Bird Mail: 005 - Fixed Links!
An American icon…photographed by a Canadian
Update: I'm sorry I broke all the links in the first attempt this morning. All of the links in this one work now, I tested them myself.
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This week, we are supposed to celebrate America’s Independence Day, but for the past few years, I haven’t felt much like celebrating. As a kid I remember the annual trip to Old Navy a few weeks before the 4th of July to pick out the flag shirt I was going to romp around the campground in. Of late, the flag has taken on a different, less inclusive meaning, and it’s one I’m no longer proud to sport. The flag is brandished as a tool of zealous nationalism, exclusion, and bigotry. The flag doesn’t fly for me any longer. When the flag, and the country, were symbols to be rallied around, Rosie the Riveter was a familiar icon. Sadly, there were hundreds of thousands of Black Rosies that went unrecognized by the whitewashing of history. I’m glad these photos are in archives, and I want to seek out more instances of representation in a historical context where I can.
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I think of waterparks as a primarily American form of entertainment: long lines in the hot sun for a fast tube ride, greasy fairground food, slightly dangerous water slides, lazy rivers, “yards” of alcohol. Reader Cayla sent me these landscapes of a French waterpark and I’m rethinking my position. I love these photographs for so many reasons. The pastels are markedly different to the garish fluorescent tubes and bright primary colors of American parks. Bohbot captures the parks with an architectural eye: there is no visual distortion, everything is so square to the viewer (it makes me wonder if he lugged a view camera out to the park to get such perfect lines or if he took advantage of a tilt/shift lens) and the humans are simply part of the landscape of the park. I hope he puts a book of this project together because I would surely add it to my coffee table.
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Despite the Austin heat, I’ve been spending more time picnicking and a few things have made life way easier. A dry place to sit, a sharp knife for fruits, meats, and cheeses (if you’re extra fancy, spring for the one with a corkscrew in the handle), unbreakable wine glasses to keep things high brow, and a little bag to carry all of it plus a book. I’ve got my eye on this silly towel for days at the pool too.
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I enjoyed this TidBITS interview with a 101 year-old Apple Nerd! He has lived through so much history, and he has a great philosophy for staying curious about new technologies.
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Since it’s summer, how ‘bout something a little cooler.
If you have something you think I should add to my collection of internet ephemera, write me by replying to this email.
You friend,
Bruce