Hummer Taxi Training in Iraq
Posted By RichC on February 1, 2007
Here’s and interesting look at what it is like to drive around in Iraq … the short video clip speaks for itself.
“Its cold today,” says the snake …
Posted By RichC on January 31, 2007
Winter is finally here as temperatures in southwestern Ohio are down near the single digits. “Brrr” …. it is cold … but at least I’m not as stiff as the eight-foot boa constrictor found along the Great Miami River. (AP/Middletown Journal photo by John Agliata) A couple of construction workers were cleaning up debris along the river and came across the frozen snake as if it were stretched out laying in the sun next to the bike trail. According to the local paper, boa constrictors do not generally coil when the weather turns cold like many native snakes but extract heat from external sources such as the sun or warm rocks. A pet store owner who carries boa constrictors says that one this size could fetch a couple thousand dollars.
Donna Lange: East of the Fauklands
Posted By RichC on January 30, 2007
I have a few extra minutes over lunch today so I’ll add a second post. Several of you have emailed me asking how Donna Lange is doing after setting sail again and I thought I would update that she is cold, but otherwise fine. Yesterday she had several equipment repairs to make perhaps by a more aggressive ‘close hauled’ point of sail (into the wind), but after returning to a reach (more off wind point of sail), all is well …. except for the uncomfortable “wallowing” in rolling seas. Her approximate position above is just off the Faukland Islands and Port Stanley where she could accept an invite to sing and play her music. So far she is resisting the stop as the draw of home is starting to take hold. Of course there are still some 7000 plus miles to put under her keel, but I think being on the Atlantic Ocean feels much closer to Rhode Island than while in the Pacific?
I neglected to mention a recent article in Sail-World … if you are interested it talks about her trip as she was nearing Cape Horn.
Regis and Kelly with Leo Laporte
Posted By RichC on January 30, 2007
Those of you who follow the technology world will recognize Leo Laporte and his contribution to explaining technology to his viewers/listeners. He is a well known ‘guru’ with a mulititude of new media and old ‘channels.’ He is probably best know continent wide for his many ‘podcasts’ … or is it ‘netcasts’ … perhaps ‘webcasts?’ (I never know what to call them after the fear of Apple challenging companies using the word “podcast”) The best place to connect with his work is at the This Week In Tech site, better known as TWIT.TV.
Leo Laporte displayed several of new displays and screens for home television viewing — from a cellphone TV to 108 inch Sharp HD flat screen, of which there are only three. I’ll link the YouTube clip of his appearance on Tuesday below and mention his second appearance on ABC’s Live Regis and Kelly is on Wednesday. (also included below was Monday’s program with Omar Wasow on digital cameras)
WillItBlend.com: Just for fun and marketing
Posted By RichC on January 29, 2007
Many of you have probably already been sent this enjoyable marketing URL for Blendtec Blenders. The company has figured out how to use the Internet as a sales tool; they have an entire series of video clips where the straight faced Tom Dickson attempts to blend some interesting concoctions … an objects. The video site, www.willitblend.com, delivers short “Will it Blend” segments demonstrating their blenders with “Try this at home” and “Don’t try this at home” clips. On February 4th, Blendtec
is encouraging viewers to take a halftime break from the Superbowl game by visiting “Will It Blend Halftime Extravaganza” — four viewers will win a Blendtec Total Blender. The website is both entertaining and an excellent way to bring traffic to their online store. Check it out … it is worth a look.
What’s your favorite clip? (I sort of like the Tilapia Smoothie)
“What I’m Listening” to sidebar item
Posted By RichC on January 27, 2007
I promise not to go overboard in highlighting podcasts or music in my sidebar, but wanted to point out that I’ll be including new audio mp3 clips in the right hand sidebar. The current listenings include Slate’s Paul Boutin’s review of Windows Vista, an EVWorld interview with Representative Roscoe Bartlett on energy (thanks Mike) and a promo song by sailor-musician Donna Lange. (several recent posts on her solo ’round the world’ voyage)
Donna Lange: Back to sea on Friday
Posted By RichC on January 27, 2007
After several days ashore at the tip of Argentina, Donna Lange is back at sea and continuing her solo sail north continuing her around the world voyage towards home. (see previous posts) Her Friday log indicated that getting back ‘out’ to sea is challenging — especially having to maintain a constant hand on the helm. She comments reflective on the beauty of the sea and the sky and that it “lessens the frustration with the driving.”
It was about an hour after i had gotten free from the shore when i was graced with the accompaniment of a pod of black and white dolphins. As I played tunes on my whistle they seemed to draw near. the water was so clear i could see the detail of their coloring, but more so, as they came near the surface, they each would roll their head to the side and look straight into my eyes. This was magic…they saw me. Never has this happened. We met gazes. A bit later a single dolphin came by and I played for it a while. …I was comforted. I had seen a full rainbow the night before on the way to Puerto Williams.
Check in with Donna at www.donnalange.com or a new site being created to support some of her favorite causes, www.donnalange.org (under construction).
DeLorean: Back to the Future
Posted By RichC on January 26, 2007
Two posts for the price of one today … this one is for movie and automotive lovers. The story came from Digg.com and has been ‘dugg’ almost 4000 times. I wonder how many redirects?
Anyway, if you remember the “Back to the Future” movie (who doesn’t) and Doc Brown’s DeLorean ‘time machine’ adaptation, try searching for the memorable “Flux Capacitor” over at the DeLorean Motors web site. Let’s just hope the ‘geek’ who added the BTTF parts has a boss with a sense of humor when their servers go down under the stress test!
😀
Social Security Number required to collect prize
Posted By RichC on January 26, 2007
In a similar vein to yesterday’s post concerning identity information and protecting it from theft, today’s post is a legally challenging one 
dealing with not having a Social Security number to protect. Maribel Nava Alvarez is in a pickle after winning a radio station raffle in Chicago. Alvarez, according to the Spanish Broadcasting System’s radio station WLEY-FM, was not awarded a raffle prize because she refused to produce (or doesn’t have) a social security number; she is suspected of being ‘undocumented.’ The radio station requests a ‘social security number’ for prizes over $500 for tax purposes (as is required by law) and therefore requires it before the substantial prize, in this case a classic car, can be award. Alvarez claims that she was never told this prior to entering the raffle and now fears being reported. Her attorney referenced a letter by the radio station as a perceived ‘threat,’ something according to former Texas prosecutor Nelda Blair is illegal. Ms. Alvarez has now filed a lawsuit against the radio station while also claiming “she has left the Chicago area out of fear that she would be deported.” She is “suing for breach of contract and emotional distress.”
This situation is similar, illegal immigrants who are receiving college scholarships have lost them when they are found to be undocumented — while others are finding help from the ACLU and able to continue their higher education. Where are we going with this whole ‘illegal immigration’ thing? Are people living in this country without permission breaking the law or not? Are they entitled to live in the United States, receive an education, scholarships to college, medical care and bypass the reporting of contest income to the Internal Revenue service?
Here’s a short YouTube clip commenting on the Alvarez-Radio Station situation.
Has your identity been compromised?
Posted By RichC on January 25, 2007
I was hesitant about a site designed to cross reference known stolen ids with personal private information after a friend sent me a StolenIDsearch link, but thankfully he include a Dark Reading article that eased my concern. After reading it, I felt a little less skeptical and as you probably guessed just could help myself. So I plugged in my social security number and … Whew … thankfully I’m still OK according to this quick check. Hopefully those of you brave enough to trust this service will be fine too?
According to a study by Javelin Group, a research firm, identity theft victims typically don’t discover their information has been stolen until 12 months after a thief first used it. But there is an advantage to finding out quickly, the research firm says. Victims who detected the crime by monitoring their accounts online had average loses of $551; victims who relied on monitoring paper statements had average loses of $4,543.
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.