fun?

Tom Bissell's article "The Grammar of Fun" goes into great detail about the world of Epic Games. Perhaps it is because, personally, I am not a fan of video games and cannot take this form of entertainment -- especially first person shooting games or first person role-playing-games -- seriously. However, I appreciate how Bissell created an engaging piece by incorporating historical information, bits of Cliff Bleszinski's personal life, the difference between retro games such as Super Mario and newer games like Gears of Wars, and juicy details about Gears 2. Though not a gamer myself, I can see after reading Bissell's article that it takes an expertise of the gaming culture as well as games to report on this genre of technological entertainment. 

Product Review: Five Ultimate Hydro Shorts vs. Patagonia Field Shorts

A brief comparison of Five Ultimate Hydro Shorts versus Patagonia Field Shorts, both articles of clothing made for ultimate frisbee:

                                                         Five Ultimate                                                              Patagonia

              Cost                                         $20.00                                                                          $25.00

     Material                    88% polyester, 12% elastane                                   100% recycled polyester

         Colors                      22 choices including plaid                                  3 choices - black, white, gray

      Comfort                     Extremely soft; lightweight                          Breathable; extremely lightweight

       Pockets                                      One, MP3                                                                        None

Durability                                        Not very                                                Durable; comes with guarantee

     Weather                         Gets very heavy in rain                                          Completely waterproof

www.fiveultimate.com                                                              http://www.patagonia.com/


Many would argue that ultimate frisbee is not a real sport. Many do not even know the extent to which the ultimate frisbee society has developed, both in North America and around the world. Though on occasion it is a little embarrassing for me to admit being a part of this enormous, somewhat underground, often misunderstood, and increasingly popular culture, I cannot deny the growth of the ultimate frisbee world nor how much I enjoy playing. One of the clear manifestations of this sport’s expansion is the emergence of clothing lines established in the past several years designed specifically for ultimate players. There are now several companies that exclusively sell ultimate apparel such as Five Ultimate, VC Ultimate, and Gaia. Competing with these companies are outdoor and sports stores who have developed a line of sportswear specifically for ultimate frisbee, including Patagonia and Underarmour. Being a part of this cultural, social, and athletic network necessarily causes me to consider such decisions like what types of uniforms to buy. One of the key decisions includes shorts, which are vital to one’s performance.

I will be comparing shorts made by Five Ultimate and Patagonia, two of the powerhouses in sponsoring and clothing hundreds of teams across the nation. Five Ultimate prides itself on being the merchandiser of the Worlds competition along with other huge tournaments such as Nationals for the college and club divisions. Patagonia, on the other hand, sponsors many elite teams in North America, particularly within the college and club divisions. Both of these companies are known for producing high quality shorts. In reviewing both of these products as a prospective consumer, I am judging the quality of each product based on their functionality and accessibility, including the cost, material, color choices, comfort, and functionality.

The material of the shorts from Five Ultimate and Patagonia differ greatly. The Hydro Shorts made by Five Ultimate are 88% polyester and 12% elastane, giving them a lightweight, extremely stretchy, and comfortable feel. Five Ultimate offers 22 colors and patterns, including wacky ones like plaid. They have the most give I have ever seen in a pair of athletic shorts, and by the feel of them, I am confident that they give completely unhindered mobility. Patagonia’s Field Shorts are made from 100% recycled polyester, giving them a breathable and extremely lightweight feel. They are much lighter than the shorts made by Five Ultimate, and the breathability of the material easily wicks sweat and keeps the range of mobility high, though not quite as high as that of the Five Ultimate shorts. Patagonia offers their shorts in white, black, and gray. Though the Patagonia shorts are much lighter than the Five Ultimate shorts, the Five ultimate shorts are much softer and more comfortable.

The Patagonia shorts do not have a pocket, and the Five Ultimate shorts have an inner MP3 pocket. The concept of having pockets in ultimate shorts is never debated; pockets are never included in frisbee shorts so as to eliminate the possibility of catching – and thus breaking – fingers while playing. Five Ultimate attempts to combat not having pockets with a wallet sized pocket that is concealed inside the waistline. However, the awkward side location of the pocket and the size does not make the pocket all that functional.

The one other aspect of frisbee shorts that is important to consider when comparing the products is durability and resilience in weather conditions. Considering the bipolar and often nasty weather that hits the Pacific Northwest during the fall and spring frisbee seasons, it is especially important for me to choose a product that will hold up in the rain. Five Ultimate shorts gets considerably heavy in the rain, while Patagonia shorts are completely waterproof. Not only is the water repellence advantageous for keeping the shorts from getting heavy and hindering speed, but gear that is waterproof keeps you dry and much warmer. Once Five Ultimate shorts get wet, they do not dry easily at all. Especially after four or five games in one day, once your shorts get wet, the shorts’ quality of water repellence will determine how cold you feel, how much weight you feel like you are carrying, and how much they get in the way, all elements that affect your performance.

The durability of the Five Ultimate shorts seems to be significantly less than the Patagonia shorts. It seems as though the stitches unravel easily, and several runs through the washer will eat them. The softness of the material does not seem to decline with time and wear, but the threads do seem to come undone easily. The shorts made by Patagonia, on the other hand, being made of 100% recycled polyester, appear much more durable as they are designed to resist abrasion. Having visited the washing machine several times, the quality of the Patagonia has not diminished in the least. All Patagonia gear also comes with an “Ironclad Guarantee” that guarantees satisfaction and performance. It seems like, in the long run, Patagonia shorts will easily trump the Five Ultimate shorts.

The price of athletic shorts usually range from $20 to $30, and that does not change for ultimate frisbee. Five Ultimate’s shorts are a base rate of $20 before screen printing, and Patagonia’s shorts are normally $35, but I paid $25 through a team order. Considering the difference in price for me was only $5, I am considering the discrepancy less than significant. Even if the Patagonia shorts are $15 more than the Five Ultimate shorts, it seems like the weatherproof, durable, and lightweight Patagonia shorts are more worth it. For a rain-plagued location, I would recommend Patagonia’s Field Shorts over Five Ultimate’s Hydro Shorts, but for an inexpensive, extremely comfortable pair of shorts in a dry location, Five Shorts would be the way to go.

everybody's reading it

Ken Auletta explains in his article “Critical Mass: Everyone Listens to Walter Mossberg” how Mossberg’s column in the Wall Street Journal has, over the years, earned him the esteemed reputation he now holds as a technology reviewer. His expertise and consistency of his writing has created a trusted and powerful influence in the world of consumers. It seems as though Mossberg knows how to work the market by doing exactly that—writing for the consumer and the experience of the product rather than for the product itself. I am willing to bet that it is difficult to develop a foothold in the technological world as it changes so fast, so writing and reviewing it must require a proficiency and familiarity with technology that puts you at an advantage much further than simply good writing would take you. As Mossberg says, “The good part about writing about technology is that you never run out of ideas, because it’s changing so fast. The bad part is that it’s changing so fast that there’s a million new products and ideas every day and every week.”

Tacoma Museum of Glass, October 10, 2010

The Tacoma Museum of Glass is currently featuring several exhibitions that make the trip downtown well worth it. The exhibitions at the Museum of Glass include Masters of Studio Glass: Richard Craig Meitner, on view until June 19, 2011; Birds by Toikka, on view until January 10, 2011; Kids Design Glass, on view until October 31, 2011; Fertile Ground: Recent Masterworks from the Visiting Artist Residency Program, on view until October 16, 2010; and the ongoing Made at the Museum which features visiting artists’ work during their residencies. Even before you step foot into the glass dome of the Museum of Glass, the outdoor exhibits engage and prepare you for nothing short of a marvelous look into the world of contemporary glass art.

The Chihuly Bridge of Glass invites visitors walking from downtown Tacoma into the area where Museum of Glass resides. The glass bridge is an interactive and welcoming work that cleverly combines the urban city in its functionality with the Puget Sound in its aesthetic appeal. The bright colors, vivid patterns, and luminescent forms surrounding the walkway create a kaleidoscope on which one can happily feast the eyes.

Similarly, the Water Forest by artist Howard Ben Tré, like the glass bridge, beautifully integrates the urbanity of Tacoma with the natural surroundings of the Sound: the vertical skyscraper-like tubes and the water cycling through the structures create an inviting and interactive piece. Water Forest opens the museum and one of the many spectacles bidding the visitor to come and walk through the waterfalling trees.

Finally, artist Martin Blank’s Fluent Steps welcomes the visitor as it spans all 210 feet of the Main Plaza. Fluent Steps is a remarkable work as it demonstrates the properties of water, with some of the glass sculptures towering over the visitor. The forms explore the movement, variability, transparency, and captivation of water, powerfully standing as a symbol of Tacoman weather and environment.

The Museum of Glass also puts on plays, lectures, activities, demonstrations, and other events on a weekly basis. On October 10, Walter Lieberman provided an interesting and visual lecture on the distinction between studio glass and production glass as well as highlighted the role of Oiva Toikka–whose work is showing at the museum—in the Studio Glass movement.

Each gallery displays unique sets of art that all focus and develop on a set of similar techniques, themes, and ideas. Among these themes are meditation, inspiration, mother nature, political, realism and abstraction, and imagination. They serve as the seed from which, or perhaps a banner before which, art is created.

Meditation.

Meditation cultivated from thought-provoking and complex art forms, insisting one’s intellectual application and a necessary emotional connection to the composition, which can only be done through marinating in the piece.

Richard Craig Meitner’s works in Masters of Studio Glass: Richard Craig Meitner are a study of a variety of forms, levels of transparency, colors, and mediums. Works meddle with complex figures like chain links, human faces, and vases that deceptively appear warped with iridescent blues and greens shaping the curves. One of Meitner’s series is For Everything There Is a Season, named after the passage in Ecclesiastes. In this series of sculptures, Richard Craig Meitner explores forms representing each season. Each piece in the series features a glass figure on a mosaic block. The diversity in medium interleaved among the glass including paint, metal, and paper distinguish Meitner’s work as well.

Inspiration.

Inspiration, from age-old icons to everyday objects, births the inception of a thought, an idea, a design that evolves into a masterpiece encapsulating artistry, talent, and purpose.

It goes without saying that many of the artists gathered inspiration from similar sources, such as nature, human anatomy, or material objects. One interesting piece is Gabe Feenan’s Ode to the Colonel, which features a red and white striped lamp shade atop what resembles a chicken drumstick as the base.

Mother nature.

Appreciation, admiration, pleasure, muse. Mother nature as stimulation for art.

Birds by Toikka paid a fine tribute in displaying a vast range of birds through a showcase of delicate and exquisite birds of all types. Numerous pieces in the Made at the Museum exhibit drew on inspiration from nature; several multifaceted and multilayered pieces play with light refraction, reflection, dispersion, illumination, and shadows. A couple model trees or plants, the wilderness, animals, or wildlife.

Political.

Speaking to the affairs of the state, the government, the world outside but defining art.

Many of the artistic pieces entered the political realm in their messages, particularly in Masters of Studio Glass: Richard Craig Meitner. One particularly distinctive work is an untitled piece by Patrick Martin: a glass-blown pair of flip-flop sandals with thin metal straps. Interleaved in the glass in each of the soles of the flip-flops is a photo of George W. Bush, poking fun at the former president. Several other pieces in the set also play with satire.

Realism and abstraction.

Representations of reality, and impressions of experience; abstractions of truth and articulation of sensations. Portrayal of the real versus expressing the intangible.

In all of the exhibits, the tension between realism and abstraction is manifested in the juxtaposition between imitations of reality and mere impressions of it in the glass figures. From forms that resembled human faces to contemporary pieces that are indistinguishable and modernist, the artist repeatedly drives towards characterizing and expressing particular feelings or ideas. Benjamin Cobb’s Visceral Stomach holds iridescent blues in a long, smooth, curved figure that conveys an abstract interpretation of this complex organ.

Imagination.

Idea. Dream. Create. Design. Believe. Vision. Invent.

The Fertile Ground exhibit presents enchanted and fantastical worlds embodied in bold color combinations and distinct glass forms. Even the children’s artworks from which the Kid’s Design studios’ pieces are derived embody the struggle to express the ideas and sensations in their wildest dreams. The Kids Design Glass was by far my favorite exhibit because of the clear freedom and completely uninhibited expression at the root of each kid’s drawing, the artists in residency used the drawings as the blueprints for the bold glass forms now on display in the gallery.

Tacoma’s Museum of Glass provides nothing less than the remarkable reputation it carries throughout Tacoma. Prepare to be amazed, engaged, and challenged.

copywriting, city arts

The article "How to Make Money Writing for the Web" by Matthew Stibbe provided basic advice on how to write well, from what types of things to read to what sorts of things to research to the differences between print and online writing. His writing style was straightforward and casual, making it quite easy to read. His tips are practical and it seems like he thoroughly covered all the possible questions one might have about web copywriting. Some stood out to me: 
   - "The short cut to really good writing [is]... good interviews with smart people translated into readable prose."
  - "The secret of making reasonable money at writing is to find a niche and become an expert."
  - Writing for the web is free of jargon and long words.
  - "Spend more time marketing yourself to the right people to get work at the right prices."
Stibbe probably knows what he's talking about.

Emily White's article "The Dumbing Down" from Eastside City Arts Magazine reveal how the art critics from Seattle Times are slowly losing their jobs from the 112-year-old newspaper. Not being an art critic myself but having read art reviews, I think those who have "a gift for putting visual experience into language" are few and far between. It only makes sense that as budgets get cut, the arts the first to go. It is really quite unfortunate for a paper like Seattle Times to see their arts critics disappear; the city of Seattle is a cultural, musical, and artistic hub on the west coast. For job vacancies left by critics like Sheila Farr, who has had a longstanding history residing in and reviewing the works in one particular city, it doesn't seem likely that the Times can and will replace them. "Critics come to know the town just as reporters get to know their beats: they find their sources, their deep throats. As Tori Ellison phrased it, they learn how to 'unearth' truths about the scene -- digging into the underground instead of running over its surfaces." This statement in White's article makes it all the more tragic knowing that the arts in Seattle may not receive the reviews, and thus the attention, they deserve.

newsflash

In his article "To Save Themselves, US Newspapers Put Readers to Work," Jeff Howe indicates the rise in popularity of newspapers to increase  reader involvement. This seems to me like an ingenious plan as it not only engages readers in giving them a voice in the process but it also gives them responsibility. In the same way that people love taking surveys, it seems like "putting readers to work" would only encourage yet further readership. At least on a local level, it would create further community and feelings of pride and citizenship as well.

The article "Goodbye to Newspapers?" by Russell Baker speaks to the problems of management and ownership plaguing the world of journalism. Considering I know little about the upper level management of newspapers, I found Baker's explication of the intricacies of journalism and ownership detailed and insightful. Baker raised an interesting point about the increasing disconnect between the press and the public, which addresses the question of a journalist's role. Because the world is becoming more and more dependent on technology and quicker ways of getting information, the journalist may simply be another biased voice in the chorus of opinions attempting to portray the truth of current events.

In James Surowiecki's article "News You Can Lose," the author describes newspapers as a "once great business eclipsed by a new technology" -- that technology being the internet, of course. It seems like while on the one hand, there is a sentimental and comfortable satisfaction involved in picking up a local paper to accompany my cup of coffee in the morning, there is also an unbelievably attractive draw to the convenience and ease with which I can read about all of the world's happenings through Google News. In this constantly developing world that never ceases to cater to Americans' beck and call, everything needs to be running at the same pace, so it makes sense that newspapers are struggling. I think, though, that there is hope for local papers because they represent community in a physical compilation of stories and images that the internet cannot quite replicate; I'm hoping the nostalgia of a time where you read about your neighbors will keep the local newspapers around for awhile.

David Curry, Tacoma Rescue Mission

It's one thing to love your job. It's another to love your job and know it's making a difference in the world. David Curry, Chief Executive Officer of the Tacoma Rescue Mission, not only carries an impressive list of experiences working with social justice, but he is also passionate about the work that the Rescue Mission is doing in Pierce County. The Tacoma native loves being able to work with a non-profit organization that is tangibly making a difference in the lives of the homeless.

David began his journey in the field of social justice and fighting against poverty when he was in college. He started out intending to be a youth pastor but quickly figured out that was not the right fit for his skills and passion. As a result, he set out to do charity work in third world countries—primarily Peru—thanks to some strategic networking. As David worked with the poor and oppressed in several third world countries, he developed a passion for caring for the poor and forgotten. “[I realized] God sees everyone the same [whether they are] poor, homeless…” says David. His overseas work brought him to the recognition that social justice work was the perfect match for his specific set of skills and gifts. Moving back to Tacoma, he served on the board at Tacoma Rescue Mission for several years, and he began directing the organization in 2005. David is now at a place in his life where he knows that his passion, personality, and unique set of skills absolutely fit his position at Tacoma Rescue Mission.

As the Chief Executive Officer at Tacoma Rescue Mission, much of David Curry’s work deals with managing programs, meeting with leadership personnel, and connecting the functions of the mission with the big-picture vision. In general, he is responsible for overseeing all of the functions, communication, and operations of the mission. During a typical day at work, David will normally meet with the leaders running the Rescue Mission’s different programs to work out strategies and plans for how to raise and spend money in order to better help the people served.

Though David’s job largely requires a lot of administration and communication with outside groups, he manages to incorporate the other side of the organization’s work into his life as well—the side that sees the direct impact of changed lives. David teaches various classes in several of the Rescue Mission programs. He also makes sure to set aside time to make contact with the people that the Rescue Mission is helping, whether that is by handing out food or meeting people in the substance abuse recovery program.  David finds that doing hands-on work with the people directly impacted by Tacoma Rescue Mission is the most rewarding part of his job. “You just gotta do it,” he says.

Motivating David every day are the stories of the people whose lives have changed as a result of his efforts.  

Projects get him excited, projects like the brand new homeless shelter at the Rescue Mission’s Adams Street Family Campus. This new campus will soon provide 200 beds, rooms for 36 families to sleep, and the capacity to feed 100 people every day in a beautiful ski-lodge-esque building providing emergency and transitional housing. These sorts of projects “makes you want to get up and go to work,” says David.

As hopeful and inspiring as the work is at the Rescue Mission, the world of non-profits does not go without its challenges. A fundamental aspect of the job demands that the leadership at the Rescue Mission find the resources to allow them to continue helping people and then to spend those resources in an effective way. David explained that it is particularly difficult for non-profit organizations to raise money and maximize those funds because they are not selling a widget but providing a service. He says, “We have to trust people who have the resources but who are never going to use our services to understand what we’re doing and want to be a part of it.”

The Rescue Mission puts forth a compelling case for how effective they have been in helping to end homelessness in Pierce County. The Rescue Mission is full, if not in overflow, every day.  To get a bed, people can simply call the mission and get on the list. Though it may take up to three days to get a bed, they do everything they can to accommodate people who need help. Cots come out when the beds fill up. “We don’t want anybody sleeping out in the cold. We don’t want anybody in a dangerous situation,” David says.

Another large initiative of the mission involves programs combating substance abuse such as their six-month rehabilitation programs involving individualized support services for addicts. Every system at Tacoma Rescue Mission is designed to find people desperate to get out of homelessness and empower them to break out of that system.

David finds there to be a real need in the fight against poverty and homelessness. Organizations like the Tacoma Rescue Mission are committed not just to fighting homelessness but the systemic problems that perpetuate it. David believes that these types of non-profit orders need smart, motivated, savvy young adults who want to work just as hard at fighting homelessness and poverty as they would if they were working for a brokerage firm. Oftentimes, systems are set up to not truly solve the problem, either rewarding bad behavior or temporarily plugging the gap. David is hopeful, though. “Fortunately, I think a lot of the younger people [who are involved in social justice] today are more passionate than people who have been entrenched in justice work [for years].”

Social services or projects like the Tacoma Rescue Mission need more of these motivated and energetic people who want to help the poor in a way that solves these bigger, systemic problems. David Curry whole-heartedly believes the world of non-profit, social justice work is actively solving problems today: “Most of the problems in Pierce County are solvable. A couple thousand homeless people in Pierce County—that’s countable, that’s solvable.” Dedicated to the work that the Rescue Mission does, David Curry is not only a respectable and passionate leader, but he is also an inspiring character inviting others around him to join in a powerful and touching movement to help those in need.