Good friend and graphic designer Samantha Williams joins the boys to discuss a number of issues related to design. Sam gives great insight on typography, while Cameron suggests that only WingDings should be used from now on. John tries to discuss the journalistic merits of infographics, but mostly they discuss what's good and bad about various examples. Hilarity ensues.

David McCandless' Information is Beautiful

PT 7.26.10 - The Visual Appetite

All Poets Laureate must live on volcanoes! Cameron and John discuss the life and work of W.S. Merwin, who was recently named the new US Poet Laureate, and share a wishlist for what future poets laureate should be like. John tries to explain to Cameron that Merwin isn't a supervillain, but is in fact a very nice man.

On Merwin, from the Post

On Merwin, from the Times

Merwin at the Poetry Foundation

Merwin at the Library of Congress

PT 7.12.10 - The Volcano Laureate

John and Kate completely geek out over an amazing gentleman who's managed to memorize all of John Milton's Paradise Lost. Kate delights in being able to share geekiness over the Internet. John can't help but make fun of absent Cameron.

Paradise Lost Performances - This is Basinger's site, complete with short clips of the performance.

And the two articles we referred to:

From Neatorama

From My Fox Atlanta

PT 6.28.10 - The Epic Memory

Cameron and John talk through how to share poetic work using Creative Commons. Ice clinks in the background, but they swear it's not an alcoholic drink. John discusses the possibility of getting Cameron arrested, or at least suing his pants off.

Creative Commons

Creative Commons Search

Flickr's 'The Commons'

Lawrence Lessig's Free Culture

Cory Doctorow

Jonathan Coulton

Nine Inch Nails

Virginia Department of Education

The White House Flickr Stream

PT 6.1.10 - The Commons Ground

John and Cameron launch into a discussion about the value of quantitative analysis in literature. They successfully prove it's not as boring as it sounds. John channels his math teacher mother; Cameron describes his ideal [but entirely made-up] Mothers' Day celebration.

Math for Primates

Radio Lab - Vanishing Words

Quantitative Analysis and Literary Studies [the Hoover essay]

PT 5.10.10 - The Mathematical Mother