Hometown pride: In my search-hacks for magazine news, I often get points to small town papers that report whenever local people are featured in national consumer or trade magazines. I don’t think I’ve ever posted one of these, but this one from Kankakee, Il., is a classic of this genre.

Lions & lambs: I’m sorry, but it seems to me too eschatologically coincidental that Microsoft is making peace with AOL on the same day Sharon commits to negotiating for the creation of a Palestinian state. Surely, the end is near.

Pomp: I am biased, but I think I’ve just experienced the best high school graduation ceremony I’ll ever attend at which I am not a relative or even a close family friend of anyone graduating. It was inspiring and uplifting and blessed with the the most glorious weather possible. The students who spoke were brilliant and the commencement speaker, my friend Y.S. Chi, was a perfect choice to provide a thoughtful, from-the-heart message.

I was even moved by a quote credited to Calvin Coolidge (granted, not one of our most quoted presidents) that was cited by the valedictorian:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

You can now have your diploma.

Could not have said it better: Despite trying to do so, I could not make a better argument for my belief that collective fear is a bigger problem than terrorism than this ER doctor Lewis Goldfrank makes. Thanks to whoever put on my desk the copy of Forbes opened to that article.

There’s a but: The NY Times reports on a new study being published which claims that playing video games helps develop visual attention skills. I happen to be an expert on this topic having conducted my own test on two lab rats living at my house. The first lab rat was used as a control and was not allowed to play any video games. The second lab rat was allowed to feed himself video games intravaneously for 12 months straight, every free hour.

My results are similar to the study the Times reports today. The control rat developed less visual attention skills, however she learned how to play the violin beautifully during the time spent not playing video games.

The video games test rat developed astounding visual attention skills except when it came to visualizing what his homework assignment was for the next day. Also, I discovered that while his visual attention skills increased while playing video games, his overall attention skills decreased. In other words, he could see everything, but could focus on nothing.

I am happy to report that upon further testing, we were able to reprogram the second test subject by unplugging his video game for the following 12 months. Fortunately, he now has an attention span longer than a lab rat.

For sale: Media giants say they want to buy up magazines, especially in the U.S., where the dollar is weakening.

Blinded by scooters: According to Erik Wemple (no relation to Mr. Whipple), reporters have been duped into becoming some sort of PR-Stepford wives when it comes to coverage of the Segway. Of course, Erik’s article gave the Segway that much more coverage, most of which comes off fairly positive for the device. The article does more to make Erik look like a dumbass than to defame reporters who are swept up by it. Anyway, hasn’t Erik ever seen the past 20 years of coverage of Apple?

Printing money: Here’s one way to make money in the magazine industry.

Golf wars: Seems more like a cat fight than a gentleman’s game is shaping up in the whacky world of golf magazines. (last item)

Visibility: Magazine executives attending a meeting in Paris say that things are looking up for advertising sales in the coming months.

No Bragg: As it has received carpet-bomb coverage, I have not linked to any Jayson Blair stories. However, I will make an exception with the news that Rick Bragg has been suspended by and will resign from the NY Times. Not that he needs the job as he’s a Pulitzer Prize winning bestselling author, but Bragg’s departure from the Times is unfortunate. Not for him, but for the Times.

According to experts: Ever wonder where reporters find those experts to quote on any topic? Now, you know.

Off the old block: A magazine launch in Silicon Valley? Flashback. If the writing in the magazine is anything like that in the press release, I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.

Quote:

Each issue of “Chip Design” will address the information needs of leading edge, upper-mainstream, and system-level programmable logic IC designers with in-depth articles on such subjects as verification, tool interoperability, power control and reduction, design for verification, design for
manufacturing, changes in design languages, and the need for higher levels of abstraction in system design.

The New Yorker of chip design magazines, no doubt.

Rocky top: Is Knoxville ready for a magazine entrepreneur with grand ideas (and no, it’s not Chris Whittle again)? It’s going to take a lot to pull off the concept that’s described as “the New Yorker of videogames magazines.”

Quote:

Editorially, Baker said, his approach is “taking some of the elements of a typical video game magazine and combining them with something you’d see in a Vanity Fair. “What we’re looking to do is create a magazine every month that is a little more thoughtful and compelling.”

Okay.

Promo mojo: American Baby magazine is running a brilliant promtion right now. They are touring the country looking for a baby to appear on an upcoming cover of the magazine. Now how many parents in the world believe their baby should be on the cover of a national magazine?