Carleton Planet

Cheryl Klein: All About THE PATH OF NAMES: Behind the Book, Q&A, & Giveaway!

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:32:14 +0000

Because I have the last name "Klein" and I live in New York City, a lot of people I meet here assume I'm Jewish -- an assumption that I'm fine with, even as I called myself the "imprint shiksa" for my first few years at Arthur A. Levine Books. So while it's entirely possible that Ari Goelman's agent sent me the manuscript for The Path of Names because she thought I might have a religious connection to the material, I fell in love with it for my own reasons:

Some of the realest kid characters I've ever read in a novel, with dialogue that exactly captures the way kids can switch from snarkiness to sensitivity in a turn.
With that, a terrific sense of humor and jokes that made me laugh out loud more than once.
A 12-year-old heroine -- Dahlia Sherman -- who loves performance magic and math more than popularity and fashion, and who holds herself a little apart from her peers in part because of that lack of shared interests, and in part because she fears their rejection. (This was probably my real point of identification with the book, I do confess it.)
A totally original combination of elements: A contemporary Jewish summer camp story set in Pennsylvania and starring Dahlia, crossed with a story about a yeshiva student named David in the Lower East Side of New York City in the 1930s, both shot through with fantasy and mystery.

This completely lives up to the definition of "new" I offered a couple weeks ago.

A terrific title.
A kind of magic I had never seen before in a fantasy novel -- and when you've read as many fantasy novels as I have, that's saying something.

The challenge such books face in the publishing industry is that they'll often be regarded as "only for Jewish readers" -- just as books about girls are only for girls, or books about gay kids as only for gay kids, or books about Latinos are only for Latinos. If you aren't yourself Jewish, then you should read it and help us explode those stereotypes; and if you are Jewish -- and especially if you went to a Jewish camp as Ari Goelman did -- then you'll find even more to recognize and enjoy in the book. It is certainly the only book I've edited ever to be written up in The Times of Israel, as "A Jewish Harriet Potter." And it's also received a starred review from Booklist.

I'm delighted to welcome Ari Goelman to my blog for a Q&A.

What novels were the biggest influence on you when you were a young reader (ages 8-18)? As a middle-grade reader I loved the Susan Cooper ‘The Dark is Rising’ series, especially the novel The Dark Os Rising. I also loved the book The Silver Crown, and (as I got older) pretty much any high fantasy I could get my hands on, starting with The Lord of the Rings trilogy and ending with ... whatever the latest high fantasy was. As a slightly older teen reader I discovered Steven Brust and Roger Zelazny – especially loving Brust’s To Reign In Hell and Zelazny’s Lord of Light. Which, now that I think about it, were both pretty centrally concerned with magic and religion, albeit in a totally different way than The Path of Names.

There are so many interesting ideas packed into this book -- summer camp, Kabbala, magic (real-world and fantasy), mazes, Lower East Side history. . . . Where did it start for you? How did these other elements develop in it? I think it started with a summer camp story, and evolved from there. Once I decided to set the story in a Jewish summer camp, I thought, “Hmm. Jewish summer camp – Jewish magic. That seems to make sense.”

Then, once I started thinking about Jewish magic, that naturally led to Kabbala and the rest. I’ve always been interested in the somewhat forgotten elements of Jewish folklore. I was raised as a conservative Jew where the party line was, ‘We don’t believe in magic. Or the afterlife. Or demons. Or witches...’ I was a young adult before I started to come across references to all the Jewish superstitions that saturated the Jewish world for centuries before the Enlightenment.

Described in that way, it might make me seem a little smarter than I am. Here is the way it actually worked: I’d be in synagogue for a cousin’s bar mitzvah or such, and there’d be a mention of an anecdote in the Talmud about a rabbi hurling lightning at another rabbi. The lesson would supposedly be something about tolerance or arrogance. But I would sit there thinking, ‘A rabbi hurling lightning? That is so cool! I would love to read a fantasy story about that.’

As far as the parts set in the Lower East Side, my grandfather grew up in the 1930s Lower East Side, and I always loved the stories that he and my great uncles would tell about their boyhoods in the tenements. When I was older I discovered that he had visited the spot in rural Pennsylvania which ultimately became my summer camp some fifty years before I was a camper there. I loved the thought of somehow combining those two milieus.

The fantasy magic in the book is based in what I understand to be a very esoteric Jewish religious practice – the Kabbala – but the book isn’t religious at all. Dahlia and the other kids spend very little time contemplating God. You also have a provocative epigraph where you quote Bernie Cloud: “Religion is just magic, but with more words.” How do your own relationships with religion and magic emerge in The Path of Names?I think I very much share the ambivalence towards Judaism (and organized religion in general) that is evidenced in The Path of Names. It was fun to write a story where all the Jewish magic works. The world would be so much simpler if you could verify religious belief systems with some sort of physical manifestation ... say, calling down lightning on your enemies. Religion aside, I find magic and the supernatural creeps into most everything I write. I’m not totally sure why this is. Like I mentioned before, I’ve always been an avid reader of fantasy literature. Maybe it comes from my general interest in ideas of power and resistance, especially when they’re operating in ways that are secret, or at least hard to see. I have this sense (which I think is pretty broadly shared in contemporary society) that power is increasingly concentrated in the hands of the few in ways that are hard for the rest of us to see, let alone to resist. Also -- let’s face it -- magic is fun. It would be fun to be a thirteen-year-old with the power to change things, even if the odds seemed stacked against you.

What is your favorite part of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, etc.) and why? Oh geez. That’s a hard one. On the one hand, writing the first draft is definitely the most difficult part for me. You’re staring at the blank page, and you have so far to go before it’s done, and it probably won’t be any good anyway, and shouldn’t you work on a new blog post, or maybe go start on dinner or something? Contrast that to revising, where you have a manuscript and you’re reading it and making it better. On some level, I’m scared of the blank page in a way that I’m not scared of revising. Now here’s the complicated part – difficult as it is for me, the mingled feeling of fear and distaste ... and excitement when I write that first draft is the reason I write. That feeling of creating something new is the best part. If I go a few days without writing something new, I start worrying that I’m never going to write anything again. I don’t like that feeling.

A couple of reviews have praised the book for having the main character, Dahlia, be a smart girl who loves math. Did you envision the protagonist of the book as a girl from the beginning, or was that a deliberate choice later in the process? What challenges did you face, if any, in writing across gender, and how did you overcome them? I always saw the protagonist as a girl. When I wrote the short story that eventually grew into The Path of Names, I had this very clear memory of a girl at my summer camp complaining about how another girl wasn’t friends with her any more. I ended up making Dahlia far more independent than that girl, but there was never any question that the main character would be female. The challenges that I faced had to do with uniquely female things – for instance, how much would a thirteen-year-old girl notice the curviness or the lack of curviness of her peers? Being married to a former thirteen-year-old girl who is happy to answer these kinds of questions was invaluable in overcoming this obstacle. 

You have a five-year-old and a set of very young twins at home. Plus you teach. How do you work in any writing time? Do you have a set schedule or process?The short answer is: it’s hard. Not just to work in writing time, but to make the most of the writing time I have, given the exhaustion of being a working parent with three small children. More often than not, one or more of our beautiful little people is sick or getting a tooth or just generally dissatisfied with their sleeping arrangements and would like to express their displeasure repeatedly at 1:00 a.m. 1:30 a.m., 2:30 a.m. and so on. I’ve discovered that I can do a pretty good job at some tasks when I’m tired, but writing a novel is not one of them. There’s too much to hold in your head, and too much concentration required. Having said all that, I do try to write to a set schedule, as I think the alternative is a ‘no writing’ schedule. I am still making progress in my ongoing writing projects, just not nearly as fast as I would like.

What are you reading now? I just finished reading Steven King’s The Wind at the Keyhole which I thought was great, especially the two stories-within-a-story. I have just started Seer of Shadows by Avi, but I’m still too early into it to have formed an opinion. I’m also reading Harry Potter to my five-year-old (who would probably like me to point out that she’s almost six), and I’m enjoying it through her eyes all over again.

Please visit Ari's website.

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GIVEAWAY! Though The Path of Names is in stores now (hint hint hint & hint), you can win one of my three remaining copies of an ARC of the book by leaving a comment below with any of the following: one thing that you've never seen in a fantasy before and you'd like to; your own provocative epigraph (or epitaph, if you prefer); or the identity that people mistake you for based on your name, if applicable.

Erik Brooks: Seventies Sleepdog!

Sat, 18 May 2013 21:00:00 +0000

A brand new Sleepdog for the disco-themed Little Star Montessori School Auction. TONIGHT. 5PM @ The Winthrop Barn. Groovy!

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Find the Perfect Parking Spot Before You Even Leave Home

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:00:04 +0000

[ By Delana in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

There are countless maps and other direction-finding methods for your smartphone that can help you get to where you want to go – but once you get there, you still have to worry about parking. This, of course, is one of the most frustrating aspects of going anywhere in a mid-to-large-size city. In fact, some 30 to 50 percent of urban congestion is caused just by people driving around looking for parking spots. But never fear – an app called ParkMe is here to provide real-time parking availability information in cities and countries all around the world.

The smartphone app works by utilizing data from a number of sources. Parking facility operators can update the app with their capacity and availability. Businesses can use a widget to provide real-time availability near their establishments, which is a win-win for them and their customers. Payment options are listed so you’ll know ahead of time if you need to have cash available.

Not all of the 1800 cities featured on ParkMe have real-time data available; only a handful of cities in the US offer that level of seamless parking integration. But the app does tell you where you’re most likely to find parking near your destination and how much you’ll have to pay for the privilege of leaving your car there. If you enter the amount of time you’ll need to park, the app will even tell you what your total cost will be.

Overall, the app will reduce traffic congestion in cities by helping people find a place to park in advance. If you could figure out your exact route, down to the entrance to the lot you’ll leave your car in, before you even leave your house – imagine how much easier it would be to get to your destination and get your fun outing started.

[ By Delana in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

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Kevin Draper '10: Diss Guy Miss Guy, Vol. 40

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:26:00 +0000

Diss Guy: Dirk Nowitzki

It must’ve been a rough year for Dirk Nowitzki. The guy missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade, due chiefly to his absence for the first two months of the regular season after knee surgery. He averaged just under 18 a game; his lowest since his rookie season. His team finished only 41-41, and had to sport grizzly beards for most of the season (I didn’t mind). And to top it all of? He has to take a pay cut. In a recent ESPN report, Nowitzki said that, if it meant getting both Chris Paul and Dwight Howard this summer in free agency, he would accept far fewer years and dollars on his next contract in an effort to preserve cap flexibility and build another contender in Dallas. The story’s author, Tim MacMahon, quotes the Mavericks’ franchise player as saying, “It’s not about money. Obviously, Cuban took care of me for a long, long time. I always tried to pay him back by hard playing and being here for this franchise, so I don’t think we’re going to fight over money. I want to compete over these last couple of years. That’s going to be the goal.”

Now, we shouldn’t shed any tears for Nowitzki, and the man himself would not want us to. As MacMahon points out in the story, only four players have earned more money over their careers than Dirk. His $22.7 million salary next season will be second highest in the NBA, behind Kobe Bryant (who will likely miss some or all of next season). And it’s not like Dirk has ever been required to stay in Dallas. In fact, the last time Dirk took a “pay cut” from the Mavs (he could’ve taken a $96 million contract in 2010, and instead took a paltry $80 million contract) things ended up really well for them: they used the extra money on Tyson Chandler and won an NBA championship the next season. History shows that things could work out in Dallas, and Dirk’s selflessness (as far as that exists when we’re talking about multi-million dollar salaries) tends to be a first step.

But for Dirk purists (which I’m not) this isn’t exactly the way we wanted to see his career end up. Years of consistent playoff contention throughout his prime have led to a distinct dearth of young talent in the twilight of his career. Roddy Beaubois, the supposed future running mate for Dirk, never developed and looks about ready to flame out of the league. Their current team of contractual mercenaries never gelled, and now look ready to spread their wings and fly to other destinations in the league where they can get a bit more financial stability. Once again, it’s up to the Mavs front office and cacophonous owner to try and assemble a cast of free agents and desperate players just wanting another year of NBA money to try and get Dirk to the top of the mountain. They must convince CP3 and Dwight — two players whose free agencies have now seemingly lasted three full seasons — to stop what they’re doing in Los Angeles and join Dirk and Mark in Big D. It seems like a longshot.

While no window is ever closed in the NBA, this is undoubtedly a make-or-break year for Dallas. There are more teams ascending than descending in the West’s top 10, and Dallas will need to have an excellent summer to keep pace with their other lower-seeded counterparts in the West. If they are able to sign the right guys, and get themselves back into the conversation for who’ll win the West, it will come primarily from the efforts — and flexibility — of Dirk Nowitzki.

Miss Guy: Brian Phillips (Grantland)

Does everyone remember the bad years in Oklahoma City? You know, when the team really was struggling on and off the court? Sure, they had Durant, but they had all those terrible players who clearly weren’t part of the future, and were basically just collecting paychecks? They didn’t win anywhere close to 30 games, and were perennial draft lottery attendees? Man, things were really bad. There was a certain stench of decay over the whole franchise.

Oh, wait. Those days never happened in OKC? Never? Ever?

That’s right. How could I forget? The Thunder have never had bad days! All of their bad days happened in Seattle, when they were the Sonics. They arrived in OKC in 2009, had one year of development (KD was a sophomore, Russell was a rookie, and Harden was a senior [in College]), then got going with the business of winning 50+ games during the regular season (and even during lockout-shortened seasons). Except for their first season of making the playoffs, they’ve won a series each year. In 2012, they won the Western conference and lost to the Heat in the NBA finals. Things have been pretty peachy keen in OKC, as long as they’ve been around.

So forgive me when I roll my eyes, deeply and purposefully, at Brian Phillips, and his petulant “life isn’t fair!” tantrum that came out on Grantland late last week. I don’t frequently go after other writers (especially those who are actually paid to write about basketball), but this was just ridiculous. Yes, the Thunder, his team, had lost to the Grizzlies, and were facing a longer summer break than any of their fans thought. It is disappointing when your team doesn’t win its playoff series. But seriously, man:

“Losing makes you want to defend the people you love who’ve disappointed you. But you can’t say that stuff, because to the people who don’t feel the loss the way you feel it, you’ll sound like a moron, or worse, a mystic. When you lose, I thought as I joined the crawl toward the on-ramp, and you want to hold on to the past that you’re afraid is about to slip away from you, you have to say the opposite of what you mean. What Brooks should have told the media was not “Kevin Durant is pure of heart”; it was “sports is the worst and it sucks and I hate it.”

Well, “if sports is the worst and it sucks and [you] hate it”, perhaps you want to give your team back to Seattle. If sports is the worst, you don’t have to have it. Otherwise, relax, relative newcomer to the NBA. I know it seems like successful basketball teams fall out of the sky in OKC, like rain falling solemnly in Seattle. But you can’t win the West every year. It just doesn’t work that way. You just can’t always get what you want.

John Tischer '71: Poetry

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:42:25 +0000

It never happen when I try…

it’s always an accident….

it’s not even me…

it’s the universe, drunk,

speaking through me…

it is the fountain of creation

possessed by everyone,

owned by no one…

it is the reason there is

evolution…

it is the universe

talking to itself.

Dan Schofer '00

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:43:43 +0000

5-17-2013
Naperville. 78 minutes. 11 miles.
Easy run. Felt pretty good.

Dan Schofer '00

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:42:17 +0000

5-16-2013
North Central. 16 minutes. 2 miles.
Easy warm-up with Leslie.

Dan Schofer '00

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:41:44 +0000

5-16-2013
Irish Loop. 59 minutes. 8 miles.
Easy run. Felt a bit better.

Dan Schofer '00

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:39:34 +0000

5-15-2013
Town Loop. 30 minutes. 4 miles.
Easy run. Felt better.

Dan Schofer '00

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:39:05 +0000

5-15-2013
Mud + Irish + Palisades + Town. 60 minutes. 8 miles.
Leg really tight again. Extra slow and easy run.

Dan Schofer '00

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:37:17 +0000

5-14-2013
Town + Mud Road. 30 minutes. 4 miles.
Hot and sunny! Felt better.

Dan Schofer '00

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:36:34 +0000

5-14-2013
Mud + Abbe Hills Loop. 59 minutes. 8 miles.
Leg still very stiff. Slow and easy run.

Erik Brooks: Sketching wolverine... on an iPad!

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:00:00 +0000

I've been fumbling around in the dark a bit with video promo... but this one seems like a fun start!

Carleton News: Carleton Art Professors’ Work Featured in 25th Anniversary Celebration of Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:16:04 +0000

In a new installation celebrating 25 years of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, the work of Carleton College art professors David Lefkowitz and Stephen Mohring is featured in “Walker on the Green: Artist-Designed Mini Golf.” On Thursday, May 23, The Walker Art Center will open two eight-hole courses, featuring individual holes created by various architects, artists, engineers, machinists, and mini-golf aficionados. The new interactive installation features everything from garden gnomes masquerading as foosball players to a scale model of a French chateau, along with mazes, gopher holes, and contours mapped from the course of the legendary Augusta National Golf Club. The result is a delight for both serious golf purists and lovers of outdoor kitsch.

Carleton News: Carleton College Jazz Ensembles Present Spring Performance

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:14:11 +0000

Carleton College’s Jazz Ensembles will perform their annual Spring concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 19 in the Carleton College Concert Hall. Carleton’s new Instructor of Saxophone Greg Keel will perform as a guest soloist. This event is free and open to the public.

Carleton News: Zhao Invited to Talk Weekly on China's Phoenix TV

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:51:22 +0000

Qiguang Zhao, Burton and Lily Levin Professor of Chinese, has been invited to talk weekly on Phoenix TV, an influential Chinese TV channel located in Hong Kong, about international affairs. Zhao comments on a range of topics from Obama’s election to North Korea’s nuclear tests, and the show is broadcasted to millions of Chinese viewers. Additionally, Zhao plans to begin hosting a series of documentary shows about the travel of Marco Polo from Venice to Xanadu with Phoenix TV, along with several other channels, which will air in 2014.

Carleton News: Cooper Discusses the New American Spirituality

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:44:15 +0000

Laurence Cooper, professor of political science, recently gave a lecture, "Me, Myself – and Rousseau: The New American Spirituality and Its Origin," at Christopher Newport University on April 8. The discussion analyzed the increasing tendency in America to think that the proper way to live is to turn inward and get in touch with oneself. Cooper, however, discussed the importance of former belief, where people looked beyond themselves for guidance and validation. Previously, Rousseau had promoted these ideas, which urge for less rigorous self-examination and more spontaneity and sincerity. The source of these features is belief in the natural goodness of human beings and the idea of a perfect true self.

Carleton News: Liu-Spencer and Lamb Present "Batch Solutions"

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:42:11 +0000

Hsianghui Liu-Spencer, cataloging and digital services librarian, and Tom Lamb, cataloging and metadata librarian, presented their study "A batch solution to the death date problem: a case study" at the Innovative Users Group 2013 Annual Conference held in San Francisco on April 25. The presentation discussed the impacts of recent policy changes on the library catalog and their ‘batch solutions’ to these new obstacles. They shared their experiences of what worked and what didn’t with other catalogers as they experimented with unique solutions to these challenges.

Carleton News: Montero Publishes in Journal of Development Studies

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:36:56 +0000

Al Montero, professor of political science, and Kathryn Hochstetler of the University of Waterloo (Canada), have had their article titled, “The Renewed Developmentalist State: The National Development Bank and the Brazil Model,” accepted for publication in the Journal of Development Studies. The study examines how Brazil operationalized a renewed developmentalist project during the country’s democratic period.

Carleton News: "For Grandma: The 2013 Senior Art Exhibition" Opens Tonight!

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:01:27 +0000

For Grandma: The 2013 Senior Art Exhibition opens tonight at 7 p.m. in the Perlman Teaching Museum of the Weitz Center for Creativity. The exhibit is the culminating event in the studio art major's experience at Carleton, showcasing artwork produced during their senior year. Tonight's reception is free and open to the public. For Grandma will remain on display through June 14.

John Tischer '71: Burnt Umber

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:52:37 +0000

My drink: tequila

and orange juice

my mind amber

ambient sounds

linger…delicate

tissue tears…all

a charred mirage

but perfect in the

garden of delights

where evil has no

presence, or, does it?

John Tischer '71: Don’t Waste That Drunk…Hand Me The Pliers

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:47:39 +0000

Oops…here I am again in that “special” way

that bards and PTSS sufferers seek for solace or

inspiration…where the muse and intuition hang out

together at the bar at Juanita’s in Boulder with

William Burroughs, on the railroad tracks all night

wth a bottle of sacramental wine burgled from the

Northfield Catholic Church, Saturday night with

the son of William Bundy…don’t waste that drunk,

the one you’re in, or, the person over there propped

up against the doorway, either case something cosmic

important, don’t you see?

Trungpa Rinpoche was being driven in San Francisco.

He was driving by a place where there were many drunks

in the doorways with paper bags...alone, or in small groups.

Someone in the car asked him: “Who are those people,

Rinpoche?” He responded something like: “Oh, they’re

all great enlightened beings…mahasiddhas!”

Don’t make me bring out the pliers…trying to drink myself

into a place that might be where I’m crazy enough to have

something to say that might attract your attention like a brick

in the head is hard enough…you don’t have to make it harder.

But, now I’ve reached that glory space where I don’t really

care about what I care about….like when the crossing guard

takes off her uniform….like when the old man is finished for

the day scavenging cans, and sits down to his plate of beans.

It’s all there in all the written words, what those people who

wrote about it went through…waking up on someone’s floor

and trying to figure out who you were, that person there, alive,

breathing ashes of last night’s Xanadu,

Erik Brooks: Harts Pass No. 152

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:32:00 +0000

Life lessons from a young wolverine...

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: NeoLucida: Optical Drawing Tool Lets You Trace Real Life

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:00:13 +0000

[ By Steph in Art & Drawing & Digital. ]

Have you ever wondered how 19th century artists were able to produce such incredibly realistic drawings? It isn’t just because they were unusually talented, though it’s hard to argue that they were. Many of them benefitted from the use of a ‘camera lucida’, an optical device that reflects real-life images onto a drawing surface so they can be traced. A new version of the tool, called the ‘NeoLucida,’ aims to bring this drawing aid back, with a few modern updates.

Essentially a prism on a stick, the camera lucida was once a very popular drawing tool, making it easy to create realistic drawings. A portable version hasn’t been manufactured in nearly a century. Antique versions sell for hundreds of dollars, but Pablo Garcia and Golan Levin, the makers of the NeoLucida, aim to sell theirs for just $40.

“We want to make this remarkable device widely available to students, artists, architects, and anyone who loves to draw from life,” say the pair on their Kickstarter page, which has already raised nearly half a million dollars – far over the original goal of $15,000. “But to be clear: our NeoLucida is not just a product, but a provocation. In manufacturing a camera lucida for the 21st century, our aim is to stimulate interest in media archaeology—the tightly interconnected history of visual culture and imaging technologies.

The NeoLucida is made from a combination of mass-manufactured and custom-machined parts. It has a clamp to fit onto the edge of desks and tables, and a goose neck for adjustability. It’s lightweight, non-electric, and compact enough to fit in a handbag. Get more details at the project’s Kickstarter (via notcot.org.)

[ By Steph in Art & Drawing & Digital. ]

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Carleton Athletics: Women's Track and Field: Steinke Wins Steeplechase, Celichowski Breaks 1500-Meter Mark at UW-LaCrosse Qualifier

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:53:37 +0000

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Ruth Steinke (Fy./Lima, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) trimmed eight seconds off her personal best and won the steeplechase, and Colette Celichowski (So./Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) broke the school record in the 1500-meter run at the UW-La Crosse Qualifier, a “last chance” meet held at the site of this year’s NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Carleton Athletics: Men's Track and Field: Huderle Prevails in Steeplechase at Last Chance Meet, Can’t Improve Chances for NCAA Bid

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:51:51 +0000

LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Marcus Huderle (Jr./Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) posted a winning mark of 9:32.77 in the 3000-meter steeplechase but was unable to improve his season-best time during the NCAA Qualifier “last chance” meet hosted by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Carleton Athletics: Men's Swimming and Diving: Erik Klontz Named to Academic All-District Team

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:22:16 +0000

Three-time All-American, Erik Klontz (Sr./Bethesda, Md./Bethesda-Chevy Chase) was voted to the Capital One Academic All-District At-Large Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), for the second straight year. The award honors the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performance in competition and in the classroom.

Carleton Athletics: Lamb, Hansen, Taube, and Beson Award Winners Announced for 2012-13

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:47:02 +0000

In conjunction with Carleton’s annual Honors Convocation, the Physical Education, Athletics, and Recreation (P.E.A.R.) Department announced its annual senior awards. Sophie Pilhofer and Jessa Youso received the Pat Lamb Award. Megan Morrison and Sarah Nielsen are the recipients of the Ele Hansen Award. CJ Dale was honored with the Mel Taube Award, while Erik Klontz was given the Warren L. Beson Memorial Award.

John Tischer '71: Armchair Armageddon

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:38:23 +0000

If I tell you about my life, it doesn’t sound like much.

I usually go for coffee around nine or ten…read the paper

and do the crossword. Then I’ll have some

breakfast in the market,,.,buy a few things in the store

after I’ve had my walk. Then, back to my casita…meditation,

and after maybe some writing.

But the computer, the internet, provides me with a fantastic

and fascinating universe. One can actually see the world changing

in real time for the first time in history. Mainstream media is the

froth on the ocean….one can find trends buried in the various sites….

the World Civilization Disorder plays live twenty-four-seven; just

boot up and tune in! See where the latest crisis has flared up anywhere

on the globe! Plot the resource wars on your interactive

map! Who’s killing whom? Find out before the body hits the ground

and see it on instant replay a thousand times in a row!

The evolving planetary megillah begins to emerge as patterns…

the exponential complexity and scope of technology, ongoing

environmental catastrophe brought on by a short-sighted egomaniac

social class, social unrest to the extent that most of the world is at

war, or wants to be…breakdown and neglect of infrastructure,

marginalization and corruption of institutions such as education,

health, public safety, law, finance….the consciousness raising

movement that has seen the study of meditation move into mainstream

science…all this and more happening at an ever increasing rate of

speed, the process of which, itself, increases the intensity

of the phenomena. Question is, can Homo-Sap keep up?
Is civilization already being genetically engineered for the future
somewhere beneath the Denver airport? Stay tuned.....

http://zen-haven.com/pentagon-officials-claim-entire-world-is-a-battlefield/

Alison Sommer '05: Youthful ambitions: I was gonna be famous!

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:11:29 +0000

When I was younger I wanted to make it in Hollywood! After I discovered my love for Star Wars, I discovered a love for film and I began to set my sights on becoming a famous movie director and producer. I was never the acting type (in my last attempt to audition for a school play, I was cast as a mouse in Cinderella, not one of the cool talking mice, one that scurried around and then turned into a horse), but everything "behind-the-scenes" seemed fascinating and magical. Sets, camera angles, special effects, shooting on-location, editing, it all dazzled me. I took my first video editing class in junior high, where we learned to edit on the tape-to-tape VHS editing machine. I LOVED that machine. I could spend hours and hours on it. Even seeing one now makes my heart flutter.

My first "movie" was Godzilla X-Files. Yeah, you read that right. We spliced together footage of ourselves, episodes of The X-Files, and old Godzilla movies, then re-dubbed it with our own dialogue. (nerd alert! nerd alert!). Later we made it longer and dubbed it into German for my high school German honors project (seriously NERD. ALERT.) and for some odd reason that's the only copy I have. It is fabulous. I'd share it with you, but YouTube is being a punk ass and not letting it upload because it "may have content that is owned or licensed by FOX". We also dubbed several episodes of Fushigi Yuugi into German. Yeah, that's anime. I don't even need to tell you how nerdy that was...

In college I graduated away from VHS tapes and moved on to iMovie and Final Cut Pro. I may have majored in Asian Studies, but I still had a love for film. Now I work at a college IT department and as part of my job I get to teach students how to make videos for their classes (including for German class! How life comes full circle!). It's super fun.

I wish I had time to make more of my own productions. I did make a series of videos for the hockey team I coach, which I hope to expand on for next season. Maybe I'll make a film version of Kaylee's Story with the kids this summer, that would be so much fun... Anyhow, as you can clearly see, I totally nerd out on this stuff. So even though I'm no hollywood director, my youthful ambitions still have a place in my life. And I think that's pretty omanko-lickin' cool.

(For some reason the banner hates me, but I was inspired for this post by the Finish the Sentence Friday blog hop. What did YOU want to do when you were younger?)

Rachel Teagle: AFF 2013 Fringe PlayList: Can't Stop the Music

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:29:00 +0000

Music hath charms to sooth the savage beast, even the animals running around the Atlanta Fringe Festival. Here are some of the most tuneful, toe-tapping, and heart-pumping shows to move you in this year's festival.

Who says theater is dead? Hip Hop is Alive: The Play by DaVida Chanel Productions LLC brings the energy and power of hip hop to the stage. This theatrical experience features a DJ, an MC performance, video and break dancing. Perfect for hip hop fans and the uninitiated alike, who are invited to "open their minds about the music genre that now lives in us all."

On the other side of the musical spectrum, we have Marble City Opera bringing us The Face on the Barroom Floor. Set in a bar in two different eras, this show is a far cry from the glitzy costumes and stuffy stories of traditional opera. Just incredible singers telling a dramatic story in a way you've never seen opera before. This fringe festival just gets classier and classier.

And from yet another musical universe, we have Krog!, among the most enthusiastically named shows in the Fringe, by Sob Songs for the Gilded Age. Krog! uses combination of live music, stories and video to pay tribute to Krog Street Tunnel, "using it as a lens to view over 5 billions years of chaos and coincidence, filth and fury, yin and yang, cause and effect, right and wrong and left behind." Culled from their monthly shows performed at the tunnel itself, Krog! will address such questions as "Is the Krog Street Tunnel a portal through time, controlled by a gang of paint pen wielding Knights Templar?"; "Can a transsexual’s saracastic comments make all men better fathers?"; and, of course "Who is Fred Krog and why the hell did they name a street after him?" If you don't quite know what to expect, you're not alone, and embracing the unexpected is whole-heartedly in the Fringe spirit.

Ken Wedding's CompGov Blog: A one-man interest group

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

So, who is going to reform political culture in African countries?

How a billionaire is cutting Africa’s ‘big men’ down to size

Mo Ibrahim is working the room. Tossing off his jacket, rolling up his sleeves and prowling the convention room’s stage with microphone in hand, the Sudanese billionaire banters with Macky Sall, the President of Senegal. Suddenly he urges the audience to interrogate Mr. Sall, promising that nobody will be arrested or shot for impudent questions…

Mo Ibrahim
Perhaps only this remarkable philanthropist can get away with such irreverence toward an African ruler, yet he wants such candid discussion to become the norm. The traditional “big men” of African politics should be neither feared nor worshipped, he says; they should be accountable to their fellow citizens in free and open debate.

It’s not just a distant dream. With his vast wealth and inexhaustible energy, Mr. Ibrahim is shaping a new generation of African politicians…

After cajoling his audience into firing questions at the President, Mr. Ibrahim takes a few minutes over an espresso to reflect on his campaign against Africa’s old guard of corrupt and dictatorial leaders. “It’s a new world,” he says, speaking as rapidly and passionately as he did onstage. “We have some wonderful leaders now. We still have dinosaurs – but you know what happened to dinosaurs.”

It has been less than seven years since he used the billions he earned as a pioneering entrepreneur in mobile phones to create the London-based Mo Ibrahim Foundation. Its purpose is to foster good governance and to administer a $5-million prize “for achievement in African leadership” – the world’s most lucrative annual award.

As a result, he says, it is no longer “taboo” to talk about leadership. “Because of the prize, there’s a lot of noise around this. Once people start to talk, … that’s what will change the game. We have to get out of the assumption that leaders are some kind of pharaohs. They are just human beings like us.”

As well as the annual search for a model politician – someone of great achievement who has left office democratically – Mr. Ibrahim is promoting reform with an independent index to measure the successes and failures of African governments…

The prize is an incentive, promoting clean, honest leadership, and Mr. Ibrahim helps to defuse politicians’ authoritarian streak by using a deft mixture of praise and criticism to nudge them toward a genuine conversation with their citizens…

Today, at the age of 67, he uses his carefully crafted irreverence to break down the barriers between the rulers and the ruled. Onstage, he addresses Senegal’s top officials as “brothers and sisters,” and explains to the audience: “I prefer this over ‘Your Highnesses.’ All of you are important. We’re all in the same trench, fighting for good governance and human rights.”…

He has no patience for politicians who bully the media. “The media are a mirror,” he says. “If you look in the mirror and you see something ugly, maybe you’re ugly.” The audience laughs and cheers.

Nor does he have any patience for Africa’s reverential attitude toward its former liberation movements, such as South Africa’s ruling African National Congress. He notes that the ANC has introduced a secrecy law to tighten controls on state information – the kind of law it would have fought in the apartheid era…

See The Mo Ibahim Foundation

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Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Small Worlds: Strange & Shocking Miniature City Scenes

Fri, 17 May 2013 01:00:49 +0000

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

There is no unifying theme to these surreal depictions of urban architecture and landscapes, save perhaps their imaginative improbability and singular creator, Frank Kunert, a German photographer and his bemused sense of wonder.

Each is at once clearly a model yet quite lifelike, lovingly crafted, painted and photographed. Some show impossibilities seemingly for shock value alone, while others contain a subtle message – some commentary on politics, religion, television or other aspects of everyday life.

The resulting scenes question function, accessibility and the role of architecture, exterior and interior design in shaping both public and private experience.

It is also worth noting, too, that none of them are post-edited – they are created sans Photoshop and shot with an analog camera. The process and product are closely related, and each creative choice is made carefully by hand.

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

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Kevin Draper '10: Russell Westbrook Fans: Stop Making Things Up

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:04:04 +0000

In picking over the wreckage of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s season, there is plenty of potential angles to chew on. Kevin Durant played pretty poorly. Kendrick Perkins is a terrible player and should be amnestied. Sam Presti traded James Harden away prematurely. Scott Brooks couldn’t make adjustments and played Derek Fisher way too many (read: more than 0) minutes. Patrick Beverly ran into Russell Westbrook’s knee.

Of all the contributing factors to the Thunder’s demise, it’s the last one I want to look at more closely. In Game 2 of their series against the Thunder, the Rockets’ Patrick Beverly made a rash attempt at a steal, colliding into Russell Westbrook’s knee and tearing his meniscus. Ever since the Thunder haven’t looked particularly good, going 3–6 in Westbrook’s absence, a far cry from their 60–22 season record.

Westbrook is one of the league’s most divisive players, some believing he is the fifth best player in the league and others asserting that he takes too many dumb shots and should pass to Kevin Durant more. With Westbrook’s injury clearly having been a huge factor in that 3–6 record, the “Westbrook should pass the ball more” argument is under attack.

I’m sorry, Thunder fans. I hope we’ve all at least learned to quit bitching about Russell Westbrook. I fear we didn’t, but I hope we did.

— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) May 16, 2013

Next time somebody complains about Russell Westbrook’s shot selection, remember: Nick Collison Iso Eurostep.

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) May 16, 2013

As far as I can tell, the extended argument is this: because the Thunder generate poorer shot attempts and aren’t as good without Russell Westbrook on the floor, he shouldn’t be criticized for the bad shots he takes. To be frank, that’s pretty stupid.

People have conflated criticism of Westbrook’s game with thinking he’s a bad player, an argument that hasn’t actually ever been made. Nobody remotely intelligent thinks Russell Westbrook is a bad player. I probably have one of the more extreme pessimistic views of Westbrook’s worth on the court, and in a long piece before the season began I wrote:

It is pretty clear that saying Russell Westbrook is the 9th best player in the league is quite an overreach; 30th seems to fit better, and I could be convinced that 50th is right.

According to Wins Produced, the all-encompassing player rating statistic that most heavily punishes volume shooters, Westbrook had a .144 WP48 this season. That isn’t superstar territory, but it is certainly better than average, which is .100.

A pessimistic analyst and an unfavorable rating system agree that Russell Westbrook is an above average player, and that’s the low end of the value spectrum. When you trade in “above average” for “Derek Fisher” of course your team is going to struggle to get good shots: Russell Westbrook is pretty good at basketball and his backup is not! Of course you’d rather have Westbrook’s shooting (not to mention his passing, rebounding and defense) than Fisher or Reggie Jackson’s.

What that doesn’t mean, however, is that Westbrook’s 44 FG% or 32 3P%—or the fact that he takes three more shots per 36 minutes than uber-efficient and deadly Kevin Durant—should be off-limits for questioning.

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Under 400 SF: New Modular Micro-Apartments for NYC

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:00:20 +0000

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

With New York City’s inexorable growth, 1980s legislation barring the creation of 400 square-foot, one-to-two-person apartments has been lifted. And the results are in: award-winning compact units ranging from 250 to 330 square feet each have arrived.

The solutions, sans traditional square-footage restrictions, involve both production and living innovations. They make the most of modular components and prefabrication, on the one hand, and utilize adaptable floor plans, copious common spaces and expansive rooftop decks to extend livable areas on the other.

Anyone who has spent time in ultra-dense yet highly-organized cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo or London knows that every square foot counts in terms of cost savings, and the less you have, the more you need to creatively make use of what is there.

Per NYC.gov and CBS New York and via ArchDaily,“Succeeding 33 international proposals and providing an innovative housing model for New York City’s micro-apartments, a team consisting of Monadnock Development LLC, Actors Fund Housing Development Corporation and nARCHITECTS was selected as winner of the adAPT NYC competition. Construction on the pilot project will begin by the end of the year and residents are expected to move in by 2015.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Alison Sommer '05: All about the boobies

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:28:20 +0000

Although I am a believer in saying vagina instead of vajayjay, cootchie, or anything animal based for my lady parts, I am not so clinical when it comes to my chest. I have boobies. I have breasts too, but they are in the fridge marinating in some teriyaki sauce. Because they're from a chicken. (just so we're clear).

Like most women I have a somewhat complex relationship with my boobs. But mostly I just love them to death. They've been good to me, and to my babies. My boobs are pretty amazing. So I wrote them a sonnet...

As a girl I'd wish on the brightest stars
Please grant me some boobies, I'd pray
I must have been wishing on the shine of mars
For they grew from zero to C in what felt like a day

Although descending the stairs made me hold them tight
And bras were a puzzle that turned my cheeks red
I would be thankful every night
As I cuddled my boobies alone in my bed.

Over the years, these boobs served me well
They fed my two babies, so sweet was that bond
And I can't be too sad that their perkiness fell
They're beautiful still (my husbad is fond)

Whether you say boobie, ta-ta, knocker, or breast
Mine are my own and I love them the best.

So for this, my first "Theme Thursday" I am proud of my boobs. What are you proud of?

Ken Wedding's CompGov Blog: Marxist Mysticism

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

If the bribes are paid and the clients loyal, what else must a Chinese official do to ensure success?

China Officials Seek Career Shortcut With Feng Shui

As Marxist ideology has faded in China, ancient mystical beliefs once banned by the Communist Party are gaining ground…

This mystical revival is attracting devoted followers in that most forbidden of realms: the marbled, atheistic halls of Chinese officialdom. Besieged by a meddlesome public at the gates and political rivals amid their ranks, the country’s ambitious civil servants are increasingly — if discreetly — seeking supernatural shortcuts to wealth and power, much to the dismay of party ideologues and campaigners against corruption.

From rural township party chiefs to the nation’s disgraced former rail minister, Chinese government officials are increasingly making budgetary decisions to fulfill their own personal prophecies, according to experts, state news media reports and seasoned soothsayers.

In all this mysticism ordinary Chinese see little but corruption in drag…

Such was the case with Liu Zhijun, the former railway minister. While building the world’s largest high-speed rail network, Mr. Liu reportedly consulted a feng shui master who chose auspicious dates for breaking ground on major construction projects…

Fired in 2011, Mr. Liu was charged last month with corruption and abuse of power. In addition to the charges of taking $157 million in bribes and maintaining a harem of 18 mistresses, he is accused of an especially profane crime: “belief in feudal superstitions.”…

Citizens furious over officials dabbling in publicly financed mysticism have found an unlikely ally in the Communist Party… Though the government has taken a more laissez-faire approach to spirituality since the bloody persecutions of the Cultural Revolution 40 years ago, the authorities remain suspicious of competing dogma…

According to a 2007 report by the Chinese Academy of Governance, 52 percent of the nation’s county-level civil servants admitted to believing in divination, face reading, astrology or dream interpretation…

Feng shui, in fact, provides useful opportunities for businesspeople to curry favor with influential bureaucrats. To avoid exposure, officials often use business contacts to introduce them to a clairvoyant and pay for the consultation, which can be pricey. Mak Ling-Ling, 46, a Hong Kong feng shui consultant who frequently travels to the mainland, charges $16,000 for an hourlong presentation on auspicious real estate investing…

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Carleton Athletics: Baseball: Tsutsui Earns MIAC Rookie-of-the-Year Honors, Tabbed All-Conference

Thu, 16 May 2013 02:33:36 +0000

Hayden Tsutsui burst onto the stage this season as he batted .462—the sixth-highest figure among all NCAA players (Division I, II, and III)—and ranked among conference leaders in nearly all statistical categories. His breakout season resulted in the outfielder being selected as the MIAC Rookie-of-the-Year. He was also the only first-year voted to the 27-player All-MIAC squad.

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Wearable Tech: Mask Gives Users Superhuman Senses

Thu, 16 May 2013 01:00:31 +0000

[ By Steph in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

Put on a futuristic-looking, geometric white mask and you’ll suddenly have superhuman senses, hearing targeted sounds from long distances or applying effects to images in real-time. The ‘Eidos’ masks were developed by a group of students from the Royal College of Art in London, fitting over the mouth or ears to enhance sensory perception.

The mask that fits over the mouth and ears features a directional microphone to capture audio, which is processed by software to eliminate background noise. The sound is transmitted directly to the inner ear through bone vibrations to make it seem as if someone else’s speech is coming from inside your own head.

The second mask, which fits over the eyes, adds visual effects to the wearer’s range of vision, and can also analyze visual data. That data is sent to a computer, where software processes it and picks out patterns and movements that are invisible to the naked eye.

“Eidos has broad application in areas where live audio and video analysis is valuable. For example, sportspeople can visualise and improve technique in real time. Eidos also has healthcare benefits where it can be used to boost or refine sensory signals weakened by ageing or disability. In the arts, Eidos can augment live performance such as ballet, fashion or music concerts. It allows us to highlight previously invisible or inaudible details, opening up new and customisable experiences.”

[ By Steph in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

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Kevin Draper '10: No Playoffs for Old Teams: National & Cable TV Playoff Rankings

Wed, 15 May 2013 22:42:25 +0000

The regular season is over, but out interest in watchability is not. The playoffs change a lot of things, including making some teams that weren’t very watchable, watchable, and others are one small injury or coaching decision away from being skipped for dinner.

1. Golden State Warriors

The runaway most exciting team to watch these playoffs for this (biased) committee of two. Stephen Curry’s ascendance to superstardom is the obvious story to watch, but whether it is Bogut’s improving health, Harrison Barnes playing better than he has all season or Draymond Green rediscovering a stroke that deserted him for 82 games, the key to the Warriors’ watchability is that every player is individually mesmerizing, combining for an awesome explosion of three-pointers, dunks, fast breaks and surprisingly stifling defense. Oh yeah, and playing in the loudest arena in the NBA doesn’t hurt.

2. Memphis Grizzlies
The style of play that prompted me to say “okay, okay, just have the fourth seed” back in February has become emblematic of how these playoffs have sort of run themselves. The Grizzlies are playing the second best defense in the playoffs (behind the Indiana Pacers) and almost every single rotation player has begun to sharply hone their offensive contribution to the overall effort. Of course, Z-Bo and Marc Gasol’s two-way post dominance has been impressive to witness. Tony Allen’s never-say-die defense on both Chris Paul and Kevin Durant has been a joy to watch as well. But don’t sleep on the way Mike Conley runs his team, and don’t miss out on the spirited efforts of role players Jerryd “Baby Boozer” Bayless, Quincy Pondexter and Darrell Arthur. For all the folks who feel good about picking the Grizzlies as a sleeper to come out of the West (hint: almost everyone, so don’t get too excited), congratulations.

3. San Antonio Spurs
If you expected poetic waxing about ball movement and team play, you probably haven’t been watching these playoffs too closely. That may have been the story against an undermanned and exhausted Lakers squad, but against the Warriors the Spurs haven’t exactly stuck to the script. They won one game because of the most sublime four minutes of basketball you’ll see, another because Tony Parker became an efficient high-volume shooter, and a third because of a brand of clutching and grasping defense that was honestly beautiful to watch. These aren’t your father’s Spurs, and that’s a good thing.

4. Denver Nuggets
Don’t let the first round collapse fool you: this was an entertaining as all hell team to watch. Most entertaining perhaps was the Nuggets frenetic trapping, which either led to a steal and fast break or a series of pretty Warriors passes for an open shot. The schadenfreude of watching George Karl be outcoached when you knew he was about to win the Coach of the Year award was also fun.

5. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls may be the first team in history where adjectives like “heart”, “hustle” and “grit” are a. entirely accurate, and b. not subtlety pejorative. Even when they’re losing by fifteen, every game has a slight “Game 7″ aura because of the manic energy emanating from the Bulls.

6. Miami Heat
Low key Depressing: the utilitarian streamlining of LeBron’s playoff game. No glitz. No glamour. No threes. No huge dunks. Just patient post play, smart jumpers, and endless facilitation. This first-world basketball problem, plus D-Wade’s knee injury, and the fact that the Heat rotation looks about as competent as they always have leads to this slightly lower ranking.

7. Indiana Pacers
Call me crazy, but this team reminds me a lot of the mid-2000s Spurs. Defense is their calling card, and while the offense isn’t the most efficient, they move the ball well and have a power forward that stretches the defense with outside shots. They are extremely well-coached, and seem to never miss a defensive rotation. Like the mid-2000s Spurs their beauty isn’t immediately apparent, but it is in there somewhere.

8. Houston Rockets
Here’s how unentertaining these playoffs have been: Jeremy Lin got injured and James Harden got strep throat, leading to Patrick Beverly playing many minutes and frequently running the offense, and the Rockets were still one of the more entertaining teams.

9. Los Angeles Clippers

As much as the Clippers tried to paste over it during the regular season, Vinny Del Negro just isn’t a very good coach. No two ways around it. What was unexpected was the apparent tension that has developed between Chris Paul and everybody else on the team. A fun story for the dog days of April, but it sure didn’t lead to pretty playoff ball.

10. Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets were the second-most enjoyable team to watch in the most un-celebrated seven-game series since the 2007 NBA Finals that no one watched. In the end, the main complaint wasn’t the players, style of play, arena, or anything else. It was the energy. The Nets looked disappointed to be in the playoffs; like it was interrupting their favorite part of summer break. Don’t blame em’: the first month of Summer Break is the best. Sleeping in until 1 pm. Leaving the lights off in your room all day. Great times. The Nets should hire someone who can get these guys to play with a little oomph and at least pretend that they enjoy playing basketball.

11. Oklahoma City Thunder
Minus Russell Westbrook, you’re really just watching to see if Kevin Durant can rip off a 50/15 game at this point. The worst thing about the Westbrook injury is that it has given Scott Brooks more fake-justification to subject Derek Fisher upon us, a loss for all true basketball fans.

12. New York Knicks
What the hell happened to the regular season? I know the team has had some injuries, but they had it figured out. Shoot a ton of three-pointers, keep Melo at the four and have him play semi-efficiently, and play generally competent basketball. All of a sudden Carmelo has regressed and is chucking up shots, the shots that J.R. Smith always chucks up aren’t falling, and Mike Woodson has gone away from Carmelo as a stretch 4 and is using baffling rotations. I’d prefer to spend my time watching the Knicks, not scratching my head trying to figure out what is going on.

13. Boston Celtics

They looked old last season until an inspired playoffs run, they looked really old this season, and surprise surprise, they looked really old in the playoffs. With Paul Pierce now stating that he expects to be traded or released, hopefully you were able to get your Celtics fill.

14. Los Angeles Lakers
I can’t believe that, in the end, after everything, the Lakers got essentially a free pass due to the injuries that curtailed their projected 73-9 season, and undefeated march to the championship. A Dwight temper tantrum, Pau Gasol’s best Andris Biedrins impression (“I swear I used to be good, promise!”), and Darius Morris as your starting point guard were all we got out of the Lakers this postseason. And with the resolution of Dwightmare II still six weeks away, this team will continue to be more fun to watch off-the-court than on it.

15. Atlanta Hawks
That’s what terrible guard play looks like. People slag the Grizzlies guard lineup, but the Hawks would be positively joyous if they they had Mike Conley, Tony Allen and Jerryd Bayless. From a pure aesthetic perspective, if you are only going to have good bigs or good smalls, you want the good smalls. Jeff Teague is why Josh Smith dribbles the ball too much. Kyle Korver is why Josh Smith shoots too many midrange jumpers. Who thought Louis Williams’ absence would be felt so heavily?

16. Milwaukee Bucks
Thank god this dog was put down. For the love of all that is holy, I hope that not-very-competent GM John Hammond lets either Monta Ellis, Brandon Jennings or both of them walk away this offseason. If both end up on the Bucks next year, I promise that they will earn a permanent number 30 position in all future league pass power rankings.

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Future Present: 7 Soon-to-Be Wonders of Technology

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:00:40 +0000

[ By Steph in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

Within five years or less, we could be chatting with the three-dimensional holograms of faraway friends, controlling our computers with mental commands, charging our phones with energy harvested from wasted ambient energy and logging into our bank accounts with facial recognition scans. These are among the technology innovations that computer giant IBM has predicted within the last few years of its annual technology forecast. Here are seven of the most intriguing prospects.

3D Hologram Chat

(image via: Star Wars 20th Century Fox screen capture)

A 3D holographic chat system called “TeleHuman” is the first example of what will likely be a flood of virtual hologram technology that lets us see faraway contacts in three dimensions. TeleHuman creates a life-sized rendering of its subject using six XBox Kinect sensors, a 3D projector and a cylindrical display; the creators say it will be available for $5,000 within five years. A similar project called the RGB+D Toolkit is making waves in the indie filmmaking community.

Microsoft is also working on telepresence technology for Skype using holograms to literally bring conference participants to a central table, no matter where in the world they’re located.

Mind-Controlled Devices

(image via: forbes)

Wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to type at all? You could simply think a command, an email, or anything else you want to do and it appears on your screen. Maybe we’re not quite there yet, but progress is encouraging. Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology is appearing in all kinds of experimental gadgets, from headphones that play music based on your mood to a headband that measures brain activity in real time and displays it on your smartphone or tablet. BCI devices are also being used to allow quadriplegic patients to complete previously impossible tasks.

Of course, there are drawbacks to this inevitably invasive technology. A 2012 study found that connecting minds to machines can allow sensitive private information to ‘leak out’ along with the users’ mental commands. The information revealed included the location of their homes, faces they recognized and even their credit card PINs.

Energy-Scavenging Gadgets That Don’t Need Batteries

(image via: dennis siegel)

Power lines, data centers, televisions and even your coffee maker output waves of ambient energy that typically just dissipate in the air, going to waste. That energy could be used to power all kinds of things, including crucial wireless sensors running on batteries, which keep track of factory machinery or measure environmental pollution. MIT has developed an energy-harvesting microelectromechanical system (MEMs) that translates even tiny vibrations, light and ambient energy into a surprising amount of power, eliminating the need for batteries.

Designer Dennis Siegel shows off some of the possibilities on the consumer side of the spectrum with ‘Energy Parasite,‘ a gadget that gathers energy from home appliances and power plants, stores it in a conventional battery and allows you to use it later for cell phones, mp3 players and other devices.

Multi-Factor Biometrics Eliminate Need for Passwords

(image via: siemens)

We’re not far from an era in which passwords are a thing of the past. Fingerprint scanners have been available for a range of devices for quite a while now, but they’re not ideal – burns, cuts, oil and other irregularities can interfere with scanning. In the future, a range of biometrics including voice, retina and face scanners could be used to verify our identities so we can access devices, personal accounts and private data.

Researchers are developing systems that ensure biometric data is secure, like taking a sample of a user’s voice, dividing it into similar samples, and then cryptographically protecting them before performing a comparison on the voice trying to gain access.

Computers That Can Smell, Taste & Replicate Touch Sensations

(image via: ntdtv)

IBM predicted that within five years, computers will be able to output and recognize smells and flavors, and even replicate textures, so we can ‘feel’ fabrics before purchasing, for example. Texture data fed into a computer’s drivers can re-create vibrations and temperature on a touch screen, similar to the way some computer game controllers shake to indicate on-screen action. Digitized taste buds breaking down flavors to their molecular components can help compare them, so users can find something that tastes like a favorite food, but is healthier, or get a sense of a recipe before trying it out. Chemical sensors that enable computers to ‘smell’ could guess health problems from changes in your breath or detect environmental toxins.

Changes in the way computers ‘hear’ sound could also lead to some major breakthroughs. Hearing the ‘whole picture’ rather than isolated voices or music could allow computers to learn more about the situations in which the sounds are produced. For example, a computer could analyze the sounds of a baby crying and identify based on past experience whether the cause is need for a diaper change or food, or more serious problem. Japanese researchers are currently integrating smell technology into humanoid robots, as well.

The End of Junk Mail

(image via: Minority Report 20th Century Fox Screen Capture)

Advances in creepily targeted advertising could mean that junk mail is no longer junk. When the ads that appear in your inbox and physical mailbox are tailored specifically to your tastes and interests, you’re going to be more likely to click on them, which is exactly what marketers want. Information assembled online, through customer loyalty cards and by other means tell advertisers more than ever about your purchasing habits, your household and your income. Of course, we’re trading the annoyance of junk mail for what could be considered a serious invasion of privacy. Many consumers have no idea how much can be learned about their lives from their surfing habits.

Finely tuned junk mail filters will also help combat the constant flood of invitations to buy black market Viagra, enlarge certain body parts and claim inheritances from long-lost relatives in Nigeria.

Harvesting Kinetic Energy

(image via: pavegen)

Just like all that ambient energy, kinetic energy from movement of all sorts is a potentially rich source of power that currently goes to waste. The movement generated by trains, cars, and our own hands and feet could provide electricity to the venues in which it’s harvested. This technology is already in place at a number of human-powered gyms, dance clubs and subway stations. Treadmills, stationary bikes, roller coasters, sidewalks and handrails absorb the energy from movements and convert it into power for lights and other electrical equipment.

Pavegen floor tiles are one example. These tiles, which capture kinetic energy from footsteps, have been installed at the Westfield Stratford City Shopping Centre in London, and were also used at the 2013 Paris Marathon.

[ By Steph in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

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Amy Csizmar Dalal: acdalal

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:46:00 +0000

We’ve now officially reached the point in the term/school year where there is no schedule—there is just running from one crisis to another. I am too tired for planning anything beyond the next half hour. Signs your job might be adversely affecting your family life: You joke about quitting and your spouse says “can you? […]

Alison Sommer '05: (Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: My kids are morbid

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:43:22 +0000

I was going to write a post about this image... but even I didn't know what to say...

(they were in their underwear, hence the drawn-on dresses)

Best motherfucking award ever, from Marjorie of Don't Call me Marge:

Happy Hump Day.

Ken Wedding's CompGov Blog: Nigerian state of emergency

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:14:00 +0000

Things are as bad as some people feared.

Goodluck Jonathan declares emergency in states

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a state of emergency in three states after a series of deadly attacks by Islamist militant groups.

The military will take "all necessary action" to "put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists" in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, he said…

In a pre-recorded address broadcast on Tuesday, President Jonathan said: "What we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity."

Referring to recent attacks on government buildings and killings of officials and other civilians, he said that "these actions amount to a declaration of war".

"We will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice," the president said…

It is not the first time that the president has declared a state of emergency, but this is a clear admission that far from being weakened by the army offensive, the threat of the Islamist militants is growing, says the BBC's Will Ross in Lagos.

And it is the first time that Mr Jonathan has admitted that parts of the country are no longer under central government control, says our correspondent…

Teaching Comparative blog entries are indexed.

The First Edition of What You Need to Know: Teaching Tools is now available from the publisher

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Benjamin Lenzner: a crispy big apple & fuzzy sweet kiwis

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:57:00 +0000

Beats, Ritmos & Stoops - Across 110th Street w/ Benny L

Thursdays 1:30-3pm (NZST)

Thursdays 7-8:30am (IST)

Wednesdays 9:30-11pm (EST)

Wednesdays 6:30-8pm (PST)

Raglan Radio - http://www.raglanradio.com/

Streaming - http://www.raglanradio.com/index.php/listen-now (download file, double click or drag into media player & just enjoy)

tune in!

& podcast to follow!

love and health to all....

Kelly O'Brien '12: theonlymagicleftisart: See more at THE PRINTED INTERNET.

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:43:57 +0000

theonlymagicleftisart:

See more at THE PRINTED INTERNET.

Ken Wedding's CompGov Blog: Cross posting: Hints for success

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

For all the Advanced Placement students out there, this is a duplicate of what I posted on "Studying Comparative" this morning.

Three years ago, Mr. Frank Franz, who teaches in Virginia offered a list of great suggestions that will help you write better responses to FRQs.

I posted them then, two years ago, last year, and here they are once again.

I think these ideas are excellent. The only thing I’d add to the list would be to paraphrase the question as an introduction. In the last few years some rubrics have insisted that responses have introductions that label what is being discussed.

Here's what Mr. Franz wrote:

Here's the strategy I place on every FRQ I give my students. I believe it helps them focus on the questions and will help them earn as high of a score as possible. Some of these ideas are my own and some are from colleagues who have served as readers and table leaders.

Free Response Strategy
    •    Mark-up the question.
    •    Count up how many points you are trying to earn. (Look for number references, count the verbs)
    •    Write as many sentences as there are points.
    •    Write simple, declarative sentences.
    •    Answer the question asked. Nothing else.
    •    Answer every part of the question.
    •    Look for time references, patterns, and passage of time.
    •    Do not argue with the premise of the prompt.
    •    Skip a line between parts, but do not label.

Go ahead and thank Mr. Franz.

The First Edition of What You Need to Know: Teaching Tools is now available from the publisher

The Fifth Edition of What You Need to Know is now available from the publisher (where shipping is always FREE).

Cheryl Klein: MISSION TO TEACH: In Honor of Jhumki Basu

Wed, 15 May 2013 01:59:00 +0000

Soon after James and I began dating, lo these many years ago, I met his friend Jhumki Basu -- one of the most energetic, accomplished, and inspiring people I've ever known. She helped found a charter school in Bed-Stuy devoted to democratic learning, and especially to the goal of encouraging urban youth to pursue science. She got her doctorate at New York University and became a professor there in science education. She ran triathalons, wrote poetry, traveled widely, agitated politically, took care of her friends. And then in 2009 -- "tragedy" does not begin to cover this -- she passed away from metastatic breast cancer at the age of 31.

Now her father, Dipak Basu -- who is also James's and my friend -- has written a book about her life, entitled Mission to Teach. It is not only a full biography of Jhumki, it is also a father's memoir of his daughter; a brave and heart-wringing cancer narrative; and very much the story of a coming-of-age of a teacher, of how Jhumki's pedagogy evolved through her years of teaching and research, and how her work continues through the educational foundation her parents set up in her name. The foreword by Jane Goodall (yes, THAT Jane Goodall) states, "This is a powerful, beautifully written book," and in capturing the spark that Jhumki was to so many people, I couldn't agree more.

The book is available at all major online retailers, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. You can read more about it here, and about the ongoing science-education work of the Jhumki Basu Foundation here. Thank you for checking it out, and for keeping the spark alive.

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Sideways Street Art: Muralist Makes Figures Walk on Walls

Wed, 15 May 2013 01:00:00 +0000

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

These layered creations are surprisingly realistic, even in black and white, thanks in part to their scale and reinforced by their shadows, but also due to the ordinary nature of the sidewalk scenes being depicted.

Strøk (Anders Gjennestad) is a stencil artist and mural maker from Norway with works in various contexts, from city streets to suburban galleries.

Some of his gallery works repeat the same themes and similar scenes on scrap objects, from wooden pallets to metal doors, to those he presents on building walls.

From the creator’s website: “His hand-cut, multi-layered stencils create photo-realistic imagery with depth and detail that [are] complex, tactile and mentally engagement. The placement and choice of material … painted on rusty metal, gritty walls, shiny glass”

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

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Carleton Athletics: Women's Tennis: Knights Win ITA National Sportsmanship Award for May

Tue, 14 May 2013 20:19:00 +0000

The Carleton College women’s tennis team was honored Tuesday as the recipients of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Team Sportsmanship Award for the month of May.

Carleton News: Carleton College Student Earns Davis Projects for Peace Grant

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:45:39 +0000

Carleton College student Sara Hooker '13 (Belfast, Ireland) has earned a Davis Projects for Peace grant worth $10,000. Hooker, a double major in economics and international relations, along with a concentration in political economy, will utilize the grant to work with a group of low-income urban farmers in São Paulo, Brazil. The project goal is to raise the income of the farmers and their families, as well as strengthening ties in the community itself.

Carleton News: Carleton College Symphony Band presents its Spring Concert

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:44:31 +0000

Carleton College’s Symphony Band, directed by Ronald Rodman, will present its spring concert on Friday, May 17 at 8 p.m. in the Concert Hall. This special performance wraps up the academic year with a concert celebrating the graduating members of the Class of 2013. This event is free and open to the public.

Carleton News: Volunteers Needed for Two Events this Weekend in the Cowling Arboretum

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:35:07 +0000

Volunteers are needed for two events happening this Saturday, May 18 in the Cowling Arboretum. From 6 to 9 a.m., the College will host its Annual Spring Bird Count and from 9 a.m. until noon, participants are invited to help with an Arboretum Spring Clean Up.

Alicia Hutchison Steffann '94: Guest Nappers #156 and #157: Concrete Crash

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:19:17 +0000

Awhile back, I posted a picture of my son napping on the sidewalk in his coat.

There were skeptics.

Well, naysayers, I give you Exhibit B…as in Be-Well-Rested. Be-One-With-the-Incline.

Not yet hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk.

If I didn’t actually know the woman who sent me this, I’d have trouble believing it. Having long heard of the exploits of these two whipperNappers, however, I am not as surprised as I could be.

I think these two have cemented their reputation as good sleepers.

Chortle.

Carleton Athletics: Softball: Ramey, Davis, and Parsons Receive All-Conference Recognition

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:43:00 +0000

Jenny Ramey picked up her third All-Conference honor in as many years, as she was named to the 2013 All-MIAC team. Two other Knights were also recognized by the conference as Keelin Davis and Kelsey Parsons were named All-MIAC Honorable Mention. All three players were an integral part of the Knights' climb in the standings, which included Carleton's highest win total in the last nine seasons and the team's first victory during the MIAC Playoffs.

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Hidden Depths: Architectural Illusion Unfolds Underground

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:00:16 +0000

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Guerilla Ads & Marketing. ]

Facade or fantasm, this series of images presents an alluring picture of the layers – perhaps even literal levels – of history that lies beneath aged and famous buildings.

Blending physical fact and historical fantasy, these advertisements (for titled “Discover the Full Story”) extend three archetypal works of Soviet architecture to new subterranean depths. They seem a fitting set to promote the Shchusev State Museum of Architecture in Moscow, Russia.

The Kremlin, with its recognizably colorful onion towers, reveals even more (and larger) turrets below – what is on the surface turns out to be just the uppermost peaks. Neo-Classical and Gothic Revival play their parts as well, turning what looks like an old Greek tempt into the top of an edifice, and a stately structure into a skyscraper.

And for those who enjoy process as much as product, it is interesting to see the stages these illustrations went through to get to their final form – sketched figures and pillars, hand-drafted architectural elements, and then finishing touches.

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Guerilla Ads & Marketing. ]

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Carleton Athletics: Women's Tennis: Doyle and Lombardi Earn Bid to NCAA Doubles Championships

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:14:08 +0000

The doubles team of Bridget Doyle (Sr./Mendota Heights, Minn./Visitation) and Anne Lombardi (Jr./Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) has earned a bid to the NCAA Division III Doubles Championships. The pair’s No. 4 ranking in the Central Region secured them a spot among the sixteen teams selected to participate in the tournament May 23-25 in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Carleton Athletics: Men's Golf: Knights Unable to Regain the Rusty Putter

Tue, 14 May 2013 15:50:27 +0000

The Carleton College men’s golf team faced off against cross-town rivals St. Olaf in the annual “Rusty Putter” match at Willingers Golf Club on Saturday. The dual meet involved three events: best-ball, alternate shot, and scramble formats. Each event was six holes and worth two points. There were three matches, with two players from each team in each group. The Knights started the meet out strong, despite the strong winds and cold temperatures, but Carleton was not able to pull out the victory, falling to the Oles 11-7.

Alison Sommer '05: Preparing for your first kiss...

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:19:46 +0000

How did you learn the art of romantic kissing? How does anybody? Does anybody have a first kiss that's as cute or magical as in the movies? Are these enough rhetorical questions? Did I even listen to my English teachers when they told me rhetorical questions are a shitty way to start an essay?

I was a hopeless romantic as a tween. I didn't really talk to boys, and if I did I spent more time trying to be like them than getting them to like me (what guy doesn't fall head over heals for the girl who knocks him over in gym class?). But I did imagine talking to, and kissing boys (I didn't realize I was queer until after my first kiss, just in case you were worried about continuity and heteronormative storytelling). I would totally practice kissing on my arm or (totally embarrassing to admit) the shower wall. I had big ideas about how a first kiss would be, and I wanted to be prepared. Doesn't everyone?

It didn't help that I got all my "knowledge" about kissing from movies and TV (my parents aren't really the make-out-in-front-of-the-kids types, which is a-ok by me). First kisses were especially romanticized. There are tons of iconic movie scenes of first kisses. My Girl came out when I was 7 and I loved it. I totally dreamed that one day I'd have a cute first kiss right out of that movie.

But for me, those cute childhood/tween years came and went without a peck, and my idea of what a first kiss might look like morphed into something... sexier. I don't know at what age "frenching" (does anybody actually use that word?) became so fascinating, but when I was a young teen it seemed so titillating. I started picture my first kiss in a much sexier way. I was 12 when Clueless came out, and although I didn't see it until it was out on VHS and my parents totally fast-forwarded through the part where they talk about penises, I did see it, and I did dream that one day my first kiss would be as sweet and romantic (and followed up with lots of making out) as Cher and Josh's.

But I was destined for yet another disappointment. I finally scored my very own boyfriend when I was 15. Yes! All my romantic notions were finally going to come true! We dated for 3 months and NEVER KISSED. Then we broke up. I wasn't heartbroken, I was pissed. I felt like such a lameass, like the only high school girl in the world to date a guy who never kissed her (aren't they all supposed to be trying to get in your pants?). Eventually I got back together with that same guy, I actually told him (over AOL Instant Messanger, of course) that I wanted to be kissed. Then after all the fanfare and lead-up and hopes and dreams, I had my first kiss. A quick peck on the lips and a hurried goodbye. sigh.

In the years since then I learned all about good kissers and bad kissers. Kissing with braces. Kissing girls. Kissing men with facial hair. Drooly kisses, bitey kisses, too-much-tongue kisses, and of course the magical makes-you-melt kisses. Everybody has their own style. And somehow I doubt practicing on inanimate objects ever helped anybody, but who knows?

Kevin Draper '10: Series of the Week: Oklahoma City Thunder (1) versus Memphis Grizzlies (5)

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:57:16 +0000

“We have a pretty good team. Just got hurt.”
David Kahn, ex-GM of the Minnesota Timberwolves

The above statement has nothing to do with either the Thunder or the Grizzlies. Rather, it concerns the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team that David Kahn oversaw for four seasons until he was ousted a week ago. In his exit interview, he summed up his performance as the primary team-builder of the Wolves with the quote that leads off our discussion today. By his estimation, he had assembled a worthy team, just one that couldn’t stay healthy. And while one might question Kahn’s thought process in signing players that had lengthy injury histories (Darko Milicic, Josh Howard, Brandon Roy, Martell Webster, to name but a few), there wasn’t a lot to argue. Indeed, his good team had gotten hurt. Moreover, his presumptive star, Kevin Love, was injured as well. Given that Love is the Timberwolves’ offering as “potential superstar”, the fact that he was not able to help lift the team through a tough injury stretch (and perhaps by extension, save Kahn’s job), it isn’t surprising that Kahn, as Jerry Zgoda put it, won’t be “kept up at night.” His team was good. It just got hurt.

Kahn’s somewhat reductionist quote got me thinking, though. I have spent a lot of time this season discussing what, exactly, makes a superstar, and how they are created and celebrated, not just by their teammates, but by their fans across the globe. Addtionally, I have thought a fair amount about the power and meaning of injury in the NBA, and what playing through injury, and in some cases, succeeding through injury, means for both individuals and groups in the NBA. Throughout the season, I looked at teams that managed to succeed in the face of staggering injury, as well as teams that struggled to overcome a particular ailment or ailments. I came to no consensus on either subject. I cannot point to any essential definition of what, exactly, a super star is, nor could I definitively say what makes a good team that gets injured remain good, or crumble under the weight of their own bodies and job duties.

Now, I can say with certainty that Kevin Durant is a superstar. This is a point that has been well-established and does not require further discussion. There is little original information I can add to a player who is universally regarded as one of the top players on the planet, and whose worth has been measured many times over. Kevin Durant, to me, is enjoyable to to watch on the court, seems pleasant enough off of it, and I am unmoved by his many commercials. The next ten years with Kevin Durant will be exciting, and before too long, we’ll fully appreciate what he represents.

But his team? The Thunder? Now, because they were a good team that got hurt, we have questions. The Thunder, of course, are deeply missing Russell Westbrook, lost to a torn meniscus in the postseason’s opening round. And while a team with Kevin Martin, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Nick Collison and Kendrick Perkins can stay competitive, they do not appear to have quite enough to defend their conference championship. This was put on display last night. In the third game of the series, the Thunder gave away a 17 point lead over the course of the second half, eventually losing to the Grizzlies 103-97 in overtime. Kevin Durant delivered his typical stuffed stat line – 27, 7 and 7 in 48 gritty minutes — but the Grizzlies’ full team effort eventually overwhelmed the Thunder, for a third time in a row. A three game losing streak is almost always a sign of concern, but especially so when it comes during a playoff series. The Thunder trail in the series 1-3, and must win three in a row in order to advance to the conference finals. Historically, the 3-1 team wins 96% of the time, thus stacking the odds against Durant and the Thunder.

It seems fairly assured that, regardless of the final outcome of the series, Kevin Durant will get something of a free pass for the 2012-2013 season. Indeed, going by the meteoric expectations that were set for him at the beginning of the season, Durant may have fallen just a few notches short. Though he got his typical All Star berth, and seems likely to be an All NBA First Teamer for the third season in a row, he got zero first place votes for MVP. Nevertheless, Durant won widespread adoration for his labor this season, and deservedly so. The truth was that LeBron had a season unparalleled, and Kevin Durant clearly was the second best player in the league. That is more than enough for most, at this moment. For a superstar who chose early to extend with his team rather than “experience” (the verb most players seem to prefer) free agency, potentially creating a Decision-like atmosphere around his small-town team that has known nothing but winning and wise-beyond-their-years professionalism since arriving in Oklahoma City, he is already following a much different path than his peers. Indeed, there will be neither Kevinsanity nor a Not Nice free agency tour for KD. His future seems tied to Oklahoma City, as long as they stay competitive, and continue to guide the franchise in the right direction.

But now, perhaps, that has come into question. Kevin Durant’s brilliant year does not hide the fact that, once a good team got hurt, it could not survive against a defensively minded team like the Grizzlies.. The Thunder are poised to fall in the semifinal round, their earliest exit from the postseason since they lost to the Lakers as the eighth seed in the first round of the 2010 playoffs. Doubters who decried Sam Presti’s trade of James Harden to Houston have found their voices again, as Kevin Martin produces numbers similar to Harden’s (never a problem in his career) but seems to lack the stage presence and transcendent skill-set of the current Rockets star. Serge Ibaka came out of his shooting struggles in last night’s losing effort, but in many ways, the damage done by his offensive truancy had already been done. Kendrick Perkins’ has been more of a burden than a boon in this series. Derek Fisher seems about done. And though Nick Collison and Reggie Williams have done what they can do, they are not Russell Westbrook.

The final few minutes and overtime period of Game 4 emphasized the highs and lows of superstardom, especially on a team like the Thunder. In the final minute of the game, with the Thunder tasked with scoring a bucket to force overtime, Durant got the ball stolen by Z-Bo, and then was beat to a defensive rebound on the other end by Mike Conley. With the game seemingly over, the cameras lingered on Durant, whose slight shoulders remained high, and whose face remained focus. It was hardly a surprise that when Durant got the ball back — who else was going to take the shot? — he went right to the hole with a patented finger roll, and tied the game at 94-94. Like a superstar should, he got his team into the position to win, through his transcendent talents. But in overtime, when he needed help, the Thunder could not rise to the challenge. In many ways, it served as a microcosm of for the whole series. Indeed, had Durant not hit a go-ahead basket with about 10 seconds left in Game 1 of this series, the Thunder would’ve been swept last night in Memphis.

With that in mind, there be no more compelling time to watch Kevin Durant than right now. As David Kahn said on the way out the door, even the good teams get hurt. This cannot be avoided. But there is a chance — albeit a small one — that Durant can embrace the fact that, at this point, he has little to lose. Games five and seven are in Oklahoma City, where KD is his most dangerous. Though history is against KD and his team, there is a chance that Durant is just that good.

But he has to win tomorrow. Or else, we’ll have to sum up the Thunder season with a cop-out excuse from a former GM: a pretty good team that just got hurt.

Ken Wedding's CompGov Blog: The politics of PEMEX

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

It's not just about government revenue and international trade, the future of PEMEX (and the Mexican economy) might be dependent upon constitutional reform.

To power Mexico forward, Peña Nieto looks to energy reform

It has been 75 years since President Lázaro Cárdenas seized the country’s foreign-dominated petroleum industry and placed every drop of oil under the everlasting domain of the Mexican people.

But while it once was a source of national pride, the state-run monopoly he created — known as Pemex — has become a dinosaur, sapped by debt, sagging output and dated technology. The Mexican government siphons off the company’s revenue to cover about one-third of the federal budget, leaving insufficient funds for what has become a critical task: finding more oil.

… the company lacks the technology and know-how to drill for the vast stores of tougher-to-reach deposits that are thought to exist beneath Mexico’s deserts and seas…

Fixing the company, formally known as Petroleos de Mexico, has become a top priority for Mexico’s new president…

At issue is whether Mexico will embrace the prosperous state-managed model adopted by countries such as Norway and Brazil — where national oil companies can partner with foreign firms and sell shares to investors…

For those pushing for change, the challenge is as much political as it is technical. The Mexican constitution essentially blocks the country from forming joint-venture partnerships with outsiders, and analysts say such restrictions will need to be scrapped if the country wants to attract foreign drillers…

Lifting the restrictions on foreign oil companies through a constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds majority in Mexico’s Congress and the endorsement of more than half of the country’s state governors. Peña Nieto is expected to face considerable political wrangling from the powerful oil workers union, left-leaning lawmakers and interest groups, which are content with their slice of the status quo, even as overall production has slipped…

Teaching Comparative blog entries are indexed.

The First Edition of What You Need to Know: Teaching Tools is now available from the publisher

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Rachel Teagle: AFF 2013 Fringe PlayList: Returning Favorites

Tue, 14 May 2013 03:52:00 +0000

Good news everyone! For your art-enjoying convenience, the Atlanta Fringe Festival is offering multi-show discount passes, so you can get more Fringe-bang for your Fringe-buck. And, they're available RIGHT NOW!

But wait, Rachel, there are so many great shows to pick from in the 2013 festival, how do I start? Well, first, see my show, then run around and see as much stuff as you can!

I will be working on "Fringe PlayLists" - thematic suggestions on how you can use your multi-show pass and Fringe to the Fullest. I strongly encourage those of you doing the festival (or those perusing the line up) to make up their own Fringe PlayLists, and post 'em in the comments or on your tumblrblogtwitterfacebookvine dealies. So, as our inaugural Fringe PlayList, here are some of the artists who put up awesome shows in last year's festival and are crazy enough to come back for more.

#Innerology by Twinhead Theatre, from the wild and weird troupe that brought us last year's fringe hit F*ck F*ck Goose: Stories for children (not for children). This year they're taking us to church: the Church of Innerology. This "life-changing techno-cult" will help you to evolve beyond your meat bodies and embrace your cyber-self as your true self.

Also returning are Moldavia's national treasure, Thimblerig Circus. Combining dangerous stunts and volatile comedy, Kizka, Zolophd, and Molotov will dazzle you, disgust you, and leave you longing for the glory of the Mother land. For more on their dangerous pasts and their journey to the Atlanta Fringe, check out their elaborate back stories. Their credo? "We strongly believe that no one should ever have to choose between raucous laughter and unnecessary violence."

Leaping down from North Carolina, we have Chance and Choice from the Ws project, a group of Charlotte-based choreographers and movement artists. After bringing us the beautiful "Making Since" last year, the Ws project is mixing it up with ... wait for it... a “choose-your-own-adventure”-style dance concert. WHAT?! Only in the Fringe, folks. Choose-your-own-adventure dance. You'll want to save a spot on your dance card for this one.

And finally we have Onstage Atlanta, who brought us "Crimes Against Humanity" last year, and has another edgy twist-filled, the world premiere of See Jane Talk by Megan Hart. Things go awry at a psychiatrist's office when "a therapeutic role-playing game takes an explosive turn in which they discover that they have more in common than they knew." Intriguing indeed.

So, what's on your PlayList?

Patrick Ganey: Dua, Vietnamese fermented mustard greens

Tue, 14 May 2013 01:47:00 +0000

When mẹ, my mother-in-law, pronounces this dish, it sounds like “awe” with a ‘dz’ prefix (like we hear in 'adze'), so it sounds like “dzawe” to my non-Vietnamese ears. She’s been making it forever, and though we’ve asked her several times to show us how to make it, it was only after my wife and I went to Vermont’s first fermentation festival that I pressed her to share her way of making it. Like many things she cooks, mẹ says it’s easy and that it can be prepared in a number of ways. Once I get the hang of a dish, this perspective is great, but it’s difficult to learn a new dish when most questions are answered by, “It doesn’t matter,” or “You can do whatever you want.” On the other hand, such ease with substituting or changing ingredients shows how comfortable and familiar some people are with dishes (rather than recipes) that are close to them; they see infinite variety in secondary ingredients, which keeps the same dish interesting year after year.

So many fermented recipes follow a similar pattern, and dua is another. Using mustard greens, which are a thick ribbed and heavy-fleshed leaf, dua differs in just a few ways. First, the washed leaves are separated and laid out to dry and wilt a little. Mẹ recommends an overnight wilting period but in the hot sun it might be only a few hours. Next, the leaves are cut into smaller pieces to make them easier to eat when they’re done fermenting, but they can be left whole, especially if you plan to cook the dua with pork, which is a favorite way to cook it. When I’m making sauerkraut I use the pretty standard ratio of 3 tablespoons salt for 5 pounds cabbage, but dua differs a little in that there’s not a lot of water to pull out through osmosis, so a brine is typically used. To make the brine, I bring water to a boil, add salt, and let it cool to room temperature. A few tablespoons of kosher or sea salt in a few quarts of water is a pretty good ratio – the brine should taste salty. Put all the wilted greens into a big glass or ceramic bowl or crock, and cover with the brine. I put a plate on top to keep all the greens submerged, and a water-filled bowl on top of the plate. A sliced onion is a pretty standard addition, and mẹ sometimes adds garlic, chili peppers, or ginger.

The important thing is to keep the greens submerged because the fermentation occurs in anaerobic conditions and exposure to air can cause less beneficial molds to form on the dua. When mẹ makes it she frequently skims a layer of mold off the top of the brine; I prevent that by keeping a plate and bowl on top, ensuring that the mustard greens stay submerged. And, of course, when you begin, make sure all your containers are clean – I rinse everything in very hot water, and if a container has been used for something that’s left residue of some kind, I first rinse it with boiling water.

When fermenting things the first few times my confidence sometimes wavered and it seemed beyond my reach. But I thought about our early human history as a refrigerator-less species, and figured that I could figure it out (with the help of a few books and conversations with friends.) So I hope you'll give it a try; ferment something and eat like most people did in those years people lived without electricity. Here’s my simple 1,2,3 to make dua, Vietnamese fermented mustard greens:

1. Wash a big heap of mustard greens and spread the separated leaves out to wilt, overnight. Cut into smaller pieces, if desired.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil and add salt. Stir to dissolve and let cool. Use three or four tablespoons of kosher, sea, or other non-iodized salt in the pot. It should taste salty but doesn’t have to pucker your eyeballs.
3. The next day, put the wilted greens into a big pickle jar, ceramic crock, or glass bowl. Cover with brine.
4. Put a plate on top. Put something on top of the plate to keep it weighted down.
5. Let sit for a week or so. Dua will turn pale and yellowish. When done, drain off brine, and store in fridge, covered.
6. Eat with rice, as a cool accompaniment to spicy foods, or by itself.

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Test Your Geography Skills with Google Maps Game

Tue, 14 May 2013 01:00:11 +0000

[ By Steph in Global & Travel & Places. ]

Can you guess where in the world this unidentified Google Maps location is by landscape, road signs, architecture and cars? Test your geography skills with GeoGuessr, a site that drops you into a random Street View and challenges you to answer correctly five times in a row. Brilliantly simple, this virtual travel guessing game will stump you with featureless fields, and city scenes that seem to belong on entirely different continents.

Once placed in a location, you can move up and down the streets and use the arrows to view it in 360 degrees, just like on Google Maps and Google Earth. Sometimes, you might get lucky, and see some kind of identifying signs. Sometimes, there’s nothing but farmland and trees.

When you think you’ve determined the location, drop a pin on the world map on the right side of the screen and make your guess. You might be surprised how many times you’re about as off as you can possibly be. Some streets in Northern Canada look an awful lot like those in Argentina. Try it for yourself at GeoGuessr.com (via Laughing Squid).

[ By Steph in Global & Travel & Places. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

Kevin Draper '10: Monday Media: The Many Melodramatic Layers of a Picture

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:37:36 +0000

This is a picture of Kevin Durant wearing a hat. This we can agree on.

But after that? Well, it’s up to you.

My guess is when a person from Seattle sees the picture seen above, they mostly feel sad. There are the obvious reasons — the last franchise player for the SuperSonics, wearing a nice classic snap-back depicting the colors and icons of the defunct franchise — but there are other reasons, as well. It’s somewhat jarring to see the green hat perched atop the head of the Thunder’s past (which doesn’t exist), present and future as he wears the practice garb of the team the Sonics became. Indeed, Kevin Durant’s exploits as a Sonic happened while he was a dazzling but imperfect rookie, youthfully playing while the team trudged its way in the through a grouchy, dour final season in Seattle. It’s not a terribly pleasant experience to immerse oneself in the realities of the brief Kevin Durant era in the Pacific Northwest, while at the same time, pondering what could have been if the stewardship of the Sonics had been more responsible, and the NBA was a much different place.

At the same time, a person from Oklahoma City might see this picture, and angrily say to themselves, What the hell, man? No, the arrival of the team in the lower midwest (or, northeastern south? The eastern southwest?) was neither clean nor celebrated. But hey, the team’s there, now. It had a good run in Seattle, but now it’s in a place where it suffers through nightly sell-outs, national television appearances, and deep runs into the postseason. The present is mighty fine, indeed, and Kevin Durant is a –if not the – major reason why. To see KD wear a Sonics hat while he represents Oklahoma City (in the playoffs, no less) must feel a bit like seeing a new spouse wearing the wedding ring from a previous marriage. Wear a Mariners hat, if you must, that person from Oklahoma City might mutter, their mouths turned down in disgust. But don’t wear a Sonics hat. Be better than that.

But even more bizarrely, a person in Sacramento might see this picture, and feel anything from panic to frustration. The battle for the Kings rages on (even as we speak), and through a remarkable series of events, California’s capitol city has become the sacrificial alter where a capitalist Binding of Isaac will almost certainly take place. The outcome of this conflict is not known — despite what any source says, or any fan angrily declares, no one can predict the actions of millionaires and billionaires when actual money is at stake — and is not likely to be known any time soon. But people still try and find meanings etched on walls, dropping lazily to the ground like tea leaves. Surely there’s a meaning in KD wearing a Sonics hat, especially on this day, while the NBA and its shareholders meet in New York City to continue the discussion on how the execution of the Kings as we currently know them should be carried out.

A picture of Kevin Durant, taken on a mobile device, posted on the internet. A simple, modern thing, really.

Yet, it is truly interesting how a picture depicting a singular image can carry so many meanings, for so many different people. That, thankfully, will never change.

Ken Wedding's Reading Blog: Some thoughts from Down Under

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:20:00 +0000

Bird Loomis has been doing the visiting scholar bit in Australia, so his has been a year without a winter. Along with lecturing, writing, and observing, he's also been reading and visiting galleries down under. I don't know what he's been doing in the galleries, but here are some of the things he's been reading.

Long-running series:. Just finished the last two C. J. Box books, with Joe Pickett as the central character. Force of Nature is #12 in the series, Breaking Point #13. And I recently finished Ian Rankin’s latest John Rebus book, Standing in Another Man's Grave.

Rankin

The Rankin and Force of Nature were pretty good, but not great. Both represented late-series books that were more than a bit formulaic. At some point Pickett’s domestic tensions and his buddy Nate Romanowski’s super-human exploits grow wearisome, as does Rebus’s drinking, smoking, and listening to a who’s who of jazz. Still, Box and especially Rankin are skilled authors, and even an average outing is not bad, especially when you can download it on a Nook in 30 seconds.

This brings us to Box’s latest book, Breaking Point, which has been discussed a bit here previously. Given its cartoonish treatment of the EPA specifically and governmental regulations in general, I was prepared not to like it at all. I checked out Amazon and found lots of very positive reviews, and a devastating critique of its treatment of bureaucracy. Still, I’m sitting here in Australia, and my wife Michel has gone home. So I’ve got hours to fill in the evening. Well, there is a lot of excellent wine… In any event, I ordered Breaking Point yesterday and started reading. And all the folks on Amazon were right. It was riveting and cartoonish in its depiction of bureaucrats. But by the end of forty pages, the story has won out. I suspended my disbelief and let go. Great read. Virtually no Nate and no domestic issues for the last half of the book, just a fast-paced set of story lines. C. J. Box and Joe Pickett still have some juice. I’ll still be a bit suspicious, but will look toward #14 with more optimism.

McKinty

I also recently finished Adrian McKinty’s The Cold, Cold Ground, introducing a Belfast Catholic detective during “the Troubles” of the early 1980s. McKinty is a young, but prolific, author, who I saw discussing his trade in a TV recording of his presentation at Adelaide’s Writer’s Week discussions (which took place in March). McKinty was a good talker, and he stated his suspicion of series, even one as consistently good as Mankel’s Wallander set. McKinty's done a couple of short, three-book series, and was just starting with his new detective, Sean Duffy, in Belfast (a Protestant stronghold, of course). McKinty is good (based on my one-book reading). His Belfast was great, in that he’d grown up there. The tensions of being a Catholic cop in a Protestant city, during a violent time, are well-developed. I already have pre-ordered the next volume, due out in the next couple of days.

McKinty argued that he had nothing more insightful to say about his characters after three books. I’m still thinking about that. But it does make one think of whether a long-lasting series offers much beyond predictable narratives. I think that Breaking Point does it pretty well, but most later books in long-running series are likely to be written and read with formulaic expectations. Maybe McKinty is right, but you need to be highly confident in your own abilities and willing to turn a deaf ear to the entreaties of your editor and publisher.

Have you read C. J. Box recently? Have you read the latest Rebus novel? How about McKinty's The Cold, Cold Ground? Do you agree with McKinty that authors have little new to tell us after three books about the same characters? Write. Tell this little bit of the world what you think.

C. J. Box's web site
Maxine's review of Force of Nature at Petrona
Carole E. Barrowman's review of Force of Naturein the Minneapolis Star Tribune
Charlene Giannetti's review of Breaking Point in Woman Around Town
Marilyn Stasio's review of Standing in Another Man's Grave in The New York Times
Allison Flood's review of Standing in Another Man's Grave in The Guardian
Eoin McNamee's review of The Cold Cold Ground in The Guardian
A review of The Cold Cold Ground in The Independent (Dublin)

Dan Schofer '00

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:39:50 +0000

5-13-2013
Mud Road. 44 minutes. 6 miles.
Another easy run. Felt pretty good.

Dan Schofer '00

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:39:19 +0000

5-13-2013
Town + Mud Road. 44 minutes. 6 miles.
Cool and breezy. Relaxed run. Felt OK.

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Fit for a Villain: 12 Surprisingly Homey Underground Lairs

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

Nuclear missile silos, former quarries, natural caves and man-made hills camouflage homes ranging from rustic and understated to modern and luxurious. Seeming ideally suited to shield unsavory dealings from view, these subterranean lairs are perfect for villains – or just ordinary people who want to live in a really cool place.

Secret Subterranean Passage Connects Barn to Home

Looking out over the land, all you’ll see here is a very unassuming stone-and-wood barn. But go inside that barn and you’ll discover a concealed entry to an underground passage that leads to a hidden home. Villa Vals emerges from the hillside to look out onto a beautiful view. Located in Switzerland, this subterranean residence is also a part-time rental.

Subterra Castle Converted Nuclear Missile Silo

When Ed Peden first laid eyes upon what would later become his home, it was little more than a dark, dark, unmaintained hole in the ground. This underground nuclear missile silo wasn’t exactly welcoming, but Peden bought it for the relatively low cost of $48,000 and transformed it into a comfortable family residence. The home is topped by a modest-looking wooden structure, and nothing would look amiss at all if it weren’t for the escape hatches that have been altered to look like castle towers. The home takes up just a third of the nearly 20,000 available square feet of space underground.

Cave House, Festus, Missouri

A 17,000-square-foot artificial cavern left by a 1930s sandstone mine in Festus, Missouri is now a beautiful modern family home. Located 45 feet below a forest (and a neighboring home), Cave House was temporarily a roller rink and concert venue hosting the likes of Tina Turner and Bob Seger, and the back chamber still has the stage they performed upon. The middle chamber measures 80 by 80 feet, used by the family as a ‘party room’, and the front chamber holds most of the home. The property is 2.8 partially wooded acres with three freshwater springs and fourteen waterfalls.

Atlas F Missile Base House, Abilene, Texas

Inspired by Ed Peden’s Subterra, a man named Bruce Townsley purchased an Atlas F missile base near Abilne, Texas for $99,000. Townsley transformed just 1,000 square feet of the sprawling base into his living space. Notable features like the massive blast doors have been preserved, while much of the home now has a coat of bright white paint that makes it feel surprisingly welcoming.

Malator, Wales

Commonly known by neighbors in Wales as the ‘Teletubby House’, Malator is mostly hidden within a hill, with no more than a clear glass facade and a steel chimney to give it away. Built in the town of Druidstone in 1998, the small underground dwelling has a turf roof and working porthole windows.

Underground House in a Former Quarry

An old quarry in the Eden Valley of Cumbria, UK hosts a two-story house with a massive glass facade to bring in daylight and warmth. The earth-sheltered, eco-friendly home was designed by architect John Bodger for Phil and Helen Reddy.

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Fit For A Villain 12 Surprisingly Homey Underground Lairs

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Alison Sommer '05: Top 10 Reasons Vegas Vacations RULE

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:19:31 +0000

My husband and I have been to Vegas twice (well, ok, 3 times, but I was only 19 the first time so I couldn't do anything so it didn't count) on vacations with friends while the kids stayed at home with the grandparents. They were great (of course they were that's why we did it twice!) and here's why...

1. Drinks at the pool at 9 am. You can start every day right in Vegas. Both times I was there I went in the summer, which was rough in mid-day when 1 minute outside felt like an eternity in hellfire. But at 9am the temperature is just right to lounge in the sun by the pool, with a cocktail of course.

2. No kids. If you're doing Vegas right, you did not bring your children. Vegas is not for little ones. Vegas is for grown-ups. Although there are children in Vegas, if you're looking to avoid not just your own spawn but the spawn of all of humanity, there are plenty of places that are totally ankle-biter free.

3. Being unabashedly touristy. When you visit a more... high brow city, you might want to try and blend in. I do. I hate standing out as a tourist. No fanny packs and cameras around my neck, no standing on the street corner with a map (haha, map. what is this 1998?) But in Vegas I play tourist loud and proud. One of the most fun things to do was to exaggerate our Minnesotan accents, especially when talking in elevators. Ooh, Jen, didja see dat der sign for da club, I'd like ta go there doncha know, oh you betcha dat would be a hoot! And since most everybody around you in Vegas is totally wasted, they not only believed our accents were real, but they started to talk about it with us like we were some exotic creature they just met. Speaking of being completely drunk....

4. Be drunk everywhere! You can buy and consume beverages everywhere you go. Vegas is like a crazy bar that never closes. The hardest part of coming back from Vegas (other than the hangover) is realizing that you can no longer stroll down main street with a two foot tall margarita in your hand. *sad face*

5. Free drinks on the casino floor! If you find the right machine you can put in a dollar, poke the buttons, and mooch off the free drinks for hours. If one of your favorite pastimes is hanging around with friends chatting and drinking, than all you're really missing is the shiny buttons to hit, and the chance of winning a few bucks. What can be better than friends and free drinks, really? And if you like free things...

6. Free entertainment on the strip! Just walking down the strip is like going to a show. Actually there are shows there. There are the fountains at Bellagio, and that pirate thing at that pirate place (ok, I admit, my friend Jen was the one in charge of usering us to and from the various shows on the strip, maybe you should take her with you to Vegas with you too). There are street performers and of course, don't underestimate the fun of people watching in a city as insane as Las Vegas.

7. Find the humor in the seedier side of Vegas. At every crosswalk along the strip you will see men handing out little stacks of cards. These are advertisements for hookers. They thrust them into mens' hands before they know what's going on, and as a result they litter the ground up and down the strip. You could find this distasteful, wasteful, and sad. You could yell odd obscenities like "kangeroo-cunt" at all of them (although people might think you have tourettes). Or you could these intrusive advertisements them as trading cards and collect a whole set. Extra points for every hooker you find who shares your name (warning to other Alisons out there, you will lose this game, even if you could Allison, Alyson, Allicen, and any other spelling)

8. Food! Food! Food! There is almost as much food as booze in Vegas. There's something for everybody. You can stuff yourself silly at an all you can eat buffet, or empty your wallet and have a few bites form a world renowned chef. The best meal of my life was one I had in on of Hubert Keller's Vegas restaurants. There's something for everyone to eat in Vegas.

9. It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg! You could drop a truckload of money easily, for sure. But you don't have to. We stayed at Excalibur and it cost less than $50 a night. It's not the Bellagio, but it's easy walking distance to the Bellagio (unless you wear stilettos then the walk gets less easy... at least for me). Also, all that stuff I already said about free drinks and entertainment. And if you bring your own partner, the sex is free too. ;)

10. What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas... and, apparently some of it ends up on this blog... but not all of it does *wink wink, nudge nudge*

Carleton News: St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Comes to Carleton College

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:57:35 +0000

On the heels of their first official concert in almost seven months, the revered St. Paul Chamber Orchestra comes to Carleton College for a special performance on Saturday, May 18 at 8 p.m. in the Skinner Memorial Chapel. Tickets, available at the door, are $10 the general public, $7 for students and seniors, and free for those with a Carleton or St. Olaf College ID.

Avery Morrow '10: Wang Yangming on Gornahoor

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:30:29 +0000

I have published an essay about the Confucian scholar Wang Yangming on Gornahoor.net. Anyone will be able to enjoy this exposition of Traditional doctrine. Below is an appendix to that post.

Yōmeigaku, the study of Yangming’s teachings in Japan, was especially prominent during the period of modernization. During the Russo-Japanese War, Emperor Meiji did a perfect imitation of Evola’s anecdote:

During the Russo-Japanese War, the emperor never felt impelled to offer advice on the conduct of the war, and he rarely revealed his emotions, even when told of Japanese victories. As soon as he learned of the fall of Port Arthur, the vice chief of the general staff, Nagaoka Gaishi, rushed to the palace to inform the emperor. … Nagaoke, too overcome by joy to even wait for the emperor to be seated, declared that serving as the messenger of glorious news was the greatest blessing of his life. Having blurted out these words, he started to make his report. He looked up at the emperor’s face. It was calm and self-possessed, exactly as it always was, not revealing a trace of emotion. During the fifteen or sixteen minutes while Nagaoka described the victory, the emperor nodded almost imperceptibly a few times … Nagaoka was deeply disappointed. [Donald Keene, Meiji and His World, 619]

During that war, the Admiral of the Japanese Navy is known to have carried a stamp with him that read, “A life dedicated to following the example of Yōmei”.

Yōmeigaku was shoved aside after 1945 to make way for foreign ideologies, but it captured the interest of Yukio Mishima. Just before his failed coup d’état, he wrote an article on “Yōmeigaku as a Revolutionary Philosophy”. The newspapers of 1972 were written by young, postwar-educated reporters who had no idea of even the most basic tenets of Yōmeigaku, but that didn’t stop them from blaming the unfamiliar old tradition for driving Mishima to suicidal heroism, and if you Google any of these terms today you will find all sorts of baseless slanders about the philosophy online. This is a shame, because both Japan and the world have much to learn from Wang Yangming

Alissa Pajer: Saving Money On Auto Insurance

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:44:57 +0000

Buying auto insurance is a necessary step for everyone who owns a vehicle and wants to drive it out on the public roads. Although it is required in every state, you don’t have to agree to pay too much for your coverage. If you’re interested in saving some money, here are a few tips on how to pay less for your auto insurance policy.

Work With Multiple Companies

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is going into a single insurance company and buying a policy without looking around. This business is very competitive, and there are many different auto insurance companies out there that will give you a quote. If you are shopping for auto insurance in Florida, you have a wide range of insurance options available. You do not have to choose the first insurance agent you see or talk to. If you will take the time to shop around, you can typically save quite a bit of money on your policy.

Raise Your Deductible

If you need to save money on your auto insurance premiums, one of the best ways that you can do this is by raising your deductible. By doing this, you are basically betting on yourself that you’re not going to get in a wreck. If you don’t get in a wreck, then you will actually pay less for this type of coverage. If you do get in a wreck, then you’ll have to come up with the money for the deductible amount.

Change Your Coverage Limits

When you’re choosing an auto insurance policy, it is also important to make sure that you understand the coverage limits that you have. In some cases, you can save money by altering these limits to meet your needs. For instance, your policy will have a coverage limits for the liability insurance in a few areas. It will have a limit on the payment that the insurance company has to make for each accident for bodily injury and for personal property damage. By changing these limits, you can get a cheaper price in most cases.

While you do want to save money on your auto insurance, don’t skimp on coverage too much. You still need to make sure that you have an adequate amount of coverage to meet your needs.

Naomi Dietzel Hershiser '99: Cold Spell

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:39:33 +0000

A frosty morning... like a little "ha! ha!" to all the people who planted things outside for Mother's Day! Last frost of 2013 spring = May 12-13???

Ken Wedding's CompGov Blog: Coming next: A Russian version of "The Daily Show?"

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Political competition within the top Kremlin leadership is once again visible.

Vladimir Putin's former 'cardinal' forced out of government: Vladislav Surkov, known as grey cardinal, was said to be behind Russia's system of 'managed democracy'

Surkov and Putin
The mysterious Russian politician credited with building Vladimir Putin's particular brand of governance – masking tight control with pseudo-democratic institutions – has been forced out of government after publicly arguing with the country's increasingly powerful political police…

He was considered one of Russia's most deft politicians, crafting Russia's system of "managed democracy" and steering its powerful propaganda machine, mainly via control over state-run television.

Yet his star had been steadily falling since Putin returned to the presidency last year, choosing a path of open repression over the cunning manipulation favoured by Surkov…

The news came one day after Izvestia, a newspaper loyal to the Kremlin, ran a column by Vladimir Markin, spokesman of the Investigative Committee, a body that answers only to Putin and has led a widespread manhunt against the Kremlin's perceived enemies, including opposition activists. Markin attacked Surkov for criticising the Investigative Committee during a recent talk at the London School of Economics…

The investigative committee, rather than the general prosecutor's office, has led investigations into opposition leaders such as the corruption activist Alexey Navalny, as well as less publicly known protesters who now face charges of orchestrating mass unrest…

Surkov's departure was widely seen as a win for the increasingly powerful investigative committee and hardliners inside Russia as well as a blow against relative liberals such as Medvedev, who continues to battle rumours of impending departure…

Surkov, 48, was one of the most colourful politicians in Russia, even while he kept a low profile. In the 1990s he worked with Mikhail Khodorkovsky, then Russia's richest man and now Russia's most famous political prisoner. Even after joining the Kremlin, he wrote rock lyrics and plays under a pseudonym. He was known to be a fan of the rapper Tupac Shakur and once recorded a reading of Allen Ginsberg's beatnik masterpiece Howl.

There was much speculation in Russia as to what Surkov, once one of Russia's most powerful politicians, would do next. Speaking to the magazine Russian Pioneer, where he sometimes wrote a column, Surkov on Wednesday said: "There are some plans – a political comedy based on real news is ripening."…

Teaching Comparative blog entries are indexed.

The First Edition of What You Need to Know: Teaching Tools is now available from the publisher

The Fifth Edition of What You Need to Know is now available from the publisher (where shipping is always FREE).

Margaret Taylor: Alpaca everything.

Mon, 13 May 2013 06:10:02 +0000

It’s like a mini World’s Fair, hosted by the International Institute of Minnesota each year the first weekend in May.

Man at the Cambodia booth selling fresh coconut water.

Paper lanterns.

Wooden roses at the China booth.

Vu and the Giant Grinning Banana of Doom.

Alpaca everything.

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Fighting the Future: 3D-Printed Gun Fired, Blocked by US

Mon, 13 May 2013 01:00:53 +0000

[ By WebUrbanist in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

The story has unfolded fast, and people on both sides are furious. Within days of a successful test firing of the Liberator, this working 3D-printed weapon has attracted the attention of the United States government. 100,000+ downloads in, the State Department has stepped in to try and stop further distribution.

Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed and his crew have been harshly criticized, both by those who wanted him to stand up to authority and others who wish he had never created or released the blueprint files in the first place.

Despite adamantly contending they would not cave to external pressure, Defcad – the site hosting the 3D gun and other illicit-object designs – now has a white-on-red warning at the top of the page summarizing the situation for visitors. None of this, of course, has stopped people from distributing the files in a variety of alternative venues.

On the one hand, it is entirely understandable that people would fear a future in which gun control is difficult or impossible thanks to ease of on-demand printing. Further, its parts and breakdown also make it easy to sneak through security checks, making it potentially more dangerous in some ways than a traditional firearm.

On the other hand, people can already make guns with the right shop equipment (better ones than those that can be currently printed), plus history has shown that fighting inevitable shifts in technology is an uphill battle. In tech, much like in war, sophisticated capabilities tend to win in the end, regardless of which side was ‘right’ to begin with. Information, as they say, wants to be free.

[ By WebUrbanist in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 22:05:26 +0000

5-12-2013
Town + Mud Road. 30 minutes. 4 miles.
Easy shakeout run. Felt good. [Week: 78 miles]

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 22:04:38 +0000

5-12-2013
Town + Country Lisbon. 57 minutes. 8 miles.
Cool, sunny, and windy. Relaxed, decent pace. Felt pretty good.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 22:03:55 +0000

5-11-2013
Beloit, Wisconsin. 70 minutes. 10 miles.
Cool (40's), wet, and breezy. Felt good. Relaxed, decent pace.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 22:02:42 +0000

5-10-2013
Short Abbe Hills. 60 minutes. 8 miles.
Early morning run.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 22:01:05 +0000

5-9-2013
Town Loop. 30 minutes. 4 miles.
Easy shakeout run.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 22:00:35 +0000

5-9-2013
Town + Country Lisbon. 59 minutes. 8 miles.
Mild, wet. Relaxed, easy run.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:59:48 +0000

5-8-2013
Ink Road. 30 minutes. 4 miles.
Easy shakeout run.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:59:12 +0000

5-8-2013
Springville + Gillette Loop. 60 minutes. 8 miles.
Mild, nice. Easy pace. Felt sluggish and tired.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:57:55 +0000

5-7-2013
Town Loop. 23 minutes. >3 miles.
Easy running during practice.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:57:20 +0000

5-7-2013
Town + Irish Loop. 66 minutes. 9 miles.
Mild, nice. Relaxed, easy pace. Felt OK.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:56:25 +0000

5-6-2013
Lisbon. 30 minutes. 4 miles.
Easy shakeout run. Felt fine.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:55:58 +0000

5-6-2013
Abbe Hills Loop. 59 minutes. 8 miles.
Mild and nice. Easy pace. Felt a bit stiff but not too bad.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:52:26 +0000

5-5-2013
Willow Creek. 39 minutes. >5 miles.
Exta slow and easy run. [Week: 77 miles]

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:51:51 +0000

5-5-2013
Ink Road. 56 minutes. 8 miles.
Mild, sunny, and breezy. Felt much better. Last 4 miles in 27 flat.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:51:08 +0000

5-4-2013
Town Loop. 60 minutes. 8 miles.
Early morning run. Leg still very stiff.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:50:33 +0000

5-3-2013
Lisbon + Town. 75 minutes. 10 miles.
Chilly (35 degrees), windy, and raining! Leg felt a little better.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:49:49 +0000

5-2-2013
Town. 15 minutes. 2 miles.
Easy warmup run.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:49:05 +0000

5-2-2013
Town + Mud + Irish + Palisades. 60 minutes. 8 miles.
Chilly (40s) and windy. Slow and easy run.

Dan Schofer '00

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:48:20 +0000

5-1-2013
Town. 30 minutes. 4 miles.
Easy run. Hot and sunny!

Kevin Draper '10: Your Annotated Smartphone Bathroom Reader for Sunday, May 12th, 2013.

Sun, 12 May 2013 18:37:02 +0000

Maloofs Employ “Plan Middle Finger”
Ray Ratto
CSNBayArea.com

On Sunday, just when it seemed like things were wrapping up with the sale of the Sacramento Kings from the maligned Brothers Maloof, things went nuts again. Not only did Chris Hansen up the value of his bid by $70 million dollars (raising the price to a $625 million dollars, which is higher than the GDP of a number of nations) and the relocation fee, but the Maloofs let it be known that they will not accept the bid offered by Vivek Ranadive, the city of Sacramento and the NBA. Instead, they will offer 20% of the Kings to Hansen, and sour the relationship between the harassed fanbase and the team. Ray Ratto summarizes the proceedings nicely here. As he correctly points out: “the Maloofs are telling Sacramento at the moment of its greatest imagined triumph that no one can put a price tag on spite.” Go Ray!

–JG

Waiting in the Wings: Adam Silver
Paul Rogers
Sonics Rising

In February 2014, right after All Star Weekend, NBA commissioner-elect Adam Silver will take the wheel from out-going commissioner David Stern, and assume control of the multi-billion dollar corpration and global brand. When that happens (and depending on what happens with the Sacramento Kings), the biggest question for the new commish will likely center on the prospect of expansion, in Seattle and elsewhere. Will Adam Silver revisit the possibility of expanding the league? Paul Rogers does a close investigation into various secondary sources in an attempt to make an assertion. He concludes that while Silver’s attachment to his mentor and boss is troubling for traumatized Sonics fans, Silver generally seems more amenable towards seeing franchises as “public trusts” rather than simply assets that can be bought, sold and moved. This is useful work from Rogers.

–JG

Racial Discrimination Among NBA Referees (2007)
Joseph Price & Justin Wolfers
National Bureau of Economic Research

I happened across this paper while surfing the internet, and I will have to reread it a number of times. In the journal-length article, Price and Wolfers assert that, when it comes to winning — quantified through the relative calling of fouls — that ” these observable game outcomes are themselves the product of biased evaluation by referees.” Additionally, they assert that, “in light of the mismatch between the composition of the players (around four-fifths of whom are black) and their evaluators (around two-thirds of referees are white in our sample), an own-race preference may drive an aggregate bias against blacks (or for whites).” In my first reading, I was impressed with the depth of Price and Wolfers’ analysis. They include an impressive amount of data about biases with black and “white” (including Asian and Hispanic) players and refs, and reference a wide range of sources. At the same time, it seems problematic to try and quantify “racism” through foul calling. Nevertheless, it is, without a doubt, the most ambitious analysis I’ve ever seen in regards to quantifying racism, and among the most unique uses of professional basketball as a lens to observe society-at-large in any context, journalistic, academic, or otherwise.

–JG

We Don’t Live Here Anymore
David Roth
The Classical

As one of Jersey’s native sons, David Roth is unimpressed with the new Barclay’s Center, “the whole fakey-fake branded enterprise and the artsily distressed metal edifice on Flatbush”. From Jay-Z’s (previous) involvement with the team to the black jerseys and piped in arena sounds, the entire thing just feels forced. What separates Roth’s analysis from the multitudes noting a similar feeling is his understanding of how community is built. As he writes in the subhead: “The Brooklyn Nets are a mediocre, tacky, and mostly heart-free basketball team. But give them time.”

–KD

The Nassau Coliseum Was Not A Dump: What The Isles Are Leaving Behind
Sam Page
Deadspin

Soon, the Brooklyn Nets won’t be the Barclay’s Center’s only tenants. Sometime in the next couple years the NHL’s New York Islanders will play their final game at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and move 20 miles west to Brooklyn. Sam Page—whose grandfather helped build the building and worked for the team—beautifully chronicles what the final few years of “progress” looks like, and how the departure of the Islanders will rip out whatever soul Long Island ever had.

–KD

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Can’t Be Shaved: 12 Abandoned Barber Shops

Sun, 12 May 2013 17:00:03 +0000

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

This abandoned barber shop triple-quartet collectively echoes with the metallic chattering of honed clippers tempered by hazy undertones of warm conversation.

Losing Your Head

(image via: Adam’s Journey)

The abandoned Richardson’s Barber Shop in Yanceyville, North Carolina, appealed to potential customers by displaying the unique motto “We need your head in our business” on the outside wall. Kudos to roving photographer Adam Prince for snapping the shop in a favorable light, or at least in favorable lighting.

(images via: CCHA and Adam’s Journey)

Evidently the snappy slogan wasn’t the best way to get ahead IN business because by the fall of 2005, Richardson’s was OUT of business. On the bright side, though the ex-clip joint is looking faded and forlorn these days the circus flyers marring its front picture window in the autumn 2005 image above weren’t a permanent addition.

Rest In La Paz

(image via: Photorator)

The conquista-door has long slammed shut at the eerily exquisite La Paz Peluqueria de Caballeros (Gentlemen’s Hairdresser) shop sleepily snuggled in a small southern Spanish city. Shaded by gently waving palm trees and lit by a lone wrought iron lantern, the soot-stained stucco-walled shop exudes an aura of timeless style highlighted by the rich patina coating the frame of its cozy, glassed-in, second floor balcony.

A REALLY Close Shave

(images via: SeaBix, Chuck_893 and Byron Serrano/Pinterest)

The well-preserved ghost town of Bannack, Montana, had a good run: it was founded in 1862 and finally abandoned in the 1970s. The former gold-mining town and territorial capitol boasted a population of around 10,000 and at least four saloons at its peak; one of which featured a one-seat barber shop in a front corner.

(image via: Chuck_893)

Legend has it that occasionally gunfights would break out among the drinkers, giving whomever was enjoying a trim at the time a close shave without the benefit of razor or cream. A tip of the hat goes to Flickr user Chuck_893 for his snap of the weather-beaten barber chair above

Next Page:
Cant Be Shaved 12 Abandoned Barber Shops

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

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Rachel Teagle: Queen of Delicious Trailers

Sun, 12 May 2013 13:44:00 +0000

Brand new trailer for "Queen of Delicious Animals" premiering in the Atlanta Fringe Festival in June! Featuring lots of moderately embarrassing pictures. I was not a photogenic kid. But, it's a good show! And coming up very very soon.

Alison Sommer '05: Happy Mother's Day

Sun, 12 May 2013 08:40:15 +0000

I've looked up to you from day one
I still do and always will
You've taught me more than you can know
My kids are lucky, I learned from the best
I love you Mom, Happy Mother's day.

Carleton Planet

Cheryl Klein: All About THE PATH OF NAMES: Behind the Book, Q&A, & Giveaway!

Erik Brooks: Seventies Sleepdog!

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Find the Perfect Parking Spot Before You Even Leave Home

Kevin Draper '10: Diss Guy Miss Guy, Vol. 40

John Tischer '71: Poetry

Dan Schofer '00

Dan Schofer '00

Dan Schofer '00

Dan Schofer '00

Dan Schofer '00

Dan Schofer '00

Dan Schofer '00

Erik Brooks: Sketching wolverine... on an iPad!

Carleton News: Carleton Art Professors’ Work Featured in 25th Anniversary Celebration of Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Carleton News: Carleton College Jazz Ensembles Present Spring Performance

Carleton News: Zhao Invited to Talk Weekly on China's Phoenix TV

Carleton News: Cooper Discusses the New American Spirituality

Carleton News: Liu-Spencer and Lamb Present "Batch Solutions"

Carleton News: Montero Publishes in Journal of Development Studies

Carleton News: "For Grandma: The 2013 Senior Art Exhibition" Opens Tonight!

John Tischer '71: Burnt Umber

John Tischer '71: Don’t Waste That Drunk…Hand Me The Pliers

Erik Brooks: Harts Pass No. 152

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: NeoLucida: Optical Drawing Tool Lets You Trace Real Life

Carleton Athletics: Women's Track and Field: Steinke Wins Steeplechase, Celichowski Breaks 1500-Meter Mark at UW-LaCrosse Qualifier

Carleton Athletics: Men's Track and Field: Huderle Prevails in Steeplechase at Last Chance Meet, Can’t Improve Chances for NCAA Bid

Carleton Athletics: Men's Swimming and Diving: Erik Klontz Named to Academic All-District Team

Carleton Athletics: Lamb, Hansen, Taube, and Beson Award Winners Announced for 2012-13

John Tischer '71: Armchair Armageddon

Alison Sommer '05: Youthful ambitions: I was gonna be famous!

Rachel Teagle: AFF 2013 Fringe PlayList: Can't Stop the Music

Ken Wedding's CompGov Blog: A one-man interest group

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Small Worlds: Strange & Shocking Miniature City Scenes

Kevin Draper '10: Russell Westbrook Fans: Stop Making Things Up

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Under 400 SF: New Modular Micro-Apartments for NYC

Alison Sommer '05: All about the boobies

As a girl I'd wish on the brightest starsPlease grant me some boobies, I'd prayI must have been wishing on the shine of marsFor they grew from zero to C in what felt like a day

Although descending the stairs made me hold them tightAnd bras were a puzzle that turned my cheeks redI would be thankful every nightAs I cuddled my boobies alone in my bed.

Over the years, these boobs served me wellThey fed my two babies, so sweet was that bondAnd I can't be too sad that their perkiness fellThey're beautiful still (my husbad is fond)

Whether you say boobie, ta-ta, knocker, or breastMine are my own and I love them the best.

Ken Wedding's CompGov Blog: Marxist Mysticism

Carleton Athletics: Baseball: Tsutsui Earns MIAC Rookie-of-the-Year Honors, Tabbed All-Conference

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Wearable Tech: Mask Gives Users Superhuman Senses

Kevin Draper '10: No Playoffs for Old Teams: National & Cable TV Playoff Rankings

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Future Present: 7 Soon-to-Be Wonders of Technology

3D Hologram Chat

(image via: Star Wars 20th Century Fox screen capture)

Mind-Controlled Devices

(image via: forbes)

Energy-Scavenging Gadgets That Don’t Need Batteries

(image via: dennis siegel)

Multi-Factor Biometrics Eliminate Need for Passwords

(image via: siemens)

Computers That Can Smell, Taste & Replicate Touch Sensations

(image via: ntdtv)

The End of Junk Mail

(image via: Minority Report 20th Century Fox Screen Capture)

Harvesting Kinetic Energy

(image via: pavegen)

Amy Csizmar Dalal: acdalal

Alison Sommer '05: (Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: My kids are morbid

I was going to write a post about this image... but even I didn't know what to say...

Best motherfucking award ever, from Marjorie of Don't Call me Marge:

Happy Hump Day.

Ken Wedding's CompGov Blog: Nigerian state of emergency

Benjamin Lenzner: a crispy big apple & fuzzy sweet kiwis

Kelly O'Brien '12: theonlymagicleftisart: See more at THE PRINTED INTERNET.

Ken Wedding's CompGov Blog: Cross posting: Hints for success

Cheryl Klein: MISSION TO TEACH: In Honor of Jhumki Basu

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Sideways Street Art: Muralist Makes Figures Walk on Walls

Carleton Athletics: Women's Tennis: Knights Win ITA National Sportsmanship Award for May

Carleton News: Carleton College Student Earns Davis Projects for Peace Grant

Carleton News: Carleton College Symphony Band presents its Spring Concert

Carleton News: Volunteers Needed for Two Events this Weekend in the Cowling Arboretum

Alicia Hutchison Steffann '94: Guest Nappers #156 and #157: Concrete Crash

Carleton Athletics: Softball: Ramey, Davis, and Parsons Receive All-Conference Recognition

Kurt Kohlstedt '02: Hidden Depths: Architectural Illusion Unfolds Underground

Carleton Athletics: Women's Tennis: Doyle and Lombardi Earn Bid to NCAA Doubles Championships

Carleton Athletics: Men's Golf: Knights Unable to Regain the Rusty Putter

As a girl I'd wish on the brightest stars
Please grant me some boobies, I'd pray
I must have been wishing on the shine of mars
For they grew from zero to C in what felt like a day

Although descending the stairs made me hold them tight
And bras were a puzzle that turned my cheeks red
I would be thankful every night
As I cuddled my boobies alone in my bed.

Over the years, these boobs served me well
They fed my two babies, so sweet was that bond
And I can't be too sad that their perkiness fell
They're beautiful still (my husbad is fond)

Whether you say boobie, ta-ta, knocker, or breast
Mine are my own and I love them the best.

Next Page:
Fit For A Villain 12 Surprisingly Homey Underground Lairs

Next Page:
Cant Be Shaved 12 Abandoned Barber Shops

I've looked up to you from day one
I still do and always will
You've taught me more than you can know
My kids are lucky, I learned from the best
I love you Mom, Happy Mother's day.