A Look Into the Secret Service

I got engrossed in this look inside the U.S. Secret Service.

You can view the picture better by clicking on it.

 

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What’s Going On In Egypt? A Primer.

Here is a brief primer on the fuss going on in Egypt.

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Now A Great Reason to Stick Around

Here’s a fascinating article about saffron.

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David Horowitz Probes the Heart

This is helpful in defining the moderate Muslim position.

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One of the Best Trailers I’ve Ever Seen

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Map Geek That I Am…

I loved this story of redemption and renewal from Sunday’s New York Times:

Cunning, Care and Sheer Luck Save Rare Map

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Perhaps the Border Fence Could Have Gone Through the “Can It Be Climbed” Testing Phase

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Don’t Judge a Book By the Cover

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Do You Need A Concise Opinion of Gun Control?

Well Ted Nugent is about to hook you up.

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200 Countries. 200 Years. 4 Minutes.

There is an assumption herein that health and wealth are good and preferred, but past that, this is a fun and visually compelling graph with very interesting information.

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The Subway Announcement Lady

One of the JECA dads is the official voice of Nissan and makes a living voicing commercials for dozens of companies. The work is fascinating to me. I’ve always wanted to know about the superstar lady who voices this fascinating message from yesteryear.

In lieu of that dream find, I’ll feature here the B-Level stardom of the NYC subway voice: Announcing the Subway Announcement Lady

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Model T History

My Grandma still owns the Model T that she and Grandpa bought so long ago. It’s in their barn, and I think it probably has been driven in the past 10 years a few times. She can correct me here if that’s wrong or wants to add any history in the comments (although she and her new Ford are on vacation somewhere right now).

Here is an interesting video about it’s production and durability.

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A Celebration of Work by Mike Rowe

This is a 20 minute long video, and most of you won’t watch it all, but know that it includes…

1. Mike Rowe glorying in the gift of hard work, but not knowing who get’s the acclaim and for Whom the work is worked for.
2. An example of humility in learning, in the form of a changed opinion and a willingness to change it.
3. More classical knowledge than you would expect from the host of a show called Dirty Jobs.
4. Plain talk about animal husbandry, including the necessary lingo.
5. An exceptionally cringe-worthy anecdote behind the whole storyline.
6. A little bit of crassness, which comes with Mike Rowe. I know you know how to get past it, but it’s there (and, oh! how dizzy the TBAP hit counters get when a bit of crassness is allowed admittance).

It’s disgusting and inspiring simultaneously.

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For Your Nerd Who Has Everything

For the honor of a clean desk, I don’t want one, but only for that.

The Gboard for Gmail:

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Texting: The Green-Eyed Monster & Other Techno Courtesies

For anyone who doubts that the texting revolution is upon us, consider this: The average 13- to 17-year-old sends and receives 3,339 texts a month—more than 100 per day, according to the Nielsen Co., the media research firm.

– Y U Luv Texts, H8 Calls, from the NYT

I probably overstated the title. While this article gives some big numbers about texting habits of teens and adults–numbers that are almost-mindblowing to me–I buy the premise.

I buy why texting works for so many. I don’t buy unlimited texting though (in practice), but I do in principal.

I have five kids, rarely have quiet, don’t have a home phone. If you want to tell me that you will be 10 minutes late to join us for dinner, I would prefer a text (if you are a texter). It’s a great tool for instant reminders, notices, quick questions, instant encouragements that halve or more the time spent on the phone with the same small talk.

Sometimes even emails are too clunky, and voice mail is doubly so.

If I thought that texting were replacing real conversation (and it is in the way that these teens are using it), I would have more caution in my own use, but I buy that phone calls (in my circles) are becoming more and more invasive, especially to people who are slaves to their phones, who insist on answering every call.

There are exceptions, but I think we should stop interrupting our phone conversations, so we can answer another call during the current one.

I think we shouldn’t answer a call when we are busy, just to tell the caller we will call back in a minute. It adds a lot of commotion and takes away a lot of momentum from a face-to-face conversation to answer a ringing phone.

I think that we should be fearless about not answering our phones when we are in the middle of something else that requires attention, care, concern. Because if the caller really needs something, they can text you.

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NYC Is Changing

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Taking the Plunge

Following-up from this article a few days ago (Project Manhigh and the Stud Who Skydived From Space), this was another fascinating read about skydiving from space.

Nick Piantanida’s ambition was too much for living an ordinary life. With practically no resources or connections, Nick set out to break Joe Kittenger’s records.

Nick had no back-up plan for his life. He was determined to make it big with a record-setting jump and to parlay that success into a good life for his family. Even though he faced rejection after rejection and numerous setbacks, his enthusiasm and belief in his eventual success never diminished. The idea of failure never crossed his mind. He would find a way to make it happen.

He failed.

Skydiving From Space II is a really good read.

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Fred Phelps Is Touring the Supreme Court Chambers Today

The ego that is Fred Phelps is appearing before the Supreme Court today. His God Hates Fags campaign and Westboro Baptist Church have become synonymous with the term hyper-basket-case. Phelps and Co. travel the country with their crude signs and slogans picketing soliders’ funerals, churches, colleges and other sites. Last summer, they picketed the church across the street from my subdivision for the Titan’s Steve McNair’s funeral [not sure why], and then they were going to be back again a few weeks ago, but instead there was a big group of anti-protesters there in case they did show up.

The First Amendment is being stretched and tried today as the lawyers banter it out in D.C.

In the court of law, speech is far more protected than limited, particularly speech involving political or social issues. There’s nothing in the 45 words of the First Amendment that forbids speech that is deeply offensive, hateful or repugnant – even when most us might wish for an exception in cases like this.

A good summary of today’s proceedings is here on The Hill.

Perhaps Phelps will be sentenced to 100 hours of sensitivity training.

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Breaking the Sound Barrier…With Your Face

This is a follow-up video to yesterday’s post of Joe Kittinger and his 20 mile, 600+ mph freefall. He is sponsoring a new attempt to break his record by adding another 3 miles to the record. The record that has stood for 50 years.

I think the sponsorship and encouragement is pretty magnanimous of him.

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Return to the Roots of Your Craft

Do things well. Do less. Do things better by not doing all things.

I’m pretty loud about my ability to not multi-task. It was good to read this editorial about single-tasking in your work. I’m not saying it’s achievable, but I am saying we should pooh-pooh the notion of slowing down, doing fewer things, doing them better.

It’s hard to paint a masterpiece. It’s even harder when you’re rebuilding your engine at the same time.

The Case for Single-Tasking

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Listen, Kids! It’s a High-Functioning Ignoramus.

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Behind the Scenes at Netflix

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Those Voices Don’t Speak for Us

This Ronald Reagan clip has been making the rounds, with good cause.

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Freedom or Death

HT: Jeremy Mansfield

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Liberty!

Happy Birthday, America!

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Newsfeed IV-Drips Coming Soon

I like Facebook. I use it every day to actively and purposely promote my worldview–really. You can befriend me here if you like. (If you would like to de-friend me, you can do that here perhaps.) But the fact is, with all it’s benefits, Facebook is starting to go to far, and someday, something will likely likely replace it [and if you're a geek, I'll say parenthetically that I hope the new place is open-source--even though I didn't use parentheses].

There are lots of great things Facebook is doing behind the scenes. I really like the connections between companies, in fact. But Facebook is facing a brewing rebellion. Complicating things like this is one of their sick symptoms.

You can view the chart better here.

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I Played With an iPad for the First Time Today

I liked it. Better than I thought I would. I’m not gaga, but they are really neat…totally different than anything else, fun to touch, not as hard to type on as I thought it would be.

Here’s how an iPad helps this 99-year-old woman.

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Alice in Wonderland for the iPad

I would really like some help wondering what I should think about this. Please.

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Amazing Play

I had heard of Mark Buerhle’s ridiculous play from Opening Day, but didn’t get around to viewing it until last night. Neato.

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The Ubiquitous Walmart

Here is a fun graphic video showing the growth of Walmart over the years.

There’s a new one opening near me on Wednesday.

Growth of Walmart and Sam’s Club: 1962-2010

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