KG is Kuh Gone

Do you think you would feel like any less of a man/basketball player if you were one of the five players (plus two first round draft picks) traded for just one tall dude?

756 Could Cost You

Steroids aside, it would be pretty exciting to catch Barry Bonds' 756th home run. Almost like winning the lottery, right?...Perhaps even more than you think.

Many people have placed the estimated value of home run ball #756 at a cool $500,000. What does that mean for that lucky fan that will spill his beer and dive across three people in order to make the catch of his life?

The IRS hasn't decided yet either. Would he instantly be taxed, as if winning the lottery? Or taxed only when the ball is sold? Whatever may happen, it will surely be one of the most-talked about and lucrative catches in history. Until someone catches 757.

Just Dial 255

Went to the Walker Art Center today for a guided tour of its permanent collection. It was great getting a tour of modern art that otherwise would leave me utterly confused.

If you live in Minneapolis you should try to make it to The Walker on a Thursday night before September 9th: there is a great Picasso exhibit going on, and Thursdays are free.

Find yourself at the gallery (or sitting at home on your couch) wanting to know more about Picasso's The Studio? The Walker has employed a slick idea considering that nearly everyone has a cell phone now. Dial their Audio Guide number -- 612.374.8200 -- and punch in code 255. Voila.

Summer Goodness

Summer to my family means fresh vegetables. Corn on the cob. More raspberries than you can dream. And last but not least, sun tea.



So I followed in my mother's footsteps and brewed me up a carafe.

What you need:
1 Carafe
Filtered Water
Honey
Mint
Basil (ask Addie, it's legit)
Black Tea
Green Mint Tea
Sun
A lazy afternoon

Talk about refreshing.

Songbird = Sweetness

Have you heard about Songbird yet? Think Firefox meets iTunes. It's your one-stop shop for everything multi-media. Open it up and play your iTunes library. Or browse to your favorite website, and Songbird will serve up in a sub-window any and all media found. Find a tune or a movie you like? Add it to your Songbird library and it's yours to queue whenever you wish. I'd try to sum up all what Songbird can do, but this video demonstration is about 1000 times easier to understand.

My vote for coolest app of 2007.

Nothing but the Facts

Bad News Bubble

This is what happens when you're a photoholic and music junky. Perhaps it is time to upgrade my 6 year old computer? Or maybe I just need to wipe away all those random pictures in triplicate that never make it up to Flickr...

DRM With Boundaries

I really dig the British electronica group Faithless. My brother's friend Joost introduced them to me. I still remember it like it was yesterday -- driving through the Netherlands in his Passat with its hip blue dials glowing from the dashboard while Sunday 8PM was grooving through the speakers. It was and still is one of my favorite memories from my European travels.

They are one of the few artists whose work I will purchase without giving any prior listen. So I was a little disappointed (yet excited at the same time) this weekend to discover that they came out with a new album this past year, only to be released in the UK.

I have since ordered it online, but it brought up some points that I found quite annoying:

• As globalized as the world has become, why do record companies choose to release certain albums in only one section of the world? Who does that benefit?
• I switched my iTunes settings to browse the UK's iTunes Store, only to be told upon attempted purchase that I was only allowed to buy from the US store. Thanks DRM.
• Record companies have been complaining loudly about slumping record sales in regards to the digital revolution, yet here I am attempting to buy music digitally from them and they won't let me? Don't you want my money?

7&7, 7&7, 7.7.07

The 7th of July delivered lots of sevens...

Anders and I went to the horse track at Canterbury Park. I've never been to a horse track before and thought it would be fun for a change.

On the 7th race, horse #7 won. Of course.

We went to a rooftop party that night and drank 7&7's, as well as O7s.

Any seven coincidences happen to anyone else?

In My Mind I'm Gone to [Colorado]

Spent a portion of last week in Colorado with part of the fam. Every time I visit I ask myself why I haven't moved there yet. We got in some good hiking:

• Gem Lake - Nice little hike. I've also done it at night with a full moon. Great night hike. I'd love to camp out at the little beach sometime (you can't camp there, so don't tell the rangers)
  
• Chasm Lake -- At the base of Long's Peak. Great hike with wonderful vistas once you get above the tree line. Next time I'll get up at 3 or 4 so I can capture the lake at sunrise. Apparently it offers a superb golden reflection of Long's.
  
• Deer Mountain -- Nice "little" mountain with good views. Go early to beat the crowds, as Jen and I had the summit all to ourselves for 45 minutes, but saw tons of people on their way up as we headed down.
  

Me, in 2D

What I'd look like in Springfield. Create yourself.

Lost Without WiFi?

If you're ever in Estes Park, CO and you desperately need to hop on the dot com, look no further than the Notchtop Bakery & Cafe. Its doors may be locked, but not its wireless signal. Sitting outside a coffee shop in your car at night in the dark isn't shady, it's resourceful.

I can't help it...

iWant. Friday, June 29th.

To Clad or not to Clad?

I'm in the market for some new pots and pans, and am not sure what to do. My mom purchased her set of steel pots over 35 years ago, and she still uses them to this day. So I know quality counts, and I'm a believer in steel (vs. everything non-stick).

Any recommendations?

I enjoy cooking, but am a long way from gourmet. I'm considering buying a set of Calphalons. But then here is a set of Cuisinarts that have gotten rave reviews and are much cheaper. Would I notice any difference if I splurged for All-Clad? Would I be happier 35 years down the road? Will McDonalds and Starbucks merge and dominate all American cuisine and cooking will become a thing of the past, just like glass soda bottles and slip 'n slides?

What should I do? (Achter?)

You're Pre-Approved

If you're anything like me, your mailbox gets bombarded daily by pre-approved credit card offers.

And if you're still anything like me, you want this unnecessary waste of paper to stop. The good news is there is something you can do about it. Go to www.OptOutPrescreen.com or call 888-5-OPTOUT.

Filling out the online form stops them for 5 years. Printing out the form and sending it in stops them for life. This doesn't in any way stop you from getting approved for a future credit card, it just stops the proliferation of unsolicited junk mail.

The fine print at the end of the process states that this might not stop all offerings, and that it depends on each business. I'm crossing my fingers. If nothing else, there is always this.

You Know You're a Bachelor When...

...you use your potato scrubber to clean your golf clubs. But you don't understand, these golf clubs feel like butta. And a little grass in the diet never hurt anybody, did it?

If I Were an Engineer...

...I would build dehumidifiers into basements, and use the collected water to:

1. Fill up toilet tanks
2. Water the lawn / garden
   

The Circle

Enjoy art? Enjoy meeting new people? Enjoy cocktails? Enjoy meeting new people over free cocktails while looking at art? Then the Minneapolis Institute of Arts' The Circle is for you...and me.

This past Thursday The Circle met at a private collector's home on Lake Minnetonka, and it was the most impressive event I've attended yet. The house was gorgeous, and the amount of art throughout the house and gardens was astounding. Be sure to check out the Flickr photos. Apparently I like to talk with my hands.

Voxtrot

Went to see Voxtrot at the Triple Rock Social Club last night with a few members of the music club. Au Revoir Simone and Sound Team opened for them. Voxtrot (from Austin, TX) put on a solid show even though they're really young. I have a feeling they won't be playing in venues like the Triple Rock (a small bar) for long.

Oddly enough, the best part of the night was standing at the back of the bar and watching the members of Au Revoir Simone and Sound Team dance their brains out to Voxtrot -- it really added an extra element to the show.

The absolute highlight however came when a random guy in the crowd went over to the bassist from Sound Team and, without any warning or communication, picked him up and passed him to his friend, as if a passing a crying baby off to its mother. Talk about extreme confusion. One minute the bassist was dancing some sort of indie-music inspired jig, the next he was being passed around as if he were a rag doll.

I guess you had to be there...typing it out doesn't capture the pure randomness and hilarity of the event. I literally could not stop laughing.

Minnesota Majestic

I watched my friend Matt play in the Minnesota Majestic this weekend (never mind the outdated graphic, but notice the semblance to the Masters logo).

It wasn't his best tournament, but it was still enjoyable on my end. I'm a decent disc golfer, but watching pros makes me feel like fool. I'm pretty sure the top pros can throw nearly twice as far as I can.