In his bestselling business management book Good to Great, Jim Collins implies that there are companies which can perform well almost indefinitely. The boom-to-bust cycle can be curtailed, it would seem, if a company focuses in on what it's intended for and has the right people on board. These are nice, reasonable ideas and make good business sense overall, but can adherence to them truly predict greatness? According to Freakonomics co-author Steven Levitt, the answer in this case is no. Most of the "great" eleven companies profiled in the book are as much affected by up and down performance cycles as any company.
My question is, can anything predict an organization's ability to get to or remain at the top of the game? How often does any of us experience true "greatness" in our lives? Is it reasonable to assume it can be predicted, as if controllable? What do we gain and lose with attempts to make it happen? Something to ponder as you read From Good to Great...to Below Average. Then I encourage you to check out the Business Pundit's very reasonable (imho) review of books like Good to Great.
July 28, 2008
July 21, 2008
No malfunction here
Finally, some sanity to report. A federal appeals court threw out the FCC's $550,000 fine levied against CBS three years ago for Janet Jackson's alleged "wardrobe malfunction."
July 17, 2008
Is it elitist to say this whole thing is ridiculous?
The cover of The New Yorker this week--the July 14 issue depicting the Obamas surrounded by evidence of various false rumors--was, I thought, kind of funny. Not hilarious, mind you, but certainly not completely un-funny. Unfortunately I did not get to arrive at this conclusion before I had been told 12 ways how offensive it was. Apparently no one in the media who commented on the cover is an actual reader of the magazine (hello, context). Fortunately I can think for myself and can take political art with a grain of salt and a sense of humor.
I understand where artist Barry Blitt took a risk. Clearly not everyone has been following the easily disproven rumors that have been circulated concerning Barack Obama. David's grandfather thought the cover was terrible; I feel I should add that he is not a New Yorker reader and only heard about the cartoon from the story's heavy rotation on TV. When we discussed it over lunch I realized that where I saw a picture poking fun at all the absurd allegations and conjectures about our democratic Presidential nominee, he saw an artist promoting such allegations and conjectures.
As a political cartoonist I'd say it's Blitt's job to push the envelope, and sometimes it works better than others. While this one probably helped the New Yorker sell more newsstand copies, it probably won't go down as one of Blitt's best loved works. Consideration for that honor ought to go to Blitt's October 2007 New Yorker cover depicting Iranian President Ahmadinejad in a foot-tapping bathroom stall. Now that was some clever political-fun poking.
To finish things off I encourage you to check out a few other elitist funnies right after you read a bit more about charges of elitism in general.
I understand where artist Barry Blitt took a risk. Clearly not everyone has been following the easily disproven rumors that have been circulated concerning Barack Obama. David's grandfather thought the cover was terrible; I feel I should add that he is not a New Yorker reader and only heard about the cartoon from the story's heavy rotation on TV. When we discussed it over lunch I realized that where I saw a picture poking fun at all the absurd allegations and conjectures about our democratic Presidential nominee, he saw an artist promoting such allegations and conjectures.
As a political cartoonist I'd say it's Blitt's job to push the envelope, and sometimes it works better than others. While this one probably helped the New Yorker sell more newsstand copies, it probably won't go down as one of Blitt's best loved works. Consideration for that honor ought to go to Blitt's October 2007 New Yorker cover depicting Iranian President Ahmadinejad in a foot-tapping bathroom stall. Now that was some clever political-fun poking.
To finish things off I encourage you to check out a few other elitist funnies right after you read a bit more about charges of elitism in general.
- MUST READ: Jon Stewart on The Daily Show had a hilarious take on the latest New Yorker cover, including a fabulous response suggestion for the Obama camp.
- Daily Kos posting, The New Yorker Cover: An Anti-Elitist Opportunity
- And two more elitist New Yorker cartoons: one and two. (It's okay to label them as such; they use the word themselves.)
July 15, 2008
Drilling down
Take a look at this informative little financial opinion piece from The New Yorker on why oil prices are so high. After outlining a number of reasonable points, the author asserts that:
And on to a related topic...
Expanding offshore oil drilling alone will never solve our energy problems. Even if it were to be expanded (and politically, environmentally, and financially this is a huge longshot), the impact would be relatively small and not immediate (estimates vary, but the amount of oil and gas the industry itself predicts could be harnessed might get us only two years' worth of supply--then what do we do for a fix?). We might feel better in the short term by expanding drilling offshore, just because we took some action over which we seem to have control (it's a domestic bandage of sorts), but a year or two from now we will have moved on to whatever our latest insecurity is and not necessarily fixed the underlying need for the bandage. I don't think the environmental risk of drilling and piping-in is worth taking just so I can feel better for a few months, especially as it won't have effected a substantive solution whatsoever.
So expanded offshore drilling is not going to supply enough oil and natural gas to make an appreciable difference in energy prices for long enough to be significant, and once it’s used it’s gone (aka it is completely non-renewable). What are we supposed to do then? Oil is a one-trick pony (or Clydesdale horse, as the case may be); aren’t there other options we can expand upon? That’s what I want to hear people talk about—realistic, get started now, varied solution plans. What I’m sick of hearing about is how tough we all have it (I got it, can we move on now?), predictions of just how high gas/crude oil can/will go (predicting earthquakes holds about as much appeal for me—why do I want to constantly hear about something that might happen instead of living my life, which really is happening?), and arguments about whether offshore drilling is good or bad (there are other options, people, so get your heads out of your bottoms!).
Maybe when it comes to this latest oil/fuel price crisis we're both over-reacting and under-reacting. One on hand, the price of gas is in many ways out of our control, and what's the point worrying over things out of our control? On the other hand there's something we can very much influence: public policy. Last I checked, we live in a representative democracy, electing our public officials and voting not only in private at a ballot box a few times a year (assuming you take advantage of this nice privilege), but also in how we spend our money, how and how often we publicly state our opinions, and what news we choose to read. Imagine what would happen if we all started educating ourselves about government policies and practices?
Sorry, I’m just getting a bit tired of negative news and hype, people selfishly complaining but not taking care of themselves or contributing to meaningful solutions. *sigh*
I recommend these interesting reads, for your edification on the gas/oil/energy issues that are undeniable, if occasionally overhyped:
none of the problems that have driven up the price of oil lend themselves to a quick fix, and most, like the boom in global demand and the inaccessibility of certain oil fields, aren’t under our control at all.Now go read what the Freakonomics guys have to say about why rising gas prices are so disturbing to us. Notice any similarities in the source of panic?
And on to a related topic...
Expanding offshore oil drilling alone will never solve our energy problems. Even if it were to be expanded (and politically, environmentally, and financially this is a huge longshot), the impact would be relatively small and not immediate (estimates vary, but the amount of oil and gas the industry itself predicts could be harnessed might get us only two years' worth of supply--then what do we do for a fix?). We might feel better in the short term by expanding drilling offshore, just because we took some action over which we seem to have control (it's a domestic bandage of sorts), but a year or two from now we will have moved on to whatever our latest insecurity is and not necessarily fixed the underlying need for the bandage. I don't think the environmental risk of drilling and piping-in is worth taking just so I can feel better for a few months, especially as it won't have effected a substantive solution whatsoever.
So expanded offshore drilling is not going to supply enough oil and natural gas to make an appreciable difference in energy prices for long enough to be significant, and once it’s used it’s gone (aka it is completely non-renewable). What are we supposed to do then? Oil is a one-trick pony (or Clydesdale horse, as the case may be); aren’t there other options we can expand upon? That’s what I want to hear people talk about—realistic, get started now, varied solution plans. What I’m sick of hearing about is how tough we all have it (I got it, can we move on now?), predictions of just how high gas/crude oil can/will go (predicting earthquakes holds about as much appeal for me—why do I want to constantly hear about something that might happen instead of living my life, which really is happening?), and arguments about whether offshore drilling is good or bad (there are other options, people, so get your heads out of your bottoms!).
Maybe when it comes to this latest oil/fuel price crisis we're both over-reacting and under-reacting. One on hand, the price of gas is in many ways out of our control, and what's the point worrying over things out of our control? On the other hand there's something we can very much influence: public policy. Last I checked, we live in a representative democracy, electing our public officials and voting not only in private at a ballot box a few times a year (assuming you take advantage of this nice privilege), but also in how we spend our money, how and how often we publicly state our opinions, and what news we choose to read. Imagine what would happen if we all started educating ourselves about government policies and practices?
Sorry, I’m just getting a bit tired of negative news and hype, people selfishly complaining but not taking care of themselves or contributing to meaningful solutions. *sigh*
If you choose not to decide,
You still have made a choice.
--from "Freewill" by Rush
I recommend these interesting reads, for your edification on the gas/oil/energy issues that are undeniable, if occasionally overhyped:
- Take a look at the article from The New Yorker entitled The Island in the Wind for an example of how a community of apathetic skeptics turned the idea of renewably energy into a successful, proud local enterprise
- Check out the Energy Information Administration, out of the Dept of Energy, for facts on the United States’ sources of crude oil and refined petroleum products.
- Follow this discussion about the gasoline market (warning, it's a bunch of economists)
- Read this progressive policy take on Gas Prices: Why Our “Free-Market” Economy is Anything but Free
July 11, 2008
Escape
I don't have a comfy air conditioned office to escape to these days, so when the heat wave struck this week I instead escaped to the movie theater. Apart from the negative cash flow aspect of such a plan, it's quite a nice way to spend one's weekday afternoon, dontcha think?
Wall-E
I could watch the character of WALL-E all day. He's just a trash compacting robot continuing to clear Earth of the mountains of trash that choked the planet and ultimately drove its remaining human inhabitants into space. But he's so darn cute. WALL-E is, alas, lonely, sharing his days and nights with an indestructible cockroach and a well organized collection of intriguing or useful objects. At the end of each workday he stows the day's findings in his trailer and dreams (with help from repeated viewings of Hello Dolly) of finding someone to love.
It's not surprising to us the viewers that just such a love interest arrives one day. EVE has come to scan Earth for signs of life, and her shiny, round sleekness entices WALL-E immediately. The majority of the film focuses on the classic romantic pursuit of WALL-E attempting to gain EVE's attention, affection, and hand. They travel far in space (apparently in a very short time, but I won't quibble) to dock with the cruise ship Axiom which houses Earth's human-evacuee descendants. Some hijinks ensue over control of the specimen EVE has brought back with her. There's also a rather unsubtle storyline about getting off one's bum and appreciating/working for what we have.
The ending could have turned bittersweet but instead is predictably hopeful. (As an aside, I'd love to see a darker ending released, as I think the final message could be more powerful, if less kiddie-friendly, but I know that ain't never gonna happen.) You can read and analyze all the detail you like about the storyline, but ultimately the charm of this film is firmly planted in liking and rooting for the character of WALL-E who--have I mentioned it?--is adorable. This latest Pixar offering is lovely from the get-go, and charming for all ages. Highly recommended.
The Visitor
There's nothing particularly remarkable or surprising about this quiet independent film, though I enjoyed it. The Visitor tells the story of college professor Walter Vale's gradual awakening from the fog of his adult life. Widowed and teaching courses by rote, Walter's bland existence is interrupted when he is forced into attending a conference in New York and finds two illegal immigrants in his long-unused apartment. He generously allows the harmless looking couple to stay until they can find a new place. The man, Tarek, is friendly to Walter, teaching him the joys of drumming, while Tarek's girlfriend Zainab is wary. When Tarek is detained by immigration and threatened with deportation, Walter becomes involved and along the way uncovers the passion he needs to move on with his life.
The Visitor is a nice movie, well acted and well paced. What is maybe nicest about it is that it gives veteran actor Richard Jenkins the chance to lead. The frustrations of impersonal immigration and detention policies probably won't surprise you, and the likelihood of finding innocent people living illegally in one's apartment are unreal, but these issues don't cloud the relating of Walter's overall journey. Recommended to fans of simple, independent movies.
Wall-E
I could watch the character of WALL-E all day. He's just a trash compacting robot continuing to clear Earth of the mountains of trash that choked the planet and ultimately drove its remaining human inhabitants into space. But he's so darn cute. WALL-E is, alas, lonely, sharing his days and nights with an indestructible cockroach and a well organized collection of intriguing or useful objects. At the end of each workday he stows the day's findings in his trailer and dreams (with help from repeated viewings of Hello Dolly) of finding someone to love.
It's not surprising to us the viewers that just such a love interest arrives one day. EVE has come to scan Earth for signs of life, and her shiny, round sleekness entices WALL-E immediately. The majority of the film focuses on the classic romantic pursuit of WALL-E attempting to gain EVE's attention, affection, and hand. They travel far in space (apparently in a very short time, but I won't quibble) to dock with the cruise ship Axiom which houses Earth's human-evacuee descendants. Some hijinks ensue over control of the specimen EVE has brought back with her. There's also a rather unsubtle storyline about getting off one's bum and appreciating/working for what we have.
The ending could have turned bittersweet but instead is predictably hopeful. (As an aside, I'd love to see a darker ending released, as I think the final message could be more powerful, if less kiddie-friendly, but I know that ain't never gonna happen.) You can read and analyze all the detail you like about the storyline, but ultimately the charm of this film is firmly planted in liking and rooting for the character of WALL-E who--have I mentioned it?--is adorable. This latest Pixar offering is lovely from the get-go, and charming for all ages. Highly recommended.
The Visitor
There's nothing particularly remarkable or surprising about this quiet independent film, though I enjoyed it. The Visitor tells the story of college professor Walter Vale's gradual awakening from the fog of his adult life. Widowed and teaching courses by rote, Walter's bland existence is interrupted when he is forced into attending a conference in New York and finds two illegal immigrants in his long-unused apartment. He generously allows the harmless looking couple to stay until they can find a new place. The man, Tarek, is friendly to Walter, teaching him the joys of drumming, while Tarek's girlfriend Zainab is wary. When Tarek is detained by immigration and threatened with deportation, Walter becomes involved and along the way uncovers the passion he needs to move on with his life.
The Visitor is a nice movie, well acted and well paced. What is maybe nicest about it is that it gives veteran actor Richard Jenkins the chance to lead. The frustrations of impersonal immigration and detention policies probably won't surprise you, and the likelihood of finding innocent people living illegally in one's apartment are unreal, but these issues don't cloud the relating of Walter's overall journey. Recommended to fans of simple, independent movies.
June 16, 2008
Extra Feet
Scanning world headlines, this one caught my eye:
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Yet another human foot has washed up along the British Columbia coast.Gee, do you think there could be a connection?
Police in southwestern British Columbia say a left foot was found partially submerged in water on Westham Island, south of Vancouver, Monday morning.
It's the fifth foot in less than a year that has washed up on shorelines along islands in British Columbia
The four previous feet were all right feet wearing socks and shoes, and two of them were size 12.
The last one was found on May 22 on Kirkland Island in the Fraser River.
Police are trying to see if they are linked.
June 04, 2008
South Bay living
Did you follow our spring house hunt, in which we looked for a house to settle into on the Peninsula? If so you might have been surprised to read we are in fact moving to a townhouse on the outskirts of Los Gatos. The short explanation is that this simplifies things. We already owned the place in LG, and decided a sure thing in the SouthBay was worth more than potential on the Peninsula (though we did look at some lovely homes). The decision making process was a bit of a roller coaster, and I'm ever so grateful to our patient and understanding families.
So this weekend we finalize our move from comfortable temporary lodgings at my dad's condo in Santa Clara, to the light-filled two-story townhome we purchased from David's grandfather Verl five years ago. And next week Verl will be joining us, moving back to the area from Santa Rosa, where he retired after David moved to Texas. In preparation we've been fortifying the insulation, making some changes for Verl, planting a few summer veggies in the patio area (thanks Pauline!), arranging (or finding new homes for) our furniture and stuff, and planning for several major updates (among the 1973-era appliances are the dishwasher and air conditioner, items which were undoubtedly quite luxurious back in the day).
We look forward to living there. We also look forward to having guests and parties and Sunday night dinners and movie nights and anything else that keeps us in touch with our friends. I hope you'll join us.
P.S. I would be remiss if I did not mention my joy over Obama's speech last night. Left me positively verklempt.
So this weekend we finalize our move from comfortable temporary lodgings at my dad's condo in Santa Clara, to the light-filled two-story townhome we purchased from David's grandfather Verl five years ago. And next week Verl will be joining us, moving back to the area from Santa Rosa, where he retired after David moved to Texas. In preparation we've been fortifying the insulation, making some changes for Verl, planting a few summer veggies in the patio area (thanks Pauline!), arranging (or finding new homes for) our furniture and stuff, and planning for several major updates (among the 1973-era appliances are the dishwasher and air conditioner, items which were undoubtedly quite luxurious back in the day).We look forward to living there. We also look forward to having guests and parties and Sunday night dinners and movie nights and anything else that keeps us in touch with our friends. I hope you'll join us.
P.S. I would be remiss if I did not mention my joy over Obama's speech last night. Left me positively verklempt.
June 02, 2008
Birthday Countdown
For those of you not in the know, we are moving to Los Gatos next week. Also, my birthday is coming. Consider yourself informed.
We returned yesterday from our road trip to Oregon. (Check out selected pics.) A few highlights:
We returned yesterday from our road trip to Oregon. (Check out selected pics.) A few highlights:
- We drove up I-5 and down 101 and stayed in three Oregon towns: Medford, Seaside, and Newport. We learned a lot about local history, bought virtually nothing but food, and decided the Prius is not the car for us.
- Oregon's beaches are absolutely gorgeous--sandy, long, easily accessed, and numerous. (They also happen to be lapped by some of the coldest water you'll ever not stick your toe into.)
- Oregon is very hilly.
- I loved the Japanese Gardens in Portland, where the free tour was particularly helpful in showcasing the careful planning of this delightful park. But don't talk on your cell phone while inside.
- I imagine the smell of thousands of roses in full bloom at the famed International Rose Test Garden must be overwhelming on a sunny day. I wouldn't know, as there was neither blooming nor sunshine going on the day we passed through.
- There's a thriving beachtown industry on the Oregon coast, offering all levels of comfort, from hike-in camping and trails to large hotels and vacation home rentals.
- Gasoline is strictly full-serve in Oregon, and prices are still at least $0.25 cheaper per gallon than in California.
- If you like clam chowder, fish and chips, and oysters then you will be well fed on the Oregon coast.
- If you like coffee, then the many non-Starbucks drive through coffee businesses will keep you well caffeinated while in the state.
- S'mores can be made quite satisfactorily in a microwave.
Titled
Not that you asked, but...
We have been engaged in a battle of wills with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles for over a decade now, trying to get the title to our Subaru. Well, had been. Today, finally, the Subaru is truly ours.
This would be the car we've driven for almost 13 years. The one that has been registered to us in four states (counting CA twice). The car that has taken us across the country three times, accumulating more than 175,000 miles along the way. The car we paid off a decade ago. The car which I thought of as the first car I'd ever owned, but that was never legally mine because of inexplicable, bureaucratic confusion (mostly on DMV's end).
Right before we left for Oregon, we received the long-anticipated title from Virginia. I had thoughts of photographing it as a keepsake before turning it in to CA DMV, but when the moment came I was too excited and forgot to get the pic. Instead I rushed over to trade in my massive pile of stapled forms for one receipt and two license plates (which were being held hostage until said title arrived). The woman who helped me laughed at my enhusiasm (she probably doesn't see many people truly excited to be at DMV). But I don't care, because now the "Bubaru" is a recognized member of our family (yes, along with Pavel and Chester and Triple G and all the other non-sentient beings who inhabit our world).
We have been engaged in a battle of wills with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles for over a decade now, trying to get the title to our Subaru. Well, had been. Today, finally, the Subaru is truly ours.
This would be the car we've driven for almost 13 years. The one that has been registered to us in four states (counting CA twice). The car that has taken us across the country three times, accumulating more than 175,000 miles along the way. The car we paid off a decade ago. The car which I thought of as the first car I'd ever owned, but that was never legally mine because of inexplicable, bureaucratic confusion (mostly on DMV's end).
Right before we left for Oregon, we received the long-anticipated title from Virginia. I had thoughts of photographing it as a keepsake before turning it in to CA DMV, but when the moment came I was too excited and forgot to get the pic. Instead I rushed over to trade in my massive pile of stapled forms for one receipt and two license plates (which were being held hostage until said title arrived). The woman who helped me laughed at my enhusiasm (she probably doesn't see many people truly excited to be at DMV). But I don't care, because now the "Bubaru" is a recognized member of our family (yes, along with Pavel and Chester and Triple G and all the other non-sentient beings who inhabit our world).
May 12, 2008
News and Amusements
Today's topics:
I've grown fond of Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Granted when I watch I tend to do so in fast forward, skipping most of the longer segments (I'm not generally a fan of ratings-focused network news; for more balanced, in-depth current events reporting and analysis I strongly recommend you check out The NewsHour and The World). But Olbermann is always free with his opinions in an amusing way, he genuinely seems to care about important issues, and he does raise some good points. And his Worse, Worser, Worst Person of the Day bit at the end of the news countdown is hilarious (albeit often anti-Bush Administration). It's not must-see TV, but it's certainly entertaining. Recommended to liberals and news junkies.
[Warning: I have maybe a higher than average tolerance for graphic--but nonviolent--stories, and others might not like the visual imagery involved in this next paragraph. There, you've been warned....]
Do I live in a weird-news bubble? No one I've asked seems to recall the last time a woman was found on a toilet and had to be removed from the home with outside assistance. Apparently the boyfriend of this 35-year old woman left her sitting for two years because she wanted to be left there. Apparently the boyfriend has no sense of his own. She was there so long that her skin had overgrown the seat (which I can easily imagine, having had a similar skin growth experience with earrings when I was a kid, but that story is for another time). Think that's bad? The latest toilet story involved a 90-year old woman who died on the toilet and was left there for 2 months! Yuck. And it's not like she lived alone; since the woman was on the only toilet in the house, the household had to use a bucket (you can guess for what). They left her there because they thought she wasn't completely dead and they could pray her back to life. What?!
I was struck by this odd double-play of toilet victims, but apparently no one else I know was. Of course, I thought absolutely everyone within hearing distance of a TV or radio would have learned about the Austrian man who fathered 6 kids with his allegedly missing daughter (if you don't know the story I won't share it here). And yet my own brother hadn't heard. And David hadn't heard of it until I told him. (As I was relating the story to my brother, his jaw stuck open in shock, he looked to David who just said, "Oh it gets worse.")
Apparently I am drawn to news of the weird in a way that is not shared by those closest to me. I will thus keep further wacky news to myself and dedicate the remainder of today's posting to more erudite offerings, like public radio, documentaries, and explorations of religious life, in the hopes that I am somewhat redeemed in your eyes. :)
If you've read about the tornado in Picher, Oklahoma, then you probably also read that the town is a Superfund site. There was an interesting documentary about Picher called The Creek Runs Red, which aired on the public television series Independent Lens last fall. It tells the story of the birth and death of Picher's now-we-know-it's-toxic lead mining industry, and the government's recent efforts to empty the area of inhabitants. Many people chose to stay, either for financial or personal history reasons, and the filmmakers do a good job of highlighting the complexity of toxic cleanups in established communities, especially poorer ones. Ah, environmental justice.
The Creek Runs Red is just one of many fascinating documentaries aired on Independent Lens, and I would recommend many others for your viewing pleasure. David and I enjoyed the endearingly simple King Corn recently, even though most of its lessons about modern agricultural production can be learned just as well elsewhere. I was really touched by Hard Road Home, which shows the work of a New York City organization started by an enterprising ex convict dedicated to helping other ex-cons get on with productive lives; alas, as you might expect, it's not all happily ever after. Or check out Knocking to learn more about Jehovah's Witnesses (some of your assumptions about them just might be wrong). I coud go on and on; the series has showcased years' worth of award winning documentaries on every subject under the sun. I highly recommend it.
Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been particularly good lately. It's a daily radio program that airs on NPR stations around the country. Terry (or her guest host) invites writers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, journalists and other observers and creators of interesting stuff to talk about their work for 20-40 minutes. Last Thursday on Fresh Air the guest was Adam Liptak, who contributes articles to the New York Times series American Exception, comparing the American justice system with practices around the world. While the topic could easily turn divisive (we're worse, they're better, and vice versa), Liptak is actually quite guarded in drawing conclusions about which are better approaches. Our way of policing crimes is different from other places, he points out; what I got from him was that it's more interesting (and useful) to contemplate "Why?" and "To what end?" than to assess anyone as better or worse. Back in March, after the whole Obama-Wright brouhaha erupted, Terry spoke with several insiders in the field of Black Liberation Theology, the brand of sermonizing Wright was associated with before becoming something of his own brand. Far from offering an excuse for Wright's words, Dwight Hopkins (talking to Terry on March 31) did contextualize some of them, and provided intriguing insight into the religious and cultural roots of traditional black church sermons. I recommend both of these programs, and Fresh Air in general (subscribe to the Fresh Air podcast, or just listen to the pieces on history of Black Liberation Theology and comparative justice).
I make a point of decompressing my mind (figuratively, not literally) before going to sleep, and amusing bedtime reading is essential in that process. Lately I'd been plowing through a lot of cheesy fiction before hitting a cheesy-fiction wall; then the heavens opened and my inbox notified me that one of my several new book requests at the library had been fulfilled, after months of waiting. The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible is so amusing it's become not only bedtime reading but also start-the-morning-with-a-smile reading as well. In this non-fiction, diary-style book, A.J. Jacobs describes his one-year mission to live the rules of the Old and New Testaments as faithfully as is reasonable in modern times. Some rules were easy to adhere to (and contemplating them offers a nice cultural history lesson, plus a healthy dollop of appreciation for modern living); other rules however were virtually impossible to avoid breaking (and the author's descriptions of trying are some of the funniest moments of the book). The Year of Living Biblically does start a bit unevenly, but I think that once you get the gist of what he's doing and why, it's really quite a nice combo of enlightening and entertaining. Recommended to anyone interested in religion and modern life.
- Counting down the news
- Stuck on the toilet (aka News of the Weird)
- A tornado and a Superfund site in Picher, OK
- Documentaries in the comfort of your living room
- Learning from the radio
- Learning from a funny book
I've grown fond of Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Granted when I watch I tend to do so in fast forward, skipping most of the longer segments (I'm not generally a fan of ratings-focused network news; for more balanced, in-depth current events reporting and analysis I strongly recommend you check out The NewsHour and The World). But Olbermann is always free with his opinions in an amusing way, he genuinely seems to care about important issues, and he does raise some good points. And his Worse, Worser, Worst Person of the Day bit at the end of the news countdown is hilarious (albeit often anti-Bush Administration). It's not must-see TV, but it's certainly entertaining. Recommended to liberals and news junkies.
[Warning: I have maybe a higher than average tolerance for graphic--but nonviolent--stories, and others might not like the visual imagery involved in this next paragraph. There, you've been warned....]
Do I live in a weird-news bubble? No one I've asked seems to recall the last time a woman was found on a toilet and had to be removed from the home with outside assistance. Apparently the boyfriend of this 35-year old woman left her sitting for two years because she wanted to be left there. Apparently the boyfriend has no sense of his own. She was there so long that her skin had overgrown the seat (which I can easily imagine, having had a similar skin growth experience with earrings when I was a kid, but that story is for another time). Think that's bad? The latest toilet story involved a 90-year old woman who died on the toilet and was left there for 2 months! Yuck. And it's not like she lived alone; since the woman was on the only toilet in the house, the household had to use a bucket (you can guess for what). They left her there because they thought she wasn't completely dead and they could pray her back to life. What?!
I was struck by this odd double-play of toilet victims, but apparently no one else I know was. Of course, I thought absolutely everyone within hearing distance of a TV or radio would have learned about the Austrian man who fathered 6 kids with his allegedly missing daughter (if you don't know the story I won't share it here). And yet my own brother hadn't heard. And David hadn't heard of it until I told him. (As I was relating the story to my brother, his jaw stuck open in shock, he looked to David who just said, "Oh it gets worse.")
Apparently I am drawn to news of the weird in a way that is not shared by those closest to me. I will thus keep further wacky news to myself and dedicate the remainder of today's posting to more erudite offerings, like public radio, documentaries, and explorations of religious life, in the hopes that I am somewhat redeemed in your eyes. :)
If you've read about the tornado in Picher, Oklahoma, then you probably also read that the town is a Superfund site. There was an interesting documentary about Picher called The Creek Runs Red, which aired on the public television series Independent Lens last fall. It tells the story of the birth and death of Picher's now-we-know-it's-toxic lead mining industry, and the government's recent efforts to empty the area of inhabitants. Many people chose to stay, either for financial or personal history reasons, and the filmmakers do a good job of highlighting the complexity of toxic cleanups in established communities, especially poorer ones. Ah, environmental justice.
The Creek Runs Red is just one of many fascinating documentaries aired on Independent Lens, and I would recommend many others for your viewing pleasure. David and I enjoyed the endearingly simple King Corn recently, even though most of its lessons about modern agricultural production can be learned just as well elsewhere. I was really touched by Hard Road Home, which shows the work of a New York City organization started by an enterprising ex convict dedicated to helping other ex-cons get on with productive lives; alas, as you might expect, it's not all happily ever after. Or check out Knocking to learn more about Jehovah's Witnesses (some of your assumptions about them just might be wrong). I coud go on and on; the series has showcased years' worth of award winning documentaries on every subject under the sun. I highly recommend it.
Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been particularly good lately. It's a daily radio program that airs on NPR stations around the country. Terry (or her guest host) invites writers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, journalists and other observers and creators of interesting stuff to talk about their work for 20-40 minutes. Last Thursday on Fresh Air the guest was Adam Liptak, who contributes articles to the New York Times series American Exception, comparing the American justice system with practices around the world. While the topic could easily turn divisive (we're worse, they're better, and vice versa), Liptak is actually quite guarded in drawing conclusions about which are better approaches. Our way of policing crimes is different from other places, he points out; what I got from him was that it's more interesting (and useful) to contemplate "Why?" and "To what end?" than to assess anyone as better or worse. Back in March, after the whole Obama-Wright brouhaha erupted, Terry spoke with several insiders in the field of Black Liberation Theology, the brand of sermonizing Wright was associated with before becoming something of his own brand. Far from offering an excuse for Wright's words, Dwight Hopkins (talking to Terry on March 31) did contextualize some of them, and provided intriguing insight into the religious and cultural roots of traditional black church sermons. I recommend both of these programs, and Fresh Air in general (subscribe to the Fresh Air podcast, or just listen to the pieces on history of Black Liberation Theology and comparative justice).
I make a point of decompressing my mind (figuratively, not literally) before going to sleep, and amusing bedtime reading is essential in that process. Lately I'd been plowing through a lot of cheesy fiction before hitting a cheesy-fiction wall; then the heavens opened and my inbox notified me that one of my several new book requests at the library had been fulfilled, after months of waiting. The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible is so amusing it's become not only bedtime reading but also start-the-morning-with-a-smile reading as well. In this non-fiction, diary-style book, A.J. Jacobs describes his one-year mission to live the rules of the Old and New Testaments as faithfully as is reasonable in modern times. Some rules were easy to adhere to (and contemplating them offers a nice cultural history lesson, plus a healthy dollop of appreciation for modern living); other rules however were virtually impossible to avoid breaking (and the author's descriptions of trying are some of the funniest moments of the book). The Year of Living Biblically does start a bit unevenly, but I think that once you get the gist of what he's doing and why, it's really quite a nice combo of enlightening and entertaining. Recommended to anyone interested in religion and modern life.
May 01, 2008
Moving On
I've been struggling with moving on lately, letting go of things that occupy me (like the inefficiencies of the Stanford emergency room, but that's part of a story for another time). Sometimes not being able to let go is a bad thing (and in my case very annoying to David). But sometimes not wanting to let go is a natural thing, and quite reasonable.
David and I are finalizing our plans to move down to Los Gatos. Unpacking and settling into our newest home will be good, but the locale puts me a bit beyond easy driving range to get to my brother and his family. Soon I will have to say goodbye to my thrice-weekly Tae Kwon Do appointments with my nephew. I hope he looks back on our increased time together these past few months fondly. I know I will.
David and I are finalizing our plans to move down to Los Gatos. Unpacking and settling into our newest home will be good, but the locale puts me a bit beyond easy driving range to get to my brother and his family. Soon I will have to say goodbye to my thrice-weekly Tae Kwon Do appointments with my nephew. I hope he looks back on our increased time together these past few months fondly. I know I will.
April 29, 2008
Common Sense for VP
Editorial cartoons might not change anything, but they can make the frustration a bit less painful. And it's always nice to know I am not alone.
So, what's a fiscal conservative, social liberal to do these days? Any good ideas out there for making government more efficient (or at least less wasteful)? Where is Dave when I need him?
So, what's a fiscal conservative, social liberal to do these days? Any good ideas out there for making government more efficient (or at least less wasteful)? Where is Dave when I need him?
April 28, 2008
Hope lives
I've heard various people remark that whichever Democratic candidate gets the nomination will get their vote. This tends to come from likely Democratic voters anyway, so it's not really a surprise. It's a nice time to be a Democrat, and most loyal party voters are content with either candidate. Usually I like having two good options, but in this case I'm just not so happy to have the choice.
I am one of those who rather irrationally dislikes the presidential-hopeful version of Hillary Rodham Clinton, and I don't like feeling this way. I respect her background in various public welfare type organizations. Her experience in Washington during Bill's presidency, although peripheral, is useful. She's probably a fine Senator (arguable, but it's a relative matter anyway). I adore the idea of breaking this political glass ceiling and electing a female President. And I think Bill would be a better first spouse than Michelle (though I do not feel as others do that having him back at the White House will make any meaningful difference whatsoever).
There, I've ventured into the realm of irrelevant, so I might as well go further. I can't put my finger on it, and maybe I'm just in a cranky mood every time I hear her speak, but Hillary's speeches and quips and debate replies tend to bug the crap out of me. I should capitalize that last bit, I feel it so strongly. I cannot listen to her speak without getting really irritated at some point. Don't misunderstand me--I don't hate her or object to her just out of hand. I agree with her stand on many issues, and give her credit for some really great answers. Too often, though, she seems phoney, opportunistic, lacking political integrity (yes, there is such a thing), a tad whiney, and I would trust her sticking to what she says only as far as I could throw her (which ain't that far).
But would I vote for her come November? Given the option of her versus McCain I'd probably have to go with her (he has a few pluses, but not in enough areas to outweigh the minuses). Anyway, I am hoping to not have to make that choice. I have lived with hope for a very long time. A few more weeks and months won't hurt me.
I am one of those who rather irrationally dislikes the presidential-hopeful version of Hillary Rodham Clinton, and I don't like feeling this way. I respect her background in various public welfare type organizations. Her experience in Washington during Bill's presidency, although peripheral, is useful. She's probably a fine Senator (arguable, but it's a relative matter anyway). I adore the idea of breaking this political glass ceiling and electing a female President. And I think Bill would be a better first spouse than Michelle (though I do not feel as others do that having him back at the White House will make any meaningful difference whatsoever).
There, I've ventured into the realm of irrelevant, so I might as well go further. I can't put my finger on it, and maybe I'm just in a cranky mood every time I hear her speak, but Hillary's speeches and quips and debate replies tend to bug the crap out of me. I should capitalize that last bit, I feel it so strongly. I cannot listen to her speak without getting really irritated at some point. Don't misunderstand me--I don't hate her or object to her just out of hand. I agree with her stand on many issues, and give her credit for some really great answers. Too often, though, she seems phoney, opportunistic, lacking political integrity (yes, there is such a thing), a tad whiney, and I would trust her sticking to what she says only as far as I could throw her (which ain't that far).
But would I vote for her come November? Given the option of her versus McCain I'd probably have to go with her (he has a few pluses, but not in enough areas to outweigh the minuses). Anyway, I am hoping to not have to make that choice. I have lived with hope for a very long time. A few more weeks and months won't hurt me.
April 10, 2008
Deal with it
Too often research findings are intriguing but muddling. How often have you heard about a new study that makes you realize what you previously thought is in fact wrong? How are we supposed to deal with being told we're wrong, or worse, possibly wrong? I say go with door number 3.
Go play this online simulation game and test out your success with decision making using 2 goats as undesirables and 1 car as desired outcome. It's called a Monty Hall problem in honor of the Let's Make a Deal host (and his use of 3 doors, behind one of which is the best prize of all).
Now read this news story which explains how in a 3-choice situation where you've already made your decision, if you are shown one of the other 2 outcomes (and it's undesirable), then you will have better odds of getting what you wanted by switching to the last available option. The more you play, the closer you get to a statistical fact: You have a 66% chance of choosing the desired outcome by switching after being shown location of one undesired outcome.
Have you ever worked with someone who would not back down from their decision? Chances are you've done it yourself, too, even when you feel in your gut that it might not be the best option? Why after making decisions do we often tell ourselves, "I made the right choice. It just didn't work out this time," even when there is evidence to the contrary available? The answer: Because we want to feel good about ourselves in order to keep going each day. Plus, we aren't in the habit of looking for evidence to the contrary of our beliefs. We all just want to feel that we are OK, so we seek out or create justifications and affirmations of our decision. (Read more about the concepts of irrational escalation and cognitive dissonance.)
No big deal, right? This is fine when you're talking about the decision to buy a shirt that turned out to be really tacky (and you don't realize it till months later, after you've worn it in public countless times). But this is not fine when you're talking about bankrupting your family because you buy multiple tacky shirts and instead of adjusting your shopping habits and tastes based on inklings of a problem backed by outsiders' negative feedback, you just go out and buy more or different. There's a matter of scale.
Last year I attended a talk given by retired UCSC professor Elliott Aronson on the subject of his new book, Mistakes were made (but not by me): Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts. Aronson, a social psychologist, always has amusingly thought provoking stories to share. In this case he and Carol Tavris were exploring the idea of sticking to decisions, even when faced with evidence that the decision was a bad one, and the very slippery slope of justifying behavior. While such behavior does have its tragic downside (and several chapters of this fascinating book detail the very scary consequences of ignoring counter-evidence), some amount of self-justification is a necessary and useful part of human nature.
Life Lesson 1
Alrighty then, escalation of commitment to bad choices is obviously not a good thing, but how are we to know we're doing it? Hint: Self awareness is a good thing. Another hint: Ignoring criticism and surrounding yourself with "Yes"-people is not a good thing. Maybe I didn't need this book to teach me that, but it's a provocative read and a good tool for self examination and improvement, which I think is another good thing.
Life Lesson 2
There is no way to always get the car; you're going to end up with a few goats. Deal with it, learn from it, move on. And don't forget to tell yourself, "I am OK," because, unless you are currently under attack by that goat behind door 2, it's true.
Go play this online simulation game and test out your success with decision making using 2 goats as undesirables and 1 car as desired outcome. It's called a Monty Hall problem in honor of the Let's Make a Deal host (and his use of 3 doors, behind one of which is the best prize of all).
Now read this news story which explains how in a 3-choice situation where you've already made your decision, if you are shown one of the other 2 outcomes (and it's undesirable), then you will have better odds of getting what you wanted by switching to the last available option. The more you play, the closer you get to a statistical fact: You have a 66% chance of choosing the desired outcome by switching after being shown location of one undesired outcome.
[W]hen you stick with Door 1, you’ll win only if your original choice was correct, which happens only 1 in 3 times on average. If you switch, you’ll win whenever your original choice was wrong, which happens 2 out of 3 times.Fascinating, right? The trouble is, the above three-door situation presents something of a false choice. In reality our choices are not all equal. Maybe we chose door number 1 because 1 is our lucky number; when shown that door 2 yields a bad outcome, changing away from 1 to 3 in order to get better odds is dependent upon the depth of my feelings toward both 1 and 3. Our real-life choices tend to be based on a long (and often undefined) list of desires and assumptions. Plus, the items behind the so-called door aren't necessarily static, but evolving and dependent upon their own complex set of decisions. So maybe the Monty Hall problem is just an entertaining mindgame to challenge our assumptions. At the same time, such research still illustrates the fact that committing to one choice isn't always the best way, even after being shown that an alternate path didn't work out (just because the other guy failed does not mean you have a 50-50 chance).
Have you ever worked with someone who would not back down from their decision? Chances are you've done it yourself, too, even when you feel in your gut that it might not be the best option? Why after making decisions do we often tell ourselves, "I made the right choice. It just didn't work out this time," even when there is evidence to the contrary available? The answer: Because we want to feel good about ourselves in order to keep going each day. Plus, we aren't in the habit of looking for evidence to the contrary of our beliefs. We all just want to feel that we are OK, so we seek out or create justifications and affirmations of our decision. (Read more about the concepts of irrational escalation and cognitive dissonance.)
No big deal, right? This is fine when you're talking about the decision to buy a shirt that turned out to be really tacky (and you don't realize it till months later, after you've worn it in public countless times). But this is not fine when you're talking about bankrupting your family because you buy multiple tacky shirts and instead of adjusting your shopping habits and tastes based on inklings of a problem backed by outsiders' negative feedback, you just go out and buy more or different. There's a matter of scale.
Last year I attended a talk given by retired UCSC professor Elliott Aronson on the subject of his new book, Mistakes were made (but not by me): Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts. Aronson, a social psychologist, always has amusingly thought provoking stories to share. In this case he and Carol Tavris were exploring the idea of sticking to decisions, even when faced with evidence that the decision was a bad one, and the very slippery slope of justifying behavior. While such behavior does have its tragic downside (and several chapters of this fascinating book detail the very scary consequences of ignoring counter-evidence), some amount of self-justification is a necessary and useful part of human nature.
The mind wants to protect itself from the pain of dissonance with the balm of self-justification; but the soul wants to confess. To reduce dissonance, most of us put an enormous amount of mental and physical energy into protecting ourselves and propping up our self-esteem when it sags under the realization that we have been foolish, gullible, mistaken, corrupted, or otherwise human. And yet, much of the time, all this investment of energy is surprisingly unnecessary. (pp 216-217)I'll let you read the book yourself to find out why they argue this to be the case. In the meantime, here's the joke which opened the chapter:
A man travels many miles to consult the wisest guru in the land. When he arrives, he asks the wise man: "Oh, wise guru, what is the secret of a happy life?"The authors present some pointed political commentary and are clearly no fans of President Bush's executive management in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the fundamental lessons of Mistakes Were Made are not political at all and ought not be dismissed due to subject matter chosen for examples. (This review does a great job of pointing out the pros and cons of the book.) After all, no one is perfect. :)
"Good judgment," says the guru.
"But oh, wise guru," says the man, "how do I achieve good judgment?"
"Bad judgment," says the guru.
Life Lesson 1
Errors are inherent in baseball, as they are in medicine, business, science, law, love, and life. In the final analysis, the test of a nation's character, and of an individual's integrity, does not depend on being error free. It depends on what we do after making the error. (p 235)Amen to that.
Alrighty then, escalation of commitment to bad choices is obviously not a good thing, but how are we to know we're doing it? Hint: Self awareness is a good thing. Another hint: Ignoring criticism and surrounding yourself with "Yes"-people is not a good thing. Maybe I didn't need this book to teach me that, but it's a provocative read and a good tool for self examination and improvement, which I think is another good thing.
Life Lesson 2
There is no way to always get the car; you're going to end up with a few goats. Deal with it, learn from it, move on. And don't forget to tell yourself, "I am OK," because, unless you are currently under attack by that goat behind door 2, it's true.
April 09, 2008
Snuffed Out
Today I went to San Francisco to watch the Olympic Torch Relay. Here's a list of things I encountered there: 
- A lot of people waving gigantic Chinese national flags.
- Train cars and vans full of pro-China attendees, most carrying Chinese flags.
- Several arguments between small groups of Chinese nationals and frustrated middle aged American men.
- Chants of "Li-ar! Li-ar! Li-ar!" as anti-China/pro-Tibet protestors passed by.
- Counterchants, intended to be said just ahead of the above, of "Chi-na! Chi-na! Chi-na!" (To clarify, this last was said by the anti-Chinese government protesters, meaning presumably the pro-China ones were claiming honesty for their own government.)
- A fair number of ridiculous and superficial barbs hurled from both sides.
- More Tibetans (or Tibetan-looking people, I didn't stop to ask or question their ethnicity) than I will likely ever see in one place again, unless I someday travel to Tibet.
- Various pro-Turkmenistan and pro-Burma demonstrators, as well as many combinations of other anti-China message promoters ("China out of..." followed by a list, for example).
- A lot of "stop the genocide" sort of generic protest signs (to which I wanted to ask just which genocide they were referring exactly, because really, this is a rather big request to be just bandying about inefficiently).
- Countless "Another [fill in the blank] for a free Tibet" and "China: Listen to the Dalai Lama" signs, some alongside anti-Dalai Lama signs.
- A rather well organized and thoroughly peaceful multi-generational group of green-clad Save Darfur demonstrators, standing along the road behind professionally made banners and large clusters of green balloons.
- A megaphoned message from an unseen individual several hours later and a mile up the road, announcing, "Attention Darfur people, we need everyone to go to Justin Herman Plaza. Do NOT let the torch reach the closing ceremony!"
- One of the cheesiest cover band performances ever, on stage at the planned site of closing ceremony.
- Pot smoking, incense burning, whistle blowing, and meditation bell chiming.
- Three naked men standing in the middle of the Embarcardero engaged in some sort of peaceful political commentary which I missed because I was trying to get a picture of them all lined up and kept getting blocked by others trying to do the same.
- A family of balloon artists cranking out red and yellow hats decorated on front with Olympic rings.
- More reporters than I have ever seen at any event in my life, and I've attended some pretty large or at least significant events.
- A lot of people apparently there on this beautiful day to just peacefully and happily watch the torch and surrounding events, not cause any sort of a ruckus. (How much of a ruckus can you cause in a suit on your lunch hour or while carrying a toddler?)
- A lot of people waiting all along the planned route--but also room for even more people (it was never difficult to find an open space along the barricades to easily view torch passing, that is, if the torch had ever passed it would have been easy enough to get a front row view).
- A lot of confusion about where the torch was and when it would be appearing.
- A gorgeous, lively day spent along the waterfront of San Francisco.
- A litter problem
- Violence
- Out of control crowds
- Concessions of any kind (and I'm not referring to the food variety)
- Exertion in attempting to dissuade crowds from gathering along or entering the proposed route
- The torch (sigh)
April 07, 2008
Another gorgeous day
Two days before heading up to San Francisco for the Olympic torch relay, I went to show off the town to Jason, visiting from Houston. We saw all sorts of interesting stuff (like the most expensive residential block in the US and cool pics of historic Cliff House), but what did I get a picture of to show for my day? Me standing in pitch black at base of Coit Tower. So you'll just have to take my word for it: It was a gorgeous day.
March 31, 2008
Meaningful tangents
One thing I enjoy in big election years is when interesting and discussion-worthy topics come to the fore, bringing opportunities for regular folks to educate themselves and engage in thoughtful conversations. Alas such topics tend to arise as part of something being taken out of context and blown up into a near-scandal for CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News to bandy about, and the discussions people have are too often focused on who's right, who's wrong, and other superficialities. Still, I like that the possibility of thoughtful discussion rises with intriguing pseudo-scandals.
Today just such an opportunity was explored beautifully from WHYY/NPR's Fresh Air. The program featured several speakers describing, explaining, and contextualizing black churches and the person at the center of the Barack Obama-Jeremiah Wright debate. Absolutely fascinating. The second speaker, Dwight Hopkins, was particularly thought provoking in his comments. I highly recommend listening to the broadcast all the way through (about 40 minutes, as I recall), or reading more about the program. (You can also listen to Fresh Air episodes for free as a podcast using iTunes.)
You might have noticed my Change Congress label in the sidebar. This is part of a campaign led by law professor/free culture advocate/concerned citizen Lawrence Lessig which I encourage you all to get to know, and is another example of something good happening this election year. Lessig considered and then declined possibility of running for Congress here in the Bay Area, but he is still very much interested in making that elective body a better functioning, less money/influence-distorted than it currently is. What an idea, huh? I love it! Anyway, Lessig always gives interesting speeches, most of which are shown or discussed on his blog. A great intro to Lessig's signature presentation style and an all around interesting talk given recently can be viewed and commented on here.
Now go forth and educate. :)
Today just such an opportunity was explored beautifully from WHYY/NPR's Fresh Air. The program featured several speakers describing, explaining, and contextualizing black churches and the person at the center of the Barack Obama-Jeremiah Wright debate. Absolutely fascinating. The second speaker, Dwight Hopkins, was particularly thought provoking in his comments. I highly recommend listening to the broadcast all the way through (about 40 minutes, as I recall), or reading more about the program. (You can also listen to Fresh Air episodes for free as a podcast using iTunes.)
You might have noticed my Change Congress label in the sidebar. This is part of a campaign led by law professor/free culture advocate/concerned citizen Lawrence Lessig which I encourage you all to get to know, and is another example of something good happening this election year. Lessig considered and then declined possibility of running for Congress here in the Bay Area, but he is still very much interested in making that elective body a better functioning, less money/influence-distorted than it currently is. What an idea, huh? I love it! Anyway, Lessig always gives interesting speeches, most of which are shown or discussed on his blog. A great intro to Lessig's signature presentation style and an all around interesting talk given recently can be viewed and commented on here.
Now go forth and educate. :)
March 30, 2008
Moving up
It's been a while, so I wanted to check in. I can't say anything exciting has been going on in our lives, but we have certainly been busy with mundane stuff--cars, houses, family.
Our Volkswagen Golf died quite suddenly last month, just after its 7th birthday. Luckily the car went kaput within a mile of our house and at the end of David's 60-mile daily roundtrip commute. The experience has taught me to replace the timing belt for an interference-type engine (such as a turbo) anytime after 50,000 miles when you have a thousand dollars to spare, regardless of whether the manufacturer says car has reached time to replace it or not. Much advice was sought about what to do with the dead car. We faced as little as $2,000 in repairs, more likely $5,000, and possibly a whole new engine. David was out of town a lot right after the Golf died, so we got by on one car and a very nice loaner from dad for a while, but last week we had to bite the bullet. When we did the math on fix/keep/sell/trade-in, we decided trying for good trade-in could be best for us, and I began negotiating with car sales people (always a pleasure). Amazingly, VW offered a fair value for the Golf, and we moved up into a silver 2008 Jetta SE.
It's basically the Golf with a trunk, (heated) leather seats, Tiptronic option, built-in iPod thingy (not the actual name), and a 6-disc CD player. It's like we just remodeled the car. Alas, with 10,000 miles per year, Jetta (to be named) will be used on a scheduled-mileage basis only. Now knock on wood that our 1996 Subaru (which has 171,000+ miles on it) keeps going strong. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love my Subaru? And that I am also welcoming to newcomers? I don't want the new car to feel unwelcome.)
Our move-up plans for the car were unintended, but moving up in residences is a planned event. These past few months most of my weekend afternoons (and several weekday ones) have been dedicated to scouting out houses in Redwood City, San Carlos, and San Mateo. Moving 20 miles north will do wonders for David's commute, and allow us to move David's grandfather in with us. We've been looking primarily at 3 bedroom, 2 bath houses, but that turns out to encompass a very wide variety of options (and a dizzying array from slums to mansions). Not knowing these three cities all that well, it's taken a while to figure out what's a good deal and what's less important to us than others (realtors are all gaga over San Carlos and its schools, but I find the houses there overpriced and small, and the area rather pretentious).
Last weekend we went to the open house for a place in Redwood City that seemed to fit all our basic wants/needs: it's affordable, has ground floor bedroom, is in a good neighborhood, has a rental unit, and has two living spaces (living room, family room); plus it's got a lovely yard. Today we went for another look, dragging family along with us for a second opinion. I have not set my heart on it, so others' honest feedback will not shatter me. Take a look at 402 Upton and tell me what you think. If you are really interested, I can share the ups and downs of the property, according to our opinions and the inspector's report.
In family history news, I have made contact with another Eugeni in the world (he might be the reason for my doppelganger; we didn't get personal enough in our chitchat for me to question his wife's naming rights). Anyway, I've not uncovered any known connection between Eugeni clans yet, but it's exciting to learn anything new for my genealogy work. Then last week I identified a long lost relative, though only her first name.
My great grandfather Costanzo had a niece named Gina who sent postcards from Italy between 1917 and 1920 (my cousin showed me these postcards, not understanding who they were from). Gina would be my first cousin twice removed. Hopefully this info becomes useful in connecting to distant relatives at some later date. Maybe I'm even related to Barack and Brad. Now there's some motivation to keep up my genealogy searches. :)
Our Volkswagen Golf died quite suddenly last month, just after its 7th birthday. Luckily the car went kaput within a mile of our house and at the end of David's 60-mile daily roundtrip commute. The experience has taught me to replace the timing belt for an interference-type engine (such as a turbo) anytime after 50,000 miles when you have a thousand dollars to spare, regardless of whether the manufacturer says car has reached time to replace it or not. Much advice was sought about what to do with the dead car. We faced as little as $2,000 in repairs, more likely $5,000, and possibly a whole new engine. David was out of town a lot right after the Golf died, so we got by on one car and a very nice loaner from dad for a while, but last week we had to bite the bullet. When we did the math on fix/keep/sell/trade-in, we decided trying for good trade-in could be best for us, and I began negotiating with car sales people (always a pleasure). Amazingly, VW offered a fair value for the Golf, and we moved up into a silver 2008 Jetta SE.
It's basically the Golf with a trunk, (heated) leather seats, Tiptronic option, built-in iPod thingy (not the actual name), and a 6-disc CD player. It's like we just remodeled the car. Alas, with 10,000 miles per year, Jetta (to be named) will be used on a scheduled-mileage basis only. Now knock on wood that our 1996 Subaru (which has 171,000+ miles on it) keeps going strong. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love my Subaru? And that I am also welcoming to newcomers? I don't want the new car to feel unwelcome.)Our move-up plans for the car were unintended, but moving up in residences is a planned event. These past few months most of my weekend afternoons (and several weekday ones) have been dedicated to scouting out houses in Redwood City, San Carlos, and San Mateo. Moving 20 miles north will do wonders for David's commute, and allow us to move David's grandfather in with us. We've been looking primarily at 3 bedroom, 2 bath houses, but that turns out to encompass a very wide variety of options (and a dizzying array from slums to mansions). Not knowing these three cities all that well, it's taken a while to figure out what's a good deal and what's less important to us than others (realtors are all gaga over San Carlos and its schools, but I find the houses there overpriced and small, and the area rather pretentious).
Last weekend we went to the open house for a place in Redwood City that seemed to fit all our basic wants/needs: it's affordable, has ground floor bedroom, is in a good neighborhood, has a rental unit, and has two living spaces (living room, family room); plus it's got a lovely yard. Today we went for another look, dragging family along with us for a second opinion. I have not set my heart on it, so others' honest feedback will not shatter me. Take a look at 402 Upton and tell me what you think. If you are really interested, I can share the ups and downs of the property, according to our opinions and the inspector's report.
In family history news, I have made contact with another Eugeni in the world (he might be the reason for my doppelganger; we didn't get personal enough in our chitchat for me to question his wife's naming rights). Anyway, I've not uncovered any known connection between Eugeni clans yet, but it's exciting to learn anything new for my genealogy work. Then last week I identified a long lost relative, though only her first name.
My great grandfather Costanzo had a niece named Gina who sent postcards from Italy between 1917 and 1920 (my cousin showed me these postcards, not understanding who they were from). Gina would be my first cousin twice removed. Hopefully this info becomes useful in connecting to distant relatives at some later date. Maybe I'm even related to Barack and Brad. Now there's some motivation to keep up my genealogy searches. :)
March 13, 2008
Time Wasters
Today's Fun Stuff post brings you another recommended website which is basically useless but will keep you entertained on your lunch hour: Neatorama. Like BoingBoing ("A directory of wonderful things"), Neatorama features commentary on and links to unusual things around the Web. I was hooked when I saw references to MythBusters and the Bathroom Reader. Neatorama's links are posted by a cadre of contributors, most of whom maintain blogs elsewhere. Among their recent contributions: things it's (generally) impossible to do with your body, odd museums worth visiting, and John Doe names from around the world.
March 10, 2008
Traffic Jams
I love the Freakonomics blog and I love Scientific American Frontiers with Alan Alda. Today the two converged (cue heavenly light-and-sound show). Both have now discussed the cause of many needless traffic backups: the speeding and braking habits of stop-and-go drivers.
If someone driving in front of you brakes, most people tend to hit their brakes. Then the car behind brakes too, and this keeps going way back, until the slowdown is way behind the location of the original reason for braking. Basically, by braking in traffic you are perpetuating and probably extending a slow spot. The solution? As Alan Alda discovered nearly a decade ago and the Freakonomics guys reported on today, it's best for all concerned if drivers would maintain constant but slower speeds and not brake at every brake light in front of us. Try to always maintain a bit of distance in front of you (if someone cuts into the space, ease off gas a touch to create a distance again).
Change your driving habit to emphasize slow and steady instead of constantly accelerating and then having to brake. Take your foot off the accelerator to maintain or maximize the gap between you and car in front of you. You will get there just as quick, if not faster, your car will have less wear and tear, you'll be less frustrated, less likely to rear-end someone, less likely to be rear-ended, and you will not be contributing to pointless traffic jams. Sounds like an all around win. Now go spread the word!
In other news...
I was elated tonight to hear one of my fave bands, stellastarr*, played on a national commercial. Their song "My Coco" is used on an ad for the new Fox show The Return of Jezebel James, starring Parker Posey.
If someone driving in front of you brakes, most people tend to hit their brakes. Then the car behind brakes too, and this keeps going way back, until the slowdown is way behind the location of the original reason for braking. Basically, by braking in traffic you are perpetuating and probably extending a slow spot. The solution? As Alan Alda discovered nearly a decade ago and the Freakonomics guys reported on today, it's best for all concerned if drivers would maintain constant but slower speeds and not brake at every brake light in front of us. Try to always maintain a bit of distance in front of you (if someone cuts into the space, ease off gas a touch to create a distance again).
Change your driving habit to emphasize slow and steady instead of constantly accelerating and then having to brake. Take your foot off the accelerator to maintain or maximize the gap between you and car in front of you. You will get there just as quick, if not faster, your car will have less wear and tear, you'll be less frustrated, less likely to rear-end someone, less likely to be rear-ended, and you will not be contributing to pointless traffic jams. Sounds like an all around win. Now go spread the word!
In other news...
I was elated tonight to hear one of my fave bands, stellastarr*, played on a national commercial. Their song "My Coco" is used on an ad for the new Fox show The Return of Jezebel James, starring Parker Posey.
February 27, 2008
Dazed and Coughing
Friday night I went to see the San Jose Ballet perform Swan Lake. It was fine, costumes were lovely (though I hated the bad guy's full get-up), music was good, crowd was supportive, etc. Alas, I also spent the evening fighting an insane desire to clear my lungs. I thought it was latent asthma, a reaction to dry cleaning chemicals, something unusual like that, but many hours later, after I'd used up half of David's stash of cough drops during the performance, I could not deny that it was much more mundane--I had the flu. The following few days are a blur. I tell you all this in advance of my next comments, because I cannot attest that the views expressed herein are not simply the result of a prolonged fever haze....
Yippee for me that I was lifelessly bundled on the sofa this rainy day weekend, because both Michael Clayton and Harry Potter arrived to visit me!
Contemporary drama Michael Clayton fit my mood particularly well, with its stark stylings and straightforward suspense. The eponymous character, played by George Clooney (as if you didn't know), is a fixer with a law firm. Among other problems on his slate, he's trying to rein in a colleague whose manic behavior threatens an important case for agribusiness client U/North. The movie's cast is solid, and though primary story centers on Clayton, others are given depth enough of their own (Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, and Tom Wilkinson are, as always, very good). In hindsight it seems like dialogue was minimal, action was too, but it felt like a lot was going on. Lucky for me, because I couldn't have handled more complexity than this at the time. The pace is deliberate, the clues reinforced thoughtfully without a hammer, and there's not a whiff of sappiness. Recommended for patient drama fans.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix kept me entertained while my teeth chattered--that's saying something, right? Here Harry is a moody, lonely, self absorbed teenager. Back at Hogwarts after an isolated summer and averted expulsion, Harry believes that Dumbledore is ignoring him. He's personally witnessed the return of Voldemort, but few believe him. And he knows the new Defense Against Dark Arts (DADA) instructor is tormenting him (Imelda Staunton is fantastic as the evil Umbridge). All Harry wants is to help out with the growing underground movement to fight, which is what he eventually does by breaking the rules and training an army of students in DADA (no, not dada). Good stuff, right? Okay, the scene changes were too jarring in many cases for my addled brain, and I was lucky to have read the book so I could fill in many explanatory details that were left out, but the adaptation seemed overall very successful. And the look of this movie was wonderful, much better than most of the previous incarnations (Cuaron's Prisoner of Azkaban laid the groundwork for a darker Harry Potter world quite nicely). I also liked casting of Luna, minimal appearance of Hagrid (sorry, Hagrid fans), and flashback footage which added cohesion to series. Recommended as a must see for followers of story, and a much better entry for those new to the series than the last film.
Finally, I would be remiss without mentioning the Oscars. I thought this year's clothes were unexceptional (see what I care about?). I discovered that Ryan Seacrest is pretty funny. I thought Jon Stewart--who I like--used too many political jokes (hello, this is a movie awards show. Mix it up!). Amy Adams singing is a million times more charming than Kristen Chenoweth singing. My favorite moment was when the folks who starred in the lovely Irish indie film Once won for best song. Seriously, after that, I didn't care who won. And that's not just the Nyquil speaking.
Yippee for me that I was lifelessly bundled on the sofa this rainy day weekend, because both Michael Clayton and Harry Potter arrived to visit me!
Contemporary drama Michael Clayton fit my mood particularly well, with its stark stylings and straightforward suspense. The eponymous character, played by George Clooney (as if you didn't know), is a fixer with a law firm. Among other problems on his slate, he's trying to rein in a colleague whose manic behavior threatens an important case for agribusiness client U/North. The movie's cast is solid, and though primary story centers on Clayton, others are given depth enough of their own (Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, and Tom Wilkinson are, as always, very good). In hindsight it seems like dialogue was minimal, action was too, but it felt like a lot was going on. Lucky for me, because I couldn't have handled more complexity than this at the time. The pace is deliberate, the clues reinforced thoughtfully without a hammer, and there's not a whiff of sappiness. Recommended for patient drama fans.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix kept me entertained while my teeth chattered--that's saying something, right? Here Harry is a moody, lonely, self absorbed teenager. Back at Hogwarts after an isolated summer and averted expulsion, Harry believes that Dumbledore is ignoring him. He's personally witnessed the return of Voldemort, but few believe him. And he knows the new Defense Against Dark Arts (DADA) instructor is tormenting him (Imelda Staunton is fantastic as the evil Umbridge). All Harry wants is to help out with the growing underground movement to fight, which is what he eventually does by breaking the rules and training an army of students in DADA (no, not dada). Good stuff, right? Okay, the scene changes were too jarring in many cases for my addled brain, and I was lucky to have read the book so I could fill in many explanatory details that were left out, but the adaptation seemed overall very successful. And the look of this movie was wonderful, much better than most of the previous incarnations (Cuaron's Prisoner of Azkaban laid the groundwork for a darker Harry Potter world quite nicely). I also liked casting of Luna, minimal appearance of Hagrid (sorry, Hagrid fans), and flashback footage which added cohesion to series. Recommended as a must see for followers of story, and a much better entry for those new to the series than the last film.
Finally, I would be remiss without mentioning the Oscars. I thought this year's clothes were unexceptional (see what I care about?). I discovered that Ryan Seacrest is pretty funny. I thought Jon Stewart--who I like--used too many political jokes (hello, this is a movie awards show. Mix it up!). Amy Adams singing is a million times more charming than Kristen Chenoweth singing. My favorite moment was when the folks who starred in the lovely Irish indie film Once won for best song. Seriously, after that, I didn't care who won. And that's not just the Nyquil speaking.
February 22, 2008
Follow my rules
Not that you asked, but...
I am by nature a rule follower. From childhood on, when I've observed rule breaking, I have tended to get rather holier than thou in my response. Fortunately with age I have developed a healthier co-attitude. I now recognize that sometimes rules are dumb or ill-conceived, and that common sense dictates a different--and reasonable direction. I also see where it's in breaking the rules that big breakthroughs are occasionally made (though this last one is very risky, and I am also by nature risk averse). Anyway, my righteous indignation still burns deep, and occasionally an issue arises that brings the fire to the surface.
As my friends and regular readers know, I am an Obama supporter. I'd like to think that my reaction to the Clinton campaign's comments and actions with regard to the Michigan and Florida Democratic primaries has little to do with partisanship. I don't honestly know. What I do know is that the continued sound bites on the subject are irritating me, because I see someone breaking the rules for their own political gain.
Here's the deal: the Democratic parties in Michigan and Florida moved up their primary election dates without permission of the Democratic National Committee (the whys and hows of this is subject for a whole 'nother blog, but suffice it to say, this is as it has always been--state groups report to national). The DNC told Florida and Michigan Dems that if they chose to go ahead and hold a primary, no delegates would be used from their states. The various candidates at the time of this decision were given option of removing name from Michigan ballot as part of the DNC's ruling. Almost all did, presumably in the name of party unity, including Edwards, Richardson, and Obama. At the time, Clinton was the clear front runner and she opted not to remove her name from ballot. No such request was made of the candidates in the case of Florida's ballot, although they did agree to basically not campaign there. When primary election day came, Clinton "won" (56% in Michigan and 50% in Florida). Florida included Obama and Edwards on the ballot, who received 33% and 14% of the vote, respectively. In Michigan, it was a choice between Clinton and three likable-but-very-minor candidates; given this slate, 40% of Michigan Democrats selected Uncommitted.
What irks me is how Hillary Clinton has continued to pull for the two states' delegates to count in the Democratic Convention (even today). I totally understand where any competitive person would want to gain an edge, but in this case I think it's the wrong approach. Argue that the decision not to count delegates is a silly way to "punish" states for moving up primary date without national's permission--absolutely! Talk to people in the state (now that primary is over) about their worthiness of being heard in general--all true! But don't try to change the rules after the fact.
I am by nature a rule follower. From childhood on, when I've observed rule breaking, I have tended to get rather holier than thou in my response. Fortunately with age I have developed a healthier co-attitude. I now recognize that sometimes rules are dumb or ill-conceived, and that common sense dictates a different--and reasonable direction. I also see where it's in breaking the rules that big breakthroughs are occasionally made (though this last one is very risky, and I am also by nature risk averse). Anyway, my righteous indignation still burns deep, and occasionally an issue arises that brings the fire to the surface.
As my friends and regular readers know, I am an Obama supporter. I'd like to think that my reaction to the Clinton campaign's comments and actions with regard to the Michigan and Florida Democratic primaries has little to do with partisanship. I don't honestly know. What I do know is that the continued sound bites on the subject are irritating me, because I see someone breaking the rules for their own political gain.
Here's the deal: the Democratic parties in Michigan and Florida moved up their primary election dates without permission of the Democratic National Committee (the whys and hows of this is subject for a whole 'nother blog, but suffice it to say, this is as it has always been--state groups report to national). The DNC told Florida and Michigan Dems that if they chose to go ahead and hold a primary, no delegates would be used from their states. The various candidates at the time of this decision were given option of removing name from Michigan ballot as part of the DNC's ruling. Almost all did, presumably in the name of party unity, including Edwards, Richardson, and Obama. At the time, Clinton was the clear front runner and she opted not to remove her name from ballot. No such request was made of the candidates in the case of Florida's ballot, although they did agree to basically not campaign there. When primary election day came, Clinton "won" (56% in Michigan and 50% in Florida). Florida included Obama and Edwards on the ballot, who received 33% and 14% of the vote, respectively. In Michigan, it was a choice between Clinton and three likable-but-very-minor candidates; given this slate, 40% of Michigan Democrats selected Uncommitted.
What irks me is how Hillary Clinton has continued to pull for the two states' delegates to count in the Democratic Convention (even today). I totally understand where any competitive person would want to gain an edge, but in this case I think it's the wrong approach. Argue that the decision not to count delegates is a silly way to "punish" states for moving up primary date without national's permission--absolutely! Talk to people in the state (now that primary is over) about their worthiness of being heard in general--all true! But don't try to change the rules after the fact.
February 14, 2008
Mad Libs!
Remember Mad Libs, those silly fill-in-the-blank stories we used to play as kids? Did you know you can play online? There are lots of versions, but I'd recommend these two: Check out "Mad Libs on the web" for three classic wacky insert-a-word stories (watch out, once you start it won't let you stop until you give every word required). Or go visit Mad Glibs. Mad Glibs has the usual generic stories, like a personal ad or nursery rhyme, as well as pop culture--new lyrics for Smelly Cat or Hakuna Matata--and even some classic lit. Perfect lunchtime entertainment.
Poesia - Poetry
A bit of poetry for all you enamored Valentines out there. It's by Pablo Neruda.
Happy Valentine's Day pursuits to you and yours. :)
You are here. Oh, you do not run away.Nice, huh? It's from "Every Day You Play" in Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair. Here's the complete poem in Spanish and translated into English.
You will answer me to the last cry.
Cling to me as though you were frightened.
Even so, at one time a strange shadow ran through your eyes.
Now, now too, little one, you bring me honeysuckle,
and even your breasts smell of it.
While the sad wind goes slaughtering butterlfies
I love you, and my happiness bites the plum of your mouth.
How you must have suffered getting accustomed to me,
my savage, solitary soul, my name that sends them all running.
So many times we have seen the morning star burn, kissing our eyes,
and over our heads the grey light unwind in turning fans.
My words rained over you, stroking you.
A long time I have loved the sunned mother-of-pearl of your body.
I go so far as to think that you own the universe.
I will bring you happy flowers from the mountains, bluebells,
dark hazels, and rustic baskets of kisses.
I want to do with you
what spring does with the cherry trees.
Happy Valentine's Day pursuits to you and yours. :)
February 08, 2008
Titles
My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Her Grace Lady Michelle the Talkative of Pigotts Sty,
Most Noble and Honourable the Prohibited of Withering Glance
For a random title generator, I think it did eerily well. Get your own peculiar aristocratic title.
Last night David and I huddled around the laptop to watch The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters on DVD (Why watching on a laptop? Because we are currently in possession of not one, but two non-functioning DVD players. Maybe Tomminy Tivo intimidates them?) Anyway, King of Kong starts off kind of slowly, and early on it just seems like a history of the arcade game variety of the Uber Geek species. But then it turns into a near-infuriating but compelling human drama centered on two men's claims to World Champion status on the game of Donkey Kong. And my description still doesn't do justice to the oddness of the flick. Naturally I recommend it.
February 05, 2008
Torture
Today's one of those days when I understand people who take advantage of every opportunity to deride President Bush and his administration. I'm not a Bush fan, but I'm also not a fan of fighting fire with fire or strict party loyalty, thus I tend to maintain (I hope) a respectful tone. But further confirmation that our stupid government did in fact use waterboarding on prisoners (after saying they had not) has upset me--and driven me to call our elected government "stupid". Clearly I am worked up. :)
It's not the news leaking out that upsets me; there have been plenty of previous stories on the subject, though not all were widely shared or lent credibility. What upsets me most are that we the United States of America (a) knowingly and willingly tortured people in our custody, and (b) reneged on the Third Geneva Convention (read text here), an honorable and important international agreement, thus contributing to our declining world image. This is an upset which has been burbling for a while. Argh!
Here are a few articles on Bush administration's history of alternately protecting and denying our use of torture, including water boarding:
* Human Rights Watch called on Bush to account for possibly ordering torture, Dec 2004.
* Bush could bypass new torture ban - Boston Globe, Jan 2006.
* Top US official denies 'torture' - BBC News, March 2006
* White House denies Cheney endorsed 'water boarding' - USA Today, Oct 2006
And a few comments on Bush Administration's discussion of torture:
* Eugene Robinson vented his frustrations over Bush's refusal to reject the use of torture in September 2006, in the Washington Post.
* Tom Engelhardt of The Nation blogged in Sept 2006 about how the media and Bush administration obfuscate (my assertion) torture through manipulation of language.
It's not the news leaking out that upsets me; there have been plenty of previous stories on the subject, though not all were widely shared or lent credibility. What upsets me most are that we the United States of America (a) knowingly and willingly tortured people in our custody, and (b) reneged on the Third Geneva Convention (read text here), an honorable and important international agreement, thus contributing to our declining world image. This is an upset which has been burbling for a while. Argh!
Here are a few articles on Bush administration's history of alternately protecting and denying our use of torture, including water boarding:
* Human Rights Watch called on Bush to account for possibly ordering torture, Dec 2004.
* Bush could bypass new torture ban - Boston Globe, Jan 2006.
* Top US official denies 'torture' - BBC News, March 2006
* White House denies Cheney endorsed 'water boarding' - USA Today, Oct 2006
And a few comments on Bush Administration's discussion of torture:
* Eugene Robinson vented his frustrations over Bush's refusal to reject the use of torture in September 2006, in the Washington Post.
* Tom Engelhardt of The Nation blogged in Sept 2006 about how the media and Bush administration obfuscate (my assertion) torture through manipulation of language.
[T]he general rule of thumb of the mainstream media...refers to such "techniques" as "abuse" or "abusive practices" but not usually as "torture." This, it seems to me, is a media "technique" that just might be worth correcting. Torture is regularly named as such only when the President denies that we do it or that he ordered it....I won't go beyond calling our present government stupid because it is election day, the time for us to exercise the privilege of voting. (You may be surprised to discover voting is not a right granted by the Constitution). We have a civic responsibility to take charge of the direction we want to see our government headed in. The fewer people get involved, the more those who are involved can yield power. I leave you with a few cynical tidbits to contemplate on this Super Tuesday.
What luck for the rulers that [people] do not think.All of the above are Hitler quotes, by the way. It's time to think and VOTE.
The victor will not be asked afterwards, whether he told the truth or not.
No amount of genius spent on the creation of propaganda will lead to success if a fundamental principle is not forever kept in mind. Propaganda must confine itself to very few points, and repeat them endlessly. Here, as with so many things in this world, persistence is the first and foremost condition of success.
February 02, 2008
Puppies!
I'm all about the fun stuff today. At some point during the Super Bowl you should switch over to Animal Planet. Why? Because Puppy Bowl IV is on! At any given time, eight puppies crowd a miniature football field strewn with play toys and a water dish (including hidden water-dish-cam) and all you have to do is watch and try not to squeal and coo too much.
The New York Times wrote about this adorable, growing hit:
P.S. At one point there was a Bernese and a Westie on the field together. I took it as a good opportunity to see how our imaginary (aka "sometime in the future") pets would get along. Oh dear. Let's just say the Westie (named Jackson) ran many rings around the Bernese (named Colt). Jackson was such a rambunctious player that he won the favor of the fans who voted him #1 in the Viewer's Choice MVP.
The New York Times wrote about this adorable, growing hit:
There is commentary, by Harry Kalas, the legendary N.F.L. and Phillies broadcaster, who in this case says things like: “He’s at the 20, he’s at the 30! O.K., now he’s back at the 20, the 10.” There are M.V.P. and viewer’s choice awards. And there is a referee to call the action, such as it is, and deal with what the show refers to as “puppy fouls.”Puppy frolics, burlesque kitties, and pointless scoring. I am so there.
“The puppies are running around, playing with squeak toys, mock footballs — whether they realize it or not, some of them do make touchdowns,” Ms. Toporoff (Exec Producer) said. Still, no points are kept.
And censors need not worry: there are no wardrobe malfunctions during the kitten halftime spectacle, in which 15 or so cats climb on and play with toys. This year’s version is more sparkly, with falling confetti and a background of silver streamers. “We took more, like, a burlesque approach,” Mr. Schechter said.
P.S. At one point there was a Bernese and a Westie on the field together. I took it as a good opportunity to see how our imaginary (aka "sometime in the future") pets would get along. Oh dear. Let's just say the Westie (named Jackson) ran many rings around the Bernese (named Colt). Jackson was such a rambunctious player that he won the favor of the fans who voted him #1 in the Viewer's Choice MVP.
February 01, 2008
Endorsements
By the title you might think I am going to head off on another political tirade. But you would be wrong. This is a consumer endorsement. And lest that statement make you wonder whether you've somehow begun reading another blog instead of mine, I would reassure you that you're safe with me.
Borrowing from the Bard...
I come not to bury occasional consumerism, but to praise it.
I often tirade against consumerism, but really what I loathe is blind consumerism or economic materialism--buying stuff because it's cheap and available, because you think it will make you happy, not because you need it. Those of us who call mainstream society home are encouraged through emotionally loaded advertising to believe we do indeed need lots of stuff. I am as susceptible as anyone to the clever marketing appeals (even people like me are marketed to, which cracks me up). What is an advertising-skeptical, wannabe back-to-nature type to do? Running away and hiding doesn't sound all that fun (I'd miss my family and my Tivo amusements, among other things to be named later). My solution is to consciously purchase products that are good quality, good for me, and do so in a minimalist way that I think is good for all of us. If you are a conscious shopper, too, then I have a few recommendations.
Some of the products I use and would recommend to others are commonly found. Egg Beaters can be used for a quick morning scramble--such as with Morningstar Farms vegetarian breakfast links--or used as the coating for French toast; my other breakfast fave is oatmeal, preferably using Bob's Red Mill thick rolled oats. For bubbly occasions I adore Martinelli's various sparkling ciders. Others of my favorites are not so easily located in stores, such as indulgences like Kodiak Cakes' Big Bear whole wheat brownie mix (someone agrees!) or Mother's Natural Peanut Butter Bumpers cereal. I'm terribly sad when a product I love disappears (such as happened with Veggie Pockets, made by the Hot Pockets people). Thankfully I am rewarded on occasion when good natural products gain a foothold in grocery stores everywhere, such as happened with natural peanut butters (Smucker's even make a handy stirrer now!) or the Annie's line of mac-n-cheese (check out the Shells & Alfredo or for a real throwback-to-childhood treat, the Bernie O's).
But I posted today to share my endorsement of a dishwasher detergent: Cascade 2-in-1 Action Packs with Dawn. I've read reviews that point to the expense, the need to handle them with dry fingers (this technology actually won an award), and inability to measure out smaller loads (it's one size fits all), but the cleaning power is never disputed. These suckers give me a clean dishload like no other detergent I've used. And since I am a sale-coupon combo shopper, and I always wait for a full load anyway, the price was not an issue for my initial 90-pack tub. You might point out that I was manipulated into buying in the first place (ads and coupons are quite timed, I realize), but the end result in this case was discovering a product that works extremely well. That is a good reason for product loyalty, IMHO. Love it!
So my end message is reminiscent of the adage to students about studying smarter not harder. Don't buy bigger, buy better. Or maybe it works better this way: It's not how much you buy, but how well you buy. Clearly marketing isn't my thing. :)
P.S. Check out this fascinating article on product loyalty entitled, "Consumers mistake familiarity with superiority". And if you've never heard of the anti-commercialism group AdBusters, then go check 'em out now. The spoof ads are worth viewing, even if you don't agree with the group's agenda. And finally, I encourage you to contemplate simple living.
Borrowing from the Bard...
I come not to bury occasional consumerism, but to praise it.
I often tirade against consumerism, but really what I loathe is blind consumerism or economic materialism--buying stuff because it's cheap and available, because you think it will make you happy, not because you need it. Those of us who call mainstream society home are encouraged through emotionally loaded advertising to believe we do indeed need lots of stuff. I am as susceptible as anyone to the clever marketing appeals (even people like me are marketed to, which cracks me up). What is an advertising-skeptical, wannabe back-to-nature type to do? Running away and hiding doesn't sound all that fun (I'd miss my family and my Tivo amusements, among other things to be named later). My solution is to consciously purchase products that are good quality, good for me, and do so in a minimalist way that I think is good for all of us. If you are a conscious shopper, too, then I have a few recommendations.
Some of the products I use and would recommend to others are commonly found. Egg Beaters can be used for a quick morning scramble--such as with Morningstar Farms vegetarian breakfast links--or used as the coating for French toast; my other breakfast fave is oatmeal, preferably using Bob's Red Mill thick rolled oats. For bubbly occasions I adore Martinelli's various sparkling ciders. Others of my favorites are not so easily located in stores, such as indulgences like Kodiak Cakes' Big Bear whole wheat brownie mix (someone agrees!) or Mother's Natural Peanut Butter Bumpers cereal. I'm terribly sad when a product I love disappears (such as happened with Veggie Pockets, made by the Hot Pockets people). Thankfully I am rewarded on occasion when good natural products gain a foothold in grocery stores everywhere, such as happened with natural peanut butters (Smucker's even make a handy stirrer now!) or the Annie's line of mac-n-cheese (check out the Shells & Alfredo or for a real throwback-to-childhood treat, the Bernie O's).
But I posted today to share my endorsement of a dishwasher detergent: Cascade 2-in-1 Action Packs with Dawn. I've read reviews that point to the expense, the need to handle them with dry fingers (this technology actually won an award), and inability to measure out smaller loads (it's one size fits all), but the cleaning power is never disputed. These suckers give me a clean dishload like no other detergent I've used. And since I am a sale-coupon combo shopper, and I always wait for a full load anyway, the price was not an issue for my initial 90-pack tub. You might point out that I was manipulated into buying in the first place (ads and coupons are quite timed, I realize), but the end result in this case was discovering a product that works extremely well. That is a good reason for product loyalty, IMHO. Love it!
So my end message is reminiscent of the adage to students about studying smarter not harder. Don't buy bigger, buy better. Or maybe it works better this way: It's not how much you buy, but how well you buy. Clearly marketing isn't my thing. :)
P.S. Check out this fascinating article on product loyalty entitled, "Consumers mistake familiarity with superiority". And if you've never heard of the anti-commercialism group AdBusters, then go check 'em out now. The spoof ads are worth viewing, even if you don't agree with the group's agenda. And finally, I encourage you to contemplate simple living.
January 28, 2008
Leaner pork
Have I mentioned before how much I love the movie Dave and its idyllic depiction of a pared down governmental budget? Yeah, maybe a few times. Anyway, I cling to the dream of a clean budget. Today comes news from the Bush administration I can get firmly behind. It's a happy Monday. :)
President Bush previously signed into law the 2006 Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. The bill, coauthored by Senators Coburn, Obama, Carper, and McCain, required the creation of a website (USAspending.gov) for regular people to identify budgeted recipients of federal funding (above $25k). Funny how my political interests come together, eh?
Learn more about pork barrel spending (aka "earmarks"):
* An obviously anti-pork barrel viewpoint can be found at Porkbusters
* Wikipedia's intriguing definition and history of the pork barrel
* Check out the encyclopedic SourceWatch/Congresspedia entry on the above law
14 Feb UPDATE: Washington Post reported today on the 2007 earmark securing habits of this year's top Presidential candidates, in "Candidates' Earmarks Worth Millions." Notice I said top candidates. Maybe you're always suprised come voting time, but there are in fact more than two parties in this country. Check out this list from Project Vote Smart of all the people who formally put their name out there as candidates for President. Wow, that's a long list.
President Bush previously signed into law the 2006 Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. The bill, coauthored by Senators Coburn, Obama, Carper, and McCain, required the creation of a website (USAspending.gov) for regular people to identify budgeted recipients of federal funding (above $25k). Funny how my political interests come together, eh?
Learn more about pork barrel spending (aka "earmarks"):
* An obviously anti-pork barrel viewpoint can be found at Porkbusters
* Wikipedia's intriguing definition and history of the pork barrel
* Check out the encyclopedic SourceWatch/Congresspedia entry on the above law
14 Feb UPDATE: Washington Post reported today on the 2007 earmark securing habits of this year's top Presidential candidates, in "Candidates' Earmarks Worth Millions." Notice I said top candidates. Maybe you're always suprised come voting time, but there are in fact more than two parties in this country. Check out this list from Project Vote Smart of all the people who formally put their name out there as candidates for President. Wow, that's a long list.
Reality Lite
If you're heading out for a movie in the theaters currently, I would recommend Juno, or one of several other films I have yet to see but which I am certain are good (There Will be Blood, for instance). I'd have to assess your cinematic tastes before unequivocally recommending National Treasure: Book of Secrets, but I shall try to give it a fair review here: it's an absurd adventure movie starring Nicolas Cage which I inexplicably enjoyed. Want to know more? Read on....
Starring the same people as the first National Treasure (Nic Cage, Jon Voigt, etc.) but adding guests Ed Harris and Hellen Mirren, NTBS is a fantastical adventure tale featuring the off-limits sections of popular tourist spots: Mount Vernon, the Library of Congress, Buckingham Palace, and Mount Rushmore (so even if you don't enjoy the rollicking storyline, you could stay for the scenery). All these places are visited en route to finding a legendary city of gold.
What allowed me to enjoy the first film was a timely suspension of disbelief. Director Jon Turteltaub seems to have banked on those "don't ask, don't tell" blinders this time and made it all a bit more fun for the viewers. It's an average movie overall, but good enough for a rainy Sunday with friends. Sometimes it's nice to just sit back, relax, and forget about reality for a few hours.
Starring the same people as the first National Treasure (Nic Cage, Jon Voigt, etc.) but adding guests Ed Harris and Hellen Mirren, NTBS is a fantastical adventure tale featuring the off-limits sections of popular tourist spots: Mount Vernon, the Library of Congress, Buckingham Palace, and Mount Rushmore (so even if you don't enjoy the rollicking storyline, you could stay for the scenery). All these places are visited en route to finding a legendary city of gold.
What allowed me to enjoy the first film was a timely suspension of disbelief. Director Jon Turteltaub seems to have banked on those "don't ask, don't tell" blinders this time and made it all a bit more fun for the viewers. It's an average movie overall, but good enough for a rainy Sunday with friends. Sometimes it's nice to just sit back, relax, and forget about reality for a few hours.
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