I was just checking out the review of Cigar City Brewery’s Oatmeal Cookie Stout on a friend’s iPad. Having been to the brewery a few weeks back, I was able to try it for myself, and I’m in complete agreement with the review. Tasty stuff. For a split second, I actually contemplated washing it down with a cold glass of milk.

OK, not really.

Andre Michelle has created some of the coolest flash toys for music.. like a replica of a Roland TR-90 Drum Machine that is from waaay back. All of the little features I remember from my little visits to Guitar Center are all there. I think I just spent an hour with it, and if I hadn’t told myself I had to write something, I’d still be playing with it.

Even if you aren’t a musician, you have to at least play around with his Tone Matrix, which basically is a timeline (across) of 16, with 16 different tones (vertical) that can be switched on or off.

Tone Matrix

Its constantly looping, so you immediately hear what your latest click has done to the melody. Try making a few chords by turning on a couple boxes on the same vertical plane.. its completely addicting.

It also reminds me of the Tangerine Dream song during the train scene in Risky Business from 1983. Which.. still sounds as great as ever.

This is so cool! It’s called “tilt-shift photography” and basically its the opposite of what you are used to seeing in the movies. Instead of using miniature sets and filming them so that they look life-sized and real (remember that old HBO intro that pans over the city?) this technique takes real life-size photographs…

Check out all 40.

Tilt-shift Photography

I wasn’t exposed to the military much as a kid, other than what Mr. Radke, my high school history teacher told stories about. Even those weren’t as memorable as when he would pick me up early for school in the driver’s ed car and then fall asleep while I just drove around until it was time to go to school. I’d wake him up and say “We’re back, Mr. Radke.” I’m pretty sure my brother said it was the same for him three years before me, except he claims we would wait until he fell asleep and go through the McDonalds drive through.

That’s not my point here, though. Times have changed since then, and I have become more aware of my place in the world. 9/11. Kosovo. Iraq. The U.S.S. Cole. Afghanistan. Rwanda… I could go on.

It’s not just American soldiers that should be thanked and remembered today. Men and women from all over the world sacrifice themselves for human greater good. It’s simply amazing. I always think of the stories of soldiers I read about in Tom Brokaw’s book, The Greatest Generation. I wonder if I could act as those before me did, given the same circumstances. I’d like to think so, but- how could you possibly know without really being put in those shoes? Would you jump on a grenade to save the three other guys in your foxhole or would you flinch hoping someone else might?

Many died to give us what what we have. Many more have been seriously injured, mentally and/or physically, and to me, just volunteering to put on the uniform makes them heros in my book.

I think this says just about everything.

Last Saturday we got to be a part of Mom’s special day, and it was definitely special. Most of the Detroiters were there, and it was especially nice to see my brother and his family who came out from Connecticut. Jerry- you got yourself a sweet, loving lady. Congrats!

The 400 for 400 promise:

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I first heard these guys on the “Adult Alternative” Music Choice channel that comes with my cable package. This song too. Since I first heard it I picked up the album and its incredibly infectous, though Joe has a potty mouth. On this tune its the bass groove. Even if you can keep from dancing, you cant stop tapping your foot. See what you think.

Origami. The Chinese art of paper folding.

It would figure some creative went and designed a downloadable template for a do-it-yourself dock. I’ve often wondered how much benefit you get shelling out the cash for basically another USB cable. Just to sit it upright next to your machine? Maybe its because I use AirTunes anyways that I don’t see the need. But this is just fun to do!

Thanks to Nicole at Cult of Mac for the post.

Download the template here.

Origami iPhone Dock

Sports Illustrated predicts the Bears to lose to the Patriots in the Super Bowl. It’s gonna be a long season in Chicago.