Author: Aaron Weber

Technology Journalists

Sometimes, I read articles in the technology press, and I think, hell, I could do better than that in my spare time. And then I think, oh, I have.

In technology, people who can’t or don’t invent or build things can work on assisting, researching, documenting, translating, illustrating, managing, integrating, debugging, or promoting them. If they can’t do any of those things, they have one last resort.

There are many words for this activity, none of them positive. If there were any legitimacy to it, perhaps it would have attracted greater talents. But it seems that most people that have some sort of communicative talent and an understanding of technology become technical writers, marketers, PR flaks, even (ugh) advertisers or science fiction writers. Those without a talent for words or numbers become technology journalists.

Pity them.

From the Mawrtyrs

My friend Petra points me to a scathing editorial about the latest recklessness from our dear leader: Which leaves us wondering what Mr. Bush’s next nomination will be. Donald Rumsfeld to negotiate a new set of Geneva Conventions? Martha Stewart to run the Securities and Exchange Commission? Kenneth Lay for energy secretary?

I’m sure the right has some defense for this. If you hate the very concept of international cooperation, have no respect for the aftermath of the world wars, and never really got the point of consensus or negotiation when it should be obvious God is on your side, it seems perfectly logical to appoint someone who has no respect for the job he’s about to do. Or, I guess, not do. Sounds like a good gig to me, really: “Hi, I’m an international gesture of ‘Fuck You.’ My job is to point out how much I don’t care about this position and this organization. Nothing you can say to me will ever make it back to my boss, and even if it did, it would have no effect on my boss or on our actions. So let’s just skip the negotiations and seminars and go right to the golf course, OK?”

Bad Show Ideas

From the NYT on a new show about death-match style craft competition: Ms. Honig added: “That poison and babies idea we had really hasn’t gone anywhere yet.” I’m waiting for the one on people struggling with the newly oppressive bankruptcy law. Or do they already have that one?. Apparently the whole money makover concept is quite a hit. Financial stability sounds boring, but on the other hand, you can really pitch it as “escape from financial doom” and it sounds so much better. At least it beats begging.

Up to Twice as Much or More

Secretly Ironic, now updated up to twice as much, or more, as other blogs. Spring is coming. I walked to work in the drizzle today and it felt good.

I am determined to finish my projects on time, both extracurricular and otherwise. Hence the posting as much as half, or perhaps less, or more, frequently than usual.

Today’s Lesson

When trying to convince someone of something, use the following format:
Tell them what you’re going to tell them.
Tell them.
Tell them what you just told them.

In other words, audiences learn from repitition. In Spanish they say “con sangre, entra la letra,” or “learning comes in with blood,” meaning that you have to beat the lesson into people.

So the literal beating doesn’t work these days but you can still hit them with your endlessly repeated message.

Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble

From the NYT: Within six months last year, Carlos and Betti Lidsky bought and sold two condominiums. Then they bought and sold two houses. They say they will clear a half-million dollars in profit, and none of the homes have even been built.

Economists point out that the speed and size of inevitable rise in interest rates “will determine whether the speculative fever in the market just goes flat or whether it caves.”

Whoo! Here comes the poppin’!

Dispatch from Our Man in Albuquerque

The ever-perceptive John Fleck of Inkstain.net sends me an article on the latest sort of marriage: real estate marriage. Instead of starting a tiny condominium corporation, more and more people are just banding together in groups of two to six to buy places as tenants-and-owners-in-common. IMHO, you’d do better with a formal co-op or condo association. But hey, whatever works for them.

Obviously I am incredibly jealous.