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A pool cue even robots would love
Jason Kottke, a long-time and superb blogger, has decided to quit his regular paying work and blog full-time! He’s running a three-week fundraising drive to support it, and I’ve already offered a tip in his tip-jar, because his blog is a truly stupendous resource of stuff that keeps me thinking. I’ll be intrigued to see how things turn out. Jason’s decided to abjure advertising, since he’s concerned it would queer his focus or his relationship with his readers. He wrote a FAQ explaining why he’s trying this, which includes:
In the recent comics issue of McSweeney’s, Chris Ware notes that “in the past decade or so, comics appear to have gained some greater measure of respect, due in no small part to the number of cartoonists who have begun to take the medium seriously”. This is me taking online personal publishing seriously because I feel it deserves as much.
I’ll be fascinated to see how his blog changes when it’s not competing for attention with his other work. He has a wittily sober assessement of his move — “dumb economic decision” — and notes that expects to make 1/3 to 1/2 of his previous income; if he can make it last a year before collapsing, he figures, he’ll be lucky. This part of the FAQ made me laugh out loud:
Are you excited?
If by that you mean “do you feel like you’re going to throw up?” then yes.
Check out his site, and if you like it, drop a buck or two in his cup!
I'm Clive Thompson, a writer on science, technology, and culture. This blog collects bits of offbeat research I'm running into, and musings thereon.
Currently, I'm a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine and a columnist for Wired magazine. I also write for Fast Company and Wired magazine's web site, among other places. Email or AOL IM me (pomeranian99) to say hi or send in something strange!
The “Milky Way Transit Authority” map
Should automobile software be open-sourced?
My Bookforum review of Jaron Lanier’s “You Are Not A Gadget”
Molecular secrets of the “iron-plated snail”
» visit the Collision Detection archives
January 31, 2010 » 07:29 PM
V. A. To me death seems to be an evil.
M. What, to those who are already dead? or to those who must die?
A. To both.
M. It is a misery, then, because an evil?
A. Certainly.
M. Then those who have already died, and those who have still got to die, are both miserable?
A. So it appears to me.
M. Then all are miserable?
A. Every one.
January 24, 2010 » 03:22 PM
One of the more interesting trends is family, which came in at number five. Specifically, discussion about family, moms, dads, daughters, etc. jumped during 2009. With Facebook users getting older, this isn’t a big surprise. However, the fact that the mention of “kids” jumped by a factor of five this year is rather dramatic. It’s tough to know what this means, though. (via Facebook Unveils Most-Mentioned Topics of 2009
)
January 15, 2010 » 01:36 PM
BEYOND AWESOME. They are announcing a recall of the Plush Uterus “due to a potential choking hazard for children”. To apply for it, “Please send an email to the address below with the subject line, ‘UTERUS OPT OUT’”.
January 14, 2010 » 10:04 PM
“To order, please TYPE “YES” IN CHECKBOX BELOW TO AGREE YOU UNDERSTAND THIS PLUSH MUST BE KEPT AWAY FROM KIDS (it is a sex organ, after all). If it is not checked, WE WILL NOT SEND THE UTERUS.” (via @ibogost)
January 11, 2010 » 01:45 PM
I watched Space: 1999 back in the day, but I swear to god I do not remember this scene.
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