May 5, 2023
Grilling: Low to High End
March 25, 2022
Nice Wheels and Rims
But the oversize wheels and good-looking rims are quite fine!
What's more important the car or the tires? ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Nice Wheels and Rims
May 10, 2021
Hangers: Who Knew
You really do learn something new every day!
I guess one size really doesn't fit all.
Sh*t, I hope my clothes don't fall off these hangers. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Hangers: Who Knew
January 12, 2021
A Birdhouse For Every Bird
It feels like there are almost more choices here for a birdhouse then variations in dwellings you can buy.
Even if it just a little paint; sometimes that can make all the difference.
Frankly, it's not even that important how big or small, just as long as you have a decent roof over your head.
In our crazy world, we can have a birdhouse for every bird, but still we don't have homes for every person.
Homelessness and poverty, whatever your race, color, or identity is still a big problem.
Birds live in birdhouses, but many people still live on the streets. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
A Birdhouse For Every Bird
October 8, 2019
Where Are We Going
To me, it begs the question of where are we going in our lives.
The terrestrial landscape combined with the light at the end of the tunnel effect as the sky is provocative and at the same time almost hypnotic.
It also makes me feel the enormity of the universe versus the smallness of just a man.
I see myself standing on the red hilltop looking into that big sky and wondering about so many things.
In the end, believing that we don't have all the answers, but that we are in G-d's good hands. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Where Are We Going
August 22, 2019
A Mosquito Into A Mule
Making a mountain out of a molehill
That's when you make a big deal out of nothing.
So yesterday, I heard the European version of this as:
Making a mosquito into a mule
Honestly, I like that version a lot better.
A mosquito bites and is annoying.
But a mule resists and is a very stubborn animal that can drive you crazy.
You definitely don't want to make a mosquito into a mule! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
A Mosquito Into A Mule
May 25, 2019
Sizing Fashion And More
There is an obesity problem in the U.S.
But the statistics in terms of the typical sizes of fashion (for women) has been "largely" overlooked.
The biggest size most fashion brands even bother to sell is: 12
"Only 7% of womenswear stocked at multi-brand retailers is a size 14 or above."
But the average American dress size is between between 16 and 18!
The typical runway model is size 2.
BTW, I think men have the same problem with sizing.
There was another thing about measurement in the WSJ today having to do with measuring time.
Day is measured by the earth rotation (on its axis).
Year by the rotation around the sun.
Month by rotation of the moon.
Earth, Sun, and Moon...give us time.
Now we need to take all the wonderful time we have measured and not spend it all eating. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal @Ripley's Believe It or Not)
Sizing Fashion And More
April 11, 2019
Black Hole--What's Really Important?
It measures about 25 billion miles across--about the size of 29,000 suns.
If this doesn't make you (with all the money, smarts, good looks, and ego to match) feel small, nothing will.
We are but a speck of dust in this vast universe (maybe not even that).
Perspective is in order for your life and what it means.
Forget the money-grubbing and honor-seeking.
Realize what's really important is what you do in terms of choosing right from wrong and good over evil in every small thing you do. ;-)
(Photo Credit: Event Horizon Telescope)
Black Hole--What's Really Important?
August 21, 2018
My New Sneaks
I loved them in the store.
My stylish and lovely daughter helped me pick them out.
Nike bright orange--cool, fashionable.
"Just do it!"
But when I tried them on, I didn't have socks, and had to use the ridiculous thin ones in the store.
The sneakers were snug and I asked for a larger size, which they were out of.
I took the sneakers anyway, hoping they would be okay when I got home, but disappointingly, they were way too tight.
And "the give" that the saleslady said would happen with the sneakers, absolutely didn't.
My foot was being crushed in there.
I think Nike's run small.
Like the look, but not the sizing.
Anyway, saw three people playing soccer in these (or something close to it) the same day.
Orange is the new black. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
My New Sneaks
October 10, 2017
Feeling A Little Relative Deprivation
We were taking a walk.
And we passed these two houses side by side.
One, this tall stately-looking all brick manicured corner house.
The other, this cozy and sort of beat up little white siding house.
The juxtaposition of these two as neighbors couldn't have been funnier.
Sort of like strong and determined Rocky and the nebbish that couldn't.
Listen, there isn't anything objectively wrong with the little older white house.
Taken by itself, it may actually be a nice place to live--as I said, it's sort of charming (even while the other is commanding)!
But when you put it against the big new brick fellow, it's just a story of relative deprivation ready to be intensely felt.
Both have a roof over their heads...and both in the same nice neighborhood.
Yet neighbor and neighbor--but for no reason, one ends up feeling probably a little shitty--that's putting it in comparison, of course. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Feeling A Little Relative Deprivation
August 9, 2016
With Creation, The Intelligence Of Even A Worm
Some of you may think at first glance, oh how lame.
Did Andy just take a video of a worm?
But there is something more amazing here than initially meets the eye.
Look carefully at what this simple little worm is doing.
It is inching forward with its sprawling body over the dirt, and it is dragging with it...a feather!
Watch how it moves its body and then see at the top, the sudden pull of the feather behind it--and again and again.
Clearly, this is not an accident, but this worm wants this feather.
Who would think that a worm has the brains to identify, claim, and take with it, a feather.
There are probably a lot bigger brains out there that can't even do half that much. ;-)
(Source Video: Andy Blumenthal)
With Creation, The Intelligence Of Even A Worm
July 11, 2016
Noticing The Smallest Beauty
Noticing The Smallest Beauty
March 23, 2015
Respect The Legs
It's an interesting (yet in my estimation a somewhat demeaning) view of femininity as demonstrated by the relatively small body, but oversized crossed-over legs.
Perhaps the artist thinks this is sexy or provocative...
Or maybe it's just a relaxing pose with head high and back and arm behind her head.
Either way, you've got to respect those legs, and of course, the woman. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Respect The Legs
January 25, 2015
Size And Smell
In the New York Times today, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz tries his hand with google search results to better understand people's feelings about sex.
Though Stephens-Davidowitz doesn't explain how he gets these google statistics...here are some standouts:
As you might have guessed, the biggest complaint from men--and women--is that they don't get/have enough sex.
For both (as you might imagine in a primarily--95%--heterosexual world), traditional surveys show that it's about once a week.
However, the author says this is exaggerated (yeah, is it surprising that people exaggerate about this?) and it's actually only about 30 times a year--or once every 12 days.
So there are a lot of search on "sexless" or "won't have sex with me."
Observing that "sex can be quite fun," he questions, "why do we have so little of it?"
And he concludes that it's because we have "enormous anxiety" and insecurity about our bodies and sexuality.
Again, you probably wouldn't need data mining to guess the results, but men's biggest worry is about their penis size, and one of women's most toxic worries--a "strikingly common concern"--is about the smell of their vagina.
For men, they actually google questions about genital size more often than they have questions about any other body part; in fact, more than "about their lungs, liver, feet, ears, nose, throat, and brain combined."
So much for health consciousness versus machismo pride.
The funny thing is apparently women don't seem to care so much about this with only about 1 search on this topic for every 170 searches that men do on this.
Surprising to most men, about 40% of the searches women do conduct on this topic is "complaints" that it is too big!
Not that size doesn't matter to women, but for them it's about the size of their breasts and butts--and again, bigger being generally considered better.
In this case, most men seem to agree.
Another issue men are concerned about is premature ejaculation and how to make the experience last longer.
However, here women seem to be looking for information about half and half on how to make men climax more quickly on one hand, and more slowly on the other.
Overall, men are from Mars and women from Venus, with lot's of misunderstanding between the sexes.
The conclusion from this big data study...everyone calm down and just try to enjoy each other more.
Amazing the insights we can get from data mining! ;-)
(Source Photo: here with attribution to Daniel)
Size And Smell
December 13, 2014
Smartphone Or Kitty Litter
#78!!!
Right up there with the white board (#82) and good 'ol high frequency trading (#80).
But not as important as get this...the corporate campus (#77), the VCR (#74), Kitty Litter (#73), Singapore, literally--{Uh, and how about Israel?} (#71), bottled water (#56), High-fructose corn syrup (#48), Air Jordan sneakers (#45), Napster (#43), and junk bonds (#7).
They ranked the smartphone so low in disruption, even after giving it a two-page spread with no less than 32 "things the smartphone killed" and they probably missed a few hundred!
There is no need to list everything the smartphone does for you, because you use these functions every moment of every day.
To most people now, the smartphone is one of their most prized possessions and they don't go anywhere without it and rarely do you see anyone not "on it." (Uh, I know more than a few people who even dropped them in the toilet!)
Honestly, Businessweek...I think you missed the significance of the smartphone big time.
Yeah maybe Starbucks (#68) and the Pill (#9) are competitors, but not as important or disruptive as Kitty Litter...shame on you! ;-)
(Source Photo: here with attribution to Lonely Bob)
Smartphone Or Kitty Litter
October 7, 2014
The Games Organizations Play
The Games Organizations Play
September 15, 2014
Doctor In Context
No, this is not my doctor, but a statue of one on the countertop.
What's funny to me is how he looks in context of the bottles and anatomical models all around him.
Either the doctor has shrunk or the other things are really huge.
My dad used to tell me that doctors only know what G-d tells them, so we should pray that G-d gives them the wisdom to help us.
And my grandfather used to say in German that "G-d is my doctor."
Maybe that's why the image of the doctor is looking up--to get the guidance from the one above to help us.
That's the intersection of medicine and faith--where truly big things can happen. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Doctor In Context
August 10, 2013
How Apple Is Losing Its Fans
IDC reports that the recent quarter global smartphone shipments show Android with an almost 80% market share compared to Apple's flimsy 13%.
I've been a diehard Apple fan for years (and I still love them, but...)
Years ago, I converted all my Windows computers and even my old Android phones.
Apple was innovative, sleek, and intuitive to use.
But since Steve Jobs passed, the company has lost its mojo.
Siri was a bust and what else have they done since.
Google is leading the way with Glass for wearable technology.
Apple is disappointing its consumers, and their stock plummet from over $700 to the upper $300s (now in the mid $400's) shows investor sentiment.
Out comes the Samsung Galaxy S4 and I am salivating--the differences from the iPhone 5 make them "almost" not comparable.
Thought I'd wait for Chanukah, but the opportunity came early and so I am now a proud owner.
A couple of days earlier, a young women on the Metro was using the Galaxy and I asked how she liked it--she said she loved it, mentioned the big screen and all the free apps, and then went on to say that her mom also just switched over from the iPhone and loves the Galaxy too.
What is it about the Galaxy?
The larger 5" screen on the Galaxy versus 4"on the iPhone 5 is the first thing you notice--and yes, when it comes to doing email, reading news articles, or watching video, size does matter!
Also, the Galaxy has Corning Gorilla glass and a higher 2.85 resolution and 35.28% higher pixel density--so it is strong and sharp and images really come out looking like a beautiful work of art.
Also with air gesture, you can just wave your hand to navigate pages and not get fingerprints and smudges all over the screen.
The camera is another huge difference: the Galaxy is 13 megapixels compared to only 8 for the iPhone and if you like taking photos that don't look like they came from a smartphone, this is a better way to do it.
In terms of speed, the Galaxy again outperforms the iPhone, it has 2 gigabyte of RAM versus only 1 for the iPhone and its CPU is 2.46 as fast. I was able to transfer my entire iTunes music library in just a couple of minutes.
Finally, battery power is key and the Galaxy has 1.81x what the iPhone has--which basically makes it not necessary to get a heavy and costly Mophie external battery pack for it.
While there are many features I like better on Galaxy s4, the one thing I'd recommend Samsung improve on is the body, which is a cheaper plastic compared to the iPhones aluminum, but once you have a solid case on it, it doesn't really matter for the end user experience.
Overall, Galaxy has out-done the iPhone, and I think the venerable and cash rich Apple, without some major new technology leaps and advances in design is under very real threat.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
How Apple Is Losing Its Fans
December 28, 2011
Toward A User-Centric Government
Although the article doesn't use the term user-centric government, this is exactly the point and continuously driving forward with advanced technologies can help us make the leap.
Toward A User-Centric Government
June 26, 2011
How Leaders Can Imitate Art
How Leaders Can Imitate Art