Ricochet by Chrys Wu http://www.chryswu.com/blog Where Ideas For Online News Bounce Around Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:53:38 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://feeds.feedburner.com/cw-ricochet?format=skin How to Install Ruby on Rails 3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cw-ricochet/~3/g9dxDbFOJfE/ http://www.chryswu.com/blog/2010/08/25/how-to-install-ruby-on-rails-3/#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:53:38 +0000 Chrys http://www.chryswu.com/blog/?p=1049

An ~8 minute intro video from the terrific people at Think Vitamin.


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Jon Resnick, Donna Cassata and other editors from the Associated Press explain what they’re looking for in a pitch for a video story. Basically: Do your homework, know why the story’s newsy, describe characters, write tight.

It’s solid advice for any pitch. Watch below.


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For a few years now, I’ve been keeping an eye on the Gel Conference, where people gather to talk about experience, perception and customer service.

One of this year’s speakers was mapmaker Connie Brown of Redstone Studios. Her one-off painted maps show not just geography but perspective. In her 20-minute presentation, she shows us how maps are both descriptive and opinionated. It’s worth watching, whether your preference is for the science or the art of cartography.

Enjoy.


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]]> http://www.chryswu.com/blog/2010/08/17/maps-are-not-neutral-documents/feed/ 0 http://www.chryswu.com/blog/2010/08/17/maps-are-not-neutral-documents/ How to Create a Kick-ass Talk http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cw-ricochet/~3/DNM6sDNMnlY/ http://www.chryswu.com/blog/2010/08/13/how-to-create-a-kick-ass-talk/#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:21:32 +0000 Chrys http://www.chryswu.com/blog/?p=1035

A really good session, in my opinion, is not about the how, it’s about the why. … A really good session, through arguments and examples, stories and slides, humor and deep thoughts, compels you to try something new. A great session exposes you to something you haven’t done before and inspires you to take action, change the way you do things.

— From “What I learned at An Event Apart Minneapolis” by Marc Drummond, via zeldman.com

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Graphics director Steve Duenes and graphics editor Archie Tse talk about what goes into the visual storytelling elements that The New York Times has become so known for.





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I was asked to design a logo and website for video journalist Travis Fox, whose “10 Golden Rules for Video Journalists” continues to be a popular post on this blog.

The site’s been in soft launch, but as of last night, it’s now fully operational, with new “Films” pages, showcasing Travis’s work for The Washington Post, Frontline and other outlets.

Since some of you have asked, the site fonts are served by Typekit.

Visit the site at travisfox.com.

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Lori Fradkin used to copyedit for New York magazine. As a former full-time copy editor myself, I think her essay, “What It’s Really Like To Be A Copy Editor,” captures the trials of the job and the personality required to do it.

Copy editors will often say the role is invisible and thankless. Like most jobs, it defines who you are all of the time. But unlike, say, being a lawyer or a teacher, it tends to inspire uncomfortable and sometimes dorky conversations with strangers.

Fradkin writes:

No one will look at an edited article and think, I am certain that, once upon a time, there was a double quote where there should have been a single, and a wise person fixed the issue for my benefit. But if you let a “their” slip through in the place of a “there,” you are a complete moron. And if you are working online, commenters will let you know so. Then your boss will let you know that the commenters are saying so in case you didn’t see it yourself. Also, people will want to talk to you—outside of work—about grammar. Aside from the guy who called me “awkward, in a cute way,” I think the worst line I’ve heard was from the dude who asked my thoughts on the serial comma.

Nevertheless, those of us attracted to the job and who stay in it for a while are special. In a good way. After all, as I once wrote in my farewell note to my colleagues at the L.A. Times, I saw the job as “readers’ advocate and writer’s champion.” In other words whether you create the story or see the finished product, we’ve got your back.

Read Lori Fradkin’s full essay at The Awl.

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“Enough already with this hyperactive behavior, this techno-tyranny and nonstop freneticism. We need to slow down and take a deep breath.”

—Bob Herbert
From his New York Times op-ed, “Tweet Less, Kiss More“

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Who’s got the biggest social network per country? The BBC charted Nielsen’s figures from June 2010 and from a year ago. Facebook had the largest audience by far in both months, while MySpace has dropped quite a bit.

What’s more interesting is the change in the amount of time people are spending on Facebook every month. I’d really like to know the demographics of the surveyed population. Anyone have info?

BBC charts Nielsen social network audience numbers.

(via BBC News)

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…but the customer reviews in the iTunes store make me think: “Not quite ready for prime time.”

If you’ve downloaded Flipboard already, what’s your experience been? Is the app working for you?

To learn more about Flipboard’s promise, visit the website.

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