This MetaFilter article mentions Bling H2O, an ultrapremium brand of water sold in bottles decorated with Swarovski crystals.
Bling H2o (official site)
Personally, I'm a bit put-off by the outrage that wells up over this idea. I buy things for packaging all the time. Isn't that the whole point of Fiji brand water? Or Captain Morgan's Pirate Bay Rum? Or for that matter, buying Aquafina instead of generic filtered water. I mean, rich people spend stupid money on stupid things all the time. So what?
What jumped out at me were the Swarovski crystals. I mean, what the heck are they? They're always mentioned as if it's an old-world luxury brand I should know about, like Rolls Royce. Not too far off, actually.
Swarovski crystal (Wikipedia)
So... faceted leaded glass? That's a luxury item?
Again, rich people: stupid money on stupid things.
Friday, March 9, 2007
The Poor Have More Free Time?
I suppose my hackles are raised over definitions. Steven Landsburg is writing about an economic study that states that income gains of the educated rich have outpaced those of the poor, but that the poor have more free time than the rich and have gained more free time.
It's because a friend lent me Barbra Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
Ehrenreich goes "undercover" working in the jobs she can get not with her real resume, but with the resume of a single woman with no college degree and no experience. Her descriptions of working for minimum wage (or slightly more) and needing more than one full-time job to support herself don't sound anything like someone who has tons of extra leisure time. Ehrenrich's description of the working poor sound more like reality than Landsburg's. Perhaps Landsburg is describing someone on the upper ends of the lower-class, but not the working poor. An Ehrenreich "vicious circle" theme is the struggle to find affordable housing within commuting distances of the multiple jobs needed to afford housing. Free time barely comes up, or comes up in the context of complete exhaustion.
An economic mystery: Why do the poor seem to have more free time than the rich? - By Steven E. Landsburg - Slate Magazine
It's because a friend lent me Barbra Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
Ehrenreich goes "undercover" working in the jobs she can get not with her real resume, but with the resume of a single woman with no college degree and no experience. Her descriptions of working for minimum wage (or slightly more) and needing more than one full-time job to support herself don't sound anything like someone who has tons of extra leisure time. Ehrenrich's description of the working poor sound more like reality than Landsburg's. Perhaps Landsburg is describing someone on the upper ends of the lower-class, but not the working poor. An Ehrenreich "vicious circle" theme is the struggle to find affordable housing within commuting distances of the multiple jobs needed to afford housing. Free time barely comes up, or comes up in the context of complete exhaustion.
An economic mystery: Why do the poor seem to have more free time than the rich? - By Steven E. Landsburg - Slate Magazine
Quick Review of 300
Chatting with RyanH and JohnR, decided to see 300 at Fashion Island at midnight.
A brief synopsis:
Odd that a story can be hidden in that, but there was. Very stylized movie, which I knew. But I still found some of the lighting slightly jarring (the lighting on the soundstage not matching the lighting in the effects-background). Almost laughable racial stereotypes for the roles (the only darker-skinned Spartan is the evil Spartan; all the Persians dealing with sexuality or insults are played by people of African descent, no one in the entire movie looked Persian, etc). Some sexual imagery towards the beginning that seemed a little tacked-on.
Very worth seeing on the big-screen.
A brief synopsis:
300 Spartans get killed
Odd that a story can be hidden in that, but there was. Very stylized movie, which I knew. But I still found some of the lighting slightly jarring (the lighting on the soundstage not matching the lighting in the effects-background). Almost laughable racial stereotypes for the roles (the only darker-skinned Spartan is the evil Spartan; all the Persians dealing with sexuality or insults are played by people of African descent, no one in the entire movie looked Persian, etc). Some sexual imagery towards the beginning that seemed a little tacked-on.
Very worth seeing on the big-screen.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Multi-touch (TED)
This demo, recorded live in front of the TED conference audience, is just mind-blowing:
Read the article about what's been going on in the intervening year:
Wired News: TED: Jeff Han, A Year Later
Read the article about what's been going on in the intervening year:
Wired News: TED: Jeff Han, A Year Later
No Dancing Today
Wednesday is what has become a rare dance-lesson free day for me. Of course, I do have math. Of course, this post isn't about today, it's about yesterday. Specifically, about yesterday's dance lessons at the Atomic Ballroom. Hey, don't think I can't hear the groans. I can hear them.
6:15 class was taught by Jerry, and the first part of the lesson focused on a very simple series,
6-count basic
tuck-turn
inside turn
ease to closed
I was one of only three student there; Patricia, one of the advanced students, partnered with and taught a young girl, while Jerry focused on myself and the third student (who's name escapes me). This meant that we got pretty close to a private lesson. After walking through the series at increasing speeds, we spent most of the rest of the time doing some fine-tuning our 6-count basic.
Now I don't want to lie, this is the step that I'm the best at (it really is quite simple), but Jerry's attention was quite welcome. He again told me to drop my shoulders and bring my shoulder-blades together. He discussed the technicalities of how we should be rotating during the basic. This was a big revelation to me: our rock-steps are more diagonal than straight back (got that), but then on the first triple-step, I'm cutting off my partner with my left foot and rotating clockwise, using my right foot as a pivot point. Then on the second triple-step, I'm rotating my right side around my left foot, and using good connection and frame lead my partner to rotate. On that last point, Jerry actually had to debug my right hand grip on my partner's back. I was pressing with my fingers, which made my partner rotate her right shoulder in. When he switched me to making that connection with my palm, her stance natually corrected itself. Very nice. At the end, when the next class was watching, our 6-count basic looked awesome!
7:00 class was taught by Cory, who's taught other beginner classes I've taken at AB (unlike my previous assertion that Jerry and Katie teach them all). We reviewed the Charleston basic, then learned the Charleston kick-through.
Hmmm... I don't think I've found a good instructional video which isolates the Charleston basic. Here's something which is more demo. It starts with the Lindy Hop basic, then mixes in the Charleston basic. It might be unfamiliar, as they don't do any of the wild styling that you might be used to seeing from the 1920's. This is the basic Lindy Charleston (as instructor Cory termed it). It's the part with the kicking.
Ah, here's one that focuses a bit more on the Charleston. I've really only been taught the open (side-by-side) position, but they do some kick-through's so you can see that. Don't think that I've seen or done anything except the basic and the kick-through's. And I've just barely done the kick-through's.
Cory taught the 7:45 beginner class as well. This went back to the Lindy basic and the standard turns. Good to work on this stuff again. I had to vote against the Balboa at the beginning of class, as it's focused on exclusively at the Friday 6:15 class. Sorry couple-who-wanted-to-learn-Balboa. My impression is that Balboa is the least-used of the dances, but I might be wrong. Seems especially useful during very fast music, as you don't have much travel.
Stayed for a bit of the dance, and saw Nikki and her mother Julie again. I remember meeting them for the first time ... was it only a week ago? Holy cow, it feels like so much has happened since then. Well, I guess a bunch of stuff has: 9 lessons, two dances. Wow. Despite her statement that she's forgotten everything, Nikki looks good out there with strong leads. We dance a couple times, and it's difficult not to notice that between the 6-count basic and turns, and the 8-count Lindy basic and turns, we might be mistaken for people who know how to swing-dance!
I'm mindful of my homework situation, and take off after less than an hour. Didn't say hello or goodbye to Julie or get to meet Cory, Julie's son. Ah, well. Perhaps they'll be back next Tuesday. Another day of dance lessons, and that can't be bad.
Just realized that Thursday I'm training after work, then rushing to shower and drive to OC Swing at Heritage Park. Have to plan for that.
March Swing Lesson Totals:
OC Swing: 2 Lessons, 2 Hours
AB: 9 Lessons, 6.75 Hours
Running Totals:
SL: 2 Hours
OC Swing: 3 Hours
AB: 8.25 Hours
6:15 class was taught by Jerry, and the first part of the lesson focused on a very simple series,
6-count basic
tuck-turn
inside turn
ease to closed
I was one of only three student there; Patricia, one of the advanced students, partnered with and taught a young girl, while Jerry focused on myself and the third student (who's name escapes me). This meant that we got pretty close to a private lesson. After walking through the series at increasing speeds, we spent most of the rest of the time doing some fine-tuning our 6-count basic.
Now I don't want to lie, this is the step that I'm the best at (it really is quite simple), but Jerry's attention was quite welcome. He again told me to drop my shoulders and bring my shoulder-blades together. He discussed the technicalities of how we should be rotating during the basic. This was a big revelation to me: our rock-steps are more diagonal than straight back (got that), but then on the first triple-step, I'm cutting off my partner with my left foot and rotating clockwise, using my right foot as a pivot point. Then on the second triple-step, I'm rotating my right side around my left foot, and using good connection and frame lead my partner to rotate. On that last point, Jerry actually had to debug my right hand grip on my partner's back. I was pressing with my fingers, which made my partner rotate her right shoulder in. When he switched me to making that connection with my palm, her stance natually corrected itself. Very nice. At the end, when the next class was watching, our 6-count basic looked awesome!
7:00 class was taught by Cory, who's taught other beginner classes I've taken at AB (unlike my previous assertion that Jerry and Katie teach them all). We reviewed the Charleston basic, then learned the Charleston kick-through.
Hmmm... I don't think I've found a good instructional video which isolates the Charleston basic. Here's something which is more demo. It starts with the Lindy Hop basic, then mixes in the Charleston basic. It might be unfamiliar, as they don't do any of the wild styling that you might be used to seeing from the 1920's. This is the basic Lindy Charleston (as instructor Cory termed it). It's the part with the kicking.
Ah, here's one that focuses a bit more on the Charleston. I've really only been taught the open (side-by-side) position, but they do some kick-through's so you can see that. Don't think that I've seen or done anything except the basic and the kick-through's. And I've just barely done the kick-through's.
Cory taught the 7:45 beginner class as well. This went back to the Lindy basic and the standard turns. Good to work on this stuff again. I had to vote against the Balboa at the beginning of class, as it's focused on exclusively at the Friday 6:15 class. Sorry couple-who-wanted-to-learn-Balboa. My impression is that Balboa is the least-used of the dances, but I might be wrong. Seems especially useful during very fast music, as you don't have much travel.
Stayed for a bit of the dance, and saw Nikki and her mother Julie again. I remember meeting them for the first time ... was it only a week ago? Holy cow, it feels like so much has happened since then. Well, I guess a bunch of stuff has: 9 lessons, two dances. Wow. Despite her statement that she's forgotten everything, Nikki looks good out there with strong leads. We dance a couple times, and it's difficult not to notice that between the 6-count basic and turns, and the 8-count Lindy basic and turns, we might be mistaken for people who know how to swing-dance!
I'm mindful of my homework situation, and take off after less than an hour. Didn't say hello or goodbye to Julie or get to meet Cory, Julie's son. Ah, well. Perhaps they'll be back next Tuesday. Another day of dance lessons, and that can't be bad.
Just realized that Thursday I'm training after work, then rushing to shower and drive to OC Swing at Heritage Park. Have to plan for that.
March Swing Lesson Totals:
OC Swing: 2 Lessons, 2 Hours
AB: 9 Lessons, 6.75 Hours
Running Totals:
SL: 2 Hours
OC Swing: 3 Hours
AB: 8.25 Hours
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
I Rule the Maths
Test #1 results: 50 points out of 52, with the possibility that everyone might get two bonus points, or that the total points possible might be reduced to 50. All I know is that I did good.
I'd be so much prouder of myself if this was the first time I was taking a linear algebra class. Of course, I don't think I understood things this well the first time around. Or the second.
I'd be so much prouder of myself if this was the first time I was taking a linear algebra class. Of course, I don't think I understood things this well the first time around. Or the second.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Order Part 2
I dropped-in on the Sunday 2pm OC Swing 6-week class on week six. They're working on the same progressive routine as the Thursday 4-week class, so I was ok. Also helped that my hours at the Atomic have gotten me solid on the basics, so the transitions are really the only new things. Well, that and remembering what the move sequence is. The OC Swing intro routine is:
6-count basic (2x)
Tuck-turn
Walk-through
Swing out (8-count)
Swing-in (8-count circle)
Basic Charleston
Pendulum (Charleston variant with 6 second-leg kicks)
6-count basic and repeat
Saw at least one person I'd taken a class with at the Atomic, Samir. Also saw a gal (Victoria?) who I'd seen at both Friday and Saturday Atomic dances). The 3pm class was "Charleston Kicks for Lindy Hop," but at $15/lesson, I decided to skip and head to the Atomic, where I'm pre-paid. I noticed that the instructors talked a bit about women's styling, doing hip swivels instead of the rock step. I think I can safely worry about styling a bit later.
Headed to the Atomic Ballroom for their free 4:45pm intro class. We walked through some ballroom basics, as well as the 6-count basic. I think I'll hold-off on the ballroom for a while, until it's more an issue of picking up on a different style rather than trying to get competent at a million things at once. Core swing dance seems to focus on East Coast, Lindy, the Charleston, and some Balboa. That's a bunch of dances to learn and get good at (and doesn't even count time to learn styling and flare). The free intro class was just enough to give a taste. Interesting, worth the time to do once if one is new to the idea of dance, but not worth me repeating.
Katie ran the 5:30pm beginner series a little faster-paced than some of the other classes I've taken at the Atomic, which I'm thankful for now that I feel pretty solid about the basics. We didn't spend the first half of the class learning the basic (perhaps the mix was of dancers who already had that down?), moving into the Lindy Hop (an 8-count dance) basic with swingouts fairly quickly. The final routine:
8-count swingout (closed to open L-R)
inside turn
outside turn
circle (swing in)
6-count basic
repeat
A note to myself on technique: the outside turn is signaled by the lead raising the left arm from the side at the end of the first triple-step. This leaves the connected hand upside down from the standard grip. Undoing this is as easy as doing an inside turn, signaled at the same point in the Lindy circle by bringing the left hand up to the right shoulder. Forgetting to do either of these things until the last moment is signified by me grimacing and tightening up my grip.
This class was the absolute beginner series, so we'll theoretically be building on this sequence every week.
Who should show up for the 6:15 class, but Samir who I just saw at the OC Swing 2pm lesson. Jerry taught this class, which was again, a bit faster paced than the previous ones.
6-count basic
6-count basic with oppositional rock-step send out
sugar push
sugar push
circle (swing in)
6-count basic
repeat
The oppostitional rock step was an interesting variation. I had to fight not to really stomp with my left foot and kept losing that fight. Jerry had useful personal pointers and "debugging" of problems for everyone in the class. I was pretty solid in my footwork (though I was usually forgetting the sugar-push sequence, and covering up for it), and Jerry told me to focus on my posture, dropping my shoulders and shoulder-blades. Wow did that feel strange! I'll have to work on making it feel natural.
March Swing Lesson Totals:
OC Swing: 2 Lessons, 2 Hours
AB: 6 Lessons, 4.5 Hours
Running Total:
SL: 2 Hours
OC Swing: 3 Hours
AB: 6 Hours
(I stopped counting the one Salsa class I went to)
6-count basic (2x)
Tuck-turn
Walk-through
Swing out (8-count)
Swing-in (8-count circle)
Basic Charleston
Pendulum (Charleston variant with 6 second-leg kicks)
6-count basic and repeat
Saw at least one person I'd taken a class with at the Atomic, Samir. Also saw a gal (Victoria?) who I'd seen at both Friday and Saturday Atomic dances). The 3pm class was "Charleston Kicks for Lindy Hop," but at $15/lesson, I decided to skip and head to the Atomic, where I'm pre-paid. I noticed that the instructors talked a bit about women's styling, doing hip swivels instead of the rock step. I think I can safely worry about styling a bit later.
Headed to the Atomic Ballroom for their free 4:45pm intro class. We walked through some ballroom basics, as well as the 6-count basic. I think I'll hold-off on the ballroom for a while, until it's more an issue of picking up on a different style rather than trying to get competent at a million things at once. Core swing dance seems to focus on East Coast, Lindy, the Charleston, and some Balboa. That's a bunch of dances to learn and get good at (and doesn't even count time to learn styling and flare). The free intro class was just enough to give a taste. Interesting, worth the time to do once if one is new to the idea of dance, but not worth me repeating.
Katie ran the 5:30pm beginner series a little faster-paced than some of the other classes I've taken at the Atomic, which I'm thankful for now that I feel pretty solid about the basics. We didn't spend the first half of the class learning the basic (perhaps the mix was of dancers who already had that down?), moving into the Lindy Hop (an 8-count dance) basic with swingouts fairly quickly. The final routine:
8-count swingout (closed to open L-R)
inside turn
outside turn
circle (swing in)
6-count basic
repeat
A note to myself on technique: the outside turn is signaled by the lead raising the left arm from the side at the end of the first triple-step. This leaves the connected hand upside down from the standard grip. Undoing this is as easy as doing an inside turn, signaled at the same point in the Lindy circle by bringing the left hand up to the right shoulder. Forgetting to do either of these things until the last moment is signified by me grimacing and tightening up my grip.
This class was the absolute beginner series, so we'll theoretically be building on this sequence every week.
Who should show up for the 6:15 class, but Samir who I just saw at the OC Swing 2pm lesson. Jerry taught this class, which was again, a bit faster paced than the previous ones.
6-count basic
6-count basic with oppositional rock-step send out
sugar push
sugar push
circle (swing in)
6-count basic
repeat
The oppostitional rock step was an interesting variation. I had to fight not to really stomp with my left foot and kept losing that fight. Jerry had useful personal pointers and "debugging" of problems for everyone in the class. I was pretty solid in my footwork (though I was usually forgetting the sugar-push sequence, and covering up for it), and Jerry told me to focus on my posture, dropping my shoulders and shoulder-blades. Wow did that feel strange! I'll have to work on making it feel natural.
March Swing Lesson Totals:
OC Swing: 2 Lessons, 2 Hours
AB: 6 Lessons, 4.5 Hours
Running Total:
SL: 2 Hours
OC Swing: 3 Hours
AB: 6 Hours
(I stopped counting the one Salsa class I went to)
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