apple juice

It’s worth checking out this post (and blog) if you are interested in transit issues in Minneapolis…

Penn-ed in

“About 65% of Minneapolis residents have lived in their current dwelling for less than 10 years, according to the Census Bureau.  After 30 years, 89% of the city’s dwellings will have exchanged occupants.  Why then, is the design for a facility that will last for at some 60 years determined by the whims of the immediate neighbors?”

(Via Getting Around Minneapolis.)

one of my all-time favorite things on the internet, ever, (the show with ze frank) is coming back.

he’s funding it (a show with ze frank) on kickstarter if you’d like to kick in five bucks.

This analysis of an op-ed from the RIAA chief is worth a read:

RIAA Still Raging against Google, Wikipedia

“If a company has significant intellectual property that the Chinese and Russians are interested in, and you go over there with mobile devices, your devices will get penetrated,” said Joel F. Brenner, formerly the top counterintelligence official in the office of the director of national intelligence.

Traveling Light in a Time of Digital Thievery – NY Times

“whoa, daddy, you’re dressed fancy! what’cha doin?”

“I have to go to school tonight to chaperone a dance.”

“what’s that?

“what, chaperone?”

“yeah sha-per-rown!”

“I have to make sure the kids don’t dance too close!”

“Too close to what?”

my annual best of post!

Due to a lack of time in general for contemplating and reflecting on artistically relevant music, I’m blowing the doors off my annual best of post and including a whole slate of new categories. I hope you don’t mind.

8 great albums (in alphabetical order):

Bj̦rk РBiophilia

Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Mason Jennings – Minnesota

M83 – Hurry Up We’re Dreaming

Radiohead – King of Limbs

Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire

Washed Out – Within and Without

Wilco – The Whole Love

Zola Jesus – Conatus

The best hamburger I’ve ever eaten:

Village Whiskey – Philadelphia

Favorite New Restaurant:

Bachelor Farmer – Minneapolis

Favorite Pet Grooming Shop:

Royal Pet Beauty Shop – Minneapolis

Best Train Ride of the Year:

Shanghai Maglev

2nd Best Train Ride of the Year:

Acela Express from NYC to Philadelphia

The Only Movie I Saw In The Theater All Year (And it was good – though I realize it was released in December 2010)

True Grit

Favorite Travel (Wasn’t exactly a vacation)

China – big thanks to Breck for having me as a chaperone for the school trip. Amazing time.

 

Congress Actually Ends Taxpayer Funding Of Ethanol Subsidies

Yay!

I would support subsidies for actual “green” energy sources, however, ethanol is not one of those sources. Not only is it a net-energy loss (takes more energy to produce than what you get out) but…

“Using corn is the least productive way to make ethanol, at roughly 300 gallons per acre of feedstock. The Brazilian ethanol industry gets twice as many gallons per acre using sugar cane, and other feedstocks like switchgrass have been projected to produce up to 1,200 gallons per acre.”

So now, where is the investment in switchgrass ethanol?

Or perhaps we put a 50 cents / gallon tax on petroleum based road fuels?

(Via Green Car Reports.)