augustcool

Bad Parents

2011-10-28T20:34:00.002+02:00

The scariest thing about 'Pet Semetary' is how irresponsible the parents can be, letting their toddler wander onto the highway like that.

Song of the Evil Ladybug

2011-10-22T10:55:00.002+02:00

Spiders crawl and scorpions creep,

Bugs that bite you when you sleep;

Are nothing fierce compared to me,

Who am I? Oh, you shall see…

With my black mask and scarlet wings,

I’ll wave this magic wand and sing:

“I’m an Evil Ladybug, this Halloween!

You should be scared by what you’ve seen;

I’m here for candy and something sweet,

So I’ll warn you now: Trick or Treat!”

But if you’re scared of a sister’s hugs,

Beware the spell of Miss Ladybug;

Go! Run quickly now to your safe bed,

For that’s where ladybugs fear to tread.

NCAA Conference Realignment

2011-09-07T12:17:00.012+02:00

Here is my take on how the superconferences could take shape:

- Texas A&M to the SEC. Done deal.

- Oklahoma, opearating independently, accepts an offer to join the PAC-12 (becomes the PAC-13).

- Nervous Texas Tech and Oklahoma State bolt west, and join the PAC-15.

- The PAC-15 and the SEC court Texas, but Texas is slow on making a decision.

- The PAC-15 hints at adding BYU to gain leverage with Texas, but neither the PAC-15 or UT makes a firm commitment.

- Meanwhile, the SEC and B1G see that college football has crossed the point of no return regarding expansion.

- The B1G adds Missouri, Rutgers and Boston College (for a total of 15 teams).

- The B1G courts Nortre Dame, who doesn't accept or reject, and is content to sit on the sideline to let the realignment mess unfold.

- The SEC invites Virginia Tech as a 14th member; Tech accepts.

- To avoid further poaching, the ACC and Big East combine to form a superconference; several schools - including Louisville, Miami (FL) and Cincinnati are slow to agree to the merger, hoping for invites from either the B1G or SEC. No offers are made.

At this point we would have:
- SEC: 14 teams
- B1G: 15 teams
- PAC-15
- Big East + ACC: 17 teams (for football)

Strong indpendents: Texas, Notre Dame

Left out in the cold (so far): BYU, Kansas, Kansas Sate, Iowa State, Baylor

* * *

The kabuki dance continues:

- The B1G agrees to review applications by Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Louisville in the hopes of getting Notre Dame to accept a formal invitation; frustrated with Notre Dame's dithering, the B1G makes a formal offer to Pittsburgh, who accepts. The B1G is complete at 16 teams. The Big East+ACC is now 16 football programs.

- Still clinging to the hope that Texas won't abandon what is left of the Big 12, Kansas leads an effort to recruit other schools to form a new Big 12, with or without Texas. A constellation begins to form: TCU, BYU, Houston, SMU, Colorado State, Boise State, Wyoming and Air Force. All except BYU accept the offer. With Texas still a part of the conference, the Big 12 once again has twelve teams. The schools from the original Big 12 keep the lion's share of the television revenues from their existing contract.

- BYU is non-commital to the Big 12, still hoping for a PAC-15 invitation.

- The BCS, in an attempt to force the final stages of realignment, changes its format so that only superconferences with at least 14 teams and a title game will earn automatic bids to the BCS. Notre Dame keeps their current AQ criteria. After hard negotiations, Texas will not offered the same status if it goes independent.

- Texas, seeing a much more difficult path to football national championships in the the new arrangement, leaves the Big 12 with most of their ESPN contract in tact. They claim they'll be happy to be an independent, the "Notre Dame of the South", even without special AQ criteria. Behind the scenes, Texas works out an agreement with the PAC-15, and joins as the 16th member.

- Jilted BYU agrees to join the reformulated Big 12. (which now has 11 teams)

- The SEC, with only 14 teams and happy that Texas took their toys elsewhere, announces it won't expand for the sake of expansion; with few jewels left to pick from, they stay at 14.

At this point we would have:
- SEC: 14 teams
- B1G: 16 teams
- PAC-16
- Big East + ACC: 16 teams (for football)
- Big 12: 12 teams (once again!)

Indpendent: Notre Dame

* * *

- Wanting a spot in the BCS, and with pick of what remains of the litter, the Big 12 courts additional schools: UCF and Tulsa accept. While clearly a weak sister in the superconference system, through tireless lobbying the Big 12 earns an AQ spot.

- What's left of the other conferences fuse together in regional superconferences -- but without AQ status.

- Each superconference champion (5) earns a bid to the BCS.

- The five highest ranked non-champions each BCS bids; non-AQ schools would have similar criteria as in today's format

Everyone happy?

SEC EAST
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Virginia Tech

SEC West
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
LSU
Mississippi State
Ole Miss
Texas A&M

B1G Legends
Illinois
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan State
Missouri
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern

B1G Leaders
Boston College
Indiana
Ohio State
Penn State
Pittsburgh
Purdue
Rutgers
Wisconsin

PAC-16 North
California
Colorado
Oregon
Oregon State
Stanford
Utah
Washington
Washington State

PAC-16 South
Arizona
Arizona State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Texas Tech
UCLA
USC

Big ACC "A"
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Louisville
Maryland
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Syracuse
West Virginia

Big ACC "B"
Clemson
Duke
Florida State
Georgia Tech
Miami (FL)
South Florida
Virginia
Wake Forest

Big 12 North
Air Force
Boise State
Colorado State
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Wyoming

Big 12 South
Baylor
BYU
Houston
SMU
TCU
Tulsa
UCF

Conference USA + Sun Belt East
East Carolina
Florida Atlantic
Florida International
Marshall
Middle Tennessee
Southern Miss
Troy

Conference USA + Sun Belt West
Arkansas State
Louisiana - Lafayette
Louisiana - Monroe
Memphis
Tulane
UAB
Western Kentucky

Mountain West + WAC East

Louisiana Tech
New Mexico
New Mexico State
North Texas (moved from Sun Belt)
Rice (moved from Conference USA)
Utah State
UTEP (moved from Mountain West)

Mountain West + WAC East
Fresno State
Hawaii
Idaho
Nevada
San Diego State
San Jose State
UNLV

NFL Predictions

2011-08-28T10:44:00.006+02:00

Here are my predictions for each team's record in the 2011-12 season:

NFC EAST
NYG 11 - 5
PHI 10 - 6
DAL 9 - 7
WAS 7 - 9

NFC WEST
STL 8 - 8
ARI 7 - 9
SEA 7 - 9
SFO 2 - 14

NFC NORTH
GB 13 - 3
DET 9 - 7
MIN 6 - 10
CHI 5 - 11

NFC SOUTH
NO 13 - 3
ATL 12 - 4
TB 7 - 9
CAR 1 - 15

AFC EAST
NWE 13 - 3
NYJ 11 - 5
MIA 8 - 8
BUF 4 - 12

AFC WEST
SD 12 - 4
DEN 7 - 9
KC 5 - 11
OAK 4 - 12

AFC NORTH
PIT 15 - 1
BAL 13 - 3
CLE 7 - 9
CIN 2 - 14

AFC SOUTH
IND 10 - 6
HOU 9 - 7
JAX 5 - 11
TEN 4 - 12

WILD-CARD WEEKEND:
NYG vs. PHI ---> PHI
ATL vs. STL ---> ATL

BAL vs. IND ---> IND
NYJ vs. SD ---> SD

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS:
PHI vs. GB ---> GB
ATL vs. NO ---> NO

IND vs. PIT ---> PIT
SD vs. NWE ---> NWE

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS:
NO vs. GB ---> GB
NWE vs. PIT ---> NWE

SUPER BOWL XLVI
GB vs NWE ---> GB

MOTD: Matt Damon

2011-08-03T10:36:00.007+02:00

The moron of the day: Matt Damon.

First off, -1 for the interviewer -- acting isn't based wholly on incentives. Actors and artists perform because they love to; not just for the money. The business world is based more on incentives; but trying to apply this to individual actors is rather silly.

However, teaching is not an art. It is not a business. It is somewhere in between.

But really, Matt, do you need to rant mindlessly. Try and be civilised for once. Or perhaps your half-thought out views require anger to make them seem sincere, and legitimate. But I don't buy it. For a twenty second clip, you do offer up a lot of stupidity.

"Intrinsically paternalistic view"? Wow, that is a mouthful. And it doesn't make you look smart, it makes you look like someone pretending to be smart.

Teachers are the only ones who work hard for a shitty salary? I imagine there are about 150 million people -- who aren't teachers -- who'd feel the same way.

And then insult the camera man. Nice one. No one insulted you. Very petty.

He's angry. He's angry at Republicans. He's angry at Obama. I guess it is hip to be angry and not provide any solutions.

Driveable Florence

2011-07-09T07:39:00.003+02:00

RT @Slojuk @FrommersTravel World's Most Walkable Cities.

I am not sure that Florence is only walkable. My father was able to (accidentally) drive straight through the Piazze della Repubblica - to the shock and amusement of the locals. In my father's defense, I was the co-pilot.

out of control

2011-06-01T19:24:00.004+02:00

It is good to know that my old body can still take a bit of abuse.

While cleaning my floors today, I jumped over a wet spot -- and caught the edge of a rug, which moved and sent me on the way toward being head-over-heels. My right leg went all twisty in the sort of way it shouldn't, and there was a moment of panic -- the feeling of losing complete control. I suppose this doesn't happen very often when you're an adult. I only remember moments like that when I was a kid, or playing sports as a teenager (nearly every tackle in football was a short burst of trauma), or the car wreck (not my fault) I had fifteen years ago.

But after a few minutes of wondering if I had done something bad to my knee, all seems well. And the floors are clean.

Strange Logic / Double Standard

2011-05-23T11:03:00.003+02:00

Let me see if I get this straight:

1) The U.S. has designated Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

2) The U.S. policy is that it doesn't negotiate with terrorists.

3) Hamas will partner with Fatah in a Palestinian Authority coalition to govern Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

4) Obama called on Israel to negotiate with the PA.

It appears that 1), 2) or 4) must be reversed to remove the contradiction.

Triangulation: Dumb Republicans

2011-05-13T21:23:00.003+02:00

If:

- Seventy percent of registered Republicans polled are against any increase in the debt ceiling (Gallup*)

And:

- Twenty-three percent of registered Republicans polled still believe that Obama was definitely or probably born in another country.

Through triangulation, I deduce

- That between 23 - 93 percent of Republicans are stupid.**

I'll assume that it isn't 93 percent -- that all R's that oppose raising the debt ceiling believe that Obama was born in the U.S. Even at the low end, that's a lot of idiots.

* probability that morons at Gallup can create such a stupidly simple and meaningless poll question: 100

** and with similar logic, between 14 - 46 percent of Independents are dumb.

Slow-roasted pork with mushroom sauce

2011-05-13T19:02:00.003+02:00

Today I made Emeril's slow-roasted pork with mushroom sauce. The pork came out very tender. I added some of the stewed meat and vegetable bits into the sauce and it turned out well. I went light on the seasonings on the pork, but if I had to do it again (and I will), I'd add more spice, and make sure that it is rubbed in well to create a crust on the pork. The pork takes time, and the sauce takes some effort, but it is worth it.

Buy American -- The First Americans Did

2011-05-12T16:26:00.000+02:00

While reading Chernow's biography of George Washington, a thought: after Independence, there was a shift to buying less fashionable American-made clothing. Washington's clothing for his first Inaguration was made in Hartford and, while not as fashionable as English-made clothing, helped shaped buying habits for years.

Isn't it time for Americans to forsake some foreign-made, and often cheaper, goods as a show of patriotism? Consider it a voluntary tax to pay a few extra dollars for something, knowing that it is helping the American economy.

Or is the Buy American movement doomed to fail, given consumer demand for cheaper and cheaper goods? With inflation rising in China, is the era of cheap goods over? Would that help shift consumer habits toward buying more American-made goods?

Something to think about.

Close Encounters of the Strange Kind

2011-05-06T08:14:00.005+02:00

It seems that aliens are avoiding the U.S. and visiting more exotic locations -- like Thailand.

This article is full of hillarious quotes -- statements that will probably set back the credibility of MUFON and others by a decade:

"They said they were from Mars and spoke a strange version of Thai. They also said not to worry about the phone bill."

One alien visitor calling itself "Kai"—the Thai word for chicken. . .

Now I understand the one-world government's austerity move: shut down SETI and hire a bunch of Thai people to sit on a hilltop and wait for the UFOs to arrive.

The Death of Journalism, by Daniel Bates

2011-04-18T00:42:00.003+02:00

A nineteen year-old transient stabbed himself to death in front of a live audience. Tragic.

What irked me in the the Daily Mail's article was the shoddy journalism. When did comments posted on another online news site constitute material that can be recycled in your own article about the story?

On the website of newspaper The Oregonian, one reader going by the name of Quashi wrote: ‘As the aunt of a talented young artist who also took his life at the age of 19, I am so saddened that he was not able to reach out to his friends and family for help.

He doesn't just quote one unverified poster -- he quotes three different ones.

That's pretty poor effort, Daniel Bates. Shame on the editors, too.

I did a quick search about Mr. Bates -- seems there is at least one other story where his journalistic skills have been questioned.

Perhaps HuffPo has it right with aggregating stories. How many journalists really need to report on this particular story? (maybe two: one to write the original story, and the second to rehash the original article to include readers' comments on the first story)

Top Guitarists of All-Time

2011-04-16T10:59:00.003+02:00

I had a look at Zane Lowe's Top 50 Guitar Legends -- some of it I agree with, some of it I don't. Perhaps the word "legend" means something slightly different to Lowe.

Where is Clapton?
Where is Stevie Ray Vaughn?

But nice to see Jeff Buckley and Joey Santiago get a mention. Kurt Cobain at #11? Gotta give Cobain credit for shaping the sound of a generation, but based on technical skills, you can't put him in the top twenty.

Slash? Really?

My list is based mostly on talent and longevity, and the ability to push the limits of guitar playing, rather than being in some new trendy band with a handful of hits. I couldn't put Hendrix at number one -- a life and career cut too short. (although the posthumous stuff is pretty good)

My list, in approximate order:

Billy Corgan
Eddie Van Halen
Jimmy Page
Jimmy Hendrix
Prince
Jack White
The Edge
Ben Harper
Jeff Buckley
Juliana Hatfield (best female guitarist around!)
Mick Jones
Mike McCready
Pete Townsend
Nels Cline
Daniel Lanois
Neil Young
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Angus Young
Kirk Hammet
Noel Gallagher
Dave Grohl
Tom Scholz
Peter Buck
Ted Nugent
Matthew Sweet
Stephen Malkmus
Slash

Shutdown bad for the GOP?

2011-04-08T07:43:00.003+02:00

I have yet to hear a reasonable explanation about why the last government shutdown was bad for the GOP? All I hear is: "the last shutdown hurt the Republicans, etc."

While they lost seats, didn't the GOP retain majorities in the House and Senate in the 1996 elections?

Didn't the steadfast Republican position on the budget lead to small increases in the federal budget -- one factor in cutting the deficits in the mid- to late nineties?

A small majority of Republicans favor a shutdown. I wouldn't expect a backlash among GOP voters.

But the trick will be: how to broadly and effectively communicate that the Republican budget coming out of the House was blocked by the Senate -- and pin the blame on the Senate? A tough trick to pull off.

Au Revoir Les Enfants

2011-04-08T05:53:00.002+02:00

Back in my university days, while discovering international filmmaking, I first watched Louis Malle's Au Revoir Les Enfants. When I used to compile a top ten/twenty films, it was often on that list. I recently bought the DVD and watched it again -- and after fifteen years, I still think it is a great film: a simple story, but rich with character and emotion; a microcosm of the terror wrought by anti-Semitism and the courage of quiet heroes during World War II.

Portugal's Future

2011-03-25T03:55:00.001+01:00

Just 28% of the Portuguese between 25 and 64 has completed high school. The figure is 85% in Germany, 91% in the Czech Republic and 89% in the U.S. http://on.wsj.com/gWUUm3

big air

2011-03-22T05:43:00.001+01:00

Catching some air in Winter Park, Colorado.

I landed this one:

I didn't land the one right after it:

What Caused the 'Arab Uprising'?

2011-02-21T07:42:00.004+01:00

Do American borrowers and banks deserve credit for the events in the Arab world? Did the speculation in the U.S. that created the global economic crisis put Tunisia and Egypt -- and perhaps others -- over a tipping point?

Many of these economies had systemic problems before the economic metldown: subsidies to check rising food prices; a need for easy lending (at home and from the OECD) to keep private firms operating and the general economy crawling forward. Times haven't been easy in many of these countries over the last ten years, but with global economic growth, some of the problems could be managed.

But starting in 2008 it became harder to hide the truth: rising food prices made it harder for families to eat, with a knock-on impact on discretionary spending on the mobile phones, cars and white goods that kept local companies profitable and able to retain employees; rising unemployment created more idle time for people -- especially young people -- to dwell on a dim future; the ever-growing gap between rich and poor accelerated; governments unable to borrow more to fund public services. Perhaps there was enough pain under the surface that one man's immolation could trigger the outward angst over tough times.

And perhaps American greed was the catalyst for the overthrow of tyrants.

boston notes

2011-01-31T07:10:00.004+01:00

A few notes on Boston:

- a day-trip to Salem is worth it; a nice small town with a lovely harbour, lots of history, a million small shops full of witch-themed knick-knacks.

- Faneuil Hall and the downtown area are nice, but not that memorable -- just another large city's streets crammed with people and cars. A few nice off-the-beaten-path shops with antique books, maps, etc. The area must me nice to hang out in during the summer.

- Best meals of the week: Joe Fish in North Andover. An incredible menu full of fresh fish and shellfish. Baked, grilled or raw, it is all here. The Yellowfin tuna was suberb -- coated in panko crumbs and flash-fried -- sushi, with a twist. Served with soy sauce and white rice. A huge piece of fish and very delicious. The crab cakes are large and fantastic. Our party of eight sampled everything -- no one was disappointed. On the second night I ate Haddock baked with a macadamia nut crust - excellent. Now I am on a quest to find Haddock in Prague. . .

- Beers: the Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner was way too hoppy; Sam's Belgian Wheat was more drinkable; Sam's Winter was even enjoyed by the Europeans in our group.

clouds like mountains

2011-01-22T09:58:00.004+01:00

This week in Eindhoven: looking out a seventh-story window to the south, a long bank of clouds stretched out like a mountain range; purple-grey haze near the horizon, above them a scattered group of white cumulus clouds, at just the height and shape that they looked like twelve thousand foot-high snowcapped peaks. With a bit of imagination, I could place myself just east of Denver, watching the Rockies.

a capital idea

2011-01-12T14:40:00.003+01:00

Back in the old days, when a sovereign country needed a bit of extra cash, they nationalised some large global corporation's operations. Wouldn't it make sense for some cash-strapped nation -- like North Korea, Iran or Greece -- to hijack Facebook or Google?

GOP Nominee in 2012

2011-01-11T22:40:00.003+01:00

The other day I was chit-chatting with a friend about the likely GOP nominee in 2012. It got my mind to thinking about this -- something that hasn't been at the top of the list for my brain to work on. But my quick hunch is that the best ticket (in my opinion) to beat Obama would be Gingrich or Barbour -- with someone like John Kaisich or Tim Pawlenty as veep. If the economy stays the way it is, that sort of ticket will give the Dems nightmares -- especially if Bloomberg runs as an independent. (I think there is a 1/3 change he runs)

Who do I think it going to win it? That's tough. My best guess is that Barbour wins it -- if he can stay close until South Carolina primany, he'll have a shot. He has the connections nationally; doesn't have as much of the baggage that Gingrich has. Other predictions: Huckabee won't run in 2012 (but will in 2016); Palin will run and the GOP establishment will coalesce behind one or two other candidates (Gingrich, Pawlenty); she will finish second in Iowa, a distant fourth in New Hampshire, and third in South Carolina, and then disappear.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake

2011-01-11T06:42:00.004+01:00

A very tasty cake -- almost like one large chocolate chip cookie.

Topping:
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup whole pecans
1 12-ounce package of chocolate chips
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Batter:
2 cups flour 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 175°C. Butter a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan; dust with flour. In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, chocolate chips, chopped pecans, and cinnamon, and set aside. Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium bowl and set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until completely blended. Beat in eggs and then sour cream until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients, making certain to scrape the sides of the bowl into the mixture. Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla. Mix until batter is well blended. Sprinkle whole pecans on the bottom of the prepared pan.

Evenly distribute 1/4 cup of topping in the pan. Fold the remaining topping into the batter until mixed well. Pour the batter into the pan, spread evenly, and bake 35-40 minutes. To test that the cake is done, insert a tester into the center. If the cake is done, it will come out clean, without any batter sticking to it. Cool the cake for at least 20 minutes in the pan.

Once the cake has cooled, put a plate or serving piece you will use upside down on top of the cake pan, so that the face of the plate covers the open portion of the cake pan completely. Invert the plate and pan at the same time and place on a flat surface. Using pot holders, slowly raise the pan so that the cake stands upright on the serving plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to decorate. Source: epicurious.

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt

2011-01-11T06:38:00.004+01:00

I just finished The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris -- maybe the best non-fiction I have read in a long time. A lot of it is due to the subject matter, but Morris' style is excellent and very readable; and the structure is laid out well -- you're always wanting more. Now on to Volume two of this epic biography.

Sour Cream - Chocolate Chip Cake

2010-12-27T13:04:00.003+01:00

I am enjoying this cake from epicurious.com. Most grocery stores in Prague don't sell pecans; but the Bila chain sells them, as well as a handful of nuts-only shops. A strange business to run, a shop with only nuts?

Topping:
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup whole pecans
1 12-ounce package of chocolate chips
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Batter:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan; dust with flour.

For topping:
In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, chocolate chips, chopped pecans, and cinnamon, and set aside.

For batter:
Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium bowl and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until completely blended. Beat in eggs and then sour cream until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients, making certain to scrape the sides of the bowl into the mixture. Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla. Mix until batter is well blended.

Sprinkle whole pecans on the bottom of the prepared pan. Evenly distribute 1/4 cup of topping in the pan. Fold the remaining topping into the batter until mixed well. Pour the batter into the pan, spread evenly, and bake 35-40 minutes. To test that the cake is done, insert a tester (I use a toothpick) into the center. If the cake is done, it will come out clean, without any batter sticking to it.

Cool the cake for at least 20 minutes in the pan. Once the cake has cooled, put a plate or serving piece you will use upside down on top of the cake pan, so that the face of the plate covers the open portion of the cake pan completely. Invert the plate and pan at the same time and place on a flat surface. Using pot holders, slowly raise the pan so that the cake stands upright on the serving plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to decorate.

somethingcool: free online ORC service

2010-12-25T11:01:00.003+01:00

For more than ten years, I have toyed with starting a particular project -- a transcription of some historical documents. After a very slow response by the historical society that holds the original documents, they finally sent me a digital copy of the document -- five hundred pages of OCR-scans with as many errors as correct words -- and in a format that doesn't allow a copy/paste into another document . When I asked for a version I could modify or copy from in .pdf format, I received a non-answer: "that's the way we've done it, it can't be done any differently, etc.". It didn't leave me with a positive opinion about the people who work for this state-funded organisation and their lack of technical know-how or flexibility. Nonetheless, I've held on to this document and the idea, but put transcription work on hold.

This week I searched for a tool that might produce a better .pdf, .doc or .txt version of the OCR scans. I tried this free ORC tool, and it works quite well -- much better than whatever tool the historical society used. Now that I can create pretty good (maybe 90 percent correct, and the ability to spellcheck a majority of the errors in MS Word) version of the document, I might start on this project.

dumbed down

2010-12-22T13:57:00.003+01:00

Could slate.com do a slightly better job in moderating the reader comments on each article? For a site with reasonably good content, the comments are mindless. That's probably why I prefer economist.com.

like leaves

2010-12-21T10:22:00.001+01:00

Big snowflakes this morning, like autumn leaves, slowly falling from the sky.

My Big Ten Divison Names

2010-12-18T08:14:00.002+01:00

Rather than Leaders and Legends, which has Delany rethinking the new names, why not, after a bit of realignment, give the divisions more accurate names.

For Football:

WINNERS DIVISION: Spartans, Hawkeyes, Buckeyes, Wolverines, Nittany Lions, Cornhuskers, Badgers.

LOSERS DIVISION: Boilermakers, Illini, Wildcats, Gophers, Hoosiers.

With unbalanced divisions, there would be a need to expand to fourteen or sixteen teams.

For Basketball:

WINNERS DIVISION: Spartans, Buckeyes, Wolverines, Hoosiers, Boilermakers, Illini

LOSERS DIVISION: Hawkeyes, Wildcats, Gophers, Nittany Lions, Cornhuskers, Badgers

somethingcool: Russian Photos

2010-12-16T20:28:00.004+01:00

An interesting find, while doing some random surfing: a set of old photographs from Russia in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Best Albums of 2010

2010-12-15T10:18:00.013+01:00

It wasn't a great year for music, in my opinion. Any year in which Rhianna has seventy-three number one singles can't be considered a good year. Katy Perry didn't make the list. But there were a few gems; the top four albums are up there with the best of 'em in their respective genre. In order:

1. The Black Keys - Brothers.

2. The National - High Violet.

3. Bob Dylan - The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964 (The Bootleg Series Vol. 9).

4. Spoon - Transference.

5. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Beat The Devil's Tatoo.

6. Deerhunter - Halcyon Days.

7. Brian Eno - Small Craft on a Milk Sea.

8. jónsi - Go.

9. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms.

And that's it. I can't stretch the best-of list to twelve or fourteen albums this year. There were, at most, four albums that I'd consider great, and will get regular play on my iPod. Also: the new Smashing Pumpkins songs are good, but not an album, per se.

There were a lot of disappointments: Arcade Fire; Gorillaz; Jimmy Eat World. I was not impressed with Mumford & Sons, Broken Bells; Robert Plant's new one isn't as good as last year's Raising Sand.

Berlin: Recommended Eats

2010-12-10T10:28:00.002+01:00

Catching up on a few posts related to my Berlin trip. Recommended eats:

Modern Art of Asia (Leipziger Platz 8): an all-you-can-eat Asian restaurant, where you pick the types and quantities you want, pick the sauce you want, hand it over to the cooks and they prepare it for you. Modern decor, helpful (and English-speaking) service -- very close to Potzdamer Platz, so convenient if you're wandering around that part of the city.

Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt (Charlottenstrasse 55): an authentic brewery in the heart of the city. The food is fine -- a standard menu of schnitzel, sausages and beef. The beer is quite good, with the standard light and dark beers on draught, but also a few seasonal brews.

Grebbestad, Sweden

2010-12-10T09:51:00.000+01:00

Tony Blair is Important (to Tony Blair)

2010-12-10T09:45:00.003+01:00

My blessed mother bought me Tony Blair's cursed memoir, and now that I am one-third of the way through it, I am resolved to finish it. The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo is sitting on my desk; I know as soon as I pick it up, Tony will be left to the ashheap of autobiography. So Girl sits unread, and waiting.

If you haven't read Blair's memoir and are planning to engage in multi-party peace talks in the near future, I suggest you read Blair's bullet points of dos and don'ts related to the Northern Ireland negotiations. Good stuff.

I don't know why I am reading Blair's memoirs -- I suppose I want to hear about the end days, and how he died -- since he's so smart and knew he'd be in Parlaiment, and knew he'd be Prime Minister, I assume that he's already written down what's going to happen in the rest of his life after PM. I hope he's done that -- it would save me the trouble of reading a second set of memoirs.

DADT: there he goes. . .

2010-12-10T09:44:00.000+01:00

By blocking the repeal of DADT, Senate R's will likely lose the gay and lesbian vote - the one gay guy who voted R last time.

Like Candy

2010-12-09T13:18:00.001+01:00

I am hooked on these Merci Petits chocolate pieces -- I eat them like candy.

Grebbestad, Sweden

2010-12-09T09:40:00.001+01:00

Folk Re-Implosion

2010-12-08T10:21:00.004+01:00

I am visiting an old musical friend: The Folk Implosion. There is just enough, I don't know, Transcendentalism(?), in many of the songs that keeps me coming back. That's the word that keeps entering my mind when I try to put a label on the sound. There is no need to study the lyrics in too much detail; just sit back, relax and let the songs take you where they may. And I'm finding it is good winter music if you're aiming for a more introspective mood. There isn't another band that sounds much like them. (is there?)

Baked Potato Soup

2010-12-08T05:35:00.003+01:00

I can't remember where I found this recipe, or who sent it to me (anyone want to take credit?), but I finally tried it, with good results.

6 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
7 cups milk
4 green onions, chopped
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup sour cream
salt and pepper, to taste
12 slices of bacon or 2 cups of chopped English ham

Pre-heat oven to 180C. With a fork, poke holes in the potatoes and bake for about one hour. Let them cool then peel and cube. (note: it is easier to use a fork, or two forks, rather than a paring knife, to peel away the skin)

In a stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the milk and whisk until the mixture thickens. Stir in the potatoes and half of the onions. Bring it to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix half of the cheese, all of the sour cream, salt and pepper. Fry the bacon and top the soup with the bacon, cheese and green onions. (note: the soup keeps better if you don't refridgerate the soup with the bacon in the soup)

Grammys? yawn

2010-12-02T08:40:00.003+01:00

What a down year for music, at least judging by who earned Grammy nominiees. The Black Keys earned a few nominations -- but not for album of the year. I haven't done a lot of thinking about my top ten albums of the year, but a quick scan of my iPod shows that last year's downloads are getting more play than this year's best albums.

You Will Meet A Dull Romantic Comedy

2010-11-22T09:49:00.004+01:00

Watching Woody Allen's last four or five films leaves me with the same feeling: as if I have consumed a lot of empty calories; they do not give me any creative energy, just the feeling that I have watched something that has no lasting value.

"You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger" is more of the same: the same characters not happy in their relationships; the same temptation of infidelity; the characters are never too funny or too evil; they are just there. And they are there, this time, without many funny lines, very few funny moments. They just exist. Like empty calories.

my latin band

2010-11-17T09:24:00.000+01:00

If I ever start a Latin tango group, I'm going to call it: Cuban Mid-life Crisis.

Lukáš Martinek & Private Earthquake

2010-11-16T14:36:00.003+01:00

On Monday I went to see a bit of jazz at Ungelt. Lukáš Martinek & Private Earthquake (MySpace | Facebook) played a gig - a group of young kids but quite good, very bluesy, great keyboardist. Very small crowd (it was Monday, after all) at the beginning of the show, but a few more bodies wandered in. These guys deserve a full house -- their next show at Ungelt is 14 December.

a follower

2010-11-15T23:57:00.001+01:00

Am I vain enough to admit that I feel a bit giddy now that the Tom Cruise is following my Eat Drink Prague tweets? I guess I am. The most famous follower to date. Obama, where are you?

Roasted Potatoes

2010-11-13T09:30:00.000+01:00

I made these with the goose, using the fat drippings to give the potatoes some extra flavour.

3 kg small potatoes, halved
8 tbsp goose fat, or duck
1 bunches thyme
6 cloves garlic
1 pinches rock salt and freshly ground black pepper

Boil the potatoes for 7 minutes, then drain them. Heat (on high) a heavy cast iron skillet. Spoon the goose fat into the pan and heat through. Add the potatoes and brown on all sides for about 10 minutes. Scatter the thyme over the potatoes. Hit each garlic clove with the heel of your hand and add them to the potatoes, mixing well to make sure that the potatoes are well-coated with fat. Season the potatoes with rock salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, turning now and then.

Roasted Goose Breast with Plum Preserve Jus

2010-11-12T12:48:00.004+01:00

November 11th is St. Martin's Day in Germany, the Czech Republic, and elsewhere in Europe. If there is a minor holiday that I don't observe, but involves food, you know I'm interested.

This year, rather than a whole goose, I used a frozen breast, and it worked quite well. I used Gordon's Christmas goose seasonings for the bird:

2 lemons
2 limes
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
3 tbsp clear honey
1 tbsp thyme leaves
small handful each of parsley sprigs, thyme and sage, plus extra for garnishing

Grate the zest from the lemons and limes. Mix with 2 tsp fine sea salt, the five-spice powder and pepper to taste. Rub the citrus mix well into the skin.

Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. Drizzle with the honey and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Roast for the calculated time*, turning the heat down after 10 mins to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Cover the goose with foil if it is starting to brown too much.

Every 15 mins or so, baste the bird with the pan juices, then pour off the fat through a sieve into a large heatproof bowl -- save this for the potatoes and other vegetables. At the end of the cooking time, leave to rest for at least 10 mins, covered loosely with foil.

For the jus:

100 ml beef stock
100 ml red wine
2 tsp plum preserve jam/jelly

Put the stock and red wine into a saucepan, bring to the boil and cook briskly until reduced by half. Add the redcurrant jelly. Bring to the boil and cook briskly until it forms a thick gravy.

Garnish with the herbs.

* Roasting times: cook for 10 mins at 240C/fan 220C/gas 9, then reduce to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and cook for 20 mins per kg for medium-rare, 32 mins per kg for more well-done, plus 30 mins resting.

triple-bill

2010-11-12T12:04:00.004+01:00

A good night of movie-watching last night, to finish off the Halloween-horror phase: Psycho; Blade Runner; and Eraserhead. It had been a while since I'd watched them -- and nice to revisit them. I just wish that Norman Bates/aka Mother had gotten away with it, and not been caught at the end. . .

the haunting

2010-11-11T13:34:00.004+01:00

The Haunting (1963 version) is, well, haunting. . . sort of. Directed by Robert Wise, the man who also directed the Sound of Music -- two diametrically different films. Two dead wives in the first five minutes -- always a good way to begin a story. Great dialog, good arguments for the supernatural. A psychological thriller more than pure ghosts and spirits.

"In the night. In the dark."

a childhood taste

2010-11-11T11:16:00.004+01:00

A random thought, or craving, this morning: the taste of cold, rubbery water drunk from a garden hose on a hot summer day.

Photos: Unter den Linden

2010-11-10T18:12:00.003+01:00

Photos: Berliner Dom

2010-11-10T17:57:00.004+01:00

Photos: Neptunbrunnen, Berlin

2010-11-10T17:49:00.005+01:00

Fortunately, the Neptune's Fountain was dry, so I was able to climb inside and take a few photos from different angles. (click on the image to enlarge)

Photos: Brandenburger Tor, Berlin

2010-11-10T17:32:00.010+01:00

A few photos from Berlin. The weather wasn't great, so we didn't do a whole lot of walking around and spent most of day in museums and coffee shops. A lot of flat light for photography, shooting into the light, etc. so not many good photos this trip.

a sexy vampire

2010-11-06T10:46:00.005+01:00

Carroll Borland, as Luna Mora -- Bela Legosi's better half in Mark of the Vampire -- is the scariest, sexiest vampire I've ever seen. Mark may be the best vampire film ever made? Mostly good dialog, light on action bet plenty of good exposition -- everything you wanted to know about vampires but were afraid to ask; some great vampire scenes and plenty of innocent victims -- and all in the heart of Bohemia. A classic.

come and go

2010-11-06T08:31:00.002+01:00

Back from Amsterdam. . . now off to Berlin for four days for a rock show, museums, shopping and dining.

nomads

2010-11-04T08:09:00.002+01:00

Last night we had a great dinner at nomads in Amsterdam -- Turkish / Middle Eastern food served in a very laid-back room, complete with comfortable sofas and including belly dancers, a DJ and a masseuse and a fortune teller. Highly recommended.

an airport message

2010-11-02T10:12:00.001+01:00

To the jackass behind me in the security line at the airport, who ducked under the barrier and into the express line, then gave me a self-satisfied look -- and wound up boarding the plane but having a seat in the back of the plane so he was the last one off the plane, and found himself standing behind me in the taxi queue: I don't have any more to say.

a-dam

2010-11-02T05:00:00.000+01:00

Up at 4:45 in the morning to catch a flight to Amsterdam. . .

homer's vote

2010-11-01T20:21:00.000+01:00

How many people wish that voting machines in 2008 were like this?

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

2010-11-01T18:39:00.003+01:00

Betty Davis is a bad, bad woman. This film started a bit slow, with all of the tension under the surface. But once it broke the surface, it was pretty dark and fantastic. A very odd, but great, beach scene at the end. Wow.

political predictions

2010-11-01T11:49:00.001+01:00

Everyone's doing it, so I'll put in my two cents:

Senate:

California - Boxer (D)
Colorado - Buck (R)
Nevada - Angle (R)
Illinois - Giannoulias (D)
West Virginia - Manchin (D)
Pennsylvania - Toomey (R)
Alaska - Miller (R)

House:
- Republicans win 247 seats, a pick up of 69 seats.

it is what it is

2010-10-30T21:29:00.001+02:00

Just because the media won't call the Florida-Georgia game The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, it is what it is.

The Devil Commands

2010-10-30T13:22:00.002+02:00

Money quote from Dr. Blair (Boris Karloff) in The Devil Commands: "Don't worry, Karl, this isn't going to hurt you." Riight.

I didn't like this film as much as White Zombie. Too much of a slow-burner, Karl the zombie isn't really a zombie -- he's just brain dead; and there is more (kooky) science than witchcraft in this film.

indentured white zombies

2010-10-30T00:39:00.008+02:00

Obtaining the love of your life should be this easy: meet Ms. Perfect as her carriage travels down a dark road outside of New Orleans; hire a witch doctor-cum-matchmaker to turn her into a zombie; steal the corpse; live (well, she's undead, of course) happily ever after. But it is too good to be true -- something would have to go very, very wrong. Wouldn't it?

There are no horror films showing in the local cinemas, so I recorded a few on the Slingbox to watch over the Halloween weekend. Tonight's film was White Zombie (1932), starring none other than Bela Legosi. Legosi's presence is incredible on the screen -- a great actor before film acting really had much of an established method. He's dark and frightening, and while the story is a bit light on horror, the overall idea of the film makes it worth watching. Legosi -- as the voodoo witch doctor and overseer of the zombies -- and the zombies themselves are fantastic. The victims are exactly that -- generic and worth turning into the undead.

Initially, the idea of zombies working a southern plantation and sugar mill might seem comical; but while they are mostly docile, and they go about their killing in a very neat and orderly way, they are scary; an early scene of the zombies working in the mill at night is very good.

Legosi's got a good trick for turning the damsel into a zombie: no biting, no chasing and no blood, just a voodoo doll made of wax, a candle's flame and a spell -- classic. Some of the non-Legosi / zombie scenes are pretty standard scenes for their time; the wedding scene is decent, however. And there are a few good scenes with image projections -- ghosts. But Legosi and the zombies are the film -- and that's how a good horror film should be.

Added later: just read a bit about this film -- it turns out to be the first film with zombies. Not bad.

Reich's Lunacy

2010-10-29T19:54:00.004+02:00

Robert Reich is an idiot. I've believed this for a long time. His opinion piece in today's WSJ just furthers my belief. Today's Reichian fear-mongering is that the Tea Party will abolish the Federal Reserve. Reich cites a dozen or so Senate seats that Republicans might win, where the candidate has ties to the Tea Party. The last time I checked, it takes fifty, fifty-one or sometimes sixty votes in the Senate to pass a bill. (thank you Schoolhouse Rock)

So Reich's last-gasp effort to scare voters into not punishing the Dems is to create such a fantasy. The Tea Party won't takeover the Republican party; on the contrary, what is likely to happen is that the Republican party will co-opt many of the ideas and principles -- and this is a good thing. It doesn't mean that next Wednesday, the forty or so Republican senators will kneal in supplication in front of a Robespierre-committee of Tea Party senators. What might happen is this: a handful of Republicans -- whether they have Tea Party support or not -- will hold hearings to debate the idea of putting the dollar back on the gold standard.

But the funniest sentence in Reich's crap-filled essay is this:

"In a Bloomberg poll a few weeks ago, 60% of tea party adherents wanted to overhaul or abolish the Fed (compared with 45% of all likely voters)."

So while six in ten Tea Partiers doesn't like the Fed, nearly five of ten normal voters have the same feeling. Why doesn't Reich view this as scary? Or perhaps because no registered Democrats will vote this year, perhaps they're not in the 45% of likely voters who want to overhaul the Fed. . . Reich doesn't want to overhaul the Fed? The actions of the last twenty years were perfect? Or does Reich love government so much that the problem is not with the government, but with normal non-economist types?

Lastly, your civics lesson for the day:

bed

2010-10-28T22:19:00.002+02:00

While on the metro today I was listening to Juliana Hatfield's Bed. A great album, and it has been a while since I've listened to it, but it felt great to listen to the album start to finish. In my opinion, Juliana has to be one of the ten most underappreciated musicians; Bed may be her best album.

the non-event

2010-10-28T22:10:00.002+02:00

I am watching The Event. There are a few reasons. First and foremost is that the series' story touches on some ideas that a friend and I have crafted into the outline of a script. A bit alarming, perhaps. But now that I've watched the first two episodes and discovered that things will be revealed very, very slowly, I'm less concerned. If the show does reveal something incredible, it could certainly squash any ideas around the script. But I do have to say, the show doesn't seem poised to make any really crazy revelations; and the show is incredibly bad: awful dialog, very bad action sequences, when there do happen to be action sequences, weak special effects and a lot of incongruities in scenes. (e.g. when the protagonist runs through the burning airplane, covering his face to avoid the smoke -- when there is actually no smoke in the scene)

But I have to watch it, for some reason. It is not gripping television. I think I am watching it more for that fact that I want something to happen. Anything. After two episodes, very little has happened, but I can afford to waste an hour half-watching the show while I do other things.

the big short

2010-10-15T12:17:00.003+02:00

I have finally gotten around to reading Michael Lewis' The Big Short. I can't put it down. In one way, I miss finance; most my university studies were geared towards thrusting me into the industry. But on the other hand, what made me sick about the industry then (via real-world experience in banking and an internship with a hedge fund) is what intuitively led me to not choose finance as a career path. In the end, I think it worked out of the best: I am able to use what I've learned, albeit on a much smaller, and personal, scale; but I didn't sell my soul to the devil and pursue a life in high finance. And it has made all the difference.

best shows

2010-10-14T20:12:00.005+02:00

Leah and I were have an e-mail conversation about good concerts, and we agreed we'd compile our list of best shows that we've seen. Here is my list, in (more or less) chronological order:

- Matthew Sweet at the UNL Student Union, Lincoln, NE (1994)
- Stereophonics at The Hurricane, Kansas City, MO (1998)
- Elliott Smith at The Granada, Lawrence, KS (1999)
- Ben Folds Five at The Granada, Lawrence (1999)
- Jimmy Eat World at Davey's Uptown, Kansas City, MO (2000)
- Sebadoh at the Bottleneck, Lawrence (2000)
- Grant-Lee Phillips at Whelan's, Dublin (2002)
- Evan Dando at The Olympia, Dublin (2002)
- The White Stripes at Dublin Castle (2002)
- Pete Yorn, [club unknown], Dublin (2002)
- Andrew Bird at The Tripod, Dublin (2008)
- David Bazan at Woody West, Gothenburg, Sweden (2009)
- The Blind Boys of Alabama, Lucera Theatre, Prague (2009)
- Radiohead at Výstaviště, Prague (2009)
- Nada Surf at Lucerna Bar, Prague (2010)
- Wilco at Archa Theatre, Prague (2010)

Over the next few days I will try to add a bit of a description to each one. . .

a short man

2010-10-11T19:19:00.002+02:00

Ryan Seacrest just tweeted:

"Some people see more in a walk around the block than others see in a trip around the world." - unknown

What Ryan didn't mention, though, is that he's the guy who went around the world; naturally, when you're 5'3'', you're going to see less when you can't see over small shurbs, dogs, garbage cans, etc. . .

Carrot soup with a twist

2010-10-11T12:35:00.005+02:00

Yesterday I made a batch of carrot soup (see the starting recipe), but after ladling it into the bowl, I added a dollop of basil pesto to it -- a very good combination, highly recommended.

KS - haik - U

2010-10-08T15:27:00.004+02:00

Disaster on turf
For such harmless purple cats
Sisters can't be blamed

I supposed Armageddon came two weeks late. (see my previous post)

Wilco at the Archa

2010-09-29T18:53:00.001+02:00

The Wilco show was fantastic -- nearly two and half hours of great music, they played all of their best songs. Jeff let the audience sing "Jesus, etc." -- he only sang the last chorus -- nice to see that enough people knew the lyrics. Nels Cline unleashed a ton of great solos -- very loud, very skillful. One of the two best shows I've seen this year.

A nice set of photos from the show are here.

wildcats avoid armageddon

2010-09-26T10:04:00.004+02:00

A loss to Central Florida would have been apocolyptic for Kansas State -- and judging by the skies over Manhattan, it was nearing the end of the world, or the end of something. Fortunately, the Wildcats avoided Armageddon on Saturday. . .

News Headline

2010-09-22T16:51:00.005+02:00

The head of the National Economic Council is stepping down, and returning to Harvard. A possible headline in the Hardvard Crimson:

THE RECOVERY OF SUMMERS

Titan and Rhea

2010-09-22T16:44:00.002+02:00

Thanks, Cassini. A very cool pic of Titan and Rhea, two of Jupiter's moons:

Chicken Parmesan

2010-09-21T19:27:00.003+02:00

Tonight I made Tyler Florence's chicken parmesan. It is easy to make and doesn't take much time. The whole process of coating and frying the chicken is easy. I found that I had to bake the chicken a bit longer than the fifteen minutes the recipes says; another 8-10 minutes at slightly lower heat made the chicken just right. A pinch of red pepper might add a bit more flavour -- I'll try that the next time.

the heat is on

2010-09-20T10:25:00.001+02:00

The central boiler in the building is on, I finally have heat, after two weeks of often chilly nights.

Diaspora Developer Release

2010-09-16T08:31:00.002+02:00

Diaspora's developer release is finally out. It isn't realistic to think that Diaspora will unseat Facebook as the social networking tool, but there is a market out there for a more secure, more robust social networking tool, and Diaspora could be it. I am on board with giving it a shot -- once the Alpha is released, I'll abandon Facebook. There's just something about pulling for the underdog. . .

Jimmy Eat World in Berlin

2010-09-15T19:31:00.001+02:00

Two news shows in two days -- just booked tickets for the Jimmy Eat World concert in Berlin. It keeps getting better -- just wish they would come to Prague!

Wilco at the Archa Theatre

2010-09-13T11:09:00.002+02:00

By dumb luck, I discovered that Wilco will play a show in Prague on the 28th. Tickets booked -- what a great way to start the week!

Cows and Sheep, Oh My!

2010-09-07T10:38:00.011+02:00

Some photos of our drive up the Ayrshire coast, from Turnberry to Ayr.

Ailsa Course - 9th Hole

2010-09-06T10:24:00.000+02:00

Standing on the 9th tee on the Ailsa course:

Ailsa Course - 18th Hole

2010-09-06T10:20:00.002+02:00

The 18th on the Ailsa course. From 193 yards, into the wind, I hit a solid 4-hybrid to within fifteen feet -- and missed the putt. (of course)

Turnberry

2010-09-06T10:14:00.001+02:00

The seventh hole on the Ailsa course:

And a view from the tenth tee:

Ayrshire: Cow Crossing

2010-09-04T20:08:00.003+02:00

Culzean Castle

2010-09-04T19:27:00.006+02:00

More text later. For now, some photos:

Culzean Gardens

2010-09-04T09:47:00.000+02:00

The gardens at the Culzean estate, Scotland:

Prestwick

2010-09-03T15:21:00.000+02:00

The day after Troon we played eighteen at Prestwick, home of the first British Open. On the first three holes I thought I still had "it", whatever "it" is, making solid shots on difficult holes, but eventually I lost "it" and shot 87 -- not a great score, but not a bad score, either. And again, we sort of forgot about taking photos -- we were the first twosome to tee off (at 8:16 in the morning) and we had several groups of members playing alternate shot matches behind us, so we tried to keep the pace quick. We played in three and a half hours, and had great weather -- a bit of wind off of the sea, but a delightful morning.

Troon

2010-09-02T15:11:00.002+02:00

For the first time in my life, I shot a lower score than my father -- a miracle. I shot a 78 at Troon -- I was -1 after nine holes, with two birdies on the par fives; I was "in the zone". Unfortunately, the "zone" disappeared on the back nine -- two double-bogeys. But it was my best round of the holiday -- and on a historic course, so I'm pleased about that. Unfortunately, because I was so focused on the golf, I didn't take a lot of photos. . .

Stirling Castle

2010-09-01T22:19:00.011+02:00

Today we visited Stirling Castle, near Edinburgh. Again, we had great weather for walking around. The tour was good and informative, and we had a great picnic lunch in one of the castle gardens.

Dundonald Links

2010-08-31T10:31:00.000+02:00

A few shots from our first round at Dundonald Links. They gave us a discount on the two rounds we played -- GBP 55 per player -- which made it the best value-for-money of the whole trip. Dundonald was probably the best overall 18 holes of golf, except for Turnberry -- every hole was a challenge, usually long, and very windy the second time we played.

Here is the par-3 eleventh hole, a tough little hole:

The second time we played the course, I almost ended up in this bunker behind the green, after my wedge from 125 yards (uphill and into the wind) went long:

Dundonald Castle

2010-08-31T10:25:00.000+02:00

A few photos from Dundonald Castle:

Glasgow Gails

2010-08-30T10:43:00.001+02:00

On Monday we played Glasgow Gailes Golf Course, a good little course -- a perfect warm-up round before we play the harder courses. The weather was fantastic: lots of sunshine and very little wind.

Sandhill House

2010-08-29T22:26:00.002+02:00

A few photos from Sandhill House, the bed and breakfast we're staying at:

Sandhill House is a lovely old Victorian house, built in the 1910s. Very large, nice grounds with lots of animals: ducks, geese, horses, cats and a even a little pony that wanders over the grounds at his leisure.

Troon

2010-08-29T15:58:00.001+02:00

A rainbow on the first morning at Troon:

how to clean your golf hat

2010-08-23T19:37:00.003+02:00

On the Internt I discovered a nice little tip for cleaning your dirty, salt-stained golf hats: put them on the top rack of your dishwasher; run it (even with detergent) on a light cycle, and then hang the hat to dry. To keep that hat's shape, put it over another (dry) hat while it dries. Works like a charm. Dishes on the bottom rack are optional.

somewhere in prague

2010-08-19T17:49:00.000+02:00

I can't remember exactly where this church is -- maybe somewhere in Prague 8? The local newspaper mentioned an art exhibit in a church. It turned out that the church -- old and worn down -- was more interesting than the pictures. I took the photo several years ago, but I think it is worth posting.

To Look Good

2010-08-19T12:26:00.001+02:00

Early evening. A girl, maybe twenty, at the metro station at Muztek. She is wearing a black dress that reveals slender legs. She has on black high heels, perhaps too-high high heels. Her right ankle is wrapped in a bandage, maybe the result of a sports injury (she doesn't look sporty, which might explain why she injured herself). She limps through the metro station, and it is obvious that she is in pain. All for the sake of looking good, of being elegant. Somehow, the sight of a well-dressed young woman limping like a wounded animal was not elegant.

augustcool

Bad Parents

Song of the Evil Ladybug

NCAA Conference Realignment

NFL Predictions

MOTD: Matt Damon

Driveable Florence

out of control

Strange Logic / Double Standard

Triangulation: Dumb Republicans

Slow-roasted pork with mushroom sauce

Buy American -- The First Americans Did

Close Encounters of the Strange Kind

The Death of Journalism, by Daniel Bates

Top Guitarists of All-Time

Shutdown bad for the GOP?

Au Revoir Les Enfants

Portugal's Future

big air

What Caused the 'Arab Uprising'?

boston notes

clouds like mountains

a capital idea

GOP Nominee in 2012

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt

Sour Cream - Chocolate Chip Cake

somethingcool: free online ORC service

dumbed down

like leaves

My Big Ten Divison Names

somethingcool: Russian Photos

Best Albums of 2010

Berlin: Recommended Eats

Grebbestad, Sweden

Tony Blair is Important (to Tony Blair)

DADT: there he goes. . .

Like Candy

Grebbestad, Sweden

Folk Re-Implosion

Baked Potato Soup

Grammys? *yawn*

You Will Meet A Dull Romantic Comedy

my latin band

Lukáš Martinek & Private Earthquake

a follower

Roasted Potatoes

Roasted Goose Breast with Plum Preserve Jus

triple-bill

the haunting

a childhood taste

Photos: Unter den Linden

Photos: Berliner Dom

Photos: Neptunbrunnen, Berlin

Photos: Brandenburger Tor, Berlin

a sexy vampire

come and go

nomads

an airport message

a-dam

homer's vote

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

political predictions

it is what it is

The Devil Commands

indentured white zombies

Reich's Lunacy

bed

the non-event

the big short

best shows

a short man

Carrot soup with a twist

KS - haik - U

Wilco at the Archa

wildcats avoid armageddon

News Headline

Titan and Rhea

Chicken Parmesan

the heat is on

Grammys? yawn