better than one

Murders, emergencies, kidnappings....

2006-12-04T14:14:00.000-05:00

what makes the CSIs, Grey's Anatomy, ER, Without a Trace, Scrubs and the many more medical and police dramas so darned popular? (And why are we addicted?)

What do you read? Part the second

2006-11-09T14:27:00.000-05:00

I forgot to link to the sites that make it possible to see a range of popular things on the internet. I never cease to find something interesting to read about or watch.

popurls - This site aggregates the top stories on digg, delicious, reddit, youtube, flickr, and dozens of other must-read sites to show the most viewed, read and watched content. It's pre-approved by more avid surfers.

Google Reader - There are plenty of RSS readers out there, but I like this one because it ties into my gmail. If you read a lot of blogs that don't post on a schedule, RSS is the way to go.

What do I read?

2006-11-09T09:10:00.000-05:00

Print media:
Every day, I read the front page of the New York Times, the business section, the Arts section. On Thursdays I read Styles for entertainment. Sometimes I try to predict what Gawker will say about Thursday Styles. Weekly, I read AdAge, PRWeek, US Weekly and People (though the celeb gossip websites are thankfully eating away at that rather expensive habit). Every month, I read Vanity Fair, Wired, Creativity and Jane.
Digital media:
I read a crapload of websites. Please forgive the expression, but it really is obscene. I'll abstain from the full list because you would wonder how I manage to have a life (the short answer: multitasking) and not turn into a glossy-eyed, attention-impaired, techno-age screen demon. The sites I read fall into quasi-neat categories.

There's the news and political commentary sites: Slate, Salon, NYTimes (mostly to link to stories I read in the print edition-- I know. Who reads print newspapers anymore? I love to, on the bus, on Sunday morning over breakfast, insert cliche here), CNN, My Yahoo (customized with headlines of interest to me, including my personal favorite, Most E-mailed).

There's the entertainment sites: EW.com, Television Without Pity and Gawker (entertainment to me, but a little business too).

And then there are the personal sites. I read more personal blogs than I will ever admit. My personal highlights are the funny and enthusiastic insights of the women of AlphaMom: Dooce, Finslippy, Suburban Bliss and Mighty Girl. (I know this seems strange-- I'll probably discuss my bizarre obsession with mommy blogs on my personal site.)

Fitting into the category of "miscellaneous" are: Mighty Goods, a quirky shopping blog, The Show with Ze Frank--a video blog, and Smitten Kitchen, written by a newlywed who loves to cook. (we have some things in common and others that aren't. I'll let you use your imagination.)

There are also the guilty pleasures of Pink is the New Blog, the horrific Perez Hilton and the hilarious fashion commentary of Go Fug Yourself.

Literature and Long Form:
I read about one novel a month, sometimes just slightly more. I love anything quirky, honest, imaginative and insightful, but it has to be all of those things to get a recommendation from me. My all-time favorites are Geek Love, A Widow For One Year and Ender's Game.

I have also started reading graphic novels, which I prefer over chick lit for light reading and beach reading. So far my all-time favorites are Blankets, Y: The Last Man and Fables.

What do I read? A lot.

2006-11-06T13:17:00.000-05:00

I realized I forgot a couple of sites that are helping me through the election season. These are: Real Clear Politics, the National Journal and the Hotline (both journals purchased by the college that employs me), On the Issues and Plan for Iraq by Joe Biden. Lastly, I also have been checking candidate websites which are too numerous to name. If you look at my blog, you will see what reading this much does to the psyche.

What do I read? A lot.

2006-11-06T12:23:00.000-05:00

Well, let's see, on any given day, I read blogs, websites, magazines, newspapers, novels and emails. I also listen to NPR, which is a little like reading in that I take in a huge amount of information. Sometimes I feel completely overwhelmed by the amount of information available to me online, in print and otherwise.

Let me take you through my reading day. For the morning bus and train ride, I generally listen to my IPod and read The Economist or some sort of news magazine. Once at the train station and waiting for my next bus, I read the Boston Metro, a skinny, free, and local newspaper. At my office, I stream either WBUR-Boston or WRNI-Rhode Island, my local NPR news stations. Throughout the day, I may check in with the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Providence Journal, , NPR, the BBC or CNN on the web. Don't worry, I very rarely check all of these papers in the same day. Usually, just a couple. At the gym during my lunch hour, I either continue reading The Economist or I pick up my latest novel depending on how saturated I feel. Throughout my day, I also read a fair amount for my job. These include list serves and blogs about content management systems (CMS Watch), redesigning websites (Pebble Road) and search engine optimization (Jakob Nielsen UseIt). On my bus to the train station, I usually have a stimulating conversation with Dave, my lovely bus driver, about going back to school, politics, art, pornography, censoring, and much more. This prepares me for a relaxing train and bus ride home when I return to my novel du jour which I continue to read until I fall asleep.

For rest and relaxation sites when I truly feel oversaturated, I indulge in The Superficial, Television Without Pity and of course, some Youtube videos or Very Funny Ads.

Of course, there are also television shows and some human interactions that occur throughout my day and evening....just so you know.

What do you read?

2006-11-03T12:28:00.000-05:00

What do you read in a given day, both online and off?

Negative Campaign Ads

2006-10-31T10:52:00.000-05:00

I live in New Jersey, where one of the closest and most crucial of Senate races is underway, that between Bob Menendez, the incumbent Democrat, and Tom Kean, the relatively liberal Republican whose dad used to be governor. This is one of the dirtiest campaigns I have seen on TV. Ever. Counting the Swift Boat debacle. I haven't been a Jersey resident for long enough to know the candidates well, but my anti-Republican feelings run deep enough (sorry, Pops) to know which switch I'll be flipping next Tuesday. But how could you possibly choose a candidate when they run ads like this?

Here is an anti-Menendez ad:

and here is an anti-Kean one:

Who wants to have that decision to make? In a time when it's too late to select new candidates, all that negative campaigning achieves is frustrating and confusing voters, raising resentment toward government officials in general. Our local community blog now has a poll up: Which Crook are You Voting For?

The AP takes a look at the financial cost here.

Doesn't it just make you proud to be an American?

Negative Campaign Ads

2006-10-31T08:56:00.000-05:00

This year's election has been downright dirty. Whether candidates are running for Governor, Mayor, Attorney General, the Senate, the House, or any other open offices, they have certainly utilized the media to air their opponent's dirty laundry. Instead of using campaign ads as a forum to summarize the plans of the candidate, the ads are used to outline the negatives of their opponent. And no subject is taboo. Sex, drugs, indiscretions of family members, skin color and so much more are fodder for the opponent.

As a voter, when I see the commercials, I get angry. Yet again, politicians neglect to inform me of how they will be different. Candidates fail to explain what they hope to do while in office or their general philosophy for decision making. When I see negative campaign ads, it makes me wonder if this is a person for whom I want to vote.

If you get The Economist, check out "Negative Campaigning-Attacks ads in America" from October 5th

The Washington Post also has an interesting article

Negative Campaign Ads

2006-10-30T18:01:00.000-05:00

Negative campaign ads seem to be the main theme of the 2006 elections. Do they affect how you vote? How and why?

YouTube and Google

2006-10-30T17:39:00.000-05:00

Google and YouTube are by far the two biggest sites to have affected the way that I use the internet in the last ten years. I first learned of Google as a sophomore in college (circa 1999) when a journalism professor endorsed it as the best online search engine, therefore igniting my surfing fury. I haven't used anything else since.

As for YouTube, the site has revived the music video, given users a new creative outlet and democratized online entertainment. I mean, the site can show us my favorite ad of all time:

As well as my nephew's first steps:

in addition to all kind of other interesting finds. It's a little scary that they've joined forces in the Big Brother sense, and yes, I'm sure that there are all kinds of new security concerns, but in a time when techology is very isolating, it's great to see technology that lets good messages become more personal.

You Tube and Google-Giant Merger

2006-10-24T14:09:00.000-04:00

Google and You Tube are my buddies. I mean, I refer to them as if they were people I hang out with on a regular basis. "Yeah, that Google, he told me the most hysterical thing about how shrimp have walking legs and swimming legs." Or, "you would not believe what You Tube showed me today. Have you seen the political ads for Vernon Robinson? Man, You Tube really blew me away with that one!" So, to me, it just makes sense that my two good friends, Google and You Tube, would get along so well that they want to work together, too.

On a more serious note, I wonder if Google may be stretching too far. On the one hand, Google will help fund You Tube, a site that was having trouble gaining revenue from adverts. Google can help protect You Tube from lawsuits and such. On the other hand, Google has blogs, email, search, maps, calendars and so much more. They want to organize the world's resources in one long, but fell swoop. At what point do they go from being an innovative industry leader to a hoarding industry giant? I am just not sure.

On a total side note, Google does feed its employees delicious foods. In CA, they have chefs cook fresh lunch for the Google employees and in other satellite office, they have lunch delivered. I hope the You Tube guys get some sweet, free food!

YouTube and Google

2006-10-17T09:49:00.000-04:00

These two twentysomething guys are now filthy stinking rich, after selling their online video community site, YouTube, to Google for $1.65 billion. Is it worth the money? How often do you use these sites? And what is your reaction to this video?

Do you feel like an engaged citizen?

2006-09-28T13:17:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I am not sure I know what it means to be engaged citizen. I grew up loving the music and culture of the 60s and 70s, watching documentaries like Eyes on the Prize and others showing bra burning, shootings, sign carrying, boycotts, singing with arms linked and much more. My parents, grandparents and older friends shared their experiences of working with Dr. Martin Luther King, becoming conscientious objectors and attending rallies—much of this by their mid-twenties. To me, these people were politically engaged, taking action to support their beliefs.
In my mid-twenties, I have kept up with the news through NPR, the Times, the Post, The New Yorker and other such means. When I hear or read something I don’t understand, I seek out the answers. During elections, I watch the debates and try to visit each candidate’s websites to understand their positions. But I have encountered two issues that make me second-guess my political engagement: I have trouble acting on my beliefs because I am not sure I ever really know what is going on and, even if I did feel confident in the information I received, I would not have the first clue how to go out there and change things.
In sum, I would say I am an engaged citizen in that I care and seek to understand what is happening in the world around me but my inability/unwillingness to take action as a voter in a democratic nation disappoints me. I feel that I am somehow neglecting my duties by keeping quiet. Perhaps I use these excuses as a cop out, preventing me from acting on a conviction and then having to admit I am wrong, should that be the case. Or, perhaps the world has changed and activism no longer affects the world as it once did. Either way, what good is it to know and to feel strongly about current events if I don’t do anything about it?

Do you feel like an engaged citizen?

2006-09-26T16:17:00.000-04:00

I vote. I read the newspaper. I engage in political and social debate. I give children respect and have served as a role model. I patronize the arts. I donate to charities. At work, I consult with a nonprofit pro-bono. I recycle.

But do I feel like an engaged citizen? No. I work in marketing, mostly helping large corporations get larger. Yes, I work with savvy clients who are increasingly interested in corporate responsibility, the environment, the plight of those who are less fortunate. But I'm not a teacher, a law maker, a social worker, an activist, a volunteer or an environmental advocate. I complain about my lack of time to spend with my husband or friends, and I spend copious amounts of time engaged in shallow pursuits, like images of celebrities in ugly clothes or witty recaps of television shows I've already watched and mentally dissected. That time could be spent in so many other ways.

My guilt comes from many sources, mostly comparison to other people my age who are doing amazing things. One friend recently mentored a child in a weekend surfing program while working part time and attending teaching school. Another ran a marathon to raise money for AIDS research. My husband works in the healthcare field. I surf the internet for more reasons to hate Paris Hilton.

It's easy for me to be self-deprecating and say that I don't do much. But I'm always focused on self-improvement, however far-fetched, so I try to focus on those people who do more than I do. As for my generation as a whole, I think that, like me, we could do a lot better, but we could do a lot worse.

Question du jour:

2006-09-26T13:57:00.000-04:00

Do you feel like an engaged citizen? Do you think most people your age are the same? Why or Why not?

Amy's Response
Mel's Response

About us: Meet Melanie

2006-09-22T09:39:00.000-04:00

Melanie, 26, Writer/Strategist, Married

The way that I look on paper paints a picture that is not a perfect representation of my real identity. I work in marketing, have a house and a husband in New Jersey and would usually pick a night of good TV over the drinks and clubbing. But my seeming normalcy is an achievement in my eyes-- I turned the self-criticism and analysis that contributed to crippling self-esteem issues as a teenager into a tool that helped me become an independent, free-thinking adult. I still have trouble, perhaps despite or because of my education in journalism, expressing my opinions with conviction, even though I often rant to friends and family about my fairly liberal politics and ideas about basic human decency. I have a near freakish obsession with pop culture. I am inspired by rock music, graphic novels, dance, theater, cinema, modern art and imaginative storytelling. I am by nature an introspective storyteller. At age seven I won a short story contest with a tale of friendship called "Robert and the Dragon." At nine I was writing screenplays for home spy movies filmed with our bulky camcorder. At 11 I was obsessively writing in journals. At 16 I was an obsessive writer of crush-fueled e-mails. At 20 I journaled through the experience of 9/11. At 25 I just got too busy to write, and my life suffered because of it. This is an effort to change all of that and to make writing like second nature again. That I get to articulate my opinions and share ideas with one of my best friends is simply value added.

You can write to me at sendittomelanie(at)gmail(dot)com .

About us: Meet Amy

2006-09-18T15:22:00.000-04:00

Amy, 27, Jill-of-All-Trades and hopeful Archivist/Curator, happily attached

As a pastor's kid (or PK, as we are often called), I was born to go against the grain, push the envelope and test other people's convictions. My ordinary outer appearance neatly conceals my borderline deviant, highly imaginative and somewhat acerbic personality. I strive to be a thoughtful, caring, aware person though my passion and stubbornness occasionally makes that goal hard to achieve. By 8, I was telling the girls on the playground that I'd had my tubes tied and would adopt children. By 9, I was sneaking into my mom's room to read the sex scenes in her Harlequin romance novels. By 10, I was obsessed with World War II (both Pacific and European) and the Holocaust, reading every memoir, novel and history book I could get my hands on. By 12, I had written two research papers about the My Lai massacre and how the Vietnam war seriously destroyed the psyches of many young people. By 14, I tormented my Sunday school teachers with questions I knew would embarass them in front of my peers. In spite of that, by 16, I was baptized. By 19, I was completely disillusioned, wondering how God and the Big Bang Theory could both be truths and how Christianity could create so many judges and so few mirrors. By 20, I was debating with my dad about the minimal differences between the Arthurian myth and the story of Jesus, informing him that if we worhsip Jesus, we should worship Arthur. At 22, I cried with many others as I watched the Twin Towers collapse, worrying about some very dear friends who lived nearby. At 23, I cried again when I heard Jim Jeffords defending the Constitution and challenging Congress to perform the duties which it had sworn to do. At 24, I entered graduate school to study theatre history and the development of pornography in 17th century England and France (try explaining that to your dad's congregation) At 25, I watched in shock and awe as our country re-elected our current Administration. And now, at 27, I still challenge the status quo. I still talk the talk, but I don't walk the walk. I want to see change, but I don't know how to initiate the change I hope to see. This restlessness combined with my insatiable curiosity about sex, hate, religion, and art (in all forms) creates my world view. It continues to develop from doing lots of research while closely listening to and observing others. I am irked by fundamentalism and the belief that any religious text is more than an allegory, frightened by hypocrisy (as an action by others and/or by me), intrigued by sexuality and how genders relate, and fascinated with literature as a record of history. Everyday I strive to increase my understanding of the world at large without losing my sense of humor or self.

You can write to me at sendittoamy(at)gmail(dot)com.