America's Most Mustache-Friendly Cities

Bravo, Pittsburgh on securing a spot as the number 3 most mustache-friendly city. However, I believe that coming in third place was skewed by the methodology that the American Mustache Institute used for the research. After all, the white paper states, Previous AMI research actually demonstrates that Pittsburgh has the highest number of Mustached Americans per capita outside of only Graz, Styria in Austria and Tijuana, Mexico. Maybe I should grow a mustache…

September 30, 2011 · Ian W. Parker

Where Children Sleep

A fascinating look at cultures around the world via photographs by James Mollison. [via kottke.org]

August 11, 2011 · Ian W. Parker

Downton Abbey Series 2

The drama is noticeable for its obsessive attention to detail. Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and the production team had a long debate about whether aristocrats of the period – the second series takes us from 1916 to 1918 and the Christmas special takes place on New Year’s Eve 1919 –would eat asparagus with their hands or a fork. In the end producers cut the asparagus up and pretended they were green beans, which they knew were eaten with a fork, so keen were they not to put a foot wrong....

August 8, 2011 · Ian W. Parker

To my RSS feed subscribers

A kind fellow, Joshua Goodwin, has informed me that my link-post items did not include a permalink back to my site when viewed in an RSS reader. The titles of the link-post items will continue to link to the external sites referenced; however, I have added a permalink to the end of link-post items in the RSS feed so you can now click the infinity glyph (∞), and it will link you back to the post on Indigo Spot....

August 8, 2011 · Ian W. Parker

A Big Fat Lie You Tell Every Day

Tim Brownson on the “I don’t have time” excuse: We all adopt the ’lack of time’ approach on a regular basis, because the easiest out in the world is to blame the clock when we want to avoid doing something. But it’s nearly always untrue and it’s seldom helpful. … I challenge you to join me and go a week without telling people you don’t have time to do something....

August 8, 2011 · Ian W. Parker

The Brilliance of Dwarf Fortress

Jonah Weiner writes a superb article about the developers of Dwarf Fortress. At bottom, Dwarf Fortress mounts an argument about play. Many video games mimic the look and structure of films: there’s a story line, more or less fixed, that progresses only when you complete required tasks. This can make for gripping fun, but also the constrictive sense that you are a mouse in a tricked-out maze, chasing chunks of cheese....

July 29, 2011 · Ian W. Parker

Americanisms: 50 Examples

BBC News posts 50 examples of “Americanisms” that were submitted by readers. My favorite? “I could care less” instead of “I couldn’t care less” has to be the worst. Opposite meaning of what they’re trying to say. Jonathan, Birmingham

July 28, 2011 · Ian W. Parker

I'm Not Playing That Game

Leo Babauta on advertising and consumerism: I could go on all day, and in fact, we all go on all day with this game. Or instead, we could simply say, “I’m not playing that game.” Because honestly, there’s no way we can win. Spot on, as always.

July 28, 2011 · Ian W. Parker

Fractal Selleck

The title says it all.

June 10, 2011 · Ian W. Parker

Rejected Lion Logos

So good.

June 10, 2011 · Ian W. Parker