The Jaldous Journal

My news reading habits have changed over time. While we still have the Seattle Times delivered on the weekends, but I do most of my news gathering online. I have three official newspaper/internet hybrid sources

• The Huffington Post.  It has become my main source of news and at some point I began checking headlines several times a day. I no longer try to keep up with a long list of RSS feeds because the Huff Post fill most of my news needs. Now I know it has a "little" bit of a left leaning bent and the instructor of my college critical thinking course would tell me to balance it out with a more "right" leaning rag. I will, I will.
• Crosscut. Crosscut focuses on news in the Northwest--both Seattle, Portland and the greater region. Like the Huff, it is a blend of new content and links to other news sources. 
• NY Times Sunday Edition (Kindle Edition). I just bought an Amazon Kindle. Love it! More posts on that to follow. Before I bought the Kindle I was waking up early Sunday morning before my family so I could go to the store and get my Sunday times for $5. Now, I can just download it for $.75 an issue. I miss the ads and the photos, but not enough to go back.

The rest of the news I get from links from these sites or links from friends.

Very cool link sent to me via VSL.

Every day a different map from National Geographic to explore.

Okay, what is up Cole Haan? I feel like you are starting to stalk me. It started with a beautiful 4/c ad for penny loafers in NY Times style magazine a few weeks ago. Ever since then, it seems I can't get away from you on the Internet. There you are on the Map of the Day. There you were yesterday on the top of my blog banner. There you were the other day on a page off of the MSN home page. I've seen you on Huffington Post. Anywhere I go, there you are.

Well, job well done. Kudos to whomever is running your internet and print ad campaigns. I bought those darn red patent leather penny loafers with the Nike air support. I never spend that much on shoes, but I was at the U-Village and passed your store and was immediately sucked in and next thing I know I'm walking out with a Cole Haan bag under my arm.

But no matter how much you try, I am NOT buying one of your dynamic optical weave bags. No matter how much it reminds me of bargello patterns which I love. I just can't do it. I could buy a computer for the cost of one of these bags. I'm just going to have to stay far away from U Village for the time being.

Check out the new blog from members of the Microsoft Learning Community and Evangelism Team--Born to Learn.

Well, its about time someone used this resource the right way. This sounds like a great licensing deal to me. Time Magazine is working with Getty Images to release archive LIFE images as well as around 3000 new images for consumers to use in non-commercial purposes. Time and Getty--grow this brand!

I would say my Dad's National Geographic magazine collection and the bound collection of Life Magazine in the library at CSUS made me the publishing professional I am today. I respond to images and I spent many an hour at the library sifting through their collection which went all the way back to the first issue. I learned a lot about American History and Culture reading through Life's photo essays and gazing at the advertisements. It's a shame--but that collection at many libraries has been given over to other media. It's just not the same viewing a magazine on microfiche, but that is a whole other blog entry.

I was delighted to be listening to the audio of Obama's book, Dreams of My Father, and he mentioned how Life magazine impacted him. 

Raymond Leon Roker, publisher of URB.com has a nice review of Microsoft's new I am a PC ad.

I have to say when this ad campaign was unveiled to us at the employee meeting I wanted to stand up and cheer.

Check out this month's issue of Vanity Fair celebrating their 25th Anniversary.

Here are some particular articles I thought were worth a look:

• James Wolcott on television--the little big screen. I agree with him that television is doing a much better job these days than the film industry. I've been continually delighted by shows like Mad Men, Deadwood, Lost (first few seasons), Arrested Development, etc. My netflix queue can't keep up with all the critically acclaimed shows I wish to watch. I've also been continually disappointed by Hollywood film the past few years.
• Michael Wolff on Rupert Murdoch. Good or bad, Murdoch is an endlessly fascinating character and this article has caused him to cry out that he has no intention of buying the NY Times. There is also a fun extra--a look at Murdoch's "Facebook" page.
• Dominick Dunne on the 25th anniversary of Vanity Fair and his role. Still one of my favorite writers--read the Two Mrs. Grenvilles if you can find it.
• Sebastian Junger on Afghanistan. Why or why do never hear such intimate stories about what life is really like on the lines from the major media outlets?
• List of the New Establishment. Always fun a fun read.
• Photos from the upoming Vanity Fair Portraits (which will be on my wish list this holiday)
• An article about the papers, photos, stuff left behind by Marilyn Monroe. It's like rummaging through her stuff! Okay, probably gross, but you know you want to look!
• An scary article about Putin and his rise to power
• An article about the battle over Mrs. Astor--accusations of elder care abuse and fraud. Nothing like reading about the dirty laundry of the rich (See the Two Mrs. Grenvilles by Dominck Dunne).
• An excerpt from Annie Liebovitz's upcoming memoir showing how she got three of her most famous shots.

I have a subscription to the magazine, but I don't always read it cover to cover. This month, though, it was just too good to pass up.

One thing on my mind lately has been whether Sarah Palin would even be able to pass the legendary tough interview process here at Microsoft. Here is how I would assess her on the interview feedback loop after watching her interview with Charlie Gibson last night.

Interview: Charlie Gibson

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/11/sarah-palins-charlie-gibs_n_125772.html

Recommendation: No hire.

While it was clear that Sarah had spent time being coached on the job description I think she lacks a real technical knowledge and understanding about the vice-president position as posted. It was clear she had no real understanding of the Bush Doctrine and national security. When asked, she couldn’t describe the Doctrine and wobbled on her answer. It was clear she tried to change take the subject back to more familiar and coached ground. It might be good if Biden could drill down further in this area. When asked about national security she also kept trying to change the discussion back to energy. Does anyone else on the loop think that it might be hard to manage her to our goals and commitments? I felt like she might be more of a cowboy and want to go it alone instead of collaborate with other teams as well as partners.

Also her resume barely shows international experience overseas which would be vital for this position. When asked about it, she said that many VPs had little travel experience, although I think maybe those were probably VPs pre-twentieth century. She also made some disparaging comments about one of our partners, namely Russia. While I think it is fair to talk tough, it concerned me that she could attend a conference and maybe say something inappropriate. I’m just not sure she shares our core values.

She did talk a lot about reform but I just heard the words, and didn’t see a formulated plan for change beyond “putting the government back on the side of the people.” I felt she should have come into the interview with a laid out plan.

My recommendation would be a strong no hire and cancel the as appropriate with the American voters.

I ordered my copy of Thomas Friedman's lastest book, Hot, Flat and Crowded last night along with the latest from Bob Woodward. I had an email from the publisher announcing the book and mentioning that Friedman is leaving the last chapter to be written by his readers. Here is a posting about that idea from colleague and office neighbor, Mark Shea.

WTF? I can't believe the JK Rowling won her case against Steven Van der Ark. I can't believe the US court sided with her.

A federal judge on Monday ruled against a Web site operator who was seeking to publish an encyclopedia about the Harry Potter series of novels, blocking publication of "The Harry Potter Lexicon" after concluding that it would cause author J.K. Rowling "irreparable injury."

Really? Really? It would harm her? Because in a world with two Harry Potter encyclopedias--they both couldn't survive in the marketplace? How greedy is this woman really?

This is so sad for both authors and publishers and has broad implications to copyright law.

C'mon JK. Even George Lucas realized that he could make more by embracing his fans and allowing their unofficial Star Wars parodies. Even Paramount allowed unofficial guides to Star Trek and the enterprise.

Jeez, what was this guy going to make? Maybe a little bit of money for all the hard work he put in all those years supporting and marketing Harry Potter with his website.

Well, there go my plans for the Jane Austin compendium. I better put that Edgar Rice Burroughs Lexicon on the back burner. I hope I won't have my copy of the Andy Griffith Show Book confiscated. Oh, god. I worked on all those Unofficial Nintendo books a few years back. The Thoughtpolice don't have my address do they?

Interesting article on Kindle by author Jane Adams on Crosscut.