markwiens.net

This list is in no particular order.

1. The best way to learn a language?
   I’ll observe methods from several books of how someone can learn a computer programming language.
2. Skillset requirements for today’s web people.
   How far can a web designer go before having to be a web developer? How far can a web developer go before having to be a programmer?
3. What’s the big deal with Javascript?
   It’s one piece of the trio (HTML/CSS/Javascript), but why is it so important to know? How much do we need to know?
4. Web Site Reviews: Luxury Merchandise in Flash
   Sites like Fendi and Persol leave much to be desired. If a Fendi bag costs over $3000, why can’t they budget out a little more for their website? Come on! If I’m actually there to see some bags, it takes me to another site. And is Flash the medium of choice for all these upscale brands? Flash limits your viewing area to a set-sized stage. Try navigating one of these sunglass sites: Persol, Ray-Ban, and Revo. Well, I guess it doesn’t help that these were made by the same company.
5. IE7 is Here. When Will We Stop Supporting IE5/5.5?
   Box Model Hack be gone!
6. Big companies want Ajax.
   It’s time to start caring about Ajax frameworks.
7. Getting a lot of comment spam with Movable Type.
   Maybe I should just turn off the commetns altogether since nobody uses that feature.
8. Books I’ve been reading lately.
   I’ll even tell you what I think of them.
9. Java
   It’s ugly. It requires a lot to even program "Hello World". But is it worth learning?
10. Lose the templates.
    Design individual pages based on your content. Apple is a good example. Even the width of pages are different depending on the product or section of the site.
11. Content writing for people who want to sell product.
    Don’t ask a lot of questions like this is an infomercial. Just tell people why they want your product. Keep it simple and to the point. Educate them on the concepts in your product if it’s new or foreign to most. If you can’t do this, it might not be entirely your fault. It may be the product that needs some rethinking.
12. Beer
    Forget wine. BevMo has a crazy selection of beers that even get ratings on the 100-point scale from the “BevMo Beer Ambassadors”.

Posted in Apple, CSS, Fun, Other, UX, Web, Wine | Comments (2)

Four Poems by Santa Cruz Poet Debra Spencer will air on National Public Radio (NPR).

Garrison Keillor, host of A Prairie Home Companion and The Writer’s Almanac on National Public Radio will read four poems by Santa Cruz poet Debra Spencer on The Writer’s Almanac during the period March 8th to 13th. All four poems are from Ms. Spencer’s collection of poems Pomegranate, published by Hummingbird Press in 2004. The scheduled airing of the poems is as follows:

• “Day Bath” on March 8
• “Moment of Inertia” on March 9
• “The Discovery of Sex” on March 11
• “At the Arraignment” on March 13

The Writer’s Almanac is heard daily in the Monterey Bay area on KAZU 90.3 FM at 9:01am. In addition to a featured poem, Mr. Keillor lists birthdays of prominent writers and other cultural and public figures, as well as anniversaries of important events, with supportive biographical and historical information. The show is heard on about 280 stations in the U.S. It is also available and is archived on The Writer’s Almanac website. You may also sign up to have the text of the broadcast sent to you by email each morning.

According to Production Assistant Kathy Roach, it is very unusual to air so many poems by the same poet in a short period of time, though Mr. Keillor did devote a week to Walt Whitman. Ms. Spencer joins the company of Santa Cruz area poets Adrienne Rich, Joseph Stroud, Robert Sward and Gary Young, whose poems have been featured on The Writer’s Almanac.

On a personal note, I helped design the Pomegranate book cover.

Posted in Other

I donated. What are you waiting for?

I walked into Safeway on New Year’s Day with one intention: buy beer. When I got to the checkout stand, the lady asked me if I would like to make a contribution to the South Asia disaster relief fund. Of course! She then asked me how much I would like to contribute. It was added to my bill, I paid, got the receipt, and that was that. It was simple.

Posted in Other