Gennaulapedia

Book review: Mistress of the Vatican. Meh.

2011-09-10T12:53:00.001-05:00

Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope by Eleanor Herman

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

How could I not be attracted to a book about a "Papessa" (lady pope)? The writing is a bit breathless and I question whether some of the conclusions are just extrapolitions. But this is basically "Pulp Fiction" of the 17th Century Vatican. Can't really recommend it much though.

View all my reviews

Flock no more...

2010-05-05T18:55:00.001-05:00

I fare thee well, Flock. Thy startup time is doth too great! I will sigh no more, sigh no more while I await a usable page. I return to Firefox (loaded with a few choice add-ons.)

Flock Browser - The Social Web Browser

Good Friday

2010-04-02T10:27:00.003-05:00

Eli Eli lama sabachthani? ("My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?", Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34).

This to me is one of the most powerful statements that Jesus ever said. We've all had times when we feel completely alone--times when the entire world seems to have fallen on top of us. As a believer it comforts me that God understands this--that Jesus experienced it first hand.

All Saints Day

2009-11-01T10:39:00.003-06:00

Last night I was speaking with Wendy about a family we met years ago at an Autism Parents' Group. Like us they had 2 sons with autism. During the course of our conversation the mother made a comment about our sons and their sons which have stayed with me for years: “The boys: they are a blessing to each other.”

This morning Wendy saw in the obituaries that one of their sons had died on Friday. Your heart just breaks for the family. We don’t know any of the circumstances. At one point one of our boys was in the same classroom as the boy who died, but it has been awhile. Our lives went in different directions.

We are praying for the family and living in the belief that the boy is enjoying the light of the face of God.

Abercrombie & Fitch fined in MOA discrimination case | StarTribune.com

2009-09-08T22:48:00.002-05:00

"The hefty penalty from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights pleased the Maxson family of Apple Valley, which was forced to push hard for satisfaction after the retailing giant refused to apologize for the incident and even questioned whether the girl was disabled."

Abercrombie & Fitch fined in MOA discrimination case | StarTribune.com

What gets me the most is that the company questioned the girl's diagnosis--even though she was diagnosed when she was 2 years old. Abercrombie & Finch even "subject[ed] the girl to an interview with a forensic psychologist."

Wow--what wonderful customer service.

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Citizenship in a Republic - Wikisource

2009-09-07T08:37:00.001-05:00

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." -- Theodore Roosevelt

Citizenship in a Republic - Wikisource

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Appeals Court Says Ex-Detainee Can Sue Ashcroft, Rejects Legal-Immunity Claims - washingtonpost.com

2009-09-06T11:06:00.003-05:00

Appeals Court Says Ex-Detainee Can Sue Ashcroft, Rejects Legal-Immunity Claims - washingtonpost.com

Read this and weep for America. (That might sounds a bit over the top, but this was the Attorney General.)

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9 Things Parents Should Know About District 9 | GeekDad | Wired.com

2009-08-17T20:42:00.003-05:00

I was reading through the GeekDad blog on Wired and saw this:

Will I get motion sickness?

Most of movie was shot using handheld cameras. That means lots of jerky movements. I appreciated the visual impact of the camera movements during some sequences. It got stomach wrenching after a while, leaving that giant Slushee uncomfortable in my belly. They really should have spent some of that budget on a few more camera mounts.

9 Things Parents Should Know About District 9 | GeekDad | Wired.com

I loved it. After Transformers I need to know this information!

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Pittsburgh's Children's Hospital

2009-08-09T18:10:00.007-05:00

Children's Hospital' Oakland site's future remains uncertain

As a child I remember travelling to Children's Hospital once every 6 months or so. I was born with a heart defect which was fixed when I was in 3rd grade by open heart surgery. It is so odd to hear that the building is now empty.

They have moved into a wonderful new facility in another part of Pittsburgh. It sounds like it is truly state of the art. Hopefully it is also less maze-like than the old building was. Though, maybe, that was part of it's "charm".

I remember the cafeteria in basement. As a kid it was an adventure to get to eat there. I also remember the X-ray department since part of my routine exam was to get a chest X-ray. And then there would be the EKG. I don't really remember much about the operating room except the bright operating light. I do remember various rooms I was in and the play area on the top floor with the roof top outdoor play area.

Cities change. Places change. I'm not really sad to hear that the hospital has moved to another place. It would be nice if the old buildings could be put to good use.

Here is a picture of the new building:

Time to move on

2009-07-12T18:45:00.004-05:00

This article on Michael Jackson and psychics is considered news worthy? Wow, is it really that slow of a news day? I'm trying to understand the depth of people's despair over his death. I understand it for his family. But the whole media circus just seems to be an extension of the what makes his life a cautionary tale.

Away too long

2009-05-23T22:19:00.002-05:00

I haven't blogged for quite a while. A work project took over my life for a while here. Although it is still in progress, I think I'm seeing enough of a light at the end of the tunnel that I can restore some balance to the force in my life.

I'm trying to clean up my desk a bit. My eternal task. We all had a really nice day--took the kids to the Mall of America. Although it is still one of my least favorite places, the kids had such fun that it didn't matter.

Well, back to the cleaning.

Obey the Inner White Squirrel

2009-03-22T11:58:00.001-05:00

Standing out, no fault of his own « The Traveling Monkey

Thanks for Allegra for this posting. In response to the question at the end of the post: I seem to like surrounding myself with "albino squirrels." I like to think that even the "typical" squirrel has their own "inner albinoness". I like people who are comfortable with that.

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Busy Saturday

2009-02-21T22:01:00.002-06:00

We woke up to about 3 inches of snow this morning. Tommy and I slept in even though we were the first that needed to leave for his piano lesson. Wendy and Tony were already up. We were a bit late for the lesson, but the lesson went well. Then my Tommy happened to suggest that stopping for breakfast at "The Egg and I" might be a good idea. How could I say no. I love taking him to the one on Lyndale Ave. I told him it reminds me of when I was a kid and my father would take me with him in the morning to run errands on a Saturday and we would end up at a good place for eggs along the way. Later Tommy and I went to see "The Gruffalo" at the Children's Theatre. It is really intended for younger kids, but both Tommy and I had a great time.

While we out for that Tony talked Wendy into taking him to Burger King and Target--so he was a happy camper. Tommy and I got back and I finally got the walks cleared and then stayed in for the night. Tonight is a snow emergency so the cars are parked in the right places so they won't get towed. All in all it was a nice day.

Minneapolis/st. Paul - City Pages - The Blotter - President Bush monument erected in Dinkytown front yard

2009-02-16T20:48:00.001-06:00

Minneapolis/st. Paul - City Pages - The Blotter - President Bush monument erected in Dinkytown front yard

Doesn't this kinda of look like the pose that Saddam had for that statue that they pulled down in Iraq? Just askin'.

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Lazy Sunday

2009-02-15T14:32:00.002-06:00

I love Sundays--especially when we have nothing planned. So, what have I done today? I made biscuits. I also made coffee. I wrote an entry on my Note Head blog. We need to get the recycling out for the week.

This has been a weekend of Shakespeare for our youngest. He saw Two Gentlemen of Verona on Friday and yesterday he saw Romeo and Juliet. I saw 2GOV but Wendy went with him alone to see R+J. He liked R+J better--it has the better script. The oldest has been mastering his fine art of "Strong Bad--in our house we believe in mixing culture from many different sources.

Well, time to gather the recycling. Oh joy. Oh bliss.

RNC chairman condemns controversial Obama song - CNN.com

2008-12-27T16:06:00.001-06:00

RNC chairman condemns controversial Obama song - CNN.com

I'm glad that the RNC chairman is condemning this. Not only is the song about Obama offensive, the very title of the CD is also: "We Hate the USA". It is just a continuation of politics of vilification that unfortunately the GOP has mastered.

"I think most people recognize political satire when they see it," Saltsman told CNN. "I think RNC members understand that."

There are jokes and then there is prejudice that masquerades as a joke. Mr. Saltsman, this is an example of the second case.

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On the feast of Stephen...

2008-12-26T21:42:00.002-06:00

Happy Day after Christmas! It has been great just to spend time with the family. Waking up when the body says to wake up. Going to sleep when I'm tired. Watching the temperature rise to 38 degrees today. These are of the gifts of Christmas that mean something. Don't get me wrong: I appreciate the 4th Season of Lost and the shirt and the books, but the main thing has been to just enjoy the 'now'.

I got a Christmas Card today from a friend I knew growing up. I'm such a deadbeat when it comes to snail-mail. I need to write back and see if I can find an email address--I'm much better at keeping in touch with people that way.

Well, it's getting time to start winding down for the night. I find I sleep better if I log off the computer an hour before bed. Otherwise my mind is still too active. Hope all are enjoying their holidays!

xkcd - A Webcomic - Lisp (For geeks only)

2008-12-17T20:51:00.003-06:00

xkcd - A Webcomic - Lisp

I've been having LISP on the brain lately. Thanks to Mike L. for pointing out this one to me.

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Denny Hecker almost killed my shredding machine

2008-12-07T11:43:00.002-06:00

Denny Hecker (the famous Twin Cities Denny Hecker who just recently closed a whole bunch of his auto dealerships and laid off 400 people just before the Holidays) almost killed my shredding machine. I'm paying my youngest $5 to shred junk mail. One of the junk mails had a small thin metal key in it. I probably would have stuffed it into the shredder without really looking at it too. (To be honest, it probably should have just been thrown away, but somehow it got put in the shredding pile.) And the ^#$&@#$ key got jammed. A pair of plyers did the trick to saving the shredder.

I never got a good feeling about the Denny Hecker dealerships--and this just adds to that feeling.

Book Review - 'The Wordy Shipmates,' by Sarah Vowell - Review - NYTimes.com

2008-11-30T18:17:00.003-06:00

Book Review - 'The Wordy Shipmates,' by Sarah Vowell - Review - NYTimes.com

This reviewer has a problem with Vowell. Reading the review I want to get the book just to decide if it is truly annoying (and yet the reviewer kept on wanting to read), or is it just that the style is conversational. Not all history needs to be overtly scholarly (read 'academic').

from Amazon.com

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Mystery piano in woods perplexes police - CNN.com

2008-11-24T18:27:00.001-06:00

Mystery piano in woods perplexes police - CNN.com

And here is the picture of the mystery piano in the woods.

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CapeCodTimes.com - Baldwin piano discovered in Harwich woods

2008-11-24T18:21:00.001-06:00

Police said they have no idea how the piano came to rest in the middle of musical nowhere. A general notice has gone out to area police departments in an attempt to figure out whether the piano was stolen or lost.

CapeCodTimes.com - Baldwin piano discovered in Harwich woods

I'm just wondering how anyone could have "lost" their piano in the middle of the woods. Personally I think it is a side effect of Ben moving the island on LOST. (I was hoping for a picture of the piano in the woods, but there was none on the page.)

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Bachmann: Anti-American remarks an 'urban legend'

2008-11-19T19:05:00.001-06:00

Bachmann: Anti-American remarks an 'urban legend'

Oh, Please!

I saw the interview. This is straight out lying.

Bachmann suggested, as she has before, that she was baited and trapped by the media, which created an "urban legend" about what she says she really said.

"What I said was, 'Do your job,'" Bachmann said. "That's what I said."

The only thing that happened was Bachmann was given enough rope to hang herself. Don't blame the rope.

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Op-Ed Columnist - Team of Frenemies - NYTimes.com

2008-11-16T18:26:00.001-06:00

Op-Ed Columnist - Team of Frenemies - NYTimes.com

Interesting commentary on the possibility of Sen. Clinton as secretary of state.

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It's been a while...

2008-11-07T21:44:00.002-06:00

Well, it has been an exciting week up here near Lake Woebegone. I'm still on a high from the election of Obama to be our next President. Even with our first snow of the season today, I'm still feeling happy!

Hopefully I'll get a chance to blog a bit more this weekend.

Sesquipedalian

2008-10-18T10:46:00.003-05:00

I learned a new word this morning. Sesquipedalian: characterized by big words.

Tommy (my 10 year old) told his piano teacher this morning that he found the new piece "captivating". To which his teacher told him he was being sesquipedalian. I had to admit that I never heard that word before.

I had heard of "combinatoriality", but not "sesquipedalian". Does that make me sesquipedalian?

We ALL love our country!

2008-10-17T21:59:00.001-05:00

[ link ] to video

Go Joe!!! (The Senator)

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Obama at the AL Smith Memorial Dinner

2008-10-17T19:29:00.001-05:00

[ link ] to video

And who knew Barack can do funny too!

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John McCain at the Al Smith Memorial Dinner

2008-10-17T19:26:00.001-05:00

[ link ] to video

OK, I got to admit, he's funny.

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Says it all...

2008-10-13T23:46:00.001-05:00

man/myth/geek

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Michelle Obama on Indecision 2008

2008-10-13T19:17:00.002-05:00

Two points from these videos:

1) What does it say about our news gathering organizations when the best interviews and commentary are coming from comedy shows? I know this is not a new idea.

2) Is it important to be interviewing the spouse of the candidate? I have mixed feelings about this. We are not voting for the spouse, but at the same time they do indirectly tell us about the candidate. I do know that I like to hear what Michelle Obama has to say because she is an intelligent woman.

Part 1

Part 2

shawleyphoto.com - look, click and share

2008-10-12T17:38:00.001-05:00

shawleyphoto.com - look, click and share

WOW!

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Beaker does "Ode to Joy"

2008-10-11T20:10:00.000-05:00

Ode To Joy from Beaker on Vimeo.

StumbleUpon WebToolbar - Strange statues around the world | haha.nu - a lifestyle blogzine

2008-10-11T19:44:00.001-05:00

Ever have a day like this?

StumbleUpon WebToolbar - Strange statues around the world | haha.nu - a lifestyle blogzine

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Why I'm voting for Al Franken:

2008-10-08T20:49:00.002-05:00

Here is an example of why I'm voting for Al Franken and not Norm Coleman.

[ link ] to video.

Hiding Gambling?

2008-10-04T21:10:00.001-05:00

Martha Miller: McCain's Tax Returns Hide Gambling

The title says "hide gambling" but the just of the article is actually "may hide gambling." Still interesting just in that John McCain loves to gamble. Not clear how much he loves to gamble. One thing is clear to me: given his choice of Sarah Palin, I think the gambler personae is accurate.

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shawleyphoto.com - look, click and share

2008-10-04T18:03:00.004-05:00

shawleyphoto.com - look, click and share

This picture is from a blog of a friend of mine. He has a real talent for photography, as his pictures show. Check out his blog for more of his pictures.

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CelticProgressive: Sarah Barracuda Strikes Back!

2008-10-04T18:01:00.001-05:00

CelticProgressive: Sarah Barracuda Strikes Back!

Favorite quote: JFK to Goldwater: "you want this ^$&#^ job?"

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public void palin()

2008-10-02T22:02:00.001-05:00

void palin() throws CannotAnswerAQuestionException { throw new CannotAnswerAQuestionException("I"m not going to answer that question"); }

Thank you, John McCain

2008-09-28T19:16:00.001-05:00

[ link ] to video

Perhaps it would be best to send President Clinton to Alaska to campaign for Obama

2008-09-28T18:54:00.006-05:00

This is how Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory:

At one point, host Tom Brokaw asked, "Would you use the same words for [Obama] that you have used for Senator McCain, that you admire him and that you think he's a great man?"

Clinton's response:

"Well, I don't -- look, I had my first conversation with [Obama] in my entire life in Harlem," a reference to a lunch the two had in mid-September. Clinton followed by stating that he "certainly admire[s]" Obama, but that while the Illinois Democrat has "unlimited potential," he could only achieve greatness in time.

Clinton went on to speak up Palin. (For full details see here.)

President Clinton: get with the program. You continue to give the perception that you value your wife's political career over what is good for the nation in this present moment. This election is too important and your lukewarm endorsements of Obama is not helping the cause.

It's not me blowing this up, it's the Republicans.

2008-09-26T08:38:00.003-05:00

The following is an except from a NY Times article:

Friday morning, on CBS’s “The Early Show,” Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the lead Democratic negotiator, said the bailout had been derailed by internal Republican politics.

“I didn’t know I was going to be the referee for an internal G.O.P. ideological civil war,” Mr. Frank said, according to The A.P.Thursday, in the Roosevelt Room after the session, the Treasury secretary, Henry M. Paulson Jr., literally bent down on one knee as he pleaded with Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, not to “blow it up” by withdrawing her party’s support for the package over what Ms. Pelosi derided as a Republican betrayal.

“I didn’t know you were Catholic,” Ms. Pelosi said, a wry reference to Mr. Paulson’s kneeling, according to someone who observed the exchange. She went on: “It’s not me blowing this up, it’s the Republicans.”

Mr. Paulson sighed. “I know. I know.”

From an article in the NY Times.

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"Suspend being president?"

2008-09-24T21:09:00.001-05:00

"What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We've got a guy like that now!"

--Dave Letterman on McCain suspending his campaign.

Alleluia, version 1

2008-09-21T12:34:00.002-05:00

Over at my music blog (The Note Head) I've just added a new song: Alleluia. The idea of sacred music is definitely not new, but I want to experiment a bit with creating soundscapes based on this idea. I have a blog entry with some more thoughts on that.

View my page on SonicVille

And now for something completely different...

2008-09-20T10:50:00.002-05:00

[ link ] to video

Man does not live by political blogging alone... What we've all been waiting for. The true tales of MCLOVIN!!!

Socialism, Republican Style

2008-09-19T17:10:00.003-05:00

You know what this is?

Republican Socialism

Yep, you heard me, Republican Socialism. R-E-P-U-B... well, you get the picture.

I wish I could take credit for that phrase, but I first saw it on the blog Celtic Progressive. Don't get me wrong: I think that these bail outs are probably necessary at this point. But is this not an example of a corporate safety net? Why don't ordinary people deserve such a safety net?

Les Misbarack

2008-09-16T21:21:00.003-05:00

[ link ] to video

Thanks to Ben who alerted Mindy who posted this to facebook!

You might have to be a true Music-Theatre Geek to get how really off the wall funny this is, but trust me--it is! Special mention is needed for McCain/Palin showing up as the Thénardiers.

"Sarah and Hillary" on SNL

2008-09-14T11:51:00.001-05:00

[ link ] to video

Craig Ferguson on voting

2008-09-11T08:08:00.001-05:00

[ link ] to video.

I saw this last night! It was EXCELLENT! GO CRAIG! GO VOTE!!!

A voice for the end of distractions.

2008-09-10T18:59:00.002-05:00

[ link ] to video

Lipstickgate is a distraction. Obama points out that such distractions is what keeps our political debates from being about the issues. Thanks to Alan B. for bringing this to my attention.

The bully who cries "they're being mean to me."

2008-09-09T20:19:00.006-05:00

Obama points out that saying the McCain ticket will be an agent of change is like "putting lipstick on a pig". Of course McCain can't stand this, so his camp has to twist it into "They are saying mean things about Palin--calling her a pig."

Nice try at trying to twist words--but not true. I guess they have to try to distract people since they are running on style, not ideas. Obama is NOT calling anyone a pig. However, he is calling their track record of voting with Bush swine-like. I find that fair.

Wow--McCain/Palin seems to be pretty thin-skinned for claiming to be so tough.

Iraq is a task from God.

2008-09-06T21:11:00.006-05:00

[ Link ] to video

"Our national leaders are sending them [the soldiers] out on a task that is... from God."--Sarah Palin

I believe in praying for our members of the military. But I don't believe this war was a "task from God." McCain does not want to be locked into a comparison with Bush. Yet it seems he chooses for VP someone who is even more like Bush than McCain is.

I hear Americans talk of fear of theocracies from the Middle East. A fear of governments who form their policies because they believe they know God's will. I have to ask how are comments like this different?

September 3, 2008: John McCain: The Person He Is

2008-09-06T08:20:00.001-05:00

link to video

I grew up with Uncle Walter on TV, but I think Cousin Jon is truly taking his place.

Who to believe? Same people, pre- and post- Palin.

2008-09-05T20:45:00.003-05:00

link to video

You got to be careful in the age of YouTube and such about talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Top Ten Signs You're Obsessed with 'Lost'

2008-09-05T20:28:00.001-05:00

link to video

This is SO true.

McCain on Leno during DNC

2008-09-02T18:53:00.002-05:00

I'm just wondering why McCain was on Leno during the Democratic National Convention, but I don't see signs of either Obama or Biden on Leno during the Republican National Convention. Perhaps the democrats where offered, but this does seem a bit unfair during an election. Just sayin'.

The Programmers Anthem

2008-09-02T18:35:00.001-05:00

Link to video

I think I have found a theme song!

My son's video creation

2008-09-01T20:38:00.001-05:00

Tony's first youtube video! It's cool!

The end of summer

2008-08-31T19:50:00.004-05:00

Last day of August for me is the last day of summer. I know--summer actually continues on a bit more. But for me this is it.

Wendy took the picture above while we on summer vacation. She woke up early and logged into the computer. She turned around and decided to capture the moment of both boys, still asleep in the hotel room. I did a bit of digital processing to turn the picture into this image.

Goodbye to the summer that was--time to move on to Autumn.

...to act as Americans not Republicans

2008-08-31T16:28:00.005-05:00

I first and foremost sincerely hope that Gustav does not cause further damage to New Orleans and that part of our nation.

But I did find this statement from McCain in the NY Times curious: “''I pledge that tomorrow night, and if necessary throughout our convention, we will act as Americans and not as Republicans,'' McCain said, ''because America needs us now.''” [emphasis added by me.]

I wonder if Mr. McCain would care to differentiate how Republicans act differently from Americans? Sounds like a continuation of the old idea of Red America and Blue America, instead of the United States of America... if I may borrow a idea I recently heard from Obama.

The Moonstruck House

2008-08-31T16:10:00.002-05:00

The NYTimes today has an article about the Moonstruck House. This is the house that was used as the home of Loretta Castorini (played by Cher) and her family. The article gave the address, so I found it on Google. Even though most of the film was shot in Toronto, it is still just interesting to see the context.

View Larger Map

Paris for President!

2008-08-05T20:48:00.001-05:00

Paris Hilton Responds to McCain Adfunny videosFunnyOrDie.com

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Video found here

The links of the week

2008-08-04T19:43:00.002-05:00

Doonesbury@Slate - Daily Dose

OK, Even I had to laugh.

Key GOP senator won't attend party's convention - Nation & World - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington

Things that make you say "hmmmm"

Slashdot | Scrabulous Is Dead, Hasbro's Version Brain-Dead

Hasbro is totally in the right, but if their interfaces isn't good they are going to end up hurting themselves.

Cuil trips over its Web index in early going | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com

I experienced this yesterday. However, today 'gennaula' does actually return some entries. Do I give it another chance?

Autism group: Advertisers dropping Savage -- Newsday.com

Savage losing advertisers? GOOD!

Rabbi condemns release of purported Obama prayer note - CNN.com

This is so inappropriate.

John McCain's Humble Campaign?

2008-08-03T20:33:00.002-05:00

This is great...

Tune of the Week

2008-07-27T21:22:00.001-05:00

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

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

The Week(s) in Review

2008-07-26T11:52:00.001-05:00

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

2008-07-20T11:53:00.003-05:00

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!

2008-07-18T22:42:00.001-05:00

The power of music:

The Week(s) in Review

2008-07-06T13:11:00.001-05:00

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...

2008-07-05T21:08:00.001-05:00

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"

Topic of the week: Death

2008-06-15T18:00:00.003-05:00

Death has been our minds quite a bit this week. On June 7th the son of a good friend of ours died after seven weeks in a coma. The cause was accidental overdose. I went to his Buddhist funeral last night. It was said at the service "How many of us made a mistake in our twenties and were lucky enough to get a second chance. Ryan didn't get a second chance." He was only twenty years old. None of us know "the hour of our death."

What was especially beautiful of this service was how clear it was that Ryan was not just "a warning to others." I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but my sons did. We know Ryan's family because his mother and husband provide services for people with autism. They have been some of the most supportive people we have had the pleasure of working with on our own journey. It was said at last night's service that Ryan had the type of personality that attracted young children to him. It was so clear how much he had touched other people on his twenty year passage through our world.

Week in Review

2008-06-15T14:15:00.000-05:00

· Winona bridge over Mississippi River reopens

"Pedestrians and bicyclists are also restricted from crossing, but a cab service will be available for 75 cents per person each way" That doesn't seem to make a lot of sense--I wonder what the reason is for this.

· Playbill News: New London Musical Is Gone with the Wind June 14

Plans for NY production are currently on hold... played a total of 79 performances

· Woman brands thoughtless date with hot iron - CNN.com

Caban's lawyer, James Friedman said, "She's a good kid, despite the picture painted of her, who exercised poor judgment and got herself into a bad situation. She is not the monster the prosecution made her out to be." HUH???

· CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Where has Clinton gone? « - Blogs from CNN.com

Senator Clinton takes a vacation. I get it--she needs a break.

· Fighting the Army . NOW on PBS

I'm watching this right now. These soldiers deserve better. They go for help and and instead get benefits taken away.

· The White Flag?

“Autism is not the enemy, but ignorance and prejudice, and misunderstanding about what autism is.” Great quote.

· Wait, What Did He Just Call the Pope? - The Lede - Breaking News - New York Times Blog

“...So are you, Governor.” Bush screws up addressing the Pope. Raise your hand if you're surprised.

· Poll: Republican support, enthusiasm down - CNN.com

"Bottom line: After eight years of the Bush presidency, Republicans are demoralized," said Bill Schneider, CNN senior political analyst.

· MinnPost - Doug Grow: Jim Johnson, Minnesota's 'Mr. Inside,' finds himself on the outside now of Obama campaign

I like that the Obama campaign deals with this quickly. Now before the Republicans talk, maybe we should spend some time reviewing the Keating Five [http://tinyurl.com/8nyvf]

· Bush Loyalist Fights to Save ‘No Child’ Law - NYTimes.com

Let it go. Or at least balance it and get rid of the name which is doublespeak at it’s worst.

· Music Review - Opera and Theater Stars in ‘Show Boat’ at Carnegie Hall - Review - NYTimes.com

Interesting discussion of using a microphone in Carnegie Hall.

· MPR: Singing in Grover's Corners

Heard this piece on the radio this morning. Got to be honest--the excerpts they played really didn't knock me out. Makes me question why turn this into an opera--the theatre experience is wonderful to begin with. I doubt we're going to get to see it.

· Fox News Calls Michelle "Obama's Baby Mama" - Media on The Huffington Post

Beyond the poor choice of words: FOX ran a banner saying "Outraged liberals: Stop picking on Obama's Baby Mama!" Hmmm, could you please name these "Outraged liberals"? Did FOX go out on the street and find one person who said they were liberal and get this quote?

· Christian leaders meet privately with Obama

You got to respect this Daniel—pity my first thought is of a lion’s den.

· PBS Goes Commercial on Hulu - Bits - Technology - New York Times Blog

PBS on Hulu--Oh brave new world, oh brave new world...

· The ADHD Advantage (for nomadic tribesman)

Hmmm… interesting.

· I Don’t Feel That I Suffer

This is a really interesting question--suffering: on the part of the person with autism and the people that love him/her. I want to think about this a bit.

· Online, Obama Outpaces McCain by Miles | The Trail | washingtonpost.com

But will it turn into votes? I sure hope so.

· NYC Mayor: I'd Ban Bikes on Subways | Autopia from Wired.com

That's why cyclists in the Big Apple were outraged when Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that, if it were up to him, he'd ban bikes from trains.

· Anderson Cooper 360: Blog Archive - A code of ethics for politicians « - Blogs from CNN.com

“Do No Harm, Make Things Better, Respect Others, Be Fair, and Be Loving”

· Posting stupidity on YouTube means having to post you’re sorry : Good Morning Silicon Valley

Punishment or more fame?

· MinnPost - Doug Grow: Fore! Could a Ventura Senate candidacy hang on Wednesday's golf game?

OMG

· ABC News: 'Autistic and Proud' Movement Spurs Debate

Interesting. They don't totally get it--but at least it is getting attention. (Questioning "Cure" does not mean against progress. )

· The Comeback Id: Politics & Power: vanityfair.com

Drive-by journalism or intervention-by-magazine?

· iPhone 3G is finally official! - Engadget

mmmmmm…. iPhone…. mmmmm…

· MinnPost - Republicans still need 6,000 volunteers for convention

Not me.

· Thirteen new Gmail features | Googling Google | ZDNet.com

I need to try this out.

· Gay Anglican U.S. bishop enters into civil union - washingtonpost.com

Good for him.

· Playbill News: It's Possible! Revised Seussical Will Get New Cast Recording

Way Cool!

· MPR: Pawlenty says he is open to being McCain's running mate

"...Pawlenty has repeatedly said that he has no interest in being vice president. When he announced his reelection bid in 2006, Pawlenty said he is committed to serving his full term."

· Producer Of Infamous Willie Horton Ad Now Targeting Obama - Politics on The Huffington Post

As always, the politics of fear from these people. We as a nation need to send a clear message that we are not going to let fear choose our leaders.

· Military Supercomputer Surpasses Petaflop Milestone - NYTimes.com

There was a time when these headlines went to Cray Research. But all things change.

· eHow | How To Do Just About Everything!

A how-to site: sounds helpful.

Review: Kung Fu Panda

2008-06-08T22:39:00.002-05:00

I have a new personal hero: Po.

This movie is truly great for the whole family. Great story telling and great life lessons to learn. Both the voice work and the animation is terrific.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. (It didn't change my life, but it was a wonderful movie.)

The Week in Review

2008-06-08T10:42:00.004-05:00

I have to get better at cleaning out my list of interesting links for the week. I'm going to try doing this every Sunday where I just go through my list of links from the week that I want to blog about. Here's the set for this first week:

wcco.com - Mpls. Motorists Restricted To Idling For 3 Minutes

HUH? It takes only a minute to warm up a car in the winter? Not in MN. Although the intention may be good (save gas), this is a stupid law--over regulation at it's worse.
E. J. Dionne Jr. - For an 'Obamacon,' Communion Denied - washingtonpost.com

A priest denies communion because a Catholic has publicly said they support Obama--who is pro-choice.

This is wrong. Yes. A priest is wrong. And the bishops are wrong too.
Harold Perrineau Dishes on his Lost Exit (Again) - Celebrity and Entertainment News | TVGuide.com

Perrineau claims Michael not reconnecting with Walt is a stereotype. But on LOST all the sons have Daddy issues.
Bill Clinton: 'Cover up' hiding Hillary Clinton's chances - CNN.com

This just reinforces the idea of Clinton as the Democratic candidate of fear. What is with Bill? It is unfortunate that the Clintons choose this route. But to be honest this type of talk is a big part of the reason I chose to support Obama.
Spirit in the House » The Diary of Adam and Eve

Before seeing it: What a great cast! I bet this is going to be excellent!

After seeing it: It was a great cast. This is not my favorite show, but the skill of the performers saved the hour for me. Would I go out of my way to see this show again? Probably not.
Mother of autistic teen gets symbolic support as she prepares for court
Excluded?: On Keeping the Faith
These past two links address the integration of individuals with autism within society. For the most part I think we have found a balance with this, but I have been to public events which I thought went OK. A day later I find that someone had complained that one of my boys had supposedly touched (or bumped or hit into) someone else when I was gone for a moment (leaving him in care of someone I completely trust). Nothing was said to me at the time when I returned, and the comment at times gotten back to me after passing through 4 other people. It is still frustrating.
Study Suggests Math Teachers Scrap Balls and Slices - New York Times

I've seen this issue at work with my own kids. I always think the word problems were designed by English majors, not math majors.
THE Tunnel Project
Great article about new tunnels for railroad into NYC. Great follow-up for reading Conquering Gotham.
Psychoanalysis Helps Kids With Autism, Researchers Say Psychoanalysis Should Be Part of Treatment for Children With Autism - CBS News

Sounds great at beginning, but there is a hint of "blame the parent" in here.

WAKE UP ALREADY!!! (Or how to use Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth as a psychological weapon.)

2008-06-01T13:17:00.003-05:00

“…Don’t you think that was your ego speaking?”

“…My, your pain-body must be really active today.”

“…I understand. You’re just not in the moment right now.”

I've been reading A New Earth (Awakening to Your Life's Purpose) and for the most part really enjoying it. But I do have a tendency to find parody in the things I love most. That applies both to books and my spouse. So reading the book has given me a number of passive/aggressive questions and statements that I can use as demonstrated above (which Wendy has pointed out to me).

I think I might have hit the snooze button again, but I’ll wake up in 5 minutes…. really….

Fortune Cookie

2008-05-24T16:34:00.003-05:00

I'm cleaning out my man-cave office today and came across the following from a fortune cookie:

"You will live a long time,
long enough to open many, many fortune cookies."

It's the class sizes...

2008-05-18T16:09:00.003-05:00

There was recently a MinnPost Article about Minneapolis Public Schools looking for more money just to keep the status quo of class sizes (and other things). My first reaction to hearing about all this was exactly what is brought up in the article--why can't the class sizes being reduced? Of course I know the answer: money.

Boy with autism barred from mass

2008-05-18T10:37:00.004-05:00

This is just sad. So much for the concept of "The Good Shepherd". I'm going to post the article from the Star Tribune as well. It goes a bit more into the behaviors at issue and how they can be misinterpreted by people who do not understand autism. Please read the Star Tribune article, because the WCCO-TV pieces leave out any discussion of what the mother's response to the church's concerns.

WCCO-TV:
Article, Video

Star Tribune:
Article

My favorite quote from the mother is "I can't discipline him out of his autism, and I think that's what our priest is expecting." The church points out offensive behaviors--but the parents also point out how such behaviors can be misinterpreted. Speaking from experience, behaviors can be blown out of proportion by people who know very little about autism.

I'm really curious to see how this turns out. My own experience has been that a church does not like for it to be told that it is wrong. From what I've read so far, I think this case clearly violates the hospitality that Jesus Christ calls all of us to practice.

Busy, busy, busy...

2008-05-17T19:02:00.003-05:00

Tommy is on my case because I haven't posted a blog entry for a long time. Life has been busy!

However, I did find this slide show on the NY Times website, which is very interesting.

Recently I've changed jobs. Wow--that takes a lot of time and effort to go through the whole process. The first two weeks have been busy, intense, and ultimately fun at the new place. I'm using technology that I haven't really had reason to do much work on since college.

One fringe benefit of the new place is a mile long walking trail through the woods around the building and parking lot. It is a bit bitter sweet, since we're moving to a new building in August. However, I hear that the new building will have walking trails as well--plus it is next to a public lake. Although there were many things about my old job I loved, the only walking you could do close to the building was through the business park in which it was located. Just blah buildings surrounded by blah parking lots.

I'll have to take pictures of the trails at my present building and post them.

Rainy day

2008-04-24T18:40:00.004-05:00

After a few days of sunny Spring weather, we're getting the April Showers. Took a day off just to do a few things around the house. (Mainly, get the molding around the upstairs bedroom off the walls so we can get the last of the ugly wallpaper off.) And tonight, a new episode of LOST. We've also been watching DVDs of Freaks and Geeks. We have one last episode of that to watch. That show was so cool, pity it didn't even last a season.

As I'm typing this I got a recorded message from Minneapolis Public Schools about an event at school. I'm really starting to hate these reminders. I much rather get an email about these than have to sit through a recorded phone message. Are they worried I won't read the email? Then they should know that I've been hanging up on the recorded message after the first 2 seconds. I much rather have a place to choose my preference (phone or email)--but I know of no such option on the Minneapolis system.

Oh, well. Back to my mental preparations for LOST. Ommmmm!

When Hillary Clinton came to my hometown

2008-04-20T17:57:00.004-05:00

Although I am a supporter of Obama, I was happy to hear that Senator Clinton came to my home town to speak at California University of Pennsylvania. (I'm not making up the name.)

There has also been some coverage in the local newspapers: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Uniontown Herald Standard.

I like the Youtube clip here because she is talking about the issues and talking about Bush. That's what I want to hear from both Clinton and Obama.

Martini, the Greek

2008-04-16T22:21:00.003-05:00

People who know me know that I am not much of a drinking man. However, tonight I had a Greek Martini at Longfellow Grill. It was great--though I have to admit it is somewhat like drinking a salad. Then it was time for another long walk along the Mississippi West River Road.

Long walks

2008-04-03T23:47:00.003-05:00

Tonight Wendy and I had some child care tonight, so we went out for dinner. Nothing fancy--just Davani's Pizza. Afterwards we drove up to the 35W Bridge site, parked the car, and walked across the 10th Ave. Bridge that's next to the site. It is amazing watching the new bridge go up. I think I'm going to try to get back there this weekend with my camera and take some pictures. We then walked through the U campus and ended up crossing the river across a pedestrian/bike bridge that use to carry the railroad across the river. From that bridge you could see where all the pieces of the old 35W bridge have been placed in a U parking lot for inspection.

Back in 1992 when I was interviewing for a job at Cray Research here in MN, I was also interviewing for a job with Cray Corporation in Colorado Springs, CO. It was finally a long walk around Lake Harriet that helped us decided that where we belonged was here in the Twin Cities.

Human Tetris

2008-03-24T22:27:00.001-05:00

For Twin CIties Movie Lovers.

2008-03-16T11:56:00.005-05:00

Sometimes you walk into a book store and just do a total impulse buy. I was recently at a Barnes and Noble and picked up Twin Cities Picture Show: A Century of Moviegoing. (BTW--the link is to amazon.com. I guess there is a bit of irony in that.) I love movies. I love seeing pictures of the old movie palaces. This book is for anyone who enjoys this too.

The twin cities has had many great theaters. Unfortunately many of them are gone. Every time I would walk by the Hamm Building in St. Paul or go inside to the Park Square Theatre, I feel a certain sense of regret that I never got to walk into the Paramount before it was gutted. I find that I'm not reading this book in a linear fashion, but rather picking and choosing through the pages. Finding the sections that talk about the wonderful Riverview that still has the best popcorn in town.

It all brings back memories of going to the Hollywood Theater in little California, PA where I first saw the trailer for Star Wars and saw my first R rated movie, The Godfather. The building is still there, but it hasn't been used as a theater since before I left for college. It is really a pity considering that California, PA is home of California University of Pennsylvania (I'm not making this up) and has a ready audience of customers who would love to have a movie theater or 2 in town. Sigh.

Review: Horton Hears a Who

2008-03-16T11:32:00.003-05:00

Rating: Four out of Five Stars.

I liked this movie much more than I thought I would. I love Dr. Seuss. I have not loved the previous movie adaptations of the books. They always seemed to be much more about the commercial tie ins rather than the stories. Although I have seen Jim Carey plays roles that I have enjoyed, I have also seen him totally take over a movie.

But this one walks a fine line. Yes, it is a Jim Carey take on Horton, but the character's sweetness does not get lost in it. Steve Carell and Carol Burnett are great to listen to. The movie is better than good, but not a knock-out like Ratatouille. But it I would still definitely recommend it.

Yes you can...

2008-03-10T21:17:00.003-05:00

At the end of Rutter's The Reluctant Dragon, St. George tells the villagers that he can't kill the dragon. In the front row was a little boy who said "Yes, you can."

Sunday Night, time to blog

2008-03-09T23:00:00.003-05:00

A lot happened this weekend, but for the most part it was low stress. The big news is that our house now has a copy of Super Smash Brothers Brawl! It was released at midnight Saturday, but we told Tony that we would get it Sunday morning. Both boys were excited about getting it (Tony used his money) and Wendy made a "Happy Brawl Day" cake to celebrate.

I had fun singing this weekend with Chorus Polaris. We did a children's concert and sang "The Reluctant Dragon" by John Rutter. It was a very fun piece to sing. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Rutter. I like many of his pieces, but as a choir member I can really hate the way they are edited (with page turns at the worst possible moments). And every time I hear his Requiem I think the text for the main theme should be "Buy your film from Kodak, take a pretty picture..." (Sacrilege, I know, but the music is very "pop" to the point of sounding like background music for a commercial.)

The boys have FINALLY quieted down. After behaving well all day they decided to make bedtime interesting. Wendy is doing her NYTimes crossword and I'm starting to think about the coming week and what needs to get done.

Review: A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines

2008-03-03T18:53:00.004-06:00

Review: A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines

This book is most unusual.

Its storytelling is quite minimal as it paints in fast brush strokes the story of two geniuses of the 20^th century: Kurt Gödel and Alan Turing. Both men never truly fit into their world. Both men ended up committing suicide. Gödel suffered from paranoia and spent time in a sanatorium. Turing was gay and also would have probably been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome today.

They each asked a great question of the 20^th. Gödel asked if we can ever truly know for sure if something is truly true? (His answer was ‘no’.) Turing asked if humans were anything more than just complicated machines? (His answer was also ‘no’.)

This book explores the implications of such questions and answers in regards to God and faith. What I enjoyed most about this book was that it did not offer answers. The older I get the less interested I am in finding the “right” answers. I find myself much more interested in asking the “right” questions. I would recommend this book to anyone who shares a similar point of view.

The lost Star Trek episode...

2008-03-01T19:01:00.000-06:00

Dance Sophia

2008-02-29T18:48:00.003-06:00

I posted a new composition to Aime Street: Dance Sophia. You may ask, "who is Sophia?" Sophia is a personification of God's Wisdom. This work was inspired by the Book of Wisdom in the Bible--specifically the passage that begins "Wisdom is glorious..."

Please give it a listen.

Atonement

2008-02-28T08:20:00.003-06:00

We saw the movie Atonement last night. Wendy wanted to see "No country for Old Men", but now that I am an old man, I find it disconcerting that there is no country for me. sigh.

The movie started a bit slow for me, but I think part of the problem was that I was aware of some of the major plot points. So I sat there waiting for them to happen instead of just letting the story unfold.

Although all the performances were good, Vanessa Redgrave at the end of the movie stole the show. Also, score was excellent, especially in the way that the sound of the typewriter was incorporated into the underscoring.

Still, Sweeney Todd was better and deserved the Oscar nomination more than this one.

Salut in Edina

2008-02-28T08:17:00.002-06:00

Wendy and I were on our way to the Edina Grill when we passed by Salut Bar American (which is next door). Wendy had a hamburger and I had the walleye special. Both were great.

Nice Saturday

2008-02-23T12:51:00.002-06:00

Wendy took Tommy to his piano lesson and then lunch. Tony just wanted to stay home and in reality so did I. Sunny day above 32 degrees after too many days of sub-zero weather. Time to get things done around the house and listen to the Met broadcast of Carmen broadcast from NYC. Nice change of pace after a stressful week at work.

My music is on Aime Street

2008-02-10T20:56:00.000-06:00

My music is now on Aime Street. It's a place for indie musicians to get their music out there. I uploaded "Corporate Dance". Here's a link directly to it:

The judgment of Eli Stone.

2008-02-03T19:17:00.000-06:00

"And let’s hope that in future episodes, Eli Stone and ABC show better judgment in picking causes."--NY Times editorial, 2/2/08

Yesterday the NY Times ran an editorial condemning the show "Eli Stone" for its first episode. The episode dealt with autism and vaccines.

The studies say there is no link. The show pointed that out. As the father with two sons on the Autism Spectrum I honestly don't spend much time thinking about this--I have other more immediate issues that need to be dealt with.

However, I do want to point out that in years past the scientific community knew with certainty that the mother's actions were to blame for a child's autism. Although this theory of the "Refrigerator Mother" is largely dismissed in the United States, the "latest" theory regarding "Therapy Moms" seems to be a thinly veiled rehash of this garbage.

The scientific studies to date show no connection between vaccines and autism. That is different from saying there is definitely no connection. And given the "scientific community's" track record I'm going to keep an open mind about possible linkage.

Funny how scientists get flustered when someone questions them. It is almost like a religious war breaking out. Who says science and religion don't have things in common?

Another Kennedy with Obama (...what does Arnold think?)

2008-02-03T19:10:00.000-06:00

Maria Shriver's Surprise Obama Endorsement from YouTube:

A new generation? My generation...

2008-01-28T20:31:00.000-06:00

Here's Obama's South Carolina Acceptance Speech:

I'm impressed by this speech. I'm impressed that he referred to the other democratic candidates as "my worthy opponents." My impression is that Obama does not always come off well during interviews or debates. But when I hear speeches like his it does remind me of the great speeches I've heard of FDR or JFK.

They talk of a "New Generation". Like myself Obama was born during the 1st half of the 60's. Are we the tail end of the baby boom or the beginning of Generation X? To be honest, I think neither. I do sense a difference of priorities with Obama than with older candidates.

He knows how to make a great speech. Somehow I don't think Dave Letterman's "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches" will work (or be necessary) with a President Obama.

Muisc for a faux Summer January Night

2008-01-28T19:53:00.000-06:00

The temperature got above 30 today and I'm thinking of summer:

Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong from YouTube.

Philadelphia Electric Company Richmond Power Station

2008-01-27T20:36:00.000-06:00

Urban Ruins can have some of the most beautiful landscape images that I know of. The first time I ever thought of something decaying as being beautiful was the first time I visited Venice. The whole place seems to be falling apart--but with such style.

But you don't have to go to Italy. You can find such things here. I recently happen upon some photos on the web. They were of a power station that was no longer in use. The first website I went to made a big deal out not disclosing the true location of the power station. (It seems likely that access to the site and the photos were not taken with approval of the "powers that be.")

Well, that got my curiosity going. After doing a bit of research on the web I found that the power station had been used as a location for the movie "12 monkeys". Using that info I quickly found that it was the Richmond Power Station in Philadelphia.

The place has been closed since 1985. But it was built at a time when technology "deserved" a proper setting. The remains of the building are still beautiful. All the more amazing when you think how few people actually ever saw the inside of it--I don't think it was meant in any way to be a public space.

The following is a Google Maps street picture of the site (which is not very impressive) followed by links to more information and better pictures.

View Larger Map

Philadelphia Buildings

Abandoned but not forgotten

Flickr group

Flickr picture

Opacity

Preservation PA

Gennaulapedia

Book review: Mistress of the Vatican. Meh.

Flock no more...

Good Friday

All Saints Day

Abercrombie & Fitch fined in MOA discrimination case | StarTribune.com

Citizenship in a Republic - Wikisource

Appeals Court Says Ex-Detainee Can Sue Ashcroft, Rejects Legal-Immunity Claims - washingtonpost.com

9 Things Parents Should Know About District 9 | GeekDad | Wired.com

Pittsburgh's Children's Hospital

Time to move on

Away too long

Obey the Inner White Squirrel

Busy Saturday

Minneapolis/st. Paul - City Pages - The Blotter - President Bush monument erected in Dinkytown front yard

Lazy Sunday

RNC chairman condemns controversial Obama song - CNN.com

On the feast of Stephen...

xkcd - A Webcomic - Lisp (For geeks only)

Denny Hecker almost killed my shredding machine

Book Review - 'The Wordy Shipmates,' by Sarah Vowell - Review - NYTimes.com

Mystery piano in woods perplexes police - CNN.com

CapeCodTimes.com - Baldwin piano discovered in Harwich woods

Bachmann: Anti-American remarks an 'urban legend'

Op-Ed Columnist - Team of Frenemies - NYTimes.com

It's been a while...

Sesquipedalian

We ALL love our country!

Obama at the AL Smith Memorial Dinner

John McCain at the Al Smith Memorial Dinner

Says it all...

Michelle Obama on Indecision 2008

shawleyphoto.com - look, click and share

Beaker does "Ode to Joy"

StumbleUpon WebToolbar - Strange statues around the world | haha.nu - a lifestyle blogzine

Why I'm voting for Al Franken:

Hiding Gambling?

shawleyphoto.com - look, click and share

CelticProgressive: Sarah Barracuda Strikes Back!

public void palin()

Thank you, John McCain

Perhaps it would be best to send President Clinton to Alaska to campaign for Obama

It's not me blowing this up, it's the Republicans.

"Suspend being president?"

Alleluia, version 1

And now for something completely different...

Socialism, Republican Style

Les Misbarack

"Sarah and Hillary" on SNL

Craig Ferguson on voting

A voice for the end of distractions.

The bully who cries "they're being mean to me."

Iraq is a task from God.

September 3, 2008: John McCain: The Person He Is

Who to believe? Same people, pre- and post- Palin.

Top Ten Signs You're Obsessed with 'Lost'

McCain on Leno during DNC

The Programmers Anthem

My son's video creation

The end of summer

...to act as Americans not Republicans

The Moonstruck House

Paris for President!

The links of the week

McCain Camp: 'Obama Has Played the Race Card' | The Trail | washingtonpost.com

Key GOP senator won't attend party's convention - Nation & World - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington

Slashdot | Scrabulous Is Dead, Hasbro's Version Brain-Dead

Cuil trips over its Web index in early going | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com

Autism group: Advertisers dropping Savage -- Newsday.com

Rabbi condemns release of purported Obama prayer note - CNN.com

John McCain's Humble Campaign?

Tune of the Week

The Week(s) in Review

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

2. Network Defends Dr. Savage

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

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

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

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

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