Microlog
Microlog entries posted in January 2006
I’ve got two mentions on Anarchaia today
When did I get so famous all of a sudden? It’s going to my head, I tells you! Interesting ·
The Optimo No Wave Mix
Sweet compilation of dance music from the New York underground. To tide me over till New York Noise Vol 2 comes out [c/o del.icio.us/jack]. Sound & Screen ·
Derek Bailey, 1930-2005
I’ve been familiar with the name for some time but not the music. This is a reminder to check him out. Sound & Screen ·
Blogs: exposing the hidden contexts
Mick Fealty’s published reply to a typically ignorant commentary on blogging in The Irish Times. Media & Journalism ·
Harper’s Yearly Review for 2005
Twelve months boiled down to three paragraphs by Paul Ford. Needless to say it’s America-centric. I guess the rest of the world needs its own yearly review. Arts & Culture ·
Can You Revive an Extinct Animal?
A good long piece from The New York Times, focused on the attempt to revive the quagga, that throws up a lot of interesting questions. Interesting ·
hyperpeople
A dissertation-length meditation on the increasing interconnectedness of the modern world, by Mark Pesce. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but I might find the time on my travels next week. Arts & Culture ·
The year of the digital citizen
In 2005, tragedy served as a catalyst for a technologically-empowered citizenry to take some measure of control over the media. Small potatoes in the big scheme of things, yes, but nonetheless incredibly significant. What we need to see now, of course, is what the public can do with this newfound influence when there is no major event to react to. Media & Journalism ·
What is your dangerous idea?
I don’t have one. Yet. Lots of thought-fodder here, though [c/o anti-mega & Mind Hacks]. Arts & Culture ·
Grocer’s Apostrophe on Flickr
Id est, grammatical mistakes in public signage. Some are less annoying than others, such as the ones that subscribe to the ‘if in doubt, leave it out’ philosophy; I mean, you can always add in your own apostrophe if you’re desperate enough [c/o del.icio.us/torrez]. Arts & Culture ·
The Internet Movie Script Database
Filing this for future reference. Sound & Screen ·
Why is there an entire web page devoted to Iron Maiden album covers with SpongeBob SquarePants inserted into them?
Why, indeed. Interesting ·
Nominations are open for the Irish Blog Awards
Considering that the only true qualifiers for this here blog being Irish are my own nationality and place of residence, somehow I don’t think I’ll be getting any notice (see also: the 2006 Bloggies, which I probably won’t be able to vote on seeing as I’ll be out of the country) [c/o Sigla Blog]. Arts & Culture ·
Not If But When
Photographs by Brian Urlich. Just right for evoking those new year blues [c/o fastlad]. Arts & Culture ·
Urban Diptychs
Gorgeous long-exposure street photography by Keith Kin Yan. Arts & Culture ·
Moisture! & nibbl.org
Two new tumblelogs to enjoy. (Not at all to be confused with this site, which is merely tumble-esque.) Interesting ·
Journalists’ Right of Privacy Primer
On a glance, it probably only applies to the United States. But I’m filing it here for future reference anyway. Media & Journalism ·
Time travel with the London tube map
I’m linking to this if only because I love the fact that there are people out there who care about these things. Interesting ·
Top 10 Reasons Why King Kong Was A Disappointment
I wasn’t blown away either, but not for any of these reasons [c/o Projectionist]. Sound & Screen ·
VRMAG
Online magazine featuring 360-degree panoramas from around the world. Filed here for exploring at a later date. Interesting ·
Robots. Better than people?
Notes on an Economist article about the Japanese relationship with robots. They get along well, it seems, because they don’t have the fear. One of the benefits of cultural isolationism, maybe? Arts & Culture ·
Bring me your AIBOne
This article was all it took for me to dream of having my own AIBO. Now if only they were Mac compatible, like the new Lego Mindstorms… Interesting ·
Beer by the Barrel, Stories by the Scoop
A short but sweet little piece from the NYT peering into the lives of crime scene reporters. Media & Journalism ·
The History of the Universe in 200 Words or Less
It should really be subtitled ‘United States edition’, seeing how America-centric it is. But still [c/o Kottke’s rest of the best]. Arts & Culture ·
Photos from the scene of the Boxing Day shooting in Toronto
It happened at one of the busiest downtown sections of Yonge Street, outside Sam the Record Man. I’ve been there. Pardon my self-absorption, but it’s scary to think that my own path in life crossed with a gang shooting, however many years separate. (Joey DeVilla has more background on the event, with related statistics.) Arts & Culture ·
The Distorted Tune Test
Full marks for me. I knew I wasn’t tone-deaf anyway, but it’s nice to have proof [c/o Mind Hacks]. Sound & Screen ·
Positive Negative
Stunning photography by Frank Kolodziej. This is but a sample; there’s plenty more within. Arts & Culture ·
US troops seize award-winning Iraqi journalist
War zone or not, there’s no excuse for this. Hell, in any other context it’d be attempted murder. Good luck getting an apology out of ‘em. Arts & Culture ·
Wikipedia entry for Photic sneeze reflex
It’s a real condition! After years of thinking I was the only one… Interesting ·
What Would D. Boon Do?
Marking the 20th anniversary of his passing last month. Start your own band, paint your own picture, write your own book. Sound & Screen ·
Renzo Piano on Paris, peripheries and progress
The notes on peripheries are particularly thought-provoking. I can see the same problems in Dublin’s peripheral sprawl, where giant shopping malls have sprung up, taking the place of true community centres of commerce and interaction in the satellite towns, in a half-hearted effort to patch up the mistakes involved in their conception. Interesting ·
Tokyo Blues, by Nurri Kim
Also recommended: Green Crack [c/o del.icio.us/cityofsound] Arts & Culture ·
On King Kong, the Empire State and the dynamism of the city
Following up on my own post about the movie, Things Magazine examines it in context with both the real history of New York’s landscape, and with its own cinematic predecessors. Plenty of useful links, too [c/o Kottke]. Arts & Culture ·
Ambient Findability: Talking with Peter Morville
The more information we have to deal with — and believe me, the volume is growing at a near-exponential rate — the more necessary it will be for this information to be ‘stored’, tagged and thereafter located. And that’s even just thinking of sources of news. I’m looking forward to reading Morville’s book sometime this year for his ideas and theories on the subject. Interesting ·
Edited transcript of Newsnight interview with Tim Berners-Lee from last summer
I lost a lot of respect for Mark Lawson after seeing the broadcast of this. I mean, if Gutenberg were alive today should he have sleepless nights over the printing of Playboy or Mein Kampf or whatever? Lazy, lazy thinking. Interesting ·
SA divisions on reconciliation day
A late link from a few weeks ago, but still relevant. Some good food for thought. Arts & Culture ·
Is MetaFilter the realisation of Habermas’ public sphere?
On reading the initial comments here, I do wish some MeFites weren’t so bloody picky and snarky. But if we have to put up with the dicks in real life, I suppose we have to put up with them everywhere. Anyway, some good links here. Arts & Culture ·
Pacific Mall Toronto
Next time I visit TO I’m so checking this place out. Interesting ·
“Little Red Book prompts DHS visit” was Big Fat Lie
I had a funny feeling about the story from the beginning. If it was true then surely the guy would’ve been arrested and interned, no? Scary to think that the truth could be more shocking than the fiction, but that’s the world we live in today. Arts & Culture ·
Hello, would you like a free book?
Yes I would, thank you very much. And if I didn’t already have three of them, I would’ve taken at least five. Reading isn’t just a ‘women’s thing’, despite McEwan’s little social experiment. Arts & Culture ·
Mothers Against Noise
The crazy rantings of ignorant fools, or a big self-referential double-bluff hoax? I’ll let you decide [c/o MetaFilter]. Sound & Screen ·
Dusk Drive
Beautiful images. The colours remind me of winter in South Africa, seen from the car window. Arts & Culture ·
Paul Graham on good and bad procrastination
I personally don’t believe there is any such thing as good procrastination, but I do abide by the principle of ‘everything in moderation’. Related: ‘Procrastination Nation’ on NPR. Interesting ·
The Observer relaunches
Download PDFs of the first edition for free, while it lasts. First impressions? Very good, but maybe a little overboard with the colour [c/o NewsDesigner.com]. Media & Journalism ·
Thinking Outside the Grid
Designers are really starting to do some cool things with CSS. Never mind what this guy says. Arts & Culture ·
weblog conversation
Data visualisation used to discover why bloggers join specific conversations in multi-author blogs. Interesting ·
Photos of Munich’s Allianz Arena
I learned about this place last summer, when The Guardian had a piece about it. We need more buildings like this. Arts & Culture ·
Columbia Law School Music Plagiarism Project
“A repository of the music industry’s most famous copyright infringement cases of the past 100 years.” Man oh man! Only in the crazy world of the recording industry could someone be sued for plagiarising himself [c/o MetaFilter]. Sound & Screen ·
Yahoo! Answers
It’s hopelessly clogged with bullshit, and Ask MetaFilter is better anyway, but it might be worth exploring if you have the time or the patience. Interesting ·
Everybody needs a personal “status” page
Yes we do. I’ve got my own status page right here. I try to keep it up to date. Interesting ·
Reflections in the Evening Land
“The celebrated critic Harold Bloom, despairing of contemporary America, turns to his bookshelves to understand the trajectory of his country.” Arts & Culture ·
Dictionary of Americanisms, by John Russell Bartlett
Filing this for future reference [c/o MetaFilter]. Arts & Culture ·
Inventor of the web finally catches on to this blogging lark
Consider this link a thank-you. Interesting ·
Ren and Stimpy artist has a serious side
Those are some beautiful paintings. And he’s got a blog, too. Arts & Culture ·
Stop the war (the other one)
Ben Edwards runs the numbers. Sigh. If only politics was really about serving the people… Arts & Culture ·
Searching for a fresher taste
Bobbie Johnson invetigates Yahoo!’s investment in Web 2.0. All the cool kids work for Yahoo! now; it’s the new Google. Or something. Interesting ·
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan: Ramblin’ Man
Songs from the upcoming collaborative album by yer one from Crystal Tips and Alistair with that fella from the Screaming Trees. Weird. But intriguing. Sound & Screen ·
For Whom Hell’s Bells Toll
“Two decades after it was first used to demonize the ‘devil’s music’ we take another look at the oddly fascinating Hell’s Bells documentary and what it says about morality, youth culture, and music criticism.” The list of bands indicted for ‘moral crimes against God and humanity’ has to be seen to be believed. Sound & Screen ·
The Hive Mind: Folksonomies and User-Based Tagging
An intro to the phenomenon for those unfamiliar. Filed here for future reference. Interesting ·
Structured Blogging
“Structured Blogging is a way to get more information on the web in a way that’s more usable.” If you want it used, that is. (There’s more discussion here) [c/o Subtraction]. Interesting ·
How to recognize Japanese fonts
A dedicated typeface for sake barrels? It makes a lot of sense, when you think about it… [c/o Airbag] Arts & Culture ·
stereophonic
Photography by Katsura Komiyama. Wish it was easier to navigate, but the photos are gorgeous [c/o vudeja]. Arts & Culture ·
“What I’m hoping for in 2006 — aside from an end to war and poverty and seeing George Bush dragged off to federal prison in handcuffs — is more band logos”
On a related note, my post on rock and roll graphic design might be of interest here. Sound & Screen ·
About
This is the personal website of MacDara Conroy, a production journalist and mediavore in Dublin, Ireland. Read more »
Details
This page is a reverse chronology of Microlog entries by MacDara Conroy published in January 2006. You will find many more in the Archives.
Continuum
↑ February 2006
→ January 2006
↓ December 2005