Cool web site of the moment

If anyone ever reads this blog, check out pandora.com; it is a great music site.

Some people have gotten together and tried to classify music by different attributes. At Pandora, you can put in an artist or song that you like and the site will create a playlist of artists/songs that share the same attributes of the song you entered.

It is a great way to discover new artists.

Commuter Behavior

I believe that sociologists could have a career studying the behavior of commuters and trying to explain their actions.

For instance, in the winter, when it is freezing outside, why do some people decide to go stand by the train tracks instead of waiting inside the station? Where I get on, there is no danger of not having a seat, which I might understand if that was the case. Although I would trade frostbite for standing up on the ride. Are they that worried that "their seat" will be taken if they are not earlier in line to board? And if so, so what? It is not like some seats are nicer than others; they are all cramped.

Also, it's not like it is a long walk from the station to the train. There is a bell in the station that signals an incoming train. So they would still have plenty of time to get to the boarding area if they left when the bell sounded. Apparently though that is not good enough and they need to be out there, braving the elements, like the idiot reporters they send out during storms to tell you to stay home if you don't need to go out.

So no matter what the weather, there they are standing out by the boarding platform waiting for the train. The commuter lookouts.

South Shore Quote

Overheard on the South Shore to Indiana:

"I have a big family and we're all devilled-egg eaters."

I was reading a book and hearing this made me pause. Why they were talking about devilled eggs I have no idea.

Computer Upgrade

I finally bit the bullet and upgraded to windows XP from windows 98. So far so good, although I have been purposely staying away from my computer in fear of finding something wrong.

"Simple Life" simplye gone

In a stunning show of good taste and good judgement, Fox has canceled the tv show "The Simple Life". Let's just hope the UPN or WB does not pick it up.

This is why I hate politics

Ok so Bush nominated some woman for the Supreme Court and immediatly there was a ruch to judgement on both liberal and conservative sides. Can we please wait to find out a little bit more about the woman before we decide upon her qualifications for the Court?

I guess it is a good thing that these pundits have politics cause I am sure they wouldn't survive in the business world. Study the issues, identify the positive and negative, make a reasoned decision rather than a snap judgement? Not in the political world where people feel the need to state their opinion instantaneously.

This whole process is just another example of Washington being cut-off from the people they represent.

I thought Tourist Season was over

As a commuter I understand that during the summer, the evening commute will have those folks who have made a day trip into the city. I realize that for the summer months I will have to hear things like:

Where's our stop?
Everyone stay together.
That Sears Tower is one tall building.
Did you wash your hand after tipping the bum?

I know that during this time I will have to put up with their loud conversations, since they seem to think that the seats absorb sounds and basically shout to each other over the roar of the train. Which by the way is electric, so there is no loud engine.

But I thought this was supposed to end after Labor Day. The other night a group of older folks were coming back from Chicago and proceeded to make the sound of nails on a chalkboard seem like sweet music compared to them.

There was one lady who seemed to want the entire car to know what her conversation was about. In addition to the "lovely" sound of her voice we were also treated to her cackling laugh, which made me keep looking up to see if she was stirring a boiling cauldron. She also kept daring someone in her group to do something, not just daring them but "double-dog" daring them. I swear if I ever use that phrase when I am in my fifties I will rip out my own tongue. Finally as she was leaving she made some comment about how luck her husband was since she was the only one who could/would put up with him. Yessir he is one lucky gent, my guess is he is being punished for sins in a previous life.

I hope that this was the last gasp of the summer tourists, sort of like a commuter indian summer.