News -- Still another way to watch DVDs: The New York Times > Technology > Circuits > For the No-Return DVD Rental, It's '48 Hrs.,' Then Fade to Black

"Unlike video on demand, which comes and goes as you watch it, Flexplay delivers movies on physical DVD's. But they are DVD's with a difference: 48 hours after the $5 disc's airtight package is opened, the readable side turns from red (indicating that it is playable) to black (expired). 'You throw it away or recycle it,' said Jeffrey T. Arnold, chief executive of the Convex Group, which owns Flexplay."

Comment -- So, you save the trip down to the video store (or library) to return the DVD when you're done watching it. I could see that being pretty convenient if it's a hassle to jump in the car and drive down to Blockbuster.

But on the other hand, for $15 bucks you can purchase most DVDs and keep them as long as you want -- watching the director's commentary, giving them to relatives to watch, etc.

News -- Spartans look better than last year, but still lose to Duke: Duke's duo does in Spartans - 12/01/04

"Michigan State got crushed by Duke, 72-50, last season at the Breslin Center. This time, the Spartans didn't back down. They cut the lead to 73-72, but Sean Dockery, who scored only four points, responded with a turnaround jumper in the lane with 2:18 left.

'No question, this year we competed,' Izzo said. 'That's what I was looking for. Last year was more like death."

Comment -- The Spartans had a chance to win until they missed 5 free throws in the final two minutes. It was close the entire game, which is to the credit of the Spartans. In such a hostile environment, they could easily have folded and lost by 25.

I find it hard to believe that any team this year will beat Duke on their own floor. As for the Spartans, let's see how they play Saturday afternoon against a good Maryland team. Sure would be nice to see MSU beat a nationally-ranked team.

News -- Get your goat!:danieldrezner.com :: Daniel W. Drezner :: Blog

"While the idea of eating goat is considered distasteful by some in the United States, goat is the primary meat dish in many parts of the world. With the number of immigrants arriving from the Middle East, Mexico and Asia surging, so, too, does the demand for goat meat.

According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, which the Department of Agriculture publishes every five years, goats are among the fastest growing sectors of the livestock industry. The number of goats raised annually for meat increased from 1.2 million to 1.9 million--a jump of 58 percent--from 1997 to 2002. The number of farms that raise meat goats grew to 74,980 from 63,422.

'If you want to know who eats goat, it's anybody but white people, descendants of Northern Europe,' said Susan Schoenian, a sheep and goat specialist with the University of Maryland extension service. 'Now all the immigrants come from every other part of the world, and they all come from goat-eating parts of the world."

Comment -- This article says that goat meat is lean and low fat, thus healthier to eat than beef.

I really like goat cheese, but I've never eaten goat meat. Probably tastes kind of like venison.

By the way, Blogger.com was down most of Tuesday, so I could not blog very effectively. It's been kind of a busy week, but when I get a chance I'll post some of our photos from the New York City trip.

News -- Manhattan was nice to visit but I'm not sure I'd want to work there: USATODAY.com - Think your commute is tough?

'The sun isn't even up,' says Sandra Foster, 42, who's been making the 85-mile trip into Manhattan for nearly a year to her job as an information-technology recruiter. 'The last thing anyone wants to do is chat.'

Foster is one of 3.4 million Americans who endure a daily 'extreme commute' of 90 minutes or more each way to work. They're among the fastest-growing segment of commuters, according to a Census study, Journey to Work, released in March. Their commute times are more than triple the national average of 25.5 minutes each way."

Comment -- New Jersey and New York are #1 and #2 for ultra commutes to work. Michigan is #30.

Why do people live so far away from their jobs? Rent controls and development restrictions make it too expensive to rent or buy housing in big cities.

News -- Interesting article about how the classical music recording business is showing signs of life: The New York Times > Arts > Music > Critic's Notebook: Amid Dire Predictions, Classical Records Flower

"Naxos, the invaluable and adventurous budget label, may get top honors for the most significant contribution of the year with its release of William Bolcom's setting of William Blake's 'Songs of Innocence and Experience,' 46 poems by William Blake, in a live performance by the University of Michigan School of Music Orchestra and Chorus. This work, with over two hours of Mr. Bolcom's poly-stylistic music, is surely his masterpiece."

Comment -- We heard a terrific classical piano concert during our NYC trip last week, featuring a 17-year-old pianist from Russia. I'll post a photo of her (next to Granny Weir) tonight when I get to my home computer.

Sometimes I get dismayed that there is so much great music out there that I don't know about and probably will never hear.

On another subject, sorry that blogging was a bit light yesterday. I've been having more and more problems with blogger.com, the company that hosts my blog. Since they don't charge anything, their service seems to be slipping. I may switch to another blogging host.

News -- You've probably all heard by now that we had a great time in New York City last week: Radio City Music Hall

Comment -- Over the next few days, I'll post a few of the photos I took during the trip.

In the meantime, I'll note that seeing the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall was one of the highlights of the week. I suspect that people younger than us (unless they were kids) may have found the extravaganza a little old-fashioned, but I enjoyed the pageantry and special effects.

Radio City Music Hall is a mammoth facility. It holds over 5,000 spectators and the stage looked about the size of a football field.

The lobby was decorated with Christmas decorations, anchored by a huge, elaborate Christmas tree.

News -- The New York Times forgot that the election is over. No need to continue tortured Vietnam metaphors: The New York Times > International > Middle East > Troops: Shadow of Vietnam Falls Over Iraq River Raids

"That war is rarely mentioned among the American troops in Iraq, many of whom were not yet born when the last American combat units withdrew from Vietnam more than 30 years ago. A war that America did not win is considered a bad talisman among those men and women, who privately admit to fears that this war could be lost. But as an orange moon sank below the bulrushes on Sunday morning, thoughts of Vietnam were hard to avoid."

Comment -- The reporter doesn't even try to disguise his hope that the U.S. soldiers get their comeuppance from the brave Iraqi insurgents:

"...the sense expressed by many of the Americans as they scoured the area that in this war, too, the insurgents might have advantages that could make them a match for highly trained troops, technological gadgetry and multibillion-dollar war budgets."

News -- Where ABBA on this list? Dylan Plucks No. 1 Song of All Time (washingtonpost.com)

"Rolling Stone magazine has named the top 500 songs of all-time, and, well, the No. 1 song isn't exactly a complete unknown. Bob Dylan's 'Like a Rolling Stone' tops the list, compiled from votes by 172 critics and musicians including Brian Wilson, Joni Mitchell and Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.

Following "Like a Rolling Stone" are the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," John Lennon's "Imagine," Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and Aretha Franklin's "Respect."

"It's worth noting that 'Like a Rolling Stone' and `Satisfaction' were recorded within a month of each other," Fricke told The Associated Press Wednesday. "It says a lot about how fast pop music was moving at that time."

Rounding out the top 10: "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry, the Beatles' "Hey Jude," Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Ray Charles' "What'd I Say."

Comment -- It might be fun to make a list of the all-time worst rock-and-roll songs.

Too late! The list was compiled in April: http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2004-04-18-worst-songs_x.htm

On the list: John Mayer's "Your Body Is a Wonderland."

News -- Minneapolis is the best city in the nation to get a good night's sleep. Detroit is the worst: The New York Times > Fashion & Style > Can't Sleep? Change Towns, Not Sheets

"Dr. Mark Mahowald, medical director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center in Minneapolis, concurred. 'Generally, if you're feeling pleasant and satisfied you're going to sleep better, and Minneapolis is a pretty stress-free city,' he said. 'I don't know what that says about Detroit,' he added with a chuckle. 'But I'd rather sleep in Minneapolis."

Comment -- New York City is another town where it's supposed to be tough to get a good night's sleep. We'll find out when we go there next week.

News -- TiVo sells out to the man: Yahoo! News - TiVo Will No Longer Skip Past Advertisers

"By March, TiVo viewers will see 'billboards,' or small logos, popping up over TV commercials as they fast-forward through them, offering contest entries, giveaways or links to other ads. If a viewer 'opts in' to the ad, their contact information will be downloaded to that advertiser ? exclusively and by permission only ? so even more direct marketing can take place."

Comment -- I bet in short order someone will post a hack that defeats the "billboard" feature.

News -- Here's a good reason to eat more sauerkraut and sausage: PR Newswire - A United Business Media Company

"It is estimated that one in five Americans currently suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and the number is growing. But there is hope. Many, including medical nutritionist Dana Reed, are discovering relief from the symptoms of IBS in unexpected places -- including traditionally fermented foods like Sauerkraut. Reed attributes some of the symptoms of IBS to the lack of fermented foods in our diets, the destruction of the body's probiotic (good) bacteria, and to the poor eating habits of today's society. To lessen these, she recommends a return to more natural diet that works to build and maintain healthy bacteria within the gut."

Comment -- This story was distributed by Great Lakes Kraut Company, which I'm sure is an unbiased source.

News -- MSU says job outlook for Brandon improves: Good news for college grads - companies are hiring

"*Companies reported that they will hire largely among 'all majors,' a trend likely driven by the demand for sales people. Among specific bachelor's degrees, accounting, marketing, all business majors, biological and physical sciences ranked high.

*After a slump over several years, computer science grads could land more jobs, although the numbers won't rival the 'dot.com craze.''

*Starting salaries for those with associate's and bachelor's degrees are expected to rise 3 percent to 7 percent.

*Employers are seeking better communications and computer literacy skills."

Comment -- MSU says employers are looking for graduates who have the teamwork and communications skills to step into a job and hit the ground running.

News -- Tomato prices skyrocket: Fried Green . . . Cucumbers (washingtonpost.com)

"They've been swirled in California floods. They've been smashed by Florida hurricanes. They've been picked at by Mexican bugs. The result has been a national tomato shortage that has sent prices climbing like a vine seeking light. With costs up and quality down, some national restaurant chains are reconsidering their marketing strategies to keep the thought of juicy, tender tomatoes off customers' minds, or switching recipes to make up for the absence of certain hard-to-find varieties."

Comment -- The article says the wholesale price of tomatoes is four times as high as it was this time last year.

News -- The pros and cons of a revolutionary new heart scanner: The New York Times > Science > Heart Scanner Stirs New Hope and a Debate

"The scans can largely replace diagnostic angiograms, the expensive, onerous way of looking for blockages in arteries, and can make diagnosis so easy that doctors would not hesitate to use them. They are expected to cost about $700, compared with about $4,000 for an angiogram.

Moreover, the scans take seconds to conduct and require no recuperation time; angiograms take nearly an hour and patients must stay in the hospital for a day. The new scans can see not just the outline of blood vessels but every detail inside and out.

Even so, there is hardly wide agreement over whether this new technique, known as multidetector CT scans of the heart, is entirely a good thing. Indeed, critics say, the technology is ripe for overuse, with doctors scanning people who do not need to be scanned and finding - and fixing - medical problems that do not need to be fixed."

Comment -- This appears to be a wonderful new tool. The article implies that they are using one at the U of M hospital in Ann Arbor.

But the cloud around the silver lining is that healthy, symptomless people may insist on getting the heart scans (particularly if insurance covers the cost). The scan also images the lungs -- potentially showing small, benign spots on the lungs that will have to be tested for the remote chance they are cancerous.

Why on earth would doctors scan people who do not need to be scanned? Again, if the scans are covered by insurance, what's the incentive not to order the scan?

These cost/benefit decisions are distorted by our current health insurance system. Let me have one of the new Health Savings Accounts that gives me a pool of tax-free money that I, in consultation with my doctor, can decide how to spend. I don't want insurance company bean counters making my health care decisions for me.