is concerned. Not sure how good it is for the health of the planet. Still, since I've been in Phoenix for two months, I'm glad to be able to get some riding in.And speaking of riding, it

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1164860252253321632006-11-29T23:16:00.000-05:002006-11-29T23:17:32.270-05:00

Casino Royale  A very well-done Bond. It's closer to the original plot line of a book since "Diamonds," if not "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." So, if you're a Bond fan, check it out.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1161965709214208982006-10-27T12:12:00.000-04:002006-10-27T12:15:09.240-04:00

Have They No Shame Redux  Rush & Michael J. Fox. 'Nuff said. Anyone who defends Limbaugh is a fellow traveller in vile, base and just mean bullying. Shame on them!

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1159065991938662712006-09-23T22:40:00.000-04:002006-09-23T22:46:33.060-04:00

Deck Gun on the Constitution Originally uploaded by mojohand. I had to get to Boston early for training next week. Fortunately, the hotel is almost next door to the berth for the USS Constitution, aka Old Ironsides.Ever since I was a kid, I'd read about this great ship and its adventures from the days of the undeclared war with France in 1793 through the Barbary Coast wars and into its

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1158979287974604602006-09-22T22:35:00.000-04:002006-09-22T22:41:28.043-04:00

Aimee Mann Live Originally uploaded by mojohand. What a show! I hope some of you had a chance to go, or have seen her, or will see her. First time for me to see her, but she was fantastic!Not bad for an ex-Richmonder!

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1158946141942074792006-09-22T13:24:00.000-04:002006-09-22T13:29:01.966-04:00

Girl in http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifa Blog  Last night we had the great fortune to meet mystery author Sujata Massey. She read from her latest book, Girl in a Box, about industrial espionage and Japanese department stores...featuring her great character, Rei Shimura. Sujata was engaging, delightful, open, and helpful. Accompanied by Annapolis mystery author , Sujata joined Marcia in

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1158852697993594792006-09-21T11:29:00.000-04:002006-09-21T11:31:38.010-04:00

Truth Be Told  I've been traveling by air more this year than I have since I returned from Germany in December, 2001. Most of my flying is with JetBlue, a great experience. But flight attendants and pilots still persist in blatthering the typical inanities that all airlines do.Wouldn't it be great if they just told the truth?Enjoy.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1158696553678237652006-09-19T16:08:00.000-04:002006-09-19T16:09:13.693-04:00

Arrgh, Matey!  I don't know how I almost missed Talk Like a Pirate Day, but here it is. My pirate name is: Black Tom Roberts Like anyone confronted with the harshness of robbery on the high seas, you can be pessimistic at times. Two things complete your pirate persona: style and swagger. Maybe a little too much swagger sometimes -- but who really cares? Arr! Get

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1157641043628770142006-09-07T10:56:00.000-04:002006-09-07T11:17:54.636-04:00

They Get It Over At COMCEN  The Colbert is brilliant...and these guys let you get in the act. Waaay too funny!

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1157637625863317872006-09-07T09:59:00.000-04:002006-09-07T10:06:29.830-04:00

New User Experience Designs  The results are in: Winners of a Leopard preview are in. Nicely done. I especially like the fact that the winner won on the basis of his user experience-concentrated design, not on any visual gymnastics.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1156989387546142032006-08-30T21:55:00.000-04:002006-08-30T21:56:27.573-04:00

Have They No Shame?  Keith Olbermann serves it up best, and in this case, he hits one out of the park. Mr. Rumsfeld, dissent is critical to democracy.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1156863305713055332006-08-29T10:49:00.000-04:002006-08-29T10:55:05.720-04:00

Jim Webb Originally uploaded by mojohand. The candidate and, it is hoped, the next junior senator from Virginia, speaking.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1156863240974079652006-08-29T10:48:00.000-04:002006-08-29T10:54:01.043-04:00

082806_1810.jpg Originally uploaded by mojohand. Quite a lot of folks attended the opening of the Jim Webb headquarters in Richmond. Bob Annandale and I ran into Ivan Appelrouth, Henry Morse, Errol Soman, and Rob Murphy. it was definitely an overflow crowd, much bigger than had been anticipated.And I still got a hot dog, cookies, and a soda.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1156786763041654852006-08-28T13:35:00.000-04:002006-08-28T13:39:23.056-04:00

Fallout from Macaca   The best I've seen so far is from Salon.com. Wow. I chould have been so lucky. Still, it is the best in writing--three words that say it all.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1156427185603368542006-08-24T09:44:00.000-04:002006-08-24T10:17:01.496-04:00

Another Month Goes By  It seems I can't post on a regular basis. It's not that I don't think things. Sometimes it's just that I don't feel like blogging them.On the other hand, I've been pretty busy—traveling to Boston/Cambridge and Milwaukee and Chattanooga/Lookout Mountain. Fun stuff, but also some work stuff. More later...Certainly I've been amazed at the minimal fallout to the Allen campaign

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1153676799932630382006-07-23T13:43:00.000-04:002006-07-23T13:46:39.963-04:00

Avoiding a 2.0 DotBomb Crash  Heiko is always good for a quick link to new things in the Web 2.0 world. Here's some good advice.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1152981510740328622006-07-15T12:37:00.000-04:002006-07-15T12:38:30.753-04:00

720 Megapixel Picture!  Sydney Harbor by night. Man! What a cool shot!

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1152540964080279832006-07-10T10:12:00.000-04:002006-07-10T10:16:04.103-04:00

Working with Me Rules Although I didn't write these rules, I certainly think they apply to me. Thanks to Donna for expressing what I feel about myself.... * I may spend a long time seeming to do very little. Don't panic - I'm thinking. Exactly what you pay me to do. * I spend a lot of time with earphones in. That means I'm trying to think and concentrate amongst the chatter of an office, not

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1152540419742791052006-07-10T10:02:00.000-04:002006-07-10T10:06:59.826-04:00

Cap'n Dave on JetBlue out of Boston Originally uploaded by mojohand. On a Jetblue flight last month out of Boston, we had megadelays. Yet the captain (Captain Dave!) kept us well-informed: he told us about the brake light that was coming on, he told us throughout the process what they were doing about it, and he apologized sincerely for the delay. Ultimately, we had to deplane and board

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1150334730642470052006-06-14T21:22:00.000-04:002006-06-14T21:25:30.650-04:00

It's Mine! Originally uploaded by mojohand. Went to Western NY and picked up my new Moto Guzzi Breva 1100. Scheweet!

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1149652878045951132006-06-06T23:56:00.000-04:002006-06-07T07:33:31.006-04:00

Been Busy  Listening to "The Ipcress File"'s main theme...what a great movie, and what a great John Barry score. Anyway, haven't been blogging much atall. Geez...and so much going on: Haditha and militarized borders and defence of marriage (is divorce now going to be illegal? Hardly...ask Newt about that) and the beginning of hurricane season (go to www.spencerbohren.com and click on the image

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1147608603782565092006-05-14T08:05:00.000-04:002006-05-14T08:10:03.790-04:00

Grand Funk Railroad  ...especially Closer to Home, reminds me of 1971-1972 in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. I remember when my brother Ray brought the album home, its stark black-and-white tower of the heads of Mark Farner, Don brewer, Mel Schacher offset by blood-red "GRAND FUNK" across the left side of the cover. We used to listen to "Mean Mistreater" over and over, and we of course glommed onto

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1145800989626491392006-04-23T09:27:00.000-04:002006-04-23T10:03:09.636-04:00

Black Cash  Go see 'em!

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1144323569065378382006-04-06T07:34:00.000-04:002006-04-06T07:39:29.076-04:00

Great Roads in the C-ville Area  I've been in Charlottesville this week, fighting the GWOT. With great weather and the advent of daylight savings time, I've been able to take a motorcycle ride after work...over roads that are some of the best in the state. From 29's bypass I took 610 northwest to 810 east over to 664 southeast. Yesterday I went up 29 to take a side road that connects with 230

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1143363373617214452006-03-26T03:53:00.000-05:002006-03-26T03:56:13.630-05:00

IA Summit 2006  The summit is a lot of fun this year, both personally and professionally. Actually, it's probably more fun professionally—I'm not feeling 100%, so I'm laying low. For example, tonight was the Adaptive Path free drink night...and I bagged off it. Instead, I ate sushi by myself and came back to the room to crash. Fell asleep watching Lawrence of Arabia, one of my favorite

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1142955150475688412006-03-21T10:31:00.000-05:002006-03-21T10:32:30.486-05:00

When is a Blog Not a Blog  I just stumbled onto Clooneygate.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1142513799456908042006-03-16T07:54:00.000-05:002006-03-16T07:57:16.146-05:00

Halliburton Redux  Sheesh. Things like this come out, yet almost none of the MSM cover it...much less the screed-head propaganda arms of the right wing (AKA Fox, Limbaugh, Beck, and so on): Seems that the administration-imposed no-bid company failed to purify water for troops in the field:Halliburton Co. failed to protect the water supply it is paid to purify for U.S. soldiers throughout Iraq, in

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1142450515380343732006-03-15T14:07:00.000-05:002006-03-15T14:21:55.390-05:00

Deep Down in Florida  Every time I think about Florida, I think about that Muddy Waters song.Anyway, I'm recovering from the vacation. It really was a fun time, though. We had a great two-day drive to get to St. Petersburg, where the folks are renting a condo.We took in a Braves-Pirates game in Bradenton, which was great. We also spent some time in Ybor City, but really during the day; we didn't

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1142168254422787602006-03-12T07:56:00.000-05:002006-03-12T07:57:34.433-05:00

On Vaca...  No entries lately, because we've been on vacation. Right now I'm blogging from a motel in Dilon, SC, on the way home.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1141218936282487392006-03-01T08:13:00.000-05:002006-03-01T08:15:36.330-05:00

Blog Timeline  Heiko links to the New York Magazine's timeline of blogging. Nice to see my old acquaintance Peter Merholz gets his props.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1141049185853729282006-02-27T09:00:00.000-05:002006-02-27T09:06:25.863-05:00

Facing Time  Fast Company has a great quotation about time management. Basically, if work requires us to respond to emails on Sunday, we need to be able to set our time limits to go to the movies on Monday afternoon. That is, if companies require us to be available on weekends and evening, then they should also not look askance if we go to the movies in the afternoon or sleep late.This morning

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1140713149653826572006-02-23T11:42:00.000-05:002006-02-23T11:47:31.783-05:00

PUT-ing Development on the Right Track  I've just written an article for the James River Chapter of STC. It's for their newsletter The Watershed. Here's my central point: Why do we always have time and budget to do things over (“We’ll fix it in the next version”), but we never have time to do things right?From the article:I spent two years in Germany, working for an international full-service

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1140532465910322112006-02-21T09:25:00.000-05:002006-02-21T09:34:25.920-05:00

Missing Another Summit  Sadly, I'll be missing the Information Architecture Summit in Vancouver in March. It's too bad, too, because it's my favorite conference & training event. I always learn so much, I always get inspired—even when, like last year, I felt like one of the uncool kids. After a few emails & stuff, I'm feeling much better about that ;)Still, the IA Summit is an important event in

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1140028614767810732006-02-15T13:36:00.000-05:002006-02-21T09:44:43.360-05:00

Hard At Work  The Good Humor Band at Poe's on Sunday was, as I said earlier, just simply amazing! Fun, funny, and brilliant. Go to the band's site for their story. You won't be sorry!

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1139963086544163752006-02-14T19:21:00.000-05:002006-02-14T19:24:46.556-05:00

Another Example of Poor Usability  The Virginians who want to roll back the estate tax have an example of extremely poor usability. A link purports to take you to a map contrasting states with So here's the question: what does blue mean, and what does white mean? Without a legend, this map loses meaning.Sheesh. Yet another example of the dearth of UX in Virginia.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1139842466066733122006-02-13T09:50:00.000-05:002006-02-13T10:01:11.313-05:00

The WayBack Machine in Full Function  The Good Humor Band landed this weekend for its annual wacky music fest. Too bad for those who missed it, and too bad for me to have missed every one since the early 80s. Still, I finally got to see the bad boys of comedy (and musical excellence) for the first time since I went off to the Army way back when.What a show—or should I say "shows." Saturday night

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1139441910904532192006-02-08T18:29:00.000-05:002006-02-08T18:38:50.296-05:00

Meme-Tagged  Thanks to Joe, I've been tagged. So, why not? It's all fun...Four Jobs I've Had1. fry cook (shortorder cook)2. radio DJ3. blues band road manager4. soldierFour Movies I Can Watch Over And Over1. Casablanca2. Sullivan's Travels3. The Quiet Man4. Almost Famous (the extended version)Four Places I've Almost Lived, And Still Plan To1. Brussels2. Austin3. San Francisco4. AmsterdamFour TV

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1139329264389931132006-02-07T11:15:00.000-05:002006-02-07T11:21:36.583-05:00

Murder in the Ville  So another person is murdered in Richmond. Not necessarily a big deal, in that we constantly appear in the top 10 murder cities of the U.S. Yet this one was a block from my house. So when it comes into your neighborhood, yeah, it's a big deal.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1139328863798605412006-02-07T11:11:00.000-05:002006-02-07T11:14:23.810-05:00

It's Still About Usability  So Heiko blogs about usability. That's nice, 'cause he does get it. But what's not so nice is that products still aren't designed from a user's perspective. I've been trying to get this message across, yet except for New York, Chicago, and the Bay area, most places don't seem to get it. Instead, they hire business analysts instead of user-experience analysts...with

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1138581745761021042006-01-29T19:40:00.000-05:002006-02-07T11:15:06.770-05:00

Nice Day for a Ride  It was a nice ride. I met Bob at 9:00 a.m. at Ashland Coffee & Tea, then left around 9:45 (after coffee & cigarettes—Bob had a smoke, that is). Then we took 54 to Hanover CH to 614 east to 30 to 360 east to 14 east to 17 south to Yorktown. Lunch at the pub. Then down the Colonial Parkway & up Route 5. Got to the Dairy Queen at 295 & Rte. 5 around 4 p.m. Not a bad ride. I was

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1136915506729337202006-01-10T12:49:00.000-05:002006-01-10T12:53:34.486-05:00

Obfuscatio  So I ran across this sentence on a list I subscribe to:In general, feminist theorists seek renewed social statusfor non-analytical ways of knowing which, it is has beenargued, most eurowestern projects of modernity reject.Is it just me, or is this a Macbethian sentence (full of sound and fury, signifying nothing)? At least it is, to my thinking, a further example of what's wrong with

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1136766561820797982006-01-08T19:27:00.000-05:002006-01-08T19:29:21.830-05:00

2 Charged as Monsters  So two guys have been arrested in connection with the destruction of two families: the Harveys & the Tucker/Baskervilles. Seven people brutally murdered in seven days...and the details seem to be out of a movie like Seven. Let us hope for justice--but not for mercy.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1136207436461650602006-01-02T08:09:00.000-05:002006-01-02T08:10:36.476-05:00

Annus horribilis already   Horrible way to begin the year. And he was an acquaintance/friend from the 80s. So mind-numbingly sad.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1136092428036313752006-01-01T00:12:00.000-05:002006-01-01T00:13:48.046-05:00

Ein gute Rutsch!   A Happy New Year to all—may it be full of peace and happiness.

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1135349992646890862005-12-23T09:58:00.000-05:002005-12-23T10:04:00.216-05:00

Quam diu redux  Here's what Bush's illegal wiretapping comes down to: "..[T]here is only black and white when it comes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a 1978 law that specifically requires warrants for any NSA wiretapping of U.S. citizens. "If you want to eavesdrop on U.S. citizens, you go to court. If you don't, you go to jail," Bamford says. "If you want to change the law, you go

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3601441.post-1135085976647267952005-12-20T08:37:00.000-05:002005-12-20T08:39:36.660-05:00

Bitter Arrogance  "The president acted in clear contravention of a criminal law enacted by Congress, and a Supreme Court precedent, both directly on point."

Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838741899834512853noreply@blogger.com3