It is my great honor to introduce our third guest here at Five Questions, the Great Paul Lukas. He was editor of the late, great zine Beer Frame, devoted to study of everyday minutae such as album covers, candy bar wrappers and disposable razors. He is also the author of the Beer Frame best-of book : Inconspicuous Consumption. The volume is out of print, but worth every penny where you can find it. Paul currently directs his attentive eye to the world of sports uniforms, with both his ongoing coverage for the UniWatch Column at ESPN.com and his own UniWatch blog. Over the years, I have sent Paul many questions about cycling gear or baseball stirrups, always with a great response. So without further ado:
1. Which uniform design do you believe is due for an overhaul and conversely which uni never should have changed?
Hey, that's two questions! Anyway: The Bills need an overhaul, like, yesterday. And the Jaguars made a bunch of small changes this year that totally ruined what had been a very underrated uni design.
2. Why do hockey players wear shorts when it's so cold on the ice? (Also what would it look like if you wore those big shorts and socks without the padding?
Hockey gear is soooo specialized. I once suggested that maybe it was time to lose the short pants and people went BONKERS. Remember when the Flyers and Whalers wore Cooperalls back in the '80s? Seems to make more sense than the short pants, but people hated it. Just one of those things.
3. As far as jerseys go, on which side do you fall: Cursive or Block Lettering?
Block.
4. What in your opinion, is the funniest logo found in sports? My vote goes to the Montgomery Biscuits of the Southern League.
You stole my answer -- I *love* the Biscuits, especially the little pat of butter that they use for the mascot's tongue. Genius!
5. Which of the 4 Major North American Sports Leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL) will be the first to have advertising on their unis a la the Japanese Baseball League or,God Forbid, NASCAR?
Probably the NHL, because (a) they need the money the most, and (b) they already have jersey ads in their top minor league, the AHL.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Finally Another 5 Questions!
I know it has been a while, but Good News! We have another 5 Questions participant! This interview is with Sarah Green, one of the founders of Urban Bike Project, a local charity here in Wilmington, Delaware. I read about this organization in our local paper and thought that I would share their inspirational story with you all. They help a lot of people and would gladly help give any of your old bikes a new home. So here we go:
1. What was the inspiration for the project?
As people who love to ride bikes and also live in Wilmington, we really felt the lack of resources in our city but realized that no one else was going to do anything about it. To push us along, the neighborhood kids quickly learned that we worked on bikes in our home, and so we had a steady stream of youth constantly stopping by asking for help with their bikes. We knew we had to do something about it, and so we got together and started Urban Bike Project.
2. As far as you know, are there any similar projects going on in other cities?
There are many! All over the country and even internationally the same thing is happening, obviously more predominant in the very bike-friendly cities, but they're happening everywhere.
3. How many bikes have been sent back out in the community?
Between 300 and 400
4. How would you describe the response from the community about the project?
Everyone that hears about us seems to have an overwhelmingly positive response. Obviously the kids love it, since we know many of them that return week after week. As for adult customers, we have people from a block away to people who come from out of state. We can't always provide everything that people want, but when we explain that we're a 100% volunteer run organization, people are just thankful that we're here.
5. What are any future plans for the project?
Our future plans include being open more days of the week (our current operating hours are very limited), and holding a youth Earn-a-Bike Program. This would be an after school mentoring program teaching youth many valuable skills while working on building a bike that they keep upon graduation.
1. What was the inspiration for the project?
As people who love to ride bikes and also live in Wilmington, we really felt the lack of resources in our city but realized that no one else was going to do anything about it. To push us along, the neighborhood kids quickly learned that we worked on bikes in our home, and so we had a steady stream of youth constantly stopping by asking for help with their bikes. We knew we had to do something about it, and so we got together and started Urban Bike Project.
2. As far as you know, are there any similar projects going on in other cities?
There are many! All over the country and even internationally the same thing is happening, obviously more predominant in the very bike-friendly cities, but they're happening everywhere.
3. How many bikes have been sent back out in the community?
Between 300 and 400
4. How would you describe the response from the community about the project?
Everyone that hears about us seems to have an overwhelmingly positive response. Obviously the kids love it, since we know many of them that return week after week. As for adult customers, we have people from a block away to people who come from out of state. We can't always provide everything that people want, but when we explain that we're a 100% volunteer run organization, people are just thankful that we're here.
5. What are any future plans for the project?
Our future plans include being open more days of the week (our current operating hours are very limited), and holding a youth Earn-a-Bike Program. This would be an after school mentoring program teaching youth many valuable skills while working on building a bike that they keep upon graduation.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Our First 5 Questions!
Fortunately, we have our first 5 Questions interview, courtesy of Aaron Henkin host of the radio show and podcast titled Tapestry of the Times. Mr. Henkin works at WYPR, the NPR station in Baltimore. I have been listening to the show for about a year now and look forward to each episode. Mr. Henkin takes a theme each week and then scours the archives at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the recording division of the Smithsonian. Mr. Henkin graciously took a couple of moments to answer his 5 questions.
1. How much music is actually in the Folkways Collection?
It’s a pretty incredible archive that spans 60+ years. There are more than 3,000 releases – folk, blues, jazz, world music, children’s music, poetry, historic speeches. As a listener, I’ve barely scratched the surface.
2. How did this project get started?
I was a fan of the label and its mission, and I was riding in my car one day, listening to some Folkways tune or other, and I started wondering, “Has anyone ever talked to these guys about making a radio show out of their sound archive?” I work as a producer at WYPR public radio in Baltimore, and I ran the notion by my program director… he said, “Sure. Sounds like a great idea.” So then I got a meeting with the Smithsonian Folkways people, and they said, “Sure. Sounds like a great idea.” And we were off to the races! (I should say there is one other Smithsonian Folkways radio program in existence – it’s a really cool monthly show out of WAMU called ‘Sound Sessions.’
3. The Smithsonian, being the national museum of the United States is open to be visited by all. Can anyone have access to these recordings as well?
Good question. Although Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is nominally a ‘non-profit,’ it is actually run as a record label, so their existence relies on sales of CDs & downloads from the catalogue. Short answer: You gotta buy the music. But you can preview and sample everything in the archive online at: www.si.edu/folkways, and you can buy the music on a track-by-track basis. It’s a pretty incredible database they’ve got there on the site.
4. Are there any recording projects where Folkways are working with current artists?
Indeed. The catalogue continues to grow every year. Previously unreleased recordings are issued and compilations are made. And of course contemporary folk and world musicians are recorded and issued frequently on the label. “Los Texmaniacs” is a great group that just came out with a release a few weeks ago, for example.
5. What are some of the themes for Tapestry coming in future episodes?
Ah… Where to begin? Star-crossed love… Revenge… Coal mine disasters… Outer space… You pick a topic, there’s a show worth of songs about it. In fact, I’d love to entertain ideas from anyone who’s got suggestions to share… just give me a holler!
1. How much music is actually in the Folkways Collection?
It’s a pretty incredible archive that spans 60+ years. There are more than 3,000 releases – folk, blues, jazz, world music, children’s music, poetry, historic speeches. As a listener, I’ve barely scratched the surface.
2. How did this project get started?
I was a fan of the label and its mission, and I was riding in my car one day, listening to some Folkways tune or other, and I started wondering, “Has anyone ever talked to these guys about making a radio show out of their sound archive?” I work as a producer at WYPR public radio in Baltimore, and I ran the notion by my program director… he said, “Sure. Sounds like a great idea.” So then I got a meeting with the Smithsonian Folkways people, and they said, “Sure. Sounds like a great idea.” And we were off to the races! (I should say there is one other Smithsonian Folkways radio program in existence – it’s a really cool monthly show out of WAMU called ‘Sound Sessions.’
3. The Smithsonian, being the national museum of the United States is open to be visited by all. Can anyone have access to these recordings as well?
Good question. Although Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is nominally a ‘non-profit,’ it is actually run as a record label, so their existence relies on sales of CDs & downloads from the catalogue. Short answer: You gotta buy the music. But you can preview and sample everything in the archive online at: www.si.edu/folkways, and you can buy the music on a track-by-track basis. It’s a pretty incredible database they’ve got there on the site.
4. Are there any recording projects where Folkways are working with current artists?
Indeed. The catalogue continues to grow every year. Previously unreleased recordings are issued and compilations are made. And of course contemporary folk and world musicians are recorded and issued frequently on the label. “Los Texmaniacs” is a great group that just came out with a release a few weeks ago, for example.
5. What are some of the themes for Tapestry coming in future episodes?
Ah… Where to begin? Star-crossed love… Revenge… Coal mine disasters… Outer space… You pick a topic, there’s a show worth of songs about it. In fact, I’d love to entertain ideas from anyone who’s got suggestions to share… just give me a holler!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Initial Post
I have been thinking of this for a while so we'll see how it goes. This blog will be based on this premise: If you had 5 minutes to ask questions to anyone you wanted, what would you ask them? I will be sending out invitations to many different people famous and not, and seeing what response I get. This is based somewhat on the brief weekly interviews in the New York Times Sunday magazine, except even shorter. All responses posted will be exactly as I recieve them in email as much as possible. I will also try to keep up with the list of invitiations sent as well. I invite any suggestions for people to interview and questions to ask.
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