e's Ventilation Terminal

Really Mom, Surfing the Web is Better for Me than Reading a Book

2008-10-19T15:28:00.003+02:00

Reading is an activity that can be so inspiring and mind-engaging. I know the smell of a book from Borders the minute it sits in front of my face due to my association of the store with some of my favorite books I've purchased over the years. Think about this for a second: what if someone told you that spending hours on the Internet surfing mindlessly around the cyber-universe of YouTube & Facebook actually stimulated your brain more than reading "East of Eden?" You would say, "Ugh...no way." Yes way! According to this article that I found (apparently giving my noggin an ultra workout), a University of California research team found that people who spent time searching the Internet stimulated more areas of their brain than people that read a book for the same amount of time. I think that's the gist of it. See for yourself, but please, don't stop reading even if they are novels of the title "How to Seduce an Arch-Duke."

Autism is What?

2008-07-21T22:02:00.004+02:00

I've heard this argument before and blow it off again and again. Sitting at the dinner table with my father reciting verbatim what Michael Savage is regurgitating is frustrating enough. Not that my dad isn't educated, I just whole-heartedly disagree. After spending three months immersed in classes of students who "supposedly have Autism," I believe otherwise. If all it takes is a radio show with a big audience to diagnose disorders, I'd be a rich music teacher. What, you don't know what I'm talking about? Follow the link and prepare to be vexed.

Savage Stands by Autism Remarks

Hints of 'time before Big Bang'

2008-06-08T06:34:00.001+02:00

So this is what we were all waiting for, right? The beginning of the beginning of the beginning of the beginning. Oh wait, I still am as confused as ever. At least it gave me a new algorithm towards the never-ending math equation.

View Original Article

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Need a New Web Browser: Take Your Pick

2008-05-25T02:31:00.002+02:00

I'm back from the depths; or at least for this post. Getting your hands on a new, functional, polished version of Flock really stimulates your blogging appetite. Searching around on Digg/OMG found me glancing at an all too common ranking list of web tools. If you're getting tired of the standard Firefox (which I think is good but overrated) take a look at this small gathering of up-and-comings. Soundbird sounds really interesting. If any of you try it, post a comment and tell me what you think. More to come from, and hopefully more often, soon...

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My Lovely Red Avion

2008-03-11T12:33:00.001+01:00

I'm beaming with joy after seeing my "numero uno cavé bolt" (Spanish/Hungarian for favorite coffee shop) featured in USNWR! Notice their attitude and trendiness; usually something I don't necessarily pay attention to. Suggestions for consumption would include the following: FTO Guatemalan, FTO Bolivian, and Mexican Femenito (in no particular order). Drink, and read, for yourself.

How One Business Fights the Downturn - US News and World Report

What did Bach look like? - CNN.com

2008-03-03T20:02:00.001+01:00

This just out of the CNN news room: a computer graphics model has just surfaced that shows the probable facial structure of my favorite Baroque composer! I have no idea how accurate this can be but I guess he looks, well, German?

What did Bach look like? - CNN.com

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Energy Blueprint

2008-01-25T01:15:00.001+01:00

Usually I go at the world by posting about public domain and ranting/raving/questioning the data. The question today is should I do that? Or better yet, where should I be spending my precious attention. Now, I don't want to sound self absorbed. Nay, I wake-up every day and propose this question, "What do I want to do?" Right now, I have a choice (kind-of). I am currently unemployed (full-time) and have some hours to spend doing whatever I want. Where do I begin? Should I watch a presidential debate? I really want to, but then I remember that the primary isn't until AFTER Super Tuesday and by that time I won't have much of a choice. Read the paper? I love the paper!!! I begin to read it and become instantly disappointed in the material being presented 45% of the time. Do I plan my wedding? I'd love to. Do I get a new job? Why should I if I am enjoying my free time. The funny thing is that I have been begging for this free time and now that I have it, I don't know what to do with it. Granted, I haven't had a life full of work yet to be complaining, but when I taught full-time all I could do was dream for that winter day where nobody was around and I could relax, read, and contemplate. As I look back to what I've accomplished, it doesn't amount to much and I realize I could be contributing elsewhere. I could even spend my time writing, composing music, reading...NO! I succumb to the box and the devil named PS2. Whenever I do become inspired, which happens quite frequently, it's always in short bursts of whatever. I'm not sad or mad; down and out. I'm not even deserving of this predicament. Just flustered and scared knowing that there are a ton of people probably thinking the same thing. What could we all do together?

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Do You Believe in the Lochness Monster?

2007-08-23T02:33:00.001+02:00

Well, aparently monk St. Columba does. And why shouldn't we talk about it? I much prefer to catch-up on ancient fauna as opposed to bi-partisan jabber. I have yet to determine the validity of the provided snap-shot of the lagoon beast itself. The only thing that the silhouette reminds me of is the small metal sea monster residing in the small highway lake going towards Cedar Point. Jeepers Creepers!

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/08/dayintech_0822/

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WiFi Charging

2007-06-08T02:02:00.000+02:00

This seems like a dream-come-true. It is by no means an essential invention derived from the desperate need to save the human race, but it is damn cool. Try to imagine not having to tote around a charger and finally ridding yourself of all cords. On second thought, maybe it's not that cool, but what the hey, I needed something to blog about. How about that for a sorry excuse.

Wireless energy promise powers up.
By Jonathan Fildes, Science and technology reporter, BBC News

60W light bulb being lit through a wall from 2m away (Science)

A light bulb glows whilst receiving power from 2m awayA clean-cut vision of a future freed from the rat's nest of cables needed to power today's electronic gadgets has come one step closer to reality.US researchers have successfully tested an experimental system to deliver power to devices without the need for wires.The setup, reported in the journal Science, made a 60W light bulb glow from a distance of 2m (7ft).WiTricity, as it is called, exploits simple physics and could be adapted to charge other devices such as laptops."There is nothing in this that would have prevented them inventing this 10 or even 20 years ago," commented Professor Sir John Pendry of Imperial College London who has seen the experiments."But I think there is an issue of time. In the last few years we have seen an exponential growth of mobile devices that need power. The power cable is the last wire to be cut in a wireless connection."Professor Moti Segev of the Israel Institute of Technology described the work as "truly pioneering".

BBC NEWS | Technology | Wireless energy promise powers up

Second Look at the Color Blue

2007-06-04T22:46:00.000+02:00

Since we only get debates currently involving Dems and Reps in the national media, here is a good assessment/recap of Sunday night's debate in New Hampshire according to the journalism of the Washington Post. Take of it what you will. Obama said some good things in response to other candidate's proclomations and in a Plain Dealer article, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico went the route of starting teachers at a higher minimum salary. I like the sound of that....but for the right reasons? He focuses here more on health care. Universal, mandatory, more affordable?

Democrats Focus on Iraq In Contentious Second Debate

GOFFSTOWN, N.H., June 3 -- Democratic presidential candidates clashed sharply over Iraq in the second debate of the campaign Sunday night, with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) rejecting criticism from former senator John Edwards (N.C.) that they had failed to offer...

Oh Yes, It's Real

2007-05-03T02:41:00.000+02:00

The info is a bit out-dated (one week is a long time in circa web v2.0) but still so gnarly! The question is, what could we do with the mean, green, material? Make a weapon? Resource it? Sell it? Plant it? Just to see what this stuff does sounds fun enough. What do you think its use is? Comments are happily accepted :)

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | 'Kryptonite' discovered in mine

Educate Your Audience

2007-04-09T23:39:00.000+02:00

My title might be a little off the subject of the following article, but is seriously related. My goal as a music educator is not to prepare everyone to be the most fabulous and stunning musicians America has to offer, but to stir the public's interest and train our youth in musical taste and appreciation towards classical music and the concert hall. I can preach to you in person if you'd like. Read on about China. I've had the pleasure of studying in Hungary with a young female pianist from Shang-hai. She definitely fits the mold of the society described in this story. She was inspiring to say the least. Not to worry; I'm sure well turn it around. Someday.

Classical Music Looks Toward China With Hope

China has become a considerable force in Western classical music as the art form declines in Europe and the U.S.

Year Zero

2007-03-01T03:56:00.000+01:00

As silly as it sounds, Trent Reznor's YEAR ZERO marketing strategy is filling my head day and night with thoughts of conspiracy, terrorism, futuristic art and noisy music. It all started with a code-breaker and a tour shirt in Portugal. Four songs later along with the bombing of the 81st Oscars (see following article) and I am living the digital hype of Nine Inch Nails new album. It's times like these where I get to feel like a music dork and dig myself into an intriguing conceptual art form. Even Rolling Stone Magazine's website is covering the craze! Speaking of R.S., here's the whole story:

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/02/28/year-zero-project-fahrenheit-nin/

From the Floor and the Breakfast Nook

2007-02-16T19:06:00.000+01:00

You watch the Grammys?

2007-02-11T20:48:00.000+01:00

When I was a young kid, I remember watching a recorded VHS of Billy Joel's performance of "We Didn't Start the Fire" live on the Grammy Awards (I forgot the year; early 90's). I was mesmerized! I stood four inches from the TV and self-taught myself how to stop, rewind, play, and then rewind the recording on the VCR. Oh the video screens, showing graphics of burning buildings and world poverty...the bright flamethrowers blasting an inferno into the music hall of sharply-dressed nominees. From that moment, I looked forward to the February awards ceremony that my father would annually tape-record.

Time changes life and all of it's creations. We went from groundbreaking grunge to classic alternative, to rap-rock, hip-hop, and R&B. Now I ask, "Who's going to be performing? When are the Grammys? I thought they were in the Fall. That's considered a hard-rock performance?" There's other questions and inadequate answers to all of this. Should we be honoring what the public bought the most of in the last breath of dying record industry or should we be praising what is artistic and creative in today's ever changing world of music; both popular and classical?

Actually, who still watches the Grammys?

Pretty Pretty Dusk

2007-01-17T00:12:00.000+01:00

Higher IQ = Less Prone to Injuries

2007-01-12T20:02:00.001+01:00

Here I am: plain, normal, Evan. I have above average academic skills and common sense. I keep safe and take necessary precautions to insure my daily health and keep free of injury and disease. What's my IQ you ask...? Below average or above? It does matter! This article explains why you might have no control over being hospital bound in your old age (or not-so-old age). It could be a bit of a stretch but it's best to be aware of these statistics.

Lower IQs in Childhood Linked to Accident-Prone Adulthood
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter
Wednesday, January 10, 2007; 12:00 AM

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) --The lower your IQ in childhood, the more accident-prone you might be as an adult.

New research finds that people who had lower intelligence scores as children were more likely to be hospitalized with accidental injuries during adulthood.
But experts emphasized the continuing importance of injury-prevention programs."What I would hate to see happen is a shrugging of the shoulders on the part of the powers that be that injury prevention education doesn't mean a ding-dang, it's all predetermined by intelligence," said Dr. Michael Hirsh, chief of pediatric surgery and trauma at the UMass Memorial Medical Center and co-principal investigator of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Worcester. "We've proven that nationally in injury prevention programs that if you hit the kids enough with injury prevention information in a sequential way, we see a difference in injury incidence, regardless of intelligence."

Hirsh had not heard of any other data related to this subject, although he and his colleagues once conducted a study at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh that found two-thirds of pediatric trauma patients had a neuropsychiatric disorder such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. That's not to say that people with neuropsychiatric disorders are less intelligent, he stressed.

The authors of this study, appearing in the February issue of theAmerican Journal of Public Health, looked at more than 11,000 people in Scotland who had participated in a childhood development study in the 1950s and 1960s.

Of the total number, 1,043 had been hospitalized at least once as adults due to an accidental injury. Men were more likely to have sustained an injury requiring hospitalization than women. People with lower childhood intelligence scores at age 7, 9 and 11 were more likely to be hospitalized more than once for injuries in adulthood.

According to the study authors, based in the United Kingdom, the results could help explain why people who score low on childhood intelligence tests are also more likely to die young.

However, the more educated an adult was, the weaker the link was between childhood intelligence scores and injuries sustained as an adult.

And better education could lower injury rates, the authors added.

What are the reasons for the apparent link?

Children with lower intelligence scores are also more likely to have injuries while children and, if the injuries involve the head, they may make accidents more likely in adulthood, the researchers suggested.

And children with higher intelligence may also be able to process signals from the environment better, thus helping to protect themselves.

More information

Visit the Injury Free Coalition for Kids to learn more about keeping kids safe.

SOURCES: Michael Hirsh, M.D., chief, pediatric surgery and trauma, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, and co-principal investigator, Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Worcester; February 2007,American Journal of Public Health

Lower IQs in Childhood Linked to Accident-Prone Adulthood - washingtonpost.com

States game

2006-12-18T18:24:00.000+01:00

I must admit, I thought I would do a bit better than 83% my first time around. Without a book for cheating, see if you can actually place the mid-west states without any borders to guide you.

read more | digg story

The Future of Blogging

2006-12-14T16:17:00.000+01:00

To the extent that I use this medium to put forth my voice in the world, I agree with the predictions associated in this article. I am not by any means a "regular" blogger. I started this column over a year ago with infrequent publications ranging from 2-3/week to 1/month. As the article states, most people who would want to start a blog, already have. This is good though. If the excess amount of bloggers stop within this next year, the quality can only go up. At the very least, you will have people blogging that really care and have something to say every once in a while. Publishing to my blog isn't a full-time job. Now the natural evolution of the blog will occur and we will begin
seeing small changes and tweaks that can only increase the content value.

Blogging 'set to peak next year'

The blogging phenomenon is set to peak in 2007, according to technology predictions by analysts Gartner.

technorati tags:BBC, blog, blogging, predictions, 2007

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Turn Up the Vinyl

2006-11-08T01:08:00.000+01:00

Snap, Crackle and Pop

I've been a record collector all my life...a whole 24.8 years. Throughout that time, my generation has been bred on the compact disc (CD) and the birth/thrive of the digital music scene. I mean, don't you brag to your buddies about your note-worthy collection of burned music via Limewire? But before all of this, the vinyl LP was a collectible medium that had tons of character. You might ask, "Why listen to crackly, poorly mastered music on an old-fashion record player? Isn't it out-dated?" The answer is NO. People now actualy want to hear those unique imperfections. Think I'm crazy? Read for yourself. Commentary by Momus.

technorati tags:record, vinyl, collection, sounds, crackle, pop, snap, Wired, music, recording

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Cells Cancel Children

2006-10-24T14:20:00.000+02:00

Heavy mobile use 'damages sperm'

Ever wondered what those micro-waves are doing to your body? Curious as to what's being mutated and manipulated during the oh-so-important phone call to your business partner or boyfriend/girlfriend? Listen up men or you might be saying "bye-bye to babies." This could be a pro or a con depending on your personal feelings.

technorati tags:phones, mobile, cell, sperm, BBC

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The Colors of Fall

2006-10-24T04:13:00.000+02:00

Here are some photos I took around my house a few days ago. Your typical autumn photos, hopefully with a little individual style.

technorati tags:fall, autumn, Ohio, Grafton, outdoors, leaves, trees, pumpkins

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Battle of the Books

2006-10-13T22:48:00.000+02:00

Read Between the Lines

This story even makes me feel bad about going to Borders. I'm not sure if I've ever bought a novel on-line. I'd rather just have a coffee and piddle around the stacks. Get out while you still can! Commentary by Tony Long.

technorati tags:books, on-line, stores, independent, Wired, news

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Scariest Movies for Halloween

2006-10-12T06:24:00.000+02:00

BWWWAAAAHHHHAAAAA!

I've been watching the television only to get really psyched-up for the bloody, gory, hair-raising horror movies of October and the Halloween season. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Grudge 2 are stirring my appetite for blood-lust, but I usually resort back to my favorite scary movie to bring forth the goosebumps. So here are the top five (for today at least):

I remember seeing this for the first time in a theater and truly wondering who the killer was and jumping unexpectedly. It started off suspenseful, used pop-culture throughout the dialog, and was satirically funny when the characters made fun of their situation (of course not up to the level that Scary Movie does). There's nothing like willful suspension of disbelief!

The filming on this is fantastic. It was my first experience of a David Fincher film and introduced me to grainy, dingy-type filming that came off as artistic in a Nine Inch Nails sort of way. Suspenseful with an intelligent ending

There's the point in the movie where the characters discover all the eggs in the alien nest. I decided that if I was one of the characters, I would just shoot myself. This is coming from a non-suicidal person. A horror movie in the sci-if genre

I remember the immediate hype around this flick. I truly thought it was real for the longest time. That's how convincing the acting and filming was!

I used to have nightmares about this as a kid. Tim Curry is the ultimate Pennywise. What is the horror genre without Stephen King?

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The Playoffs

2006-10-05T22:26:00.000+02:00

It's October and that means the leaves are turning, crisp air/cool breezes, apple cider, and of course...THE RACE TO THE WORLD SERIES! Before I go into any wild guesses and predictions of the future world champions (sounding like an ESPN television anchor) I want to state that my team, the beloved Cleveland Indians had a very disappointing sseason. The Tribe finished 19 games out of first-place with a 78-84 record, 6 games under .500. While this is greatly disappointing, my playoff fever has risen and I find myself interested in teams I never even gave a thought to in the regular season, let alone cheered for them. Sure, I know all the Yankee all-stars (all nine batters with their 6-digit salary starting line-up) and the distinguishing and catchy names of the Oakland Athletics, but what about my new-found favoritism of the LA Dodgers and the feel-good Central Division rival Detroit Tigers? In short, IT'S FUN and I wake up early to check the line-ups and daily schedule to plan my triple-header of baseball watching.

The question is, "Who will win it all?" I want to give a brief answer and save you the details (you can catch those on your favorite sports station). As much as I hate to say this, the New York Yankees seem, or rather LOOK, unbeatable. Even though they have a weak bullpen minus Mariano Rivera, their line-up is a modern-day Murderer's Row and can make the impossible possible. They might have trouble with some of the American League teams but they will make a meat market of any National League team.

That said, I want to see a W.S. with the Las Angeles Dodgers vs. the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers have to get through the Yankees first, but they haven't won in a while and are one of the founding teams in baseball. I say the Dodgers because, well, I don't know. I haven't seen them do anything since I remember watching baseball plus I'd like to see Kenny Lofton get a ring after getting screwed with the Indians. And if I had to choose between those two teams? Go Tigers!

Go See it!@

2006-09-13T16:36:00.000+02:00

Four Eyed Monsters
@ Somerville Theater - Thursdays @ 7:30 pm

Watch Invite | Trailer | Video Podcast | Tickets

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RESIDUE

2006-09-05T07:38:00.000+02:00

The tingling numbness of a sober-high

guides me near the end.

It digs and burrows and leaves me there

where faeries and sandmen tend.

Lilly says goodnight, so long,

a whisper in my ear.

A whisper as heavy as drooping eyelids

to drown away the fear.

The sun will rise with gray or gold

to raise me from the dark.

It's always there but never was.

She always leaves her mark.

NIN Returns Home

2006-07-02T06:04:00.000+02:00

My belief was that Trent Reznor is out-growing Nine Inch Nails. I'm not the typical goth. In fact, I'm not a goth at all; just a nerd who likes to dig into his past and put on all the angst-driven music that fueled his teen-age years. Trent's hair is short. The skinny man wearing the Satanic Army tank-tops and upside-down crosses now suits up in a skin-tight black, red or orange t-shirt, showing off his beefed-up appearance to prove to the world that he has come to terms with his past. Many people, including myself, viewed this as a sign that the music would get softer, the visceral lyrics would give way to thoughtlessness, and we would have Michael (Trent) Reznor the solo artist. The solo artist is still around but his band hasn't left. NIN is as powerful and in-your-face as ever.

I won't go into reviewing the first two groups Peaches and Bauhaus. It was the first time I had listened to them live or on recording so I'll leave it to the true fans. I enjoyed both shows.

Nine Inch Nails started with the lights up and people talking. You could hear some whispering which I took as the house music. After a few seconds it evolved into Trent singing the lyrics to Somewhat Damaged a cappella. I refused to check the set lists prior to the show so every piece was a surprise to me, lights and music both. At once the lights dropped and the song picked up in its normal state: loud and powerful. The beginning showcased a song from each full-length album showing a great interpretation of older songs. Trent's voice sounded better than six years ago and his energy level was higher. I do miss the old members but everybody fit in their respective places nicely and made the music evolve to a higher level. Highlights include Somewhat Damaged, Even Deeper, Closer, and Help Me I'm In Hell. HMIIH had lighting that blew my mind and made a two minute instrumental seem like a 5 minute masterpiece. I was surprised at the ammount of material pulled from The Fragile. I was under the impression that Trent viewd this album not as a mistake but a mixed-up smorgasborg of sounds and experiments. The combination of La Mer and Into The Void showed Reznor's compositional skills and the direction he can still go. Not much With Teeth material was played (only three songs and Non-Entity) but this is probably due to the over-playing of it live over the last year of non-stop touring. The metal bar-lights that rolled and unrolled at different times made some variety in the staging. The colors blended and transformed always reflecting the mood of the audience and music.

The crowd was full and seemed rather responsive. Even during slow points (for most other people) the crowd was just as into it and were moved by Trent's desperate words. I was happy to be part of it and can't wait for the next tour in 7 years. NIN is not dying in the mass of shitty pop music and Trent Reznor is certainly not out-growing it.

technorati tags:review, concert, rock, industrial, live, Nine, Inch, Nails, guitar, microphone, fans, audience, lights, black, red, stage

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A Taste of Hungary in Grafton

2006-06-23T22:55:00.000+02:00

Bring a prepared palate and an empty stomach! Last night my family, two guests, and I hosted a wine tasting and dinner at my parent's house. There's nothing like returning home from Hungary and finding it reinvented in small Grafton, Ohio.

The smells of the house were strong all day. I began by returning from Solon and picking-up some quality bread from Miles Farmer's Market. If you ever need quality food or hard-to-find beverages, Miles is the place to go. (After a few more visits, I'll attempt to give a more adequate description). Upon return to my household, the smells of smoked pork and beans were everywhere. Be forewarned! This isn't the normal canned concoction found in your local grocery store, or in our case, Grafton Sparkle. Smoked ham hocks mixed with turnip, carrots, kidney beans and smoked sausage sat well as the appetizer.

In-between spoonfuls we sampled three different white wines. We began with Biovitis Szent György-Hegyi Olasz Riesling 2004. This is heavily bodied for a riesling that has the scent of pickling products. The taste gives a hint of botrytis which accounts for the fact that is an all organic wine. Slight mold was found on the cork which was previously encased in wax. A mediocre wine for few bucks.

Next we tasted Huba Szeremley Szürkebarát 2001. The grape is native to Hungary and is comparable to a riesling grape. It provides a silky texture and sits well for a aged white. Crisp flavor and pale-yellow color makes for an overall nice wine.
Finally is a personal favorite, Gál Tibor Chardonnay 2003. A hint of mint combined with the moderate oaky taste known in Gál's product create a tasty wine for any or no meal. You must try it to know it.

The next course of the meal contained pörkölt and gulyaska dumplings along with the traditional cucumber salad (see photo above for the pörkölt and dumplings). Tender beef sautéed with peeled tomatoes, green pepper, and sweet paprika served as a hearty companion for the red wine selection. My father provided a selection of five reds wines from two known wine regions in Hungary: Eger and Székszárd.

From light to heavy, we sampled: Sebestyen Kadarka 2004, Szent Andrea Merlot 2003, Galbor-Gia Labirintos Kékfrankos-Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Gál Tibor Bikavér 2003, and Takler Bikavér Reserve 2003. All five were poured at the same time, providing the option of trying each wine at our own convenience. I love each one of these wines for different reasons. The kadarka, when left sitting with no swirling, contains a subtle nose of black pepper and spice which goes well with spicy food. The merlot is subtle oak and fresh berry scent that will sit well on the average American palate. The Egri bikavér is perfect for today. It can be opened up and enjoyed with a meal with no preparation or storage impromptu style. The Székszárdi bikavér is a fine wine with wonderful color that will age well for ten more years. Better watch out for this one and buy it while you can! A perfect additon to the cellar.

As we pushed aside the meal we squeezed in some extra room for Gundel pálácsinta and Tokaji Aszú liquid-gold.

Pálácsinta is a crepe filled with dios (walnut) filling, raisins, candied orange, and rum. Covering the pancake is a homemade chocolate sauce and fresh whipped cream. The desert wine is a famous grape native of the Tokaji region in north-east Hungary. The grapes have different degrees of sweetness labeled as puttonyos. The higher the puttonyos, the sweeter the wine (on a scale of 1 to 5). We tasted: Oremus Tokaji Szamorodni 2000, Göncöl Tokaji Aszú 3 Puttonyos 2000, and Chateau de Geday Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos. I don't understand the subtleties of desert wine so all I can say is that it was sweet and good. Each wine is delicate and luscious leaving a honey-like taste lingering in the mouth. The difference between the 3 and 5 puttonyos is subtle but noticeable.

The only thing left for all of us over-fed people to do was engage in "digestive drinks." Traditional Unicum herbal liqueur and Kecskeméti barack pálinka capped off our cultural evening and left us in the right state of mind to sleep-off our Hungarian feast.

technorati tags:wine, Hungarian, food, tasting, dinner, Grafton, Ohio

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Nils Lofgrin: Live at The Winchester (6_15_06 9:30 PM)

2006-06-16T20:42:00.000+02:00

Last night I had the opportunity to see witness a live performance of Nils Lofgrin at The Winchester in Lakewood, Ohio. I was expecting a mellow night; the normal acoustic guitar and coffee shop music meant to make you feel like you are not the only person in North East Ohio that feels like you do. Instead, I heard a talented singer/song writer who possesses a bit of extra character.

Throughout the evening, Mr. Lofgrin went between using two different types of guitars playing mostly original music. He mixed new and old, promoting the new album whenever possible. His voice matches that of a high baritone with not much age shown. This is remarkable considering his career traveling and performing with Neil Young (After The Goldrush & Transformer) and the ever popular Bruce Springsting. Nil's piano control was solid, pulling out moving arpeggios at the right moment and creating a desirable atmosphere that changed as much as his demeanor and sunglass apparel did. The pieces on electric with a backed taping of a band seemed inappropriate for the evening and could have been left out. I would suggest this to many people but would more than likely be told off since these pieces carried much of the excitement for the majority of the audience.

The Winchester was a lovely venue for the show. The atmosphere was intimate and classy. No goofy paintings, no expensive chairs, just a isle of card tables and folding chairs; a place that cares about music, not racking in the dough.

Being the second of two shows (7:00 PM & 9:30 PM), Nils kept the energy and showed his respect of the Cleveland audience. This makes him a winner in my book.

technorati tags:music, review, rock'n'roll, nilslofgrin, guitar, tour, live, cleveland, winchester, solo, piano

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Untitled

2006-05-06T15:25:00.000+02:00

The senses crave the change

snow to slush, slush to rain, rain to

SUNSHINE

Secrets spring forth like the blossom

Alive in the air as fragrances float

from me to you

Textures dazzle the mind, previously

asleep in a state of grey and blue.

It comes and retreats and was

never here at all.

Seasons happen for a reason,

like it or not

Anticipation is the driving force

Gloria, work your magic and be gone.

This time belongs to us.

The poets and the dreamers

technorati tags: poetry, spring,

Just Think Your Password

2006-04-29T01:49:00.000+02:00

Are we that far from transmitting our passwords through thoughts? New technology states we could be close to authenticating identy by our own individual brain waves.

read more | digg story

Another Solar Eclipse

2006-03-29T13:36:00.000+02:00

I like eclipses, but I was unaware of their popularity. It's intriguing for a moment, you see it, then move on. Imagining that humans plan their vacations and excursions for such a minor (or major) event is interesting. The quote below comparing the event to a prime-time T.V. show is comical. Other wonders are out in the universe for our race to explore. In times like this, I have hope for our civilization and that we will strive to find out the unknown. Even this little event has some type of significance towards all of us.

Skywatchers gathered deep in the desert of southern Libya to witness the point of greatest eclipse.At 1011 GMT (1111 BST) the Sun was completely blocked out for its longest duration: a total of four minutes and seven seconds.The eclipse began at sunset in Brazil and is sweeping northwest across Africa, Turkey and Central Asia before ending at sunset in Mongolia.

"Solar eclipses are the ultimate astronomical show," said Dr Robert Massey, senior astronomer at the UK's Royal Observatory Greenwich.
"It's up there with the highest-rated television programme. If there is one thing you do to do with astronomy in your lifetime, go and see a solar eclipse."

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Point of greatest eclipse reached

technorati tags: sun, moon, astronomy, science, BBC, eclipse,

It's up to you...

2006-03-02T23:46:00.000+01:00

Strolling is waiting.
take your time and breath it in while it's on sale
for free.
it becomes stale only if you want it to
and then it never truly is.
He thinks the oral medication is wearing off;
She makes him resort to intravenous methods.

As the audience attends and anticipates Act III,
The beautiful people don't know what hit them.
There is no right way to take it, just a
good way.
Different catalysits travel in various directions.

I don't want it to hurt; please just work!

Rushing is running.
Neglect and you will miss the point I'm trying to make.
set it on the scale to produce success.
create what they said was impossible.

Big Bang "matters"

2006-02-23T10:56:00.000+01:00

With space research gaining momentum, I found this article speculating on the balance of matter in our galaxy. It's really exciting to come across this type of article because it explains a complex subject in an elementary way. There is major brain-storming and creativity present in the following experiment.

The important role of balance throughout the galaxy is evident throughout this article. I think it's safe to say it's crucial in our lives as well. To balance requires communication. To communicate requires us to open our "third eye."

The question that has vexed scientists and astronomers for years is why there is more matter in the Universe than anti-matter. Both were formed at the time of the Big Bang, about 13.7 billion years ago. For every particle formed, an anti-particle should also have been formed. Almost immediately, however, the equal numbers of particles and anti-particles would have annihilated each other, leaving nothing but light. But a tiny asymmetry in the laws of nature resulted in a little matter being left over, spread thinly within the empty space of the Universe. This became the stars and planets that we see around us today.

The only way scientists can verify their theories to explain this anomaly is to study the corresponding asymmetry in sub-atomic particles, by looking for slight "pear-shaped" distortions in their otherwise spherical forms. It has taken five decades of research to reach the stage where measurements of these particles, called neutrons, have become sensitive enough to test the very best candidate theories. Neutrons are electrically neutral, but they have positive and negative charges moving around inside them. If the centers of gravity of these charges aren't in the same place, it would result in one end of the neutron being slightly positive, and the other slightly negative. This is called an electric-dipole moment, and it is the phenomenon that physicists have been working to find for the past 50 years. Spin-offs from the original pioneering work in this area include atomic clocks and magnetic-resonance imaging.

The new result shows that the distortion in the subatomic particles is far smaller than most of the origin-of-matter theories had predicted - if the neutron were the size of the Earth, the distortion would still be less than the size of a bacterium. "This will really help to constrain theories that attempt to go beyond our current understanding of the fundamental laws of physics", says Dr Harris. "For some of them, it's back to the drawing board; but for the better ones, it will definitely show them the way forwards.

"To carry out the research the Sussex group, together with scientists from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Institute Laue Langevin in Grenoble, built a special type of atomic clock that used spinning neutrons instead of atoms. It applied 120,000 volts to a quartz "bottle" that was filled regularly with neutrons captured from a reactor. The clock frequency was measured through nuclear magnetic resonance.

The team has now expanded to include Oxford University and the University of Kure in Japan. They are busy developing a new version of the experiment: By submerging their neutron-clock in a bath of liquid helium, half a degree above absolute zero, they will increase their sensitivity a hundredfold.

Source: University of Sussex

Pear- shaped particles probe big bang mystery

technorati tags: space, big bang, matter, balance, science, universe, University of Sussex,

The future of body armor

2006-02-17T23:17:00.000+01:00

Instead of posting on what I previously decided I would (I still will; give me time!), I decided to stick to the topic of the bizarre and arcane. I go through phases with this topic. Sometimes I find it very intriguing, other times it is a waste of time. How to interpret the off-beat nature of all this is beyond me. Tell me what you think.

from: SILKMILK MagiZain (http://www.crossroads.wild.net.au/silkmilk.htm

In 2002 scientists found that by isolating the web-spinning gene from spiders and injecting it into the DNA of goats they would produce a super-strong SilK-MilK. They have been trying to work out how to farm spiders for years as their webs are 5 times stronger than steel (relative to density), but had no luck because of the cannibalistic nature of spiders in large groups. They aim to produce bullet-proof vests with the silkmilk. But why should the Military have exclusive rights to such a brilliantly surreal concept?

Therefore we are hijacking the concept for aesthetic and magickal purposes, producing our own luscious non-violent silkmilk ink; or perhaps reclaiming is a more appropriate term -after all, Metamorphic Ritual Theatre co. (a vessel of The Order of ChAOS on the outer)- have been performing plays and rites about Pan and Arachne for years -this is their strange offspring...

Tool is playing with your mind; Teaching vs. doing (sort of)

2006-02-10T01:02:00.000+01:00

When listeing to this album, I am always wondering what stance the musicians take behind the music. What were the intents and directions taken to produce a mysterious opus like this. Lateralus (TOOL, op. 4) is a concept album that stands on its own and goes a step further in the effort of the collective. Take a look:

Restructuring Lateralus: Tool's Holy Gift Fans of the alternative metal band Tool have to be some of the most curious and creative in rock. They are incredibly active interpreters of Tool's music and lyrics and are proud of their sense of intelligence as fans. Tool's aesthetic lends itself very well to wide ranging interpretation, dealing as it does with "alternative" views of inner consciousness, vaguely Buddhist spirituality, and other interesting philosophical inquiries such as the mutation of DNA and the concept of a Third Eye. In other words, these are not songs about your best girl and movies on a Saturday night. The band's music can best be described as drawing on the aggression and ensemble virtuosity of metal combined with the kind of tortured interiority that characterizes Radiohead's post-O.K. Computer music. Such a combination certainly sets them apart from many metal bands, and the centrality of their unusual lyrics only adds to the mystique of the band.However, any previous interpretative theories by fans have been outdone by the recent focus on the notion that the entirety of Tool's most recent album, Lateralus, actually needs to be reordered in order to reveal a secret message dealing with moving through consciousness as a movement of along spirals: "Spiral out, keep going, spiral out" sings Maynard James Keenan toward the end of "Lateralus," the album's title track. Added to this is the tantalizing prospect that the album and its message are also influenced by the Fibonacci sequence of numbers. When plotted on a graph Fibonacci numbers form a spiral-like image. Moreover, the main riff in "Lateralus" is comprised of three different meters: 9/8, 8/8, 7/8, or: 987, which happens to be the sixteenth step in the Fibonacci sequence (as observed by Keenan himself during the writing of the song). Moreover, moreover (!), Keenan's halting vocal rhythms during the first verse of "Lateralus" correspond to Fibonacci numbers in their syllable counts:

1 (Black)
1 (then)
2 (white are)
3 (all I see)
5 (in my infancy)
8 (red and yellow then came to be)
5 (reaching out to me)
3 (lets me see)

Restructuring Lateralus: Tool's Holy Gift

I plan on doing some more of my own writing and more pictures. Unfortunately, the Flickr photos I try to post don't always appear and instead create a blank link. I have been writing on some random topics lately along with some minor poetry. I'm trying to get more into the improvisational stage of creativity instead of just the reproductive. It plays such an important role in my educational philosophy, but yet I don't create in my own education as much as I should. In the back of my mind, I hope this leads to an inspiration in composing.

technorati tags: Tool, Lateralus, Magick, rock, music, Fibonacci, numbers, education, music, writing, poetry, composition, improvisation,

T.V. is Dying

2006-01-31T01:09:00.000+01:00

After being taken over by the big surplus in vidcasts, podcasts, iTunes selling t.v. shows and much more, I'm totally convinced that normal television broadcasting as we know it is handing in the towel. Just think, (and I've formulated this opinion by listening to other people talk; I believe this is how most people get their opinions) that if companies, like NBC for example, broadcast all their shows on the Internet instead of normal t.v., the ratings would be even higher than they are today.

In today's television world, the major broadcasting companies make about 1/20 of a cent for each viewer watching their specific program. Now due to Apple's iTunes, people are willing to pay 2 bucks to keep a video. This has raised the amount of viewers of the actual programing and gives the company a profit for each download. Remember, you can still tape shows off of t.v with a standard recording device at no cost. These companies could decide to put all the shows out for free on the Internet (like broadcasting today) and make a smaller profit but on an ENORMOUS amount of viewers.

I think this is where we could be going. Could be wrong; sources could be wrong. I was struck by this idea and felt that I wanted to share with all my friends on the Internet. I'm sure you all care. Are you sure you care?!

technorati tags: t.v., iTunes, NBC, broadcasting, podcasts, vidcasts, profit, Internet, Apple, death,

Captin Solo is Frozen...in Legos?

2006-01-17T00:47:00.000+01:00

LEGO Life Size Han Solo Frozen in Carbonite - 10,000 Bricks!Friday, April 22, 2005 - 82 Comments - LEGO Life Size Han Solo Frozen in Carbonite - 10,000 Bricks Nathan Sawaya is a professional LEGO artist and former LEGO Master Model Builder and he spent 3 months constructing a 10,000 piece, life size (6-foot-tall) replica of Han Solo Frozen in Carbonite almost entirely out of dark gray LEGOs.Forget those silly jigsaw puzzles. When you need to waste some time, go and get out all your old LEGOs and build some new worlds.Note to the LEGO Company: I WOULD ACTUALLY BUY THIS!

The Green Head - The Cool Stuff: LEGO Life Size Han Solo Frozen in Carbonite - 10,000 Bricks!

I had to post this! This is pretty creative. Patience does pay off.

technorati tags: Han Solo, Star Wars, Lego, carbonite

Say, "Cheese"...Click! Snap!

2006-01-12T00:01:00.000+01:00

If you can see it, you can shoot it

Let's get the easy stuff out of the way. Aside from sensitive government buildings (e.g., military bases), if you're on public property you can photograph anything you like, including private property. There are some limits — using a zoom lens to shoot someone who has a reasonable expectation of privacy isn't covered — but no one can come charging out of a business and tell you not to take photos of the building, period.Further, they cannot demand your camera or your digital media or film. Well, they can demand it, but you are under no obligation to give it to them. In fact, only an officer of the law or court can take it from you, and then only with a court order. And if they try or threaten you? They can be charged with theft or coercion, and you may even have civil recourse. Cool. (For details, see "The Photographer's Right.")It gets better.You can take photos any place that's open to the public, whether or not it's private property. A mall, for example, is open to the public. So are most office buildings (at least the lobbies). You don't need permission; if you have permission to enter, you have permission to shoot.In fact, there are very few limits to what you're allowed to photograph. Separately, there are few limits to what you're allowed to publish. And the fact that they're separate issues — shooting and publishing — is important. We'll get to that in a moment.You can take any photo that does not intrude upon or invade the privacy of a person, if that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Someone walking in a mall or on the street? Fair game. Someone standing in a corner, looking at his new Prozac prescription? No. Using a long lens to shoot someone in an apartment? No.Note that the limits have nothing to do with where you are when you take the shots; it's all about the subject's expectation of privacy. You can be on private property (a mall or office-building lobby), or even be trespassing and still legally take pictures. Whether you can be someplace and whether you can take pictures are two completely separate issues.

It makes me want to go to a mall and take pictures of random people. At least it gives us some leeway. With all this technology coming out I really want to be more artistic with my photography.

Now should I get a digital camera? I'm kinda stuck in my old ways with my dad's manual but after seeing a demo of the new Aperture program for Mac OSX Tiger I 'm beginning to change my mind. If anybody has some good references on photographers let me know. I'm interested in textural pictures, primarily from a zoom or dealing with depth perception with a wide angle.

USATODAY.com - New digital camera? Know how, where you can use it

Population size and the Environment "Cinderella Story"

2006-01-06T11:19:00.000+01:00

By Richard BlackEnvironment Correspondent, BBC News website Chris Rapley in Antarctica. Image: British Antarctic SurveyPopulation has become the Cinderella of the sustainability debateChris RapleySolving the Earth's environmental problems means addressing the size of its human population, says the head of the UK's Antarctic research agency.Professor Chris Rapley argues that the current global population of six billion is unsustainably high.Writing for the BBC News website, he says population is the "Cinderella" issue of the environmental movement.But unless it is addressed, the welfare and quality of life of future generations will suffer, he adds.Professor Rapley's comments come in the first of a new series of environmental opinion pieces on the BBC News website entitled The Green Room."If we believe that the size of the human [ecological] 'footprint' is a serious problem, and there is much evidence for this," he writes, "then a rational view would be that along with a raft of measures to reduce the footprint per person, the issue of population management must be addressed." Read Chris Rapley's columnA number of studies suggest that humankind is consuming the Earth's resources at an unsustainably fast rate.Even so, the issue of population is hardly ever discussed at environmental summits or raised by green lobby groups.Professor Rapley, Director of the British Antarctic Survey, acknowledges it is a thorny question, invoking the spectre of forced population control and even eugenics.He does not make suggestions about how the current upward trend, from the current six billion towards eight or nine billion by 2050, can be reversed.But, he says population is one of a number of issues leading to environmental degradation of various forms, and needs a higher priority than it currently receives."Unless and until this changes," he writes, "summits such as [the recent climate change meeting] in Montreal which address only part of the problem will be limited to at best very modest success, with the welfare and quality of life of future generations the ineluctable casualty."

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Population size 'green priority'

This raises the question of "what direction we should take?" and "what should be the priority?" I agree that the population is an important problem but after reading some articles in this past September issue of "Scientific American," I think the population problem will work out for itself. Don't forget, this will not be perfect and will come with many problems. Environment seems like a more "thorny" topic and should be addressed sooner. It seems like our political leaders are dragging their feet.

White house New Rules

2005-12-31T11:25:00.000+01:00

White House: Counting site visitors OK with federal rulesNEW YORK (AP) — The White House said Friday its Web tracking technology is consistent with federal rules because it only counts the number of visitors anonymously and doesn't record personal information.The White House's site uses what's known as a Web bug — a tiny graphic image that's virtually invisible — to anonymously keep track of the number and time of visits. The bug is sent by a server maintained by an outside contractor, WebTrends Inc., and lets the traffic-analysis company know that another person has visited a specific page on the site.Web bugs themselves are not prohibited. However, under a directive from the White House's Office of Management and Budget, they are largely banned at government sites when linked to cookies, which are data files that let a site track Web visitors.Cookies are not generated simply by visiting the White House site. Rather, WebTrends cookies are sometimes created when visiting other WebTrends clients. An analysis by security researcher Richard Smith shows such preexisting cookies have then been read when users visit the White House site

USATODAY.com - White House: Counting site visitors OK with federal rules

I'm posting this to show my sister how bloging works. If you like this, good for you.

Technology predictions for 2006

2005-12-22T15:56:00.000+01:00

Steve Jobbs falling off his throne, 2006 is the "Year of RSS", Google to help Microsoft get back in the game, and more

read more | digg story

Why do they want my phone number

2005-12-17T14:53:00.000+01:00

What are you really giving the retailers when they ask you for your phone number at checkout?

read more | digg story

Doesn't this make you more paranoid? With this and Bush admiting to spying on U.S. citizens, it makes you wonder what we stand for. I understand that this type of information is for company usage and it's shared with a thrid party, but it's taking away some of our independence. Identy theft is a big deal.

A Positive Sign from the Bush Administration

2005-12-13T08:32:00.000+01:00

Funding Tight for Great Lakes PlanBy Kari LydersenWashington Post Staff WriterTuesday, December 13, 2005; Page A03CHICAGO, Dec. 12 -- The Bush administration on Monday announced a comprehensive strategy to restore and protect the Great Lakes, winning positive reviews for the concept but criticism about uncertain funding.The long-awaited document is the product of discussions among a wide array of government and outside groups. It calls for fighting invasive species and restoring coastal wetlands, as well as curbing agricultural runoff and improving drinking water. The FixChris Cillizza provides daily posts on a range of political topics, from the race for control of Congress in 2006 to scrutinizing the 2008 presidential wannabes.• Ohio: Is Brown the Democrat to Beat?• R.I.: Club For Growth Backs Chafee Opponent• RNC Ad Sparks Controversy• The Fix Archivexml Sign Up for RSS FeedOnline Politics ExtrasJoin The Washington Post's or washingtonpost.com's political staff daily at 11 a.m. ET to talk about the latest political news.• Tuesday: Post White House reporter Peter Baker• Weekly Politics Chat SchedulePolitics TriviaWho was the first Latino to serve in the U.S. Senate?Mel Martinez (R-Fla.)Henry Cisneros (D-Tex.)Joseph Montoya (D-N.M.)Octaviano Larrazolo (R-N.M.)"This is not a publicity stunt," said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley (D). "It's an exciting time. You shouldn't be cynical about this."Despite ambitious plans that could cost $20 billion over the next 15 years, the Bush administration has made it clear that money for the project will be severely constrained by other budgetary needs. Environmentalists and politicians from both parties have openly questioned the White House commitment.Seeking a more modest infusion up front, Daley joined Ohio Gov. Bob Taft (R) and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) to ask President Bush for $300 million for short-term priorities. They sent their letter Monday.Despite the disappointment of some politicians and advocates at the administration's decision not to seek more funding, Environmental Protection Agency officials made several specific promises.Among them are $25 million for cleaning up contaminated sediment on the Ashtabula River in Ohio, a tributary to Lake Erie, matching a $7 million state contribution and $18 million from industry groups."We've been waiting for that for a long time," Taft said.

Funding Tight for Great Lakes Plan

It's nice to have a positive thing to say about our president and government these days. A small but good step in the right direction.

technorati tags: Environment, Bush Administration, Great Lakes,

Natural Evolution

2005-12-02T13:45:00.000+01:00

Nov. 21, 2005 — Israel's Dead Sea is, ironically, as old as life itself. Hidden in the world's deepest valley and protected by majestic desert mountains, the Dead Sea is one important feature in a land of mysteries, miracles and biblical legends that we must see before it's too late. In another three decades, the evaporating Dead Sea could possibly become the dry sea.

The Dead Sea is dying," Bromberg said. "The Dead Sea is shrinking. It's falling by a meter in depth every year."The Dead Sea relies on the fresh water of the Jordan River. And, that once-wide river is now just a contaminated trickle. As the sea's water disappears, it creates large sinkholes that make it dangerous to even approach the sea in certain spots."If the Dead Sea goes away, we lose the ability to connect what's really central about Earth and humanity and, ultimately, the divine," Feiler said.

ABC News: Dead Sea Is Dying

What does this say about the Earth and its/our connection to the "divine?" This doesn't seem so unnatural but instead a natural process of evoulution. People die, why can't seas. Maybe the fact that it is "dying" will reflect upon our race as a sign of something, not necessarily "divine" or "spiritual."

Fritz Cellar (from Sep.) and thoughts about picture/blog posting (concise)

2005-11-27T14:47:00.000+01:00

A while back I commented on the wine in Hungary. This picture is taken from the Fritz winery in Szekszard (southern Hungary). The variatals that are specialized here are Blue Franc, Kekfrankos, and a Bikaver Cuvee. I ended up buying the Kekfrankos but would've taken home all that I could if I had the money. The Bikaver was not quite as special as Gal Tibor in Eger but still very good.

As soon as I get a camera or other pictures from the students in the institute, I plan on posting some of my memorable times here. Will this help you to know me better? Will you get closer to me and my lifestyle? Will you share in the same moments that I had? No. I just wanted to make you think that you are experiencing all these things.

Intel iBook? Is it a good thing?

2005-11-18T00:51:00.000+01:00

EXCLUSIVE: Apple Planning Intel-Ready iBook Debut for JanuaryBy Ryan Katz, Senior EditorNovember 17, 2005 - Apple is planning to release its first entry-level iBook laptops with Intel processors next January at Macworld Expo in San Francisco, highly reliable sources have confirmed to Think Secret.advertisementIt is not known exactly what processors or price points the new models will debut at, but it is thought Apple will expand the iBook line with one additional model and will lower prices—in some cases possibly $200 or more—to entice current Windows users and prove to the market it will be more competitive with the likes of Dell, Gateway, HP and Sony.

Think Secret - EXCLUSIVE: Apple Planning Intel-Ready iBook Debut for January

I'm not sure what advantage this would bring to the consumer. I'm not a big enough "techie" to understand the fine details between the PowerPC G4 and the Intel processor. Personally, I would rather not see Apple drop their prices in an attempt to be competitive in their laptop sales. With the high demand for the iPod products, why lower the standards and specs of their already wonderful system. Maybe this could be a good additon. From my past experience, the performance of any new processor is esentialy the same or so small that I can't see the differnce. Maybe someone should educate me on this.

Updates

2005-11-16T00:23:00.000+01:00

I'm still trying to figure out this Flock browser. It won't accept my password so I'm going to check with the FAQ on the Flock page. If I get this blog composer to work, it will drasticly reduce the amount of time needed to write my blog posts. Now to get it to work...

I was searching through my del.icio.us and found a site for DTV. It's a free stream of video podcasts and shows independantly made by random people. It also includes music videos, news, etc. I highly recomend you check it out if you can. I downloaded the version for the newest update to Mac OSX Tiger. It uses a Quicktime format so you can choose to keep the videos you download or just keep them for a set amount of days. If anyone else knows of other better independent video/tv software, list them as a comment on this page.

*Gab, this is your little remark from me to you on my blog(this sentence, not the video crap). I hope you enjoy it and I'll be sure to add you to it to make you oh so happy.*

Hopfully in the next week I can get some pictures up on the page.

Maybe I'm inspired

2005-11-11T15:22:00.000+01:00

You can only be inspired for so long and I'm not sure if it's due to other people, the air, or just a random feeling. And what am I inspired about? Will I do something good today; write a novel; exercise; become a better person (sorry if I didn't use the semicolon correctly)? I think I'm inspired to figure things out and make some sense of my current state of mind. I am inspired to socialize. I tend to listen more than talk. Funny as it is, now that I say these things, I'm drawing a blank. Until next time.

Browns

2005-11-06T22:20:00.000+01:00

They finally won another game. It never happens in Cleveland so it's nice to see something happening. The Indians are picked to be the early frontrunner next baseball season. If that happens, I'll be very surprised. None the less, I'm excited.

I didn't feel like checking the news that much today. I can't do everything and I find myself trying to do just that. I become moody and get irritated with people. I don't even feel like typing anymore on this to tell you the truth. Until I become inspired...

Halloween/All Saint's Holiday; Kecskemeti Csarda/Hungarian Wine

2005-11-01T01:04:00.000+01:00

Halloween isn't as big of a deal around Hungary. I see more importance with All Saint's Day in Europe. This is a 180 degree turnaroud from how and what we prioritize in the United States. I find this interesting not because I'm a practicing Christian (which currently I'm not), but because of a realization of different priorities. All shops are closed here and it is a major holiday. I always liked Halloween because of the darker, more playful attitude of the holiday. It was/is a nice break from all the seriousness of everyday life. The paranoia of most Americans daily agenda. My costume was devil horns.

Had a wonderful dinner at the Kecskemeti Csarda tonight. My favorite restaurant in Hungary. Excellent service, atmosphere, food, and of course wine. If it's one thing the Hungarians have over Americans, it's their taste in wine. I know the California regions are wonderful (I worked with a wine list of over 500 of them), but the homemade quality and care put into varietals you can't find anywhere else in the world is unbelievable. If anyone has visited the Csarda or Hungary and has had their own experiences with the wine, please post it here. If you plan on coming, the address is:

MegnevezÃ©s: KecskemÃ©ti CsÃ¡rda Kft.
CÃm: KecskemÃ©t, KÃ¶lcsey u. 7.
KapcsolattartÃ³: Kulman SÃ¡ndor
TelefonszÃ¡m: 76/488-686
Nyitva tartÃ¡s: H-V 11-23 h

Any suggestions on Hungarian wine would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for web sites and specific directions/suggestions and where and what to buy. I'd like to create a collective of wine info for future travels and personal use. I'll be willing to share back as well.

Flock problems

2005-10-25T18:24:00.001+02:00

So far, this is a bit more difficult than I thought. I'm trying to use the new Flock browser and I need a few questions answered. I've tried to drag quotations from articles into my drag box on the top bar. It's also difficult because of different windows. Do I have to shrink all the main browser window I'm retrieving the qotation from so that my blog composer is showing underneath? I have also been able to post from my blog composer (built into flock). It says I have wrong account information, but I don't think this is true. Has anyone else had these problems?

Bird Flu

2005-10-25T18:18:00.000+02:00

This stuff is crazy!? Since I don't understand how to drag text to blog, I'll quote it by hand.

...BBC News ,U.K. Edition- FRESH BIRD FLU FEARS RATTLE ASIA

Indonesia has confirmed its first human death from bird flu, as China reported a new outbreak of the virus among poultry.

Indonesian health ministry officials said the victim, a 23-year-old man, died in Bogor, near Jakarta.

China announced the new outbreak among geese and chickens in the eastern Anhui province in a report to the WHO.

The H5N1 strain has killed at least 60 people in Asia since 2003

The latest developments come as top health officials from more than 30 nations meet in Canada to discuss how to plan for a human influenza pandemic, which they say is inevitable.

Can you believe this.? It's my luck that I came to live in Hungary for a while.? There was recently a new siting of the H5N1 strain in Romainia, which is very close.? I better start saying my prayers...

Beginnings...

2005-10-25T03:58:00.000+02:00

-starting this out; don't know what results this is going to bring. If you know what this is going to bring me, please tell me. I'm always willing to let people predict my unpredictable near future