Friday, September 29, 2006
Sh-t or get off the pot!
The World Chess Championship is turning into a frickin' debacle! Topalov and Kramnik are fighting over Kramnik's use of the bathroom. There have been accusations of cheating, no handshakes this morning at the board, and a delay that led to Kramnik forfeiting the game.
This is despicable behavior and an utter disappointment to me as a chess fan. I'm frankly pissed off about this. What a load of crap. This really stinks! How offal!
Please keep up on the news and fan reactions at Chessbase, Susan Polgar's blog, and Chessgames.
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
This is despicable behavior and an utter disappointment to me as a chess fan. I'm frankly pissed off about this. What a load of crap. This really stinks! How offal!
Please keep up on the news and fan reactions at Chessbase, Susan Polgar's blog, and Chessgames.
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
Thursday, September 28, 2006
My win against a tough opponent this evening
I have been playing at the Chess Castle for a couple of years now. I play in the Thursday Knighters, an all-month event, which, coincidently, takes place on Thursdays. :) The tournament director, Norm, is particular difficult for me to beat. I nicked him once in a King's Gambit in 11 moves, but I was really lucky there. Otherwise, he has beaten me in all of our other meetings.
Tonight I played him again; I have the White pieces.
1. e4 e5. Every game with him starts this way. I've played the King's Gambit and the Scotch against him, but I wanted to try something different, something he did not see me play before.
2. c3. My goal with this was to eventually push d4. What I liked about this move was that it gave me a safe pocket for my White-squared Bishop.
By move 7, I had pushed my d4, and we both had castled. I had a pinned Knight on f3, but that was not a concern.
On move 8, Norm played Qb6, attacking my Pawn on b2. I calculated a couple of variations, but 9. b3 was the safest move. I did not feel a need to rush into anything just to lose material later.
We exchanged Pawns, which I liked, via 9...exd4 and 10. cxd4. I had both center Pawns as well as the f2, g2, and h2 Pawns. This left me with another chain of Pawns on a2 and b3. Norm on the other hand had four connected Pawns on his Queenside, and three connected Pawns protecting his King.
It appeared that the reason for Norm's exchange was to attack with Qb5. Inaccurate play on my part would have led to 11...Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Qxg5, losing a piece. I thought this a good attacking move on Norm's part, so I brought my Bishop back to safety with 11. Be3.
Qh5 looks like trouble for me, but it also his third Queen move. I played the natural Nbd2 to protect the Knight and to take pressure off my Queen guarding the Knight on f3.
Norm played 12...Na6 to prepare for the 14...Nb4, attacking my Bishop. I loved that Bishop, I certainly was not going to allow tradeoff of it. The trouble with that sequence is that I chased the Knight back to a6 in a couple of moves. That was a rough spot for the Knight.
I spent eleven minutes before 17. e5. I knew that push was going to open up counterplay, but I was prepared for it. He responds with the very logical 17...Nd5. I spent another eleven minutes before 18. exd6. Only after this game did I realize that the imagined threat of 18...Nc3 was nothing to fear, as I would have played 19. dxe7, 20, exf8=Q+ and ended up with a strong material advantage despite losing my Queen on d1.
We traded off a couple of pieces, and I ended up with what I thought was a worse Pawn structure. I had three sets of Pawn islands, each with two, while Norm had three and three.
He captured one of my center Pawns, but I could not take back because my d-Pawn was pinned. However, I had the handy 24.Bxh7+ followed by 25. Rad1 which protected that remaining Pawn and took some pressure off.
At this point I was feeling alright, as I had over thirty five minutes left, while Norm was getting close to eight.
I took the pin off my Pawn by retreating my King to h1 and off the dark square. Whew!
He goes Pawn hunting and ends up a Pawn ahead. However, I had my pieces in better spots, so I was looking for attack and mate. He brought his Queen over to g5 to protect the Bishop and Pawn if I decided to try to win the Pawn that was now on g7.
My nifty 33. Kh2 to drive his Queen away was what I needed for victory. On 34. Rh5+, he resigned due to 34...Kg8 35. Bh7+ Kh8 36. Bg8+ Kxg8 37. Qh7#. It felt good to win against him, as he is a tough opponent for me. It also feels good to write up this entry, as I need to wind down after a long tense game--it was over four hours long! I'm wiped now, so good night!
[Event "Thursday Knighter IX"]
[Site "Chess Castle"]
[Date "2006.9.28"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Joe Erjavec"]
[Black "Norm"]
[Result "1-0"]
1.e4 e5 2.c3 Nf6 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bd3 c6 5.O-O Be7 6.Bc2 Bg4 7.d4 O-O 8.Bg5 Qb6 9.b3 exd4 10.cxd4 Qb5 11.Be3 Qh5 12.Nbd2 Na6 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Nxf3 Nb4 15.Bb1 Rae8 16.a3 Na6 17.e5 Nd5 18.exd6 Nxe3 19.fxe3 Bxd6 20.e4 Bf4 21.Bd3 Qa5 22.Qc2 Qb6 23.e5 Bxe5 24.Bxh7+ Kh8 25.Rad1 Bf6 26.Kh1 Rd8 27.Ne5 Rxd4 28.Ng4 Rxd1 29.Rxd1 Qb5 30.Bd3 Qg5 31.Rf1 Nc7 32.Rf5 Qh4 33.Kh2 Qe1 34.Rh5+ 1-0
Tag: chess
Tonight I played him again; I have the White pieces.
1. e4 e5. Every game with him starts this way. I've played the King's Gambit and the Scotch against him, but I wanted to try something different, something he did not see me play before.
2. c3. My goal with this was to eventually push d4. What I liked about this move was that it gave me a safe pocket for my White-squared Bishop.
By move 7, I had pushed my d4, and we both had castled. I had a pinned Knight on f3, but that was not a concern.
On move 8, Norm played Qb6, attacking my Pawn on b2. I calculated a couple of variations, but 9. b3 was the safest move. I did not feel a need to rush into anything just to lose material later.
We exchanged Pawns, which I liked, via 9...exd4 and 10. cxd4. I had both center Pawns as well as the f2, g2, and h2 Pawns. This left me with another chain of Pawns on a2 and b3. Norm on the other hand had four connected Pawns on his Queenside, and three connected Pawns protecting his King.
It appeared that the reason for Norm's exchange was to attack with Qb5. Inaccurate play on my part would have led to 11...Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Qxg5, losing a piece. I thought this a good attacking move on Norm's part, so I brought my Bishop back to safety with 11. Be3.
Qh5 looks like trouble for me, but it also his third Queen move. I played the natural Nbd2 to protect the Knight and to take pressure off my Queen guarding the Knight on f3.
Norm played 12...Na6 to prepare for the 14...Nb4, attacking my Bishop. I loved that Bishop, I certainly was not going to allow tradeoff of it. The trouble with that sequence is that I chased the Knight back to a6 in a couple of moves. That was a rough spot for the Knight.
I spent eleven minutes before 17. e5. I knew that push was going to open up counterplay, but I was prepared for it. He responds with the very logical 17...Nd5. I spent another eleven minutes before 18. exd6. Only after this game did I realize that the imagined threat of 18...Nc3 was nothing to fear, as I would have played 19. dxe7, 20, exf8=Q+ and ended up with a strong material advantage despite losing my Queen on d1.
We traded off a couple of pieces, and I ended up with what I thought was a worse Pawn structure. I had three sets of Pawn islands, each with two, while Norm had three and three.
He captured one of my center Pawns, but I could not take back because my d-Pawn was pinned. However, I had the handy 24.Bxh7+ followed by 25. Rad1 which protected that remaining Pawn and took some pressure off.
At this point I was feeling alright, as I had over thirty five minutes left, while Norm was getting close to eight.
I took the pin off my Pawn by retreating my King to h1 and off the dark square. Whew!
He goes Pawn hunting and ends up a Pawn ahead. However, I had my pieces in better spots, so I was looking for attack and mate. He brought his Queen over to g5 to protect the Bishop and Pawn if I decided to try to win the Pawn that was now on g7.
My nifty 33. Kh2 to drive his Queen away was what I needed for victory. On 34. Rh5+, he resigned due to 34...Kg8 35. Bh7+ Kh8 36. Bg8+ Kxg8 37. Qh7#. It felt good to win against him, as he is a tough opponent for me. It also feels good to write up this entry, as I need to wind down after a long tense game--it was over four hours long! I'm wiped now, so good night!
[Event "Thursday Knighter IX"]
[Site "Chess Castle"]
[Date "2006.9.28"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Joe Erjavec"]
[Black "Norm"]
[Result "1-0"]
1.e4 e5 2.c3 Nf6 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bd3 c6 5.O-O Be7 6.Bc2 Bg4 7.d4 O-O 8.Bg5 Qb6 9.b3 exd4 10.cxd4 Qb5 11.Be3 Qh5 12.Nbd2 Na6 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Nxf3 Nb4 15.Bb1 Rae8 16.a3 Na6 17.e5 Nd5 18.exd6 Nxe3 19.fxe3 Bxd6 20.e4 Bf4 21.Bd3 Qa5 22.Qc2 Qb6 23.e5 Bxe5 24.Bxh7+ Kh8 25.Rad1 Bf6 26.Kh1 Rd8 27.Ne5 Rxd4 28.Ng4 Rxd1 29.Rxd1 Qb5 30.Bd3 Qg5 31.Rf1 Nc7 32.Rf5 Qh4 33.Kh2 Qe1 34.Rh5+ 1-0
Tag: chess
Update on World Chess Championship
After checking out game four yesterday, I haven't read about the tournament. I went to Susan Polgar's blog today and found this article:
Topalov may leave the match! Holy moly! Let's all keep an eye on this!
(For those who have not been keeping up on this, the score after four games is 3.0-1.0, in Kramnik's favor.)
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
Topalov may leave the match! Holy moly! Let's all keep an eye on this!
(For those who have not been keeping up on this, the score after four games is 3.0-1.0, in Kramnik's favor.)
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
New books to read...
It's a partially dreary day, but it is a good day to get out of the house nonetheless. We met Melissa downtown for lunch today.
After lunch our son and I went to the library. I wanted to borrow David Shenk's newest book, The Immortal Game. However, since it is so new, there are no copies available at the main library. In the process of doing a search for his other books, I found out that he co-authored the book, "Skeleton Key: A Dictionary for Deadheads". I didn't realize until today that he was responsible for that, despite that I had briefly perused it a few years ago.
Besides that book, I also picked up his "The End of Patience" and "The Forgetting--Alzheimer's: Portrait of an Epidemic." I am excited to read through all three of these works, as he certainly has diverse interest areas!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the first entries I came to was "Reformed Deadhead." It describes a person who is done with touring and wants a more rooted existence.
I have an earlier post about when I became a Deadhead, but I just realized that September 5 of this month marks the 15th anniversary of when I became a Reformed Deadhead. I had tickets for three nights at the Cleveland Coliseum, where the Cleveland Cavaliers used to play basketball. My now friend, then wife, Carillon, and I just finished the second show. For some reason we had the third night tickets in our pocket. As the show ended, we looked at each other and asked, "You done?" "I'm done." We sold our third night tickets and that was the end of our Grateful Dead show experiences.
Tags: David Shenk, chess, Deadhead, Grateful Dead
After lunch our son and I went to the library. I wanted to borrow David Shenk's newest book, The Immortal Game. However, since it is so new, there are no copies available at the main library. In the process of doing a search for his other books, I found out that he co-authored the book, "Skeleton Key: A Dictionary for Deadheads". I didn't realize until today that he was responsible for that, despite that I had briefly perused it a few years ago.
Besides that book, I also picked up his "The End of Patience" and "The Forgetting--Alzheimer's: Portrait of an Epidemic." I am excited to read through all three of these works, as he certainly has diverse interest areas!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the first entries I came to was "Reformed Deadhead." It describes a person who is done with touring and wants a more rooted existence.
I have an earlier post about when I became a Deadhead, but I just realized that September 5 of this month marks the 15th anniversary of when I became a Reformed Deadhead. I had tickets for three nights at the Cleveland Coliseum, where the Cleveland Cavaliers used to play basketball. My now friend, then wife, Carillon, and I just finished the second show. For some reason we had the third night tickets in our pocket. As the show ended, we looked at each other and asked, "You done?" "I'm done." We sold our third night tickets and that was the end of our Grateful Dead show experiences.
Tags: David Shenk, chess, Deadhead, Grateful Dead
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Andrew Sullivan, a civil libertarian!
My friend and classmate, Janet Cohen, has been a reader of Andrew Sullivan for a few years now. I started out by reading a few of his essays, and I appreciated where he was coming from. I now read his blog a couple of times weekly.
Today he posted an article on a bill that, if passed, would allow the "president the right to seize anyone in this country, detain him or her without charges indefinitely and torture them in secret."
Buck Fush! He and his cronies act like he is the king. He is not. He pisses me off. I can't wait until the assclown's reign is over.
Thank you, Andrew, for your focus on all of our rights!
Tags: civil liberties, Andrew Sullivan
Today he posted an article on a bill that, if passed, would allow the "president the right to seize anyone in this country, detain him or her without charges indefinitely and torture them in secret."
Buck Fush! He and his cronies act like he is the king. He is not. He pisses me off. I can't wait until the assclown's reign is over.
Thank you, Andrew, for your focus on all of our rights!
Tags: civil liberties, Andrew Sullivan
Another nice bike ride this morning
My son and I biked up to the post office this morning. I had to run an errand related to my role as secretary of the Minnesota State Chess Association. I am coordinating the efforts of the individuals involved with the production of our journal, the Minnesota Chess Journal, so I was mailing some scoresheets from the latest tournament to one of our members who annotates games.
It was a very nice morning. It was sunny and in the high 60's. This will be the last sunny day for at least the next couple of days. So we enjoyed a ride around the neighborhood, and he fell asleep during the trip.
It was good to ride around, as I had a few reminders from political signs on some lawns about some items on the November 7th ballot. We have an opportunity to vote on Instant Runoff Voting for the city of Minneapolis. Here is specific info for that ballot item.
Also, we have a statewide ballot on an amendment to our state's constitution on the use of current vehicle taxes for a combination of road and transit spending. I consider this an important vote, as the taxes as investments in our state's infrastructure will help keep Minnesota competitive and more liveable in the future. As our ridership in transit increases, we should have less gridlock in our commutes and a cleaner atmosphere.
Tags: family life, chess, voting, instant runoff voting, IRV, elections, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, transit, light rail, taxes
It was a very nice morning. It was sunny and in the high 60's. This will be the last sunny day for at least the next couple of days. So we enjoyed a ride around the neighborhood, and he fell asleep during the trip.
It was good to ride around, as I had a few reminders from political signs on some lawns about some items on the November 7th ballot. We have an opportunity to vote on Instant Runoff Voting for the city of Minneapolis. Here is specific info for that ballot item.
Also, we have a statewide ballot on an amendment to our state's constitution on the use of current vehicle taxes for a combination of road and transit spending. I consider this an important vote, as the taxes as investments in our state's infrastructure will help keep Minnesota competitive and more liveable in the future. As our ridership in transit increases, we should have less gridlock in our commutes and a cleaner atmosphere.
Tags: family life, chess, voting, instant runoff voting, IRV, elections, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, transit, light rail, taxes
Game Three: A solid, but uneventful draw.
Game three of the match between Topalov and Kramnik was nothing spectacular. No fireworks were present, but at least the game was cooler than the last two, and the result was a draw. Kramnik was White today; tomorrow they reverse colors. I hope Topalov comes out fighting tomorrow and ends up with a win.
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
Sunday, September 24, 2006
I've made almost no references to coffee!!!
Despite my nickname, I've only made two references to coffee since I started this blog in July. How is that possible? I drink a good three to four cups of coffee a day. Occasionally more. Who's counting?
Late this afternoon my son and I were traveling around the neighborhood. We stopped in at the Birchwood Cafe, which is normally closed by early afternoon. However, they celebrated their 11th anniversary this weekend, so we were able to stop in for some goodies.
Peace Coffee was preparing French presses. I love those and had a small cup. They had a few handouts, including one for a documentary called Black Gold.
From their Story page:
Late this afternoon my son and I were traveling around the neighborhood. We stopped in at the Birchwood Cafe, which is normally closed by early afternoon. However, they celebrated their 11th anniversary this weekend, so we were able to stop in for some goodies.
Peace Coffee was preparing French presses. I love those and had a small cup. They had a few handouts, including one for a documentary called Black Gold.
From their Story page:
"Multinational coffee companies now rule our shopping malls and supermarkets and dominate the industry worth over $80 billion, making coffee the most valuable trading commodity in the world after oil.
But while we continue to pay for our lattes and cappuccinos, the price paid to coffee farmers remains so low that many have been forced to abandon their coffee fields."
I believe that globalism and trade are forces that can act for good. (See my earlier post about Thomas Friedman's book, The World is Flat.) One essential part of that is fair trade. I appreciate that I can get coffee from all over the world, but I demand that the people who pick it make a good wage for their efforts.
As part of a global community, we can effect the shape of our world by the purchases we make. If economic justice is already an important value to you, look for and purchase products that reflect your values. If this is not something you have thought much about, please take a few minutes to read more by clicking on the links I included here.
Tags: coffee, fair trade, globalism, economic justice, Twin Cities
Game Two: Ugh!!!
Today's game was full of mistakes. I'm sure it's got to be the pressure of playing such a serious match. Topalov had a prime opportunity to even up the match. On move 32, he could have been ahead with an evaluation of greater than +8. However, he plays a horrible move that evens the game.
Susan Polgar provides a good analysis of the game at her blog.
This game helps prove that chess is a bitch. Unless you love her and are willing to take risks and beatings, it is not the game for you! Be patient, and you will find beauty in this!
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
Susan Polgar provides a good analysis of the game at her blog.
This game helps prove that chess is a bitch. Unless you love her and are willing to take risks and beatings, it is not the game for you! Be patient, and you will find beauty in this!
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Game One: Kramnik!
That was a good game that should have ended in a draw about 40 moves back, but Topalov pushed it just a bit far and his position crumbled. Great game, anyways!
I was correct that Kramnik would play 1. d4, but it was not a Queen's Gambit Declined. Instead, it turned out to be E04, the Open Catalan System.
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
I was correct that Kramnik would play 1. d4, but it was not a Queen's Gambit Declined. Instead, it turned out to be E04, the Open Catalan System.
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
Friday, September 22, 2006
She's going to Vegas, baby!
Melissa should have an excellent weekend, as she is now en route to Las Vegas for a family function. I have not yet made it to Vegas, but I will have to go with her some time when we can get a family member to watch our little one for a couple of days. Even though I'm not able to go with her, I'm glad she is, so she can have a good time. She's been there before and always enjoys it!
She called from the very small Sioux Falls airport. I told her I'm going to probably chill out and watch a documentary on Burning Man.
We're definitely an odd couple in many ways, but we have learned much from each others' quite different perspectives.
Tag: family life
She called from the very small Sioux Falls airport. I told her I'm going to probably chill out and watch a documentary on Burning Man.
We're definitely an odd couple in many ways, but we have learned much from each others' quite different perspectives.
Tag: family life
Kramnik will have White tomorrow against Topalov
On the official website for the World Chess Championship is a description of the ceremony for the drawing of lots. I thought this is a delightful way to start such a tournament!
According to Chessbase.com, Kramnik has played thirty-two games as White against Topalov from 1993 to 2006. Kramnik has mixed up his openings, but I am guessing he is going to play 1. d4, and it will turn into a Queen's Gambit Declined. I am anxious for this game. I have about 10-1/2 hours to wait!
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
According to Chessbase.com, Kramnik has played thirty-two games as White against Topalov from 1993 to 2006. Kramnik has mixed up his openings, but I am guessing he is going to play 1. d4, and it will turn into a Queen's Gambit Declined. I am anxious for this game. I have about 10-1/2 hours to wait!
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
Thursday, September 21, 2006
First game of the World Chess Championship is this Saturday
Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov will be competing for the title of the World Chess Champion, with the first game this Saturday. This will be an exciting match, as these two have greatly different styles of play--Topalov is extremely tactical and aggressive, while Kramnik is positional and defensive.
I am a big fan of Topalov! His dynamic play is best typified, in my opinion, in this game against Levon Aronian.
Regardless of who wins, this promises to be a great tournament!
Note that the time for the match is 3:00 p.m. Moscow time, 7:00 a.m. Eastern Standard time. That means get up early, US chess fans!
Official site
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
I am a big fan of Topalov! His dynamic play is best typified, in my opinion, in this game against Levon Aronian.
Regardless of who wins, this promises to be a great tournament!
Note that the time for the match is 3:00 p.m. Moscow time, 7:00 a.m. Eastern Standard time. That means get up early, US chess fans!
Official site
Tags: Chess, Kramnik, Topalov, World Chess Championship
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Oil and human rights
U.S. News and World Report just printed this story, "Dictator and Diplomat", about Equatorial Guinea. The President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, heads a "a corrupt and repressive regime...but Equatorial Guinea is a growing oil producer."
As I discussed in my opinion piece over at Blogcritics, we need to invest more in alternative energy solutions, so that people like Obiang cannot continue to reap the benefits of the oil sales for themselves while withholding revenue from their citizens' basic human needs. The United States and other countries who need to purchase oil should be pushing these leaders for some basic reforms in their countries as part of their price of doing business. Otherwise, we of the oil-demanding countries are merely allowing those leaders to continue the status quo which does little if nothing to improve human rights throughout the world.
Thomas Friedman discusses this eloquently here.
Tags: Oil, human rights
As I discussed in my opinion piece over at Blogcritics, we need to invest more in alternative energy solutions, so that people like Obiang cannot continue to reap the benefits of the oil sales for themselves while withholding revenue from their citizens' basic human needs. The United States and other countries who need to purchase oil should be pushing these leaders for some basic reforms in their countries as part of their price of doing business. Otherwise, we of the oil-demanding countries are merely allowing those leaders to continue the status quo which does little if nothing to improve human rights throughout the world.
Thomas Friedman discusses this eloquently here.
Tags: Oil, human rights
Monday, September 18, 2006
Carbon neutral traveling is catching on
In August I found that science writer Chris Mooney was traveling carbon neutral. I just learned that STS9, who I saw this Friday, is traveling carbon neutral on their fall tour!
Tags: carbon neutral, greenhouse gases, STS9, Chris Mooney
Tags: carbon neutral, greenhouse gases, STS9, Chris Mooney
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Tool at the Target Center
Last night I went with my friends Jeff and Javen to my first Tool show. This was also my first time seeing any concert at the Target Center. The down side of the experience is that the sound system is pretty muddy, but at least I was warned about that before going.
Anyways, we got in our seats a few minutes after the opening band, Isis, started their performance. I did not find them all that interesting, but to be fair, I am unfamiliar with their music.
Tool began about thirty minutes after Isis finished playing. The stage was very wide with a large amount of space between each of the band members. It looked very clean. They had a curtain above them, and there were film screens behind them.
As I am very new to them, I did not know much material other than that on 10,000 Days. Those songs comprised at least half of the show. I was especially moved by the pair of songs Wings for Marie and 10,000 Days. They refer to the 27 years between Maynard's mom's stroke and her death.
I spoke with my friends after the show. They noted that Maynard was less energetic than in other Tool shows they have seen. Still, Tool is definitely music that sticks to you. It is extremely complex musically and lyrically. The movies and images playing behind them are quite thought provoking. Some are in stop motion. Others are mystical in nature, featuring Alex Grey's amazing artwork. The whole experience is quite unique, with a fanbase that comes from very diverse parts of society.
Tags: Tool, music, 10,000 Days
Anyways, we got in our seats a few minutes after the opening band, Isis, started their performance. I did not find them all that interesting, but to be fair, I am unfamiliar with their music.
Tool began about thirty minutes after Isis finished playing. The stage was very wide with a large amount of space between each of the band members. It looked very clean. They had a curtain above them, and there were film screens behind them.
As I am very new to them, I did not know much material other than that on 10,000 Days. Those songs comprised at least half of the show. I was especially moved by the pair of songs Wings for Marie and 10,000 Days. They refer to the 27 years between Maynard's mom's stroke and her death.
I spoke with my friends after the show. They noted that Maynard was less energetic than in other Tool shows they have seen. Still, Tool is definitely music that sticks to you. It is extremely complex musically and lyrically. The movies and images playing behind them are quite thought provoking. Some are in stop motion. Others are mystical in nature, featuring Alex Grey's amazing artwork. The whole experience is quite unique, with a fanbase that comes from very diverse parts of society.
Tags: Tool, music, 10,000 Days
Saturday, September 16, 2006
STS9 at First Avenue
For me last night, as it was for a few other people that I greeted, the Sound Tribe Sector 9 show at First Avenue was my "cherry show." I wanted to check them out, as I've been into Particle over the last year-and-one-half. Althought they are part of the same genre, STS9 has more of an electronica and soundscape-feel and is not techno like Particle is.
It felt strange being at this show, though. I estimated that I was about fifteen years older than the average person there last night. I was talking with a young lady at the rail before STS9 came on, and I asked if she had seen them before, telling her it was my first time. She asked me what other music I liked and I said I've been really into Particle, but was also into The Dead. She asked me what that was like, since that was before her time.
What was cool about the conversation and fans in general is that this is the evolution of the music that was part of the Haight-Ashbury scene of the 1960s. Just as the Grateful Dead's music itself evolved from jugband to psychedelia to country and blues and so forth over its thirty years, the bands playing now have come out of that tradition. It was a great realization that at one time I was the youngster in my late teens and early twenties getting into the Grateful Dead and being one of the younger people then. Now I'm older and see a bunch of new music fans who are really into bands like Particle and STS9.
The evening began with the opening band, Sub-ID. They were a two piece unit--one bassist and one computer sampler and looper. I enjoyed them and got to experience the energy of the crowd. Then, when STS9 came out, people just went nuts with dancing, moving, smiling, and grooving to the music.
The energy of the show was real intense. I backed away from the stage after two songs, as some exuberant people danced their way up front. I enjoyed this, because I definitely enjoy a bit more room to move. In that more open space I was able to feel the music in a more gentle way than by standing right up front. Regardless of where one stood, sat, or danced, the feeling was very comfortable and happy. I felt very relaxed even today.
I thought it was very interesting that they had an artist working on stage. I also liked that I was able to pick up a poster at the show. These were provided by the fine people at Conscious Alliance. In exchange for bringing ten non-perishable food items, you get a poster. Melissa and I did this in June 2004 at the Phoenix Dead show, too. I love the synergy between music and caring that is part of this wonderful array of musicians and fans!
Tags: STS9, Sub-ID, hunger relief, electronica, Particle
It felt strange being at this show, though. I estimated that I was about fifteen years older than the average person there last night. I was talking with a young lady at the rail before STS9 came on, and I asked if she had seen them before, telling her it was my first time. She asked me what other music I liked and I said I've been really into Particle, but was also into The Dead. She asked me what that was like, since that was before her time.
What was cool about the conversation and fans in general is that this is the evolution of the music that was part of the Haight-Ashbury scene of the 1960s. Just as the Grateful Dead's music itself evolved from jugband to psychedelia to country and blues and so forth over its thirty years, the bands playing now have come out of that tradition. It was a great realization that at one time I was the youngster in my late teens and early twenties getting into the Grateful Dead and being one of the younger people then. Now I'm older and see a bunch of new music fans who are really into bands like Particle and STS9.
The evening began with the opening band, Sub-ID. They were a two piece unit--one bassist and one computer sampler and looper. I enjoyed them and got to experience the energy of the crowd. Then, when STS9 came out, people just went nuts with dancing, moving, smiling, and grooving to the music.
The energy of the show was real intense. I backed away from the stage after two songs, as some exuberant people danced their way up front. I enjoyed this, because I definitely enjoy a bit more room to move. In that more open space I was able to feel the music in a more gentle way than by standing right up front. Regardless of where one stood, sat, or danced, the feeling was very comfortable and happy. I felt very relaxed even today.
I thought it was very interesting that they had an artist working on stage. I also liked that I was able to pick up a poster at the show. These were provided by the fine people at Conscious Alliance. In exchange for bringing ten non-perishable food items, you get a poster. Melissa and I did this in June 2004 at the Phoenix Dead show, too. I love the synergy between music and caring that is part of this wonderful array of musicians and fans!
Tags: STS9, Sub-ID, hunger relief, electronica, Particle
Friday, September 15, 2006
Prisoner of Guantanamo Bay story
This morning we were listening to this story of Moazzam Begg on NPR. Draw your own conclusions.
I'll repost this as I think more about it. I know right now I am appalled that people who are not charged with any particular war crime or particular evidence are being treated inhumanely. This is not how America should treat others.
Tags: Guantanamo Bay, humane treatment, war on terror
I'll repost this as I think more about it. I know right now I am appalled that people who are not charged with any particular war crime or particular evidence are being treated inhumanely. This is not how America should treat others.
Tags: Guantanamo Bay, humane treatment, war on terror
Thursday, September 14, 2006
A couple of Minnesota environmental items
Yesterday I learned that the ridership for the Metro Transit system--buses and light rail--was over seven million riders in August.
A couple of months ago I went to a colloquium on global warming at Hamline University sponsored by NextStep. Chris Coleman, the mayor of Saint Paul, was talking about increasing the energy efficiency of many of the city's most wasteful buildings. Now, Minneapolis is doing the same, as discussed in this story on the Minnesota Public Radio site.
Tags: light rail, global warming, energy efficiency, green building, Twin Cities
A couple of months ago I went to a colloquium on global warming at Hamline University sponsored by NextStep. Chris Coleman, the mayor of Saint Paul, was talking about increasing the energy efficiency of many of the city's most wasteful buildings. Now, Minneapolis is doing the same, as discussed in this story on the Minnesota Public Radio site.
Tags: light rail, global warming, energy efficiency, green building, Twin Cities
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Rules changes for the USCF and the MonRoi device
I was just recently made aware of two rule changes by the United States Chess Federation.
#1: Change to rule 15A: (proposed) The player must first make the move, and then record it on the scoresheet.
#2: Use of electronic scoresheets
When I first heard of the change to rule 15A, I was a bit angered. Since my first couple of rated games, I have been recording my moves before I make them on the board. Secondly, I have been passing on this advice to students as a means of rooting out blunders in their games. It is an effective means to help one make better moves and not be impulsive.
It also seems that the first rule change is related to the second rule change. As someone who at the present time will not have access to such a device, I feel a bit disappointed.
Anyways, with that gripe out of the way, I considered the use of the device and how it can help in the future of chess. It is called MonRoi, and FIDE promoted its use in this news release. I think it has great promise in making chess games easier to record (I hate in a time scramble that I can't write down the moves and lose interesting endgames--using a stylus and screen seems to be easier). In addition, it will be easier to load games to Internet sites.
I liked what Chris Bird had to say:
#1: Change to rule 15A: (proposed) The player must first make the move, and then record it on the scoresheet.
#2: Use of electronic scoresheets
When I first heard of the change to rule 15A, I was a bit angered. Since my first couple of rated games, I have been recording my moves before I make them on the board. Secondly, I have been passing on this advice to students as a means of rooting out blunders in their games. It is an effective means to help one make better moves and not be impulsive.
It also seems that the first rule change is related to the second rule change. As someone who at the present time will not have access to such a device, I feel a bit disappointed.
Anyways, with that gripe out of the way, I considered the use of the device and how it can help in the future of chess. It is called MonRoi, and FIDE promoted its use in this news release. I think it has great promise in making chess games easier to record (I hate in a time scramble that I can't write down the moves and lose interesting endgames--using a stylus and screen seems to be easier). In addition, it will be easier to load games to Internet sites.
I liked what Chris Bird had to say:
"With my TD hat on I saw the potential for numerous organizers, particularly scholastic organizers, for them to purchase the systems and rent or lease them out for use at events thereby obtaining some costs back. Games from top boards could be displayed in other rooms allowing the parents to watch meaningful games, or friends and family to watch from the comfort of their own homes. Many of the Denker and Polgar players were commenting on how everyone was back home and tuned in to every game they played!"
In the long run, I'll learn to adapt to the rule change and welcome the use of the devices. I look forward to see how chess will change. I think the changes will be more apt to happen when the prices of the devices come down to prices more affordable to the average chess player.
Tags: chess, United States Chess Federation, MonRoi
In the long run, I'll learn to adapt to the rule change and welcome the use of the devices. I look forward to see how chess will change. I think the changes will be more apt to happen when the prices of the devices come down to prices more affordable to the average chess player.
Tags: chess, United States Chess Federation, MonRoi
Monday, September 11, 2006
Particle has begun their fall tour!
Jambase recently featured an article on the techno-jam group, Particle, which has begun a new tour two weeks ago. I am a new convert to their music.
A year ago, Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead played a dozen or so shows with Particle in an arrangement called Hydra. I had not yet heard any of their music, but being both a fan of the Dead's music and being adventurous, I bought a ticket to the show and I was not at all disappointed! (I'll discuss that show at a later time.)
Here is the list of Particle's remaining tour dates, which run through mid-November.
Tags: Particle, jam bands, Grateful Dead, Mickey Hart, Hydra
A year ago, Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead played a dozen or so shows with Particle in an arrangement called Hydra. I had not yet heard any of their music, but being both a fan of the Dead's music and being adventurous, I bought a ticket to the show and I was not at all disappointed! (I'll discuss that show at a later time.)
Here is the list of Particle's remaining tour dates, which run through mid-November.
Tags: Particle, jam bands, Grateful Dead, Mickey Hart, Hydra
Don't pick on the box elder bug!
On the morning news, the reporter was talking about getting rid of the box elder bugs which are expected to reach their highest numbers since 1988. I was a bit annoyed with this report, as I found they are nothing but a small nuisance.On top of that, our son has spent countless hours this summer learning and mastering the word, as in "Dad, bug, look." (I think I heard that about 1000 times this summer as he pointed to large groups of them sticking to our garage!)
Tag: family life
Saturday, September 09, 2006
First round for Tal Tales in the Twin Cities Chess League
The first round of the Twin Cities Chess League, aka TCCL, is always a bit crazy. Everyone in the Swiss system registers the first night. (The teams in the round robin section are registered months ahead of time.) As a result of this chaos, some teams do not have enough players.
Our team, Tal Tales, was organized and all four of us showed up. Our opponents were not so fortunate, and only boards one and two were filled. By default, boards three and four were forfeit wins for us. That started us out with a draw for the match at worst. If Kelly or I scored a draw, we would have won the match.
Kelly is a few points higher than me, so he had board one in a game playing White against the Sicilian. I played Black on board two, and my opponent played the English.
I have not had many games against the English, and the few I have had for the most part been disasters. I was a bit distraught early as my opponent rattled off his first six moves using a mere minute. I was keeping pace, but I wondered how long it would be a race.
By my eighth move, the game had settled down. I spent 25 minutes on my eighth through twelth move. This is significant, given that the whole game is 90 minutes per side with a 5 second delay per move. However, he continued to use his time like I was.
My goal with 7...Bd7 and 8...Qc8 was to weaken his White-squared bishop. Although this was my better bishop in the position (I had a pawn chain from e5 to c7), I wanted to eliminate his defensive bishop.
His sixteenth move was solid, but I could not take the bait. If I played 16...Bxc6, he would have had a nasty Knight parked on a nearly invincible square. So I avoided that continuation.
Unfortunately for him, he miscalculated on his eighteenth move. I was forking a Knight and Bishop, and there were two solid ways he could have countered. However, he played neither of those, and I ended up a piece ahead.
He more or less forced me to trade off my White-squared Bishop on move 20. He had a potential of 21. Nxe7+ forking my King and Queen if I did not respond appropriately.
He tried me again on his twenty second move. I trade off Knights, followed by a trade of Queens.
Although he was a piece behind, his Bishop parked on c6 effectively cut off one of my Rooks unless I wanted to exchange sacrifice this piece. I did not, and finally I put that Rook on a7 to good use by coordinating an attack along the a and b files.
I did not think his 27. a3 was a good move. Not only did it allow my Knight to get into his territory, it also exposed itself to eventual attack.
During this late phase of the game, Kelly had lost his game. I did not get to look at much of it because of my intense concentration on my own, so I was fighting to win against some pretty decent counterplay of my opponent.
I had to get my King into safer territory. I played 31...g6 to allow my King to move to a dark square and allow my f7 pawn to move.
I do not remember the specific moves after move 45, as I was down to forty four seconds while my opponent was down to 2:11. I remember that he got his King deep into my territory, that I could not exchange Rooks by Rxd7, else cxd7 and he would have promoted a Pawn before me. I promoted and he resigned shortly thereafter.
We will have a tougher job next month, as we will be playing an even stronger team, and I don't expect any forfeits.
[Event "Twin Cities Chess League"]
[Site "Roseville Skating Oval"]
[Date "2006.9.8"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Brad"]
[Black "Joe Erjavec"]
[Result "0-1"]
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.d3 O-O 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O Bd7 8.Bd2 Qc8 9.Qb3 Na5 10.Qc2 b6 11.b4 Nb7 12.Rfe1 a5 13.b5 Nc5 14.d4 exd4 15.Nxd4 Ra7 16.Bc6 Bh3 17.Bg5 Ne6 18.e3 Nxg5 19.f4 Ne6 20.Nf5 Bxf5 21.Qxf5 Nc5 22.Nd5 Nxd5 23.Qxd5 Qe6 24.Qxe6 Nxe6 25.Rad1 Nc5 26.e4 a4 27.a3 Nb3 28.e5 dxe5 29.Rxe5 Bc5+ 30.Kg2 Nd4 31.Bd5 g6 32.Rd3 Kg7 33.Kh3 f6 34.Re4 Nc2 35.Bc6 Nxa3 36.Rd7+ Rf7 37.Rxf7+ Kxf7 38.Be8+ Kg7 39.g4 Nc2 40.Re2 Ra8 41.Bc6 Nd4 42.Ra2 Nxc6 43.bxc6 a3 44.Kg3 Ra4 45.Kf3 Rxc4 0-1
Tags: chess, Twin Cities Chess League
Our team, Tal Tales, was organized and all four of us showed up. Our opponents were not so fortunate, and only boards one and two were filled. By default, boards three and four were forfeit wins for us. That started us out with a draw for the match at worst. If Kelly or I scored a draw, we would have won the match.
Kelly is a few points higher than me, so he had board one in a game playing White against the Sicilian. I played Black on board two, and my opponent played the English.
I have not had many games against the English, and the few I have had for the most part been disasters. I was a bit distraught early as my opponent rattled off his first six moves using a mere minute. I was keeping pace, but I wondered how long it would be a race.
By my eighth move, the game had settled down. I spent 25 minutes on my eighth through twelth move. This is significant, given that the whole game is 90 minutes per side with a 5 second delay per move. However, he continued to use his time like I was.
My goal with 7...Bd7 and 8...Qc8 was to weaken his White-squared bishop. Although this was my better bishop in the position (I had a pawn chain from e5 to c7), I wanted to eliminate his defensive bishop.
His sixteenth move was solid, but I could not take the bait. If I played 16...Bxc6, he would have had a nasty Knight parked on a nearly invincible square. So I avoided that continuation.
Unfortunately for him, he miscalculated on his eighteenth move. I was forking a Knight and Bishop, and there were two solid ways he could have countered. However, he played neither of those, and I ended up a piece ahead.
He more or less forced me to trade off my White-squared Bishop on move 20. He had a potential of 21. Nxe7+ forking my King and Queen if I did not respond appropriately.
He tried me again on his twenty second move. I trade off Knights, followed by a trade of Queens.
Although he was a piece behind, his Bishop parked on c6 effectively cut off one of my Rooks unless I wanted to exchange sacrifice this piece. I did not, and finally I put that Rook on a7 to good use by coordinating an attack along the a and b files.
I did not think his 27. a3 was a good move. Not only did it allow my Knight to get into his territory, it also exposed itself to eventual attack.
During this late phase of the game, Kelly had lost his game. I did not get to look at much of it because of my intense concentration on my own, so I was fighting to win against some pretty decent counterplay of my opponent.
I had to get my King into safer territory. I played 31...g6 to allow my King to move to a dark square and allow my f7 pawn to move.
I do not remember the specific moves after move 45, as I was down to forty four seconds while my opponent was down to 2:11. I remember that he got his King deep into my territory, that I could not exchange Rooks by Rxd7, else cxd7 and he would have promoted a Pawn before me. I promoted and he resigned shortly thereafter.
We will have a tougher job next month, as we will be playing an even stronger team, and I don't expect any forfeits.
[Event "Twin Cities Chess League"]
[Site "Roseville Skating Oval"]
[Date "2006.9.8"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Brad"]
[Black "Joe Erjavec"]
[Result "0-1"]
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.d3 O-O 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O Bd7 8.Bd2 Qc8 9.Qb3 Na5 10.Qc2 b6 11.b4 Nb7 12.Rfe1 a5 13.b5 Nc5 14.d4 exd4 15.Nxd4 Ra7 16.Bc6 Bh3 17.Bg5 Ne6 18.e3 Nxg5 19.f4 Ne6 20.Nf5 Bxf5 21.Qxf5 Nc5 22.Nd5 Nxd5 23.Qxd5 Qe6 24.Qxe6 Nxe6 25.Rad1 Nc5 26.e4 a4 27.a3 Nb3 28.e5 dxe5 29.Rxe5 Bc5+ 30.Kg2 Nd4 31.Bd5 g6 32.Rd3 Kg7 33.Kh3 f6 34.Re4 Nc2 35.Bc6 Nxa3 36.Rd7+ Rf7 37.Rxf7+ Kxf7 38.Be8+ Kg7 39.g4 Nc2 40.Re2 Ra8 41.Bc6 Nd4 42.Ra2 Nxc6 43.bxc6 a3 44.Kg3 Ra4 45.Kf3 Rxc4 0-1
Tags: chess, Twin Cities Chess League
Friday, September 08, 2006
Cellulosic ethanol
My friend Jeff and I were talking about the promise of cellulosic ethanol a couple of months ago as we were discussing alternative energies. In regards to that, I found this article on Sky Blue Waters that is definitely worth checking out.
Tags: ethanol, greenhouse gases
Tags: ethanol, greenhouse gases
I played one of the wildest games of chess last night!
Although the turnout at the club for the Thursday Knighter has been a bit low, I decided to play this month. I need the practice for tonight's Twin Cities Chess League match in Roseville.
I normally favor more open, tactical games, but this one was very quiet and positional. Up to move 27, we had exchanged a mere single pawn each. Each of us refused to open the position. We were running low on time--Dennis had 11:36 left on his clock, I had 18:09 after our 26th moves. However, after move 27, the blood starting flowing. It got extremely tactical and difficult as the time ran lower, even with the five second delay. I resigned with 3 seconds on the clock. This is the score of the game as I recall it (I couldn't write down the complete score after move 36). Enjoy!
[Event "Thursday Knighter IX"]
[Site "Chess Castle, Minneapolis"]
[Date "2006.9.7"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Dennis"]
[Black "Joe Erjavec"]
[Result "1-0"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e4 Bg7 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.g3 O-O 7.Bg2 c6 8.O-O Nb6 9.Qb3 Qc7 10.Re1 e5 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.h3 Be6 13.Bf1 Nfd7 14.Be3 f6 15.Rad1 Nc8 16.Qc2 b6 17.Na4 Kh8 18.c5 b5 19.Nc3 a5 20.Rd2 Na7 21.Red1 Rfd8 22.Rd6 Bf7 23.Qd2 Be8 24.Bh6 Nc8 25.Rd3 Ne7 26.h4 f5 27.Bg5 b4 28.Na4 fxe4 29.Rd6 Nf5 30.Bxd8 Rxd8 31.Re6 exf3 32.Rxe8+ Rxe8 33.Qxd7 Qxd7 34.Rxd7 Nd4 35.Nb6 Ne2+ 36.Kh2 e4 37.Nc4 Be5 38.Nxa5 e3 39.fxe3 Bxg3+ 40.Kh3 Rxe3 41.Nxc6 f2 42.Nxb4 Be5+ 43.Kg2 Nf4+ 44.Kxf2 1-0
This is the game on my website.
I said to Dennis after the game that this was one of the most satisfying games of chess I have ever played. I gained something by playing a quieter game.
Tag: chess
I normally favor more open, tactical games, but this one was very quiet and positional. Up to move 27, we had exchanged a mere single pawn each. Each of us refused to open the position. We were running low on time--Dennis had 11:36 left on his clock, I had 18:09 after our 26th moves. However, after move 27, the blood starting flowing. It got extremely tactical and difficult as the time ran lower, even with the five second delay. I resigned with 3 seconds on the clock. This is the score of the game as I recall it (I couldn't write down the complete score after move 36). Enjoy!
[Event "Thursday Knighter IX"]
[Site "Chess Castle, Minneapolis"]
[Date "2006.9.7"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Dennis"]
[Black "Joe Erjavec"]
[Result "1-0"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e4 Bg7 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.g3 O-O 7.Bg2 c6 8.O-O Nb6 9.Qb3 Qc7 10.Re1 e5 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.h3 Be6 13.Bf1 Nfd7 14.Be3 f6 15.Rad1 Nc8 16.Qc2 b6 17.Na4 Kh8 18.c5 b5 19.Nc3 a5 20.Rd2 Na7 21.Red1 Rfd8 22.Rd6 Bf7 23.Qd2 Be8 24.Bh6 Nc8 25.Rd3 Ne7 26.h4 f5 27.Bg5 b4 28.Na4 fxe4 29.Rd6 Nf5 30.Bxd8 Rxd8 31.Re6 exf3 32.Rxe8+ Rxe8 33.Qxd7 Qxd7 34.Rxd7 Nd4 35.Nb6 Ne2+ 36.Kh2 e4 37.Nc4 Be5 38.Nxa5 e3 39.fxe3 Bxg3+ 40.Kh3 Rxe3 41.Nxc6 f2 42.Nxb4 Be5+ 43.Kg2 Nf4+ 44.Kxf2 1-0
This is the game on my website.
I said to Dennis after the game that this was one of the most satisfying games of chess I have ever played. I gained something by playing a quieter game.
Tag: chess
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Today's wild ride!
It has been a year since we tried taking the E-man out for a bike ride. We have one of those Burleys for the back of the bike, but when we tried last year, all I remember hearing was "WAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Today I decided to try again. I got all the tires pumped up to their correct pressure, tightened the Burley on to my bike, put on my helmet, grabbed his, and went to put it on his head.
"WAAAAAAAAAAH!" again was his response. I told him that Dad needs to get some exercise pretty badly, so he has to go along with this.
"WAAAAAAAAAAH!" this time, with mucus and tears running down his face as I placed him in the Burley.
I start riding, and " ". Nothing. Quiet. He popped the almighty binky into his mouth and enjoyed the ride. We biked through the neighborhood, onto a bike trail, and to a local coffee shop for some food. We ate and had a nice lunch, where he learned the phrase "bike helmet."
When it was time to ride home, he was eager to put on the helmet. We ended up on the bike trail behind a family with a Burley. I couldn't see in, so I asked about their little person. It ended up they were riding with their little dog. *smile*
We got home and he is now enjoying a good nap. I feel good getting some exercise and getting him adjusted to bike riding.
Tag: family life
Today I decided to try again. I got all the tires pumped up to their correct pressure, tightened the Burley on to my bike, put on my helmet, grabbed his, and went to put it on his head.
"WAAAAAAAAAAH!" again was his response. I told him that Dad needs to get some exercise pretty badly, so he has to go along with this.
"WAAAAAAAAAAH!" this time, with mucus and tears running down his face as I placed him in the Burley.
I start riding, and " ". Nothing. Quiet. He popped the almighty binky into his mouth and enjoyed the ride. We biked through the neighborhood, onto a bike trail, and to a local coffee shop for some food. We ate and had a nice lunch, where he learned the phrase "bike helmet."
When it was time to ride home, he was eager to put on the helmet. We ended up on the bike trail behind a family with a Burley. I couldn't see in, so I asked about their little person. It ended up they were riding with their little dog. *smile*
We got home and he is now enjoying a good nap. I feel good getting some exercise and getting him adjusted to bike riding.
Tag: family life
The Immortal Game by David Shenk
National Public Radio had this story on Tuesday about David Shenk's book on the history of chess.
In the article, it states, "To serious chess players, the book's title has an obvious double meaning: It refers to the game itself and also to a particular match that was played by two masters -- Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky -- in London in 1851."
I looked up this game on Chessgames.com. It is quite amazing!!!
Tag: Chess, David Shenk
In the article, it states, "To serious chess players, the book's title has an obvious double meaning: It refers to the game itself and also to a particular match that was played by two masters -- Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky -- in London in 1851."
I looked up this game on Chessgames.com. It is quite amazing!!!
Tag: Chess, David Shenk
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