No more TMZ.com, more Khan Academy

I've become a huge fan of the Khan Academy site.  We all spend countless hours mindlessly surfing the web.  Well why not learn something along the way.  Play around the site and see the wide range of subjects covered.  I'm into Italian Art and Architecture this video pleases me by combining both ...find a video that mirrors your interests.


Linear Perspective: Filippo Brunelleschi's Experiment from Smarthistory Videos on Vimeo.

The 2012 Underappeciated List

Life is full of pleasant surprises that are beyond the grasp of the popular media or "best of" lists. In 2007 I started my "under appreciated" list.  Here are the latest items that deserve a little extra praise.

1. Movie- (The Big Year):It could very well be the only movie with Owen Wilson, Jack Black, and Steve Martin that you never made an effort to see.  In spite of a cast that contains many comedic heavy weights, this movie gets by more on character development, cinematography, and a simple yet powerful message.  The movie is PG which is also an absolute rarity in a day and age where most movies have to get crass and violent in order to cultivate an audience.  Watch it; you'll be touched.
2.  Virtue (Selflessness)- Whether it is politics, big business, or Hollywood things are rife with scandal and most of these scandals are the result of one thing, selfish greed.  The "Me first at the expense" of others attitude is the single most attitude that is shrinking the potential of our great Nation.  We need more people who care about others as much as themselves.
3. TV Show (Friday Night Lights)- I got brought in at the very tail end of the series thanks to some very vocal encouragement from some friends.  It does have more then its fair share of soap operaesque drama but when it comes to matters of Coach Taylor and molding his team there isn't better television. The last episode is Hoosiers and Band of Brothers and Brian's Song all rolled up into 45 minutes of absolutely moving drama.
4. Food (Vietnamese)- We've dissected Italian food six ways to Sunday and our proximity to Mexico has us swimming in Mole Poblano.  We love our Tapas and we dive right into the dishes of the Indian subcontinent.  One region, most foodies believe is world class, that most of us over look is Vietnamese.  It is fresh, flavorful, diverse, and hearty. Pho is the soup that you'll want to order on a rainy day. I've got good company, Anthony Bourdain agrees with me.
5. Band (Trash Can Sinatras)-  This is a classic example of a band coming of age at the wrong time.  They were a great sounding indie band in the age when grunge had pretty much squelched their kind of sound.  Their sound is lush with a hint of the Smiths and their lyrics are exactly what you'd expect from a some Scots, heartfelt and rich. 

Bouncing Charlie

I will continue to post photos/tidbits of Charlie until Jodi creates his own blog.  In the meantime, we got a kick, pun sort of intended, at Charlies ability to kick and get his bouncing chair a rocking.  I think we're ready to sign him up for AYSO.

What's more Roman then the Aqueduct?

The Aqueduct was one of Ancient Rome's proudest engineering feats and abundant water was one of the primary reasons that the city was able to thrive as it did.  This great piece captures the discovery of the great Aqua Traiana, just one of the many things that Trajan built.


While the video might be a little dry, this link is pretty cool.



The Search for the Aqua Traiana with Rabun Taylor from MEON HDTV PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo.

The Continuing Adventures of Chainmail Charles and his Lofty Ideals

I introduce to you the main protagonist in a series of forthcoming children's books...

A soccer club team I can get behind...maybe

I want to follow soccer, I really do.  It was my favorite sport playing as a kid and its global presence appeals to my cosmopolitan leanings.  The problem is that we are saddled in Country that really doesn't care and surrounded by a culture that sees the sport as effeminate and soft.

I don't love the sport enough to make the effort to try to navigate the arcane European soccer sites and I'm not a poser so I'm not going to conveniently jump on the current hot club club out of England or Spain.  Also, did I mention that the MLS still is pretty much little league and I'm just not charitable enough to put my precious sports viewing hours into a product that isn't that great and rarely compelling.

I was a man lost at sea until I stumbled across this article on Grantland.  It opened my eyes to a new club that has the potential to appeal to me on so many levels.  First of all, who doesn't love a good underdog.  The dirty grit of these guys would make the Bad News Bears proud.  Second of all, it appeals to my love of Italy.  Specifically the disregarded and chaotic southern part of the peninsula.  These guys don't have the snobbery and money of AC Milan or the folks up north.  They have a Rocky-like everyman appeal.

Those two reasons should be enough for me to care.  I've tried over and over to care about soccer, and outside of a few US team moments, I haven't become a fan.  We'll see if this works.   Check in with me in a few months.  If I am wearing one of those silly soccer scarves with the Napoli colors then you know it took.

Introducing Chainmail Charles and his lofty ideals

To say that Parenthood changes one is quite the understatement.  Countless books, poems, and other demonstrations of love have been expressed over the years by those who have responded to the magic of holding your own child.

I'm no different.  I can't' wait for Charlie to grow and for the chance to take him on his first camping trip, help him explore his world, and to discover his calling.  I want to teach him solid values and give him a good foundation.  To that end I am going to enlist the help of Haugen's Army.

What is Haugen's Army?  Essentially it was an exercise in creativity and a way for me and my friends to battle classroom boredom during high school and college.  It would work like this.  We would have five minutes to sketch out whatever motley character we could dream up.  We did this for a number of years and the efforts yielded such timeless classics as "Showcase Showdown", "Mustard's Last Stand", "Superlative Givens"and "Willie the Little Headed Archer".  One of those characters was named "Chain-mail Charles and his Lofty Ideals."

I am going to see if I can convert him into a character that serve as a basis for a short story.  The story will allow me to teach Charles the timeless qualities of imagination, exploration, and determination.  We'll see if I can harness those virtues in seeing this project to the end.

Lil Charlie gets the professional treatment

We love going to Utah because that means family. We love family because that means that we can take advantage of them...in a good way. My sister, Heather, literally threw this together in 10 minutes in her bedroom. Check out all of her work here.

Tis the season to get into the season

No better place to get the Christmas season started than a visit to the Mesa Temple Christmas lights.

South Mountain Park

A recent visit from mom and dad was reason enough to visit another nook of the Valley that I haven't experienced. Here are a few above average photos from South Mountain Park. On a clear day and with the right equipment you could get some great vistas of the whole Phoenix area.

Lil' Charlie's Feedin' Legs

You notice the littlest things as parents. Not surprisingly these little discoveries are the most worthwhile. For me I love watching his legs as he takes in his bottle.

Wait...I need a centrifuge to cook some of these dishes?

The cooking book to end all cooking books... Take a look at this book.  It is cool and ground breaking.  It will make you wonder if you've even been cooking before you read this thing. I was all excited until I realized that I need a PhD in Chemistry and the budget of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to pull off most of these dishes.


Modernist Cuisine Trailer from Modernist Cuisine on Vimeo.

Why we named you Charles

Good morning Lil' Charlie. You've only been with us for a couple of days but it seems like I can't conceive of a time when you weren't part of our family.  I wanted to spend a moment to tell you why we gave you the name we did.  You see we didn't need to consult a magazine to pick the most recent name du jour; we have had your name picked out for a long time.

Your name has great significance in your father's family.  It was the name of a great man who passed away many years ago but whose legacy is still fresh in the hearts and minds of all he touched.  It was the name of your great grandpa Charles Otterstrom.  He was also known as 'Chic'. 

The world sometimes measures men by a different scale then we do.  Sometimes it values wealth, power, and notoriety over things like character, selflessness, and love.  You see Chic wasn't noted for those former qualities but he had the latter ones in spades.  His character will last far longer than when all the gold of the wealthy man has been spent.

I never met my Grandpa Chic.  He died before I was born.  In fact he passed from this life on the same day that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made the famous first moon landing. My knowledge of him has been passed to me by those whose lives were touched by him.  Here are a few things they mentioned.

• He was a humble man who always put the needs of others over his own.  He was never a wealthy man but that never stopped him from sharing what little he had with others.
• He was a creative man.  He worked for the great Walt Disney and helped animate some of your soon to be favorite movies like "Cinderella", "Snow White", and "Pinocchio".  Some say he never got the credit he deserved for his work because he was so humble and he never sought to put himself over others.  
• While he never had the opportunity to serve a mission he was always sharing the Gospel with others.  Most of his best missionary work was done through his Christ-like example.
•  He was a man who never succumbed to anger.  He never needed to.  He was able to educate and communicate without having to raise his voice.
• He was also a great photographer.  He was so good that the Government used him on top secret missions to photograph the tests that took place in the remote desert to capture the tests surrounding the feared and powerful atomic bomb.  This work ultimately led to the cancer that took his life.  In spite of this he never complained.  Actually he still remained more concerned about the needs of others. 

We will continue to gather stories of this great man so that you can follow his example.  This shouldn't be hard because there are still so many people who have so many wonderful stories to share.

Soon enough we will tell you about the person behind your middle name, Don.   He is also a  great man and he has also created a wonderful legacy for you.

Not so subtle plug for my sister

She's becoming quite the mainstay on KSL

Good Wealth, Poor Wealth

While there are various ways to generate wealth, I contend that their overall value can be boiled down to something I'll call "good wealth" and "poor wealth". I know, I know 'just one more dichotomy that further illustrates the growing divide in an increasingly divisive America'. Let me see if I can back up this claim with the recent passing of an icon and a book that I am currently reading.

I will use Steve Jobs as the embodiment of "Good Wealth". Through his company, Apple, he was able to generate billions of dollars, hire thousands of people, create and reinvigorate entire industries, and essentially create a positive multiplier effect across the entire economy.

On the other hand, I will use Wall Street, specifically the world of Hedge Funds* as described in "More Money than God", to personify "Poor Wealth." These groups operate well out of the reach of the general public, generate/destroy incredible amounts of wealth, and have been known to help exacerbate the demise of entire economies- think the whole Thai Baht fiasco of 1997. 

One creates something tangible.  The other speculates on the work of others.  One creates jobs, intellectual property, and tangible products.   The other hires very few, generates no real value outside of the elite inner circle, and the only real tangible by product of its efforts are the creation of markets that are far riskier.

I'm sorry if I'm ranting.  I'm a capitalist and risk taker at heart.  I know that the Hedge Fund guys aren't as bad as the investment bankers.  Because at least the Hedge Fund guys usually risk their own money and they don't get bailed out like Goldman Sachs does.  But  their size and exclusivity plays a big role in creating a wider income disparity in our country and they make the overall markets far more volatile.

As I conclude I can't help but be reminded of all the "Occupy Wall-Street" protests that are springing up every where.  The "we are the 99%" message not only resonates but it really does capture what is taking place right now.  The income divide is huge and there is definitely a tangible anger towards the super rich.  But notice that these protests seem to make the same distinction that I am.  They aren't burning an effigy of Steve Jobs or other innovators.  They have turned their ire on the Wall Street fat cats.


--
* I selected the Hedge fund mainly because of the book I am currently reading.  I would likely cast the investment banks as the larger player in terms of "bad wealth".

Saving our Bluths

There was a collective feeling of jubilation this weekend amongst those who value good comedy.  It was 'sort of' announced that Arrested Development was going to come back for a brief 4th season that would be capped with a movie. Yes, fan's have been tormented for several years of similar news that always failed to materialize.  But this seems different and a little more formal.

 So in preparation for the release I thought I'd dust off my DVD collection, waste a few days to get reacquainted with the family, and come up with a few questions that I'd like to see answered.  Feel free to share a few of your own.

• I'd like to see more of Franklin Delano Bluth.  Gob is always looking for a suitable assistant as he continues his quest to get within the Magicians Alliance; why not give that role to Franklin?
• I was a fan of the friendly rivalry between the Bluth's and the Sitwell's.  I'd like to see the family battle out Sitwell Housing for control of the Bluth Company.
• Is Buster still a viable candidate with Lucille for Mother Boy XXXV?  I'd like to find out.
• It's time for another "Bluth Boy Adventure". I'm game for anything that gets Michael and George Michael on the screen together.
• I'd love to see Tobias come out....straight.
• Steve Holt.  Has he graduated yet or is he continuing to cement his legacy at the Corona Del Mar high school?
• Will Uncle Jack be around to bail out the next Bluth crisis?
• Will Michael ever manage to settle into a normal relationship?
• Has Barry Zuckerkorn been disbarred yet?
• Does Lucille have to decide between George Sr. and Uncle Oscar?

The list could go on and on.  My mind is racing with possibilities.  


Here is what MTV would like to see.

Get More: Music News

All in for Austin

Using the BYU-Texas game as the excuse we spent another memorable weekend deep in the heart of the Country of Texas.  While the team wound up folding we managed to invent a new sport (Two ball), bust an Achilles (Garrett), gorge on meat (Rudy's and Salt Lick), have a love affair with the taco (Torchy's) discover Rone's Corner at the UT Campus, get healed at the waters of Barton Springs, awkwardly walk down 6th Street on a Friday night, and chuckle at the whole 'Texas Pride' thing.

A great time and here's to another Skutch trip.

Achtung Baby Documentary: From the Sky Down

Can't wait for this. Amazing insight into the one of best albums of the last 25 years. I miss the fly.




Here's a link to an interview with Bono and the Edge at the Toronto Film Festival discussing the documentary.

Salt Lake: Center for Italian Epicurean Finery?

On the surface, one would be relatively hard pressed to find many similarities between the Salt Lake Valley and Italy. Both are home to prominent religions...what else?  If you said, 'both have ideal climates for world class artisan meats' than you'd be a step ahead of pretty much everyone.


Unbeknownst to most, even the most culinary alert, is the fact that the finest cured meats made this side of the Ligurian come from Salt Lake, specifically Cristiano Creminelli- the proud man pictured here.

I stumbled upon this fact while savoring the best  and most authentic pizzas in Arizona.  My first exposure came from friend Stefano Fabbri, owner of Pomo Pizzeria.  It is the only certified authentic Neapolitan pizza in Phoenix. My love affair with this place has its origins here.  I have explored the finest reaches of this menu and all of my favorite dishes, most notably the Quattro Stagioni and Diavola, are made exceptional through the use of Creminelli Salame.  

More recently while enjoying a pie at the world renowned Pizzeria Bianco- yes the best pizza in America is found in Phoenix- I had an interesting and informative conversation with their chef regarding the quality of their ingredients.  The conversation naturally turned to meats and his eyes lit up when the conversation moved to Creminelli.  They too use their meats.  And according to Bianco, Christiano hand selected the Salt Lake area due to its similar climate to Italy. 


Imagine that.  The best cured meats coming from this humble valley.  Brother Brigham was a bigger visionary than I gave him credit for.  Do you think he had Salame Piccante Creminelli in mind when he said 'This is the Place'? Utah, you've given me one more thing to be proud of

Learning with Bono

We all have our childhood idols. For most growing boys idols come in three flavors: Sports Figure, Actor (Namely someone in the mold of Harrison Ford or John Wayne) or Musician. Eventually we will mature and start patterning our lives after captains of industry, politicians, or- should we hold on to our ideals- a philosopher/religious figure. But nothing comes close to the magic that we felt when we first connected to our early heroes.

For me no one had a bigger impact on my formative years than Saint Bono.  I tried to emulate his horrible Western 'Rattle and Hum' era wardrobe.  I studied his Rolling Stone interviews. I dissected the inner workings of his lyrics in search for answers to life's mysteries.  He was my school teacher and here was some of my curriculum.

1. Literature: Bono was my gateway to Flannery O'Connor, James Joyce, even Norman Mailer.  I remember him mentioning in passing how cool "Ulysses" was so I spent all of my summer vacation money at the Ex-Libris bookstore in Sun Valley, Idaho to get a nice copy.  Despite my best and repeated efforts I never made it more than 30 pages into that thing.  I did have better luck with Norman Mailer and his 'Executioners Song', the inspiration for the underrated Joshua Tree classic, 'Exit'.  That book was far more accessible and set in my Utah backyard.  Too bad it was written about the notorious serial killer Gary Gilmore.
2. Social Activism: One cannot truly experience growing up without responding to the well intentioned calls of activist groups that occupy liner notes and arena lobbies of our favorite concerts.  For me it was Amnesty International, Green Peace, with a little bit of UNICEF.  While their messages get a more cloudy through middle age and a more complex lens, their earnestness and devotion to their cause is to be admired.
3. Religious Studies: U2's Christan imagery not only inspired fervor in many Mormon boys such as myself it also led to some of the greatest Mormon urban legends. (i.e. that whole silly bit about Bono writing 'Streets' for Salt Lake City or 'One' for a Mormon girl that wouldn't let him in the Temple.) While I never fell for the Mormon-connection side of the U2 religious experience I did spend plenty of time poring over the Psalms, namely Psalms 40.  I remember using that Psalm and the U2 song by the same name to lead my seminary class in a daily devotional.  I must of thought I was so cool and so spiritual.
4. Musical Exploration: U2 also introduced me to the wider world of music. (Don't worry Brian Tibbets you still get credit for Simon & Garfunkel, the Beatles, Colors, and the Smiths) My old CD collection is full albums from the Pixies, Joy Division, the Pogues, the Clash, Velvet Underground, Sex Pistols, and the like.  Some were accepted into my musical rotation, most gathered dust next my mystical moods collection. Every time Bono or the Edge would list a musical influence I would follow their path so that I could, perhaps, better understand the essence of my favorite U2 songs. 
5. Reinvention: Amongst my friends U2- Bono particularly- took a big hit in popularity when they transitioned from the earnestness of the Joshua Tree years to the leathery irony of Zoo TV.  While I didn't fully understand of the genius of the move at the time I did value their courage in stepping out of a successful act and completely reinventing another one.  Comfort is only good for lounge wear; life is to be experienced on the uncomfortable edge of exploration and discovery.  It was the Fly, or was it MacPhisto, who taught me that.

I could continue but you get my point.  There is something magical about a childhood hero.  Even if they get middle-aged and start turning out boring records, that doesn't detract from those youthful moments when they inspired possibility and opportunity.  Who were your childhood heroes?