Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The Fringe
Things you need to do:
Go to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! Most of you have heard me rant and rave about the city and the festival but I really can't say enough about it. The city is visually spectacular. You can climb an old volcano, Arthur's Peak in the heart of the city and have a few of the ocean and the highlands. Or you can visit the Camera Obscura right next to the Castle and see what the city looks through the lens of an actual camera obscura. But the best part of being in Edinburgh in August is the creative energy generated by the hundreds of performers there staging hundreds of shows. And because the city is small you run into those creative people. Among the highlights was a walking version of Macbeth. Each scene was staged in a different part of the Old City. Another powerful experience was a Japanese drum troupe called Aska. Chris and I also got a kick out of the fact that we spent an hour laughing at the History of the Jacobites. The low point involved a pantless midget and a vacuum cleaner (If you can't picture what could possibly have made me gag, just drop me an email. I'd rather not go into gory detail for everybody.) www.edfringe.com can you give you more details.
Art
One of my pet peeves is a powerpoint with nothing but text on it. Words without pictures projected onto a screen is usually just a waste of technology. I've discovered a new genre that seems to have emerged from the same antipathy. It's called pecha-kucha (from the Japanese word for 'chatter"). You're expected to create a presentation which includes 20 slides displayed for 20 seconds a peice. (http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/magazine/15-09/st_pechakucha) In cities across the globe, these pecha-kucha slams are springing up which includes these new works of arts. Nothing has surfaced in Minneapolis but I did see groups in Portland ME and NYC.
Music
If you're looking for a new pop song to get lodged in your brain and replay itself endlessly, download Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music." (Believe it or not, just typing that sentence made me hear the tune and I'm now playing it on my computer.) Tegan and Sara also have a great new CD called The Con which is worth a listen. And finally to complete my list of cool female singers is Brandi Carlisle. I love, love, love "The Story" and will play it as soon as the evil pop diva Rihanna has stopped riffing off of Michael Jackson (Yes, it is an evil pop song.")
Television
I saw that National Geographic will be airing a show called "Inside the Living Body" which has been dubbed "organ porn." Working with 200 doctors, surgeons and MRI techs as advisors, the production crew captures all kinds of internal processes such as an egg erupting from an ovary and a boy's larynx stretching during puberty. And it's all in High Definition. Yummy, eh?
What new television shows are you looking forward to this fall?
Cool Creatures
Colin Carpenter is a force of nature! If for any reason you need a jolt of pure joy, find that boy and watch others try to corral him. (I have a feeling that being the actual caretaker would mitigate the pleasure somewhat.) When I saw him last, he was in a little plastic buggy gnawing on a fresh tomato he had just plucked off one of my dad's tomato plants. He is and will be a force to be reckoned with.
In a couple of weeks I'll be going back to school (as if I haven't jumped through enough academic hoops in my life. . .) I'm getting a certification in e-learning with the aim of designing cool distance learning courses. If you come across anything that you think works especially well or that stinks, let me know. It will definitely help inspire me.
Go to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! Most of you have heard me rant and rave about the city and the festival but I really can't say enough about it. The city is visually spectacular. You can climb an old volcano, Arthur's Peak in the heart of the city and have a few of the ocean and the highlands. Or you can visit the Camera Obscura right next to the Castle and see what the city looks through the lens of an actual camera obscura. But the best part of being in Edinburgh in August is the creative energy generated by the hundreds of performers there staging hundreds of shows. And because the city is small you run into those creative people. Among the highlights was a walking version of Macbeth. Each scene was staged in a different part of the Old City. Another powerful experience was a Japanese drum troupe called Aska. Chris and I also got a kick out of the fact that we spent an hour laughing at the History of the Jacobites. The low point involved a pantless midget and a vacuum cleaner (If you can't picture what could possibly have made me gag, just drop me an email. I'd rather not go into gory detail for everybody.) www.edfringe.com can you give you more details.
Art
One of my pet peeves is a powerpoint with nothing but text on it. Words without pictures projected onto a screen is usually just a waste of technology. I've discovered a new genre that seems to have emerged from the same antipathy. It's called pecha-kucha (from the Japanese word for 'chatter"). You're expected to create a presentation which includes 20 slides displayed for 20 seconds a peice. (http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/magazine/15-09/st_pechakucha) In cities across the globe, these pecha-kucha slams are springing up which includes these new works of arts. Nothing has surfaced in Minneapolis but I did see groups in Portland ME and NYC.
Music
If you're looking for a new pop song to get lodged in your brain and replay itself endlessly, download Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music." (Believe it or not, just typing that sentence made me hear the tune and I'm now playing it on my computer.) Tegan and Sara also have a great new CD called The Con which is worth a listen. And finally to complete my list of cool female singers is Brandi Carlisle. I love, love, love "The Story" and will play it as soon as the evil pop diva Rihanna has stopped riffing off of Michael Jackson (Yes, it is an evil pop song.")
Television
I saw that National Geographic will be airing a show called "Inside the Living Body" which has been dubbed "organ porn." Working with 200 doctors, surgeons and MRI techs as advisors, the production crew captures all kinds of internal processes such as an egg erupting from an ovary and a boy's larynx stretching during puberty. And it's all in High Definition. Yummy, eh?
What new television shows are you looking forward to this fall?
Cool Creatures
Colin Carpenter is a force of nature! If for any reason you need a jolt of pure joy, find that boy and watch others try to corral him. (I have a feeling that being the actual caretaker would mitigate the pleasure somewhat.) When I saw him last, he was in a little plastic buggy gnawing on a fresh tomato he had just plucked off one of my dad's tomato plants. He is and will be a force to be reckoned with.
In a couple of weeks I'll be going back to school (as if I haven't jumped through enough academic hoops in my life. . .) I'm getting a certification in e-learning with the aim of designing cool distance learning courses. If you come across anything that you think works especially well or that stinks, let me know. It will definitely help inspire me.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Scientific American's Mind
Cool Magazines
I consider magazines one of my vices. Even though I already subscribe to Entertainment Weekly (which I consider my pop culture bible), Vanity Fair and Wired, I have to forcibly restrain myself each time I buy groceries so as not to come home with O, Us, Self, Shape or any one of those magazines begging to be consumed. And I can never say no to the high schoolers selling magazines for their school fund drives. I realize that most don’t share my vice, but I have to spread the word about my new favorite: Scientific American’s Mind (www.sciammind.com). It’s chock full of fascinating articles on the mind from written from different angles. For example, this month’s issue featured an article on intuition. Heck, all my contributions to Odds and Ends could actually have been gleaned from it.
Ideas (all from Scientific American Mind)
Researchers at Florida State University have found that exerting self control depletes glucose stores. This means that those folks who exert self control are more likely to make impulse purchases. ( Think of the ramifications for dieters.) Kathleen Vohs from the U of Minnesota points out the implications for diabetics. Self control is toughest for people whose bodies don’t utilize blood glucose efficiently. Yet they can’t take advantage of a glucose supplement.
Further research has surfaced to expand on the physiological reasons for addiction. Jeffrey Dalley from the U of Cambridge has found that some people are born with fewer dopamine D2 receptors which makes them less sensitive to natural pleasures and also predisposes them to impulsive behavior and drug addiction.
Scientists have discovered place-tracking neurons called grid cells in the entorhinal cortex of rats. It’s possible that these cells “allow an animal to constantly update its physical location on its internal cognitive map by keeping track of its own movements. That information in turn conveyed to the hippocampus, which combines this spatial representation with other data about an event to create specific, context-rich memories of unique experience.” One of the nifty implications of this discovery is how sensible the erection of memory palaces are.
Movies
Has anyone seen Once? It centers on the relationship between 2 musicians in Dublin. I’ve been dying to see it and would love to hear if it’s worth me going into the city to see it rather than waiting for its release on dvd.
Reality Television
I know that On the Lot is not being watched by most of America, but I’m still enjoying it. I enjoy seeing the contestants push themselves. Making movies under limiting conditions is not easy. And I really appreciate the judge’s comments. Unlike Idol, the judges offer valid and constructive criticism. If anyone else is watching, don’t you think that Zach is the quintessential Spielberg employee?
Like Beth, I’m a fan of So You Think You Can Dance. It’s a blast watching those dancers move.
Episodic Television
With The Sopranos ending, Rescue Me has done just that. I have a show to eagerly anticipate each week. It’s as black and as funny as ever. Denis Leary has to win an Emmy this year. Wasn’t that a great scene between Franco and his woman’s brother? If you’re not watching, TIVO it on Wednesday nights at 10:00 EDT (FX).
Sunday nights on HBO might also need to be rescued. The season opener of Entourage made me smile and wince. (I hope Medellin is a success.) But I’m on the fence about John from Cincinnati. The dialogue shows some of the greatness of Deadwood and the actors shine, but I don’t care enough about them yet. However, I’m definitely certain about The Flight of the Conchords. It’s self-indulgent crap.
Art
Have you CT folk been to Latham Park in Stamford? I read an article in Sunday’s NYT about an exhibition which features art created from cast-off materials. It looks very cool, especially the file cabinet creation. I’m a huge fan of art made from found objects and I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Politics
What do you think of Hillary’s announcement of her campaign’s theme song? I think it cleverly plays off of The Sopranos finale and actually makes her more appealing. I’m also a Bill Clinton fan and like being reminded of their relationship. She seems to fit so well into the Northeast that I forget she’s from Arkansas.
Web Sites
Looking to exercise your brains? Check out http://www.sharpbrains.com/
I consider magazines one of my vices. Even though I already subscribe to Entertainment Weekly (which I consider my pop culture bible), Vanity Fair and Wired, I have to forcibly restrain myself each time I buy groceries so as not to come home with O, Us, Self, Shape or any one of those magazines begging to be consumed. And I can never say no to the high schoolers selling magazines for their school fund drives. I realize that most don’t share my vice, but I have to spread the word about my new favorite: Scientific American’s Mind (www.sciammind.com). It’s chock full of fascinating articles on the mind from written from different angles. For example, this month’s issue featured an article on intuition. Heck, all my contributions to Odds and Ends could actually have been gleaned from it.
Ideas (all from Scientific American Mind)
Researchers at Florida State University have found that exerting self control depletes glucose stores. This means that those folks who exert self control are more likely to make impulse purchases. ( Think of the ramifications for dieters.) Kathleen Vohs from the U of Minnesota points out the implications for diabetics. Self control is toughest for people whose bodies don’t utilize blood glucose efficiently. Yet they can’t take advantage of a glucose supplement.
Further research has surfaced to expand on the physiological reasons for addiction. Jeffrey Dalley from the U of Cambridge has found that some people are born with fewer dopamine D2 receptors which makes them less sensitive to natural pleasures and also predisposes them to impulsive behavior and drug addiction.
Scientists have discovered place-tracking neurons called grid cells in the entorhinal cortex of rats. It’s possible that these cells “allow an animal to constantly update its physical location on its internal cognitive map by keeping track of its own movements. That information in turn conveyed to the hippocampus, which combines this spatial representation with other data about an event to create specific, context-rich memories of unique experience.” One of the nifty implications of this discovery is how sensible the erection of memory palaces are.
Movies
Has anyone seen Once? It centers on the relationship between 2 musicians in Dublin. I’ve been dying to see it and would love to hear if it’s worth me going into the city to see it rather than waiting for its release on dvd.
Reality Television
I know that On the Lot is not being watched by most of America, but I’m still enjoying it. I enjoy seeing the contestants push themselves. Making movies under limiting conditions is not easy. And I really appreciate the judge’s comments. Unlike Idol, the judges offer valid and constructive criticism. If anyone else is watching, don’t you think that Zach is the quintessential Spielberg employee?
Like Beth, I’m a fan of So You Think You Can Dance. It’s a blast watching those dancers move.
Episodic Television
With The Sopranos ending, Rescue Me has done just that. I have a show to eagerly anticipate each week. It’s as black and as funny as ever. Denis Leary has to win an Emmy this year. Wasn’t that a great scene between Franco and his woman’s brother? If you’re not watching, TIVO it on Wednesday nights at 10:00 EDT (FX).
Sunday nights on HBO might also need to be rescued. The season opener of Entourage made me smile and wince. (I hope Medellin is a success.) But I’m on the fence about John from Cincinnati. The dialogue shows some of the greatness of Deadwood and the actors shine, but I don’t care enough about them yet. However, I’m definitely certain about The Flight of the Conchords. It’s self-indulgent crap.
Art
Have you CT folk been to Latham Park in Stamford? I read an article in Sunday’s NYT about an exhibition which features art created from cast-off materials. It looks very cool, especially the file cabinet creation. I’m a huge fan of art made from found objects and I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Politics
What do you think of Hillary’s announcement of her campaign’s theme song? I think it cleverly plays off of The Sopranos finale and actually makes her more appealing. I’m also a Bill Clinton fan and like being reminded of their relationship. She seems to fit so well into the Northeast that I forget she’s from Arkansas.
Web Sites
Looking to exercise your brains? Check out http://www.sharpbrains.com/
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Fight Girls
Guilty Pleasure
This is a new category I’m introducing for things which I like that I know I shouldn’t. My list is quite long and includes everything from Air Supply’s “All out of Love” to soft core vampire crime thrillers to “The Bold and the Beautiful.” (Yes, I have no shame.) My newest guilty pleasure has got to be “Fight Girls” on the Oxygen channel (the home to many guilty TV pleasures). 10 women who practice martial arts live and fight together (in and outside of their house) with the goal of muay thai fighting Thai adolescents in Thailand. I think the program’s tag line is, “Friends at home, enemies in the ring.”
Interesting People
Have you heard of Ruby Payne? I read about her in Sunday’s NYT magazine whose theme was class in American. Apparently, she writes book and lectures on class differences. Her primary audience seems to be educators seeking to understand their students. She’s boiled down differences between low, middle and upper classes into 15 categories. For example, she claims that humor in poverty is about people and sex. For the middle class it’s about situations. The upper class laugh at social faux pas. In poverty, the present is most important. In the middle class, it’s the future. And for wealth, it’s the past. She has many critics who accuse her of oversimplifying, offering theories without sufficient supporting evidence and contributing to class bias. But what I think is interesting is the fact that she is at least talking about class difference which Americans like to pretend doesn’t exist.
Television
What did you think of The Sopranos finale? I’m in the camp who thought it ended exactly the way it should have—in limbo with a family mired in moral ambiguity. At the same time as Chase left us hanging though, he gave us plenty of visceral thrills. How cool was it when the SUV with the babies trapped inside was slowed down because of Phil’s head? And what about those last five minutes? That was probably the most suspense I’ve had to endure for a quite a while. When Meadow had trouble parallel parking, I was sure she was going to be the only one of the family left alive at the end. But my favorite part was the very end when everything faded to black in silence. For just a moment, you had to wonder if cable had gone out. Of course, it didn’t because Sunday was just the end of the Sopranos not the end of HBO. (Or so they’d like to think.)
What are your thoughts about the new HBO shows being brought to replace The Sopranos on Sunday night? John from Cincinnati? Flight of the Conchords? I’m bummed Big Love was moved to Monday night, but I’ll keep watching it. I think it’s one of the warmest depiction of families I’ve seen in a long time (And yeah Bill Pullman does have 3 wives but, really, the family is just so normal.)
Have you watched Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel? Each week Bear Grylis has himself dropped off in some godforsaken place (Jungles, Outback, Forests, Mountains) with nothing but his wits. He then has to figure out how to return to civilization. The new season begins on Friday at 9 Eastern if you’re interested in picking up some tricks. One never knows when one might need to know how to wring water out of elephant dung (Yep. We saw him drink it and survive.)
Health and Wellness
An issue of Time was devoted to food. Did anyone see it? One of the articles, “The Science of Appetite,” is especially interested because it discusses in detail the role our body’s chemicals play in appetite.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2...1626795,00.html
Jack LaLanne has got to be among the cheesiest, hammiest guys out there. But he’s an inspiration for anyone trying to stay fit. Check out the video and article on him keeping in mind he’ll soon be 93.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...7051800916.htmlETA: Here's a link to the article itself:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...7061101919.html
New Technology
Every time I’m back in an office environment, I remember how annoying it was to be cold in the summer and hot in the winter. If anyone is suffering from an erratic office climate, check out the new desktop cooler/heaters which are being sold for $300. It only ways a few pounds but it allows you to control your work space.
Quote
“First the stomach, then God.” --One swami quoting another
This is a new category I’m introducing for things which I like that I know I shouldn’t. My list is quite long and includes everything from Air Supply’s “All out of Love” to soft core vampire crime thrillers to “The Bold and the Beautiful.” (Yes, I have no shame.) My newest guilty pleasure has got to be “Fight Girls” on the Oxygen channel (the home to many guilty TV pleasures). 10 women who practice martial arts live and fight together (in and outside of their house) with the goal of muay thai fighting Thai adolescents in Thailand. I think the program’s tag line is, “Friends at home, enemies in the ring.”
Interesting People
Have you heard of Ruby Payne? I read about her in Sunday’s NYT magazine whose theme was class in American. Apparently, she writes book and lectures on class differences. Her primary audience seems to be educators seeking to understand their students. She’s boiled down differences between low, middle and upper classes into 15 categories. For example, she claims that humor in poverty is about people and sex. For the middle class it’s about situations. The upper class laugh at social faux pas. In poverty, the present is most important. In the middle class, it’s the future. And for wealth, it’s the past. She has many critics who accuse her of oversimplifying, offering theories without sufficient supporting evidence and contributing to class bias. But what I think is interesting is the fact that she is at least talking about class difference which Americans like to pretend doesn’t exist.
Television
What did you think of The Sopranos finale? I’m in the camp who thought it ended exactly the way it should have—in limbo with a family mired in moral ambiguity. At the same time as Chase left us hanging though, he gave us plenty of visceral thrills. How cool was it when the SUV with the babies trapped inside was slowed down because of Phil’s head? And what about those last five minutes? That was probably the most suspense I’ve had to endure for a quite a while. When Meadow had trouble parallel parking, I was sure she was going to be the only one of the family left alive at the end. But my favorite part was the very end when everything faded to black in silence. For just a moment, you had to wonder if cable had gone out. Of course, it didn’t because Sunday was just the end of the Sopranos not the end of HBO. (Or so they’d like to think.)
What are your thoughts about the new HBO shows being brought to replace The Sopranos on Sunday night? John from Cincinnati? Flight of the Conchords? I’m bummed Big Love was moved to Monday night, but I’ll keep watching it. I think it’s one of the warmest depiction of families I’ve seen in a long time (And yeah Bill Pullman does have 3 wives but, really, the family is just so normal.)
Have you watched Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel? Each week Bear Grylis has himself dropped off in some godforsaken place (Jungles, Outback, Forests, Mountains) with nothing but his wits. He then has to figure out how to return to civilization. The new season begins on Friday at 9 Eastern if you’re interested in picking up some tricks. One never knows when one might need to know how to wring water out of elephant dung (Yep. We saw him drink it and survive.)
Health and Wellness
An issue of Time was devoted to food. Did anyone see it? One of the articles, “The Science of Appetite,” is especially interested because it discusses in detail the role our body’s chemicals play in appetite.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2...1626795,00.html
Jack LaLanne has got to be among the cheesiest, hammiest guys out there. But he’s an inspiration for anyone trying to stay fit. Check out the video and article on him keeping in mind he’ll soon be 93.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...7051800916.htmlETA: Here's a link to the article itself:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...7061101919.html
New Technology
Every time I’m back in an office environment, I remember how annoying it was to be cold in the summer and hot in the winter. If anyone is suffering from an erratic office climate, check out the new desktop cooler/heaters which are being sold for $300. It only ways a few pounds but it allows you to control your work space.
Quote
“First the stomach, then God.” --One swami quoting another
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Shot in the Dark
Books
I read Beth’s note about beautiful mandalas just as I was beginning Thich Nhat Hanh’s Buddha Mind, Buddha Body. He’s a Vietnamese monk who Chris swears by. His writings are poetic, simple but profound and inspiring. In fact, when I read him I found myself smiling not as a result of his cleverness but because his words are so soothing. In Buddha Mind, he describes sanghas as communities where love and harmony exists and he stresses the importance of such a community for maintaining happiness. Hearing from family and friends about all the cool things they’ve discovered helps me feel that I’m part of a geographically dispersed but powerful sangha.
Interviews
I love it when someone I admire writes about someone I admire. If you click on the following link, you can read an article on Cesar Millan by Malcolm Gladwell. It offers some insights into Millan’s background as well as a very cool analysis of his movement by movement therapists. Given how adept dogs are at reading people, it makes sense that the dog whisperer would be an accomplished dog dancer
http://www.gladwell.com/2006/2006_05_22_a_dog.html
Music
Remember when you would cross your fingers hoping to hear your favorite song on the radio? It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to access any kind of music your heart desire for free. If you can’t get enough chilly lounge music in the summer then check out the groovera webcasts. You can go to groovera.com or you can also dial up the channels through the radio stations in Itunes under Electronic. I especially like ambient popsicle.
I know that I’ve mentioned Pandora.com more than once, but I have to shout their name out once more. They have a new podcast available through itunes which explains the musical characteristics of music. I find this particularly cool because as is the case with visual style, I like being able to find the words for patterns which affect me emotionally.
For example, they explain how trance music is able to create a frenzy in dancers.
Links
The following blog is of special interest for teachers who have wrestled with the course evaluation process. It provides a forum for both teachers and students to respond to those evaluations and gives you a peek into those interesting classroom dynamics.
http://rateyourstudents.blogspot.com/
Television
Following the season finale of Entourage on Sunday night, HBO showed a documentary made by Adrian Grenier (Vincent Chase), Shot in the Dark, on his search to connect with his father. I'm sure many who watched the brutal Sopranos and very funny Entourage episodes turned the channel when it came on. But it’s surprisingly compelling and I think part of the reason is that Grenier is not afraid to show his cluelessness about his feelings and his real intentions behind making the movie. As is the case with other successful documentaries, you’re left at the end seeing the “truth” from multiple perspectives and feeling sympathy for all involved.
TheaterIn honor of the Tonys, NYT critics selected their favorite moments on Broadway over the past year. The description of Journey’s End curtain call made me wish I had the resources to do a Broadway tour once a year. At the end of the WW I play, a dugout is blasted into the ground by the Germans and all the soldiers with whom the audience bonded perish. Rather than end the play with the destruction, a black curtain comes down as the “hellish sounds of battle roll forward over the audience. After 30 seconds, a “breath of a bird song” is played and when the curtain flies out the cast of 11 stands in front of a painted backdrop replicating part of the Menin Gate memorial at Ypres, Belgium: rows and rows of names of dead soldiers.” Apparently the audience members were unsure of how to respond because it became unclear what exactly they would be clapping for until the cast removed their helmets indicating that they were actors
I read Beth’s note about beautiful mandalas just as I was beginning Thich Nhat Hanh’s Buddha Mind, Buddha Body. He’s a Vietnamese monk who Chris swears by. His writings are poetic, simple but profound and inspiring. In fact, when I read him I found myself smiling not as a result of his cleverness but because his words are so soothing. In Buddha Mind, he describes sanghas as communities where love and harmony exists and he stresses the importance of such a community for maintaining happiness. Hearing from family and friends about all the cool things they’ve discovered helps me feel that I’m part of a geographically dispersed but powerful sangha.
Interviews
I love it when someone I admire writes about someone I admire. If you click on the following link, you can read an article on Cesar Millan by Malcolm Gladwell. It offers some insights into Millan’s background as well as a very cool analysis of his movement by movement therapists. Given how adept dogs are at reading people, it makes sense that the dog whisperer would be an accomplished dog dancer
http://www.gladwell.com/2006/2006_05_22_a_dog.html
Music
Remember when you would cross your fingers hoping to hear your favorite song on the radio? It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to access any kind of music your heart desire for free. If you can’t get enough chilly lounge music in the summer then check out the groovera webcasts. You can go to groovera.com or you can also dial up the channels through the radio stations in Itunes under Electronic. I especially like ambient popsicle.
I know that I’ve mentioned Pandora.com more than once, but I have to shout their name out once more. They have a new podcast available through itunes which explains the musical characteristics of music. I find this particularly cool because as is the case with visual style, I like being able to find the words for patterns which affect me emotionally.
For example, they explain how trance music is able to create a frenzy in dancers.
Links
The following blog is of special interest for teachers who have wrestled with the course evaluation process. It provides a forum for both teachers and students to respond to those evaluations and gives you a peek into those interesting classroom dynamics.
http://rateyourstudents.blogspot.com/
Television
Following the season finale of Entourage on Sunday night, HBO showed a documentary made by Adrian Grenier (Vincent Chase), Shot in the Dark, on his search to connect with his father. I'm sure many who watched the brutal Sopranos and very funny Entourage episodes turned the channel when it came on. But it’s surprisingly compelling and I think part of the reason is that Grenier is not afraid to show his cluelessness about his feelings and his real intentions behind making the movie. As is the case with other successful documentaries, you’re left at the end seeing the “truth” from multiple perspectives and feeling sympathy for all involved.
TheaterIn honor of the Tonys, NYT critics selected their favorite moments on Broadway over the past year. The description of Journey’s End curtain call made me wish I had the resources to do a Broadway tour once a year. At the end of the WW I play, a dugout is blasted into the ground by the Germans and all the soldiers with whom the audience bonded perish. Rather than end the play with the destruction, a black curtain comes down as the “hellish sounds of battle roll forward over the audience. After 30 seconds, a “breath of a bird song” is played and when the curtain flies out the cast of 11 stands in front of a painted backdrop replicating part of the Menin Gate memorial at Ypres, Belgium: rows and rows of names of dead soldiers.” Apparently the audience members were unsure of how to respond because it became unclear what exactly they would be clapping for until the cast removed their helmets indicating that they were actors
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Pan's Labyrinth (5.21)
Television
I finally got the chance to catch Heroes during a marathon showing on the SciFi channel. Has anyone watched it? Given the fact that all my series are ending or have ended for the year (The Sopranos, American Idol, Battlestar Galactica), I'm in the market for some fresh TV.
Gotta love The Simpsons. Watching the cartoon version of 24 and the 400th episode shows reminded me of what an institution the show is.
Books
Vanity Fair published excerpts from The Reagan Diaries. Apparently, Reagan began writing the journal when he took office. The editor pointed out how Reagan was a great summarizer and it's fascinating to see complex, emotionally wrenching issues and events distilled into a few sentences. Some examples:
Mon. March 30 (written April 11)
My day to address the Bldg and Const Trades Nat Conf. Was all dressed to go and for some reason at the last min took of my really good wrist watch and wore an older one. Speech not riotously received--still it was successful.
Left hotel at the usual side entrance and headed for the car--suddnenly there was a burst of gun fire from the left. SS Agent pushed me onto the floor of the car and jumped on top. I felt a blow in my upper back that was unbelievably painful. I was sure I'd broken my rib . . . . Getting shot hurts."
Thurs Dec 22.
Air crash of Pan Am plan over Scotland began with some kind of explosion. New figure on dead. --273 on plane.
Thurs Jan 19
.. . .Tomorrow I stop being president
Movies
Pan's Labyrinth is finally out on DVD. I've had it saved on my queue for months it seems, but the wait was well worth it. It's as beautiful, horrifying and violent as critics have discussed. What most appealed to me was the multiple levels on which the movie could be viewed simultaneously. The fantasy could be taken literally as the quest of a princess. It could represent a child's way of working through the loss of her parents. Or it could be taken as a reflection of the political strife taking place in Spain at the time. At its end, I find myself reassuring Luc of the fairy tale ending while sobbing. (I'm trying not to be a spoiler in the event you haven't seen it.)
Nifty Art Happenings
Have you heard about Vladmasters? Like the ipod performance I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, viewers are each given their own viewmasters. While listening to a common soundtrack, they watch a narrative unfold before their eyes. It's just so interesting to see artists try to find a way to connect people while still allowing those people to maintain a sense of privacy in their viewing (or listening) experiences.
In the German countryside, people pay 1.35 to watch an American actor David Barlow is planting potatos in from 8 am- 6pm as part of Bauerntheater (Farmer's Theater) produced by David Levine. The producer of the agricultural experience chose to stage the performance because he became "interested in the idea of acting technique as a means of accelerated knowledge acquisition (i.e., is the technique good for tasks other than representation)." Rather than entertain, Bauerntheater is aimed at encouraging people to talk about possibilities for theater other than entertainment. One professor sees it as the logical extension of a certain acting technique, the psychological style, where the actor strives to feel real emotions. Ideally, the illusion ends up being complete not only for the viewer but for the actor. The wife of a neighboring father thought the actor was doing a good job for a city boy. Even though her husband thought it was ridiculous, she thought it was definitely art.
Architecture
A Japanese architect devised shleters for refugees in Rwanda made of paper tubes and used Kirin beer plastic crates filled with sandbags as foundations of houses built for victims of the Kobe earthquake. What's especially cool is that the buildings are apparently quite lovely. Like my favorite store, Target, he doesn't think that good design has to be costly for people or the environment.
Quote
From Raskolnikov in Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment:
In general, very few people are born with new ideas. Even people who are just capable of saying something that is in the slightest degree new are few and far between."
I finally got the chance to catch Heroes during a marathon showing on the SciFi channel. Has anyone watched it? Given the fact that all my series are ending or have ended for the year (The Sopranos, American Idol, Battlestar Galactica), I'm in the market for some fresh TV.
Gotta love The Simpsons. Watching the cartoon version of 24 and the 400th episode shows reminded me of what an institution the show is.
Books
Vanity Fair published excerpts from The Reagan Diaries. Apparently, Reagan began writing the journal when he took office. The editor pointed out how Reagan was a great summarizer and it's fascinating to see complex, emotionally wrenching issues and events distilled into a few sentences. Some examples:
Mon. March 30 (written April 11)
My day to address the Bldg and Const Trades Nat Conf. Was all dressed to go and for some reason at the last min took of my really good wrist watch and wore an older one. Speech not riotously received--still it was successful.
Left hotel at the usual side entrance and headed for the car--suddnenly there was a burst of gun fire from the left. SS Agent pushed me onto the floor of the car and jumped on top. I felt a blow in my upper back that was unbelievably painful. I was sure I'd broken my rib . . . . Getting shot hurts."
Thurs Dec 22.
Air crash of Pan Am plan over Scotland began with some kind of explosion. New figure on dead. --273 on plane.
Thurs Jan 19
.. . .Tomorrow I stop being president
Movies
Pan's Labyrinth is finally out on DVD. I've had it saved on my queue for months it seems, but the wait was well worth it. It's as beautiful, horrifying and violent as critics have discussed. What most appealed to me was the multiple levels on which the movie could be viewed simultaneously. The fantasy could be taken literally as the quest of a princess. It could represent a child's way of working through the loss of her parents. Or it could be taken as a reflection of the political strife taking place in Spain at the time. At its end, I find myself reassuring Luc of the fairy tale ending while sobbing. (I'm trying not to be a spoiler in the event you haven't seen it.)
Nifty Art Happenings
Have you heard about Vladmasters? Like the ipod performance I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, viewers are each given their own viewmasters. While listening to a common soundtrack, they watch a narrative unfold before their eyes. It's just so interesting to see artists try to find a way to connect people while still allowing those people to maintain a sense of privacy in their viewing (or listening) experiences.
In the German countryside, people pay 1.35 to watch an American actor David Barlow is planting potatos in from 8 am- 6pm as part of Bauerntheater (Farmer's Theater) produced by David Levine. The producer of the agricultural experience chose to stage the performance because he became "interested in the idea of acting technique as a means of accelerated knowledge acquisition (i.e., is the technique good for tasks other than representation)." Rather than entertain, Bauerntheater is aimed at encouraging people to talk about possibilities for theater other than entertainment. One professor sees it as the logical extension of a certain acting technique, the psychological style, where the actor strives to feel real emotions. Ideally, the illusion ends up being complete not only for the viewer but for the actor. The wife of a neighboring father thought the actor was doing a good job for a city boy. Even though her husband thought it was ridiculous, she thought it was definitely art.
Architecture
A Japanese architect devised shleters for refugees in Rwanda made of paper tubes and used Kirin beer plastic crates filled with sandbags as foundations of houses built for victims of the Kobe earthquake. What's especially cool is that the buildings are apparently quite lovely. Like my favorite store, Target, he doesn't think that good design has to be costly for people or the environment.
Quote
From Raskolnikov in Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment:
In general, very few people are born with new ideas. Even people who are just capable of saying something that is in the slightest degree new are few and far between."
Calamity Physics (5.9)
Television
It’s getting harder and harder to watch the last act of The Sopranos. Tony’s downward spiral is not pretty. At the same time as he turns into mother, his son is turning into him. Like he said last night to Dr. Melfi, “ My rotten f---in genes have infected my kid’s soul. That’s my gift to my son.” And the irony is that it’s nurture rather than nature which has done the most damage. If you’re interested in taking a little walk down memory lane with The Sopranos, check out the “Seven Minute Sopranos.” You’ll be shocked at how much life (and death) Tony has lived: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz_Ees_-kE4
Tonight, IFC is airing a documentary, The Bridge. The director trained a camera on The Golden Gate Bridge in order to capture suicides. He then interviewed the families of the victims to find out why.
Books
I absolutely fell in love with Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl. When I saw that each chapter was named after a great books, I thought the book would be a clever, gimmicky, post modern take account of a precocious high school senior sparring with her professor father. But it ended up being a compelling, page turning murder mystery with a heart. It seemed to me a blend of Donna Tartt’s A Secret History, Lolita, and Hitchcock’s Vertigo. After I finished it, I picked it up and started rereading it (which I almost never do unless I have to write a paper)
Summer Movies
I’m not all that excited about Spiderman I’m definitely looking forward to some summer fun: Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up (He was the man behind The Forty Year Old Virgin), The Bourne Ultimatum, Nancy Drew (I was such a big fan). Mr. Brooks (How can I resist seeing Kevin Costner playing a cold-blooded serial killer?), Paprika (Japanese anime about a dream guide) and The Order of the Phoenix. What movies do you think look good?
Music
In an article on reunion tours (Is anybody seeing The Police?), I read that a few years back, Wire had a cover band open for them which played their old songs while they played their new ones.
Ideas
A sheep herder in Northern California hires out some of his flock as lawn mowers. In his words: “500 sheep will turn 10 grassy acres into a golf course overnight.”
Roman aristocrats would travel with nomenclators, alert slaves whose duty it was to supply their masters with the names of acquaintances they encountered.
Did anyone read the NYT Magazine article on the current research into wisdom? There are some interesting ideas in it such as the theory that early exposure to adversity or failure may act as a vaccination of sorts (a “stress inoculation) so that people are better equipped later in life to wisely handle tragedy. But ultimately it ends by saying that although we seem to know wisdom when we see it, how we acquire it remains a mystery. If you’re interested in checking out just how wise you are, you can visit nytimes.com/magazine to answer a questionnaire by Dr. Monika Ardelt.
Quotes:
“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” --William James
It’s getting harder and harder to watch the last act of The Sopranos. Tony’s downward spiral is not pretty. At the same time as he turns into mother, his son is turning into him. Like he said last night to Dr. Melfi, “ My rotten f---in genes have infected my kid’s soul. That’s my gift to my son.” And the irony is that it’s nurture rather than nature which has done the most damage. If you’re interested in taking a little walk down memory lane with The Sopranos, check out the “Seven Minute Sopranos.” You’ll be shocked at how much life (and death) Tony has lived: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz_Ees_-kE4
Tonight, IFC is airing a documentary, The Bridge. The director trained a camera on The Golden Gate Bridge in order to capture suicides. He then interviewed the families of the victims to find out why.
Books
I absolutely fell in love with Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl. When I saw that each chapter was named after a great books, I thought the book would be a clever, gimmicky, post modern take account of a precocious high school senior sparring with her professor father. But it ended up being a compelling, page turning murder mystery with a heart. It seemed to me a blend of Donna Tartt’s A Secret History, Lolita, and Hitchcock’s Vertigo. After I finished it, I picked it up and started rereading it (which I almost never do unless I have to write a paper)
Summer Movies
I’m not all that excited about Spiderman I’m definitely looking forward to some summer fun: Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up (He was the man behind The Forty Year Old Virgin), The Bourne Ultimatum, Nancy Drew (I was such a big fan). Mr. Brooks (How can I resist seeing Kevin Costner playing a cold-blooded serial killer?), Paprika (Japanese anime about a dream guide) and The Order of the Phoenix. What movies do you think look good?
Music
In an article on reunion tours (Is anybody seeing The Police?), I read that a few years back, Wire had a cover band open for them which played their old songs while they played their new ones.
Ideas
A sheep herder in Northern California hires out some of his flock as lawn mowers. In his words: “500 sheep will turn 10 grassy acres into a golf course overnight.”
Roman aristocrats would travel with nomenclators, alert slaves whose duty it was to supply their masters with the names of acquaintances they encountered.
Did anyone read the NYT Magazine article on the current research into wisdom? There are some interesting ideas in it such as the theory that early exposure to adversity or failure may act as a vaccination of sorts (a “stress inoculation) so that people are better equipped later in life to wisely handle tragedy. But ultimately it ends by saying that although we seem to know wisdom when we see it, how we acquire it remains a mystery. If you’re interested in checking out just how wise you are, you can visit nytimes.com/magazine to answer a questionnaire by Dr. Monika Ardelt.
Quotes:
“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” --William James
28 Weeks Later (5.30)
Music
If you’re looking for cool, downbeat lounge music, check out “Hotel Costes” series d.j’ed by Stephane Pompougnac. I think he’s up to 9 volumes of music.
Movies
Summer at the movies means sequels, sequels, sequels. More often than not, they are bloated and incoherent so I tend to avoid them, especially sequels to horror movies. Think of how perfectly good concepts like Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream deteriorated. Occasionally, Aliens will pop out of a filmmaker’s chest to delight all of us who like a little gore with our popcorn. Happily, 28 Weeks Later felt more like Aliens than “Jason Battles Freddie and Predator on Uranus.” As pointed out by a clever film reviewer, the film “mutated” enough to remain vital. There’s a clear parallel between the US containment of Jihaadists, but what I enjoyed most was the fact that the true horror remained within the family unit itself much in the same we see in the mother of all zombie movies, Night of the Living Dead. I don’t want to spoil the movie for anyone who will watch it, but, man oh man, there’s a scene between a married couple that’s horrifying on so many, many levels.
Television
Feeling the need for a sci fi fix, I put the TV series Firefly in my queue. As a Buffy fan who enjoyed the movie version of Serenity, I’m surprised it took me this long to watch it and I’m definitely not disappointed in spite of the fact that I haven’t yet seen the teenage chick kick serious butt. Its blend of sci fi and western generic conventions keeps it fun and fresh.
I’m pretty sure that On the Lot is a little too geeky for the majority of TV viewers. The hostess is an idiot who can’t even read names off a teleprompter and the hour recap/elimination round is awful, but watching the short films is pretty fun. If you haven’t gotten a chance to check it out, give the film showings on Monday a try. My favorite short films from last Monday night were “Lucky Penny,” “Danger Zone,” and “Checkout.” (By the way, Norwalkers DJ Caruso was the guest judge on Monday night. )
Internet
YouTube can be a dangerous place for the easily obsessed. And I certainly don’t want to encourage anyone to waste their precious time, but if you type in “parkour” and “parkour”, you’ll see some amazing and very funny things. Since watching District B13 a while back, I haven’t been able to get enough of the stuff. (And Madonna made good use of parkour guys in her last series of concerts and the video, “Jump.”)
Heather pointed out a very cool site which sells nifty items for the savvy traveler: http://www.flight001.com/
Business
The other day Heather praised Apple stores for the ease with which she purchased her power book. The NYT had an article on the success of the Apple stores which echoed her comments. Store sales are up 34% from the quarter a year earlier thanks to Apple’s decision to amp up the high touch along with the high tech. What sounds especially appealing is the presence of the “Genius Bar” whose offer their expertise for free. I’ve always had a soft spot for Mac’s (and I admit that I’m a sucker for the Mac vs PC commercials) and I think I’m going to have to make a power book my next tech purchase.
Anecdote
Did you see on AOL news that Mike Figgis (British director of Leaving Las Vegas) was detained at LAX Immigration because he told officials he was in town to “shoot a pilot.”
Quote
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.” -- Edward Abbey
If you’re looking for cool, downbeat lounge music, check out “Hotel Costes” series d.j’ed by Stephane Pompougnac. I think he’s up to 9 volumes of music.
Movies
Summer at the movies means sequels, sequels, sequels. More often than not, they are bloated and incoherent so I tend to avoid them, especially sequels to horror movies. Think of how perfectly good concepts like Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream deteriorated. Occasionally, Aliens will pop out of a filmmaker’s chest to delight all of us who like a little gore with our popcorn. Happily, 28 Weeks Later felt more like Aliens than “Jason Battles Freddie and Predator on Uranus.” As pointed out by a clever film reviewer, the film “mutated” enough to remain vital. There’s a clear parallel between the US containment of Jihaadists, but what I enjoyed most was the fact that the true horror remained within the family unit itself much in the same we see in the mother of all zombie movies, Night of the Living Dead. I don’t want to spoil the movie for anyone who will watch it, but, man oh man, there’s a scene between a married couple that’s horrifying on so many, many levels.
Television
Feeling the need for a sci fi fix, I put the TV series Firefly in my queue. As a Buffy fan who enjoyed the movie version of Serenity, I’m surprised it took me this long to watch it and I’m definitely not disappointed in spite of the fact that I haven’t yet seen the teenage chick kick serious butt. Its blend of sci fi and western generic conventions keeps it fun and fresh.
I’m pretty sure that On the Lot is a little too geeky for the majority of TV viewers. The hostess is an idiot who can’t even read names off a teleprompter and the hour recap/elimination round is awful, but watching the short films is pretty fun. If you haven’t gotten a chance to check it out, give the film showings on Monday a try. My favorite short films from last Monday night were “Lucky Penny,” “Danger Zone,” and “Checkout.” (By the way, Norwalkers DJ Caruso was the guest judge on Monday night. )
Internet
YouTube can be a dangerous place for the easily obsessed. And I certainly don’t want to encourage anyone to waste their precious time, but if you type in “parkour” and “parkour”, you’ll see some amazing and very funny things. Since watching District B13 a while back, I haven’t been able to get enough of the stuff. (And Madonna made good use of parkour guys in her last series of concerts and the video, “Jump.”)
Heather pointed out a very cool site which sells nifty items for the savvy traveler: http://www.flight001.com/
Business
The other day Heather praised Apple stores for the ease with which she purchased her power book. The NYT had an article on the success of the Apple stores which echoed her comments. Store sales are up 34% from the quarter a year earlier thanks to Apple’s decision to amp up the high touch along with the high tech. What sounds especially appealing is the presence of the “Genius Bar” whose offer their expertise for free. I’ve always had a soft spot for Mac’s (and I admit that I’m a sucker for the Mac vs PC commercials) and I think I’m going to have to make a power book my next tech purchase.
Anecdote
Did you see on AOL news that Mike Figgis (British director of Leaving Las Vegas) was detained at LAX Immigration because he told officials he was in town to “shoot a pilot.”
Quote
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.” -- Edward Abbey
Pound and Ground (5.24)
Earlier in the week Chris and other “mature” tae kwan do students took a class with an Ultimate fighter, a six foot five mountain of rock named Nathan Kirby. Chris knew that I was terribly disappointed to miss a seminar on mixed martial arts combat, but he generously shared a couple of useful techniques that will serve him well at the university. I thought I’d share them with you because you might also be able to apply them to your daily struggles for power and glory. Lesson #1: When you’re battling in a cage, remember to “Pound and Ground.” Those simple words will inspire you to beat your opponent to a pulp. Lesson #2: In the rare event that your opponent does not want to remain in a prone position on the ground when you pound, simply break his (or her) arm. Apparently, the snapping of a bone and/or the tearing of cartilage demoralizes most people. Such life lessons learned on the mat truly validate our decision to study the martial arts with Luc.
Television
Have you read about the latest in the long line of excruciatingly painful dating shows? Age of Love premieres in the middle of June on NBC with 31 year-old tennis player Mark Philippoussis as the bachelor looking for love. The twist is that he will be choosing between “cougars” (40-somethings) and “kittens” (20-somethings). Just thinking of the potential for embarrassment makes my stomach turn.
I must admit that part of me was looking forward to the season/series finales of “American Idol,” “The Sopranos,” “House” and “Lost.” Without those shows tempting me into a vegetative state, I thought that I could boast to be something more than a couch potato. Alas, Fox brings us “So You Think You Can Dance” along with “On the Lot.” I am not strong enough to resist reality competitions centering on dance and movies.
Books
In The Ghost Map, Stephen Johnson gives a very interesting account of one of the last London cholera epidemics in 1854. He describes the events which led to the contamination of a public drinking well in a Soho neighborhood, the deadly consequences and finally the medical investigations of a local doctor as well as a minister. Peering over the shoulders of 19th century detectives while they hunt for clues is always fun if you have a weakness for Caleb Carr, but what impressed me most about The Ghost Map was the discussion of the reasons behind people’s resistance to notion that it was contaminated water and not miasma (noxious gases) which sickened and killed people. Nudged by Johnson, I found it fairly easy to draw a parallel between the 19th century skeptics he describes and the global warming naysayers in the 21st century.
Music
I’ve been resisting Amy Winehouse because a young, wild, buzzworthy Brit with a passion for 60s girl groups and vodka just didn’t appeal to me, but I have to admit to downloading “Rehab.” It’s a great song.
Ideas
In the latest issue of O Magazine, Helen Fisher observes that as far back as Plato (and no doubt even before then), students of the human condition have tended to place people into four categories. The names of the categories may vary but the qualities associated with each remain consistent (e.g. Artisan, Guardian, Idealist, Rational). Fisher suggests that there is a correlation between those four categories and a combination of genetic clusters, personality traits and brain chemistry. She goes on to argue that people are biologically driven towards others with different personality traits in order to ensure genetic variety and a working family unit. Fisher doesn’t supply any science to support her claim, but it’s something that is intuitively appealing and I’d like to see if there is any evidence to support her claims (If you’re interested in finding out what she calls your “love type,” you can take the test at: http://www2.oprah.com/omagazine/200706/omag_200706_lovequiz_form.jhtml )
Music and Ideas
While listening to some downloaded songs on my iPod that I chose based on a performance by Blake Lewis, “Time of the Season” on American Idol (“She’s Not There,” “For Your Love by” the Yardbirds, “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)” by Edison Lighthouse), I realized what an enabler technology has become for anyone slightly obsessed. TV leads me to Itunes and Itunes then reveals to me a whole slew of songs in the same category. Those songs can then be entered into www.pandora.com which creates a “radio” channel based on common musical qualities (i.e., mild rhythmic syncopation, minor key tonality, prominent organ). The channel, in turn, supplies me with more songs and the fire of my obsession is fed.
Conveniently, my intuition about the enabling power of technology was confirmed by Chris Anderson (http://www.longtail.com/the_long_tail) who I read about in Time’s “100 Most Influential People” issue. He’s an editor of Wired, who published a book last year called The Longest Tail in which he explains just how technology has enabled obsessives or as he calls them, “niche markets.” In his words, it’s about, “the big-picture consequence of this: how our economy and culture is shifting from mass markets to millions of niches. It chronicles the effect of the technologies that have made it easier for consumers to find and buy niche products, thanks to the “infinite shelf-space effect” –the new distribution from digital downloading to peer to peer markets, that break through the bottlenecks of broadcast and traditional bricks and mortar retail.
The issue of Time in which I found Anderson also directed me to three thinkers whose work sounds very interesting. Craig Vector, one of the people behind the genome mapping project, is now mapping the microbes and proteins found in the ocean. In The God Delusion, Stephen Dawkins argues that religion is a virus of the mind, an artifact of cultural evolution. Working with his research on primates in Primates and Philosophers, Frans de Waal pursues the thesis that morality is not a higher trait we acquire late in our development but is something that etched into our institutions.
Technology and Media
It looks as if we’ll be able to watch movies at home on the day they preview in the movie theaters in the not so distant future. In spite of opposition by movie theater owners, Comcast has already tested the technology with 5 out of the 6 major studios.
Wellness
If you’re interested in mapping a biking, walking or running route anywhere in the world, check out http://www.mapmyrun.com/. I haven’t used it yet, but I thought it looked nifty.
Words of the Week (from the NYT Travel Magazine Supplement)
Volcanic: superhot. Buzzword for destinations that have rapidly and unmistabkalby become the must-tops of the moment as in, “What do you mean you haven’t been to Caragena? That city is volcanic.”
Ethnosphere: coigage by the anthropologist Wade Davis to describe the “cultural web” of unique attributes and customs around the world, from language to music to food to handicrafts. Increasingly a key focus in travel e.g. “Just when you think you know what the ethnospehere’s got to offer, you discover deep-fried eel spines in Japan.”
Television
Have you read about the latest in the long line of excruciatingly painful dating shows? Age of Love premieres in the middle of June on NBC with 31 year-old tennis player Mark Philippoussis as the bachelor looking for love. The twist is that he will be choosing between “cougars” (40-somethings) and “kittens” (20-somethings). Just thinking of the potential for embarrassment makes my stomach turn.
I must admit that part of me was looking forward to the season/series finales of “American Idol,” “The Sopranos,” “House” and “Lost.” Without those shows tempting me into a vegetative state, I thought that I could boast to be something more than a couch potato. Alas, Fox brings us “So You Think You Can Dance” along with “On the Lot.” I am not strong enough to resist reality competitions centering on dance and movies.
Books
In The Ghost Map, Stephen Johnson gives a very interesting account of one of the last London cholera epidemics in 1854. He describes the events which led to the contamination of a public drinking well in a Soho neighborhood, the deadly consequences and finally the medical investigations of a local doctor as well as a minister. Peering over the shoulders of 19th century detectives while they hunt for clues is always fun if you have a weakness for Caleb Carr, but what impressed me most about The Ghost Map was the discussion of the reasons behind people’s resistance to notion that it was contaminated water and not miasma (noxious gases) which sickened and killed people. Nudged by Johnson, I found it fairly easy to draw a parallel between the 19th century skeptics he describes and the global warming naysayers in the 21st century.
Music
I’ve been resisting Amy Winehouse because a young, wild, buzzworthy Brit with a passion for 60s girl groups and vodka just didn’t appeal to me, but I have to admit to downloading “Rehab.” It’s a great song.
Ideas
In the latest issue of O Magazine, Helen Fisher observes that as far back as Plato (and no doubt even before then), students of the human condition have tended to place people into four categories. The names of the categories may vary but the qualities associated with each remain consistent (e.g. Artisan, Guardian, Idealist, Rational). Fisher suggests that there is a correlation between those four categories and a combination of genetic clusters, personality traits and brain chemistry. She goes on to argue that people are biologically driven towards others with different personality traits in order to ensure genetic variety and a working family unit. Fisher doesn’t supply any science to support her claim, but it’s something that is intuitively appealing and I’d like to see if there is any evidence to support her claims (If you’re interested in finding out what she calls your “love type,” you can take the test at: http://www2.oprah.com/omagazine/200706/omag_200706_lovequiz_form.jhtml )
Music and Ideas
While listening to some downloaded songs on my iPod that I chose based on a performance by Blake Lewis, “Time of the Season” on American Idol (“She’s Not There,” “For Your Love by” the Yardbirds, “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)” by Edison Lighthouse), I realized what an enabler technology has become for anyone slightly obsessed. TV leads me to Itunes and Itunes then reveals to me a whole slew of songs in the same category. Those songs can then be entered into www.pandora.com which creates a “radio” channel based on common musical qualities (i.e., mild rhythmic syncopation, minor key tonality, prominent organ). The channel, in turn, supplies me with more songs and the fire of my obsession is fed.
Conveniently, my intuition about the enabling power of technology was confirmed by Chris Anderson (http://www.longtail.com/the_long_tail) who I read about in Time’s “100 Most Influential People” issue. He’s an editor of Wired, who published a book last year called The Longest Tail in which he explains just how technology has enabled obsessives or as he calls them, “niche markets.” In his words, it’s about, “the big-picture consequence of this: how our economy and culture is shifting from mass markets to millions of niches. It chronicles the effect of the technologies that have made it easier for consumers to find and buy niche products, thanks to the “infinite shelf-space effect” –the new distribution from digital downloading to peer to peer markets, that break through the bottlenecks of broadcast and traditional bricks and mortar retail.
The issue of Time in which I found Anderson also directed me to three thinkers whose work sounds very interesting. Craig Vector, one of the people behind the genome mapping project, is now mapping the microbes and proteins found in the ocean. In The God Delusion, Stephen Dawkins argues that religion is a virus of the mind, an artifact of cultural evolution. Working with his research on primates in Primates and Philosophers, Frans de Waal pursues the thesis that morality is not a higher trait we acquire late in our development but is something that etched into our institutions.
Technology and Media
It looks as if we’ll be able to watch movies at home on the day they preview in the movie theaters in the not so distant future. In spite of opposition by movie theater owners, Comcast has already tested the technology with 5 out of the 6 major studios.
Wellness
If you’re interested in mapping a biking, walking or running route anywhere in the world, check out http://www.mapmyrun.com/. I haven’t used it yet, but I thought it looked nifty.
Words of the Week (from the NYT Travel Magazine Supplement)
Volcanic: superhot. Buzzword for destinations that have rapidly and unmistabkalby become the must-tops of the moment as in, “What do you mean you haven’t been to Caragena? That city is volcanic.”
Ethnosphere: coigage by the anthropologist Wade Davis to describe the “cultural web” of unique attributes and customs around the world, from language to music to food to handicrafts. Increasingly a key focus in travel e.g. “Just when you think you know what the ethnospehere’s got to offer, you discover deep-fried eel spines in Japan.”
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