Gary Secondino: Culture

When the Cat Hits the Fan

Wed, 09 Apr 2003 14:39:10 GMT

Warning: Don't try this at home.

In Passing: David Bloom, 39, dies in Iraq

Sun, 06 Apr 2003 14:09:58 GMT

David Bloom, an NBC News correspondent embedded with the U.S. Army?s 3rd Infantry Division outside Baghdad, died Sunday, NBC announced. Bloom, a 39-year-old husband and father of three, died suddenly of natural causes.

McLuhan's Messages, Echoing in Iraq Coverage

Thu, 03 Apr 2003 12:41:42 GMT

The war in Iraq [~] particularly the television coverage of the war [~] brings out something fresh and bright in Marshall McLuhan, the media prophet of the 1960's. By Sarah Boxer. [New York Times: Business]

Help Send the Rock & Roll Library to Memphis

Wed, 02 Apr 2003 21:52:35 GMT

"The Rock & Roll Library (RRL) is a non-profit organization working to build the world's largest music information archive while promoting the use of popular music in education. The unique mission of the RRL is to distinctly recognize the historical and cultural significance of popular music. Our education vision weaves... [Chris] [Lockergnome's Bits and Bytes]

The First Desktop War

Wed, 19 Mar 2003 16:11:04 GMT

Reuters to stream video of Iraq conflict. The news agency unveils a streaming video service on its Web site that will offer footage of the impending U.S. military campaign, in an effort to reach news-hungry viewers at work. [CNET News.com]

Dave Winer heads to Boston

Mon, 10 Mar 2003 18:11:31 GMT

Dave Winer starts his cross country journey to Boston, MA. and says like McArthur "I shall return" in a Davenet goodby to California. Dave will be working at Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for the Internet and Society and possibly residing in Cambridge. Which, as all the locals know, is not to be called "Boston" in any circumstance.

Sir Winston Churchill

Mon, 17 Feb 2003 18:45:20 GMT

"I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals."

More on Nick Denton's Pro Blogs

Mon, 17 Feb 2003 18:43:34 GMT

Welcome to the world of ``nano publishing'' -- an emerging brand of Internet-based journalism that is helping shape the future of news. I stopped in New York last week to see two of the most interesting early examples. Gawker is a weblog devoted to news and gossip about New York City and its gossip-heavy industries. Gizmodo, also a weblog, covers electronic gadgets. They're both fun to read, and highly informative.

First Annual Nude Blog Awards

Fri, 14 Feb 2003 18:38:53 GMT

Hey now, no meek geeks allowed. We've read what's on your mind, now we want to see the wrapper. Gratuitious nudity! Have fun with it.

Inside the secret government

Tue, 11 Feb 2003 12:28:37 GMT

This American Life: Secret Government (RealAudio stream).

It's a spine-tingling episode of This American Life, a wonderfully-engaging and entertaining radio program that mixes comedy with serious discussion of serious issues, which covers our new secret government by calling up the Justice Department and the victims and letting them tell their stories.

Act One covers the story of Jose Padilla, the man who was whisked away from his average criminal trial, declared an enemy combatant, placed on a military brig and not allowed to see a lawyer or a court until "the end of the war". The Justice Department says it was because he had serious discussions about a "dirty bomb" and they need all the information they can get from him. This American Life suggests it was to distract people from the FBI's misbehavior.

Act Two covers the everyday people who woke up one morning to find 25 FBI officers outside their door, were taken to solitary confinement for months without their family being told where they were, and then were flown back to their home countries.

Act Three covers the secret FISA court, which meets in secret to issue secret decisions about who the government can secretly wiretap. They'd never said no until the Government asked for broad new powers to override the the safeguards that were in place to prevent abuse of the court. That time they said no, and, at the request of some senators, told the public of their decision. The government appealed, to a secret court which had never met before. The ACLU, finding out about this, tried to fight it.

[found via GreaterDemocracy]

[Aaron Swartz]

The History of the Red Cap

Sat, 18 Jan 2003 13:47:03 GMT

By artist Sergey Rimashevsky. Little Red Cap - Grimm For Linda T. and all the other Red Hat's.

50 Years of Art in Central Europe 1949-1999

Sat, 18 Jan 2003 13:16:46 GMT

In the wake of the political division following World war II, artists, finding themselves exposed to conflicting political ideologies, perceived a need to redefine their position.

The Inforamus

Wed, 15 Jan 2003 20:36:33 GMT

The new breed of digital illiterati exhibit a complete misunderstanding or indifference to the distinction between subscription and free online information as well as a chilling aversion to reading books. These "scholars" waste untold hours fruitlessly but insistently looking through thousands of Alta Vista search results, vainly hoping against hope that somehow all the right answers will tumble forth. The research for a typical undergrad paper nowadays seems to consist of two hours of fruitless WWW browsing followed by a reluctant visit to the library. During this visit, one poorly formatted query is submitted to a full-text periodical database, the first five full-text articles on the results list of 800 hits are downloaded, and then it's Miller time. While we may deplore such practices, or smirk at them, the dangerous reality is that a new class of information consumer has arisen ... The inforamus is someone doing bad searches with an inadequate search engine in a morass of disorganized, incomplete, and sometimes inaccurate information, and who is perfectly happy with the results. If, as the library literature suggests, trained reference librarians answer questions correctly only half the time, how do you think the inforamus is doing?

David Majka, American Libraries, June/July 2001

Country Song To Sing To Girls At Parties

Wed, 15 Jan 2003 20:02:24 GMT

by Kevin Armstrong ADULT CONTENT (adagio alla waltz) Dear Winnie I love you
And I'm keeping your shoes.
I fondle their high heels
As I'm writing the blues.
The rest of the song...

DearLeader.com

Tue, 14 Jan 2003 08:54:27 GMT

My latest for Slate, DearLeader.com, was spawned when author Betsy Devine suggested I find out whether or not the site is for real. Its pages, after all, have the same time zone as Barcelona. Run whois and a traceroute, and it gets even more interesting.
Paul Boutin

Book Excerpt: Speed Up Your Site

Tue, 14 Jan 2003 08:48:15 GMT

Are slow scripts making you sing the Web-wait blues? Our exclusive sneak preview from WebReference Founder Andy King's upcoming new release contains the tips and tricks you need to speed-optimize your JavaScript. From New Riders. 0108
WebReference News

Book Excerpt: HTTP: The Definitive Guide

Tue, 14 Jan 2003 08:47:26 GMT

The simple, but often mis-understood Hypertext Transfer Protocol is the subject of our next series of excerpts; and we begin with a look at the individual components that make up HTTP messages. From O'Reilly. 0113
WebReference News

Copyright Cartel's Influence Weakening?

Tue, 14 Jan 2003 08:40:42 GMT

After several days in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show, I'm coming to the conclusion that the entertainment industry's... [Dan Gillmor's eJournal]

You might be from "greater Boston" if...

Mon, 13 Jan 2003 19:50:23 GMT

1. You've slammed on your brakes to deter a tailgater.

2. Your favorite adjective is "wicked."

3. You remember when the "Fleet Center" was "The Boston Garden" and refuse to refer to it as anything BUT "the Gahden."

4. Know at least three Tony's, one Vinnie and a Frank(ie).

5. You go to the "packy" not the "liquor store."

6. Paranoia sets in if you can't see a Dunkin Donuts, ATM or CVS within eyeshot at all times.

7. Know how to claim your space on the T. Know what the T is.

8. You keep an ice scraper and can of de-icer on the floor of your car...year round.

9. You still try to order curly fries from Burger King.

10. You know how to pronounce Worcester, Peabody, and Cotuit.

11. You know where the Combat Zone used to be and still avoid that area.

12. You don't eat dinner; you eat "suppa."

13. Pepsi, Coke, Sprite, etc. are not called "soda", they are "tonic."

14. You order iced coffee in January.

15. You can curse in Italian...only you don't say "curse" you say "swear."

16. You don't understand the purpose of a crosswalk and therefore refuse to use them, even outside of Boston.

17. You know what candlepin bowling is.

18. You know about Evacuation Day.

19. You have tried to drive the measured mile in less than 45 seconds.

20. You drive 45 minutes to New Hampshire to save $5 in sales tax.

21. The whole 'Big Dig' mess drives you nuts unless you are spooning it from Brighams. You know what Brighams is and it shows.

22. You've used the statement "not fa nuthin" in conversation.

23. You serve bread with every meal.

24. You feel compelled to hear at least one weather report a day.

25. You've pulled out of a side street and used your car to block oncoming traffic so you can make a left.

26. You've bragged about the money you've saved at The Christmas Tree Shop.

Five Live

Sat, 14 Dec 2002 22:07:22 GMT

I'm on Five Live tonight (6:15pm Saturday Pacific, 9:15pm Eastern time) explaining the Poindexter prank in response to Total Information Awareness, and the role of weblogs in participatory democracy.
Paul Boutin

Cardinal Law Resigns

Fri, 13 Dec 2002 12:09:01 GMT

The Pope has accepted Cardinal Bernard Law's resignation as the Archbishop of the Boston Archdiocese. The public outrage from the information gathered by the release of the churches records last Wednesday and a letter signed by 58 Boston priests finally motivated Cardinal Law to do the right thing. Cardinal Law remains in the church as a priest and a Cardinal. He also still faces ongoing investigations and testimony in front of the Grand Jury in Massachusetts next Tuesday.

T.I.A. Powerpoint

Thu, 12 Dec 2002 14:27:29 GMT

So you want to see Total Information Awarness in pictures?

Carter Accepts Nobel and Gives Message on Iraq

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 11:19:00 GMT

New York Times - OSLO, Dec. 10 [~] With an ear-to-ear smile and an air of sublime satisfaction, former President Jimmy Carter accepted the Nobel Peace Prize today, then used the vaunted platform to try to steer events away from an armed conflict in Iraq. Mr.
Peace Prize winner Carter honoured by Oslo torchlight parade Norway Post
Carter accepts Nobel prize Boston Globe
Guardian - Washington Post - Newsday - Detroit Free Press - and 504 related »
Google World News

US warns Iraq against using mass destruction weapons

Wed, 11 Dec 2002 11:07:35 GMT

Times of India - WASHINGTON: The United States warned Iraq and other potential foes Tuesday not to use any weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against US troops in the event of war, vowing to retaliate with ...
US Warns It Would Use N-Arms Salt Lake Tribune
US will use Nuclear Weapons in response to attack from WMD Hindustan Times
The Tallahassee Democrat - News Journal - Tyler Morning Telegraph - CNN - and 36 related »
Google World News

Which one of you did it?

Tue, 10 Dec 2002 23:32:20 GMT

The full, unexpurgated story of what happens when dry ice is mixed with blue toilet acid at 33,000 feet.