Category: Media Arts

Seattle PI

Carl Setzer

I’ll let you read the article, but the gist is that the Seattle Post Intelligencer will be shutting down print operations after tomorrow’s edition, ending a 146 year tradition. In the article, one of the copy editors, a Glenn Ericksen, asks “Who needs copy editors on the Web?” Well, Glenn, quite a few sites do. For publications like the PI to really make it as a professional web publication, they will desperately need copy editors. My believe is that news sites will need to maintain the highest standards in order to justify their readership. And failings will be far more magnified for them (just look at all the snarking about basic grammar errors on any major site). Thus, copy editors, and their kin, will have a place. Well, I hope for such.

As a long time subscriber to the PI, and a one-time paperboy for the publication, this is truly a sad moment. Watching their website evolve over the past few years, and seeing some of the talent they’ve brought on board recently, I believe this “paper” is one of the best positioned to do well in the new media order.

*Update: The PI’s Executive Producer Michelle Nicolosi wrote a good piece describing the PI’s efforts to be relevant in the new media world.

Door To Hell

Carl Setzer

Behold! Hell has burst forth and legions of demons are looking for Dick Cheney, their long-lost uncle.

Ok, this is the result of a mining mistake in the town of Darvaz. The article says it’s in Uzbekistan, though this Wikipedia article says the town is in Tajikistan. It wouldn’t surprise me that there’s more than one Darvaz in the world. Anyway, this will certainly make arranging the vacation a bit more troubling for Expedia. Tajikistan isn’t within their purview, I’m afraid. You’ll need to explore other options, like Turkish Air.

“My CEO walked off with $41 million and all I got was this lousy T-shirt!”

Carl Setzer

“My CEO walked off with $41 million and all I got was this lousy T-shirt!”

Cute, methinks. A great example of the cynicism that most have of corporate America, even those who live within it, and rely deeply upon this system for their livelihoods. I wonder when corporate leaders will finally realize that they’ve overdrawn their credibility account and that few trust them. Perhaps it’s unjust that all are lumped together, but that’s the nature of things. All within that umbrella need to work together to build trust. First, they must realize that the trust isn’t there; that the relationship is damaged. Hearing executive after executive complain about the distrust and cynicism that they face shows how they just don’t get it. Interesting, really, how many leaders demand and expect trust, but are unwilling to earn it.

Another Seattle Icon Closes – Bud’s Jazz Records

Carl Setzer1 Comment

Bud’s Jazz Record’s is Closing

 

I first heard of Bud’s when I was studying Jazz at Edmonds Community College in the 1980’s (with Bob Nixon, Frank DeMiero, Jim Guard, amongst other luminaries) and my classmates and I would make pilgrimages. Bud’s willingness to walk me through the store and introduce me to great trombonists (my horn) was simply awesome. It was Bud who introduced me to JJ Johnson, Bob Brookmeyer, and Steve Turret (amongst many others). No way would I have heard of such performers so easily, especially not in one sitting. Having Bud’s voluminous knowledge at the ready was one of the things I worried about when he sold in 01.

 

The loss of such institutions does hurt our community. Though great and wonderful things have been happening because of our digital connections, this face-to-face experience is a basic, core experience. However, I think that the world will figure out what’s been lost and the pendulum will return…some day. Until then, we (and the whole world) can listen to Bud on KBCS Monday mornings at 9:00 (Pacific).

 

Needless to say, I will be making the walk down to the store one last time and stocking up. My sadness is deep, though.

Great Bumper Stickers

Carl Setzer

Some are quite dumb, but a few are cute/clever.

>>
>>Subject: Great Bumper Stickers!
>>
>>
>>
>> 1) (On an infant’s shirt): Already smarter than Bush
>>
>> 2) 1/20/09: End of an Error
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>> 3) That’s OK, I Wasn’t Using My Civil Liberties Anyway
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>> 4) Let’s Fix Democracy in This Country First
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>> 5) If You Want a Nation Ruled By Religion, Move to Iran
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>> 6) Bush. Like a Rock. Only Dumber.
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>> 7) You Can’t Be Pro-War And Pro-Life At The Same Time
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>> 8) If You Can Read This, You’re Not Our President
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>> 9) Of Course It Hurts: You’re Getting Screwed by an Elephant
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>> 10) Hey, Bush Supporters: Embarrassed Yet?
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>> 11) George Bush: Creating the Terrorists Our Kids Will Have to
Fight
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>> 12) impeachment: It’s Not Just for Blowjobs Anymore
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>> 13) Give Bush a Blowjob So We Can Impeach Him, Too
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>> 14) America : One Nation, Under Surveillance
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>> 15) They Call Him “W” So He Can Spell It
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>> 16) Which God Do You Kill For?
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>> 17) Cheney/Satan ’08
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>> 18) Jail to the Chief
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>> 19) Who Would Jesus Torture?
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>> 20) No, Seriously, Why Did We Invade
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>> 21) Bush: God’s Way of Proving Intelligent Design is Full Of Crap
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>> 22) So Many Christians, So Few Lions
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>> 23) Bad president! No Banana.
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>> 24) We Need a President Who’s Fluent In At Least One Language
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>> 25) We’re Making Enemies Faster Than We Can Kill Them
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>> 26) Buck Fush
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>> 27) Rich Man’s War, Poor Man’s Blood
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>> 28) Is It Vietnam Yet?
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>> 29) Bush Doesn’t Care About White People, Either
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>> 30) Where Are We Going? And Why Are We In This Handbasket?
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>> 31) You Elected Him. You Deserve Him.
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>> 32) Frodo Failed. Bush Has the Ring.
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>> 33) Impeach Cheney First
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>> 34) Dubya, Your Dad Shoulda Pulled Out, Too
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>> 35) When Bush Took Office, Gas Was $1.46
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>> 36) The Republican Party: Our Bridge to the 11th Century
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>> 37) 2004: Embarrassed 2005: Horrified 2006: Terrified