Monday, November 28, 2011

Runner's Heights: Two Shining Stars of the Tulsa Sound

Cumulative miles: 8.56
The virtues of run-walk have been extolled ad infinitum and it is, for many of us, a solution to running without injuries. But, the jury is out on whether you should stretch in the midst of a break during your run. In this last run, I did a few quick stretches of the calves and the hamstrings and I didn't notice any debilitating effects of the stretches. So, I shall introduce a few stretches in between breaks during my run and report on the results.

J.J.Cale is one of the most low-key and laid-back rock musicians of the present day. Many rock anthologists associate his music with the Tulsa sound, a style of music with roots in Tulsa Oklahoma. Leon Russell is another well-know musician from Oklahoma and Cale and Russell have collaborated to produce some amazing renditions of Cale's work, such as After Midnight, a J.J. Cale original made especially famous by Eric Clapton.

Here's some footage of Cale and Russell jamming on After Midnight.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Runner's Heights: Cain He Be the Human Fantasy?

Cumulative miles: 3.56
Commenced street running after a hiatus of nearly 2 years. The shoe that made the difference again was the Saucony ProGrid Stabil 6. My left foot is pretty much flat as a pancake and of late, I have had a minor irritation in the plantar fascia. So, you can understand my concern as I hit the pavement this afternoon. I made a 3.56 mile walk-run, trying to stay injury free. As they say, "if you live today, you fight another day."

The book, Revolution in the Valley, by Andy Hertzfeld, has quote from Alan Kay that I am paraphrasing -- humans need fantasy to formulate simple explanations for complex things in our lives. The best example of this, in my opinion, is religious faith. How simple it is for Herman Cain to say that God told him to run for President. It's a recurring motif -- God speaking to Muhammad, Jesus, Moses and who knows whom telling that individual that "he" is the Chosen One. So, if God told each prophet that "he" is the Saviour of our race, then is God using a universal doctrine of "divide and rule?" And, so the fantasy goes on as Herman Cain and Rick Perry, each with decrees from God, decimate each other in the public sphere with their vitriol. In the end, for the supporters of Cain and Perry, the simple answer to the complicated question, "Why do you want to be President?" is rather straightforward - "because God told me to be President!"

Sunday, November 13, 2011