High-paid newspaper and magazine “Critics” always like to think they know best.  Here is an excellent example of why I never pay much attention to them:

The nature of the personal computer is simply not fully understood by companies like Apple (or anyone else for that matter). Apple makes the arrogant assumption of thinking that it knows what you want and need. It, unfortunately, leaves the “why” out of the equation — as in “why would I want this?” The Macintosh uses an experimental pointing device called a ‘mouse’. There is no evidence that people want to use these things. I dont want one of these new fangled devices.
–San Francisco Examiner, John C. Dvorak, 19 Feb. 1984

There are two schools of thought, I suppose.  On one hand, you have folks like Dvorak; yet, on the other hand you have innovators like this:

“If I’d asked people what they wanted, they’d have said faster horses.”
-Henry Ford

Where is John C. Dvorak now?  He’s still writing about computer technology for PC Magazine as well as some other places – on a typewriter, I assume.  I particularly enjoyed reading this story about his son buying a MacBook Pro.  Clearly, he’s still not an Apple guy.  However, it’s encouraging to read in the article that after 25 years, he’s finally able to admit that “all these whiz-bang features make me realize that I have fallen behind.”

Signing off now, from my mouseless iPhone …

• John C. Dvorak’s blog
• John C. Dvorak on Twitter
• More quotes from critics of the Macintosh from 25 years ago

I’ve just not felt like writing this past year, at all. As my daily work duties involve sitting, writing and doodling, coming home from work and sitting, writing or even doodling are usually not desired activities.  But here I am, it’s damn-near 2010, and I’ve got a few things to say, I guess.

Still working at the same joint, except we moved to a different building a couple miles further away.  It’s still close enough that I can avoid the freeways and just cruise up the less-crowded streets.  It’s no hour commute like the old days.   The exciting world of corporate marketing is about all that’s been going on for me in terms of work.  But hey, it’s work and we all know plenty of people out of work right now.

In other personal news, Liz and I are frantically preparing for the birth of our first child.  We’re having a baby boy this coming December (2009), and we’re naming him Maxwell Charles Marson, Max for short.  I think I might call him Maxwell even if everyone else calls him Max.  I suppose if he tells me off and tells me to stop calling him Maxwell, then maybe I’ll switch over to Max.  Or maybe I’ll get into the habit of calling him Max anyway, we’ll see what happens.  He decides, really.  Whatever he likes best.  I’ll understand, a long time ago I decided I hated the name Dusty which is a long story for another day.  I insisted to the world that I am Dustin and Dustin only. My track coach got away with calling me Dusty somehow, I guess I just never told him I didn’t like it.

I like the name Maxwell.  It was selected carefully, and with much thought.  It doesn’t seem to have some deep, profound meaning like some names and we didn’t really care about that sort of thing.  You know what I mean, you’ll go on some website or look in some book and see that Joshua means “rescued by God” or Andrew means “Warrior” and that sort of thing.  Nope, Maxwell is just a name.  This could be completely made up but some websites say that some guy named Mack had a well, so obviously people called it Mackswell, or something like that.  I guess it must have been a beautiful and inspiring well, as people started giving the name to their children.  And like all names, letters get removed and substituted.  Eventually that turns into Maxwell and Max, somehow.

Liz is concerned that he might not come out looking like a Max, or a Maxwell.  But what does a Maxwell look like?  What does a Maxwell look like as a baby?  I’m thinking that Maxwell will give the name his own identity.  His name isn’t the only word that describes him, after all.  I already know that his name is Maxwell, what I really want to know is what are all the other adjectives that will define him?

Some people don’t even find out the gender before the baby is born, and here I am going on and on about a name.  Some would say we’re counting our chickens before they hatch, I guess.  A lady who lives in our building had 8 kids, never knew the gender of any of them before they were born.  Now that’s patience.

I think naming your child before they are born it has it’s benefits.  Plus, just calling them “Baby” is so impersonal.  Anyway, I think that telling other people your baby’s name in advance gets out all the good and bad opinions and gives you time to argue it out without already having a birth certificate filled out.  I’ve found that family and friends enjoy pointing out you’ve picked the name that rhymes with something unfortunate, is already taken by a second cousin, or made the top 10 most often incarcerated men list for the last twenty years. Family will enjoy the opportunity to speculate about your future children – their future family members – and if they have a name it’s just so much more interesting.

It’s certainly been interesting – and getting more and more interesting every day.

Here’s an export from iTunes of my New Releases playlist.  This is basically the new stuff I’m digging from the last couple of  months.  Favorite new albums right now are probably Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown, Shinedown – Sound of Madness and Three Days Grace – Life Starts Now.

Pontiac through the decades

You may have heard that GM is phasing out the Pontiac brand by the end of 2010. As my favorite car brand since I was a teenager, it’s sad to see it go. It’s hard to imagine the yearly Twin Cities Auto Show without checking out the new Pontiac models. I’m a former Pontiac driver, and “admirer” of the 60’s GTO’s and 70’s Trans Ams. I remember when I was 16, all I wanted was a new black Grand Am GTP.

Pontiac has been around since 1927. If a car company abandoning a brand with that much history isn’t enough of a sign that the American auto industry needs help, then I don’t know what is.

Here’s a stroll down memory lane featuring memorable Pontiac advertising campaigns from every decade dating back to the 50s. I’m sure at least one of these campaigns was memorable to you, I know all of them from the 80’s to today are for me. Who could forget the “driving excitement” jingles from the 80’s?

2000’s:

1990’s:

1980’s:

1970’s:

1960’s:

1950’s: