lasting commitment

We live in a day when almost everything we buy is disposable. A mobile phone contract is
two years at most and the phone itself is obsolete long before even that. That digital camera you bought last month? There is a better one available for less and yours is now discontinued. So how can you get something for someone you love this Valentine's day that sows them just how much you love them and won't break the bank? A classic wristwatch made with the care and craftsmanship that can be backed with a full two year warranty.

Bulova watches from Blue Dial are all this and, with free shipping and free sizing for Valentine's day, a great idea to show that special someone that yours is a love that will go on forever. Every time they look at their wrist they'll know, too.

Microsoft Files a Patent for a Desktop Dock to Hold Smartphones

Not sure how this is any different than a Duo Dock or any of the other
docks and port replicators out there. Is it patentable because it's for a phone? Is the real news of note here that Microsoft wants to build a phone?

Microsoft Files a Patent for a Desktop Dock to Hold Smartphones

via Wired: Gadgets by Priya Ganapati on 1/29/09

Microsoft has filed for a patent around a docking system for a smartphone that will come with a output for an external display, an ethernet jack and a USB hub to connect a keyboard or a mouse, among other things.

Take a Walk Through History: Boston

Seems like everyone is releasing old photography collections on Flickr. Following on the Library of Congress heels comes the venerable Boston Public Library. Wish I had spent more time on it when I was there - also wish I had more than the one chance to eat there. 

Read: Lost Boston

The Boston Public Library released its much more intimate, if eclectic, collection on flickr. The photos, prints, and postcards it contains present a city that is both immensely altered and curiously unchanged from its 19th century self, providing the contemporary viewer the opportunity to reconsider just which "history" preserved Boston embodies today.

(via Urbanphoto…)

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Apple's Next iPhone Will Rule at Gaming

I think they should call it the pPhone. The p stands for pippin - kids, ask your parents or do a web search for 'atmark.' Meanwhile, read this from Wired magazine and weigh in for yourself.

Apple's Next iPhone Will Rule at Gaming

Apple will beef up its next iPhone into a serious gaming console, say developers and analysts.

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Free Decaf Coffee Friday!

Let the war of the beans begin! Truthfully I have always liked Caribou better, both in terms of in-store experience and their coffee. Caribou, if you recall had refills on drip coffee long long before Starbucks decided to join in. Too bad there isn't a location closer to me.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Free Decaf Coffee This Friday! Decaf drinkers deserve better!   You may have heard that Starbucks® is eliminating decaf coffee at-the-ready in the afternoons. We think that customers deserve the very best coffee, when, where and how they want it. So all Caribou Coffee locations will offer free 12-ounce cups of decaffeinated coffee from noon until closing this Friday, January 30.   We invite all decaf coffee drinkers to experience Caribou Coffee's exceptional Natural Decaf™ coffee on the house. To learn more about our all-natural decaffeination process, click here. See you Friday! ©2009 Caribou Coffee Company, Inc. Offer valid at participating Caribou Coffee stores only from noon until close on January 30, 2009. No purchase necessary. One complimentary 12-ounce cup of decaf coffee per person. Not valid on bottled beverages. Not valid online.

One Picture Says It All

This picture begs the question, but how do you get *this* package open?

I have heard you can also use your standard kitchen can-opener, so your mileage may vary. Still looks like something you can't take on an airplane. 

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

photoacustic imaging and data sharing

Today's seminar was one dealing with photo acoustic imaging of the brain. The images are gathered by optical adsorption allowing viewing of exogenous targets such as carbon nanotubes and gold nanorods. In the end you have a 3D reconstructed image of the tissue.

The images are stunning but the data sets are HUGE. Combine this with the need to share this data with collaborators and you have a problem. Fortunately there is a way to handle this thanks to some Linux boxes and a way host them and make them available on the Internet. Finding fool-proof and robust linux hosting. Of course, finding the best hosting company is something that we needed help with, after all, most of the people here are doctors and life scientists with the odd mathematician tossed into the mix, which is why this guide was super helpful.

Do you have a lot of data to host and share? See what options await you and start saving money while you are at it.

Graphics Fun, AKA There Goes the Week End

Just found this and wanted to share: Veerle Pieter's blog. She's a graphic/web designer living in Belgium and her amazing list of tip, trick and fun things to do in Photoshop, Illustrator and the like.

This tutorial shows to create a shape that looks almost exactly like the Apple Command key icon but with an interesting four colored stroke depth effect to it.

When I get time I want to check out the article about Making your business cards dynamic in Illustrator - why should I settle with what work provides?

Archive of Home Recordings

home recordings accidentally shared to Napster

David Dixon's amazing audio archive website has links to audio files that people recorded at home and unwittingly sent to Napster.

I've amassed many, many hours of these recordings, which provide endless voyeuristic entertainment. Typical recordings were of people singing, rapping, or playing along with the radio (often badly), kids practicing their school book reports, audio love letters, kids being silly, and so forth. One of my finds was a 14-minute-long recording of a guy praying very fervently and emotionally, even lapsing into glossolalia. I've posted many of my favorites on my webpage, for free.

Read Audio Voyeurism. 

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Reminds me if that time when we searched for the first images people took with their new cameras by using 'DSC0001.JPG' as the criteria. Interesting peeks into private lives.

Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

weight weight don't tell me

If you are thinking t hat diet and exercise just aren't enough anymore then you may want to see what there is for you if you choose to try a lap band surgeon. Surgery may not be the best or only option for you but for many it is a treatment of last resort and as such, deserves to be investigated.

See if the good people in Ohio have a solution for you and make 2009 the year in which change happens more than just in Washington, DC.

BART Mobile/wireless Applications Survey

Dear BART rider: We're looking for ways to improve BART mobile and wireless applications and we'd like to hear from you! Please take a moment to complete this survey to help us better understand your mobile trip planning needs.

www.bart.gov

Free Coffee at Panera Bread - January 28

Hope someone can make use of this, just heard of this today. Guess I won't be able to take advantage but maybe you will. Let me know how it goes!

Free Coffee at Panera Bread - January 28

Panera Bread is offering free coffee this Wednesday, January 28, 2009. Your choice of its new Light and Dark Roast coffees, plus samples of its three grilled breakfast sandwiches and new Strawberry Granola Parfait.

Panera Bread will also invite customers to donate a dollar on January 28 to help support its Operation Dough-Nation Community Breadbox program. Participating bakery-cafes will join the celebration by matching customer donations made on that day. Donations support local programs that address community needs.

As a bonus, participating locations are also Free Wi-Fi Hotspots.

disney dream vacation

When I think of the total Disney vacation package, even as a California native I think of Florida. Perhaps because in Florida, Walt and company had the money, the time and the experience to do everything up in just the way they wanted it. Instead of a berm to keep the views of the surrounding city away, in Florida they bought more than three times the amount of land they wanted to create the perfect buffer between the 'real world' and the fantasy that is Disney World.

2009 is the year Disney is having their "What Would You Celebrate" Celebration and if anyone needed a celebration this year it would be the American people. Personally, I think I would celebrate the fact that I have not been to Florida in over ten years, others not at all! Seem to be a situation that should be rectified, and could be quite easily done with just a pair of Disney World Tickets and some plane tickets.

Do I really need a reason to go to Disney World? Going to Disney World is reason to celebrate enough, but to see the changes and to show the park to someone who has never seen it? How great would that be?

See how Discount Magic Your Way Tickets can make your Disney Dreams an affordable reality!

Joe Bluhm Gift With Purchase

Order early and you might get an original drawing along with the book it's published in. From Drawn.ca comes all the news and a preview plus the shoping linkage. 

Joe Bluhm giving sketchbook pages away with Sketch Infectus

Until February 5th, with all sales of his new book Sketch Infectus caricaturist Joe Bluhm [...] is giving away sketches cut from the very pages of the sketchbooks featured in the book itself.

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Amazon Set to Rekindle the Kindle

From the you knew this was going to happen when you bought a 1.0 product department. 

New Kindle E-Book Reader ?

Wired is predicting Amazon will launch the next generation of its Kindle e-book reader next month.  Rumours are for a slimmer, better-looking device with (sorry) more features and a lower cost.

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Uh-oh Palm, Advantage Apple

Apple wins comprehensive patent for iPhone

Looks like the ball is in the court of Palm's lawyers if I am reading this right. 

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Apple patent number 7,479,949 covering key aspects of the iPhone's multi-touch user interface.

358 pages of drawings and it looks a lot like a Pre to me. 

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Audio Field Notes + Google Maps

Radio Aporee:

Lets you contribute your own audio to the geographical soundscape in Google Maps. There is a park near us that has a green ear sign with a phone number and code number to punch in to hear a historical anicdote tied to the location. Sounds like these guys need to get together and talk. 

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Sent on the move with Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

rolling on the turf

I don't live as close to a beach as I would like and snowboarding also involves spare time, a car trip and lift tickets, none of which I have in excess of right now. What I do have is a job in a building surrounded by asphalt and concrete, stairs and ramps.... So what to do? That's right, skate. I have seen some folks on roller blades and as impressive as that is, I think I like the idea of being able to step off of the wheels if things get out of control.

Sounds like fun, right? Well if you need a skateboard complete with all the trimmings and don't want to just buy something off the shelf, why not check out the sick selection and prices at warehouseskateboards.com – they will have you off and rolling quicker and cheaper than you can ever imagine.

Don't walk when you can roll and don't pay more than you need to. Shop online and save, just be safe when you ride, OK?

Vegas, Baby

I wanted a very simple video editing solution for the PC - looking for something that is the equivalent of iMovie but for my PC laptop. I was going to try Windows Movie Maker to edit, save as WMV then use a free video converter to go from WMV to MOV but I hear Sony has Vegas. It's pretty reasonable and they often run rebates with it. Can it really be the answer for $30?

MAD Magazine goes quarterly with issue #500

What? Me worry? More like what? Me worried. Been a long time since I have even seen Mad on the newstand. Come to think of it, do they even still have newstands?

This makes me miss Tower Books and their amazing magazine selection all over again. I guess tomorrow's kids will speak fondly about how The Onion was funnier when they were younger. 

MAD Magazine goes quarterly with issue me#500

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

the champagne of toasters

Sometimes when you are cooking small amounts a microwave just won't cut it and heating up the main oven is overkill. What to do? Well, perhaps turn to the humble toaster oven. They may not be as sexy as a dual-fuel self-cleaning convection oven but don't be swayed by flash and chrome, pick the right tool for the job at hand.

Take a look at this under cabinet toaster oven and tell me you need anything more. Sound good? Read all the toaster reviews and get the advice you need on buying.

Open For Mischief

[Android]

Wired Magazine is reporting of an Android phone app that makes claims of optimized use of the memory on the T-Mobile G1 phones is drawing the ire of some users who allege it's a rogue application with malicious abilities.

Read : 'Rogue' Googlephone App Raises Questions About Android's Open Policy and weigh in for yourself. Is Apple's App Store a better way to go or is the openness of Android the way of the future?

Give 'Til It Hurts

[economy]

I heard a disturbing factoid on Marketplace this afternoon on the way home. Seems that according to their sources at Slate- more money was give last year to charity from estates. That would mean more dead people gave money than the living did.

The great bulk of the giving on this year’s list comes from those who have died. An unprecedented eight of the top 11 gifts are bequests, including the late Leona Helmsley’s $5.2 billion gift.

Not a good time to be in need or for that matter, to be alive. Obama certainly has his work cut out for him, doesn't he.

houston, we have a visual

If you are like me at this point in the year you have either decided that it is too late to make a New Year's resolution or you have already broken the ones you did make. But be of good cheer, there is a Chinese new year here (2009 in case you have not heard is the year of the ox) so in a way the calendar has given us its usual cosmic do over.

So if your eyesight is as bad as mine, one resolution you may be toying with is to make this the year you move beyond glasses or contacts and look into lasik eye surgery. What's holding back? Price? Safety? Jack Holladay has been certified by a nonprofit patient advocacy group and has authored over 50 peer reviewed articles published in the field. When other doctors want to learn the procedure Jack Holladay is the one ghat teaches other doctors how to perform Lasik.
Plus, he was the past president of an international association of Lasik doctors.

A leading nonprofit patient advocacy organization has evaluated and certified Jack Holladay, MD, who provides Lasik in Houston, TX and while that might be a bit far for me, with those kind of qualifications, some travel might just be worth it.

You only get two chances to make a resolution, don't let the second one pass you by as well.

Smile When You Type That

[emoticon]





Used by Ambrose Bierce in 1887, click the link to see it in action over at Google Books. What's funny is how many times this appears to have been invented:

Vladimir Nabokov commented in an interview with Alden Whitman of the New York Times in April 1969:

Q: How do you rank yourself among writers (living) and of the immediate past?
Nabokov: I often think there should exist a special typographical sign for a smile – some sort of concave mark, a supine round bracket, which I would now like to trace in reply to your question.

Our Former Future

I am several years behind the curve but I just found this clip over at "Paleo-Future - A look into the future that never was". For a complete breakdown of the short, see the excellent post over at 2719 Hyperion.

May 14, 1958 on the Disneyland TV program there was an episode called "Magic Highway, U.S.A." It examined the past, present and future of transportation. Since the good folks at Disney are still sitting on this footage Disney watch the clip below and then wait (patiently) for a release as part of their Walt Disney Treasures collection.


Magic Highway, USA (The Commute)
by donaldtheduckie

NYC Polaroid film cache

We used to use so much Polaroid 667 film back in the lab at Davis. They probably have a thermal printer now for gel documentation but if I know BAH she still has a few pack stashed away.

"NYC Polaroid film cache"

To NYC hoarders: there are 30-40 10-packs of Polaroid 600 film at the CVS on the corner of Nassau and Fulton. Didn't catch the price but they're at the photo processing counter past the registers.

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(FYI: Polaroid announced last year that they were ending sale and production of their instant film thus people have begun to hoard film as it becomes more and more rare.)

[Via kottke.org]

Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Inkheart – Go See It!

[Inkheart]

If you have ever lost yourself in a book or wished you could lose yourself in one, you owe it to yourself to go see Inkheart. The first (?) film of a three book trilogy starring Brandon Frasier ("The Mummy") as a 'silver-tongue' one who can bring items and characters from books into the real world by reading out loud.

Some other notable names in the movie: Helen Mirren plays Elinor Loredan and Andy Serkis is Capricorn.

Inkheart (original German title: Tintenherz) is a young adult-child fantasy by Cornelia Funke, the third book in the trilogy, Inkdeath (Tintentot) was released September 28, 2007 in Germany. I think even if no more films are planned I'll be reading all three!

List of Lists

The best way to get rich or least be a hero to the masses is to take an idea that on the surface seems simple but for one reason or another hasn't been made real. On that note I point you to the latest creation from Torrez for built Listable.org to keep lists handy.

Built in Google App Engine with CherryPy so if you have a Google Account you are already able to log in and start making those lists. If you can't get rich, at least you can get organized. So what's stopping you?

are you a widget wizard

Are you a widget wizard, a master of XQuery, XML or maybe DB2? Maybe you are a student just getting started in the world or maybe you already have some experience under your belt but could use a little extra cash and want to bit your skills against others in your position. If this sounds like something that you might be interested in then check out this new contest from IDUG.

IDUG is sponsoring a contest for developers of all levels, no matter if you are still in school, a weekend hobbyist or even a full time professional. They want to increase awareness and familiarity with XQuery, XML and DB2 and the contest has five separate tracks for individuals of varying skill levels. If you are feeling really productive you can enter all five tracks or just focus your energy on the track that suits you best. You know you have the talent, now it's time to show the world and make some money and some publicity for your skills.

The five tracks? They include:

Video Contest: Upload a video to be judged by the community – prizes awarded monthly

Gadget Contest: Create a small widget or gadget to be judged by the community – prizes awarded monthly

XQuery Challenge: Answer a series of questions by developing queries in XQuery. All the correct answers (answer and query structure) are entered to win larger prizes

Application Porting: Port an existing application to use XML, XQuery or DB2. Judged by a panel of judges

Application Development: Develop a brand new application using XML and or XQuery. Judged by a panel of judges

Check out the IDUG contest rules and get ready to famous. You know you have the talent, now show the world what you can do.

It's Tricky: the Bush of the 60s

Sent to you via "If Charlie Parker..."

Tricky: Scenes from a Life #71

President Nixon looking like he cares about the state of the country as George W. did on his last days. Wonder who's returning W's calls now? Think he'll be invited to speak anywhere for the money Bill Clinton did (does)?

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Rotten Plum

So today before hitting the store I thought I would go to Redplum.com
and print out a coupon. Well, almost an hour later, two browsers,
downloading their plug in and several restarts and a reboot I still
had no coupon.

Shame on redplum and their claim of macintosh support. Guess who has
already uninstalled their plugin and wont be back?

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

vienna, calling

I spend a lot of time waiting for public transportation and since that is one of the few places it seems left on Earth with public telephones you can imagine there are a few used Phone Cards left behind. I really admire the artwork and design that go into their production, with their graphics and names like, "Mega Clean & Stable" "Europe Blue" and "Bahrat Baat".

I used to think that Prepaid Phone Card were just for people without a fixed phone line but recently found out that friends of ours have decided that rather than pay for a long distance line from their house they instead use Calling Cards or their mobile phones when they need to make an out of state call.

If you are looking to save money, don't just buy any Prepaid Phone Card, do your research and see who offers high quality, low rates combined with practical features like auto recharge, and speed dialing. Be sure to check out the frequent buying points program, too. This has been a sponsored post.

Train in Vain

[economy]

I know things are tough all over but this is one story I haven't read in the papers: cuts at Microsoft, particularly in their simulator division.

Reports are the Microsoft-owned developers responsible for the Microsoft Flight Simulator series as well as the upcoming Microsoft Train Simulator have been whacked hard by all the latest round of job cuts. One of the worst reports even suggests that everyone in connection with Flight Simulator was let go.

Not a good sign, indeed.

get started – start a fire

If you are looking to buy or sell unique handmade gifts then you should check out the new and exciting interactive artisan community, Artfire.com – it's fast, fun and best of all: it's FREE.

Artfire.com lets users to list their creations, with pictures, with no fee. A basic user account allows sellers to list up to 10 items at a time for absolutely free. There are no insertion fees, no picture fees, no final valuation fees. This can't be stressed enough: there are no fees.

Join now and Artfire, in partnership with Trees for the Future will plant a tree for every free member who joins. Take a look and see what they have then turn that hobby into cash. No fees and a free tree, what's not to like?

That'll Buy a Lot of Burritos

Lunch no doubt will be on Joseph Shields and Thomas Rinks as a San
Francisco based federal appeals court has ruled that Taco Bell is
indeed on the hook for $42 Million dollars to the two co-creators of
TV's most famous talking Chihuahua.

A judge had ruled in favor of the pair years ago but Taco Bell tried
to claim it was their advertising agency, TBWA Chiat/Day that was
responsible for creating the ads.

[via SJMerc: http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_11542223]

The Macintosh Turns 25

[Apple]

Enjoy the retro goodness of the OS X 10.7 - the Anniversary Edition. No word if it come with Dark Castle pre-installed, but one can hope.

I suppose you can also call this the "Steve's Out of the Building," edition as well.

bank shot

If you are like me and rarely if ever go a physical bank then you really should give a thought to an Online Savings Account. Your money is already being stored, 'in the cloud,' so why not get the best rate you can for it?

All the convenience and more money at the end of the day, what is here not to like. At the least, check it out and see how going fully on line compares to your current situation.

This has been a sponsored Money Tip
Sponsor:
Compare the Best Online Savings Account Rates, CD Rates (Certificate of Deposit Rates), Online Checking Account Rates, Credit Card Rates, Mortgage Refinance Rates and Bank Reviews.

Mink and Pearls

I think MGM has seen my dreams before I have had them. Take this
example from Guys and Dolls over on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJxjdsD4aWM

Thank me tomorrow morning.

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Adventures in American Filmmaking #113

Great director Howard Hawks with his star Angie Dickenson. Being the director, clearly he has to keep an eye on the cast, right?

Adventures in American Filmmaking #113

Howard Hawks sizes up Angie Dickinson on the set of Rio Bravo. (1959)

[via "If Charlie Parker..."]

And here I only knew Ms. Dickinson from Police Woman fame. Clearly born too late!

Emoji Icons in SMS on the iPhone

For the low price of just a buck, you too can have access to the Japanese keyboard. Read how, where and just what icons you'll get for $1. 

emoji icons in SMS on the iPhone without hacking your phone

 [via TUAW] 

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Multi Disc Sets

Interesting that netflix seems to understand that when you have added all of a multi disc set you don't get disc two even if that would be the next available.

Unless of course you specifically ask for disc two *before* disc one.

Must drive them crazy to be sitting on all those later MI-5 discs when everybody is hoarding disc one. Possibly almost as much as it annoys me. Wonder if that much is revealed on the fist disc if the new series?
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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Arabic Language Versions of International Brands

chilis2
Originally uploaded by graphicology

From 'Drawn.ca' and 'The Ministry of Type' comes two Flickr sets devoted to showing the different between the original English and the resulting translation into Arabic. I particularly like how this one seemed to keep the playful font (?) and style of the original.

Not so sure how the margarita neon plays for the locals, however. Or does 'what happen on holiday' stay on holiday?

leap into the new year with LeapFish

Predictions are not just for psychics anymore, there in lots of places and now they have come to the next generation of web searching with LeapFish. I am sure you have seen the predictive nature of software already, software that seems to know what you are thinking even as you type it. Maybe you have already come to rely on it with your Blackberry or iPhone, how many words do you know you don't even have to finish typing because the operating system is able to think faster than you can type. You probably have it in the browser you are using right now – go ahead and click in the URL field and type a few letters. See how it is trying to guess what you are trying to tell it?

Now Ben Behrouzi and the LeapFish team at dotnext have applied that same idea and created a new click-free search interface that starts delivering search results right as you type. Call it search 2.0 and see how it captures the relevancy and the variety of the web with a new click-free search interface. One of the world's fastest search services with effectively instantaneous results as you enter your search term.

Better still, LeapFish is a multi-dimensional search engine combining the best
of the web in one single search. Now your favorite search engine can be all of them – LeapFish.com extracts the variety of data from all the big major online destinations, including Google, YouTube, Ebay and others in a single step. You aren't being unfaithful, your making your favorite search destination better.

Try it in a head to head competition and see if you don't agree. Leave the search button to the past and enjoy instantaneous results on-the-fly with LeapFish.

_____

Costo Peeled Garlic: Yea or Nay?

[garlic]

On the plus side, it's cheap, ready to use and thus we'd be more likely to use more. On the m8inus side, I hear it is not as flavourful and will no doubt go bad before we use it all.

Besides, buying garlic from China when we have Gilroy nearby just seems, well, like a big fat carbon boot print. Not unlike my Italian Kiwis from trader Joe's were. Sigh.

Let's open the phone lines!

Magnify Sector 7J. Magnify. Magnify. There!

[Obama]>

David Berman made a 1,474-megapixel photo during President Obama’s Inaugural Address showing the nearly two million people who watched him take the oath of office with a Gigapan Imager clamped to the railing on the north media platform. The Gigapan, in case you are like me and have never heard of it, is a robotic camera mount that allows one to take multiple images and stitch them together.

The final photo is made up of 220 Canon G10 images and the file is 59,783 X 24,658 pixels or 1,474 megapixels. After more than six and a half hours for the software to stitch together all of the images on a Macbook Pro the final TIFF file is just shy of 2 gigabytes.

Use the controls to zoom and pan around the photo. You can also double click to zoom in and double click again to get even closer.

The headline is a Blade Runner quote in case you are wondering, see the movie and tell me we are not there, at least in terms of imaging.

riddles, enigmas and art

For some odd reason I have always been fascinated by Tarot Cards - not sure why, if it is the artwork, the idea of telling the future or what, I guess I can thank my Grandmother who used to read cards but mysteriously stopped. Never could get her to say why, my sister said it was because she (correctly) predicted something bad for someone and didn't want to be in that position again.

Thanks to Drawn.ca I now have a link to a collection of cards ranging from pop culture to art brut ones, more than enough to inspire and intrigue my inner artist. However, when I am done with that and I want to scratch my itch to learn more about "The Occult," I go to The Occult Blogger - a discussion hub for all the hidden and paranormal aspects of life. Think X-Files, just not on TV.

We Are the Robots.txt

Andre has the lowdown on the changes at the new Whitehouse website:

Way more than you probably care to read about the new Whitehouse.gov site [...] and they're using image sprites to lighten the load.

Way more than you probably care, but oh I do. Yes I do.

Strangely, I find myself oddly caring, too. Hence, two posts down re: the Obama transition team.

Apple Still Oblivious to Netbook Opportunity

Wired News has been filled with new netbook announcements and has resorted to this to get apple off their backsides. Can we get the emate back now? The iPhone/iPod touch proved the Newton platform has new legs, why not fill out the product matrix?

Apple Still Oblivious to Netbook Opportunity

Apple is still stalling on offering a netbook — the hottest product category of 2008.

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BTW: if an Apple netbook (nBook?) is going to be based on iPhone tech, can we *please* have copy/ paste?

Sent with all due respect from Newton 2.0b (iPod Touch)

6-year-old Microsoft Software

The Washington Post reported today that the obama new media team found
outdated software and few laptops. A heartening bit of information,
the team is "accustomed to using macintosh computers."

I knew there were many reasons to like these people. And to think it
all started with their logo.

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

party like it's 2009

Next to the Super Bowl, the biggest television viewing opportunity when I was growing up was the Academy Awards. The movies, the possibility of train wreck fashion, the best of Hollywood royalty. Of course, back in 1977 I thought George Lucas was robbed when Star ward failed to win Best Picture. I think I was a little hazy on how the awards were handed out, since Star Wars was not even nominated for that category, but I digress.

We never really did up the house and invited other people over, so there was never much call for decorations or Oscar party recipes but the idea has always been in the back om mind, either to have a party or go to a fabulous party like the ones shown at celebrations.com – I think I still know where my velvet tuxedo jacket is....

Memory Lane

Was cruising the internet when I came across this question regarding an old (old) video game.

Trying to remember a video game: you were traveled the world popping red balloons with a rope gun. Anyone remember this game?

Thankfully, it was an older thread so the answer(s) were already there. I was racking my brain but help had already arrived: Buster Brothers but apparently it was also known as Pang.

Amazing how the internet can raise questions and answer them all in the same thread, isn't it?

TV Smarts

[DirecTV]

This evening while watching the new 90210 (Brenda can't have kids, Adrianna is pregnant!) our DirecTV box told me that the remote batteries were running low. When did home electronics get so smart and if they are so smart why is it letting me watch the new 90210.

Seriously, I wonder who is watching this new version? Fans from the (urk) old days? The 'kids'? Both? And which is the worse scenario? This is almost as bad as the mothers who took their daughters to the last Duran Duran concert. :)

the great backyard

When we moved from a condo to a house, I was excited to have our own yard, no matter how much work the uptake might be. I grew up with a house that sat on more than two acres and knew how much work that was to maintain, as rough around the edges as we kept.

What I never knew until I experienced it first hand was just how much life goes on, even in such a tiny little space. We knew with the yard cats there would never be a shortage of things to look at but it turned out to be so much more. Raccoons and possums on the odd night and a parade of birds in the orange tree (and feasting on the fresh grass seed where I tried to reseed the lawn).

The previous owners had a hummingbird feeder as well as one of the more traditional varieties but when I saw the kinds they have at the Bird Houses Outlet Shop I am thinking maybe we should 'upgrade' to a better home – or is that a home away from home – for our backyard guests of the flying persuasion.

Take a look and see for yourself, you too may find something for your yard or balcony or what have you. Be a friend to birds and the friendship you gain in return will never cease to amaze and amuse you – this has been a sponsored post.

Retro “I Can Read Movies” Book Covers

I was all excited about these and was wondering why I had never seen them before. Turns out they are 'fake' and created recently. To which, I say, well done!!!

Retro "I Can Read Movies" Book Covers

Spacesick, aka Mitch Ansara has been designing some outstanding retro movie adaptation book covers. Gorgeous, clever, and hilarious. I wish they were real. They're part of his Make Something Cool Everyday set on flickr.

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Watch Hundreds of Free Films Online at NFB.ca

NFB.ca . NFB.ca is the National Film Board of Canada's new online film site that puts hundreds of animated films, documentaries, and experimental films back in front of the people that created and paid for them. They launched earlier this week and if you can get through, there are some real gems.

Watch the films in various levels of quality; embed codes for all the films on the site are available if you want to post on your site.

They seem pretty hammered right now, so until then, here's a classic from 1967, "What on Earth". (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBdrtjDsod0)

Not The Best Way to Make an Impression

Received this email in my in-box this afternoon.

From: "INVALID_ADDRESS@.SYNTAX-ERROR." <INVALID_ADDRESS@.SYNTAX-ERROR.>

Links *look* legit but better safe than sorry, I would say. Not that desperate to win $50,000 that I am going to try this. If you are braver than I, email me and I will forward you the email.

San Jose Normal School

Here's a great way to have some fun and support San Jose State University at the same time:

A Night with Beach Blanket Babylon
Benefiting SJSU Alumni Association Scholarships
Monday, March 9, 6:30-9 p.m.
California Theatre, Downtown San José

Been quite a while since I have seen their show, I bet with the election over and the budget mess in Sacramento this could be a wild one. For more information, see:
http://www.sjsu. edu/alumni/ events/beachblan ketbabylon/

ride sally ride

I jest learned from a Facebook post that my friend's first car was older than she was, a green: a 1967 mustang. Ran like crap from what I can recall but despite all that, it was a Mustang.

I think the problem was it had a catalytic converter added to at after it was build which seriously messed up the exhaust system, perhaps a trip to the Mustang Parts Store should have been the first order of business?

If memory serves, it was either sold or traded in for a Nissan? Wonder where that car is now?

License To Post

[white house]

In an interesting under the hood change the whitehouse.gov site now has third party content licensed under a Creative Content license. We are looking at the 3rd age of governance my friends.

Any guess if those Bush era missing emails will ever be found?

Balls-y

I guess since Tiffany survived the last melt-down, they must know what they are doing. Still, does anyone buy a $1,500 tennis ball can to ensure their balls are at "their optimum playing temperature whilst on the court."

via copyranter by copyranter on 1/19/09

• products we could probably all make-do without: the Tiffany $1,500 sterling silver tennis ball can.

opportunistic infection

The front page of our local paper's business section today was a warning about a new Trojan Horse that is currently been circulation with the subject line containing words to the effect that, "Obama has decided not to go through with today's inauguration".

The site then takes you to a very professional but bogus version of the Obama campaign Web site. A single click on any link on the bogus site will open a door for a worm computer scientists have labeled W32.Waledac, which can then harvest all manner of sensitive information from your computer.

Experts are predicting the site could cause problems for a PC that doesn't have up-to-date security patches which is why it is critical that users at least try this Free antivirus removal.

Every day is a new day for the scammers and it only takes one day to slip up and let them through your defenses. Be sure to always stay vigilant and keep your data and your PC safe. I have had my credit card numbers stolen and have worked with people who have had their entire identity stolen. In this day and age can you be sure you won't be next?

Rebuilding America: Brick by Brick

[Obama]

Wish I knew more about who built this, my guess would be the master builders at one of the Legolands, given that when I was in Carlsbad, CA in 2000 there was a tug of war (motorized!) display like this on the steps of the Capitol.

I thought this part of Obama's address was quite telling and important as we move forward into 2009:

"And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government."

iLife '09 upgrades:business not religion

In an Apple statement, customers who purchased a qualifying Mac "...on or after January 6, 2009, that does not include iLife '09, [may] upgrade to iLife '09 for $9.95US."

What is a "qualifying computer?" Find the full list here, the short answer is you'll have to check your machine's model number. There's even a list of qualifying refurbished machines. The offer will end on March 28, 2009. 

I know the pre-system 7 days of one mac = a lifetime of free system software are long past but this still smacks of opportunism. Maybe that's why I still use version 1 of the touch system software. Anyone know if you can use iTunes gift cards to buy the upgrade? At least that way you can get a (Costo) discount?

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch 1.0)

sunday supliment

The winter holidays may have passed but for many across the United States that doesn't mean the weather has gotten any better, in fact, for much of the US I would say it is colder now than it was in December. We have been watching and listening to all that is going on in Washington D.C. and all the people standing outside for the concerts, the parades and the (I will assume) inauguration itself and have the reoccurring thought, "I hope those people are dressed warmly and are in good health, otherwise they are going to be paying for days and weeks for the, admittedly once in a lifetime chance to see the swearing in of our newest President.

One good way to augment your natural good health is by eating right and taking vitamins to make up for the important nutrients you may not be getting in your diet. However, for those that prefer herbal supplements – an all natural alternative to harsh, chemically manufactured vitamins– they may be interested in GreenPath herbal supplements, with the power of Chlorella, made with only organic compounds that exist naturally.

As your doctor or pharmacist if these supliments are right for you, while they are designed to work naturally with you and keep your body performing at peak efficiency, it is always best to check and be sure. Greenpath Supplements website may contain statements that have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. GreenPath Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

A Bite Out of Apple: HP's Business Netbook Dazzles

Sent from Wired news:

HP's Business Netbook Dazzles With Dullness

Think netbooks aren't serious business machines? Think again. HP's 2140 Mini is meant to kick ass at spreadsheets and costs less than $500.

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Apple better have a mini MacBook up their sleeve or a iPhone tablet - otherwise it's going to be the 90s again with Apple targeting the wealthy and the faithful and neglecting the emerging market. Remind anyone of Detroit v. Japan battle from the 70s?

Swear An Oath

At next week's swearing in ceremony, President-elect Barack Obama will use the Bible that Abraham Lincoln used in 1861 at his inauguration. See this Wall Street Journal piece on which Bibles, and for some, what verses other U.S. presidents chose.

George Washington apparently used a random page, FDR used 1 Corinthians 13:11 ("When I was a child..."), JFK kept the family bible closed. Be sure to read the comments, too. I particularly like the guy who suggested Obama should go off in a new direction -- use a downloaded version on a Kindle. (!)

pick up a spare

One of the joys of an older car is not just how much money you can save on insurance and car payments, bust sometimes just having the simple joy of working on your own car on the week ends. Of course it helps a bit to know what you are doing, although if you are like me, no doubt you will be doing it enough to get really good at it over time.

Of course you will need a good source of car parts and depending on the make, model and year of your car that can be a bit tricky. Which is why you really should find out if there is a 24/7 Spares, the UK's Top Online Car Parts Network close by that you can get to.

Even if they are not as close as you like, it only takes a minute to fill out a request for parts, it's even faster if you enter your vehicle Registration/Number Plate so they can use DVLA registration database to target their search to just your particular make and model. Want to save even more, look for used car parts and save the Earth and your wallet. Used parts are environmentally friendly and green and are pre-tested so you know you are getting a great deal.

247 spares is the leading parts network, try them and find out why they ranked in the top ten in the hitwise category for "Automotive Shopping Online" and soon you'll be a believer, too.

Renew

I have always wondered about the recyclability of PostIt notes and now I have the answer straight from the manufacturer. Sometimes it pays to stop looking and go right to the source.

Are Post-it® Notes recyclable?

Post-it® Notes can be recycled by any mill that accepts mixed-paper recycling.

What about recyclers that don't accept Post-it® Notes?

3M works with industry associations to encourage the inclusion of Post-it® Notes in all mixed-paper recycling programs. If a recycling mill can remove inks from their paper waste, they can also remove the adhesive contained in Post-it® Notes. 3M has contracted with leading independent testing organizations like Specialized Testing Resources (STR) (the official testing facility for the USPS) to ensure the recyclability of Post-it® Notes. 3M also publishes white papers to this effect and presents these papers at industry conferences to educate industry audiences about the recyclability of Post-it® Notes.

A Steak In Our Future

Black Angus Franchise 1969
Originally uploaded by thesharegallery

I read in today's paper that Black Angus has filed for bankruptcy protection. We haven't eaten at this or any other steak house in quite a few years but I would be sorry to see the go away.

Are they still known as Stuart Anderson's Black Angus any more? As a youngster, when we would dine there I always thought the SA on the cartoon cow was for Sacramento. Imagine my confusion when we went to a different location and saw the same 2 letters!

The high-backed booths and low light always spelled pure class, wonder if all of their locations looked like the one near Sunrise Mall?

loaner car

Even though most big cities are getting better and better when it comes to public transportation, there are still times when you really do need to own your own car. Medical emergencies, child care issues, or just a simple need to get out of your rut and head out some place off the beaten track. Some of the best historical sites in England are just not tube or taxi available. Sure you could hire a car for those days but in an emergency situation? That's when having a car beats just having a ride.

But how does a person with poor or marginal credit to about getting a loan? You probably have hard how the credit crunch is tighten the money banks have to loan. Well, all that money can't sit at a bank for ever - they have to loan money to make money and while the money for houses is still a bit tight, Car loans are smaller and therefor generally a bit less risky to a skittish bank.

But how to find the best one for you? I would try Rainbow, their ability to search for the best lender with the an interest rate to tailored to your personal finance needs! All with no fee! Get a quick decision now. Personal loans up to £250,000

Don't Need "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

A welcome political note from 'The Language Blog' which normally covers more scholarly matters. Although in this case there seems to be a nice overlap. On a personal as well as a tactical level, can't say I agree more with this decision. Score another win for brains over idiology for team O. 

No more "don't ask, don't tell"

(the oft) commented ... foolishness of the US policy of discharging badly needed Arabic interpreters and other soldiers who reveal that they are gay. It looks like this won't be coming up again. President-elect Obama has now definitively stated that he will eliminate the current "don't ask, don't tell" policy. It won't happen immediately though as a change in legislation is required.

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Ricardo Montalban Dead at 88

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Sent to you via Google Reader

Ricardo Montalban Dead at 88

During his entry into Hollywood Ricardo Montalban lost a part playing a Mexican to John Garfield (in Tortilla Flat), but he never lost his regal bearing, even when hawking coffee and Chryslers. Best known for his work on Fantasy Island and Star Trek, his early career in films was marked by highlights like a turn as an Argentinian polo player in the Esther Williams musical Neptune's Daughter and the fine film noirs Border Incident, directed by Anthony Mann, and John Sturges' Mystery Street, where he played 1950's version of the kind of forensic detective that's currently tromping all over the airwaves.

You can read an obituary here.

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Steve Jobs Takes Medical Leave From Apple

Wired News reports:

Steve Jobs Takes Medical Leave From Apple

Steve Jobs plans to take medical leave until the end of June to deal with the health problems. Apple COO Tim Cook will head the company in Jobs' absence.

First "The Prisoner" dies and then "Mr. Rourke" (Fantasy Island) dies. Is this Steve's getting workers and investors ready for the eventual change. Or is this the beginning of the end. I am going to check the stock price, I'll be right back. 

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Sent from this side of the void (for now)

Suzanne Ciani: Welcome to Xenon

If that phrase brings back fond memories and fantasies, turn off the
Aldo Nova LP, get some quarters and then sit back, relax and check out
this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC8O5HPvfsg

So popular even tom servo on MST3K quoted it once. Wonder what Ms.
Ciani is doing now?

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

you, two (point oh)

For those at work, please not that links in this post connect to a site that may display real images of before and after plastic surgery - some images may be rated M for Mature.

In the 1976 movie, Logan's Run there was a store front called The New You. If you are around my age you will remember it for the (then) Farrah Fawcet Majors telling the hero that on addition to the other cosmetic work he was planning on having done he should also ask "for green eyes". Made quite an impact on me, perhaps not so much on you.

Well, on many respects the future predicted is alter here. True, we use coloured contact lenses to change eye colour but just about every other aspect of a person can be altered, from the shape of your nose to breast reduction and as such can come as close as possible to keeping the never ending youthful look you have today.

Make Yourself Amazing , or MYA, are some of the most renowned breast enhancement specialists on the Continent and offer the full range of surgical and non-surgical procedures. With competitive finance packages and a national network of consultation centres across the UK. If you are one of the thousands who are troubled by one or more parts of your body, you should know that this can have a serious affect on your confidence which can further impact on your life, career as well as your general disposition.

Why not see why stars from Big Brother and Shipwrecked trusted John Ryan's over 25 years of expertise to handle their surgery and after care to MYA.

Can't Find the Off Button?

Tim Goodman on KFOG said that the average American watches tv for EIGHT HOURS AND EIGHTEEN MINUTES a day. It was a bit better when they
explained that was per household and not each person but my goodness that a TON of tv.

Probably doesn't count Playstation and Wii time, either. Sheesh, what a load of wasted time and brain cells.

OK, back to blogging, ha ha.

Free Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

A retro moment to help make it unril rhe end of the week thanks to a link from the good folks at Drawn! You may remember the tv show I'd the movies but see how it all got started. I remember these when I shoppes at NEC. 

Free Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Retro! A fairly comprehensive online collection of the classic 80s comic books by Eastman and Laird.

Thanks Drawn and thanks, Brenden

who loves you baby

Meeting new people is never easy, particularly when you are new in town. Some towns are friendlier than others even given their relative sizes.
On the west coast I would have to say in terms of friendliness, Portland Oregon would come out either at or near the top. Great public transportation means lots of chances for that chance encounter or to make a commute buddy. Lots of great restaurants and places for coffee and live music for another place to meet or take a date to.

But why rely on pure chance or your friends when you can harness the power of the Internet and Great Expectations. By looking at profiles of people who are themselves looking makes the odds so much better and Great Expectations pre-screens the members via background checks so you aren't going onto a meeting blind. Relax and know the people you'll meet are more likely to be that special someone and make that dream or love come true.

And Great Expectations is not just limited to the Portland area, they also have sites in many city areas with one sure to be near you, whether that be Great Expectations - Long Island, NY or Los Angeles, CA.

With 30 years of experience, a online as well as many physical locations (where you'll find a Member Services department to provide customer service and attend the many local events). Why not let Great Expectations make 2009 the year you'll both remember for a long time, as they say, "Real singles. Real Relationships. Real Results."

Daveland: Trip to Disneyland: April 1965, Pt. 6

Amazing how Adventure land really has not changed much over the years. Or at least the Enchanted Tiki Room hasn't, anyways.

Enjoy this pictures, courtesy of Daveland Blog and be sure to check out all his retro Disney images!

Trip to Disneyland: April 1965, Pt. 6

via Davelandblog by Davelandweb on 1/11/09

Adventureland...sounds so exciting, and yet, of all the lands, Adventureland had the fewest amount of attractions when the park first opened. Our Debbie-Downer-Duo are checking out the Maui Fountain in the Courtyard of the Enchanted Tiki Room. They do seem to be mesmerized by this hi-tech gizmo! Here's a shot of Maui today:




See more vintage & current Adventureland photos at Daveland.

Cookies and Milk

[kelloggs]

As promised, here is the word from the Kellogg's PR site. I guess you can't get more official than this!

Kellogg Company today announced that it is acquiring the trademarks and recipes of Mother's Cake & Cookie Co., a regional brand with a loyal consumer following in the Western U.S. Kellogg did not purchase any other assets of the company. The closing is expected to be finalized on December 4.

"Mother's Cookies' brands are a complementary fit to our existing cookie portfolio," said David Mackay, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kellogg Company. "We will use our brand-building and innovation expertise, our understanding of the cookie category as well as our existing distribution infrastructure to grow the Mother's Cookies business.

Now I supposed the obvious followup question is will they keep the 'passionate purple package'?

money we can believe in

One of the best investment a parent, or perhaps better yet, the student themselves can make is investing in your education. Study after study has shown that the higher a degree one has the greater the salary you can earn. Even when you factor in the head start the non-college bound have in the earning world, after a few years the individual with the degree pulls and stays ahead of the earning curve.

And with today's economy, going back to school can be the best option to the changes in the job market. Still, if you can find scholarships to help defray (of fully pay the way), the sooner you'll be in the black and making what you deserve.

The question then is where to find these free college scholarships? Why not start your search at ScholarshipPoints.com - with monthly giveaways of $10,000 available, one of their free scholarships is bound to be yours soon.

At ScholarshipPoints.com members earn points by completing simple, fun and addictive activities. Each point earned is worth one entry into the free scholarship of your choice. When you have enought points. enter them into multiple scholarships, or you can use all your points towards one free scholarship to increase your chance of winning.

Have fun, stay in school and let someone else pay for it. This has been a sponsored post.

Slingbox and the iPhone

The headline over at TUAW this morning:

Sling getting serious about the iPhone

Reminded ne that I just don't understand the point of their product line. OK, maybe the shut video from one room in your house to another has its appeal but to stream it to your phone? So you can watch tv in your Utah hotel room. Bring a book or discover what people in other places watch. Have a walk, write some overdue email. 

Sling Media says they are submitting it to the app store in this quarter. They are also providing a form so you can send in your email address and be notified when it becomes available if you do care. 

Maybe this is like a TiVo and until you have one you just don't get it, go ahead and convince me, Sling. You know where to send me one. 

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Welcome to MacIntosh

Looks like the "long wait" netflix predicted was off by a touch. I added this on sunday after reading about it debuting (?) at macworld. Hope it is as good as it sounds. Maybe the next helvetica?

Stay tuned. I'll let you know. 

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Netflix Shipping <discship@netflix.com>
Date: January 12, 2009 6:34:19 PM PST
Subject: For Tue: Welcome to MacIntosh
Reply-To: info@netflix.com

Get Your Lifehacker Tips for Windows 7 Beta

For the Windows set who have some time to kill. From what I hear 7 is Vista, fixed and improved. I thought that was called XP. 

Get Your Windows 7 Beta Product Key [Windows 7]

...detailed instructions for getting your Windows 7 beta product key. Here, in brief:

Step 1: Log onto [technet.microsoft.com]

Step 2: Copy (don't CLICK!) one of the links below to the address bar and press Enter.

32-Bit key: [www.microsoft.com] (Copy and Paste!)

64-bit key: [www.microsoft.com] (Copy and Paste!)

Step 3: If you receive an error, just press CTRL+ F5 (non-cache reload) to refresh. (you may have to refresh more than 10 times before you receive the key).

Thanks to Digerati for blazing this trail!

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

time and tide

There was a recent column in our local paper about the number of electronic gadgets people have in their homes. The author mentioned one fellow who commented that when he went off to college he had but one: an electric coil to heat up the water in his tea mug. The author himself said he had four when he was in college, circa 1985: a calculator, a Walkman, a CD player and an IBM Selectric typewriter.

Contrast that to today and the many, many gadgets we can't even leave the house without: phones, iPods, laptops and much more. The newest trend seems to be taking a page from the new Macbook from Apple (and before that the Apple iPhone) - the non-removable battery. Which to my mind makes these things seem even more disposable than they already were. Don't repair them when they die, just toss them out because they were no doubt already obsolete a year or two back.

Isn't it nice to know that there are still some things that you can own that can and should be passed down to the next generation, things like quality timepieces, specifically grandfather clocks. Something classic and will be an heirloom you can be remembered for. Still on the fence? Read this Grandfather Clock Blog post and see how even in today's time a tall clock is still relevant in making a house a home.

Tell me if this wouldn't look stunning in (our) entry hall?

1-800-4clocks has clocks like this and more, see the Howard Miller collection for other great options and get something that doesn't rely on chips and batteries or temporary fashion.

Mother's Day

You may remember a post a while back about the closing of Oakland's
"mothers cookie" plant and the end to circus animal cookies. Well word
is kellogs has bought the recipes and should be making them again
(soon!).

Some treats don't deserve to go extinct, particularly the pink and
white kind. Hope you are as happy as I am about this, links when I can
find an official report.
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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Last Week

Seems unreal that this is the last week of the Bush administration. Where has the time gone? Can you believe it really has been 8 whole years?

Maybe we should ask a polar bear, if they think it was a long time in coming. There are still a few here and there that might be able to take your questions if they are not too hungry.

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

weather the storm

When I lived on the east coast I had a wonderful long wool coat that I would drag out every winter and look at, wondering if this would be the year I would get to wear it more than just the once a year trip to my flat mate's mother's house for Thanksgiving Dinner. Only once did I have a second use out of it and that was when I had a friend take me to the Symphony after their date fell through.

You see, the problem was not that the coat was too thin, it was that I was not too sure how waterproof it was since it was made of wool and for the most part I was on my bike those days and wearing a woolen greatcoat was not really too practical.

Despite the fact I have for the most past hung up my bike for daily commuting, that coat is now too warm for west coast living. With all the rain we have been having, I was thinking a nice raincoat would make more sense, something more like this: from Sanyo, with all the form, function and durability you have come to expect from one of the top names in the mens raincoat design. Looks rather 'Edwardian,' don't you think? Or have I been watching the BBC's Doctor Who Christmas Special and fancy myself as dashing as David Tennant?

The Cost of Christmas

So the holiday season is oficially over, even 12th night and Elvis'
birthday if that's your thing and I think this is the first year for
many a year that I never saw someone calculate the cost of the 12 Days
of Christmas.

You know, where they tally up the costs of the golden rings, French
hens, leaping lords and the like.

Or did I just miss it?

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Lawrence Lessig on the Colbert Report

Sent to you via a very Creative Commoner, it's the me remix you knew was bound to happen. I am curious how long this actually took from viewing to posting. 

Lawrence Lessig on the Colbert Report

Yes Virginia, it has already been remixed into a song,

Seven features that make the Palm Pre better than the iPhone

Sent to you via an iPod touch (non-ironically)

Seven features that make the Palm Pre better than the iPhone

Read the whole thing but these stood out the most:

• It runs Linux 

• There will be an official app store, but you can still load other apps. Probably.

• It's got multitouch, Apple patents be damned.

All this and copy paste, too. Apple, start your photocopiers.