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The increasingly inaccurately-named blog of journalist and futurist Chris Taylor. Either the most sporadically brilliant amateur blog, the most brilliantly amateur sporadic blog, or the most amateur sporadic brilliance on the Web since 2001.
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Daily Blah FAQ
Who are you?
I'm the newly-appointed Future editor at Business 2.0 and the former San Francisco correspondent for Time Magazine.
Wow, so does this mean everything you write reflects Time Inc's opinion? Or do you perhaps have some sort of standard disclaimer to the effect that it doesn't?
Naturally, the opinions contained in this blog are not those of my employers. In fact, some opinions may be the polar opposite of my employers. Some may be the same, for all I know. Hey, it's not like I ask my employers their opinions about everything in the news, okay? Let's just say that if this were a Venn diagram with one circle marked "my opinions" and the other one marked "my employers' opinions", there would doubtless be some overlap. But neither I nor my employers are able to pinpoint exactly where that overlap is.
What is this Daily Blah thing?
An experiment for a column I wrote about blogging back in December 2001. All these years later, I haven't been able to kick the habit.
Do you write any other blogs, by chance? Could that have something to do with the fact that Daily Blah isn't always Daily?
Yes -- the Future Boy blog for Business 2.0. And yes. If you want true, editorially-mandated daily coverage from me, that's probably the best place to look.
Mister, you talk funny. Are you one of them furrners?
Why yes I am, as it happens. I was born, raised and educated in Great Britain. I've been living in the U.S. since 1996 and identify as British.
I say, old chap, you forgot the "u" in "colour."
No I didn't. I may identify as British, but I am also an American journalist writing for an American audience about mostly American issues. These two different sides of me are a constant source of tension. Nevertheless, Daily Blah will adhere to American English grammar and spelling.
Praise for Daily Blah:
"It is fun to watch the author's navel-gazing joy." - Sunday Times (UK)
"It's really funny and informative." - Dave Eggers, author
"The Blah is becoming a daily destination for me." - Richard Marsh, Playwright
"I like it, and I don't." - Fiona Hogg, Teacher
"Better than Xanax." - Lessley Andersen, journalist
"Dude, lay off the crack pipe." - Souris Hong-Porretta, gamesmith
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Daily Blah for... Thursday, July 11, 2002
In Perfect Harmony
The typhoons seem to be giving Tokyo a wide berth, at least for now. It's not looking so promising for Saturday. But at the moment, snow-capped Fuji-san is shining in the far distance and the streets are steadily baking in a 90-degree heat. Such extremes of weather, yin and yang, seems perfect for this place.
I'm really enjoying the extraordinary emphasis Japanese culture places on being harmonious, though I imagine if I lived here any longer it would make me want to scream. Yesterday I met with some executives from Sharp, and we went through the whole business card-swapping ceremony. I'd been forewarned about the rules that govern this elaborate exchange -- always study the other person's business card with interest, be sure to watch how far down they bow and bow to the same level -- but I guess I really didn't believe it would be as formal as all that. It was, of course, and it continued throughout the meeting. One had to hold an expression of interest, to nod at appropriate junctures, to shun eye contact, and heaven forefend you loosen your tie or lean back in your chair. Part of me likes the civilized mannerisms; politeness, after all, is the lubricant of society, and something we could do with more of in the West. The other part of me just wanted to rip off my tie and sprawl back in my chair with legs hanging over the side, TV-watching style.
Comfort vs. congeniality: the eternal debate continues.
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