Saturday, September 07, 2013

Hockey Z-9; Isabella the marauder

This Phineas And Ferb sequence is one of the most inventive ever. It is so packed with details and jokes, I don't think anybody will get it all at once.
Notice little girlscout, sorry, "Firesite Girl" Isabella taking out big bully Buford at around 0.42. I love her, she is the only one who is not the least bit afraid of Buford. She is small, very feminine (her hockey marauder costume is pink!), very romantic (hopelessly in love with Phineas), yet at the same time she is probably the strongest and toughest and most competent character in the series.



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By the way, hard rock 'n roll, the most violent hockey game ever... this is a Disney show??

Friday, September 06, 2013

Another drone video

Thanks to A for finding this. Never mind the music, the video is so well done. Music recorded live, everything done in one shot, and the flying and filming is beautiful.


Phoenix - Entertainment | A Take Away Show.
The band Phoenix performs their song 'Entertainment' for La Blogotheque's Take Away Shows.
Watch it large by the link.

Carbon-fibre laptop case

Carbon-fibre case for MacBook Pro or Airbook.
I have never before bought a case for a laptop. But this one makes so much sense that I signed up. It will look beautiful (carbon fibre is gorgeous just on its own), it'll be really tough, and it will be light-weight (I have a cf tripod, it's amazingly light, despite being completely stiff).


Wednesday, September 04, 2013

Don't say oldsters can't park

Science (food) contradictions

I don't recall if I've blogged it, but I've felt for a long time that the idea of living and eating healthy is hogwash. Certainly as far goes as to finding out what the heck is "healthy" and what is not.
So big thanks to Michael Johnston for writing this addendum on his blog:

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Here's a partial list of some of the assertions I read in my traversal of diet and nutrition books:

  • Beans are a wonder food and the best way to get all the protein you need on a vegetarian diet.
  • Beans are nearly indigestible by humans and responsible for many digestive ills.
  • Humans evolved to eat animals and raw plants and haven't been able to evolve to adapt to the produce of husbanded animals (dairy) and domesticated grains and agricultural crops yet.
  • Dietary fat is the cause of heart disease and therefore fat-free diets are essential to health. Carbohydrates should be the bedrock of your diet.
  • Carbohydrates are terrible for you because they spike your blood sugar and cause an insulin overresponse. A no-carb diet is the best way to lose weight.
  • Vegetarian diets are the healthiest.
  • Vegetarian diets are extremely unhealthy and can actually result in malnutrition.
  • It's calories in, calories out. 
  • It's all a matter of metabolism.
  • We're all human and our bodies are all the same.
  • We're all different and respond to dietary inputs in radically different ways.
  • Diet is a health issue.
  • Diet is a moral issue.
  • Diet is personal.
  • Diet is cultural.
  • You need to eat a big breakfast.
  • You should be a vegan until 6 p.m.
  • Moderate exercise is crucial to a dietary weight loss plan.
  • Moderate exercise has no effect on your weight and weight loss is not the reason to exercise.
  • Your instincts will take care of you, so you should eat whatever you want.
  • You must avoid all processed foods.
  • You should never "graze," nosh, or snack.
  • Lots of small meals throughout the day are best.
  • Fructose is the "bad half" of sugar and should be avoided at all costs.
  • Fructose is found in fruits and therefore makes a good sugar substitute.
  • The body treats all kinds of sugar the same.
  • Honey, and brown sugar or "raw" sugar are much better for you than table sugar.
  • Nuts are high in fat and should be limited.
  • Nuts correllate with disease prevention the best of any food.
  • Sugar is the cause of the obesity epidemic.
  • High fructose corn syrup is the cause of the obesity epidemic.
  • Meat and dairy are the cause of the obesity epidemic.
  • Carbohydrates, breads, and potatoes are the cause of the obesity epidemic.
  • Laziness, lack of exercise, and lack of willpower are the cause of the obesity epidemic.
  • Antibiotics are the cause of the obesity epidemic, because they have affected the bacteria in our guts in ways we don't understand.
  • Industrial food is the cause of the obesity epidemic, and small, part-time organic farming is our hope for the future.
  • "Organic" is a marketing word that's been co-opted by Big Ag and everything associated with it is a fraud and a rip-off.
Michael Johnston

Melanie Masson's audition - Janis Joplin's Cry Baby

[Thanks to Signalroom7]

If you didn't like the little hardcore thrash-rock singer we had recently... or if you liked her... I think you'll like this. Don't miss this. Be surprised!



The song starts at around 1.40, but it's much more fun if you see and hear her first for contrast.
I knew, and I think everybody did, within one second that here was an extraordinary singer.

Sunday, September 01, 2013

van Gogh details

Details from van Gogh paintings.
The Google Art Project is a collaboration with museums large and small, classic and modern, world-renowned and community-based from over 40 countries. Together they have contributed more than 40,000 high-resolution images of works ranging from oil on canvas to sculpture and furniture.

Funny thing: I've been a "goggie" for decades, have read several books and seen several films about his life, and own books of paintings, including "The Complete..." 
And he only worked for a decade, and only did the really good stuff in the last few years. 
And yet I keep finding works from him I swear I have never seen before. That guy worked like a Tazmanian Devil (the cartoon version). It's like he knew he had limited time. 

(Click for big pic.)

Cool colors. So dark and yet so clear and separated.

(This is one I swear I have never seen before.)