It was like that in Jamaica when I went, too. Too sweet!
- Josh Haley
I think that is what it is called in Asia too.
- Andrew Leyden
I just wanted to share this with Josh directly. Fun to hit about 10,000+ more people too. So Josh, you're a special guy. And... I prefer the real Diet Coke.
- Louis Gray
It's between the stroke one from the neuroanatomist - Jill Barad, I now remember - and the very first one I ever saw, on Seadragon out of MSFT.
- MaryB, BrandingBroadOfFF
from iPhone
$500?? Really? They'll be luck to sell ONE for that amount. All it does is browse web pages, right? Does it do Silverlight, Flash, etc?
- Internet's Tad
from fftogo
There is space in my life for a tablet device, however I need it to do more than the web. If Apple releases an OSX or iPhone based competitor I would consider paying $500, but not for a web-only device.
- Sparky
I'll pay $800 or $900 for a proper tablet. But it must do eReader, eMagazine, games, basically everything the iPod Touch does plus more.
- Internet's Tad
from fftogo
Need some advice! My mom is getting me a laptop for my birthday 12/9. Is it better to buy it now, or wait until January? Also, I plan on using it for photos, internet, and music mostly... is a macbook fine for this, or is it better to spend the extra money and get a pro? Thanks in advance!
My advice in the past would have been to wait 'til January because of Macworld Expo. However, Macworld Expo has been pushed to February this year and Apple isn't even going to be there. Apple will no longer be trying to make its announce/release dates match Macworld. However, I don't know enough to predict what happens now.
- Spidra Webster
This is a good site on when to buy. http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/ I don't think the next update will be a laptop as they just updated recently (and the Mac Pro is due more of an upgrade than the mere bump they got the other day). A Mac Pro update around the NAB show (March) is likely or even earlier, but I think the laptop line is kind of set for awhile.
- Andrew Leyden
if you don't play high-graphics games or work with too many heavy programs like adobe photoshop or manage too many photos (like professional photographers) with lightroom/apreture, macbook is fine. But with pro, you will get more productivity, more power. Pro is work computer, macbook is home computer as you guess.
- Mehmet Fatih YILDIZ
Thanks! I actually have a pro at work and love it. I was just wondering if I could get away with a macbook for home since the price is so different. I'll see if she's willing to spend the money for the pro.
- Georgia Diehl
Is there a reason for Rest-Stops any more? I've driven pretty much every highway on this side of the Mississippi, and I've never seen a situation where a Rest-Stop made more sense than just driving to the next exit or Oasis (on toll-ways). Why are we wasting state budgets on building and maintaining these things, when you'll find a McDonalds or..
..gas station toilet much nicer a mile up or down the road? Furthermore, if you go to those areas, you're more likely to spend money, putting commerce into the economy, than the tax sinks that are rest areas.
- Matthew DeVries
I use them all the time. I think they're easier to get in and out of than a gas station or fast food place which aren't always right by the interstate. Plus, open 24 hours.
- Sarah G.
As someone who has had kids, yes we need rest stops; at least the basic with a bathroom and a trash can. Mother's don't require fancy rest stops but we do need them. There is only one between Denver and Sterling, Colorado.
- Judy Jones
But rest-stop bathrooms are always beyond nasty in terms of upkeep, at least the men's rooms are. There's always these strange holes poked/cut in the sides of the stalls that are then filled with toilet paper (for passing drugs?). Graffti, bad lighting. Outdated maps under lexan with the pictures of three governors ago.
- Matthew DeVries
When you are driving something long and difficult to maneuver there are many times a gas-station or restaurant are nigh impossible to access.
- MVB (Curmudgeon of FF)
MVB - Truck Stops, and there you'll find a free giant ass squeegee to clean the monster sized windows.
- Matthew DeVries
I'm pro-rest-stop. They're not all that bad. In washington they're really quite nice actually. And many western states have way too far in between locations that can support any type of business.
- SAM
You are pushing the cost onto the businesses. They then restrict access.
- R1CC1
"There's always these strange holes poked/cut in the sides of the stalls..." *dead* If it wasn't for rest stops, where would closeted men go for sexual rendevous?
- Derrick
I'd much rather go to a rest-stop than the gross fast food or gas station toilets.
- Admiral Anika
Rest Stops have saved my ass many a night on seriously long drives. Pull over, nap for 15-20 minutes, get back on the road. A lot better than the alternatives.
- Akiva Moskovitz
Rest stops were one of the first things to go in California, I think. All the ones I've driven past seem to be closed indefinitely.
- Victor Ganata
Driving across Iowa, I'm glad for them. And in IL. And all sorts of places. Most of the time they're cleaner than any fast food or gas station bathroom. I also like it when they have outdoor spaces with picnic tables. And since I travel with dogs, it's nice to have a bit more than a strip of gas for potty breaks. :)
- Junebug (aka Sarah Jill)
I can never sleep at rest stops, too quiet and secluded and too far from help. Someone could jack you up while you sleep. At a truck stop, constant traffic of people and security cameras galore make sleeping much safer.
- Matthew DeVries
Matthew just made me spew coffee out my nose.
- Sparky
Matthew, children cannot always wait for the next gas station. Also, if you are tired, it is NOT a good idea to keep driving til you find somewhere nicer.
- Mellissa Claus
Rest stops in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona are fairly nice and usually clean - I use them every time I make the drive from SoCal to Dallas.
- Kurt Kringle
Melissa, so you'd stop at that last exit then.
- Matthew DeVries
You'd also be forcing business through the doors of those establishments. You could take the rest-stop upkeep and building budgets and hire 100 bathroom/restaurant inspectors with 1/10th of that to keep them sanitary and accessible, and roll the other 90% into bridges and schools.
- Matthew DeVries
I'm thinking maybe Australian highways are a lot differe to American ones. Here you can drive hundreds of kilometres on the same one without there being any 'exits'. Sometimes your only option is a rest-stop, a grotty service station, or a tree.
- Mellissa Claus
The problem with "forcing the business" into those establishments: it will cost them money, unless they require that you buy something. The toll Oasis' upkeep are supported by the toll money, so it doesn't place a burden on the businesses if people don't buy anything.
- Jennifer Dittrich
Yeah, west of the Mississippi, exits with businesses are spread farther apart. Driving 120 miles to the nearest exit while your bladder is full is not fun.
- Victor Ganata
If only a small fraction of the people buy something, that more than offsets what they'd be forced to invest in infrastructure to meet mandated standards for having a business withing 1/2 mile of the highway. Rest Stops were born out of a time when there were large distances between exits and it was realistic that you could drive for an hour or more without seeing an exit. If you look at the map I posted up there, in the Eastern US, that just doesn't happen.
- Matthew DeVries
Along the NJ Turnpike, rest stops are a necessity for drivers because of the toll structure. You pay less in tolls to stay on the highway than to take an exit and drive around.
- John (a.k.a. dendroica)
Because they're free and not trying to sell you stuff?
- cecily
Truckers have time limits as to the time they can drive and often need a place 'now' rather than down a few exits.
- Andrew Leyden
With very few exceptions, the facilities in the rest stops I've used have been well maintained and in working order. I much prefer a rest area to an exit (and will pass a plethora of exits for all except emergency stops) as the rest areas are consistently in better condition (and don't smell like fast food) and don't tempt me to spend guilt money (buying something so I can use the...
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- Aaron the Librarian
If you have pets rest stops are a real win. And in the west at least there are stretches where there aren't adequate services so a rest stop is much appreciated.
- Todd Hoff
My family takes a cooler with sandwiches on family vacations when driving. We would stop at rest areas for a half hour for lunch. I don't think you can find a park right off of most exits. Fast food joints frown at you bringing your own food, and I refuse to eat sitting outside a gas station. For people traveling on a budget, rest areas provide a cheap and guilt-free method to save money and get out of the car for a few minutes.
- Amanda
Aaron & Cecily have covered everything I have to say about this. Also, after having to pay to use the restroom at a truck stop in Slovakia, I am glad we have publicly funded, clean rest stops, regularly spaced where there are no other options. Frankly, I'm rather irritated by the closures here in Virginia.
- ǎňňǎ
Rest stops are useful on closed toll systems. You'd pay more if you leave the highway and then reenter. Also, some rest stops have geocaches. :)
- Morton Fox
They do make for a good litmus test. If I drive by one and think "I probably should have stopped" I either pullover and switch with someone or get a room.
- J. Abdul-Qahhar
I had a flight with a 206B3 ride. Just over a bridge and right over Bosphorus. An amazing experience with adapting yourself to leaning heli and jump takeoff and landing like an elevator
- Acharad Sami vanJoulee
A broadcasting class where we had to learn to do reports from the sky.
- Admiral Anika
No, but as often as they're overhead here in Venice, they oughta give us rides :-/
- ɐ ɯıʞ sıɹɥɔ
from iPhone
A broadcasting class. Interesting. How'd you make out in the end?
- Christopher Harley
Yes. We took a helicopter ride over the volcanoes in Hawaii on our honeymoon
- Alan Simpson
I took the F in that class because it was too late to drop. I hadn't realized we really had to do 9 - 12 hours a week in the sky for the last half of the course. I had to do some fancy footwork to avoid that class as it was required for my degree, but I did it.
- Admiral Anika
Yes, a tourist helicopter when I was a kid, then a UH-1 Huey, a Ch-46 Sea Knight, an UH-60 Blackhawk and an CH-53 Stallion. I think that's about it.
- Andrew Leyden
We rented helicoptors for our wedding and flew up with a small party to a small mountain meadow. Had glass bubbles in the front: fun experience.
- Matt Mastracci
from iPhone
no but I so want to!!! I have skydived though so that beats helicopter I think :)
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
Yes, to exit the Grand Canyon. A few short minutes. I didn't have vertigo or anything...
- Richard ¿digame? Walker
Brent, It was 5 years ago, and I'm not sure that I'll fly in a helicopter again: I guess that all helicopter pilots are insane. When I asked why did he fly so close to the ground, he answered "if we have a problem, we don't have wings!" ;-)
- Thierry R. Andriamirado
from email
well, I was in an adrenaline-junkie environment... he had that bush-pilot gleam in his eye. then again, that was, oh, 15 years ago... I'm considerably more tame, myself. :)
- T. Brent, technopeasant
Only once, tagging along on an emergency transport that thankfully ended up being not so emergent.
- Victor Ganata
A couple of times. Recent experience was much better with noise-canceling headphones.
- LogEx
Yup. Over the Grand Canyon. It was awesome.
- Jason Huebel
yes! I was about 13 years old. went with a group. I was last in line to get in and the back was full. so I got to sit in the front with the pilot! it was awesome!! (in Yellowknife for a Student Exchange Trip)
- Nathalie, Dreamer of FF
Yes, we had to fly to all of our roadless control sites in NE Alberta near the Athabasca River. Jumping out of a helicopter into waist-deep snow is an interesting experience. :-) Loved seeing all the wildlife from the chopper, though!
- Jenny R.
Yes. And hated it. Nothing has ever made me more motion sick. It was in Hawaii over Kauai, so it should have been wonderful.
- Jen (SquirrelGirl)
Do you get Tweetdeck notices alerts / notices on the main screen?
- Andrew Leyden
The tweetdeck alerts come on the big samsung screen... the important ones sounds a bip
- Simone Lovati
It's pretty cool. I couldn't do it though. I've tried monitors at different distances and even a slight variation results in my eyes having to refocus when I turn from screen to screen which can get a bit old. Guess I'm getting old.
- Andrew Leyden
I'm using this work space for hrs and I can see with a fast eye my sketch on the whiteboard or what's up on twitter without this stuff disturb me too much when I'm focusing on my work on macbook
- Simone Lovati
The Secret Service may be prepared for terrorist attacks on Barack Obama when he comes here, but did they add the wild wolfs roaming Oslo to the equation.. ? ;)
- Thomas Bøhm
We have wild Coyotes wandering in Rock Creek Park just about a mile from the White House. He'll feel at home with the wolves of Oslo.
- Andrew Leyden
Really ? Cool. The reason for the commotion in Norway today is that we have very few wolfs left, hence the debate to shoot or not even though it´s walking around downtown.
- Thomas Bøhm
OpenDNS hijacks 404 responses; I used it for about five minutes before deciding "never again." I'm wary of Google having access to the entire set of user's DNS queries; that's an awful lot of data.
- Glen Mistletoe
I don't like that OpenDNS hijacks 404's either, but I don't really feel strongly enough to switch.
- Chieze Okoye
I agree with Chieze. Even though OpenDNS redirects all 404s to its custom ad-filled search page, I am wary of letting out all my DNS queries to Google. I am kind of rebellious against the idea of Google ruling the world, actually.
- Keshav Khera
I might. I'm not that upset about hijacked 404's but I am noticing that opendns has problems with subdomains of many sites (i.e. like iphone.website.com instead of www.website.com). Might try it though I feel Google is getting a bit borg-like.
- Andrew Leyden
You can disable NX domain redirection (the hijacking of 404's) in OpenDNS under the customization page (uncheck "Enable NX Domain Redirection"). You'll lose some of OpenDNS's more advanced features (like shortcuts), but it'll provide RFC-compliant DNS responses at that point.
- Justin Ribeiro
Justin, I don't think that will work with dynamic IPs, will it?
- Keshav Khera
Dynamic IP's assigned to you by your ISP shouldn't be a problem, presuming that your updating OpenDNS with your current public IP either with the client software updater (I've used it on the go, works well) or via dns-o-matic (I use that at home at the router level, works well https://www.dnsomatic.com/). Does that answer your question?
- Justin Ribeiro
Justin: I've used the client software updater, but using just-another-application for another task doesn't really appeal to me. I don't mind the redirection and for the shortcuts, there are keyword searches in Chrome and Firefox that work as good as OpenDNS shortcuts, if not better. Anyway, thanks for your answer! :)
- Keshav Khera
Keshav, I totally understand not wanting to run another application. :-) I don't use the client software unless I'm not at home or the office (i.e. I use it at the airport most often), but I do like dns-o-matic use at the router level (I use dns-o-matic for more than just OpenDNS updates as well). I think OpenDNS filtering and keywords work easier when you're managing a network(s)...
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- Justin Ribeiro
"It was so close I could taste it. Two weeks ago we were ready to publicly launch the CrunchPad. The device was stable enough for a demo. It went hours without crashing. We could even let people play with the device themselves – the user interface was intuitive enough that people “got it” without any instructions. And the look of pure joy on the handful of outsiders who had used it made the nearly 1.5 year effort completely worth it."
- Fulaan, inna Hebel
from Bookmarklet
There's more this story than is being told, I'm sensing.
- Fulaan, inna Hebel
Ungood! A hundred times double-plus ungood! But yes, there is the air of missing information.
- i80and
from IM
Yeah, definitely more to the story. This could also be a negotiating tactic on the part of Arrington, he does have considerable power with his readership. No way to know for sure.
- mikepk
Can it be that FG refused to make it at a $300/unit price point and that Arrington refused to budge on the price?
- Daniel J. Pritchett
For a "Fortune 100 Business Intelligence developer" you do ask quite a stupid question, Daniel. Were you privy to Arrington's budget figures and cost estimates to assume his $300 retail unit target was anywhere near realistic? You think his 13-people strong manufacturing partner FG was sunk by greed [before product even hit the market] because that's what Arrington alleged to? Wake up. #CrunchPad
- ianf ⌘
Odd that no one has even mentioned the rumors of an Apple tablet, and how that might affect the success of the Crunchpad.
- John Craft
Listen to yesterdays MacBreak Weekly. Leo and co had a along discussion about this that included the iTablet.
- Roberto Bonini
"MacBreak Weekly 169: This Is What Happens Larry" - LOL. Thanks, Roberto.
- John Craft
For those of us who cannot afford to invest umpteen minutes of their lives in listening to Laporte's et al. drivel, could you please summarize his arguments here, Roberto?
- ianf ⌘
Either there never was a crunchpad (ie this is arrington's way of getting out of it- but there are working prototypes). Or there was no way to get it to Market before the iTablet (hence the crunchpad would just be another also ran). Or, and this is alex lindsays theory that there was no way to do it at $300 or $400 dollars.
- Roberto Bonini
from iPhone
Basically then what I was saying all along http://friendfeed.com/search... - darn Laporte to steal all the credit (and credit$$$) for Regurgitating My Stating The Obvious™
- ianf ⌘
There was a lot more discussion over the matter. But those are the main main main points.
- Roberto Bonini
Interesting SAM. What if this is a Apple-esque stunt to drive demand??
- Roberto Bonini
Which particular "Apple[-esque]" stunt are you thinking of?
- ianf ⌘
I thought of that Roberto... and if it is... brilliant and I want mine in black.
- SAM
Ian - none in particular... but Apple does all sorts of non-orthodox PR. i want mine in black too - to go with my iPhone ;)
- Roberto Bonini
I was just saying the $300 price point was unlikely and maybe FG didn't want to stay involved with an impossible project. Thanks for the kind words, Ian.
- Daniel J. Pritchett
Oh, I though something has passed me by [everybody needs to conduct occassional self-test for Alzheimer on themselves, and this was mine ;-))]. Apple would not have done anything like that, and –TRUST ME ON THAT– Arrington even less so. He has lost so much face over it already, that he'd be downright stupid to attempt to whip up the interest for the CrunchPad by killing it first. He's naive, but stupid? no.
- ianf ⌘
Daniel, emit things grounded in reflection or experience, and I'll be the first to applaud you. From a "business Intelligence developer" I'd expect something better than that your naive take of the TC/FG business relationship: "[maybe] FG refused to make it at a $300/unit price point and Arrington refused to budge on the price?" Spare us.
- ianf ⌘
@mikepk http://friendfeed.com/techcru... "This could also be a negotiating tactic on the part of Arrington" - NOT. Other things being equal, Arrington will never fully recover from that monumental fiasco he himself engineered. Recover as in being taken seriously by readers in the future. As there was nothing to be...
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- ianf ⌘
#sidenote: that's probably the first time I've seen a permalink of a comment by someone in an actual FF thread
- Fulaan, inna Hebel
"The way a person becomes smart is to store in their brain only the information that they have to know, dismissing the rest. If it’s written down, I don’t need to know it. That’s what Albert Einstein would have you believe. But not Damjan Stanković. In an ideal Damjan Stanković world, you’d know how long you were at that stoplight because it would tell you what it’s up to. Tell me what you’re up to, stoplight! Don’t hold back your secrets, you stoplight you! I would love to know how much time I have before I am able to race to the next copy of you. I want to know how much time I have so I can hurry up and stop again!"
- AJ Batac
from Bookmarklet
Waiting for green with one's foot on the gas, and being able to anticipate that moment more quickly just doesn't sound like good defensive driving to me. IMO, the light turns green and you're still obligated to look both directions before going. This doesn't do anything for safety. It amazes me how impatient people are while driving. It's something I've thought about a bit: http://www.culturesculptor.com/bloghtm...
- SAM
Oh and just realized I wasn't subbed to you AJ... that is now fixed!
- SAM
You could probably design it to be safer: less segments on the red-light countdown so you know if you are minutes or seconds away from getting a green (but far enough apart that you can't accurately predict the change).
- Matt Mastracci
Or you could do what is done in Britain, and other countries no doubt - the light changes from red to orange and then to green.
- Buds
I think SAM's on the mark with this one. It's bad enough having people trying to sneak through the last second of a yellow light, but having them revving the engine to jump the beginning of a green light is a recipe for disaster. Maybe Matt's fix would work (make the timing granularity low), but I think it would have to be unpredictable, or of an extremely low granularity (e.g., 10-30s) to prevent gaming.
- Joel Webber
In Amsterdam the light goes yellow+red a few seconds before it turns green. The downside of this is that people who run yellows (or run reds) are far, far more likely to get hit by someone racing out of the gate on a green light they were ready for. These timers would be nice, but there needs to be a corresponding increase in the pause between one side's new red and the other side's new green.
- Kevin Fox
On a related note, how many drivers here use the pedestrian walk countdown timer as a hint as to whether they need to speed through their green and beat the yellow/red?
- Kevin Fox
I'm less likely to speed through intersections with countdown timers, but I don't know if that's a universal experience. If anything, this design prompts some interesting explorations in psychology and civil engineering. :)
- Matt Mastracci
This is a brilliant idea for those looking to follow the 8 second rule (of thumb). If you're idling for more than 8 seconds, it is more efficient to turn off your vehicle than to stay idling beyond that point.
- Mitch
Kevin, I use that to anticipate the yellow/red (pedestrian walk light) but not to speed through green.
- AJ Batac
Oh what an awesome idea! Perfect for turning city streets full of pedestrians and cross-traffic into a race track.
- April Russo (app103)
When the light changes yellow, I know it will soon be time to cross.
- Vezquex: God of FF
Loading 'bar' or not, people already do what Scott is afraid of. (I'm guilty every now and than) Drivers watch the lights for the other lanes; when those turn yellow they know their light will be green soon and begin to inch forward. Implementing something like this will only cause drivers to continue staring forward rather than looking to the side and watching the wrong light.
- Joshua
Timer lights are common in China and everyone uses them to get a head start, which as you can imagine, leads to a number of accidents as others are racing to catch the other light before it change. While I can understand the value in moving cars along a road, timing/pacing lights (and letting drivers know the appropriate speed) does so as well.
- Andrew Leyden
There is another advantage to non boy racer and more lazy types, myself included, atleast when the timer bar is full, you know can look away and not get honked at, rather than staring wide eyed and giving yourself a bad neck.
- Leighton Gough
I use the pedestrian walk lights all the time, to gauge how much green is left and how quickly it's going to turn from red to green. Doesn't mean you don't still have to pay attention to the cars, though, because everyone in LA turns left on yellow/red.
- Jandy, ConcertMaven of FF
there's a gap between lights on the different directions (depending on the intersection's programming) so knowing when one light will turn green does not mean that the other light just turned red... it could have turned red 2 seconds ago... people who will jump the gun and run a light are going to do it with our without this cool countdown red light timer
- Chris Heath
When spies would test locations for 'dead drops' they would often leave a $10 bill on the site and see if anyone would pick it up over the course of a month. Maybe you found a good street for some Cold War-era espionage.
- Andrew Leyden
Do you clean your child's nose out with q-tips? Do they scream about it? I don't see the point in doing so, but his mother condones it. Sounds like child abuse to me. The excuse is always "He can't breathe", but it seems like he's getting enough air with the power behind the screams.
I do use cotton swabs still on my boogery boy because...damn...he needs it. He got over screaming about it when he was 2. Actually, the screaming from both kids was more about the saline solution than the swabs. Once I started putting the saline solution on the swabs both calmed down enough to get their nostrils cleaned.
- Admiral Anika
He is 2 now. He doesn't really cry about anything. When he does, it's just for show and/or only lasts a few seconds. He doesn't whine (unless sleepy) and he doesn't throw real tantrums. The only time I have ever heard him really scream in distress (and what sounds like pain) is when he is getting his nose cleaned. He sounds like he is being abused and it really bothers me because I don't see the point in causing him that much distress for a couple of boogers.
- Rahsheen ™, Coach Rah
I know for my kids, it wasn't so much the actual act as it was how I positioned them. I used to lay them down which just frightened them at that age. Then I started sitting on the vanity and that calmed them. Maybe she should try a different position.
- Admiral Anika
Yeah, they pin him on his back and and go at him like it's a damn alien autopsy.
- Rahsheen ™, Coach Rah
I don't know why, but that seems to freak them out. Just the act of tilting their heads back. Of course, I remember how horrible it felt when my mom did that me to wash my hair, so I understand. While it makes it easier to see, the kid can be upright and the parent can bend down on one knee.
- Admiral Anika
Why not try one of the bulb suction things? You might also want to wash their face first with a washcloth to put some moisture in their nose and loosen things up before you go digging with anything.
- Andrew Leyden
Similar thing happened to us in Uni. We'd be moping around home saying 'oh god we should go to a pub' only to get there and wonder why we weren't home lying on the couch watching TV.
- Andrew Leyden
"[One Irish listener] vowed: “I’ll never drink French wine again.” That started an avalanche of similar promises, such as abandoning French bread and even French kissing." http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol...
- Simon
It's actually pretty easy as usually the requirement to read the bill is waived by unanimous consent. Cong. Traficant did it about 20 years ago and it took 3 reading clerks a whole day to read through really stupid bills that were on the calendar that day (naming Post Offices, etc).
- Andrew Leyden
I think that in other circles they call this "stalling".
- Allan Besselink
Given the significance of the laws they are making and the history of people sneaking things into the fine print shouldn't this be required for any law that we create? Sure would force them to keep them a lot simpler and to keep out the pork.
- Davis Freeberg
Even when you sneak things in it is done sneakily. "Section 110 of Act 104-102 is modified to include the language of paragraph 3(a)(ii) following the world 'shall be done'" or something like that. It's a maze to comprehend sometimes.
- Andrew Leyden
Davis, how about the Senators take the responsibility of doing their homework beforehand for the benefit of their constituents? I am not sure what benefit there is of having a Senate clerk read the entire bill, other than to consume time that could be used to get something done about it.
- Allan Besselink
Cell phones have increasingly become mobile labs and tech tools for researchers, and now NASA has gotten in on the act. A NASA scientist has developed a postage-stamp-sized chemical sensor that allows iPhones to sniff out low airborne concentrations of chemicals such as ammonia, chlorine gas and methane. The gadget add-on comes courtesy of Jing Li, a Physical Scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center in California. She developed the proof of concept with other researchers as part of Homeland Security's 'Cell-All' program, which aims to put more mobile sensors in the hands of every cell phone user, reports Popular Science. A puff from a 'sample jet' helps sense any airborne chemicals. That information gets processed by a silicon chip consisting of 16 nano-sensors, and then passes on to another phone or computer through any Wi-Fi or telecom network. Such sensors could alert first responders early if there's a chemical accident or attack, even if the unfortunate cell phone user has already passed out. This is an addition to other cell phone tools such as off-the-shelf microscopes and watchful heart monitors.
- Eric Logan
from Bookmarklet
Would be neat to add air pollution sensor to track dirty air in countries that refuse to release honest data about pollution
- Andrew Leyden
from iPhone
Yup. Cat6. Not having an easy time getting the connectors on right though. :(
- Cristo
I always found making cables relaxing. It's like an IT person's version of knitting.
- Rodfather
The hardest part is cutting the individual wires the right length out of the outer insulation. I figure there ought to be a more precise way than eyeballing it, but I just eyeball it.
- Jason Wehmhoener
Maybe it's the cheap connectors I have, or that my eyes aren't that good, but I have a really hard time seeing if the wires are lined up correctly once I push them through the connector.
- Cristo
If you can get them lined up nice and flat before you try to put them in the connector, they should stay in the right order without getting mixed up. The little ridges inside take care of that.
- Jason Wehmhoener
I want a magnifying glass for my workbench though, it would be handy for lots of things.
- Jason Wehmhoener
I think these connectors I got at Fry's are crap. I'm going to try ordering some better ones online.
- Cristo
Just heard a report on NPR (yes, I listened to NPR for once) about Sesame Street. Interesting tidbit; they said they learned that children liked a narrative versus the lesson broken up into snippets. I think Elmo killed the fun that was Sesame Street and 15 min. of that baby-talking rag is too much. My kids feel the same.
If I put today's Sesame Street on, they'll whine and call it a baby show. If I put on episodes of the Sesame Street I grew up with, they'll become engaged in the show shouting back answers to the TV. Also noted by my daughter is that the old Sesame Street taught a lot more Spanish (very true) and everything looked "more real".
- Admiral Anika
The early episodes were more for adults. In fact the DVD release has a warning: "These early Sesame Street episodes are intended for grownups and may not suit the needs of today's preschool child," the warning reads. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories...
- Andrew Leyden
Well my kids like them. They get a kick out of the 70s graphics, the Chef, the typewriter (which I learned they thought was a phone, go figure) and my son LOVES the news flash with Kermit D. Frog.
- Admiral Anika
I don't miss those time-lapse videos of flowers sloooooooowly opening, though. Remember those? That was always my cue to take a bathroom break.
- Call me Bronco
LOL I don't remember those, Sarah. Maybe that was my bathroom break cue too.
- Admiral Anika
I loved me some Sesame Street when I was a kid (and yes, that's where I first learned Spanish). Those early 80s episodes more than met my preschool needs...
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
I remember being in kindergarten and every day we watched Sesame Street and then Electric Company. Then we'd have a snack of nilla wafers and orange Koolaid. Then we'd take a nap. Definitely a firm part of my childhood memories.
- Lindsay
Her Lindsay ness to you remember Zoom?...........
- VAL D.
LOL @ 'baby talking rag.' I am still laughing.
- Trish R
Hey! Elmo loves his goldfish, his crayons too. >:(
- Danny Minick
And when Grover was a waiter. I loved those stupidly predictable skits.
- Admiral Anika
@Val - I don't remember Zoom :S. My favorite Sesame Street thing was the aliens who rang like the phone. "Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Nope, Nope, Nope Nope, BRRRRRRRIIIIING!"
- Lindsay
Was I the only one who stuck around after Electric Company to watch "3...2...1...Contact!" ?
- Bren, Not Grinchy
I couldn't hang with 3-2-1 Contact. It was too "big kid" for me at the time.
- Admiral Anika
I loved Sesame Street back in the day, though...
- Bren, Not Grinchy
One other thing that annoys me about today's Sesame Street is that Bert & Ernie are now Claymation. It was annoying enough that Bert was sidelined so that they'd do that silly Adventures with Ernie (or whatever it was called) sketch. But this is too much bad change. As I mentioned in another post, the Tweedledums are now CGI and so is Abby Cadabby. Boo!
- Admiral Anika
Nooooooooooooo. Ernie and Bert are Claymation? RIP Jim Henson.
- Trish R
We have 2 collections of "old school" sesame street and my daughter loves it. She could care less about the new show and we both are ready to turn it off once Elmo's bit comes on.
- Jen (SquirrelGirl)
The Ernie & Bert claymation thing really annoys me as well. Maya loves Elmo (unfortunately) and she also likes the "Murry has a little lamb" segments. She's just recently gotten into Abbie Cadabby. It is a much different show than when I was a kid. I was never into Electric Company but I was a big fan of Mr Rogers, especially the land of make believe.
- Carl Haynes
:O Bert and Ernie are claymation now?! WHY?!?!?!
- Soup
Bren, I adored 3-2-1 contact! I think Sesame Street/Henson were on some serious drugs, in a good way.
- anna sauce
I lived on Sesame Street and Vegetable Soup. Two amazing shows. "Come on along and join us..." EDIT: OH! and Electric Company! Spider-Man FTW!
- Carlos Ayala
I really do worry about the future. I've been reading Paul Offit's book 'Vaccinated' (which is quite interesting to a layman like me) and ordered the Autism one. Been on a bit of a tear lately trying to knock down and put pseudo-science in it's place wherever I see it. Uphill battle.
- Andrew Leyden
My car is old. It eats these shiny rainbow discs and music comes out of it. It's quite amazing. It's like if you could hold your mp3's in your hand...
- Rahsheen ™, Coach Rah
Even though we're Jewish, we still set up a "holiday tree" because I love the look of Christmas tree. I'm not sure how to do it this year and keep Audrey from pulling the ornaments off. I don't want to buy a baby fence (we have no use for it otherwise). Our tree is 6' tall so putting it on top of a table won't work. Ideas?
put a bunch of presents underneath so she's distracted by those?
- chrisofspades
If you are just worried about the ornaments, you could just decorate the top half of the tree.
- s t e v e
Make paper ornaments or other safe decorations for the bottom half.
- Bruce Lewis
We have always done our tree regardless of the age of our kid and just did our best to keep the little one out. All you really need is to be a diligent watcher and have quick reflexes. ;)
- JA Castillo
I think I'm more concerned with her pulling down the whole tree than pulling individual ornaments off. She's learned to pull up on the couch, coffee table, etc. lately. If she grabs onto a branch of the tree and tries the pull up, the whole thing will tip over on top of her.
- Rochelle
My roommates in college had a Chanukah Shrubbery as they called it (was some box shrub I think they dug up from a garden on campus) because they always wanted a tree but their parents would never buy one.
- Andrew Leyden
Andrew, I've called ours a "Hanukkah hedge" before. :)
- Rochelle
In the past we've attached a string from near the top of the tree to an inconspicuous anchor to reduce the risk of the tree being pulled down.
- Bruce Lewis
Can you weigh down the base so that the tree is more stable?
- Katy S
We did what Bruce did, at the recommendation of our pediatrician. Though we used fishing line, so you couldn't even see it. We tied it at the middle of the trunk and anchored it to our curtain rods. Worked like a charm. And then only put safe ornaments at the bottom of the tree.
- Jen (SquirrelGirl)
3rding Bruce's suggestion. My kids were all in the really grabby toddler stage for Christmas 15 - 18 months. I just gave up on the idea of glass ornaments and went for wooden / metal.
- Heather Solos
About 75 percent of the country's 17- to 24-year-olds are ineligible for military service, largely because they are poorly educated, overweight and have physical ailments that make them unfit for the armed forces, according to a report to be issued Thursday.
- Andrew Leyden