Archive for May, 2005
Snarkmarket Collaboration #1
Robin’s call to action (4MB MP3)
Right-click to download, or just click to play it in your browser.
So, I made a video. But due to the vagaries of webcams and computer hard drives (I guess?) the sound was waaay out of sync — I mean seriously, I would have just gone ahead and posted it except that it was hurting my brain it was so messed up.
But, in the spirit of just getting something out there, here is the audio alone, sweetened with a nice Minus Kelvin track. Take a listen. It is a description of a Snarkproject that I hope you will contribute to!
After you’ve listened: If you’re in, email something to me at rsloan at gmail dot com between now and Friday!
I neglected to say in the pitch that I will, of course, be throwing some content in myself — probably video clips from around San Francisco. And Matt better contribute something from Frezzle-rock, too, or I will start posting weird stuff under his name.
To underscore, though: The only reason I think this project might even be possible is that such a great, smart crew makes time for Snarkmarket — old and new friends alike. So I hope you’ll join in!
For reference: Matt on Kotkin | Tim on Kotkin | More from Matt
Kiss from the UK
The awesomely-named Jemima Kiss writes up EPIC over at journalism.co.uk. She actually emailed me some questions last week but I, uh, didn’t reply in time. Doh!
No Seriously… Can We Get One of These in San Francisco?
Oh great. GREAT.
Now thanks to Rex and Chuck Olsen, Minneapolis (!) has a kick-ass comprehensive what’s-going-on-around-town site powered by RSS blog-juice.
Thus spake Sorgatz:
It’s a few things, yet it’s also something very simple: a one-site stop for Twin Cities conversations about culture, media, politics, and entertainment. MNspeak.com’s primary function is to answer these two questions:
1) What are people in the Twin Cities talking about today?
2) What is going on around town tonight?
Check out the rest of his very cool articulation of what they’re up to with the site.
I’m not super-into the name — “MNspeak”? — but whatevs, it could be called wondernugget.com and I’d still want one for San Francisco if it did what this site purports to do.
Revenge of the Frou
Garden State was a solid movie, but its chief virtue was probably that it introduced the world to Frou Frou.
Now the voice of the Frou, Imogen Heap, is back with two new songs in advance of a new album.
iTunes: Hide and Seek. Goodnight and Go.
You can actually skip the first one; it’s got a cool robo-choral sound in parts, but is mostly forgettable otherwise. “Goodnight and Go,” on the other hand, is awesome: It sounds exactly like all the old songs. Which is, frankly, exactly what’s needed at this point.
Truth > Fiction
Paris Hilton is marrying a dude… named Paris.
And if this wire story had even a whiff of humanity it would have to break down halfway through and go: “But… they’re BOTH named Paris??!?!”
The Myth of the Creative Class?
Regarding our recent discussion on suburbs and cities, here’s an interesting article from Joel Kotkin debunking many of the “creative cities” ideas that have been so popular in the wake of Richard Florida. (Suburbs vs. urbs roundup: Tim | Terrance | Kevin.) According to Kotkin:
The renaissance of American cities has been greatly overstated–and this unwarranted optimism is doing a disservice to cities themselves. Urban politics has become self-satisfied and triumphalist, content to see cities promote the appearance of thriving while failing to serve the very people–families, immigrants, often minorities–who most need cities to be decent, livable places. The myths that have grown up surrounding the urban renaissance are now often treated as fact. As an urban historian who lives in a major city, I believe that recognizing these myths for what they are is a critical first step towards the redemption of urban America.
Related: Peak oil doomsayer James Howard Kunstler and natural capitalist Amory Lovins have a go at the question of whether the ‘burbs end with a bang or a whimper. The resultant thread on WorldChanging is better.
“All of Us Abuse the Hand Sanitizer”
I was reminded of this the other day, when I wrote a story about sex ed:
The other day I realized, as a cold claw of pure fear squeezed my frantic heart, that I have been working as a video clerk for ten months.
The immortal first line of True Porn Clerk Stories, one of my favorite no-longer-updated blogs that’s an awesome read from start to finish.
Crazy Frog Axel F
Apparently this ringtone (click ‘preview’ on this page) has become… a top-selling single in the UK.
Whaaa?
The Citizen Editor
First it was Jarvis; now Steve Outing is articulating a new kind of newsroom role:
Ergo, there’s a new position opening up in some newsrooms: the citizen editor. While their ranks are small now, they are certain to grow in number. Journalism graduates seeking work in the field in the years ahead well may choose traditional reporting and editing, or veer toward the newer and very different line of editing the work of citizen journalists. Traditional journalists seeking new challenges or a change in work routine will have another option.
Totally agree.
Hey, Look, Downtown San Francisco
Keyhole is now Google Earth, and as a registered Keyhole user (read: huge nerd), I got to download a beta of the new app. No big differences have jumped out at me yet, except, you know, the 3D models of all buildings.
I’m sure they won’t be 1980s-gray for long.