I am in the process of writing an article about Visual Thinking, which is in turn a set up for a wider conversation about how we typically 'think' about presenting information for others to absorb.

For example, have you ever noticed that when you get an excel spreadsheet - the cells are 'bottom of cell' aligned. Drives me nuts.

The sad thing is how little importance is given to how presentations can be better understood by more people through the visual language that gets used, rather than 'this is the way I do it' mentality.

I intend to write more on this - because as an ardent fan of Edward Tufte - I think it is important for better mutual understanding and idea sharing.

For a reference of some of the peeve's that I have - look no further than here ...

But there will be more to come. Soon. Here.

By the way - if you can't read the information on that image at the top of the post, it is taken from a Tufte poster - you can see it - and others - better here.

I knew there had be one.

Well I would say to any one of my kids and any children in this country that Donald Trump and I are committed to a safer and more prosperous future for their family. The weak and feckless foreign policy that Hillary Clinton promises to continue has literally caused wider areas of the world to spin apart.

and then ...

The rise of terrorist threats that have inspired violence here at home, and we’ve seen an erosion of law and order in our streets. And we’ve seen opportunities and jobs evaporate and even leave Ohio and leave this country. I would say to any of our kids that if Donald Trump and I have the chance to serve in the White House that we're going to work everyday for a stronger, safer and more prosperous America.

and then more .....

Pence - when asked by an eleven year old about her self image.

Really?

Would love to read/see/hear how anyone can argue against this.

Back in the day, because I knew a little bit more about technology than other family members, I was the defacto 'go to' dude for technical support. You all know what I mean. Interestingly, more often than not, a fix could be achieved by the  simple 'switch it all off - switch it all on again' 'command'.

At a similar time, I remember a friend getting out of her corporate marketing role, to follow her dream of becoming an artist. A couple of years later, I asked how it was all going. Oh great she answered - loving every minute of it. I just wish I could sell more.

I offered to help and asked for a copy of her marketing and sales plan.

'Oh, I don't have one' she replied.' Give me a few days, I will send it to you.'

This is someone who had spent her life working in large corporations, developing and implementing marketing plans for a living. That was the reason she was paid 'the big bucks'. But when it came to her own business, despite everything she knew. she hadn't done it - and couldn't work out why sales were so poor.

So, back to that technical support question. For the past two days, this service that I am writing on has been down. I submitted tickets to the provider. I asked for help in a community and nothing - until Andy Sylvester responded with 

When I see problems like this, one thing I do is to reboot the server.

Of course!  The simple 'switch it all off - switch it all on again' 'command'. How quickly we forget even the simplest of things. Thank-you Andy. And I think I know understand a little better what happened to my friend the artist!

Just some of the one liners from him today ....

Right from the outset, there was bad news for Trump: His mic worked. 

Looking for a glimmer of hope? TV ratings for this debate were down 20%. (Apparently a lot of people weren't able to replace the TVs they shot during the first debate.) 

The long-predicted Trump pivot finally arrived. He went nuclear.

 Read All About It.

Blaming ad blocking and tracking protection on the companies providing them is like blaming pharmaceuticals for treating diseases. People use ad blockers and tracking protection for the same reason they use umbrellas and sunblock: to protect themselves from something they don't want.

via Doc Searls

Great article from Doc - and I agree with him - BUT - I still think we need to be careful about our terms. 'Ad blocker' has become a universal term that IMHO favors the Ad Tech industry. Their defense is that they need to advertise - why should be block them. 

We should call them what they really are. Tracker Blockers.

I don’t mind ads being served to me - if that helps pay the bills for my free content. What I object to is those ads tracking me - storing my data and my movements around the web and selling that info on. Which is why they are putting those trackers in.

To prove my point - here is an ad for MailButler

MailButler is great. If you use Apple Mail, you should really take a closer look. It's free to try out - click here to see what I mean.

Please note - this ^^^ is an ad. Simple though it is, an ad it is. Promoting Mailbutler. No 'ad blocker' is going to block this ad  -because 'ad blockers are 'tracker blockers' - and there is no tracking in this ad.

Via Paris Lemon

Funny. Here is a short extract.

Clinton: I want to do all kinds of things. I want to do good things. There’s nothing we can't do together, you and me Patrice. I want to work with people of all ethnicities. I want to heal the country. Make it a better place. For you and for me and the entire human race. And our children. And grandchildren.

and then

Trump: This country’s going to shit. Healthcare costs are going up. We made Iran great again. We get killed on trade—an $800 billion deficit last year. We’re gonna make great trade deals. We’re gonna bring back law and order. Did you hear about those policemen that were shot today? We need justice. I want to fix the blacks in the cities. I want to fix the Latinos, Hispanics, etc. I want to make them great again. Make America great again.

Read the whole thing here.

... including Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards. Pete Townsend, Roger Daltrey and of course Canadian Neil Young.

America's only defense was Bob Dylan.

I think Ronnie Wood at 69 is the only one under 70.

Welcome to the Palm Springs retirement home for genteel musicians

... Mick Jagger

Read All About It. (There are some great photos)

BTW - a couple of days after I published this post - Dylan got the Nobel.

#JustSayin

Written about this before - writing about it again.

That list includes …

• Ted Cruz of Texas
• Roy Blunt of Missouri
• Richard Burr of North Carolina
• Ron Johnson of Wisconsin
• John McCain of Arizona
• David Perdue of Georgia
• Rob Portman of Ohio
• Marco Rubio of Florida
• Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker
• Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin
• Kevin McCarthy of California
• Steve Scalise of Louisiana
• Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington

A while back, I posted this.

More recently, the Guardian had this ....

Actor and director Robert de Niro gives his take on the US presidential election, and on Republican nominee Donald Trump in particular, as part of a campaign urging people to vote in the 8 November poll. De Niro is one of a number of celebrities who took part in the #VoteYourFuture initiative but his scathing contribution was considered to be too partisan to be included in the final campaign, and was instead released separately by the producers on Friday

Read All About It.

In case you were wondering - I am with Robert.

These people are so far on the wrong side of history …

It's a beautiful morning. Just thought I would share.

Every year, UEA - my alma mater - has a global reunion. I attended my first one last week. I cannot believe that there were so many people that attended my University in the sleepy town of Norwich, East Anglia (that's in England folks) .... that now live in the Bay Area !

If you have an aversion to hearing Cruz's voice - and I do understand - then scroll through to the start of minute 2. 

Trevor Noah absolutely nails it.

Watch It All Here.

Just 7 LINKS to share today.

Apple Insider

Patently Apple

Engadget

Mac Rumors 

BGR

The Verge

BGR

To save you the click through - they are all about a Samsung 7 bursting into flames. Old news you might think. Actually - no. These links all point to today's story of how this one is one of the replacement phones that were exchanged for a faulty one!

You cannot make this stuff up - and I will say it again - IF THIS WAS APPLE - the mainstream media wouldn't have time to cover the election, because there would be so much coverage about Apple's problems.

A National Security Agency (NSA) contractor has been arrested and charged with stealing highly classified information, U.S. authorities said Wednesday, a data breach that could result in a damaging new leak about the U.S. government’s surveillance efforts.
The contractor worked for Booz Allen Hamilton.

.. and no - it wasn't Edward Snowden. It’s another one that Juan Cole explores in this excellent read.

All I am wondering is how long it will be before BAH is sued, charged, anything over placing spies into the Government.

If not that - then maybe at least stopping them from working with the Government?

#JustAsking