Category Tumbling

♣ What Happened to the Art of Handwriting

The digital revolution killed the art of handwriting. Umberto Eco via frankylicio.us.

My parents’ handwriting was slightly slanted because they held the sheet at an angle, and their letters were, at least by today’s standards, minor works of art. At the time, some – probably those with poor hand- writing – said that fine writing was the art of fools. It’s obvious that fine handwriting does not necessarily mean fine intelligence. But it was pleasing to read notes or documents written as they should be.

On ‘modern journalism’

mUmBRELLA on lazy journalism:

I hate the phrase lazy journalism.

It suggests that an undercooked story is because the journalist doesn’t work hard. Many times that’s not true.

Mind you the reality isn’t much more attractive to lovers of the old school journalism of contacts, beats and knocking on doors. But it does have big implications for PRs.

A more accurate description of what we’re seeing today is ROI journalism – where efficiency with scarce journalistic resource means that journos are spread thinner and have more ground to cover than ever before.

The difference between traditional journalism and bloggers

Paul Carr hits home.

And yet, I argued back, after camera phone dude helps us establish that the plane has crashed, who can we trust to tell us why it happened? While bloggers can own the first five minutes of any breaking story – a plane crash, a fire, a burglary – it’s always going to be the professional reporters who own the next five days, or five weeks. They walk the streets, work their contacts and – yes – trawl the blogosphere for eye-witness reports, and then take all of that information, analyse it, follow it up and ultimately provide an account of events that readers can trust.

About Street Photography in the UK

After recent events, I thought it were time again to highlight this letter from Tony McNulty. There are NO restrictions on street photography. Print and carry the letter with you.

Blogging is a Meaningless Verb

John Gruber on blogging.

There is an easy formula for doing it wrong: publish attention-getting bullshit and pull stunts to generate mindless traffic. The entire quote-unquote “pro blogging” industry — which exists as the sort of pimply teenage brother to the shirt-and-tie SEO industry — is predicated on the notion that blogging is a meaningful verb. It is not. The verb is writing. The format and medium are new, but the craft is ancient.

♣ Looking for a T-Shirt?

Please a geek and find your favourite a perfect T-shirt and have some fun with nerdy pickup lines in Twitter format.

Illegal Money? Don’t Despair, Taxes Are There To Help You

In times of credit crunch it is positive to know that the (US) tax systems always is ready and available to help you get rid of some more money. In the event you have earned a buck via other means, here’s what to do if you’re a US tax payer.

Illegal activities
Income from illegal activities, such as money from dealing illegal drugs, must be included in your income on form 1040 line 21, or on schedule C-EZ (Form 1040) if from your self employment activity.

Kickbacks.
You must include kickbacks,side commissions, push money, or similar payments you receive in your income…

Stolen property.
If you steal property, you must report its fair market value in your income in the year you steal it unless in the same year, you return it to its rightful owner.

Bribes.
If you receive a bribe, include it in your income.

Journalistic Failure

If at least some more opinions, facts, comparisons were delivered, the article might have had some sense. Until then I’ll gladly adhere to the group of frivolous timewasters instead of the frustrated OS hackers.
ZDNet in a journalistic failure:

Macintosh adherents tend to be frivolous time-wasters dazzled by cheap sensory effects.

♣ Techcrunch Tablet Prototype B

Interesting update to the concept of a cheap touchdevice used mainly for browsing the web. The Crunchtablet as they call it internally.
If they manage to release one, with multitouch, I can see myself being in the market for one at $299. 10″ Seems perfect although I would love to see a widescreen resolution.

♣ The Wino is at it again

A British couple on the prospect of a threesome with Amy Winehouse, who invited them to have some ‘fun’:

If she had been at all good looking we might have done it.

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