Tretakoff Musings
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Is this REALLY where you want flames?
I'm rather left speechless at The Sportsman's Guide's latest home decor addition. This is like having a hot tub emblazoned with images of ice cubes.
I'm rather left speechless at The Sportsman's Guide's latest home decor addition. This is like having a hot tub emblazoned with images of ice cubes.Labels: fun
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Sweet Team Spirit
With the Olympics looming large, there's been a lot of discussion on my daily ferry commute about the rise of China in the international stage, and, of course, the debate if the USA has already gone past it's nadir as the pre-eminent international power. In other words, has the USA already begun its decline, like the great empires before it? Many factors lead to this possibility, primarily the lack of investment in a manufacturing base: when a society becomes so wealthy that they find it less expensive to send work to another country, or to employ illegal aliens, no matter how trivial or important the work, I maintain that it is officially on the decline.
As part of this exercise, we look at key indicators that might represent the telltale signs of when the USA "jumped the shark." For the Roman empire, it might have been the gladiatorial games and vomitoriums; the British empire saw the East India Company become it's de facto ambassador to the world. What might the USA have to offer? Well, you could argue Madonna's new video, watching her re-embrace her more sexually liberated self as she gyrates alongside Justin Timberlake (does this guy love cougars, or what? Janet Jackson AND Madge?) might qualify. Or, you might take a more serious note and find that the manufactured war of Iraq might be a key indicator; it's about as obvious as Madonna.
Me, I like to look at more subtle things. Exhibit A: you can now buy M & M's with your favorite baseball team's logo on it. Not just the logo, mind you: the M & M's are your team's colors, and there are three variations of the logo imprinted in delectable M & M sugary goodness. What's the part that makes me convinced this harbinger of our international descent is here? My first thought on seeing this was "Wow, if they only had the NFL teams and Dallas Cowboys ones, $269.95 isn't a bad deal for a 10 lb. Box."
My fellow Americans, I have seen the road to ruin, and it is paved with M & M's. For those who want a smaller taste of the decline, $13 will get you a palatable 7 oz. portion. I'm off to weep at my own moral decay.
As part of this exercise, we look at key indicators that might represent the telltale signs of when the USA "jumped the shark." For the Roman empire, it might have been the gladiatorial games and vomitoriums; the British empire saw the East India Company become it's de facto ambassador to the world. What might the USA have to offer? Well, you could argue Madonna's new video, watching her re-embrace her more sexually liberated self as she gyrates alongside Justin Timberlake (does this guy love cougars, or what? Janet Jackson AND Madge?) might qualify. Or, you might take a more serious note and find that the manufactured war of Iraq might be a key indicator; it's about as obvious as Madonna.
Me, I like to look at more subtle things. Exhibit A: you can now buy M & M's with your favorite baseball team's logo on it. Not just the logo, mind you: the M & M's are your team's colors, and there are three variations of the logo imprinted in delectable M & M sugary goodness. What's the part that makes me convinced this harbinger of our international descent is here? My first thought on seeing this was "Wow, if they only had the NFL teams and Dallas Cowboys ones, $269.95 isn't a bad deal for a 10 lb. Box."
My fellow Americans, I have seen the road to ruin, and it is paved with M & M's. For those who want a smaller taste of the decline, $13 will get you a palatable 7 oz. portion. I'm off to weep at my own moral decay.
Labels: 80's, Dallas Cowboys, ferry, fun, gifts, music, Politics, silly
Friday, April 04, 2008
Yer All Wet
We may, as a society, disagree with many things, but there has been one truth we all seem to instinctively agree on: drinking lots of water is good for your health. However, as with all good maxims, it's occasionally important to test them for reality. And, according to the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, this wives' tale is all wet.
Turns out, drinking more water not only does not improve skin tone or reduce appetite, but actually can even be harmful, possibly causing kidney damage. The irony of this to me is not that yet another accepted truism has fallen by the wayside, but more that this was forecast by the most unlikely of prognosticators, Lewis Black. He of the waggling finger, and apoplectic screaming fits, the man predicted this very thing years ago in his HBO Broadway special, Black on Broadway, as well as a hilarious and wry look at the history of this admonition, as well as it's possible origin.
Take 10 minutes, sit back and prepare to laugh.
Turns out, drinking more water not only does not improve skin tone or reduce appetite, but actually can even be harmful, possibly causing kidney damage. The irony of this to me is not that yet another accepted truism has fallen by the wayside, but more that this was forecast by the most unlikely of prognosticators, Lewis Black. He of the waggling finger, and apoplectic screaming fits, the man predicted this very thing years ago in his HBO Broadway special, Black on Broadway, as well as a hilarious and wry look at the history of this admonition, as well as it's possible origin.
Take 10 minutes, sit back and prepare to laugh.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
I'm On The Schmap
Ok, I'll be the first to admit that I had never hear of Schmap. Time Magazine raved about it. The Washington Post gushed over it. And I was ignorant of it all. However, thanks to geotagging my Flickr photos, I was approached by the editors and asked if they could include two of my photos in their San Antonio edition. I was flattered, and received word today they are in.
The photos in question?
From the King William section of San Antonio, with it's stately mansions and immaculate grounds.
The Guenther House, a working flour mill with a restaurant on the banks of the river. We were tipped off to this King William gem from a great Riverwalk waiter, and brunched here the next day amid the most tranquil setting in a factory you can imagine.
Check out the widget with my photos included.
Geotagging pays off!
The photos in question?
From the King William section of San Antonio, with it's stately mansions and immaculate grounds.The Guenther House, a working flour mill with a restaurant on the banks of the river. We were tipped off to this King William gem from a great Riverwalk waiter, and brunched here the next day amid the most tranquil setting in a factory you can imagine.Check out the widget with my photos included.
Geotagging pays off!
Monday, January 21, 2008
As only a Pats Fan can think
Without being struck by lightning, how a New England Patriots fan thinks after yesterday:
Three quarterbacks, Manning, Romo and Tom Brady, go to heaven to visit God and watch the Celtics play a game. God decides who will sit next to him by asking the boys a question...
God asks Peyton Manning first: "What do you believe?" Peyton thinks long and hard, looks God in the eye, and says, "I believe in hard work, and in staying true to family and friends. I believe in giving. I was lucky, but I always tried to do right by my fans." God can't help but see the essential goodness of Manning, and offers him a seat to his left.
Then God turns to Tony Romo and says, "What do you believe?" Tony says, "I believe passion, discipline, courage and honor are the fundamentals of life. I, too, have been lucky, but win or lose, I've always tried to be a true sportsman, both on and off the playing fields." God is greatly moved by Tony's sincere eloquence, and he offers him a seat to his right.
Finally, God turns to Tom Brady: "And you, Tom, what do you believe?"
Tom replies, "I believe you're in my seat."
Thanks, Nancy!
Without being struck by lightning, how a New England Patriots fan thinks after yesterday:Three quarterbacks, Manning, Romo and Tom Brady, go to heaven to visit God and watch the Celtics play a game. God decides who will sit next to him by asking the boys a question...
God asks Peyton Manning first: "What do you believe?" Peyton thinks long and hard, looks God in the eye, and says, "I believe in hard work, and in staying true to family and friends. I believe in giving. I was lucky, but I always tried to do right by my fans." God can't help but see the essential goodness of Manning, and offers him a seat to his left.
Then God turns to Tony Romo and says, "What do you believe?" Tony says, "I believe passion, discipline, courage and honor are the fundamentals of life. I, too, have been lucky, but win or lose, I've always tried to be a true sportsman, both on and off the playing fields." God is greatly moved by Tony's sincere eloquence, and he offers him a seat to his right.
Finally, God turns to Tom Brady: "And you, Tom, what do you believe?"
Tom replies, "I believe you're in my seat."
Thanks, Nancy!
Visions From SF's "Awesome Future"
Why don't we have flying cars? This, and many other questions, have always been posed for our future. Yet, in downtown San Francisco, we've been blessed with a whole new ad campaign. Replacing those ubiquitous Apple ads or Gap come-ons in some key outdoor ad locations have been these "Postcards From Our Awesome Future," created by Packard Jennings and Steve Lambert.
The straight dope:
Have a look for yourself; the Zipline one you see to the left is an excerpt from one of them. Enjoy them all!
Why don't we have flying cars? This, and many other questions, have always been posed for our future. Yet, in downtown San Francisco, we've been blessed with a whole new ad campaign. Replacing those ubiquitous Apple ads or Gap come-ons in some key outdoor ad locations have been these "Postcards From Our Awesome Future," created by Packard Jennings and Steve Lambert. The straight dope:
"Packard Jennings and Steve Lambert asked architects, city planners, and transportation engineers, "what would you do if you didn’t have to worry about budgets, beauracracy, politics, or physics?" Ideas from these conversations were then merged, developed, and perhaps mildly exaggerated by Steve and Packard to create a series of 6 posters for the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Art on Market Street Program."
Have a look for yourself; the Zipline one you see to the left is an excerpt from one of them. Enjoy them all!
Labels: commercials, fun, San Francisco, silly
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Back on the air
Been a little more quite than I anticipated. First, the holidays, mixed with an office move, then followed by a trip to Tucson to visit the family. Pix are on Flickr; they should be Picnik'ed mostly later today. Bonus: my mother unearthed some classic child photos of me,and I'll be posting them to Flickr, as well.
Some random comments:
- For those who have been following my Twitters, I'm sure you've had enough of my complaints about US Air, but for those who missed them, I advise avoiding them at all costs. Even though I had significant frequent flier miles with them, I will avoid flying them, ever again, if possible. Atrocious service,substandard aircraft, and their Phoenix hub is like a third world country. We ran a bit late, got to the counter 44 minutes before the flight, and were denied boarding becuase we had luggage to check. Result? An unplanned overnight stay inthe stunning airport La Quinta,at our cost.
- Dude, I got my Dell. A sweet Inspiron desktop from the Dell Outlet. Dual core processor, huge hard drive, extra 128MB video card and more, for less than $350. Man, is this thing QUIET, and stylish. One surprise: why the complaints about Vista? After all the hype about how bad it is, I expected horror, but I have been very pleased. The Aero interface is great, and it recognized all of my peripherals upon just plugging them in, or linked me directly to the driver site for those I needed to download.
- With the Dell installed, the technology train moved down: Amy got my old P4 2.4 GHZ machine. We moved the ultrasmall HP Windows Media Center to the kitchen, turning the LCD TV into a ginormous monitor for watching movies, tv shows, playing music, etc. The networked DVD player headed to the living room, allowing us to watch the movies on the PC's on the big screen, as well as stream music to the stereo. All in all, a totally networked house.
- Some great holiday gifts, including the aformentioned USB Doomsday Hub. Red Steel for the Wii, as well as two Wiimote chargers (pictured), to keep us from investing in endless AA batteries. And some great clothes and an REI shopping spree, to boot!
Next up: a trip to Hawaii (our first) for a mix of work and pleasure.
Some random comments:
- For those who have been following my Twitters, I'm sure you've had enough of my complaints about US Air, but for those who missed them, I advise avoiding them at all costs. Even though I had significant frequent flier miles with them, I will avoid flying them, ever again, if possible. Atrocious service,substandard aircraft, and their Phoenix hub is like a third world country. We ran a bit late, got to the counter 44 minutes before the flight, and were denied boarding becuase we had luggage to check. Result? An unplanned overnight stay inthe stunning airport La Quinta,at our cost.
- Dude, I got my Dell. A sweet Inspiron desktop from the Dell Outlet. Dual core processor, huge hard drive, extra 128MB video card and more, for less than $350. Man, is this thing QUIET, and stylish. One surprise: why the complaints about Vista? After all the hype about how bad it is, I expected horror, but I have been very pleased. The Aero interface is great, and it recognized all of my peripherals upon just plugging them in, or linked me directly to the driver site for those I needed to download.
- With the Dell installed, the technology train moved down: Amy got my old P4 2.4 GHZ machine. We moved the ultrasmall HP Windows Media Center to the kitchen, turning the LCD TV into a ginormous monitor for watching movies, tv shows, playing music, etc. The networked DVD player headed to the living room, allowing us to watch the movies on the PC's on the big screen, as well as stream music to the stereo. All in all, a totally networked house.
- Some great holiday gifts, including the aformentioned USB Doomsday Hub. Red Steel for the Wii, as well as two Wiimote chargers (pictured), to keep us from investing in endless AA batteries. And some great clothes and an REI shopping spree, to boot!Next up: a trip to Hawaii (our first) for a mix of work and pleasure.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
When You Wish Upon A List...
This holiday, I was struck by an attendee at our house for the annual holiday feast, who watched the frenzied opening of gifts. See, most of the folks who were opening gifts were delighted to see items that they had asked for on their Wishlists, mostly from Amazon, so they were not just excited to have the gifts, but which of their wishlist items they were. My friend watched the excitement, and hear the constant cries of, "oh, good, you got me THAT one!" She asked, "Wait a minute: you all bought each other things off of lists you all made?" When we laughed and said yes, she shook her head and admitted it was a pretty good idea.
Wishlists: only took us 5000 years to tell each other what we want. As fate had it, my wishlist item arived:my very own Doomsday USB Hub. Now, I can end a meeting in style. Thanks!
Wishlists: only took us 5000 years to tell each other what we want. As fate had it, my wishlist item arived:my very own Doomsday USB Hub. Now, I can end a meeting in style. Thanks!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Great/Horrible Art in Lego
My friend Steff is visiting Legoland USA right now, and pointed out with delight the Lego rendition of San Francisco's Justin Herman Plaza in Lego, complete with it's trademark love-it-or-despise-it water sculpture. The sculpture, entitled "Fountain," by Armand Vaillancourt, has been inspiring adoration and hatred since 1971. Some think it's a set of sewer pipes, other see it as an Escher drawing come to life.
In any case, Charles's reaction was priceless upon seeing the photo:
"I like how there's a firetruck there to help evacuate those that have viewed the sculpture and need to be rescued."
Thanks, Steff. Photo courtesy of Flickr user Tempo.
My friend Steff is visiting Legoland USA right now, and pointed out with delight the Lego rendition of San Francisco's Justin Herman Plaza in Lego, complete with it's trademark love-it-or-despise-it water sculpture. The sculpture, entitled "Fountain," by Armand Vaillancourt, has been inspiring adoration and hatred since 1971. Some think it's a set of sewer pipes, other see it as an Escher drawing come to life.In any case, Charles's reaction was priceless upon seeing the photo:
"I like how there's a firetruck there to help evacuate those that have viewed the sculpture and need to be rescued."
Thanks, Steff. Photo courtesy of Flickr user Tempo.
Labels: fun, San Francisco
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Sentenced to the Mall
In this noble season of embracing consumerism, one intrepid reporter attempted to spend every waking business hour (and more) for a solid week inside the High Temple of Consumeria, the aptly named Mall of America, in Minnesota. The result? An epic descent of man along the lines of Joseph Conrad.
Join me, on this amazing voyage of the damned, will you?
Oh, and happy holidays! ;-)
In this noble season of embracing consumerism, one intrepid reporter attempted to spend every waking business hour (and more) for a solid week inside the High Temple of Consumeria, the aptly named Mall of America, in Minnesota. The result? An epic descent of man along the lines of Joseph Conrad.Join me, on this amazing voyage of the damned, will you?
Oh, and happy holidays! ;-)
Saturday, December 01, 2007
'Tis the Season...
Yup, it is. And, although it sounds arrogant, wishlists have made life a LOT easier. Amazon is still the gold standard, but even they don't have everything. I looked for a universal wishlist that would give me the simplicity of the Amazon one, but alas, it was not to be found. Coming close is TheThingsIWant.com: it offers a universal wishlist that brings you to the etailer's page to complete the transaction, then mark the item as purchased in a companion browser window. While not automatic, it's pretty close!
So, here's a list of where to find suggestions (as you don't want to be asking me):
And Thanks.
Yup, it is. And, although it sounds arrogant, wishlists have made life a LOT easier. Amazon is still the gold standard, but even they don't have everything. I looked for a universal wishlist that would give me the simplicity of the Amazon one, but alas, it was not to be found. Coming close is TheThingsIWant.com: it offers a universal wishlist that brings you to the etailer's page to complete the transaction, then mark the item as purchased in a companion browser window. While not automatic, it's pretty close!So, here's a list of where to find suggestions (as you don't want to be asking me):
- Josh's Universal Wishlist (I'm listing things not on my Amazon list here for this year; let's see if it works out, and if it does, I'll move my Amazon list there.)
- Amy's Universal Wishlist
- Josh's Amazon Wishlist
- Amy's Amazon Wishlist
- Amy's Cooking.com Wishlist (Yeah!)
- Our Shop.com Wishlist
And Thanks.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Email, now landing on runway 44
Email is never as sexy as it is in the movies. Think of Mission: Impossible, or Disclosure, among others: email there is cool, animated, and very sleek. Sure, there have been some attempts to help out, like IncrediMail, but they are mostly cartoonish and not at all engaging. Not to mention that, if you have email volume anything like mine, it's not even close to realistic.
But help (or hurt?) is on the way! 3D Mailbox, who brought us your email inbox represented as Miami Beach, now introduces Level 2: the LA Airport! Yes, depending on where your email came from, you can see a jumbo jet land in 3d photorealism, along with pilot chatter and more. Want to see Spam eliminated? What's that...a surface to air missile? Email attachment...hey, is that a DHL cargo jet I see taking off?
See for yourself:
Yes, I admit it's hilarious...and horrific...yet oddly compelling. TechCrunch sure hates it, as does CrunchGear. I am inclined to try it, if only for the ATC voiceovers. Years ago, at The Sharper Image, our VP of Loss Prevention (who was also a pilot and former government employee), used to have this screensaver on his computer, which had a simulated ATC display along with precanned pilot chatter. People would come in his office, see the screen, hear the chatter, and stop dead in their tracks. He's calmly look up, look at the screen, and comment, "Oh, I'm just helping out Air Traffic Control on a part time basis." The office visitor would look...be stunned, and eventually retreat. VERY effective way to be productive.
Let's see if 3D Mailbox does the job.
UPDATE: Alas, my laptop is not up to snuff for 3D Mailbox's technical requirements. Actually, neither is my home machine. If I don't even have a good enough machine to run an email program, mich be time to hit up the Dell Outlet...:-)
But help (or hurt?) is on the way! 3D Mailbox, who brought us your email inbox represented as Miami Beach, now introduces Level 2: the LA Airport! Yes, depending on where your email came from, you can see a jumbo jet land in 3d photorealism, along with pilot chatter and more. Want to see Spam eliminated? What's that...a surface to air missile? Email attachment...hey, is that a DHL cargo jet I see taking off?
See for yourself:
Yes, I admit it's hilarious...and horrific...yet oddly compelling. TechCrunch sure hates it, as does CrunchGear. I am inclined to try it, if only for the ATC voiceovers. Years ago, at The Sharper Image, our VP of Loss Prevention (who was also a pilot and former government employee), used to have this screensaver on his computer, which had a simulated ATC display along with precanned pilot chatter. People would come in his office, see the screen, hear the chatter, and stop dead in their tracks. He's calmly look up, look at the screen, and comment, "Oh, I'm just helping out Air Traffic Control on a part time basis." The office visitor would look...be stunned, and eventually retreat. VERY effective way to be productive.
Let's see if 3D Mailbox does the job.
UPDATE: Alas, my laptop is not up to snuff for 3D Mailbox's technical requirements. Actually, neither is my home machine. If I don't even have a good enough machine to run an email program, mich be time to hit up the Dell Outlet...:-)
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Take a Flight with Google Earth
The headlines scream every day: although Google will deny it, they are clearly taking aim at Microsoft's desktop dominance by releasing free versions of traditionally paid software. Word? Hell, check out Google Docs. Excel? Um, there's this Google Spreadsheet. But now, Google has really upped the ante on Microsoft's monopolistic hold on a segment of desktop software: Google Earth now has a Flight Simulator mode.
Yep, it's true. Just download the latest version of Google Earth, fire it up, and hit Ctrl+Alt+A. Voila, you're ready to fly. No, this not just a flythrough: takeoffs, landings, but with Googlicious real maps and terrain. Want to take a spin with a prop pusher? Gotcha. Looking for a racier challenge? How about an F-16 Viper? And yes, it's FREE. Oh, Mac users? Yeah, you get in on Air Google, too. Someone's just gotta add in a real-time audio layer for United's Channel 9, mapped to the location you are flying, and we've got a whole new entry into killer app land.
No word yet on the keyboard shortcuts that open the bomb bay doors and drop ordinance, but I'm guessing you might find them if your flightpath takes you over Redmond, WA. ;-)
Yep, it's true. Just download the latest version of Google Earth, fire it up, and hit Ctrl+Alt+A. Voila, you're ready to fly. No, this not just a flythrough: takeoffs, landings, but with Googlicious real maps and terrain. Want to take a spin with a prop pusher? Gotcha. Looking for a racier challenge? How about an F-16 Viper? And yes, it's FREE. Oh, Mac users? Yeah, you get in on Air Google, too. Someone's just gotta add in a real-time audio layer for United's Channel 9, mapped to the location you are flying, and we've got a whole new entry into killer app land.No word yet on the keyboard shortcuts that open the bomb bay doors and drop ordinance, but I'm guessing you might find them if your flightpath takes you over Redmond, WA. ;-)
Thursday, August 30, 2007
A Good Virus
Viral email. Viral websites. All examples of good viruses. Want another? Gmail solicited and got a viral video, showing how a Gmail really gets from the sent folder to the recipient's inbox. Savor and enjoy.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Coffee is the new Data
Ok, so what the heck is with this trend to deliver data via alternative indicators? For example, Ambient Devices makes the Orb, which changes shade of color to determine weather, stock trends, etc. We've all heard the little chirp of the IM client as a message comes in (like you couldn't see the window spawn). But this one takes the cake...er, cup.
News Brews brings the world of RSS feeds, dynamic data monitoring and on demand computing together with...a cup of coffee. Yep, the system monitors RSS feeds for the mention of certain countries and dynamically, once a minute, changes the brew of coffee it makes, in response. As TechDigest says,
Has to be seen (tasted?) to be believed. Check the website for a nice video pitch.
News Brews brings the world of RSS feeds, dynamic data monitoring and on demand computing together with...a cup of coffee. Yep, the system monitors RSS feeds for the mention of certain countries and dynamically, once a minute, changes the brew of coffee it makes, in response. As TechDigest says,"The concept behind News Brews is, why read the news when you can just drink it? The steampunk-style machine contains a wide geographical assortment of coffee beans, and generates a custom blend every minute depending on what coffee-origin-country is in the RSS fees. If Ethiopia scans at 33%, Kenya at 50% and Costa Rica at 17%, you'll get coffee that's half Kenya, with an Ethiopian buttress and a Costa Rican topper. Your tongue will, theoretically, know the difference."
Has to be seen (tasted?) to be believed. Check the website for a nice video pitch.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Gentlemen, place your BluBets
Like so many of the "sins," this country has its collective head up its ass when it comes to the natural inclinations of its inhabitants. We are the most open nation on the planet, in terms of individual freedoms and founding principles to protect them, and yet we are constantly hobbled by our Puritanical beginnings. Sex, drugs, controversial music or movies: we litigate against them and yet celebrate them in popular culture at the same time. But nothing shows the US of A's utter hypocrisy more evidently than gambling. It's illegal, yet in over half of the states in this country, you can legally gamble in casinos. And let's not even get started about the lottery: the worst cruel trick you can play on the most helpless people, and yet the state makes its revenues from it.
We love to gamble. We love to believe that we are imbued with that special power that will help us see something that the other people do not. We love to compete, and gambling lets us compete with the mind and imagination. How many times have you started a sentence with "I bet..." Really? Do you? Prove it.
Enter BluBet. Part Digg, part social phenomenon, and utterly unique. Sign up, and start placing your bets. On anything. And I mean, anything. Want to see if the Governator will pardon Paris Hilton? Will the Cubs finally win the World Series? How about if MUNI will kill more than 1 pedestrian this week in San Francisco? Or will W veto the upcoming Iraq spending measure out of buffoonish ignorance again? The choices are endless.
Very Web 2.0, and very clever, BluBet has all the hallmarks of the next great social property. Tags, liberal use of Flash interfaces, and lots of syndication blend the UI of Digg with YouTube. The only downside I see is the betting currency can only be ever used as a scorecard. What they really need to do is find a way for you to spend those BluBucks: it would have to be on something that has no real-world value (thanks to those twisted Puritans), like the ability to add an avatar and pimp it out, for instance. Differing levels of access: want to take BluBet mobile, spend a few BluBucks.
For now, I'm laying down the gauntlet on my first bet. $1500 BluBucks are on the line: come take my money:
We love to gamble. We love to believe that we are imbued with that special power that will help us see something that the other people do not. We love to compete, and gambling lets us compete with the mind and imagination. How many times have you started a sentence with "I bet..." Really? Do you? Prove it.
Enter BluBet. Part Digg, part social phenomenon, and utterly unique. Sign up, and start placing your bets. On anything. And I mean, anything. Want to see if the Governator will pardon Paris Hilton? Will the Cubs finally win the World Series? How about if MUNI will kill more than 1 pedestrian this week in San Francisco? Or will W veto the upcoming Iraq spending measure out of buffoonish ignorance again? The choices are endless.Very Web 2.0, and very clever, BluBet has all the hallmarks of the next great social property. Tags, liberal use of Flash interfaces, and lots of syndication blend the UI of Digg with YouTube. The only downside I see is the betting currency can only be ever used as a scorecard. What they really need to do is find a way for you to spend those BluBucks: it would have to be on something that has no real-world value (thanks to those twisted Puritans), like the ability to add an avatar and pimp it out, for instance. Differing levels of access: want to take BluBet mobile, spend a few BluBucks.
For now, I'm laying down the gauntlet on my first bet. $1500 BluBucks are on the line: come take my money:
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Robocop: On My Wish List
Two notes:
- I have succumbed to Twitter. I'll try it for a while, and see what it yields. My Twitter status is on the right.
- I found my best Xmas gift, thanks to Cameron. Now, I really can be Robocop, thanks to the U.S. military!
Two notes:- I have succumbed to Twitter. I'll try it for a while, and see what it yields. My Twitter status is on the right.
- I found my best Xmas gift, thanks to Cameron. Now, I really can be Robocop, thanks to the U.S. military!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
March Musings
Just a random post to share, of some great tidbits.
- I always like to use this blog to share the new and cool online applications I find. Well, today I've found a blog that does nothing but this: I bring you MakeUseOf, a directory/blog of some of the coolest sites on the web for free things to make your life interesting. Although the visual style is closer to a wiki than a blog, it definitely offers a great, constantly updating collection of some of the more interesting sites that provide useful services to the consumer. Think Original Signal without the (ahem) noise.
- Yahoo has released version 4 of Yahoo Widget Engine, promising less memory hogging, and new mini-docking, to allow your widgets to be displayed in an intuitive collection, for neatness. It also introduces a drag and drop upload widget for Flickr, as well as support for just about all old widgets. Seems like a worthy download, and is definitely sucking less of my precious resources.
- Speaking of Flickr, they migrated everyone to a required Yahoo account this month. I have no objections to this, but the tool they have to merge an existing Yahoo account with your Flickr account definitely needs work: it kept getting confused. C'mon, guys...QA this stuff if you are going to require it's use.
- Looking for some new ringtones or audio clips? Check out Entertonement for a HUGE collection of freebies. Best of all, they have search and browse, and some really cool ones, such as the ticking clock for 24, or various TOS Star Trek clips. Movies, music, TV, commercials, sports, video games...they have them all.
- Need a logo, or a great stylized text image? Check out the venerable CoolText for the ability to create like a pro, for free.
- Yes, the Jawbone arrived, and is as good as advertised. Controls are a bit cryptic, but it completely eliminates background noise to the people you call. Got a convertible, or like to drive with the windows open? This is your headset. Style is ultra cool, noise reduction is simply the best, volume is just OK. Bonus: charger is USB based, so you can always get a charge from your laptop: no need to lug that AC adaptor around on your trips.
More as I think to write...
- I always like to use this blog to share the new and cool online applications I find. Well, today I've found a blog that does nothing but this: I bring you MakeUseOf, a directory/blog of some of the coolest sites on the web for free things to make your life interesting. Although the visual style is closer to a wiki than a blog, it definitely offers a great, constantly updating collection of some of the more interesting sites that provide useful services to the consumer. Think Original Signal without the (ahem) noise.- Yahoo has released version 4 of Yahoo Widget Engine, promising less memory hogging, and new mini-docking, to allow your widgets to be displayed in an intuitive collection, for neatness. It also introduces a drag and drop upload widget for Flickr, as well as support for just about all old widgets. Seems like a worthy download, and is definitely sucking less of my precious resources.- Speaking of Flickr, they migrated everyone to a required Yahoo account this month. I have no objections to this, but the tool they have to merge an existing Yahoo account with your Flickr account definitely needs work: it kept getting confused. C'mon, guys...QA this stuff if you are going to require it's use.
- Looking for some new ringtones or audio clips? Check out Entertonement for a HUGE collection of freebies. Best of all, they have search and browse, and some really cool ones, such as the ticking clock for 24, or various TOS Star Trek clips. Movies, music, TV, commercials, sports, video games...they have them all.- Need a logo, or a great stylized text image? Check out the venerable CoolText for the ability to create like a pro, for free.
- Yes, the Jawbone arrived, and is as good as advertised. Controls are a bit cryptic, but it completely eliminates background noise to the people you call. Got a convertible, or like to drive with the windows open? This is your headset. Style is ultra cool, noise reduction is simply the best, volume is just OK. Bonus: charger is USB based, so you can always get a charge from your laptop: no need to lug that AC adaptor around on your trips.
More as I think to write...
Labels: blogs, cell phones, commercials, free, fun, gadgets, Software, Star Trek, TV, Video Games, Web 2.0, widgets, Yahoo
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
New Year's Eve
We welcomed 2007 with a cruise on the Bay, courtesy of Hornblower Cruises. 
A luxurious windowside seat, with a decadent 4 course dinner of Tiger Shrimp & Scallops, followed by duck, with a main of Filet Mignon, and a Cappuccino Napolean for dessert. 
Charles and Karen arranged the trip, and we had a wonderful time, punctuated by a great fireworks display and a Zino Mouton Cadet #3 on the cool deck air, as we passed under both the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges.
Lloyd and John turned us on to Hornblower, years ago, with the fabulous lunch cruises, and the dinner aboard the California Hornblower was absolutely memorable. A reserved table, open bar with premium selection, seated on the topmost Captain's Lounge, with a jazz duo playing 20 feet away, was just the way to start the new year off right!
We welcomed 2007 with a cruise on the Bay, courtesy of Hornblower Cruises. 
A luxurious windowside seat, with a decadent 4 course dinner of Tiger Shrimp & Scallops, followed by duck, with a main of Filet Mignon, and a Cappuccino Napolean for dessert. 
Charles and Karen arranged the trip, and we had a wonderful time, punctuated by a great fireworks display and a Zino Mouton Cadet #3 on the cool deck air, as we passed under both the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges.
Lloyd and John turned us on to Hornblower, years ago, with the fabulous lunch cruises, and the dinner aboard the California Hornblower was absolutely memorable. A reserved table, open bar with premium selection, seated on the topmost Captain's Lounge, with a jazz duo playing 20 feet away, was just the way to start the new year off right!
Labels: dining, fun, photos, San Francisco
Kodak Gets It
Kodak, the venerable institution of Americana, clearly is in a state of transition. With both savvy acquisitions and organic growth in the digital space, they have carefully moved into a position where they are on the cusp of being the fastest growing digital imaging company in the world...again.
But, despite that, that's not what I am posting about tonight. As a company, as a culture, they have definitely understood the world is changing, and want all of their employees to understand they GET IT. This video, originally produced for internal use, is absolutely the best example of how a large company, steeped in tradition, can inspire the energy, the passion, and the fun of the changing world they live in:
Now, tell me THAT is not a company you would love to work for! A company that can poke fun at itself while paying homage to their legacy, and showing a whole new side...MAN. Remember, this was for internal use: they used this to show the vast, longtime employees of Kodak that not only do they have nothing to fear, but that this is one of the most exciting times to be in their space, and this is one of the companies poised to rule it.
Bravo, Kodak: this irreverence combined with passion is what every company needs to have. To paraphrase the Engadget article on this, let's see what happens next!
But, despite that, that's not what I am posting about tonight. As a company, as a culture, they have definitely understood the world is changing, and want all of their employees to understand they GET IT. This video, originally produced for internal use, is absolutely the best example of how a large company, steeped in tradition, can inspire the energy, the passion, and the fun of the changing world they live in:
Now, tell me THAT is not a company you would love to work for! A company that can poke fun at itself while paying homage to their legacy, and showing a whole new side...MAN. Remember, this was for internal use: they used this to show the vast, longtime employees of Kodak that not only do they have nothing to fear, but that this is one of the most exciting times to be in their space, and this is one of the companies poised to rule it.
Bravo, Kodak: this irreverence combined with passion is what every company needs to have. To paraphrase the Engadget article on this, let's see what happens next!
Saturday, December 30, 2006
What Superhero are YOU?
Ever wanted to be a superhero? Wondered what your superhero would be like? Let this online quiz help you define yours.
Mine:
Your results:
You are Green Lantern
Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz
Amy's:Your results:
You are Green Lantern
Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz
Mine:
Your results:
You are Green Lantern
| Hot-headed. You have strong will power and a good imagination.  |
Amy's:Your results:
You are Green Lantern
| Hot-headed. You have strong will power and a good imagination. |
