The airlines in Britain are off the hook. A suit was filed against them seeking damages for deaths by deep vein thrombosis – DVT. Not their fault, the airlines say, that the plane was cramped and passengers developed DVT. The judges agreed.

Airline travel has progressively worsened since I was a young lass off to Sweden on foreign exchange. Used to be you could count on the seat next to you being empty. Used to be you could find a whole row to sleep in once the plane was at “cruising altitude.” No more. Now the plane is full and, thanks to Homeland Security, you’re not supposed to stand at the back. You’re supposed to stay in your cramped seat developing clots.

There are other risk factors involved in developing DVT. I don’t know that I’m likely to develop DVT. I do know that in a week, I’m shoehorning myself into a coach seat and flying to Europe. I always book the aisle and I’m a scofflaw about the “no loitering” rules, but others get their seats too late or just don’t know to get up and stretch.

I don’t know that I wanted the airlines to get nailed on this. While I’m thinking it through, I’m trying to project the conditions that cause DVT on to other scenarios. What if a workplace had these conditions? A prison? Is that silly? For the money you pay for an airline seat, it seems like the least you could expect are conditions that are not potentially life threatening. Ultimately, I’m being very selfish about this case. I worry that the airlines, now that the case has been thrown out, will shave another three inches off leg room in coach.

I can’t reach the stuff that’s up high in my kitchen, but at least there are some advantages to being short.

After adding Rick Steves’s weekly travel show as a podcast to iTunes a few weeks ago, I finally got around to adding a few more podcasts and noticing that the iTunes store has a directory of podcasts. I clicked “Comedy” on the top-level iTunes page for podcasts where I find the president’s weekly radio address (which is also listed in “News & Politics”).

I haven’t added it. I feel like maybe I should, but his now familiar and unvarying delivery of anti-information is one of the many thing I look forward to not hearing after 2008.

If I’d read this in the New York Times instead of The Onion I could easily believe it to be true.

Voice Of God Revealed To Be Cheney On Intercom

WASHINGTON, DC—Telephone logs recorded by the National Security Agency and obtained by Congress as part of an ongoing investigation suggest that the vice president may have used the Oval Office intercom system to address President Bush at crucial moments, giving categorical directives in a voice the president believed to be that of God.

…

For many, the revelation explains Bush’s confusion in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

“I was very surprised by the president’s slow response in New Orleans,” political commentator Bill Kristol said. “The president told me that he was praying every day in his office, but had received no reply. I had no idea what he meant, but of course, it all makes sense now.”

At the time of Katrina, Cheney was on a fly-fishing trip, from which he returned on Sept. 1.

Shameless promotion of a friend’s indie label… and a “disgustingly” good idea.

“Every so often an idea comes along that sounds so great on paper that it can’t possibly be wrong. Praise be then that this is one of those rare times, for American Laundromat Records and Face Down Records have jointly dreamt up a concept so disgustingly cool that it can only be a triumph”. Alan Pedder (U.K. Music Journalist)
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HIGH SCHOOL REUNION features some of our favorite indie artists covering songs from the 80’s most popular teen films. Frank Black, Matthew Sweet, Lori McKenna, John P. Strohm (The Blake Babies), Kristin Hersh (Throwing Muses), and the Dresden Dolls are just several of the great artists covering tracks from films like Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Say Anything, Valley Girl, Repo Man, and more.
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The 80’s were unique. There were so many important films that spoke to us as teenagers. The soundtracks were exceptional, and the stories & characters unforgettable. We wanted to tribute these films and songs as a small thank you.

Spin and Billboard have done articles about this little comp. I’ve heard some of the songs on the myspace page and I gotta tell you… they are awesome. American Laundromat Records is already working on another, different but equally genious compilation but I imagine a High School Reunion Vol. 2 won’t be too far behind.
It started shipping today. You can order now.

So, Hua Hsu over at Slate thinks that the Black-Eyed Peas song “My Humps” is objectively horrible. Not just awesomely bad (which, I guess, is intended to mean that it’s so bad it’s good, just bad. As in stupid. As in the kind of thing that makes you want to turn the radio off. So, for comparison, like that “My Heart Will Go On” song from Titanic.

At least, that’s how I have to interpret this rant against what is, really, a very catchy and fun tune. One that I kinda bought the album for, so I could roll down the windows, turn up the volume, and make the commute over 520 at least mildly entertaining on a summer evening.

Seriously.

I drive these brothers crazy,
I do it on the daily,
They treat me really nicely,
They buy me all these icies.
Dolce & Gabbana,
Fendi and NaDonna
Karan, they be sharin’
All their money got me wearin’ fly
But I ain’t askin,
They say they love my ass ‘n,
Seven Jeans, True Religion’s,
I say no, but they keep givin’
So I keep on takin’
And no I ain’t taken
We can keep on datin’
I keep on demonstrating.

Seriously, what girl wouldn’t love singing that. It’s catchy, and, not unlike wearing stilletos and red lipstick is a nice little opportunity to revel in the power of feminine wiles. Because, hell ya, I wanna drive these brothers wild.

Now, how can you possible say a song as fun as that (with a good ass-shaking rhythm, I should add) is bad? Certainly how can you say it’s even in a class of badness anywhere approaching:

Love was when I loved you
One true time I hold to
In my life we’ll always go on

Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does go on
Once more you open the door
And you’re here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on

There is some love that will not
go away

You’re here, there’s nothing I fear,
And I know that my heart will go on
We’ll stay forever this way
You are safe in my heart
And my heart will go on and on

Or, for that matter:

Backstreet
Check it huh
Hey
Let’s talk about one, baby
Ya gotta hear me out
Do you really want to be the last to know
What it’s all about
Let’s talk about who you say
Is the essence of your life
But he’ll eat you up from inside slow
And then he doesn’t wanna know
I’m tellin you he’ll eat you up from inside
And then he doesn’t wanna know

That’s bad song writing. But

I met a girl down at the disco
She said hey hey hey yeah lets go
I can be ya baby, you could be my honey
Lets spend time not money
And mix your milk with my cocoa puff
milky milky cocoa
mix your milk with my cocoa puff
Milky milky
Riiiiight…

is funny. And danceable.

I bet you Hua Hsu doesn’t even like the Beastie Boys. I can imagine him complaining about the song “Girls!” being offensive and stupid, rather that the sort of thing you turn way up, roll down the windows, and sing at the top of your lungs:

Girls – to do the dishes
Girls – to clean up my room
Girls – to do the laundry
Girls – and in the bathroom
Girls – that’s all I really want is girls
Two at a time – I want girls
With new wave hairdos – I want girls
I ought to whip out my – girls, girls, girls, girls,girls,
girls, girls, girls,
girls!

Hey Schmuli and Ruchele! You know those blues that creep up on you as Christmas arrives? Adam Sandler pinned it when he said, “When you feel like the only kid in town without a Christmas tree…” You want to go to the parties because the treats are delish and secretly, you think Christmas trees are kinda pretty. But you feel lame lurking in the back and singing Silent Night makes you hear your Bubbe shrieking “Oy! OY!” as she spins in her grave. Off you go for a refill of spiked egg nog to take the edge off the guilt.

Well, you need no longer hang your head in despair. No more explaining that your plans for Christmas day are centered around Dim Sum with the Berkowitzes and the Rosenbergs! Those holiday parties were all about Christmas until you showed up. Dressed in blue and white, wearing this and carrying a pocket full of dreidls you’re the life of the party! Lead them in a rousing singalong: “…and when it’s dry and ready, oh dreidl I shall play!” Your Bubbe will be so proud.

And always remember: Paul Newman’s half Jewish, Goldie Hawn’s half too…put them together, what a fine lookin’ Jew.

Interesting article about emotional connection to the virtual puppies available with the Nintendogs game for the Nintendo DS. Although I love my DS, I don’t have this game, as our real puppies don’t leave much time for playing with virtual ones. But I can see how people get addicted to a game where the virtual pups are so close to the real thing that they can provide a substitute for the emotional connection:

It’s rewarding when your digital dogs bring you a present, upsetting when they try to eat trash on walks, and they’re so cute that when you find a big green floppy hat you want to make them wear it until you see in their little faces that they know the big green floppy hat is really a form of humiliation and you half-reluctantly take it off.

Anyway, while Nintendogs isn’t my cup of tea, it’s nice to see that there’s at least some innovation in the games industry beyond First Person Shooter 3: Extreme! Nintendo seems to be one of the last players left offering any real innovation, and thankfully it seems to be working out for them. As a result, Nintendogs has sold more copies than any title on the much-hipper PSP. By the same token, while the Xbox 360 seems to have great technology but same-old, same-old games, the forthcoming Revolution with its wand-like controller that senses its position and orientation in space promises a whole new category of gaming. (You really have to see it in action to get what this means.)

But with the success of Nintendogs, there’s always the chance Nintendo will fall into the endless-sequel trap, too. On the other hand, as Slashdot poster Jacius points out, the logical successor mightn’t be so much fun. Consider the merits of Nintencats:

• Your Nintencat won’t come when you call its name, thanks to the DS microphone!
• Don’t teach your Nintencat tricks using the touch screen and stylus!
• Don’t take your Nintencat for walks and explore the neighborhood!
• Don’t compete in disc-fetching and agility trials!
• Real time! Your DS will start wailing and making loud thumping and scratching noises when you’re trying to sleep, and you won’t be able to find where your Nintencat is napping during the day!
• Set the game on “Hiss Mode” and close the DS, and Nintencats will use Wi-fi to detect other nearby Nintencats and get in fights with them!

Hmm. Maybe not.

A few years back I was working in the Eastlake neighborhood. I walked to work almost every day, down the stairclimb, across the treacherous I-5 onramp, and down the hill to the office. One morning at the top of the stairclimb I noticed a flyer – an Eastlake neighbor was looking for help getting funding for transforming the blackberry and beer infested patch of dirt underneath the freeway in to a park. (Sorry for that bad sentence. I’m trying to unravel it.)

I signed up to help. I posted petitions, gathered signatures, attended a few city meeetings, wrote a truckload of letters to the city… once, I was on the evening news – with my bicycle – talking about how bike and pedestrian unfriendly the crossing was and how great it would be if the Eastlake and Cap Hill neighborhoods, divided by I-5, could be connected again.

Today when I got home from yoga, there was a message on my machine from Chris, that Eastlake neighbor, asking me if I could attend the opening of the park this weekend. He said he really appreciated my work and wanted to introduce me at the festivities! I was touched and honored by that, though I’m not really sure I deserve any recognition. Writing down what I did, maybe it was significant, but it didn’t feel like much at all. Still, it’s a very sweet success! Where once were fences and candy wrappers, there’s now a park with bike trails! It’s just like that Talking Heads song! “This was a parking lot, now it’s a peaceful oasis!”

If you’re in Seattle this weekend, buzz by Colonnade Park and take a look. I helped make that happen! I couldn’t be more proud.