Low-Expectation Friday...
Category: Kitchen Sink...
Posted Friday, February 07, 2003 at 08:41 AM [GMT-6]

Today's a good day to stay inside by the fire, sipping a cappuccino and reading an old sci-fi novel. Unfortunately, I am engaged in none of those activities and have no realistic expectations of being so engaged. Perhaps you're more fortunate, although if you're reading this, then you've dropped the ball in at least one area.

Just a few tidbits to ease us into the weekend...

• Peter-Paul Koch has an interesting article entitled "Form follows function" in the current edition of DigitalWeb Magazine. He muses about the ongoing pressures on web designers to create sites that look good (a loose definition, at best) but work lousy (not as subjective; we all know 'em when we see 'em). I particularly like this phrase in describing why "artists" have trouble designing good websites: "This appealing to an audience twice removed is not something the average artist can do (or needs to do)."
  
  
• I see the triple chair lift to the top of the mountain at the Santa Fe ski area is still closed due to "unforeseen maintenance." When you couple something like this with yet another pitiful snowfall season, it makes you glad your 401K is invested in something safe - like, say, international oil stocks (see previous post to more fully appreciate sarcasm) - instead of ski resort operators.
  
  
• And, speaking of lousy snowfall - where it counts, anyway, that being within driving distance - where's the rainfall we were promised last fall when the meteorological community stated that our area could expect "above average" winter precip due to El Niño/La Niña/Global Warming/Global Cooling/Jet Stream Aberration/etc.? If the Midland Development Corporation really wants to make progress in attracting significant new investment to this area, they better figure out how to fill up O.H. Ivie Reservoir! At just under 38% of capacity and no relief in site...and the city of Abilene just waiting in the wings to start taking its 16%+...this is serious stuff.
  
  
• And, speaking of Abilene, did you know that Keep Abilene Beautiful has its own song?
  
  
• And, finally, while I don't normally plug my own work, I would like to point out that we went live this week with the new site for the Ector County Community Supervision & Corrections Department. Most of us would recognize this group as the "Adult Probation" department, though that title is apparently a little dated. What's commendable here is the CSCD's relatively progressive approach to using the web to carry out its mission, and doing so in a fairly independent fashion. That is, they've elected not to be tied into the Ector County internet presence, instead getting their own domain name and standalone website in order to optimize usability and accessibility. As I understand it, they will begin offering enhanced victims resources and other services of potential interest to the community, such as fugitive lists (the latter already being a part of the site). On a purely personal note, I must admit that working with clients who pack heat tends to make one even more conscientious than usual about delivering a quality product! Permalink