'Avatar' phenominol!!!!!

Saw Avatar in 3D. What a beautiful movie. Sure the graphics were awe-strikingly brilliant, but it would be just another sci-fi movie without the story line.

James Cameron is right up there with George Lukas (not b/c of Star Wars, but with respect to ET). A beautiful story with wonderful characters. I think James Cameron went a few steps further though, with his brilliant integration of human performance meshed with computer generated graphics. Magnificent.

I saw it with my daughter Kim today and after the movie we talked about how moving it was, and amazing; the story was true to life as we know it. We have really lost touch with what matters most, but there is still hope...

You Do The Math

This could be the title of a part of my math class routine to get students interested in doing a math problem. Not tricky or high tech, but meant to get them thinking. For example, for my first problem:

• Is it feasible for someone to shoot 1 million hoops in 1 year, if he/she only has 1 hour a day to commit to this activity? Please rationalize your answer.

I was listening to an NPR program about a guy who wanted to shoot a million free throws for charity, and he said in passing, '...do the math' and bam, I thought that would/might be something cool for students to solve. What are the logistics of this type of problem? How does doing a calculation about events that have not occurred translate into everyday society? We can attempt to answer the age old question, "when will I ever use this stuff, I mean really..."

Linked with people I know

I was enthused with finding that someone I went to HS with is a writer who earns a living with the 'written word'. Way to go Mark

mo's site

My Favorite Shows

This is 2010 and there are some blah blah shows on TV, but a couple of shows have my interest:

• Modern Family
• The Big Bang Theory

I find them well written and very amusing!

Comeback America & Design Revolution

By David M. Walker this may be an interesting read.

Design Revolution - 100 products that empower people - Emily Pilloton

Steel cut oatmeal a la rice pudding - rice

4 Eggs
2 C whole milk
1 t corn starch
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg (if desired)
1/2 C sugar
2 t vanilla
1/2 C raisins

2.5 C boiling water
2/3 C steel cut Oatmeal

Boil 2.5 cups of water
add 2/3 of a cup of steel cut oatmeal
Let set uncovered for an hour or when cool place in frig overnight

Whisk together until frothy 4 large eggs
Whisk in: 1 teaspoon corn starch, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 cups of WHOLE milk until well blended
Whisk in: 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla until thoroughly blended
Then stir in 1/2 cup of raisins if desired.
Add to the Oatmeal Mixture from above.

Bake: @ 350 covered for 40 min.

Really want to try this Ginger Martini
heard about it on NPR Sunday edition

Ginger Candied Martini
by Jessica Riley, Chicago, IL
I am a bartender at a sushi bar here in Chicago called Mizu. I've been informed by a few customers that I should submit my ginger martini recipe for your ginger contest, because it's simply amazing.
We use:
1 ounce fresh-squeezed ginger juice
1 ounce triple sec
3 ounces Grey Goose vodka
1 ounce pineapple juice
1 ounce Rose's lime juice
Please drink responsibly