Saturday, February 28, 2009

"There Must Be Some Way Out of Here"

Don't want to be a spoiler so forgive the cryptic nature. Anyone else
think the notes could be a star map?

What is it called when you hide data? Stegography?

Friday, February 27, 2009

NBC.com Fails Me

So for a very strange reason today I was trying to remember what TV show the reviewer for the Sacramento Bee used to hate so much. I thought about it all lunch and then it hit me, "The Single Guy".

I wondered if time had been kind to this show, Wikipedia put it at 2 seasons starting in 1997. Well, seems there is no place to watch TSG online. NBC.com was happy to offer me full episodes of the new Knight Rider but no Single Guy.

What good is even having an internet these days I ask you?

Thursday, February 26, 2009

all that glitters

When it comes to weddings, it seems that you can basically distill them down to two different kinds, the traditional: with white dresses, multi tiered cakes all set in a church or church like setting. Then you have the non-traditional weddings, the couple in swimwear on a Hawaiian beach, dressed like vikings at a banquet or (don't laugh, I've seen it) Vampires on a Halloween night.

Of course, you don't really have to settle for either extreme, you could just pick a small area to go your own way, say with your Wedding Rings. There's nothing that says they have to be gold and diamonds. Why not be chic and unique and get black titanium rings? Or you could be so very modern and up to the minute and gettungsten carbide rings.

Your wedding day if done right comes but once in a lifetime, do it the way you want and make it a memorable one and one that speaks to your needs and desires.

Modulate the Positive

[]

Was reading in Wired how Apple is usually the first maker to drop 'legacy' ports and was thinking they haven't had a built-in MODEM in ages and yet the cheap low-end Dell still does. Then the topic of sending a FAX came up from you computer. You still need a MODEM but found this gem: a modem emulator, if you REALLY miss that particular sound.

Flashing back to at least as late as 1997, anyone?

ticket to ride

If you heard part of President Obama's address last night then you heard him mention that just a High School Diploma was not enough for this country. He's right but I think we should all take him up on that challenge and all get some extra schooling or extra training to keep our competitive edge. In this day and age, the more education the better and for many, what better way to do it than with a no obligation, fully functional, Learning Management System that you can download today for free and give it a try for a full 30 days.

This employee Learning Management System allows you, as the administrator, an easy and well organized way to oversee your employees’ training with ease. The training tracking software enables you to follow and guide your employee training, licenses and certificates earned to ensure a team working at maximum efficiency. If you are looking for training management software made just for you, you need to see the software offered Conductor® – the most trusted training name in employee education and training tracking systems.

Stone Knives and Bear Skin

The new(?) TV.com is offering up an iPhone app that provides full
episodes of Star Trek, and clips from current shows on multiple
networks. You can have Kirk and Spock during your morning commute and
Tholians at lunch - it works with either WiFi (iPod Touch fans) or 3G.

CBS Interactive's TV.com app is a free download from the Apple App Store.

--
This was better than all the cats in Wales standing on the wall in a row.

▓▒░ Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail ░▒▓

a Zen koan:


"Hairy" Potter
Originally uploaded by idogcow
One day Chuang-tzu and a friend were walking along a riverbank. "How delightfully the fishes are enjoying themselves in the water!" Chuang-tzu exclaimed.

"You are not a fish," his friend said. "How do you know whether or not the fishes are enjoying themselves?"

"You are not me," Chuang-tzu said. "How do you know that I do not know that the fishes are enjoying themselves?"

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Happy Up Here = Happy Here


Sent to you via Kottke

Happy Up Here

News is that Royksopp just released the video for Happy Up Here, the first single from their forthcoming album, Junior.



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Ariel Stair Stare


Ariel Stair Stare
Originally uploaded by idogcow
Ariel looks into the eyes of the newest first family and asks, "you got a dog before you got a cat?"

She may not vote for you again in 2012 if you keep that up (grin).

Happy Spay Day

[]

Remember folks, always spay and neuter your animal companions. Plus, if you haven't already done so, please sign PETA's pledge to help end animal homelessness today!

Meanwhile, enjoy this message from '6' from TVs Battlestar Galactica.


Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer's
'Angel for Animals' PETA Ad

Roving Reporter

From a slow moving caltrain comes your morning graffiti report. "Jesus was a smoker."

Brought to you by a boxcar sitting just outside of Santa Clara. Thought that with this you could plan out your day accordingly.

That is all.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Overheard

Older couple holding hands riding on light-rail discussing where to go
to dinner. At first it was between Popeye's and The Sizzler but then
the possibility of HomeTown Buffet (he has coupons!) was added into
the mix.

The tension could be cut with a knife.


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Drive Of the Times

One block over from us is brand-new Smart. The other day in our local
Target parking lot I spotted two more in the space of twenty minutes.

Have yet to see one in the drive-thru of the local Starbucks I pass
every day.

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Either This Icon Goes or I Do : o_O

Twitter, my newest best friend. For now, anyway.

Monday, February 23, 2009

listen to the people for they are the ones with the money

Two recent events have me wondering if companies really take market research seriously. Just last week Facebook reverted to their older Terms of Service agreement after massive user protest and today I read that Pepsi's Tropicana unit will be ... reverting to the old Tropicana OJ containers.

Seems the dramatic about-face came after numerous consumer complaints about the makeover via letters, e-mail messages and telephone calls, asking for a return of the original look. Some even went as far as to described the new packaging as "ugly" or "stupid," and resembling "a generic bargain brand".

"Do any of these package-design people actually shop for orange juice?" the writer of one e-mail message asked rhetorically. "Because I do, and the new cartons stink."



Sounds like somebody should have used market research software from 360 degree software before paying for the changes and now paying to change them back. If I was an investor I certainly would be asking the board some hard questions of these two companies.

overhead covered

When it rains in Northern California for more than a few days some hope we can stop thinking about the drought situation while others start thinking about the amazing ski conditions that are no doubt lining up in the Sierra Nevada's if one could just get to them and back down the mountain safely and in a timely manner. Me? I start thinking about the roof over our heads. Probably stemming from the fact that about ten years ago I had a roof collapse in a condo I was living in. In fact, it was the roof just above the foot of my bed. Never been a fan of flat roofs since then and still do not like to hear the sound of dripping water.

Back on the East Coast, roof maintenance is a much more serious matter, with the snow and ice storms. Which is why just about everyone I know in the DC Metro area has a 'roof guy' that they know they can call. If you are looking for Roofing installation in Washington DC or Roofing Contractors in Arlington, VA you should see what people are saying about the people and services out there.

For Roof Repair 20136, knowing ahead who to call can be the difference between a minor annoyance and a major bill.

81st Academy Awards - 2009 Oscars In Memoriam Tribute

This year's Oscar(tm) memorial tribute to the men and women who died this past year. Queen Latifa sings, "I'll Be Seeing You". Bet you see more than a few names you never knew or forgotten had died.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW5XT9cNgZk


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Auld Lang 'Sine'

Today the language log takes on chummy spam emails proving again their wicked sense of humour. Read the details at "A long time since we did not meet".

I heard from cindy today. She would do well to join Becky in going to night school in grammar. Her message began thus:

Hi there!
It has been long time since we did not meet. I hope everything is okay with you.

She barely needed to continue by saying she had recently "found a great medicine shop on the net…"; I could see that coming. It certainly has been a long time since we did not meet, cindy. And I hope it will be a long time before we do not meet again.



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Sunday, February 22, 2009

Disney Change


Disney Dollars – then and now
Originally uploaded by although
“Although they’ve definitely seen a few coats of paint and various decorations over the years, it would appear that the streetlamps are still original.
[...]

I was looking for my own picture of the Disneyland street lights but I seem to have let it scroll off the Flickr set. So instead you get to see how the ‛money‛ at Disneyland has changed in just under 20 years.

Continue reading about the construction of Disneyland at incomparable Davelandblog: http://davelandblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/disneyland-construction.html

UPDATE:Main Street USA I found my street lamp picture!

change agent

With the way the market is changing these days about all you can be sure of is that nothing is staying the way it used to be. Remember the phrase, "not your Father's _____," well that applies to just every aspect of sales and marketing now.

The newspaper industry is struggling to survive and even television now has to adapt with sponsorships to avoid the skipping of ads, assuming of course that people are even watching TV like they used to and not just downloading shows. Which is why if you are trying to sell a product or an idea it is vital that you find yourself an internet marketing company.

One of the few places where people still see ads and respond to them is on the internet meaning Search Optimization has become key. If you want your products to rank well and outrank your competitors then SEO & Internet Marketing needs to be a part of your ongoing marketing efforts for your company. Charlotte SEO, the SEO company you can trust to work with you and make you a top contender, because in this market, often only the top one or two will survive.

Classic Mac OS on iPhone

Don't have, need, or want an iPhone but the ability to do this warms my heart. The need to have it run on a jailbroken phone only makes me wonder again why apple won't treat users like adults instead of sheep. 

Classic Mac OS emulator for jailbroken iPhones

 Mini vMac for iPhone [...] is a trip for the nostalgic Macheads out there. Mini vMac is an open source Mac Plus emulator that has now been ported to the iPhone (a regular OS X version exists as well).

It emulates a 4MB Mac Plus; [...], it allows you to scroll to show the full display and even load Mac OS disk images and run classic Mac software.

Mini vMac for iPhone requires a jailbroken iPhone, and can be loaded by adding the namedfork.net repository to the Cydia installer as described on the main page. You'll also have to round up a Mac Plus ROM image and disk images of any applications you want to run.

[via  The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

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Saturday, February 21, 2009

the rush is on

About one hundred and fifty years ago people were singing about going "North to Alaska" in order to make their fortune on the newly discovered gold fields. Later, people moved to Alaska for the oil and even today you have people moving out of the lower 48 for the natural resources, the beauty or for the solitude.

But say you have decided to move north, or maybe move south to Mexico – how do you plan on getting there? Were you planning on packing everything in your car and hitting the highway? Slow down and look at this, the moving and storage services offered by the experts at ABF U-Pack Moving. With ABF U-Pack Moving they deliver, depending on the size of your move, a trailer or moving container (AKA a 'relocube') to your door. Pack it the way you like and ABF picks it up and delivers it to your new location where you can unpack to your desire. Prices are comparable to hiring your own rental truck but ABF does all of the driving. Less expensive than a full service mover would cost and way more convenient than a one-way rental truck, and having to drive, gas and trying to park that monster. I drove across the US in a smallest truck you can rent one-way and let me tell you, there were times that I would have been much happier in my own car and letting someone else worry about the stuff in back.

Next time if I move, I am going with a "you pack, they drive" moving service. If you are contemplating a move to Alaska or moving to Mexico, take a look at ABF.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

The Special AKA - Free Nelson Mandela

This just cam up on the Slacker radio 80s channel. I wonder how he feels when he hears this song? Sad to be reminded of the 'bad times'?

Flickr also wants me to know Amy Winehouse sang this song at his birthday, off to see if there is a recording of it I can hear.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Not At All Related To Previous Postt: Chesty and His Helpers

Some Disney War-related things to read from back when we all were part of the war effort.

Windows to the Past: Chesty and His Helpers

See "Two kindergarten students read all about Chesty, a character created by the Disney Studios in 1943 to promote the War Chest effort in Los Angeles. The children featured are Alan Vierira and Helen Ruth Barnes of the Hoover Street School."

To learn more about Chesty and to see a complete scan of the booklet that Helen and Alan are holding, check out Disney historian David Lesjak's article Chesty and His Helpers - Los Angeles War Chest at his always informative and meticulously researched blog Toons at War.

via 2719 Hyperion...
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Last Night I Dreamt I Rocked Out In My Maidenform Bra

BrandFreak and Ad Ranter have all the news you'd ever want on the latest prefab foursome. Not quite sure they have their target audience correct, but there you have it. 

Read: Bra-Brand Girl-Band.

Say that five times fast. Meet The Vassarettes, "the first and hottest bra brand band (here's the video of their first fucking awful song)." Vanity Fair hired them to rock out with their bras out as a front for their Vassarette brand bras. (via brandfreak)

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Lightning Struck a Silver Starship

Getting another reason to want a Wii with this. Just can't justify the time I could spend on this nor the money. When is the Wii2 coming?

Look at me, I am ... the Silver Surfer

One of the odder Marvel superheroes, perhaps you met him in the only good scenes from the last Fantastic Four movie. See how you can be Surfing Google Earth using a Wii Fit Balance Board

[via quantified self] & delivered by Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Sweet Sweet Pepsi Throwback

Sweet sweet sugared Pepsi Throwback

This is absolutely HUGE news...according to BevReview.com, Pepsi is introducing Pepsi Throwback (and Mountain Dew Throwback) in the United States around mid-April and instead of using high-fructose corn syrup, it will be sweetened with real cane sugar.


This puts a big dent in the HFCS lobby and their ads about how it's 'made from corn,' so it must be good for you spots, but no more waiting for Passover or buying soda in the Mex markets.
How soon until coke returns fire? Perhaps that's why the current formula has dropped the 'classic' moniker?

Let the stockpiling begin! (via Jason & serious eats)



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international rescue - the ISIC card

IsicWhat If I told you there was a single card that you could carry that would instantly get you $15 off at The Hard Rock Cafe, a ten dollar admission into the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and 11% off at Macy's? What if I told you you could get this card for as low as $22? To makes things even sweeter you can now use the card at home, while traveling abroad, even online.

Well, there is such a card, the International Student Identity Card or ISIC. Carry the only internationally recognized and accepted student ID card. In addition to the deals mentioned above, the ISIC comes with thousands more discounts at top retail stores and websites and travel insurance to cover you while you're away. This thing will pay for itself within an afternoon if you travel like we do, fast and frugally.

There is a version for Youth, for Students and now for Teachers (Full-time teachers and faculty teaching for the academic year at an accredited institution with a minimum 18 hours per week and at least one of one year employment to qualifies) so just about everyone can find a card that will work for them. The cost of foreign currency has gone down a bit when compared to the dollar and flying remains relatively cheap if you can pack lightly and be flexible about dates and times. With the Open Skies legislation finally working its way across the globe, there really hasn't been a better time to travel. Why not do it soon while you are young and able, there are a million reasons to travel and expand your mind, why not save some money and stay longer with this card?

-30-
Post?slot_id=31376&url=http%3a%2f%2fsocialspark

It Has Finally Happened

Introducing a blog that publishes itself. See it all for yourself and be a part of tomorrows post at Site Views.

Smiling Strange

Very disconcerning, today's speaker at Grand Rounds looked very much like 'Ellen' from TVs Pete and Pete.

I have heard the actress is out if the business and has gone into healthcare so it wasn't completely crazy but this woman's name was NOT Alison but Kathleen.

So much for my theory.

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Monday, February 16, 2009

get it in writing

In this modren age it can be vitally important to get what is said at a meeting or deposition down on paper – no relying on people's bad memories or scribbled notes and with the gravity of being taken down by a court reporter. If having the sort of accuracy and legal standing is something you might find valuable the next time you have such an important meeting, then you should know who to turn to as the most trusted provider of quality and dependable court reporting services.

CourtReporterNet.com provides the one call solution to all the times you require court reporting, videography or transcription. With their innovative technologies plus a professional customer support staff, CourtReporterNet.com is sure to meet your complete satisfaction with full time online document repository, a nationwide network of court reporters and internet scheduling. Call or log on to see what they can do for you and have aleady done for so many others.

Patrick Stewart 'Soliloquy On B

Patrick Stewart gets his Hamlet on with the 'Soliloquy On B' on Sesame Street albeit in about the worst video copy I have ever seen.



Better but non-embebable version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA7lv1SDzno. Goodnight, sweet B.

chat for a cause

Looking for a safe and friendy place to meet and chat with other Christians? Free Christian Chat lets you chat with a ton of people all over the world and all for FREE. Plus you can list your webcam and people see you and/or you view them.

Register for a completely free account today, lock in that screen name you have your heart set on and begin talking and seeing all of the people already with accounts. It's free and fun, who knows who you will meet.

Denial Department

LA Times readers writing in to defend Chris Brown in the Rihanna incident. After reports surfaced that Brown injured the singer to the point where she had to be treated at a "major medical facility" after a quarrel, people went to the blogs to defend him

Read the lowlights here. I particularly liked "GIVE THE KID A BREAK IT'S HIS FIRST TIME IN HIS 4 YEAR CAREER."

UPDATE: read the best here at April Winchell's post, "St. Christopher".

paw healing

With the fires that have been raging across the Australian landscape, their unique wildlife has been in the news more than ever 'up' here in North America. The latest reports have the disaster area as more than twice the size of London. I am happy to hear that 'Sam the Koala' (as seen in the iconic photo with the firefighter giving her a drink) is "doing very, very well" according to Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter staffer Lynn Raymond.

Sam is off her pain meds but still has rather singed paws so I wonder if she and the others are getting Emu Oil as part of their treatment. Emu oil, if prepared properly, is penetrating, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, moisturizing and healing ingredient. High in Omega 3 and 6, this allows Emu Oil to quickly penetrate the skin, serving as an excellent moisturizer that can actually rehydrate the skin.

Check out the full line of skin care creams and lotions, sports creams, pain creams and see if there isn't a product right for you. This has been a sponspred post.

Simpsons HDTV

[, ]

I missed seeing last night's Simpsons on FOX (I rarely watch any more, it seems) and yet every time I fail to watch it there appears after the fact a reason to have done so.

Case in point, last night was the first broadcast in HD and with a new opening sequence. Watch the opening here and enjoy the fff. As a former ad collector, I particularly liked the ABSOLUT KRUSTY ad.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Poor Mobile Me

Am I the last person on dialup who has a Facebook account? Ye cats
that site is unusable via a modem.

Thank Goodness for the iphone version (http://iphone.facebook.com/)

21st Century Boy

Today I found out that friends are engaged and that she "said "yes" at
30K ft in front of all of the other Southwest passengers : )." via
Facebook.

Kansas Politics

Representative Scott Schwab (R-Olathe) has introduced a bill to
require politicians to gather and disclose the personal information of
small (less than $50) donors, if that politician raises more than
$1,000. This is basically the Sean Tevis Campaign Finance Bill, and it
will only affect politicians who raise their funds through
distributed, grassroots campaigns. As Tevis points out. the main
reason for campaign finance disclosure rules is to track money's
influence in politics: "You give $1 to a candidate. It's a pretty safe
bet that they won't feel indebted to you. If you give them $100, they
might. You give a candidate $1,000 they will probably drop everything
to take your call." Do Kansans have to worry that net-people who
paypalled $8.34 to Tevis will lean on him for government pork?

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/02/12/kansas-representativ.html

Saturday, February 14, 2009

follow the sun

Sitting inside on a rainy Saturday with the heat on, bundled up in a blanket and reading The New Yorker when what I really should be doing is seeing what kind of a home we could afford in the islands. Honolulu Real Estate despite the global credit crunch is really still quite affordable when you really sit down and do the numbers. Sure you would have to fly back to California to do your skiing, but isn't living in paradise every day worth giving up easy access to the ski resorts of the Sierra's?

Of course, even if you don't plan on moving just yet, it is always fun to dream about it. After all, some day you just might and that day may just be closer than you think.

to air is humane

We a house we finally have the space to up up guests but what we lack is the place to have them sleep. In the old days, crashing on a friends couch or floor was just fine – heck in band in college we frequently slept in sleeping bags on gymnasium floors. If you were lucky there were wrestling mats, if not, well, you just made do.

As time goes by and the older and more spoiled you get, why not have an air matress or two to offer those guests a soft place to sleep. They may just show their appreciation by buying you breakfast the next morning.

Air Mattresses, as some hostesses would say, are a good thing.

working 'round the clock

Last night was another exciting episode of Battlestar Galactica – hard to believe they had that much action in a single sixty minute show and that sadly there are so few new episodes left. Last night we learned (stay with me here) that humans built the machines that built the machines that rebelled and killed the humans. At least I think that is what we learned, we were still talking about it as we went to bed last night. I can certainly see the appeal of having a machine work for you, and despite the risk, I think it would be a great idea.

Well, what would you say if you could have someone working for you around the clock, 24 hours a day. Someone who never took a break or wanted time off? And that not only could you have one such worker but a whole group of them? Sounds too good to be true, right?

Well, what if I told you that it wasn't a someone but a something. That would make more sense, and if you let me take a minute more of your time I would like to tell you about the amazing opportunities available with vending machines, soda machines and snack vending machines. If you are interesting in using snack Vending to add to your income, you should look at this site. Anyone comfortable enough with their service that they can offer the option to research & compare 3 kinds of vending machines without making any phone calls or having to talk to sales person knows their market and their product. Take a look and see why they have been in the news and what they can do for you.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Google's Heavy Hand on Android App Store


Seems a bit steep but maybe you can find these apps elsewhere? G1 readers chime in. 

[via Wired]

Google to Take a Hefty Cut on Android App Sales

Google's Android Market will start letting developers sell applications from mid next week. But developers can only use Google Checkout and they will have to pay 30 percent from the sale of the app as "transaction fees" to Google

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Amazon Cat-Centric Order

Items not yet shipped:
Shipping estimate: February 18, 2009
  • 1 of: The Laugh-Out-Loud Cats Sell Out
    Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC
  • 1 of: Advantage Topical Flea Treatment for Cats up to 9 Pounds (6 Applications)
    Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Young CEOs at Sea Seeing [c]

Oh Richard, must you be *so* obvious. Her eyes are up there, y'know. 

Young Sir Dick is hot for your money.

(click ad to make Branson's package bigger) Ad for Virgin Money, the financial services arm of the Virgin Group, via Sydney, Australia ad agency Bulldozer. Nice socks, Richard.


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[via copyranter]

Craft Magazine Halts Publication

Enjoy the Amy Sedaris cover as it's sawn-song.

via cathy of california

Craft10_amysedaris_cover

Insides, Cathy has an "old school" column is about centerpieces, PTA moms and lollipops.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Peanut Butter Sales Off

[]

Another tainted factory shut down and sales of peanut butter across the board are off from normal levels. I was looking at Reese's Peanut Butter Cups at the store the other day and thought I wasn't going to risk it. Can the big manufactures go after those cheaters at that industrial plant. Can we bring the company CEO up on murder charges?

I do know they would not last long if this were China.

somebody's hero

Is it just me or does the latest 2 episodes of Heroes make less sense that the russian oil stock market?

I feel like I have missed 4 or 5 shows. Seriously, I should go online and invest. Got to be more profitable than sitting in front of the TV and trying to make sense of some show that has long since had it's best days.

Monster Mash-up

I think I will just have to report this one verbatim. Big thanks to John Hodgman for spotting this new trend.

OBVIOUSLY, the title PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is itself intrinsically delightful. AND THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF LITERARY HAY MADE in literary/copyright nerd circles regarding the implications of this mash-up of the public domain and the living dead.

check please

Long ago I worked for the State of California. That summer there was a 'financial crisis,' and passing a budget for the state was just not happening. I started the job and was told that the problem would resolve itself after a week or so. Well – a week turned into two and then three and then four. Without a budget there was no money to pay new hires, in fact, I shouldn't have been hired at all due to the freeze. When I look at the news today I see exactly the same conditions and can't help wonder if there are people having the exact problem I had all those years ago. I was still in school at the time and was living at home so I wasn't too pressed for cash but had I been on my own I sure could have used one of those payday loans like they have at Payday Tree. I had a job, just no paycheck, a little money in the bank and an ever decreasing bank account.

In these tough times, payday loans can help and already have helped thousands of people every day pay off those emergency expenses. If you find yourself in a tight situation between checks, at least it is something to think about. Sometimes, just knowing your options can be a big help.

Hold Off Buying QuickTime Pro

I really hope this is true. I miss my old pro version but never saw a pressing need to buy it.

Rumor: Snow Leopard to include QuickTime Pro?

Apple will (allegedly) stop charging customers for the "Pro" features of QuickTime by rolling them into Snow Leopard.

With Apple gradually increasing the options available to the free version of QuickTime, like full screen playback mode. With the popularity of Apple's video editing software like iMovie and Final Cut, it seems that simple cut-and-paste should be free with QuickTime. Launching one of those apps just to complete a simple edit is overkill.

Fingers crossed.

Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)


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legal notice

I have been watching a lot of Burn Notice on the USA network recently and if you have too, then you know that Miami Florida is the place to be right now for the fun and carefree lifestyle. Not since Miami Vice has the state looked so good on television.

Or course, life is not always like that show on TV so when you are looking for legal representation in the Sunshine State, you should take a look at the west palm beach lawyers at Lawrence E. Brownstein, PLLC. Together they have a combined 37 years of legal experience specializing in serious personal injury and wrongful death, divorce and family law and business litigation.

So if your needs run to a divorce lawyer west palm beach or a personal injury attorney west palm beach, look to attorneys at Lawrence E. Brownstein, PLLC.

As they say, “Big Firm Experience, Small Firm Personal Service”.



personal injury attorney west palm beach

Helvetica Moleskine

Haven't used up my first but this would be cool. Maybe there will be some left by the time I get to work?

Helvetica Moleskine

The folks at the Moleskine notebook company are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the classic font, Helvetica, with a special edition (500 copies) Helvetica Moleskine.

Also of interest:

Helvetica: The Documentary Film


UPDATE: price is $198Hong Kong which is a more respectable $25.50 US. Whew.

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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

GoAnimate Boldly Goes Where No Man Has Gone Before, Thanks to CBS


Next free moment goes to this.  2010, perhaps?

GoAnimate Boldly Goes Where No Man Has Gone Before, Thanks to CBS



From the press release:
Go!Animate is a free online animation tool that enables everyone -- no artistic ability required -- to create their own animated stories and share them with the world.

And now, after signing a licensing deal with CBS Consumer Products, Go!Animate is giving users the ability to create their own STAR TREK animated adventures. This is the first ever officially-sanctioned use of STAR TREK material for the purpose of user-generated content within an online medium.


Click through to see our own cartoon.





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"Schoolhouse Rock" Blossom Dearie Dies at 82

From the didn't know them before we lost them department. Guess the folks at ABC had good ears when it came to the casting of the Schoolhouse Rock spots. Where are the next generation of greats going to come from?

Blossom Dearie Dies at 82


Give Him the Ooh-La-La
(Blossom Dearie)
(Verve Records; 1958)

Jazz pianist and vocalist Blossom Dearie passed away in New York at the age of 82, of natural causes.

The AP has an obit and the L.A. Times music blog entry supplies the clip of her Schoolhouse Rock entry 'Figure Eight'.

[story and album art via "If Charlie Parker..."] 

Monday, February 09, 2009

miz' candice

With so many young people making a name for themselves on the internet for being rude crude or stupid, it is nice to see 2008's Miss Missouri is about to graduate and pursue a career in journalism.

A cool pageant winner turned sports blogger, Candice Crawford will graduate in May of 2009 from the University of Missouri in Columbia and been on camera as a reporter and sports anchor on KOMU-TV, Columbia, MO.

take good care of yourself

For the longest time my health care plan was "Don't get sick." For a time it was because I was without coverage, then it was because even though I did have coverage I really didn't understand it well enough to make the best use of it. All that changed when I went to work in Davis and got coverage with Kaiser Permanente California. Local doctors who really made you feel that they cared about treating you instead of just a fee for service sort of arrangement.

The best part of the coverage is that you can take it with you when you move or travel. There is a Kaiser Permanente Colorado for when you go skiing and hurt your leg and a Kaiser Permanente Georgia for when you are down visiting the home of Gone With the Wind (like I was two years ago) and the heat and the humidity get the better of you.

Take a look and see for yourself, there's a plan that's right for you. Start taking care of your health, it was meant to last a lifetime.

Do Computers Aid Design?

Reminds me of what my dad used to say about computers creeping into architechture. May make things faster but can't make them necessarily better. Funny thing is, I used to no doubt give him the same fish- eyed look described below. 

Computer aided design

NY Times reporter Michael Bierut talks about the differences in graphic design when he started work in the early 80s and now. What changed? Computers.

Still, I wonder if we haven't lost something in the process: the deliberation that comes with a slower pace, the attention to detail required when mistakes can't be undone with the click of a mouse. Younger designers hearing me talk this way react as if I'm getting sentimental about the days when we all used to churn our own butter.

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Blogged the ol' fashioned way. From a Newton.

be a voip vip

There's a new revolution in phone service – think cheap and feature rich and think VoIP (Voice Over Internet Phone). When you do, think of ConsumerVoipCompare.com, a site dedicated to reviews and comparisons of all the top VoIP providers available. They rank the providers, offer current customers the opportunity to submit their own reviews of their provider and so much more.

Stop paying for high priced phone service and don't fear the phone. With affordable VOIP you don't have to step outside to use your mobile phone, sit back, relax and reconnect with all those old friends who haven't heard from you in too long. Compare VoIP and then get talking!

Hot Rod Lincoln


I think I sat next to this guy at a bar in portland last year. Maybe it was his brother. 

Punky Lincoln

A photo of Lincoln taken a couple months before he died. 

Punk Abe Lincoln

Abe looks downright rebellious in that photo. (via flickr).


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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Sunday, February 08, 2009

sunday chat

There are a lot of sites on the internet I don't want my sister to see or even know exist but I would be happy that she heard that there is a new site that is truly dedicated to providing the perfect forum for Christians to meet and chat.

Christian Chat is the place where like minded people can meet and talk about the things that interest them and can share ideas, stories and the things that make them who they are and who they want to be.

There are a lot of locations to discuss the World's events but how many of them are where tons of Christian people from everywhere in the world already enjoy themselves absolutely free? You can even broadcast your webcam and show people who you are while you enjoy their webcam!

OLPC Ultimate E-Book Reader?

As a long time subscriber to a local paper I read about this in the current Time magazine article on how to save the newspaper. Here's a more in depth look at the tech behind the 'next Kindle' that isn't a Kindle.


via Wired: Gadgets by Michael Calore on 2/6/09
One of the OLPC XO laptop's greatest strengths is its e-book reader capability, and as the organization is restructuring, it should look towards improving the XO's book-reading experience to gain footing against competitors.

make a date to consolidate

At our house we still have more than a few boxes of Christmas decorations sitting in the garage. Every week end we seem to say the same thing, "we have to get this done and then it is Monday again and we haven't put them away. It seems like such a monumental task that perhaps the only way to get it done is to break it up into a series of smaller, incremental tasks. That what, we can just start in on it and before you know it, we'll be done – and hopefully before Valentine's Day!

When it comes to debt, however, sometimes it is just better to go with debt consolidation. Instead of all sorts of people and businesses looking for repayment and not knowing who or which to pay first, you go for a debt consolidation loan and then you just have one bill to pay. Pay it down over time and you're back in the black. Debt Consolidation Loan is easy to find – just check out the articles at DebtConsolidationLoan.net, a new blog with a good source of information for those looking to research debt consolidation loans. Get your financial house in order and keep it that way.

Friday, February 06, 2009

I ♥ LEGO N.Y.

Pure genius, all of them. I think I am going to make the coffee one for my own use at home tonight. Shows what the right toy, and a lot of imagination can do!

Eco-friendy Font

Under the logic of "if you must print something why not save the Earth" comes the first (?) toner saving font. Pitty at this size it looks like a bad version of a theatre marquis. 

Ecofont uses 20% less ink

"Eco Sans" is a new font by the Dutch communications firm, Spranq.

Apparently punching little circles out of each letter is the answer, resulting in a font that uses up to 20 percent less ink.

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Via Drawn! & Sent from Newton 2.0

Thursday, February 05, 2009

tales of the open road

The internet has been around for what seems like a long time and despite the new advances made every day - video, music sharing, online gaming, sometimes the classic ways to spend time are still the best. Only instead of sitting around a campfire and sharing stories, now we can do it all online. Like to ride? Then check out this Biker Chat Room over at Biker Chat City. Find new friends at a website designed from the ground up to bring bikers and bike lover together to meet and chat in online forums.

See what you can learn and find a new audience for your classic tales and most memorable rides. Meet and hit the street!

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Coke Cans Classic

The new generation may never understand all the fuss of 'the great cola wars of the 70s and 80s. How soon can we expect a repeat now that the containers no longer show their battle scars?

Read why: Coke not Classic anymore

 Coca-Cola is said to be removing the "Classic" label from their packaging, 24 years after realizing New Coke was "not it."

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

cheap date, gracious host

There are times when you want to save money and there are times when you need the very best and sometime you get lucky and the two collide and can be the same thing. When you are looking for webhosting, quite often you get what you pay for.

Web Hosting Geeks has been providing independent reviews of the best web hosting providers since 2004. Let them help you find cheap professional web hosting services, often for less than $10 a month. All web hosting plans include at least one free domain name registration and include a 30 day money back guarantee.

You can search with confidence because all of their reviews, ratings and awards are not based on any incentives or commissions, so if you are looking for a new web hosting service make Web Hosting geeks the first place you look. You can change hosts without losing your ranking, so what's stopping you? You wouldn't be reading this if you liked to wast money?

India's $10 Laptop is Neither

Wired breaks the bad news. I guess this is another example of you get what you pay for. Also: remember you can't cheat the laws of physics. 

India's $10 Laptop is Neither

There's a reason that India's $10 Sakshat computer is just $10. It does almost nothing. What we thought would be a humming notebook equipped with Wi-Fi and 2GB RAM turns out to be little more than a box with sockets -- no keyboard, no monitor.
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Doesn't sound like much of a laptop!l
Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

grow old with me



I like to think when it comes to valentines gifts I tend to mix the practical with the romantic. Something functional yet something also decorative. Quite often, maybe too often, that gift turns out to be a wrist watch. There are so many to choose from, particularly when you shop at a discriminating shop like the watchery.com - where the only thing more impressive than the prices is the selection. I really appreciate the ability to parse their unrivaled selection by gender, by shape, by material and by price. Of course you can also search by manufacturer as well.

Personally, I think this watch by Cartier would make a great gift, the warm gold and the leather strap add up to a classy looking look, one that is not too flashy and not to 'of the moment.' Something that describes the way you feel about a relationship - designed to last and always be tasteful and in style, now and far far into the future.

Pogo Is Go

As a kid we had some vinyl dolls of the Pogo gang. Good to see them back in print. Via Drawn!

Pogo art by Walt Kelly

Tons of great Walt Kelly art over on the Animation Archive blog including some beautifully scanned original Pogo comics.

Also : Fantagraphics is releasing The Complete Pogo later this year.


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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Monday, February 02, 2009

love, guaranteed

Looking for a Valentine for those in your life who will love you unconditionally? If that special is a someone who likes catnip and a stuffed mouse then point your browser to the big big selection of Cat Supplies at Supplies Just 4 Pets.

They have a wide variety of cat supplies, cat gift baskets and for a limited time are having a Winter sale on heated cat beds. Shopping with Supplies Just 4 Pets means fast shipping, often within 2 business days, package specials, and great low prices.

Try them out and see what they say about unconditional love and how it is better to give than to receive but with a selection of cat goodies from Supplies Just 4 Pets, you can have it both ways for not too much 'scratch'.

To Do iDo

The Google gang have announced a new way to manage your Gmail Tasks from your mobile device or your iGoogle homepage. You have Gmail Tasks activated, right?

No? Enable the new Tasks feature in Gmail Labs first. Then, from your iPod touch or iPhone or other mobile device (Android?) navigate to http://gmail.com/tasks and view, add, edit, or complete tasks to your heart's content.

Turn Handwriting into a Font with YourFont

Once long ago I got a copy of Fontographer to try and do this. I'll be honest, this sounds easier. Plus, its free. What's not to love?

Turn Handwriting into a Font with YourFont


YourFont is a free, web-based program that allows you to turn your handwriting into a font. Basically, all you have to do is:

  1. Download their PDF template

  2. Create your alphabet

  3. Scan

  4. Upload

  5. Download – you're done!

[via Lifehacker]---

Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

oil change

This past November's election and last month's inauguration were historic events on a global scale. To say this is a 'once in a life time' occurrence would be an understatement to say the least. Now that the festivities are over and the man is settling into his job, does that mean we should all just go back to our regular lives and let history write itself? I say no, let's keep up the good fight and keep remembering what America as a country and president Obama as a man have done. But the question is, how to do it?

You probably have noticed a great deal of President Barack Obama art on offer of late but seriously– how much of it would you be proud to own, to display, and to pass down to the next generation? Well, I think after you see these pictures and the video you may just have to say that now you have. Unconvinced? Keep reading, for seeing is believing.



Announcing the newly launched Barack Obama oil painting service, where you can buy a hand made painting of our newest and most exciting President. Available in several sizes with prices starting at only $179.

How is it done? Watch this video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCOw5QP4tb8

Although it is not a video of the artist painting Barack Obama's portrait, it should give you an idea of how the painting is done.
The Barack Obama oil painting website is a division of Portrait Painting. For more information about our company and our services you can visit http://www.portraitpainting.com

shed building

For those of you following the construction of my shed progress, I am sad to report that yet another week-end has gone by without any progress. The sticking point still lies in the bringing home large sections of plywood.

I guess I should just call and see if Home Depot or Lowes (or some indie shop) will deliver. Failing that I guess I could rent a truck, I know I can find some good AVIS Coupons at FindSavings.com - if I keep the vehicle clean, they'll never know, right?

set your sights high

You may have never heard of OpticsPlanet but if you are into target shooting you should know that they are the largest authorized dealers for weapon sights in the United States. With their size and purchasing power they are able to pass on to you some amazing specials and deals. Things like Free UPS Shipping on all orders over $29.95; knowledgeable customer service that comes from years of work in the industry; a wealth of product information, buying guides and product reviews to make sure you get exactly what you need and exactly what you'll expect; plus a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.

OpticsPlanet offers the most competitive pricing on all Eotech products, including
eotech sights. All of them currently are on sale with FREE UPS GROUND for all orders over $29.95 and typically shipped the very next day. For a limited time only, some EOTech HOLOgraphic Weapon Sights come complete with FREE ScopeCoat Holosight Protective Covers. These regularly go for $19.99 but are free if you act soon. Some restriction apply, see website for all the details.

The Disconnected Life

This past weekend my mobile phone battery died and instead of watching
the Super Bowl we went to go see 'Last Chance Harvey' (Dustin Hoffman
and Emma Thompson in an amazing film, you really should go see it!).
After a moment of concern over how to call AAA if we had car trouble,
it wasn't the end of the world not to have a phone with us. Our not
watching TV didn't bother the Steelers either. The NFL and Pepsi may
beg to differ, of course.

That being said I am watching people surf Hulu for Super Bowl
wirelessly on the train on Monday. Ah, technology.


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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Wired News: False Hopes: Adobe Desperate to Install Flash on the iPhone?

Another perspective on the iPhone Flsh debate from the good people at Wired. To answer their question, yes the iPhone does, so long as there is much on the web that is Flash based entrtainment. Read and decide for yourself. 

Adobe Desperate to Install Flash on the iPhone?

Adobe's CEO Shantanu Narayan is making noise about Flash on the iPhone again and says his company and Apple are collaborating. But, does the iPhone need Flash?


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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Game on

I hear there's a football game on today. Any one know the score?

What's the score? Have I missed any good ads? And what's this about 3D?

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Sent from Newton 2.0 (iPod Touch)

good to go gear

There is a saying, 'do your possessions work for you or do you work for your possessions?' Well, to that I think there should be a corollary for law enforcement, military and firefighting professionals, or anyone who wants clothes and gear that will stand up to the pressure of your job or your hobbies that asks if your boots work for you or are you working for your boots?

At 5.11 Tactical you'll find a range of boots, pants knives and accessories that exceed the needs of their customers with functional innovation and deliver exceptional value. Shop now and get free ground shipping with purchases over $50.

See the full line of best-selling tactical clothing, uniforms, outerwear, footwear, eye wear, duty knives, tactical gear, holsters and more at 5.11 Tactical.

Adobe Flash for iPhones?

[]

Bloomberg is quoting the Adobe CEO as saying that "It's a hard technical challenge, and that's part of the reason Apple and Adobe are collaborating. The ball is in our court. The onus is on us to deliver."

Wold mean watching videos on Vimeo or Hulu instead of just YouTube. I could go for that, regardless of how slow.

Classy Knoll

[]

Conspiracy Rock – 1991 Schoolhouse Rock parody of the Kennedy assassination conspiracy. Come watch 4,320 frames of painstakingly detailed animation by Jason Scott. Then decide for yourself. 2 shooters? CIA? The Cubans?

My money is still of extra-terrestrials and rogue Teamsters.
idogcow. Get yours at bighugelabs.com/flickr

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