Don Park asks an interesting set of questions regarding Googles new book scan initiative

Don Park's Daily Habit

Speaking of things that are cool.

If this thing comes down in price...you get a powerful PDA w/ keyboard and options for wireless data, phone, GPS, camera, mp3 playback and a lot more. All in one device. HP iPAQ h6315 Pocket PC series overview - HP Small & Medium Business products.HP iPAQ h6315 Pocket PC series overview - HP Small & Medium Business products

Google Plans New Service for Scientists and Scholars

This is very cool. I only wish that Google would ad 'What is?' functionality to their toolbar, like you find at www.whatis.com The New York Times > Technology > Google Plans New Service for Scientists and Scholars

An Impressive Online Business

Today I applied for and was approved for a user-car loan in about 10 minutes. The certified check is on the way next day air and there are no up-front costs or pre-payment penalties. ELOAN have done online lending right!E-LOAN: Mortgage rates, auto loans, home loans, home equity loans, personal financing, and refinancing for mortgages and car loans

Election Scorecard - Where the presidential race stands today. By William�Saletan, David�Kenner, and Louisa Herron�Thomas

PLEASE LET THIS BE TRUE ON ELECTION DAY. I believe that we will see Kerry take the White House when all the unaccounted for voters show up on November 2. Election Scorecard - Where the presidential race stands today. By William�Saletan, David�Kenner, and Louisa Herron�Thomas

Joi Ito's Web: Wireless and Mobile Archives

Joi Ito reports on his 3G phone. He's using the phone to make electronic payments at physical locations. This is something that we'll be seeing a lot more of in the future. Say goodbye to your wallet and pay with your phone...Joi Ito's Web: Wireless and Mobile Archives

"This Is The Prototype For The New Internet Startup"

Championing a Wiki World

If Your Brain Has a 'Buy Button,' What Pushes It?

The New York Times > Science > If Your Brain Has a 'Buy Button,' What Pushes It?

Election Scorecard - Where the presidential race stands today.

Kerry is pulling ahead... let's not celebrate yet.Election Scorecard - Where the presidential race stands today. By William�Saletan, David�Kenner, and Louisa Herron�Thomas

Worthwhile - Looks like a great new magazine with a blog...

Worthwhile

Thomas Friedman has a similar outlook to Jon Stewart's

The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: 'Oops. I Told the Truth.'

Jon Stewart on CROSSFIRE!

THIS IS GREAT! Download and listen to Jon Stewart blasting the media pundits on Crossfire.DV Guide

He's Back and Hopefully Regularly

My favorite blogger has posted after months off. He even sent me an email indicating that I spurred him to some degree by stating on this blog that I missed his posts.... Great Reading Critical Section - Home

Download the Daily Show!

I've been wanting to watch Jon Stewart's Daily Show for some time now, but refuse to pay the cable company for anything beside the basic price. Now, Joi Ito points out the obvious... you can download it via P2P. Yahoo!Joi Ito's Web

OQO

This looks like the next big thing - A Real PocketPC

The New York Times > Technology > Circuits > State of the Art: Putting Your PC in a Pocket

Open Source Software by Paul Kavanaugh

I recently finished this overview of the current state of Open Source Software and think it's a great book. Here's my Amazon review: This overview of open source software implementation and management was a great resource for me as a business manager with a technical background who wanted to get a breadth of knowledge on the subject. This book is very comprehensive and contains very up to date information on architectures, design considerations, legal issues, business issues and the history of open source.

I initially tried to gather this type of information online and went through a number of resources and venues, but ultimately decided my time was to valuable and the information available to disparate not to find a good overview. If you are a business or technology manager who is making decisions about directions for your organization and considering open source solutions, this is a great overview of where things are at today.

The book includes a list of web resources regarding open source and for learning more over time. It also includes sample open source licenses to get exposure to the issues regarding licensing.

Amazon is Screwed... Here comes Google Print

Google Print

Adam Curry's Weblog - Daily Source Code Podcast

It looks like they fixed the 'Daily Source Code' mp3 that Adam Curry Podcasts from his site. Worth a listen to see the latest technology trend.Adam Curry's Weblog

The Race is On - Bush's Lead Evaporates

It's time for Kerry to put on his game face and play to win.MSNBC - The Race is On

Fabricated Kerry Posting Leads to Apology from Fox News

The 'Fair and Balanced Network' is a joke.The New York Times > Washington > Campaign 2004 > Fabricated Kerry Posting Leads to Apology from Fox News

Wall Street Journal Reporter's letters home about Iraq - The Truth

Marc's Voice - Lightweight Biz Models

Marc Cantor never ceases to entertain and think out loud... These slides on from his up coming Web 2.0 presentation on 'Lightweigth Biz Models' looks like great food for thought.Marc's Voice

Living Without Microsoft :: XPloring the alternatives

An interesting blog for those who would like to go down the open-source road. The best way is to dive in fully and this blog helps.Living Without Microsoft :: XPloring the alternatives

Wireless Speakers State of the Art - New York Time

This is definitely a product I'm interested in putting into our house, to take advantage of computer based music and pipe it to the room of interest.The New York Times > Technology > Circuits > State of the Art: To the Patio and Beyond: Speakers Without Wires

Microsoft Researcher Questions Search Engine Business Model

This is not surprising, but definitely an interesting take on the IP of Google and other Search Technologies.Yahoo! News - Microsoft Researcher Questions Search Engine Business Model

Founder of Audible has a blog on Pay Content

paidContent.org's ContentNext Series: Don Katz Archives

DIY radio with PODcasting | Doc Searls' IT Garage

DIY radio with PODcasting | Doc Searls' IT Garage: "DIY radio with PODcasting
Submitted by Doc Searls on Tue, 09/28/2004 - 15:19.
There was a time � until my late 30s, I guess � when most of my radio listening was to music. Then there was a time � roughly the last couple decades � when most of my radio listening was to NPR and talk radio. When that got boring in the morning, I'd switch to Howard Stern.
But there was a problem for me with talk radio, as there had been with music radio; and that was a growing irrelevance. Or a growing awareness of the irrelevance that had always been there.
Since the Net and the Web came along in the early and mid-90s, I've had a growing impatience with waiting around for stuff on the radio I might care about. Another way to look at it: All radio, commercial and noncommercial, including what we call the 'content', was turning into the same kind of stuff-to-endure as the advertising and promotional announcements that paid for it.
But now most of my radio listening is to what Adam Curry and others are starting to call podcasts. That last link currently brings up 24 results on Google. A year from now, it will pull up hundreds of thousands, or perhaps even millions.
So this morning, here in my hotel room, I listened to the latest edition (September 27) of Adam Curry's Daily Source Code, Dave Winer's Morning Coffee Notes about the open-sourcing of Frontier, and a conversation between Adam and Dave about all the above, iPodder, Trade Secrets Radio and much more.
In the midst were references back to the 24 September Gillmor Gang where iPodder, podcasting, Adam and the new radio platform were mentioned, plus Evil Genius Chronicles, a blog/podcast home where (among many other things) Dave Slusher corrects errors he hears on the Gillmor Gang.
At one point I paused to re-re"

Replay Radio - Internet Radio Recorder

Finally someone has created ReplayTV/Tivo for radio. I've been wanting this for some time. They make a Pocket PC version as well.Replay Radio - Internet Radio Recorder

This is definitely a great trend to see emerging

Bartenders as artist.The New York Times > Dining & Wine > So a Purist Goes in a Bar and Starts to Pour Art

An X-Prize Winner!

Two trips into space by an NGO. The world is going to change fundamentally once again with the advent of commercial space travel.The New York Times > Technology > Pilot Guiding Jet Back to Earth After Reaching Space a 2nd Time

Nova - Program Details - Yahoo! TV

Night 2 of Nova Origins.. Four years in production, this is a fascinating overview of the origins of life on earth. I learned an incredible amount watching this great production in PBS last night.Nova - Program Details - Yahoo! TV

The Nasdaq is Going UP!

GOOG at $132 and EBAY at $91... I wonder if these valuations will hold. The market is probably getting to the point where it's identifying the long term winners in this space.^IXIC: Summary for NAS/NMS COMPSITE - Yahoo! Finance

My Yahoo! - What's New

The new My Yahoo! looks very sweet. RSS support, more content, easier to use UI... and it's free. Yaaahhhoooo!My Yahoo! - What's New

What the Bubble Got Right

Great article on the bubble, it's burst and the right and wrong of it.What the Bubble Got Right

Analyst on Google - From John Battelle's Searchblog

Boy, this reads like what the analysts were saying about Inktomi when I was there... incredible expectations can be hard to meet. Unlike Inktomi though, Google is not part of the hypergrowth and implosion of the .com era.

John Battelle's Searchblog: "The Analysts on GOOG
Co-lead underwriter CSFB says GOOG will hit $145.
From The Street's coverage:
Contrasting with mixed reviews for Google already published by analysts from firms that didn't participate in Google's IPO, CSFB's report, along with initiations from fellow joint book-running manager Morgan Stanley and underwriters Thomas Weisel Partners, WR Hambrecht and J.P. Morgan, all assigned Google ratings equivalent to a buy.
GOOG responded with a rally, up more than 6 so far today to $124.
Mary Meeker, who I interviewed here and who will speak at Web 2.0, also came out with a positive report on the company. From her report:
Initiating coverage on Google with Overweight-V rating -- Google has helped change the direction of the Internet and has built impressive market share and an especially strong business model. We believe Google should continue to help pace the growth in the still early-stage online search market and benefit from related revenue growth. Google shares could have upside as implied by a variety of valuation methodologies, most notably our DCF, discussed beginning on page 56.
Estimating strong financial results for C2004E and C2005E -- We forecast net revenue growth of 93% and 60% in C2004E and C2005E, respectively, with 76% and 42% operating income growth (excluding stock compensation expense) driving estimated levered free cash flow of $394MM and $908MM in C2004E and C2005E, respectively.

Her report is, as usual, very comprehensive, and I'm still reading through it. But I have to say, it reads well, in the meta view - she mentions that Google is well positioned to be the front end to audio and video content (as I've said before, TiVo + Google = VOI), and ends her opening section with this very Web 2.0 passage:
Particularly, with the launch of G"

Looks like a gumball machine...

but in reality it is the Kitchenaid burr grinder, which I'm planning on buying. This is a re-introduced 1930's style grinder, perfect for espresso prep. No plastic parts and $99 at Sur La Tabla.
burr

Retro Hotdog barbeque (Picture)

Classic....?!Retro Hotdog barbeque (Picture)

Open Source Software: Implementation and Management

I spent some time reading this book at Powell's this morning. I didn't buy it because $50 seems like a lot to spend for a book of this type, but it was very informative about where things are at with Open Source technologies these days.Amazon.com: Books: Open Source Software: Implementation and Management

IT Conversations: Joel Spolsky - Joel on Software

This is what I'm listening to and it's a great interview.IT Conversations: Joel Spolsky - Joel on Software

Great New Yorker Article - The Ketchup Conundrum

gladwell dot com / The Ketchup Conundrum

Great Example of Some of Flickr's Features - Make a Lemon Pie

dscn6382-94 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Flickr: Similar to Picasa, but seems to have more features.

Flickr: Learn More

Silicon Valley - Dan Gillmor's eJournal

Maybe it's time to move to Linux.Silicon Valley - Dan Gillmor's eJournal: "
September 24, 2004
Microsoft Says Buy New Windows or Be Unsafe

CNet: Microsoft: To secure IE, upgrade to XP. Microsoft this week reiterated that it would keep the new version of Microsoft's IE Web browser available only as part of the recently released Windows XP operating system, Service Pack 2. The upgrade to XP from any previous Windows versions is $99 when ordered from Microsoft. Starting from scratch, the operating system costs $199. That, analysts say, is a steep price to pay to secure a browser that swept the market as a free, standalone product.
So much for the notion that Microsoft might ever turn over a new leaf.
A company with more than $50 billion in cash at the end of the last quarter is refusing to help its customers, despite the company's song and dance about wanting security to be the top priority. The stance is even worse when you consider that XP is basically just an upgrade of Windows 2000 -- built from the same code base, that is. There might be a small case to be made for orphaning earlier versions of Windows, which are very different code, but this is just too much.
Plenty of enterprise customers are doing just fine with Windows 2000. Microsoft's message to them is 'screw you; upgrade or face the consequences.' Installing Mozilla or Opera isn't sufficient, because IE components have been boiled into the OS and will be launched even if users don't want them to.
Again, we see why Microsoft should have been broken up -- and why the browser should be a separate application.
� posted by Dan Gillmor 06:07 PM
� Comments (5)
� permanent link to this item "

Tom Peters has a Blog

tompeters! leadership training development project management

The Question of God | PBS

If this series has not yet aired in your area, check it out. This is an excellent production with the characters of Sigmund Freud and CS Lewis portrayed with their intellectual and spiritual outlooks as well as a round-table discussion on the meaning of happiness and our relation (or lack thereof) to God.The Question of God | PBS

Nokia touts new smart phone | Tech News on ZDNet

If the Deal from Amazon on the T160 is not enticing, consider waiting for this new Nokia with 1MP camera and a lot of other bells and whistles.Nokia touts new smart phone | Tech News on ZDNet

Study: Bush Budget Adds $1.3T to Deficits

Hard to believe that Bush considers him self a conservative.The New York Times > AP > National > Study: Bush Budget Adds $1.3T to Deficits

The Deal On This Phone Keeps Getting Better

They basically pay you for your first six months use and give you this great phone. Requires that you follow through with the rebates of course.More Stuff 4 Less Bargain Blog: "Amazon.com - Sony Ericsson T610 Phone (T-Mobile) $-175.01 After Rebates.
Amazon has the Sony Ericsson T610 Phone (T-Mobile) selling for $99.99 with a $175 Amazon rebate (exp. 10/06/04) and a $100 T-Mobile rebate (exp. 9/30/04) making your cost $-175.01 with free shipping. As always activation with a 1 year plan of $39.99 or more is needed for rebate validation.
Features:
The T610 features a high-resolution screen with 65,536 colors
Comes with MMS, which allows you to compose your messages using images, sounds and text
Supports the Java and Mophun platforms, making the widest range of mobile games and applications available for you to download
Supporting Bluetooth, infrared and cable, the T610 is fully compatible with any computer. Your phone books and calendars will stay synchronized and updated
With a built-in camera and QuickShare software, you take pictures and store them on your computer or send them to friends all in a few simple steps
Unit Weight: 3.35 oz.
Size (in inches): 1.73 x 4.02 x 0.75"

Rumours surround Google browser

Hopefully it would be something more open-source oriented/compatible and look at ways to leverage any meta-data out there more effectively.BBC NEWS | Technology | Rumours surround Google browser

Yahoo! News - Cisco Sees China as Center of World Tech Market

The world is changing quickly! The big question is how competitive will the US be with our emphasis and focus on fighting a war in Iraq.Yahoo! News - Cisco Sees China as Center of World Tech Market

To the MAN who DID his hoochie on my hood!! \@@/ (PIC) - w4m

This post on craiglist speaks for itself.To the MAN who DID his hoochie on my hood!! \@@/ (PIC) - w4m

Great Post about Web 2.0 on John Battelle's Searchblog

John Battelle's Searchblog: "September 21, 2004
Web 2.0 Draws Near
Over at O'Reilly, Tim's posted his thoughts on why Web 2.0 is a meme with legs, and he's inviting feedback from his readers on what they'd like to see asked of all the speakers we have coming to converse. I'd like to do the same - you guys have always kept me honest, and the conference is really shaping up to be something else again. As Tim puts it:
I'm talking about the emergence of what I've started to call Web 2.0, the internet as platform. We heard about that idea back in the late 90s, at the height of the browser wars, but that turned out to be a false alarm. But I believe we're now starting the third age of the internet -- the first being the telnet-era command line internet, the second the web -- and the third, well, that tale grows in the telling. It's about the way that open source and the open standards of the web are commoditizing many categories of infrastructure software, driving value instead to the data and business processes layered on top of (or within) that software; it's about the way that web sites like eBay, Amazon, and Google are becoming platforms with rich add-on developer communities; it's about the way that network effects and data, rather than software APIs, are the new tools of customer lock-in; it's about the way that to be successful, software today needs to work above the level of a single device; it's about the way that the Microsofts and Intels of tomorrow are once again going to blindside established players because all the rules of business are changing.
Time and again as I report in this space, I'm struck by how different this time round is from the late 1990s. For example, today I spoke with Jeff Weber, who runs USAToday's digital publishing efforts, and we had a robust conversation about publishing models, new and old. I was p"

My Ask Jeeves

Ask Jeeve's is beta testing their new 'My Jeeves'. Facilitates some personalization and localization into your search experience. This should be an area that grows with time.Ask Jeeves Tour - Step 1

Tim Oren references one of my favorite state parks in Due Diligence

Butano State Park, along California Highway One used to be a regular hiking destination for myself, friends and family over the years. It's a magnificent coastal redwood area and has mountain biking on the fire roads. Tim is working on trail construction to a redwood tree he discovered.Due Diligence

Wikipedia publishes 1,000,000 articles

This could become a definitive online resource if it continues to grow at this rate. And what a great example of an "open source" type movement. I would imagine that Wikipedia could provide as much or more utility than Google if it continues to evolve this way.Main Page - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tim Berners-Lee, Director, W3C

Tim Berners Lee talks about how the Semantic Web is in the same place the WWW was in 92'-93'. Tim Berners-Lee, Director, W3C
Q: When you look at emerging technologies, is there something that stands out and excites you? A: Yes, one area to watch is the mobile Web.

My Yahoo! adds RSS Headlines (BETA)

Wow, this is Cool! Yahoo now lets you add RSS feeds to your My Yahoo page in the form of headlines. I'm sure I'll be using this quite a bit.

3 Debates for Bush and Kerry

There is a tentative agreement to have 3 presidential debates. If John Kerry cannot win over the swing voters after three debates with George Bush, then I don't believe he deserves to be president. It seems that their is plenty of ammunition for the candidate to use, and it's really a matter of who is the more effective communicator.My Way - News

Yahoo! News - New Start-Up Breed: Born in the USA, Made in India

More Bangalor for your Bucks. Keep the management and sales team here and outsource the development. In the long run this will be good for the US. We will see a much higher degree of investment and business concept testing and deployment.Yahoo! News - New Start-Up Breed: Born in the USA, Made in India

Avoid Circuit City Online!

I received two phones ordered from Circuit City Online. I've decided I want to return them, due to their not supporting caller ID. When I click on the circuitcity.com 'return policy' I get a broken link. When I click on Customer Support I get the home page. There are not that many things they have to make sure to do right, but I think they missed some big ones.Thinkmedia

IT Conversations - Ray Ozzie and VOIP

This weeks Gilmor Gang talks with Ray Ozzie, discuss Longhorn delays and what they mean. Also, talk about Google as a platform and then VOIP and Skype and where this technology is going... all interesting talk. Actually, the most interesting thing was the notion of a new Nokia phone with a speaker and the idea of playing weblog radios from it anywhere. I really think that is going to be a high value application as this type of content emerges.IT Conversations

What direction is Adware going? Because it ain't going away.

I believe strongly that there will come a time when we (consumers) profile ourselves to receive advertising. It will then be up to the advertiser to create the proper targeting and incentives to ensure that we "opt-in". The New York Times > Business > Your Money > Barbarians at the Digital Gate

Google Toolbar is Not Opera Compatible

Wow, that really sucks. I can't imagine using a browser without the Google Bar. Also, I don't like having to press F2 to get the URL dialog. Otherwise, it seems far superior to IE.Google Toolbar

Due Diligence: Dissecting the Media: Trust and Transactions

Redefining the value chain for media...Due Diligence: Dissecting the Media: Trust and Transactions

Amazon takes on it's biggest competitor with A9

It's an interesting start, to provide an annotation and note taking capability for searches. However, I'm inclined to believe that Amazon should stick to its core business and not go head to head with Google. There are so many ways that Amazon could out-do google for shopping search without trying to crack the entire search nut.Searchsite: A9 bowls a Googly - The Times of India

Yeltsin, Gorbachev and Colin Powell

have all indicated that Putin is putting Russia on a slippery slope by removing democratic election of state governors. I doubt that incidents of terror are truly driving this decision and I also doubt it will prove to have been a wise direction for Putin's government.Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin Speak out Against Putin�s Reforms - NEWS - MOSNEWS.COM

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE Recipe at Epicurious.com

Watching the Julie Child tribute program on PBS last night left me very inspired. Her guest chef creation of Pan Roasted Lobster looked mangificent and the dessert creation with Jacques Pepin was one that I will try soon. Fo today, it's going to be a simple Hollandaise sauce with wild smoked salmon.HOLLANDAISE SAUCE Recipe at Epicurious.com

Out 'sore' cing...

Yesterday I recieved my new Primus Lingo VOIP phone setup package. After opening the box and looking at the contents I realized that everything was there, except the VOIP modem. Hmmmm. Okay, I'll call their customer support and see what's up? I spoke with a woman who had an Indian name (glad they didn't ask her to go by 'Wanda') and she tried to be helpful, but there was clearly a communication problem. I became impatient after a few minutes of not being understood regarding such a simple problem. She then transfers me to tech support and I wait on hold for ten minutes. The tech support guy, also Indian, tells me that this is a customer support issue and transfers me back. In the end they did ship the modem, but I feel that the bugs are not worked out of the system for outsourcing customer support to India. I'm sure over time this will become more effective and help US companies to lower costs, translating to shifting revenues to more value oriented parts of the business. In the short-term though companies could find that their is a real price in consumer satisfaction and retention.

IRAQ THE MODEL

A blog by three brothers in Baghdad.IRAQ THE MODEL

Dave Winer and Adam Curry have a new radio show called 'Trade Secrets Radio'

Should be fun, since it's talk with music clips and from two continents...Scripting News: 9/17/2004

Yahoo! News - Only Great White Shark at Calif. Aquarium

I'm excited about going to see this captive Great White Shark next time I'm in Moneterey.Yahoo! News - Only Great White Shark at Calif. Aquarium

John Sayles - Silver City

My wife and I think John Sayles is one America's great directors. This film review seems to think Silver City is great as well. By the way, if you haven't seen his film 'Limbo', rent it.Review: Silver City

A Great Post from Tim Oren's Due Diligence on Outsourcing and Open Systems.

Due Diligence: "Be Careful What You Wish For: Open Source and Off-Shoring
I am bemused by folks who can simultaneously cheer the global spread of the Internet and the beneficence of the open source (OS) movement, and decry the offshoring of IT jobs. Whether they're naive, or disingenous, or took Emerson a little too seriously, they are missing the correlation: Open source and IT offshoring are the products of the same driving forces, two faces of the same coin. And they are feeding off one another.
Let me count the ways:


The Internet itself is the basic enabler. The more people connected globally, the bigger the talent pool, the better the chance to get critical mass on an OS project from somewhere out there. The more connected and trained people, the greater the competition for gigs, the lower the compensation.

The commoditization of computing. Very little of OS is new computer science. Most is plowing old ground, recreating functionality long available. Linux and mySQL are not about innovation, they are about consolidation and the collateral disruption of margins in erstwhile commercial software categories. The routine and understood are also easier to send outside.

Modularity and open standards. The same methodology that enables breaking an OS project into pieces to be reassembled in Sourceforge, and run on well-defined downward APIs and data standards, likewise enables the commercial user to decompose a private project into pieces that are completed elsewhere. The stability of architecture and requirements necessary for this modularity is also a sign of the lack of fundamental new work.

Low capital costs for developer class equipment. The same scale economies that let the college kid run Linux enable the Indian outsourcer. Used to be software costs for developer tools were a bit of a barrier, but OS fixed that issue. More comp"

MS Internet Explorer is losing market share

This shouldn't be a surprise as the open source solutions are getting very polished and can leverage some interesting features that Microsoft won't touch.Tom's Hardware Guide: Tom's Hard News

Search Engine Watch Blog

Danny Sullivan (the long time Industry Search Guru and Commentator) launched a blog recently. Search Engine Watch Blog

Today's Poll Numbers

Kerry's closing the gap... and Nader is going to be the spoiler once again. It's Fu#@(*@ amazing to me that those who will vote for Nader are going to potentially elect Bush. The New York Times > AP > National > Presidential Polls Glance

Impressive Animated Graphic of Hurrican Ivan

IVAN Graphics Archive

Joe Kraus (Excite Co-Founder) has a new blog - Bnoopy

The emphasis of this Blog is on entrepreurship (one of my favorite subjects) and today he posts regarding truly 'open' companies. Bnoopy

This Is What I'm Talking About

The Next Generation Of Web Browers... Will Be Open Source. This will in turn allow for browsers which can utilize the Internet application framework which is becoming defined by the open source community.Firefox drawing fans away from Microsoft IE | CNET News.com

A Free DVD Burner...

More Stuff 4 Less Bargain Blog: "OfficeMax.com - Mad Dog Multimedia Dominator 6-in-1 Internal DVD-R/-RW Drive + Khypermedia 100-Pack Black Slim Jewel Cases Free After Rebates. HOT
OfficeMax has the Mad Dog Multimedia Dominator 6-in-1 Internal DVD-R/-RW Drive Item# 20686205 selling for $40.00 with a $40 rebate (exp. 9/30/04) making your cost free. Free shipping on orders of $50 or more so toss in the Khypermedia 100-Pack Black Slim Jewel Cases Item# 20161502 selling for $12 with a $12 rebate (exp. 9/18/04) and your all set. Limited availability on the DVD burner so good luck! Update - Their site is slow as shit! Took me about 20 minutes to place my order!"

Fresh Air: Wednesday - September 15, 2004

Terry Gross interviewed Seymour Hersh yesterday and provided listeners with an insightful overview of the political machinations of the Bush Administration and it's failed policy in Iraq. Well worth listening to.Fresh Air: Wednesday - September 15, 2004

Yahoo! News - Next Phase For Web Services Pioneer

Layer 7 Technologies seems like a company to watch. Loosely coupled system integration through webservices seems like a big piece of the future for bringing together disparate business processes.Yahoo! News - Next Phase For Web Services Pioneer

A9 to officially launch and "compete with Google"?

Amazon's A9 will allow for better management of your search experience and results. Not necessarily a part of Amazon's core competence, but an interesting direction for search. However, Google and Microsoft are so well setup to tackle these types of problems, I don't really understand why Amazon wants to 'go there'?The New York Times > Technology > Amazon to Take Searches on Web to a New Depth

Election Scorecard - Where the presidential race stands today.

This will be a good page to keep track of. How things are stacking up for the election and where.Election Scorecard - Where the presidential race stands today.

The Charlie Rose Show Looks Good Tonight

Interview with Zbigniew Brezezinski and a discussion regarding stem cell research and brain sciences with a Nobel Laureate and Dean of Medicine at Columbia.The Charlie Rose Show

Gene Inhibitor To Have First Trial

If this new science/technology/medicine proves succesful we are sure to see significant progress in the battle against disease through selective gene inhibition.The New York Times > Business > Method to Turn Off Bad Genes Is Set for Tests on Human Eyes

Flippin and a Floppin

he's giving the flip-flop hand sign


A comprehensive list of the Bush 'flip-flops'...

The Gartner Fellows: Clayton Christensen's Interview Part 1

What disruptive technologies will succeed and the businesses which drive them.The Gartner Fellows: Clayton Christensen's Interview Part 1

Jensen Investments

This Portland based no-load mutual fund is on Bob Brinker's recommended list of investments. Jensen Investments

The Greatest IQ Concentration In The World

This article on the growing intellectual and technological pool of talent in China is another eye-opening look into what I believe is the largest threat to our national security in the long term. Al Qeada can blow up buildings, but they are unlikely to supplant us economically. India and China are quickly catching us in the pool of highly qualified engineers and scientists. The next decade I'm sure that US businesses will capitalize on the talent available, but in the long run I would assume that these countries will become very entrepreneurial and agile when it comes to ensuring their own interests. The New York Times > Technology > Let a Thousand Ideas Flower: China Is a New Hotbed of Research

The New York Times > Opinion > A Disgraceful Campaign Speech

I can't agree more than with what this New York Times editorial speech says about Cheney's characterization of a Democratic Administration. These people are shameless.The New York Times > Opinion > A Disgraceful Campaign Speech

Yahoo! News - TiVo, Netflix Close to Internet Movie Deal-Report

This is probably the only way that they can fend off the types of competition that both are facing in their respective spaces. TivoFlix will have to differentiate itself somehow, otherwise DirecTV and Blockbuster will squash them.Yahoo! News - TiVo, Netflix Close to Internet Movie Deal-Report

Withnail and I

I loved this fun and hilarious comedy set in 1960's England. It might not be for everyone, but I thought it was very original, well written and had solid performances.Netflix: Withnail and I

People Also Bought ...

This graphic was published by the NY Times from Amazon customer purchase data, and is very interesting in its depiction of the group think that goes on in the US political sphere. Take a closer look by clicking on the graphic.

also bought...

The New York Times article on Craig Newmark

Craig Newmark is the founder and chairman of Craigslist, but his primary job is as its foremost customer-service representative. He is the vigilant overseer of the company's integrity.
The New York Times > Technology > An Online Pioneer Resists the Lure of Cashing In

Terror = Bump in Bush Polls

This chart shows that when Bush dips in the poll a terror alert follows.

Terror Index

Sacred Ground - On Nova Tonight

Architect Daniel Libeskind plans to build the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero.


Freedom Tower

IT Conversations: Clayton Christensen - Capturing the Upside

I'm listening to Harvard Biz School professor Clay Christensen, author of 'Innovators Dilemna' and the more recent 'Innovators Solution' discussing how managers kill products and companies... Very interesting and insightful.IT Conversations: Clayton Christensen - Capturing the Upside

Pierre's Weblog

It's wonderful to see people like Pierre becoming wildly successful and then doing good in the world. What a contrast from the robber baron days, which still exists on Wall Street. Pierre's Omiyday Network appears to be a cause for good in the world. Pierre's Web

My Life as a Fake - At Audible.com

This looks like a great 'listen'. Audible offers this work by two time Booker Prize winner Peter Carey.Audible.com - audio that speaks to you wherever you are

Microsoft Windows Media - Windows Media Player 10

Just installed Windows Media Player 10 and am very happy that I can now listening to streaming audio and have no degradation of web surfing. This new version also seems to have substantial new features and much better look and feel.
Microsoft Windows Media - Windows Media Player 10

Terraserver

Want to see a satellite image of your home and neighborhood? Goto the link above and click on advanced search. Select 'by address' and there you go...
2143 NE 12th Ave

Amazing - IT Conversations

I just finished listening to the this weeks Gilmor Group on IT Conversations. What an amazing forum for discussion on the direction of todays technology infrastructure. It's a hard time to place bets with everything changing in the definition of the network operating system, was a large part of the theme this week. They also seem to see Google as the company defining the next generation of applications and infrastructure (duh) and MS taking a back seat.IT Conversations

Microsoft Music Store

Microsoft didn't make a profit on Slate until later this year. I'm not sure why they need to be in the content business, except to create revenues to increase their profitability. However, it seems to me that the content business is what they should be enabling and not offering. If I were a major shareholder I would be concerned over this type of fragmentation. None the less, I hope they can offer a superior service and make consumers happy.MSN Entertainment - Music: Home

Take a moment to say a silent prayer and reflect

When I heard this story being reported this afternoon on NPR I was stopped in my tracks and later shedding tears. Humanity at its very worst... and why? I will never give any recognition to the Chechan independent cause.The New York Times > International > Europe > Captives Escape After Hours of Pitched Battles

US standing with Arabs hits a low | csmonitor.com

Bush said in his address last night that 3/4 of Al Qeada have been killled or captured. I don't think this could include the number of new recruits and certainly does not include the Arab rage against US interventionist policies.US standing with Arabs hits a low | csmonitor.com

August 2009: How Google beat Amazon and Ebay to the Semantic Web (Ftrain.com)

This is a great piece of business science fiction. I think I posted this a while back on the blog, but still worth reading because it has so many interesting facets.August 2009: How Google beat Amazon and Ebay to the Semantic Web (Ftrain.com)

Mia Bella

John Battelle's Searchblog

This is a great technology oriented blog with emphasis on search technologies, but also a fair amount of biz analysis. John Battelle's Searchblog

Microsoft 'hell-bent and determined' to challenge Google

Not a huge surprise, as once again MS is in a catch up role. Can they do to Google what they did to Netscape? Yes, I would bet on it.Boston.com / Business / Technology / Microsoft to challenge Google

What a contrast these two keynote speakers represent.

Division vs. Hope... read these two keynote speeches and decide which is more patriotic, American and visionary.


In [Democratic leaders'] warped way of thinking, America is the problem, not the solution. They don't believe there is any real danger in the world except that which America brings upon itself.Read the transcript

This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers, and the promise of future generations. Read the Transcript

It's Kerry's to Lose!?

"John Kerry and George W. Bush remain tied nationally. Among all voters in a survey conducted August 30-September 1, Kerry is at 48% and Bush is at 46%. Among likely voters, Bush is at 48% and Kerry is at 47%.
With Ralph Nader in the race, it is Kerry 46%, Bush 45%, and Nader 3% among all voters and Bush 47%, Kerry 47%, and Nader 3% among likely voters."

If John Kerry cannot win the debates with all of the ammunition he has, then I don't believe he deserves to be president. I know that Edwards will wipe Cheney off the floor, but I can't help but feel that this could be a Gore repeat in the debates.

Slate Rates Vodkas

My wife and I watched James Bond in Die Another Day the other night. When they did the product placement for Schmirnoff as his 'shaken not stirred' I gagged. I like Skyy for a martini, but I'm sure there is better. Apparently a number of very excellent vodkas have yet to be discovered.Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Which vodka is the best? By Alex�Abramovich

John Parry Barlow

I really love this guy. He's a kind of left over from the era of Merry Pranksters. And apparently he coordinate this great Merry Prank at the RNC today. BarlowFriendz. By the way, if you want to hear one of the great tragic and true love stories of all time, then listen to the interview he gave This American Life a few years back. LISTEN BY CLICK HERE AND PLAYING THE REAL AUDIO FILE TO ACT THREE Truly worth it.

The Return of the Venture Capitalists

VC money is starting to accumulate and particularly in bio-tech. It will be interesting to see the bets which are made during the next year and you can be sure there won't be any more 'pets.com' or 'flooz' investments this time around.The New York Times > Business > Small Business: The Return of the Venture Capitalists

Unique and wonderful fruit

Greengage plums of France

The New York Times dining section has this write up on the greengage plum. Apparently difficult to find outside of France, this plum is described as the best tasting fruit in the world. I would imagine it must be quite an experience to come across one, with no prior knowledge of its reputation.

Last night my wife and I indulged in one of our favorite seasonal fruits, organic concord grapes.

Concord Grapes

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE Recipe at Epicurious.com

100% of reviewers would make this Hollandaise sauce again (that's rare to have that level of approval). So, I guess I'll be trying this out tomorrow, considering my mother-in-law just dropped off some of tarragon vinegar that I'm excited to use.HOLLANDAISE SAUCE Recipe at Epicurious.com:
"HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons light cream
Salt, cayenne pepper
1/4 pound sweet butter, frozen and cut into 8 pieces
2 drops lemon juice


Put egg yolks in glass heatproof bowl (or top of double boiler) and beat in the vinegar and cream. Season with salt and a little cayenne.
Stand bowl in pan of hot water (or top of double boiler over hot water) over a slow fire and beat with a small wire whisk until the mixture is as thick as heavy cream. It is important that the water should not boil; add cold water if it gets too hot.
Beat in the frozen butter, piece by piece, adding another piece only when the previous one has been absorbed. When all the butter is absorbed, add lemon juice. To hold, stand bowl in a pan of lukewarm water, cover top with foil. "

The Monterey Bay Aquarium

One of the best places in the world to bring your curiousity and sense of wonder.

Black Tip Reef Shark at Monterey Bay Aquarium

What is Attention.XML?

On this weeks Gilmour Gang a discussion ensued regarding Attention.XML (a specification for tracking, prioritizing and sharing what people get from RSS). This could open the door for better management of the RSS fire hydrant. Would this allow for a 'killer app' in the aggregator space? I would imagine the need exists. RSS, Blogs, and Attention.XML (SYS-CON)(Printview)

The Official Kerry-Edwards Blog

Kerry's Blog announces campaign staff change... That's a good sign. Political analysts on Charlie Rose point out that Bush should not be neck and neck with Kerry at this point, considering the state of the economy and Iraq. The Republicans are far more effective at campaigning and it shows.The Official Kerry-Edwards Blog

Hostage Crisis Unfolds in Russia as Guerrillas Seize School

I don't care what the political intentions of the Chechan Rebels may be, this approach to forcing an issue or communicating for your cause can only backfire. To use innocent children as poker chips for your demands can only cause renouncement of the Chechan cause. The New York Times > International > Europe > Hostage Crisis Unfolds in Russia as Guerrillas Seize School

Outdoor Concert with Patty and Emmylou

Tonight, my wife Jennifer and I will be attending an outdoor concert with Emmylou Harris and Patty Griffin. I'm a huge fan of Patty Griffin and many think that Emmylou is one of the all time greats of country/folk music. Should be a good time.
Emmylou Harris, Bruce Cockburn and Patty Griffin

HDTV WONDER

If you have a decent computer monitor and wanted to get HDTV and a Personal Video Recorder for $200, then have a look at this offering from ATI. Install this card in your PC and you have an HDTV and can begin recording your favorite television directly to your computer. It's not a perfect solution, but is indicative of where things are going. HDTV WONDER - Overview

Yahoo! News - China Legalizes Electronic Signatures To Promote E-Commerce

The barriers to entry for e-commerce keep being eliminated. This market is going to grow rapidly and create a number of opportunities.Yahoo! News - China Legalizes Electronic Signatures To Promote E-Commerce

Bluetooth Enabled!

I just setup my USB Bluetooth adapter so that I can have a wireless connection between my T610 phone and my computer. Now I can exchange Outlook email, contact and calendar info and any data files easily. It's a truly great phone, particularly when you consider that Amazon and T-Mobile will pay you $150 to have it.

Sony Ericsson T610

Klausthaler Beer

A few months ago I discovered Klausthaler beer. It's a German non-alcoholic which is almost as good as a Heineken. If you enjoy a good lager, but don't want to be put into a coma give this beer a try.

ahhh...

This is just too cool!

A post on an indymedia website says activist Joshua Kinberg -- inventor of a wireless, bike-mounted, dot-matrix printer for spraying protest messages in the street -- was arrested yesterday at the RNC in NYC. At the time, he was reportedly being interviewed by Ron Reagan, covering the convention for MNSBC.


Kinberg's invention allows users to spray messages transmitted to the bike-printer by way of the 'Net or SMS. They're painted in a water-soluble chalk solution that washes away with water (not spray-paint, as misreported elsewhere).

The New York Times > Books > Sunday Book Review > The 9/11 Report: A Dissent

Richard Posner writes a review of the 9/11 Commission Report. Very good review and thoughtful commentary. Why we may not have got what we paid for or wanted.The New York Times > Books > Sunday Book Review > The 9/11 Report: A Dissent

Can Microsoft Beat iTunes With a Store of Its Own?

Microsoft is going to have to start re-inventing itself to remain competitive and profitable. The notion of the Internet as the platform and applications being the Ebay's and Amazon's of the world, would require that MS start creating it's own net apps. This may be MS's latest offering.The New York Times > Technology > Can Microsoft Beat iTunes With a Store of Its Own?

Jesse Who?

I'm always annoyed when I see Jesse Jackson as a spokesperson for democratic causes. He always comes off as opportunistic and after the revelations of his fathering children outside of his marriage, unprincipaled.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you haven't yet checked out the Wikipedia, it's worth a look. This is a community driven 'open source' like online encyclopedia. This is very representative of a new movement afoot to create information technology solutions through community. It will be interesting to watch as more of these 'network' applications emerge and evolve.Main Page - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coffee Starter Package

This is a great package, which I recently recieved from Gevalia. Gevalia Coffee will send you a stainless steel coffee maker, 2 1/2 lbs of coffee, two coffee mugs and a coffee scoop for joining their coffee club at $14.95. You can cancel right after recieving the package or continue to receive their coffee on a monthly basis.
Great Promotion

Time For Change

New York is expecting massive demonstrations for a change of leadership. My Way News Hopefully it will stay peaceful and send a sobering message that we are not happy with the Iraq, national secuity policy, the economy, our global competitive status (emerging markets in China and India), environmental policy, international affairs and health care to name a few.

IT Conversations - The Gillmor Group

The Gillmor Group discusses Longhorn announcement by Microsoft. Apparently the release date will be kept, but the major features are going to be scaled back.IT Conversations

Suite 101: Investing and Personal Finance

This community section of Suite 101 is hosted by Kirk Lindstrom. This site is visually busy and that's annoying, but there is some substance under the covers and I find the investing philosophy of the community at this site to be shrewd.Investing - Personal Finance - Suite101.com

New York Times Review of Medulla

Bjork's new album reviewed by New York Times Jon Porales. I'll download this album next week when it's available.
The Diva.

NOVA | The Elegant Universe | PBS

PBS is currently running this Nova series on the history and an science of advanced physics, based on the book by Brian Greene. It is a great book and should be an excellent series. NOVA | The Elegant Universe | PBS

Blockbuster.com Has It Again!

Once again Blockbuster has a DVD which Netflix does not. This is a film which I saw years ago and loved. If you appreciate the films of Ingmar Bergman, you'll probably love this Swedish story 'My Life As A Dog'.blockbuster.com - Search Results. It probably won't be long until I'll make the switch to Blockbuster, which has a bigger selection, lower price and includes to in-store rentals a month.

The Online Smart Home Store

Although there is not much at this store which would interest me, there are probably a few items which would be nice to keep in mind.SMARTHOME - X10, Remote Control, Lighting, Wireless Security
This section on Energy Saving Devices has zone heating, lights which go off automagically when someone leaves the room and smart thermostats.

Nader Would Give Bush the Election Today

Bush 46%, Kerry 44% and NADER 5%! I think it's time for people to gather in protest against Ralph Nader. At this point he shoud be the real target of outrage and dissent from those who want Bush out of office.DRUDGE REPORT FLASH 2004�

Hamm Asked To Give Up Gold Medal

You would think that after the debacle's at the Park City Olympics in figure skating, that the Olympic commitee's would have found ways to prevent these types of incidents. From what I've seen, the judging in gymnastics is a disaster.The New York Times > Sports > Olympics > Gymnastics Group Asks Hamm to Give Up Gold

Are you irrationally exuberant? - Aug. 12, 2004

Robert Schiller, the Yale economist who predicted the .com bubble, is indicating that Real Estate may have the same burst soon. Good reading if you're an overly enthusiastic whom buyer. Are you irrationally exuberant? - Aug. 12, 2004

Grinds Beans, Filters Water and Voila...

Amazon has this Capresso C1000 automated coffee and espresso machine for 1/2 off at $599. It has a 4 1/2 star rating and looks like it could be a good investment for any cafe junkies out there. Only problem is that many of the reviews complain about the quality of espresso and that would be the clincher for me.

Capresso C1000

Put On Your B.S. Filter

Photo Highlight
A compact vehicle is sandwiched between a sport utility vehicle and a minivan on U.S. 101 on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2004, in Los Angeles. A public relations firm with automaker clients is trying to derail proposed stricter state clean-air regulations with ads warning that California's first-in-the-nation rules would force drivers to abandon SUVs for smaller cars that could endanger their lives.
(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

So, I guess we should just all buy SUV's? Hey, global warming is a myth, right? Oh yeah, and ignore the studies which indicate that SUV's drivers are at a bigger risk to themselves than others.

Ulee's Gold - Peter Fonda

Listening to Terri Gross interview Peter Fonda tonight on Fresh Air reminded me of the excellent film that Fonda was in a few years back. Ulee's Gold was a favorite of mine in 1998.
Peter Fonda

My Launchcast Station

I discovered Launchcast from Yahoo! last month and was pleasantly surprised to find such a high quality Internet radio service. It provides a highly personalized radio station, based on your ratings and category preferences. It also has an excellent user interface. The pay version is pretty affordable and I would probably pay if I could hook up wireless speakers through out my house which piped Launchcast.My Station

Oregon Voters Are In Their Own Class

This article speaks of the independent thinking voters in Oregon. I'm registered independent and would not vote for a party, but instead the candidate.The New York Times on Oregon Voters.

I Think There's a Business Here

Wanted: Airstream Trailer


Craigslists 'items wanted' section is where you can specify something you're looking for and if anyone has that item and wants to sell it to you, the negotiations can begin.

I think there is a great business in this concept, which I call 'Personal Shopper'. The concept is that if you're looking for something to buy, which is not nescessarily easy to find (clothing sizes, antiques, art, certain price point, gifts...) the personal shopper will help you to locate this item for a cut. This example is a great one. It's a specialized, relatively high margin item which might have some geographic constraints.

The new workplace / Job reports can't track those who dropped off radar

The New Economy is producing a lot of non-traditional employment.The new workplace / Job reports can't track those who dropped off radar

Apparently Not a Pretty Win

The New York Times reports that the US Women's team looked choppy and outplayed, despite their win in overtime. I'm looking forward to seeing highlights of this game.

Gold Baby!

The Legacy of the Bush Administration

1.3 million more slide into poverty in 2003 with children and black Americans most effected. The number of US residents without health care rose by 1.4 million. The percentage of US population living in poverty rose for the third straight year. And we won't even talk about the record deficits...My Way - News

Reporting for Duty!?

RHINESTONES

RHINESTONES Julian Myers is an art critic, historian and teacher. His weblog is one to bookmark if you like eclecticism and artistic historical perspective. A truly great blog.

Wired 12.09: Mr. Craigslist, Master of the Nerdiverse

Interview with Craig Newmark (founder of craigslist.org) and how he's not going to sell out. I think craigslist is one of the best things going online and it's great to know that someone like Craig is still in charge.

Go Away Already

It does seem that Ralph Nader's ego is more involved than issues at this point in the campaign. I do support anyone's right to run for public office and believe that there is validity to some of Nader's views, but I am surprised that he doesn't hear the level of anger and disappointment people feel with his participation in the debate at this point. Maybe he should go away already.


go away already...

The Charlie Rose Show

Tonight Charlie Rose will have interviews with two experts on the crisis (swept under the rug by the media and US government) in the Sudan. If you want to understand the situation there, this would be a very good starting point.

A DISCUSSION ABOUT SUDAN with SAMANTHA POWER, JFK School of Government, Harvard University
JOHN PRENDERGAST, International Crisis Group

Blogging in Baghdad

Not sure if this is legitimate, but it appears to be the Salam Pax account of life in Iraq. He was silent for a while, but back in style now. Very interesting writing as well as photos.

New Yorker Film Reviews

If you're ever looking for reviews of current and not so current films, I would recommend the New Yorker Film Review archive. No thumbs going up or down and no stars, but reviews which are credible and intelligent, not unlike The New Yorker magazine. Another good site for more current and archived reviews is James Berardenelli Reel Views.

More Stuff 4 Less Bargain Blog

I've plugged it before, and now I'll do it again. The More Stuff 4 Less Bargain Blog is a great site for finding daily deals at many of the biggest Internet Retailers. Check back regularly since deals are updated 24/7.

A Great Storyteller - Scott Carrier

I'm a huge fan of This American Life and my favorite personality on the program is probably Scott Carrier. Running After Antelope is one segment (listen to it here) that he did for This American Life which is great story telling. He also has a book out with the same title, which is a collection of essays. Check it out too. Running After Antelope by Scott Carrier - Counterpoint Press

Bush for Clint Eastwood!

I often have the impression that George W. Bush believes that having a Clint Eastwood style persona and toughness makes him seem more credible. This picture is his best Dirty Harry look and he's got his sidekick there for backup.


i'm gonna get those evil doers...

What a Picture!

I just saw this demo'd at a DELL stand in our local mall. I'd love to have a monitor I could mount on the wall and see clearly, with HDTV built in. Ah well, keep dreaming at $2300.

Dell 30" Monitor/HDTV

Blueberries May Lower Cholesterol

This is a great way to deal with the new cholesterol recommendations which came out recently. Since I just had my cholesterol tested and was in the 'acceptable' range, I'd like to see if I can get into 'excellent'.
cholesterol lowering meds.

Can a Robot Save Hubble?

This is an exciting story and one that is on the right track for space exploration. For the first time two unmanned spacecraft will dock and one will repair the other. Hopefully this will be the direction for more of our journey's into space and other planets.

Artistic Rendering of Dextre and Hubble

Open Source Boxes for the Masses?

I listened to Tim O'Reilly (of O'Reilly Publications) on IT Conversations giving a speech here in Portland last month at the Open Source Conference. It was interesting as he described the 'net' as the platform (makes sense to me) and the next generation of 'apps' are Amazon, Ebay and Google API's for building out your own commerce widgets (interesting notion). He then talked about the open-source box becoming ubiquitous.

It would be interesting to see the Dell's and Gateways of the world begin to switch to Open Source boxes for the masses. I wonder what's holding things back right now? One thing for sure is that their is no Open Source marketing group. However, the Open Source model is one that will be an interesting concept to watch over time as it is adopted in various business models and technologies.

Peach Pecan Crisp Ala Mode

Tonight we're making Peach Pecan Crisp... and it will be served ala mode. Here's the recipe I use from Deborah Madison's 'Local Flavors' cookbook.

combine:
2 1/2 lbs of fruit (the recipe is apricot and cherry which is the very best)
2 tbs sugar
1 tbs minute tapioca
1/8 tsp almond extract (not important)
set aside in 2 1/2 qt. gratin dish

mix well:
cube of butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon

I add about 1/2 cup of broken pecans.

put the crisp topping over the fruit and bake at 375 for 40 minutes...

When a Technology Lead Does Not Matter

Tim Oren and I worked at Apple at the same time. Now Tim is a VC somewhere on Sand Hill Rd. I found this blog posting interesting, particularly as VC's are scheduled to make an incredible number of investments in the next year. Where will they be sticking their money now that Social Software is a non-starter and Open Source is still on the critical path.

Amelia and Mama

Installing Stair Treads

This topic will not interest many, but this website is saving me countless hours of time and giving me a confidence that I would not have otherwise. It details every step in framing, building the stairs and laying tongue and groove boards for a victorian era porch. I just finished the framing section and now I'm moving on to the stairs.... I would have paid to have access to this, but with Google and Hammerzone there it was.

LOOKING FOR LADY WHO SOLD ME THE FRIDGE

There is something very ominous about this craiglist posting... I can almost imagine a new jersey italian accent speaking the words... ;>.

........
LOOKING FOR LADY WHO SOLD ME THE FRIDGE - $440
You and your husband sold me a refrigerator around 05-25-04. It was a white side by side Whirlpool with the ice and water. You guys lived around SE 20th and woodstock maybe? I need to get in touch with you in regards to it ASAP.
.......

Zuni Cafe Caesar Salad!

This time of year is Caesar Salad time... particularly on a hot evening when you don't want to turn on the stove. I have very high standards and have found that this recipe from the Zuni Cafe is flawless if directions are followed.

1. Get one large head of high quality romaine lettuce. Green and not too watery.
2. Combine 2 eggs, 1/4 cup wine vinegar, juice of 1 squeezed lemon, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp coarse ground pepper, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 tsp worchestire, 4 crushed garlic cloves (minimum).
3. Open a can of anchovies and run warm water over them at a trickle. After 3 minutes remove anchovies from the can and pat dry with a paper towel. Place anchovies on a cutting boards and crush with a knife into a paste. Add to the above combined ingredients.
3. Ensure that the romaine leaves are dry after washing and seperating. Pour dressing over leaves and add 1/3 cup of grated parmesan. Add 2 cups of croutons and mix all ingredients by hand.

This should be one of the better caesar salads you've had. Excellent with a good beer, gin and tonic or white wine.


ceasar

Review of the Starbucks Digital Italia Espresso Maker

I'm still trying to find a great espresso machine for around $200-$400. In the long run it would save me a lot of money and be more convenient than the ocassional romp down to Peet's Coffee.

I've seen multiple reviews suggesting that the Starbuck machines are very good in their price range. They're manufactured by the Italian company Seaco and pop up on eBay frequently.

The Digital Italia model is the most impressive and has the highest rating. New they are very expensive, so I'll be trolling craigslist to see if one emerges...

According to legend, Pheidippides was the first to run the course in 490 B.C. when he carried news of victory in the Battle of Marathon. He collapsed

and died at the end... These Olympics contain plenty of drama and in this case tragedy.

Olympic Gold

Trader Joe's Mud Pie!

The Mud Pie at Trader Joe's is a real score, for those who live on the West Coast. $7.50 and you can indulge yourself and friends in an incredible tasty treat.

mmmmmmmmm....

Audible.com - audio that speaks to you wherever you are

Here's the main reason I can see having an iPOD. Audible and IT Conversations are leaders in the emerging digital-audio content domains. I'm looking forward to winning my free iPOD and having the flexibility to listen to a lot of this great content.

I Read the Bible

The BBQ Bible is a truly great cookbook for gourmets or the novice. Steve Raichlen's book is packed with great recipes and an international range of flavors and ideas. From simple suggestions to very complex marinades, rubs and sides. We love this book and reference it regularly.

.

Sign the Petition to Re-Call the Bush Campaign Dirty Tricks

A front group for the Bush campaign called, "Swift
Boat Veterans for Truth" is continuing to spread their
lies about John Kerry's military record. Their
statements have been contradicted by official Navy
records, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the
Chicago Tribune and every man who served under John
Kerry yet George Bush refuses to condemn their
tactics. Through his silence George Bush is approving
their action. In fact, Bush campaign officials in
Florida are even promoting events for this front
group.

Today we're calling for all of you to join together
and stand with John Kerry. Tell George Bush: stop the
smear, get back to the issues.

Sign John Kerry's petition by Clicking Here.

Enough is enough. No matter what these Bush campaign
shills now say, John Kerry's commanders in 1969
remarked that "In a combat environment often requiring
independent, decisive action, LTJG Kerry was
unsurpassed." In fact all John Kerry's performance
reports (available on John Kerry's website) display an
absolutely heroic record of service.

John Kerry's campaign has just release a new internet
ad called "Old Tricks" which shows John McCain asking
George Bush to apologize for attacking his own heroic
record.

View the ad by Clicking Here

RealRhapsody - premium legal music subscription service - Real.com

So, I just burned my first 'pay for use' CD. I'm currently doing a trial of Real Rhapsody, which coincides with a review I read in the NY Times of a very promising new musician named Regina Spektor. I went to Real Rhapsody and learned that I could download and burn to CD her new album for $4.79. Seems like a great deal, particularly after reading this review of her music. Moscow on the Major Deegan

What's exciting about this service is that it's an alternative to Kazaa where artists are compensated and I as a consumer don't feel burned. I will be looking to see who offers the best pay to download services over the next months.

Shenanigans at the Olympics

It seems like each Olympics has it's share of shenanigans and this one is no exception. How does something like THIS happen?

a few burning man clothes

I'm a little too fascinated by some of the items and pitches that people make for their stuff on craigslist... Read this one.

Read/Write DVD for $29 after rebate...

Another great deal for anyone wanted to burn their own DVD's...Office Depot: Mad Dog Dominator DVD-R/-RW

Prime Suspect

This is definitely one of my best discoveries this year. Helen Mirren and the BBC series Prime Suspect are incredible. My wife and I are not the type's who seek out detective or thriller type of film or television, in fact usually the opposite, but when Masterpiece Theater played the last episode of the series we were riveted. We've since borrowed every episode from Netflix and were very disappointed to reach the end. It's wonderful to see such a strong female protagonist put into the macho male world of British crime investigation. The real strength of this series though is the writing and direction, which truly shame most of what's coming from Hollywood or HBO these days.

A Conspiracy In Our Midst?

In Bob Woodward's recent book 'Plan of Attack', he indicate's that oil prices will spike and then dip prior to the election to provide a significant boost to the economy. This will be engineered by the Saudi's to ensure their American president stays in place. While the spike has taken place, we have yet to see the dip. This article from Business Week indicates that high oil prices may not be all bad. The Good News About Costly Oil

Great Discovery

I really like the music created/produced by these three women out of Vanouver, B.C. Wonderful violin, mandolin and guitar work accompanied by great vocals and lyrics. I heard them first on E-Town. For a sample Click Here.

Great Deal on a Grill

Ducane 7100 Stainless Series Natural Gas Grill Head + Ducane 7100 Stainless Series Grill Base with Folding Shelf $375.00 Shipped.

Amazon has the Ducane 7100 Stainless Series Natural Gas Grill Head selling for $400.00 with free shipping and no taxes for most. Scroll down and use the Buy both and save button and they will toss in the Ducane 7100 Stainless Series Grill Base with Folding Shelf ($100 value) as a free gift. Apply coupon code AUGUSTPROMOS ($25 off $125 - exp. 8/31/04) at checkout and your cost drops to $375.00. Remember to select free super saver shipping.
The Grill Link

The Base and Folding Table

Grill Features:

503 Square Inches cooking surface, 28,000 BTU
Ducane's double-tiered LA-VA-GRATE® with overlapping runners hold and revaporize drippings to season food
Patented 304-grade stainless steel SEAR GRID® cooking surface sears meat quickly and easily to hold in juicy flavor
TOP-PORTED 304-grade stainless steel burners are fuel-efficient and long-lasting; One permanent stainless steel side shelf and one fold down shelf are big and beautiful

Base Features:

MicroAdvantage DVD R/W $39

R/W DVD Burner for $39 after rebate. Seems like a great deal!

Help me win an iPOD?!

My neighbor Alan just won an ipod by getting five friends and neighbors (me) to sign up for a free trial. I wouldn't mind having an iPod, so I'm asking you... Help Will win an iPod. The Real Rhapsody one is .99 and then you can cancel. It's fairly easy and you can download a few mp3 files.

Opinion: Stem Cell Battles

New York Times Reports. What a shame that this critical and incredible research has become one of the biggest political footballs in recent scientific history.

GOOG starts trading at $85

Yahoo Chart. I still think this is an over-valued stock (I'm far from an expert) and would imagine that within a year it will be around $45.

Amazon to Buy China Internet Retailer for 75 Mln

Yahoo Reports. On the face of it, this seems like a very good move by Amazon. The Chinese market is hot with it's rapid growth in online users.

Get Paid $150 to have this phone

My new cell phone just arrived and it's great. Amazon is still paying $150 to take the phone. It's smaller than I imagined and feels like a great overall phone with camera, PDA, bluetooth wireless and more.

The Republicans are starting to acknowledge the disaster in Iraq.

The New York Times: Retiring Congressman Says War Unjustified: "In addition to a massive failure or misinterpretation of intelligence. Bereuter said the Bush administration made several other errors in going to war despite warnings about the consequence. From the beginning of the conflict it was doubtful that we for long would be seen as liberators but instead increasingly as an occupying force he said. Now we are immersed in a dangerous costly mess and there is no easy and quick way to end our responsibilities in Iraq without creating bigger future problems in the region and in general in the Muslim world."

CBS MarketWatch.com - GOOG

THIS JUST IN FROM GOOGLE - "The offering price is now expected to be between $85 and $95 per share. If you have submitted a bid, you should access that prospectus and
carefully reconsider your bid(s)."

A major mis-calculation was made by someone in suggesting it would be between $108 and $130 a week ago.

Check Here Regularly. This will be an interesting page to watch in coming weeks. The SEC has suspended their IPO, but I'm sure the delay will only be temporary. I hope the GOOG can be as wise post-IPO as they have been to date. The fact that they didn't go public in 2000, focused on their core business and really brought in the best talent speaks to the wisdom of their business strategy to date. If they can continue on this trajectory with their billions from shareholders, we (the general public) should benefit greatly from years of new technologies.

Personally, I think of GOOG as the equivalent of the HAL 9000 series from the film 2001 a space oddysey. You can ask HAL (state of the art AI computer) a question and he would provide a reasonably intelligent answer. I rely on the GOOG in the same way. Only the GOOG is better, because it provides a range of expertise and cumulative answers to select from. I would imagine that five years out the GOOG will become a lot more specific in terms of it's ability to refine our questions to provide more specific and detailed answers.

Hopefully it won't meet the same fate as HAL.

Bjork - Medulla

Coming August 31st. I'm excited by the upcoming release of a new CD by Bjork. I find her to be an incredibly gifted musician and a true musical innovator.

U.S. Win Gold in 200 Meter Relay

The Men's Relay Team Win's Gold! What an exciting event this was. A true team effort by the U.S. team to beat Australia and the 'Thorpedo' in a 13/100 of a second win for Gold in the Men's 200 Meter Relay. Detailed Report at Boston Herald.

The Splendid Table

Program Listings August 2004 on The Splendid Table For those of you who enjoy time in the kitchen and the creative process of cooking, visit the Splendid Table website and listen to the program whenever you have a chance. It's very inspiring to hear the interviews with chefs and those deeply involved in the culinary world. Lynn Rossetto Kasper is an excellent host for this program as well.

The Oregonian Online Sucks

See for yourself. I think it's pathetic that a major metropolitan newspaper cannot commit the resources to create a reasonable online paper.San Francisco Chronicle's SFGate is far superior and the New York Times is the best thing going. L.A. Times, Washington Post and many other cities have quality online papers, but Portland is sadly lacking.

Digital Chocolate is Live

Digital ChocolateTrip Hawkins is entering the wireless apps domain with his new company. They received funding from Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers and seem to be in a great niche for the next generation of software solutions.

IT Conversation with Joi Ito

IT Conversations with Joi Ito - Memory Lane Listen to this great interview with Joi Ito.

This brings up a topic for discussion that I've been contemplating lately. What is the 'hype' with the iPOD about. Some say it's the design, some say the memory capacity and others say it's the cachet of being seen with one. From what I understand the Sony equivalent has it beat in all of these areas. Steve Jobs is a brilliant marketeer, but I really don't see the incredible innovation with iTunes/iPod. Where I would see great consumer value and utility is with the storage + PVR type functionality for radio/Internet. There is a lot of broadcast radio (Al Franken, NPR, Gilmour Gang...) which would be great to pre-program recording and then be able to listen when I want and skip ads. Give me that kind of functionality and I'll buy one right away.

Good Eats and More in PDX...

Hey, this is a real find.Culinary Blog and Portland Food Guide

What is the net of new economic efficiencies?

The New York Times > Technology > Ambitious Package to Raise Productivity (and Microsoft's Profit). While I'm sure MS Office does increase worker productivity and creates untold efficiencies (as this article outlines), I think it would be fascinating to understand how these new efficiences translate for the U.S. economy over time. During the .com era we anticipated that valuations corresponded to value, but the collapse of the NASDAQ contradicted that. Could it be that the real potential was to early to have created those valuations, but over a long period of time they would be realized for the U.S. economy. I would guess that it's possible if not probably. I'd be curious to learn what the macro-economics of efficiencies born of digital productivity tools, internet exchanges and commerce (ebay, amazon, craigslist), online services and information processing (to name a few). In the last five years we have seen a fundamental re-structructuring of our national infrastructure through the deployment of these technologies. How far out is the net economic benefit?

Alan Greenspan gave a speech on this subject at the height of the .com boom. It may be that the net of these efficiencies are realized in the same was as punctuated equilibrium (definition from the www.wikipedia.org).

Thomas Friedman is currently taking time off as staff editorial writer for the New York Times to write a new book on the economic threat to our National Security from India and China. As they agressively pursue and commit their resources to economic growth and opportunity we focus on waging military campaigns. How will this tip the global balance and who will benefit most from the U.S. innovations and efficiencies created in the past decade?

Looks like it could be Kerry's to lose...

Bush's Two Albatrosses (washingtonpost.com) David Broder does not see Bush being re-elected. It's my impression that this is the general sentiment from people in the know. I heard the publisher of one of Washington's most prominent lobbying newsletters on Charlie Rose say the same thing. Unless the economy dramatically improves and Iraq suddenly appears to be an ocean of stability (both extremely unlikely), it would seem that Bush's duck is cooked. Josh Marshall also outlines a number of points regarding the difficulties facing Bush's campaign in the months to come. Josh's comments. At this point the Bush campaign is probably going to need something dramatic to happen in order to shift the direction of undecideds before November.

I'm a New Member of the OEF

Oregon Entrepreneurs Forum Last night I joined the OEF in the hope of doing some networking and learning more about ventures in Oregon and particularly PDX. Reading through their outline of services made me aware of what a contrast the silicon valley/bay area is to Portland in terms of resources, innovation and risk-taking. My experience to date in Portland is that it's a very conservative business environment without a lot incubation taking place. However, I hope to have my perspective changed by more direct interfacing with PDX entrepreneurs.

Waste Deep in the Big Muddy

No Way Out - Is there any hope of avoiding catastrophe in Iraq? By Fred Kaplan. This report by Slate's Fred Kalpan is an insightful snapshot of the quagmire which is Iraq right now. While I feel hopeful for Iraq, particularly watching their smiling delegation march at the Olympic opening, I simultaneously believe that the policies and strategies concerning Iraq have been mis-guided and could take another ten years until the Iraqi people feel that the ground beneath them is solid.

Does Pressure-Treated Wood Belong in Your Garden?

Does Pressure-Treated Wood Belong in Your Garden? A very comprehensive article on the subject of pressure treated wood in the garden. Also, this issue should be considered for building sandboxes for children. It appears that the jury is still out on the level of arsenic exposure caused by leaching of pressure treated wood into a garden. Certainly something worth considering the potential risk when levels can reach 20 ppm in some studies. Apparently, Europe does not allow the sale of arsenic pressure treated wood (I've been told this is true by two neighbors). There is an alternative detailed in the article called ACQ, which is a little more expensive, but much more environmentally sound in it's creation and use.

Empty Olympic stadiums set off alarm bells

Despite the empty stands in Athens, it has been great fun to watch the Olympics on television here at home.Yahoo! News - Empty Olympic stadiums set off alarm bells

Iranian won't compete against Israeli at Olympic Games

My Way - News. What an incredible tragedy, if it's true that an Iranian Olympic athlete and the Iranian Olympic Committee can't see that the Olympics are not about politics and hatred, but instead an opportunity to speak to hope and our planet as a community.

this is a quite an image... speaks to the power of nature and how little we are sometimes in the balance...

The New York Times has a write up on one of my favorite musicians...

Patty Griffin.. who will also be playing at a concert I will see on August 31, here in Portland.The New York Times > Arts > Music > After a Long Wait, Harvest of Success. I believe that her first album 'Living with Ghosts' is a masterpiece.

Oliver Stone's ALEXANDER

Looks like this could be a good film. Oliver Stone generally produces films of substance and what a great subject he has in Alexander the Great.ALEXANDER

It's summer time and a great time to make Lemon Drops... In a martini mixer add one shot of good vodka (skyy), 1/2 a freshly squeezed lemon, teaspoon of fine sugar and ice... shake that pup until it's frosty on the outside and poor in a martini glass... oh yeah!