Fire 1 - DC United 0.
The second and final leg of the series is November 1, and the scoring is cumulative, so if the Fire win or tie, they go through to the semifinals.
Great game!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Interesting: Chicago Fire win Game 1
Fire 1 - DC United 0.
The second and final leg of the series is November 1, and the scoring is cumulative, so if the Fire win or tie, they go through to the semifinals.
Great game!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Helpful: Sales Taxes on services
In Illinois, sales taxes only apply to the sale of goods, not services. So you pay 9% on a Big Mac, but 0% on your personal trainer, stock broker, or lawyer.
The Governor tried to address this by rolling out a General Receipts Tax, which would get at some of those services, but he is so inept and politically bankrupt right now that service industries crushed him.
Meanwhile, check this out:
Taking a quick look at census business data:
Top 6 sectors for Cook County (by % of total payroll spending)
15% Finance
13% Professional, Scientific, Tech
11% Health Care
10% Manufacturing
7% Wholesale Trade
6% Management of companies
That means that #1, #2, #3 and #6 of our top sectors (making up 45% of our economy) pay little to no sales tax. Include them, but reduce the rate, and you can get it passed.
The Governor tried to address this by rolling out a General Receipts Tax, which would get at some of those services, but he is so inept and politically bankrupt right now that service industries crushed him.
Meanwhile, check this out:
Taking a quick look at census business data:
Top 6 sectors for Cook County (by % of total payroll spending)
15% Finance
13% Professional, Scientific, Tech
11% Health Care
10% Manufacturing
7% Wholesale Trade
6% Management of companies
That means that #1, #2, #3 and #6 of our top sectors (making up 45% of our economy) pay little to no sales tax. Include them, but reduce the rate, and you can get it passed.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Interesting: Why I hate protest marches
Ezra Klein hits it right on the head.
I think it's almost certainly wrong that we're not overwhelmed by the volume of tragedy in the world -- there'd have to be something genuinely wrong with you to be able to absorb the current moment in some coherent way. So what many of us do is pick and choose. But once an issue is selected, there's no real step two. Marching doesn't work. Exhortations to write a letter or shoot an e-mail seem increasingly hoary, particularly as the process is taken over by organized pressure groups able to flood legislators with millions of e-mails. Volunteers are generally misused, and even when a campaign tries to construct a movement out of them, it can backfire, discrediting the whole enterprise (see Dean, Howard, and those $%*^*# orange beanies). The utter inadequacy of contemporary methods of protest and social action has been well established -- it's even been recast as narcisstic.
What to do instead? Let me know if you come with anything.
I think it's almost certainly wrong that we're not overwhelmed by the volume of tragedy in the world -- there'd have to be something genuinely wrong with you to be able to absorb the current moment in some coherent way. So what many of us do is pick and choose. But once an issue is selected, there's no real step two. Marching doesn't work. Exhortations to write a letter or shoot an e-mail seem increasingly hoary, particularly as the process is taken over by organized pressure groups able to flood legislators with millions of e-mails. Volunteers are generally misused, and even when a campaign tries to construct a movement out of them, it can backfire, discrediting the whole enterprise (see Dean, Howard, and those $%*^*# orange beanies). The utter inadequacy of contemporary methods of protest and social action has been well established -- it's even been recast as narcisstic.
What to do instead? Let me know if you come with anything.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Helpful: GTD on HP
You know I love me some GTD - now the David has a regular column on Huffington Post with GTD tips. Hey Carrie - read that book!
David Allen: Think Smarter By Capturing Your Ideas - Living Now on The Huffington Post
David Allen: Think Smarter By Capturing Your Ideas - Living Now on The Huffington Post
Interesting: Red Card
A great blog about the Chicago Fire, my local MLS soccer team. The Fire beat Beckham and LA Galaxy on Sunday to make it into the playoffs. Game 1 against DC United is Thursday!
Helpful: Backup your data
We have about 50 GB of music, movies, etc. in our iTunes catalog. That's hundreds of CDs from high school and college, hundreds of downloaded albums, podcasts, speeches, and videos of our cat. We had them all stored on an external hard drive, which we bought about 4 years ago.
Last Monday, the external hard drive crashed. It's worthless, and the data is irretrievable from the drive.
But there's a happy ending to this story.
A month ago after reading a series on Lifehacker, Cindy and I talked about our backup situation, and I signed us up for Mozy, an online backup service that charges $55/yr. for unlimited storage. Once I signed up, I selected the music drive and copied all of the files to the Mozy server. It took two weeks for the full backup, but once it was done, it automatically updated the backup whenever we added new music or files.
After the crash, I bought a new drive, selected the music files on Mozy, and started to upload them back to the new drive. It will take two weeks for the full transfer, but that is a short time to wait considering the vast amount of music on the line.
Important data must be in at least two places to be safe, and preferably, one of those places should not be in your house. Whether you have Mac or PC, Mozy is a great solution.
Last Monday, the external hard drive crashed. It's worthless, and the data is irretrievable from the drive.
But there's a happy ending to this story.
A month ago after reading a series on Lifehacker, Cindy and I talked about our backup situation, and I signed us up for Mozy, an online backup service that charges $55/yr. for unlimited storage. Once I signed up, I selected the music drive and copied all of the files to the Mozy server. It took two weeks for the full backup, but once it was done, it automatically updated the backup whenever we added new music or files.
After the crash, I bought a new drive, selected the music files on Mozy, and started to upload them back to the new drive. It will take two weeks for the full transfer, but that is a short time to wait considering the vast amount of music on the line.
Important data must be in at least two places to be safe, and preferably, one of those places should not be in your house. Whether you have Mac or PC, Mozy is a great solution.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Not Helpful: Pennies per gallon
Crazy how getting one small detail wrong can lead to such problems. Last night in my transportation finance class, we discussed the federal and state gas taxes.
Problem 1) Taxes are calculated in cents per gallon, so as gas prices rise, the tax collected remains the same. If prices increase enough and drivers choose more fuel-efficient cars or drive less, fewer gallons are purchased and thus fewer taxes are collected. The wear and tear on roads may be reduced, but not enough to make a difference.
At the same time, oil companies make increasing profits because the taxes are a fixed cost, not a variable one. Assume the current $.18/gallon federal tax rate and gasoline that costs $1.00 to produce. The oil company can make a profit of 10% by charging $1.31 for each gallon. In that case, for a total sale of $1.31, the government collects $.18 (13.1%) in taxes, and the oil company makes $.13 (10%) profit.
If the production cost of gasoline is now $3.00 with the same $.18/gallon tax, and the oil company charges $3.53, the government gets $.18 (only 5.1%) and the oil company gets $.35 (10%) profit.
Add in inflation and other increasing costs for road construction and maintenance, and you end up with rapidly shrinking highway and transit funds, plus increased oil company profits.
Problem 2)
In Illinois, More than 50% of state gas taxes are shared with municipalities, counties, and regions, so every level of government is dependent on automobile driving. Not only that, since the revenues are collected based on gallons purchased, there is an incentive to encourage auto-centered development and low gas mileage. Hello strip malls!
Problem 1) Taxes are calculated in cents per gallon, so as gas prices rise, the tax collected remains the same. If prices increase enough and drivers choose more fuel-efficient cars or drive less, fewer gallons are purchased and thus fewer taxes are collected. The wear and tear on roads may be reduced, but not enough to make a difference.
At the same time, oil companies make increasing profits because the taxes are a fixed cost, not a variable one. Assume the current $.18/gallon federal tax rate and gasoline that costs $1.00 to produce. The oil company can make a profit of 10% by charging $1.31 for each gallon. In that case, for a total sale of $1.31, the government collects $.18 (13.1%) in taxes, and the oil company makes $.13 (10%) profit.
If the production cost of gasoline is now $3.00 with the same $.18/gallon tax, and the oil company charges $3.53, the government gets $.18 (only 5.1%) and the oil company gets $.35 (10%) profit.
Add in inflation and other increasing costs for road construction and maintenance, and you end up with rapidly shrinking highway and transit funds, plus increased oil company profits.
Problem 2)
In Illinois, More than 50% of state gas taxes are shared with municipalities, counties, and regions, so every level of government is dependent on automobile driving. Not only that, since the revenues are collected based on gallons purchased, there is an incentive to encourage auto-centered development and low gas mileage. Hello strip malls!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Interesting: Stuff You Never Hear In Church, Part One
Let Holy Covenant defy your expectations of church.
Join us this Sunday for Suce$s and Money: What Am I Working For?
This is part one of a six-part fall sermon series designed to open our eyes, challenge our preconceptions and speak to real issues in our lives.
That's this Sunday, Sept. 16 at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. All are welcome!
Holy Covenant United Methodist Church
925 W. Diversey, just east of the corner of Diversey and Sheffield
www.holycovenantumc.org
Fall Sermon Series: "STUFF YOU DON'T HEAR IN CHURCH"
9/16 - Succe$s and Money: What Am I Working For?
9/23 - Politics and Social Change: How Would Jesus Vote?
9/30 - Addiction and Dependency: Alcohol, Drugs and Pornography
10/7 - Religion Beyond Belief: A U2 Eucharist!
10/14 - Real Sex: Making Love (For Gay and Straight Alike)
Holy Covenant United Methodist Church
925 W. Diversey Pkwy.
Chicago, Illinois 60614
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Interesting: Lollapalooza 2007 Part 3
Yeah, yeah, so I never posted Day 3. I've been busy ok? Besides, Day 3 was my least favorite of the weekend, it was brutally hot, and by now, I kind of forgot everything. So, you can check out the setlists here:
Lollapalooza 2007 - A Day in the Life
I will say that Pearl Jam was surprisingly good. I had never seen them live before, and hearing 60,000 people sing "Alive" was pretty sweet. As expected, Ed Vedder brought out the political kung fu in force, with some anti-war songs, a piece with an Iraq War vet, and an original ditty knocking BP Amoco about their aborted plan to increase ammonia and other pollution into Lake Michigan. Brilliant.
This Saturday, we went to the Hideout Block Party, and stayed for about an hour. The show took place in a city parking lot next to a bunch of smelly garbage trucks. The line for food was 40 minutes long. And by the time we could get close to the stage to hear The Frames, everybody was talking so loud we could hardly hear anything. So we bailed. Sorry Andrew Bird - your new CD is very cool and we'll have to catch you later.
Lollapalooza 2007 - A Day in the Life
I will say that Pearl Jam was surprisingly good. I had never seen them live before, and hearing 60,000 people sing "Alive" was pretty sweet. As expected, Ed Vedder brought out the political kung fu in force, with some anti-war songs, a piece with an Iraq War vet, and an original ditty knocking BP Amoco about their aborted plan to increase ammonia and other pollution into Lake Michigan. Brilliant.
This Saturday, we went to the Hideout Block Party, and stayed for about an hour. The show took place in a city parking lot next to a bunch of smelly garbage trucks. The line for food was 40 minutes long. And by the time we could get close to the stage to hear The Frames, everybody was talking so loud we could hardly hear anything. So we bailed. Sorry Andrew Bird - your new CD is very cool and we'll have to catch you later.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Interesting: The Entire Kuzma Family on TV
Everyone but me, that is.
Here are all four parts of my brother, Mom and Dad on "Don't Forget the Lyrics."
Lucas Kuzma - Don't Forget the Lyrics - Part 1
Lucas Kuzma - Don't Forget the Lyrics - Part 2
Lucas Kuzma - Don't Forget the Lyrics - Part 3
Lucas Kuzma - Don't Forget the Lyrics - Part 4
How close is your relationship to Quincy Jones?
Here are all four parts of my brother, Mom and Dad on "Don't Forget the Lyrics."
Lucas Kuzma - Don't Forget the Lyrics - Part 1
Lucas Kuzma - Don't Forget the Lyrics - Part 2
Lucas Kuzma - Don't Forget the Lyrics - Part 3
Lucas Kuzma - Don't Forget the Lyrics - Part 4
How close is your relationship to Quincy Jones?
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Interesting: U2 Eucharist rocks Chicago church
Hey, check out this article about my church! Our next U2 service is next month. You are invited.
U2 Eucharist rocks Chicago church
U2 Eucharist rocks Chicago church
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Interesting: Becks!
I haven't written too much before of my love of soccer, but I just had to get on the blog this morning and put up clips of David Beckham from last night's Galaxy game vs. New England in the Superliga tournament.
Beckham is by no means the best player in the world, but he is by far the best player in the US, and it showed immediately in Becks' first start. His vision of the field is just so good, and even though his ankle is still gimpy, he moves and thinks more quickly than everyone else, if that makes sense.
There were a few times when he was in the middle of the field, surrounded by players, and the ball would come to him, and every time, he would immediately get rid of the ball perfectly to his teammate. He never gave the defense a chance to tackle him or push him around, so he ended up without any further injury -- very important when you're being paid $50 million a year.
Oh, and then there's this:
And this:
Excellent.
Beckham is by no means the best player in the world, but he is by far the best player in the US, and it showed immediately in Becks' first start. His vision of the field is just so good, and even though his ankle is still gimpy, he moves and thinks more quickly than everyone else, if that makes sense.
There were a few times when he was in the middle of the field, surrounded by players, and the ball would come to him, and every time, he would immediately get rid of the ball perfectly to his teammate. He never gave the defense a chance to tackle him or push him around, so he ended up without any further injury -- very important when you're being paid $50 million a year.
Oh, and then there's this:
And this:
Excellent.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Helpful: KEXP Song of the Day Podcast
I subscribe to a lot of podcaster tunes on my iPoddamajig, but one stood out today on the KEXP Song of the Day -- "People Get Ready" by The Frames. That's the band that's in that new movie Once.
One free .mp3 every day, and they're almost always good. Not a bad deal. Click the link above or you can find it on iTunes.
One free .mp3 every day, and they're almost always good. Not a bad deal. Click the link above or you can find it on iTunes.
Interesting: Lollapalooza 2007 Part 2
I agree with Jairy: Day 2 was nothing like Day 1, but thanks to some cooler temps and some delusional Swedes, it was still joyous.
I'm From Barcelona
As with the Spree, IFB goes for quantity more than quality: in the number of performers (close to 30), crazy outfits (bear suit, black suit/white tie, striped leggings), and smiley smile times (too numerous to count). Balloons, songs about chicken pox, and tunes with 27 people all singing melody. A perfect set for the beginning of the day. I don't imagine that their studio set is all that good, but they have figured out the equation: shaker shaped like banana = good times.
Tapes and Tapes
This band was the most serious-sounding (except Interpol, but I'll get to them) but serious in a loud and good way. I picked up their CD on eMusic last month and really like their hard edge.
Silverchair
I napped a little on the hill in Grant Park during this set, but I must say that of all the poppy hard rock bands out there, Silverchair have perfectly serviceable skills, a good front man, and some *gasp* melodies. Worth a listen. I hear they are the David Hasselhoff of Australia.
Cold War Kids
CWK got screwed on this one - they should have been at a larger stage, and the sound was fishbowl-y. The middle and bass registers were way too high, but from what I could tell, they played OK. However, do not let this discourage you from GETTING THE COLD WAR KIDS CD NOW. Thx.
The Hold Steady
ALl of the reviews about this set have been right on - they give a great show, the lead singer is very much into it, there's a guy with a handlebar moustache, etc, etc.
However, the lead singer does not sing -- he kind of talksings, and I just don't get it. So, I can't get into this band's recordings. Good show though. It was at this show that I saw the Myspace booth. At this booth, they handed out free bandanas, and you could get your picture taken with some skanky girls in Myspace tubetops and miniskirts. That about says it all.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
I listened to this set from across the field as I made my way to the front of Spoon's stage. You may sense a trend: whiny lead singer voices don't do it for me. So Clap...Yeah! is not on my faves list.
Spoon
Despite the fact that they left out the best three songs from the new album, Ga^5, Spoon's set was great. They played my favorite song, "Fitted Shirt," and a lot of other solid tracks. What a tight band of normal-looking guys. They are confident, understated, and almost surgical in delivering the rock. I hate to plug eMusic too much, but Spoon's whole catalog is on there. That's a hint.
Muse
Lucas will disown me, but I left co-headliner Muse after 10 minutes. They began with a transcription of JFK's famous speech about communism from 1962. It was up on the video screen, and all I think of was my favorite line from Beavis and Butthead: "If I wanted to read, I would have stayed at school, huh huh, huh huh, um, huh huh. This sucks."
The sound is too hard for my taste, and so I made the mile walk across Grant Park to...
Interpol
My least favorite band alive. Could I please go to the dentist instead? Or maybe get a kick in the groin? Interpol plays music from the future. A future where everything is boring. I know Jair is a fan, but that band had ZERO energy on stage, no connection to the crowd, and seriously, made me sleepy. Where is the guy in the bear suit shaking the banana?
I'm From Barcelona
As with the Spree, IFB goes for quantity more than quality: in the number of performers (close to 30), crazy outfits (bear suit, black suit/white tie, striped leggings), and smiley smile times (too numerous to count). Balloons, songs about chicken pox, and tunes with 27 people all singing melody. A perfect set for the beginning of the day. I don't imagine that their studio set is all that good, but they have figured out the equation: shaker shaped like banana = good times.
Tapes and Tapes
This band was the most serious-sounding (except Interpol, but I'll get to them) but serious in a loud and good way. I picked up their CD on eMusic last month and really like their hard edge.
Silverchair
I napped a little on the hill in Grant Park during this set, but I must say that of all the poppy hard rock bands out there, Silverchair have perfectly serviceable skills, a good front man, and some *gasp* melodies. Worth a listen. I hear they are the David Hasselhoff of Australia.
Cold War Kids
CWK got screwed on this one - they should have been at a larger stage, and the sound was fishbowl-y. The middle and bass registers were way too high, but from what I could tell, they played OK. However, do not let this discourage you from GETTING THE COLD WAR KIDS CD NOW. Thx.
The Hold Steady
ALl of the reviews about this set have been right on - they give a great show, the lead singer is very much into it, there's a guy with a handlebar moustache, etc, etc.
However, the lead singer does not sing -- he kind of talksings, and I just don't get it. So, I can't get into this band's recordings. Good show though. It was at this show that I saw the Myspace booth. At this booth, they handed out free bandanas, and you could get your picture taken with some skanky girls in Myspace tubetops and miniskirts. That about says it all.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
I listened to this set from across the field as I made my way to the front of Spoon's stage. You may sense a trend: whiny lead singer voices don't do it for me. So Clap...Yeah! is not on my faves list.
Spoon
Despite the fact that they left out the best three songs from the new album, Ga^5, Spoon's set was great. They played my favorite song, "Fitted Shirt," and a lot of other solid tracks. What a tight band of normal-looking guys. They are confident, understated, and almost surgical in delivering the rock. I hate to plug eMusic too much, but Spoon's whole catalog is on there. That's a hint.
Muse
Lucas will disown me, but I left co-headliner Muse after 10 minutes. They began with a transcription of JFK's famous speech about communism from 1962. It was up on the video screen, and all I think of was my favorite line from Beavis and Butthead: "If I wanted to read, I would have stayed at school, huh huh, huh huh, um, huh huh. This sucks."
The sound is too hard for my taste, and so I made the mile walk across Grant Park to...
Interpol
My least favorite band alive. Could I please go to the dentist instead? Or maybe get a kick in the groin? Interpol plays music from the future. A future where everything is boring. I know Jair is a fan, but that band had ZERO energy on stage, no connection to the crowd, and seriously, made me sleepy. Where is the guy in the bear suit shaking the banana?
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Interesting: Best of Lollapalooza Part 1
I've been coming to Lolla for 3 years now, and Day 1 was my all-time favorite. I'll post pics and all that later this weekend. For now, here are my reviews of the best acts I saw. If you want Jair's perspective, and who doesn't, go here: Indigo Blvd.
Disclaimer: I never remember track titles. Sorry.
The Fratellis
Only caught a few songs from these guys, including their ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba song on the iPod commercials. They are Scottish, which means they are actually good. If I remember right, they have a podcast on iTunes that I subscribed to ages ago but never watched. I definitely will now. Good poppy rock sound.
Ghostland Observatory
G.O. is a dance music duo with two members: a tall freaky DJ guy wearing a light blue cape, and an androgynous dancer/guitarist who might just be Prince's white cousin. The first two songs, I couldn't help but dance, and say, "Damn that girl can sing!" Then I realized he's not a girl. A solid dance set from this Austin band.
The Polyphonic Spree
Shenanigans. 30 people on stage, happy happy fun time.
Blonde Redhead
A tight three piece band. The female lead vocalist and male guitarist both had solid, ethereal voices. Do I contradict myself? Then I contradict myself.
LCD Soundsystem
I had been listening to LCD for a few months before Lolla and really dug their sound. The stage show, though, was even better - lots of energy, and the lead singer has that "play that funky music, white boy" quality that I tend to like. And, female bassists are awesome.
Daft Punk
The 90-minute set had the most crowd dancing I have ever seen at Lollapalooza--or any other concert, for that matter. Lasers, robots, a giant pyramid, and some of the world's most popular dance tunes made for some great times. Friday's crowd was the smallest of the three days, but everyone who came out for Daft Punk had a great time.
Disclaimer: I never remember track titles. Sorry.
The Fratellis
Only caught a few songs from these guys, including their ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba song on the iPod commercials. They are Scottish, which means they are actually good. If I remember right, they have a podcast on iTunes that I subscribed to ages ago but never watched. I definitely will now. Good poppy rock sound.
Ghostland Observatory
G.O. is a dance music duo with two members: a tall freaky DJ guy wearing a light blue cape, and an androgynous dancer/guitarist who might just be Prince's white cousin. The first two songs, I couldn't help but dance, and say, "Damn that girl can sing!" Then I realized he's not a girl. A solid dance set from this Austin band.
The Polyphonic Spree
Shenanigans. 30 people on stage, happy happy fun time.
Blonde Redhead
A tight three piece band. The female lead vocalist and male guitarist both had solid, ethereal voices. Do I contradict myself? Then I contradict myself.
LCD Soundsystem
I had been listening to LCD for a few months before Lolla and really dug their sound. The stage show, though, was even better - lots of energy, and the lead singer has that "play that funky music, white boy" quality that I tend to like. And, female bassists are awesome.
Daft Punk
The 90-minute set had the most crowd dancing I have ever seen at Lollapalooza--or any other concert, for that matter. Lasers, robots, a giant pyramid, and some of the world's most popular dance tunes made for some great times. Friday's crowd was the smallest of the three days, but everyone who came out for Daft Punk had a great time.
Helpful: Don't forget the Lyrics
The episode with my brother Lucas Kuzma finally aired this week. It started half an hour early at 7:00 Central on Thursday, so I was unprepared, but I caught the last three songs and got to see Mom and Dad, as well. Luke sounded great, everybody looked great, Lucas won $25,000 - it was a really good thing and I hope this helps Lucas' career. For those of you out there googling this:
1. Yes, Lucas is that charming in person.
2. Yes, we do now have a ranch in Kansas.
3. Yes, Dad has a tractor and does want a Billy goat.
Whether Lucas is a "plowboy" I'll leave up to him and his personal life. All I know is, I'll be calling him that for a long time. Priceless.
Don't Forget the Lyrics!
1. Yes, Lucas is that charming in person.
2. Yes, we do now have a ranch in Kansas.
3. Yes, Dad has a tractor and does want a Billy goat.
Whether Lucas is a "plowboy" I'll leave up to him and his personal life. All I know is, I'll be calling him that for a long time. Priceless.
Don't Forget the Lyrics!
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Interesting: Lolla afterparty!
Lollapalooza starts tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing Spoon, Muse, Lupe Fiasco, and many others. Here's a note from Cindy about a little get together we're doing after Saturday's good times--
Hi guys,
Hard to believe Lolla is already this weekend! Just in case we don't stumble across you in the crowd, after the last show on Saturday (Matt and I will be seeing Muse, but if Interpol is your thing, you're still invited) we'll be at Manhattan's, 415 S. Dearborn. Feel free to join us for one or two last rounds and to wait out the crowds on the Red Line.
Also, you can look for us at:
Electric Six
LCD Soundsystem
Cold War Kids
Spoon
Modest Mouse
and, um, Pearl Jam ...
Hi guys,
Hard to believe Lolla is already this weekend! Just in case we don't stumble across you in the crowd, after the last show on Saturday (Matt and I will be seeing Muse, but if Interpol is your thing, you're still invited) we'll be at Manhattan's, 415 S. Dearborn. Feel free to join us for one or two last rounds and to wait out the crowds on the Red Line.
Also, you can look for us at:
Electric Six
LCD Soundsystem
Cold War Kids
Spoon
Modest Mouse
and, um, Pearl Jam ...
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Not Helpful: Tribune editorial page
We cut back on our Chicago Tribune subscription a couple of months ago, and I'm glad to save the money. Even more, though, I'm glad I get to avoid the incredibly poor logic it puts on its editorial page, including this gem from today's "All gassed up in the Senate." As an exercise to get blogging again, though, it will suffice.
History suggests that CAFE standards haven't done much to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. CAFE standards were imposed 32 years ago, when the U.S. imported 35 percent of its oil. Since then, oil imports have nearly doubled. Higher fuel economy makes it cheaper to drive, which encourages Americans to drive more, not less. Higher gas prices, on the other hand, have an immediate pocketbook impact.
Now, perhaps it is politically dishonest to force car companies to increase fuel efficiency, rather than just taxing customers directly. But, the paragraph above has massive logic gaps that anyone taking the LSAT or GMAT could walk right through:
1) CAFE standards were introduced 32 years ago. Since then, oil imports have doubled. Can we think of any other causes for oil imports doubling? Say, the population increasing by 100 milion?
2) The editorial claims that forcing car companies to make more fuel-efficient cars would increase the sticker price on those cars. But, at the same time, "Higher fuel economy makes it cheaper to drive, which encourages Americans to drive more, not less." So which is it?
History suggests that CAFE standards haven't done much to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. CAFE standards were imposed 32 years ago, when the U.S. imported 35 percent of its oil. Since then, oil imports have nearly doubled. Higher fuel economy makes it cheaper to drive, which encourages Americans to drive more, not less. Higher gas prices, on the other hand, have an immediate pocketbook impact.
Now, perhaps it is politically dishonest to force car companies to increase fuel efficiency, rather than just taxing customers directly. But, the paragraph above has massive logic gaps that anyone taking the LSAT or GMAT could walk right through:
1) CAFE standards were introduced 32 years ago. Since then, oil imports have doubled. Can we think of any other causes for oil imports doubling? Say, the population increasing by 100 milion?
2) The editorial claims that forcing car companies to make more fuel-efficient cars would increase the sticker price on those cars. But, at the same time, "Higher fuel economy makes it cheaper to drive, which encourages Americans to drive more, not less." So which is it?
Friday, July 06, 2007
Interesting: Don't Forget the Lyrics
Please watch Fox on Wed. July 11 at 9:30 Eastern and Thurs. July 12 at 8:30 Eastern to see my family sing karaoke with Wayne Brady! Way to go Lucas!
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Interesting: Checking in
Well, it's halftime in 2007.
Just two classes and one project left, and I'll be done with my Masters in Urban Planning this December.
I'm 6 weeks into my internship with Debra Shore at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. It's been very interesting so far - I've met some great people and had a chance to study cutting edge environmental problems like pharmaceuticals in wastewater, combined sewer overflows, and other water issues.
My plantar fasciitis is getting better, although I won't be able to run for a few more weeks still. Stretch your calves!
Church stuff continues to be a real source of fun and intellectual challenge. What should a church do to remain relevant and important in an urban neighborhood?
So, whats next?
For the first time since 1999, I'll be looking full-time for a full-time job this summer. I am focusing my search in the following ways:
Organizations:
- Government or *well-funded* non-profit agencies that serve the public and improve quality of life
- Political campaigns for progressive Democratic candidates who care about urban issues
- Companies that solve important problems or reduce people's suffering, while not being evil
Positions:
- Strategy and Planning
- Management
- Training
- New Initiatives
- Business Development
Location:
- Within Chicago city limits
Wish me luck!
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mattkuzma
Just two classes and one project left, and I'll be done with my Masters in Urban Planning this December.
I'm 6 weeks into my internship with Debra Shore at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. It's been very interesting so far - I've met some great people and had a chance to study cutting edge environmental problems like pharmaceuticals in wastewater, combined sewer overflows, and other water issues.
My plantar fasciitis is getting better, although I won't be able to run for a few more weeks still. Stretch your calves!
Church stuff continues to be a real source of fun and intellectual challenge. What should a church do to remain relevant and important in an urban neighborhood?
So, whats next?
For the first time since 1999, I'll be looking full-time for a full-time job this summer. I am focusing my search in the following ways:
Organizations:
- Government or *well-funded* non-profit agencies that serve the public and improve quality of life
- Political campaigns for progressive Democratic candidates who care about urban issues
- Companies that solve important problems or reduce people's suffering, while not being evil
Positions:
- Strategy and Planning
- Management
- Training
- New Initiatives
- Business Development
Location:
- Within Chicago city limits
Wish me luck!
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mattkuzma
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Helpful: Crash the Pews
Writing up my experiences from the UMC Northern Illinois Annual Conference last weekend has taken me some time. I have a lot of things to say about it, but my first take is a political one. Find it here:
Daily Kos: Crashing the Pews - One Way to Move on
Daily Kos: Crashing the Pews - One Way to Move on
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