Owner: Alt Text URL:http://www.alttext.com/ Join Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2006 23:35:12 -0500 Rating:1 Site Description: Weblog of Ben Edwards on design, culture, politics, technology, and more. Site statistics:Click here
This Hemingway theme is going around like a virus 2006-10-21 08:02:17 I have to say a few words about the nice but, perhaps misused Hemingway
Theme for Wordpress among other blogging applications. The growing popularity of this theme cannot be questioned (there are nearly 440,000 results for "Powered by Hemingway".)
I believe that the layout for individual post pages using this theme is very nice. There is a very good delineation between post, post meta info, and comments while still allowing the comments to flow like a conversation from the original post. The site meta info and additional links at the bottom also works on this page type (assuming that this information doesn't get out of hand). Where this theme tends to break down is its implementation for blog homepages. People can (and have) debate about the merits of fewer or more blog posts per page and I could be persuaded either way depending upon the context and type (and frequency) of the posts, however, what is not argued as often is the convention of having chronological blog posts appearin Read more:virus
Geek Marketing 101 2006-10-20 23:54:25 My favorites of the 10 points:
1) Marketing
is not a department.
2) Marketing is a conversation, but most people don't speak geek.
3) Simplicity does not negate complexity.
5) Think will, not can.
6) Only you RTFM. Read more:Geek
Bobby Bare Jr. live from the South Dakota State Pen? 2006-10-20 19:07:29 Last night's Bobby
Bare Jr. show at the 400 Bar in Minneapolis got off to a late start. From the sound of things it sounds like we were lucky the show went on at all.
For a show with 8pm doors, we sure got home late (quarter past 2am). It turns out that was because the headliner, Bobby Bare Jr. and his band (the Young Criminals' Starvation League) were pulled over and detained somewhere in SouthDakota
(I never like that place :). 3 members of the 5 person ensemble made it to the Minneapolis venue just as the 2nd band (Radio On) was finishing up. Their was even an emergency performance by Michael Morris with a group of people with whom he had never played (including the guitarist from The Pines) to fill the time. Both of these first acts were good. Michael Morris was an unexpected surprise and I was really impressed. I enjoyed Radio On's set but at times front man Dan's antics got a little out of pocket - think a more flamboyant Iggy Pop (is that possible).
Back to Bobby Bare Read more:State
What would they think of kill the carrier* 2006-10-18 23:19:30 Joystiq pointed me to some articles about schoolyard games being banned because they could be dangerous. It is not just an isolated incident either, but a trend. Now, I am, I admit, the guy who laughs at kids on bikes wearing helmets and generally think
s we are getting ridiculous in our over-protectiveness, but certainly it isn't just me who finds this trend sad.
*or it's non-pc counterpart smear the queer Read more:carrier
Why I rarely worry about the new "hip, hardcore" evangelical movement 2006-10-09 22:54:53 This follows a good piece on the Disciple Generation, a "fierce new face of American evangelism" that Salon did a little less than a month ago.
Stephen Baldwin. The dude can only name 6 of the 10 commandments and needless to say is a complete moron. Also check out this interview with him for some hilarious hypocrisy. Read more:worry
, hardcore
, evangelical
, movement
Lost Theory 2006-10-05 08:01:57 Let me start by saying that I was impressed with the way the LOST season 3 premier started out and, for the most part, how it went from there. I have yet to check out any LOST sites or speculate much with friends so despite my new theory on "the others" being pretty basic and even obvious from the show, it is still mine, so far. If you have time-shifted your LOST watching and haven't seen the new episode yet you probably shouldn't read any further. For speculation and spoilers, continue reading. Read more:Theory
Over 100,000 views on my Flickr photostream! 2006-10-05 00:26:44 Thanks in large part to the incredible interest in the Super Mario wedding cake Brent and Annette had at their wedding, I had a few photos with over 50,000 views
and one with over 250 people calling it a favorite. Who knew people would be so into that cake? Read more:Flickr
Does the public need a tipping point on the GOP? 2006-10-04 21:33:50 The Republicans are falling all over themselves trying to figure out how to deal with their latest scandal.
But reading the front-page headlines and watching the breathless TV coverage five weeks before the election, one could glibly assume that the fallout from the Foley frenzy will be the tippingpoint
that will produce a Democratic sweep in the House. Especially seeing the Republicans in full meltdown, vacillating between fetal-position defeatism and a desperate effort to find a scapegoat.
Really? This is the tipping point
? What about all the things the American people now know about Bush and the the Republican congress that allowed all of this? What about...
...the National Intelligence Estimate tells us that the invasion of Iraq has created a greater worldwide terrorist threat, making us less safe.
...and Bob Woodward's 60 Minutes interview and new book, State of Denial that each outline a "ruinous mix of arrogance and naiveté" within the Bush administration - the dire
Center for Mediocrity 2006-10-04 18:48:51 I enjoy reading Thomas Friedman, at times. He has his gems and his worthless crap. His latest New York Times editorial (TimesSelect) brings both to light. Here's the good:
So here is my fervent wish: For the sake of the country, I really hope the Republicans lose the House and the Senate to the Democrats — by one seat in each chamber.
It is so important that the Republicans lose, because if the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Rice team can get away with the grotesque incompetence they have exhibited in Iraq — a war that was not preordained to fail, but was never given a proper chance to succeed — it makes this country look like a banana republic.
If on the morning after the election these people come out smirking that their efforts to scare the public into voting again for their candidates worked, and therefore they can just stay the present course in Iraq — which is not working — it will send a terrible message about our democracy. It will tell us that the country is so divided, and so Read more:Center
Last night's Cloud Cult show. 2006-10-01 06:17:09 I was blown away by the Cloud
Cult Show on Friday night at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. Craig Minowa and the band have great energy and everything sounded great. I really think this band is going to blow up - well as much as a band that produces all of its own small independent releasers can blow up. The band mentioned a new CD but I am not sure when it will be out. Hopefully before the end of the year but i am not sure they will be able to swing that with their current tour schedule.
While I don't see any videos of last night's show on You Tube just yet, here are some from the show they did at the Varsity four months ago. (more)
EXTRA: Check out this fan-made music video of the Cloud Cult song, Transistor Radio.
Barack Osama 2006-10-26 19:17:59 I know it is getting full when my dad says he is now firmly on the Barack
Obamawagon*, but is anyone else worried about what GOP and other political detractors will do with Barack's surname?
* Damn, I missed coining that term by at least 2 years! But there is still only a half dozen online uses at this point. Read more:Osama
Number 12 All-Time in kickball homeruns! 2006-10-26 18:39:22 Yeah, that's right, I happen to have kicked 10 home runs (actually 11 but one was as a sub) during my play in the MUSA (Midwest Unconventional Sports Association) kickball league. I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal.* Read more:Number
All Hallows' Eve Bonfire Bash 2: The Wrap-up 2006-10-31 21:11:52
It happened again. Just like last time a thirsty hoard of ghouls, goblins, and (scarier) celebrity impersonators descended upon our house in suburban Minnesota to feast and drink on ... well food and beer, mostly.
It was a great time, this past Friday night, with a bonfire and fire "juggling" and even bobbing for apples of all things. I am a bit disappointed that we only had 1 person crash at our place, though. That represents a 300% decrease over last year.
But mine was not the only house to be haunted that night. Take a look at some great photos on flickr tagged with "Halloween Party" I like the shots from the Industrial Light and Magic party (and while some of these are great costumes why did I still expect more). Some favorites: A giant digital camera that actually worked, Katamari Damacy, Borat, and the whole Monty Python crew of knights (complete with giant Trojan rabbit).
Marie Antoinette was looking good too. Just look at that detail in the wig! Read more:Hallows
, Bonfire
The Blue Fund 2006-10-31 22:40:13 Inspired by the folks who brought you BuyBlue.org, the Blue Fund gives a simple way to invest in companies that share your progressive values...unlike some companies, and their values.
Tag those Minnesota politics posts 2006-11-01 20:14:34 e-democracy.org suggests new tags for any posts
to blogs or bookmarking tools, flickr, YouTube, etc. about politics
in Minnesota
use the following tags: mnpolitics, mn06video, and mn06.
The true compassionate conservative? 2006-11-03 20:05:46 The great presidential speeches tag cloud allowed me to quickly scan the speeches of all the presidents for keywords and gives a good idea of the theme of each speech. It is a wonderful resource.
My first conclusion from looking them over is that the first Bush, was the true compassionateconservative
of the family. Compare George W's last State of the Union Address in which Terrorist, confront, strengthen, and offensive are some of the most frequently used words (he does use the word compassion as well) to his dad's Inaugural Address in which love, bless, loyal, prosperity and prosperous are used frequently (not sure what to make of the large number of uses of the word blowing).
Another interesting thing to note how both Bush's used the word bipartisan frequently early on in their terms but then its use dwindled to nearly nothing (until W's last speech where it makes a comeback)
I encourage you to play around with this thing. It is super interesting and you can even learn about
Thomas Friedman sticks it to Bush/Cheney Co 2006-11-03 19:22:18 George Bush, Dick Cheney
and Don Rumsfeld think youÂ’re stupid. Yes, they do.
They think they can take a mangled quip about President Bush and Iraq by John Kerry — a man who is not even running for office but who, unlike Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, never ran away from combat service — and get you to vote against all Democrats in this election.
Every time you hear Mr. Bush or Mr. Cheney lash out against Mr. Kerry, I hope you will say to yourself, “They must think I’m stupid.” Because they surely do.
They think that they can get you to overlook all of the Bush teamÂ’s real and deadly insults to the U.S. military over the past six years by hyping and exaggerating Mr. KerryÂ’s mangled gibe at the president.
Friedman
then goes on to point out the many ways that the Bush administration's has been far more injurious and insulting (sending them into combat without enough men, equipment, and a coherent postwar plan for political reconstruction) than anything Kerry could have said. I wan Read more:Thomas
, sticks
SOA facts you may not have known. 2006-11-03 21:53:09 "SOA can always win at TicTacToe. Even if you go first."
"SOA is the only thing Chuck Norris can't kill."
"SOA in a Nutshell is 7,351 pages spread over 10 volumes." Read more:facts
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