Care package, end of the world, FedEx, kids, norman hsu, pets, throwing food, UPS, mother teresa, 300, Rome

[9/21/2007 9:32:23 AM] pD says: UPS 9 FedEx 6 today

[9/21/2007 9:32:34 AM] pD says: this is a new game for pD...

[9/21/2007 9:52:10 AM] AE says: deliveries?

[9/21/2007 9:52:29 AM] AE says: none from us yet. i found some floss, but no toothpicks.

[9/21/2007 10:01:25 AM] pD says: i would be most concerned if you also found toothpicks since they would not be mine

[9/21/2007 10:01:54 AM] pD says: cool! are you guys actually collecting the korean candies? do not think there are many left back when

[9/21/2007 10:02:20 AM] nsy says: there's only a handful left

[9/21/2007 10:04:01 AM] pD says: end of the world as we know it

[9/21/2007 10:04:16 AM] pD says: no more kim-chic!

[9/21/2007 10:14:46 AM] nsy says: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGqroT1FZ5Y



[9/21/2007 10:15:56 AM] nsy says: in case you're wondering what the heck they said: http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/R-e-m/It-s-The-End-Of-The-World-As-We-Know-It-And-I-Feel-Fine.html

[9/21/2007 10:16:34 AM] AE says: It's the end of this song if we're lucky.

[9/21/2007 10:16:42 AM] AE says: (that's the Weird Al Version)

[9/21/2007 10:19:39 AM] pD says: are they, R E M, too fan of korean green tea candies? did not know!

[9/21/2007 10:19:46 AM] AE says: http://www.ugoplayer.com/music/endoftheworld.html

[9/21/2007 1:09:26 PM] pD says: what is the story with the norman hsu dude - why does he feel compelled to give so much money to the democrats?

[9/21/2007 1:09:45 PM] pD says: what he did is plainly illegal, but i have not heard any explanation on why he is doing it...

[9/21/2007 1:11:34 PM] pD says: from the NY Times, i thought having connections via chocolate and beer is way ahead of most other ethnic tensions that i am aware of... QUOTATION OF THE DAY -

"We are two different nations, an artificial state
created as a buffer between big powers, and we have
nothing in common except a king, chocolate and beer."

- FILIP DEWINTER, the leader of a right-wing Flemish party, on Belgium's ethnic tensions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/world/europe/21belgium.html?th&emc=th

[9/21/2007 1:25:49 PM] AE says: hmm... chocolate beer...

[9/24/2007 9:30:50 AM] pD says: UPS 11 FedEx 1 this morning

[9/24/2007 10:36:10 AM] nsy says: are you still counting trucks?

[9/24/2007 10:36:34 AM] pD says: apparently

[9/24/2007 10:36:52 AM] pD says: just one more things to keep me occupied while driving

[9/24/2007 10:37:02 AM] AE says: we'll have to send our care package via dhl then...

[9/24/2007 10:37:17 AM] pD says: i would get very confused.

[9/24/2007 10:37:19 AM] pD says: good idea

[9/24/2007 10:39:29 AM] AE says: are you counting deliveries? or trucks you see on the way to work?

[9/24/2007 10:42:35 AM] pD says: only trucks that is going the opposite direction that i am going

[9/24/2007 10:43:33 AM] nsy says: interesting gauge - why only opposite direction?

[9/24/2007 10:43:51 AM] pD says: because in the traffic, i will always see the same two UPS trucks in front of me...

[9/24/2007 11:12:11 AM] nsy says: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maisonbisson/1303521019/

[9/24/2007 11:38:11 AM] pD says: here is a question for AE

[9/24/2007 11:38:38 AM] pD says: at what point does a kid stop throwing food?

[9/24/2007 11:43:45 AM] AE says: oh... we're supposed to stop?

[9/24/2007 11:43:51 AM] AE says: uh... 40?

[9/24/2007 11:44:17 AM] pD says: ok, not the animal house sort of throwing food

[9/24/2007 11:44:28 AM] AE says: are they throwing it because they're done eating/ bored?

[9/24/2007 11:44:31 AM] AE says: or because they don't like it?

[9/24/2007 11:44:41 AM] pD says: anyway, the little boss has a tendency to throw things that he does not want to eat

[9/24/2007 11:44:56 AM] pD says: not even not liking it, sometimes, it is food that he usually eats, but may not strike his mood?

[9/24/2007 11:45:12 AM] pD says: at this age, there is no reasoning with him - which I accept

[9/24/2007 11:45:20 AM] pD says: so, i just want to calibrate a bit here

[9/24/2007 11:45:43 AM] AE says: yeah. my kids tended to smear their food around if they didn't like it or they were not really hungry.

[9/24/2007 11:46:08 AM] pD says: any suggestion?

[9/24/2007 11:46:09 AM] AE says: small amounts of different things are always best.

[9/24/2007 11:46:11 AM] pD says: to be honest

[9/24/2007 11:46:16 AM] AE says: what do you feed him?

[9/24/2007 11:46:21 AM] pD says: i am just tired of having to mop the floor after each session

[9/24/2007 11:46:45 AM] pD says: we feed him adult food for the most part. he does get puree veggie so he gets enough green

[9/24/2007 11:48:22 AM] pD says: my goal, admittedly selfish, is for the little boss to put aside the things that does not strike his fancy on the trey instead of dumping it overboard. just easier to clean...

[9/24/2007 11:49:25 AM] AE says: hmm... i'm not sure. we never had a food tossing problem...

[9/24/2007 11:49:32 AM] AE says: perhaps we never gave them enough time?

[9/24/2007 11:49:45 AM] pD says: enough time?

[9/24/2007 11:49:57 AM] AE says: we would always feed Quinn, then eat, so we were focusing on him while he was eating, then he would sleep while we ate.

[9/24/2007 11:51:14 AM] pD says: he would take the food and while looking at one direction, toss the food at the other direction. which is kind of funny, but a lot of work to clean up

[9/24/2007 11:51:21 AM] pD says: how often do you feed Quinn?

[9/24/2007 11:51:37 AM] AE says: now? at least once a week.

[9/24/2007 11:51:46 AM] pD says: one of the things that we do is to make sure that the little boss gets enough calories during the waking hours so that hedoes not wake up at night

[9/24/2007 11:51:53 AM] AE says: um... there was no set schedule. he nursed until he was 3.

[9/24/2007 11:51:55 AM] pD says: once a week - that is an expensive kid

[9/24/2007 11:52:05 AM] AE says: so, most of the nutrients he needed came from that.

[9/24/2007 11:52:08 AM] pD says: exclusive?

[9/24/2007 11:52:15 AM] AE says: he didn't have solid food until about 9 months.

[9/24/2007 11:52:20 AM] pD says: it is kind of hard since both parents work

[9/24/2007 11:52:31 AM] AE says: ah... yes. there is the whole life structure thing...

[9/24/2007 11:52:58 AM] nsy says: i think its just fun to throw things

[9/24/2007 11:53:16 AM] pD says: agree - if you don't have to clean it up

[9/24/2007 11:53:55 AM] AE says: get a small dog?

[9/24/2007 11:54:06 AM] nsy says: if you put something else in his hand when he eats does he throw that instead? or is he using his hands to eat (not being spoon fed)?

[9/24/2007 11:54:31 AM] nsy says: dog - good idea! i don't think roombas are designed for wet pick-up.

[9/24/2007 11:55:07 AM] pD says: never been much of a pet person - i don't mind pets, it is just that they seem to be babies that never grow up for interesting conversations, so the upside is quite limited in my view

[9/24/2007 11:55:23 AM] pD says: nsy has an interesting observation

[9/24/2007 11:55:41 AM] pD says: it is true that if i give him something else to hold, he would throw it instead

[9/24/2007 11:55:55 AM] pD says: that is one of the ways that I feed him veggies

[9/24/2007 11:56:12 AM] nsy says: so, its a game. he likes to watch you pick stuff up for him. whee!

[9/24/2007 11:56:26 AM] pD says: which brings up a related question, why would he NOT eat the puree veggie as is, but would open widely when he has something to hold in his hands and bang?

[9/24/2007 11:56:43 AM] pD says: nsy, you are not to talk with the little boss...

[9/24/2007 11:56:53 AM] nsy says: dang

[9/24/2007 11:56:54 AM] AE says: LOL

[9/24/2007 11:57:10 AM] nsy attempted collaboration thwarted

[9/24/2007 11:57:29 AM] pD says: subversion is a better description

[9/24/2007 11:57:41 AM] nsy says: for the same reason you like to listen to arias while working.

[9/24/2007 11:58:00 AM] pD says: the connection?

[9/24/2007 11:58:19 AM] pD says: it is true that he definitely treats it partly as a game.

[9/24/2007 11:58:49 AM] pD says: that is part of my quandary. how do i make it such that he would eat nicely so we can play games nicely - without the mopping

[9/24/2007 12:03:01 PM] AE says: maybe stop feeding him for a few days.

[9/24/2007 12:03:12 PM] AE says: then he'll be too hungry and weak to throw food.

[9/24/2007 12:04:02 PM] pD says: drastic, but i see where you are going with that idea

[9/24/2007 12:04:17 PM] AE says: (please tell my you know I'm kidding)

[9/24/2007 12:04:22 PM] nsy says: the connection - if you have a divine multi-tasking brain, and you are trying to focus on one task, there can be distracting "chatters" unless you keep one part occupied with one task, so the other channel can focus on a separate task. this is just a theory i have because i used to have trouble with calculus until i started listening to classical music during my differential equations. like how a worry stone can "help you think" i suppose.

[9/24/2007 12:04:59 PM] pD says: no, it is time for the little boss to face the real world. school of hard-knocks is what this is all about

[9/24/2007 12:05:01 PM] nsy says: keep the hands occupied so he can focus on the eating

[9/24/2007 12:05:29 PM] nsy says: let him clean up his own mess - tough love

[9/24/2007 12:05:39 PM] AE says: perhaps carrot sticks for the hands (good if he accidentally puts one in his mouth) and then spoon feed everything else.

[9/24/2007 12:06:03 PM] nsy says: and carrot sticks are easier to clean off the floor

[9/24/2007 12:06:55 PM] AE says: that way the hands are distracted, and he learns that sometimes hands have yummy things.

[9/24/2007 12:07:14 PM] AE says: oh! or replace the carrot sticks with sugar sticks!

[9/24/2007 12:07:19 PM] AE says: or chocolate bars!

[9/24/2007 12:07:30 PM] AE says: then he certainly won't throw them away!

[9/24/2007 12:08:15 PM] nsy says: i wonder if putting bells on his wrists would distract him...

[9/24/2007 12:08:29 PM] AE says: haha! it would distract me!

[9/24/2007 12:26:41 PM] AE says: http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/eating/throwingfood.html

[9/24/2007 12:26:47 PM] AE says: other parent's thoughts...

[9/24/2007 2:32:27 PM] AE says: still... it could be worse: http://www.neatorama.com/2006/07/07/kids-and-an-open-can-of-paint-what-could-go-wrong/

[9/25/2007 7:05:25 AM] AE says: In completely unrelated news comes this disturbing graph: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:FSM_Pirates.jpg

[9/25/2007 7:05:51 AM] AE says: I never realized there was a direct correlation, but I think our course is clear on what needs to be done...

[9/25/2007 9:14:36 AM] pD says: start a business on pirate gears, correspondence course on pirating, author pirates for dummies, etc.?

[9/25/2007 9:16:02 AM] pD says: btw, the score today is UPS 10 Fed 1

[9/25/2007 9:16:03 AM] AE says: exactly!

[9/25/2007 9:16:10 AM] AE says: run away and join the Pirates!

[9/25/2007 9:16:29 AM] pD says: lest we forget the god rush

[9/25/2007 9:16:35 AM] pD says: none of the gold diggers got rich

[9/25/2007 9:16:50 AM] pD says: but we get Levis' who supplies to the gold rushers

[9/25/2007 9:18:56 AM] AE says: hmmm... and the potato farmers and rotting mountains of potatoes

[9/25/2007 9:21:26 AM] pD says: i would prefer a business with short inventory cycle, farming takes a long time between sowing and harvesting and pirating ain't a sure thing until they have replace QEII

[9/25/2007 9:38:03 AM] AE says: no, i was referring to the mountains of rotting potatoes in Watsonville and Gilroy during the latter part of the gold rush

[9/25/2007 9:38:31 AM] AE says: there was a potato farmer who took a cart up and sold each potato for $2-4 (since there was more gold than food).

[9/25/2007 9:38:57 AM] AE says: He came back and told of the riches he'd encountered, and everyone planted potatoes, thinking they would get rich too.

[9/25/2007 9:39:19 AM] AE says: so of course, there was a glut of potatoes on the market, no one could buy them all, and they rotted.

[9/25/2007 9:39:28 AM] AE says: farmers went bankrupt because of that.

[9/25/2007 10:01:29 AM] pD says: that is indeed a fascinating story about herd mentality

[9/25/2007 10:02:00 AM] pD says: so, whoever sold those potato seedlings made a killing.

[9/25/2007 10:06:29 AM] AE says: haha! that's why we love you, pD! Always able to find the money making angle to something.

[9/25/2007 10:07:29 AM] pD says: well, if some schmuk is going to make out like a bandit, i can think of worse candidates than self :)!

[9/25/2007 10:08:32 AM] AE says: that's what Mother Teresa used to say.

[9/25/2007 10:10:13 AM] pD says: was she running a biz on the side? she would have amazing branding opportunities. but, i suspect the roman church would demand a healthy cut - another reason why i always think religion is a good biz

[9/25/2007 10:12:55 AM] pD says: pD = the saviour

[9/25/2007 10:24:19 AM] AE says: hers was not a faith based in commercial religion.

[9/25/2007 10:24:27 AM] AE says: her religion was within her.

[9/25/2007 10:24:52 AM] AE says: yes, she was a Roman Catholic nun...

[9/25/2007 10:25:23 AM] AE says: but it was deep within her that the love came from to attempt the work she did.

[9/25/2007 10:25:51 AM] AE says: NJ sent me this one right after I started working here:

[9/25/2007 10:26:00 AM] AE sent file Mother Teresa.jpg to members of this chat

[9/25/2007 10:26:46 AM] AE says: reading it makes me cry sometimes

[9/25/2007 9:31:57 PM] pD says: not to make light of mother teresa's work and what she had given up for her work. But, i do strongly believe that we are judging her in a way that is completely unnatural

[9/25/2007 9:32:34 PM] pD says: first of all, the reason that she is notable is because she is the exception in all sense of the words - put another way, she ain

[9/25/2007 9:32:49 PM] pD says: ain't one of the regular folks

[9/25/2007 9:33:21 PM] pD says: and, not being a regular folk, it simply is not fair to judge her through the lens of the regular folks

[9/25/2007 9:36:10 PM] pD says: for example, while you and I (well, "I" especially) may consider what she does as an impossible task because of X, Y, and Z reasons. but the first question to ask is if she even consider the X, Y Z relevant. and, if these issues are irrelevant, maybe she is just doing the right thing by her even if it is considered "filthy/impossible" for regular folks

[9/25/2007 9:37:44 PM] pD says: to give a goofy example, for somebody who is not familiar with some french cheeses, the stink and texture is simply impossibly gross. but, for another person who does not view the same cheeses as such, it is simply another form of food

[9/25/2007 9:38:04 PM] pD says: so, from A, B is doing a brave/impossible thing while B is only doing something normal

[9/25/2007 9:38:34 PM] pD says: now, we can argue how normal is it to live and work in the more deprived slump of india.

[9/25/2007 9:39:04 PM] pD says: But, keep in mind, even that description is full of our own prejudices from a first world middle class view point

[9/25/2007 9:40:24 PM] pD says: in other words, although unverified, I have a strong suspicion that mother teresa and her gang probably lived a dulce vita relative to most of the population in the very same slumps.

[9/25/2007 9:41:21 PM] pD says: people make money donations and volunteer their time to work with mother teresa. that is all fine - if it makes a person feels better him/herself

[9/25/2007 9:42:45 PM] pD says: but, i do not know how the true locals feel about this - for all that i know, the locals may simply feel that "oh, great, here comes another sucker who is well fed and has more money than my entire village is worth coming here to do some work so he can feel better about himself."

[9/25/2007 9:43:26 PM] pD says: that may well be a local perspective and it basically continues the legacy of imperial/colonialism

[9/25/2007 9:44:05 PM] pD says: now, in term of welfare for its citizens, i wonder how much damage mother teresa's organization has done to the healthcare infrastructure of india.

[9/25/2007 9:44:50 PM] pD says: as strange as it may sound, it is also true that many third world government views this kind of "service" as a perfect substitute for taking up the responsibilities of serving their own citizens.

[9/25/2007 9:45:55 PM] pD says: and, in a strange way, such service removes the locals from depending on the government (which one may be tempted to consider a good thing on first glance) but this is terrible for a functioning government because it also removes incentives from both the government and the governed to engage in meaningful dialogs

[9/25/2007 9:46:36 PM] pD says: it becomes a crutch that neither side is willing to give up

[9/25/2007 9:47:26 PM] pD says: finally, at a personal level, i can only hope that mother teresa was the happiest while doing her work. if she is doing it for a sense of duty, she has a major major major complex.

[9/25/2007 10:04:25 PM] pD says: and, if she is happily doing her work - our admiration is a bit like cheering my kid for eating cookies

[9/25/2007 10:09:11 PM] pD says: i admire mother teresa because she has found her calling.

[9/25/2007 10:09:20 PM] pD is the contrarian

[9/26/2007 10:26:13 AM] pD says: UPS 12 Fedex 1

[9/26/2007 10:26:53 AM] pD says: btw, where are my green tea kim-chic candies?

[10:57:38 AM] pD says: knock, knock

[10:57:41 AM] pD says: anyone home?

[11:02:06 AM] nsy says: i'm home!

[11:02:57 AM] nsy says: but i'm installing...

[11:05:44 AM] pD says: no worries, just thought it has been a bit quiet lately

[11:07:16 AM] nsy says: end of quarter and end of fiscal year - very busy for us lately ;)

[11:17:25 AM] pD says: cool! make me more money!

[11:25:53 AM] pD says: UPS 0 FedEx 1 today

[11:26:04 AM] pD says: but, it is during a different time period

[11:55:23 AM] nsy says: heading to the office - se y'all in a bit

[11:59:40 AM] pD says: oh! you are literally at home, thought you were in PA doing install

[12:00:24 PM] pD says: what is going on these days? what excitement have i been missing?

[12:00:39 PM] AE says: customer 300 is next.

[12:00:55 PM] pD says: very cool!

[12:01:08 PM] pD says: #300 being installed or what is "next"?

[12:01:17 PM] AE says: to be signed.

[12:01:37 PM] pD says: sounds like a touch of bubbly is called for

[12:01:46 PM] AE says: probably will be on Friday.

[12:02:01 PM] pD says: hahah! down to the wire, huh

[12:02:04 PM] pD says: i know how that works

[12:02:08 PM] pD says: who is working on that deal?

[12:07:17 PM] AE says: don't know which one it will be.

[12:09:01 PM] pD says: i hope it is SG. he is on a bit of a short leash right now

[12:26:50 PM] AE says: actually, that leash was cut.

[12:29:33 PM] pD says: oh!

[12:29:38 PM] pD says: SG is no longer?

[12:29:46 PM] pD says: sorry to hear that

[12:29:47 PM] AE says: he 'resigned'

[12:29:52 PM] pD says: when did they happen?

[12:30:03 PM] AE says: about a month ago.

[12:30:09 PM] AE says: not long after you left.

[12:30:34 PM] pD says: man! you are holding out on me on the story

[12:30:47 PM] AE says: you now know as much as i do.

[12:31:34 PM] pD says: so, has anyone else left?

[12:31:48 PM] pD doing a name count in his mind

[12:31:59 PM] AE says: CE.

[12:32:08 PM] pD says: oh, that was before me

[12:32:14 PM] AE says: Ok. That's it.

[12:32:17 PM] pD says: around the same time as CM

[12:32:22 PM] AE says: ah

[12:32:38 PM] AE says: we've hired a couple of new sales folks... they're getting their feet under them

[12:32:38 PM] pD says: MB and JB still around, i am hoping

[12:33:03 PM] pD says: oh, yeah, a chicago guy was supposed to come onboard when i left

[12:33:20 PM] pD says: BP joined around that same time too

[12:33:41 PM] pD says: sales is a tough life - i would never make a good sales

[12:33:59 PM] AE says: i hear you. i was in sales just long enough to know it wasn't for me.

[12:34:56 PM] pD says: outside of sales though, any addition/subtractions?

[12:35:04 PM] AE says: nope

[12:35:11 PM] pD says: how is JH doing?

[12:35:21 PM] AE says: she and M1 are both doing a great job!

[12:35:31 PM] pD says: is M1 back from her time in France?

[12:35:39 PM] AE says: italia, but yes.

[12:36:02 PM] pD says: very cool! italy, huh. wish I was there. i always liked italy

[12:36:39 PM] pD says: but, i must say that Rome was just a bit too much as a place to live. enjoyed the visit, but i think i would prefer northern italy

[12:37:33 PM] AE says: yes, they save if rome leaves you wanting, you'll enjoy further south. if rome is enough, then that's as far south as you need to go.

[12:39:21 PM] pD says: hahahah! I totally see the point. although i suspect that i would enjoy the country side of southern italy well. to me, it is just the compactness/dense-ness of the roman madness that was getting to me.

[12:39:38 PM] AE says: ? what madness?

[12:39:39 PM] pD says: strange for me to say that of course, since i seem to prefer big cities in general

[12:40:40 PM] pD says: well, in most densely populated areas, there is a basic rhythm to how things work, how people walk, talk, etc. it may not be friendly, but if you get onto the same speed/wavelength, it becomes a non-issue

[12:41:24 PM] pD says: but, in the case of rome, i just felt that it was too many speeds and styles going at once, and it felt really "random" as oppose to having a rhythm like other big cities

[12:41:37 PM] pD says: purely personal observation

[12:44:13 PM] AE says: i'm not sure what you mean by rhythm... cities are large populations of individuals.

[12:46:15 PM] pD says: oh, i do not know about it

[12:46:22 PM] pD says: each location has its own rhythm and styles

[12:46:33 PM] pD says: and, it is partly a function of who lives/work there

[12:47:02 PM] pD says: for example, santa cruz, though i have never been, has a particular rhythm/style that if somebody from new york city just materializes would look out of place

[2:21:16 PM] pD says: btw, whatever happened to SG's infamous laptop(s)?

kids - electronic music - virtuosity - jazz - john coltrane - miles davis - herbie hancock - sonny rollin - max roach - dave brubeck - kind of blue -

[8/7/2007 9:26:37 AM] pD says: working from home

[8/7/2007 9:26:42 AM] pD says: little boss has a fever

[8/7/2007 9:29:35 AM] nsy says: aww! poor little guy. Well, you'll be missed here, but at least you are here "virtually". Hope the little guy feels better soon!

[8/7/2007 10:13:38 AM] pD says: i hope so too, so his folks can get some sleep...

[8/7/2007 10:35:26 AM] AE says: yeah! that means teeth!

[8/7/2007 10:36:18 AM] pD says: AE is speaking from experience

[8/7/2007 10:36:23 AM] pD says: and he is correct,

[8/7/2007 10:36:25 AM] pD says: mostly

[8/7/2007 10:36:36 AM] pD says: as it turns out, he also has a running nose

[8/7/2007 10:36:38 AM] AE says: teething must really suck when you're little.

[8/7/2007 10:36:57 AM] AE says: yes, it wipes out the immune system and it's like they have a bad cold.

[8/7/2007 10:37:12 AM] pD says: so, this is a double whammy situation where he is suffering from the teeth (two molars at the same time, yikes) and some kind of viral thing

[8/7/2007 10:37:42 AM] pD says: anyway, i have a doc appointment later for him

[8/7/2007 10:43:23 AM] AE says: yuck. sorry to hear that!

[8/7/2007 10:44:12 AM] pD says: shit happens, this is part of the grand bargain in life.

[8/7/2007 10:44:27 AM] pD says: he is still a good kid

[8/7/2007 10:44:44 AM] pD is stating the obvious being a highly biased party

[8/7/2007 11:57:04 AM] AE says: http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o167/brainshrub/wheres-the-baby.jpg

[8/7/2007 11:57:08 AM] AE says: speaking of kids...

[8/7/2007 1:14:07 PM] pD says: just got back from the doc, do not know what bug he has. probably a viral thing. he is still under observation - poor thing

[8/7/2007 1:14:11 PM] pD says: i am going to grab a bite now

[8/8/2007 6:50:40 AM] AE says: Here's what I want for Christmas: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/faster-faster/video-of-rollerman-racing-against-600cc-sportbike-spoiler-he-wins-287158.php?autoplay=true

[8/8/2007 11:51:52 AM] AE says: http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=20501

[8/8/2007 10:22:15 PM] pD says: with a sick kid, i am not bored... just catching up on work after a day of unhappy kid...

[9:30:39 AM] pD says: howdy... It has been a long two days

[9:31:12 AM] pD says: no complaints on taking care of a sick/fussy kid (that is part of the grand bargain), but it sure takes a toll on your body...

[9:31:23 AM] pD says: so, have i missed anything good?

[9:35:30 AM] AE says: ah... the sweet disease of parenthood...

[9:36:08 AM] AE says: well, there was the new toy on my christmas list: http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=20501

[9:36:25 AM] AE says: and the cartoon: http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o167/brainshrub/wheres-the-baby.jpg

[9:42:57 AM] pD says:

Rollerman Guy has made suit with rollerblade wheels all over it.

[9:43:22 AM] pD says: hahah! AE, this is a good illustration of why you run and i sit on my butt

[9:43:40 AM] pD says: that looks like a lot of work rolling on roads

[10:01:53 AM] AE says: oh but I be that view is awesome!

[10:04:18 AM] AE says: and here: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/reactable/reactable-synth-makes-touchy+feely-music-for-your-eyes-287729.php

[10:04:23 AM] AE says: you know... for kids.

[10:43:24 AM] AE says: Check this out!

[10:43:25 AM] AE says: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h-RhyopUmc&mode=related&search=

[10:43:38 AM] AE says: WoW! I Totally think this company NEEDS one of these!

[10:43:51 AM] AE says: Tags:

reactable reac table music (more)

URL



Embed



[10:43:59 AM] AE says: hah... whoops.

[10:44:09 AM] AE says:

[10:44:45 AM] AE says: IMHO, easily the coolest thing we've had up on NSA Chatters!

[11:17:43 AM] pD says: no company name pls

[11:17:51 AM] pD is a killjoy

[11:18:58 AM] pD says: it is pretty neat, but how long would it last? Not a huge fan of electronic music

[11:20:10 AM] AE says: no, but since it's a synthesizer you can give it any voice you want.

[11:20:33 AM] AE says: so you could mimic classical instruments (though that's not really the proper medium for this)

[11:20:53 AM] pD says: this is purely an opinion, i know - but, i can usually tell when a sound is synthesized or by conventional instruments

[11:21:11 AM] pD says: and, i agree with you that

[11:21:11 AM] AE says: True. but that doesn't mean it's not able to make good music.

[11:21:28 AM] AE says: though... actually I haven't really heard anything produced on it that I would actually enjoy listening too.

[11:21:30 AM] pD says: the point is not to mimic what has come before, but explore what is possible

[11:21:46 AM] AE says: it's more the technology, and the ability to dynamically control the music with such a cool interface!

[11:21:51 AM] AE says: exactly

[11:23:15 AM] pD says: well, i am old fashion in believing in virtuosity - nothing wrong with providing an easy ramp for the less talented (like me), but i have not seen/heard anything that would blow me away in the realm of electronic music

[11:24:00 AM] pD says: and, i do not know if it is a limitation on the instrument or somehow we (collectively) have not yet figure out how we define that music form

[11:24:03 AM] AE says: Odd. I feel the same about jazz, though I know I'm in the minority.

[11:24:25 AM] AE says: There is some electronic music that totally blows me away.

[11:24:28 AM] pD says: actually, most jazz performance is pretty crappy

[11:24:37 AM] AE says: haha. So it's not just me then.

[11:25:02 AM] pD says: people want to improvise on jazz, because all the greats can do it

[11:25:13 AM] AE says: but not everyone can do it great.

[11:25:23 AM] pD says: but, what people often do not realize is how much effort it takes to improvise in the first place

[11:25:37 AM] pD says: also, once you get to that level, how much more work is involved in not repeating yourself

[11:26:03 AM] pD says: because, it is very easy to find a set of crutches that you can always fall back on when you are in a jam - during improv

[11:26:32 AM] pD says: so, for example, john coltrane was known as practicing every waking hour - either writing or trying out new notes on his instrument

[11:26:54 AM] pD says: and, sure enough, he is one of the most influential because he keeps breaking new grounds

[11:27:45 AM] pD says: on the other hand, this does not meant lesser souls than Coltrane cannot do jazz - just different style and in much smaller dosages

[11:28:27 AM] pD says: just like eating, you should not have 3 start meals everyday. a snack stall on the street can provide inspiration.

[11:28:29 AM] pD says: sometimes

[11:33:20 AM] AE says: Ok. I'll have to find some Coltrane and check him out.

[11:33:31 AM] AE says: Perhaps I just haven't heard good jazz before.

[11:33:37 AM] AE says: only elevator and Muzak.

[11:33:39 AM] AE says: yuck.

[11:33:51 AM] pD says: muzak sucks! it ruins even the best music

[11:34:08 AM] AE says: you should check out a group called "Lounge against the Machine"

[11:34:33 AM] AE says: they take heavy metal, industrial, and Rage Against the machine kind of music and "loungify" it.

[11:34:45 AM] pD says: well, i would suggest you start with Blue Trane and My Favorite Things. These are two of the major works from his earlier period - tends to be a bit more listener friendly

[11:35:41 AM] pD says: Miles Davis is also another major figure - and i think the fact that he went to Julliard (the music school, but he dropped out) helped him a great deal in providing a much larger canvass in his music making

[11:36:16 AM] pD says: he actually ventured into electronic music in the 70's. Not a critical success, but he gave that genre a great deal of credibility as a result

[11:38:10 AM] pD says: speaking of electronic music-ish in the jazz format, you might also want to check out Herbie Hancock's HeadHunter - it is the first major work on Funk with a jazz context - it sort of borders on groovy musak because the texture sounds very similar unless you pay attention. but, its internal structure was quite complex - a fun academic piece for dorks like me

[11:40:21 AM] pD says: you may also enjoy max roach and Sonny Rollin’s Saxophone Colossus - this was the first major hard-bob jazz. amongst other things, max roach's use of drum as a performance instrument instead of just beat keeper was a major break through and, if you listen closely, the kind of texture he can get out of his set is nothing short of amazing

[11:41:22 AM] pD says: finally, dave brubeck's take five and the rest of the recording on that album is a major work from the "west coast" jazz. it comes from a completely different tradition and is quite enjoyable

[11:42:03 AM] pD says: well, this is a very partial list of several major genres that may be worth checking out. hopefully, you will find at least one that sings to you

[11:42:58 AM] AE says: Cool! Thanks for the recommendations.

[11:44:10 AM] pD says: oops, for miles davis, Kind of Blue (the first/wrong recording) and Sketches of Spain would give you a good flavor

[11:45:03 AM] pD says: Interestingly, Sketches of Spain is not on my favorite recording list for Davis - but I think it is a function of my classical training (which involves a lot of spanish work) interfering

[11:45:34 AM] pD says: Kind of Blue is probably the most famous jazz work of all time - highly enjoyable. it does have an interesting history

[11:46:35 AM] pD says: basically, the original release was done on the wrong speed - it was faster, so both the tempo and pitch are higher than the actual recording. So, for the longest time, practitioners who are looking to play the piece always have problem re-producing the sound from the sheet music vis-à-vis the recording

[11:47:13 AM] pD says: a few years back, somebody found the original recording tapes. And, long story short, figured out what happened. so, there are now two release, the "wrong" and the "corrected"

[11:47:59 AM] pD says: the corrected version definitely makes a lot more sense musically because the change in style for Miles davis was not as drastic - there is a clearly a sense of continuity

[11:49:33 AM] pD says: on the other hand, i would argue (and what do i know) that the "wrong" version was so much more fresh and earth shattering, that it is the "right" version. the impressionistic style that keeps a sense of urgency without sounding hurried - that was the reason why that recording was such a Wow!

[11:49:42 AM] pD says: and, naturally, I have both recording...

[11:49:59 AM] pD will stop yakking about jazz for now

[11:51:28 AM] AE says: No. Thank you for sharing your background knowledge. It helps to know this stuff to appreciate the music.

[11:51:40 AM] AE says: brb. we're heading out of the shedquarters and up to the house.

[12:26:12 PM] AE says: pD, question: do we have samples of branded product?

[12:32:20 PM] nsy says: i sent a new mail with the samples :)

[12:32:38 PM] AE says: saw that. You're always on top of things nsy!

[12:33:21 PM] nsy says: hey pD, have you heard the charlie hunter trio, or the bad plus?

[12:33:46 PM] nsy says: http://www.charliehunter.com/

[12:34:14 PM] nsy says: charlie plays guitar and bass at the same time on a custom instrument - so cool!

[12:35:00 PM] nsy says: the bad plus is great nerd jazz http://www.thebadplus.com/

[12:45:05 PM] nsy says: i love Wes Montgomery's "So much Guitar!" - good one too

[12:48:52 PM] nsy says: i also forgot how great and terrible the movie "six string samurai" could be http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-String_Samurai

[12:56:53 PM] pD says: is this the one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nqrd6buFHE

[12:56:57 PM] pD says: cool!

[12:57:03 PM] pD says:

[12:57:19 PM] nsy says: hahaha - yep - thats it!

[12:58:27 PM] nsy says: it's reminiscent of the guitar battle from the movie crossroads

[1:19:22 PM] pD says: looks so non-sensical. love it. i am putting it on my list

[1:20:57 PM] nsy says: i may have asked you about this before, so ignore me if we've been over this... but have you seen seven samurai? or any of akira kurosawa's films?

[1:21:12 PM] AE raises hand

[1:21:20 PM] pD says: i have seen most of the kurosawa films

[1:21:36 PM] pD says: any particular reason for asking?

[1:21:38 PM] nsy says: excellent. i just love kurosawa!

[1:21:59 PM] AE says: what was your favorite?

[1:22:03 PM] AE says: both of you.

[1:22:18 PM] nsy says: no, the samurai thing, and the movie thing triggered spreading activation in my brain is all

[1:23:10 PM] pD says: they all have their merits so, it is hard to have a favorite.

[1:23:25 PM] pD says: i especially enjoyed his use of cinematography

[1:23:31 PM] AE says: true... so many were copied in other films as well.

[1:23:51 PM] AE says: they were a big inspiration to Lucas on the Star Wars films.

[1:23:51 PM] pD says: coming from the Noh tradition - his camera perspective is much lower than the western tradition

[1:24:21 PM] pD says: yeah, hidden fortress was the inspiration for princess Leia, Han Solo, R2D2 and C3PO

[1:25:02 PM] pD says: on a comparative basis, i would say that Yojimbo is the most interesting and revealing

[1:25:30 PM] AE says: but a talking samurai rabbit?

[1:25:35 PM] pD says: because "a fistful of dollars" with clint eastwoord is a literally shot by shot re-creation

[1:26:16 PM] pD says: and, i must say that a fistful of dollar remains a very compelling story - which goes to show how good the original yojimbo is/was

[1:26:53 PM] pD says: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000041/

[1:27:48 PM] AE says: this is still one of my favorites: http://imdb.com/title/tt0047478/

[1:28:01 PM] AE says: it's a story that much older than the movie, and has been told many times since.

[1:28:30 PM] AE says: it's got the classic scene of the samurai joining together one at a time until they're all facing their adversaries.

[1:29:02 PM] AE says: "Dreams" has to be my all time favorite, though.

[1:29:24 PM] AE says: http://imdb.com/title/tt0100998/

[1:31:05 PM] AE says: To me, it's a very personal look inside his head.

[1:31:17 PM] AE says: to share your dreams like that... it speaks a lot about a person.

[1:31:41 PM] AE says: and when it's a person who has the ability to make the images of their dreams come real... that's very powerful.

[2:17:55 PM] pD says: AE's favorite films:

[2:17:56 PM] pD says: Here's my list of recommended, must see movies (in the order I thought of them):

1. Life is Beautiful

2. Train of Life

3. Brazil

4. Aliens

5. The Milagro Bean field War

6. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

7. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai

8. 20,000 Leagues under the Sea

9. Leon

10. Blade Runner

[2:18:06 PM] pD that was from AE

[2:18:42 PM] AE says: Wow! Those are some of the best movies!!!

[2:18:43 PM] AE says: oh...

[2:26:23 PM] AE says: so what are your favorites, both of you?

[2:26:59 PM] pD is not into lists - too much of it is dependant on moods

[2:27:47 PM] AE says: but some must stick out. some you must watch more than once or twice...

[2:27:50 PM] pD says: same idea as "comfort food"

[2:27:55 PM] pD says: tampopo would be high on my list

[2:28:04 PM] AE says: who directed that?

[2:28:43 PM] pD says: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092048/

[2:28:49 PM] pD says: Itami is the director

[2:29:23 PM] pD says: "roman holiday" is sort of the mindless snack for the soul

[2:29:49 PM] pD says: "terminator 1" was stunning with the machine that refused to die

[2:30:49 PM] pD says: "Nueve reinas" is an argentinian film that takes so many unexpected turns that you would just have to embrace it to enjoy it

[2:30:57 PM] pD says: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247586/

[2:33:02 PM] pD says: momento (interesting not in IMDB) employs a grabbing narrative that you would either turn it off within the first 15 minutes or you have to watch it to find out what happened http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memento_%28film%29

[2:34:00 PM] pD says: Audition is one of the most creepy films that I have seen: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0235198/

[2:35:57 PM] pD says: 3-iron is a film where the main character did not utter a word, but the story flows and takes you on a wild ride on what contemporary Korea is about

[2:38:00 PM] pD says: speaking of Korea, A State of Mind, is a completely fascinating study on life under authoritarianism. and, yet, it is a very hopeful film not because people are going to overthrow the government but there is a sense of ease and peace between them: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0456012/

[2:39:54 PM] pD says: anyway, these films all have their moments - i also love star wars and the godfather films

[2:40:07 PM] pD says: it is about what is the mood...

[5:21:26 PM] pD says: getting ready to fulfill my baby daddy duty...