Quick poll for a domain name choice: redbankpto.org OR rbpto.org
Setting up some infrastructure of Red Bank's Parent-Teacher Organization.
Drop me and email or leave me a comment if you have a preference either way.
from my lunchtime walk today which wasn't nearly as creepy as this shot I took:
Sibelius' Andante Festivo
One of my gigs right now is doing database work with a record company that specializes in classical and jazz recordings. The couple of days each week when I'm onsite with these folks I have access to a huge archive of music that I can check out and scratch pretty much any listening itch that might present itself. Now, that would be cool in and of itself especially since they've got a very deep jazz catalog.
However, what I am especially grateful for here is that as the major record labels close down or atrophy some of their more knowledgeable classical folks have come to work for this company. So a few feet away from me sits a guy who is like a walking "genius" button for my classical playlists. I come across something I like and walk over and ask him what else is like this and he gets me a list and a good dose of education every time. As I learn more about classical, I see how inadequate iTunes is at suggesting classical music using the genius functionality so having a real genius or two nearby is pretty sweet.
One particular piece that I have not yet tired of is Sibelius' Andante Festivo. Do not listen to it on your crappy laptop speakers. The double bass on the bottom part of the melody is fantastic so you'll need real speakers or nice headphones to hear it. Have a listen:
Stay in School (or, The Unemployment Rate For People Like You).
Here's a very cool interactive graph from the NYTs showing how the unemployment rate changes for different demographic groups. Puts into perspective how come despite a 10% national unemployment rate I don't actually know very many people out of work right now.
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
A while back someone left a copy of this book at our house. I'm not sure where it came from but about a couple of weeks ago I picked it up off the bookshelf on my way upstairs to bed. That night I stayed up way past my bedtime reading about the planning (or lack thereof) that went into Roosevelt's post-Presidency Amazon expedition.
I just finished it last night and seriously recommend this book. It appeals on so many levels. First, it is unfathomable to think of one of our recent Presidents doing something as ballsy as Roosevelt's expedition. Secondly, you can't read this book without thinking how fortunate we are to have the technologies we have, from kayaks to antibiodics-- Roosevelt's expedition covered amazing territory with less equipment than most of take with us on a walk in the woods. Finally, it helps to get one's head around just what it meant to live in a world where entire regions had not yet been "discovered."
Anyway, I highly recommend checking this one out from your local library. Here's the link on Amazon:
Red Bank Safe Routes coverage in The Hub
Really good coverage of the content of our meeting from last week. I'm a bit bummed that my neighbors Jenny and Marc didn't get the credit they were due for their help organizing the event but I'm glad that the facts about bike/ped advocacy appear accurate.
You can check out the story here: http://hub.gmnews.com/news/2009/1029/front_page/002.html
