Among the highlights of this year’s South by Southwest Interactive Festival for me was the opportunity to tag team with Dan Sinker on Hacking Kids: How to Raise a Digital Native. (With apologies to John Palfrey and Urs Gasser.) It was a “Core Conversation,” not a panel, which apparently meant 360 degree arena seating next … Continue reading »
On Wisconsin
I’ve kept an eye on events in Madison, Wisconsin this weekend. I followed interesting conversations over Twitter, Facebook and even with real live human beings. My main conclusions: a) Wisconsinites, at least the ones I know, are generally awesome people, and b) public-sector unions is a complicated issue likely to be listed in lots of … Continue reading »
MLB.com chooses PR over journalism
I’d had this week circled on the calendar for months for three words: Pitchers and Catchers. That cherished right of spring reminds me that baseball is the subject of much of my favorite digital media. The MLB mobile app is one of my favorites, allowing me to fall asleep to the dulcet tones of Vin … Continue reading »
Lessons from Justin.tv?
It seems so long ago now– Barack Obama was a darkhorse candidate with a month-old campaign, Twitter had just launched at SXSW, the Washington Post had just revealed the deplorable conditions for US veterans at Walter Reed Hospital and Blake Griffin had just played his final high school basketball game. And in mid-March 2007, Justin.tv was … Continue reading »
What part of Bruce Springsteen does Chris Christie not understand?
For the last few weeks, I’ve been playing lots of Johnny Cash for my baby daughter– including some cool, and one creepy, appearances with Muppets. (You won’t find me advocating for children’s music generally, but the Johnny Cash kids record has my endorsement.) We’ve listened to enough Johnny Cash that when she hears a guitar, … Continue reading »
The Week in the Chicago Mayoral Race
A brief stop in (pre-snOMG) Chicago last weekend allowed me to experience the sights and sounds from the first open mayor’s race since 1989. A highlight was eavesdropping on a pitch from a real life 47th Ward precinct captain while visiting a friend in Lincoln Square. Here are some excerpts I found this week from … Continue reading »
Bipartisanship and the Couch Caucus
Last week the NY Times ran a piece on the House’s “Couch Caucus,” the 4 dozen or so members of Congress who choose to bunk in their Hill offices rather than pay DC rents. It’s not a new meme: Politico and ABC reported similar stories in 2008, the Wall Street Journal talked about it last … Continue reading »
Shirky and Bady: 2010′s best Wikileaks coverage
Earlier this month I reprised my annual search for the year’s most influential reflections on technology and media. I was particularly curious to learn who was provoking thinking for one of the year’s biggest stories, Wikileaks. I received feedback from friends, colleagues and strangers via email, Twitter, LinkedIn, Quora and on this blog. Here’s a … Continue reading »
2010′s best media about media?
It’s that time of year: every December, I ask for help in compiling a list of material (books, blog posts video, audio, animation…) that has prompted you to think about the Internet and media in new ways. (Here are the winners for 2007, 2008 and 2009.) This year, I’m narrowing the focus, at least a bit. Wikileaks, and the … Continue reading »
My DC baptism by baby bottle
Two and a half years ago I was a sufferer of “mayoral race envy.” Last month, I moved to DC, in time to vote, via same-day registration, in today’s Democratic Mayoral Primary. (Alas, in registering, of course, I lost my right to vote in a real live, once-in-a-lifetime open mayoral election in Chicago. For discussion … Continue reading »
