Isaac Stern 1920-2001. NY Times obituary. He was one of the greats. I hope it’s not insensitive to say that I hope someone well deserving gets his Guarneri. I get strange looks when I talk about how my violin is older than I am, will outlive me, can’t heal as well (keeping the same tone) as my body can, and therefore should get priority in rescues. I don’t truly feel that way (it’s not that good), but it is amazing to consider the history attached to old instruments which can continue for centuries and be passed from one legendary player to another.

The recent report of a cable snag that has slowed Asia’s Internet access reminded me of an old Wired article written by Neal Stephenson. It included “material pertaining to the business and technology of Undersea Fiber-Optic Cables, as well as an account of the laying of the longest wire on Earth.” It was such a lengthy article that I think there’s still a bookmark in that issue that has now been filed away. With Stephenson it’s not “just the facts ma’am”, but the facts plus a myriad of other fascinating facts, relevant history, opinionated commentary, and hefty helpings of irony. Anyway, it’s probably a very informative article. I just can’t bring myself to attempt reading it again right now. My bookmark in Cryptonomicon hasn’t moved in months either.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund was founded in 1974 and has a very commendable fundraising ratio: only 13 cents of each dollar raised goes towards fundraising and administration. The industry standards is 35 cents. (via randomWalks)

NASA is holding a contest to name their infrared Great Observatory.

Brian Aldiss, author of the short story which the movie A.I. was based on, wrote up his thoughts after viewing the film. A.I. opens in Britain today. Speaking of which, when will Enigma be released in the U.S.? It premiered at Sundance ages ago.

Hometown Favorites sells “old-time favorites and regionally exclusive foods. Perhaps you’ve been craving something they carry.

I’ve finally purchased some magazines that didn’t have the words “wedding” or “bride” in the title. (What a relief to be out of the wedding planning process.) First was Vanity Fair because someone recommended their profile of Martha Stewart (whose omnimedia empire fascinates me in an almost morbid way; talk about leverage!). Also there was Gourmet‘s 60th anniversary issue, which included old gems from M.F.K. Fischer and Ray Bradbury (no kidding). I also just picked up House & Garden‘s 100th anniversary issue. You may think that I’ve transitioned from wedding planning into marriage and housekeeping, but I actually went from the home arts to wedding planning and back to the home arts. Food and interior design have always been avocations of mine. It is nice to have someone else to feed and decorate around though. The cat really doesn’t care if her salmon scraps are scented with dill or rosemary, and her prerequisites for upholstery are that it be textured to facilitate scratching.

I’m still fascinated by the logistics that go into search & rescue operations. An Oakland firefighter, logistics specialist for his rescue team, wrote about his preparations to go to NYC and included a link to a PDF file detailing the 17,000 pieces of equipment. Aspirin to nitroglycerine, pencils to computers, socks to Goretex, rations to dog food, it’s all in there.

It’s time to take another look at this old Astronomy Picture of the Day. Some key portions of the text: “Welcome to Planet Earth, the third planet from a star named the Sun. The Earth is shaped like a sphere and composed mostly of rock. …Earth supports a large variety of life forms, including potentially intelligent species such as dolphins and humans. Please enjoy your stay on Planet Earth.”

I’ve read a number of stories about weddings that took place this past weekend despite the tragedy, even with victims amongst the family members and guests. The participants wanted something to celebrate, and so encouraged the hesitant brides and grooms to go ahead with their plans. I can feel that sentiment, and I think I would support it as well.