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November 30, 2006

Which James Bond Are You?

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November 30, 2006

Back to the Sixties

Michael D sent this. I've posted it before, but it's definitely worth a reprise. Click on the image, sit back, listen and remember...

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November 30, 2006

New Navy Ship Being Built With Twin Towers Steel

You may have seen the following story in your email about the USS New York (LPD-21), a new amphibious assault ship scheduled for launch in 2007. Pat G. forwarded it to me this morning and I was surprised that I hadn't seen any local media coverage of the story. Here's the gist of the email that's apparently been circulating since May:

With a year to go before it even touches the water,  the Navy's amphibious assault ship USS New York has already made history. It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center.   USS New York is about 45 percent complete and should be ready for launch in mid-2007. Katrina disrupted construction when it pounded the Gulf Coast last summer, but the 684-foot vessel escaped serious damage, and workers were back at the yard near New Orleans two weeks after the storm.   It is the fifth in a new class of warship - designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.   "It would be fitting if the first mission this ship would go on is to make sure that bin Laden is taken out, his terrorist organization is taken out," said Glenn Clement, a paint foreman. "He came in through the back door and knocked our towers down and (the New York) is coming right through the front door, and we want them to know that."   Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite, La., to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept. 9, 2003, "those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence," recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. "It was a spiritual moment for everybody there."   Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the "hair on my neck stood up." "It had a big meaning to it for all of us," he said.   "They knocked us down. They can't keep us down.  We're going to be back."   The ship's motto? - 'Never Forget'

The story did receive some nice national coverage at ABC News and The Times, among others. I suspect it will be big news when she launches next year and sails into New York Harbor. I think we'll all pop a button on our shirts that day!

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November 29, 2006

Your Message in Snow

I used this a few weeks ago to send Dawn a "love note." Since then, I've received the link from so many of you (Thanks!), I decided to post it for those of you that may not have yet seen it so you can enjoy sending it to your friends and family during the holiday season. Click on "Play your Ecard" to watch this greeting, or click on "Send to a friend" to access the site, enter your name and watch it being produced in the snow by a penguin. At the end, you'll have an opportunity to enter up to a 30 character greeting to email to a friend.

For the more adventurous among you, I found that you can bypass the 30 character limit in your greeting by composing it as a suffix to the URL you see in your browser after reading your name in the snow. After the equal sign, remove your name and enter your message with each word separated by the characters "%20" (without the quotations.) Hit "Enter" and watch your message. Copy the new URL and send it to your list of family and friends. Enjoy!

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November 29, 2006

Okay, this is what I want for Christmas!

Sir Richard Branson is at it again, this time with a commercial version of the already successful (three space flights) Burton Rutan-designed SpaceShipOne®. The good news is you can sign me up for a 2009 space voyage at Neiman Marcus!

Virgin Atlantic Charter To Space

...Your six-passenger charter begins with three days of medical assessments and training for the astronauts-to-be. When your systems are go, your group will board SpaceShipTwo® and fly off attached to a launching aircraft. About 10 miles up, the countdown will occur in mid-air. SpaceShipTwo will detach, fire its custom-designed hybrid rocket, and propel you into the majesty of space.

Most astronauts have trouble describing the ethereal, awe-inspiring view of Earth from the silence of space; your six travelers won't have to put it into words. About 63 miles above sea level, you will also experience weightlessness firsthand. After gliding back to Earth with a runway landing, it's off to Sir Richard's private island retreat in the British Virgin Islands for each astronaut and a guest. Your party of 12 will enjoy luxury accommodations on Necker Island and four nights of all-inclusive festivities. Sir Richard will host an exclusive celebration and personally present each member of your flight with a set of Virgin Galactic astronaut wings.

With events on land, in the air, and in space, this is the ultimate getaway. For more information on a gift package that is genuinely out of this world, please call 1.877.9NM.GIFT. ...        Price: $1,764,000.00

Sure, it's a little expensive, but I figure if you all chip in...

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November 28, 2006

Friday the Thirteenth

I ran across an article the other day about Friday the thirteenth and thought I'd share some of what I read. Some of you, I'm sure, believe that day to be unlucky, others of you think it's superstitious folklore. Regardless, it is what it is and, right or wrong, some folks take it quite seriously. Here are a few factoids.

A Friday occurring on the 13th day of any month is considered to be a day of bad luck in English and Portuguese-speaking cultures around the globe. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia (Say that three times quickly!) All months whose first day falls on a Sunday will contain a Friday the 13th. (Didn't know that, did you!)

The first recorded incident relating to Friday the 13th refers to the massacre of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307. Pope Clement V viewed the Templar as a threat, so he decreed that they be eliminated. The Vatican was not directly involved in the massacre, but rather acted through King Philip IV of France. Philip sent letters to his forces all over the country with instructions to seek out and arrest all known members of the Knights, slaughter those that resisted, and capture Jacques DeMolay, the last known Grand Master of the Knights Templar.

Another possible origin relates to the Last Supper. Judas, the thirteenth guest, was instrumental in the Crucifixion of Jesus, which is believed to have happened on a Friday. Other theories suggest that Eve offered the apple to Adam on a Friday or the slaying of Abel happened on a Friday.

Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they're simply unable to get out of bed when Friday the 13th rolls around. The Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute estimates that more than 17 million people are affected by a fear of this day. A British Medical Journal study has shown that there is a significant increase in traffic related accidents on Friday the 13ths. (Despite that, representatives for both Delta and Continental Airlines say that their airlines don't suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays.)

An interesting side note: In the Spanish-speaking world, it is Tuesday the 13th (as well as Tuesdays in general) that brings bad luck; a Spanish proverb reads, "En martes, ni te cases ni te embarques." (On Tuesday, neither get married nor start a journey.)

Those of you who believe in this sort of thing will be relieved to know that 2006's two occurrences of Friday the Thirteenth have already come and gone. 2007 will likewise have two - in April and July. But watch out in 2009 which has three; February, March and November! The chart below will help remind you which days to stay in bed, at least during the current 28 year cycle:

                                                                                                                                                    Source: wikipedia

So is Friday the thirteenth really unlucky, or is this belief just a hangover from the time when the patriarchal, male-centered religion of Christianity was trying to differentiate itself from and destroy its ancient, pagan, goddess-loving competitors? Decide for yourself. You can learn more about Friday the thirteenth here, here and here. And no, none of the preceding material was sourced from Dan Brown's fictional novel The Da Vinci Code. No, not the movie either. Really.

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November 27, 2006

If it's not 'Black Friday', it must be 'Cyber Monday'

The crowds, the traffic, the utter mayhem. You already know all about the day after Thanksgiving, appropriately dubbed Black Friday. And although I'd vowed never to set foot in a retail store on that day, I found myself accompanying Dawn last Friday as we shopped for decorations. I even knocked out grandson Dakota's Christmas gifts. But guess what - there's another day for you to deal with. It's called Cyber Monday.

Feeling left out of all the hoopla, online marketers (they prefer being called e-retailers) conjured up an ad blitz for the first work day after the Thanksgiving shopping weekend and even created a special web site. I suppose It was only a matter of time. In fact, I have to wonder what took them so long. Well, word has spread and now online marketers (oops... e-retailers) offer some real deals on Cyber Monday, everything from free shipping to one-day sales specials.

Shop.org claims that, according to its online survey, 61 million folks will shop online from work (hmmm... I suppose there is a corresponding drop in business productivity) for holiday gifts, up 10 million from last year. And yes, I was one of those who keystroked my way to a couple of good buys.

E-retail believes that, with everything going high-tech these days, they're entitled to their own traditions, especially those that also happen to turn a profit. I suppose it's only fair.

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November 27, 2006

Florida Waterbirds

These ten images were taken by Phil Sidran, one of my brother Larry's kayaking buddies, while paddling on the Turner River in Collier County, Florida a couple weeks ago. Great shots; I took the liberty of adding captions. I hope to get the opportunity to paddle (and photograph) with them next time I visit Florida. Click here or on the image below to view them all.

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November 23, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving

We'll be enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with family at son Steve & Lori's lovely home later today. My dutiful wife, Dawn, is already busy in the kitchen preparing our contributions to the "bountiful harvest": the stuffing ( I chopped the apples,) the veggie tray and dip (I cut the celery sticks,) the dinner salad and, of course, the all important cranberry dish. This year I'm again responsible for the cranberry dish. In the past, I bought David Berkeley's great cranberry-orange chutney or, more recently, his relish. But this year, I'm venturing into unchartered territory, the deep water, taking the ultimate risk, breaking away from the security of David's sure-fire recipe and trying my own. I know, it's an amazingly bold, albeit dangerous, gamble. But sometimes my creative side simply will not be ignored.

Of course, the best part of the holiday, besides the magnificent dinner table, is having my family together. We'll miss Rick's family - they'll be celebrating with Kim's family in Volcano - but there's always something wonderful about having family come together, give thanks and share a fine meal that everyone's had a part in preparing. I love the family part the most.

Lori introduced a new family custom last year where we all wrote down the things we were thankful for during the year to be read aloud at the dinner table the following year. We'll do it again this year, I'm sure. It's a great custom! Dawn and I have much to be thankful for. Making "Thanks" part of our Thanksgiving is what it's all about. And a great way to begin is to remember how it all began.

**Update on the stuffing: Dawn thinks I added too many apple cubes (hmmm... she may be right), so I removed some. We'll see... **

The first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts, starred the Pilgrims, Squanto and the friendly Wampanoag tribe led by Massasoit, who celebrated a bountiful harvest and the promise of making it through the harsh New England winter. Here are some lesser-known facts about that first Thanksgiving in 1621:

Squanto was a Patuxet Indian who almost single-handedly saved the first Pilgrims from starving to death. He taught them how to catch eels and trap fish during their spring run, plant corn and pumpkins and trap beavers. He helped the Pilgrims despite having been captured and sold into slavery by an English sea captain. According to Peter Marshall and David Manuel in The Light and the Glory, Squanto was shipped to Malaga, Spain, where he was rescued by local friars, and eventually returned to Plymouth, where he discovered not one member of his tribe was left alive.

During that first Thanksgiving celebration, the Wampanoags brought to the feast fat wild turkeys and introduced the Pilgrims to a local delicacy called popcorn. Next time you enjoy some at the movies, thank the Wampanoags, not Orville Reddenbacher.

They celebrated that first Thanksgiving in October, not November. In 1941, Congress issued a national proclamation setting our observance of Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.

During the winter of 1621-22, an influx of new settlers eventually forced the pilgrims to live on a daily ration of five kernels of corn a piece. At the next Thanksgiving, Marshall and Manuel noted, "the first course that was served '...on an empty plate in front of each person were five kernels of corn... lest anyone should forget.'"

We have a lot to be thankful for, as those first pilgrims did. And for all its faults, we live in a country where we can write, speak and worship freely, and where we can attempt to right wrongs without being thrown in jail or exiled. Solomon wrote, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Well, where there is no thankfulness, people sour, slowly, like unkept cranberry sauce. We need Thanksgiving, if for no other reason than to remember that while there may be only five kernels of corn on our plate, there are still five, and that the promise of harvest is only a season or two away.

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November 22, 2006

Giving Thanks

For all the blessings bestowed upon us, Thanksgiving should serve as a day of thanks and praise. But I’m afraid some of us have lost sight of the holiday’s intended purpose.

Sure, most of us will gather tomorrow and share in the “bountiful harvest” with friends and family. But too many of us will see it as what sadly has become a day dedicated to sports and retail pursuits. We’ll settle in front of the television to watch football or strategically plan Friday's trip to the mall for the big "Day After" sales.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that not all my Thanksgivings have resembled a Norman Rockwell painting. But I’d like to think that, as I get older, my thoughts will focus on what’s really important. So with that in mind, here are a few things I’m thankful for this year.

I have a wonderful family. I’ve been blessed with caring, honest, hard working parents, great brothers, a beautiful and loving wife, four wonderful children, four terrific grandchildren and a wonderful extended family, all of whom love me unconditionally. Yet I am mindful that there are many less fortunate.

I’m thankful for my career. Building my business has been a source of enjoyment and pride over the years and I’m thankful that I’ve been able to influence and provide a livelihood for many fine people over the last 35 years.

I’m glad I live in California. We enjoy a relatively mild climate, magnificent parks, countless pristine lakes, majestic mountains and the Pacific Ocean with some of the most beautiful coastline anywhere.

I’m thankful for the roof over my head. Hurricane Katrina was a reminder that there are people who have no permanent place to rest theirs. No one who stays warm and dry night after night should complain when there are others who have no place to sleep.

I have more than enough to eat. It’s sad to think that, while so many of us are worried about our growing waistlines, there are many who are dying of starvation or are uncertain when they’ll see their next meal.

I’m glad - and proud - I’m an American.

I’m thankful that there are men and women who have and will defend my rights as an American. You don’t have to agree with the war in Iraq, or any conflict in which the United States has ever been engaged, to know that our military will always be there to protect us. Supporting our troops is critical if we are to continue enjoying the freedoms we too often take for granted.

And I’m thankful for a lifetime of good friends. I’ve had many over the years, some who have passed on but are still with me in spirit, some with many miles between us but with whom I still enjoy a connection, and a dear few who are like family, as close as friends can be. For those I am especially thankful.

Yes, I’m indeed fortunate. Sure, I’ve been given my share of mountains, but the climb has always been worth the effort. Life is good. I’m a very thankful man.

Happy Thanksgiving All!

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November 22, 2006

Microsoft Announces Final Vista Packages: Now with Choice of Toppings

Microsoft Corp.’s long-delayed upgrade of its flagship Windows operating system, Microsoft Vista, will cost the same as comparable packages of the previous version, according to a company spokesperson:

• Microsoft Vista Basic : $199
  Just like XP. Only prettier.

• Microsoft Vista Premium : $239
  Just like Media Center Edition. Except it works this time.

• Microsoft Vista Business : $299
  Includes all of the features in XP Professional, including new security, data protection options and frequent crashing. Blue screen optional.

• Microsoft Vista Ultimate : $399
  Includes features from Vista Business and Vista Premium, with upgraded profit margin support.

• Microsoft Vista Grande : $465
  Includes features of Vista Basic with a full-bodied blend of 30% Vista Business and 28% Vista Premium. Served in an attractive collector’s mug.

• Microsoft Vista Double Uber Ultimate Vente Professional: Special Edition
  This one is actually just Windows Millennium Edition re-packaged in a Vista Box. Microsoft hopes the excitement around Vista will help them offload several hundred thousand units of the vastly unpopular operating system. Price is not currently set, but the package is rumored to be had for 2 bucks and a cheese sandwich.

More reputable news satire here.

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November 21, 2006

Hey Look! Microsoft is Offering Firefox!

Okay, not really. It's another spoof on the way Microsoft does business. This one's pretty clever; the links work and the inside humor is pretty much right on, at least to those of us who are, shall we say, less than fond of Bill's brand of "innovation." Go ahead, explore the site. Someone spent some time developing it...

*click*

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November 21, 2006

Free Service Lets Children Call Santa Claus Directly

One of the debatably curious aspects of the Christmas celebration is the custom of telling children their gifts come from Santa Claus. Apart from setting the precedent of telling mistruths to one’s loved ones at a time when they are establishing their value systems, setting up an inevitable and, for some, quite fundamental disillusionment (school children can be so cruel), the premise of a Santa wishlist indicates that Christmas is about receiving rather than its true message which is about giving. That said, many parents still encourage their children to do the “Dear Santa, I want…” letter and now there’s a service which enables children to connect to Santa and do it all via telephone.

The service then sends the message in .WAV format via email to the child's parents so they can save it forever along with other keepsakes and, remarkably, it’s FREE. How so, you ask? That’s the really clever part. The company that built the system offers a business service of a similar ilk that enables any company to have a virtual presence and phone number in any country. Telsanta is just a clever way of helping you find out about them. Give that marketing man a high-five!

The free service, powered by TollFreeForwarding.com, uses Voicemail2myEmail technology to capture messages and deliver them by e-mail to anyone who signs up for the service. Children call a toll-free number and listen to a message from Santa. He will ask them to record their wish list. Moments after the child leaves his or her voice wish list, the message is delivered by e-mail to Mom or Dad with a .wav file of their child's wish list, in their child's voice.

Parents must register for the free service ahead of time so that the system knows where to deliver the voice recorded wish list. The interface gives parents the option of having their children's voice wish list sent simultaneously to their spouses or partners, grandparents or siblings -- anyone who has an e-mail address.

TelSanta.com does not save the children's messages. The system works just like voicemail, but the message is immediately sent by e-mail instead of residing on a phone service provider's system.

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November 20, 2006

Sony Bravia "Paint" Ad

Sony has released the latest TV ad for its Bravia line of HD televisions entitled "Paint," a much anticipated follow-up to its popular "Bouncy Balls" campaign last year. Filmed in Glasgow, Scotland utilizing a vacant housing project scheduled for demolition, the ad is much like a fireworks show only with exploding paint. The shoot took nearly two weeks to wrap and required 250 people, 18,000 gallons of environmentally friendly paint, 622 bottle bombs, 1,100 feet of steel pipe, 455 mortars, 35 miles of copper wire and 1700 detonators. Post-production took another 4 months to complete the final 60-second ad. The effect is stunning!

Like the Bouncing Balls ad, Paint was conceived by the Fallen Agency, also responsible for the recent Travelers "Snowball" ad. You can watch the hi-res version above or, if you lack sufficient band width, you can either reset the viewing size to a low-res version on the site or watch a low-res YouTube version here. You may also enjoy a "behind the scenes" video here showing how Paint was produced.

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November 20, 2006

"Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against The West" - Abridged Version

This is a 12-minute abridged version of the multi-award winning documentary, Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against The West, a riveting new film that exposes the threat of Radical Islam in a way never before seen! This featurette was designed to give the viewer an overview of the scope of the film and the threat of radical Islam. The full length film will be available in theatres soon.

The threat of radical Islam is real. It's been compared to, and is much more dangerous than, Naziism. When this documentary reaches a theater near you, make a concerted effort to see it. We can't keep our heads burried in the sand any longer.

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November 20, 2006

Christmas is Coming

...and surely somebody you know needs this

Via Dave Barry

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November 17, 2006

Happy Birthday, Dawn

Today is my wonderful wife's birthday and I want it to be as special for her as she is to me. She's my rock, my true love, my confidant, my soul mate, my lover, my best friend and my greatest advocate at Heaven's gate. One in a billion, she brings love, caring, wit, purpose and immeasurable happiness and contentment to my life. She's my everything and I love her more than words can express.

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November 17, 2006

Friday Fly-by

This week's fly-by is entitled STS-115, A Space Oddity. It's a well done video overview of space shuttle mission STS-115 by a guy in the UK I know only as BrunoTheQuestionable. Enjoy, and have a great weekend everyone!

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November 17, 2006

A Good Reason to Boycott Fox TV?

Normally I like Fox, especially their news coverage. But when I read about their latest "coup," I was flabbergasted. Fox plans on running a 2-part interview series with OJ Simpson on November 27th and 29th based on his new (and I use the term loosely) "book" entitled If I Did It. In the book, Simpson will tell us just how he would have executed the brutal double murder of his ex and her friend if he'd been the real killer.

Why, I'd like to know, would anyone, especially a major network, give Simpson the time of day? Why would anyone watch? Why would anyone buy the (loosely again) "book?"

Leading up to this ridiculous piece of journalistic fluff are the requisite network promos. Here, for your listening enjoyment, are three equally ridiculous "made-up" promos you probably won't hear on Fox:

Maybe there's hope. Maybe Fox plans on skewering Simpson. Live. Maybe I'd watch that... Naw, probably not.

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November 16, 2006

Pensive Leopard

I took this image while visiting Chicago's Brookfield Zoo a couple months ago. Although the leopard exhibit is staged behind a thick Plexiglas viewing wall, this magnificent male ignored our presence, appearing deep in thought as I grabbed the shot from just a few feet away.

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November 16, 2006

If you trade stocks online, you should read this

Hackers Zero In on Online Stock Accounts

Hackers have been breaking into customer accounts at large online brokerages in the United States and making unauthorized trades worth millions of dollars as part of a fast-growing new form of online fraud under investigation by federal authorities.

E-Trade Financial Corp., the nation's fourth-largest online broker, said last week that "concerted rings" in Eastern Europe and Thailand caused their customers $18 million in losses in the third quarter alone. Another company, TD Ameritrade, the third-largest online broker, also has suffered losses from customer account fraud, but a spokeswoman declined to quantify the amount ...

Federal regulators cited recent cases in which hackers gained access to customer accounts at several large online brokers and used the customers' funds to buy certain stocks. The hackers appeared to be trying to drive up share prices so they could sell those stocks at a profit ...

The scams typically begin with a hacker obtaining customer passwords and user names, experts said. One way is by placing keystroke-monitoring software on any public computer in a library, hotel business center or airport. With the software, all keystrokes entered on the computer can be recorded and e-mailed anywhere in the world. Experts said all hackers have to do is wait until anyone types in the Web address of E-Trade, Ameritrade or another online broker, and then watch the next several dozen keystrokes, which are likely to include someone's password and login name. ...

Read the entire article

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November 16, 2006

Another Guinness World Record

On Friday, September 15, 2006, live on The Early Show, 99.9 KTYD Santa Barbara, California, Matt McAllister attempted to set a new Guinness World Record for the most t-shirts worn at one time. The 151 t-shirts ranged in size from Small to 10XL, took 4 hours to put on (obviously with help) and weighed a whopping 100 pounds! If upheld, Matt will have bragging rights and face years of having to answer the same burning question asked by everyone he encounters - WHY?

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November 15, 2006

Color for the Hair Down There

I never cease to be amazed by American innovation. For example, who'd have thought there would be a market for this? Frankly, not I. And even if I'd been the first to experience the blinding revelation of it, I doubt I'd have had the nerve to take it to market.

But what do I know, I'm a guy. Yet here it is, in an assortment of colors including one called "FUNbetty" (read hot pink.) They've even registered trademarks!

Bettybeauty is the brainchild of Nancy Jarecki who concocted the idea while visiting a salon in Europe. It's the old "find a niche and fill it" story and so she has. And there are more products on the way along with a lot of expensive advertising (October issue of Vogue magazine among others.) Apparently betty's gaining a following. The company even sells t-shirts that tout "My betty is ready...." or "I'm a true Blonde."

So ladies, have you tried it? If you had, would you tell me? Didn't think so.

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November 15, 2006

Apple Teams Up with Six Airlines to Deliver iPod Integration

This is welcome news for frequent flyers who've been watching movies during long flights on their tiny iPod screens. Apple is teaming up with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United to deliver the first seamless integration between iPod and in-flight entertainment systems. These six airlines will begin offering their passengers iPod seat connections which power and charge their iPods during flight and allow the video content on their iPods to be viewed on the their seat back displays.

Cool! But don't be surprised if the airlines charge a fee for "plugging in." Still, I'd rather watch something of my choosing than sit through a movie I've already seen or that stinks...

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November 15, 2006

Ugly Hardhats

I ran across these images of some pretty ugly hardhats while searching for information of the progress on the $3 billion (yes, billion!) San Francisco Bay Bridge project. Apparently some of the workers staged a sort of contest to see who wore the ugliest. Here are five of the, uh, winners.

Got a favorite?

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November 13, 2006

Fatherhood Makes You Smarter

In a recent article in Popular Science, the author contends that, contrary to popular belief, raising children may actually make fathers smarter. 

I can't wait to tell my kids...

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November 13, 2006

Walking Sharks Found in Indonesian Waters

Don’t look now, but we might be taking a step down in the food chain. A U.S.-based team of scientists from Conservation International said in September they had discovered dozens of new species while combing through undersea fauna off Indonesia’s Papua province, including a shark that walks on its fins. Apparently the shark swims along the ocean bottom… using it’s fins to “walk” when it needs to maneuver at a different pace. [Article] [Video]

Note: Curiously absent from the scientists' report is whether or not the sharks are able to walk on their hind fins, maneuver up and down stairs, and operate door knobs. Until we're assured to the contrary, it's no longer safe to open your door without visual confirmation when a stranger knocks and claims to be a “Candygram” delivery person...

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November 13, 2006

Microsoft's Zune Reviewed

Two reviews of the new portable audio/video player from Microsoft, scheduled to be released tomorrow, were published last week.

Walter S. Mossberg at the Wall Street Journal writes:

“Overall, the iPod and iTunes are still the champs. Still, I expect the Zune to attract some converts and to get better with time. And this kind of competition from a big company with deep pockets and lots of talent is good for consumers in the long run.” [Article]

…and David Pogue at the New York Times writes:

“Competition is good and all. But what, exactly, is the point of the Zune? It seems like an awful lot of duplication — in a bigger, heavier form with fewer features — just to indulge Microsoft’s “we want some o’ that” envy. Wireless sharing is the one big new idea — and if the public seems to respond, Apple could always add that to the iPod.”  [Article]

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November 13, 2006

Great Report Card

Proud parents Steve and Lori sent Dakota's 1st trimester report card. Dakota had set a goal for himself of straight "A"s and nearly made it, missing by only 4 points in Pre-Algebra and 2 points in Language Arts. Needless to say, we're all very proud of him!

Way to go 'Kota! Keep up the great work and you'll surely reach that goal!

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November 11, 2006

Veterans Day

Formerly called Armistice Day, Veterans Day is the day America commemorates the contributions of those who have served in its military. It falls on the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended the First World War. All major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. The day is celebrated elsewhere in the world as Remembrance Day.

So today we salute America's 25 million living Veterans and join the rest of the nation in remembering their sacrifice and thank them for their service to our country. There will be parades, including one in downtown Sacramento and, at 11:00AM, the parade will stop where it stands, Taps will be played, and all will observe two minutes of silence.

Take two minutes... It's a pittance of time.

Song by Terry Kelly

Here's another tribute to our Veterans...

As Remembrance Day is celebrated today in other parts of the world, I found this tribute featuring a poem I loved and learned in grade school particularly moving...

To all our Veterans, thank you. The Republic is well served. And as long as we find men and women willing to do the hard, dirty work - there will be a Republic.

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November 10, 2006

231st Anniversary of the USMC

Larry P sends this nicely done PowerPoint slide show...

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November 8, 2006

Antelope Canyon

Dawn and I took a photography tour of the Southwest's Four Corners area in 1997. One of the highlights was visiting and photographing the beautiful slot canyons of Antelope Canyon. Here's an image taken in the upper canyon - the lower canyon was closed at the time by the Navajo Nation to allow the spirits of the eleven hikers who died in the canyon during a flash flood in August to find their way home.

Arguably, the best time to photograph the canyons is during summer, around noon, when the sun's rays penetrate the canyon's upper crevices and beam uninterrupted to the ground, highlighting the walls with soft, reflected light off the sandy floor. The effect is mesmerizing, making Antelope Canyon one of the most photogenic canyons in the world.

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November 8, 2006

Microsoft - Late to the Party Again

Stand back… give 'em room! Microsoft is “Innovating” again.

Hoping to tap into the explosive popularity of online video sharing by joining startups and major Internet rivals with its own video service, Microsoft has announced their newest offering, “Soapbox on MSN Video.” The service will let Internet users watch and post funny videos, rate or comment on them and share favorites by e-mailing them or linking them to their personal Web pages or blogs.

Rob Bennett, general manager of MSN’s entertainment and video services unit, acknowledged that Silicon Valley startup YouTube Inc. (now part of Google) has an early lead, having already attracted tens of millions of users in the year and a half since it launched. Rivals Yahoo Inc. and Time Warner Inc.’s AOL have similar offerings. But Microsoft believes there is “still plenty of room to innovate, and go beyond what I would say most services provide … just sort of the basics, a very kind of primitive experience that is not that engaging,” Bennett said. “It’s not that fun to use. It just gets the job done.”

There you go, the “I” word, straight from the horse’s mouthpiece. Microsoft once again “innovates” an idea from someone else, hooks up a cash IV and calls it their own. I wonder how long this guy is going to keep his job considering he’s not really clear as to which service he’s describing as “primitive” and “not that engaging”. His speech gives the impression that the new Microsoft Soapbox won’t be “fun to use.” Poor guy, he’ll soon be watching the skies for the Microsoft logo black helicopters...

For a detailed critique of soapbox, read Jacqui Cheng's article here.

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November 8, 2006

Here ya' go, Tim

My liberal friend Tim and I had a friendly wager on the election, specifically which party would control the House when the dust settled. Looks like I'll be sending a twenty off to Florida. I'll have to come up with something appropriate to write on it. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.

Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride...

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November 7, 2006

Election Day 2006

And just because.

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November 7, 2006

Online Game Exposes User Data: Now Everyone Knows I’m Not Really A Millionaire Stuntman From Australia

So much for your new life.

Second Life, the fast-growing online site where hundreds of thousands of people play out fantasy lives online, suffered a computer security breach last month that exposed the real-world personal data of its users. Linden Lab, the San Francisco-based company behind the Second Life site, said in a letter to its 650,000 users that its customer database, including names, addresses, passwords and some credit card data, had been compromised.

This story would be a little more tragic if it weren’t for the buckets of irony pouring out the sides. Think of the John Carpenter flick “They Live!”. In a flash, that hip young coffee house waitress from Boston that you’ve been “seeing a lot of” in your new little fantasy world turns out to be a 42 year old maintenance man from Newark. How’s that conversation going to go?

“So… listen. We can still be friends, right? We kind of had a special thing going there, didn’t we?”

Coulda been worse, I suppose. The information could have included photos. That’s why I always pad my information in a plausible way. “Sure I have a regular job. I’m just an average joe. Most of my international crime syndicate investigations happen at night and on weekends. Makes it easier to go unseen in the larger crowds since, as you can see from my photo, I look too much like Matthew Mcconnaughey to go easily unnoticed...”

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November 7, 2006

Top 10 Worst Company URLs

Everyone knows that, in business, a domain name can be a powerful tool. However, It's important when choosing one to look at your prospective domain name as others see it and not just as you think it looks. Failure to do so may result in situations like the following (legitimate) companies recently identified by NextWebGen who evidently failed to give their prospective domain names adequate consideration:

1. A site called ‘Who Represents’ where you can find the name of the agent that represents a celebrity. Their domain name… wait for it… is www.whorepresents.com

2. Experts Exchange, a knowledge base where programmers can exchange advice and views at www.expertsexchange.com

3. Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island at www.penisland.net

4. Need a therapist? Try Therapist Finder at www.therapistfinder.com

5. Then of course, there’s the Italian Power Generator company… www.powergenitalia.com

6. And now, we have the Mole Station Native Nursery, based in New South Wales: www.molestationnursery.com

7. If you’re looking for computer software, there’s always www.ipanywhere.com

8. Welcome to the First Cumming Methodist Church. Their website is www.cummingfirst.com

9. Then, of course, there’s these brainless art designers, and their whacky website: www.speedofart.com

10. Want to holiday in Lake Tahoe? Try their brochure website at www.gotahoe.com

* Some of these sites have apparently already taken steps to mitigate their embarrassment

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November 6, 2006

Is Hydrogen the Holy Grail of Alternative Energy?

We've all heard the drum beat of alternative fuels to power industry, our cars and even our cell phones. If, like me, you're wondering how we're doing in our quest for the holy grail of energy that will free us from our dependence on foreign oil, you might want to take a few minutes and read this article published in the November issue of Popular Mechanics.

Hydrogen has been considered by many to be the clean fuel of the future and the article delves into its pros and cons as a viable solution to our energy woes. One major hurdle: current methods of hydrogen production create tremendous amounts of carbon dioxide. And while we can no longer afford the environmental, economic and political drawbacks of oil-based energy, we’re still years away from viable alternative energy sources like hydrogen. Ultimately, there will likely be an entire suite of energy choices, but each will require heavy investment in our infrastructure. This article crunches the numbers and provides a look into the possible future of a hydrogen powered economy.

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November 6, 2006

What Is the Business Case for Upgrading to Vista?

In a recent article for Microsoft Watch, MSW staff writers question whether businesses will gain any benefit by installing, or even be capable of running, the business version of Microsoft Vista scheduled for release at an event at the Nasdaq Stock Market on November 30.

"No matter how much tweaking MS does, it's still not going to solve the resource requirements issue. The 3D desktop should have been part of Plus. Vista will NEVER run on a $1000 PC. EVER. ... 

Basic users don't need this. Corporate users don't need this. The corps are gonna scream bloody murder . They can't afford to put $2000+ desktops on each desk and buy all new copies of office to run [them].

What we're talking about is a TCO of about $3000 per desktop, maybe even more than that. That's before support costs; that's just the damn software and hardware even if they leave the server infrastructure the same which, really, they can't.

So I bet its more like $5000 a desktop. Never before has a Windows release required such a major pill to swallow ..." 

It's a given that Microsoft is planning to tout security, reliability, improved system-management and increased cost and operational efficiencies as major Vista business benefits. ... Microsoft also is likely to downplay the need for massive desktop hardware upgrades, touting the Vista Classic/Basic mode as a way for companies to circumvent the need for the fairly hefty hardware requirements. (For a "Vista Premium" system running Aero, a minimum of a 1 GHz 32-bit processor; 1 GB of system memory; 128 MB of graphics memory; a DirectX 9-class GPU and 40 GB of hard-disk space.)

The article concludes by asking other IT professionals how – and if – they are planning to cost justify Vista to their bosses. "Or are you just digging your head in the sand, hoping to keep your users on Windows XP, Windows 2000 or some older Windows variant until you can find that Mac or Linux sysadmin job you've always wanted?"

It's an interesting article discussing things that I suspect are two parts rumor and one part experience with Beta versions of Vista. It's much like what we read on some of the Apple-related sights before major releases. Of course, experience tells us that Apple rumors usually turn out to be fairly, albeit not completely, accurate while rumors about Vista have been flying for years amid repeated delays. The only thing we know for sure is that Vista will be the first new operating system from Microsoft since 2001, that MS release dates are often illusive and, from what we've gleaned from MS demos for the media, that Microsoft has incorporated "innovations" that have been a part of Apple, Opera, Firefox and, apparently, Adobe for years. It will be interesting to see how Vista measures up.

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November 3, 2006

Hand Feeding Hummers

Barbara sent these four images of a woman hand feeding hummingbirds... Click on the image to view all four.

Hummers are amazing creatures. According to The Hummingbird Society, they weigh 2 to 20 grams and feed on nectar and insects as well as tiny spiders. They always have 10 primary feathers, 6 or 7 secondaries, nearly always 10 rectrices (tail feathers), and an extremely large sternum. Their feet are tiny and not well suited for walking but well designed for perching. Adult males often display iridescent plumage, rarely females (sexual dimorphism).

Hummers fly with a unique method of rotating the entire wing, with little or no flexing of the wrist or hand joints. As a result of their unique but inefficient means of flight, they must consume enormous amounts of food each day, with nectar often amounting to twice their body weight. Insects provide protein for their diet.

The exact number of species is perhaps 330, although not all scientists agree. This makes them the second largest family of birds after flycatchers. They are found only in the New World, from Alaska in the north to Tierra del Fuego in the south. Most species are found in the tropics.

More hummingbird photos here, here and here.

BTW, If you know who or where this is, or who took the images, please let me know.

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November 3, 2006

It's that time of year

It's time to pay property taxes again. My neighbor says it's a great tax deduction. Yeah, right.

   Hi and Lois

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November 3, 2006

Neologism Contest Winners

The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its annual neologism contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. The winners are:

• Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

• Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.

• Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

• Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

• Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.

• Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.

• Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

• Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavored mouthwash.

• Flatulence (n.), emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.

• Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

• Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

• Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

• Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

• Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

• Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

Thanks Barbara!

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November 2, 2006

South Park Kids Quiz

Take this short quiz to discover which South Park kid you're most like...

Via YouThink

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November 2, 2006

Hmmm...

... I'll bet the newsroom was unusually quiet after this broadcast.

HT to Ron!

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November 2, 2006

It begins...

Thanks, Mike!

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November 1, 2006

Kerry's "Stuck in Iraq"

Some of you didn't believe me when I mentioned Kerry's October 30 speech during which he demeaned our troops as having failed to do well in school and as a result getting "stuck in Iraq." And yes, I've heard his handlers' explanation that he botched the lines written for him in his prepared speech ( a muffed joke, he called it, unfairly misinterpreted), but come on... it is what it is. Here's the clip. You make the call.

UPDATE: The news wires are reporting that Kerry apologized earlier today for his disparaging remarks. Apologized? Here's what he said:

"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended," he said in a written statement.

That's not an apology, it's political doubletalk. He "regrets that [his] words were misinterpreted..." That's passing the problem off to those who heard him. It's our fault. We misinterpreted him. Sorry, our bad. He follows up by apologizing to anyone "who was offended" (as a result of their own misinterpretation.) He should leave the doubletalk to Clinton.

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November 1, 2006

Aflac Problems?

I read in the paper that Aflac's earnings are down for the quarter. Perhaps that explains this...

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November 1, 2006

Adobe Acrobat Slayer?

There's a new implementation of an existing technology that's being touted by Microsoft as a replacement for Adobe Acrobat. This emerging “standard” is called the XML Paper Specification (XPS). The specification describes formats and rules for distributing, archiving, rendering, and processing XPS documents. XPS is scheduled to be shipped with Microsoft’s Windows Vista… 

Microsoft doing what it does best: Altering other companies' software and incorporating the "innovation" into its (cough) operating system. Given the wide-spread success of Acrobat as the de facto industry standard, this should be an interesting battle between two software behemoths.

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November 1, 2006

'Tis Election Season

We're getting down to the short strokes, folks. Are you prepared to vote? Have you sorted through the myriad campaign ads to ferret out some modicum of truth about the candidates? We're particularly sensitive about  so-called "negative ads" in California but are they really all bad? If there's something particularly unsettling about a candidate's opponent, shouldn't we be told about it?

I'm all for negative ads as long as they reflect the truth. Some are even quite funny. To wit: Vern Robinson's TV spots. Here's a tasty example taken from Robinson's site. Tucker Carlson aired it on MSNBC last night. Made me laugh out loud. And there's even a good deal of truth to it...

Of course, it's on YouTube, too.