I'm a big fan of the Teaching Company. I've listened to several classes on tape and even reviewed a couple. (The Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Rise of Nations and A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts)

The Teaching Company has made two lectures on the Olympics available for free download: Ancient Origins of the Olympic Games (Parts I and II)

The downloads are free until September 4th.

Over 200 people freeze in place on cue in Grand Central Station in New York.

As Multiply started shutting down their music download system (which I had used as a great way to discover new music and ended up buying several albums because of - so fooey on you big record labels because now you're losing out on my cashola.) I started fishing around for other means to find great new music.

I ended up joining eMusic and though at first I was a bit chagrined at the selection, I soon started learning my way around better and over the last few months I have downloaded loads of FANTASTIC music.

Some of my exciting finds are:

Basia Bulat
Andrew Bird
Plants and Animals
The Submarines
The Weepies

I also found musicians that I already knew and was listening to and I snagged even more of their work:

Aimee Mann
Elliott Smith
Belle and Sebastian
The Decemberists

It's hard to tell if you'll like an album from the samples they provide. I downloaded an entire album of Alexi Murdoch because I liked the sound, but his lyrics are Awful!!!!!! So it's sometimes hit and miss. But in general, I've started looking around for other users with similar musical tastes and I've been incredibly pleased with my latest finds using that method.

You can join for a month and get 50 free downloads if you'd like to try it out. (You can earn 50 songs for me if you send me your email addy and I send you a link through them. But they're bumping up my monthly allotment so I'm not uberjonesin' for the downloads.) Cancel before your 30 days is up and you won't be charged. (This is what I did with the book membership. I downloaded Thomas Cahill's book, Mysteries of the Middle Ages and then canceled my subscription.)

Here's the price break down:

When I joined you could get 30 songs a month for $9.99. (33 cents a song.) They recently raised rates, though. They're now charging $11.99 for 30 songs (which comes out to 40 cents a song if you download your quota each month). Since I've been around since before the price increase, they're raising my rate but also giving me 10 extra songs a month, putting me at 30 cents a song. Can't beat that.

I like the fact that I can support the Indie musicians this way and still find some kick heinie tunes.

If you join, add me. I'd be interested to see if you find music you like (especially if it's music I'd like).

Your Result

You are a Theory Slut. The true elite of the postmodernists, you collect avant-garde Indonesian hiphop compilations and eat journal articles for breakfast. You positively live for theory. It really doesn't matter what kind, as long as the words are big and the paragraph breaks few and far between.                                                            
(I thought I was cutting and pasting my results but it turns out the cut and paste was of the quiz.  So I had to do another copy for the results.  :-P  Oh well.)

I'm reading a book on the emerging culture and postmodernism.  I think the modern culture is xSTx (in the meyers briggs personality typing) and the postmodern culture is xNFx, so as an INTJ i appear to straddle the cultures.

edit: Try using this link instead of the quiz above.

Mocana just picked up another award. It's one of those awards you've never heard of (at least I'd heard of Red Herring before), but hey, it's recognition and recognition, in general, is a good thing. :-)

I occasionally find that reading the paper in the morning is a bit of a surreal experience.  This morning was one of those times.

Though the story about human cockfighting building army moral was a bit odd (to my way of thinking, at least), it was the articles on trash bandits (particularly those stealing used cooking oil) and "the end of poop" (Peru stands guard over islands of bird crap) that make me go, "hmmmmm."

I suppose this means it's time to start stock piling old french fry oil and dog turds?

(And yes, the men in the picture are standing on mountains of bird turds... that they're worried won't last much longer.  I'm really not sure which of those facts is more disconcerting.)

Mocana is a top 100 finalist in Red Herring's list of top tech startups in North America. woo hoo!

Here's the blurb from Mocana's website.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – April 22, 2008 – Mocana, a security software company that delivers comprehensive protection for devices, today announced that it has been chosen as a finalist for the Red Herring 100 Award, a selection of the 100 most innovative private technology companies based in North America.

The Red Herring editorial board diligently surveyed the entrepreneurial scene throughout the North American region and identified the top 200 out of more than 800 closely evaluated companies that are leading the next wave of innovation. Mocana has been recognized because its device security technology is meeting a critical industry need as enterprises across all industries are placing increased pressure on device manufactures to provide equipment and services that are secure. By leveraging Mocana’s Device Security Framework, device manufacturers are able to guarantee the integrity and security of those devices.

“We can see the exciting evolution of the technology sector reflected in the quality and variety of exceptional companies that we had to choose from in putting our list together," said Joel Dreyfuss, editor-in-chief of Red Herring." It was tough to choose just 200 finalists from such a large list of excellent contenders, and we are very happy with the quality of the companies we selected as finalists."

“At a time when any device connected to a network, whether it be a cell phone, router, or digital frame, has the potential to be threatened by viruses or malware, device security is paramount,” said Adrian Turner, CEO of Mocana. “Having been named a finalist to the Red Herring 100 further validates the industry need for device security and acknowledges that Mocana is offering an innovative, comprehensive approach to securing anything connected to the network.”

Mocana’s Device Security Framework is specifically designed for device manufacturers and service providers and contains software that gets embedded into devices at the time of manufacture. The Device Security Framework offers a unified approach for device security and management by managing device identity; authenticating devices and device applications onto a network; securing communications between devices; and by enabling secure firmware updates. It is easy to implement, offers high levels of scalability and performance and a very small footprint, making it ideal for any connected device, even resource constrained ones-minimizing the impact on device power requirements. The Device Security Framework also extremely portable, working across more than 15 operating systems and 50+ CPU’s, making it the ideal choice for securing any connected device.

The 100 winning companies will be announced at the Red Herring North America event. The CEOs of the winning startups will present their innovative ideas and technologies to an audience of leading entrepreneurs, financiers, and corporate strategists at the event in San Jose, California, on May 12-14 at the Fairmont. This year’s Red Herring 100 North America event marks the 11th anniversary of the Red Herring 100 Awards. In celebration, the event will feature keynote addresses from legendary VC investors and CEOs of leading Internet, information, and communications companies. Register online at: http://herringevents.com/northamerica08/index.html.

About Mocana
Mocana securely enables Internet-scale applications and services for connected devices. Mocana's industry-leading infrastructure software solutions ensure that wired and wireless devices, networks and services perform and scale with the utmost security – a necessary foundation for a networked society. Customers include Philips, Dell, Cisco, Nortel Networks, Harris, Honeywell, Symbol, Net.com and Radvision, among others. Mocana was founded in 2002, is privately-held, and headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information, visit www.mocana.com. To request a free full source code and documentation evaluation of Mocana's security solutions, visit www.mocana.com/evaluate.html.

About Red Herring
Red Herring is a global media company which unites the world’s best high technology innovators, venture investors and business decision makers in a variety of forums: a leading innovation magazine, an online daily technology news service, technology newsletters and major events for technology leaders around the globe. Red Herring provides an insider’s access to the global innovation economy, featuring unparalleled insights on the emerging technologies driving the economy.

More Problems With Plastics
Like BPA, chemicals called phthalates raise some concerns
By Adam Voiland
Posted May 7, 2008 in U.S. News & World Report

The urethra is supposed to emerge at the tip of the penis, but in 1 out of every 300 baby boys, its opening is elsewhere—sometimes just underneath the head, or midway down the shaft, or even at the base of the scrotum. No one knows what causes the defect, called hypospadias, but studies have shown that widespread chemicals called phthalates can reproduce it in rodents. Phthalates are used widely as softening agents in certain plastics, notably PVC, and are also found in some cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and a wide range of other products.

Scientists classify these chemicals among the "endocrine disruptors," so known for their ability to alter the proper balance of hormones, which play a central role during development. "It's not just bisphenol A that we're concerned about," says Ted Schettler, the lead scientist at the Iowa-based advocacy group called the Science and Environmental Health Network, referring to another endocrine disruptor that has made headlines this spring.

Widespread problem. Human exposure to hormone-disrupting synthetic chemicals, which can leach from a slew of consumer products, is continuous and widespread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in 2005 that most Americans have traces of hormone-disrupting chemicals in their body. An analysis of the data by the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., concluded that 84 percent of Americans have at least six different phthalates in their urine.

Toxicologists have been studying the effects of various phthalates in animals for decades. Three in particular—diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP)—cause a constellation of reproductive defects that includes hypospadias, testicular cancer, reduced sperm quality, diminished penis size, and undescended testicles. The effects, in some cases, seem to extend beyond the male reproductive system. Studies in animals have linked allergic skin lesions and lung malformations to DEHP, which is the most widely produced of the phthalates. And pregnant rodents given high daily doses of DBP tend to lose their fetuses. Not everyone, however, thinks such adverse effects in animals justify concern among people. "Most of the exposures are at doses far higher than what we see in humans," says Marian Stanley, a spokesperson for the Phthalate Esters Panel, an industry group that represents phthalate manufacturers. Major scientific reviews from the National Toxicology Program have concluded the risk the chemicals pose to humans is minimal. Yet, the most concerned scientists counter that emerging evidence does suggest phthalates harm humans. Shanna Swan, an epidemiologist at the University of Rochester, has shown that baby boys born to women with elevated DBP and BBP levels tend to have somewhat demasculinized and slightly smaller genitals. Recent studies in adults have linked high exposure to certain phthalates to low sperm quality and abdominal obesity.

Though these studies don't prove cause and effect, some people find the existing evidence alarming enough to act. Many European countries have banned phthalates in certain toys, and a number of American states are considering similar restrictions. Meanwhile, "phthalate-free" products are popping up in stores and on the Internet—just as bisphenol A (BPA)-free baby bottles and water bottles have. Industry groups say that many of the products people worry most about—including plastic wrap, water bottles, and food containers—do not contain any phthalates.

Still, avoiding phthalates altogether is more difficult than avoiding BPA, since it's not clear which of the panoply of products containing them contribute most to exposure. The chemicals easily move from sources such as vinyl tiles or shower curtains, so phthalates routinely end up in the air, water, and dust.

Pregnant women, children, and couples trying to conceive may have the most to gain from trying to avoid phthalates, scientists say. "The primary risk appears to be to the developing fetus," says Swan.

The BIL sent this to me and it's too darn cool not to pass on.

There are several cool vids on the site. (We watched a few on the music video page at least, and though I don't know that I "get" them all, they're fun to watch -- creative and beautiful.)

I just signed up with Our Stage because they're sending $2 for each new sign up to help build "two new dormitories for the Kru Nam’s Kids of Northern Thailand, victims of the vicious child sex trade."

Here's the schpiel OurStage has about who they are and what they do:


In a perfect world, good music finds its own audience. This is the world OurStage is building.
OurStage is the place to find and stream great original film and video (and music) from up-and-coming artists 24/7. You go right to the good stuff – all decided and sorted by fans like you.

“OurStage is addictive…effectively pushing the artists who deserve it up the long tail.”
– Wired.com

“OurStage has the potential to bring the best up-and-coming artists of today to music lovers everywhere.”
– Bonnaroo

“OurStage represents the ultimate democratization of entertainment – by finally giving the power to the people.”
– Paste Magazine

By signing up, in addition to helping the kids in Thailand, you also get to download 12 songs for free. Oddly, though, you don't get to pick the songs. Here's the list:



1. Bring the Heat [Hip-Hop]
by Eon MC Etc
2. Hemlock Three [Indie / Alternative]
by Elephone
3. Magpies [Indie / Alternative]
by Man/Miracle
4. Blip [Indie / Alternative]
by Benny Strange
5. Shower Song [Pop]
by Amanda Kaletsky
6. Briana [Pop]
by Von Robinson and His Own Univers
7. Poor Boy [Rock]
by Vices I Admire
8. Life's Cornucopia [Acoustic]
by Mason Proper
9. Got To Go [Country / Americana]
by Oneside
10. Count on This [Electronic]
by The Frail
11. These Politics [Electronic]
by OHN
12. Magic Pill [Rock]
by Magic Pill

And if you're still wanting more info. on what this site is all about, here's the signup message I just got from the staff,

Welcome to OurStage!

So you've taken the plunge and joined OurStage. Congratulations, you're now part of the next wave in indie music! Forget the tastemakers, thoughtleaders, and what anyone else is telling you. The power to choose great music and film is entirely up to you.

We encourage you to use those powers for good. Here's how:

1. Choose Judge today and help us save the world from mediocre music or film. The more votes overall guarantee that quality music or file will rise to the top.

2. Choose Upload and let the OurStage Community vote on your music or film. Your stuff is the best, so obviously you'll win, right?

Oh yeah - our voting is scam proof. So if you think you're just gonna vote for your friend a million times, well, think again. It doesn't work that way. Just vote for good music or film. Let the best stuff move on up!

So it looks like this might be an interesting way to find out about new indie music (and help kids in Thailand at the same time).

My brother-in-law was a Mormon for awhile.  (Mo, for short.)  Mormons are required to store up a years worth of food, just in case.  When my brother-in-law moved in with us in August, he opened our fridge door and said, "Oh. So I see that you keep your years supply of food in the fridge." 

Yeah.  Our fridge is packed. 

Part of the problem during the summer is that:
1) We joined a CSA this year, which meant that every week we were loaded up with bunches and bunches of veggies, whether we'd eaten the ones from the previous week or not.   I did pretty good at keeping up with them.  But I'm going to have to make a New Year's resolution to do even better next time.
2) We don't buy bread that's loaded full of preservatives.  So if we don't eat our bread in a few days (especially in the heat of summer) it goes bad.  The alternative is to fridge it.  Which means more stuff in the fridge.  (I froze most of the bread, but the "current loaf" stayed in the fridge.
3) In the winter, if we get a milk delivery and I don't have room for the milk just then, I can leave the milk in the cooler on the porch and it keeps just fine.  But in the summer I have to get it in quick.  So there's less milk storage flexibility in the summer.

But to be perfectly honest, we've always been a rather full fridge kind of family.  We have sauces and jams and salad dressings that just plain take up too much space.  Not to mention the fact that we have to have room for 3 gallons of milk at a time.  The milk people only deliver twice a week so we get 3 gal. on Mondays and 3 gal. on Thursdays.   That's a sizable piece of refrigerator real estate. 

Last week we received our last share from the CSA.  So we're doing better on the veggie front. And I turned a bunch of our milk into cheese to help clear some space.  (Still not sure what I'm going to do with the cheese.  I'd love a bit of Saag Paneer, but I've never gotten the spinach part to come out right.)  I even pulled out several items that were turning into science experiments further back in the fridge.  (I had some canned pumpkin in there that turned into a whole magical world.  It was intense.  I should have taken pics.  I did call all the kids over and have them take a look.  We're talking several colors and textures and small bubbles of water coming up out of the whole fluffy mass. It was beautiful.)

After removing all that stuff, Ryan (the brother-in-law) baked some potatoes with cheese and ham.  When he was done he wanted to put the leftovers away in the fridge.  I kid you not, despite the mounds of stuff I had removed, there still wasn't room. 

We've decided that unlike a black hole, into which things just seem to disappear, our fridge is the opposite.  No matter how many things you take out, everything inside magically multiplies until the fridge is full again.  It's a miracle of science.  I'm going to notify Scientific American.  They'll probably come and do tests and research and make great discoveries about the creation of matter out of nothing.  Before long there will be pilgrimages to our fridge.  It'll be called the fridge of plenty ex nihilo (out of nothing). We'll have to make room for monks and priests and scientists and all those inspired and intrigued by the glories of our miraculous fridge.  When Jesus turned 5 loaves and 2 fish into a feast for hundreds, he must have had my fridge mysteriously hidden up his sleeve.

I've given up on clearing the fridge.  It's a hopeless task.  I suppose I'll get back to doing the laundry.  I swear there's more of it now than when I first started carrying it to the laundry room this morning.

If pressed to name the greatest contribution that the Irish have made to civilization, I suspect that Guinness, a beer first brewed in 1755 in the heart of Dublin by Arthur Guinness, might be the first thing to pop into many people's minds. Others might mention the Book of Kells, or perhaps more recent books by authors such as George Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats, Samuel Beckett, and Seamus Heaney. Anyone that brought up potatoes or corned beef, however, might be surprised to learn that potatoes are native to the Americas and corned beef became an Irish-American staple after immigrant Irish learned of the meat from their Jewish neighbors in New York City. But Thomas Cahill believes that the greatest contribution of the Irish, a hinge or turning point upon which all of civilization has swung, was the preservation of a wide range of Latin texts which might otherwise have been entirely lost when Rome fell, and upon which the Renaissance was founded. He explains how the Irish came to play such a pivotal role in history in his book How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe.

To help the reader first understand exactly what otherwise might have been lost, Cahill devotes a couple of chapters to the fall of the Roman Empire and the traditions and culture that fell with it. His description of how the empire crumbled is brilliant in that it not only explains what happened then, but he compares it to present day phenomena that help the reader connect more viscerally with historic events. And throughout his description of the Romans are comparisons between them and the Celts of the same time period. But Ireland is the one place where the Celts were never subsumed into a larger, invading people group, and it's to these Celts in particular that he turns next.

The Irish were a bit of a wild bunch back in the days of the Roman Empire. (In fact, many would argue that they still are today. Cahill states that Freud once “muttered in exasperation that the Irish were the only people who could not be helped by psychoanalysis....”) Fierce in battle, the Irish were also ruthless in slave taking. Little did they realize that it was one of those slaves they had captured, a teenager by the name of Patricius (Saint Patrick), who would begin the movement of the hinge upon which all of Europe would turn. Though Cahill spills the beans in the very first page of the introduction, explaining just what it was that the Irish did to save civilization, it's the details of the story, which Cahill spends the rest of the book explaining, that make this such a rich and fascinating read.

Juicy tidbits such as the possible origins of the faeries, the tale of the world's first copyright case, and delightful quotes both by and about the Irish, add a delicious flavor to the story that Cahill tells. The nature and culture of the Irish is brought to life through histories, poems, and comparisons with their contemporaries. It wasn't just Patrick who pushed the hinge upon which the world turned, but the blending of the Irish culture with the religion that Patrick brought with him, as well as the Irish love of stories and learning. Though the Vikings first and the English later would make mince meat of Irish culture, pre-Viking Ireland enjoyed a hay day of growth, learning, and influence.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it not only to those with Irish blood, but to all who enjoy a good story that weaves together what might at first appear to be a disparate set of facts in order to create one cohesive and compelling history.