walls.corpus

An appreciation of Safari 4 tabs

Wednesday, 25 February, 2009 — misc

Things I like about the new Safari 4 tabbed interface:

• Opening multiple tabs no longer presents you without a way to reorganize or tear-off tabs that are off the main list. If you see the ellipses all the way to the right, and select an option, you will see that tab at the window. You can then act on it.
• Space conservation. By giving up the unified appearance of the title bar, there’s more usable space to view. That gives helps me actually lose sight of Safari itself and get into actually reading. This is one of the great things about Mobile Safari on the iPhone. The interface become inconspicuous.
• I’m reminded of BeOS. That makes me a bit nostalgic.
• Breaking up the title bar for the tabs enhances the tab metaphor. It’s where I’d expect to see an actual tab, were there a physical manifestation of a Safari window. Chrome and Opera broke some interesting ground here, but I like what Apple did with it.
• I want other apps to use a similar scheme. Terminal, Colloquy. BBEdit, too. In particular, I’m looking at Terminal and wondering why the hell it isn’t more compact already.

Other notes:

• Right now, I’m noticing the stop button, largely by it’s absence, not actually running into a case of needing it.
• I’m not missing a progress bar nearly as much, because pages load so damn fast.
• Gruber alluded to Snap Back dying, but if you search Google from Safari’s search box then click through a link, Snap Back is available. I’m not a frequent user, but I’m glad to see it’s not completely gone.

Black cat found or for adoption

Sunday, 8 February, 2009 — misc

A week or so ago, we started seeing a black cat in the neighborhood, hanging out by one of our neighbor’s back deck. We’d neutered a couple of black cats and turned them back out about two years ago, so we were wondering if it was one of those. @5x5 took to calling for it by name, Aloysius.

I was taking @statue_dog outside last night and heard something jump off the back deck. The little guy pictured right mewed. I put @statue_dog back in the house, @5x5 handed me some food, and the little guy hopped up on the deck. With no cropped ear, he wasn’t a cat we’ve seen before. He hasn’t left the back deck in 24 hours and is, in fact, asking to come in. We’re full-up, however.

So, here’s the deal. This kitty is about a year old, certainly no more than two. Very friendly, affectionate and talkative. He seems interested in other cats. Some of ours have been near the back window, keeping him company. Dogs, he’s a bit defensive around. He’s either lost, and needs claiming, or he’s been abandoned and needs a good home. If you’re looking for a cat, or know someone who’s lost this cat the the New Hope Church / Green Road area of Raleigh, please ping me over on Twitter. I’m @base10. I have some more photos of the little guy, too.

Krispy Kreme Challenge 2009: Recap, photos and links

Saturday, 7 February, 2009 — misc business photography

Kreme Challenge 2009: Recap, photos and links

5,038 people got up this morning for the first nice day in about a week and decided it would be fun to run two miles, eat a dozen glazed doughnuts and then run another two miles. Oh, and try to finish in an hour or less. @5x5 and I were not two of those people. We paid someone to run for us.

As you can see from the numbers above, about 60,456 doughnuts should have been consumed by the registered runners. But let’s allow that not every runner ate his or her full dozen. So, I’ll knock it down to a nice round 60,000. The run benefits charity and this year raised $35,000 for the North Caroine Children’s Hospital. Kick ass, everybody!

This was also the first event that Rex Luther Corporation sponsored a participant at. Rick, our local running entomologist, ran, ate his dozen and returned in under 45 minutes. Certainly a better pace than I’d manage. Overall winner Cameron Dorn finished in 29 minutes, 50 seconds. And yes, if you’re chipped and running for an official time, they make sure your doughnut box is empty before leaving Krispy Kreme.

So, what did @5x5 and I do, other than wear the same t-shirt Rick was wearing? Photograph! My photo set is over on Flickr. @5x5’s is up, too. It’s also a gave us a great reason to have a sale. Get 10 percent off during the month of February at CrazyLikeThat.com when you use discount code “kkc” at checkout.

It was especially cool seeing several people in costume. Superman, Flash, Wonder Woman and Homer Simpson (of course), among others. Sure, you could be running for a serious time (as Rick was), but damn, what a way to show some personality. I love events like this, and I’m happy to live in a city that has them.

What else is out on the web from the Krispy Kreme Challenge? Check it out:

• Tweet coverage at search.twitter.com
• There’s also the tag that @5x5 was using for a bit, accidentally.
• Krispy Kreme Challenge photos on Flickr. Covers not only this year, but the last couple years, too.
• Find out how the Krispy Kreme Challenge started
• The Triangle Tweeple team put together a training blog

Now, how did it feel, keeping a fresh dozen down while running? As @landin_t put it: “If u puke, you’re only cheating yourself”

Chipotle, focus and happier pigs

Saturday, 24 January, 2009 — misc business

Chipotle was one of my favorite lunch stops in Sacramento. It was a decent walk from my old office at 21st and Q Streets as part of the sacbee staff. When I moved to North Carolina in 2002, I missed seeing them. Other fast food burrito chains aren’t nearly as good.

I saw Rafe tweet this morning about not knowing that McDonald’s no longer owned Chipotle. I sent on a link I found through the Chipotle Wikipedia entry that talked about the company’s founding, McDonald’s investment then divesture from Chipotle.

It’s a neat story about doing the things you might not see in a business but things that have a big impact.

Did McDonald’s pressure [founder Steve] Ells to expand and cheapen the menu?

“They probably did give me grief,” Ells said. When McDonald’s suggested adding coffee or cookies, Ells said: “We wouldn’t do it better than anyone else. And I don’t want anything to be part of Chipotle that wouldn’t be the very best.”

And this tidbit that I particularly love and support:

“Until you see factory farming, it’s not part of your thinking,” he said. “As soon as I was exposed to that, I knew I didn’t want to be a part of that. And I certainly didn’t want my success to be part of that exploitation.

"And the pork tastes so much better.”

Ells moved to using naturally raised pork exclusively. Yes, the carnitas burrito now costs $1 more, but the company sells twice as many. And every Chipotle that opens now allows another farmer to join the Niman Ranch collective.

It’s amazing how doing good things in your business can help other people do good things. Chipotle’s been in Raleigh for a little while now, and while I’ve been a few times, I need to make a point of supporting them more with my dining dollar.

For full ironic effect

Sunday, 18 January, 2009 — misc

I finally launch new blogging software and I have a case of writer’s block.