brainstorming

Can You Keep a Secret?

If you can't and having a burning desire to expose your secrets, this is the site for you.  I suppose it works if you just want to read other people's secrets too.  (Caution:  Some explicit content.)

Quick Links

I've been busy with work, but thought I'd throw up some quick links just to let my lovely readers know, (quality not quantity dear), that I still love them.

It's coming Star War fans! Darth Tater! The dark side of Mr. Potato Head.

Did you hear the one about the peace protestors physically assaulting the war protestors?  It's true! Because they don't believe in violence.............unless you're a conservative.

I admit I'm not hip.  I've never been able to figure out exactly what this hand sign means.  Help anyone?

Houston, we have a problem.  Elementary students try to hijack their school bus.  I kind of question this, after "the knife was removed from the juvenile's possession" they were driven to school and taken into custody.  Excuse me?  Why weren't they taken into custody at the scene?

Finally, toilet trained elephants. I kid you not.

Spray on Solar Cells - It's Nanotech!

Do you believe that we will outgrow our dependence on oil for energy through technology?  Maybe this would be a step in that direction.

Scientists have invented a plastic solar cell that can turn the sun's power into electrical energy, even on a cloudy day.

The plastic material uses nanotechnology and contains the first solar cells able to harness the sun's invisible, infrared rays. The breakthrough has led theorists to predict that plastic solar cells could one day become five times more efficient than current solar cell technology.                                        

Like paint, the composite can be sprayed onto other materials and used as portable electricity. A sweater coated in the material could power a cell phone or other wireless devices. A hydrogen-powered car painted with the film could potentially convert enough energy into electricity to continually recharge the car's battery.

It's nanotech.  Someone alert the Professor!

Related thoughts.

-  Brainstorming's categories seriously need to be cleaned up.  What was I thinking?

-  Are there consequences if we take the energy from the sun and convert it to fuel?  Isn't that energy being absorbed by the earth now?  Would the resulting meme be global cooling?

Separated at Birth: Kerry and the Twilight Zone Bum

Where do you turn when you spot an uncanny resemblance between a Twilight Zone character and a nationally recognized political figure? 

I knew I could trust Chad the Elder to come up with just the right tone.

Apple and the Story of One Bad Decision

It's frightening to me how thin the line can be between living an average life, and making One Bad Decision that can change everything for the worse, temporarily or forever.  I think the possibility that a wrong turn can seriously screw your life up for a good long time is hidden from the young.  For them it's inconceivable.  On the flip side, it's the knowledge of the same possibility of making that One Bad Decision that gives parents nightmares.

As a parent you know your kid can get into a car with the wrong person just once and end up dead.  You know that your kid could be careless one time or follow the wrong crowd, because all of us have made stupid decisions at one time or another.  Most of the time the worst case doesn't happen.  Maybe it's the fact that we've made bad decisions and lived to tell the tale that we sometimes fail to seriously consider the consequences or the possible outcomes of our actions, even if we know what we're doing isn't exactly the "right" thing to do.

Desicanuk, (not his real name), a college junior in pre-med and Mac aficionado,  received a Beta copy of Apple's new OS, Tiger.  He was given free access to Apple's developer site.  You know those legal agreements that pop up whenever you install anything?  Naturally since developers have access to a company's intellectual property, a Non Disclosure Agreement was included in the sign up process.

Then came that life changing decision.  Desicanuk went to a closed Mac users site and uploaded the file.  The upload was interrupted by a moderator who'd received a letter from Apple legal.  But it was too late.  The damage had been done.

Apple has filed suit against Desicanuk and two others.  They are seeking a jury trial, an injunction against further distribution, and damages. In other words, this kid is in it deep.  He can look forward to legal bills, headaches, and possibly worse.

Drunken Blog, whose tech abilities are way over my head, interviewed Desicanuk on the whole mess.

Why did you leak the Tiger build?

This is a tricky question to answer. In all honesty, I assumed that it wouldn't be a big deal if I shared this with like minded mac fans. From what I understood, other pre-releases were being uploaded to the site, so I figured mine wouldn't be any different.

Obviously he's since discovered it is indeed a very big deal.

I'm not defending Desicanuk.  Protecting intellectual property is vital to businesses being able to function in the marketplace.  What he did was wrong. (A fact he now acknowledges.)  There should be legal consequences.

Yet, I hope the lawsuit can be resolved to Apple's satisfaction without destroying this guy's life long term.

Maybe it's the parent in me.  The thought of making that One Bad Decision and the thin line between a normal life or lots of sorrow is a theme my mind has dwelt on.  Because you can't be there to hold their hand every minute.  You can't make their decisions for them.  You don't have any guarantee that a life won't spin out of control.

The best you can do is to point out the hazards in life.  To teach them right from wrong.  To warn them of the consequences of One Bad Decision.  Then pray when you send them out into the world.

Apple is Scaring Me

The way buzz spreads when there's a new Apple product, you'd almost think that us Mac heads are plugged into a wireless network allowing Apple to beam new product releases directly into the forefront of our conciousness.  Why is it a company with a reportedly miniscule market share of total PC sales, has so many users to represent it in the blogosphere?  Keep in mind, the links here represent just a sampling from local bloggers.

On to the products themselves.  First the Mac mini.  I wasn't too impressed when the rumor was leaked that Apple was coming out with a machine for $499 with no monitor and no keyboard.  Now I'm won over by the 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" x 2" size.  I think people will love the portability.

On to the iPod Shuffle.  I want one.  For my needs I couldn't see buying an iPod, but $99 for this sounds "just right" in the words of Goldilocks, and it's tiny.  Kids who've wanted an iPod can afford it now too.

So, here's what I find really really frightening.  Our family has been Mac only since 1984.  Any long time Apple customer has become accustomed to the naysayers and has even been trained to dismiss Apple's moves themselves.  "They're doing what?"  This time we all seem to be saying, "Wow.  This could be a good thing."  To top it off, Apple blew away earning estimates reporting $295 million for the quarter ending Dec. 25 compared to $63 million a year ago.

What does it all mean???  I'm so confused.  It reminds me of being a democrat and having my worldview challenged by the red states.

I did manage a little sigh of relief when Cavuto had someone on to bash these two as the wrong move for Apple. Whew!  I can hang on to my Napolean complex a little longer.

Update:  Get that grungy computer screen cleaned here.

The Art of Procrastination

I was going to get my stuff done, then I found this funny on procrastination.

You go enjoy the funny and I'll work on getting my stuff done, OK?

In the Category of Better Late than Never

What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Merry Christmas and God's Blessings!

Hear it here.

How to Get More Done in Less Time

Is it possible to be more productive by limiting the amount of time you allow yourself to work?  I haven't tried it myself, but anecdotal experience does lend the idea some credence.  Think about the last time you had to accomplish something at work before you had to leave for an appointment.  Were you more productive than usual or less productive?

Feeling Like Scrooge?

You never really liked that Tiny Tim character or maybe you secretly rooted for the Grinch?  As with all things subversive, there's a home for you on the web, The Christmas Resistance Movement.  Of course this author can't endorse their spirital or political agenda. I do however find it tremendously entertaining that an anti-consumer movement offers their own goods for sale, "at cost", naturally. Uh-huh.