Obvious Diversion » Personal

Arthur C. Clarke Goes Up to That Giant Crazy Space Baby in the Sky

Christian — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:41:42 +0000

I can think of few thinkers who had more of an impact on my formative years that Arthur C. Clarke. One viewing of 2001 as a teenager, and I went down a path of reading every Clarke book I could get my hands on at the library. He’ll be missed.

One of the obvious advantages to radio…

Christian — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:56:29 +0000

“You can really dress up and nobody can say you’re pretentious.”

A gem from the Dr Katz podcast Hey, We’re Back!
iTunes link to Hey, We’re Back!

A Baboon Tried to Beat Up My Grandma

Christian — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 19:45:52 +0000

How often do you get to write a title like that while employing no hyperbole? Here’s a picture of the offender:

Get your hands off my grandma, you damn dirty ape.

In her own words:

I had a fight with a baboon and, believe it or not, I won. It was one of those times when you don’t know what you are doing until after it is over.

My grandmother has spent quite a few years now living in Rwanda to help care for orphans. It’s good work to say the least and we’re proud of her.

And, yes, she survived her battle of the primates.

This Baboon left some black and blue marks and a bad memory for me but no harm done.

The Most Delightfully Horrifying Photograph I’ve Ever Seen

Christian — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 06:54:56 +0000

This picture of my friend and 2045 compatriot Joe may be the most delightfully horrifying thing I have ever seen. If you were going to do a modern remake of H.R. Pufnstuf mashed up with Pee-wee’s Playhouse, this face would be both it’s basis and inspiration.

Please send all therapy bills directly to Joe.

Obvious Diversion Album of the Year: Year of Meteors by Laura Veirs

Christian — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:51:09 +0000

Once a year I violate my “no music reviews” policy and trot out my annual favorite for you to applaud, explore or ignore. Choose wisely.

This year’s choice? Year of Meteors by Laura Veirs. After ripping this CD into iTunes, it has been played constantly to the point of annoying anyone within my personal blast radius. I’ve seen it termed as folk music, but it certainly doesn’t feel like folk to me. It just feels smart and clever without any sense of pretense. Plus, I saw her standing on a street corner at one point and, well, instant crush.

Year of Meteors on
iTunes
Easy Street Records
Amazon

The Runner Up

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention The Blue Scholars and their self-titled debut. This is unquestionably young hip-hop, but it screams potential. Take a listen to track 4, Motion Movement, and if you aren’t sold, you aren’t human.

2004′s Pick: Heroes to Zeros by The Beta Band

The Ricky Gervais Podcast

Christian — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 19:07:11 +0000

I listen to probably around twenty podcasts, but my absolute favorite at this point has to be The Ricky Gervais Podcast. While listening to Episode 1, I found myself laughing out loud while riding the bus to work (yep, I was that crazy guy who was laughing on the bus). Episode 2 is somewhat lower on the funny scale, but is still pretty good.

The Ricky Gervais Show on iTunes
The Ricky Gervais Show on MP3 and MP4

When a Blogger Meets a Blogger Coming Through the Rye

Christian — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 07:12:34 +0000

I’ve often wondered about the situation where a blogger asks another blogger to meet in person and meets the individual behind the blog or curtain or modified wordpress install. At the invitation of Ginnie, the author of I Absolutely Hate the Word Blog, I did exactly that. Much like enjoying a post-Dances With Wolves Kevin Costner movie, you know it happens, you hear about it happening to other people, but it’s never happened to you.

On this last night of legal indoor Seattle smokery, we met at 611 Supreme which met the requirements of one such semi-anonymous, sight-unseen meeting: well appointed exits (because you never know what sort of psychopaths write these blog things) and a decently fleshed out drink menu (because if you’re going to leave your apartment then you’d better go to a place that has a better selection than tap water, purple stuff and Sunny D).

What was learned? I had assumed from her prodigious writing on her site that she was a writer of some sort, but it turns out she’s not. I won’t reveal her secret professional identity (~~client-attorney~~ blogger-blogger confidentiality), but she roughly lives in the category of those who are doing one thing and are searching for another as yet unknown thing. Oh, and if you find yourself clutching your keys for an extended period of time, it means you have to pee. I think Freud discovered that gem first. One last factoid to pass on: if you find yourself planning one of these meetings, make sure to clear the bar of anyone sharing a name of either of the two participants or you may end up talking to the wrong person for an extended period of time. I’ll let Ginnie tell that story.

All in all, it was a worthwhile excursion, but after you head home two obvious questions pop into your head.

Will they blog it and, if so, what will they say?

My Podcast Debut on Bruno and the Professor

Christian — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 08:05:51 +0000

Although I’ve done KUOW (Seattle’s NPR station) before, I made my podcast debut last week on Bruno and the Professor talking about my recent political foray in Seattle and the future in general.

Episode222.mp3

Last Week In The Stranger

Christian — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 06:26:42 +0000

Last week, I made the pages of The Stranger along with a bunch of fellow troublemakers. If you’re curious as to how I don’t value my free time, check it out. Also, the issue that just came out has my Mayor Gridlock parody site on the cover.

The Last Idealists
Dreading a Future without Mass Transit, Young Activists Stage Long-Shot Battle to Save The Monorail

Of Warnings and Disasters in the Places We Call Home

Christian — Fri, 02 Sep 2005 07:19:27 +0000

Back in 2002, I watched an episode of NOW with Bill Moyers where they talked about what would happen if a major storm went through New Orleans. If you have a few minutes, listen to the audio of this particular story. It’s from three years ago, but it tells us a lot about how we act on what we know. Here’s an excerpt.

DANIEL ZWERDLING: Suhayda studies hurricanes. And he’s brought me to the French Quarter to show what could happen if the most powerful kind of hurricane hits New Orleans.

JOE SUHAYDA: So this indicates the depth of water that would occur above this ground in a category five hurricane.

DANIEL ZWERDLING: It’s hard to comprehend, really.

JOE SUHAYDA: It is really, to think that that much water would occur during this catastrophic storm.

DANIEL ZWERDLING: So basically the part of New Orleans that most people in the United States and around the world think of as New Orleans would disappear under water.

JOE SUHAYDA:: That’s right. During the worst of the storm, most of this area would be covered by 15 to 20 feet of water.

DANIEL ZWERDLING: Do you expect this kind of hurricane and this kind of flooding to hit New Orleans in our lifetime?

JOE SUHUYDA: Well, there– I would say the probability is yes. In terms of past experience, we’ve had three storms that were near-misses that could’ve done at least something close to this.

I remember this program and I think of the other warnings I’ve heard. In Seattle, I worry about a catastrophic earthquake that could bring down numerous buildings and highways as well as the sea wall that protects downtown. In New York, I would have conversations about the dangers of a terrorist attack on the Indian Point Nuclear Plant only 35 miles away from Manhattan. On a global level, I think of everything we know about pollution, global warming and the destruction of so many of our natural wonders for too little in return. We’ve been warned about so much and I can’t help but wonder that we don’t take it seriously enough.

If you love your city, wake up to it’s strengths and it’s weaknesses and do what you can to make it a stronger and better place. And of course, if you have the means, give what you can to aid our brothers and sisters in New Orleans by donating to the Red Cross.