A friend twittered this earlier today:
Electoral vote predictions
It really is going to be a close call again. *SIGH*
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Saturday, October 04, 2008
More Music-Brief and non-Comprehensive
Due to some unfortunately circumstances (death of a church member), Grendel decided to cut his presentation on the history of modern music a bit tomorrow, to leave time for discussion of the tragedy.
As a result, instead of doing six CDs worth of music history, we ended up with two (plus the CD of covers and parodies previously mentioned). This means we weren't as comprehensive as we hoped to be (and even one CD a decade was in adequate). We decided to pick two or three songs from each 5th year of the span, songs that we felt were representative of or important that year. We took a little license by a year or two when we thought a song needed to be pulled in. Here is the final playlist for our History of Modern Music (super Reader's Digest version):
Overall, the project was a lot of fun. Now I have the Herculean task of putting all the CDs away that we ripped from this week (plus a bunch others that have been stacking up).
As a result, instead of doing six CDs worth of music history, we ended up with two (plus the CD of covers and parodies previously mentioned). This means we weren't as comprehensive as we hoped to be (and even one CD a decade was in adequate). We decided to pick two or three songs from each 5th year of the span, songs that we felt were representative of or important that year. We took a little license by a year or two when we thought a song needed to be pulled in. Here is the final playlist for our History of Modern Music (super Reader's Digest version):
1950
Rag Mop-The Ames Brothers
Rolling Stone-Muddy Watters
1955
Rock Around the Clock-Bill Haley
Maybellene-Chuck Berry
1960
Cathy's Clown-The Everly Brothers
The Twist-Chubby Checker
1965
Wooly Bully-Sam the Sham and the Pharoes
I Can't Help Myself-The Four Tops
1970
Evil Ways-Santana
I'll Be There-Jackson Five
1975
Get Down Tonight-K.C. and the Sunshine Band
We Will Rock You-Queen
1980
What I Like About You-The Romantics
Rappers Delight-Sugar Hill Gang
1985-86
Material Girl-Madonna
Fight For Your Right (to party)-Beastie Boys
Ride The Lightening-Metalica
1990
Vogue-Madonna
Ice Ice Baby-Vanilla Ice
1995
Jeremy-Pearl Jam
Hey Lover-LL Cool Jay
2000
Smooth-Santana w/Rob Thomas
Lose Yourself-Eminem
It Wasn't Me-Shaggy
2005
Holiday-Green Day
Snow-Red Hot Chili Peppers
Welcome Home-Coheed & Cambria
2008
Paper Planes-M.I.A.
Handlebars-Flobots
Good to be a Geek-Deaf Pedestrians
Overall, the project was a lot of fun. Now I have the Herculean task of putting all the CDs away that we ripped from this week (plus a bunch others that have been stacking up).
More Music-A History Through Covers and Parodies
Part of Grendel's presentation on the history of modern popular music will focus on looking at stylistic history through covers and parodies of songs (since imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?). Here's the playlist for that CD. We identified more, but we had to cut it down so it would fit on one CD:
1. Hound Dog-Big Mama Thorton (1952)
2. Hound Dog-Elvis Presley (1957)
3. I Fought the Law-Sonny Curtis (1959)
4. I Fought the Law-The Bobby Fuller Four (1966)
5. I Fought the Law-The Clash (1979)
6. I Fought the Law (and I won)-Dead Kennedys (1987)
7. I Fought the Law-Green Day (2004)
8. Crimson and Clover-Tommy James and the Shondells (1968)
9. Crimson and Clover-Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (1981)
10. Love Hurts-Roy Orbison (1961)
11. Love Hurts-Nazareth (1975)
12. Signs-Five Man Electrical Band (1970)
13. Signs-Tesla (1990)
14. American Woman-The Guess Who (1970)
15. American Woman-Lenny Kravitz (1999)
16. Walk This Way-Aerosmith (1975)
17. Walk This Way-Run-D.M.C. (1986)
18. Rock and Roll Music-Chuck Berry (1957)
19. Rock and Roll Music-The Beach Boys (1976)
20. Rock and Roll Music-The Punkles (2002)
21. Ridin'-Chamillionaire (2005)
22. White & Nerday-Weird Al (2006)
23. Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)-The Offspring (1998)
24. Pretty Fly for a Rabbi-Weird Al (1999)
1. Hound Dog-Big Mama Thorton (1952)
2. Hound Dog-Elvis Presley (1957)
3. I Fought the Law-Sonny Curtis (1959)
4. I Fought the Law-The Bobby Fuller Four (1966)
5. I Fought the Law-The Clash (1979)
6. I Fought the Law (and I won)-Dead Kennedys (1987)
7. I Fought the Law-Green Day (2004)
8. Crimson and Clover-Tommy James and the Shondells (1968)
9. Crimson and Clover-Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (1981)
10. Love Hurts-Roy Orbison (1961)
11. Love Hurts-Nazareth (1975)
12. Signs-Five Man Electrical Band (1970)
13. Signs-Tesla (1990)
14. American Woman-The Guess Who (1970)
15. American Woman-Lenny Kravitz (1999)
16. Walk This Way-Aerosmith (1975)
17. Walk This Way-Run-D.M.C. (1986)
18. Rock and Roll Music-Chuck Berry (1957)
19. Rock and Roll Music-The Beach Boys (1976)
20. Rock and Roll Music-The Punkles (2002)
21. Ridin'-Chamillionaire (2005)
22. White & Nerday-Weird Al (2006)
23. Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)-The Offspring (1998)
24. Pretty Fly for a Rabbi-Weird Al (1999)
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Public opinion on the VeeP candidates
Interesting public opinion numbers on the qualification of the Vice Presidential candidates going into the debate tonight. I hope they run another survey after. That'll be truly telling. Let's see if all of Palin's cramming she's been doing at the McCain ranch this week pays off.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
The devil you know
For the last three weeks, I have been waiting to hear back from Mitre. They sounded really interested in bringing me on board. I had mixed feelings about jumping ship (less leave, uncertainty, initially less challenging work versus shorter commute, learning environment, supposedly a great place to work for). Well, it's not going to happen.
Yesterday, the HR person called me on my cell (though I'd given her my land line number) to ask me if my salary was negotiable. Three weeks ago, they asked me what I wanted. I said that I wanted to make 6% more than I make now (since I expect to be getting some sort of raise in a couple of months, and I'd be losing nearly two weeks of time off). She said that they couldn't even offer me what I make currently. How would I feel about an 8% cut? ... Um, no thanks.
I am somewhat frustrated and concerned about some things in my current environment. However, I am not alone in my feelings. I am a valuable contributor (even if the CIO doesn't treat anyone like they're valuable). I have a pretty great direct boss now. I get paid really well, get great holidays, flexible sick leave, and four weeks of vacation a year. I'm fighting for a lot of operational/expectation things. I have a chance to win a few, I think. If push came to shove, I could probably maneuver myself into a non-IT job in one of our research groups.
Mitre would be a good next step on my resume. However, I'm only willing to compromise so much. Maybe they'll think of me if something closer to my salary range opens up. Maybe not.
For now, I'm content. The devil I know is not so bad this week.
Yesterday, the HR person called me on my cell (though I'd given her my land line number) to ask me if my salary was negotiable. Three weeks ago, they asked me what I wanted. I said that I wanted to make 6% more than I make now (since I expect to be getting some sort of raise in a couple of months, and I'd be losing nearly two weeks of time off). She said that they couldn't even offer me what I make currently. How would I feel about an 8% cut? ... Um, no thanks.
I am somewhat frustrated and concerned about some things in my current environment. However, I am not alone in my feelings. I am a valuable contributor (even if the CIO doesn't treat anyone like they're valuable). I have a pretty great direct boss now. I get paid really well, get great holidays, flexible sick leave, and four weeks of vacation a year. I'm fighting for a lot of operational/expectation things. I have a chance to win a few, I think. If push came to shove, I could probably maneuver myself into a non-IT job in one of our research groups.
Mitre would be a good next step on my resume. However, I'm only willing to compromise so much. Maybe they'll think of me if something closer to my salary range opens up. Maybe not.
For now, I'm content. The devil I know is not so bad this week.
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