Your Mom Not Mine

70 Million by Hold Your Horses This, my friends, is fun. Watch...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:50:00 -0600

70 Million by Hold Your Horses

This, my friends, is fun. Watch it.

Hammerfall - Hearts On Fire Uhhh… What was that? Oh yeah,...

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:02:32 -0600

Hammerfall - Hearts On Fire

Uhhh… What was that? Oh yeah, the rest of you lose, you babies.

What Grant Achatz Saw at El Bulli

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:52:37 -0600

What Grant Achatz Saw at El Bulli:

North America’s best chef talks about eating at Europe’s best chef’s restaurant. An enlightening read as to the allure of El Bulli.

Congratulations to a great team from a Great City.

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:36:21 -0600

Congratulations to a great team from a Great City.

Something to make you smile on this otherwise dreary, gray...

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:58:12 -0600

Something to make you smile on this otherwise dreary, gray February morning.

thedailywhat:

Lights Out: Paul Simon’s “You Can Call me Al,” ably reimagined by smile-mongers Dan Mills, Adam Podd, and Mark Goodell.

[thanks joseph!]

Sarah Jarosz - I Can’t Love You Now Seriously, how can you...

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:56:00 -0600

Sarah Jarosz - I Can’t Love You Now

Seriously, how can you not enjoy music like this? Her voice is just fantastic, the instrumentation is perfect. Traditional bluegrass brought to the 21st century. The whole album is 100% recommended.

Sarah Jarosz - Left Home I am absolutely loving Sarah...

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:55:00 -0600

Sarah Jarosz - Left Home

I am absolutely loving Sarah Jarosz’s album after seeing it on Amazon yesterday. I’ll post another song for you.

Don’t give money to Haiti

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:15:40 -0600

Don’t give money to Haiti:

As a professional in fundraising, I’ve learned first hand the struggles that non-profits have spending restricted funds. All too often, programs that have no needs for more funds struggle to use the money given to them, while programs under the same non-profit umbrella struggle to make their ends meet.

It’s human nature to want to believe that in the wake of a major disaster, we can all do our bit to help just by giving generously. And if there’s a silver lining to these tragedies at all, it’s that they significantly increase the total amount of money donated to important charities by individuals around the world. But if a charity is worth supporting, then it’s worth supporting with unrestricted funds. Because the last thing anybody wants to see in a couple of years’ time is an unseemly tussle over what happened to today’s Haiti donations, even as other international tragedies receive much less public attention.

"I tell people that if it’s in the news, don’t worry about it. The very definition of..."

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 09:28:39 -0600

“I tell people that if it’s in the news, don’t worry about it. The very definition of “news” is “something that hardly ever happens.” It’s when something isn’t in the news, when it’s so common that it’s no longer news — car crashes, domestic violence — that you should start worrying.”

- Stop the panic on air security - Bruce Schneier

"My 12 year-old: Wanna hear my impersonation of Pitchfork? ‘This is popular. Let’s give..."

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:25:38 -0600

“My 12 year-old: Wanna hear my impersonation of Pitchfork? ‘This is popular. Let’s give it a bad score.’”

- Mike Monteiro

Justin Vernon - Hazelton I’m really liking this early (pre...

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:42:07 -0600

Justin Vernon - Hazelton

I’m really liking this early (pre Bon Iver) Justin Vernon.

I would like to find some more please. Anyone? Anyone?

Mule Deer in Monument, CO: I’m not much of a nature...

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:39:43 -0600

Mule Deer in Monument, CO:

I’m not much of a nature photographer, but I’m pretty damn proud of this shot.

"Every time you sniff and say somebody has “too much free time,” the part of you that..."

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:37:23 -0600

“Every time you sniff and say somebody has “too much free time,” the part of you that used to love making things for pure joy dies a little.”

- Merlin Mann

Merry Christmas everyone!

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:50:49 -0600

Merry Christmas everyone!

Silent Night — Johnny Cash Merry Day-Before-Christmas-Eve (or is...

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:06:00 -0600

Silent Night — Johnny Cash

Merry Day-Before-Christmas-Eve (or is that “Christmas Eve Eve”?) from the Man in Black.

matthewb: “Blinded By The Lights (Nero Remix)” from The...

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:04:24 -0600

matthewb:

“Blinded By The Lights (Nero Remix)” from The Streets’ album A Grand Don’t Come for Free. The first time I heard the original track played on 95bFM I was on a short helicopter ride over Auckland and now can only picture that vantage point when I hear it. Turn it up loud. (via Dupstep Friday)

The first time I heard this song I was living in Scotland. I absolutely loved this album. Top 10 of the decade in my opinion.

My wife, her job, and Christmas (or Hanukkah as the case may be) : The Judds' Life

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:10:46 -0600

My wife, her job, and Christmas (or Hanukkah as the case may be) : The Judds' Life:

I wrote this earlier today about my wife on the blog we share together. Thought I might post it here, because, well, I’m proud of her.

Jim here. I know I don’t post often, but today, I get to write something about my amazing wife and the amazing job she does.

Yesterday, after a long day for both of us, she came in from work just beaming. After further talking, it turns out she received a donation from a group of kids and their families at an elementary school for families that her organization serves. When I say donation from a group of kids, the things that come to mind are a basket of food, or some used toys. What she really got is absolutely amazing. Thousands and thousands of dollars of gifts for families who couldn’t have afforded it otherwise. And not just gifts, but thoughtful, loving gifts.

Some examples: She got not one, but 2 (yes, TWO!) dining room tables for families who’s kids are in group homes. What were these families doing before when the kids came to visit but once or twice a week? Eating dinner on the floor.

There was also a family where both parents have some health problems and wanted something they can do with their kids to help get a bit healthier and have some fun. So someone bought them a Wii and a WiiFit.

I think the thing that absolutely blows me away with all this is that these are people who have no ties to JCFS (the organization where my wife works), have no vested interest in these kids or families, and most importantly, will probably not be able to get thanked by the families (they don’t know the names of the people they are buying for). They are simply doing this out of love for others.

It kinda makes you think about all the money we’re spending on Christmas gifts for each other, doesn’t it? I read somewhere that Americans spend $450 billion at Christmas. That blows my mind. What if we took all that money and put it towards helping to feed those among us who otherwise would go hungry? Or maybe we could put it towards giving clean water to everyone in the world? I’ve heard (okay, read, lots) that it would only cost between $10 and $20 billion to make sure everyone in the world has access to clean water.

I’m not saying I’m part of the answer. In fact, I’m more a part of the problem. Buy maybe next year we can all do a little something different. Maybe buy one less gift for your mom and give one more gift to those among us who can’t even afford one gift?

I’m sure your mom wouldn’t mind too much if you explained it to her that way.

Last Minutes with Oden I just watched this at work over lunch,...

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:01:35 -0600

Last Minutes with Oden

I just watched this at work over lunch, and it absolutely tore me apart. Fighting back tears at my desk type tore me apart.

Beautiful and heartwrenching.

Why do Republicans hate our troops?

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:14:07 -0600

Why do Republicans hate our troops?:

This is just astounding. For all the people ragging on Obama for his “not getting anything done, etc.” tenure in office, when you have to deal with Republicans who will BLOCK FUNDING TO THE TROOPS WHILE THEY’RE SERVING IN TWO WARS because they’re upset about providing health care for every American, well, you’re pretty much stuck putting out fires all the time.

My favorite part, what Thomas Schaller thinks Obama should say to them:

“You know what, for a year now I’ve tried to negotiate in good faith with my Republican counterparts, but too many of them have ceased to be people of good faith. Their threats to shut down military funding are like the government shutdown of 1995—actually worse, because these are troops fighting two wars abroad right now. Apparently, the Republicans were for the troops before they were against them. This proves they are the party that stands for nothing—absolutely nothing—other than the excercise of power for power’s sake. And they should be ashamed.”

If there’s ever been a moment to get this passed (and put the final nail in the coffin of the ridiculousness in the far right), now is that moment.

Jason Segal + The Broken West = Win. thedailywhat: The Late...

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:54:14 -0600

Jason Segal + The Broken West = Win.

thedailywhat:

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Jason Segel, on the occasion of The Late Late Show’s 1000th episode, performs a slightly revised version of his muppet opus “Dracula’s Lament” from his well-received Judd Apatow vehicle, Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

[via.]