another weblog

I noticed the following behavior in my car yesterday: If I use the windshield washer while the windshield defroster is on, the fan speed (and therefore the heat applied to the front window) increases to max for several seconds during and afterwards. This is nice because it helps to stem the inevitable freezing of a thin layer of windshield washer fluid to my windshield during especially cold driving.

Pedantic though it may be, these are the things that endure one to a seemingly benign object like a car.

(Ostensibly, but really some brilliant notes on the cynicism of American politics)

One very long, detailed and interesting:

From the Institute of Government Affairs at UC Davis, via The Edge of the American West.

The other very short, but taking no shortcuts:

The credit crisis as Antarctic expedition from Marketplace on Vimeo

From Marketplace, via Lifehacker.

David Byrne, the former Talking Heads front man, has been doing some awesome stuff in recent years. After releasing a few so-so solo albums, he spent time touring with the Arcade Fire, which was damn cool. Now, he is exploring new instruments, like ENTIRE BUILDINGS.

The installation is an old pipe organ whose keys are wired to devices that bang and strum on different parts of an old ferry terminal in New York. It’s not much for pop music, but it seems to make some interesting tones.

[via Hack a Day]

I have acquired professional-level skills in career counseling, journalism, rose breeding, screenplay writing, and strong amateur-level skills as an actor and play director without ever having taken a course in any of the above.

And how he did it is unbelievably simple for anyone with some time and a lot of self-confidence. For the record, this guy is a top-of-the-field career counsellor and world-class rose breeder.

WWF as in World Wildlife Fund. Not that other thing.

More here.

Nike makes some great commercials.

Have you heard of this phenomenon of getting RickRoll’D?

Here’s the play: you get a link to a video saying it’s something or the other, cute puppies, or your brother falling off the roof or something equally funny. It might come in an email or an online forum or blog comments or whatever. But instead of being a video of what was advertised, you get this, and now you’ve got that song stuck in your head all day.

Not very nice. But kind of funny if you’re on the right end of it.