from Instagram https://instagr.am/p/C6Sh6FIrLH5/ via IFTTT
Be at the water at sunset. Kelly took that shot.
Friday Links
It’s been a fun week.
In the “toots I didn’t toot” category was:
Also I’m content to have songs be about whatever the artists want them to be about. I like the songs “Sail Away” by Randy Newman and “The Illinois Enema Bandit” by Frank Zappa though I have a rather hard time with “Stray Cat Blues” by the Rolling Stones.
I’m writing more Python lately. I found this about lambdas useful.
Mark Sutherland is getting back to his blog and that’s great.
The stories from the cast of Pulp Fiction at the TCM Festival were delightful. There’s video.
Twitter’s new business model is Russian disinformation.
Everyone ought to learn about the parts of a URL. It’s a little complicated, but it’s worth learning. I was thinking about this as a reply I gave to a toot:
In 8th grade in San Diego we had few days of a pseudo home-economics. Among the tasks was to learn to read and understand a bus schedule and a train schedule. This was in the 1980s and one needed to do these things manually. Reading the timetables and their legends and doing work to plan a trip on X day at Y time was complex. A URL address has–to me–analogous complexity. But useful for wayfinding. Essential even.
I was quite surprised to read that Women Who Code is shutting down. In San Diego they have had a good number of great events with speakers which I managed to attend and a Slack with good participation, and more.
Some of us remember San Diego as home to a WebGrrls chapter which evolved into digitElle and Techniquelle, long forgotten entities now. But there’s still utility in such orgs. Perhaps there are others and I’m merely unaware of them… And there’s a LinkedIn group forming for San Diego.
Tracy Durnell wrote “Webbing” the IndieWeb:
The IndieWeb in general is publishing oriented; however, the pool of people willing to publish anything is very small as a subset of the online audience. If the IndieWeb is meant to be for all, we ought to consider how our indie websites can serve people who primarily read content rather than write it — at the same time we lower the barriers to entry of posting replies and interacting with our sites. And I mean both technical and social barriers.
100% agreement and finding a space for readers in the IndieWeb — and here I’ll be the 12 millionth nerd to lament the demise of social readers like Google Reader — but there are others out there! I want to try some and see if there’s any I would feel great about proselytizing.
The interview with her for People & Blogs was great.
Cam pointed out the bonkers interesting navigation of HTML Review number 03. And yes, it’s bonkers. Playful. Fun.
Be like Jason Scott, feel no guilt about blocking. Boundaries are good.
It remains vexing that this is necessary but given the way things are, one must do this.
Trina Robbins was a badass. I saw her speak on comics at SDCC and elsewhere several times. Fiery, funny, trenchant, honest. Keith Knight wrote a great comic about her.
Rest in Peace Trina!
WOMPRAT is a really really cool font.
symbol.wtf is a perfect website that does one thing perfectly. It’s on GitHub.
I saw Adrian Roselli this week at the Front End Study Hall and am happy to reconnect with his blog. Web Turns 35, Seems Popular.
I was pretty nervous about what Front End Study Hall would be, but it was an absolutely delight that flew by. Keeping it at a tight 90 minutes was great. And we had tremendously smart people with a wide range of experience. We had an infant grandchild make an appearance and a small kid showed off her Glitch site with recipe microformats which was charming and really great. Thanks to all who came and who dropped in, RSVP’d, and webmentioned or tooted.it – including Patrick Walsh, Eric Meyer, Al Abut and Mandaris (and here) and gRegor as well. And Nick too. There are probably instances I missed, and if so, I’m sorry!
I made a backdrop for myself: CSS IS AWESOME. This comment on CSS Tricks tells the history of that image. All of the notes are really great too.
That’s a fine place to end it for now. I remain grateful and happy despite life not being perfect and the world being a bonkers mess.
Onward.
Wait, a bonus link perfect for Friday: FAMOUS PAINTINGS MADE ONLY WITH EMOJI by ND Stevenson.
Okay, now, rock on.
Scam Toll Services Text Message from +1 (306) 409-0165
California toll services: We’ve noticed an outstanding balance of $11.69 on your record. To prevent a late fee of $50.00, please visit https://ncsunspasstollservices.com to settle your invoice.
- Similarly: Virginia Department of Transportation warnings about scams
- Don’t Fall for the NcSunPassTollServices.com Text Message Scam: “This scam site is ingeniously designed to impersonate the real SunPass, tricking visitors into handing over sensitive personal and financial data. But what appears to be a simple online toll payment might just end up costing you your peace of mind, credit score, and hard-earned money.”
from Instagram https://instagr.am/p/C6NhyOaLdDl/ via IFTTT
From video I shot in the water in February of 2023 of the Oceanside Pier. Horrible fire there today. Everything made by people is fragile.
Hey, Teacher, Leave Those Kids Alone
The Case for Leaving Protesters Be:
We practice forbearance for a greater good. Just like a member of Congress should ask whether they are elected only to pass legislation that will help with their reelection or whether they serve a higher purpose for the good of their country, a university leader must ask whether their role is merely to keep their job or nobly serve the higher goals of the university. Would ending these protests allow all voices to be heard? Would ending these protests allow for a free exchange of ideas? Would ending these protests bring us closer to the truth? It’s hard to see how.
The alternative for our leaders is to simply wait these protesters out — even if it means life on campus is disrupted a bit because people have to show an ID to get into Harvard Yard or see and hear things they disagree with.
But being exposed to controversial views is not only the price of living in a free society — it’s also the great benefit of attending college and having your perspectives challenged. And eventually, as public attention will inevitably shift elsewhere, the reduced spotlight will make things easier on everyone.
Of course, leaders could also talk to these student protestors and hear their demands — many of which, like disclosing the University’s financial ties to companies aiding the occupation of Palestinian territories and the war in Gaza, are eminently reasonable. Why should the financial holdings of universities, places built not to maximize profits but rather to promote truth, be kept secret from their stakeholders?
People are upset, let them protest, hear them out.
Jackboots are seldom the answer.
And force is the tool of absolute last resort.
Front End Study Hall #002: May 7, 2024
The next Front End Study Hall will be May 7, 2024 – come join, teach, and learn together!
If you’re a maven of markup or stylesheet superstar, or a newbie novice with nth-of-type, all are welcome to learn together at Front End Study Hall.
The foundation of a flexible, good IndieWeb website is markup (the “M” in HTML!”) that doesn’t drive you batty to debug and CSS that works with it to have it look, sound, and interact how you want, whatever device or format the website is displayed on. Front End Study Hall is an HTML + CSS focused group meeting to learn from each other about how to make code do what we want. Even if we don’t know, or don’t have a quick fix or plan for what you’re trying to do with your markup and stylesheets, we can probably point you toward resources that can help.
Hosted by Joe Crawford
SDCC Music
Superman or Green Lantern ain’t got nothin’ on me
I of course love San Diego Comic Con, but I also love a song featuring something from the comics. I add to this playlist periodically and love new suggestions. There’s far more comics-adjacent music than one might think (or can be easily listened to given the variable quality level). Some of the songs inspired comics, as in Plumtree’s Scott Pilgrim; some are from adaptations of comics, as in Queen’s Flash, and at least one includes the Green Lantern Oath, as in Kirby Krackle’s Ring Capacity.
In brightest day, In blackest night
No evil shall escape my sight
Let those who worship evil’s might
Beware my power, Green Lantern’s light!
Here’s my “SDCC” playlist, on Spotify:
Aw heck, for a bonus, watch the Ring Capacity video:
QOTD
Information is not knowledge.
Knowledge is not wisdom.
Wisdom is not truth.
Truth is not beauty.
Beauty is not love.
Love is not music.
Music is THE BEST.
― Frank Zappa