archives

Consider This

#65: Measuring in the New Year

Despite our inexorable march into a digital future, one hardy (and very analog) survivor soldiers on — ten yards at a time.

How Now, Gold Bug?

To William Jennings Bryan, the gold standard was a cross upon which the monied classes would crucify the working man. But in times of economic turmoil, some yearn for a return to a standard you can see, touch, and even hide under your mattress. Really, though, it’s just another case of “turtles all the way down.”

The New Yorker Story (J.D. Salinger, R.I.P)

Once upon a time, a roustabout named Harold Ross created a magic magazine that managed to define sophistication while remaining accessible to everyone. When he died, his successor and authors like J.D. Salinger set out to redefine what sophistication in fiction was (supposed to be) all about, and a new type of story was born. Pity, that.

The Constantine Code and the Missing Standard!

Dan Brown is renowned for spinning tales that weave together ancient events and contemporary intrigue with potentially dire modern effects. I guess he does OK, considering what he has to work with. But next time, he should look into standards (what the hell?)

Digitization and the (Vanishing) Arts of the Book

Throughout the ages, monks, artists and graphic designers have lovingly illuminated and designed published works of all kinds. With electronic books finally taking hold, will the arts of the book be abandoned forever, or will a new generation of artists be allowed the bandwidth needed to enrich our future reading experience?

Googling to Newspaper Solvency

Major newspapers and wire services have recently begun talking tough about cracking down on on-line aggregators that reproduce news extracts and then link back to the full text. Are the news organizations biting the hands that could save them?