Yaicha

Ted’s take on the world, one topic at a time.

Archive for March 20th, 2008

The Flip Video Camera

Posted by Ted Hopton on March 20, 2008

The FlipDavid Pogue is one of my favorite technology columnists. I subscribe to his weekly newsletter, which is basically a post from his blog, and I often learn about cool and fun technology from him. And I also learn what technology to avoid, too, which is just as important.

This week, in “Camcorder Brings Zen to the Shoot,” he wrote about a nifty little video camera called the Flip that embodies simplicity.

Now, understanding the appeal of this machine will require you not just to open your mind, but to practically empty it. Because on paper, the Flip looks like a cheesy toy that no self-respecting geek would fool with, let alone a technology columnist.

See, Pogue is fun to read. He frequently pokes fun at himself, too. Here’s what he finds to criticize about the Flip: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Design, Technology, Video | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Inspiring Opinion Pieces on Obama’s Race Speech

Posted by Ted Hopton on March 20, 2008

A couple of days ago I let all of the negative bloggers and commenters get me discouraged about how Barack Obama’s stunning speech on race had been received. There was such a gulf between the message those negativists took from the speech and the inspiring message that I found in it that I wondered about this country’s capacity to heal our racial divide.

Personally, I found Obama’s speech to be an excellent articulation of many ideas I have long felt and always struggled to explain. I had a sense of recognition as I read and listened to his words: “yes, that’s it, that’s it, exactly!” As a former teacher, myself, I appreciate what an amazing teacher Obama is.

There are two op-ed pieces in the NYT this morning that are inspiring in their own right, and exhibit the kind of intelligent and thoughtful response that Obama’s speech on race merits. Nicolas Kristof’s “Obama and Race” digs into the speech directly, while Roger Cohen’s “Beyond America’s Original Sin” is a deeply personal account that connects with Obama’s speech on a different level.

Kristof starts off with a nifty insight on Obama’s speech: “It was not a sound bite, but a symphony.” His column explores the negative reactions that so discouraged me, and I like his analysis of them:

What’s happening, I think, is that the Obama campaign has led many white Americans to listen in for the first time to some of the black conversation — and they are thunderstruck.

Exactly. I consider myself, perhaps mistakenly, to be pretty enlightened, but Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Politics | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

 
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