Tune of the Week

http://tinyurl... my tune of the week. (mp3 file)

[This is a cross-post from http://notehead.blogspot.com/]

The Week(s) in Review

My summer weeks in review are not really a week long I’m noticing. Oh, well.

1. The Disability Community Unites Against Michael Savage's Remarks on Autism Petition : [ powered by iPetitions.com ]

A petition to sign against the hate of Michael Savage.

2. Network Defends Dr. Savage

This man has freedom of speech. Does that mean he can misinform? To me a network that does not take action against such comments is tacitly agreeing with them. Therefore I’m not going to listen to this network.

3. For many, digital switch brings in 'can’t-see TV’

Oh great!

4. Children with autism called ‘brats,’ and nobody blinks: The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore.

Sad... there hasn't been the type of outrage.

5. Slashdot | The Death of Nearly All Software Patents?

Has anyone else seen this?

6. wcco.com - New Coleman Ad Takes Personal Swipes At Franken

Ole' Norm--so he thinks it is negative to associate him with George W Bush? Well! That's a fact--look at his voting record. Of course that's the purpose hear--misdirection!

7. S.F. mayor secretly negotiates safe release of captive password | Good Morning Silicon Valley

Control freak or protector of the city's infrastructure?

8. Playbill News: Fergie Will Join Cast of Marshall-Directed "Nine" Film

This movie just sounds like it is going to be great. I can definitely see Fergie as Saraghina! (Be Italian!!!)

9. Unrepentant on Facebook? Expect jail time - CNN.com

Guy charged in drunken driving crash goes to party as "Jail Bird" 2 weeks later. The Facebook pictures were used an evidence. See--social networking at work!

10. Bush, Maliki Agree on 'Time Horizon' for U.S. Troop Withdrawals - washingtonpost.com

So if they call it a "Time Horizon" it makes it sound better?

11. Steve Young: A Savage Betrayal Of Humanity: Radio Host Michael Savage Says Autistic Kids Aren't Sick..."Just Brats"

I've never listened to Mr. Savage, and now I never will.

12. Maybe the password is “d1sgruntl3d” | Good Morning Silicon Valley

edit / delete

13. San Francisco Admin Charged With Hijacking City's Network | Threat Level from Wired.com

So what is he trying to hide by not giving out the password? Does he have a gripe with the city and this is his way of getting back?

14. Indictment: 'God wants me to destroy the judge,' tax protester said

And a former police officer was involved too! What an extreme case of "With Jesus on my side, how can I be wrong?"

15. Online grocer SimonDelivers to shut down

The gas companies get rich--the rest of us suffer. This was a really great service.

16. School Placements and Parental Rights

In Britain a Local Education Authority tries to force child into school placement because of "right price tag."

17. MPR: Classical Notes: Suing Over Bad Reviews

Wow! Talk about thinned-skinned.

18. At Kodak, Some Old Things Are New Again - New York Times

An interesting lesson in not becoming too attached to any one technology. Part of the reason I keep a portable typewriter in my office to remind me how things can change.

19. It's Funny How Humor Is So Ticklish - washingtonpost.com

Interesting article--"Call it the attack of the Jonathan Swiftboaters."

20. Joe Carter and the Legacy of the African-American Spiritual [Speaking of Faith® from American Public Media]

Wow--this guy has a great voice! The songs are beautiful and his stories of the songs and their context are excellent.

21. Music - Billy Joel Brings a Long Island Attitude to Shea’s Goodbye Concert - NYTimes.com

This was the music that first got me interested in composition--along with Bernstein and Sondheim.

22. Library budget ax falls on INFORM | Twin Cities Daily Planet | Minneapolis - St. Paul

I don't know much about INFORM, but if it doesn't cover its costs in this web centric age, I can understand why it is being considered. However, you feel sorry for the people who staff it.

23. BBC NEWS | UK | Bishop 'ready to defect to Rome'

All this fighting over such a simple thing. I believe the gender of a priest does not matter. Simple as that.

24. An Evolving Understanding: New Study About Autism Genes

Interesting study--can the genes be turned back on?

25. The Associated Press: Rove ignores subpoena, refuses to testify on Hill

Rove thinks he is above the law.

26. As new bridge takes shape, let's not forget fate of the old

The lesson is clear: Politicians are quicker to spend money to cover their embarrassment than to ensure public safety. ...let's recall just how cheap we used to be, before 13 died on Aug. 1, 2007. How cheap were we?

27. Fewer students, fewer dollars – blame the charters? | Twin Cities Daily Planet | Minneapolis - St. Paul

Interesting points about relocations and the busing of students to front doors.

28. Tan Dun - Profile - Classical Music - Opera - Motion Pictures - China - New York Times

Some really interesting things to think about.

29. Peter Mark Roget, the Keeper (See: Steward, Caretaker) of Synonyms - New York Times

"The Man Who Made Lists"--anyone who understands autism will understand what this means.

The demise of Midtown Plaza, Rochester, NY

Midtown Plaza (Rochester, NY) is closing and then going to be torn down. Here's a a video about it:



If you ever spent any time in downtown Rochester, NY you had heard or seen the Clock of Nations and the Christmas display. Going to school at Eastman it was the place to go to get lunch away from the school and the practice rooms. I still hold a place in my heart from a Rubino Sub from their location in the food court--which I believe closed a few years back.

Heavy Metal Monk... Rock on, man!

The power of music:

The Week(s) in Review

My week(s) in review: I missed last week, so here is a double dose.

· Fake priest infiltrates St. Peter's - CNN.com

Wow, this must be a really slow news day. There are so little facts given in this story. It probably happened, but it is not news worthy of the front page of CCN website.

· Jason Burnett, Bush Official Who Just Resigned, To Aid Obama - Politics on The Huffington Post

· Op-Ed Columnist - Wall-E for President - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com

· Construction workers cross river as bridge nears end

· CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Obama insists he’s ‘been very consistent’ on Iraq « - Blogs from CNN.com

He's been consistent. This is just a ploy from his opposition.

· Court sides with church on its ban of autistic teen

Robertson pointed to part of state law that defines harassment as: "repeated incidents of intrusive or unwanted acts, words, or gestures that have a substantial adverse effect ... on the safety, security, or privacy of another."

· Judge OKs keeping autistic Minn. boy from church

· Judge: Disruptive autistic teen can be barred from church

· wcco.com - Judge Upholds Church's Order Against Autistic Boy

This is just sad—and sad to see the responses in the comments on the Star Tribune about this. For me I guess I am more inclined to believe Carol Race and to think some of this is being blown out of proportion. Many point to the video hook up in the basement as being a solution. It is not. In that case Adam Race can stay at home and watch a service on TV.

I remind myself I am not at this church and I don’t personally know these people. What I do know is that I was once involved in my Catholic church. Since having children with autism I am less involved and it is directly related to how the church as a whole has dealt with our family’s special needs. I had the naive belief that of all the public institutions that we deal with the church would be the easiest because they would want to help. For us the church was the toughest. I was wrong. This has not changed my belief in God, but it has changed my approach to church.

· Obama Wants to Expand Role of Religious Groups - NYTimes.com

“Mr. Obama made clear, however, that he would work to ensure that charitable groups receiving government funds be carefully monitored to prevent them from using the money to proselytize...”

· The push for conformity shoves away parishioners

Ironic that the "precious metal" chalices were stolen from the Bishop's residence. (see http://tinyurl.com/6qezao)

· Some sacred loot found in box in archbishop's bedroom

· WWdN: In Exile: the pretty white ships that i've been dreaming of

Good advice to remember: Your "best" will vary from time to time.

· CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Bush heckled during July 4 speech « - Blogs from CNN.com

· Commercial Property

The theater in my home town is up for sale ($50,000). Hmmmm....

But not seriously. I was emailing with another person from my hometown who told me the place has been sub-divided into apartments. Also the building is in really bad shape. (Hence the price.)

I have never understood why my home town of cannot support a movie theater of some kind since we have a state university—tons of customers.

· The Day The Beatles Fled Imelda Marcos | Listening Post from Wired.com

I had never heard about this one.

· Va. Bishop Apologizes Over Girl's Abortion - washingtonpost.com

· One vote: Going once, going twice, charged!

This kid should know better. My liberal bleeding heart thinks he needs to be taught a lesson.

· Jesse Helms, Conservative Force in the Senate, Dies at 86 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com

I didn't know that he and his wife had adopted a disabled child.

That still doesn't excuse the hate that he spread.

· Thwarted « The Traveling Monkey

· shawleyphoto.com - look, click and share

My friend took these pictures. Wow--it is so cool. Goodbye coal plant.

· Assessing Jeune Leune

Interesting article. I'm reading all this and somehow my mind is wandering to the breakup of the Beatles. I've seen beautiful work at the Jeune Leune. I've seen work I didn't connect with. Selfishly, I hope the artists stay in the Twin Cities. After all the rumors of the infighting perhaps it is best to go in separate directions. I hope we don’t lose the stage. I was OK (for the most part) with seeing the old Guthrie go because it was such an old shape and size—no other company in town would really use it. But the Jeune Leune building could be used by a number of companies.

· Doctor: 'It's amazing' autistic man survived for seven days

Wow! This is such good news.

· McCain attacks Obama for opting out of public financing - CNN.com

"They like the idea of financing campaigns through small contributions from a lot of individual contributors, which is what Obama has done,"

Wasn’t this a flip-flop on McCain’s part? Didn’t he say something about not taking public financing, but is doing it anyway?

· The Love Guru - Movie - Review - The New York Times

“...by the time Guru Pitka (Mr. Myers) says “Mariska Hargitay” to Ms. Hargitay herself, it’s somehow less amusing than it should be. Which might sum up “The Love Guru” in its entirety…”

It’s a pity. I think Mike Myers can be really funny—but I had NO interest to begin with to see this movie.

· Roadguy » Blog Archive » The new 35W bridge: An inside look (literally)

This is a really fun set of pictures from the new 35W bridge construction site. The bridge is going up so fast. Last time I drove by the site they almost had one side half way over the river.

· McCain wants to lift ban on offshore drilling - CNN.com

McCain, the next Bush president? It would be just more of the same.

Obama, Obama, Obama!

· MinnPost - Franken shouldn't have to apologize for his past satire or 'bad' words

I agreed with the headline. And the thesis that this attack mode is based on the opposition thinking that the public is stupid.

· MinnPost - Enleiten: A social 'getting things done' system

What is this? Must read. (In high school my answer to any question about whether or not I was working on something was "I'm organized!") I took a look at the website. I may try this out.

· MinnPost - Norm and Jesse: together again?

Oh no... not again... (However, I did prefer his DHS policies over Pawlenty's)

· Bishop orders gay priest 'wedding' inquiry - CNN.com

When does Lambeth begin?

· Dispatch: We are Pennsylvania, hear us roar

But like most people I know from Pennsylvania, he left. (Although he does come back on weekends.) (I'm catching up on my reading)

· The Thinkers: Theologian's mission is to interpret violence in the Bible

"And while that seems plain enough, early interpreters and the Bible itself raise a lot of questions about how literal the meaning of the passage is."

Ahh, we are back at figurative vs. literal.

Down she comes...

While we were on summer vacation the big smoke stack at the St. Paul power plant came down. Here is some video of it from "The Uptake"