David Kamerer

Associate Professor of Communication, Loyola University Chicago

Fingerstyle guitar arrangement of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now”

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Here’s a lovely and fairly playable fingerstyle guitar arrangement of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” by Emil Ernebro. The tuning is a variant of open G, DGDGBE, capo 2. I like this tuning because the top four strings are unchanged from standard tuning, yet you get a strong Tonic bass (open G) and a strong Dominant bass (open D). This really opens up the guitar’s range without forcing you to relearn the fretboard.

Download transcription

How to make the Old Fashioned cocktail

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The old fashioned might just be the king of cocktails. It’s simple to make and is an enjoyable drink to be enjoyed slowly, in the company of a good friend, movie or book.

Here’s a fine basic recipe, from Liquor.com:

  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 2 ounces bourbon (or rye whiskey, if preferred)
  • Garnish: orange twist

The best old fashioned is one that you love. There’s a lot of wiggle room in making your perfect drink. I recommend a journey with theme and variations so you can discover your own favorite. With that in mind, here’s a broad guide:

The Old Fashioned generally consists of spirit, sweetener and bitters.

For a sharper, more focused drink with a little bit of spice, build your drink from a rye whiskey. You don’t need to buy the most expensive spirits for a mixed drink. Good choices in the middle include Old Forester Rye, Bulleit Rye or Knob Creek Rye. These run about $30 a bottle. If you feel like splurging, the various Whistle Pig variations are excellent, and start at about $60.

If you prefer a more buttery, rounder drink, use bourbon. There are so many great bourbons, many available at popular prices. At the higher end, I love Angel’s Envy. The various Four Roses options are excellent, as are Bulleit, Knob Creek or George Dickel. Again, if you keep things in the $25-40 range, you’ll be doing fine. Since you’re mixing, you don’t have to be a snob about the spirit you use.

In Wisconsin, they use brandy for some or all the spirit. They also use lots of gloppy fruit in their drink and they may top it off with soda water. Of course, they’re nuts, but I’m sharing this in case you ever travel to Wisconsin. You have been warned.

Pour about two ounces of spirit, and next add some sweetener.

The classic old fashioned just calls for a teaspoon of sugar. Or a teaspoon of simple syrup (that’s 50/50 water and sugar, cooked on the stove until clear, then cooled and bottled). Either of these options are fine. For an upgrade, try gum or Demerara syrup. For a slightly more soulful drink, maple syrup is good. To really make the drink “autumnal” try barrel-aged maple syrup. 

The fun really is just beginning, as you can sub sweet liqueurs for the sugar. In a French Bistro, I enjoyed an old fashioned with crème de cassis as the sweetener. Licor 43 from Spain is another nice option with notes of butterscotch. It’s your drink; you can experiment.

Next, add your bitters.

Angostura bitters are the default, and they’re very good. Lots of “aromatic” bitters have a more autumnal or wintry taste – notes of cinnamon. The Walnut Room at the Palmer House in Chicago uses walnut bitters, of course. Chocolate bitters can be nice. 

The old fashioned wants some orange, too

The default way to add orange is to cut a peel with a peeler (I like the Oxo Y peeler), express its oils, and drop the peel in the drink. But there are lots of other options. You can just add some orange bitters. Or a small amount of orange liqueur, such as Curacao, Gran Marnier, or Cointreau. Maybe half a teaspoon or more, to taste. If you’re adding sweetness here, you might also cut back on the sugar.

You’re not done until you add one beautiful cherry

The very best cherries are Luxardo. If you disagree, you can fight me. A small jar is about $20 but lasts a good while. While you’re in there, add some cherry juice in your drink. And if you’re the sort who doesn’t eat the cherry, unfriend me immediately. 

Melt some ice

The best old fashioned is built in a pitcher over lots of ice, then stirred about 30 times, then strained into a double old fashioned glass with a nice big cube. Cold temperatures and melted ice help the drink settle down. If you don’t want to do the two-step process, just build your drink in a glass and give it a long stir before enjoying.

Lord knows the world can be a crappy place, what with wars, famine, the Jefferson Starship and paying for parking with your phone. Take refuge from the idiocy and stress, and give in to the siren call of a quality cocktail. Tomorrow is another day of battle, but for now, all is right. 

Recommended pairings:

Candlelight

Your one true love

Some early Miles Davis or Chet Baker

Sidebar: more about the Wisconsin Old Fashioned, from an intrepid traveler, my friend Joe:

My biggest surprise on the Old Fashioned Road Trip was that when I gave bartenders the freedom to build an OF the way they like it, none of them used brandy. None. Not even the Wisconsin barkeeps. Rye was used most often. At the bigger supper clubs, the “build it your way” didn’t work because they have to mass produce the drinks. They had 20 or 30 glasses lined up with an orange slice and a maraschino in the bottom, ready to muddle. They all had an Old Fashioned mix ready to go – simple syrup & bitters together. So when an order came in, they’d a grab glass, muddle the fruit, add ice, pour brandy with one hand & their OF mix with the other, then add the Wisconsin-required soda and garnish, as you mentioned. 

That’s where they give you a choice: “Sweet, sour or press?” Sweet is Sprite. Sour is Fresca or the equivalent. Press is mostly club soda. A couple barkeeps told me that “press” means they press the club soda button & Sprite button simultaneously. But another bartender (named Rand) claims that “press” means Presbyterian – and it’s straight club soda. That version makes me laugh and I’m sticking with it as the official definition. 

The other surprise in Wisconsin was the garnishes. I’d assumed they’d all go with the orange peel & the Luxardo. Not so. In the smaller bars, they used pickled mushrooms or pickled Brussels sprouts. Bizarre, but oddly a bit of welcome balance with the sweetness. 

I’ve been starting mine with a Demerara sugar cube, because I enjoy the ritual. Cube, bitters, teaspoon of water, then gently crush the Demerara before adding the rye & the big cube. According to legend, that’s why Old Fashioned glasses have the heavy base – so the glass won’t crack when you’re crushing the Demerara. I also use the Luxardos, the Ango & the orange peel, as you do. 

A wise man once told me, “If you don’t have an orange in your bar, don’t even try to make an Old Fashioned. Just don’t. The expressed citrus oils are that important. Plus, the drink will look unfinished without it.”

How to pass the new Google Analytics Individual Qualification exam

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In the world of digital marketing, so-called “experts” are a dime a dozen. One way to distinguish yourself is to become a real expert. Since measurement is so important, I recommend you start with digital analytics. And Google is the king of analytics for most websites. According to one estimate, almost 70 percent of the top 10,000 websites use Google Analytics.

Fortunately, Google has created materials and an exam to support your quest. The exam used to cost $50 to take, which kept many of my students from attempting it. Today it’s free. While the old exam was timed, you could mark questions and return to them. The new exam is linear; you start at question one and take them in order. You must answer 70 questions in 90 minutes. You need to get 80 percent correct or more to earn the certification. If you fail, you can retake the exam after one week.

Here’s how to pass the new Google Analytics Individual Qualification exam:

Step 1. You’ll need working knowledge of Google Analytics

You should already be familiar with and using Google Analytics. It helps if you can get access to a variety of accounts. You’ll definitely want access to an ecommerce account. If you can’t get access to one, you can gain access to the Google demo account. This is for the Google merchandise store, where you can purchase Google logo merchandise such as water bottles, T-shirts and backpacks.

It’s also essential that you have full access to an account at the administrator level. This kind of account is the only way you can perform some advanced activities, such as writing filters.

Step 2. Study at the Google Analytics Academy

Google has created learning activities to help you learn how to use their tools. Most lessons are video- and activity-based. There are five courses available:

I suggest watching these over time, taking in a couple of videos in each session. As you watch them, apply the lessons on your GA accounts, and take notes in a text file. I suggest one long text file, so when you’re taking the exam you can CTL-F the relevant keywords easily. Take the practice assessment at the end of each class; these questions are close to what you’ll see on the GAIQ. You should also look at the Google Analytics IQ Study Guide, a text-based resource.

You may think of Google Analytics in a narrow, limited way. The exam uses Google Analytics as the center of measuring sophisticated marketing campaigns. So expect questions about AdWords, Tag Manager, display advertising and mobile app tracking. These are all covered in the five courses.

Step 3. Take the exam

Since it’s free to take, you might as well take it cold and see how you do. Sign up at Google Partners where you’ll create an account. You might pass on the first try. If you don’t, use this experience to improve your performance.

I breezed through it and came within one question of passing. While I was initially disappointed, I had it coming. I only spent 25 of the 90 minutes allotted. Had I carefully checked just one or two answers, I would have passed. My takeaway is that 90 minutes is actually a lot of time, and you shouldn’t stress if you have to look something up. Just look it up. It will improve your score.

The hardest questions have multiple responses. Miss one and the question is wrong. It’s also essential to re-read questions to make sure you answer with precision.

Unfortunately, you don’t get feedback on which questions you missed. You just get the number correct and the final percentage.

Step 4. Repeat

When you’re ready to re-take the exam, create an interruption-free place. Get a glass of water and turn off all your other devices. Choose a time of day when you’re sharp. The exam offers a time remaining meter on the bottom of your screen. Be thoughtful and deliberate. I was able to instantly answer about 25 percent of the questions. The rest, I checked my notes and the extensive support offered by Google. I copied the phrase “Google Analytics” to the clipboard to facilitate faster searches. I also favored Google-owned pages when checking details, because they use language consistent with the exam. At the time of the exam, I had the following windows open on my computer:

  • The exam
  • My text document of notes from the study sessions
  • An active Google Analytics account
  • Various SERPs from checking answers (close these as you use them)

Searching efficiently alone won’t get you to the goal line. There are a fair number of interpretation-based questions. Either you know this process or you don’t.

If you pass, you’ll earn the GAIQ Certificate, which is good for 18 months. On my second try I earned 88 percent; it took me 80 minutes.

Regardless of how you perform on the exam, the act of preparing and taking it will help you become a better analyst. That’s the real reward of going through this process.

Here are some other posts on taking and passing the GAIQ:

https://www.viget.com/articles/how-to-pass-the-google-analytics-iq-test-in-two-days-zero-to-hero

http://www.fivefifty.com/google-analytics-exam/

Good luck, and let me know what worked for you in the comments, below.

Help feed people who are hungry with Chicago Shares

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Norman Rockwell "Freedom from Want"In “Freedom from Want,” artist Norman Rockwell presents an idyllic image of an American family. And while your bird may not look quite so perfect, you know that you’ll enjoy a feast on Thanksgiving Day, hopefully surrounded with the ones you love.

But in reality, one in 8 Americans struggles with hunger.

In Chicago, I see hungry people every day. And I want to help. So I bought $50 worth of Chicago Shares to give.

Chicago Shares is a voucher program designed to help feed people in need. You purchase the shares, which are like coupons, in $1 increments. When you give Chicago Shares to someone on the street, the recipient can redeem the shares for food or personal items at partner stores or restaurants. Shares cannot be used for tobacco, liquor or cash, so you know you’re providing a meaningful gift that really will help the recipient.

If you’re not comfortable giving on the street, Chicago Shares can still help feed people in need. Chicago Shares puts the money from unredeemed shares into a fund. This in turn is granted to agencies that provide social services. In 2016, Chicago Shares donated more than $15,000 to ten area “feed the hungry” organizations, such as Common Pantry, Catholic Charities and Franciscan Outreach.

Chicago Shares is 100 percent volunteer run, so all of the money you spend goes directly to feeding people in need (and yes, your Shares purchase is tax-deductible).

Chicago Shares

a booklet of Chicago Shares

Whether you choose to give on the street or to purchase Shares to hold, Chicago Shares provides an efficient way to help feed people who are hungry in Chicago.

Here’s how you can purchase Chicago Shares:

 

 

Amazon Echo: giving voice to the masses

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Amazon Echo voice controlled speakerI enjoy technology as much as anyone, but I’m usually happy to wait until version 2.0 before laying out my money. But I took a leap with the Amazon Echo, a Bluetooth speaker with a voice interface and Siri-like artificial intelligence built in. Yes, I thought it would be nice to have around the house, and yes, it might be fun to play with. But I also believe that our future tech will veer away from screens, and wanted to see how far we’ve come.

The answer is: we’ve come a ways, but have far to go. But I still really like the Echo. Here’s my experience so far:

Echo ships in an elegant black package that’s worthy of Apple’s great packaging. To use it, you plug it in, install the Echo app on your smartphone, link it to your Amazon account and Wifi network, and then you’re set. You can use the app to create additional functionality by linking it to services like TuneIn Radio, Pandora or IHeartRadio. Echo is a bit bigger than a can of tennis balls, but it’s solidly built. It features a distinctive LED light around the top which lights up when it’s communicating with you.

You don’t so much train Echo as it trains you. It quickly becomes clear what Echo can and can’t do by voice command. As long as you stay in its sweet spot, you’re fine. Here’s what it does: tell time, serve as a timer, play music (from the vast Amazon Prime library), play radio stations (via TuneIn Radio), offer a “Flash news” broadcast (from NPR or the BBC), look up things on Wikipedia, play music from Pandora and IHeartRadio. It also does some parlor tricks (tells jokes and answers trivia questions). You get Echo’s attention by using it’s “wake” word, which by default is “Alexa” (such as, “Alexa, play some Wilson Pickett”).

Echo hears your commands easily and executes tasks quickly. It uses an array of seven microphones to hear you, even from a distance in a noisy room. As for its sound, it’s pretty good, better than any clock radio you may have, but not loud enough or hi-fi enough to be a primary audio source. I recommend it for bedroom, kitchen or office use.

So why am I interested in this? The hardware is good, but the software has limitless potential. Amazon just announced Echo integration with Belkin WeMo and Philips Hue lighting, so you can now use Echo as a smart home hub. What else could it do? It all depends on Amazon’s ability to get third-party buy-ins. There’s no technical reason why Echo can’t control a Sonos whole-house audio system or a Nest thermostat. Through software updates, Echo could potentially become a universal voice hub.

If you don’t like voice control, you can also control Echo through the smartphone app. This is also where you provide  provide account linking.

I believe that voice technology is the key to unlocking internet services in cars, operating rooms, and anyplace else where your hands or eyes are occupied on some other, more important task. The technology also has tremendous promise for the elderly and people living with disabilities.

The Echo is currently available to Amazon Prime members for $149 (the early adopter price for Prime members was $99). If you’re not a Prime member, it’s $199.

UPDATE 4/17/2015 – I purchased a Belkin WeMo Insight switch for $55, and quickly got it running and connected to the Echo. Once configured, it permits voice control of anything that’s plugged in to the switch. If you walk in the front door laden with groceries, it’s nice to be able to say, “Alexa, turn the lights on.” The Belkin switch offers additional functionality (such as timer control or “away” settings for your lights, via the WeMo app). The Insight switch also monitors energy use through the switch.

Pros: elegant package, easy setup, good sound, innovative voice control, comes with voice-capable remote, future upgradability via software updates.

Cons: there are better Bluetooth speakers available, requires WiFi and AC power (no battery), could use an audio input jack (so you can play computer audio) and an output jack (so you can voice control your stereo rig), limited by Amazon’s ability to get third parties to cooperate (good luck getting Apple and Google to support it). Amazon currently won’t post user reviews of Echo, which undermines consumer trust in the technology.

Read more:

Echo page on Amazon.com

ZDNet, Amazon Echo review: a perfect 10

TheVerge, Amazon Echo review: listen up

TechCrunch, Amazon Echo can now control your smart home

Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV: streaming away cable TV

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Your cable bill: it could be more than $100 a month. Is it worth it?

If you have doubts, it’s probably not. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to become a cord cutter. There is life after cable. So let’s explore your options in a cable-free world.

First, though, see if you fit the ideal profile for cord cutting: you should not be a live sports fanatic (cable still excels at live sports choice). You should be flexible about how you get your news. And you should live somewhere near broadcast stations that you like to watch. Generally, it’s easier to live with over-the-air (OTA) television when you live in an urban area – when you’re close to many OTA signals.

Also, in general, the less television you watch, the easier it is to live without cable. But you already knew that.

Still interested? Follow this path to cutting the cord:

See which signals you can receive over the air

Start by visiting antenna web.org. Here, you’ll type in your address. The website will show you which signals are available over the air, and then will suggest a type of antenna for best reception. This website is brought to you by the Consumer Electronics Association and the National Association of Broadcasters, both of these groups wants you to watch lots of TV (one of them, the NAB, hates the cable industry).

You could also borrow or buy an antenna, connect it to your television (disconnecting your cable) and rescan your channel list from the TV’s setup menu. You’ll soon know which channels you can get. You may want to play around with antenna placement and rescan a couple of times. Use information from antennaweb.org to match your reception against available channels. You’ll want to focus on the channels that you’re most likely to watch, such as network affiliates. But you’ll also marvel at all the signals that you didn’t know about, many of them in foreign languages.

If you live near your stations, you can probably make do with an inexpensive indoor antenna. Here’s a roundup of some of the most popular models, courtesy of Lifehacker. Most cost less than a single month of cable. Another good resource is the Wirecutter, which did a nice roundup of antennas for urban viewers.

Get a streaming device

Next you’ll want to be able to pull in programming from the Internet for display on your TV. For that, you’ll need either a “smart TV” or a streamer, such as the Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV or Google Chromecast. I purchased a streamer because the performance of my Samsung Smart TV wasn’t very good (it is, however, an otherwise terrific TV). Streamers connect to your Internet signal either via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, and send the output to your television on an HDMI cable.

Which streamer? This depends on the programming you’ll want to watch, though most streamers will work with Netflix. Roku devices connect with most services, and the Roku 3 gets great reviews. Apple TV integrates beautifully with Apple products and features, but maddeningly doesn’t support Amazon Video or the new Sling TV service. If Apple is faulted for having control issues, Mozilla is taking an opposite tack, developing an open source streamer called the Matchstick. It’s too early to know what kind of support the Matchstick will get (it’s scheduled to ship in February), but the device will retail for only $25, so it may be worth a look.

Get your subscriptions

Now that you’ve got your antenna and streamer, it’s time line up some subscriptions. Netflix streaming ($7.99/month) is good for feature films and series television, all of which are commercial-free. Hulu Plus ($7.99/month) is good for current and recent television (and also includes the outstanding Criterion Collection of feature films). Hulu includes the participation of all of the networks except CBS (though some CBS shows, such as The Good Wife, are available). Hulu shows about half as many commercials as broadcasters.

Sling TV is a brand-new streaming-only service from Dish Network. Sling costs $20/month and functions like a mini-cable package, offering ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, Cartoon Network, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Disney Channel, ABC Family, and CNN. Sling also offers two $5 add-on packages: one for kids and one focusing on news and information.

There’s a surprising amount of free video available for streaming. Don’t overlook the PBS app, which simply requires that you register with your local station. Other subscriptions, including specialized packages, are available from the home screen of your device. This is where you’ll find baseball and other enthusiast streams. Unfortunately the easiest way to know which subscriptions are available is to test-drive the device or pay a call on an early-adopting friend.

CBS, the strongest of the over-the-air networks, has chosen to go it alone, and offers its All-Access app for $5.99/month. HBO Go is currently available to cable TV subscribers, but is likely to soon be available as a stand-alone service for cord cutters.

Given the ubiquity of fast Internet service and the proliferation of mobile devices and tablets, it’s likely that streaming television will grow. But since streamers don’t really cost much, and can take advantage of software updates, you’re not risking much by adopting today.

Saving money is one compelling advantage of cutting the cord, but you’ll also love being able to watch your shows on your schedule. Streaming services function very much like a DVR, only they record every show, and your roommate can’t erase your favorite episode.

If you have a favorite streaming device or online video service, share your tip in the comments below.