<~thrunk~>

Beer of the Month Club review part 3: Hoppy

2011-05-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Strong hops aroma right off the bat. Nice head, great caramel color. First sip hits all the right spots. Hoppy and bright but not overbearing. Good body, good fizz, a lingering pine finish but not especially bitter. Once again Lucky Bucket achieved their goal by creating a beer that is full of flavor but not too heavy. This beer is clearly an IPA, but it's the kind of IPA you enjoy even more on the beach and one that you might offer to a non-IPAer to show them the delights of this exceptional style of beer. It's less hoppy than the aggressive American IPAs, but richer and more carbonated than your typical British Indias.

If you love IPAs you will love this beer, and if you didn't before you just might after 2 or 3 of the Lucky Bucket.

Beer of the Month Club review part 2

2011-05-23T16:20:00.000-07:00

The Nut Brown, from Michigan:

Wow, lots of sweet maltiness in the aroma and the first sip. Even more head/carbonation than the Lucky Bucket Lager, but also very smooth and drinkable. Honestly, I'm not the biggest nutbrown beer guy but this one is quite good. It has far more character & liveliness than something like a Newcastle because the sweet, caramely malt is balanced with just enough hops to give the tastebuds some action, something to grab onto and ride out all the way to the finish line. Which I am approaching quickly, because this one is also very very easy to drink.

Beer of the Month Club Review part 1

2011-05-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

My amazing brother gave me the gift of beer for my birthday this year. It's a Beer of the Month Club, and today I received my first delivery. Just now I cracked the first beer of the 12pack.

There were four different beers in the box, from 2 breweries. From Lucky Bucket Brewing Co: Lager & IPA. From Michigan Brewing Co: Michigan Nut Brown Ale & Peninsula Porter.

Based on the types of beers included in the shipment it was clear I needed to start with the Lucky Bucket Lager, then the Michigan Nut Brown, then the Lucky Bucket IPA, and then finish up with the Peninsula Porter.

Lucky Bucket Lager Review:
Strong lagery aroma and a nice head. It smells like a sweet Red Stripe and has a slightly darker color. First sip is very smooth with a surprising tartness that I really like. The finish has a bit of mustiness, but not in an unpleasant way. There's a touch of caramel and a bit of sour peach, but it is extremely smooth and very drinkable. Their literature says they were aiming for a session beer and they definitely achieved that. The tartness makes me want to take another sip and the body is present and clear without being cloying or syrupy. Definitely an easy-to-drink beer and the glass is growing increasingly empty as I try to identify all the interesting aspects of this well-crafted and unusual lager.

Oh and By the Way Bones, Here's Your Ass

2010-04-10T23:22:00.000-07:00

So check this out, you're too slow, you don't know what you're doing and you are holding everything up. Not in so many words and they were nice about it, but damn bartending requires some finely tuned skills.

It's not just pouring beers for your buddies and making one for that douchebag who always wants a fancy drink. Oh no, there are tables and tips and success on the line. And I'm holding all of that up right now.

I can't wait to be faster better stronger smarter. Remembering the drinks from the round at the bar to when the server fires off their second round once seated. I look forward to the day when I can identify the wine bottles by the stamp and foil covering the cork. I want to make up my own drinks.

Machine is the restaurant. I am the cog that produces delicious beverages. But faster, please. Faster.

But What About the Blowholes?

2009-04-02T22:13:00.001-07:00

Whale farming in America. How magnificent.

More Cuts for the NYTimes

2009-03-31T17:58:00.000-07:00

News like this really pisses me off. If we lose our newspapers, we lose democracy. Corruption on the local level skyrockets because there is no public eye on the actions of politicians, and that trend only increases the further up the political ladder you go.

As Mark Starr says in a recent New Republic article "More than any other medium, newspapers have been our eyes on the state, our check on private abuses, our civic alarm systems."

Here's the thing, though. You're reading this on a computer screen. I still subscribe to the NYTimes, but I read most of the articles on my BlackBerry now. It is a valid question to ask if the Internet can effectively supplant the role of the local newspaper.

Potent, investigative reporting takes resources, extreme focus and a strong defense. That's tough to pull off for a stand-alone blogger, but not necessarily impossible. Crowd-sourcing, instant notifications of news, automated aggregators, all of that is useful but we still need humans to put all the pieces together and make some sense of the chaos.

The way news is delivered has already changed. I just hope we can maintain the vital purpose of strong journalism so that we can always have an eye on the guys and gals that think they are running things.

They're not. We are. And our newspapers are our first line of defense against the insidious creep of corruption.

See I know all this cause I'm watching The Wire. We are 1/2 way through season 2. It keeps us sane between episodes of LOST.

The Beastie Booooooyyyysss

2009-03-30T06:26:00.001-07:00

The Beastie Boys are offering a digitally remastered reissue of Check Your Head. Looks sweet!

He's In YourTube, Remixin It

2009-03-24T20:40:00.000-07:00

This music... project? art piece? ensemble? hack? by Kutiman is totally and completely amazing. It's nothing I would have ever considered doing with a bunch of YouTube videos, but really it makes perfect sense.

His site is called Thru-You. Check it out and get down.

(I found this via Waxy which is also a great site, and worth checking out now and then.)

Close to Perfect

2009-02-23T20:52:00.001-08:00

I read a lot while I was on this trip but the great thing about it was I didn't even have to bring the books with me. Mat had a great selection and I found 2 books that fit my mood perfectly.

During our time in Boquete while the wind and rain lashed us and we got to see the high hillsides were coffee grows, I was reading a book called The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It was absolutely wonderful. The story was rich and funny and layered and suspenseful, and more than anything it celebrated the incredible power of books and stories. It was exactly what I wanted and I'm so happy to have found this book.

After that, as I lounged on a hammock in between palm trees, I polished off Labyrinth by Kate Mosse. This was another great read, in the vein of Pillars of the Earth.

That is true relaxation for me. A beer close at hand. A gentle breeze. A hot sun beating down just outside the shadow of the palm tree. A hammock. And in my hand a big, fat, huge book where most of the pages are still all piled up in my right hand. But then again, on the other hand, there's nothing in the world like the final pages of a perfect story. I'll take both and either.

As soon as I get one I like, it's a race to the finish for me. I need to know what happens next and I cannot rest, cannot sleep, don't even like eat, if there are still pages to go. Out on that island, lazy in the tree with Lu nearby and friends all around doing the same, it is the most powerfully relaxing and rejuvenating experience I can imagine.

I look around and see beauty, I read the words and fall into the tale, and then when I come up for air and realize the only next things are lunch and maybe a swim, it's pretty much perfection for me.

Or, at least, it is as close to perfection I can get these days. And I took every second of that while I was out there adrift and I tried so hard to enjoy it even though I missed my son so much. For a while lost in the pages, it worked. For a time I was perfectly transported.

Fear the Bajareque

2009-02-19T20:56:00.000-08:00

The Panama Adventures continue on Freshly Roasted.

This portion is actually a prequel and it is called The Tale of the Emerald Coffee! I warn you now, fear the bajareque. It will soak you and make you dry at the very same time, out of skies of the clearest blue!! There is no escape! You have been warned!!

Stranded

2009-02-15T18:33:00.000-08:00

Arriving at Isle of the Pelicans was glorious. Drunky tumbled over the top of the boat. I hopped out onto sharp shells and then stumbled into the surf. But we had made it! We were there but there were Others on the island waiting for us.

Apparently, they had been waiting for 30 hours. One guy should have been picked up in the early morning of the day before, but no one showed. And cellphones stopped working because of the crazy winds and fierce weather.

"Three days. Rain rain rain, all day," one of them said in a thick Australian accent. She was older and smoking Mat's cigarettes like it was her last one ever. She thought they were going to die there. They had erected flags and poles and were considering making a swim for other islands in the distance. "It was crazy," the other guy said, a slightly wild look in his eye. "We didn't know, so what were we supposed to do? Swim, I thought. I can swim and get us help!" he told me, stubbing out another bummed butt.

I just wanted them to get the fuck off my island! I walked away laughing and found the bathroom a few steps away from our perfect little hut. The bathroom was a regular old toilet seat, a currogated metal door and bamboo walls lashed tight to a square concrete foundation. A white PVC pipe extended from the back of the tiny structure over some coral and vanished into the depths of the nearby ocean.

Our hut was spacious with the same walls of tightly lashed bamboo that we saw on the other islands. A large bedframe with a slightly grungy mattress stood in the center of the hut. The roof was corrugated metal and made quite a stir when the lashing rains and winds attacked it, late in the night. They gave us nice clean sheets, though, and we brought sleeping bag inserts with us so it was all good.

I dropped our shit and then strolled back to the beach. Some guys were there fixing the solar panel, as that had stopped working, too. And the other people on their way out were finally getting gone. I grabbed a book and hit the hammock. The hammock grotto was divine.

The Others were gone, the beers were slightly cool. The rain held off until we were fast asleep hours later and all morning and afternoon it got slightly lighter and slightly brighter. There were huge conch shells all over the beach and as the sun set on our first day stranded, pelicans arrived and started dive bombing the ocean, searching for food.

By the way, I'm not sure if you know this, but there's a funny thing about a pelican. You see, its beak it can hold more than it's belly can. How about that?

Float On (Panamanian Pt 1)

2009-02-12T21:25:00.000-08:00

Even if things get heavy, we'll all float on.

The sea was angry that day, like... well, like 20 foot gray waves with white caps and huge charcoal clouds all smashed up against the mountains to our right. Far, far, far to our right. Miles of angry, old-man soupy ocean separated our small boat from that distant shore. Fixing on the mountains seemed to prevent sea-sickness, although that wasn't out of the question down the line.

At half-speed Ricardo zagged and zigged through the waves, cracking over the top of some and riding the swell of others. It was eight-thirty in the morning, the wind blew water over the big dingy's walls and we were soaked through and through. The water wasn't terribly cold, but the wind was fierce and no shirt was better than a wet shirt.

The rain had followed us from Boquete. Or rather the rain and wind were here and there, hanging around the whole Panamania region, and we just smacked into it a few times on our journeys.

Up in the mountains of Boquete it's called bajareque and as we traveled in and out of the micro-climates on the way to the coffee farm we saw several extremely intense rainbows. Saw sideways rain blowing hard under gorgeous blue skies. Also saw trees down, powerlines in the road and the entire area lost cellphone service. Everyone has cellphones in Panama, obviously, but the weather won where we were.

It was definitely winning out there in the ocean. Finally after a few muttered "this is effed up!" over big waves and then a couple of "what the fucks!?" as I thudded against the wooden plank seat, I had to ask my buddy Mat if this was as nutty as it seemed or if I was just freakin out.

"We're fine. He's just taking it slow because of the waves. We're almost to where he lives and then it's like 40 minutes across the island where we'll stay. But yeah, this is just about as bad as I've seen it. Last time it was dark, though," he said with a glint and a smirk.

I laughed nervously, remembering that we were heading back home at 4am a few days from then. If we lasted that long. The Modest Mouse lyrics were a unintentional mantra I clung to like a like... yeah should have definitely put that on. Anyway, he wasn't going to capsize, but maybe on the way back... which would leave us stranded where no one knew where we were, well except a few people like Lu's brother and sister-in-law, Mat's girlfriend, several other friends that have been there and loved it... and... THUD! My overly anxious and stupidly agitated thoughts rocked back to the present as the Balboa case slid off the pile of bags and cooler full of food.

I sprung into action gathering up the beers making sure none of them slipped out of sight towards Drunky nearly keeled over up in the fore of the boat. He was still recovering from the festival the night before. We picked him up on the first island we stopped at and he was all smiles at first. Now an hour and a half in, he looked like he was going to yak any moment and I was certain it was going to fly right back into the boat on the wind, into me, into Lu. Ew. He lived on these islands! He was from here! We were effed! Later on I even learned his name was El Capi-tan!

But there was a solution in my hand. Suddenly it was all so obvious. Even Lu reached out to take a can from me, and smiling, Mat and Lu and I, we toasted warm, frothy beers and we rode the waves all the way to pelicans and hammocks and palm trees and fun.

Pics to come!

Time to Innovate

2009-01-17T16:55:00.001-08:00

Despite all the doom and gloom in that previous post about the NYTimes going down down down, the New Yorker has a different perspective. Innovation is alive and well at the Times, and they are working very hard to use new media to get the stories across.

RSVP

2009-01-12T19:34:00.001-08:00

I caught a segment of This I Believe on NPR on the way to a meeting this evening, and I loved it.

Jim Haynes invites anyone in the world to come have dinner at his apartment in Paris on Sunday night. Any Sunday night. Just let him know you are coming, and if you are one of the first 60-80 people to reserve for that night, you're in. What an incredible idea.

Someday we will join him for dinner!

Times Change

2009-01-07T18:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a great article from The Atlantic about the the future of the NYTimes. They have a lot of debt, a dearth of credit, falling readership and decreasing ad revenue. Recently I've been debating canceling my subscription to the daily paper because I end up reading most of it on my Blackberry at various points of the day. No matter what I will continue with the weekend edition, but perhaps I'll donate the daily to a school or something. I like supporting that company. I think they do vital work for democracy, the world and my mind.

Here are a few examples of why the Times must survive in one form or another. The depth and breadth of their reporting is truly staggering.

Transmit the Message, To the Receiver

2008-12-02T21:38:00.000-08:00

Saw music tonight. Scratch that, hang on. Saw *amazing* music tonight. I know that sounds like an impossibility, to 'see' music, but that's what we call it here in these parts. It denotes that the tunes were just an aspect of a multifaceted extravaganza including dancers, lights, the motions and performance of the musicians and of course their faces as they created and reacted to the incredible sounds they were making together.

I hear music when it's on the car stereo or my iPod or blasting through the house. When it is a live performance music is something that is seen. And it's not just what's happening onstage. It is also when the band busts into Life During Wartime and the drummer makes the "get the hell up and DANCE people!" motion from behind his kit and the whole damn place leaps to its feet to get down and groove that I can actually see the music coursing through the room.

David Byrne tonight at the Calvin Theater in Northampton. It was stunning and fun and all in all just an incredible night of music. The songs were a sampling of his best stuff, from I Zimbra off of Fear of Music to Crosseyed and Painless from Remain in Light to a whole bunch of great tunes off of his newest offering. All of it was intended to transmit his brilliant and beautiful energy out of his body, out of his guitar and into the world around him.

This planet is better for his presence, his art, his music, words and moves and I felt privileged to share the same big groovin' room with him tonight.

Thanks David, you rock. And the best part is, you know you do but you don't let it go to your head. Instead you make sure it goes directly into more fantastic funky fun for all of us to share.

Wow

2008-11-04T22:04:00.001-08:00

This is an amazing night. I am so happy to have been alive to see what goodness can be created in the world.

I am destroyed that Silas is not here with me to enjoy it.

What the fuck is going to happen next?

Silas Orion Gallagher

2008-10-03T23:01:00.000-07:00

Silas Orion was born a week ago. He passed away 10 hours later.

We are heartbroken, but we are determined to heal. And we will love him forever.

Writing about this terrible experience has been cathartic for me and everyone's love and support is helping us so much.

Pause for Freshness

2008-08-28T20:35:00.000-07:00

<~thrunk~> is on pause until my child is born. Can't keep up. Too much to do. Follow along at Elm City Dad if you're still interested.

Choices

2008-08-19T18:42:00.000-07:00

One week later and I'm still not sure. Both bands were amazing. Both nights were tons of fun. But the settings and vibe and style and substance were all so utterly different it is difficult to decide between the two.

"You don't have to pick one over the other," Lu says to me. And I know that, I don't. Maybe I won't be able to when all is said and done. But it feels right to me to quantify and examine what I loved about each, and how they stand compared to one another.

Wilco had the luxury of first performance. That meant Lu was just as pumped up and excited about the show as I was. That energy is contagious. Second night out on the road, second night of traffic and rushing about, second night on our feet watching and dancing meant that Lu didn't have quite as much oomph for Radiohead. After all, she was 33 weeks pregnant at the time. It was impressive she was there at all!

They were both noisy and quiet. Melodious chords could easily morph into cacophonous sound at either performance. However, I must say that I was surprised at the sharpness of Wilco's raw noise-jams. Tanglewood is made to caress the soft vibrations of orchestral notes. At times it felt like Wilco was hoping to damage those acoustic surfaces with their slicing, crashing, fed-back madness. But at other times when the tunes were clear and perfect I knew we were witnessing the band playing in a dream-venue and the music they created was pristine. They were on fire in the their sparkling sequined suits and it was clear they absolutely loved what they did together up there.

Radiohead was in a bigger venue with a much more elaborate stage setup. They played within what looked like a cube of light. Long bars of LED lights hung in rows and columns above and around them, surrounding them with an aquarium of visible colors. At times the lights were tuned directly to Thom's words and the band's instruments. There was no other person controlling the lights, then. Just pure music creating the visual experience. At other times it seemed a human hand was on the lightboard and they definitely went all out. At all times it was impressive. The played the big hits from many albums and they played a tons of songs. Each tune was passionate and adventerous, spectacles of sound and light executed on a grand scale with withering precision. They nailed every song and gave it to us big.

Wilco played all the songs I've seen them play several different times. Radiohead played songs I had listened to repeatedly but had never seen live. Wilco played in a venue I had never been to. Radiohead played Great Woods where I have had some of the most incredible musical experiences in my life. Wilco was intimate and loose, a private party for everyone on a picnic or dancing between the chairs. Radiohead leveled Mansfield, MA. Both played for 2+ hours with barely a break and both made it abudantly clear that they absolutely loved making their music and sharing it with us. And we all loved being there.

But when I break it all down and relive both experiences in my head, here's what I've decided: Wilco was just as sick at the Greek or the Fillmore. Which means that they are just ridiculous every single time. Radiohead is a rare gem that only shines for a few nights every few years. I am thrilled I got to see them and looking back I, if I had to, I would give up that Wilco show for that Radiohead show. And I would never know the beautiful perfection of Wilco's execution if I only heard it second-hand via some artificial medium. But really, I'm so glad I was there because it was amazing. It was better than Radiohead in the end. That's just how Wilco rolls.

Multimusic

2008-08-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

This is gonna be a great week for music in the Gallagosen household. Back to back Wilco and Radiohead in MA. The only sucky part is that one is in Tanglewood in western MA and the other at the Tweeter Center (still and always Great Woods, though) and between the 2 shows we both have to work. That's a lot of driving, but no matter. Both nights are going to be sick, and I'm really excited to have a side to side comparison between my 2 current favorite bands.

While we're talking music, have a listen to this All Songs Considered. Everything That Happens Will Happen Today is the first topic, and it's the new album by Eno and Byrne. I don't know much Eno, but David is a musical god to me. I just signed up for their email, got the free download and can't wait to see the show live in November.

Last bit is about the new way we do music in the US. Just recently I've had the pleasure of completely rocking out with Rock Band and I'm not surprised to hear that bands are releasing new tracks via that conduit. Here's Divided Sky, and here's a profile on the top Guitar Hero in the US. Until playing the game I didn't truly understand how insanely hard that song would be to play, and how ridiculously good that kid must be. Soon people will be reversing the loop and creating tunes with those game controllers. Oh wait that happened. A year ago.

Oh and tomorrow is my Mom's last day of radiation. She is doing amazing and we are sure she is going to be all healed up quick. Incredible. All of your support and love is much appreciated.

Fridizzy

2008-08-01T23:11:00.000-07:00

I am watching House of Cards on my new Blackberry via YouTube. I'm not sure what that all means exactly, but I know it means something. We are on the cusp.

Anything that's on YouTube I can watch on this little handheld device. That seems sorta ludicrous, but there it is. And away we go.

Trolls of the interwebs.

If you're into Deerhoof or into making your own music then in either case you should check this out. It's pretty much all gibberish to me, but I love the idea.

Here's a book exchange. Make use 0f it! Books are precious objects.

Had a bbq in the yard and then a Rock Band gig at our friend's place around the corner and now I'm off to bed.

SmartServe Chicken & The Nature of Glass

2008-07-30T21:20:00.000-07:00

Which one are you? I'm sure I've been some of these at one party or another, but hopefully only rarely. Unfortunately my baby will be coming with me to the next parties. And he or she will probably stay up later than you and cry more. I can't wait for the crying.

On Tuesday I didn't have a chance to read the Science Times section, but I meant to find online this article about the mysterious nature of glass. Good thing it popped up on Digg 'cause it had completely slipped my mind.

And just now I found out about a company that I didn't know existed, and am now terribly frightened of. It is definitely the 3D chicken tech that puts fear in my heart. Thank you Metafilter, once again.

What I Found

2008-07-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

Spent the weekend in Brooklyn and had the pleasure of checking out a few great local places. Pete's Candy Store over near the McCarren pool had $3 pints for Happy Hour and Bierkraft in Park Slope had some amazing kegs for growler-filling as well as hard/impossible to find beers from all over the US. Gorilla Coffee gave me a doubleshot of espresso that was tasty, pungent and unique while the espresso from Espresso 77 was extremely smooth and delicious.

I've also been poking around the web a little bit more than usual this week just breaking in my new desk, and the froth has bubbled up nicely with some interesting tidbits.

On August 12th the Perseids meteor shower should peak, and provided the sky is cloud-free, it should be quite a show. The Tunguska Event was also an incredible show, but if you were close enough to see it, you wouldn't have lived through it. Here is a computer simulation of what probably happened out in the Russian wilderness back in 1908. The cool thing about that event is that no one is quite sure exactly what went down. This simulation is just the latest best guess.

I also learned this week about where we get most of our oil from. It's not where you think. Not by a long shot. And it's aboot time we invaded, obviously.

I've been reading Wired for many years now and I just found out that Found will not be found in the magazine anymore. I loved that little one-page feature and in honor of its demise, Metafilter has stepped up and provided a list of all the Found Features in Wired's history. Check it out, these are fun.

Breeze Please

2008-07-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

We are swimming in the airborn water particles of the Gulf of Mexico. A shot of tequila just slogged by.

Ween this weekend at McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn. Heard good things about this venue and I'm looking forward to the event. Mets game will follow that up on Saturday eve. I hope they win just so my wife and brother are tolerable afterwards. They get grumpy when their team loses.

It is ridiculous here. I haven't felt humidity like this in a loooong time. The ocean is visible in the air around us. Thick shore summer fog is hugging the ground, clinging to my skin, causing me to sweat even though all I'm doing is typing. (that repost is for you Tina! Still so addictive.)

Last bit is a direct download to House of Cards. Enjoy.

Beware

2008-07-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

A Dinosaur is on the prowl. Bike thieves roam the streets. And once again, the Joker is loose.

House of Cards and Other Fun

2008-07-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

2 weeks without the Daily Show makes Bones something something. It's back though, as of last night, and it's as brilliant as ever. Here's a clip that had me rollin! Oh and whenever Jon takes a vaca, so do I which is why thrunk has been un-up-dated. (Well, not really, but it sounds good.)

Check out the making of Radiohead's House of Cards video and the dataset to go along with it. No cameras or lights were used to create it. Just data. (The 'making of' clip from that link is great, but the video keeps freezing to load. If that's happening for you, too, here it is on YouTube, which works fine.)

Last up is a great map of SF which shows the 'walk score' of the whole city. At first I thought this had to do with how hilly an area was, but now I realize that by 'walk score' he's talking about this site, and how convenient it is to walk to the stores, restaurants and services you need on a regular basis.

Updates will be coming more regularly on thrunk in the coming days. Just gotta get back into the swing of things and make myself sit down and write even on days when I've been out on the road all day or roasting the afternoon away in the coffeeshop.

Stay Cool

2008-07-08T20:02:00.001-07:00

400th post on this blog. Pretty cool. Never thought much about how many times I'd post but that's a nice number to see. Onward.

It is hot. Hot as in photons that physically impact my skin and cut my atoms apart and infuse them with energy. The rays slice my skin sharply but then the humid haze settles in and smothers any hope of motion or relief. It's not quite wet-electric-blanket-hot but it's getting there. And I'm not even the pregnant one.

NPR's All Songs Considered has 5 summer jazz tunes to help you stay cool. Harlem River Drive is a very smooth ride. And yes, Miles is on the list. Sick tune. Wow. Definitely listen to Red China Blues. However, I must know what my buddy Danimal thinks of all this. He knows jazz. I do not.

Here's some fancy footwork. Here's a list of people's quirks. (definitely NSFW, cause you know, people are really weird.) Last bit is paper pong. And I'm out.

Catch The Trons Fever

2008-06-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

Took three times, but I did get my brain age down below my real age. Or maybe I'm just starting to get the hang of it so it got easier. I have a question, though. If you miss them all does that mean your brain is really old or really young?

Today I learned that a group of stingrays is called a 'fever.' Pretty cool. Even cooler is that these stingrays are poisonous, 6ft 6inches across, travel in a group of 10,000 and migrate thousands of miles together.

A final piece of coolness for today is The Trons. They are (it is?) a band, but the band is all robots. Check it (or them?) out. Sounds kinda lame and cheezy I know. But trust me, they're awesome.

Forward Fast

2008-06-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a map of the political blogosphere. And yes it is awesomely interactive.

Next up is what could be called Hell on Earth. It is photographs of people breaking down ships. Huge ships. Enormous ships. Gigantic ships even. And they are doing it by hand and with hammers and it is crazy.

Haven't delved into music in a while here and that's mostly because my computer speakers crapped out and my headphones have been in hiding. But check out Jubilee (via Topspin). For a band with such a light and happy name they are surprisingly rough and distorted. Sure it's a pop party they're having there, but shit is getting broken.

Life has reached a fever pitch in the Gallagosen household. And we're not even close to what it is going to become. In order to do all the things I need to do for work and for family I have begun to change the way I think. No longer is life simply about what I want to do, now it is about what needs to be done.

Gasoline must be pumped into the tank of my car. I must understand the process of giving birth to help Lu through it. Coffee must be sold so that I have the money to pay for that gas and to pay for the coming child. Perhaps if I can teach my child how to brew coffee, and that coffee can be used instead of gas in the car, then maybe I would have a system that works. Until then all I've got is everything I can think of to make it work and actions to back those thoughts up, every day, all day.

Drive car, roast coffee, sell coffee, and help Lu have our baby. Rinse, repeat and rock on, that is my life and I kind of love it. Seeing family and friends is a magnificent treat whenever we get to indulge and I cannot wait for more live music. Until then I roast and brew and drive and feel the thumps from the baby within.

Last thing I've got is what happens when you listen to too much of that techno-crap.

Floating through NYC

2008-06-16T19:03:00.000-07:00

Ahh, New York. Such a fantastic city. It is endless, though, and to be in the middle of it is to feel dwarfed by the collective energy of the efforts of millions of humans going back hundreds of years.

It is amazing what they have accomplished in that time.

On Saturday afternoon we drove out of CT, south on an asphalt path that brought us down the western edge of Manhattan into a parking spot on the Upper West Side. Saturday afternoon by the park and the museum and we found a spot within ten minutes. Then it was out into the heat, into the throng of people teeming through Central Park, into a rowboat and then into a lake in the middle of Manhattan. There was traffic at the bridge, there, too. But this was rowboat and kayak traffic and it was under a bridge as we all tried to get out into the 'open' water on the other side.

We were in a rowboat on a lake in Manhattan because Lu's brother and his wife were having a boat race with some of their friends. We barely missed the boat race, but we got there just in time for the flotilla picnic where food and drink were passed around, and the glory of the race was recounted for all to enjoy. Then the clouds rolled in charged with lightning, heavy with rain, and I knew it was time to go. The boat was metal, after all.

It was nature at it finest, even though I could see the tops of elaborate buildings towering over the surrounding trees. Nature reigned supreme as the skies open and rain poured down. There was nothing we could do but walk through the downpour because having a pregnant woman run in the rain is just wrong. Wouldn't have made a difference anyway. Within seconds we were drenched and our car was still a good fifteen minutes walk away. Besides, the day was warm, it was only water and we had clothes to change into as soon as we got back to the car parked oh so close by.

On the way out the next day, we took the BQE and truly that is a stunning sight. As Lu always says, it looks like those building are bursting right from the water as we take that curve and then shoot up the Hutch towards the suburban trees and hills of CT.

Multitudes

2008-06-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, SF was amazing. It was also very surreal. So many things have changed in my life since I was last strolling those sunny hills that it was tough to reconcile my inner thoughts with the outer world. The events that transpired over the course of the weekend occurred multiple times while I lived there but this time there was some extra depth and oomph.

Went to happy hour at Lucky 13 which absolutely drove home the point that it is by far the best and my favorite bar in that city, or any other city. Bartender remembered my drink, my name and gave me the first one on the house. Popcorn on the patio with friends I haven't seen in months and then onward into the night just like old times. Wine country the next day, then incredible sushi Friday night, a Saturday Oysterfest in the park and then a full-on house party (and Man Shower) Saturday night left me dazed and confused on Sunday morning, so I did the only sane thing I could. I strolled the Haight Street Fair, had espressos in the Sunset and then met up with my wife and friends for the best damn Thai food away from the Andaman Ocean.

I've done all of that before. It's probably even happened all on the same weekend at one point or another. But this time I really tried to soak it up. The reason all that has happened a bunch of times before is because it is all so much damn fun.

Our fun is different now, here in New Haven. It is more personal and intimate. As much as I enjoyed every second of SF, a part of me was still looking forward to getting back into the shop to roast and sell coffee, to see my brothers and family, to chill in our backyard on a hot summer eve. Clearly New Haven is a pale, slow and stately little town compared to the carnival that is every second of the day or night in SF. But our home is not just New Haven. It is all the tendrils of life and love and work that spread out from this apartment on Willow Street.

We move a little slower here day to day, but we also travel far to see friends or family, and work a lot harder all the time because our future is no longer just out there somewhere slowly rolling up on us. Our future is here, now. The rest of our lives are only a few months away. This is the perfect place for us to be at this moment. But the best part is that one of those tendrils snakes all the way across the country to our first home together and it wraps around an amazing group of friends we are so lucky to have, and it ties us to them and to the city and to a whole way of life and living that we can never leave behind.

San Francisco is inside of us. We were changed by the light of that coast, the scent of fog, the cold summer night winds, the blazing days, sublime wines and amazing friends. We both learned so much there, and it is exciting to know what is coming next. Life will still be a carnival, at least within these walls, that is for sure. Thanks SF for showing us how it's done!

Flight

2008-06-03T20:56:00.000-07:00

The Science Times did it again for me. For a while there I was really enjoying that section of the NYTimes, but then recently either I've been too busy to get to it, or the topics didn't really grab me.

Today was all space, technology and quantum physics and it was a lot of fun to read. According to Ray Kurzweil, if we just manage to live another 15 years our life-spans will increase faster than we age. I've always said I wanted to live to be 500 so I do hope he's right. And yeah, I do want to go to the World Science Festival next year. I guess that means I'm officially a geek.

But one thing that is very cool is that we are leaving for SF tomorrow night. I can't even believe it. I've spent the last seven months trying to forget all the amazing wonderousness of living in that city in order to recalibrate my brain to a fantastic CT life. And it has worked! I do love living here and I am thoroughly enjoying the summer, the baby on the way, my work, family, friends, all of it.

But part of me is scared I won't be able to leave our former home. CT is a great place to live, but SF is pure magic.

Jamaican Summer

2008-05-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

Summer has officially arrived for me. Camping this weekend was the first sure sign, and then today right around 2pm it started getting really hot and quite breezy. The tree limbs were swaying and the leaves were turned up in the way that can only mean thunderstorms are imminent. By 3:30pm the sky had gone black and I could sense-but-not-quite-see the lightning before thunder boomed off of East Rock in the distance. With the downpour came lots of bolts and bangs and all of it made me very happy.

There is something wonderful and true about a summer afternoon punctuated with a powerful t-storm. Now the air is light and breezy and the mugginess of this afternoon has mostly dissipated. However, I'm not quite convinced there isn't another storm on the way. Radar shows new bands springing up to our west but they are not exactly lined up to pass right over New Haven. I'm an absolute nut about weather. It feels good to be back in a place where the weather can vary wildly. SF had a steady rhythm that lulled me into paying less attention.

Next time you're on Google Maps, make sure to check out the "More" button. I've seen it and ignored it a few times but it turns out there's good stuff that has just been added. And I just added Lu's photo of the West River, VT to the website Panoramio.

I wonder how long it will take for that photo to appear on the link above. I also wonder how long it will take for the camping glow to fade. I love it all: the magnificent mayhem and mess, the suddenly cool nights and freezing pre-dawn, and best of all the gorgeous breezy pause between the moment the burgers hit the grill and when evening has arrived and dinner is served. Summer nights should be spent around a campfire. That is truly the only way to do it.

Red State

2008-05-22T21:33:00.001-07:00

The new ride is a nice little machine, but I still feel strange driving in it. When I see other Matrixes (Matrices?) on the roads I can't see myself in it. But it was amazing for the farmer's market today and I'm sure it will be even better for camping this weekend. Going to Jamaica (VT) to sit in the woods for a few days. On the way there, we're going to have to fill up again. If we can make it to MA we'll do better. CT gas is brutal these days.

Vertigo

2008-05-21T18:54:00.001-07:00

I almost just fell out of my chair watching this video about El Camino del Rey in Spain. It is a walkway between Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls. I'm not afraid of heights, but this had me spinning.

Google Health?

2008-05-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

Wow, Google Health is up and running. I'm sure it will be easy to use, revolutionary and ubiquitous before long, but I couldn't quite allow myself to sign up the second I saw it. Medical records are powerful documents and I need to think about all this a bit more before I give Google the keys to my organs.

The Matrix came through. Been driving a stick for the last few days and I love it. It was cool to see my dad take the car for a spin and shift through those gears as smooth as glass even though he's been driving an automatic for years now.

I just hope that in 2047 things are as awesome as they thought they would be 39 years after 1961. I wish I had the chance to shout, "Honey!!?? Where is the remote control for my clothes!!?"

Decisions Decisions

2008-05-16T06:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when life gets a little complicated, I have to step back from the interwebs and my blog to figure things out. That was this week. Aside from being extremely busy with work and very rarely at the computer, whenever I was here, I was looking for a car. We need a machine in our life, but obviously not an actual "new" vehicle. I've never bought a car new and I doubt I ever will. Sure the smell is nice, but the 30% depreciation the second you drive it off the lot is not.

Right now I'm waiting on a call for the one we want, but it's in the bank's hands now. We thought it was going to be either an Accord or an Outback, but we test drove a Toyota Matrix, and it really looks like the right car for me. Great mileage, standard transmission and tons of space in back to load up with coffee, camping equipment or baby-stuff. Now that phone just has to ring so I can head out and sign another part of my life away!

Found this on the web last night and I must have it. I know Lu would love it, too. She hates wasting food of any kind. Plus it's just fun to have a jar with 2 ends!

For some YouTube fun, take a look at this squirrel obstacle course. Rather amazing that this wild creature was able to navigate the course so quickly. Of course with food at the end of it, the motivation is strong. What I still can't quite figure out, though, is why a human would go through the immense trouble to create this. Someone had a lot of time on their hands!

Last offering is a list of great free music sites on the web. I tend to stick with Pandora and Rhapsody for streaming music, but there are a lot more options out there.

Garden Day 1

2008-05-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day at the Gallagosen household. It was our first foray into the world of gardening and things are looking good. Got some help from a local guy named Jason that knows a ton about gardens, and he had the tools to help get us started.

For about 45 minutes this morning he and Lu stood in the sunny back yard discussing the possibilities and evaluating the yard. We have tall trees that create shade during parts of the day, so certain plants have to be planted in very specific locations, while others won't work at all. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be quite enough direct light to grow tomatoes but we're going to aim for the last bright spot out there and hope for the best.

Lettuce, cale, spinach and other greens should do well, though. Herbs, chili peppers, beans, carrots, cukes and scallions are also on the menu and Jason even suggested that we give garlic a try and I am all for it. I love the idea of growing our own garlic.

He said the soil looked good but we opted to have him add in a bit of composted manure and he suggested that some lime was probably a good idea, too. There are soil samples out for testing, but time is wasting and we need to get this going.

Some day down the line we'll have a meal of veggies that Lu grew, and finish it up with a cup of coffee that I roasted. If we want breakfast, I guess chickens are next.

Catbus and Other Fun

2008-05-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

It's not that I hate the Interwebs or blogging or any of that. It's just that my job drags me from behind this computer screen, out onto I95 north and south so I simply don't have the time to find awesome links for all of you as often as I would like. I will never give up, though. Never.

Volcanic lightning in Chile that I'm not sure I even believe in except that it's from National Geographic so it must be true.

And here's Catbus, if you're in the market for some new furry transportation. I'm gonna be buying a car in the next few days and I'm pretty sure it won't need petting. Just gas often and maintenance rarely because that's how Hondas roll.

Last is a pretty good list from Esquire about what all men should know how to do. According to this I'm doing pretty well, but there's always more to learn.

My New Year

2008-05-05T21:01:00.000-07:00

Alright, here we go. Year Three Four is in the hopper and year Three Three has been ground into the thin dust of personal history. This is gonna be the big one for me. Bigger than 18 or 21, more important than my first day of high school. This is the year I make a million bucks, have a kid, balloon around the world, capture Bigfoot, write a book and unify Physics with the Theory of Everything. Well, at the very least I'll definitely have a kid. The ultrasound today proved that beyond a doubt.

If you're bored I have some stuff for ya. For a really cool video and to hear an amazing song by M. Ward, have a click here. (Thanks Mike!). Next check out a Rube Goldberg video that turns out to be an advertisement, but is still a lot of fun. Or if you want to play some online Pictionary then this is the place for you.

Started out this year a little wobbly. I find it hard to believe I am the age I am, and that I'm in the place I live and that I have a child on the way. Soon enough though all of it will feel normal, I'm sure.

Ira, Harold & Kumar

2008-05-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

This photo of the recent shuttle launch is absolutely beautiful. It's my new background as a matter of fact.

Another matter of fact is that we saw This American Life broadcast live from NYC tonight, in a movie theater. That it was incredible is my opinion, but that opinion was shared by everyone walking out of our theater tonight. It could have quite possibly been the most enjoyable 2 hours I have ever spent in a movie theater, excluding The Big Lewbowski, of course.

A very funny moment occurred even before the show started, though. We were in the lobby with tickets in hand but definitely early. I saw a group of middle-aged individuals approach the ticket taker and be turned away. They walked toward me. It was two couples in their 50s or 60s, the men wearing blazers, the women nicely dressed and clearly these were NPR listeners.

As they got closer I said, "Are you guys here to see Harold and Kumar?" Utterly serious, one of the men looked at me and replied, "No," and began walking away. But one of the woman looked at me funny and then I said I was joking and asked them if they weren't letting people in for This American Life yet. She started laughing and replied that no, they were not. We had 10 minutes to wait. Lu heard it all and was dying with laughter.

Then, once inside the show, one of the first things Ira did was say something to the effect of: "If you are high, and you are in here expecting to see Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, go to theater 5!"

I heard the woman I had spoke to laughing on the other side of the theater. And the show only got better from there.

10 Minute Blog Post

2008-04-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

Lightning post tonight. Almost a drive-by posting, really. I just got home from work and the rerun of tonight's Top Chef is on in mere moments. I yearn for the couch.

Jigsaw fitting into place. Quite fun actually. I put one together last night in about 10 min and some odd seconds. The one with the sparks. Go ahead and beat that!

Next up is a very cool trick with milk. Show it to your kids, but don't let them drink it!

Last up is some fantastical and cool art. Sorta freaky, sorta fun and all kinds of weird. Enjoy.

And now for tonight's Quickfire Challenge.

Lu's Birthday!

2008-04-28T20:33:00.001-07:00

The rain swamped the Mets game tonight, but that didn't stop us from having fun for Lu's birthday. Had lunch at an organic & vegan restaurant, then experienced great success at the Apple store where our malfunctioning iPod was replaced for free even though it was out of warranty. Lu definitely used a Jedi-mind-trick. Birthday + pregnancy will do that I guess. We stopped in to say hi to Mom & Dad and then headed home to go lounge on the couch to watch Into the Wild. A Mets game in the Bronx with lots of friends would have been even better, but we did the best we could considering the crazy rain out there today.

I'm glad I saw Into the Wild, but I found McCandless to be ultimately unappealing. Although some of the heartache and anguish he caused was evident, I do think the supposed 'beauty' and 'wonderfulness' of what he did was the real focus of the film, and that troubled me. I understand that there was an inner need inside him to do what he did, but the way he abandoned his sister in that destructive household seemed incredibly selfish to me. I get what he was searching for, but his pride, his irresponsibility to his sister (and even to himself), and that in the end all he really did was run, well, it made me pity and dislike him. From what I see in the Metacritic comments, the book does a better job balancing his idealism and the reality of his situation. The movie would have benefited from similar attention. It was also waaaay too damn long.

Facing your fears and taking on adventures are important, though. And so is driving smart. On the way home tonight a guy in a Jeep was tailgating me on the highway entrance ramp, despite the horrible conditions. About 20 minutes later we drove by that same Jeep spun out on the highway, airbag deployed and 2 cop cars just arriving to the scene. The guy seemed okay and no other cars seemed to have been involved, so my guess is hydroplaning. Obviously due to excessive speed and douchebaggery.

Bad drivers are the most dangerous people I encounter every day. I'm glad we were no where near him when his luck ran out. He tailgated till I could move over, and then he sped away.

Visual Search

2008-04-23T21:51:00.001-07:00

You'll know it when you see it.

Meaningful and Worthy, Kind of Earthy

2008-04-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a MSM version of the The Huffington Post. Or maybe it's the other way around.

And here's the brutally humorous response to the utter bullshit of cable and local news.

Until 2 days ago I had no idea ONN and The Note even existed. Shows what I know.

Happy Earth Day! In honor of this magical day I drove my car around by myself for work and felt like a complete asshole. Strangely enough, the UN celebrates Earth Day on the spring equinox. We just can't agree on anything!

Moms

2008-04-17T20:41:00.000-07:00

Off to see Lu's parents this weekend. This will be the first time they'll see Lu pregnant and her Mom is practically beside herself. I'm pretty sure her father doesn't quite believe it yet. When he sees her, though, he will then. There is clearly a baby in that belly.

And speaking of mothers, mine is doing great. CAT scan came back cancer free and we are thrilled by that news. She's getting stronger by the hour and she'll be back home any day. Thanks for all the love and support, we all appreciate it.

TAL Live in Theaters!

2008-04-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

On the way home from the hospital tonight I had on NPR as Lu dozed, but then I woke her up when I shouted "Yes!" after I heard that This American Life will be in theaters near you, live on May 1. I can't wait to go. I'm buying tickets for us immediately.

Mom was doing good. Definitely taxed, but still had her amazing sense of humor. In fact most of the time there we all spent laughing. Might as well have fun, even when shit sucks, right?

And yeah, that was an April 15 joke up there. Awesome.

Last, here's a crazy story from the New Yorker about Nicholas White who was trapped in an elevator for 41 hours. His ordeal was captured by a security camera, and a time-lapse video is part of the article. I'm going to watch it now. (via bb)

Anger Denial Displacement Humor Relief Anger

2008-04-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

Surgery went well and Mom is in recovery. She'll be in the hospital tonight, tomorrow and probably into Wednesday and then she's home. I cannot believe this incredible woman has had to go through so much illness in her life. Anyone with MS should have automatic immunity to breast cancer. That should just be a rule of the universe or something.

I definitely learned at an early age that life is not fair, and that you have to make the best of whatever you've got and aim to make it better. Even on the way in this morning my bro told me that she was laughing and joking around. Her sense of humor is just incredible. Another thing I learned at an early age is the importance of grace and humor no matter what the circumstances.

Living up to that ideal is the tough part.

Getting pissed off and raging at the world seems so much more satisfying and cathartic. The fact is, though, rage and negativity are poison to the soul.

Nonetheless, I am still pissed off about 1 thing right now: that douchebag bartender up the street. I told myself I would not go to the bar if he was working there after my last unpleasant interaction with him. But George was in town and it was easy to grab beers and wings with him & his sis at a fine bar just a few doors away, so went we did. And once again, d-bagtender didn't give me the happy hour price on the wings. I mentioned it to him, but apparently his hearing is as bad as his memory. Next time if that guy is behind the bar, I not going in. I'm not! No matter how bad I want wings, I'm not going in.

On the other hand, if I win him over somehow, he'll probably give me happy hour wings for free. I can tell he's that kind of guy. Either he's your friend and he'll steal from his boss to hook you up, or he doesn't know you and you are therefore an enemy and he'll try to 'forget' it is happy hour like he hasn't worked there for 20 years.

What's cool, though is that now I have an arch-nemesis. That's really important, especially if you're mad at the universe in general. How do you take your anger out on the Universe? Not appreciate it's beauty? Scorn trees? Insult the birds? No. If you are pissed at the Universe, you need an arch-nemesis to direct your specific anger towards.

This bartender charged me regular price for happy hour wings TWICE! And now he's going to pay for my mom getting breast cancer. I'm like totally not going in to spend money when he's working, unless my friend is in town, or I'm hungry. But while I'm there I'll talk about him when he's not around and seriously, that will teach him to mess with me. Or my mom.

I'll still leave a tip, though.

Damn you bartender. Damn you!

And cancer, frankly, you can fuck off completely.

Distraction Needed

2008-04-13T22:28:00.001-07:00

Crazy working weekend and I'm still not quite done. Finishing up a video and editing job I took a while back, and I'm almost there. Times was blah or maybe I was too busy to really relax and delve but either way I got nothing for ya today on that front.

In the not-so-awesome-personal-news realm on Monday my Mom goes into surgery for a double mastectomy. They were unable to get clear margins during the lumpectomy, and so further steps have to be taken. Although it is only present in one breast, they believe it is smarter to be aggressive now rather than later. And as we learned more about Mom's extended family's medical history it became clear that breast cancer was a high risk for her.

She's been feeling great and her spirits are high and so we all know she will battle through this, but nonetheless, it sucks. Bad. Send her some goodvibes today. She can use'em!

But here's something to distract you. It worked for me for a lot longer than I would have expected. I'm not sure if it's a game or a puzzle or just exactly what it seems to be, but it was fun. Go ahead! Feed the head! (Wow, I just stopped started messing around with it again and a whole other scenario unfolded. Incredible.)

Looped

2008-04-10T23:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, the weirdest thing just happened to me just a second ago.

I was writing the post below and while composing it, one of the links I considered was this one. I found it here, at the top of the page. But in the end I decided not to use it because, well, I just didn't feel like it. Instead I wrote the post you see below.

After that, I checked out my blog to see how the new post looked and saw that the first Archive link is from April 2006. Which makes this blog exactly 2 years old. Kinda cool. I didn't realize that. So I clicked around and started reading through some old posts when I came to this one. Make sure to click on the link in that last sentence. Crazy!

Alright, maybe it's not that crazy and it's just that I am, but it definitely threw me for a loop.

Good stuff. Good night!

Boycotts and Beauty

2008-04-10T22:24:00.000-07:00

Lots of flights on the ground these days. This site might help.

And finally, a new offering on NPR's Project Song. It's a crazy song, and I'm looking forward to watching the video of its creation. Read through the article as you listen to the music. The tune is not at what I expected, but it is a lot of fun on headphones.

Oh and here's what did and didn't happen with the Olympic Torch in SF on Wednesday. My friend and I just got into a gtalk shouting match about how hard athletes work to get to this point vs. the tragedies and abuses of the host country and where pure competition beats political activism and where the hell did those clothes come from that the protesters are wearing and so on. We both agreed that we were both wrong and so was everyone else and then we moved on to other topics.

It actually reminded me of a scene from an amazing play Lu and I saw Wednesday night. It is called The Boycott, it is a one-woman show by Kathryn Blume, and it is awesome. If you see her performing nearby, go see the show. It is a lot of fun, it makes you think, and it is definitely worth your time.

Last is something 3 million other people watched and probably enjoyed. I give you Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros.

$56k per Gig for the First Hard Drive

2008-04-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

Figured out the way to handle the multi-photo post for Freshly Roasted. Had to simplify via complexity. Broke it down to what I needed to accomplish then attacked it in simple parts. Instead of trying to get everything on one page, I linked to vendors that already had nice sites and used the photos I took for the vendors without a web presence. It took a little longer, but it was much easier to organize.

Organize has been my word of the day, but I only got so far. Apartment is in better shape, but my 'office' is still a disaster. The main problem there is that my desk is the absolute worst. And without a solid foundation to do work upon, work cannot be done effectively. So instead I just push piles around, throw some things out, crack a beer and call it done.

My post last night about protests in San Francisco actually scooped the Times. That was their front-page photo this morning. Of course, I got that video from someplace else. Namely, BoingBoing which is one of the best out there so do make sure to check it out often.

Flickr now has video. It's limited to 90 seconds, but flickr is all about the photostream, so this feels like an appropriate level to me.

And here's the history of computer data storage, with pictures and facts that are somewhat mind-blowing if you stop and take a minute to really think about it. We've accomplished quite a bit in 50 years. I can barely even imagine what the next 50 will hold.

Free Tibet

2008-04-07T20:47:00.001-07:00

The Olympic torch will be passing through San Francisco on Wednesday. The protests have already begun.

Times in Review

2008-04-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

There is a very small but very interesting article in the Metro Section of today's paper. The article happens to be on the same page as the obituaries, but it isn't exactly one of them. Yet.

I love Ping Pong. My brothers and me and my dad would spend hours in the ping pong room perched above the lake in Maine smashing that little white ball back and forth in the humid summer air. You don't think of it as a very athletic game, but sweat we did. And shout, and curse, and laugh, and compete. He never let us win. We always had to earn it!

This is a great article about the show The Deadliest Catch, and and interesting profile of the group Gnarls Barkley. Obviously, they have a new album out.

And I noticed last week that the Times had changed their layout again. Last August they reduced the size of the paper by an inch and a half, and just last week they reformatted and expanded the index section on the first two pages. I had not read that the change was coming, nor did I notice any subsequent discussion of the redesign. Today's Public Editor column answered my questions.

Finally, have a read through Frank Rich's op-ed. Or, if you don't have time, let me summarize it for you: McCain is insane. The way the reality in Iraq is the exact opposite of what he says and seems to believe is downright frightening. Haven't we had enough of that?

Foiled Again!

2008-04-03T12:52:00.001-07:00

Gaaahh! What a day. Some days no matter how hard you try, there's just no getting it right. Blogger has had the upper hand all day as I tried to create a post filled with pictures for the Freshly Roasted blog. I'm trying to put the word out about a local farmer's market and show all the vendors, but there's just no good way to do a photo layout with the tools provided. Gonna have to get creative to make it work.

Then the coffee machine and I did battle all afternoon. I finally emerged victorious, but I was foiled twice more when various owners of various businesses were not at said locations. Screw it. Happy hour is almost here and I am more than ready.

But last night on the way home from roasting I heard an awesome program on Radiolab about Orsen Welles' radio performance of H.G. Well's War of the Worlds. Check it out here. A few things I found fascinating: Orsen originally did not want to do that story because he thought it was boring, and because everyone already knew it so well. Even crazier is the fact that the 1938 performance was not the last time it was done, and again, people were utterly fooled by the radio show.

Apple is the #1 music retailer in the US. Here's how NASA trains for weightlessness. And if you're looking to get a bit more than zombie attacks and superpokes from Facebook then these tips may help. The first one is especially interesting, although it does feel a little invasive.

Alright, time to see how east coast burritos stand up to SF's. Haven't had one since we moved.

Strangely Serene

2008-04-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

Thunder and lightning and pouring rain out there on streets of New Haven tonight. It was an ugly mucky mess all day and the final band of weather is passing through right now.

This must mean it's spring. Rain and thunder and humid sticky air. I love it.

The house is silent tonight as my preggers wife lays on the couch beside me dreaming of the fact that she has to pee, again, but doesn't want to and can't make it go away. Still can't do it for her. But that would be her superpower she's said many times. That she could make me go pee for her. Beautiful, isn't it?

Mine would still be perfect timing. The only downfall is that my superweakness would have to be super bad timing. And just like timing is everything, bad timing is the worst.

But this street art is anything but the worst. I'd love to see that pop up as I strolled through NYC some time. I also really enjoyed this series of photos of an abandoned roller coaster out in Ohio. Beautiful, eerie, and strangely serene for a structure that is so usually filled with motion and force. Last offering is an amazing game. Seriously awesome. You are gonna love playing this game for sure. Good luck, have fun and I know you will be able to find the crown. It just takes a little doing.

Look Lu... storm's gone.

Times Before Bed

2008-03-30T22:12:00.001-07:00

Man, Sunday night already and my last post was last Tuesday. That's pretty dang sorry. But I do have reasons for it. Basically Wed -> Thurs was non-stop and Friday was a complete no-go. I'm not even sure I was completely on the planet on Friday I was so deliriously ill. But whatever, everyone gets sick. Up and at-em.

Here are signs the library can post even though they can't really talk specifics. But it's no different than surfing the Internet. In fact the 'net is definitely even less anonymous. Every one of our computers has a number attached to it, just like our library cards. It's just easier to gather the interwebs information.

Got a few quick articles from the Times today and then it's off to bed. Pocket projectors are on the way. This would be great for the presentation I'm giving tomorrow. I'd love to flash some beans on the wall while they're tasting our coffee. This is film I want to see. I like the unique approach of the director, and I'd like to see how well it works in practice. Last up is an article about inventions and how history, fame and timing can distort the facts of the moment.

And this moment calls for sleep!

Passing It On

2008-03-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

Gil & Jen have updated their world adventure blog, so go take a peek. They were in Bangkok, Thailand and beyond. So much fun.

Last week I Rickrolled you guys, although you may not have realized it. Here's more info about this little bit of interweb weirdness. I'm fascinated by the idea of the meme. It has been part of human culture for thousands of years, but now they travel through our brains far more quickly. Clearly, that ability has transformed the world. Soon we won't need to speak at all.

But a mixtape always said something, and now there's an online tool to create one and share it with your friends. It' is called Muxtape, and it is alive. The legality and morality of uploading and sharing said songs with this site is yours to consider. Another thing via Josh Spear you should check out is this video by Miracle Fortress. The whole thing is done using 4 magnetic sketch pads. And the tune is pretty good, too.

Good Work!

2008-03-24T19:42:00.001-07:00

The Times sucked on Sunday and I was beat from a long weekend of work and fun. So yesterday was roasting beans, then driving home, then napping, then TV, and although I did get to relax with the paper for a few hours, there wasn't a whole lot that stood out.

Working for Bean & Leaf is incredible. My work schedule is completely warped and utterly different than anything I've ever done before. This could be the first time in my life that I worked all 7 days in a week and loved every second of it. Everything from talking to store owners about the coffee to roasting the green beans to tasting different origins has its own unique pleasure.

Another thing that is totally amazing about this business is that it can become anything we make of it. Right now all I am focusing on is getting as many beans as possible to pass through our Diedrich, and to make sure every single one of them is as perfectly roasted as possible.

Recently I have been moving so quickly through the world that sometimes I feel like this. Keep that up long enough, though, and it could make me freak out and retreat, like this amazing sea creature.

There's one more video that I want to share with you, but this is of an utterly serious nature. It is Lu, my wife, on TV talking about her amazing business. On Saturday morning we were in the studio of WTNH here in New Haven, and it was really interesting to see the broadcast in action. I'm so proud of her! She looked and sounded great throughout the interview and it makes me so happy that her incredible work is getting even more exposure. The story is here, and the link to the video is at the top left of the article.

This Post is Brought to You By Espresso

2008-03-20T21:13:00.001-07:00

RIP Arthur C. Clarke. I remember when I first saw 2001 I didn't understand it and I didn't like it. Now, the slow unfolding of genius is wonderful to witness. His books blew my mind, over and over again.

It's 2am. I'm still wide awake. My new job is going to end sleep for me. Incessant coffee. Delicious espresso. And there's no x in there, people. Check it out. I suppose that is good with a new kid on the way, though. The more I get used to not sleeping, the better off I'm going to be. An espresso machine will probably help keep me on the level.

Take a flip through mladen penev's images. The photo right is his, and it is from the "Power of Books" series. Amazing stuff.

I was also fascinated to read about a new element. Truly, it is a discovery that reveals much about the world.

For you, Lu, I've found a giant Galapagos tortoise and her tiny baby.

And the last bit is a super crazy video you are just not going to believe!

Alright time to do a few laps around the house then I'm definitely going to bed.

Relfexes

2008-03-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

First off I've got 2 quick and easy games for you to mess around with between tasks. Card Toss I found yesterday evening and spent entirely too much time aiming for the hat. Once I got a flow going I couldn't miss. Next is Double Maze and I promise it will drive you insane. In a good way. Until you storm away from the webpage with a disgusted click only to find yourself back there ten minutes later.

Even though I'm in my thirties, a part of me will always see the world out of a skateboarder's eyes. Just today I noticed a curve of asphalt that would have been perfect to skate. Don't get me wrong, though, I was never any good. It was just fun as hell. That's what makes this video that Tony Hawk put together so much fun. It's not even that his tricks are so spectacular in this clip, but more the fact that it is just him on his own, in his back yard with a video camera, some editing tools and an internet connection. He was a god when I was young and that he is still out there falling down and trying again, and still kicking ass, it's just damn impressive.

The robot called Big Dog is impressive, too. Spooky and lifelike in a totally inhuman way, it is hard to believe this machine can balance and move so quickly on its own. From the video the reactions look like reflexes. And reflexes on a machine are sorta terrifying.

SxSW Recap

2008-03-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

We spent the night with NPR this evening, checking out their archives of South by Southwest. Some great music in there, and some stuff I haven't heard.

Here's a short show by Vampire Weekend. They are all over the interwebs right now and have been circling under the surface for a long time. Some of my friends hate them. Sudden ubiquity can turn some people off. Other friends really enjoy them. I'm with the latter for now, but we'll see if it lasts.

Yo La Tengo is what we just finished. Not liking them isn't really an option. They are one of those bands that doesn't care what you think. They will twist you up and send you out reeling whether you are ready for them or not. They're not afraid to challenge the audience, and that's fun.

We're checking out Yeasayer now and so far so good. Next up is My Morning Jacket. Friends swear by them. Friends swear at me for not completely getting them. But music deserves multiple chances so I'm looking forward to their show later on this evening.

The rest of NPR's coverage is here.

Dangerous Choices

2008-03-16T19:57:00.000-07:00

Sunday again and the Times was there for me. This weekend I had the luxury of getting through both Saturday and Sunday, and surprisingly, I even had time for Friday, too. I mention that because Friday there were three articles that really stood out. This article about Dean Potter was fascinating. Just the photo alone is enough to give me vertigo, and once I read the madness he was up to I nearly swooned off my seat. And I even kinda like heights. A lot of people do. But with the upcoming Olympics, China is concerned about groups attempting the highest point on the planet. While the Olympic Torch is run up Everest, other groups will be barred from the slopes.

tWiR had a lot of Iraq war coverage because we're five years in now. One portion that I found particularly galling was this:

On April 9, the day the Marines entered Baghdad and used one of their tanks to help the crowd haul down Saddam’s statue in Firdos Square, American troops stood by while mobs began looting, ravaging palaces and torture centers, along with ministries, museums and hospitals. Late in the day, at the oil ministry, I discovered it was the only building marines had orders to protect. Turning to Jon Lee Anderson, a correspondent for The New Yorker who had been my companion that day, I saw shock mirrored in his face. “Say it ain’t so,” I said. But it was.

Especially since I had just read this article, about how the Iraq insurgency is deriving most of its profits from stealing oil. Guess we still haven't gotten all that right.

Major Bragging Post

2008-03-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

Alright I gotta do it and just get it over with 'cause I'm pretty damn psyched about the developments. I hope all of you are sitting down because this news will blow you out of the water. We're preg... oh wait, did that one already. No but seriously I wrote a post for the CT Green Scene blog, and you can find it here. I will be writing for that blog going forward and it's really exciting because it's the first time I've ever written for a blog that wasn't my own. I guess this is what it feels like to 'make it'. How sweet it is.

Last day of my old work life tomorrow. I hope to never speak of it again. Monday I will officially start the first completely real day of my new job. Everything about the way I think of work has to change as this begins. No longer is work the place I go to and leave. No clock rules my hours. This work has to be a way of thinking that I carry around with me at all times.

It feels fantastic to have it there. Work won't be a weight on my mind. Not a worry. More a way... a path to a better life for my family, my friends and a chance to help people have something they truly love. Yeah it's only coffee, but already in my many miles up and down I95 to every natural food store in sight, at events, at farmer's markets, I have heard the same response over and over again when I tell people what I do.

"I sell coffee," I say to them.

"I love coffee," they reply.

Then I step back and let the beans speak for themselves.

Sharing. Highs & Lows

2008-03-11T19:34:00.000-07:00

Just signed up for DropBox. Beta is coming out soon and if it works as well as the video suggests it could be pretty slick indeed. The ability to share large files instantly among various computers is definitely appealing. Another similar service is Wuala. They'll let us know when they are ready to invite more people.

Local drive vs network storage is a tricky question. It's wonderful to have certain files available no matter what computer you are on. But in certain situations it is definitely safer to keep your files local and protected, especially when it comes to finances or business.

I'll never get tired of seeing the shuttle launch into space. That one is from yesterday morning. This time they are carrying up a robot that is 12 feet tall and can be attached to the arm that extends from the shuttle's payload.

And from nearly as high as man can go, to a man who spends all of his time far closer to the earth than most others, take a look The Rolling Exhibition.

Redirections

2008-03-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

Good day out there on the roads, but you can read more about that over at the Bean & Leaf blog Freshly Roasted. I'm going to stay focused on work over there, so I won't be talking about it all that much over here. Easier to keep things organized.

You might think that I would spend my time on thrunk talking about the impending birth of my first child. But that's not gonna happen either. Instead, if you're at all interested, you can follow along at home on Elm City Dad. Again with the ability to organize and write more effectively. I started it the day we found out, so you've got some catching up to do.

Of course, trying to keep up those 2 blogs is going to take a lot of time out of my ability to write on this blog. Specially since far less of my day will be spent behind a computer screen where I can idly research cool links. A windshield, instead, will be the primary piece of glass in front of my face now.

I have definitely not given up on <~thrunk~>. Not by a long shot. But if you find this blog not updated every now and then, chances are one or both of the other two have been. I do hope you stop by. I love that my friends are reading what I write, it really means a lot to me. So thanks for giving me a few minutes of your attention every now and then. I aim to keep you entertained.

Sunday Times Recap

2008-03-09T19:53:00.000-07:00

It's sorta hard to believe, but I finally have a job, and it's one that I already love. Starting now, I will be working full-time for Bean & Leaf. I am so excited to have a job selling something I really love and that I get to work for friends. If everything goes as planned we are going to make a lot of money on these delicious beans and have a lot of fun doing it. We did an in-store tasting on Saturday and it went great. People were impressed by the coffee and it was really fun to get to talk to people about Bean & Leaf. As part of my job I will be blogging about coffee, sales, and the shop here.

As for the Times today, there was an interesting article about the price of commodities increasing, and how beneficial that is to farmers. There's a shuttle launch on Tuesday, #123, and we have gotten even better at determining the age of the Universe.

Good stuff in the Biz section as well as the Week In Review. I am definitely looking forward to new innovations in the human/computer interface. And here's the software mentioned in the article. Another article talks about different software, but in a much less flattering light. That the disapproval was generated from the company that created the software is just too funny.

This article raises some interesting questions about the ethics of using chemicals to enhance performance. But the focus is on mental performance and the chemicals are drugs like Adderal and Provigil. Another WIR article I liked was this one, about the prospect of weapons in space, and what dangers that will bring.

Lastly, this sounds like an interesting art installation. Perhaps we'll take trip to NYC to check it out when the show arrives.

Quick Prework Post

2008-03-07T05:42:00.001-08:00

Didn't get to thrunk yesterday because I was banging out coffee sales, and then LOST on TV. We finally caught up and it feels good. Last week's episode was one of the best hours of television ever, I think. The book the episode was based on is one of my favorites, and it was amazing to watch them rework it and translate it so that it fit perfectly into this show's story. Here's a wacky theory that seems to have a lot of things right, imo. (thanks Horn!)

Take a look at Freshly Roasted, that's what I was working on last night.

Got some great news last night about work, too. More on that later.

Unlucky Local

2008-03-05T19:42:00.001-08:00

There is a flaw in the fabric of my life. There is a bar only 4 doors down the street from me but it is almost impossible for me to go there. You'd think because my wife was hassling me, or because I work so much I don't have time, or because I'd been tossed out so many times for fightin' and cursin' that I couldn't go back. But it's none of those. The reason I can't go there is because in all the little ways that matter to me, this bar sucks.

I have a few criteria for a good bar, and they're not at all difficult to achieve. Good jukebox (or at least good music), a few delicious beers on tap, a nice outdoor patio, a solid discount at happy hour and the space to settle into the bar and read the paper or have a meal. Doesn't have to have all of them, but its gotta represent.

This bar has none of these. No IPA on tap. No patio at all. The music always tuned to some insanely shitty Top 40 cable music channel. Only a mere $1 off at happy hour on already exorbitantly priced beers. And there is simply no way to read the paper there in peace. Grown men were shouting at each other--shouting--instead of having a conversation at normal speaking volume. The music wasn't loud. They weren't arguing with one another. It was just that their default volume for talking was EXTREMELY LOUD. Now I'm a loud guy, I know that, and I've had many a loud night in a bar. But it's always the same in this place. Shitty music, loud fools, and bad beer on tap.

They have amazing wings, I'll give them that. The chowder is delicious, too. It's only 4 doors away so no doubt I'll keep going in there. But it'll never be my local. It'll never be my bar, my place to disengage, kick back, have a pint, read the paper, chat with some new friends and walk out looking forward to going back. My local is clear across the country and in my heart I will always be true to the greatest bar of all time, the bar called Lucky 13.

No other bar compares, not even the one 20 steps away.

Free

2008-03-03T17:33:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, our government would never secretly meddle in the affairs of Palestine and Israel. Nope, not'a chance. For some reason, no matter how obviously bad the Administration acts, nothing seems to happen. The always get off scot-free. Curious. Ah well, no matter.

Check out the balloon tank. Or play Rider-On-Line. Or go ahead and download the new NIN album, directly from their site. Just like Radiohead, they are offering it up for free. Which is interesting, because that is exactly what the feature article in the new Wired is all about, too.

Last bit is a throwback with a new twist. I still cannot hear that music without being immediately transported back 20 years, directly to the floor of the living room. But I'm just happy I finally did set that Princess free.

Week In Review

2008-03-02T20:40:00.000-08:00

The Week In Review was the only section that had articles that caught my eye this week.

The single most important piece of writing in the NYTimes today is this editorial. This administration uses torture, and it is disgusting.

A far lighter article is this one, about the search for extra-terrestrial life. There are 2 fascinating ideas in this article that I had never considered. One is that intelligent, communicative life is so rare the galaxy only flares with it during brief periods, far apart in time and space. And the other is the fact that as we transition to cable and satellites the Earth is becoming quieter. We're still here, but we're harder to see.

Last offering for today is not from the paper. It's from my brother Mark, created by his friend, also Mark. We watched this several times this weekend and howled with laughter every time. It is called Parking Garage: Beyond the Limit and I think you'll love it.

Varieties of Genius

2008-02-28T16:47:00.000-08:00

Lots of goodness on the web today. Actually most of it has been there for a while, but today I was lucky enough to stumble across it. Quite a few of these come from growabrain, while others are from Neatorama, digg or reddit.

First of all and right away, you must check out this YouTube video mashup of Star Trek and the song "White Rabbit". Simply put, it is genius. And damn funny.

A more serious form of genius are these top 100 Photographs that Changed the World, from Life Magazine. The deeper you click, the more clear it becomes that they do, in fact, capture some truly powerful moments in history.

The photo above is not on that list. It's by Lulu, my wife, and it's of a beach in the Dominican Republic near the villa where we stayed. If you want to see the rest of them, go here.

I also really love finding art in usual places. For example, check out this stencil-story on the sidewalks of San Francisco.

And lastly, here's an inventive structure that I would definitely like for my kid to play on. And speaking of kid, yeah, it's true, I'm gonna be a dad. We're due on the 28th of September and I almost can't believe it. So happy, so excited, so freaked out. I know I can't prepare for this, so I'm just enjoying the luxuries I still have. Stuff like naps, popping off to a bar for a pint whenever I feel like it, reading the NYTimes cover to cover almost daily, and of course, that crazy little thing called 'time' that I hear you lose completely once there's a child in your life. This is something I've wanted for a long time and I'm so excited to see how it all rolls out.

Home Again

2008-02-27T18:36:00.000-08:00

WILCO streaming live is a great way to come back to reality. We missed their show in New Haven because we were vacating on sunny beaches in the Dominican Republic, but there were a few hours on Sunday night that my mind was back home. Still, there's no way to trade a few hours of awesome music for a whole week of reading, swimming, and feasting with friends. Pics and some video will be up soon!

And speaking of videos, here are 2 for you to enjoy. First is Bullfrogs Ballet and the second is how people count cash in various parts of the world. I had no idea there were that many styles, and that they had some kind of correspondence with where they lived. There must be some sort of socialogical reason for it, but that information I do not have. However, I have always known bullfrogs are awesome.

Here's a game called Bug Battle. It's easy flash fun, but it's exactly what you want. Simple to play and very addictive. Click on the speaker in the top right to turn off sound.

Last bit is a comic strip you know and probably hate, but I guarantee you will find it far funnier, weirder and so much more interesting once the title character is removed from every pane. Sounds odd, I know, but trust me and check it out.

Vacate

2008-02-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

Off to the Dominican Republic in mere moments, so posting will be light until next Wednesday.

Funk It

2008-02-18T20:23:00.000-08:00

No time to post tonight. Bro's over, we're hanging out in the neighborhood and there's no work tomorrow except selling some coffee and then packing for the DR.

So go ahead and funk out with WEFUNK. Ropeadope strikes again.

Solid Stories

2008-02-17T20:47:00.000-08:00

I'm gonna start right off today focusing on the negative. I can't help it. Reading through the paper today there was one article that I just absolutely loathed. "When There Is No 'We' in Marriage" is the title, and that's not even the worst part. The article is about two people who seem to care more about a) themselves and b) complaining, than just about anything else. It's horrible. Perhaps these people are just great in person, and maybe their arrangement makes sense for them, but the article makes their marriage sound awful. I suppose that should be a lesson to me about reading the Sunday Styles section of the paper. The rest of it really wasn't much better.

I always enjoy the Week in Review portion of the NYTimes, but in the last few weeks nothing has really stood out. This edition was a little better with a good article about the recent assassination of a Hezbollah commander Imad Mugniyah and the complex and shadowy forces behind that event, another about the different primary processes of our two main political parties, and a third article about about art theft. The image in this post is from that article in Times and is of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum where several pieces were taken from years ago. The crime has not been solved and the pieces, worth over $300 million, are still missing. The photo was taken by Keith Meyers.

There's some good news in the Sunday Biz Section. Silicon Valley companies and entrepreneurs have begun to turn their attention to solar power and their flair for innovation and miniaturization have helped to push the boundaries of this technology. There are also some new tools to help you learn languages, one using podcasts and the other harnessing the power of social networks, VoIP and instant messaging.

The last story I'm gonna talk about tonight is on the front page of the Connecticut section. It's a feel-good story with a bit of current events thrown in to give it a hook, and some depth. As soon as I started reading it, I thought of my friend Steve and the skating rink he builds every winter in his back yard. It is wonderful to think of all the fun he and his kids will have out there every year, provided the weather cooperates. As soon as I have good health insurance I'm gonna get out there and skate, too. I'm sure his oldest (now 3) can already skate circles around me.

Boomkat and Luther Blissett

2008-02-15T16:00:00.000-08:00

Friday night and we are rocking it in New Haven. Having such a blast taking apart this town and putting it back together the way we want. Or maybe we just stayed in. Yup, that's it. Sokay, though, there's lots of fun to be had within these walls and on this computing machine.

Thom Yorke on NPR delivers some unusual music. Here's the site he mentions as a source for a lot of the music he listens to, beyond what's passed by his bandmates. And have a look at this video to go along with Videotape. Again, unusual would be one way to describe it. Since we're on the topic, let this serve as a reminder to check out their performance at 93 Feet East in London.

I followed some links off of the Radiohead webpage and it led me Luther Blissett. That identity has since morphed into the Wu Ming Foundation, and I do believe I'm going to give their book Q a read. I'm still finishing up the looong Neal Stephenson article I mentioned a while back, but don't let the length deter you. It is really good. He is managing to make telecom history riveting.

Natural Shockers

2008-02-14T20:42:00.001-08:00

There's a new type of plant in the ocean. It is called fireweed and it sounds absolutely horrible. But the natural world is full of dangers. Some of the worst creatures appear innocuous, like these 6 cute critters that, in fact, you really want nothing to do with. The shocker for me, though was Ornithorhynchus anatinus. Who the hell knew that the platypus was venomous? It truly is the leftover pieces of every other type of creature.

Then again, there are times when even the most deadly of creatures are nothing but gentle. As examples I give you a trainer being hugged by the king of the jungle, and then a crazy-person called Sharkman who puts great whites into a catatonic state just by touching them. My buddy Chris told me about that guy and I almost didn't believe him. Even watching that clip I wondered if it was at all possible that it was fake. But I do trust the Discovery Channel so it just must be some crazy ability this guy has.

The Writers are Back!

2008-02-13T19:11:00.000-08:00

GreenDrinks in Westport was good. Met some cool people and made some great connections. One company I found interesting was Greinvoice which allows you send invoices and receive payments online. This reduces paper use and time, but why do I have the feeling people are going to print the things anyway? Still, it's a step in the right direction.

There are some great farmer's market further down the coast which will mean a Saturday in the spring there will be a farmer's market crawl that will invariably end with lobsters and other fresh, delicious food. Also, the new AllGreen magazine is out for this month so check it out.

Alright let's rock a little music and then I gotta bolt cause the writers are back the writers are back! So happy the strike is over. So happy they got what they deserved. Anyway, music. Ropeadope is Droppin' Science. Then here's Talking Heads all Crosseyed and Painless found by my buddy Matt in SF. Apparently it's spring out there again. Here we are cold and drenched. But it's okay cause we earn our springs here in the northeast.

The Smell of Space and Other Sensations

2008-02-12T19:16:00.000-08:00

Spent most of the evening working on a new blog for Bean & Leaf and I'm excited to start writing about coffee. We're heading to GreenDrinks tomorrow evening for lots of networking with people and organizations that Lu and I want to know more about. I'm hoping that some of them will want freshly roasted coffee in their offices. And if one of them has a job for me, too, all the better.

These images by Lori Nix are very cool. They are photographs of miniatures and each group pertains to a particular theme. The image to the left is called Nevada, and it's from the Lost series, which I was immediately drawn to. But that's probably because I have LOST on the brain. Only one disc away from the end of Season 3 and soon we'll be up to real-time viewing. That'll be fun for discussion with friends, but terrible for our patience.

There was a posting from NASA that I read the other day and it stuck with me. Since I'm fascinated with space, I love the way it captured an aspect of that vast vacuum you rarely hear about.

I keep going back to the Project Song site hoping for another installment, and when I do I invariably listen to the the tune "Man of A Million Faces" that Stephen Merritt of The Magnetic Fields created for the show. Turns out they are playing up the road tonight. I would have liked to go, but it's definitely not a good night for a 2 hour road trip. Lots of icy snow out there. But poking around the NPR site I stumbled on the Discover Songs page and the Song of the Day. Gotta remember to keep checking back.

Last offering is some new web-tech, with Twitter as the foundation. It's for fast and easy file-sharing, as if there's not enough ways to do that now.

Good Times

2008-02-10T19:34:00.000-08:00

MASS MoCA was great. I really enjoyed the exhibit by John Finch called "What Time is It on the Sun?" The piece in the photo to the right was my favorite. Finch took light readings one afternoon as the clouds passed overhead, casting shadows. Using that information he set up a bank of colored florescent lights and then that tangled mass of colored cellophane. To recreate the effect of the cloud moving by overhead, you walk in a circle around the bluish mass towards the bright florescent lights, and then all the way back around into the colored, shadowed light. The art captured and altered that specific natural experience in a very interesting way.

The Times was interesting this weekend, too. One small story immediately made me think of the start of a sci-fi film about the first alien encounter or maybe a space borne virus that wipes out humanity. But hopefully the astronaut just has the flu and will be better soon for walking in space.

New information is coming to light about the Société Générale scandal. Text messages between Kerviel and another person prove he was definitely not working alone, or at the very least that others knew what he was up to.

There were a lot of good political stories in the paper today. Obama's sweep, the tough choice for Republicans to use W as a campaign prop, and a nice piece on how just how much W likes earmarks, too.

Remember the paperless office dreams of the 90s? Still not here, because an email still isn't 'real' until it's printed on paper, for some people. But that perception is false, as anyone will tell you who has been convicted of a crime because of a purely digital missive. Digital is the master-copy now, and people are beginning to embrace that in their homes. I don't know if I can give up the sheer joy of holding a book in my hand just yet, but our photos are already digitally archived and perhaps next year we can do the same with receipts and other documents.

Those receipts are on my mind because it is tax time, and as much as taxes do suck, this article makes some points that are essential to remember and to appreciate. That money does a lot of good. Without it our society would certainly fail.

Okay, last 2 articles that struck me today. First one is from the Sports section, about the guy that first hired Eli Manning for the Giants. Although I'm not a big football fan, or a Giants fan at all, this is a well-written article that's just a great story and a lot of fun to read. Final article for tonight is from the Metro Section, about a building called 475 Kent. This one doesn't have a happy ending yet, but its got a better shot at it than most artist collectives.

Oh and just to keep you updated, my Mom is not going into surgery tomorrow. She needs some additional testing because of a few extra beats in her EKG results, so the surgery has been pushed till March. But she is feeling good and gettin' psyched for Bruce Springsteen later on this month.

Weekend Fun

2008-02-07T17:20:00.000-08:00

The upcoming weekend is looking good, starting with tomorrow night. Gonna begin the evening with a meal at Zinc to celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary. Which is the Leather Anniversary, which my vegetarian wife is absolutely thrilled about. After that we're heading up to Hartford for a performance of Zerline's Tale at the Hartford Stage.

For Saturday it's a trip to MASS MoCA, and then some disco-fun in the evening.

Next week is a one big for my Mom. She'll be going into surgery to have the lump removed on Monday. I'm sure she's going to do just fine, and it feels good that specific action is being taken to fix this situation.

Communication Breakdown

2008-02-06T15:58:00.001-08:00

These kids are ridiculous. Parkour soccer? What does that even mean, I thought. Then I watched the video. Wow.

So that's was the light bit of today's post. What I'm really interested in is the situation developing in the cold waters down at the bottom of the ocean in and around the Persian Gulf. Undersea Internet cables are going down, one after the other. So far 5 cables have been cut or damaged, two today and the first one on January 23rd. A map is above, via I Love Bonnie.net. There are links there you can follow for more details.

A source that I found especially interesting was this one, about the warship the USS Carter. There's something so insidious and evil about naming a spy submarine after President Carter that it has to be a cruel joke on that elder diplomat.

Here's a Metafilter thread on the cut/damaged cables with far more insight than I have to offer. Tons of great links in there. And make sure to have a look at Bruce Sterling's blog on Wired. He's more of the opinion that this could all just be an odd coincidence. And it might be. In fact I'd be surprised if we ever hear much more about this.

If you have the time and like reading, let Neal Stephenson take you on the path of one of these vital cables, but back in 1996. And because you've come this far, I gotta deliver.

Super Sources

2008-02-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

Just found some good Super Tuesday online resources. These will also come in useful during future primaries, and for the election itself.

Here's are the primaries via Twitter and googlemaps. And check out Twittervision if you like that interface. I've been using Twitter a little bit lately, but I still haven't quite delved all the way in yet. If you felt like it, you could 'follow' me here.

Another great source of info for tonight, and for news in general is the NPR News blog. And here's the map of their coverage.

You can also take a photographic tour of today's events. Or if you prefer, live video coverage via Current TV.

Tonight is going to be very interesting. Obama has taken Georgia, and in twenty minutes many more states will end voting and counting will begin. I intend to stay up till CA has been called.

Shift Perspectives

2008-02-04T19:26:00.001-08:00

Sunday was a late one down in Jersey so I never really got the chance to settle in with the Times this weekend. Had lots of fun, though. Got to see our friends who are only about 7 weeks away from having their kid. They seem really excited and happy and it was awesome to hang with them only a few weeks before their lives change completely.

The Superbowl was fun, too. I don't really follow football, but as a Boston resident for 11 years, I do tend to prefer the Pats. Sitting in a room full of Giants fans in the middle of Jersey City was very interesting, to say the least. But it was a good game. And speaking of games, give this one a try. So fun. I had to drag myself away from the puzzles to finish this post. Oh and I promise no scary faces this time. This is a legit game for real so don't get nervous.

I've talked about Improv Everywhere before. Their latest action was for everyone involved to freeze at the exact same moment in the middle of Grand Central Station. Over 200 people participated. The YouTube of the event is here. The reactions are awesome.

Last bit is another video, but this one is serious in nature. Today is Super Tuesday, which means that a lot of you are voting. I will be, and it has taken me a long time to make up my mind. I'm almost there, but I won't truly commit until I'm in the booth. Discussions with friends online have helped, as did a chance to talk to a buddy who works in politics for one of the candidates. If you are still deciding, or just want to hear the perspective of a great thinker of our time, watch this. Lawrence Lessig is the guru of the Free Culture movement and he makes some very interesting points on why he is supporting Obama. In the end I think that is who I will go with, too. But to do that I have fully banish the cynical, distrustful and angry mindset that W, Rove and team have infused in me.

I'm looking forward to see how all of this plays out. I am very excited to vote tomorrow. It is one small step closer to evicting W from the house he has so thoroughly soiled and that makes me happy indeed.

Hey You

2008-01-31T20:33:00.000-08:00

I like these rules.

I also really like this graph. It's a representation of the known Universe, as far as we can see. All the way at the bottom is the core of the earth, then the mantle, then the crust, then a tiny little sliver between the earth's crust and the ionosphere where we humans can survive.

And it's the season 4 premier of LOST tonight. We've only just started season 3, so we'll have to wait to catch them on repeats. I thought of the show when I saw this. And next time you're flying somewhere and your flight is delayed for any reason *besides* weather, remember Rule 240.

Next is something you didn't ask for and probably don't want, but neither did I and yet here we are. Polka Floyd. Yes, it's ridiculous, but give Hey You a listen and definitely wait for the polka goodness.

There's something oddly compelling about this site Drawball. I especially like the way they have you prove that you're human.

This photograph is incredible. It's sorta hard to believe that there are actually fish out that big.

Tonight's a scattershot, I know, but it's all I feel like doing. I'm just coasting around tonight, following endless link trails into the weird parts of the web. Despite that fact that I keep saying how much slower our life is here in New Haven, there still doesn't seem to be enough time to do everything I want to do every night and still get to be before 2am.

Unseen Forces

2008-01-29T21:23:00.001-08:00

The interview went well. They didn't hire me on the spot, but we had a good conversation and do think they will remember and consider me as they meet other candidates. I'm not exactly what they were looking for, but I hope they'll see how good I would be at spreading the messages via all means available. I would thrive performing that task. Hiring is a process, though, so we'll see how it goes.

So Cloverfield. I liked it. Unseen forces are at work, intent on destruction. The camerawork was what truly made the experience so unique, increasing the intimacy of a crazy event. And I liked that it didn't pull the punches, that the story itself was unforgiving and direct. Shakespeare had the right idea for tragedies.

Here's some good grooves that are sure to get you going. Keep an eye out for the trumpet spin. So awesome.

Big primary for the Republicans tonight. Adios Guiliani. This site details the environmental platforms for each candidate. With the Dems, the only real difference is on nuclear power. But no matter where they stand on that, any one of them will be great for this Earth.

Shined, Shaved and Psyched

2008-01-28T19:21:00.000-08:00

Alright! Shoes are shined, suit is dry-cleaned, beard and hair are trimmed to perfection and I'm fully prepared for my interview tomorrow. This is so much fun. Some people hate interviewing, hate speaking in public, but I absolutely love it. Communicating my passion for the issues I believe in is one of my favorite things in the world. To even have a chance to become a key player in making sure our environment is protected and cherished is truly a thrill. I'm not exactly what they are looking for, I know, but I do believe I am exactly what they need.

So let's knock out some links real quicklike, and then it's time to hit the couch with Lu who has finally finally finally returned after ten whole days out west. First off check out these amazing photos of the night sky from beautiful spots on this gorgeous Earth of ours.

Next is a site that aggregates lots of data from various websites to give you quick and easy local information. Everything from crime stats to business reviews to community forums all organized by zip code. So far it is only for NYC, SF and Chicago, but more are on the way.

And finally here's a music blog with a nice wide selection and some fantastic live shows. If you scroll a bit there's a WILCO show from August with a great mix of new tunes and some beautiful renditions of older songs. You'll also see some Radiohead from 2000 that is well worth your time. (thanks tODD!!)

Now it's time to take in the Season 2 finale of LOST with my best friend in the whole world. So glad she's back. So excited for tomorrow.

Saturday beats Sunday

2008-01-27T19:14:00.001-08:00

Lu's coming back tomorrow and I can't wait. It has been lonely here in New Haven! Even cooking isn't fun when she's not here to eat the meal I prepared, or, even better, when we both cook together. Of course the weather in SF is more pounding rain so her flight is already delayed 2 hours. Booo.

Spent Friday night scouring the Connecticut Fund for the Environment's web site because I will be interviewing with them on Tuesday afternoon. I'm thrilled. This is a great organization doing important work, and I would absolutely love to be part of the team. They are fighting for a lot of great causes, but there's one that is particularly important right now. Broadwater has been trying to put a liquified natural gas terminal in Long Island Sound for a while now, and final approval or rejection is getting closer. I hope we can shut this thing down. Even Governor Rell does not want it there.

Saturday I hung out with my brother Mike, and it was a good thing I did, too. The UConn men's basketball team had a big game, and apparently I've very good luck. "You're gonna have to come up and read the paper and chill out on that couch for every single game for the rest of the season, you know," Mike told me. I think he was only half-joking. The game report in the Sunday Times is nearly exactly how he assessed their performance.

Overall, though I found the Saturday Times to be a much more interesting this weekend. There's a great article about visiting Hawaii on a budget. Lu and I never had a chance to go there while in SF, but we are definitely heading there some day. Waking up in a campsite on the beach as the sun rises is exactly how we want to do it.

Also check out this article about recently-discovered negatives of the famous photographer Robert Capa. They knew there were lost negatives in a "Mexican suitcase," but until recently they had no idea if it was still in existence.

I have also been extremely intrigued by the scandal at Société Générale. This French bank just took 7 billion in losses because of some extremely bizarre, fraudulent and unethical trades made by a low-level trader over the course of many months. Although this has been reported on for several days running now, none of the articles really explain what the hell happened. It will be interesting to see if the full story is ever known, or if it is just swept aside, never to be revealed.

The other fun this weekend was seeing Cloverfield. I'll have a review for that tomorrow, among other things.

Almost There

2008-01-24T19:37:00.001-08:00

I'm not big on toys. But there are some things that I just have to have. And these action figures fall into that category.

There was a contract out for The Dude, but not the kind that this site promotes. If you're someone that's trying to lose weight or accomplish some kind of goal, but are having trouble getting it done, the tactics used here could be a big help. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those types of people.

I am, however, the type of person that enjoys good beer, even when it comes out of a can. I've already talked about Sea Hag IPA and this article mentions the New England Brewing Co. as well. I'm going to have to keep my eye out for more delicious brews in cans. Sounds like there are a few great ones out there.

The weekend is almost upon us. I can't wait!

Amazed

2008-01-23T20:16:00.002-08:00

I'm constantly amazed that we are able to see the surface of Mars. That's the West Valley of that nearby planet, above.

I'm also constantly amazed by the things that people are afraid of. They won't go in the water for fear of a shark, but they'll get behind the wheel of a car without even thinking of it. Here's 10 situations where we humans do not do a very good job of assessing the odds.

And I know that at least once when you were away on a vacation, a thought crossed your mind about an oven still on or a back door wide open. But I doubt you would have imagined something like this.

These stuffed toys are awesome. I bet that's what they feel like on the inside all the time. Perhaps we all do.

Last bit is a little game to tie up the title with a final link. If you can get past the third screen, I'll be... impressed.

Strange Times

2008-01-21T20:17:00.000-08:00

Long weekends rule. I was able to hit the road to see friends and family, and even managed to spend one night at home making sure the kitties were okay. Which they were, except for the fact that the female cat, Chumby, very much misses Lu. As do I. Chumby wanders the apartment meyowling while I just randomly start talking to Lu, then get mad when she ignores me and then remember that she's away on business this week. She taught at the 5th Annual Yoga Journal Conference in San Francisco this past weekend, and next weekend in the City she is offering a teacher training for anyone else that would like to learn the Full of Joy Yoga way. We miss you lots Lu!

So the NYTimes this weekend had some definite weirdness. The story on Page 4 about elephants on the streets of Bangkok seemed oddly lacking. It was more perfunctory and superficial than I expect from the Times. A little bit of research would have revealed far more aspects to the story of these creatures and their role in Thai society. There was no mention of the Elephant Nature Park, nor of Lek, the woman that founded this amazing refuge. She was one of the first people to publicly discuss the way elephants are trained in Thailand, and to try and find a new way. The phaajaan is the traditional method, and it is based upon extreme brutality and negative reinforcement to completely break the will of the elephant. There is a video of it here, if you want to see it. It is graphic. We saw this while staying at the Elephant Nature Park while traveling in Chiang Mai. Lek has spent her life saving old and injured elephants, and also training young calfs using positive reinforcement and love. For the Times to neglect all of this information is extremely frustrating.

Below the fold on Sunday's front page was another odd story with rather prominent placement. It was about a new trend in Japan: cellphone novels. Written and read on those tiny screens by tens of millions of people, it is a brand new way to tell a story. It was also cool to learn that the Tale of Genji is the first novel. Well, that's what the Times said, but it turns out that's not exactly the case. "Often considered" should have probably qualified what appeared to be a statement of fact. I'm sure a twitter novel is next, if it hasn't been done already.

We will be definitely heading to this get together next month, that's mentioned in this article. I've got the AllGreen magazine they mention right here on my desk, and Lu and I have been thrilled with the powerful local-grown and green community that thrives in Connecticut. It'll be nice for us to meet more of these like-minded folks. I bet one of them even has a great job for me.

And here's some tech for ya. Mixing tunes with iPods is fairly easy to do if you have the right tools, and these gadgets make it even easier. It's pretty cool that Pacemaker will release the software for free on the web. Could be fun to mess around with.

Alright, the new Wired is waiting for me. Time for bed.

93 Feet East

2008-01-17T17:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Radiohead played all of In Rainbows + a five song encore at a free in-store performance in London. Well, it was supposed to be an in-store, but so many people showed they had to move it to a larger venue and push it back an hour. They webcasted it, but I couldn't catch the stream. Dunno if the servers were overloaded or if it was something local to my machine, but I was pissed I missed it.

I am pissed no longer. Enjoy.

facebook hatin?

2008-01-16T20:52:00.000-08:00

I signed up for facebook within the last year, and at first it was a lot of fun. Recently I haven't been enjoying it as much. Part of the reason is because of some of the things I've been reading about it, and some of it is because I find the constant invitations to add new applications a little bit annoying. I need to go through all the ones I've already got on there and get rid of the ones I don't use, and I have to not feel bad about ignoring invitations to applications that I just don't want to bother with.

I feel like the software can be quite useful, but I still haven't quite figured out or found the features that will truly enhance my experience. Granted, connecting with some old friends has been great, and it is a good way to keep up to date on far-flung compadres. But there needs to be more or it's just not worth the trouble.

This article about the politics of some of the people on the facebook Board was very interesting, and not in a good way. Then yesterday I read about how facebook is now succumbing to spam. Even worse, there are now some applications aren't applications at all, but instead are spyware designed to collect your information. We're so used to just letting the applications full access that this can be a big problem

I'm not giving up on it yet, but it's definitely not the first thing I open when I jump on the computer.

Living With Obsession

2008-01-15T19:22:00.000-08:00

We have a brand new problem in our life these days. Not a serious one like what's going on with my Mom, but a problem of Time. See, we made a choice a fews years back, and now we're trying to live with the consequences. Instead of jumping in when it all started, we waited. I didn't want to get XFiled. Lu didn't want to have another show to watch. But now 3 seasons in all our friends and family are obsessed, and we have to keep leaving the room every time they start talking about it. So we made a plan. Once we got to the cold, dark, lonely days of winter life in CT, we'd settle into the couch, flip on the TV, fire up the DVD player and start watching LOST.

And now, we can't stop. The other night we polished off 6 episodes before dragging ourselves off to bed far too late, and I was nearly late for work the next day. I'm spending less time online which means less awesome links for all of you. And forget about job-hunting. Not when the Hatch is just about to opened! Not when we the Others are out there! We just finished Season 1 and have started Season 2 and we have only a few weeks left to get through all of them AND Season 3 before Jan. 31 and the start of Season 4. Could happen. But probably not. We'd have to watch night and day all freakin' month!

I must say, though, that I'm quite surprised that I don't know more of what's going on through leaks and spoilers by friends. Our ability to run away screaming with our hands over our ears or clicking quickly away from webpages revealing plot points has been impressive to say the least. One cool thing is that we can pretty much talk freely, though, to just about everyone else cause I'm pretty sure we are the last people in the US who have not seen this show. And yeah, it is fucking great.

But we were measured and judicious tonight, so I do have links for you. Here's Superman. So life-like! So... real. I feel as though I too am dancing through the clouds with Spiderwoman. Yeah. Spiderwoman. Don't ask, I have no idea.

And to all the haters out there who think 'beer' is 'bad for you,' well, go ahead and take a swig of this!

We all know that Dubai is a crazy-ass place with artificial islands of all types and insane buildings. But now they're going to clone Lyons, too. I guess money can buy everything, even replicas of another country's city. Why? To that question I have no answers.

Last bit may give you a seizure or make you twitch, but I guess I'm more hoping for quizzical laughter or something. I particularly like the way the "My Buddy" section goes from nostalgic to creepy in no time at all.

I get to go in to work at 9:30am tomorrow 'cause I stayed late today. That means I don't have to go to bed quite as early, and since there's no commercials on the DVD.... hmmmm.

"Hey Lu....?"

What Do Famous People's Blogs, Macworld, Lobster traps and Tomatoes All Have in Common?

2008-01-14T20:20:00.000-08:00

You all know David Mamet, right? His credentials as a playwright, screenwriter, director and author are stunning enough all on their own, but now he's taking on the Web in a very interesting way. His play November opens on Broadway on Thursday, and for the duration of the running, Mamet will be blogging, in character, as the main character Charles H. P. Smith. In the play Smith is the current President, but he's about to lose a his re-election. I really like this idea, of the character in a play appearing online with posts that will add depth and nuance to the onstage performance. That a master of language like David Mamet is the man behind the man, well, that's just fantastic.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for every famous person with a computer, some time and a few things on their mind. Rosie O'Donnell? Courtney Love? Pat Sajack!!? You know it. And although Jeff Bridges' blog is definitely odd, I don't think it's quite in the same league of awfulness as the others. But then again, he's The Dude.

It's Macworld tomorrow. Here's a sneak peak of what might be unveiled. Pretty sweet looking, if you're into that kind of thing.

The photo above was taken by the shore in Guilford, CT. Back in SF it was about $25 for a pound and a half lobster. Round here, it's more like $7. We could probably find lobsters right now, but we're working hard to only buy food that is in season, or grown in a greenhouse. More than any produce, I'm really missing tomatoes. But such is life when you become a locavore.

And the answer to the question above is, obviously, nothing, except they're all in this post.

Sunday Blahs

2008-01-13T21:34:00.000-08:00

Figures. I made a plan to blog about the NYTimes Sunday edition last week because I had found a ton of great articles and interesting things to pass on. And then the very next week... nothing. So I'm not going to just toss a few desultory Sunday Times links at you trying to appease some artificial mandate I created for myself. I said I would blog the Times so I am, but only to tell you it was boring as hell today.

Instead, from Slate, here's a guy who tried to get his 5 month old baby into the hands of every presidential candidate, and then rated how well they did with his little tyke.

Also, the Darwin awards for 2007 have been announced. Macabre, perhaps, but some of these people are just insane.

And the last bit for tonight is just a very cool image/illusion.

Winter Storm '08 has begun. A nor'easter is making its way into CT and we could have six inches by the times it's over. Gonna have to get up a little extra early to get the shoveling done before I stroll off through the snow to work.

Making Music

2008-01-10T19:09:00.000-08:00

In Rainbows was the #1 seller this week, topping out at 122,000 copies sold. Pretty impressive when you consider that this album has been out since October 10, and you could have had it for free, if you wanted.

From NPR's All Songs Considered, take a look at Project Song. They take an artist or band, give them a choice of one of 6 images and one of 6 words printed on cards, and then they have 48 hours to create a song. I caught each of the shows on the radio as I drove around, but they also had cameras in there to capture the process visually. As someone with no musical talent, but a deep love for the creative process, this was fascinating to hear. I'm psyched I get to watch how they did it, too. Listen to the show, then check out the songs. Both tunes are fantastic.

And just last night one of my favorite bands played in a Borders bookstore in NYC. Friends said the show was lots of fun, but the coolest part? It was for the release of their brand new kid's album, Let's Go Everywhere. So fun! And they've even got a show coming up nearby. Gotta remember to get tix for that!

Last offering is a show from KCRW with Iron and Wine. Heard some great things about them recently, but I've yet to hear their tunes. Gonna take this in once I hit publish and sent this out over the intertubes.

Fraud

2008-01-09T19:46:00.000-08:00

Testimony about vote rigging using software on digital voting machines.

If anyone is surprised about this, you haven't been paying attention.