Hartog's Den

Moved

2010-10-13T07:45:00.003-07:00

Holy crap. I just found this again three years later. Not that ANYONE ever comes to this abandoned dusty space on the web any more, but in case you stumbled here and were actually looking for content, you might want to check out the new Hartog's Den, over at www.hartogsden.com.

Modeling The Climate

2007-11-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

Why is the weatherman wrong so often? Well the primary reason is their predictive models can not be 100% certain. So why aren’t these models 100% certain? Understanding that question then leads to me asking, how can we make the certainty in our predictions closer to 100%?

I remember talking to a weather briefer once before going out on a flight and asked what the weather was going to be like over the weekend (5 days away) and he replied to me saying that he could give me a prediction but that there is only maybe a 60% chance of being correct. Historically records show 50% of the days in the given month it is cloudy and 50% sunny. This means his model gives a +10% over the historical trends at 5 days out. How can this be so bad?

The butterfly effect comes to mind when thinking about modeling the climate, can we only incorporate so much into the model, however a butterfly flapping its wing in Asia is not going to have an effect large enough to change say the oceans current. Its effect is dampened out and larger effects dominate and drowned out the little butterfly’s impact. So when we make climate models do we look at these dominant factors? We can look historically if there’s a cold front and it hits a warm front in a certain way it will produce a storm that acts in a certain way. We can put coefficients on these factors and equations governing flow patterns. We run the model with historical data, so basically we take data from a year ago and feed it into the model and then look what really happened a week later and compare and then tweak the model so it matches better. By doing this over and over the model will get better. If you have 100 years of data, the model should be fairly accurate one would think. But there is still variation, small changes in situations that aren’t incorporated cause changes down stream that makes a prediction 5 days away have a low certainty.

So what am I getting at with this… Why are we doing modeling this way? Why don’t we look at the deep physics governing the climate? Break the entire atmosphere over the earth into differential elements and see how they all interact with each other. I don’t care about historical data, I want to know the physics that cause the storm that is created when a cold front and warm front hit.

I know why we don’t have models that do this, computing power and lack of understanding deep enough. I am sure some of the models incorporate the physics but at a much different level that I am suggesting and they still incorporate fudging coefficients so that the model when run with historical data, matches. I’ve always wondered if we had a massive quantum computer that could do the necessary calculation, could we come up with the equations to be able to completely model Earth, are there people out there working on this? Is this how things are done and we just have minimal understanding right now that yields only accurate predictions a few days into the future? I dream of having sensors set up all over, and satellites painting coverage over the entire globe and then model EVERYTHING mathematically. And when I say everything I mean everything ranging from modeling the tectonic plates to predict earthquakes and volcanoes to understanding ocean currents and how melting ice may change them, etc. Could we come up with the equations to model the earth at a level to be able to predict say 20 days into the future, or maybe a year or a decade? Human randomness is a problem, but would this then allow us to know exactly how humans have affected the climate on earth and then run models to figure out how to fix the problem? However if we don’t act now on our current problem we will be in trouble since this model won’t be around for a long time. The IPCC says with 90% certainty humans are causing global warming, we better listen and act now! Idealistically if we can completely model the incredibly complex dynamic system of Earth, could we not then make earth’s climate more stable, the way we want it? This would also have potential for helping us turn other planets into having livable atmospheres. Is this something worth our time on slowly research and progressing forward so that maybe 300 years from now this model will be real.

(Disclaimer: I have nearly no education on earth atmospheric science and this is what I understand to be how our models work, please correct me on any inaccuracies in this post. These are just some thoughts I have, however stupid they may be)

Review: Namaskar Fine Indian Cuisine

2007-11-09T21:12:00.001-07:00

Reviewed by me on Yelp!.

4/5 Stars.

236 Elm St
Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 623-9911

Category: Indian/Pakistani
Neighborhood: Davis Square

I hit this place up on a whim while visiting the gf on my first trip to New England. I grew up on the real deal as far as south asian food and had already had a mediocre experience with the northeast notion of spicy food (see my Yelp! review on Anna's Taqueria in Somerville), so expectations were low.

It was a Monday night, so those Harvard nerds were probably studying away; that would help to explain the lack of much crowd anyway. A good thing too, because while I would describe the service as "curt" at best, the fact that they were able to pay attention to us probably saved another star being docked for the (ahem) rather chill attitude of our hosts.

I'm rather laid back and not one to care too much for the quality of service however, just so long as the food is tasty and a good time is had by all present. If you're anal about service, take my 4 stars with my personality in mind.

I love food. And I love *this* food. This is as close to the real deal as you are going to get in a city restaurant (it's not home cooking!) on preparation, and when I asked for it spicy, they delivered; I needed one napkin to dab my burning lips and another to catch my draining sinuses. That's the way it should be. Take note you strange types who populate that vague region east of Denver.

The lamb biriyani was cooked well, not too soft but well short of that horrible dry tough sensation I get from overcooked lamb and game. No question on the quality or quantity of food, so feel secure that you will leave pleasantly stuffed, with leftovers, though possibly in need of antacid and preparation-h in the next 24 hours.... I am more than half jesting, but less than fully. Granted, you may not enjoy setting your mouth (indeed, entire digestive tract) on fire as much as I do.

The decor was pleasing; a dark overtone with muted, soft blues, magentas, and yellows to add some flair. I especially liked the lights, a sort of modernist-industrial hybrid of angular chrome and curved blue glass orbs. I'm not sure on their liquor selection, but they definitely have fine beers (including one of my favorites, Fuller's ESB from London), and I can't say I'd mind a quiet evening here of conversation with friends over drinks and some of that delicious pistachio ice cream.

Four stars overall, mainly for excellent food and pleasing ambiance; certainly not for those uptight about getting personal friendly attention.

Why I'm a Toffee

2007-10-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

Everton F.C., the original and best team from the Liverpool area (as opposed to those posers, Liverpool F.C.), has a long and illustrious history in English football. Established in 1878, they are one of the oldest association football teams in the history of the sport. They have the distinction of being a founding member of both the Football Association and the English Premier League, and have spent more seasons in the top echelons of soccer than any other FA team. Everton is also one of the few teams that can claim to have been good enough to remain in the Premier League for every single year of the League's existence.

Like any other team, "The Toffees" have their ups and downs over the decades. In the early part of the 00's, Everton was at a major low point, facing the real threat of relagation to the lower divisions for the first time in recent history. A new manager, David Moyes, saved the team from dropping out, and has reversed the downward spiral, vowing a return to glory days - but it has been, and remains, an uphill battle. The heart (and decorum) of the fans, their pride in the team despite the hard times, the frustration of occasional mediocrity in the face of so much proud history, and the ever-present sense that multiple generations of the Everton family are watching and waiting for a return to our rightful place all make Everton an exciting religion.

I first started supporting Everton at their lowest point in recent memory, with no country or family ties to force my decision... I'm a Yank, we're only supposed to like the cliche yuppie commercial empires of Arsenal, Man Utd, and Chelsea! But my love for the rising underdog with a glorious past, the yearning for the lost prince to return and claim his crown at the top of the League, has turned me into a blue-blooded Evertonian. As the crest proclaims: "Nil Satis Nisi Optimum"... nothing short of the best will suffice (even though they suck at the moment)!

Becoming a Photography Enthusiast, Part 1

2007-10-08T10:24:00.001-07:00

I began my foray into the wonderful world of photography with a piece of crap, 2-megapixel, point-and-shoot Fujifilm digital camera. Like most point-and-shoot photographers, I mostly used it for documenting; that is, taking photos that really have no artistic value, but serve rather simply to record who was doing what where, when, and with whom.

After about a year and half of random snapshots, I started to realize that certain ways of putting together an image somehow looked better than others. This was long before I knew the word composition applied to anything beyond music and poetry, but it was readily apparent that things like off-centering the main subject, paying attention to framing, not trusting the in-camera light-meter all of the time, and catching people naturally rather than posed just somehow resulted in more appealing images. And I noticed that my subjects of preference drifted away from documentation, and approached experimentation.

About last November, almost a a year ago now, I discovered the Single Lens Reflex, or SLR, camera. Unlike a point-and-shoot, an SLR has one lens for both viewing and capturing the image; so the composition you see in the viewfinder is exactly what you are going to get on the final product. With a P&S, you can never be sure, especially at close range, that parallax error isn’t going to cut off something you wanted to include, or the opposite. The other major advantage of the SLR over the point-and-shoot is the fact that the default lens can be removed swapped for any number of others sold for that camera’s mount system; this opens up a huge array of new possibilities in compositional options.

I had to have one. After some research, in January I purchased my new toy: the Canon Digital Rebel XTi, with the kit lens and an additional Sigma telephoto zoom. In leiu of a photography class, I chose the standard engineer’s approach: screw the manual, let’s experiment. (I should note that this is more generally the Man’s Method, though those who aren’t engineers tend to fare much more poorly choosing this route… most insist on using it anyway).

The beauty of digital is that an exposure is both instantaneous and free. Thanks to this fantastic feature, I was able to set the dial to ‘M’ and systematically ruin what must have been 1000 photographs straight. But it wasn’t all wasted – far from it. By experimenting repeatedly with aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus, angle, lighting, shadow, and the semi-infinite set of ways these elements can combine, I learned much about the art known as photography. Far from expert however, I posted images on sites such as the Canon Digital Photography Forum, and JPG Magazine for feedback. The critique I received was instrumental in taking my photography forward.

In July, on a hiking and photography expedition with some work colleagues, tragedy struck… struck my equipment anyway. In reaching for the prefect shot of King’s Canyon opening up downstream of Mist Falls, I slipped, and list about 40 feet of altitude in a matter of a couple of seconds on the wildest waterslide ride of my life. Crashing into one of the many rock pools in the intertwining cascade, I threw my weight left to avoid a several-hundred-foot vertical drop and slammed into a boulder, hanging on tightly. I was fine, nothing broken, and could keep my head up quite easily; yet with a leg trapped in a crevice and not enough strength to pull it out against the current, I was definitely stuck. Thanks to a hiking partner who saw where I dropped and dashed madly over rocks to get there (expecting to have to catch me), I was able to get a push, against the water pressure, pull my leg free, and scramble up to safety with no permanent injury.

The camera, unfortunately, was not so robust. I had managed to keep it from getting bashed against anything, but complete submergence and the forceful current had flooded the body and mounted lens. I searched my warranty card… “Under no circumstances does this warranty cover water damage of any kind.” Damn. I called my favorite camera shop… the guys just laughed. “A word of advice my friend: the only reason to pick up a digital camera from the water is if you want to throw it further in.” Great. A $1200 loss, and I have to start over. Oh well, at least I didn’t die or something equally inconvenient.

Obviously, I could have just replaced the XTi; this was my first instinct. Then I thought, hey, this may be a great opportunity to upgrade! So I looked at better SLRs… that new Sigma with the Foveon Sensor… ooo, or maybe stepping up to the 30D or 5D from Canon? Then a fellow photographer, a long-time film addict, suggested something even more radical… that I should go film. Uh… what? Isn’t that a step backwards? On a whim, I did it… and I haven’t been disappointed.

My adventures in film-land and why I converted to the true faith, on next week’s episode… To be continued!

In the meanwhile, check out my photoblog and decide for yourself.

TwoForHarryPotterNotGay

2007-08-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

Our story begins with a trip to watch the new Harry Potter movie. Of course I’ve never cracked a Harry Potter book in my life, and if I did I would cleverly camouflage my lack of manliness by a misleading book cover, such as A Man’s Guide to Penis Reduction Surgery; steps you can take if your penis is just too big. Or maybe slightly more conspicuous: Prisoner of Ass Cabin; the road through the mountain is paved…with rape.

“Can I help you?” the attendant asks. I think to myself she couldn’t be more perfectly suited for this job. Young, crackly voice, an abundance of pimples (I swear one of them looked at me knowingly aware of it's own existence…) and of course permanently irritated with her customers.

“Yes, how full is the theater for the Harry Potter movie at 11pm?”

“Let me check.”

There is an uncomfortable silence that I spend looking around to see if anyone is watching me. A man to my left of similar age is also looking around suspiciously and makes eye contact with me. We both immediately realize what the other is doing and it shames us both, though we have trouble looking away from each other. Our lies are reflected in each others eyes, but it is I, with the stronger will, that breaks the eye contact first and continue my scan for others.

I see another man on my right also staring at me with a solemn look of disappointment. It’s Steve. He is, ever so unfortunately, my date for evening. Not even the Gee-Eff will be seen with me, not since I told her I was a beta tester for the new Harry Potter book before it came out and she believed me. Steve is standing nearly 50 feet away from me. I wonder how it is that he can so readily join me on this crusade to look at underage Hogwart women on screen whilst keeping such a great distance between the two of us. Perhaps he really likes Harry Potter, perhaps…

“Sir? SIR!”

The attendant has been yelling at me. She looks like she’s been trying to get my attention for over a minute. I think to myself she is not underage and therefore would not make a sexy Hogwart character. I slowly and shamefully look towards her, hoping she would give me the answer I wanted. After all, I came to watch this movie at 11pm on a Wednesday night for a damn good reason.

“The theater sir, it’s 98% empty. Would you like to purchase tickets?”

“Yes”, I mumbled, and I start talkingsoquicklyIsoundlikethis. “I will take two Harry Potter tickets for the 11pm show not gay.”

“Excuse me sir?” she says, obviously as confused as I am with my own sexual orientation at the moment. Why did I come here again?

“I said ‘students’. Two student tickets please.”

Steve and I sit in the middle of the theater exchanging glances at the few other occupants. My time for being timid is over and has instead been replaced by excitement. Harry Potter, at last! I can barely contain myself. I see Steve fidget slightly and scratch his balls. He must be excited too!

Steve then yawns and falls asleep.

“That’s to be expected,” I think to myself, “he does have narcolepsy after all, and that is in no way an indication that he is not as excited as I am to watch this coming-of-age movie”. “Also,” I remember, “Hermione is really hot.”

Something like seven hours later I emerged, disappointed as always when I leave a Harry Potter movie.

“There seems to be a linear relationship with the age of the characters and my waning interest in them. One thing is for certain, I am definitely crossing the fine line of moral ambiguity into Pedophile Land,” I say to myself …

…except only not.

It seems that last statement was spoken out-loud, and quite boisterous at that. Hell, I practically screamed now that I come to think back on it.

But seriously (since I’m sure some of you are getting disgusted with this post) doesn’t it appear that some of the characters in those movies are being sexually dressed up? And I’m not just talking about Ron Weasley either.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at Hermione on the DVD cover of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone .

She was like ten years old back then. Now compare the same actress in the British version.

But maybe it’s working; that movie alone made nearly one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000.00). At least Ron is spot-on sexy in both versions (go ahead and take a peek back at the above hyperlinks, I won't tell anyone you sicko...)

More Than Fried Chicken

2007-08-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

I have always lived out West, and the bulk of the country east of Denver remains a mystery to me in terms of geography and culture. My view of Kentucky in particular was not a kind one, and I realize now that it was far from correct: I envisioned a barren, flat wasteland populated by toothless hillbillies who farmed the dusty land and married their cousins. Silly me, I know now that this description actually applies to Oklahoma and Tennessee (just kidding). Of course, I was quite certain that this view couldn’t be too far off, despite the fact that I didn’t even know that Kentucky bordered Ohio until I arrived there.

So when business called me to Cincinnati (another place I had never been), and I heard that I would be staying across the river in someplace across the river called Covington, Kentucky, well… to say the least I wasn’t expecting much. But despite harsh preconceptions, I have emerged from the bluegrass state pleasantly surprised. I was impressed at the urbane riverfront nightlife, the variety of ethnic food, the street cafes and bistros, the small live jazz and blues clubs, and friendly openness of a people I once was convinced were narrow-minded and backward.

So allow me to let you in on one of America’s seldom-explored destinations. For an inexpensive and fun-filled getaway, try (of all places) Northern Kentucky.

For one, it is beautiful country; deciduous forest grows thick and lush on endless green rolling hills, and the Ohio River (which, ironically, is owned by Kentucky) cuts a blue swath through some of the prettiest hills. I would very much like to come back for all the seasons, particularly autumn; I suspect that the photographer in me would revel in the color displays that can be seen here in the fall.

For the evenings during the earlier part of the week I was mainly looking for places to hang out in Cincinnati, on the Ohio side of the river. While the Queen City was certainly much better than I expected (again, that isn’t saying much), I hesitate to say that I was delighted. The James and I did manage to find a fairly good middle eastern restaurant at 6th and Vine that served hookah (see my earlier post on the subject), but besides that I can’t say that there was all that much. I think I would have preferred my much smaller hometown of Boise, Idaho for quality hangouts. I do concede that I had a very limited time to explore the area, and had not been advised by any locals on the subject of fun things to do; that said however, Cincinnati still has some convincing to do before I think of it as a fun place to go.

That Wednesday however was my birthday, and with The James’ departure that afternoon to head back to Arizona, I had resigned myself to spending my joyeux anniversaire far from home, family, and friends. On a whim, I decided to explore the Kentucky side of the river. My secondary camera, an old Pentax ME Super, was strapped around my shoulder, on the off chance that something interesting could possibly be found in a dull place like Kentucky. It turns out that I seriously underestimated the photo opportunities; my two remaining rolls of film rapidly disappeared over the next few days, and I found myself wishing for more.

On Covington’s simultaneously quaint and hip Main St., I ran across a sign for live jazz on the rooftop of Chez Nora, a small restaurant and live music bar. Curious, I stepped in... I didn't step out until last call. Jazz singer Beckah Williams was singing that night, and boy, for a short blonde she could belt it. I was just sitting in the corner, finishing up my crawfish étouflée and enjoying the music, when the bartender walked up with a fresh pint.

"Thanks," I said. "But I don't remember ordering this."

"The lady third from the left bought you this drink sir."

Huh? Glancing over towards the bar, I noticed three fairly good-looking, middle-aged women smoking and chatting with the other bartender. Shrugging, I grabbed the pint and wandered over.

And that's how I met the self-proclaimed "Covington Barflies," who spent the next three days showing me all over the Kentucky side of the river, mainly in Covington and the hip "Levee" riverfront district of Newport. I can't even remember the total count of beers, shots, jazz musicians, banjo players, marlboro smoking over makeup-ed bartendresses ("you from around here, sugar?"), and lovely photos over the river occured in those days.

The highlight of the trip was by far the bluegrass bar I went to on the last night. Walking in wearing khakis and a polo only intensified how out-of-place I was in a bar full of either white or black folks, guys in tight jeans and tucked in flannel shirts, gals in pretty dresses... very pretty. (And by the way, for the record, the southern accent is so hot it's not even fair.) The momentary awkwardness was totally worth it though... I ended up joking with the band and learning (vaguely) how to dance, their style. I'd recommend the band highly by the way, The 23 String Band, out of Cumberland Valley, KY.

So all in all, I had a raucous good time with some very friendly people. Though I stuck out like a sore thumb and got some interesting looks (what's this yuppie South Asian kid doin here with a goddamn camera?), people were on the whole very welcoming and eager to have a good time. The scenery was beautiful (especially the old churches in central Covington), the curries were delicious, the hookah flavors were varied, the cajun cooking nearly blew my mouth off, and the jazz was even hotter. Don't believe me? Try it yourself. Oh yeah, and call me up when you're going, I can pack quickly.

More photos from my adventures can always be found at Adventures of a Quantum Cowboy.

I would eat ants too if they didn't taste like ants.

2007-07-30T21:51:00.000-07:00

I have never been one for retorts, or revenge of any kind for that matter. But to go so far as to say that animals deserve to live free from me trying to eat them, well, that's just crazy talk. That's the kind of crazy talk that will only end up with me trying to eat your dog. If you don't believe me then ask Nalin. Oh, and Nalin, I ate your dog. I hope you're cool with that. It tasted like you did nothing but have sex with it.

But in all seriousness: if I could have a picture be the title to this post, it would be this:

Picture of James food.

Now, I understand sympathizing with vegetarians. I've dated several in my lifetime, one of which has the unfortunate pleasure of being my current gee-eff. So believe me when I say: I sympathize* with her all the time.*sympathize here having the specific meaning of constantly trying to touch her boobs.

But that is in no way, shape, or form any excuse to actively try to not kill animals. You know what, I'll take it one step further in lieu of the fact that I just cracked open yet another beer on this rainy Monday night: that's no excuse to actively try to not kill nature in general.

Now hold on, stay with me. I have a point; albeit a poorly thought out, alcohol induced, and quite possibly mildy retarded point. I'm of the opinion that living nature is here to try to constantly impede human progress. The only reason animals are here, the only reason they CAN be here, is simply a function of their survivability and adaptability to change thus far to their surroundings. So what happens when Man comes along and feels a hankering for some toucan? Well unless that toucan wants to be ground up into my next toucan-tamale (which, from my perspective I can't see why it wouldn't want to be), then it better sprout some sort of great defensive capability that matches or surpasses my own desire to eat it. And take my word for it, I've yet to see a toucan with stealth capabilities on any of my many safari adventures after-hours at the Phoenix Zoo...
.

Rendering of a toucan with stealth capabilities. Courtesy: Toucanheed Martin.

Bunch of lousy, no-good moocher animals. You know I kicked a pigeon the other day? Kicked. With my foot. And no, that's not animal cruelty. Pigeons, I've been told, have the unique option of taking flight when and where they want. I've never seen any of them doing this in practice mind you, but this is what I've been led to believe. Stupid pigeon-tards, they deserve the wrath of my foot if they've become so complacent with feeding off of our discarded filth that they don't even bother to fly away.

Anyways, if I had a point, then it's surely gone the way of Nalin's ex-dog. The premise I'm trying to get across is that I love animals, but only because they're delicious. You can all infer the rest.

Now, if you will excuse me. I'm off to sympathize with the gee-eff.

Ant Problem?

2007-07-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

My first blog entry, not really sure what I should write…

I guess the best place to start is just write what’s on my mind. What’s currently on my mind is all the ants that keep taking up residency in our bathroom sink. I’ll scoop them all up onto a sheet of paper and throw them outside, but the next day more will come back. They don’t really bother me much because they don’t bite or anything; it’s just that it’s not proper to let ants live in your house as defined by society. Usually people will set up poison, which is probably the best way to get rid of them. I have a hard time killing living creatures though. The way I see it is that there are only two reasons any living creature should ever be killed. The first being self defense. If there is a black widow spider coming at me, I will most like squash it without any hesitation. The second reason would be for food. In nature there are predators and prey; it’s just how things work. I sympathize with vegetarians who don’t eat because of animal treatment but not for the simple fact that eating animals is wrong. I will go out and hunt squirrel as long as I eat it, and not purely for game. But back to the ants. They don’t really fall into either of these categories. They are a little bit annoying and if people ever come over they would be like, “sick dude, you got ants living all over your bathroom!” I guess social norms win out this time because I am not sure what actions I should take because of the pressure from social norms. Heck, I wouldn’t mind living in the middle of the woods like Henry David Thoreau did as described in Walden. But what will most likely happen which I am not content with is I will just carry on ignoring the ants and eventually my roommate will end up taking care of it. It still bugs me (no pun intended) that no one cares if they kill a little living creature. It’s so easy to kill them and there is no consequence, in fact in many cases it’s beneficial to kill them like with the ants in the sink, but seriously why can’t we live in harmony with nature. I know this sounds all hippyish but I find it pretty messed up how disconnected from nature this society has grown. We are merely just one species that inhabits this wonderful planet along side the millions of others.

Ruminating in the Queen City

2007-07-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

I get pensive sometimes. I go into this zone where my mind just wanders from subject to subject, exploring possibilities, pondering what-ifs, and reflecting on my life. It's a sort of re-alignment for me, a chance to stop my busy schedule and let my mind calibrate itself to who I have become since I last checked... which is usually awhile ago with how busy I get. In these times I need to talk, to discuss, to bounce grandiose schemes off of someone who will build off of them and fire it right back.

The James and I met up for the first time in a long time, in a city neither of us has ever been to before. We are here in the Queen City, Cincinnati, attending a meeting of the minds of the aerospace propulsion industry. Near 6th and Vine, set back and almost lost in the high rises of downtown, we found a middle eastern restaurant to grab a "quick" bite to eat. Four hours, three hookahs, and a pot or two of tea later, we were well on our way to solving the mysteries of the universe when we realized that the place was shutting down for the night.

We talked politics, science policy, Islam, girls, plasma physics, beer, old friends, Europe, business plans, trains, quantum mechanics, growing up, the merits of current energy deposition theories in the presently modeled magnetohydrodynamic numerical codes for ion and fusion thrusters, NASA funding, the historical ethnic conflict in Cyprus, and just how nice Lebanese mint tea is. Fantastic.

Thanks James, I needed that. Bring it on world, I'm ready for you.

Breezing Along Again

2007-07-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

Everyone in Idaho either owns a mountain bike or at least pretends to own one. You’ll find at least a cheap one in the garage, whether used for actually biking off-road or not. And boy, was mine cheap (as far as mountain bikes go anyway). I don’t remember how much exactly it was, but I would be willing to bet that my “Diablo Canyon” (oooh, sounds impressive) was less than $100. Without shocks or quality tires, it really was the worst of both worlds; too heavy and wide-tired for a road bike, and not quite study enough to qualify as a mountain bike in any legitimate sense of the term.

I used it though, quite a bit. I zipped around the neighborhood and to the library, and took it on several moderate dirt trails while camping with my family. When I moved down to Arizona for college, the bike came with me, for short hops between apartment and campus. And then it broke. The thread on the left pedal screw was worn beyond recognition, and eventually the thing just slid off. I left it unlocked and pedal-less on the apartment bike rack in the spring term of my junior year; it was there when I graduated and moved out of Arizona a year later, and for all I know it could still be there, rusted (yes, there are a couple days of rain a year in Phoenix) and abandoned. I did not bike for two years after surrendering my last bicycle to the elements.

It wasn't directly for missing cycling that I decided to buy a new bike. I used to jog for exercise... that got boring. I like to explore, and jogging just doesn't cover enough distance in short enough of a time to prevent me from getting bored. Separately, my adventures in LA were reaching the limits of the on-foot envelope. After some research, I dropped some cash on a new Breezer Greenway, a range bike (distance commuter) from Breezer Bikes.

Within a week, I was hooked to this new... sport? Hobby? Way of life? Having always owned mountain bikes (or shades thereof), the road bike makes me feel like I'm flying. It's super-light, smooth-shifting, and came with all the features I would want: built-in lights and dynamo, rear rack with holder, and fenders to ward off water from puddles. Armed with my new mode of transportation, I can get some physical activity in while catching more scenery than jogging, and the bike+metro combination has served to expand my LA envelope like never before.

After powering through the first week or so of getting into marginally good shape, biking has become addictive for the first time in my life. Two or three times a week I'll take a 5am morning ride before work; two weekends so far have seen 30+ mile exploration routes through the greater Los Angeles area. And free bike websites like RouteSlip have let me define and share my own routes and track my progress in terms of both elevation and distance.

In just the last week, another good reason to cycle has come up... apparently my cholesterol is quite high thanks to a genetic predisposition and the lingering college diet. Under doctor's orders, I've begun tailoring my cycling into an effective and fun cardio fitness regimen, which I hope will help raise my HDLs and overall resistance to heart disease. (Look for an article on my new healthy cooking adventures soon by the way).

For fun, health, and the environment, allow me to strongly recommend the fine sport of biking. Check your local metro agency or city website for bike route maps. Fellow residents of Los Angeles County, your one-stop pdf for Metrolink regional transit, light rail, subway, and bike routes is on the MTA website. Bus routes are on the main MTA site.

Get out there!

Rethinking Public Education

2007-07-04T12:02:00.001-07:00

I haven't written anything but technical memos for a long time, so to get back in the zone I'm going to take a transition approach. This is an edited and expanded article that I published some time ago on another blog.

Time and time again I see articles and blog posts, mainly on liberal-leaning sites, lamenting the disparity between white males and everyone else in the workplace. I think these articles by and large miss the point. Certainly, there is a still a troubling disparity between white males and everyone else in acquiring professional positions. But I do not believe the problem lies entirely, or even mostly, in the hands of the institutions doing the hiring.

Read this entire paragraph before reacting. I suggest that perhaps not enough minorities and woman are skilled enough to be hired fairly for these positions. This *not* to promote the idea of an "innate disparity in aptitude" as Harvard President Lawrence Summers seemed to suggest so infamously some years back. Rather I would like to point the finger of blame at the root cause of so many of America's domestic problems: a flawed and underfunded public education system.

We must remove the social bias that is built into public education to remove the social bias that will form in the mindset of the next generation. For this next generation will be the parents of the generation succeeding them, and parenting is an inextricable part of a child's education.

I have heard countless stories from my female friends of family and teachers simply assuming (whether subconciously or not) that women do not belong in science and engineering. The general mindset seems to be, "if a woman makes it in the sciences, great; but we won't encourage it." This is connected to the dangerous mindset that postulates if women aren't voluntarily going into the sciences or professional training, they must either not want to be there or they are innately incapable of doing so. It is flawed logic, but much easier to accept than a complete overhaul of the way we think about education.

With minorities on the other hand, often the problem is economic in nature. Minority communities tend to be much poorer on average than whites. Poor families cannot afford private education for their children, and are forced to send thier kids to under-funded public schools; these schools do not have the resources to provide the same education as private institutions, so minorities graduate with skills and knowledge inferior to whites. This in turn prevents them from getting high-paying positions, and the cycle continues.

I've said it time and time again, on every blog and general interest website I have ever had. The major domestic issues in this country could be solved, or at least alleviated, by biting the bullet and rethinking public education at a fundamental level. All other solutions only scratch the surface and delay the issue; the root of the problem is simply not addressed in programs like affirmative action and special hiring policies for women.

A national standard for students, teachers, and curriculums alike would be a start. Funding in the form of resources for failing schools and discretionary funds for achieving schools would be an excellent next step. The longer we wait, the further downward this spiral will descend, negatively affecting this country politically, socially, and economically.

It's Aliiiive!

2007-07-04T10:13:00.001-07:00

Hartog's Den officially lives again. Let's hope it's resurrected corpse doesn't stink too badly.

"He's Dead, Jim..."

2006-02-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

/sigh.... six engineering students, and our *combined* blog output is down to once per month. ugh, this is the third e-zine of mine tanked due to dwindling interest. occasional posts will resume at www.qcowboy.blogspot.com.

N.

bergamot kisses

2006-01-02T00:02:00.000-07:00

methane beyond the glass staggered
warms my feet like the bergamot wafting
from my tea warms the soul.
ah… perfumed lifeblood, and caffeinated too,
sharpening the mind as the hours get late
and the rain taps the windowsill for the fourth day running.

I remember mornings, earl grey steaming
from a microwave just beside the bed,
and a little pan that would cook us Cajun eggs,
cramped in a closet of a kitchen,
and we two snuggled under extraneous covers sharing
bergamot kisses.

and bergamot kisses remembered are the hardest on the heart,
cutting right down to the melancholy part of me that misses you
I want to share a tea and be with you again,
watching the rain together again.

a recluse these days, listening to the tap-tap, sipping,
eyeing warily that knight on f8, ripping
CD’s I left behind last time, sitting in
my papazan smelling scented black leaves
as the flames of the fire fade,
tinting the tiles the color of your hair when you’re asleep.

and bergamot kisses remembered are the hardest on the heart,
cutting right down to the melancholy part of me that misses you
I want to share a tea and be with you again,
watching the rain together again.

Harris Needs a Chill-Pill, But Makes a Good Point

2005-12-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

Fiery, aggressive, politically incorrect, and often downright offensive, "The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason" (W.W. Norton and Company, New York 2005, ISBN: 0-393-32765-5) is Sam Harris' nuclear-strength lambaste against the forces of faith and organized religion, which he claims have no place in a non-Apocalyptic future. Despite a writing style that simply screams "arrogant bastard," Harris makes several almost delightfully executed points against... well, pretty much everyone: the conservative right, destroying lives and nations through a righteous lens; the mainstream liberals, groveling before the faith-deluded and bumbling for ways to appear that they suspend their reason in favor of a millenia-old book; religious extremists of all faiths, for living out cults of death; religious moderates of all faiths, for providing a valid social context for the root of the extremists' problem while betraying both reason and faith simultaneously; and reasonable, rational people for allowing all of this to occur. Few are the world-views that you can possess and not be angered by some passage in this book, and that's exactly his point: why the hell aren't you doing something rational about it already?

While Harris' scope is neccessarily broad (and sometimes rambling... nay, ranting), his central theme is summed up early in the first chapter:

"...religion has been the explicit cause of literally millions of deaths in the last ten years. These events should strike us as psychological experiments run amok, for that is what they are. Give people divergent, irreconcilable, and untestable notions of what happens after death, and then oblige them to live together with limited resources. The result is just what we see: an unending cycle of murder and cease-fire. If history reveals any categorical truth, it is that an insufficient taste for evidence regularly brings out the worst in us. Add weapons of mass destruction to this diabolical clockwork, and you have found a recipe for the fall of civilization."

Chapter 4 is entirely devoted to a scathing criticism of Islam in particular, and is what I considered to be the most controversial section of the book. Harris argues that while both Christianity and Judaism both have explicit injunctions towards the barabaric murder of the unfaithful (supported by many quotes from Leviticus and Deuteronomy), the majority of modern Christians and Jews do not do so because they have learned to ignore or consider symbolically large swaths of their respective holy texts. Indeed, he correctly asserts that the progress of humanity is directly a function of how much religion has been forced to yield literal interpretations to science, and even discard some sections altogether. In Islam however, the Koran is still taken to be the literal word of God by even the more liberal of imams, therefore (by his reasoning) Muslim societies are in many ways the modern equivalent of 14th century Christian nations in the very dark ages of their civilization (and simultaneous height of piety). Harris believes that all attempts to deny that the West is at war with Islam, not economics or politics, is nothing more than deft political manuvering for the sake of hiding greed. Furthermore, he highlights the hypocrisy of maintaining such a war for the sake of profit while under the guise of championing the supposed moral high-ground of our own religious myths, which we have largely discarded yet cling to for fear of reason.

Despite the endless barrage of hot-blooded rhetoric against faith in general, Harris acknowledges that religion has several positive effects on people and society, and moreover that "man cannot live by reason alone"; that is, there is an intrinsic need for something spiritual and humanistic in daily life. He argues however, that the good effects of religion (a code of ethics, human spirituality, sense of community, giving, service, etc) can all be had without the structure of religion itself and without the need to accept a deity or anything else without empirical and reproduceable evidence to suggest such. The last chapter is his attempt to lay the foundation for a study of ethics that is both secular and humanistic, at which he largely succeeds, though only through making some rather broad generalizations. While Harris is mainly concerned with ending our "childish cling" to organized religion, hardcore atheists will find much to argue with during the final chapter of the book, in which Harris attempts to rationally combine elements of Eastern philosophy with the spirit of scientific inquiry.

"The End of Faith" is provocative, controversial, insulting, and revolutionary all at once, and it is designed to challenge the reader's perspective on the world around him or her. For sheer force of argument in the face of extreme arrogant assholeism, I award it three and a half stars out of five. Recommended for the open-minded with a grain of salt on hand.

Sam Harris is a graduate in philosophy from Stanford University. He has studied both Eastern and Western religious traditions, along with a variety of spiritual disciplines, for twenty years. He is now completing a doctorate in neuroscience, studying the neural basis of belief, disbelief, and uncertainty.

The State Press Sucks Wiki

2005-12-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

Episode 1:

To the Editor of The State Press:

To say that I am disappointed in you would be a gross understatement. For the last two weeks, three student organizations (AIAA@ASU, Daedalus Astronautics, and Camp Sparky) came together to give 120 elementary students some fun-filled exposure to science through designing, constructing, and launching their own model aircraft and rockets. This effort was almost a full semester in planning and cost over $1000 of these student groups' budgets; the impact on the kids was positive and tangible. Yet despite multiple requests for coverage, the best The State Press could do was a single picture snapped at the very tail end of the two week event with a caption about dancing - an activity which represented about two minutes of the full endeavour.

This is not an isolated incident. When the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing and the Barrett Honors College held a ceremony to unveil the first issue of Lux, ASU's new undergraduate creative review, a State Press reporter was requested; the response was that all reporters were engaged with other priorities... I wish to remind you that your next day's headline had something to do with beer pong.

Are these the priorities with which you, the flagship publication of ASU, presume to represent our university? Creative, intelligent, and meaningful student activities happen every day which you consistently and often knowingly ignore. If the dregs of student life are all you wish to report on, I suggest you take your talents to The Cellar Door, perhaps the only publication on this campus where your editorial judgement may be viewed as an upgrade by those students at this university who believe there is more to our college education than beer, Playboy, and the petty in-fighting of the student government.

Regards,
Nalin A. Ratnayake
Aerospace Engineering Senior

Episode 2:

The State Press’s coverage of Adderall use on this campus was not only inane, it was insulting. It is ironic that the editorial of a paper that has carried articles on beer pong is lecturing students on substance abuse. Moreover, it is libelous to direct that lecture at honors students, implying that they “boost their GPAs” through illegal substance use, especially as they seem to be basing that claim on the fact that they know of two honors students who have used the Adderall. Two hardly seems indicative that Adderall is “popular campus-wide among honors students.” It may be true that honors students could feel more pressure than others to achieve high grades, but you are implying that the prescription drug abuse is rampant among these over-achievers, that it is through illegal drug use that they manage to perform the way they do. While The State Press may require substances to perform even at the substandard level we see every day, a significant number of honors students are honors students precisely because they are capable of handling the crunch of finals. “That’s our thing.” Honors students are known for many things--good grades, sucking up to professors, pretentiousness, caffeine addictions–but being “misinformed” is not one of them. So stop the implications and misinformation. Serious students are quite capable of wrecking their health for their grades in a legal, informed manner.

Emily Wack,
English/PoliSci Junior

Add your own below!

Anti-(Anti-Evolutionism)

2005-11-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

In Donald Eiken's letter of Nov. 23^rd to the East Valley Tribune, he reels off four so-called “facts” about evolution that he claims go unchallenged by the scientific community. I would like to rebut:

1. There are intermediary gaps in the fossil record. Well ok Mr Eiken, let's say I have two fossils, Fossil A and Fossil C. There is a measurable difference between the two, a “gap” as you call it. Now say I find Fossil B which provides a link between the two, so that we see a progression from A to B to C. Your point seems to be that there are now TWO gaps, one between A and B, and one between B and C! A fine system you have set up for yourself there, wherein the more evidence there is, the more gaps you find! Physical reality is not continuous Mr Eiken, it is discrete, and there is plenty of discrete evidence for evolution. Your argument here is nothing more than a logical fallacy.

2. Evolution violates the 2^nd Law of Thermodynamics. A statement often smugly stated by anti-evolutionists, it is just plain wrong. Mr. Eiken, if you knew anything about thermodynamics, you would know that the 2^nd Law applies only to a closed system – that is, a system completely cut off from its surrounding environment. Net entropy (relative disorder) can decrease all it wants in a particular system, provided that the overall entropy of the surroundings (e.g. the entire universe) increases. I assume that you eat, drink, breathe, and absorb sunlight Mr. Eiken, and therefore you are most certainly not isolated from your environment, and your evolved complexity does not in any way violate thermodynamics. Complex systems naturally arise when mass and energy are allowed to flow through them, and they decay only when these are cut off.

3. The origin of life cannot be explained. Maybe not – but that doesn't mean it cannot be known, nor does it mean that you need to make up a deity to tie together the things that you do not know. As for your comment that life cannot be created in a lab, it has definitely been proven that amino acids, the building blocks of life, do indeed self-form under conditions similar to that of early earth when given a jolt of energy (in real life, say a lightning bolt?). Modeling the subsequent 4.5 billion years in a laboratory is beyond our technology at the moment, granted; but that in no way shows that the theory is wrong or even flawed. It just means we don't know for sure – YET.

4. The complex design of certain animals cannot have arisen by mere chance. Consider the sheer astounding variety of different environments on earth – the crushing, sunless depths of the ocean; extreme conditions of temperature; nearly complete lack of oxygen... we continue to discover new types of ecosystems even today. Life is naturally inventive and incredibly adaptive specifically due to its evolutionary nature. People tend to think that because evolution results from random variations, the result must be random as well; this is a false perception. Random variations that do not conform to their changing environments will die out or be eliminated by more competitive forms of life; thus random variation in a game where the fittest survive is a game that will progress steadily towards creatures that are specifically tuned to their mode of existence in a highly specialized way. And with a few billion years to explore the possibilities, the variation in life can be astounding, as is evident around us today.

Any comments? Did I just invite a comment-riot over my head?

Mead Intro: Part 2

2005-11-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

Basic Terminology

“Must” – refers to the batch during preparation, prior to brewing.

“Popping/Pitching” – the act of introducing yeast to the Must. It is important that the Must has cooled to room temp, and that all other ingredients have been added. This step is usually performed with some sort of personal ceremony.

“Racking” – the act of transferring liquid from one container to a clean one. This is usually done with a siphoning cane & hose. (And no, you do not use your mouth to start it). Racking is necessary to clean up the mead, by leaving behind all of the yeast sediment that has settled. Proper racking is pretty much the deciding factor between good mead and smalcohol.

“Primary/Secondary” – the first container that is used to brew is called “primary” fermentation, you get the idea.

“Airlock” – a small plastic cap that seals the brewing containers with a reservoir of water or vodka. This enables CO2 to escape (through the “bubbler”) during brewing, while nothing can get in.

Basic Mead – A starting recipe

Ingredients:

18 lbs of honey (Crockett’s will do fine, though many varieties exist.)

1 packet of Lavlin 212 wine yeast (dies at 12-14% a.c.)

1 meadster’s pack (this is a pack containing gypsum, a couple hops pellets, acid blend, and yeast nutrient. The purpose of each of these will be discussed in the future. It costs about 2$ and improves the chances of a superior mead. Some people make their own blends, but blends themselves are not necessary.)

Access to 4-5 gal R.O. water (vending machine water is fine)

Supplies:

Large cooking pot (3-5 gal preferred)
Large stirring spoon
A “skimmer” (small strainer to skim the heated must)
Sanitizer – Iodophor is preferable (less aroma than chlorine)
Food grade plastic bucket w/ sealing lid and airlock - Primary Fermenter
Racking Cane and Hose
Cooking thermometer
Hydrometer (optional) - discuss further in the future
6 gallon carboy (looks like crystal water bottle, cept glass) – Secondary
Bungs, o-rings and attachments for the bucket and carboy.

Procedure (very basic description):

Mix the honey and enough water to mostly fill the (sanitized) pot

Heat and hold at ~165 degrees F, so that it is hot, but not boiling

Maintain temp, skim any “foam” or scum that rises to the surface

Turn off after skimming, which usually takes about 15 min

Add meadster’s pack, mix

(1) Cover, Allow to cool overnight, shake/stir vigorously the next day to aerate

(2) Use 1-2 bags of RO ice to bring to temp

Once cooled, and aerated if necessary, pour into Primary, top off with remaining water, pitch the yeast, seal the container, fill the airlock and make sure the airlock begins to bubble within 2 days. If it does not, check the seal of your container, add another pack of yeast if necessary.

After 30 days at 75-80 degrees, rack the mead into a sanitized glass carboy.
Colder temperatures are not bad, but can slow the brewing down immensely. Warmer temperatures above 85-90 can kill the yeast off (bad).

After being in secondary for ~60-100 days, or when most/all brewing particles have settled to the bottom, rack again into a clean carboy. This is where it is very handy to have a 2^nd glass carboy around, as transferring the mead twice to get the carboy cleaned out only introduces more oxygen into the mead (bad).

Wait as long as you can stand, and then drink or bottle. There are many bottling options which will be discussed later. The mead is technically drinkable at 4 months, but 1 year is the preferred length of time. I read a Polish recipe that called for 100 years aging. Ouch!

Notes:

(1) It is not necessary to measure the water content exactly, because it will be topped off in the primary fermenter anyway.

(2) The “aerate” step is necessary at the very beginning, but later on you want as little contact with air as possible to prevent oxidization (vinegar) to occur. This fact is what makes good racking very tricky.

(3) I enjoy mead best when it is chilled, and even over ice. Some frown on this, but since I made it, I can do whatever the hell I want with it. It is also great to cook with, as a marinade or reduced glaze.

(4) As far as adding spices and fruits, keep in mind that you will have a hard time making “cherry mead” taste like cherries. Anything that is added lends itself to the bouquet rather than the taste. If you use enough of something, however, you can get a flavor across. Ex/ I used 2 gallons of Kern’s nectar for a batch, and it had some pretty good peach flavor.

(5) A starter brewing kit costs between 50 and 80 dollars. Glass carboys cost around 25 dollars. I have spent probably 120 dollars on brewing supplies, but now I spend about 30-50 dollars per batch, for honey. Each batch yields around 25-30 wine-size bottles, which equates to a production cost of 1-2 dollars per bottle. Friends who have started brewing with us have also just used our stuff, since the house we brew at has enough equipment to do 30 batches at a time (not quite felony yet).

(6) Small recipes are possible, and probably easier for someone in an apartment. (1) gallon growler bottles work great for this, and the brewing time is actually faster. However, the drawbacks are obvious...

How to Completely Diffuse a Testosterone-Saturated Environment

2005-11-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

Having spent the past three and a half years surrounded by engineering men (or perhaps it would be more appropriate to call you boys...you know who you are), I have reached an epiphany that I believe could seriously change all your lives for the better. I refer to a fail-proof system in which you can continue to have your completely unbearable male discussions of computer games, electronics, and supermodels in the proximity of girls, without said girls getting completely pissed off with you. This brilliant scheme involves a simple code that makes you more attractive to the female sex, without you actually having to express things like real emotions, intellectual prowess, or sincere interest in your girlfriend's latest shopping purchases.

To demonstrate this technique, envision the following scenario. Say you were in the middle of a Warcraft III discussion with some of your guy friends, when all of the sudden a girl walks into the room. Simply substitute in one of the magic code words for the term "played Warcraft III" and continue your conversation. For example:

Complete Turn-Off Male Sentences -
"I played Warcraft III all day on Saturday, and it was awesome! Then I drank 30 beers!"

Revised, Guaranteed to Make you Appear Sensitive and Attractive Sentences -
"I helped rescue stray cats off the street all day on Saturday, and it was awesome! Then I recycled!"

These new and improved sentences let girls know that you are a hot commodity - the rare and elusive sensitive man who cares about animals and helping the environment. These are the qualities that girls look for in a serious relationship (i.e. you might have a chance of getting "some").

Similar substitutions can be made when talking about unappealing topics such as night elves, hard drives, and professional wrestling. For example:

Bad Sentence-
"Those night elf costumes look so cool!"

Girl Just Walked in Improved Sentence-
"Those new window treatments look so cool!

The new sentence is guaranteed to make you appear more insightful and fashionable, meaning that the girl might overlook your unwashed hair, grungy t-shirt, and dirty jeans as a temporary "wardrobe malfunction", rather than a serious fashion emergency.

Of course, you may wonder how to come up with such clever and effective substitutions on the spot. The solution is to finance my new book- How to Completely Scam Guillible People Without Them Even Having a Clue. Sure to be a best seller. I haven't decided how much to charge for it yet, so please make your checks blank when ordering. I will fill them out for you later. Oh, and on a parting note, the above system becomes much more effective when coupled with seemingly thoughtful (though completely energy efficient) gift-giving. Try bringing your girfriend flowers when she gets annoyed with your gaming binges. Then compliment her shoes. And FYI, some flowers grow on the ground...some even around campus! You could pick some for FREE, and look like you had been planning it for weeks. This is relationship PLATINUM, and it is guaranteed to have a spectacular return on your investment.

Sarah

Mead Intro Part:1

2005-11-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I am a brewer, and have introduced many of my friends to the fine art of mead brewing. Here is a brief into to what mead is (taken from my website).

Called many names, with many apparitions, mead is simply fermented honey water; this, however, is no indication of its cultural complexity, or rich history. Scholars are unsure where mead was first consumed, but it is apparent that several civilizations crafted the beverage. Commonly associated with the Scandinavians, there is evidence that it was a significant part of life in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Eastern Europe, and so on, for thousands of years. Due to the simplicity of mead, it is safe to imagine it being present wherever honey was readily available.

For many, it has possessed a mysticism, affording a place in religious ritual; for others it has imbued powers, good fortune, and even fertility (e.g. "honeymoon"). The meager popularity of mead today is due in part to the cost of good honey, as well as the availability and long-standing dominance of wine. This comparison only furthers the illusive nature and intrigue of our drink of choice.

Mead possesses alcohol content between 8% and 18%. "Sweet" mead is one that has a significant amount of sugars remaining after fermentation, where a "dry" is just the opposite. It is important to note that recipes can be tweaked so that the alcohol content, or the amount of sugars consumed by the yeast, does not necessarily reflect on the sweetness of the finished product. A "hot" mead is one in which the alcohol is prominent in the characteristic taste. "Smoother" meads are generally considered so due to the aging process, which is between 6 months and 100 years after fermentation. "Complexity" of mead plays a role once the aging process has settled the overbearing flavors that result from the brewing process itself, i.e. when a mead no longer tastes "young".

There are many factors relating to each ingredient, with unlimited choices at each step in the brewing process, ultimately changing the finished result. With all of this in mind, what mead are you?

I have finished about 15 batches of mead in 2 years, which by no means makes me an expert. However, it has been alot of fun, and I plan on brewing indefinitely. In fact, some of the friends I introduced to the craft are so involved, that they have been scouting out space for commerical brewing, and have researched the licensing information for Arizona. I will post a starting recipe soon.

Enough with the geeklessness!

2005-11-14T23:41:00.000-07:00

Dudes... what's with all the discussion about sports, violence, and huge bulging demon penises? We're a bunch of engineers, yes? Where's all the discussion about computers, gadgets, and forced single degree of freedom vibrating systems? I'll do my part to satisfy the stereotype... Go, go gadget blogpost!

...except the subject of our inaugural "geek" topic can hardly be called a "geek" phenomenon - it's quickly become fairly ubiquitous. True, we engineers may not notice the multitude of white earbuds dangling from the ears of our peers as we walk briskly around campus mumbling equations to ourselves and staring at our feet, but there's literally zillions of them out there: iPods. Don't worry - this won't be a senseless evangelist post from your favorite Apple fanboy... I'll do my best -- really.

Through certain "business" connections, I have come into the possession of the two newest members of Apple's holiday iPod product line, and now that I finally have some time to post, here's a bit of brief commentary:

iPod [link]

Apple just weeks ago released its fifth iteration of the full-size iPod, complete with (half-assed) video playback capability on its larger, sharper color screen... all in a much slimmer case.

It's a good thing that this is still a (damn good) music player, because the whole portable video playback concept is rather ridiculous. When is the average person going to watch video on a 2.5-inch screen? In the car? Walking around campus? On the can? Anywhere where I may be interested in devoting all my foreground attention to watching a video or movie, I'll take my TV or laptop any day. Even if I were interested in portable video, the current solution frankly kind of sucks. The iPod only plays two out of dozens of major digital video formats, and iTunes can't convert video to an iPod-compatible format as it easily does for music. For that, you'll need to spend $30 on QuickTime Pro, and wait a loonng time for it to do its thing.

I've converted and uploaded several cool video clips from NASA Dryden's gallery, along with a few music videos, and while it certainly works well, it was indeed a major effort to get the content on the iPod. Plus, I've almost entirely discontinued my use of the video functionality after only two weeks of owning the thing. Unless you're serious about carrying around your massive porn collection for viewing during class, don't buy this thing for the video functionality. (Epiphany! Maybe that's what that awkward new "Screen Lock" feature is for!)

Regardless, the new iPod is neat. By prior iPod standards, the size and resolution of the screen is great for general use and viewing of photos, and the smaller size and good battery life are always nice features to have.

iPod nano [link]

You know, I may be a pretty serious gadget geek, enjoying all the features I can get in a device, but you can keep your stinkin' 2.5" video playback... this thing is hot!

The iPod nano, introduced a month or two ago, completely replaced Apple's previously best-selling iPod mini. Instead of the iPod mini's miniature (skip-prone) hard drive, the iPod nano now packs either 2 or 4GB of flash memory instead, meaning there's no more skips, and less of a need to "baby" the thing. It also now has a color screen, which although being far too small to be useful for photo viewing, is still pretty for general use nonetheless. Along with these improvements came a drastic reduction in size... this thing is thinner than a #2 pencil. Although the nano costs more per gigabyte than the mini that preceded it, I have no doubt that it will sell stronger than ever. Just look at the success of Motorola's RAZR, based heavily on its aesthetics, to see what I mean.

By the way... Both of these iPods still suffer from a problem that has annoyed iPod users since 2001. As an owner of 5 or 6 iPods now, I'd like to formally get years of annoyance off my chest -- Apple, why the hell do you still insist on covering your iPods in soft plastic and mirror-polished stainless steel?! Sure, it's absolutely gorgeous when you take it out of the box, but as soon as you so much as breathe on it, it's scratched to hell!

So what does Hartog's Den think about these new holiday hot items? Going to give or hoping to receive one for Christmas? Do you even like your music on the go?

"Something We Both Share" Raises Subdued Questions

2005-11-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

Stephanie Johnson and Andrew Anderson, after many a jam session and years of musical interest, have finally released their first album: "Something We Both Share." Their debut album lays the questioning lyrics of youth over a mellowed-out, rhythmic, acoustic sound, and scores a 7.4/10.0 on the Nalin Scale of Musical Goodness.

Johnson and Anderson present a thought-provoking array of lyrical messages and questions, as is expected from young musicians on the edge of adulthood in a rapidly changing world. "I Have My Doubts" is their most direct expression of this quality, questioning the big three lyrical nemises of modern rock: The System, God, and Love. "Curse" explores the hyprocrisy of adult condescension towards young people, especially in the moral sense:

hey preacher man
you know what
you ain't got nothing on me
that god ain't got on you
so go ahead and judge away cause on judgement day
your time is coming too

Some of the lyrics would actually come off as rather hard-edged if it wasn't for the relaxing acoustic tone of the whole album. With the exception of some bongos here and there, Johnson and Anderson have a sound that blends percussion unnoticably into the background and relies heavily on voice and acoustic string instruments such as guitar, mandolin, and harp. I'm going to guess that they would probably not be good in concert, as the mood is not very "active," so to speak; rather, the sound is more geared towards, say, sipping coffee on a quiet evening and blogging.

The excellent depth and solid sound of Johnson's voice contrast with the limited range we hear from her, and I am hoping she will choose to explore more of what her voice can do in subsequent albums. I was *not* a fan of Anderson breathy, almost emo-esque voice, though I must admit it blended well with the feel of both "Curse" and "Thine Ownself"; however, combined with a weird doubling effect, Anderson's vocal style directly held "Make Me Fall" back from being one of the better songs on the album. Anderson has a good feel for his music and its obvious he puts genuine feeling into what he sings, but my advice to Johnson is to find a better complement to her own voice for her next project.

Overall, Johnson and Anderson have put out a worthy first effort in professional music. Both have quite a ways to develop before reaching full potential, and I'm looking forward to hearing more music by them. Something We Both Share is available from Swansea Music, or you can check out the artists' website.

Gilbert Ultra-Conservative on French Riots

2005-11-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

From the East Valley Tribune Letters to the Editor, Wed. Nov. 9, 2005.

The so-called utopian society we refer to as France appears to be a little less perfect lately. Immigrant thugs seem to have the upper hand in every major French city while its tolerant, multi-cultural government struggles with how to describe the chaos so as not to give offense.

Rather than follow their national tradition and surrender, the French should take some bold steps:

First, issue weapons to every citizen and pass a law requiring citizens to shoot anyone caught setting fire to buses or crippled women who ride them. Unfortunately, this gun idea may cause more problems that it solves since there may be enough Vichy alive who might immediately switch to the side of the genocidal thugs.

Second, gather every rioter and his extended family and his friends and their extended families and ship them back to whichever North African or Arab hell hole they came from. From reports they may not know the difference from the French slums in which they currently reside so there really shouldn't be much resistance.

Third, France should set an example for the world and declare that some societies and cultures and superior and that others are inferior and corrupt. It is doubtful that the French could muster the will to pull this off since it would require the acknowledgement of the complete failure of the Euro/socialist model and the transcendence of everything American.

All in all, it appears doubtful that the French will do much of anything to save themselves. Given the true insignificance of France as a world power we should probably let the thugs have their way while France decends into yet another war for survival. This time, let France look to the United Nations for help. Maybe a few Rwandans with machetes would be enough to calm things down.

Gregory D. Barlow, Gilbert.

At first I thought he was being sarcastic, but then I realized, wait a minute... this nut is SERIOUS...

Comments anyone?

October Homesickness

2005-10-29T22:01:00.000-07:00

There is always something nice and safe about viewing the world as a child, and we keep a small kernel of this in later years through our memories of our childhood. The last paragraph of George Moore's "Homesickness" is by far one of my favorite passages that we have read in my Modern Irish Identity class:

Well, he would like to be buried in the village where he was born. There is an unchanging, silent life within every man that none knows but himself, and his unchanging silent life was his memory of Margaret Dirken. The barroom was forgotten and all that concerned it, and the things he saw most clearly were the green hillside, and the bog lake and the rushes about it, and the greater lake in the distance, and behind it the blue line of the wandering hills.

While we may deny the internal quiet and peace that we subconsciously feel when seeing the place where we grew up, it will find us in the end, and ultimately, this nostalgia is what our being prefers to any other standard of life that we have chosen, made, or been victim to through the years. Despite desolation or squalor, no matter any tensions in the house or sorrows in the neighborhood streets, home is home; the rougher parts of home are romanticized away and idealized, making ideal fodder for later poems and memoirs, or writing the great American novel. The better times are lionized and told as funny or heroic tales to the grandchildren.

High school was fun, but I remember being so eager to leave Boise and get out into a bigger city in a different state, to be an individual, to see and fix the entire world because that's just the kind of idealistic teenager I was. Today I'm a senior in college, and dammit, I miss home right now. It's not really that far away, just a two hour flight, and it's not as if I haven't been home in years like some characters I read about in books or on the news; I've just been waiting to see home lately. It takes a few years away to begin to form that secret inner life that Moore speaks of, and reading that passage made me realize that I've finally formed mine.

Maybe it's the onset of fall, with the cooler temperatures and occasional falling leaf to remind me of Octobers in the northwest, with colorful leaves blanketing the ground and the mountains brown and musky green with the coming of winter. There is a crisp edge to a real October day, a chill that cuts into your nose yet still leaves you with the lingering scent of pies and the faint smoky aroma of burning pine wood and leaf-piles.

I think the dropping thermometers also trigger my Idaho-bred "MUST SKI NOW" hormone...

Maybe I'm romanticizing, but it's a nice feeling. And I sure can't wait to fly home for Thanksgiving.

N.

Dancing with the devil in the pale moonlight

2005-10-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

Me: Satan, Satan, welcome! Thanks for joining us today. I know how busy you must be, what, with Halloween and all upon us, but I appreciate you putting the time aside to chat with us.

Satan: Glad to be here James.

Me: Now let's just forgo the foreplay and get right down to it: what is Hell like exactly? I mean, I'm sure I'm bound to find out sooner or later, what with all the rape and pillaging I fancy myself with, but the audience is dying to know? Ha! Get it? DYING?

Satan: Yeah, dying, I get it. That's fast clever of you James. A real humdinger. Anywho, Hell is exactly what you'd expect it to be. Lots of fire and brimstone, disgruntled demons running around with dull blades stabbing people in the back of their kneecaps, you know that sort of stuff. And thanks to the bloody liberals and their "pro-choice" tactics, we have all sorts of unborn baby fetuses to practice our brutal rape tactics on. I have an entire wall littered with their precious tiny little spinal cords, it's really quite the site.

Me: Really?!

Satan: Nah man, I'm just jerking your gerkin. You know, it's um, it's nice and all. Listen, I'll give it to you straight. Don't believe everything you read in the bible man, we're not down with that whole "Dante vision" of hell. You think I want to go around trident-proding people in the balls for having a little fun in life? And what of those whom commited suicide because their precious lowercase 'g' god had it in for them? Huh? Should I just prance up to them, engulf their respective genetalia in fire, say "Welcome to the suck!", and follow up my derogatory and hurtful insults by throwing Rosie O'donnels douche bag at them? Not cool man, not cool, I won't be any part of that. I takes cares of my peoplz.

Me: Wow, that's good to hear. Sooooo ... that whole infant raping thing was just a joke then right? Lord knows I've had more than my fair share of clothes-hanger abortions in my day, and I'd hate to think you got a chance at ruining their lives before I did...

Satan: Nah, Hell is nothing like that, seriously. It's like a depressing nursing home more than anything. Lots of scrabble, and OH! Shuffleboard! I'm actually quite the shuffleboarder believe it or not! In fact, and oh your god I'm really excited about this, but I will be advancing to the finals next--

Me: REALLY! FUCK MAN! AWESOME! FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC!!! CAN YOU AUTOGRAPH MY ASS?!

Satan: ...

Me: ...*cough*

Satan: ...

Me: ...um, so that was like a joke and all, no need for that g l a r e .....

Satan: ...

Me: Well let's change gears here a bit then. Let's hear about your love life man! I mean, there's gotta be some smoking hot slutty chicks in hell right? Come on! Give us a little taste of you're doing to these slores.

Satan: Excuse me? "Slores?"

Me: Yeah, you know: a slore. It's a combination between a "slut" and a "whore". Slore.

Satan: Never heard of it before.

Me: I don't doubt it. I think it's Greek.

Satan: Well not much to brag about on my end James. Don't get me wrong though. I'm fucking Lucifer: the fallen angel of grace! Most beautiful off all the angels and shit! You'd think I could get some action every once in a while. But no, not even the ... slores will give it up. Must be my gigantic red bulging mis-shapen penis that I was cursed with when I took up tenureship...

Me: Are you getting them good and drunk up first? Ruphies at least? I can't imagine how having a huge red penis would hinder you at all. You mind whipping out your dick for me?

Satan: WTF mate?! [actually pronouncing out each letter of 'WTF']

Me: NO DUDE, not like that! Psshhhh. Geez, I'm not, not like gay and stuff. Pssshhhh. Heh. Silly face. You know, withdrawal your penis in a completely heterosexual fashion so that I might investigate as to the peculiarities of your alleged handicap. That's all man. No gayship on this end, that be for damn sure!

Satan: Oh, OK then. If you put it that way. *unzips sexy red tight leather pants* But I warn you, you may or may not understand fully ....

Me: MY GOD MAN!! It's a huge bulging demon penis! Wha...!? Are those little horns dude?!

Satan: Don't get me started...

~The James hast spoken.

Soccer: A game for damaged people

2005-10-19T23:13:00.000-07:00

It's spelled football, with an "oo" and an extra "l".

Seriously, guys, let's all just get with the program. It's not my fault your broken and damaged countries can't afford simple pads, a more aerodynamic and sexually stimulating phallic shaped ball, or a $450 million dollar state-of-the-art retractable roof football stadium complete with a 13 million pound retractable field. Oh, what's that? You women can't hear or something, or were you too busy putting your tampons in? That's right, I said retractable...twice. Retractable squared.

But in all seriousnessesssses. You speak of U.S. soccer clubs at high schools like it's a good thing. Dude! That's exactly what those third world countries want! Get the kids away from their computer games and out on the soccer field when they should be honing their killing skillz! Killing skillz that can only be learned from the repeated thrusting of your sweaty body into the tender young man-boy across from you! Killing skillz that can only be learned from football my bow-legged friends, as opposed to general looting and pillaging skills that you learn in soccer, that while still cool, are hardly relevent in our in-impoverished nation. Chew on that tender piece of meat for a bit and I'm sure you'll see my well thought out and deliciously executed point.

So until all of you come around, Football will be waiting. More specifically, Football will be waiting in the backseat of a ludicrously ridiculous stretched Hummer-4 limo filled with testosterone, muscles, and apple puckers while driving up to an expensive mansion on a private driveway paved with naked women.

The James has spoken.

The Beautiful Game on the Rise

2005-10-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

With a unexpected (but wholly appreciated) lull in workload this last weekend and the weather being so fabulous and all, the roomie and I decided to blow the dust off the ol' shin guards and kick the soccer ball around for the first time in... well, months. After ages without any physical activity more strenuous than say, walking, the realization that I was atrociously out of shape was painful indeed, but still, just having some fun and getting the blood moving was a good time anyway.

It also got me thinking about the amazing growth of soccer in this country. I remember when I first started playing soccer, in sixth grade or somewhere around there, soccer existed pretty much only as a one-day event in junior-high Physical Education classes. Today, my hometown of Boise has a huge network of soccer clubs, centered around a 20-field, 161-acre complex donated by J.R. Simplot to local soccer organizations.

And its not just Boise... just this last month the U.S. MNT scored a 2-0 victory against archrival Mexico in a completely sold out Columbus Arena, pushing our national team to a ranking of 6th in the world. Sure, Columbus Arena with its 35,000 or so seats is no Estadio Azteca, reigning over Mexico City's soccer world with games attended by upwards of 114,000 of the faithful; but a sold out national arena for an American soccer game hasn't been seen since the days of The Pele (and yes, he gets the definite article in front of his name).

Young Americans are swelling the ranks of youth soccer clubs all around the U.S., and the so-called "soccer mom" has a become common enough to establish itself as an American archetype. True, there are many who still say soccer is a sissy game beneath the manliness of American sport, and ESPN *did* drop the Ireland-Cyprus game for something called "baseball," and I have to admit that football will never be unseated from the lion's share of media broadcasting (because it stops every fifteen seconds to allow networks to make another hundred million off of commercials), but nay-sayers will have to face a growing truth within the decade: there's a new American sport in the making, and as the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to be free come to America, the beautiful game's world following will ultimately ensure its popular victory.

Soccer next weekend anyone?

Rules for Columnists

2005-10-16T22:54:00.000-07:00

Well... they're more like actual... guidelines. Firstly, this is not a personal blog or a journal, think more like you're writing for a magazine, except that your editor doesn't care when you turn anything in and you can write on anything you want. Well... almost anything. Controversial things are great when they spur intelligent debate, but let's keep the fiery political posts to your own personal blogs. Things like reviews, commentaries on life, sudden epiphanies, poetry, cocktail recipes, humorous anecdotes, and so forth are perfectly fine.

Swear and talk about sex, politics, and religion if you want, but please do so tastefully and respectfully.

NO EDITING OR DELETING ANYONE ELSE'S POSTS, please just email whoever it was that offended you. If your fellow columnists are complaining about a post of yours, kindly consider editing or removing it in the interest of this community of writers and readers; no one is going to make you do it, but I'm sure people will like you better if you did.

Each post should be an article or column, not a comment or conversation. Comment on a post as if it were a discussion board thread, just not on the main blog itself.

Host your own damn images.

HAVE FUN. No hard feelings or bitterness allowed, though sarcastic cynicism is fully legit. And when in doubt, just remember: What Would Den Hartog Do? Right now, this is a sudden idea, and I have no idea where it will end up; I hope this turns into something really cool we all can share.

Enjoy,
N.

In Memorium Den Hartog

2005-10-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

Hartog's Den started out as a creative and intellectual outlet for a small group of engineering students blogging out of the western U.S.A. on anything that come to mind. Our medium? The almighty internet. Our subject? Anything we damn well please. Our schedule? Whenever we damn well feel like it.

Now we are more spread out, but the Den lives on... sort of. We are currently in the midst of a revival after a long dry spell. We encourage you to participate in our project... please add your comments and discussion to the blog.

We are currently seeking people interested in being regular columnists. Email Nalin (quantumcowboy_AT_gmail_DOT_com) if you are interested.

Peruse, oh digital traveller, and revel in the many profound insights to be found in Hartog's Den, (updated sometimes).

Nalin.

P.S. This thread is also our guest book, so please sign below with your comments!

Last update 11/03/07