The Ecstasy of Influence » Sideblog

Daring Fireball: Obsession Times Voice

Brian — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:07:38 +0000

Daring Fireball: Obsession Times Voice. “The verb is writing. The format and medium are new, but the craft is ancient. Obsession times voice is a pretty good stab at a simple formula for doing it right.”

Iron Chef Boyardee

Brian — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:03:20 +0000

Iron Chef Boyardee. Villiage Voice reporter Robert Sietsema on the fakery that is Iron Chef America: “Iron Chef America is more bogus than even I had imagined.”

More Bad Art

Brian — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:05:57 +0000

3quarksdaily: Yes, you read that right: I am demanding more bad art. Should a great artist ride out an artistic lull in silence or keep on producing, even if the results are sub-par?

Recordings have become advertisements for shows

Brian — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:04:35 +0000

Sasha Frere-Jones: “Recordings have become advertisements for shows.”

Albums plus apps

Brian — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:37:35 +0000

Albums plus apps. Great ideas for how iTunes can improve.

The Sizzling Sound of Music

Brian — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:03:50 +0000

The Sizzling Sound of Music. Are we beginning to prefer the hissing sound of MP3s?

A History of the Past:’Life Reeked With Joy’

Brian — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 04:39:37 +0000

A History of the Past: ‘Life Reeked With Joy’. The former teacher in me loves this — the best of the worst from one professor’s archive of student papers.

The ruins of Detroit

Brian — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:26:20 +0000

The ruins of Detroit. Sad and haunting.

A/V Geeks

Brian — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:16:28 +0000

A/V Geeks. Amazing collection of old 16mm education films

Stuffed Monster Gallery

Brian — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:51:30 +0000

The Stuffed Monster Gallery. 48 stuffed monsters based on children’s drawings. Just wonderful.

Growing Sentences with David Foster Wallace

Brian — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:36:53 +0000

Growing Sentences with David Foster Wallace. OR: How to write life DFW in ten easy steps.

Pac-Man Cupcakes.

Brian — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:31:22 +0000

<3 Pac-Man Cupcakes.

Do influential people develop more conventional opinions?

Brian — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:52:06 +0000

Marginal Revolution: How do influential people develop more conventional opinions?. “3. As people become more influential, their opinion of the status quo rises, because they see it rewarding them and thus meritorious.”

Amateur Porn Start

Brian — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:50:36 +0000

Hal Niedzviecki on Internet Porn Addiction. “The men talk about their photo equipment. The women talk about their kids. Drinks are served, and someone pulls out a breast. A camera flashes. The night begins.”

LET IT DIE: Rushkoff on the economy

Brian — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:48:34 +0000

LET IT DIE: Rushkoff on the economy: “With any luck, the economy will never recover.”

DFW

Brian — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:43:57 +0000

“I guess I’m really a shy sort of person. I hate to be the center of attention.” Nice 1987 portrait of David Foster Wallace.

Song of the Moment

Brian — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:49:00 +0000

Tom Waits and Kronos Quarter do Waits’ “Way Down in the Hole.” Simply divine.

One of these things is not like the other

Brian — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:18:31 +0000

Love this Patrick Moberg representation of the 44 Presidents.

Motorhead Messiah

Brian — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:42:52 +0000

Fascinating profile on auto visionary, even for non-gear-heads like me: Johnathan Goodwin can get 100 mpg out of a Lincoln Continental, cut emissions by 80%, and double the horsepower.