Friday, February 25, 2005

Friday Night - San Francisco

Spent the better part of the day today making my way from Chicago to San Francisco. Flight was delayed for 1.5 hours (suprise) and waited who knows how long for a ride from the airport to the hotel. Staying at the Hyatt Embarcaderro... pretty nice place. Went to the openning presentations for the engineering conference i'm attending - waste of time... lousy and crowded. Back at the hotel and it's only 9pm local time.... I suppose it's better this way... early morning tommorow. Maybe I will be able to sleep better here than at home. I doubt it. Tried to call home and got hung up on and nobody will answer now... ???

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

I should be smiling

As this is more of a rhetorical diary than anything else, I post my thoughts and feelings, and make no attempt for literary or journalistic achievement.

And now for a moment of self-centered pity.

I'm in a funk again (big suprise). You would think at a certain age a person would learn to cope, but despite of my years, success in life, success in business I feel like crap.

I wish I could understand what influences this, and I've considered many things, but nothing makes sense. The more I think on it, the more complex, confusing and depressing my life becomes. And what sucks, so many people around me need help, how can I help them when I don't know how to help myself. In actuality, it seems easier to see through other people's problems than my own. I read recently, I don't remember where, that people are incapable of self-analysis. It's like looking into a fun-house mirror and seeing a reflection of a reflection of a reflection and so on. I'm beginning to believe this.

It's as if life is a race, and I'm stuck in the starting blocks. While the years hurtle by, I'm caught in a web of paralysis. I want to be an active participant, but...

You know things are bad when on Sunday evening you're dreading another day at work, but you equally dread the thought of anonther day at home.

So, I'm starting some new meds. Perhaps I'll go see/talk to someone. God only knows where this will wind up.

Better living through chemicals!

Sunday, February 20, 2005

Who buys this crap?

This low prices on medications are for your specially. - I don't need Viagra, Valium or Xanax right now....
You've been selected for a low rate - Sorry, I refinanced last year
Bigfoot Pill - not in need of Viagra, sorry
Dave, hit the strip in Vegas, leave the snowshoes behind - I do like Vegas
Become a Product Tester and get an iPod - I already have an iPod
Make l0vemaking more pleasurable and satisfying - Nice offer, but my name's not Larry.
Mr. Aaron has $800,444 for you and your family - That's very generous, but my house isn't worth $800,444.
Which dating site is best for you. free guide - My wife would object
Mr. Beck has $099,313 waiting for you - Mr. Aaron's offer was much better
Going hunting? Dont' forget your chest wader. - That's excellent advice
Get the Johnny Carson Collector Edition Video Set - nah
Someone wants to meet you - have them give me a call.. on second thought
2005 Cars have arrived! - yea!
OnlinePharmacy Cheap - we've been through this before
Get up to a 300 dollar credit for new players - I have some friends that like online gambling, but it's not for me.
MedsSuper - wow, these guys are persistant
Save hundreds on OEM software! - realy? the most interesting thing is that I sent this to myself!
is it funny? - what's funny is the body of this message... after the gif for prescription drugs...

Write numeral, any top. Ever, city body. Can, column add fall
east. Has kind, stretch product. Mean, thing road. Final, key,
person early six. Hour big both, step hour. Dry train stood,
self ever main. Long boy root. Begin few, near low wall saw.
Position, bone cross appear. Don't, yes picture try appear,
until.

Learn Spanish for Free - I took Spanish in High School and paid for it in college and still don't know it.
Stop waxing every week. Try laser hair removal? - But I like it when the moment of truth comes... yeeeouch!
hide your plate from photo cops - hah! finally something that sounds interesting, if not highly illegal!

And the list goes on... I've received exactly 100 such messages so far today. Who the hell clicks on these links and/or buys this crap? Anyone? We should develop some software that detects when someone follows one of these links, when they do, they should be forced to use all of the crap that is being SPAMMED across the globe.

Friday, February 18, 2005

Feb 17, 2005

I'm starting to wonder about blogging. It seems that people leave comments when

a) a blog entry involves something controversial such as homosexuality, religion or politics
b) the blog entry involves drunken stupidity
c) the blogger has cultivated a legion of followers (sometimes by dubious means) that will reply to damn near anything

Anyway, so here goes nothing...

Chris Rock wants to keep cursing out of the Oscars
.... I don't know what's funnier, the idea of Chris Rock trying to be funny without cursing or the fact that this article was carried by the Turkish Press.

The NHL cancells their season... Who cares? However, perhaps it's a conspiracy against France. See, there are a lot of Canadian hockey players. Some of these Canadian hockey players speak French. And as we know, any patriotic American refuses to have anything to do with anything French. Or maybe, it's retribution against the former Soviet block countries that now have numerous hockey players in the NHL, for striking a missle sale deal with Syria. I'm thinking that somehow Bush will get the blame for this... just priming the pump.

In a clear move to demonstrate their intelligence, Iraqi militants abduct 2 Indonesian journalists.

In honor of the US rejecting the Kyoto treaty, I'm going to chain smoke about 10 cigarettes, start all of my cars (including my giant SUV) and let them idle, start a fire in the fireplace, turn up the furnace, and buy some spray aerosole deoderant, as soon as I can find some.

The "takes it into his own hands award" has to go to the landlord that decided to lob some teargas grenades into his tenants residence after he evicted them and they wouldn't leave. I wonder if he tried to pawn their cars and furniture for rent.

Michael Jackson should get his ass nailed to the wall in this trial. There was a news program on tonight playing audio of some kid accusing Jackson of tongue kissing him... Corey Feldman alledgedly admits to viewing porno with him when he was a kid. Of course, the trial is in California, so Jackson's odds of getting off scot free are pretty good.

I've finished some books recently too.

One Door Away From Heaven, Dean Koontz. Five out of Five bookmarks. I couldn't put this sucker down after I got about 100 pages into it. I read the remainder of the book in one night, which hardly ever happens.

Prey, Michael Chrichton. I really liked the first 95% of this book. The premis is about micro biotechnology gone wild. I suspect some of his assumptions about the technology is a little off, but it didn't distract from the story. I hated the ending. His obvious desire to write Prey II made for a crappy ending to Prey. Three out of Five bookmarks.

By Order of the President, W.E.B. Griffin. What a cool and timely story. Some ragheads steal a 727 with dubious intent. Carlos Catillo, part time Supervisory Special Agent for the Secret Service, part time US Army Special Forces Major, part time Assistant to the Secretary of Homeland Defense, part time German newspaper editor, and full time Don Jaun is ordered by the President to find out why US Intelligence agencies cannot determine who dunnit. I loved the book, but the ending was anticlimactic, as if Griffin got tired of writing or was hurried to finish. Had he developed the ending as much as the bulk of the book, he would have earned 5 bookmarks, but instead he gets 4 out of 5 bookmarks.

Saturday, February 12, 2005

Time for a new digital camera...

I'd like to purchase a new digital camera. My friend used a Konica Minolta DiMage Z1 at the Super Bowl and his shots came out pretty good. I would have bought a better camera in Jacksonville, but all I could find was a somewhat crappy Vivitar ViviCam, which worked ok in some instances, but total sucked in most cases.

What I'm looking for is this, and I'm open to suggestions.

- 4 megapixels or greater
- up to 10x zoom would be cool
- optical zoom
- compact flash or memory stick
- not sure about lens type - could use some help here
- USB or firewire, NTSC/PAL connectivity
- automatic exposure
- automatic focus
- jpg or tiff format
- video clips with audio
- some sort of anti-shake or stability control

Canon seems to be the most popular brand followed by Nikon and Konica Minolta. I don't know how much I'm willing to spend, and this, unfortunately would be the most important selection criteria. I get a little uncomfortable with something over $500, but I could see spending more if it were worth it. I don't intend to be a prize winning photographer, but would enjoy taking pictures more if the end result were better.

I could really use some help... I know some of you have a good amount of knowledge of digital photography and would value your opinions greatly. Thanks in advance.

Update

I found out that the models in the picture are Roshumba, Alicia Hall (Winner of the SI Swimsuit model search) and Shannon Hughes (final four contestant in the SI Swimsuit model search)

Thursday, February 10, 2005


Teddy Bruschi with family after game


Terry Bradshaw preparing for post game


And fireworks


More celebration


...


Confetti


Game Over!


Tom Arnold


Onside kick


She looks a little concerned


Eagles making a comeback, but wasting a lot of time


Doh!


Trying to get in


Extra point


...


More


Eagles sideline


Flat Stanley goes to the Super Bowl


We were holding little flash lights


Still Hey Jude


Hey Jude


Still half time


More half time


During Live and Let Die


Sir Paul


Getting ready for half time


Really, there was


There was a game going on...


...


They're always looking at something


I love this shot


...


...


I'd like to point out that my friend took these


Openning runback


Openning kickoff


Getting ready for openning kickoff


uh


The Presidents during the National Anthem


New England Cheerleaders running onto the field before the game


Will Smith


Charlie Daniels during pre-game show


More pregame


Pregame


Tom Brady before the game


What can I say


Donovan McNabb, Terrell Owens before the game


Battery operated Eagles cap


A shot of the annoying kid before he started screaming in our ears


I love this shot