Day 90 – 2010

Cherry blossoms are here.  Tried to get there for five years now.  TOMORROW.

Finished Classical Charms, LLC  check it out.

There is a series out called “Is it possible” – just incredible stories. The only drawback is that it is on TV late.

Day 89 – 2010

Nothing really happened today yet.  No new apps or gizmos.  I finished the Classical Charms page.

Day 88 – 2010

That was a mouthful yesterday, but I got it off my chest.  New week, again, new opportunities.

CJ my personal trainer had some good news today.  He is a great guy, pushing me without being pushy. Overall great experience with this Gold’s Gym in Ashburn.

Gold’s Gym Ashburn
20099 Ashbrook Place
Ashburn, VA 20147
703-858-5530

Trying to catch up.  Here is another pet peeve, email.  You think that email is instantaneous, not.  It takes a person to respond about as long as a snail mail gets to the receiver (or they don’t like me, LOL).  Maybe I’m just too gizmotized with being online all the time via cell phone or computer, who knows.  Yes there is a lot of spam mail out there.  Quick tip:  don’t erase it,  create a filter it to erase when it comes in.  It takes an additional step in the email process but that is faster than trying to respond and unsubscribe,  they will be back anyway, filter to erase.

Gizmo app of the day maybe week or year

I’m not amazed after I saw who is working on it, check it for yourself.

Finished my website, or the most important page
http://classical-charms.intuitwebsites.com/

Day 87 – 2010

I can’t believe it is Palm Sunday today.  Where has the time gone?

Finished installing the Apple TV, it works like a charm now.  The iPhone is now the remote. If you need a good remote control for the Mac or Apple TV this is a good app.

To install it on the Apple TV it needs some fiddling, but is is all described at their website.

Just to get in in writing somewhere so people will believe me that I had this thought process.

I  just bought a USB 2GB memory stick, which made me think back when Bluetooth just came out and you were considered a genius if you were able to connect it to your PDA.  The first good useful application I encountered was in Hannover, Germany at the CeBIT tradeshow.  Vendors would transmit their information and as you walk along, it would pop up on your PDA; marvelous setup.

Once the, now common, USB technology was announced there was plenty of criticism out regarding the concept.  The industry was shy in adopting something new, heck, the old stuff was not working most of the time.  It was just to good to be true.  So here we are USB everything, the USB hubs even are endangered since there is the USB pluggable stick. This is were you plug the USB directly into the head of the USB stick.  When I brought a USB stick back from Taiwan about 10 years ago, the cost was about $125 for a 64MB stick.  Could not get it in the US, or if you were lucky, some vendors had it.  I showed it to a sales rep at a Washington D.C. Government tradeshow, he was a rep for a data destruction company, he was totally shocked about the possibilities.  Now the stick is half the size of the one I discovered in Taiwan and holds between 2 and 8GB and only costs between $16 and $39.  The first hard disk IBM put into the PC was only 10MB and the size of a cigar box.

Anyway, the connectivity of the USB is just amazing, yes, it is a daily routine item now, most of the kids can not even imagine what hoops you had to jump through to get electronics connected.  I’m still in awe about how fast the technology moves.

This, of course, ties in with the computer/cell phone technology.  My professor once said while we were punching our program cards for the COBOL program: “One day we will have computers which fit on our wrist and are doing the same as the computers we work with now”, that was around 1984.  Look out Dick Tracy we are here. Having used the iPhone during several weeks, I integrated it completely into my life in terms of apps I use.  I showed some apps to some people who have their iPhone mostly populated with music, games, and perhaps videos. They were amazed.  I’m just a techie nut who explores possibilities just like the kids do now who explore, exploit or crack new technology and enhance it for free. Employ them, they are geniuses. I’m watching a video on the iPhone while I type this - the picture is just crystal clear.

So here is my prediction, after running my mouth again:
Once the iPad is out, it will be the early adopters who will make sure they have it, I would too, but I don’t have the money.  Sales of iPads are up 30% as of last Friday.  Think about it, once a camera in installed, 3G or even 4G is installed there is no holding back.  If people like the iPhone that much, it is only a small step to the iPad.  Given the fact that there are more than 150,000 apps out there, most of them for $0.99 to $1.99 covering a wide range of usability nothing can compete with that, even the just announced Sprint phone with 4G and video conferencing.  It is not just the slick phone, but the availability of applications.  The easier and cheaper they are the likelihood of people trying it is immense.  Although there are some who try a $0.99 app and complain that it does not work.  So what, most people spend more money on other things to try.  Just delete it, like the jpgs which did not come out.

Anyway, given that the view of the iPad is larger it will become easier to navigate and use the apps.  Way back when, I fiddled with the add on touch foils since the touch screen technology was not there yet or too expensive to use.  Well now everything is a touch this or a touch that, I just love it.  Not before long it will be voice activated via Bluetooth so we have a reason to mount that device on our ear. Hobbyists are building PC like devices and store them in the glove compartment attached to a 7” screen in their car.  With the iPad all you need is a good mounting device to achieve the same and more.  Here is a brilliant application for the iPad:  all the police cruisers are using laptops now to look up who know what.  Replace that with the GPS enabled, WiFi, 4G network iPad with a camera and you have a really good mobile unit.  If Apple would not just mount that tiny camera in the frame like the iPhone and would use a gooseneck camera instead, the communication possibilities would be increased many fold. Speaking of cameras, spies, years ago,  would be most envious if they saw the size and capability of the build in cameras today.  Here is a snapshot of one of the first cameras I used to demonstrate video conferencing via IP.

A whopping $2,000, however, great quality, internet controllable, remote  etc etc… no USB or HDMI;  SVGA or VGA inputs only. Now everybody with a laptop can do video conference via Skype, Yahoo, MSN,  Google or any other Messenger.  Even the HD cameras are very affordable and small.  So, yes, the iPad concept will become the next big sales tool as well as other uses.  Just like the microwave was viewed as a weird thing, it is now unthinkable to not have one.  Video rental, music, and apps will sore once people will figure out the usability.  It will be all in the education of the end consumer to expand their horizon past the the games and music.

I just wish I could figure out to get on the on ramp with this.

Right now it is the iPone, it just makes shopping easier, banking more up to date, notes easier to follow;  all as a result of portability. I have the remote installed now and it works great.  Pictures of my kids taken and emailed or posted with a simple click, instant gratification. The water cooler break at work is being replaced by facebook, twitter, or myspace.  Blogging is like writing a letter, or an email from the phone.  So many uses ….

Speaking of Wifi, not many will remember the CB Radio, however, it was before car phones were affordable.  You would call a local operator who would connect you via landline to whoever.  Why can we not do the same concept with Wifi?  Since it is a radio signal it should be available anywhere, just like radio.  Just a thought.

Home automation is another hot topic.  Using the iPhone to control lights, entertainment systems, temperature, appliances, etc is an easy setup.  There are systems for all ranges.  I use the system from  X10 which I bought half a century ago with a proprietary system for the PC to control the units.  They have pretty good sales.

Day 86 – The weekend

I can’t believe that it is already Spring Break  for the kids.  Do you have the same feeling sometimes that all the sudden it is i.e. Easter, Christmas?
I’m in the hunt for a Splatterblast gizmo for my son.  Should be the task for the day.

He found it!!! Target of course

SupaSplat

by TechGroupGlobal

Surprise the lady at Office Depot today.  She filled out the form for the Office Depot Discount Card, while she was doing it, I typed the barcode into the iPhone CardStar app and had it there right away.  Too funny.

Day 85 - 2010

Let’s see what the day brings today.  Finally finished the programming yesterday, it came out pretty good.
Excited about the new gizmo I found (look at yesterdays post)

Finished the setup for the soccer team this year ...

I tried to to do a BTW column everyday but it is a challenge to come up with a BTW which makes sense without plugging into a feed.

However, I found a good gizmo for the day.  This is an online flash gizmo which displays pictures from flickr or picasa (make sure that the album is not locked for public view).  Just create the album on the service, copy the address in RSS format paste it into the header, define the dimensions and viola you have the display right in front of you.  Paste the generated code into your HTML and you are done.  To define the position, embed the flash plugin in a <div left=xxpx top=xxpx>insert swf here</div>.  If you have multiple <div>s on one page put this one as the last one otherwise the rest of the page does not display.  If you have questions on how to do this, leave a comment. Here is the final output, use the mouse to move the pictures around.

Get this widget at roytanck.com

There is also a floating version of the plugin, it is available for download from the same site.

Day 84 - 2010

Already #84 and counting fast.
Finally finished the major parts of the programming.  Now I need to catch up to the rest of the daily routines.
More to come …

Here is the gizmo of the week:

JOBY Gorillapod-Flexible-Tripod

A flexible tripod for the iPhone with shell.  It has been around for cameras but I have not seen it for the iPhone.  It wraps around anything, great for the bike ride, shopping card, and anything else you can imagine.  I found it at

Ace Photo
44710 Cape Court
Ashburn, VA 20147
(703) 430-3333

Great knowledgeable people, great store for photography. You can also order it by clicking on the name above, I’m more for the instant gratification.

Day 83 - 2010

Yet another day of programming.  It is nice outside today around65 in my area.

Lots of running around to do today taking care of little things, time consuming.

Workout was a killer this morning, still love it.

No pictures yet today, maybe later on…

Wonderful Graphics

Even if you don't know graphics, you will enjoy the inspiration section of the website. So much talent out there

Flash, Design, Vector, Photoshop, Graphic Inspiration, Adobe Tutorials | GraphicMania.net

Classic Cars

Wonderful images of times gone.

52 Amazing Shots of Classic Cars | Flash, Design, Vector, Photoshop, Adobe Tutorials | GraphicMania.net

Day 82 - 2010

As time flies by, here is a little joke kit from my equivalent of myspace or something like that in Germany (http://www.stayfriends.de).
The hard part is the double meaning of words, same as in English, literally translated neither one makes sense, however, I liked the guidelines to a joke.

The little joke kit

The goal is clear: the diaphragm of the audience. The means of wit to take it, is the detour. This way please.

While many jokes to live by their lack of tact, they have a rhythm yet. The safest way does the waltz. One - two - oops! A set of straight, one keeps turning the other way and suddenly you stand there. Something like this: Step one: The waiter at a Ostfriesen: "Your glass is empty." Step two. "Shall I bring them even one?" And arrived at 180 degrees: "Nah, what am I going with two empty glasses?" The change of perspective makes it. This works in all witzbekannten milieu.

At school. "Good news, Mom. You promised me ten euro, if I still get a four in math." "Well?" "Even more money saved!"

Between men and women. He: "It says here that women talk twice as much as men." You: "Yes, because women always have to say everything twice." He: "What?"

Under blondes. What does a blonde when it freezes? She goes into the corner. Because that has 90 degrees.

Of course you can make more words and color it with additional sets. But in the end, it is important that the scene is still a completely other level is gained, as the one suggested by the guidance towards Pointe. Because words or situations suddenly reveal a second sense. The liberating effect of the ambiguity described by the doctor and comedian Natasha Turner in a Spiegel interview:

"Humor is created whenever the brain suddenly understands that the world is paradoxical. Who hears jokes, can endure must contradictions. The mind resists complexity and wants the world into right and left, up and down, right and incorrectly classified. Only in wit, in dreams and in psychoses contradictions may remain in parallel, without dissolving. The joke is the healthiest of these three. A good punch line is always around the corner, where they were not expecting. "

In other words: jokes, there are elements that do not seem to fit together, the point of creating the missing link. Practice you ever take things literally. Our language provides scherztaugliche absurdities in quantity. No peaks from the crown to break. Cut corners. Sting in the lake. For the latter, of course, the East Frisians are predestined. First attempt: Why take a knife Ostfriesen with the ship? So they can sail. Elegant: What makes a Ostfriese with a knife on the dike? He wants to go to sea!

In the identification of ambiguous terms are Teekesselchen players a clear advantage. They know words with Zweitsinn from his sleeve to shake: Blank, flag, flower, vice. Sitting waiting to overtake. Even absent the emotion is subordinate to the agent. Is it about greed, is the protagonist to be a Scot, a lawyer for greed, for simplicity one Frisian. Uncomplicated assembled in three steps, the combination can "pass" and "Ostfriese be expanded" as follows:

This one is translated literally and does not make sense since the double meaning for "overhauled" in German is the same as the meaning "passed by" in English

Gespräch in einer ostfriesischen Werkstatt: "Wann wurde Ihr Auto zum letzten Mal überholt?" "Vor zehn Minuten. Von einem Radfahrer!"

East Friesian conversation in a workshop: "When your car has been overhauled for the last time?" "Ten minutes. From a cyclist!"

Now it's your turn. The stage is set.

Flash Website Builder at Wix.com

You probably already know about this site, but here it is again:

Free Website With Flash Website Builder at Wix.com

Best website for beginners to experts - fast - free

Day 81 - 2010

A new week, a new day, a new hour - let's make the best of it.

Working out is a great thing.....

Day 80 - 2010

Still programming away.  It is like shopping - there is alway the next best thing...

or something like that

Aptana

Newly discovered some great pieces of useful software.

Aptana

Great Software Resource

Mostly free GNU software, worth exploring

Alternative Mac software - AlternativeTo.net

Day 79 – 2010

The winter season for the indoor sports is winding down.  Last games this weekend.  Getting ready for the spring.  Softball is around the corner, so is soccer.

They won their final game – yeah!!!

Car Gadgets

Even before I bought the iPhone I used this combination successfully. The power plug is very versatile and provides 110V to any appliance.  I use it power my computer, iPhone via USB plug etc. The cassette connection turns your car stereo into a surround sound system if plugged into the computer while playing a video, or connect it to the iPhone to play music.  The holder is adjustable and goes on your windshield.  Total cost for the items around $30.  Goose neck with cigarette plugins run anywhere from $110 to $150.

 

Sony dash™ Personal Internet Viewer

This is just a must have, can't wait

dash™ Personal Internet Viewer | Sony | Sony Style USA

Another day 78 - 2010

As I said yesterday I have to do some research for a good web blog package. After some research I followed the recommendation of several people and downloaded Windows Live. I was already a member but did not have the blogging software. Just love it. It has all the desktop publishing features I want and more. I get a kick out of the map. Another day ...

My apartment (top right), at night with lights

So much easier, no garbled code anymore yeah !!!!

Morning view live

Why is this here?

Yes, for those of you who are doing that for a while, it is an old hat, however there are many people out there who don’t know that.

• to show the immediate transfer from the iPhone using an build in overlay to the computer via WiFi share to any browser on the same network
• onto You Tube which creates the flash code automatically to embed the video clip
• Finally cut and paste the code into the blog and here it is.  Total time including shooting the video clip less than two minutes

As all the research goes, this is no exception.  Writing reports in asp.net or asp is just a little challenging. I tried different report writers in the hopes that I could redesign my hand coded once for better page layout.  Working on Crystal Reports right now – let’s see if it is all the that.

Well the design of the report was easy, integrating it into the program @#$%^&*:(

Just a thought I doodled on the iPhone so I don’t forget.

Here is a nifty filter for the video

My little ghost

Day 77 -2010

Side tracked again with the gizmos from

Amazon.com widget - Widget Source

Formatting the pages is not an easy task when the editor used is throwing in random formatting all the time.  Although it is set to interpret the lines as HTML, it still is not playing by the rules.  I used an HTML editor outside of the blog environment with mediocre results after reimporting.  I guess I just have to leave at this.
Finally -- back to painting...
Ran out of paint, finish tomorrow (famous last words) time just flys by too fast.

BTW

is it just me or is there a connection between the rise of the gas prices and the DOW Jones ?  I mean, this afternoon it was $2.75 and tonight around 7PM it was $2.81 per gallon - the DOW closed at 10,779.17 and had a gain of +45.5.   Two days ago it was $2.69 and the DOW was at 10,686.. just a thought.             --- still can't get any business loan from the banks though ---

Check out the software page for good useable software (mostly free), I don't really evaluate them that much in detail,  there are many other experts out there to do that.  The software selection is just the final cut for the software or tools I use on a regular basis.  If one does not work one way or the other, as in my way or the highway, or it does not work well with other software applications - there are gone. I do spend hours finding the right replacement, so, if I select one be assured there is a reason behind it.

Some suggestions for the editor of this particular software:

• highlighted areas in the WYSIWYG editor should be highlighted in the HTML portion once you switch to it
• add a paragraph tag icon to the editor so you don't have to edit the individual items all the time
• TURN OFF THE interpret the HTML should be the default, it screws up everything if you make formatting changes

I tried it the more convient way by just editing the blog as is.  More research is required to find a better combination.

Got to play some tennis with the kids.  Promptly pulled my left hamstring again, !@#$%^&*;(.

Day 76 - 2010

Today I will pick up were I left off last night trying to finish the painting. Looking forward to the workout this morning.

-- Still did not finish it, side tracked again.  Spend some time with the kids late afternoon. --

Adding more movies to the reviews, in the process the formatting went south.  Will fix it tomorrow.

BTW

As read on facebook: "if the opposite of pro is con, what is the opposite of progress?" Answer:  Congress

Day 75 - 2010

Big topic today is to finish the painting of the wall above my fireplace.  I procrastinated long enough to do that.
In the meantime I prepped the opposite wall with pictures and some color, my next project after the fireplace. I bought a couple of different frames to see what it looks like framed.  The paint is a sample color from Home Depot.

Here is the intended background for the fireplace:

Concept view

Lets get started

Preparation and material

to see what the pattern looks like I uploaded a sample picture from Faux Panel (you can use any stone image found on the web) to http://www.blockposters.com/ .  This service converts an image to a series of pdf files creating a larger image, its a free service with a 1MB limit on file uploads. If I still like it I can get started, if not I reprint a different image. Also great for individual picture art, visit the side and look at their gallery.  Oh, yes I did change my mind about the size of the stones not the colors.

Next I bought some stencil vinyl (4 sheets) at GrafixArts, about $5.00.  The stencil vinyl is overlaid onto the picture and the stone pattern is traced with a felt pen.

As I found out the pattern is good for the contour only, you can go free style with the sponge and paint and use only parts of the cutout. To match up stone patterns overlay the vinyl and trace the existing stone outline.

For the painting material I went to Home Depot and bought some sample paint mixed to the sample I received from fauxpanel.com.  Different color sponges assured that I had one for the colors (senior moments).  I choose sponges for their shaping of the patterns, they are cheaper as well. You can get the four pack sponges a the grocery store.  Cost for the paint, sponges, deposable trays $16.00.  

Ready to play.  Tape up the edges and all the areas which don't need to be painted. For the corners use only half of the stencil on the front, wrap it to the left or right side and paint it.  Start from the left or right side and build on it (lego style).  For the really creative ones:  thing of doorways of stone for the outside.

Step back once in a while and look at the pattern.  If there is a mistake just paint it over.

Looks pretty good so far.  In the process I did change my mind and started butting up the stones with the thought in mind to draw in the grout later with a different color and add shadows. I know, just add some more work to it. 

Time check: 2 hours (including a lot of contemplating).   Should go faster from here.

Postponed until tomorrow, my daughter came to visit.  Rather spend time with her.

Goofing off ...

Day 74 - 2010

Already 74 days into the year, what happened, before you know it is christmas again.

Today I tried out a new app for the iphone.  I wish I had that one when I was travelling world wide, it would have done a better job on the details.  Read more about apps on my review page.

BTW 

Happy 25th anniversary for the first registration of a .com

Day 71 - 2010

My cell phone finally decided to just not boot up anymore.  I tried several things as well as Geek Squad, but this one has its own mind.

Here is an image on what it looks like in pieces