Running Green

First day of new running kicks today. These are the END (Environmentally Neutral Design) running shoe. I've been wearing Asics for years, but when I heard about these, I wanted to check them out.

I heard the company was started by former Columbia and Nike folks, so there's a certain amount of gear know-how behind these. You can check out the website for the details (warning: turn down your speakers first!) but these shoes are made of a bunch of recycled bits in the sole, and if the upper was any more sparsely constructed, they'd be sandals.

None of which matters if they don't feel right on a run. I went out for the first time today on regular 5 mile run and felt really nice in these. Light and unobtrusive. I ran fast. I had no idea my ankles were so pale.

Red Meat

heart disease
cancer
environmental pollution
global warming
depletion of potable water
artery-damaging cholesterol
elevated blood pressure
carcinogens
nitrosamines
colon cancer
prostate cancer
ovarian cancer

Inspired. Awesome.

Has it been a while since you've seen something new? Feast your eyes:

The Hottness of the Trent Abbe Mix

Trent Abbe, my friend and personal DJ hero, is emerging from his secret hideout to grace the decks at the DEMF (or whatever it's called these days) after-event to be at, on Saturday May 23rd. The lovely people at Blank Artists have made a classic mix available on the internets which you should listen to if you appreciate quality and goodness.

A Plumb With Aplomb

I fixed the leaky kitchen sink faucet, and I'm feeling pretty awesome about it. The hot water has had a drip since I moved into my apartment a month ago, but NO MORE! So I'm patting myself on the back, and I'm gonna let the back of my pants hang just a little bit lower tonight. I've earned it.

We Are The Jailingest Country On The Planet

I have a short list called "If I Were King Of The World, I'd. . ." and somewhere near the top is the decriminalization of drugs. I could try to wax poetic about why I feel that way, but David Simon's take is a better listen. He's the creator of one of the best TV shows ever produced - "The Wire" -, a former crime reporter for the Baltimore Sun, and he's the most recent guest of Bill Moyers, and the best interview I've heard there in a while. The poor, the working class, the press, drugs, politics, David Simon's gig is looking straight in the eye all the things most of us would probably rather pretend don't exist, and finding ways to make us get it.

The guy is a bit of a pessimist and a crank, but maybe that's because he's not averting his eyes or deluding himself. Things may or may not be this bad, but it seems that few people have framed the issues in as compelling a manner as David Simon.

Wheel Gymnastics

I had no idea this existed before today. Apparently Chicago is a hotspot for this, and the national championships were held here a few weeks back. This girl in this video is German and apparently one of the best in the world! It gave my brain a pleasant tweaking to see this. There were a few moments where I thought she'd get smushed!

Urgency

The White House has reportedly been discussing, as a last resort, massive climactic engineering projects, a la spewing a bunch of sunlight-deflecting pollution into the air to keep the planet cool. (AP blurb)

Finally a tone of urgency that belies an understanding of the scope of the problem.

Only slightly less alarming: Obama's Energy Secretary said the Earth is like the Titanic and on a collision course with disaster unless we make changes.

NYT on "Ran"

Perhaps my favorite film, by my favorite filmmaker - Akira Kurosawa's Ran - get the mini-essay treatment from NYT's A.O. Scott. The end is given away though (Spoiler Alert!), so if you haven't seen it, I think you should set some time aside and watch it. I'll never forget watching Ran for the first time. Kurosawa is my favorite master of the big truths, and in this film he really nails the big visuals.

Here's a non-spoiling trailer:

Line Dry Nation

Last month I moved into a new apartment and I'm settling in nicely. Today I saw the owner of the building (very accessible, as he lives directly above me) and I asked about a clothesline for line drying laundry. We have a nice little green space in the back of our building that would be the perfect spot for one. He said he hadn't ever thought of it, and I was the first who had ever asked, but yeah, sure! The owner of the building is cool.

Yehuda Moon Comics

Recently discovered the lovely Yehuda Moon comic strip. It's not about me, though it's not much of a stretch (except that I wear a helmet). It nicely captures a lot of the lovely bits about the commuter lifestyle.

(I didn't drive to work at all this winter!)

Electrifying Mojo

As long as it's on topic (awesome old school Detroit, that is) here's some Electrifying Mojo. Not hard to see why he was so influential. Hard to find DJ's like that anywhere. Personally, since moving to Chicago, I've really enjoyed weekend afternoons with Herb Kent on 102.7. A good DJ needs excellent taste in music, a good voice, and a great personality. All three together, and, well, listen for yourself.

New Dance Show on Boing Boing

The Boingers are going crazy over old school clips of the Detroit TV afternoon dance shows. As a kid in the Detroit burbs, watching that stuff was alluring and vaguely unsettling at the same time. I remember thinking it was so low budget, I doubted anyone was really watching, but on day in eighth grade, my English teacher referenced the guy in the cape on the New Dance Show. The class ate it up, and he won the day. One thing is for sure, it left indelible memories. If you tube had nothing other than clips from The Scene and The New Dance Show, it would still be a smashing success. Follow the link.

Spartans are doing it.

Osborne is doing it.

New EP's title cut is funky and spacy and fresh and groovy and feel good and dancey and modern and retro and timeless and puts a smile on my face, in other words, just as good as you would expect. And the recent Ghostly podcast is the freshest mix since Coldcut's.

Dr. Bronner is doing it.

When it comes to soap, I buy in bulk. Peppermint sucka!