Moniker Design

What's this? A blog post?

2010-07-03T00:09:00.002-05:00

I accidentally found my way to the dashboard of my blog after attempting to comment on my mom's blog and getting an error. So I thought, since I'm here, might as well post! I'm alive and living in Minneapolis. It's fun, I have my own place and some jobs. I'm still a graphic designer, which is nice. It means I don't have to pack boxes at the moment. Speaking of packing.... I'm headed to western New York tomorrow for the Fourth. Better get my stuff together!

Just for fun....

2009-09-23T18:38:00.001-05:00

... I'm gonna post something!

Hey, where's my posts?

2009-01-19T18:15:00.003-06:00

Hello. If you have been following this blog, you are a very bored person. However, so I don't disappoint you anymore, I will migrate my Facebook notes to this blog one by one (marked with the dates when they were originally published) starting... well, soon. (I have been "blogging" to Facebook because I am too lazy to sign in here.)

The Disparity Between Rich and Poor

2008-10-22T13:00:00.005-05:00

Much has been made of the increasing disparity between the rich and poor in the United States, but I haven't really understood why it's happening or why something needs to be done about it. Thinking about this today, I wondered what factors have contributed to it. Here's what I came up with:

1.) Most immigrants arrive in the US penniless. This is the zero point of American poverty. As long as there are immigrants looking for better opportunities for themselves and their children, there will be poor people in the US.
2.) Upon arrival, first-generation Americans have to work very hard to accumulate wealth to the point of financial security, but because of their income level (and many times a higher-than-average number of children), they often have little or nothing to give their children to help them go to college or purchase cars or houses.
3.) The children are still better off than their parents. Because of a higher education level, a good work ethic learned from their parents and mastery of the English language, second-generation Americans can land better jobs than their parents did. They can earn more money and afford a higher standard of living. (Some may go to community colleges with government assistance and earn Associates' degrees or even better.)
4.) The children of second-generation Americans are completely assimilated. They've adopted American customs and dress, and don't speak with a noticeable accent. By working hard and making good financial and behavioral decisions, they can go to college and land salaried jobs they can retire from. They may even have a sizable inheritance they can pass down to the next generation.
5.) Once a family is able to pass family money from generation to generation, they can grow quite wealthy in just a few generations.

This is probably a typical scenario. Of course the kinds of jobs people have, the number of people a single income supports, their behavioral tendencies, and the social circles they are affiliated with can accelerate or break the cycle. The American custom of dual-incomes and fewer children has probably contributed much to the recent increase in the disparity between rich and poor. Remember the zero point stays the same: first generation Americans will almost always be poor, whether they are Irish immigrants in the 1900's or Mexicans in the 2000's. The only thing that changes is the how long a family has been in the US. My theory is that disparity between rich and poor comes not from racism or class warfare, but from the increased opportunities American people have created for their families over time.

The Lesson of Joe the Plumber

2008-10-16T10:11:00.017-05:00

Obama assures us that tax hikes on the upper ($250K+) class won't affect normal $30-50K/yr average folks, which underscores a fundamental misunderstanding about how the economy works. There are many reasons why raising taxes on anybody while a recession looms is a bad idea, but increasing taxes on the job-creating class now is especially foolhardy. $250K+ people routinely support entire families on their discretionary income alone, something many of them will be cutting back on during impending hard times.

If you make a living in one of these industries, you should consider voting for someone other than Obama: general contracting or remodeling (plumbing, electrician, roofing, siding, carpeting, painting, etc.); home building; custom cabinet and furniture making; landscaping; clothier, haberdasher, dressmaker, eyewear or other fashion clothing manufacturer or boutique; professional photography; professional musician; fine artist or fine art gallery; luxury car sales and service; custom auto body shop or auto restoration; RV, boat or ATV sales; private education; gourmet food and drink; baker, chef or restauranteur; antiques and collectibles; consumer electronics; travel and tourism, including museums, aquariums, amusement parks and ticketed festivals; plastic surgery, cosmetic dentistry and other elective medical procedures; jewelry; real estate; financial planning, investment and venture capitalism; non-profit, religious and benevolent organizations; organic farming and grocery; high-quality musical instruments; high-quality sporting goods; ticketed events such as professional sports and concerts; event planning and DJ services; interior designer or decorator...

Get the picture? Pretty much any goods and services the average person cannot afford or has to put away money for will be affected. And these are industries that employ many average middle-class people. Obama wants to use the tax code to redistribute the wealth of the upper class amongst the middle and lower classes, but he forgets that the upper class redistributes their own wealth — the only difference is that rich people share their wealth with those they know to be deserving, honest and hard-working individuals (for example, my father, a self-employed custom cabinet-maker for 15 years). Obama says he wants to give everyone opportunity, but he takes away the primary incentive for working hard and producing quality goods and services — the acquisition of wealth by gaining the favor of those who have it.

A Smiley Story

2008-10-16T00:31:00.005-05:00

I was walking through the skyway in downtown Minneapolis today when I saw a cleaning lady sweeping up a bunch of ice cubes scattered on the floor. For some reason, my first thought was that an "abominable snowman" had vomited there, and the mental image was so funny that even though I tried, I couldn't stop a smile from sneaking onto my face. I was dressed for business and wasn't supposed to be smiling so blithely for an unknown reason, but while I fought with the smile, a young and beautiful stranger, also dressed for business, saw the conflict and smiled with me. Completely naturally.

I don't know who she was. Just thought I'd share. :)

Best Science Images of 2008

2008-10-06T20:13:00.003-05:00

National Geographic has just published its Best Science Images of 2008. This particular image caught my eye -- it shows the way the Bible cross-references itself. As Carnegie Mellon's Chris Harrison said, "It almost looks like one monolithic volume."

Palin a Closet Democrat?!

2008-10-02T13:38:00.003-05:00

Rolling Stone Magazine presents "The Truth About Sarah Palin", presented (not surprisingly) without citations.

What Caused Our Economic Crisis? pt.2

2008-10-02T13:19:00.003-05:00

Larry Lessig comments on the takedown of the video I linked to the other day. Via BoingBoing.net

A side note (for those who have seen the video) -- I have heard the Community Reinvestment Act mentioned as a leading cause of the the sub-prime lending crisis but definitely not the only cause, and probably not the root cause. I am still doing research on this, but the basic economic principles of supply and demand still apply, and ignorance of (or interference with) those principles is the root cause of nearly every economic crisis our country has experienced. Ironically, it is those very laws (i.e. Capitalism) that liberals attack as the cause of our problems. More on this as I do my research...

US destroyer nears Somali pirates

2008-09-28T23:30:00.003-05:00

According to an article in the BBC News, a US destroyer has made visual contact with a ship taken earlier last week by Somali pirates. The ship is laden with tanks bound for Kenya. A spokesterrorist for the pirates has declared that if attacked, they will defend themselves until the last one of them dies.

I'm thinking the Navy Seals might be the right people for this job.

Hurricane Hits Nova Scotia

2008-09-28T23:24:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to the North Atlantic Canadian maritime province of Nova Scotia, which experienced a rare hurricane earlier today. Hurricane Kyle hit near Yarmouth, but no damage has been reported.

Pop quiz: read this article, and tell me how long Maine's first hurricane watch will last.

Worth Watching: What Caused Our Economic Crisis?

2008-09-26T13:00:00.002-05:00

I've yet to do my homework on this, but it's food for thought.

New 35W Bridge Opens to Traffic

2008-09-17T17:38:00.005-05:00

The new 35W bridge opened to traffic at 5:00 am this morning, over 3 months ahead of schedule. (Video footage on CNN.) Local politicians applauded the effort and patted themselves on the back, as if it wasn't their fault the old one fell into the river last August. In true Minnesota fashion, the first traffic jam on the new span followed at 5:01.

The Truth About the Recession

2008-09-17T17:38:00.002-05:00

Read this, before it's not true anymore.

Too Good Not to Post

2008-09-16T21:13:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of dougsploitation and BoingBoing.net

People Will Be Late Today

2008-09-16T08:35:00.006-05:00

Thousands of Verizon customers who use their cell phones as alarm clocks will be late for work today after a software update turned off their Samsung u430 phones in the middle of the night. The Samsung u340 is the latest free phone from Verizon, used by budget-conscious consumers everywhere.

Undoubtedly this will increase the volume of speeders and reckless drivers during the mid-morning commute as half-awake people rush to get to school and work, resulting in an abnormally high number of accidents and likely more than one fatality.

Hear that Verizon? FATALITIES!

Six Random Facts About Me

2008-09-09T20:05:00.003-05:00

I have been tagged by My Mother.

Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. List 6 random facts about yourself
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post
5. Let each person know they've been tagged by commenting on their blog
6. Let the tagger know the entry is posted on your blog

Facts:
1. My name is James Austin Teal III. If you Google me, this blog is the second result, which is unfortunate.
2. I enjoy art, music and film, and I also enjoy making fun of art, music and film. So don't go see a bad movie with me because I will laugh in the wrong places.
3. I punctuate everything I write, and must spell everything correctly. I do this so well that people pay me to make sure they've done it correctly too. (Well, that's not all I do at work, but I am gaining notoriety as a copy-editor, even though is not in my official job description.)
4. The celebrity I most resemble is probably Hugh Grant, because I am generally affable but occasionally moody and sarcastic, witty, somewhat old-fashioned in many ways and a perennial befuddled bachelor. Also I like tennis.
5. I occasionally leave things unfinished for quite some time, like my website.

Guitar Hero for Christians

2008-08-27T13:57:00.004-05:00

Guitar Praise is here! Pre-order your copy now! (Not available for consoles.)

Serious News

2008-08-25T19:21:00.001-05:00

From the Onion, Michael Phelps Returns To His Tank At Sea World.

2008 Logo Trends

2008-08-02T23:08:00.000-05:00

Via Logo Lounge, 2008 Logo Design Trends.

Recession-Plagued Nation Demands New Bubble To Invest In

2008-07-15T22:28:00.003-05:00

From The Onion:

WASHINGTON—A panel of top business leaders testified before Congress about the worsening recession Monday, demanding the government provide Americans with a new irresponsible and largely illusory economic bubble in which to invest.

"What America needs right now is not more talk and long-term strategy, but a concrete way to create more imaginary wealth in the very immediate future," said Thomas Jenkins, CFO of the Boston-area Jenkins Financial Group, a bubble-based investment firm. "We are in a crisis, and that crisis demands an unviable short-term solution."

the whole story

Tornado Hits Farmington

2008-07-12T01:05:00.004-05:00

Well, my friend Dan finally got the "Tornadeous Nimbus" clouds he always wanted. It wasn't too bad -- mostly downed trees, flattened corn fields and one overturned tractor-trailer. Too bad he didn't get to see it, but at least he had a couple of downed trees to cheer him up. I left work early on Thursday to help him clean up, but I didn't take any pictures (sorry). Instead, here are some unusually small news photos from the Farmington Independent.

Obama = Bush

2008-07-10T23:03:00.001-05:00

Job News

2008-07-06T23:10:00.002-05:00

I have been made a full-time employee at one of the places where I was freelancing for the past couple months. Sorry I'm not going to post where this place is, because in my experience, blogging about anything work-related, whether good or bad, is not a good idea. Suffice to say, I'm contracting on-site for a large discount retailer. This means I can de-bookmark Craigslist, and never ever go there again! (Woo-hoo!)

MNDOT strikes again!

2008-06-16T18:32:00.003-05:00

What in the world is wrong with the Minnesota Department of Transportation? I have driven thousands of miles of Interstate and I have NEVER seen ANY interstate highway completely shut down for resurfacing. What normally happens is they close one lane, resurface it, open it back up, close the other lane, resurface that one, then open it up again. Thanks to them, I didn't get to church Sunday morning. I wasn't late -- I couldn't even get out of the city!

Let's see how many ways MNDOT has angered me since I moved here.

Wavy roads. (I-90 westbound when you first enter the state.)
Snow accumulation that doesn't get plowed for hours, if at all.
Potholes big enough swallow up small cars. This could be one reason why Minnesota has more trucks than cars or vans.
Bridges that randomly fall in the river. (Well, one so far.)
Unmarked highway entrances.
Randomly closed highway entrances.
Poorly planned roads that spawn HUGE traffic jams, turning a 15-minute commute into an hour-long ordeal.
Northbound highway entrances with no corresponding southbound entrance.
Westbound highway entrances with no corresponding eastbound entrance.
Abnormally narrow lanes.

All in all, it's the worst state I've ever driven in. It's almost as bad as driving in Canada.

21 less-than-obvious ways to save the planet

2008-06-07T21:40:00.006-05:00

There are many ways to save the planet. One recent planet-saving fad has been replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs with more energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. But there are many far-less obvious and just as important planet-saving methods. Here are a few:

Go to bed as soon as it gets dark out. It should save you a bundle on electricity.
Use the stairs instead of the elevator. It's good exercise! 30 floors isn't that much! It takes a lot of energy to move that box up and down. Of course, you can always elevator-pool to save energy.
Drink tap water instead of bottled. It takes a lot of CO2 to get that stuff from Fiji!
Walk or bike to work! It's not THAT far.
Replace your electric guitar with an acoustic one. The less you have to plug in the better.
Read a book instead of watching TV. It must not be a new book, however. Those require trees to be cut down.
Hum instead of listening to the radio. If you really need to hear music, walk to the grocery store. They usually have music playing there.
Get your pizza delivered instead of picking it up. The delivery guy is going out anyway. You might as well save the fuel in your own vehicle.
Move to a warm climate. You'll save money by having no heating bills in the winter. (Air conditioning is for wusses).
Shorten your commute by moving closer to where you work. Bonus if you can work from home, or live in the same building as where you work.
Skip a meal a few times a week. Calories are energy too!
Send an email instead of writing a letter. (Use someone else's computer so you don't have to turn yours on.)
Watch church on TV instead of driving to one. You don't talk to anyone anyways, so why not? Bonus if you can watch it on someone else's TV. Radio is acceptable too.
Sleep as often as you can. You won't be needing the lights or appliances, and you can save on food by sleeping through mealtimes!
Grow a garden! Build a rainwater collector to irrigate it, so you don't have to use tap water. Freeze what you can't eat so there is no waste.
Eat whatever you can raw. That way you save the electricity you'd normally use cooking your food. If you need to cook something, find some dead leaves and twigs in your yard and burn them to cook your food.
Replace your electric alarm clock with a mechanical alarm clock, if you can still find one.
Live in a city. Cities consume less energy per person than small towns. Plus, they often have public transportation, which is a great way to meet people.
Don't be poor. Poor people often can't afford to adopt planet-saving habits. Remember, saving money is not the same as saving the planet! Saving the planet requires all of us to make financial sacrifices. You can't make financial sacrifices if you are poor.
Don't own any unnecessary animals, like chameleons, monkeys or cats. Dogs are okay only if they help you catch food so you don't have to drive to the store.
Die. Dying saves the planet by eliminating the CO2 emitted providing you with sustenance as well as preventing any further CO2 emission via respiration. Additionally, you restore vital nutrients to the soil. Bonus for dying before you get the chance to reproduce.

Sunset on Mars

2008-06-03T18:14:00.003-05:00

Very cool. And not from BBC News.

UPDATE: High-res version here (like for computer desktop backgrounds)

Brigitte Bardot no longer that hot

2008-06-03T17:50:00.005-05:00

Apparently Brigitte Bardot has been fined for "for inciting racial hatred". According to BBC News, "She was prosecuted over a letter published on her website that complained Muslims were 'destroying our country by imposing their ways'." My, my! What would Charles Martel say? Well I have to defend her because a mistrust of foreigners is typically part of a nationalistic attitude in almost any nation. (It just happens to be illegal in France.) I don't think it "incites hatred".

Here in America, it is not illegal to say such things, but Muslims certainly do not "impose their ways" here in St. Paul; they just wear Islamic clothes, speak Islamic languages, eat Islamic foods and publish Islamic newspapers. The history of America is full of immigrants who came here and were vilified by the resident population. Italians, Irish, Germans, Chinese -- all have become an inextricable part of American culture. But it is perfectly natural to want to protect the culture you know, even if that means excluding others. It's not hatred, it's just opinion.

Obama / Hillary '08

2008-06-03T17:44:00.003-05:00

Apparently Ms. Clinton is "open" to being Obama's VP candidate. It may be a handy way for Obama to clinch the November election, but if I were him I think I'd get some extra security guards. And not sit next to the VP while eating. And hide behind her during public appearances.

Isolated tribe spotted in Brazil

2008-05-30T23:21:00.007-05:00

A previously undiscovered tribe of native Americans has been discovered in the Amazon rainforest. Looks like they're pretty "primitive". They even tried to kill with bows and arrows the airplane that took pictures of them, which I think is pretty gangsta. Do we have any volunteers to catch them up on the last 6,000 years of human history? You must be disease-free and have really good people skills. Here's the story. Here's some pictures.

Kids' wishes for a better planet

2008-05-22T12:20:00.002-05:00

Kids' wishes for a better planet
From BoingBoing.net

News Flash for Hugo Chavez!

2008-05-19T19:48:00.004-05:00

We do whatever we want, and there's not much you can can do about it. Sorry if that causes you to lose a little sleep at night. Should have thought about that before you decided to become our enemy.

Disturbing News

2008-05-16T10:53:00.004-05:00

Wildlife populations 'plummeting'
This means that all the articles I read in the 90's about such-and-such a species "making a comeback" are lies, and Conservationism is a lost cause. That or this article is pure propaganda. Oh wait, look at that chart at the bottom!

Obese blamed for the world's ills
Draw your own conclusion from this one.

Minnesota Public Radio Turns Conservative?

2008-05-08T11:10:00.003-05:00

Well, not really. It's just they're so busy opposing Republican policy that they haven't noticed it shifting to the left.
Youtube Video

Top Gear Takes on the U.S.

2008-04-15T01:29:00.003-05:00

Is it real, or is it hyperbole? You be the judge.

Part I.

Part II.

Tata buys Jaguar

2008-03-26T13:36:00.003-05:00

An Indian corporation buys a British brand. My, how the tables have turned.
(You know, because India was a British colony and they used to export a lot of stuff from India to Great Britain and now it's like "India is buying British companies" but actually Ford owns Jaguar and it's not really built in the UK anymore so it's not really a British company, it's a British brand. Yeah, I just thought it was interesting.)

Font Watch!

2008-03-17T21:39:00.002-05:00

It looks like one of the fonts I discovered almost two years ago has finally made it big. Perhaps I have a knack for discovering great fonts. Maybe I'll make it a feature on my new design blog (open soon).

Santana Shreds

2008-03-17T15:26:00.003-05:00

Some guy overdubs a Santana concert video with awful guitar. If you don't understand why this is funny, you are truly missing out. It's the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.
Youtube Video

Hey, Fellow Designers!

2008-03-06T20:11:00.002-06:00

Stop working 50-60 hours a week and give some of your work to me. I don't want to starve just so you can take home a little extra every week. It's not fair. Let's take care of each other!

Tytler Cycle

2008-03-04T23:10:00.004-06:00

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship."

"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

• From bondage to spiritual faith;
• From spiritual faith to great courage;
• From courage to liberty;
• From liberty to abundance;
• From abundance to complacency;
• From complacency to apathy;
• From apathy to dependence;
• From dependence back into bondage."

I can't confirm who this quote/quotes are from, but I've seen them together before, and I think it's absolutely true. What do you think? Where are we in this cycle?

Vote for Obama!

Obama Magic 8 Ball!

2008-03-02T10:22:00.001-06:00

Ask it your questions and get no answers!

Wanted: Cheap Flash Designer

2008-02-27T15:01:00.001-06:00

I find postings like this somewhat hilarious. A Flash developer for $10/hr? Sure, in India maybe. Ha ha ha ha ha!!

Sub-Prime Mortgage Crisis, Explained

2008-02-27T11:08:00.002-06:00

This is actually quite accurate, and is exactly why the government shouldn't bail out the economy every time a recession threatens. Let the sowers reap, and everyone will be a little smarter.

My Next Car

2008-02-26T21:01:00.004-06:00

If everything goes well, I might get one of these in the fall.

Me, Explained

2008-02-26T20:38:00.004-06:00

This is almost exactly what I'm like when nobody is around.

Barbershoppe Illusionne Part Deux

2008-02-25T14:30:00.001-06:00

Using your headphones again, challenge yourself by completing a series of tests for the Swedish Armed Forces.

Eagan Hills Church

2008-02-25T00:38:00.004-06:00

I found out tonight when I went to a dessert social at our pastor's house that our church's sermons are "podcasted". I thought some of my family and friends might like to hear a little sample of what Pastor Bruce Konold's sermons are like, so I've posted a few links to some recent messages on the book of Acts. Pastor Bruce is an intelligent, articulate and scholarly man who is devoted to teaching the whole Word of God. Much like my former pastor at Calvary Chapel of Webster, his sermons are chapter by chapter, verse by verse. I have very much enjoyed (to the extent that you "enjoy" sermons) his exposition of the story of Stephen, the first martyr. I think they represent a good example of his preaching style. Here are the mp3's of the series:

Stephen, First Martyr for Christ
Part 1: Stephen's Character Midst Opposition, Acts 6:8-15
Part 2: Stephen's Defense Before the Sanhedrin, Acts 7:1-53
Part 3: Stephen's Death, Acts 7:54-60

More sermons are posted here.

Barbershoppe Illusionne (Headphones required)

2008-02-23T00:57:00.002-06:00

Youtube Video

Stuff White Democrats Like

2008-02-22T13:31:00.003-06:00

Actually the title of the blog is "Stuff White People Like", but it's really talking about white Democrats. A few of these apply to me though.

I'm Comic Sans!

2008-02-16T15:56:00.001-06:00

Don't worry, it just means I don't take myself too seriously. Any number of fonts could suit my personality.

Good, Better, Best in Minneapolis

2008-02-12T11:11:00.000-06:00

Since I've been in the Twin-Cities looking for a job for a while, I've gotten to know a little about the local design industry. Design is thriving here! (which may be why it's been difficult to find a job, with so much great competition). Here's a few of my findings.

Good
These guys do above-average work for some of the bigger names in town.
   Compass Design
   Berg Design Company
   ImageWerks Marketing
   Linnihan Foy Advertising
   StoneArch Creative

Better
These firms have a more engaging design style that seems to indicate some better talent and perhaps some better clients.
   Plaudit Design
   Nelson-Anderson
   Design Center Inc.
   Grossman Design Associates
   MarketingLab

Best
The top firms in Minneapolis are the designer's designers. Their talent is superb and their work is mesmerizing. They service the biggest names in town and many other successful companies from around the world. It's very difficult to get into these places without a pedigree (meaning a degree from a top design school or at least an excellent portfolio and references).
   Mono
   Wolfmotell
   Charles S. Anderson
   Wink
   Duffy & Partners

Granted, some of this is conjecture -- I don't really know too much about these companies, but this is the impression I get based on what I've seen and read. You might like one of my lower-ranked firm's style better than one of the higher. It all depends on your taste. If I had my choice of where to find employment, I'd aim right for the middle.

Disturbing News

2008-02-07T23:34:00.000-06:00

Lone Conservative Republican candidate Mitt Romney drops out of presidential race, presumably because he's afraid of going against Hillary.

The Archbishop of Canterbury believes Sharia law will emerge in the UK.

Lawrence Welk stars sing a song about pot.

Oh yeah, the Cold War is making a comeback.

Divide & Conquer?

2008-02-07T12:52:00.000-06:00

It occurred to me today that this year's Republican candidates each appeal to a completely different and equally important segment of the Republican party. To those in the military, the obvious choice is McCain, a Vietnam war hero. To the religious right, the obvious choice is Huckabee, a former Baptist minister who wears his Christianity on his sleeve. To conservatives, the only choice is Mitt Romney, whose economic policies are the least likely to lead this country deeper into debt and economic recession. It's got me wondering who the good guy is, or if this division is somehow intentional.

It is comforting to know however, that the Democratic party is also divided on their choice of candidates.

And one thing is certain, more people are paying attention to this race than any other presidential race in recent history. Primaries and caucuses had record attendances on Tuesday. And my best friend just became a Republican delegate.

Interview Questions

2008-02-06T12:51:00.000-06:00

I had an actual job interview today in downtown Minneapolis. It was my first real on-site job interview, made more exciting by the fact that it was in the big city on the upper floors of a pretty tall skyscraper. One of the questions they asked me was "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" I was expecting the question, but I admit I wasn't sure how to answer. If you know me, what do you think my strengths and weaknesses are? How should one answer this question?

A Celebration of Darkness

2008-01-17T00:29:00.000-06:00

Nope, it's not Halloween. Today is a post about the wonderful light-absorbing material recently made by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. It is three times darker than the previous standard for black. Made of carbon nanotubes, it absorbs 99.9% of all light. Unfortunately for Matrix fans, it is probably too expensive to make a trench coat out of.

Reuters
BBC News

Global Warming Strikes Again!

2008-01-12T13:26:00.000-06:00

In case you didn't know, all unusual meteorological phenomena is now being attributed to global warming. This means "unseasonable" or "unusual" heat, cold, rainfall, drought, wind, hail, snow, flies, locusts, frogs, or any other element we usually associate with "weather". Presumably it also includes this example of snow in Baghdad, although oddly enough, global warming is never mentioned in the article.

CSS = FAIL

2008-01-11T21:28:00.000-06:00

CSS is to web designers what 9/11 is to Rudy Giuliani -- it's like the answer to everything. In actuality though, it's turning out to be a huge pain.

Okay so here's my issue. I'm working on a web design project, the first one I've done since college. I downloaded a trial version of DreamWeaver CS3 which is working AWESOMELY -- I like it SO much better than my lousy MX 2002 student version. Only one thing isn't working that well -- my links aren't behaving right. And I can't fix them. Well i can, but it's needlessly complicated.

See my blog? how there are different links and they're all different colors and when you put your mouse over them they turn into other different colors, and sometimes when you click on them they change colors again? All that is accomplished with CSS (short for Cascading Style Sheets).

Styles are great things for print designers like me. Basically they work by formatting large blocks of text all at once. Say you're designing a newsletter or something, and you want all your headlines, subheads, body copy, and captions to have the same look. What you do is set up some styles, you know:

Headlines, subheads, body copy, captions

So once you have your styles set up, to apply a style you just select your text, select your style, and click "Apply Style". At least that's how it works in a page layout program. In DreamWeaver it works basically the same way -- very user friendly, only instead of clicking "Apply Style" you select your "Class" (a CSS style that can be applied to multiple objects) from a drop-down menu.

Now the awesome thing about HTML is it's hyper-text. That means you can link to other pages or objects on the Internet from the page you are writing. Back in the day, all links were the same color: blue. And all visited links were the same color: purple. Google still follows this convention.

But not everybody can use default colors. What if all the text on your website was blue? The links wouldn't stand out very well. It would be great if you could make your links, say, orange or something. The "link", "alink", and "vlink" attributes were invented to make this possible. Placed in the <body> tag, they change the colors of links, active links, and visited links, respectively throughout the whole page.

But what if you don't want all the links on your page to be the same color? What if you want the links on the blue background to be light blue, and the links on the white background to be brown? CSS makes that possible.

But how?

I don't know how. That's my problem. I want all the links in the body copy to have the same link color, all the text in the sidebar to have a different link color, and all the text in the footer to have another color. You'd think you'd be able to define your link colors when you define your style, since in the mind of the designer the two are inextricably linked, but you can't. Your style is a "class", and the link behavior is a "pseudo-class". The two are apparently only loosely connected, if at all. What I need to figure out is how to link the two together.

(A side note, using the <font> tag only solves the problem in IE, not in Firefox and DEFINITELY not in Safari.)

What do I do?

Indian Sports Car

2008-01-10T03:34:00.000-06:00

Meet the Tata Indica V2 Turbo, a sport compact from India with a whopping 70 hp! Now with anti-lock brakes and airbags! Speed meets safety!

So what if it seems underpowered? I guess it's kind of appropriate for a country with no traffic lights.

What am I doing up at 3:30 am? Why, installing a trial version of DreamWeaver CS3, of course!

Quiz: Famous or Unknown Artist?

2008-01-06T02:12:00.000-06:00

Try this quiz to test your expert art-critiquing eye. Which paintings are by famous artists, and which are not?

Sorry, you won't be able to beat my score of 100% -- the same score I got on my Art History final in college. :-)

Courtesy of Coudal Partners blended feed.

13 Things I Did in 2007 for the First Time

2008-01-05T11:49:00.000-06:00

2007 was chock-full of new experiences, but I haven't counted them all yet. I'm sure there was at least 13. Let's see....

1. Early in the year, I drove a hundred miles an hour for the first time.
2. Then, I learned how to downhill ski. (A tip for those who are thinking of doing this -- learning to turn is more important than learning to stop.) Thanks, Emily.
3. Then in the spring, I went rock-climbing. Thanks, Emily.
4. In July, for the first time, my employment was terminated by my employer (unless you count the paper route). Getting laid off led to even more new experiences!
5. I bought an iMac to build my portfolio and just in case I had to freelance for a while. Yes, it was my first Mac.
6. Later in July, I visited my grandma who lives deep in Canadian country -- Halifax, Nova Scotia.
7. I saw a moose on the way there.
8. Also on the way there, we witnessed a robbery. (They took off in a white Kia Amanti.)
9. And I called the police. (Actually, I called the police about a drunk driver -- not the robbery. Someone else talked to the police about the robbery.)
10. I went wading in the North Atlantic. (A tip for those who are thinking of doing this -- keep moving or you will freeze!)
11. In August, I drove myself all the way to Minnesota!
12. I decided to try living there for a while.
13. I traded my sporty Acura RSX for a used pick-up truck.
14. I had to learn how to drive a manual transmission.
15. In October, I went up to the North Woods on a scouting trip.
16. I shot clay pigeons with a 12-gauge.
17. I drank a whole beer -- but not on the scouting trip. (A tip for those who are thinking of doing this -- your body can metabolize approximately one beer every hour. Remember this and you can stay quite sober.)
18. I had a job interview. Yes, it was my first job interview, a phone interview with a guy in Texas.
19. I got a temp job to make some money. Woo-hoo! Ten bucks an hour!
20. I moved into an apartment to get rid of some of that extra money I had lying around. Woo-hoo! My own place!
21. I went to a Halloween party. Yes, it was my first Halloween party.
22. Finally, when I went home for Christmas, I saw my first nephew for the first time.

I think that covers most of it. 2008 is sure to be another exciting year. Why, just the other day I saw a Harry Potter movie for the first time. I still have a lot to learn and do this year. Maybe this will be the year I get engaged, or even get a girlfriend! Maybe I will join a rock band, or move to the big city! Maybe I'll get in a car accident, or a plane crash! Maybe I'll come up with a great idea that will make enough money for me to be set for life! Maybe I'll develop some real ambition and discipline! Yes, it's sure to be another exciting year.

Humans to reach 'physiological limits by 2060'

2007-12-18T18:43:00.000-06:00

According to a French study published in the Daily Telegraph, humans are reaching their peak physical performance, and progressively fewer athletic records are likely to be broken.

I predict (and advocate) a future steroid class of athletic events, where performance-enhancing drugs are legalized, and the resulting records set will be truly super-human. I'd personally like to see just how far someone can throw the javelin, or how fast someone can run 100 meters. Of course, the baseball fields will have to be twice as long.

Lung cancer linked to lack of sunshine?

2007-12-18T14:50:00.000-06:00

Scientists have discovered a link between the lung cancer rates in a given country and the distance that country is from the equator. Article

Except that I wonder to myself if there isn't more of a link between amount of time spent indoors and lung cancer. In other words, people farther from the equator spend more time indoors. And people who breathe more fresh air are less likely to get lung cancer. That makes more sense to me...

Prove There Is A God

2007-11-24T16:08:00.000-06:00

Atheist: Prove there is a God.

Believer: Prove there is a sun.

Atheist (sneers): What do you mean? Of course there is a sun. It sustains all life on this planet.

Believer: Where is the sun?

Atheist: It's in the sky.

Believer: So if I go outside right now and look up in the sky, I'll see the sun?

Atheist: Well, not right now. It's night. The sun's on the other side of the world.

Believer: So I have to wait until daytime?

Atheist: Yes.

Believer: Interesting. So if I go outside tomorrow and it's cloudy and raining, I'll see the sun.

Atheist: No, you have to wait until the sky clears up.

Believer: Sometimes that takes a long time. So when the sky clears, can I look anywhere in the sky and see the sun?

Atheist: No, you have to be looking at the sun in order to see it.

Believer: So I have turn and face the sun in order to see it?

Atheist: Well, even if you are looking away from the sun there are shadows that indicate a large brilliant light source.

Believer: What if I have my eyes closed?

Atheist: You have to have your eyes open to see the sun.

Believer: There sure are a lot of rules to follow to see the sun, which you claim is the sustainer of all life on Earth. You're telling me I have wait until it's daytime, and while there are no clouds to obscure the view, walk outside and look in the sky, facing the direction of the sun, with my eyes open.

Atheist: Yes. It might be hard for you to understand...

Believer: It seems the sun is a lot more elusive than God in my experience.

Atheist: What do you mean?

Believer: If I go outside right now, and keeping my eyes open, say to the sun, "Show yourself to me!", will it turn the night into day, part the clouds and stop the rain, and turn me in the right direction to face it?

Atheist: No.

Believer: God will.

Death By Powerpoint

2007-11-17T13:06:00.000-06:00

| View | Upload your own

How many boring (boorish?) Powerpoint presentations have you sat through? Don't you wish there was a way to make all that data into a dynamic, interactive multimedia presentation? Think Flash is going to solve your problems? Well, you don't need to know complicated software to make a compelling presentation. What you do need is (ta-dah!!!) compelling content. Here is an example by presentation consultant, Alexei Kapterev. (Yes, I know it's a Flash presentation, by there is no animation involved.)

As a designer, I've helped many people make their Powerpoint presentations more interesting by using animation strategically, but how much simpler would it be if they just followed the model shown here?

I Love the Holidays

2007-11-15T00:39:00.000-06:00

Look what I found -- Christmas cards for atheists! (FYI, I am not an atheist, which makes these simultaneously funny and offensive.)
Oh well -- gotta serve somebody.

I Love My Apartment

2007-11-14T23:54:00.000-06:00

This is a hole, about 6 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 5 feet deep. It, along with seven or eight of its friends, was created this morning while I was trying to sleep. It is literally right outside my door (I actually stood in the doorway while I took this picture.) I guess this type of thing is going to go on until Saturday. My landlord is a really nice guy, but i think he owes his tenants who work second shift a couple of free nights at a motel.

I Love My Job (cont.)

2007-11-14T23:52:00.000-06:00

Today I stuffed 1563 envelopes! And some of them went to Webster, NY!! And two of them went to Ontario!!! Wow!!!!

I Love My Job

2007-11-14T01:21:00.000-06:00

Today I stuffed envelopes, 1400 of them! That's 200 more than quota!
I am awesome!

I Love Facebook

2007-11-09T22:34:00.001-06:00

I gave them my sex, date of birth, and zip code, but I couldn't get them to accept my street address. Should I give them the real one?

Global Freshwater Shortage?

2007-10-30T00:32:00.000-05:00

It sounds crazy to me, but apparently that stuff that falls from the sky is in short supply. The newspaper says so.

If you stop and think about it, barring a literal astronomical catastrophe, a global drought is a bit of an impossibility. But then I'm just an average guy who hasn't studied the numbers. I should just let the experts do the hand-wringing. (For the record, I first read about this "crisis" in Ranger Rick magazine... when I was eight.)

How to make $10 million

2007-10-13T00:28:00.000-05:00

I am SO there when Facebook goes public. They routinely sell out of these little "gifts". It's brilliant.

My Portfolio

2007-09-28T17:51:00.000-05:00

A short version of my portfolio is now online. Check it out at: http://jimtealdesigner.com/portfolio.pdf

UK Speeder Gets Jail

2007-09-24T10:57:00.000-05:00

From reading a lot of car magazines, I have picked up on a bit of the auto-enthusiast culture, and I can tell you for sure that this man is a hero to some. What do you think? Is a 172 mph speeding ticket a badge of honor? (I've never driven faster than 110.)
Jail for 172mph Porsche motorist (BBC)

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2007-09-12T23:03:00.000-05:00

Pardon the David Bowie allusion. It's the best I could do so late.

Since becoming unemployed at the beginning of July, I have thought a lot about where I would like to go and what I want to do. I am 25, single, renting space from my grandparents, have few major commitments in the Rochester area, and have entertained the idea of leaving the state for quite some time. I think I'm pretty good at what I do, and I'm pretty sure that if I had the chance, I could make a decent living as a designer.

After some thought, I narrowed the alternatives down to a few: I could get a job at a local design firm where I would likely find myself in the same situation a few years down the road. I could look for a job in one of the major design hot-spots around the country (New York, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta) where jobs are plentiful but I wouldn't know anyone. I could go to a city out-of-state where I know people (Nashville, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, Pensacola) but the economic climate might be better, the same, or worse. Or I could get a temporary job in Rochester working part-time, probably for a sign company or print shop, and go to school at RIT and learn the web programming stuff that designers are pretty much required to know (despite it having little to do with design and not being included in most college-level graphic design programs).

So that leads me to now. Two and a half months later I am planning to move halfway across the country to Minneapolis, where my best friend moved in 11th grade, and where there are more and better design jobs than here in Rochester, NY. I am working with a temp agency, with a tentative start date of October 1st, if they can place me by then. I have traded my sports car for a pickup truck that I can fill with all my stuff. My scheduled departure time is my 26th birthday, September 24th. I don't know what the future holds, but I firmly believe that I need this kind of a drastic change in my life in order to progress and to grow as a person. I really can't explain it any more than that. It will be hard to leave my family and friends, but that's why I have to do it. It's probably comparable to when a guy joins the military -- it's about leaving behind the familiar comforts of home and trekking out on his own, becoming the person you know is inside and... well I'm getting all philosophical. Anyways, I'm running out of money and the options are dwindling. This seems like the best thing to do. I'll have another update someday, maybe in a few weeks.

Climate Change and Red Meat Linked

2007-09-12T22:49:00.000-05:00

Just in case you had any doubts about the link between liberal ideology and global warming.
Eating less meat could slow climate change, experts say

Under Construction

2007-08-14T17:33:00.001-05:00

As you can tell, my blog is currently undergoing a major remodel. I don't know how long it will take to complete.

Nova Scotia Photos

2007-07-26T21:59:00.000-05:00

I have already edited and captioned all of my good vacation photos on Facebook. No point in doing it twice. Visit my album here:
Nova Scotia Photos

Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia

2007-07-24T12:06:00.001-05:00

Taken on Sunday evening.

Some Cool Videos

2007-07-14T10:53:00.000-05:00

Ultimate Canon Rock (JerryC arrangement played by 40 different guitarists)

Will it Blend? -- iPhone

What accent do you have?

2007-07-11T23:22:00.000-05:00

What American accent do you have? (Best version so far)

Northern

You have a Northern accent. That could either be the Chicago/Detroit/Cleveland/Buffalo accent (easily recognizable) or the Western New England accent that news networks go for.

Click Here to Take This Quiz
Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Ban Comic Sans?

2007-07-11T21:44:00.000-05:00

Hey, like my new typeface? Apparently there's this whole group of people who want to want to ban this overused Microsoft creation. I checked out their website bancomicsans.com, and it seems like they're pretty serious. They say it undermines the rules of typography or something like that. I say it's just a bit overused. Just like Papyrus, or Brushscript, or Copperplate Gothic.

I think I'll stick to Helvetica if I have to use an overused font.

Kellogg's to phase out cartoon characters

2007-06-21T22:23:00.000-05:00

Yes, this is a marketing post. I hope to have more of them now that I'm reading more marketing and design news. Anyways, here's the scoop. Apparently, Kellogg's is phasing out their cartoon characters on their sugary cereals, on account of them not wanting to attract kids to unhealthy food (anymore). Here's the link:

Kellogg to Phase Out Some Food Ads to Children

My thought is, if cartoon characters were so successful at marketing unhealthy food (although one could argue kids like it because it tastes good), why can't they market healthy food with cartoon characters! I can see it now, on Saturday morning cartoons. "Hey kids, it's me, Marvin the monkey, reminding you to eat bananas every day! It's part of this complete breakfast!"

Seneca Foods Makes National Headlines

2007-06-15T22:43:00.001-05:00

Hooray for Seneca Foods, a processing plant located about 5 miles or so south of where I grew up. They are the latest food processing company to have something strange appear in one of their products. I bet someone is going to get "canned" for this.

Snake head found in green beans (Warning: There is a photo.)

In the meantime, I think I will continue to eat frozen vegetables.

Blog 2.0

2007-05-20T20:47:00.000-05:00

As you can see, I've changed my template. Further modifications are imminent, although they might not happen for another year or so.

Oklahoma State What?

2007-04-17T22:31:00.000-05:00

Okay this is too funny not to blog. Oklahoma has a new state vegetable, and it is DA-DA-DAHH!! the watermelon. Ha ha ha ha ha....

The Story from the Houston Chronicle.

For the record, a vegetable is any part of the plant we eat that does not grow from a flower and is not a seed. Eg. carrots (roots), celery (stem), lettuce (leaves). I imagine though, that Oklahomans grow a lot of stuff and they know what they're talking about, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. How much do you have to love watermelon to make it the state vegetable? It boggles my mind...

A reminder

2007-04-03T21:54:00.000-05:00

This is a reminder (to myself) to do my taxes. Or go to jail.

Blogging is Dead

2007-03-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

And in honor of this momentus occasion, I have posted this fine picture of a dead tree. It was once a tall, strong tree. Now it has been dead for a very long time. Actually, my blog has been neglected lately because of two reasons: 1) I haven't been going online very often anymore because my computer at work died, and 2) When I do go online, it's usually too short of a time to post anything. Now I'm at home paying bills online, so I am posting. I don't know when I will post again.

BB King anyone?

2007-02-27T12:04:00.000-06:00

I have tickets to see BB King at the Auditorium Theatre this Friday at 7:30 pm, if anyone wants to go with me. It should be a very family-friendly show, I mean the guys like 82 years old right? For those who don't know, BB King is one of the last great bluesmen still hangin' around. He is well-regarded among professional guitarists.

2007-02-27T12:03:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow will be a whole month since my last pos.... oh-noooooooo!

Snowball Weather

2007-01-28T13:30:00.000-06:00

This weekend has been perfect snowball fight weather, because the snowballs pack together tightly, but still explode on impact. I should have a picture to illustrate here....

Another post! Two in one day!

2007-01-18T11:53:00.000-06:00

So this daily Internet comic is vulgar sometimes but occasionally it's really funny.

Hello again.

2007-01-18T11:42:00.000-06:00

I'm back from vacation! I haven't been posting but I've been reading most of the blogs in my links section, so I want you all to know that I still love you even though you are not on facebook.
Actually I wasn't on vacation.

Pickles Today

2007-01-04T11:35:00.000-06:00

Finally someone speaks the truth! This is going on my wall.

'Tis the Season

2006-12-21T16:26:00.000-06:00

I counted no less than 39 Playstation 3's for sale in our local classifieds today. Some even had the audacity to claim that they were "hard to find".

Important Blogging News

2006-12-14T11:55:00.000-06:00

Most people who will start a blog already have, and many have become bored and moved on. I wonder if this study includes computer-generated blogs filled with random content?

Public Service Announcement

2006-12-12T16:32:00.000-06:00

Puppies sold as so-called "designer hybrids" are actually mutts. (eg. Cocka-poo, Yorkie-poo, Labradoodle, etc.) I wouldn't pay any more for these animals than I would for a non-pedigree dog. I've noticed an increasing number of these in the classifieds recently. As you can imagine, some pretty inventive names for these types of "breeds" have arisen. What's the funniest "designer hybrid" dog breed you can think of?

Would you use a dollar coin?

2006-11-24T12:24:00.000-06:00

Having learned something from the state quarter phenomenon, the U.S. Mint has decided to manufacture yet another version of the dollar coin. They are hoping these coins, which will feature each of the U.S. presidents, will do what Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea couldn't, which is make Americans use dollar coins instead of paper money. Here's why I think this latest effort will be unsuccessful.
1. Metal is much more expensive than paper, even though it lasts longer.
2. Vending machines do not take them, except for stamp machines.
3. They don't slide nicely in and out of a wallet.
4. There is no tray for them in the cash register.
5. They are heavy.
6. They are noisy.
7. They are unfamiliar.
8. They are unnecessary.
9. They are Canadian.
10. We already use dollar coins, called "four quarters".

Caption This Photograph

2006-11-17T12:12:00.000-06:00

University of California, Los Angeles anthropology students Bob Walters (left) and Frank Higgins creatively interpret Neanderthal behavior before a delighted lunchtime crowd.

Concert Tickets Announcement

2006-11-15T17:00:00.000-06:00

I will be receiving in the mail three tickets to see Wayne Watson, Kim Hill, and Phil Keaggy in concert at Crosswinds Wesleyan (or is it just Crosswinds, Priscilla?) on Dec. 8 at 7:00 pm. I will obviously be using one of them myself (if I can get out of work early enough). I figure several people would want to go too... any takers? Tickets are General Admission ($15.00).

Happy Birthday, Ben!

2006-11-11T18:56:00.000-06:00

Ben is a teenager today. He wants me to post a picture of a "sweet car". Hmmmm... How about this one?
or this one?
The FXX is pretty cool...
Okay, is that enough? No? Alright, one more...