Paul Graham, on disagreeing on the web. [via Daringfireball]
The web is turning writing into a conversation. Twenty years ago, writers wrote and readers read. The web lets readers respond, and increasingly they do—in comment threads, on forums, and in their own blog posts.
Men’s lifestyle blogs will never transcend to the realm of web relevance until they begin to engage in a dialogue, rather than simply writing how-tos. Learning entails more than than simply being explained to. Its about the experience and the mistakes made along the way. Engaging in a dialogue begins this experience.
I’m as much in love with my girlfriend today as I was the day we began dating nearly six years ago. This comes as a surprise to many people I tell, especially when I explain to them that much of this time, our relationship survived despite significant distance between us.
Throughout college, a six hour drive kept me from seeing my girlfriend on a daily basis. I saw her one to two weekends per month, except for summertime. Now in law school, while only a two hour drive away, I still only see her every weekend again except for the summertime. Distance has never stopped us from loving each other and making our relationship flourish. Regardless of the distance separating you and your significant other, a long distance relationship requires giving much dedication to the other. With that said, it can still work for those who are dedicated and know what they want.
In order for a long distance relationship to work the utmost commitment must be made by both parties. If you are easily tempted or do not have a firm grasp of what you want out of a relationship this will rarely work out well for you. With that said, there are a number of different things that we did in order to maintain our connection and make the relationship not only last, but flourish. Here’s how:
Success can be measured in many ways. To some, fame and fortune make the man; to others, success means hard work and a happy family. Regardless of your personal goals, all of us want to lead accomplished lives. Self esteem is the common trait in all definitions of success. Without it, one can accomplish little. At some point in life, each of us hit lulls in our esteem and must fight to relearn how to become your own biggest fan. Though my personal experience, I compiled a list of six areas to focus on to instantly boost your self esteem. All of these behaviors will begin to enhance self-confidence, and spur motivation. Read more
For those following the XM-Sirius Merger, comes a request from terrestrial radio competitor, Clear Channel.
‘One of the primary potential dangers to free, over-the-air radio posed by this merger is siphoning popular, including ‘edgy’ content, with consequent loss of advertising revenue,’ Clear Channel wrote to the FCC on March 11th. ‘That potential harm is mitigated if broadcast decency rules were to apply to the merged entity. There is no constitutional bar to such a condition.’
Clear Channel’s request highlights a problem with FCC laws today. Since the FCC governs only public “airwaves”, commercial radio goes uncensored. Clear Channel wants reciprocity so it can remain competitive. I do not agree with Clear Channel’s proposal, however. Commercial radio should not be censored. The same goes for public radio. Government interference with terrestrial radio results in additional expense to consumers who want freedom of listening.
The question for us to ask is this: Is it more beneficial to protect the few with sensitive ears and force the rest of us to pay for the benefit of this liberty, or would we be better off letting advertisers and individuals determine for themselves what is appropriate through listening behavior?
In the next Bond film, Craig isn’t being dressed by Brioni. He’s been dressed by Tom Ford International. We want you to find out more. Good luck out there. God knows, you’ll need it.
Daniel Craig, the man bringing personality back to the James Bond name, will be dressed in an American designer, in Bond 22, Quantum of Solace.
Ford left Gucci in 2004, after being widely credited with turning the company around. For a while, he was thought to be moving into film. Then he set up his new company, Tom Ford International, which was originally expected to be a small, chic, boutiquey sort of endeavour. That all changed last year, as plans were announced to expand globally. Milan in 2008, London in 2009, and Los Angeles in 2010. He doesn’t just want to be the guy from Gucci, he wants to be the new Gucci. Will a huge James Bond billboard campaign be a part of this?
As a huge fan of Tom Ford’s design style since launching his New York City store in 2007, I cannot wait to see how he dresses Bond. His style is timeless, classic, and sexy. He makes wearing a suit fun to wear again. I think other men will take notice.
Working 9 to 5 each day is draining and by the time one travels home from work, the desire to relax is usually top priority. Sitting down to watch the game or going out to grab a beer can sound much more appetizing than—well—cooking.
For those who like to come home to a hot meal but don’t enjoy the effort that comes along with it, there are quite a few meals one can prepare which require minimal preparation the morning of or evening before. You can literally prepare it and forget it before work. This series allows anyone, from the person who can’t do much more than boil water, to a full fledged chef, to enjoy a hearty meal that can be cooked for just yourself (with leftovers for tomorrow), your family or to impress a date on a Friday night.
Apparently the drawn out primaries are hurting the Democratic Party’s chances in the general election. Senator John McCain is apparently now leading in at least one national poll on the general election. These results come despite President Bush’s low approval ratings, the war in Iraq, the economy, and the foreclosure epidemic. If the Republican Party finds a way to win this election, against either Obama or Clinton, the Democratic Party should blame itself for not unifying sooner behind one candidate.
Full text and video of Barack Obama’s speech given in Philadelphia today.
Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, “Not this time.” This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children. This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can’t learn; that those kids who don’t look like us are somebody else’s problem. The children of America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy. Not this time.
While many of the pundits criticized the answers provided in the speech, I think this may have been a turning point in his campaign. Notably, I believe many individuals on both sides of the political aisle may take another look at Senator Obama. His vision is one rarely articulated in politics today; that of unity and self-improvement. Dare I say it, it might be one of the best speeches of our time.
An interesting argument for the abolishment of the FCC’s indecency laws.
The law was enacted to protect children. But due to the sheer number of channels and mediums not subject to the rule, the indecency shield sought is no longer feasible. Why censor 5 stations when little Johnny can just turn the channel to 100 other stations, or visit a million web pages to see and hear adult language?
Male fashion is hamstrung by rules, too. Men’s magazines persist in telling us what colour belt we should wear with our shoes, what constitutes a shocking sock, how high we should hitch our trousers, and the correct way of buttoning a suit. This kind of thing brings me out in a rash.
Mark Tungate reviews Mr. Jones Rules, an advice book by Dylan Jones, editor of British GQ. I tend to agree with Mark—I find “rules to live by” overdone and tend to take away individuality from men. On the other hand, many of the tips Jones provides to readers offer history or background. I believe rules should meet in the middle: provide the individual with information and let him decide for himself.