tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35570992010-04-19T22:24:25.141-05:00Red Letter DayMusings from Mike Silverman on subjects of interest ranging from politics to technology to culture to whatever else happens to be on my mind.Mikenoreply@blogger.comBlogger1865125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-56907618223552331432010-04-19T22:14:00.003-05:002010-04-19T22:24:25.153-05:00Moving DayBlogger is shutting down FTP publishing. That means that my days of using their service unfortunately must come to an end.<br />Because I host other content at my mikesilverman.com domain, I can't turn over the entire domain to a Blogger Custom Domain solution.<br /><br />I decided to move to WordPress. I think they have the most features of the various free non-self-hosted tools, and they certainly look the best on an iPhone. I'm also going to make use of Tumblr as a media hosting backup (especially since this account limits me to 500 MB of storage). As always, <a href="http://twitter.com/msilverman">Twitter</a> will probably remain my primary gateway to the world of shameless self-exposure.<br /><br />Just to make things clear, everything about this "old" blog will remain right here. I'm not deleting it. All the links will continue to work. It just will never be updated again. The main mikesilverman.com URL (http://www.mikesilverman.com) will likely shift from redirecting to this old blog to be a general portal to all of my various social media and other sites, as well as the the <a href="http://www.mikesilverman.com/wedding.html">wedding stuff</a>.<br /><br />My new blog, which I hope will be updated more frequently (I have stuff to say which can't be limited to 140 characters!) is right here:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://mikesilverman.wordpress.com/">http://mikesilverman.wordpress.com</a><br /></span><br /><br />The URL for the RSS feed for the new blog is:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://mikesilverman.wordpress.com/feed/">http://mikesilverman.wordpress.com/feed</a></span><br /><br />Thanks, and see you on the other side.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-5690761822355233143?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-43160896879954198042010-03-23T14:00:00.000-06:002010-03-23T14:01:06.077-06:00Unloading on uploadingBroadband upload speeds in my hometown of Lawrence stink. Lawrence Broadband Observer <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/2010/03/unloading-on-uploading.html">has more</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-4316089687995419804?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-52880295108277055402010-03-07T19:26:00.006-06:002010-03-10T16:26:42.917-06:00A brief meditation on "The Crazies"This contains spoilers. If you plan to see the movie "The Crazies" don't read this post.<br /><br /> <br />First of all, you have the deadliest virus known to man (even if the movie plot couldn't figure out if it was airborne or not), and you (the military) are going to put it in an airplane to fly it across the country? Yeah, I thought so. And you're going to put the stuff in some container that obviously can't withstand a plane crash. It wouldn't be dramatic otherwise, right? <br /><br />The timeline made no sense either. The coroner said the pilot of the plane had been in the water for a week. So the plane crashed and sat in the water for a week before the military got off their asses to do something?<br /><br />Also, why did they send the military into the contaminated zone to sweep all the people, try to separate the sick from the non-sick, and so forth? They were going to nuke the town. Why not just have a perimeter to stop people escaping, until you set the nuke off?<br /><br />And speaking of the nuke, I love how the protagonists outran an atomic explosion in a semi truck (hey at least they didn't ride it out in a refrigerator), and furthermore, they both stared at it going off in the middle of the night without, uh, you know, going blind.<br /><br />Of course, the military can obviously track individuals from orbit (like at the end) but they couldn't prevent the sheriff and his wife from you know, walking right past a huge roadblock to get out of town.<br /><br />By the way, I know the answers to all these questions. It is because it is Hollywood, and it is a movie. Duh.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-5288029510827705540?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-24362345198831609382010-02-10T11:40:00.002-06:002010-02-10T11:51:13.869-06:0043 years ago43 years ago, CBS News aired this 45-minute "news special" about the "homosexual problem" in America. <br /><br /><embed src="http://v.wordpress.com/wp-content/plugins/video/flvplayer.swf?ver=1.15" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="266" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="guid=eOGgr2II&width=400&height=266&qc_publisherId=p-18-mFEk4J448M" title=""></embed><br /><br /><a href="http://advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Television/The_Bad_Old_Days/">David White</a> of the Advocate watched and took notes:<br /><br /><i>This weekend, for my second visit to The Homosexuals, I took notes. And when I was done my pad of paper was a laundry list of every horrible thing you’ve ever heard about the gays: smothering mothers, mental illness, animalistic sexual gratification, society’s repulsion, promiscuity, recruitment, etc.<br /><br />Some quotes, some from Wallace, some from clergy and other “experts” on the subject:<br />“They frequent their own bars ... where they can act out…”<br />“The average homosexual isn’t capable of love.”<br />“Homosexuality is, in fact, a mental illness.”<br />“The church has a great deal of sympathy for those who are handicapped in this way.”<br />“[Being a homosexual] automatically rules out that [the man in question] will remain happy.”<br /><br />The men (no mention of lesbians is ever made) who aren’t on camera as representatives of fledgling gay rights groups at the time, like the Mattachine Society, are interviewed in shadow or behind plants, and say things like, “I know I’m sick inside ... immature.”</i><br /><br />Watching this video is wild. It is such a relic of a primitive time, but that time was only 43 years ago! Lots of people from then are even still alive today and can remember those times.<br /><br />The closest thing I can compare this report to would be like a TV broadcast from the Salem Witch Trials in which the reporters and audience just assumed that yeah, there were witches and of course you needed to have trials to punish them. The CBS story just assumes lots of stuff that is patently ridiculous now. It makes me wonder what people 43 years in the future will look back at us and think how primitive we are.<br /><br />Did any of the brave gay folks marching in that little picket line back then think that in 40 years they could get legally married in part of America? It would be fun to be a time traveller and go back and let some of them know what amazing things their efforts would bring forth only a few decades later.<br /><br />Luckily, at least <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Kameny">one of the gay leaders of that time</a> is still alive to see the fruits of his labor.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />(hat tips to <a href="http://toddshammer.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/the-homosexuals-cbs-1967/">Todd</a> and <a href="http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/02/flashback-1967-cbs-report-on-gays.html">JoeMyGod</a>.)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-2436234519883160938?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-1380080555153165482010-01-20T15:03:00.003-06:002010-01-20T16:48:09.757-06:00Nut up or shut up, DemocratsWith Brown's win, why don't the Democrats, instead of giving up, call the GOP's bluff on the filibuster?<br /><br />Negotiate a good compromise bill and put it up there. Make the GOP engage in a real filibuster, bringing the business of the Senate to a halt. While Scott Brown (or whoever) spends days on end reading "War and Peace" into the Congressional record, Obama and other should take the offensive, excoriating the filibustering Senators for blocking the business of the nation, and calling on a fair, simple, and straightforward up-or-down vote. <br /><br />Meanwhile, why doesn't the President, you know, try to sell his plan to the country? They guy used to know how to give a speech, and no matter how angry the teabaggers are at the thought of more people having health care, I don't think the majority of America actually likes having their health care decisions made by insurance company bureaucrats.<br /><br />That's what the Democrats would do if they had any balls. But of course, they don't, so they won't.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-138008055515316548?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-75855764850827876542009-11-03T16:51:00.000-06:002009-11-03T16:52:20.867-06:00My favorite (and least favorite) reads of the year so farThere's still two full months left in 2009, but it's never too early to start work on "best of" lists, in this case, for books. I read a lot. A lot. Probably too much. I should watch more TV. Maybe start drinking more. Try that crystal meth I've heard so much good stuff about. But, until then, here are the books that have touched me the most during 2009, so far. <br /><br /><i>First are the ten new books I enjoyed reading the most in the past year. I am not going to say these are the "best" books of the year, merely <b>my</b> best books. You'll notices a theme. I like speculative fiction, science, history, and cultural studies. You will not find this year's best romance novel here.<br /><br />So, in random order...</i><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1416594787">The Greatest Show on Earth"</a> by Richard Dawkins</b><br />A masterpiece, and one of the finest examples of quality, thoughtful, intellectual popular science writing I have ever read. If it were merely a thorough overview of evolutionary theory, it would be brilliant just on that alone, but Dawkins also manages to convey a beautiful sense of how science is done, as well as conveying his thoughts with a subtle wit and good humor lacking in his other, more strident books. If you love science, you need to read this book.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0575080590">Ark</a> by Stephen Baxter</b><br />"Ark" is the second book in Baxter's duology of planetary extinction from a massive flood. Baxter is known for his "hard science fiction" and "Ark" doesn't disappoint on that level, but what makes this book something special is the human element, as well as the sense of crushing, overwhelming loss, seasoned with the tiniest bit of hope that keeps moving as inexorably as the flood waters. "Ark" can be read as a standalone, but the prequel, "Flood" is nearly as good, so read it first.<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0307407950">Lost To the West</a> by Lars Brownworth</b><br />"Lost To the West" is what popular history is supposed to be. It is enlightening, and sheds light on a subject that few people - even those of us who like to think we know something about history - really understand other then as a dim caricature. I am referring to the Byzantine Empire, and Brownworth covers a millenium of history gloriously, with a full pageant of heroes, villains, emperors and patriarchs, with a good overview of the cultural and religious aspects of the empire as well. By necessity, he glosses over a lot of territory (literally and figuratively) but this is a general survey, and was a pleasure to read.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0307394042">The Illustrious Dead</a> by Stephan Talty</b><br />Speaking of great popular history, "The Illustrious Dead" manages to find a fresh look at a subject that has been trampled to death....Napoleon's invasion of Russia. What makes Talty's book unique is his focus on medical detective work, and the role of disease in crushing Napoleon's ambitions. An excellent mix of science and history, told in a lively fashion. This was probably my favorite history book of the year so far.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765319713">Julian Comstock</a> by Robert Charles Wilson</b><br />If I had to choose a "best book of 2009" this would be it. This book is so many things at once: a speculative look at America after our technological civilization is done away with by peak oil, a mediation on the role of history and the preservation (and loss of) knowledge, a rousing military buddy adventure story, a wry comedic social commentary a la Mark Twain, and simply a damn good read. "Julian Comstock" is an amazingly deft, thoughtful story, which will really make you think. I deeply identified with the characters and the deft nuance of the writing, and, yeah, I laughed out loud a few times as well. This book is a triumph.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553807536">Fragment</a> by William Fahey</b><br />"Fragment" is an old-fashioned scientific horror novel, kind of like Jurassic Park remixed and kicked up a notch. Of all the book I read in 2009, it is the most likely to be turned into a movie, and reading it, it feels almost cinematic. Although the book offers plenty of fascinating speculation, and lots of strange and hungry animals, there's also enough scientific exposition to make this book several levels more enjoyable then a mere gore-fest like "The Ruins" (which many have compared to this). A fun, smart action read.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767926145">Idiot America</a> by Charles Pierce</b><br />Sarcastic, smart, bitter, yet hopeful. I'd like to think that describes some of me, but even if it doesn't it certainly describes Charles Pierce, who lays bare the genius and depravity of America. This is not just some Michael Moore-ish rant, but rather a thoughtful and bitingly funny celebration of the American crank, ranging from radio shock jocks to Creation Science museum curators. Pierce explores the fauna and flora of American idiocy with a deft hand, and a firm grasp on the saddle (which is itself on top of a dinosaur at the creation museum).<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1594869561">Why Shit Happens</a> by Peter Bentley</b><br />You make up in the morning late because your alarm doesn't go off. Your toast falls on the floor, a bird craps on you as you walk outside, your car breaks down on the way to work, and your pen explodes in your packet. And this is all before 9 AM. Using as his hook a litany of minor disasters that we have all dealt with at one time or another, Bentley explores the science and technology of our daily lives, and how it affects us in ways both bug and small. This is a delightful little book.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0316007021">Drood</a> by Dan Simmons</b><br />I normally do not read 900+ page novels about Charles Dickens, but I loved Simmons' incredible Arctic horror story "The Terror" so I gave "Drood" a try (it didn't hurt that it was 40% off!) I am very glad I did. "Drood" is gripping psychological horror story, told through the drug-addled memory of one of Dickens' closes friends and biggest rivals. "Drood" is meticulously researched, and by itself, the depiction of day-to-day life in Victorian England is fascinating. Throw in a healthy dollop of genuinely frightening gothic horror, and you have a book which kept me up a few nights.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0307270785">Angles and Ages</a> by Adam Gopnik</b><br />This year marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of two giants: Darwin and Lincoln. Gopnik uses these two intellects to synthesize a tour de force essay on the cultural changes ushered in to the world by these two men, and how they affected our views of man's role in nature, and the governments role in societies. <br /><br /><br /><br /><i>Continuing on in a similar vein, here are my nine favorite books I have read this year that were not published in 2009(i.e. previously published). Mostly, these are paperback or remainder editions of books published last year or a few years before, that I have only gotten around to reading now. </i><br /><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312428561">The Secret Life of Words: How English Became English</a> by Henry Hitchings</b><br />There are a lot of books covering the history of English, and Hitchings' book is one of the best. He focuses on words and vocabulary, and how it has developed over time. It is a joy to read for a word-lover, with a focus on the words themselves and less on the theory of language. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393337111">Physics for Future Presidents</a> by Richard Muller</b><br />Muller's writing feels like being in a class by one of those memorable college professors that everyone loves. He makes the complex science behind our public policy choices easy to understand...and interesting to boot. Focusing on physics and chemistry, Muller covers the science behind the headlines in the fields of climate changes, nuclear weapons, and energy. I really learned a lot reading this book. I hope Obama read it too!<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0670034878">Chances Are: Adventures in Probability</a> by Michael and Ellen Kaplan</b><br />A history and overview of the nature of probability and chance, written for non-math majors. Each chapter covers a different aspect of the field...gambling, insurance, medical research, and so on. Given the importance that numbers play in our lives, this book ought to be read by a lot more people. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/031237478X">In Search of Time: The Science of a Curious Dimension</a> by Dan Falk</b><br />A great mind-fuck, this book covers the strange nature of time. What does it mean, when did it start, and how will it end? Falk explains the basic stuff (relativity, and so forth) in a clear and easy to understand manner, and then delves into the really fascinating aspects of how we perceive time, and even covers time travel. A fun, fascinating book.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0441015085">Glasshouse</a> by Charles Stross</b><br />"Glasshouse" is a superb science fiction novel about a group of 28th century researchers, living in a post-human "accelerated" future who are running an experiment to simulate life in the 20th century. Seeing their attempts, it gives me much greater appreciation for the archeologists of our day trying to understand life 1000 years ago. "Glasshouse" is much more then a simple meditation on historic research. There's a heroic gender-bending protagonist, an evil conspiracy and thoughtful science fictional adventure. A great, thoughtful, fun novel.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0439023483">The Hunger Games</a> by Suzanne Collins</b><br />"The Hunger Games" is a novel aimed at teenaged readers, but is certainly enjoyable for adults as well. It is the story of a protagonist in the distant future who must participate in a gladiatorial game put on by an oppressive government, a la "The Running Man." I don't think it is quite as good as the similarly targeted "City of Ember" but in the burgeoning field of post-apocalyptic teenage literature, "The Hunger Games" is a very enjoyable entry.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0814719953">Dark Side of the Moon</a> by Gerard Degroot</b><br />I read this book after enjoying the nostalgia of the 40th anniversary of the moon landing. Although I am firmly on the side of manned space exploration, I found Degroot's book a very good "contrarian" history of the space program and some of the flawed assumptions behind it. In addition to being a great history of the program, Degroot has a wry sense of humor and covers many things that were left out of the papers, including self-pleasuring space monkeys and on the more serious side, some of the technical and human issues that were pushed under the rug during development. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765341603">Blind Lake</a> by Robert Charles Wilson</b><br />The amazing "Julian Comstock" (see above) made me check out Robert Charles Wilson's earlier books, and of them, the best was "Blind Lake," the tale of a research base where humans observe (but cannot interact with) a distant alien species via a type of quantum viewer. Things are not as simple as they seem, and a series of strange events follow. This book took a little while to get going, but once it got rolling, it was great.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0452295297">City of Thieves</a> by David Benioff</b><br />FInally, non-science fiction fiction! "City of Thieves" is an old-fashioned adventure story set in Leningrad during the German siege, about two young men who must brave the elements -- human and nature -- to retrieve food for a Russian general. Memorable encounters with Nazis, civilians, and even a gang of cannibals make for a memorable and touching story of friendship and survival.<br /><br /><br /><br /><i>Finally, we have a list of the four books that disappointed me the most this year. Strangely enough, none of these books was bad in any way, they just let me down, and could have been so much better. These books were enticing enough to separate me from my money, but once I sat down and read them, well...</i><br /><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1416583408">Inside of a Dog</a> Alexandra Horowitz</b><br />A love dog books, especially ones which promise to be scientifically valid but also recognize that we love dogs because they are our pets. This book looked promising, but it just didn't seem to deliver. The science was rather weak, and the book seems to focus more on the philosophical experience of what it might be like to be a dog. I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't nearly as good as it could have been.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1416537678">Heart of the Assasin</a> by Robert Ferrigno</b><br />I really like the first two books in this trilogy about a shattered America ruled by and Islamic theocracy with a rump Christian theocracy in the south. Although its premise was unlikely, the author conveyed a fairly nuanced look at these two different countries and what they might actually be like. It helped that he had compelling, likable characters going on exciting adventures through an Alice in the Looking Glass world which was recognizable yet alien. That was the first two book. This final book of the trilogy just went over the edge, with silly science fiction flourishes, throwaway characters added, and numerous points from the first two books just ignored in favor of a contrived plots involving (really) a piece of the True Cross. A perfectly adequate read, and still fun, but nothing like the first two.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385504225">The Lost Symbol</a> by Dan Brown</b><br />The first two thirds of the book were entertaining, but the last hundred pages were awful. A real let down compared with his previous two books. I am not one of those snobs who hates Dan Brown. I really liked "Da Vinci Code", and I enjoy suspending disbelief to simply take in the cinematic aspect of the books, but "Lost Symbol" just petered out. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0465014364">1848: The Year of Revolution</a> by Mike Rapport</b><br />I bought this thinking it was a popular history of the pivotal year of revolution in Europe. There's a great story to be told here, but it is not told in this book. Leaden prose falls like a heavy hand upon every page, and reading this felt like a college textbook. The history was accurate and well-done, but the book was, well, boring. And it shouldn't have been.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-7585576485082787654?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-55489770609683375042009-09-25T15:40:00.002-05:002009-09-25T15:43:15.376-05:00A split decision so far...In the battle royale between Sunflower Broadband and AT&T U-Verse for Lawrence, Kansas broadband surpremacy, <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/2009/09/verdict-internet.html">U-Verse</a> has the better internet service but <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/2009/09/verdict-television.html">Sunflower Broadband</a> has emerged as the winner for television service.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-5548977060968337504?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-58411774505841028232009-09-07T17:14:00.002-05:002009-09-07T17:43:20.626-05:00U-Verse in Lawrence updateIf you are interested in broadband cable TV and internet, and haven't done so already, be sure to head over and bookmark <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/">my new blog</a> where I am comparing AT&T U-Verse with Sunflower Broadband cable. Although I live in Lawrence, Kansas, I am trying to keep the general comparison generic enough that anyone wanting to compare traditional cable with U-Verse ought to find things of interest. <br /><br />So far, I have written background pieces on <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/2009/08/geek-super-bowl-preview-television.html">television</a>, <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/2009/08/geek-super-bowl-preview-internet.html">internet</a>, and <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/2009/09/geek-super-bowl-preview-telephone-or.html">phone service</a>, as well as covered the <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/2009/09/u-verse-install-process.html">U-Verse installation process</a>, and my <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/2009/09/early-impressions-of-u-verse-iphone-app.html">first impressions</a> of the U-Verse iPhone app. Oh, and there's <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/2009/09/photos-of-u-verse-equipment.html">photos of the hardware</a> as well.<br /><br />Check it out, and look for more content in the weeks to come as I actually start to use the services.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-5841177450584102823?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-9134244984313436572009-08-24T23:13:00.005-05:002009-08-25T13:36:43.660-05:00U-Verse vs Sunflower: Full-Out Geek BrawlUpdate: Since the geek comparison between broadband is going to be a series with (hopefully) a lot of content, I decided to move it to it's own blog location, so feel free to click through and bookmark <a href="http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/">http://lawrencebroadband.blogspot.com/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-913424498431343657?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-54701198673933886842009-07-22T10:41:00.002-05:002009-07-22T15:28:30.897-05:00Misdirected email du jour, and response<i>From: David Raines <REDACTED@yahoo.com><br />to: msilverman@mac.com<br />date: Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 10:05 AM<br />subject: Follow-up<br /><br />On Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 10:05 AM, David Raines <powerhausporsche@yahoo.com> wrote:<br /><br />Follow-up on your interest in a Mass Flow Hot Wire 50 hp increase in horsepower to the rear wheels ?? David.<br /> <br />David Raines<br />Powerhaus Porsche<br />1-480-REDACTED cell number<br />1-602-REDACTED office</i><br /><br /><br />David,<br /><br />I don't know how many times I have been on an international spy mission, with the beautiful Trixie Rochentiets in one arm and my other hand on the wheel of my 911 as I race down the cobblestoned streets of Barcelona, tires squealing, wind rushing by, followed by the ever closer "pop pop" of my adversary's 9mm as he closes in, desperate to recapture the plans for the top secret XRL-3000....and as the memories of last night's gin martinis fade into the rear-view, I think to myself....if only I had an additional 50 horsepower available, I might be able to effect the getaway, save the free world, and have my way with Trixie......alas....<br /><br />But, as much as I would love to not only own a Porsche but also a Porsche with an extra 50 HP, I must regretfully inform you that I am not the person to whom your email is properly addressed, so I would ask you to check your email address and make sure it gets to the right person, because somewhere out there is a person who needs that extra rear wheel horsepower!<br /><br /><br />-Mike<br /><br /><br />FOLLOWUP: This David bloke is a good sport at least. Here's his response to my email missive above: "AWESOME RESPONSE, you deserve a Porsche. Yes a minute or two later i figured out that i was prospecting you instad of responding to you.<br />Hope you catch those bad guys. DR."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-5470119867393388684?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-66117320182847642722009-07-10T14:28:00.002-05:002009-07-10T14:41:21.831-05:00The joys of a common gmail account nameI often get misaddressed email sent to my gmail account. This is kind of strange, because "Silverman" is not a terribly common name, but there must be numerous people who just assume that the Mike, Maurice, Mark, Mindy, or Mel Silverman they are trying to reach must, of course, have msilverman as their gmail account name. These are not misaddressed or random spam attempts, or mailing lists...they are personal emails from random strangers.<br /><br />As such I get a weird variety of misaddressed emails. Often they are real estate deals; I have heard lots of tips about great condos in Brooklyn and office space in Hoboken. A lot of the emails are academic; for months I kept getting plaintive emails about getting my feedback on a paper some professor was writing. The best in this vein was a letter addressed to "Professor Silverman" begging for an extension on an overdue term paper. Of course, I also get plenty of random family photos and "interpersonal" type emails...which always surprises me. I mean, it's one thing for a real estate agent to not know an email, but if you are writing "Cousin Mickey" don't you think you'd at least bother to look up his real email address?<br /><br />None of these are as good as the email I got this past Spring from Lee MacPhail, director of Scouting for the Baltimore Orioles, containing the complete Orioles scouting organization plans for the 2009 season. Apparently, it hasn't helped, as the Orioles are mired in last place as of this writing.<br /><br />When I receive one of these emails, and it looks important, I am polite and write the person to let them know they have the wrong man, although I have been tempted with some of the real estate folks to reply with something to the effect of "That property sounds awesome, put me down for it, I don't care what it costs!"<br /><br />Please, everyone, check the email address of the person you are sending mail to, because it might not be who you expect!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-6611732018284764272?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-16958104104552201012009-04-12T17:53:00.001-05:002009-04-12T17:55:01.767-05:00iPhone Hacks book review<a href="http://www.amazon.com/iPhone-Hacks-Pushing-Beyond-Limits/dp/0596516649/">iPhone Hacks</a><br />by David Jurick and Adam and Damien Stolarz<br />O'Reilly, 459 pages, $34.99<br /><br /><img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51bdkAQUTmL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" alt="Book cover" /><br /><br />The iPhone is an amazing portable computer. It features capabilities that twenty years ago would have been something out of the pages of science fiction. Instant communications access with anyone in the world, the ability to seamlessly access the corpus of human knowledge that is the Internet, and of course, an ability to be entertained by music, video and games limited only by your imagination.<br /><br />Almost.<br /><br />The iPhone, as shipped by Apple, is a wonderful device for 95% of its users. But Apple locks iPhone users into a gilded cage. The cage is sumptuously decorated, but it is still a jail cell. You are limited to using your iPhone in ways Apple approves of. "The man" (or Steve Jobs) decides what applications you can run and what capabilities your phone has. Like a bridled horse, the iPhone is docile, but unleashed, it could do so much more!<br /><br />To really set the iPhone free, you need to "hack" it. Once you do this, your phone becomes the powerful computer it is meant to be, and you can run much more diverse software, giving your phone new abilities, like being able to record videos, customize the user interface, emulate popular video game consoles, and send and receive multimedia messages. You can even give your phone the ability to act as a wi-fi "access point" to the internet for your laptop, and unlock the phone to use on other carriers.<br /><br />"iPhone Hacks" by David Jurick and Adam and Damien Stolarz is your guide into this brave new world. The authors act as friendly guide into the world of iPhone customization. This book is not meant for beginners; the authors assume both some technical computer knowledge and a curious nature. Some of the software-based "hacks" can be done by any experienced user, but other hacks require programming and even hardware "breadboard" skills, such as handiness with a soldering iron. <br /><br />The authors first explains some of the basics of the iPhone operating system, including its history, the phone's boot process, and how the file system is put together, which is an excellent overview, before they head into the basics of "jailbreaking," which is the process where you use some simple software tools to open your phone's operating system up to customization.<br /><br />I should note that many of the hacks in this book require the jailbreaking process, which, contrary to its name, is neither illegal nor very difficult. There are several hacks which do not require jailbreaking, however, these are more in the vein of "power user tips" rather then true hacks. It is worth noting that Apple will not provide warranty services to jailbroken phones - luckily, if anything goes wrong, it is very easy to "restore" your phone to pristine condition before seeking warranty service.<br /><br />The actual hacks are divided into various sections by theme. The first two thirds of the book is all software-focused, and as such accessible to those without programming or hardware hacking skills. For example, there are sections on using the phone as a multimedia devices, sections on enhancing the camera and video recording functions, as well as sections on topics such as SMS messaging, gaming, and user interface customization. Any of these sections can be accessed in an ad-hoc manner; there is no need to go in order after the initial chapter on the jailbreak process itself. Simple pick the topic you are interested in and dive in. It is easy to browse the book to get an idea of what the iPhone can do, and all of the chapters are very clearly explained, with excellent use of screenshots and supplementary information to guide you in the process.<br /><br />The final third of the book covers both application programming, and actual hardware hacking, including how to disassemble and reassemble your phone. Many of the hacks in this section are very entertaining to read about (and fairly useless in a practical sense), especially since it would take someone way braver then me to actually crack open my phone's case! The programming section is a useful introduction to both the official Apple-provided way to program for the iPhone as well as the unofficial ways to get access to private APIs and methods which can be used to program applications that could never make it into the App Store.<br /><br />More controversially, "iPhone Hacks" also describes the process to "unlock" your iPhone (this is different then "jailbreaking") so you can use it on a carrier other then AT&T. This information is presented fairly and accurately, with both the risks and rewards clearly outlined for those users who may need to use an iPhone on another carrier. The book also describes how to activate tethering, where you can use your iPhone as an internet access point for your laptop. This may violate your contract with your carrier, but the book doesn't moralize here; it simply describes the "hack" and leaves the decision as to how to use the information up to you, the reader, which is as it should be.<br /><br />Overall, this is an amazing book, clearly and thoroughly describing the dozens of ways you can truly make your iPhone your own. It manages to cover challenging information fairly and accurately in a manner that will appeal to any adventurous, curious and technically-minded reader. Even if you never plan to do anything other then the tamest "hacks" to your iPhone, browsing this book will teach you a lot about your phone as a computer, and leave you stimulated and fascinated.<br /><br /><br />Rating: 5 out of 5 DogCows<br />Plusses: A through and interesting book on how to expand the iPhone's universe<br />Minuses: None<br /><br />This review was cross-posted at <a href="http://laugks.org/2009/04/12/iphone-hacks-book-review/">the Lawrence Apple Users Group</a> web page.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-1695810410455220101?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-45892372896970117562009-02-21T22:47:00.003-06:002009-02-21T22:54:09.127-06:00Dave and I were on "The 10th Voice"Dave and I were guest on the KKFI (Kansas City 90.1 FM) radio program "The 10th Voice" today. Ourselves, along with another couple from Lawrence talked about our relationship and our legal marriage, and how it has affected us. We think it turned out really nice. If you missed the show when it was on the air, you can listen here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mikesilverman.com/kkfi_mike_dave.mp3">http://www.mikesilverman.com/kkfi_mike_dave.mp3</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-4589237289697011756?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-50770058165601284662009-01-14T16:47:00.000-06:002009-01-14T16:48:25.701-06:00Two new movie ideas1. Steve Jobs is dying. He has his best engineers build his consciousness into the next version of MacOS, Snow Leopard. As the distributed network that is now Jobs becomes stronger (as more copies of Snow Leopard are sold), Jobs becomes evil and plots to take over the world. An all-star team of top geeks (starring Angelina Jolie as the chief engineer) figures out the only way to stop Jobs is to turn off every Mac in the world at the same time; now it's a race against the clock!<br /><br />2. Steve Jobs is dying. He sees the evil of humanity and how we are not worthy of his beautiful creations, so he has himself cryogenically frozen for 1000 years. When he awakens, humanity has descended to a state of barbarism, and Jobs must raise humanity back up to civilization while also developing the cure for his disease before time runs out.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-5077005816560128466?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-89679148817086790832008-12-25T22:11:00.003-06:002008-12-25T22:14:33.470-06:00Review of John Birmingham's "Without Warning"<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Without-Warning-John-Birmingham/dp/0345502892">Without Warning</a> by John Birmingham<br /><br /><img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51a0obTW1dL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><br /><br />"Without Warning" is a science fiction/military fiction hybrid in the "kicking over anthills" school of thought (see also <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dies-Fire-Change-S-M-Stirling/dp/0451460413/">"Dies the Fire"</a> by S.M. Stirling), where the author make some enormous change to the world and then lets things plays out as they may. It is not strictly alternate history, although some may categorize it as such. The premise is very simple: an energy field of unknown origin wipes out all life - and makes impenetrable - the majority of North America. In one fell swoop, the United States is no more. What happens to the rest of the world, including the remnants of the USA (mostly the military, ex-pats, and citizens of Hawaii, Alaska, and Seattle, which are outside the field)? <br /><br />The book follows several groups of people as they make their way in this new world, including portions of the military, an ex-war reporter working for the BBC, the Seattle city engineer, a group of opportunistic pirates (almost, but not quite, with hearts of gold, of course!) and other various dramatis personae from around the world. Most fiction of this type doesn't deal with the in-depth motives of the players or deep character development, preferring to focus on the nitty-gritty of "what happens" and of course, action sequences. Rest assured, there is plenty of both -- excellent scenes of military activity, fighting, and general "weapons and warfare" goodness, but also a nice attention to some of the wider geo-political consequences of the excision of America from the globe (including the internal political struggles in what is left of the USA). <br /><br />In short, everything goes to hell (what else did you expect) but the specific descriptions and vignettes of various disasters, such as the descent into madness in Acapulco, the initial "day after" in Paris, and a horrifying series of events in the Middle East right out of some "end of days" preacher's fantasy should give pause to nearly any reader, and certainly had me alternating between deep thought and plain old chills. <br /><br />This is a damn good book, and anyone who enjoys military science fiction ought to enjoy it. There wasn't much I didn't like, although I would have liked perhaps a little more description of the wave itself, and its actual causes and effects, beyond a few early glimpses. This isn't a deal-killer by a long shot, the book isn't about the energy wave itself, except as a plot device -- the story is what happens to the rest of the world (and I suspect the wave itself will get further attention in future books in the series). <br /><br />"Without Warning" is highly recommended.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-8967914881708679083?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-50665737966607133902008-11-05T08:42:00.002-06:002008-11-05T08:44:00.186-06:00A turd in the middle of my cakeGot a wonderful delicious cake last night -- President-Elect Obama!<br /><br />And then California went and crapped in the middle of it....with the passage of Proposition 8, which limits marriage in California to opposite-sex couples. <br /><br />This sucks.<br /><br />More thoughts later.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-5066573796660713390?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-80123656336124359542008-09-19T15:04:00.003-05:002008-09-19T15:42:35.092-05:00Books I have read latelyHere are some brief reviews of books I have read recently:<br /> <br /><b>The Grand Inquisitor's Manual: A History of Terror in the Name of God</b><br />by Jonathan Kirsch<br /> A fascinating history of the inquisition and how it presaged the 20th century's atrocities. Very strong on the history, weaker in the author's attempt to tie the inquisition to present-day events<br /> <br /><b>Throwing Fire: Projectile Technology through History</b><br />by Alfred W. Crosby <br /> The anthropological history of humankind's development of projectile technology from the earliest stones to ballistic missiles. A unique mix of history and biology.<br /> <br /><b>The Diamond of Darkhold: The Fourth Book of Ember (Books of Ember) and The Books of Ember</b><br />by Jeanne DuPrau <br /> A post-apocalyptic series for younger readers about the world after a massive war; excellent characterization and plot, and truly a pleasure to read<br /> <br /><b>13 Things That Don't Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of Our Time</b><br />by Michael Brooks <br /> A good survey of thirteen current mysteries in the world of science, from physics to biology to evolution. Very sharp and smart.<br /> <br /><b>Plague War</b><br />by Jeff Carlson <br /> The second book in a two-book (so far) series on life on Earth after a nanobot plague. Some good action, but overall very confusing and uneven.<br /> <br /><b>The City in Mind: Notes on the Urban Condition</b><br />by James Howard Kunstler <br /> An top-notch survey of the social and cultural trajectories of a dozen of the world's great cities, and how the choices they have made in development have affected their quality of life. Intelligent and with a wry sense of humor.<br /> <br /><b>Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says about Us)</b><br />by Tom Vanderbilt <br /> One of the best of the recent spate of books on mundane topics, in this case traffic engineering. The author's deft hands turn this topic into a fascinating study of human social behavior and will make anyone who drives think of things in an entirely different way.<br /> <br /><b>The Man with the Iron Heart</b><br />by Harry Turtledove <br /> The king of alt-history turns in a solid, workmanlike effort featuring the trademark Turtledove storytelling style; based on the fascinating premise of what would have happened if German had engaged in guerilla warfare after WWII, with obvious parallels to our Iraq situation.<br /> <br /><b>Empires of Trust: How Rome Built--and America Is Building--a New World</b><br />by Thomas F. Madden <br /> The author focuses on the overlooked Roman republican period, comparing the rise of Rome with the rise of America in the social and political arenas. A nice change of pace from the usual comparisons of the two cultures based on the Imperial period.<br /> <br /><b>The Snake Charmer: A Life and Death in Pursuit of Knowledge</b><br />by Jamie James <br /> A pleasantly entertaining biography of a renowned herpetologist and his tragic death. Good creepy descriptions of serpent natural history mixed with occasionally dramatic events.<br /> <br /><b>The Valley-Westside War (Crosstime Traffic)</b><br />by Harry Turtledove <br /> Another entry in Turtledove's juvenile series; this one is a pedestrian tale of life in LA a hundred plus years after a nuclear war. Mildly entertaining, but one of the weakest of the bunch so far.<br /> <br /><b>Napoleon's Privates: 2,500 Years of History Unzipped</b><br />by Tony Perrottet <br /> A light, trivial and entertaining look at the sexual foibles of world history. Excellent cocktail-party fodder, but this is an appetizer, not a meal.<br /> <br /><b>Beyond Fear</b><br />by Bruce Schneier <br /> Unique insider's perspective into the world of security and defense. Truly fascinating, and useful for everyone from individual citizens to security professionals.<br /> <br /><b>Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America</b><br />by Eric Jay Dolin<br /> An amazing historic tale of some 300 years of American maritime history. The author does a fine job mixing the gruesome with the mundane, while covering the social, technological, and political history of whaling, including a real insight into the lives of average whale-men and their families.<br /> <br /><b>The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why</b><br />by Amanda Ripley <br /> A look at the psychological and physiological aspects of human behavior when disaster strikes. The author is very good at bringing out the dramatic events of disasters while showing a touch for human interest and psychology while also sharing practical examples that might help future survivors.<br /> <br /><b>Sideways In Crime</b><br />by Lou Anders <br /> A decent anthology of alt-history and crime mash-up stories. Like most books of this type, there are good stories mixed with the mediocre.<br /> <br /><b>Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior</b><br />by Ori Brafman <br /> A fun, light pop-psychology tome about the hidden influencers on our behaviors. The book is quite short, but very engagingly written with enough nuggets of interest to hold the readers attention.<br /> <br /><b>A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance: Portrait of an Age</b><br />by William Manchester <br /> Really three books in one; a fascinating section on the medieval mind that really gives a feel of what it would be like to live back then, a middle section which contains a solid, workmanlike history of the Reformation, and finally, a completely tacked-on, although still interesting story of Magellan. Each could stand alone as a short book, but together they feel artificially joined.<br /> <br /><b>The Accidental Mind: How Brain Evolution Has Given Us Love, Memory, Dreams, and God</b><br />by David J. Linden <br /> An overview of brain science, with good coverage of how the brain works and how various aspects of the brain may have evolved. Overall an amazingly complete survey in such a short book.<br /> <br /><b>The Power Makers: Steam, Electricity, and the Men Who Invented Modern America</b><br />by Maury Klein <br /> A book on the economic and industrial history of electric power in America. Contrary to the title, steam power is only about 1/5 of the overall book, and there is almost no coverage of the science or technology, with almost all the focus on the economics and marketing of power. The title is misleading; as a technology book, it is very bad, as an economic history of electricity, it is very good.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-8012365633612435954?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-38033303528176896032008-07-03T08:40:00.003-05:002008-07-03T11:07:25.316-05:00Truthiness?<a href="http://www.jewishomaha.org/page.aspx?id=178852">The Omaha Jewish Press</a> ran an adapted version of the <a href="http://www.kcjc.com/articles/2008/06/20/news/doc485abdb371216728887488.txt">Kansas City Jewish Chronicle</a> story on Dave and I. <br /><br />For the most part it was a straight adaptation, with a few "localizations" to make it more relevant to Omaha readers, but there is one big change that is simply incorrect. In the original article, Dave notes that Israel recognizes same-sex marriages performed abroad (although a same-sex couple can't get married in Israel itself). This is the result of a 2006 <a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/21/africa/ME_GEN_Israel_Same_Sex_Marriages.php">Israeli Supreme Court ruling</a>.<br /><br />The Omaha Jewish Press for some reason stated that Israel doesn't recognize same-sex marriages -- and in addition to this inaccuracy, they actually change the words of Dave's quote to account for this inaccuracy -- they made Dave's quote wrong to match the incorrectness of their changed story!<br /><br />First the original:<br /><br /><i>“The state of Israel will recognize gay marriages from other parts of the world. We’re hoping that since Israel would recognize it, should we ever make aliyah,” Greenbaum said. “Because we are not legally married in the United States, that would make aliyah more difficult. After tomorrow, we’ll be seen as a couple.”<br /><br />They don’t have immediate plans to make any sort of move, but they like the security the marriage provides, in case they choose to make aliyah in the future.<br /></i><br /><br />and the "new and unimproved version:<br /><br /><i>The state of Israel does not currently recognize gay marriages from other parts of the world. <br /> “We’re hoping that since Israel might someday recognize it, should we ever make aliyah,” Greenbaum said. “Because we are not legally married in the United States, that would make aliyah more difficult. After tomorrow, we’ll be seen as a couple.”<br /> They don’t have immediate plans to make any sort of move, but they like the security the marriage provides, in case they choose to make aliyah in the future.</i><br /><br />We're contacting the Omaha Jewish Press to get the to the bottom of this story. Hopefully someone just made a mistake, and they will correct it. I don't expect any malice behind this, but it is important for news stories to be accurate, and to accurate quote people. I'll let you know what we find out.<br /><br />UPDATE (11:05 AM July 3, 2008): The Jewish Press responded to our complaint...as we suspected, it wasn't malice but an honest error where they didn't do enough research before posting the story. The following correction will run in next weeks issue:<br /><br /><i><br />Correction<br /> In last week’s Press, there was an error in the story “Kansas gay couple wed in San Francisco,” stating: “The state of Israel does not currently recognize gay marriages from other parts of the world.” <br /> In fact, in November, 2006, Israel’s Supreme Court did rule that the government had to register gay marriages performed outside the country, however, they cannot be performed within Israel. While opponents did introduce a bill in the Knesset to overturn the court’s ruling in December of 2006, there has been no action since, leaving the high court’s ruling to accept gay marriages performed elsewhere still standing.<br /> Dave Greenbaum’s quote in the article by Beth Lipoff, which originally appeared in the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle should have read: <br /> “The state of Israel will recognize gay marriages from other parts of the world. We’re hoping that since Israel would recognize it, should we ever make aliyah,” Greenbaum said. “Because we are not legally married in the United States, that would make aliyah more difficult. After tomorrow, we’ll be seen as a couple.” <br /> The Jewish Press regrets the error.</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-3803330352817689603?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-4433696554860180642008-06-27T15:07:00.002-05:002008-06-27T15:08:50.364-05:00PermalinkI've added a <a href="http://www.mikesilverman.com/wedding.html">permanent link</a> to the complete archive of wedding information on the right side of the blog. Everything is organized there chronologically and in one place. I still have some work to do. I plan to add some more photos, clean up the page, and add more and better video links, but at least it will all be in one place.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-443369655486018064?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-85632943252090895352008-06-24T15:40:00.002-05:002008-06-27T15:11:34.699-05:00Quickie<a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91588587">A link to the NPR radio piece</a>. Somehow this got omitted last week.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-8563294325209089535?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-81425665070987559682008-06-21T11:31:00.001-05:002008-06-27T15:11:34.700-05:00Houston, we have Jews!<a href="http://www.kcjc.com/articles/2008/06/20/news/doc485abdb371216728887488.txt">Kansas City Jewish Chronicle</a> story.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-8142566507098755968?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-25098133660633648512008-06-19T22:33:00.004-05:002008-06-27T15:11:34.700-05:00It's what TiVo was made for......Fast-forwarding through another story about Kansas's wackiest gay couple, the Dave and Mike show!<br /><br />We're overexposed. Yesterdays news. Past our sell-by date. "Jumped the Shark"<br /><br />Actually, KMBC news out of Kansas City did a pretty nice piece tonight about Dave and I returning from California. It came about 10 minutes into the newscast, which was part of "Vehicular Mayhem Night" on the local news. There were stories on (a) Truck A hits RV, hilarity ensues, (b) Truck B loses load of giant metal tubes, hilarity (and closed freeway) ensues, and finally (c) Truck hits train, featuring a great quote from the truck driver's brother; "He was racing the train. The train won, I guess."<br /><br />So, consider this a public service announcement: The train will ALWAYS win. Stop, drop, and roll. Train crossing guards save lives, and when you cuddle alone, <a href="http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2007/05/01/when-you-cuddle-alone-you-cuddle-with-hitler/">you cuddle with Hitler</a>!<br /><br />Seriously, the guy died. The train was delayed 3 hours. Sad stuff. DON'T DATE ROBOTS. (and don't try to beat the train, OK?)<br /><br />OK, it's my blog, so you get a free link to <a href="http://www.mikesilverman.com/kmbc.mp4">KMBC's TV news story about Dave and I.</a> (4 MB Quicktime MP4)<br /><br />And, in other news, <a href="http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/35468/format/html/displaystory.html">The Jewish News Weekly</a> covered the Jewish aspect of the marriage equality story. As is now required by law in California, the article features either Dave or Mike in some form (in this case, Dave). Seriously, it is a very good story. Watch the video, then read the story. <br /><br />And buy my book.<br /><br />It's late and I am sarcastic.<br /><br />Goodnight!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-2509813366063364851?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-13936435740588794042008-06-18T08:43:00.001-05:002008-06-27T15:11:34.701-05:00News about news<a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/jun/18/media_cover_vows_lawrence_couple/">Meta, dude</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-1393643574058879404?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-88170828508823349682008-06-18T00:01:00.000-05:002008-06-27T15:11:34.701-05:00The day that wasThis was an amazing day, and it is hard to put into words. It started early; we got up at about 6:00 and were out of the hotel by 6:45...we decided to walk the half-mile to City Hall to work off some of the nervous energy. When we got there, the crowd was fairly small, but rapidly grew as massive swarms of media, well-wishers (including the San Francisco Men's Chorus) and of course other couples gathered on the steps. Notably, there was also the signs of at least one healthy segment of the economy -- the wedding business, as various photographers, caterers and other members of the wedding-industrial complex plied their wares.<br /><br />I took a few pictures of the area, including San Francisco's absolutely beautiful classical City Hall building, when we took out the Kansas flag, to get a picture of ourselves with it...this ended up being the equivalent of throwing a bucked of chum into a shark tank, as a swarm of photographers from various services joined in taking pictures. Our cousin Lisa showed up...she is a second cousin who works in Oakland, and we were honored to see her and ask her to be the actual witness for our license. At this point, the ABC folks re-wired us, and we spent about half an hour being interviewed by various organizations (NPR, local SF news, etc).<br /><br />Finally, at 8:00 AM, the doors to City Hall were unlocked and a semi-organized line formed. Once inside City Hall, everyone had to pass through a meta detector. This were somewhat disorganized felling at first, but it turned out that the county has basically set up a pretty streamlined process, helped along by dozens of volunteers, who were helping with marriages while still doing their ordinary duties. The woman who helped us actually fill out our license, as well as the gentleman who actually officiated at the ceremony were both employees of the county health department for example...it was very touching how these civil servants were volunteering to do this!<br /><br />The whole process kind of felt like a kind of dream, like we were on a ride where you just kind of keep moving along. After swearing that our information was true, we sat with the gentleman who would do our ceremony (as aforementioned) who led us upstairs to an alcove to the side of the huge rotunda. <br /><br />The actual ceremony only took about 5 minutes, but they were the among most moving 5 minutes of my life. He spoke a few paragraphs of text about the meaning of marriage, about the journey through life with one's partner and the tenderness of affection. After a bit, both Dave and I were welling tears...as was the officiant, and even the ABC news producer. Finally came the traditional "do you take this man....to have and hold, in sickness and health...for as long as you shall live?" I was near crying by now, but I said "I do" loud and clear, as did Dave when it was his turn. Then came a brief ring ceremony, which was kind of anticlimactic, since we had our rings from 9 years ago. Still, Dave switched his ring from right to left, for the first time (I've always worn it on the left). Then, the words were said: "By the power vested in me by the State of California, I now pronounce you spouses for life."<br /><br />We were married under the law. Dave and I hugged, and whispered the Jewish prayer of thanksgiving. After which, wet-eyed, everyone congratulated us, and it was done. Dave and I were married.<br /><br />After saying goodbyes to the deputy marriage commissioner, we went back downstairs, where we went to one office to pay $13 for a notarized copy of our license. Then we went to a second line to actually get the certificate, which was enclosed in a nice blue folder. A few pictures were snapped, and then we walked out of the City Hall, holding up the license to cheers from the crowd outside (this happened for all the couples). <br /><br />We were pretty exhausted at this point -- we said a few final words to ABC, then said goodbye to the crew. Then goodbye to cousin Lisa as well, who we'll see in New York in a few months. Dave and I spent the next hour or so soaking up the atmosphere outside. We talked to a few other reporters, hung out with a group from the local gay-affirming synagogue, and finally, drifted away, down the steps, across the street, and into the city. <br /><br />It was an amazing day. This blog post doesn't nearly do it justice -- there's really no way to put down on words what it was like. A memory to last a lifetime. I have never seen more positive energy, more love, more excitement in one place in my life. It was collective joy, and individual joy. But most of all it was about me and Dave.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-8817082850882334968?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3557099.post-48717494284103636302008-06-17T23:52:00.004-05:002008-08-19T15:23:46.661-05:00Papers, pleaseA few more...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mikesilverman.com/kcstar.pdf">Kansas City Star story</a> (and <a href="http://www.mikesilverman.com/MO_KCS.jpg">front cover image</a>)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mikesilverman.com/latimes.pdf">LA Times photo</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mikesilverman.com/sfchron.jpg">SF Chronicle couples profile</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3557099-4871749428410363630?l=www.mikesilverman.com%2Flog.html' alt='' /></div>Mikenoreply@blogger.com0