NorthStarNerd.Org

You Ought to be in Pictures (or a blogger!)

Why?

• There aren't any awards.
• The pay is rotten (non existent without adds)
• You rarely get to "talk" with your viewers

I don't know if there is a perfect answer, but I do get satisfaction from helping folks access technical learning and collaboration content, some of which I created. Here are two views of my subscriber stats for the last 30 days (not my direct blog viewers). As of today ... you ... 450 of my loyal subscribers visit this blog every day. As I don't know how often folks visit, the total number of subscribers is higher. Expand the thumbnail image for a quick view, or the attached pdf for more details!

• Subscriber Views (pdf - expand to 150%)

The World is Flat 3.0

I know that Thomas Friedman's book by the same name has been out there for some time, but if you're still trying to get folks to understand the reality of globalization, MIT World just brought online an excellent  video lecture given by Friedman himself where he reviews this concept, with updated examples:

• MIT World - The World is Flat 3.0

Nokia N800 RSS Capability

I decided it was time to do an entire post using my bluetooth keyboard and my Nokia N800 internet tablet. Last night we had some friends over for dinner and everyone was amazed with both the clarity and size of my Nokia's screen. Obviously that is the key point ... my ease of viewing web based content as well as upgrading when new software is created for the Nokia's Linux based operating system.

One change in my web browsing habits is that I've split up my RSS feeds. My work focused feeds remain on my PC; but my leisure based feeds are now on my Nokia. It's nice to sit on my bed after a long cross-country ski with my feet up and read for fun. It's just plain comfortable! Thus attached to this posting are eleven screenshots taken on my Nokia N800.  They demonstrate how easy it is to use and read RSS feeds via the Nokia. In my case I was leaving the frozen Northland for a trip via the NY Times Travel Section.

• Screenshots
• 00: Nokia Desktop
• 01: Web Applications Menu
• 02: RSS Application Start-Up
• 03: RSS Menu - Feed
• 04: RSS Menu - Edit
• 05: RSS Menu - View (and zoom)
• 06: RSS Menu - Tools
• 07: NY Times Travel Section Feed
• 08: Toggle to NY Times "Full View"
• 09: Web Page Link / Galapagos Islands
• My Earlier Nokia N800 Review (demo screencast)

I've yet to find an application out there which allows me to edit jpg files. More than likely, I'm not looking hard enough! Oh yes, one final point  ... the RSS Feed Reader that came with my Nokia had no problems importing an OPML file. Thus, I was able to import feeds in mass via a file transferred over from my PC.
.

Google Open Source Science Initiative

Stanford Professor Larry Lessig has led the charge to insure that basic access to scientific and other kinds of research are available without charge. His book on this subject, The Future of Ideas, is available for free download. You may also wish to watch his talk given at TED which was titled How Creativity Is Being Strangled By The Law. Obviously I resonate with these concepts, and my blog is focused upon that goal. Thus, it is with great interest that I learn via Rafael Sidi's blog (Really Simple Sidi - RSS) of Google's entry into this domain:

Quoted from Wired Magazine - January 18, 2008: "Sources at Google have disclosed that the humble domain, http://research.google.com, will soon provide a home for terabytes of open-source scientific datasets. The storage will be free to scientists and access to the data will be free for all. The project, known as Palimpsest and previewed to the scientific community at the Science Foo camp at the Googleplex last August, missed its original launch date this week, but will debut soon."

This initiative will be worth monitoring ...
.

Minnesotans at Play (-18F) ... Pond Hockey

Even though the temperature at 8:30 a.m. this morning is -18F (-28C) at my house ... with a windchill that is down in the -35F (-37C) range, the National Pond Hockey Championships march on (skate on?!). Take a few moments and enjoy Minnesotas at play ... and actually teams from around the United States and Canada.  This is the kind of hockey that we all played as kids (at least us Minnesota folk).

• Slide show with audio
  (or)
• Expand the attached photo