Physics Nobel Laureate - Steven Weinberg discusses the Origin of the Universe

This is a video clip of Steven Weinberg discussing the Origin of the Universe. The lecture is part of the Middleton Lecture sponsored by the LBJ Library. Lady Bird Johnson, the former first lady, was in attendance. Some people say that my videos are boring so I included a special surprise at the end. Enjoy!!!

I'd like to introduce you to Esmee Denters

I discovered this 18 year old girl from Holland on YouTube and I think that she is incredibly talented. In the last year she has posted videos of herself singing songs while sitting in her bedroom. She became so popular on YouTube that record producers have approached her and now she is working on some recordings. This song demonstrates why she is so popular. Check it out!

A weekend of music

Cara's parents came to visit along with our new friends, Joanne and Yates. We made the most of their time in Austin by taking in as many shows as possible. The result was a Texas-sized portion of music, dancing and great food.

Zilker Kite Festival - Austin, Texas

The day was so nice that Cara and I had to get out and do something. Fortunately, the Zilker Kite Festival was taking place. Here's a little video of our day at the park with the dogs.

Currently Reading

I'm currently reading Eyewitness to Power by David Gergen. For 30 years, David Gergen has been an active participant in American national life. He served as director of communications for President Reagan and held positions in the administrations of Presidents Nixon and Ford. In 1993, he put his country before politics when he agreed to first serve as counselor to President Clinton on both foreign policy and domestic affairs, then as special international adviser to the president and to Secretary of State Warren Christopher.

David Gergen is a professor of public service and the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is also editor-at-large at U.S. News & World Report. Mr. Gergen also regularly serves as an analyst on various news shows, and he is a frequent lecturer at venues around the world.

David Gergen recently gave a lecture to a group of students attending a leadership conference on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. After the lecture, I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Gergen and getting him to autograph my copy of his book. Now, I'm reading it. Like his lecture, it has already proven to be somewhat dry, but the content reveals Mr. Gergen's intimate relationship with history as it unfolded. I am enjoying it mainly for its historical perspective and the wisdom that Mr. Gergen conveys, whether it be a quote from Nixon or his own take on historical events.

Below are some video clips of the highlights of the lecture:

Daniel Johnston at the Parish Room

I dragged Cara, Chad and Mireya to see Daniel Johnston this weekend. I'm intrigued by Daniel Johnston because he has such an unusual life story. He is an Austin music legend with cult status and when I heard that he was playing in Austin, I had to see him. I'm still intrigued.

As with other talented but troubled artists such as Syd Barrett, Brian Wilson, and Roky Erickson, Daniel Johnston fights a daily battle with the chronic mental illness that has plagued him nearly his entire life. However, despite recurrent bouts of delusional behavior wherein he has physically endangered himself and others, Johnston has carved out a respectable, influential career as a singer/songwriter of extraordinary talent which has grown since his first crudely recorded cassette was released in 1980. He became the singer/songwriter of choice of the alternative/underground rock scene, and at various times has had his work championed by members of Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, Butthole Surfers, Half Japanese, Nirvana (Kurt Cobain was often photographed wearing a Daniel Johnston T-shirt), and numerous others. ~Biography courtesy of www.rejectedunknown.com
Warning: I made this video a little creepy to reflect Daniel's dark side.