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Tuesday, October 31
Happy Halloween!
I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday (even if it's frelling cold out). I also want to congratulate Haley on her volleyball season. I listend to her last two games on streaming Internet radio tonight at work (and even called her between them). Congrats. :) Labels: holiday
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The Music of Dorian Gray
I've finally seen a concert for an artist I really wanted to see (previous, usually pleasant, outings have been undertaken in the role of companion). The James Blunt concert on Sunday was fantastic (although sparsely attended, which disappointed me). He played all three of my favorite songs, played the gong at one point, jumped off the stage to hug people in the front row (not me), offered to take off one piece of clothing per song if everyone else in the auditorium did and broke a guitar string. He also did a very soulful song I hadn't heard before that was illustrated with amateur video from his military tour in Kosovo, showing the plight of the war-stricken region. Perhaps the best, though, was this: Woman in the crowd: "James, I love you!" James: "Thanks, mum." I *am*, however, annoyed that the Web site said "No cameras" but the sign at the door said "No cameras with exchangeable lenses." Bastards. I could have had pictures. Grrr. Labels: concert, music
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Monday, October 30
Isn't the Internet Great?
The follow up to the original video that inspired a previous lesson in chemistry. Labels: diet coke and mentos, funny, science
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A Tale of 371 Cities
I'm sure my esteemed matriarch will exhibit an appropriate level of disapproval, dished out as liberally as her caramel marshmallow treats, at the latest safety ratings for America's 350-and-change largest cities. Although far outstripping St. Louis (371st) and Detroit (370th) (the worst two offenders who, as my boss pointed out today, happened to be the two finalists in this year's World Series), my own dear metropolitan home ranked in the bottom half, well below Lincoln (128th) and, of all places, New York City (145th). My only consolation is that Omaha's measly 217th place finish still beat Phoenix by almost a hundred places (313th). Take that, Tim. Labels: omaha
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Sunday, October 29
Hollowood
Although I like this song, I spent the first minute of the video thinking "Wow, this is the cheapest video ever; it's just people milling around a party." Then they began implementing the special effects, and my impression level went way up. I won't tell you what they are (other than to say they're surprisingly seamless); just watch it to see. Labels: music
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Thursday, October 26
They Say Everyone Has a Twin
This is really, really unfortunate. Labels: funny
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Wednesday, October 25
Late Updates
I posted a few more of the pictures from my last trip to my parents' tonight. No particular reason. Labels: photography
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Tuesday, October 24
Educational, and Pretty, Too
Caring, responsible uncles provide their charges with toys that incorporate the wonders of science, ya know. Although I suppose the twins have to develop language beyond "shoes" and "puppy" before I can explain how ionizing a low-pressure gas creates plasma. Labels: photography, science, twins
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Monday, October 23
Go West, Young Man
As a former member of a college writing guild and a sometimes writer, I am a strong proponent of such clubs in general and their goals. However, I must take umbrage at an unintentional slight from the latest event hosted by such a guild. As admirable as such an auspicious event is, I would like to draw attention to the fact that it's being held in Kearney, Nebraska. And then I would like to point out that Kearney, Nebraska is not in western Nebraska. I fully acknowledge the whining tone inherent in such an exhibition, but as one who lived in western Nebraska for the two decades that comprised my early life, I am familiar with the contempt generated by the assumption that everything west of Lincoln constitutes "western Nebraska." Labels: amusement, western nebraska
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Sunday, October 22
Self-Aggrandizement
I received my early voting ballot in the mail on Saturday. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was accompanied by no fewer than seven political advertisements. A few highlights: One is laminated and actually says "Suitable for framing" on it. I'm sure that's a popular wall adornment. "Oh, I love that photo of a guy in a suit with a fake smile surrounded by bullet points of his career! It goes so well with the begonias. Is that from World Market?" It's particularly poignant with the two typos (you'll be glad to know he has testified for the "legistlature"). Questionable grammar on two others would normally be spared the red pen, but I'm intentionally looking for it now (one is an encouragement to vote for an education bill, which is borderline ironic). Perhaps the most interesting is a two-page letter mailed in a hand-addressed envelope, with a salutation involving the pre-printed "Dear Fellow Taxpayer" crossed out and my name written in (how touchingly personalized). It also includes the candidate's home phone number with a note that he has some yard signs left if I want one. Personally, I've never really understood the whole yard sign thing, and I've turned down all the people who have called me to the door to ask if they can put one in my yard, but I suppose that's a symptom of a lack of passion for any particular candidate. It does make me wonder how many of the signs I see are being hosted by people who just didn't feel like saying "no" and have no idea what the person who provided the signs represents. I'm not surprised that my overall opinion of the ads is that they lack substance. They're saturated with lines like "I want to improve efficiency" and "I put you first" and "I have proven leadership," none of which convey any sort of content. I would imagine this is the result of the sound byte mentality and its accompanying commentary on the average American's understanding of political issues and attention span. In this respect I'm not their target audience; I'll take independent research over a laminated flier any day. I shudder at the thought of the number of people who go to the polls with no preparation and mark random names on the ballot when faced with races about which they know nothing. Still, to blatantly steal a false-attribution to Voltaire, I may not approve of your method of choosing candidates, but I will defend to the death your right to vote for them. Labels: elections, politics
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Friday, October 20
Tough Little Buggers
This thing is just incredible. A species that can survive being boiled at 300 degrees F for minutes or frozen to just above absolute zero (-460 degrees F) for days, can withstand more than a thousand times the level of X-ray radiation that would kill a human and can survive at extremely high pressures and in vacuum. They can go into a state of suspended animation where their body functions at 0.01% of normal functioning and can dehydrate to 1% of their normal water content and then reanimate a decade later. Wow. Labels: science
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Thursday, October 19
Blah
You know those days when it just didn't pay to get out of bed? Those days when you get turned down for a date and then accidentally destroy a costume you've been working on for your friend for four nights just after finishing it? *grumble* Now I have to go rebuy materials and start over (and I still don't have a date for the concert I'm going to see). Insignificant in the grand scheme of things, I'm sure, but of great importance to me at the moment. Labels: annoyance
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Wednesday, October 18
Digital Delicacies
I realize this is a significantly sharp contrast to the previous post, but the majority of these fall into the Keanu-esque "whoa!" category rather than the always-charming "Wow, she's hot!" grouping, and thus the distinction (at least in my warped little world). I have a particular fascination with this one (although oddly enough no one I've asked has been willing to pour a gallon of paint on him/herself to mimic the photo . . .). Labels: cool
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Monday, October 16
Artificial Aesthetics
This is an interesting commentary on social preferences and the inundation of society by a form of advertising that represents a different, one could even say skewed, perspective. It leads naturally, like an orange cone-marked pedestrian path through a construction zone, to the discussion on mixed messages to adolescent girls and the quest for (and pitfalls of) unobtainable beauty. Of slightly more interest to me is the sub-discussion on why artificial images are more attractive to us than the genuine article, a topic that centers largely in the realm of evolutionary biology and the tendency of species to evolve exaggerations of signs that attract members of the opposite sex (think peacock feathers or human breasts, or on a more intentional level the application of cosmetics, a practice that is at least 6,000 years old). We are hard-wired for aesthetic preferences, the result of generations of our ancestors choosing mates based on visual cues, and, as the advertising media has shown us, if we have a preference for good skin or narrow cheekbones or long necks in our mates, someone (even if "he/she" is a Photoshopped composite, or the recipient of plastic surgery) with an exaggeration of those traits "catches our eye." In this regard it's not entirely the ad companies' fault; they've just discovered a way to sell their products using our evolutionary traits (much the same way that our genetic taste for sugar, a trait that encouraged our ancestors to eat fruits, was beneficial for most of human history but now is used to sell products that are unhealthy for us). But at some point the social contract, through which we as thinking beings overcome our biological instincts, has to come into play. P.S. - Personally I prefer the model before the makeover and Photoshopping, but I would suspect that's at least partially a result of an inherent nonconformist streak, or perhaps a feeling that the final look is "plastic" and artifical to the point of being unattractive. Labels: social commentary
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Sunday, October 15
Walking on Sunshine . . . Almost
Cris and I attended the Nebraska Aids Project 2006 Charity Walk today, a worthwhile event that had somewhat lackluster attendance (due mostly to the unplanned cold drizzle, I imagine). Sign-in took only a few minutes, then we sat on the curb of the parking lot for almost an hour, shivering like pirates, as people slowly filtered in. There was an impromptu dog fight, two "mock walks" for a local tv station that wanted to stage us walking thirty yards to splice into their news story rather than wait until the walk actually started, a mariachi band, a pair of talented salsa dancers and a couple of famous names (famous in Omaha, anyway). There was a fair degree of scoffing from half the assembled walkers when a trio from Gold's Gym tried to lead a cardio-boxing warmup (those expressing disdain included Cris and yours truly). The walk itself was quite short (I joked that the cardio warmup took longer), which was just as well since it was drizzling off and on and we were both cold and wet. I was disappointed that the turnout wasn't bigger; I have no idea how it compares to a normal turn out, but I'm sure it was impacted by the less-than-pleasant weather. I'm sure Cris will have a write-up later. After he stops trying to steal my papaya bodyscrub (one of the goodies in the bag that came with the t-shirt). Labels: charity, friends, social commentary
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Saturday, October 14
Nothing Runs on a PC Like a Deere
Given the proliferation of simulation games, and the fact that this is an agricultural state, I probably shouldn't be surprised that this even exists, but I still find it disturbing. Labels: amusement
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Friday, October 13
Those Crazy Animals, Pt. II
Following up on a post from a year ago, I present a museum display (finally) and the expected controversy surrounding it. It seems appropriate following National Coming Out Day (the display, not the controversy). Labels: science, social commentary
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Wednesday, October 11
Spy vs. Spy
I learned tonight at my election inspector meeting that we should expect to be "observed" (i.e., watched and spot-checked) by people hired by the political parties this election. As though supervising a polling place wasn't already difficult enough. Labels: elections
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Tuesday, October 10
"Slacking" Is a Relative Term
I'm sure this will be greeted with astonishment and perhaps hidden bemusement, but I finally updated the house blog. Labels: house
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Monday, October 9
She Flies Through the Air With the Greatest of Ease
Alec has learned a new trick; needless to say, greater diligence must now be employed. Her demonstrable lack of acrophobia will, in due time, lead to rock climbing and rappelling outings, but for now the trick is to keep her in one piece. Kyle, on the other hand, is adept at linguistics. I'm pretty sure that's ancient Egyptian. They're both good at begging. If extortionist-esque threats of tantrums can be called "begging." Labels: twins
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Saturday, October 7
Three Little Letters
I'm sure the vocal left will expound on this in far louder (and more virulent) language (as almost all the mentions of it on the Web currently do), but I do think this was a cheap shot that deserves to be called. For whatever reason, Fox News ran three different clips of former-Senator Mark Foley in two different broadcasts with the line " Mark Foley (D-Fl)" under his name (Foley is a Republican). Fox News says it was a mistake, and I can accept that (not something all liberal commentators are going to do), although since the shows are "live to tape" (essentially meaning they're pre-taped), it does indicate some sloppiness on the part of their proofreaders. Still, it's an easy slip, and one that happens now and then. Here's where Fox News went wrong. They decided not to " run a correction per se." Instead, they simply removed the identification entirely for the rebroadcast and ran it sans political affiliation. In what amounts to a pathetic defense, the executive producer said that since "everyone knows" Foley is a Republican, there was no reason to point out the channel's error, which of course brings up the question of why the show felt it was necessary to add the (incorrect) affiliation in the first place. In contrast, the AP also incorrectly reported Foley as a Democrat in a handful of articles, but issued a retraction/correction as soon as it was notified. Fox News could have avoided the accusations of ulterior motives with a similar correction. Labels: politics
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Thursday, October 5
Differences
A below-the-radar entry from the ongoing Foley scandal, involving conservative political commentator Paul Weyrich speaking with host Michele Norris on NPR yesterday: Weyrich: It has been known for many years that Congressman Foley was a homosexual. Homosexuals tend to be preoccupied with sex - the idea that he should be continued, or should have been continued as chairman on the Committee for Missing and Exploited Children, given their knowledge of that is just outrageous.
Norris: Now, before we go on, I think I can say, Mr. Weyrich, that there quite a few people who would take exception to the statement that homosexuals are preoccupied with sex.
Weyrich: Well, I don't care whether they take exception to it - it happens to be true.
Norris: That is your opinion.
Weyrich: Well, it's not my opinion, it's the opinion of many psychologists and psychiatrists who have to deal with them. The thinly veiled linking of homosexuality and pedophilia in Mr. Weyrich's statements is as repugnant as it is ridiculous; the idea that a homosexual should not head an agency that deals with children because of his or her orientation is stunningly prejudiced. What I found more telling, however, was Mr. Weyrich's use of the phrase "who have to deal with them," as though interacting with homosexuals is unpleasant or they're some contagious danger to avoid. Similar language has been used throughout human history to differentiate the speaker from those unlike him, whether the difference is based on religion, physical appearance or nationality; the dehumanizing of the Jews in Nazi Germany or the African-Americans in late-19th and early-20th century America should serve as ample examples. It's easier to dislike someone if you believe he or she is different and lesser. On a related note, I'd challenge Mr. Weyrich to validate his claims and come up with any accredited psychiatry or psychology association that agrees with his views. I'd be surprised if he could produce a single one. Labels: politics, social commentary
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Wednesday, October 4
Stage Presence
This is both disconcerting and fascinating at the same time (and the music is kind of addictive). Labels: amusement, cool
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Tuesday, October 3
Long-term Investment
I preordered the new Evanescence album through iTunes, and apparently it's a good thing I did. According to this, everyone else has to wait until 2038 . . . Labels: amusement, music
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Monday, October 2
Out of Sight, Out of Spam
Although naturally hesitant to point out gaffes, I've received three separate e-mails in the last week that break the conventions of limiting spam. I find pointing it out to be more palatable if I present it as educational rather than punitive, and thus the following should be read as such. Probably the most common method of tipping your hand to spammers is to use your e-mail address to sign up for or order something from a less-than-upfront Web site that then sells your address to a spamming company (which it turn sells it to other spamming companies). Another one, though, that often doesn't occur to people comes from the all-too-familiar e-mail forward. Here's how it works: Person A sends a joke/funny picture/announcement/question/porn/etc. to every person in his address book (say, 20 people). Person B, a friend of Person A's, receives it and then forwards it on to everyone in her address book (another 20 people). And so on. Eventually Person X receives an e-mail with three pages of e-mail headers and addresses with the crux of the e-mail buried at the bottom. The trick here is that each time the e-mail is forwarded, it gains another set of valid e-mail addresses, and each of those addresses is worth money. Once someone who knows this fact receives the e-mail, it's a simple task to sell the e-mail to a spamming company (and since the person doesn't know anyone in the e-mail beyond the previous sender, he/she usually doesn't care if those "faceless names" end up with spam). Luckily, there is a very easy solution to this. If you want to forward an e-mail (or send a new one) to more than one person, the polite way to do it is to BCC all of your recipients rather than put them in the "To:" field. If your e-mail client requires you to use a "To:" address, you can use your own e-mail address or another one (I have a made up one called "Jay's Friends, Enemies and Family"). The recipients of your list will see whatever you used for the "To:" address, but not their own or any of the other recipients' addresses, thus preserving their privacy (and really, an e-mail address should be considered as private as a phone number). This also has the benefit of not sharing your friends' addresses with each other (which in some cases can be a very good thing). If you don't see the BCC option on your e-mail client, click on "To:" to open your address book and then use the BCC button there to add addresses. You should also, if you feel inclined to forward on an e-mail, delete all e-mail headers and addresses out of the forward so only the joke/picture/whatever itself is in the e-mail body. Your friends will thank you. Well, actually they probably won't, but at least they won't cuss you when they start getting spam. Labels: computers
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Sunday, October 1
Those Pesky Measurements
From a promo for an upcoming SciFi show: Scientist meant to impress us all in a soundbyte: "This thing is billions of years old . . . but light-years beyond our technology." Okay, science fiction writers. Repeat after me. "Years" measures time. " Light-years," despite the misleading root words, measures distance. Stop mixing the two. :P Labels: amusement, annoyance, science
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