A Cartoon


Lewis Lapham's Notebook in the current issue of Harper's explains the recent election about as well as anything I've seen. (I did have to keep the dictionary at close hand, and took me three readings to finally get it.)

SpongeBob and Friends: Splendor in the Kelp:

"SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg, who has a background in marine biology, had to be aware that in creating a cartoon sponge he'd be opening himself up to charge of marine-based immorality. Sponges can reproduce asexually, for example. And if Dobson's followers don't object to that, I'm sure they'll be distressed to learn that they also can be hermaphrodites. Single sponges not only produce both sperm and eggs but are broadcast spawners, indiscriminately releasing sperm in such profusion as to turn seawater smoky white.

Life in the sea, in fact, is largely about reproduction, not traditional family values. "

Ah, here is someone that may actually provide Microsoft with a challange!
Google Hires Web Browser Programmer:

I've missed the reading about tools in the Whole Earth. But have discovered that Kevin Kelly is keeping up the tradition on line.

COOL TOOLS

Here is an example:

Catagory -- Learning

Best audio university

The concept is exquisite. Scour the world for the best professors and record their lectures. Paying customers get world-class university courses, at less than world-class university prices, while attending the class at their convenience. I've audited a dozen classes this way (while driving). My favorite so far is Robert Greenberg's celebrated forty-eight lessons on "How to Understand and Listen to Great Music." It was absolutely superb. No, it was stellar. More than a music appreciation class, it was a view of western civilization through music. Professionally recorded, lively, insightful, fast-paced, authoritative, and memorable. What more could you want from college on a cassette? Other favorites have been an overview of Egyptian history taught by a mummy expert and a decent introduction to western philosophy. The Teaching Company catalog lists an eclectic range of other seminars; I'd love to hear recommendations from others. One caveat: these courses seem expensive for many individuals. But they are a) way cheap for college, and b) way cheap by the tape (most courses are at least forty or so tapes; also available on DC, DVD, and other formats). You can also check your library, which is where I borrow mine from, or form a course club to share costs.

-- KK

The Teaching Company

Radical!

Every since our personal source of music dried up I've felt real disconnected. Been listening to the same 65 CD's loaded on my computer at work in a shuffling rotation. But not catching anything new or interesting. Those of you that know, understand that the alternatives (radio etc.) in the Big Empty are pretty limited to the hits of the 50's, 80's, or 00's top 40. Today I rediscovered net radio. I used to listen to the Village Voice Radio, with everything,Bennie Goodman, Frank Zappa, Ani, Mos Def, Greg Brown, Eminem, Lou Reed, Hank Snow, Iris Dement, Bob Marley, anyway, an amazing mix of great music.....but their net radio feature is gone.

I do however still have KEXP from the University of Washington in Seattle. It's a great station and keeps a running archive of everything they played....both text and audio archives....so you can go back and hear it again if you'd like. Check it out.

If you have any recommendations for additional stations, the kind you actually listen to, let me know.

Huh?

"I believe that human consciousness is a conjuring trick, designed to fool us into thinking we are in the presence of an inexplicable mystery. Who is the conjuror and why is s/he doing it? The conjuror is natural selection, and the purpose has been to bolster human self-confidence and self-importance - so as to increase the value we each place on our own and others' lives."


The New York Times > Science > God (or Not), Physics and, of Course, Love: Scientists Take a Leap:

Big Trees

My profile says "Big Trees".
Here are some.

Snow Jam

So here we were, at what turned out to be the beginning of an adventure. A simple ride turned into another very memorable road trip.

With all the real tragedy occurring in the world, its pretty easy to see that this was actually more fun than anything.

I've got lots of pictures to share and I'm trying to figure out the best way to do it. Thinking I'll copy all the photos to CD's and distribute them......Otherwise this could take weeks, to share about 150 pics.