infobong.com

sides of the crossbar

First there was Streetmattress.com, and now there's this site filled with photos of abandoned bikes in New York City. I'm particularly intrigued by the Swiss Miss. I'll admit to sort of abandoning a bike. After I bought a rad aluminum mountain bike, I left a junky hybrid locked up in front of OU's Bizzell Library for many months. I eventually recovered the bike and sold it to a friend of mine. I don't think I would get away with that at UT since I see warning notices attached to bikes. The UTPD tells owners that the bike has been locked in the same place for too long and informs the rider the bike will be impounded after a certain amount of time.

immediate device recognition

In the computer lab where I TA, students often use transportable FireWire harddrives for dumping their digital video files to disk and moving them from computer to computer. Although students sometimes complain about the cost, I wonder if these one-Terabyte monsters will emerge as a status symbol. Students may want to wait for future generations, however. The storage device weighs a hefty 11 pounds and measures nearly a foot in its longest dimension.

essential and quintessential

The Utne Reader used to appeal to me as a youth, and I was a regular reader. Perhaps I'm too bitter and burnt-out for its left-leaning utopianism, but it doesn't really do anything for me these days. However, I do enjoy its annual Independent Press Awards for pointers to other publications of merit. I'm pleased to see personal fave ReadyMade magazine getting a couple of nods for "Design" and "Personal Life Coverage."

Okay, I'm going to get a little more picky. The Independent Press Awards seemed to be more of a serious recognition of independent publishing, listing nominees and bracketing off major categories by circulation. It used to feature more 'zines, as well as publications like Punk Planet, with cultural agendas far more serious than ReadyMade's. Rather than a serious recognition of independent publishing, it resembles the soft features - like Enterprise Systems' "Power 100," - I used to write.

baby peacocks are people too

Band Web sites generally disappoint me. For example, DAT Politics' Web site is not only unhelpful, but also annoying. Other bands never seem to update their Web sites with current live dates. However, I just learned of Canadian band The Unicorns, and, not only is their Web site amusing, it really makes me want to go out and get their record. Although The Unicorns are regrettably using Flash, they do have some good band Website practices. Every band should include at least a few cuts on their Web site, some whimsical stuff that reflects the band's personality, and, most importantly, tour dates, so I know when I can see them.