apple juice

Here’s some more on everyone’s favorite lip-sync’er,

Here, then, is the cautionary tale of Gary Brolsma, 19, amateur videographer and guy from New Jersey, who made the grave mistake of placing on the Internet a brief clip of himself dancing along to a Romanian pop song.

Internet Fame Is Cruel Mistress for a Dancer of the Numa Numa

For the record I think this guy is awesome. The article is a little sad, it says he’s depressed, after all the fame… Well, if you read this Gary, I say you’re awesome!

A few links I’ve stolen in the past couple days:

• Bacontarian

I say “my favorite bacon” with some reservation. It’s the best bacon that I’ve eaten yet. I hope and trust in the LARD that I haven’t eaten my favorite bacon yet, and that the LARD will bestow upon me many bacons to come, each with their own favorable characteristics.

• Bacon Whores

Finally, you can have tasty, sizzling bacon, without all the shopping, planning, and preparation. Just schedule your appointment at baconwhores.com, and our trained experts will come and prepare bacon for you, exactly the way you like it.

• An interview with author Dave Eggers

O: One review of Giraffes? Giraffes! hyped it as “a clever, postmodern satire targeting the ponderousness, seriousness, and intellectual pretension of the scientific establishment.” Is the philosophy behind those books really that complicated?

DE: [Laughs.] Well, that’s the job of writing about books, or about art: We sometimes make something out to be more serious than it is. I’m an amateur science enthusiast. I’m not even a professional enthusiast. I don’t know anything; I never even passed biology in high school. But I read the science section of the newspaper. I have a friend who sends me the weirdest science stories from around the world. It’s always been an interest of mine.

• Man listens to Dancing Queen by Abba on repeat for an entire 5 hour road trip

Self Explanatory… 5 min video

• Why Craigslist Works, a Change This Manifesto

There are more, but for now, that will keep you busy. Thanks to Matt and Jason Kottke for all the linkery.

Pitchers and Catchers reported on Sunday, an event that always turns my attention towards spring. Good thing we got 4 inches of snow yesterday.

It does look nice and wintry outside now, a snowy blanket covering everything. But I know in the back of my mind that there are Pitchers and Catchers warming up, tossing batting practice, chewing bubble gum (insert romantic baseball feelings here).

Have you ever tried to answer the question “What is your favorite season?” It’s an underrated question. I think the answer for me is as follows:

• November 15th – (Whatever day Pitchers and Catchers Report, usually about Feb 20th) – Winter
• Pitchers and Catchers until Opening Day – Spring
• Opening day until about August 14th (whatever night happens to be the one where it is 95% humidity and 84 degrees at 10:00pm) – Summer
• August 14th until November 14th – Fall

So I guess I like all the seasons. Which is one good thing about living in Minnesota: All 4 seasons are present and accounted for.

But this was going to be about baseball! I’m even more excited than usual for the Twins season this year. Hopefully we will see a full season of Joe Mauer. Justin Morneau will hopefully see a full season as well. The pitching staff is solid, and if Joe Mays pitches well, better than last year.

This will be my first season back in Minneapolis. I probably won’t have season tickets this year, but the dream is still alive. I’m hoping to make it to about 20 games this summer. (Maybe I’ll get the voucher tickets?)

Also, I’ve begun research for CBaO BBL ’05. The draft is fast approaching!

If we could only get a new stadium.

The Kyoto standard went into effect today, and we are not a part of it.

In an editorial today in the Star Tribune, it is argued that Minnesota is close to being at the standard, and that to continue Minnesota’s legacy as a green-er state, we should aspire to the Kyoto protocol, even if the US gov’t isn’t going to adhere.

The editorial also contained this tidbit, which I fould very interesting:

More than 800 wind turbines across the state, largely on agricultural land, provide 595 megawatts of power — enough to power every household in Minneapolis. Minnesota’s farmers are also leaders in the biofuel sector, with a growing number of farmer-owned ethanol and biodiesel facilities.

There are 13 ethanol plants in Minnesota, three under construction, and three soy diesel plants under construction or planned. With the proposed increase in the ethanol mandate for gas in Minnesota (from 10 to 20 percent by 2012), and mounting demand for biodiesel, more such plants are expected.

It also talks about solar panels being installed on gov’t buildings and how IBM saved almost $800 million in the past 15 years by becoming more energy efficent. Anyway, fun things to think about.

Excellent article from the Boston Globe that was reprinted at Common Dreams. Derailing Amtrak

Does this seem right to you?

Bush’s budget proposal includes $35 billion for highways, $14 billion for airports, and no operating subsidies for Amtrak.

Or this?

Other countries long ago boarded the express. Even Bush’s fellow Republicans can see that. In 2002 John Robert Smith said, “We literally spend more collecting road kill off the nation’s highways than we spend on the entire passenger rail system.”

We need a strong passenger rail system in America. It is as simple as that. And people want it:

This is despite the amazing fact that no matter how much Bush wants to kill Amtrak on the false premise that it must be self-sufficient (when airlines and automobile gasoline of course are not), people vote with their feet that they want rail. A record 25 million passengers took Amtrak trains last year. This was not just an East Coast commuter phenomenon. Ridership was up 14 percent in Iowa last year. Amtrak ridership is up 13 percent in car-crazy California.

Read the article. Call your representatives. etc. etc.

Dear Amtrak Co-workers:

Earlier today, President Bush sent to Congress his
proposed budget for FY ’06. It provides no funding for
Amtrak. In contrast, this year we are spending $1.4
billion, of which $1.2 billion is from a federal
appropriation to support our operations and capital
programs across the country.

The President’s proposal does provide $360 million to
the Surface Transportation Board for continued commuter
and freight operations on the NEC only after forcing
an Amtrak bankruptcy. It also isn’t accompanied by any
kind of plan for how Amtrak could continue operations.
In a word, they have no plan for Amtrak other than bankruptcy.

Obviously, the proposal is irresponsible and a surprising
disappointment. It doesn’t acknowledge all the hard work
you’ve done over the past two years to run a tighter and
better ship. Our costs are more under control than ever
before Рthat’s quite an accomplishment.

It is critical that reforms and improvements must continue,
however. Amtrak’s management is engaged with its board,
the Department of Transportation and others for this purpose.
That work continues. We are committed to an efficient and
productive rail passenger system. The plan to force us into
bankruptcy would be counterproductive to this goal.

The President’s proposal is only the start of a long
legislative process, and we are taking it very seriously.
This process has a lot of twists and turns, and it always t
akes six to nine months to sort out. It won’t have any
impact through the ’05 fiscal year, but there’s going to
be very little cash left at the end of this year. Rest
assured that after all we have been through, I am committed
to doing everything I can to secure adequate funding for ‘06.
We have strong support in Congress and a lot of support
across the country.

The best thing that all employees can do is to do their
jobs professionally, delivering the highest quality
passenger service we know how. If we really care about
our passengers, others will care about us. As I travel
in the Midwest this week, you can bet that I’m going
to be looking at service standards. Stay safe out there,
and keep your heads up.

Sincerely,

/s/ David L. Gunn

More info here from the National Association of Rail Passengers

Okay, I need to post a link to this (swf) video. Thanks to Joey for sending it to me…

Some dude lip-syncing to Dragostea Din Tei by O-Zone

Joey: Want to see something funny?
Me: Yes.
Joey: (sends link)
Me: That is hilarious, and the song is awesome!
Joey: I think it is popular in Europe or something.

Not only is that kid hilarious (he should be the next American Idol). The song is absolute pop genius. The mp3 is not hard to find, and I suggest you get a copy.