One of the smarter things Bird and Co. have done in recent memory

The hiring of Sam Perkins, former Pacer and member of the 2000 NBA finals team, has been retained by the Indiana Pacers as the Vice President of Player Relations, according to ESPN.com today. Way to go, Larry.

Brilliant; but waaayyy too late for this fan.

In Praise of Cocktails

From the archives of The Morning News, one of my favorite alternative reads each day, by way of 3quarksdaily. I'm especially fond of the Negroni, by the way, but I'll pass on the MBA. And, good advice is found at the very end regarding martini glasses which we should all follow.

The Case for Cocktails, by Margaret Mason.

Don't Like the News?

Try this on for size.

Another great graphic from the NY Times

The NY Times have done a wonderful job over the past 18 months or so with interpreting news via graphics. Frequent readers may remember I listed some here in the past; here's one from today's edition that focuses on the varying impact of gasoline prices on budgets, average fuel cost, and median income, all by US county.

I think the most shocking data is found on the first tab: Percent of Income Spent on Gasoline.

Click here to view in the article in full.


Image courtesy of the NY Times.

I already know how she feels

A piece by Perdita Buchan in the weekend edition of the NY Times:

LOOKING out the window to see who was at the bird feeder, I noticed buds on the Carolina jessamine. It was one of the first things I had planted in the garden; when I found it at the nursery, I was transported back to an island off the Georgia coast where it climbed high into the trees, perfuming the air and showering me with golden petals. That was eight years ago, and it had never bloomed.

I rushed outside to be sure, and, yes, there were quite a few delicate pale yellow buds. I was thrilled, but eight years is a long time, and that thought brought a faint chill to the bright spring afternoon. Time hovers over me and the garden. Time does that a lot these days.

Gardeners will tell you smugly that you can’t have a garden overnight, although I have seen them put in pretty fast, mature trees and all, in upscale California developments. But for the rest of us the garden is a process, and our relationship to that process depends on our own age.

Eight years ago, when I started to garden, I wouldn’t have bought a parrot. Parrots are extremely long-lived and get very attached, and one would easily outlast me. Of course, gardens are meant to outlast their creators; world-famous gardens can be centuries old, and I well remember the poignancy of finding clumps of lilacs near the old cellar holes of long-vanished houses in the Vermont woods. Just as I can imagine a life in which I would grow old with an African gray parrot, I can imagine what it would have been like to garden in my 20s and 30s, translating to my flower beds that unhurried youthful horizon. I could have experimented more because I wouldn’t have seen every lost plant as lost time, simply as an interesting experiment. There would have been plenty of occasions to plant it again or to plant something else.

I would have taken the chances I avoid now, just as I took chances then with transient jobs and transitory people. I could have planted an acorn and looked forward to an oak. A sapling planted when my daughter was born, for instance, would be huge and bowery now, and my grandchildren could play in its shade.

The great English gardeners Gertrude Jekyll and Vita Sackville-West began designing gardens when they were in their 30s. In my 30s, I borrowed other people’s gardens — large gardens like the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, especially on Lilac Sunday, when I wandered drunk on the fragrance of hillsides of lilac; small gardens belonging to city friends; and everything in between.

I spent most summers in England and, with everything from Kensington and Kew to family gardens, there was plenty to admire. Staying with my cousin Emma, shuttling between her gardens in Herefordshire and Scotland, I learned about 19th-century roses and the charm of mixing flowers and herbs.

However, the garden I really considered mine was the chapel garden of the school where I lived and worked. Stone steps led down through mountain laurel to a sweep of lawn bordered by beds of peonies, poppies and other perennials against tall dark hedges of arborvitae. It had been planned to bloom in June for graduation ceremonies, but when snow fell and the lamp by the chapel was lit, it looked like the entrance to Narnia.

Propertyless, I squandered decades, and now here I am, seduced by the selective tangle of gardens pictured in magazines, a carelessness that I know takes years to achieve. I guess you could use annuals to similar, if brief, effect, but a garden full of cosmos, zinnias, morning glories and the like would have no structure. A garden needs shrubs and trees. It needs bones, and bones take time.

My garden in coastal New Jersey, when I finally acquired it, had trees and shrubs, but except for two white lilacs and a native cherry, they are not ones I would have chosen. Yet I know if I took out the Norway maples, it would take 20 years to grow shade trees of similar size. So I live with them and their endless seedlings.

There is no question that time has shaped, and will continue to shape, my garden. Time tells me that I will never have allées of anything, that copper beeches need many years to mature, bluebells spread slowly, peonies can take seasons to flower, even lavender is slow to produce bushes the size of the ones in Emma’s borders. At some point in life, you realize that certain avenues are closed to you. If you haven’t become a doctor or a ballerina, you probably never will.

I no longer buy those mail-order perennials in the three-inch pots; I go for gallon containers. Reading the catalogs, I look for “vigorous grower, flowers in first season.” My heart sinks at “slow to establish.” Even “vigorous but well mannered” is doubtful. I consider fruit trees that flower young, but flowers on a spindly sapling, despite their adolescent bravura, don’t have much presence.

I want to plant Baptisia “Purple Smoke,” but when I read “mature plants in three to five years can bear over 50 blooming stalks,” I move on to Baptisia “Twilite Prairie Blues” — “long lived, easily grown, quickly maturing.”

I have had slow starters in addition to the jessamine. For five years, I got no blooms from either the blue “President Lincoln” lilac, a favorite from Lilac Sundays, or the trumpet vine I had planted. I tried everything — applications of phosphorous, girdling the roots of the lilac. Finally I was rewarded. The trumpet vine bloomed for the first time last summer, and this year “President Lincoln” came into its own. But I have decided to pass up “Adelaide Dunbar,” the gorgeous dark purple double lilac I covet; five years seems too long a wait.

If you could be sure of your garden’s permanence, you might take the long view, in the spirit of seeing beyond your own earthly years. But over the fate of a garden you have no control. My mother had her garden for 40 years, and it already had mature plantings from the 1920s. When the house was sold, the buyer tore out the box hedges and much else.

So I live in the garden present, resisting the temptation to plant an overnight forest of bamboo or the royal paulownia tree, advertised in the back pages of magazines, that grows 10 feet in one year and is listed as invasive in a number of states. There are even days in summer when I am staggered by how much I have managed to cram into the space and time my garden has occupied. So I am willing to garden for a limited future, hopeful that something, like the lilacs in the Vermont woods, will remain.

Long Island Oysters

Courtesy of the New York Times, an article on Long Island oysters. Mmmm.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/dining/28oysters.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=all

How is it I'm not the target audience?

Apparently one of the lines of business my employer is targeting has employees who spend much of their time watching the Discovery Channel where flint knapping, is a key survival tool. I just get a kick out of my son telling me SAP's on Mythbusters. (Now that I think of it, 'lithic reduction' does sound better.)

Two random thoughts (NSFW)

Is anyone else watching TED? The Mark Bittman piece is very interesting and something Amy and I have discussed for quite some time. That's what she said.

A f*!#$ing Saturn?

Apparently the good folks at Saturn had a little fun when making one of their more memorable commercials of late. (Yes, it's suitable for work.)


Find more videos like this on AdGabber

Brijit's Dead

While I haven't written an abstract for months, six to be exact, I'm sad to see it go. Brijit was a fun fling and I enjoyed playing copy writer for a few days but it looks like this model was difficult to sustain. And while the main site indicates it's all done the writer's site is still accepting assignments.

Look at it this way; I was too young to play in the first boom/bust cycle so any chance to live that experience vicariously is a hoot.

An absolutely brilliant movie box office graphic

Courtesy of the NY Times, a fabulous graphic depicting box office revenue, by week, of movies from 1986 to present. (How did Patch Adams do that well?)

Be sure to use the slider at the bottom to move through time. Look here.

This is fun

Have you ever wondered what might have been cropped with respect to CD or album covers? Wonder no more, my friends.

Extending album art.

I can finally eat in Chicago again

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/chicago-overturns-foie-gras-ban/

Finally this ridiculous intrusion on a gastronomic's night out has ended.

Looks Like I'm Getting Married

http://amyharrison.blogspot.com/2008/04/mark-your-calendars.html

Well, a 20th anniversary special would be nice. Plus, Amy would get the ceremony she really wanted.

Why Baseball is the Best

As seen on kottke.org today - Why baseball is the best game ever. From the Boston Review's article on John Rawls, baseball fan and philosopher. (A lot like my friend Tim Dillon.)

First: the rules of the game are in equilibrium: that is, from the start, the diamond was made just the right size, the pitcher’s mound just the right distance from home plate, etc., and this makes possible the marvelous plays, such as the double play. The physical layout of the game is perfectly adjusted to the human skills it is meant to display and to call into graceful exercise. Whereas, basketball, e.g., is constantly (or was then) adjusting its rules to get them in balance.

Second: the game does not give unusua1 preference or advantage to special physical types, e.g., to tall men as in basketball. All sorts of abilities can find a place somewhere, the tall and the short etc. can enjoy the game together in different positions.

Third: the game uses all parts of the body: the arms to throw, the legs to run, and to swing the bat, etc.; per contra soccer where you can’t touch the ball. It calls upon speed, accuracy of throw, gifts of sight for batting, shrewdness for pitchers and catchers, etc. And there are all kinds of strategies.

Fourth: all plays of the game are open to view: the spectators and the players can see what is going on. Per contra football where it is hard to know what is happening in the battlefront along the line. Even the umpires can’t see it all, so there is lots of cheating etc. And in basketball, it is hard to know when to call a foul. There are close calls in baseball too, but the umps do very well on the whole, and these close calls arise from the marvelous timing built into the game and not from trying to police cheaters etc.

Fifth: baseball is the only game where scoring is not done with the ball, and this has the remarkable effect of concentrating the excitement of plays at different points of the field at the same time. Will the runner cross the plate before the fielder gets to the ball and throws it to home plate, and so on.

Finally, there is the factor of time, the use of which is a central part of any game. Baseball shares with tennis the idea that time never runs out, as it does in basketball and football and soccer. This means that there is always time for the losing side to make a comeback. The last of the ninth inning becomes one of the most potentially exciting parts of the game. And while the same sometimes happens in tennis also, it seems to happen less often. Cricket, much like baseball (and indeed I must correct my remark above that baseball is the only game where scoring is not done with the ball), does not have a time limit.

TV on Demand

In a move that makes many of us who work from our computers a bit happier, Fox has opened the floodgates and is offering Fox on Demand so you can get your TV fix without actually watching TV.

http://www.fox.com/fod/

Two of My Favorites (NSFChildren)

Snorg Tees is a great place for t-shirts and to see what the kids think nowadays. These two, below, are some of my favorites.

'The Life Aquatic' in Lego Form

Look here.

April Fools!

What would 1 April be without great web hoaxes? This year promises to be another bang-up occasion for April Fools as evidenced by the following I've seen early today:

Virgle - A New JV between Virgin and Google, dedicated to the colonization of Mars
http://www.google.com/virgle/index.html

The Kia Kee-Wii - A new vehicle which utilizes Wii controllers to drive
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/01/april-foolery-kia-introduces-the-radical-new-kee_wii-sans-stee/

iPark - A new joint venture between Apple and Disney that puts a Disney theme park on your iPod
http://www.iparkland.com/
http://www.miceage.com/allutz/al040108a.htm

Mentioned elsewhere but a hoot is the fact all 'featured' YouTube videos are posting to this gem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu_moia-oVI

A compendium of Google gags may be found here
http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2008-04-01-n71.html

Not satisfied with the 'time' your G-mail was sent? No sweat.
http://mail.google.com/mail/help/customtime/index.html

Death Match, Winner Take All for the Democratic Presidential Nomination
http://www.espn4.com/

This one's just plain painful
http://www.ecorazzi.com/2008/04/01/mccain-chooses-al-gore-for-vice-president/

Whereas this one's a little bit funny
http://science.howstuffworks.com/air-force-one-hybrid.htm

I've still not heard nor located NPR's annual treat. I'll update when it becomes available. In the meantime, here's an article from Slate magazine, a sort of self-defense kit for this day.
http://www.slate.com/id/2187681/

***Update 2 April***
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89284569

You think Easter's early this year?

Well, you're right; it can only be one day sooner in the year than it was in 2008.

Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Wie wollen Sie ändern die Glühbirne unter der Mikrowelle?

One of the most helpful Google gadgets of 2007 was the announcement of translation services within Google chat. While I use their chat client sparingly, it does have some great features. For example, if you start a chat with 'en2de' you can enter "How do you change the light bulb underneath the microwave?" and the translation immediately appears as a response.

As someone who wore out freetranslation.com for many years, this is a welcome change. Link here.

Come on; you know how he feels

It's amazing when cynicism meets objects from your youth. Wouldn't you agree?

Go plant, go!

It's almost time.

Sen. Obama in Indianapolis

Amy and I secured tickets to see Senator Obama in Plainfield today. I've been a supporter of the junior senator from Illinois for quite a while and it was great to see him in person today. His candidacy is equivalent, in my time, to a previous generation's Kennedy moment; I consider him to be the real deal.

'The Man Trap', and Others

Wow; this site brought back memories of my freshman year in college. The in thing to do in my dorm was rush back from afternoon class and watch 'Star Trek' on WBFF-TV45 in Baltimore, MD. Seated in barcaloungers you'd find up to a dozen 19 year-olds drinking beer and yelling at Spock and McCoy on the tube.

My personal favorite? Well, that'd have to be 'The Enemy Within' (season 1, episode 5) and 'The Trouble with Tribbles' (season 2, episode 14). Watch them here, courtesy of cbs.com.

How is it my dog has one of the 50 most powerful bogs?

See listing from the Observer, here.

Jezebel, here. And, below. (She doesn't even have opposable thumbs!)

Not exactly the gardening kind

I'm a huge fan of this blog. Not only does the author seem to have an endless supply of strange and unusual maps but they always seem to capture my attention. Perhaps I should've been a cartographer with a strange sense of humor.

For example: Ludacris' Rap Map of US Area Codes. Only in America, my friends.

The worst roads in the world?

I think they're pretty lousy but I deal with them in the summer only. My brother-in-law, however, gets them every day.

Link here.

Saul Bass and Star Wars Mashup

Saul Bass brought the art of titling to film; his work with Otto Preminger, Alfred Hitchcock, and Martin Scorsese is legendary. Here's a look at what might have been had George Lucas run into Saul sometime in 1977.

Seems like a perfectly acceptable end for a 'silky terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed'

Link to story here, courtesy of the NY Times.

Pimp My Ride - Pakastani Style

No disrespect to Pakistanis intended, but these would blow the doors off anything running up and down Santa Anita Blvd. or Harbor Island Dr. in CA.

See original link here, courtesy of automen.blogspot.com.

'Best' Picture

Methinks I should've placed a wager with Josh regarding best picture. While I've not seen 'There Will Be Blood', I know Josh really enjoyed it. Nonetheless, the quirky Coen brothers' film really stood out to me. (Plus, I have an unorthodox view regarding the movie's ending.)

Oscar's 80th

I know, I know; the writer's strike ended not too long ago, but 'Gaydolf Titler'? Jeez. I can do better than this.

Has Your Favorite Movie Been Sweded?

Be Kind Rewind opens in theaters today and besides the fact it stars Jack Black and Mos Def it also highlights the talents of Michael Gondry, the writer and director. The website is wonderfully irreverent (as too, I hope, is the movie) and this section of the site takes the cake. Oh; I forgot. You'll understand soon enough what 'sweded' means.

Be Kind Rewind - the YouTube page

An absolutely brilliant campaign spending graphic

Another fine example of the NY Times graphics department. Courtesy of the NY Times, 22 February, 2008. Link to NY Times article here.

And now a word from our sponsor

It's about time

More Americans are giving up golf.

Lunar Eclipse 2008

From last night's eclipse:

Science Experiments Gone Wrong? (Warning, double-entendre area)

Courtesy of my reader feed from kottke.org:

Hilarious science fair projects?

The 'Luke' Arm

Courtesy of IEEE Spectrum.

The 'Luke' Arm - prosthetic device.

Some Great Single Serving Web Sites

Barack Obama is your new bicycle.

- and -

Is it Christmas?

The Periodic Table of Rejected Elements

Courtesy of The Atlantic magazine.

Early Grammy Winners (I Said; No, No, No)

Category 5

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)

Rehab
Amy Winehouse
Track from: Back To Black
[Universal Republic Records]

Category 8

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
(For a collaborative performance, with vocals, by artists who do not normally perform together. Singles or Tracks only.)

Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
[Rounder Records]

Category 10

Best Pop Instrumental Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

The Mix-Up
Beastie Boys
[Capitol Records]

Category 11

Best Pop Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
[Universal Republic Records]

Category 14

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

Call Me Irresponsible
Michael Bublé
[143 Records/Reprise]

Category 80

Best Comedy Album
(For comedy recordings, spoken or musical)

The Distant Future
Flight Of The Conchords
[Sub Pop]

Category 79

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)

The Audacity Of Hope: Thoughts On Reclaiming The American Dream
Barack Obama
[Random House Audio]

Category 83

Best Score Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
(Award to Composer(s) for an original score created specifically for, or as a companion to, a current legitimate motion picture, television show or series or other visual media.)

Ratatouille
Michael Giacchino, composer
[Walt Disney Records]

Reinventing California Adventure

An article in this weekend's NY Times regarding the re-imagineering of Disneyland's California Adventure. A must read for those interested in how Disney Theme Parks will attempt to retain their relevance for this and coming generations.

Crooked Tennis?

An article on ESPN.com detailing the August 2, 2007 match between Nikolay Davydenko and Martin Vassallo Arguello.

A Mirror of Sorts

While many have bowed out, the comparisons are still apt.

Let's Play Some Blog Tag 123

I've been tagged by Josh Mugele in some new sort of social networking game -- tag 123. Here are the rules for those who have been tagged:

• Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more (no cheating!)
• Find page 123
• Find the first five sentences
• Post the next three sentences
• Tag five people

The closest qualifying book for me is The Elements of Cooking, by Michael Ruhlman. The 3 sentences on page 123 read:

"Feet: Animal feet - calf, pig, chicken - are a rich source of gelatin when simmered slowly in a stock or a stew. A foot appropriate to the stock being made, chicken for chicken, calf for veal or beef, will give the liquid additional body. Because of their neutral flavor, calves' feet can be added to any kind of stock for additional body and flavor."

Let's see; I choose George, Ket, Kyle, Bill, and Dave.

I, for one, will still eat scrapple

Aerosolized pig brains and auto-immune disorders?

Proof that music majors can make some coin

Chester Pitts, starting left guard for the Houston Texans and an oboe player.

My Candidate

Is Barack Obama.

San Antonio

Well, I'm in Josh's home state and what a view. Thanks to the hospitality of this fine town (and my hotel status) I've the presidential suite through Thursday and this is my view. I spent the afternoon moseying around the Alamo; I highly recommend a visit for anyone with a penchant for US History.

Today's Great New Word. . .

. . .is video snacking. See links here and here.

My album of the year. . .

. . . 'Pocket Symphony' by Air.

NY Times Op/Ed on Obama

Here is David Brooks' op/ed piece on why Barack Obama on why he is the right choice for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Link

Just something to consider. . .

. . .as part of the debate surrounding English as the 'official' language of these United States.

Link

My first Brijit Abstract

Schjeldahl reviews two shows at the Museum of Modern Art: a retrospective of Martin Puryear's wood sculptures and Georges Seurat crayon-on-wax drawings. He finds Puryear's work familiar, even nostalgic, and fleshes this out with a glimpse into the artist's personal history. But while his immense sculptures show obvious labor, Seurat's drawings contain a wealth of technical expertise that could easily go unnoticed by the viewer. Schjeldahl prepares the reader for the show and provides unique insight into the exhibits.
in The New Yorker by Peter Schjeldahl, 12 November 2007
This abstract was edited by Brijit. Read more here...

String Theory Explained. Well, sort of; and only if you're a duck

The folks over at Discover magazine recently held a contest. The goal? To explain string theory in two minutes or less in a video. Here's the winning entry.

Today is. . .

. . .Blog Action day, and the suggested topic is the environment. While it's hard to dispute man's impact on Mother Earth it is hard to scientifically calculate what we've done. And, just to let you know 'the man' is aware of it, they, too, are working on the subject. At least we don't have to get all crazy about it - at least not for now.

Perhaps this Global Warming thing's for real?

It's Nobel season: please take the time to look at this award. It might cause you to think there's something about global warming, after all. Furthermore, it shows a man can do much more out of office than in, as is the case with President Carter.

Apparently, I'm not a movie freak

54% Movie Freak

From a Digg site seen late tonight. I did, for conversation's sake, get the answers right from questions related to The Blues Brothers, The Good The Bad and The Ugly, The Fifth Element, Soylent Green, and Apocalypse Now.

I've been blogged?!

It might not seem like much but I have to admit it was a thrill to discover I was blogged about by someone else. For those of you who don't know, I have another blog site devoted to photos from the Disney theme parks. More than anything, it's a reminder of the time I've spent in those wonderful confines and it's my hope that someone, somewhere, is able to live vicariously through me. Well, enough of that. The thing here is that I was blogged about by someone else and, I have to admit, it's pretty cool. Here's the link.

Still Lovin' EPCOT

Need I say more?

Screen Savers, Anyone?

Smashing magazine's list of the top screen savers available, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. I'm going to place the Lego one on Hayes' computer. Take a look.

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/10/04/screensavers-best-of/

Let's Not Forget Michael Landon's Plug for EPCOT Center

A wonderful pre-1982 teaser film. Just after most of his years in 'Little House on the Prairie', Michael Landon did a few items for Disney and Co.; this was one of them.

Continuting the Celebration

World Showcase Promotional Film.

Key take-aways from this pre-opening film: 9 countries (Japan, Canada, Italy, France, the UK, Germany, China, Mexico, and the US); great concept art for Canada; emphasis on restaurants and shopping in World Showcase; great construction photos and early 1980's feel.

In Honor of EPCOT Center's 25th

EPCOT Center Future World Promotional Film

For those who had the privilege of visiting EPCOT Center back in 1982-1985 you'll hear/see a reference to the Radok Theater; something I missed but would love to hear your comments if you saw it in person. Even better is the reference to the Sperry UNIVAC system!

I (Heart) EPCOT

Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of the park's opening; can't wait to see it again in all its splendor.

I (Heart) Crepe Myrtle

I have been inundated by lovely Crepe Myrtles during the summer travel season and am madly trying to find out if a hearty genus exists for my central Indiana location. Based on most arbor sites I'm just on the edge based on my zone of 5B. Any recommendations?

In response to Josh's challenge for a better Vegetarian Wednesday image

Not that there's anything wrong with "Do (A) Vegetarian Wednesday" but I thought it might be read as a bit too racy for some. After all, punctuation can be hard on some readers and I wouldn't want Vegetarian Wednesday to have any sexual overtones.

Vegetarian Wednesday Hits It Big Time

From Tim O'Reilly's mouth on a Web 2.0 article. (Please note it's more tongue in cheek.) Real article found here.

Epcot Center Monorail Preview (25 Years Ago)

And just how cool would this have been to see 25 years ago? Man, bring the magic back!

The Maestro has left the building

Not by any means the best tenor of the last century but certainly the most popular, Luciano Pavarotti single handedly kept opera in the consciousness of many during his spectacular career. I wouldn't want to pass up an opportunity to make sure you had a chance to read about him in his passing.

NY Times

NPR

The Moderate Voice

The BBC

Laser Beam Conundrum

Hayes would like to know what would happen when two equally forceful laser beams, preferably one red and one green from Star Wars, collide head-on. I talked with Hayes about energy, angle of deflection, etc., and came to the conclusion that they would not repel one another but consume each other. Laser beams not fired directly at one another would bounce off the other and change their directory.

I was able to find this reference but, alas, it's not exactly what Hayes wanted to know. Does anybody know?

Hayes's First Day of the First Grade

Here we are just before leaving the house this morning.


Boy am I determined!


Here's my new room and that empty desk is mine!


Now I'm not so sure about this. . .


I wonder how it went today for Hayes.


Alright!

Serendipity and IBM

Some of you know I spent quite a bit of time with IBM from April-June this year and learned lots about them. Let's just say Big Blue is busy on various fronts. A recent post from Josh brought something I discussed with one of their employees a month or so ago. The serendipitous event is Josh's love for data visualization. Josh; I never knew! (I should have asked.)

Anyway, here's an example of IBM+Josh+my iTunes library. Enjoy.

my iTunes library, visualized

NASA Woes

It used to be the only controversy surrounding NASA concerned its dwindling budgets; not anymore. Here's a double whammy from today's NY Times about the space agency.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program

I've got new pics of the happiest places on earth so I'm posting again to the other blog site. However, I saw this little item via digg and immediately thought Josh would agree.

Remember the 'Bass-O-Matic '76'?

Fans of early SNL shows certainly remember Dan Akryod pushing the 'Bass-O-Matic '76' and, I can only assume, that's what prompted the good folks at Blendtec to push the envelope. Presented for your viewing pleasure is the answer to rather new question: "Will an iPhone blend?"

You'll find lots of other questions here and please refer to the 'safe' versus 'unsafe' labels plastered all over the site.

Amusing, but pretty much worthless

find your car personality here

Hint: I guessed too low on Schumacher's career victories.

Oh, my aching back!

Anybody got a home remedy for a persistent lower back ache? If so, please let me know!

A little Frank Caliendo, anyone?

The first time I heard the famous Frank Caliendo 'John Madden' impersonation I couldn't believe it wasn't really John making fun of himself. But, incredibly, this spoof isn't Frank Caliendo's only dead on impersonation, it's just the tip of the iceberg.

Check out this clip from Frank's upcoming TBS show this fall; the characters from 'Seinfeld', even in 2027, have never looked or heard better.

An Era, Ended

Prime Minster Tony Blair's time at the helm of the UK has come to an end; while many here might not much exposure to his body of work I am in awe of Mr. Blair's accomplishments over the past ten years. The Blair Doctrine is the one that means the most to me.

Link from the NY Times

Epcot's 25th - Communicore

As much as I love the Magic Kingdom, I deeply appreciate Epcot Center. It's true that my late conversion to worshiping at the feet of the mouse meant I missed quite a bit of the early Epcot years but I remain nostalgic for what Epcot used to be and remain optimistic it could be much more than it currently is.

Perhaps one the most cleverly hidden gems of early Epcot would be Communicore. For those of you who are familiar with the current layout of this park this area is now known as Innoventions. Toady, Innoventions is mostly nothing more than a speed bump between Future World East and West. In contrast, Communicore was tightly integrated with the early park. As noted by Lou Mongello and Jeff Pepper in the 24 June WDW Radio Show podcast Communicore was a valid attraction; one that enthralled children and adults alike. It's hard for many of us to remember but in 1982 computers were still new and fresh. Guests must have appreciated the ability to take a peek into the rows and banks of computers that ran many of the attractions and communication systems for Epcot Central: wouldn't you?

The customer service in and around Communicore was also fantastic. Where else could guests use touchscreen systems to make dining reservations? The item most sorely missed by my family would be the Epcot Outreach and Teacher Center; I would dearly love to have a dedicated research center to address my many questions.

I've included some Communicore links below and a fun video clip. Enjoy!

Link courtesy of startedbyamouse.com
Link courtesy of solarius.com
Link courtesy of waltdatedworld.com
Link courtesy of aatvideo.com and their Lost Epcot pages

By comparison, here's what we have now.

Link courtesy of allears.net

Thatcher Golf Tournament

Japanese Beetle Sex

Ugh - Japanese Beetle season. Currently, they are everywhere in my yard; a bit too early for my taste but I'm sure it's due to the very high average temperature in June and the overall lack of rain. Against the sage advice of my father I've put in place beetle bags (the overall lack of detailed landscaping in our new community means all of them are already in my yard) and the frenzy has begun. For those of you in Indiana, here's the scoop from the Purdue University extension. (Go Boilers!)

Link Purdue University Extension

Croupier

A hidden gem from the turn of the last century would be 'Croupier'. I think Josh turned me onto this film and, after watching it again after a few years (enough to forget certain key plot twists) it's still a very good film. I caught Clive Owen in 'Children of Men' and it was fun to do a compare/contrast; let's just say Clive still has a deft touch but has put on a couple of pounds. I think the writer's aspect in 'Croupier' was a bit more intriguing for me this time; I recommend the film to those who don't care to gamble.

New Movies, New York Magazine

Hmm. Brad Bird and Michael Moore. 'Sicko' and 'Ratatouille'. I'm not sure which I'll see first but I guarantee you I'll see them both. And, without sounding too wild, I think both will receive academy nominations next January.

Link New York Magazine

Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo

Perhaps my favorite Clint Eastwood film and, by far, my favorite Sergio Leone epic, 'The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly' is without a doubt a western masterpiece. The score, by Ennio Morricone, is one of the best examples of how music truly interacts and enhances a film. In a world not so long ago I had the theme (who-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo; wah-wah-wah) as a ring tone on my mobile; in fact, I think it's still there. Anyway, it was on Encore Western last night; what a treat!

Proof Google's "Human" After All

An update on Google's lobbying activities. While I have no problem engaging lobbyists it does make me think Google's not as idealistic at certain levels of the company as they are in others. Such is life!

Link from slashdot

First the Bees and now the Birds?

A Times opinion piece on the disappearance of birds in the US. I have anxiously followed stories related to the sudden population decline of honey bees over the past two growing seasons and the doomsday part of me wonders what part of the chain is next to suffer. Will it be the birds?

Link from NY Times

Rate businesses through Google maps

For those of you who depend on Google maps here's a new feature: rate businesses. Previously provided through a third-party, Google now allows you to provide ratings for the shops, restaurants, service providers, and pretty much anything else. I had a blast rating my local restaurants and this provides me another avenue to prosecute my fight with the dry cleaners.

Link from googlespot.blogspot.com

Google Raises the Carbon Emissions Bar (or Lowers it, Actually)

If some of us happen to harbor an irrational fear that Google is planning to take over the world at least they want to be a benevolent dictator. This news item might seem like fluff to many but I'm pretty sure they're on the right track and they've definitely raised the bar for others.

Link from the official Googleblog

Who it Paul Potts? (With apologies to Josh)

For those of us who've had the (dis)pleasure of watching Simon Cowell on 'American Idol' here's something more representative of his work. It's a bit hard to separate the UK vs. US versions of these shows nowadays and can imagine it won't be long before an international version hits the airwaves. However, for the time being, here's a story that most will find heartwarming. And, for my money, I think Simon's more interested in signing an artist like Paul much more than Jordan Sparks.

Lastly, when it comes to placing bets, always put your money on the Welsh guy who sings opera. 'Nuff said.

How much is too much?

I always wonder how my two BsIL have thought about this issue. Neither are in this field or plan to be (pain specialists) but I'd like to know what they think.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/17/magazine/17pain-t.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1182207329-EVJ4ZA/pw1FlF6v/HWHACQ&pagewanted=all

Relief

If you heard that, it was the first deep breath taken in quite a while. Now if I could just get my back to stop hurting. . .

A Little Weekend Work

For Josh.

The Sheltered Path

From the Japanese Tea Garden located inside the Golden Gate park comes today's photograph. This path circles behind the pagodas and just at the end you can catch a glimpse of the zen garden located there off to the left. The weather this day was gorgeous and will always be remembered for our extensive use of public transportation!

The Vacation Hangover

After any spectacular holiday it's quite easy to suffer from 'vacation hangover', the condition where one's return to reality is constantly compared to what one was doing the week prior while on vacation. (Like many comparisons sometimes the current situation is better; for example, I was on an airplane in coach class this time last week. Sitting here, writing this, is immeasurably better.) However, around noon I would have been sitting down to lunch at the Neiman Marcus Rotunda and a Croque Monsieur with a glass of red wine. Win some, lose some. More updates as the week progresses.

Oatmeal and Legitimacy

During Thursday night's 2b meeting I took lots of notes, not something I typically do. While the attempt originally was to keep in mind what others were thinking it wasn't long before it became only what I was thinking. And, to that point, many ideas started to slowly generate other ideas and this kept up until the ideas were jumping out onto the notebook.

One thing I specifically mentioned was my need to understand what type of leadership structure others had in mind or were currently using as a frame of reference. If I'm interested in leadership via the Friends Society model and someone else is interested in leadership via papal authority it makes for a tough conversation. I firmly desire and egalitarian model where each of us is equal in leadership; this isn't helpful, though, if others have a different model in mind.

Here is a link to a wikipedia article on the Friends Society. There's a lot here and please don't think this is 'who I am or what I want'; I just want you to read section 2.0, 'Quaker Worship' and have an idea of what's appealing to me. (And, if we all learn something new about our extended network of believers, that's good, too.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friends_Society#Quaker_worship

The second thing I wanted to mention, and this might cause some head shaking, is my preoccupation with the legitimacy of many of current churches we consider to be in our movement and, specifically, the legitimacy of those churches' pastors. It is very difficult to ascertain the accreditation of colleges producing these wonderful people. So, the question is: Are they legitimate? How does one define legitimacy? I can't answer this now but what I mean to say is thousands of years of tradition and practice mean a lot to me right now and that we shouldn't expect that the gospel has only been revealed in all its truth over the past 100 years.

Straight from the Louvre

Comes today's Fine Arts quiz. What's the name of the painting depicted above?

Wedding at Cana -- Amy got it. (Fact is, I'd completely forgotten what the name was.)