Category Archives: Come on!

Compelled

By david.humphrey | Published: February 6, 2012
Today, via Forbes, I read the following on the Nest thermostat: What Is It Like To Own A Nest Thermometer? … “It’s pretty satisfying. The more basic functionality is actually the most appealing. Twisting to change the temperature is more compelling and lighter weight than the standard thermostats, so I do that more often than [...]
Also posted in Digital Swag, Idea Factory | Comments closed

On the Ethics of Virtual Endings

By david.humphrey | Published: October 2, 2011
I’ve written previously about Webkinz, the toys and the game, and the experience of our children with both.  Recently, my youngest daughter came to my wife and me with a simple question: “How do I stop my Webkinz account?”  She doesn’t play the game, but remains very connected to her stuffed animals.  The thought that [...]
Also posted in Digital Swag, family | Comments closed

Beavers in the corn

By david.humphrey | Published: November 14, 2010
My father-in-law showed me his bird feeders the other day.  Both were metal, of good quality, and bent so they were laying flat on the ground.  Neither of us had seen this before.  “What could do that?” he asked.  We’ve both seen squirrels, chipmunks, deer, lots of raccoons; but never have either of us seen [...]
Also posted in Nature | Comments closed

Filed under “Cuisine : American”

By david.humphrey | Published: November 9, 2010
The Internet is the wild west of intellectual discussion, and usually I’d tell you to avoid the comments like the plague.  However, sometimes the Internet gets it right.  Tonight is that night.  Read this “recipe,” and in particular the comments: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/late-night-bacon-recipe/reviews/index.html Thank-you Internet.  Thank-you Food Network, never change, OK? I’m re-filing this under LOLWTFBBQ.
Also posted in Food | Comments closed

Exposing the Professional

By david.humphrey | Published: October 17, 2010
I’ve had occasion recently to watch a number of professionals at work.  I know them to be professionals because they made a point of indicating it, and in some cases, clarifying it when the fact might be in dispute.  In each case these people had become engaged in some larger group activity, and had naturally [...]
Also posted in Critics, Home School, Idea Factory | Comments closed

“First, I’d like to make a forest”

By david.humphrey | Published: October 11, 2010
If you’re a parent of children between the ages of 4 and 8, you are perhaps familiar with the stuffed animals called Webkinz.  These are small toys–dogs, cats, sheep, birds, etc–and every purchase also brings with it an access code for a 1 year membership to the online Webkinz World.  Registering on the site allows [...]
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“Tomorrow will be like today, only more so”

By david.humphrey | Published: April 21, 2010
While I waited for my car at the mechanics’, I sat with a family who also waited.  Their conversation has stayed with me for the rest of the day, and I find it sad even now to type it out: Child, pointing to the Catholic Church down the street: “Mom, that looks like a castle!” Mother: “I’ve [...]
Also posted in Idea Factory | Comments closed

We make stuff

By david.humphrey | Published: April 20, 2010
I had dinner last week with a few friends, and one of the things we discussed was cognitive surplus.  I commented on the recent explosion of tweets and blog posts about the iPad, and how it will usher in the end of tinkering as we know and love it.  It’s a sentiment I share, but [...]
Also posted in Digital Swag, Home School, Mozilla Education, Teaching Open Source, family | Comments closed

One for the road

By david.humphrey | Published: April 16, 2010
Every year at about this time, our girls start telling us that it’s time to go clean-up the garbage along the road in front of our property.  It’s a fairly long stretch of busy road, and being out in the middle of nowhere, drivers tend to be on their worst behaviour.  We’ve found all manner [...]
Also posted in family | Comments closed