A picture's worth a thousand blogs...

So, you're in a store looking at the newest gadget or DVD or cd or whatever, and you're tempted to go ahead and drag it to the checkout. But is it any good? Well, you could leave the store, head home, log onto the internet or pick up a magazine and go through a bunch of reviews...or...you could snap a quick picture of the UPC and get instant feedback from a whole bunch of blogs. It's not a possibility just yet, but if these folks have their say, it will be within a year or so.

Holy Schnikies...My Eyes...

Seriously, why do videos like this and this exist? Is it just to occupy the bandwidth of morons like me and you or is there some greater purpose to the entire endeavor?

Mom says eat your veggies...

There are two sides to this story here...on one hand, I see good things in parents being able to help guide their children's eating habits...on the other hand, what will happen to the junk food industry's massive hold on the school market?...

And if you haven't seen Super Size Me yet, check out the DVD...

Guerilla artwork...

Not that I'm endorsing this kind of behavior or anything, but it's kinda cool...

Oh, and the campaign's over - except for counting the last of the change and calling businesses to get matching donation checks. There is much relief...

Decisions being made...

I teach at a high school that offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. It's not something that most folks are familiar with, but it's an impressive educational program.

Quick summary of the IB program from my experience with it...feel free to skip it if you know this stuff already...

The IB program is an internationally-recognized, high-standard of education that's administered out of Wales (you know, like next to England). If a student successfully completes the program, their education is impressive and thorough enough that they could go to pretty much any country and head to university with good success. Students who get the IB diploma have to take rigorous courses in science, math, native and foreign languages, social studies, philosophy, and (oten) fine arts). We've had the program for twenty or so years here at PHS, and anybody who comes out of it is really studly.

Turns out that Upper St. Clair HS - near Pittsburgh also has the IB program - or at least they had the program. The school's website describes themselves thusly...

Welcome to the Upper St. Clair High School website. Three times recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School and named as a New American High School by the Federal Department of Education, Upper St. Clair High School is a four-year, comprehensive school with a strong emphasis on preparation for college.

In their second controversial act since they came into office, the Upper St. Clair school board voted to cease their IB program.

According to the article discussing the decision, the board's professed reason for cancelling the program was a smple cost-cutting measure, as the smaller class sizes often required a larger per-pupil expendature than was being made for the rest of the student body. Comments made before the final board meeting, however, suggested that the board also felt that the IB program promoted non-American values.

Local newspapers wrote editorials about the issue leading up to the final vote, and residents were able to comment both before and after the final - for now, anyway - board meeting.

We've not - that I know of, anyway - heard any such complaints or rumblings of removing the IB program from good ol' PHS, and I certainly hope such rumblings never come our way, and I do understand that in times of financial shortage, certain services have to be curtailed, and all...but...

The IB program is not, in any way at all, anti-American or Marxist - as some notes in the articles suggest were threatened. The program does require students in some courses to read materials that explore disparate philosophies - governmental, economic, moral - and to then come to conclusions on their own, and often to further question those conclusions as they learn more and read further.

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In retrospect, this whole issue (at least the anti-American charges) come from a similar vein as yesterday's post for me. I would much rather that I - and my students and all people, in general - be given as much open knowledge as we can give them. Let me - and them - come to whatever conclusions.

Cutting off access to information to keep people thinking your way is no way for leaders in a free society to behave. It's hackneyed and cliche, but the mind is like a parachute, it works better when it’s open.

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Ipromise that tomorrow's post will be back in the Antonio Banderas blog vein - totally frivolous...

Amazing...seriously...

I am amazed at what my students are able to accomplish that is often quite far outside the realm of anything that we're teaching them.

Today's example begins with a couple of my students pointing out that their band had a little side project (Salute Your Schwartz Studio - check PureVolume.com if you're interested, but be warned, the first track is way foul in the language milieu). Apparently, the three gents have put together a recording studio in one of their basements. They've bought a nice mixing board (check the picture), mixing program, soundproofing, and a bunch of recording equipment. Neat enough so far, good kids record music in basement, right?

Well, there's a little more to that. Turns out that they've got a benefactor fronting the money, they've got a plan to pay the investment back, and they're using the new digs to start their own recording business - cutting tracks for other PHS bands, recording mom's boss, and being engineers so little girls can send trumpet recordings to Grandma. It's apparently a serious business, the kind of thing that sends them on to music production careers (their current futures). I, for one, am amazed and impressed. I know that when I was in high school, I didn't have nearly that kind of drive and creativity and initiative. Phenomenal...

Kind of makes me think of another couple of my students (and former students) who have a DJ business. He'd bought a bunch of DJ equipment when he was in high school (and has done a bunch of favors for our Pasta for Pennies campaign - feel free to donate online) and has built up that start into a decently successful business now that he's in college.

Seriously, the students that I teach amaze me. They do it consistently within the confines of my classroom, but it's what they do outside the walls that throws me for such a loop. They are incredible.

If anybody ever tells you that the current generation is a bunch of wastes, tell 'em to stuff it. Send 'em my way, and I'll tell a vastly different tale.

I can't tell you about this...

Apparently, the current administration falls down on a different side of the disclosure fence than do I.

Today, it is being reported by various news agencies that a number of government documents that were declassified by an executive order of President Clinton are being reclassified, a process that has increased in speed under the current Bush administration. The program was apparently begun with so little fanfare or public aknowledgement, that the reclassification has been taking place for seven years before it was noticed on a large enough scale that it made the news.

Many of the documents being reclassified are already available to the public in CIA and other agency publications, on websites, and through research done by numerous historians.

As the National Security Archive's coverage states,

"Every blue ribbon panel that has studied the performance of the U.S. defense establishment and intelligence community since September 11, 2001 has emphasized the need for less secrecy and greater transparency," said Aid. "This episode reveals an enduring culture of secrecy in the U.S. government and highlights the need to establish measures prohibiting future secret reclassification programs."

But this has not deterred the reclassifiers.

I'll admit it freely: I prefer a transparent government to a hidden one. There are certainly appropriate times when information should be marked classified, but I'm all in favor of erring on the side of telling the citizenry more rather than less. Let us decide what is important. Give us the information and let us figure out what's wheat and what's chaf. Don't hide them both from me and say that the decision was made for me.

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And don't pretend to be a geek burger store and then take away my local geek outlet. C'mon...

Oh, but do bring back Rampage. It was, after all, one of my favorite video games back when there were these things called arcades.

Back from the smokies...

Antonio Banderas blogs just for you...

Just got back from a lovely weekend in Gatlinburg. Details may or may not follow. There will also be a review of The 40-Year-Old Virgin over at my media blog in the next day or two.

Happy Presidents' Day, everybody...

Droppin' some NYC...

Did a little good deed last night before the scheduling fair (standing in the gym, letting parents ask questions about what their lil' precious should take next year) and visited Roc-a-Fellas, an NYC-style pizza joint in Sharonville. Wandered there partially because I'd heard good things, but also partially because the Pasta for Pennies campaign has a deal going with them where 20% of any check between 4-8 and Thursday nights (the deal just ended last night), and as the co-coordinator, I tend to go to a bunch of those things as support.

Luckily, the place turned out to be great. It's a far cry from Betta's in Norwood, but it's supposed to be. Where Betta's is making artisan pizzas in a wood-fired oven, Roc-a-Fellas is making NYC-style pizza in professional pizza ovens. Thin crust, light on sauce, sold by the slice - way different but still excellent. I went for the Bronx Bomber - 2-lb per slice, only $3.99 - with its double crust, three meats (pepperoni, bacon, sausage) heaped massively inside. Quite tasty stuff. If you and a friend manage to eat a whole thing (eight slices, sixteen pounds) in under half an hour, you eat free. Of course, you'd be the first. Owner Johnny (who served us last night) said that Roc-a-Fellas is still 106-0 against people trying that deal.

Nothing fancy at the place, I warn ya. Drinks are from the fountain and in styrofoam cups. The pizza comes out on paper plates, and the utensils are plastic, but it's got the right feel for a NYC pizza joint.

Give it a try. If you need directions, head this way, if you do go, thanks Johnny for donating to the Princeton HS campaign.

Eat your gods...

From the Doug files - Chocolate Deities, a small company willing to mint your favorite God or god or goddess or religious symbol in white, milk, or dark chocolate. Plus, for some of the deities, they're willing to paint 'em in gold (or a few other colors) just to make worshiping that golden calf just a little easier.

The perfect addition...

Hidden Passageways offers the coolest addition to a house ever made. Specifically, I'm talking about animation #4 in the videos section.

Take a look, and you'll see what I'm talking about...

Justin Case...

If my previous posts about the grossness of huge burgers didn't turn you off from that kind of food, have a gander at SupersizedMeals.com ...complete with pictures of 15 lb hamburgers, 22-slice bacon sandwiches, and a link to the Whopperettes. All kinda sick...

Traded for a cartoon?

So, Al Michaels was traded.

Well, not exactly traded, but certainly allowed to move to a different team in return for considerations. The considerations apparently involve highlights for the Olympics, the Ryder Cup, and a cartoon rabbit.

It seems that before Walt Disney made Mickey Mouse, he made some thing that looks pretty much like Mickey Mouse but with long ears - Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. It's kinda a frightening looking thing, but I guess he's some sort of part of Walt's legacy. And apparently he was important to the Disney Corporation.

Michaels had been broadcasting football games for ABC, but ABC lost their Monday Night Football games to ESPN. ESPN, in turn, gave up the Sunday night games to NBC who wanted to have Michaels in the stable. So, ABC and NBC worked out a trade because Michaels was still under contract for ABC.

Here's the kernel of the deal...

NBC gives ESPN more Olympic hightlights as well as highlights and Friday live rounds to the Ryder Cup, Notre Dame football, the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness Stakes. In return, ABC (also owned by the same company as ESPN) let Michaels out of his contract, leaving him free to sign with NBC.

So strange...

Almost as strange, in fact, as having Tony Kornheiser in the booth for Monday Night Football (which he will be)...

Wizards work caught on film...

It appears that the Australian wizarding community has had a major foul-up. The UK newspaper The Register has located a flying car using Google Earth. They do go on to investigate further, getting ground-level pictures of the flying car launch site and proposing a few alternate explanations, none of which seem too plausible.

A general recommendation for the Register as they've got a bunch of fun Google Earth links. Enjoy, folks...

Prince is a madman...

Here's a little video of Prince showing up the entire remaining alive Wilburys. Check it out...

I was lucky enough to see Prince live at the 5/3 Arena/Cincinnati Colleseum/City Bank Arena a few years ago. Went down there with Karlen and Cindy just so I could say that I saw Prince (a true legend in American music). Sadly, the sound was horrible, and it was really hard to understand a bunch of the songs - particuarly the few acoustic numbers that he wanted the audience to sing along to. Tragically, pretty much nobody in the place could tell what song he was playing because the sound was so awful.

Luckily, this video has better sound.

General stupidity and comedy...

I think Craig Ferguson is funnier, admittedly, and David Letterman just might be, too, but I think Jimmy Kimmel's been doing a pretty good job on the late night scene (from my limited views, admittedly)...And all three are clearly funnier than Jay Leno...he and his chin haven't done anything useful or funny since he was the Crimson Chin...

Find a friend...

I'm always amazed at what you can do and find on the internet. Tonight, I was looking for a review of the Blue Traveler album which made me think of my cousin Aaron who introduced me to the Travelers a long time ago.

That got me to thinking about where Aaron might be nowadays, but searching the internet for Aaron Mueller wasn't too successful until I narrowed the search a bit by throwing in his alma mater's name - TCU - which lead me to the online outpost which lead me to a news story from Tampa 10 that shows me that my cousin is balding, has the same accent that I remember so fondly (if a little less of it), and seems to be doing pretty well.

I think I'll give him an email. It's been too long...

Take a minute and see if you can hunt somebody down...somebody that you haven't heard from in a while...

Cooking with a celly...

Somehow, I'm thinking that this is a joke, but I'm dorky enough that I just might try it over the weekend... my wife and I have, after all, two cell phones... and it shouldn't be too difficult to set up...

Slowly dying...

So, I've got a Dell Insipron 8600...it's a handy thing that I've had for a year and a half now... quality laptop with wireless something or other that lets me browse the web and blog (of course) throughout almosthe entire house (not the very front room, but considering the palatial size of the Dusch manse, that's not really a surprise)...

But the little minx has become a little less stable of late...my battery life has begun to poop out on me from time to time...nothing horrible - it's not like I'm totally rooted to the power cable, but what I remember as being a battery life of around 2.5-3 hours is starting to be more in the 1-1.5 range...way shorter than it had been...which is starting the be a little concerning - making me think about buying a new battery - a $150 investment that I'm a little leery to make...

There are, of course, lists of ways to maxamize your battery's life, and I think I'll be trying some of those things, but I fear that the final solution will come with death of the current battery and the purchase of a new one...

Admittedly, I'm not entirely sure of how long my battery can last, but anecdotally I know it's getting shorter and shorter...and while I didn't exactly use battery life as the deciding factor in choosing a laptop, I do care about not being fully tethered...

Apparently, though, this may become a worry of the past if the 9-to-5 laptop shows up on the market...

Ten more random songs...

Kyle may not be doing it anymore, but I'm willing to keep banging away at the random songs from iTunes. Speaking of Kyle, by the by, he recommended an excellent cartoon from Salon.com this weekend - Tom the Dancing Bug. Good stuff...and now on to today's promised music...

"1952 Vincent Black Lightning" by Richard Thompson

Great song, possibly my favorite song from one of my favorite artists...wonderful throwback to a very old highwayman kind of song (a type that I've considered making a collection of)

"The World is a Wonderful Place" by Richard & Linda Thompson

Another Thompson tune, this one with his wife at the time doing vocals...also the titluar song from a tribute album to the man - mocking his ever-so-cheerful songwriting

"Orange Blossom Special" by The Johnson Mountain Boys

Instrumental bluegrass...one of the most famous and greatest breakdowns in the genre...

"Peaches and Cream" by Beck

From his Midnight Vultures funk album...a quality song from the album in which Beck (mutable music genius) channeled Prince

"Remember (Christmas)" by Harry Nilsson

It's not a holiday song at all...rather it's a slightly maudelin tune from an artist whose music is among the most well-written of the 70's...it's not my favorite song of his at all, but his are definitely a greatest hits worth checking out - I recommend Personal Best - a two-disc set

"Two Faced Love" by Richard Thompson

Again with RT...must be telling me something - what with the six-disc box set coming out this week (I've already got my order in, and it should show up this week)

"Carrie Brown" by Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band

Earle took a detour from his typically topical songwriting to put out The Mountain - a bluegress album...not his finest work, but it's pretty good stuff...I prefer bluegrass with Earle's deeper, richer voice instead of the traditional high, lonesome sound of most bluegrass singers

"Blame it on the Tetons" by Modest Mouse

Weirdly, the title line from this song has been going through my head for the last twenty-four hours - before I threw together this random ten...seems odd to me...nice, tuneful song from a great album...the only one of theirs that I know...

"World of Two" by Cake

Not too odd from a group that can do very odd...good song...not their finest, but I enjoy their music...especially the album (Comfort Eagle) that this one came from...

"I've Got the Blues" by Lyle Lovett

Lyle's not truly a country singer...more of a blue/jazz guy who just happens to also enjoy Texas swing...this one is a really pretty song that shows off his bluesier side...

Amazingly, three Richard Thompson songs (I have a bunch, but I'm surprised that many showed up in just ten choices)...and two bluegrass...all in all, possibly the strongest random ten that I've done...any thoughts, anybody?

Oh, and yesterday's 5K for a Cause went pretty well...raised over $900 for the campaign...everybody was very understanding when our last student giving directions on the course pointed most of the runners/walkers the wrong way...frustrating for me because by the time I found out about it, I couldn't do a thing about it, but that's life...hopefully next year's will go more smoothly...

Ah, parody...

Film parodies are becoming pretty simple to make and post to the web, and now that a lot of the web is browsed at broadband speed, people can post decent quality video files. Today's movie parody is titled Broke Mac Mountain and tells a touching story of two men passing the time...

Feel free to also check in on the Pasta for Pennies website to follow our progress and/or make an online donation. All money collected (100% - yup) goes to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Last year, we brought in over $35,000 last year and finished as the largest fundraising school in the nation. We, by the way, frickin' rock!

A warning...

Postings could become a little less frequent for the next few weeks, folks, because the Pasta for Pennies campaign is in full swing now (5K run this weekend is the next big project) and if we're going to raise $40,000, we're going to need to work at it (feel free to donate once the online donation's online - supposedly Monday of next week, by the way).

At the moment, I offer you Read Yourself Raw, a website donated to recommending, feting, and chatting about graphic novels.

It's an intitiatve from Art Spiegelman to promote a medium through which he's become famous and that he clearly loves. Raw is both a website and a magazine, but the website's a lot easier to link to...

Oh, and I've now played like fifteen games of NHL Hockey '95...I may need a support group...