Wassup 2008

Truly epic, and appropriate for the times.

Service: A Photo Essay

From "Service", a powerful photo essay on The New Yorker:

"This summer, the photographer Platon took pictures of hundreds of men and women who volunteered to serve in the military and were sent to Iraq or Afghanistan. He followed them on their journey through training and deployment, after demobilization and in hospitals, to compile a portrait of the dedication of the armed services today."

Here's part of the reaction from Colin Powell's appearance on Meet the Press commenting about the presidential race:

"I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery, and she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards--Purple Heart, Bronze Star--showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death. He was 20 years old. And then, at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life."

I meant to click through and briefly skim through all of this, but now it's got my full emotional attention. The photo essay is powerful on its own without this controversy, but Mr. Powell's remark adds some serious weight and gravity. A 20 year old man gave his life for something he believed in, and it matters not who he called his God.

Song of the Day

Anyone remember this one? Ēbn-Ōzn's "AEIOU Sometimes Y" had heavy airplay in the early days of MTV. It was an interesting twist at the time - basically spoken word set against a modern beat. And I always loved the "feeling cavalier" part.


"So I was walking up Broadway you know
and there's this incredible looking Swedish girl having a
Cappuccino across the street from Lincoln Center,
I started talking to her you know
She said her name was Lola,
Her English wasn't too good you know
but we wound up spending
about 5 hours together just hanging out you know.
So We go back to my place - we get high
we get really into each other man.
It was love about to happen ... I'm serious.
And then all of a sudden she gets up and she says,
she says "Hey, I really gotta leave"
Damn!

A E I O U Sometimes Y

There are 178 parent languages on our planet with over 1000 dialects...
It's amazing we communicate at all.
Languages and dialects - with this one thing in common:
A E I O U Sometimes Y

So you know I was really flipped out you know and she asked me
if I'm angry or something
I said of course I'm angry man this isn't high school or anything
You know so I'm feeling really cavalier and I say ah
"Call me if you want to."
huh, yeah ... call me if you want to ...
So she rang me up and she says, "Hey! Do you wanna go out?"
Huh! Do I wanna go out ?!"

Song of the Day

Ah yes, Billy Idol. I have a wonderful adolescent memory associated with this song, and I'm sure Mr. Idol would be proud. Ask me about it some time over a round of drinks ... on a warm summer night.

In the meantime, put on your best snarl, and start pumping that fist.

"I'm all out of hope
One more bad dream could bring a fall
When I'm far from home
Don't call me on the phone
To tell me you're alone
Its easy to deceive
Its easy to tease
But hard to get release

(Les yeux sans visage) Eyes without a face
(Les yeux sans visage) Eyes without a face
(Les yeux sans visage) Eyes without a face
Got no human grace your eyes without a face.

I spend so much time
Believing all the lies
To keep the dream alive
Now it makes me sad
It makes me mad at truth
For loving what was you

When you hear the music you make a dip
Into someone else's pocket then make a slip.
Steal a car and go to Las Vegas oh, the gigolo pool.
Hanging out by the state line,
Turning holy water into wine
Drinkin' it down
I'm on a bus on a psychedelic trip
Reading murder books tryin' to stay hip.
I'm thinkin' of you you're out there so
Say your prayers.
Say your prayers.
Say your prayers.

Now I close my eyes
And I wonder why
I don't despise
Now all I can do
Is love what was once
So alive and new
But its gone from your eyes
I'd better realize ..."

Picture of the Day

Cherries! I start to eat a few, but before I know it the whole bowl is gone. Then I wistfully daydream of the next weekend, when I can make my pilgrimage to the farmer's market and indulge myself again.

Cherries .. they glow red with excitement as they murmur "Summer is coming, oh summer is coming ...'

Biggest Drawing in the World

Artist Erik Nordenankar used a GPS tracking device and DHL to create a self portrait across the world. I haven't seen if this has actually been verified, but if it is true, it is truly an amazing feat. The power of artistic vision is something to behold.

Dear baby, if you are alive, please remember I love you very much.

In the aftermath of the Wenchuan Earthquake, this was the message rescuers found on a dead mother's cell phone. There's really not much I can say after that.

The full story can be found here or here.

Song of the Day

Apologies for the cheesy video - but it's the only one I can find for "Holy Lamb (Song for Harmonic Convergence)" by Yes. It is off their Big Generator album, which I have been playing all day long. Over and over again.

Even though it is a short and beautiful song, it packs a lot of power and inspiration. And it has one of the most amazing crescendos I have ever heard. As Jon Anderson puts it, it is a song about any belief that puts you at peace with yourself, others and nature. Enjoy!

"Holy lamb, see the world we started
Is it so low again?
Like a light that's lost upon the stage
So the more it shines, it goes away

Surely then, see the curtain rising to show us once again
All the magic of the earth and the skies
See the more we find
The more we realize

That every time, see the laws of nature keep telling us like a friend
Spirit of emotion dancing to the wind
High above, high above
So sure inspired again

I can tell a new story now
Can we see through this mask of uncertainty, surely now?
How can it be so hard when all there is to know
Don't be afraid of letting go
It takes a loving heart to see and show
This love for our own ecology

Hold the light! Hold the light!
Out of love we'll come a long long glorious way
At the start of every day a child begins to play
And all we need to know
Is that the future is a friend of yours and mine"

Song of the Day

George Michael's "Freedom" always brings out the positive energy in me. I just gotta get up and dance. Another video with great visuals, and yeah the models are an obvious one. Besides that, the usage of shadows and elements (fire, smoke, mist, ice is implied) are subtle and well done. And the facial expressions of the models tell stories on their own.

And in case you are curious, here's the list of the models in the video:

• Cindy Crawford
• Linda Evangelista
• Naomi Campbell
• Christy Turlington
• Tatjana Patitz
• Todo Segalla
• Scott Benoit
  
• Peter Formby

ABC3D: Incredible Pop-up Alphabet Book

I meant to blog about this last week (yeah right!) but my life has suddenly gotten very busy. And that's a good thing.

via Drawn!

Song of the Day

Generally I don't like using videos for the Song of the Day, but the video for Covenant's "Bullet" has such wonderful and interesting visuals that it more than warrants it this time. Enjoy!

"time is like a bullet from behind
I run for cover just like you
time is like a liquid in my hands
I swim for dry land just like you

time is like a blanket on my face
I try to be here just like you
time is just a fiction of our minds
I will survive and so will you

we are the only ones right now that are celebrating
and we are joining hands right now
we are the only ones right now that are suffocating
we are the dying ones right now

as the water grinds the stone
we rise and fall
as our ashes turn to dust
we shine like stars

kisses on the dancefloor in my past
I need some comfort just like you
beating like a bass drum time goes by
I want the last dance just like you

drowning in the flood of morning light
I'm only human just like you
do you hear the city waking up
I will survive and so will you

we are the ones the only ones
we are the ones the dying ones
we are the ones the only ones
we are the ones and we are joining hands
we are the only ones right now that are celebrating

as the water grinds the stone
we rise and fall
as our ashes turn to dust
we shine like stars"

Additional Info:

• Covenant Official Website
• Covenant at Wikipedia
• Northern Light at Amazon
  

Image of the Day: White Blossom Center

A close up of a white blossom's center. Taken in the San Francisco Financial District.

Runnin' With The Beatles

I love musical mashups like this this one, and seeing David Lee Roth juxtaposed with The Beatles is humorous in itself. Scream more Dave!

Twitter in Plain English

This short video does a great job explaining the micro-blogging service Twitter.

"Because real life happens between blog posts and email."

via The Common Craft show.

Song of the Day

The Barenaked Ladies are a bunch of rocking, fun loving Canadians. If you ever get a chance, go see them live. They put on an amazing show. They are very funny and very talented. Their amazing voices sound much better live - recordings just can't capture that power and range. When I saw them live, Steve Page had the hairs on the back of neck standing when he let loose. "Holy crap" I exclaimed as the shivers ran through me. The dude can sing.

Today's Song of the Day is "Call and Answer" from their album Stunt. It's a gently melody with very powerful lyrics about a frustrated romance. Love can be patient, but enough is enough.



Additional Info:

• Barenaked Ladies Official Website
• BNL at Wikipedia
• "Call and Answer" video at YouTube
• Stunt at Amazon
  

The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello

I had seen the trailer for The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello back in 2005 when it was nominated for an Academy Award. The imagery and animation style were burned on my conscious. However I did manage to forget the title. I've been wracking my brains and searching for the last few months, when I stumbled upon it while reading an animation article. Yes! Only the trailer is on YouTube, but I managed to find the whole film on Google Video. It's 26 minutes long, but it is quite an amazing story.

Image of the Day: Curves of a Lily

Lily Curves
Originally uploaded by tony:oeb:frosty

She glowed seductively in the afternoon light. Simple but elegant, the smoothness of the petals drew me in like a whirlpool.

Dinner: Seared Steak Salad

Seared Steak Salad
Originally uploaded by tony:oeb:frosty

Friday nights dinner was this salad. Pretty simple to make but the results are wonderful.

Season steak and bring up to room temperature. Wash the salad. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat up olive oil in a pan to medium high. Douse steak with olive oil and then place in pan. Sear on one side for a couple of minutes, then flip and repeat. Place pan in oven for 12 minutes for medium rare. While the steak is finishing chop up some peppers, green onions and avocado. Rinse cherry tomatoes. Pull steak from oven (remember it's hot!) and remove steak and let rest. Return pan to high heat on stove and deglaze with red wine. Add chopped garlic and shallots and reduce. Return to the steak and slice in thin strips. Check reduction and if ready remove from heat. Start assembling the plates beginning with the layer of salad. Add other elements as desired. Add cream to the reduction and season to taste. Drizzle over the completed salad. Pour yourself a nice glass of wine and enjoy!

How to Sleeveface

Carrying on from an earlier post of mine, here's a clever video teaching us how to sleeveface. For those of you who want more, there's a Facebook group, a dedicated blog and also a Flickr group photo pool.

Smoke on the Water, Japanese Style

"From the 250th anniversary celebration of the Great Fire of Edo (Edo is
the traditional name of Tokyo) … one of many, but the most
destructive, held along with the Great Eruption of Fuji-san 300th
Anniversary. This is the Kabuki-za orchestra and readers along with
part of the Suntory Hall Orchestra, which occasionally features the
Crown Prince on viola (but not in this one)."

From Japan Probe via Tim Bray on Twitter.

Sony BRAVIA Commercials

The Sony BRAVIA commercials simply put, rock. What's more amazing is that they are real - there's no 3D animation. They're beautiful and they are fun. Their latest one, "Play-Doh" is no exception.

My daughters absolutely love these commercials. I'll be working in the office and they will run in and jump in my lap and demand "Balls" and "Paint." I pull them up and play them full screen (I highly recommend heading to the Sony BRAVIA site and downloading the hi-res versions) on the 24 inch monitor and turn up the volume. We'll sit here and watch them over and over and over again. I'm guessing "Play-Doh" will now be added to that rotation. And you know what, I really don't mind. Because I love them as well.

I just found another commercial titled "Pyramid." This one isn't linked from the main site so I'm not sure if it's official or not. Still it's pretty cool.

Memory: Gaming on the Commodore 64

Growing up as kids, we usually had the latest gaming gadget. Like the Atari 2600. Then the computers started to come out. Our first computer was the Timex Sinclair 1000. It was pretty limited, and it was slow. My dad tried playing chess on the advanced level and each move took hours. It really didn't have much in the way of games.

But then my dad brought home the Commodore 64. Oh my! The graphics were amazing. And the games ... oh the games were wonderful. Then Archon was released and distributed by a small company named Electronic Arts. I remembered being dazzled by the artwork (I even used it for an art project at school) and the packaging. Basically it was battle chess, and it was leaps and bounds better than anything else we had played. It raised the level of our expectations for any future games. My friend had a 64 as well, and he had a modem. I remember logging into a BBS and playing a dungeon game. We played for hours.

I still fondly remember Archon as my first great gaming experience. Too bad I no longer have that art project.

I Fought the Internet, and the Internet Won

I have been defeated by the Internet. That and my stupidity and not paying attention to details. I am teh n00b :(

So I decided to change my password today. That went well. I copied down the new password in my handy dandy secure app. Cool. I get home, and I can't login. I try again. Nope. I try again and again. Nope and No. Hmmmm ... Fine I must have made a typo. Twice. So I hit I Forgot My Password link and wait. The email doesn't show up where I expected it to. Ruh roh waggy. I try Reset Password. No Email. Waggy, we have a problem. A Big Problem.

It turns out that my secondary email was my old work email. You know the place I got laid off from over a year ago. Yeah ... Waggy, no Scooby Snacks joy for me!

Dinner: Seared Ahi Tuna

Seared Ahi Tuna
Originally uploaded by tony:oeb:frosty

After reading Thin Guy's post, I decided to give it a whirl. My wife had her doubts, telling me that Ahi Tuna was hard to cook and was usually too dry. I shrugged and said "we'll see."

For the marinade, I skipped the Wasabi and the Shichimi Togarashi since I didn't have any. Instead I added sea salt, fresh pepper and sesame oil. The tuna marinated overnight in a Tupperware container.

To cook, I pulled out my All-Clad and put it on high heat, adding olive oil to the pan. When the oil started to ripple, I placed the tuna in the pan. Commence searing - a couple of minutes is fine. The marinade will burn (turn your fan on!) but that's not a big deal. Flip over with some tongs and finish the other side. Remove the tuna and deglaze the pan with wine - I always have a cheap red or white on hand for this. A quick wipe and onto the second piece. Repeat. Deglaze again and make sure to get all the burnt marinade off. This will save you a lot of time and effort when cleaning the pan later.

For the dipping sauce I quickly whisked together some shoyu, honey, sesame oil and Aji Mirin. I then added some scallions.

I spend a few minutes plating the dishes and set the table. Plating goes a long way in setting the mood, and making the food visually appetizing. It's really not that much effort, but it goes a long way.

I pour my wife and I a nice Chardonnay, and await the judgment. I'm sweaty from the cooking and a little tense. She approves! She actually likes it. Yeah! Mission accomplished.

Thanks again to Thin Guy for the inspiration.

Note: Today I got from from the grocery store about 5:00pm. I was able to get dinner on the table by 5:45pm. Dinner included roasted asparagus and a nice salad (heirloom tomatoes, avocado, sweet peppers) So this really is a quick and delicious recipe.

A Memory: Meeting Thomas Dolby

I had just started working at JavaSoft. I had a meeting and arrived at the conference room a little early to find the previous meeting just letting out. I wandered in and noticed a man packing up a Mac by himself. The executives weren't paying any attention to him and left. Something seemed familiar about this man. Then it hit me. It was Thomas Dolby. I looked around and found that we were the only two people in the room. So I wandered over and opened with a tentative "Mr. Dolby?" He looked up at me, "Yes?" "Um hi ... Dude I love your music!" I blurted out. He smiled and seemed pleased that someone recognized him. "What are you doing here?" I asked. It turns out he was working on a musical plugin for Mozilla, and was seeing if there was any synergy with Java. I believe this was the beginning of Beatnik, Inc. We pleasantly chatted for a bit, and I found out he was living in the Bay Area. That's why he had swung by Cupertino to arrange the meeting. Finally he apologized, and told me that he had to run off to another meeting meeting, else he would love to keep talking.

A few years before, I was at E3 in Los Angeles. I was wandering around the floor with a friend of mine checking out the booths and the sights. E3 was still pretty crazy back then. We came across a booth that people waiting in a long line. It was the Rocket Science booth, and they were giving away tshirts. I asked a random fellow "what are you waiting in line for?" and he replied "some dude is signing shirts." Puzzled I walked to the front to see who it was. It was Thomas Dolby, but no one seemed to realize this. I turned to my friend and said "get in line." "Do you who know who that is?" I excitedly asked my friend. He shook his head. "Dude! Come on! It's Thomas Dolby!" Blank look. I sighed "You know, 'Blinded Me with Science'?" "Oh!"

So we waited in line and finally it was our turn. My friend wanted to drop to his knees and start the whole "We Are Not Worthy!" routine, but I threatened to kill him if he did. He rolled his eyes and mumbled "whatever." Dolby seemed pretty bored, and no one was talking to him. So I strolled up and asked "So, how come 'My Brain Is Like a Sieve' is not on your 'Best Of' album. He blinked and looked at me, then said "You know, that is an excellent question." He then introduced me to his manager who was standing next to him. And then he started chatting to me. My friend told Dolby of his "Not Worthy" plan and he smiled "that would have been funny!" My friend shot me a dirty look. It all seemed a bit surreal at the time ...

So there. I've met Thomas Dolby. Twice. I'm sure he doesn't remember, but they are great memories for me.

Song of the Day

"Not an Addict" by K's Choice is a painful, tortured song about well, yes, addiction. It's full of emotion and longing. It offers us a glimpse into why drugs are so appealing, and also their treacherous downfall. I love the contradictions in this song, and Sarah Betten's voice is perfect for making us feel the ache and conflict.

"Breathe it in and breathe it out
And pass it on, it's almost out
We're so creative, so much more
We're high above but on the floor

It's not a habit, it's cool, I feel alive
If you don't have it you're on the other side

The deeper you stick it in your vein
The deeper the thoughts, there's no more pain
I'm in heaven, I'm a god
I'm everywhere, I feel so hot

It's not a habit, it's cool, I feel alive
If you don't have it you're on the other side
I'm not an addict (maybe that's a lie)

It's over now, I'm cold, alone
I'm just a person on my own
Nothing means a thing to me
(Nothing means a thing to me)

It's not a habit, it's cool, I feel alive
If you don't have it you're on the other side
I'm not an addict (maybe that's a lie)

Free me, leave me
Watch me as I'm going down
Free me, see me
Look at me, I'm falling and I'm falling."

Additional Info:

• K's Choice Website
• K's Choice at Wikipedia
• "Not an Addict" video at YouTube
• Paradise in Me album at Amazon
  

iBand

It's amazing what you can do with a couple of iPhones and a Nintendo DS. Like this jam session. I'm looking forward to their future work.

One Red Paperclip

Kyle MacDonald traded one red paperclip for a house. He started with one red paperclip on July 12 2005 and 14 trades later, on July 12, 2006 traded with the Town of Kipling Saskatchewan for a house. Not bad, not bad at all.

Image of the Day: Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly 3
Originally uploaded by tony:oeb:frosty

The weather turned warm, and most of the Monarch butterflies had left or died. This one landed nearby after most of the walking tour had left, and I was alone.

Ah, L'Amour

For those of you not having such a wonderful Valentine's Day. By the wonderful and wacky Don Hertzfeldt.

Song of the Day

Today's song is Level 42's "Something About You", which was released in 1985. A great song for Valentines. It's about a human sort of love, powerful and messy and tending to dip itself into tragedy from time to time, but managing to persevere.

However if it doesn't work out, and it all falls apart, you can play their song "Leaving Me Now" which happens to be on the same album. Such convenience!

"Now
How can it be
That a love
Carved out of caring
Fashioned by fate
Could suffer so hard
From the games
Played once too often
But making mistakes
Is a part
Of lifes imperfections
Born of the years
Is it so wrong
To be human after all

Drawn into the stream
Of undefined illusion
Those diamond dreams
They cant disguise the truth
That there is something about you
Baby so right
I wouldnt be without you
Baby tonight

If ever our love
Was concealed
No one can say that
We didnt feel
A million things
And a perfect dream of life
Gone
Fragile but free
We remain
Tender together
If not so in love
And its not so wrong
Were only human after all

These changing years
They add to your confusion
Oh and you need to hear
The time that told the truth"

Additional Info:

• Official Level 42 Website
• Level 42 Wikipedia entry
  
• "Something About You" video on YouTube
• Level Best album at Amazon.
  

i carry your heart with me

"i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)"

by ee cummings

A Webcomic for Valentine's Day

Image of the Day: A Crow Conversation

A Crow Conversation
Originally uploaded by tony:oeb:frosty

A pair of crows, seemingly lost in conversation. Taken along the Carmel Coast.

Phil Mickelson Does Good

I hadn't seen or heard about this until now. Basically, a father and son went to the FBR Open to get Phil Mickelson's autograph. Unfortunately it turns out Phil doesn't give out autographs when playing. Instead he gave the father and son tickets to the Superbowl. Not bad at all. Well done Phil.

I Have Come Here to Chew Bubblegum ...

"... and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum."

One of the greatest movie quotes ever. This line, from the movie "They Live", was supposedly ad-libbed by Roddy Piper.

Sleevefaces

David Bowie Low
Originally uploaded by See Gee"Back in the 70s, Bowie often used to come round to watch Scooby-Doo with us... his folks didn't have a colour TV at the time. He didn't even bother to take off his coat - he didn't want to miss a single second."

Check out this brilliant collection of photos [flickr slideshow] with people integrating album covers into various poses. And the descriptions (like the one above) are hilarious!

Via Tim Caynes.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year, and welcome to the Year of the Rat. I wish you all good luck and good fortune. Now let's all head to China and get our gold plated Mplayer.

On another note, I love this quote from Wikipedia's Chinese New Year entry:

Back in the 1970s, children in Hong Kong used the saying: (Cantonese), roughly translated as, "Happy New Year, now give me a red envelope, fifty cents is too little, don't want a dollar either." It basically meant that they disliked small change - coins which were called "hard substance." Instead, they wanted "soft substance", which was either a ten dollar or a twenty dollar bill.

Smart kids! And finally, can anyone explain to me why there are so many different "Happy New Year" pinyin translations? It makes it quite rough on this gweilo.

Sapporo Snow Festival

It seems mandatory that I blog about Japan's Snowman Competition. To be exact, it's the 59th Sapporo Snow Festival. It's a pretty serious festival, judging from the site maps (Odori site and Satoland site). They have slides, a snowball fight demonstration, build your own snowman, snow rafting and even a labyrinth. And there's an ice festival as well.

You can check out pictures and explanations [festival site] of the major sculptures from the Odori site. In addition, this search on flickr will give some great image results. The overhead shot from Keith Yeung is very impressive and gives you a wonderful sense of the festival's scale.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go and train my army of snowmen.

Blowing Brains

WARNING: This is pretty gross.

I encountered the phrase "blowing brains" while reading the NY Times article "A Medical Mystery Unfolds in Minnesota." Here's the excerpt:

"On Nov. 28, Dr. DeVries’s boss, Dr. Ruth Lynfield, the state epidemiologist, toured the plant. She and the owner, Kelly Wadding, paid special attention to the head table. Dr. Lynfield became transfixed by one procedure in particular, called “blowing brains.”

As each head reached the end of the table, a worker would insert a metal hose into the foramen magnum, the opening that the spinal cord passes through. High-pressure blasts of compressed air then turned the brain into a slurry that squirted out through the same hole in the skull, often spraying brain tissue around and splattering the hose operator in the process.

The brains were pooled, poured into 10-pound containers and shipped to be sold as food — mostly in China and Korea, where cooks stir-fry them, but also in some parts of the American South, where people like them scrambled up with eggs."

They have a theory that having pig's brains splattered and aerosolized all over you is a bad thing, especially when you are not wearing a mask and face shield. The body just doesn't seem to dig this.

For some reason I'm no longer that interested in my breakfast. Then my thought is, wow, someone actually does this for a living. M'kay. I'm guessing that the kids don't bring them to show and tell at school. (Sudden image of kids running and screaming from their classroom.) The next thought is that well, I really don't need to experience this culinary delight. No my friends, I will leave that to the capable palate of Anthony Bourdain.

The Influence of Little Einsteins

Thanks to the Little Einsteins, my daughters now know what Adagio and Allegro mean. And my youngest walks around the house constantly humming Beethoven's "Ode to Joy." No complaints from me.

I'm pretty sure I didn't learn anything like that from Tom and Jerry.

Here Comes Another Bubble!

My friend Wegis sent this along. Awesome video poking fun at the Web 2.0 craziness. I like the mention of the Bay Area's housing prices, which is all too true. It's based on Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" song. (Ha! Billy Joel has got a YouTube channel! Righteous.)

Song of the Day

In a few of my recent visits to Jamba Juice, I heard a song playing that I rather liked. I asked the staff what the song was, and they shrugged and replied "no idea." They added it was from a CD that was sent around to the stores and they just played it. I heard the song at another location and was told the same thing. I managed to catch some of the lyrics, and armed with that I turned to my old trusty friend Google. And that is how I discovered "Someone Great" by LCD Soundsystem. It's from their Sound of Silver album.It's a mellow but groovy song, a nice beat surrounded by a mish mash of electronic sounds and keyboards.

While researching the album, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was named one of Amazon's Best of 2007. If you visit the band's website, you can check out the video and song for free.

"I wish that we could talk about it,
But there, that's the problem.
With someone new I could have started,
Too late, for beginnings.
The little things that made me harassed,
Are gone, in a moment.
I miss the way we used to argue,
Locked, in your basement.

I wake up and the phone is ringing,
Surprised, as it's early.
And that should be the perfect warning,
That something's, a problem.
To tell the truth I saw it coming,
The way, you were breathing.
But nothing can prepare you for it,
The voice, on the other, end.

The worst is all the lovely weather,
I'm sad, it's not raining.
The coffee isn't even bitter,
Because, what's the difference?
There's all the work that needs to be done,
It's late, for revision.
There's all the time and all the planning,
And songs, to be finished.

And it keeps coming,
And it keeps coming,
And it keeps coming,
Till the day it stops

I wish that we could talk about it,
But there, that's the problem.
With someone new I could have started,
Too late, for beginnings.
You're smaller than my wife imagined,
Surprised, you were human.
There shouldn't be this ring of silence,
But what, are the options?

When someone great is gone.

We're safe, for the moment.
Saved,
For the moment"

Additional Info:

• LCD Soundsystem's Website
• "Someone Great" video at YouTube
• Sound of Silver album at Amazon
  

Justin Timberlake Pepsi Commercial

Yes I know its Justin, but him smacking the mailbox post several times is just way too funny! At least he has a good sense of humor.

Mushrooms Italia

My Mushrooms Italia that I cooked for a dinner party. Its mushrooms with the Italian meats coppa, prosciutto and pancetta. And some fresh tarragon.

Take a bunch of mushrooms and place them in large pan [photo] with clarified butter (so they won't burn.) Cook on high heat. It may seem like too much but they'll shrink down. Stir occasionally and soon the mushrooms will exude their liquid [photo]. Keep stirring and keep an eye on the liquid [photo].

In another pan cook shallots and garlic in olive oil on medium heat. After the shallots have softened, add the pancetta, coppa and prosciutto [photo]. Stir occasionally.

When all the liquid has evaporated [photo] from the mushrooms, add a couple of cups of Chianti or other dry red wine. Stir for a few minutes. When the wine has cooked down a little, add the meats [photo]and a dash or so of freshly cut tarragon. Continue cooking until the wine has evaporated. Add a bit more tarragon and you are all set!

Smurfalicious!

Wow, the Smurfs have turned 50! And it's a year long celebration! As part of the celebration a bunch of people in Croatia dressed like Smurfs (video) and ran around. There's even a website dedicated to the celebration. So grab your Smurf handbag, floppy white hat and blue body paint and head over to the University of Bath, for you and I my friend are going Smurfing!

Aglow by the Jesus Lamplight

You too can curl up and read your favorite book next to your own personal Jesus lamp. And it even moves! You can reflect on his agony and think to yourself "you know, that must have really sucked." And then continue on to the next chapter of your romance novel.

From Patently Silly.

Song of the Day

Remember back ... the year was 1994 and a group named Silverchair came from nowhere (well ok, they came from Australia) with their debut album Frogstomp? The hit single "Tomorrow" was a huge success, and they were only 15! Daniel Johns (their lead singer) had long blonde hair and was full of anger.

Flash to the present, and Silverchair is still here making great music. Daniel has short hair and has mellowed out. But he still has an amazing voice. "Straight Lines" is from their latest album, Young Modern, and is the Song of the Day. It's a great song to wake up to, one that will get you out of that bed inspired and raring to go.

"Breathing from a hole in my lung
I had no one
With faces in front of me
Racing through the void in my head
To find traces
Of a good luck academy

Sparks ignite and trade them for thought
About no one
And nothing in particular
Washed the sickened socket and drove
Resent nothing
There's good will inside of me

Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Wake me up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line

Something I will never forget
I felt desperate
And stuck to the marrow
Invisible to everyone else
I'm a sex-change
And a damsel with no heroine

Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Wake me up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line

I don't need no time to say
There's no changing yesterday
If we keep talking and
I keep walking in straight lines ..."

Additional Info:

• Video at YouTube
• Silverchair's album Young Modern at Amazon
• Silverchair at Wikipedia
  

Golden Popovers

Golden Popovers
Originally uploaded by tony:frosty:oeb

Golden popovers fresh from the oven on a Sunday morning. These hollow crispy delights are always a big hit. A little butter and some honey (or jam) and you are set! And yes, I made them. :)

Song of the Day

Update: Added link to Recoil's official video channel at YouTube.

In the beginning there was Depeche Mode. The first fragment was Vince Clark, who went off to form Yazoo and Erasure. The next fragment was Alan Wilder. And he went off to create Recoil.

So after all that, today's song is "Stalker" from Recoil's Unsound Methods. Bits of calls, spoken word, fragmented melodies, whispers, heavy breathing and creepy lyrics surprisingly come together to form this tense and interesting story.

"I can make a perfect picture from a voice
Her serenity oozed into my ear
It didn't take long for her to know me
and I knew it felt good
Pick me up and use me
Pick me up and use me she was saying
You are nothing
You are nothing without me
You are nothing
You are nothing without me
If I am taken,
you think that you can live again
But you are nothing
You are nothing without me
You know I'm here for you,
right here for you
See I am the punished one
She, she took all the glory
She took everything,
everything I had to give
Sucking it out of me
But I am always gonna be here
because I am the punished one
She took everything,
She took all the glory,
everything I had to give
Sucking it out of me
You are nothing
You are nothing without me
You are nothing
You are nothing without me
If I am taken,
you think that you can live again
But you are nothing
You are nothing without me
Without me, you're nothing"

Additional Info:

• Video at YouTube
• Official Recoil Video Channel
  
• Recoil's Unsound Methods at Amazon

A Storm of Many Colors

Chromatic Maelstrom by *Frostola on deviantART

A storm of many colors is brewing
it gleams and glistens
roiling inside of me
I tried to contain the disturbance
but it surges and overflows
filling the cracks and crevices
all of those spaces
between
I tilt my face upwards
to the heavens
beseechingly
but the only intervention I receive
are cold drops of morning rain
I turn and walk away
searching the face of the hollow strangers
wondering if they can
see the storm
swirling in my eyes
I dare not open my mouth to speak
fearing the furor
that would spill from me ...

I've been feeling grey
with nothing pleasant to say
maybe its time to end the struggle
let the maelstrom have its way
and color my diseased leaden sky

release!
tear down the rotting wood of excuses
wash clean these bandages of apologies
scour away the grime of guilt and shame

spent!
I will stand here glistening of many colors
no blemishes or stains
radiating like a newborn god
but I will have no memory of your name

Understanding Art for Geeks

Understanding art for geeks #14
Originally uploaded by paulthewineguyWhat do you get when you take pieces of classical art and throw in some modern day bits such as icons, screenshots and interfaces?

Why you get art for geeks! Lulz fersure - if you're a geek that is.
(via Slashdot.)

Backyard Fence: Perch for a Hawk

Backyard Fence Hawk
Originally uploaded by FrostolaI woke up on this cold and rainy morning to find this hawk sitting on my backyard fence. I rubbed my eyes, slowly edged out of the kitchen, then ran to get my camera. I managed to get quite a few shots off.

Since it was overcast and through my kitchen window, the color isn't great. But still what a great surprise!

If you are interested, here are a few additional views.

You Don't Mess With The Zohan

Adam Sandler has a knack for making me laugh until I cry. And this trailer is no different.

"Was that your feet ?!?!!"
"Yes it's the feet. The feet uppercut. Smell it ... smell it ... smell it. Now take it! That's for you."

I know it's silly but oh I'm crying now ...

A New Look

Ok, so what do you think? I started with the No. 565 template and just got finished mucking around with it. I'm not sure if I'm happy with the colors, so I'll probably keep playing around with that.

And of course, yet another Frostyland splash image. I never seem to get tired of making those. ;)

Oh and I added a favicon.

Thanks to Tips for New Bloggers!