Moderated!
It’s a big day of sorts here, as I got my first comment deletion on the Daily Journal’s website. In response to the story “Pair take to the road to define marriage”, I posted the witty (amirite?) retort:
One can only hope that Chuck and Andy, after spending countless days and nights road-tripping together across the state over the next couple of months, will come to a life-changing realization.
I think it’s good satire and a fair enough jab at a couple of rubes who took it upon themselves to spread their particular brand of hatemongering to our town.
Tree hugging
Add the above-pictured tree to the list of things coming down in Fergus Falls. Courtesy of our new police station, it appears that this magnificent specimen is slated to fall in the name of increased parking capacity.
And unless I’m misreading the plans, just to add insult to injury, it appears that there will be a new tree planted only a few feet to the west of where this one will be cut down. To better accommodate our cars, you know. “X” marks the spot:
Check back in 100 years to see how it turns out.
As we continue to demean our city’s history, the environment, and the passing of time itself, don’t be surprised to see the trees starting to talk back:
Gus and I are checking on the tree daily. His next suggestion for a sign was the slightly terroristic “If you cut me down, there will be consequences.” I’m pleased to see that he’s mastering the fine art of the threat.
I’ve been mostly silent on the fate of the Fergus Falls State Hospital, as it’s a big, messy issue and I’ve had conflicting thoughts about the place and how it could best be utilized. But as talk about demolition heats up, thoughtful consideration of its future is being put off in favor of a more primal desire to see it live to fight another day.
The entire state hospital set is on Flickr.
The Crisis in American ________
Kottke does a masterful remix today, taking a bit from the Slate piece on the decline in pedestrianism in America, Sherry Turkle’s take on mobile connectedness (see also), and Steve Jobs, whose “a computer is a bicycle for the mind” metaphor has been turned up to 11, according to Kottke, by the success of the iPhone.
All these little parts, moving independently and together all at the same time.
Caine's Arcade
It’s a beautiful thing, this meeting of hipsters and nine-year-olds.
(via)
Looking at the fish
Regarding the whole “like” vs. “love” thing, I’m pretty sure that this TED talk by Sherry Turkle (alternate, earlier, version here) is moving into the latter category.
To my boy
Happy 4th birthday Gus, squeezer of cats, city rambler and litter-picking buddy, and living room wrestler extraordinaire. Your future is why I get so worked up about all of this other stuff.
Mother Jones: I Was a Warehouse Wage Slave
Mac McClelland:
I feel genuinely sorry for any child I might have who ever asks me for anything for Christmas, only to be informed that every time a “Place Order” button rings, a poor person takes four Advil and gets told they suck at their job.
And there’s this too. Holy Jungle, Batman. It’s time to reconsider Amazon Prime. I’m embarrassed to admit that I never gave it much thought before.
Sometimes I seriously wonder how we’re going to make it as a society any more.
(via)
Dead malls
Fergus Falls’ own Westridge Mall is a pretty fine example of a mall in its death throes (despite the carefully-selected photos shown on its website), but a quick perusal of the satisfyingly lo-fi Dead Malls website puts things in perspective.
Kaid Benfield of the NDRC ups the ante with his post on the world’s largest mall, which is, unsurprisingly, in China. But in an interesting twist, this mall is effectively vacant:
There’s lots of other good links embedded in the post that are worth checking out.
Kottke is in good form today:
- Meet the real-life Batman
- Wind and water current maps by van Gogh (Javascript FTW!)
Both worthwhile afternoon interruptions.
