I installed the Kindle app for the iPhone right after it came out (thanks Ryan Block for the heads up). I then found a free book that I downloaded and was able to play with. Listed below are my first impressions. What are yours?
Likes:
Text sizing
Bookmarking
Page turning
Page scrubbing (page location)
Sync with Kindle books
Dislikes:
Cannot annotate
Page will not rotate when I turn iPhone on side
Cannot download books directly from Kindle app (like Stanza)
My friend, Heath, introduced me to App Trap the other day and I do not know how I have lived with out. It is a great little app for the Mac and needs to be on every Mac computer (hear me Apple?).
I love trying new software. Yet, every time you download and install an application or trial version, files get placed in all kinds of places. Many apps come with an uninstall feature, but there are many that do not. Welcome App Trap. This free software (although you can make a PayPal donation, which I’d recommend) will save you all kinds of time hunting down pref files and other assorted library files.
Once you install App Trap it sits and watches what applications you download and delete. When you delete an app you will get a message asking you if you want App Trap to delete all the other associated files to that application. Once you say “yes” App Trap neatly rounds up all the files and plops them into your Trash. They are not gone until you empty your trash so you can easily retrieve them if you feel you’ve made a mistake. It is that simple.
Download a copy today and you’ll be singing it’s praises as I am. If you already have it or know of something better, comment below.
I have to admit, this is the first time I have read anything by T. L. Hines. I am typically reading business and work related material. I save reading fiction for down-time when I need a little “fluff” and entertainment to take my mind away from present matters. And, isn’t that what fiction is for — an escape, a getaway, a chance to relax and vicariously “live in someone else’s world” for a while?
The main character, Lucas, in Hines’ book, The Unseen, spends most of his waking hours by living his life through the imagined worlds of others. You see, Lucas is an urban explorer. He lives in abandoned buildings, sewers and subway tunnels. He spies on people and invents elaborate worlds in his mind as a past time. That is until his world is intruded upon by another explorer. Donovan belongs to a group called the Creep Club. After befriending Lucas, Donovan invites Lucas to a Creep Club meeting. Lucas expects to find like-minded urban explorers, but he what he really finds is far more sinister.
The beginning of the book sets up some of the characters and starts to introduce various plot lines that coalesce toward the end of the book. I found that as the story progressed the action did as well. Hines surprised me a couple times when I thought the story should be winding down — he infused a new shot of adrenaline and kept me moving through the pages.
For some readers, this book might seems average and predictable — spotted with government intrigue, subtle romance, and good-guy-wins-in-the-end themes. For readers like me, that’s okay. In a sense, like the character Lucas, I read fiction to take a break from the real world in order to imagine, to recharge, and, yes, to think about bigger things than myself. So, if you have never read The Unseen, I recommend giving it a go. Find a comfy chair, sit back and enjoy.
If you’re ever in the greater Cincinnati area, on the Kentucky side of the river in Fort Mitchell, you have to try the Grandview Tavern & Grille. Managed by Matthew Haws, the Grandview has recently acquired Executive Chef, Mike Nelsen. All I can say is, “Good job!” Mike has revamped the menu and brought new life and new flavors to the establishment.
On this particular evening I was there for dinner with some good friends. When we looked at the menu we saw the selections of salads, entrees, and desserts were creative and would satisfy the most discriminating palette.
The Food
I started with the Salmon Salad although the Warm Goat Cheese Salad did catch my eye also. The Salmon Salad included peaches, candied pecans, tomato, gorgonzola cheese, and Italian vinaigrette. The blend of flavors was very well balanced. Personally, I would have preferred a little more salmon but the melody of taste would have been unbalanced. Overall, a very good salad that I would recommend. Other salads to choose from are: Caesar, Nicoise, Cobb, and Black & Bleu.
Dinner entrees at the Grandview Tavern range from Tavern Meatloaf to Pasta Diavolo and for fish lovers from Pistachio Crusted Tilapia to Shrimp and Scallop Scampi. I had the Pasta Diavolo. It consisted of blackened shrimp and steamed mussels in a spicy tomato sauce over roasted red pepper papardelle pasta with spinach, and served with a parmesan toast point. At this point, I was slightly surprised. The dish was not as flavorful as I had expected. I expected the blackened shrimp to add a spicy “bite” to the dish. Instead it was all rather bland. Whereas with the salad I could taste the various ingredients, this pasta dish had no variety.
“What about the grille,” you may ask? For those of you craving meat from the grille, Grandview offers the standard fare: Ribeye, New York Strip, and Filet Mignon.
The Atmosphere
If you visit the Web site you will see that the interior of the Grandview is warm and inviting. The ambient lighting is just right. Believe me, I have been in some establishments where it seems the light is turned low because they do not want you to see what you’re eating.
During warmer seasons the Grandview sports a patio that they open to patrons. Recently refurbished, the patio is spacious and relatively quiet allowing you to enjoy the company you’re dining with.
Overall
In spite of some of my disappointments, I would still recommend the Grandview. With the many menu items you are bound to find a favorite that will keep you coming back for more. For those of you who like trying something new, the menu offers the variety you will crave. The pricing is about what you’d expect — salads around $11, entrees around $25, and grille items around $28. The service is friendly and timely and Matthew Haws will listen to your thoughts and comments regarding any of the dishes. With the new management and Chef, I feel the Grandview can only get better and better.
I have to be honest, I have not researched this yet. So, I wanted to hear what you have experienced. I have heard that while the iPhone is cheaper to buy ($199) the cost of operating is more and so it all evens out similar to the original pricing.
Now, it’s your turn – talk back. Have you found this to be true or is the phone more competitive with other models and manufacturers?
Who would think a friend half-way around the world would talk me into joining Twitter? Well, Justin did, but I admit I am still skeptical. I have been tweeting for a coupe days and only have 7 followers…hmmm. Could be my original conclusions were right (See Related Articles).
I’ll give it some time and try several different environments. Who knows, I might like it.
Also, let me know if you’re on Twitter too! You can find me at eweirdguy.
Don’t know what you may think of Dave Ramsey, but there is no doubt he has helped many people become financially free. Here is a list Dave has recently been using on his daily radio program . Enjoy!
By William J. H. Boetcker (wrongfully attributed to Abraham Lincoln)
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.
One of my buddies just tipped me off to a must-have tab management add-on for Firefox. It’s called FoxTab, and it’s a cross between Mac OS X’s Expose, Windows Vista’s Flip 3D, and the thumbnail view in Google Chrome. When you’ve got a lot of tabs open in Firefox, this offers a quick way to jump to the page you want without having to eyeball the name of each one.
To toggle it on you just hit a small keyboard shortcut and it zooms out all the tabs into a giant wall. You can also summon it with a small button that sits next to the address bar, or by choosing it from the right click menu. Once opened, you simply pick which tab you want to see by clicking it, or simply scrolling with your mouse wheel. It’s not nearly as smooth as Tab Effect, an eye candy tab switching add-on Rafe wrote about back in September of last year, but it’s neat nonetheless.
Had your Jagged Smile today? If not, close friend and illustrator, Jeff Gregory, will be showing up in the side bar on a weekly basis. You’re bound to be captivated and tickled by his mental offspring.
If your day is sour, you need a jagged smile. If your boss has got you down, you need a jagged smile. If you have to get a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, you need a jagged smile. If the doctor just gave you bad news, you need a jagged smile.
Jagged Smile — humorous doodles and ramblings from a mind that no one should dare to get inside of. Venture at your own risk… and have fun! (See side bar for more)
As a reader of WeirdGuy blog I’d like to humbly ask you to help me. I have a short 10 question survey running from August 28 – September 7, 2008 on Zoomerang. The survey should take 2-3 minutes to run through. Your thoughtful responses will aid me in future developments for this blog.
I realize I am asking you to volunteer your time, but I value your opinion. Please follow the link provided today — the survey is only available for 10 days.
And, if the survey takes longer than 2-3 minutes then you can feel free to spam me with your hate mail.
Thank you for your patronage…can I say “patronage”?…whatever, you know what I mean.
By the way, I’ll reveal the findings here on WeirdGuy when the survey is up, so if you want your response to count, now is the time to act…now! If you do not care, then what are you doing here at WeirdGuy blog to begin with?
NOTE- Whenever I eat at an establishment I look at the following factors: quality of service, quality of food, price of meal, portion sizes, and the restaurant ambiance.
I just got back this evening from a networking event at Eclipse di Luna, the Tapas Bar in the Dunwoody area of Atlanta. I must say I am definitely a fan of the food.
Tapas are snacks, canapés or finger foods. Tapas can be anything from a chunk of tuna, cocktail onion, and an olive skewered on a long toothpick to meat with sauce served piping hot. They are served day in and day out in every bar and café in Spain. So much a part of the culture and social scene that the Spanish people invented the verb “tapear” which means, “to go and eat tapas!” (From spanishfood.about.com)
The service at Eclipse was good for the type of event I attended. The wait staff was accommodating and quick to assist with any needs. The side room we gathered in was spacious and would suit any large group or event of 20-30 people.
But is it the variety of foods that was most enjoyable. I personally like having numerous items to choose from and then having the ability to come back for the dishes I like or have not tried. The portions are a little larger than bite-size so you will not fill up quickly.
Most everything on the menu is in the $3-5 price range. The prices are low enough to allow you and a friend or spouse to buy three or four items. I recommend: Pan Catalan
Toasted Ciabatta Bread Toppedwith Tomato, Garlic, & Thyme Purée Costillas Espanolas
Spanish-style Ribs in Aged Balsamic Vinegar Pollo con
Spicy Pressed Chicken Thighs with Almond Gazpacho Queso Frito con Miel
Fried Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onions & Honey Menestra
Mixed Roasted Vegtables with Olives & Spinach
As for the wine list – you will not be disappointed. Eclipse di Luna has a decent offering of wines that go well with the variety of tapas.
My only disappointment was the design of the restaurant. The high ceiling and tile floor make Eclipse di Luna extremely noisy. It was very hard to have a conversation without screaming. Also, the fact that music was blaring only hindered any decent attempts at meaningful communication. There was a patio outside that buffered the noisy inside, but most people retreated out there to smoke.
Overall, if you’re interested in relaxing to music and having a variety of foods to nibble on, Eclipse di Luna Tapas Bar in Dunwoody is for you.
Celebrate with me one of the most creative and influential mediums of our time – animation!
One hundred years ago today, the first animated film of all time was released to the public. Fantasmagorie was created over the course of four months by French caricature artist Émile Cohl, who became known as “The Father of the Animated Cartoon”.
(From /film) Read more…
I’ve been writing a lot of reviews over on Yelp.com about the restaurants I have visited. One of my favorite foods is sushi. When I think of sushi, I think of all the friends I have exposed to this Japanese tradition. Some love it while some hate it. Regardless, you can’t help but think, “How would the Japanese describe this to westerners?” Enter YouTube! A friend from Japan first told me about this hilarious movie, made by Nihon-jin (japanese people) for all of us Gaijin (foreigners). Enjoy!
I’ll be taking a week off to focus on closing out a project (July 28-August 1). More to come from the lessons learned during this engagement. It’s a really cool online course with custom hooks into a client app. The back-end was designed as “plug and play” so content can quickly and easily be swapped out while still being applicable to the course testing and grading scenarios.
On Madams tombstone (of Whelan’s and Madam) she said she wanted this epitaph: Tried everything twice…loved it both times!
2. Keep only cheerful friends.
The grouches pull you down. (keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches)
3. Keep learning!
Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle. ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s!
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long, and loud.
Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER.
6. The tears happen.
Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love.
Whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health.
If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don’t take guilt trips.
Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity!
11. Forgive now those who made you cry…you might not get a second time.
I came across this old drawing that my friend, Jeff at Jaggedsmile, did after a conversation we had. You see, when my wife and I used to travel, in the BK (Before Kids) days, she told me about a game she used to play with her sister when they traveled. They used to look out their side of the car and count cows. The person with the most cows at the end of the trip was the winner. On a particular trip we took in through southeast we revived this old game for fun. At the end of our trip, my wife informed me she had counted several hundred cows. Not to be outdone I told her I has counted about a hundred that were visible, while the remaining several hundred were “ninja cows” practicing their camouflage skills. Chick-fil-A would have loved it!
How’s this for creative computing? To see all the steps in detail, visit Random Access. Now, go build your own and send me your images to post here. Have fun!
Body armor for the case?
I wanted this case to incorporate aspects of several types of Iron Man armor, starting with his original dull gray steel. Although rivets were not always in evidence, these would add to the effect of heavy plate on the panels. Starting with the case itself, I anchored short lengths of aluminum angle (L brackets) to the top and front edges of the chassis. These were used as anchor points to attach two curved steel panels at the bottom front and top rear of the case. To strengthen the sheet metal, I riveted ribs of aluminum bar stock to the outer edges using two rows of heavy nickel wire for the pins.
To create a layered articulated armor on the top, sections of PVC plastic were cut and then anchored to the aluminum angle with sheet metal screws. A final PVC panel was attached to the front and a piece of foam rubber trimmed to fill the gap between the sections. The foam was trimmed to a smooth shape with a razor blade, and then covered with a layer of epoxy
Several layers of shredded fiberglass-reinforced epoxy were built up over the surface of the PVC with only a light sanding in between. I wanted a slight ripple effect to simulate hammered metal. I prefer to add pigment to the epoxy so that if the surface gets scratched, there is a solid color exposed. The color layers also make it easier to visualize the final effect and in some cases, can be used as the final finish instead of paint.
Ribs made from strips of half-round wood trim were cut to fit the drive bay opening. Two at the top were glued in place; one was attached to the front of the DVD drawer; the fourth rib was attached to the front of the DVD drive using foam mounting tape (this allowed the rib to flex; pressing on the right edge opens the drive tray).
For the mask, I went to a recent version of Iron Man – the 2005 and 2006 release of “Extremis” (also available as a graphic novel of the same name). I used the circuit-style lettering in the title for the IMD plaque. To make the case more than just an armored shell, I wanted to give it a purpose – even a fictional one. Readers rarely see Tony Stark testing his armor. He always seems to rush off, slap something together that works perfectly and is well finished, miniaturized, and usually violating several laws of physics – but hey, it’s fiction, right?
But what if he had to troubleshoot something? That’s what we do in real life… so I came up with the concept of an Iron Man Diagnostic Unit. Since Tony no longer keeps his identity secret, it means we needed to identify that the unit came from Stark Laboratories. Letters were cut from sheet brass, then dots drilled, edges filed, and lines chiseled. The background was printed on a laser printer, then glued between two sheets of 1/8″ high impact plastic. The brass letters received a soft satin finish, then were glued to the plastic. Four small magnets (Tony has always been big on magnets, although his are usually transistor-powered) were glued to the back to allow placement of the plaque on any flat ferrous surface. I was going to stick this on the top of the CPU heat sink, but there wasn’t enough clearance between it and the side panel. So that became the title – Stark Industries IMD.
But what to run diagnostics on? The Iron Man mask is probably one of the most characteristic parts that while frequently changed still has similar features, such as no nose, slitted glowing white eyes, and a slash of a mouth.
The mask was attached to the mesh panel, then the clamps positioned and anchored from the rear with short screws. Two holes were drilled in the mesh behind the eyes. A pair of white LEDs were hot glued onto the mesh to cause the eyes to flicker when the hard drive is accessed. A heavy duty stainless steel switch was located in the side panel, presumably to open and close the clamps (or turn on the power in reality). The bottom of the case was anchored to the base plate treads. The rest of the system components were installed, and cables organized a bit, but spiffed up with some chrome convoluted (AKA split loom) tubing. Then it was time to tear it all down and switch out the stock Intel heatsink with a big blocky Peltier cooled one. Then I stuffed it all back together, and took these final pics.
Editor’s Note: No matter what you may think of the C.S. Lewis‘ Narnia Chronicles, you have to see Prince Caspian! I took my family on opening night and everyone agreed it was great. Aside from one scene where my youngest had to close his eyes, the movie was by far a big achievement for the director, Andrew Adamson.
For those that have read the books, you’ll find there were many creative liberties taken. Don’t be dismayed — the essence of the story is true to form, while the screen play allows for audience members, who may have never had exposure to the books or previous film, to come up to speed.
By Tiffani Barnes
The second installment in The Chronicles of Narnia series has hit theaters, and it far exceeds its predecessor. The opening of Prince Caspian finds the Pevensie children at a train station traveling to school when they are suddenly transported from the platform to the coastline of Narnia. While only a year has pasted for the children, it has been more than 1300 years for Narnia. As Trumpkin (played by Peter Dinklage) later tells them, they “may find Narnia a more savage place than when [they] left.”
Prince Caspian is a darker movie than its predecessor with battle and fight scenes that resemble The Lord of the Rings. Director Andrew Adamson, however, chose to leave much of the blood and violence to the imagination, which allows the movie to remain suitable for younger viewers without robbing the story of its power. The character of Reepicheep, a sword-wielding mouse (voiced by Eddie Izzard), provided a great deal of comic relief, which helps to break up the more intense moments in the film.
The visual effects, writing and acting in Prince Caspian are all improved over The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Whereas in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe the children didn’t seem completely comfortable in their characters and so gave, at times, stilted and awkward performances, in Prince Caspian the young actors seem at home in their character’s skin.
The movie isn’t without its teachable moments either—themes of humility, patience, trust, and what can happen when greed and anger take over are found throughout the film. They are subtle and woven nicely into the fabric of the film, instead of sticking out like a flashing neon sign on a dark night.
The Bottom Line:Prince Caspian is worth the price of admission and would make a great outing for the whole family. At two hours and 20 minutes, the film might be a bit long for younger viewers, but it does a good job of holding the audience’s attention.
A little humor to help you through your week. Enjoy!
I found a new doctor, and asked him the following questions during my last visit — here was his answers:
Q: I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true? A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it . . . Don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables? A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake? A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio? A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program? A: Can’t think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain…Good!
Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you? A: YOU’RE NOT LISTENING!!! . . . . Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle? A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
Q: Is chocolate bad for me? A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It’s the best feel-good food around!
Q: Is swimming good for your figure? A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.
Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about
food and diets.
And Remember:
“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways – Chardonnay in one hand – chocolate in the other – body
thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO, What a Ride!”
AND . . . .
For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health. It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.
1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
CONCLUSION:
Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.
Posted by ebrown 
By E. Brown
By E. Brown
By Tiffani Barnes
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