Today's Memos

To: the guy at the next table
Shut Up. Not only are you loudly talking about politics, you are not saying anything remotely original.

To: my future self
Have you taken the first test to become an actuary yet?

To: Grumpy Gus
Stop sighing every three seconds. If you have something to say, say it!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Zoos and Aquariums

I don't remember the first time I went to either the Minnesota or Como Zoo, but I'm pretty sure it was in the eighties. But I have now been to 21 other zoos or aquariums: Shedd Aquarium (Chicago) 1993 and 2005, St. Louis Zoo 1994, Grant's Farm (St. Louis) 1994, California Academy of Science (San Francisco) 1998, San Francisco 1998, New England Aquarium 1999, Underwater World 1999, Columbus 2000, Cincinnati 2000, Newport Aquarium (Kentucky) 2000, Henry Doorly Zoo (Omaha) 2002, Blank Park Zoo (Des Moines) 2003, New Orleans Aquarium 2003, Fort Worth 2005, Lincoln Park (Chicago) 2005, Great Lakes Aquarium (Duluth) 2005, Santa Barbara 2006, Bioparco (Rome) 2007, Berlin Zoo 2008, National Zoo (DC) 2009, Atlanta Zoo 2009

Damn Good Food

Ever eaten at Hell's Kitchen in Minneapolis or Duluth? The chef and owner Mitch Omer has written a recipe book that comes out on October 1st. My favorite is the Mahnomin Porridge, mmm.

Wikipedia Games

There are games based on Wikipedia:
- Wikipedian Tag, where two people start on different pages, and move by following links
- Get to Philosophy, where you move through pages by selecting the first link on each page and end up at Philosophy or in a loop. I got to Philosophy from both of the random pages I tried: Jujols and Layanese.
-Wikipedia Maze which is a version of Six Degrees of Wikipedia.
-Wikirace, where you compete to travel from one article to another in the shortest number of steps.

All of those are based on the links, but work is underway for a Trading Card Game based on Wikipedia as well.

A Sure Sign of Fall

A Sure Sign of Fall
Originally uploaded by soelo

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

2009 Fall TV (my version)

Here's what I plan to watch record:

9-12 Sit Down, Shut Up - FOX

9-13 King of the Hill - FOX

9-17 Survivor: Samoa - CBS
Fringe - Fox
The Office, Community, Parks & Rec, SNL Thursday - NBC
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - FX

9-20 Curb Your Enthusiasm - HBO
Bored to Death - HBO

9-21 Brick City - Sundance
How I Met Your Mother - CBS
Big Bang Theory - CBS

9-23 Old Christine - CBS
Modern Family - ABC

9-24 Grey's Anatomy - ABC
Flash Forward - ABC

9-25 Law & Order - NBC

9-26 SNL - NBC

9-27 Amazing Race - CBS
Simpsons, Family Guy, Cleveland Show - FOX
Extreme Makeover: Home - ABC

10-14 South Park - Comedy Central

10-15 30 Rock - NBC

11-03 V - ABC

Midseason: Scrubs, Lost, Chuck