Eye On Japan

My cousin Andy publishes a great collection of his photographs. Most of the photos are of Japan (where he lives with his wife and daughter) but a few are of our glorious hometown Lodi, California. I especially like this one. I'm a sucker for reflections.

Scrobbled

I now use Audioscrobbler to track and publish the music I listen to. It still doesn't accurately track what I listen to, as it doesn't seem to pick up on my ipod away from the computer. Instead it tracks iTunes on my computer, which is perfectly reasonable, but since my laptop is not connected to any amplification I rarely play songs on it. At least I haven't entirely figured out what it tracks yet.

But tracking and publishing your every song you listen to is strange. See how willingly people give up their privacy? Do they so desperately want to connect that they'll track their songs, their movies via Netflix friends lists, their thoughts, actions and dreams via blogs, their memories and personal lives via flickr, their goals and aspirations via 43 things and open all of it up to anyone with a Internet connection, making it easier for said people to keep track of them via tags and syndicated content feeds? You can even share your exact location via Dodgeball (newly acquired by Google BTW) where you check in via camera phone at certain locations around town. (OK, it's usually bars and designed for people to hookup, I suppose, but still imagine the use jilted lovers, neglected spouses and the FBI could get out of this information?)

Having Audioscrobbler track your songs also raises paranoia about how cool you are as evidenced here. Do I really want my friends to see just how many times I play Justin Timberlake's "Rock your Body?" (Look, it's only played when I'm at the gym!)

Giant Misery

I've been a big Giants fan since the age of 4. My dad took me to a game at Candlestick and, according to him, I sat rapt with attention throughout the game. A few years later he took me back and I remember yelling at the umpire to get some glasses. (I think I heard this insult in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.) Anyway, a love affair was born and has continued through two world series (both losses), cold and windy nights at the stick, season tickets at new, warmer and more yuppified Pac Bell Park, Barry's home run records and grand jury testimony and through this disappointing season.

For the best Giants blog on the planet, I turn to Lefty Malo. My friend Alex combines astute Giants commentary with hilarious pop culture references. He even manages to throw in a few high minded literary and political references. He's a great writer and has nice tickets in the left field bleachers.

Personal Fashion

OK, I guess it's pretty hackneyed to write about "how the Internet changes everything" in a blog. But I'm constantly reminded of how the power of a network decentralized things there were once controlled by a few. Of course blogs and the mass media are a perfect example, but here's another one: Neighborhoodies.
You can get a sweatshirt or t shirt with any freakin' message you want. From Park Slope to the Mission to "I am a pirate" and "Freakin' Cool." In the past you could find a silk screener to make you a custom shirt, but due to the lack of centralization and economies of scale it would have been expensive. Threadless is an even better example. Designers submit their designs electronically and shirts are made, creating an instant design competition and way to get unique t-shirts for $10. Anyway, in 2005 this is not that interesting to most people but I still marvel at it nonetheless.