(I don't usually take to my blog when I feel wronged by a company, but after all it is the traditional recourse when appeals to customer service fail. Feel free to skip this post if you aren't domain shopping.)

I registered a domain with Marcaria last year because they were one of the few options for .ps domains. (Normally I would have gone with Gandi or NameCheap.) They were offering, and are still offering, $49 as an "annual price" for .ps domains. That's their wording. You can see it on their live site as of this moment, although of course they may change it after publication.

And then yesterday I went to renew.

Read more

Ruminating more on what my ideal social network would achieve, I realize that it really comes down to one thing: Offline social networks ("meatspace", interacting with friends and acquaintances in person) are pretty amazing, and our current online social networks do a terrible job of replicating this. I'd like to capture some of what I think we're missing, without losing sight of what we also gain.

Read more

I want social space online, but none of the social media software currently in existence meets my needs. Beyond that, I believe that many of the offerings are actively harmful to privacy, security, and democracy. I know many people feel the same way, but can't opt out for lack of alternatives. Clearly it's time to build something new. Something that's useful, effective, and responsible, but also attractive. What elements will it need?

Read more

Do you hear everyone talking about enjoying these flaky crustaceans, but are too embarrassed to try one because you don't know how to eat them? Don't worry, it's simple. Use this simple guide and you can walk with confidence into the nearest café.

Read more

You've probably seen cool time-lapse videos of plants growing. Probably also videos of sunflowers moving to track the sun. But do you have a sense of how fast they actually grow and move? It's surprisingly close to the limits of human perception.

Read more