To Be or Not To Be…. a Planet?

After we all agreed that the Earth does indeed revolve around the Sun, it seems we now need to agree on how many planets are in our solar system. Most of us were taught that there are nine planets in our system (listed by increasing distance from the Sun): Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus (always makes me giggle), Neptune, and Pluto. (more…)

Add comment August 18th, 2006

Treadmill Bike

Running is great exercise. Personally, I only run when being chased, and even then, I like to get somewhere. Running outside provides nice scenery, fresh air, and often a feeling of actually traveling some distance. Running on a track always bores me because I never felt I got anywhere and always lost count obsessing about what lap I was on. My least favorite is running on a treadmill. (more…)

Add comment August 16th, 2006

Overheard

If you ever take the ear buds out of your ears, you can really enjoy some of the ridiculous things people say. However, if you would rather stay in your isolation of sound and have someone else filter the madness, then the Overheard… websites are for you. (more…)

Add comment August 10th, 2006

Pregnant Pandas

What is our obsession with panda reproduction? It seems we are always trying to couple these animals up and forcing them to mate. I have early memories of Ling Ling back in the 70s. Well evidently are dwindling in the wild, and it is been very hard to get them to reproduce in captivity. But are we taking this too far? (more…)

Add comment August 7th, 2006

Using a Blackberry as an iPod Remote Control

As a gadget boy, I have a Treo 600 on one hip and a Blackberry 7290 on the other. In my IBM ThinkPad T42 laptop bag, I have my 60GB Video iPod. I am generally using at least two of these devices at once–while on the train or walking. When driving, I usually can only swing one at a time. With all of these devices in close proximity to one another, I have noticed some strange phenomenon. (more…)

3 comments August 3rd, 2006

Bring out the GIMP

Finding a good graphics program can be both difficult and expensive. There are many options for working with photographic images, but if you need other graphics for websites and presentations, you have the low end with MS Paint (free with Windows) or the high end with Photoshop ($649). (more…)

Add comment August 1st, 2006

Boy Bands

It was revealed today that Lance Bass, of the boy band ‘N Sync, is gay. Is this news to anyone?

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Add comment July 26th, 2006

Blow-up Man for Lonely Female…Drivers

A new product is a blow-up man for female motorists to feel more safe when driving alone at night. (Perhaps if you are driving alone, you already own such a product). The “Buddy on Demand” is designed specifically for the car, inflates and deflates easily, and fits inside the glove compartment. I’m not sure how it would make anyone feel safer as most thugs and carjackers are probably not too fearful of inflatable men. (more…)

Add comment July 25th, 2006

Leading by Example

What was the President thinking when he gave a surprise backrub to German Chancellor Angela Merkel? You can watch the video clip here, and it is quite creepy. (more…)

Add comment July 21st, 2006

Keeping the Junk in Junk Food

I’m not very label conscious, but someone has told me that partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is bad. What is this stuff, and why don’t they hydrongenate all of it? And High fructose corn syrup seems to have replaced sugar as a sweetener. What does it all mean? I don’t know, but if you try to make my snacks healthier I certainly won’t appreciate it–and neither will anyone else.

It seems a potato chip manufacturer was trying to “do the right thing” by using cottonseed oil which does not contain any trans fat, and their customers complained. The taste, color, and greasiness were different and the company was forced to switch back to the old soybean oil recipe.

What were they thinking? If people are eating potato chips, they have already made the choice to indulge in something less healthy than say, fruit. Plus, you don’t just change a product on your existing customers. Remember New Coke?

Add comment July 20th, 2006