Post from: Primer Magazine
Slim is In: A Gentleman’s Approach to Wallet Management
Archive for February, 2010
Slim is In: A Gentleman’s Approach to Wallet Management
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
A fat wallet sounds nice if it's stacked with bills, but when it's overflowing with receipts and stubs and who knows what else, it's just a pain in the ass - literally. Lighten your load with these simple carry solutions to that clumsy leather mess you call a wallet.
Whitney Biennial X Crying Babies Mashup?
Sunday, February 28th, 2010So high five to the Whitney Museum for offering "Stroller Tours" of the 2010 Whitney Biennial, a chance for "new moms and dads"--and crying babies 0-18 months!--to see the show "when it's not open to the public": an hour before it opens on Friday, May 7th.
Which also gives parents a chance to see it after everyone has stopped talking about it and forgotten that it's even still going on.
If you're really going to wait until May to see the show, you might as well go some time on the 26-28th, when the museum will be open 24 hours/day as part of veteran conceptual artist Michael Asher's contribution to the show. [he originally wanted a week, but, you know, budget cuts.]
Seriously, just strap the kid to your chest and go; the place was freakin' with babies on Saturday, no sweat. And no crying baby could be more distracting than the sounds bleeding over from one video piece to the next.
Stroller Tours | 2010 Whitney Biennial, Friday, May 7, 2010 12-1 PM $25 registration required [whitney.org]
5 Ways To Be Prepared When Mother Nature Roars
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
When I was a kid, there was a series of commercials for “Chiffon” margarine that had the tag line, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature!” Â Lately it seems that perhaps we must have been trying to fool her and now Mother Nature is seeking her revenge and proving her prowess with a daunting display of disasters. Â Earthquakes, blizzards, hurricanes and tornadoes are just the tip of the melting iceberg. Â What’s a mere mortal human being to do? Â In all seriousness, the Boy Scouts had it right when they made their motto “Be Prepared.” Â There are many things in life that we cannot prevent, and the sudden seeming wrath of Mother Nature is one of them. Â But we can do our best to be prepared, and keep our families prepared for the unexpected “force majeure.” Â Inspired by a recent recording of the Cast of Dads podcast, and my own experiences with Hurricanes living in Florida, here are…
5 Ways To Be Prepared When Mother Nature Roars:
1) Portable Power – An unfortunate side effect of many natural disasters is the loss of power. Â When Hurricane Wilma struck my neighborhood, we were without electricity for almost 2 weeks. Â You quickly learn how reliant we are on electricity. Â Having multiple sources of portable power in your home is a must. Options include generators and lots of batteries. Â There are many battery chargers that include USB or 12-Volt plugs so you can use them to charge your mobile phones and other devices. Â The problem with batteries, however, is that they have to have a good charge to be worthwhile, and they lose their charge over time when idle. Â Therefore it is important that “emergency” batteries are replaced with fresh ones periodically, and that battery charger devices are regularly plugged in to refresh their charging abilities. Â It goes without saying that multiple flashlights are an essential need, and I have found that having a few self powered (wind or shake) flashlights
2) Reliable Communications – While we all rely on our mobile phones for just about everything, there is a good chance you won’t be able to use your phone reliably after a natural disaster. Â If the networks are not directly affected, there will be extraordinary high call traffic, making it hard to get a connection. Â Try text messaging if you cannot get through for a voice call as you may be more successful with the data network. Â Also, as you want to conserve battery life, you want to keep voice calls short and to the point. Â Eventually, you may no longer have use of your phone if the battery dies and you’ve exhausted your charging options, so it is important to have other ways to get information and find out the status of the emergency. Â I have found a wind-up (crank) emergency radio
3) A Family Check In Procedure – Of course disaster can strike at any time and therefore it is possible that you and your family members may not be together when Mother Nature goes ballistic. Â As parents, our greatest fears are when we are away from our children, so make sure you and all your kids (or their schools and caretakers if they are too young to do it themselves) know what the family emergency check in procedure is. Â Assume that you may not be able to just call each other. Â Therefore you should consider establishing a reliable relative or friend in a different State or part of the country that can be the point person. Â Make sure all your family members know multiple ways to contact the point person – home/office/mobile phone, email, text message, social networks, etc. – and let everyone know that if they can’t reach you, the next thing they should do is contact the point person, and let them know their status. Â Of course the point person can also reassure everyone about who they have already heard from. Â Another good idea is to have an agreed upon meeting place away from your home in the event your home is inaccessible. (Note to self: refresh this program with my own kids!)
4) A Plan For The Pets – If you have pets they are part of the family, so a family emergency plan has to include your fine furry friends. Â If you have multiple pets and multiple family members, you might assign each person a particular pet that they are responsible for watching over and/or evacuating in an emergency. Â Have proper crates, carriers and leashes easily accessible and it is probably best to keep pets contained during the crisis, as they are every bit as frightened and concerned as you are. Â When Hurricane Wilma struck, we kept our three dogs and cat contained in a bathroom, and while their howling added to our stress, we knew exactly where they were and that they were safe.
5) Food & Water – It is always a good idea to have an ample supply of water in the house. Â Stick a case of bottled water in a closet or in the garage and forget about it. Â If you have 5 gallon water bottles delivered, make sure your regular order is for a few bottles more than your family actually drinks so you always have a few “spare” full bottles. Â A stock of canned goods seems like a good idea, but keep in mind that you may not have the ability to heat things or boil water. Â Take a look in your pantry and cabinets and see what foods you have that are not perishable and are “ready to eat” without cooking or boiling water. Â Stock up on more of those. Â Peanut butter, dried fruits and nuts and power bars are all good things to have “extras” of at all times.
These are just a few of the basics and I am sure there are many more important tips for being prepared. Â Please add your own tips and suggestions to the comments and together we can turn this post into a useful resource for parents and families.
Most importantly, especially for parents, do your best to remain calm and provide your children and family with the support, confidence and leadership they will most certainly need when Mother Nature strikes.
NOTES AND DISCLAIMER: Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to those affected by the earthquakes in Haiti and now Chile. Â If you are so inclined you can donate to the Red Cross here. Â Also, some of the links to products in the above post are Amazon Affiliate Links. Â Any affiliate revenue generated by the links in this post will be donated fully to the Red Cross.
Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 21, Ethan, 19 and Olivia, 18). He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast. You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes!and Social Networking Rehab.
Photo Credit: © victor zastol’skiy – Fotolia.com
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Celebrating Black Lightning
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
I couldn’t let Black History Month go by without talking about Black Lightning.
Jefferson Pierce was the first black superhero whose adventures I avidly followed.
I grew up in a rural area of New England where the vast majority of people were white. Books for me were an escape to other worlds and superhero comic books were more so, the ultimate fantasy of being somebody and making a difference.
My comics came from a spinner rack at the local drug store. The joy and frustration of the spinner rack was that you never knew what would be there. Sometimes an issue that I desperately wanted was gone or never arrived. Sometimes there would be something new and interesting that would catch my eye.
One of those comics was Black Lightning #1 by Tony Isabella and Trevor Van Eeden, published in 1977. It wasn’t the cover art that attracted me. As you can see, it’s not the best. But I was intrigued by the name, the lightning powers and the costume looked cool.
The story inside had me anxiously searching the drug store the next month for issue #2.
I was introduced to Jefferson Pierce, an educated man and former Olympic star who’d come back to Suicide Slum in Metropolis to teach and make a difference in young lives.
Pierce quickly discovers that opposing some of the local gangs can get you killed. At the time, it was a true shock to me to read about the death of the young student who helped Pierce drive drug dealers from the school. It made perfect sense after that death for Pierce to adopt a secret identity, even with the afro wig and mask. He had to be sure no one found out who he was to protect himself and those he cared about.
The first issue ended on a cliffhanger as Black Lightning prepared for a fight in which he was outnumbered and didn’t expect to win, though he had to try.
I loved the new hero’s dedication, his courage and his compassion.
Today, he’s still one of my favorite characters.
Unfortunately, Jefferson Pierce has been somewhat forgotten and pushed aside by DC over the years. The original Black Lightning series was canceled quickly, with issue #11, part of the DC implosion of the late 1970s that eliminated many titles. Pierce was shifted over to a new title called Batman & the Outsiders. I liked his appearances there but he seemed slightly out of place. Like Batman and the lesser-known hero Ragman, to me Black Lightning belongs on the streets, fighting crime and protecting the innocent, not in a world of global warfare.
But just last year, DC published a new miniseries that retold and updated his origin: Black Lightning Year One by Jen Van Meter and artist Cully Hamner.
I didn’t want to like it. I thought his origin story was just fine . But I’d loved Van Meter’s Cinnamon:El Ciclo miniseries so I gave this a try.
The retelling won me over because it preserved the character of Jefferson Pierce, the fierce defender of those who had no one to protect them. It also explained away a retroactive plot point that had bothered me for years.
In the original series, Pierce is divorced but with no children. Later DC gave him two daughters so they could then become superheroes themselves. But while Pierce might have been content to move away from his ex-wife, he was not the type of man to move to a new city and away from his daughters. Van Meter tackled this issue head-on and came up with an explanation that made sense.
My dream comic now would be to have Van Meter write a new Black Lightning series but I doubt, as much as I like him, that Lightning is a popular enough to merit his own title. Perhaps at some point, he’ll shine as a supporting character. He is in the new Outsiders series but, so far, the stories haven’t revolved around him.
Lightning did appear in the “Enter the Outsiders” episode of the Batman: Brave and the Bold television show but his character had been changed and de-aged. In the episode, he was part of a gang of homeless kids that had been taken advantage of by a sewer dwelling villain along with fellow Outsiders Katana and Metamorpho. I’m hopeful that the show might feature the character again, perhaps having graduated to again protecting a neighborhood in Gotham City.
Write About Magic: The Gathering, Win a Trip to San Juan
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
Wizards of the Coast is running a contest: tell them an entertaining but true story about Magic and the best two stories win a trip to the MtG Pro Tour in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- What is the most fun you’ve ever had playing Magic
- How long have you been playing Magic and what keeps you coming back for more
- How have you helped your Friday Night Magic community evolve?
- Has Magic: The Gathering changed your life for the better?
- How has Magic affected other parts of your life?
- Where is the most unique place you’ve played Magic?
Interested in participating? The deadline is a minute before midnight, March 31st. More rules here.
Olympic gold medalist Bode Miller balances training with family obligations
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
Alpine skier Bode Miller was once known as a wild guy. He was favored to medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, but failed to deliver. He was often spotted in nightclubs and even gave a controversial "60 Minutes" interview in which he admitted to often skiing while intoxicated.
Aren’t You a Little Nearsighted for a Stormtrooper?
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
Image copyright Woot, Inc.
If you’re a regular reader of GeekDad, you know how much we love the various Woot.com incarnations. And today’s Shirt.Woot is, as you can see from the picture above, brilliant. Yes, if the stormtroopers could but have seen their targets properly, Star Wars (Episode IV, that is) would have ended a whole lot sooner, and much less gloriously.
The glasses would, however, give the stormtrooper a huge advantage over the redshirt in this debate.
So what are you waiting for? Go buy one.
Men You Wish You Were: Jimi Hendrix
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
Every month Primer Magazine is recognizing a different individual for their accomplishments, cultural significance, and general awesomeness. Since February is Black History Month we decided to step up the honors for the month recognizing a new subject once ever week. This week: Jimi Hendrix.
Post from: Primer Magazine
Men You Wish You Were: Jimi Hendrix
Assembling the LEGO Atlantis Neptune Carrier
Saturday, February 27th, 2010The latest addition to my geekson’s LEGO Collection is the Atlantis Neptune Carrier (#8075)
This kit is the biggest of the LEGO Atlantis Collection
I thought I would share the building process with you as he put the kit together. So here is a video of the assembly process:
The kit is labeled ages 8-14, but my six-year old was able to do 99% of the construction by himself while I sat back and took the pictures. The construction is fairly solid, meaning that it has withstood 30 minutes of playtime in the hands of a six-year old without falling apart.
Children, Unplugged
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
Photo by functoruser; used under Creative Commons license.
Our kids love their tech — from iPods to hand held games to game consoles and TV. They have reached the age where the time-out is no longer effective as a means of getting their attention and helping them learn from their choices. We have found something, however, in taking away their tech. We call it “being unplugged.”
“Being unplugged” lasts usually a few days to a week. The GameBoys, the Nintendo DS, and the iPod all come to GeekMom and GeekDad. In addition, there’s no game console playing, no being on the computer (the one exception being homework), and no TV. Basically anything that is plugged in or charged is off-limits for the duration.
We reserve getting unplugged for a couple things: not turning in schoolwork and a growing consistency in neglecting their household chores. When the kids ask why they are being unplugged, we explain that if they are failing to turn in homework or do their chores, then we want to make sure they have time to get those things done. Without gaming, the computer, and TV they now have lots of time to do what they need to do.
The kids are not grounded. They can go outside, they can play boardgames, they can read, they can do pretty much what they want — except use their tech — and it is very effective for getting homework completed and turned in or re-enforcing more consistent habits for chores … particularly if the family is watching a favorite TV show or movie and they need to be in another room doing something non-electronic.
It breaks them from their routine and gets them thinking about getting the stuff done that they need to. We put up with some grumbles; however, we also see the kids very motivated to correct what caused them to be unplugged in the first place.