"In the future everyone will be famous for 15 megabytes."
Author of this quote wasn't given, but referenced by b^2.
Further googling finds reference to this phrase on this page, this page, and this page. Based on what I see, I will attribute this quote to graphic designer/artist Nick Philip.
Reminds me a previous David Weinberger quote I blogged about.
Words & Language: August 2004 Archives
Adam Felber, of NPR's show "wait, wait, don't tell me, has a blog and it has a lot of funny posts including this priceless post where he parodies the "Swift Boat" controversy.
"At an AVWS rally yesterday, former Lieutenant George McBurroughs told the crowd that Cleland never actually lost his legs. Thronged by supporters waving signs that read "This Story Has Legs" and "Tell Max Cleland to Get Up," McBurroughs alleged that Cleland tucks his legs under him in his wheelchair for public appearances but is often sighted around Georgia swimming, jogging, and taking part in latin dance competitions. "As for the arm," McBurroughs said, "I was only a mile away when it happened. I saw the whole thing. There was no grenade. Cleland cut himself while shaving, and the wound is a lot less serious than it looks.""
That's too funny.
Seriously, who would have thought Vietnam would be one of the most engaging political issues in the 2004 political campaign. I think both candidates would be smart to stick to more current topics, but neither candidate has taken my advice for a long time.
My son said to my wife ...
"Mommy if you played catch with me more often, you might be a better thrower."
Ah, the simple wisdom of a four year old.
What is it that makes you so happy that you literally dance for joy?
I heard this question posed today. The speaker indicated that the day the Cubs go to the World Series and win, he and his family will dance for joy. I understand this feeling well. I grew up hearing about the glory years of the Green Bay Packers and the coaching reign of St. Vincent Lombardi. Unfortunately, I heard about the glory years during the 1980's where their win loss record was a dismal 66-85. By the early nineties, I had pretty much given up on the Packers. But thankfully Farve, Holmgren, White and their teammates brought the excitement back to Packer football. I danced for joy when they beat San Francisco in the playoffs or when they trounced their opponents in their first Super Bowl. I understand what dancing for joy is. I've danced, deliriously, oblivious to all others.
Lately, nothing much makes me dance. Don't mistake that for depression. It's not a case of the blues, rather it's a recognition that the high notes are missing to some degree.
The birth of my children made me dance, the hard work of parenting has left me feeling more subdued.
Buying my house made me dance, but caring for it has left me feeling subdued.
Sometimes I think a new gadget or responsibility will make me feel like dancing, but it never lasts long.
Backpacking restores my sense of being alive, but it doesn't make me dance. Perhaps if I took a longer trip, I would feel the dancing spirit at the end.
Am I in a rut or is this normal for life lived with responsibilties and cares?
Perhaps I need to change the music (metaphorically) I am listing too. Maybe the music I am listening to isn't danceable.
This question "What makes you dance?" isn't too different from the classic "What would you do if money weren't an issue?" Followed by "Why aren't you doing that?" Follow your bliss.
I have been ancouraging my co-workers to read Curious George stories to their children. In fact it's surprising to me that they didn't already have these books in their collection. As soon as my wife was "with child", I went out looking for my old friends Curious George and Babar.
I attribute most of George's problems to the "man with the yellow hat." This fellow should know a little bit about monkeys before committing to the full time care of one. Why does he keep leaving George unnattended? This "man with the yellow hat" is at least partially culpable for allowing George to spend so much time without supervision.
Why is he the "man with yellow hat?" An astute observer will note that he has a yellow shirt, pants, and tie.
HA Mifflin's web site has this bit of info about George's author/illustrators.
I attribute most of George's problems to the "man with the yellow hat." This fellow should know a little bit about monkeys before committing to the full time care of one. Why does he keep leaving George unnattended? This "man with the yellow hat" is at least partially culpable for allowing George to spend so much time without supervision.
Why is he the "man with yellow hat?" An astute observer will note that he has a yellow shirt, pants, and tie.
HA Mifflin's web site has this bit of info about George's author/illustrators.
Q. Margret and Hans Rey were both born in Germany. How did they wind up in America?
A. After meeting briefly in Germany, Hans and Margret were reunited while working in Rio de Janeiro. They were married in 1935 and moved to Paris soon after. Unfortunately, the political climate in Europe was changing, and by the spring of 1940 Hitler was poised to take over Paris. Hans and Margret fled on homemade bicycles with little more than the clothes on their backs and a handful of manuscripts (one of which starred an inquisitive little monkey named Curious George) hours before German troops marched on the city. After a brief stay in Brazil, they found their way to New York City and eventually settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The idea of the manuscript, with drawings of George on it, making it's way across the French countryside, with the Panzers in pursuit, has always made me chortle a little.
As someone who really loves words and data visualization, I find this wordcount web site both fascinating and cool. Courtesy of the Scout Report.
I was thinking about a certain raconteur that I worked with at my last employer. He was known to tell a few, shall we say, unverifiable stories. After a long evening, and one story too many I looked him in the eye and effectively said I didn't believe him. He replied with the unforgettable line.
"I only lie when I know you won't believe me."
Just thinking about the implications of what this means makes me laugh.
Came across a link to an interesting write up of CIA adventures in Tehran during the hostage crisis. Apparently they set up a film company as a cover story. The thing that struck me especially funny was this bit.
"An ironic coda: by the time Studio Six folded several weeks after the rescue, we had received 26 scripts, including some potential moneymakers. One was from Steven Spielberg."
Hosted by the CIA's Center for the Study of Intelligence.
