EDUARDO DE LEON

Did you know you can sign into Windows Live without entering your password?  That’s right; you can use an Information Card (a digital certificate) to sign into Windows Live.  Do note that the service is still in beta (testing mode) and it has been for a while.  But if passwords are annoying to you (as they are to me), then you can use the alternate way to login.

See Microsoft developers’ blog about it at http://winliveid.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!AEE1BB0D86E23AAC!931.entry , then when you have your Info Card and are ready to log into Windows Live, click on the link below:

Sign Into Windows Live with an Information Card>>

What: Colombian Chiva tours NYC
What’s that?  It’s a party bus in the traditional style of a Colombian chiva (See the NYTimes article).  Music, Drinks, Food, Friends, Fun!!
When: Saturday 08 Aug 2009, at 8pm (hora Colombiana)
Until: 1am
Is there parking?  Yes, there is parking at the pickup point.
How much moolah?  $49, includes Colombian dinner also!
RSVP: Email me, leave me a comment, RSVP on the event on facebook, whichever but DO IT BY MONDAY 02 AUGUST 2009!  You can definitely join us after that, but RSVPing by Monday guarantees you a seat.

Ruben’s empanadas, located on 1st Avenue between E 7th Street and St Marks Place, has empanada specials.  Today I had special #1, rice and beans and one empanada (ham & cheese, pictured below).

These are baked empanadas, not fried.

They also have other locations of Ruben’s Empanadas. (Fulton Street, Pearl Street, Nassau Street, Church Street, Broome Street, and First Avenue).

Descriptive subject lines are two way streets: give a good one, get a good one back.

The problem is so many people don’t care for good subject lines.  A succinct subject line is as important to good communication as the medium that is used. It’s as important that an email is sent and received successfully, as it is that the email be properly understood.

If your email inbox is empty, context might not matter and meaning is mere presence.  If your email inbox is full, context, brevity and succinct meaning make email messages stand out.

Of course, the real problem is that email as a killer app long ago stopped being useful.  No one writes meaningful email messages any more; there is too little communication happening, and people are using media other than email to do it. (Remember hearing/reading about the incident when someone was fired thru a message on facebook?)

Death toll from 1976 "swine flu" illness: 1
Death toll from 1976 "swine flu" vaccine: 25
Number paralyzed with "Guillain-Barre syndrome" from vaccine: around 500
Remember this before you get your "swine flu" vaccine next month.

It's incredible the reaction people have to this thing; some people become ultra paranoid, some reject alarmist tones. A few people have a measured response of preparedness and increased awareness.

Some joke about it:

"It was once said that a black man would be president when pigs flew. Well behold 100 days into his presidency, swine flu!"

I could write more and get more nuanced but I don't think it's as important a subject. I just wanted an excuse to reflect on people's viral reaction.