t r a c y r u s s o . c o m

Ezra makes a point. I too am thankful Brian is on his way to...

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:44:11 -0400

Ezra makes a point. I too am thankful Brian is on his way to making a full recovery. However I am wondering what the appropriate length of time is before one can send the really snarky ecards from someecards.

"American family budgets are truly running on fumes this summer, and families will find it harder to..."

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:13:22 -0400

“American family budgets are truly running on fumes this summer, and families will find it harder to finance basic activities, even the 4th of July family barbeque. By our estimates, the total cost of a barbeque for 20 family members driving 30 miles round trip has soared by 8.7 percent since last year, and 46.8 percent since 2000, to $262.34 this year. This figure is up from $241.40 last year, and $178.75 in 2000, before the last recession hit. Just as long summer road trips may have become a thing of the past for many families, the family barbeque might become the next once-affordable family activity to fall victim to the pressures squeezing lower- and middle-income Americans.”

- Running on Fumes: Rising Gas Prices Add to the Strain on Families’ Already Squeezed Budgets

Around the Globe: Obama for Obama: http://tinyurl.com/4nghbr

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:39:34 -0400

Around the Globe: Obama for Obama: http://tinyurl.com/4nghbr

via seattletimes.nwsource.comThoughts and best wishes go to...

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:00:14 -0400

via seattletimes.nwsource.com

Thoughts and best wishes go to Darcy and her family. Thankfully, they are all safe and sound, but this can’t be easy for them.

The Back Forty » Why, thank you! Now get out.

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:41:41 -0400

The Back Forty » Why, thank you! Now get out.: Jay makes a funny.

Amberella has a blog.

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:24:16 -0400

Amberella has a blog.

The Back Forty » On Common Ground

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:20:49 -0400

The Back Forty » On Common Ground

Cravings

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 02:24:00 -0400

I’m still not feeling 100% - well not even close to 70% really. For whatver reason my bug is sticking around, and I can only think its because I haven’t slowed down enough to get better.

So I’m trying to spend some time this weekend catching up on rest and not online. (Ok, yes, I know that by posting this I am, quite obviously, online, but it’s been the exception to a day that was otherwise spent reading and resting).

And reading in a not for work kind of way too. I think I need to clear my head of all things work related so I can look at things with fresh perspective. So I picked up a couple of the two dozen books that are stacked alongside my bed and plowed through them.

Don’t laugh - but Twilight was good. Good enough that I’ll get the sequel and see if the next volume can keep up. It’s not quite the Harry Potter replacement Borders is trying to make it out to be, but it is compelling in its own way.

Sherilyn Kenyon’s latest was not worth the time it took to read it all the way through. Which I did anyway, hoping of course that it would get better. I blame having a co-author. Bad idea, Sherilyn.

Julie and Julia, on the hand, seems to hold a lot of promise. Especially when the book opens with the author revealing a PCOS diagnosis that I can relate to. Also, I’ve learned how to make potato and leak soup. That has to count for something. But it isn’t a book I’d peg as a page turner, and so I’ll return to it later. I was craving brain candy, and there wasn’t quite enough sugar there to make it work in my current state.

A part of me is also craving silly movies, but I’m not feeling human enough to venture out the house right now. Maybe in a couple of days, if I get work done and feel well enough to make the trip.

Poll: Should McCain Learn to Use a Computer?

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 03:50:39 -0400

Poll: Should McCain Learn to Use a Computer?

Photo

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 03:44:59 -0400

From #pdf2008 to @cnn http://tinyurl.com/6lvv3x

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:44:16 -0400

From #pdf2008 to @cnn http://tinyurl.com/6lvv3x

Imagining Our Tomorrows

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:14:35 -0400

This post originally appeared at The Back Forty.

In a world where technology is changing the way we work and play, changing the way we connect and communicate and fundamentally altering our boundaries - how can a person who doesn’t know how to operate a computer be the kind of leader we need to move us forward and fulfill the potential all of our tomorrows hold?

It’s a question that’s been banging around inside my head since I first saw the clip of John McCain admitting he doesn’t do computers. And it has been bugging me ever since.

Far beyond the party lines and the political divide, I believe we need a leader who has vision - not just an understanding of who we are, but a clear idea of what we can be and where we can go. Understanding how the internet is changing our world and the potential it holds to further revolutionize our daily lives is a critical part of that.

Now I may be different from the average American, in terms of my reliance, obsession and love of the internet, I’d bet that if you had to place people on a spectrum of usage, that most would have more in common with me than with John McCain when it comes to computers. This isn’t an age thing - it’s a common sense thing. Plenty of older Americans are hip to the internet. according to the Pew Study, 37 percent of the population who fall into the 65+ category use the internet at least occasionally.

Every day the internet and new technology are changing our worlds. People are living their lives online, and it has made a difference in the way we consume goods and services, the way we communicate and the way we interact in this global village.

I can’t comprehend electing a president who doesn’t get that. I can’t fathom a president who doesn’t have the everyday understanding of what it means to hear “You’ve Got Mail” or doesn’t have the frame of reference to laugh at the unending spam in our inboxes. These are small things, but things that seem as regular to me as knowing the price of a gallon of milk.

How do you lead a people forward when you are stuck in the past? How do you inspire, elevate, and imagine the greatness that is ahead if you don’t understand the world we must navigate to get to those places?

If you ask me, you can’t. At least not in the way the American people deserve.

LGA to FLL with @melmarcus after an interesting two days at #pdf2008. Congrats to Micah and Andrew...

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:14:13 -0400

LGA to FLL with @melmarcus after an interesting two days at #pdf2008. Congrats to Micah and Andrew on another fantastic event!

#pdf2008 3 out of 5 panels right now feature panels that are 100% male - we’ve got a lot...

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:01:41 -0400

#pdf2008 3 out of 5 panels right now feature panels that are 100% male - we’ve got a lot of work to do ladies!

Re: #pdf2008 Tech Policy: Actually, Edwards talked about bridging the digital divide too, and that...

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:36:54 -0400

Re: #pdf2008 Tech Policy: Actually, Edwards talked about bridging the digital divide too, and that helped push Obama’s policy to be stronger

Some sleepy heads at #pdf2008 - lots of booze was had last night! Van Jones was awesome though -...

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:57:05 -0400

Some sleepy heads at #pdf2008 - lots of booze was had last night! Van Jones was awesome though - green for all is beautiful solution to …

Emma Claire spotted in the background during EE’s skype Q&A at #pdf2008!...

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:35:53 -0400

Emma Claire spotted in the background during EE’s skype Q&A at #pdf2008! Ahhhh…memories of doing live chats at the house….

Strangebedfellows Coalition just gets a shout out at PDF. Way to go Josh!

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:01:42 -0400

Strangebedfellows Coalition just gets a shout out at PDF. Way to go Josh!

Texas Polygamists relocating their compound to Colorado? http://tinyurl.com/5q78uw

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:01:42 -0400

Texas Polygamists relocating their compound to Colorado? http://tinyurl.com/5q78uw

Speaker just said MoveOn was on the “Fringe” - 3.2+ million members wouldn’t agree...

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:56:33 -0400

Speaker just said MoveOn was on the “Fringe” - 3.2+ million members wouldn’t agree - and that’s the problem with web-only metrics