Jul 04 2009
links for 2009-07-04
-
Really good video talk from Scalzi and others about writers blogs, web communities and harnessing all this to make your career work.
Jul 03 2009
links for 2009-07-03
-
Another major full service New York agency, that works with writers and other creatives, and does it all. Remember this one.
Jul 02 2009
links for 2009-07-02
-
Useful design system for work and personal web projects. Must have, keep handy always.
-
Interesting site that helps people get financing for creative and business endeavours. Guess I should know about it and keep a note of it.
-
Wild feature article about a "super" man that specialises in Learjets and the like. Mad stuff, someone has to be making a movie about this guy.
-
Really well done comic/drawn/photo essay about Thomas Jefferson and Monticello. Nicely done, very original.
Jun 28 2009
links for 2009-06-28
-
Interesting tale on money making online in the music biz… doesn't hold completely, she is Amanda Palmer after all, but a lot of useful advice here anyway, more good tips and all that.
Jun 27 2009
links for 2009-06-27
-
Nice story from a few years ago about Bud Luckey, just at the time Boundin' was released.
Jun 26 2009
Michael Jackson 1958-2009
Well this one has just blown up today… first heard just after I got up, then watched a lot of morning television while at the hospital with Sallie and Lachlan…
It’s one of those stories that is surprising yet somehow not that surprising. Jacko was increasingly odd in recent years and he reportedly had a lot of health problems. Sad, even considering what he’d turned into, of course. I’ve always thought that for all the famous types to die in their 20s (Hendrix, Morrison, Cobain et al), there is actually even more who have died aged around about 50. I think of Joe Strummer and many more… often they’d become hasbeens, other times they were roaring back to success, as Jackson might have been.
And you do have to remember that for all his weirdness, Michael Jackson was one of the most important pop performers of all time. Massive seller, definer of a whole genre of pop music, creator of a number of legendary songs… regardless of tastes he does deserve to be held in the same all time esteem as the likes of Sinatra, Lennon or Crosby.
It’s a big day for popular music, with the media being perversely obsessive as always… while I was never a massive fan, I did see Jackson play the SCG in Sydney in 1996 with the brother. Was a fairly impressive concert, guess I can always say now that I saw him.
RIP and all that.
Jun 24 2009
Lachlan Turner born today
My third son was born today…
Say hi to Lachlan... he's maybe 1 hour old here
Lachlan Turner (middle names not decided yet) was born at 12.18pm on June 24, which just happens to also be my wedding anniversary 
Yes, the most amazing gift ever, I know, but now we get to share it every year with him as well, and I know who will come first, at least for the next couple of decades… No harm there though!
Lachlan weighed in at 4.04kg and is 54cm in height. He and Sallie are both doing well, though Sallie is pretty out of it from the caesarian of course. They’ll bot be in the hospital until at least Sunday, leaving me to look after Will and Alex. Fun!
A big, big day. More later, I think, when I can post more pics, and even video, finally!
Jun 24 2009
Tomorrow is the big day
Actually in more ways than one…
It’s Sallie and I’s third wedding anniversary. Which is big, and good… but also to be mostly ignored.
Because it will be our third son’s birthday… Sallie is off to hospital in the morning to have our child delivered, and I will be there of course. It’s all been so routine and organised, and we knew the delivery (by caesarian, as necessitated from our previous two children) date from weeks ago would be the same as our anniversary. It’s just how it worked out, and there wasn’t much we could do to change it.
So I need to go and get some sleep soon, likely to prepare for a lack of sleep coming up. Not that I can’t sleep through anything of course… even when I try not to!
But I’ll be there to help, with another week and a half off work, and I’ll mostly be there for Will and Alex, who should make the whole experience quite memorable in their own unique ways. Sallie will be in hospital until at least the weekend, and I’ll be running the show at home and keeping the two boys in line.
It should be another boy that comes home next week, despite Sallie’s still existing wish to the contrary (ha!), and I don’t actually think life will change that much. There will be a new face to love, but otherwise we’re all good already. We appear to have the parenting thing going okay now
Pics and news right here tomorrow as soon as I get a chance!
Jun 21 2009
links for 2009-06-21
-
Good tips on things to consider when starting your own business. The usual stuff, but some good advice anyway.
-
Tips on finding jobs for writers and editors. Good stuff.
-
Interesting site that collects official and user made manuals for a whole variety of topics. Could be a good resource to use.
-
Interesting look from the designer how the backend and redesign of TPM was handled. Lots of good tips on the CMS and various integration he does.
Jun 19 2009
links for 2009-06-19
-
Usefully funny story that lists various Web memes that the kids can be introduced to one day… especially coke/mentos! Very good one to keep available.
-
Really good visual representation of one of DJ Girl Talk's recent songs (that I have) that charts every sample used in the piece, showing how insanely layered the track is. Good stuff!
-
List of notable early 1980s nuclear war themed TV and film works. Includes most notable ones like The Day After, but also some others worth investigating that I hadn't heard of.
-
Seriously interesting new resource — British Library has scanned thousands of 19th century newspapers and put searchable contents online. Good stuff.