Freelance Whales: Enzymes

The Freelance Whales, who released their full album Weathervanes way back in April, have put out a new song called "Enzymes" working with Emery Dobyns. I probably would never have known about this had he not tweeted and then have been retweeted by the group themselves. The track is definitely worth checking out. It's a little more haunting than their previous work, but that's not a bad thing. You can find more information at the Green Label Sound website, along with many other tracks. New songs are always fun, but I'm definitely anticipating a new album from them. Sadly, that probably won't come for quite a while.

Facebook Takes 'Anonymous' out of Web Browsing

What Facebook Can Give Back To The Web

I enjoy Facebook and would be happy spending a quarter of my Web life there, if I could leave Facebook for the other 75%. But even if I log out completely, most of the Web’s most popular sites are tied to Facebook, through Share or Like or Connect buttons. Facebook is not just another Web site: it is a service that “Facebookizes” every Web site it touches, making me bring all of my friends with me, like luggage. It’s disconcerting being on a Web site that I’m used to browsing anonymously, and seeing my friends’ faces there. And so I have a holiday wish: Facebook, let me dance if I want to, let me leave my friends behind.

Boomsday: Stupid title, fun book

I've been doing a lot more reading than I ever have at any point in my life. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because I'm getting older and whatever I used to do (video games) doesn't have the same allure. Well I still play video games, but fewer of them less often. Anyway, I just finished this wacky book about a PR rep who is passionate about the problem Baby Boomers bring to social security. She blogs about some heinous solution to issues it causes for younger generations and her senator buddy decides to give it a run in Congress. They call it a "meta" issue and that's really what the book is, because it obviously would never happen, and that kind of sticks out the whole way through which took a little bit away from the overall impact.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5 for its high entertainment value. It's a quick read with good dialog and over-the-top personalities with silly names. The situations, such as the whole bill being put into discussion, were sometimes a little too ridiculous, but they did make for a fun read as long as you're not too serious about realism. Satire, I believe is what this would be. The way this book is written, it's easy to see how it could be put into a movie, much like his book that I haven't read "Thank You For Smoking."

Paying for social security sucks for sure because I won't see any of it, and this book isn't going to get discussion on the issue moving, but it's really out of my hands. There's a lot of criticism and controversy on it, and for good reason. I watched a movie not too long ago, I.O.U.S.A. that touches on the issues of funding social security, and they're not pretty. Among other things, this country is in a load of trouble. I have a theory that we'll be owned by China within the next 20 years, if we're not all dead by then that is. I'm sure North Korea is going to use some nuclear arms against their southern neighbors and there will be some nasty fallout. I'll sit here and not look forward to that.

My friend count is linked to my small amygdala?

Friend Count Linked to the Size of a Certain Body Part? [STUDY]

"It’s all in the size of your amygdalae, small almond-shaped portions of the brain nestled within the temporal lobe, say scientists who conducted the study using 58 participants. They concluded that the amygdala’s size can predict just how social anyone will be, regardless of age or gender.

"Could it be that all our extensive Facebooking and Twittering is causing our brains to evolve further? On the other hand, perhaps correlation doesn’t necessarily mean causation. After all, another study showed we’re only capable of handling 150 Facebook friend  anyway"

I guess this means I have a small amygdala. Maybe my brain has advanced beyond complex social structures to be disgusted by them. I don't handle 150 Facebook friends. In fact, I really don't handle Facebook at all. I pay more attention to Twitter, where I can follow personalities who cover topics I'm interested in, such as the Royals, Missouri Tigers, or just sports columnists such as the good man Joe Posnanski and the fiery Gregg Doyel. It's not that Twitter is better, it's just better for me... more inoffensively selective. Anyway, read the whole article.

I'm Not A Connoisseur: Middle Sister Mischief Maker

Scroll down to listen to Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood before you read. The last half is the best part, but it wouldn't be worth it without listening the whole way through.

Rating: 74/100

Tonight I'm taking down some of a bottle of Middle Sister Mischief Maker, which is a Cabernet Sauvignon* from California. Middle Sister is specifically from Santa Rosa. I somewhat regret buying this wine as it seems a little emasculating. Unfortunately I try to keep my price point at about $10 a bottle, because I'm cheap. As a result, when I buy at my very local liquor shop, the selection becomes very limited. I do however enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon, so I'll just ignore the femininity of the label and get on to the wine.

Never Let Me Go Left Me Wanting

After reading such raving reviews, and seeing phrases like "Edge-of-your-seat mystery," I suppose I was going into this expecting Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro to be a gripping read. That's not what I got at all. It's about some kids brought up in a boarding school, and slowly and methodically more and more details are revealed by the author. Very methodically.

I wouldn't say I struggled to get through this, because I read it relatively quickly relative to myself. I thought it was a little too drawn out. The beginning was quite slow and there wasn't any quick connection to the characters, but overall Ishiguro did a good job of introducing a new element at just the right time to keep you reading. By "just the right time" I really mean if it was any later, I would have been pretty frustrated.

I kept reading though and by the end of the book it feels as if you grew up with the characters and it was a more rewarding experience than I would have guessed I would have had after the first 50 pages or so. I suppose would give this about a 3 of 5. Honestly though, it wasn't much mystery as to what was going on, and it really didn't seem that profound. It was a decent read, and left me touched by what these characters endured, but not to any notable power.

I'm Not a Connoisseur: Ironstone Old Vine Zinfandel

Rating: 84/100

I'm Not A Connoisseur: The Velvet Devil

Rating: 50/100