Author: Ted Hope

Fast Track Skilled Worker Immigration

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date March 2, 2009

Even just on the economics of it, it makes sense. Read the NYTimes piece. The logic is there.

Tags immigration

William Carlos Williams

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date March 1, 2009

I would place “This Is Just To Say” on the top of my list for favorite poems and those things that have influenced me. That poem taught me how to look at the world differently, to see beauty in the mundane, and love even in the folly.

I got something similar today when I got to recall another WCW verse, courtesy of TruthOut. This poems too nails it for me, as did Michael Winship’s article that it inspired.

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

Tags William Carlos Williams

The Next Good Idea

Why Twitter Works

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date March 1, 2009

“It seems when you give people easier ways to share information, more good things happen”

Twitter Co-founder Evan Williams speaks at the Ted Conference. I have been playing with Twitter for about a month now I think. I still remain unsure of ultimate opinion on it, but Williams makes enough good points for me to keep the experiment going.

The most exciting thing about Twitter is the possibility of real time searches. What are people thinking about whatever it is you are concerned about right now? Granted it is a bit like the problem of documentary film: you can only ever film someone being filmed. Here, with Twitter, it is only what are people who like to tell people what they are thinking about, thinking about X right now. Still, when my film opens, you know I am going to be doing Twit Searches on the hour.

There seems to be four main types of tweeters: 1) the too much info addict – those that share all they are doing all the time; 2) the large conversation networkers – whether it is subjects or activities shared among large groups (mind you in 140 characters or less); 3) the pushers – sellers and marketers that want you try what ever they have; and 4) the curators and referral service sorts that offer up what they found. It’s this latter group I subscribe to and follow and so far like where they take me. I can’t consume as much that is out there but like the quick hits I get. Williams discussion of the intersection of the final two in social action and charitable giving gives me a lot of hope for the platform.

And in this latter group though, I see tremendous growth opportunity. There’s many services that could be provided. I am excited for what the future will bring.

Tags Evan Williams, TED Conference, Twitter

Bowl Of Noses

Crazy Animals #7: Fish With A See Through Head

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date March 1, 2009

Macropinna has a see-through head and tubular eyes. It can also outsmart a robot.

Tags animals, Fish, robots

These Are Those Things

Where The Paths May Lead You

Post author By Ted Hope
Post date February 28, 2009

I watched graphic artist & writer Dean Haspiel on the Artist To Artist series that BRIC has this morning. In a lot of ways Dean is responsible for my making American Splendor. Back before he was the recognized great artist he is today, he was our receptionist on The Ice Storm. As we both shared a love for underground comics, it was only a matter of time that Harvey Pekar came up. The years went by and Dean did some drawing for Harvey and told him and Joyce of my dream of making an American Splendor movie. One night, late as it was, my phone rang. Joyce was on the other end and my journey began.

Dean’s just done me another pleasure, by introducing me to the work of photographer Seth Kushner, the other artist on the Artist To Artist show, and the man behind this great portrait of Harvey, shot just last week.

Seth has done a lot of great portraits and whole bunch of the indie film scene. You should check them all out but here’s a nice taste to get you started.

You check out Seth’s book The Brooklynites here. He’s working now on a book of photos of NYC Graphic Novel scene, Graphic NYC (and hence his connection with Dean).