December

The RIAA foolishly left the content management administration page for their homepage open to the public: anyone can add a new press release here (update: cached copy). The real-time edits are reflected immediately on their homepage. (Old entries are archived on their press releases page. Possibly not safe for work, depending on what’s been recently posted.)

You heard it here first. Don’t expect this to stay up for long. Update: They took their site down. You can use the cached pages in the comments to view the original pages, or view Jason Kottke’s screenshots of the hacked pages. (Thanks to Phil for the tip.)

I got a 20 GB iPod for Christmas and it’s almost perfect. I just have a couple changes…

This mockup outlines a few improvements that don’t unnecessarily complicate the interface, while adding some new functionality: jumping to the main menu, navigating next/previous albums, and switching between shuffle and normal play. Basically, holding down the new modifier (or “Option”) button changes the way the normal buttons respond.

In lieu of physically altering the iPod to add a new button, the center circle button could act as the Option button. With a simple firmware update, the iPod would be far more useful for power users, while maintaining the same interface for everyone else.

I’d love to surf the web and code from my couch, but I don’t want to pay for an expensive wireless laptop comparable to my desktop PC or maintain two parallel sets of data and applications. So here’s an idea: dumb terminal laptops that act as wireless clients to a central desktop server.

The laptop could be completely barebones, requiring only a mouse, keyboard, display and a wireless connection. All applications and processing would be run on the server, similar to Windows Terminal Services or VNC. Without the need for a powerful CPU, hard drive or unnecessary peripherals, a simple laptop appliance could be marketed for $300 (or less). Or cheaper, if you rig your own setup using an old laptop. Does anyone know if an off-the-shelf product like this is already available?

Update: As mentioned in the comments, Microsoft’s Smart Display does exactly that. Here’s a new review from the NYT.

Forever A Kid makes “innovative custom clothing at the best value for the Adult Baby (AB), Big Baby, Infantilist, Diaper Lover (DL) and Juvenile Adult market.” Don’t miss the photo gallery, where you can see the models show off their dresses, diapers and pajamas in giant homemade cribs.

I admit, I used to have a pair of big red pajamas with white sock feet. But I wore them because they were warm and fuzzy; not because they turned me on.

I miss “Under Construction” images, those hackneyed construction-themed graphics that seemed to be on every amateur webpage between 1994 and 1996. They were redundant (i.e. the entire Web is always under construction), ugly, and often animated. And then, somewhere around 1997, they went away.

Fortunately, it looks like a few die-hard “designers” are still pushing the envelope in Under Construction technology. For example, rendered animated GIFs and post-modern infographics. And if you can’t innovate, just super-size it! Like this Russian Greek collage, clip art carpenter, or yellow wallpaper.

And finally, a full screen Flash animation. What, no Under Construction Java applets or ActiveX controls?

When compiling a top 10 list, there’s a big difference between “Best” and “Favorite.” Usually, “Best” implies some sort of objectivity. If I was compiling a Best Albums list, I’d probably include some influential and innovative albums that I never listen to anymore, like the new Wilco or the White Stripes. Instead, 10 albums I genuinely enjoy that have rarely left my MP3 playlist:

Favorite 10 Albums of 2002

Ben Kweller, Sha Sha

Bill Frisell, The Willies

Destroyer, This Night

Dixie Chicks, Home (*)

Mates of State, Our Constant Concern

Mirah, Advisory Committee

Norah Jones, Come Away with Me

Songs: Ohia, Didn’t It Rain

Spoon, Kill The Moonlight

Tori Amos, Scarlet’s Walk

Other Top Album lists for 2002

KALX DJs, CMJ writers and community, Aquarius Records, Spin, Time, Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, The Onion AV Club, KCRW, TinyMixTapes, Amazon, Rolling Stone, and Uncut.

If you know of any more, please add them below.

After I learn how to binary finger count, I’ll give my friends a high 11111 and flip my enemies the 00101.

For its high wax content, I recommend Jack Handey’s My Best List For 2001.

This L.A. Craig’s List job listing seeks a professional liar: someone to pretend to be multiple users on a bulletin board, to simulate an active and thriving online community.

“However, these characters must maintain a strong presence on the board so other members feel as if they are genuinely part of their community, thus, creating more activity on the board.”

Someone out there doesn’t quite get it.

I temporarily disabled my firewall today and received this piece of Windows messenger spam: “Stop these annoying messenger ads for FREE and FOREVER! Open your web browser and go to www.FightSpamWithSpam.com.”

It makes sense, I suppose. I’ve seen popup-killer applications advertised in popup windows and e-mail spam filtering software advertised in spam e-mail, so this is the new equivalent. Meta-spam is a simple way to target their demographic, and who cares if it’s evil?

Still, you have to give them credit for their technique; after showing you how to turn off Messenger services yourself, they beg for donations to fund their spamming efforts. (Grrr.)

Does the cover of Joe Clark’s new book remind you of anything? (Hint, hint.)