TwentyThreeSeven

WordPressed

2007-01-31T15:25:00.000-05:00

As of today I'll be hosting my blog at my web site. See http://www.derekvaz.com/tts/ for all future posts.

Obama vs. Clinton

2007-01-20T12:43:00.000-05:00

Actually, I'm just comparing their respective web sites. Sorry for the juicy, leading title.

www.barackobama.com -> less is more?
www.hillaryclinton.com -> video chats, guest blogs and more, oh my?!

PS / My vote is for David Palmer...

Spender vs. Tightwad

2007-01-16T12:29:00.000-05:00

Researchers have discovered the particular brain activity which will predict whether a person will buy or not buy a particular item.

FYI / I'm the latter.

The Ultimate Jack Bauer Phone

2007-01-10T14:41:00.000-05:00

Apple launches their iPhone. There's many reasons why I'm getting one but I think I was sold when I realised that this phone is something Jack Bauer wouldn't leave the house with.

Food and the City

2007-01-08T13:58:00.000-05:00

One thing I love about Toronto is the food. Toronto Life breaks down the best of it.

Katrina Cabin Project

2006-12-21T11:31:00.000-05:00

Saw a report on this amazing project last night on Dan Rather Reports (which is quickly becoming the only news broadcast I watch).

In lieu of permanent housing, minimal and structurally sound cottages are being built at a low cost to give Katrina victims a home and more importantly, a sense of community after last year's devastation.

Kudos to Marianne Cusato, the architect and visionary behind this concept.

Broadband TV

2006-12-18T20:37:00.000-05:00

Robert Lemos of Wired gave up traditional (HD)TV for a month and instead watched (legal) broadband media.

Helloooo Cleveland

2006-12-05T22:46:00.000-05:00

Checking up on NBA scores and standings and I noticed Yahoo! Sports has already crowned the Cavs as division champs despite being only 17 games into the season and having a worse record than Detroit. The power of LeBron or just good gambling sense?

Lean Back

2006-11-28T20:02:00.000-05:00

A new study suggests that sitting up straight isn't the best sitting posture after all.

Amen Mark Hurst: Motorola's aren't so hot

2006-11-15T10:57:00.000-05:00

I've been saying this for years: Nokia offers a superior UI experience on their phones. Samsung probably comes the closest but Motorola, for all it's effort in making great industrial pieces, falls horribly behind with regard to the interface and ease-of-use their phones.

http://goodexperience.com/blog/archives/001066.php

The Way to be Interesting is to be Interested

2006-11-09T10:07:00.001-05:00

Probably one of the best quotes I've heard recently and it was from my boss. Then today I see Russell Davies' blog entry (via Kottke) and now I'm even more convinced.

"The way to be interesting is to be interested. You’ve got to find what’s interesting in everything, you’ve got to be good at noticing things, you’ve got to be good at listening. If you find people (and things) interesting, they’ll find you interesting."

Bad Banks of America

2006-11-07T11:43:00.000-05:00

An excerpt from this weeks Good Experience newsletter reminded me of my experience with a certain US bank.

I had my assets frozen in 2003 by Washington Mutual in Santa Clara, CA due to "fraudulent activity on my account". What was my fraudulent activity? Depositing cheques in the ATM and withdrawing cash right away. Apparently WaMu (as their affectionately known in the States) has a *strict* 'do not withdraw funds until 14 days after your cheque is cleared' policy regardless if, in the end, you're not overdrawn. Of course, the first time I heard about it was when my assets were frozen and it took the backing of the corporate legal team at NVIDIA (my employer at the time) to unfreeze them. Result: NVIDIA internally discouraged banking at WaMu. Probably not good for WaMu....

Why can't companies just be nice to their customers?

Glowing buttons not a usability issue

2006-10-23T10:26:00.000-04:00

Gonna call shenanigans on Mozilla's marketing team here.

"Firefox 2's theme and user interface have been updated to improve usability without altering the familiarity of the browsing experience. For instance, toolbar buttons now glow when you hover over them."

I've never thought to myself "what toolbar button am I hovering over? I wish this browser would give me a visual cue -- like, glowing!!" and I doubt many of you have. This isn't a knock on Firefox at all (I'm using it right now and I use it everyday on both my Mac and PC). Just humorous as even technical savvy marketing-types seem to miss what real usability is about.

- Derek

It's not easy being green

2006-10-22T12:30:00.000-04:00

It's been about 2 1/2 years since I've been to a proper sneaker show. Last Friday, Sneaker Pimps rolled through town with exhibitions from international and local artists.

Samuel L. Jackson even stopped by to show some love, rocking the "It's not easing being green" track jacket, brown cords, and Adicolor Kermit's. The baddest mf in show biz also looked like he was the stylist mf as well.

Needless to say me and the boys (and lady) at Blast tried to sneak in some off hand paparazzi shots. Enjoy and support your local kick artists.

I got off my butt and replaced MTV for real people

2006-09-11T23:39:00.000-04:00

I lied. I'm a liar. I totally didn't get around to blogging during my vacation. But then again, I totally didn't expect to not be able to find an open wireless network outside of the Apple store in NYC. (By the way, thx to the guys at the Fifth Ave. and Soho stores for not booting my ass out even though I would blatantly come in almost everyday, crack open my Macbook and check my email).

Anyhow, I did do more than geek it up with my laptop. Staying on the Upper West Side, there were a couple days where I got time for serene walks through Central Park. There's a lot to be said about a city that has a peaceful escape build right into it's core.

Then there were the trips to Pravda, the somewhat-overpriced-but-well-worth-it-terms of-atmosphere vodka bar in Soho, a blind drunk tour of the Meatpacking district on what my buddy Jay called "Fudgepacking" night (no explanation needed, I hope) and a tour of the hallowed Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts.

The highlight however, was stumbling into the Evelyn Lounge on Saturday evening (Sunday morning actually) for an unexpected chat with the lovely barmaid Lauren from Virgina who "absolutely loves Canadians" and Helena the "aspiring model" who just moved to NYC all the way from the Caspian Sea. And to think I was just sitting on the couch that evening watching MTV before I got up, got dressed and pushed myself out the door. The stories of how those people end up in NYC were just fascinating.

It sure beat sitting at home and catching the 14th rerun of the 2006 MTV VMA's.

NYC Vacation (No. 5)

2006-09-01T05:48:00.000-04:00

I'm in Pearson International airport on my way to New York City. This is the second time I've come to an airport with courtesy wireless Internet. Now that I'm a little bit awake, I thought I'd start blogging this trip for the hell of it.

First, a few shout-outs. Thanks to Jeff for lending me his kick-ass Canon point and shoot which I hope I will do justice with on my trip (up-skirt pics?). Secondly, to the company for giving me this sweet, sweet Macbook Pro. I think they thought I was going to do work on my vacation or something. They don't know me very well, I guess. Also, thanks to my good friend Reshma who, while blogging her own vacation in South Africa, is letting me crash at her "pimp" pad in the Upper West Side. Being so close to Central Park I thought it would be good to take a run on Sunday, so we'll see how that turns out. (Hint: I'll probably be sleeping)

Anyhow, it's time to board. If you're free this weekend check for photos and more posts as the weekend progresses. Although that would make for a sad weekend for you, eh?

Cheers.

D.

Me Write Book

2006-08-10T11:49:00.000-04:00

No, I'm not writing a book, but if you're interested, Bigfoot has.
Me Write Book is probably the funniest things I've seen at the book store and is worth picking up. Only Canadians can be this obscure and witty.

Dandelife

2006-07-17T13:26:00.000-04:00

I've been super busy over the last few weeks looking for a condo in Toronto and spending time with my newborn niece, Ava.

I was just thinking, being that her Mom is a web-geek like her brother, this child's life will be completely documented and available online. If, like Mama Vaz assumes, Ava grows up to be a famous actress all her 'invaluable' celebrity gossip goodies are at the world's fingertips thanks to Blogger, Flickr, etc.

Even cooler would be to document her life via Dandelife, an app I just saw today. (Thx SvN!).

Pretty cool times for a pretty cool kid.

Ice Creeeeam

2006-06-01T10:06:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I left Las Vegas (last post). I would like to say I've been "busy" (prototype work for OfficeMax, friend's wedding, condo hunting, watching every game of the NBA playoffs, counting down the days to becoming an uncle) but considering I'm averaging a solid 7.5hrs of sleep over the last few weeks, I can't say that.

Anyhow, the only thing I can think of lately is the heat. And nothing beats the heat like ice cream. Enjoy!

Headed Home

2006-05-01T02:01:00.000-04:00

Mccarren airport has free wi-fi!

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, but I'll be posting pics from SF soon.

Back, Back to Cali...

2006-04-22T20:31:00.000-04:00

After my first FITC run this weekend I'm off on a much-needed vacation to San Francisco. It'll be my first trip back since 2003. Hopefully the great stuff I saw at FITC this weekend and the visit to the West Coast will inspire me to crank out some new work.

I don't normally do shout outs in the blog but, Eric and Ed, I'm on my way homey!

Why can't I own a Canadian?

2006-03-14T09:26:00.000-05:00

This has nothing to do with my religious beliefs or opinions on sexual preference. This is just downright, smart-ass humour.

Writely

2006-03-11T11:48:00.000-05:00

Google has purchased Writely, a lightweight word processing web app that I praised a few months back to the Content Strategists at my office.

I think it's almost household knowledge that Google is on the verge of offering a simplified, web-based suite of apps that will rival Microsoft Office, to some extent. These apps target users who don't use the full MS Office feature set but are great for personal and small (think <50) business use, in my opinion. I think Writely, being a beta-user myself, is a great little addition.

So let's recap for a second here. Blogger, Writely, Picasa, Gmail, 'CL2'?, and more. I'm curious as to how they'll bring it all together.

I've read articles about Google creating their own browser or even a Google 'appliance'. I don't really want to get into the business (or the hobby) of speculation but I am slightly interested as to how it will unfold, just to see how they handle the challenge of integrating these applications together in a nicely wrapped box.

One Year at Blast

2006-03-07T20:03:00.000-05:00

Of all people, my mother just reminded me that today was the 1 year anniversary of me joining BlastRadius. Thanks Mum ;)

The last year has been filled with some awesome experience both in and outside the office.

Anyone there will tell you that Blast's people are what make it such a great studio. They're funny, creative and downright intelligent folks. It's been motivating to say the least working with such talented minds. (We're not too shabby when it comes to style either.)

Cheers to a great group of people at Blast who've helped make this last year more than I ever expected. There are some big changes coming up for me over my next year at Blast and I'm truly looking forward to it.

Blog Monster

2006-03-07T16:46:00.000-05:00

Publishing these posts has become much more quicker for me thanks to Google's Blogger Widget...and possibly even more accessible soon thanks to the City of Toronto's interest in city-wide WiFi.

J Dilla

2006-03-01T10:07:00.001-05:00

If you're a fan of hip-hop, you're already aware of the recent passing of producer/rapper extrodinaire and Slum V founder, J Dilla. (AKA Jay Dee as I first new of him back when I was a gangly teenage crate digger.)

About 2 years ago Milk Audio had Dj Venom on as a guest and he spun an all-Dilla set, so I thought it would be appropriate to link it.

R.I.P. Dilla.

Mashups

2006-02-23T11:21:00.000-05:00

No, not like Jay-Z and Linkin Park.

Amongs web heads, a mashup is the term for a new web service or site built off of an existing web service.

For example, if I used Flickr’s API to build my own site that used images tagged with cameraphone to create my own guerilla news network**.

Or better ideas like these ones

**Patent pending ;)

KitchenAid

2006-02-22T10:41:00.000-05:00

The newly redesigned KitchenAid site for Canada is live!

The site is an end-to-end makeover that involved months of user research, planning, design and production.

As the Production Lead, I'm glad to say our team put together a site with near 99% XHTML 1.0 compatibily, a nifty AJAX-driven Scrapbook tool, accessiblty and SEO best practices and thoughtful, stripped down print layouts driven by CSS.

Overall the site is a gleaming example of great customer research, awesome usability strategy, stunning visual design, front-end DHTML sexiness :) and a solid, fully content-managed back-end system.

Cheers to the whole team at the Toronto BlastRadius studio! It was truly an awesome experience.

Not Your Average Ice Cream Man

2006-02-06T13:53:00.000-05:00

Somewhere in this story there is a legitimate business model to be leveraged.

The NY Times Interviews Malcom Gladwell

2006-02-05T13:10:00.000-05:00

Read the article here, but make sure to listen to the audio interview (free subscription required). There are some nice soundbytes on Canada and Canadiana.

2006 Coachella Line-Up

2006-01-31T15:39:00.000-05:00

Almost 3 years ago I had the opportunity to check out the kick-ass Coachella Festival. Hands down, it was the best musical experience I may ever have witnessed. Among some of the performers I saw were: Ben Harper, The Beastie Boys, Felix da Housecat, Black Eyed Peas, Blur, Talib Kweli, The Alkoholics, Queens of the Stoneage, The Music, + more.

This years line up isn't official as of this post but here's what the word* is:

Saturday, April 29: Depeche Mode, Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Ros, Common, Damian Marley, Atmosphere, Carl Cox, My Morning Jacket, Ladytron, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Tosca, Cat Power, Animal Collective, HARD-fi, Derrick Carter, Devendra Banhart, She Wants Revenge, The Walkmen, The Juan Maclean, Audio Bullys, Imogen Heap, Lady Sovereign, Deerhoof, The Duke Spirit, Editors, stellastarr*, Lyrics Born, Matt Costa, The New Amsterdams, The Zutons, Platinum Pied Pipers, White Rose Movement, Chris Liberator, Colette, Joey Beltram, Hybrid, Wolfmother, The Like, Living Things, Nine Black Alps, The Section Quartet, Infadels, Youth Group, Shy FX & T Power, Infusion

Sunday, April 30: Tool, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, Paul Oakenfold, Scissor Sisters, Matisyahu, James Blunt, TV on the Radio, Sleater-Kinney, Mogwai, Coheed and Cambria, Gnarls Barkley, Coldcut, Phoenix, Digable Planets, Amadou & Mariam, Little Louie Vega, Mylo (DJ Set), Seu Jorge, Wolf Parade, The Go! Team, Kaskade, Metric, Art Brut, Dungen, The Dears, Jamie Lidell, The Magic Numbers, Los Amigos Invisibles, Jazzanova, Michael Mayer, Mates of State, Gilles Peterson, Gabriel & Dresden, The Subways, Minus the Bear, Be Your Own Pet, Giant Drag, Kristina Sky, The Octopus Project

I strongly suggest you** start making plans to be Indio, California.

*Courtesty of Pollstar

**I wish I could attend but I'll be in Las Vegas probably broke and incapacitated at a good friend's bachelor party.

Focus on 'Brick'

2006-01-27T17:10:00.000-05:00

In all honestly, I've never seen a Focus Features film I didn't like. Being John Malkovich, Broken Flowers and The Kid Stays in the Picture are a few that come to mind. I'm really excited about Brick, however. It may go down as the best feature film based on highschool students ever. Just remember who said it first, ;)

Best New House + 11 other Buildings

2006-01-26T09:43:00.001-05:00

I've always had a love for residential architecture. Couple that with my love of Toronto and you'll understand why it's a pleasant surprise to know that ARTINFO has named a Toronto home the Best House in their 12 New Best Buildings piece. If that wasn't enough Canadiana for you, the Art Collectors’ Residence was designed by Toronto-based Hariri Pontarini Architects.

(Thanks to Kottke for the link).

Vote In Your Best Interest

2006-01-19T11:09:00.000-05:00

Federal elections will take place next Monday, January 23rd after Parliment was disolved following a non-confidence vote against the previoulsy ruling Liberal party. The abrupt end to government last month left many Canadians undecided as to whom to vote for and others decided but unsure.

With that in mind an interesting survey called Canada Votes was passed around the office this morning. After filling out the survey it recommends who you should vote for based on the opinions you agree/disagree with.

I think this is a great idea; even for voters who, like myself, are already decided. There are many other quick surveys out there like this and it's in the country's best interest for you to know your own best interests for the country. So take 5 minutes and check it out. Who knows, you may surprise yourself.

technorati tags: canada, election, survey, derekvaz

Where to Eat in NYC

2006-01-04T12:31:00.000-05:00

I try to visit New York (and my friend Reshma) twice a year. Since it's almost Spring the time is nearing to plan my next trip and thanks to the NY Metro, I'll know some great places to eat.(101 great places actually).

Usra Leedham

2006-01-02T17:02:00.000-05:00

I'm going to see Canadian singer/songstress/pianist, Usra Leedham, perform live this Thursday in West Toronto. I didn't know who she was until a friend invited me to the show on Thursday.

My first impression from viewing her site is that Ms. Leedham has a soulful style that bleeds emotion through sound like a hybrid of Sade and Alicia Keys. But according to the web site her virtuosity runs much deeper so I'm eager to experience it live.

If you are free on January 5th around 8pm come and check her out. Email me directly to get info.

Back to the Grill Again

2006-01-02T00:34:00.000-05:00

It's been a hectic few weeks between late nights at the office and planning for my recent trip to Montreal; which was totally awesome by the way. And yeah, I just said 'totally awesome'. I'm still tripping from the INXS/Bryan Adams/U2 80's set the deejay at the NYE party I went to threw down. He followed it with Main Source. Weird.

New Year, new thoughts:

My new drink is a vodka cranberry. I've been sticking with Jack and "cola beverage" for years but as the liver ages (gracefully) I find the balance between natural frutcose and hard ass Stoly's works great. Besides, real men aren't afraid to hold a pink drink
I'm loving the work from ilovedust and one of their more famous clients, Dave White
If Virgina is for lovers, Montreal is for borderline-underage-lovin; No joke, I can't go back
Flickr, del.icio.us, and Skype blew my mind last year -- and then Yahoo! bought them, so I'm hoping it'll help the creative evil genious in all of us put out great product like those in '06
A special nod to my sister who is now about 5 months shy of having her first child :)
On that note, watch for unclederek.com to spring up once derekvaz.com is completed - It just has a nice ring

I'm back to work on the 3rd and Montreal photos should be up by the 6th or sooner.

Cheers and warm wishes to everyone. May 2006 build on all the goodness of your previous year.

Skype Me

2005-12-09T11:13:00.000-05:00

A few weeks into getting my new Powerbook, I'm very pleased and finding it more and more efficient to manage my day to day tasks. One drawback however is my lack of chat options. Luckily there is Skype. Although it can't leverage the great web cam abilites of iSight and the Mac (tragically only available to iChat/AOL members) but it does allow great voice over IP (aka: talk with friends for free with your computer).

Skype isn't ground breaking news (in fact, it predated Google's IM, Talk); this post is really to let people know they can download it if you need to chat with me for free, overseas or wherever you may be this season.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays all!

CSSexy

2005-12-01T11:39:00.000-05:00

Not sure why I've never linked Sytlegala before. The publication is pretty relevant to the work I do; making savvy, standards-based web interfaces, in case you were wondering. Gallery links are definitley worth a look.

Mac Mini TV?

2005-11-29T09:35:00.000-05:00

Apple may introduce a new Mac Mini with an integrated iPod dock early next year. The report suggests the updated desktop system will come with integrated PVR functionality, an upgrade to Apple's Front Row software (which is essentially a rival to rival Microsoft's Window's Media Center) and an Apple Remote.

Comments

2005-11-26T15:11:00.000-05:00

With readership of this blog (surprisingly) increasing, I've decided to re-enable comments. I've found that my writings are now driven more by the feedback I get rather than just the impulse to put information out there like before. Also, Blogger has introduced new features that make comment spamming virtually impossible. (This is why I shut it down before.)

So please, read and respond at will.

Must...have....beer

2005-11-21T14:51:00.000-05:00

I really need one after working heads down on a crazy Flash-based tool for BMW over the last couple of weeks. Thankfully there's Beer Hunter. (Love the microbrewery markers.)

Kanye West Live

2005-11-10T00:40:00.000-05:00

I just strolled in fresh from attending the Kanye West concert in Toronto, so I want scribble my thoughts down about the entire thing before I forget.

First, let me say that I was skeptic about the show; not because I’m anti-West, moreso because I’m a huge fan of Kanye (and Common, who sadly left the tour to pursue an acting role in a film) and huge fans have high expectations. However the show gladly put my doubts to rest. It was, in one word, engaging. Kanye achieved what every artist must dream of when performing live.

First, he exemplified how broad his musical reach was. Even for Toronto, the crowd was a multicultural mess of people that all seemed like they knew the deal.

Secondly, he sold his new album. I mean he really sold it. The performance made me rethink his approach and develop a new found respect for the man’s diversity and his sophomore effort. I already have the album, but I definitely won’t pause to think now if people ask if I regret the purchase.

Lastly, he put on a damn good show. Picture a hip-hop concert with great visual effects, a solid string sextet, a world-class deejay and a virtuoso backup duet; subtract the poor stage performance, cheesy dance routines and entourage appearances that usually mar a good rap concert and you can begin to imagine tonight’s events at the ACC. Throughout the show he kept the audience engaged (minus a few extended lulls required for wardrobe changes) and showcased his ability for breath-control that rivaled opening act Fantasia from American Idol (who, yes, is surprisingly talented).

Throwbacks to the Eurythmics, Ah-ha, and A Tribe Called Quest, kept things upbeat and humorous while performances of Roses and Crack Music reminded the audience of Kanye’s serious side. Although most of the effort was somewhat of a cinematic performance than an interactive stage show, Kanye made solid attempts to get the crowd revved up by throwing in some playful slights against George W. Bush and The Gap.

Overall, I would highly recommend spending the cash to see the show. As a clear illustration of Kanye’s reach, the thirty-something Director of Usability at my office also attended the show. He’ll hopefully have some pics that I can post up soon. (I really have to get a better cell phone, but that’s another post).

Good show Mr. West.

The Go Team

2005-11-02T14:39:00.000-05:00

Vince: I went to The Go Team concert the other day.

Derek: Who?

Vince: The Go Team. It was a really good show.

Derek: Where was it?

Vince: At The Phoenix.

Derek: Hmm, I'll check'em out.

Conclusion? This is good stuff (and they got a tight web site to boot). I'm sold.

What's in Your Work Space?

2005-10-27T10:15:00.000-04:00

Looking around my desk space at work, I still feel like its lacking some character. Working for a design agency, it’s pretty easy to spot some creative work spaces and ‘borrow’ some ideas so here’s a rundown of what’s in and around people’s desks at my office.

A lot of people stock their desks with plants, books, and assortments of funky table lamps. Some people have designer vinyl toys. (I don’t have any but I have my eye on one.) An inexpensive alternative to designer vinyls are Readymech’s free paper toys. A friend gave me a travel Connect Four, which draws much attention but never really gets used. (Not that I don’t like it but I just can’t seem to win.)

Whatever I get, I’ll have a tough time building on the centerpiece of my desk. If you have any ideas, let me know.

Movie Review - Kingdom of Heaven

2005-10-24T12:51:00.000-04:00

Over the last few weeks I’ve been truly amazed at the emails I’ve been getting from people who make this blog part of their morning read. So in thanks for the support, I figure that I should have more informative posts and try to reduce, to some degree, the amount of posts that are just accounts of my life. For me this is an exciting transition since, in the spirit of Jason Kottke, I want this publication to grow to be an avenue of resource to all kinds of people, regarding all kinds of topics.

That being said, I will be adding movie reviews once in a while. Last night I saw Kingdom of Heaven, a Ridley Scott epic set between the second and third Crusades. The film is Orlando Bloom’s first leading role. Despite the doubts I had about his ability to carry a film and the possible heavy political undertones that make some Hollywood movies a bit too preachy, I have to say the movie ranks right up there with Scott’s other masterpieces (Blackhawk Down, Gladiator). The movie’s acceleration makes Bloom’s blacksmith turned savvy war strategist character a little unbelievable (unlike Maximus Decimus Meridias in Gladiator). Bloom goes from man unable to beat his aged father (played by Liam Neeson) in a practice duel to a man of great sword skill in what seems like a matter of months.

Other than that, the movie seems flawless, carefully extolling the story of Jerusalem circa 1100 as it is viewed by both Christians and Muslims of the time. (The Jewish relation is kept out of the story line, so as not to further complicate the already intricate plot). The battle scenes we’ve come to expect from Scott that are both gruesome and poetic cinematography at it’s finest (lots of flaming projectiles) are present as well. Historians will laud the effort of Scott to make the Muslim attack to recapture the Holy City both understandable and respectable. However, they will also probably not agree with the rather corrupt view of the Christian will at the time. (The 2-disc set contains great bonus features that compare the movies events to their factual counterparts and interviews with cast and crew.)

Overall, Kindom of Heaven displays Scott’s ability to poetically craft both character and battle and delivers a great story over a very controversial subject matter with respect and without the weight of a political agenda. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

A Bad Day Turned Good

2005-10-17T10:44:00.000-04:00

Being that it’s Monday the day didn’t start out well. Then I remembered that I would have to make a bank run because I needed to buy a weekly pass for the subway which inevitably made me late for work. On the way out of the bank I nearly t-boned a Ford Explorer and the gentleman behind the wheel was more than annoyed by that. Finally, I made it to the subway only to find the person just ahead of me bought the very last weekly pass. On a global perspective nothing here is really anything to complain about but when wrapped up in your own comfortable, North American life cogs like this can break a lesser man down.
Fortunately, things turned around very quickly. The nice man behind the booth at my subway stop decides to let me through the turnstiles free and tells me that I can get my pass as the next station, no worries. A simple gesture like that put me back in good spirits immediately. This is something that I’ve always stressed; that people in the service industry truly have the power to really change people’s outlook, even if only for a day or a few hours. And if you can change people’s outlook, you’re really a catalyst in changing the world (for better or worse).

Trip Pics

2005-10-15T23:10:00.000-04:00

I’ve started adding pictures to Flickr from my recent trip to Europe. More will go up once I sort through them all and select the best ones. I can’t wait to travel to Spain and France again.

Also, I’ve begun reading The Zahir, Paulo Coelho’s latest novel which is coincidentally set in France and Spain.

Doing Vuel Thanks

2005-10-10T13:13:00.000-04:00

I am back and I want to take a moment to talk about my flights to, from, and inside Europe since a few people have been asking.
My best flight experience was on Vueling (pronounced voo-el-ing). The Spanish discount airline flies nothing like a discount airline. Their model-esque flight crew fluently spoke Spanish, Catalan, French and English and was as courteous as Santa on Christmas day. I was impressed at the airlines economical non-ticket based system which takes bookings through phone and Internet only (North American charters take note, please) and the brand spanking new planes they use as well. The little things like playing St. Germaine during landing and take-off and providing easy to understand and visually appealing safety instructions (which I actually read for once) also played a factor.
My flight over with Zoom was less than accommodating due to long delays and a less than friendly flight crew. However, the flight crew on the returning flight from Paris greatly made up for their counterparts’ shortcomings.

2005-10-08T21:12:00.000-04:00

At Sacre Coeur, Montmartre, Paris

Seeing Frank´s Work

2005-10-02T09:43:00.000-04:00

I am thinking of taking an overnight trip to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim. I have been advised by Sierra, one of the lovely receptionists at Kabul hostel where I am staying, that it wouldn´t be worth it because of the time it would take to go and come back and the fact that my flight to Paris is on Tuesday...but of course I am stubborn and I think an overnight trip on a bus shouldn´t be too bad...I got over the overnight flight from Toronto to Paris in a day and after a week I have become very comfortable with travelling again. (My family was once very nomadic.)

Some random thoughts while I am here...Catalan is a mix of Castillian (Spanish) and French...Picasso lost his virginity to a prostitute, the Picaso Museum will gladly direct you to the brothel...Gaudi is exploited by everyone here to sell as much books, pamphlets, drawings, possible pieces of his own very hair, etc, as possible but thankfully his work outshines all of that...when you order red wine with food it is meant to be very dry...Zara is alledgedly up to 30-60% cheaper...the locals think I am Spanish or Catalan which makes me the least unlikley target of pick-pockets and the sort, the tourists think I am a pick pocketer...you can walk into the most expensive couture shop in Barcelona dressed in a t-shirt and shorts and no one will cast a wary eye at you, Barcelona is the most welcoming city I have been in...Tapas are overrated and oily for the most but the seafood dishes here are some of the best in the world if you are willing to pay for it...the minimalist architecture is best exemplified by the small bars in Bari Gotic, dark wood floors, deep red walls, orange lighting are mixed with Van der Rohe like simple long bars, low square chairs and great use of glass and stainless steel, I wish I could take a picture of everyone I see...

Last random thought of the day...my laundry is done and has to go in the dryer.

Sunday Quiet Sunday

2005-10-02T06:29:00.000-04:00

While the entire Catalan region seems to come out on Saturday, Sunday is a ghost town in Barcelona. After an almost mandatory night on the town including some interesting and expensive Barcelona clubs I find myself a tired man. I guess everyone sleeps in on Sunday but I am awake as I have lots of errands to run. My camera is full of pictures from the Parc Citadel, Mount Jouic and all the exploits of Gaudi. I have laundry to do as well.

I have had the great company of three amigos from Brazil that have taught me some Porteguese, some of which is not so repeatable in front of women who understand the languauge.

My time again on the Internet is running short. I will check in from Paris and hopefully be able to articulate my experience better there after some much needed rest.

Tired Feet

2005-09-30T12:34:00.000-04:00

I feel I´ve been almost everywhere in Barcelona... on foot. From the unfinished Guaid cathedral, Sangra Famillia, where I climbed to the top of the 250m tower, to the Olympic Stadium, through the Museum of Contemparary art in bustling and vibrant El Raval and down to the Medeterainan for a midnight dip. (By the way, spellcheck only works in Catalan or Espanol here).

Again, I have tonnes of pictures but they won´t be up till I get to my friend´s in Paris at the earliest.

Thanks for all who have sent emails. It truly is a good time in Barcelona and I wish you were all here to experience what I have. Everyone is very cultured and savvy in their own way from the skateboarding street kids to the upscale fashonistas and everyone in between. It´s easy to make out a tourist not from Europe...just look for the guy who isn´t dressed as smart as everyone else.

Well, I must get going. I might take flight to Madrid or Valencia or Bilbao before I go back to Paris. I have been doing quite well with my budget so I´m thinking of staying in a funky boutique hotel somewhere...something that is not so hard to find in this amazing country.

Hola!

2005-09-28T05:57:00.000-04:00

I am in Barcelona! I landed last night at around 12am from Paris, CDG. I am doing okay despite some restless sleep. I have already seen some amazing things while here, beer sold for 1Euro by kids to young to drink them, some amazing architecture and the Cathedral in the Barri Gothique (sp?)

I also spent a day in Paris with a friend I went to highschool with. I understand now why she enjoys Paris so much after the personal tour she gave me. It wasn´t my first time to Paris but it felt like it after seeing parts of the Latin Quarter, a very discreet Holocaust Memorial right next to the Notre Dame and grabbing a bite in Montmarte.

I have not heard English in 2 days...except for the lady next to me who just asked me what day it was in Catalan and then English after I gave her blank stare as a response. She was shocked to find out it was not the 29th. (Glad to know that even across the globe, people make the same mistakes I do.)

Anyhow, I am of to the Musee Picasso. I´ll try to post as much as possible and hopefully get a few pics up.

Cheers,

Derek

Tablet Hotels

2005-09-23T11:03:00.000-04:00

I'm headed off to Paris and Barcelona next week. Like anyone else, the last few days before my trip has involved a lot of research. What am I going to do? Where will I shop and eat? And, why didn't I see this before I booked my accomodations?!

Tablet Hotels is a great online experience for browsing some really outstanding and unique hotels worldwide. Their team hand picks each of these hotels, mostly all of which are independant.

The design of the experience is as outstanding as their concept. I especially like the entry points 'I know my destination' and 'I just want to get away' which pretty much covers most personas. Some other great features include

guarantees that make the ecommerce experience safe and comfortable

specials listed in a clean and non-gimmick like fashion

top ten lists that engage users in an informative manner

the only travel solution site I've seen that utilises RSS to push customised information to users

In such a saturated industry it's refreshing to see a company execute their interactive experience so well.

Switching Sides (Not like that)

2005-09-22T10:47:00.000-04:00

Lately, friends and family have been making their own assumptions about why I am switching to a Mac computer this Fall after 20 years of using a desktop or notebook PC. (Yes 20 years even given my tender age). When I tell them the response is along the lines of “Oh – you want something that looks cool?” Yes and no. I’m a fan of anything that looks unique but only if it has equal or greater functional purpose.

The real answer comes from stability and overall user experience. After my own trial period (I have both a Mac and a PC at work) I have found that my Mac is far more reliable in terms of system stability (see: no crashing, freezing, or choking) thanks to Mac OSX being UNIX based. As well it’s extremely intuitive to use and allows me access the same type of functionality that I need from my PC.

Apple’s also uniquely famous for the thought and effort they put into the industrial design of their products (“the cool factor?”) although companies like Dell are starting to catch up. Examples include clear notification for things like standby mode, easily accessible ports and drives, smartly crafted accessories such as power cords and mice, and – a key selling factor for me – superb battery life for their notebooks.

In addition, as the Internet grows to be a steadier provider of services that used to be relegated to the OS (photo management and task tracking being examples) it has been easier to make the switch.

I could go on but, really, Apple isn’t paying me for this. I just wanted to have my reasons documented somewhere so when I get the “A Mac?” retort, I can just point people here.

If you’ve decided to switch check out this Macworld guide to helping you buy a Mac.

Lord of War

2005-09-21T14:31:00.000-04:00

I caught 'Lord of War' last night. It's a great film that has the unique ability to allow you to appreciate the very serious consequences of arms dealing without being preachy or overbearing. I dislike Nicholas Cage's acting in general but he shines through in this film with an almost comical and empathetic 'Guns don't kill people, people kill people' mentality. Highly recommended.

Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone

2005-09-21T14:16:00.000-04:00

On Sept 26th I'm going on vacation to Europe; Paris and Barcelona to be more precise. On the same day Yahoo! Correspondent Kevin Sites will set out a totally different trip. Here's an excerpt from the official Yahoo! press release.

"On September 26, veteran war correspondent Kevin Sites will embark on a year-long journey as a solo journalist to cover every armed conflict in the world. This initiative will bring some of the worldÂs most important, yet under-reported, stories exclusively to Yahoo!'s global audience, and aims to set new standards for gathering, delivering and telling these important stories."

http://hotzone.yahoo.com/

LinkEd

2005-09-14T14:32:00.000-04:00

Daily discussions with my good friend Edward out in Portland always lead to some interesting links exchanged. Here's some from today. Thanks bud.

- Celebrity Jeopardy archive
- St. Alfred street couture in Chi-town
- Superfuture (resourceful city guide)

iPod Nano

2005-09-07T14:22:00.000-04:00

Apple unveiled it's newest iPod today. I'm sure you'll be seeing this in more places than you care to look over the next few days.

Immediate benefits
- size
- weight
- 'sexy' black model
- colour screen
- no hard drive
- photos

Downsides
- shorter battery life than the (now discont'd) Mini by 2hrs
- flash memory NOT user upgradable

Entourage

2005-09-06T18:03:00.000-04:00

So people are finally coming around to something I realised a couple of years ago. Entourage is possibly the most entertaining series on TV. (Notice I said 'most entertaining', not 'best' -- big difference). I see Six Feet Under type of potential here with the fan base after the season finale. Like when Rush of Blood to the Head suddenly catapulted Coldplay to mainstream fame. Yeah, on that level.

The show is like one quick-witted punch after another with solid performances from all characters, but most notably Jeremy Piven as "like me or f--- you" power agent Ari Gold. Season Two just wrapped and I'm giddy like a school boy named Schven for Season 3.

Shopgirl

2005-08-17T16:28:00.000-04:00

Steve Martin wrote a book named Shopgirl. It’s now a movie starring (drumroll) Steve Martin, as well as Claire Danes and Jason Schwartzman. Looks pretty good but I’ll reserve judgment for when I’m finished the book.

The Vanishing Point

2005-08-16T15:09:00.000-04:00

What happens to countries that we don’t hear about in the news? Effectively, they vanish. [Courtesy of infosthetics.]

How Mighty?

2005-08-15T10:57:00.000-04:00

I was surprised to hear that Apple's new industrial wonder, the curiously named Mighty Mouse, has no tactile feedback.

The mouse with "single button looks" doesn't actually even have any buttons at all. Instead, users are presented with a smooth oval like interface that 'clicks' (via a noise from a tiny speaker inside) when depressed where a left/right mouse button would be. The lack of tactile feedback surprises me given that it's well known in Human Factors to be an excellent, if not the most powerful, means of feedback in pointing devices. The fact that my mouse clicks gives me a sharpened sense of selection as this York University study suggests.

For a less complex example of the power of tactile response think about all the times you used that little divot in your headphones to ensure you're putting them on right or when you fiddle around with the controls in your car. Even fumbling around in your pocket a fraction of a second longer allows you to almost subconsciously differentiate your keys.

While Apple's decision to not include real tactile feedback in the Mighty Mouse may not terribly detract from the user experience I have a feeling that it just may not feel the same. Seeing as how picky users are, this could make or break what is otherwise is a good product.

Looks ARE (almost) everything

2005-08-12T10:04:00.000-04:00

In web sites.

Just ask CNN.

I guess I can't say I never read CNN anymore, huh?

(PS / New York travel log still coming...)

Back to New Yawk

2005-06-29T15:53:00.000-04:00

Headed off to the Big Apple to shop at the big Apple, relax at Triple Crown, stroll through the Met, and just relax after a hectic couple of weeks at work.

I'll be posting a journal from NYC, hopefully with pics.

Cheers!

Selling the Ride

2005-06-25T16:26:00.000-04:00

95 Civic LX. $4495. Very good condition. New exhaust, winter tires, timing belt (at 130k), rust-proofed. 190k (highway kms). Dealer maintained. Bonus Kenwood CD deck included.

Call (905) 781-0091 before it's gone.

Music Picks

2005-06-07T23:53:00.000-04:00

Picked up bunch of CDs over the last little while so I thought I would share them with you.

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Quasimoto - The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
Audioslave - Out of Exile
Madvillain - Madvillainy*

*Okay, it's not that new but I had to plug it again. The Madlib/MFDoom collaboration is easily one of my top 3 favourite rap albums of all time.

Class Debate

2005-06-07T23:46:00.000-04:00

The New York Times has a very interesting read on social classes, the gaps between them, and how generations bridge those gaps. The graphics are profound illustrations of both the message in the article and the greatness of the Times' ability to report information in a concise and interesting manner.

Taste of Toronto

2005-06-01T10:49:00.000-04:00

Second Harvest takes excess organic foods and distributes them to various social services in the GTA. They are holding their annual Taste of Toronto this June. With all the "run for --insert charity --" going on this summer, an "eat for -- insert charity --" is a welcome alternative.

Vanilla Bean Blogging

2005-05-29T20:59:00.000-04:00

Second Cup finally caught up. After staying true to the Canadian coffee house (over the other mother) it's good to know they are finally offering wireless access. Which means yours truly can enjoy two of his favorite things - coffee with friends and the Internet - in one convenient location. The service is currently free, but not for long.

Open up!

2005-05-27T14:12:00.000-04:00

Probably one of the least publicized but most awesome annual events in the city is back. Doors Open unlocks and opens the door to almost 150 buildings in Toronto for the general public. But only this weekend!

Get Guerrilla

2005-05-19T09:04:00.000-04:00

I don't ever want to come off as too political. Not because I don't have convictions but because I try to make a concerted effort to understand the motivations behind others convictions. That requires, sometimes, a gentle approach to opposing views. But sometimes it's necessary to get just downright rambunctious with the truths of this world.

The Great Bob Hunter

2005-05-16T12:53:00.000-04:00

Like many others, Bob Hunter was simply the man who read me (video) the best parts of the paper. Working at home today in my bathrobe reminded me of him and, more importantly, lead me to find out more about how he was more than just a man in a bathrobe.

The Real MVP

2005-05-10T17:05:00.000-04:00

I've been a basketball junkie since I was 10. That being said I know Nash is a Canuck, and he is all deserving of his MVP nod, but the real MVP on the Suns is this man(-child).

For those that watch. I need say no more.

Friday Nights

2005-05-07T18:15:00.000-04:00

It's my summer resolution to avoid Friday night outings. Personally, some of Toronto's best parties are on Thursday anyhow. And Saturday always has something good to offer. So Friday nights are dedicated to some rest and a good flick. Or two. Or a great classic. Cheers to Friday.

T.O's top 25 meal deals

2005-04-28T14:59:00.000-04:00

Eat great. Numbers 3, 7, 16 & 17 on the list are personally recommended.

Thursday Morning Browsing

2005-04-28T10:16:00.000-04:00

When it's rainy and blah outside it makes for a lot of good surfing time.

Check out Torontonian's opinons about the recent national budget deal between the Liberals and the NDP.

Take a trip for the weekend (if you live in T.O., Ottawa, or Montreal).

Find the perfect color for you.

And finally.... find out when it's going to stop raining while standing in the rain.

Cell Your Soul

2005-04-20T10:57:00.000-04:00

Do you have an unused cell phone lying around? Put it to good use.

A Better Bottle

2005-04-19T21:28:00.000-04:00

I usually don't like to spread the word already posted abroad but when it is about design gone good, I can't help myself. Here's a little story that must be read about Graphic Designer Deborah Adler who redesigned one of the world's staple industrial products (and problems), the pill bottle.

(Thanks QBN)

More Derek (yay!)

2005-04-04T21:26:00.000-04:00

It figures that it would take me getting landing a great gig in interface development before I actually got my personal site up and running. Nonetheless, I am even more inspired by the selected exceptional talents that are my new co-workers to finally get things going on derekvaz.com. Expect a May launch of this site and please don't hesitate to hold me to it.

The Great Che?

2005-03-27T19:26:00.000-05:00

I finally got the chance to see The Motorcycle Diaries the other day. I have to say that it was as compelling and inspiring as I thought it would be and would recommend it to anyone interested in Che Guevara or just interested in a good story about two friends travelling around South America.

Being the skeptic that I am these days, I took some time to research more about Dr. Guevara to a get a better view of the man than the romantic portrayal of him in this movie.

After reading about Che's life it seems that he, like most of us, was as much of hero to some as he was an enemy to others. There is no doubt portions of his life were inspiring to many, as that of Mahatma Ghandi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were. However, the actions of these "great" men over their entire life seriously leads me to believe something that I am just starting to understand about humanity. That possibly, there are no truly great people, only people who have, at times, done truly great things. And that, I think, is something that could help us all realise the potential in ourselves to be better people.

Luce et Studio

2005-03-24T10:04:00.000-05:00

During my regular morning reading I came across a great article about Nissan's new design studio in Michican and was elated to read that the architect was none other than Montreal's own Jennifer Luce. Call me a sucker for a Canucker but it's great to see Canadian born (and educated) people making a big impact in big places.

Since you've been gone...

2005-03-19T02:42:00.000-05:00

Hallelujah! I'm not the only one.

The Rule of 3

2005-03-17T10:56:00.000-05:00

I have a philosophy for getting new books based on the number 3. As many know 3 is a naturally occurring number. It is a prime number, a Fibonacci number, a triangular number. There are three pigs, three bears, and the Holy Trinity (or Quad including Oprah). Three is also the number of distinct suggestions it takes for me to purchase a book. Now, after finishing another great book, I'm asking for your suggestions. Here's the plan: Post a comment suggesting a book and the first three distinct comments that suggest the same book will be my next read. Happy suggesting!

Free Toronto

2005-03-13T22:07:00.000-05:00

A friend tipped me to Royson James' recent article about why Toronto is at the forefront of the world's great capitals and why that status is decaying. A great read for citizens of this amazing city.

Good music, Good life

2005-03-11T20:21:00.000-05:00

First week at work went great. Especially when you have good music to get you through it. Music can also make the ride home nice, if there is a ride home.

Blast On

2005-03-03T21:28:00.000-05:00

I join the Interface Development team at Blast Radius Toronto on Monday. I'll miss my old stomping grounds as a UI Developer at Workbrain but I'm excited about the opportunity at Blast. If you know any of their work, and you probably do, you'll know why.