Day: February 8, 2002

Victor’s another person that likes to play with his web statistics. Me, too.

(I also found someone snooping around my webstats today — time to start cleaning up after a run.)

Anyhoo, back on topic: Victor thought it would be cool to pop up a box to chat with folks when they’re accessing his site. Offer them help, direct them to the right page.

Would this work? We’re used to a sense of anonymity within the Internet — surfing from site to site, lurking within the wires, hiding behind nameless IP addresses. Even when sites remember us from previous visits, or remember our logins, whatever, there’s still a sense of this is a machine, not a person I’m dealing with.

Still we have the technology for Victor to have exactly what he’s asking for. Garth talks about how to do this in Radio and XML-RPC web services.

Question is should we?

I’m not bringing this up on my tech weblog, because the issue goes beyond technology.

Would you like to be notified by popup when a certain person comes to your weblog? And if you’re visiting a weblog, how would you feel if someone popped up a box and said “Hi (name). Why did you read this posting and not leave a comment?”

Interesting subjects. Interesting uses of technology. Questions to explore.

BTW — I’m watching you now. I know who you are. And I know where you’ve been, and where you’re going. Hee hee hee.

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If you look at the Plutonian list, you can see why I can afford this trip. Boy, is this going to cost Jonathon, big time….

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And I go down to the mail and there’s my new license plate and registration.

Kismet

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Kick self in butt. Time for adventure, Orange Woman.

Saturday morning, in the early hours, I am finally getting in Golden Girl and heading out on the road. Final destination: Boston, with select points in between. I figure if I’m writing, I can do this just as easily from hotel rooms in the evening, and spend the days getting out in the world.

Can I afford this? Hell, no. But I’ve never let that stop me in the past, why should I let it stop me now? I am an American! I have credit cards!

My direction? Not sure. As in the movie Chocolat, I plan on following that old wind, seeing which way it goes.

So check back for installments of Where in the Weblogging World is Burningbird.

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Note to self: Do not throw a world class hissy fit at senior editor until you make sure there’s no additional message attached to an email.

End Note to self

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Exceptional! Art is alive and well and living on the web, thanks to Flash. Their Circular Life — an exploration in human behavior.

A subtle celebration of life.

(Thanks to Photographica for the link)

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I am looking for a ISP that provides 1-800 dial-up access from anywhere in the United States, charged on a per hour of use basis, only. Not a monthly plan — something I can use on the road.

Anyone have any suggestions?

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Another person with something terrific to say today, Jonathon has this charming and wonderful story about Brian, who he termed a “battler”. Reading it, I wish very much I was in Australia and could meet Brian. I also think I could learn a lot from the man.

Thanks, Jonathon — puts life into perspective.

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I may not have anything to say, but Rogi has a short fairy tale that made me choke on my Diet Pepsi with a lemon twist.

And that’s not necessarily something you want to choke on.

Rogi, you got style.

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I find I have absolutely nothing funny to say today. Nor anything profound. I can’t communicate with any intelligence. I can’t argue with any merit. I can’t reason with eloguence, or capture attention with sagacity.

You’re right. Today would be a good day for me to just not say anything.

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There was some concern that since I can be bought, cheap when it comes to position within my Plutonian list, some of the weblog links would lose their positions near the top of the list.

One Australian, in particular, was concerned about the fact that the entire Australian Delegation was being pushed down as a unit. He’s rumored to have said “When we said down under, we didn’t bleedin’ mean out of sight!”

In the interests of international diplomacy, I’m issuing a special invitation, just from the Down Under Down Under gang:

The Australian Delegation cordially invites everyone to come visit their weblogs

Please visit them — your pings are the only thing standing between me and missiles from Oz.

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Now this is good, Satirewire’s Axis of Just as Evil.

Chris, this one’s for you.

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Couldn’t sleep and thought I would surf weblogdom. Weblog after weblog, same story: a fat cat and a web site by a pre-teen girl. Here you go.

A fat cat and a pre-teen girl who says things like “TUBCAT IZ NOT MY KITTIE!!!! I AM ONLKY A FAN”.

Put that poor cat on a diet and someone please wake me up when this particular phenomena is over.

Thank you.

Monsieur Of-the-court, I doth my hat and I salute you, sir!

Update Sorry, Shelley’s creative spelling again — it’s doff. Doff my hat. Thanks Meryl.

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New sunglasses and nifty new plastic maps bought and stowed. Pleasantly surprised at the prices for glasses at Site for Sore Eyes. Normally I’m unpleasantly surprised by the prices in San Francisco. Also bought book for reading along the way. Any guesses as to what I got? Hmm? You’re an educated lot — you can figure it out.

I’m letting Mr. Of-the-court off the hook with the joke. The thing with jokes is that you have to cook em just right. Too soon, and you’ve got chicken sushi; too late and you got yesterday’s barbie’d chooch.

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I’m not the only “voice” of weblogging — check out Gary’s soft, handsome vocal creation.

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Lot’s to do today to get ready for the trip, including a visit to my favorite store, the Travel Shop. I love this store, which gives you a good indication how much I like to travel. This trip is long overdue.

Do you think that I’ve embarrassed Jonathon enough with my Plutonian list? Or do you think I should let the Sun King designation hang for a bit? Personally, my inclination is to let it hang for a while, milk it for all its worth.

Justin, is this the Rock City you were referring to?