August 7, 2006, 3:34 PM CT

And Now Something More Refreshing

We have to hand it to our friend Phil. He plugs along on his site, posting daily about old cars. He's got everything we don't:

No ads.

Big, pretty images.

Good writing.

If you're a fan of old cars and good writing, you owe it to yourself to check out the Classical Drive site. What's particularly interesting (to us, anyway) is that Phil knows many of these old cars firsthand, but he's still reviewing cars today.

Anyway, we can send you to Phil's site with no sense of guilt because he's not trying to sell you anything. He's just helping you remember (or maybe teaching you about) "The Cars. The History. The Fun Stuff." Thanks, Phil.........

Posted by: Jim      Permalink         Source

August 7, 2006, 3:28 PM CT

If You Buy A Scion, You'll Probably Buy A Toyota

AutoWeek reports: All in the Family. Yeah, yeah, this does make perfect sense. But, you see, when ever we see the words "All in the Family" in a row like that, we think of the TV show. And then we think of Archie Bunker. And we think of Archie arguing with his son-in-law, Mike Stivic. And then we think of our favorite ending to one of their argument:

Archie Bunker: Do you know how to swim?

Mike Stivic: Yeah.

Archie Bunker: Then why don't you go take a flying leap into the middle of Lake Polack?.

See? Regardless of whether you drive a Scion, Toyota or Ford-that's funny!........

Posted by: Jim      Permalink         Source

August 7, 2006, 3:24 PM CT

Chrysler PT Cruiser

Give your PT Cruiser an eye-catching upscale look with the Chrome Accent Package and turn heads no matter where you are.

The available PT Chrome Accents Group sparkles. Inside and out, your customized PT will reflect the "style" in your lifestyle.........

Posted by: Jim      Permalink         Source

August 7, 2006, 3:17 PM CT

Photos of Future Audi Models

Audis are hot items today- right from movie stars to common people these cars have won the heart of a number of. Leonardo, Beckham etc have been piloting around town in Audi cars as well.

I presume you must be excited to see these new future models from Audi and it looks really hot too.




Audi A5 Sportback


........

Posted by: Jim      Permalink         Source

August 7, 2006, 2:55 PM CT

The Cost of Culture

Culture, as a weapon, has been at the forefront of most conflicts involving mass social change. Language, as one of the main proponents of culture, can cleave societies while reuniting them under a new constitution. The remixed culture of a freshly formed society bares both wounds and ideals forged in the smithy of change. Can this inheritance of combustible conscience be regarded as essentially free? If not, and I contest that it cannot, what is the cost of culture?

Creative authorship is an expression, in language, of culture. While language, being the tool of authorship, is subject to change, it remains paradoxically fixed within a moment of use and understanding. It is, as it exists and grows, a trace of conquest and reformation. At the point of impact, culture shows a map of destruction. Perhaps the flames of culture boil down to the core of human nature - restless, competitive, and parochial. On the other hand, however, humans are generous, communal, and optimistic. Therefore, following any occasion of devastation, reconstruction soon begins. Culture is an essential spark within the regenerative spirit. Its influence can be experienced through art, architecture and systems of new governance. Hence, culture and creativity have currency within the verdant economy of social evolution. The task before us is of how to value the currency of cultural purchase.........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

August 6, 2006, 10:43 PM CT

Bariloche, Patagonia

We're all exhausted - the band more than I, as they stayed on at the club last night to greet friends and well-wishers. Bariloche is a 2 hour flight south - it is a ski town so the shops are all filled with ski outfits, souvenirs and chocolates (German/Swiss influence up here.....one of the famous Nazis was hiding out in this region.....as were Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid and their molls.)

It's drizzling; we grab a bite to eat as the next world cup game plays on a massive TV. I get ½ hour sleep before the band begins a short one-hour set (8PM - early this time).....me joining at the end, as before. We suspect the crowd here will be less familiar with all of our stuff, both theirs and mine, which is true - they are mostly locals - but the reaction is good. A few mention that they never expected to see me live in their lifetime, so they are fairly thrilled.........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

August 6, 2006, 10:21 PM CT

Longest Running Scientific Experiment

In 1984, the European Journal of Physics published a report on the three longest-running scientific experiments. The youngest of the three experiments (shown above), begun in 1927, has been measuring the fluidity of high-viscosity pitch by counting the frequency of drops out of a funnel (they fall once every 8 or 9 years-though no one has ever been around to see it happen).

The second oldest of the experiments is the Beverly Clock (shown at left) at the University of Otago in New Zealand, which draws its energy from ambient temperature fluctuations that cause the air inside an air-tight chamber to expand and contract. As per Beverly's calculations, "one can obtain more than sufficient energy to drive an efficient clock mechanism, typically a one pound weight falling one inch each day, from a volume of one cubic foot of air expanding under a 6 degree diurnal variation of temperature".........

Posted by: Kevin      Permalink         Source

August 6, 2006, 9:33 PM CT

Circuit City Offers DVD Ripping Service

Well, well, well! Look who's violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act! For only a couple of fins, Circuit City will take your DVD and an iPod and flagrantly breach copyright at your behest.

How does this violate the DMCA? Well, as per the act, any attempts to work around an encryption scheme is prohibited. Every DVD comes encrypted. Ergo, Circuit City's breaking the law for customers, thousands of times per day.

Note the caveat: "Transfer must be from an original copy of your DVD collection." We'll swat aside the of/from confusion to point out how gleefully imprecise a criterion that is. Time to load up your trunk with a buddy's DVD collection and head on down to Circuit City. "Just what I needed!".........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

August 6, 2006, 0:35 AM CT

Sylvia McNair to join Jacobs School of Music Faculty

She's been at home on the grand stages of Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall and in more intimate settings such as the Rainbow Room and Algonquin's legendary Oak Room. But Sylvia McNair has always held a special place in her heart for Indiana University.

In what amounts to a homecoming of sorts, the IU alumna, two-time Grammy Award-winner and internationally renowned soprano is returning to Bloomington to join the voice faculty at the IU Jacobs School of Music. She will begin teaching this fall.

"I left Bloomington almost a quarter of a century ago and for those 24-25 years, I've had my feet on the stage. I can tell you without hesitation that's a number of more years than I could ever have dreamed of," McNair said. "It just feels like it's time to share with the younger folks some of the things I've experienced.

"If I've learned anything in my years as a professional, I've learned that singing from your heart and singing with joy is so important. And too often that gets lost. I certainly hope to be a voice for joy," added McNair, a native of Mansfield, Ohio.

"Sylvia has long been believed to be Indiana's favorite daughter, and eventhough a Buckeye, this feels like a homecoming," said Jacobs School of Music Dean Gwyn Richards. "To have her creative efforts directed towards the students of the IU Jacobs School is a thrill. Future generations of artists and teachers will personally look back on this moment as a pivotal one in their professional lives and will give thanks to her for calling Bloomington home."........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

August 6, 2006, 0:04 AM CT

You Go Girl!

on the agenda this week for girls visiting the Edgerton Center at MIT.

For eight years the Edgerton Center has sponsored a four-day program called You Go Girl! which focuses on hands-on science and exploration activities for girls in the Greater Boston area who will be entering ninth grade in the fall.

The program, which ran from July 31 to Aug. 3, was the brainchild of Daniele Lantagne, an MIT student who was looking for an opportunity to expose young girls both to science and to certain life skills they would need as they entered high school.

This year 21 girls were at MIT for the week. "The idea is to expose girls to a variety of engineering and science fields by running them through some hands-on activities in the different disciplines," said Amy Fitzgerald, a technical instructor in the Edgerton Center and the director of the program.

The girls have varied backgrounds. "Some (of the girls) love science, some hate it, some are heading off to private high schools, a number of to the local urban high," said Fitzgerald. In the morning, they work in small groups on projects in science or engineering.

This year the girls explored mechanical engineering -- building motorized Lego cars, which they also programmed using software from the Media Lab. Other activities centered on electrical and chemical engineering.........

Posted by: Tom      Permalink         Source

Older Blog Entries   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19