Happy Halloween!!!!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Happy (orange) Halloween!
How fitting is it that Halloween colors are orange and black, same as the Giants!!!!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
A first concert
I have XM radio in my car, and one of the stations I listen to a lot is E Street Radio. It is a Bruce Springsteen channel, 24 hours a day of nothing but Bruce and the E Street Band. He has been performing so long, and so prolifically, that I am not surprised how often I hear a really good song that I have not heard before.
One of the features of the station is that they replay live concerts from all different time periods, so you get to hear Bruce live and you get to see how his performances have changed. The other day I turned it on and a live concert was playing; here is what it said on the radio:
Wow. That concert, at the Capitol Center in Maryland, was the first Bruce concert I ever attended - 32 years ago! It was really fun to listen to, and it simply amazes me he can still be going strong so many years later.
One of the features of the station is that they replay live concerts from all different time periods, so you get to hear Bruce live and you get to see how his performances have changed. The other day I turned it on and a live concert was playing; here is what it said on the radio:
Wow. That concert, at the Capitol Center in Maryland, was the first Bruce concert I ever attended - 32 years ago! It was really fun to listen to, and it simply amazes me he can still be going strong so many years later.
Friday, October 29, 2010
9 - 0 !!!!
Texas Rangers 0 - San Francisco Giants 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Series standings: San Francisco Giants 2 - Texas Rangers 0
|
Ok, so the Giants got to the World Series on their pitching. Tim Lincecum pitched a good game 1, and Matt Cain pitched a gem for game 2.
But 11 runs in the first game, and 9 runs in the second? You've got to be kidding.
2 wins away.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Like being on a rollercoaster
Ok, game 1 is in the books, with a Giants win - good start to this World Series. But they came from being down 2-0, went to a breakout 8-2 lead, took the lead to 11-4, and then gave 3 back in the 9th, finally winning 11-7.
There is no need for all this drama. Really.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Back to the Mac
Steve Jobs and Apple announced a brand new MacBook Air the other day. It's a pretty cool, slim, beautiful computer. But if you don't believe me, just listen to Apple:
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Spotted in an airport the other day
I've been spending a lot of time in airports recently, and you see a lot of interesting things there. Sometimes they are just plain cute:
Hard to remember when my girls were that small.
Hard to remember when my girls were that small.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Nissan Leaf - 116 miles with the A/C on!!
A new report from Engadget - very encouraging:
Nissan Leaf goes 116.1 miles in first anecdotal test, with the air conditioning on
If there's one thing we've learned from years of toying with technology, it's never to believe a manufacturer's estimate regarding battery life, but it seems like the estimates Nissan provided for itsLeaf electric car may not be too far off the mark. Though the vehicle obviously isn't getting 367 miles to its non-existent gallon, PluginCars did manage to eke out a solid 116.1 miles in the car's first anecdotal test, and all they had to do to go the distance was drive casually and slightly below the speed limit -- "It wasn't like I was driving like an obsessed hypermiler," said the driver, who spent most of the trip with the A/C blasting cold. Nissan recently revised their range estimates for the Leaf to anywhere from 62 to 138 miles depending on speed and weather conditions, so 116.1 is a pretty solid run, but until those charging stations permeate the countryside, we're still going to take the ol' gas-guzzler on our road trips.
And from an interesting article in Popular Mechanics, 10 things you didn't know about the Leaf:
#10: It's Made From Recycled Water Bottles
In fact, 60 percent of the plastic on the Leaf's interior is already recycled material—much of it comes from used water bottles—and at the end of the Leaf's lifespan, 99 percent of the 3375-pound vehicle weight is recyclable and can be transformed back into water bottles or other Leafs.
#9: The Batteries Have a 100,000-Mile Warranty
Of course, all batteries degrade over time, but the Leaf's lithium-ion pack comes with an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty. According to Nissan's estimates, even after a decade of use, the Leaf's batteries will likely maintain 70 to 80 percent of their capacity. The company also points out that since lithium doesn't chemically change over time, the batteries are completely recyclable.
#8: The Headlights Actually Make It Quieter
Even some of the Leaf's exterior components serve dual roles. The LED headlights not only illuminate the road using half the energy of halogens; their winged shape actually directs air away from the side mirrors (an innovation Nissan is currently attempting to patent) to reduce interior noise, which is whisper-quiet even at highway speeds. The Leaf is quieter than most luxury cars inside the cabin—so quiet, Nissan had to engineer new windshield-wiper motors. Apparently, the drone of internal combustion engines covers the noise made by normal wiper motors.
#7: It Gets an 80 Percent Charge in a Half-hour
Ten years ago, Nissan was selling a lithium-battery-powered car in Japan called the Hypermini. With lessons learned, the Leaf's batteries have twice the energy density (the battery power is rated at over 90 kw, with a capacity of 24 kilowatt-hours) and are less expensive to produce, thanks to the use of manganese electrodes. Using a single-phase 200-volt, 15-amp power supply, the batteries can be fully charged within eight hours using a 220-volt outlet, or about twice as long if you plug into 110. Using a three-phase, quick-charging station, the Leaf can attain an 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes.
#6: The Leaf Can Text You
The Leaf can communicate with the owner's cell phone using an e-mail-based system that manages the charging system. It will notify you when the batteries are charged, at which point you can control the air-conditioning system so the cabin reaches a specified temperature before you get in the car. It will also notify you by text message if charging is interrupted, which alleviates the need to physically baby-sit the charging station or stare at an extension cord for hours on end.
#5: The Nav System Displays Your Reachable Area in Real Time
The standard navigation system displays the range in graphic form, with a halo around the car's current location, which provides a visual estimate of how much farther you can go before recharging. The navigation system is in regular communication with Nissan's databases using satellite networks, and displays nearby charging stations on the screen.
#4: It Can Go 95 Miles per Hour
The instant we hit the highway, we throttled the Leaf up to its top speed, which is supposedly electronically limited to 90 mph. The digital speedometer read 95, at which speed the range estimate began dropping a mile every few seconds, which makes speed thrilling for an entirely different reason (this is why GM has coined the term range anxiety). We did not have enough time, or unpatrolled highway, to verify the Leaf's range under these conditions, but would guess that it might go 20 miles at full speed.
#3: The Leaf Tells You How to Drive
"Turn off Climate Control for +10 miles," the energy menu advised us. Heeding this suggestion (in part because the outside temperature wasn't uncomfortably warm), we canceled the air conditioning, switched on the vents, and watched the range estimate jump from 70 to 80 miles.
#2: Operating Cost Per Mile: $0.03
A car with an internal combustion engine that gets 25 mpg will require $1,800 in gasoline (at $3 per gallon) over a year of driving (15,000 miles), which works out to $0.12 per mile. The Leaf can be programmed to start charging in the wee hours, when off-peak electric rates apply—a feature that makes consumption economical. At $0.11 per kwh, the Leaf costs $0.026 per mile to operate, or $396 for 15,000 miles—a savings of about $1,400 (per year).
#1: The Bottom Bottom Line? $19,280
Starting at $25,280 (after a $7,500 federal rebate), the Leaf costs less than the average new car sold in America. In addition, some states offer extra incentives. For instance, California offers a $5,000 clean-vehicle rebate, and Colorado residents are eligible to receive an additional $6,000 tax credit, which brings the price tag down to $19,280. Even for $26,000, the Leaf is a lot of car. Try outfitting a Toyota Prius with a navigation system and satellite radio, and you're pushing $30,000. Lessees can cash in immediately with a government-subvented lease deal of $349 per month (in which case Nissan's financial subsidiary takes the refund).
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Headed to the World Series!!!!
ERT | UPDATED 8:41 PM PDT
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8 years after losing the World Series in Game 7, on the day that Karen and I got married, the Giants are headed back to the Series again. And Game 1 will be played on Wednesday, our 8th wedding anniversary!
Sweet.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
It Gets Better
The series of "It Gets Better" videos offers a very encouraging message to LGBT teens. It's a really important message, one my company has embraced.
Two of them are particularly important, and worth watching. First, Fort Worth city councilman Joel Burns, who spoke at a city council meeting:
And second, Tim Gunn, of Project Runway:
This is a really important message.
Two of them are particularly important, and worth watching. First, Fort Worth city councilman Joel Burns, who spoke at a city council meeting:
And second, Tim Gunn, of Project Runway:
This is a really important message.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Bringing fiber to Stanford
I continue to work on our Fiber for Communities project. It's actually taken me all over the country this summer and fall, meeting and talking to different communities about how fiber to the home would benefit their residents.
Yesterday we announced a beta fiber build, which will occur at the faculty residential subdivision on the campus of Stanford University. I got to work closely with Stanford on the agreement that led to this announcement and I'm very excited it is moving ahead.
As the blog post states, this fiber build is a test, and does not affect the selection of a city or cities as part of our Fiber for Communities process. But it's an important next step and we expect to learn a lot.
Yesterday we announced a beta fiber build, which will occur at the faculty residential subdivision on the campus of Stanford University. I got to work closely with Stanford on the agreement that led to this announcement and I'm very excited it is moving ahead.
As the blog post states, this fiber build is a test, and does not affect the selection of a city or cities as part of our Fiber for Communities process. But it's an important next step and we expect to learn a lot.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Shadow Teen Program
Abby is participating again in the "shadow teen" program at Town Hall Theatre. This time she has the lead in the teen cast of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."
She was interviewed for the local paper - a very nice story starting on page 1, continued on page 5.
Here's her picture with some of her fellow actors:
The teens will do two performances this weekend - looking forward to it.
She was interviewed for the local paper - a very nice story starting on page 1, continued on page 5.
Here's her picture with some of her fellow actors:
The teens will do two performances this weekend - looking forward to it.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
A nice tradition
We live on a quiet little street and really like our neighbors. As there are lots of young children, Halloween is a very popular holiday. And we have a really nice tradition that involves the whole neighborhood.
Each year, we find a bowl out front wih Halloween treats. This year's bowl had Halloween socks, Halloween cake mix in black and orange colors (with decorations), candy corn and some other candies. There was also a Halloween poem and a little decorated sign that says "BOO."
Your role is to refill the bowl with treats and leave it for another neighbor. You also make a copy of the BOO sign and put it on your front door, to show you've gotten your treats. It ends up looking like this:
All in all, a very neighborly tradition.
Each year, we find a bowl out front wih Halloween treats. This year's bowl had Halloween socks, Halloween cake mix in black and orange colors (with decorations), candy corn and some other candies. There was also a Halloween poem and a little decorated sign that says "BOO."
Your role is to refill the bowl with treats and leave it for another neighbor. You also make a copy of the BOO sign and put it on your front door, to show you've gotten your treats. It ends up looking like this:
All in all, a very neighborly tradition.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Here we go again - but at home this time
The Giants return to AT&T Park, tied 1-1 with the Phillies in the NLCS. So we have the home field advantage back - 3 straight games in San Francisco. I am traveling again, but will be able to see this live on East coast time later today.
And from what I have seen of the Rangers and the Yankees, I am thinking the NL champion is going to be well positioned for the World Series. Those don't look like very good teams.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Number One!!!!
I've been watching sports a long time. I've been a fan of many college teams, most notably the Cal Bears. But they've managed to let me (and all their fans) down too many times.
And I have never, ever been associated with a team ranked number one in the country. Until now.
Sam's Oregon Ducks were listed as the number one football team in the country this week. They are 6-0, one of the few undefeated teams left, and they are averaging 53 points a game!
So let's hear it (while it lasts, at least). Go Ducks!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Using the iPad instead of a laptop
I went on a business trip this past week and decided to leave my computer at home. 98% of my work passes through my email, so it seemed that I could just take my iPad and get almost everything done. It seemed to work.
Two adjustments to the iPad were necessary. First, I purchased Apple's Pages program, an app that costs $9.99 and provides most of the full functionality of a word processor. Then I purchased the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, a bit more expensive at $69, but weighing a mere 11 oz. Plus, it's gorgeous:
The keyboard worked flawlessly and allowed me to do all the typing I needed to do, and the Pages program handled all of my writing chores that couldn't be done in Gmail.
There were a few minor things that I couldn't do, most notably that I could not log directly into my company's network. But I could get almost everything I needed via email and Google Docs, so very little was lost.
All in all, a very satisfying experience. Laptops are doomed.
Two adjustments to the iPad were necessary. First, I purchased Apple's Pages program, an app that costs $9.99 and provides most of the full functionality of a word processor. Then I purchased the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, a bit more expensive at $69, but weighing a mere 11 oz. Plus, it's gorgeous:
The keyboard worked flawlessly and allowed me to do all the typing I needed to do, and the Pages program handled all of my writing chores that couldn't be done in Gmail.
There were a few minor things that I couldn't do, most notably that I could not log directly into my company's network. But I could get almost everything I needed via email and Google Docs, so very little was lost.
All in all, a very satisfying experience. Laptops are doomed.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Another car ad - but tugging at the heartstrings
Abby got her driver's license about a week or so ago, the last of our kids to get past that milestone. So this ad from Subaru really hit home:
Thursday, October 14, 2010
A charming thank you
I was in a small town grocery store recently. They had posted a series of thank you notes, mostly from the local organizations offering gratitude for support (money or goods). But this letter was something entirely different:
Wow. Plastic bags to stay dry. Puts things a little in perspective.
Wow. Plastic bags to stay dry. Puts things a little in perspective.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Google TV is coming
There is a good introductory website here - take a look.
Monday, October 11, 2010
The playoffs continue . . .
Well, the Giants aren't going to make it easy. Two nights after blowing a late-inning lead and losing to Atlanta, they blew another lead in the 8th inning yesterday. Jonathan Sanchez pitched a masterpiece for 7 1/3 innings, but he left the game in the 8th and the Braves promptly hit a 2-run homer to take a 2-1 lead.
But this time the Giants fought back, scoring two in the top of the 9th (the second on the 3rd error of the game by the Braves' 2nd baseman). Brian Wilson then shut down Atlanta for the win.
It's no wonder this has become the slogan of this season:
But this time the Giants fought back, scoring two in the top of the 9th (the second on the 3rd error of the game by the Braves' 2nd baseman). Brian Wilson then shut down Atlanta for the win.
It's no wonder this has become the slogan of this season:
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Dog and Halloween lights
Karen starts early on Halloween, and yesterday she got our lights up. The whole front of the house is now orange. But in taking a couple of photos, she managed to get some good shots of Daisy. Here's my favorite:
And of course, the spider web with the Witches' Academy sign:
It wouldn't be Halloween around here without the outdoor lights. Plus it's a perfect lead-in to Christmas lights.
And of course, the spider web with the Witches' Academy sign:
It wouldn't be Halloween around here without the outdoor lights. Plus it's a perfect lead-in to Christmas lights.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
John Lennon
Today would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday. I distinctly recall siting in a campus pub in college in 1980 late one evening when someone walked in and said he had been shot and killed in New York. Everyone was stunned - it simply seemed unimaginable. And I just now realize he was only 40 when he died. What a loss.
Yesterday (and still up today) the wizards at my company ran a great logo in his honor:
But it wasn't just a logo. That play button was clickable, and when you clicked it, this is what you saw:
Genius. Just like John Lennon.
Yesterday (and still up today) the wizards at my company ran a great logo in his honor:
But it wasn't just a logo. That play button was clickable, and when you clicked it, this is what you saw:
Genius. Just like John Lennon.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Starting to wear out?
Yesterday was my 400th consecutive post to this blog, and I am reaching the point where I think I need to take a break. Maybe not quite yet, but soon. There are days when I struggle for an idea; other days, I have lots of them. But I am thinking that if I took a little break, I might come back to it a bit fresher.
Hmmmm. We'll have to see.
Hmmmm. We'll have to see.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Go Giants!
More baseball. Today the Giants open their National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves. It's the first Giants' playoff game since 2003, and a great reward for a team that has been virtually rebuilt around young talent.
I'll be out with some friends watching the game in a bar tonight. Gotta root those Giants on to victory!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
The Giants Win the Pennant! The Giants Win the Pennant!
Well, not really the pennant. But the Western Division - and in game 162!
Best in the West: Giants beat Padres for division title
In the last game of the regular season, San Francisco becomes the NL West champion for the first time since 2003.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Gods do not answer letters
On this last day of the regular baseball season, here is a link to one of my favorite baseball pieces ever. It was John Updike's article in the New Yorker magazine about Ted Williams and his last at-bat in baseball. The article ran in October 1960, but it reads just as well today.
I recommend reading the entire article. There is great insight into Williams there. But if you are not in the mood to read the entire piece, here is the key part about William's last at-bat:
I recommend reading the entire article. There is great insight into Williams there. But if you are not in the mood to read the entire piece, here is the key part about William's last at-bat:
The afternoon grew so glowering that in the sixth inning the arc lights were turned on—always a wan sight in the daytime, like the burning headlights of a funeral procession. Aided by the gloom, Fisher was slicing through the Sox rookies, and Williams did not come to bat in the seventh. He was second up in the eighth. This was almost certainly his last time to come to the plate in Fenway Park, and instead of merely cheering, as we had at his three previous appearances, we stood, all of us—stood and applauded. Have you ever heard applause in a ballpark? Just applause—no calling, no whistling, just an ocean of handclaps, minute after minute, burst after burst, crowding and running together in continuous succession like the pushes of surf at the edge of the sand. It was a sombre and considered tumult. There was not a boo in it. It seemed to renew itself out of a shifting set of memories as the kid, the Marine, the veteran of feuds and failures and injuries, the friend of children, and the enduring old pro evolved down the bright tunnel of twenty-one summers toward this moment. At last, the umpire signalled for Fisher to pitch; with the other players, he had been frozen in position. Only Williams had moved during the ovation, switching his hat impatiently, ignoring everything except his cherished task. Fisher wound up, and the applause sank into a hush.
Understand that we were a crowd of rational people. We knew that a home run cannot be produced at will; the right pitch must be perfectly met and luck must ride with the ball. Three innings before, we had seen a brave effort fail. The air was soggy; the season was exhausted. Nevertheless, there will always lurk, around a corner in a pocket of our knowledge of the odds, an indefensible hope, and this was one of the times, which you now and then find in sports, when a density of expectation hangs in the air and plucks an event out of the future.
Fisher, after his unsettling wait, was wide with the first pitch. He put the second one over, and Williams swung mightily and missed. The crowd grunted, seeing that classic swing, so long and smooth and quick, exposed, naked in its failure. Fisher threw the third time, Williams swung again, and there it was. The ball climbed on a diagonal line into the vast volume of air over center field. From my angle, behind third base, the ball seemed less an object in flight than the tip of a towering, motionless construct, like the Eiffel Tower or the Tappan Zee Bridge. It was in the books while it was still in the sky. Brandt ran back to the deepest corner of the outfield grass; the ball descended beyond his reach and struck in the crotch where the bullpen met the wall, bounced chunkily, and, as far as I could see, vanished.
Like a feather caught in a vortex, Williams ran around the square of bases at the center of our beseeching screaming. He ran as he always ran out home runs—hurriedly, unsmiling, head down, as if our praise were a storm of rain to get out of. He didn’t tip his cap. Though we thumped, wept, and chanted “We want Ted” for minutes after he hid in the dugout, he did not come back. Our noise for some seconds passed beyond excitement into a kind of immense open anguish, a wailing, a cry to be saved. But immortality is nontransferable. The papers said that the other players, and even the umpires on the field, begged him to come out and acknowledge us in some way, but he never had and did not now. Gods do not answer letters.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
A really big bottle
One of my more favorite beverages these days is The Macallan single malt scotch. I get it in a traditional bottle (750 ml), and my most recent bottle is nearly empty.
So for my birthday, Karen decided to get some more. But all she could find was the 1.75 liter bottle. Here they are side by side, with a phone set in the photo for scale:
It may take a while to finish that!
So for my birthday, Karen decided to get some more. But all she could find was the 1.75 liter bottle. Here they are side by side, with a phone set in the photo for scale:
It may take a while to finish that!
Friday, October 1, 2010
One win from the title!
The Giants beat the Diamondbacks yesterday, 4-1, leaving them with the need to win only one game this weekend from the Padres in order to win the NL West!
With the top two ERAs in the National League, this should be quite a match-up:
Plus clinching a division is no easy matter, and the Padres are good!
Go Giants!
With the top two ERAs in the National League, this should be quite a match-up:
MLB Team Stats - 2010
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
RK | TEAM | |||||||
1 | 158 | 90 | 68 | 3.39 | ||||
2 | 158 | 88 | 70 | 3.41 | ||||
3 | 159 | 90 | 69 | 3.53 | ||||
4 | 158 | 82 | 76 | 3.66 | ||||
5 | 159 | 95 | 64 | 3.66 |
Plus clinching a division is no easy matter, and the Padres are good!
Go Giants!
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