Live from Colorado

Call it what you will

It may be unclear why Yankee Doodle called the feather in his cap "Macaroni" but we can all agree on this: Mom's is the best Macaroni, hands-down!

Merry Christmas from the Colorado Crum Family

A Question for My Brothers (No. 3)

From Peter Crum

Usain Bolt set the record for running 100 meters, completing the distance in 9.58 seconds.

The following graph shows the fastest 100 meter times from 1975 through Bolt's record in 2009.

As anyone can clearly see, there is a downward trend over the 34 year span.  With a little help from mathematics, I was able to generate the following graph:

Using a Gaussian approach, the noise (bumpiness) of the original graph is cleaned up, and a curve which approaches (but never crosses) zero is generated.  Using this method, I have established that someone should run the 100 meter dash in almost zero seconds by the year 2760. 

If I take a more conservative approach, basically drawing a straight line between the points of the original graph, I come up with this:

According to this data, running the 100 meter dash in exactly zero seconds will occur in June of 2986 – and the very next day someone should run it in slightly less than zero seconds.  Now I realize that none of us will be around to confirm my predictions, so here's my question for you all:

Do you believe in math?

A Question for My Brothers (No. 2)

I recently read a statement that claimed that "Everyone in the world secretly (or not so secretly) thinks they have the best taste in music." This certainly rings true. Peter cannot be convinced that the Beatles are anything other than the greatest band in history. Thomas will claim to the bitter end that Coldplay is where it's at and Nate may argue that Nickleback, despite all the vitriol, continue to reign as kings of Rock & Roll-ish-ness. However, there are certain artists that I don't like that I acknowledge are very talented, they're just not my flavor (Joni Mitchel for example). I would suggest that this is true not only in musical arts but in other areas of art and life.

I think as a family, or at least as siblings, we often make a statement of preference as if it is a statement of fact. If I like Radiohead better then other bands (and for good reason) I claim that they are "the best band" in "the entire universe" but aren't they just my personal favorite. So my question is this:

Today's Question

Are there objective ways to determine the quality of art, music, film, food etc?

I don't mean "objectively speaking, who is the best?" I mean are there measurements of what make music "good music" and what makes a movie "good film" and what makes a painter a "good painter". In other words "does Nickleback actually suck?"

A Question for My Brothers (No. 1)

Some of you may know, and some may not, that my brothers and I (and occasionally Mom, not so much my sister or Dad) like to argue. More often than not the arguments are about unimportant matters but we each try to articulate our position in such a way as to make it seem like everyone else is a moron and we are king of the world.

I, personally, can't get enough. So here is a my attempt at revamping this blog a bit by beginning a series of posts called A Question for My Brothers. I will pose a question, hand out the sledgehammers and call for us all to "swing away."



Today's question:

In popular music, what is the worst case of the 'U2 Effect'? 

The U2 effect being the tendancy for a band/musician to start off good, or even great, and then fall into utter ruin. Examples of course would be U2 (though, by virtue of the effect being named after them, do not qualify), Coldplay (ha), Paul McCartney,  Jay-Z etc.

A follow-up question could be has anyone ever reversed the trend?

Please Please Me

For Nate

Nate,
You often post about one of your favorite artists, Olly Moss. I thought you might like this guy... Austin Madison. He's got quite the range when it comes to content, but his sketches about sports are really interesting to me.

-- Matt

Merry Christmas

Hobbit

I hear that there is a movie version (or two... or three) of the Hobbit that will be released a few weeks before Christmas. Since most of the family is going to be here (Indiana) right after Christmas I would like to suggest that as a family we go up to Indianapolis to see this in IMax/3D/48 frames per second. If we do Christmas Monday then we could do Tuesday at IMax or vice versa.

My plan is for this to be the first time that Katie and I see it.

Two-for-Tuesday, Rawlinz vz ZZ Top

Okay, I know that it's Wednesday, but this was too good to wait to post. Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlins are quite possibly my favorite duo ever so what do you think... here's the Dave Rawlins Machine song, It Too Easy, covered by the legendary ZZ Top.

Enjoy.

ZZ Top - It's Too Easy Mañana

vs

Dave Rawlins Machine - It Too Easy

Remix Your Monday

Something fun to try: 
Remix your own Monday by playing video 1 (LCD Soundsystem's - New York, I Love You...) with Miles Davis' - Louis Malle's Elevator scene.

 I recommend hitting play on Miles around the :32 second mark on New York...

Video 1:


Video 2:

Video Games

Some of my favorite video games made this list, although I didn't see my two all-time favorites "Wings of Fury" and "Blades of Steel." What about you? What games are on your list?

Henri 3, Le Vet

Apparently Dumb Dumb isn't the only house pet with an intellect.

Star Wars VII

We all new this was going to happen. It already happened. Lucas made I, II, and III and that should have never happened. He has remade IV, V, and VI and that should not have happened.

But, we should have known, since we all went to the theater and saw every single one of these. We gave him money. We condoned it. Its really in all honesty our fault that Jar Jar exists.

As I said over on facebook, I hope that Disney picks Stephen Herek to direct the next trilogy. I think his reputation speaks for itself... and I am serious. Bill and Ted, Mighty Ducks, and The Three Musketeers have the kind of humor and charm that the first three Star Wars films had.

He can just higher J.J Abrams or Chris Nolan to up his special effects.

Better Late Than Never

I realize that I missed celebrating Leif Erikson Day by a few weeks, but Edwardo just posted something over on his blog which reminded me.  Isn't it so much cooler to know that a viking discovered America instead of some whiny Italian guy...

 

 

Lone Ranger Trailer | Official Disney Trailer | HD

Pirates of the Wild West!

Random person driving around Mare Island

Lincoln Trailer

Jesse is Nate's Clone