After a big day yesterday, today was the sofa project day. Trip to McLean to look at it live. Return, rent a truck, back to McLean, get the sofa units from the 12th floor (she did have an elevator), into the truck, back to the house. From beginning to end it was a 3 1/2 hour project.
Later I took the kids to my pool for an late afternoon swim.
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too busy today |
I’m envious of all the motorcycle riders driving on route 7 towards the beltway. Wish I was there too.
Of course it was the Rolling Thunder, missed it again – maybe next year.
Car buying today.
CarMax, another happy customer. Did not like the sales guy, but managed to get through it. Carolyn ended up buying a 2007 Mercedes Benz R350. I walked in and pinned it right away, it was just the car.
Fiddled with the setup of the Apple TV again to setup the extra disks and programs. I’m happy to report that it works fine now.
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the saga continuesBP is declaring failure in its latest attempt to plug the uncontrolled gusher feeding the worst oil spill in U.S. history. It has dumped between 18 million and 40 million gallons into the Gulf and still going. More on that… |
Weekend, a long one too. Did get the scooter from Toys R Us, despite the extra fee. As it is, after hours and hours of charge, it still does not move. Here we go again, replacement.
Programming is driving me nuts for now. The new features in ASP.NET are great, but with some flaws when it comes to cross browser compatibility.
I went to the Ashburn Summer Kickoff which was not that great. The fireworks were spectacular.
For the evening I rented “The Box” DVD. There is a movie which is extremely slow in the beginning, but picks up in the middle a little. It is an adaptation from a short story “Button Button”, which I like a lot. The plot is pretty much hidden until the very end, another plus if you can sit through it.
Norma and Arthur Lewis, a suburban couple with a young child, receive a simple wooden box as a gift, which bears fatal and irrevocable consequences. A mysterious stranger, delivers the message that the box promises to bestow upon its owner $1 million with the press of a button. But, pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world; someone they don't know. With just 24 hours to have the box in their possession, Norma and Arthur find themselves in the cross-hairs of a startling moral dilemma and must face the true nature of their humanity.
Cameron Diaz and James Marsden are great in their roles, so is Frank Lagella.
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another legend goneDennis Hopper, the director, star and co-writer of "Easy Rider" and an edgy actor in numerous other films, has died at age 74 after a lengthy illness, his production company Easy Rider Productions confirmed. The actor known for portraying quirky villainous types died at the age of 74. Hopper died at 8:15 a.m. PT at his home in Venice, CA, from complications of prostate cancer, a friend, Alex Hitz, told the Reuters news service. |
Busy day all together. Car needs to be inspected (it will fail because of tires and brakes), shopping, workout, programming and before you know the day is over.
On the sad news is that Cary Coleman died today. Although I did not care too much for his sitcom, it is sad to see that the child actors get the shaft most of the time.
Went to see Iron Man 2, one of the rare occasions I spent money to see a movie in theaters. Sex in the city was playing too, lots of woman there, some with girl friends others with their better half. The line was a mile long. As one woman put it, while waiting for the ticket line to move, “it’s a woman's dream” even after she told me that the movie got somewhat mixed reviews.
Back to the movie Iron Man 2. It was a relatively good special effects movie, however, too much hype around it. The overall plot line was disappointing. It portrait a corrupt Government and the military in a relatively bad way. The clever part was the narcissistic under tone of the creation of the new and improved power plant for the suite. Although World Peace was “restored” by Iron Man, there was a push to get the weapon Stark Industries owned into the hands of the military. Hammer industries, with the help of a Russian outcast, manufactured the “Robot Soldier”. Here is the question – for what? There is somewhat the elusive peace on earth and they are pushing to arm the soldiers or replace them with more powerful weapons which essentially go haywire – makes no sense whatsoever – but we are here for the entertainment value.
The actors were great, except Don Cheadle who played Lt. Col. James Rhodes , why did they not get Terrence Howard back? Scarlett Johansson was absolutely great in her role; Mickey Rourke played a great role (9 1/2 Weeks was a great movie he played in and he looked himself), although he was hardly recognizable with all his plastic surgery; Gwyneth Paltrow is just the overall sexiest sidekick ever , I liked the role portrait by her in the first movie better. She turned from a smart personal assistant into a discredited CEO in this movie; last not least the portrayal of the government : Garry Shandling - give me a break. He looks sick in a bad way, puffy face, slimy appearance (to me he always was slimy), is this the way we see our government? I believe Senators like this exist, however, given the world wide exposure of the film I think this is a bad way to show the members of the government. Let alone the stupidity of the dialog at the hearing. Goes along with the role Sam Rockwell played for the Hammer industries. And … did they have to show a Russian to break into a “Firewall” that easily? Was there one, or did Ivan Vanko have a decipher build into his finger? Anyway, before I go overboard on the technical details, I stop. My favorite part of the movie was the carrying case suit scene in Monaco, best gizmo ever.
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customer serviceYesterday afternoon I went with my son to get a replacement for his malfunctioned electric scooter at Toy R Us. I previously purchased a replacement plan which was honored by the company. After browsing the store for a suitable replacement, he chose the e-zip 500 scooter. Due to demand there was only the floor model left to purchase. Since it was priced “moderately” at $249 (versus $311 used on EBay) we decided to get it. During the checkout we inevitably get to the 100 questions, one of them was the $10 charge for assembly. Since this was the floor model it was, naturally, assembled. I did refuse to pay the extra $10 based on the fact that there was no disassembled model available, no delivery in the future, and therefore I have no choice than to purchase this particular one. Given the fact that the store did have to assemble it, meaning that somebody got “paid” $10 for half an hour’s work (in addition to their minimum wage?), for displaying it on the floor. This did not leave the option open for the election of the assembly. To make a long story short, the manager refused to let go of the charge, even if it was a floor model etc.. A phone call to the companies customer service proofed unfruitful. So where is the customer satisfaction – consumer this and that? It turned out that with the purchase plus the protection plan the additional $10 exceeded the refund received by the company by $10. |
The last stretch towards a long weekend. Hot today.
The games turned out to be painful to watch. It was very warm and late, perhaps that was one of the reasons it all seemed to be in slow motion. Little one’s team lost their last game. Everybody really got annoyed by the opposing coach who took a long time to pitch, talking every girl through the process of pitching. This was a game not practice! Check out the website for the final score and pictures.
… and here is the well deserved game ball
Final Stats for the little munchkins.
Go Titans – as they won their last game of the season. Although riddled by fielding errors and some lack of effort they pulled through with a two run win.
Final Stats for the season.
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the game continuesApple passes Microsoft – No surprise here. Microsoft became the IBM of the new Millennium, profitable but out of touch with the consumer. Microsoft stated a goal a couple of years ago to have 25% of its' revenues in the media business. Meanwhile, the iPhone has taken the newest of emerging media technologies, the smart phone market by storm. And in the process, pumped up a fairly small widget market and transformed it into the app market. Talk about being in the media business. Microsoft has talked the talk, but Apple has walked the walk. Music, phones, publishing, what's next? Follow upThe suicide wave is still rolling at Foxconn. As CIO is reporting that another 23 year old worker killed himself just 12 hours after the chairman visited the factory. They are now considering to raise the compensation – to what, $.99? |
Feel much better today, I don’t know what hit me yesterday. The headache was just unbearable. Today the sun is out, it is warm and the temperatures are supposed to climb up to the nineties tomorrow.
Try this out, back to affiliate marketing The Stepping Stone is the first try – again. Just tried it and is not up yet. I will write about it once they are publishing it.
A side BTW: check out this one about Venus Williams in France – I have no words at the moment. I guess if this was an European player playing in the US they would be outraged here. What is this saying about the US athletes?
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something about sweat shopsAs reported by BBC there is a spate of suicides within the workers of the Foxconn manufacturer’s campus in Shenzhen, China. Foxconn is part of Hon Hai Precision, the world’s largest maker of consumer electronics. The iPhone is one of the products they assemble at the plant, Dell and HP are getting their products from the same manufacturer. This is apparently a $40 Billion industry – OVERSEAS. WHY CAN WE NOT HAVE THE MANUFACTURING IN THE US? Yes, I know, non existing wages and cheap, never ending supply of cheap labor and no benefits. Isn’t it time to look at that? Do we have to throw out the money we could have within the US? The unemployment rate is at 10% despite the fact that there were 290,000 jobs added during the last couple of month. With a population of 309,357,723 (as of 5/26/2010) in the US, 290,000 is next to nothing in the overall scheme of things. There is a net gain of one person every 12 seconds (one birth every 7 sec, one death every 13 sec, international migrant every 37 sec). Yes, if you are one of the 290,000 who are employed now it is great. Given 10% of unemployment that is a whopping 30,935,772 people still out of work (me included). So what if we would build this factory somewhere where there is space (plenty of it there), like Safeway with its central hubs, and get workers there? Huge undertaking, housing, logistics etc – I know that, it should have started ten or twenty years ago by somebody. China build several communities around plants, why can’t we do that efficiently? The question to ask is “isn’t a penny in the hand more worth than a bird in the sky?” (alright it is a translation thing). The point is more that we are giving away too much because we are asking too much. That is from a country where all the woman are strong, all the men are good-looking and all the children are above average (Garrison Keillor) |
Tuesday – OMG WTH happened? Major headache this morning, workout did not help either.
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oil spillInteresting article in the Washington Post regarding raising the money to finance oil spill cleanup. |
Sinuses what a drag, Max was out with it today. Chloe injured her food and could not get a shoe on. My meeting was at 9am, but nobody showed up – again. Put a more permanent fix on the outlet of the sump pump and extended the flexible hose so the water is rerouted to the site of the house. While I was at it, I removed the fence which divided the back yard from the entrance of the front yard. Verizon came by and fixed the connection, which turned out to be just a reset of the outside fiber line to the box. Later on in the evening I had to reset it again – who knows.
Chloe’s team the Dolphins lost and ended a five game winning streak. Since Chloe’s foot was still bothering her she was not able to play. Hopefully she will be able to do that for the last game.
The highlight of the day was Abby’s Spring Concert at Belmont Ridge MS. The played great.
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who knows? |
Gloomy day, rain, cold sort of, wet and overcast.
The sump pump pipe to the outside broke so I went and put a temporary fix on it.
Back to programming or painting
I went to check out the Summer Concert across the street. Fleetwood Mac did not play last night, whoever told me that was wrong. Anyway it was raining anyway. Tonight featured Dark Star Orchestra playing Greatful Dead songs (not my cup of tea). Interesting schedule for the rest of the summer.
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nothing to write about yet |
GAMEDAY
Soccer and Softball at 9AM in the middle of the night so to speak, followed by a 4PM game if it not rained out. Lets see how they do today.
Go Dragons
The Dragons were successful and beat Fauquier 4:0. The boys played really well, even after I took the three top players out.
Go Dolphins
Don’t know how the Dolphins did since little one did not feel well enough to play this morning.
Go Titans
Although the Titans did not win the game they put up a pretty good fight. Here is the picture of the game
… it rained a lot but Abby was happy in the mud.
Followed by
Fleetwood Mac is playing across the street at Belmont Country Club, brings back memories. I can hear them from way over there, just open the window.
Here is an excerpt from the Bio (just to show how long they have been around)
Whoever named Fleetwood Mac was either lucky or prescient. The only thing about the group that hasn't changed since it formed in 1967 is the rhythm section of Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. Through the '70s, the band's personnel and style shifted with nearly every recording as Fleetwood Mac metamorphosed from a traditionalist British blues band to the maker of one of the best-selling pop albums ever, Rumours. From that album's release in 1977 into the present, Fleetwood Mac has survived additional, theoretically key, personnel changes and remained through the mid-'90s a dominant commercial force.
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the day is young |
So there – Friday – Burnt toast and coffee, thanks Eric
Skipped a week to see what would happen to the thoughts – nothing. I have to catch up to get them out of my head. OK, need to do it on a more regular basis. It took me two hours to catch up #$%^&…
I wish Google Chrome would get their act together when it comes to the plug ins, or is it the Adobe stuff?
Back to programming.
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oilI just wonder, a big disaster and futile efforts in cleaning it up. Damages beyond control, environment destroyed and millions spend in trying to contain it. If Toyota got fined for their lack of insuring quality for their cars – why not BP? Personally I think that this is a bigger disaster than the Toyota incidence. |
Finally the sun is out and it is warm again.
Took the kids out to play some softball and tennis. The nats where there en masse too. Good exercise.
Soccer training was a mixed back. I tried to convey a strategy via an animated presentation. We practiced it for a while, maybe they get it. Got scrimmage, they still don’t know how to take the ball into the net.
Oh yes, the emails are still coming, this time from the guy in charge of the U12 boys, titled “Playing time”. It think I will put the mother who complained in charge of the timer on Saturday. Yet, no answer on my emails about the referees from the same guy. I guess the coaches don’t count as much. Just like the military, if you are in a mid position, you get it from the top and the bottom.
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TaxesStill one of my favorites. The anti commercial for the soda tax in DC is still in my head. The proposal was first put forward by Mary M. Cheh (D - Ward 3) as a way to combat child obesity and help with the DC budget. Her plan called for a tax only on full calorie sodas, not diet drinks. Makes you wonder what else can be added to the sin tax way of preventing this and that. My suggestion: take it off the market, but wait, this would mean lesser money, duh. Why can’t they look at all the expenditures and trim the fat first? Urging consumers to buy smart, manage their budget etc etc, yet not even the city council can do what is preached. Go figure The good news is that it was shot down. |
Workout – after slacking off for two days back to the gym. Probably can’t walk tomorrow.
The program is shaping up nicely. Still working my way through the intricate ways of the session timing and security.
Abby’s headache is getting worst. Doctor’s appointment in the early afternoon. Then the usual routine of kids to workout, therapy and the game tonight. Abby continued her streak of hits, but they lost again.
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doctorsAnother pet peeve – doctors. Here we are with a headache. After $20.00 of co-pay and an examination, the diagnosis is to take pain killers and see a neurologist. This statement kills me: “If it does not get better after you see a neurologist, come back and see me”. We were there in the first place to get medical advice, if the neurologist can’t determine what is causing it, why would we come back to a general practitioner? |
The weather is still gloom. One of the days were it would be better spend in bed.
Chexy finally got the car in the shop for tires. I drove her to work this morning. Almost missed it since we confirmed last night that she would get the car from the house, but then decided against it. I missed the last part good thing I called this morning.
The kids wanted to come over and spend the afternoon with me – yeah. After the usual exploring, we ended up playing Monopoly on the MacBook. So we have that and the board game which is an ongoing game between Chloe and myself.
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no btw today |
Early morning to provide transportation to the airport. The travel is taking over.
Immersed myself in programming all day until it was time to get to the game. Also in the hunt of some simple dipping bowls for the developer – can’t find them around here. I guess Target is the next stop.
The girls really coming together as a team, they won four in a row.
Big Bang Theory was a hood again tonight.
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no btwAlthough the soda tax is still jiggling on the radio, BP still is trying to clean up their mess, gas prices are coming down a notch so is the DOW. Oh yes here is one: Cigarette prices I’m still struggling with quitting, but here is a curious one: Most of the gas stations selling the pack for about $5.11 to $5.30, Grocery stores for around $5.60 and up – Walgreens sells them for $4.35 WTH???? So the other guys skimming of the top? What gives? |
SUNDAY – I actually slept until 8:30AM – WOW.
I decided to go to the Reston Arts and Crafts festival to check out the scene. There are just some awesome tradesman out there.
Pride tryouts today as well
Followed by a good meal.
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soccer parentsSo here is the fallout of the coaching efforts. Can’t do it right for everybody. The complaints are coming in from yesterday’s game. Of course they know better. Why not let the selected coach do what he or she is supposed to do. Do we really need a business plan to do volunteer coaching? |
GAMEDAY
Today the Dolphins are first. A good game and they won again – GO DOLPHINS.
Next the Dragons at 1:30 PM. I implemented the new tactic last week and stayed with it today. The boys were victorious 9:1. The bad part was that one parent just can’t shut up. Today it was the playing time of her son. I have to play everybody at least 50% of the time, so I use the stop watch to make sure that this is the case. While I’m team building I use somewhat of the same formation for at least the first four games, which is half way through the allotted games we play. Just makes me mad that there is always one.
Standing: Robert, Domonick, Max, Derek, Sajun, Varun, Andres
Kneeling: David, Josh, Sanomray, Nipun
Last not least the Titans. Game time is set for 4 PM. The weather was nice with little or no wind. It was a battle to the last inning. Going into the last inning tied at 10:10, Sam of the opposing team scored a homerun. Although the Titans got the ball to the home plate, Sam kicked it out of Abby’s hand while sliding into home – GAME.
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i am speechless today |
So there it is FRIDAY, was it not Monday a moment ago?
Yes, payday …
Just the practice for the Dolphins today, fiddling with the bathroom – color and stuff.
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i have nothing |
OMG – what in the world did I do that for? It was one to many last night. Not only do I hurt from the workout, but also the after effects …
Dentist visit this afternoon and practice tonight. This is how far all this has come, from chaotic dentistry to pain free. X-rays are automatically captured into the file of the patient in jpg format. Too cool.
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RFIDAn emerging technology could usurp the ubiquitous bar code's quarter-century of quiet domination. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, which consist of silicon chips and an antenna that can transmit data to a wireless receiver, could one day be used to track everything from soda cans to cereal boxes. Unlike bar codes, which need to be scanned manually and read individually (you have to actually see a bar code in order to read it), radio ID tags do not require line-of-sight for reading. Within the field of a wireless reading device, it is possible to automatically read hundreds of tags a second. Not only can these tags be read faster than bar codes, they also contain more information, so they can recall items more efficiently. "This is the basis of the next 50 years of computing," said Kevin Ashton, executive director of MIT's Auto-ID Center. "The impact will be staggering." The applications for this technology are seemingly endless. Radio ID tags can be installed in clothing labels, books, packaging, or even implanted beneath skin. Read More http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2002/05/52343#ixzz0nu1bwkBy As seen on Modern Marvels the supermarkets are on the forefront of technology. One day there will be no need of touching the product more than twice, one to put it in the card, two to take it out at home. Everything else will be electronically registered in terms of check out and payment. Hopefully somebody will carry it through to the home and connect the bought items to another program for menus, diets, workout, etc… |
