For those of us who enjoy TEDTalks, there’s a new app on its way for the HP webOS devices like the Palm Pre that should make content available on the go. According to a post on the Toondoctor, the app will be free as well as ad free.
Features
Browse, search and view video of TED Talks;
Browse, search and listen to TED Podcasts;
Add TED Talks or Podcasts to your TED Favourites;
View a calendar of TED Conferences and add them to your webOS Calendar app;
View profiles of TED Fellows;
Shuffling tiles in landscape TED Talks and Podcast modes.
The word might just make it to the next National Spelling Bee: Shellacking – as in, “I’m not recommending future Presidents taking a ‘shellacking’ like we did last night.”
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency reported that the crew of mostly 14 year old sailors from Poland arrived safely in the U.K. after their tall ship was battered by a storm. The Fryderyk Chopin lost both its masts when it was hit by gale-force winds about 100 miles southwest of the English coast on Friday. The 182-foot long vessel was immobilized and nearby ships rushed in to tow it to safety after the teenagers spent a very uncomfortable weekend at sea. By Monday the tall ship was secured to a buoy in Falmouth Harbor and teens taken off the ship.
I’m not sure why, but out of the blue my college age son sent me a music video last night? I don’t know whether I should take the lyrics to heart, just enjoy the music or look to improve some flawed area of my life?
Anyway, he sent the 2006 Rodney Atkins song “Watching You” and I realized how fortunate I am to have him even thinking of me … maybe he needs money?
I’m not really a political junkie, but the 2010 midterm election have left me with a few memories … many highlighted in the media or from ads by their competitors. A few of them, triggered by the less political savvy Tea Party supported candidates, still makes me chuckle a little bit.
Here’s a list of a few off the top of my head … did I miss any particular noteworthy ones?
Kentucky Democrat Jack Conway painting Republican Rand Paul college prank as worshiping the god “Aqua Buddha” … as well as the physical muscle one of Paul’s supporters used in roughing up a MoveOn.org protestor at one of his rallies (photo right)
Just for the fun of it I’m tracking the election tonight as the results come in. My early gut call is that the Tea Party groups will run many of the incumbent Democrats out of office and give Republicans the House of Representatives. In fact, I’m not really following the House race and believing it is comfortably in Republican control.
Congratulations a bit early to my congressman and the next Speaker of the House, John Boehner.
As for the Senate, the chance of changing hands is unlikely, although expect Republicans to pick up seats. I thought Chris Wallace’s whiteboard was helpful to understand what is needed so I’m semi-live blogging it below.
Pathway for GOP control of the Senate – 10 seats needed – R – D
Certain: ND– R IN – R AR– R
Likely: WI– R PA– R
Possible: CO – close NV– D IL – R WV–D
Democratic Firewall: CA– D WA – close CT– D
Updated: 11/3/2010 8:30AM EST
After the 11PM posting and the fall of CA, CT and WV … it is not realistic to take 10 seats even if the Republicans take PA, CO, NV, IL and WA. Currently (11:05PM) PA and IL Senate races are tied.
Once upon a time in 2008, there was a great “get out the vote” drive helping young people, less civic minded urban folks and busy college students to register to vote. Democrats in particular canvased college campuses going dorm door to dorm door with the necessary paperwork so that students would be prepared to vote. Many, including my son, were already registered at their home address, but with a little peer pressure signed papers that would enable them to vote near campus rather than request an absentee ballot from home. All seemed good and each student was able to ‘vote’ in the 2008 Presidential election right there near campus; their civil duty complete.
Fast forward to 2010 as these new voters (including my son) prepare once again to vote in another high profile and intense election, particularly in a divided state like Ohio. Unfortunately for many college students who “residence” may have changed, the same 30 day registration push many not have happened. On November 2 the question becomes: “Where am I registered to vote?” Is the same dorm you registered in 2008 your place of residence today … if not, did you re-registered? In fact, are you still at the same college? Many might have assumed your permanent address (parent’s home) is still recognized as your voting address. Think again … unless you vote where you are registered, you won’t be voting today.
Full disclosure: My son Taylor registered to vote in high school, changed his registration during the “get out the vote” push to Akron in 2008 when he was a freshman. He changed schools and is now hundreds of miles from his “voter residence.” When we requested an absentee ballot from “our county” along with his sister’s, only her ballot came back. His request was declared “not edible” because he was registered in a different Ohio county (out of state, he would have been fine … and probably could have voted twice. Hmm … certainly an opening for voter fraud.)
So my advice, and the lesson for those still reading, is to keep your voter registration at your “permanent address” while you are in college. Request an absentee ballot if you are not able to make it home to the polls … and vote in every election.
The San Francisco Giants and their solid pitching shut down the high powered hitting of the Texas Rangers to become the 2010 World Series champs. The final score in the game was 3 – 1. I’m disappointed not to see the series go further towards game 7 as I wanted to see those aging Ranger nuns celebrate (WSJ This Morning Podcast audio).
The final day of our mini-vacation was spent in the sun and ocean. We relaxed on the beach and enjoyed the sunshine and warm wind. The waves were large enough to make the body surfing fun as Brenda and I soaked up the last few hours before getting ready to head for home. While I loafed reading a book, Brenda practiced her long distance swimming by stroking through the large waves for an hour … this kind of marathon swimming still impresses me.
One of the more interesting treats of the day was a beach flyover by the large 4-engine B-17 Flying Fortress known as the Liberty Belle. (Palm Pre photo Below) According to the south Florida paper Sun-Sentinel, the restored World War II era aircraft is one of 14 still flying. The paper also commented that the “Liberty Belle never saw combat, having been built toward the end of the war. It was named after a plane that flew 64 missions in Europe with the 390th Bomb Group. That plane crash landed in Europe and was too damaged to restore.”
This is not the first time Al Gore has left fellow environmentalist wondering if the so called ‘Global Warming’ spokesman walks the talk. Hypocrite?
Green-minded campaigner Al Gore has been left red-faced after being accused of leaving his car running for almost an hour while he gave a lecture on sustainable development.
It is alleged that Gore made the gaffe while he spoke at the School of Business, Economics and Law in Gothenburg, Sweden on Wednesday.
His mistake was compounded further by the fact that he had asked his distinguished guests to attend the event by public transport in order to minimize CO2 emissions.
However, environmental website Climate Depot alleges that he arrived in a rental car from the airport and did not shut off the engine while he spoke.
Swedish law prohibits – for environmental reasons – any car engine being left running without its driver for more than 60 seconds.
The fines for breaking that law are severe but it appears Gore has not been fined.
Despite his active environmental campaigning, the former U.S. Vice President Gore has been criticised by other environmental campaigners in his career.
On this occasion he was accused of ‘stupidity and hypocrisy’ by Marc Morano, Executive Editor of the Climate Depot website.
Gore is now co-founder and Chairman of Generation Investment Management, a firm focuses on a new approach to sustainable investing.
He is the author of An Inconvenient Truth, a best-selling book and hit documentary on the threat of global warming.
