'Tis an ill wind that blows no minds.

The "Bushism" Of The Day

I'm going to spend a lot of time on Social Security. I enjoy it. I enjoy taking on the issue. I guess, it's the Mother in me.



Oct
28

The power of the ‘net, not to mention Google

Years ago, I used a recipe from Sunset Magazine in the 70s or maybe 80s, was so great I cooked it up every time I got down to a jar or two of the previous batch - Cranberry Chutney…. had cranberries, pears, apples, onions, celery, spices…. SO much more flavorful than plain ol’ relish.

Well, I lost the recipe somehow. So for the last 10 years or so, I haven’t had any chutney. Every few months I’ve gone looking. I even resorted at one point to calling Sunset and asking if they could drag it out of the archives for me…. they couldn’t find it.

Well, tonight (my 3rd search of a few hours duration this year) I FOUND IT. I’m back in business! Thanks to the internet and Google.

Just one more reason for net neut to stay alive and well….

Posted in General, Real Life, The WebWorld by Vkaryl @ 8:40 pm :: Comments Off
 
Oct
24

I’ve ranted about the butchering of the National Anthem

over and over for the last 50+ years - ever since I realized I have perfect pitch (AND that I can correctly pronounce “perilous”). I wind up in pain listening to most a capella renditions, not to mention accompanied singers who can’t sing on pitch (90+% of those who appear at sports events).

Game 3 of this year’s world series provided a treat of untold magnitude. Trace Adkins sang the National Anthem the way it’s SUPPOSED to sound. I don’t do country western, but give that man a medal. Glorious does NOT begin to describe it.

More power to you, Trace Adkins. Could you like, give lessons?

Posted in General, Real Life by Vkaryl @ 6:38 pm :: Comments Off
 
Oct
24

Bayesian technology

is a big part of trying to contain the spam we’re all inundated with on a minute-by-minute basis. But y’know what? I *think*…. pandora is using something similar to allow me to “tweak” my likes (thumbs up!) and dislikes (thumbs down!) as time goes on.

Of course I’m a pretty new account/user. But already I’m noticing that there are far fewer thumbs down choices than thumbs up ones. Which sounds like Bayesian tech to me…. or something remarkably similar.

Posted in General, Real Life, The WebWorld by Vkaryl @ 5:16 pm :: Comments Off
 
Oct
24

Pandora’s great - but I never even thought about net neut in combination….

I really didn’t. But bj’s right…. this is exactly the sort of thing we’ll never see again if net neutrality gets submarined.

Posted in General, Real Life, The WebWorld by Vkaryl @ 3:52 pm :: Comments Off
 
Oct
24

Here’s a post with which I’m in full concert….

it lives on a blog called Donklephant, a Centrist sorta place (so I feel less OUT of place than normally).

I love forests. New England, my new home, has no end of them. This time of year the trees are beginning to quake with fall color. Red and yellow branches are beginning to lash out of the green canopies that shroud this land. Soon the leaves will briefly dominate the hills in a quiet fire, then fall to the ground like ash, waiting for the embrace of snow…

As Autumn breaks, the chill of winter has begun to descend from the north. With the frost I have found myself contemplating a long, cold winter…

My option as a voter appears to be a false choice. Either I can vote Republican, lest we ignore the war on terror, or I can vote Democrat, lest we lose the planet to the sun. Our political culture is coarse and cramped with soundbites that have overshadowed eloquent debate…

Read the whole post. It’s not only a saddening statement, it’s also a rallying cry….

Posted in General, Real Life by Vkaryl @ 3:41 pm :: Comments Off
 
Oct
23

The wonders of technology….

Since I started using Pandora Internet Radio, I’ve hit Amazon a few times to check availability of cds, etc.  Today I see that the ads showing in the Amazon section when I’ve got the player running are ads which actually pertain to “my sort” of music.

Now is this a good thing?  Or not?  I guess it’s all of a piece with the rest of the “no privacy left without mega-intervention” situation….

Posted in General, Real Life, The WebWorld by Vkaryl @ 5:20 pm :: Comments Off
 
Oct
23

There are certain pieces of music

which are guaranteed to make me cry.  Period.  No stopping for second thoughts, or reasons why.

Chariots of Fire by Vangelis…. Colors of the Wind by Vanessa Williams….  Simple Gifts by anyone in the world….

Makes it hard to listen to music sometimes….

Posted in General, Real Life, The WebWorld by Vkaryl @ 4:18 pm :: Comments Off
 
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