Thursday, December 16, 2004

Jessica Cole remembered, by one of her classmates and friends. 4:05:40 PM    comment []

Ursula K. Le Guin on the television version of her Earthsea books: "When I looked over the script, I realized the producers had no understanding of what the books are about and no interest in finding out. All they intended was to use the name Earthsea, and some of the scenes from the books, in a generic McMagic movie with a meaningless plot based on sex and violence." 3:59:28 PM    comment []

Meetings for much of the day. I hope we get the conference room with the view of the Flatiron building. Second best is the one facing the Empire State building. Probably we'll get the one looking at a boring mid-block streetwall on 27th St. Not that I spend these meetings just staring out the window... 9:49:09 AM    comment []

Sitting in a hotel room with tears in my eyes. Jessica Cole died after a long illness. She was our friend and neighbor, a classmate of Elijah's. A fighter. Funny. I got to know her when Lisa and I ran 4th-grade chess club, I knew she really liked me when she socked me on the arm and told me "you are so weird," the last word pronounced in true kid-speak with two syllables. Her parents were so strong through these hard years, and her friends were there to the end. Rest in peace, pal. 9:12:05 AM    comment []

Jay Rosen looks at global blogging and local culture, including the burgeoning blog community in Greensboro. On the effect of having the editor of our local daily write a blog: "People who have been around a city for many years will sometimes tell you how 'our' newspaper became 'the' newspaper in the era of chain ownership. Wouldn't it be interesting if the reverse happened? The newspaper turns into 'our' paper again." And on the rise of local portals and aggregators like Greensboro101: "Whereas in Greensboro, North Carolina, the community was imagined a long time ago and covers a particular plot of earth... that Web page is a new way of 'seeing' what Greensboro is up to, just as the daily newspaper has always been." Jay asks, "What is that great nation like--how do we imagine the community--corresponding to the English speaking, reading and weblog-writing world, as it extends across the globe? Is this one public, or many? Does it have its own press? Are there patriots?" I would answer: It has many publics, but without bright lines between them; it is its own press; and it does have patriots, people who love it and propagate its ideals -- too many to name, and the list keeps growing. My question: what are the defining traits of Greensboro's blog culture? 7:29:06 AM    comment []