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Play: That which doesn't fit elsewhere
updated 7.6.2004

highlighted links:
infrared photos

seeker.tv

car dealer commentary

james lileks

funky 60's architecture

missile silos

real estate get-rich-quick

ella's music

hobbies

Talk about cool! Infrared photography is one of the neatest things since sliced bread. You know, I wonder... what would sliced bread look like in infrared? I haven't tried that yet, but here are my first attempts.

Curious about what I'm thinking of when I'm not focusing on making UST's academic technology support function like a well-oiled machine? Check out seeker.TV to learn about a "little project" I'm working on.

writing

Looking for a great site to skim on your lunch break? Visit Lileks.com. James Lileks writes the Backfence column for the Star Tribune, but his personal site is much more interesting, in my opinion. (This is the only non-computer-related site I visit on a regular basis. High praise!)

KMSP-TV, a local UPN affiliate, aired a story about used car dealers selling repaired cars. Now, I hate used car dealers as much as the next guy, but (like the car they investigated) this story had a few holes in it. So, I wrote a commentary on the piece. Let me know what you think.

interests

Have you ever had that experience where you realize that something only you thought was interesting actually had a name and a following of its own? Then you know how I felt when I discovered Googie. You know that funky, 60's architecture that looks like it stepped out of a Jetsons' cartoon? That's Googie! (Named after "Googie's" coffee shop, which epitomized the design.) It's odd to hear the features of my old neighborhood mall (Midway Center, midway between downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis) described in formal architectural terms.

In the same vein (that vein of "really weird stuff that Eric likes")... did you know that, scattered across Kansas, Oklahoma, Nevada and New York are intact missile silos dating back to the Cuban Missile Crisis? Visit MissileBases.com and make plans to buy one of your own... before I beat you to it! (If only my wife would let me...)

money

Recently I saw (for the millionth time) the ever-popular "Carleton Sheets No-Money-Down Real Estate Investment" informercial. And, like every other thinking human being on the planet, I've wondered, "How does this work?" For answers, visit John T. Reed's real estate investment home page and learn about this stuff from a real investor -- or, at least someone who sounds like one. (And, yes, he has a page about Carleton Sheets.)

song

Speaking of old stuff on my PersonalWeb site... years ago, I started playing with RealSlideshow, from the makers of RealPlayer. In that process, I whipped up a little "video" (actually, graphics of words for the song) to test it. I don't know if it will work for you or not... but check out Ella's Intercession and let me know! (I hope it works; I chose this song not only because it lends itself to emphasizing particular words with graphics, but because it's incredibly moving. Let me know if you want to buy one of Ella's CDs and I'll find out if she has any left...)

UPDATE: Ella's music has taken on a new meaning for me... because she was killed in a car accident while traveling to the Cornerstone Music Festival over the 4th of July holiday in July 2001. It's a tremendous loss to all her friends and family who loved her, but we know that she's now enjoying the eternal company of the God she praised through her life and music.