Heard some good stuff, then found some good stuff, which elicited more hearing.
Let's do the 'heard' first. Great piece this morning called Books to call in sick for (which would be a good idea for Christine to steal for her bulletin board). Guest was Nancy Pearl who, apparently, is a celebrity librarian (!) with her own website and action figure (!) who has written Book Lust and More Book Lust. She was very articulate on the air with Steve Inskeep.
The book that interested me the most, though I feel like a tree-chaining, Earth-Firster, friend of Jane (or Dian) ('little ditty, bout Jane and Dian' ;-) admitting it, was A Primate's Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons, especially the part about him getting accepted into the group as a transfer alpha male at 21.
She didn't actually mention it on the air, but To Rule the Waves: How the British Navy Shaped the Modern World sounds like the kind of book I would like.
When checking the NPR website, I saw their Song of the Day was Atoms for Peace from Thom (Radiohead) Yorke's new, solo album The Eraser. Now I'd seen song from this album a lot on Hype Machine and hadn't listened yet, but I thought 'what the hey'. When I saw the album described in the mini-review as 'laptop-electronica', I was more interested. I liked this song and may look/listen into the album.
Tuesday, July 11
Saturday, July 8
Today's post on calorie counting
(Excerpted from an email to my familial compatriots, in case anyone who's reading this cares to be updated.)
I'm doing ok on calories with Christine and the twins out of town: 2000 yesterday and 1743 today. Took myself out to Chinese one last time, and only ate half of the entree, but that's still a lot of calories!
Something else that really seems to help is not eating a 'prepared' meal. So far I'm doing fine with servings of fruit and carrots. Tonight I had a cheese stick. I wonder if there's a bigger temptation with 'prepared' meals to overdo the ingredients and the portions... Maybe cutting down the number of 'sit down' meals a day is a related way to help. My breakfasts seem to be fine: oj, Special K with milk, bagel with honey, black coffee. My snacks seem to be ok: 5 wheat Ritz and an apple. No additional snacking and keep my lunches and suppers under control and I should be golden. I like things to taste good, but I certainly don't need much variety, do I? ;-)
Yesterday, I posted on my weblog that I wasn't eating that healthily by just counting calories. But that's not altogether true. The other hand holds the fact that a ton of health problems in this country are the result of obesity. Kick that one and you've kicked a good chunk of them.
In other health news, I bought Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix last night to try and help our family get in some fun exercise. It's pretty fun. I've probably played around 3 hours or so. I beat the game on easy today (The actual game-play is lame to me, but Wil will like it). Now I'm going back through the individual dances to get an 'A' grade on 'Normal' difficulty (and reminding myself where Bethy gets her perfectionism ;-)
Catching up omnibus
What, exactly, does omnibus mean, anway?
Time to catch up on all those links I've been saving
+ Matt has a nice revision of the new MasterCard logo to incorporate the One Ring.
+ Curzon has visual evidence for global warming based on the diminution of women's underwear ;-)
+ Mike Davis seems like a decent guy to me. I wish him well at U of Alabama-Birmingham.
+ The Six Most Feared but Least Likely Causes of Death
+ Ken Jennings' last two trivially alusive titles are awesome! Can you name the reference? (Christine already identified the second on in a previous comment.
Time to catch up on all those links I've been saving
+ Matt has a nice revision of the new MasterCard logo to incorporate the One Ring.
+ Curzon has visual evidence for global warming based on the diminution of women's underwear ;-)
+ Mike Davis seems like a decent guy to me. I wish him well at U of Alabama-Birmingham.
+ The Six Most Feared but Least Likely Causes of Death
- First, what I'm really afraid of is pain, like torture or prolonged disease, not dying. Instant death = no problem.
- Second, it's funny that we're afraid of things that are so remote - airplace crashes, shark attacks, murder, falling to death, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters - while we embrace the things close to us - tobacco, food, the couch, alcohol, cars, guns, bad sex, and drugs - that normally kill us. Goes back to that chapter in Freakonomics about how we feel safer relative to comparatively dangerous things we can control a little v. statistically normally safe things we can't control at all.
+ Ken Jennings' last two trivially alusive titles are awesome! Can you name the reference? (Christine already identified the second on in a previous comment.
- Ten DVDs that have never been in my (Region 1) kitchen
- If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient
- Future Kings of Spain
- New Duncan Imperials
- Cone of Silence
tdaxp podcast
Dan Abbot from tdaxp is the first guest on Phil Jones' new podcast .
+ Good to hear Dan's voice. I was looking forward to that. Phil's accent, much as I try to resist such determinations, is really nice.
+ Dan says watching Tom's brief 'changed the direction of his life': started him weblogging and changed his career path from Computer Science PhD to international relations, politics, and psychology.
+ Ooh, man, Phil! That was a nice connection between computer science/network/systems view of the world.
+ Dan says Libertarians and Conservatives have a common distrust of the motives of people - individuals and groups. Tradition tells us what hasn't led to the destruction of our society.
+ Whoa. Then Dan calls out a 'bad' culture, Lakota Sioux, where their values led them to ruin. That's pretty cheeky!
+ Dan goes on to say that [paraphrase alert!] superior cultures beat inferior cultures via Darwin-like natural selection based largely on internal coherence. Seems like you're trying to have it both ways here, Dan: 'Beauty. Culture. God.' from your old masthead. Call it 'values'. And Darwinian superiority of certain cultures.
+ Dan says Lakota and Dakota culture were both predicated on plenty of space to walk around in. So was Western Culture. But we were the one with the 'guns, germs, and steel' to take the space.
+ Phil does a nice job of teasing out the ideas and asking questions like 'Would you want to put it that way?'.
+ Dan advocates Jesuit syncretism in China v. Benedictine purity. Theologically, I disagree.
+ Ooh! Good question, Phil, about hierarchy in the Catholic Church v. Federalism. Dan says the Catholic Church is more successful than the Protestant Church by any measure. But which one is more like the Federalism you extol, Dan? Not to mind, what counts as 'Christian' on a scale from minimal to devoted? Lapsed Catholics and Jews still self-identify by religious 'culture'. Lapsed Protestants self-identify as 'Jedi' ;-)
+ Good to hear Dan's voice. I was looking forward to that. Phil's accent, much as I try to resist such determinations, is really nice.
+ Dan says watching Tom's brief 'changed the direction of his life': started him weblogging and changed his career path from Computer Science PhD to international relations, politics, and psychology.
+ Ooh, man, Phil! That was a nice connection between computer science/network/systems view of the world.
+ Dan says Libertarians and Conservatives have a common distrust of the motives of people - individuals and groups. Tradition tells us what hasn't led to the destruction of our society.
+ Whoa. Then Dan calls out a 'bad' culture, Lakota Sioux, where their values led them to ruin. That's pretty cheeky!
+ Dan goes on to say that [paraphrase alert!] superior cultures beat inferior cultures via Darwin-like natural selection based largely on internal coherence. Seems like you're trying to have it both ways here, Dan: 'Beauty. Culture. God.' from your old masthead. Call it 'values'. And Darwinian superiority of certain cultures.
+ Dan says Lakota and Dakota culture were both predicated on plenty of space to walk around in. So was Western Culture. But we were the one with the 'guns, germs, and steel' to take the space.
+ Phil does a nice job of teasing out the ideas and asking questions like 'Would you want to put it that way?'.
+ Dan advocates Jesuit syncretism in China v. Benedictine purity. Theologically, I disagree.
+ Ooh! Good question, Phil, about hierarchy in the Catholic Church v. Federalism. Dan says the Catholic Church is more successful than the Protestant Church by any measure. But which one is more like the Federalism you extol, Dan? Not to mind, what counts as 'Christian' on a scale from minimal to devoted? Lapsed Catholics and Jews still self-identify by religious 'culture'. Lapsed Protestants self-identify as 'Jedi' ;-)
Friday, July 7
Today's healthy eating post
1. First of all, that 210 pounds might have been an anomaly after a hard eating and drinking weekend/holiday. I'm already back down to 206 this morning. Don't worry. I'm not paying too much attention to it. I'm going for steady weight loss and lifestyle change.
2. That said, I guess I really shouldn't call this 'healthy eating', since I'm not really paying much attention to nutritional recommendations. I take a multivitamin every morning, anyway, for whatever good that does. And I get 3 servings of fruit a day (usually OJ, pineapple, and an apple). No problem getting grains in: Special K, bagels, pasta, breads, buns. Vegetables are a problem. I eat a serving of baby carrots everyday, and, after that, it gets pretty sketchy. Really, most properly, I can only say that I'm counting calories. Oh well. That's the task for now. I'll worry more about nutrition down the road.
Here's some good news: I emailed my plan to my family and 6 of them have joined me so far. It especially makes sense since we're all going to be back together for Cory's wedding in 11 weeks. Our minimum goal is to lose one pound a week for the next 11 weeks. Care to join us?
3. Saw a link to nutrition calculators in the Gmail ads in the family calorie counting thread and clicked through. 5' 11" @ 206 pounds today makes my BMI 29. They say the goal is between 20 and 25.
They also have a calorie calculator for men (and women). My weight maintenance number according to that is 3029 calories. Have I really cut my caloric intake by more than half? Toward the end I was hitting the ice cream, soda, chips, and pizza pretty hard. To lose a pound a week, eat 500 calories less than your maintenance weight. 2500 should be easy, right?
4. Much better success yesterday staying under 1500 calories. Half a Hard Lemonade and eggs and ham for supper instead of chicken and rice and sauce and a whole Hard Lemonade made the big difference. Here's hoping for another <1500 day today.
5. One of the great dangers for me in lifestyle change has always been quitting once I've started to make some progress. Once the psychological pressure lets up, I usually ease up and then cave all together. I really don't want to do that this time.
6. Got the 'go ahead' from Christine on buying Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix to help with exercise. This may seem ridiculous to some, but I think it's going to help me. Also found out that you can get the original DDR for PlayStation One, which we also have. So, if we like DDR:MM and want to branch out, we'll probably go back the PS direction. There's even a Disney one (for C and the twins).
2. That said, I guess I really shouldn't call this 'healthy eating', since I'm not really paying much attention to nutritional recommendations. I take a multivitamin every morning, anyway, for whatever good that does. And I get 3 servings of fruit a day (usually OJ, pineapple, and an apple). No problem getting grains in: Special K, bagels, pasta, breads, buns. Vegetables are a problem. I eat a serving of baby carrots everyday, and, after that, it gets pretty sketchy. Really, most properly, I can only say that I'm counting calories. Oh well. That's the task for now. I'll worry more about nutrition down the road.
Here's some good news: I emailed my plan to my family and 6 of them have joined me so far. It especially makes sense since we're all going to be back together for Cory's wedding in 11 weeks. Our minimum goal is to lose one pound a week for the next 11 weeks. Care to join us?
3. Saw a link to nutrition calculators in the Gmail ads in the family calorie counting thread and clicked through. 5' 11" @ 206 pounds today makes my BMI 29. They say the goal is between 20 and 25.
They also have a calorie calculator for men (and women). My weight maintenance number according to that is 3029 calories. Have I really cut my caloric intake by more than half? Toward the end I was hitting the ice cream, soda, chips, and pizza pretty hard. To lose a pound a week, eat 500 calories less than your maintenance weight. 2500 should be easy, right?
4. Much better success yesterday staying under 1500 calories. Half a Hard Lemonade and eggs and ham for supper instead of chicken and rice and sauce and a whole Hard Lemonade made the big difference. Here's hoping for another <1500 day today.
5. One of the great dangers for me in lifestyle change has always been quitting once I've started to make some progress. Once the psychological pressure lets up, I usually ease up and then cave all together. I really don't want to do that this time.
6. Got the 'go ahead' from Christine on buying Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix to help with exercise. This may seem ridiculous to some, but I think it's going to help me. Also found out that you can get the original DDR for PlayStation One, which we also have. So, if we like DDR:MM and want to branch out, we'll probably go back the PS direction. There's even a Disney one (for C and the twins).
Once more unto the breach, dear friends...
Tom debunks energy myths again:
+ The truth is, our consumption per thousand dollars of GDP has declined dramtically over the past 30 years, making oil far less crucial to our economy. In 1973 it stood at roughly 1.4 barrels/1kGDP. Now it stands at roughly 0.7 barrels, or a decline of roughly 50 percent...
+ Our total oil consumption has risen only from about 17 million barrels a day in 1973 to about 21 today.
+The real issue for many is one of imports, which stood at only 5 mbd in 1973 and now sits about 11 mbd, so shifting from about one third of our oil use back then to roughly 60% now.
Still, about the only thing dumber than describing that as an addiction is calling for independence. C. Fred Bergsten, director of the International Institute of Economics, calls the notion "ridiculous," because it implies that "price doesn't matter, that you'll pay any amount to decrease your reliance on imports--and that would be crazy."
+ Instead, Bergsten, like me, calls for more cooperation between us and rising China (with its skyrocketing demand for foreign oil), calling us "natural allies" because we're both big consumers sitting on the same side of the table opposite OPEC.
+ But if we stopped all imports from the Middle East, wouldn't the Middle East stop being a security issue? Well, as one expert points out in this piece, we don't import any Iranian oil and haven't in decades. So much for that theory of disconnectedness leading to security.
+ Autarky in any form is not a realizable strategy in an interconnected world
Thursday, July 6
More on 'un-American' sports
+ My worst (World Cup) fears have come to pass: France-Italy final. Ugh. Zidane scored again. Sheesh.
I continue to think diving is ridiculous and unmanly. There's got to be a way to get the right fouls called and not flop like a wuss...
As all Cubs fans know, there always next year, or World Cup four years from now in South Africa. Let's hope for a better US showing and something more interesting than this year's final (which I'll still be watching Sunday at 2).
+ On to the Tour, where George Hincapie is 5 seconds back of the yellow jersey after 4 stages.
I continue to think diving is ridiculous and unmanly. There's got to be a way to get the right fouls called and not flop like a wuss...
As all Cubs fans know, there always next year, or World Cup four years from now in South Africa. Let's hope for a better US showing and something more interesting than this year's final (which I'll still be watching Sunday at 2).
+ On to the Tour, where George Hincapie is 5 seconds back of the yellow jersey after 4 stages.
Ok, that was depressing...
Man, this 'eating right' thing is always harder than you fear, aye?
I tried to watch what I ate yesterday, recorded it all, made lots of healthy choices, and still came in just under 2000 calories. That's not gonna cut it. The biggest offenders? Supper of a reasonable portion of chicken, white rice, and sauce and a Mike's Hard Lemonade. Guess I'll have to split those (lemonades) with Christine 'til their gone, then not buy anymore, then maybe switch to a small glass of red wine at 26 calores/ounce. Maybe I'll have to cut out alcohol all together if I want to lose weight! Whoa!
The hunger piece is ok so far, but I expect it to bite me any second, especially as I cut back even further.
Two pounds lighter on the scale this morning, but that's just a fluctuation and you're not really supposed to pay attention to the daily results, but rather to the 5-day average.
I am seriously thinking of buying Dance Dance Revolution:Mario Remix for our GameCube tomorrow night to help with some fun exercise. We'd been thinking of getting it anyway. (What do your think, Christine?)
Finally, for this post, my latest cogitation on health to my sister (all stuff you know):
I tried to watch what I ate yesterday, recorded it all, made lots of healthy choices, and still came in just under 2000 calories. That's not gonna cut it. The biggest offenders? Supper of a reasonable portion of chicken, white rice, and sauce and a Mike's Hard Lemonade. Guess I'll have to split those (lemonades) with Christine 'til their gone, then not buy anymore, then maybe switch to a small glass of red wine at 26 calores/ounce. Maybe I'll have to cut out alcohol all together if I want to lose weight! Whoa!
The hunger piece is ok so far, but I expect it to bite me any second, especially as I cut back even further.
Two pounds lighter on the scale this morning, but that's just a fluctuation and you're not really supposed to pay attention to the daily results, but rather to the 5-day average.
I am seriously thinking of buying Dance Dance Revolution:Mario Remix for our GameCube tomorrow night to help with some fun exercise. We'd been thinking of getting it anyway. (What do your think, Christine?)
Finally, for this post, my latest cogitation on health to my sister (all stuff you know):
i think that's one reason so many Americans don't do better at health: it seems impossible: eat the right amount of calories with the proper number of servings from the right food groups and exercise 6 days a week while being bombarded with food messages, not to mention scientific studies that prove we don't really know how all of this works, plus fad diets and photos of 'beautiful' 'celebrities' who aren't healthy either and yo-yo up and down and smoke and drink and do drugs but get a personal trainer and a personal chef and surgery and go to the fat farm.
Wednesday, July 5
Happiness is...
finally getting to meet Paul and Carol Stokes, having lunch with them on their way through town, and getting to post about it first! ;-) It was a pleasure to meet such a fine couple!
They were the ones who had the camera, so they can trump me if they post the picture. ;-)
Unfortunately, we only got to meet for an hour. :-(
(Healthy living update: ordered off the Weight Watchers menu at Applebee's. 370 calories max shrimp and steak skewers with some good tastes. Good job, me :-)
They were the ones who had the camera, so they can trump me if they post the picture. ;-)
Unfortunately, we only got to meet for an hour. :-(
(Healthy living update: ordered off the Weight Watchers menu at Applebee's. 370 calories max shrimp and steak skewers with some good tastes. Good job, me :-)
Complete photographic Meadeness
It's not very often we can all be together in one place, but we accomplished it this past long weekend as a surprise for my Dad's coming up 60th birthday and a slightly belated 35th wedding anniversary. Christine put up the pix, which I pass on for your edification ;-)
LOVE that pic of the three boys in their Batman shirts!
Lots of pretty girls wearing pink that day.
Thankfully, this picture is the one game of Settlers that I won.
We did a review of my dad's life by decade with little, representative gifts.
Wil's missing both top front teeth these days.
Aah! I may die of handsomeness!
Bethy had Girl Scout Twilight Pirate Camp last week and continued to dress in her pirate bandana.
Bethy sez 'yes, it's nice to be a beautiful princess' ;-)
(btw, this is my first look at Picasa Web Albums. Looks pretty good...)
LOVE that pic of the three boys in their Batman shirts!
Lots of pretty girls wearing pink that day.
Thankfully, this picture is the one game of Settlers that I won.
We did a review of my dad's life by decade with little, representative gifts.
Wil's missing both top front teeth these days.
Aah! I may die of handsomeness!
Bethy had Girl Scout Twilight Pirate Camp last week and continued to dress in her pirate bandana.
Bethy sez 'yes, it's nice to be a beautiful princess' ;-)
(btw, this is my first look at Picasa Web Albums. Looks pretty good...)
Lifestyle change
Today begins a sincere attempt to change how I eat. I've tried a few 'diets' with little result. It's past time to make a lifestyle change. That's the smart thing you see people recommending. I've know that for some time but just didn't want to do it. So I'm going to try it. I wish I could say, with Yoda, that I'm choosing 'do' over 'do not' instead of 'try', but I'm not that confident.
I've decided to go with Jeremy Zawodny's geek diet method: track calories and weight in a spreadsheet. I am guardedly hopeful.
Bottom line: I don't want to be as fat as I am or fatter. Though my daughter and son steadfastly insist that I am not 'fat', which I greatly appreciate, I'm pretty sure that means, for them, 'not as fat as what we consider to be fat'.
This is a work in progress. I weighed 210 this morning. I'm 5'11" with small bones (my mom's lies to me when I was 12 that I was big-boned notwithstanding). My perfectly reasonable goal is to lose a pound a week until I get down to at least 170. Still need to figure out what my daily calorie consumption needs to be. Still need a better idea of what my target weight should be. But today is the day to start, after vacation and a holiday.
My entire family was together yesterday at Apple Hill for Dad's 60th birthday. We'll gather there again in 11 weeks for Cory's wedding. I want to be 11 pounds lighter by then. Not to show my family or whatever. Just because it's a good benchmark.
Well wishes and prayers are appreciated. Advice is not.
I've decided to go with Jeremy Zawodny's geek diet method: track calories and weight in a spreadsheet. I am guardedly hopeful.
Bottom line: I don't want to be as fat as I am or fatter. Though my daughter and son steadfastly insist that I am not 'fat', which I greatly appreciate, I'm pretty sure that means, for them, 'not as fat as what we consider to be fat'.
This is a work in progress. I weighed 210 this morning. I'm 5'11" with small bones (my mom's lies to me when I was 12 that I was big-boned notwithstanding). My perfectly reasonable goal is to lose a pound a week until I get down to at least 170. Still need to figure out what my daily calorie consumption needs to be. Still need a better idea of what my target weight should be. But today is the day to start, after vacation and a holiday.
My entire family was together yesterday at Apple Hill for Dad's 60th birthday. We'll gather there again in 11 weeks for Cory's wedding. I want to be 11 pounds lighter by then. Not to show my family or whatever. Just because it's a good benchmark.
Well wishes and prayers are appreciated. Advice is not.
Tuesday, July 4
More World Cup video
Ugh: All European quarter finals. Ugh: Italy. Ugh: France.
Check out video highlights.
But, really: don't you think it's kind of dumb, too, that France and Italy are both 'the Blue/s'? We could have an all-Blue final!
And, since Zinedine Zazou Zidane seems up to some of his old magic, this 9+ minute highlight video of him.
Check out video highlights.
But, really: don't you think it's kind of dumb, too, that France and Italy are both 'the Blue/s'? We could have an all-Blue final!
And, since Zinedine Zazou Zidane seems up to some of his old magic, this 9+ minute highlight video of him.
- Has anyone ever had a better complement of spin moves? It's not that flashy, but it sure gets the job done. When you spin by the keeper with the ball... That's pretty sweet.
- I like how a lot of times he out-dribbles some guy/s and then makes an easy pass.
- I think one of the moves I respect the most is the great controlling touch in traffic.
- You have to like the good old give and go.
- The way the pros can bend the ball - left, right, and down - is crazy. Zidane has some free kicks in this video that are as good as any by Beckham.
Friday, June 30
Quick two links
+ Matthew has an extensive Harry Potter post, including what part of which books to read (that Christine must read, or course).
+ Lance will ride RAGBRAI one day this year. Awesome.
+ Lance will ride RAGBRAI one day this year. Awesome.
Two major weblogs to watch!
Great day! A lot of stuff happened while I was gone!
+ The world, including me, found Ken Jenning's weblog .
+ Jason is back .
+ The world, including me, found Ken Jenning's weblog .
+ Jason is back .
Wednesday, June 28
Out of town
Should have written this about... 4 days ago. I've been near Calgary consulting (!) for the past few days. Headed back home today. More posting after reentry.
I'll tantalize you by saying I've got a post in the works on all the great music I've been listening to.
Friday, June 23
Tools (hand and ref) and toddlers
+ When you read that the official hand tool of Jaq's weblog is Klein , don't forget that mine is Lenox. ;-)
I scored the 6-in-1 screwdriver and the utility knife.
Next on the wishlist: the Tri-Fold Saw (second from bottom), which takes a reciprocating saw blade.
Oh, and they gave me a shirt, too! ;-)
+ Matthew Baldwin has a nice update on the Squirelly at 2 (which Christine - and really anyone with children who are or have been that age - must click through on).
+ I've been too depressed about the World Cup to post about it. I watched the whole match last saturday. Ugh. The best parts were:
1. Wil watching the first half with me. He was very interested in the red card for the bloody head and the own goal (and recounted them to his grandparents last night).
2. Bethy falling asleep in the recliner with me while I watched the second half.
Apart from that, it was pretty lousy. The ref in that game, obviously, totally sucked. You spend years and millions preparing for this think and two red cards can ruin the whole shooting match.
Not that I think it did for us. Could we have beaten Ghana with those two guys back? I doubt it. They're on fire and we're not playing well. We scrapped with the Italians, but...
Ugh.
I scored the 6-in-1 screwdriver and the utility knife.
Next on the wishlist: the Tri-Fold Saw (second from bottom), which takes a reciprocating saw blade.
Oh, and they gave me a shirt, too! ;-)
+ Matthew Baldwin has a nice update on the Squirelly at 2 (which Christine - and really anyone with children who are or have been that age - must click through on).
+ I've been too depressed about the World Cup to post about it. I watched the whole match last saturday. Ugh. The best parts were:
1. Wil watching the first half with me. He was very interested in the red card for the bloody head and the own goal (and recounted them to his grandparents last night).
2. Bethy falling asleep in the recliner with me while I watched the second half.
Apart from that, it was pretty lousy. The ref in that game, obviously, totally sucked. You spend years and millions preparing for this think and two red cards can ruin the whole shooting match.
Not that I think it did for us. Could we have beaten Ghana with those two guys back? I doubt it. They're on fire and we're not playing well. We scrapped with the Italians, but...
Ugh.
East Asian economies, aging pop stars, and Google
+ (South) Korea is the new Japan. High quality, high value products led by Samsung and Hyundai. I used to say 'Friends don't let friends buy a Hyundai.' Maybe I was wrong. Maybe they've improved a lot since then.
S Korea's already moving out of the bargain stage to the trendsetting stage. And, of course, the analogy can't hold in the current expansion of globalization. For example, Seoul is (perhaps) the most wired city in the world. So they actually lead in many broadband dynamics, including security problems. Why the Future is in South Korea.
South Korea is on a trajectory to keep innovating and keep rising to Japan-like proportions.
However, something crazy from the nut job up north could set this process back quite a bit, if not derail it.
The next economy to grow up from budget-provider to trendsetter will be China. The cheapest manufacturing jobs are already moving elsewhere, like Vietnam.
+ I know this is super old news, but just in case you missed it, Paul McCartney turned 64, impossible to imagine when he wrote a song about it (impossible for me since I wasn't born yet me ;-).
The REM analog is 'I can't see a life at 30/I don't buy a life at 30/caught like flies'. Wonder if Michael still feels that way?
+ I liked some of the Google Blogoscoped Onebox ideas.
S Korea's already moving out of the bargain stage to the trendsetting stage. And, of course, the analogy can't hold in the current expansion of globalization. For example, Seoul is (perhaps) the most wired city in the world. So they actually lead in many broadband dynamics, including security problems. Why the Future is in South Korea.
South Korea is on a trajectory to keep innovating and keep rising to Japan-like proportions.
However, something crazy from the nut job up north could set this process back quite a bit, if not derail it.
The next economy to grow up from budget-provider to trendsetter will be China. The cheapest manufacturing jobs are already moving elsewhere, like Vietnam.
+ I know this is super old news, but just in case you missed it, Paul McCartney turned 64, impossible to imagine when he wrote a song about it (impossible for me since I wasn't born yet me ;-).
The REM analog is 'I can't see a life at 30/I don't buy a life at 30/caught like flies'. Wonder if Michael still feels that way?
+ I liked some of the Google Blogoscoped Onebox ideas.
Thursday, June 22
Multinationals, Mushroom caviar, Machine, and atoM
+ Tom's boss writes about how multinational corporations must change in globalization.
I haven't seen this elsewhere, even in Tom. Maybe I just wasn't ready to see it. I just assumed the corporations would rise up a la Gibson/Stephenson and we didn't really have a choice.
I'm sure he's right. I'll have to ruminate on how this will affect the dystopian future ;-)
+ Seen in del.icio.us/popular: Simply Recipes: Mushroom Caviar Recipe. Now that's what I call two gross tastes to taste gross together! ;-)
+ Great names from the Hype Machine:
I haven't seen this elsewhere, even in Tom. Maybe I just wasn't ready to see it. I just assumed the corporations would rise up a la Gibson/Stephenson and we didn't really have a choice.
I'm sure he's right. I'll have to ruminate on how this will affect the dystopian future ;-)
+ Seen in del.icio.us/popular: Simply Recipes: Mushroom Caviar Recipe. Now that's what I call two gross tastes to taste gross together! ;-)
+ Great names from the Hype Machine:
- Bhlogiston
- California uber alles
- My life with the thrill kill kult
- Art of burning water
- British sea power
- Girlshapedlovedrug
Wednesday, June 21
(some) Great videos on YouTube
Pitchfork Media (as seen EVERYWHERE) says they've got a hundred. I don't see that many. But I can point you to:
Page 1
+ Take on me - one of my all time faves.
Page 6
+ The robots. I'm a new convert to this song, having heard it in a mashup with Intergalactic.
Page 7
+ We will become silhouettes - directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite). Another pretty Postal Service song.
Page 9
+ Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before. Unfortunately, I didn't start listening to the Smiths until 1990 (or so). But I had those glasses in 1987, just like Morrissey!
+ Once in a lifetime. Byrne doing his Bill Nye the Science Guy impression (and, thus, my friend, Bill M). Did you know this video was co-directed by Toni Basil?! She's got two in the top 100!
+ Voices carry. I sure do like this song (thought the video's just ok).
Did I miss any?
Page 1
+ Take on me - one of my all time faves.
Page 6
+ The robots. I'm a new convert to this song, having heard it in a mashup with Intergalactic.
Page 7
+ We will become silhouettes - directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite). Another pretty Postal Service song.
Page 9
+ Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before. Unfortunately, I didn't start listening to the Smiths until 1990 (or so). But I had those glasses in 1987, just like Morrissey!
+ Once in a lifetime. Byrne doing his Bill Nye the Science Guy impression (and, thus, my friend, Bill M). Did you know this video was co-directed by Toni Basil?! She's got two in the top 100!
+ Voices carry. I sure do like this song (thought the video's just ok).
Did I miss any?
Wednesday, June 14
Springsteen and Seeger
(More research to come, but I think I'll go ahead and post this much...)
I picked out Bruce Springsteen's We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions . I sure do like it. I liked it before Scott S recommended it to me, but props to him, a fellow former Oklahoman, too.
What's the difference between a fiddle and a violin?
Tracks
1. "Old Dan Tucker" – 2:31
I like this song, but didn't know it was from minstrel shows. That complicates it...
2. "Jesse James" – 3:47
This song praises Jesse, but I can't see where he was such a great guy.
3. "Mrs. McGrath" – 4:19
4. "O Mary Don't You Weep" – 6:05
5."John Henry" – 5:07
Is there any truth to the John Henry myth?
6. "Erie Canal" – 4:03 Erie Canal (in itself)
Cool diagram of the altitude changes
Good-sized map
Wil really likes this song and said 'Dad, I changed it to 'You'll always know your neighbor, And you'll always know your Sal.'' :-)
7. "Jacob's Ladder" – 4:28
8. "My Oklahoma Home" – 6:03
I can't resist Oklahoma dust bowl stories like 'The Grapes of Wrath', Resplendent, and this one.
9. "Eyes on the Prize" – 5:16
10. " Shenandoah " – 4:52
11. "Pay Me My Money Down" – 4:32
12. "We Shall Overcome" – 4:53
13. "Froggie Went A Courtin'" – 4:33
14. "Buffalo Gals" (bonus track only available on DualDisc format)
15. "How Can I Keep From Singing" (bonus track only available on DualDisc format)
I sure like the (what I think of as) hootenanny sound and strong backbeat of songs like 'Old Dan Tucker', 'John Henry' and 'Buffalo Gals'.
My research took me over to Woody Guthrie, who has this to say:
Unfortunately, ol' Woody has been ordered to cease and desist by the RIAA ;-)
I picked out Bruce Springsteen's We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions . I sure do like it. I liked it before Scott S recommended it to me, but props to him, a fellow former Oklahoman, too.
What's the difference between a fiddle and a violin?
A violin is sometimes informally called a fiddle, regardless of the kind of music being played with it. The words "violin" and "fiddle" come from the same Latin root, but "violin" came through the Romance languages and "fiddle" through Germanic languages.
Tracks
1. "Old Dan Tucker" – 2:31
I like this song, but didn't know it was from minstrel shows. That complicates it...
2. "Jesse James" – 3:47
This song praises Jesse, but I can't see where he was such a great guy.
3. "Mrs. McGrath" – 4:19
4. "O Mary Don't You Weep" – 6:05
5."John Henry" – 5:07
Is there any truth to the John Henry myth?
6. "Erie Canal" – 4:03 Erie Canal (in itself)
Cool diagram of the altitude changes
Good-sized map
Two villages competed to be the terminus of the canal, Black Rock, on the Niagara River, and Buffalo, New York , at the eastern tip of Lake Erie. Buffalo expended great energy to widen and deepen Buffalo Creek to make it navigable, and to create a harbor at its mouth. Buffalo won over Black Rock, and quickly grew into a great city, eventually swallowing its former competitor.
Wil really likes this song and said 'Dad, I changed it to 'You'll always know your neighbor, And you'll always know your Sal.'' :-)
7. "Jacob's Ladder" – 4:28
8. "My Oklahoma Home" – 6:03
I can't resist Oklahoma dust bowl stories like 'The Grapes of Wrath', Resplendent, and this one.
9. "Eyes on the Prize" – 5:16
10. " Shenandoah " – 4:52
11. "Pay Me My Money Down" – 4:32
12. "We Shall Overcome" – 4:53
13. "Froggie Went A Courtin'" – 4:33
14. "Buffalo Gals" (bonus track only available on DualDisc format)
15. "How Can I Keep From Singing" (bonus track only available on DualDisc format)
I sure like the (what I think of as) hootenanny sound and strong backbeat of songs like 'Old Dan Tucker', 'John Henry' and 'Buffalo Gals'.
My research took me over to Woody Guthrie, who has this to say:
This song is Copyrighted in U.S., under Seal of Copyright #154085, for a period of 28 years, and anybody caught singin' it without our permission, will be mighty good friends of ourn, cause we don't give a dern. Publish it. Write it. Sing it. Swing to it. Yodel it. We wrote it, that's all we wanted to do.
Unfortunately, ol' Woody has been ordered to cease and desist by the RIAA ;-)
Tuesday, June 13
Assorted thoughts (with links)
+ Jason links to Ricky Jay's website, which has a REALLY LONG article on Jay - a magician, sleight of hand artists, and a bunch of other labels in that vein. I need to do some more research on this Jay fellow. It sounds like his 'tricks' are truly fascinating.
+ Nice, full article on the Littoral Combat Ships in today's State . Here are 34 pictures, worth a thousand words a piece ;-)
This is the best direction for the Navy to go: more, smaller ships (though I doubt we really needed two different models...).
+ What if you wrote a really great comment, complete with links and research, and no one cared? I did. Fell flat on Coming Anarchy, so I think I'll reprint it here:
(Extra points if you notice my brithday in the permalink for my comment. Spooky! ;-)
+ Nice, full article on the Littoral Combat Ships in today's State . Here are 34 pictures, worth a thousand words a piece ;-)
This is the best direction for the Navy to go: more, smaller ships (though I doubt we really needed two different models...).
+ What if you wrote a really great comment, complete with links and research, and no one cared? I did. Fell flat on Coming Anarchy, so I think I'll reprint it here:
(Extra points if you notice my brithday in the permalink for my comment. Spooky! ;-)
I'll grant I didn't draw out comment as well as I might have, but, sheesh ;-)i find this topic [micro-states] very interesting. makes me think of:
+ Neal Stephenson's enclaves/ phyles/tribes
+ The minimal compact: An open-source constitution for post-national states
+ Emergent democracy
Monday, June 12
The Oxford Project
When I saw on kottke that there was once an Oxford [Iowa] Project, with photos taken in 1984 [linked here at the Smithsonian site], I was stunned. I grew up near Oxford and went to elementary school there. A little Googling produces The Oxford Project official website. Dude went back and took after photos - 20 years after. It's a small world. Truth is stranger than fiction. Yep, all of that.
The only person I'm sure I know from the pictures is the town mayor, who taught Business classes at West High in Iowa City.
I've got an inclination who the guy is who's Ashton Kutcher's cousin, but I'm not sure.
Puts me in mind of my sometime project, My Childhood in Iowa.
The only person I'm sure I know from the pictures is the town mayor, who taught Business classes at West High in Iowa City.
I've got an inclination who the guy is who's Ashton Kutcher's cousin, but I'm not sure.
Puts me in mind of my sometime project, My Childhood in Iowa.
Friday, June 9
From al-Zarqawi to Greg (!)
+ Tom's got a great post where he ties in his son's surgery with parental love and the importance of remembering that everyone, even al-Zarqawi and especially our soldiers, is someone's child.
+ Mark's got a poignant post about al-Zarqawi's death that is also funny:
+ Want to know where all the cool kids are logging? The Vox beta. Holy (weblogging) A-list Batman! Start with your favorite A-lister. For mine, I'll pick Greg Knauss. Then click through to other people you've heard of.
I think of Vox as similar to MySpace (social media native) with a big helping of Web 2.0 Ajax and (decent) design.
Haven't made the plunge and requested an invite yet...
+ This is weird. And a little awkward.
See Greg Knauss up there? He's been back weblogging for 3 months and I didn't know. He's one of my all-time faves.
Christine really likes him too, and she must go over and read the last three months. One post that made me laugh out loud.
+ Mark's got a poignant post about al-Zarqawi's death that is also funny:
The unseemly rush among pundits, partisans, cynics, politicians like Representative Pete Stark (D-Cal.) and carpet-chewing, mentally unbalanced, haters of the Bush administration to screech how Zarqawi's death is irrelevant, a political stunt or a hoax is revolting as well as stupid.
+ Want to know where all the cool kids are logging? The Vox beta. Holy (weblogging) A-list Batman! Start with your favorite A-lister. For mine, I'll pick Greg Knauss. Then click through to other people you've heard of.
I think of Vox as similar to MySpace (social media native) with a big helping of Web 2.0 Ajax and (decent) design.
Haven't made the plunge and requested an invite yet...
+ This is weird. And a little awkward.
See Greg Knauss up there? He's been back weblogging for 3 months and I didn't know. He's one of my all-time faves.
Christine really likes him too, and she must go over and read the last three months. One post that made me laugh out loud.
Thursday, June 8
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead
First thought this morning upon hearing the news on the radio while waking from sleep:
Next thought:
Not the 'right' responses. Not the 'Christian' responses. But that is what my honest, un-premeditated responses were.
Go to hell. Go directly to hell. Do not pass Go. Do not collect 200$.
Next thought:
Zarqawi is burning in hell right this minute.
Not the 'right' responses. Not the 'Christian' responses. But that is what my honest, un-premeditated responses were.
Tuesday, June 6
Ronaldinho
Read an SI article about Ronaldinho, arguably the best soccer player on the planet today. The author talked about watching clips on YouTube, which appealed to me, and I thought I'd pass 'em on to you:
Ronaldinho...the very best of
Ronaldinho The Man With The Golden Feet
Ronaldinho, El maestro
If that's not enough, you know to search YouTube for 'Ronaldinho', right?
Ronaldinho...the very best of
Ronaldinho The Man With The Golden Feet
Ronaldinho, El maestro
If that's not enough, you know to search YouTube for 'Ronaldinho', right?
Unknowns in Israel, Shakespeare, Spreadsheet and neologism
+ Israeli scientists discover underground ecosystem with previously unknown species . Interesting story.
+ Two from kottke:
+ Awesome, with some great pix (via Coming Anarchy):
+ Two from kottke:
- List of lines from Shakespeare plays that have become cliches
- lexidiem, meaning "word of the day".
+ Awesome, with some great pix (via Coming Anarchy):
Some of Japan's top sumo wrestlers are in Israel for a week-long tour of the country under the banner of "Fellowship and Peace" to strengthen relations between the two countries.
Sunday, June 4
Music, mp3s (and the Mavs)
+ Congratulations to the Mavs on making the finals. Hope they take down the Heat/Shaq/Riley show. Do you remember I'm a closet Mavs/Mark Cuban fan? Avery Johnson has obviously done a heck of a job. Special congratulations to Scott S, who even has some tickets...
+ Kelly of Looking at Them has a post with mp3s of her country phase from the 80s. My experience therewith wasn't a phase so much as environment, but I sure can relate. If you can, you should check it out.
When I think about how much I love music and how good my taste is and the humble beginnings I came from, the indoctrination I am giving my children and their potential to be really world-changing music lovers makes me very happy.
Example: Wil and Elizabeth were singing along with my singing of the Postal Service's 'Nothing better' today, even doing their own little riffs for where they thought the melody should go. I have a standing offer to them, if they want to form a family band, I'm in. Elizabeth said no way, but Wil has expressed a little interest.
Note to Walter: does this motivate you to engender more Stokes grandchildren? ;-)
+ Speaking of mp3 weblogs, Heather has a nice post about daddy-daughter dates . Daddy-daughter dates are awesome. In a perfect world, every dad would have a daughter. But, I'm serious when I say Elizabeth gets enough or our time that I have to find the money and time and childcare to date her mom more before I prioritize doing more with Bethy.
+ Kelly of Looking at Them has a post with mp3s of her country phase from the 80s. My experience therewith wasn't a phase so much as environment, but I sure can relate. If you can, you should check it out.
When I think about how much I love music and how good my taste is and the humble beginnings I came from, the indoctrination I am giving my children and their potential to be really world-changing music lovers makes me very happy.
Example: Wil and Elizabeth were singing along with my singing of the Postal Service's 'Nothing better' today, even doing their own little riffs for where they thought the melody should go. I have a standing offer to them, if they want to form a family band, I'm in. Elizabeth said no way, but Wil has expressed a little interest.
Note to Walter: does this motivate you to engender more Stokes grandchildren? ;-)
+ Speaking of mp3 weblogs, Heather has a nice post about daddy-daughter dates . Daddy-daughter dates are awesome. In a perfect world, every dad would have a daughter. But, I'm serious when I say Elizabeth gets enough or our time that I have to find the money and time and childcare to date her mom more before I prioritize doing more with Bethy.
Saturday, June 3
Pretty much all old guy pop culture
+ Iowa Boosts Ferentz's Pay, Makes Him Among Highest Paid Coaches. As much as I am conflicted about semi-professional collegiate athletics, this is probably the way to go if we want to keep Ferentz. He joins the ranks of Stoops (Iowa alum!), Spurrier, Meyer, Fulmer, and Brown. If he was amenable, I'd rather see them put that money into creating a stronger program that would draw higher caliber recruits.
+ You-know-who has a review of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure which is a movie I also really love. I know it pretty well, but not as well as him.
+ Speaking of movies, we watched Sky High last sunday night and really loved it. The soundtrack was obviously for me with covers of 'Everybody wants to rule the world', 'Melt with you', 'Please, please, please', 'Voices carry', and more. You might read the quotes or watch the trailer to see if you like it.
[Note: this recommendation is not for Macon unless he's already watched Gattaca ;-)]
+ I was drawn to One Louder for the a-ha mp3, but really liked this post on the summer of 1985 and how a-ha fit. We must be the same age, because I think that was my summer before eighth grade, too.
+ You-know-who has a review of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure which is a movie I also really love. I know it pretty well, but not as well as him.
+ Speaking of movies, we watched Sky High last sunday night and really loved it. The soundtrack was obviously for me with covers of 'Everybody wants to rule the world', 'Melt with you', 'Please, please, please', 'Voices carry', and more. You might read the quotes or watch the trailer to see if you like it.
[Note: this recommendation is not for Macon unless he's already watched Gattaca ;-)]
+ I was drawn to One Louder for the a-ha mp3, but really liked this post on the summer of 1985 and how a-ha fit. We must be the same age, because I think that was my summer before eighth grade, too.
Great names (and a little music)
I think, while following the Hype Machine, I'll post some of my favorite band names:
Sudden Infant Dance Syndrome
Suburban Kids with Biblical Names
Newfound Interest in Connecticut
Here's a music weblog title I like: clever titles are so last summer
Finally, pride of place has to go to Iowa Super Soccer, via mp3hugger. They're a funky, male/female, acoustic POLISH band with great artwork that sound a little like the Sundays.
Sudden Infant Dance Syndrome
Suburban Kids with Biblical Names
Newfound Interest in Connecticut
Here's a music weblog title I like: clever titles are so last summer
Finally, pride of place has to go to Iowa Super Soccer, via mp3hugger. They're a funky, male/female, acoustic POLISH band with great artwork that sound a little like the Sundays.
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