I'd like to buy an Internet radio some day. In brief, an Internet radio lets you listen to stations from all around the world, broadcast over the Internet, and delivered to your radio by wi-fi or wired network. Using my computer, I can listen to lots of stations, but it would be nice to have just a radio.
iLuv has a product that, according to the reviews, looks promising. Their web site, however, is less so:
Then, I wondered what resources were available, so I clicked on the Resources tab,
An Internet-based product ought to have a first-class web site, dontcha think?
Friday, December 05, 2008
I was so much something then ...
In the past 10 or 20 years, starting when my father gave us the camp and accelerating through the times of the deaths of my mother and father, the importance has shifted from understanding to remembering. For example, as we readied my father's house for sale, it was fun to discover that the cousin of the guy installing the gas stove is married to the young of two brothers who came to our school from Finland, that the older brother threw a heckuva javelin, and that the younger brother's nickname was the Finnish word for fish eye. Just remembering the people and stories was meaning enough.
Recently, I went to my high school reunion. Some 45 of my classmates showed up, not bad for a class of about 100. As with most gatherings, there were people who were nicer than I'd expected and others not so much. I was probably impolite or distant to other people and didn't know it. You can't undo decades of self-centeredness in one evening. (The recent episode of 30 Rock, where Liz attends her reunion, rang awfully true.) We didn't have name tags, so I spent a fair bit of time talking with people whom I didn't know, but should have.At the reunion, we were, as a lot, grayer, heavier, and less certain about a lot of stuff. We fumbled around, trying to sum up our lives in a few cogent sentences. In many cases, we'd finished what we'd done and were now retired.
People asked me what I did for work. I gave the short answer, "Computers."
"That doesn't surprise me," said one classmate.
Hmm. It surprised me. I didn't do any work with computers until I was in my 30s and then it was by accident. (I took a job as a proofreader. There were a couple of terminals hooked up to different computer systems in my office. They let me play. I kept playing.)
So, this person saw a direct path from the kid I was in high school to worker I became. I looked back and saw no such direct path, but, rather, a serendipitous journey. Who has the better understanding of what happened?
There's one good friend, Ken, with whom I've stayed in something like regular contact. We sat together and talked about stuff past and present. He's worked for GE for many years. They're finishing their last nuclear submarine. When the sub is done, they'll close the plant. After that, well, who knows? Ken's a resourceful guy.
He and I sat at the table and talked about hearing loss. At least, that's what I thought we were talking about. We were also stunned to realize that our friend, Don, will have been gone six years this coming February. I told the story of Don and I riding our bicycles on the newly paved, but not open to the public, section of Route 2 between Gardner and Westminster. We were 12 or so. The world was wide open.
The people who organized the reunion put up old pictures from first grade onward. There was a special display for our classmates who had died, one as recently as two weeks ago. One woman died back in the 70s, about the same time and place I was crawling out of my own wreckage. It's a keen reminder, as with Don, that there are people who are smarter, kinder, and, well, better than me who didn't make it. Kinda takes your breath away.
I only stayed a couple of hours, itself something of a miracle. I've been thinking a lot about the reunion since then, the people I saw, the people who didn't come, the people who've gone on. When I got home, I flipped through my yearbook. It's an intriguing exercise, to look at a young person and try to see the adult or to look at an adult and try to see the child. It's like driving forward while looking in the rear-view mirror or backing up while staring out the windshield. It's a miracle that we don't have more accidents than we do.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Crime in suburbia
From The Landmark (subscription required):
12:20 p.m. Report of person dumping TV in Dumpster; would like it retrieved; Rutland contacted resident
9:51 a.m. Pictures scattered outside business on Main St. in case anyone calls to report them missing
9:52 a.m. Person taking items from portable shed at senior Center; OK
10:36 a.m. 911 Elderly male driving erratically, in breakdown lane, over yellow lines; son will pick him up
6:34 p.m. Dispersed gathering in parking lot at Coffee on the Common
1:01 p.m. Sales/telemarketer complaint, Worcester Rd.
6:41 p.m. Lost/missing person, Rocky Pond Rd.
10:57 p.m. Welfare check, Rocky Pond Rd.(Editor's Note: Police locate lost hikers, not Our three-hour tour.
3:55 p.m. General disturbance, Main St.
10:36 a.m. Request for cat to be scanned for microchip to identify owner, Bean Rd.
Holden
Monday, November 24
9:35 a.m. Animal knocked down bird feeder on Meadowwood Dr.12:20 p.m. Report of person dumping TV in Dumpster; would like it retrieved; Rutland contacted resident
Wednesday, November 26
12:16 a.m. Icy streets reported9:51 a.m. Pictures scattered outside business on Main St. in case anyone calls to report them missing
Thursday, November 27
8:58 a.m. Caller inquiring about where football game is today9:52 a.m. Person taking items from portable shed at senior Center; OK
10:36 a.m. 911 Elderly male driving erratically, in breakdown lane, over yellow lines; son will pick him up
Friday, November 28
1:40 p.m. Two kids smoking on steps at Mountview Middle School on Shrewsbury St.Saturday, November 29
12:04 a.m. Refrigerator dumped on Harris St.Paxton
Tuesday, November 25
11:42 a.m. Oakwood Rd. Caller says he can hear alarm in the vicinity of his residence. Old smoke detector going off in trash can.Wednesday, November 26
6:19 p.m. Dispersed gathering at Moore State Park6:34 p.m. Dispersed gathering in parking lot at Coffee on the Common
Sunday, November 30
9:34 p.m. Caller reporting his iPod lost on Anna Maria campus. Referred caller to campus security.Princeton
Wednesday, November 26
6:08 a.m. Suspicious incident, Westminster Rd.1:01 p.m. Sales/telemarketer complaint, Worcester Rd.
Friday, November 28
9:48 p.m. Suspicious incident, Rocky Pond Rd.Saturday, November 29
4:44 p.m. Assist other police department, Rocky Pond Rd.6:41 p.m. Lost/missing person, Rocky Pond Rd.
10:57 p.m. Welfare check, Rocky Pond Rd.(Editor's Note: Police locate lost hikers, not Our three-hour tour.
Rutland
Monday, November 24
10:39 p.m. MassHighway on phone to say they will not be treating roads tonight.Wednesday, November 26
2:40 p.m. Party found a wallet in the prison camp stream, Main St.Saturday, November 29
3:43 p.m. Rabid raccoon in the area, Turkey Hill Rd.3:55 p.m. General disturbance, Main St.
Sunday, November 30
3:46 p.m. Suspicious vehicle in the sand pitsSterling
Monday, November 24
3:59 p.m. Possible sick fox in front yard of home on Stephanie Anne Ln.Tuesday, November 25
12:45 p.m. Concern about fox in yard, Metropolitan Rd.Wednesday, November 26
12:22 a.m. Suspicious person walking down Leominster Road towards center10:36 a.m. Request for cat to be scanned for microchip to identify owner, Bean Rd.
Friday, November 28
10:22 p.m. Person taking free pallets, Spratt Technology WayRoasterBoy's Playlist
| 1) | Genius playlist based on Paul Simon's Homeless Paul Simon - Homeless Graceland Paul Simon with The Jessy Dixon Singers - Mother And Child Reunion Live Rhymin' Randy Newman ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/12/genius-playlist-based-on-paul-simons.html |
| 2) | Led Zeppelin, Bloom County, and Christmas - what else do you need? FARK.com: Fark Video Player (4054264) Take Opus, Bill the Cat and Classic Zeppelin. Blend with yuletide cheer. Bake at 350 for ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/12/led-zeppelin-bloom-county-and-christmas.html |
| 3) | YouTube - Stan Rogers - Mary Ellen Carter YouTube - Stan Rogers - Mary Ellen Carter http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/12/youtube-stan-rogers-mary-ellen-carter.html |
| 4) | Stained Glass Bluegrass Stained Glass Bluegrass on WAMU. Windows Media stream and MP3 stream. MP3 stream requires free registration. http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/stained-glass-bluegrass.html |
guest@goosh.org:/web> more
| 5) | Bring on those PEI potatoes The report on the PEi potato crop brings tears to one's eyes, although not in a good way.There’s a smell of rotting potatoes ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/bring-on-those-pei-potatoes.html |
| 6) | MilkandCookies - Perfect Day: BBC Promotion An amazing array of talent, including Emmylou Harris, Bono, Tom Jones, David Bowie, Laurie Anderson, and Lou Reed, singing ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/milkandcookies-perfect-day-bbc.html |
| 7) | Exclusive First Listen: Neil Young : NPR Music NPR.org is streaming Neil Young's Sugar Mountain, a live recording from 1968: Exclusive First Listen: Neil Young : NPR Music http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/exclusive-first-listen-neil-young-npr.html |
| 8) | Genius playlist based on Queen's Under Pressure Queen - Under Pressure Live At Wembley Stadium Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell Bat Out of Hell U2 - Where The Streets Have No ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/genius-playlist-based-on-queens-under.html |
guest@goosh.org:/web> more
| 9) | The best rock and roll tune before there was rock and roll Sing Sing Sing - Benny Goodman Orchestra via Milk and Cookies http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/best-rock-and-roll-tune-before-there.html |
| 10) | Arthur Lee & Love - Alone Again Or (Live) http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/arthur-lee-love-alone-again-or-live.html |
| 11) | Pink Floyd "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" Syd Barrett Tribute OK, I've listed this one before. Lately, I've been in touch with some long-time friends and have been, in turn, thinking about ... http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/11/pink-floyd-on-you-crazy-diamond-syd.html |
| 12) | Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: Yalla Yalla MilkandCookies - Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: Yalla Yalla http://rbplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/10/oe-strummer-mescaleros-yalla-yalla.html |
WSJ - Auto maker CEOs admit mistakes, need for help
While we read in the Wall Street Journal that the CEOs of GM, Ford, and Chrysler admit that they made mistakes that led to the current crisis and would we please give them boatloads of cash to get out of the mess, let's remember this:
The proposed bailout of GM, Ford, and Chrysler overlooks an important fact. The US has one of the most vibrant, dynamic, and efficient automobile industries in the world. It produces several million cars, trucks, and SUVs per year, employing (in 2006) 402,800 Americans at an average salary of $63,358. That’s vehicle assembly alone; the rest of the supply chain employs even more people and generates more income. It’s an industry to be proud of. Its products are among the best in the world.
Their names are Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru.
From Signal vs. Noise blog, which quoted Peter Klein via Andrew Sullivan.
Elsewhere on the medical insurance front, ...
Slashdot reports that a company called Palm Pistol has created an easy-to-use pistol that, you guessed it, fits in the palm of your hand. It's perfect for those who have limited use of their hands because of arthritis or related conditions. Not only that, but, as Gizmodo reports, the FDA has listed this gun as a Class I Medical Device. The gun's manufacturer has applied for a classification that would allow physicians to prescribe the device to patients who could then receive reimbursement from Medicare or their own insurance.
You can find out more about the Palm Pistol at their website.
My brain hurts. Does that make me ineligible?
According to this New York Times article (via this J-Walk Blog post), UnitedHealth is offering the opportunity to buy insurance for the right to buy health insurance at a later date. If you're sick now, you can't buy the insurance on insurance, but, if you're healthy now, you can buy the health insurance later, even if you're sick then. Each month, you'd pay 20% of the current premium so that you can pay 100% per month later.
The idea is that you might have health insurance now (and, of course, you're healthy now, so you don't need the insurance that you now have), but you might not have it in the future. It's sort of like paying 20% of a mortgage on a house or condo that you might need in the future if, for example, you can't make the payments on the house or condo that you're living in now.
The idea is that you might have health insurance now (and, of course, you're healthy now, so you don't need the insurance that you now have), but you might not have it in the future. It's sort of like paying 20% of a mortgage on a house or condo that you might need in the future if, for example, you can't make the payments on the house or condo that you're living in now.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Back where we started
We could have used one of these on our great adventure: Bushnell Backtrack Personal Locator, "A minimalist GPS unit that does one thing: after you park, you push a button to mark the spot and then hours later, when you emerge into the vast sea of cars at some mega shopping center outside a store opposite the side you went in, it guides you right back to your vehicle."
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
All bad news, all the time
We have many reasons to be afraid: dismal economic news, the collapse of the Thai government, and an update on the Mumbai terrorist attacks, and a Britney tour next spring. Will the misery never end?
Chair City of the World by Constance Riley
A loud shout-out to friend Connie on the publication of her book, Chair City of the World. Connie was a close friend of my mother and remains a dear friend to us.
In addition to the Bible, perhaps a book on grammar and punctuation is in order.
This post, Email From Stephen Choate, from The J-Walk Blog, made me curious, so I visited the Speak God Speak site.
Monday, December 01, 2008
U R Doing It Wrong
According to the Helsingin Sanomat, thousands of chickens were killed in animal rights activist raid on poultry farm. It appears that the activists cut the electricity to the ventilation system and the chickens died of asphyxiation.
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