We had hardware troubles on Monday and I'm all tired out from writing thank you notes (the gifts are great though! Everyone is being much too generous). So no new links today. But I do want to send good wishes off to the wonderful Garrison Keillor who is having heart surgery to fix a leaky mitral valve.
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Monday, July 30, 2001

Turning the tables, an interview with NPR's Terry Gross, host of "Fresh Air." Many of her interviews are done with the interviewee at a remote location, which you wouldn't notice on radio. And sometimes people get upset and walk out, which has probably happened to everyone in the business of asking questions to get answers for the public.
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Really nifty: license plates of the world. They not only have current plates, but historical plates too. Check out all the old Connecticut plates. There's plates for U.S. military forces in various locations, and also Native American reservation plates. (via antenna)
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Saturday, July 28, 2001

How many of baseball's unwritten rules of conduct are you aware of? Don't steal bases or swing at a 3 and 0 pitch when your team has a big lead. But the game has been changing, runs are easier to score. So a big lead in the fifth inning may easily melt away. The unwritten rules still stand, though, and payback is one of them.
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Friday, July 27, 2001

Unscrupulous real estate practices on the rise? As always, there's a difference between what is legal and what different people consider ethical behavior. It bothers me when someone tries to justify bad behavior by saying "well, it's legal". Whether I do business with someone depends a lot more on whether I agree with their behavior than whether they are following the law. I suppose I prefer that they are legal and have similar ethics to me, but if they bend laws because the laws are silly, that's just fine with me. Anyway, back to article. The writer has had recent direct experience with some very unscrupulous real estate agents. As always, it's best to know yourself what you are entitled to and to also decide what, not necessarily illegal, behavior you can put up with. It's one thing to be sold a shirt that wasn't really made where it was advertised, but to get screwed over on probably the most expensive thing you will ever buy just plain ol' sucks.
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There's a book out about the world of competitive Scrabble. I read somewhere recently that although Hasbro owns the rights to Scrabble in the U.S. (through a train of mergers and acquisitions), archrival Mattel owns the rights overseas. So they trade off their attendance at the world championships each year.
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Thursday, July 26, 2001

Random thought of the week: It would be so neat to own a vintage nurse's cape. They evoke a bygone glamour and commitment to service. A reproduction would be in better condition for actual use, of course. (a few more examples from eBay that will disappear: vintage blue wool, 1940's cape, and one for Barbie)
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I love blueberries. Where I grew up in Connecticut they grew wild. We had bushes on our property and spent the summer hoping that the birds wouldn't get to the berries before we did. In 1977 we had a bumper crop, enough for fresh eating and a pie! Low growing Maine blueberries are raked every August and September. According to this Mercury News article, you can grow blueberry bushes in my part of California, so perhaps I'll give it a try one day when I have a yard. For now, I'm content with the pint boxes from the market. This week I made blueberry muffins. Next up, my first try at some yummy scones.
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Wednesday, July 25, 2001

Satellite radio is beyond getting off the ground, it is about to fully launch. It's being built into Cadillacs and has radio super monopoly (well OK, not really, but they own 1 out of every 10 U.S. radio stations) Clear Channel Communications as an investor. Will satellite radio become the radio of choice and cause the further homogenization of the medium? There is plenty of nationally syndicated programming on regular radio, but it still remains the bastion of local color and commentary in our media for the masses. Other than local traffic and news, there isn't much that can't be made into the nationwide programming we see on TV today. Is fully nationwide radio feasible or even desirable? I'd really miss the local flavor. It may one day be reduced to 10 second advertisements for local concerts.
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Tuesday, July 24, 2001

Oh my. People collect AOL discs. And here I've been abusing mine by using them as coasters and microwaveable fun toys. I guess I'd better clean them off and put them for sale on eBay where they belong! Hmmm I wonder if I can get any money for my MSN CDs too? And I think I have some AOL floppy disks. Surely those are worth even more than the CDs, I mean, they are a lot older! Evil cackle. By the way, I'm saving my original Apple Developer's CD (including musical tracks like the "Apple ][ Forever" theme song) in hopes of financing my kids' college tuition. So if you have one, please throw it away. Thank you. (via Obscure Store)
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I've got to be up very early today to cruise down to Santa Cruz for a work thing. We'll be at Chaminade, which is supposed to be quite nice. No time for a coherent entry right now, maybe more later.
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Monday, July 23, 2001

News from the Star Wars Episode II previews at International Comic-Con . "Jar Jar Binks will appear in Episode II, but only briefly." I wonder if George Lucas had it planned differently before. Also in scifi news, Buffy DVDs are in the works. Excellent. I want to see the prom episode again and do some good sentimental sobbing.
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KitchenAid's "Cook for the Cure" partnership with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is selling a limited edition KitchenAid Ultra Power Stand Mixer (that's the 300 watt model) in a lovely shade of pink. They are donating $50 from each purchase.
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Pulitzer Prize Winner Larry McMurtry is better known to himself as a bookseller (NY Times article). He's been buying and selling used books for many years, and has big plans to turn his hometown of Archer City, Texas, population 1,748, into a bibliophile's paradise. "People always come to where there are a lot of books," he says. And his store turns a profit. Probably not a huge one, but I doubt he needs a big salary.
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Friday, July 20, 2001

One married friend says the disposable cameras at each table at her wedding were a complete waste of money. One married friend says the photos they got from theirs were awesome. I suppose it's better to take the chance rather than miss out completely. One great photo can make the entire endeavor worthwhile.
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Trendy jargon + domain name alert: as of this writing, jazzhands.com is NOT REGISTERED. Fosse and Will & Grace fans, what is UP with THAT? (What are "jazz hands"?, just one of those random things you say and do when you want to be amusing. You have to say it real fast and furious while you assume the correct position with your palms. Here's a stick figure doing jazz hands.)
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Everyone will be linking to this, but everyone should see it. TheyRule is an amazing Flash app that shows you the members of the boards of large corporations. You expand each board (represented by a table) to see its members. Fatter members belong to many other boards. Click on their briefcases and see where the trail leads. Coke and Pepsi are as close as they could be without causing conflict of interest. Read into it what you will, view it through whatever filter you prefer, but do get educated.
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Thursday, July 19, 2001

Tortillas are so plentiful at the market that I've never considered making them at home. But this SF Chronicle article about "One cook's quest for fresh tortillas" whets your appetite for a freshly and properly made corn tortilla. There are many tips and details listed in the recipe, which makes me think it's somewhat of a practice makes perfect, almost artistic endeavor. Perhaps I'll stick to enjoying them in good restaurants.
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Cornfield Maize Mazes. What can I say but Amazing! Countries this year include England, France, Switzerland, U.S., Canada, and Israel. I think the nearest to me is in Fallon, Nevada. (via xblog, via jimwich)
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Wednesday, July 18, 2001

ConnectNet.org is intended for finding nearby public internet access sites, but I think I'll be using it also as a "where's the nearest library" finder since that's almost the same thing. I love libraries. I've been taken into the bookstore life lately instead, but never fear, I shall go back. (via FMH)
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Signs that The End is near: A cellphone that comes with matching nail polish. Please run, don't walk, to the nearest exit. Thank you. OK, I admit I do own nail polish that happens to match my PalmV case, but that was just a COINCIDENCE. I did NOT buy them at the same time. Really!
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Tuesday, July 17, 2001

Probably the first in a continuing series: Wedding anxiety dream topics numbers one through four. #1: The wedding day arrives a month early. We are not prepared. #2: All my hair falls out, thereby solving the problem of how to style it. #3: The florist does not arrive until after the ceremony. Bunches of weeds are substituted. #4: The wedding is over and we realize that no one we know was actually there to see it.
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"The human brain is exquisitely hardwired for touch." A Scientific American article discusses the addition of touchy-feely devices to computers, concentrating on the iFeel mouse from Logitech. The haptic (relating to or based on the sense of touch) interface technology was created by Immersion. Their TouchSense technology uses a proprietary microprocessor that is "optimized for performing calculations related specifically to touch sensation." So what you see is immediately what you feel. Very funky. They have partners in the automotive and medical fields.
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This was altogether too engrossing: The Hallmarks of Felinity, gathering of all the kitty themed strips from 9 Chickweed Lane. There are over 90 of them, most just spot on. Cat owners will spend many minutes smiling in recognition. (via The Other Side)
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Monday, July 16, 2001

It's rough going when a town is dependent on one company and it runs into tough times. The NY Times takes a look at Corning, NY where Corning, Inc. was facing a bright future, positioned to capitalize on the fiber optics boom. But although they are still managing to sell fiber, "it is not the high- profit premium kind that was so in demand last year." They tried to make most of their 5,900 layoffs in locations with other job opportunities, but 1,000 workers were laid off in the town of Corning, population 11,000. Ouch. And that will trickle down quickly, the relationship is too symbiotic. "This is where, a decade later, what had become Corning Glass Works made the first light bulbs for Thomas Edison. This is where Pyrex custard cups were born, where Steuben crystal decanters were blown, where television tubes were shaped and where Corelle plates were proven to be practically unbreakable. This is where scientists were involved in developing products like silicones and fiberglass."
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Got comfort food? Peanut Butter & Co in Greenwich Village specializing in serving peanut butter sandwiches. PB&J, Fluffernutter, even a BLT (bacon and peanut butter? hmmm). They use their own natural peanut butter, so none of that evil hydrogenated stuff. (via memepool)
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Friday, July 13, 2001

In a wedding ceremony, every Thing can take on deep meaning and symbolism. A bride and groom who care about the messages and subtexts being conveyed will research and think about what certain elements of the ceremony mean to them and others. For me, it's a blessing and a curse to be a musician selecting the music for my own wedding. I know too much. I over-analyze. I don't want to use what everyone else uses because it has become cliche, to me anyway. And I want what we do pick to be meaningful, or at least carry no stigma.

One somewhat well-known fact is that the popular Wagner "bridal march" is typically not used in Jewish weddings because Wagner is considered by some to be an antisemitist. The few times brave souls (Zubin Mehta was one) have performed Wagner's works in the Israel Philharmonic, some of the audience tried to shout it down, and others got up and left.

There is a march, not the one everyone knows as the bridal one, that I think would fit well for our processional. (Un)fortunately, I know about this Wagner controversy. And there's no clear answer there. He wrote some things that are considered antisemetic; the Nazis (Hitler was born after he died, so he wasn't a Nazi) held up some of his works as anthems and banned others; he had Jewish friends and business associates. Since I can't pass judgement on this uncertainty, I can't with conviction say "no, I won't use his music because he was a bad person." There are plenty of other composers who did worse than he did (and are not, incidently, banned from the Israel Philharmonic's repertoire). But Wagner stirs up huge negative emotion in those who believe in his antisemitic leanings. And I don't want even the faintest tinge of negativity. But do I know if anyone will feel this way? I can't be sure. And if I do ask and educate (as I am now by publishing this), I am potentially creating some negativity that wouldn't have been there before. What's a considerate bride to do? Find something else? Perhaps I shall keep listening.
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Thursday, July 12, 2001

'tis the season. Obscure Store keeps chiming in with wedding-related links. A couple held an "ethical vegan wedding" in Massachusetts. I didn't know about "bone char, a byproduct of certain commercial sugars that are ground up with animal bones." A woman in Connecticut sued a dance floor installer after she fell at a wedding. That was eight years ago. She finally lost the suit last week. And some wedding participants in Wisconsin witnessed a multi-car accident on the way to the reception and stopped to help. The party of bridesmaids and ushers just happened to include two firefighters/EMTs and the daughter of a nurse. They made it to the reception in time for the cake cutting.
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Wow, seeing Corelle mentioned at Larkfarm brought back many memories. It is my mom's everyday dinnerware of choice, because she says it won't break. I managed to prove her wrong on a few occasions. And when it does break, oy! It can shatter into millions of tiny pieces that go everywhere and are difficult to find and pick up. I remember the first time I broke one. I think it was a bowl and I was abusing it, using it outside on the front steps to mold snow sculptures. I dropped it onto the hard steps with my clumsy mitten hands. And I probably said something to my mom like "But you said that these don't break!!" Oh, and we had the classic, now discontinued blue cornflower pattern.
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Wednesday, July 11, 2001

Busy busy over here, no time for chat. Here's a link to SpaceDaily, which pulls in space news from all over the world. It's good to remember that the U.S. and Russia aren't the only ones orbiting things around the planet.
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Tuesday, July 10, 2001

Astronauts in space are so shielded from ultraviolet light that their bodies can't produce enough Vitamin D. A NASA press release tells of a computerized Food Frequency Questionnaire used to help determine the astronauts' food consumption in relation to health. The countdown has begun for Atlantis to lift off Thursday. IMAX 3D filming is among the mission priorities.
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Scary Restoration Hardware finds: Aqua Troll. "Fitted with an industrial-grade sprinkler where he might house a brain, this troll emits a bodacious lawn and garden spray...up to 72' diam. coverage" Not for me, thank you.
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Yogurt update: Wild Oats Market has the full range of Stonyfield nonfat flavors at a surprising 10 cents cheaper than Safeway and 30 cents cheaper than Mollie Stone's. This is Very Good News!
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Monday, July 09, 2001

It was a little surprising to find an article about the area I live in published in the L.A. Times. It's nice that they have an interest in what's going on up here. "Asian Indians Remake Silicon Valley" gathers up a lot of facts that any resident has noticed: the proliferation of Indian markets, music stores, films, snack shops, and restaurants that aren't watered down for American tastebuds. It also relates points that aren't as easy to see: Sikhs arrested on concealed-weapons charges (the men carry a ceremonial dagger), domestic violence issues (hitting a spouse or child is not as accepted in the U.S.), and the topics covered by the local Indian paper (McDonald's beef flavoring its french fries, ads from parents seeking spouses for their grown children). The mesh of cultures here is certainly astonishing, especially if you come, like I do, from a community where minorities were truly in the minority.
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The title of this article amused me: "Slide rule clings to life in the Internet Age". I pictured a lonely slide rule, let's say an "easy on the eyes" yellow model, hanging onto the bottom of a drawer for dear life. The article is actually very informative about the history of the slide rule, noting details of days past, such as a "techie's" identity being based on what brand of slide rule they used. More recently, one collector gathered up 70 slide rules from eBay for about $1,300. There's more where those came from. I wonder if the gigantic teacher's model that was hanging over the blackboard of my junior high science classroom is still there. My teacher never actually used it; he kept it there for reminiscing about the good old days.
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Saturday, July 07, 2001

I'm still reading through my musty-smelling Time-Life Foods of the World series, collected from various used bookstores along the west coast. In one of the books on American cooking, there was a side note on eggs. It described various cooking methods and then stated that if you weren't really sure how to cook eggs, you should contact your "county home-demonstration agent". "Huh?" said I, and off to the web I went. I found many mentions of home-demonstration agents on web pages chronicling women and home life in the early 1900's.

A job description from TBRNet reads: "Develops, organizes, and conducts programs for individuals in rural communities to improve farm and family life: Lectures and demonstrates techniques in such subjects as nutrition, clothing, home management, home furnishing, and child care. Visits homes to advise families on problems, such as family budgeting and home remodeling. Organizes and advises clubs, and assists in selecting and training leaders to guide group discussions and demonstrations in subjects, such as sewing, food preparation, and home decoration. Writes leaflets and articles and talks over radio and television to disseminate information. Participates in community activities, such as judging at rural fairs and speaking before parent-teachers associations. May direct 4-H Club activities." In reading through the short biographies of women who held these jobs, it seems many were pioneers in the field of home economics, and had the opportunity, rare for women, to participate in government committees. It's likely that this job still exists in some communities.

The home-demonstration agent appears to have been connected to the Cooperative Extension System, run by the USDA. They publish a Journal of Extension, where I discovered a review of the 1968 novel "County Agent". It relates the tale of a home economics major who trains to be a home demonstration agent, surviving through tragedy, acceptance by the community, and fix-ups with the local county agricultural agent (apparently the male love interest). As the reviewer notes, this book now serves more as a historical document than a modern novel. I have an interest in "dated" girl's series books, many of which are now hard to find and sell as collector's items. I enjoy the nostalgic whimsy of reading the romanticized, often blatantly racist and sexist, tales of women forging non-traditional paths in times not so very distant. It's heartening to realize what strides have been made recently, and sometimes, it's a bit sad to remember where we still need to go.
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Friday, July 06, 2001

Dave Faris is continuing to update his PenCam Gallery. He's got a PenCam 2 and a PenCam VR now.
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Safeway seems to have stopped carrying Stonyfield yogurt. They still have a few of the 32oz containers, but the 8oz cups are nowhere to be found. I eat Stonyfield yogurt (strawberry or vanilla) for breakfast every morning. So you can believe that I whined mightily at all the employees who asked me if I was "finding everything OK?" I was already previously complaining that they always ran out of strawberry and vanilla, and was hoping to campaign for them to start carrying some of the other flavors I find yummy instead of the peach (bland) and chocolate (bleh). But now the campaign will have to take on a more aggressive nature, or I'll have to start shopping at Wild Oats, or make the drive to Mollie Stone's more often. Why do I like Stonyfield? They don't use high fructose corn syrup, the nonfat yogurt is creamy and rich, not gelatinous, it has real identifiable pieces of fruit, and it just tastes darn good!
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One of the coolest techie things I ever did was walk up to a printer in a library, point an Apple Newton at it, and make the printer print. That was a few years ago. I was so thrilled then that something like that could happen. It was two different manufacturers speaking some common language, without the need for wires! It seemed so futuristic. Infrared, radio waves, psychic energy, whatever. Nowadays we have phones, networking, more infrared beaming, and even broadband access without wires. The future is here. Let's make the most of it.
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Thursday, July 05, 2001

Astronomy Picture of the Day comes through once again with an enlightening photo. Moonbows are just like rainbows, but they are lit by the moon (I guess a rainbow is actually a "sunbow"). Here's a Moonbow at Yosemite and info on Kentucky's Cumberland Falls Moonbow.
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We saw the more detailed trailers for Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings before we saw A.I. I have to say, they both look quite scary! It's one thing to read the frightening parts of a book and another to see them come to life in someone else's less cozy vision.
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Notable closing credit from A.I.: art glass by Dale Chihuly. I don't remember seeing any, but I am not surprised.
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Tuesday, July 03, 2001

Don't you want a Star Trek helm in your living room? It was made for the Deep Space 9 episode that fit itself into the original series' "Trouble with Tribbles" episode. I wonder who got the captain's chair (not included)?
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A Mercury News reporter (Mike Cassidy) actually had the gall (well, maybe it didn't take that much chutzpah) to ask John McCarthy to go see A.I. with him. The John McCarthy. As in, the guy who named artificial intelligence "artificial intelligence". As in, the guy who invented LISP. OK, so maybe I'm just jealous that I didn't think of taking him myself. Not that he'd go with little ol' me. But he did go with the reporter. And I think he liked the movie. I didn't read the article too closely because I haven't seen A.I. yet and the less I know, the better.
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This site had technical difficulties for most of Monday. My email is starting to trickle in now. It's so nice of those mail servers to keep on trying for so many hours.
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Monday, July 02, 2001

A study showed that cows produced more milk when they listened (were subjected!) to slow music. They produced less milk when they heard upbeat tunes. It appears that cows are less stressed when they hear slow Beethoven and REM so they let down more milk, an average of 0.73 liters more per day. "Moooo" is slow, isn't it?
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Alton Brown of Food TV's Good Eats says that aluminum foil is dull on one side because it is rolled out in double sheets. And I always thought there was some useful reason it was that way. Want to know more about metal foil, or, more officially, "thin gauge metals"? There's a website, of course, and this one's called FoilCenter.com. Find out all about aluminum foil and how it's made.
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