Sunday, December 30, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
A Death in the Family: Politics & Power: vanityfair.com
A Death in the Family: Politics & Power: vanityfair.com
An incredible article by one of my favorites Christopher Hitchens.
This article came recommended (and good thing they did) from by the NY Times in The Sidney Awards II.
An incredible article by one of my favorites Christopher Hitchens.
This article came recommended (and good thing they did) from by the NY Times in The Sidney Awards II.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Blaine Lourd Profile - Executive Articles - Portfolio.com
Blaine Lourd Profile - Executive Articles - Portfolio.com
As in the last posted article, this came from the NY Times piece about the best articles of 2007.
This article is good for anyone interested in Finance, especially if you have a read A Random Walk Down Wall Street.
As in the last posted article, this came from the NY Times piece about the best articles of 2007.
This article is good for anyone interested in Finance, especially if you have a read A Random Walk Down Wall Street.
Annals of Transport: There and Back Again: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker
Annals of Transport: There and Back Again: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker
I never knew people commuted THAT much! A very interesting look into the livers of all us worker bees.
I never knew people commuted THAT much! A very interesting look into the livers of all us worker bees.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Lowe Holiday Card
Lowe Holiday Card
This is Lowe NY's (a worldwide advertising agency) holiday card. By far the most creative and entertaining holiday website/card on the internet!
And how did the snag that website name!?!?!?
This is Lowe NY's (a worldwide advertising agency) holiday card. By far the most creative and entertaining holiday website/card on the internet!
And how did the snag that website name!?!?!?
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Universe - Laws of Nature - Physics - New York Times
Universe - Laws of Nature - Physics - New York Times: "“The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible.”"
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Google Zeitgeist 2007
Google Zeitgeist 2007: "We're bidding adieu to 2007 with a look back at the breaking news, the big events and the must-have gadgets that captivated us this year"
YouTube - Chinese Food On Christmas
YouTube - Chinese Food On Christmas
This is my friend's brother. He is incredibly talented and funny. Definitely check this video out!
This is my friend's brother. He is incredibly talented and funny. Definitely check this video out!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
The 7th Annual year in Ideas - The New York Times
The 7th Annual year in Ideas - The New York Times
This is part of the NY Times weekly magazine. This week it goes over some of the most "curious, inspired, perplexing and sometimes outright illegal innovations of the past 12 months." Below are links to what I thought were some of the best.
Fake Titlt-Shift Photography
Left-Hand-Turn Elimination
The Murphy Balcony
Neurorealism
Prison Poker
Two-Birds-With-One-Stone Resistance
This is part of the NY Times weekly magazine. This week it goes over some of the most "curious, inspired, perplexing and sometimes outright illegal innovations of the past 12 months." Below are links to what I thought were some of the best.
Fake Titlt-Shift Photography
Left-Hand-Turn Elimination
The Murphy Balcony
Neurorealism
Prison Poker
Two-Birds-With-One-Stone Resistance
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Cracked News YouTube Channel
Cracked News YouTube Channel
Finally! A good replacement to fill the Daily Show void that has been in my life since the WGA strike.
Finally! A good replacement to fill the Daily Show void that has been in my life since the WGA strike.
Tax the Beautiful to Feed the Ugly | Argentina: Ugly people strike back
BBC NEWS | Americas | Argentina: Ugly people strike back
I found this article from a blog post on Fast Company which compliments the BBC piece very well.
I found this article from a blog post on Fast Company which compliments the BBC piece very well.
7 Alternatives to Flickr | Photography Bay
7 Alternatives to Flickr | Photography Bay
Great resource article for finding different online photo hosting site
Great resource article for finding different online photo hosting site
Friday, December 7, 2007
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
American Gladiators Is coming back to TV!
American Gladiators Is COMING - DoubleViking Video
Finally, one of the best game/sport shows is coming back on the air!
Finally, one of the best game/sport shows is coming back on the air!
Junior Fear Abroad - New York Times
Junior Fear Abroad - New York Times
A Junior university student write about her time abroad in Italy. An excerpt below which is a very good description of American students everywhere.
"American college students already have to live down a stereotype of their own making. Hordes of them drunkenly parade — or literally pub crawl — past Renaissance masterpieces on the streets of Florence at 4 a.m., shouting clichés like “Ciao, bella!” and “La vita è bella!” Add in our often laughable pronunciation of Dante’s beautiful language and our sinfully casual dress — the North Face fleece college uniform sharing the streets with Dolce & Gabbana-strutting Italian babes — and you can see why it’s an uphill struggle."
A Junior university student write about her time abroad in Italy. An excerpt below which is a very good description of American students everywhere.
"American college students already have to live down a stereotype of their own making. Hordes of them drunkenly parade — or literally pub crawl — past Renaissance masterpieces on the streets of Florence at 4 a.m., shouting clichés like “Ciao, bella!” and “La vita è bella!” Add in our often laughable pronunciation of Dante’s beautiful language and our sinfully casual dress — the North Face fleece college uniform sharing the streets with Dolce & Gabbana-strutting Italian babes — and you can see why it’s an uphill struggle."
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Penny Foolish - New York Times
Penny Foolish - New York Times
"THE migrant farm workers who harvest tomatoes in South Florida have one of the nation’s most backbreaking jobs. For 10 to 12 hours a day, they pick tomatoes by hand, earning a piece-rate of about 45 cents for every 32-pound bucket. During a typical day each migrant picks, carries and unloads two tons of tomatoes. For their efforts, this holiday season many of them are about to get a 40 percent pay cut."
"THE migrant farm workers who harvest tomatoes in South Florida have one of the nation’s most backbreaking jobs. For 10 to 12 hours a day, they pick tomatoes by hand, earning a piece-rate of about 45 cents for every 32-pound bucket. During a typical day each migrant picks, carries and unloads two tons of tomatoes. For their efforts, this holiday season many of them are about to get a 40 percent pay cut."
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
YouTube - Not The Daily Show, With Some Writer
YouTube - Not The Daily Show, With Some Writer
This video cam out a little bit ago but since the writer's strike is still going on it is still as relevant and funny
This video cam out a little bit ago but since the writer's strike is still going on it is still as relevant and funny
Monday, November 26, 2007
Announcer sacked over spoof messages | Oddly Enough | Reuters.com
Announcer sacked over spoof messages | Oddly Enough | Reuters.com
Please Mind the Gap and That Attractive Women
Please Mind the Gap and That Attractive Women
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
A myth in the unmaking | Guardian daily comment | Guardian Unlimited
A myth in the unmaking | Guardian daily comment | Guardian Unlimited: "Fox News's status as a politically impartial channel is at last being exposed as a fiction"
Sunday, November 18, 2007
A grouch in a trash can. Not acceptable children TV programming?
Virginia Heffernan - What happened to Sesame Steet? - New York Times
Sorry for another NY Times article but this is just too good to pass on.
Sorry for another NY Times article but this is just too good to pass on.
William Safire - On Language - Retronymy - New York Times
William Safire - On Language - Retronymy - New York Times
My new favorite word to think about: Retronymy
My new favorite word to think about: Retronymy
Friday, November 16, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Gaming: The Cal Marching Band's Amazing 16-bit Video Game Halftime Show
Gaming: The Cal Marching Band's Amazing 16-bit Video Game Halftime Show
Who would ever think that video game geeks and band nerds would be of the same breed?
Who would ever think that video game geeks and band nerds would be of the same breed?
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Get Lost: Artists Map Downtown New York
Get Lost: Artists Map Downtown New York
A cool visual ride of how people interpret downtown NY. This is part of the website for the New Museum, a contemporary museum opening Dec 1 in the Bowery.
A cool visual ride of how people interpret downtown NY. This is part of the website for the New Museum, a contemporary museum opening Dec 1 in the Bowery.
The New York Times > Business > Image > What’ll It Be?
The New York Times > Business > Image > What’ll It Be?
Really funny, short commentaries from Scott Adams (Dilbert creator) about menu items. One of my favorites are:
Spinach Salad
"This is the same salad Popeye eats to beat up people who joke about how he got those forearms."
Really funny, short commentaries from Scott Adams (Dilbert creator) about menu items. One of my favorites are:
Spinach Salad
"This is the same salad Popeye eats to beat up people who joke about how he got those forearms."
Friday, November 9, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
How to Win at Monopoly ® - a Surefire Strategy
How to Win at Monopoly ® - a Surefire Strategy
If you're bored you play Monopoly.
If you're Really bored, you read strategy on how to play Monopoly
If you're bored you play Monopoly.
If you're Really bored, you read strategy on how to play Monopoly
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Yes, You Are Old - New York Times
Yes, You Are Old - New York Times
A fun list looking at how different age groups in college have thought over the past 10 years.
A fun list looking at how different age groups in college have thought over the past 10 years.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Rush, Little Baby - The Boston Globe
Rush, Little Baby - The Boston Globe
How the push for infant academics may actually be a waste of time - or worse.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
ESPN.com: SPORTSBUSINESS - Stadium naming rights
ESPN.com: SPORTSBUSINESS - Stadium naming rights
How much money companies pay for stadium naming rights
How much money companies pay for stadium naming rights
Monday, October 22, 2007
Wal-Mart You Don't Know
Wal-Mart You Don't Know
I read this article a long time age (it was published Dec 2003) but it stands out as a great business read, especially for those interested in Wal-Mart
I read this article a long time age (it was published Dec 2003) but it stands out as a great business read, especially for those interested in Wal-Mart
N.F.L. Experiment Aims to Spread Game’s Appeal - New York Times
N.F.L. Experiment Aims to Spread Game’s Appeal - New York Times
Giants v Dolphins this Sunday in Europe ... Cool!
Giants v Dolphins this Sunday in Europe ... Cool!
BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Keeping the faith
BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Keeping the faith
"The US may be one of the most religious countries in the West but is it undergoing a period of doubt."
"The US may be one of the most religious countries in the West but is it undergoing a period of doubt."
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
YouTube - One Got Fat 1963 Bicycle Safety
YouTube - One Got Fat 1963 Bicycle Safety
Never finished the film but go to about the 2 minute mark, wait till you see their faces
Never finished the film but go to about the 2 minute mark, wait till you see their faces
Bench Realty-Insomnia Film Festival
Bench Realty-Insomnia Film Festival
Hey Blog Readers!
Please follow this link and watch the video Team George made as part of the Apple Insomnia Film Festival. We made this video in 24 hours.
Please vote for us as well!!!
Hey Blog Readers!
Please follow this link and watch the video Team George made as part of the Apple Insomnia Film Festival. We made this video in 24 hours.
Please vote for us as well!!!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Official Website | Current Events & Pop Culture News, Comedy & Fake News | Comedy Central
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Official Website | Current Events & Pop Culture News, Comedy & Fake News | Comedy Central
The Daily Show has put up its entire Stewart-era video archive online! YES!
The Daily Show has put up its entire Stewart-era video archive online! YES!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Grooming Dogs Brain Out | Random Good Stuff - The Entertainment Blog
Grooming Dogs Brain Out | Random Good Stuff - The Entertainment Blog
This is REALLY disgusting! I feel so bad for those dogs.
This is REALLY disgusting! I feel so bad for those dogs.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
A Mock Columnist, Amok - New York Times
A Mock Columnist, Amok - New York Times
Stephen Colbert writes an Op-Ed piece in the NY Times. Fantastic!
Stephen Colbert writes an Op-Ed piece in the NY Times. Fantastic!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
Monday, October 1, 2007
Cell Phones - Rudy Giuliani - National Rifle Association - New York Times
Cell Phones - Rudy Giuliani - National Rifle Association - New York Times
Not really about the headline above. The article looks at cultures' takes on cell phone etiquette.
Not really about the headline above. The article looks at cultures' takes on cell phone etiquette.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
British Startup Revolymer Aims to Solve Sticky Problem With Clean Gum
British Startup Revolymer Aims to Solve Sticky Problem With Clean Gum: "[Singapore] has the most strict anti-chewing gum laws in the world and outlawed the sale of chewing gum in 1992 for cleanliness reasons."
Monday, September 17, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Subterranean Homesick Blues Creator
Subterranean Homesick Blues Creator
My friend just told me about this site. Create your own Subterranean Homesick Blues cards. This is SO COOL!
My friend just told me about this site. Create your own Subterranean Homesick Blues cards. This is SO COOL!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Words Don't Mean What They Mean - TIME
Words Don't Mean What They Mean - TIME
A little more brain food behind the common phrase "Think before you speak" In this case we should "Think before you speak and listen"
A little more brain food behind the common phrase "Think before you speak" In this case we should "Think before you speak and listen"
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Relgion and Faith - Sigmund Freud - Atheism - New York Times
Relgion and Faith - Sigmund Freud - Atheism - New York Times:
"The ability to believe in an internal, invisible God vastly improves people’s capacity for abstraction. “The prohibition against making an image of God — the compulsion to worship a God whom one cannot see,” he says, meant that in Judaism “a sensory perception was given second place to what may be called an abstract idea — a triumph of intellectuality over sensuality.”"
"The ability to believe in an internal, invisible God vastly improves people’s capacity for abstraction. “The prohibition against making an image of God — the compulsion to worship a God whom one cannot see,” he says, meant that in Judaism “a sensory perception was given second place to what may be called an abstract idea — a triumph of intellectuality over sensuality.”"
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J. K. Rowling - Books - Review - New York Times
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J. K. Rowling - Books - Review - New York Times
This review done by Christopher Hitchens (God is Not Great) is less of a review and more of a Hitchenesque take on Harry Potter and the fictional world of Potter's England.
Hitchens' writing requires a good dictionary/thesaurus at hand and is not for the light summer reader. His dense prose is written so the reader values each word and does not wistfully breeze through the reading.
This review done by Christopher Hitchens (God is Not Great) is less of a review and more of a Hitchenesque take on Harry Potter and the fictional world of Potter's England.
Hitchens' writing requires a good dictionary/thesaurus at hand and is not for the light summer reader. His dense prose is written so the reader values each word and does not wistfully breeze through the reading.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
YouTube - zZz is playing: Grip
YouTube - zZz is playing: Grip
The human characterization of digital effects via a trampoline and talented gymnasts
The human characterization of digital effects via a trampoline and talented gymnasts
strange maps
strange maps
A website which finds interesting maps of all different types. Definitely worth a tab in your browser
A website which finds interesting maps of all different types. Definitely worth a tab in your browser
Criticker - Home of the TCI
Criticker - Home of the TCI
Calls itself the Internet's Best Movie Recommendation Engine and Community. Worth giving a try.
Calls itself the Internet's Best Movie Recommendation Engine and Community. Worth giving a try.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Women's Beauty Products Men Love - Forbes.com
Women's Beauty Products Men Love - Forbes.com
Metrosexual fallout?
One of the most interesting facts pointed out in the article is that only 70% of men in the US wear deodorant! Why does someone from that 30% always stand next to me on the subway?
Metrosexual fallout?
One of the most interesting facts pointed out in the article is that only 70% of men in the US wear deodorant! Why does someone from that 30% always stand next to me on the subway?
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
The Whys of Mating: 237 Reasons and Counting - New York Times
The Whys of Mating: 237 Reasons and Counting - New York Times
Why do people have sex? Physically Attractive? Lots of money? Plays a mean game of Scrabble?
Why do people have sex? Physically Attractive? Lots of money? Plays a mean game of Scrabble?
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The Subconcious Brain - Who's Minding the Mind? - New York Times
The Subconcious Brain - Who's Minding the Mind? - New York Times
If you like this article a lot, pick up a copy of Mind Wide Open: Your Brain and the Neuroscience of Everyday Life by Steven Johnson.
If you like this article a lot, pick up a copy of Mind Wide Open: Your Brain and the Neuroscience of Everyday Life by Steven Johnson.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Painfully Hip » not much else left to live for now, The Simpsons and Linda E. are in Harper’s Bazaar
Painfully Hip » not much else left to live for now, The Simpsons and Linda E. are in Harper’s Bazaar
The Simpsons in Designer fashion goods compared with the actual outfits.
The Simpsons in Designer fashion goods compared with the actual outfits.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
In defense of dangerous ideas :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Other Views
In defense of dangerous ideas :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Other Views
The article is written by Steven Pinker, a Harvard psychologist and gifted author. This well-thought out paper argues for one to not conceal their socially dangerous ideas.
The article is written by Steven Pinker, a Harvard psychologist and gifted author. This well-thought out paper argues for one to not conceal their socially dangerous ideas.
'Discover Your Inner Economist' by Tyler Cowen-- New York Magazine Book Review
'Discover Your Inner Economist' by Tyler Cowen-- New York Magazine Book Review
Looks to be a great read. Definitely next after or somewhere in between the 50 other book I want to read.
Looks to be a great read. Definitely next after or somewhere in between the 50 other book I want to read.
Decline of the Dog - New York Times
Decline of the Dog - New York Times
Halal stands are everywhere around the city. Who know they were so sophisticated? This article tells of one run by the former sous-chef at the Russian Tea Room.
Halal stands are everywhere around the city. Who know they were so sophisticated? This article tells of one run by the former sous-chef at the Russian Tea Room.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Philosophy Now
Philosophy Now - Aristotle's Email - Or, Friendship In The Cyber Age
Interesting insight on the role of e-mail in friendships and relationships.
Interesting insight on the role of e-mail in friendships and relationships.
Message in a Bottle - Bottled Water - Luxury Water - Mineral Water
Message in a Bottle - Bottled Water - Luxury Water - Mineral Water
Some excerpts:
"At Whole Foods (NASDAQ:WFMI), the upscale emporium of the organic and exotic, bottled water is the number-one item by units sold."
"If you break out the single-serve plastic bottle as its own category, our consumption of bottled water grew a thousandfold between 1984 and 2005. (50% increase yoy)"
A well written article about the history of bottled water, its globalization effects by looking at Fiji water, and its ethical and consumer consequences.
Some excerpts:
"At Whole Foods (NASDAQ:WFMI), the upscale emporium of the organic and exotic, bottled water is the number-one item by units sold."
"If you break out the single-serve plastic bottle as its own category, our consumption of bottled water grew a thousandfold between 1984 and 2005. (50% increase yoy)"
A well written article about the history of bottled water, its globalization effects by looking at Fiji water, and its ethical and consumer consequences.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
We Feel Fine / by Jonathan Harris and Sepandar Kamvar
We Feel Fine / by Jonathan Harris and Sepandar Kamvar
Very cool, visually extravagant site which shows what people are feeling across the world. The program gathers this information from blogs and pictures identifying cases which contain the statement, "I feel...". Word of caution: a fast internet connection is needed. Definitely worth going to!
Very cool, visually extravagant site which shows what people are feeling across the world. The program gathers this information from blogs and pictures identifying cases which contain the statement, "I feel...". Word of caution: a fast internet connection is needed. Definitely worth going to!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Mickey Mouse Gas Mask
Mickey Mouse Gas Mask
I must have missed this next to the Mouse Ears and Turkey Legs at the Magic Kingdom
I must have missed this next to the Mouse Ears and Turkey Legs at the Magic Kingdom
YouTube - "Thriller" (original upload)
YouTube - "Thriller" (original upload)
Wow! This is so cool and reminds me of Antwerp, in a fun way. Who knew Philippine prison inmates were so talented!
Check out the MORE FROM THIS USER videos as well. This isn't the inmates only dance routine. These guys have got to do an American road show.
Wow! This is so cool and reminds me of Antwerp, in a fun way. Who knew Philippine prison inmates were so talented!
Check out the MORE FROM THIS USER videos as well. This isn't the inmates only dance routine. These guys have got to do an American road show.
YouTube - Is it OK to cite religion as a reason to deny gay rights?
YouTube - Is it OK to cite religion as a reason to deny gay rights?
A fantastic question from a Southern Baptist reverend. Really well thought out and perfectly executed.
A fantastic question from a Southern Baptist reverend. Really well thought out and perfectly executed.
YouTube - How do we get beyond empty promises for Darfur?
YouTube - How do we get beyond empty promises for Darfur?
If you're interested about the question then its worth watching the whole video. For those who want to see Anderson Cooper really pin down Sen. Clinton in forcing to make a concise non-politician like answer, skip to the last minute. Go Cooper!
If you're interested about the question then its worth watching the whole video. For those who want to see Anderson Cooper really pin down Sen. Clinton in forcing to make a concise non-politician like answer, skip to the last minute. Go Cooper!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Orthodox Paradox
Orthodox Paradox - NY Times
This article written by Harvard law professor Noah Feldman eloquently describes the ideology of modern orthodox Judaism. Great insights into how people try to live normally in a modern society while following antiquated religious laws.
It is interesting how people mend Talmudic and Biblical writings, conforming them to coincide with modern practices. There is a part in the article which talks about the story of creation in the book of Genesis. While Feldman was attending his Jewish high school, the school's rabbi commented on creationism and evolution. The rabbi did not deny evolution or scientific explanations of the creation of the universe but saw science's reasons in the Genesis's text. The text in Genesis, on the sixth day God created xxxx, was an allegory for the world's creation. The allegory was that one day is the poetic equivalent to millions of years.
What this is saying is that once science reveals certain truths about the world's past and nature, we find different meanings in the words of the Bible. In other words, as soon as something in the Bible is proven fallible followers just change their interpretations of the hard written book. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and styles but when you deny the lack of truth coming from one source (the Bible) and conform it to match stronger theories and still hold belief in that original source, there is a problem. Their should be a truth threshold which people should be willing to cross. Once previous ideas are challenged and proven false or inadequate one should then accept new more logical and rational ideas. This in other words is called learning or education.
Maybe I'm crazy but living my life based on a book written thousands of years ago on how one should tend to their livestock seems not of divine word but of some writer who was on a power trip.
More posts on this topic to come for sure, but must make use of my time and stop here!
This article written by Harvard law professor Noah Feldman eloquently describes the ideology of modern orthodox Judaism. Great insights into how people try to live normally in a modern society while following antiquated religious laws.
It is interesting how people mend Talmudic and Biblical writings, conforming them to coincide with modern practices. There is a part in the article which talks about the story of creation in the book of Genesis. While Feldman was attending his Jewish high school, the school's rabbi commented on creationism and evolution. The rabbi did not deny evolution or scientific explanations of the creation of the universe but saw science's reasons in the Genesis's text. The text in Genesis, on the sixth day God created xxxx, was an allegory for the world's creation. The allegory was that one day is the poetic equivalent to millions of years.
What this is saying is that once science reveals certain truths about the world's past and nature, we find different meanings in the words of the Bible. In other words, as soon as something in the Bible is proven fallible followers just change their interpretations of the hard written book. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and styles but when you deny the lack of truth coming from one source (the Bible) and conform it to match stronger theories and still hold belief in that original source, there is a problem. Their should be a truth threshold which people should be willing to cross. Once previous ideas are challenged and proven false or inadequate one should then accept new more logical and rational ideas. This in other words is called learning or education.
Maybe I'm crazy but living my life based on a book written thousands of years ago on how one should tend to their livestock seems not of divine word but of some writer who was on a power trip.
More posts on this topic to come for sure, but must make use of my time and stop here!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
One Pornsite Per OLPC? from Guardian Unlimited: Technology
One Pornsite Per OLPC? from Guardian Unlimited: Technology
The internet is for porn.
The internet is for porn.
Why you think the net was born? Porn, porn, porn.
The internet is for porn.
The internet is for porn.
Why you think the net was born? Porn, porn, porn.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Switch from Plastic to Cloth
This article seems to indicate that people care more about looking green than being green. While this was probably the case all along the stampeding frenzied masses queuing up at Whole Foods for a bag claiming that it is not a plastic bag is as ostensible of a statement to be made. All people have had the option to use cloth bags or reuse plastic bags for as long as they have been around. The bags are trendy and fashionable but the craze to obtain speaks to the momentum of the green phenomenon.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Assigment Zero
The new trend in gaining collective opinions and work from large groups of people is called crowdsourcing. Wikipedia is great example of this. While this may seem like the eventual fallout from James Surowiecki’s book The Wisdom of Crowds it is none the less rapidly creating a stir in all walks of life. Surowiecki also contributed to Assignment Zero.
Crowdsourcing can have many implications Yochai Benkler, an NYU professor an expert on the subject believes, “[This] new mode of production [using crowdsourcing] holds the potential to help address what he calls "the core political values of liberal societies—individual freedom, a more genuinely participatory political system, a critical culture, and social justice.”
A cool t-shirt website (which I've used) which leverages crowdsourcing is Threadless Tees. HERE is an article from Assignment Zero on them.
There is also an article in this week’s Fortune magazine on the review site, yelp.com. Yelp also takes advantage of crowdsourcing to create a site with reviews on restaurants, nightlife, shopping, spas, and etc. Look for yelp.com to explode in popularity.
Monday, July 16, 2007
A Survival Imperative for Space Colonization - New York Times
A Survival Imperative for Space Colonization - New York Times
Interesting article about making predictions
Interesting article about making predictions
The 7-11 Workout
This is an article by Brian Ashcroft. It can be found here.
Exercising is a problem for Tokyo gals. Manga club meetings and cram school fill up their free time, and there's no money for a gym membership after paying for cell phone bills and Pocky snacks. No wonder conbini fitness is hot. Taking its name from the Japanese word for convenience store, these health outlets offer coin-op workout stations for impulse exercising. The contraptions' foot pads churn up and down and back and forth at up to 1,560 times per minute. (One 500 yen coin — about $4.10 — buys 10 minutes.) Maintaining your balance while you shake supposedly has an aerobic effect, though users never break a sweat. "I love that I don't even have to change clothes," says 17-year-old Midori Nishioka as she bounces on a conbini machine in Osaka. And in case gals are worried about pervs ogling their jiggle, many of the clubs are ladies-only or feature privacy partitions.
This is a really cool idea. I think this is more of fad rather than a lasting concept. If these girls are in a city why not walk around for 10 minutes at a fast pace and save your 500 ¥? This seems like an extension of a video arcade, almost sprouting out of DDR and similar games.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Generation Insights
Two articles have spurred this blog post. Danah Boyd's Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace and The New York Observer's The New Victorians.
Both are great articles in looking into societal trends. Boyd's article will come across as conventional knowledge for many of us that grew up alongside with MySpace and Facebook as if they were our peers. But for an inspiring intellectual to publish the story validates our own thoughts and feelings on the two social networking sites.
The Observer article was more eye opening for myself and help put a name to different trends I have spotted. The New Victorians seem to be a sub-set of yuppies who really want to grow up earlier. No more acid dropping, drunk fueled sex nights, and crazy raves for these mid 20 year olds (Yes most people don't have that but an extreme comparison is always nice). This group of 20 somethings are quickly looking for that new piece at Williams-Sonoma and how many shades of khaki the Gap has.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Rescue Dawn
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Tonight I was lucky enough to catch Werner Herzog's newest film Rescue Dawn. The film is about a US Navy pilot, Dieter Dengler (played by Christian Bale) who becomes a POW during US military action in Viet Nam before the war begins. The movie is based on Dieter Dengler's account of events.The most impressive parts of this movie was the acting and directing.
Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, & Jeremy Davies all put on a spectacular performance. The driving force in the film was the fine acting. Each one of these actors played a POW. Every now and then we witness actors who put their bodies through tremendous physical stress to comply with characters they play. This movie is the prototype.
Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) is first introduced to us as a fit, in shape Navy pilot who is about to go out on a mission over Laos. Once shot down and captured in the POW camp, we witness Dangler's slow deterioration. His cheeks gradually start to thin until his cheek bones pop out as if they are on the verge of ripping through his flesh. His muscular Navy frame dwindle downs to skin and bones. This is balanced mostly by Eugene (Jeremy Davies) who is sickly looking throughout the entire film. The sacrifice these actors made, including Zahn, for this film is incredible.
Although no too familiar with Herzog's work (although I did sit through most of Fitzcarraldo) his superb directing was noticed and appreciated. Herzog takes you on a visual journey while encapsulating your emotions. There are parts where you become tied up in the movie you forget that this is a re-creation and not live events.
The surroundings of the POW camp reminds us of a tropical getaway yet we frequently are encountered with the fact that this is a place of horror and inhumanity. Herzog draws back the camera for beautiful landscapes of the area and then draws us back in to the bamboo huts holding the POWs.
The film reminded me of present day artsy Deer Hunter. I think Deer Hunter was a better film because there were deeper characters and stories. Rescuse Dawn is a film to see if you want to experience great acting and a visually beautiful depiction of horrific circumstances.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Big Quiz Thing
Tonight I went to the Big Quiz Thing, a quiz night at The Slipper Room (a bar in the LES). I met up with my cousin Sara before she headed off for Israel.I have been wanting to go to a bar quiz night ever since arriving in the city. Now I know it was for good reason. The night was a fun time. We paired up with 5 other people and had our team named, "...And in the lead." Great name. Some teams had extremely clever names such as "Gerrard Depar-dousche", "Enola Gay Agenda", "Adam Smith's Invisible Handjob."
I did fairly well in holding my own in coming up with correct answers. Being the youngest in the room, I was the least knowledgeable on the 80's music trivia. While my team did not win, all was not lost. At the game's midpoint our team was in 10th place out of 21 teams and we won a free bag of Teddy Grahams, mixed flavors! (YES!!). Our prize was a little sketchy since they were given to your in a brown paper bag. It felt like those bags of candy you'd get from houses on Halloween where the candy was wrapperless and your mom would be afraid that you had poisoned candy.
Our team finished solidly in 8th place. Not bad for an ad hoc team of mostly first time quizzers, myself included. I must highly recommend a quiz night for anyone who has the chance.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Live Earth
Yesterday, I went to Live Earth set in the American state that represents green living, New Jersey. For those who get internet (you are reading this) but live under a rock, Live Earth was the largest worldwide coordinated concert of over 150 artist spreading awareness about global warming. The number of concerned artists and people all over the world who helped put on this concert attests to the growing amount of support the green movement has.The acts were short and sweet. Musicians had 2o minutes to perform and give their own take on the climate crisis message. My favorite acts were the Dave Matthews Band, Kanye West, and Roger Waters.
Dave had a great set which appropriately included Don't Drink the Water. The 20/30 age set audience which made up most of the crowd took to DMB, reveling in the nostalgic college tunes of the sweet sounding South African.
Kanye did great energizing the audience with his clever wicked rhymes. He had a string orchestra with him which included 2 harps. At one point he ran from across the entire stage and then picking up on the rap song playing without skipping a beat. He sang his most of his hits and the crowd especially appreciated Gold Digger.
Roger Waters, member of Pink Floyd, put on the coolest set. Opening with video of the marching hammer army from The Wall help set the tone very quickly. The best was saved for Water's last song, Another Brick in the Wall. About 20 kids ran on stage Together we Stand Divided t-shirts to sing the chorus of the song. The song's highlight was the floating white pig balloon which went around Giants Stadium which looked as if it belonged in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
The Police finished up the concert ending with Message in a Bottle. The song featured 2 guest artists. Kanye performed a rap verse and John Mayer strapped on a guitar joinign the band (he must have been playing GH2) for the events last song. I'll send an SOS to the world being repeated dozens of times throughout the song made Message in a Bottle an appropriate and expected last song for a day full of messages which spoke those very words.
Monday, July 2, 2007
TRL
Wild, adolescent girls screaming amid flashing lights, tones of blue, and dozens of cameras surrounding. Put this in Times Square and you have MTV's Total Request Live. The use to be cool show (back in my day when Carson Daly was hosting) is now more of an advertising platform for whatever artist is releasing a new album or movie that week rather than a music video countdown show.The show used to seem cool to me when I was 13 or 14 and I can understand why. The show's concept seems more vain now or maybe that just has to do with aging and maturity. Being on the show was fun as hell even though my fellow interns and I were the only ones in the audience who could legally drive.
The guest on today's show (7/2/07) was T.I. aka T.I.P. He is a rapper from the south promoting his new album called T.I. vs T.I.P. Luckily, I know of T.I. and am a fan of some of his music. He put on two performances at TRL. His performances were carried with passion, thrilling the audience with each rhyme. He really is quite the performer and get an A+ in my book for giving everyone in the audience his album for free. Kudos & thanks to T.I.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Sicko
I recently saw The Upper West Side theatre, the only cinema in
Sicko condemns
The incentive of health insurance companies is to deny the most claims to its policy holders. The reason for this is very simple. Insurance companies, many of which found on the NYSE, can make the most money by denying the most people. The less money the insurance company has to pay out to claim holders the more money available to go towards the company’s bottom line and the higher the dividend payout will be for shareholders. The logic is simple enough to follow but the problem is that the classic corporate model is not appropriate when people’s well being are being compromised for a dollar. The incentive model should not reward health insurance employees for denying health care but should evoke their workers to do the opposite. Help more people get a raise!
For a doctor this makes sense because it’s the same here. The more people your local doctor can say, the more payments he receives from insurance companies. The difference here is that this doctor does not need to check with any health insurance companies about whether this patient will be insured. The doctor is allowed to treat the patient on the spot, no questions asked. Also this doctor is not working in a private office since all medical care is free, there are no private offices. So this doctor, who is a government worker, is not deterred by the socialist structure of the health care system and is able to help the maximum number of people.
I don’t remember the exact reason why that stood out to me so much since there are many fascinating facts revealed in the film but it really hit me. The dichotomy between the incentives between our health insurance agencies and health care system versus that of the British, French, or Cuban systems was a stark reality. While I don’t remember the film too vividly to clarify my argument made above, I still was inspired and pushed to support universal health care by Moore
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Even Stephven
For those of you who do not know, I am a devoted viewer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. Being back home in LI on Saturday night while doing laundry has led me to the inevitable browsing of Facebook and random websites. I came across this video of a recurring segment that use to run on The Daily Show when Stephen Colbert and Steven Carell were Senior Stephven Debate Correspondents (my own take on Daily show titles). This is by far one of the best segments to have run on the show, only parallel to This Week in God which was hosted by Stephen Colbert. It is amazing how both actors in this recurring segment now star in their own shows and movies. Watch a couple episodes of Even Stephven and This Week in God and see how funny these guys are!
Even Stephven link
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Evolution Schmevolution
Did you know that three Republicans running in the primaries for president attested to believing in creationism? This is appalling! The president of the
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Taryn Simon's An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar
I moved into NYC last Monday for an upcoming internship which starts tomorrow. Taking advantage of my new surroundings I visited many of the cities museums. The Met, Frick Collection, and most entertaining and visually stimulating the Whitney Museum.One exhibition currently being displayed at the Whitney is Taryn Simon's An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar (the link brings you to a site which has some of her pictures). The exhibit was a room housing about 15 photographs like the one featured here on the left. Some of the photographs contained easily identifiable objects but you did not know why Simon took that picture, like the Playboy cover on the left. Others leave the viewer unable to fulfill there confused state. This Playboy magazine picture was not the one used in the exhibit but it is close. Simon's Playboy's cover was much clearer and the magazine's cover was flat on the portrait, as if the cover was against the glass frame.
Simon attaches a small paragraph with each picture which makes everything clear. I could not find her exact words attached to this image but I tried to remember somewhat of how it went, with my own slant of course.
This is Playboy for the blind, Braille Playboy. It is distributed by the Library of Congress. Playboy magazine contains articles by Noam Chomsky, Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Clancy and interviews with Bob Dylan, Bill Gates, and Kevin Spacey.
I found this picture to be the most amusing but not all of her works is amusing, most of it is not.
The exhibit was extremely powerful and moving. When you view some of the other works (by following the link up top) it is evident that she is a gifted artist with the gift for creating messages with strong meanings.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Rape!!! Legal & Fun
Some victims of rape are located in the picture to the left. While traveling in Israel I was fortunate enough to come across an incredibly fun game that is appropriately, albeit taboo, named Rape. Requirements for the game are a near balance set of men and women and a cushiony surface.The game starts with all players sitting in a circle. Men are assigned letters of the alphabet and women numbers. The game begins with one willing participant who sits in the middle of the circle. In this instance a guy is sitting in the middle, let's call him Tom. Tom then calls out a number/letter combination, e.g. G13. The girl who is number 13 has to try and kiss the guy sitting in the middle of the circle, Tom. The guy who was assigned the letter G has to try and kiss Girl #13 before she can kiss Tom. In other words, Guy G has to try and rape (kiss) Girl #13 before Girl #13 can rape Tom. If Girl #13 rapes Tom before she gets kissed then she sits in the middle of the circle and the game repeats. The roles of the letter/number combination become switched when their is a girl in the middle. The guy tries to kiss the girl in the middle before the called out girl can rape him.
The game is fittingly called Rape because the game becomes rough, quickly. The game in action looks like a wrestling match with no rules where the winner is the one who can get a kiss off first.
The word rape is a very touchy word and the ideas and images associated with the word are heinous and disgusting. No argument there. I find rape to be one of the most vile acts of human beings. Having a game called Rape attests to the desensitization of language among my generation. I believe this is good. It increases the breadth of non-taboo subjects people can talk about. This allows us to share more ideas and feelings and consequently become mentally healthier, more knowledgeable, and build close bonds between people.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Shat On
For the first time in my life I got shit on by a bird. This is not a metaphor, I am not The novel experience of having this little white dot appear on my hand made me reflect on the fact, and yes it is a fact (at least in my book) that something new does happen everyday. Today amongst the many new things that will come my way the most significant will be the small relic from some tiny bird.
Cool Fact: The book the pigeon is reading is the A-Z guide for London. You can tell by the tube map and Underground symbol located on the back cover of the book.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Inner Confusion
Still in great remorse about the VT killings, I can't help but think about the value of a human's life. Whenever this question pops into my head, I think about Stalin's infamous quote (don't hold me to the wording), "One lost life is a tragedy. A million lost lives is a statistic." Mulling over the insensitivity of these words, how come I can actually agree with this and it feels disgusting. In addition to the number of deaths that occur, the proximity in which they happen also have a great affect on how personal one feels about it.This morning I came across this story, "Six Bombs kill 160 in Baghdad". Seeing this headline on any other day I would simply just think, how terrible but due to where it happened and the size of the killings it is impossible to fully understand the significance of the event. But with VT and the recency of the event I automatically compared the two.
The Tech shootings are a tragedy which I can easily feel my self connected to in which the event really hit me. Seeing 160 dead in Baghdad, it is hard feeling the same sadness for those in Iraq with the students and teachers in Blacksburg.
It would be impossible and a depressing life for one to feel the same sadness about all deaths and killing like those at Tech, but having these occasional, rare thoughts makes you think more about the world and all of us in it. It always brings up bitter emotion in myself when thoughts of comparisons of lives comes across my head. I try to invalidate those thoughts and try to imagine the neurons and synapses causing these ideas to stop and hopefully focus their attention on something else but thats just a distraction.
I don't feel the value of a human's life changes whether they are American, Iraqi, Chinese and most will agree with this. But having such strong emotions about a particular incident and then seeing a massacre across the world happen and just treat it like another news story puts things in an unenjoyable perspective.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
My Brother is OK
"My brother is ok. I appreciate everyone's concern and will update you on any information I get." This is an e-mail I received yesterday around 12:50pm.12:15 pm: I had just come back from my gen ed science class and was determined to start right away working on a Marketing research paper. I watched a little bit on CNBC while eating lunch before I started to write but they did not have any news on VT. As I am collecting and studying research for my paper I read the e-mail. Having no idea what my friend was speaking about I go to cnn.com, turn back on the TV, and see the horror unfold.
I could not believe what I saw. A massacre has taken place at Virginia Tech. First it was 21 dead, then 22 dead, 23 dead, and the number kept rising like watching mercury in a thermometer, you never knew at what point it was going to stop. I was stunned. The first glimpse of seeing that video and hearing the loud crack whip sound of gun shots echoing in Norris Hall had me held back in my seat barely able to comprehend what had happened. I never felt so connected to such a tragedy.
JMU while very different to Tech (as noted in an earlier post) also is very similar because of where the schools are. For Virginians, Tech and JMU are interchangeable schools where many high school students know that either one is a realistic future. The campuses of both schools are filled with Virginians because they are public state universities. Knowing how similar the places are made me feel as if this happened to JMU's brother not just another university. This hit me even closer having traveled down to Tech in early February for fraternity conclave. Seeing the buildings on tv, had me shaken in my seat.
It is hard to recall a moment that I can vividly remember where I felt sick, compassion, sad, scared, mortified, and shocked at the same time. That is the power of this event. 32 people murdered by the act of one person. Students and Professors who were going about bettering themselves, learning, had their lives taken away.
As the profiles as the victims pass on CNN, it is still hard to believe. They identified the shooter but that does not bring back those who were killed. Seeing the guy's picture and learning about him doesn't phase me at all. I don't care who he was. I don't want to know him. He doesn't deserve my time.
I'm not one to pray but may everyone's prayers go to those at Virginia Tech and their families and friends.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Bamgoogled
Long time no post. More than a month. Tisk, tisk to me but these past few weeks have been quite a spin. I finished another book or two/three, traveled to New Orleans for spring break, and have had interviews for summer internships.
My summer goal was to land an internship with one of the most exciting and fun companies, Google. The company is amazing. The world is familiar with their search engine but that is just a brush stroke in the painting that is Google. There is much more to Google than a good search engine. They are constantly creating new products and programs and improving on past creations. This blog is on a Google owned service. Just today I came across a new feature on Google Maps where they now have My Maps section where you can see an interactive geographical time line of an event. It's really cool, check it out.
Back to the interviews. I applied all over for internships but my wish was to be at Google. I knew Google was extremely selective in its hiring approach recruiting heavily from Ivy Leagues but my fingers were crossed. Incredibly (this cannot be stressed enough), I heard back from Google! Jumping up and down in my room an adrenaline rush overtook my body from the happiness derived from that email. To get a response for an internship position was thrilling. They say luck comes from hard work, this is an attestation to that. While I knew Google did not know how much of my time was involved with their products I had a feeling the more effort put into learning about the company the luckier I may be. After an e-mail screen and several phone interviews it was time to wait and see if I made the next cut. For several weeks my life was completely wrapped around my Gmail notifier waiting to see it turn blue and watch a pop up from Google appear. Unfortunately this never happened. After many days and nights filled with Google dreams, my anticipation of what may be was ended.
While it is disappointing not being able to live in Mountain View this summer I am still ecstatic that I made it that far. The experience is full of positives. At first I was devastated but looking back that was a irrational feeling where my emotions took control. Through my experiences, writing, and work I was able to accomplish something most people can ever say they thought about doing. I was able to learn first hand about several Google products from employees and getter a deeper understanding of the company. What more could I ask for? To borrow a Taoist saying, A 1000 mile journey starts with a first step. While I did not have much control on whether I would be able to take the first step it has happened and I will make the best of it. That first step is the hardest and it has brought me closer to the goal of working at Google.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
What ever happened to toothpaste?
My Aquafresh Extreme Clean toothpaste promises on the tube a Whitening Mint Experience. Sounds like a ride, better put on my seatbelt! The whole tube is filled with marketing euphemisms that provide little to no extra information to the user. Do I really need to know that I will get a mouth shower while brushing my teeth? There also is dynamic foaming action. Isn't that called brushing? I don't blame the marketers at Aquafresh for doing this succumbing to the overhead pressures from GlaxoSmithKline to make $$ but this takes it a step to far.
Another mouth freshening/cleaning products also takes part in the marketing wars of the most colorful way to describe product aspects. The big bluish green Listerine bottle standing next to my sink, in bold letters shouts out 24 HOUR protection. Ok, one morning swish of the bitter sourness taking hold of your mouth is worth a day's worth of protection. Incorrect! It's actually protects fro 12 hours, BUT if you swish 2x a day it will protect for 24 hours. I am not sure what is worst. Using over elaborate words such as micro foaming action to describe toothpaste or claiming something works for 24 hours after using more than once a day.
After a brief overview of the mouth cleaning related market I will offer a product.
A mouth revitalizing minty muscle enhancer.
Improves vital love skills.
Thoroughly cleans and filters all unwanted trappings in teeth while providing countless hours of pleasurable tongue & cheek fun.
or I'll just call it gum.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Beer Goggles Formula
I just read this article. Brilliant!
from: Julia Layton. "There's a mathematical formula for the "beer goggles" effect?". February 09, 2007 http://people.howstuffworks.com/beer-goggles.htm (February 21, 2007)
There's a mathematical formula for the "beer goggles" effect?
by Julia Layton
Introduction to There\'s a mathematical formula for the \"beer goggles\" effect?
February 9, 2007
Many of us have heard of the so-called "beer goggle" effect. It's the phenomenon that occurs when someone's had a few alcoholic drinks and suddenly, all of those people who looked semi-attractive on entering the bar look really, really appealing. Scientists have shown that it's not just a lowering of standards -- alcohol actually stimulates the part of the brain that judges facial attractiveness.
In 2002, researchers at St. Andrews University and Glasgow University in Scotland took 80 college students and had half of them drink a "moderate" amount of alcohol -- between one and four servings, depending on gender and body weight. The other half, the control group, remained sober. Scientists showed each subject pictures of people of the opposite sex. In all cases -- male and female alike -- the experimental (tipsy) group rated each picture an average of 25 percent more attractive than the sober group did.
The effect can reportedly be traced to the nucleus accumbens. When you're looking at another human being, the nucleus accumbens is the area of the brain that decides how attractive that human being's face is. If you look at, say, George Clooney or Angelina Jolie, this area of your brain probably experiences increased neural firing. In other words, it's stimulated. As it turns out, alcohol, all by itself, stimulates the nucleus accumbens. So when you've have a few drinks, and you look at a face you may have judged as unattractive when you were sober, your brain, under the influence of alcohol, tells you that this face is in fact somewhat attractive. And the increase in perceived attractive seems to be directly proportional to the amount of alcohol consumed.
In a more recent study, this one conducted by researchers at England's Manchester University in 2005, scientists actually came up with a mathematical formula to calculate the extent of the "beer goggle" effect on a given individual in a given situation. Their reasoning for creating this formula is that alcohol is not really the only factor affecting the drunken perception of beauty. Other factors, according to their research, include:
- How brightly lit the area is
- The observer's eye-sight quality
- The amount of smoke in the air
- The distance of the observer from the observed
The formula goes like this:
| β = | √L x (Vo)2 |
- where:
- An is the number of servings of alcohol
- S is the smokiness of the area on a scale of 0 - 10
- L is the lighting level of the area, measured in candelas per square meter, in which 150 is normal room lightning
- Vo is Snellen visual acuity, in which 6/6 is normal and 6/12 is the lower limit at which someone is able to drive
- d is the distance between the observer and the observed, measured in meters
The formula works out a "beer goggle" score ranging from 1 to 100+. When β = 1, the observer is perceiving the same degree of beauty he or she would perceive in a sober state. At 100+, everybody in the room is a perfect 10.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
IM. Something's Missing.
The idea from this post comes from this NY Times article. The article deals mostly with how people are ruder, more impolite, and use vulgar words more often when they are communicating online rather than in person. It briefly goes over how when we talk online there are no facial cues. There are emoticons but that's as effective as soda after eating a chili pepper. To go along with this there is that quote that 90% or some outrageous % of communication is non-verbal. If this is true then we must be missing something while talking online.
The most direct connection I made with this is instant messenging (IM). We use AIM so often to talk to our friends and family we assume so much of the non verbal communication that is happening. Right now as you are reading this you are probably speaking to one or many people online at the same time. Every message you send you make it fit your personality or the tone of the conversation. As you are typing your message, you can see yourself saying the words and what facial expressions you attach. The same goes for receiving. Your friend who just Im'd you attached there own facial expressions and non verbal communication devices to that message as well. It is amazing how we take this for granted.
We process every message we send or receive with specific non verbal cues which are not being received on the other side with great equality. How many times have you had to say online the obligatory "lol" or "j/k" since the person misunderstood your message? This probably happens more often than those times that are so obscene which you must include those message justifiers. When you are IMing with a close friend of yours you can pick up on what emotional meanings they have behind there words and can probably guess the other social cues they would be giving you along with that message. What about those times you speak online with people you don't know that well or never met (odd situation but stay with me)? We are using our past social interactions and online messenging to pull out what non verbal cues that person is trying to attach to there message. A more familiar situation would be having a conversation online with someone you know fairly well discussing a topic that you have never spoke about in person. Although you have more face-to-face experience with them you are still creating what cues are attached to there messages, still creating what facial expressions they would have said that with.
If anyone has an opinion on this post a comment.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Week in Review
If you have been reading any of these posts, one thing you would have picked up on is that I love College. This atmosphere, daily routines, and people make this time of my life amazing. This week another notch was added to this. I had a 1 day school week! Incredible as that sounds it is true. My week started off with 1 class on Monday & my only other class commitments were on Thursday, 2 of them to be precise. I know I went to class 2 days this week but Monday's class does not count. A great way to introduce my week. The freedom from commitments allowed me to accomplish lots of fun stuff which I finally got to attend to.
The Praise of Folly
I finally finished Erasmus' The Praise of Folly which I have been attempting to read for too long. I bought the book in Antwerp gives a little bit of my effort in finishing it. The book is translated from Old Dutch to an even foreign English version. It gets worst. Erasmus uses countless references to Greek, Roman, & Norse G-ds while satirizing and berating the 15th & 16th century church institution. The main idea I got out of the essay was that one should praise folly (as the title suggests). Wise men argue over thing which they not know about and refute books, passages, references, and other second hand material made by other purported wise men. The fool who basks in his folly and does not worry about the learned or others opinions enjoys life for what it is. The fool does not listen to the divine messenger at the pulpit or lend his time towards the arguments of professors and the wise, the fool guides himself on his own intuitions. The funny thing is for one to read the book you need to have a very good understanding of Roman and Greek mythology and other historical references. Erasmus was in a position to write this since he was Theologian among many other things, philosopher, writer, mathematician, etc. I would highly recommend the Cliff Notes for this book but not to read it unless you want a great challenge.
The Tao of Pooh
I have read one book twice in my life. This happens to be it. The Tao of Pooh teaches the basics of Taoism through the life of our favorite cuddly, wuddly bear Winnie-The-Pooh and all of the other creatures in the 100 acre woods. The book is a very easy read and equally enjoyable. If you were ever interested in Taoism this a definite book to pick up. You'll learn the ways of the Bisy Backson and what's the deal with Wu Wie, not Pooh's way but Wu Wei. I have put below the poem which a chapter is based on entitled Cottleston Pie which is wrtten by A.A. Milne who created Winne-The-Pooh.
'Cottleston Pie'Vagina, Vagina, Oh Where Art Thou Vagina?
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,
A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly.
Ask me a riddle and I reply
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,
Why does a chicken? I don't know why.
Ask me a riddle and I reply
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,
A fish can't whistle and neither can I.
Ask me a riddle and I reply
Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.
On Wednesday I saw the Vagina Monologues. I was aware that the play was about women empowerment through the vagina or coochie snorcher or the several other hundred names they quote throughout the play. The play has been around for a bit and I think it is important to see something that has had such an impact on society and pop culture. I liked the play, not fantastic but liked it. As you can understand a lot of the play I could not relate to, especially what it is like going to a gynecologist. The imagery was very vivid which helped but I can only imagine unless you have had you feet in cold, metal stirrups with duck lips laying around awaiting for the attack one can not receive the full effect of the show and I am glad for the fact that I cannot relate. The play had lots of ups and downs from very funny acts, to serious, and some troubling. Happy to see the play but I do not want to hear the word vagina used so often in 2 hours for a long time.
That's all for now
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