Category Archives: Personal

Have I Really Never Been to Ohio?

Posted on March 6, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

As far as I can recall, I've never been to Ohio. Somehow, that seems like a strange gap.

bold the states you've been to, underline the states you've lived in and italicize the state you're in now…

Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C /

Go HERE to have a form generate the HTML for you.

Of the places I've lived in the USA, my favorites are easily Chicago and Washington, D.C., although I also had a very good time in Boulder, and New Haven wasn't that bad either. And if the circumstances were different I suspect I'd like Northern California a lot better next time. I have somewhat mixed feelings about South Florida: there's lots to like, not least the intellectual strength of the Miami faculty, but there's stuff not to like too. For one thing, it's a long plane ride from all the other places I like.

Posted in Personal | 5 Comments

That’s A New One

Posted on January 29, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

I've been called many, many things in my life, but “whimsically surnamed”? That's new.

Posted in Personal | 2 Comments

My. Goodness.

Posted on January 1, 2005 by Michael Froomkin

One of my pronounced character traits, some might call them obsessions but what do they know, is a certain devotion to comparison shopping. It started with computer equipment, even involving a two-year subscription to Computer Shopper in its big fat heyday, but now extends to quality and price comparisons when buying pretty much anything other than dinner for two that costs more than about $50. One of my wife's few imperfections is making fun of this noble devotion to social wealth maximization in which I do my bit to ensure that we have the toughest most competitive market for everyone's enjoyment.

I can sort of understand how this predilection might have seemed mildly annoying in days of yore: trooping to stores to look for models that were randomly in stock, perusing out-of-date Consumer Reports for reports that proved to be on models no longer sold, well, it took time, and sometimes we needed it now. Here as elsewhere, however, the Internet changes everything. Comparison shopping online is much efficient, although no faster since if the ease of information acquisition increases geometrically, the amount of information (and mis-information) increases exponentially. So it still takes a little while. But it's more fun. And I can do it late at night.

All of which is prompted by the observation that the vacuum cleaner is dying.

So as I'm starting up another round of happy hunting, I find this description of a vacuum cleaner, yes a vacuum cleaner, that kinda makes you want to run out and try one, and kinda makes you want to hide under the bed:

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Posted in Personal, Shopping | 6 Comments

EFF Names Advisory Board

Posted on November 23, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

I've joined the Electronic Frontier Foundation's first Advisory Board. There are some amazing people in the group—it's flattering to be in such good company. My only worry is that California is a long way away…I think I'll be doing a lot of phone conferences alas. Media coverage at The Register (blush). Full text of EFF's press release below.

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Posted in Personal | 3 Comments