We got a bit of snow last night. It was absolutely beautiful the way it coated all the trees.
All posts by Jonathan
Health Care 2.0 and the endless cold
I really don’t like to write “complaint posts” but there is a good part to this story, so I’m going to indulge myself.
I’ve had this cold for three weeks now, and boy am I getting sick of it (pun intended). That’s three weeks of coughing, blocked up sinuses, and a runny nose. Several other people I know have had the same virus (they’ve been sick for a long time too). When it got to be three weeks for me I contacted my doctor’s office, to ask if I should come in and get it checked out. After the on-call nurse assessed me, she didn’t think I needed to come in (no fever or any disgusting symptoms I’d rather not mention here). But the good part of the story is I decided to go online and email my doctor about it.
Electoral Compass
According to Electoral Compass USA, here’s my position on the current political landscape:
Okay, it’s just a 36 question survey, but given Obama’s win in Iowa last night, I thought my results were interesting. Although, if I had to vote today, I’d go for John Edwards. I generally like what Obama has to say, but I am a little concerned about his lack of experience. Should be an interesting race though.
The best music of 2007
2007 was an amazing year for music, one of the strongest in a long time. Consequently, I have quite a lengthy list of favorite albums for the year.
Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger
I thought this was the best album of 2007. I wrote a full review of Easy Tiger when it was released last summer. And for a bonus, check out the EP, Follow the Lights, which Adams also released this year.
Grandma Bloy’s Pfeffernüsse recipe
Several years ago, I wrote about how much I enjoyed my Grandmother Bloy’s Pfeffernüsse when she was still around to make them. When I was a kid, it just wasn’t Christmas time if I didn’t have some of those small, crunchy, spicy cookies.
Also several years ago, I got a copy of my grandmother’s recipe from my mother, with the intention of trying to make them myself. This year, I finally did. I should probably mention, these are not the same pfeffernüsse you often see in the grocery store this time of year (which are much larger and covered with powdered sugar). Apparently my Grandmother followed a different traditional German recipe.
State Natural Area threatened
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is considering granting a permit for a developer to place a luxury resort on 62 acres along the Lower Dells, right next door to the Wisconsin River State Natural Area. The D.N.R. is accepting written comments from the public until Friday, December 28. Below is the letter I just wrote. If you’re a concerned Wisconsin citizen, I urge you to write as well. Be sure and reference Docket Number IP-SC-2007-11-2032LW and IP-SC-2007-11-2033LW in your letter, and send it to Dan Hunt, N 7725 Highway 28, Horicon, WI 53032.
Dear Sir,
I am writing to you regarding the development project proposed to be placed on the banks of the Wisconsin River’s Lower Dells (Docket Number IP-SC-2007-11-2032LW and IP-SC-2007-11-2033LW). I believe the proposed development would be a bad idea for a number of reasons, and I urge your agency to deny the permit for this development.
Study finds 90-95 percent of all email is spam
A Barracuda Networks study, based on an analysis of more than 1 billion daily e-mail messages sent to its more than 50,000 customers worldwide, found that 90-95 percent of all e-mail sent in 2007 was spam.
Wow. I knew it was bad, but not THAT bad.
And in case anyone doesn’t know how email spam got its name…
Youssou N’Dour performs in Madison
From the African country of Senegal, Youssou N’Dour is perhaps the most widely known afro-pop musician performing today. He has achieved superstar status virtually everywhere outside of the United States. I have been wishing to hear him perform live since 1990 when I first read about him, and purchased his new CD at the time, Set. Last night, Youssou and his band, the Super Etoile of Dakar, finally played a show close enough for me to attend. Seventeen years of anticipation is a lot to live up to, but the charming master of mbalax (a blending of traditional Senegalese music/rhythms, afro-cuban music, and popular western music) exceeded my high expectations.
Winter mode
It’s been pretty cold here in Madison for the past week, and this morning our first big winter storm of the season began.
Today I’ve officially gone into Winter mode. I put a batch of chili in the crock pot, and dug my humidifier out of the closet. While those shocks from static electricity are fun at first, it gets a little old after a few times. I also took my first pictures of snow for the season, from the warm side of my patio door of course.
Yes, winter has arrived.
Family photos
My family had a couple of get-togethers over the past few weeks.
From left: my brother Steven, my sisters Barbra and Christine, and myself.