tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246287682024-03-04T20:13:28.261-08:00As Bill Sees ItHalf a century in the making and still moving forward. Let's paddle out some morning.Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-42313245415422218822009-06-02T14:10:00.000-07:002009-06-02T14:20:03.773-07:00I'm MovingWell, it is time to move on. Seems that blogspot.com doesn't like to allow primary email addresses from a gmail account. It has been 5 years here on blogspot, and a growing experience. The blog has changed dramatically in content and purpose since my recent job loss, but I see this as a great opportunity to launch myself into new areas of interest. It's not that I believe print is dead, but there is so much energy and enthusiasm in social media, as opposed to the persistent death rattle I am hearing from the print world.<br /><br />I am not giving up on print. It has been my livelihood for over 25 years. The breadth of knowledge I have acquired is immeasurable. Not to mention all the great people that have been along for the ride. Come join me at my new address: <a href="http://asbillseesit.wordpress.com/">asbillseesit.wordpress.com</a>. To be honest, I am glad to be rid of all those hyphens, if you know what I mean.Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-51417659655435454962009-05-28T06:42:00.000-07:002009-05-28T06:54:30.955-07:00Stop and Listen to the Medium<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavOB7YVPoe6npLhpWAygtM3DO9kTrHPoZr8Pthyphenhyphenufzxl18Cj_KHYVe1HdgwBGuwAwPQ8UEKV2xsgQMg1e1h6ivuxs-SGZ8IN2H2zyqoJYni3Rg8QEkO-xKBHiH9pcw5lYgy0t/s1600-h/2316046053_d914f3bfba.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavOB7YVPoe6npLhpWAygtM3DO9kTrHPoZr8Pthyphenhyphenufzxl18Cj_KHYVe1HdgwBGuwAwPQ8UEKV2xsgQMg1e1h6ivuxs-SGZ8IN2H2zyqoJYni3Rg8QEkO-xKBHiH9pcw5lYgy0t/s320/2316046053_d914f3bfba.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340872058282308274" border="0" /></a><br />So let’s say you’re in a room, at a party maybe and there are a lot of people there. And everyone there is there for the same reason, to get noticed. To be heard and seen and perceived as important in some way or another so that they stand out in the crowd. Okay, now imagine the room stretches from Boston to LA, and those attending the party have at least one thing in common-–they are all out of work print production professionals. The first thing you might ask is, “do I have to be at this party?” For these purposes, the answer is yes.<br /><br />You are an unemployed print pro, so that’s why you are there.<br />But do you have to stay? Well, that’s different. You are free to leave at anytime and join any other group of people looking for work. You decide to leave.<br /><br />So there you are in a new room. It’s unfamiliar. The conversation is different. At first you feel like maybe you don’t belong there. The other room was filled with conversation that was so comfortable. It just felt familiar, easy. Maybe you should head back to the other party. No. You begin to listen to what’s being said. It’s not all that different at all. In fact, the more you listen, you realize that these people have a lot in common with those in the other room. They just do it without paper. They converse online with Twitter and Facebook and yes, with blogs. And the conversation is stimulating. This is a party you want to be at.<br /><br />So you decide to stay, to listen to what folks are saying. You listen a lot at first because you’re a little unsure about whether you know enough to join in the conversation. You want to make a good first impression. You do have a lot to say though. You’ve been a marketing person for 25 years. It’s not so different, it’s just a different medium. But like a lifelong painter approaching a chunk of marble with a chisel for the first time, you stop yourself. You step back and listen. There will be plenty of time to talk later. Once you learn and understand the medium.Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-91171360486031894122009-05-26T14:28:00.000-07:002009-05-26T14:44:32.159-07:00One Week of Tweeting and I'm Number 1, 2 and 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmSN0_4A9j-f_YfKTDr7cuOTMmYmoJv1PeigsF3s2q0X6i2PIYWpmPAs_5nGMvvcjo7uYj5rW5ANnMh9LJ4ZZOwWkovL8D5wee4jjG8gez3si4tQ1RNemBmoM8s_DnT0PTra5/s1600-h/Picture+2.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmSN0_4A9j-f_YfKTDr7cuOTMmYmoJv1PeigsF3s2q0X6i2PIYWpmPAs_5nGMvvcjo7uYj5rW5ANnMh9LJ4ZZOwWkovL8D5wee4jjG8gez3si4tQ1RNemBmoM8s_DnT0PTra5/s320/Picture+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340251168465734546" border="0" /></a><br />Okay a week ago I began my quest to get me, Bill Thompson, the real me to reveal myself above the fold as they say on a Google Search. I had no illusions that this would be a simple task, but to my surprise, it only took a week. And to be honest, all I did was utilize my 3 current social media sites to accomplish this. Communicating between Twitter, Facebook and this blog, it only took 7 days to put me on top. (Local business results not factored)For those of you who missed the original post, you can find it <a href="http://as-bill-sees-it.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-i-appear-above-fold.html">here</a><br /><br />The power of social media in powering the visibility of your brand, in my case, that being me, is undeniable. If you or your company are beginning to explore the power of these networks, you can use me as an example. Go ahead, tell your boss.<br /><br />And while you're at it, have them take a look at this <a href="http://www.as-bill-sees-it.blogspot.com/">blog</a>, or my <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/williambthompson">LinkedIn profile</a>.<br /><br />More to come, as this re-branding project is just getting in gear!Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-82904292696212938962009-05-21T13:40:00.000-07:002009-05-21T14:12:07.107-07:00Can Old Dogs Tweet?Have spent the good portion of the last few days–no actually almost every waking moment–educating myself in the realm of social media marketing. For me that has meant twitter, facebook, Linkedin and this blog. I continue to build my network through Linkedin and have had an epiphany concerning twitter.<br /><br />I find the implications of this social media network to be mind numbing. The great news is that there is so much knowledge out there for a 51 year-old neophyte such as myself. In just one week I have been schooled by some of the best minds out there. From <a href="http://radar.oreilly.com/">Tim O'Reilly</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/mashable">Pete Cashmore</a> at <a href="http://http://mashable.com/">Mashable</a> and the persistent locals here in Long Beach, <a href="http://twitter.com/nostruminc">Nostrum Inc.</a><br /><br />Friends are joining in and sharing links and so the momentum builds. Coming from the print world, I find the immediacy of this medium thrilling, if not a bit overwhelming. Pace yourself I say. I attended an APALA meeting this week on the subject of social media marketing and was convinced by being in a room full of print professionals that I was on the right track. It will be fascinating to see how the world of offset lithographers react to this media taking a chunk out of ink on paper.<br /><br />And this morning I attended a webcast by O'Reilly and was introduced to many more features, tips and philosophy that jumpstarted another series of ideas for my <a href="http://as-bill-sees-it.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-i-appear-above-fold.html">re-branding project</a>. Suffice it to say, the days of spending 6 hours looking at job boards everyday are over. I'll continue to utilize traditional methods, but if I am really going to find a position that challeges me to continue to grow in a field that will definitely continue to grow, I'll keep on tweeting and learning. After all, if as they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, I'm only a little over 7 years old in dog years!Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-36548000786468315652009-05-19T10:54:00.001-07:002009-05-19T11:19:36.536-07:00How I Appear Above the Fold<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1NROq8L1cccTCUAVq5PGCYu5H4wIxohPR5BveLs9CW3aRZxa9MQecXwjR0FmLCT4zv2x28YzKE5DWXUo5BBg7qDVpbRVLqpUCKkeG2JoY4QmHxv_p2cY-PSWsq-WyaCmUk7f/s1600-h/Picture+3.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 138px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1NROq8L1cccTCUAVq5PGCYu5H4wIxohPR5BveLs9CW3aRZxa9MQecXwjR0FmLCT4zv2x28YzKE5DWXUo5BBg7qDVpbRVLqpUCKkeG2JoY4QmHxv_p2cY-PSWsq-WyaCmUk7f/s320/Picture+3.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337595453110328898" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmQDANXSFyYQIjuXpf2C5XbAg7axVBMMNtxhi_HLoLEx5XOcPF8ETt_qzLiQc0IN05pEIMI1kR398mhFYrDlthoK5gGlHMYutFjTr3cQb_GnEiDNlVx5NAz6ERkFZeJmwMlm1/s1600-h/Picture+2.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmQDANXSFyYQIjuXpf2C5XbAg7axVBMMNtxhi_HLoLEx5XOcPF8ETt_qzLiQc0IN05pEIMI1kR398mhFYrDlthoK5gGlHMYutFjTr3cQb_GnEiDNlVx5NAz6ERkFZeJmwMlm1/s320/Picture+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337595334713798658" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPlDExQXuRBtffFMi9FZRt94WmvGbmbv5ZovEGMD6C8pyCNjN9yXNHjvHX9au0TihyRd37qjxxYDLZTAInzRJpGt7R8G_OavqAYACZiw0C0NHb9SiT4qWNi-3no4p1eU2jSra/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPlDExQXuRBtffFMi9FZRt94WmvGbmbv5ZovEGMD6C8pyCNjN9yXNHjvHX9au0TihyRd37qjxxYDLZTAInzRJpGt7R8G_OavqAYACZiw0C0NHb9SiT4qWNi-3no4p1eU2jSra/s320/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337595073326725282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So this is what I look like to anyone who might be interested in me. A simple Google search or 2 and you get a picture of your presence on the internet. Not very appropriate.<br />Laser dentistry in Seattle? Nope. Part of a DNA Project? I certainly hope not. Or possibly the author of a treatise on "real-time fluid stimulus using discrete sine/cosine....<br /><br />Not me. So where am I? Who am I? How will someone find the real me? Finally after my 3rd search, there is a reference that is good. Member of Board of Directors of BKBIA. But this does not define me.<br /><br />Sure you could find me on Facebook, Twitter and even LinkedIn. Not to mention on this blog. But still you would be scratching your head and asking, "So, who is this guy?" As I begin my 5th week as an unemployed "print-production manager" (not really who I am, just what I've been doing, by the way), I've decided that it's time to re-brand.<br /><br />Re-brand me. Should be a fun project. And I love projects. Finally a project dedicated to the one product that matters most right now. Me. I may not be that interesting above the fold yet, but it is my intention to change that. Feedback? I would love it. After all as the rules change, we know that the most important thing we need to do as marketers is to listen.<br /><br />I'm all ears.<br />Eyes?Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-79532001393784818882009-05-12T14:57:00.000-07:002009-05-12T15:22:03.124-07:00Okay, Okay I'll Familiarize Myself With the Semantic Web<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7S-oBuYwyaaAv7ZoI8nBtIYMaSIcxNiMYBs7eBiRk8LPya00K56rM49H4tVNNMhWni-_l5EF7RNyiEpvewxgGnLwNNh82PHVpQO2Ghnq6vs3orCAS4LTXuRlzlLWJ1meoCKhW/s1600-h/Semantic-web-stack.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7S-oBuYwyaaAv7ZoI8nBtIYMaSIcxNiMYBs7eBiRk8LPya00K56rM49H4tVNNMhWni-_l5EF7RNyiEpvewxgGnLwNNh82PHVpQO2Ghnq6vs3orCAS4LTXuRlzlLWJ1meoCKhW/s320/Semantic-web-stack.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335064659806272562" border="0" /></a><br />So, yep here I am. Starting out week number four without a paying job. Not to say I am jobless. No far from it. I am busy looking for work. But not just prowling job sites, no. I am trolling the internet. I am learning. And I love it. I realize that at 51, I am not supposed to be "reinventing" myself. But I am. 20+ years in print, but now they say print is dead. Well they've said that about painting and jazz, but I haven't given up on them either.<br /><br />Print is not dead, it's just a little under the weather. Probably won't ever be as healthy as it once was. I mean, you can't expect people to continue to buy into an old model when the new one looks so promising. Hello Chrysler? GM?<br /><br />So I am tweeting and blogging and facebooking(?) It's engaging. It's distracting. And it's enlightening.<br /><br />I have always steered my teenagers away from Wikipedia. "Don't trust it. It's written by all sorts of unreliable people." But today in my travels through the "tubes" of the internet, I read an article about Web 2.0 and Web 3.0... and then "The Semantic Web". WTF? Quickly to Wikipedia, because I figured if I knew absolutely nothing about a subject, then maybe, just maybe, it could be trusted.<br /><br />I can't be the only one out there who couldn't/still can't define it. So check it out.<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_Web">Semantic Web</a>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-33535723740796003462009-03-27T14:15:00.000-07:002009-03-27T14:17:18.461-07:00Edison's "Blue and Yellow<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1443657&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1443657&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/1443657">blue and yellow</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user413206">edison</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br />Been awhile as I have been very busy. But here's a mental health break!Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-26953518122959767102009-02-04T10:00:00.001-08:002009-02-04T10:04:57.003-08:00Art from Outer Space?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44M4pHjKcFpyaUeOpQ8dAk1Fc3VGUBNvyqQvGSMImmo1MqtatdPGxH_cKk6hL5VGKQSP-24hHX_NDeBBlA6Y0CLX0anY1c1OZAa88aa-g0eBE4R3ih_AFiJ6hmxCG-rQgXsK5/s1600-h/JR_kibera_action3-thumb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44M4pHjKcFpyaUeOpQ8dAk1Fc3VGUBNvyqQvGSMImmo1MqtatdPGxH_cKk6hL5VGKQSP-24hHX_NDeBBlA6Y0CLX0anY1c1OZAa88aa-g0eBE4R3ih_AFiJ6hmxCG-rQgXsK5/s320/JR_kibera_action3-thumb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299004075183145202" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4s1AWll_O73OAP4zldLOnCkDQJYNcA5rHwvjxJmL0dAN2dIt410xp3Qqw5IDiR3pI9GqThnI7Lv1R3XJCiDXMrB7uILO6I6dLiXJr1VoitG58D4QVtdxM7GVubZDpvhzfihvQ/s1600-h/IMG_5752-thumb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4s1AWll_O73OAP4zldLOnCkDQJYNcA5rHwvjxJmL0dAN2dIt410xp3Qqw5IDiR3pI9GqThnI7Lv1R3XJCiDXMrB7uILO6I6dLiXJr1VoitG58D4QVtdxM7GVubZDpvhzfihvQ/s320/IMG_5752-thumb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299004073655754258" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGjK4Jx-bsH1GSCdF5-Zts_XRhHm-TF76WIwGlFTlSVT2IcOmjP9SzX5c89cR2XIj-_r96MuB9y0P3T4BZtoGNdG5Pho8inMEaW4WgUUp83oBc4kNIJ3Y3AcE0DFpzc4XIFcq/s1600-h/IMG_5697-thumb-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGjK4Jx-bsH1GSCdF5-Zts_XRhHm-TF76WIwGlFTlSVT2IcOmjP9SzX5c89cR2XIj-_r96MuB9y0P3T4BZtoGNdG5Pho8inMEaW4WgUUp83oBc4kNIJ3Y3AcE0DFpzc4XIFcq/s320/IMG_5697-thumb-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299004074359943986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /> <p>Today, after more than a year of planning, 2000 square meters of rooftops have been covered with photos of the eyes and faces of the women of Kibera. The material used is water resistant so that the photo itself will protect the fragile houses in the heavy rain season. The train that passes on this line through Kibera at least twice a day has also been covered with eyes from the women that live below it. With the eyes on the train, the bottom half of the their faces have be pasted on corrugated sheets on the slope that leads down from the tracks to the rooftops. The idea being that for the split second the train passes, their eyes will match their smiles and their faces will be complete.</p> <p>This new work, by far JR's most ambitious to date, can be seen from space and will be seen in Google Earth.</p>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-20614735350864269362008-12-19T09:35:00.000-08:002008-12-19T09:43:36.657-08:002010 Ford Fusion Hybrid: 52 mpg and the darkness before dawn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9csCVqfAx0pp944KSeU_7oULb9Ao6G1ZwnQY3PepV3XAwTQgkb84TRyEK5sRURVBp3gSFU1thbVgU23SCUYHM87bqnUId8-jOs02wKrFFhla6F2tENIL-iiSXaP3pCpIn-7f/s1600-h/44085862.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9csCVqfAx0pp944KSeU_7oULb9Ao6G1ZwnQY3PepV3XAwTQgkb84TRyEK5sRURVBp3gSFU1thbVgU23SCUYHM87bqnUId8-jOs02wKrFFhla6F2tENIL-iiSXaP3pCpIn-7f/s320/44085862.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281558155227464338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />OK, I don't often take a dive into the auto world, even though I make my living in the motorcycle world, but along with todays $17 billion bail out of Detroit's mess, the Pulitzer Prize winning auto writer for the LA Times has given us a piece on how Detroit gets it right, and then again, gets it wrong. The article is a review of the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. He likes it. Alot. But written in his inimitable style, Neil explains alot more than this cars performance. Check him out every Friday in the LA Times Business section. Well, as long as there is an LA Times,. But that's another story.Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-82051639312239332272008-12-15T15:58:00.000-08:002008-12-15T16:01:30.627-08:00Daily Routines How writers, artists, and other interesting people organize their days.Was introduced to this blog via Andrew Sullivan's today. For anyone who is interested in the lives of artists and how they lived their days, this blog gathers information from books, magazines and websites. Worth a look!<br /><a href="http://dailyroutines.typepad.com/daily_routines/">Daily Routine</a>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-74284472293250099102008-12-01T09:51:00.000-08:002008-12-01T09:56:11.269-08:00Immersion<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3gu0iu0xwls&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3gu0iu0xwls&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />A new video from New York Times Magazine features the work of Robbie Cooper who photographed the faces of children as they played video games. These images of kids playing video games were created by Cooper, a British photographer who employed a Red camera — a very-high-resolution video camera — and then took stills from the footage. Cooper, who says he was inspired by the camera technique that Errol Morris used to interview people in his documentaries, arranged his equipment so that the players were actually looking at a reflection of the game on a small pane of glass. He placed the camera behind the reflection so that it could look directly into their faces as they played.Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-49081520249210526392008-11-18T09:02:00.000-08:002008-11-18T09:18:30.800-08:00Fall in Southern California<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYwS-Fmkzh6Pc2HVxgzVR0_fRwIeJ9G3bbHd_HqziJijJK-6uqoeuSKePZN6um3lw3aNUev3RVz-ZFasDg9zN7cQ8NOWppL6g02qmaEme6vHjY54llA7QGL2AW0avdSU0Zo31/s1600-h/DSC_0017.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYwS-Fmkzh6Pc2HVxgzVR0_fRwIeJ9G3bbHd_HqziJijJK-6uqoeuSKePZN6um3lw3aNUev3RVz-ZFasDg9zN7cQ8NOWppL6g02qmaEme6vHjY54llA7QGL2AW0avdSU0Zo31/s320/DSC_0017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270048129630323458" border="0" /></a><br />Well, fall has officially arrived! And that means the scorching dry, hot winds that bring with them the firestorms that we have become increasingly used to. I have always said to my relatives, friends and associates who live in hurricane prone areas, or cold climes that yes, we do have earthquakes here, but at least there is no earthquake season!<br /><br />But fire season is now as predictable as any other season. And with it comes the horrible losses of homes and the personal histories that are wrapped inside them. We hear all too often the words, "well at least we are safe, that it's only things." But we should not diminish these losses of "things" as insignificant. Yes, our homes are filed with replaceable things, TVs, furniture and clothing, just to mention a few. But we also hold on to things that matter. Our child's first drawings, baby shoes and although most photos are being held hostage on a hard drive that we can grab on the way out the door as we grab the family pet, many years of photos from generations that have passed turn to ash, and with them, the images that tie our families together through history.<br /><br />On TV the images of firefighters and helicopters attempting to quell the wall of fire at times can seem enthralling to us who sit in our homes safe from the flames. But once we stop and think of how we would cope with losses like this, the reality is stunning. My thoughts are with all who were affected by last weekends fires, as well as with those men and women that risk their very lives to protect not only our future, but our past as well.Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-39604560983674635882008-11-05T08:49:00.000-08:002008-11-05T09:18:04.142-08:00" Dad, he did it! We did it!"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQCYWTz5qkiCKnKMhpXM-fwBaR5AYa_YcF4YDLY_V7dE3bfC6HvuaCqdcqBF8c4x9EXpYhEtuq-paMYckRlge8wI-OTVHpl9srgrhjkFKInJ1XMtMUP8HOOuCdXdExGxLI30a/s1600-h/chicago082winmcnameegetty.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQCYWTz5qkiCKnKMhpXM-fwBaR5AYa_YcF4YDLY_V7dE3bfC6HvuaCqdcqBF8c4x9EXpYhEtuq-paMYckRlge8wI-OTVHpl9srgrhjkFKInJ1XMtMUP8HOOuCdXdExGxLI30a/s320/chicago082winmcnameegetty.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265223510431796514" border="0" /></a><br />It is strange to sit and write once again in my blog that I know that maybe fewer than 10 people actually look at, but write I must. Because all that I have noted on these pages over the past year concerning the state of our country and this election was a way for me to put down just how important it was for things to change.<br /><br />And last night, change it did. My eyes filled with tears, not when results were first announced, but when my daughter called from college with excitement in her voice, "Dad, he did it. We did it! I can't believe it!"<br /><br />And I told her that the victory was hers. That the energy and hard work of her generation made this possible. That the problems that we have here at home and abroad, and the mess of the environment that we have made must now be attended to. There certainly has been a sea change with this election. And I see that change not just as an incredible lifting of the hatred and fear of racism in this country, but one of the hope for a future for this country and the world. A world that moves forward to offer opportunity for all in it. A world that can deal with the problems and challenges that will occur with strength of vision towards inclusion.<br /><br />This one man cannot be expected to solve all our ills. But he offers a change from the cynicism that has infected our country for far too long. The problems are many, but with an energized electorate with eyes wide open and a President who understands what this country was built on maybe now we can see ourselves in the reflection of the eyes of the world, and like what we see.Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-2851298940674843342008-10-27T08:49:00.000-07:002008-10-27T08:51:34.524-07:00Melodious ThunkOK time for a break. Take the 10 minutes and sit back and listen/watch the great Thelonious Monk with his quartet. I love the fact that this stuff is out there for us to watch for the 1st time.<br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SmhP1RgbrrY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SmhP1RgbrrY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-85821342255330093502008-10-03T08:54:00.000-07:002008-10-03T09:00:16.039-07:00Dylan's Tell Tale Signs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluWwPn22-yFdN9U30-Cxto6o9onKpwWlHJCLblusbcuKtSr-0qLjceTYNx3xFDdIVe1RPD8Gxjf4lGiG1v1CJIfYCzATSZaH-UcjTIZ23cDZNuIx_CUPU8fe6PrSd6KpZ-Lv8/s1600-h/dylan300.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluWwPn22-yFdN9U30-Cxto6o9onKpwWlHJCLblusbcuKtSr-0qLjceTYNx3xFDdIVe1RPD8Gxjf4lGiG1v1CJIfYCzATSZaH-UcjTIZ23cDZNuIx_CUPU8fe6PrSd6KpZ-Lv8/s320/dylan300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252958026180542594" border="0" /></a><br />My incredibly informed brother alerted me to the new Bob Dylan release that arrives next Tuesday the 7th. And NPR is offering up free streaming of the 2 CD set. "Tell Tale Signs" is a compilation of some of his most compelling live performances over the past 20 years. Follow the link and stream while you work, or over your Sunday paper.<br /><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95047293">Tell Tale Signs on NPR</a>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-72936505873105958672008-10-01T13:20:00.001-07:002008-10-01T13:25:59.532-07:00The Story of a SIgn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpb0PSiwUyc72BLLI1r6vBrha3oum9eXcQubc_y1_E2KyhIUCtXYDRC9Fi6O_S09O_PfU81CuLtNLnUN0zKE1f06pEKiqx8MniAIx8s_22PkRmCFhI6LtNCUWKwqRbQcR7_wr/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpb0PSiwUyc72BLLI1r6vBrha3oum9eXcQubc_y1_E2KyhIUCtXYDRC9Fi6O_S09O_PfU81CuLtNLnUN0zKE1f06pEKiqx8MniAIx8s_22PkRmCFhI6LtNCUWKwqRbQcR7_wr/s320/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252284263999789570" border="0" /></a><br />My friend Jane sent me this link this morning to a short film from the Cannes Film Festival. Before diving into my typical day of madness, I took the 5 minutes to watch it, and was glad I did. As readers of this blog know, I get caught up in all the insanity of politics, probably too often, but this film made me stop and think about all I have to be thankful for. Please watch it and maybe it will brighten your day as much as it did mine!<br /><a href="http://en.zappinternet.com/video/nilSqaMboM/HISTORIA-DE-UN-LETRERO">The Story of A Sign</a>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-46763707790412340542008-09-29T17:01:00.001-07:002008-09-29T17:06:32.698-07:00Canned Soup Index (CSI) Soars!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2jge8V-OiHHFyh-UkZnFoHWlg4ilPK0SUy7izE_s-jpsytJ3CL8BGlORBNxS1A2cxKmhLKauuqnModLJVWUBYHtTMRrtqhetwVgTeUVhnw8tiA_h2pw1Io29lbgx0gF2dRnO/s1600-h/hobo-soup-202x300.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2jge8V-OiHHFyh-UkZnFoHWlg4ilPK0SUy7izE_s-jpsytJ3CL8BGlORBNxS1A2cxKmhLKauuqnModLJVWUBYHtTMRrtqhetwVgTeUVhnw8tiA_h2pw1Io29lbgx0gF2dRnO/s320/hobo-soup-202x300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251597983075316178" border="0" /></a><br />You thought we were “joking” when we said invest in canned goods. Also, we never make jokes — who do you people think we are, John McCain? And then Campbell’s shares started to soar, and then the market collapsed in the biggest pool of blood since 1987, and guess who was left standing? Bloomberg reports: “The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 8.4 percent, the most since Oct. 26, 1987, as only Campbell Soup Co. gained.”<br /><br />Apologies and thanks to <a href="http://wonkette.com/">Wonkette</a>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-67130313880411831002008-06-24T16:09:00.000-07:002008-12-09T05:12:06.248-08:00The Art of Driving<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRr4PZs9riP-KiY-fhmaykywbveXVBob_t7JRGwrTvoL102Fz1cB8h1bhf2Tc3kuI9Dd9cudIvDw0F3qXyKcfip6iyRs6rCAuJSS-6-84ICgWLiSL965hudum1fdufuz-Z-HKO/s1600-h/087.080..jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRr4PZs9riP-KiY-fhmaykywbveXVBob_t7JRGwrTvoL102Fz1cB8h1bhf2Tc3kuI9Dd9cudIvDw0F3qXyKcfip6iyRs6rCAuJSS-6-84ICgWLiSL965hudum1fdufuz-Z-HKO/s320/087.080..jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215590273280871058" border="0" /></a><br />A break from my political rantings in today's post. Came across the work of photographer, Andrew Bush and his series of images taken while driving,of other people driving. Startlingly personal photographs that seem to peer into the seemingly private lives that we have while getting from point A to point B. Enjoy <a href="http://andrewbush.net/vectors%202-10-08/index.htm">Drive 66</a>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-84229977556269762692008-06-20T16:31:00.000-07:002008-12-09T05:12:06.497-08:00Ghost Bikes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil68M-pMTUrg19vsIYRezBE_8CSS62LChtaxhszZntapwFmtzVmlyJsEuSGr5HqEMAVLb3bl1ftviyJlRmHSCVjTtm7z-eGOC2SoTmmA2KYgpgq4o3Zv_I15I51i1_-SumzFHb/s1600-h/ghost-bike-71-thumb.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil68M-pMTUrg19vsIYRezBE_8CSS62LChtaxhszZntapwFmtzVmlyJsEuSGr5HqEMAVLb3bl1ftviyJlRmHSCVjTtm7z-eGOC2SoTmmA2KYgpgq4o3Zv_I15I51i1_-SumzFHb/s320/ghost-bike-71-thumb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214112360620928482" /></a><br />As gas prices continue to climb upwards to the $5.00 mark this summer, more and more people are hopping on their bikes for shorter trips or even to work. I have taken it up a few days a week to save gas as well as try and reduce inflation around my middle.<br /><br />So when you are driving through the streets, be especially cautious of more bicyclists as well as more inexperienced cyclists that may be on the road. I just came across this group that memorializes those who have been killed by drivers by erecting a "permanent" marker at the site of such fatalities. Hopefully, people will realize that the roads are to be shared by all! <br /><a href="http://www.ghostbikes.org/">ghostbikes.org</a>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-88891892220633857672008-06-10T09:54:00.000-07:002008-12-09T05:12:26.318-08:00Portland Minds Their Ps and Qs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-FHLw79rUnDvGJrElkx_WpGkabbkt7-RadtfmPQ8zDsvqI-mSaA5P-ScJJ-WU4juJYsqp5zqhLHBM_bTSWSap6J4tkX2SLz3ILiVBjS5b_GTYsIkWGf1jpZ_RwWcKR-7-Pdm/s1600-h/beer.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-FHLw79rUnDvGJrElkx_WpGkabbkt7-RadtfmPQ8zDsvqI-mSaA5P-ScJJ-WU4juJYsqp5zqhLHBM_bTSWSap6J4tkX2SLz3ILiVBjS5b_GTYsIkWGf1jpZ_RwWcKR-7-Pdm/s320/beer.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210300260466387378" /></a><br />Folks up in Portland are "hoppin" mad. Seems they've had enough of the local publicans shorting them on their promised pints. Those who have been to the northwest know that some of the best brews made come from these environs. So a local beer blogger has instituted a sort of watch list for local suds fans to spot check their favorite pubs and make sure that a pint by any other name is a pint. If you're in the area, lend a hand by tipping a "pint" or two and e-mailing your findings. Because next thing you know, that 32 pints of gas you are paying $4.00 for through the nose for isn't exactly a gallon! <a href="http://http://beervana.blogspot.com/2007/10/honest-pint-project.html">Beervana</a>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-53359794657759684942008-04-17T09:17:00.000-07:002008-12-09T05:12:28.287-08:00Most Unwanted Music<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuo0AUk344-sGF66AqKhRdbM4MeuSrcbBPERlNOcWcf71webSxEGyLT36reQoHp3j71-TMiv_9XGqIGC_IpzVe_Cbj-b6cG-cyjX9aUUWZwqNGTLmjviXKHdAj2UTufIunEVE/s1600-h/images.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuo0AUk344-sGF66AqKhRdbM4MeuSrcbBPERlNOcWcf71webSxEGyLT36reQoHp3j71-TMiv_9XGqIGC_IpzVe_Cbj-b6cG-cyjX9aUUWZwqNGTLmjviXKHdAj2UTufIunEVE/s320/images.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190252398777526786" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A couple of Russian-born conceptual artists had determined, via a poll of listeners, what the most unappealing kinds of music were -- then created a piece embodying all of them. For example, people hate songs about holidays, choirs, and kids singing. So there was a passage where a children's chorus singing about Labor Day.<br /><br />Here's a quote of an account of how the sonic parameters were selected:<br /><br />The most unwanted music is over 25 minutes long, veers wildly between loud and quiet sections, between fast and slow tempos, and features timbres of extremely high and low pitch, with each dichotomy presented in abrupt transition. The most unwanted orchestra was determined to be large, and features the accordion and bagpipe (which tie at 13% as the most unwanted instrument), banjo, flute, tuba, harp, organ, synthesizer (the only instrument that appears in both the most wanted and most unwanted ensembles). An operatic soprano raps and sings atonal music, advertising jingles, political slogans, and "elevator" music, and a children's choir sings jingles and holiday songs. The most unwanted subjects for lyrics are cowboys and holidays, and the most unwanted listening circumstances are involuntary exposure to commercials and elevator music. Therefore, it can be shown that if there is no covariance--someone who dislikes bagpipes is as<br />likely to hate elevator music as someone who despises the organ, for example--fewer than 200 individuals of the world's total population would enjoy this piece.<br /><br />You can stream it here:<br /><br /><a href="http://ubu.artmob.ca/sound/komar_melamid/KomarMelamid_The-Most-UnwantedSong.mp3">Most Unwanted Music.MP3</a><br /><br />I must admit after listening to it, I was not as disturbed as I thought I should be. Which immediately made me curious about what would be the most "wanted" music. Alas I was not disappointed as this link was provided:<br /><br /><a href="http://ubu.artmob.ca/sound/komar_melamid/KomarMelamid_The-Most-Wanted-Song.mp3">Most Wanted Music.MP3</a><br /><br />So give them some of your valuable time and let me know your thoughts.Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-748116153795767432008-03-31T10:50:00.000-07:002008-12-09T05:12:29.496-08:00Write a Letter This Week<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXnCtGAhxdpxgsaR53zHFwV3_yYUvH9v-NgeaAjILnGoolKhq9V8IvXCM80ZTMmnSeOeUH6BpPbIYU8Xta1QYulEj4b9qpDlYpzA_dxVYyYyaRcsPoGEJe1F1K3E3zQO_xKJC/s1600-h/mb113.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXnCtGAhxdpxgsaR53zHFwV3_yYUvH9v-NgeaAjILnGoolKhq9V8IvXCM80ZTMmnSeOeUH6BpPbIYU8Xta1QYulEj4b9qpDlYpzA_dxVYyYyaRcsPoGEJe1F1K3E3zQO_xKJC/s320/mb113.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183964703209409010" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A few weeks ago I was given a bag full of old letters that I had received as a teenager. They had been stored somewhere in my parent's house and recently discovered by my brother. In reading over a few of them, I came to think of how this generation will not have ever received or sent a personal letter. E-mail, IM, MySpace and Facebook as well as text messaging are the defacto means of communication. These letters, from Aunts, old girlfriends, cousins and friends are a time machine of sorts. A way of looking back at where my head was 30 plus years ago. Will kids ever look back through old e-mails? The physicality of the letters themselves is as important as that of a book, or even say an LP (as opposed to an MP3). I must admit I haven't written a letter in a long time. But having said that, I promise I will write one this week. And so should you!Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24628768.post-89262081076891113172008-03-27T15:47:00.000-07:002008-03-27T16:24:13.744-07:00What is Art?Was sent this video last week, and enjoyed it immensely. It's a little long, but well worth it.<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pDo_vs3Aip4&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pDo_vs3Aip4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Willy Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903657730761911659noreply@blogger.com0