Twelve Black Code Monkeys

Yes, I have joined the faithful hordes of those who have one of those shiny white icons called iPod For those who have been living under a rock for the last couple of years, this device primarily built to play audio, but does so much more. My iPod “saga” is probably much more interesting to me than it would be to anyone else, so let’s just say that I was able to get a large discount on the thing through a special offer on Audible.com, but once ordered, the thing was perpetually backordered. I finally broke down and went to an Apple store and bought one because not so much because I couldn’t take the waiting (I have been “waiting” to get one of these for many months, if not more) but more the uncertainty of when it would arrive – the last estimate I got was 5 weeks away!

For those who are new to iPods, like myself, the vast commercial and social entity surrounding the thing seems a bit intimidating. The iPod itself is designed (like much of Apple’s products) with ease of use and simplicity in mind. Perhaps because of this, the documentation that is offered is fairly basic. There are three excellent resources for iPod owners that I have come across, iPodLounge, iPoding, and iPodHacks.These sites offer news, FAQ’s, and large discussion forums filled with info. But, of course all this information is a bit daunting and the FAQ’s actually don’t seem to add much to Apple’s own very basic info. I found myself actually pining for a good old-fashioned device called a book!

iPod: The Missing Manual to the rescue. There are a few books out there on iPods. “iPod: The Missing Manual” is probably the newest one, although another, “Secrets of the iPod, Third Edition”, has just been updated and re-released. The Missing Manual is a series from O’Reilly, the venerated computer book publisher.Their computer books are excellent, albeit often very much geared towards programmers as opposed to beginners. The Missing Manual series, however, seems not to have such a technical approach. I found the iPod: The Missing Manual a very easy read. In fact I read the entire book yesterday while ripping my CD collection. Of course, much of the book is divided into talking about Windows vs. Mac. This isn’t really because of the iPod itself, since the latest iPods come out of the box compatible with either and act virtually identical whether you use them with a PC or Mac. The differences come with the myriad of computer programs that help you do things with your iPod, including most importantly the ones that let you rip MP3’s, manage your music collection, and transfer this to your iPod. Although, according to the book, the program Mac folk have been using for years to do this, called “iTunes,” Apple has promised to put out a Windows version by the end of 2003. Up until then, Windows users use MusicMatch. In case your local bookseller doesn’t have the Missing Manual book, there are a couple other ones out there which probably are just as good, including “How to Do Everything With Your iPod“.

Some of my friends and family would ask me why I wanted an iPod so much. After all, these things aren’t cheap! There are other devices that do similar things for a good deal less, or do a lot more for the same price. But the one thing these other devices don’t have is compatibility with the audio book service Audible.com, which I subscribe to. Of course iPod fans will also talk about how well they are designed, from their outer shell to their user interface. And while design (especially in a user interface) is important, I sometimes wonder if it worth the very large premium that Apple charges for it. Then again there is also the huge community of both iPod users and third-party vendors who produce both software and hardware for it. No other device has this kind of userbase, especially one so fanatical! Maybe this is due to the fact that the iPod is made by a very large, solid company (one who engenders a great deal of loyalty via its other products) backing it and that it was the first MP3 player out there to use hard drive technology to enable it to store gigabytes worth of songs. Maybe if another large company like Microsoft or Sony got into the fray, the iPod would really have some competition. Competition is almost always good for the consumer, but iPod fans (fanatics) seem to have done fine without another juggernaut out there.

It also turns out that the iPod is useful in ways I hadn’t even realized. I can actually use the thing as a portable hard drive, although I will probably need to get a USB cable to make that feature useful. Also, I can actually synchronize all my Outlook contacts, calendar events, to-do’s, and notes onto the iPod using a handy program called iPodSync (there are others as well). Who’d a thunk? And here my phone, Danger’s Sidekick, a device that was built with personal information management options from the ground up still doesn’t have a synching option a year after they promised one! I suppose this is mainly because the iPod is a bit more hackable than the Sidekick!

Seeing how well portable hard drive technology works with the iPod makes me wonder why it hasn’t been implemented more often not just for listening to music but for PDA’s like the PalmPilot or PocketPC. I suppose one might argue that the 32-64MB that these devices typically hold (along with an additional up to 512MB or more through an external smartmedia, SD, MMC, or memory stick card), is plenty for almost any use. But then again, multimedia players are showing up now that processor capability has increased. You can play MP3’s and even video. So why not have some of the vast storage that one might find on a player that is built ONLY to play audio and/or video? Or maybe that’s just the annoying convergist (?) in me? It’s funny, I used to take the approach, since this is what you see in the world of hi-fi audio/video equipment, that It’s better to have a single device devoted to a single function. It’s seems logical that if this is the case, the quality that’s delivered will be much greater since the unit can specialize. But when the whole object is portability, this approach doesn’t work of course! It’s true that combination devices usually are not nearly as usable as ones that focus on a particular use. But who wants to carry around a PDA, a phone, a walkman, a GPS, and portable device for getting online?

In any case, I can see now how the iPod had developed a following. I still think it could be cheaper, but then perhaps this is one reason for the following – people have spent such a big chunk of money on theirs that they feel they need to cherish it and devote much more attention and time to it than if they had picked it up for cheap. I got the middle range of the newer models, one that has 15 gigabytes, a number that would have been unimaginable when I got my first computer hard drive about 13 years ago, one that was a mear 200GB and was probably ten times the size and weight of my new shiny iPod! But already I am thinking I should have gotten the much larger 30GB model so that I can not only fit my entire music collection and a dozen audio books, but also my fiancée’s music collection and a couple dozen more audio books to boot! But I suppose if I wait a year Apple will come out with a new iPod that holds 60GB and plays video, so perhaps I should wait?

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Bobos in Paradise, by David Brooks is a fascinating socio-political-economic look at the upper middle-class American. “Bobos,” or Bohemian Bourgeoisie, are, as their name implies, a compromise – or if you prefer, an oxymoron. They are the combination of the radical hippie culture of the 60’s with the practical bean counter of the 80’s. Brooks recounts the centuries old clash between these heretofore clashing subcultures and how they melded into one over the last 30 years or so.

Brooks goes into a lot of detail not only about the histories of these groups, with lots of references to influential books on subjects ranging from urban planning to professional outlook, but also talks a great deal about more “observational” elements. So we get diatribes on the conversations of Bobos, on their travel, even their wedding announcements. Although a great deal of this is funny, at many points brooks gets a little carried away. After a page or two of tongue-in-cheek recounting of Martha-Steward-esque descriptions of interiors, or of fictional pretentious conversations amongst some Bobos, it can sometimes get to be a bit tiresome.

If one can get past this verbosity, one can come away with a pretty good picture of what a lot of America looks like today. Brooks actually includes himself in the Bobo culture and so a lot of his book, as he himself declares in the introduction, is self-deprecating. He makes fun of Bobo culture to no end, but in the end he is positive about the whole idea of a Bobo, if not proposing some vigilance in not letting this moderation and compromise go to extremes.

I did recognize myself in a lot of the presumed ideology, professional, educational, and consumer preferences that Brooks discusses. In this way it was a bit disquieting, like looking at your skeleton on an X-ray plate. I arrogantly thought sometimes that I was a bit different from many of those around me, that my approach to things was unique, or at least extra-ordinary. But Brooks demonstrates that a lot of my mores, assumptions, and preferences are based on a very widespread societal underpinning. Of course I am not a caricature of a Bobo because I simply don’t have the money to travel around the world and buy expensive outdoor gear, etc. I just wonder if I did have more money would I then be even more like some of the extreme types he waxes on about in his book?

The one personalizing idea that the book left me with was this: for many years now I have been disinterested in politics because of how partisan it can get. I don’t view the world in black and white the way those at the extreme ends of the political spectrum often do. I think there are things that make sense that have been co-opted by “conservatives” or Republicans, and I also think there are things that make sense that are mainstays of “liberal” or Democratic platforms. I dislike picking sides based solely on labels and a strict adherence to a rigid set of ideals. Apparently this is very much a Bobo sentiment. And although I still think restricting yourself to a single party where there is a platform you need to agree with down the line, I also am starting to see that being a pure pragmatist technocrat at every level has it’s limitations. In a way it is more conservative than conservatism itself. It is trying to compromise to such an extent that you do not rock the boat too much for anyone. It means never getting really passionate about a cause, because passion can slip into dogmatic adherence to a belief. This is a very tricky thing for me because I am still trying to figure things out when it comes these types of ideas. Since I was 13, I have geared myself very much towards science. I am not a scientist, but more of a fan of science and the scientific method. But I am also aware of the limitations of science and that the scientific method itself could be described as if not a religion, then at least an ethos by which to guide ones beliefs and thoughts. The only difference between it and unscientific ethos is the idea of experiment and observation. But is what we perceive always “true”? These are much loftier questions than Bobos in Paradise approaches, but it does make one think much more about one’s underlying motivations, assumptions, and overall way of thinking.

As usual, I listened to this book via Audible.com and the author narrated it. He narrates well and has a New-York/Jewish tonality to his voice sometimes, although I have no idea if he is indeed Jewish or from New York, but since I am both, it at least seemed somewhat familiar. Having the author read his own work is usually preferable to someone else, unless that person is a great orator or actor. I think of all the books I’ve listened to most of the ones that were read by the authors themselves were outstanding whereas if someone else read them, the narration was usually very good but not always.

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I don’t read a lot of fiction and I rarely read thrillers. But someone recommended The Emperor of Ocean Park to me and so I listened to an abridged version on audio via Audible.com. The abridgement was only 6 hours so this must have been 50% or maybe even less of what is a very thick book of 650 pages! It definitely kept my interest all the way through, but reading some of the reviews of the book, I somehow feel like I missed much of the seasonings if not some of the actual meat.

The book is about an African American law professor whose father, a former federal judge, has just died of an apparent heart attack. Almost immediately the protagonist, Alcot Garland becomes embroiled in a web of mysteries that his father has laid out for him. He is assumed by everyone to know something about the “arrangements” his father has made, but Alcot knows nothing and must put the puzzle together piece by piece and clue by clue. While doing this we get some glimpse into the upper-middle-class black enclaves of Martha’s Vineyard, the world of the Ivy League law school, and some of the Washington DC high-power political world.

The ending bothered me a bit in that it seemed kind of far-fetched, and also I could almost see it being played out on the big screen as I listened. A bit too dramatic and cinematic, but I guess the screenwriter will have a pretty easy time of it. Again, what I listened to is probably half of the book; so if this sounds like a less than stunning review, take it with a grain of salt.

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This book on the beginnings of modern Geology centers around Niels Stenson (A.K.A. Nicolas Stenonis, or Steno for short), a Danish scientist who uncovered for the first time the phenomenon of stratification. The book covers his life and in doing so showcases a who’s who of other scientists and philosophers of Steno’s time, many of whom he had personal dealings with.

Seashells had been found on mountaintops for as long as people could remember and the explanations ranged from spontaneous generation to the aftermath of Noah’s flood. Steno used the phenomenon and his sharp scientific mind to uncover truths about natural processes when many of the other scientists around him were asserting preposterous claims not backed up by anything. In fact, so much of science was subjective and affected by religious scripture back in Steno’s time (late 17th Century) that it can hardly be compared to science of today.

An interesting insight laid out in the book is that science and scientists were actually promoted and supported by the church! This seems impossible with all the conflict between the two in subsequent centuries, but the Church was out to combat the threat of “Atheists.” An atheist at that time wasn’t just someone who didn’t believe in God, but rather someone that thought that the universe was random. That there were no real laws (moral OR natural) and so people could really do whatever they wanted to. The Church was out to help science prove that there were natural laws and that the universe had order and pattern. However, there was still an adherence to scripture, and especially with the protestant religion to a very literal interpretation of scripture. So scientists were constantly compelled to shape their theories in order to back up biblical passages about genesis, the flood, and anything else. So while this burgeoning idea of experimentation and observation was distilling to the surface, at the same time the conclusions made were often leaps.

This is what made Steno such a special and ironic character. His demeanor and his objectivity as a scientist were unquestionable, even if these did not equate with scripture. Yet he was in the midst throughout much of his life of his own spiritual dilemma. He eventually converted from Lutheranism to Catholicism and then became a priest, renouncing science and devoting the rest of his life to religion. Despite this he never renounced his earlier discoveries that seemed to contradict much of the current orthodoxy.

The audiobook I listened to through Audible.com was unabridged and the narration was a bit on the dry side at times, but the subject matter was so interesting that this was not going to get in the way. The abridged audiotapes or CD are narrated by someone else so may be better in this respect.

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I’ve been a science fiction fan for a long time, but also since I’m a slow reader I’ve not read the scores of books described by this genre as one might think. My favorite author is probably Philip K. Dick, although even here I’ve only read four of his novels.

Brave New World is one of those early precursors that some classify as science fiction and others as one of the classic dystopias that also include Orwell’s 1984 and Zamyatin’s We. Having read these other two, I thought I would finally read Brave New World, which I have been meaning to for quite some time. Unfortunately I don’t remember a lot about We, so I can’t really compare it to Brave New World, but 1984 does strike me as being quite different! In Brave New World, we encounter a future that is uncomfortable in many ways, but then again, not altogether horrible. Yes, it carries with it the ideals of happiness above all else, creates a rigid sociological stratification by prenatal and neonatal conditioning, encourages the use of happy pills, etc. On the other hand it seems that if someone is truly “outside the system” all one needs to do is make a ruckus and they will get sent to an island with other “individualists” where they can really explore this antiquated mode of existence. The one case where this fails seems to simply be the arbitrary decision of a bureaucrat, not a hard and fast rule.

Although it’s obvious Huxley is warning against totalitarian/socialistic mechanisms and materialism at the same time, one can also argue that he is not arguing for the “opposite” “savage” mindset of religion, valuing work, denial, and suffering over anything that feels good, etc. In many ways he seems to be arguing simply for moderation between the two and not using either as a dogma, since when taken to the extreme, both can have pretty horrible consequences…

Otherwise, I thought the book quite entertaining. Huxley throws in many cute, campy little phrases that are actually ones that have been drilled into the population in their sleep. Although some of the language and situations sound a bit old, many others are quite forward-looking, including the “feelies” where people go to watch, but also “feel” movies.

I actually listened to an unabridged version through my Audible.com account, but you can actually get the same version on cassette. Michael York narrates and does a great job of capturing all the accents, the emotions (be the real or induced), etc.

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For those of you who aren’t familiar with Bill Bryson, I recommending becoming so as soon as possible. He is primarily known as a travel writer, but his most recent book, A Short History of Nearly Everything, is kind of a Cosmos, a book about how we got here and where “here” is exactly and how exactly we came to know what we know about these things. It turns out that although we know a heck of a lot more than we did a few hundred years ago, over and over again, we are confronted with the fact that we really don’t know much at all!

Bryson’s travel books such as A Walk in the Woods and In a Sunburned Country, are great reads as well, and in them Bryson mixes history and naturalist fact along with his personal narrative. So it was probably not a huge leap for him to seperate himself from the personal narrative on this occasion and go completely with the facts. Despite this, it is impossible for Bryson to be dry. Although one could call some of his wit “dry,” it has an irresistable cadence and charm. I actually listened to an abridged version of this book on Audible.com, who has recently come out with an unabridged version. One should really try to listen to his books on tape or CD, which he narrates himself. Having spend half his life in England, he has an unmistakable Brittish “tone” in his voice, but at the same time no Brittish accent. It is odd and yet endearing and somehow adds to the humor.

Speaking of humor, although not as much of A Short History is a laugh-out-loud riot as some of his other books, there are definitely parts that grab one as humerous. These usually have to do with the personal or professional behaviors of scientists that are so bizarre as to be funny.

In all, this is great read (or listen), and should be quickly gobbled up by anyone remotely interested in history and science, but even those who just want an entertaining story. The science in it is not presented in a particularly complex manner – it is really for the layman and Bryson himself is not a scientist by training, so he knows how to write about it for an audience of non-scientists. That being said, even the more scientifically inclined should get a kick if from nothing else of the stories and interwoven histories of science and scientific discoveries. For those who are familiar with James Burke, it did seem at points quite a lot like Bryson was creating his own tome of “Connections” although not as intentionally as Burke does.

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