The Sociable Media Group at MIT Media Lab wanted to explore an answer to that question with a digital exhibit using “sophisticated natural language processing and the Internet to create a data portrait of one’s aggregated online identity.”

Translated, this Personas project shows how the Internet sees you. It’s easy enough to use, just type in your name.

Of course curiosity got the best of me and I had to try it. Just watching the program work is rather interesting – it’s a little transparent in the sense that you see the text being processed so it’s not so much of a data black box.

While interesting, it doesn’t seem totally accurate, at least to my eyes. I am certainly reminded that information without context is just data.

Since I am at an AIGA retreat this week, I thought it would be interesting to see what the system did with a little cheat, so instead of a name I typed in “AIGA the professional association for design” and this popped up:

At a minimum, I think I’m going to hang on to this colored bar and use the “dna strip” in a personal project somewhere. That alone should make for a good story!

Apparently, there are some researchers working on just the very thing: an alcohol substitute that gives you a buzz, but comes with an “antidote” that sobers you up and prevents a hangover.

At first glance, this sounds like a great advancement for society. Think of the possible benefits… a reduction in drunk driving accidents… less public rowdiness… no more pesky sunglasses after a night of binge drinking…

I sit here, though, and wonder if this doesn’t bring about a whole new set of health questions:

• What if you get so drunk that you pass out before you can take your “sober pill”?
• Can you get faux-alcohol poisoning by consuming more than your body can take?

and money questions:

• How much more would you be charged for this than a drink with regular alcohol?
• What about fraud? (I mean, how would you know until later if you had real or faux alcohol)

and moral questions:

• Would drinking at lunch (or even worse, on the job) now be considered socially acceptable?
• What if an alcoholic switched to faux-cohol to hide his/her problem?

Regardless, sounds like such a world is a far way off. According to the article, this idea is still without corporate backing, and it’s unclear if this could even be regulated or approved. So, in the meantime, you will just have to consume your alcohol in moderation (except for maybe tonight!)
Happy New Year

One of the places we looked at last week was Aria, the new hotel and casino at City Center. There were tons of tourists milling around since it just opened about a week earlier. I was struck, though, by the décor: dark, hip, contemporary. It’s very much indicative of what I’d call the “new, new Vegas”.

No longer are these new casinos going for the overly-themed buildings. Decadence here used to be the mimicry of Paris, Italy, New York, or some tropical destination. For a while, that was the “new Vegas”. I do think of this like the box of chocolates that you see stuffing the shelves near Valentine’s. Most of those boxes are trying to imitate something with their package: be it looking like silk or satin, embossing what appears to be a glossy bow, or adding foil or metallic accents to give it an expensive touch. The new, new Vegas is still glossy, but in a different way.

I guess the distinction is:
New, new Vegas is like artisanal chocolate: an expensive treat cradled in a luxe little package that makes you feel rich for ten minutes as you savor it.

New Vegas is like a typical Valentine’s box of chocolates – Overdone, trying to be something it’s not, but fun once in a while.

Old Vegas is like a bargain box of chocolates: kinda retro (you like it for the nostalgia), and a little cheaper (in look and impact on the wallet).

Ooooh, can’t wait to go back!

Vampires are everywhere now. In the movies… on TV. HBO has found new subscribers just because of their True Blood programming. Their advertising (which I think is really effective) has created the “buzz” it sought. I also love this quote attributed to the director of New Moon: “It’s kind of the only growth industry in America, that I can tell.”

What feels different this time is how advertisers have responded. Vampires are now deemed cool enough to sell just about anything. Today, I saw a Bing commercial with a vampire in it. It’s no longer enough to put attractive people in your ads. They have to be attractive and a vampire on top of that. Sets the bar a little high for the rest of us human folks.

So, what other vampire-themed ads have you seen recently? And when will it stop? I’m predicting after the third Twilight movie, but before the fourth. :0

I suppose you can run this “app” right before you press the “D” for “Design” button. Just remember that it’s OK to poke fun at ourselves once in a while.

I’ve always been pretty self motivated, but as I enter into the 13th year at this company, I think about how I can do more to help others (it’s not all about me). I think about how I can I might inspire someone else. I would feel successful this year if I could find another designer to share this drive with – show them how they can take charge with their work.

I heard a story recently about how you don’t make good shipbuilders by giving them tools and materials. You make good shipbuilders by instilling them with a passion for the open seas.

I like that story!

Recently I came across the chatter about Netflix’s corporate values in this presentation below. It’s been blogged about quite a bit over the past few weeks. Whether you think it’s true about Netflix or not, it’s still worth a read.

About your outlook:
It’s all about attitude and action.

Being positive and having a sense of urgency.
Being pleased to serve.
Having effect.

It’s about mattering to the world, all with a smile.

About your customers:
You need to approach them happily, with a smile. And then you need to move quickly to get them their drink (or in this case your service to them) so they can enjoy it and move on.

You’re not doing them a favor. They’re doing you a favor. They don’t have to buy the lemonade (a proxy for your services) and they don’t have to buy it from you. You need to smile and move.

It also describes my day today!

I love information graphics, and love, love, love this site (I refer to it often). I found a great treemap of the stimulus spending there: