Driving on the left or right...

The Strange Maps blog has a map of which countries drive on the left and which drive on the right.

They also go through a great explanation on why some countries drive on the left and some on the right. And, as they say in the entry,

the story of left or right hand side driving is more than just a derivative of British Imperialism.

Response to Mr. Jerz on getting people involved in blogging

Mr. Jerz made this post awile ago. I really wanted to comment on this but because of some madness in my life I havent made the time. I am hopping back into the blogoshere and one of the first things I want to do is comment on this because I'm glad that he is doing this. Specifically I want to respond to his question of

How can we – the bloggers and readers in Northern Nevada – get more people to enter this conversation and become a part of our world?

What I imagine is a segment that is a standard news segment, with stories taken from posts that you see as important and that havent been covered in other parts of their news cast. Have you ever listened to the Slashdot Review Podcast? Basically it is just a guy reading Slashdot posts. It feels very professional and like a normal radio tech show.

This would start getting people to see how much information there is out there that is useful and easily consumed. To help get them to feel like they could be involved (turning some of those lurkers into participators) you can also call out in your stories insightful comments. This would let people see that they dont have to have their own site to easily participate.

Slashdot review is actually how I got involved in blogs. I am interested in tech stuff and didnt have a desk job then so Slashdot Review let me keep abreast of what was going on. There were a couple stories I felt I had a worthy comment to make so I created a Slashdot account and commented. Then I just because more interested in what other sources of info there were like that and now I have my own blog.

So, thats my 2 cents.

Frank Zappa on CNN Crossfire 1986

The blog by Anthony Volodkin who runs the Hype Machine has a post of 2 videos he found on Google Video and iFilm of Frank Zappa on CNNs Crossfire in 1986!!

Link to Anthony's original post.

Videos:

Sunset. Winnemucca, February 3, 2007

Sunset. Winnemucca, February 3, 2007, originally uploaded by Zack Sheppard.

Best viewed Large and on Black

The sky didnt look like it was going to put on a show despite the great clouds in the sky. It was just grey grey grey. Then the sky went from almost all grey to this within about 1 minute. Luckily I happened to be traveling over the mighty Humboldt River right then.

Lost and Overwhelmed

I gotta go back, originally uploaded by Zack Sheppard.

2/1/07
I've been doing good, but today I feel like I'm going to puke.

I had a hard week last week. One of my best friends died. That is why I have been MIA on the Inkernets. Just like your body pulls blood into your core when you are cold to keep your vital organs warm, I have pulled close to my close friends to keep warm.

My mind is a jumble. I am sad he is gone. Happy to see how much he affected people and how highly people thought of him. Worried about those he left behind.

This is just the kind of thing that I would normally go to Aaron with. He and I were alike enough that when we talked, even when we didn't say it right, we trusted that the other knew what we meant. A rare gift in a friend or family member.

An example (that meant a lot to me):

I have always been able to get along with lots of different people very well and my ultimate dream is to get whatever that is that I think is special/different/whatever out to the world in a book. I rarely tell people this because it sounds so damn silly, even to those who know me. I remember everything about when I told Aaron because, the look on his face, and the way he said, "You gotta DO that!"

I knew he really believed in me and saw what I see in myself more than my family, more than girls that had loved me, more than anyone I had ever told that too. I decided right there that I would dedicate the book to him.

And Im not going to tell you "that is even more true now that he is gone" or some shit. My book will be dedicated to Aaron Guilbert because of the person he was, pure and simple. He does not need death to deserve memorium.

I love you and miss you Aaron, and I will probably talk about you again here.

(Aaron took the shot above)