Links: 3-28-09

Mar 28, 2009

• Tesla Motors Model S Backed by Google Founders Brin, Page
  This all-electric car sounds like it has some promise, especially if increased production brings the cost down. Some of the specs include up to 300 mile range per charge, 0-60 in 5.6 seconds and speeds up to 120 miles per hour.
• Firefox May Already Be Dead
  A soon as some plugins start to come out for Google Chrome, it will most likely become my regular browser. It’s so much faster than the disappointing Firefox 3 not to mention there are some things in FF3 seem like a step backwards from FF2.
• Lance Armstrong on Twitter
  If you haven’t already discovered he’s on there, check it out and live vicariously through his frequently updated Twitter posts. The man leads a good life.
• A Public Food Market for Boston
  “After a decade of false starts, Boston officials are moving to open the city’s first daily public food market since the 1950s in a building along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, hoping to provide a permanent indoor showcase for the state’s farm products and local cuisine.”

Summer Solstice Links

Jun 21, 2008

• Bicycle Friendly Communities
  I would consider making this list being a stong indicator that a city is a pretty good place to live. I recently was in Portland, OR, the first large city in the US to reach platinum status. When I was there the amount of bike commuters, bike lanes and “share the road” type signs was amazing. They are probably even happier about their investment in the bicycle infrastucture with gas prices the way they are now.
• New Hampshire Railroad Revitalization Association (NHRRA)
  To me a part of short term answer to skyrocketing fuel costs is to look at Europe. When I have been in Europe, whose gasoline costs have been much higher than ours for a long time, 2 things really stood out: small cars dominate the roads and the fact that the trains that seem to go everywhere. Bringing back rail will be more dificult in states with smaller populations like New Hampshire, but it also makes sense as everthing is further apart and therefore a longer drive. Right now the only rail in NH is the Amtrak Downeaster which briefly passes through towns a few towns out towards the coast. There has been some talk of a “Capitol Corridor” line which would connect Nashua and Manchester to Boston.
• 31 Places to go this summer
  The White Mountains of NH, where I spend a lot of time, are number 2 on this list. Ok so it’s not in order of rank, but it’s still cool to see it included on this excellent list.
• 5 Places not to go this summer
  A list of the interesting tourist spots that Americans can’t visit.

The Good Ol’ Days

Jun 14, 2008

I took this picture because as high as gas prices are now, I have a feeling we’re going to be looking back before long wishing for the good ol’ days of $3.99 gas. Hope I’m wrong.

Googley Design Principles

Jun 8, 2008

I came across these Google design principles the other day while working on a user experience document, and I thought it would be worth posting here. If more developers/designers used philosophies like this we would gain a lot more milliseconds (ahem, Yahoo!)

1. Focus on people—their lives, their work, their dreams.
2. Every millisecond counts.
3. Simplicity is powerful.
4. Engage beginners and attract experts.
5. Dare to innovate.
6. Design for the world.
7. Plan for today’s and tomorrow’s business.
8. Delight the eye without distracting the mind.
9. Be worthy of people’s trust.
10. Add a human touch.

Southernmost Chickens

May 7, 2008

It took me a while but I posted some pictures from a trip to Key West, FL back in March. After driving over all 42 bridges that stitch the Overseas Highway together, I arrived in Key West to the sounds of “cock-a-doodle-dooooo” seemingly ringing out of every corner. Apparently it is against the law in Key West to harm or seize chickens and so they just hang out and multiply a lot. This could be a good or bad thing depending on whose point of view it is.

Note to self for future trips to the Keys: don’t go during spring break. It was hard to tell what there was more of, tourists or chickens. With it being the fun, easy-going, remote island that it is, I think it could be an even better place to hang out during mellower times.

Key West photos

Hands Across The Merrimack Open

Apr 29, 2008

A photo I took tonight of the "Hands Across The Merrimack" bridge. The long planned pedestrian bridge in Manchester, NH is now open! Yay for ManchVegas!