Aside

The scene: Curt Poff (Macworld’s Online Managing Editor) and Cyrus Farivar (Macworld’s Assistant Editor) sit across from one another in the offices of Macworld. It’s still early in the day, so hardly anyone else is around. Curt gets up and walks past Cyrus’ desk: CP: “You know, it’s funny that Bush is still calling our forces in Iraq a coalition.” CF: “Who’s left in our coalition?” CP: “Us, Britain and about eight Pakistanis who can’t get out. Their visas expired.”…

If you miss this one, we’ll be performing again in about a month in Castro Valley — but I would love to see any/all of you tonight! Wednesday, March 22: Gifts of Love Benefit. 7:30 p.m. at Bishop O’Dowd High School, 9500 Stearns Ave., Oakland. The Bishop O’Dowd High School Symphonic Band and the Castro Valley Adult School Band will perform several musical selections separately and will also play two selections together. Conductors: Kathy Maier, Castro Valley Adult School Band…

I have two articles in this month’s Popular Mechanics. Too bad I can’t find the articles online.

Here’s an awesome photo of my favorite bridge. The Chronicle published it today in conjunction with this piece saying that the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge won’t be done until 2013. Most interesting part comes from the timeline: November 1998: Residents of San Francisco, Oakland, Emeryville and Berkeley vote that passenger rail service should be “part of the redesign of the Bay Bridge” — an advisory measure initiated by Willie Brown. Awesome!

A Very Happy New Year to All! I have the good fortune this year of being able to celebrate Noruz with my family tomorrow morning following a ridiculously early flight to LA (6 am) — and will be back 16 hours later. Norouz is the festival of (the first day of) spring and the beginning of the Iranian Year. It is celebrated by some communities on March 21st, and by others on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which…

Wednesday, March 22: Gifts of Love Benefit. 7:30 p.m. at Bishop O’Dowd High School, 9500 Stearns Ave., Oakland. The Bishop O’Dowd High School Symphonic Band and the Castro Valley Adult School Band will perform several musical selections separately and will also play two selections together. Conductors: Kathy Maier, Castro Valley Adult School Band and Leonard Rossi, BOD Symphonic Band. A donation will be accepted by all those in attendance. Proceeds go to the Gifts of Love program, sponsored by the…

My piece from The Economist was linked on Digg.com today!

Robert Siegel, a host of “All Things Considered,” with Nina Totenberg. Firstly, I love NPR. Secondly, I love this photograph. Thirdly, go read this NYT piece about NPR.

I’m a Trader Joe’s kid. When I was growing up in Santa Monica, our nearest TJ’s was the on National Blvd. in West LA. By my high school days, one had opened up in our fair city. Without exaggeration, 80% of the foodstuffs (and other random items, including laundry detergent and shampoo) came from TJ’s — the only things that we didn’t get there were things that couldn’t be had there. Back in the day, this included any fresh produce…

I’ll be playing clarinet (but not in this uniform — that was from my high school days) along with the rest of the Castro Valley Adult School Band, in concert next week with the Bishop O’Dowd Symphonic Winds: Wednesday, March 22 Gifts of Love Benefit. 7:30 p.m. at Bishop O’Dowd High School, 9500 Stearns Ave., Oakland. The Bishop O’Dowd High School Symphonic Band and the Castro Valley Adult School Band will perform several musical selections separately and will also play…