June 2007 - Posts
Big storms hit NYC last night, giving me another chance to try to take some lightning photos. These are the best two I got.
The argument is that if people weren't stealing movies online they'd be going to theaters and buying popcorn which would be helping corn farmers. Actually, I'm more likely to buy a bag of Smartfood to eat while I watch a movie on my computer than I am to buy movie theater popcorn that requires a bank loan to afford. ...Plus... The Facebook Problem, citizen journalists on a plane, a speeding ticket worth more than your car
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We pay a lot of attention to efforts at viral glory or the more controlled marketing of political causes. And we pay a lot of attention to the stories of individuals who don't ask for attention but end up being dragged into the digital spotlight. But arguably more common are cases in which someone turns to the Web to assuage the ache of injustice in some personal drama. People definitely have a sense that they can take their issue to the Internet to expose some bit of corruption or unfairness and sometimes it seems, for better or worse, the Internet actually listens. ... Plus... Julian Beever in action, one man's trash is another man's killer app, and how many lives for Second Life?
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I don't know the relationship of the FredHeads to Fred's actual campaign but I can see how he might not want his image crafted in quite the way they're doing it. And just as the leak of Michael Moore's film could cut both ways (hurting ticket sales or helping spead distribution and interest) I have to wonder if we'll see volunteer videos of support that are actually opposition tactics. ... Plus... New trends afoot, Darwin's nephew, and I can't hear you... green glue!
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Someone is claiming to have stolen the manuscript of the next and last Harry Potter book and claims to reveal the ending to ruin it so kids don't bother to read it and aren't exposed to its "neo-paganism" (per the pope).
Here's a longer version of what I just said with slightly more detail but no real spoilers.
Here's the supposed revelation which is either a huge hoax or a huge spoiler that ruins the end of the book so don't click it if you're looking forward to reading it when it comes out next month.
By the way, the post is called "Full Disclosure: Harry Potter 0day" so if you see that heading on anything as this spreads, be forewarned.
I'd considered a bit of a rant about the Men Are Pigs condom ad which has drawn more attention in the blogosphere for being banned by a couple networks even though those same networks have no trouble lacing their programming with as much cheap sex as can fit (not that I object to cheap sex, of course). But then I saw this set of Brazilian ads which don't actually call women pigs by tries to help them feel that way. Plus... TV or not TV? The forecast calls for partial mushroom clouds, and Miles from metric
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Every once in a while someone comes along and plays the role of troll to the Web 2.0 happy party. The most recent is Robert Gorman, blogging on the Britannica site about the shortcomings of Web 2.0 ideals. ... Plus... Stealing Sicko, banning popcorn, and a Star Wars link (gasp!)
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"The majority of Republicans in the United States do not believe the theory of evolution is true and do not believe that humans evolved over millions of years from less advanced forms of life." When you read through the poll it's a little more nuanced - or maybe I'm just in denial. I'm choosing to believe that some of the people who are responding that they don't believe in evolution are simply open to the possibility that God had a hand in creation and aren't buying into the whole Creationist Museum story. I've been avoiding links to the mockery of the new Creationist Museum because it has a "fish in a barrel" feeling of cruelty. Of course, some argue that the real cruelty is what's being done to children forced to learn this perspective. ... Plus... toward a univeral hottie metric, biker activists, and yes and...
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Yes, I realize it's already hump day and I haven't posted a Clicked entry yet this week. I have no excuse other than that I've been busy at work and tired at home. I have no idea why I've been busy when the parking lot is empty and my e-mail is barely pinging but somehow my to-do list has been backing up. Anyway, I'm catching up today.
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There isn't much structure to this entry but I did find an uncommon collection in my notes, style blogs... Plus... News games, everybody jump, and I can feel that spark from here.
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As you know, I tend to think in threads of "speaking of" but sometimes these things really do seem to make a theme independent of my meandering mind. In this entry I talk about zooming as navigation, the future of "prophetic clients," and hyperlocal news.
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"Cameras aren't new, maps aren't new, the internet isn't new, nor is Google or Microsoft. So why does this feel so freshly creepy to so many?" It reminds me of the Alisson Stokke pretty pole vaulter story. There's nothing particularly new in that case either but there's an extra element that makes it different somehow. The theory I'm currently nursing (and I'm open to workshopping of the idea) is that what's different is the way the Internet turns the intangible into pseudo-property. Plus... Global consensus, trophy wives, and hold the phone!
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Everyone's buzzing about Microsoft's new Surface computer. To be honest, I'd put off watching all the videos about it because we've already seen a few multi-touch demonstrations and everything I've read puts it way off in the future. But not only is Surface not some distantly futuristic technology but they're talking about turning these out to commercial partners within a year! And when you see the demonstrations they have for actual practical uses, the mind reels with the obvious cascade of follow-up applications. Plus... Are your thoughts too dirty for LiveJournal?, Smile for Google's roving camera, and while you were wasting your time on hydrogen cells...
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