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February 2, 2010

This is Important

For a few years now, people have been claiming that childhood vaccinations cause autism. As a result, many people have stopped giving their child vaccinations, bringing back diseases like measles.  The study this was based on turns out to be fraudulent.  Go read about it here.  

The main piece of synthesis?  

There is NO connection between vaccines and autism. 

If you're a parent, be responsible and have your kids vaccinated!

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Filed under  //   autism   children   science   vaccines  

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January 29, 2010

Drunk Writers

My wife couldn't have followed that re-tweeted PBS message at a better time. 

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January 28, 2010

WORST COMIC EVER

via 1.bp.blogspot.com

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Filed under  //   1980s   comic book   comics  

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January 26, 2010

Mr. Plimpton's Revenge - Google Maps


View Larger Map
via maps.google.com

Typically I'm not a fan of really weird, experimental fiction. This short essay written on Google Maps, however, is so different and short that it captured by attention. Overall, it's a pretty interesting use of location.

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Filed under  //   george plimpton   google   google maps   mcsweeney's   story  

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January 20, 2010

And Now for Something Completely Different

I follow up blog post that I thought about with a video of a baby laughing

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Filed under  //   baby   children   video  

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January 20, 2010

Lots of Chatter but What to Say?

As a blogger, I often have aspirations of writing more and better stuff. In the past I've written about stuff that bugs me, sports, a little about travel, pop culture, etc. To be honest, most of my blogging projects fail for a myriad of reasons. Sometimes I get bored with a topic and move on. Sometimes I'm distracted by, well, life. As a writer, each of my blogs is one of my babies. While none of them have generated any kind of readership, I still look back on each of them with a little bit of protectionism. I like the idea of them.

This blog has been a lot more casual and agnostic (partly due to the ease of posting) and in some ways more successful. Despite that, I still often find myself asking, what on Earth should I write about? It seems to me this is a common thread in online writing (even when the author doesn't really think it on a conscious level).

So why do I bring this up now in my 89th post? Well, I was thinking about quality writing today in response to the New York Times' decision to begin charging for access to its website in 2011. A lot of people online were angry about it. Some of the comments I read (and I am paraphrasing) included thoughts such as:
  • I hope the NY Times fails
  • I'll get my news elsewhere
  • You're dumb
  • I'm mad and I hate the NY Times
It seems this decision just made the internet unhappy. Personally, I found myself thinking it was a good decision (and I'm cheap). Why? Well, the New York Times puts out some of the best content in the world. From straight news, to honest reporting, to up to the second blogs covering everything from baseball to books. The organization puts out an incredible amount of information and content. Additionally, this content is reliable. They're not going to publish something stupid like, "Phyllis Diller named Secretary General of the UN." Why not? Because they are stocked with professionals who pay attention to what they do.  How good are their people?  A handful of them have started examining the Times and its practices to make sure that the organization upholds its own ethics.  Really!  Check them out on Twitter @NYTPicker.

So why do they do this? It's not because they're bored. These people all have homes and families and like to eat and buy things. It's a job, just like yours or mine. The Times needs to be able to pay for its reporters, pay for its offices, and pay to send objective reporters to the far reaches of the globe.  In order to do so, it needs money. As more and more news sources evaporate it means that fewer eyes are observing for us. Fewer voices are discussing events. Consumers get crappier and crappier information. Sure, you could go to CNN.com for your free news and get as many stories about John Mayer banging actresses as you would about the Senate election in Massachusetts. 

Good information is worth paying for.  Good news is worth paying for.  Free isn't always bad, but eventually news that is driven by advertising is going to be more interested in getting eyeballs than it will be in getting the facts right. That's never good.

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Filed under  //   internet   new york times   news   news stories   newspaper   nytimes  

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January 19, 2010

NBC Late Night Explained

Please enjoy this clear and simple explanation of the NBC Late Night Situation, if only I had known that the Hulk was involved, it would have made more sense to start with.

It's worth watching through the end.

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Filed under  //   cartoon   conan o'brien   entertainment   jay leno   jeff zucker   late night   nbc   television   tonight show   tv  

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January 14, 2010

Greetings from Chicago

Sent via my mobile phone

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January 7, 2010

1954 MAD compares movie version of book Boing Boing

via boingboing.net

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December 29, 2009

Movie Review: Liam Neeson Strikes Back (aka Taken)

Now, I know I don't share taste in movies with a lot of people, but I just watched Taken, starring Liam Neeson. Generally I like Liam and his movies, but man this movie was a stinker. Maybe Gene Shalit was right in thinking it was a documentary because it sure was as dull as many documentaries are. I'm not going to bore you with a full review, but a few key observations (Spoilers ahead for those of you with no taste):

  • Liam Neeson doesn't free any of the sex slaves he encounters and totally forgets the one he does save (because she is a lead) in his hotel room.
  • The girl that Shannon from Lost went to Paris with turns up dead, but we're led to believe that beyond cousins in Paris (who are in Madrid at the time of the movie) she has no family that is looking for her or generally gives a shit.
  • Liam Neeson goes on a killing spree that the police know is unfolding, yet he's still able to pass through customs on his way back through LAX (meanwhile if you were on that flight today you'd be expected to shit your pants in boredom during the last hour).
  • According to Taken, Albanians and vaguely Arab men with too much Mascara are all involved in prostitution.
  • Thankfully things like steam pipes aren't adequately bolted in place in France (though Liam Neeson loves that the electricity is up to snuff for his torture) so Liam is able to use Three Stooges-like mishaps to escape death by strangulation by the head pimp's security staff.
  • We get to meet Liam's CIA buddies at the start of the movie, but they barely help him out while he's in France. I guess they just wanted to drink his beer at their weekly BBQ and non-homosexual male bonding.
To recap, when you add the yacht scene at the end, Taken=The 3 Stooges+The Return of the Jedi (fat guy buying girls)+Overboard+every movie whose tag line is "this time it's personal."

Meanwhile, Shannon is addicted to Flickchart and has been picking the movie she likes the best for the last 6 hours or so.

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Filed under  //   film   liam neeson   movie   review   spy movie   taken  

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