A Reston Kid Rambles

Music Monday: Live on Letterman

2011-11-21T17:01:00.000-05:00

Live on Letterman has an impressive list of concerts. Here are a few of the best.

Foster the People
I just bought one of their albums on Amazon MP3 (it was the $5 album deal today), so it was lucky coincidence that I discovered this concert. The frontman seems to be putting out significant effort, but he hardly makes it seem effortless. I was watching a Rush concert last night and Neil Peart is incredible. Part of what makes him so amazing is the effort he puts in while looking cool as a cucumber. Meanwhile, Lifeson and Lee seem to get energy from each other and the crowd. Anyway, FtP are good. I like a bunch of their songs, but it's interesting that the concert seems to be really draining.

Wilco
I have never gotten in to Wilco, but I think this concert will draw me in.

Cake
This is the concert that led me to LoL. Their sound is unique and the concert has some nice live versions of my favorite tunes. I could do without quite so many from the new album, but it's a small "price" to pay.

Gorillaz
A pop music act with a cartoon as its frontman? Where do I sign up? Everyone seems to be having a total ball. It's like they all have real jobs, but this is the fun stuff they do on the side, and would do for free. The string section's head bobbing is wonderful.

Music Monday YouTube Trip: Edmunds Lowe Costello

2011-10-18T17:01:00.000-04:00

Here is another YouTube trip. Remember, that each subsequent tune has to be in the Suggestions list for the previous song.

Dave Edmunds

Girls Talk

Some of the best of the 80's.

Nick Lowe

Cruel to Be Kind

If you look carefully at this video and the previous, you will notice that Dave Edmunds is in Nick Lowe's band and vice versa.

Elvis Costello

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding
He's so young! I need to get glasses like those. Only problem is, I would end up looking like an old Urkel.

Statistics: Healthcare Revisited

2011-10-13T17:01:00.001-04:00

When Obama's healthcare reform was being sculpted, I characterized it as insurance reform. It results in more people being covered, but didn't do anything about the price side of things. It didn't do nearly enough to pull back costs.

I went looking for data about the number of doctor visits and found something terrific at National Geographic of all places. The Other Health Care Debate: Lines vs. Scatterplot has a really nice graphic that shows what I wanted to see.

In that graphic, I see that we in the U.S. don't go to the doctor often, but we still pay through the nose for healthcare. Really good statistical graphics can tell a vivid story.

Gapminder.com is absolutely fabulous. Professor Rosling is a world health specialist who has also become a statistical evangelist. He does a nice job of infusing interest and energy into his discussions. His recent video The Joy of Stats should be the opening salvo for any statistics course.

As Florence Nightingale said:

To understand God's thoughts we must study statistics, for these are the measure of His purpose.

Education and Business: A Tough Combo

2011-10-12T17:01:00.000-04:00

Achival's Blog brings us Why Education Startups Don't Succeed. It's an interesting read, especially for anyone who has been involved in the online education business over the past decade or so. The entire piece is worthwhile, but I particularly liked the bulleted list of don'ts at the end.

Coolest Gigs for a Violinist or Cellist

2011-09-20T17:01:00.000-04:00

I like strings as much as the next guy, but let's face it: Not all potential gigs for a member of the string section are equally cool. Here are some gigs that I would imagine were pretty darn cool.

Gorillaz
Look at the string section bobbing their heads near the end of O Green World (song starts around 6:00). Then, check them out swaying on Feel Good, Inc. (song starts around 35:00) They are getting into it.

Vampire Weekend
Not as cool as Gorillaz, but still pretty cool.

P. Diddy and Jimmy Page on SNL
This "video" only has the sound. I remember seeing this on Saturday Night Live in the 90's when they had what looked like a full orchestra on risers behind them as they played this.

Yo-Yo Ma and Lil Buck
Lil Buck's movement is amazing. So fluid and seemingly effortless.

Music Monday: YouTube Trip: It's All About the Kids

2011-07-25T17:01:00.002-04:00

On my way in to the office today, I heard a song that became quite the earworm: MGMT's Kids. This got me on a YouTube Trip to cure myself.

MGMT: Kids

This is a good Monday morning earworm.

Peter Bjorn & John: Young Folks

Maybe the whistling is cheezy, but I like the tune.

Kanye West: Young Folks

Interesting song based on the catchy tune. I could do without his kvetching about the media, but oh well.

So, the Kids earworm has been replaced by Young Folks. Yay me!

Revisiting Early Algebra

2011-07-19T17:01:00.001-04:00

This morning, I picked up the Post's Metro section and saw For educators pushing eighth-grade algebra, an ‘F’ in brain science, an opinion piece by a former math teacher. Sound familiar? Let's check the way back machine. Oh, here it is in Early Algebra: Crushing Kids.

Setting a timeline for Algebra is a bad idea. It crushes kids' opinions of themselves and of math.

Web Stuff Friday: Uber-Geek Edition

2011-06-24T17:01:00.001-04:00

So, what have I done with my precation (that's a preliminary vacation used to burn some vacation hours and take care of stuff so we are a bit more ready for the summer)? I hacked my Wii!

Why hack a Wii? Our basement has video game stuff strewn about. Controllers, disks, and various accessories are everywhere. Disks are particularly hard to keep track of and I am constantly worried that a disk will sustain one scratch too many and will go down for the count.

The solution is to take a USB hard drive, connected it to your Wii, then install all your games to the hard drive. The result is that (with the right software) you can run all your Wii games without touching a disk.

How to Back Up and Play Your Wii Games from an External Hard Drive at Lifehacker got me started. Unfortunately, the process didn't quite work for me, so I resorted to...

Softmod ANY Wii, which really got the ball rolling for me. But first, I needed to get access to the inner workings of the Wii, so I went to...

Return of the Jodi, which explains how to use Lego Star Wars Original Trilogy (Jack did the game work to make it happen) to install the Homebrew channel using the Hackmii installer. With Homebrew installed, I went to the Softmod ANY Wii guide and followed the instructions (really closely) to get the system set up. The USBLoader (the software that allows you to install games to and then play them from the USB drive) they suggested didn't work for me, so I went back to the Lifehacker article and installed USBLoader GX, which works like a charm. I even got it installed as a new channel, so our Wii main screen has a channel I can select to view all our games in an interface that looks like the iTunes album cover browser.

Now all our Wii games are on the external hard drive, so the disks are in a case on a shelf, where they will stay forever. Next up: Finish installing new closet doors, clean the van, and maybe even clean the garage.

Web Stuff Friday: Go to Sleep

2011-06-17T17:01:00.001-04:00

Go the F*ck to Sleep as narrated by Samuel L. Jackson is so good. I will think about this video tonight when Girl Kid comes out of her bedroom an hour and a half after "bedtime" because she's "thirsty."

Grantland

2011-06-16T17:01:00.001-04:00

Grantland has me hooked. I stumbled onto Grantland when checking scores at ESPN, which employs Grantland's editor-in-chief Bill Simmons. The articles drew me in.

The Greatest Paper that Ever Died is the first article I read. It is LONG, but fascinating. I dimly recall The National (a failed attempt at a national sports newspaper), but this "article" brings it to life in a unique way. It is a series of quotes assembled as a transcription of an oral history of the endeavor. Really, really good and interesting.
Space, Time, and DVR Mechanics was eerie. It's like Chuck Klosterman was staring straight into my soul.
It's Time for LeBrondown, Part II rings very true.

Check out the articles. It's an online magazine I can really get into. The look is uncluttered. The writing is interesting.

End of Life Revisited

2011-06-15T17:01:00.001-04:00

Discussions about healthcare consistently get me thinking about end of life issues. I have discussed this stuff before. Notably, in The Ugliness of Modern Death, but now I am past some personal situations involving death and so am more capable of thinking about these issues.

DyingWell.org is not a cheery site, but it is an important one. I recently bought Dr. Byock's Dying Well and really am looking forward to the read. It's morose, but critical.

Education: Will Choice Give Us Smarter but Isolated Kids?

2011-06-14T17:01:00.001-04:00

I work for a company that does online education stuff. A coworker recently asked me what I think about what we do from the point of view as a former teacher.

First of all, I am in favor of choice.

I don't think that one particular type of school is best for every student. For instance, some kids have significant learning or social issues that make a brick and mortar classroom environment a bad fit for them.
Choice can lead to some competition. Some schools get so bogged down in just surviving that they lose track of the idea that they are supposed to be educating kids. Most public schools have a monopoly, so they don't have to care about the quality they provide. I understand that most people in public schools are wonderful, caring people who believe that educating children is a calling. My grandfather, mother, aunt, cousin, and I all fall into this group. I am not calling educators lazy or incompetent. All I am saying is that many educators could use a shift of perspective to help focus on what really matters.

On the other hand, a fractured school landscape worries me. I am a public school guy in great part because I believe in heterogeneous social environments that allow students to see different perspectives. We all need to be exposed to diversity. This isn't about having enough black kids or hispanic kids so the class picture looks diverse. This is about having truly diverse perspectives.

Rich/poor
Christian/Jewish/Muslim/Hindi/Atheist
American/Russian/Hispanic/Indian
smart/mediocre/struggling (each of these in each academic arena)

Choice is great, but so is heterogeneity.

Music Monday: Ida Maria and Yoav

2011-06-13T17:01:00.003-04:00

Ida Maria's voice and energy work. Check her out.

The girl is gettin' it done.

Yoav (song: Beautiful Lie)

Cool song that inspired a couple remixes:Robert Sansixto mix and KeeMo's Terrace Mix ... but I like the original best. Yoav is yet another artist using on-the-fly sampling to create interesting music.

Web Stuff Friday: Scat and Underground

2011-06-10T17:01:00.002-04:00

S&*t You Should Know is hilarious. The language is quite colorful, but the posts are informative and hilarious.

.9 repeating equals 1 is the post that got me there. A couple colleagues and I were having a discussion about this topic and I went looking for other thoughts on the topic.
Reader Submission: The Immaculate Mis-Conception taught me something.
Learn how to use a fucking semicolon. Fuck. is hilarious.
I know you think “myself” sounds fancy is another funny gem.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Everyone should read every entry, either to learn something or to learn how to teach others the idea.

Urban Explorations is incredible. Check out the photo gallery and the videos. Undercity New York is cool and reminded me of Man on Wire, which was an impressive documentary.

New Math Education Wars: The Wrath of Khan

2011-06-09T17:01:00.006-04:00

With their tutorial videos, Khan Academy has made a big splash in the education world. Having Bill Gates sing your praises in a TED Talk is a sure way to get a lot of attention.

Over at Action-Reaction, Frank Noschese has an article Khan Academy: My Final Remarks. I agree with many of his points. Here is a quote from near the end of the post:

Khan Academy is just one tool in a teacher’s arsenal. (If it’s the only tool, that is a HUGE problem.) Khan Academy can be useful for some kids as vehicle (build skills) to help them get to better places (solving complex problems).

On his Quantum Progress blog, John Burk also chimed in with Project Euler vs Khan Academy: The Future of Online Learning. I agree that Project Euler is really, really good, but that is a topic for another post.

Back in 2007 (before I ever heard of Khan Academy), I started developing instructional videos that are somewhat similar to Khan’s work. I think they are great tools, but they are not the be-all and end-all of online education. When placed in the context of a complete course, they can be helpful tools. We need to continue to innovate, but just shouldn't get too carried away by the latest educational fad and think it will solve all our problems. Good teaching isn't about amazing lectures. It's about feedback and engagement and connections.

At their best, instructional videos are pretty sentences. Quality education is a set of engrossing interactive stories.

Brain Calisthenics: Using Perceptual Learning

2011-06-08T17:01:00.001-04:00

A friend sent me a link to a New York Times article Brain Calisthenics for Abstract Ideas. The idea is that "playing" with a concept can yield big educational gains. A strictly top-down approach to education (here's the formula, now apply it) is not necessarily the best way to work. This perceptual approach seeks to leverage our ability to build intuition through experience.

Here are some of the games the article references.

Basic Math

Measurements and Graphing: Match the equation to the graph and learn to perceive basic measurement concepts.

Positive and Negative Feedback

Extreme Ball: Time a fan to blow and push a ball attached to rubber bands.

Extreme Population: Help your city reach a population of one million citizens.

Stabilize Ball: Time a fan to blow and stabilize a ball attached to rubber bands.

Stabilize Population: Help your city's population stabilize at 500,000 citizens.

DaVinci's Resume

2011-06-07T17:01:00.001-04:00

Back in 1482, a job-hunting Leonardo DaVinci sent a letter to the Duke of Milan. This letter got into the hands of a guy at The Ladders (a job search site) and it made the rounds recently as DaVinci's resume.

DaVinci's resume is interesting, but I prefer a geek's take on the DaVinci resume.

Music Monday: Emily Wells

2011-06-06T17:01:00.001-04:00

Emily Wells is pretty amazing. She seems to be using the same type of technology as tUnE yArDs (Real Live Flesh), but the feel is very different.

solo: Symphony 1

a trio with Joey Reina and Sam Halterman: Symphony 6 and Symphony 9

Web Stuff Friday: Larry Miller

2011-06-03T17:01:00.002-04:00

Larry Miller's The Five Levels of Drinking is one of the greatest comedy bits of all time. It always brings back memories of my 20's. My friends were such drunks! One of my favorite lines from the bit:

If you're nineteen and you stay up all night, it's a victory. It's like you beat the night.... If you're over thirty, man, that sun is like God's flashlight.

It's from him that I got the expression "It's like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing it." Larry Miller is so great.

Amazing Time-Lapse Videos of the Sky

2011-06-01T17:01:00.001-04:00

A couple time-lapse videos of the sky have taken my breath away.

The Mountain was filmed at El Teide, Spain´s highest mountain.

The mountain and the sky are amazing.

Chile's Very Large Telescope

In this video, the sky plays opposite the telescopes. As in the other video, the sky is incredible, but I like watching the telescopes do their things.

Music Monday (Saturday Edition): YouTube Trip: Phantogram to Aesop

2011-05-28T17:01:00.001-04:00

There are too many music posts sitting in my list of drafts, so it is time to do some house cleaning.

Here is a YouTube Trip inspired by a friend from work, whom I will call J-Dub. I need to do a Music from J-Dub post, but that will have to wait.

Phantogram: When I'm Small

J-Dub got my trip started with this gem.

Blockhead: Insomniac Olympics

I like the video for this, but had to listen to the song once without watching the video so I could focus on the sounds instead of the visuals.

Daedelus: Fair Weather Friends

Fun stuff.

Aesop Rock: None Shall Pass

Pretty freaky video, but the music is compelling.

Web Stuff Friday: Whipass and Ze

2011-05-27T17:01:00.000-04:00

A friend from work sent me a link to a silly version of a song I know well, so this became a chance to reminisce. Let's take the story in chronological order:

First, a guy named Ray posted this audio message on MySpace for Ze Frank: Whipass (link to a page with the MP3)

Next, this inspired Ze to ask his followers to create remixes for the song. The longer version of the story and a link to the remixes are here.

Finally (today), I got a link to this video: Stress_Relief.wmv (which is FAR inferior to the original, but served the purpose of reminding me of it).

If you don't have Ze Frank's blog bookmarked and added to your Google Reader list, you really should. Lots of good, interesting, and/or thought-provoking stuff.

Various Bad Plus Concerts

2011-05-24T17:01:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I know it's not Monday. I have too many music posts in the hopper to just dole them out weekly. Deal with it.

I dig the Bad Plus. Here are some links to concerts that show their range.

Live At the Village Vanguard is a New Year's Eve concert. This is the trio doing their thing.

The Rite of Spring is their take on Stravinski's 20th century ballet masterpiece. This is quite a limb they are going out on, but it works for me. Note that the first bit of audio at the top of the article is for the interview. Go down a bit to find the audio link for the concert.

[update: I just listened to this piece all the way through. It is ambitious and truly tremendous.]

With the Frankfurt Radio Big Band is on a site that is completely written in German, but the music knows no language. A big band's horns add to the compositions so well. The most remarkable piece is The Hope Chest, which starts at the 36:00 mark. The big band has a piece that the conductor/arranger wrote for them. The Bad Plus improvised their parts to accompany them on the fly. Note that there are two parts to the concert. In Part 2, the big band version of Giant is good stuff, as is the encore Layin' a Strip For the Higher-Self State Line.

Music Monday: YouTube Trip: Favourite Stand Action

2011-05-23T17:01:00.000-04:00

OK, so this YouTube Trip isn't about discovering new music, but it was a fun journey anyway.

Haircut 100: Favourite Shirt (Boy Meets Girl)

If this doesn't make you smile, then I am sorry. You are just broken.

Adam Ant: Stand and Deliver

Love the energy.

Human League: Love Action

Man, I liked this band when I was in High School. I had an album full of remixes that I basically wore out.

Web Stuff Friday: Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two

2011-05-20T17:01:00.002-04:00

OMG. Check this out. This Spring marks the 25th anniversary of the Beastie Boys recording of (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!). My God. 25 freakin' years since short, hairy Steve used to blast this out of his dorm room on Friday afternoons. But I digress...

Here is an extended video of a few songs from the Beastie Boys' new album. The video is called Fight For Your Right (Revisited), but don't expect the familiar old song. It's a short movie with a zillion stars and some new Beastie Boys music.

Speaking of the zillion stars, check out who all is in this video. When you see the list of cameos at the end, I think you'll agree that it's simply epic.

I also like the music. Good to hear something new from the Beastie Boys. Pretty sure I need to buy Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two.

My First Remix: Panic at the Human League

2011-05-18T17:01:00.002-04:00

The first time I heard The Human League's remix of Don't You Want Me, I was hosting a last-day-of-school party at the end of my Junior year of high school. We were blasting the music, swimming, sailing, and canoeing in the lake, and just generally having a great, raucous time.

When the song got to 2:22, I had a heart attack. I thought someone had bumped my precious turntable, made the album skip brutally, and (more importantly) probably damaged my turntable's stylus (you 20- and 30-somethings can get your parents to explain all that retro vinyl lingo to you). When I ran inside to check on my stereo, Bryan Reichhardt and Tammy Keysor were laughing at my panic. Good times.

This was the first remix I recall hearing and it made an immediate impact (once I calmed down). My love for remixes that started on that sun drenched afternoon is tied up with my love for jazz and mash-ups. Though I can appreciate a simple tune as much as the next guy, I like to see what artists do with a simple idea when unfettered by the constraints of a 4 minute long song that is fit for the radio.

Here are some albums that are full of some of my favorite remixes:

Human League: Original Remixes (ex: Don't You Want Me)
Stone Roses: The Remixes (ex: I Wanna Be Adored)
Just Say Yo (or Yes or Da or Mao or several others) (ex: Personal Jesus)

Music Monday: YouTube Trip: from France to Home

2011-05-16T17:01:00.002-04:00

YouTube can help you discover new music. This isn't news, but I want to make a concerted effort to document some musical journeys I take courtesy of the popular video site. After the first song, I found each subsequent song from the list of Suggestions for the previous song.

Camera Obscura: French Navy

This is a nice, jaunty tune to start the journey.

St. Vincent: Marrow

Interesting video. I like the music. Annie Clark (her real name) rocks.

tUnE yArDs: Bizness

Wow, I like Merrill Garbus. She is one talented woman.

Mumford and Sons: Little Lion Man

Maybe you only heard of these guys when they were nominated for a couple Grammies last year. If you are into the Folk Rock thing, or want to hear what it's like, this is a good song for you.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros: Home

This song is a good place to end our journey.

Passion

2011-03-29T17:01:00.001-04:00

When late HS or early college students ask me what they should major in, I invariably quote Joseph Campbell: "Follow your bliss."

The xkcd comic Time Management gets at one aspect of this issue. The tolltip caption is the important part:

I never trust anyone who's more excited about success than about doing the thing they want to be successful at.

So true. It's not that success doesn't matter, but are you driven by success or by doing something and trying to be successful with it? If success is the driver, then I am somewhat leery. If you have a passion and want to be successful with it, then that is totally cool.

Executive Pay Back on My Mind

2011-03-13T10:31:00.001-04:00

In today's WashingtonPost, Barry Ritholz gets right to one of my pet peeves.

Like Ritholz, I have no problem with people who earn massive amounts of money. What irks me is when risks and rewards are disconnected so people get rewarded for stupid risks or for lighting the fuse on a catastrophic bomb. These disconnects create flaws in the free market system that should be addressed.

After a Long Haitus, a Potential Game Changer

2011-03-13T09:36:00.002-04:00

I've been a slacker.

Call it the Droid Effect. I used to use my laptop to read (and thus write) quite a bit online. Now, my online reading is done on my phone. I like the convenience, but I haven't been able to blog from my phone... until now.

Google has released Blogger for Android, so I'll try it out. I hope this does good things for my ability to post more frequently.

Ramble: Not Just a Math Nerd: Word Fun

2011-02-02T17:01:00.001-05:00

In case you thought I was only a math/tech nerd, here is a post at Language Log that made me laugh: The shock of seeing a new verb anniversarying. Here is my favorite quote from the article:

I don't mean to suggest that there's anything particularly wrong with verbing new nouns, of course: you can pretty much verb any noun you want to verb. But if you pick a solidly nouny noun and use it without warning or precedent as a verb, it may cause a certain shock, ....

Anyway, I am a bit of a language nerd. I like words. In a recent community meeting, I used the word penultimate to refer to the one before the last item in a list. The CEO of our association then asked me if I kept a list of words like that to use. I suppose I do, but the list is purely mental (as you might say am I).

New addition to this post. I have a new favorite initialization: MSO (minimal scatological object). I found it at Language Log Most of the People in the World Could Care Less.

The process has been generalized to give with a variety of MSOs ("minimal scatological objects"):

I could give a {damn|shit|hoot|(flying) fuck|crap|rat's ass}

The MSO can be an elaborate nonce formation ("a gnat's left testicle"; "a fart in a tornado"; "a rat's hairy scrotum").

Words are such fun.

Ramble: Rx for Latin and Innovation

2011-02-01T17:01:00.001-05:00

I had no idea that all that gobbledy gook on my prescriptions was a bunch of Latin abbreviations.

Understanding Your Prescription has a handy table so you can understand your prescriptions. I think it's kinda cool (but also kinda odd and scary) that doctors still use Latin abbreviations on prescriptions.

On a different topic, ClinicalTrials.gov is "a registry of federally and privately supported clinical trials conducted in the United States and around the world." Basically, if you have a medical problem and want to know what researchers are trying to cure or treat it, then this is the place to look.

Music Monday: Dizzy

2011-01-31T17:01:00.000-05:00

I remember first seeing Dizzy Gillespie on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Those cheeks were amazing. Only now do I really appreciate his artistry. What a tremendous musician.

Dizzy Gillespie doing Manteca:

With His Dream Band: This is a tremendous group of musicians.
in Denmark: Damn, he looks cool in this one. If I had seen that video when I was a kid, I would have wanted nothing more than to be him when I grew up.
In Finland: The video's aspect ratio is screwed up, but the music is great.

And here Dizzy is on the Muppet Show where they had to distract the noise inspector from Dizzy's performance.

Music Monday: Birthday

2010-12-27T17:01:00.001-05:00

Duke Ellington at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival

song: A Train

Starting at 1:25, this song absolutely rocks. Great album.

Herbie Hancock: Empyrean Isles

song: Cantaloupe Island

My affection for Cantaloupe is already documented, but the whole album is very fine.

The Drums (eponymous album)

songs: Best Friend and Forever & Ever Amen

Fun, light stuff.

Big Boi: Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty

song: Back Up Plan

I don't listen to much rap, but Big Boi gets it done.

Music Monday: Kid British

2010-12-20T17:01:00.000-05:00

These guys are fun. When I saw and heard them, I immediately thought of The Specials in the 80's, then saw a video in which The Specials came on stage with Kid British and said they thought the same thing.

Web Stuff Friday: Sargent Mashup

2010-12-03T17:01:00.004-05:00

Guy Sargent is an amazing photographer.

Mashup Breakdown is just wonderful. The aforementioned B-Sizzle let me know that Girl Talk has a new album out. It rocks. When I checked out Girl Talk's Twitter feed (@therealgirltalk), I was introduced to this site that shows the mashup visually.

Web Stuff Friday: My Chrome Setup

2010-11-19T17:01:00.003-05:00

If you haven't tried Google's Chrome browser, I think you should check it out. It's not perfect, but it is fast, portable, and has some really smooth features and add-ons.

The interface is pretty minimalist, but still provides quick access to your most visited sites as well as your bookmarks.

I have three add-ons installed that I see as small icons to the right of my location bar.

goo.gl URL shortener. With a single click, I can take the URL of the page I am on, shorten it, and copy the short URL to my clipboard. So, if I see a great article, I just click the goo.gl button and paste it into an email or IM window. Very handy.
Chrome to Phone allows me to send links to my Droid phone. If I'm on my computer when someone sends me a link about a great android app, I just send the link to my phone and I can check it out later.
Chrome It Later integrates with Read It Later, which I love. When I see an article I want to read somewhere and somehow, I just click the button and it's saved to my reading list. I can then access my reading list from any browser or from my phone and they all stay in sync.

I live lots of my life in a browser window, so I care about what I use for my Web stuff. Chrome is a good thing.

Ramble: Autumn, Part I

2010-11-09T17:01:00.002-05:00

Dew evaporates off the meadow grasses lazily. The resulting mist hangs low enough that the clear autumn sun is unhindered. A 4-point buck stands on the bank of the stream, striking a pose like he is auditioning to be the next model for the Hartford logo. Everyone I see nods in mutual appreciation of the serenity that is this perfect morning in the Glade Stream Valley.

The big, perfect dear watches me plodding along and seems to wonder how I can put out so much effort, yet move so slowly. My top speed when I "run" is more of an amble, but it's not about speed for me. It's about feeling healthy and connected. Activity helps me feel healthier, while mornings like this help with the connectedness.

While raking leaves in the backyard just before dinner, I pause for a moment to look up at the stately oaks towering over me. They still have most of their leaves, so I will get to live this day again in a few weeks. Most excellent.

Music Monday: Jonsi Skull Root Spree

2010-11-08T17:01:00.000-05:00

Jonsi

Go Do, Animal Arithmetic, Animal Arithmetic (acoustic)

Cool stuff, but he's a "raw-food vegan"? Holy cow!

Dre Skull

I Want You Back

If this doesn't make you bop your head up and down, then you are broken and I can't fix you. Gets weird near the middle, but recovers nicely.

Rusted Root

Send Me on My Way

In this video, they remind me of The Polyphonic Spree. They look like a bunch of hippies. Speaking of the PS...

Polyphonic Spree

Lithium, Light & Day

Gotta love the hippies.

Ramble: Planning How to Spin My Next Loss

2010-10-21T17:01:00.001-04:00

From a comment on the Language Log blog:

Reminds me of an apocryphal tale of an officer-enlisted football game where the enlisted men win. The next day, the command plan of the day reports: "Officers power through to a second place finish; enlisted men barely manage to come in next-to-last place."

Man, I need to use that line soon! Maybe next time Girl Kid is racing me somewhere.

Web Stuff Friday: War Golf Titles

2010-10-15T17:01:00.001-04:00

Here are a couple interesting videos:

Jason Forrest: War Correspondent
Tipsy: Space Golf

And here are some suggestions for Better Book Titles that can save everyone lots of time.

Music Monday: Kill Weather Raconteur Stripes

2010-10-11T17:01:00.008-04:00

I like following musical trails. When I find an artist I like, I like to look for other artists with whom they have worked and keep on following the trail. Here is a sample trail:

The Kills (video: Cheap and Cheerful)

I shared a CD of various stuff with a (now former) colleague. Now that she has spare time, Sunshine finally listened to it. When she heard the Ting Tings, she thought they reminded her of The Kills.

Dead Weather (video: Treat Me Like Your Mother)

Alison Mosshart of The Kills is in Dead Weather.

The Raconteurs (video: Steady, As She Goes)

Jack White and Jack Lawrence of Dead Weather are also in the Raconteurs.

The White Stripes (video: Seven Nation Army)

Jack White is half of The White Stripes, which is a man/woman duo like The Kills.

Phew. Not sure how often I will be able to bring it around that like, but it's great when that works out.

Web Stuff Friday: First Cousin Once Removed

2010-10-08T17:01:00.003-04:00

WolframAlpha rocks, but the coolest thing I have seen recently is alluded to in the WolframAlpha blog: My Cousin’s Cousin’s Niece’s Grandfather Said to Just Ask Wolfram|Alpha. Now, I know what to call the woman who is my uncle's granddaughter.

Bonus: Missing Cat by David Thorne is sublimely funny.

Music Monday: Dancing Grizzly Volta

2010-10-04T17:01:00.000-04:00

This post started out almost a month ago, and I finally have a third entry. Sorry for the huge delays in posts, but life happens sometimes.

You! Me! Dancing! by Los Campesinos is being used in this Budweiser ad, but the original video is interesting (and, of course longer). I have had this tune in my head for days now, which means I watch too much football. Shazam on my Droid absolutely rocks. I love being able to identify every song I hear.

Grizzly Bear: I have spent most of the past days at work listening to Horn of Plenty and then Horn of Plenty - The Remixes. Wow. I love the remixes. The remixes album is a nice accompaniment to document reviews. Nice groove. Here is a link to the Remixes at last.fm.

I checked in on my Google Reader for the first time in ages and saw Chris Hanaka's There Was Talk of Joy Division. Now I am kinda obsessed with Mars Volta. Here is a Mars Volta Mix at YouTube.

Music Monday: Holy Dodos

2010-08-16T17:01:00.000-04:00

I am starting to draft this post almost a month before it is scheduled to post, which makes me wonder if I need to start a separate music blog.

Holy Fuck

Video: Red Lights, Stay Lit

Their name is a bit salty, but the music is a kick.

The Dodos

Videos: Fools, Winter, Ashley

Wow, I like these guys. The energy is wonderful.

Ramble: Kyran Pittman (AKA Tip My Rank Tan)

2010-07-27T17:01:00.001-04:00

Here is a recent IM exchange between me and Mrs. Kid:

Mrs. Kid: i found a new favorite blog passage-- i think you might be disguising yourself and changing genders around to fool people
Mrs. Kid: Rita Rudner said, “Whenever I date a man, I think, is this the man I want my children to spend weekends with?” I swear, there were days that the only thing holding me back was the thought that my pain-in-the-ass husband would be an even bigger pain-in-the-ass ex-husband. And I would have to have to put up with him, because of the children. As long as I was stuck with him anyhow, I might as well keep him close enough to take out the trash and help with bedtime.
me: lol
Mrs. Kid: right?!
me: who wrote that?
Mrs. Kid: kyran pittman
me: yeah, that's me. Kyran Pittman is an anagram for "Tip My Rank Tan" which was the name of the imaginary band i played in when i was a kid.

Check out Kyran Pittman's blog Notes To Self (which really is quite good). You can also check out the Internet Anagram Server for endless fun with words.

Oh, and for the record, I know that the only reason Mrs. Kid puts up with me is because she knows that if either of us leaves the other, then my Mother will find and shell out big money for a great lawyer to represent whichever one of us was wronged in her eyes.

Music Monday: Me Music

2010-07-26T17:01:00.003-04:00

I know it's morbid, but I can't stop thinking about the music I would like to have played at my funeral. There are two parts to this.

Funeral/service: I need just a few songs that will work with an organ, acoustic guitar, or string quartet.

Vince Guaraldi: Linus and Lucy video (check out this Hey Ya Peanuts video just for kicks)

This is the easy one. I love jazz, cartoons, and Charlie Brown Christmas. If you asked any math student who had me first period what they remember about me, I have no doubt that they would remember me playing this tape before class for the entire month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. If this song can't put a smile on your face, then I'm sorry.

U2: Where the Streets Have No Name video (still working on this one. Could be replaced with a Beastie Boys song or some old school rap)

I want something completely recognizable here. This one isn't about a deep message as much as it is about a collective moment of recognition. In this day of iPods and DVRs, we have so few synchronous moments of experiencing music together.

The Specials: Enjoy Yourself video

This is the uplifting, message-laden send-off. Love the song and love the lyrics.

Repast/wake: Coming up with a playlist for the repast/wake is a longer-term challenge, but equally important. I want three hours worth of music. The first can be jazz/mood music that I love (Miles, Coletrane, Herbie, Bill Evans, The Adderleys, etc.), but the second and third hours need to be full of songs that make people who knew me smile. Must-have artists include Led Zep, English Beat, New Order, Talking Heads, Richard Cheese, The Beatles, The Beastie Boys, and too many others to name.

BTW: I want to be cremated and have my ashes spread at any location Boy Kid and Girl Kid want to visit.

MathEd: New Blog Idea: Real Math Applications

2010-07-22T17:01:00.006-04:00

Here is an idea I have had for a few months, but am finally getting around to putting it out there.

How about a new blog that is all about how REAL math solves REAL problems. I am not talking about word problems. I am talking about people documenting ways that math helped them solve real problems. Note that this is not about finding applications for all the math in the course you are teaching or developing right now. This is about finding a way for people who use math to solve problems to share these problems and solutions.

Here is a statistics example from my office:

The Problem: A Project Manager at my company came to me asking how he could present data about variances from planned budgets in a way so that the big variances (both over and under) from budget wouldn't distort the data. When he used means to display the data, a few outliers over stated the degree to which early budgets varied from the final numbers.

The Solution: I first suggested that he look at a trimmed mean, but the solution that ultimately worked was using medians. Medians are less influenced by outliers than the mean, so using them got the job done.

The goal with a blog like I am proposing is to provide a rich repository of ideas for educators and learners to see how math is really used. Note that the problems don't have to come up in office settings. Some might come up at home or in sports or any other context, but in each case, math needs to be used to solve a real problem.

Any interest? Has it already been done? I think we need a set of contributors for this endeavor. I am fine being a contributor, but couldn't take the entire burden on myself.

Ramble: Seedless Watermelons Are Evil

2010-07-21T17:01:00.000-04:00

OK, so maybe the title is a bit of hyperbole, but this is a moral issue. So-called "seedless" watermelons have taken over and I can't stand them.

First, just because a seed is white doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Saying that white seeds are OK but black seeds are not reminds me of the unfair sentencing guidelines for crack versus powdered cocaine. It's morally reprehensible. White seeds and brown seeds are all still seeds and should be dealt with properly. We can't give the white ones a pass while vilifying the brown ones. Calling watermelons with white seeds "seedless" is like calling a Wall Street investment bank "criminal free." Just because they snort coke instead of smoking crack or fleece high-brow investors instead of knocking over liquor stores doesn't make them guilt free.

Second, the idea that a seedless watermelon is even desirable is not something I can accept. I get that seedless oranges and grapes have their place, but they don't have seeds that are nearly as much fun as real watermelon seeds. Spitting watermelon seeds is a summer pastime that is now a thing of the past thanks to these genetic freaks with anemic white seeds that dribble out of your mouth. I want real seeds that I can send flying through the air.

In short: I like my watermelon seeds like Mrs. Kid likes her man: plump and brown. We all need to rise up and protest the de-brownification of our watermelons.

Ramble: Why I Do This

2010-07-20T17:01:00.004-04:00

This blog is certainly a great exercise for myself, as well as a way of sharing with however few people read it. But another reason I write this blog is so that Boy Kid and Girl Kid can read it and have a feel for who I was in this time of my life. If I get hit by a bus tomorrow, how would they know who I was? Mrs. Kid could try to explain and other family members and friends could try as well, but I want a direct avenue and this blog is it.

Some people address this need by writing a memoir. I have no interest in delving into my past. As The Hours say in Ali in the Jungle:

... it's, not, where you're from, it's where you're at, ...

...it's, not, about the things you've done, it's what you're doing, now,
What are you doing, now?

Amen. This makes my blog very self-serving, but I'm OK with that.

Music Monday: Herbie Is More Than Rockit

2010-07-19T17:01:00.001-04:00

There are some artists who have a body of work that is far better and deeper than the average person knows about. They end up making a splash with a song that is wildly popular, but far from representative of their work.

Like many of my age, my first exposure to Herbie was with his groundbreaking song RockIt. I don't mean to minimize the importance of RockIt (which won Grammies and spawned a generation of break dancers and music that used technology in new ways), but that was a brief phase in Herbie's amazing career.

The Miles Davis Years: So What

My main MO for finding great jazz musicians is to start with Miles Davis and work my way out. He played with amazing people who went on to have stellar careers. Herbie's work with Miles was a great beginning.

Post-Davis Bop (Maiden Voyage and Empyrean Isles): Cantaloupe Island

These two albums are musts for anyone who wants to dip their toe in the jazz river. The hook in Cantaloupe Island is tremendous.

Fusion: Chamelion part 1 and part 2

Headhunters is accessible, funky, and fun.

(relatively) Modern Work

Rockit (love the video)

With Wayne Shorter: Aung San Suu Kyi (part 1 and part 2)

Herbie has done a ton of work since the 80's, so I have lots of work to do catching up with him.

Race Bait: Slideshows From The Root

2010-07-16T17:01:00.005-04:00

A friend from work sent me a link to one of these slideshows from The Root, but I like them all, so here you go....

Would a Black Person Get Away With This?

This is the one she sent.

Black Folks We'd Like To Remove From Black History

I remember seeing this some time ago, but I still like it.

The Blackest White Folks We Know

Nice list.

BTW: How do you like the prefix for this (and future race-oriented) post?

Ramble: Prefixes

2010-07-15T17:01:00.000-04:00

I am going to start pre-fixing more of my posts. For instance, this one has the prefix "Ramble." I already use some other prefixes:

Best-of-Craigslist
Web-Stuff Friday
Music Monday

To this list of prefixes, I will add prefixes to connote more topics such as:

MathEd
Geek
Politics
Race

I might try coming up with more interesting prefixes than these, but am making no promises. The point of the prefixes is to make it easier for folks to decide what they do and don't feel like reading. Most people have blogs that are more focused than this one, but I am going to keep on with my broad rambles. It's who I am, but adding prefixes should make it easier for folks to pre-judge their interest in the topic for each post.

For instance, Mrs. Kid already ignores all the Music Monday and Web-Stuff Friday posts. Now, she can easily avoid all the MathEd and Geek posts.

Girl Talk Sample Guide Videos

2010-07-14T17:01:00.001-04:00

I like Girl Talk. Not the idle chatter of the fairer gender, but the mashup dj. His samples are wide-ranging, but it's that range that makes his stuff really work.

You might be wondering: This isn't Monday, so what's with the music post? Well, this isn't really about the music as much as it is about the video series.

I was looking for a YouTube video of some Girl Talk music to send to a friend, when I found a series of videos called Girl Talk Sample Guides. Wow. Thats' a really nice display of visual information. I think he misses some samples, but the idea is still an interesting one. I'd like to see this for any mashup and for a fair number of rappers.

The Sample Guide made me think back to the Paul's Boutique Samples and References List (which is tremendous accompaniment to one of the Beastie Boys' best albums). Having a list of where all the pieces are coming from is great, but the visuals in the Sample Guide is even better.

Geeking Out With Frink

2010-07-13T17:01:00.001-04:00

A friend and former student tweeted a link to Frink, which seems interesting. According to creator Alan Eliasen, Frink is...

... a practical calculating tool and programming language designed to make physical calculations simple, to help ensure that answers come out right, and to make a tool that's really useful in the real world.

So as a math guy, it seems relevant to what I do. I'll check it out, but the fun part is reading the documentation. Check out the Sample Calculations section of the documentation. Feel free to ignore the math. It's all about the narrative he wraps around it. Really amusing stuff. Here is a very small sampling of Alan's comments/quips.

Superman:

Sure, he's a great guy, and, sure, he's the Defender of Truth, Justice, and the American Way, but can't he find a better use for his super-powers than schlepping some shiksa into the stratosphere? Shovel my walk, he could, in 3 seconds--and me with the sciatica.

Flatulence:

Fart jokes. Sheesh. If Frink isn't a huge success, it's not because I didn't pander to the Lowest Common Denominator.

The ramifications of the most famous of Einstein's equations:

Unbelievable. The energy in a teaspoon of water, if we could extract it, is equal to burning more than 3 million gallons of gasoline.

The amount of heat emmited by a human body in a day:

... your average power and/or heat output is slightly less than a 100-watt bulb. (Note that your heat is radiated over a much larger area so the temperature is much lower.) Many days I could be replaced entirely with a 100-watt bulb and have no discernible effect on the universe.

Anyway, check out the documentation. It's fun stuff and did a great job of getting me interested in using the tool for exploring quantities all around me.

Music Monday: More From The Sixty One

2010-07-12T17:00:00.002-04:00

I listen to The Sixty One when I want to hear new stuff (which is pretty often), so here is another volume of stuff to check out:

Paul Bailey Ensemble: Retrace Our Steps, Act 2

Interesting stuff. The instrumentation and operatic sound work for me. Seems to be influenced by Philip Glass (which is a good thing in my world).

How I became the Bomb: Killing Machine

This song feels good. Nice groove. Simple. There is something about the bass line and use of the high hat that work for me.

The Upstairs Room: I Am Oz

This might be where my taste goes a bit wonky, but I gotta love the Renegade sample. First Girl Talk, now this. Maybe Styx is poised for a big comeback!

Hood Internet: Single Foxes (Put a Wood on It Beyonce Vs. Fleet Foxes)

Gotta love a good mash-up.

Now to see if I can develop a system for pumping out regular updates.

Web Stuff Friday: Teacher Blogs Worth Reading

2010-07-09T17:01:00.003-04:00

I have found a group of math teachers online who have made a really strong online community. Together, they are questioning, innovating, and making positive change happen and then sharing through blogs and tweets. It's incredibly inspiring. Anyone who is a new math or science teacher should read these blogs and follow these folks on Twitter. Get into the discussion.

Honestly, this is the best use of blogs and Twitter I have seen yet. These folks rock the house.

That said, here is a list of some of my favorite math teacher bloggers/twitterers:

Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer)

Blog: dy/dan

Dan has been featured on TED, so lots of people know who he is.

Kate Nowak (@k8nowak)

Blog: f(t)

Hers is the best subtitle out there. I will make you click the link to read it. Go ahead. I'll wait....

Sam Shah (@samjshah)

Blog: Continuous Everywhere but Differentiable Nowhere

Sam's post on the Blogotwitterversphere is great, and attaining mention on his Favorite Tweets page is a goal for every math teacher tweeter.

Matt Townsley (@mctownsley)

Blog: MeTa Musings and With Students in Mind

Like me, Matt is a former HS math teacher turned curriculum dude. His focus on assessment is a good thing.

Jason Buell (@jybuell)

Blog: Always Formative

Jason's ideas about assessment are important (and by "important" I mean that he and I agree on some key points).

BTW: To get plugged in to the flow of the conversation, check out the mathteachers list maintained by Jackie Ballarini. Great, diverse list of folks.

Note that I have left a ton of people off this list. Check out the blogs and the teacher twitter list and start roaming to find more.

My Favorite High School Teachers, Part 2

2010-07-08T17:01:00.002-04:00

Here is the liberal arts part of my stroll down memory lane.

My mother was a math teacher at my high school. In August before my Junior year, my mother looked at the master schedule and decided that she thought I'd have a problem learning from one of the American Civilization (AC was an interdisciplinary English and History class) teachers. As a result, she wanted me to switch to a different course. All my friends were taking AC and it was supposed to be a great course, so this was a tough sell. I agreed to the switch, but only on the condition that I could have Tim Isaacs for English and Dave Roush for History.

My interest in history can be traced directly back to Dave Roush. He was funny and smart and inspired my interest in history enough that I took almost enough history in college for a minor.

When I was in college, writing was never a big problem for me, and now I earn a living writing and reviewing. Still, the dominant legacies Tim Isaacs left me with are 1) my penchant for reading existentialists such as Sartre, Kirkegaard, Camus, etc. and 2) my memory of such minutia as the meanings of litotes and consonance.

Thanks Dave and Tim. You two rocked and the influences of your teaching have stayed with me to this day.

My Favorite High School Teachers, Part 1

2010-07-07T17:01:00.003-04:00

I meant to post this on Ada Lovelace Day, which I learned about from a colleague who sent me to Finding Ada. I pledged to blog about a woman I admire in the fields of technology or science. Because I am incredibly lame and this Spring got away from me, this post is months late.

Mrs. Rowe was my Algebra II/Trig teacher. My mom was a math teacher, but it was Mrs. Rowe who turned me into some semblance of a mathematician. I still vividly remember the first day of trig when she drew the unit circle on the board. I used that same basic lecture when I taught the course years later. Mrs. Brown (Algebra 1) saved me from mathematical oblivion. Mr. Berry (Geometry and Computer Science) helped me see that learning and teaching math could be fun, but Mrs. Rowe drove it home. She batted cleanup and hit a triple. After her, Mrs. Penkunas (pre-calc and calc) had the easier job of tightening everything up. She did hard work, but all of it would have been for naught if it weren't for the sweet woman with the southern drawl who was affectionately known as "The Crusher."

Of all the courses I ever took (at any level and in any discipline), the one from which I remember the highest percentage is AP Biology. Mrs. Breznick (now Casio) taught me that course and it is thanks to her that I remember such things as rough endoplasmic reticulum (it's the ribosomes that make it rough) and the difference between xylem and phloem. It's really ridiculous. Why is it that I can still remember the cellular respiration handout she gave us that describes how we get ATP from glycolysis and the Krebs cycle? Why do I still remember the roles of FSH and LH? All credit goes to Mrs. Casio.

A heartfelt thanks to all my high school math and science teachers for training me up and (more importantly) for fostering my love of learning and sharing. I was really, really lucky to have you all as teachers.

This was supposed to be just about women in the fields of science and math, but then again, this was supposed to come out months ago. Still, I'll stop here and post tomorrow about the non-math/science teachers (both men) who influenced me the most.

TwitTalk: Who Do I Follow?

2010-07-05T11:14:00.001-04:00

I have been doing the Twitter thing. The folks I follow fall into a few main categories.

Math teachers: This crowd will get a post to themselves, but suffice it to say that there are a bunch of innovative math teachers out there and they are blogging and tweeting and it is a very good thing.

Comedians: Some comedians write good movies, some are best with short stories, and some are good at standup. I have found several for whom 140 characters is plenty.

Sports guys: I have been disappointed by most athletes on twitter, but some columnists are pretty good.

Friends: I also follow a handful of friends & colleagues. They are fun, but their tweeting frequency isn't as high as the masses of others I follow.

George Lazenby: Yeah, he gets his own category. When reading this guy's tweets, I generally feel as dumb as a box of rocks. Still, I follow because every once in a while he recommends a great book or makes some comment/reference I actually get.

To check out all these tweeps, go to my twitter page: @RestonKid

Music Monday: I Love Me Some Bari Sax

2010-05-24T17:01:00.001-04:00

Listening to someone rock out on a bari sax is really special. It's like watching Lindsey Vonn slalom on men's skis. It's not supposed to be possible, but it's this wonderful combination of finesse and power that is irresistible.

DJ Kool: Let Me Clear My Throat
That bari sax line is great. It gets stuck in my head and I can't get it out.

Menomena: Weird

I like these guys. They are especially good live: In Juan's Basement and in Paris (the dancing kids are the best part).

Charles Mingus: Moanin'

Ronnie Cuber brings it with the bari that opens this tune.

Stan Kenton's band (Greg Smith on bari): A Smith Named Greg

Skip to 2:15 for the good part. The beginning is lovely, but it's not until 2:15 that he starts kicking it.

Video Series: Look Around You

2010-05-18T17:01:00.001-04:00

I have seen many educational videos in my day, but these are the best. The series is called Look Around You. Here are some examples:

Maths: The round curve that meets up with itself (if it only had a name)
Germs: The mitotene germ incubation
Music: "Number 9 of the series" (nice Beatles reference)
Iron: "We are working with AC/DC because it's heavy metal"

I am so much smarter now. Other topics include Ghosts, Sulpher, Brain, Calcium, Water, and Computer Games.

Music Monday: Running Music

2010-05-17T17:01:00.005-04:00

Someone I follow on Twitter (@samjshah) asked for suggestions for workout music. I don't workout in a gym, but I go for runs in the woods by my home. Here are some of the songs I am listening to while on my runs:

Start with:

U2: Where the Streets Have No Name

In the middle:

The English Beat: Ranking Full Stop

Vampire Weekend: A-Punk

Naughty by Nature: OPP

The big finish:

Animal Collective: Peacebone

The Hours: Ali in the Jungle

BTW: I now have some great running headphones (Sennheiser PMX80). They have good sound, never slip even a little bit, and are washable.

Extended Tweet: Clarence Thomas and Blackness

2010-05-10T17:01:00.004-04:00

Here is an attempt to expand on a discussion that started on Twitter. Here are some quotes from the back and forth we had:

hemantmehta: Black people don't really claim [Supreme Court Justice] Clarence [Thomas]. Just saying.
dcox21: Why's that? Must one think a certain way to be considered 'black?'
hemantmehta: I think that's what a lot of the black community would say, but you'd have to ask them!
dcox21: Am I the only one who sees the irony in that? "You're different from us so we exclude you." Seems like we're moving backwards.
me: There is no irony in folks disliking a judge with politics that are opposite theirs. Thomas is conservative. Most blacks are not.
dcox21: But aren't most blacks conservative when it comes to moral issues?

This dialog kept on for a while, but eventually I decided that I needed more than 140 words for my reply.

Let's face it, when we look at the Supreme Court, diversity comes up as an issue. White people make mention of Thomas' blackness as if it is a nod to racial diversity on the court. In my opinion, this is very superficial. The value of diversity in any governmental entity is not to have a group picture that looks like The Mod Squad. The value of diversity is to represent a broad range of values and perspectives.

When hemantmehta indicated that blacks don't claim Thomas, he meant that most blacks don't believe that he shares their values. When it comes to anyone in government, that's a pretty important consideration: Do people in power share your values? Thomas is pretty conservative, but most blacks are pretty liberal. It's true that many religious blacks have some morally conservative inclinations, but overall, their politics are still liberal (regardless of the race of the candidate).

Does this mean that blacks exclude Thomas from black society? No, he's still a brotha (even if he's a hypocritical one), but it means that blacks will always bristle at the idea that he represents us in any way on the Supreme Court. I know that justices aren't supposed to represent any constituency, but the fact is that he was selected because of his skin color, yet his jurisprudence doesn't reflect any values to which most blacks can relate. Trading Marshall for Thomas was a pretty brutal downgrade.

Music Monday: Guess the Title...Wrong!

2010-05-10T17:01:00.001-04:00

Some songs have odd titles, but some of my favorites are the songs for which most people assume that the dominant phrase from the chorus is the title, but it isn't.

The Clash: Train in Vain

Most obvious (but wrong) title: Did You Stand by Me

Neither "Train" nor "Vain" appear in lyrics at all. Heck, "in" only appears once and it's a freakin' preposition! Heard this song today on Slacker Radio and it motivated me to finally write this up. The seed of this post was planted during the Super Bowl halftime show when I heard The Who perform ....

The Who: Baba O'Riley

Most obvious (but wrong) title: Teenage Wasteland

Neither Baba nor O'Riley appear in lyrics.

Simon and Garfunkel: 59th Street Bridge Song

Most obvious (but wrong) title: Feelin' Groovy

No bridges or streets are mentioned, but I get this title. It's like a pastoral piece. Still, If I played the song for 100 people and asked them to name the title, how many would name it correctly? Certainly not many who were born after Kennedy was shot.

New Order: Love Vigilantes

This is added to the list mostly because I love Iron and Wine's rendition of the song.

Music Monday: A Couple Good, Crude Musical Women

2010-05-03T17:01:00.002-04:00

Recently, I have been listening to a fair number of rocking women. Here are a couple that really caught my ear. They both make me smile.

Dahna Rowe: I'm Drunk, You're Ugly (audio at thesixtyone.com)

This is rather crude, but makes me laugh every time I hear it. The country sound with the crude lyrics is a contrast that adds to the amusement for me. If you can't relate to the lyrics, then you were never a twenty-something single.

Lily Allen: Fuck You (video at YouTube)

I know I generally keep my posts clean, but this one has great lyrics. Give it a listen. I like the juxtaposition of her sweet voice with the directness and strength of the lyrics and the crudeness of the chorus. Lily Allen is like a younger, edgier, less mature version of Dido. I like them both, but would like to hear Lily do an acoustic album so her lyrics and sweet voice can stand out in even starker contrast.

Horrid Movie; Great Poem

2010-04-29T17:01:00.000-04:00

I recently saw Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanimo Bay. I liked the original Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, so I figured what the heck?

The movie was spectacularly bad, but had two good parts to it. Here is a guide to watching the movie if you have it on DVR or some other linear medium that does not allow scene hopping, but does allow fast forward.

Start the movie and immediately hit fast forward. If you have 3 fast speeds, choose speed 3. If you allows yourself to hear the beginning of the movie, you can't say I didn't warn you. It starts out rather vile, then generally oscillates between being nasty and banal.

When you see the men in white sheets, get ready to hit the play button. Once Harold and Kumar start flagging down the little red/orange car, hit play. The scene is a bit ribald, but only thanks to some language. Neil Patrick Harris is great as "himself" in both Harold and Kumar movies. If you are clever with searching YouTube, you can find the two clips that combined make up NPH's time in the movie. One has "Takes Shrooms" in the title and the other has "Brands a Ho."

Once NPH exits the brothel and is done trying to get in the car (you will know when his attempt is done), go back to fast forward.

When you see Harold and Kumar falling from a rather high place, get ready to hit the play button. When the groom walks back up the aisle and past the bride, hit play. Here is the good part and here is the text of the poem: The Square Root of Three.

That's it. You have seen the best parts of the movie. Actually, you could probably same some effort if all you do is watch the clips at YouTube, but suit yourself.

Another Sick Day: Steve Saves the Day

2010-04-28T17:01:00.002-04:00

A couple years ago, I posted about playing Tiger Woods on my PS2 while sick. Today I was sick, but actually did a fair amount of work. I was in meetings and reviewed some documents, but during a couple times when I felt particularly miserable, I turned on the TV. I was looking for Jerry Springer, but couldn't find him. On a total lark, I tried the Steve Wilkos Show.

I had never heard of this guy, but figured I'd give it a try. Turns out Steve is the guy who used to run security for Jerry. His show is pure gold! It has the freshness that Jerry had 17 years ago. Here is an IM exchange I had with a friend from work:

RestonKid: today's episode: "Best Friends, Who's the Dad?"
Tex's Mom: LOL
RestonKid: results of DNA tests
Tex's Mom: those are my favorite shows
Tex's Mom: the "baby daddy" shows
RestonKid: "Brandon, you ARE the father."
RestonKid: "when are you gonna grow up?"
RestonKid: "you better stop now! stop bringing kids into the world you aren't going to take care of"
RestonKid: "ok, my young friend with your cocaine troubles and not being able to keep his ____ in his pants can get off my stage."
RestonKid: immediately followed by a plug (with Steve's voiceover) for http://www.dnacenter.com
Tex's Mom: LOL...i need to stay home and watch some daytime TV
Tex's Mom: i am so missing out
RestonKid: this has renewed my faith in mankind
RestonKid: you need to send me updates on the Steve Wilkos Show when you are out with Tex
RestonKid: upcoming episode: Moms Confront Prostitute Daughters

Check out his Ask Steve page on the Steve Wilkos site. This guy is the best. I know this says really shameful things about me, but so be it.

If it were a documentary or a news story, it would make me mad or sad. As a matter of fact, I have friends who have had crazy situations in their romantic lives. Frankly, if they lived in trailer parks, some of them are crazy enough situations to fit in with Maury or Jerry or Steve's shows. For my friends, I truly have nothing but sympathy and compassion. But when people go on a show to air their issues, I just sit back and enjoy. Context is everything.

Note to Frances: Thanks for the Hernia

2010-04-27T17:01:00.000-04:00

Marvin caused me pain. I share an office with 11 people, so when a coworker sent this to me, I may have caused myself permanent injury when trying to suppress my laughter.

Facebook as Surrogate Spouse

2010-04-26T17:01:00.003-04:00

Mrs. Kid is in Grand Cayman with her sister for a long weekend. I'm happy that she is able to take this time to recharge, but when you leave me in charge of the kids for four straight days, you have to accept a lower than usual level of competence.

When things started falling apart (which they did instantly), I turned to Facebook. I posted when Girl Kid (AKA Her Royal Highness) puked.

Wife out of country for 4 days. Rain on forecast for weekend. 5 year-old puking. Good times.

I posted when Boy Kid helped HRH drink WAY too much Pedialyte in the morning (which ultimately led to an orange coating over much of our Family Room).

When kids got up this morning, "helpful" [Boy Kid] poured Pedialyte for the Princess until she sucked down 2/3 of a quart (temporarily). Lots of orange laundry to do now and need to head out for more Pedialyte.

I posted when my mind started turning to mush as a result of too much PBS Kids.

I'd have The Man In The Yellow Hat arrested for letting that little chimp terrorist run loose.

Anyway, thanks to my Facebook friends who commented on my status updates and filled the role of listener and sympathizer while Mrs. Kid was gone. Thanks also to those who laughed with (and more often at) me during this weekend. You all helped me keep my sanity.

One more thing. All this weekend, I tended to the kids' needs. I cleaned up puke. I comforted the sick. I made waffles. I nursed HRH back to health. What did I get in return? Did I get a "thanks for keeping us alive all weekend even though you are so clearly the second string and totally out of your depth"? No. All I got was this little gem of a quote from HRH:

Your belly looks like you're pregnant.

So morally wrong.

Web Stuff Friday: thesixtyone

2010-04-23T17:01:00.002-04:00

thesixtyone is a music site that is designed to help you discover new music. If you want to listen to Pandora's Rush Radio ('cause you love you some Geddy Lee), then this site is not for you. If you want to discover new music that you will love, then thesixtyone is for you.

First of all, the site starts by playing music for you. You can skip any time you want. On the other hand, if you like a song, you can find out more about the artist and if you really like a song, you can "heart" it after listening for 60 seconds.

My new favorite feature is the "Quests." The site gives you tasks to complete such as listening to 7 different new songs or listening to some of the Mood channels (another cool feature). These quests are an interesting way to get people into new music and to learn the features of the site.

The only thing I am not wild about is sometimes not being able to dismiss popups, but once I figure that out, all will be groovy.

Anyway, if you like being exposed to new music, check out this site. It is quite worthwhile.

Fun Wedding

2010-04-20T17:01:00.002-04:00

Mrs. Kid and I went to a wedding this weekend. It was a lovely ceremony in which the bride's niece stole the show with her cute ride down the aisle while being coaxed to toss flowers. That is, she had it stolen until the groom's elementary-age kids got up and sang a duet. The ceremony was lovely and the bride and groom looked great and happy.

The fun continued at the reception. First of all, a co-worker happens to be a childhood friend of the bride (who is a high school and college friend of Mrs. Kid), so it was cool seeing her and her uber-cool mom. Seriously. This was one really, really cool mom. I can only imagine what it must be like to have a mother who is that cool.

Most importantly to my happiness in the evening, our table was fun. The rest of Table 4 were cool people who knew The Bride from a mix of travel, high school, college, and grad school, so it was cool talking about different aspects of the bride. Things really got fun when the music got going. Cherry Blossom String Quartet did a lovely job with the standard classical and baroque fare through dinner, but after dinner, it became a game of "name that tune." Their playlist included the Love Boat Theme, as well as songs by the Bee Gees and Journey. It reminded me of earlier posts My Funeral (sorry Mrs. Kid), Acoustic Guitar Versions of Familiar Song, and Love Vigilantes and More Accordion Music.

The music and people made for a fun evening. I don't remember the last time I closed out a wedding reception, but this one was big fun.

Music Monday: New Stuff (to Me)

2010-04-19T17:01:00.002-04:00

I recently watched the first hour of the video for Glastonbury 2009 (Palladia on HD is wonderful). I discovered a couple new artists and found a great video of a group I have loved for years.

The Ting Tings

Video: That's not My Name

The energy works for me. Any pair of musicians who got together because of their mutual love of Portishead can't be all bad.

Lily Allen

Video: The Fear

Here is the (less kid-friendly) version from Glastonbury.

The Specials

Video: Too Much Too Young

The original studio version is kinda slow. Every live version I have heard is far better than the studio version. More speed. More energy. Amazing that these guys are still rocking it so hard after all these years.

Web Stuff Friday: Friction

2010-04-16T17:01:00.002-04:00

Gimme Friction: The math in this is interesting. I haven't read the instructions, but find it fun anyway.

Taberinos: This is a really fun game.

Release the Kracken: Arch Campbell's New Phrase

2010-04-06T17:01:00.000-04:00

Arch Campbell was on Tony Kornheiser's radio show last week and he had a segment that had me laughing out loud.

There is one thing I like about Clash of the Titans. I believe that it will contribute a phrase to the lexicon: "Release the Kracken." I have prepared some examples of Release the Kracken:
I have a new Calloway driver it's got a head on it about the size of a Russian Army boot. I believe when I stand on the first tee and take the head cover off, I will say Release the Kracken.
Let's say you're out with the dog and he tarries; he doesn't do what the walk is for. You turn to the dog and say Release the Kracken.
I believe that couples will date and decide that intimacy is for them and at that moment of intimacy, either the man or the woman will exclaim Release the Kracken.

I am ready to help popularize "Release the Kracken." It's a nice turn of phrase.

Web Stuff Friday: Publishing Ponies

2010-03-26T17:01:00.002-04:00

The Future of Publishing video is clever. You have to watch it to the end (at least a bit over halfway) to really get the cleverness of it.

Singing Ponies is fun. Reminds me of one of Boy/Girl Kid's Reader Rabbit games.

A Quick Push-up Update

2010-03-23T17:01:00.000-04:00

I have heard that after reading this post, a couple friends of mine are trying the 100 push-up thing. As I have documented a couple times (including this post), push-ups are great for you.

Try the Push-up Challenge to see how you can do.

In Memory of My Dad-in-Law

2010-03-22T17:01:00.000-04:00

Mrs. Kid's father passed away last week, so we had a memorial service today. Here is a copy of what I read on behalf of the children (Mrs. Kid, her sister, and brother-in-law).

Scotty was the cool one.

In our family, Scotty stood out not just because of his Scottish accent, but also because he made a living with his hands and his wits. The rest of us are over-educated academics who get to work jobs with air conditioning and soft chairs. Scotty stopped school at age 15, but managed feats many of us can only aspire to. He started and sold a company and helped put two girls through college.

Through the course of his diverse work history, Scotty was:

in the British Navy and the US Army (82nd Airborne)
a postal worker (where he met Mary)
a manager for an apartment building and for a bike shop
a salesman and a licensed hypnotist
an entrepreneur who started and sold a company that fixed the damaged tile roof of a tunnel near Norfolk

He was also a handy man who made toy boxes we still use and built a screened in porch that provided many hours of enjoyment. It always seemed to me that he knew how to do anything with his hands.

About the same number of people know and use Scotty's real name as know and use the real names of Sting and Bono. Only his siblings back in the old country called him Freddy.

Scotty was ornery from the beginning. He weighed just over two pounds when he was born at his home on a farm in Scotland in 1935, but still survived to be a strapping man. It still amazes me that such a small baby back then in Scotland could make it. The determination that made that possible showed up many ways through his life.

When he was in the hospital for congestive heart failure in 2001, the single nicotine patch the nurses put on his arm wasn't enough, so he hid two or three more on his inner thighs. Not only that, but he would constantly try to get outside so he could have a smoke. To keep him from getting outside for a smoke, the nurses posted pictures of him at the nurses' station saying "do not let this man on the elevator." It was like a wanted poster at a post office.

Scotty lived life on his own terms. He was fond of sailing his radio-controlled yacht at the marina, and he also had a real sailboat and a kayak. Still, he was no granola-eating outdoorsman. He was fond of Glayva (a Scottish liqueur), but Mountain Dew was his drink of choice (he'd even let Boy Kid sneak a sip). When he was being good, he switched from regular Spam to Spam Lite. His wasn't the healthiest lifestyle, but he kept living it his way nearly to the end.

As a father, Scotty was the cool one. When I was in college and it was finals time, my parents would send me a big tin full of popcorn (which was much-appreciated). When Mrs. Kid was in college, Scotty would drive down with a couple cases of beer and have a party with her and her friends. Her college friends all knew Scotty and would ask "when is your father coming back?"

This coolness was great for Mrs. Kid when she was in college, but leaving him in charge of the kids was a little scary. I was always a bit worried that he'd let them drink Mountain Dew and skip their naps. Still, he loved his grandkids and they loved him. He always had such energy and passion for them.

Scotty was great. Our family is much less cool without him.

Music Monday: What Is That From? Volume 2

2010-03-08T17:01:00.002-05:00

My new favorite thing to do with my Moto Droid phone (of which Mrs. Kid is getting jealous) is to keep it nearby while watching TV so that when I hear a commercial with music I like, I use the Shazam app to identify the song. This often leads me to discover music by artists I have not heard of.

The Hours: Ali in the Jungle

This song makes me smile. The only tough part is that the version on the album has a couple F-bombs, so I can't listen to it with the kids around. Honestly, I like the version with "damn" in place of each F-bomb because the sound of it works better with the preceding lyrics. Anyway, I like The Hours, but this song has a particularly strong ability to stick in my mind.

Bajofondo: Pa' Ballar

After getting the album with this song on Mrs. Kid's iPod Shuffle, I went for a run. Much of the album was great running music -- I felt like I could run forever.

And here is a song by an artist I know, but enjoy listening to any time:

Lou Reed: Perfect Day

This is really bad running music, but great anyway. This is the type of stuff I want to crank up nice and loud while sipping a nice glass of red zinfandel. Lou's voice with the piano and strings behind it just beg to fill a room.

If you can identify the products for which these songs are being used, then post it in the comments. First person to do it successfully gets to pick the next set of songs.

A Friday-Monday Mash-up: Some Music Blogs

2010-03-05T17:01:00.008-05:00

So, Friday is supposed to be the day for Web Stuff and Monday is for Music, so here is a day devoted to some Web sites devoted to music.

My musical self is like a shark. If it doesn't keep moving forward, I feel like it dies a little. These sites help me move forward musically.

Useful Noise is a blog about music of the aughts. I know the music isn't actually new, but much of it is new to me, so it counts.

Chris Hanaka has a blog that regularly opens my ears to great music. Tons of embedded songs, so I spend most of my time on the site actually listening to music--not reading about it.

Music Uncovered and Covered is basically a sub-site by Hanaka that focuses on song covers. I love covers.

Funny Combine Clip: Rich Eisen's 40

2010-03-03T17:01:00.002-05:00

I watch the NFL Combine. I know it's stupid, but I like it anyway. Here is the funniest sports clip I have seen in ages.

Rich Eisen runs the 40-yard dash at every combine. When you watch this video, it starts off slow, but once he runs the 40, the fun really starts. Watching him "race against" the future NFL players is the best part.

Why do I find this so funny? Probably because Rich is just a few years younger than I and seeing this normal (but remarkably fit) guy get crushed by such sublime athletes invokes great empathy. There is no way I could run a 40 in under about 8 seconds, but I find the videos of him "racing" the athletes quite amusing. Wearing a suit is a really good touch. If he were in Under Armor performance clothes, it would be kinda pathetic. Instead, with him in a suit and tie, it is hilarious (and impressive).

In the Mind of an Engineer

2010-03-02T17:01:00.003-05:00

T. Brian Jones has written some interesting stuff. For instance, check out:

Engineering Exchange: Top Ten Things That Annoy Engineers
Industrial Interface: 10 Reasons Engineers Hate the Phone

I agree with him on most of this. In some ways, I behave like a quasi-engineer, but not entirely. Still, I have known several engineers in my day and many of his observations seem pretty spot on.

Another Jones article, Meetings & Multitasking Can Kill You And Your Kids, has some interesting ideas. In it, Jones includes a couple interesting links.

Wired magazine: Multitasking Muddles Brains, Even When the Computer Is Off
Dave Crenshaw: The Myth of Multitasking: How "Doing It All" Gets Nothing Done

Finally, here is a bit of fun from Silvergames. Multitask is a Game that tests your ability to multitask. I scored a 22, then a 46, and need to see how far I can get.

Music Monday: A Few Hatchet Jobs

2010-03-01T17:01:00.003-05:00

Back in the olden days of radio, some songs were shortened for radio play. Every once in a while, the edit was minor, but often, the result was a hatchet job that frustrated me. Here are a few examples.

Edgar Winter Group: Frankenstein

When this rock instrumental was released as a single, the record company hacked it back to a paltry 4 minutes. This radio version pales in comparison to the full nine-minute version. I also like the version by Marcus Miller's group.

The Chambers Brothers: Time Has Come Today

Compare the short radio edit to the original longer version (this is actually a bit shortened, but not much). The long version is one serious psychedelic trip, which is totally missing from the short version. I had no idea that this longer version existed, and after listening to it, I feel like I just walked through the Haight.

Yes: Roundabout

When I heard Roundabout on the radio back in the 70's, I often heard a version that was about 3.5 minutes long (which I can't find online now). This hacked up version stank when compared to the full album version. Every time I heard the song, I held my breath when it got to the cut point.

The Tyranny of the Majority, Part 2

2010-02-25T17:01:00.001-05:00

So, what other happening made me think about John Stuart Mill's idea of Tyranny of the Majority?

Mrs. Kid is the Vice President of the PTA at Boy Kid's school. Recently, it came to light that the PTA had an odd relationship with a Faith-Based Organization (I'll call them FBO) at the school. In order to make it right, the PTA had to either sever their relationship or formalize it.

Making trouble isn't really Mrs. Kid's general MO, but this situation got her going. Neither of us like organizations that are exclusionary and we are big fans of strong separation of church and state, so when the exclusionary FBO requires that the PTA essentially sign on to their charter, this caused a conflict.

The FBO parents got wind of the controversy and mobilized. There were lots of confrontational emails and meetings. Battle lines were drawn as Mrs. Kid tried to explain all the reasons that the PTA should not sponsor the FBO. Around the country, few schools sponsor the FBO; most sponsors are churches, which makes perfect sense. Note that I have nothing against the FBO. I just choose not to support them and would rather not support any organization that supports them. It's entirely inappropriate for a public school to support them

Eventually, the matter of formalizing the relationship was put to a vote of the PTA, so in the weeks leading up to the vote, scads of FBO folks joined the PTA. Probably 5 times the normal attendance appeared at the meeting (including bunches of members who joined on the same day as the meeting) for the vote to approve signing the FBO's charter. Many of the PTA's leadership were absent from the meeting, but Mrs. Kid stood her ground.

Only three people voted "nay" on the motion: Mrs. Kid and two other brave souls. As a result of this, it looks like we probably won't join the PTA next year and Mrs. Kid will not serve as President.

Boy Kid has no idea that this has been going on, but some day, he should be as proud of his mother as I am. She stood by her principles even though doing so was politically unpopular. She ticked off some of our friends (some kids on Boy Kid's soccer, basketball, and swim teams are members of the FBO) and has ended her relationship with the PTA. I am proud of her and hope our kids can someday learn from her story about standing up for what's right. I am pretty sure that John Stuart Mill would agree with me.

Note that I have avoided my normal level of linking out to pertinent info, but in an earlier post, I provided appropriate links to info about this FBO. Anyone who cares can search the blog for references to them.

The Tyranny of the Majority, Part 1

2010-02-24T17:01:00.002-05:00

In his 1859 masterpiece On Liberty, John Stuart Mill lays out an argument for personal liberty and for restraining government's power.

One aspect of Mill's argument that struck me is the tyranny of the majority. The idea is that strong democracy prevents tyranny by a single despotic ruler, but does not prevent the oppression of a minority group by the majority.

Like other tyrannies, the tyranny of the majority was at first, and is still vulgarly, held in dread,.... Protection, therefore, against the tyranny of the magistrate is not enough; there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling, against the tendency of society to impose, by other means than civil penalties, its own ideas and practices as rules of conduct on those who dissent from them; to fetter the development and, if possible, prevent the formation of any individuality not in harmony with its ways, and compel all characters to fashion themselves upon the model of its own. (On Liberty, Introduction, Page 3)

So, what made me think about this? Washington, D.C.'s battles with gay rights. Some folks in D.C. wanted to put the city's same-sex marriage law (which was approved by the City Council and signed by the Mayor) to a referendum vote.

Ultimately, these people failed. Still, it worried me that they thought they had any chance. The idea that putting something to referendum is always the answer is wrong-headed. John Stuart Mill was talking about just this sort of thing. What if Lincoln had put the Emancipation Proclamation to a referendum vote? What about the Civil Rights Act of 1964? When the majority use a referendum to impose their opinions on minority groups, it is morally reprehensible.

A Strong Spirit

2010-02-23T17:01:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, I saw the documentary Five Years on Mars about the Mars Spirit rover. The story is amazing. Spirit was sent to Mars on a 90-day mission. Several times, it was in great peril, but it survived far longer than it ever should have.

The xkcd strip Spirit is a nice angle on the amazing rover. Having seen the documentary about the mission, it is easy to understand why someone would anthropomorphize the over-performing rover.

Music Monday: Reliving High School Afternoons

2010-02-22T17:01:00.003-05:00

While working today, I have been listening to albums that take me back to afternoons in my bedroom after school was done. I didn't have much when I was in high school, but I had a Fisher receiver, a Technics turntable, and a pair of pretty crappy speakers. When I got home from school, I would crank the tunes.

As I look back on that music, I find that some albums still work for me, while others have a very small niche to fill. Here are some of the albums from that time in increasing order of their likelihood of my listening to them today.

Cheap Trick, Live at Budokan

Video: Surrender
When I went to an Episcopalian youth group retreat at St. George's Camp in southern VA, it was my first real introduction to rock and roll. My most vivid memory from that week before my Sophomore year in HS is everyone yelling along to Surrender at the top of our lungs.

Supertramp, Breakfast in America
Video: The Logical Song

These lyrics always worked for me. Mrs. Kid and I chose Supertramp's Downstream for our first dance at our wedding, but before I knew Even in the Quietest Moments at all (beyond the nice album cover), Breakfast in America had me with a handful of great tunes.

Led Zepellin, In Through the Out Door

Video: Fool in the Rain

My first Led Zep album was their last. It's not their greatest album, but I still like it. I liked that the inner sleeve for the vinyl changed colors when you wiped it with water. Fun gimmick for a fun album. After listening to Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti, and other more well-regarded albums so much in the last several years, coming back to In Through the Out Door is kinda refreshing.

Yes, Fragile

Video: Long Distance Runaround

I still love this album. The opening track Roundabout was my favorite song for a couple years when I was in HS, but now I find much of the album still works.

Some time, I will post other lists of albums from my deep, dark past.

Web Stuff Friday: Am I a Gadget Update

2010-02-19T17:01:00.001-05:00

Many of us have seen the Did You Know video. It presents a bunch of data about new media versus old media (that's a dramatic oversimplification, but you can judge it for yourself).

Did You Know 4.0 has some new data that are interesting, but it still leads me back to my post Am I a Gadget?

A Vision of K-12 Students Today is supposed to "... inspire teachers to use technology in engaging ways...." I'm not a Luddite, but I reject the idea that teachers need to follow every technological fad. I also have solid research on my side when I say that providing instruction in the format that a learner chooses is not necessarily better for the learner. Yes, teachers need to evolve and use technology appropriately. They also need to understand their students and the ways they use technology. That said, it is a foolish teacher who tries to pander to his students' every whim.

Education Today and Tomorrow has interesting tidbits. In some ways, it doesn't seem that different from the previous video, but I like it far better. It seems less preachy and more inspiring.

Seeing the Language of the Universe Through GeoGebra

2010-02-18T17:01:00.003-05:00

Galileo once said:

The universe cannot be read until we have learnt the language and become familiar with the characters in which it is written. It is written in mathematical language, and the letters are triangles, circles and other geometrical figures, without which means it is humanly impossible to comprehend a single word.

Good stuff. Think back on the post Math Illiteracy and this becomes pretty distressing.

In all honesty, I was never much of a geometry guy. I like algebra and math modeling, but have generally avoided geometry, which has always seemed like stuff that was either obvious or magic. I never wanted to teach it because I never felt like I had a good enough intuitive feel for the content that I could convey to anyone else.

In the past several years, some software has helped me see the light of Galileo's wisdom. First, I liked Geometer's Sketchpad, but now I am digging some new (and free) software called GeoGebra. I think it is really cool stuff. If I had GeoGebra at my disposal when I was a teacher, I would have begged to teach Geometry. Software like this really makes the ideas of math come alive. Install it and give it a try. When you actually engage with the content, you can see beyond the onerous two-column proofs and begin to understand the language of which Galileo was speaking.

Am I a Gadget?

2010-02-17T17:01:00.002-05:00

I rarely read book reviews. I rarely read books, so what's the point? Still, a Post review of Jaron Lanier's You Are Not a Gadget caught my eye. I know it's a bit ironic to be discussing this particular book in this medium, but so be it. As Lanier said in a recent interview:

... the Internet has become anti-intellectual because Web 2.0 collectivism has killed the individual voice. It is increasingly disheartening to write about any topic in depth these days, because people will only read what the first link from a search engine directs them to, and that will typically be the collective expression of the Wikipedia.

Some of Lanier's thoughts about this really work for me. I feel that we are losing sight of the value of ideas and real critical thinking. The Internet (really the Web 2.0 version) brings the focus to little sound bites and aggregations. We all have ridiculous amounts of information washing over us (RSS feeds, tweets, Facebook updates, news pages filled with dozens of headlines), but how much are we really absorbing? How well are we thinking about and synthesizing all this information? At times, I feel like we really are inching toward being stateless automata.

Don't get me wrong: I use Google Reader, Deli.cio.us, Twitter, and Facebook, but I try to review my use of all these services to see how they are enhancing my life. I am not interested in twisting my life to fit technology; I want technology to help me to

do things (pay bills, do work, store information for convenient, intuitive retrieval, etc.)
find voices that make me laugh or think (see the Blogroll)
stay connected to my family and real friends (Picasa, Gmail)

I think it is important that we all stay vigilant and assess how technology controls our lives. It's seductive and easy to let our gadgets and other technology take over.

Language Changes, but We Don't

2010-02-16T17:01:00.000-05:00

My mother and I have some recurring arguments. The two main topics are math education (e.g., should Niece 2 have taken Calculus AB or BC?) and language (e.g., does one graduate from a school, or does a school graduate students?)

Anyway, my father has heard all these arguments and thus when he read this article in the New York Times magazine (Jan Freeman's Bierce's Bugbears), he thought of me. Language changes constantly, but that won't stop people like my mother and me from getting stuck in the past. I am already the fogey who insists that "data" is a plural. Oh well.

When he and I have an argument in another twenty years or so, maybe Boy Kid will read this post and make me re-read Jan Freeman's article. If I'm lucky, the article will be gone by then and I can pretend it just supported my point.

Music Monday: Love Vigilantes and More Accordion Music

2010-02-15T17:01:00.004-05:00

Love Vigilantes by New Order (the original) versus Iron & Wine (and here is a nice live version)

When driving somewhere with Mrs. Kid, I heard the acoustic version by Iron & White on the radio. I proceeded to sing along with every line and Mrs. Kid was pretty confused. This was clearly a new-ish song and i am not a particularly hip guy. It was a driveway moment for me in that we were on our way somewhere and I wouldn't get out of the car until the song was done. Love this song -- both the original and the remake.

Follow-up on last Monday's post about the accordion-playing kid. I have been reading the Capital Weather Gang blog at WashingtonPost.com. They mentioned that Corey Pesaturo is a weather enthusiast who is also a world-champion accordion player, so I thought I'd check him out. Holy cow, Corey can play that accordion.

Corey's YouTube channel has lots of videos. Here are a few of my favorites.

Caravan: Yes, he does my favorite tune (and he does it well)
Cherokee (with Eddie Monteiro)
AAA Championship: a nice assortment of tunes

Web Stuff Friday: Report and My Twitter

2010-02-12T17:01:00.001-05:00

It's been a while, so I need to dig through all the cool stuff I have seen over the past month or so.

Dan Meyer's Annual Report is amazing. Very humbling.

RestonKid is now tweeting! If I actually get followers, maybe I will tweet with some regularity. No idea if the medium will work for me, but you never know. Follow me and see how it goes.

Come to think of it, I haven't seen that much cool stuff online. For the past month and a half, I have mostly been shoveling snow and going to community meetings. Oh well. Maybe someone will share stuff with the rest of us.

Slavery, Colonization, and Divorce: Buddha Nature at Work

2010-02-11T17:01:00.001-05:00

In response to a recent post about big government, Jaeger commented that people in African countries that were recently colonies have no drive or pride, while those who live in huts and were not subjected to strong colonization live in mud huts, but have pride and drive.

The people in mud huts have stayed close to their Buddha nature. I know it seems like hokey, new-age stuff, but I really believe that when we get away from our essential nature, things go wrong.

When Africans were brought to America to be slaves, they were separated from their Buddha nature. When whites colonized Africa, they subjugated the indigenous people and separated them from their Buddha nature.

I am not going to go into a long diatribe on the topic of the ramifications of these departures from their Buddha nature. Rather, I think it's worth noting that the separation is a problem.

This plays out in smaller ways as well. For instance, I know some formerly married couples who are now divorced. In most cases, we outside observers thought they were an odd match in one way or another. Essentially, we all saw a disconnect between each individual and who they were trying to be. Most of these people have returned to type and are trying relationships that keep them closer to who they are at a basic level. This is a good thing.

The more we can understand ourselves and strive for careers and relationships that are consistent with who we are at a very elemental level, the more we can make good, stable situations for ourselves.

Music Monday: Shredding on Accordion

2010-02-08T17:01:00.001-05:00

Now that Lawrence Welk is gone from the air and Judy Tenuta is no longer enjoying her 15 minutes, who plays accordion any more? Aleksandr Hrustevich plays and he is great.

Kid Shreds on Accordion: This kid is amazing.

Kid Shreds on Accordion Encore: Kid is still amazing. The pathos he puts into his performance makes it work. This one starts mellow, but picks up. Bear with it until 2:30 before passing judgement.

Kid Shreds on Accordion Final Encore: Starts strong, then gets mellow, then gets strong again. It's an accordion-fueled joyride.

Maybe Boy Kid will take up the accordion. He's just cool enough to pull it off.

Music Monday: Raul, Bobby

2010-01-04T17:01:00.000-05:00

Raul Midon is wildly talented. All through these videos, I wanted to yell "just use one camera and keep it still!" With an artist who is this talented, I just want to listen to him and see his hands fly on the guitar. Anyway, give him a listen.
Videos: State of Mind, Sunshine, Everybody

Bobby McFerrin is best-known for a bit of pop that he put out in the 80's. Since then, he has had a marvelous musical career. This piece is particularly interesting and makes me want to check out more of his recent work.
Video: The Power of the Pentatonic Scale

Web Stuff Friday: Best-of-Craigslist Favorites, Volume 9

2010-01-01T17:01:00.002-05:00

Still catching up...

Stop the Keyword Abuse: The best part is the list of keywords at the end.
...Table for Six: This is much more ribald than anything I have posted before, but it was a good read.
It aint easy being a fat chick: This chick is so cool and inspiring. Most of what she says is spot on (though I can't buy into all the stereotypes).
The most beautiful woman in Charleston: Kinda creepy. Kinda funny.
Need a seragant mom: Two words: gene pool.

New Career Goal

2009-12-31T17:01:00.001-05:00

I have two career goals.

1) Chief Learning Officer or Chief People Officer for a company.
2) Mrs. Kid's secretary when she becomes a rich and famous author. I'm here to support her.

Now, I can add a third option:
3) Stay at home father with a website that supports me and Mrs. Kid and the little ones.

Dooce: An Epic Vitriolic Screed is a very good blog. Check out her About page to learn more about her and to see the other ways she refers to her husband who is a Stay at Home Father. This is the life I want. All I need is:

The ability to write coherent, interesting stuff.
A more interesting life to write about.

Sadly, I am a functional illiterate who writes prose as interesting as a crossword puzzle. I also spend most of my work week sitting in an office writing and reading math. My boss isn't crazy. I rarely interact with our customers. I don't often interact with Marketing or Sales, both of whom can be counted on for lots of great stories.

Oh well. It's nice to have lofty, unattainable goals. Maybe the answer is to encourage Mrs. Kid to become the next Dooce. It's all about supporting my wife.

Mixed Feelings About a Great Man: Norman Borlaug

2009-12-30T17:01:00.000-05:00

Norman Borlaug, who passed away recently, was the father of the green revolution. His work to create and make available crops with insanely high yield and great resistance to disease is credited with saving a billion lives and a billion hectares of forest.

He was a great man and a worthy recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, but not just because he came up with the method to develop these crops. He was so worthy because he made it his life's work to encourage the use of the technology he developed. He didn't patent it and make a billion dollars off of it.

You might be thinking about the title of this post and wonder "How could anyone have mixed feelings about such an amazing man?" My mixed feelings stem from my concerns about overpopulation. It is great that we can feed so many people, but should we? I know it's easy for me to wonder about this. I have plenty of food. Still, overpopulation is something I think about. Here are some interesting reads about Borlaug:

New York Times Obit: Norman Borlaug, Plant Scientist Who Fought Famine
The Examiner's Thomas Fuller: Norman Borlaug, global warming and overpopulation
Overpopulation.com had a Norman Borlaug Special Issue

He was a great and noble man, but I think it is reasonable to think about the ethical ramifications of our technological advancements.

Music Monday: My Life in the Bush of Ghosts

2009-12-28T17:01:00.000-05:00

As I draft this, I am listening to an album I have not heard in probably two decades, but it is still stunningly familiar.

I bought an audio cassette of Brian Eno and David Byrne's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts in 1984. I was a poor college student, and I had never heard of the album, but there it was in a bargain bin and with two of my favorite artists, it seemed like a good gamble.

The album absolutely blew me away. I listened to the cassette so often that it became great studying music for me. The lyrics and tunes were so in my head that I could let it wash over me as I worked and it wouldn't get in the way. It just helped me get into my studying groove.

It wasn't until B-Sizzle told me that several modern artists have mentioned the album as an influence on their work that I realized Bush of Ghosts was not a completely obscure album known only to me. The Wikipedia page indicates that the album gets rave reviews from just about everybody (Robert Christgau must be a whack job). Anyway, check it out sometime.

YouTube videos: