Quips: Quick commentary on politics, technology and life, I think.
Friday, November 22
Where do we think we are?
John Fahey, president of the National Geographic Society, on survey results showing less than a quarter of young Americans can find hospots like Iraq, Afghanistan and Saudia Arabia and they were better at "Survivor" locations than states:
"This generation is highly skilled at what they want to block out and what they want to know. Unfortunately, the things that they block out seems to include knowledge of the world that we all live in."
Is this an information overload strategy? Do people really only pay attention when things affect them directly? In their daily routine? Are we too busy to care about things in the global village? Or can we Americans just not be bothered to contemplate the condition of humanity outside our realm of experience?
Posted by jb, 12:54 AM :: :: #
Thursday, November 21
Just keep clicking, you'll find something
Al Gore is coming back this week. It started for me with a Washington Post profile. I don't know what it all means, but in all the bluster about the country moving to the right, about the Republicans taking over, about liberalism dying, there remains this one fact: Gore received more votes than any presidential candidate in history save Reagan in '84. That alone says to me that his agenda, his issues, his platform resonate with the American people. Which should keep the 2004 election interesting.
(And I must note that the only reason I found this story is the Poynter Institute's Headline of the Day, which I don't normally read, but I was just clicking around the other night and, bingo, found something interesting. The Internet is cool that way.)
Posted by jb, 1:16 AM :: :: #
Wednesday, November 20
No, there won't be slides
At long last, my vacation photos are up. My swing through the Great Lakes led to a rare doubleheader — NFL exhibition game in the afternoon and a baseball game at night. It was all part of a trip back to seem some old college "buddies" with a fantasy football draft thrown in. There was also a grill purchase and some party hosting, but we don't go into that. In any case, enjoy the pics.
Posted by jb, 12:59 AM :: :: #
Monday, November 18
Worth 500 words?
Welcome to the next phase of quips — small photo collections. Because, as any photographer will tell you, some things have to be said in pictures.
The featured thumbnail is only the start — there will probably more behind it, all neatly linked together for your browsing pleasure of course.
This first pair showcases the roses I gave my best girl for her birthday.
Posted by jb, 1:50 AM :: :: #
Thursday, November 14
The Kermit Connection
More than twenty years since his series left primetime, everyone's favorite foam-and-felt amphibian is a media phenomenon again. Actually, it's just a new show. Kermit the Frog and the gang have a new Christmas special this year. NPR's Morning Edition did a piece on the Muppets as enduring cultural icon. And the great green one was on Kilborn last night. I miss my childhood.
Posted by jb, 10:33 PM :: :: #
typegeek
Gerik thinks I should buy another domain and devote it to my love of typography. Just because I can identify a few fonts by sight. Just because he hands me a photography magazine, and my reaction is, "Hmm. Futura."
Well, I don't need another hobby, but for your browsing pleasure, here are some of the bookmarks I have to type sites.
- fontlover.com!
- Astigmatic One Eye Typographic Institute - Souvenir Shoppe
- 04 | extra | bitmap
Foundries
- EyeWire: Products: Type: Elsner+Flake
- (fW) Fontworks Digital Retail
- ITC : Fonts : International Typeface Corporation
- Agfa Monotype Studio
- Adobe.com - Type Library
- Emigre Home
- Berthold BQ and Adobe Berthold
- The Font Bureau, Inc. - you'll notice below that I love a lot of their work
Sans
Serif
- FB Caslon - this might be my all-time favorite
- Miller
- FB Californian
- Elmhurst
Slab
- And, to encourage responsible font use, I must mention TypeRight
- And finally, Fontlab's Font finder
Disturbing, isn't it.
Posted by jb, 1:05 AM :: :: #
Wednesday, November 13
Intrigued / apprehensive
I missed a chance to go see '8 Mile' tonight. And yes, I've already apologized to the people I was supposed to go with. I do want to see it. I'm intrigued: about the sound, how autobiographical it might be, and how it treats Detroit. See, I have friends who live near the real 8 Mile. I've studied the city. And, of course, there's enough in his past to make me wonder if I want to partially finance his career.
In any case, the Detroit Free Press has an extensive collection of coverage of the hometown boy and all his antics -- from concert reviews to courtroom appearances.
Posted by jb, 2:17 AM :: :: #
Value subtlety
Sometimes, I wish people of faith (and don't me wrong, I am one) would be a little more low-key about things. Evangelizing during an election? How about love for your neighbor, even the politicans.
Posted by jb, 1:52 AM :: :: #
Tuesday, November 12
Yes, I am a perfectionist
O.k., so there've been a few days between posts. A weekend out of town will do that. And, I've been testing and fiddling with the design. I've been known to do that. But it's perfect now. I'm sure. Really.
Posted by jb, 1:56 AM :: :: #
Friday, November 8
Welcome, here's what you've found
Welcome to the new log � quick commentary on a range of subjects, but mostly media, politics and national life in general.
This is the third generation of my personal project to point to thought-provoking ideas around the web. It started with There Words, inspired by Voices in the News on NPR, and turned into Quotes and Commentaries. Previously, I mostly posted the quotes, but with this version you might get some of my thoughts � just quick quips, of course.
Posted by jb, 12:50 AM :: :: #
More in the archives.
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