Terri featured in NYT

Per Jon Schwartz in the Nov. 29 Health section of the New York Times, researching health issues online is nothing new, but increasingly patients like my step-sister Terri share their experiences and knowledge through online peer-to-peer networks. "These expanded capabilities allow people to share information easily, upending the top-down path of information between doctors and patients. Today, said Clay Shirky, an expert in the evolving online world, patients are 'full-fledged actors in the system'."

"Hamlet" and Wilder's "The Matchmaker" coming this summer

The Elm City Shakespeare Company is staging "Hamlet" and "The Matchmaker" at Edgerton Park this year. (Both productions were excellent ... cf. shakespeare.mit.edu for full text of Hamlet.)

Yale Rep: "A Woman of No Importance"

"In 1895, the year that saw the debut of Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, the playwright lost everything when he was convicted of “gross indecency” and sentenced to two years in prison. A Woman of No Importance had premiered two years earlier and anticipated the forces that would strike him down. Of British society, he said, “To be in it is merely a bore. To be out of it is simply a tragedy.”"

The Yale Rep production is directed by James Bundy and runs March 21 to April 12, 2008

Map of Israel

Plugged in from Google Maps. Click on virtual pushpins to view labels.



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"Productivity Toolbox"

Posted on LISNews 11/14/07: Productivity Toolbox: 37+ Tools ..., including the book Getting Things Done, "the most famous resource about completing your tasks and checking things off of your to-do list. Written by the now-famous David Allen, it is a must read if you haven’t already," Lifehacker.com, Simple GTD (free software based on Allen's work), Mee Timer (compares business versus personal web browsing at the office), clockingit.com, "a free web application that will keep track of your tasks and the time you spend on them. It’s really well designed, and fully featured, considering it is available for free," joesgoals, Motivation Hacks, toggl, etc.

Things to Do in Rochester and Buffalo

On the way to Kitchner, Ontario, Rochester, a 6-hour drive from New Haven,


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has the George Eastman House; and Buffalo, the Albright Knox Gallery

Is Waterboarding Torture?

Current.com journalist Caj Larsen hired professional interrogators to waterboard him in front of a TV camera. He was interviewed 11/5/07 on NPRs Talk of the Nation. Also, he explains why he did it in a Huffington Post column.

People's Choice Music

Komar and Melamid along with Dave Soldier conducted a study in 1995 or 1996 that determined:

"The most unwanted music is over 25 minutes long, veers wildly between loud and quiet sections, between fast and slow tempos, and features timbres of extremely high and low pitch, with each dichotomy presented in abrupt transition.

The most unwanted orchestra was determined to be large, and features the accordion and bagpipe (which tie at 13% as the most unwanted instrument), banjo, flute, tuba, harp, organ, synthesizer (the only instrument that appears in both the most wanted and most unwanted ensembles). An operatic soprano raps and sings atonal music, advertising jingles, political slogans, and 'elevator' music, and a children's choir sings jingles and holiday songs. The most unwanted subjects for lyrics are cowboys and holidays, and the most unwanted listening circumstances are involuntary exposure to commercials and elevator music."

Soldier and lyricist Nina Mankin actually went on to compose two pieces of music based on the survey results. I've listened to them and, ironically, the "Most Wanted Music" is so ingratiating that it's too painful to hear more than once, while the "Most Unwanted Music" is wonderfully stimulating and quite funny.

The Israel Lobby

The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy
By John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 484 pp., $26)

Despite accusations to the contrary, there is nothing anti-semitic about this book. The authors are simply performing an exercise in "political realism". "Although we believe that America should support Israel's existence [i.e., for moral and historical reasons]," the authors write, "Israel's security is ultimately not of critical strategic importance to the United States ... By contrast, if oil exports from the Persian Gulf oil were insignificantly reduced, the effects on America's well-being would be profound." (p. 338). Tough words, but not racist.

The final chapter offers some policy advice: the United States should abandon its current efforts at regional transformation in the Middle East and return to a strategy of "offshore balancing" since "the United States does not need to control this vitally important region; it merely needs to ensure that no other country does" (p. 339). Israel, a regional economic and military superpower, can largely fend for itself. If (however improbably in their view) her existence should ever be threatened by enemies, the U.S. would at that point have a moral obligation to intervene. Otherwise, they maintain, Israel should be treated like any other state, based on U.S. national interest, and not subject to the "special relationship".

For Jeffrey Goldberg in The New Republic, however, this book represents "the most sustained attack, the most mainstream attack, against the political enfranchisement of American Jews since the era of Father Coughlin." Backed up by the recorded words of Richard Clarke and Lawrence Wright, he effectively challenges the book's analysis of Bin Ladin's motives (i.e. that Israel's treatment of the Palestinians was close to Bin Ladin's heart) and representation of Israel's position on Iraq (i.e., that Iran wasn't the greater threat in Israel's view). Goldberg fails to offer a counter-explanation, however, for why the Israel policy debate has been so strangely stifled in the U.S.. He also unhelpfully smears journalist Robert Fiske as a "rabid anti-Zionist who has lately made common cause with the September 11 conspiracy movement".

Leslie Gelb, former president of the Council on Foreign Relations, also roughs up the authors a bit in his piece for the New York Times Book Review. Gelb points out some significant problems with the book (e.g., cherry-picking of quotations, absence of original research, reflexive blame on Israel for failed peace negotiations) , but, in their response the following week, Walt and Mearsheimer point out a fatal flow in Gelb's critique, one that reflects the distorted way in which he read their book: "Gelb refers repeatedly to a "Jewish lobby", despite the fact that we never employ the term in our book. Indeed we explicitly rejected this label as inaccurate and misleading, both because the lobby includes non-Jews like the Christian Zionists and because many Jewish Americans do not support the hard line policies favored by its most powerful elements." Another error was Gelb's inference that they turned their wrath on the Israel lobby out of exasperation and disbelief over the invasion of Iraq. But the Atlantic Monthly commission of the original article began in October 2002, still nearly 6 months before the war began.

Meanwhile, Ray McGovern of Consortium News has an article on Alternet (10/10/07) regarding Israel's June 7, 1967 attack on the USS Liberty. McGovern attributes the 40-year cover-up to--you guessed it--intimidation by the Israel lobby. The recent declassification of government documents along with aggressive reporting by John Crewdson make it increasingly hard to deny that the Israelis intentionally destroyed a "friendly" U.S. spy ship, and that the two governments conspired afterward to keep it secret from the U.S. public.

How to Eliminate Unwanted Catalogs

Brett cites Catalog Choice website on LISNews, designed to help people "reduce the number of repeat and unsolicited catalog mailings [they receive in the mail] ... Consumers can indicate which catalogs they no longer wish to receive, and businesses can receive a list of consumers no longer wanting to receive their catalogs." It's endorsed by the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Arizona (etc.)

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Maxie's 95th

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Big E

The Big E, Sept. 14-30, "New England's Autumn Tradition, is the largest fair in the northeast, hosting more than one million people each September at its 175-acre site." Located in West Springfield, Mass. (cf. exact address on Google Maps)

Earlham Professor Charlie Peck wins Ultimate Geek Award

From Earlham Public Relations: Peck demonstrated his technical prowess at the SuperComputing '06 conference in Tampa, Fla. His prize was a $40,000 computer cluster which he donated to the college.

New Haven Citizens’ Action Network BOA Accountability Project

On flyer left outside our door, aldermanic candidate Cleaven Johnson (Div '98) asks rhetorically: "Did you know Alfreda Edwards voted to raise your taxes?" By way of proof, he offers the New Haven Citizens’ Action Network BOA Accountability Project ...


19th ward alderman candidates for Sept. 11 election:

1. LaMont Moye. MBA from Albertus Magnus. New Haven public school substitute teacher. Proposes: Increased parent involvement in schools, etc.; More summer jobs/afeter school programs; mandatory programs & uniform sentence, NO GOOD TIME, for prison inmates; Community Review Board jurisdiction over redev and zoning in our neighborhoods; better legislation and reduced spending by city government. In 1999 organized First Christian Softball Association in New Haven, in 2006 founded Parent Project 99 (PP99) non-profit group operated by parents in New Haven. Pet project: tracking device in school vans for children with special needs.

2. Cleaven Johnson. MDIV '98. Seems responsible for New Haven Citizens' Action Network flyer: BOA accountability project; provides links on evaluation board of alderman, with emphasis on increase versus decrease in taxes. Main point: "Did you know Alfreda Edwards voted to raise your taxes?" President/CEO of "Last Kingdom Productions"

3. Alfreda Edwards. The incumbant. Doesn't seem to be campaigning much if at all.

Apple Boot Camp

Windows XP (2001) not eligible for Apple Boot Camp. Needs to be SP2 (2004). Per Setup Guide [pdf]: "You must use a single full-install Windows installation disc (Service Pack 2 is required for Windows XP installations). Do not use an upgrade version of Windows and do not install an earlier version of Windows XP and attempt to update it later to SP2. Use only 32-bit versions of Windows."

Chernyakhov, Ukraine

Chernyakhov, Ukraine: Is this paternal grandparents' hometown?

Hawk Inn (Vermont)

Hawk Inn, Plymouth, Vermont, with heated indoor/outdoor pools, tennis courts, a marina for boating/kayaking, etc., a spa and restaurant.

500 jokes

From Dilbert blog via LISNews, hundreds of favorite (mostly filthy) jokes submitted by readers.

Wireless Networking

[2007-08-17]

Attempt to link wirelessly new Mac Powerbook to Linksys WRT54GS router (hardware version 6; firmware v1.50.6) so far unsuccessful. Even though I enter correct password when prompted, the Mac says there is a "problem joining the selected network". New 1.52.2 firmware available as of 7/2/2007. Tried to install, but formatted as .bin file, which I don't seem able to open or execute. Someone named Larry_Kahan on Linksys forum thread, says "Do not expand the .bin file. Just start the update routine and point the router at the downloaded .bin file." and provides specific steps.

One suggestion offered on linksys forum is to insert $ before one of the alternate WEP key (i.e., as alternative to entering password?).

Apple Discussions has a similar thread.

Personal install disk designed for Windows O.S. only. Able to patch to router with physical cable. Also, O.S. X recognizes suzukinet signal, but not correct password. Trying to diagnose problem at local unit address, i.e., http://192.168.1.1.

If all else fails, install Bootcamp, and access the router via Windows XP.


[2005-12-13]
Motorola Surfboard FAQs

Online rebate form

www.rebatestatus.com - Results

Comcast New Haven service packages

New Haven Service Center:
630 Chapel Street
M - T 8:00-5:00; F - 8:00-6:00 PM;
SAT - 8:00 - 12:00

[2005-12-03]
Per Zoom Tech Support: Windows 2000 and XP Users: You must install the software before installing the PC Card. Software not yet tested with Windows XP logo, according to installer/OS. And then: "Unable to initiate HotSync operation because the port is in use by another application".

Unable to get Model 4312 Zoom Bluetooth PC Card Adapter to talk with Tungsten E2. Purchased card through Amazon for $54.99 on Dec. 23, Order #: 103-0127648-1186243 .

Telephone: (561) 997-9686
Fax: (561) 997-2163
E-mail: Personal Assistance
(8:30 AM - 11:00 PM ET, Monday-Friday)
(9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET, Saturday)

[2004-01-04]
Walking through WEP steps with Linksys tech support.
At first, new setting worked with intermittent disconnects, but after disabling IEEE 802.1x authentication, it seemed to be all right. Earlier, I had been trying to set up the WPA (Wireless Protected Access) to my Linksys WRT54G wireless router. I found what appears to be a set of instructions for this procedure on the 10 most frequently asked questions on the Linksys Support Page. I'm also waiting on the phone for a tech support person, since I'm finding the instruction a bit vague.