for_sv's Blog

week in blog
Don't Buy It Before You PriceSCAN It!

Saturday, January 31, 2004

Winter Restaurant Week 2004

January 26 -30 & February 2-6
174 restaurants. Only 10 days.

New York’s best restaurants are offering three-course lunches for $20.04 and three-course dinners for $30.04 (beverages, gratuities, and tax additional).
This is your chance to savor the cuisine of the city’s most talented chefs, and to experience the quality, variety, and hospitality that makes New York the best restaurant city in the world.

# posted by SV @ 1/31/2004 06:24:00 AM

Friday, January 30, 2004

Parrot's oratory stuns scientists

The finding of a parrot with an almost unparalleled power to communicate with people has brought scientists up short.

The bird, a captive African grey called N'kisi, has a vocabulary of 950 words, and shows signs of a sense of humour.

# posted by SV @ 1/30/2004 06:03:00 AM

Thursday, January 29, 2004

Why Howard Dean lost.

Blame it on the World Wide Web and all its blogs.

# posted by SV @ 1/29/2004 09:05:00 AM

(A doctored version of) Bush's speech

State of the Union Address, with slight tweaks of reality.

# posted by SV @ 1/29/2004 09:02:00 AM

Wednesday, January 28, 2004

How to drive in India

This hilarious article was written by a Dutchman from Baan, Netherlands who spent two years in Hyderabad, India, as a visiting expert for Lonely Planet.

# posted by SV @ 1/28/2004 06:41:00 AM

Tuesday, January 27, 2004

The Rise Of India

Growth is only just starting, but the country's brainpower is already reshaping Corporate America.

# posted by SV @ 1/27/2004 08:51:00 AM

Monday, January 26, 2004

4,000 Years of Miniature Books

Those tiny inspirational books found near the checkout counter of any gift shop are not a new novelty. In fact, they are the poor cousins to a storied trove of elaborate "Thumb Bibles," ancient miniature Japanese wood blocks, and vision-straining Ethiopian scrolls that speak to mankind's age-old delight with tiny objects. From a time when books were the only mass media comes this collection of miniature marvels that were designed for portability (imagine carrying a year's worth of magazines in your pocket) and concealment, as well as an intrinsic cute factor. Some books were no larger than a coin, while others could pass for a billfold. Each country of origin left its stamp and personality, and just imagine the man-hours required for this Book of Hours. It appears that some of the best things come in small packages

# posted by SV @ 1/26/2004 08:58:00 AM

Sunday, January 25, 2004

TV ads on the Web

I want to run screaming into the distance at the thought of a TV ad popping up on my large screen monitor with my speakers blurring out some horrific melody coupled with an actor's voice.

# posted by SV @ 1/25/2004 06:22:00 AM

Saturday, January 24, 2004

Korean Creativity

Some performance art with sprinkled powders. The video is worth the download!

# posted by SV @ 1/24/2004 06:05:00 AM

Friday, January 23, 2004

Enjoy Josh Ritter

Request from a friend:

Hear this fellow sing....I have not heard an artist like this for a very LONG time.......

It is not just the voice, but the poetry in his compositions...

Download "Kathleen" and hear it....

# posted by SV @ 1/23/2004 06:24:00 AM

Thursday, January 22, 2004

Sister Wendy

When Sister Wendy Beckett first shared her love of European paintings with public television viewers in 1997, the New York Times observed that the 67-year-old nun from a British monastery was "fast on her way to becoming the most unlikely and famous art critic in the history of television."

In Sister Wendy's American Collection, the engaging art critic moves beyond the world of daVinci and Monet to explore the wider riches of six of America's greatest museums: Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, Forth Worth's Kimbell Art Museum, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

"The United States, the land of the free, is particularly rich in museums," Sister Wendy says. "That is appropriate, because museums are a means to freedom."

# posted by SV @ 1/22/2004 06:19:00 AM

Wednesday, January 21, 2004

Restoration tragedy

Michelangelo's David is one of the world's great works of art. It is also the focus of a row between its restorers and James Beck, an artist, art historian and founder of ArtWatch International. He says the clean-up is destroying the history of the statue. Are we meddling too much? Should artists rather than scientists be in charge of restoration?

# posted by SV @ 1/21/2004 06:12:00 AM

There are people.....that you shouldn't call from a plane!

# posted by SV @ 1/21/2004 06:00:00 AM

Tuesday, January 20, 2004

Because you can read, and I have a web site.

Religious merger creates 900 million HinJews

# posted by SV @ 1/20/2004 06:11:00 AM

Guide to New York jargon

Howudoin'
Know what it's like to be Big Mama'd on the subway, spill Crapaccino, or just simply get Tiffed? Read on for yourself...

# posted by SV @ 1/20/2004 06:06:00 AM

How To: By You

What's the best way to mix a martini -- shaken or stirred? This how-to site invites you to answer a variety of questions, with the assurance that no answer is a wrong answer.

# posted by SV @ 1/20/2004 06:02:00 AM

Monday, January 19, 2004

Vitamin Q

Now we're on to something. This blog is different than most you see strewn across the Internet, in that it has a point. Roddy Lumsden, a puzzle writer and poet from Scotland now living in England, created this blog as a place where he can "post lists, curiosities, and fragments." What you won't find here is trivia lite. Instead, you'll learn 25 My Little Pony names alongside U.S. Secret Service presidential code names. The archives burst with interesting inanity -- 20 songs about pickles, 25 cheeses beginning with the letter L, and 20 foods Roddy hopes never to taste. The best part is many of the obscure facts get stuck in your brain and are ready to surface at any time for further debate and conversation.

# posted by SV @ 1/19/2004 06:10:00 AM

Sunday, January 18, 2004

Dolphins: Maritime Engineers?

In the operation of these systems (for U.S. Navy) a dolphin waits to receive a cue from its handler before it begins to search a specific area using its biological sonar called "echolocation".

# posted by SV @ 1/18/2004 06:06:00 AM

Health Physics Instrumentation Museum Collection

With more than 1,000 objects related to the scientific and commercial history of radioactivity and radiation, Oak Ridge University possesses a impressive and unique collection

# posted by SV @ 1/18/2004 06:00:00 AM

Saturday, January 17, 2004

eGullet.com

Passionate palates rejoice! The eGullet.com culinary discussion board site launched two years ago, and quickly became a popular online destination for foodies of all stripes. The new web zine, The Daily Gullet, features all manner of lip-smacking treats. Recent articles include a discourse on creative crepery, a celebration of the onion-infused rendered chicken fat known as "schmaltz," and an in-depth interview with food specialist Ted Allen of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy fame. The editorial content is lovingly steered by an international cabal of culinary enthusiasts, and you'll naturally find a diverse selection of user-submitted recipes. And don't miss Diary of a Cooking School Student for the low-down on epicurean boot camp.

# posted by SV @ 1/17/2004 06:06:00 AM

Friday, January 16, 2004

Let there be LED!

Will our light bulbs be replaced by chips sometime in the near future?
Check the Vos Pad.

# posted by SV @ 1/16/2004 06:04:00 AM

Thursday, January 15, 2004

Erotic Earth

As nature intended.

Suggestion from a friend to include:

# posted by SV @ 1/15/2004 06:16:00 AM

Dream Anatomy

The mysteries of human anatomy fascinated and inspired numerous artists of the 15th century. Tasked with the marginally grotesque job of rendering human cadavers for medical books and scientific research, many of these artists gleefully took creative license in their work, depicting whimsical, surreal, and iconographic visions of the body. This exhibit from the National Library of Medicine straddles art and science, offering a peek into the bizarre world of anatomical imagery. Start with anatomical primitives, when crude illustrations reflected medieval iconography rather than anatomical accuracy. Play with cadavers, see body parts as art, and learn how science never got in the way of good entertainment.

# posted by SV @ 1/15/2004 06:05:00 AM

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Best of Notable Quotables 2003

The Media Research Center's annual awards for the year's "most outrageous and/or humorous news media quotes" never cease to amuse, bewilder, and mystify. What were these people thinking when they uttered these statements? To determine the winners, a panel of 46 radio talk-show hosts, magazine editors, columnists, writers, and media observers sifted through many worthy quotes to reach a consensus. Barbara Walters lisped away with the Media Suck-Up Award, Katie Couric condescended her way to the Good Morning Morons Award, and CBS's Lesley Stahl backed into the What Liberal Media? Award. In addition to naming winners in individual categories, the judges also selected the "Quote of the Year," a truly obtuse collection of words. You might want to sit down before you delve into the nonsense uttered in the year past.

# posted by SV @ 1/14/2004 06:06:00 AM

Tuesday, January 13, 2004

Good Morning America

Healthy, tasty way to start your day, Honey Gone Nuts!

# posted by SV @ 1/13/2004 07:34:00 AM

Issuance of US Postal Service stamp on Diwali

I hate to spam, but pls review this request to issue a US stamp commemorating Diwali...

# posted by SV @ 1/13/2004 06:04:00 AM

Monday, January 12, 2004

Java junkies, go grab yourself another cup o' joe. And another.

Coffee is found to cut diabetes risk by up to half.

# posted by SV @ 1/12/2004 09:21:00 AM

Getting programming done cheap. Real cheap.

Primate Programming Inc is dedicated to the advancement and gainful employment of non-human great apes within the IT sector.

# posted by SV @ 1/12/2004 06:19:00 AM

Sunday, January 11, 2004

Cameron Davidson

Cameron Davidson is an award-winning freelance photographer who specializes in aerial imagery. In other words, Mr. Davidson spends a lot of time festooned in bulky equipment flying around in helicopters. The results speak for themselves -- this stunning shot of Chicago was taken while hovering 100 feet above Lake Michigan. Far more than just an online slide show, Davidson's portfolio features extensive field notes relaying the exciting and harrowing stories behind his pictures. This scary shot of a wildfire burning in Northern Idaho comes with a tale of derring-do. And don't miss the links page for an array of handy shutterbug resources.

# posted by SV @ 1/11/2004 06:11:00 AM

Saturday, January 10, 2004

Great Performances. Degas and the Dance

No artist has ever been more closely associated with images of dancers than the French Impressionist Edgar Degas; more than half of his vast output of paintings, drawings, and sculptures is devoted to the activities of the ballet dancers and dance students of late 19th-century Paris. These works, recently organized in an acclaimed exhibition by the American Federation of Arts, The Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, are featured in this unique documentary exploring Degas' intimate connection to the Paris Opéra, where for years he attended performances and watched ballet classes. With unprecedented access to the rehearsal rooms and backstage areas of the magnificent Palais Garnier opera house, hardly changed since Degas' day, and featuring dramatic re-creations of the artist at work in his Montmartre studio, DEGAS AND THE DANCE examines one of Impressionism's foremost artists and the environment that inspired his best-loved works.

One of my favorite artist.

# posted by SV @ 1/10/2004 06:05:00 AM

Friday, January 09, 2004

Mars Dead or Alive

Complete Coverage of Mars Express, Spirit and Opportunity

NASA gambles on two rovers sent to determine if the red planet ever had conditions suitable for life.

Is Mars Ours? The logistics and ethics of colonizing the red planet.

Mars Society.

The Whole Mars Catalog at Mars Today.com

# posted by SV @ 1/09/2004 06:23:00 AM

Thursday, January 08, 2004

Fish eat away at malaria in India

Fish are being used to control malaria in India with remarkable success, according to scientists.

# posted by SV @ 1/08/2004 06:09:00 AM

Wednesday, January 07, 2004

Gridlock

move the blue block out through the opening on the right....

# posted by SV @ 1/07/2004 06:09:00 AM

Tuesday, January 06, 2004

Finally, B'lore beats Silicon Valley

BANGALORE: The inevitable has happened. Bangalore, which grew under the shadow of America 's Silicon Valley over the last two decades, has finally overtaken its parent.

# posted by SV @ 1/06/2004 11:30:00 AM

India to catch up with China in economic growth

Apart from Peter Drucker's raves recently about the Indian economy being hotter than China's, India has bagged over 8.4% growth this fiscal year due to robust agriculture.

# posted by SV @ 1/06/2004 06:08:00 AM

Monday, January 05, 2004

Watch The Elegant Universe (3 hours)

PBS has released a totally online fun and informative VIDEO of our universe (the NOVA program, for those in the know) including discussions of the unified string theory. Very interesting, and no math knowledge required.

To view any part of this three-hour mini-series, choose an episode and select either QuickTime or RealVideo to begin watching. Each hour-long episode is divided into eight chapters. These programs are not available for downloading due to rights reasons.

# posted by SV @ 1/05/2004 08:52:00 AM

Saturday, January 03, 2004

Big Dead Place

This caustic and brilliant exploration of life at polar extremes is written from McMurdo Station, an American research station in Antarctica. McMurdo is the largest Antarctic post -- its population tops 1,100 during the summer and slims down to 250 hardy souls in winter. As for its savvy chronicler, a researcher who goes by the pseudonym F. Scott Robert, imagine H.L. Mencken on an ice floe. His introduction opens with the immortal line, "Many of the early explorers who came to Antarctica died miserably of starvation while freezing to death." The narrative quickly goes south from there. On John Carpenter's The Thing: "No other movie in history has ever depicted daily Antarctic life and its problems with such accuracy and intuitive brilliance." This site is the perfect place to chill.

# posted by SV @ 1/03/2004 09:04:00 AM

19th Century Advertising

Before Time and Newsweek were America's news magazines of choice, and when the only impeached president was Andrew Johnson -- Harper's Weekly gave America its news and entertainment. From 1857 to 1872, Harper's was the leading media outfit of the nation, and advertisers eagerly sought to hawk their wares on its pages. Famous retailers like Tiffany and Macy's advertised their businesses alongside Civil War products like brass artificial legs. In some ads, women were admonished in verse to buy suits as a cure for cranky husbands. A sewing-machine company kept its ads in step with politics, changing its celebrity endorsement from Mrs. Jefferson Davis before the Civil War to Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant after the war. Even without clever jingles or catch phrases, these antique ads still make an impact -- just like biscuits made with yeast so powerful that you had to nail them to the baking sheet.

# posted by SV @ 1/03/2004 06:16:00 AM

Friday, January 02, 2004

The proteins called Prions

Don't be surprised if these controversial proteins turn out to be involved in a lot more than Mad Cow disease, and maybe have some important biological roles. Storing memories for example!

# posted by SV @ 1/02/2004 07:18:00 AM

Informative

Medical blog.

# posted by SV @ 1/02/2004 07:10:00 AM

Thursday, January 01, 2004

Happy New Year

Today I wish for PEACE.

# posted by SV @ 1/01/2004 06:04:00 AM

what blogs are good for, aside from ego expression... Sort of like putting your face, life story and personal opinions on a milk carton so other people can see them.

for_sv's blog