Posted By RichC on December 19, 2011
Fun new winter Google Easter Egg similar to the partial archived list from an earlier post … “Let it snow.”
Also thought I’d include the tasty looking Christmas cookies my daughter made … unfortunately she is taking them to work and not bring them too me! 
Posted By RichC on December 18, 2011
It doesn’t get much better than this … our son Taylor is home from college for Christmas break and after living off campus decided to make dinner for his parents. What a treat to know that he can cook well enough to take care of himself and enjoys making dinner for us. In appreciation I was happy to clean up. (note: upon visits to his house realized it wasn’t as stellar as his cooking.)
Posted By RichC on December 17, 2011
Successfully passed the test … so thought I would share it on the blog instead of irritating friends by forwarding it in an email (something I very rarely do and always Bcc … hint, hint)
1- Find the C below…
Do not use any cursor help.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
2- If you already found the C, now find the 6 below.
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
69999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
3 – Now find the N below. It’s a little more difficult.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
This is NOT a joke. If you were able to pass these 3 tests, you can cancel
your annual visit to your neurologist. Your brain is great and you’re far
from having a close relationship with Alzheimer.
Congratulations!
eonvrye that can raed this rsaie your hnad.
If you can read the following paragraph, you are just awsome.
Only great minds can read this
This is weird, but interesting!
If you can raed this, you have a sgtrane mnid too
Can you raed this? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.
I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The
phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the
olny iproamtnt tihng is that the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit
pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a
pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by
istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot
slpeling was ipmorantt! If you can raed this forwrad it
Posted By RichC on December 16, 2011
I never realized just how restrictive New York firearm laws were until reading this story. It never occurred to me that transporting a pistol in a locked case could be a class C felony, even in a liberal state like New York? I suppose if someone spends their life living under NY restrictions … as did my wife … its no wonder they have difficulty comprehending the personal liberties that exist in states respecting Second Amendment rights.
It has taken this story to hammer home how different gun laws can be in different states. (note highlighted text below)
Tea Party Patriots co-founder Mark Meckler was arrested at an airport in New York City on Thursday after he attempted to check-in a locked gun box holding his Glock 27 pistol and ammunition to a Delta Airlines ticket agent.
According to authorities and his attorney, Meckler, 49, holds a concealed-carry permit for the Glock 27 pistol at home in California, but not in New York where he was attempting to board the plane. As a result, he was arrested and charged with a felony.
“Before leaving home, passengers should acquaint themselves with the weapon laws of the jurisdiction that they are visiting and comply with any and all legal requirements if they choose to travel with a weapon,” Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said.
“Otherwise, they may find themselves being arrested and charged with a felony – as is what occurred in this case,” he said.
Attorney Brian Stapleton of Goldberg, Segalla, LLP said Meckler was only attempting to follow TSA rules for checking in a firearm when he was arrested.
“While in temporary transit through the state of New York in possession of an unloaded, lawful firearm that was locked in a TSA-approved safe, he legally declared his possession of the firearm in his checked baggage at the ticket counter as required by law and in a manner approved by TSA and the airline, yet was arrested by port authority for said possession,” Stapleton said.
Meckler was arraigned Thursday in Queens Criminal Court and charged with second degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class C felony.
Posted By RichC on December 16, 2011
Christopher Hitchens, the author, essayist and polemicist who waged verbal and occasional physical battle on behalf of causes left and right and wrote the provocative best-seller “God is Not Great,” died Thursday night after a long battle with cancer. He was 62.
more at WSJ.com.
Posted By RichC on December 15, 2011
Well I was going to wait until closer to the Republican primary in Ohio (3/6/2012) to decide which candidate was best to run against the president, but after seeing recent polling, the candidate is obvious. When polls pitting Newt Gingrich against the sitting President Obama, the numbers indicate the President may have an easy re-election, in that case the only real option for the GOP is Mitt Romney … and personally, that’s fine with me (my reasons below).
First, Mitt Romney’s character is about as solid as they come for politicians. It wouldn’t be appropriate to say that his integrity is on the level of a Washington or Lincoln, but his moral compass is intact. No one has characterized him as corrupt or questioned his devotion to family, faith or country … therefore in my eyes he is way ahead of most others seeking office.
He also has demonstrated that he understands both the economy and American business … and government’s place in a free society. Besides growing up in a business family, he has managed businesses as well as asked to help salvage the 2002 Olympics. He has also functioned at a Republican governor of the liberal state of Massachusetts. This executive branch position required far more tact and negotiation with an opposing party than governing in a one party controlled state. His ability to function and get work done may be useful in Washington DC considering what we’ve seen in the past two administrations.
How does Mitt Romney propose dealing with our #1 issue, the economy? According to what I absorbed from his 59 point plan, he would start by making the U.S. business friendly. His sharp criticism of China for currency manipulation may not gain traction since no one wants a trade war, but his push to lower the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent would put the United States in a more competitive position. Romney want to streamline much of the business red tape which will not only help corporations, but small businesses which have become the growth 
engine of our nation. Speaking of red tape, he also proposes to dismantle much of Dodd-Franks, something that will make business more competitive and make more capital available. U.S. jobs here is better than companies sending them overseas.
Energy continues to dog our country as well. Although I’m anxious for day we are less reliant on fossil fuel, there is no denying that we suffer economically if our energy cost is artificially higher because of unrealistic policies. The rotation from oil and coal in the U.S. is a great goal, but not at the expense of our citizens and businesses. We need to continue to use all sources of energy and let them compete with each other without picking winners and losers from Washington DC. Romney position is to allow oil drilling “wherever it can be done safely.” His plan is to “fast-track the process for approving energy permits, and streamline the approval of new nuclear reactors.”
Romney has also pledged to keep taxes where they are today by making the Bush-era/Obama temporary renewal rates permanent. As a way to address retirement saving shortfalls, 
he also plans to eliminate double taxation policy of the estate tax and zero out the capital gains taxes for those with incomes below $200,000 (Millionaires need not apply). His eventually goal … probably a pipe dream … is to eventually reform the tax code by simplification and flattening the rates – fairer.
A touchy subject is of course is how to best deal with Medicare and Social Security. Although I haven’t figured out where he comes in on Medicare (his Obamacare problem, perhaps?), he has suggested that he would be considering raising the retirement age and reducing benefits to wealthier retirees in order to preserve the current Social Security program. The shared pain approach is realistically the only way forward since everyone knows we can’t continue without change.
As for the Tea Party movements hot button issue of Obama’s sweeping healthcare reform, Romney said he would repeal it. One can only go on his word that he believe states have that right, but not the federal government. If change needs to be implemented in order to control cost and assure all Americans get care, a state based solution may be the right step? One of the areas of healthcare he want to address (left out of even the all encompassing Obamacare) is medical malpractice lawsuits. Romney wants to rein in medical malpractice lawsuits and other types of litigation that cost companies billions of dollars and often drive up prices, but he many not have much impact since his position is that these decisions should be at the state levels.
Foreign policy may be Romney’s Achilles heel in that he has yet to be exposed to decisions that can all consume a president. Personally the security of our country was my biggest fear with President Obama, but thankfully he rose to the occasion. On the other hand, having bright advisors and good judgment may be more important than having a little bit of personal experience? In reading Mitt Romney’s white paper makes me realize the depth of planning he already has in place and that he has already shown the kind of executive level of leadership required to put together a Whitehouse. America could (and has these past 3+ years) have a less qualified leader serving as our president.
Posted By RichC on December 14, 2011
A real hot button topic is being discussed after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended banning portable electronic devices such as cellphones from being used by drivers of automobiles. Distracted driving is fast becoming the seatbelt or drunk driving issue of the day. As someone who spends a significant amount of time on the road and has owned and used a mobile phone since before they were call “cellular,” I can say that the convenience of using a phone while driving would be missed. Admittedly I recognized that anything that distracts a motorist from the task of driving the car increases the risk of an accident, but I’m still against an out and out ban.
…the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called for the first-ever nationwide ban on driver use of personal electronic devices (PEDs) while operating a motor vehicle.
The safety recommendation specifically calls for the 50 states and the District of Columbia to ban the nonemergency use of portable electronic devices (other than those designed to support the driving task) for all drivers. The safety recommendation also urges use of the NHTSA model of high-visibility enforcement to support these bans and implementation of targeted communication campaigns to inform motorists of the new law and heightened enforcement.
One of the more difficult problems in enforcing the “no distracted driving” push is how to enforce drivers from using cellphones. Restricting the use of cellphones through technological means seems a bit draconian since the “non-driver” shouldn’t be restricted in my opinion – of course our big government movement could be adopting the aviation industry’s no portable electronic devices position. Having a traffic stop based on a cellphone electronic signature is equally storm trooper-ish … although after an accident I can see that punitive damages may be an option? Just as fines go up in construction zones, perhaps fines and penalties raised for those using electronic communication devices may be the answer, although if we “must” go this route how about encouraging the private industry route. What I mean is let the consumers choose an auto insurance company that discounts based on those drivers who don’t use a phone while they drive … sort of the Gecko characters position on radar detectors.
I assume this ban would impact the entire mobile radio business for trucks, constructions, and for the use of law enforcement “non-emergency” radio while driving? From the sounds of it, it will also have to include amateur and CB radio as well? As the trend toward embedded iPad-like dashboards continue, perhaps these devices will be the next target.
Besides embedding a CBNC video below, I thought it interesting to look, even with the increased use of cellphones and connected devices, how much safer we are on the roads today than in the past. (Census Info) Food for thought before we legislate more of our personal freedoms away.
Posted By RichC on December 14, 2011
Posted By RichC on December 13, 2011
Without NASA, the private sector has a bigger incentive to step up …
Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul Allen says he will use his wealth to build the world’s largest airplane as a mobile platform for launching satellites at low cost, which he believes could transform the space industry.
Slated to be announced Tuesday, the novel, high-risk project conceived by renowned aerospace designer Burt Rutan seeks to combine engines, landing gears and other parts removed from old Boeing 747 jets with a newly created composite craft and a powerful rocket to be built by a company run by Internet billionaire and commercial-space pioneer Elon Musk.
Dubbed Stratolaunch and funded by one of Mr. Allen’s closely held entities, the venture seeks to meld decades-old airplane technology with cutting-edge booster-rocket designs in an unprecedented way to assemble a hybrid that would offer the first totally privately funded space transportation system.
Posted By RichC on December 13, 2011
With the “in the news” section of Anorbit a bit quiet, the rumor that Apple may be buying the company makes the story a bit more interesting. There might be a good reason for cash rich Apple to begin acquiring a few more of the parts they need to assure production continues for their hot selling MacBook Airs, iPhones and iPads … owning a solid state storage company makes sense.
Anobit’s MSP™-powered MSP20xx embedded flash controllers are the industry’s highest performance embedded flash controllers for Smartphones and Tablet computers, supporting sub-20nm MLC (two bits-per-cell) and TLC (three bits-per-cell) NAND flash.
Key Features
666 MB/s data transfer rate
Ultra low power consumption
Supports up to 256 GB / 16 dies of NAND flash
Supports 20nm and sub-20nm NAND flash
Dual host interface
