Cafe Jack - Yahoo!

Who do we blame when the enemy is gone?

Maybe as Walt Kelly wrote, "We have met the enemy and he is us."

Things are easier if we don't have to take responsibility for our situation - if it's him or her or them that cause us to be poor, unhappy, stressed, or whatever - we can avoid the hard work of creating positive change.

That holds true for individuals as well as countries - having an enemy is necessary to maintain the charade that the situation we are in isn't because of what we do, but because of what someone else does.

Posted by Jack at 04:14 AM | Permalink

On June 26, 1963 U.S. President John F. Kennedy gave a speech in West Berlin where he used the phrase Ich bin ein Berliner. The speech was moving and historically important at a time when Berlin was divided and JFK was making the point that being free is something to take pride in and freedom is a precious right, to be guarded and defended by all people.

Unfortunately the speech was undermined slightly by an Urban Legend that sprung up that the phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner!" did not mean JFK was proud to be a citizen of Berlin on that day, but rather he was proud to be a jelly doughnut.

Turns out that is not the case - citizens of Berlin do refer to themselves as Berliners, and the phrase was grammatically correct. It's a weird urban legend that found it's way into the New York Times and into popular culture.

Posted by Jack at 04:16 AM | Permalink

This recipe for 'Dal, Chilean Style on NPR sounds good. It's one of the recipes submitted for the "how low can you go" contest where chefs prepare a dinner for four people for less than 10 dollars. This one costs less than 6 dollars. From the NPR website -

Dal, Chilean Style

3 cups of lentils
2 cups of chopped potatoes
2 chopped carrots
3 chopped tomatoes
1 hot pepper
1 small onion chopped
2 gloves garlic chopped
16 ounces tomato sauce
1 tsp cumin
a little beer or sherry
a little red vinegar
olive oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

1. Soak and cook lentils till soft. Drain and rinse, set aside.
2. Sautee onions, garlic, hot pepper, and cumin in olive oil. Add beer or sherry.
3. Add potatoes and carrots, cover with water, bring to boil.
4. Add tomatoes and cook till potatoes are soft.
5. Add lentils and tomato sauce.
6. Salt and pepper to taste. (I sometimes add more water or beer if it's too thick, or vinegar if it's too sweet.) Add more cumin or hot sauce if you like it really spicy.
7. Throw in the cilantro, take if off the heat. Serve after a few minutes.

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e.e. cummings

We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit.

From inward/outward an ongoing, online conversation sponsored by Church of the Saviour in Washington, DC.

Posted by Jack at 06:47 PM | Permalink

Some of the most popular novels in Japan have been written on cell phones.

Maybe it's my age or my chubby fingers but I can't imagine typing a 300 page novel on a cell phone. The young woman who wrote one of these novels finished it in 19 days and says she can type faster on a cell phone than a keyboard.

Cell phone novels came about after Japanese cell phone companies began offering unlimited packet data and became popular with young women who grew up using cell phones more than personal computers.

The New York Times covered this story today at Thumbs Race as Japan’s Best Sellers Go Cellular - New York Times, the New Yorker covered it in the December 22nd edition Letter from Japan: I ♥ Novels: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker.and Wired covered it in January 2007 Big Books Hit Japan's Tiny Phones

Posted by Jack at 07:27 PM | Permalink

"Everything can be taken from a person but ... the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

Victor Frankl

Posted by Jack at 08:20 AM | Permalink

I wanted to make a reservation on Alaska Air this morning. Normally I'd do this on the web but couldn't in this case. I called their reservation number 1-800-252-7522 just after 5 AM and have been listening to muzak for over 42 minutes.

I'll probably hang up soon because I have other things to do.

Posted by Jack at 05:58 AM | Permalink

“I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Posted by Jack at 07:07 PM | Permalink

Buy Obama Memorabila at Amazon.com

Posted by Jack at 08:17 PM | Permalink

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This question and answer session is from last November but Barack Obama does a good job of describing his philosophy and political viewpoints.

He reiterates John Kennedy's statement that we should never negotiate out of fear but we should never fear to negotiate, and the fallacy that refusing to talk to our enemies makes us look "tough", when it actually makes us look arrogant.

His tone is very good - reassuring, inclusive and hopeful.

He talks about the importance of early childhood education, K-12 and the importance of teachers and rewarding them for being great by paying them higher salaries and making college more affordable.

I just think it's cool that he can articulate so many intelligent thoughts on a broad range of topics, with such ease - we need a smart guy like that in office.

Posted by Jack at 08:53 PM | Permalink

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Japanese scientists have created a microscopic noodle bowl using nanotechnology.

Just thought you might like to know.

Posted by Jack at 09:22 PM | Permalink

Instructables is a fun site to browse through for a huge variety of interesting and sometimes off-beat projects, recipes, computer tips, crafts and ideas. Categories include art, craft, food, games, green, home, kids, life, offbeat, pets, photography, ride and tech.

Some samples - How to Make a Chicken Costume, How to Hit The Road on The Cheap, Get Big Money for Dead Batteries, How to Patch a Flat Tire on a Bicycle , World's Best Shoe Knot and How to Amuse Toddlers.

Posted by Jack at 06:18 PM | Permalink

"The current emphasis on standardized testing highlights analysis and procedure - meaning that few of us inherently use our innovative and collaborative modes of thought.

“This is the major rule in the American belief system — that anyone can do anything,” explains M. J. Ryan - “That’s a lie that we have perpetuated, and it fosters mediocrity. Knowing what you’re good at and doing even more of it creates excellence.”"

Source: Can You Become a Creature of New Habits? - New York Times

Posted by Jack at 07:36 PM | Permalink

Algae is the fastest growing plant on the planet. As much as 50% of it's weight is high grade vegetable oil (a lipid). It can be grown on non-arable land so it does not compete with food crops - although it can be used as a food product as well.

Estimates for gallons of oil produced per acre range from 5,000 to 20,000 gallons for an open pond system, 100,000 gallons for a closed-loop vertical system vs. about 20 to 30 gallons per acre for corn.

Here Comes Pond Scum Power
Algaculture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aquatic Species Program - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
DOE Biomass Publications
Valcent Products

Posted by jackcrossen at 03:59 PM | Permalink

I heard on the radio that a truck driver paid over 1000 dollars to fill up a semi. I wasn't sure if that was reasonable or not, but it seems like it is.

A big Peterbilt can have two 150 gallon tanks and diesel is going for 4 dollars or more a gallon....so if a trucker was on empty he'd pay 1200 dollars to fill up.

Letting market forces determine the price (and indirectly the supply and demand) of oil may end up being a little more free-market than people want, if it ends up meaning we can't transport the goods we depend on over-the-road truckers to deliver.

If Jimmy Carter's plan to raise CAFE standards in the late 70's would have been followed by Ronald Reagan and subsequent leaders we would at least have some more time to come up with a viable plan to provide our nations energy needs.

Posted by jackcrossen at 04:40 PM | Permalink

The Seattle Mariners open the 2008 season at Safeco Field this afternoon at 3:40 pm with a game against the Texas Rangers. The game will be televised on FSN channel 30 with radio coverage on KOMO AM 1000. The Mariners play the Rangers again on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:10 pm and then head to Baltimore to play the Orioles on Friday at 4:05 pm.

The Mariners have added a couple of new starting pitchers to their starting lineup this year. Erik Bedard, aquired from the Orioles, is number 1 in the rotation and Carlos Silva aquired from the Twins is number 3.

Bedard had a 13-5 win/loss record with a 3.16 ERA with the Orioles last year. Silva had a 13-14 win/loss record and a 4.19 ERA with the Twins last year.

Starting lineup

1. CF Ichiro Suzuki
2. 2B Jose Lopez
3. LF Raul Ibanez
4. 1B Richie Sexson
5. 3B Adrian Beltre
6. RF Brad Wilkerson
7. DH Jose Vidro
8. C Kenji Johjima
9. SS Yuniesky Betancourt

Pitching rotation

1. LHP Erik Bedard
2. RHP Felix Hernandez
3. RHP Carlos Silva
4. LHP Jarrod Washburn
5. RHP Miguel Batista

Bullpen

Closer: RHP J.J. Putz
Setup: RHP Brandon Morrow
Setup: LHP Eric O'Flaherty
Middle: RHP Sean Green
Middle: LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith
Long: RHP R.A. Dickey

Posted by jackcrossen at 05:42 AM | Permalink