Found out today via Boing Boing that the Beastie Boys have released acapella tracks on their site for anyone to download and remix for non-commercial fun.

I downloaded Root Down and did a clip with the only instrumental track I had on my computer - an 80s song by Trans-X. It’s only a 1-minute clip called Droppin Science (MP3), dedicated to Matt of course… so check it check it out!

Oh and people are sharing their mixes on the Beastie Boys forum here.

Last night I stepped out with my camera and came upon this vigil in DeWitt Park, one of over 1600 held last night across the country in support of Cindy Sheehan. For those who don’t know the park, aside from it being the central park in downtown, it is also home to Ithaca’s war memorials. One of the speakers at the vigil repeated that ‘Bush cannot vacation in peace while we are fighting his war’.

This past Sunday Matt and I enjoyed a walk from downtown up to Cornell campus and around Beebe Lake. The sky was deep blue and that day full of beautiful cloud formations - which makes for great photos. And it’s been awhile since I added a new photo album so here it is, Sunday Walk in Ithaca. An afternoon of photos featuring an array of critters, some abstracts and campus highlights. Check it out…

Our porch has been taken over by these lovely insects:

They’re wingspan is approximately 2 inches across. I had no idea what they were, so referred to the Bug Guide where they identified them as Xenox Tigrinus - a type of ‘bee fly’ that feeds on bee larvae. They “hover and dart, rather like syrphid flies. Often seen about flowers.”

This 20 Questions game is a bit of a mind-bender. There’s a handheld version you can buy that’s classified ‘Age 8+’ but it’s a fun diversion for grown-ups too. Have at er - see if this game can ‘read your mind.’

* 15-20 people chattering about outside the church doors
* 7-8 guys sitting in and under a large tree
* 5 people sprawled on the lawn smoking a joint
* 2 guys practicing juggling with pins