POTD

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Images like this are the photographic equivalent of vamping on three easy chords, or saying "um...basically" to give yourself time to think. A few steps above cat photos (and I love a good cat photo). Fillers. Everyone has them. Be honest.

A cat's guide to decorating a Christmas tree.

Good: Having health monitoring features in the new system send e-mail / pages when something in the server is amiss.

Bad: No one pays attention to the fucking messages when the project manager goes on vacation.

Someone fix the server! I'm sick of getting paged!

Romare Bearden at the Met and the Whitney. Good stuff -- go see it.

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The Met has the wonderful The Block (1971), but the Whitney's exhibit is much larger and spans more of Bearden's career.

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Do you ever think about what is the appropriate amount of time to spend in front of a work of art? With a few exceptions (I spent about 30 minutes looking at a single Eugene Smith print last month), I tend to zoom through museums and galleries. I'll return to a few pieces for a longer look, but most get little more than a glance.

With a huge place like the Met, where another wonderful thing is always "just over there," it is difficult to stop for any period of time.

How long should one give to a single piece?

POTD

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POTD

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I'm such a tourist.

Ken Rockwell: Seven Levels of Photographers

I'm totally Level 1: Equipment Measurbator.

Some day I hope to work my way up to Level 6: Whore.

The FCC has is investigating a complaint claiming that the opening ceremony of the Olympics was indecent.

Ok you repressed, issue-ridden, freakish Americans. If you are so offended by the sight of penises or breasts, go get some therapy, don't ever shower again, whatever. But enough with the complaints to the FCC. Get over yourselves.

And, yes, when I say "issue-ridden freakish American," I'm talking about you, too.