Via Lifehacker, the argument that in the modern online age, the ability to focus is the new work ethic.  Distractions like Twitter, blogs, social  networks, online news, etc. all compete for our attention.  The ability to tune them out and get some work done is the new definition of “hard work” - something very different from what our parents thought of as “hard work.”

Work Ethic 2.0: Attention Control, by Mike Egan

As I type this I have six tabs open in Firefox, Mail.app in the background, Twitterfic in my menu bar, Adium logged onto five IM networks, and iTunes downloading three podcasts. I know a lot of programmers and such who pride ourselves on being about work on mutiple projects at the same time, but perhaps we also need to be sure we can get focus in on something without any distractions .

Finally got around to trying the new coffee shop across the street from my office building.  This place is on the southwest corner of 39th and Rainbow in KCK.  The coffee is good and pastries are un-supersized.  If you don’t like your scones the size of Big Macs, this is the place for you.

Here is a bizarre IM conversation I just had with M. Toast about a swastika she found in Waldo.  Looks like the Prairie Village White Pride might be trying to expand their turf eastward.

The NY Times list of 2008’s top busswords includes such goodies as the Terrorist Fist Jab, Caribou Barbie, Nuke the Fridge, Photobombing, and many more.

Matt Blunt campaign sign in a dumpster at 39th and Bell.

ItDied.com is a new site that aims to track those web sites and services that have gone up to the big server farm in the sky.  2009 ought to be a busy year for this site.

November started out with massive, San Francisco-style fog. Here’ s a shot looking west down 39th Street.

40,000 people showed up to listen to Barack Obama at MU last night.

Bars can sell beer to go.