Can anybody be simultaneously insightful and entertaining the way Ze Frank can, especially about serious topics like health care? Fantastic:
Ze Frank on Health Care
September 1st, 2009span
August 31st, 2009
Oh what the heck. Here are several more of my recent pics on Flickr.
A N T S
August 30th, 2009
Some fresh (well, freshly-developed, at least) shots up on my photostream.
On a Molecular Level
August 28th, 2009Incredible! The BBC reports on IBM’s research that has led to the imaging of a single molecule and its bonds! Just as fascinating (to nerds like me) is the imaging methodology:
Their version of the device acts like a tiny tuning fork, with one of the prongs of the fork passing incredibly close to the sample and the other farther away.
When the fork is set vibrating, the prong nearest the sample will experience a minuscule shift in the frequency of its vibration, simply because it is getting close to the molecule.
Comparing the frequencies of the two prongs gives a measure of just how close the nearer prong is, effectively mapping out the molecule’s structure.
Nothing Left to Destroy
August 28th, 2009I seriously want to get each of these man-friendly reusable shopping bags.
(via drhastings)
Take a look, it’s in a book…
August 27th, 2009Tomorrow, sadly, marks the end of a childhood institution, Reading Rainbow.
Giving Union Hill the Business
August 26th, 2009This is exactly the type of story I like to see: After years of decay, Union Hill has been rezoned to allow some commercial property under special circumstances. Let’s hope this stems the tide of dilapidation and attracts more interest in what I think is an interesting and overlooked corner of the city.
everybody to the limit
August 13th, 2009Just a little bit o’ fresh photography – Kodak Tri-X 400 push-processed to a little above ISO 3200;
Hayashi Sushi replaces Akida in the West End
August 12th, 2009So it seems as if Akida’s West End location as been replaced by Hayashi Sushi.
I’m a big fan of Akida on Robinson St. in The Fan, but despite its superior ambiance, I always thought the West End location (conveniently close to my office) edged them out on the preparation/flavor front. So what I’m left to wonder is whether a) the West End Akida couldn’t stay open, b) the operators of that location bought out the location, or c) something else I’m not considering happened.
Richmond Biz Sense reported the business license for Hayashi on 6/11, and the earliest review online that I can see is from July 17th. Oh yeah, and so far no website to be found.
Anybody know what happened? Anybody been to Hayashi? I may have to go there next week to give it a shot.
great DOF and tones!
August 12th, 2009It’s probably pretty clear that I never went to art school.
I’ve explained before how, in my formative years, I was on the fence deciding between my creative and analytical sides. Having chosen the analytical school and (so far) job path there’s one are of my artistic life that seems to be missing – criticism. I’ve not, that is, participated in, dealt, received, nor studied formal art criticism (okay, so a really easy voice jury when I took singing lessons as a non-major…I don’t think that counts). My photography class in the summer of 2008 was supposed to include two critiques but did not.
The thing is, I believe there’s at least some value to deeper investigation of creative output. I just don’t really know where to start and how far to go. On the one hand there’s the high-minded bloviating found, tragically, all-too-often in the mainstream art world. On the other, there are comments like this post’s title and scads like it that I see on Flickr every day that say little more than the obvious.
NOW…
I’m not suggesting that all verbose criticism is overwrought nonsense. Certainly complex and personal reactions to great art can elicit complex responses. I do not, additionally, dismiss all simple gut-reactions as empty commentary. It’s still complimentary for somebody to suggest that your photo’s composition is nice, or that the architecture of a concert hall has pretty windows. I guess I just want a middle ground.
I’ve been trying, as much as possible, to really slow down and examine photographs I see on Flickr before (if at all) commenting. On such occasion that I post something, I’ve tried to add something of value – some detail about how I react to the picture. There are plenty of “Wow, sweet” comments left in my wake, but when I feel like a picture is worth prolonged staring, I like to say why in a bit more detail than “Great angle and colors.”
I’m not terribly worried about the grad-school-style diatribes because, frankly, I don’t think I’m that intricate a writer.