There’s a new series of commercials now on the air and produced as part of the Detroit Project proposing that SUV drivers (or more specifically people who drive gas guzzlers) help fund terrorist activities. It’s an interesting take on the effects of the terrible gas milage that these vehicles get. In spite of the fact that the technology exists to produce ultra fuel efficient vehicles, the auto industry has been loath to drop or reduce the production of their cash cow because there is such a demand. SUVs have stopped being Sport Utility Vehicles for a large majority of the population and have become Social Utility Vehicles instead. Their drivers view the vehicles as sexy and/or studly, perhaps because of the attitude they presumably portray – perhaps due to the blatant disregard for the problems they cause? They also tend to be more expensive than smaller cars, thus becoming a status symbol. Others view them as being safer… even though they are more apt to roll-overs and increase the risk of a casualty when a smaller car is involved in an accident (in reality, the quality of the car is more of a factor). And then of course, there is the environmental impact. Some environmentalists have gotten so fed up with SUVs that they have made it their mission raise awareness as well as make owning an SUV a social shame. Which brings us back to the commercials. If the automotive industry will not choose to be more responsible, then the perceptions of the population will need to be altered. If the demand for SUVs decreases, that’ll mean less income for the auto industry. And as we all know, money talks.Personally, I don’t think there’s a problem with owning an SUV if you really need it, i.e. if it is for a legitimate commercial purpose or recreational purpose. You’ll have a tough time towing that boat around with a Yugo. But if it’s purely “just because”, well, all I can say is you’re fair game.

So much chocolate.So much family.So many gifts.So few hours of light.So much sleep.So much snow on Christmas Eve.So many Christmas lights.So many home cooked meals.So much to be thankful for.So many laughs.So much spirit.So nice.

A bunch of concerts are coming to town in the near future and I plan on going to as many as possible. Let me know if you’re interested in any of these:Nov 16 – Kid KoalaVirginia Street Gallery, San JoseNov 21 – Zero7The Fillmore, San FranciscoNov 23 – Sigur RosThe Warfield, San FranciscoNov 24 – Thievery CorporationRuby Skye, San FranciscoNov 25 – Porcupine TreeThe Fillmore, San FranciscoDec 16, 17 – Toad The Wet Sprocket / Counting CrowsThe Warfield, San FranciscoI have a feeling the Kid Koala show will be pretty intimate. I don’t expect it will be a very large venue. Zero7‘s latest album is so good. I’m bummed that I missed them this past summer. Sigur Ros is a very laid back, psychadelic ambient rock band from Iceland. Their music is very moody. I already have tickets for the Thievery Corporation show with Ian and Orla. Their music can probably best be described as modern lounge / groove. They have a new album coming out soon that they will be promoting. Porcupine Tree is a neo-progressive / art rock band heavily influenced by Pink Floyd. And out of left field, Toad The Wet Sprocket is reuniting for a limited number of shows with the Counting Crows.

The human mind is a strange thing. I was walking up Fourth Street in San Francisco on my way to work this morning when I caught a wiff of something that immediately brought back memories of early morning practices at band camp in high school. A scent in the middle of a city two thousand miles away and 10 years later from the grassy field in my memory. Truly bizarre.

I came across an excellent editorial in the San Jose Mercury today regarding the knee-jerk reaction I feel our country continues to take in response to 9-11 last year (yes, this is a 9-11 post). I was going to do a write-up about it, but feel the journalist has done an excellent job of presenting my view point. I have included the editorial below for archival purposes and added emphasis to some of the points I feel are important. Continue reading →

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Chalk another one up for reasons why I despise George W. Bush:So far we’ve had:1) A broken election.2) A terrorist attack. Maybe not his fault… but then his administration did ignore mounting evidence that something was going down.3) Blind retaliation and denial rather than trying to understand why other countries might be mad at us.4) Destructive energy plans (rejected, thankfully).5) Knee-jerk reactions to Pledge of Allegiance ruling.6) Hipocritical investment scandal and crackdown (yes, it’s satire…but true! with the VP involved, too!)7) Crying wolf about terrorist attacks.8) Internet and Phone taps without a warrant.Now we have:9) Turning American citizens against each other.No wonder I had a hard time feeling patriotic July 4th this year. Give me a leader I can be proud of, please. Pretty please?

I’ve been thinking a bit about the efforts that the RIAA has gone to in order to limit piracy of music via the Internet. Due to the recording industry’s random application of irritating copy protection schemes on audio CDs, will music consumers become so fed up with the inconvenience that they will actually be driven to the one place the RIAA doesn’t want them to go to get their music: the Internet? Continue reading →