Why I didn’t see the end of the Dark Knight movie July 19, 2008
Posted by Niels in : Personal , add a commentFun plans yesterday. Happy hour with friends, then an outdoor viewing of Batman Begins at Movies on the Pedestal at Rainier Square, then THE DARK KNIGHT at midnight. I’d been looking forward to the Dark Knight for a while (totally bought into the media hype), and despite my friend Fil’s admonishment that he’d never looked forward to a movie without being disappointed, I was excited about it. We actually had to leave Batman Begins early in order to get to the Dark Knight on time, but we ended up in an almost empty overflow theater and the movie was great. The part I saw, at least.
I was watching the movie, thinking, “this is great, finally a movie I looked forward to that didn’t disappoint me” when, in the middle of the climactic scene between Batman and the Joker, the reel caught fire. Thanks, Pacific Place. The manager said there was nothing he could do, the damage was too extensive, so we got some free movie passes and went home at 3am without seeing how the movie ended.
Aargh!
(Semi-happy ending: I caught the end of the next showing at 10am, saw the conclusion, and even got a refund on my ticket. Not a bad result to very frustrating evening.)
Your thoughts?Job hunting again! July 15, 2008
Posted by Niels in : Personal , add a commentNow that my Biznik gig is over, I’m back on the hunt for a job. I’m thinking about going back into technology, but more on the marketing/business side. A product manager position at a software company sounds pretty appealing, and I’m weighing whether I want to join an established company or a startup. They both have their appeal - jumping into a new position, I’d appreciate the support structures and mentorship available in a big company, but I like feeling like I’m contributing directly to a small company’s success. I’ve already had a few job offers, but since I’m planning for this gig to last a while I want to make sure I end up in a role that really excites me.
In other news, I’m trying to make the most of my current unemployment. Last month there were trips to Victoria and Montana for wedding anniversaries and weddings, plus a float trip through Glacier national park. Last weekend included my first seaplane ride, hiking, surprise parties, going away parties, birthday parties, barbeques, and raspberry picking. Side note on the hiking: it is best to leave for day hikes sometime before 7pm. But if you do have to leave at 7pm, bring a headlamp because it’s super cool to watch bats dive bomb your head all the way back to your car to pick off the bugs flying around your light.
Your thoughts?Why you should never talk to the cops (in praise of the fifth amendment) July 14, 2008
Posted by Niels in : Personal , 3 commentsThis is one of the most interesting lectures I’ve heard in a long time. A law school professor and a police officer explain in painstaking detail why there are no situations where talking to the police can benefit you, and in fact there are many situations where, even if you’re innocent, and even if you only tell the truth and admit no crimes, your interview can get you convicted.
I suppose it’s really sad that the police system is set up to so strongly incentivize people not to talk to them. I realize police need to interview innocent people in order to solve crimes, but after hearing these lectures, I would be extremely reluctant to help.
What do corn farmers do all day? July 2, 2008
Posted by Niels in : Personal , 3 commentsJust watched the documentary “King Corn”. The directors decide to grow an acre of corn and in the end only turn a profit thanks to a subsidy from the government.
In the movie the directors acted as though this were surprising - but it really shouldn’t be. In a commoditized, efficient market, profit margins will be low. Since the government subsidy is factored into the price of corn, the price is set exactly where the subsidized supply demand curves intersect and therefore farmers barely scrape by with a small profit - and only after the subsidy. Without the subsidy, some farmers would stop producing corn and we would move back down the supply/demand curve so that corn once again becomes just marginally profitable at the new lower (subsidy-free) price.
For me, the really surprising part of the movie was how little physical work a farmer actually does. The directors make it seem like producing corn is the easiest job in the world. I figured the movie was blowing things out of proportion for effect, but I found this interview with one of the directors:
Curt: The most amazing thing to us was how little physical work is involved in the modern farm. All told, I think we spent about two hours over the course of the year…growing five tons of food!
So now I’m left wondering, what is that modern corn farmers actually do on a daily basis? Google isn’t any help, does anyone know?
Your thoughts?Food comas and second winds June 18, 2008
Posted by Niels in : Personal , add a commentSince adding the veggie smoothies to my diet, I’ve become much more sensitive to the effects of what I eat. I normally eat a lot of vegetables and whole grains and feel pretty good around the clock. But when I go out to eat and buy something fatty and carby, I feel my energy plummet about an hour later.
A few days ago Craig and I went out for huge ice cream cones on empty stomachs, and sure enough about 90 minutes later we both fell asleep in the living room. An hour or two later I dragged myself off the couch into my bed and found I couldn’t sleep after all. I guess my post-sugar rush insulin dip finally balanced out.
It’s interesting because I remember so often as a kid getting “second winds” at night, right before I was about to go to bed. I’d feel really tired, go brush my teeth, and then just as I was ready to go to bed I’d suddenly feel wide awake again. Growing up on a diet of Chinese food, I bet it was actually just a nightly sugar low from all the white rice.
Your thoughts?