May 25, 2005

Light Therapy

The rain dissipated last week and summer finally showed up to play. Today I was driving through the city on my way home from class (the car's top has been down all week, of course, with doors to follow soon) still basking in the warm sunshine, and I realized I've been far more happy and energetic during the past week than I have been in a very long time. Nothing's really changed in circumstances or thought patterns, so why the good mood?

Oftentimes when I'm in one of my dark moods, friends will suggest that the weather is playing a role. I usually shrug it off as coincidence because I can usually pinpoint something else that has me feeling glum. (Or at least I can pinpoint something that propelled me into a sullen state into which I then get stuck.)

Now I'm starting to wonder if my friends are right and my moments of dolefulness are sometimes connected to weather and light. A quick survey of memories from the last few years does seem to reveal that I'm (more) cynical, pensive, and - let's face it - miserable during wintertime, and I tend to enjoy and pursue life more during the summer. In the last several years I've also developed a noticeable sense of antipathy towards winter that I never possessed before. So I seem to know - even if I don't really know - that winter doesn't always agree with me anymore. (Apparently I'm not alone. As much as 25% of the population at middle-to-northern latitudes of the U.S. experience "winter doldrums".)

So. Next time my friends prattle on about S.A.D., melatonin levels and such, I won't be so quick to dismiss them. I'll definitely be taking note of my moods when winter rolls around this year. In the meantime, I intend to fully enjoy my warm sunny months of light therapy.

25 May 12:00 | Link | Category: Opinion & Thoughts, Site/Life News

May 24, 2005

Photography Links

24 May 21:40 | Link | Category: Photography

Peak Oil

About two months ago, James Howard Kunstler wrote an article for Rolling Stone entitled "The Long Emergency" about his view of what will happen as cheap oil runs out. (Sadly, I'm only now getting around to commenting.)

According to some estimates, global oil production will hit its "peak" sometime between now and 2010. Kunstler explores the transformation of our way of life and the rending of the social fabric that will take place as oil becomes scarce and we no longer have inexpensive sources of energy. His article is alarming - and alarmist - but makes some interesting observations. Worth a read.

This is an enormously important issue that will affect your life, so gird up your loins (ah, such a fine Biblical phrase) and inform yourself. Here's a link to a BoingBoing post about Kunstler's article with lots of commentary and links. And a post at kuro5hin entitled Saudi Oil Close To Peak - So What?. And a very informative article from Wikipedia about Hubbert peak.

National Geographic covered the issue about a year ago in an article called "The End of Cheap Oil". Their site is down at the moment, but if you can find a copy of the magazine, I recall the article being fairly informative. They also had an eerie photo of a suburban American family who brought all their petroleum-derived products out onto the lawn and posed for a picture.

(Related: Is it time for the U.S. to reconsider nuclear energy?)

24 May 19:57 | Link | Category: Current Events, Science

May 23, 2005

"How does it FEEEL?"

It has been nearly 40 years since "Like A Rolling Stone" hit the charts. Greil Marcus (author of the recently published Like A Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads) wrote a short article for the LA Times about the song and its "drum beat like a pistol shot":

What people understood in the wash of words and instruments was that the song was a rewrite of the world itself. An old world was facing a dare it wasn't ready for; as the song traced its long arc across the radio, a world that was taking shape seemed altogether in flux.

Of course, I can no longer find the article at latimes.com (damn these newspaper sites - don't get me started on my endless frustration with the NY Times).   Here's a copy from Common Dreams.

NPR has also published an interesting little excerpt from the book detailing the song's recording.

23 May 10:55 | Link | Category: Music

May 21, 2005

Current Playlist

Another month, another disjointed hour of listening.

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea >>
Spoon - The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine >>
Pixies - Wave of Mutilation >>
Say Hi To Your Mom - Let's Talk About Spaceships >>
Sonic Youth - Stones >>
Psyco On Da Bus - Never Satisfied (David Norland Remix) >>
Josh Rouse - Comeback (Light Therapy) >>
Morcheeba - Everybody Loves A Loser >>
Belle & Sebastian - I Don't Love Anyone >>
Bright Eyes - Another Travelin' Song >>
Built To Spill - Car >>
Ben Folds Five - Missing The War >>
Luna - Speedbumps >>
Josh Rouse - Flight Attendant >>
Morcheeba - God Bless and Goodbye >>

21 May 15:46 | Link | Category: Music

H.264 High Definition Gallery

Those of you with QuickTime 7 (Windows version "coming soon") and a sufficiently zippy computadora should definitely check out Apple's HD Gallery for some really stunning high definition video samples made possible by H.264.

21 May 0:11 | Link | Category: Technology & Computing, Video

May 20, 2005

God: Very Very Large

Jamie Zawinski has been thinking about transubstantiation:

I've been thinking about transubstantiation, the belief of many branches of Christianity that when you take communion, the bread and wine transform physically into the flesh and blood of Christ. According to the Catholic Church as late as 1965, this is literally true, not just symbolism: the flesh is present, the bread is gone.

So let's run some numbers.

20 May 23:30 | Link | Category: Misc. Tidbits

Photography Links

20 May 23:24 | Link | Category: Photography

Bubble House

I think the cavehouse in Spain is still for sale. But if it's already been taken, there's always the Bubble House in France. (More photos here and here.)

20 May 23:11 | Link | Category: Misc. Tidbits

Fiasco!

In the Mass Communications class I'm taking, the instructor has been taking a few minutes of class to have us watch/listen to a clip and discuss it. So far, I've really enjoyed his selections. One day we watched a few minutes of Reno 911. Yesterday, we listened to the first part of a very funny episode of NPR's This American Life called Fiasco:

Stories of when things go wrong. Really wrong. When you leave the normal realm of human error, fumble, mishap and mistake and enter the territory of really huge breakdowns. Fiascos. Things go so awry that normal social order collapses.

Listen for yourself (RealAudio). The first act about a small town production of Peter Pan, is classic. Any of you who suffered as an audience member at small-town productions (thanks, sis) will definitely enjoy it.

20 May 22:56 | Link | Category: Humor

May 3, 2005

Free Music For The People

Thanks to John for pointing out eMusic's daily download - a free song every day. You might also check out conglomerations like Amazon.com Free Music Downloads and Epitonic for free music of the legal variety.

03 May 10:51 | Link | Category: Music

May 2, 2005

Cloud & Weather Photos

If you're fascinated by clouds like I am, check out The Cloud Appreciation Society. There are quite a few nice photos in their gallery. This also reminds me that one of the local weather forecasters here in SLC posts cool weather photos that are pretty fun to look through as well.

02 May 11:39 | Link | Category: Cool Links, Photography, Science

May 1, 2005

Photography Links

01 May 11:10 | Link | Category: Photography