Newly banned

Based on looking at the logs for this site, I've put ImaginaryWorld.net and the Blogwise Blog directory on the banned list for hitting us too hard. If you read this, and you care about either of these sites being able to access here, let me know why they're doing what they're doing.

Intelligent Falling

In light of presumed presidential candidate, medical doctor, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's recent declaration that superstition should be taught in science classrooms, presented without further comment from The Onion: Evangelical Scientists Refute Gravity With New 'Intelligent Falling' Theory.

Bonus link: Open letter to the Kansas School Board. We've been touched by his noodly appendage.

Thanks, Bob

In a time when so many people in TV cable news seem to lack integrity, it's terrific to see that Bob Costas (one of my favorites since Later, his old late-night show on NBC) hasn't relinquished his: Costas Refuses to Host Show on Holloway. Would that more TV hosts would follow his lead. Instead, we get more media whores, like virtually the entire Fox News crowd (most egregiously including Top Whore Greta Van Susteren on this "story"), and CNN's repugnant Nancy Grace. Costas and MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, who was recently chastised by his management for his passionate commentary against cancer after Peter Jennings' death, are rare beacons of decency in the miasma of television news. They deserve our public thanks, and they deserve to be watched by more people.

Things Dori isn't taking personally

There are a few things that I could take personally, but I'm not going to. Really.

• For instance, there are a number of people in a huff because they didn't get invited to Foo Camp this time around. I can relate, because I went to the first one, but wasn't invited back last year. Based on Tim O'R's comment here, it's pretty clear that at some point (pre-2004 invites), unknown to me, my bozo bit got flipped. I'd like to know what happened, but if no one wants to say, that's their business.
  
  So, not offended, not surprised, not taking it personally; but yeah, I know how you guys feel.
  
  [okay, it did piss me off then that my first word about Foo 2004 was when I got an email that basically said, "You're not cool enough to be invited, or for me to even see you outside camp while I'm in your area, but please make me restaurant reservations." grrr.]
  
  I wish I could go to Bar Camp, but I'm busy some of the weekend, and it'd be too hard to get down to Palo Alto enough to make it worthwhile. OTOH, I will be in SF on Sunday afternoon, so if the Foo Bar Crawl happens, please let me know, okay?
  
  
• Immediately after turning in a weblog shootout feature for Macworld, Six Apart went and added a bunch of features to TypePad. I'm not taking it personally, as I don't think that they even knew I was writing it, but then, I'm not redoing the article, either.
  
  
• I blogged last month about how I was tee'd off at Waggener Edstrom for blowing me off when I asked for software. Things have changed since then: they're now blowing off Peachpit's Editor-in-Chief. Yeah, one of the new features of Dreamweaver 8 is improved integration with MS Word, and I am working on one of Macromedia Press's top books on Dreamweaver, so I'd like to be able to actually write about this feature, but hey, if Microsoft doesn't want that, that's their call. WaggEd is only screwing themselves (okay, themselves and MS) when they don't answer email from Peachpit mucky-mucks, so I ain't taking it personally.

Keynote 2 VQS is out!

I'm happy to announce that my latest book, Keynote 2 for Mac OS X: Visual QuickStart Guide, is now available from Amazon.com and booksellers near you.

Burningbird, now with full feeds

Because of the way Feedster works, Shelley is now creating full RSS feeds. Yay! if you aren't, you should, too.

Nice lizard!

Last week, I was down in Ojai recording a video training title for Lynda.com. They treated me very well, putting me up at a nice place called the Blue Iguana Inn. Out front the Iguana has a cool fountain with a mosaic namesake.

Just listed on Amazon!

Well, lookee here at what just got listed on Amazon…

In case you're wondering, it's also the answer to the question of, "Why isn't Dori answering my email? What is she so busy with?" And given that Amazon says it's out November 18, it's back to work for me.

The Head First Girl's Double Life

The Head First Girl's Double Life: or, what happens when you don't get exclusive rights to your stock photos.

March '06

This is just a reminder for myself, along with a prediction:

• March 6-9, 2006: O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference in San Diego
• March 10-14, 2006: SXSW Interactive in Austin

My guess: it'll be hard to get airline reservations for SAN-AUS late on the 9^th or early on the 10^th, so make plans early.