Notes on Culture

A link blog, associated w/ jeffmacintyre.com, addressing recommended reading in art, culture, academia, society and the media. I am a NYC-based freelance journalist and interactive media specialist. My writing appears widely. I also consult in interactive content strategy for leading media companies.

iPod Vending Machine →

TECH BUZZ – Eagle-eyed blogger Jason Kottke spots an iPod vending machine at a terminal at JFK airport. No, it doesn’t take cash.

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The…

Library of Dust →

BLDGBLOG tells us about Library of Dust, a book of photographs of an Oregon state psychiatric institution.

Esteemed photographer David Maisel has created a somber and beautiful series of images…

Vintage business signs →

This is a fantastic set of photos of old business signs, many of them neon. As Ben says, “is it possible to favorite every photo in a set at once?”

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Who Is The Solzhenitsyn Of China, Anyway? [Olympics] →

When The Economist marked the opening of the Beijing Olympics by putting Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn on the cover, we took it as a big hint to waste no time naming the Solzhenitsyn of China…

Milton's 400th anniversary. →

Great art is great not because it enters an academic curriculum, and neither is greatness affirmed by the awarding of prizes or titles. But great is not necessarily a vague term. It can indicate work…

Washington Post: Why NBC’s Olympic Coverage Doesn’t Mention Who Designed the Bird’s Nest →

“During the fantastic opening ceremonies, as well as many hours of broadcasting this week, I never heard NBC mention the stadium’s architects, the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron… If a story…

double standard →

Poster Boy NYC posted a photo:

double standard

Poster Boy Subway Art

National Geographic Map of the Day →

Once a day, a zoomable map from their archives depicting an historical news event or milestone, accompanied by a short article and a related trivia question.

Scholars: Kafka's Porn Stash Wasn't <i>Porn</i> (Yes It Was) [Books] →

We were excited when a researcher exposed a stash of pornography—long ignored by uptight scholars—in the notebooks of dark writer Franz Kafka. The Metamorphosis author apparently…

Doma Cafe & Gallery (2)/5) on Yelp.com →

Pricey but precious, and buzzing with activity: much in the vein of another cramped West Village coffee bar whose names will go unmentioned—lest it become as fatally oversubscribed as Doma.

Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop (4)/5) on Yelp.com →

I don’t mean to offend the deli lama, nor the multitudinous cornerstore and bodega cathedrals that make this splendid city, but this could well be NY’s finest sandwich shop.

68 Jay St Bar (3)/5) on Yelp.com →

3 bones for a Guinness! Greatness on order here.

Edward Tufte’s Critique of iPhone Interfaces →

In which the authority on information visualization discusses “computer administration debris” and his maxim “to clarify, add detail.”

Paul McCarthy : Flush Twice and Light a Giant Match →

Today’s edition of The Guardian brings us one of the best headlines that we have ever seen anywhere:

“Giant Dog Turd Wreaks Havoc at Swiss Museum.”

Just take that in for a second.

Okay, good.

Ghang Thai (3)/5) on Yelp.com →

World’s most courteous, informed and chatty phone delivery taker guy. Seriously.