My $.02: August 2005

When the levee breaks

Hopefully we can all reach out and help.

New Orleans in Peril - New York Times [email reg. req'd]

Much ado about nothing. I love Flickr, but these people harping on Yahoo! really need to pull their head out. There's no such thing asa free lunch poeple, even when measured in "dot-com metrics/valuations - new economy" ways...

Wired News: Flickr Fans to Yahoo: Flick Off!

Good wine at a great price

I've tried most of the varietals from these brands, and agree that they deliver consistency and value.

BEST BUDGET BRANDS / Our 10 favorites deliver consistent quality and value for $15 or less

Ja Man, Play the Floyd

Sounds "interesting"...
Kind of a "Dread Zeppelin" approach to covering classic rock...

Kansas City Star 08/23/2005 A sublime meeting of Floyd, reggae

Slow News Day - Pt. 2

'Idol' Bo Bice Recovering After Surgery - Yahoo! News

Welcome "1984"

"Face crime" deterrent? Anyone? Anyone?

On the plus side, your cell phone will now work on a majority of the subway platforms.

NYC Transit Agency Unveils Security Plan - Yahoo! News

Slow News Day - Pt. 1

You can tell when most of Washington is out of town as this story is getting way too much attention. This guy's got zero credibility either as a political commentator or as a minister. Indeed, who would Jesus assassinate? See you in hell Pat.

U.S. evangelist calls for assassination of Chavez - Yahoo! News

Mac Rumors: iTunes Motorola Phone Manual and Photo

Looks like it's finally going to hit the market....

Mac Rumors: iTunes Motorola Phone Manual and Photo

Lawrence Phillips - The Tragedy

This guy was so talented, but so messed up. Just a sad, sad story about a guy who never got the help or direction he obviously needs.

USATODAY.com - No coach ever solved Lawrence Phillips

Losing Streaks and iPods

Thankfully, the Royals ended their losing streak at 19 in-a-row. But it was way friggin' UGLY getting to 19 losses!!

Freakonomics: What do the Kansas City Royals and my iPod have in common

Defying Syrian Authorities with a Camera Lens

Great story about how photography can be used as an influencer towards Democracy.

NPR : Defying Syrian Authorities with a Camera Lens

Evolution Debate Series - NY Times

"The point of science is to discover how natural processes work. Moreover, ID theorists have failed to show calculations that can convincingly differentiate a designed object from a naturally occuring one."

Amen.

In Explaining Life's Complexity, Darwinists and Doubters Clash - New York Times

Booze at Wally-World

It will be interesting to see what effect Wal-Mart(WMT) will have on liquor stores/merchants. I think WMT has pretty much squeezed all efficiencies out of their suppliers, so new merchandise categories seem to be the way to keep top-line revenue growing. And really, what's the big "moral issue" here. Last time I checked, Wally-world already sells cigarettes and guns in their stores, so get it over it, is what I say to Lee Scott and the rest of the moral selling police in Bentonville...

WSJ.com - A Sober Wal-Mart Launches Drive Into Tricky Area: Liquor

The Importance of Husker Football

It's August again. Time for all things to turn fully towards Nebraska football. It's religion and stays with you forever. I didn't go to UNL but that doesn't mean I don't still follow the team even living in the next state south of Neb.

‘Forever Red' reminds us why we are Husker football fans - Lincoln Journal Star

The Gloves Come Off

Another dead-on commentary from Mr. Cringely regarding the lunacy of my chosen field of employment...

PBS | I, Cringely . August 11, 2005 - The Gloves Come Off

Beer Coasters - a photoset on Flickr

Learing to love the Bill of Rights

Man cited for size of profane sign, not the message. You gotta love the 1st Amendment.

Pasco: Hudson man cited for size of profane sign

Piggy Bank -- Or House Of Cards?

As downpayments shrink sharply, highly leveraged homebuyers may be in for a fall
Piggy Bank -- Or House Of Cards?

A BROKEN RECORD

ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE,
ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE, ROYALS LOSE

Nothing like a 13 game losing streak to kick off the Chiefs football season around here....

iPod Video - The Silent Film Era : Gizmodo

Hack your 3G or older iPod to play black & white videos. Why? Why not...

iPod Video - The Silent Film Era : Gizmodo

Brad and Angelina Go Public Again! - Plus, Jessica Simpson's deflating butt and more from this week's gossip magazines

Since it's Friday a summary of what's been in the tabloids. Screw all this serious stuff like $66/barrel oil and troops dying in Iraq stuff.

Brad and Angelina Go Public Again! - Plus, Jessica Simpson's deflating butt and more from this week's gossip magazines.

Vote for me because ... uh, where's page 10?

Way to stay on message.

New York Daily News - Politics - Vote for me because ... uh, where's page 10?

Rogue's Gallery

Handy-dandy reference of who's serving time and what for.

WSJ.com - WorldCom: Keeping Track

Congress - The Other White Meat

"Hundreds of millions of dollars will be channeled to programs that critics say have nothing to do with improving congestion or efficiency: $2.3 million for the beautification of the Ronald Reagan Freeway in California; $6 million for graffiti elimination in New York; nearly $4 million on the National Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio, and the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich.; $2.4 million on a Red River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Louisiana; and $1.2 million to install lighting and steps and to equip an interpretative facility at the Blue Ridge Music Center, to name a few."

Road Bill Reflects The Power Of Pork - Washington Post

A Million Skittles

In case you were wondering what it looks like...

Taken last weekend at the Magic House Children's Museum in St. Louis, MO

Kansas Summer Sky

Taken along I-70 in the Flint Hills area doing about 75 mph. I was not driving in case you were wondering ;-)

Almost barefoot

"The challenge was to translate that barefoot experience, which promotes good biomechanics for runners, to a shoe. After all, that's not what most running shoes are designed for. "

(Not recommended for the severe over-pronator.) I'm not willing to give-up my Asics GT-2050 just yet. We'll see though...
Wired News: Nike Makes Barefoot Breakthrough

A $50 Million Price Tag, and Still a Fixer-Upper?

Lenny Kravitz is rumored to be interested in purchasing. I knew Lenny was doing OK, but $50mil? That's some serious change, my brother...

A $50 Million Price Tag, and Still a Fixer-Upper? - New York Times

Make up your mind dude

PCmag.com columnist & tech-industry wonk, John Dvorak, appears to be either:
a) schitzo
b) bi-polar
c) desperate for readership
d) all of the above

See for yourselves..

Opinion Column by PC Magazine: Windows Vista: Where's the Buzz?
Opinion Column by PC Magazine: Apple on the Brink

The Onion | Bush Vows To Eliminate U.S. Dependence On Oil By 4920

I'd be surprised if we make it by then - very funny nevertheless...

The Onion | Bush Vows To Eliminate U.S. Dependence On Oil By 4920

behind the poster

"The Trikilis brothers created the world's best-selling poster (Farrah Fawcett). It almost destroyed them."

clevescene.com | News | Touched by an Angel | 2005-08-03

WSJ.com - The Ghost of Netscape

"Ten years later, what can we say about Netscape's IPO? Was it to Nasdaq as Mrs. O'Leary's cow was to the history of Chicago -- a bit actor touching off a great blaze with grave economic consequences? (Like the cow, Netscape the company is no longer with us.) Or did Netscape's Web browser alter the world in thrilling and still unforeseen ways? The answer is yes -- on both counts."

WSJ.com - The Ghost of Netscape

Big Men Stretching - Quarterbacks who do yoga and the journalists who love them.

Jazz Master's Final Chord

A true low-key/behind-the-scenes musical great. God's speed Keter.

Jazz Master's Final Chord - Washington Post

The Christian Paradox (kottke.org)

Great article. Pretty much nails my issues with this trendy neo-con/evangelical/republican movement towards politics. Their actions rarely emulate the true teachings of Christ. And by actions, I mean their treatment of fellow human beings as modeled by Jesus. (e.g., Not hating or excluding certain classes or lifestyle orientations, etc.)

The Christian Paradox (kottke.org)

Jerry Garcia: The Man, the Myth, the Area Rug

Lunchbox & thermos to follow. Who let Col. Tom Parker into "the Vault"?

Jerry Garcia: The Man, the Myth, the Area Rug - New York Times

The Big Ad

One of the best commercials you'll never see.

This Blog Sits at the: Great creative

SWAPATORIUM: Looking For Love in All the Wrong Places

Collection of 70's-era photos with an Urban Cowboy feel....

SWAPATORIUM: Looking For Love in All the Wrong Places

Golf in the Land of the Midnight Tee Time

"From May 23 through July 24, the sun doesn't set at all on Hov, 95 miles above the Arctic Circle in the Lofoten islands of Norway, so golfers can hit the Lofoten Golf Links around the clock. And they do. Green fees cover as much golf as you can play in eight hours. It's said that a golfer can complete 16 rounds in 24 hours."

Golf in the Land of the Midnight Tee Time - New York Times [email reg. req'd]

iBook G4 Benchmarks: New models fare well

Macworld: News: iBook G4 Benchmarks: New models fare well

U2's City of Blinding Lights

"12,000 daisy-chained LEDs. Spycams controlled by a PlayStation. The Vertigo tour is a monster concert machine - and the ultimate rock-and-roll R&D lab." Rock on...

Wired 13.08: U2's City of Blinding Lights

Unfortunate Childrens Books - a photoset on Flickr

"A project to catalog the most unfortunate books for children that he can find in a public school library "

What can I say, it's a Flickr kind of day....

Unfortunate Childrens Books - a photoset on Flickr

From Netscape to the Next Big Thing

To mark the 10th anniversary of Netscape's IPO, a discussion around what is the "Next Big Thing" on the Internet.

From Netscape to the Next Big Thing - New York Times [email reg. req'd]

Flickr - Post-it Notes

Post-it Notes used to create "pixels" in a Bergdorf-Goodman window display. Thanks Jason!

DSC02391 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Can Google Stay Google?

Fast Company > Can Google Stay Google?

Flickr: The Photo Mosaics Pool

Very cool. Love the flickr-thingy...

Flickr: The Photo Mosaics Pool

Wake up George

One could make the argument Dubya's been asleep since he took office. But I digress...

slate.com > The Waking of the President - Who decides when to rouse the commander in chief?

Vacationing Bush Poised to Set a Record

"The August getaway is Bush's 49th trip to his cherished ranch since taking office and the 319th day that Bush has spent, entirely or partially, in Crawford -- nearly 20 percent of his presidency to date, according to Mark Knoller, a CBS Radio reporter known for keeping better records of the president's travel than the White House itself. Weekends and holidays at Camp David or at his parents' compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, bump up the proportion of Bush's time away from Washington even further."

Thanks to Greg for the link.

WashingtonPost.com - Vacationing Bush Poised to Set a Record