Algebra

If all art aspires to the condition of music, all the sciences aspire to the condition of mathematics. - George Santayana

By finding this quote, which equates two ideas which I hold in parallel esteem, I have embarked on a new study. I will learn of this man and his ideas.

And I began my research on the interwebs ;)

And I found that one of three copies of the critical edition of his autobiography held by public libraries in Wisconsin resided on the sixth floor of the Cofrin Library on the campus of the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. So Jamie and Logan and I went to find the book - along with a couple of geocaches in the area.

From reading the first section of the introduction, I am enjoying learning the way he thought.

I love me some wisdom.

A little girl goes to school

Here's a neat story about a class project in a Milwaukee school. The children worked to honor Ruby Bridges, who was the girl in Norman Rockwell's painting, The Problem We All Live With.

Ball hog

Okay. I want to follow the Milwaukee Bucks.

But I cannot stand that they are just part of David Stern's Sims empire.

For far too long, this man has orchestrated this major sports association as an investment portfolio. And it is - for 30 particular billionaires. But why should I invest my merchandise dollars - and the heart of a true sports fan - in a no-return con?

All these men, with their enviable athletic skills, earned through a lifetime of hard work, are just six-foot-plus pawns. I love the sport of basketball. From father and son HORSE, through teenagers showing off their adolescent energy, to the cream-of-the-crop mega-season of 10,000 games which belongs to the First Division of NCAA Basketball - we challenge each other - my skill-set against yours. Until we reach the boatman, David Stern. He demands one coin - your sporting soul - if you want to enter his league.

And so we have a new equation,

NBA+D.S.=WWF

And tonight, a hundred million people who enjoy a good challenge will watch another sport. The Colts look very good, but you know that the Saints have a chance.

Which is more than sportsfans have with David Stern leading the NBA.

[note(3/7/10): just found the clip of the play that inspired my rant, though I've felt for quite awhile that the NBA leans too far towards show and away from sport.]

Image manipulation

That was cool. I just used GIMP to make Jon Stewart disappear.

COTM

One of my geocaches was chosen as the Cache of The Month by the Wisconsin Geocaching Association for January. Validation!

Brule

The kids and I went skiing at Brule last weekend. Their first time. We went with the VonOepens and Craig Sackett. And we found out on Facebook on Friday that The Scobey-Polaceks were heading up there, too. We met them for a quick visit at a lodge on the slopes. Had a lot of fun. But we were so busy I hardly took any pictures or videos.

A day with time

Holy wah! Life is busy. I enjoy days like this. Unplanned time. So maybe I'll use a little to catch-up here.

Last night, Tim Boenski, a route-driver who works with me - and plays drums, and knows Dan, went over to jam at Dan's. I mostly held my own with the two veterans of the music scene. Although they just knew songs, and then if they didn't they could follow anyways - where I needed instructions.

Except the first song, ironically. We were plugged-in and Dan said, "let's start out with something easy, Johnny - Folsum." And we just played it. Right through. And it sounded like we had played together for awhile. That was cool.

And we played a bunch more. It was a good night.