I'm halfway through another of Stephen's blessays and once again I've stopped because I'm enraptured. Specifically I'm enraptured with the following quote, which I must now evidently rip from its elegant context and slap it singly on a bare plate in order to share it with you. Here it is.
"Only to a dullard is language a means of communication and nothing more. It would be like saying sex is a means of reproduction and no more and food a means of fuelling and no more. In life you have to explain wine. You have to explain cheese. You have to explain love. You can’t, but you have to try, or if not try you have, surely, to be aware of the astonishing fact of them."
UPDATE: I have now completed my reading of the blessay in question, and am now resolved to be less pedantic with my use of language. Occasionally a preposition is a fine thing to end a sentence with. I might even be inspired to wildly split the occasional infinitive. We shall see.
That being said, I am also resolved simply to write MORE. One's writing gets better with practice, one assumes. So I'm going to practice more. I'm going to try to increase quantity of output in the hopes that it somehow improves quality of output.
I sense a New Year's Resolution in the offing! At a time when I am as woefully out of shape as I have ever been in my entire bleeding life I resolve to sit and type more! Yay!
This blog may become more and more diary-like as I do so. So be it.
Do any of my 3 or 4 readers have any resolutions they'd care to share?
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
What's a Blessay?
A great writer is intimidating to those of us who, while able to string words together in a coherent manner, cannot aspire to such a title.
Take Stephen Fry, for example. The actor famous for his portrayal of Lord Melchett in the Blackadder II series (among many other items in his long, long list of on-screen accomplishments) is a very admirable wordsmith whose works on his eponymous blog reveal an eloquent passion for one of his preferred subjects: Smartphones.
His entry of a week ago clocks in at nearly 10,000 words, which is one reason why I'm only halfway through reading it.
(Yes, I'm taking a break from reading someone else's blog entry to write about the experience. Yes, I'm quite insane.)
The other reason - besides length - that I'm only partway through the blessay in question...
He calls his entries blessays, the word being a portmanteau of blog and essay, and who am I to insist that he name them otherwise?
"Portmanteau" - incidentally - is a word that I learned from another of his blessays in which he explains that the name Mozilla itself is a portmanteau of Mosaic Killer (or Killa, perhaps).
...as I was saying. The other reason I've not yet completed my sojourn through his latest blessay is that I'm just so damn impressed with his mastery of the language and his ability to bring that mastery to bear on his subject of choice (which, in this and a few of his blessays, is Smartphones) that I'm driven to deep despair regarding my own ability to write.
Who would want to read my pathetic typings when they can just as easily avail themselves of the luxurious meanderings of Mr. Fry? I'm not completely without linguistic ability, true. I seem to be able to fake it when roused to do so. Seldom am I, though. I just don't have the passion for anything in my own life to write about it with the same enthusiasm that Stephen brings to the subject of Smartphones.
The man loves his Smartphones. Unabashedly, unashamedly, and with abandon. His latest blessay is a review of new Smartphone offerings, cleverly disquised as yet another mash note to Steve Jobs et al.
Stephen loves his iPhone, and all things Apple, really.
Consider the following excerpt:
the real mystery is not how Jobs and Ive and their team made their breakthrough with such conspicuous speed and success, it is how the might of Symbian, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Microsoft could have bestridden the market for so many years without so much as making an attempt to satisfy, please, solace and ease the smartphone experience: even a quarter of Apple’s imagination, creativity, innovation and delight in technology would have been something. Weird to remind ourselves yet again of just how unanimous in their scepticism the press and professional techies were about the possibility of Apple being able to make a dent in the market as an untried newcomer while now we’re already thinking of them as the big brutal bullying champion. How could the major players have left a gap in the market so wide that a complete novice in mobile telephony could so instantly shame them? Shame them in the eyes of the world, at least, if not in their own.
He eventually gets down to business, beginning with reviews of a couple new flavors of BlackBerry: The BlackBerry Bold and the BlackBerry Storm.
He seems to feel that the Bold, while not perfect, is at least worthy of the name BlackBerry, for which he has some affection.
Then he moves on to the Storm.
As a Verizon customer I've been gazing longingly at the BlackBerry Storm and wondering if it was the Smartphone for me. Thanks to Stephen I am now much less likely to be seduced by its siren song.
I'm trying to find some piece that I can excerpt from the whole of his excoriation that will give you an adequate feel for his disgust and disapppointment with the BlackBerry Storm. I suppose I could pick out some pieces at random - any one of several paragraphs he devotes to the subject of the Storm would serve to illustrate his point - but it's so enjoyable to read as a whole. He dismantles the Storm. He makes his case, point by point, that the Storm is utterly and wholly a mistake and sums up his views with surprising economy, thusly:
nothing can take away from the fact that this is the Edsel of smartphones, an absolute smeller from top to bottom.
Of course I've now had to read the remaining portion of his blessay in order to write with any kind of accuracy about it. This shouldn't surprise me nearly as much as it does.
Regardless, I will reveal at this time that Stephen moves on from all things BlackBerry eventually to admit his satisfaction with the first generation of the Android phone. He seems to be especially hopeful that the Android entries into the marketplace will serve to inspire Apple to compete and take the iPhone to ever-greater heights of accomplishment in end-user satisfaction.
Which Apple will mostly likely do, admittedly.
Regardless, reading Stephen's blessay is much more satisfactory than reading my squalid summation of same. Go. Now. Read.
Take Stephen Fry, for example. The actor famous for his portrayal of Lord Melchett in the Blackadder II series (among many other items in his long, long list of on-screen accomplishments) is a very admirable wordsmith whose works on his eponymous blog reveal an eloquent passion for one of his preferred subjects: Smartphones.
His entry of a week ago clocks in at nearly 10,000 words, which is one reason why I'm only halfway through reading it.
(Yes, I'm taking a break from reading someone else's blog entry to write about the experience. Yes, I'm quite insane.)
The other reason - besides length - that I'm only partway through the blessay in question...
He calls his entries blessays, the word being a portmanteau of blog and essay, and who am I to insist that he name them otherwise?
"Portmanteau" - incidentally - is a word that I learned from another of his blessays in which he explains that the name Mozilla itself is a portmanteau of Mosaic Killer (or Killa, perhaps).
...as I was saying. The other reason I've not yet completed my sojourn through his latest blessay is that I'm just so damn impressed with his mastery of the language and his ability to bring that mastery to bear on his subject of choice (which, in this and a few of his blessays, is Smartphones) that I'm driven to deep despair regarding my own ability to write.
Who would want to read my pathetic typings when they can just as easily avail themselves of the luxurious meanderings of Mr. Fry? I'm not completely without linguistic ability, true. I seem to be able to fake it when roused to do so. Seldom am I, though. I just don't have the passion for anything in my own life to write about it with the same enthusiasm that Stephen brings to the subject of Smartphones.
The man loves his Smartphones. Unabashedly, unashamedly, and with abandon. His latest blessay is a review of new Smartphone offerings, cleverly disquised as yet another mash note to Steve Jobs et al.
Stephen loves his iPhone, and all things Apple, really.
Consider the following excerpt:
the real mystery is not how Jobs and Ive and their team made their breakthrough with such conspicuous speed and success, it is how the might of Symbian, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Microsoft could have bestridden the market for so many years without so much as making an attempt to satisfy, please, solace and ease the smartphone experience: even a quarter of Apple’s imagination, creativity, innovation and delight in technology would have been something. Weird to remind ourselves yet again of just how unanimous in their scepticism the press and professional techies were about the possibility of Apple being able to make a dent in the market as an untried newcomer while now we’re already thinking of them as the big brutal bullying champion. How could the major players have left a gap in the market so wide that a complete novice in mobile telephony could so instantly shame them? Shame them in the eyes of the world, at least, if not in their own.
He eventually gets down to business, beginning with reviews of a couple new flavors of BlackBerry: The BlackBerry Bold and the BlackBerry Storm.
He seems to feel that the Bold, while not perfect, is at least worthy of the name BlackBerry, for which he has some affection.
Then he moves on to the Storm.
As a Verizon customer I've been gazing longingly at the BlackBerry Storm and wondering if it was the Smartphone for me. Thanks to Stephen I am now much less likely to be seduced by its siren song.
I'm trying to find some piece that I can excerpt from the whole of his excoriation that will give you an adequate feel for his disgust and disapppointment with the BlackBerry Storm. I suppose I could pick out some pieces at random - any one of several paragraphs he devotes to the subject of the Storm would serve to illustrate his point - but it's so enjoyable to read as a whole. He dismantles the Storm. He makes his case, point by point, that the Storm is utterly and wholly a mistake and sums up his views with surprising economy, thusly:
nothing can take away from the fact that this is the Edsel of smartphones, an absolute smeller from top to bottom.
Of course I've now had to read the remaining portion of his blessay in order to write with any kind of accuracy about it. This shouldn't surprise me nearly as much as it does.
Regardless, I will reveal at this time that Stephen moves on from all things BlackBerry eventually to admit his satisfaction with the first generation of the Android phone. He seems to be especially hopeful that the Android entries into the marketplace will serve to inspire Apple to compete and take the iPhone to ever-greater heights of accomplishment in end-user satisfaction.
Which Apple will mostly likely do, admittedly.
Regardless, reading Stephen's blessay is much more satisfactory than reading my squalid summation of same. Go. Now. Read.
Climate Change keeps changing
I'm a believer in Global Warming. I think it's happening. I think we're causing it.
But I have to admit there's still a lot we don't know.
On the other hand, we learn a bit more each day.
Take this for example:
Basically, they've discovered a new negative feedback loop in the processes of climate change. Iron released into the ocean by melting icebergs encourages plankton to absorb more CO2, thereby ever-so-slightly reducing Global Warming.
Understand, though, that we're still putting out more CO2 than the plankton are going to be absorbing. This is not a reason to celebrate that all our problems are solved. Global warming is still a problem.
We can celebrate that we're learning more, though. The more we understand about the processes of climate change the better we'll be able to cope with the changes.
Here's another reason to celebrate our ongoing learning: NASA is launching a satellite that will map from where the CO2 is coming, and to where it's going. This will be useful.
But I have to admit there's still a lot we don't know.
On the other hand, we learn a bit more each day.
Take this for example:
Basically, they've discovered a new negative feedback loop in the processes of climate change. Iron released into the ocean by melting icebergs encourages plankton to absorb more CO2, thereby ever-so-slightly reducing Global Warming.
Understand, though, that we're still putting out more CO2 than the plankton are going to be absorbing. This is not a reason to celebrate that all our problems are solved. Global warming is still a problem.
We can celebrate that we're learning more, though. The more we understand about the processes of climate change the better we'll be able to cope with the changes.
Here's another reason to celebrate our ongoing learning: NASA is launching a satellite that will map from where the CO2 is coming, and to where it's going. This will be useful.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Release al-Zaidi. Keep the shoes.
My immediate reaction to the news that an Iraqi reporter threw his shoes at President Bush was unsuppressed glee.
And after some consideration I'm still glad this happened. I get the impression that President Bush is insulated from the consequences of many of his decisions, although his recent interview with ABC News belies this a bit. Still, it's nice to see him directly confronted - in such an essentially harmless manner - with someone who disagrees with him.
Also, I gotta say that President Bush showed some impressive reaction-time.
All that said, it was amazingly unprofessional of reporter al-Zaidi to do this.
Reporters get more access to the president than the rest of us, and one reporter hurling shoes may cause that access to be diminished for the rest.
I suspect that al-Zaidi's career as a reporter is over.
His new career as a popular hero to the Arab world is off to a great start, though.
Al-Zaidi has been detained by Iraqi Authorities. Thousands of people have marched in the streets of Sadr City, demanding his release.
There are reports that he has been injured. It seems likely that he was immediately injured by the Prime Minister's guards. Hopefully he has received treatment for his injuries, and there has been no further violence against him.
Meanwhile, the shoes have become nearly as much of a symbol to the Arab world as al-Zaidi himself has become. Perhaps moreso. A Saudi businessman has reportedly offered 10 million US dollars for the shoes. (I don't know that anyone has offered monetary support for al-Zaidi at this time. Many, many lawyers are volunteering to represent him, though.)
It is unknown who has possession of the shoes at this time.
I think President Bush should keep them, if he has them. Specifically, I think he should issue a public thank-you to al-Zaidi for the shoes, which were clearly offered to President Bush in a heartfelt manner. President Bush could then donate them to the Smithsonian (which hopefully would display them next to the ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz in the the Popular Culture wing of the American History Museum.)
Hopefully the authorities will show some amount of grace and humor, anyway. President Bush has impressed me with his reactions thus far.
Meanwhile, I think al-Zaidi should be convicted of "insulting a foreign leader and the Iraqi prime minister" but then his sentence should commuted and he should be placed on probation and released.
It would be amusing if one of the terms of this probation was that he remain unshod for some period of time, but this is probably unnecessary.
He shouldn't be martyred. He shouldn't be made into a hero. And we should keep the shoes.
UPDATE: Al-Zaidi supposedly appeared before a judge within the Green Zone today, but he's not been seen in public since being removed from President Bush's press conference with the Iraqi Prime Minister.
UPDATE 2: The international reaction is fascinating.
And after some consideration I'm still glad this happened. I get the impression that President Bush is insulated from the consequences of many of his decisions, although his recent interview with ABC News belies this a bit. Still, it's nice to see him directly confronted - in such an essentially harmless manner - with someone who disagrees with him.
Also, I gotta say that President Bush showed some impressive reaction-time.
All that said, it was amazingly unprofessional of reporter al-Zaidi to do this.
Reporters get more access to the president than the rest of us, and one reporter hurling shoes may cause that access to be diminished for the rest.
I suspect that al-Zaidi's career as a reporter is over.
His new career as a popular hero to the Arab world is off to a great start, though.
Al-Zaidi has been detained by Iraqi Authorities. Thousands of people have marched in the streets of Sadr City, demanding his release.
There are reports that he has been injured. It seems likely that he was immediately injured by the Prime Minister's guards. Hopefully he has received treatment for his injuries, and there has been no further violence against him.
Meanwhile, the shoes have become nearly as much of a symbol to the Arab world as al-Zaidi himself has become. Perhaps moreso. A Saudi businessman has reportedly offered 10 million US dollars for the shoes. (I don't know that anyone has offered monetary support for al-Zaidi at this time. Many, many lawyers are volunteering to represent him, though.)
It is unknown who has possession of the shoes at this time.
I think President Bush should keep them, if he has them. Specifically, I think he should issue a public thank-you to al-Zaidi for the shoes, which were clearly offered to President Bush in a heartfelt manner. President Bush could then donate them to the Smithsonian (which hopefully would display them next to the ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz in the the Popular Culture wing of the American History Museum.)
Hopefully the authorities will show some amount of grace and humor, anyway. President Bush has impressed me with his reactions thus far.
Meanwhile, I think al-Zaidi should be convicted of "insulting a foreign leader and the Iraqi prime minister" but then his sentence should commuted and he should be placed on probation and released.
It would be amusing if one of the terms of this probation was that he remain unshod for some period of time, but this is probably unnecessary.
He shouldn't be martyred. He shouldn't be made into a hero. And we should keep the shoes.
UPDATE: Al-Zaidi supposedly appeared before a judge within the Green Zone today, but he's not been seen in public since being removed from President Bush's press conference with the Iraqi Prime Minister.
UPDATE 2: The international reaction is fascinating.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Local Currency for Louisville
I live in Louisville, Kentucky. We have a number of independent businesses here, but a few of them are in the act of closing, and it may be a result of the recent economic downturn. Stephen George, editor of our local alternative newsweekly the Louisville Eccentric Observer clearly believes this is the case.
I have responded to George's column (and contacted the Louisville Independent Business Association) with the following proposal:
I propose thatLouisville Louisville
Update: I want to give credit where it's due, so please be aware that I was inspired to begin thinking about a local currency for Louisville by this clip from the fine folks over at GOOD.
I have responded to George's column (and contacted the Louisville Independent Business Association) with the following proposal:
I propose that
The Berkshire region of
The businesses in question also use Berkshares to facilitate trade between each other. If one business accumulates an excess of Berkshares they can always cash them in at a participating bank for their original cost of 90 cents each.
Studies of local currencies show that they facilitate customer loyalty, and that the currency circulates more rapidly than regular currency (there being no incentive to keep the local currency out of circulation) therefore facilitating greater economic activity.
What’s especially exciting is that Berkshares and other organizations have done all the heavy lifting already. All the legal issues of launching legit local lucre have been addressed.
There are many resources upon which to draw. One of the best resources is most likely the Berkshares web site, which includes the bylaws of that organization.
Berkshares launched with assistance from the E. F. Schumacher Society – an organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of local economies. The E. F. Schumacher Society’s website – smallisbeautiful.org – is another very useful resource. The site also lists a number of other local currencies that are currently in use in various states. There appear to be no local currencies in
We'll need at least one of the local banks to facilitate distribution of
It seems to me, then, that this is an idea for which our local businesses are ready. Members of these organizations have already learned the value of co-operating, of motivating patrons to prepay in order to make purchases at multiple businesses, and of selling gift cards at a discount. It seems that creating and utilizing a local currency would be just another small step.
Update: I want to give credit where it's due, so please be aware that I was inspired to begin thinking about a local currency for Louisville by this clip from the fine folks over at GOOD.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Better Place gets bigger
I've written previously about Better Place - a company whose purpose is to move the world away from the internal combustion engine to electric vehicles. I checked the Better Place site today and I am excited that their various projects appear to be progressing nicely.
Better Place just demonstrated in Israel the charging station that they'll be rolling out in the rest of that country, in Hawaii and in San Francisco in the US, in Australia, and in Denmark.
Better Place has just announced that it will be building battery-exchange stations in Japan, also. It's the only foreign company invited to take part in that country's build-out of EV infrastructure.
Better Place's plan of battery-charging stations and battery exchange stations is pretty perfect for any island. I expect the Philippines, New Zealand, and various Caribbean islands to be working with Better Place before long. Maybe Puerto Rico, also.
I wonder how long it will be before adoption of this system in the non-island Ohio Valley. Some battery-changing stations on the network of roads between Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Louisville and Nashville would be sweet!
Better Place just demonstrated in Israel the charging station that they'll be rolling out in the rest of that country, in Hawaii and in San Francisco in the US, in Australia, and in Denmark.
Better Place has just announced that it will be building battery-exchange stations in Japan, also. It's the only foreign company invited to take part in that country's build-out of EV infrastructure.
Better Place's plan of battery-charging stations and battery exchange stations is pretty perfect for any island. I expect the Philippines, New Zealand, and various Caribbean islands to be working with Better Place before long. Maybe Puerto Rico, also.
I wonder how long it will be before adoption of this system in the non-island Ohio Valley. Some battery-changing stations on the network of roads between Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Louisville and Nashville would be sweet!
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