PocketMod: Make a free travel Sudoku book

http://www.pocketmod.com/sudoku.html

really cool idea, plus it's a free sudoku creator

Coffee Calculator: Break the Starbucks habit and Save big!

this is great...

http://www.hughchou.org/calc/coffee.cgi

Stop Buying Expensive Coffee and Save Calculator

A new calculator suggested by Erika Lim from Caffeine Central (Seattle, WA). I, too, have been amazed by folks who bring in coffee from a Starbucks or convenience store every single day instead of just contributing to the local "coffee pot fund". I know office coffee may not stack up to the store bought versions, but is it really worth the long term costs? Many folks drink the equivalent of a wide screen TV every year!

Now to find a gasoline expense calculator!

Sharing life with cats

Wanda comes over needs her cuddling this morning. She only quits crying
when she's in physical contact, getting old, blind.

So right this minute I have cats on both sides of me.

Wanda on right.

Little Cat on left... in corner of couch, watching me with one eye.

Me, typing.

jeff

http://nocomputers.blogspot.com

How to have a dynamic interesting blog...

Ok... don't do things like I'm doing...

cats!

Matt Lauer must hate Sarah Jessica Parker

She (S.J.P.) was on the Today Show this morning, demonstrating her new
line of inexpensive clothing, and he showed nothing but disrespect for
her, in my opinion.

Talking over her when she was talking. Talking to the models while
S.J.P was talking.

So he can use the excuse that he was short on time. But I think he was
short on respect. He could have sped up the show in a respectful
manner, but he didn't.

Getting Things Done - what & how I've been doing it.

general tools & info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_Things_Done

http://zenhabits.net/

http://lifelearningtoday.com/

my mac tool of choice,  iGTD: http://bargiel.home.pl/iGTD/

what I'm doing:

I basically use iGTD as a daily planner... I set up a project for the next 3 days,  and list all the little tasks I know I need to get done.

If I don't get them done in the period in question,  I move them to a new project (which is the next 3 days).

Of course, since I'm retired I can be pretty relaxed about all this.

the flaw in all this?  daily life emergencies tend to derail it.  But so far it's been useful.


jeff  http://nocomputers.blogspot.com

James Brown in The Blues Brothers....

John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, James Brown.

Singing and dancing! I love these guys.

A Happy Thing

Simple GTD : Organize your stuff online

http://www.simplegtd.com/

 What is Simple GTD?

Simple GTD is a completely free web-based tool which help you in organizing your stuff and will assist you to applying "GTD Principles" in your daily life.

What is GTD?

From Wikipedia: "Getting Things Done, commonly abbreviated as GTD, is an action management method, and the title of a book by David Allen. GTD rests on the principle that a person needs to move tasks out of the mind by recording them somewhere. That way, the mind is freed from the job of remembering everything that needs to be done, and can concentrate on actually performing those tasks."

I've been using iGTD on my mac... maybe this will be easier, more universal, and useable with any computer anywhere with a net connection.

  Jeff

All the Britney Spears you'll ever need...

Smokin' Hot Britney « TMZ.com Photo Gallery:

http://photos.tmz.com/galleries/britney_spears_is_smokin_hot

Retro Thing: Apple II Turns 30 Years Old

http://www.retrothing.com/2007/05/apple_ii_turns_.html

"June 5th will mark the 30th birthday of the Apple II computer. There were other affordable hobbyist computer kits available before, but the Apple II was the first computer that was ready to run out of the box. It's not surprising that an Apple II was the first computer that I used in elementary school since Apple made inroads with the U.S. educational system from their earliest offerings. What may be a surprise is that the Apple II was manufactured up until 1993 (with some redesigns and cost-reduced versions), with many still in operation today. Between five and six million of the putty colored machines were sold"

More thoughts on Dawkins' The God Delusion

The central chapter is "Why it is almost certain there is no God"

Upon completing this I find myself wanting to read Darwin's Origin of
Species. Read and understand.

My original idea that he conducts his arguments in a "smarty" way is
valid, but he explains why he's being such a smart ass: it is
important to understand that Darwin discovered a new way of
explaining why all this biological stuff which appears to be designed
exists without a designer. And he explains why he thinks we will
discover a similarly brilliant explanation of the existence of the
physical universe as well.

Dawkins really is smart.

Lucky Mojo Curio Co. Catalogue: Occult Shop, Magic Spells, Love Magic Mojo Hands, Amulets, Books, Candles, Information

http://www.luckymojo.com/catalogue.html

They have peony fragrance oil. Can't find many places that do.

I think I'm back online

my old mac from 1999 is still going. Not too many more lives left in
it I bet, but I hope.

thanks to google, all my browser bookmarks are/were saved

thanks to ".Mac" my email accounts info was saved.

got all my email and other documents saved to basement while the
computer would crash...

copy copy copy, crash; copy copy copy crash...

and luck of lucks, it all got put back together.

and works.

still stuff that needs fixing, but "IT'S ALIVE!"

City Repair [The City Repair Project]

http://www.cityrepair.org/vbc7/

The City Repair Project is an organized group action that educates and inspires communities and individuals to creatively transform the places where they live.

In hopes that someday people will be able to live together

From comments on Dave Winer's Scripting News,  http://www.scripting.com

Lost Episode Guides - Recaps and Summaries - Episode Recaps for Lost

http://lost.about.com/od/episoderecaps/Lost_Episode_Guides.htm

I'm trying to find out when the May 23 Finale will be rerun.

Plus this whole http://lost.about.com site is interesting

[Vietnam] Sir No Sir! - About the [anti war] Film

http://www.sirnosir.com/home_about_film.html

I hadn't realized how much resistance there was in the armed services
itself.

This probably explains why there isn't a draft for Iraq.

I would like to see this film

Summer Of Love: 40 Years Later (San Francisco Chronicle)

Great article at the SF Chronicle

http://www.sfgate.com/summeroflove/

Bob Weir

Grateful Dead

Musician in the band RatDog.
Watch video | Read transcript

Country Joe McDonald

Country Joe and the Fish

Musician, Berkeley resident and father of two teenagers.
Watch video | Read transcript

Michael Rossman

Free Speech Movement leader

Writer who continues to focus on counterculture topics and building a huge poster archive at his home in Berkeley.
Watch video | Read transcript

Tomorrow: Dr. David Smith

Founder of the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic

Recently left the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic to start his own practice specializing in addiction medicine.
(video tomorrow) | Read transcript

Keeping insects out of your pants legs

Living in woods.  Working in yard.

I get so bit up.  And now to avoid West Nile Virus in FIRST ILLINOIS COUNTY to report it in 2007!

great review of all things having to do with "Bug Suits":

Getting The Bugs Out Of Hunting - North American Hunting Club:

http://tinyurl.com/285lny

Also I'm ordering "Boot blousers" from Georgia Outfitters:

http://www.georgia-outfitters.com/tabs.shtml

Took a while to find a name for these things.

What I'm doing:

1. high shoes
2. high socks
3. OFF!
4. I do have bug hat... hate to use it.
5. may have bug shirt somewhere here
6. Long pants
7. Long sleeve shirt over t-shirt
8. dump all water containers.

Why I'm doing this:

1. trying to keep yard wild
2. reducing invasive weeds
   
3. pulling up poison ivy

There is of course no end.

West Nile killing off beloved U.S. birds: study | Science | Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSN1735085420070518

Includes house wrens, robins, tufted titmice, blue jays, and crows.

Hard to believe. I'm not sure what they mean when they say only house
wrens and blue jays have recovered from their 1995 decline. Did West
Nile virus go away? Or What?

And... does this mean I should quit hanging out with the wrens?

A Wren Landed on My Hat!

I was sitting in the drive, reading Asimov's Magazine. Just
reaching the end of a story called "Always", when there was a
powerful fluttering noise and something landed on my hat.

Then it flew away. Took me a second to spot it.

Earlier I had seen this wren in a tree near our tool shed, and
wondered why it was watching me and squawking.

The wren's house was about 30 feet away. I think it didn't like my
summer hat competing with it for being hot stuff.

And don't doubt it, wrens are hot stuff.

I must have been so concentrated on the story that I hadn't moved for
a while, & the wren had got brave enough to check me out.

What a charmer.

Do Squirrels Eat Tomatoes?

My Mother In Law (MIL) swears they do!

Her neighbor's tomatoes were eaten by squirrels. He took a gun and shot
them, even though doing so was against community regulations.

Strangely, in all my (not so many) years, I have never seen a squirrel
eating a tomato or tomato product.

I asked her if she had seen a squirrel eating her neighbor's tomatoes...
she reluctantly said she had not actually seen this happening, but her
neighbor had assured her it was true.

I assured her that no such thing happened. That someone was full of "it".

Teaching History Backwards

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2007_05/011294.php

An interesting discussion about whether it is better to teach history
from the past to the present or from the present to the past.

have you ever looked at the C-SPAN website?

http://www.c-span.org/

Today is the FIRST time I have ever looked at their website. As a
news site, it's probably the most informing I've ever seen.

Hah. Learn something new every day they say..

Jeff

How to show affection.

http://tinyurl.com/3aozfm  (another google search)

Continuing in my search on how to show someone you love them,  is this search: How to show affection.

On the first page there are several items of interest.

• How to show affection to a cat (important around here)
• How to show affection to Your Children.... quotes Maya Angelou
• Two links to articles on epinions.com

Worthy reading... about "Not Computers"

How do you let someone know you love them?

http://tinyurl.com/34gf6g

For various reasons this is a topic I need to know about.

What's interesting to me is that just by typing the question into the Google search engine as is,  I get a lot of what appear to be good quality "hits".  Google does a great job of doing a relevant search.

And now we are owned by Google.  All our base are belong to Google

as detailed by Wikipedia (http://tinyurl.com/69rzz):

"All your base are belong to us" (often shortened to "All Your Base" or simply AYB) is an "Engrish" phrase that sparked an Internet phenomenon in 2001 and 2002. The text is taken from the opening cut scene of the English version of the 1989 Japanese video game Zero Wing by Toaplan. Its brief but intense popularity derived in part from its poor translation into English and partly from its near-accidental adoption by a core group of Internet humorists. While the wildfire has died down, "All Your Base" is still a well-known reference among gamers and programmers.

 

Chicago circus collector buys early 1900s posters in Vincent

YAY! http://www.messengernews.net/include/articles.asp?articleID=9144

Messenger photo by Gloria Tjaden This 1910 circus poster appears on the side of a building owned by Tanya and Shane Harrison in Vincent. A Chicago circus memorabilia collector, Ken Harck, is planning to have it moved and restored.

[...]

He plans to have them restored to original condition

By GLORIA TJADEN, Messenger correspondent

VINCENT — A recent renovation project has garnered quite a bit of local interest and even nationwide fame. Tanya and Shane Harrison, of Vincent, discovered circus posters from August 1910 while uncovering the side of a building she plans to use for a fabric store. The posters advertise the Ringling Bros. circus coming to town.

Old, old, Mural... Circus Poster Uncovered -- The Messenger - Fort Dodge, Iowa

http://www.messengernews.net/News/articles.asp?articleID=8823

VINCENT — Crowds gathered in Vincent Saturday afternoon to see the circus.

Camels pulling carts, performers in colorful costumes, horses standing inside giant kegs — it all paraded across the side of the old grocery store along County Road P71, the little town's main street.

Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows posters were uncovered when the siding and tar paper were pulled off the old building as part of a renovation project.

Poster images link: http://www.messengernews.net/galleries/news/crcs_posters/index.html

They say it can't be preserved, but I bet otherwise. Not that it will be. Thanks to Ze Frank for the link.

Jeff

Bootie LA - Los Angeles's monthly mashup bootleg party

http://bootiela.com/

Bootleg music, not for reproduction. But irritatingly BETTER than
the originals!

Love the music but I'm such a bore... there's no way I'd stay up till
midnight to go to a show.

Could have, maybe, when I was 20.

Anne Feeney: unionmaid, hellraiser and labor singer

I have to thank Anne Feeney for Dick Meister's article "The Real May Day",  and so, here is a link to all things Feeney...

http://annefeeney.com/

Welcome to my web page.

I'm an activist, organizer, songwriter, folksinger, troublemaker and hellraiser from Pittsburgh, PA. I graduated from high school in 1968 and worked for a year to save up enough money to buy the beautiful Martin D-28 guitar that I still play.

The Vietnam war and the Civil Rights Movement shaped my conscience and consciousness. I worked for a dozen years or so as a trial attorney and served as President of the Pittsburgh Musicians' Union. I have two great kids, Dan and Amy Berlin.

...Now, I'm on the road 200+ days a year... all over the US and Canada, and more recently, Sweden and Denmark. If you're on strike, or in an organizing drive, or doing community organizing for women's rights, the environment, human rights, anti-poverty or anti-racist work, I want to be there.

The most current news about what I've been up to is on my blog. You can also email me at unionmaid@annefeeney.com

The Real May Day

Celebrated as "labor day" the whole world over....

http://www.dickmeister.com/id183.html

 from Dick Meister's labor and other writings site:

Employers responded to the so-called Haymarket Riot by mounting a counter-offensive that seriously eroded the eight-hour day movement's gains. But the movement was an extremely effective organizing tool for the country's unions, and in 1890 President Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor was able to call for "an International Labor Day" in favor of the eight-hour workday. Similar proclamations were made by socialist and union leaders in other nations where, to this day, May Day is celebrated as Labor Day.

Workers in the United States and 13 other countries demonstrated on that May Day of 1890 -- including 30,000 of them in Chicago. The New York World hailed it as "Labor's Emancipation Day." It was. For it marked the start of an irreversible drive that finally established the eight-hour day as the standard for millions of working people. 

Tremblin Wolf at The Therapeutic Drumming Foundation

http://www.todrumfor.com/tremblin.html

The Wolf strolled into the office one day and offered to bring his band along to help with our work. He told us how he'd been looking around for while for a place to suit his style. He'd got this idea that the division between audience and performer should be broken down and that participation in creative activity could be the saving of the human race.

Now, where could I get a grant to send me to the U.K. for this

Dave Winer's TV news of the future

What could TV news of the future look like?  Dave Winer has some ideas...

Dave Winer's original note: http://www.scripting.com/stories/2007/04/23/tvNewsOfTheFuture.html

his mock up: http://www.scripting.com/futureNews.html

his "how to" where he calls it Checkbox News:

http://www.scripting.com/stories/2007/04/24/checkboxNews.html

More of his ideas:

http://www.scripting.com/stories/2007/04/25/checkboxNewsDay3.html

To all of which I add my fantasy....

We're sitting around with our iPhones in the living room,  watching our Apple TV;  all of us can set individual news preferences (we can create the Jeff Channel or the Judy Channel or the Dave Channel),  answer our phones or make calls, choose music or movies or play games using only the iPhones.  We can share our Channels on the internet,  add our own commentaries. Etc etc.

I can't imagine that Apple isn't on this already.

  

      Jeff

Pat Tillman, humanist?

from this ESPN article: http://tinyurl.com/e9slt  (thanks to http://atrios.blogspot.com for the link)

In a transcript of his interview with Brig. Gen. Gary Jones during a November 2004 investigation, Kauzlarich said he'd learned Kevin Tillman, Pat's brother and fellow Army Ranger who was a part of the battle the night Pat Tillman died, objected to the presence of a chaplain and the saying of prayers during a repatriation ceremony in Germany before his brother's body was returned to the United States.

Kauzlarich, now a battalion commanding officer at Fort Riley in Kansas, further suggested the Tillman family's unhappiness with the findings of past investigations might be because of the absence of a Christian faith in their lives.

In an interview with ESPN.com, Kauzlarich said: "When you die, I mean, there is supposedly a better life, right? Well, if you are an atheist and you don't believe in anything, if you die, what is there to go to? Nothing. You are worm dirt. So for their son to die for nothing, and now he is no more — that is pretty hard to get your head around that. So I don't know how an atheist thinks. I can only imagine that that would be pretty tough."

Asked by ESPN.com whether the Tillmans' religious beliefs are a factor in the ongoing investigation, Kauzlarich said, "I think so. There is not a whole lot of trust in the system or faith in the system [by the Tillmans]. So that is my personal opinion, knowing what I know."

Asked what might finally placate the family, Kauzlarich said, "You know what? I don't think anything will make them happy, quite honestly. I don't know. Maybe they want to see somebody's head on a platter. But will that really make them happy? No, because they can't bring their son back."

Kauzlarich, now 40, was the Ranger regiment executive officer in Afghanistan, who played a role in writing the recommendation for Tillman's posthumous Silver Star. And finally, with his fingerprints already all over many of the hot-button issues, including the question of who ordered the platoon to be split as it dragged a disabled Humvee through the mountains, Kauzlarich conducted the first official Army investigation into Tillman's death.

That investigation is among the inquiries that didn't satisfy the Tillman family.

"Well, this guy makes disparaging remarks about the fact that we're not Christians, and the reason that we can't put Pat to rest is because we're not Christians," Mary Tillman, Pat's mother, said in an interview with ESPN.com. Mary Tillman casts the family as spiritual, though she said it does not believe in many of the fundamental aspects of organized religion.

"Oh, it has nothing to do with the fact that this whole thing is shady," she said sarcastically, "But it is because we are not Christians."

After a pause, her voice full with emotion, she added, "Pat may not have been what you call a Christian. He was about the best person I ever knew. I mean, he was just a good guy. He didn't lie. He was very honest. He was very generous. He was very humble. I mean, he had an ego, but it was a healthy ego. It is like, everything those [people] are, he wasn't." 

My Mother In Law Loves Richard Simmons

Got a vcr & some used tapes in her room. So now, at age 86, she is
sweatin' to the oldies.

Richard is quite a character. Women love him. He puts on a great
exercise show.

Yelling at people does not help..

I'm thinking of what I would call loudmouth coaches or personal trainers.

I saw a guy yesterday... on the outside track... yelling at his "ward"
(I guess client would be a better term).

This is a nice track. Seems like if he needed to "coach" her (standing
there yelling "you can do it" "lengthen your stride" "just 10 more
minutes". So anyone out there can hear. Hear what a jerk he was
anyhow. Standing there with his arms folded while she was working her
way around the track.

It occurred to me that he could just as easily use a walkie talkie with
a headset. And thus not prove to the world how insensitive he was, and
not raise his blood pressure at the same time. Or mine.

----

Why is it that people have this feeling that yelling at someone does a
better job of communicating?

Preachers that yell at their congregations.

Coaches that yell at their athletes.

---

When I hear someone say "Listen Up", I automatically start looking for
the exit.

Interest Designs and Oddities

http://www.notcot.org/

a blog about many design, art, architecture, and just plain odd but
interesting items.

CCCO: That's Them!

The Central Committee for Conscientous Objectors http://

www.girights.com also

http://www.objector.org/ccco/whoweare.html

to whom I donated for many years. I was so glad there was someone
who took the risk to fight the madness of war.

So, I just sent them another donation.

Jeff

The GI Rights Hotline (800) 394-9544

These people helped a young relative of mine:

http://girights.objector.org/

Please consider donating.

Edging Toward The Treadmill

Well this is the day. Cancelled trip to aerobics class because
Mother In Law is awaiting a phone call from her dying husband. So
I'm dedicating today to walk on treadmill.

It's all an issue about staying well. I read yesterday that over 60%
of people age 65 and older are completely inactive. Meaning they
just sit there.

I'm dedicating myself to NOT be one of them.

So I'm cleaning house, putting things away, checking laundry, ...
all those things we do to AVOID.

And of course, I set this up to post to multiple blogs at one
time... another AVOID activity.

So..... Bye Bye Computer, Hello Treadmill.

Bye for now... Jeff.

Godless For God's Sake (QuakerBooks)

http://www.quakerbooks.org/godless_for_gods_sake.php

I will be reading this book soon.

I've been to some Quaker meetings, met some great people there.

Quaker House: Working for Peace & GI Rights in the Fayetteville-Fort Bragg community since 1969

Fitness of another kind...

http://www.quakerhouse.org/index.php

I wonder when humans will quit beating each other.

Seems like all the churches and praying that have been going on for the
last few thousand years has not helped.

More Romance - Josh Ritter with Erin McKeown - "Tonight You Belong to Me"

http://tinyurl.com/2vfvk9

If this isn't Love,  What is?

Why People Hate "Exercise"

Particularly me.

Quote from http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/health/activity_synth.pdf

Imagery and tone are very important in motivating people to be physically active.   People 50+ are motivated by images they can relate to, not by elite senior athletes that  make them feel discouraged or overwhelmed.  For a variety of reasons, a “no pain, no  gain” message often used to motivate younger audiences to exercise is not motivating  to this age cohort.  Similarly, a confrontational or critical “get off the couch” approach is  not effective.   

So true.  On top of which it's the constant "boxing" theme that gets to me.  Somewhere in my life I came to believe that hitting someone is not the way to deal with problems

Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff: Books: Jim Johnson

http://tinyurl.com/29qkyq

I have a rotator cuff problem.  I had thought it was impossible to fix,  but that is not true.

I read "The 7 Minute Rotator Cuff Solution"... an interesting book;  but it is not rated as highly as this one [which I admit I have NOT read this yet].

My shoulder has improved greatly & I have been only doing the "7 Minute" exercises half heartedly.  I have a hard time motivating myself.

The "7 Minute" book seems to stir up a lot of controversy,  so I look forward to reading Jim Johnson's book.

Amazon.com: "The BEST Fitness DVD's for Seniors"

http://tinyurl.com/37v7fl

Yes,  it's an Amazon list.  NOT by me.

But it looks to have lots of good stuff in it.

I'm documenting "things" at http://nocomputers.blogspot.com and other places.

DVD's are likely to be more recent video.  BUT what I do if I see something I like is ALWAYS look at the used listings which Amazon puts a link to on almost every page.

Also... You can find a lot of VHS tapes cheap if used.

jeff

Great Workouts & other goodies For All Levels and Every Body

http://tinyurl.com/2y2xzt

yes,  it's an Amazon list.  I'm looking at fitness for seniors

Kurt Vonnegut, Writer of Classics of the American Counterculture, Dies at 84 - New York Times

A Hero of mine leaves us...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/books/11cnd-vonnegut.html?

_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

The Not-Aflac Mascot is a GOAT!

Just saw this new Aflac ad...

Guy asks "Do we have Aflac" Boss says "no" guy Says "does our insurance
pay when we're off work"(or something like that).

They switch to picture of GOAT eating printouts from copier! GOAT says
"na-a-a"

The ad continues in that vein going drastically downhill.

And FUNNY. Brought tears to my eyes.

The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations

http://tinyurl.com/226qgw

The Starfish and the Spider explores what happens when starfish take on spiders (such as the music industry vs. Napster, Kazaa, and the P2P services that followed). It reveals how established companies and institutions, from IBM to Intuit to the US government, are also learning how to incorporate starfish principles to achieve success. The book explores:
* How the Apaches fended off the powerful Spanish army for 200 years
* The power of a simple circle
* The importance of catalysts who have an uncanny ability to bring people together
* How the Internet has become a breeding ground for leaderless organizations
* How Alcoholics Anonymous has reached untold millions with only a shared ideology and without a leader

I could re-title this "Committees Without Chairs"

language learning through music

> earworms mbt©-accelerated language learning to groovy music.
>
> By just listening to these music CDs you pick up a language. It's
> an amazingly simple idea and it really works! You just listen to
> these songs as if you were listening to the radio. But instead of
> just relaxing, you are relaxing and learning. After just a few
> listenings, foreign words keep popping up in your head. It's almost
> like magic!
>
> Take a look: www.earwormslearning.com

good idea.... couldn't find the price

Language Learning Podcasts & other resources

http://www.word2word.com/podad.html

has link to "free online language courses"

Has podcast links for French, Spanish, and other languages.

YMMV

Coffee.... one of five Surprisingly Healthy Foods

http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/5-surprisingly-healthy-foods?page=3

One real benefit for java lovers: your morning wake-up call can help satisfy your body's daily fluid needs. Studies show that coffee does not dehydrate habitual drinkers, as once believed, and can count toward your daily fluid quota, says Zied.

Another plus is that coffee is naturally calorie-free. But if you load it up with cream, sugar, whipped cream, and/or flavored syrup, the extra fat and calories can undermine any potential benefits.

There  has been this big discussion around here as to whether coffee counts toward daily fluid intake.  According the the above it does'  of course I realize that there's an argument that six cups of coffee a day isn't a good idea,  but at least I get my fluids

[daily dose of imagery]

http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/

guy puts up photo every day with interesting design elements.

a favorite show... Bump in the Night

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bump_in_the_Night

NOT available on NetFlix

Latest Work By Eddie [Breen]

http://edbreen.livejournal.com/

This is wild "piggyback" art

eddi breen, artist

http://eddiebreen.com/abouteddie/abouteddie.html

Art can neither be good or bad, only interesting or boring, says Eddie Breen, the leading practitioner of piggyback art. He takes paintings that he considers boring or incomplete, and inserts nuns, flying jesuses, flame people, or demons, changing the meaning of the composition in ways to suit his visions, to co opt the elements and create his own worlds.

Crisis in local newspapers...

apparently local newspapers are really biting the dust.

Dave Winer had an article (and proposed solution) about it at

http://stories.scripting.com/2007/03/24/troubleAtTheChronicle.html

referring to this...

SF Chronicle in Trouble?:

http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/03/sf_chronicle_in.html

One point by Winer is that newspapers should give blogs to people they interview,  thus tapping both expertise and the new "citizen" journalism.

AustinBlogger added me ( Jeff Imig ) to his "twitter" friends

http://austinblogger.com/blog/ <- I have no idea why this guy added me to his list.  Maybe promoting something.  Maybe because I'm a follower of http://twitter.com/davewiner

Me (jeff) on http://twitter.com  :  http://twitter.com/mutualaid  <- thats me "mutualaid"

The whole idea of twitter is answering the question "what are you doing now?"

I'm not even sure what the whole point of twitter is,  but it's growing by leaps and bounds; seems that as long as your list of friends stays short it would be of use,  but if you have 2 or 3 THOUSANDS of friends,  how do you keep up with one friend?

I am seriously looking for the answer of that.  Am I just missing the point of it?  etc

Unitarian behavior process and covenant

http://tinyurl.com/2btzog <- Google Search This is so boring. "Right Behavior" for example: http://tinyurl.com/2azqdv <- Emerson UU What has happened? Suddenly we can't cope with bizarre behavior anymore? We going to beat up on people because their craziness disturbs us? Like a leading promoter of Right Behavior says... this has always been with us. Ok... lets see a list of "Wrong Behavior"...

• Dribbling pea soup when you eat.
• talking too much
• Smelling of wine when you come to church
• Smelling when you come to church
• wearing a hat in church (my fav because I'm guilty, no complaints but constant questions)
• wearing the wrong kind of hat
• not wearing a hat
• women wearing sweat pants instead of nice dresses. That just disturbs some people no end. Really.
• Blue jeans?
• Wearing flag pins?
• Not wearing flag pins?
• Not standing at the right time?

I'm tempted to say "what a bunch of panty waist bullsh!t", but that would definitely be bad behavior. Oops. Polish The Pitchforks, Please.

Obama's Pastor Speaks Out « Skeptical Brotha

http://skepticalbrotha.wordpress.com/2007/03/21/obamas-pastor-speaks-

out/

about the pastor's interaction with the New York Times.

Hero

I just watched Hero (with Dustin Hoffman) again.

I had forgotten that a major theme was about newspapers.

But the 'true' story was about many things, and it just devastates me.

Truth, caring, love, poverty, and Heroism.

Jeff

How do you read 3000 pages of anything by this Friday?

You get a popular blog to point their readers to it:

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002809.php

A better organizing system might be nice, but what the heck!

SkyScout $400

http://tinyurl.com/2z6kwa  (BH Photo Video)

$400 is actually pretty cheap for what it does.

SkyScout ... International Academy of Science

http://www.science.edu/TechoftheYear/Finalists/SkyScout/SkyScout.htm

a gps unit built into a hand held telescope... tells you a) what
you're looking at, or b) how to find something you're looking for.

with indicators in the field of view.

Nice, compact unit. I'm not even going to try to find the price :-(

I would consider it a sort of "Reverse GPS" unit... I'm here, then
it tells me where what I'm looking at is.

[Is that twisted grammar? Ha.]

The Zen of Basement Reorganization & Cleanup

Ok, Maybe it's Tao, or even Feng Shui.

I sit for a while in the middle of the chaos and stare at it.

Eventually I see a puzzle piece that fits. Move Z127 to A013 for
example.

The next day, move something.

Then stare some more.

Great Memories of Ballroom Dancing

Digging around down here in the lab I got to thinking about "Old times" Those were the days o yes they were... Foster and Judi Lampert at http://dancelovers.com:

DanceLovers.com: Who Are We?

We have a passion for dancing and a love for teaching! Our instructional videos are a way to reach thousands across the world as we share the joy of learning to dance. The positive emails, phone calls, and mail we receive is gratifying and overwhelming. We've never boasted to be world-class dancers but we are first class instructors. When we owned a ballroom in Illinois, we taught up to 1000 a week. Our students were thrilled when we came out with videos... they loved "taking us home with them."

She Sorts Her Books By Color

On the Today show (http://todayshow.com) this morning there was a bit
about managing small living spaces. They had a young woman there who
was bragging about how she did a makeover of her apartment.

One item was the open shelving. She attached shelves to the wall,
lots of them. then she arranged her books in stacks on the mid to
upper shelves, and explained how she arranged them by colors to
liven up the space! What a brilliant idea!

Why hadn't I thought of that. And I'm sure she's going to (or has)
publish(ed) a book about it.

I'm such a laggard.

The True Stature Of Our President

http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070227/483/0dffe2f5ac744ca3b6a5a353620f971d

oh yeah! go look.

What I had for lunch today...

After reading the whining WSJ article about "live blogging" today, I feel compelled to describe what I ate for lunch... Suzie's Chili Dogs from Morton Illinois. Boy were they good. Rosella didn't think they were so hot. I suppose that's not really LIVE blogging, but I didn't have my Blackberry with me :)

Do NOT Disturb the Kitty

Ms Pretty does not take well to being awakened!

Britney Spears & the Themes of Our Lives...

video link: http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/archives/2007/02/022107.html

have I said I like this guy? This is why.

jeff

Mouse pointer fun!

1-click Award by 株式会社リクルートメディアコミュニ
ケーションズ

http://www.1-click.jp/

It seems crazy, but this is clever and fun. It's like an inside
view of what's happening.

Dangers of computer controlled anything: Therac-25

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therac-25

This is the classic case of what can go wrong:

It was involved with at least six known accidents between 1985 and 1987, in which patients were given massive overdoses of radiation, which were in some cases on the order of hundreds of grays. At least five patients died of the overdoses. These accidents highlighted the dangers of software control of safety-critical systems, and they have become a standard case study in health informatics.

I wrote a lot of assembly language control systems, but I was always glad they were not in a place to endanger lives.

jeff

Drill a Hole in That Substrate and Tell Me What You See: Music: Jim White

Having fun tonight listening to my last.fm station: lastfm://user/MagicDrum/loved    I don't know for sure... you may have to pay to listen, or go to http://www.last.fm/userMagicDrum  & see what you can find.

Jim White was a musician I marked as interesting...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00026WT6A/ref=reg_hu-wl_mrai-recs/105-4121103-2904467

Jim White's South in its own dark way spins another yarn of wondrous stories where strung out Santa Clauses and Jesus listening to Dylan and driving a motorhome, are but only part of a lyric universe that owes as much to Country myths as to the ghost of Rimbaud.

Yes, this is another of White's "seasons in hell" more Texas, though, than nineteenth century France but probably as hallucinatory. These are tales of a man who, more than raised in America, has been abducted by it as it was an alien mothership.

For those who loved his first two albums, this one may not necessarily be that different, and what I said so far, not completely farfetched. This is not to say that this album lack musical surprises nor artistic growth, and Joe Henry's production has no small part of such accomplishment. Jim White can be dark all by himself but with Henry's aid gains a smokier, jazzier feel, which fits the songs like a silk glove.

In general, the tunes Joe Henry helmed as producer -which account for half the album- are the most interesting ones. I'd say that this is, in its own way, as inspired a collaboration as Loretta Lynn found with Jack White in Van Lear Rose. Of course, the music is far from similar but the producers' tugging and pushing an artist's certain style into new colors and atmospheres is comparable.

"Static In The Radio" -sung with Aimee Mann- and "Combing My Hair In A Brand New Style" are great examples of the musician-producer connection I've described, and so is "Buzzards of Love" with some powerful horns, somewhat reminiscent of Henry's own "Tiny Voices." And then there are three personal favorites of mine: "Bluebird," "That Girl from Brownsville Texas" and Phone Booth in Heaven" -stunning ballads all ... a weakness of mine- which are tender in their own wounded ways.

As White sings that a friend once told him ... "Jim, what you cling to, that's the thing that you had best forget. For ain't no rose bed ever gonna bloom in an untended field of regrets." Well, Jim White is definitely tending those regrets again and some glorious roses have begun to bloom.

Best sites for shaping up...

So I'm in the Dr's office, reading old magazines & there's  Good Housekeeping, November 2006!  and Lo!,  I discover it is interesting.  Lots of interesting articles, especially a special health guide to the internet.

In trying to get our mini, ad-hoc family to actually do anything I'm on the lookout for "stuff" and here's some from Good Housekeeping:

• Demand Fitness: not free but starts at $0.99 for a day & you could download bunches in a day
• Ace Fitness for strength training.  guide to common errors
• Mayo Clinic for an exercise program in their fitness section.
• President's Challenge to get the whole family off the couch (good luck with that)

And a couple online fitness sites I've found in my internet adventures...

• Spark People has a lot of good FREE online tools and will send you reminders until you scream.
• Fit Day is a FREE online journal and planner.  They would like to sell you their computer program which will not run on a Macintosh.  I actually had this set as a home page for quite some time.
  
• Calorie King is an online journal and planner that costs $7.50 a month.  Very reasonable. Updated.

Of course the problem with all these is you actually have to do something.  That's the truth of life.

I actually liked the Weight Watcher's meetings, but they're expensive for two people.  Thought about TOPS quite a bit but haven't checked the locals yet.

BUT FIRST... just plain exercise is what is needed for Son In Law, Mom and Daughter.

NANS Tans & Toning, and a GREAT garden too!

This woman has fun. In the little river town of Lacon Illinois.

http://nanslacon.com/index.html

And their back yard/garden is one of the wildest looking places you'll ever find. Worth the trip if you ever have a chance or an excuse. Her website gives only a hint

jeff

big name musicians... Bread & Roses - Live Art Delivered Daily

http://breadandroses.com/

big name musicians

BUT this is an interesting, loving website.

jeff

Aqua Teen Hunger Force sign fiasco [explained]

Could rename this "Government gone Amuck"...

http://www.xoverboard.com/blogarchive/week_2007_01_28.html#002026

be sure to read the numbered points farther down the article.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force sign fiasco [explained]

http://www.xoverboard.com/blogarchive/week_2007_01_28.html#002026

Microwave oven can sterilize sponges, scrub pads

University of Florida News:

http://news.ufl.edu/2007/01/22/zap-the-bugs/

"The microwave is a very powerful and an inexpensive tool for sterilization," Bitton said, adding that people should microwave their sponges according to how often they cook, with every other day being a good rule of thumb.

answers that question.

"There are no cats in America where the streets are lined with cheese."

Penn & Teller Bulletin Board:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/106337/thread/1169352131/last-1169939575/Another+%26quot%3BOpportunistic+Ghoul%26quot%3B+Gets+Burned

one comment:

Miracle water, eh?

January 26 2007, 10:12 PM 

Popoff is back in business these days, hawking "Miracle Spring Water"

Absolutely disgusting.

I don't think, though, that people want to be fooled. I think that people yearn for the easy path or the magic solution to whatever troubles are at hand. They want to get out of their underpaying, thankless jobs. They want money to pay off their debts and enjoy their lives (as money would obviously help). They want to know there's life after death (and a balm to ease the pain of grief or guilt), and they want to lose weight/be sexy/be popular/be successful. Hell, we've all felt that feeling. Wouldn't it be great if I won the lottery? People want the answers, and some are willing to listen to a charmer who has them for sale. No, people don't want to be fooled. But they do want someone - anyone - to provide the magic answers so desperately that rational thought plays less and less of a role in their lives. The wanting just wounds them, leaves them susceptible to outside influence. It's a lot like being immunocompromised; the presence of the disease just opens the door to infections. These infections wouldn't cause problems in normal people, but they threaten and ultimately kill the susceptible person. They're called opportunistic infections, aptly enough.

My thoughts are best expressed in the lyrics sung by an impoverished mouse immigrating to the US in the AFI-acclaimed movie, "An American Tail."

"There are no cats in America where the streets are lined with cheese."

Why there are beans at family events...[not vulgar]

video link: http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/archives/2007/01/012207.html

Ze Frank at his best!

Rat and Mole Club, my Eye.

file this under "Grumpy Old Man", but there is so much on tv now which
is pure b.s.

there's a story on this morning about the Rat and Mole Club... woman
saying these rats have been bred for centuries to be tame, unlike sewer
rats.

But wait (I sez)... .... CENTURIES? Not in the "West". How about
India... the Temple Rats... but they were not "bred to be tame", they
just happen to live in the temple.

She is "building a story".

I see so much news which is just story building... and they're not
worthy stories... they're just filling time. Making up an interesting
story. Taking a small grain of something & making it into a story.

History Channel does this too... it's entertainment, not history.

Nice background music :: Exotica, Lounge, Space Age Bachelor Pad, Bossa, Bollywood, Bubblegum, Soft-Psych, Go-Go, Latin Jazz..

http://www.luxuriamusic.com/

really "neo-lounge" almost elevator, but it varies.

pretty good.

You call it Country, I call it Bad Rock 'n Roll

Listening to the Whip http://wwhp.com this morning.

That's what was just playing. I remember Don saying "that's not
country". Well he of course was right. BUT... wwhp plays everything.
Real country, fake country, western, country-western, just plain rock
& roll. etc. "Both kinds of music: country AND western"

Having fun.

Cleaning house with "mom"

Now we're taking a break.

Saw the Bald Eagles Again

The bald eagles were out by Hild Road again today. Working on that
dead deer. Must be a bad time for them.

Had a closer look at the one that does not have the white head... it
must be a female or a young one.

I suppose that with the power of the internet, I could surely get an
answer to that. :-)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
see Jeff's Perceptions at http://nocomputer.blogspot.com

My fave radio station...

http://wwhp.com/ Playing the best in blues, bluegrass, alternative and traditional country, rock, gospel and American Roots music

Now with much better quality streaming than a couple years ago. I've been there. Met their chief engineer. Interesting place.

Petraeus’ Riddle: “Tell Me How This Ends”

http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/01/10/tell-me-how-this-ends/

Sadly. Or worse.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
see Jeff's Perceptions at http://nocomputer.blogspot.com

Momofuku Ando: Mr. Noodle - New York Times

The inventor of ramen noodles dies at 96:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/09/opinion/09tue3.html?

ex=1325998800&en=5e351e668da0b093&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

maybe that link will work.

Magic vs Magick

Sherry....

Sometime we might discuss what that's all about.

Doesn't have to do with "definitions" as far as I'm concerned.

StepMania Dance - Stomping on colored lights?

I read a comment recently which dismissed playing DDR/StepMania/ITG as not dancing at all, but rather "stomping on colored lights"!

It can be done that way,  & I'm sure that for a lot of the people playing these games it is the way.

But one of the points of these games is you can play it any way you want.

You can "stomp" or you can dance... it's your decision.

Devious Rabbit Tricks Bush Into Signing Gun Ban | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

for example of what real news is like, go here:

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/57118

(fun)

p.s.
The Onion doesn't claim to be the World's most reliable news source,
that honor is reserved for http://weeklyworldnews.com

Radio News | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

http://www.theonion.com/content/radionews

I've subscribed to this on my Yahoo home page... it lists short audio
clips "newscasts" which are dumb but humorous.

Jeff

Fiction writing... Real Art Won't Match Your Sofa

http://brni.livejournal.com/189447.html

an interesting article about:

> Real Art Doesn't Match Your Sofa
> or: The Trouble with Genre
> or: Damn the Rules, You Play All 12 Notes in Your Solo Anyway

a lot of interesting comments too. Can conclude in different ways.

Jeff

Macworld: Creative Notes: Good sites for creative professionals

http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/creative/2007/01/creative-guy-roundup/

index.php

some interesting sites described for your reference....

jeff

Happy New Year!

Well... made it through another year.

Now to get started actually doing something.

Crazy Old Man's aerobics, dance, writing, organizing.

Fitness first... with that the other follows.

Thanks to all the people who have supported us through the year.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

- Jeff

BIAM January 2007 Goals - Jeff

1. get my manila dreams organized. Reward: The Sonoma Diet (used
from Amazon)

2. get the old original dream journal transcribed. Reward: Dance in
a Circle... Wave Arms in Air.

I know this isn't much in the writerly fashion, but it's what I got.

Jeff aka MagicDrum

Life Is Not Worth Living Movies

I first decided I could leave movies when I wanted to and not feel obligated in any way long ago. Short list... Clockwork Orange, Brazil, Chinatown... probably some others. If I feel like I'm being abused, I leave. It's my life, I don't have to sit there and let some director/writer throw crap at me. I never told people about this until one of our sales engineers told me he walked out on a movie (this would have been 1974, 75 or 76)... said he didn't have to let "Life Is Not Worth Living" movies mess with him. He said there had been a whole swath of them. We had a qood discussion... and I was glad to know I wasn't alone. I have since gotten much better at spotting these movies before I actually pay to watch them. Part of my "You Are What You Eat" philosophy.

Christmas 2006: Pirates & Nursing Homes

Judy said... "Best Christmas in years, and it was in a nursing home."
So true.

from

http://filkertom-itom.blogspot.com/2006/12/021-pirate-christmas.html

aka http://tomsmithonline.com

The Song: http://www.tomsmithonline.com/freestuff/oddio/iT021_192.mp3

The Pirate Christmas... Lyrics.... pasted below!

A Pirate Christmas
Words © 2006 by Tom Smith
Music by Diverse Hands
Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License

We three kings of orient ARRR...

Swab the decks w' boughs of holly
fa la la la la, la la la la
Hoist the Roger if it's jolly
fa la la la la, la la la la
Don we now our pirate trappings,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la
Caught me peg leg in these wrappings
fa la la la la, la la la la

From the portside to the starboard
And from transom to bow
We are covered with invading bivalves

They latched on when we were harbored,
And nobody knows how
To remove them and get the ship clear.

Barnacles, barnacles,
Give me a friggin' damn crowbar
barnacles, barnacles,
Soon they will eat this whole bay.

Said the lookout to the bosun's mate,
Do you hear what I hear?
(Do you ARRR what I ARRR!)

(a cappella)
O Cannonball, O Cannonball
I'll shoot you through the stockade wall

All I want fer christmas is me two front teeth,
Me two front teeth, me two front teeth....

My cap'n told me,
Ba-rum pa pum pum
ARRR, RUM!
RUM!
I'm tryin' ta SING!
We LIKES rum!

Ye better watch out, ye better not cry,
Get the rum out, I'm tellin' you why,
Cap'n Jack is comin' ta town
He walks with a list, talks a good game,
Blade, kiss or fist, it's always the same,
Cap'n Jack is comin' ta town.

He seizes any treasure
The rum and wenches too,
He knows if you've been bad or good
(Cap'n Jack voice) And either one will do!

Don't follow his lead, it's gonna get grim,
The only survivor likely is him,
Cap'n Jack is comin' ta town.

Christmas, christmas time is here,
Time fer loot and wine and beer,
Santa, bring your big ol' bag,
We want treasure, we want swag
Want a map from some old book,
Me I want a brand new hook
We can hardly stand the wait
Please christmas don't be late.

I saw the cap'n kissing santy claus
Down below the bulwark late last night
... Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Arrr! The herald angels sing,
Here's a letter from the king

Up in the crows nest, it's my watch,
Keeping warm with rum and scotch,
Icy winds and freezing sleet,
Too darn slippery to keep my feet
Yo ho ho, who wouldn't goOOOOOOO....

Silent night, holy night,
Shush the cat, douse the light
Round the back, the door isn't locked
Grab their stuff, we'll go get it hocked
Sleep in heavenly peace,
The constables' palms have been greased.

All right, ye swabs! Big finish!

Dashing through the snow
Is somethin' we ain't done,
Because we never go
Away from tropic sun,
Keep yer cold and ice,
We think it's kinda dumb
We've got our Christmas paradise
With beaches, girls and rum!
ARRR!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Oh what fun it is to sail the Caribbean today-ay!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas on the sea,
Yo ho ho, yo ho ho, a Santa's life for me!
Yo ho ho, yo ho ho, a Santa's life for me!

posted by filkertom @ 11:19 PM

as you can see when I said I was "back", it wasn't for long. but I'm back now. And I'm doing a lot of non computerish sorts of things... like this...