rickshangle.com

July 28, 2008

Google’s downfall is guaranteed

Filed under: Data Control, Meta — rshangle @ 7:27 pm

The top search results on cuil shows me holding a fish, or maybe a mermaid/man, or some other object that cannot really be seen, even when you click on it. also, that’s not a picture of me. also, about half the results either don’t feature me, or are from about 11 years ago.

I have nothing against holding fishes, but I’ve never done it. I’m ready, though! Can one be brought to me?

Ultimate fish action

August 30, 2006

Future Rock Hall throws down nomination predictions for 2007 induction

Filed under: Meta, Music — rshangle @ 9:45 pm

Here.

I’m thinking Patti Smith, MC5, J. Mellencamp[1]… Joy Division.

Tom Waits is on the cusp, but needs to be [more] gnarled and wizened[er] first.

Grandmaster Flash will (soon; has been nominated last two years) open the floodgates for rap acts. How will go once Flash is inducted?

1. Grandmaster Flash
1. Dr. Octagon

What, Dr. O isn’t up for nomination until like… 2020? Bummer.

[1] (not that I’m a big fan, but he has integrity and he’s a rebel or smokes three packs of cigs (post heart attack) a day)

July 24, 2006

The Future of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Filed under: Meta, Music — rshangle @ 7:35 pm

rising force

[image source]

News flash, overdue:

My friend Neil is the brainchild and driving force (rising force?) behind the Future Rock Hall, a web site that, via combination of user input and statistical secret sauce, aims to predict the likelihood of future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees.

Think Hollywood Stock Exchange, for music, and without (for the moment) virtual money. With commentary. And more than a few dedicated and extremely, uhr, knowledgeable Deep Purple fans.

I think Neil’s idea is extremely cool, since I like things that are representations of lasting and/or eternal truths. Not to mention it is the only place on the web (now, probably forever) where this site appears next to Malcom Gladwell’s on a blogroll. And, again, those deep purple / stevie ray vaughan fans are… committed.

There is a deeper, personal lesson here, I think: Neil’s generally technical (having worked both in publishing and as an architect for over a decade; those are technical professions; his degrees are in architecture), but I never considered him to be in the top tier of techiecomputer / geekness among our friends. Case in point: until last year, I don’t think he ever owned a computer at home during his adult, post-college life. Anyhoo, in March we were talking about the idea for the site, and I think my comment was something pretty deep, like: “yeah. you could totally do it. and people would come to it. for sure. g***mn it, this line for the bellagio buffet is moving slow, and the whiskey from this microflask is going down way too smooth.”

Neil got back home, signed up with a web hoster, sat down and put the site together over a few months. To me, that’s a valuable lesson in triumph of the will. Also, I clearly need to write about Stevie Ray Vaughan.

The site ramped up in April, and this September will be the first year the science can be compared to the voting committee’s nominations.

Tne Future Rock Hall [about] is not associated with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

June 26, 2006

Google Book Search

Filed under: Data Control, Meta, Uncategorized — rshangle @ 12:51 pm

New Google function that searches the full text of books, then links to where you can discuss/buy them. taking the next step to one-click ebook purchase = the Way.

I knew there was only one challenge I could throw it to test book.googleplex’s merit. Was glad to see it answered correctly within the top five…

gbs confed

June 14, 2006

Googleplex grows more brain cells

Filed under: Data Control, Meta, Network — rshangle @ 12:11 pm

borg 2

re: two new Google datacenters in Oregon.

Hiding in Plain Sight, Google Seeks More Power - New York Times

Discussion on Slashdot.

Dam that may (or may not) have a hand in controlling water level in the river running alongside said datacenters.

image source

## update 06.27.2006

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