Wear &Tear2

PadMapper, the best Alternative to Westside Rentals

2010-10-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

The birth of Westside Rentals

In 1996, Mark Verge saw an opportunity and pounced on it. He put all the disparate Los Angeles landlord postings into one database and charged users to search it. In the day, it made sense, LA Times, LA Weekly, Pennysaver, and more were all needed to start your rental search.

Today, Craigslist is the clearinghouse that more and more tech savvy landlords are turning to for apartment listings. Unfortunately, Craigslist has its flaws.

Many in LA can't seem to figure out that Hollywood is in Central LA, not the Westside/Southbay. Mis-categorized items make your search much more difficult.

Padmapper "Making Apartment Hunting Suck Less"
The solution I relied on during my latest rental search is PadMapper. They overlay Craigslist postings on an easy to use Google Map. You can filter for keywords and even look at the postings / photos without going to Craigslist.

There are a few Local LA sites that you may want to try, but PadMapper is definitely the way to go:

General LA
TheRentalGirl.com- All Around the LA Area

Central LA

Art Deco Apartments- For those looking for an architecturally significant rental in Central LA

Spaulding Avenue Apartments- Near the Grove

Southbay

Inland Pacific Management, LLC

JekinsBeachRentals

Pacific Listings

Marine View Management

SlingPlayer Mobile for Android Finally Here! (almost)

2010-05-28T10:24:00.001-07:00

I waited so long for this that I have actually liquidated my Slingbox Pro on eBay a few months ago. This would have been the perfect opportunity to use the EVO 4's silly kickstand!

Two reasons why I use Android Voice Recognition for EVERYTHING

2010-05-23T19:51:00.000-07:00

ONE: It flat out works! Sure there is the occasional fast <--> best snafu, but the time savings using voice recognition and then tidying up with the optical mouse and virtual keypad are not to be ignored. Voice rec seems to be available in all apps and it really is a time saver. If I had an office versus a cube, I would want to use this for all of my text input needs. Note: If I had an office with a door, I would probably leave the door open to annoy you.

TWO: I am lazy. I have always been looking for time saving ways of interacting with technology. I am a strong advocate of the Thinkpad TrackPoint and used Palm OS graffiti until the very end. I was bitter Android didn't give me Graffiti until I updated my Samsung Moment to 2.1. Not only did I find voice recognition nirvana, I also was able to install Gesture Search.

Google Gesture Search allows me to use my phone with one hand (like good ole Palm intended). I can launch apps, dial contacts or launch bookmarks with the swipe of a thumb or finger. Now, I just need a hard button shortcut to launch Gesture Search and I will be golden.

Things You Need to Know: GMail Tips- Viewing Unread Messages

2010-05-23T18:47:00.001-07:00

How many times have you skipped over an email intending to get back to it in the future? If you are like me, you probably do this dozens of times a day. Well, today I decided it was time to read those unread messages and I was frustrated that GMail doesn't seem to have the ability to filter unread messages. This exercise proved to me that while Google typically offers a good user experience, they want you to work a little harder than services like Yahoo! (I like your style Google!)

A quick use of the-Google led me to the simple trick: Search for: is:unread or filter:unread

Enjoy!

Flash 10.1 will (finally) Bring Slingbox to Android & Palm Web OS

2010-01-10T17:36:00.000-08:00

Slingplayer Mobile on my PalmOS Treo 700P was a huge feature that I wanted in my next smartphone.

I would use the player to watch shows in bed as I was drifting off to sleep, or watch breaking news events. I was driving home the day the bridge fell in Minneapolis and was able to see live video while stuck in LA traffic on my commute.

iPhone, Palm OS, Blackberry and Windows Mobile have supported SlingPlayer Mobile for some time. Each of these solutions is flawed in a serious way:

iPhone- WiFi only. Like so many other apps in the ATT / Apple walled garden, this is LAME.

Palm OS- This is a dying platform

Blackberry- I have no interest in this antiquated OS.

Windows Mobile- See Palm OS

Sling announced this week at CES it will support Adobe Flash 10.1. Devices with Flash 10 support will be able to view Sling Player content on their desktop or mobile devices. Word is this will only work with Slingbox® Pro-HD and Slingbox SOLO. I believe Sling tried restricting which devices would work with the iPhone when the app was released and eventually supported all Sling Devices.

I have sold my SlingPlayer Pro on eBay anticipating Sling wold never get around to supporting Android. I may be shopping for a new Sling in the near future when Android 2.1 comes to the Samsung Moment in the first half of 2010.

UPDATE: 3/20/10 Engadget has a demo here

Transition to Android: A PalmOS Addict's Story

2010-01-05T20:12:00.000-08:00

I was a Palm Treo 700P user for several years. I made the jump to smart phones with trepidation because I didn't want to give up my huge screen and Graffiti text input method. I was using a Sony Clie TH55 prior to the Treo and didn't know how I could handle the switch. The Sony had WiFi, a full color touch screen and Palm's capable OS with a Sony overlay. (My PDA History)

The transition was not nearly as rough as I had expected. I had long been a fan of scroll wheels on the Clie PDA's and the thought of a 5D directional pad was a huge turn off. The transition was made easier because the TH55 was meant to be ambidextrous and placed the scroll wheel in the center of the back of the machine instead of the traditional right-hand side. Minutes after using the Treo 700P, I became a huge 5D pad fan, much like my affection for the Thinkpad's TrackPoint.

The Treo 700P was perfect for one-handed operation. The applications available in 2006 were amazing for their time (still are). It took me almost a full year to tease out the magic streaming podcast capabilities of Kinoma player. I paid $30 for the ability to watch YouTube and hadn't thought to explore more of the program's capability. I became addicted to NPR hourly news and TED Talks.

I also picked up a Slingbox and Slingplayer mobile. I have a DVR at home and the Slingplayer was great to catch live news on the go or the occasional South Park in bed.

Documents to Go was a solid app that allowed you to view and create Microsoft documents on the phone. I could not understand why people flocked to WinMo devices with their sub-par document handling capabilities. You would assume the maker of the native PC based software could make a better mobile experience, but you know what they say about people who make assumptions...

Easy Sync allowed me to sync my work email calendar with my phone. Hopefully, you are not saddled with the Lotus relic at your workplace, but if you are, Easy Sync would have made the early 2000's much easier on you.

I was also able to continue using Graffiti with Graffiti Anywhere. Although not nearly the seamless experience it was on the PDA's, it was serviceable enough on the Treo that I used it about 50% of the time vs. the hard keyboard.

My Search

When Palm announced the Pre with WebOS at CES last year, I thought my ship had come in. Here was the company I had been devoted to since the late '90's and they finally got off their ass and made a new OS. I was at Best Buy the day the Pre was released. I wasn't put off by the iPhone superfan negative reviews that preceded launch day. I played with the phone for about 20 minutes and found it to be very visually appealing, but also very slow and limited. I kept the faith for a couple months before I started to seriously pursue the Android platform.

Streaming

I needed something that could wire-less-ly access podcasts with one program like Android. This alone eliminated the iPhone from my consideration list. Sure there were NPR and other ad hoc streaming apps, but I wanted a clearing house for all my podcast needs. Android seemed to be lacking this capability and Google stepped up and wrote a no-frills app, Google Listen, to fill the void.

Keyboards

Although the Treo had a physical keyboard, I do not find myself married to the idea of that keyboard. I decided the Blackberry Storm may be the device for me. Blackberry seemed to be putting some amount of muscle behind its application library and didn't seem to be as anal as Apple was about letting users use the full capability of their phones.

I was at Verizon the day the Storm was released. I was intrigued by the click screen, but after 5 or so minutes of using the garbage OS, I went away disgusted.

Directional Pads

Few phones on the market today seem to have a 5D pad. One-handed operation has been sacrificed to ensure a sexy form factor. Palm never made any claim to having an attractive phone. The Treo line screamed, I am a nerd who really likes technology.

True, the HTC Hero and Google Nexus One both have trackballs, but the Hero's is useless and I assume the Nexus One to be similar as it is also made by HTC. I spent another 20 minutes with the HTC Hero on the day Sprint released it. I was in love with the Android 1.5 OS and Sense UI. Unfortunately, the virtual keyboard was garbage and ruined the experience for me. I needed a physical keyboard, even though I loved the idea of the iPhone's lack of a keyboard since day 1. It was just like my old TH55 with a cell phone.

Cutting to the Chase- Samsung Moment

I waited as long as humanly possible to update my beloved Treo 700P. When I read the announcement that Sprint would also carry the Samsung Moment, I knew it would be my next phone. It seemed perfect for me, Android OS, physical keyboard, and optical mouse, the next best thing to a 5D pad. I read the mixed reviews of the device and headed for the Sprint store. They were completely sold out, but there was a customer upgrading from his bricked Treo to the Samsung that let me take a look. I spent no more than a minute checking it out before I headed home to order it off the web through my Employee Discount website. Check your employer for discounts on cell plans. My company has discounts with all providers, ATT, Sprint, Verizon and T Mobile.

Diving In

I exported my contact data from the Palm and uploaded it to my Gmail account. (This is my only hesitation about the phone. Google has such a lock on my personal information at this point. Hell, I am blogging this on a Blogger account.) The contacts merged fairly easily with my email and the phone was connected to my Google calendar as well.

Google Listen

This was the first app I downloaded. It is free and does a good job of hunting for podcasts and managing your favorites as subscriptions. I have mild complaints about how it seems to lag finding the latest podcast and it sometimes starts into the cast and starts over after a short period. I just downloaded an update tonight that I hope will improve these issues. Even so, it is a livable, free, replacement for Kinoma Player. I had no complaints about Kinoma, but technology is always improving...

Slingbox UPDATE 1.10.1

Sling seems to have no interest in Android OS. I have sold my Slingbox. I would love to have this with my phone, but by the time Sling gets on the Android train, Hulu and others may have made cable TV irrelevant. Tell Sling that you want an Android app now!

Documents to Go

This was the first and so far only pay app I have downloaded. I love it. Very similar experience to Palm OS, but no sync with your computer. We live in the cloud now :(

Evernote

I got this after Docs to Go and it may be a viable free alternative with some additional juicy features. I LOVE how the app will OCR text on photos and make it searchable. I use it to snap pics of wines I like.

Companion Link

I am demoing this pay app for two weeks. It has worked fine for me, although I have seen some nasty reviews. If you aren't saddled to Lotus Notes, there must be many, cleaner solutions to sync your work and Google calendars.

Astro

This task manager / backup utility is great, and free!

Locale

This is an amazing app. Can't believe they don't charge for it. Allows you to set phone settings for different locations, times, WiFi networks, etc. Change your wallpaper at work to your company logo to let your boss know you are a team player!

Super High Output a No-SHO: Ford and the Dumbing Down of America

2009-11-07T18:52:00.001-08:00

Apparently, Ford has little regard for its potential customers and their intellect. It feels either their memories are too short or their brains are too full to understand S.H.O. versus "SHO."

In 1989, Ford set the automotive world afire with with the 3.0L, 220hp, V6, Taurus Super High Output, or S.H.O.

Back in the day, we were impressed with 220 hp from a naturally aspirated V6.

Today, Ford has revived the S.H.O. moniker for a 3.5L 365hp, twin-turbo charged V6. To be honest, 365 hp from a 3.5L, force inducted engine can hardly be considered "Super High Output", but come on! "SHO?" Have you no shame?

Interestingly, this is not the first occasion Ford has taken to spoon feed a naming convention to its customers. Take for instance the 1993-1998 Lincoln Mk VIII. If you were interested in one of babies, you would go to your local dealership and inquire about the "Lincoln Mark Eight". Today, after skipping the Mk IX, we have the MKX. Ford apparently felt customers had so much difficulty with Roman Numerals that they couldn't be troubled with the name "Mark Ten" so they have thrown in the towel and refer to the vehicle as the "MKX".

Aside from being a complete departure from decades of "Mark" names, this adds to the confusion in the alphabet soup names of the Luxury market.

Order Of Operations

2009-10-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

We all remember FOIL from Algebra I.

First

Outer

Inner

Last

Following these steps was the key to unlocking binomials. While almost everybody is able to maneuver through basic Algebra, why do I see the order of operations violated so many times during everyday life?

How many people do you see fill their paper cup with piping hot coffee before putting on a cup sleeve?

Isn't it much easier, quicker and safer to put the sleeve on before filling it with a potentially law-suit inducing, hot, beverage?

I can't wait for Android 2.0! My Treo 700P's days are numbered

2009-10-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about the coming barrage of Android phones. I have been a sideline fan of the iPhone since it was released, only to quickly realize, it was still an Apple product :(

I quickly got on the Palm Pre bandwangon, only to discover it was simply an iPhone-lite. By lite, I don't mean to imply that it is less capable than the iPhone, but rather it was developed in the same walled garden vein as the iPhone, by ex-Apple employees.

No Expansion Card
No Video @ Launch
Sacrifice usability for style- ie. Useless center button in lieu of a time / motion saving directional pad
<100>
Limited memory allotted to Apps in System Memory

I wish Palm had adopted the Android platform and customized it to the extend they appear to have made WinMo usable on their earlier WinMo phones.

Today, I get a lot out of my 750P. More than the iPhone has to offer regarding streaming podcasts with Kinoma. I can stream my TV to my phone via Slingplayer Mobile and am not tied to WiFi networks.

It seems SlingMedia has such a bad taste in its mouth from creating a marginalized Slingplayer Mobile for the iPhone that only works on a WiFi network, that they are not anxious to develop an app for the Android or Palm community. Let them know what you think here. UPDATE 1.10.10

I checked out the HTC Hero on Sprint's launch day. Loved the phone and Sense UI interface, Despised the virtual keyboard. NOTE: I have since heard there is an extensive calibration process that I did not try. Hopefully that will make the keyboard at least as good as the iPhone, which I can barely tolerate.

Next up, Samsung Moment. I have never been much of a physical keyboard fan, but no longer have Palm's Graffiti to rely on. The Moment should be miles ahead of the Hero with its keyboard. The improved processor and flash is also attractive as well, but it is without Sense UI.

The DROID on Verizon seems to incorporate a much improved Android 2.0 interface with a physical keyboard and fast processor.

If Verizon hadn't lied to me on multiple occasions, I would be lining up for the new DROID. Motorola's questionable user interfaces of the RAZR also make me wary of the end-all-be-all, iPhone killer that Droid is made out to be.

Hopefully I will make the jump soon!

Thankfully, They Don't Build 'Em Like They Used To!

2009-09-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

Unbelievable!

Google Listen - Android's Answer to Kinoma Player?

2009-09-11T00:25:00.000-07:00

It looks like the PalmOS legacy may be one step closer to being overtaken by the iPhone, WebOS and Android tri-fecta. With the October 11th release of the HTC Hero, it seems like I will finally make the jump into the modern era of smartphones. I really, really wanted to like the Palm Pre, but there is too much Apple influence and it is growing too slowly for my tastes at the moment, I may check back with Palm WebOS in a year or so, but the HTC Hero with the Sense UI have me really intrigued right now. What did Palm do in anticipation of the Hero launch? They served up the Pixi with a fantastic form factor, but dumbed it down by omitting WiFi and an external memory slot.

I have been a hold-out Treo 700P user for over 3 years. I wanted to like the iPhone when it was introduced. I went to the Apple store the day after it was launched and played with the stunning GUI for over 30 minutes before admitting it was definitely not for me. Simple? Yes. Easy to use? Check. Useful? Not Quite.

I am so accustomed to:

Kinoma Player- I listen to podcasts literally every day. NPR hourly news multiple times, TED talks on occasion, Adam Carolla, This Week in Google. I don't have a set listening schedule and I can't be bothered with subscribing to podcasts in iTunes and downloading them to my phone. I want to find and listen to casts instantaneously. Kinoma player allows me to do this on my Treo 700P. The user interface is tired, yet functional after all these years.

-----> Google Listen and DoggCatcher both seem to offer the functionality of Kinoma on a modern platform. I am VERY enouraged by this.

Documents to Go- Creating and editing real MS Office documents and syncing them with my laptop. Rarely does a day go by that I don't jot a business idea or blog post into a word file. I could use a "cloud" version of google docs, but I do find myself on planes enough that I am much more comfortable with native files. For all you sneering about my comments regarding audio streaming above, calm down. When I am preparing for a trip, I may stream & download a few podcasts to the phone in the airport lounge prior to boarding. I like to keep my options open all the time.

----->Available for $29.99 in the Android Market! I paid $30 for Kinoma player and a similar amount for Docs 2 Go several Palm OS devices ago.

SlingPlayer- This is the tricky one. iPhone has a useless version of this that restricts use to WiFi networks only. If I have access to a WiFi network, there is a good chance that:
A. I am at Home and can watch my own TV
B. I am in a public location that does not lend itself to uninterrupted TV viewing.

Sling seems unwilling to develop an app for Android. Orb seems like it may be a convoluted option.

Google Android Slingbox Update 9-11-09

2009-09-11T00:20:00.001-07:00

Sling has officially "declined" the feedback started in the ROCK THE VOTE post.

Click here and you may still leave comments and vote for this idea.

UPDATE 1-10-10 - Good News! Flash 10.1 will (finally) Bring Slingbox to Android & Palm Web OS

Oxymoron: "Graffiti Artist"

2009-08-26T00:13:00.000-07:00

Villaragosa. Urban decay. Los Angeles.

Words that depress rather than inspire.

It would probably be a challenge to reach back into the depths of Los Angeles' storied history to a point that the city actually inspired the imagination of the country. I am sure there were days when the lure of Hollywood cast its glow on the image of Los Angeles, but those days are long gone.

Today the city is an ill managed symbol of class segregation. West LA and the Rest of LA. Disney-like idyllic living (albeit at a huge monetary cost) west of the 405 and gang-land east of the 405.

It kills me when middle class Gen Xers hop on the "urban" bandw

agon and glorify the efforts of mediocre vandals.

Tagging is everywhere in LA. For those of you that like to think the

tagging is somehow artistic, I challenge you to travel to Paris, where the tagging is actually much more pleasant to look at, but still very annoying.

It shocked and depressed me to find the following stories helping a bedridden tagger use technology to tag again (thankfully in a less permanent manner).

Eyewriter & LAist

I wouldn't be surprised if these clowns offered to do the tagger a favor and trace his virtual tags with actual paint.

TemptOne or TempTone is the name of this clown and he has a much more well traveled website than this blog. He also has sponsors that I plan on avoiding.

Thinkpad, It's the little things

2009-06-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

Since Lenovo's purchase of the ThinkPad brand of business oriented laptops from IBM, they have made subtle changes to the product without really diluting the features that made the IBM's so great.

In my opinion, there have been two, minute changes that annoyed me in the Lenovo era.

1. The Power, Volume and Access IBM keys- The design of these keys changed on from the T40 series to the T60 series. The keys looked cheap. I have no data to prove that the design was driven by cost savings concerns, but they sure appeared to be that way.

2. The Blue and Red highlights on the TrackPoint were removed. It seems hard to argue that this was not a cost savings effort. Although I never look at the keyboard or TrackPoint when I type, I have to say I missed the color contrast with the stark black (which I loved).

David Hill, ThinkPad Designer, has given us a breif peak at the a new ThinkPad. The video below shows small improvements to the proven keyboard. Simply increasing the size of the ESC and Delete keys seems like a no-brainer, now that they took that step...

Items 1 & 2 have also been addressed:

New Volume & Power Buttons

Touchpad Color

The keys in the video have the color accents and I beleive the newer X300's also have this feature.

David, keep up the good work!

Keep Learning- Small Tips; Firefox, Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

2009-06-10T22:27:00.001-07:00

Keep learning. Strive to be more efficient. Ask questions, but make sure you answer them. Especially those things that bother you everyday.

Today I finally learned how to tab between TABS in Firefox and Google Chrome (probably works in IE too, but I care so little about IE, I won't even take the time to open it and check while I write this post)

Here it is ladies and gentlemen:

Cntrl+Page Up/Cntrl+Page Down

Simple, Easy and Elusive.

Just so happens this same shortcut works with Excel to toggle between TABS.

Enjoy it and keep answering your own questions.

Kinoma Player, Slingbox, Pandora & Documents to Go, PALM PRE is Ready to ROLL!

2009-05-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

The Palm Pre release is rapidly approaching and I am excited to put my Treo 700P behind me. I have resisted temptation to migrate to the iPhone's walled garden and it seems I will be rewarded for the wait.

The 700P is closing in on three years old and was essetially the last innovation Palm offered up before going dark (aside from the lower priced Centro line). The once vaunted Palm OS was left for dead years before it even hit the 700P. Developers kludged together great applications for the Palm platform before users had been exposed to Apple's "App" marketing speak.

Today I can watch my home TV with SlingPlayer, STREAM podcasts with Kinoma Player and create MS Office documents with DataViz Documents to Go. The iPhone can't really do any of the above. You can stream select podcasts if there is an App associated with them and Pandora is a great way to stream music, but that's it. No SlingPlayer and no native MS Office Docs. I forgot to mention I can take videos on the 700P as well.

Enter The Pre

Kinoma was the must-have for me to move to the Pre. I literally use this to stream several podcasts everyday. UPDATE 6.17.09- Motion Apps does not support sound at this time. From the Motion Apps Blog: "Classic v1.0 does not support sound but Classic v1.1 will provide a level of support for streaming audio. Classic v1.1 will be released very soon after the initial launch of v1.0 and will be available as a free upgrade to all existing users of Classic v1.0"

Not sure how sync will work.

Note Graphics are hyperlinked.

What is the Pre Missing?
Graffiti 1 Input was the most satisfying method of input for PDAs/Phones. Xerox sued over its use and forced the similar, but crappy, Graffiti 2 on future Palm users. Graffiti 2 and Americans unwillingness to learn new things sealed Graffiti's fate. You could use it with all Palm OS systems with the touch screen, but my understanding is the iPhone and the Pre screens are not capable of stylus input. A true shame and I hope Graffiti will make a comeback. Chinese character input practically dictates the use of a stylus and Asian demand may bring back Graffiti in some form in the future.

VIDEO- I have literally taken less than 20 videos over the 3 years with my 700P, but it seems like a step back giving up this functionality. Rumors claim video will be available at, or shortly after launch.

SD Card- Teal Backup was a lifesaver on my 700P. Say I am in a foreign country without cell access and I am using my Treo as a PDA with trip information. If the phone crashes and wipes all my data, I simply have to go to the backup and restore EVERYTHING (aside from a few custom settings). This scenario happened to me in China, and somewhere else. It is not uncommon and the SD card is the perfect solution, not the CLOUD!

WolframAlpha.com, Hello, Internet, We've been waiting for you...

2009-05-18T23:28:00.000-07:00

Wolframalpha.com stormed onto the scene May 15th offer a plethora of data accessible by simple query. Were Google searches the web for information, Wolframalpha searches databases to provide you with succinct information on a variety of tops ranging from historical weather to calculus. It will even help with crossword puzzles!

WRA, I have taken the liberty to apply the obligatory acronym, comes in a day and age when the new-ness of the internet has worn off. People have stopped exploring, stopped "Surfing" and have likely become comfortable with a handful of sites they use every day. Google for search, Google News for current events, Gmail for email and Facebook or Twitter for social networking.

Getting back to basics and realizing there is an un-manageable amount of data out there in cyberspace that has to be tracked down discretely where its content owner/provider has posted it has really taken the fun out of exploring. The time it takes to peruse Wikipedia and scan an article for a few bits of pertinent information may not seem like a lot, but it is all essentially wasted time.

Yahoo Pipes has allowed the common user to build pipes with little knowledge of the workings of the internet to distill live information into RSS Feeds. These feeds are read by readers such as Google Reader. This gets streams of information in one area, but the user is still tasked with distilling the information down to data.

WRA is the tool, the brute force, that is the next step of the internet. Forget about Web 2.0 where stoners were supposed to revolutionize the net by commenting on the taco stand down the street. WFA is a useful, shift in the way we interact with the web and begin to treat it like a gigantic lookup table of all digitally indexed information.

Is WRA a threat to Google? Those who claim it is are missing the point. Using a point to access and calculate reams of data does not compete with the ability to search stories and context. WRA has created a niche and hopefully will start the ball rolling on the next iteration of the web.

At this point, I have only played with WRA a couple hours and watched their 13 minute "quick" introduction. I am anxious to learn their method of accessing data, do they host it or point to existing databases? What db standards are they using and how easily can they point to new data sources? What vetting process goes into testing the data before it goes into production?

Beyond VLOOKUP: Using Names & INDIRECT Function

2009-05-13T23:28:00.000-07:00

Using named ranges has several benefits:

Formulas are easier to follow if they use logical names instead of cell references.

If your ranges change size, grow in length or some other dimension, you can easily change the definition of the range to accommodate the change. If you do not use names, you would have to change the cell references in all of your formulas.

You can use the INDIRECT function to refer to ranges

Naming Cells/Ranges:
Highlight the cell or range of cells and then type the name in the cell reference box.

INDIRECT FUNCTION
This function is so powerful, so useful and so underutilized, I am afraid I might not be able to do it complete justice.

Indirect will allow you to reference individual cells by building a reference within a formula: Want to retrieve the value in Cell A1? Use this formula: =INDIRECT("A1")
The true power of INDIRECT comes from its ability to build a name. Put the name of an variable or range in one cell and then add a number to it: Example Cell B9 contains RANGE and you want to reference RANGE2 =INDIRECT(B1,"2")
Building names is very handy when using functions like VLOOKUP that refer to ranges or arrays of data. See example below with two ranges of data: RANGE1 = B3:C7 & RANGE2 = E3:F7

I have lost faith in the entire ANTM Franchise

2009-05-13T23:04:00.001-07:00

Aminat Ayinde was eliminated as the 2nd runner-up for cycle 12 of America's Next Top Model. The foundations of reality TV have been rocked. I don't know if I can dedicate any more time to the ANTM Franchise. Justice has not been served.

I would have accepted Teyona winning with Aminat runner-up, but Crazy Eyes getting 2nd place? The chick that was jealous of people who have bloody noses?? Not cool.

KERS-less Toyota, an Oxymoron?

2009-03-31T21:45:00.000-07:00

The company who brought you the Prius, the most successful name in hybrid technology, can't be bothered to show up to the 2009 F1 grid with a KERS system? What gives?

Toyota's engine chief, Luca Marmorini, feels the system is "primitive" compared to what Toyota already has used in a hybrid Supra racer as well as the street going Prius. Both the Supra HV and the Prius recover energy from all four wheels and the current FIA regulations only allow use of the rear wheels.

While the system may not be the most sophisticated system, doesn't it send the wrong image by selling hybrid technology on the road and critizing it on the track?

Williams, a team powered by Toyota, is bucking convention and developing a flywheel based KERS system. All other teams have chosen to use batteries to store the kinetic energy or forgoe the system entirely.

The image shows what can happen with a battery based KERS system. BMW's crew member was shocked when he touched the steering wheel and sidepod after a test session. Lets hope KERS does not turn into a disaster on par with refueling mishaps we have seen in the past.

Bye, Bye, NASCAR!

2009-03-31T21:03:00.000-07:00

Finally some good news comes out of Obama's Auto Task Force. The group is getting a reputation for off the cuff/knee jerk reactions. First forcing Rick Wagoner to resign and now, on a much more positive note, forcing GM & Chrysler to withdraw from NASCAR sponsorship/involvement after the 2009 season. I had been bracing for the 2012 Pelosi GTxi SS/RT Sport Edition:

In a move that is certain to cost him the White House in the 2012 election, Obama has put his foot down and stated, “NASCAR is a racing series that regulates down to the smallest detail of the cars, where a car badged a Chevrolet or Dodge differs only marginally from a Ford or a Toyota. There’s no technological development to speak of.” While this statement is true, millions of NASCAR fans are sure to see things differently.

The NASCAR series, originally started by groups of whiskey runners racing when they weren't outrunning authorities (really), has been stuck in the 1950's with solid axle rear ends, lack of fuel injection, and 4-Speed (You heard me) Transmissions. This graphic from the Hendrick website comically points out the differences between a NASCAR Car Of Tomorrow & the 2009 Chevy Monte Carlo.

To see how important NASCAR feels the manufacturers are to the sport just look at this graphic of the points standings. Notice the prominent placement of the manufacturers?

I caught myself before publishing this as a story because I could not track down the press release. It was so good and has gotten so much press, I had to re-visit it today. Enjoy! How long before this joke becomes reality? Keep your tax paying, GM & Chrysler owning fingers crossed!

From Car & Driver, the original April Fool's Day article:

Obama Orders Chevrolet and Dodge Out Of NASCAR - Car News

With their racing budgets deemed “unnecessary expenditures,” GM and Chrysler are ordered to cease racing operations at the end of the season.

BY JARED GALL, ILLUSTRATION BY ERIC WOODWARD

In a move sure to spark outrage, the White House announced today that GM and Chrysler must cease participation in NASCAR at the end of the 2009 season if they hope to receive any additional financial aid from the government. Companies around the globe—Honda and Audi, to name two—have drawn down racing operations, and NASCAR itself has already felt the pinch in the form of reduced team spending. A complete withdrawal from America’s premier racing series is expected to save more than $250 million between GM and Chrysler, a substantial amount considering the drastic measures being implemented elsewhere.“Automakers used to operate on the principle of ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday,’ but the Auto Task Force’s research just doesn’t validate that as true,” said the statement from President Obama. While fans have decried the Car of Tomorrow for heavily limiting what little personalization the cookie-cutter series had previously allowed to participating manufacturers, and drivers have slammed its brick-like aerodynamics and unpredictable handling, even the governmental oversight committee sees that the full-scale regulation of the cars leaves the manufacturers very little space for research and development. “NASCAR is a racing series that regulates down to the smallest detail of the cars, where a car badged a Chevrolet or Dodge differs only marginally from a Ford or a Toyota. There’s no technological development to speak of.”

The statement goes on further to say the same demand will be made of Ford if it asks for government assistance. “In order to receive this money, corporations must demonstrate they will spend it wisely. Racing has been said to improve on-road technology, but frankly, NASCAR almost flaunts its standing among the lowest-tech forms of motorsport. NASCAR is not proven to drive advancements that transfer from the racetrack to the road, and this nation’s way forward does not hinge on decades-old technology. We need new, and we need innovation.”

The President realizes this will be an unpopular call, but stands behind the decision, saying, “This is an obvious cut to make, but it is not an easy one. This administration is not ignoring the tremendous sentimental value and emotional appeal NASCAR holds for so many Americans. But now is not the time for sentiment and nostalgia; now is a time for decisive financial action. If our automotive industry is to emerge from this recession intact, then these difficult decisions must be made.”

Both Chevrolet and Dodge see the move as only temporary, and fully expect to resume racing in NASCAR as soon as they have stabilized and the government’s hand in their operations is minimized. “There is nothing really to say at this point,” said one representative, who wished to remain anonymous. “We’ve been doing this since the beginning, and we always assumed we’d be doing this until the end. Heck, nobody ever thought to think that there would be an end. But we ain’t done. As soon as this is over, we’re taking back our spot at the top.”

NASCAR officials remain tight-lipped about the call, but sources say series president Mike Helton and team managers are exploring several options, including other manufacturers to fill Chevrolet and Dodge’s vacated positions. Given the company’s recent interest in motorsport and the steady cash-flow and V-8 engine provided by its new Genesis sedan, sources indicate that NASCAR is pinging Hyundai to gauge the Korean company’s interest in occupying a spot in NASCAR. “Toyota was not well-received their first year in the sport, nor was their first season an easy one,” the source says. “But they learned, they applied the lessons, and they have proven very competitive this year.”

If Hyundai does indeed join the series, there will no doubt be a steep learning curve, and the move would leave Ford the lone domestic battling a pair of Asian makes in America’s most popular racing series. We wonder, however, how long NASCAR could hold that title without two of its most storied participants.

Reliving Childhood: The Oregon Trail

2009-02-17T23:12:00.000-08:00

After 20+ years away from the Apple IIe, I decided to invest a few seconds in a Google search to find an Apple emulator. I wanted to relive a little of my past and play The Oregon Trail!

Not the crappy Ponzi scheme of the Oregon Trail on Facebook, THE REAL Oregon trail.

I hopped on virtualapple.org and was able to enjoy The Oregon Trail as God intended, with sound effects.

I loaded up the wagon and put the pedal to the metal and made the journey in my first attempt! Success! All those years of schooling really paid off!

Dollar General, A Real Find!

2009-02-13T20:31:00.000-08:00

I love a good deal, now, more than ever! For years I have managed to avoid $.99 stores assuming they were several steps below Walmart the socio-economic ladder. Although, I was partially correct, I didn't realize what I had been missing!

I recently took a bold step and visited my local Dollar General store. For years I mistook this store as a check cashing place similar to Dollar Tree.

I was surprised to find a wide selection of pretty much everything. I immediately headed for the facial tissue and stocked up on several boxes of off-brand tissue for a buck a box. Kleenx has hit $1.99 in Vons and I was keen to give this a shot. I wasn't disappointed with the quality and headed back to the DG when I needed more tissue.

My second visit made me realize DG is like the TJ Maxx of small box stores. The inventory and brand availability is in constant flux. When I returned to my facial tissue isle, this time I found Scott brand tissue where the off-brand had been. Again, I stocked up, but was a little disappointed because these boxes did not have as many tissues as the offbrand.

No trip to the DG is complete without a trip to the candy isle! They have a wide selection of almost all of your childhood favorites. Everlasting Gobstoppers, Runts and Spree usually end up in my basket.

A Costco/Sam's membership will probably save you money over some of the items in DG such as tooth brushes, but if you are not looking for a gross of 12 toothbrushes at a time, DG may be the way to go.

Dollar General Tips:

Cleaning Products- Bleach, Comet, Rubber Gloves & Sponges
Candy- Halloween candy is a no-brainer
One-Use Food Containers
Trash Bags
Greeting Cards- When was the last time you bought a card for less than $2.50?
Don't get caught up in the frenzy, I have noticed some food items and other miscellaneous that actually are sold for less than a dollar in other stores.
Try to combine your DG visits with a trip to your favorite grocery store. This will allow you to get everything on your list if you hit the DG first.

2009 F1 Regulation Changes- More & More Like NASCAR

2009-02-13T20:04:00.000-08:00

Coming off the most exciting season in recent memory and probably the most competitive season on record, 2009 brings a plethora of changes to the pinnacle of racing, F1.

This silly/informative video from Red Bull outlines many of the rule changes for the new season.

It is comforting to know they will still be driving cars as Sebastian Vettle points out in the video.

F1 is basically a spec series these days with frozen engine designs, 18,000RPM rev limits and spec Bridgestone tires. (note, Bridgestone has locked up F1 & Moto GP as the exclusive tire supplier for each series) In the near future, customer cars will be allowed on the grid, making F1 a VERY expensive version of Champ Car (Actually Indy Car).

Look for KERS to be an interesting topic this season. Many teams seem to be struggling with it and I doubt it will be a lasting feature in the series.

It's What I Like: Vinturi Wine Aerator

2009-02-09T22:31:00.000-08:00

It seems all too often, I don't have the time to open a bottle of wine and let it breathe before drinking. The taste and bouquet of almost all reds seem to improve after sitting open for ten minutes or so. If you are like me, you don't plan your life in the 15 minute increments required to enjoy great wine that has been open prior to drinking.

A decanter does the job, but it seems like a hassle and I don't own one.

This Christmas, I discovered the Vinturi. I got one as a gift for my girlfriend. Ironically , she had the same idea and gave me one too!

The concept is simple, You pour the wine through a venturi with air holes on the side. The wine and air mix during the pour, creating a satisfying sound and properly aerating your wine, glass by glass.

The Vinturi is made of high quality acrylic, sits in an attractive rubber stand and even has its own carrying pouch.

I was worried that holding the wine bottle in one hand and the glass in the other would prove difficult. I was thinking about making a stand for the Vinturi, but found the process is actually pretty easy to accomplish although you may spill a few drops from time to time.

The improvement can be remarkable with some wines. The instructions recommend use with reds and whites. I don't notice as big of impact with the whites, but haven't tried nearly as many whites as reds.

Bottom Line: The Vinturi costs about as much as two decent bottles of wine and can end up paying for itself by turning around a bottle or two of wine you may deem undrinkable at first taste.

Old Media: Commercials Still Matter

2009-01-28T19:49:00.000-08:00

This MasterCard Commercial reminds me why Old Media is not dead.

I am:

Male aged 18-35
Have Digital Cable - (I made the switch already!)
Have a DVR
90%+ of all TV I watch is DVR Recordings

Even though all the above are true. I still find myself talking to friends and family about TV commercials I have seen.

How can this be?

The answer is simple and may be hard for many to admit. Ready for it?

You & I are LAZY (Or at least easily distracted)

A typical TV viewing session occurs when I get home from work, check my DVR and choose a show. I have a short attention span so I will usually read a magazine or look at the internet during playback. The DVR will allow me to repeat things I miss due to my lack of focus. I have the remote on my lap, but I am not vigilant about fast forwarding through EVERY commercial. If something catches my eye, I will actually rewind the DVR to catch a commercial. I can't be the only consumer in America with this behaivor.

Tonight, I was watching an episode of Seinfeld (in real-time). I was at the computer and noticed Peyton Manning droning on about something. I rewound the DVR and watched the commercial. I was so interested in the commercial, I went to priceless.com to see more. (A couple years back you could have Peyton yell insults at your friend about their mini-van.) To complete the Old Media are not dead theme, I have embedded the commercial below. MasterCard was not saavy enough to allow users to grab the embed code on priceless.com, but adfreak.com has posted it on YouTube.

Tear Tips: Dead Cell Phone? Forgotten Phone #'s

2009-01-27T23:06:00.001-08:00

In today's technology obsessed world, you probably don't devote too much time to memorizing phone numbers. Your cell phone has a handy directory that prevents you from committing even your friend's area codes to memory. This is all well and good until the day you are away from home with a dead cell phone. Perhaps your battery is dead. Maybe you broke your screen. Regardless of what happened, you need to make a phone call and realize you haven't committed your girlfriend's # to memory.

It will typically be much easier to find a working phone than it will to remember a number you probably have never committed to memory.

Solution: Print the number of a few key people in small font and tape that inside of the removable battery cover on your cell phone. (Sorry iPhone users, Steve Jobs doesn't want you to get out of a tight spot). You may also consider including your work # or cell # for someone to call if the phone is found. Admittedly, the likelyhood someone who "finds" your phone will go to the trouble of disassembling it to determine its owner may be small, but there is a chance. At least it would help you identify the phone if it is found.

Tear Tips: Easily Keep Change in Your Wallet

2009-01-27T22:48:00.000-08:00

Tired of receiving $0.92 of change? Don't want to keep annoying change in your pocket?

Tear Tip:
Tape 2 dimes on a card in your wallet. You will never be without change again! A card that without a magnetic strip (Medical Insurance Card) works best. The clear tape can be messy after you remove a dime and then re-apply another. To avoid the sticky mess, clean the card before adding new coins, window cleaner should do the trick.

AutoIndustry 2009: It's Going to Be a Long Year

2009-01-20T22:09:00.000-08:00

Nissan is using the test track at the Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Sutherland facility to park unsold inventory.

Ouch!

Photo from UK Gaurdian

Great Time Waster: Volvo FH16 700 Lorry

2009-01-12T22:41:00.000-08:00

Brings back memories of B-School and the Orbitz golf games!

Hey Brother! Welcome Back Palm!

2009-01-08T23:18:00.001-08:00

Michael Bluth, (Jason Bateman) from Arrested Development, made a surprise appearance today during Palm's CES keynote.

Palm appeared to rise from the ashes today with their take on the iPhone form factor with a slick, sliding keyboard. You may have heard a small wimper at 11:30AM PST when Windows Mobile Officially became irrelevant.

My Quick Take:
I am so glad I stuck it out with my tattered 700P for all these years. I wanted to jump headfirst into the walled garden of the iPhone, but Apple's arrogance prevented me.

The GREAT:

Not APPLE!
Gestures under the screen!- cool idea
Form factor. Same weight as the iPhone + physical keyboard.
Replaceable battery (I actually don't care that the iPhone's battery is not removable, but this is a plus for the Pre)
Re-charge, Cable Free!
DataViz Sponsorship=Documents to Go= NATIVE MS FILES on device
Wi-Fi

Questions:

Why no SD Card?
8GB? why not 32GB?
3MP Camera?
What is the battery life?
Track ball :(
MobiTV sponsorship? Will SlingBox still work?
Will current Palm aps work?
Desktop Sync? So much emphasis on the cloud, will it still sync native files with my laptop? I NEED native files to work on when I am on a plane and outside Wi-Fi/Cell coverage.
Push Email? Corporate Email Support?- Will Corp Email be left to WinMo? (see WinMo comment above)
No Stylus- Handwriting Recognition seems to be a thing of the past with smart phones. I miss Grafitti I.

We will obviously learn much more about this device in the coming months. Release is for the first half of 2009, but it has yet to be certified at this point so anything sooner than June seems unlikely.

Ugly Gills = Luxury?

2008-11-26T20:03:00.002-08:00

I am baffled by a recent phenomenon in the automotive styling world. It seems non-functional, plastic fender gills are now the price of entry in the luxury market. I first took notice of this trend in the 2000 BMW M3.

The overall styling of the E46 M3 was primarily non-offensive, excluding the cancerous growth on the hood dubbed "the power dome" and the plastic gills on the fenders.

The M3 gills coincided with the BMW Z8, a supercar with super-retro styling sans LSD. I liked the Z8, at the time, and appreciated the styling throw-back to the BMW 507, but why did these plasticy gills end up on the M3 and were they here to stay?

I didn't ask any of these questions at the time, but the E60 BMW M5 introduced in 2005 indicated the gills were here to stay and are now one of the most visible M styling cues.

Unfortunately, gills did not stop at the M5. You can see them on Cadillacs, Jaguars, Range Rovers, Minis and the 2008 M3, complete with holes in the hood, a-la Evo, to complement a larger, more cancerous "Power Dome."

Don't think it stopped with the M3. The new Ford Focus, Pontiac G8 and Hyundai Tiburon also get in on the gill action. The new EVO has upped the ante with this:

and the Lexus IS-F followed suit:

Where did this trend start? Why did it start and when will it end?

Origins
The 1956 BMW 507 is one of the first cars with this style gill I can put my finger on. I am sure there may have been others, but you can trace the BMW Z8 and future gills back to this car. It really compliments this car and doesn't seem like the plastic add-ons of today's cars.

Modern Day
The 1987 Buick GNX is the first modern car I can remember with the plastic side gills. I take them at their word that these gills were needed for cooling the engine compartment due to the turbo.

What's Next?
Now that everybody, including Ford & Hyundai, have copied the gill treatment, how long will these unsightly blemishes grace the luxury car market?

Beyond VLOOKUP: OFFSET + MATCH = Insanity!

2008-11-26T18:35:00.001-08:00

OK, so you are comfortable with VLOOKUP, but tired of counting columns to point the function to the data you are interested in. Wouldn't it be great to have the formula do the leg work and find the # of Columns or Rows to where your data lies?

I have the perfect formula for you, OFFSET. This formula allows you to set a reference cell and find data Relative to that cell.

We are using the same data set from the VLOOKUP example. Imagine we are tired of counting how many columns there are between Outlet and 1st Quarter Sales. We tell OFFSET to use Cell A6 as a reference. OFFSET will ask for the # of ROWS and COLUMNS to move from this reference cell.

Instead of simply counting the # of rows and columns, we embed the MATCH formula into OFFSET. MATCH is very simple and simply finds a cell the matches the data you input. In this example, we need to use the Outlet data to determine how many rows from the Reference cell to travel. Notice that the array we use with the MATCH function does not include any data. OFFSET only needs the number of ROWS we want it to move. The Outlet data is in Cells $A$7:$A$14. NOTE: Do NOT include your OFFSET Reference cell in the MATCH lookup_array. Use the number 0 for your match type. Using 0 will direct MATCH to find EXACTLY what you are looking for, just like FALSE in the VLOOKUP formula.

Repeat the above with another MATCH statement with the variable you are looking for, in this case, 1st Quarter Sales. This value must be EXACTLY as it is in your data array. I STRONGLY recommend copying this value from your data into your output sheet to assure you are looking for something MATCH will Identify. (Many raw data sets contain hidden spaces after the text).

I Would Like To Teach the World VLOOKUP!

2008-11-26T18:11:00.001-08:00

If I could impart one piece of wisdom to members of the corporate rat race it would be: Use VLOOKUP! I see minions hunched over their keyboards cutting and pasting or WORSE, Inputting data by HAND! This is 2008 and we need to let technology do the work for us, not the other way around!

VLOOKUP is the simplest way to quickly grab data out of a large data set. Its uses are truly endless, but a typcial corporate exmaple would be the catch phrase, "REPORTING."

The Example to the left contains a list of Retail outlets identified by a 5 digit code typical of most raw data in a corporate environment.

How to Use Vlookup:

1. Lookup_Value: You want to return a specific value from a list of data. In this example, you must indicate which retail outlet you are concerned with. You hardcode 23165 in cell A3.

2. Table_Array: This is the raw data. The number (or text) you are searching for MUST be in the first column of this array. In our example, the Outlet is what we are searching for and it is in column A. CAREFUL if your list contains numbers, make sure they are not a number stored as text. You simply need to reformat the cells as numbers to overcome this issue.

3. Col_Index: VLOOKUP will VERTICALLY search the first column of your Table_Array to find the value you are searching for. Excel defines the first column as column 1. If you indicate 1 for the Col_Index, VLOOKUP will return the value you are searching for IF it is actually in the list you are searching. In this example, we want to find the 1st Quarter Sales which are in column 4.

4. [Range_Lookup] When in doubt, specify FALSE. I would go one step further and say ALWAYS use FALSE. This value tells VLOOKUP if you want to find an exact match in the Table_Array, or just something that approximates what you are searching for. If you use FALSE and the Table_Array does not contain the value you are searching for, VLOOKUP returns an Error. If you use TRUE and the value is not in the data, VLOOKUP may find a value similar to what you are looking for and return that corresponding value. In other words, there are few, if any times the average Excel user would want to use TRUE.

Unforgetable Videos: RUF Yellowbird CTR Nürburgring

2008-11-13T21:47:00.001-08:00

The Ken Block post below reminded me of the first time I saw the RUF Porsche "drift" around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. I had started a painful career of weekend autocrosses with the BMW club. I took my 1986 190E 2.3-16V to the football stadium fairly regularly to prove I didn't have what it took to be successful on a temporary cone course in a parking lot.

I met Dan Tackett, driving instructor extraordinaire of the BMW CCA. He had been an instructor at the annual Nürburgring driving school for many years. I knew of the Nürburgring and was very interested to combine a trip to Europe with a visit to the Mecca of all things automotive.

Before the trip, he showed me many videos of him attacking the 'Ring, passing Sport Bikes, Porsches and pretty much everything else you can imagine. The last video I saw was this:

An unbelievable and almost unparalleled example of car control. Not out for speed, but out for drama. This was well before the drifting craze and really had an impact on me. The first car magazine I ever bought was a copy of 1987's Road & Track World's Fastest Car. The RUF CTR, known as Yellowbird, was one of the cars tested and probably the fastest. (I can't believe I have actually forgotten).

Is there anything Ken Block can't do?

2008-11-13T20:53:00.001-08:00

Twenty-four hours ago, I had not heard of Ken Block. Then I saw this video:

This gymkhana video is one of those life changing events where you promise yourself, "One day, I WILL DRIVE a rally car." To this day, the most exciting street going experience I have ever had was in an Evolution IX MR. I love that car and can not imagine how much fun it would be on dirt or and abandoned airfield! There are a couple rally schools on the East Coast (FL and New England). I would like to hear from someone who has been to one of those schools.

Then I remember I saw this guy get 2nd at X-Games XIII in 2007! I posted these pics & video in one of my first blog posts.

I own a couple items of DC shoes apparel, but picked them up by chance at Ross.

KEN BLOCK is involved with everything. He is a co-founder of DC shoes, a Rally driver and probably playing an important role in Obama's transition team. If this guy is an investment genius, he could give my all-time hero, Jim Rogers, a run for his money!

BMW's Performance Steering Wheel- Unnecessary but Cool. Kind of...

2008-11-09T20:18:00.001-08:00

I recently stumbled across this piece of kit: The BMW Performance Steering Wheel

Unfortunately, there is a small part of me that would like to play out the role of Robert Kubica and have this thing in my M3. Why? I already have a pretty good command of shifting prior to redline. I have a stopwatch on my OBC. Here is the Wheel in action:

I really don't know what to say about this thing. It costs over $1,000. Doesn't make your car any faster, and is most likely a pain in the ass to install. It definitely falls into the all show and no go category.

Well, the Alcantara grips would be nice, and who doesn't need an extra gadget in their car to take their mind off driving?

I am just sad to see BMW straying further from their brand identity of The Ultimate Driving Machine. This Steering wheel is cool, but it doesn't DO anything. It seems like BMW is all about show these days. Whether it is 300+ hp cars (show) without LSD's to handle the go, or the universally hated iDrive interface. It seems like Chris Bangel has been such a distraction at the company when they started flame surfacing that they have forgotten how to kick ass.

Don't get me wrong. The 335i still seems to be far above its competion (aside from the G37 which I have not had the opportunity to drive). BUT the G37 comes with an LSD and that is not even an option on the 335i. Unfortunately, I don't think three quarters of today's BMW driver's even know what an LSD is, nor would they be willing to shell out $500-$1000 for the option. They are more interested in getting the vinyl interior so they can make the monthly lease payment... Are those days over with today's economy?

Car Alarms, Really??

2008-11-09T17:58:00.001-08:00

A typical day begins around 5:30AM with my neighbor's dog barking, I wake up and eventually drift back to sleep. The dog will bark several more times and THEN the car alarm goes off. I get up, shower, dress and head out to the garage. I get in my car, still a bit groggy and turn the ignition. My car roars to life and another car in my apartment's garage starts blaring its horn. This happens every morning all three cars are in the garage. (Acoustics seem to prevent it from happening if only the alarm car and my car are in the garage. My car does not really roar to life as it has a stock exhaust and is not an Nissan G37 or 350Z.)

Why, in this day and age of cell phones, GPS and Obama, do I have to put up with this noise pollution? It wouldn't be nearly as bad if the owners felt a wave of embarrassment flow over them as they scrambled to shut the alarm off as quickly as possible. They don't. They never do. They JUST DON'T CARE. AND they don't seem to be in complete control of their thief deterring system. I repeatedly hear the woman across the street activate and de-activate her alarm several times in sucession

I am flummoxed that in this day and age of noise restrictions for motorcycles and everything else, I still have to listen to car alarms. I want change! Obama, please ticket owners with offending car alarms! Well, I guess I should ask my Beach Community for change before Obama...(note the Drudge Report flashing light!)

Saturn V Rocket Turns 41!

2008-11-09T16:21:00.001-08:00

I stumbled upon this post today about the anniversary of the rocket that took the US to the moon. This find derailed my productive morning and sent me straight to the YouTube to find more clips of the Saturn V in action. I also poked around Wikipedia and learned more about the program:

Apollo IV was the first Saturn V flight- "Gus" Grissom, Ed White and Roger B. Chaffee were all killed during a test that was later re-named Apollo I. Purdue has buildings named after Grissom and Chaffee.

Apollo XI- The first Moon Mission:

Fantastic High Speed Camera Footage:

Real-Time Footage from the gantry:

Apollo XII- Was hit by lightening after lift-off. Here is a video of the firepit:

Skylab 1- Mission using the Saturn V to put Skylab into orbit. I remember going to see the back-up Skylab in the Smithsonian Air & Space museum.

Soviet N1- The Soviets couldn't get their moon mission off the ground (literally). They built an N1 rocket that was far more powerful than the Saturn V, but had trouble getting all 30 rocket engines to work together. They had four launches and all four ended in an explosion shortly after launch. Here is an interesting video of the N1:

I remember watching the first Space Shuttle launch on TV as well as the shock of hearing about the Challenger disaster while I was at school during a library trip. I have always been in awe of the space program and what it took to build these rockets. NASA and the space program is probably a large part of what interested me in engineering as a child (unfortunately, it did nothing to keep me interested in engineering).

It is amazing all 13 Saturn V missions were successful. The Space Shuttle has shown us how dangerous manned space travel is to this day.

It's What I Like: Warm Nuts in Business Class

2008-11-09T16:08:00.001-08:00

OK, I am not really sure what this book is about, but I am here to tell you how much I love the warm nuts in Business class. I was a very accomplished traveler before I had the opportunity to experience Business class during a trip Japan a couple years ago. The seats are nice and the food is palatable, but the unexpected: A ceramic cup of warm, salty nuts?? Who thought this one up? It sounds as if I am just throwing the innuendos around, but I am serious!

Did the same mind that brought us Clamato think up warm nuts(encourage you to click the Clamato link as it has an exciting Latin theme song and possibly its own dance)?

A more important question, Now that I have had warm nuts, how can I ever go back to room temperature nuts? Bars just aren't the same these days.

DC, Thanks for the Memories

2008-11-03T23:03:00.001-08:00

David Coulthard, F1's fourth highest points earner behind Senna, Prost & Schumacher retired this weekend in a wild Brazilian Grand Prix. He showed a few sparks of greatness at Red Bull, but I will always remember him at McLaren, paired with Mika Häkkinen.

He was one of the only drivers of his era to take the fight to Schumacher, as shown in this 2000 French GP video:

Coulthard had the coolest name, helmet and accent on the F1 grid throughout his career. He was my favorite driver for a number of years and I always hoped he would be able to win the World Championship.

ROCK THE VOTE: Slingbox for Android, NOW!

2008-10-29T20:47:00.002-07:00

I imagine you were as shocked as I was that Google didn't take the bull by the horns and come out swinging with its Android App Market. What better way to arrive on the scene than offer something Apple has put the kibosh on? Apple likely sees Slingbox as a threat to Apple TV or their rumored DVR efforts.

Sling has already shown a "Proof of Concept" at the WWDC (well actually in a back alley next to a Starbucks).

The question is, Why wouldn't Google "encourage" Sling to come to the Android platform?

Enough with the speculation, Tell Sling yourselves! Vote on their feedback forum. There are currently only 12 votes for Android versus 228 for iPhone. Make a difference! ROCK THE VOTE!
11/19/08 Update: There are now 255 votes for SlingPlayer on the Android platform! It is the 3rd ranked idea! Sling has yet to review the idea, but I did have a visit today from an IP inside Google Corp! Hopefully they will push Sling into action!

11/3/08 Update: You have moved the needle! There are currently 84 votes on the Sling feedback forum for Android support. They have not started to review the idea, but it is the #6 idea and has been the top "hot" idea for the past couple days. Sling.com is still in beta and will launch soon. Please keep voting for Android Slingbox support. If you have a beta account, please login when you vote.

THANKS!

It's What I Like: Swiss Trains

2008-09-19T19:12:00.001-07:00

Heading back to the land of Ricola, I highlight another item of Swiss culture that I really like, their Trains. We all heard that up till the reunification, you could set your watch by the German trains. Then we heard how Japan's trains are run like Germany's trains used to be. Well, I have to tell you, after riding Swiss trains for a few days, there is no equal.

The schedules are all interlinked like a giant, well-oiled jigsaw puzzle. Connections are very easy to make and there isn't the annoyance of somebody committing hara-kiri when you are trying to make it to your important meeting.

On top of running like clock-work, the trains themselves look phenomenal. They look like the Brio toys all the boys want when they are little. The locomotives were actually designed by the Italian firm, Pininfarina, yeah, the one that designs Ferraris!

Palm: So Far Ahead of Its Time, It Still Hasn't Caught Up

2008-09-19T18:59:00.001-07:00

Is there really anything more annoying than an iPhone owner trying to tell you how the iPhone is the end-all-be-all of handheld technology? I long for the days I only had to deal with clowns with Windows Mobile. Those jackals were always trying to tell me how they could use/modify/create REAL Microsoft Docs on their feeble machines. Today, iPhone still does not have the capability to work with native MS Documents, but iPhone owners are still confident in thier phone's superiority.

Before I go any further, let me make it clear that I REALLY want an iPhone, I just can't make the switch from my Treo 700P until some basics are taken care of:

Sling Player- What good is that beautiful screen if I can't watch my TV on it? I can already tap into my home DVR with the crappy screen on my Palm 700P. Why should I give this up to move to the iPhone?

Lotus Notes- Apparently there is now a web enabled client to sync Lotus Notes. I know, I know, nobody uses Lotus, that is except my fabulous employer.

MS Office- I need native files on my device. Why you might ask when the fantastic Mobileme stores all your stuff in the cloud? Well, while I am flying through actual clouds on an airliner, I tend to have the majority of my great ideas and, at this point, there isn't reliable WiFi coverage in the friendly skies. (This is an easier arugment than telling Windows Mobile clowns how superior Documents to Go is, they never got it)

Turn By Turn GPS- Caught me, my 700P doesn't actually have this, although I am sure it could be retrofitted to do so. I wan Garmin, Tom Tom or Magellen to step up to the App Store and kick Jobs in the nuts and make a great turn by turn nav app.

14,659 California Cell Phone Tickets- MORE PLEASE!

2008-09-19T18:28:00.001-07:00

There are very few times I will call for more government regulation but I have a hard time believing this story stating almost 15,000 citations have been issued by the CHP alone since the July 1st ban on driving and using a mobile without a hands free device. I can count at least half a dozen clowns chatting away during my daily commute.

The penalty is not nearly high enough. It should be on the order of $200 versus the slap on the wrist of $20. The cops should have a good time enforcing it as well. As Adam Carolla likes to point out, they are always more than willing to issue fix-it tickets for the lack of a front plate or removal of window tinting. Several motorcycle cops ought to be able to rack up dozens of tickets in a couple hours. The "take" needs to be higher to incentivize cops to target this to work towards their monthly ticket incentive.

I am tired of hearing from jackals that claim its not holding the phone that is dangerous, it is the distraction of talking while driving. I won't argue with this statement, but don't you think if someone is that distracted by talking on the phone, lets give everyone involved a better chance of dealing with accident avoidance by having both hands on the wheel?

CHP, get to work!

Blogging: 1 Year On

2008-09-19T17:58:00.001-07:00

Well, It has been almost 13 months since I started Wear & Tear. I am shocked that I haven't been "discovered" and made a web celebrity. What have I learned over the past year?

The Internet's a big place- Don't expect people to stumble upon your posts unless you actively market yourself, or write about the hottest topics of the day.
Trackpoints- People apparently see the light and want Trackpoints for their Macs. I have actually lost interest in Macs since writing about them last August. That Trackpoint posting has been far and away the most viewed & commented on post on this blog. I actually did point to my posting on several other sites and it is a pretty easy to drive traffic if you really want it.
DVORAK- I am a now a proficient DVORAK typist. I am not sure if I have fully returned to the speed I had with the QWERTY keyboard, but I am close and I don't think I make as many mistakes as I used to. Would I recomend making the switch? It depends. I love DVORAK on my home and business computer, but am very frustrated when I show people how to do things on their QWERTY keyboard. At this point I am focusing all effort on DVORAK so I don't go back and forth and I have essentially lost all memory of QWERTY aside from using my Treo keypad (remember, I hate the Treo keypad so I am likely to use Graffiti input.
Google Street View- My photo captures from Google street view are popular with the Euros... Some spend 10's of minutes laughing and laughing at the kid falling off his bike, or the wrecked Mercedes.
Abarth- The logo I have posted for Abarth gets almost as many hits as anything else.

I really enjoy putting thoughts up here and I am going to try to do it more frequently.

Slingbox - iPhone: What's the Story?

2008-09-16T23:00:00.001-07:00

Back in June at the WWDC encouraging stories about a Slingplayer client for the iPhone popped up all over the net.

Eventually, there was a cryptic post on several of the stories to meet some guy behind a Starbucks for a Slingplayer demo on a jail broken phone. That craziness led to this demo video.

Since this video was posted, the Slingbox - iPhone news has gone quiet. I contacted their support people yesterday and was told there were no plans to develop an iPhone client. I was taking care of a registration issue I had with my Treo 700P and thought I would see if they had any good news.

A quick check of the SlingMedia career section indicates they are indeed looking for a developer for an iPhone client.
Will Apple let them play in the App store? Does it matter? Wouldn't you jailbreak your iPhone for Sling Player?

It's What I Like: Manual Transmissions

2008-09-16T22:03:00.001-07:00

Three pedals. I have to have them. SST, SMG II, DCT, DSG, while mostly amazing (aside from the SMG) they just don't give me what I want, interaction.

I LOVE heel toe downshifting. I learned to do it on my first car, a 1981 RX-7. I have been doing it ever since. Some people mistake rev-matching as being hard on the car, but it is actually much easier on the transmission than dumping the clutch while braking.

I have driven SMG & DSG cars and I have to say I am intrigued by the DSG, but don't think I could live without a clutch on a day-to-day basis after the dual clutch novelty wore off. I have heard the EVO X's SST is so good, you don't even need to use the paddles to shift. I missed the opportunity to drive one, but I still can't see myself without a clutch for more than a day.

Check out this Best Motoring clip with the Drift King rowing through the gears on the race track in an AE86!

Society for Architectural Insignificance: Frank Gehry

2008-09-15T22:01:00.001-07:00

After decades of mediocre projects such as the mall at the 3rd street Promenade and his private residence in Santa Monica, Frank Gehry finally has his breakthrough "success" at Bilbao, Spain in 1997. It seems we are stuck with this iteration of his work from here to the end of his career as his work since 1997 has essentially been a re-gurgitation of Bilbao.

The EMP in Seattle is a poster child for the Society for Architectural Insignificance. Situated at the base of the mighty Seattle Space Needle, EMP embodies all that is wrong with modern architecture.

It looks just like all of Gehry's other crumpled up metal buildings.
Somebody thought it would be cool to take a torch to it to change the color of the metal skin.
By most accounts, the EMP is a financial failure

Wikipedia points out the following criticisms of Gehry's work:

The buildings waste structural resources by creating functionless forms
The buildings are apparently designed without researching the local climate
The spectacle of a building often overwhelms its intended use (especially in the case of museums and arenas)
The buildings do not seem to belong in their surroundings "organically"

Gehry admitted during a TED Talk interview that Bilbao was his first design that did not leak. He isn't pushing construction techniques for any purpose other than being avant garde. Enough!

I have to admit I do like:
The Dancing House in Prague
Gehry Tower in Hannover
Der Neue Zollhof

Photo Source

12/1/08 UPDATE: I am not the only person that is not impressed by Gehry's mediocrity!

It's What I Like: Ricola

2008-09-10T23:39:00.001-07:00

This is another new series I thought up during my recent trip to Europe. Instead of complaining about things, I am going to dig really deep to unearth things I enjoy. The first in this series is Ricola cough drops. I have tried several brands of cough drops and syrup over the years and Ricola are the only things that work, EVERY time. I would have probably tried them sooner if they weren't always featured on The Price is Right. Who would have known a product struggling so much for attention that they would stoop to be on TPIR would be any good?

After visiting Switzerland, two things become apparent:

It is no surprise the drops work, as everything in CH seems to work as advertised and the trains are never late.
The Swiss would obviously be attracted to The Price is Right as a serious marketing outlet.

If you haven't given Ricola a try, I encourage you to do so. Don't stray from their original flavor though, the other flavors are not great and I am not sure that they work as well as original.

Society for Architectural Insignificance: The Space Needle

2008-08-21T22:11:00.001-07:00

I am starting a new feature on my blog, the Society for Architectural Insignificance. I will feature insignificant eyesores, public boondoggles and other annoying architecture. To start this series, I will focus on a structure that I am very passionate about, the Seattle Space Needle.

Built for the 1962 World's Fair, the Space Needle rocketed on to the world architectural scene at a dizzying height of 605 feet. This pales in comparison to the free standing tour-de-force, the Eiffel Tower, which stands 1,063 feet, built in 1889.

The Needle's short stature combined with it's "The Future is Now" design make me question why it is arguably the most recognizable feature of Seattle.

The Seattle Space Needle is Insignificant Because:

It is an eyesore standing slightly taller than half the height of a French structure that was built 73 years earlier

The Needle's marketing crew created this retro-futuristic logo:

It has a rotating restaurant (It used to have TWO rotating restaurants)

United et al. Please Listen!

2008-08-08T19:26:00.001-07:00

1. Since we now live in a day and age where we have to pay for meals in Economy Class, please place the description of the meals on either the front or back cover OR on page 10 in EVERY magazine. I am so tired of the clown who has never set foot on a plane asking the flight attendant what is in each snack box or if they carry Mountain Dew only to have them rifle through the latest issue of Hemispheres magazine to determine what page this semi-literate traveler needs to read.

2. While we are talking about snack boxes, PLEASE adopt a numbering system. Some people are color blind, but you don't even refer to the meals by color, you have applied cutesy Marketing-speak. Right Bite, Easy Rider, Etc... NUMBERS PLEASE!

3. Baggage Carousels- A two parter
A. Please place a simple arrow on the conveyor belt to indicate which way the luggage will travel. This helps position those in line that like to pounce on their luggage immediately.

B. Install simple posts or other impediments on the floor to prevent every jackal with a luggage cart from pulling right up to the carousel. These people need to chill out and leave the cart 7 feet away from the carousel to allow travel savvy passengers to quickly grab their bags and leave the airport. European airports seem to have this down. You would think their inhabitants would be smarter than to crowd the area, alas, many Americans travel, so the anti- cart barriers have been erected and they do their job well.

And Finally, the elitest in me that has been forced to travel to Dallas on numerous occasions would like United to mark the frequent flier line in LAX! I am tired of getting the stink eye from other passengers when I stand in the line off to the left. Also, fill in the crack security guards about the line too. They like to heckle you when you stand there. (TSA is on board and recognizes the line.)

WTF? North Carolina Cracking down on Creative Plates

2008-07-02T22:50:00.001-07:00

I could not believe it when I saw this plate in front of me on my commute to work. It brought a smile to my face and made the drive more enjoyable. My mom couldn't figure out its meaning but apparently North Carolina has caught on.

Microsoft=#@&!!, How does this make Steve Ballmer Feel?

2008-07-02T22:45:00.001-07:00

Mini uses the Microsoft Windows logo as a curse! This is fantastic and I don't know why it hasn't gotten more play. Thanks to kremer.com for finding this jewel. The logo is still on the Mini site, press the pic for the link.

Congratulations BMW Sauber F1! BMW Wins Montreal

2008-06-08T17:24:00.001-07:00

BMW Returned to the top step of the pinnacle of motor racing today at the Canadian GP. Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld scored an impressive 1-2 for the team in an eventful race.

Lewis Hamilton handed his friend from GP2 the win when he speared Kimi Raikkonen at the pit out when the lights were still red. Lewis showed Schumacher-esque car control and cunning by maintaining just enough control of his car to avoid hitting Kubica, but keenly eliminating his main Championship rival from the race.

The Canadian racetrack literally came apart during qualification and the running of the race. It seems only one running of the 3500 lb NASCAR series in 2007 was enough to severely damage it.

Hungarians Don't Like Microsoft

2008-05-20T23:54:00.001-07:00

I don't know what this guy was complaining about, pirating seems to be fairly common in Hungary. I bet this guy was named Ferenc!

New Jawbone/SAME BLUETOOTH

2008-05-20T23:12:00.001-07:00

I just picked up my New Jawbone headset yesterday. I was so excited because I was happy with my old Jawbone and was positive the new one would be so much better.

The verdict is in. Bluetooth in general sucks. I used to believe my parents when they said the sound quality was as good as the phone itself, but I have had so many complaints recently, I no longer believe this. They are my parents, and they are just trying to reinforce my purchase decision, just like when you have a booger in your nose, I wish I had known the bitter truth long ago.

As far as the New Jawbone is concerned it is better in almost every way except sound performance. Hell, the packaging is even easier to open (no rubber band holding the headset in the hard plastic case). I have to say the designers really listened to user complaints on the old model.

Size: Its smaller. Smaller is better for almost all electronics

Buttons: The original had many complaints that the buttons were hard to locate and push. This model has buttons in the same location, but they are very easy to push.

Fit: The original felt like some kind of medieval ear torture device if you used the ear loop. If you didn't use the ear loop, you bought Jabra ear gels and modded your Jawbone. Once "modded" you enjoyed a comfortable fit for several minutes while you waited for it to eventually fall out at a dangerous time while you were driving.

The new device is MUCH more comfortable with the loop. The small size makes it much less intrusive. I am not sure the layout of the rubber ear piece lends itself to removing the loop and using the Jabra eargels, but I will look into it.

Operation: For some reason, double clicking the main button does not redial the last call. I am not sure why and may be forced to read the instructions! This is inconvenient as battles with my Treo often leave me dropping calls and I need a quick way to redial.

Charger: The original had pins that bent due to normal use. I had to use a rubber band to hold the charger to the headset with enough force to make contact on the old one. These problems have been elegantly eliminated with the new design.

Sound Quality: Identical to the original. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I have switched between the two on calls and the person I am speaking with can not tell a difference with the NoiseAssassin technology. All callers are amused by the NoiseAssassin moniker & that is definitely a plus.

Availability: This headset appears to be as popular as the last one and availability is tight. I had to call/visit 3 AT&T stores before securing one on 5/19 (Jean (pronounced John) in the 8471 Beverly Blvd ATT store is a tool, I drove 50 miles round trip to pick up the headset he was "holding" for me)

Note:
I used the new Jawbone with my Palm Treo 700P, a phone notorious for not playing nice with Bluetooth devices.

Another Time Lapse Video

2008-05-20T23:02:00.001-07:00

The cell phone video reminded me of this video. I wanted to post it a couple months ago, but I forgot about it. Pretty cool.

Morphing Cell Phones

2008-05-20T22:54:00.001-07:00

Great condensed history of the cell phone. They seem to have missed the phone that was removed from our 1975 240D when we bought it.

Gasoline Catching up to Coca Cola

2008-05-18T23:19:00.001-07:00

Americans love to complain about gas prices and they have plenty to complain about these days. The national average for a gallon of regular gas is now $3.79 according to the Lunderg Survey.

A 20 ounce bottle of Coke typically costs $1 in a vending machine or a gas station. There are 128 ounces/gallon. That puts a gallon of Coke at $6.40. If you by the 2 liter containers @ $1 that go flat after one use, you are looking at $1.90/Gallon of Coke.

It seems we are either getting a great deal on gas, or paying too much for sugar water. What do you think?

Grocery Store Rules of Engagement

2008-04-29T22:46:00.001-07:00

During these trying times of political turmoil, can we come together as a country to define proper check-out lane etiquette?

I am sick and tired of being glared at when I don't invade someone's personal space, push them aside, and grab the rubber divider so the clerk will stop scanning items like an automaton after the 30th bottle of baby food and then reach for my case of Hefeweizen and a box of cereal. I have a look about me that exudes cereal and beer and I am confident the clerk will pick up on these traits.

If you are someone that needs the extra security a rubber check-out divider provides, it is solely your responsibility to locate and position said divider. Don't glare at me when I nonchalantly place my gallon of milk on the conveyor without a divider. I fully understand the risks involved.

So America, Remember, It is your responsibility to place the divider in front OR behind you.

Audi's Desperate Product Placement

2008-04-27T22:21:00.001-07:00

Ok, so all the mainstream comic books have already been made into moderately successful franchises (Batman, Spiderman and Superman). Then came the lesser known properties from Marvel's stable (Ghostrider, Some guy with a target on his forhead, the Fantastic Four, etc)

Now the basement of Marvel has been mined for another script to be made into a semi-successful "blockbuster".

Audi decided to pony-up big time for the long build-up to the movie that started with a Superbowl ad that briefly shows an R8 in Ironman's garage that is filled to the brim with exotics.

The R8 is an incredibly beautiful and rare car that does not need to be marginalized by an appearance in a crappy comic book movie. Hopefully they are contractually protected if Robert Downey Jr. decides to have another meltdown before this film opens.

Edit: I just discovered Jon Favreau directed Ironman. I loved Swingers & Made and hope the film does well for him although I am still over Marvel live action movies...

Google Streetview Keeps the Comedy Rolling

2008-04-27T21:42:00.001-07:00

First there was the Mercedes crash, then the dumpy house, now there are multiple car crashes and now this kid falling off his bike. Streetview is Hillarious!

Portishead, Why all the hype?

2008-04-27T21:03:00.001-07:00

I am SO over Portishead these days. Ok, ok, they are back together after a long hiatus, BUT were they ever a real force to begin with? I bought Dummy back in the day, but Portishead re-uniting to play in the desert for a bunch of hippies is not NPR/LAist/KROQ worthy.

Do you smell what Barack is cooking?

2008-04-21T21:06:00.001-07:00

Its a sad state of affairs when the president is reduced to pandering for approval by appearing on "Deal or no Deal." But it is even worse when the candidates appeal to the country's lowest common denominator by taping messages for professional wrestling.

Here is what the future leader(s) of the free world had to say to the sub-NASCAR constituency. I wonder if Hillary thought of anymore sniper stories after working with the writers in pro-wrastling?

"Tonight, in honor of the WWE, you can call me Hillrod. This election is starting to feel a lot like `King of the Ring.' The only difference? The last man standing may just be a woman."

"To the special interests who've been setting the agenda in Washington for too long and to all the forces of division and distraction that has stopped us from making progress, for the American people, I've got one question: Do you smell what Barack is cooking?"

"Looks like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama want to celebrate their differences in the ring," Well, that's fine with me, but let me tell you: If you want to be the man, you have to beat the man. Come November, it'll be game over. And whatcha gonna do when John McCain and all his McCainiacs run wild on you?"

SWPL: Stuff White People Like

2008-04-17T21:35:00.001-07:00

This post has been a long time coming and it will struggle to live up to expectations. S-train made me aware of the amazing blog, Stuff White People Like it is an amazing blog with spot-on observations and sound write-ups.

During the days that followed our discovery of this blog, we compiled an addendum to the list that the site is more than welcome to borrow from. My Dvorak slowed typing will not allow me to make write-ups at this time, but I intend to re-visit some of these topics in the future.

Seattle
Collaboration
Zoos/Synthetic Natural Habitats
Dinner Cruises
Pontoon Boats
Wine Country
Pug Dog mixes*
Winter Sports
Birkenstock's
Vintage Cars
the Cosby's
Consumer Reports
Antiques Roadshow
Cheese
NCAA Brackets
NBC Thursday TV
Office Pools
Hard Rock Cafe
ipod covers
Digital Cameras- Especially talking about deleting less than desirable photos but in actuality saving EVERYTHING
Vinyl (records)
Nice names for the bathroom
Trader Joe's
Stocks
Balsamic Vinegar
Travel Woes- Delays, Overbooking, etc
Not Using Vacation-Specific to Americans
Jet Lag
Mediocre restaurants
Chinese Characters
Swedish Pop Bands
Convertibles
John Hughes Movies
Up and Coming Eastern European Cities (Prague & Budapest)
Ray Bans/Maui Jim Sunglasses
Fast Food with a Small Diet Coke as a Justification
Real Estate
Catalina Island

Fashion Tip #1

2008-04-17T21:23:00.001-07:00

This one is so straight forward, I hesitate to even mention it. Ladies, men think your expensive Louis Vuitton bags look like crap. There really isn't a way to sugar coat this. All men are shocked to discover that tired looking, dingy dark brown bag wasn't a gift from your grandma that you really are ashamed of but love your nanee too much to throw it out.

Understand there are no men that you are into that think that thing is attractive. If they knew how much you paid for it, they would start fantasizing about the PS3 WITH Grand Theft Auto they would have spent the money on.

The only men impressed are probably the gay designers that dream that crap up and pass it off to you... I hope this image is a fake!

Great Plate!

2008-04-15T23:02:00.001-07:00

Some Aussie slipped this one by the California DMV, Mate!

Customer Service: Phone Call Time Wasters

2008-04-15T22:54:00.001-07:00

Does anybody still input ID numbers when prompted during customer service calls? Remember some of the excuses they would give after you had entered your 16 digit credit card # only to be asked to repeat it when you finally get to a live person?

My favorites:

The system must be down today
I lost that screen

What are some of your favorites?

I Live in a Stupid City! 3 murders & 12 Shootings During MLK Murder ban

2008-04-15T22:13:00.001-07:00

To mark the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's death, local geniuses Earl Ofari Hutchinson and Eddie Jones proposed a 40-hour "ban" on murder. I'm not kidding. Eventually, common sense won out in a 13-0 vote for a resolution that adopted a kinder, gentler condemnation of violence. (still not kidding)

If I am not mistaken, murder is already a relatively serious crime that usually entails jail time and death in many states. I am glad my hard earned tax dollars are supporting mindless symbolic statements against something that is already a crime. While they were at it, why didn't they suggest making any murder committed during this time a "Hate Crime" and triple the normal sentence for this 40 hour period? (I shouldn't give them any ideas for the 50th anniversary!)

Meanwhile, the LAUSD recently spent time passing a resolution boycotting Four Points Sheraton LAX.

Doesn't the school district have pressing education related issues they should be tackling?

DVORAK is HARD!!

2008-04-15T21:45:00.001-07:00

I have so many things I want to write about, but have been recently crippled by an attempt at increasing my typing efficiency. I completely switched to the DVORAK layout last week and am in kind of a no man's land right now. I know where all the keys are, but I have to actively think about every keystroke. I have completely forgotten the QWERTY layout and am in a sad state of tortoise speed typing.

The most annoying thing is I find myself editing what I want to say in hopes to simplify my keystrokes.

Although I am frustrated right now, I am confident this is the right thing to do. The keys are much more logically laid out. I used to be able to type out words phonetically with my fingers with my mind doing very little legwork.

Questions:
1. How do I globally change to DVORAK? Right now I have to change the keyboard settings for each program i use.
2. How can I map my keys so Control+C, X and V etc. are associated with their QWERTY locations? Using these keys in their DVORAK locations is inconvenient
3. Any suggestions for DVORAK exercises to improve dexterity?

THANKS!

11/18/08 Update: I have finally exceeded my typing speed with QUERTY prior to switching to DVORAK! I am in excess of 45 WPM corrected for accuracy according to TypingTest.com. Typing is much more fluid with DVORAK. The only downside is using other people's computers. When I go back to QWERTY, I am almost completely lost. I can type my logins & passwords in QWERTY, but that is about it. Overall, I think if you are adventerous and a bit eccentric, take the dive. Embed a photo of the DVORAK keyboard in your desktop wallpaper and don't look back!

Jackie Chan's top Sunts

2008-03-20T14:30:00.001-07:00

As reviewed by the Angry Nintendo Video Game Nerd. I really like #6, but you can't argue with #1.

Prius gets Served by BMW 520d

2008-03-17T22:52:00.001-07:00

Why has it taken journalists almost 10 years to bring this to light? Check out this fantastic piece about a Prius vs. a 520d

Not a Ferrari, Not that Fast!

2008-03-05T20:49:00.001-08:00

I am amazed that being as much of an automotive enthusiast as I am, I was only made aware of C’etait un Rendezvous last year during a meeting at work. A group VP, also a car nut, decided to use the film as the intro to his presentation of future product and strategy. At first I merely dismissed it as another version of the Getaway in Stockholm series of insane stunts on the mean streets of Sweden.

After a few moments, I realized the soundtrack was special and the time was set back in the mid 70's. After the movie, the GVP explained the movie was only recently made available on DVD. He said the director, Claude Lelouch, had used the proceeds of a successful movie to purchase a Ferrari 275 GTB and hired an F1 pilot to drive the streets of Paris.

I just finished the book, The Driver, by Alexander Roy, the guy who took his M5 from NYC to LA in 31 hours and 4 minutes. I was struck by Roy's comment that Lelouch had used a Mercedes 450SEL 6.9 to film the movie, not a Ferrari. This story is confirmed here.

If you watch the movie and think about the blinding speed a 275 GTB would be doing in the gears, you understand the sound is a hoax. This is still a great moment in automobiles, but not the stunt you probably thought it was.

The Fat Lady is Already Singing

2008-03-01T18:06:00.001-08:00

Bill Clinton wants you to vote for Obama, per his "Laws of Politics"! Hillary should have dumped his dead weight years ago!

Nissan Says Nein to the Fast and the Furious!!

2008-02-29T19:19:00.001-08:00

This gem supposedly comes from the new Nissan GT-R owner's manual! My Kanji is a bit rough, but the last two characters on the 1st row say something about design (Kai of kaizen). They are basically saying, don't mess with the GT-R's awesomeness by putting coffee-can mufflers, Chapparal-style wings and DTM splitters on this engineering masterpiece! Go Nissan (except I don't like their draconian anti-track measures)

Check out the GT-R Demolishing both the GT3 AND 911 Turbo
AutoCar one two
Car one two

The Hoff Has a Posse

2008-02-19T20:43:00.001-08:00

6'4"
200lbs
The Hoff Has a Posse!
OBEY!

Wall to Wall KR Coverage continues below with a much better updated opening than what they put together for the movie.

The New Knight Rider, Was it On, or was it HOFF?

2008-02-19T20:39:00.001-08:00

Turkish Knight Rider & GITT

2008-02-18T23:55:00.001-08:00

Now that the real Knight Rider is back, albeit without Turbo Boost, I was searching around the InterWeb for my KR fix. These commercials are brillant! There are several out there and when I track down more translations I will post them!

Translation: BY OYUMURTACI (I found the translation through Jalopnik)

Cem Yılmaz: What's this guy doing man? Flash him the sign!
GITT: He's on the right bro. (yes ağabey/abi means older brother, but used in the slang context 'bro' here).
Cem Yılmaz: Looky looky looky...
-
Cem Yılmaz: Open that thing let's see what he has to say.
Douche: You keep screaming 'OPET OPET' in the commercials but so far we ain't seen nothing from you Mike.
Cem Yılmaz: O RLY. (ok that was admittedly my touch)
Douche: Give the car the credit it's due, step on it!
GITT: Here's the crowbar.

Cem Yılmaz: Don't play his game, put that away.
GITT: I think he's crazy.
Douche: You're fake-ass dreamer man, I can take those keys from ya.
Cem Yılmaz: We'd like to see young people like you on the tracks.
Douche: Enough with the socially responsible messages, I'm tellin you I'll get those keys from you Mike. Don't go crying OPET afterwards though.
Cem Yılmaz: Follow me then...
-
Track announcement: The race will begin shortly, please remove your children from the track.
Douche: You just had to emphasize OPET here didn't you.
Cem Yılmaz: Looky here, let's fill you up with some Full Force too, or you'll be crying at the end.
Douche: These shenanigans stink of advertising Mike, there's no need for this.
-
Cem Yılmaz: Wait for me at the finish line. Now you're gonna see advertising for ya...

(Dials labelled: Gas (as in LPG which is very widespread here in Turkey), Wheat, Bran, Full Force)

At the end of the race:

Douche: The asphalt cried for mercy man.
Cem Yılmaz: No spinning, no spinning (as in spinning the foosball rack, usually a direct indicator of über foosballness. If you spin the players to hit harder, you're a zit that needs popping) Hey plush you made it! 5 to nothing (to the mechanics). Get this guys keys and put his ride next to the other victims.
Mechanic: Excuse me sir.
From the bleachers: Give the car the credit it's due!
Cem Yılmaz: He's talkin to you.

BY OYUMURTACI AT 02/15/08 10:49 AM

Translation, just because there are small nuances that kinda make it even better:

Cem Yılmaz: Darn that toilet was so clean I couldn't bear to use it. Open your own door alreay...
GITT: There's a new mission bro.
Cem Yılmaz: Alright lets see it. Shove it GITT (he actually says 'bastır git' which could be considered polite profanity for 'fuck off').
Cem Yılmaz (reading the list): 1 Kilo mincemeat, 2 kilos of potatoes, 40 watt bulb.
GITT (in a questioning tone): 40 watt?
Cem Yılmaz: Cherry tomatoes, buy these from Migros (grocery chain, comparably probably to Wall Mart/K Mart in the U.S.) what the hell is this?
GITT: Isn't this supposed to be an OPET commercial?
Cem Yılmaz: Yeah.
-
Cem Yılmaz: Basket mode GITT.
GITT: Not on the first adventure man...
Cem Yılmaz: Well what, should I become a basket?
GITT: Fine, here!
-
Cem Yılmaz: Easy, no turbo. No turbo. You go for the mincemeat, I'll get the rest.
Cem Yılmaz: Cherry tomatoes, potatoes, and I'm Mike.
Cashier: Do you have a Migros Club Card mister Mike?
Cem Yılmaz: Let me see, heh heh heh.
Cashier: You can use the points that you have accumulated from this purchase when buying gas from OPET.
Cem Yılmaz: OPET? If this stuff turns into gas at OPET, let's make the potatoes 5 kilos heh heh heh (cheesy craptastic attempt at hitting on the cashier, hence GITT drives away).
Cem Yılmaz: The car's gone. The car was borrowed man.
-
Voiceover: Win points at Migros, spend them at OPET. Win points at OPET, spend them at Migros.
Cem Yılmaz: We're coming from Migros, gonna buy some gas. Give a hand to these friends of mine. Everyone get their favorite gas! Did you see a black car come through here? Talking? Red lights?

Better Living Through Massive Infrastructure Spending

2008-02-13T22:47:00.001-08:00

This is a highly entertaining look into the future from post-war America. A couple humorous takeaways:
1. Radiant Heat will keep the highways dry- Think of the energy required for that!
2. Atomic powered tunnel machines will bore through mountains- That sounds a bit dangerous.

Many of the predictions have actually come true:
1. Backup Cameras
2. Navigation screens/guidance
3. Shipping containers- These appear to have been a new technology in the mid-50's
4. Obesity- Although they didn't come out and say it, citizens of the future lived a sloth-like existence where they only needed to walk from the house to the moving walkway or car.

Hillary, Save those tears for the Concession Speech!

2008-02-10T14:46:00.001-08:00

Hillary wants to get the most mileage out of her acting lessons that have made her so good at crying on demand. This is the third time in a string that started in New Hampshire and appeared to set her on the way to winning the nomination. She would be better served saving those tears for her Concession speech!

Photo Caption: Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., wipes her eye as she listens to a disabled U.S. veteran in the audience tell his story during a campaign stop at The City of Lewiston Memorial Armory in Lewiston, Maine., Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008.

"Hardware Problems" Spawn a Chinese Britney

2008-02-07T23:38:00.001-08:00

Zhang Ziyi was dogged in the press for lip-synching during CCTV's Chinese New Year's coverage. (on a happy note, I now receive CCTV-9!! Brings back Shanghai memories!)

Check out the story here.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Movie Review: CloverWitchProject

2008-02-07T22:57:00.001-08:00

Have a lot more money to spend on your movie poster than the actual movie itself? Think most people have blocked the Blair Witch Debacle from their minds? Can’t find a scab to write a script? Well, if all of the above are true, it sounds like you are destined to make Cloverfield 2 (I have actually heard people talking about a 2nd stab at this ill conceived movie).

I have to admit, I was very excited to see Cloverfield. I don’t really get into monster movies, but I heard people throwing around the words “horror” and “scary”, so I thought I would give it a shot. The commercials were interesting but had traces of Blair Witch all over them with the jerky camera and no discernable plot.

The beginning is very Blair Witch with a militaristic/CIA style screen stating the camera was recovered from the area formerly known as Central Park. At this point, I have high hopes. I know I am in for an hour and a half of jerky camera action, but I want to see wide spread terror.

In stead, some no talent hack takes the camera and starts fawning over some girl that looks like a mix between a movie zombie and Joan Jett. We are at a going away party for a thirtysomething fast tracker who is off to, get this, Japan! High fives all around the control room for the homage to Godzilla! Things rapidly deteriorate as we burn time in a desperate attempt to stretch things out to 85 minutes (how many of that is credits?). The camera man learns that our hero, who has dreams of sake dancing in his head, has recently, get this, had sex with one of his close friends. Now giddy, the cameraman gleefully spreads this sewing circle gossip around the party until, finally, the earth shakes and the power flickers. Now its on!

There could have been literally 100’s of cool things that would have happened at this point. What does happen is the monster makes its way into frame on the street outside and casually tosses the head of the Statue of Liberty into the street. Realism seems to take a backseat at this point because I did not hear one person mention that head. You know in a real amateur video, someone would state the obvious and start pining on about how that was the head of the Statue of Liberty and “Oh, that must be heavy”, etc…

Well, because the girl our Japan bound hero recently had sex with decided to leave the party early, he gathers up a rag-tag group to run upstream against the massive evacuation of Manhattan and head into the maelstrom. Blah, Blah, Blah. Find girl impaled on something, carry girl out. Expendable cameraman eaten. Helicopter ride to safety. Some kind of flash (a comet or spaceship or something) to insure a sequel. End of horror tape, cut back to pre-monster dated Coney Island tape, role credits.

Lame, but at least I didn’t pay to see it. I have to admit the action was great and pretty realistic on a tight budget due to the handheld cinematic style. Unfortunately, the story was as lame as the Blair Suck Project and the hype surrounding the movie was almost as great. If you have seen the movie, you will admit my cobbled together review was more thought out than the script.

The Internet at its finest!

2008-01-18T16:32:00.001-08:00

Back to basics. Cutting things in half with a sword in super slow motion! I thought the Blendtec (of Will it Blend fame) folks had a good thing going when they "blended" an iPhone. For those who felt destroying an iPhone to drive traffic to a blender retailer was much too commercial, you will enjoy these vids.

I will cross the lines to be a Scab!

2008-01-11T21:41:00.001-08:00

Since the Daily Show and the Colbert Report are digging up scripts they had in the can prior to the strike, I figured I would join the party. Years ago, I entertained the idea of giving up my glamorous life in the corporate world to be a writer for the Daily Show. I submitted these two scripts without a word from Comedy Central. I am giving them a 2nd chance!

Note: I wrote these without the benefit of Final Draft. I just have macros for MS Word that intent and so on. Unfortunately, the indenting didn't all make it to the blog AND the macros disable the spell check, so there may still be some errors in the scripts.

IRAQ MURAL PAINTING: DAILY SHOW
1/30/03: Jason Schell

INT. SET
JOHN
And now with the latest on the growing tension between the U.S. and Iraq, we join CORRESPONDENT live from Baghdad.

Now CORRESPONDENT, we have been hearing a lot of rhetoric from the Bush administration claiming Iraq is not complying with the UN disarmament resolution.

What is the feeling you are getting from both the Iraqi people and your view of the Bush administration’s actions.

CORRESPONDENT
Well Jon, there definitely is tension both in Iraq and within the administration.
JON
Bush had been pushing disarmament to a head in recent days but seems to have backed off, allowing Iraq, quote, “Weeks to comply”. CORRESPONDENT, what caused this shift in policy?

CORRESPONDENT
With recent talk of sending the evil dictator into exile, there are worries within the U.S. as to how to install a post-Saddam government.
JON
I see, the administration is still working on training the new Iraqi government?

CORRESPONDENT
Oh no Jon, that is just about wrapped up in Hungary. The new government is currently in Budapest picking out what hats they will wear when they take power. They are concerned about being upstaged by Mohammad Karzi of Afghanistan.

JON
I am confused. If the new puppet government is ready to take power, what is the U.S. waiting for? Is Rumsfeld still working on strategies for the invasion?

CORRESPONDENT
Jon, please. Bush signed off on the invasion plan months ago. The big worry the administration is now facing is a massive shortage of latex paint in the Gulf region.
JON
I’m sorry CORRESPONDENT; I don’t follow how a shortage of latex paint is holding up this invasion?

CORRESPONDENT
Simple Jon. How can a newly installed puppet government effectively rule while 50 foot murals of Saddam are on every street corner? The latest military intelligence estimates 3 months and a billion dollars will be needed to paint over all the murals.

Insert graphic of crew painting over a Saddam mural.
Insert graphic of the same mural painted all white with large black letters “Bush Rules!”

JON
Thank you, CORRESPONDENT, for that report.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REBUILDING IRAQ
4/8/03
INT SET:
JON
Now that hostilities in Iraq seem to be winding down, the U.S. focus turns to rebuilding Iraqi infrastructure. Joining us live from Baghdad for more on this topic is our Iraqi correspondent, CORRESPONDENT.

EXT. URBAN STREET-NIGHT
CORRESPONDENT stands on a street corner with ruins in the background. A few people mill around and stare at the CORRESPONDENT.

CORRESPONDENT
Jon, I am standing in a location that may be familiar to you, the Presidential Palace near the Tigris River. Images of this posh estate are likely to be ingrained in the minds of our viewers as one of the first sites Collation troops secured in their fight for Baghdad.

Right across the street you will find the future site of the first Starbuck’s in liberated Iraq. You can see the enthusiasm in the onlookers’ faces while they wait for this bastion of Americana.

“I would like a Carmel Macchiato with an extra helping of Freedom.” Jon.
JON
CORRESPONDENT, they hardly look excited. They seem to be trying to pick up the pieces in a shattered town.
CORRESPONDENT
That’s the Iraqi’s for you Jon. They are very good at hiding their enthusiasm. Take for instance this grand opening of the equivalent of our ‘Wal-Mart.’

Cut to anti-American rally in Iraq with caption: Baghdad 1991, days before Operation Desert Storm.

JON
I overlooked the ability of Iraqis to hide their emotions. Now, CORRESPONDENT, can you give the viewers a better idea of where you are and where the new Starbuck’s will be.

A digital map appears with labels for the Presidential Palace and the Starbuck’s. An X appears indicating the location of CORRESPONDENT.

CORRESPONDENT
You can see the ornate gardens that surround the palace grounds. These will become terraces lined with tables shaded by umbrellas. The perfect place to enjoy a hot drink in the cool desert sun.

If you follow these gardens around to the front of the building you see the Starbuck’s location on the corner. My location is indicated by an X on the map. This will become the 2nd Starbuck’s in Iraq.
JON
Two Starbuck’s caddy corner from each other? Do you think Iraq is ready for this immersion in American culture?
CORRESPONDENT
Most definitely Jon. The planners decided it might be inflammatory to place just one Starbucks in each location. Iraqi’s would soon learn of multi Starbuck’s installations and become jealous that their rebuilding was somewhat inferior to the West.
JON
While the Starbuck’s may be historic for this region, I have to imagine there is a lot more happening during this hectic transition from war to rebuilding.
CORRESPONDENT
Of course there is Jon. Ground was broken today for three Mc Donald’s and the former government run TV has started screening people to compete on Iraqi Idol. Jon…
JON
Thank you, CORRESPONDENT. You can almost see a coffee drinking mob forming to burn an American flag in the background.

Fame, Fortune and Fiji Water

2008-01-07T21:32:00.001-08:00

I don't have much of an appetite for fame. Sure the money would be great and of course the cars, possibly the women... Would I really want to give up a life of anonymity for that?

Until this very moment, in my entire life, the answer would have been no. Today, I would give all that up to become famous enough that Fiji water ships free shipments of their delicious water not only to my door, but wherever in the world I happen to be cavorting at the moment.

Tonight I paid the outrageous amount of $3.50 for 1L of Fiji water. That is more than 7 times the going rate for a 2L bottle of Coke on sale (which I believe can still be had for $0.99).

At $3.50 per L, Fiji water comes in at $13.25/gallon. That makes our manufactured gas "crisis" of $3/gallon seem cheap.

OH, I ALMOST FORGOT, FIJI, PLEASE GET SOME ARTISANS TO PROPERLY APPLY THE DECALS TO YOUR SLICK PACKAGED, ARTESIAN WATER! EVERY BOTTLE I HAVE EVER SEEN (with the exception of the one posing for the beauty shot in this posting) HAS A BUBBLE IN THE MIDDLE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ANDSEVERE SCRATCHING AT ONE OR MORE PLACES. FOR THE MONEY I AM PAYING, AN ARTISAN SHOULD BE POURING THE PRODUCT DIRECTLY IN MY PARCHED MOUTH!

Farwell 2007, the year California Homeless Received a 25% Raise

2008-01-05T20:26:00.001-08:00

Most associates in the cut throat world of corporate pay scales make due with raises in the single digits. Last year, California's homeless pulled off an astounding coup, raking in a 25% raise over 2006. How did they manage? Recycled beverage containers refund rates skyrocketed from $0.04 to $0.05 for containers less than 24 OZ and from $0.08 to $0.10 for those larger than 24 OZ.

Way to go homeless people. One more perk to go with your killer tan!

Heiress and Self-made Media Whores Meet

2007-12-29T14:20:00.001-08:00

Tila Tequila's search traffic on Google has met and at one point exceeded that of Paris Hilton. As Hilton's fortune and fame are rapidly drawing to a close, Tila's seem to be decidedly on the up tick.

With a self promotion warchest reduced to an estimated $5 million, less taxes, Paris should get in contact with Tila. She needs to learn the art of self promotion, on the cheap!

Merry Christmas- 70F & Sunny

2007-12-25T11:46:00.001-08:00

Christmas Day at Hermosa Beach pier

Hey "Sandwich Artist" Would you eat a sub with that much mayo?

2007-12-23T18:10:00.001-08:00

I am so fed up with the so called "Sandwich Artists" over at Subway that drown your sub in Mayo and Mustard. When they actually make subs to eat on their breaks, do you think they are clamping down with a death grip on those plastic bottles?

Is Subway's corporate office scheming to force the franchises to purchase more Subway branded mayo and mustard? When they go "lite" they only squeeze down until it sputters once. Regular application merits multiple sputters per sandwich.

The upside of all this is I have been forced to convert to using oil and vinegar on my sandwiches. This is both healthier and tastes much better.

Thanks alot "Sandwich Artist"!

Most Annoying Hybrid Commercial to Date

2007-12-02T15:41:00.001-08:00

I think it speaks for itself:

This one was more embarrassing than annoying, but it comes in a close 2nd:

Carbon Fiber- I'm Over it!

2007-10-30T20:38:00.001-07:00

It seems carbon fiber shows up on everything from boy racer cars to cell phones. I am done with it!

This is a mock up of an iPhone in Carbon Fiber!!!

Abarth Rally Ad

2007-10-22T20:31:00.002-07:00

PDA/Phone History

2007-10-17T23:46:00.001-07:00

Pushing Daisies

2007-10-17T23:22:00.001-07:00

The new television season is not even a month old and I can already see the tragic end of another great show. I really like Pushing Daisies, but all the planets are aligning for another award winning show to get horrible ratings.

My favorite show that pioneered this formula, Arrested Development, is already a casualty.
30 Rock took the banner of the witty, prize winning show, but has been severely watered down this season in an apparent push for ratings with a parade of cheesy cameos kicked of with Seinfeld who may be with us for the entire season. He plays an unbelievable version of himself.

Well, if you enjoy great TV, and I know there aren't too many of you out there, give Pushing Daisies a shot on Wednesdays on ABC.

I Contribute to Web 2.0!

2007-09-28T16:08:00.001-07:00

Suicides By Location on The Golden Gate Bridge

Yahoo MapMixer

Golden Gate Suicide Map
Nurburgring
Nurburgring I
TRC- Transportation Research Center

Palm Cancels Foleo Companion to Treo

2007-09-05T23:44:00.001-07:00

How has Palm managed to hang on all these years? I love my 700P, but can't imagine how the company that brought PDA's to the masses has fallen so far. I weigh about 5lbs more when I carry my svelte 700P in my pocket. If I chose to protect my phone with a plastic do-hickey, it would probably weigh in at an even 8lbs.

Meanwhile, Apple has introduced the iPhone in a form factor that I would kill for with my Palm operating system. Why do I still want Palm after all these years? Open Source. Documents to Go, Slingbox, data streaming and graffiti text entry are not available on the iPhone. The iPhone's interface is 2nd to none, but I don't want to use a virtual keyboard. I don't want to use ANY keyboard. I want to use Graffiti. Palm decided years ago I shouldn't be able to use graffiti on my treo, but thanks to Open Source, Mobile Write has come up with a solution that is fantastic. Not as fantastic as a full screen without a cheesy keyboard, but pretty good.

More to Follow

Arrested Development was Canceled and Cash Cab is Still on TV?

2007-09-05T23:40:00.001-07:00

Have you seen Cash Cab? It takes the lamest questions from the likes of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, One vs. 100 and Weakest Link and asks people that have not been screened for TV who just walk off the street into a silly minvan cab.

What is our society coming to?

Senna vs. Prost?? Brillant Alonso vs. Hamilton Commercial

2007-08-16T18:42:00.001-07:00

With Mika thrown in for good measure!

Note: Hamilton cut in front of Alonso for an extra lap of fuel in Q3 a the Hungaroring.

The Commercial

Making of the Commercial

The Good Old Days!

Race of Champions

2007-08-13T23:03:00.001-07:00

Its funny how sporting events in America are "World" this and "International" that. Who could forget IROC? Well there is a truly International version of IROC, simply called Race of Champions. Here is a great clip advertising for the 2007 race in UK in December. You may have noticed I figured out how to embed video today! Huray for me!