Offbeat

Is there really much else to say? You have two of the most important musical figures of the 20th century, together shooting hoops at a birthday party, and it was caught on film. From the MilesDavisOnline site notes: There’s this most excellent footage floating around the ‘net of a John Lennon / Yoko Ono party from 1972 that features Andy Warhol, Phil Spector and Miles Davis. The 16mm color film was shot by filmmaker Jonas Mekas (the date was specifically October 9, 1972). Great. Party footage. Looks like they had fun. Good for them. But what makes this unearthed party…

This summer my wife’s sister moved from New Jersey to Texas because her husband works for Exxon-Mobil, and in the process what started as ‘babysitting’ her 3 cats turned into getting them dumped on us permanently! So on top of our two terriers, without own cat we suddenly had a minor herd of kittehs! Here is one we actually just got rid of when our nephew returned from China and wanted the cat back with him at college: And yes, he is rather large – he’s actually bigger than either of our dogs! They can get out of hand at…

How young is too young to start indoctrinating your children in the ways of the gamer? NEVER too young! So instead of reading ‘Chicka Chicka ABC’ or ‘Goodnight Moon’ to your toddler, tuck them in with the ‘Gamer’s Alphabet’! Anyway, ElJeffe at the Penny-Arcade forums talked about his book and how he created it: Okay, here’s the Gamer’s Alphabet. First, this is roughly how I made it. Instead of using adhesive paper, I used plain, sturdy printer paper and spray-on glue, because I couldn’t find any adhesive paper that didn’t suck for printing. Also, the instructions make it sound like…

No money involved, and you just have to enter a name and email. I have talked about the Jason Parker Quartet quite a bit in reviews of their music as well as praising their business ethics and pay-what-you-want practice. Now they have made it on to a list of bands nominated to be sent to Iceland to represent Seattle. Voting is open, and it is quick and easy. Naturally if you live in Seattle or know any of the other groups you might have already voted, but otherwise here is a chance to support a great band that is doing…

This weekend on CNN, I saw a bit about a new safe driving initiative in Canada. The basis is to have an extended road decal that has a faux 3D appearance to look like a child chasing a ball into the road. The goal is to have you slow down in high-accident areas and hopefully reduce risks. But as the report indicates, my first concern is over the potential that the same drivers who are taking risks now will become desensitized to these decals and will end up mistakenly end up hitting an actual child at play. Check out the spot:…

A couple of weeks ago we were back-to-school shopping for our kids, and when looking at shoes we were concerned because my older son was outgrowing his size 13’s … meaning he was looking at the world of special orders, high prices and terrible selections. But as we discovered, the brand he owned tended to run small so he was able to grab a size 13 in another brand and was all set! Of course, we have all run into this before – one brand fits differently in different areas than another brand, so according to our various body shapes…

Even for those not alive in the late 70’s, the phrase ‘jump the shark’ has an immediate contextual meaning: the moment you can look upon as when an otherwise enjoyable and/or high quality show started a downward spiral into oblivion. Every writer / actor / director would love the thought of having a great show and going out on top, leaving everyone with high quality episodes that simply have you wanting more. But the networks want to ride their high-rating shows as long as possible, and end up throwing more and more money at the show to keep people on-board….

photo credit: chrismar Whether you celebrate it because it signifies the end of the summer or because it also designates the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons, the first Monday of September is Labor Day in the United States. This is a holiday traditionally spent with friends, cooking out in the back yard while enjoying ice-cold adult beverages. But obviously, there is a deeper history and meaning behind it … If you are in the US and celebrating Labor Day today, we hope you have a fun, safe & enjoyable day off!

I still have a few years until my kids will be entering college and am acutely aware of the realities of what life was like for them growing up, but each year when I see the Beloit College Mindset list it is a reminder of how much life has changed since I entered college myself oh so many years ago! This is the 12th official list, going back to the class of 2002 list made in 1998! Here are a few samples of things from the list that made me stop in my tracks: 1. Few in the class know…

Even as a man I sometimes find myself uncomfortable and embarrassed in business situations when men who should know better show their respect for their highly educated and proficient female colleagues much as Woody Allen is showing his respect for Scarlett Johansson. Hopefully we are long past the point where someone would actually suggest that by wearing a low cut shirt a woman is ‘asking for’ untoward glances … yet somehow I doubt it. Whether it is to avoid wandering eyes or to simply feel more professional and covered up while still wearing a favorite shirt you would otherwise not…