Caterpillar Cowboy

suitep: Seattle No. 1 for tech jobs, study findsEven though...

Thu, 17 May 2012 16:10:02 -0400

Seattle No. 1 for tech jobs, study finds

Even though Silicon Valley gets much of the national press as a hub of the high-tech industry, the Seattle metro area is the best region in the country for tech jobs, according to a new Forbes/Praxis Strategy Group Study.

The rest of the Top 10:

No. 2: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

No. 3: San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA

No. 4: Salt Lake City, UT

No. 5: Baltimore-Towson, MD

No. 6: Jacksonville, FL

No. 7: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

No. 8: Columbus, OH

No. 9: Raleigh-Cary, NC

No. 10: Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN

Photo via Simonds

I find it hard to believe that New York City is not on this list. Boston as well.

journo-geekery: The Facebook Offering: How It Compares -...

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:40:22 -0400

journo-geekery:

The Facebook Offering: How It Compares - Interactive Graphic - NYTimes.com

Smart coworkers doing cool stuff with data—I love it.

I want this same graph in terms of funds/kickbacks cash to the bank representing the newly debuted public company. Those bubbles would be absurd. I’m curious how Google’s unconventional IPO would compare in money paid to their representation. Facebook’s (speculative) gains for Morgan Stanley and crew look like they’ll be huge.

Also, add your $.02 about Facebook’s IPO stock price and long-term value. I’m sure more fascinating visualizations will ensue.

You cannot make this up.

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:36:06 -0400

lilyb:

AT&T product specialists are happy to assist you with your questions. Click below to begin your live text chat.

Chat representatives will not have access to your personal account. This service is provided to you under AT&Ts Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Hello and welcome to AT&T, my name is Chelsea J. I specialize in setting up new phone service, Internet, and Digital TV. Please provide me with the complete address where you would like to connect service.

Chelsea J: Hello! How may I assist you today?

You: Hi there

You: I’m wondering what internet speeds are available at my address

Chelsea J: Thank you for considering AT&T as your Internet service provider! I’d be happy to check the availability of AT&T DSL service at your address.

Chelsea J: To further assist you, may I have the complete address where you would like to establish the service please?

You: XXX XXXX XXX SF CA 94XXX

Chelsea J: Thank you for providing me with your address.

Chelsea J: While checking the available services at your address, let me go ahead and ask you some questions to better assist you in finding the best package.

You: Really, I’m just interested in getting an answer to my question.

You: What internet speeds are available at my address?

Chelsea J: Can I take your address as ‘XXX XXXX SF CA 94XXX’?

Chelsea J: Upon checking the availability using your address, I am so sorry, but AT&T High Speed Internet is currently not available in your area.

You: That actually explains a lot. As a current AT&T High Speed Internet subscriber, I now understand the hilariously bad service I’ve received for the past two years.

Chelsea J: On checking ‘XXX XXXX SF CA 94XXX’ ’, it showed me that services are not available.

Chelsea J: I really apologize. Occasionally, our database is not able to match an address. This situation can occur if there is a slight variation between what we have in our database and what you enter.

You: Honestly, I just wanted to know if I could upgrade from the 3mbps I’m currently paying for, and only occasionally receiving, to the 6mbps.

You: But I’m going to save the text of our conversation and put it along with the monthly notes I make when I call AT&T and wait and wait for my bill to be corrected.

Chelsea J: Absolutely! You may save the conversation. I would be happy to provide you a link to upgrade your existing High Speed DSL service.

You: Your telling me you don’t provide service to my address actually just made my day.

You: Because as a long time subscriber, I wouldn’t describe what AT&T provides as service either.

Chelsea J: This situation can occur if there is a slight variation between what we have in our database and what you enter. Perhaps, I can give you the phone number for customer service department to recheck the address on our main database.

Chelsea J: I want you to know we really appreciate your business with AT&T.

You: I just IM’d my husband with the text of our conversation. He’s still laughing.

Chelsea J: I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll be right with you.

Chelsea J: I have rechecked the address, however, I am still unable to locate the exact address.

You: No problem. I think your database is accurate. What I’m receiving from AT&T is certainly not service.

Chelsea J: I really wish I could locate the address.

You: Oh believe me, I wish the AT&T Internet service I’m paying for could reach my address too.

You: Thank you and have a wonderful day.

"It would be really interesting if Facebook launched a credit card. In fact, it would be terrifying."

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:03:13 -0400

“It would be really interesting if Facebook launched a credit card. In fact, it would be terrifying.”

- The Only Way Facebook Can Justify Its Valuation (via courtenaybird)
Oh, you mean like this article I wrote for Forbes.com a year ago?

amyblogschow: Now you can get dishes recommended to you based...

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:47:25 -0400

amyblogschow:

Now you can get dishes recommended to you based on foods you’ve loved in the past, see Yelp star ratings and reviews, and even make a reservation right in the Foodspotting app. It’s the food app we always wanted to make for you, and now it’s here!

Introducing Foodspotting 3.5: Your Personal Picture Menu

Free for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone foodspotting.com/apps

Wow, sounds impressive. This might make me a convert - will have to give it a try.

True, although in Etsy’s case their margins are also high...

Thu, 17 May 2012 08:34:10 -0400

True, although in Etsy’s case their margins are also high since they also don’t have any inventory risk or fulfillment costs.

Pinterest valued at 2x Etsy after $100M investment by Rakuten, the Amazon.com of Japan

Thu, 17 May 2012 07:54:00 -0400

Pinterest valued at 2x Etsy after $100M investment by Rakuten, the Amazon.com of Japan:

$1.5B to 700M. Think about that for a second. Think about revenue vs no revenue. Think about how Etsy is the destination for so many pins.

When you’re done, think about how Pinterest is valued at almost 2x Tumblr. $1.5B to 800M. Remind me again why e-commerce on Tumblr isn’t a great idea?

Cannot stop laughing at this.

Wed, 16 May 2012 23:05:40 -0400

Cannot stop laughing at this.

"Look, I love programming. I also believe programming is important … in the right context, for some..."

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:11:45 -0400

“Look, I love programming. I also believe programming is important … in the right context, for some people. But so are a lot of skills. I would no more urge everyone to learn programming than I would urge everyone to learn plumbing.”

- Jeff Atwood, “Please Don’t Learn To Code” (via evan)

I learned to program (in part, at least) for the same reason that I’ve gone on sales calls, learned to read a P&L, put together marketing plans, and — yes — learned to do some basic plumbing.

Other people are better at all of these things that I am, but having a basic understanding allows me to communicate with those people more effectively and intelligently, and also avoid bothering those people with the really stupid questions.

While I’m probably too much of a generalist for my own good, I nevertheless believe that having this kind of broad understanding of a variety of topics is important.
(via whitneymcn)
One of General Assembly’s most popular courses is “Programming for Non-programmers”, which is basically a vocabulary lesson for business people to communicate with developers.

tehdik: Every Major’s Terrible from XKCD Pretty much why I...

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:09:49 -0400

tehdik:

Every Major’s Terrible from XKCD

Pretty much why I didn’t major in Computer Science.

You can’t help getting OCD within the first 3 semesters.

pegobry: theatlantic: kyramarie: Sixteen thousand Jaydens...

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:54:45 -0400

pegobry:

theatlantic:

kyramarie:

Sixteen thousand Jaydens were born in 2011

Get ready for a very Jayden future, everybody.

Jayden.

Aiden.

WHAT THE FUCK, PEOPLE?

Are we just mashing random letters together now?

Reblogging for Evan, whose daughter is named Chloe Elizabeth. I guess “Sophia Isabella” would be too much of a mouthful.

Super Bowl Ads Work

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:16:44 -0400

heyitsnoah:

This is for everyone that says Super Bowl ads don’t work. From Pando Daily’s article on GoDaddy:

Those ads unquestionably worked. They ran the first one in 2004, with no idea if it’d be brilliant or a colossal waste of money. But the company was paying for it out of cash flow, not venture capital, so why not? Go Daddy had 16 percent marketshare at that point, and the week after the ad, it jumped to 25 percent — and stayed there until the next year. The next Super Bowl ad got it to 28 percent share and the next one got it to 32 percent share. Even when one of the racy ads was preempted by the station, the numbers just kept growing.

I’ve always suspected this, but never had the numbers.

.. via NoahBrier.com: http://bit.ly/MdoLU7 ..

"At some point potential students will realize that they can’t flip their student loans for a job in..."

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:37:12 -0400

“At some point potential students will realize that they can’t flip their student loans for a job in 4 years. In fact they will realize that college may be the option for fun and entertainment, but not for education. Prices for traditional higher education will skyrocket so high over the next several years that potential students will start to make their way to non accredited institutions.”

- The Coming Meltdown in College Education & Why The Economy Won’t Get Better Any Time Soon « blog maverick

joesunga: balsamic strawberry and birthday neopolitan on a...

Sun, 13 May 2012 23:08:11 -0400

joesunga:

balsamic strawberry and birthday neopolitan on a freshly pressed waffle cone. lovely! (Taken with Instagram at Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream)

So jealous right now.

4 out of 4 — The truffled eggs are delicious. Also big fans of...

Sun, 13 May 2012 12:47:42 -0400

4 out of 4 — The truffled eggs are delicious. Also big fans of the steak and eggs, the pancakes, huevos rancheros, and the fruit board (not on menu anymore but they’ll make it). (reviewed on Fondu)

Rage toons covered by the NY Times. I don’t think...

Sat, 12 May 2012 18:09:46 -0400

Rage toons covered by the NY Times. I don’t think I’d ever live to see this day.

(via Rage Comics Turn Everyday Stress Into Laughs - NYTimes.com)

shortformblog: afternoonsnoozebutton: Students at students at...

Sat, 12 May 2012 17:15:30 -0400

shortformblog:

afternoonsnoozebutton:

Students at students at a high school in Xiaogang City study with the help of of IV drips.

These photos were posted on a popular Chinese networking site last week. They show a group of high schoolers studying in their classroom for the Gaokao (national college entrance exam). An official has verified that the photo is legitimate. Source and verification here.

Taking cramming to a new, pretty unsettling level.

Disapproving asian father finally approves. (Seriously, this is awful.)

section9: marksbirch: The full stack o’ pancakes at the...

Sat, 12 May 2012 15:08:42 -0400

section9:

marksbirch:

The full stack o’ pancakes at the Brownstone Diner. This is for a few Tumblr friends that are big fans of this place…

Om nom nom! I’m so very jealous of you at the moment.

You bastard. Where’s my invite??

“A bizarre operation”: Why West Virginia stuck $22,600 routers in tiny libraries

Sat, 12 May 2012 09:48:23 -0400

“A bizarre operation”: Why West Virginia stuck $22,600 routers in tiny libraries:

infoneer-pulse:

West Virginia’s Charleston Gazette has been hopping mad this week as one of its reporters learned that the state has been sticking 1,064 high-end $22,600 routers into “little public institutions as small as rural libraries with just one computer terminal.” When reporter Eric Eyre actually called up Cisco posing as a customer, he was told by a rep that the company’s 3945 series routers were “our router solution for campus and large enterprises, so this is overkill for your network.” Instead, the rep recommended a far cheaper commercial grade router for $500.

And while the 3945 series routers might be massively overkill for many of the locations to which they have been deployed, 366 of them aren’t even being used. Instead, they’re sitting in a warehouse.

» via ars technica

Sigh.

suitep: Well, no luck recovering the phone. But I did send it a...

Fri, 11 May 2012 21:51:40 -0400

suitep:

Well, no luck recovering the phone. But I did send it a nice note, thanking the person for finding it and asking them to leave it at the front desk of the Mercedes dealership.

I also showed that cute salesman how to set up ‘Find my iPhone’ on his 3gs. He didn’t know he could. He was totally into the whole experience.

And now we’re consoling ourselves with Ezell’s fried chicken. All in all, not a bad field trip.

Ezell’s, also known as the best fried chicken on the west coast. Famous for the fact that Oprah gets it flown in.