B-List

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, December 2011

2012-01-08T14:10:00.004+10:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, December 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month: three non-fiction books.  Two are about
   writing: "The Art of Fiction" being broader in scope, while "Confessions of a
   Young Novelist" is a bit deeper and contains a more personal perspective.  The
   third book is about (arguably) the father of modern political science, Niccolò
   Machiavelli.


   1. "The Art of Fiction" by David Lodge
     <http://www.amazon.com/Art-Fiction/dp/0140174923>

   This book provides insights into the art and craft of writing fiction, using
   examples from a large cross-section of classic and contemporary literature.
   Most of the fifty short chapters originally appeared as articles in the
   "Independent on Sunday".  Many genres, techniques and other elements of fiction
   and story-telling are covered.  For example, there are chapters on suspense,
   magic realism, time-shift, names, lists, symbolism, chapters, titles, beginnings
   and endings.  Each chapter begins with one or more passages from works of
   fiction.  The next few pages explain and discuss the relevant concept.

   The author has written several novels, so this is not just a dry series of
   essays written by a theorist.  Obviously, avid readers and aspiring writers
   will find this a useful guide.  But even casual readers can benefit from the
   examples and observations presented.


   2. "Confessions of a Young Novelist" by Umberto Eco
     <http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Novelist/dp/0674058690>

   Umberto Eco is an Italian semiotician (studier of signs and symbols), literary
   critic, essayist, author and philosopher.  This is the text of a series of
   lectures on literature.  The title is ironic, since Eco was in his seventies at
   the time.  His argument is that he had become a published author when he was
   almost fifty, so he is still a relative newcomer.

   The first chapter, tongue-in-cheekily entitled "Writing from Right to Left",
   covers his writing process.  His first novel, "The Name of the Rose", was set in
   medieval Italy, one of his long-time interests, and based on years of research.
   For later novels, he maintained his desire for factual accuracy, going so far as
   living in the settings and even enacting scenes where possible.  This is time-
   consuming, and helps explain why Eco has written just six novels in thirty years.
   The second chapter, "Author, Text and Interpretation", gets into some of the
   technicalities of writing, meaning and translation.

   In "Some Remarks on Fictional Characters", Eco provides an overview of types of
   characters, and the obvious and subtle implications of these types.  For example,
   some characters are purely made-up, while others may be actual personages from
   history.  The latter have rich backgrounds, but may restrict an author's freedom
   more than made-up characters.  Sometimes novelists "borrow" a character from
   someone else's novel.  For example, a novel by Philippe Doumenc features the
   ghost of Emma Bovary, and offers an alternative explanation of her death.  The
   last chapter is about lists, which fascinate Eco.  He describes types of lists
   and their utility, then reels off a list of lists collected from literature.

   Eco has spent most of his life in academia and he brings that background to this
   book, so it can get a bit heavy-going.  But there's a lot of interesting
   information and insight in this compact book.


   3. "Introducing Machiavelli" by Patrick Curry and Oscar Zarate
     <http://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Machiavelli/dp/1848311753>

   This graphic guide looks at the life and writings of Niccolò Machiavelli, an
   Italian political thinker from the 16th Century.  He is much-maligned, with his
   name becoming synonymous with cynicism, ruthlessness and expediency in politics.
   His writing is often portrayed as a prescription for how rulers should govern,
   but his intention was to describe human nature as it is and how it can be tamed.

   Machiavelli's most well-known works are "The Prince", which offers advice to
   leaders for a secure state, and "The Discourses", which offers advice to
   citizens for a free state.  "The Prince" and its interpretation are the main
   sources for Machiavelli's negative reputation.  Note that he did not suggest
   leaders should be tyrants to be successful, but rather there are times when
   strong actions are required for the good of the state.  He later refined and
   extended his theories in "The Discourses", and many of these ideas were
   implemented in the development of American and other republican democracies.
   For example, liberty is based on shared civic responsibility, and should be
   subject to checks and balances between the rulers and the governed.

   This is a quick and easy read, helped by the liberal use of drawings.
   Recommended to anyone with a passing interest in politics and government.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, November 2011

2011-12-04T11:10:00.004+10:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, November 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month: a novel, a collection of short
   stories, and a book about programming languages.  All are recommended,
   although the last one is only for programmers.


   1. "One of Our Thursdays Is Missing" by Jasper Fforde
     <http://www.amazon.com/One-Our-Thursdays-Missing/dp/0670022527>

   This is the sixth instalment in the popular and humorous Thursday Next
   series.  It starts just after BookWorld has been reconstructed from its
   former library-like structure containing all the books written or being
   written into a collection of islands and regions divided by genre.  In
   this reconstructed BookWorld we find a Thursday Next, not the "real"
   Thursday (literary detective and heroine of the Thursday Next series),
   but rather the fictional Thursday who portrays her in BookWorld.  It
   seems that the RealWorld Thursday has gone missing while working on a
   case, and her BookWorld version is drafted as a substitute in some
   delicate negotiations to prevent an inter-genre war.  In the process
   she gains the services of a mechanical sidekick/butler (Sprockett),
   deals with a rebellion on the "set" of the Next books, and starts to
   question whether or not she may be the "real" Thursday after all.

   The novel keeps up the humour, imagination and use of clever literary
   references and allusions we've come to expect.  The transformation of
   BookWorld to a geographical-based setting helps freshen things up,
   offering a new, richer setting for the action.  The Nextian universe
   continues to be full of interesting elements and characters that are
   reminiscent of Douglas Adams' work, in particular the Hitchhiker's
   Guide to the Galaxy and Dirk Gently Holistic Detective series.

   A reasonable background in general literature will help you appreciate
   all that happens in this worthy addition to the series.  If you're
   unfamiliar with the series, it might be best to start with the first
   instalment, "The Eyre Affair".


   2. "Three Tales from the Arabian Nights" translated by Malcolm C. Lyons
      and Ursula Lyons
     <http://www.amazon.com/Three-Arabian-Nights/dp/1846141583>

   This is a taster for the recently retranslated three-volume set of the
   One Thousand and One Nights.  It begins with the introduction or "frame
   tale" where we learn how Scheherazade cleverly avoids her execution by
   telling King Shahryar stories every night.  Then one tale from each of
   the three volumes is presented.

   The first tale is the widely known "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves".
   Ali Baba is a simple woodcutter, betrayed by his brother, Cassim,
   following the death of their father.  While working in the woods, he
   overhears a band of thieves entering their secret cave which is unsealed
   with the words "Open Sesame".  He waits for them to leave, enters the
   cave and finds a vast collection of treasure.  He discreetly takes a
   small amount of treasure and returns home.  Eventually his brother
   finds out about the cave, and Cassim's greed and clumsiness lead to
   his capture.  As a warning to other intruders, the thieves leave his
   quartered body inside the cave.  The story doesn't end there, because
   Ali Baba retrieves his brother's body, so the thieves know that someone
   else knows about the cave.  There are more twists and turns to the story
   as the thieves try to find Ali Baba.

   The second tale, "Judar and His Brothers", tells of a man who is
   mistreated by his two older brothers (also after the death of their
   father).  He works as a humble fisherman and looks after his mother.
   He even takes in his brothers despite having litigated away their
   collective inheritance.  Fate intervenes and Judar comes into some
   good fortune after meeting some strangers and going on a magical
   journey.

   The third tale, "Ma'rus the cobbler", about a man mistreated by his wife
   who eventually marries the daughter of a faraway king, follows in the
   same vein of fast-moving tales with supernatural beings (e.g. djinns or
   genies) and dramatic reversals of fortunes.

   I enjoyed reading the translations of these three tales, and might read
   more in the future.


   3. "Seven Languages in Seven Weeks" by Bruce A. Tate
     <http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Languages/dp/193435659X>

   Subtitled "A Pragmatic Guide to Learning Programming Languages", this
   book attempts to give the programmer-reader an introduction to seven
   different computer languages.  The languages featured are: Ruby, Scala,
   Io, Prolog, Clojure, Erlang and Haskell.  Its purpose is to open the
   reader's eyes and minds to new ways of envisioning and solving problems
   using languages that are generally outside the (current) mainstream.
   From that point of view, I think it succeeds quite well.  However,
   trying to include so many different languages and styles in a single
   book limits the depth to which each language can be explored.

   The Ruby chapter was pretty straightforward since it's my main language
   now.  The rest of the languages were much more challenging, and I did
   learn more about each of them.  Each chapter is broken up into an
   introduction, three "days" of tutorials with some homework problems to
   try, then a wrap-up of the pros and cons for the language.  Throughout,
   mini interviews help explain the motivations behind the languages and
   the types of problems they aim to solve.  It's argued that to remain
   fresh and current, programmers should try to learn at least one new
   language every year.  I endorse this idea, and this book can help
   programmers who have been "one language" coders for many years choose
   where next to dip their toes.  A worthwhile read for any (possibly
   jaded) programmers wanting to try something new.

   PS: One of my ongoing interests has been comparing and contrasting
   different programming (and human) languages, so I was naturally drawn
   to this book.  Early this year I finally put together a little project
   I'd been working on for a while that compares how various programming
   languages can be used to tackle a small-scale problem, "The Palindrome
   Project":
     <http://homepage.mac.com/bruno_andrighetto/Coding/PalindromeProject.html>

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, October 2011

2011-11-06T11:58:00.007+10:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, October 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month.  This time, all three books are
   non-fiction: one on business, one ostensibly on running, and another on
   poetry.  All are recommended.


   1. "Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning"
      by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
     <http://www.amazon.com/Good-Business/dp/014200409X>

   This book describes how the concept of "Flow" can be applied to running
   businesses.  I reviewed the seminal book on the subject, "Flow: The
   Psychology of Optimal Experience", in August.  In general, the concepts
   that apply to the individual can be applied to business leaders and the
   people who work in the organisations they manage to create meaningful,
   satisfying and enriching work environments.

   Part 1 contains a review of the author's previous research into "flow".
   Since work makes up a large part of our lives, it's important that
   leaders and employees feel their work has meaning.  More engaged and
   fulfilled workers should help produce better products and services.
   Part 2 looks at why "flow" is missing at work and how to build it into
   the organisation.  Part 3 considers bigger picture concepts: the "soul"
   of business, creating flow in life, and the future of business.  The
   author argues that "flow" helps create good businesses.  Last month I
   read "Drive", which also discussed the importance of "flow" among
   employees as a way to promote engagement and help them achieve mastery.

   In addition to research findings, this book includes quotes from
   interviews with prominent business leaders who have successfully
   applied "flow" to their organisations.  It's a self-contained book, so
   there's no need to read the author's earlier work to fully understand
   the concepts.  A worthwhile read, not only for current or aspiring
   business leaders, but anyone interested in work with meaning.


   2. "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/What-About-Running/dp/0307389839>

   This is a memoir of sorts by Haruki Murakami, whose novels I've enjoyed
   reading in the past couple of years.  Murakami is also an amateur
   marathon runner, and his career as a novelist parallels his distance
   running: the two activities go hand in hand in framing his life from
   his thirties onward.  He briefly describes his life before running,
   culminating in being owner/manager of a successful jazz night club.
   When he decided to become a professional writer, he overhauled his
   lifestyle completely.  This included selling his business, giving up
   smoking, and living healthier.

   He doesn't think much about writing when he's running, but rather on
   more immediate concerns like preparing for marathons and getting
   through the exhaustion and pain.  This does have relevance to writing,
   because that too requires perseverance.  Murakami's goal is to run one
   marathon per year, which he has been able to achieve until recently.
   With advancing age he finds it a struggle to beat his previous times,
   and so motivation drops.  To mix things up, he started doing triathlons,
   which required learning new skills and mastering new tactics.

   I enjoyed reading this book, presented as a series of diary entries and
   reflections between 2005 and 2007.  It provides insights into what makes
   Murakami tick.  Sprinkled throughout are bits of advice for budding
   writers too, not just runners.  Some parts are even inspirational.


   3. "This Craft of Verse" by Jorge Luis Borges
     <http://www.amazon.com/Craft-Verse/dp/0674008200>

   This book comprises the text of series of lectures presented by a
   renowned Argentinian author of short stories.  When Borges was in his
   late sixties he was invited to give a series of lectures at Harvard.
   In six lectures he discusses the "riddle of poetry", the use of
   metaphors and story telling.

   His style is humble, almost self-deprecatory.  He draws on examples from
   many works in various languages, not just his native Spanish, but also
   English (his maternal grandparents were originally from England),
   Ancient Greek and Old English.  I found the lecture on metaphors
   particularly interesting.  Words evolve in meaning over time, so that in
   many cases words originated as metaphors.  For example: "threat" is Old
   English for an "angry mob".  Another lecture I found particularly
   interesting was on the often controversial topic of translation.  For
   example, should translations be strictly literal, or should the
   translator be allowed more freedom when choosing words to convey the
   underlying poetry or meaning of the text?

   This book also acts as a general introduction to literature, albeit
   with an emphasis on poetry.  It also provides glimpses into Borges,
   particularly the last lecture where he discusses his "poet's creed".
   For example, he reveals why he wrote only short stories and not novels:
   firstly, he was lazy, and secondly (more likely) he felt it best to be
   economical with words.  Writing long novels would require padding out
   with content that could clutter the story.  He also used to attribute
   his own attempts at verse to made-up authors, and included these in
   his short stories.

   Overall, I found this book provided great insight into both the "craft
   of verse" and Borges the writer.  You can listen to audio recording of
   the lectures online, at:
     <http://ubu.com/sound/borges.html>

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, September 2011

2011-10-02T15:00:00.005+10:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, September 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month.  Only one novel, but it's a
   classic.  The non-fiction books include a couple on writers and writing.


   1. "Madame Bovary" by Gustave Flaubert
     <http://www.amazon.com/Madame-Bovary/dp/0670022071>

   This is justifiably regarded as a classic novel from the mid 19th
   century.  Set in provincial France, the central character is Emma
   Bovary, beautiful second wife of inept rural doctor, Charles Bovary.
   Emma is actually the third "Madame Bovary" of the novel, the first
   being her mother-in-law, and the second being her husband's short-
   lived first wife.

   The main plot takes place when Charles and Emma move to Yonville.
   Charles had hoped the change of scenery would cure Emma's boredom.
   But, even after the birth of their daughter, Emma remained disappointed
   and disillusioned with her life.  She was lost in romantic delusion,
   born from the novels of her youth.  She consoles herself with
   extravagant purchases and ultimately adultery, in the vain hope of
   obtaining fulfilment.

   The scandalous subject of adultery made this a very controversial novel
   in its day.  The nascent feminism and the debate between faith and
   reason give the novel historical significance.  That said, it took a
   while for me to get into it, and it didn't quite work for me.  Flaubert
   was meticulous with his language, taking five years to write "Madame
   Bovary", so something may have been lost through this ("new") English
   translation.  It didn't help that I found it hard to relate to any of
   the characters.  The author had a dim view of bourgeoisie, and this
   shows in the way the characters are portrayed.

   I couldn't help compare Emma's plight with that of the title character
   in Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina".  These two tragic fictional women have
   much in common, as well as some important differences.  I felt more
   sympathetic to Anna than Emma.  The supporting characters in "Anna
   Karenina" were also better defined, some having deeper philosophical
   convictions.  These reasons may explain why I enjoyed "Anna Karenina"
   more than "Madame Bovary".  Both are worth reading.


   2. "On Writing" by Stephen King
     <http://www.amazon.com/On-Writing/dp/1439156816>

   King is a prolific author of popular suspense, horror and fantasy
   novels.  The first section of the book is a brief memoir, covering
   King's development as a writer from his childhood days to his early
   breakthroughs.  His father left when he was two, so King and his older
   brother were raised by his mother.  He had health problems when he was
   young, but found he loved writing.  Years of constant practice, and
   persistence in the face of rejection, finally brought success.

   The second section of the book provides practical advice to aspiring
   writers.  For example, the Great Commandment is to "read a lot, write
   a lot".  There's also advice on drafts and revisions.  King reiterates
   the difficult advice of "killing your darlings" to help pacing.  He
   also suggests avoiding adverbs.  Throughout the book he reveals how he
   comes up with some of the ideas for his stories.  Often it was a case
   of bringing together two or more concepts to form an original scenario.

   Since I don't usually read horror or fantasy, I haven't read any of
   King's work.  However, over the years I've seen many films based on his
   novels and short stories, including: "Carrie", "Christine", "Misery",
   "The Shawshank Redemption", "The Shining" and "Stand By Me".  I might
   check out some of his novels one day, such as "The Stand" .


   3. "Just My Type" by Simon Garfield
     <http://www.amazon.com/Just-My-Type/dp/1592406521>

   This book provides an overview of printing and typography, from
   Gutenberg to the computer age.  In covers basics like the difference
   between "serif" and "sans serif".  It describes the origins of many of
   the fonts in use today, including the ever-present Helvetica (and its
   clones), the newsworthy Times New Roman, the cinematic Trajan, and the
   gimmicky Comic Sans.

   There are chapters on font design, legibility versus readability, and
   even a countdown of the "worst fonts in the world".  Mini chapters
   called "fontbreaks" focus on specific fonts, many of which you may see
   regularly without knowing.  For example, Optima has become associated
   with perfumes and cosmetics.

   Warning: after reading this book, you might become type-obsessed, unable
   to resist "fontspotting".  The book helps out there too, referencing a
   web site and an iPhone app called "What The Font" that help identify
   fonts:
     <http://new.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/>
   You can also check out YouTube for movies dedicated to fonts and
   typography, as well as the trailer for a film about the most widely use
   font, "Helvetica".

   Having only a passing interest in typography, I intended to just flip
   through this book.  But I found it so interesting and easy to read that
   I ended up reading the whole thing.


   4. "Hermit in Paris" by Italo Calvino
     <http://www.amazon.com/Hermit-Paris/dp/037571426X>

   This is a posthumous collection of autobiographical pieces by my
   favourite writer, Italo Calvino.  He was born in Cuba in 1923, to
   Italian scientist parents.  The family moved back to San Remo, Italy
   in 1925.  Calvino joined the Partisans and fought against the Fascists
   in World War II.  Having a passion for literature, after the War he
   started working at a publishing house in Turin and eventually became
   a writer.  His principle mentor was Cesare Pavese.

   An "American Diary" is the single biggest section, covering Calvino's
   sponsored trip to the US in 1959/1960.  He was working for Einaudi
   publishers at the time.  After a few weeks in New York, he visited
   Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New Mexico, Texas,
   Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia.  Some entries are interesting, and
   show Calvino's gradual warming to the US.  The style of the entries
   is quite frank, intended for his colleagues back in Italy rather than
   for publication.  There are occasional interesting meditations and
   observations, prefiguring those in "Palomar" and other novels, such
   as one about the enormous tailfins of American cars of that era.

   The title lead me to expect more details about the time Calvino spent
   in Paris with his wife and daughter.  It was during his Paris years
   that he wrote the novels I enjoyed most, but unfortunately the title
   essay was too brief.  There was no discussion of the books written in
   this period, and no mention of Oulipo (a loose gathering of experimental
   writers).  Instead, the majority of the remaining pieces focus on his
   political views.  Calvino was staunchly pro-Communism in his formative
   years.  He gradually became disillusioned with Communism during the
   1950s as he (along with many others) came to terms with the true nature
   of Stalinism.

   Overall, this is a rather patchy collection.  Fortunately, Calvino
   wrote other autobiographical pieces, such as some memoirs collected in
   "The Road to San Giovanni".  He also wrote about literature and writing
   in "Six Memos for the Next Millennium", "The Uses of Literature" and
   "Why Read the Classics?"


   5. "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us"
      by Daniel H. Pink
     <http://www.amazon.com/Drive/dp/1594484805>

   The author argues that there's a gap between the science and practice
   of motivation.  Businesses still seem to manage people based on outdated
   "carrot and stick" techniques, suited to a time when work was boring and
   repetitive.  Creative or knowledge work requires a new approach, one
   that promotes autonomy, mastery and purpose.  Research has consistently
   shown that old motivation techniques can actually do more harm when
   applied to the wrong circumstances.  Quoting Edward Deci: "When money
   is used as an external reward for some activity, the subject loses
   intrinsic interest for the activity".

   Throughout the book, the author cites numerous studies to support a
   new approach.  For example, Deci and Ryan point out the importance of
   autonomy in self-determination theory.  And the research of Mihaly
   Csikszentmihalyi shows how engagement and "flow" promote mastery.
   Fortunately, there are some employers which have been paying attention
   to the science.  For example, the book cites Google's "20% time" (an
   idea borrowed from 3M's "15% time" in the 1950s) as a positive example
   of modern motivation.  However, Google seems to remain influenced by
   old ideas, as evidenced by tying annual bonuses to its "social"
   initiative.

   For the time-challenged, Dan Pink has given a TED talk on motivation:
     <http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html>
   There's also a clever RSA Animated clip for "Drive":
     <http://comment.rsablogs.org.uk/2010/04/08/rsa-animate-drive/>

TED Talk Picks 2

2011-09-25T17:32:00.008+09:30

TED Talk Picks 2

   Another selection of interesting TED talks...

   1. "Rory Sutherland: Life lessons from an ad man"
     <http://www.ted.com/talks/rory_sutherland_life_lessons_from_an_ad_man.html>
   "Advertising adds value to a product by changing our perception, rather
   than the product itself. Rory Sutherland makes the daring assertion that
   a change in perceived value can be just as satisfying as what we consider
   'real' value -- and his conclusion has interesting consequences for how
   we look at life."

   2. "William Ury: The walk from 'no' to 'yes'"
     <http://www.ted.com/talks/william_ury.html>
   "William Ury, author of 'Getting to Yes', offers an elegant, simple (but
   not easy) way to create agreement in even the most difficult situations
   -- from family conflict to, perhaps, the Middle East."

   3. "Martin Seligman on positive psychology"
     <http://www.ted.com/talks/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology.html>
   "Martin Seligman talks about psychology -- as a field of study and as it
   works one-on-one with each patient and each practitioner. As it moves
   beyond a focus on disease, what can modern psychology help us to
   become?"

   4. "Mark Pagel: How language transformed humanity"
     <http://www.ted.com/talks/mark_pagel_how_language_transformed_humanity.html>
   "Biologist Mark Pagel shares an intriguing theory about why humans
   evolved our complex system of language. He suggests that language is a
   piece of "social technology" that allowed early human tribes to access
   a powerful new tool: cooperation."

   5. "Eli Pariser: Beware online 'filter bubbles'"
     <http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles.html>
   "As web companies strive to tailor their services (including news and
   search results) to our personal tastes, there's a dangerous unintended
   consequence: We get trapped in a 'filter bubble' and don't get exposed
   to information that could challenge or broaden our worldview. Eli
   Pariser argues powerfully that this will ultimately prove to be bad for
   us and bad for democracy."

   6. "Kevin Slavin: How algorithms shape our world"
     <http://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_slavin_how_algorithms_shape_our_world.html>
   "Kevin Slavin argues that we're living in a world designed for -- and
   increasingly controlled by -- algorithms. In this riveting talk from
   TEDGlobal, he shows how these complex computer programs determine:
   espionage tactics, stock prices, movie scripts, and architecture. And
   he warns that we are writing code we can't understand, with implications
   we can't control."

   7. "Robert Lang folds way-new origami"
     <http://www.ted.com/talks/robert_lang_folds_way_new_origami.html>
   "Robert Lang is a pioneer of the newest kind of origami -- using math
   and engineering principles to fold mind-blowingly intricate designs that
   are beautiful and, sometimes, very useful."


   About TED:
     <http://www.ted.com/pages/about>
   "TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out
   (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds:
   Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever
   broader."

   Previous TED Talk Picks:
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2011/05/ted-talk-picks.html>

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, August 2011

2011-09-04T16:50:00.002+09:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, August 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month: three novels and one non-
   fiction.  All quite solid, though nothing stands out as must-read.


   1. "Suttree" by Cormac McCarthy
     <http://www.amazon.com/Suttree/dp/0679736328>

   This rather epic novel is set in the 1950s, in and around Knoxville,
   Tennessee.  The title character, Cornelius Suttree, has turned his back
   on a life of privilege.  Instead he's chosen a hand-to-mouth existence
   as a fisherman, living in a houseboat on the Tennessee River.  Suttree
   spends his days with down-and-outs: drifters, petty thieves, prostitutes
   and other fringe-dwellers.  This leads to colourful situations, but not
   without risks.  For example, one night he goes out with friends, gets
   drunk and falls asleep in the car.  Some of the group decide to do a
   robbery, but they get caught and sent to the workhouse (a low security
   prison where inmates do manual labour).

   While this is a rather gritty, almost depressing novel, there are some
   lighter moments.  One of the recurring characters, Gene Harrogate, is a
   youth who gets himself arrested for performing indecent acts with water-
   melons.  He gets sent to the workhouse, where he meets Suttree.  After
   his release he hatches some harebrained schemes.  For example, when he
   hears about a bounty for potentially rabid bats, he baits a colony of
   bats hoping to claim a sizeable reward.  Another scheme involves
   tunnelling through a series of caves under the city in the hope of
   reaching the bank.

   Comparisons with other novels are often made.  Descriptions of daily
   struggles for the basics like food and shelter make it feel like a
   Steinbeck Depression-era novel.  The depictions of characters and
   capers along the Tennessee River are reminiscent of Twain's "Adventures
   of Huckleberry Finn".  And the denseness of prose recalls Joyce's
   "Ulysses" (a book I haven't dared tackle yet).  Some reviewers and
   critics argue that this semi-autobiographical novel is McCarthy's best
   work.  Unfortunately, I'm not inclined to agree.  While the language is
   often poetic, the novel's length and looseness in structure make it a
   bit heavy going.  Maybe I need more time for reflection?  For anyone
   wanting to dip their toes into McCarthy's work, I'd recommend starting
   with "The Road" and "No Country For Old Men".


   2. "After Dark" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/After-Dark/dp/0307278735>

   This novel is set in the early hours of a single morning in downtown
   Tokyo.  While most of the city sleeps, an interesting and diverse
   collection of characters get involved in some drama.  Mari, a student,
   is hanging out at an all-night restaurant to avoid going home.  She
   feels guilt for not being very close to her older sister, Eri, who
   sleeps for days at a time.  In fact, Eri sleeps so deeply that she's
   dubbed "Sleeping Beauty".  Takahashi, a uni student and amateur
   trombonist, is taking a break from late night band practice.  He
   recognises Mari from high school when they hung out once.

   Meanwhile, IT worker Shirokawa prefers to pull all-nighters at the
   office rather than be at home with his wife and kids.  Sometimes he
   takes time out, picks up a call girl and visits the Hotel Alphaville,
   a "love hotel" managed by Kaoru, a retired female wrestler.  On the
   night in question, Shirokawa beats up his "date", a young Chinese woman
   and illegal immigrant.  Takahashi knows Kaoru, and often drops by the
   Alphaville which is close to where his band practises.  Takahashi
   happens to visit shortly after the Chinese girl is found unconscious.
   He remembers that Mari speaks Chinese, so he returns to the restaurant
   to ask her to help translate.

   The story is broken up into short chapters which follow parallel story
   lines.  The chapters describing Eri's sleep are a little surreal.  I
   found the characters intriguing, but I felt something was missing.  The
   coincidences made the plot appear a bit too contrived.  Perhaps it was
   too short, not allowing the characters enough room to develop?  While
   not my favourite Murakami novel, it's still worth reading.


   3. "Un borghese piccolo piccolo" by Vincenzo Cerami
     <http://www.amazon.it/borghese-piccolo-piccolo/dp/8811685443>

   The title of this short novel literally translates as "a lower lower
   middle-class man".  It's the story of Giovanni Vivaldi (no relation to
   the Baroque composer).  Over the years he's managed to progress from a
   peasant farmer in Abruzzi to a job as a government bureaucrat in Rome.
   When the novel begins he's approaching retirement.  His only son, Mario
   has just completed his Accounting degree.  He is eager to give his son's
   career off to a good start.  One obstacle remains, namely the entrance
   exam for the Ministry.  Giovanni is willing to go so far as join the
   Masons if that can help his son.

   Halfway through the novel something happens to dramatically upset
   Giovanni's careful plans.  A rather bizarre chain of events follows,
   both tragic and comic.  The novel was made into a film not long after
   the book was published in the late 1970s.  The film stars Alberto Sordi,
   and goes by the English title "A Very Little Man".


   4. "Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions"
      by Guy Kawasaki
     <http://www.amazon.com/Enchantment/dp/1591843790>

   This book by 1980s Apple marketing evangelist Guy Kawasaki tries to
   explain what it is about certain people and products that enchants us.
   In some ways, it's an updated version of Dale Carnegie's "How to Win
   Friends and Influence People", but goes beyond personal factors to
   products and services.

   It should be noted that the emphasis here is to enchant people, not
   manipulate them.  A product or cause must be noble for enchantment to
   be long-lasting.  It's possible to use the advice provided in the book
   to sell questionable products, but customers aren't likely to be fooled
   again.  The book covers a lot of ground in short order, with the main
   points being: likability, trustworthiness and a valid cause.  It also
   looks at how the latest communication technology can help enchant
   customers.

   Given the author's background, Apple is mentioned quite a bit throughout
   the book.  Everyone who knows me knows I've been a Apple fan for years.
   But that wasn't always the case.  Back in the 1980s I actually loathed
   Apple, believing the company overcharged for inferior products.  All
   that changed in the early 1990s when I used a Mac for more than a few
   minutes.  There was such attention to detail that I'd never experienced
   with any computer I'd used before.  Apple enchanted me then and
   continues to enchant me.  Well, mostly.  Apple mice are a bit ordinary,
   but everything else is great.  Meanwhile virtually every other
   manufacturer has disappointed me or let me down, with a wide range of
   products: e.g. VCRs, DVD players, printers, mobile phones and toasters.

   The book is aimed mostly at entrepreneurs, but there's good advice for
   employees too.  There's even a chapter on how to resist enchantment.

Mogwai - A Rough Guide

2011-08-28T15:18:00.004+09:30

Mogwai - A Rough Guide

   According to Wikipedia:
   "Mogwai are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The
   band typically compose lengthy guitar-based instrumental pieces that
   feature dynamic contrast, melodic bass guitar lines, and heavy use of
   distortion and effects. The band is named after the creatures from the
   film Gremlins, although guitarist Stuart Braithwaite comments that 'it
   has no significant meaning and we always intended on getting a better
   one, but like a lot of other things we never got round to it'. 'Mogwai'
   means 'evil spirit' or 'devil' in Cantonese."
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mogwai>

   I started listening to Mogwai after reading that the band was similar in
   style to Sigur Rós (featured in an earlier rough guide).  Mogwai's music
   ranges from slow, majestic pieces to harder-edged, rock-out tracks.  The
   band's album and track titles may appear morbid, but I think this is
   largely tongue-in-cheek.

   The band's official website:
     <http://www.mogwai.co.uk/>

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  If the links are
   blocked, try searching for tracks on SoundCloud:
     <http://soundcloud.com/search?q%5bfulltext%5d=mogwai>

   Now, the "rough guide" ...

   1. "Summer"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj9ckk-Wxls>
   This is one of the band's early singles.  It was later re-recorded for
   the band's first studio album.  A notable difference between this and
   the album version is the use of a glockenspiel to play the melody line.
   This makes for a more dynamic contrast with the heavily distorted
   guitars that crash in at various points in the song.  The original
   version is available on a compilation of early singles and b-sides,
   called "Ten Rapid".

   2. "Tracy"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opn8riUNygM>
   After a couple of singles and EPs, the band's debut album "Mogwai Young
   Team" was released in 1997.  It gained many favourable reviews.  "Tracy"
   is a great example of a dreamy instrumental soundscape that is typical
   of the band's repertoire.  It starts softly, gradually building in
   intensity towards the middle, before receding back into the distance.
   The song is bookended with excerpts from phone conversations between
   band members.  This is not an official video.

   Other highlights from the debut album include the short piano piece
   "Radar Maker", and the sprawling epics "Like Herod" and "Mogwai Fear
   Satan".

   The band's second album, "Come On Die Young" was released in 1999.  It
   wasn't that well received by critics.  I haven't listened to the whole
   album, so I can't comment.  Interestingly, one track, "Cody", actually
   has normal-sounding lyrics.

   3. "Sine Wave"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxkB_SMPFkY>
   In 2001 the band's third studio album, "Rock Action" was released.  This
   is the opening track.  Various instruments are used, including a spacey
   synth, glockenspiel, heavily distorted percussion (I think) and vocals.
   Lots of weird and wonderful sonic textures.

   4. "Dial: Revenge"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efUTCMd9Do8>
   This track has Welsh vocals, written and sung by Gruff Rhys of Super
   Furry Animals.  This is a video of a live version.

   Possibly in response to the "play by numbers" criticism of the previous
   album, the overall sound was more experimental on "Rock Action".  Other
   highlights include "Take Me Somewhere Nice" and "2 Rights Make 1 Wrong",
   which both feature lush string and horn arrangements.

   5. "Hunted By A Freak"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgIp5gqo40s>
   The band's fourth album, "Happy Songs for Happy People", was released in
   2003.  This is the official video of the great opening track.  I like
   the use of the cello in the middle.  Don't take the opening titles on
   the video seriously.  This is just the band's black humour, and is
   possibly an homage to "Happy Tree Friends" cartoons.

   6. "Ratts Of The Capital"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnsid5xVWzU>
   This is the album's epic centrepiece.  It has the band's characteristic
   slow-build, intense middle-section and gradual fade-out style.  But it
   still manages to sound fresh thanks to the use of different sounds and
   textures.

   7. "I Know You Are, But What Am I?"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0dORHW9Cg4>
   The minimalist piano that underpins the song reminds me a little of the
   "dripping" piano line from Chopin's "Raindrop" prelude, albeit greatly
   slowed down.

   Other highlights from the album include ominous-sounding "Kids Will Be
   Skeletons", and "Golden Porsche" with its mellow piano and bass.
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iKOTYb9Yqo>

   8. "Auto Rock"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zei_wnNZ1mo>
   This track opens the band's fifth studio album, "Mr Beast", released in
   2006.  It used the trademark Mogwai structure, this time using a piano
   riff to provide the main melody line.  Apparently the song has been used
   in TV's Top Gear.

   9. "Friend Of The Night"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC_3alnTE9g>
   This was the only single released from "Mr Beast".  Another piano-
   centric piece.  The band was starting to get noticed commercially, this
   track being the band's first UK Top 40 single.  I don't know what's
   going on in the video, something to do with vampires maybe, but the song
   is great.

   Another piano-based highlight is "Team Handed".  Other standout tracks
   on the album, like "Glasgow Mega-Snake", and "We're No Here", have a
   more raucous edge thanks to the use of distorted guitars.

   10. "Batcat"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMDCM5OAOaE>
   This quasi-metal workout was the first single from the band's sixth
   album, "The Hawk Is Howling", released in 2008.  The official video is a
   bit scary too.

   11. "Danphe And The Brain"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xII7ku6t3uQ>
   A softer, more melodic piece from "The Hawk Is Howling".

   Other highlights include the wonderfully titled "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm
   Dead" and "The Sun Smells Too Loud" (I want to sneak in a reference to
   synesthesia into this guide).  "Scotland's Shame" is another
   characteristic slow-building epic.

   Mogwai released its first official live album, "Special Moves", in 2010.
   Check out the mogwaiTV YouTube Channel for excerpts from the
   accompanying tour film:
     <http://www.youtube.com/user/mogwaiTV?blend=5&ob=5>

   12. "Mexican Grand Prix"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jv64uhCIrU>
   Mogwai's seventh studio album, "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will"
   was released in 2011.  This single is one of the very rare Mogwai tracks
   to feature vocals.  As such, it sounds more like a typical rock song,
   reminiscent of late era Primal Scream.

   13. "San Pedro"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVNYm9Qncyc>
   Another great rocking instrumental.

   14. "Death Rays"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amvD_7i3SH4>
   This spine-tingling track is built around a great organ melody.

   Overall, another solid effort.  Other strong tracks include "White
   Noise", "Letters to the Metro" and "Too Raging to Cheers".

Assorted Maps and Modes of Transport

2011-08-14T11:38:00.004+09:30

Assorted Maps and Modes of Transport

   1. "Points of Departure"
     <http://www.ge.com/thegeshow/future-flight/points-of-departure.html>
   A nice mashup of airports and geo-located photos.  Pick from 6,000
   popular and obscure airports, from preset lists, by entering airport
   codes or the random option.

   2. "Rorschmap"
     <http://rorschmap.com/>
   Another Google Maps mashup, this one creates a kaleidoscopic effect.
   More info at:
     <http://booktwo.org/notebook/rorschmap/>

   3. "Postcards from Google Earth, Bridges"
     <http://clementvalla.com/index.php?/work/bridges/>
   The distorted wonders of Google Earth.

   4. "Visualizing The Traffic Of Rome, Paris, And Tel Aviv"
     <http://www.fastcompany.com/1769694/visualizing-the-traffic-
        of-rome-paris-and-tel-aviv>

   5. "The World's 18 Strangest Elevators"
     <http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/gonzo/
        worlds-18-strangest-elevators>

   6. "10 Modes of Transportation that Never Got Into Gear"
     <http://www.neatorama.com/2011/03/24/10-modes-of-transportation-
        that-never-got-into-gear/>

   7. "Future Thinking from the Past: Pneumatic Tube Transport Systems"
     <http://www.core77.com/blog/transportation/future_thinking_from_
        the_past_pneumatic_tube_transport_systems_20006.asp>

   8. "Photo Collection: German Futurist Predictions"
     <http://history.icanhascheezburger.com/2011/07/13/funny-pictures-
        history-german-futurist-predictions/>

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, July 2011

2011-08-07T16:20:00.006+09:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, July 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month.  My fiction recommendation is
   without hesitation "To Kill a Mockingbird".  My non-fiction pick is
   "Flow".  I'll probably explore the concept of flow further by reading
   books about its application, and writing about specific examples.


   1. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
     <http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird/dp/0061205699>

   You probably know that this is a novel about racial injustice and
   prejudice set in Alabama in the mid 1930s.  I'd put off reading it,
   thinking it might be too preachy.  But I needn't have worried.  Written
   from the relatively innocent viewpoint of a young girl, the concepts of
   racial segregation, class hierarchies and general prejudice come across
   as rather puzzling to her.

   In the first half of the novel we're given a description of the simple,
   almost idyllic lives of the narrator, the young tomboyish Jean Louise
   Finch ("Scout"), her older brother Jeremy ("Jem"), and their summer-time
   friend "Dill".  Scout's father is Atticus Finch, a widower and middle-
   aged lawyer.  We are introduced to the attitudes and customs of the good
   people of Maycomb, Alabama.  While Scout is an avid reader, she doesn't
   like school much.  She's fearless, but even she's wary of their
   mysterious and reclusive neighbour, Boo Radley.  The court case that
   brings the race issue to a head doesn't happen until the second half of
   the novel.

   For a more detailed analysis of the plot and themes, see Wikipedia:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird>

   You can read many of the over 2000 generally effusive reviews on Amazon.
   I can only add that this novel is indeed worthy of the labels "classic"
   and "must read".


   2. "La gente" ("People") by Vincenzo Cerami
     <http://www.amazon.it/gente/dp/8804581034>

   This is an interesting collection of short stories about the lives of
   various people.  Each self-contained vignette is set in Italy, at
   different times during the post-war period.  The characters experience
   the growing pains of Italian society.

   Many of the stories are enjoyable, with several having ironic twists.
   For example, a painter has a strange condition where bright light makes
   him sick.  He spends his days indoors and underground, venturing
   outdoors only before dawn or after dusk.  His black and white paintings
   earn him some financial independence.  Then one day his sensitivity to
   daylight goes away, and he begins to appreciate colour.  He starts
   painting more vivid and colourful scenes, but these no longer interest
   his patrons.

   Cerami also writes screenplays, such as "Life is Beautiful", which he
   cowrote with Roberto Benigni.


   3. "Practical Wisdom" by Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Sharpe
     <http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Wisdom/dp/1594487839>

   The authors of this book aim to promote the idea that the world would be
   a better place if everyone exercised "practical wisdom".  This is an
   ancient ideal from Aristotle which seems to have fallen out of favour
   these days.  Instead, we seem to have advocates of two extremes: no-
   rules anarchy (free-market theory, everything open); and explicit and
   inflexible rules for everyone with no exceptions.  The authors suggest
   that incentives and rules have their place, but we need to take a
   pragmatic approach to enforcement.  As per the book's subtitle, it's
   about learning "the right way to do the right thing", one person at a
   time if necessary.

   The book quotes research and cites many individual cases that support
   the notion that a new approach is needed to achieve positive results in
   such important fields as education, justice, medicine and business.
   Rigid rules can be as damaging as no rules at all, especially if they
   remove discretion, or reduce engagement and purpose.  The recent turmoil
   in financial markets demonstrate how incentivised organisations and
   individuals can severely damage the systems they were meant to serve.

   If you can't find time to read the book, you can watch a recent TED talk
   by Schwartz, "Using our practical wisdom":
    <http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_using_our_practical_wisdom.html>


   4. "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
    <http://www.amazon.com/Flow-Psychology-Experience/dp/0061339202>

   Years ago I remember an sportsman saying he was "in the zone" when he
   was playing well.  Other people have described being in the zone when
   writing, programming, playing music and even cooking.  These are also
   examples of "flow".  If you have the necessary skill to do well at an
   activity that is challenging, requires concentration and provides quick
   feedback, then you can achieve flow.  You lose awareness of not only the
   sense of time, but even your own ego.

   Money and status may provide short term happiness.  But multiple studies
   show that the returns start diminishing rapidly after a surprisingly low
   threshold.  What matters for long term happiness is the development of a
   personal sense of purpose.  Flow experiences have been shown to
   contribute to this.  "A person who rarely gets bored, who does not
   constantly need a favorable external environment to enjoy the moment,
   has passed the test for having achieved a creative life."  (p171)

   This may sound like a self-help book.  It is not.  While the book does
   describes the requirements and elements of flow in great detail, it
   can't tell you personally how to attain flow.  Everyone is different,
   and what may be a flow activity for one person may be unbearable for
   someone else.  Note also that flow should not to be confused with
   hedonism.  Some personal control must be maintained.

   The Zen-like nature of flow may lead some critics to dismiss flow as
   some kind of secular pseudo-religion.  While there can be some spiritual
   aspects to flow, and it may share some wisdom from various religions,
   the theory itself is based on empirical research.  The author cites many
   research studies where people have been able to achieve flow or "optimal
   experience".  Activities studied range from obvious fields like sport,
   arts, sciences and medicine, to the mundane.  A septuagenarian women
   living in the harsh Italian Alps, working sixteen-hour days on her
   little farm, considers everything she does enjoyable.

   The concept of flow really resonated with me.  It coincides with what
   I've experienced myself, both in work and everyday life.  A simple and
   obvious personal example is reading.  When I'm reading something
   interesting and challenging enough, I'm fully engaged.  Time flies.
   When I try reading something too challenging, as was the case when I
   started reading Italian novels, the struggle made progress difficult
   and enjoyment suffered.  With practice my Italian comprehension
   improved, and reading Italian became as satisfying as reading English.

   For the time-challenged, read the Wikipedia article on flow:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_%28psychology%29>

   Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has also given a TED talk on flow:
     <http://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow.html>


   5. "The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time"
      by David L. Ulin
     <http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Art-Reading/dp/1570616701>

   This short book is essentially an extended essay about the role of books
   and reading in the present and near future.  The author, a former book
   review editor, fears that book reading is under threat in a distracted
   age of short attention spans.  As a result, individuals and society as
   a whole will miss out on the many benefits of reading.

   Throughout the book the author reveals his personal reading experiences
   and development.  He mentions various books and authors, some well known
   and others obscure.  He covers the joys and frustrations rereading "The
   Great Gatsby" at the same time his son is studying it for school.

   He admits that reading can be seen as anti-social, but maintains that it
   is an important part of a balanced and reflective perspective on life.
   While he is wary of the trend from the printed word to electronic
   formats, he doesn't condemn this change.  In fact, he sees opportunities
   where technology can enhance the reading experience.  Providing we can
   get past the distractions.

Artistic Odds and Ends, July 2011

2011-07-31T15:12:00.005+09:30

Artistic Odds and Ends, July 2011

   1. "Art That Speaks Volumes: 12 More Book Artists"
     <http://weburbanist.com/2011/06/27/art-that-speaks-volumes-12-more-
        book-artists/>
   Artists using old books to make new art. See also:
      "Literary Love: 12 Works of Book Art & Architecture"
     <http://weburbanist.com/2011/03/07/literary-love-12-works-of-book-
        art-architecture/>

   2. "ART ~ Map Illustrations"
     <http://ingriddabringer.wordpress.com/map-illustrations/>

   3. "Selected ~ 2011"
     <http://anothersight.com/Selected/gallery.html?Submit=Selected>
   Famous works of art with their subjects 'cut out'.

   4. "Art from Coins"
     <http://staceyleewebber.com/STACEY_LEE_WEBBER/HOME.html>

   5. "The Coolest Locksmith Shop in New York City"
     <http://www.scoutingny.com/?p=3534>

   6. "Micromachina"
     <http://www.behance.net/gallery/MICROMACHINA/1022673>
   Models of mechanised insects.

   7. "DRAWINGMACHINE"
     <http://www.eskerex.com/?p=464>
   Draws patterns using a pen connected to a couple of large swinging
   weights (aka pendula).

   8. "positioning systems I - falling objects"
     <http://vimeo.com/24491037>
   441 water drops arranged on omniphobic material.

   9. "Amazing Long Exposure Roomba Photography"
     <http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/amazing-long-exposureeee-roomba-
        photography>
   The illuminated trails of robot vacuum cleaners.

Brendan Benson - A Rough Guide

2011-07-17T16:48:00.004+09:30

Brendan Benson - A Rough Guide

   From Wikipedia:
   "Brendan Benson is an American musician and songwriter. He sings and
   plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and drums. He has released four
   solo albums and is a member of the band The Raconteurs".
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_benson>

   According to AllMusic, Benson is "a Michigan-born songwriter who
   occupies the rockier end of the power pop spectrum (more indebted to
   the Who than the Raspberries, that is)".  Other influences include the
   Kinks, T. Rex, the Beatles, and Paul McCartney's solo work.  Read more
   at:
     <http://www.allmusic.com/artist/brendan-benson-p182734/biography>

   I found his music via The Raconteurs (aka The Saboteurs), one of Jack
   White's side-projects (that's Jack White of The White Stripes).

   Benson's official website:
     <http://brendanbenson.com/>

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies and Soundcloud
   tracks.  Apologies for any ads that may appear during playback on
   YouTube.  If you can, I suggest installing ad-blocking software :)

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "House in Virginia"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BGEHmFbwSA>

   Benson's debut album, "One Mississippi", was released in 1996.  It got
   positive reviews, but wasn't a commercial success.  I agree it was a
   promising debut.  Some songs perhaps are a bit too cute, but they all
   generally show potential.  Only one song, "Crosseyed", had an official
   video.  But I've chosen "House in Virginia" as my personal highlight.
   Other noteworthy tracks include "Tea", "Me Just Purely", "Emma J" and
   "Cherries".

   2. "Tiny Spark"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hniX0LLSVak>

   After the release of his debut, Benson toured and performed with other
   bands for a few years.  Then in 2002 he got a new label and his second
   solo album, "Lapalco", was released.  This is the official video for
   the opening track from "Lapalco".  It's classic guitar pop.

   3. "Metarie"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kAqP5ZL4jE>

   The album's second track has a laid-back start, with Benson singing over
   an acoustic guitar and accompanied by occasional flourishes of
   atmospheric synth.  Eventually the chorus kicks in and the song builds
   to a full band piece.  There was an official video made, but as it uses
   a different mix of the track, I've picked a fan-made clip using the
   album version.

   4. "Folk Singer"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWXcSGLhOrk>

   Released as an EP, this uptempo song is fueled by distorted guitar.  It
   has a cool putdown line delivered girlfriend, "She said 'stop pretending,
   you're not John Lennon'".

   "Good to Me", "You're Quiet", "Eventually", and "Life In The D" are some
   of the other great tracks on this very solid album.  Like the debut,
   many of the songs were co-written and co-produced by Jason Falkner.
   Unfortunately, it wasn't a big commercial success either.

   5. "Spit It Out"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Niwr1wOAaMA>

   Benson's third album, "The Alternative to Love", was released in 2005.
   The opening track, "Spit It Out" was released as the first single.
   Another slice of classic guitar pop, it was also his first song to chart
   in the UK.

   6. "Cold Hands (Warm Heart)"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYzzOkpRCHA>
     
   Another single and standout track from "The Alternative to Love".  A
   song about star-crossed love, it has great melodies.  The partially
   animated video incorporates some dark humour that matches the lyrics.

   7. "Flesh and Bone"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtE6h_mY1rI>

   Like "Metarie", this song starts out as a mellow acoustic guitar number
   which gets fleshed out at various times with strings, synth and vocal
   harmonies.  The track ends abruptly on the album, leading straight into
   the next one ...

   8. "Get It Together"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrRYOvhuxdk>
     
   This is a rocking, power pop song.  Overall, another solid album that
   critics appreciated.  But commercial success continued to elude the
   talented Benson.  Other highlights include "The Pledge", with its
   Spector-esque wall of sound, "Biggest Fan", and "Alternative To Love"
   (which reminded me a bit of Gomez).

   Around that time, Benson and long-time friend Jack White formed The
   Raconteurs.  The group's debut album, "Broken Boy Soldiers", was
   released in 2006.  I'll probably write more about The Raconteurs in a
   future Rough Guide.

   9. "A Whole Lot Better"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRjLF9IKZmU>

   Benson's fourth solo album, "My Old, Familiar Friend" was released in
   2009.  This time, he enlisted renowned British producer Gil Norton
   (Pixies, Foo Fighters, The Triffids).  The opening track is a straight-
   out retro-inspired rocker, and was the first single from the album.

   10. "Gonowhere"
     <http://soundcloud.com/brendanbenson/gonowhere>

   More retro pop, this time a slower tempo adding synths and piano.

   11. "You Make a Fool Out of Me"
     <http://soundcloud.com/brendanbenson/you-make-a-fool-out-of-me>

   A nice, McCartney-esque ballad, complete with strings.

   12. "Misery"
     <http://soundcloud.com/brendanbenson/misery>

   To wrap this guide up, my favourite track from the album.  It neatly
   encapsulates Benson's style of power pop, with its plaintive verses
   building seamlessly into singalong choruses.

   Another consistently good album.  Other great songs include the Motown-
   styled "Garbage Day", the reflective "Lesson Learned", and the upbeat
   and catchy "Poised and Ready".  Benson has posted most of the album's
   tracks to Soundcloud, so check them out at:
     <http://soundcloud.com/brendanbenson>

How TV Ruined Your Life

2011-07-10T17:18:00.006+09:30

How TV Ruined Your Life

     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_TV_Ruined_Your_Life>

   A great six episode series which uses (mostly dark) humour to state the
   obvious: television has ruined our lives.  Be warned that Brooker's
   style of humour is described as "savage and profane, with surreal
   elements and a consistent satirical pessimism".  I particularly liked
   episode three, which among other things takes a swipe at reality shows
   and minor celebrities.

   Links to individual episodes on YouTube:
   1. "Fear"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q74PNnL4E8>
   From hysterical public information films to grisly crime dramas, terror
   spills out of almost every channel. As Charlie explores TV's approach to
   fear, you won't know whether to laugh or scream.

   2. "The Lifecycle"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wSbXEDzHHY>
   From kids shows to Countdown, TV has something to infuriate anyone of
   any age.

   3. "Aspiration"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP6L5S14ygY>
   From Dallas to Grand Designs, television continually rubs desirable
   lifestyles in your face, making you feel inadequate in the process.

   4. "Love"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjF932SFoCc>
   Charlie Brooker argues that TV has warped our expectations of romance
   with a toxic combination of Blind Date and rom-coms. Do 'soulmates' even
   exist?

   5. "Progress"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu06U0vr6mk>
   From the moon landings to Blake's 7 to CSI: Miami, Charlie Brooker
   argues that television has warped our relationship with technology.

   6. "Knowledge"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBkIep88Cg8>
   Charlie Brooker traces how TV's notion of knowledge has changed from
   bespectacled experts to celebrity presenter drivel.

   You can watch them all one after the other, followed by some related
   pieces...
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q74PNnL4E8&playnext=1&list=PLC35092CD7C3F2ED2>

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, June 2011

2011-07-03T18:04:00.003+09:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, June 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month: a couple of novels, including
   probably the most violent book I've ever read, plus two non-fiction
   books.  All worth reading, though "Blood Meridian" may not be to
   everyone's taste.  Regarding "Simplicity": the process of writing
   reviews is an attempt to try to describe the books and express my
   thoughts as clearly and concisely as possible.  Unfortunately, I
   rarely muster the necessary skill and time to achieve those goals.


   1. "Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West"
      by Cormac McCarthy
     <http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Meridian/dp/0679728759>

   This novel is set in the mid-1800s in south-western US and Mexico.  It
   starts with the story of the Kid, a teenage boy who has run away from
   his home in Tennessee.  In Texas he witnesses a preacher get slandered
   and slaughtered by a mob.  Later he gets into a bar fight.  He joins an
   "irregular" army, which goes to Mexico only to be routed by Comanches.
   This last event is described almost completely in a single page-long
   sentence.  The Kid survives but finds himself in a Mexican jail.  There
   he is recruited into "Captain" Glanton's gang, hired by the local
   authorities to collect the scalps of Apaches who have been raiding
   Mexican towns.

   Included in this ragtag bunch is the tall, hairless, almost superhuman
   "Judge" Holden.  Lawyer, self-proclaimed "scientist" and philosopher,
   the Judge talks eloquently to the men about nature, destiny, morality
   and war.  He says: "War is the ultimate game because war is at last a
   forcing of the unity of existence. War is god".  Later he adds: "Moral
   law is an invention of mankind for the disenfranchisement of the
   powerful in favor of the weak".  The men may start out in awe of the
   Judge, but eventually they become wary of him.

   This is an extremely violent novel.  The brutality of the outlaws is in
   stark contrast to the breathtaking beauty of the natural surroundings
   which bear witness to their acts of horror.  Disturbingly, the story is
   based on historical accounts of the real Glanton gang, which rampaged
   through Texas, Mexico, Arizona and California.

   Despite the violence, I found it a compelling story rich with imagery.
   McCarthy's writing is distinctive and poetic.  While reading I was
   reminded of characters in his other novels.  The lawless Glanton Gang
   reminded me of the outlaws in "The Road".  The Kid reminded me of the
   tragic young runaway in "All The Pretty Horses".  And the ruthlessness
   of the Judge reminded me of the uncompromising Anton Chigurh in "No
   Country For Old Men".


   2. "The Laws of Simplicity" by John Maeda
     <http://www.amazon.com/Laws-Simplicity/dp/0262134721>

   This book describes ten laws of simplicity for business, technology, and
   design.  There are also three keys to achieving simplicity in the
   technology domain.  The laws include: reduce, organise, time, learn, and
   context.  These are summarised by the tenth law, "The One: Simplicity is
   about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful".  The book's
   website provides an overview of the laws:
     <http://lawsofsimplicity.com/tag/laws>

   This slim book includes many relevant examples, such as the evolution of
   the iPod scroll wheel and buttons and Google's search UI.  But, as some
   reviewers have pointed out, the author suffers from a failure to follow
   his own advice.  The author admits he trimmed down the number of laws
   down to ten, but even then there are still too many to remember easily.
   Also, the use of cute acronyms for steps or techniques actually
   complicates things: SHE -> "Simplify, Hide, Embody" (Reduce); and SLIP
   -> Sort, Label, Integrate, Prioritize (Organise).  These acronyms don't
   always appear to be related to the law.  That said, the book has some
   good, albeit obvious, advice.


   3. "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" by Oliver Sacks
     <http://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Mistook-His-Wife/dp/0684853949>

   This is an eye-opening book, written by noted neurologist Oliver Sacks.
   Drawing from many cases over his career, he describes his patients'
   struggles with various neurological disorders.  While the cases are
   generally tragic, there are moments where some patients are able to
   transcend their condition and express themselves artistically or
   otherwise.  The cases also help readers get a better understanding of
   what's happening to sufferers of various conditions, such as amnesia,
   Parkinson's and Tourette's.

   Sacks references some of his predecessors, such as colleague and mentor,
   Russian neuropsychologist and developmental psychologist Alexander
   Luria.  He's written other books related to his work, including
   Musicophilia which I read and reviewed in 2009.


   4. "Dance Dance Dance" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Dance-Dance/dp/0679753796>

   This is the followup to "A Wild Sheep Chase".  Set four years later,
   the narrator still hasn't come to terms with the disappearance of his
   girlfriend, Kiki.  He confesses: "I've lost and I'm lost and I'm
   confused".

   He suddenly feels the urge to return to the Dolphin Hotel on Hokkaido,
   where he last saw Kiki at the start of his "wild sheep chase".  When he
   arrives he discovers the quaint old hotel has been replaced by the
   imposing Hotel Dauphin, headquarters of a global chain of luxury hotels.
   There he meets two people who will have a big impact on him.  First, he
   meets Yumiyoshi, a receptionist at the hotel.  He falls in love with
   her, but fears she too will eventually "disappear".  She tells him about
   the time she inadvertently discovered a secret floor in the hotel.

   He also meets Yuki, a young girl who's been abandoned by her absent-
   minded mother and international photographer.  She just took off on
   assignment in Kathmandu, leaving her daughter alone at the hotel.  Since
   the narrator is about to return to Tokyo, Yumiyoshi asks if he can take
   Yuki back home with him.  He finds out Yuki's parents are divorced, so
   rather than leave Yuki alone he takes her to her father's home.  Her
   father happens to be a writer of bland best-sellers, named Hiraku
   Makimura (an anagram of Haruki Murakami in case you missed it).

   This novel features elements of the supernatural.  Yuki has some latent
   psychic abilities, and the narrator "sees dead people".  The Sheep Man
   returns in a few scenes, being a bit like a spiritual totem for the
   narrator.  In one of their "encounters", the Sheep Man says: "No
   promises you're gonna be happy... So you gotta dance.  Dance so it all
   keeps spinning".

   As expected, there are other familiar Murakami references, such as music
   (classical and classic rock, with the Eighties rock and pop preferred by
   the teenager) and cooking.  It also shares several themes, such as loss.
   Overall, I found the characters and themes were more satisfying than
   those in "A Wild Sheep Chase".

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, May 2011

2011-06-05T18:56:00.003+09:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, May 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month: five novels and one non-
   fiction.  By coincidence, some of the novels have lead male characters
   in middle age, possibly having a crisis.  Some feature only children,
   who read.  Hmmm.  My highlight would probably be "The Sunset Limited".


   1. "Super Sad True Love Story" by Gary Shteyngart
     <http://www.amazon.com/Super-Sad-True-Love-Story/dp/0812977866>

   This novel is set in the near-future, when America's foreign debt
   reaches a critical level and social networks dominate the thoughts of
   post Generation Xers.  It's written from the points of view of the two
   lead characters.  Lenny Abramov is an overweight, forty-something
   salesman of "Indefinite Life Extension" to "High Net Worth Individuals"
   (HMWIs).  The only son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, he's the self-
   appointed "last reader on Earth".  Entries in his diary form the bulk of
   the novel.  The object of his affection is Eunice Park, a twenty-
   something daughter of Korean immigrants.  Her texts and emails accompany
   (and reality-check) Lenny's lovestruck narrative.

   The first few pages were promising.  Lenny starts his diary off by
   declaring "I am never going to die".  Recent advances in pharmaceuticals
   mean people can extend their lives indefinitely, as long as they have
   enough money.  He challenges the idea that "life is a journey", and
   critiques Whitney Houston's song "Children are the Future".  Having
   decided to live forever, he states he wants to spend it with Eunice.
   But first he has to win her love.

   The first two thirds of the novel describe the sad state of the world:
   the decline of culture, shallow social interactions, and rampant
   consumerism.  We also learn more about the characters, their friends and
   family.  The early promise of something fresh starts fading.  When the
   inevitable economic/political crisis hits, the story seems to fall
   apart.  Lenny's self-obsession becomes unbearable, although Eunice
   partially redeems her shallowness and immaturity somewhat.

   Ultimately, the novel failed to live up to the hype.  Hailed by some as
   a modern reinvention of Orwell's "1984", I found it more in the vein of
   Ben Elton's dystopian novels: entertaining with some clever satire, but
   not a classic.  Lenny's mentions of works by Chekhov and Kundera were
   not enough to make up for the overall disappointment.


   2. "Lo stralisco" by Roberto Piumini
     <http://www.amazon.com/Lo-stralisco/dp/8879268678>

   The story is set a few hundred years ago in Turkey.  Sakumat is a
   painter with a reputation for depicting vivid scenes in an otherwise
   dull part of the world.  His fame spreads, and one day the lord of a
   nearby region requests an audience.  Sakumat travels with an envoy to
   Ganuan's palace.

   The lord's young son, Madurer, suffers from a rare condition which
   confine him to the palace.  Ganuan wants Sakumat to paint the interior
   of the palace so that Madurer can at least see pictures of things beyond
   the palace.  Sakumat accepts, and he and Madurer spend many days
   talking, designing and painting the walls.  Eventually, every available
   bit of space is covered with colourful scenes inspired by books,
   memories, or simply from their imagination.

   This is a short novel, mainly aimed at young readers.  The story is
   rather simple, but engaging and powerful nonetheless.  Unfortunately, it
   hasn't been translated into English.  The title, "lo stralisco", refers
   to a type of plant that glows in the night.


   3. "The Sunset Limited" by Cormac McCarthy
     <http://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Limited/dp/0307278360>

   This novel is set in a room in a tenement in New York.  There are only
   two characters in one extended scene.  "Black" is an ex-convict who has
   found faith.  "White" is an atheist professor.  More than simply
   referring to skin colour, the choice of names reflects the opposing
   extremes of their views on life.  Black has just rescued White who had
   jumped into the path of the Sunset Limited train.  Black takes White to
   his room and they engage in an intense debate about life, faith,
   intellectualism and meaningfulness.  Black tries to convince White that
   life is worth living.  White remains adamant that life has no meaning,
   and is determined to end his.

   The story has been staged as a play, and was recently made into a movie
   starring Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones.

   Given the subject matter, the dialogue gets very deep at times.  But
   it's not a long novel, and the earnestness of the characters keeps the
   story moving.  Definitely a thought-provoking book.


   4. "Poor People" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
     <http://www.amazon.com/Poor-People/dp/1843910233>

   This short novel is set in St Petersburg in the mid 19th century.  It's
   written as a series of letters between the two main characters.  Makar
   is a middle-aged bachelor working as a lowly copyist in the civil
   service.  Varenka is a sickly, unfortunate young woman, struggling to
   make ends meet.  After Varenka is cast aside by a suitor, Makar resolves
   to restore her honour by marrying her.  They start writing letters to
   each other, and he sends her money to help her get by.  But as his own
   situation worsens, he begins to lose hope and turns to drink.  In one
   letter Makar writes: "Poor people are capricious - that's the way nature
   arranges it".  Things get so bad that she ends up having to send him
   money.

   This was Dostoyevsky's first novel.  Written from the points of view of
   everyday "poor folk", it became quite popular in its day.  There are
   references to earlier great Russian writers as well as lesser
   contemporaries.  In fact, Makar shares the same job as Gogol's antihero
   in "The Overcoat".  Dostoyevsky takes a more sympathetic stance to his
   character's plight.  It offers a taste of the themes that would be
   examined in more detail in his later masterpieces.


   5. "South of the Border, West of the Sun" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/South-Border-West-Sun/dp/0679767398>

   The narrator, Hajime, is in his thirties and is having a midlife crisis.
   He's married to the daughter of a wealthy businessman, has two young
   daughters, and runs some popular nightclubs.  But he's haunted by the
   memories of girlfriends past.

   His first childhood girlfriend, Shimamoto, was an only child like he
   was.  She had a lame leg.  They both felt like outcasts and quickly
   formed a friendship in school.  However, they lost touch when he changed
   schools.  His next girlfriend is Izumi.  They're together through high
   school, but he cheats on her.  They break up by the time he leaves for
   university.  A series of meaningless relationships follows, continuing
   when he starts a boring job.  He feels that he keeps making the same
   mistake, hurting other people, and in doing so hurting himself.

   Eventually he meets his wife.  With the support of his wealthy father-
   in-law, he takes a risk and opens a jazz club.  The club becomes a big
   success.  His life seems to finally be on track.  But then he starts
   thinking about his first loves.

   This early Murakami novel shares much of the intimate, introspective
   feel of "Norwegian Wood".  But there are some surreal touches: Shimamoto
   usually appears on the scene when it happens to be raining heavily.  As
   in the rest of his work, music features heavily:  The title references a
   jazz hit, jazz bands perform at Hajime's clubs, and classical pieces are
   mentioned.  Overall, another enjoyable and thought-provoking work by
   Murakami.


   6. "Being Geek: The Software Developer's Career Handbook"
      by Michael Lopp
     <http://www.amazon.com/Being-Geek/dp/0596155409>

   The book's subtitle sums it up quite well.  The author has worked for
   some of Silicon Valley's leading companies (Apple, Netscape, Borland)
   over the past twenty years.  Using the pseudonym Rands, he has a popular
   blog, "Rands in Repose", covering software development and management:
   http://randsinrepose.com/ .

   The book has a good mix of anecdotes and solid advice.  Topics include:
   how to prepare for interviews; how to deal with difficult managers,
   coworkers and subordinates; and when to start looking for your next gig.
   For "normal" readers, the book includes a handy chapter that describes
   how to understand the geeks in their lives.

TED Talk Picks

2011-05-23T17:12:00.003+09:30

TED Talk Picks

Lately I've been watching a lot less television. Instead I've been
listening to various podcasts and watching stuff via the internet. One
particularly rich source of interesting and instructive content is TED:
"Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world"
<http://www.ted.com/pages/about>
"TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out
(in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds:
Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever
broader."

Here's a selection of TED talks I've enjoyed watching recently...

1. "Benjamin Zander on music and passion"
<http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html>
"Benjamin Zander has two infectious passions: classical music, and
helping us all realize our untapped love for it -- and by extension,
our untapped love for all new possibilities, new experiences, new
connections."
BTW the piece featured is Chopin's Prelude in E Minor, Op. 28 No. 4.

2. "Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation"
<http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html>
"Career analyst Dan Pink examines the puzzle of motivation, starting with
a fact that social scientists know but most managers don't: Traditional
rewards aren't always as effective as we think. Listen for illuminating
stories -- and maybe, a way forward."

3. "Barry Schwartz: Using our practical wisdom"
<http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_using_our_practical_wisdom.html>
"In an intimate talk, Barry Schwartz dives into the question 'How do we
do the right thing?' With help from collaborator Kenneth Sharpe, he
shares stories that illustrate the difference between following the
rules and truly choosing wisely."

4. "Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on flow"
<http://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow.html>
"Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi asks, 'What makes a life worth living?' Noting
that money cannot make us happy, he looks to those who find pleasure and
lasting satisfaction in activities that bring about a state of 'flow.'"

5. "Alain de Botton: A kinder, gentler philosophy of success"
<http://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_a_kinder_gentler_philosophy_of_success.html>
"Alain de Botton examines our ideas of success and failure -- and
questions the assumptions underlying these two judgments. Is success
always earned? Is failure? He makes an eloquent, witty case to move
beyond snobbery to find true pleasure in our work."

6. "Dan Gilbert asks, Why are we happy?"
<http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy.html>
"Dan Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness, challenges the idea that
we’ll be miserable if we don’t get what we want. Our 'psychological
immune system' lets us feel truly happy even when things don’t go as
planned."

7. "Clifford Stoll on ... everything"
<http://www.ted.com/talks/clifford_stoll_on_everything.html>
"Clifford Stoll captivates his audience with a wildly energetic
sprinkling of anecdotes, observations, asides -- and even a science
experiment. After all, by his own definition, he's a scientist: 'Once I
do something, I want to do something else.'"

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, April 2011

2011-05-02T19:06:00.004+09:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, April 2011

   For a few reasons, April turned out to be bit of a lean reading month.
   Quite by chance, all four of the novels I did manage to read were the
   first novels for each author.  My pick, if you're up to something
   challenging, is "The Solitude of Prime Numbers", the debut novel by
   Paolo Giordano.  For something a little easier, try Chekhov's "The
   Shooting Party".


   1. "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe
     <http://www.amazon.com/Things-Fall-Apart/dp/0385474547>

   The novel is set in the late 19th Century in Umuofia, a fictional
   village in what is now Nigeria.  Okonkwo is a proud, tradition-bound
   warrior and prominent clansmen of his tribe.  Early in life he sought
   to make amends for lazy, debt-ridden and "unmanly" father.  After
   gaining prestige in battle, and working hard on his farm, he achieved
   an important rank in the community.  However, his hot-temper causes an
   incident that would bring dishonour and exile.

   Greater challenges await for Okonkwo after his return from exile, with
   the arrival of white colonists and their new ways.  Okonkwo fears tribal
   culture is unravelling, and wants to prevent this.  In the face of
   change, he is an immovable object about to be met by an irresistible
   force.

   This was an interesting and thought-provoking story.  The author doesn't
   try to glorify pre-colonial life in West Africa, but rather he describes
   it as it was.  The novel was well-received when it was published in
   1958, and is apparently widely read in schools.


   2. "The Shooting Party" by Anton Chekhov
     <http://www.amazon.com/Shooting-Party/dp/0140448985>

   Chekhov is mostly renowned for his short stories and plays.  This story,
   while not very long, is his only "full-length" novel.  It's a murder
   mystery, told in the form of a story within a story.

   Zinovyev, a former investigating magistrate, visits an editor with a
   novel he has written about one of his old cases.  In that novel, a young
   woman, Olga, has been found murdered, and Zinovyev is entrusted with the
   investigation.  The actual murder doesn't take place until well into the
   novel.  The plot leading up to the murder and the subsequent "investi-
   gation" portrays most of the characters in an unflattering light.  In
   fact, several of the main male characters have had their eye on the
   beautiful, but sadly now dead "girl in red".  First, there's the jilted
   husband, Urbenin, estate manager for Count Karneyev.  The Count was
   Olga's latest beau and she had recently moved in with him.  We also
   learn that Zinovyev (i.e. the author) had had an affair with Olga.
   Drunkards, gypsies and uncouth peasants also round out the cast.

   It's obvious to the reader (and this includes the editor) that the
   magistrate has a conflict of interest, which influences both the
   investigation and the telling of the story.  After the "inner" story
   ends, the editor confronts Zinovyev with his theories about the murder.

   I enjoyed this novel.  It's nowhere near as long as novels by Chekhov's
   Russian contemporaries, so that's not an excuse.  My only real complaint
   is that the translation of Russian peasant speech as Cockney English did
   grate a bit.  This seems to be common for British translations of
   Russian novels set in the 19th Century.  Fortunately it doesn't detract
   too much from this entertaining novel.


   3. "The Solitude of Prime Numbers" by Paolo Giordano
     <http://www.amazon.com/Solitude-Prime-Numbers/dp/B0040RMEEO>

   This is the story of two damaged individuals, both haunted by events in
   their childhood.  Alice, left with a permanent limp after a skiing
   accident, develops an eating disorder.  Mattia, who feels responsible
   for the disappearance of his twin sister, inflicts pain on himself.  The
   pair meet up in high school, and an unlikely friendship begins.

   Mattia has managed to take advantage of his solitude, developing an
   interest in numbers into a promising career as a mathematician.  After
   completing his degree, he accepts a research post at a foreign
   university.  This is an opportunity to escape his parents and his past
   Alice doesn't do quite as well scholastically, but manages to use her
   passion for photography to get a job as an assistant for a commercial
   photographer.

   The relationship between Alice and Mattia is close but they're not a
   typical girlfriend/boyfriend.  At various times they individually
   consider taking things further, but circumstances always intervene.  At
   one point Alice reflects: "she and Mattia were united by an elastic and
   invisible thread that could exist only between two people like
   themselves: two people who had acknowledged their own solitude, each
   within the other."  Mattia sees themselves as two prime numbers, close
   but always separated by at least one other number.  As the book's title
   suggests, Mattia's meditations on prime numbers get right to the core
   of the novel's theme.

   This is a challenging book.  In addition to the two main characters,
   many of those around them have their own flaws and issues with
   intimacy.  The story is told through a series of key episodes in the
   lives of Alice and Mattia, rather than as a single, flowing narrative.
   Overall, it's an unforgettable and poignant story about flawed and
   enigmatic individuals.

   In 2008 Giordano received the Premio Strega, awarded to the best work
   of prose fiction by an Italian author.


   4. "The Big Sleep" by Raymond Chandler
     <http://www.amazon.com/Big-Sleep/dp/0394758285>

   Philip Marlowe is the original private eye.  For $25 a day plus
   expenses, he'll go about his work discreetly.  Poor old General
   Sternwood has a couple of tearaway daughters, Vivian and Carmen, who
   look for trouble and never fail to find it.  One of his daughters is
   the subject of a blackmail attempt, so the General hires Marlowe to
   get to the bottom of it.

   Set in Los Angeles' underworld of the late 1930s, the brash characters
   and snappy dialog keep the story moving at a fast clip.  Maybe a bit
   too fast, since it does get a little confusing at times.  Marlowe seems
   to stumble across guns-out action wherever he goes.  Yet luck always
   seems to be on his side.

   In its day it was hailed as a new, distinctive type of crime novel.
   While it mostly still holds up, the long trail of imitators and its
   ongoing influence in film and television have diminished its impact
   these days.  For example, growing up I've watched a lot of PIs on TV:
   The Rockford Files, Charlie's Angels, Magnum P.I., Moonlighting,
   Remington Steele, etc.  While set in different eras, they do share
   the plot twists, wisecracks and underworld intrigue.

   A movie was made in 1946, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
   I don't remember having watched it, but with those stars, one can
   imagine the fireworks.

Eskimo Joe - A Rough Guide

2011-04-26T16:02:00.004+09:30

Eskimo Joe - A Rough Guide

   From Wikipedia:
   "Eskimo Joe is an Australian rock band formed in East Fremantle, Western
    Australia in 1997. The band consists of vocalist and bassist Kavyen
    Temperley, drummer and guitarist Joel Quartermain and guitarist Stuart
    MacLeod."
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskimo_Joe>

   I was a bit late in fully appreciating Eskimo Joe.  "Black Fingernails,
   Red Wine" was the track that initially got me interested.  I listened to
   the band's second and third albums around that time, and while I liked
   the music, it wasn't until recently that it completely resonated with me.
   Funny how things turn out.

   The band's official web site:
     <http://www.eskimojoe.net/>

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  If the links are
   blocked, you can listen to selected tracks via the band's website, or
   search for tracks on SoundCloud:
     <http://soundcloud.com/search?q%5bfulltext%5d=eskimo+joe>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "Black Fingernails, Red Wine"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5nKvwPtY3E>
   This is the title track and first single the band's third studio album
   "Black Fingernails, Red Wine".  I picked this track to start the guide
   because, as mentioned earlier, it's the song that made me first notice
   the band.  It was the band's first top ten hit, was awarded Single of
   the Year in 2006, and came in at number two in the Triple J Hottest 100.
   This clip is apparently the original version, which was replaced by a
   less sinister one for official release.  The concept for the video is
   explained in the comments.

   Eskimo Joe's debut single, "Sweater", was released in 1998.  A self-
   titled EP followed in 1999.

   2. "Head Hurts"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGPue3eAWuk>
   This is the opening track from the band's debut album, "Girl", released
   in 2001.  I've chosen this track, rather than the singles "Wake Up" and
   "Who Sold Her Out", because it has a harder edge musically, and the
   lyrics are more interesting.

   3. "Liar"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxb3IrObNTc>
   This is the official video for the fourth single from the debut album.
   The director of the clip, Nash Edgerton, would become a regular
   collaborator in later videos.

   4. "Driver"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwaUfwq7idU>
   This is the closing track from "Girl".  It starts with quiet verses
   which build to wailing choruses.  Not surprisingly, the band members are
   Pixies fans.

   Other highlights on the band's impressive debut include "Take A Rest"
   and "Just Like Me".

   5. "Come Down"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iMkuOVPz4k>
   The band released its second album, "A Song Is A City", in 2004.
   According to the band, the inspiration was drawn from Fremantle.  This
   is another great album opener.

   6. "From The Sea"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzAUyjmedCA>
   This is the official video for the first single from "A Song Is A City".
   It was the band's first top 40 hit in Australia, was nominated for
   Single of the Year, and was number three in Triple J's Hottest 100.

   7. "Older Than You"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwP_peXAtM4>
   This is the third single from "A Song Is a City".  The official video
   was shot over 14 hours using a time-lapse technique.

   Other highlights from the band's second album include "I'm So Tired",
   "Life Is Better With You" and "Smoke".

   8. "Comfort You"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-2U2G3KIu4>
   The band's third album, "Black Fingernails, Red Wine", was released in
   2006.  This is the opening track.  The lyrics are almost non-existent,
   just some oohs and a few words repeated.  But I like the haunting piano
   backed by the distorted guitar.  Simple stuff, but very effective.

   9. "London Bombs"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhyTMyyYG5c>
   This is the fifth single from "Black Fingernails, Red Wine".  The
   official video has some neat visual effects, and the use of sepia tones
   gives it a nostalgic touch.

   10. "Breaking Up"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjiAgrF1aWk>
   This is the video for the fourth single from "Black Fingernails".

   Deservedly, the album was the band's first Australian ARIA Albums Chart
   Number 1.  There are many highlights on this solid album, including the
   singles: "New York" and "Sarah", plus "This Is Pressure" and "Beating
   Like A Drum".

   11. "Foreign Land"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI9GWamslKU>
   "Inshalla", the fourth studio album by Eskimo Joe, was released in 2009.
   This is the official video for the first single.  As the title suggests,
   there's an exotic feel to the song.  The video features some Whirling
   Dervishes.

   The album debuted at number one in Australia.  It was nominated for the
   ARIA Album of the Year Award in 2009.  This was the first album where the
   band used an outside producer, the renowned Gil Norton, who had produced
   three albums for the Pixies.

   12. "Losing Friends Over Love"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6eO_PbzP2k>
   This is the official video for the second single from "Inshalla".  Catchy
   tune with a nice bit of animation.

   13. "Don't Let Me Down"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFwlbbYxQOY>
   This is the third single from "Inshalla".  Quite a different sound for
   the band.  In fact, I thought it was a cover of an eighties song.  As if
   to emphasis this, the clip starts with a woman carrying a boom-box.  The
   rest of the clip is a touch risque.

   Other highlights on the album include "The Sound of Your Heart", "Losing
   My Mind" and "Morning Light".

   The band has contributed some covers on soundtracks and tribute albums.
   A new album, tentatively titled "Ghost From The Past", is expected to be
   released in July.

   Bonus track:

   "To Look At You" (with INXS)
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1ZyMcUwZdM>
   Last year, lead singer Kav Temperley contributed vocals to a remake of an
   INXS classic.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, March 2011

2011-04-03T18:00:00.003+09:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, March 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month.  Three each of fiction and non-
   fiction this time.  My pick of the novels is "No Country for Old Men" by
   Cormac McCarthy.  Of the non-fiction books, music lovers should consider
   "The Music Instinct".  "Blunder" is also recommended.


   1. "No Country for Old Men" by Cormac McCarthy
     <http://www.amazon.com/Country-Old-Men/dp/0307387135>

   This novel is set in 1980 in west Texas, near the Mexico border.
   Llewelyn Moss, Vietnam veteran and welder by trade, is out hunting on a
   borderland plain.  He comes across the scene of a drug deal gone wrong:
   shot up trucks and dead bodies are everywhere.  After finding a case
   full of hundred dollar bills, he decides to take the money and run,
   knowing that he's probably putting his life in jeopardy.  Sure enough,
   it doesn't take long before associates of both parties to the failed
   deal come looking for the money.

   Anton Chigurh is one of the guys hunting Moss and the money.  We learn
   early on that he's a ruthless, sociopathic killer, with a collection of
   unusual but effective weapons.  He's a strong believer in fate, driven
   by strict principles leaving no room for mercy.  His only concession is
   to occasionally allow a coin toss to decide the fate of anyone who has
   "inconvenienced" him.

   The story is accompanied by the reflections of an old-school sheriff,
   Ed Tom Bell.  Approaching the end of his career, he is forced to deal
   with murder and mayhem the likes of which he's never seen before in his
   formerly quiet and peaceful county.

   Given the level of violence, this novel is not for the faint-hearted.
   However, the writing and themes make it another great novel by Cormac
   McCarthy.  It was recently made into a solid movie, with a worthy Oscar-
   winning performance by Javier Bardem as Chigurh.


   2. "Pinball, 1973" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Pinball/dp/B003C1DVGE>

   This is Murakami's second novel, which was never intended to be
   translated and released outside of Japan.  Set in the late 1960s to
   early 1970s, it consists of two parallel storylines.  The main narrative
   features Boku, a recent uni graduate whose day job is working in his
   translating business.  He shares an apartment with a pair of quirky twin
   female students, that he can only tell apart by the tops they wear.  His
   life is pretty ordinary, save for his obsession with pinball.  He has a
   favourite machine, the rare Spaceship, on which he managed to get the
   highest score.  Unfortunately, the parlour where the machine was located
   closed down.  Boku decides to find out where the machine ended up in the
   hope of playing with it again.  The search for the pinball machine
   doesn't take up much of the novel - it's just one of several that make
   up the book.

   The parallel storyline is about the Rat and his struggles with finding
   out what he wants to do with his life.  He regularly visits a bar run
   by J, and a friendship forms as they discuss life, the universe and
   everything.  By the end of the novel, the Rat has decided to leave town
   and start fresh somewhere else.  Along with Boku, these three enigmatic
   characters who would feature in the later "Wild Sheep Chase".

   Overall, not a bad book.  It's interesting to see Murakami's style start
   to develop.


   3. "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" by Thornton Wilder
     <http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-San-Luis-Rey/dp/0060580615>

   This short novel is set in Peru in the early 18th Century.  A visiting
   Franciscan friar witnesses the collapse of a bridge, causing the deaths
   of five people.  Brother Juniper, who narrowly avoided the same fate,
   sees this event as an opportunity to investigate whether or not the
   deaths of the five people was part of some divine plan, or just a
   random accident.

   The life stories of the five victims are revealed.  They were neither
   saints nor sinners, but ordinary people with the usual human frailties.
   As it happens, their lives do intersect via shared acquaintances and
   events.  It's not clear if Juniper was successful in proving his point,
   but in the telling of the story, perhaps we find out something else.

   This Pulitzer-winning novel is short, and perhaps hasn't aged well given
   the era we live in.  But I found it an interesting idea for a novel.


   4. "The Music Instinct: How Music Works and Why We Can't Do Without It"
      by Philip Ball
     <http://www.amazon.com/Music-Instinct/dp/0199754276>

   As its subtitle suggests, this book is largely about what makes music
   tick.  The motivation for the book is to refute the claim by linguist
   and cognitive scientist Steven Pinker that music is merely "cheesecake
   for the mind".  Philip Ball argues that music is much more important
   than that.

   The book begins by describing the building blocks of music: notes,
   chords, melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre, etc.  Examples ranging from
   nursery rhymes to classical, jazz and rock music are used to illustrate
   the concepts.  The book is best read in conjunction with listening to
   music samples on the book's website:
     <http://www.bodleyhead.co.uk/musicinstinct/>
   (Hover over and click on the notes).  The site also includes links to
   full performances of pieces mentioned, though some have been removed
   from YouTube for copyright reasons.

   The book covers many other aspects of music: how our ears work, how our
   brains respond to the sounds, artistic interpretation and theories on
   what exactly is being communicated by music.  Along the way it describes
   how Western music in particular has evolved over the past few centuries.
   A must-read for anyone who likes music.


   5. "Stuck: Why We Can't (or Won't) Move On" by Anneli Rufus
     <http://www.amazon.com/Stuck/dp/B00403NGI6>

   This somewhat controversial book is about the many ways we get "stuck":
   personal habits, nostalgia, hedonism, doing jobs we don't like, being in
   unhealthy relationships.  Amazon customers seem rather divided about the
   book.  This might be due to the very personal and political views
   presented by the author, some which may be seen as extreme.

   Rufus seems to target Sixties hippies in particular.  She also takes a
   hard line against addicts, especially when they're treated as victims.
   I don't necessarily agree with many of her views, but she does make some
   interesting general points elsewhere in the book.  Regardless of one's
   political or social views, it's always worthwhile taking time-out to
   reassess your personal goals, relationships, work and life in general.


   6. "Blunder: Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions" by Zachary Shore
     <http://www.amazon.com/Blunder/dp/1596916435>

   The author is a professor of national security affairs.  He's studied a
   fair bit of history, particularly regarding diplomacy and the military.
   He's concluded that despite obvious high levels of intelligence, people
   can still make catastrophic mistakes.

   According to the author, there are several different categories of
   blunders people make: exposure anxiety, causefusion, flatview, cure-
   allism, infomania, mirror imaging and static cling.  Some of these
   labels for the types of cognitive traps are a bit too cute, and would
   make linguists squirm.  But the use of extensive examples from history
   and literature to back up the author's argument make up for that.

   Overall, I found this a very interesting book.  The arguments were
   convincing, and the author offers good suggestions on how to avoid the
   various cognitive traps.  The historical focus of this book makes it a
   good companion to other books I've read that focus on the psychological
   and behavioural aspects of human decision making.

Douglas Engelbart - The Demo (1968)

2011-03-14T16:56:00.004+10:30

Douglas Engelbart - The Demo (1968)

   This post follows up on one of the books I reviewed last week.  "From
   Memex to Hypertext" included a report by Douglas C. Engelbart, "Program
   on Human Effectiveness".  The full text of that report is available
   online:
     <http://sloan.stanford.edu/mousesite/Archive/Post68/PrHumanEffectiveness.html>

   The program's aim was "to bring significant improvement to the real-life
   problem-solving effectiveness of individuals".  The culmination of this
   program was a live demonstration in 1968, retrospectively dubbed the
   "Mother of All Demos", where the computer mouse made its public debut:
     <http://sloan.stanford.edu/MouseSite/1968Demo.html>

   "On December 9, 1968, Douglas C. Engelbart and the group of 17
   researchers working with him in the Augmentation Research Center at
   Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park, CA, presented a 90-minute
   live public demonstration of the online system, NLS, they had been
   working on since 1962. ... This was the public debut of the computer
   mouse. But the mouse was only one of many innovations demonstrated that
   day, including hypertext, object addressing and dynamic file linking, as
   well as shared-screen collaboration involving two persons at different
   sites communicating over a network with audio and video interface."

   Some highlights:
   * Clip 8: Doug demonstrates working with a graphic file tagged with
     hyperlinked items. Clicking on a link in the graphic, Doug jumps to
     separate items, such as texts, linked to the graphic.
   * Clip 11: Doug describes the goals of NLS (online system).
   * Clip 12: Describes the mouse in more detail... "I don't know why we
     call it a mouse. It started that way and we never changed it."
   * Clip 22: Doug illustrates how NLS can be used to construct,
     collaboratively modify, and ultimately publish reports and papers.
     (including hypertext linking)
   * Clip 25: In this segment Doug shifts to two-person collaboration.

   Another page about the Demo:
     <http://www.dougengelbart.org/firsts/dougs-1968-demo.html>

   This page includes links to 30th and 40th anniversary panel discussions,
   plus links to related publications.


   [If links in this email are garbled, try viewing the post on the blog
    <http://b-list.posterous.com/> ]

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, February 2011

2011-03-06T19:56:00.003+10:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, February 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month.  The highlight was definitely
   "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy.


   1. "Zero History" by William Gibson
     <http://www.amazon.com/Zero-History/dp/0399156828>

   This book completes what has become known as the "Bigend" trilogy.
   Hollis Henry, formerly of art band "The Curfew", has been lured by
   marketing big-gun Hubertus Bigend to find out who's behind the exclusive
   underground "Gabriel Hounds" fashion label.  Other characters from
   previous books in the trilogy, such as translator/codebreaker Milgrim,
   also feature.  Eventually the plot develops from a simple search for a
   denim designer into a battle for the very existence of Bigend's Blue Ant
   agency.  The hostage swap climax at the end of the novel arguably makes
   good action movie material, but comes across as contrived and
   unbelievable.

   Gibson's recent trend of brand name-dropping continues in this novel.
   This time everyone's using iPhones and MacBook Airs, posting to Twitter.
   Very current, at least for 2010, but even an Apple fanboy like myself
   found this irritating.  Why would a so-called "visionary" author date
   his work so readily?  Maybe he should ditch his MacBook and go back to
   using a typewriter, thus forcing him to think in more abstract terms
   again?  Or maybe he's tired of the cyberpunk label, and wants to be
   recognised for writing "serious" literature?  The problem is, his recent
   work fails to satisfy me on any level.  I think this book confirms that
   I no longer consider myself a William Gibson fan.


   2. "The Snow Goose" by Paul Gallico
     <http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Goose/dp/0394445937>

   This short story is about the unusual friendship between a reclusive
   hunchback, a young girl and a snow goose.  The girl found the wounded
   bird, and took it to the man who has a reputation for healing injured
   birds.  The snow goose recovers and soon flies off to join its fellow
   migrating snow geese.  But the bird never forgets what the man did for
   him, and often returns to the lighthouse where the man lives.  Later,
   when the man volunteers to help evacuate stranded soldiers on the
   beaches of Dunkirk, the snow goose flies with him, acting as a lookout.
   Possibly a bit sentimental, but still a good fable about friendship and
   courage.

   The edition I read included a second short story: "The Small Miracle".
   Set in post-WW2 Assisi, it's a story about a young orphan.  He wants
   to take his sick donkey to the crypt of Saint Francis and ask for a
   miracle to cure her.  But before that can happen the boy has to deal
   with the Church hierarchy to get approval.  In a way the boy's situation
   parallels Saint Francis' own struggles with authority.  Another simple
   but uplifting story, about faith and perseverance.


   3. "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
     <http://www.amazon.com/Road/dp/0307476316>

   "Nights dark beyond darkness and the days more gray each one than what
   had gone before.  Like the onset of some cold glaucoma dimming away the
   world."  These lines are from the opening paragraph of "The Road", a
   story about an unnamed young boy and his father struggling to survive a
   nuclear winter.  The world has become a bleak, unforgiving place, and
   the lack of food has turned some survivors into lawless savages who do
   terrible things.

   The pair are travelling along a road in search of somewhere warmer.
   Flashbacks are used to fill in some of the back-story.  Nothing is said
   about what caused the end of civilisation as we know it.  The focus is
   not on the global event, but rather on the personal story of the man and
   his son.  The precariousness of their situation is clear: "Borrowed time
   and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it."

   The author received a Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2007 for this novel.
   It's not hard to see why.  While some may find the storyline depressing
   and often disturbing, it is told in an engaging way.  The words are
   well-crafted, and the themes about human strengths and weaknesses
   (mostly the latter) are so compelling that you want to read on.  The man
   knows he will die eventually and worries how his son will cope without
   him.  They are "good guys", carrying "the fire" (or flame of humanity).
   Ironically, in protecting his son, the man sometimes does questionable
   things.  The boy seems to realise this, and starts asking things like:
   "We'll always be the good guys, right?" There may be hope, after all.

   The book was made into a movie, and is well worth a look if you don't
   have much time to read.  The movie is faithful to the original story,
   with solid performances and a great soundtrack by Nick Cave and Warren
   Ellis.  I found it helpful watching the movie a couple of weeks after
   finishing the book.  I'll probably read more work by Cormac McCarthy in
   the coming months.


   4. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Six Other Stories"
      by F. Scott Fitzgerald
     <http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Benjamin-Stories/dp/0143105493>

   This is collection of seven short stories by Fitzgerald, a preeminent
   writer of the Jazz Age (between the World Wars).  "The Great Gatsby" is
   one of my favourite novels.  The title story was recently made into a
   movie.  I haven't seen it, and apparently there are major differences.

   A varied collection of stories.  The twist in "Head an Shoulders" is
   amusing, and the title story touches on some interesting themes about
   age-related prejudices.  Other stories are cautionary tales.  Overall,
   an entertaining mix, although not always politically-correct.


   5. "Inviting Silence: Universal Principles of Meditation"
      by Gunilla Norris
     <http://www.amazon.com/Inviting-Silence/dp/0974240508>

   This book provides simple advice on how people can use mediation to help
   cope with the challenges of everyday life.  The need to be constantly
   entertained and stimulated seems to make us afraid to embrace silence.
   However, silence and meditation are useful.  The use of meditation is
   common to various faiths, but this book doesn't focus on meditation
   just as a religious aid.  It's a more general-purpose technique that can
   help anybody deal with an otherwise busy lifestyle.

   I found this book by chance while looking for something to read on a bus
   trip home.  By coincidence, I had recently decided to cut down my TV
   viewing (I still regularly watch a handful of programs, but usually
   time-shifted).  This book reinforced what I'd experienced: quiet time
   free of distractions not only helps me clear my mind and focus, but also
   makes me feel less stressed and rushed.  As they say, it's the pause
   that refreshes.


   6. "From Memex to Hypertext" edited by James M. Nyce and Paul Kahn
     <http://www.amazon.com/Memex-Hypertext/dp/0125232705>

   This books collects essays written or inspired by Vannevar Bush, a
   pioneer of the modern "information revolution".  Bush developed early
   electromechanical computers, starting in the 1930s.  Later he started
   thinking about the nature of education and scientific research, and
   devised ways to help extend human ability using technology.  Key essays
   "As We May Think" and "Memex 2", written for mainstream press, described
   a literal desktop machine (i.e. the whole machine was built in the form
   of a desk).  He called it the Memex, or memory extender.  The goal was
   to provide a complete library in miniature, with tools to bring together
   existing content and create new content, linked together in "trails".
   Such machines, he argued, would help us learn as well as promote the
   development of new ideas.

   While the vision proved prescient, the technology described by Bush was
   biased by his work with electromechanical or analog computers.  Instead,
   interconnected digital computers would eventually deliver much of the
   vision.

   The book also contains essays that expand or restate Bush's vision, for
   example "Program on Human Effectiveness" by Doug Engelbart and "As We
   Will Think" by Ted Nelson.  Consequently, this book brings together the
   foundation works on hypertext, a key component of the World Wide Web.
   Well worth a read for anyone interested in the Web and technology in
   general.

Vivaldi - A Rough Guide

2011-02-27T16:36:00.003+10:30

Vivaldi - A Rough Guide

   "Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741), nicknamed il Prete Rosso ("The Red Priest")
   because of his auburn hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and
   virtuoso violinist, born in Venice.  Vivaldi is recognized as one of the
   greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was
   widespread over Europe.  Vivaldi is known mainly for composing instru-
   mental concertos, especially for the violin, as well as sacred choral
   works and over 40 operas.  His best known work is a series of violin
   concertos known as The Four Seasons."

   See Wikipedia for more on the life and music of Vivaldi:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Vivaldi>

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  For brevity, I've
   only included one movement for each of the pieces.  Apologies in
   advance for any annoying ads :(  Ad-blocking options are available for
   most browsers ;)
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_blocking>

   If the links are blocked, you can try listening to the pieces via
   Wikipedia or elsewhere, e.g.
     <http://www.last.fm/music/antonio+vivaldi>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. Lute Concerto in D, RV 93: II. Largo
     <http://splicd.com/D5twHP_johQ/0/309>
   This arrangement for guitar, performed by Eduardo Fernandez with the
   English Chamber Orchestra, is the first version of RV 93 I heard.  I
   couldn't believe this was composed by Vivaldi, almost 300 years ago!
   I know this is a rearrangement rather than the original lute, and the
   tempo is slower, but the underlying melody is sublime and timeless.  It
   got me started chasing up more compositions for lute and mandolin by
   Vivaldi, some of which will feature later in this guide.  BTW the handy
   Splicd service is used to specify an end time for the clip, so only one
   movement plays.

   2. Violin Concerto in E, RV 269, "La primavera" (Spring): I. Allegro
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypBRrZt1Lqg>
   The Four Seasons ("Le quattro stagioni") is a set of four violin
   concertos. As you can probably guess, each season has a concerto, with
   three movements per concerto.  An interesting exercise is to listen to
   each "season" and try to associate the music to the time of year.  A
   set of sonnets accompany the concertos, so if you want to cheat, visit:
     <http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Four_Seasons_Sonnets>
   Spring kicks off the Seasons, with its upbeat, festive first movement.
   The conductor of this performance is Riccardo Muti.

   3. Violin Concerto in G Minor, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer): III. Presto
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N00XKtROddc>
   Often nicknamed "The Storm", the sonnet for this dynamic third movement
   of "Summer" is: "The Heavens thunders and roar and majestically.  Cuts
   the head off the wheat and damages the grain."  Unfortunately there are
   no details on the performers in this clip.  At least the visuals are
   stunning.

   4. Violin Concerto in F, RV 293, "L'autunno" (Autumn): I. Allegro
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fOrGCZM38I>
   With the late summer storm is over, it's time to celebrate the harvest.
   This version of the first movement of "Autumn" features "unconventional"
   violinist, Nigel Kennedy.

   5. Violin Concerto in F Minor, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter): II. Largo
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dggfA9Vo64U>
   The beautiful second movement of "Winter" is accompanied by the sonnet:
   "Spending quiet contented days by the fire while the rain outside
   drenches people by the hundreds."  This performance is by Itzhak Perlman
   with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

   6. Trio Sonata in C, RV 82: III. Allegro
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxXKofQHzEg>
   The popularity of the lute was declining when Vivaldi started composing,
   but fortunately he did produce a handful of pieces for this predecessor
   to the guitar.  Performed by Rolf Lislevand with the Kapsberger
   Ensemble.

   7. Trio Sonata G Minor, RV 85: I. Andante molto
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXwZi3btQTQ>
   Another early piece featuring the lute, also performed by Rolf Lislevand
   with the Kapsberger Ensemble.

   8. Mandolin Concerto in C, RV 425: I. Allegro
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StNAG4gCIxY#t=20>
   Towards the middle of his career, Vivaldi wrote a few more pieces for
   the mandolin, another precursor to the guitar.  This performance is by
   Detlef Tewes on mandolin with the orchestra of Ettlingen.

   9. Concerto for Two Mandolins in G, RV 532: II. Andante
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47KEpWLBAjk>
   A modern, slower arrangement for two guitars, performed by Duo La Barre
   with a string quartet.
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=302UBVz0wWc>
   For comparison, here's a closer-to-the-original arrangement for two
   lutes and orchestra, performed by Fabio Biondi with Europa Galante.

   10. Violin Concerto in E, RV 271, "L'amoroso": I. Allegro
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfND02F5o-Q>
   Vivaldi was primarily a violinist, so I should include at least one more
   violin concerto.  Here's a favourite, with a clip that features some
   historical paintings and more recent photos of Venice.  I can't verify
   the performers, but this sounds like the version I have by i Musici.

   11. Concerto per l'Orchestra di Dresda in G Minor, RV 577: III. Allegro
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU4Ygy6S9Lo>
   This is a piece for multiple instruments, performed by the Taverner
   Players conducted by Andrew Parrott.

   12. Bassoon Concerto in B-Flat, RV 502: II. Largo
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGQT-Dtl1m8>
   Another Vivaldi highlight.  Performed by the London Chamber Orchestra,
   lead by Christopher Warren-Green.

   Vivaldi began writing operas late in his career.  Since I'm not an opera
   fan, I'll leave it to you to follow up if you're interested.  He also
   wrote several religious pieces: only fitting since he was also a priest.

   Encore: Lute Concerto in D, RV 93: I to III
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBJ8BmFPt3U>
   To finish up, I want to return to probably my favourite Vivaldi
   composition, all three movements presented in full.  This version was
   recorded at the Royal Alcazar Palace, Seville in Spain, featuring
   Australian-born classical guitarist John Williams.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, January 2011

2011-02-06T21:12:00.006+10:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, January 2011

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month.  In some ways it was a month of
   manifestos, with a Murakami novel thrown into the mix...


   1. "You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto" by Jaron Lanier
     <http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Not-Gadget/dp/0307389979>

   This attack on the state of the Web was written by a bohemian pioneer of
   virtual reality technology in the 1980s.  He's also a composer, visual
   artist, and author.  He isn't anti-Web, just opposed to the way many
   sites and technologies try to commoditise us.  He believes the internet
   should be a place where individuals can flourish, and not a tarpit of
   mediocrity that it has become: Web 2.0 or the social web is dominated
   by trolling, trivialisation, low quality content and outright lies.
   There are damning critiques of Google, Wikipedia, Facebook and Twitter,
   among others.  I have to say I agree with many of his points.  He
   concludes the manifesto with proposals for an alternative model for
   technology and the Web.

   In an age where some multinational corporations try to con(vince) us
   that they are paragons of openness and freedom, this book is a timely
   reminder that all is not what it seems.  The book's website:
     <http://www.jaronlanier.com/gadgetwebresources.html>

   BTW when I saw the book at the library, its title reminded me of this
   interesting observation:
   "If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the
    product being sold."
     <http://www.metafilter.com/95152/Userdriven-discontent>
   While this was in response to criticism of social news site Digg's
   redesign, it has general application, for example to companies that
   provide "free" stuff so that they can sell your eyeballs to the highest
   bidder, er, advertiser.  "Beware of geeks bearing gifts".


   2. "The Cult of the Amateur" by Andrew Keen
     <http://www.amazon.com/Cult-Amateur/dp/0385520816>

   This book has similar themes ands criticisms to Lanier's, but frames the
   arguments more from an economic than a philosophical perspective.  Keen
   argues that the "wisdom of the crowd" in the form of amateur bloggers,
   musicians and moviemakers doesn't always result in quality.  The book's
   provocative subtitle is "How Today's Internet is Killing Our Culture and
   Assaulting Our Economy".  Quality content takes time and money to make,
   and traditional producers are having their content devalued and their
   businesses threatened by low-quality content.  I don't completely accept
   the last point: maybe "old media" deserves a shake-up, but he does make
   some valid points.

   He also cites addiction, online gambling, file-sharing and plagiarism as
   nasty side-effects of the new world order.  He's particularly damning of
   Google: "they have figured out how to magically transform other people's
   free content into a multi-billion-dollar advertising machine."  He
   concludes by proposing some solutions: curation of content, regulation
   and enforcement.  Of course these suggestions will never fly with those
   who demand unfettered openness as a means to "democritisation".  But
   then it's easy living in an idealised world.

   Irony?  In true Web 2.0 fashion, the book been uploaded by someone:
     <http://www.scribd.com/doc/47721560/Keen-Andrew-The-Cult-of-the-Amateur>
   and Google's index helped me find it.


   3. "The Perfect Egg and Other Secrets" by Aldo Buzzi
     <http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Egg-Other-Secrets/dp/074757930X>

   This is a great little collection of food-related essays by late Italian
   architect/screen writer/author Aldo Buzzi.  The first part of the book
   gathers together recipes from the author's travels around the world.  I
   guess you need a bit of an open mind as to what other cultures consider
   delicacies, e.g. pigeons and crows.  Each brief chapter presents a
   recipe as well as some related anecdotes, trivia and cultural notes.

   The second part concentrates on the home cooking of the author's German-
   born mother.  Overall another entertaining read, especially if you're
   interested in food and cooking.


   4. "Sputnik Sweetheart" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Sputnik-Sweetheart/dp/0375726055>
     
   In this Murakami novel the main character is a young teacher who finds
   that his love for his friend Sumire, a wannabe writer, is unrequited.
   In fact, she has become infatuated with her new boss, Miu, a prominent
   and married businesswoman.

   The first part of the novel sets the scene and establishes these three
   characters.  I don't want to say much more about the actual plot to
   avoid spoilers.  I'll just say there is a major turning point midway
   through, and the second half becomes an interesting look at loneliness.
   Towards the end the main character, when counselling a young pupil,
   describes being all alone as "the feeling you get when you stand at the
   mouth of a large river on a rainy evening and watch the water flow into
   the sea".  He also warns that thinking just by yourself for too long can
   hold you back, can keep you to a single viewpoint.

   It almost wouldn't be a Murakami story without the presence of cats,
   wells, music and cooking, all with a hint of the supernatural.  These
   elements all make an appearance, but as usual it's the characters,
   themes and plot which carry the story.  Overall, another excellent
   novel, confirming Murakami as my favourite Japanese author.


   5. "Party of One: The Loners' Manifesto" by Anneli Rufus
     <http://www.amazon.com/Party-One/dp/1569245134>

   The author is a confessed and proud loner.  She argues that the term
   "loner" has become a negative label, when in fact some types of people
   actually need some "alone" time.  She notes that many great writers,
   artists and inventors were loners, and we benefit from the fruits of
   their solitude.  She contrasts the voluntary "loner" with the
   involuntary "outcast", and points out that many notorious loners were
   actually social people who were rejected.  These "pseudoloners" often
   did drastic things to take revenge or seek notoriety.

   As an introvert who requires alone time, I found this book refreshing
   and reassuring.  Not everyone is a social butterfly, and there's nothing
   wrong with shutting yourself off occasionally to get some peace and
   quiet.  In fact, in appropriate doses it can help keep you sane.
   Extroverts should read this book too, so they can better understand the
   rest of us.


   6. "The Four Agreements" by don Miguel Ruiz
     <http://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements/dp/1878424505>

   As the subtitle mentions, this book is a "practical guide to personal
   freedom".  It is based on the Wisdom of the Toltec.  The four agreements
   are straight-forward and hard to fault:
    (1) Be impeccable with your word.
    (2) Don't take anything personally.
    (3) Don't make assumptions.
    (4) Always do your best.

   The author argues that we can achieve personal freedom and happiness if
   we make and hold these agreements.  There's much in common with other
   moral codes and philosophies, so it's hard to argue against them.  I
   guess one criticism is that these agreements, like any moral codes,
   beliefs and principles, are also subject to the environment we live in.

Beethoven - A Rough Guide

2011-01-30T15:15:00.004+10:30

Beethoven - A Rough Guide

   Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. He is
   considered to have been the most crucial figure in the transitional
   period between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western classical
   music, and remains one of the most famous and influential composers
   of all time.

   See Wikipedia for more on the life and music of Beethoven:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_van_Beethoven>

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  For brevity, I've
   only included one movement of some of the pieces.  Apologies in
   advance for any annoying ads :(  Ad-blocking plugins are available for
   most browsers ;)

   If the links are blocked, you can try listening to the pieces via
   Wikipedia or elsewhere, e.g.
     <http://www.last.fm/music/Ludwig+van+Beethoven>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. Bagatelle in A Minor, WoO 59, 'Für Elise'
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAsDLGjMhFI>
   This is a live performance of a piece that almost every aspiring pianist
   is taught to play.  Even if you don't listen to much classical, it's
   likely you've heard this piece, maybe at a school concert or in a movie.
   BTW, a bagatelle is a short piece of music, typically light or mellow,
   and the performer is Valentina Lisitsa (Ukraine).

   2. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2, 'Moonlight':
      I. Adagio sostenuto
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6txOvK-mAk>
   Originally sonatas were written for solo instruments, or sometimes
   for small groups.  The form evolved through the Classical period.
   Beethoven wrote 32 sonatas for piano.  Perhaps the most famous and well-
   known is this one, "Moonlight".  The video is for the first of three
   movements.  The performer, Wilhelm Kempff, was particularly known for
   his interpretations of Beethoven's works.

   3. Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, 'Pathétique':
      II. Adagio cantabile
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly1iTD0zB1Y>
   Here's the second movement of an earlier piano sonata, also performed
   by Kempff.  Unfortunately the recording has some glitches during the
   climax and other loud sections.

   4. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C, Op. 53, 'Waldstein':
      I. Allegro con brio
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjWBweNBHIM>
   Another piano sonata, this time performed by Russian pianist Emil
   Gilels.  As its tempo suggests, this first movement is quite lively.
   The piece actually goes for a bit longer, but the full performance of
   the sonata has been split into parts by the uploader, possibly due to
   limitations by YouTube.

   5. Violin Sonata No. 5 in F, Op. 24, 'Spring':
      II. Adagio molto espressivo
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmuNr7yqapE>
   While Beethoven was primarily a pianist, he composed for many other
   instruments.  In this sonata, the violin is the focus, but accompanied
   by piano.  This performance, by violinist Henryk Szeryng and pianist
   Arthur Rubinstein, is of the second movement.

   6. Piano Trio No. 7 in B-Flat, Op. 97, 'Archduke':
      I. Allegro moderato
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwXljRJNN74>
   I couldn't leave this piece out, having recently read "Kafka on the
   Shore" by Haruki Murakami.  One of the characters in that book becomes
   obsessed with Beethoven's music, and with this piece in particular.
   From Beethoven's "middle" period, it is written for piano, violin and
   cello.  It gets its name from its dedication, to a student and patron,
   Archduke Rudolph of Austria.  Here the first movement is performed by
   Daniel Barenboim (piano), Pinchas Zukerman (violin) and Jacqueline
   du Pré (cello).

   7. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat, Op. 73, 'Emperor':
      II. Adagio un poco mosso
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd9rg9v25bo>
   A concerto is a composition usually in three parts or movements, where
   a solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.  In this, the second
   movement of Beethoven's 5th piano concerto, the piano doesn't kick in
   until around the two minute mark, but the sublime melody is worth the
   wait.  This concerto came in at #2 in the ABC Classic FM's Classic 100
   last year, and #1 in the Classic 100 Concertos in 2007.  The performers
   of this version are Krystian Zimerman on piano, with the Vienna
   Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

   8. Piano Concerto No. 1 in C, Op. 15:
      III. Rondo: Allegro scherzando
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUfL8pnUorY>
   This performance of the upbeat third movement of Beethoven's first
   (published) piano concerto features Krystian Zimerman on piano again and
   conducting.

   9. Violin Concerto in D, Op. 61: III. Rondo
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmVPrYx5tQg>
   This is the third and final movement of the only concerto Beethoven
   composed for the violin as the principle instrument.  Interestingly,
   this concerto was not well received when it premiered, but it became a
   staple of the genre after Beethoven's death.  Last year it came in at #9
   in last year's Classic 100.

   10. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: I. Allegro con brio
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK4zt1UTjmA>
   A symphony is an extended musical composition, almost always for a full
   orchestra.  Most people will recognise the emphatic opening to this, the
   opening movement of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.  This version is by the
   Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan.

   To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of big orchestral works, probably
   because I prefer more minimalist music.  After building up to the full
   orchestral treatment, I'm going to wrap up this rough guide with two
   piano-only selections.

   11. 33 Variations on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli, Op. 120 (part)
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYNXBDzpI-8>
   The Diabelli Variations was one of Beethoven's later works.  It is
   regarded as one of the supreme compositions for the piano.  Here
   Russian pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy performs the opening theme and the
   first set of variations.

   12. Rondo in C, Op. 51 No. 1: Moderato e grazioso
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVeMO4a8ql0>
   A rondo is a composition where a principal theme (the "refrain")
   alternates with one or more contrasting themes, generally called
   "episodes", I guess a bit like songs with choruses and verses.  This
   performance features the Russian pianist, Sviatoslav Richter.  Note
   that this video also features a piece by Brahms in the second half.

2010 In Review

2011-01-16T17:30:00.011+10:30

2010 In Review

   2010, according to Wikipedia:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010>
   Last year was both the International Year of Biodiversity and the
   International Year of Youth.

   * "The 10 Most Significant Gadgets of 2010"
     <http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/12/top-tech-2010/
        ?pid=935&viewall=true>

   * "The 15 Biggest Flops In Tech For 2010"
     <http://www.businessinsider.com/tech-flops-of-2010-2010-11?slop=1>

   * "Metacritic Features and Reports: Best of 2010"
     <http://features.metacritic.com/features/topics/more/best-of-2010/>

   * "Albums of the Year" - a list of lists
     <http://apps.hubmed.org/aoty/>

   * "Best Books of 2010 - Fiction Compilation"
     <http://www.fictionawardwinners.com/best-fiction-of-2010-
        compilation.cfm>

   * "Best Books of 2010 - Nonfiction Compilation"
     <http://www.fictionawardwinners.com/best-nonfiction-of-2010-
        compilation.cfm>

   * "Best film scenes of 2010"
     <http://www.salon.com/entertainment/movies/greatest_film_scenes_
        of_2010/index.html>

   * "The Top 14 Astronomy Pictures of 2010"
     <http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/12/14/
        the-top-14-astronomy-pictures-of-2010/>

   * "2010 review: 12 best pictures of the year"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/best-pictures-2010>

   * Top 20 Photoshop Disasters of 2010
     <http://www.psdisasters.com/2010/12/top-20-photoshop-disasters-
        of-2010.html>

   * "Zeitgeist 2010: How the world searched (Australia)"
     <http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/zeitgeist2010/regions/au.html>

A Selection from Maxims & Reflections

2011-01-10T17:42:00.003+10:30

A Selection from Maxims & Reflections

   As mentioned in the last post, here's a selection from von Goethe's
   "Maxims & Reflections". You'll have to forgive the references to the
   male third person a lot - that's how they wrote in those days.

   If you're interested, the complete list is available online at:
     <http://wolfenmann.com/goethe-maxims-and-reflections-full-text.html>

   100. What matters to an active man is to do the right thing, whether the
   right thing comes to pass should not bother him.

   128. He who is afraid of ideas in the end also lacks concepts.

   247. Hatred is active displeasure, envy is passive; hence one need not
   be surprised that envy soon turns into hatred.

   254. It is the most foolish of all errors for young people of good
   intelligence to imagine that they will forfeit their originality if they
   acknowledge truth already acknowledged by others.

   267. How little of all that has happened has been recorded in writing,
   how little of this corpus of writings has been preserved! By its very
   nature, literature is fragmentary; it contains monuments of the human
   spirit in so far as these constitute written texts and have ultimately
   survived.
   268. And yet, in spite of all the incompleteness of the literary scene,
   we find repetitions multiplied a thousandfold, which shows how limited
   are man’s mind and his destiny.

   331. Error is related to truth as sleeping is to waking. I have observed
   that when one has been in error, one turns to truth as though
   revitalized.

   353. You ask which form of government is the best? Whichever teaches us
   to govern ourselves.

   367. There is nothing more dreadful than active ignorance.

   383. He who is and remains true to himself and to others has the most
   attractive quality of the greatest talents.

   475. Only those people who are both clever and active, who are clear
   about their own capacities and can use them with moderation and common
   sense, will really get on in the world as it is.

   476. A great failing: to see yourself as more than you are and to value
   yourself at less than your true worth.

   486. The dignity of art perhaps appears most eminent in music because it
   has no material of a kind for which detailed accounting might be needed.
   It is all form and content and it heightens and ennobles all it
   expresses.

   493. To find and to appreciate goodness everywhere is the sign of a love
   of truth.

   507. Imagination is only ordered and structured by poetry. There is
   nothing more awful than imagination devoid of taste.

   689. Knowledge is not enough, we have to apply it; wanting is not
   enough, there has to be action.

   791. The most original authors of the day are not rated as such because
   they produce something new, but only because they are capable of saying
   this kind of thing as though it had never been said before.
   792. That is why the most attractive mark of originality is knowing how
   to develop a received idea so creatively that no one can easily guess
   how much lies hidden within it.

   865. Only people unable to produce anything themselves feel there is
   nothing there.

   1188. He who has the understanding to declare his limitations is closest
   to perfection.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, December 2010

2011-01-03T17:33:00.000+10:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, December 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month...


   1. "Journey to the Land of the Flies and Other Travels" by Aldo Buzzi
     <http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Land-Flies-Other-Travels/dp/1883642833>

   This is a collection of essays by a former Italian architect turned
   publisher.  The style reminded me a bit of Bill Bryson's: comprehensive
   with a dry sense of humour.  The first essay, "Chekhov in Sondrio", can
   be read as a crash-course in Russian culture and history.  It has lots
   of useful background information, such as the 14 levels of the Russian
   bureaucratic hierarchy, the many types of vodka and when to drink them,
   food, architecture and history, all woven together using references from
   Russian literature (the greats and the lesser-known).  The other essays
   are similarly interesting, fun and informative.


   2. "Something for the Weekend" by Jamie Oliver
     <http://www.amazon.com/Something-Weekend/dp/0141022582>

   This is a cut-down (Penguin 70s) version of a cookbook by that lad of an
   English chef, Jamie Oliver.  If you're familiar with his TV shows and
   books, you'll know what to expect, and as you read the recipes you will
   probably hear his voice and see him goof around in your mind.  There's a
   cross-section of dishes and drinks in this selection, including an
   interesting twist on pancakes which I'll probably try soon.


   3. "Maxims and Reflections" by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
     <http://www.amazon.com/Maxims-Reflections/dp/0140447202>

   Goethe, born in 1749, was a pioneering German writer and polymath.  His
   most famous work is "Faust", an epic poem.  This book collects many of
   his thoughts and beliefs on many topics, including art, science, ethics,
   religion and architecture.  Some are a little too specific and dated,
   even arcane.  But many are still quite timely and relevant today.  I'll
   probably write a post soon listing some of my favourites.  Here are a
   couple of examples:
     476: "A great failing: to see yourself as more than you are and to
           value yourself at less than your true worth."
     1188: "He who has the understanding to declare his limitations is
            closest to perfection."


   4. "More iPhone 3 Development: Tackling iPhone SDK 3"
       by David Mark and Jeff LaMarche
     <http://www.amazon.com/More-iPhone-Development/dp/143022505X>

   In my ongoing quest to become an independent software developer, I
   worked through this book on iPhone software development (if you're not
   into this sort of stuff, skip to the last book :).  It continues on from
   "Beginning iPhone 3 Development" by the same authors.  This book covers
   Core Data, web and network interaction, maps and accessing the iPod
   music library.  As a training guide it wasn't as satisfying as its
   predecessor, possibly from being a bit rushed?  The first seven chapters
   are devoted to building a reasonable-sized application, and so you have
   to make sure everything is working properly before you can move on.
   Being able to download the source code helped, but the book probably
   could be improved with smaller code-build cycles to provide more
   feedback earlier.  On the plus side, the style is often witty, with some
   interesting example projects and helpful advice.


   5. "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy
     <http://www.amazon.com/Anna-Karenina/dp/0143035002>

   Many words have been written about this classic of Russian literature,
   so I'll limit myself to a brief overview and offer some humble thoughts.

   This is an absorbing tale of the lives and loves of some members of
   Russian aristocracy in the 19th century.  The title character is married
   to a prominent politician and statesmen, but she no longer loves him.
   She's fallen for Count Vronsky, a young and promising military officer.
   Meanwhile Kitty, another young member of the nobility, thinks she is in
   love with Vronsky.  Alas, poor old Levin, a member of the landed gentry,
   has fallen for Kitty.  The resolution of these love entanglements is
   essentially the plot of the novel.  Anna struggles to divorce herself
   from the proud and stubborn Karenin.  Levin revels in the country life,
   but realises he will have to move to the city to win Kitty's hand.

   But this is not just a tale about romance.  The author's views on
   economics, politics, art, culture, lifestyle and spirituality are
   embodied in the thoughts and actions of the characters, in particular
   those of Levin (a derivative of Leo).  There's some deep stuff going on,
   and you'll probably learn some interesting historical facts too.  My
   only real criticism is that the story is mostly about the aristocracy.
   This contrasts with Dostoyevsky's work, which usually deals with the
   lower classes living in same era.  Overall, if you can find the time,
   it's definitely worth the effort.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, November 2010

2010-12-05T17:02:00.000+10:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, November 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month...


   1. "Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall" by Kazuo Ishiguro
     <http://www.amazon.com/Nocturnes/dp/0307455785>

   This is a collection of short stories by the Japanese-born and English-
   raised author of "Remains of the Day".  As suggested by this book's
   title and subtitle, each story is on the theme of music and evening.
   Unfortunately most of the musicians portrayed are of the jazz-type,
   rather than the classical I'd anticipated and usually associated with
   "nocturnes".  Overall, I found the stories a little disappointing - I
   couldn't get excited about fading, self-absorbed jazz musicians.  At
   least one story was a bit memorable thanks to a bit of humour, with a
   "Jazz Musician of the Year" trophy getting stuffed up a roast chicken
   to avoid getting caught red-handed by security guards.


   2. "Rework: Change The Way You Work Forever"
       by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
     <http://www.amazon.com/Rework/dp/0091929784>

   This is a sort-of "How To" guide on starting and running a business by
   the founders and "rock stars" at 37signals (a web application company).
   Essentially the authors debunk a lot of the received wisdom about
   startups, e.g. don't prepare long term plans and you don't need venture
   capital (in fact it's best to avoid it).  While some suggestions are
   questionable, I did find some areas where I whole-heartedly agree, e.g.
   focus on a few things and do them well, and meetings are wastes of time.
   The book is an easy read, with short chapters that get to the point,
   and plenty of pictures to reinforce the ideas.  Taken with a grain of
   salt, there are some useful bits of advice here.  YMMV.


   3. "At Home: A Short History of Private Life" by Bill Bryson
     <http://www.amazon.com/At-Home/dp/0767919386>

   On the surface this book appears to be a history of household living,
   with each chapter devoted to a single room in a house.  While the layout
   of the book is indeed based on Bryson's current house, a converted
   Victorian rectory in Norfolk, the author often goes off on tangents.
   For example, in the kitchen chapter, after mentioning the ubiquity of
   salt and pepper shakers, he goes on for several pages on the history of
   various spices.  American-born Bryson got his start writing offbeat
   travel-type books, but lately has been writing more about history and
   popular sciences.  As a long-time Bryson fan I could forgive the many
   long-winded digressions, but I was hoping he would stay on-topic a bit
   more.  When he was, it is clear that household life before the modern
   era was usually very tough for the average person.  We take a lot for
   granted these days, travelling in air-conditioned vehicles between air-
   conditioned homes and offices.  The history of the household can be
   summarised as the steady improvement in comfort.  But perhaps we have
   become too comfortable?


   4. "Liars in Love" by Richard Yates
     <http://www.amazon.com/Liars-Love/dp/0440046696>

   This is a collection of short stories by Richard Yates, who wrote
   "Revolutionary Road".  I found that novel intriguing if not a little
   disturbing, so was keen to read more works by the author.  In these
   stories Yates again puts the post-WW2 "American Dream" under a critical
   spotlight: frustrated ambitions, broken homes, superficial relationships.
   The styles and themes of some of the stories reminded me of a couple of
   my favourite American authors: J.D. Salinger and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
   Though arguably not quite at the same level of those two greats, overall
   this is an interesting collection.


   5. "Ten Thoughts About Time" by Bodil Jönsson
     <http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Thoughts-About-Time/dp/184529050X>

   The subtitle of this collection of essays is "How to make more of the
   time in your life".  While this may sound like one of those self-help
   books on time-management, the author takes a more philosophical approach
   to the thoroughly-modern problem of time "flying".  In one essay, she
   writes that taking time out from our packed schedules and busy lifestyles
   can be a useful way of controlling the pace of time.  In another chapter
   she talks about "setup" time, in particular in the context of tackling
   difficult and uninteresting tasks, which reminded me of "creative
   procrastination".  The main criticism I have is that I found some parts
   a bit rambling - perhaps this is a translation issue?  Apart from that I
   found the author's personal thoughts on time quite interesting, and in
   some cases resonated with my own.

Found Footage, Nov 2010

2010-11-21T17:34:00.000+10:30

Found Footage, Nov 2010

   1. "Cat Parkour"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfozbcrMpGs>

   2. "How cats lap milk in super slow motion"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-JUo_2eyuU>
   More info: "For Cats, a Big Gulp With a Touch of the Tongue"
     <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/science/12cats.html>

   3. "Water Droplet Bouncing on a Superhydrophobic Carbon Nanotube Array"
     <http://www.thoughtware.tv/videos/watch/5426>

   4. "High Speed Video of Popcorn Popping"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qhh2rwIeuo>

   5. "These Gears Really Work?"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYcqJ5HdxA4>

   6. "Lightning strikes three of the tallest buildings in Chicago at the
       same time!"
     <http://vimeo.com/12816548>

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, October 2010

2010-11-07T17:30:00.000+10:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, October 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month...


   1. "The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying
       Logic at Work and at Home" by Dan Ariely
     <http://www.amazon.com/Upside-Irrationality/dp/0061995037>

   This is a follow-up to Ariely's "Predictably Irrational", which expands
   on research findings that show how people often behave irrationally.
   There are some interesting and entertaining bits, such as how we tend
   to overvalue our own work (the "Ikea effect"), the perils of online
   dating, and the uses and misuses of revenge.  Everyday examples back up
   the research and make it fairly easy to follow the main arguments.
   According to the concluding chapter, if we accept the shortcomings in
   our decision-making, we can improve how we "love, live, work, innovate,
   manage and govern."


   2. "The Scales of Justice" by John Mortimer
     <http://www.amazon.com/scales-justice/dp/0141022647>

   This is another in the "Penguin 70s" series, and features a couple of
   short stories inspired by the "Rumpole of the Bailey" TV series, also
   created by John Mortimer.  In the first story the main character tells
   his wife and family that he wants to give up a secure legal career to
   become a writer.  The second story is more in keeping with the TV
   series, and shows a lawyer skillfully defending a client being framed
   by a shady doctor.


   3. "I sommersi e i salvati" ("The Drowned and the Saved") by Primo Levi
     <http://www.amazon.com/Drowned-Saved/dp/067972186X>

   This is a collection of essays by Italian author and Holocaust survivor,
   Primo Levi.  His first two books, "If This Is A Man" and "The Truce",
   contained his first-hand experiences of his horrifying year in a Nazi
   concentration camp.  "The Drowned and the Saved" was written three
   decades later, and is the author's attempt to try to understand how it
   could have happened, and consider if it happen again.  Obviously, the
   subject matter is quite dark and heavy, but there are interesting
   insights into the nature of memory, guilt and responsibility.  One
   chapter, "The Grey Zone", looks at how things aren't always clearcut as
   people make out: that there often isn't just "Good" and "Evil", but many
   shades in-between.  Another interesting chapter contains correspondences
   with Germans following the translation and release of "If This Is A Man"
   in Germany.


   4. "A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary" by Alain de Botton
     <http://www.amazon.com/Week-At-Airport/dp/1846683599>

   In this brief book, philosopher-author Alain de Botton writes about his
   week as the author-in-residence at the recently-opened Terminal 5 at
   Heathrow Airport.  Despite being invited by the Terminal's management to
   spend some time at the huge, he was given the freedom to give a warts-
   and-all account of the mostly self-contained microcosm of modern life.
   An eye-opening and though-provoking read.


   5. "In Other Words: A Language Lover's Guide to the Most Intriguing
       Words Around the World" by Christopher J. Moore
     <http://www.amazon.com/Other-Words/dp/B000OFOIZE>

   A whirlwind tour of so-called "untranslatable" words from non-English
   languages.  In some ways this book covers similar ground to the Tingo
   series.  Like those books, it merely scratches the surface, but the
   structure of this book arranges by language group, and has the benefit
   of providing an index of the words featured.  Another difference of this
   book is the suggested emphasis of culture on words and their meaning.
   A quick and interesting read for people into different languages.


   6. "Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Blind-Willow-Sleeping-Woman/dp/1400096081>

   This month's dose of Murakami is in the form of a collection of short
   stories written in parallel to his more well-known novels.  There's
   quite a bit of diversity in the styles of the stories, from the
   conventional to the surreal.  One highlight is "Dabchick", which is
   reminiscent in some ways of Kafka's "The Castle", but mercifully briefer
   and "finished".  An entertaining collection.

Infographics Overload, Oct 2010

2010-10-24T17:32:00.001+10:30

Infographics Overload, Oct 2010

   1. "Online Communities 2"
     <http://xkcd.com/802/>

   2. "Creative Examples Of Infographics"
     <http://www.noupe.com/how-tos/creative-examples-of-infographics.html>
   "Data visualization techniques have been often used in modern maps to
    incorporate variety of information, for instance for network designs,
    destination points, and local landmarks."

   3. "Information is beautiful: 30 examples of creative infography"
     <http://www.designer-daily.com/information-is-beautiful-30-examples-
        of-creative-infography-5538>
   "The perfect infography must synthetize complex information in a simple
    visual representation, which is not easy. The following examples take
    information architecture to another level by making it beautiful."

   4. "The Rise of The Tower Graphic"
     <http://www.maxgadney.com/2010/10/the-rise-of-the-tower-graphic-and-
        video-thanks-to-tom-pearson.html>
   "Typically taking up several screen-depths, they are rarely structured,
    with the exception of a unifying subject and background colour and
    typically stylish 'style-guide'."

   5. "Victorian Infographics"
     <http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2009/12/victorian-infographics.html>
   (as in, from the time of Queen Victoria)

Of Nobels and Ig Nobels, 2010

2010-10-11T18:16:00.001+10:30

Of Nobels and Ig Nobels, 2010

   It's that time of year again, and the 2010 Nobel Prize announcements
   wrap up today with the Prize in Economic Sciences.  The official site
   lists this year's worthy winners:
     <http://nobelprize.org/>

   On a lighter and related note, this year's Ig Nobels have also been
   announced.  These prizes are awarded "for achievements that first make
   people laugh then make them think".  Visit the site for the winners:
     <http://improbable.com/ig/winners/#ig2010>

   A selection:
   * Physics Prize: Lianne Parkin, Sheila Williams, and Patricia Priest
     ... for demonstrating that, on icy footpaths in wintertime, people
     slip and fall less often if they wear socks on the outside of their
     shoes.
   * Medicine Prize: Simon Rietveld and Ilja van Beest ... for discovering
     that symptoms of asthma can be treated with a roller-coaster ride.
   * Peace Prize: Richard Stephens, John Atkins, and Andrew Kingston ...
     for confirming the widely held belief that swearing relieves pain.
   * Economics Prize: The executives and directors of Goldman Sachs, AIG,
     Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, and Magnetar for
     creating and promoting new ways to invest money - ways that maximize
     financial gain and minimize financial risk for the world economy, or
     for a portion thereof.
   * Management Prize: Alessandro Pluchino, Andrea Rapisarda, and Cesare
     Garofalo ... for demonstrating mathematically that organizations would
     become more efficient if they promoted people at random.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, September 2010

2010-10-04T15:56:00.001+10:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, September 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month, including a double dose of
   Murakami mayhem.


   1. "A Wild Sheep Chase" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Sheep-Chase/dp/037571894X>

   The anonymous narrator works in advertising.  He's recently divorced,
   but he's met a new girlfriend with three unusual jobs.  When the agency
   publishes a pamphlet for an insurance company, an associate of a
   notorious right wing politician pays him a visit.  The pamphlet contains
   a harmless-looking photo of some sheep grazing on a remote mountainside.
   The party heavy issues an ultimatum: find out where a photo was taken or
   else he will ruin the narrator's business.  On closer inspection, one of
   the sheep in the photo is very different from the others, having a star-
   shaped birthmark.  Thus begins the "wild sheep chase" of the title.

   The novel features many of the usual Murakami traits... for example,
   outsiders in unusual situations.  This time though, there aren't many
   musical references.  Some of the action verges on the surreal, with a
   talking "sheep man" and people with supernatural powers.  Most of the
   characters are referred to by nicknames or simple nouns: the Rat, the
   Boss, the Sheep Professor, the girlfriend, J (the bar owner), the ex-
   wife, etc.  This makes them feel more like caricatures rather than real
   people - maybe that's the intent?

   I have to admit this book didn't quite "work" for me like previous
   Murakami novels I'd read.  Perhaps my expectations were too high?
   Overall though, it was still an enjoyable read.


   2. "Innocent House" by P. D. James
     <http://www.amazon.com/Innocent-House/dp/0141022574>

   This story is actually part of a novel called "Original Sin".  There's a
   suspicious death at the riverside offices of a publishing company.  A
   recently-retrenched editor (apparently) chooses to kill herself in the
   office of a colleague, leaving a plausible suicide note.  But other
   deaths and mysterious events suggest something more sinister is at hand,
   and pique the interest of poet-detective Adam Dalgliesh.

   It's hard to properly review the book, since it is really an excerpt of
   a larger work.  I read it to get a taste of the (famous) author's style.
   It sets the scene well enough, and I was curious to see how things
   panned out.  While I found it enjoyable enough, I'm not normally a fan
   of crime novels.  I might get around to reading the full book if given
   the chance and if I don't have anything else to read.


   3. "Gli occhi dell'imperatore" ("The Eyes of the Emperor")
      by Laura Mancinelli
     <http://www.amazon.com/occhi-dellimperatore/dp/8806131915>

   This historical novel is set in medieval times.  It is the story of
   Bianca Lancia and her love for Frederick II of Swabia, son of Frederick
   Barbarossa, and the Emperor referred to in the title.  Bianca was the
   youngest daughter of a Piemontese Count, and destined for the nunnery.
   One day, while riding in the woods near her family's castle, she meets
   Frederick II.  She receives a falcon as a parting gift.  Every night
   since that day, she would look out to the setting sun and remember his
   eyes, in the belief that he likewise would return the gesture, and that
   they would eventually be together again.

   Many years pass, and when Frederick II's second wife dies, the now frail
   emperor sends his most trusted knight, Tannhauser, to fetch Bianca. Much
   of the territory between her home in northern Italy and Frederick's
   castle in Puglia (the southern heal of Italy) is ruled by hostile
   forces, so the entourage is forced to take a difficult route by sea and
   over mountains.  Even within the borders of Frederick's dominion, they
   still have to avoid capture by mercenaries and kidnappers.  The knight's
   own interesting story is revealed during the journey.  When he finds
   himself falling in love with Bianca, he ultimately chooses loyalty to
   his emperor over his own happiness.

   This was a short, interesting novel.  I appreciated how the story was
   told in a simple style.  In fact, it reminded me a little of Baricco's
   "Silk".  The author received the Rapallo Carige Prize for her book in
   1994.


   4. "Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Norwegian-Wood/dp/0375704027>

   Many of the typical Murakami elements are present to some degree:
   cooking, reading, cats, coming-of-age, music, isolation, wells.  But
   this time there weren't any elements of the surreal.  In fact, the
   style is more introspective than usual, dealing with dark topics as
   the young people in the plot deal with growing up in the supposedly
   liberating time of the late 1960s.

   There are many music references, mostly the Beatles (as suggested by
   the title) and some classical music.  The references to a couple of my
   favourite novels ("The Catcher in the Rye" and "The Great Gatsby") also
   struck a chord with me.  Being a coming-of-age story, it can get quite
   racy at times.  Parts are also very gloomy, as some characters have to
   deal with tragic events, such as terminally-ill parents, youth suicide
   and mental illness.

   While the novel may seem autobiographical in nature, the author denies
   that his youth was anywhere near as eventful as what has been portrayed.
   Nevertheless, being deeper and more personal in tone, I found this a
   satisfying and interesting departure from the usual Murakami style.


   5. "The Design of Design: Essays from a Computer Scientist"
      by Frederick P. Brooks
     <http://www.amazon.com/Design-Essays/dp/0201362988>

   This is a collection of essays about the design process across various
   disciplines, written by one of the pioneers of big-iron computers.  The
   same author had earlier written a classic book on software engineering,
   "The Mythical Man Month", and a key essay about there being "no silver
   bullet" that can exponentially increase the productivity of programmers.

   This new collection of essays also draw upon the author's experience in
   house architecture, administration and book authoring.  In deriving
   general principles about design, the essays are relevant to people
   involved in any design activity.  Topics include: the nature of design,
   design as a collaborative exercise, approaches to thinking about design,
   and the assertion that formalised processes are no substitute for
   individual talent.  Case studies are also provided.

   The essays can get a bit technical, but are usually brief, to the point,
   and full of interesting anecdotes.

Odds and Ends, Mon 20 September 2010

2010-09-20T18:32:00.001+09:30

Odds and Ends, Mon 20 September 2010

   1. Paleo-Future
     <http://www.paleofuture.com/>
   "A look into the future that never was."
   e.g. "Electronic Home Library (1959)"
     <http://www.paleofuture.com/blog/2010/7/14/electronic-home-library-
        1959.html>

   Elsewhere on the net...
   * "Delightful paleo-gadgets of 1959"
     <http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2010/08/30/now-see-this/>
   * "American City of Future (1925) #2"
     <http://www.sadanduseless.com/image.php?n=658>

   2. The Joys of Modern Technology
   * "Antivirus Programs"
     <http://www.thedoghousediaries.com/?p=1870>
   * "Why DRM Doesn't Work"
     <http://bradcolbow.com/archive/view/the_brads_why_drm_doesnt_work/
        ?p=205>
   * "The DVD experience: piracy vs legal"
     <http://i.imgur.com/GxzeV.jpg>

   3. How Less can be More, while More can become Nothing
   * "The Less Feature"
     <http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/the_less_feature/>
   * "King Gustavus' Folly: The Story of the Vasa"
     <http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2010/09/08/king-gustavus-folly-the-story-
        of-the-vasa/>

   4. "Things Organized Neatly"
     <http://thingsorganizedneatly.tumblr.com/>
   Examples:
   * "Food Stylist Linda Lundgren"
     <http://www.fubiz.net/2010/08/19/linda-lundgren/>
   * "Pencil sculptures"
     <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/7916457/Pencil-
        sculptures-miniature-masterpieces-carved-into-graphite-by-Dalton-Ghetti.html>
   * "2010 World Cup"
     <http://www.growingsignals.net/project/world-cup/>
   Looks more like an olympic torch, though.

   5. "This was done with a slide rule"
     <http://i.imgur.com/9h8HU.jpg>

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, August 2010

2010-09-05T17:10:00.000+09:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, August 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month.  If I spent more time, I could
   probably make the reviews shorter ;)


   1. "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Hard-Boiled-Wonderland-End-World/dp/0679743464>

   Another month, another Murakami.  The structure of this book tells two
   stories in alternating chapters.  The first story, "Hard-Boiled Wonder-
   land", is set in the mid 1980s.  The narrator is a Calcutec working for
   "the System", which is engaged in an information war with the Semiotecs
   of "the Factory".  He's part of a secret program where people's brains
   were altered so their subconscious can be used to encrypt information.
   While this sounds like a cyberpunk thriller, the hi-tech references are
   a convenience to set the scene.  In fact, as the story unfolds there are
   more references to popular and rock music and cooking than to computers
   and technology.

   The other story, "The End of the World", is very different in style and
   setting.  The narrator of this story is trapped in a strange place
   called the Town.  A condition of entry was that he be physically
   separated from his shadow.  He is given the role of Dreamreader, and he
   spends his days in the Library reading dreams encoded in the skulls of
   the Beasts.  Occasionally he's allowed to meet with his shadow, who is
   quietly plotting their freedom.

   These two different story lines are related somehow, but I won't say
   much more to prevent spoilers.  Overall, this is another refreshingly
   different, entertaining and insightful novel by Murakami.  Be warned:
   I'll be reading more Murakami in the months ahead.


   2. "Point Omega" by Don DeLillo
     <http://www.amazon.com/Point-Omega/dp/1439169950>

   This novella is set in modern-day America.  Jim Finley is a filmmaker
   who wants to make a documentary about Richard Elster, a retired academic
   and military advisor, and his role in an ongoing war.  They discuss the
   documentary at Elster's ranch in the California desert.  The grandiose
   scenery gives a philosophical air to their conversations, emphasising
   timelessness and insignificance in the big scheme of things.  Then, out
   of the blue, the story takes a different tack when Elster's daughter
   (who had  been taking timeout from a relationship at the ranch) goes
   missing.  This forces Elster to snap out of his reflective, ponderous
   state and become the concerned father.

   The unresolved ending of the main story left me a bit unsettled, but
   maybe that's the point?  Maybe I need more time to think about it,
   especially given how the story is book-ended by descriptions of two
   visits to an art installation, "24 Hour Psycho",
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_Hour_Psycho>
   where Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller "Psycho" is played silently
   in slow motion at two frames per second.  The viewer is forced to
   concentrate for longer to follow what's happening, often revealing
   things that would normally slip one's notice at normal speed.


   3. "Silk" ("Seta") by Alessandro Baricco
     <http://www.amazon.com/Silk/dp/0307277976>

   This short novel tells a simple story with an economy of words.  It's
   set in the mid-19th century.  Herve is a silk merchant who travels each
   year from his home in France to a secret and hostile region in Japan to
   buy silkworm eggs.  While there he becomes enchanted by the mistress of
   the local chief.

   In addition to the sparsity, there are a few brief passages where whole
   sentences are repeated, such as the description of Herve's trek across
   continents.  Each major point on the annual journey is mentioned, with
   slight differences (for example with how a particular lake is called by
   the locals).  These journeys could've been described in greater detail,
   easily filling the book out to several hundred pages, but that would
   detract from the main story.  In "Silk", only the final journey home is
   described in a little more detail, since events made it necessary to
   take a very different route.

   I'd previously read the English translation of this novella.  After
   reading and enjoying Baricco's other books, I wanted to re-read it, this
   time in the original Italian, to see if it still stands up.  It
   definitely does!  There was a mediocre movie made based on this book,
   starring some skinny actress.  But trust me, the book is way better.


   4. "Coders at Work: Reflections on the Craft of Programming"
      by Peter Seibel
     <http://www.amazon.com/Coders-at-Work/dp/1430219483>

   This is a collection of edited interviews with pioneering computer
   programmers.  It provides interesting insights into how different people
   write the software that underly the systems in use today.  Topics
   generally covered in each interview include: how they got started with
   computers, how they tackle solving problems, finding and fixing bugs,
   testing and reading code, plus more philosophical issues, such as: is
   programming science, engineering, art, craft, or some combination?

   Definitely worth reading if you work in IT, or are looking to.  I'd also
   suggest it is mandatory reading for people working in jobs that deal
   with programmers (e.g. recruiting agencies), so they can get a better
   understanding of what makes programmers tick.


   5. "Brideshead Revisited" by Evelyn Waugh
     <http://www.amazon.com/Brideshead-Revisited/dp/0316042994>

   This nostalgic novel is set during the years leading up to World War II.
   The story starts when Captain Charles Ryder is helping set up an army
   camp at Brideshead, an estate he visited often.  This triggers him to
   reminisce...  In those days he was student turned socialite painter.  He
   met Sebastian Flyte, a minor member of the British aristocracy, while
   studying at Oxford.  He becomes close to the whole Flyte family, who
   unusually for English aristocracy are very Catholic.  In the first half
   we see Sebastian waste his life away drinking to excess.  Everyone tries
   unsuccessfully to help him.  The tangled romantic lives of the Flytes
   are a chief focus of the second half of the book.

   Overall, I found this book a bit disappointing.  I was intrigued by the
   subtitle, "The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder",
   but the book itself failed to live up to my expectations.  The writing
   style was a bit too purple for my taste.  Many of the characters are
   dealing with the consequences of their Faith or lack of it, but I found
   their journeys a bit unremarkable.  The book reminded me of another
   novel set in the same era, "The Razor's Edge" by W. Somerset Maugham,
   where the central character is seeking spiritual meaning.  While the
   writing in that book was also a bit ponderous, I did find it more
   interesting.  I couldn't really relate to any of the characters in

   "Brideshead Revisited", and I failed to get interested in the inevitable
   decline of the English aristocracy.  Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's "The
   Leopard", was much more interesting in its portrayal of the decline of
   the Italian aristocracy in the mid-19th century.  One of the Flyte in-
   laws is involved in politics, so there is a bit of discussion about the
   uncertainty in Europe at the time.  But the novel lacked the critique
   present in George Orwell's novels.

Pixies - A Rough Guide

2010-08-29T19:26:00.000+09:30

Pixies - A Rough Guide

   From Wikipedia:
   "The Pixies are an American alternative rock band that formed in Boston
    in 1986... The band's style of alternative rock music is heavily
    influenced by punk and indie rock, and while highly melodic, is capable
    of being abrasive at the same time. Francis is the Pixies' primary
    songwriter and singer and has a distinctly desperate, yowling delivery.
    He has typically written cryptic songs about offbeat subjects, such as
    UFOs and surrealism. References to mental instability, violent Biblical
    imagery, and physical injury feature in many of the band's songs...
    Avowed fan Kurt Cobain's acknowledgement of the debt Nirvana owed to
    the Pixies."
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixies>

   The band is credited with perfecting the "loud/soft/loud" dynamic in
   alternative music.  A recent documentary about the band was titled
   "Loudquietloud".

   The band broke up in the early 1990s, but has recently reformed and
   embarked on a world tour.  A couple of the band members have had success
   outside the band.  Lead singer/songwriter Black Francis (aka Frank
   Black) has released several albums, both solo and with his new band the
   Catholics.  Kim Deal has had some hits with The Breeders, a band that
   includes her sister.

   The band's official web site:
     <http://www.pixiesmusic.com/>

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  If the links are
   blocked, you listen to samples of tracks via the album pages on All
   Music:
     <http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wifrxqr5ldhe~T2>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "Gigantic"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIu_b_fG_2g>
   The band's debut album, "Surfer Rosa", was released in 1988.  This was
   the only single taken from the album, and is one of the few songs where
   bassist Kim Deal sings lead vocals.  Unfortunately there is no official
   video.  This clip has the album version of the track with some
   interesting facts thrown in among the photos of the band.  For example,
   the real name of the lead singer is the very un-rock and roll sounding
   Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV.

   2. "Where Is My Mind?"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7sGp7Glxis>
   An aptly titled track, given the weird lyrics that feature in many of
   the band's songs.  This track also appears on the "Fight Club"
   soundtrack (1999).

   Other standout track from the band's debut album include the opener
   "Bone Machine" and "River Euphrates"

   3. "Debaser"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDw-hTuwcvA>
   This is an official video of the opening track from the band's second
   album, "Doolittle", released in 1989.  The song references a 1929
   surrealist film, "Un chien andalou" - for example, the lyric "slicing
   up eyeballs".

   The raw sound of the band's debut, produced by Steve Albini, made way
   for a more polished sound.  Gil Norton went on to produce the rest of
   the band's studio albums.

   4. "Here Comes Your Man"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvi4iA3PnKE>
   This is the first single from "Doolittle".  It's probably the first
   Pixies song I ever heard, when it was part of the test tape that was
   played repeatedly before Triple J started broadcasting officially in
   Adelaide in 1989.

   5. "Monkey Gone to Heaven"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R_-3w_Iwk0>
   The band's second single from "Doolittle".  A classic Pixies song.

   6. "Wave of Mutilation"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BihjWa47WuM>
   Another standout on "Doolittle", which is my favourite Pixies album.
   Other great songs include "Tame", "There Goes My Gun" and "Gouge Away".

   7. "Velouria"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHhox4_SeHQ>
   In 1990, the band released its third album, "Bossanova".  "Velouria",
   was the second single from the album.  This is the official video, but
   the sound quality not the best in this version.  It's a simple clip,
   featuring the band members climbing down a rock in extreme slow motion.

   8. "Dig for Fire"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2dBsBW9yjY>
   This was the first single from the album.  It's an okay song, but not
   the best on the album and a strange pick for a single in my opinion.

   9. "Down to the Well"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaIH6KcELns>
   One of my personal favourite songs from "Bossanova", featuring the
   classic loud/soft/loud dynamic.  Other solid songs on the album include
   the opener "Cecilia Ann" (a cover of a surf instrumental), the raucous
   "Rock Music", and "Is She Weird".

   10. "Planet of Sound"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvKCJDUBE2w>
   In 1991 the band released its fourth album in as many years, "Trompe le
   Monde".  Francis' obsession with UFOs is very prominent in the lyrics of
   many of the songs.  "Planet of Sound" song was released as a single in
   the UK.  This is a live version from the TV archives.

   11. "Head On"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F5TZ7z7tJs>
   The second single in the US was a cover of a Jesus and Mary Chain song.
   This is the official video clip, featuring a live version of the song.

   12. "Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nM-Xx4faZI>
   One of my fave tracks from "Trompe le Monde".  Other standout tracks
   include "Alec Eiffel" and the title track.  It was their last studio
   album.

   Bonus tracks...

   13. Pixies: "I Can't Forget"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sojmdvJQMx8>
   From the tribute to Leonard Cohen, "I'm Your Fan".

   14. Frank Black: "Los Angeles"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDVgfnyHP0c>

   15. The Breeders: "Cannonball" featuring Kim Deal
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AsId-qVIb4>

Another Quick Fix of Flicks, 15 August 2010

2010-08-15T17:30:00.000+09:30

Another Quick Fix of Flicks, 15 August 2010

   You might want to turn the volume down for some of these.

   1. "Radiolab and NPR Present Words"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0HfwkArpvU>
   A clever montage.

   2. "Mad Men: The Carousel"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2bLNkCqpuY>
   "Mad Men" is a show about advertising people set in the early 1960s.
   It's well-written and a welcome departure from those endless crime-scene
   shows.  SBS (belatedly) starts showing Season 2 from tonight.  Here's a
   clip of a highlight from the end of Season 1.

   3. "Mad Men Opening Credits"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcRr-Fb5xQo>
   Not only a great show, but it also has one of my favourite opening
   credits from any TV series at the moment.  Cool music, too.

   4. "Simpsons parody of Mad Men"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcmM7Jh2Y3k>
   "The Simpsons" openers are probably my other favourite opening credits.

   5. Schumacher's pitstop from "Asterix at the Olympic Games"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfSWYxMqhAc>
   The rest of the movie was ok, but not great.  This bit was a highlight.
   Ferrari Formula 1 fans in particular will get a kick out of this.

   6. "Fishing for a goal"
     <http://blog.planetargon.com/entries/2010/7/28/fishing-for-a-goal>
   Elaborate, entertaining goal celebration.

   7. "Champion cardstacker builds capitol with 22,000 cards"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvLkjuYunRw>
   This guy has an interesting job.

   8. "World's Most Amazing Trick Shot!"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XTGBOKqccw>
   Uses billiard balls _and_ dominoes.

   9. "Amazing Amazon Box"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Nv28lunRSY>
   I wonder if this happened naturally, or if it was staged?

   10. "Freakonomics, the movie"
     <http://devour.com/video/freakonomics-trailer/>
   For those who don't like reading books.  Hopefully it will get more
   people thinking about economics.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, July 2010

2010-08-03T19:42:00.000+09:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, July 2010

   Mini-reviews of books I read last month...

   1. "Zodiac" by Neal Stephenson
     <http://www.amazon.com/Zodiac-Stephenson/dp/0802143156>

   This novel is described as an eco-triller: think Rainbow Warrior meets
   Bourne Identity.  Written by renowned cyberpunk author Neal Stephenson,
   perhaps it should be classed as enviropunk?  Our hero, Sangamon Taylor
   (S.T.), is a rogue chemist who works for environmental activists who
   expose pollution and other dirty deeds of big corporations.  He think
   he's found evidence of organochlorines dumped into the Boston harbour.
   Although they've been at the bottom of the harbour for years, the drums
   have only recently started leaking.  The company knew this would happen,
   and was secretly taking steps to clean up the mess before being found
   out.  An experimental program was started to genetically engineer super-
   bugs to consume the dioxins and convert them to safer compounds.
   Unfortunately, things don't go quite to plan, and it all starts getting
   messy.

   A pacy and enjoyable page-turner.  Like later, more well-known books by
   the author, there's exposition of some technical topics, in this case
   organic chemistry.  However, as a novel I don't think it stands up as
   well as against "Cryptonomicon", which is probably my favourite
   Stephenson novel.   Later stuff hasn't been as consistent, and tend to
   be overlong, like his most recent novel, "Anathem".  In that novel, I
   was intrigued by the set-up of another world and different way of life,
   but once the story moved to the real "action", I found it became tedious
   and lacked believability.  I might re-read the two classic cyberpunk
   novels which initially got me hooked on the author: "Snow Crash" and
   "The Diamond Age".  It will be interesting to see if they still stand
   up, or if they simply captured the spirit of the age.


   2. "Scale" by Will Self
     <http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scale-Self/dp/0146000315>

   This is a little collection of loosely-connected short stories.  The
   common theme, or perhaps more precisely, the common word, is "scale".
   In the title story the narrator is a man who confesses to having lost
   his sense of "scale".  Other stories mention the word in different
   senses, such as the scales of a frill-necked lizard, bathroom scales,
   and the ever-present issue of crusty scales on the inside a kettle.

   I found the stories slightly off-beat.  I might check out a more
   complete set of the author's short stories.


   3. "Kafka on the Shore" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/Kafka-Shore-Murakami/dp/1400079276>

   Another solid, imaginative novel by one of my current favourite authors,
   Haruki Murakami.  There are two parallel story lines, which are resolved
   by the end of the novel.  One plot line follows the coming of age of a
   young Japanese boy, while the other follows an old man's final adventure.
   The boy, adopts the name "Kafka" and runs away from home.  His mission is
   to become "the world's toughest fifteen-year-old."  Nakata, the old man,
   was involved in a mysterious incident during World War II, when he
   suddenly lost consciousness along with his classmates while out on an
   excursion.  Unlike the others though, he lapsed into a coma and awoke to
   having lost the ability to read and write.  However, he seems to have
   picked up the ability to talk to cats, which allowed him to earn some
   extra money as a finder of lost cats.

   Like Murakami's other novels, music plays a part in the lives of the
   protagonists.  For example, a character is introduced to Beethoven early
   in the story and becomes obsessed with the man and his music.  The guy
   is fascinated by one piece in particular, the 40+ minute epic "Archduke"
   trio.  Other typical Murakami touches are present, such as supernatural
   abilities and otherwise ordinary-looking people inwardly living
   unconventional lives.


   4. "The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol" by Nikolai Gogol
     <http://www.amazon.com/Collected-Tales-Gogol/dp/0375706151>

   This is a collection of short stories by early-19th Century Russian
   author, Nikolai Gogol.  His writing is considered a pre-cursor to the
   works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Franz Kafka.

   The early stories are set in rural Ukraine, and many of the characters
   were superstitious people who fear witches and devils.  While these
   stories paint an interesting picture of life on the Russian frontier,
   they didn't really grab me.

   The later stories were set in the then Russian capital of St Petersburg,
   and I enjoyed these more.  A famous example is "The Nose", about a man
   whose nose decides to take off one morning and live a life of its own.
   Along with "The Overcoat", in which a character has a mean existence
   while dealing futilely with bureaucrats, is a fore-runner of some of
   Kafka's famous work almost a century later.  Soon I hope to read Gogol's
   classic novel, "Dead Souls".


   5. "Il tempo invecchia in fretta: Nove storie" by Antonio Tabucchi
     <http://www.amazon.com/Tempo-Invecchia-Fretta-Tabucchi/dp/B0033J788C>

   This is an intriguing collection of nine stories by Antonio Tabucchi,
   (who wrote "Pereira Sustains").  This collection's title roughly
   translates as "Time Ages Hastily", and the stories share the theme of
   the passing of time and how people struggle to deal with it.  The
   central characters in each of the stories has gone though difficult
   times, such as living in a police state, surviving a concentration camp,
   or restoring peace after war in the Balkans.

   One of my favourites was about a man recovering from his war-time
   injuries on a beach by the Adriatic Sea.  He has regular conversations
   with a young girl who is also holidaying there with her parents.  She's
   a bit of a naive idealist, while he cautions against ideals and what
   they can lead to.  Things lighten up when the man reveals he's studying
   cloud formations, and he teaches her how to predict the future from the
   formations.

Odds and Ends, Sun 25 July 2010

2010-07-25T18:52:00.000+09:30

Odds and Ends, Sun 25 July 2010

   1. Star Wars

   * "19 Things You Didn't Know About Star Wars"
     <http://www.onlinephdprograms.com/15-things-you-didnt-know-about-star-wars/>
   * "Fancy, Your Pants Are: Star Wars Gentlemen"
     <http://www.geekologie.com/2010/06/fancy_your_pants_are_star_wars.php>
   * "John Woo: 'He Wears It' Star Wars Meets Today's Fashion"
     <http://colt-rane.com/john-woo-he-wears-it-star-wars-meets-todays-fashion/>
   * "StarWars the baroque version"
     <http://www.behance.net/Gallery/StarWars-the-baroque-version/146136>


   2. Brand Power

   * "15 Brand Names Decoded"
     <http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Family-Lifestyle/15-Brand-Names-Decoded.html>
   * "20 Corporate Brand Logo Evolution"
     <http://www.instantshift.com/2009/01/29/20-corporate-brand-logo-evolution/>
   * "50 Fantastically Clever Logos"
     <http://designshack.co.uk/articles/graphics/50-fantastically-clever-logos>


   3. World Cup and Chinese Astrology (Revisited)

   After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, I noticed some interesting coincidences
   between Chinese Astrology and the winner of the World Cup:
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2006/10/world-cup-and-chinese-astrology.html>

   Based on that "analysis", since this year's tournament was held in the
   Year of the Tiger, I speculated we could have a first-time winner.  As
   we now know, Spain won the Cup, for the first time.  Spooky ;)

Play "Phone Grip Roulette"

2010-07-19T20:20:00.001+09:30

Play "Phone Grip Roulette"

   In case you haven't heard, there's a bit of a ruckus regarding Apple's
   latest iPhone.  Not so much from the overwhelming majority of the three
   million (3,000,000!) people who actually bought an iPhone 4 in the past
   three weeks, just various bloggers, journalists and commenters.
   Personally, I think Apple has responded appropriately.  But then I am a
   long-time Apple fan and wannabe iPhone developer ;)

   Regardless of your standpoint regarding the so-called 'Antennagate', the
   fact that other phones can do the disappearing signal trick means people
   have a new game to play when they get together: whoever can make their
   phones drop the most bars in 30 seconds, wins.  People could play "Phone
   Grip Roulette" to break deadlocks, instead of "rock, paper, scissors".

   Apple has put up a page showing various phones having the signal wrung
   out of them without much effort:
     <http://www.apple.com/antenna/>
   Featured phones include RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700, HTC Droid Eris, and
   Samsung Omnia II.

   And it's not just 3G and/or smartphones.  I can make my eight year old
   Sony Ericsson drop from five bars to two.  Here are some amusing videos
   of other phones dropping bars:
   * Nokia E71
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amPG52DVQuk>
   * Nokia 5800
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MPY4axjJEk>
   * Motorola Droid Incredible
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4zbQ3f7H0U>
   * RIM BlackBerry Bold 9650
     <http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/07/17/can-you-make-your-current-
        phone-lose-signal-depending-on-how-you-hold-it/>
   * Google Nexus One
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEIA_lMwqJA>
   * Palm Pre
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zft3-Lwh2bo>
   * HTC Hero
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nFR57x1dVA>

   I guess a lot more people are going to want free cases!

   Some other thoughts and observations:
   1. Maybe it's a good thing that the signal can be blocked easily by
      human flesh, since phones get placed near our brains and there's no
      conclusive guarantee that they're 100% safe.
   2. Maybe the problem extends beyond the small percentage that have
      returned their iPhones, and they consider it a feature to be able to
      disrupt a call at will without actually hanging up?
   3. If this 'problem' has existed with many phones over the years, why
      have other manufacturers been left off the hook?
   4. If it all turns out to be a massive beat-up, I'm sure those people
      profiting from the advertising and other revenue via their blogs and
      the press will donate their ill-gotten gains to charity.  Somehow I
      doubt it.

Spain - A Rough Guide

2010-07-12T18:20:00.000+09:30

Spain - A Rough Guide

   This is about the band called Spain, not the country and winners of the
   2010 FIFA World Cup.  The timing is purely coincidental :)

   From All Music:
   "Spain do have some decided jazz influences, particularly in the
    refined, spacious arrangements and precise rhythm section, both of
    which reflect the influence of cool/lounge jazz. But they are most
    definitely a rock band, performing songs with lyrics and vocals in a
    sedate but moody style that bears some resemblance to the work of
    early Cowboy Junkies, or (more vaguely) the Velvet Underground's
    third album. The songs are slow, but not quite lethargic; reflective,
    but not quite depressed; moody, but not chilly."
     <http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gpfqxqu5ldte>

   The singer, bassist and songwriter is Josh Haden, son of Jazz legend
   Charlie Haden.  He has three sisters, who also have performed with
   alternative rock bands.  Critics often point out the limits of Josh's
   vocal delivery, but the music makes up for it I think.

   The band's official web site:
     <http://spaintheband.com/>

   Pretty much all of the band's songs can be listened to in full on
   the official site, so instead of linking to YouTube clips, this rough
   guide highlights some of the standout tracks from the band's work so
   far.  You can listen to the tracks via the Music Player:
     <http://spaintheband.com/discography>

   If you want to see videos of the band, check out the clips on the
   site:
     <http://spaintheband.com/videos>
   or try searching on YouTube.

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "It's So True"
   The opening track from the band's debut album, "The Blue Moods of
   Spain", released in 1995.  The song features a simple melancholy
   melody over a hypnotic bass line.

   2. "Dreaming Of Love"
   A single and probably my favourite track from the first album.
   There's some nice guitar playing and a great little solo.  The vocal
   delivery builds a bit of tension, and the use of effects helps flesh
   the vocals out.

   3. "Untitled #1"
   The first single from the debut album.  This is the first track I
   heard by the band.  It stood out from the teen angst stuff that JJJ
   were playing at the time, and prompted me to check out the rest of
   the album.

   There are several other strong tracks on the debut album, such as
   "Her Used-to-Been" and "Ray of Light".  The closing track, the aptly
   named "Spiritual", was covered by Johnny Cash.

   4. "Every Time I Try"
   In 1997 the band put out a track on the soundtrack for "The End Of
   Violence".  It's a slower, more contemplative version than that which
   would appear on the band's second album, and I still consider it the
   definitive rendition.  There was an official video, but the only
   place I could find the clip is on this Chinese site:
     <http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDczNzc4MjA=.html>
   You may note the source of the clip was the ABC's rage.  Apologies
   for the ads.

   5. "It's All Over"
   In 1999 the band released its second album, "She Haunts My Dreams".
   It shares the distinctive style of the first album, with the song-
   writing and performance, maturing.  The use of a hammond organ on this
   track is a welcome addition to the band's sound.

   6. "Before It All Went Wrong"
   7. "Nobody Has To Know"
   Another couple of slices of melodic melancholy from the second album.

   8. "She Haunts My Dreams"
   In 2001 the band's third album, "I Believe", was released.  Oddly,
   the first track shares its name with the title of their previous
   album.

   9. "You Were Meant For Me"
   10. "Mary"
   Another couple of standouts from "I Believe".

   In 2003 the band released a retrospective: "Spirituals - The Best Of
   Spain".  The band did split for a while, and Josh Haden released a solo
   album, "Devoted", in 2007.

   11. "I'm Still Free"
   Haden has recently reformed the band, and its fourth album will be
   released later this year.  This is the first single from the new album.

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, June 2010

2010-07-05T18:04:00.000+09:30

Mini-Reviews of Books Read, June 2010

   It's been a while since I've posted book reviews.  Unfortunately, I
   haven't found the time to write in-depth reviews worthy of the good
   books I've been reading.  Maybe one day.  In the meantime, I'll have
   to make do with brief summaries/impressions of books, starting with
   those I've read in the past month.


   1. "After the Quake" by Haruki Murakami
     <http://www.amazon.com/After-Quake-Murakami/dp/0375713271>

   A collection of short stories by Japanese author Haruki Murakami.  The
   six stories share the theme of how various people respond to the major
   earthquake that hit Kobe in 1995.  There's a surreal element to some of
   the stories, which is part of the author's style.

   Back in March I read a full-length novel by Murakami, "The Wind-up Bird
   Chronicle".  That was a very interesting and enjoyable read, and a novel
   I'd like to write a proper review for.  Murakami creates intriguing
   characters, and writes about aspects of Japanese society: alienation in
   the modern era, honour and duty, and the influence of the West.  I look
   forward to reading more of Murakami's work in the future.


   2. "Lustrum" by Robert Harris
     <http://www.amazon.com/Lustrum-Harris/dp/0099522691>

   A dramatisation of the life of the great ancient Roman orator Cicero,
   and sequel to "Imperium".  In particular, this book covers a five year
   period (the literal "lustrum" of the title) starting with Cicero's year
   as Roman Consul (equivalent to a co-President of the Republic).  As in
   the first novel of the series, the reader learns a lot about government
   and politics of the Roman Republic, before it became an empire.  The
   novel shows Cicero often using pragmatism while wrestling his principles
   during the corrupt and brutal times he lived in.  One could argue that
   the modern era is just as corrupt, it's just that some of those wielding
   power today resort to more subtle and sophisticated techniques.

   My earlier review of "Imperium" can be found at:
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2007/03/imperium-under-jaguar-sun-and-software.html>


   3. "What the Dog Saw, and Other Adventures" by Malcolm Gladwell
     <http://www.amazon.com/What-Dog-Saw-Gladwell/dp/0316075841>

   A collection of articles written for The New Yorker magazine over the
   past decade or so.  Like Gladwell's other books I've found some of the
   topics more thought-provoking and well-argued than others.  Topics
   covered include: what makes products or people successful, the problem
   with information overload, why some people panic and others choke, the
   importance (or otherwise) of talent, and the problems with traditional
   job interviews.  A couple of articles stood out for me: why dogs behave
   the way around certain people; and Gladwell's argument that, despite the
   recent prominence of profiling in criminal cases, the practice is not
   much better than the work of psychics.

   There's also a chapter about Nassim Taleb's ideas about managing risk.
   I've read and recommend both of Taleb's books, "Fooled By Randomness"
   and "The Black Swan".

   I've also read Gladwell's other books: "The Tipping Point", "Blink" and
   "Outliers".  I wasn't that convinced with "Blink", but I found the core
   arguments of the other two quite plausible.

   My reviews of Gladwell's "Outliers" and Taleb's "Fooled By Randomness":
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2009/02/outliers-long-tail-fooled-by-randomness.html>


   4. "Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behaviour"
      by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman
     <http://www.amazon.com/Sway-Brafman/dp/0385530609>

   This book looks at how humans can often make irrational decisions in
   their everyday lives.  The authors cite many examples across various
   situations and studies, and identify how and why we are "swayed" from
   being logical or rational.  The authors argue that by better under-
   standing these psychological factors, we can learn to avoid making
   bad decisions.

   The book covers some of the same turf as Dan Ariely's "Predictably
   Irrational", which I've also reviewed and recommend:
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2009/03/predictably-irrational-nudge.html>


   5. "The Wonder of Whiffling: And other extraordinary words in the
       English language" by Adam Jacot de Boinod
     <http://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Whiffling/dp/0140515852>

   By the author of "The Meaning of Tingo", this book focusses on obscure
   and strange words in the English language.  For example, an "anecdotard"
   is an old man given to telling stories.  Phrases are organised by topic,
   and sometimes cite the era and source.  For example, P.G. Wodehouse came
   up with "whiffled", meaning drunk, in a 1927 story.

   There's a (small) section on workplace buzzwords, which probably
   deserved greater coverage.  I guess that's one of the failings of this
   book and the rest of the series: it can only scrape the surface and
   sometimes leaves you wanting more.  Also, the lack of indexes and
   pointers to other reference materials mean the books aren't as useful
   as they could be for research purposes.

   My review of "The Meaning of Tingo":
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2007/05/tingo-metamorphosis-sette-racconti.html>
   The author also compiled a follow-up to the original Tingo book,
   "Toujours Tingo".


   6. "The Twenty-three Days of the City of Alba: Stories" by Beppe Fenoglio
     <http://www.amazon.com/Twenty-three-Days-City-Alba/dp/1586420402>

   A collection of short stories by Italian author, Beppe Fenoglio.  Most
   of the stories relate to the author's experience as a member of the
   partisan anti-fascist resistance at the end of WW2.  Fenoglio does not
   attempt to glorify the partisans, but rather to portray them as ordinary
   people thrust into extraordinary situations by the war.

   Earlier this year I read one of Fenoglio's novels, "A Private Affair".
   It's about a partisan's quest, against the backdrop of a guerilla war,
   to seek out an old friend so that he an ask him about a private matter.
   Overall, I found the novel even more satisfying than the short stories,
   and worthy of a review in its own right.

   I was prompted to read Fenoglio's work after seeing a mention by my
   favourite author, Italo Calvino.  According to Calvino, Fenoglio's
   stories best capture the everyday lives, struggles and motivations of
   the partisans.

Gomez - A Rough Guide

2010-06-21T19:24:00.000+09:30

Gomez - A Rough Guide

   From Wikipedia:
   "Gomez are an English indie rock band from Southport. The band are
    distinguished for having 3 singers and 4 songwriters, employing
    traditional and electronic instruments. Their sound is versatile and
    evades typical music genres falling into indie, alternative, rock,
    folk and experimental."
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gomez_%28band%29>

   An English band with a Spanish name.  Looking at images of the band
   members in the early days, you wonder they could produce such mature
   sounds.  The style is often very different to that of the band's
   contemporaries.  That's probably what got my attention.

   The official web site:
     <http://www.gomeztheband.com/>

   Many of the band's clips are on an official YouTube "channel":
     <http://www.youtube.com/user/GomezBand>

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  If the links are
   blocked, you can try listening to some clips at:
     <http://music.msn.com/music/artist-videos/gomez.3/>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "78 Stone Wobble"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxcy7xUeMo8>
   The band's first album, "Bring It On", was released in 1998.  It was
   produced by the band, and it won the 1998 Mercury Music Prize for best
   album.  This is the first single, and it introduces the eclectic feel of
   the band's music and quirky lyrics.  There are three singers in the
   band, and on this track they all get a turn at the mike.

   2. "Get Myself Arrested"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceX71za3GhY>
   This is the second single from the debut album.  A suitably eccentric
   video.

   3. "Whippin' Piccadilly"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6Db82PAfss>
   The third single from "Bring It On", has a lighter, catchier sound.

   4. "Get Miles"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPs9BsJPEcQ>
   A live version of the bluesy opening track from "Bring It On".  Of the
   three singers in the band, I like this guy's vocal style the most.

   Other standout tracks on the band's very solid debut album include
   "Make No Sound" and "Here Comes The Breeze".

   5. "Bring It On"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgizC2R6_l8>
   The band's second album, "Liquid Skin", was released in 1999.  Again, it
   was self-produced, and arguably refines the style from the band's debut.
   Oddly, the first single from "Liquid Skin" has the same title as the
   band's first album.  The official video clip mocks a series of public
   service announcements.

   6. "Rhythm & Blues Alibi"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfd3vr6y1Hg>
   The second single from "Liquid Skin".  As in several songs, there are
   multiple vocal parts.

   7. "We Haven't Turned Around"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBE5WemNPMU>
   The third single from "Liquid Skin".  A quieter, more melodic affair.

   Other highlights from "Liquid Skin" include "Revolutionary Kind" and
   "Blue Moon Rising".

   The band released an EP, "Machismo" in 2000.  The clip for the title
   track is on YouTube.  A collection of B-sides and other rarities,
   "Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline", was also released in 2000.

   8. "Shot Shot"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phZSnEtr0hw>
   For the third album "In Our Gun", released in 2002, the band broadened
   its musical palette a bit with the introduction of some electronic and
   dub influences.  It may have alienated some of its fans, but the band
   manages to pull off another solid album.  This is the opening track and
   first single.

   9. "Sound of Sounds"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDVNDy_G3pQ>
   The second single from "In Our Gun" is a great singalong ballad.  The
   three singers deliver some great harmonies.

   10. "Ping One Down"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skl4lhgKzDI>
   Another single from "In Our Gun".

   Other top songs from the album include the title track, "Even Song" and
   "1000 Times".

   11. "Silence"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XmbhFmo5tw>
   The band's fourth album, "Split the Difference", was released in 2004.
   It was the first album where the band used an outside producer, and was
   a more standard rock and roll affair.  I have to admit it's not my
   favourite Gomez album, but it does have its moments.  This is the second
   single from "Split the Difference" is an example of the straight-up
   rockers on the album.

   12. "Sweet Virginia"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJoz7tWBkuE>
   The third single from "Split the Difference" is a slower-paced ballad,
   and probably my favourite track on the album.  There doesn't appear to
   be an official video, so I've picked this unofficial clip.

   Other favourites from "Split the Difference" include "Chicken Out" (a
   stomper) and "There It Was" (a ballad).

   The band released a live album, "Out West" in 2005.  It includes tracks
   from the band's first four albums, plus a couple of covers.

   13. "How We Operate"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8bDpzpDVu4>
   "How We Operate" was the fifth studio album by the band. It was released
   2006, and was produced by Gil Norton (the Pixies, Foo Fighters).  In my
   opinion it was a sparkling return to the energy and eclecticism of the
   band's earlier work.  The first single is the title track.

   14. "Girlshapedlovedrug"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmaYRNW1pHk>
   The second single from "How We Operate" is a lighter, catchy pop song,
   with an appropriately quirky video clip.

   15. "See The World"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKJJRnuCwF4>
   Another single from "How We Operate".

   Other standout tracks from the album "All Too Much" (an awesome song,
   unfortunately I couldn't find a clip for it) and "Hamoa Beach".

   Another collection of rarities, "Five Men in a Hut", was released in
   2006.

   16. "Airstream Driver"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6rNFW34nNM>
   Album number six, "A New Tide", was released in 2009.  This is the
   first single.

   17. "Little Pieces"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo5PnYmTImA>
   This is a live acoustic version of the second single from "A New Tide".

   Other highlights from "A New Tide" include "Mix" and "Other Plans".

   Some members of the band collaborated on another EP while on tour in
   2009.  "Final Keep Me Up" was recorded using only iPhones.  Currently
   it's only available online at: <http://www.thefinalkeepmeup.com/>.

Another Quick Fix of Flicks, 14 June 2010

2010-06-14T17:20:00.000+09:30

Another Quick Fix of Flicks, 14 June 2010

   1. "Philip Zimbardo on 'The Secret Powers of Time'"
     <http://blog.3rdeyeview.co.uk/biz/2010/05/28/the-secret-powers-of-time/>
   "Time is the most important resource you have. This video is a great
    example of how your perspective of time can change you. Professor
    Philip Zimbardo conveys how our individual perspectives of time affect
    our work, health and well-being. Time influences who we are as a
    person, how we view relationships and how we act in the world."

   2. "PIXELS"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxX_bVluflo>
   "New York invasion by 8-bits creatures!  PIXELS is Patrick Jean's
    latest short film, shot on location in New York."  If you're a fan of
    video games from the 80s and 90s, you'll get a kick out of this.

   3. "The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly: 21 Seconds"
     <http://scatter.wordpress.com/2010/05/30/the-shortest-possible-game-
        of-monopoly-21-seconds/>
   "If everything went just the right way, with just the right sequence of
    rolls, Chance and Community Chest cards, and so on, what is the quick-
    est way one player could go bankrupt? After working on the problem for
    a while, we boiled it down to a 4-turn (2 per player), 9 roll
    (including doubles) game."

   4. "I Am Sitting In A Video Room 1000"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qKz5YW5J-U>
   "An homage to the great Alvin Lucier, this piece explores the 'photocopy
    effect', where upon repeated copies the object begin to accumulate the
    idiosyncrasies of the medium doing the copying."  In this case, a video
    is uploaded to YouTube where it is encoded, then downloaded back to a
    computer.  This cycle is repeated 1000 times.  There are also many
    intermediate versions showing various levels of degradation.

   5. "A little iPad magic"
     <http://www.tuaw.com/2010/05/31/a-little-ipad-magic/>
   A magician incorporates an iPad into his tricks.  Bits of this have been
   played on TV.  This is the full clip.

   6. "Working Lego Printer"
     <http://www.thomas-fitzgerald.net/2010/06/04/working-lego-printer/>
   A clever bit of work, using Lego to make a functioning computer printer.
   Tip: turn the volume down.

   7. "LittleDog Robot"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUQsRPJ1dYw>
   An interesting video showing the latest advances in robotic technology.
   If you're interested, there are more videos posted on YouTube by the
   team that developed the robot.

   8. "Watch amazing 2-minute Star Wars trilogy ... with LEGOs!"
     <http://scifiwire.com/2010/05/watch-amazing-2-minute-st.php>
   The title says it all.

Graphical Odds and Ends, 7 June 2010

2010-06-07T17:10:00.001+09:30

Graphical Odds and Ends, 7 June 2010

   1. "30 Unique Logo Designs That Actually Say Something"
     <http://devsnippets.com/article/30-unique-logo-designs-that-
        actually-say-something.html>

   2. Paper Art
   * "100 Extraordinary Examples of Paper Art"
     <http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/05/100-extraordinary-examples-
        of-paper-art/>
   * "The Beauty of Paper Art"
     <http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/05/29/the-beauty-of-paper-art/>

   3. "Business clichés visual find-it poster"
     <http://www.xplane.com/xblog/2010/01/07/business-cliches-visual-
        find-it-poster/>

   4. "lunchbreath's Assorted Infotoons"
     <http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunchbreath/sets/72157613074565475/>

   5. "textorizer"
     <http://lapin-bleu.net/software/textorizer/>
   "Textorizer is a program that allows you to make pictures formed with
   text."  Web version: <http://textorizer.whatfettle.com/>

   6. "Don't believe your eyes: This year's best illusions"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/special/best-new-visual-illusions-2010>

Nick Drake - A Rough Guide

2010-05-24T18:15:00.000+09:30

Nick Drake - A Rough Guide

   From Wikipedia:
   "Nick Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Best known
    for the sombre pieces composed on his primary instrument, the guitar,
    Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone. Although
    he failed to find a wide audience during his lifetime, Drake's work
    has gradually achieved wider notice and recognition; he now ranks among
    the most influential English singer-songwriters of the last 50 years."
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Drake>

   He only released three full-length albums in the late 1960s and early
   1970s.  Sadly, he died from an overdose of a prescribed antidepressant
   when he was just 26 years old.

   Several of my favourite musicians have cited him as an influence, but
   I only got into listening to Nick Drake's music a few years ago.

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  Since Drake's work
   pre-dates the music video era, many of the clips are home-made by fans.
   Apologies in advance for any out-of-place Google ads.  Where possible,
   I've selected clips where the ads should lead to revenue for Drake's
   estate, and not for something crass.

   If the links are blocked, you can try listening to some clips on the
   Wikipedia link above, or at Bryter Music, the official website of the
   Estate of Nick Drake:
     <http://www.brytermusic.com/>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "Time Has Told Me"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1tWbJtBpyE>
   The opening track from Nick Drake's debut album, "Five Leaves Left",
   released in 1969.  He was only 21 when he recorded this album, and the
   lyrics display a maturity beyond his years.  On this album he was
   joined by some accomplished backing musicians.  This track features
   some electric guitar work by Richard Thompson of Fairport Convention.

   2. "River Man"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idcaRTg4-fM>
   Another strong track from "Five Leaves Left", this song features a
   delicate string arrangement.  According to Drake's manager, Joe Boyd,
   Drake considered it as the centre piece of the album.  The clip was
   produced by Drake's record label.

   3. "Way To Blue"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S40DdlD9JxI>
   This is a home recording of a track from Drake's first album, with just
   Drake singing while playing the piano.  The album version is backed by a
   great string arrangement.  This clip was also produced by Island Records.

   4. "Day Is Done"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2jxjv0HkwM>
   Another beautiful contemplative piece from "Five Leaves Left".  The clip
   includes a nicely put-together montage of pictures from the album's
   original artwork.

   5. "One Of These Things First"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSlh8u8Nrig>
   In 1970, Drake released his second album, "Bryter Layter".  Once again
   he was joined by guest backing musicians.  This upbeat track features a
   couple of members of the Beach Boys.  The song was included on the
   soundtrack for "Garden State" (2005).

   6. "Fly"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ShXHW_FrlM>
   This is a simple and moving track from Bryter Layter.  John Cale from
   The Velvet Underground plays viola and harpsichord.  This is probably
   my favourite track on the album.  A beautiful, stripped-back home
   recording of this song is included on the posthumous compilation, "Time
   of No Reply".

   7. "Northern Sky"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtyLL_BE-oo>
   Another favourite from Bryter Layter.

   8. "Hazey Jane II"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSZ9oX0rLgg>
   This track features some brass instruments as accompaniment.  Initially
   I found the brass and string arrangements on this album a little jarring,
   but over time I've come to appreciate them more.

   9. "Pink Moon"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXnfhnCoOyo>
   This is the opening and title track from Nick Drake's third and final
   album (1972).  Unlike his first two albums, this one was basically just
   Drake solo.  As such, it's a more personal and intimate record, as
   demonstrated by the opening track.  Bizarrely, it was used as the
   backing for a VW commercial a few years ago.

   To wrap things up, here's a trio of great tracks from Drake's final
   album...

   10. "Place To Be"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbutR2nvMCw>

   11. "Free Ride"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l09L45RM2RI>

   12. "Parasite"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-2WSDtksj0>

Life and Times in the Office

2010-05-17T17:48:00.001+09:30

Life and Times in the Office

   1. "Simple Desks"
     <http://simpledesks.tumblr.com/>
   "A collection of minimal work spaces."

   2. "Messy Desks"
     <http://messydesks.tumblr.com/>
   "A collection of messy work spaces."  This one is unbelievable:
     <http://messydesks.tumblr.com/post/563413422>

   3. "Your Office Chair Is Killing You"
     <http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/10_19/
        b4177071221162.htm>
   "Meet public enemy No. 1 in today's workplace"

   4. "The Gervais Principle III: The Curse of Development"
     <http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2010/04/14/the-gervais-principle-iii-
        the-curse-of-development/>
   "In the first two parts of this series, we talked about the archetypes
    that inhabit organizations (sociopaths, losers, clueless), what they do
    (the Gervais principle) and how (the four languages).  In this part,
    we'll use a somewhat unorthodox take on the idea of arrested
    development to explain why the three groups behave as they do, and use
    that to predict the outcomes of individual interpersonal interactions."

   5. "Two Interesting Gervais Principle Follow-Ups"
     <http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2010/05/06/two-interesting-gervais-principle-
        follow-ups/>
   "These two go further, in a couple of rather dangerous (and fun)
    directions."

   6. "The Seven Most Annoying Coworkers (Who are Actually Face-Eating
       Aliens in Disguise)"
     <http://bygonebureau.com/2010/04/28/annoying-coworkers/>

   7. "Why do big companies suck?"
     <http://www.scottberkun.com/blog/2010/why-do-big-companies-suck/>
   "There are some things that tend to happen when companies get big that
    are bad..."

Fibonacci and Fractals in Nature

2010-05-03T17:08:00.001+09:30

Fibonacci and Fractals in Nature

   Examples where mathematics can be seen in the things around us...

   1. "Fibonacci Numbers and Nature"
     <http://www.maths.surrey.ac.uk/hosted-sites/R.Knott/Fibonacci/
        fibnat.html>

   From rabbits to shells to flowers to vegetables, Fibonacci numbers (0, 1,
   1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, etc) are everywhere in the natural world.

   2. "Fractals in Nature"
     <http://www.miqel.com/fractals_math_patterns/visual-math-natural-
        fractals.html>
   A fractal is "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split
   into parts, each of which is (at least approximately) a reduced-size
   copy of the whole," a property called self-similarity. [Wikipedia]
   Not just theoretical constructs, fractals are present in nature.

   More good stuff at miqel.com:
   * "PHI: The Golden Ratio or Golden Section"
     <http://www.miqel.com/fractals_math_patterns/visual-math-phi-
        golden.html>

   * "The Mandelbrot Set"
     <http://www.miqel.com/fractals_math_patterns/visual-math-mandelbrot-
        magic.html>

   * "Various Fractal Types and Categories of 'Chaos'"
     <http://www.miqel.com/fractals_math_patterns/visual_math_fractal_
        types.html>

   3. More Mathematics in Nature
   * "Maths in Nature"
     <http://www.abc.net.au/science/photos/mathsinnature/>

   * "Nature by Numbers: linking math to nature"
     <http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/03/nature_by_numbers_linking_
        math_to_n.html>

   * "Geometry In Nature: The DNA of Design"
     <http://www.slideshare.net/MarkRosenhaus/geometry-in-nature>

Some Financial Reports: the Bad, the Good, and the Fictitious

2010-04-26T18:14:00.002+09:30

Some Financial Reports: the Bad, the Good, and the Fictitious

   1. Greek Economic Tragedy

   Greece has been in the news a bit lately, as its government looks like
   needing emergency loans to prevent it from defaulting.  The Greek
   government's debt is about US$ 400 billion.  If you include money owed
   by the private sector (i.e. companies and households), the combined
   external debt is even higher.  A lot has been said about the PIIGS of
   Europe (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain) and their potential
   financial problems.  Strangely, nothing much is said about the biggest
   debtor in Europe, namely the United Kingdom.  The UK is easily the
   second largest debtor in the world, after the US, with US$ 9191 billion
   of external debt.  That's a staggering US$ 150,673 per person.

   The following article is a bit out of date, but it highlights that the
   UK looks like the basketcase of the G7:
   "The true extent of Britain's debt"
     <http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/3078296/the-true-extent-of-
        britains-debt.thtml>

   Debt in itself is not a problem, as long as it can be paid on time.
   One way of measuring the level of a country's debt is to compare it to
   annual output (or GDP).  For example, if the debt-to-GDP ratio is 50%,
   it will take half of a nation's total annual output to pay off its debt.
   Here's a league table that ranks the debt level of several countries:

   * United Kingdom  US$ 9191 billion, US$ 150,673/person, 365% of GDP
   * Germany         US$ 5208 billion, US$ 63,350/person,  185% of GDP
   * Greece          US$ 536 billion,  US$ 47,401/person,  153% of GDP
   * Australia       US$ 826 billion,  US$ 38,798/person,  107% of GDP
   * United States   US$13400 billion, US$ 43,646/person,  94% of GDP
   * Italy           US$ 1060 billion, US$ 18,235/person,  58% of GDP
   * Japan           US$ 1492 billion, US$ 4,528/person,   35% of GDP
   * China           US$ 363 billion,  US$ 271/person,     5% of GDP

   Source: Wikipedia, "List of countries by external debt"
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_external_debt>

   So, on the surface, the UK looks as though it has a much bigger debt
   problem than Greece.  However, Greece has a few extra problems:
   * High levels of corruption, e.g. fakelaki
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fakelaki>
   * A bloated public sector, so much of the debt is not very productive
   * It's still paying off costs of hosting the 2004 Olympics
   * It looks like past governments have been cooking the books
   * Unlike Australia, it doesn't have a lot of export revenue


   2. How IT Companies make their money

   On a more positive note, it appears some tech companies are faring well
   despite the global financial crisis.  Here's how some companies generate
   their revenue...

   * Apple
     <http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-in-case-you-had-any-
        doubts-about-where-apples-revenue-comes-from-2010-4>
   * Microsoft
     <http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-microsoft-operating-
        income-by-division-2010-2>
   * Google
     <http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-in-case-you-had-any-
        doubts-about-where-googles-revenue-comes-from-2010-2>


   3. "The Forbes Fictional 15"
     <http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/13/fictional-15-richest-characters-
        opinions-fictional_land_print.html>

   "Global markets are rapidly recovering from the 2008 financial crisis,
    and so are the fortunes of the fictitious. There are six new characters
    on the 2010 edition of Fictional 15."

One, No One, and One Hundred Thousand + The Double

2010-04-19T17:44:00.000+09:30

One, No One, and One Hundred Thousand + The Double

   Reviews of a couple of books, wherein each story's central character
   appears to be having a crisis of identity...

   1. "One, No One, and One Hundred Thousand" by Luigi Pirandello
     <http://www.amazon.com/One-Hundred-Thousand/dp/0941419746>
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12117>

   Things start going wrong for the main character, Vitangelo Moscarda,
   after his wife jokingly tells him one morning that his nose is a bit
   crooked.  He looks in the mirror and, to his surprise, he realises that
   his wife is indeed correct.

   This seemingly harmless discovery triggers a complete self-examination
   by Moscarda.  If perceptions of physical features can vary, what about
   perceptions of identity?  No longer can he take it for granted that
   everyone else perceives him the same way he himself does (i.e. the 'One'
   in the title).  If his own wife can't perceive the "real" Moscarda, then
   each person has a different perception of him.  Therefore there must be
   multiple perceptions of his persona (i.e. 'One Hundred Thousand').  By
   extension, there are multiple perceptions of each of these people's
   identities, so a massive feedback loop is created.  In the end, Moscarda
   thinks, it's like he has no true identity at all (i.e. 'No One').

   The plot is essentially a mechanism for examining the philosophy and
   psychology of someone's identity.  Throughout Moscarda's "illness", his
   behaviour is bizarre and often humorous.  For example, to show he's not
   simply a passive heir to his father's banking business, he evicts a
   destitute tenant.  This incurs the wrath of the other townspeople, so he
   tries to overcome perceptions that he is greedy by gifting another house
   he owns to the destitute family.

   This was Pirandello's last novel, and in many ways it's the culmination
   of a career-long fascination with themes of personality and identity.


   2. "The Double" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
     <http://www.amazon.com/Double/dp/1420931342>
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210190>

   Our "hero", Golyadkin, is a civil servant who is going through a bit of
   a rough patch.  To complicate matters he's "discovered" that he has a
   double.  This newcomer looks exactly like him, works in the same office,
   and even has the same name!

   After initially taking him in and gaining his confidence, Golyadkin
   begins to have doubts about his double.  He refers to the other as
   "Golyadkin Junior", and fears that "Junior" is trying to usurp him at
   work and his private life: this "evil twin" must be behind his recent
   and continuing fall from grace.

   Throughout the story it is never made clear whether the central
   character is having a major identity crisis, or merely living a double
   life.  The reader is taken for a wild ride through both St Petersburg
   and Golyadkin's delusions.

   This was Dostoyevsky's second novel, and is not as highly-rated as his
   later work.  However it's also not nearly as long.


   While both books cover some heavy themes, they do have some comical
   moments to lighten things up.

Odds and Ends, Mon 12 April 2010

2010-04-12T17:52:00.001+09:30

Odds and Ends, Mon 12 April 2010

   1. "Would dew believe it: The stunning pictures of sleeping insects
       covered in water droplets"
     <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1260946/The-stunning-
        pictures-sleeping-insects-covered-early-morning-dew.html>

   2. "22 Most Unusual Google Earth Photos"
     <http://www.webdesigncore.com/2010/03/27/22-most-unusal-google-earth-
        photos/>

   3. "Quentin Tarantino Reference Manual"
     <http://www.madatoms.com/site/blog/quentin-tarantino-movies>

   4. "Solved: The mathematics of the Hollywood blockbuster"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20527483.900>

   5. "Arts: Photographer Loves Math, Graphs Her Images"
     <http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/pl_arts_found/>

   6. "The Six Twitter Types"
     <http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/the-world/article/the-six-
        twitter-types-guy-kawasaki>

   7. "The Difference between Nerd, Dork, and Geek Explained by a Venn
       Diagram"
     <http://www.greatwhitesnark.com/2010/03/25/difference-between-
        nerd-dork-and-geek-explained-in-a-venn-diagram/>

   8. "Sarcasm punctuation mark aims to put an end to email confusion"
     <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6995354/Sarcasm-
        punctuation-mark-aims-to-put-an-end-to-email-confusion.html>
   "Expressing sarcasm in the written word can be a dangerous business, as
    anyone forced to apologise for sending a tongue-in-cheek email will
    confirm. Now a US firm has come up with an ingenious solution to this
    very real problem – a new item of punctuation."

   9. April Fools 2010 - Roundups
   * "Your April Fools' Day Prank Spoiler"
     <http://lifehacker.com/5507090/your-april-fools-day-prank-spoiler>
   * "El Reg April Fools 2010"
     <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/04/02/april_fools_2010/>

On the Subject (and Subjectivity) of Time

2010-03-29T18:00:00.000+10:30

On the Subject (and Subjectivity) of Time

   Some time-related articles from the vault...

   1. "Timing is Everything"
     <http://www.standpointmag.co.uk/node/723/full>
   "The subjectivity of our experience of time is widely acknowledged. As
    we get older, time seems to go faster - or is it that we seem to move
    faster in time? "
   "Time is the stuff of music: music manipulates our experience of time;
    it plays with the rhythm of experience; it stretches and complicates
    our relationship to the passing of time. If the world of physics is a
    space-time continuum, music is a pitch-time continuum."

   2. "How Your Brain Can Control Time"
     <http://discovermagazine.com/2008/aug/11-how-your-brain-can-control-time>
   "These days, new kinds of experiments using everything from computer
    simulations to brain scans to genetically engineered mice are helping
    unlock the nature of mental time. And their results show that the brain
    does not use a single stopwatch. Instead, it has several ways to tell
    time, and none of them seems to work like a conventional clock."
   "Even in a healthy brain, time is elastic. Staring at an angry face for
    five seconds feels longer than staring at a neutral one. It may be no
    coincidence that the pulse-generating neurons are directly wired into
    regions of the brain that handle emotionally charged sights and sounds.
    And recent experiments by Amelia Hunt at Harvard University hint that
    we may actually backdate our mental time line every time we move our
    eyes."

   3. "Why having fun makes time speed"
     <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3532195.stm>
   "Scientists have come up with a theory for why time flies when you are
    having fun - and drags when you are bored."
   "It is thought that if the brain is busy focusing on many aspects of a
    task, then it has to spread its resources thinly, and pays less heed
    to time passing."

A Quick Fix of Flicks

2010-03-21T19:16:00.001+10:30

A Quick Fix of Flicks

   1. Live webcast FAIL
     <http://www.noob.us/humor/live-webcast-fail/>
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et_MmlTxMXA>

   2. Windows 7 Parody
     <http://gizmodo.com/5477384/windows-7-was-my-idea-but-to-be-fair-
        i-dont-know-what-im-talking-about>
   "A million ideas. And they used every single one of them."

   3. Google Superbowl Commercial Parody (Get a mac version)
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qkvaGZUlGw>

   4. A Brief History of Pretty Much Everything
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNYZH9kuaYM>

   5. Superhuman tape measure skills
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx_5GI0QRdw>

   6. The oldest trick, supersized
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cM9S2AzU28>

Rube Goldberg Machines Update, 2010

2010-03-07T18:56:00.000+10:30

Rube Goldberg Machines Update, 2010

   What's a Rube Goldberg machine?  It's "a deliberately over engineered
   machine that performs a very simple task in a very complex fashion,
   usually including a chain reaction. The expression is named after
   American cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg." [Wikipedia]

   1. RGMs in music videos

   Last week US band OK Go released a new video that features a "Rube
   Goldberg machine":
     <http://www.okgo.net/2010/03/01/this-too-shall-pass-world-premiere/>

   According to "The Making of OK Go's New Viral Video", "the video was
   shot by a single Steadicam, but it took more than 60 takes, over the
   course of two days, to get it right."
     <http://www.wibw.com/nationalnews/headlines/86729302.html>

   You may remember these guys from the award-winning treadmill video a
   few years ago.  I'm not a huge fan of the band's music, but it makes
   some interesting videos.  Check out the band's site for the "Here It
   Goes Again", aka the treadmill song.
     <http://www.okgo.net/media/videos/>

   In 2005 another band, The Bravery, released a video with a rather
   darker RGM for its song "An Honest Mistake":
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8vzbezVru4>


   2. RGMs in the home

   An impressive RGM covering several rooms in a house, "The Contraption II"
     <http://www.baynhamtyers.com/contraption2.html>

   Its predecessor, "The Contraption"
     <http://www.baynhamtyers.com/contraption1.html>


   3. "The Mystery of the Yellow Room"
    
   This French film from 2003 featured an RGM in the opening credits.  I
   couldn't find any clips online, but I did find out that the book which
   the movie is based on was published in 1907, the same year Rube
   Goldberg started work with the New York Evening Journal.


   4. The first commercial for the "Mouse Trap Game"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMzbRkWGLv0>


   To see more examples, try searching "rube goldberg", "contraption",
   "mouse trap" or "chain reaction machine" on YouTube.  You can also
   read these related B-List posts:
   * "Rube Goldberg Machines"
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2008/01/rube-goldberg-machines.html>
   * "Clik Clak and The (Honda) Cog"
     <http://b-list.blogspot.com/2007/01/clik-clak-cog-and-nutcracker.html>

The Decemberists - A Rough Guide

2010-02-28T20:28:00.001+10:30

The Decemberists - A Rough Guide

   From Wikipedia:
   "The Decemberists are a rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States.
    The band's songs range from upbeat pop to instrumentally lush ballads,
    and often employ instruments like the accordion, Hammond organ,
    Wurlitzer organ, and upright bass. In its lyrics, the band eschews the
    angst and introspection common to modern rock, instead favoring a
    storytelling approach, ... and often invoke historical events and
    themes from around the world."
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decemberists>

   The band's work has been "recommended" to me by Amazon for a while.  By
   coincidence, in December last year, I noticed a copy of the band's
   latest album, "The Hazards of Love", at the library.  I wasn't expecting
   much, since not many Amazon suggestions work for me.  It didn't take
   long to realise that the whole album was telling a single story.  The
   dreaded "rock opera" stigma came to mind, but in my opinion, the band
   may have actually pulled it off.  The story is simple yet compelling:
   timeless, yet original enough to sustain my interest the whole way
   through.  It's still too early for me to call it a classic, but I have
   to give the band high marks for having the audacity to release such an
   album in an age where attention spans appear to be approaching zero.

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  If the links are
   blocked, you can try watching clips at the band's official site:
     <http://www.decemberists.com/av-room.html>

   Also, here's a link to a full concert, from Sydney's Metro Theatre,
   January 2010:
     <http://moshcam.com/the-decemberists/metro-theatre-751.aspx>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "July, July!"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tfajUhpFE0>
   This is an upbeat ode to summer (in the northern hemisphere of course).
   It's from the band's debut album, "Castaways and Cutouts" (May 2003).

   2. "Leslie Anne Levine"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml0VI8VZO2U>
   This is the opening track from "Castaways and Cutouts".  The song
   tells a tragic story.

   3. "As I Rise"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xeoXw4FhA4>
   This is the closing track from the band's second album, "Her Majesty the
   Decemberists" (September 2003).  It's a laid-back, country-tinged tune.

   4. "16 Military Wives"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK3Ce9md96g>
   On "Picaresque", the band's third album (2005), the band tries its hand
   at political commentary.  This is one of the few songs with an official
   music video, wherein members of the band play parts in a school-room UN,
   critiquing US foreign policy of the time.

   5. "The Engine Driver"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG1FlsgLQQY>
   Another melodic track from "Picaresque".

   6. "O Valencia!"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbsHwuyfnnw>
   This is the official clip for a single from the band's fourth album,
   "The Crane Wife" (2006).

   7. "The Crane Wife 3"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmhVY2PLc-c>
   By now the band's story-telling was becoming quite elaborate.  The
   fourth album's title track, which was inspired by a Japanese folk tale,
   is told in three parts.  Paradoxically, the third part opens the album.
   This song was recently covered by Marianne Faithfull, duetting with
   Nick Cave.

   8. "Summersong"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3np9rcdFvsE>
   Another summer-inspired ditty, this one from "The Crane Wife".

   By 2009 the band pushed its story-telling mission to the ultimate level,
   and released a whole album based on a single over-arching narrative.  In
   a nutshell, Margaret gets involved with William, she gets pregnant, and
   his jealous and over-protective mother (the Queen) is not pleased.  To
   complicate things, a villainous Rake kidnaps Margaret.  Our hero will
   risk anything to get her back.  The use of folklore and fantasy help
   make the story intriguing and timeless.  The music is great too.

   To avoid spoilers, the selections focus on the early part of the album
   which set the scene.  Note that on the album the tracks all lead into
   each other seemlessly.  Apologies for the ads (alas, that it seems
   Google's reason for being).

   9. "The Hazards of Love 1"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp_MVc3abXU>
   The track has a great subtitle, which forms part of the chorus: "the
   prettiest whistles won't wrestle the thistles undone".  Colin Meloy has
   an interesting way with words.

   10. "A Bower Scene"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns6ghNpzmDY>
   A more rocking track continues the story, where we find out Margaret
   is pregnant.  Guest vocalists are used to play the female roles.

   11. "Won't Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=881qFziuGG8>
   Separated from William, Margaret tells us that she "may swoon from
   all this swelling, but I won't want for love".

   12. "The Rake's Song"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htSKgxy6woE>
   A sort of "murder ballad", this song introduces us to the villain of
   the piece, a not-to-disappointed recent widower who tells us how he
   coolly disposed of his unwanted offspring.

   It looks like someone has posted all the songs on YouTube, so if you
   like what you've heard so far, you can check out the rest.  Make sure
   you play them in the proper order though.

Odds and Ends, Sun 21 February 2010

2010-02-21T16:48:00.002+10:30

Odds and Ends, Sun 21 February 2010

   Some blasts from the past, the Renaissance to be more precise...

   1. "Five Centuries of Board Games"
     <http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2008/11/board-games.html>

   2. "A Big Map That Shrank the World"
     <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/arts/design/20map.html?pagewanted=all>
   "Created by a visiting Italian-born Jesuit priest, Matteo Ricci, and
    apparently commissioned by the court of Emperor Wanli in 1602 — the
    year after Ricci became the first Westerner admitted to Peking and then
    the Forbidden City — this map is indeed partly a tribute to the land in
    which Ricci had lived since 1582, and in which he would die in 1610."

   3. "The Medici Meltdown"
     <http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/10/30/medici-banks-meltdown-
        oped-cx_ms_1031simonetta.html>
   "In these times of financial woe, some journalists have been timidly
    exploring the past for precedents, pushing the horizon as far as the
    1929 Great Depression. Very few have looked beyond that traumatic
    event, assuming that capitalism in its current form has no earlier
    historical roots."

   4. "Leonardo da Vinci's Resume"
     <http://www.cenedella.com/stone/archives/2010/01/leonardo_da_vincis_
        resume.html>
   "Before he was famous, before he painted the Mona Lisa and the Last
    Supper, before he invented the helicopter, before he drew the most
    famous image of man, before he was all of these things, Leonardo da
    Vinci was an artificer, an armorer, a maker of things that go 'boom'"

   5. "Student finds art treasure in old couch"
     <http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/31/2076602.htm>
   "A Berlin student who bought a second-hand sofa bed at a flea market
    learned she had been sitting on a small fortune when she found a 17th
    century baroque painting hidden inside the couch."

The Gervais Principle

2010-02-14T18:38:00.000+10:30

The Gervais Principle

   Late last year I started seeing references to an interesting essay
   series by Venkatesh Rao, in which he proposes the "Gervais Principle".
   This principle of organisational behaviour has been distilled from the
   TV series "The Office".  It's a devastating critique of behaviour in
   the workplace, and is quite different to what is usually taught in
   management courses.

   The essays are quite detailed, and additional parts in the Gervais
   Principle series may be published later this year.  In the meantime,
   here are the first three parts:
   * The Gervais Principle, Or The Office According to "The Office"
     <http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-or-
        the-office-according-to-the-office/>
   * The Gervais Principle II: Posturetalk, Powertalk, Babytalk and
     Gametalk
     <http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/11/11/the-gervais-principle-ii-
        posturetalk-powertalk-babytalk-and-gametalk/>
   * The Genealogy of the Gervais Principle
     <http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2010/02/04/the-genealogy-of-the-gervais-
        principle/>

   If you don't have the time to read through the essays right now, I'll
   try to give a very brief introduction to the basic principle.  The
   principle assumes that any reasonably-sized organisation is comprised
   of three broad classes of people: sociopaths, the clueless, and losers.
   Here's a simple diagram of the hierarchy, by Hugh MacLeod:
     <http://gapingvoid.com/2004/06/27/company-hierarchy/>

   The Gervais Principle is this:
   "Sociopaths, in their own best interests, knowingly promote over-
    performing losers into middle-management, groom under-performing
    losers into sociopaths, and leave the average bare-minimum-effort
    losers to fend for themselves."
   The essays then go on to back this up with many examples from "The
   Office".

   I've held off posting about the Gervais Principle for several reasons:
   * until recently I'd only skim-read the essays;
   * the essays contained spoilers for fans of The Office outside the
     United States;
   * the principle can be quite confronting (especially when you try to
     see where you would fit into the hierarchy);
   * I had other things to write about.

   I still haven't read the essays fully, but from what I have read I'm
   impressed with the arguments.  The principle very neatly underpins
   the dysfunctional organisation portrayed in The Office.  Fortunately
   I've never had to work in such an organisation, but judging from the
   comments, it appears such places do exist.  Australian viewers have
   finally caught up with the material mentioned in the essays, hence
   this post.

   To wrap things up, here's a quote from the first essay in the series
   that leads in nicely to an amusing job ad from Microsoft.  The quote:
   "sociopaths use buzzspeak as a coded language with which to
    simultaneously sustain the (necessary) delusions of the clueless
    and communicate with each other."
   A blog post about the job ad ("Secret language"):
     <http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2009/12/30.html>

One Hundred Years of Solitude + The White Castle

2010-01-31T19:52:00.000+10:30

One Hundred Years of Solitude + The White Castle

   Reviews of a couple of books I've read recently.  Both authors have won
   the Nobel Prize for literature.

   1. "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez
     <http://www.amazon.com/One-Hundred-Years-Solitude/dp/0060883286>

   This is an epic novel by Columbian writer Gabriel García Márquez.
   Unlike most novels, there doesn't appear to be a central plot.  Instead
   it is the chronicle of the lives and times of several generations of a
   pioneering family, the Buendías, and the town where they lived.

   There are too many subplots to give justice in a brief review.  However,
   I will set up the start of the story.  The patriarch and matriarch of
   the family, José Arcadio Buendía and Úrsula Iguarán, are forced to flee
   their home.  Together with some other pioneers, they help found the town
   of Macondo.  This secluded town is visited annually by gypsies who bring
   news from the outside world and the latest innovations.  One of the
   gypsies, Melquíades, becomes an important influence on the family.
   Among other things, he introduces them to alchemy.

   Across several generations of the family there are many intriguing
   characters.  The town itself can be considered a protagonist: it
   evolves, through periods of novelty, war, industrialisation and
   decadence.  The following Wikipedia page provides a reasonably good
   and brief overview of the major characters and episodes in the novel:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Hundred_Years_of_Solitude>
   More comprehensive details are provided by Spark Notes:
     <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/solitude/>

   The family lineage is rather complicated.  This is in part due to the
   repetitive use of certain first names.  It doesn't help when adoptions,
   affairs and illegitimate children enter the mix.  Fortunately, the book
   provides a family tree, which helps remind the reader who begat whom.

   Several ideas recur throughout the novel.  Solitude, as mentioned in
   the title, is represented not only at the big-picture level by the
   isolation of the town, but also by its inhabitants.  Throughout the
   novel various characters experience solitude, often deliberately, even
   when apparently surrounded by other people.

   The book is also concerned with the flow of time.  Flashbacks and
   premonitions blur past, present and future.  While the history of
   Macondo is mostly presented in a linear way, repeated traits across the
   generations suggest a cyclical nature of time.  I don't want to give
   away too much about the ending, but it also emphasises the idea of
   circularity.

   The novel's style is often described as an example of "magical realism":
   supernatural events are treated as normal occurrences by the characters.
   For example, talking to ghosts is accepted as part of everyday life.
   There is some debate about how this style differs from fantasy, but
   proponents argue a distinction, however subtle, does exist.

   Overall, this was a very enjoyable book.  I look forward to reading
   some of the author's other work.


   2. "The White Castle" by Orhan Pamuk
     <http://www.amazon.com/White-Castle/dp/0375701613>

   This semi-historical novel, by Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk, is set in the
   17th Century.  The narrator, a Venetian sailor, is captured after his
   ship is involved in a skirmish with Turkish pirates.  He is taken to
   Istanbul, and thanks to a timely display of basic medical skills, his
   life is spared.  He becomes the slave of an ambitious intellectual
   referred to as the Hoja (master).  The Hoja wants to learn as much as he
   can from his Italian slave.  Intriguingly, the two men look very similar.

   After some initial suspicion, they begin to gain each other's trust.
   They start working together on projects in various fields, including
   medicine, science and philosophy.  The pair gains prestige from a series
   of achievements.  However, beneath the surface, there is tension between
   the two men.

   Eventually, after several attempts, the Sultan agrees to the Hoja's
   ambitious proposal to build the ultimate war machine.  Unfortunately,
   this project is the beginning of the end of the pair's long streak of
   successes.

   The book covers the changing nature of the relationship between the two
   men.  The end of the story is ambiguous.  There is a strong suspicion
   that the two men have actually swapped identities.  If this is the case,
   was it by mutual consent?  How did it happen?

   I found the basic story quite intriguing.  I liked the East-meets-West
   backdrop, the psychological aspects of the relationship, and the
   investigation into identity.  But somehow I felt the execution didn't
   quite work.  Having said that, it's a relatively short novel, so I may
   revisit it in the future.

Chopin - A Rough Guide

2010-01-25T20:56:00.002+10:30

Chopin - A Rough Guide

   It's been a while since the last rough musical guide, so to get the
   ball rolling again I thought I'd start with something different.  I've
   been listening to a lot of classical music lately, and Chopin's piano
   compositions have quickly become favourites.

   Frédéric Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist.  Born on
   22 February 1810, he was regarded as a child-prodigy.  By the time he
   was seven, he was already giving public concerts and had his first
   work published.  When he was twenty he left Poland to further his
   career.

   According to Arthur Hedley, "Chopin had the rare gift of a very
   personal melody, expressive of heart-felt emotion, and his music
   is penetrated by a poetic feeling that has an almost universal
   appeal."

   See Wikipedia for more on the life and music of Chopin:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chopin>
   Here's another good site dedicated to Chopin and his work:
     <http://www.chopinmusic.net/home>

   A brief note on the names of the pieces.  Chopin insisted on a strict
   convention of giving his compositions simple names based on the genre
   and a sequence number (e.g. Prelude No. 15, Étude No. 12).  Later,
   these pieces were given more thematic and evocative titles (e.g.
   'Raindrop' and 'Revolutionary').

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  If the links are
   blocked, you can try listening to the pieces via Wikipedia and
   elsewhere.

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. Prelude in D-Flat Major, Op. 28 No. 15, 'Raindrop'
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=825Ekk1u3mQ>
   This is part of a set of twenty-four short pieces for the piano, one in
   each of the twenty-four keys.  Although the term is generally used to
   describe an introductory piece, Chopin's stand as self-contained units,
   each conveying a specific idea or emotion. [Wikipedia]

   This is probably the piece which triggered my appreciation of the beauty
   of Chopin's music.  What I particularly like about it is its dynamics: a
   dark and dramatic middle wrapped in variations of a delicate melody.  The
   piece got its informal title 'Raindrop' from the rhythmic repetition of
   a certain note, apparently inspired by the sound of raindrops falling on
   the roof when Chopin was composing it.

   2. Nocturne in E-Flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGRO05WcNDk>
   As the name suggests, a nocturne is usually a musical composition that
   is inspired by, or evocative of, the night.  Nocturnes are generally
   tranquil pieces, often tinged with melancholy.  Written when he was
   about twenty years old, this piece vies with 'Raindrop' as my favourite
   Chopin composition.

   An interpretation of this nocturne, with the title "Collateral Damage",
   follows the track "United States of Eurasia" on Muse's latest album.

   3. Étude in C Major, Op. 10, No.1, 'Waterfall'
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwHgeDPhkts>
   An étude (French for study) is a highly technical piece that is meant to
   be an instructive challenge to the performer.  As a consequence, such
   pieces tend to lack musicality.  Chopin's, however, are considered to be
   artistic as well as technically challenging.  He started writing études
   when he was in his teens!

   4. Étude in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 12, 'Revolutionary'
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN45nMbVpCM>
   I've chosen this performance as it highlights the dynamic, technical
   nature of the piece.

   5. Étude in G-Flat Major, Op. 10 No. 5, 'Black Key'
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8aWJTOj4wM>
   This étude gets its nickname from the heavy use of the "black keys" on
   the piano.  The video of this performance clearly draws your attention
   to the hands and keyboard.

   6. Étude Op. 25 No. 11, 'Winter Wind'
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3vS5mgC-tU#t=0m17s>
   This performance also shows the performer in full flight.

   After a series of études, let's bring the tempo back down with some
   nocturnes...

   7. Nocturne in F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2yoZQCLoSY>

   8. Nocturne in B-Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_tRkATZwdk>

   9. Nocturne in D-Flat, Op. 27 No. 2
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmo0H3jxGCA>

   10. Waltz in E-Flat Major, Op. 18, 'Grand Valse Brillante'
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLQ-6_OIds4>
   Waltzes are in 3/4 time.  Unlike Viennese waltzes, which were meant for
   dancing, Chopin's waltzes were designed for concert performance.

   11. Mazurka in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 63 No. 3
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQJS8OTwYKM>
   A mazurka is based on the traditional Polish dance.  It generally has a
   lively tempo.  Chopin wrote at least 58 of them.

   12. Polonaise In A Major, Op. 40 No. 1, B 120, 'Military'
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Qq3RA19G4>
   A polonaise is a slow dance of Polish origin, in 3/4 time. Chopin's are
   generally the best known in classical music.  As its title ('Military')
   suggests, this piece is rather bold and patriotic.

Odds and Ends, Sun 17 January 2010

2010-01-17T19:16:00.000+10:30

Odds and Ends, Sun 17 January 2010

   1. "Proof" that Avatar is actually Pocahontas in 3D 
     <http://scifiblock.com/news/2010-1-5/look-at-this-avatar-pocahontas.htm>
   "Matt Bateman has taken it upon himself to create a fake leaked document
    with a Pocahontas plot description altered to include the names and
    locations of Avatar."

   I can't comment, as I haven't seen either movie.  People have been
   posting videos comparing the two movies...
     <http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=pocahontas+avatar>

   2. "Cute Things Falling Asleep"
     <http://www.cutethingsfallingasleep.org/>
   As the title suggests, this blog collects videos of cute things falling
   asleep, with ratings for cuteness and sleepiness.

   3. "Nic Cage as Everyone"
     <http://niccageaseveryone.blogspot.com/>
   "Founded on the belief that everything in life would be better with a
    little more Nic Cage, the most unique and versatile actor of his
    generation."

   4. "Star Wars Weather"
     <http://www.tomscott.com/weather/starwars/>
   "The weather forecast, as described by the planets of Star Wars."

   5. "Back Story: What's Your Superpower?"
     <http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/back-story-whats-your-
        superpower>
   "Google engineers debate the best superhuman abilities."

   6. "Succeedblog"
     <http://succeedblog.org/>
   "A collection of the world's most epic, awesome, mind blowing Succeeds."

   7. "YikeBike"
     <http://www.yikebike.com/site/about>
   A folding electric bike.

   8. "Christmas Price Index"
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Price_Index>
   "The Christmas Price Index is a tongue-in-cheek economic indicator,
    maintained by the U.S. bank PNC Financial Services, which tracks the
    cost of the items in the carol 'The Twelve Days of Christmas.'"

The Year (and the Decade) in Review

2010-01-03T18:54:00.002+10:30

The Year (and the Decade) in Review

   1. The year that was...

   2009, according to Wikipedia:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009>
   Last year was both the International Year of Astronomy and the International
   Year of Natural Fibres.

   A selection of 2009 retrospectives:
   * "Top Ten Astronomy Pictures of 2009"
     <http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/12/15/top-ten-
        astronomy-pictures-of-2009>
   * "2009 review: Favourite picture galleries"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18319>
   * "The 15 Weirdest Science Stories of 2009"
     <http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/12/08/the-15-weirdest-
        science-stories-of-2009/>
   * "Most Popular DIY Projects of 2009"
     <http://www.bspcn.com/2009/12/13/most-popular-diy-projects-of-2009/>
   * "2009 Year-End Google Zeitgeist: Australia"
     <http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/press/zeitgeist2009/regional.html#
        australia>
   * "Albums of the Year" - according to various sites
     <http://aoty.hubmed.org/>

   2. The decade that was...

   The Twenty-Hundreds, or should that be the the Naughts, ended too.  Of
   course, there's the usual argument about when the first decade of the
   21st Century actually starts and ends.  I'll ignore that issue for now,
   since the problem of naming of the years from 2000 to 2009 is more
   interesting:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000s_%28decade%29#Names_of_the_decade>
   Maybe we should call them the "Whateverz"? ;)

   Reviews of the Aughts/Naughts/Twenty-Hundreds/Whateverz:
   * Wikipedia
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000s_%28decade%29>
   * "The Noughtie List: the 2000s in Review"
     <http://kottke.org/plus/noughtie-list/>
   * "Apple nabs four of Engadget's 10 gadgets of the decade" (can't resist :)
     <http://www.tuaw.com/2009/12/30/apple-nabs-four-of-engadgets-10-gadgets-
        of-the-decade/>
   * "This Dumb Decade: The 87 Lamest Moments in Tech, 2000-2009"
     <http://technologizer.com/2009/12/20/dumb-moments/>

Geeky Gift Guide 2009

2009-12-13T16:16:00.002+10:30

Geeky Gift Guide 2009

   1. "Geek Clock"
     <http://www.likecool.com/Geek_Clock--Clock--Home.html>

   2. "Cool Toys for Nerds, Ages 8 to 80"
     <http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/pr_wishlist_innerchild>

   3. Looking for a new mouse? 18 buttons or none?
   * OOMouse
     <http://openofficemouse.com/pr110609.html>
   "the first multi-button application mouse designed for a wide variety of
    software applications... With a revolutionary and patented design
    featuring 18 buttons"
   * Apple Magic Mouse
     <http://www.apple.com/magicmouse/>
   Instead of ordinary buttons, it features a Multi-Touch surface that
   recognises taps and other gestures.

   4. "Remote Control Bowling Ball"
     <http://www.bowlingball.com/900-global-remote-control-ball-bowling-
        ball.html>

   5. "Vase Clock tells time by tapping porcelain surface with wooden hammer"
     <http://www.thedesignblog.org/entry/vase-clock-tells-time-by-tapping-
        porcelain-surface-with-wooden-hammer/>

   6. "Electrolux Silent Vacuum concept has iPod dock"
     <http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20091210/electrolux-silent-vacuum-
        concept-ipod-dock/>

   7. OS-styled Calculators
     <http://www.mintpass.com/select/select_detail.asp?Page=1&idx=117>
   More concepts at:
     <http://www.mintpass.com/select/select.asp>

Odds and Ends, Sun 6 December 2009

2009-12-06T19:10:00.002+10:30

Odds and Ends, Sun 6 December 2009

   1. "The World's 6 Coolest-Looking Bookstores"
     <http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/shopping/worlds-best-bookstores>

   2. "Eko - Ecological & economical traffic light concept"
     <http://relogik.com/eko>
   "With the Eko light both drivers and pedestrians can be fully aware of
    how much time they have left before the light changes"

   The green and amber lights could also have the progress indicator.

   3. "Plug versus Plug"
     <http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gadgets/0,39029552,49303764,00.htm>
   An "objective" look at the plugs and plug sockets from various countries.

   Related: "RCA student radically improves the UK plug"
     <http://www.iconeye.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&
        id=3864:rca-student-radically-improves-the-uk-plug>

   4. "Awkward Suggestions"
     <http://www.slate.com/id/2234019/pagenum/all/>
   "Let's have fun with the Google [suggestions] search box [suggestions]."

   5. "40 Seriously Funny Print Ads"
     <http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/11/40-seriously-funny-print-ads/>

   6. "Hey Jude, flowcharted"
     <http://loveallthis.tumblr.com/post/166124704>

   7. "Evolution of Storage"
     <http://www.geekologie.com/image.php?path=/2009/11/29/storage-full.jpg>

On Using Time Wisely

2009-11-22T18:15:00.001+10:30

On Using Time Wisely

   Sometimes when I'm working on something, I get lucky and am so lost "in
   the moment" that time appears to stop and I'm hardly aware of what's
   going on around me.  If someone is willing to pay me to do what I enjoy
   doing, then it doesn't really seem like "work" at all.

   Unfortunately, a lot of the time, it's hard to get into "the flow".
   Distractions, politics, egos, unrealistic schedules and uninteresting
   projects are motivation-killers.  So I need a little help to "get things
   done".  Here are some possibly counter-intuitive and even contradictory
   thoughts and techniques on how to use time effectively.

   1. "HOWTO: Be more productive"
     <http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/productivity>
   "First, you have to make the best of each kind of time. And second, you
    have to try to make your time higher-quality."

   2. "The Pmarca Guide to Personal Productivity"
     <http://pmarca-archive.posterous.com/the-pmarca-guide-to-personal-
        productivity>
   "The techniques that follow work together as an integrated set for me,
    but they probably won't for you. Maybe you'll get one or two ideas --
    probably out of the ideas I stole from other people. If so, I have
    succeeded."

   3. "The Lazy Manifesto: Do Less. Then, Do Even Less."
     <http://zenhabits.net/2009/01/the-lazy-manifesto-do-less-then-do-
        even-less/>
   "Lazy is often seen as a bad thing, but I disagree. Lazy is an amazing
    thing. Here's just a few reasons why..."

   4. "How to Procrastinate Like Leonardo da Vinci"
     <http://newsletter.classicalpursuits.com/march-2009/34-procrastination-
        march-2009.html>
   "After he solved its conceptual problems, Leonardo lost interest until
    someone forced his hand. Even then, Leonardo often became a perfection-
    ist about details that no one else could see, and the job just didn't
    get done."
   "If there is one conclusion to be drawn from the life of Leonardo, it is
    that procrastination reveals the things at which we are most gifted -
    the things we truly want to do. Procrastination is a calling away from
    something that we do against our desires toward something that we do
    for pleasure, in that joyful state of self-forgetful inspiration that
    we call genius."

   5. "The Pomodoro Technique"
     <http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/>
   "The Pomodoro Technique(tm) is a way to get the most out of time
    management. Turn time into a valuable ally to accomplish what we want
    to do and chart continuous improvement in the way we do it."

   6. TASCK
     <http://tasck.com/>
   A simple online to-do list manager.

Odds and Ends, Sun 1 November 2009

2009-11-01T18:22:00.002+10:30

Odds and Ends, Sun 1 November 2009

   1. Mystery Service
   * "Mystery Google"
     <http://www.mysterygoogle.com/>
     Get what the person before you searched for
   * "Kashiwa Mystery Cafe"
     <http://www.cabel.name/2009/09/kashiwa-mystery-cafe.html>
     Get what the person before you ordered

   2. "Reading Kafka Improves Learning, Suggests Psychology Study"
     <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915174455.htm>
   "'The idea is that when you're exposed to a meaning threat -- something
    that fundamentally does not make sense -- your brain is going to
    respond by looking for some other kind of structure within your
    environment'"

   3. "Play Tetris, Get a More Efficient & Thicker Brain"
     <http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/09/02/play-tetris-
        get-a-more-efficient-thicker-brain/>
   "Three months of Tetris playing had two distinct effects on the brains
    of research subjects ... This, says the doctors who undertook the
    study, shows that focusing on a 'challenging visuospatial task' like
    a videogame can actually alter the structure of the brain, not just
    increase brain activity."

   4. "The Mediocre Multitasker"
     <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/weekinreview/30pennebaker.html?_r=1>
   "a study showing that the most persistent multitaskers perform badly in
    a variety of tasks. They don't focus as well as non-multitaskers.
    They're more distractible. They're weaker at shifting from one task to
    another and at organizing information. They are, as a matter of fact,
    worse at multitasking than people who don't ordinarily multitask."

   5. "Think yourself a better picture"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17930-think-yourself-a-better-
        picture.html>
   "Want to enjoy the benefits of a super-sharp high-definition screen
    without buying a new TV? Simply tell yourself that you are watching HD
    and put up a few posters to transform your experience."

   6. "Placebos Are Getting More Effective. Drugmakers Are Desperate to
       Know Why."
     <http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?
        currentPage=all>
   "The fact that an increasing number of medications are unable to beat
    sugar pills has thrown the industry into crisis. The stakes could
    hardly be higher. In today's economy, the fate of a long-established
    company can hang on the outcome of a handful of tests."

   7. "Kurt Vonnegut explains drama"
     <http://sivers.org/drama>
   "He said, 'People have been hearing fantastic stories since time began.
    The problem is, they think life is supposed to be like the stories.
    Let's look at a few examples.'"

   8. "The 100 Greatest Sci-Fi Movies"
     <http://totalscifionline.com/features/3809-the-100-greatest-sci-fi-
        movies>

Einstein's Dreams + Anathem + Cloud Atlas

2009-10-25T20:28:00.001+10:30

Einstein's Dreams + Anathem + Cloud Atlas

   This post continues my catchup of reviews of books I've read in the past
   few months.  These three books share the theme of time...

   1. "Einstein's Dreams" by Alan Lightman
     <http://www.amazon.com/Einsteins-Dreams/dp/140007780X>

   This book is a collection of brief "thought experiments" on the nature
   of time.  Each short chapter is presented as a (fictional) dream that
   Albert Einstein had while he was formulating the Special Theory of
   Relativity.  Some examples include: time is circular; time stands still;
   time goes backwards; time goes slower the higher up you are.  Each dream
   describes the implications of the particular concept of time on people
   and how things work.

   I was drawn to the book by the comparisons with works by Italo Calvino
   and Jorge Luis Borges.  Overall, the book doesn't really works as a
   traditional "novel", and in my opinion isn't quite in the same league as
   Calvino's work.  But it's still thought-provoking and very enjoyable.
   Don't be put off by the Einstein reference: you don't need a deep
   understanding of science to follow each "dream".


   2. "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson
     <http://www.amazon.com/Anathem/dp/006147410X>

   I really wanted to like this book.  Neal Stephenson is, er was, one of
   my favourite authors.  Lately however, he's produced long, drawn-out
   sagas that haven't really worked for me.  I spent so much time reading
   the book (it's almost 1000 pages long!) that I'll take some shortcuts
   in this review ;)

   The novel starts off interestingly enough: "Stephenson conjures a far-
   future Earth-like planet, Arbre, where scientists, philosophers and
   mathematicians — a religious order unto themselves — have been
   cloistered behind concent (convent) walls. Their role is to nurture all
   knowledge while safeguarding it from the vagaries of the irrational
   saecular outside world" (from the Amazon page).

   But after the first third of the book, the real story begins, and
   ironically I started to lose interest.  Again, from the Amazon page:
   "Anathem is intellectually rigorous and exceedingly complex, even to the
   point, as the Washington Post avows, of being 'grandiose, overwrought
   and pretty damn dull'."  Yep, that pretty much sums it up.  What really
   grated with me was that, at least in my opinion, the actual science
   presented didn't hold up.  It may be an alternative universe, so a
   little leeway is acceptable, but the more detail the author goes into
   about the physics and chemistry in the story, the more implausible it
   became.

   Decent editing could probably whittle it down to a tight 300-page novel,
   and although I still wouldn't have bought the storyline, at least I
   wouldn't have felt like I'd wasted so much time on it.


   3. "Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell
     <http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Atlas/dp/0375507256>

   This book has rightly been described as ambitious.  It is comprises a
   series of related stories, presented like an onion or a set of Russian
   Matryoshka dolls.  That is, each story is wrapped by and leads into
   the next one.

   The stories span six different eras, each written in a different genre:
   excerpts from the journal of a 19th Century ocean traveller, letters
   from a parasitic English musician living in Belgium in the 1930s, a
   corruption exposé/crime story set in the 1970s, a modern-day story
   about a publisher trapped against his will in a nursing home, a sci-fi
   story about genetically-engineered slaves in a corporation-run Korea,
   and finally, at the core of the book, a post-apocalyptic story about
   the meeting of a group of feral, post-"Fall" survivors with a custodian
   of lost technology.

   Apart from the physical structure of the book, the stories are connected
   by the suggestion of reincarnation.  A central character in each story
   happens to have a comet-shaped birthmark.  Also, each story looks at
   aspects of human nature, and our relationship to technology, over time.

   Overall, I found it a worthwhile read.  However, the different writing
   styles made it a little hard going at times.

High Fidelity + Revolutionary Road + Catcher in the Rye + Franny and Zooey

2009-10-18T19:04:00.000+10:30

High Fidelity + Revolutionary Road + Catcher in the Rye + Franny and Zooey

   You may have noticed that I haven't posted book reviews for a while.
   It's not that I haven't been reading, just that I haven't had time to
   write reviews.  To clear up the backlog, here are brief reviews for
   four novels that I enjoyed reading in the past few months...

   1. "High Fidelity" by Nick Hornby
     <http://www.amazon.com/High-Fidelity/dp/1594481784>

   Set in London in the 1990s, this is an amusing story about the romantic
   incompetence of a thirty-something record store owner.  The central
   character, Rob Fleming, is having a mid-life crisis.  He has to decide
   whether to try to win back his long-standing ex-girlfriend, or to
   continue his cynical, commitment-free existence.  Does he want to take
   the risk that he will grow old alone?  Will he finally grow up?

   An enjoyable read, but it probably helps if you're interested in music.
   One of the things Rob and other characters do to pass the time is
   compile Top-5 lists.  Another little thing that piqued my interest was
   the mention of the lost art of preparing mix tapes for friends,
   something I used to do when I was at Uni.  The book was made into a
   movie in the US in 2000, but I haven't seen it.


   2. "Revolutionary Road" by Richard Yates
     <http://www.amazon.com/Revolutionary-Road/dp/0307454789>

   Set in the 1950s, this is the tragic story of how the "American Dream"
   turned into a disastrous nightmare for a family.  Frank and April
   Wheeler, the young married couple, appear to have it all: a nice house
   in New England, two kids, good friends, and a comfortable lifestyle.
   But they both feel something is missing in their lives.  Frank doesn't
   like his job in Manhattan, and has a fling with a young secretary.
   April has her dreams of becoming an actress dashed.  All the while they
   struggle to conform to the roles that society has placed on them.

   One day April suggests the family move to Paris where she can get a job
   and Frank can "find his talent".  But, as the family prepares for the
   move, things start unravelling.

   The book was made into a movie recently, which I've seen.  I was
   surprised how faithful the movie was to the original story, given how
   tragic and confronting the ending is.  Not for the squeamish.


   3. "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger
     <http://www.amazon.com/Catcher-Rye/dp/0316769177>

   This is considered a classic of American literature, and after reading
   it I can see why.  Set in the 1950s, Holden Caulfield is a teenage boy,
   who despite having some obvious talent, manages to get kicked out of
   every prep school he is sent to.  Holden tells us what happens in the
   few days between his latest expulsion and his eventual return home.  As
   the plot unfolds, we learn of the events in Holden's past that have had
   an effect on his outlook, such as the death of his younger brother
   Allie.  He's cynical to authority figures and adults in general, and is
   aware that soon he too will be an adult.

   The book was considered controversial (it was even banned) due to the
   occasional bad language, but nowadays it comes across as rather tame.
   If I was to recommend just one book out of those reviewed here, it
   would be this one.  I wish I had not been cynical myself and read it
   a lot earlier!


   4. "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
     <http://www.amazon.com/Franny-Zooey/dp/0316769029>

   This book focusses on a couple of episodes in the life of Franny Glass,
   a troubled 20-year-old college girl.  In the brief first episode, we
   find out how she has a breakdown while on a date with her boyfriend.
   She goes back home in New York, where we find she lives with her older
   brother Zachary (Zooey) and their mother.  Apparently the family is full
   of talented, intelligent children.  By the time of the second episode,
   five of the older children have moved out.  Some have found their roles
   in life, while others have failed tragically.

   Franny has become obsessed with a book about a Russian monk who finds a
   way to selfless peace through the repetition of a simple prayer.  Zooey,
   an aspiring actor, knows what Franny is going through, and is aware of
   what happened to himself and their older siblings.  He decides he must
   help her get beyond her simplistic obsession, which threatens to ruin
   her potential.

   The book deals with deep issues of spirituality and how should people
   live in the world.  However it doesn't come across as too preachy or
   heavy-handed.  Salinger seems to have a great knack of writing about the
   difficulties experienced by young people as they enter adulthood.

Of Nobels and Ig Nobels, 2009

2009-10-11T16:54:00.001+10:30

Of Nobels and Ig Nobels, 2009

   This year's Nobel prize announcements will wrap up tomorrow with the
   Economics Prize.  For a rundown of the winners, visit the official site:
     <http://nobelprize.org/>

   Less controversial, and usually more entertaining, are the Ig Nobels,
   awarded "for achievements that first make people laugh then make them
   think".  This year's winners are listed at:
     <http://improbable.com/ig/winners/#ig2009>

   Some highlights:
   * Veterinary Medicine Prize: Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson ...
     for showing that cows who have names give more milk than cows that are
     nameless.
   * Chemistry Prize: Javier Morales, Miguel Apátiga, and Victor M. Castaño
     ... for creating diamonds from liquid - specifically from tequila.
   * Medicine Prize: Donald L. Unger ... for investigating a possible cause
     of arthritis of the fingers, by diligently cracking the knuckles of
     his left hand - but never cracking the knuckles of his right hand -
     every day for more than sixty (60) years.

Odds and Ends, Sun 27 September 2009

2009-09-27T18:18:00.001+09:30

Odds and Ends, Sun 27 September 2009

   1. "Learn Something Every Day"
     <http://www.learnsomethingeveryday.co.uk/>

   2. "Artist paints landscapes from Google Street View"
     <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/picture-galleries/6162704/
        Artist-paints-landscapes-from-Google-Street-View.html>
   "Bill Guffey, an artist who cannot afford to travel, uses Google Street
    View to visit locations around the world and capture them in paint."

   3. "New online Monopoly game is streets ahead"
     <http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2009/sep/07/1>
   "Monopoly City Streets, a link up between game owners Hasbro and Google
    Maps, launches on Wednesday for a four-month period. It enables one, in
    theory, to buy any street in the world."

   4. "Question Suggestions"
     <http://questionsuggestions.com/>
   "small voyages into the collective psyche of humans who ask google
    questions"

   5. "Waiting for the Weekend"
     <http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/91aug/rybczynski-p1.htm>
   "A whole two days off from work, in which we can do what we please, has
    only recently become a near-universal right. What we choose to do looks
    increasingly like work, and idleness has acquired a bad name. Herein, a
    history of leisure"

   6. "The mysterious equilibrium of zombies"
     <http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/09/06/
        the_mysterious_equilibrium_of_zombies/?page=full>
   "... and other things mathematicians see at the movies"

   7. "Book of Space"
     <http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/book-of-space.html>
   "You pick up a book, and you open the covers... and a series of rooms
    begins to pass by, like the frames of a film or sequences in a flip-
    book, and it's all due to laser-cut gaps and remainders."

   8. "What's wrong with this picture?"
     <http://www.scripting.com/stories/2009/09/16/whatsWrongWithThisPicture.html>

From The Curiosity Show to Mythbusters

2009-09-13T19:10:00.000+09:30

From The Curiosity Show to Mythbusters

   My interest in science and technology can probably be traced back to a
   little Adelaide TV program called "The Curiosity Show":
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curiosity_Show>

   I always looked forward to coming home from school to watch the latest
   episode.  Thanks to YouTube, clips from the show can be viewed online.
   For example, here's a piece about how films and movies work:
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL0et1YZNMM>

   Around the same time, the ABC had a science show hosted by an American
   scientist, Julius Sumner Miller:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Sumner_Miller>

   His stock phrase before explaining the science underlying an experiment
   was "Why is it so?", which is how the show got its name.  Episodes are
   available officially on the ABC site:
     <http://www.abc.net.au/science/features/whyisitso/>
   Of course, there are lots of other clips featuring JSM online via YouTube.

   Later, my curiosity for how stuff works was met by a couple of English
   presenters in a series called "The Secret Life of Machines".  The
   videos for all episodes are available at:
     <http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/SLOM/index.html>

   In the modern era, Mythbusters maintains the tradition of using
   experiments to explain science, albeit in a more entertainment-oriented
   way:
     <http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/mythbusters.html>

Infographics Overload

2009-08-30T17:12:00.001+09:30

Infographics Overload

   1. "50 great examples of infographics"
     <http://blogof.francescomugnai.com/2009/04/50-great-examples-of-infographics/>
   e.g. "Coffee Drinks Illustrated"
     <http://www.lokeshdhakar.com/2007/08/20/an-illustrated-coffee-guide/>

   2. "How The Average U.S. Consumer Spends Their Paycheck"
     <http://www.visualeconomics.com/how-the-average-us-consumer-spends-their-
        paycheck/>

   3. "How Different Groups Spend Their Day"
     <http://www.nytimes.com//interactive/2009/07/31/business/20080801-metrics-
        graphic.html?hp>

   4. "Maps of the Seven Deadly Sins"
     <http://flowingdata.com/2009/05/12/maps-of-the-seven-deadly-sins/>

   5. "Windows 7 Upgrades Chart Makes Brain Hurt; We Offer the Mac Equivalent"
     <http://www.cultofmac.com/windows-7-upgrades-chart-makes-brain-hurt-
        we-offer-the-mac-equivalent/14186>

   6. "Random Charts & Flowcharts to Make You Smile"
     <http://www.bspcn.com/2009/07/25/random-charts-flowcharts-to-make-you-smile/>

   7. "Tech Support Cheat Sheet"
     <http://xkcd.com/627/>

From Tapping to Typing to Texting

2009-08-23T19:36:00.000+09:30

From Tapping to Typing to Texting

   A current TV advertisement for a bank aims to emphasise how, in its more
   than 100 year history, it has remained in business and kept up with the
   changes in communications technologies.  A quote from the ad is: "from
   tapping to typing to texting".

   That got me thinking.  While it's true that mobile phone text messaging
   is much more accessible and convenient than the old telegraph, an
   interesting aspect of this "progress" is the actual process of writing
   the message.  Just how far have we come in making it easy to generate
   the content of a message?  Here's what I mean...

   Tapping (Morse Code, over telegraph wires):
     .... . .-.. .-.. ---

   Typing:
     HELLO

   Texting (multi-tap on a numeric keypad):
     44 33 555 555 666

   Of course, T9/predictive text is usually quicker than multi-tap, but,
   unless you're using a phone with a full QWERTY keyboard, texting is
   still arguably a step backwards in terms of message entry.

Google's Legacy + Retro Social Media

2009-07-26T18:00:00.000+09:30

Google's Legacy + Retro Social Media

   1. Is Google making us smarter or dumber?
   Two articles with opposing viewpoints:
   * "Is Google Making Us Stupid?"
     <http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/google>
   * "How Google Is Making Us Smarter"
     <http://discovermagazine.com/2009/feb/15-how-google-is-making-us-smarter>

   2. "Social Media in the 1990s"
     <http://copybrighter.com/blog/social-media-in-the-1990s>
   Compares modern social media with their precursors from a different era.

   Mentioned in a comment as an omission, bulletin board systems:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletin_board_system>
   "A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software
    that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal
    program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading
    and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and
    exchanging messages with other users, either through electronic mail or
    in public message boards... Early BBSes were often a local phenomenon,
    as one had to dial into a BBS with a phone line and would have to pay
    additional long distance charges for a BBS out of the local calling
    area."

   I was a member of a few BBSs in the late 1980s and early 1990s.  Around
   the mid-1980s, Telecom Australia (now Telstra) provided a subscription-
   style service for dialup access to an information directory, called
   "Viatel":
     <http://blog.une.edu.au/ome/2009/02/09/telecom-viatel/>

   Here's a scan of an old newspaper advertisement explaining "Australia's
   National Videotex Service":
     <http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QqIQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lZUDAAAAIBAJ&
        pg=5380,7114713&dq=telecom-viatel>

   The French were using something similar even earlier, "Minitel":
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minitel>
   "The Minitel is a Videotex online service accessible through the
    telephone lines, and is considered one of the world's most successful
    pre-World Wide Web online services. It was launched in France in 1982...
    Minitel uses dumb terminals consisting of a text based screen, keyboard
    and modem. Simple graphics can be displayed using a set of predefined
    graphical characters."

   These services provided pretty much the same sort of information as
   teletext does, but at no cost, via a television.  Unfortunately, it
   seems Channel 7 will shut down the Austext service on 30 September 2009:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austext>

Odds and Ends, Sun 12 July 2009

2009-07-12T16:28:00.002+09:30

Odds and Ends, Sun 12 July 2009

   1. "Humans prefer cockiness to expertise"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227115.500>
   "The research ... shows that we prefer advice from a confident source,
    even to the point that we are willing to forgive a poor track record".

   2. "Why your brain just can't remember that word"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17263>
   "In tip-of-the-tongue experiences, for instance, words suddenly and
    perplexingly go missing only to reappear seconds or minutes later.
    Another brain quirk — déjà vu — confirms the fallibility of memory.
    Now two new studies have shed light on both phenomena."

   3. "Our complex brains thrive on the edge of chaos"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20127015.000>
   "Chaotic thinking is rarely a recipe for success, but evidence is
    emerging that operating at the edge of chaos may drive our brain's
    astonishing capabilities."

   4. "MBA: Mostly bloody awful"
     <http://www.abc.net.au/rn/backgroundbriefing/stories/2009/2526727.htm>
   "Something happened to management culture decades ago and now being
    a Master of Business Administration, especially from Harvard, is
    rather on the nose. MBA, it's being said, can also stand for 'Mediocre
    but Arrogant', or 'Management by Accident'."

   5. "What's Better: Stocks, Bonds, or Lobbyists?"
     <http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/whats-better-
        stocks-bonds-or-lobbyists/>
   "Looking for a 22,000 percent return on your investment? Hire a
    lobbyist, send her to Washington on your behalf, and watch the
    money roll in."

   6. "Health insurers want you to keep smoking, Harvard doctors say"
     <http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?
        id=health-insurers-want-you-to-keep-sm-2009-06-03>
   "Health and life insurance companies in the U.S. and abroad have nearly
    $4.5 billion invested in tobacco stocks, according to Harvard doctors.
    'It's the combined taxidermist and veterinarian approach: either way
    you get your dog back'."

   7. "Teens capture images of space with £56 camera and balloon"
     <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5005022/Teens-
        capture-images-of-space-with-56-camera-and-balloon.html>
   "Proving that you don't need Google's billions or the BBC weather
    centre's resources, the four Spanish students managed to send a camera-
    operated weather balloon into the stratosphere."

   8. "How to Develop Film Using Coffee and Vitamin C! Srsly!"
     <http://photojojo.com/content/tutorials/coffee-caffenol-film-developing/>

Eurovisiopsephology + World Telephone Cultures

2009-06-28T17:36:00.001+09:30

Eurovisiopsephology + World Telephone Cultures

   A couple of culture-related items that have been candidates for blog
   posts, but didn't seem to fit anywhere.  So I've lumped them together
   as part of a mid-year clearance...


   1. "The science of Eurovision - a song for eurovisiopsephology"
     <http://network.nature.com/people/scottkeir/blog/2008/05/26/the-
        science-of-eurovision-a-song-for-eurovisiopsephology>

   Refers to the following paper:
   "Comparison of Eurovision Song Contest Simulation with Actual Results
   Reveals Shifting Patterns of Collusive Voting Alliances."
     <http://jasss.soc.surrey.ac.uk/9/2/1.html>

   "The voting patterns in the Eurovision Song Contest have attracted
    attention from various researchers, spawning a small cross-disciplinary
    field of what might be called 'eurovisiopsephology' incorporating
    insights from politics, sociology and computer science... In
    particular, the period since the mid-90s has seen the emergence of
    large geographical voting blocs from previously small voting
    partnerships, which initially appeared in the early 90s."


   2. "World Telephone Cultures"
     <http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=HelloOnTelephoneWorldwide>

   Looks at the differing approaches to phone call procedure and etiquette
   from around the world.

Wolfram|Alpha

2009-06-21T11:30:00.000+09:30

Wolfram|Alpha

     <http://www.wolframalpha.com/>

   This new "answer engine" has been available for just over a month.  If
   you haven't heard of it, here's a brief overview.

   Wolfram|Alpha's long-term goal is "to make all systematic knowledge
   immediately computable and accessible to everyone. We aim to collect
   and curate all objective data; implement every known model, method,
   and algorithm; and make it possible to compute whatever can be computed
   about anything."

   The site has more info, including videos and examples:
   * Examples by Topic
     <http://www.wolframalpha.com/examples/>
   * Visual Gallery of Examples
     <http://www.wolframalpha.com/gallery.html>

   It's not just for serious questions, though:
   * Top 10 Wolfram Alpha Easter Eggs
     <http://mashable.com/2009/05/17/wolfram-easter-eggs/>
   * 10 Even Better Wolfram Alpha Easter Eggs
     <http://mashable.com/2009/05/17/better-wolfram-easter-eggs/>
   For example, Wolfram|Alpha answers its own age when asked:
     <http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=How+old+are+you%3F>

Odds and Ends, Sun 14 June 2009

2009-06-14T16:24:00.001+09:30

Odds and Ends, Sun 14 June 2009

   1. geoGreeting
     <http://www.geogreeting.com/main.html>
   This site uses satellite imagery to generate custom messages.  Here's
   an example of a personalised greeting:
     <http://www.geogreeting.com/view.html?yrovvyUpBywUlBExyUkxnBsqroDDyU975>

   2. DespairWear
     <http://www.despair.com/deviall1.html>
   From the people behind the Demotivator posters, a range of humorous and
   highly relevant t-shirts.  For example, the eerily accurate "Social
   Media Venn Diagram":
     <http://www.despair.com/somevedi.html>

   3. "Mark Twain Motivational Posters"
     <http://www.sloshspot.com/blog/05-08-2009/Mark-Twain-Motivational-
        Posters-155>

   4. "50 Classic Album Covers Made Awkward by Technology"
     <http://i.gizmodo.com/5284795/50-classic-album-covers-made-awkward-
        by-technology>
   A Photoshop contest updating some classic (clbuttic?) album covers.

   5. "Roomba, Economics and Long-Exposure Photography"
     <http://signaltheorist.com/?p=91>
   Someone "... set up a photo camera ... turned out all the lights and
   took a long-exposure shot ... The result is a picture that shows the
   path of the roomba through its cleaning cycle"

   6. "Apple stuns WWDC crowd with pulsating App Store hyperwall"
     <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/06/09/apple_stuns_wwdc_crowd_
        with_pulsating_app_store_hyperwall.html>
   "In a rare treat for developers at this year's WWDC, Apple is showcasing
    20,000 of the most popular iPhone apps on a massive hyperwall built out
    of Cinema Displays -- one that pulses in sync with each and every App
    Store download."

   7. "10 Beautiful and Creative World Records"
     <http://www.dirjournal.com/internet-journal/10-beautiful-and-creative-
        world-records/>

Explaining Some Little Mysteries

2009-05-31T16:40:00.001+09:30

Explaining Some Little Mysteries

   1. "10 Best Head-Scratching Stories, Explained"
     <http://www.wired.com/culture/culturereviews/magazine/17-05/st_best>
   Explanations for some books, movies and other mysteries of popular
   culture -- according to Wired.

   2. "Beethoven's Ninth Symphony of greater importance than technology",
      or, "Why CDs were originally limited to 74 minutes"
     <http://www.marantzphilips.nl/The_cd_laser/>
   "Philips engineers had always based their work on a playing time of an
   hour, a few minutes longer than a double-sided LP...  However, Sony
   vice-president Norio Ohga, who was responsible for the project, did not
   agree. 'Let us take the music as the basis,' ... Ohga had fond memories
   of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. That had to fit on the CD... The longest
   known performance lasted 74 minutes."

   However, Snopes isn't convinced, giving the explanation the status of
   'Undetermined'":
     <http://www.snopes.com/music/media/cdlength.asp>

   3. "Why text messages are limited to 160 characters"
     <http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/05/invented-text-
        messaging.html>
   "Alone in a room in his home in Bonn, Germany, Friedhelm Hillebrand sat
   at his typewriter, tapping out random sentences and questions on a
   sheet of paper.  As he went along, Hillebrand counted the number of
   letters, numbers, punctuation marks and spaces on the page. Each blurb
   ran on for a line or two and nearly always clocked in under 160
   characters."

   4. "Why are [Twitter] tweets limited to 140 characters?"
     <http://twitter.com/madpew/status/1284771151>
   "[D/@ + whitespace +  + whitespace] + 140 = maximum
   length of a SMS"

   5. "Explaining the curse of work"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126901.300>
   "This is 'Parkinson's law', first published in an article of 1955, which
   states: work expands to fill the time available for its completion."

   6. "Irish police solve Mr Licence mystery"
     <http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/20/2497039.htm>
   "Irish police have solved the mystery of a Polish recidivist who clocked
   up 50 traffic offences on different addresses and who was never caught,
   after one officer noticed his name meant driving license in Polish."

Getting Things Done + A Perfect Mess

2009-05-03T18:28:00.000+09:30

Getting Things Done + A Perfect Mess

   Recently, I read a couple of books that look at the idea of order and
   lack of it from opposing angles.  My struggle to do all the things
   that I wanted and/or needed to do prompted me to read the first,
   "Getting Things Done".  The second book, "A Perfect Mess", was a timely
   reminder that there's nothing wrong with a little disorder.  In fact,
   as long as your ability to work is not impaired, a bit of mess can
   actually be beneficial.

   1. "Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity"
      by David Allen
     <http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done/dp/0142000280>

   "Getting Things Done", or GTD for short, is a an approach to task
   management.  According to the author, one of the obstacles to doing
   stuff is the knowledge of having a lot of other tasks to do.  So the
   idea is to move these "open loops" out of your mind and onto a list
   (actually several lists).  This allows you to concentrate fully on the
   task at hand, knowing that the other tasks have been safely captured
   elsewhere.

   Some basic principles underlie GTD: collection, processing, organising,
   reviewing and doing.  More detailed information about GTD is
   available on Wikipedia:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_Things_Done>
   Also, a chapter-by-chapter summary is at:
     <http://www.wikisummaries.org/Getting_things_done>

   As I mentioned, there are usually many lists: "today", projects, next
   actions (for each project), "some day", etc.  Your tasks gather in an
   "inbox", which you check through regularly.  If it's a two-minute job,
   you might decide to do it right now (e.g. arrange an appointment).  Or
   you could delegate it to someone else.  All other tasks get added to the
   appropriate list to be done later.

   There's a lot of common-sense advice in GTD.  Many people keep lists to
   track their tasks.  I have in the past, but not to the extent proposed
   in the book.  The two-minute rule can help you deal with a lot of
   incoming request.  And the act of ticking or crossing off a completed
   task gives you a sense of accomplishment.

   But there's also a risk of obsessing too much about getting your life
   tightly organised.  If you plan each minute of the day, for example, you
   will not only spend a lot of time organising rather than doing, you can
   also pack your day with so many "tasks" that there's little room for
   spontaneity.  It's a bit like having such a busy itinerary on a holiday
   that you can't actually relax and enjoy yourself.

   GTD has its critics.  Some say it's too paper-centric with its lists,
   folders and filing cabinets.  Others say "GTD is more focused on doing
   whatever comes at you rather than doing what you should be doing -- the
   important stuff".  Some critics go so far as to suggest that it has the
   characteristics of a "cult".  You can read about these and other
   criticisms in: "What Is Wrong with GTD?":
     <http://www.whakate.com/lead-articles/what-is-wrong-with-gtd/>

   Overall, I've found many of the basic ideas of GTD useful.  However, I'm
   not a busy executive, so I found the full GTD approach a bit over the
   top.  Where applicable, I've tried to apply some of the techniques to my
   situation.  "Just enough" or pragmatic GTD has helped me organise the
   drudgery of my mundane tasks, freeing up time to concentrate on the
   things I'd rather be doing.  As long as I regularly check and prioritise
   my handful of lists, I won't get any nasty surprises when things
   suddenly fall due.


   2. "A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder"
      by Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman
     <http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Mess/dp/0316013994>

   In some ways, this book is an antidote to the obsession with
   organisation and neatness that systems like GTD risk promoting.  The
   authors argue that far from being a problem, a "mess" can provide many
   benefits.

   The mere fact that I even found this book is the result of a bit of
   messiness.  While in the library looking through the shelves for
   something else, I noticed the book sticking out.  Had it been neatly
   arranged in it's proper place, I probably wouldn't even have noticed it!

   The immediate benefits of accepting mess in our lives are the time and
   effort saved not making everything neat and tidy.  But the authors go
   further, suggesting other, less obvious benefits.  For example, a little
   bit of desk clutter can lead to chance associations.  Serendipity and
   creativity can result when two or more seemingly unrelated items in a
   pile come to hand.  In the home, a little mess can provide warmth and a
   lived-in feel.

   The authors provide other specific examples to back up their case.
   Apparently, penicillin was discovered thanks to a messy laboratory.
   Alexander Fleming had left some old, contaminated specimens lying around
   which later lead to the discovery that mould could act as an antibiotic.
   Then there's a quip attributed to Albert Einstein: in response to the
   criticism that "a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind", he's
   reported to have said: "then what are we to think of an empty desk?".

   But the authors do not advocate total chaos.  If things are so
   disorganised that you can't even move around or use your desk, then
   you've got a problem.  Rather, they argue that everyone has an "optimal"
   level of mess.  They suggest a stepwise approach to finding the "right"
   level of mess: try introducing a little mess (or tidiness) to see if it
   improves your situation.  If it does, try a little more.  Stop when no
   further improvements can be made.

   Overall, I enjoyed reading this sometimes tongue-in-cheek book.  The
   only major criticism I have is that the references section is not as
   comprehensive as it could be to back up the arguments.

Listmania, April 2009

2009-04-24T16:12:00.001+09:30

Listmania, April 2009

   1. "20 Things You Didn't Know About... Money"
     <http://discovermagazine.com/2009/apr/20-things-you-didn.t-know-
        about-money>

   2. "Top 11 compounds in US drinking water"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16397>
   "A comprehensive survey of the drinking water for more than 28 million
    Americans has detected the widespread but low-level presence of
    pharmaceuticals and hormonally active chemicals."

   3. "8 Brilliant Scientific Screw-ups"
     <http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/23600.html>
   "Hard work and dedication have their time and place, but the values of
    failure and ineptitude have gone unappreciated for far too long. They
    say that patience is a virtue, but the following eight inventions prove
    that laziness, slovenliness, clumsiness and pure stupidity can be
    virtues, too."

   4. "10 Old Wives' Tales Debunked"
     <http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Health/Conditions-Diseases/
        10-Old-Wives-Tales-Debunked.html>

   5. "12 Good Gadgets for Hard Times"
     <http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/12/12-good-gadgets.html>

   6. "Gadget Graveyard: 10 Technologies About to Go Extinct"
     <http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,515647,00.html>

   7. "The 10 Worst Microsoft Product Names of All Time"
     <http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,161618/printable.html>
   "From Microsoft Bob to Windows Genuine Advantage, Microsoft has shown a
    real talent for unfortunate product names. Here are our picks for the
    worst--along with alternatives that might have worked better."

   8. "25 Websites To Have Fun With Your Photos"
     <http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/25-websites-to-have-fun-with-your-photos/>

   9. "IMDb: Top 250 movies as voted by our users"
     <http://www.imdb.com/chart/top>

Quick Bites, Wed 15 April 2009

2009-04-15T18:12:00.000+09:30

Quick Bites, Wed 15 April 2009

   1. "School assignment to reinterpret the fairytale 'Little Red Riding Hood'"
     <http://www.vimeo.com/3514904>

   2. TV Maps
   * "UK Television Series Map"
     <http://meish.org/2009/04/05/uk-tv-series-map>

   * "USA Sitcom Map"
     <http://danmeth.com/post/87573961>

   * "NYC Sitcom Map"
     <http://danmeth.com/post/87262657>

   * Plus more in a "Series Of Pop-Cultural Charts"
     <http://danmeth.com/tagged/popculturalcharts>

   3. "9 Good Things The Internet Has Ruined Forever"
     <http://omglists.blogfaction.com/article/107357>

Predictably Irrational + Nudge

2009-03-29T21:04:00.001+10:30

Predictably Irrational + Nudge

   A book I've reviewed previously, "Fooled by Randomness", mentioned how
   humans often make irrational decisions.  I decided to explore in more
   depth some of the reasons why we don't always make good decisions, and
   what can be done about it.

   1. "Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions"
      by Dan Ariely
     <http://www.amazon.com/Predictably-Irrational/dp/006135323X>

   Dan Ariely is a professor of behavioural economics.  In collaboration
   with other researchers, he's conducted many social experiments on
   students and the general public.  This book summarises the findings of
   those and other studies concerning why humans make the decisions they
   do.

   Good summaries of the book are available at:
     <http://bookoutlines.pbwiki.com/Predictably-Irrational>
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictably_Irrational>

   Each chapter investigates particular aspects of, and problems with, our
   decision making.  Numerous published scientific studies are cited, so
   you know you're not just dealing with a collection of anecdotes or
   untested hypotheses.

   Some of the experiments are quite amusing.  For example, patrons at a
   university bar were asked to try a couple of beers: brew "A" was a
   standard beer, and brew "B" was the same beer with a dash of balsamic
   vinegar added.  How the tasters assessed the brews depended on what
   information they were given.  When they weren't told about the vinegar,
   they overwhelmingly preferred the vinegar-laced brew!  But when they
   were told about the vinegar, they overwhelmingly preferred the normal
   brew.  This, say the authors, is a result of expectations.  The related
   (and infamous) Coke versus Pepsi taste test is also discussed.

   The results of these and other studies suggest that our decisions are
   often not very rational.  But it's not all bad news: our decision making
   may be irrational, but it is usually systematic and predictable.  Hence
   the title of the book.

   Once we are aware of how our decisions are adversely affected by various
   conditions, we can learn to improve our decision making.  For example,
   diners often allow the menu decisions of their companions to affect their
   own choices.  This often leads to dissatisfaction with those choices, so
   the advice is to plan your menu decision in advance and stick to it,
   regardless of what other people may have already ordered.

   The conclusion that humans seem to not always make rational decisions
   challenges one of the fundamental assumptions of standard, free-market
   based, economic theory.  A new field, behavioural economics, has emerged
   to establish an alternative basis for analysing "economic decisions by
   consumers, borrowers, investors, and how they affect market prices,
   returns and the allocation of resources" (quote from Wikipedia).

   Overall, this book succeeded in being both educational and entertaining.
   The language is not too technical, and it would appeal to anyone
   interested in understanding human behaviour.


   2. "Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness"
      by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein
     <http://www.amazon.com/Nudge/dp/014311526X>

   This book, by two professors from the University of Chicago, seeks to
   apply the lessons learned about irrational decisions to policy making.
   Richard Thaler, an economist, is credited with having helped define the
   field of behavioural economics.  Cass Sunstein is a legal scholar, and
   is interested in government policy and regulation.  He's been appointed
   to President Obama's Administration.

   The book briefly covers many of the reasons why individuals make poor
   decisions, as discussed in "Predictably Irrational".  Given that we
   are not always good decision makers, the authors propose "libertarian
   paternalism" as a way of improving the general well-being of members of
   society.  The "libertarian" part recognises that ultimately individuals
   should be free to choose what they want.  The "paternalism" part
   recognises that we are fallible, and sometimes need a helping hand when
   making decisions.  In other words, it's about helping people "make the
   choices [they] would make for [themselves] ‚Äî if only [they] had the
   strength of will and the sharpness of mind" (from Wikipedia).

   It's argued that the way choices are presented has a serious impact on
   the ultimate decisions made.  Too much choice can lead people to
   maintain the status quo (no change) or just accept the default option
   (no choice).  To help people make better decisions, the authors advocate
   "choice architecture": the presentation of choices in such a way as to
   overcome some of the causes of bad decisions.  In particular: offer
   sensible defaults options; discourage bad choices; promote positive
   behaviour; don't overwhelm people with options; and provide feedback.
   Here is where the book's title, comes in.  "Nudging" refers to helping
   guide people to make better decisions for themselves, rather than
   relying on governments to impose decisions on them.

   After presenting the case for the choice architecture, the majority of
   the book then looks at how this knowledge can guide policy makers to
   implement "libertarian paternalism" in specific areas, such as health
   care, social security and the environment.  An example is the "Save More
   Tomorrow" plan, where employees are encouraged to provide more for their
   own retirement.  This is achieved by getting them to voluntarily commit
   part or all of their future pay rises toward a retirement savings
   account.

   Opponents might have issues with the approach suggested in this book.
   For example, who decides what is good and what is bad?  Advocates of a
   "hands-off" or laissez faire approach to government would not appreciate
   any attempts to restrict options available to people, even if that means
   allowing undesirable choices  - people should be allowed to make
   mistakes.  On the other hand, some opponents who would argue for more
   active government intervention in economics policy than just "nudges".

   The authors say they are trying to find a middle way, so that the
   greatest number of people can benefit without removing freedom of
   choice.  Individual readers can decide if they agree with the idea of
   being "nudged" into making better decisions.

   Ultimately, I didn't find this book quite as satisfying as "Predictably
   Irrational".  That may be in part to its more political focus, but it
   also may be because the policy examples were very US-centric.

Science Report, March 2009

2009-03-26T17:32:00.002+10:30

Science Report, March 2009

   1. "They Tried to Outsmart Wall Street"
     <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/science/10quant.html>
   "They are known as 'quants' because they do quantitative finance.
    Seduced by a vision of mathematical elegance underlying some of the
    messiest of human activities, they apply skills they once hoped to
    use to untangle string theory or the nervous system to making money."

   2. "Brain quirk could help explain financial crisis"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16826>
   "With hindsight, the causes of the current global financial meltdown
    seem obvious, even predictable. Now, brain imaging offers one
    explanation for why so few investors challenged foolhardy fiscal
    advice."

   3. "For a Creativity Boost, Go Hang Out in a Blue Room"
     <http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/02/06/for-a-
        creativity-boost-go-hang-out-in-a-blue-room/>
   "When you need to brainstorm ideas for a big project, get yourself to
    a room that's painted blue. But when it's time to proofread the final
    product, find a red room. Those are the implications of a fascinating
    new study that measured the effect that colors have on cognition."

   4. "In pain? Take one masterpiece, three times a day"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19926744.900>
   "The power of art to heal emotional wounds is well known, but could
    contemplating a beautiful painting have the same effect on physical
    pain?"

   5. "Patternicity: Finding Meaningful Patterns in Meaningless Noise"
     <http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=patternicity-finding-meaningful-
        patterns&print=true>
   "Why the brain believes something is real when it is not."

   6. "Déjà vu: Where fact meets fantasy"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20127011.400>
   "Subjective, strange and fleeting, not to mention tainted by paranormal
    explanations, the phenomenon has been a difficult and unpopular one to
    study."

   7. "Six degrees of separation? We can only manage five"
     <http://timharford.com/2009/03/six-degrees-of-separation-we-can-only-
        manage-five/>
   "The human brain simply may not be wired up to deal with lots of
    different levels of value. A series of psychological experiments, many
    dating back to the 1950s, shows that we cannot distinguish between more
    than about five degrees of ... well, almost anything."

   8. "How to Avoid Choking under Pressure"
     <http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=how-to-avoid-choking-under-
        pressure&print=true>
   "Afraid of crumbling when it counts? Try not to think so hard."

   9. "Bored? Your brain is disconnecting"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026865.600>
   "When your mind wanders during a boring task, it may be because parts
    of your brain simply disconnect."

   10. "The Serious Need for Play"
     <http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-serious-need-for-play>
   "Free, imaginative play is crucial for normal social, emotional and
    cognitive development. It makes us better adjusted, smarter and less
    stressed."

Ryan Adams - A Rough Guide

2009-03-20T18:05:00.004+10:30

Ryan Adams - A Rough Guide

   Ryan (not Bryan!) Adams is an American alt-country/rock singer-
   songwriter.  He's been in bands and done solo work.  You can read a
   bio on Wikipedia:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Adams>

   I can't remember what prompted me to listen to Ryan's first solo record,
   "Heartbreaker" - maybe it was something I read somewhere?  Anyway, I
   thought it was a great record, and mentioned it to a friend in
   Singapore.  He'd heard of Ryan Adams, and kindly offered to send me his
   copy of Ryan's followup album, "Gold".  I've been hooked ever since,
   which is strange because I'm not really into country music.  But Ryan's
   style somehow transcends what I'd normally associated with that genre.

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  If the links are
   blocked, you can try listening to snippets of songs at Last.fm:
     <http://www.last.fm/music/Ryan+Adams>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "My Winding Wheel"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=BSX-8zQ2xOQ>
   A typically melodic song from Ryan's first solo record, "Heartbreaker",
   released in 2000.  There were no singles or official videos from that
   album.  This is a reworked version recorded for a TV program.

   2. "Come Pick Me Up"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=dRnoh86FD2A>
   Another standout song from "Heartbreaker".  This is a live version with
   his current band, the Cardinals, on the Letterman show.  He cleaned up
   a couple of the lyrics for this performance.

   3. "Amy"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=cOuMkrL0qUY>
   Another melodic song from "Heartbreaker".  This is a live acoustic
   version.

   4. "When The Stars Go Blue"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=wCh5PP4IpuU>
   A standout song from Ryan's second solo album, "Gold", released in 2001.
   This is a reworked version performed live in the studio.

   5. "Answering Bell"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=_cVGMYKu_os>
   This is the official video of the second single from "Gold".  The first
   single, "New York, New York", had a very noteworthy video too, having
   been filmed on September 7, 2001.  It featured the Manhattan skyline as
   it was then, before being altered so tragically four days later.

   In 2003 Ryan released his fourth studio album.  He had hoped that album
   would be "Love Is Hell", but the record company didn't like it.  As a
   compromise, Ryan quickly recorded another album, "Rock N Roll", and the
   record company agreed to eventually release "Love Is Hell" in two parts.
   As the title suggests, "Rock N Roll" was louder than usual, and was
   recorded with guest musicians.

   6. "So Alive"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=70wOxS12Bdo>
   Here's another live performance on the Late Show, this time it's the
   second single and opening track from "Rock N Roll".  Other standout
   songs from this album include "Shallow", "So Alive" and "Luminol".

   [Aside] Take a look at the cover of Ryan's album "Rock N Roll":
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_n_Roll_%28Ryan_Adams_album%29>
   and Bryan Adams's later album, "11":
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11_%28Bryan_Adams_album%29>

   7. "Wonderwall"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=0gVxRvNfFLg>
   This is a cover of the Oasis song, which appeared on "Love Is Hell" part
   1.  Unsurprisingly, it was released as a single in the UK.

   8. "Magnolia Mountain"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=TBllh1WA-Js>
   In 2005 Ryan recorded "Cold Roses", his first album with the Cardinals.
   Here's a live version of the the opening track from the double-album.

   Ryan was rather prolific in 2005, and released another album with the
   Cardinals called "Jacksonville City Nights", and a rather gloomy solo
   album, "29".

   9. "Everybody Knows"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=iVVB2Xq65xQ>
   In 2007, Ryan Adams released his ninth album, "Easy Tiger".  This is one
   of the standout tracks.

   10. "Two"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=YRuY49nXgA8>
   Ryan obviously likes appearing on the Late Show.  Here's another
   performance with the Cardinals, this time the first single from "Easy
   Tiger".

   11. "Magick"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=d0xvEMYBrcc>
   In 2008 Ryan released his tenth studio album, "Cardinology".  As the
   title suggests, it was recorded with the Cardinals.  This track is a bit
   of a rocker.

   Recently, Ryan Adams announced he was giving up recording and touring,
   due in part to hearing problems.  He got married this month.

A Humument

2009-03-09T17:22:00.001+10:30

A Humument

   "A Humument: A treated Victorian novel" by Tom Phillips
     <http://www.amazon.com/Humument/dp/0500285519>

   This is an unusual book, in that technically the author didn't actually
   "write" it (at least not in the ordinary sense).  It's an altered book:
   Phillips took an obscure 19th Century novel called "A Human Document"
   and overlaid the pages with drawings and other markings.  Some of the
   original words and letters remain, and these provide the "narrative" for
   the altered novel.  The title, "A Humument", is derived by the partial
   deletion of letters in the original title, "A Human Document".

   The first page quite cleverly introduces the reader to what lies ahead:
   "The following sing I a book. a book of art, of mind art and that which
   he hid reveal I."  Here's a scan of the first page:
     <http://www.tomphillips.co.uk/humument/0/001010/images/h001a500.jpg>

   As a novel, the story line can be hard to follow.  There are recurring
   characters and themes, and the drawings help set the mood.  But don't
   expect a coherent and engrossing tale.  Pretty soon I took less notice
   of the plot and considered each page as a separate entity.  In some
   cases the words and drawings combine quite well.

   You can view pages from the latest edition online at:
     <http://www.humument.com/gallery/slideshow.html>
   Scans from the complete first edition (1970) are large enough to read
   and available via the gallery link:
     <http://www.humument.com/gallery/index.html>

   For more info about the book, refer to Wikipedia:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Humument>
   and essays on the official web site:
     <http://www.humument.com/>

Odds and Ends, Tue 3 March 2009

2009-03-03T14:28:00.001+10:30

Odds and Ends, Tue 3 March 2009

   1. "Bizarre Sports in the World"
    <http://www.redux.com/playlist/bizarre_sports_in_the_world>

   2. "Star Wars Ren 2"
     <http://www.worth1000.com/contest.asp?contest_id=22673&display=
        photoshop>
   "A long time ago, in an art gallery far far away ..."  Renaissance art
    with a 'Star Wars' twist.

   3. "Tetris Art"
     <http://www.flickr.com/photos/nowends/sets/72157611187567238/>
   Tetris Street Art in Abercrombie Lane, Sydney.

   4. "Top Secret Recipes"
     <http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/>
   "Duplicate your favorite brand-name foods at home with common ingredients.
    Fool your friends with easy-to-make, original recreations designed in
    our Top Secret Lab!"

   5. "10 Ways Microsoft's Retail Stores Will Differ From Apple Stores"
     <http://www.pcworld.com/article/159521/10_ways_microsofts_retail_
        stores_will_differ_from_apple_stores.html>

   6. "Somnambulism in the Internet Age"
     <http://www.forteantimes.com/strangedays/misc/1543/somnambulism-in-
        the-internet-age.html>
   "The 44-year-old woman had gone to bed at about 10pm, but rose a couple
    of hours later, walked to the next room and sat down at her computer.
    She turned the machine on, connected to the Internet and success fully
    logged on with her user name and password, before composing three
    emails and sending them to friends."

   7. "The Interview Question You Should Always Ask"
     <http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/cs/2009/01/the_interview_question_
        you_sho.html>
   "'What do you do in your spare time?'  Obsessions are one of the greatest
    telltale signs of success. Understand a person's obsessions and you will
    understand her natural motivation."  As an example, the article cites
    Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger, who successfully landed an Airbus
    A320 in the Hudson River after both engines were knocked out.  What he
    did in his spare time appears to have come in very handy.


   [If long links don't work, try copying the full link to your browser,
    or click on the links at <http://b-list.blogspot.com/> ]

Outliers + The Long Tail + Fooled by Randomness

2009-02-22T18:15:00.003+10:30

Outliers + The Long Tail + Fooled by Randomness

   So far this year I've been reading less fiction, and reading more books
   that come under the general category of "popular science".  Here are
   reviews of some books that can be loosely connected by concepts from
   statistics and data analysis.  If I had to recommend just one of these
   books, it would be "Fooled by Randomness".

   1. "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell
     <http://www.amazon.com/Outliers/dp/0316017922>

   This book is by the same author who wrote "The Tipping Point" (which I
   thought was pretty good) and "Blink" (which I didn't think was as
   convincing).  This time Gladwell is looking at "outliers": a term used
   to describe "things or phenomena that lie outside normal experience".
   In particular, the book looks at why certain people and not others have
   become successful.

   A Wikipedia article provides a good overview and analysis of the book:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outliers_%28book%29>

   Here's a summary of the first part of the book (from page 175): "success
   arises out of the steady application of advantages: when and where you
   are born, what your parents did for a living, and what the circumstances
   of your upbringing were, all make a significant difference in how well
   you do in the world."  Luck can be a big factor.  The author then goes
   on to introduce part two: "Traditions and attitudes we inherit from our
   forbears can play the same role - i.e. cultural legacy counts too!"

   By looking at the varying fortunes of highly intelligent people, the
   author concludes that the IQ is not necessarily a factor in determining
   success.  More important, it seems, is a degree of persistence.  A
   "10,000-hour rule" is proposed, which indicates how much time of
   practice is required before mastery can be achieved and exploited.
   Examples given include musicians, sports stars and entrepreneurs.

   Overall, I found it an interesting read.  However, critics argue that
   the author may be oversimplifying things, and that not a lot of
   statistical data is provided to support the conclusions.  After all,
   this is a book, and not a rigourous scientific paper subject to peer
   review.  Also, be aware that some of the arguments and conclusions are
   not always politically-correct.


   2. "The Long Tail" by Chris Anderson
     <http://www.amazon.com/Long-Tail/dp/1401302378>

   Traditionally, retailers have relied on selling large numbers of a few
   items - the big hits - to maximise profits.  Slower-moving items take up
   space and so are not as cost-effective: distribution limitations,
   storage costs, limited promotion/lack of information about availability.
   In this book, the author argues that niches can pay well.  The internet
   and e-commerce have overcome the "80/20 rule" in retail: 20% of products
   account for 80% of sales.  Amazon (and others) have shown the tail is
   much longer, and that there is money to be made in selling even just low
   quantities of many more items.

   For a more detailed overview, read through the following Wikipedia
   article:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Tail>

   Here are a couple of quotes:
   * "The era of the big hit is over, thanks to: digital distribution or
   no/low storage costs; easy to find products via search and
   recommendations." (pages 134/135).
   * "The secret to creating a thriving Long Tail business can be
   summarised by two imperatives: 1. Make everything available; 2. Help me
   find it" (page 217).  A list of nine rules to achieve these imperatives
   are provided.

   I've seen the book described as "visionary", but I wouldn't describe it
   that way.  Most of the book describes recent internet-era success
   stories (e.g. Amazon, iTunes, Netflix, eBay, Google).  So it's not so
   much predicting what _will_ happen, as explaining what _has_ happened
   and why.  Ken McCarthy, as mentioned in the Wikipedia article, arguably
   did predict the "Long Tail" phenomenon for Internet commerce in 1994.

   One nitpick I have with the book is with the concept of the "Economics
   of Abundance".  The suggestion is that "normal" economics, based on
   scarcity of resources and goods, is soon to be displaced.  There are
   some products that appear "abundant", thanks to digitisation: once a
   song or book is in digital form, it is theoretically possible to
   distribute it to an infinite number of consumers.  But not all goods are
   "information" goods - you can't eat "digital" food.  And don't expect a
   Star Trek-style "replicator" any time soon.  So the Economics of
   Scarcity will still be relevant for a while yet.  Even computers (and
   replicators) need power, and that isn't so "abundant".  There's an
   interesting piece on this debate, entitled "What Happens When the
   Economics of Scarcity Meets the Economics of Abundance?" at:
     <http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5469.html>

   Also, the term "Economics of Abundance" is technically an oxymoron,
   since "economics" is defined as "the science which studies human
   behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have
   alternative uses."

   I don't want to come across as too negative of the book.  It's an
   interesting read, with valuable suggestions for people wanting to set up
   businesses for the new digital economy.  It basically restates how, by
   removing friction, markets can trade (some) goods more easily and
   therefore at lower cost.  But it's not as helpful for service-based
   industries, for example, where the scarcity of time limits the number of
   clients one can have.


   3. "Fooled by Randomness" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
     <http://www.amazon.com/Fooled-Randomness/dp/0812975219>

   This is perhaps my pick of the books, and arguably the most timely.
   Taleb is a former derivatives trader turned philosopher.  According to
   his website, his "major hobby is teasing people who take themselves and
   the quality of their knowledge too seriously and those who don‚Äôt have
   the courage to sometimes say: I don't know...."

   A very brief summary of the book is provided by Wikipedia:
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fooled_by_Randomness>

   Basically, the author argues that we overestimate causality and tend to
   view the world as more explainable than it really is.  We mistake noise
   for signal, and this can lead to disastrous decisions.  Randomness plays
   a bigger part in our lives than we like to admit.

   Most of the anecdotes and examples in the book come from the author's
   past career in financial markets.  Quantitative analysts (quants) apply
   sophisticated maths to investments, believing the models "tame"
   randomness.  Even when risk is take into account, sometimes the full
   extent of the consequences aren't: it's not just the simple probability
   that counts, but rather the probability weighted by the extent of the
   consequence.  Some quants don't even factor in certain outcomes, because
   "they've never happened before".  The author argues that this is a
   manifestation of the "Black Swan" theory or "rare event" problem in
   induction.  In the 18th Century, David Hume wrote: "No amount of
   observations of white swans can allow the inference that all swans are
   white, but the observation of a single black swan is sufficient to
   refute that conclusion."  As it happened, black swans were encountered
   by Westerners for the first time in Australia later that Century.

   Recent financial catastrophes (things that "have never happened before")
   seem to vindicate the author's central argument.  Investment banks and
   traders can ride their luck for a while, but unless they've taken
   adequate precautions, they can eventually become undone or "blow up" -
   they will see their own "black swans".

   The author does ramble a fair bit, going off on tangents and getting
   rather philosophical at times.  But this actually makes the book less
   dry and more enjoyable.  It's also a bit scary reading about how the
   people that are entrusted with looking after our money seem to be either
   unaware of, or fail to properly manage, all the risks involved.  Or
   maybe the greed is just too tempting?

   Obviously, the author riding a wave of popularity at the moment.  Here's
   a recent interview for the Sunday Times (UK): "Nassim Nicholas Taleb:
   the prophet of boom and doom":
     <http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/
        article4022091.ece?print=yes>

   In 2006 Taleb wrote a followup book that looks more deeply into the
   black swan theory, appropriately enough entitled "The Black Swan".


   [If long links don't work, try copying the full link to your browser,
    or click on the links at <http://b-list.blogspot.com/> ]

What is Freeview?

2009-02-12T17:32:00.000+10:30

What is Freeview?

   Australian TV viewers will undoubtedly have seen ads over the summer for
   something called "Freeview".  There isn't a lot of hard information in the
   one minute ad, only a teaser to "stay tuned".  My curiosity being what it
   is, a few weeks ago I decided to investigate...

   Obviously there's an official website, but it's just brochureware and
   feelgood marketing-speak.  Not much has changed since I last looked at
   the site.  Fortunately, there's a Wikipedia entry:
    <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeview_%28Australia%29>
   "Freeview (Australia) is the brand given to the digital terrestrial
   television platform in Australia. Freeview will bring all of the
   free-to-air broadcasters on to a consistent platform for marketing
   purposes. Formed to assist the promotion of digital television in
   Australia, the non-for-profit organisation comprises the free-to-air
   licencees."

   Also from the Wikipedia entry: "Freeview has announced that the service
   will launch with 15 channels, three from each of the current Free-to-air
   broadcasters."

   Sounds ok, doesn't it?  But when you look closer, you discover Freeview
   doesn't really offer much more than what is already available.  If you've
   got an old analog TV, you can buy any digital set top box (STB) or personal
   video recorder (PVR) and get access to 15 digital channels, right now,
   without waiting for Freeview to launch.  Note that 10 of these channels are
   standard definition (SD), and five are high definition (HD).  Each network
   has two SD channels and one HD channel.  In most cases, the network's HD
   channel broadcasts the same content as one of the SD channels.  Freeview
   will be much the same.  Hmmm.

   Sydney Morning Herald blogger, aturner, sees something more sinister in
   this re-branding exercise.  A recent rant on the digihub blog has the
   provocative title: "Freeview - the great Aussie TV swindle?"
    <http://digihub.smh.com.au/node/275>

   Apparently, there will be "Freeview compliant" set top boxes (and digital
   recorders).  These devices won't allow ad-skipping, and will make it hard
   to transfer content from them.  But they will have a new combined "Freeview
   EPG interface" (EPG = electronic program guide).  Note that channels
   already provide EPG info, which can be viewed on existing STBs and PVRs.

   arturner's conclusion:  "The more you look at it, the more Freeview looks
   like a con job. The networks realise they can't stop vendors from selling
   PVRs which offer ad-skipping, but they can trick people into not buying
   them by denying them the Freeview logo. Don't believe the hype, Freeview
   is merely a fancy new name to distract you from the fact you're getting the
   same old shows, ads and all."

   I guess we'll find out what all the fuss is about later this year.

Odds and Ends, Mon 2 February 2009

2009-02-02T08:48:00.001+10:30

Odds and Ends, Mon 2 February 2009

   1. "Snowflakes as you've never seen them before"
     <http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/dn16170-snowflakes/>
   For those of us enduring the heatwave in southern Australia ;)

   2. "After The Crisis: A Parody of 15 Corporate Logos"
     <http://www.businesspundit.com/after-the-crisis-a-parody-of-15-
        corporate-logos/>

   3. "20 Weird Logos That Work (and Why They Do)"
     <http://www.bspcn.com/2009/01/03/20-weird-logos-that-work-and-why-
        they-do/>

   4. "Heavy Metal Band Names", a flow chart by Doogie Horner
     <http://www.comicvsaudience.net/images/flow_heavymetal.jpg>

   5. "Lake Superior State University 2009 List of Banished Words"
     <http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php>

   6. "Will Dog Cloning Become Mainstream as the Price Drops?"
     <http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/01/30/will-dog-
        cloning-become-mainstream-as-the-price-drops/>
   "A Florida couple has just received a genetic copy of their beloved
    and deceased golden Labrador Sir Lancelot, naming the three-month-old
    puppy Lancelot Encore. The couple paid $155,000 for one of the first
    commercially cloned dogs in the world, and say the money was well
    spent."

   7. "Open-plan offices are making workers sick, say Australian scientists"
     <http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24906579-12377,
        00.html>
   "In 90 per cent of the research, the outcome of working in an open-
    plan office was seen as negative, with open-plan offices causing high
    levels of stress, conflict, high blood pressure, and a high staff
    turnover."

   8. "Yoshimoto Cube"
     <http://www1.ttcn.ne.jp/a-nishi/y_cube/z_y_cube.html>

   9. the. Products
     <http://www.thinkofthe.com/products>
   * "Anti-Theft Lunch Bags"
     <http://www.thinkofthe.com/products/lunch_bag.php>
   * "Speak-er"
     <http://www.thinkofthe.com/products/speak-er.php>

Mazzy Star - A Rough Guide

2009-01-29T08:24:00.000+10:30

Mazzy Star - A Rough Guide

   "Mazzy Star was an American alternative rock band formed in 1989."
   [Wikipedia]
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazzy_Star>

   "When guitarist David Roback wraps his shards of feedback and drawn-out
   crescendos of re verb and distortion around Hope Sandoval's laconic vocal
   delivery, the results can indeed be trance-inducing. But their music is as
   much a disengagement from real life as an investigation of alternate
   realities, and the druggy states they evoke are comfortably numb rather
   than euphoric."
     <http://www.mazzystar.nu/web/biography.html>

   For a more in-depth history of the band, see this website:
     <http://www.mazzystar.nu/>

   The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies.  The band released
   only a handful of official videos, so many of these movies are fan-made.
   If the links are blocked, you can try listening to snippets of songs at:
     <http://www.mazzystar.nu/web/sound-clips.html>

   The "rough guide" ...

   1. "Fade Into You"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=IWvEXChflEE>
   I've chosen this song to start things off, as it's the song that
   introduced me to the band.  It was a "surprise" hit single from the
   band's second album, "So Tonight That I Might See", released in 1993.

   2. "Halah"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=nnne6N0c9ho>
   The opening track from the band's debut album, "She Hangs Brightly",
   released in 1990.  It was also the only single from the album.

   3. "Ride It On"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=8TSu4L9Nh94>
   Another standout, acoustic guitar-based song from "She Hangs Brightly".

   4. "Be My Angel"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=g7JQ0dM6VqE>
   Another song typical of the band's style, this time with some slide guitar.
   From the debut album, "She Hangs Brightly".

   5. "Blue Light"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkm1Mp5Uyrc>
   Another solid song from the band's second album, "So Tonight That I Might
   See".  This is a very basic fan-made video.

   6. "Wasted"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Glz6gyp7_QM>
   Every Mazzy Star album has one or two heavier psychedelic songs, in the
   style of "The End" by "The Doors".  This song from the second album isn't
   one of those, but it does feature some great electric guitar playing.

   7. "Into Dust"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=SiO_7LhPZFM>
   Another simple song from "So Tonight That I Might See", featuring Hope
   Sandoval's haunting voice over an acoustic guitar.

   8. "Disappear"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=sHk-J4I3Fjk>
   The opening track from the band's third and final album, "Among My Swan",
   released in 1996.

   9. "Flowers in December"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=uiEouyRrWII>
   The band didn't change its formula much on the final album.  But on a
   couple of songs, like this one, the first single from "Among My Swan", the
   band added some harmonica.

   10. "Look on Down from the Bridge"
     <http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=uqFEbT5DJF8>
   The closing track from "Among My Swan".  The use of an organ gives the song
   a hymn-like quality.  Hope's vocals are haunting and beautiful as usual.