I used to love making mix tapes when I was a kid. I'd record stuff off of tapes, CDs, the radio, and even my mom's old records. Of course now with iTunes and all that, no one actually needs mix tapes/CDs, but it's still fun to come up with little playlists. I thought it would be cool to post some and link to the Amazon mp3s. Unfortunately their selection isn't too great, but I put links to the songs they have available.
This'"mix tape' that I put together is called "Songs about Clothes".
1. Underneath Your Clothes --Shakira
2. Short Skirt/Long Jacket --Cake
3. Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes --Paul Simon
4. Hot in Herre --Nelly
5. Same Jeans --The View
6. Vans --The Pack
7. Lady in Red --Chris de Burgh
8. Don't Let Go --En Vogue
9. Undone --Weezer
10. Raspberry Beret --Prince
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Song Recommendations
I recently found out something cool - Amazon now sells mp3 downloads!! This is fantastic for people like me who have AWESOME phones like the Nokia 5300. I've been using iTunes for a little while, and I like a lot of things about it, but as you probably know, their music has a weird format. So, I can't play it on the 5300.
Another thing I recently found out is that Amazon has a referral programs for websiters such as myself. So, I can recommend songs on here and puts links to them, and possibly make a few cents! :) I think in the future I'll post a playlist once in a while, because I really like making mix CDs. (I know, no one listens to CDs anymore. But I do. I'm old school!)
For now, I'm going to try one song, just to test and see whether this thing works. This is a band that I saw at Bumbershoot this fall, and I really liked them.
Another thing I recently found out is that Amazon has a referral programs for websiters such as myself. So, I can recommend songs on here and puts links to them, and possibly make a few cents! :) I think in the future I'll post a playlist once in a while, because I really like making mix CDs. (I know, no one listens to CDs anymore. But I do. I'm old school!)
For now, I'm going to try one song, just to test and see whether this thing works. This is a band that I saw at Bumbershoot this fall, and I really liked them.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Nokia, I <3 U
I'm not a huge "stuff" person, but there are a few consumer goods that have had a major impact on my life. The first one was my teddy bear Toto! (If I ever win an emmy or something, I'll probably thank Toto). In recent years, I got my Thinkpad laptop, which I carried around like a baby for several days. I still cuddle with it a lot, which I think makes Toto jealous sometimes. Then last year I got my North Face. That jacket literally changed my life. The only accessory I would rather have is a pair of gills. (How awesome would that be?!? Then I could finally go live with the mer-people in Atlantis!!)
A few days ago I got another life-changing item: the Nokia 5300 . I only have 256 MB of memory on there, but I can still fit about 50 songs on it! It's so great!! The first day I had it, I downloaded an NPR show, and loaded that onto the phone. I went to get the 74 bus, which was 10 minutes late as usual. But instead of being annoyed that I spent over 30 minutes walking to the bus stop, waiting for the bus, riding the bus, and walking across campus, I was listening to "Talk of the Nation" and enriching my mind. So FANTASTIC! Yesterday I jammed out to Cake's "The Distance" while jogging like a speeding bullet. And, perhaps most importantly, I now have Easy-E's "Gimme that Nut" as my ringtone! Life just doesn't get any better.
I know what you're thinking.... mp3 players have been out for at least a decade. And if you're gonna go jogging, there are much lighter-weight devices than the 5300. But, I'm what they call a late-adopter. You know what they say - old people appreciate things more. If I hadn't had to struggle through years (decades?) of carrying around my walkman, and eventually my discman, I would just take the mp3 playing capability for granted. I don't want to exaggerate at all, but I think that those years of making mix tapes and burning CDs were steps on the path to nirvana. Now my Nokia and I cruise through the world in a state of tranquility. Happy days!
A few days ago I got another life-changing item: the Nokia 5300 . I only have 256 MB of memory on there, but I can still fit about 50 songs on it! It's so great!! The first day I had it, I downloaded an NPR show, and loaded that onto the phone. I went to get the 74 bus, which was 10 minutes late as usual. But instead of being annoyed that I spent over 30 minutes walking to the bus stop, waiting for the bus, riding the bus, and walking across campus, I was listening to "Talk of the Nation" and enriching my mind. So FANTASTIC! Yesterday I jammed out to Cake's "The Distance" while jogging like a speeding bullet. And, perhaps most importantly, I now have Easy-E's "Gimme that Nut" as my ringtone! Life just doesn't get any better.
I know what you're thinking.... mp3 players have been out for at least a decade. And if you're gonna go jogging, there are much lighter-weight devices than the 5300. But, I'm what they call a late-adopter. You know what they say - old people appreciate things more. If I hadn't had to struggle through years (decades?) of carrying around my walkman, and eventually my discman, I would just take the mp3 playing capability for granted. I don't want to exaggerate at all, but I think that those years of making mix tapes and burning CDs were steps on the path to nirvana. Now my Nokia and I cruise through the world in a state of tranquility. Happy days!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Fair Trade, or Communist Trade?!?
A while back I read an Economist article that questioned whether or not movements such as organic farming and fair trade coffee are actually doing more harm than good. OK questioned is the wrong word.... they flat out said that those things are doing harm. Frankly, I was aghast. I couldn't believe that my favorite magazine would say such horrible, cold-fuzzy things. But, I read the whole article anyway, and as usual, they had some valid points. (Funny... it's almost like someone at the Economist is smarter than me! Go figure.)
So, I'll leave organic farming for another day and just talk about coffee. The Economist's problem with the coffee issue is that the 'Fair Trade' mechanism is putting a price floor on coffee. Now anyone who took even high school economics knows what happens when you put a price floor on something. You end up with an over supply. (Draw a supply-demand curve and draw a dotted line somewhere above where the supply and demand lines actually meet.) The minimum wage is the classic example of this.
Putting a price floor on coffee encourages more growers to enter the market. What happens is that it pushes the price of coffee down for all those who are not part of the fair-trade deal. Luckily, the fate of coffee farmers in third world countries does not affect my ability to take hot showers, buy lots of consumer goods, watch YouTube, etc etc. So I forgot all about it.
But yesterday I came across another article that goes into a lot of detail about the downside to Fair Trade. It made me so upset that for half a second I considered not going to Alegro this morning. (They serve fair trade coffee). However, I needed my marionberry croissant (they are like CRACK I tell you!) so I valiantly put my moral dilemma aside.
The article is here . They outline a few major concerns that are 'cropping up' about fair trade. I was surprised to learn that only co-ops can qualify to be fair trade growers. The article didn't fully explain the criteria to be called a co-op, but it sounds like a family farm who hires any employees, no matter how well they treat them, cannot qualify. All of us cold-war babies know the problem with co-ops. They disincentivize quality. The article goes into way more detail about this and other fair trade issues, and I highly recommend reading it.
Now my decision is this - should I boycott fair trade coffee? I'm thinking about it. I'm going to read more on this and post again on it later.
So, I'll leave organic farming for another day and just talk about coffee. The Economist's problem with the coffee issue is that the 'Fair Trade' mechanism is putting a price floor on coffee. Now anyone who took even high school economics knows what happens when you put a price floor on something. You end up with an over supply. (Draw a supply-demand curve and draw a dotted line somewhere above where the supply and demand lines actually meet.) The minimum wage is the classic example of this.
Putting a price floor on coffee encourages more growers to enter the market. What happens is that it pushes the price of coffee down for all those who are not part of the fair-trade deal. Luckily, the fate of coffee farmers in third world countries does not affect my ability to take hot showers, buy lots of consumer goods, watch YouTube, etc etc. So I forgot all about it.
But yesterday I came across another article that goes into a lot of detail about the downside to Fair Trade. It made me so upset that for half a second I considered not going to Alegro this morning. (They serve fair trade coffee). However, I needed my marionberry croissant (they are like CRACK I tell you!) so I valiantly put my moral dilemma aside.
The article is here . They outline a few major concerns that are 'cropping up' about fair trade. I was surprised to learn that only co-ops can qualify to be fair trade growers. The article didn't fully explain the criteria to be called a co-op, but it sounds like a family farm who hires any employees, no matter how well they treat them, cannot qualify. All of us cold-war babies know the problem with co-ops. They disincentivize quality. The article goes into way more detail about this and other fair trade issues, and I highly recommend reading it.
Now my decision is this - should I boycott fair trade coffee? I'm thinking about it. I'm going to read more on this and post again on it later.
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