Month: January 2010

At work, part II – The Big Picture – Boston.com

A collection of well done photographs featuring workers working. I’m sure it’s fine to be impressed and glorify workers, as long as we keep it distinct from Labor. (Thanks, Jenny, for the link)

Anyway, this is one of my favorites…but I love books.

From Boston.com
An employee shelves books in the old books collection area at the Municipal Library of Lyon, France on January 15, 2010. The government of France is currently undertaking a 750 million euro ($1 billion) project to digitize its libraries and museums. (REUTERS/Robert Pratta)

Tulip – Freehand Pen & Ink, originally uploaded by carl.setzer.

A quick sketch for my son. He wanted a tulip, and this what I crunched
out without any reference.

Story: Vancouver police chief says innocent man beaten by officers did not resist

Brief synopsis: a man is beaten by police after a domestic disturbance call. Problem: police were at the wrong place and the man was completely innocent. Initial press statement says the chap was beaten because he resisted arrest. This story retracts that assertion.

I’ll leave it to others to ascertain the “wrong-ness” of the police officers’ actions (read the comments in the story if you want to see that discussion). However, I feel a need to look at the way the department managed the press. The initial statement was destructive. Their credibility was significantly damaged. Leadership looks out of control, dumb, inept or unscrupulous. There are folks claiming that the powers-that-be knew full well the falseness and the only reason they’re coming “clean” is that they were caught. I have no insights into the department, so I can’t comment to the veracity of such a claim. However, this sort of error/poor judgement only feeds that sentiment, and the surrounding distrust. With the Olympics coming, the accompanying attention provides additional embarrassment.

I firmly believe that it’s better to say nothing (for a while) then to risk a gaff of this magnitude. I know that the press hungers, implores for statements NOW. That’s ok…YOU don’t need to address that. That’s not your problem. Quality information is more critical. I saw the same with the coverage of Haiti. We had estimated death-tolls minutes after the quake. That’s simply ridiculous. This is why I stop following a disaster story after I get the original details. I wait for a few days until the fog of disinformation clears. But I care more for quality data than quantity and speed. Yeah, I’m weird.

Story: Vancouver police chief says innocent man beaten by officers did not resist

Brief synopsis: a man is beaten by police after a domestic disturbance call. Problem: police were at the wrong place and the man was completely innocent. Initial press statement says the chap was beaten because he resisted arrest. This story retracts that assertion.

I’ll leave it to others to ascertain the “wrong-ness” of the police officers’ actions (read the comments in the story if you want to see that discussion). However, I feel a need to look at the way the department managed the press. The initial statement was destructive. Their credibility was significantly damaged. Leadership looks out of control, dumb, inept or unscrupulous. There are folks claiming that the powers-that-be knew full well the falseness and the only reason they’re coming “clean” is that they were caught. I have no insights into the department, so I can’t comment to the veracity of such a claim. However, this sort of error/poor judgement only feeds that sentiment, and the surrounding distrust. With the Olympics coming, the accompanying attention provides additional embarrassment.

I firmly believe that it’s better to say nothing (for a while) then to risk a gaff of this magnitude. I know that the press hungers, implores for statements NOW. That’s ok…YOU don’t need to address that. That’s not your problem. Quality information is more critical. I saw the same with the coverage of Haiti. We had estimated death-tolls minutes after the quake. That’s simply ridiculous. This is why I stop following a disaster story after I get the original details. I wait for a few days until the fog of disinformation clears. But I care more for quality data than quantity and speed. Yeah, I’m weird.

Rain flows gently down
Pools slowly, circles reach out
Damp chill feels like home

Odd that this came to me today as we were quite free of rain. Actually, sunny and warm…like spring time warmth. However, I’ve lived in the Seattle area a good portion of my life. I guess this just comes naturally.

Rain flows gently down
Pools slowly, circles reach out
Damp chill feels like home

Odd that this came to me today as we were quite free of rain. Actually, sunny and warm…like spring time warmth. However, I’ve lived in the Seattle area a good portion of my life. I guess this just comes naturally.

So very much done today. A blur, flurry of randomized tasks, along with all the high-priority items. With this, I managed to meet with several local bloggers. Now, though, evening’s finality creeps in. Even with my pleasing productivity, I still agonize about all that’s not done. Silly, perhaps, but that’ me. Hung up on what’s lacking, what I haven’t accomplished. Too easy to forget what’s done, where success lay.

100_1895, originally uploaded by carl.setzer.

I am quite pleased with this shot. The macro setting of my little Kodak does some nice work. I could have done a better job with framing it, though. And it’s a bit grainy for my liking.