…thoughts that made it to the page
Cameron Moll talks about the arduous task of self-publishing a book. As I was reading, I couldn’t help but think of the parallels of recording your own EP or album. I would love to do a write-up similar to Cameron’s on the process we just went through – I might try and find some time on the weekend…
I love the cartoon that accompanies this NewMatilda.com article: APEC: Not Welcome Here.
The article’s worth a read as well – but the cartoon is priceless…
I wrote a little while back about changes in the way SBS handles advertising. Seems I’m not alone.
There is now a campaign site and petition called Save our SBS [thanks Priscilla]
Now – I’m not 100% convinced that SBS should stop showing advertising altogether, but the site does make a good case that removing advertising from the SBS charter will stop the rot. I just hope that, at a minimum, they get rid of the interruptions and go back to ads between programs…
The Guardian’s Kevin Anderson writes about the intersection of blogging and traditional journalism: Blogs to you. Nice to have a journo not sink the boot in for a change…
This is really old news, but GetUp’s OzIn30Seconds comp has a winner drawn from 10 finalists.
My faves from the finalists: Help protect Australia from emotional terrorism, What sort of world do you want?.
Seems I got a mention in today’s Next insert (in the SMH and Age): It’s web take 2.0. I had a few words to say on page 2 regarding WWF’s use of social media tools like blogs (and blogs) and YouTube and Flickr and MySpace and wikis (used internally).
(Just a quick note – the interview was done a few weeks ago while I was still working at WWF).
I haven’t seen the print edition yet, but they came and took my photo too. Not sure if it made the cut though… Yep – they used the photo. Big one too… Feels weird…
SMH: Hybrid-driving media mogul discovers that it’s easy being green.
Wow…
The key pull-quote for me:
Although some of his newspapers were once sceptical about global warming, he said that although he was no scientist, he understood how to assess a risk.
(Emphasis mine)
And that is what it’s all about. Whether you agree with the IPCC or green groups on the detail, the risk is clear. Is the debate over yet?
(P.S. the news was splashed over the Daily Tele print edition, but I didn’t find it on the website. If someone has a link, pass it on in the comments.)
The video below is a great, no-fuss, easy to grok description of RSS and feed readers. [via Blogging Pro]
It focuses on web-based readers – for those on Mac I can also recommend NetNewsWire – my fave for a long time, or the free Vienna.
We made this video for our friends (and yours) that haven’t yet felt the power of our friend the RSS reader. We want to convert people; if you know someone who would love RSS and hasn’t yet tried it, point them here for 3.5 minutes of RSS in Plain English.
The head of marketing at Tesla Motors has written a thought provoking blog post about the media’s approach to EV vehicles.
I have to agree with some of the comments – even the negative ones. But it is pretty amazing to see how far Tesla have already come and what’s on the horizon. Definitely worth checking out…
A few months back now I rented the DVD of Manufacturing Consent, the documentary based on the classic book by Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman.
The production is pretty rough, but the substance is incredibly relevant even today. What I found most interesting about the film was how much of the “future of media” that was presented is now coming to fruition through blogs and internet-based activism. Anyone that’s read Jay Rosen’s PressThink blog probably won’t find a whole lot of new stuff here, but it’s still very good.
Chomsky, as always, is full of factoids and amazing examples that demonstrate the issues he sees in the media. But one quote really stood out to me. Unfortunately I can’t find an exact reference – but paraphrased, it went something like: history likes heroes – in history social movements are often attributed to individuals, but it is the social movements that make the individuals historically significant.
In other words, heroes are often born out of mass social movements, the heroes don’t create them – but our history presents things the other way around. Maybe if I get the DVD out again I can find the exact quote – I don’t think I’m doing it justice here (and if anyone knows the quote I’m referring too, please leave a comment)…
