tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184Sun, 08 Mar 2009 05:14:42 +0000In Between Here & Therehttp://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/blogger.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)Blogger574125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-6484834263975902118Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:40:00 +00002008-12-10T13:14:36.670-05:00SocietyFashionLet's be honest, men only bother dressing in the morning to impress the fairer sex. Sitting around in our underwear would more or less be the ultimate fashion expression in a male-only dystopia. Mens' fashion magazines have far more photographs of models sporting undergarments than models wearing clothes. Yet, once man discovered the loincloth, the male brain's fashion lobe ceased any further http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/12/are-sweater-vests-coming-between-sexes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-6433193114425417046Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:44:00 +00002008-11-28T16:54:52.650-05:00SocietyThe RevolutionToday kicked off the holiday shopping insanity during an era, consumers are reminded through a barrage of media, experiencing the worst economic downtown since the Great Depression. But instead of soup lines, Americans are lining up outside stores looking to spend the last of their money. At the onset of the great depression a little more than a decade after the first socialist revolution, free http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/11/tis-season.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-9218195935175450731Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:33:00 +00002008-11-24T15:41:24.551-05:00SocietyBlue state, red state; slave state, free state; there has always been a north / south divide in the United States. Apparently the same is true of our pornography preferences. StateStats allows users to analyze Google search terms by state; plug in Pussy, and the deep south lights up bright red, but plug in Blow Jobs, and the south is cold while the north is red hot. Of course, as it turns out, http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/11/big-gay-north.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-285843861670620345Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:06:00 +00002008-11-20T11:23:33.780-05:00ConsumerismA fellow from UPS just called asking for the office manager, presumably to sell us some UPS shipping. I like FedEx. I don't like UPS. I also don't like sales calls. Usually I just hangup. But this fellow seemed nice enough that instead of hanging up, I took the time to tell him we were perfectly happy with FedEx. The conversation went something like this:Me: We don't ship that much.UPS Guy: How http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/11/ups-vs-fedex-fight.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-8977710591697398694Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:12:00 +00002008-11-13T11:12:57.173-05:00Societyhttp://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/11/wall-street-thrift.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-8873317002781403922Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:53:00 +00002008-11-02T19:55:55.693-05:00SocietyMedia"Zack and Miri Make a Pornois about two people, named Zack and Miri, who make what my copy editors would prefer that I call a pornographic movie." writes New York Times. So is the Times so stodgy and stale that they are completely irrelevant, or is this just some cheap marketing ploy to get readers to talk about the New York Times lame review of a new movie?http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/11/porno.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-2209066371448836952Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:49:00 +00002008-10-24T15:15:07.735-04:00BloggingBlogging, a favorite subject of bloggers, is back in the blogosphere after being deconstructed and analyzed in The Atlantic. Patrick, in quintessential blogger fashion, explains the whole thing so no one has to bother reading the actual print story. In case even his distillation is still too monotonous, I'll summarize the whole thing: bloggers should sound like incoherent twelve-year-olds becausehttp://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/10/brave-new-blog.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-3337192516222650227Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:19:00 +00002008-10-03T10:03:41.251-04:00SocietyWith Congress about to piss away $700 billion on Wall Street executives' poor risk management, I thought I'd offer up a few alternative ways of spending three quarters of a trillion dollars. Bank of the United StatesWall Streeters are claiming the biggest problem right now is that banks aren't willing to lend money, and even if they do, interest rates are absurdly high. Short term credit is used http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/10/few-bail-out-alternatives.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-5265424589383455733Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:00:00 +00002008-09-19T16:07:14.927-04:00FoodYesterday, Boing Boing wrote a blurb about eggs distilling some important information from the New York Times. I'm a fan of eggs. Working on the suggestion "Perhaps somebody will craft an attractively designed egg-shaped card suitable for lamination," I created this nifty little chart (PDF). It may not be egg shaped, but it is wallet sized. Enjoy.http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/09/wallet-size-egg-card.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-2927442440283860412Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:59:00 +00002008-09-19T11:15:19.574-04:00ConsumerismI've been following the price of Nintendo Wii's on Amazon for the last few months, looking to buy a system. Amazon has been sold out of Wii's for months, but provides links to third party sellers. At the beginning of summer, Wii's were available from third party sellers for an average price of $310 to $325. Since those prices are well over the list price, I kept checking back once or twice a weekhttp://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/09/wii-market-collapses.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-3066073422860638214Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:59:00 +00002008-09-11T11:53:57.061-04:00SocietyThomas Jefferson wanted a bloody revolution every twenty years to keep government honest. Opponents of gun control are quick to claim that Nazi Germany stripped Jews of their firearms prior to the Holocaust with the implication that limits on gun ownership prevent private citizens from defending themselves from fascist regimes. The debate on the rights of gun ownership in the United States is http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/09/guns-dont-kill-people-governments-do.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-5332983906644487170Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:36:00 +00002008-08-27T10:27:49.570-04:00SocietyTransportationThe privitazation of infrastructure is about to become the new norm. Elected officials, always fearful of spending money (except of course, when it comes to lining their own pockets), have deferred maintenance on the nation's roads and bridges for decades. The strategy is simple: let the next guy worry about paying for improvements. Last year's collapse of the Interstate 35W in Minneapolis was a http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/08/this-bridge-for-sale.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-2283923928739238258Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:27:00 +00002008-08-08T10:41:52.365-04:00SocietyRecord high oil prices started coming down a few weeks ago after hitting a record of more than $147. Today, the Olympic Games opened in Beijing with Chinese officials lauding pollution control efforts. Those efforts they claim, have reduced smog and particulate matter in the city.Smog and pollution have been a concern of the Beijing Olympics for years, but China insisted their authoritarian http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/08/olympic-oil.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-4623895421012682086Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:43:00 +00002008-07-16T16:00:02.282-04:00PhotographyThe Mini Cooper Photo Project started after I increasingly noticed the pint sized cars in my neighborhood. At first I considered that I just thought I saw a lot of them. But then I started photographing them. Each day I would look them over thinking for sure that I must have reached the end of the supply, only to find that actually I had found more. Even I was surprised at how many Minis there http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/07/mini-cooper-photo-project.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-6487105052977489521Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:05:00 +00002008-07-08T14:22:40.701-04:00TechnologyI just got out of a bad relationship, a relationship with my wireless company. For seven or so years, I let Verizon Wireless beat the shit out of me, and yet I kept coming back. Even after I walked out, I still couldn't just let go.We had some good memories together, I think, though off hand, I can't recall any. I'm sure there were reasons I stuck around. Sure, I'd say to myself, Verizon has somehttp://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/07/saying-good-bye-to-verizon-was-best.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-3054006500512955180Wed, 07 May 2008 19:49:00 +00002008-05-07T15:51:28.697-04:00FoodFirst Peppermint PattyWhy is this so fucking good? I should eat these more often. Yorks are so my favorite candy. How come its been so long since I've had one of these? Mmmm. I feel completely justified buying an entire bag.Second Peppermint PattyThis is starting to not be so delicious. Ok, I lied, its still delicious. But its very sweet, and making my mouth burn like peppermint. Third Pepperminthttp://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/05/reactions-to-eating-york-peppermint.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-2895759856639898571Sun, 04 May 2008 15:20:00 +00002008-05-04T11:20:00.795-04:00Cossack Vodka Originally uploaded by ianmac47Cossack vodka from the ancient liqour cabinet in my grandfather's house.http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/05/cossack-vodka.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-8878136614930835752Fri, 02 May 2008 18:21:00 +00002008-05-02T14:34:23.005-04:00TelevisionAm I the only one to notice that Hell's Kitchen contestant Matt looks a strikingly similar to Sam the Eagle?http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/05/muppet-that-can-cook.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-3075421509707222701Thu, 01 May 2008 19:05:00 +00002008-05-01T15:18:57.936-04:00London is looking a like New York these days. Its fast displacing New York as the center of world capital. And while New York keeps down zoning neighborhoods, London keeps building new skyscrapers. So perhaps its fitting then that early polls indicate the next mayor of London is to be a New Yorker. Boris Johnson, that funny looking newspaper man no one took very seriously, might just have pulled http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/05/london-is-new-new-york.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-5107763460491738094Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:51:00 +00002008-04-28T17:04:56.101-04:00SocietyThe country folk are aghast over Vanity Fair's publishing of naked bare back photos of Hanna Montana. Television gossip shows began creating a scandal last week. One blogger quoted by the The Times suggested "Bonfire anyone?". Yeah. They could do that, or they could just not buy the issue of Vanity Fair.http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/04/naked-and-nude.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-4898126620562064218Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:06:00 +00002008-04-25T14:22:12.016-04:00TransportationHours after Erik sent along this video of the Peel P50, a micro car from some fictitious Utopia of the past, I came across this bizarre little tricycle on east 13th Street. This is not exactly a car, but not really a motorcycle either. Obviously, I thought to myself, I'm taking a picture of this. As I was snapping away, a scrapping looking homeless fellow jumped out declaring "$10 a picture." http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/04/orange-car.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-1355416524247981583Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:51:00 +00002008-04-22T14:36:31.245-04:00SocietyThe informative video played for our benefit yesterday morning stated a fact I can hardly forget: 95 percent of the world's jury trials occur in the United States. Or, put another way, nearly every other nation on earth employs an alternative system. One nation that still has jury trial system is Australia, a nation founded as a penal colony. We're in good company. I received my notice a few http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/04/you-jury.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-4105870069801860381Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:27:00 +00002008-04-17T10:33:27.148-04:00FoodThis year there is a regional matzah shortage. The Manischewitz matzah factory down the street from me closed last year to make way for high rise condominiums, but the new factory in Newark wasn't finished in time, meaning there isn't enough matzah to go around. Apparently though, many people end up with a surplus of matzah. The flat bread practically keeps forever, but if you happen to be http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/04/matzah-is-delicious.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-7370728570363941826Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:15:00 +00002008-04-14T15:25:41.101-04:00TechnologyAn artificial intelligence programmer has created software capable of writing academic books based on statistics gleaned from the internet and databases, obsolescing academic researchers, technical manual authors, and their editors. But as though that wasn't enough, the software also writes game shows. So far bloggers are still safe, but I for one welcome our new robot overlords.http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/04/humans-obsolete.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307184.post-1760252692049886869Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:47:00 +00002008-04-10T13:05:18.914-04:00Yesterday as the conductor came around collecting tickets, he stopped to chat up the woman in front of me. Usually, nothing is better than a little eavesdropping to pass the time. In this case though, the participants flirted so awkwardly I wasn't sure if the passenger was flirting with the conductor, or the conductor was flirting with a passenger, or if they were both flirting with each other.http://www.littlealbanystreet.dreamhost.com/ian/blog/2008/04/flirting-on-train.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ian)0