Biking Update - July 11, 2009

This was both a good week for biking and not a great week for weight loss. I started off the week on Independence Day with a solo ride along the Stratford Shoreline and rode a new high of 25.3 miles. It was quite tiring, but quite satisfying. It is nothing like the 75 miles that Bowhunter rode on the Ididaride or the 100s of miles of the Great Divide Race, but it was my personal best. Then, on my birthday on Monday (July 6) I rode another 26.9 miles solo by the Stratford beaches. Finally, I rode up to Guys Night Out with Nick and CRChair. That is over 57 miles in a single week! Not bad.

But at the same time, on my birthday I took a "free day" and ate what I wanted. No sugar - despite early plans to have some ice cream - but I had potato chips for the first time since New Years (I think) and a good pasta dinner at Bertuccis. That caused a major spike in my weight that is clearly visible on the graph below, but the weight has been slowly coming back down over the course of the week. I am confident if I can keep up the riding that I'll be back down shortly. I also purchased a new stationary bike to replace the old Wal-Mart cheapo that I destroyed in a little under a year, which should help me to get a better workout on nights when I am not biking outside.

The Power of Photography

Amazing stop-motion animation video produced by Olympus for their new camera. Really captures the wonder and beauty of photography in capturing a life.

First-Aid Mythbusting

Urban legends are generally harmless, if annoying. But there are some bits of "common wisdom" that can be extremely dangerous. Take all of the anecdotal "cures" that you see on television? It is important to know the facts so that a minor injury doesn't become something worse.

A child pulls a pot of boiling water off the stove or sticks their hand on a hot burner

Do you put butter or mayonnaise on the burn? Hurriedly remove the child’s clothing because it is stuck to the burn? Get out the ice?

Those are the common reactions in the case of a burn, but all of them are myths.

Butter, mayo or other types of grease may cause even more damage to tender skin and pulling clothing or other materials stuck to the burn could damage the tissue or pull the skin off completely.

The correct action is to rinse gently with cool water and coat the burn with antibiotic ointment.

I know we have nurses, mothers, and outdoorsmen who read this blog. What other tips do you have for the RIGHT ways to treat injuries that are counter-cultural?

I think He prefers Facebook, anyway

Night Owls vs Early Birds

A new study suggests that early birds are tortoises and night owls are hares. It appears that morning people start strong, and slowly lose energy throughout the day but generally keep up the same ability. Whereas, night people start slow but achieve a higher level of activity after 9 PM. So, morning people have steady output, but night people are capable of amazing sprints of activity.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/09/night.owl.morning/index.html

This may also explain why great entertainers tend to be night owls. It is not just that the shows have to be "after work," but that night people are capable of much more excitement, energy, and concentration for evening acts.

Personally, I am a morning person. How do I know? As an infant, I would get up at 5 AM and play until my parents were ready to start their day severa hours later.

For my friends, who like banana on their cereal...

Suddenly, United Airline is very concerned...

...about the broken guitar in the video posted earlier. They have contacted the songwriter and are setting up a call "to resolve the matter." Apparently, customer service is CENTRAL to Unite Airlines... if and and only if you embarrass them on YouTube and Twitter.

Lesson learned - don't underestimate the power of song and the blogsphere.

Never tick off a songwriter

Because when all is said and done, they might just produce a music video that is published all around the Blogsphere. And you probably deserve the bad publicity.

Did Apple or OLPC make a better mobile device?

I had a lot of hope for the OLPC (also known as the $100 laptop) when it was announced. It was a visionary concept - an inexpensive computer which encouraged interaction and which used Wifi for ubiquitous networking. But when I got my hands on one, it was a huge disappointment and essentially unusable. On the other hand, I love my iPhone. One blogger asks, is the iPod Touch what the OLPC should have been? I think he may be onto something here.

And it gives me little hope for the OLPC2. Unless, of course, they wind up sub-contracting the work to Apple... or Sony... maybe Nokia in a pinch.

Blocking Text Message SPAM

CNET has done us all a great service by putting together a summary of the ways to block text message spam for all of the major cell phone providers. Text message spam is worse than e-mail spam because most users are paying for each one in and out. And advertisers know the value of text message spam because it is hard to ignore. Click on thru to see how to deal with this plague on your provider of choice.

What is the problem with banning incandescent bulbs?

They keep getting better and better, so any ban may not really help the environment in the end.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/06/business/energy-environment/06bulbs.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1246978812-R4qjP9aSF5XZ1NbywEFkUg

Not to mention that many environmentalists and doctors are concerned with the amount of mercury in every CFL bulb.

To be clear: I am not against CFL bulbs. We have many of them in our house. I am against limiting consumer choice when companies have the ability to fix the problems that made a product problematic in the first place.

US National Team Player Onyewu Joins AC Milan

For the first time in over a decade a United States National Team player will join a team in the Italian Series A league. Oguchi Onyewu, who is a full back, played extremely well in the Confederations Cup and peaked the interest of AC Milan. He had been playing for a Belgun team. It is nice to see some tangible benefits from the US teams run to the finals in the Confederations Cup. AC Milan is also the team the David Beckham is currently playing for.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Happy Birthday Nomad!!!

Happy birthday to the best brother and blogger in the world...Nomad!

So proud to be an American!

Yes, this is real. So very cool.

Biking Update - July 5, 2009

This was a good week for both weight loss and biking. CRChair and I started off the week biking down by the shore in Stratford, and racked up another 10 miles or so. It was a beautiful day, and one of the first in WEEKS without thunderstorms. I am not sure if our friends are aware of the weather in New England, but it has been almost 3 weeks since we last had a full day without rain or a thunderstorm (until July 4). The upside to all of the rain, though is beautiful cloud formations and the air only gets so hot. And we were again reminded of how every ride brings about some new experience, as we saw a number of fisherman on the Sound catching large, beautiful fish. On the weight loss front, it was also a good week as I saw a new low of 205.2 lbs! This is the lowest I have weighed since high school, and the closest I have ever come to my new goal of 205.0 lbs. It is possible, but unlikely, that I will reach that goal by Monday, which is my birthday.

Of course, that also means that Monday is a "free day" when I am going to eat whatever I want. I do plan to have sugar for the first time since Thanksgiving, as I have a small ice cream from a nearby shop that makes it themselves. Then I am probably done with sugar until next Thanksgiving (we'll see about that, but I have been a lot happier without it). And I will be back to the diet on Tuesday morning. But I am taking the day off on Monday to celebrate, so there is a good chance I'll get an extra bike ride in.

Oliver North on Honduras

Here is another great summery by Oliver North of what happened in Honduras. Again, this was not a coup!

I *REALLY* want to see PETA's reaction to this...

Happy Independence Day!

Video is by CRChair from his iPhone 3GS.

CRChair says hi

CRChair says hi
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

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Mod-Blogger gets a mention

The fireworks videos were mentioned by the Valley Independent Sentinel Newspaper!

http://valley.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/thousands_watch_derby-shelton_fireworks/

Maybe this will mean a little good publicity for Mod-Blog.

From the Derby/Shelton Fireworks

For those not in the know, most towns in CT do their Independence-Day-related fireworks before or after the 4th. This way (1) each town has their own day for the event, allowing more people to see fireworks, and (2) each town can schedule the fireworks around their budget. Last night was the night for Derby and Shelton.

Not so long ago...

Shameless Plug: VChe Glass Fusions

There is an old saying on the BlogSphere, "Why have a blog if you can't give your family members a boost now and then?" My aunt has opened a new business online - VChe Glass Fusions - which produces one-of-a-kind fused glass jewelry and wall hangings. A snippet from her bio follows.

My unique designs and attention to detail are the hallmarks of my work. The hand selected pieces of dichroic glass are cut, arranged and fused to display dazzling bursts of color. The eye is drawn to the sunlight bouncing off each piece like a kaleidoscope. My aim is for the wearer (or giver) to be recognized as a discriminating person of taste and elegance. Order a custom piece and I will be glad to design a piece to enhance your individuality.

We seem to have missed the Mother's Day window, but birthdays and anniversaries are always just around the corner. Take a look and see if it is something your significant other might enjoy.

CT Weight Loss

Apparently, I am not the only guy in CT who has been losing weight. :-)

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/mobile/news_ap_conn_thinnest_states_200907010930

Go Connecticutters! (Or Nutmeggers, or whatever we're called.)

Supremes decline to kill Cable DVRs

Television and movie companies have always been nervous about consumer recording systems. There was a huge fight over the VCR - which the studios lost. Then, a battle over putting television shows online. Now, the studios are trying to kill network cable DVRs. But the Supreme Court has refused to hear a case that could have shut them down entirely.

The justices declined to hear arguments on whether Cablevision Systems Corp.'s remote-storage DVR system would violate copyright laws. The end to the closely watched case allows the Bethpage, N.Y.-based company to proceed with plans to start deploying the technology this summer.

With remote storage, TV shows are kept on the cable operator's servers instead of a machine inside the customer's home, as systems offered by TiVo Inc. and cable operators currently do.

The distinction is important because a remote system essentially transforms every digital set-top box in the home into a DVR, allowing customers to sign up instantly, without the need to pick up a DVR from the nearest cable office or wait for a technician to visit.

It is always a bad thing to fight the future, because it is coming whether you like it or not. Here's hoping this decision - or lack thereof - forces television and movie studios to engage digital device makers to bring about the best experience for consumers, while keeping things profitable for artists.

Not a Coup in Honduras

I was discussing the situation in Honduras with Nomad yesterday and like many Americans he hadn't been following it much before the President was removed from office. Unfortunately, the American news media and our government aren't giving us the whole story either. For a good summary of what led up to the removal of the President click here to see a summary by Neal Boortz. The few sentence summary is this:

The President wanted to hold a constitutional referendum to rewrite the constitution to abolish term limits. The Congress had to agree to the referendum and didn't, so the President printed his own ballots. The Supreme Court ruled the referendum unconstitutional. The President planned to go ahead with the referendum anyway, so the Army arrested the President and pushed him into exile.

So he was removed from office for defying a Supreme Court order and trying to circumvent his country's constitution. That is a lot different from him having suffered through a coup.

Connecticut Weirdness: The Ballroom Polka

I remember with dismay my elementary school years when my teachers tried to get me to memorize such trivia as the state bird, state flower, and state instrument. How, I wondered, could anyone care about this kind of stuff? It must be a relic of a bygone age, right? Not so much - apparently, some Connecticut residents are trying to get the state government to designate a "state polka". The supporters seem quite passionate about it. Personally, I never knew "passionate" and "polka" could be placed in the same sentence. The candidate polka is in the YouTube video below. And I will grudgingly admit it is impressive, and somewhat catchy.

Stacks for iPhone

For now, this is jailbreak-only software. But I honestly hope we see it in iPhone 3.1's firmware! This would be very useful for apps I want to use often, but don't want to keep on the front page.

Comic Book writer detained for a Script

My father was a lawyer and had one piece of advice that was ALWAYS depressing to me as a writer: "Don't write anything down." He said this because more people have been rightly and wrongly prosecuted over something they wrote in a letter to a friend or family member than almost anything else. And once something is written down, it can never be taken back.

Well, it appears that my father was even more correct in the "Age of Terror" as a comic-book writer was detained by homeland security for having a script to a new comic which included fictional acts of terrorism.

http://sfscope.com/2009/05/comics-artist-mark-sable-detai.html

I am sympathetic to the security screeners here. They had no immediate way to differentiate between an artist and a crank. But this really paints up the problem with the current security screening method. It is possible to smuggle in a gun or bomb, but not a piece of writing which is protected under the First Amendment.

Turning things on their head

It's All About Priorities...

From Townhall.com.

Another Reason It's Tough Being a Banker These days

I love "Not Always Right"! As a bank employee, this tickled me.

Me: “Would you like to sign up for our free checking account?”

Customer: “No, I usually keep my money in my sofa for safe keeping.”

Me: “You shouldn’t do that.”

Customer: “But it gains interest.”

Me: “How does that work?”

Customer: “When people come over, they keep losing their change in my couch.”

House Committee Chairman Conyers Wife Pleads Guilty

The wife of the House Judiciary Committee chairman John Conyers (D- Michigan) pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges. Monica Conyers is on the Detroit City Council. I must say that this is a major story, yet the major news outlets are basically not covering it. I'm sure Michael Jackson's death is more important in the long run. (Insert Sarcasm Here)

Biking Update - June 26, 2009

Not a lot to report this week, so I'll keep it short and sweet. It rained every day this week - torrential downpours several days - so I have not been able to bike at all, all week, except on the stationary bike. But I did see the doctor for a physical - my first physical since losing the weight and overall since 2006. He was THRILLED with my weight loss, and the only changes he recommended to my regimen was a different set of vitamins. He even asked MY advice on buying a bike for himself, so that he could improve his fitness.

Laser Bike Lane goes BETA

Remember the concept for a portable laser bike lane that we posted on a few months back? Well, it is "concept" no longer. The inventors have a working prototype!

Captures the Critical Reaction to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen""

From here.

Smallville "Metropolis" movie on the way

This one is just a rumor that Smallville fans like CRChair may find partiularly interesting. Is the CW preparing for a transition from "Smallville" to a full-fledged Superman show?

Other info this untested source sent us suggests "Metropolis" is a movie-length project, and not a new series.

Word is “Smallville” will conclude its 9-year run May 2010, so it makes sense that the CW would tack on a couple more production hours up there in Canada to make a Superman TV-movie that would run seven or so months after the series’ conclusion.

Changing from a Pre-Superman to a Post-Superman show would give the CW a chance to change cast members, and perhaps even show-runner, without alienating existing fans. Might be a way to preserve an audience for a totally new show. It could be an interesting experiment.

Iran Soccer Players Banned for Life

Four Iranian soccer players were banned from playing for the national team after wearing green armbands during a recent world cup qualifying match against South Korea. The players wore the green armband to show their support for those who are protesting the election results in Iran. The players ranged in age from 24 to 32. I hope the worst thing that happens to these guys is their banishment from the national team. Unfortunately, I think they will be looking over their shoulders when they return to Iran. They should be commended for their peaceful protest in which they didn't distract from the game. They simply wore their armbands.

It's a Dog's life

I spent some time with a dog last night who still needs to learn this lesson. But I am not sure I helped teach it to her. Gotta love a dog fix after a hard week at work!

Gas Prices

Gas Prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

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Connecticut Post notices the joys of the Stratford Shoreline

Anyone who has been following Mod-Blog for a while is aware of how much I enjoy riding my bike along the Stratford Shoreline. My usual path begins at Marnicks Restaurant, goes out to Short Beach and then over to Long Beach. Each area has its own charms (and pricing to park, for out-of-towners like me) and it is a great ride of about 10 miles with constantly-changing scenery and personalities.

Now, the Connecticut Post has noticed this gem which is much closer than the "vacation beaches" up in Massachusetts or down in New Jersey. In hard economic times like these, you don't need to out of state to enjoy sand, sun, and the ocean. What other gems have Mod-Bloggers found closer to home than the typical vacation destinations?


To be fair, I shold disclose a running argument with Shadowmom over whether the Long Island Sound is indeed "The Ocean." I leave it to our readers to affirm *I* am right that it is.

iPhone 3GS sells 1 million in first weekend

Apple announced today that the iPhone 3GS sold 1 million units in its opening weekend, matching last year's record sales for the iPhone 3G and easily besting the original iPhone's premiere of 270,000 units sold. No word yet on how many were new purchases, and how many were conversions from existing iPhone owners.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10269991-37.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0

I have been enjoying my new iPhone 3GS over the weekend, and am very impressed with the speed, camera - both still and video, and the fact that it fits all of my iPhone 3G accessories. It will be interesting to see how long sales stay at this brisk pace, and how the price drop on the iPhone 3G to $99 has affected overall iPhone market-share.

My first iPhone 3GS video

Well, the first one worth showing off. The others were test videos in the dark or of random people. And who doesn't like a cute cat video. (Well, maybe Sean doesn't.

Happy Father's Day

We here at Mod-Blog want to wish the many fathers (and fathers-to-be) who post or comment here a VERY happy Father's Day. May today be a truly special celebration of all the hard work you do and all you sacrifice to make your family's lives better.

(Apologies to others who should be pictures, but aren't. There is only room for so many.)

Biking Update - June 20, 2009

A strange week for weight loss, and a soggy week for biking, but not a horrible week for either. Most of the week was rained out for the bike, and Saturday's prime biking hours were taken up with a retirement/birthday party for a dear friend. But I did manage to get out Sunday for a 20 mile solo ride along the Stratford Shoreline. Otherwise, I pooped out on both the stationary bike and on the 100 push-up challenge due to some overwhelming stress at work that left me exhausted most nights. I had neither energy nor the hours to plow through. Luckily, my body does not appear to have penalized me much. I saw a spike of weight at the start of the week, but by the end I was back down to nominal. That is encouraging for keeping the weight off long-term. It means I can slack off from time to time, so long as I slack EITHER food-wise OR exercise-wise and NOT BOTH.

The next week should be better. The predicted weather is a bit sunnier and work should be calming down a bit. Hopefully, I can get "back on the wagon" for daily exercise starting tomorrow. The folding bike is in the shop for a tune-up, so I'll be back on my beloved Trek Navigator 3.0. I also need to finally bite the bullet and buy a new stationary bike, as the old one is truly a couple of rides from total collapse.

Unboxing the iPhone 3GS

I know many Mod-Bloggers won't care about this, but some may be interested in seeing the unboxing of my new iPhone 3GS. So far, I am loving the voice command feature and the new camera. Click on the image below for the whole set.

What the..?

I am quite sure that my friends and I have been the source of similar thoughts in those around us, on a regular basis. For example, "Death by chopsticks!" and "Gigatos!"

The Biggest Enemy of Private Health Insurance? Insurance CEOs

I an very concerned about President Obama's clear desire to end private health insurance in favor of a comprehensive government-run health care system. This removes the profit motive entirely from medicine, and may lead to a brain-drain and a loss of the American lead in medicine and pharmacology. But it is hard to defend the current system amidst reports like this one.

A Texas nurse said she lost her coverage, after she was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, for failing to disclose a visit to a dermatologist for acne.

The sister of an Illinois man who died of lymphoma said his policy was rescinded for the failure to report a possible aneurysm and gallstones that his physician noted in his chart but did not discuss with him.

....Late in the hearing, [Bart] Stupak, the committee chairman, put the executives on the spot. Stupak asked each of them whether he would at least commit his company to immediately stop rescissions except where they could show "intentional fraud."

The answer from all three executives: "No."

My father died of brain cancer, and I know that his insurance tried to drop him a few times. But luckily, they were unable to do so, so he got the best care possible.

Continental Express Misdirects Unaccompanied Children

I have always thought parents who sent children by plane without a responsible adult were putting their children at risk. I know there are rare circumstances where it is the only choice, but these are RARE cases. Recently, Continental Express proved just how dangerous it is by misrouting two children in two days.

Taylor Williams of College Station, traveling alone on a Continental Express commuter flight departing from Bush Intercontinental Airport, went to Fayetteville, Ark., instead of her destination of Charlotte, N.C., where her father was to meet her.
The next day, 10-year-old Miriam Kamens boarded a Continental Express plane at Boston’s Logan airport and landed in Newark, N.J., instead of her intended destination of Cleveland to visit her grandparents.
The two Continental Express flights were operated by ExpressJet under contract with Continental.
In a statement Tuesday, Continental spokeswoman Kelly Cripe said both incidents occurred when flights with different destinations were loaded simultaneously from the same doorway and that “miscommunication among staff members resulted in the child being boarded on the wrong aircraft.”

To be fair, the airline took care of the children the whole time, and eventually got them where they were supposed to go. But let's honest here - unless you have absolutely no other choice, sending a child alone on an airplane is a bad idea. Be responsible parent and either go with them, or find someone who can.

"Your Warranty Is Expiring" Scammers Exposed

Odds are if you have a phone, you have gotten one or more of the "your warranty may be expiring" robocalls. These scam calls have spread across America like a Biblical plague and for a time it seemed like there was no way to stop them. But the scammers have been found and now details are leaking out about the con-men who bilked many out of hard-earned cash.

— Christopher D. Cowart, 47, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., owns Transcontinental Warranty, a Delaware company based in Fort Lauderdale. A graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, Cowart likes to read, travel and play golf in his spare time. He also maintains a Facebook page and uses a LinkedIn profile to advertise his latest business ventures.

— James A. Dunne, 36, of Daytona Beach, Fla., owns Florida-based Voice Touch with his wife, Maureen. Dunne has a checkered legal past, including charges of filing a false report of a bomb that landed him six months in jail in 1991. He was most recently arrested in 2001 for indecent exposure, but those charges were later dismissed.

— Maureen E. Dunne, nee Maureen Geisen, is James Dunne's wife. Little information can be found pertaining to her.

— Damian P. Kohlfeld, 35, of Valparaiso, Ind., is the owner of Network Foundations, which is based in Chicago. Kohlfeld allegedly supplied the technical know-how for the alleged telemarketing scheme employed by all three companies. The Arizona State University graduate has more than a decade of experience writing software and building computer networks. His latest hit, according to the FTC, was a "spoofing" device that tricked caller ID systems.

It appears these scammers underestimated the outrage of the average American, and are now looking at a long, unpleasant court trial before several years in prison.

Dealing with Sports Riots

I have been saying for years that the "championship riots" that we see in many cities after a win is unacceptable. And that the only way to stop these things is to find some way for the team to punish out-of-control fans. I had floated the idea of denying a trophy to any team whose home-town riotted, but was told it was impactical and punishing the wrong people.

So what about punishing the fans directly? Specifically, what about using modern technology to hit rioting fans where it hurts - in their team spirit. Data mining across public databases and using face-recognition software, it would be a relatively simple task to identify people arrested for rioting. Sports franchises could then add these people to a "no fly list" like the airlines, which would ban these fans from buying tickets or (as much as possible) from attending games. This would make attending games more difficult, and thus distance these people from the teams they profess to love. Of course, perfect enforcement would be difficult, but the idea is not to be perfect but to make attending a game very difficult.

What do Mod-Bloggers think? Do I have an idea worth pursuing here, or would a policy like this just lead to more drunken fans in sports bars who would otherwise have been in the stadium?

KFC's Grilled Chicken is Marinaded in Beef

This is more funny than anything else, but a rival restaurant chain has pointed out that the new KFC Grilled Chicken contains beef products. It is only in the marinade.

The marinade on the chain's new grilled chicken contains beef powder and rendered beef fat. And competitor El Pollo Loco wants you to know every finger-licking detail.

The plucky Costa Mesa restaurant company is making those beef byproducts the centerpiece of a new advertising campaign tweaking KFC....In one television commercial, Carley stands in a cow pasture and talks about a "fun fact" concerning KFC's grilled chicken, then discloses the beef ingredients.

"Small amounts of beef flavors are commonly used in seasonings for many food products, for both restaurant and retail use," Maynard said.

"For Kentucky Grilled Chicken's topical seasoning, beef flavors account for only 0.2% of the total seasoning," he added.

This certainly wouldn't stop me from buying the grilled chicken. All of the other horrible things about KFC do that quite effectively.

Happy Flag Day!

Have *I* Got a Deal for You!

From Townhall.Com.

Biking Update - June 12, 2009

A good week for weight loss and for biking. Just not a great week at work. I rode 20 miles solo on Saturday and then 12 miles with CRChair and the Bowhunters on Sunday - beautiful days and beautiful rides both. I rode pretty much every day during the week on the stationary bike (which is finally beginning to disintegrate, as I tore an arm off this week) due to rain. And I picked up the Trek Navigator 3.0 from Amity Bike in Woodbridge, so I can get back to riding some of the dirt trails again.

Weight-loss wise, I was down a pound pretty much every day this week over the same day the previous week. No major advances, but what is (hopefully) steady progress. Work, on the other hand, had me sleeping 6 hours or less a night, every night. So my body is likely suffering some inefficiencies from that.

This weekend, I am hoping to again ride on both Saturday (solo) and Sunday (group). Maybe I'll try to up to 30 miles in a single ride, so that my goal of a 20 mile charity ride will seem easier and easier in comparison.

Nomad Styling

Nomad Styling
Originally uploaded by crchair

Long Odds

Two great truths are that everything except a contradiction has a non-zero probability of happening and truth is stranger than fiction. In that vein, there is the unemployed mortgage worker who won the lottery twice in one week and the 14 year old German boy who was hit by a meteorite and survived. As proof that I'm a geek, I'm still not sure whether I would rather have the $142,919 lottery winnings or having a scar from a falling meteorite.

Iran's "Marriage Crisis"?

I have been so busy with things at work that posting has been light this week. We discussed this interesting article from Time.Com at GNO this week on the upcoming Iranian elections, and how youth are beginning to really change that country.

These days, the phrase "marriage crisis" pops up in election debates, newspapers and blogs and is considered by government officials and ordinary Iranians alike to be one of the nation's most serious problems. It refers to the rising number of young people of marrying age who cannot afford to marry or are choosing not to tie the knot. By official estimates, there are currently 13 million to 15 million Iranians of marrying age; to keep that figure steady, Iran should be registering about 1.65 million marriages each year. The real figure is closer to half that.

Why does this matter? Because Iran's government cannot afford to further alienate the young people that comprise more than 35% of its population.

Will these kinds of issue topple Ahmadinejad? And if so, will it mean anything in a country where the Ayatollahs are the Supreme Court? It should be an interesting time to observe Iran.

Confirmed: Futurama lives again on Comedy Central!

It was rumored before, but now it is confirmed. Comedy Central has ordered 26 new episodes of Futurama for 2010! This is after an experimental run of 4 straight-to-DVD movies which sold well in their own right, and were then brought to Comedy Central as a special new season. Apparently ratings were stellar. What does this mean for Fry, Bender, and the crew? No idea. But hopefully proof that a quality series can find new life on cable, even after a shortsighted cancellation on network television.

(I'm looking at you, SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES - perfect for Spike TV.)

Good News in the War on Terror

Finally some good news is being reported in the war on terror. CNN has up a story telling of how local civilians in Pakistan have formed a Militia to fight Taliban fighters in their area. About 400 Militiamen have taken up arms against the Taliban who recently detonated a bomb at a Mosque during Friday prayers. 40 people were killed and 80 other wounded. These people have had enough and are willing to fight back. The Pakistani military so far has supported the militia and has helped when requested. This is a great happening in the war on terror and should be encouraged.

North Korea threatens offensive Nuclear strikes

Remember when President George W. Bush included North Korea in "the axis of evil"? Many people scoffed at his "simplistic" and "moralist" labeling of the regime. I wonder if they are scoffing now as Kim Jong Il threatens to use their nukes against anyone who "offends the dignity" of North Korea "even a little bit."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/north-korea-would-use-nuclear-weapons-in-a-merciless-offensive-1700590.html

This is why the dream of nuclear disarmament is false. It only takes one madman who keeps his nukes to blackmail the whole planet.

What did we get for all those billions?

From here. The sad part is you can be sure the response won't be "we have to change our course", but "we need more of the same!"

Quick Notes from MacWorld

MacBooks:
- New 15" and 17" MacBook Pros with upgraded hard drives, enclosure, screen, processor, and RAM
- 13" MacBook is now MacBook Pro with same options as the other Pros
- White plastic MacBook is the only "MacBook"
- Updated Specs on the MacBook Airs
- Price drops across the board

MacOS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
- Everything previously announced
- $29 for upgrade from 10.5
- $49 family pack upgrade
- Available September

iPhone:
- iPhone OS 3.0 coming soon
- New iPhone 3GS
- 2x speed, 2x RAM, 2x processor
- Digital compass built-in
- Hardware Encryption
- 3 Megapixel autofocus, auto-white balance camera
- Video recording and editing
- MMS (but not on AT&T until the end of the summer)
- Tethering (but not on AT&T)
- Same form factor as iPhone 3G
- 2x speed for 3G cellular radio
- Available June 19 for $199 for 16 GB, and $299 for 32 GB

Defining Terms

For those of you who want a brief description of economic systems, Neal Boortz has up a good description which I will post here:

* An economic system where both industry and business is owned and controlled by the government ..... Socialism.
* An economic system where industry and business is privately owned, but controlled by the government ..... Fascism.
* An economic system where industry and business is privately owned an privately controlled. .... Free enterprise.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

(Sent from my 3G iPhone)

Happy WWDC Day!

Today is a very exciting day for Mac Geeks and Apple Fanboys all over the world. It is the kickoff to WWDC - WorldWide Developers Conference. This is the annual event where Apple Computer has typically launched its big products for the year. Most notably for the last two years, it has been the event that launched the Apple iPhone and the Apple iPhone 3G. The keynote - the big presentation where the announcements are made - is scheduled for 10 AM PDT (about 1 PM EST). You can follow along at MacRumors.Com LiveBlog if you wish.

The most current rumors are up at DaringFireball.Net where John Gruber predicts the new iPhone will be called the iPhone 3GS (earlier rumors had it pegged as the "iPhone Video). He predicts 2X the RAM and 2X the processor speed, 15-20% longer battery life, and iPhone tethering (already confirmed in the iPhone 3.0 software). Other sites are predicting integrated video camera (and autofocus digital camera) including possibly the long-awaited integration of video iChat.

We shall see. It should be an interesting day.

Use the Farce!



Every dieter has felt this way

From here.

Biking Update - June 6, 2009

Not a bad week. While I did not reach a new low, I did make it back under 210 lbs and stayed there all week. And I reached 206.4 lbs which was my first measurement under 207 in several weeks. These are encouraging trends! And, as observed by may, some of my difficulty in making "significant" weight loss may be that I am on week 4 (almost week 5) of the 100 Push-Up Challenge which is building muscle. I am not used to having that particular problem. Most of my life, the issue has been shedding a surplus of fat cells.

But there was something new this week on the biking front. For the first time, I took a long solo ride along the beach in Stratford. For some reason, I have almost always gone out with a group - at least my brother. I did a few short rides near home, and a few in the winter in Cherry Hill and Delaware. But never a really long ride. Last Saturday, I rode over 20 miles on my folding bike alone. It was a very different experience. In most ways, it was very pleasant. No worrying about outpacing anyone else - or being outpaced by more experienced riders. No concerns about worrying about whether or not I was going too far or spending too much time. The downside was the nagging worry about what I'd do if I crashed, since there was no one to notice and render aid. But there was no crash, and honestly I was not all alone for much of the ride. Usually, there was someone else nearby in a car or on foot. So it was not a problem.

I also learned that a man on a bicycle can not outrun two little girls on a gas-powered scooter. :-)

Religion is no protection for the unborn

It is said your character is defined NOT by what you do in public, but what you do when alone with no one watching. Most of us put on a mask of righteousness and morality in church, at school, at work, and when out and about. But what happens when no one is watching.

A new study suggests despite much noise amongst religious folks against abortion, when alone with their decision, religious women decide to abort their babies as often as non-religious ones. Church affiliation - even overt practice - appears to provide no protection to the unborn.

"This research suggests that young, unmarried women are confronted with a number of social, financial and health-related factors that can make it difficult for them to act according to religious values when deciding whether to keep or abort a pregnancy," she said.

The results of the study did not reveal a significant link between a young woman’s reported decision to have an abortion and her personal religiosity, as defined by her religious involvement, frequency of prayer and perception of the importance of religion.

Is it any surprise that Pro-Abortion groups call Pro-Life groups hypocrites? We need more groups like Hopeline who provide alternatives to abortion, while maintaining absolute confidentiality for those ashamed to bring a baby to term. And we need to make a greater effort to teach our children that a baby is a bless - even though it makes life very difficult - even outside of wedlock.

Sigh - All Too True

From here.

Google Wave - E-mail's Replacement

We have seen a lot of companies try to invent "the new e-mail". The shortcomings of e-mail are already obvious to most: SPAM, inability for most to know if a message was received, SPAM, long lags between send and response, SPAM, etc. But all attempts to date have failed because e-mail simply matches best how we actually work - like an old paper letter. Now Google is taking its shot at the e-mail replacement trophy with Google Wave, a system that combines concepts from e-mail, instant messaging, group collaboration software, and social networking. I really didn't "get" Wave from all of the discussion online before, but now hands-on reviews are starting to appear and they make things a bit more clear. The latter link is worth a read, if you're not up for sitting through the 90 minute Google video.

Personally, I think Wave will NOT replace e-mail, but it may encourage enhancements to the old e-mail system to force it to compete. If so, it will still have been a worthwhile effort.

Star Wars: The Old Republic Trailer

This is the only thing that could tempt me into buying a PC anytime soon. I hope Microsoft is giving Lucasfilm royalties.

Video Games | Star Wars: The Old Republic | E3 09: Jedi vs Sith Cinematic HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Throwing good money after bad

So, we gave GM multiple bailouts of BILLIONS of dollars in order to keep them out of bankruptcy. So what is the ultimate result? Bankruptcy.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/01/news/companies/gm_bankruptcy/index.htm

Can anyone explain to me why this should NOT be seen as a colossal failure of both Bush and Obama policies?