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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
Friends, Bloggers, Countrymen ... lend your ears to these people. I come not to bury them, but praise them.
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Daily Blah for... Wednesday, June 15, 2005
An Open Letter to Dianne Feinstein
Dear Senator Feinstein,
A flag-burning amendment may be about to pass? And you, a California Democrat, are co-sponsoring it?
You've got to be kidding me. Please, tell me a better joke, because I could do with a good punchline, and this one is lousy.
Couldn't you find something better to do with your time than stomping on free speech in a flagrant play for Central Valley votes? What's the matter, is universal healthcare too tough a topic? Iraq too thorny an issue? The environment too difficult a thing to save?
There was one flag burning incident in America last year. ONE. You don't use a machine-gun to swat a fly. This issue is not worthy of you, nor is it worth desecrating the Constitution for. Not only would this amendment make a mockery of the First, it will turn America into the laughing stock of the world. As an immigrant, I should know.
Rest assured, if you continue to support it and it passes, your liberal base in San Francisco will not forget. They will fight your reelection tooth and nail. They will support any other Democrat and go door-to-door across the state for them. Don't underestimate their influence, passion or ability to remember your guiding role in this idiotic amendment. The Republicans know only too well how important it is to play to their base. It's high time you learned how to play to yours.
Here's hoping you and those four other Democrats come to your senses in the next few days. Goodness knows, it would be about time.
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