Today Is A Fleet Foxes Kind of Day
BY Joshua Hynes ON Thursday, August 14, 2008 @ 8:56 am
Check out this amazing stop-animation video from Fleet Foxes for “White Winter Hymnal.” For those who haven’t listened to their self-titled debut disc, why not?! Check out this amazing group es pronto!
You can watch this video is full, glorious high-definition on Vimeo.
Anyone looking for free high-quality textures for designs needs to check out Lost/Taken. It's not an exhaustive collection, but images reportedly download at a massive 3072 x 2048px. All images are copyright free. 0 Comments
My only complaint about BgPatterns.com is that no one had apparently thought of this before now. I absolutely love this tool. The logo is a bit too "Web 2.0" for me, but still a great tool for designers. Amazing. 0 Comments
Illustrator Martijn Rijven has put to paper (metaphorically) the process he went through redesigning Akzo Nobel's logo. For those who don't know, Akzo Nobel is a "big Dutch paint-producing/petrochemical company." It's a fascinating read. 0 Comments
My favorite new RSS feed is National Geographic News. Where else would you be able to learn that neanderthals didn't mate with modern humans, a famous Utah stone arch collapsing and a 2,500 year old Greek ship being raised off the Sicilian Coast? Nowhere. That's where. 0 Comments
I realize not everyone has been watching The Olympics this year, and who would blame you? With both Hamm brothers out, why bother? Yet for those who would still bother, Monday's 400M medal relay race was one for the ages. Not only did America win by a hand (literally), but they set a new world record in the process. 1 Comment
I came across a great Photoshop tutorial this morning on how to create beautiful, smooth-edged screen-shot layouts. Seems really simple. Makes me wonder why I didn't think of it before. 1 Comment
We Must Decide What To Do With The Time Given To Us (Tolkien)
BY Joshua Hynes ON Tuesday, August 12, 2008 @ 12:52 am
Always after a defeat and a respite, the Shadow takes another shape and grows again.
‘I wish it need not have have happened in my time,’ said Frodo.
‘So do I,’ said Gandalf, ‘and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.’
J.R.R Tolkien
The Fellowship of the Ring (1999, 50)
Trying To Figure Out How To Best Handle Internet Congestion
BY Joshua Hynes ON Wednesday, August 6, 2008 @ 2:16 pm
ISPs in favor of throttling and other controls generally argue that they are in danger of being “overwhelmed,” which again isn’t a necessary condition but the result of business decisions (offering 400 homes one 12Mbps upload pipe, for instance, was never going to deliver really spectacular service). While they can’t truly be “overwhelmed” (cable modems and DSLAMs cap upload and download speeds based on how much a user pays per month, so the maximum data rate is well known), ISPs don’t want to pay for huge amounts of peak capacity that will sit unused much of the time. ISPs oversold service on the premise that they operate like roads and most cars wouldn’t be on the highway at once.
Nate Anderson
Google Backs ISP Guaranteed Minimum Date Rates
Much has been made of this issue. Companies like Comcast, Time Warner and others are portrayed as the online equivalent of “Big Oil”, robbing millions of helpless customers with exorbitant, monthly internet fees. Personally I just don’t see internet companies as these evil people. I think there is something to be said of higher prices and companies charging those because they can. But I also believe, just as the retail industry charges more for items to help offset shoplifting, that blame in this issue falls on both sides.
People feel emboldened to utilize as much bandwidth as they want because they feel they’re paying a hefty price. Companies build networks inadequate to handle the resulting congestion and all measures to throttle bandwidth comes across as somehow taking away my bandwidth ability. This simplified cycle results in ever increasing internet congestion. Personally I do not feel I should have to pay an extra $5, $10 or $25 a month because the guy two doors down from me is downloading DVD-quality rips of every Family Guy season. But the fact is I am. I buy access into a community pool and if everyone decides to swim at the same time, well it could get a bit crowded for a while. Until this gets resolved though, I just have to hope I have enough bandwidth to catch up on TV episodes at Hulu.com or watch the Boston Red Sox over at MLB.TV.
A List Apart’s 2008 Survery For People Who Make Websites
BY Joshua Hynes ON Wednesday, August 6, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
It’s that time of year again. A List Apart has opened its 2008 Survery For People Who Make Websites. Over 33,000 people participated last year and some really interested data came out of it. So if you make websites or other interactive media, do us all a favor and take this year’s survey. As you can see, I already have.
What Horses Are To Polo, Dolphins Should Be To Water Polo
BY Joshua Hynes ON Monday, August 4, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
11:02:18 AM Joshua Hynes: so if “land” polo uses horses, why don’t we use some similar “beast of burden” animal in “water” polo?
11:02:24 AM Joshua Hynes: like large sea turtles
11:02:28 AM Justin Kunkel: that
11:02:29 AM Joshua Hynes: or domesticated hippos
11:02:29 AM Justin Kunkel: would
11:02:29 AM Justin Kunkel: be
11:02:31 AM Justin Kunkel: awesome
11:02:38 AM Justin Kunkel: dolphins
11:02:39 AM Joshua Hynes:: maybe water buffalos
11:02:44 AM Justin Kunkel: we need to make dolphin polo happen
Manny Might Be In LA, But The Drama Continues
BY Joshua Hynes ON Monday, August 4, 2008 @ 9:33 am
Manny Ramirez might be a Dodger now, but the drama surrounding the last two weeks, culminating with last Thursday’s 3-team blockbuster trade continues to grow as more time goes by. So far here’s what we know: Friday we learned the clubhouse basically voted Manny off the island, with everyone who was asked by Boston GM Theo Epstein that Manny had to go. Saturday brought news that Manny’s agent Scott Boras allegedly called the Boston front office offering Manny’s willingness to not be a clubhouse distraction the rest of the year if the team would guarantee they wouldn’t pick up his ‘09 or ‘10 club options, giving Manny what he’s wanted all along — a shot on the open market. Boras, for his part, denies this conversation took place, but the report cites that many in the front office took the phone call’s meaning as a confirmation of Manny’s act the last month as a calculated act to get the team to trade him.
In the wake of this trade (and Manny’s actions), a number of writers have weighed in as the dust has begun to settle. Hall of Fame and ESPN.com baseball writer Peter Gammons had this to say about Manny:
It is sad because most of us will always like Manny Ramirez, because the best people on the team—guys such as Cora, Ortiz and Mike Lowell—tried to make it work and cared. In the end, though, Ramirez listened to and cared about no one when it came to the next $100 million.
He “tased” the 2008 team because management wouldn’t pay him $100 million for four years. Now he has a chance to be happy, his back turned on the team with which he won two rings, a team that on Thursday turned the page and, in many ways, is morphing into a team far, far different from the Idiots of 2004, one built around Josh Beckett and Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia and Jonathan Papelbon and Jon Lester.
Yesterday ESPN.com writer Buster Olney wrote that not only does he think the possibility of Manny getting his desired 4 year, $100 million contract this off-season as highly unlikely, but also commented on his character throughout this whole process by writing:
He forced his way out of Boston by making those he worked for believe that he was intent on sabotaging its season—and keep in mind that his former employers are not some incompetent bumpkins with an onerous management style. The Red Sox have a chance to win their third World Series in five seasons, their front office is highly respected and they are managed by Terry Francona, someone whose own personal reputation in the game is pristine. Their tacit evaluation of Ramirez as a quitter will be regarded with deference.
In the end, Manny’s a Dodger and the Red Sox got a solid left-fielder in return when they landed Jason Bay. The Sox clubhouse appears to have gotten a big lift from the trade as they swept the Oakland Athletics this weekend and head out for a 7-game road trip against the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox. Given the situation Manny put the team in, getting Bay and winning their first series in the post-Rameriz era is the best outcome possible. Boston fans, for their part, welcomed Bay with open arms and he seems to love playing in Boston so far. If the positive energy that comes out of this trade is anything like the Nomar Garciaparra trade in 2004, October could be a sweet month once again in New England.
Five Things I Learned About Boston
BY Joshua Hynes ON Thursday, July 31, 2008 @ 8:35 am
- Just because a city has a nickname of a “walking city”, that doesn’t mean I won’t be traversing great distances.
- There is no T station going to Bunker Hill. Why?
- Trying to board a T train at, or around, Kenmore after a Red Sox home game is hopeless.
- I love the Red Sox but man do they have some horrible type choices in their marketing materials.
- Apparently finding a baked potato with shredded cheese at Quincy Market is a daunting task, as the only baked potato found was smothered in nacho cheese (eh!).
Okay, so this is the last type post today (probably), but I had to pass this along: here's a great showcase of typography around the internet. 0 Comments
Continuing in the same typography vein, here's another list of free typefaces trolled from deviantArt's website. Personally I'm not a fan of any of them, but the Cash Font, AvantGarde Alt and Surrounding typefaces might work in the right situation. 0 Comments
Here's an interesting list of headline typefaces gathered together from around the web, most of which look free or reasonably priced. 0 Comments
In case you haven't noticed, Last.FM updated their website. Thank goodness. No more "web 2.0-gooey interface." 0 Comments
Feist stops in on Sesame Street singing about her love of the number four. 0 Comments
Reflections on the 2008 All-Star Game
BY Joshua Hynes ON Wednesday, July 16, 2008 @ 8:16 am
As Minnesota Twin first-baseman, and 2008 Home Run Derby champion, Justin Morneau slid in just ahead of Atlanta Braves’ Brian McCann‘s tag, ending a 15-inning affair, securing home-field advantage for the American League and extending the AL’s unbeaten streak to now 12 All-Star games, the thought that crossed my mind was — man, I’m tired. Ending around 1:45 a.m. Wednesday morning, the marathon All-Star game gave baseball fans an amazing game that, like it or not, actually holds sway on the World Series.
Reflecting the morning after, I think I have to say that last night’s game was by far the best All-Star game I’ve seen in a very long time. The ‘06 and ‘07 All-Star had tense moments into the 9th inning, but last night’s game, unlike the aforementioned two games, doesn’t leave too much to question last night. Everyone was used, which is unheard of quite honestly. All 32 players on both sides played, giving fans all across America this morning something to talk about. We don’t have the controversy this year of Albert Pujols sitting on the bench while then Philadelphia Phillies center-fielder Aaron Rowand flies out for the last out. We don’t have an embarrassing tie like the league experienced in 2002, though it came very close. What we saw last night was the best players from the American and National League grind it out over 15 innings in a 4-3 final score. You couldn’t ask for a better game.
You want homeruns? All-Star Game MVP, and Boston Red Sox, J.D. Drew provided a 2-run shot in the 7th inning to tie the game. Or Colorado Rockies’ Matt Holiday homerun in the 5th inning to give the NL an early lead. You want small ball? Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona had the AL team steal 6 bases last night, unheard of for a typically “base-to-base” league, while Colorado Rockies manager Clint Hurdle used sacrifice bunts and timely steals to get ahead. And, most importantly, do you want defense? Well then you had it! You had Aaron Cook somehow worked out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the 11th inning, Pittsburgh Pirate Nate McLouth throwing out Tampa Bay Ray Dioner Navarro at the plate, or St. Louis Cardinal Ryan Ludwick stealing a hit from Texas Ranger Ian Kinsler on an amazing diving catch in the 15th inning.
This year’s All-Star game boasted 25 first-time All-Stars, and in past, you would have been lucky to see most of those guys play in any meaningful manner. Credit Francona though because by the 8th inning, he had played all of his position players and trusted the younger kids to win for the American League. You had young players like Evan Longoria, Dioner Navarro, Carlos Quentin, Ian Kinsler, Grady Sizemore, George Sherrill, Scott Kazmir and Joakim Soria, who all play in smaller markets for the most past, take center stage and shine. The NL as well had similar players like Ryan Ludwick, Nate McLouth, Dan Uggla (3 errors though. Ouch.), Cristan Guzman, Brandon Webb, Aaron Cook and Russell Martin make amazing play after play. And while I understand that typically you hand the MVP award to someone on the winning side, and Drew played great, you could make an equal case for either the NL’s Russell Martin or Miguel Tejeda for the award with their amazing play and hitting in those late innings.
Overall, last night’s game was great not only because of the end result (the AL winning), but also because it didn’t leave anything on the table. Both bullpens were spent and benches were empty. Managers Hurdle and Francona had one shot left in the 15th inning, and the AL finally managed to pull it out. You really can ask for too much more than that.
Book Review: American Creation by Joseph Ellis
BY Joshua Hynes ON Monday, July 14, 2008 @ 9:56 am
American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic
Joseph J. Ellis
(2007, Knopf Publishing)
The more I read about the founding of our country a few things become clearer and clearer for me. One thing is my respect for these men to actually pull off this whole thing when so many odds were against them from the beginning. Another thing is the amazing wherewithal these men possessed to seize the moment that was given to them and embrace the circumstances they found themselves in for America’s benefit. The last thing is more personal, but it’s the changing the “heroic” status these men hold in America today to the view that these were men, great men albeit, but men nonetheless who had just as many flaws as attributes. An almost demi-god status now, learning more about the founding fathers like George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson helps strip these men down to simply just that — men at an opportune time who acted in a way that set in action one of the greatest experiments ever.
While the author, Joseph J. Ellis, does tell the story of America’s triumph in the War for Independence extremely well, the strength of this book resides in his ability to show the greatest failings as well of the founding generation, namely the failure to abolish slavery at our nation’s conception and the forced removal of Native Americans. These two tragedies are giant stains upon the great achievements of this generation. While it might be easy to “pile-on” in hindsight, Ellis does a great job of approaching the controversies as level-headed as possible, giving fair treatment in the praises and well as the failings of the men we have come to regard as national heros.
Next Book: Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu by Laurence Bergreen
How Could A Republic Be An Empire? (Ellis)
BY Joshua Hynes ON Tuesday, July 8, 2008 @ 10:04 am
Whether they realized it or not, by signing the Treaty of Paris the newly created American republic was announcing it arrival as the youngest member of the imperial family and the successor to France and Great Britain as the sovereign power over all the people south of Canada and north of Florida.
This new imperial status raised for the first time a disquieting question that has haunted American foreign policy ever since. Put simply, how could a republic be an empire? More specifically, how could a government founded on the principles articulated in the Declaration of Independence, which stigmatized the arbitrary and coercive policies of the British Empire, then proceed to behave just as imperiously toward the original occupants of American soil as the British had acted toward them? More tellingly, did not the treatment of the Indian population constitute an obvious acid test of the republican vales the American Revolution claimed to stand for?
Joseph J. Ellis
American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic (2007, 131)
A recent discovery of GraphJam via BuzzFeed has given me little hope of accomplishing much more this holiday-shortened work week. Current favorites include the above How Californians See America, Never Say Die!, US Military Vehicles Destroyed YTD and Spaceball One Populace. 0 Comments
Well I'm glad I don't have to use the closest Port-O-John, tree or bush in the future. The question isn't "why" but "why hasn't this been thought of before 2008?" How long have we had cardboard? 1 Comment
Walmart Rebrands, My Opinion Stays The Same
BY Joshua Hynes ON Tuesday, July 1, 2008 @ 9:56 am
This past weekend retail giant Walmart (Look mom! No hyphen now!) decided to quietly drop a totally new logo on the masses. No press releases have been issued and the company is not responding to any stories yet, though it updated the logo on its website yesterday. According to the Wall Street Journal, Walmart’s recent rebranding efforts are part of the company’s recent attempts to shed the “dowdy image” it has in the public’s mind. I’m not sure if the update has quite shed that image since I don’t think it’s previous mark was the reason for its current image. Walmart’s shabby image is a result more from its horrible treatment of employees, continued allegations of preferential treatment of male employees, low-quality merchandise and their predatory tactics that hollow out smaller, local economies.
My initial response to the logo is that I don’t hate it, but I don’t love. It’s safe, not timeless and mediocre. It doesn’t change my impression of the company, but that isn’t likely to change with a new logo since my problems with the company stem more from horrible customer experiences, dirty shopping conditions and overall feeling of “slumming” when I enter the store’s doors.
A more level-headed response to the Walmart’s rebranding can be found over at Brand New’s website.
In my opinion, Photoshelter's "Shoot the Blog" is rocking some great photography-related content day in and day out. Recently they showed some great work from Andrew Bush's new book "Drive." All of the photos were taking while traveling between 50 to 70 mph in Los Angeles and throughout the Southeast.
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