The Grand Staircase

Between The Trees

2005-05-15T16:18:00.000-04:00

Wifey and I just returned from lunch and 9 holes up at our club, and now we're enjoying some cold frosty beverages in the back yard on our two-person hammock. Earlier this year I replaced our fried wifi router with one of longer range, and it certainly works as I'm posting this from the hammock, between two of our 80-foot white pines, some 30 yards behind the house.

Here's a snap of the view (click for biggie size):

Kewl.

Of note at the moment: the red tail hawk that frequents our yard has clearly had chicks. We can hear their squawk through the trees, along with the crunch crunch crunch of our muttface happily munching on pine branches.

Meet Me At Andy's

2005-05-10T22:44:00.000-04:00

Location: Andy's Jazz Bar, Chicago, IL

Some call it the best bar for jazz downtown. We're enjoying a quartet tonight, and their subtle groove goes well with a Guinness and fine company.

Staying at the Hard Rock Hotel - a great place to stay in The Loop as well.

Wish you were here.

A Different Kind Of Canyon

2005-05-02T22:35:00.000-04:00

Location: 46th and Times Square, NYC

In Manhattan to facilitate a two-day leadership meeting. Cross-town traffic is brutal, but we're making our way slowly but surely.

Into the canyons indeed. Not quite the sames as those with red dust, but exciting nonetheless.

Gotta Love Stoopid Crooks

2005-04-30T09:01:00.000-04:00

Phishing emails are bad enough, but some are simply ridiculous in their transparency:

***Urgent Safeharbor Department Notice***

eBay Fraud Mediation Request
Date: Sat, 30 April 2005

You have recieved this email because you or someone had used your account to make fake bids at eBay. For security purposes, we are required to open an investigation into this matter.

THE FRAUD ALERT ID CODE CONTAINED IN THIS MESSAGE WILL BE ATTACHED IN OUR FRAUD MEDIATION REQUEST FORM, IN ORDER TO VERIFY YOUR ACCOUNT REGISTRATION INFORMATIONS.

Fraud Alert ID CODE: 00937614
(Please save this Fraud Alert ID Code for your reference.)

To help speed up this process, please access the following form to complete the verification of your account registration informations:

[URL removed]

Please Note:
If we do not receive the appropriate account verification within 48 hours, than we will assume this account is fraudulent and will be suspended.
The purpose of this verification is to ensure that your account has not been fraudulently used and to combat the fraud from our community.

We appreciate your support and understanding, as we work together to keep eBay a safe place to trade.

Thank you for your patience in this matter.

Regards, Safeharbor Department (Trust and Safety Department)

Yes! I must go now to confirm my account registration informations so I can help combat that nasty fraud from our community.

Somehow I feel slighted by this poor attempt at criminality ... like being hit on at a party, but by the dumbest and ugliest girl in the room.

Another Sign Of The Impending Apocalypse

2005-04-29T08:15:00.000-04:00

Literally.

Rain, Go Away

2005-04-22T20:48:00.000-04:00

Cingular Wireless
MessageLocation: Chicago O'Hare

This is what happens when it rains in Chicago: so many people waiting for delayed flights that there's literally no place left to sit save the floor.

I'm here for another 45 minutes, God willing. And get this: snow for tomorrow. At least it will be a Saturday. Poor bastards.

Glad you're not here.
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Another View Of Midway

2005-04-20T15:05:00.000-04:00

Ropes

2005-04-20T15:03:00.000-04:00

What it takes to hold a carrier in place.

CV 41

2005-04-20T14:51:00.000-04:00

Cingular Wireless
MessageLocation: San Diego

Also here, the USS Midway, which serves as a floating museum.
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A Better View

2005-04-20T14:44:00.000-04:00

The Big Ships

2005-04-20T14:39:00.000-04:00

Cingular Wireless
MessageLocation: San Diego

Greetings from San Diego, where I've just spent a quick 24 hours with clients. As you drive to the airport here you look across to Coronado Island, home of much of the US Navy's Pacific Fleet.

You also often see aircraft carriers, on of my favorite objects on Earth.

Today we have two: On the left, CVN 76, the USS Ronald Reagan, and on the right, CVN 68, the USS Nimitz, the first of the modern super-carriers.

The apeture on my phone's camera doesn't do these ships justice. They are much closer than they appear, and they dominate the western landscape.

One of my dreams is to walk on one; perhaps one day I will.
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TURN YOUR KEY, SIR!

2005-04-18T18:30:00.000-04:00

This is very cool: Abandoned Missile Base VR Tour.

Artsy Stadium Shot

2005-04-16T17:30:00.000-04:00

Message Location: Home

Passing Time

2005-04-16T16:06:00.000-04:00

Cingular Wireless
MessageLocation: Home

Wifey and I are passing time this afternoon with our American passtime. A cloudless sky, warm sun, cold beer, extraordinary seats, and the woman you love.

"Do you realize that if we were playing by the rules right now we'd be in gym class?" -- Ferris Beuler

Life is good!

Wish you were here.
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I Track Culture So You Don't Have To

2005-04-14T18:49:00.000-04:00

::: Louis XIV :::. Sort of a White Stripes meets Six Pistols with undertones of The Beatles, but still unique. Edgy. Fuzzy. They're on my iTunes as I type this, but you may listen for yourself via the popup player at their site.

You're welcome.

Another Sign Of The Impending Apocalypse

2005-04-13T19:34:00.000-04:00

Trying out the new Google Video Search I typed in "fast" and this is one of the items that popped out of the Googleuberserver: Boohbah | Skipping Rope.

Read it. Read it all.

Does anyone else find this disquieting? Or am I the only one frightened by boohbahs?

My Life

2005-04-13T13:59:00.000-04:00

Location: Orlando Intnl.

One big security line after the next. Status has its benefits, including missing most of these, but not here. With all the liesure travelers, it's every mouse for himself.

Now, take off your shoes ...

----------

Sent via my Treo 650

Mickey Train

2005-04-12T10:53:00.000-04:00

Cingular Wireless
MessageLocation: Orlando, FL

Another in my series of train photos, taken just seconds ago from the tram at the Orlando airport. I'm in Orlando for today and tomorrow for bidness. Nice and warm here, although precedent suggests that bidness in Orlando means no time outside. Nonetheless, it beats Detroit.

I have no idea why Cingular appended the post I made from the 18th green last night. Because they can, I suppose.

Wish you were here.
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Geeholf

2005-04-11T19:13:00.000-04:00

Cingular Wireless
MessageLocation: Home

Tiger, we're not. But Pal and Wifey (pictured here) and I are having a good time.

Wish you were here.
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Be Nervous

2005-04-10T07:27:00.000-04:00

Location: Home

Be very, very nervous ...

Don't Know About Where You Are ...

2005-04-07T19:11:00.000-04:00

Location: Dallas, TX

... but it's Spring in Dallas.

Wish you were here.

What The Fuzzy?

2005-04-05T21:00:00.000-04:00

Here's something for the trival conspiracy theorists: Yesterday's Get Fuzzy (What's a Get Fuzzy? One of the best comics running. Where you been?) had this line as part of the gag: "Christmas turkey. Thanksgiving turkey. Valentine's Day beaver. Easter bunny. It's a tradition." I, of course, read "Valentine's Day beaver" as a double entendre.

Then today I check out the strip online, and here's yesterday's entry:

Marmot? WTF? Somebody call the Morality Police?

See ... this is how it starts. First the Patriot Act, then changes in Get Fuzzy ... and then this.

I Track Culture So You Don't Have To

2005-04-04T08:09:00.000-04:00

The Alfie Soundtrack. I watched the film on the way back from London. The movie was a 7; Mick Jagger's soundtrack is a 10. Catchy. Haunting. Fodder for memories. It's all there.

You're welcome.

There's Always One

2005-04-03T23:14:00.000-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen: Our first candidate for the 2005 Asshole of the Year. Keep watching this space for additional nominees!

The Scarlet Letter

2005-04-03T22:56:00.000-04:00

It's a "B", and it stands for "Blogger." Registering free citizens who choose to speak out. Jesus, what's next? This?

Sacred Ground

2005-03-29T09:23:00.000-05:00

Location: Ground Zero

The pit is massive, if you've not yet seen it up close. But it isn't filled with silence. Rather, it echos with a cocophany of jackhammers, the heatbeat of urban rebirth.

The Incomparable

2005-03-29T09:10:00.000-05:00

Location: PATH Station, World Trade

This quote by Gunther greets you as you rise to the station platform.

Indeed.

On The Right PATH

2005-03-29T08:50:00.000-05:00

Location: Newark, NJ

The view out the window of the PATH train, which serves the commute between Newark and the World Trade Center station.

On my way into NYC for a meeting today, then on to Minneapolis tonight.

This is always an intwresting ride now. After 9/11 the WTC station, which was deep below the towers, was closed for years as they hollowed out The Pit and began to rebuild. It's open again, and the day the first PATH train rolled in people everwhere who had made this trip in the past felt a bit of the 9/11 wound heal.

I know I did. And I'm glad to ride this train again.

Gatwick Express

2005-03-22T03:46:00.000-05:00

Location: London

The view from the Gatwick Express, the train that takes you from Victoria Station to Gatwick airport. It's only a 30 minute ride: significantly shorter than the hour and a half it takes by car.

19 pounds for a first class ticket, which entitles you to a coach nicer than the Acelas back in the states, and a picture-window view of the grey and green London suburbs as they roll past, ultimately giving way to the green and brown fields of England.

It is, of course, raining here ... but the air undoubtedly smells of Spring.

Savoy

2005-03-21T19:42:00.000-05:00

Location: London

Finished the night at the legendary American Bar at the equally legendary Savoy hotel on Strand in London. Here's a shot of the lobby. While tradition is to have the bartender make you a custom cocktail based on your special occasion, I smply drank from the famous menu.

London Calling

2005-03-21T13:42:00.000-05:00

Location: W2, London

Hello from London. I'm here for all of 24 hours, but it's great to be back among the Brits. Dinner on Strand tonight, abd I hope to make it into the American Bar at the Savoy for a martini before all is said and done.

This shot is of the street just outside the hotel. People are making their way home from work, and the black cabs and two-tier busses come and go and come and go.

It's On The Way

2005-03-20T17:38:00.000-05:00

Location: The Tarmac In Charlotte

The Bradford Pears arw in bloom in Charlotte ... Spring is on the way. Me, I'm off to London.

The Coolest Friday's Around

2005-03-17T18:13:00.000-05:00

Location: Milwaukee, WI

I'm in Milwaukee killing time with a colleague before catching a late flight. Where? The TGI Friday's IN the Brewer's Miller Park. Great place to watch the Madness.

Oh: and GO UTES!!!!!

Cobblestones

2005-03-16T05:44:00.000-05:00

Location: Paris

Killing some time with a walk down to the Seine, enjoying two crepes for breakfast. These are, literally, the streets of Paris.

Le Tour Eiffel

2005-03-16T04:28:00.000-05:00

Location: Paris

Statue

2005-03-16T04:04:00.000-05:00

Location: Paris

Angel

2005-03-16T04:00:00.000-05:00

Location: Trocadero, Paris

XVI Avenue

2005-03-15T15:32:00.000-05:00

Locatuon: Paris, XVI Avenue Brasserie

Tonight's dining hall. Wish you were here ...

More Eiffel

2005-03-14T16:24:00.000-05:00

Trocadero

2005-03-14T16:21:00.000-05:00

Location: Paris

Metropolitan

2005-03-14T16:19:00.000-05:00

Location: Paris

The Tower

2005-03-14T13:47:00.000-05:00

Location: Paris

As if I had to tell you where I am ...

The Morning Read

2005-03-13T07:37:00.000-05:00

Location: Home

Spending a weekend home with Wifey before heading to Paris this afternoon. It's a beautiful if crisp winter day here; a perfect day for curling up in front of the fire and catching the action in Las Vegas.

But before we do, it struck me that it's been a while since I've put up a Morning Read. So, with an intention to do so more often, here we go:

Class vs. Ass. Bobby Knight takes on Eddie Sutton today in a matchup of two Hall of Famers with 1,600 wins between them. Too bad one of them is an un-apologetic asshole. Watching Bobby Knight is like watching an older guy in the workplace who still calls women "sweetie." He may produce results, but he's a dinosaur in a mammal's world.

I've always liked this line about Bobby Knight: "If I ever need a heart transplant, I want Bobby Knight's ... because it's never been used."
Boards gone wild! Looks like Iger is in at Disney to replace Eisner. He's doing so, of course, on Eisner's timeline, not the Board's. Fact is that Disney's Directors have been in the palm of Eisner's hands for years as he drove the company into mediocrity (save Pixar, which is Job's credit anyway). Disney, Qwest, not to mention the WorldComs and Enrons ... they're all examples of companies where the Boards were happy to let management control the management / governance relationship while the Directors coasted on their status, pay, and easy quarterly meeting schedules. That's why the board of HP deserves credit for making the switch on Carly now, and not waiting any longer (which would be even easier given her role as a "celebrity CEO").
Sit at the feet of the master. Warren Buffett has released his 2004 Chairman's Letter, the single most required piece of investment reading each year. Not only is the advice world class, but Buffett's writing style is equally wonderful. If only he'd blog ...
Yes, Virginia, there ARE raccoons in the desert. Nice post over at Highways West today ... I love Ken's "you don't know squat about the West" smart-ass tone. The post also reminded me of my encounters with the Striped Skunk, especially that time I awoke to one in our tent down Capitol Reef way. Stoopid friend-of-my-girlfriend-at-the-time: "Ohh ... I should close the zipper all the way?" luckily, Mr. Skunk ate his fill of Cheetos and made way without dispensing of us all. But it was close.

And while we're on the topic of desert rodents, my favorite: the Yellow Bellied Marmot.
Wikipedia entry of the day: The Buffalo Bisons.
The Next Blog: Wow. Depressing. Had to click around for 20 minutes to find a decent random blog to point to. 6,000,000 blogs out there and, well, most of them are ... uhh ... well, special to someone, I'm sure (as is this blog, I'm equally sure). That said, here's one worth seeing: Creative Generalist.

Sore In Places I'd Forgotten

2005-03-10T20:03:00.000-05:00

Location: Home

A while ago I learned about the FitDeck via USAToday, NPR, or some such thing ... regardless, it's a great concept, perfect for exercise on the road (and at home), and I gotta tell you: 15 minutes with the FitDeck will Kick. Your. Ass.

I carry mine in my suitcase, and Wifey has a set here at the house. Got 10 minutes? Pull 10 cards. The workout is all you could want. Indeed, 20 cards has been my limit so far.

I was describing the concept to a colleage who said, "Screw the workout. We should have the same concept for sex. 'Got 15 minutes?'"

Hmmm ...

Damn. Too late.

Ctrl-Alt-Hottie

2005-03-08T14:44:00.000-05:00

Location: Reagan Airport, D.C.

Found myself in first class with ubermodel and SI swimsuit babe Carol Alt. Alas, I was in 2D and she in 3A, but here's the view from across the aisle.

She's still tall, and still hot.

And no, I'm still not home. Flight cancelled, sending me to D.C., and now I have another delay. Just can't seem to get home ...

Paradise Lost

2005-03-07T17:37:00.000-05:00

Location: Nassau, Bahamas, Atlantis Resort

Well, after a few days at Atlantis I have to tell you: I am not impressed.

Well, that’s not completely true. You have to be impressed with the audacity of the place. I mean, sharks outside your restaurant window?

And how’s this for a lobby?

But really, it’s too much Vegas, but without the benefit of really great restaurants and strippers. Everything is a mile wide and an inch deep, and the theme of the place … the lost city of Atlantis? Well, it’s just a bit too Mickey Mouse for my taste.

That said, the place seems to be teeming with people—absolutely packed. Young, old, families, spring breakers, rich dudes from the Caymans … they’re all here. Most of them aren’t wearing much, which admittedly has some benefits.

Story of the trip so far: I go down this morning to get a cup of jo and there are two college-age guys at the coffee bar. One is wearing a white T-shirt and boxers. The other is putting on his pants.

I ask “what gives,” and come to learn that they had been with some girls in the hot tub and in returning to their room had to cross the casino floor. In doing so security told them they had to wear their shirts, which apparently, they were not doing at the time. So in protest of this restriction of their individuality, they put on their shirts … and took off their pants.

Boxers, it appears, are no problem at 5:30 a.m. in the Atlantis, as long as you’re wearing a shirt.

But with the exception of that interlude and the food at the deli here, being here is generally a pain in the ass. Room service is limited and the wait’s an hour. The gym doesn’t open until 6:30, and costs $15. The amenities in the rooms are Holiday Inn quality. No restaurant in the place can take you as a walk-up. The staff is generally unfriendly, with a few bright spots. No coffee in the rooms. No coffee at all, anywhere, before 6 a.m. (!!). It’s five star prices for three star quality all ‘round.

If I were 15, this place would be perfect. But I’m not. And it’s been 10 days on the road away from Wifey, and I can’t wait to come home.

Mojo Risin'

2005-03-05T13:50:00.000-05:00

Location: Miami International Airport

Between flights in Miami as I make my way to Nassau. Enjoying a "last cocktail of the vacation" Mojito at the La Carreta jet bar outside Terminal D.

Good Cuban food here ... I'm having the Vaca Frita for lunch.

Wish you were here ...

Ask And Ye Shall Receive

2005-03-04T10:52:00.000-05:00

Location: Bonaire, Netherland Antillies

Christina asked for more photos. I'll have plenty to post on my return (my hope to have digital cell service down here so I could post from my phone was optimistic and, ultimately, misguided), but here's a little something to tide her over: A bit of the view from our balcony.

Up For Air

2005-03-04T10:42:00.000-05:00

Location: Bonaire, Netherland Antillies

Hi ~~suckers~~ folks. Having a grand time here on Bonaire. Lots of diving. Lots of sun. Lots of rum. Not a lot of work. A recipe for perfection, I know.

Here's a little photo to illustrate how I've been spending my time:

Call it an Antillian self-portrait.

Tomorrow I head back into the fray, though ... making my way ultimately to the Bahamas via transfers in San Juan and Miami. I'll be working there (honest), but I'm not complaining: Nassau beats Minneapolis any day of the week.

Amazing how soft your skin gets here, down South of Panama ... and outside the window of the terminal on which I type: rustling palm trees, flowering shrubs, a pool, and blue, blue sky.

Ahhh ... gather ye rosebuds while ye may ...

Vacation Has Started

2005-02-27T12:18:00.000-05:00

Location: Montego Bay, Jamaica

Not much better way to kill a delay in Montego Bay. Just wish Wifey were here with me ...

Island Time

2005-02-27T06:32:00.000-05:00

Location: Home

Off for a week vaca diving on a little island just North of Venezuela. Going with my still-kickin'-ass Mom and Pop ... a good time should be had by all.

From there I fly to the Bahamas for work (really!).

Presuming I have some data transfer capability, expect photo posts over the next few days ...

Gonzo

2005-02-22T08:05:00.000-05:00

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

RIP<> Follow that link. If you're going to remember him, Rolling Stone is the place.

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me.

I Track The Internet So You Don't Have To

2005-02-20T20:24:00.000-05:00

Another reason God created the Internet: to permit you to read George Washington's personal papers in his own hand. Tip to moleskinerie.

File In: Signs of the Impending Apocalypse

2005-02-19T10:58:00.000-05:00

The Algonquin Hotel's $10,000 martini, complete with loose diamond at the bottom.

When rich Manhattanites go wild ...

Mossberg Shmossberg

2005-02-18T07:22:00.000-05:00

Today Walter Mossberg (tech writer for the Wall Street Journal) posts an article titled While Switching to Mac Will Improve Security, It Isn't for Everybody. It's a bit odd coming from Mossberg, who's made a reputation (and a name) for himself in recent years for trashing Windoze and pimpin' Macs at every turn.

Regardless of the reasons for his trimming the Mac sails, in reading the piece I have to say: "Humbug!" Our switch has been seamless. And as I was just saying to Wifey ... only moments ago ... "I love our Mac."

Mossberg is missing a key point amongst his talk of application crossovers and MP3 player compatibility: it's a point about style.

The fact is: The discourse creates us. We reflect our surroundings, to a much greater extent than our surroundings may reflect us. (Or as I often tell clients: "If you take Harlem and drop it in the middle of Hollywood, it's gonna become a lot more like Hollywood ... Hollywood isn't gonna become a lot more like Harlem."

The best reason for switching to Mac isn't its greater security or its greater ease of use ... although those are fine reasons. The best reason is the Mac's aesthetics. There's substance to style, and the Mac has it in droves. Using one not only makes you work better, it not only makes you feel better ... as discourse, hell, it makes YOU better.

Macs make us better people, at least for the time we spend in front of their screens.

And that's all the reason to switch I need.

New Phone, New Clicky

2005-02-16T22:32:00.000-05:00

The new phone (supposedly) has a better camera than its progenitor. Here's a test, taken from tonight's Minnapolis to Dallas flight.

Oh, and I'm typing all these moblog posts with my thumbs, so easy on the critique for typos.

Thanks.

Big Times In Big D

2005-02-16T22:22:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, Dallas. Home of the stinkin' Cowboys. And here I sit at the Blue Goose Cantina, eating salsa verde chicken enchiladas and wathcing the honeys of Mexican descent. (No touchy ... happily married, me.)

Nonetheless, wish you were here.

Oh ... And the Cowboys suck.

Wish You Were Here

2005-02-14T16:33:00.000-05:00

75 and sunny in Dallas. Of course, I'm on my way to Minneapolis, but so are the breaks.

Mo Mo Mo Moblog

2005-02-14T08:09:00.000-05:00

I've pickerd up a new Treo 650 web/pda/phone and am testing its ability to post directly to the blog using the browser and Blogger. Let's keep our fingers crossed ... for this AND for the flight I'm sitting on leaving sometime soon.

I Track The Blogosphere So You Don't Have To

2005-02-10T22:41:00.000-05:00

This is extremely cool: The Blog of Henry David Thoreau. Entries from his diary, blogged on the date of their original entry. Today's entry:

Now if there are any who think that I am vainglorious, that I set myself up above others and crow over their low estate, let me tell them that I could tell a pitiful story respecting myself as well as them, if my spirits held out to do it; I could encourage them with a sufficient list of failures, and could flow as humbly as the very gutters themselves; I could enumerate a list of as rank offenses as ever reached the nostrils of heaven; that I think worse of myself than they can possibly think of me, being better acquainted with the man. I put the best face on the matter. I will tell them this secret, if they will not tell it to anybody else.

Tip to moleskinerie.

Short Marriott?

2005-02-10T07:25:00.000-05:00

Good morning from Minneapolis. Apologies for no Morning Read of late; I've been working my ass off and not had much time in the morning.

But here's something I've noticed: The hotel I'm in, the Marriott in downtown Minneapolis, is a big hotel, and as Marriotts go, quite modern. It also has a big workout room, with lots of space and equipment. But two mornings running, as I've gone down there at 5:45 or 6:00 in the morning, I've not been able to get in my cardio time because the machines were full ... with the exception of several that werent being used because they werent working.

Several weeks ago I was in a Marriott in San Diego, and faced the same situation: enough machines, but not enough working machines.

So why do I bring it up? Because I think it could be a sign that Marriott is on hard times.

Sure, it could be coincidence. But I've spent my career walking around major corporations and helping those that have problems. And I've learned to tell a lot about a the priorities of a firm by little contextual details: what kind of art is on the walls, how well kept the conference rooms are, the quality of food in the cafeteria. What's more, when a company has cash flow problems, non-critical costs are the first to be deferred: training budgets, computer replacements ... exercise equipment repair.

So to me, not having working exercise machines for business travelers ... who pick hotels based on there being two things, high speed Internet access and exercise facilities ... does not speak well of Marriott's priorities or their cash flow. Perhaps the chain is facing some constriction? Just wondering ...

PS: Oh, and I could have told you this was going to happen. Whenever a Board changes executive responsibilities it translates to "we're about to fire this person."

PPS: Looking at this chart, yeah, it is time to short MAR.

PPPS: Of course, this is not a recommendation to buy or sell any equity. I'm just talkin', here.

I Track The Internet So You Don't Have To

2005-02-09T16:30:00.000-05:00

This is really, extremely, go-see-now cool: Google Maps. Things you never thought (but dreamed) a browser could do. Tip to Slashdot.

For The Record

2005-02-06T15:37:00.000-05:00

The final pick of the season:
Eagles + 7 over Patriots
May your horse come in.

I Track The Blogosphere So You Don't Have To

2005-02-05T09:20:00.000-05:00

43 Folders: One of the best blogs I've found in some time (and I'm a blog snob, so that's saying something). The tag line is "A bunch of tricks, hacks & other cool stuff," and it's all that and more.

All life hacks, all the time.

The Morning Read

2005-02-03T07:46:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, another day in Minneapolis. Morning workout complete, I sit with coffee and laptop and consider the state of the world.

If I figure anything out, you'll be the first to know.

In the meantime, your morning read:

Today's sign of the impending Apocalypse. You think that's what the girls in Cell Block C call her, "The Apprentice?" "HEY! Apprentice!! Come w' me, bitch ... we're goin to the Boardroom!" Sadly, the real focus of ridicule here should be NBC, for taking a convicted criminal and rewarding her with continued status as a ~~cultural~~ icon.

And here's what pisses me off even more: I like the Apprentice. I dig watching Flunky 1 and Flunky 2 kiss Donald's ass while all the little proto-flunkies clamor for attention. It's cool television, a case study of bad (and good) leadership, and a constant example of the lengths to which people will go for self promotion. And now I gotta stop watching to avoid a double-standard.

Stupid Martha Stewart. Stupid NBC.
Headline Writing Awards, 2005: "Potential Jurors Probed." The Michael Jackson case, of course. I'll bet they were!
Photos you didn't expect to see today. You're welcome.
Wikipedia Article of the Day: Oscar Gustave Rejlander.
The Next Blog: Dogfrog's adventures in the dark belly of a sleepy town.

Be good.

How You Tell

2005-02-03T07:39:00.000-05:00

How you tell consultants have overrun a local company: The hotel gym, previously desolate on early mornings, is packed with 30-somethings by 6:00 a.m.

It's how you tell.

The Morning Read

2005-02-02T06:50:00.000-05:00

Good morning, fair reader! It's a lovely and not-so-frosty day here in Minneapolis, where I'll be spending may day among conference rooms circulated air (but also clients I enjoy, and that's what really matters after all, no?).

There are a couple of items that attract my attention this morning. Of course, the bit newsy topic of the day is the SOTU, but with the show not until tonight, there's not much original thinking to point to.

That said, check the following, and be better informed:

People on ludes should not manage homeland security. Seriously.
Tabloid Notoriety Index. Tongue in cheek, I know. And accurate for some. But hey, it's why they call it The Show.
Wake up! Who cares what we call it? It's a programmatic slaughter. Now, is the U.N. against such things, or not?
Wikipedia article of the day: North Kalimantan Communist Party.
The next blog: Jesus. Clicked through to five blogs and they were all 14-year-old-girl drivel. Maybe this medium is all washed up? Go read Small Precautions.

Smart People Read This Blog

2005-01-31T19:49:00.000-05:00

Reader Ooser Nahmay on Social Security, from the comments:

While it is true that the 76 million baby-boomers will start hitting the Social Security rolls in 2008, the number receiving benefits in 2008 will be just those born in 1946 who retire at the reduced-benefit age of 62. The last of the baby-boomers who reach their full retirement age won't begin receiving benefits until 2031. Social Security certainly needs to be looked at, but depending on who is opining, Eli is either already here, he is visible down the road, or he has not even appeared over the horizon, and with all the variables involved in calculating where Eli is, nobody can know absolutely. What is certain is that Eli is not standing our proverbial doorstep -- the 1.5 trillion dollar social security trust fund surplus assures that. But what is also certain is that with Americans retiring earlier, new retirees outnumbering new workers, and birth rates dropping each year, the seemingly large surplus will not last forever. Steps do need to be taken. Payroll tax increases...reduced benefits...higher contribution limits...diversified investment options...greater incentives to work longer...allow more immigrants in...or Logan's Run.

* * *

The income limit that is subject to the Social Security is adjusted annually, but the tax percentage does not change. It is, and has been since the early 1980's, 6.2% of an employee's pay, with the employer's contribution being an identical dollar-for-dollar match, resulting in a total tax of 12.4% for every dollar of earned income, up to the limit. In 2004, the income limit was $87,900 and for 2005 it is $90,000.

The unknowns that you mentioned, as they relate to Social Security, are just that; unknown. They are statistical guesses, which obviously, cannot not be relied upon. By law, the Social Security Administration has do provide a 75-year projection of its financial condition, and in doing so, must make estimates of such things as birth rates, life expectancies, immigration levels, inflation, and disability percentages, as well as average incomes and retirement ages. In this his day and age, when lawmakers cannot even define what a "family" is, how can they possibly know what the average life expectancy in 2080 is going to be.

As for allowing private investment of Social Security dollars -- well, my fear is twofold. First, what happens to those individuals who make poor investment choices with their tax dollars? Is the government going to sit idly by and watch them retire in poverty? Secondly, could you imagine the fees the investment firms would earn if, suddenly, 150 million individual investment accounts were put in their hands? Alternatively, individuals would have to invest through a government-controlled source, i.e. a new federal agency. Another layer of government controlling individual's investments does not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

There you go.

For The Record

2005-01-31T19:44:00.000-05:00

Seymour Hersh has lost. his. marbles.

The amazing thing is we are been taken over basically by a cult, eight or nine neo-conservatives have somehow grabbed the government. Just how and why and how they did it so efficiently, will have to wait for much later historians and better documentation than we have now, but they managed to overcome the bureaucracy and the Congress, and the press, with the greatest of ease.

Uhh, yeah. They've put a real clamp on the New York Times. And CBS.

Thank God we still have the blogs. No damn cult has got me, Illtellya. Yeah. FUCK the neo-cons ... uhg ... HEY! GET OUT OF ... HEY!!! SOMEBODY HELP M .

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The Purple Badge Of Courage

2005-01-30T18:08:00.000-05:00

The Rare Chance

2005-01-30T17:27:00.000-05:00

If you think back, you can surely remember a few unique days in your life ... days that were special, when you knew at the time you were experiencing something great, or beautiful, or important.

We only get a few such days. You can count them on your hands, or if you're older, on your hands and toes. I have several that come immediately to mind. When I was 30 or so I took my girlfriend on a long hike to a 1,200 foot rim overlook in Capitol Reef National Park. It was Summer and bright and desert dry and blue skied, and we tromped alone, over the rises and through the washes, up the slickrock and past the arches, up along the foot of cliffs and domes, up under the wings of the red tailed hawk, up into the blue and over the red, up until all of creation spread below us in silence and beauty.

There, at the top of that cliff and under those warm skies, I withdrew a diamond and on bent knee asked my girlfriend to marry me, and she said "yes."

And the entire time, I knew I should savor that day, drink in the sounds and smells and sights, for it was an important day that would pass only once.

Years before, when I was 18 or so, I strode into the elementary school in which I had learned to add (and not to spell), up the steps that seemed so high years before, through the doors that had seemed so heavy, and into the smells that had occupied my childhood. And in that place so important to my life as a child, I began my life as an adult, voting for the first time, exercising a franchise nurtured with the blood and sacrifice of generations who came before me.

As I signed my name and punched my first ballot, I knew I should savor that day, drink in the pride of adulthood and the honor of those who sacrificed to grant me the privilege, for it was an important day that would pass only once.

We have days like these, from time to time. Some personal, like my day on the cliff and my day in the voting booth, and some public: Challenger. Kennedy. June 7th, 1944. Days where we're self-aware and we realize we're experiencing something remarkable, for good or bad, that we should take in deeply and remember.

Today was such a day. Today I was able to see a people who had, for so long, averted their eyes and scuttled along the edges of walls and streets, who had covered their faces and hushed their tones for fear of drawing deadly attention ... today I saw this people standing tall, exposed faces raised high with pride, striding not along the margins but boldly down the middle of their streets and walkways, directly into the doors of their public places, and with the honor and courage, exercising a right of self determination that places them among the free peoples of the world.

And as I looked into their eyes and saw the purple of their fingers and read the joy and jubilation of their words, I knew I should savor this day, drink in the awe and humility inspired by such courage in the name of what is right, witness with careful attention the birth of a free people, for it is an important day that may pass only once.

I Track The Internet So You Don't Have To

2005-01-29T14:46:00.000-05:00

Online fitness calculators. Pace, heart rate, body mass, caloric needs, and more.

I Track The Internet So You Don't Have To

2005-01-29T12:36:00.000-05:00

How fast are you? CNET Bandwidth Meter Speed Test. Me? 2741.9 Kbps. That's faster than Full T1, baby. My provider: Comcast cable.

I Track What's Cool So You Don't Have To

2005-01-29T11:30:00.000-05:00

Stumbled across an application called Celestia today that's absolutely one of the coolest things created for man and computer. From the "about" note:

Celestia is real-time 3D space simulation which lets you travel through our solar system and to over 100,000 stars in our neighborhood.

And it has everything: comets, planets, spacecraft, asteroids ... everything. You can go anywhere, and see anything, from any distance. Here's a screen capture I took of Titan, with Saturn in the background. Note the shadows of the rings across the face of Saturn. Also note that it's in real time ... this is how it looks, right now, in real life (click the image to see it full-sized).

This is what computers are for! Go here to download the application; Mac and PC versions are both available, and it's free.

Geeks Gone WILD!!!

2005-01-29T11:17:00.000-05:00

When geeks have too much free time: A mathematical calculation of the Millennium Falcon's rate of acceleration. You gotta see it to believe it.

I Track The Internet So You Don't Have To

2005-01-29T11:08:00.000-05:00

43 Folders: An awesome collection of Mac OSX "best of" application inventories, tips & hacks.

Courage

2005-01-28T16:36:00.000-05:00

On this anniversary, go read: COURAGE.

Remembering Challenger

2005-01-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

It was 19 years ago today.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the Union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss.

Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible accident on the ground. But, we've never lost an astronaut in flight; we've never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we've forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle; but they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven heroes: Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as a nation together.

For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we're thinking about you so very much. Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, 'Give me a challenge and I'll meet it with joy.' They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us.

We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us. But for twenty-five years the United States space program has been doing just that. We've grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers.

And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them...

I've always had great faith in and respect for our space program, and what happened today does nothing to diminish it. We don't hide our space program. We don't keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That's the way freedom is, and we wouldn't change it for a minute. We'll continue our quest in space. There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue. I want to add that I wish I could talk to every man and woman who works for NASA or who worked on this mission and tell them: "Your dedication and professionalism have moved and impressed us for decades. And we know of your anguish. We share it."

There's a coincidence today. On this day 390 years ago, the great explorer Sir Francis Drake died aboard ship off the coast of Panama. In his lifetime the great frontiers were the oceans, and a historian later said, 'He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it.' Well, today we can say of the Challenger crew: Their dedication was, like Drake's, complete.

The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honoured us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of earth' to 'touch the face of God.'

Listen to these words here.

Proper Music For Highways West

2005-01-28T06:44:00.000-05:00

Highways West posts about proper music for western highways. Some strong selections. Personally, given the chance to listen to real cowboy music I'd offer The Cowboy Cultural Society, and of course, the greatest cowboy station of all time, 95.3 The Range out of Dallas, Texas.

Oh, Please

2005-01-28T06:16:00.000-05:00

Oh please oh please oh please oh please ... especially since my ThinkPad is disintegrating after 3 years of solid use ...

I Gotta Lay Off The Hot & Sour Soup

2005-01-28T05:58:00.000-05:00

So our alarm goes off at 5:15 this morning, and I awake from a very strange dream. I'm taking part in a reality TV show that combines The Apprentice and American Idol. I'm part of the Apprentice team, which has the assignment of preparing and staffing the dinner theater in which the Idolitrans will take part. Lots of strange high school chums running about, and for some reason, at one point I get upset enough with Gilligan (yes, Gilligan) that I'm forced to beat him senseless.

The dream ends with me pairing up with another Apprentice to make enormous chopped salads. As we finish the last salad and the Idols take the stage, one Idol, Kevin, steps into the spotlight to announce:

My name is Kevin, and I'm queer and friendly.

And I'm here to make an announcement ... during this show I've gotten to know Michael back there [another Idolitran], and truth be told just before coming out here tonight we met backstage and had some love. Some naked love. And I just have to say ...

At this point, he breaks into Love is a Many Splendored Thing, and our alarm goes off.

I gotta lay off the hot and sour soup before bed ...

I Track The Blogosphere So You Don't Have To

2005-01-27T10:02:00.000-05:00

Mac user? You need to be reading the The Apple Blog.

You're welcome.

Where Am I?

2005-01-27T09:44:00.000-05:00

One sleepy cowboy here, pardners. Got in very late (1 a.m. late) from Chicago last night and a day that began at 4:30 a.m., and am still figuring out which way is up. (Trick question: The coffee cup is always up.)

But it's a bright, cold, and blue-sky day here, and I'm quickly regaining my senses.

Funny experience on the plane last night: It's about 9:15 p.m. in Chicago, and we're boarding. I'm in my isle seat, and a woman walks up to the row in front of me and declares, loudly, "Alright, oneaya's gonna haveta moveuerass! Whoshit gonna be?!"

She. Is. HAMMERED.

One of the other passengers politely points out that she's actually in 10A a seat that's ... surprise ... open. So she makes her way to the seat, and proceeds to talk to the man in 10C. Loudly. Loudly enough that wifey, who's on the phone with me, is saying "Who's that strange woman?"

So this poor guy, who's of Asian decent, is subjected to a stream of her drunken ranting. Examples:

"Letsh go! Letsh goo!! Iwannagohome!!!"

[De-icing begins] "Loook! Shmoke! Wereonfire!!! I'monlykiddn! Bwahahahahaha!!!!"

And this exchange:

"Whereyoufrom, bigboy?"

[With his accent]: "Sicago"

"Where?"

"Sicago."

"WHAT?? WHERE???"

"Si. Ca. Go."

"Ohhhh ... shhicaaago!! Why you goin' to Philly? Work? Fun?"

"I'm going to a funeral ... my great aunt died."

"Awwwww ... I'm shorrry."

[A few moments of nearly incoherent rambling]

"Yaknow ... we're only here for sho long ... ya gatta have fun, you know? I mean, do your thing and fuckem, you know? Pardon my french ..."

I'm certain he felt much better. After a few more minutes of "Letshgo!!" I say to the guy next to me: "What's the over / under on how soon she passes out? I say 15 minutes after takeoff." I was 8 minutes long.

So here's to you, drunken obnoxious racially inappropriate lady. Hope you didn't kill anyone on the way home, and thank God you didn't sit next to me.

The Morning Read

2005-01-25T07:35:00.000-05:00

Good morning from Chicago. Was up at 5 to hit the gym, process mail, and draft a memo to a client prior to my 7:45 am breakfast meeting. While streaming Radio Paradise and scanning the blogs and news (not listening to Radio Paradise yet? I'm shocked. SHOCKED.) this morning, a couple of things caught my eye:

Eli's coming. If you remember the spectacular but short-lived Sports Night, there was an episode where one character forecasted coming tribulations by saying "Eli's coming," a reference to the Three Dog Night song. Ever since then, wifey and I use "Eli's coming" whenever there's trouble on the horizon (like a big storm, for example, or, perhaps, another two years with Don Rumsfeld as SecDef). Well, I've got news for you: Eli's coming, and Eli is the 76 million baby boomers that are going to hit the Social Security rolls starting in 2008.

This is the one issue with the capability to truly knock America from her position of power in the world. Left unchecked, the social services the boomers will require will Bankrupt. Our. Country. Better start getting smart. Here's a Google search on "social security reform" ... pick any link and start reading. (I know: not much of an editorial job by me, but I'm pressed for time here.)
Have fun. Stay sane. New research today bolstering assertions that staying mentally and physically active, and to a certain extent, having fun, dramatically decreases your likelihood of getting alzheimer's. Dementia is rare ... hell, nearly non-existent ... among my immediate progenitors. Now I know why: we don't go crazy, because we already are crazy. Crazy like a fox. Crazy for a good time. And, it appears, that helps keep the demons at bay.

So, in the interest of your sanity, go do something, will ya? Start a blog. Restore a classic car. Get so good at crosswords you can do the Times in ink. Chase that single bitty from across the hall around the old folk's home nekked. It's good for you, I promise.
Random Wikipedia Entry of the Day: Sandman: The Dream Hunters.
The Next Blog: Florida Politics.

Have a great day, y'all.

Windy City

2005-01-24T12:56:00.000-05:00

Still on the plane as we taxi. Snapped this of The Loop on the way in ...
___
Sent via my Treo 600

For The Record

2005-01-23T14:39:00.000-05:00

Current record is 19-11 against the spread, and 7-1 in the NFL playoffs. Today's picks:

Eagles - 5 against the Falcons

Steelers + 3 against the Patriots

May your horse come in.

I Track Culture So You Don't Have To

2005-01-23T10:03:00.000-05:00

Radio Paradise - eclectic online rock radio. Great quality, incredible mix, and listener supported. What's more, the home page always has what's playing up top, so you can put a name to that cool tune you'd never heard before.

The 10 most recent songs as I post this:

7:01 am - Tom McRae - A & B Song
6:58 am - Neil Young - Dont Let It Bring You Down
6:55 am - Goran Bregovic - Wedding Cocek
6:52 am - Underworld - Trim
6:45 am - Massive Attack - Angel
6:41 am - The Charlatans - You're So Pretty - We're So Pretty
6:38 am - Michael Penn - Try
6:34 am - Thirteen Senses - Into The Fire
6:30 am - Story of M - Sailor
6:26 am - Rolling Stones - Heaven

You're welcome.

The Day After

2005-01-23T09:21:00.000-05:00

The world is still here. And we're not even hung over.

All told, not a bad state of affairs.

We did, though, get relatively pounded with snow yesterday and last night. See for yourself:

And thank goodness I ventured out for beer yesterday; we tapped about half a case through the afternoon and evening. Can you imagine if we faced the AFC and NFC championship games without beer on hand?

Shudder.

Yep. Playing with fonts today. Quite easy in Blogger ... why not make the most of the thing?

On today's agenda? Paperwork, blogging, and football. Like my web hottie, I have no problem being housebound; in fact, I enjoy it. I've already hit the roof with the roof rake, a necessity as our older home is highly susceptible to ice dams. We're expecting 30-40 mile per hour winds today, though, so we'll be holding off on the driveway until the drifting has passed.

So that's our day.

One last thing: last night we (finally) saw Lost In Translation. Wifey and I both enjoyed the film, but we came to separate conclusions about its tone. I found it uplifting; her, not so much. What was your take?

NOW Who's An Angry Drunk?

2005-01-22T19:47:00.000-05:00

Well, I don't know if she's angry ... but I reckon she's drunk. Check out my web hottie and decide for yourself. That DJ ... he gets in a mood and look out. She's lucky the little devil didn't try to screw the cat.

But who's surprised: nothing good ever comes from Apples to Apples anyway.

Back to the ~~beer~~ storm.

Who In Their Right Mind ...

2005-01-22T15:04:00.000-05:00

... would go out driving in this?

I would. But it was an emergency.

Polygamy Primer

2005-01-22T09:05:00.000-05:00

This is great: The State of the Beehive points to a "polygamy primer" published by the Utah Attorney General's office. (Not to be confused with "Polygamy Porter.") I can only imagine:

"Mary ... no, Sue?" Don't put your foot in your mouth: Keep a cheat sheet on hand to remember each wife's name.

Don't forget the Golden Rule: If there's a sock on the doorhandle, it's her lucky night.

Remember: rotation. As one bride reaches 21, add a 14 year old to the stable. No need to see only wrinkles, man!

Getting The Inside Skinny On The Weather

2005-01-22T08:54:00.000-05:00

For a couple of years now I've relied not on our local National Weather Service forecast to get a bead on the weather, but on the NWS forecast discussion. This is a text product that the NWS forecasters put out for other meteorologists, giving an update on what's happening and what they expect to happen. It's kind of a "one pro to another" thing, and while it's got some jargon and shorthand in it that can be hard to decipher, reading it makes you a fly on the wall as the forecasters try to figure out what's going to happen, and what they're ultimately going to put in the forecast that you see.

Here's an example of the forecast discussion for Salt Lake City. You can find one on any NWS location home page, and they're usually either posted under "Text Products" or "Forecast Discussion" or something similar.

I just bookmark the local discussion page and check it whenever we're wondering about the weather.

You're welcome.

It's Gonna Snow Snow Snow!

2005-01-22T07:54:00.000-05:00

From our undisclosed location on the east coast, we're expecting snowfall today and tonight with accumulations between 10 and 18 inches. We're excited, of course. Sure, I'll have to do the driveway and use the roof rake (ours is an older, ice-dam prone home), but on the whole it'll be great.

Besides, the dog will love it. Witness:

So it's ... uhh ... 12 degrees at the moment. No snow yet, but we're expecting it to start soon. And we'll hunker down, maybe break out the scotch and a cigar a bit early (even for a Saturday), watch movies, and play on the Mac. Lots of photos to organize, videos to play with, and exploring still to do on the new machine.

Who knows: Maybe I'll even post some shots of conditions as they develop. I believe the replacement charger for the good digital camera (not the poor one on my phone) has finally made the trip from China to our local post office, so they might even be photos of some quality.

Or maybe I'll just sit here and blog until we're snowbound. Who knows. It's that kind of day. Ain't it great?

I Track Culture So You Don't Have To

2005-01-22T07:53:00.000-05:00

I was a fan of the Clooney/Soderberg HBO creation K Street, which combined reality and fantasy in presenting the inner workings of a DC lobbying firm. Now C & S are on to their next project of the same genre: HBO's Unscripted. The lobbyists have been replaced by actors in LA, trying to make it big. Some of the best TV of the year. Oh .. and Krista Allen is incredibly hot.

The Morning Read

2005-01-19T06:25:00.000-05:00

I gotta tell you: our dog kicks ass. She kicks ass generally, but she especially kicks ass on days like this, when it's 12 degrees outside and she sprints to the end of the drive and retrieves the morning paper. 'Cause you don't want to be out there today unless you have to. (As my father would say, "How'd you like to be out there in nothing but a wet sheet?" No thanks.)

I'm headed to Minneapolis in a few hours (Cold Places Winter Tour 2005! Rock on!!), but found a few items of note this morning for your Morning Read:

Is the emperor nekked? I was in Washington last week, and could see the inaugural prep as we drove past the Capital. Enormous. And now we know the three-day shin dig is going to run a bill of $40 million. $40 million. And Washington D.C. is paying $17 million of that in security costs. So what's the other $23-odd mil for? Good question. Lots of parties, I suppose. Oh ... and a parade. Don't forget the parade. And paying someone to set up all those chairs. Lots of chairs on that stage.

Here's some perspective for you: Let's say the average cost of a school lunch in the US is $1.50. For $40 million we could buy roughly 27 million school lunches, which with a 180 day school year would provide all lunch, for an entire year, for 150,000 students ... which is roughly every pre-, elementary, and middle school student in the Philadelphia Public School system.

Or how about this? For $40 million we could provide all tuition, room, and board at public college for over a thousand people. Or we could send another six thousand kids to Head Start this year.

Better be one hell of a party. I'm just sayin'.
Red rover come over! Our plucky little Mars rovers are still chugging along ... and one's found a meteorite on the surface. Cool.
Democracy! Fuck yeah!! Seems the rock band Fuel led off their set at last night's America's Future Rocks Today pre-inaugural concert with "Welcome to the greatest fucking country in the world!" He's right, of course ... but one has to wonder how the Bush family, who were in the audience along with thousands of teenieboppers there to see Hilary Duff, took it. Somehow I don't think it's the first time Jenna and Barbara heard the word ...
New feature! Wikipedia entry of the day: Banana Boat.
The next blog: Mangq, from Indonesia. Strange, but strangely interesting ...

Good day, all.

How To Become A Mind Reader

2005-01-18T15:55:00.000-05:00

As part of my job and education, I've forgotten more about nonverbal communication than most people ever learn. And I have to tell you, it gives a person an edge. In poker, for one. In negotiations, for another (never shit a shitter ... and never shit a shitter who understands nonverbal markers of confidence and diffidence). And finally, in day-to-day conversation.

"How'd you know that's what I was thinking?" I often hear. "Well", I think, "because it was right there on your face all along."

Now you can read minds, too: DataFace: Facial Expressions, Emotion Expressions, Nonverbal Communication. A nice online summary of the data. For a less academic take, read this excerpt from Gladwell's Blink.

Now ... go all in. He's bluffing ...

Listen Up!

2005-01-18T13:07:00.000-05:00

Whaddaya know. Plan to go to Barcelona for three weeks and then * POOF * the whole trip gets cancelled. Good news is that this gives me two more nights (with my sweetie) at home, and I find myself today with a completely free schedule.

More proof that bad news, when turned on its side, presents opportunity.

One of the things I've found with my time today: PENNsound. From the website:

PennSound is an ongoing project, committed to producing new audio recordings and preserving existing audio archives. We intend to provide as much documentation about individual recordings as possible; new bibliographic information will be added over time (please contact us if you can supplement the information already provided). As part of the PennSound project, the Schoenberg Center for Electronic Text & Image (SCETI) in collabortation with the Annenberg Rare Book and Mansucript Collection at the University of Pennsylvania is developing a sophisticated cataloguing tool for all our sound files; this should be available in about one year.

Put this through your academic jargon translator and this paragraph resolves to:

Hundreds and hundreds of poems and other literature readings in mp3 format for your iPod or other digital audio player.

Oh ... and it's all free. Cool.

Seperated At Birth?

2005-01-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

About Golf, Golfers and Golf Widows

Golf Blog

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A Different Type Of Comical

2005-01-17T21:33:00.000-05:00

I've seen a number of regular references to CAP Alert over at Tom Peyer's place. I'd never followed the link; now that I have, I'm left feeling, well ... I don't rightly (yes, that's a pun ... you'll get it once you follow the link) know. Sort of a cross between icky and disturbed, I suppose.

How else does one react to a web site that describes The Incredibles, one of the most entertaining and sweetest films of the year in my view, thusly:

There are behavioral, moral and value implantation dangers in this film. It is, after all, rated PG. The exaggeration and unbelievability typically associated with animation are limited in this nearly "real-feeling" cartoon adventure into the world of crime-fighting and world-saving. Twenty-first century "adult" realities are thoroughly blended into the lives of the characters, giving this film an unusual feel for a cartoon. For the parent setting next to his/her child, that "feel" may not be comfortable. A reliance on much experiential maturity is obvious to even fathom some of the material in this film: a reliance on experiential maturity that, when forced upon the young observer, may cause moral confusion possibly leading to coping skill friction and decision making aberrations.

Good lord. Will someone please point out the part in the New Testament when Lord God Jesus says "Thou shalt take all the fun out of all shit in my name?" "Moral confusion possibly leading to coping skill friction and decision making aberrations"?? It's a friggin' cartoon, for Chrissakes. And I think Jesus gets the joke.

For The Record

2005-01-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

Now 17-11 against the spread. Today's picks:

New England - 1 1/2 against the Colts

Eagles - 8 against the Vikes

May your horse come in.

Update: Again, bingo on both. Now 19-11 against the spread, and 7-1 in the NFL playoffs.