Friday, October 24, 2003

Nice pics from last night's downtown fire, by August Meyland III in the N&R. Too bad you can't click on them for larger images, and that they'll disappear from the site in two weeks. I am vexed by the paper's archiving policy. When a story goes behind the paywall, the link just rots -- rather than taking you to a place to buy the story, you go to a dead end. If you make it to the archives page, you have to scroll past a menu of stuff they want to sell you to find the search function, and then you search for your article all over again. It's the opposite of user-friendly. Overall I like the look and usability of the N&R online (compare it to the eye-glazing Charlotte Observer site, for example). But while I'm at it, I wish they'd post more articles, and quit repeating headlines as you scroll down the page. And I wish they'd solve that damn link-rot problem. 12:43:01 PM    comment []

I'm going to do a class, or series of classes, on writing on the Web as part of the UNCG continuing education curriculum. Starts in February. It would be cool to include local and even regional bloggers in the conversation, so if anyone wants to come be part of the show and tell, let me know. 12:20:33 PM    comment []

David Appell on quantum mechanics: "How simple and beautiful is nature?" And on the equally simple but less beautiful Bill O'Reilly culture: "If you write or say something on Tuesday and you're upset about what people are writing or saying about you on Thursday, may I suggest that you're not nearly as intellectually serious about yourself as you ought to be." 12:13:50 PM    comment []

"For crying out loud, if you're going to take off your clothes and put food all over yourself, shouldn't it be fun?" Lex Alexander on naked sushi and upside-down rifle shooting. 8:34:19 AM    comment []

"Would you rather work for George Bush or be dead?"   Kathy Lash is talking to Kasey, the West Highland Terrier she owns with her husband, Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi (Kasey is not Dean's own dog, as erroneously hinted at in Doonesbury).   Kasey lies down and plays dead.   It's actually a repurposed gag --  Kasey, trained by ardent Oriole fans, originally chose "death" over supporting the Yankees. But you can teach an old dog new tricks, or at least new punch lines. 8:05:38 AM    comment []