I’ve been in Taipei, Taiwan all week for Computex 2010. A lot of time dashing around, existing on very little sleep. I was reminded of a lovely late R.E.M. song called Daysleeper. It’s partly because it actually references Taipei (one of the few pop songs to admit the existence of such an unglamorous place) butContinue reading “In Taipei: taxis, rain, daysleeper”
Author Archives: Alex
Star Wars by way of the Jetsons
If Star Wars had been a cartoon from the 60s, Darth Vader might have looked like this. 30 characters from Star Wars, all with a very Jestons sensibility to them, drawn by Ben Balistreri.
Fashion versus Clothes (and Apple, of course)
Image: Flickr user JBlaze B It’s always interesting to look at the choices a successful business makes, particularly, choices that are conscious limitations. So-and-so inc expanding into a new area or launching a new copycat product is fairly dull. Looking for new markets, consumers and money is a given in a modern economy. In contrast,Continue reading “Fashion versus Clothes (and Apple, of course)”
New music for May
Three albums I have added to the wishlist, all of which will be out soon: The Hold Steady, Heaven is Whenever – out May 3rd, you can stream it all from The Guardian. The National, High Violet – out May 11th, you can download the song Bloodbuzz Ohio from their site. Band of Horses, InfiniteContinue reading “New music for May”
I Heard It Through The Grapevine, a capella
When the music moves you, you can see it, and you can definitely see it here. Quiet for the first 20 seconds, absolutely burning by 0:50. Previous a capella 60s pop: The Beach Boys
A Terrible Beauty
Published in 2000, A Terrible Beauty is defiantly a pre-internet book(1). In under 850 pages (under 775 if you discount the index), it gives the reader a history of the twentieth century’s defining ideas, from Marxism to Nazism, from Feminism to fusion. Not just the ideas, but the people too – Satre, Picasso, Orwell and JanetContinue reading “A Terrible Beauty”
Added to the wishlist: Lights Out For The Territory
[Book] The tiniest remarks can spark in me the biggest desire to read something. In this case, it was reading through William Gibson’s blog (he’s back at it now his new novel, Zero History, is done*). He’s taking questions: “From Mean Old Man: Q Essays. You’re really, really good at those. I read a fewContinue reading “Added to the wishlist: Lights Out For The Territory”
Added to the wishlist: The Future History of the Arctic
Speaking of the Geiger counter, here’s Tyler Cowen recommending and quoting from The Future History of the Arctic: “Svalbard is an integral part of the kingdom of Norway — there are reminders that the archipelago is both something more and something less than that. Russians and Ukrainians live here, some in Longyearbyen, though most areContinue reading “Added to the wishlist: The Future History of the Arctic”
David Mitchell on ideas and characters in his new book
Just been to see David Mitchell read from his new novel, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet at Shoreditch House. Readings are always a little weird, bits of text disenfranchised from their home-novel, and the author never seems to know whether to show literary firepower with big bits of description or to create motionContinue reading “David Mitchell on ideas and characters in his new book”
Gone to Texas
I’m in Austin, Texas for the next few days for South by Southwest interactive. The sky is blue, I had a a burger for breakfast and there were weathered muscle cars in the hotel parking lot. Texas, folks, is true.
The Wired Jester 