Tretakoff Musings
Monday, October 30, 2006
Farewell, Red
I grew up in Boston. As a kid, I watched my father glued to his black and white set, screaming at Havlicek and Bob McAdoo. I never liked the Red Sox (or baseball, for that matter); thought the Bruins were fine until Booby Orr and Brad Park retired, and, like most New Englanders, only cared about the Patriots when they were winning. But the Celtics? Man, my dad had me hooked.
As a younger man, I was lucky enough to see a lot of Celtics games with my dad, and, later on, I took him to a few, too. In my 20's, I got real lucky: Jan Volk, the GM of the Celtics, became one of my clients, and steered a few other Celtics folks my way. I met Parish, McHale, Ainge (no, not Bird). I was there the night the Celtics were down in a playoff game and suddenly, for no reason, a pigeon flew down from the Garden's rafters and settled at midcourt...and the other Bird came out and rallied the team back. I saw Dr. J. and Moses play Bird and McHale. I saw DJ's smile, Walton's creaky knees, and M.L. Carr's towel waving. I watched Laimbeer turn in astonishment at the ferocity of Amy's hatred of him. I sat courtside and high above the banners, and even enjoyed the rare pleasure on many a night of seeing the Celtics win, then walking through the North End home.
You know why I was able to love the Celtics so much?
Red Auerbach.
If you did not know, Red passed away this week, and there are lots of retrospectives. Mine is more personal. No, I did not know Red; I only met the man once, and he seemed to have the game passed him by, then. Of course, I was wrong, but underestimating Red is what people did. Yes, he brought racial issues to the forefront by insisting on equal treatment for black players...in Boston, of all places! He was also the primary killer of the ABA, a league I loved; today's NBA would not exist if not for the innovations of the ABA, and Red singlehandly choked it out of existence.
What Red remains is a symbol of growing up in Boston in the 1970's and 1980's. He was not the coach then, but he WAS the Celtics. He was always there, with the cigar, and he was always looking to make one more deal. He was a complete contradiction: a guy who loved the Celtics, and didn't seem to care much for Boston (he preferred Washington DC). And we all revered and loved him. When Len Bias was drafted, everyone was sure this was Red's great last deal he pulled off. When Len Bias died, there was as much concern if Red would recover as for Len's tragic death.
Point is, Red represented everything that made the Celtics beyond a team, beyond race, beyond sport, and so much more. It was Red's creation, and we were all lucky enough to see the show.
I don't watch basketball much these days; they simply don't play a team game like they did with the Celtics, Lakers, and Pistons of the 1980's. Michael Jordan changed it for everyone, and the world moved on. My Dad never stopped watching the Celtics, though: he still thinks "these kids have a hell of a lot of potential." And yes, he still sits, watching the TV, screaming at them for their latest foible.
Me, I think I'll leave the NBA with Red's memory. Thanks, Red, for making so many for me. From my father, to my wife, to my friends, to The Sports Guy, none of it was possible without Red.
I'll smoke one for you.
I grew up in Boston. As a kid, I watched my father glued to his black and white set, screaming at Havlicek and Bob McAdoo. I never liked the Red Sox (or baseball, for that matter); thought the Bruins were fine until Booby Orr and Brad Park retired, and, like most New Englanders, only cared about the Patriots when they were winning. But the Celtics? Man, my dad had me hooked. As a younger man, I was lucky enough to see a lot of Celtics games with my dad, and, later on, I took him to a few, too. In my 20's, I got real lucky: Jan Volk, the GM of the Celtics, became one of my clients, and steered a few other Celtics folks my way. I met Parish, McHale, Ainge (no, not Bird). I was there the night the Celtics were down in a playoff game and suddenly, for no reason, a pigeon flew down from the Garden's rafters and settled at midcourt...and the other Bird came out and rallied the team back. I saw Dr. J. and Moses play Bird and McHale. I saw DJ's smile, Walton's creaky knees, and M.L. Carr's towel waving. I watched Laimbeer turn in astonishment at the ferocity of Amy's hatred of him. I sat courtside and high above the banners, and even enjoyed the rare pleasure on many a night of seeing the Celtics win, then walking through the North End home.
You know why I was able to love the Celtics so much?
Red Auerbach.
If you did not know, Red passed away this week, and there are lots of retrospectives. Mine is more personal. No, I did not know Red; I only met the man once, and he seemed to have the game passed him by, then. Of course, I was wrong, but underestimating Red is what people did. Yes, he brought racial issues to the forefront by insisting on equal treatment for black players...in Boston, of all places! He was also the primary killer of the ABA, a league I loved; today's NBA would not exist if not for the innovations of the ABA, and Red singlehandly choked it out of existence.
What Red remains is a symbol of growing up in Boston in the 1970's and 1980's. He was not the coach then, but he WAS the Celtics. He was always there, with the cigar, and he was always looking to make one more deal. He was a complete contradiction: a guy who loved the Celtics, and didn't seem to care much for Boston (he preferred Washington DC). And we all revered and loved him. When Len Bias was drafted, everyone was sure this was Red's great last deal he pulled off. When Len Bias died, there was as much concern if Red would recover as for Len's tragic death.
Point is, Red represented everything that made the Celtics beyond a team, beyond race, beyond sport, and so much more. It was Red's creation, and we were all lucky enough to see the show.
I don't watch basketball much these days; they simply don't play a team game like they did with the Celtics, Lakers, and Pistons of the 1980's. Michael Jordan changed it for everyone, and the world moved on. My Dad never stopped watching the Celtics, though: he still thinks "these kids have a hell of a lot of potential." And yes, he still sits, watching the TV, screaming at them for their latest foible.
Me, I think I'll leave the NBA with Red's memory. Thanks, Red, for making so many for me. From my father, to my wife, to my friends, to The Sports Guy, none of it was possible without Red.
I'll smoke one for you.
Labels: sports
12 Killer Apps for Palm PDAs
Lifehacker usually comes up a little lame on good hard core tech posts, but they hit it out of the park on this one: 12 Killer Apps for Palm PDAs gives even a seasoned user like myself some great new appreciation for the venerated Palm platform.
I still can't bring myself to pull the cord on a non-Palm device. It just does everything so well, and I find myself eyeing the new Treo from Cingular (even without WiFi) hungrily. I'll hold off...
Lifehacker usually comes up a little lame on good hard core tech posts, but they hit it out of the park on this one: 12 Killer Apps for Palm PDAs gives even a seasoned user like myself some great new appreciation for the venerated Palm platform.I still can't bring myself to pull the cord on a non-Palm device. It just does everything so well, and I find myself eyeing the new Treo from Cingular (even without WiFi) hungrily. I'll hold off...
Labels: Software
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Palm Blogging?
Trying out a new Palm Blogger interface. Hopefully, this will allow more frequent posts!
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Above blog was posted using Bloggie.
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Above blog was posted using Bloggie.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Onside kick failed
Well, so much for a Bears-like comeback. Still, I like the heart. More energy than I have seen from my 'Boys all year!
Labels: sports
...And there's the 3rd int.
Sigh. Live blogging my Cowboys. Anything is better than Bledsoe, but 3 int's is not a good way to start. Only a way up from here. :-)
Sigh. Live blogging my Cowboys. Anything is better than Bledsoe, but 3 int's is not a good way to start. Only a way up from here. :-)Labels: sports
They're baaaaaack! The Flying Toasters!
Nothing said "personal" on the personalcomputer more than After Dark, the screensaver sensation of the 80's and 90's. Now, the Flying Toasters have returned! See for yourself!
Labels: Software
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
A Uniform Look
No secret I'm a sports fan, especially football. One of the more interesting aspects of sports to me, however, is the uniforms. Think of the design, the attention to detail, then layer on the appeal to the crowd, and finally the creativity of the players. It's remarkable, when you think of it.
For instance, look at that picture to the right. Yes, it's LaDanian Tomlinson of the Chargers, one of the better running backs in the game. He's wearing the Chargers' "throwback" uniform, which is, to me, one of the best sports uniforms in football. The color? Powder blue, that just screams Southern California. The player's number is on the helmet, in a sleek retro font, again echoing the Chargers culture as a team that came of age in the late 60's/early '70's. Just perfect, compared to the Chargers' dramatic lighting bolt on a dark blue outfit that scream late 1980's with no pizzaz.
In baseball, think of how drab the uniforms were until the 1990's, when the teams started playing with bold colors they normally kept for spring training. Before that, there was just the Yankees' pinstripes...and everything else. I grew up watching the Boston Celtics, whose uniforms have never been the cutting edge of fashion, but in the decades they dominated (60's, 70's, 80's) they completely reflected the solid, team play and personality of the team. Contrast with the purple and gold of the Lakers and their "Showtime" style, and you had a great match.
Hockey, in the 90's, actually had some of the nicest innovations. The Washington Capitals, for instance, or the New York Rangers (with the Statue of Liberty head) were bold and innovative. And who outside of the fashion world even heard the word "teal" before the expansion teams of the 80's and 90's broke out with it? The Charlotte Hornets, the San Jose Sharks, and more.
Yes, this can also go horribly, horribly wrong. The Denver Nuggets in the 1980's, along with the Houston Astros, all made television viewers get up to adjust the color on their sets to see what was wrong. The San Diego Padres of the 80's were just WRONG. The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings only recently realized their uniforms went out of style in the 1950's and made changes in the last few years; the Los Angeles Clippers must have lost that memo. Hell, the dominant football team of the decade, the New England Patriots, went from Pat The Patriot to "jacquard" to their current version all within 10 years.
But look at what the right changes to a uniform can do for a team. The Arizona Cardinals, albeit losing a heartbreaker this week, look like a meaner team now; so do the Cincinatti Bengals. It worked for the Denver Broncos: they hadn't won a Superbowl in 4 tries until they changed to their current uniforms; they then won 2 straight. The Seattle Seahawks? A joke in the NFL, until they went to the Superbowl last year...with their new uniforms whose design and colors reflected both the Seattle area and their coach's personality. And is there any better example of change for a difference then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Before (shown left)...YIKES. After...Superbowl win.
The Miami Heat have about 5 different uniforms: sleeves, tanks, colors, and more. The Pistons and Spurs? One. All depends on your team. Can you imagine the Green Bay Packers changing? Sacrilege. Even the politically incorrect teams try to distract with uniform changes: the Washington Redskins tried going back to their old uniforms for home games to hide the Indian head on the side; the Cleveland Indians lost Chief Wahoo in favor of a more stylized approach.
Think I think about this a lot? I'm nothing, compared to this fellow, who's running blog is about all of the changes to uniforms, in all sports.
Point is, change for change's sake will never make a difference (see this year's Buffalo Bills or any of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays editions). But thinking it through can make a big difference to a team. And fans like me who like to watch the spectacle of the game. Hey, it is a show, after all!
No secret I'm a sports fan, especially football. One of the more interesting aspects of sports to me, however, is the uniforms. Think of the design, the attention to detail, then layer on the appeal to the crowd, and finally the creativity of the players. It's remarkable, when you think of it.For instance, look at that picture to the right. Yes, it's LaDanian Tomlinson of the Chargers, one of the better running backs in the game. He's wearing the Chargers' "throwback" uniform, which is, to me, one of the best sports uniforms in football. The color? Powder blue, that just screams Southern California. The player's number is on the helmet, in a sleek retro font, again echoing the Chargers culture as a team that came of age in the late 60's/early '70's. Just perfect, compared to the Chargers' dramatic lighting bolt on a dark blue outfit that scream late 1980's with no pizzaz.
In baseball, think of how drab the uniforms were until the 1990's, when the teams started playing with bold colors they normally kept for spring training. Before that, there was just the Yankees' pinstripes...and everything else. I grew up watching the Boston Celtics, whose uniforms have never been the cutting edge of fashion, but in the decades they dominated (60's, 70's, 80's) they completely reflected the solid, team play and personality of the team. Contrast with the purple and gold of the Lakers and their "Showtime" style, and you had a great match.
Hockey, in the 90's, actually had some of the nicest innovations. The Washington Capitals, for instance, or the New York Rangers (with the Statue of Liberty head) were bold and innovative. And who outside of the fashion world even heard the word "teal" before the expansion teams of the 80's and 90's broke out with it? The Charlotte Hornets, the San Jose Sharks, and more.
Yes, this can also go horribly, horribly wrong. The Denver Nuggets in the 1980's, along with the Houston Astros, all made television viewers get up to adjust the color on their sets to see what was wrong. The San Diego Padres of the 80's were just WRONG. The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings only recently realized their uniforms went out of style in the 1950's and made changes in the last few years; the Los Angeles Clippers must have lost that memo. Hell, the dominant football team of the decade, the New England Patriots, went from Pat The Patriot to "jacquard" to their current version all within 10 years.
But look at what the right changes to a uniform can do for a team. The Arizona Cardinals, albeit losing a heartbreaker this week, look like a meaner team now; so do the Cincinatti Bengals. It worked for the Denver Broncos: they hadn't won a Superbowl in 4 tries until they changed to their current uniforms; they then won 2 straight. The Seattle Seahawks? A joke in the NFL, until they went to the Superbowl last year...with their new uniforms whose design and colors reflected both the Seattle area and their coach's personality. And is there any better example of change for a difference then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Before (shown left)...YIKES. After...Superbowl win.The Miami Heat have about 5 different uniforms: sleeves, tanks, colors, and more. The Pistons and Spurs? One. All depends on your team. Can you imagine the Green Bay Packers changing? Sacrilege. Even the politically incorrect teams try to distract with uniform changes: the Washington Redskins tried going back to their old uniforms for home games to hide the Indian head on the side; the Cleveland Indians lost Chief Wahoo in favor of a more stylized approach.
Think I think about this a lot? I'm nothing, compared to this fellow, who's running blog is about all of the changes to uniforms, in all sports.
Point is, change for change's sake will never make a difference (see this year's Buffalo Bills or any of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays editions). But thinking it through can make a big difference to a team. And fans like me who like to watch the spectacle of the game. Hey, it is a show, after all!
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Live from the Mill Valley Film Festival
Courtesy of Smith & Hawken, and the Mill Valley Film Festival, we were lucky enough to see Ridley Scott's new film, A Good Year, starring Russell Crowe. Now, the last time these two got together on the silver screen, we were treated to Gladiator. And, of course, Ridley Scott is simply legendary for screen gems like Blade Runner, Black Rain, Alien, Thelma & Louise, Black Hawk Down, and so many others. But if you were thinking this was Gladiator II, think again. This is what happens when Ridley Scott wants to make a romantic comedy. Yes, that's right, the premier action with a brain director has taken a turn to the lighter side, and, like his last attempt in this territory (Matchstick Men), it's a ride worth taking.
A bit of admission here: I am not usually a big film festival person, but Smith & Hawken was the sponsor, and the tickets were free, so we braved the late night of a Thursday in Corte Madera and lined up like star-struck fools. No, no stars, but a great crowd, and a surprisingly good film. Russell Crowe always amazes me: I don’t like him, yet he is almost mesmerizing in every role. Sure, we think of him as the boozing brawler of the tabloids, but this is the man who brought life to The Insider, gave Gladiator a heart, and played manic insanity in even the most inane of scripts (see Virtuosity). Still, I feared the worst: here's how the Mill Valley Film Festival described it:
"An ace in the high-powered world of London international banking, Max Skinner lives a life of greed, deals and money. But when he learns his beloved Uncle Henry has died, Max is forced to stand still for a moment. Henry has left Max his vineyard in Provence, France. Upon arrival, Max hopes for a quick resolution and, possibly, a nice profit. Yet his uncle's carefree legacy has seeped into soil of this enchanting estate, of which Max has so many memories, kept until now at a safe distance. He is faced head-on with Henry's stubborn winemaker, a beautiful French restaurateur and a plucky young American who claims to be Henry's long-lost daughter. Uncle Henry said that a good wine is incapable of lying; amid the vines, Max unwittingly searches for a truth that creeps upon him like the warmth of a rosé embracing you in the afternoon sun. — K. Kolton"
Based on that, I expected a typical "man with a heart of stone meets wonderful woman, surrounded by gorgeous landscape, and completely changes" story. Guess what? It is. But not the way you think. I thought Russell Crowe would have been a cold, distant heartless bastard; instead he embraces his role, with a passion and combination of determination and humor that is unbridled. For example, when this master of the universe is stuffed into a microscopic GM SMART car for his rental, he responds by roaring through the countryside, opening all windows and the roof, as he chortles at his own absurdity. When coming upon a large group of professional cyclists on the side of the road, he roars past, thrusting his middle finger above the car, and unabashedly roaring "Lance Armstrong!" at the top of his lungs.
I won’t spoil it, but it's a great film. Albert Finney is wonderful, as always, and the photography is magical. I've been spoiled by DVD's; I could clearly see where Ridley Scott made a cut in an earlier scene that he references at the end of the film (what was the connection to the Van Gogh?), but it definitely did not detract. And watch for Crowe's secretary in the film, the actress, Archie Punjabi, is fantastic.
I'd gladly raise a glass to any Ridley Scott film, and this one is no exception.
Courtesy of Smith & Hawken, and the Mill Valley Film Festival, we were lucky enough to see Ridley Scott's new film, A Good Year, starring Russell Crowe. Now, the last time these two got together on the silver screen, we were treated to Gladiator. And, of course, Ridley Scott is simply legendary for screen gems like Blade Runner, Black Rain, Alien, Thelma & Louise, Black Hawk Down, and so many others. But if you were thinking this was Gladiator II, think again. This is what happens when Ridley Scott wants to make a romantic comedy. Yes, that's right, the premier action with a brain director has taken a turn to the lighter side, and, like his last attempt in this territory (Matchstick Men), it's a ride worth taking.A bit of admission here: I am not usually a big film festival person, but Smith & Hawken was the sponsor, and the tickets were free, so we braved the late night of a Thursday in Corte Madera and lined up like star-struck fools. No, no stars, but a great crowd, and a surprisingly good film. Russell Crowe always amazes me: I don’t like him, yet he is almost mesmerizing in every role. Sure, we think of him as the boozing brawler of the tabloids, but this is the man who brought life to The Insider, gave Gladiator a heart, and played manic insanity in even the most inane of scripts (see Virtuosity). Still, I feared the worst: here's how the Mill Valley Film Festival described it:
"An ace in the high-powered world of London international banking, Max Skinner lives a life of greed, deals and money. But when he learns his beloved Uncle Henry has died, Max is forced to stand still for a moment. Henry has left Max his vineyard in Provence, France. Upon arrival, Max hopes for a quick resolution and, possibly, a nice profit. Yet his uncle's carefree legacy has seeped into soil of this enchanting estate, of which Max has so many memories, kept until now at a safe distance. He is faced head-on with Henry's stubborn winemaker, a beautiful French restaurateur and a plucky young American who claims to be Henry's long-lost daughter. Uncle Henry said that a good wine is incapable of lying; amid the vines, Max unwittingly searches for a truth that creeps upon him like the warmth of a rosé embracing you in the afternoon sun. — K. Kolton"
Based on that, I expected a typical "man with a heart of stone meets wonderful woman, surrounded by gorgeous landscape, and completely changes" story. Guess what? It is. But not the way you think. I thought Russell Crowe would have been a cold, distant heartless bastard; instead he embraces his role, with a passion and combination of determination and humor that is unbridled. For example, when this master of the universe is stuffed into a microscopic GM SMART car for his rental, he responds by roaring through the countryside, opening all windows and the roof, as he chortles at his own absurdity. When coming upon a large group of professional cyclists on the side of the road, he roars past, thrusting his middle finger above the car, and unabashedly roaring "Lance Armstrong!" at the top of his lungs.
I won’t spoil it, but it's a great film. Albert Finney is wonderful, as always, and the photography is magical. I've been spoiled by DVD's; I could clearly see where Ridley Scott made a cut in an earlier scene that he references at the end of the film (what was the connection to the Van Gogh?), but it definitely did not detract. And watch for Crowe's secretary in the film, the actress, Archie Punjabi, is fantastic.
I'd gladly raise a glass to any Ridley Scott film, and this one is no exception.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Sky Ceilings - Vegas comes home
Now this is cool. Check out these ceiling tiles: combined with LED lighting and bold graphics, you get a whole new perspective: An indoor sky.
Now this is cool. Check out these ceiling tiles: combined with LED lighting and bold graphics, you get a whole new perspective: An indoor sky.
Steampunk Laptop
I love "steampunk." The idea of technology, powered by antiquated means, evokes an age that SHOULD have been.
This working, Japanese laptop is what Steampunk is all about. Complete with Morse code key (hiding the trackball), and wooden space bar, this is the laptop to end all laptops.
I love "steampunk." The idea of technology, powered by antiquated means, evokes an age that SHOULD have been.This working, Japanese laptop is what Steampunk is all about. Complete with Morse code key (hiding the trackball), and wooden space bar, this is the laptop to end all laptops.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Star Trek...lives?
In case you didn't know, I'm actually a big Trek fan. This is an unusual time in the Trek world: no active series, no movies in production. However, you can't keep Trek down.
First, there is the new Star Trek: The Original Series - Remastered, which adds modern day digital effects and cleanups to the series that started it all (Kirk, Spock, McCoy). Essentially, reruns of the series are being shown across the country (44/Digital 12, here in the Bay Area), with new sequences and digital enhancements. See for yourself:
Next, Tim Russ, who played Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager, has created a new series of "webisodes," called Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, featuring original content and mini-movies. There are an...ahem...galaxy of famous Trek actors in the episodes, including Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Grace Lee Whitney (Janice Rand), and Walter Koenig (Chekhov) from The Original Series; Alan Ruck from Star Trek: Generations (yes, and Ferris Bueller), as well as several actors from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager.
Finally, J.J. Abrams of Lost fame has taken over the Star Trek movie franchise. He's brought in a lot of his collaborators from Lost and Alias; he's keeping fairly closed-mouth about the plot, but the teaser poster seems to suggest it's going back to the days of Kirk and Spock. No casting news yet, but The Trek Movie Report is on top of EVERY detail.
Looks like Trek will continue to live long...and prosper.
In case you didn't know, I'm actually a big Trek fan. This is an unusual time in the Trek world: no active series, no movies in production. However, you can't keep Trek down.First, there is the new Star Trek: The Original Series - Remastered, which adds modern day digital effects and cleanups to the series that started it all (Kirk, Spock, McCoy). Essentially, reruns of the series are being shown across the country (44/Digital 12, here in the Bay Area), with new sequences and digital enhancements. See for yourself:
Next, Tim Russ, who played Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager, has created a new series of "webisodes," called Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, featuring original content and mini-movies. There are an...ahem...galaxy of famous Trek actors in the episodes, including Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Grace Lee Whitney (Janice Rand), and Walter Koenig (Chekhov) from The Original Series; Alan Ruck from Star Trek: Generations (yes, and Ferris Bueller), as well as several actors from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager.
Finally, J.J. Abrams of Lost fame has taken over the Star Trek movie franchise. He's brought in a lot of his collaborators from Lost and Alias; he's keeping fairly closed-mouth about the plot, but the teaser poster seems to suggest it's going back to the days of Kirk and Spock. No casting news yet, but The Trek Movie Report is on top of EVERY detail.Looks like Trek will continue to live long...and prosper.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Another week, another GG Bridge ride
OK, Charles has officially got me hooked on the new tradition of doing "the full ride" from work, over the Golden Gate Bridge, on Fridays. Yes, it's long (takes me about 90 minutes), and challenging (I've got a mountain bike, not a road bike, and I'm not that good a biker), but it's the closest thing I've experienced to the mythological "exercise high."
For instance, yesterday, after a loooooong week, I was able to focus on finding a new path through the Presidio (thanks, Pete!), admiring the preparations for this weekend's Fleet Week air show festivities (am I the only one who thinks those Red Bull air race markers are incredibly phallic? Especially with all of the women in their tight Red Bull outfits?), and smiling at the pluck of a small Catamaran sailer with a purple sail fighting to get through the Golden Gate.
It ain't heaven, but it sure is a nice Friday afternoon ride home. Courtesy of RouteSlip.com and Google Maps, you are welcome to follow along with me!
OK, Charles has officially got me hooked on the new tradition of doing "the full ride" from work, over the Golden Gate Bridge, on Fridays. Yes, it's long (takes me about 90 minutes), and challenging (I've got a mountain bike, not a road bike, and I'm not that good a biker), but it's the closest thing I've experienced to the mythological "exercise high." For instance, yesterday, after a loooooong week, I was able to focus on finding a new path through the Presidio (thanks, Pete!), admiring the preparations for this weekend's Fleet Week air show festivities (am I the only one who thinks those Red Bull air race markers are incredibly phallic? Especially with all of the women in their tight Red Bull outfits?), and smiling at the pluck of a small Catamaran sailer with a purple sail fighting to get through the Golden Gate.
It ain't heaven, but it sure is a nice Friday afternoon ride home. Courtesy of RouteSlip.com and Google Maps, you are welcome to follow along with me!
Labels: biking
Monday, October 02, 2006
Streaming TV?
Here's a simple, free application that seems to leverage peer to peer technology to allow you to watch a variety of TV and cable networks on your PC. No file downloading; pick a channel, and start watching.
Why would you want the TVU Player? Well, with the channel selection, if you are a fan of TV from China or Korea, this might be your thing. :-) But seriously, I can think of two reasons:
It seems to work well; we'll see how well it works on Sunday...if the damned TV Networks don't catch on before then. Listen up, guys: I'd PAY to have the game of the week. Use this as a test marketing idea: partner up with these folks, monitor the shows that people watch, and offer them as HD Pay Per View!
Here's a simple, free application that seems to leverage peer to peer technology to allow you to watch a variety of TV and cable networks on your PC. No file downloading; pick a channel, and start watching.Why would you want the TVU Player? Well, with the channel selection, if you are a fan of TV from China or Korea, this might be your thing. :-) But seriously, I can think of two reasons:
- If you are like me, you might want to have the TV on in the background as you work, such as the latest news from CNN, etc.
- Here's the most important reason: all of the major broadcast networks are here. Why is that important? FOOTBALL. Do I want to watch the "plucky" 49ers game, or the pathetic Raiders game, when the national game features the Cowboys or the Patriots? Uh, I don't THINK so. Sure, I could get DirecTV, and pay a whopping $250 to watch those games...or I could watch them online, FREE. You do the math.
It seems to work well; we'll see how well it works on Sunday...if the damned TV Networks don't catch on before then. Listen up, guys: I'd PAY to have the game of the week. Use this as a test marketing idea: partner up with these folks, monitor the shows that people watch, and offer them as HD Pay Per View!
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Opening Pandora's Box
If you hadn't noticed, a lot of the posts and links you see from me these days are from "Web 2.0" companies. What is Web 2.0? Well, that's up for debate, but basically it's the act of making the web an application layer: programs, functionality, and more, but living on the web.
One of the most useful, and immediately beneficial? Pandora Internet Radio. I know, you groan and say "not another damned music online thing," but hear me out. First, it's FREE. Second, it's SIMPLE.
Here's how it works: you type in the name of a band or song you like. Within moments, that song, or song from the band starts playing. Nice quality, good sound, no skips. As the song ends, it plays another song that it has determined is similar to the one you last listened to by algorithm: music type, vocal type, etc.). Like it? Click the "thumbs up" button. Don't? Click "thumbs down," and the song stops, and it tries another one, immediately.
In this way, Pandora learns what you like. Better yet, you can set up multiple "stations" with different types of music, so you can be in different moods, and play whatever you want. Keep a browser window open, and your customized learning radio continues to play all day and night.
Use it for partied, background music, or while you work. It's free, great quality, and a really innovative way to discover new music.
For instance, I recently discovered a band I never heard of, Audioslave. I really like their music, so I created an Audioslave inspired station. If you like hard rock, slightly alternative, with dark undertones, listen for yourself!
If you hadn't noticed, a lot of the posts and links you see from me these days are from "Web 2.0" companies. What is Web 2.0? Well, that's up for debate, but basically it's the act of making the web an application layer: programs, functionality, and more, but living on the web.One of the most useful, and immediately beneficial? Pandora Internet Radio. I know, you groan and say "not another damned music online thing," but hear me out. First, it's FREE. Second, it's SIMPLE.
Here's how it works: you type in the name of a band or song you like. Within moments, that song, or song from the band starts playing. Nice quality, good sound, no skips. As the song ends, it plays another song that it has determined is similar to the one you last listened to by algorithm: music type, vocal type, etc.). Like it? Click the "thumbs up" button. Don't? Click "thumbs down," and the song stops, and it tries another one, immediately.
In this way, Pandora learns what you like. Better yet, you can set up multiple "stations" with different types of music, so you can be in different moods, and play whatever you want. Keep a browser window open, and your customized learning radio continues to play all day and night.Use it for partied, background music, or while you work. It's free, great quality, and a really innovative way to discover new music.
For instance, I recently discovered a band I never heard of, Audioslave. I really like their music, so I created an Audioslave inspired station. If you like hard rock, slightly alternative, with dark undertones, listen for yourself!
