You know it happens, but here you can see how drastic it is…
(1) go to this site: www.fluideffect.com
(2) click the “portfolio” link
(3) agree to the terms
(4) click the “before/after” link under “portfolio”
(5) use the “click to see before” link for each photo
While you’re there, the “composite/manipulation” link is also worth checking out.
When you swipe your metrocard, the machine makes the same sound no matter what the outcome is. So although there are 3 possible outcomes (successful swipe, need to swipe again, no fares left on card), there is only 1 possible sound. This is definitely a confusing set-up. I can’t even tell you how many times I have seen people think they swiped successfully, only to walk into the non-moving metal bars that they thought would move to allow them through. It’s simple Pavlovian logic - people respond to sensory stimulation. As such, why doesn’t the metrocard reader emit one sound for a successful swipe, and a different sound for an unsuccessful swipe? Simple logic.
If you don’t think this is a big deal, you have obviously never seen a long line of impatient commuters waiting behind someone who tries to walk through after an unsuccessful swipe. If you want the experience, just hang out at the Canal Street A/C/E stop any weekday at around 6:30pm. And seriously, when you add up all the wasted time, it’s significant.
By the way, an amusing (but pitiful) piece of MTA trivia - none of the MTA decision makers ever ride the subway. That’s not a guess, it’s a fact told to me by a friend who knows an MTA decision maker. It’s something they joke about internally. Maybe they should be paid less as an incentive for them to actually use the system they are orchestrating.
As I was waiting for the subway today, I overheard two people talking on the platform. One guy was telling his friend about some new coworker he has. He was explaining that she is a recent college graduate (from Cornell), and that she is very enthusiastic at work, excited, eager, and confident about making a difference in their workplace. The guy went on to explain that he loves when new people like that start at his company, because he likes to see how long it takes for them to loose their enthusiasm. He was laughing and smiling while he was explaining the story, genuinely enjoying his own bad attitude. It took all my strength to hold back from walking over and telling him that people like him are the reason some workplaces are a miserable atmosphere, and that he should do his company and coworkers a favor by quitting. But I didn’t, against my better judgment.
Look, I’m realistic, and I realize that some workplaces are “challenging”. If every workplace was a smooth operation, most people would love their jobs. But that’s not reality. And it’s not just a workplace thing, any situation can be challenging. Life is challenging, that’s the fact. There are always two, and only two, approaches you can take when facing a challenge: (1) attack it head on and try to turn it into something great, or (2) take a defeated attitude right from the start, and pretty much guarantee that you won’t make it into something better. It’s sad and unfortunate that MANY people take the second approach. If you find that you are in category #2, at least try to keep your pessimism and negative attitude to yourself. There’s no need to sit around and hope that those in category #1 will defect to your side. In fact, smarten up a little and try to learn a thing or two from the #1ers, rather than trying to infect them with your disease.
If you’re in category #3 (you started as a #1, but slowly converted to a #2), then walk away. You have overstayed your welcome. Go find something that you can be a #1 about again.
To the unknown recent Cornell graduate - I wish you the best of luck making the changes you envision. And hopefully you can get your miserable asshole coworker fired in the process.
The Olympics are a international event, yes?. That’s pretty obvious and well known. But when watching the Olympics from the US, one could easily get the impression that it’s a US sponsored event, and that the US kindly invited other countries to attend. The NBC coverage of the Olympics focuses most of the attention, commentary (which, by the way, is horrible!), in-depth athlete coverage, etc on the US team members. Yes, I know NBC is an American company. But the BBC is a British company, and yet they always manage to report things in a balanced manner. I realize my complaint is not a new issue - trust me, you would hate to watch a normal US news broadcast with me, because all I do is complain about how biased and censored the reporting is. Which is why I no longer watch US news broadcasts, and instead opt to get my news online. But sadly, I can’t do the same with the Olympics, so I’m forced to rely on NBC.
As a child, I remember hearing, “TV brainwashes you”. And now I’m saying the same.
I was extremely pleased to learn about this company called FON. I was even more pleased to learn that Google and Skype recently funded them (not to mention Sequoia Capital and Index Ventures). The concept of a big, global wireless network can not and will not be stopped. The idea that it might be created, even partially, by individuals banding together and spreading the network at the root level is one that makes the global network concept that much more enjoyable.
The long-term goal of FON is to have 3 types of users:
(1) Linus. This is someone who is both a sharer and a user of the FON network. In exchange for sharing their internet connection, they get free access to all FON internet connections around the globe.
(2) Alien. This is someone who does not share their internet connection, and therefore pays to access FON internet connections around the globe. They might need such access as they travel for business or pleasure.
(3) Bill. This is someone who does not access FON internet connections, but does shares their internet connection. Because they don’t access other FON internet connections, they receive 50% of the fees paid by Aliens to access their FON connection.
Apparently FON is working with ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to get them to buy into the concept. Without permission from an ISP, a user who shares their access might be violating their terms of agreement, in which case the ISPs will take appropriate action against the user. Obviously FON is pitching some sort of payment and/or revenue share deal to the ISPs, but even still, I can’t imagine many ISPs giving their blessing to this model.
I’m not sure is FON will be able to pull this off, but I hope they can. And fast enough to grow to critical mass before other widespread wireless internet initiatives gain serious momentum. Either way, whether they succeed or fail, ultimately the FON idea is a brilliant one. It’s an innovative concept, it’s utilizing a grassroots effort, and it’s putting increased pressure on the Telcos to recognize that an efficient global wireless network will be implemented, one way or another.
I’ve just completed my registration to become a Fonero (that’s what they call their members), and I’m looking forward to participating.
…is wrong with our country?
How is wearing a t-shirt a crime? How is our crazy government able to get away with crap like that?! It’s bad enough that they are spying on us (and defending it!), but now they’re openly laughing in the face of free speech.
America is falling apart on all fronts. And most Americans are just happily watching it go down the drain.
The good news is…….the number of pregnancy abortions is down?!?! That’s a high point worthy of special attention during the monkey’s President’s State of the circus Union address?! That’s the kind of news keeping the drones content these days?!?!
Oh, and I loved the “Americans are addicted to oil” part. Yes, it’s true and terrible, but the Bush family has been amongst the biggest pushers.
Bring back the Redcoats!!!
UPDATE: Cindy Sheehan’s story
UPDATE: The MSN article I posted a link to above has been changed/updated. It now tells the story of Cindy Sheehan’s charges being dropped. I’m disappointed that MSNBC edits their original journalism content, rather than just posting a separate follow-up story. You can’t edit history.