Sensational internet modern alt/funk/pop/prog group OK Go is back with a blast of nostalgia with a new release covering the theme to the old The Muppet Show. It's interesting since my 8-year-old daughter is the first person to show this to me the other day, and she never even saw an episode of The Muppet Show.
Sign of the times, I guess.
tagged: YouTube, Tuesday, music, OK Go, The Muppet Show
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Formsprings Eternal #2: Time may change me
Today's Formspring question asks me to look back in to the past.
But to be honest, I had a pretty good year.
Don't get me wrong. It was a crap year for a lot of people. I have some friends who lost jobs. There was some health problems for people around me, some friends lost loved ones. There's the fact that we're still at war despite everyone saying in public that there's no reason for it, and some people I care about had friends and brothers killed in what seems to be pointless fighting. The economy's still in shambles and, just to top thing off, it's been one of the hottest summers on record (I can't really back that last statement up with stats, tho).
In short, to paraphrase Chuck Dickens, it was a year like all other years.
But it makes me appreciate the good fortune I've had. I live in a nice neighborhood with a beautiful Supermodel Wife, two great kids, a house with a roof that doesn't leak. I dropped 35 pounds in the last 6 months and my cholesterol and blood pressure are both down to normal. My health is better than it has been in years.
So, I really can't say I would change anything personally.
Oh, wait. I just thought of something I would change. You remember when I bought that lottery ticket that would have paid out $300 million if I had won? Well, I'd change things so that I would have bought the winning ticket.
Yeah.
And I suppose a close second would be that the Japanese tsunami hadn't happened.
Got something on your mind? Something troubling you? Need a little compassionate input? A little constructive criticism? Well, that's what I'm here for. Plop your question in the text field at the left and hit the submit button. It's fun, it's easy, and if you're not careful, you might learn something.
tagged: Formspring, question, change, Charles Dickens, lottery, Japan, tsunami
If you could change one thing that happened last year what would it be?I suspect the submitter of this question meant something like "If you could change one thing that happened TO YOU last year…"
But to be honest, I had a pretty good year.
Don't get me wrong. It was a crap year for a lot of people. I have some friends who lost jobs. There was some health problems for people around me, some friends lost loved ones. There's the fact that we're still at war despite everyone saying in public that there's no reason for it, and some people I care about had friends and brothers killed in what seems to be pointless fighting. The economy's still in shambles and, just to top thing off, it's been one of the hottest summers on record (I can't really back that last statement up with stats, tho).
In short, to paraphrase Chuck Dickens, it was a year like all other years.
But it makes me appreciate the good fortune I've had. I live in a nice neighborhood with a beautiful Supermodel Wife, two great kids, a house with a roof that doesn't leak. I dropped 35 pounds in the last 6 months and my cholesterol and blood pressure are both down to normal. My health is better than it has been in years.
So, I really can't say I would change anything personally.
Oh, wait. I just thought of something I would change. You remember when I bought that lottery ticket that would have paid out $300 million if I had won? Well, I'd change things so that I would have bought the winning ticket.
Yeah.
And I suppose a close second would be that the Japanese tsunami hadn't happened.
Got something on your mind? Something troubling you? Need a little compassionate input? A little constructive criticism? Well, that's what I'm here for. Plop your question in the text field at the left and hit the submit button. It's fun, it's easy, and if you're not careful, you might learn something.
tagged: Formspring, question, change, Charles Dickens, lottery, Japan, tsunami
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
YouTube Tuesday: Bugnado
I'm no biologist, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night. And based upon that expertise, my theory is that the high flood waters in Missouri have created a fertile breeding ground for flying insects.
This brave videographer ventured out into the northwest Missouri wilderness one July evening to capture swarms of bugs flying into insectoid vortices which he termed "bugnados" and which totally give me the heebie and/or jeebies.
tagged: YouTube, Tuesday, video, Missouri, insects, bugs, wildlife, biology
This brave videographer ventured out into the northwest Missouri wilderness one July evening to capture swarms of bugs flying into insectoid vortices which he termed "bugnados" and which totally give me the heebie and/or jeebies.
tagged: YouTube, Tuesday, video, Missouri, insects, bugs, wildlife, biology
Thursday, August 11, 2011
As Seen in Kansas: The Western Home
One of the truths that I hold to be self-evident is that places aren't boring, people are.
As a life-long Kansan maybe that's just some kind of defense mechanism. But I've traveled a fair bit both domestically and abroad, and I find that no place it boring as long as you're curious.
Take, for example, the middle of nowhere.
It would be tempting to look at a flat, mostly blank spot on the map, such as Smith County, Kansas, (the entire population of which numbers fewer than the available parking spaces where I work) and conclude that there can't possibly be anything of interest there.
But with a good guide and sincere curiosity, I've found that even such places as these have interesting nuggets to yield. And, to steal a line from Bill Cosby, if you're not careful, you might learn something.
One of the nuggets of interest we checked out on our recent visit there was a small, ancient cabin in the woods.
The cabin, of basic construction and even more basic amenity, is notable for it's original occupant, Dr. Brewster Higley, né Brewster Martin Higley VI, a homesteader originally from Ohio.
Higley's primary claim to fame is a poem he wrote in 1873 after moving to the Kansas prairie and building cabin by a small creek. The poem was called The Western Home, and it so captured life on a pioneer homestead that it was set to music and became a popular folk song.
The Kansas Legislature adopted it as the official state song in 1947.
The cabin, as it stands today, in the midst of a wild cannabis grove near a wooded creek, has been reinforced with stone, cement and angle iron. There is also a gigantic circular saw blade that I'm pretty sure wasn't part of the original structure.
But much of the original log structure is still there. You can see axe marks in the wood and the rusty square nails from the era.
It's difficult to imagine being the original occupant of this house. Indeed, most people these day's have nicer garden sheds. I'm fairly certain that nobody today would be inspired to think of "home" given a life in these accommodations. The interior has barely room for a single mattress, let alone a queen sized bed. The "kitchen" consisted of a small, camp-sized wood-burning stove and the air conditioning was provided by half-inch gaps between the logs (though I assume these were patched when people were actually living here).
I guess it's possible that Dr. Higley's poem may have been more aspirational than inspirational — not so much an ode to his little hovel, more of a longing for something nicer. Still, it's impressive to consider the hardy folk like Dr. Higley (and perhaps more impressively, Mrs. Dr. Higley) who chose this lonely, primitive lifestyle in pursuit of their American dream.
tagged: Kansas, Smith County, Brewster Higley, cabin, Home on the Range, pioneer
As a life-long Kansan maybe that's just some kind of defense mechanism. But I've traveled a fair bit both domestically and abroad, and I find that no place it boring as long as you're curious.
Take, for example, the middle of nowhere.
It would be tempting to look at a flat, mostly blank spot on the map, such as Smith County, Kansas, (the entire population of which numbers fewer than the available parking spaces where I work) and conclude that there can't possibly be anything of interest there.
But with a good guide and sincere curiosity, I've found that even such places as these have interesting nuggets to yield. And, to steal a line from Bill Cosby, if you're not careful, you might learn something.
One of the nuggets of interest we checked out on our recent visit there was a small, ancient cabin in the woods.
The cabin, of basic construction and even more basic amenity, is notable for it's original occupant, Dr. Brewster Higley, né Brewster Martin Higley VI, a homesteader originally from Ohio.
Higley's primary claim to fame is a poem he wrote in 1873 after moving to the Kansas prairie and building cabin by a small creek. The poem was called The Western Home, and it so captured life on a pioneer homestead that it was set to music and became a popular folk song.
The Kansas Legislature adopted it as the official state song in 1947.
The cabin, as it stands today, in the midst of a wild cannabis grove near a wooded creek, has been reinforced with stone, cement and angle iron. There is also a gigantic circular saw blade that I'm pretty sure wasn't part of the original structure.
But much of the original log structure is still there. You can see axe marks in the wood and the rusty square nails from the era.
It's difficult to imagine being the original occupant of this house. Indeed, most people these day's have nicer garden sheds. I'm fairly certain that nobody today would be inspired to think of "home" given a life in these accommodations. The interior has barely room for a single mattress, let alone a queen sized bed. The "kitchen" consisted of a small, camp-sized wood-burning stove and the air conditioning was provided by half-inch gaps between the logs (though I assume these were patched when people were actually living here).
I guess it's possible that Dr. Higley's poem may have been more aspirational than inspirational — not so much an ode to his little hovel, more of a longing for something nicer. Still, it's impressive to consider the hardy folk like Dr. Higley (and perhaps more impressively, Mrs. Dr. Higley) who chose this lonely, primitive lifestyle in pursuit of their American dream.
tagged: Kansas, Smith County, Brewster Higley, cabin, Home on the Range, pioneer
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
YouTube Tuesday: I'm Yours
I'm not a huge Jason Mraz fan, in fact I'd say I'm not a fan of his at all. But I wanted to post this for you JM fans who were unable to get tickets to this weekend's Farm Aid concert at Livestrong Sporting Park in KCK.
This cover of his signature hit is pretty much just as good as the original.
tagged: YouTube, Tuesday, music, ukulele, Jason Mraz, cute, Farm Aid
This cover of his signature hit is pretty much just as good as the original.
tagged: YouTube, Tuesday, music, ukulele, Jason Mraz, cute, Farm Aid
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
YouTube Tuesday: Dante's Inferno in 10 minutes
Given the local temperatures around here lately caused by an infernal Heat Dome, I thought this brief synopsis of Dante's Inferno seemed apropos.
tagged: YouTube, Tuesday, literature, Dante, Inferno, Divine Comedy, heat
tagged: YouTube, Tuesday, literature, Dante, Inferno, Divine Comedy, heat
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Formsprings Eternal #1: Innie or Exie?
I remarked in a conversation the other day that I've reached the age when I can pretty much give you an answer to any question you ask.
Of course, I don't think my 8-year-old daughter realized that it might not be the right answer, or even a good answer. Then again, it's important to keep in mind the words of contemporary American philosopher Francis V. Zappa who wrote…
That said, since I put it out there that I'm now taking questions, my in-box has been flooded with inquires by the curious, the truth seekers, and the desperate. So today starts my effort to make good on my promise and work through the backlog.
Question 1: Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
You see, this is the kind of false dichotomy that is so common these days. Are you introvert or extrovert? Liberal or conservative? Mac or PC? Pale Ale or Unfiltered Wheat? I don't know if it's a symptom of our digital culture or just a byproduct of lazy education that has foregone the instruction of critical thinking.
But the short answer is that I don't think a person has to be either an introvert OR an extrovert. Obviously since I do a blog on the internet, I've got a pretty strong introverted side. But I also like to hang out and meet new people, talk about stuff I don't know much about, find out what interests others.
But as far as it goes, with all things being equal, I'm just as likely to hang out with the family on a Tuesday evening than go out an party. So, if I had to choose one, I'd say "introvert." But come on, get some nuance, man.
There's still plenty of time to get some advice from Yours Truly. Just jot down your question in the Ask Me Anything field up to the left, no... a little further... yeah right there. I promise I'll answer your question first.
tagged: Formspring, question, introvert, extrovert, logic, false dichotomy
Of course, I don't think my 8-year-old daughter realized that it might not be the right answer, or even a good answer. Then again, it's important to keep in mind the words of contemporary American philosopher Francis V. Zappa who wrote…
Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth.
That said, since I put it out there that I'm now taking questions, my in-box has been flooded with inquires by the curious, the truth seekers, and the desperate. So today starts my effort to make good on my promise and work through the backlog.
Question 1: Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
You see, this is the kind of false dichotomy that is so common these days. Are you introvert or extrovert? Liberal or conservative? Mac or PC? Pale Ale or Unfiltered Wheat? I don't know if it's a symptom of our digital culture or just a byproduct of lazy education that has foregone the instruction of critical thinking.
But the short answer is that I don't think a person has to be either an introvert OR an extrovert. Obviously since I do a blog on the internet, I've got a pretty strong introverted side. But I also like to hang out and meet new people, talk about stuff I don't know much about, find out what interests others.
But as far as it goes, with all things being equal, I'm just as likely to hang out with the family on a Tuesday evening than go out an party. So, if I had to choose one, I'd say "introvert." But come on, get some nuance, man.
There's still plenty of time to get some advice from Yours Truly. Just jot down your question in the Ask Me Anything field up to the left, no... a little further... yeah right there. I promise I'll answer your question first.
tagged: Formspring, question, introvert, extrovert, logic, false dichotomy
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
YouTube Tuesday: Echos of unseen objects
Friday, July 15, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Don't know much about history…
Say what you will about the new Netflix pricing changes/fiasco, they still have some really good, not to mention educational, video content.
The other night I logged in through our Wii to watch a fascinating documentary about ancient Persia. And while I still believe our civilization is accelerating downward and that my kids will probably be the last generation to truly benefit from the heights we've reached, these heights are really impressive.
The shear amount of information and analysis that is at our fingertips is mind boggling. Just a few watts of power and a half dozen click was enough to bring up an extensive 2-hour program about a little known chapter in the long history of ancient Persia.
The documentary, narrated by Hollywood's hunky Jake Gyllenhaal, told the story about a Persian king and his efforts to keep his family together, build a dynasty and thwart schemes and coup attempts by those who would usurp his throne.
This fascinating history isn't something we covered in World History back in high school.
At the center of the king's efforts to maintain control of his empire was a magical dagger that could give its wielder control over the flow of time itself!
Needless to say, I was blown away by the amazing historical account and by the fact that very few people in our increasingly superficial country are even aware of these events.
But what blew me away even more was the revelation that people in ancient Persia spoke a language and dialect that sounds almost exactly like English spoken with a fake British accent.
The other night I logged in through our Wii to watch a fascinating documentary about ancient Persia. And while I still believe our civilization is accelerating downward and that my kids will probably be the last generation to truly benefit from the heights we've reached, these heights are really impressive.
The shear amount of information and analysis that is at our fingertips is mind boggling. Just a few watts of power and a half dozen click was enough to bring up an extensive 2-hour program about a little known chapter in the long history of ancient Persia.
The documentary, narrated by Hollywood's hunky Jake Gyllenhaal, told the story about a Persian king and his efforts to keep his family together, build a dynasty and thwart schemes and coup attempts by those who would usurp his throne.
This fascinating history isn't something we covered in World History back in high school.
At the center of the king's efforts to maintain control of his empire was a magical dagger that could give its wielder control over the flow of time itself!
Needless to say, I was blown away by the amazing historical account and by the fact that very few people in our increasingly superficial country are even aware of these events.
But what blew me away even more was the revelation that people in ancient Persia spoke a language and dialect that sounds almost exactly like English spoken with a fake British accent.
I know what you're thinking, you would expect a Persian accent, or maybe something that sounded like a Greek accent or something. But no, it's a British accent that all the ancient people seem to have.
Amazingly, it's the same dialect that was spoken by Senators, Legionaries and gladiators during the Ancient Roman empire and by the Pharaohs and Jewish leaders of the Ancient Egyptian dynasties.
I tell you, the more I learn about history, the more amazing it is.
tagged: Netflix, movie, Prince of Persia, history, Gladiator, Egypt, Jake Gyllenhaal
Amazingly, it's the same dialect that was spoken by Senators, Legionaries and gladiators during the Ancient Roman empire and by the Pharaohs and Jewish leaders of the Ancient Egyptian dynasties.I tell you, the more I learn about history, the more amazing it is.
tagged: Netflix, movie, Prince of Persia, history, Gladiator, Egypt, Jake Gyllenhaal
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