Google Plus. Facebook's biggest threat at the moment. But why? What does Google Plus have that Facebook doesn't? There have been numerous reviews on Google Plus, obviously by Facebook Fanatics, because they didn't even give Google Plus an honest chance. I'm not talking about all the reviews out there, I'm talking about the ones who logged in for a few hours, looked around, then turned tail and ran. Not a very good impression is it?
I've been active on Google Plus for almost three months now. This has given me a better look at the big picture. I've had time to adjust and see what I don't like, and what I do like. Quite frankly, there isn't really anything that I've found that I don't like. Here are my thoughts.
My first thoughts of Google Plus were amazement, as thought this was something new. I'm still in amazement at Google Plus. It has a very clean and magnetic feel to it. Once you start using it, it's easy to get drawn in. This is indeed a threat to Facebook. Why? Because for one, Facebook is all cluttered and filled with ads galore. Ever notice how many ads you're faced with each day on Facebook? On top of that, Facebook's security features, just plain suck. Most people will agree with that one.
What's with the circles? One of the key features of Google Plus is the Circles. These are groups that you can sort people into. Put your family in one group, while your acquaintances are in another. You can create other groups as well, such as Gamers or Minecrafters. Part of an online Book Club? Put those in their own circle. Are you a blogger? Put your fellow bloggers in a circle. You can also add people to multiple circles. This way, when you want to share something with just one circle, it'll only be shared with them.
What are Hangouts? Hangouts are video chat groups that you can host, or join. You can have up to eight people in one Hangout. I've seen Hangouts ranging from various topics, such as: Falling Satellite, Writers, Lego Creations, etc. There is a wide range of Hangouts, even just random hangouts that people start. If you have a webcam, these Hangouts will be up your ally, especially if you use Skype, sense the Hangouts are powered by it.
Perhaps one thing I don't like about Google Plus yet, is one loop whole in the security of it. If you make a post and share it with a group of people, those people can then share that post with another group(s). That is my only complaint so far. If Google Plus will fix that, they'll be Golden in my book. I have yet to try out the Facebook's group sharing option. I just find Facebook redundant all together.
In conclusion, Facebook is a mess of a mess and needs a lot of work. While I think the new Timeline feature is fascinating and could be a game turner, I don't think a new profile look is really the answer to anything. All profile changes do, is piss people off. Don't believe me? Look at MySpace. Google Plus has a few things going for it, at least in my opinion. It's clean, it's fun, and gives you more options. I do enjoy having the Google Plus notifications at the top of my Google Home Page, Gmail, etc. I'll most likely be sticking with Google Plus for a while, at least they have a way to send Feedback. Facebook didn't start giving users what they wanted, until Google Plus came on the scene. That should raise a red flag.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Minecraft 1.8 Is Out
Today, they released Minecraft 1.8, at least part of it. The next update will feature the other part of it. People all over the world from New Zealand, to the America's are gearing up and getting their Diamond armor and Pick Axes ready to go.
The challenge? Enderman. Notch added Enderman to the game. These guys are supposed to be a creeper type of mob, but what ever you do, don't look at them. As long as you aren't looking at them, it's as though you don't even exist, but if you do look at them. Be ware. They'll become angry and get aggressive. Also, they have the ability to teleport to you. If you do make them aggressive, the only way to hold them off so far, besides trying to kill them, is to keep your mouse pointer over the mob, when you get far enough away, it'll teleport closer to you. This will increase the excitement and rush for Minecraft players. This adds a whole new level of game play.
We finally have floating islands. Yep, a way to build in the sky. Floating Fortress anyone? You have to build a portal to the Nether in order to build a portal to the Skyland. Here's how it works, first, build a Portal out of Obsidian to get to the Nether, then go into the nether and collect some Glowstone. Once you have enough Glowstone, you can create a portal to the Skyland. This should be an interesting game play feature. I can see people already making 1.8 videos. There are so many cool features being added, such as Minecarts being able to be used as Boats.
Many people have already updated their Minecraft, while many others are at work, or at school and can't wait to rush home. We know what the first thing they'll be doing when they get home will be. Updating their games of course. In fact, I'm off to update mine as well.
The challenge? Enderman. Notch added Enderman to the game. These guys are supposed to be a creeper type of mob, but what ever you do, don't look at them. As long as you aren't looking at them, it's as though you don't even exist, but if you do look at them. Be ware. They'll become angry and get aggressive. Also, they have the ability to teleport to you. If you do make them aggressive, the only way to hold them off so far, besides trying to kill them, is to keep your mouse pointer over the mob, when you get far enough away, it'll teleport closer to you. This will increase the excitement and rush for Minecraft players. This adds a whole new level of game play.
We finally have floating islands. Yep, a way to build in the sky. Floating Fortress anyone? You have to build a portal to the Nether in order to build a portal to the Skyland. Here's how it works, first, build a Portal out of Obsidian to get to the Nether, then go into the nether and collect some Glowstone. Once you have enough Glowstone, you can create a portal to the Skyland. This should be an interesting game play feature. I can see people already making 1.8 videos. There are so many cool features being added, such as Minecarts being able to be used as Boats.
Many people have already updated their Minecraft, while many others are at work, or at school and can't wait to rush home. We know what the first thing they'll be doing when they get home will be. Updating their games of course. In fact, I'm off to update mine as well.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Acer 20" Monitor Review
I said I would do a review on the Acer 20" Monitor that I purchased about a week and a half ago. First off, here are the specs.
Size = 20"
Contrast Ratio = 12,000,000:1
Price = Just over $108 tax included
First off, I'll go over the cons, sense there isn't really that many of them.
Cons
The CD that came with it is useless. Put it in my dvd burner and it didn't even work. Then again, there wasn't much of anything on there that I needed.
Was a little tricky to put together. At first, I just sat it down in there, thinking that there was something else that held it in. Then I figured out, that you had to push down pretty hard on it for it to snap into place.
No VGA to HDMI adapter. I have one of these from my old Monitor, so no biggie for me, but might cause problems for others in the future, if one of the cables goes bad.
No detail to the menu buttons. Might be confusing at first.
That's it, for the cons. Not much right?
Pros
Comes complete with cables and everything. No need for adapters? Yep, has two connection cables. One cable that connects directly to your PC video card, and another one that requires the adapter. Those two cables are the HDMI and VGA cables. Very handy to have both.
Did I mention that it was wide screen? 16:9 support?
Resolution is 1600 x 900, and has excellent picture quality. So much better than that old 15" CRT that I had.
Cost, for just over a $100, you can't go wrong.
Did I mention it was Ultra Thin and you could pick it up with one hand?
All in all, I'd say this is a pretty good monitor. The contrast ratio is insane for the price. Just love it. This monitor is actually better than the 17" Flat Screen that I previously had, despite the cons this one currently has. I highly recommend this if you're on a budget like I was.
Size = 20"
Contrast Ratio = 12,000,000:1
Price = Just over $108 tax included
First off, I'll go over the cons, sense there isn't really that many of them.
Cons
The CD that came with it is useless. Put it in my dvd burner and it didn't even work. Then again, there wasn't much of anything on there that I needed.
Was a little tricky to put together. At first, I just sat it down in there, thinking that there was something else that held it in. Then I figured out, that you had to push down pretty hard on it for it to snap into place.
No VGA to HDMI adapter. I have one of these from my old Monitor, so no biggie for me, but might cause problems for others in the future, if one of the cables goes bad.
No detail to the menu buttons. Might be confusing at first.
That's it, for the cons. Not much right?
Pros
Comes complete with cables and everything. No need for adapters? Yep, has two connection cables. One cable that connects directly to your PC video card, and another one that requires the adapter. Those two cables are the HDMI and VGA cables. Very handy to have both.
Did I mention that it was wide screen? 16:9 support?
Resolution is 1600 x 900, and has excellent picture quality. So much better than that old 15" CRT that I had.
Cost, for just over a $100, you can't go wrong.
Did I mention it was Ultra Thin and you could pick it up with one hand?
All in all, I'd say this is a pretty good monitor. The contrast ratio is insane for the price. Just love it. This monitor is actually better than the 17" Flat Screen that I previously had, despite the cons this one currently has. I highly recommend this if you're on a budget like I was.
Problems With Space Junk
Right now, there is literally tons of trash floating around in Space in our orbit. Isn't that enlightening? The fact that there is even trash up there to begin with, just goes to show how uncareful mankind can be. With this problems, rises numerous amount of questions and issues.
One of these questions, is how do we get rid of all that garbage? One suggestion, is to send a giant Magnet up into orbit, that will float around and collect the trash. Great, another object floating up in Space, just what we need right? Well, this is actually a great idea, if they go about it the right way. There is always that IF, isn't there? What is the right way to go about it? Well, of course, everyone has their different opinions and points of views on it.
One point of view, is that we could always collect it, then send it off towards the Sun. Seriously? Yep, sounds logical if you think about it. Some people say, well, it'll never make it there. You're right, it won't make it there, in fact, I don't know if you noticed or not, but the Sun, is burning our skin when we stay out too long, even from that distance. Imagine the closer it gets to the Sun, it'll vaporize before it gets there.
So, would argue that that's a bad thing, I ask, why? Why is that a bad thing? What harm is there in disintegrating garbage into the sun? Some would argue, that our trash isn't supposed to be in Space. I say, isn't that what Stars and Black Holes are? Debris cleaners? They get rid of the trash that's already out there don't they? It's a natural waste disposal unit. Built right into our own Solar System, as well as the numerous amount of others.
We can't simply keep hording the trash here can we? Oh wait, there is another option. We could recycle. Now those same people that argue against sending trash into space, are going to argue that this is too much work? Sorting cans and plastic into recycle bins? Too much work? Did you know that about 70 percent of our trash is recyclable? Yet, at the same time, only about half of that, actually gets recycled? Less than half actually. So, if we recycled more, how much land would that free up? How much better for the planet would that be as a whole? Think about that one for a while.
One of these questions, is how do we get rid of all that garbage? One suggestion, is to send a giant Magnet up into orbit, that will float around and collect the trash. Great, another object floating up in Space, just what we need right? Well, this is actually a great idea, if they go about it the right way. There is always that IF, isn't there? What is the right way to go about it? Well, of course, everyone has their different opinions and points of views on it.
One point of view, is that we could always collect it, then send it off towards the Sun. Seriously? Yep, sounds logical if you think about it. Some people say, well, it'll never make it there. You're right, it won't make it there, in fact, I don't know if you noticed or not, but the Sun, is burning our skin when we stay out too long, even from that distance. Imagine the closer it gets to the Sun, it'll vaporize before it gets there.
So, would argue that that's a bad thing, I ask, why? Why is that a bad thing? What harm is there in disintegrating garbage into the sun? Some would argue, that our trash isn't supposed to be in Space. I say, isn't that what Stars and Black Holes are? Debris cleaners? They get rid of the trash that's already out there don't they? It's a natural waste disposal unit. Built right into our own Solar System, as well as the numerous amount of others.
We can't simply keep hording the trash here can we? Oh wait, there is another option. We could recycle. Now those same people that argue against sending trash into space, are going to argue that this is too much work? Sorting cans and plastic into recycle bins? Too much work? Did you know that about 70 percent of our trash is recyclable? Yet, at the same time, only about half of that, actually gets recycled? Less than half actually. So, if we recycled more, how much land would that free up? How much better for the planet would that be as a whole? Think about that one for a while.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Royalty Free Music For Videos
Maybe you are a Youtuber and would like to have some Royalty Free music to use in your videos. Or perhaps, you're an amateur film maker and would like some affordable or free quality music to use. Well, I may have the answer for you.
incompetech has some awesome music that is of good quality that you could use in your videos. Are you trying to produce a book trailer for your new novel? This might be what you're looking for. Are you a gamer that's trying to get some cool intro music for your Minecraft Let's Play series? incompetech, just might be your answer.
You browse by collection, or browse by genre of music. They have various Genres ranging form Horror, to African, to Epic, to Film Scoring Moods. With a wide variety of music tracks to choose from, they are sure to have something available for everyone. If you'd like to check them out, just click on the link below.
incompetech
incompetech has some awesome music that is of good quality that you could use in your videos. Are you trying to produce a book trailer for your new novel? This might be what you're looking for. Are you a gamer that's trying to get some cool intro music for your Minecraft Let's Play series? incompetech, just might be your answer.
You browse by collection, or browse by genre of music. They have various Genres ranging form Horror, to African, to Epic, to Film Scoring Moods. With a wide variety of music tracks to choose from, they are sure to have something available for everyone. If you'd like to check them out, just click on the link below.
incompetech
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Is Google Doomed To Fail? Bloggers New Layout.
Blogger has a new layout and it's not really that bad. I mean, it's not like Blogger is trying to become the next MySpace and Facebook. Right? Well, let's look at the details.
The over all look is clean. The Dashboard is really well laid out. I can't give enough Thank Yous to Google for making these changes. Quite frankly, I'm impressed. Your blogs are all right there at the top for easy access. You can quickly create a new post in which ever blog you want, by clicking on the big orange Pencil button. That easy. Your Overview, Pages, Comments, Stats, Earnings, Layout, Templates, and Settings are all conveniently located in a Drop Down menu next to the New Post button. You can View your Blog right next to that. It's a very clean feeling. Like someone went through the house and did some spring cleaning.
The Blogs that you follow, are all at the bottom of the page on the left hand side. Their post, are to the right of that. Easy to read, easy to manage and sort through.
Individual Blog dashboards are just as easily navigable. Menu buttons are neatly arranged on the left hand side, while your page views is right dab in the middle. The Blogger official post, are right below that. Blog stats, Blogs of Note, and the Blogger Guide are all on the right side.
Your actual blog layout, stays the same. No changes there, just to the dashboards. I believe that this is a good change. A much needed change. Now, let's hope that Google doesn't become layout happy and start changing things like MySpace and Facebook. One might argue that Blogger is doomed to be the next MySpace or Facebook as far as Layout changes go. Google, take my advice and leave it as it.
All in all, I'd give this update 5 stars. Many people argue that Google can't do anything right. I beg the differ. Blogger is a successful platform and will only grow with these changes. Gmail is a major email system with a wide range of users. Google Plus is gaining ground and gaining quickly. Google a failure? I think not.
The over all look is clean. The Dashboard is really well laid out. I can't give enough Thank Yous to Google for making these changes. Quite frankly, I'm impressed. Your blogs are all right there at the top for easy access. You can quickly create a new post in which ever blog you want, by clicking on the big orange Pencil button. That easy. Your Overview, Pages, Comments, Stats, Earnings, Layout, Templates, and Settings are all conveniently located in a Drop Down menu next to the New Post button. You can View your Blog right next to that. It's a very clean feeling. Like someone went through the house and did some spring cleaning.
The Blogs that you follow, are all at the bottom of the page on the left hand side. Their post, are to the right of that. Easy to read, easy to manage and sort through.
Individual Blog dashboards are just as easily navigable. Menu buttons are neatly arranged on the left hand side, while your page views is right dab in the middle. The Blogger official post, are right below that. Blog stats, Blogs of Note, and the Blogger Guide are all on the right side.
Your actual blog layout, stays the same. No changes there, just to the dashboards. I believe that this is a good change. A much needed change. Now, let's hope that Google doesn't become layout happy and start changing things like MySpace and Facebook. One might argue that Blogger is doomed to be the next MySpace or Facebook as far as Layout changes go. Google, take my advice and leave it as it.
All in all, I'd give this update 5 stars. Many people argue that Google can't do anything right. I beg the differ. Blogger is a successful platform and will only grow with these changes. Gmail is a major email system with a wide range of users. Google Plus is gaining ground and gaining quickly. Google a failure? I think not.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Minecraft - 1.8 Update
So, Notch is going to release an update for Minecraft. When? Right around the time of the Minecon Convention. So, it'll be a couple months yet. At the same time, not everything is really confirmed in the release. What is confirmed? Well, here's a list of things below.
Creative mode and the fact that you'll be able to have every item at your disposal is an awesome feature for Minecraft. No longer will you have a need for the TooManyItems mod. I mean, if you want to go into adventure mode, why do you really need it? This is great for those who want to join the game and just build.
Endermen, I'm not sure how I feel about these at the moment. The fact that they do have a weakness, makes it even more interesting. I just hope I'm not in the middle of a Desert when I run into one of them.
Oceans will be larger and randomly dotted with Islands? This opens up a whole new level of Gameplay. So, who wants to be a Pirate? Anyone? Join my crew?
Rotting Flesh from Zombies? What is that uses for anyway? A mask you can wear in the Nether?
The NPCs feature will be epic. I can see the potential of this now. Lot's of adventures in Minecraft to be had now. As though there wasn't enough to do right? Still, going to be awesome.
Charged Bows and new achievements will bring a slight fun factor to Minecraft. This is going to be interesting. I imagine it being sort of like the Charged Sword attack in Zelda.
New animations for eating? I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I mean, why not leave it the same. Unless Notch wants to make it a little harder to play. Maybe he thinks we have it too easy?
The Dead Mine Shafts will be a site to see. This will add a new scary factor to Minecraft. Yet another way to creep people out. Just make sure you don't get too scared when that Zombie jumps out from around the corner.
XP Bar. While this is an interesting feature, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. Will there be magical skills that you can purchase as upgrades so to speak? That would be awesome.
This has been my epic review of the Minecraft 1.8 update features. Hope you enjoyed it. There are some things that aren't set in stone yet, but we'll have to wait and see what comes out when it finally comes. There is however going to be a couple of other features, such as Floating Islands and Baby Animals that you can supposedly tame and train. Good luck on your Minecraft Adventures and look toward the future.
- New Biome Code (Confirmed biomes: Large cliffs, Mountains, Islands, Canyons)
- Snow is now covered over the whole cubic block to look more realistic?
- Creative Mode (That mode will allow flying without mods both in SSP and SMP.)
- New Mobs! (Confirmed Mobs: Endermen)
- New lighting system.
- Rivers
- Food eating w/ animation.
- Skills
- Experience orbs.
- Hunger
- New HUD. (Whats new: Hunger bar, skill bar)
- Randomly generate mineshafts.
- New title menu background.
- Volcanoes will not be in 1.8, but Notch confirmed they are possible and could be coming in the future.
- Biomes will be much more distinct, and rivers will separate some of them.
- Endermen will have a two block reach and will teleport to attack you when you move your crosshairs off of them. They do, however, have a major weakness: Water. If you can lure them into chasing you into water they die off fairly quickly. They will also collect blocks to make geometric shapes. They are considered rare.
- Silverfish is some sort of new random mob.
- Oceans are much larger and with randomly dotted islands.
- Rain has been improved, “like a thousand times better” according to Notch.
- NPC Villages are ready to go, but not the characters themselves, they will be released down the road. They will be peaceful and leave you alone unless you attack one. Sort of like Zombie Pigmen in the Nether.
- Speaking of the Nether, there will be no updates for the Minecraft underworld just yet, but there will be at some point in the future.
- Lava and torches will have new lighting effects, and in possibly one of the most exciting updates, torches will give off light in your hand while holding it.
- Zombies will now drop rotten flesh as opposed to feathers (which never really made sense, anyway).
- Bows & Arrows have new animations, and charged arrows will have a lot more power and fly further.
- You’ll finally be able to grow pumpkins thanks to seeds.
- Melons have been added and can also be grown in farms.
- You will now have a Hunger Bar on your HUD. The more you sprint, the hungrier you get.
- There is now an animation for eating, and it also takes a few seconds now instead of being instantaneous.
- Tables. Finally … tables. No more just placing a wooden block and making people think it’s a table.
- Glass panes will be super thin glass and you can remove them unlike glass blocks.
- “Dead Mine Shafts” will be randomly generated like Dungeons and will feature rails, torches and wooden pillars.
- New Creative Mode will allow you to fly, hover, instantly destroy blocks – including Bedrock – and spawn items in unlimited numbers.
- You will be able to pull up a menu and just click on the items you wish to create. Admins will be able to turn this on and off.
- Killing animals and mobs will now drop Experience Orbs, and you gain skill points by filling up your XP bar, but you can’t do anything with those points … yet.
- Due to the number of updates, 1.8 updates may come in parts. (i.e. 1.8.1, 1.8.2)
Creative mode and the fact that you'll be able to have every item at your disposal is an awesome feature for Minecraft. No longer will you have a need for the TooManyItems mod. I mean, if you want to go into adventure mode, why do you really need it? This is great for those who want to join the game and just build.
Endermen, I'm not sure how I feel about these at the moment. The fact that they do have a weakness, makes it even more interesting. I just hope I'm not in the middle of a Desert when I run into one of them.
Oceans will be larger and randomly dotted with Islands? This opens up a whole new level of Gameplay. So, who wants to be a Pirate? Anyone? Join my crew?
Rotting Flesh from Zombies? What is that uses for anyway? A mask you can wear in the Nether?
The NPCs feature will be epic. I can see the potential of this now. Lot's of adventures in Minecraft to be had now. As though there wasn't enough to do right? Still, going to be awesome.
Charged Bows and new achievements will bring a slight fun factor to Minecraft. This is going to be interesting. I imagine it being sort of like the Charged Sword attack in Zelda.
New animations for eating? I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I mean, why not leave it the same. Unless Notch wants to make it a little harder to play. Maybe he thinks we have it too easy?
The Dead Mine Shafts will be a site to see. This will add a new scary factor to Minecraft. Yet another way to creep people out. Just make sure you don't get too scared when that Zombie jumps out from around the corner.
XP Bar. While this is an interesting feature, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. Will there be magical skills that you can purchase as upgrades so to speak? That would be awesome.
This has been my epic review of the Minecraft 1.8 update features. Hope you enjoyed it. There are some things that aren't set in stone yet, but we'll have to wait and see what comes out when it finally comes. There is however going to be a couple of other features, such as Floating Islands and Baby Animals that you can supposedly tame and train. Good luck on your Minecraft Adventures and look toward the future.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Google Plus - Are You Using It?
Many people have already jumped on the Google Plus bandwagon. Millions have created accounts, yet why are people leaving Google Plus and is it for you?
Google Plus, is Google's new platform. It's a Social Network that many people believe has a strong potential. It's main competition? Facebook. MySpace is basically dead, so now it's going to be between Google and Facebook.
Many people will probably stay with Facebook. It will probably be the younger generation and the older generation that has their kids on there and or grandkids. Though, Google Plus will definitely appeal to a more mature audience.
Key features of Google Plus -
Circles - the ability to sort your friends and share information with just that group.
Web Video Chat - Google has a partnership with Skype to enable video chat with local members.
Sparks - the ability to browse Google Plus by topic and find interesting post to read.
What are Circles? An easy way to sort your post. If you would like to make your post public, just choose to make them public so everyone can see them. Want to make your post private so only a few people can see them? Just type in the names of the people in your circles, or just use the entire circle itself. Let's say you want to send out a post to your Family members. Just click the Family circle while you're making a post. Simple enough.
Web Video Chat has been with Google Plus from the Start. Before Facebook even announced it. Many people on Facebook wanted Web Video Chat, yet at the same time, Facebook ignored them. Until now. Perhaps Google Plus is a threat to Facebook? With Web Video Chat on Google Plus, people can join in your video chat, or you can make it private between two people.
Sparks are a convenient way to separate your searches on Google Plus. Let's say you want to look up what everyone is posting about Recipes. Of course, this searches through Public Post and brings you back a list of post sharing Recipe ideas, etc. You get the Idea. When you first click on the Sparks tab, you'll find a list of popular search results on Google Plus. Just click on of those if you see anything you like. Let's say you want to add a category that isn't there. Search for let's say, "Travel" and then click the Add Interest button.
These are three features that Facebook never had until Google Plus came around. The fact that Facebook rushed these features in just a few short months, means that Facebook is a little bit scared of Google Plus rising up as a competitor. Facebook doesn't care at all about it's users, but Google Plus does. Google actually listens to user feedback and implements what the users wants. Granted, it's probably something a lot of people want, but still, you get what you want on Google Plus, don't on Facebook.
Now, the problem? Yes there is a problem. Many people out there on Google Plus only use it for one day, then give it a bad review. They claim it's nearly impossible to find you friends, convince them to move over to Google Plus, or even find new Friends. I already have 185 people in my main circle that I'm following already. I started my account with Google Plus on July 7, 2011. These people making these reviews, are obviously not giving Google Plus a chance. It take time to build up quality friends that you want to follow. Think of the time it took you to get all those Facebook friends you have.
So, my plea? Use Google Plus and give it an honest chance. Use it for about a month. If you aren't satisfied with Google Plus after one month. Go back to Facebook. Personally, I've been looking for a reason to leave Facebook, and while I just might, there isn't enough of my close friends over at Google Plus yet.
Google Plus, is Google's new platform. It's a Social Network that many people believe has a strong potential. It's main competition? Facebook. MySpace is basically dead, so now it's going to be between Google and Facebook.
Many people will probably stay with Facebook. It will probably be the younger generation and the older generation that has their kids on there and or grandkids. Though, Google Plus will definitely appeal to a more mature audience.
Key features of Google Plus -
Circles - the ability to sort your friends and share information with just that group.
Web Video Chat - Google has a partnership with Skype to enable video chat with local members.
Sparks - the ability to browse Google Plus by topic and find interesting post to read.
What are Circles? An easy way to sort your post. If you would like to make your post public, just choose to make them public so everyone can see them. Want to make your post private so only a few people can see them? Just type in the names of the people in your circles, or just use the entire circle itself. Let's say you want to send out a post to your Family members. Just click the Family circle while you're making a post. Simple enough.
Web Video Chat has been with Google Plus from the Start. Before Facebook even announced it. Many people on Facebook wanted Web Video Chat, yet at the same time, Facebook ignored them. Until now. Perhaps Google Plus is a threat to Facebook? With Web Video Chat on Google Plus, people can join in your video chat, or you can make it private between two people.
Sparks are a convenient way to separate your searches on Google Plus. Let's say you want to look up what everyone is posting about Recipes. Of course, this searches through Public Post and brings you back a list of post sharing Recipe ideas, etc. You get the Idea. When you first click on the Sparks tab, you'll find a list of popular search results on Google Plus. Just click on of those if you see anything you like. Let's say you want to add a category that isn't there. Search for let's say, "Travel" and then click the Add Interest button.
These are three features that Facebook never had until Google Plus came around. The fact that Facebook rushed these features in just a few short months, means that Facebook is a little bit scared of Google Plus rising up as a competitor. Facebook doesn't care at all about it's users, but Google Plus does. Google actually listens to user feedback and implements what the users wants. Granted, it's probably something a lot of people want, but still, you get what you want on Google Plus, don't on Facebook.
Now, the problem? Yes there is a problem. Many people out there on Google Plus only use it for one day, then give it a bad review. They claim it's nearly impossible to find you friends, convince them to move over to Google Plus, or even find new Friends. I already have 185 people in my main circle that I'm following already. I started my account with Google Plus on July 7, 2011. These people making these reviews, are obviously not giving Google Plus a chance. It take time to build up quality friends that you want to follow. Think of the time it took you to get all those Facebook friends you have.
So, my plea? Use Google Plus and give it an honest chance. Use it for about a month. If you aren't satisfied with Google Plus after one month. Go back to Facebook. Personally, I've been looking for a reason to leave Facebook, and while I just might, there isn't enough of my close friends over at Google Plus yet.
20" Monitor
I just picked up a 20" monitor today. Here are the Major key details.
Brand - Acer
LCD
LED Technology
12,000,000:1 Contrast Ratio
20"
Ultra Thin
I'll be doing a bit more of an in depth review, probably within the week. After I've had a chance to actually use it a bit.
Brand - Acer
LCD
LED Technology
12,000,000:1 Contrast Ratio
20"
Ultra Thin
I'll be doing a bit more of an in depth review, probably within the week. After I've had a chance to actually use it a bit.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Hurricane Irene - Why All The Fuss?
Ever notice how much hype there was over this storm? Irene I mean. She's caused a lot of confusion and misinformation if you ask me. Also, why do they have to take a storm and drag it out on the news.
Breaking News: Hurricane Irene has made landfall. Please, that's not breaking news. Ever notice how most of the time, Breaking News, isn't breaking news at all?
I know that I'm not the only one that gets frustrated with this sort of thing. What about you? Do you get frustrated with the fact that the News media thinks we're stupid or something? Well, they must think we're stupid.
One news media station even goes as far as playing the same stuff over and over each hour. With very little change if any throughout the day. Seriously? Are you guys that stupid? I mean, who really wants to sit there and listen to news on the storm for an hour? Who wants to sit there and listen to news on a murder case for an hour? Who wants to sit there and listen to the news of war for an entire hour?
I just have one question. What new things are they showing us? Not much really. I think it's time for the Newscasters and News Media in general, to "Grow Up." On top of that, what's with these idiotic weather forecasters, stepping out in Hurricane force winds. Yeah, you won't catch me out there. These idiots can have their stories.
Thoughts and questions? I've got lots of them and I'm sure you do as well.
Breaking News: Hurricane Irene has made landfall. Please, that's not breaking news. Ever notice how most of the time, Breaking News, isn't breaking news at all?
I know that I'm not the only one that gets frustrated with this sort of thing. What about you? Do you get frustrated with the fact that the News media thinks we're stupid or something? Well, they must think we're stupid.
One news media station even goes as far as playing the same stuff over and over each hour. With very little change if any throughout the day. Seriously? Are you guys that stupid? I mean, who really wants to sit there and listen to news on the storm for an hour? Who wants to sit there and listen to news on a murder case for an hour? Who wants to sit there and listen to the news of war for an entire hour?
I just have one question. What new things are they showing us? Not much really. I think it's time for the Newscasters and News Media in general, to "Grow Up." On top of that, what's with these idiotic weather forecasters, stepping out in Hurricane force winds. Yeah, you won't catch me out there. These idiots can have their stories.
Thoughts and questions? I've got lots of them and I'm sure you do as well.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Why People Should Recycle
Facts
1) 70 percent of the garbage in America is recyclable.
2) Only about 32 percent of our trash is actually recycled.
That means, that another 38 percent of our trash can still be recycled. If 30 percent of our garbage isn't recyclable, and we have 38 percent that is not being recycled. That means, that over half of our garbage going into dumps, is NOT being recycled. This could have a negative impact on the environment.
I'm guilty myself of throwing away plastic and paper. If we didn't throw away so much plastic and paper, our Garbage bags would take forever to fill up. Therefor, reducing plastic use even more.
We as a whole, need to take responsibility for our own actions. Even on a low level such as recycling metals, plastics, and paper can have a huge impact on our lives. This will not only save our resources for future generations, but it'll cut down on our oil use as well.
(This part taken from About Environment
Overall, the two scientists estimate that meeting U.S. demand for bottled-water—assuming the 2007 consumption rate of 33 billion liters—requires energy equivalent to between 32 million and 54 million barrels of oil. The energy required to satisfy the global thirst for bottled water is about three times that amount.
So, as you can see, our part is just as important for the use of plastic. Not as many people recycle that should be. This is something that we can all do to help.
1) 70 percent of the garbage in America is recyclable.
2) Only about 32 percent of our trash is actually recycled.
That means, that another 38 percent of our trash can still be recycled. If 30 percent of our garbage isn't recyclable, and we have 38 percent that is not being recycled. That means, that over half of our garbage going into dumps, is NOT being recycled. This could have a negative impact on the environment.
I'm guilty myself of throwing away plastic and paper. If we didn't throw away so much plastic and paper, our Garbage bags would take forever to fill up. Therefor, reducing plastic use even more.
We as a whole, need to take responsibility for our own actions. Even on a low level such as recycling metals, plastics, and paper can have a huge impact on our lives. This will not only save our resources for future generations, but it'll cut down on our oil use as well.
(This part taken from About Environment
Overall, the two scientists estimate that meeting U.S. demand for bottled-water—assuming the 2007 consumption rate of 33 billion liters—requires energy equivalent to between 32 million and 54 million barrels of oil. The energy required to satisfy the global thirst for bottled water is about three times that amount.
So, as you can see, our part is just as important for the use of plastic. Not as many people recycle that should be. This is something that we can all do to help.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Minecraft Must Have Apparel.
Minecraft must have Apparel. If you're into Minecraft and would love to have some clothing. Here are a few suggestions for you. There is enough to go around.
Minecraft Periodic Table
Powered By Redstone T-shirt
Minecraft Logo T
I Porkchop Minecraft T
Live In Your World, Play In Mines T
Minecraft Runaway Glow In The Dark T
Minecraft Creeper Cap
Minecraft Retro Creeper T
Minecraft Periodic Table
Powered By Redstone T-shirt
Minecraft Logo T
I Porkchop Minecraft T
Live In Your World, Play In Mines T
Minecraft Runaway Glow In The Dark T
Minecraft Creeper Cap
Minecraft Retro Creeper T
Minecon - Minecraft's Own Con
Minecraft officially has it's own Con. It's called Minecon. As of this posting there are 88+ days left until the Convention. That's right. Why is this so important? Simple. Notch is going to have an important announcement. Several actually.
One thing we do know, is that Minecraft will officially be out of Beta and be an Official game. So, what does that mean for a lot of players who want Minecraft? That means you should get it now if you can. at 20 Euro, you can't hardly go wrong. Notch has already sold over 30 million copies of Minecraft. Why not add to that, because once it's out of beta, it's going to 30 Euro.
On a side note, Bethesda, is trying to sue Mojang, for using the word Scroll inside the game. If you're unfamiliar with Bethesda, think Elder Scrolls, Morrowind and Oblivion. Both popular games by Bethesda. This little tid bit of information is turning me off to Bethesda. Just like when Facebook tried to sue someone for using Book in their website address. Gasp.
With that said, Minecon should be awesome, if you're a Minecraft fan. If you don't even know what Minecraft is yet, go to the Minecraft website to check it out.
One thing we do know, is that Minecraft will officially be out of Beta and be an Official game. So, what does that mean for a lot of players who want Minecraft? That means you should get it now if you can. at 20 Euro, you can't hardly go wrong. Notch has already sold over 30 million copies of Minecraft. Why not add to that, because once it's out of beta, it's going to 30 Euro.
On a side note, Bethesda, is trying to sue Mojang, for using the word Scroll inside the game. If you're unfamiliar with Bethesda, think Elder Scrolls, Morrowind and Oblivion. Both popular games by Bethesda. This little tid bit of information is turning me off to Bethesda. Just like when Facebook tried to sue someone for using Book in their website address. Gasp.
With that said, Minecon should be awesome, if you're a Minecraft fan. If you don't even know what Minecraft is yet, go to the Minecraft website to check it out.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Batteries That Can Charge Faster?
Scientist are in the works on batteries that can charge faster. How much faster? How about minutes rather than hours? This new technology is something else. They are working towards using it in Electric cars. Imagine a time when you can charge your Electric car while you're in the store purchasing a soda. This would make traveling with them a whole lot easier. The Problem?
One of the problems remains in the cost of the product. Graphene is a relatively expensive product, but the company that produces it, is working on ways to drastically reduce the cost in 1-3 years. Graphene research has been going on for a while now, yet they have now the ability to make life a lot easier. Who needs a fuel pump when you can plug in your car?
The secret to these Energy Storage Devices, is not really that much of a secret. It's ability to charge quickly lies in the large surface areas of the Anodes and Cathodes. This allows faster transfer of the Ions needed to power the battery.
So far, studies have been done on 1,000 cycles and 2,000 cycles. The 1,000 cycle study has showed positive results and a 95% retaining of the charge. This is great news for Electric car drivers. Like every other rechargeable battery, there is going to be some wear and tear. So, they'll probably have to be replaced every few years.
Now, just combine these with Solar panels and you'll have endless possibilities. They'll be able to be used right along side solar and wind units. What do you think? Will Electric Car manufactures be adding these along with solar panels to their cars in the future? Just the Batteries, or do you think that Solar Panels alone will last a while?
This article was in reference to an article written on Physorg
One of the problems remains in the cost of the product. Graphene is a relatively expensive product, but the company that produces it, is working on ways to drastically reduce the cost in 1-3 years. Graphene research has been going on for a while now, yet they have now the ability to make life a lot easier. Who needs a fuel pump when you can plug in your car?
The secret to these Energy Storage Devices, is not really that much of a secret. It's ability to charge quickly lies in the large surface areas of the Anodes and Cathodes. This allows faster transfer of the Ions needed to power the battery.
So far, studies have been done on 1,000 cycles and 2,000 cycles. The 1,000 cycle study has showed positive results and a 95% retaining of the charge. This is great news for Electric car drivers. Like every other rechargeable battery, there is going to be some wear and tear. So, they'll probably have to be replaced every few years.
Now, just combine these with Solar panels and you'll have endless possibilities. They'll be able to be used right along side solar and wind units. What do you think? Will Electric Car manufactures be adding these along with solar panels to their cars in the future? Just the Batteries, or do you think that Solar Panels alone will last a while?
This article was in reference to an article written on Physorg
Will People Be Storing Meat and Dairy Products?
Microbiologist Dan O Sullivan, found an interesting preservative while doing research on the intestine. This was actually an accidental find, but Dan O Sullivan already has a patent on it. Why? Simple, the preservative properties of this, are already at work in the human body. This brings up one question that people are asking. Does this mean that it's safe? Well, there are still studies being done on it, so it's hard to say.
One thing is clear though. Mr. Sullivan is already expecting foods to have this preservative in them in at least one to three years. He said three years, others believe as little as one. What is this preservative called? Nisin and it has bacteria killing properties that can even destroy E. Coli. This may be one reason why some people are subjective to the E. Coli strain. Not enough Nisin in their system?
Of course, with this new discovery, there arises a lot of questions. Is it safe to eat? Many suspect that it is, sense it's found in the body naturally, yet some believe that too much, could lead to disorders, diseases, etc. How much research is needed to prove this safe? Is one year enough time? Or is the whole three years required? Perhaps even longer?
Nisin actually has similar chemical properties that are in the preservative Bisin, (used in cheese). Some believe that this preservative will allow the preservation of food to be longer than just a few years. Maybe even forever. Imagine if the Egyptians had stored Meat and Dairy Products in their tomes? What if we were digging up several thousand year old Meat and Dairy that was still good?
So, there arise another question. Many people like to put back food for hard times. Survival food, so to speak. Will you be putting back Meat and Dairy if it can last 10 - 20 years or longer? How long will it be before you decide that it's safe? Will you wait another 10 - 20 years to see if their are any side effects from eating too much of this preservative?
This article was in reference to an article written on Physorg
One thing is clear though. Mr. Sullivan is already expecting foods to have this preservative in them in at least one to three years. He said three years, others believe as little as one. What is this preservative called? Nisin and it has bacteria killing properties that can even destroy E. Coli. This may be one reason why some people are subjective to the E. Coli strain. Not enough Nisin in their system?
Of course, with this new discovery, there arises a lot of questions. Is it safe to eat? Many suspect that it is, sense it's found in the body naturally, yet some believe that too much, could lead to disorders, diseases, etc. How much research is needed to prove this safe? Is one year enough time? Or is the whole three years required? Perhaps even longer?
Nisin actually has similar chemical properties that are in the preservative Bisin, (used in cheese). Some believe that this preservative will allow the preservation of food to be longer than just a few years. Maybe even forever. Imagine if the Egyptians had stored Meat and Dairy Products in their tomes? What if we were digging up several thousand year old Meat and Dairy that was still good?
So, there arise another question. Many people like to put back food for hard times. Survival food, so to speak. Will you be putting back Meat and Dairy if it can last 10 - 20 years or longer? How long will it be before you decide that it's safe? Will you wait another 10 - 20 years to see if their are any side effects from eating too much of this preservative?
This article was in reference to an article written on Physorg
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Foursquare and Instagram Added to Empire Avenue
What do you get when you cross Empire Avenue, $1.2 Million, and big shots such as: Crosslink Capitol, iNova Capitol, and Bioware Co-Founders? Endless Possibilities that's what. Empire Avenue (known as EAv here on out) recently acquired investors. These investors mean a lot to the EAv team and it's players.
Why does this mean a lot? Well, instead of "Going out and buying a Zeppelin," there quote, not mine, they'll be spending a lot of that on new team members. These team members will give a boost to production in the EAv atmosphere. This is great news, considering the fact that there are only a few of them to begin with.
More team members isn't the only reason to be happy though. They just added connections to Foursquare and Instagram. For those of you who use mobile devices and actually get out enough to use them, this will be a huge plus. With eight profiles already, two more wouldn't hurt. Right? Also, with these added connections and team members, they'll be able to add connections quicker than you'd expect normally.
So, what does this mean for EAv? More connections, more team members, more users, more virtual goods, better updates, etc. All in all, I think it's a good day for EAv. If you aren't already using this massive Stock Market game that puts a value on your Social Media activity, now might be the time to join. It's only going to sky rocket from here. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.
Empire Avenue
Why does this mean a lot? Well, instead of "Going out and buying a Zeppelin," there quote, not mine, they'll be spending a lot of that on new team members. These team members will give a boost to production in the EAv atmosphere. This is great news, considering the fact that there are only a few of them to begin with.
More team members isn't the only reason to be happy though. They just added connections to Foursquare and Instagram. For those of you who use mobile devices and actually get out enough to use them, this will be a huge plus. With eight profiles already, two more wouldn't hurt. Right? Also, with these added connections and team members, they'll be able to add connections quicker than you'd expect normally.
So, what does this mean for EAv? More connections, more team members, more users, more virtual goods, better updates, etc. All in all, I think it's a good day for EAv. If you aren't already using this massive Stock Market game that puts a value on your Social Media activity, now might be the time to join. It's only going to sky rocket from here. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.
Empire Avenue
Friday, July 22, 2011
Photography - Read The Instructions
Far too often, people tend to not read the instructions of many items. Instead, they go through thinking that they know how to operate the item they just purchased. Little did they know, that it's a bit more complicated than they thought it would be.
Well, you dummy, if you would have read the instructions to begin with. This doesn't apply to just photography, in fact, it applies to everything you do. Admittedly, some things are easier to work with than others.
Yet, you see it everyday. Humankind's stupidity takes charge and goes, oh, I can do this. Yet time after time, they do the same thing, and end up with the same result. A contraption that they have no clue on how to operate it. Rather, this is stubbornness more so than stupidity, but it's basically the same thing.
Many people are more stubborn than the want to admit. We all have certain things that we just believe. We know it to be true and nothing you can say or do will tell us otherwise. And then we have to go and learn that's not how it works the hard way. Often, with complete utter failure.
We can save us a lot of utter failure if we'd just read the manual. Digital cameras, aren't what they used to be. Even the so called, simple Point and Click cameras aren't that simple. Even they have settings on there that most people never even use. Sometimes, we need to see things at a different angle to really truly appreciate the arts.
So, instead of wasting time, read the manual and learn a thing or two about your camera. You'll be glad you did. On top of that, you're photography skills will increase with the amount of features you've just learned how to use, but don't just learn how to use them. Actually use them. That way you know for sure which settings are your favorite, for certain things.
Now, if only Life came with a manual.
Well, you dummy, if you would have read the instructions to begin with. This doesn't apply to just photography, in fact, it applies to everything you do. Admittedly, some things are easier to work with than others.
Yet, you see it everyday. Humankind's stupidity takes charge and goes, oh, I can do this. Yet time after time, they do the same thing, and end up with the same result. A contraption that they have no clue on how to operate it. Rather, this is stubbornness more so than stupidity, but it's basically the same thing.
Many people are more stubborn than the want to admit. We all have certain things that we just believe. We know it to be true and nothing you can say or do will tell us otherwise. And then we have to go and learn that's not how it works the hard way. Often, with complete utter failure.
We can save us a lot of utter failure if we'd just read the manual. Digital cameras, aren't what they used to be. Even the so called, simple Point and Click cameras aren't that simple. Even they have settings on there that most people never even use. Sometimes, we need to see things at a different angle to really truly appreciate the arts.
So, instead of wasting time, read the manual and learn a thing or two about your camera. You'll be glad you did. On top of that, you're photography skills will increase with the amount of features you've just learned how to use, but don't just learn how to use them. Actually use them. That way you know for sure which settings are your favorite, for certain things.
Now, if only Life came with a manual.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Fear Is No More
The Fear Is No More
The world is dark and now I'm out.
The eyes adjust as I stand and stare
The stars shine bright and help light the night.
The air is fresh and has a cool feel.
The ground is soft as my feet rest on grass.
The senses take over as a smell drifts by.
The mind can't tell, from whence it came.
The ears hear a sound towards the rear.
The hairs stand on end, unknowing of what it is.
The body turns and the eyes see.
The dog stands and stares, not sure what to do.
The eyes meet and we stare.
The moment passes and the dog turns away.
The fear is no more.
Written by:
Roger Hoyt
Copyright July 2011
The world is dark and now I'm out.
The eyes adjust as I stand and stare
The stars shine bright and help light the night.
The air is fresh and has a cool feel.
The ground is soft as my feet rest on grass.
The senses take over as a smell drifts by.
The mind can't tell, from whence it came.
The ears hear a sound towards the rear.
The hairs stand on end, unknowing of what it is.
The body turns and the eyes see.
The dog stands and stares, not sure what to do.
The eyes meet and we stare.
The moment passes and the dog turns away.
The fear is no more.
Written by:
Roger Hoyt
Copyright July 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
This Tiny World in a Massive Universe
The world as we know it is very small. Sure, it may appear large to many people living here, but compare it to the rest of the Universe. Did you know that you could fit 1300 Earths inside the planet Jupiter? Jupiter is in fact the largest planet in our solar system. But wait, there is a bigger planet than Jupiter.
In 2006, another planet was discovered in a far away Solar System in the constellation of Hercules. It's actually 1.7 times bigger than Jupiter. Impressive right? How on Earth can a planet even amass that amount of size? That's actually 70% larger than Jupiter.
As if that wasn't enough, Scientist believe they may have actually found a Ninth planet in out solar system. This planet, currently dubbed Tyche, is in the outer reaches of the Ort Cloud that is in our own Solar system. If the data is correct, this planet would dwarf even Jupiter. Tyche, is said to be 4 times larger than Jupiter itself. Still think this is a big planet you're on? Ok, guess I need to do some more convencing.
It's estimated that there are about 2500 stars visible at any given time. On top of that, 5800 - 8000 is the total number of visible stars. If that's not impressive, Science estimates that there are about 200 billion - 400 billion total stars in out very own Milky Way Galaxy. Continue? Okay.
Recent studies have found that about 30 percent of stars actually have planets. A lot more than the previous 7 percent. This increases our odds of finding Earth Like planets. Some solar systems may even contain multiple Earth Like planets.
The Hubble Space Telescope took a picture one day. NASA, decided to zoom in on a spot out in space. They held it there for ten days, letting the light come to them. The end result? An image that capture the light from almost 3000 Galaxies. That's right. Almost 3000. In one little tiny spot in the sky. So, what does this equal out to in ratio number? How about a whopping 1/28,000,000. For those of you that still have your minds spinning, that's about 1 out of 28 million spots in the sky to choose from. Now, take that previous number of 3000 and multiply that by 28 million and you have a huge number. On top of that, that's not catching every inch of space. There are sections in between that would be missed. Not to mention the sections beyond that.
Let's put that in retrospective. If you took that 28 million and multiplied that by 3000, you'd come up with a grand total of 84 billion Galaxies. That are in our current Universe. Which means, if we took that 84 billion Galaxies and multiplied that by an average of 300 billion stars. For those of you who want me to continue with the math, that's 25.2 sextillion stars. In case you don't know what that is, it goes a little something like this, million, billion, trillion, quadrillion, quintillion, sextillion. That's a lot of stars. And 30 percent of those, have planets? That 30 percent equals out to about 7.56 sextillion stars that have planets. And people think we are alone in the Universe. Haha, good luck with that one.
Now, let me ask you a question. If there is life on this planet. Out of those unknown proportions of planets, what makes us think that there isn't life on other planets? Some people refuse to acknowledge the possibility, but the evidence is over whelming. To deny the fact that there might actually be life on other planets, is just stupid. Plain stupid. No other word to describe it. Now, do you still feel that Earth is a big planet?
In 2006, another planet was discovered in a far away Solar System in the constellation of Hercules. It's actually 1.7 times bigger than Jupiter. Impressive right? How on Earth can a planet even amass that amount of size? That's actually 70% larger than Jupiter.
As if that wasn't enough, Scientist believe they may have actually found a Ninth planet in out solar system. This planet, currently dubbed Tyche, is in the outer reaches of the Ort Cloud that is in our own Solar system. If the data is correct, this planet would dwarf even Jupiter. Tyche, is said to be 4 times larger than Jupiter itself. Still think this is a big planet you're on? Ok, guess I need to do some more convencing.
It's estimated that there are about 2500 stars visible at any given time. On top of that, 5800 - 8000 is the total number of visible stars. If that's not impressive, Science estimates that there are about 200 billion - 400 billion total stars in out very own Milky Way Galaxy. Continue? Okay.
Recent studies have found that about 30 percent of stars actually have planets. A lot more than the previous 7 percent. This increases our odds of finding Earth Like planets. Some solar systems may even contain multiple Earth Like planets.
The Hubble Space Telescope took a picture one day. NASA, decided to zoom in on a spot out in space. They held it there for ten days, letting the light come to them. The end result? An image that capture the light from almost 3000 Galaxies. That's right. Almost 3000. In one little tiny spot in the sky. So, what does this equal out to in ratio number? How about a whopping 1/28,000,000. For those of you that still have your minds spinning, that's about 1 out of 28 million spots in the sky to choose from. Now, take that previous number of 3000 and multiply that by 28 million and you have a huge number. On top of that, that's not catching every inch of space. There are sections in between that would be missed. Not to mention the sections beyond that.
Let's put that in retrospective. If you took that 28 million and multiplied that by 3000, you'd come up with a grand total of 84 billion Galaxies. That are in our current Universe. Which means, if we took that 84 billion Galaxies and multiplied that by an average of 300 billion stars. For those of you who want me to continue with the math, that's 25.2 sextillion stars. In case you don't know what that is, it goes a little something like this, million, billion, trillion, quadrillion, quintillion, sextillion. That's a lot of stars. And 30 percent of those, have planets? That 30 percent equals out to about 7.56 sextillion stars that have planets. And people think we are alone in the Universe. Haha, good luck with that one.
Now, let me ask you a question. If there is life on this planet. Out of those unknown proportions of planets, what makes us think that there isn't life on other planets? Some people refuse to acknowledge the possibility, but the evidence is over whelming. To deny the fact that there might actually be life on other planets, is just stupid. Plain stupid. No other word to describe it. Now, do you still feel that Earth is a big planet?
Empire Avenue. Second Look.
Empire Avenue, I've written on this before, but my thoughts on this have changed. First off, for those of you who are reading this for the first time, might want to know what Empire Avenue is. Empire Avenue is a Social Network driven stock market game. Wait...What? Socially driven stock market game? Yep, that's right, in other words, you're activity on your other social networks, is reflected in your stock price. Not a very active Social Networker? You can expect your stock to drop a bit and for people to sell your stock. You're stock price is also affected by how many people sell you versus how many people buy you. The more people that buy than sell, the higher the stock price. Dividends are given to your stock holders. That's also calculated based on your Social Network activity and how much people interact with you. There you have it. The basics of Empire Avenue.
Now, some of you might wonder why exactly, am I writing another post about it? Well, some times, after a while of playing something, we have to step back and look at things from a different angle. Is the game really living up to our perspectives. Yes, many people consider Empire Avenue a game that merely connects your Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, Facebook Fan Page, and Blogs.
So, what exactly do I think about Empire Avenue now? Well, first off, I should probably point out that, regardless of what I say here, I'll probably still end up playing Empire Avenue.
Empire Avenue to me has really taken a hit. There are a lot of legitimate people out there playing this, but there are also a lot of content farmers. I've noticed something lately, that the people that are really high up there on Empire Avenue, are people that are on it all day basically. Well, most of them. Not all of them. Also, many of those people tend to have 15-25 blog post or more a day. Just to produce good dividends. Though, luckily Empire Avenue only counts 20 blog post for the day as the limit. These people are also on twitter a lot. They tweet often. Not so regularly that you get sick of it, like spammy, but they do tweet often. Their Facebook pages, get a lot of likes. How? I don't know.
It make seem like I'm complaining about this, but I'm only complaining that it takes so much effort to even make yourself a top stock. It's ridiculous. On top of all those Facebook Post and Twitter Tweets, a lot of these guys upload at least 2 videos a day to Youtube. The system isn't really that fair for a lot of the smaller people. Especially people who aren't used to posting 10 blog post a day. You know how hard it is some times to find something to write about?
Well, I think you get the idea, the game is pretty much suited to people who are really active. Also, if you miss one day, it's not that bad, but if you miss two days on inactivity......your stock takes a hit. How is that even fair? Ok, I've done enough rambling. That said. I'm still probably going to play Empire Avenue. I'm still going to be producing content and writing articles. It may however slow down a bit over time. This can be quite a time consumer.
Now, some of you might wonder why exactly, am I writing another post about it? Well, some times, after a while of playing something, we have to step back and look at things from a different angle. Is the game really living up to our perspectives. Yes, many people consider Empire Avenue a game that merely connects your Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, Facebook Fan Page, and Blogs.
So, what exactly do I think about Empire Avenue now? Well, first off, I should probably point out that, regardless of what I say here, I'll probably still end up playing Empire Avenue.
Empire Avenue to me has really taken a hit. There are a lot of legitimate people out there playing this, but there are also a lot of content farmers. I've noticed something lately, that the people that are really high up there on Empire Avenue, are people that are on it all day basically. Well, most of them. Not all of them. Also, many of those people tend to have 15-25 blog post or more a day. Just to produce good dividends. Though, luckily Empire Avenue only counts 20 blog post for the day as the limit. These people are also on twitter a lot. They tweet often. Not so regularly that you get sick of it, like spammy, but they do tweet often. Their Facebook pages, get a lot of likes. How? I don't know.
It make seem like I'm complaining about this, but I'm only complaining that it takes so much effort to even make yourself a top stock. It's ridiculous. On top of all those Facebook Post and Twitter Tweets, a lot of these guys upload at least 2 videos a day to Youtube. The system isn't really that fair for a lot of the smaller people. Especially people who aren't used to posting 10 blog post a day. You know how hard it is some times to find something to write about?
Well, I think you get the idea, the game is pretty much suited to people who are really active. Also, if you miss one day, it's not that bad, but if you miss two days on inactivity......your stock takes a hit. How is that even fair? Ok, I've done enough rambling. That said. I'm still probably going to play Empire Avenue. I'm still going to be producing content and writing articles. It may however slow down a bit over time. This can be quite a time consumer.
Minecraft - Second Opinion
Minecraft, the epic game of epic proportion. Ok, to a small handful of people, it's of epic proportion. Myself, being one of them. I've been playing this game for about a month now, give or take. My first impression, of seeing the game was, "hmm, might have to give that a try." My first impression of actually playing the game, "Wow, this is awesome."
Now, it's time to give a second opinion. I think I started playing while the game was in 1.5 beta. It's still in beta, but now, it's moved into 1.7.3 beta. A few patches have been made sense then. Among those, perhaps the most interesting and fun patch to date. The Piston Mod. Mods are well, mods that other players have made to add cool features to the game. The player that created the Piston Mod, submitted his creation to Notch, the created of the game and next thing you know, we have Pistons in Minecraft. A few people complained though, that Notch nerved them. You're always going to have you're complainers.
Adventure/Survival mode. When you start off in the game, you start off in what many people call Adventure or Survival mode. The whole object of the game when you start out, is a race against time to survive the first night. You have about 10 minutes of day time and 10 minutes of night time. So, that means, we have about 10 minutes to gather and craft what's needed to survive the first night. Why are we in a race against time? Well, at night bad things come out and try to kill you. If you had weapons, you could go out and hunt them. Granted you can find your way back to safety. What's out there? Nothing but Skeleton Archers, Zombies, and Creepers, "Oh My!"
Many people fear Creepers. Why? When they get close enough to you or you hit them with something, they tend to get angry and make a hissing type sound. Why is this bad? Simple, if you ignore the problem, They blow up. That's right, they do a lot of damage too and depending on how close you are, how much health you have, and how much armor you have, they just might kill you. So, why don't I fear them? Well, I've figured out that if I can get an Iron Sword or better, they die pretty quickly. Three quick swings, is plenty to take down a creeper before it blows up in your face.
What do I fear? Skeleton Archers. It's bad enough that they have Skeletons in the game, rather, they make them into Skeleton Archers....ugh.....sigh. That means that they can hit you from a distance. Better move in quick if you're going to take them down. Not that they take a lot of health, just that they can take a lot of health if you aren't quick about it. Skeleton Archers have a reputation that far proceeds Creepers. At least in my opinion.
Zombies are easy peasy mode. They aren't that tough and go down with a couple of swings of just about any sword. Oh, and then their are Spiders. Dark Black Spiders that jump around and try to kill you. These aren't really as tough as most people think. It's all in the aim. I've been able to keep Creepers, Zombies, and Spiders at bay pretty well. Now, get two or more Creepers, and I pull my hit and run strategy. What? Think I'm crazy?
Ah, building, the true attraction of the game. There is good news for those who don't want to fight and kill stuff. You can always build. "But, won't monsters attack me at night?" Multiple No's. Peaceful Mode, it's a builders best friend. Once you hit that button to change it to Peaceful Mode, no mobs will ever spawn. Except for the friendly ones. Pigs, Cows, Chickens, etc. If you are in adventure mode and you sleep in a bed at night, it will change to day. thus giving you time to build. Unless you're in a dungeon. Better light that bad boy up.
On a side note, it's worth noting that Spiders, aren't aggressive during the day time. They are however aggressive down in a cave where it's dark.
One can actually create a Private Minecraft server if they choose to do so. You can make it public, or private for you and your friends/family. Notch gives you the server software necessary to do so. Perfectly legal. Also, if you have a public server, Notch himself might actually come for a visit.
Note: Notch's name appears in Gold. If it's someone that has a White name, it's probably not Notch.
That said, I'd say my favorite strategy for surviving my first night, is to find a hill side and dig into it. Once I have enough wood that is. About 15-20 pieces of wood will do. After you have that done, it shouldn't take you but about 5 minutes, then you can hunt down either some coal, or some stone. Nowadays you can use a Wood Plank as a fire source in a Furnace and a chunk of wood to burn, and that creates Charcoal. Which can be used to make torches instead of coal. The stone you gathered is to make the Furnace with. There you have it. Minecraft in a nutshell.
Now, it's time to give a second opinion. I think I started playing while the game was in 1.5 beta. It's still in beta, but now, it's moved into 1.7.3 beta. A few patches have been made sense then. Among those, perhaps the most interesting and fun patch to date. The Piston Mod. Mods are well, mods that other players have made to add cool features to the game. The player that created the Piston Mod, submitted his creation to Notch, the created of the game and next thing you know, we have Pistons in Minecraft. A few people complained though, that Notch nerved them. You're always going to have you're complainers.
Adventure/Survival mode. When you start off in the game, you start off in what many people call Adventure or Survival mode. The whole object of the game when you start out, is a race against time to survive the first night. You have about 10 minutes of day time and 10 minutes of night time. So, that means, we have about 10 minutes to gather and craft what's needed to survive the first night. Why are we in a race against time? Well, at night bad things come out and try to kill you. If you had weapons, you could go out and hunt them. Granted you can find your way back to safety. What's out there? Nothing but Skeleton Archers, Zombies, and Creepers, "Oh My!"
Many people fear Creepers. Why? When they get close enough to you or you hit them with something, they tend to get angry and make a hissing type sound. Why is this bad? Simple, if you ignore the problem, They blow up. That's right, they do a lot of damage too and depending on how close you are, how much health you have, and how much armor you have, they just might kill you. So, why don't I fear them? Well, I've figured out that if I can get an Iron Sword or better, they die pretty quickly. Three quick swings, is plenty to take down a creeper before it blows up in your face.
What do I fear? Skeleton Archers. It's bad enough that they have Skeletons in the game, rather, they make them into Skeleton Archers....ugh.....sigh. That means that they can hit you from a distance. Better move in quick if you're going to take them down. Not that they take a lot of health, just that they can take a lot of health if you aren't quick about it. Skeleton Archers have a reputation that far proceeds Creepers. At least in my opinion.
Zombies are easy peasy mode. They aren't that tough and go down with a couple of swings of just about any sword. Oh, and then their are Spiders. Dark Black Spiders that jump around and try to kill you. These aren't really as tough as most people think. It's all in the aim. I've been able to keep Creepers, Zombies, and Spiders at bay pretty well. Now, get two or more Creepers, and I pull my hit and run strategy. What? Think I'm crazy?
Ah, building, the true attraction of the game. There is good news for those who don't want to fight and kill stuff. You can always build. "But, won't monsters attack me at night?" Multiple No's. Peaceful Mode, it's a builders best friend. Once you hit that button to change it to Peaceful Mode, no mobs will ever spawn. Except for the friendly ones. Pigs, Cows, Chickens, etc. If you are in adventure mode and you sleep in a bed at night, it will change to day. thus giving you time to build. Unless you're in a dungeon. Better light that bad boy up.
On a side note, it's worth noting that Spiders, aren't aggressive during the day time. They are however aggressive down in a cave where it's dark.
One can actually create a Private Minecraft server if they choose to do so. You can make it public, or private for you and your friends/family. Notch gives you the server software necessary to do so. Perfectly legal. Also, if you have a public server, Notch himself might actually come for a visit.
Note: Notch's name appears in Gold. If it's someone that has a White name, it's probably not Notch.
That said, I'd say my favorite strategy for surviving my first night, is to find a hill side and dig into it. Once I have enough wood that is. About 15-20 pieces of wood will do. After you have that done, it shouldn't take you but about 5 minutes, then you can hunt down either some coal, or some stone. Nowadays you can use a Wood Plank as a fire source in a Furnace and a chunk of wood to burn, and that creates Charcoal. Which can be used to make torches instead of coal. The stone you gathered is to make the Furnace with. There you have it. Minecraft in a nutshell.
Otter Chases KId - Quite Comical Actually
Have you seen that video of the kid running around and the otter chasing after the kid? It's kind of funny really. If you haven't seen it yet, then you're missing out. At first, I was like, WTF? Then Half way through I was like, LoL. So, here's the video for you. Have a good laugh.
Otter Playing Tag With Toddler - Watch more Funny Videos
Otter Playing Tag With Toddler - Watch more Funny Videos
Sharks - Why Stupid People Don't Last Long
So, I saw this video of people that actually felt strongly that they had a connection with a Great White Shark. lol, Talk about hilarious. In the video, the woman exclaims, "I feel like there is a connection. That the shark and I had an understanding. Had circumstances been different, I felt like I could have swam with the shark while feeding it." And this is why stupid people don't last long. Here is the original video. If I can find the original full length video, I'd watch it, just for laughs. lol
The Shark Whisperer - Watch more Funny Videos
The Shark Whisperer - Watch more Funny Videos
Friday, July 15, 2011
Why Parents Get Grey Hair
I found this joke and decided to share it. This is just wrong. Just wrong. lol
Why Parents get Gray Hair
The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an
urgent problem with one of the main computers. He dialed the
employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whispered,
"Hello?"
Feeling put out at the inconvenience of having to talk to a youngster
the boss asked, "Is your Daddy home?"
"Yes", whispered the small voice.
"May I talk with him?" the man asked.
To the surprise of the boss, the small voice whispered, "No."
Wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?"
"Yes", came the answer. "May I talk with her?"
Again the small voice whispered, "No".
Knowing that it was not likely that a young child would be left home
alone, the boss decided he would just leave a message with the person
who should be there watching over the child. "Is there anyone there
besides you?", the boss asked the child.
"Yes" whispered the child, "A policeman."
Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss
asked, "May I speak with the policeman"?
"No, he's busy", whispered the child.
"Busy doing what?, asked the boss.
"Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the Fireman," came the whispered
answer.
Growing concerned and even worried as he heard what sounded like a
helicopter through the ear piece on the phone the boss asked, "What is
that noise?"
"A hello-copper", answered the whispering voice.
"What is going on there?", asked the boss, now alarmed.
In an awed whispering voice the child answered, "The search team just
landed the hello-copper."
Alarmed, concerned and more than just a little frustrated the boss
asked, "Why are they there"?
Still whispering, the young voice replied along with a muffled giggle,
"They're looking for me!"
1981 - The Year I Was Born
I ran across this neat little website. It tells us what happened in the year we were born. What Happened The Year I Was Born.
In 1981, the world was a different place.
There was no Google yet. Or Yahoo. Or Stumbleupon, for that matter.
In 1981, the year of your birth, the top selling movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark. People buying the popcorn in the cinema lobby had glazing eyes when looking at the poster.
Remember, that was before there were DVDs. People were indeed watching movies in the cinema, and not downloading them online. Imagine the packed seats, the laughter, the excitement, the novelty. And mostly all of that without 3D computer effects.
Do you know who won the Oscars that year? The academy award for the best movie went to Chariots of Fire. The Oscar for best foreign movie that year went to Mephisto. The top actor was Henry Fonda for his role as Norman Thayer in On Golden Pond. The top actress was Katharine Hepburn for her role as Ethel Thayer in On Golden Pond. The best director? Warren Beatty for Reds.
In the year 1981, the time when you arrived on this planet, books were still popularly read on paper, not on digital devices. Trees were felled to get the word out. The number one US bestseller of the time was Noble House by James Clavell. Oh, that's many years ago. Have you read that book? Have you heard of it? Look at the cover!
In 1981... The subterranean Sarawak chamber is discovered in Borneo. Margaret Thatcher carries out a Cabinet reshuffle, sacking Norman St. John-Stevas. The first De Lorean DMC-12 automobile, a stainless steel sports car with gull-wing doors, rolls off the production line in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland. Ronald Reagan succeeds Jimmy Carter, as the 40th President of the United States. Minutes later, Iran releases the 52 Americans held for 444 days, ending the Iran hostage crisis. Australia withdraws recognition of the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia. In Italy the Propaganda Due Masonic Lodge is discovered. IRA hunger-striker Bobby Sands wins the Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election. Daylight saving time is introduced in the USSR. The Israeli Air Force destroys Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor. The 1981 Springbok Tour commences in New Zealand, amid controversy over the support of apartheid. A Minor League Baseball game between the Rochester Red Wings and the Pawtucket Red Sox at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, becomes the longest professional baseball game in history: 8 hours and 25 minutes, 33 innings. Walter Cronkite retires from journalism. France abolishes capital punishment. The Church of England General Synod votes to admit women to holy orders. The thrash metal band Metallica forms in Los Angeles. The video game of the day was Frogger.
That was the world you were born into. Since then, you and others have changed it.
The Nobel prize for Literature that year went to Elias Canetti. The Nobel Peace prize went to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The Nobel prize for physics went to Nicolaas Bloembergen and Arthur Leonard Schawlow from the United States for their contribution to the development of laser spectroscopy. The sensation this created was big. But it didn't stop the planets from spinning, on and on, year by year. Years in which you would grow bigger, older, smarter, and, if you were lucky, sometimes wiser. Years in which you also lost some things. Possessions got misplaced. Memories faded. Friends parted ways. The best friends, you tried to hold on. This is what counts in life, isn't it?
The 1980s were indeed a special decade. The Soviet-Afghan war goes on. Eastern Europe sees the collapse of communism. Policies like Perestroika and Glasnost in the Soviet Union lead to a wave of reforms. Protests are crushed down on Tiananmen Square in China. Ethiopa witnesses widespread famine. Nicolae Ceausescu is overthrown. The AIDS pandemic begins. The role of women in the workplace increased greatly. MTV is launched in the US. There is opposition against Apartheid in South Africa as well as worldwide. Heavy Metal and Hard Rock bands are extremely popular. The rise of Techno music begins. Originally primarily played on campus radio stations, College Rock enters the scene with bands like the Pixies, REM and Sonic Youth. The Hip Hop scene continues to evolve. Teletext is introduced. Gay rights become more widely accepted in the world. Opposition to nuclear power plants grows. The A-Team and Seinfeld are popular on TV. US basketball player Michael Jordan bursts on the scene. Super Mario Bros, Zelda's Link, and Pac-Man gain fame in video games. People wear leggings, shoulder pads and Ray-Ban sunglasses.
Do you know what was on the cover of Life that year?
Do you remember the movie that was all the rage when you were 15? Mission: Impossible. Do you still remember the songs playing on the radio when you were 15? Maybe it was Tha Crossroads by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Were you in love? Who were you in love with, do you remember?
In 1981, 15 years earlier, a long time ago, the year when you were born, the song Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes topped the US charts. Do you know the lyrics? Do you know the tune? Sing along.
Her hair is Harlow gold, her lips sweet surprise
Her hands are never cold, she's got Bette Davis eyes
She'll turn the music on you, you won't have to think twice
She's pure as New York snow, she got Bette Davis eyes
...
There's a kid outside, shouting, playing. It doesn't care about time. It doesn't know about time. It shouts and it plays and thinks time is forever. You were once that kid.
When you were 9, the movie Edward Scissorhands was playing. When you were 8, there was Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. When you were 7, there was a Disney movie out called The Little Mermaid. Does this ring a bell?
6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... it's 1981. There's TV noise coming from the second floor. Someone turned up the volume way too high. The sun is burning from above. These were different times. The show playing on TV is Hill Street Blues. The sun goes down. Someone switches channels. There's The Smurfs on now. That's the world you were born in.
Progress, year after year. Do you wonder where the world is heading towards? The technology available today would have blown your mind in 1981. Do you know what was invented in the year you were born? The WIMP Graphical User Interface. The Handheld Electronic Camera. The Scanning Tunneling Microscope.
Doomsday, doomsday's coming 1981
But until things blow
I'm gonna have some fun
The bubble's going to explode
I probably never live to get old
...
That's from the song All the Way by The Ramones.
In 1981, a new character entered the world of comic books: Elektra. Bang! Boom! But that's just fiction, right? In the real world, in 1981, Alicia Keys was born. And Paris Hilton. Hayden Christensen, too. And you, of course. Everyone an individual. Everyone special. Everyone taking a different path through life.
It's 2011.
The world is a different place.
What path have you taken?
In 1981, the world was a different place.
There was no Google yet. Or Yahoo. Or Stumbleupon, for that matter.
In 1981, the year of your birth, the top selling movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark. People buying the popcorn in the cinema lobby had glazing eyes when looking at the poster.
Remember, that was before there were DVDs. People were indeed watching movies in the cinema, and not downloading them online. Imagine the packed seats, the laughter, the excitement, the novelty. And mostly all of that without 3D computer effects.
Do you know who won the Oscars that year? The academy award for the best movie went to Chariots of Fire. The Oscar for best foreign movie that year went to Mephisto. The top actor was Henry Fonda for his role as Norman Thayer in On Golden Pond. The top actress was Katharine Hepburn for her role as Ethel Thayer in On Golden Pond. The best director? Warren Beatty for Reds.
In the year 1981, the time when you arrived on this planet, books were still popularly read on paper, not on digital devices. Trees were felled to get the word out. The number one US bestseller of the time was Noble House by James Clavell. Oh, that's many years ago. Have you read that book? Have you heard of it? Look at the cover!
In 1981... The subterranean Sarawak chamber is discovered in Borneo. Margaret Thatcher carries out a Cabinet reshuffle, sacking Norman St. John-Stevas. The first De Lorean DMC-12 automobile, a stainless steel sports car with gull-wing doors, rolls off the production line in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland. Ronald Reagan succeeds Jimmy Carter, as the 40th President of the United States. Minutes later, Iran releases the 52 Americans held for 444 days, ending the Iran hostage crisis. Australia withdraws recognition of the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia. In Italy the Propaganda Due Masonic Lodge is discovered. IRA hunger-striker Bobby Sands wins the Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election. Daylight saving time is introduced in the USSR. The Israeli Air Force destroys Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor. The 1981 Springbok Tour commences in New Zealand, amid controversy over the support of apartheid. A Minor League Baseball game between the Rochester Red Wings and the Pawtucket Red Sox at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, becomes the longest professional baseball game in history: 8 hours and 25 minutes, 33 innings. Walter Cronkite retires from journalism. France abolishes capital punishment. The Church of England General Synod votes to admit women to holy orders. The thrash metal band Metallica forms in Los Angeles. The video game of the day was Frogger.
That was the world you were born into. Since then, you and others have changed it.
The Nobel prize for Literature that year went to Elias Canetti. The Nobel Peace prize went to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The Nobel prize for physics went to Nicolaas Bloembergen and Arthur Leonard Schawlow from the United States for their contribution to the development of laser spectroscopy. The sensation this created was big. But it didn't stop the planets from spinning, on and on, year by year. Years in which you would grow bigger, older, smarter, and, if you were lucky, sometimes wiser. Years in which you also lost some things. Possessions got misplaced. Memories faded. Friends parted ways. The best friends, you tried to hold on. This is what counts in life, isn't it?
The 1980s were indeed a special decade. The Soviet-Afghan war goes on. Eastern Europe sees the collapse of communism. Policies like Perestroika and Glasnost in the Soviet Union lead to a wave of reforms. Protests are crushed down on Tiananmen Square in China. Ethiopa witnesses widespread famine. Nicolae Ceausescu is overthrown. The AIDS pandemic begins. The role of women in the workplace increased greatly. MTV is launched in the US. There is opposition against Apartheid in South Africa as well as worldwide. Heavy Metal and Hard Rock bands are extremely popular. The rise of Techno music begins. Originally primarily played on campus radio stations, College Rock enters the scene with bands like the Pixies, REM and Sonic Youth. The Hip Hop scene continues to evolve. Teletext is introduced. Gay rights become more widely accepted in the world. Opposition to nuclear power plants grows. The A-Team and Seinfeld are popular on TV. US basketball player Michael Jordan bursts on the scene. Super Mario Bros, Zelda's Link, and Pac-Man gain fame in video games. People wear leggings, shoulder pads and Ray-Ban sunglasses.
Do you know what was on the cover of Life that year?
Do you remember the movie that was all the rage when you were 15? Mission: Impossible. Do you still remember the songs playing on the radio when you were 15? Maybe it was Tha Crossroads by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Were you in love? Who were you in love with, do you remember?
In 1981, 15 years earlier, a long time ago, the year when you were born, the song Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes topped the US charts. Do you know the lyrics? Do you know the tune? Sing along.
Her hair is Harlow gold, her lips sweet surprise
Her hands are never cold, she's got Bette Davis eyes
She'll turn the music on you, you won't have to think twice
She's pure as New York snow, she got Bette Davis eyes
...
There's a kid outside, shouting, playing. It doesn't care about time. It doesn't know about time. It shouts and it plays and thinks time is forever. You were once that kid.
When you were 9, the movie Edward Scissorhands was playing. When you were 8, there was Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. When you were 7, there was a Disney movie out called The Little Mermaid. Does this ring a bell?
6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... it's 1981. There's TV noise coming from the second floor. Someone turned up the volume way too high. The sun is burning from above. These were different times. The show playing on TV is Hill Street Blues. The sun goes down. Someone switches channels. There's The Smurfs on now. That's the world you were born in.
Progress, year after year. Do you wonder where the world is heading towards? The technology available today would have blown your mind in 1981. Do you know what was invented in the year you were born? The WIMP Graphical User Interface. The Handheld Electronic Camera. The Scanning Tunneling Microscope.
Doomsday, doomsday's coming 1981
But until things blow
I'm gonna have some fun
The bubble's going to explode
I probably never live to get old
...
That's from the song All the Way by The Ramones.
In 1981, a new character entered the world of comic books: Elektra. Bang! Boom! But that's just fiction, right? In the real world, in 1981, Alicia Keys was born. And Paris Hilton. Hayden Christensen, too. And you, of course. Everyone an individual. Everyone special. Everyone taking a different path through life.
It's 2011.
The world is a different place.
What path have you taken?
Thursday, July 14, 2011
We Are The Future
It's come to my attention that we need to step up to the plate. People often say that, "The world is for the younger generation and we should take care of it." That is true. There is another way to put it.
We are the future. Whether we like it or not, we're here to stay. At least until we die. If we don't take care of this planet now, our children won't have a future. So, in a way, WE ARE THE FUTURE. Without us, the world won't stand a chance. That is if we keep going at the same rate we are nowadays. We have to slow down, think about what we're doing.
Ask yourself a question. Where do you want to go in life? What do you want to be in life? Do you want to be known as the person who killed the planet? Do you want to be known as a bad parent? Do you want to be known as a failure? If you answered no to the any or all of the last three questions, then listen up. I hope I got your attention.
This planet needs OUR help. Our children shouldn't have to fix our problems and issues we have caused. We need to start thinking before we act. We need to start living a BETTER life. We need to start making good choices, such as: living a green life, recycling, planting healthy forest, planting our own food, or buying organic, etc.
There are lots of choices we can do to make a difference. One of those things is to become less dependent on oil. That's right. Americans are consuming oil, like kids in a candy store. The problem? OIL ISN'T RENEWABLE. Renewable resources is where the future lies. If we don't start recycling and using renewable resources such as plastics made from corn instead of oil, then I have some bad news for you. This great country as we know it, will be history. Sweden is already ahead of the game as far as becoming less dependent on Oil. If they can do it, we can do it. We can't let big companies stand in our way. They have no choice but to produce what ever the people want. If we don't want oil anymore. There is no need for them to charge insane amounts for it.
I hope that at least a few of your are going to start making changes. It's important for us to do so. You can see why. The danger of America falling as we know it, is real. We can't let this happen. Keep it strong, keep the patriotism alive.
We are the future. Whether we like it or not, we're here to stay. At least until we die. If we don't take care of this planet now, our children won't have a future. So, in a way, WE ARE THE FUTURE. Without us, the world won't stand a chance. That is if we keep going at the same rate we are nowadays. We have to slow down, think about what we're doing.
Ask yourself a question. Where do you want to go in life? What do you want to be in life? Do you want to be known as the person who killed the planet? Do you want to be known as a bad parent? Do you want to be known as a failure? If you answered no to the any or all of the last three questions, then listen up. I hope I got your attention.
This planet needs OUR help. Our children shouldn't have to fix our problems and issues we have caused. We need to start thinking before we act. We need to start living a BETTER life. We need to start making good choices, such as: living a green life, recycling, planting healthy forest, planting our own food, or buying organic, etc.
There are lots of choices we can do to make a difference. One of those things is to become less dependent on oil. That's right. Americans are consuming oil, like kids in a candy store. The problem? OIL ISN'T RENEWABLE. Renewable resources is where the future lies. If we don't start recycling and using renewable resources such as plastics made from corn instead of oil, then I have some bad news for you. This great country as we know it, will be history. Sweden is already ahead of the game as far as becoming less dependent on Oil. If they can do it, we can do it. We can't let big companies stand in our way. They have no choice but to produce what ever the people want. If we don't want oil anymore. There is no need for them to charge insane amounts for it.
I hope that at least a few of your are going to start making changes. It's important for us to do so. You can see why. The danger of America falling as we know it, is real. We can't let this happen. Keep it strong, keep the patriotism alive.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Extent of Human Radio Broadcast
Have you ever wondered how far out into space, we're actually reaching? Well, truth be known, it's not that far really. Only about 200 light years, give or take of course. This photo depicts the area in our Milky Way galaxy, that we are broadcasting radio waves out into space. That blue dot, is us. Keep in mind, that our solar system, is just a small dot in this vast Milky Way. On top of that, there are tons and tons of other Galaxies out there. The numbers are endless, really. If this doesn't make you feel small and insignificant, then I don't know what will.
City Limits Time Lapse Video
Timelapse - The City Limits from Dominic on Vimeo.
I"m not sure if any of you like Time Lapse video or not, but I thought I'd share this one with you guys. This is beautiful. I love these kind of videos. Just goes to show you the true beauty of the world.
Fried Dr. Pepper Ribs
Fried Dr. Pepper Ribs? Who wouldn't want to try them? I mean, seriously, Dr. Pepper and Ribs. What's to lose? This actually sounds really good to me. I'm going to have to try this some time.
Website for this recipe and more. Chili Cheese Fries
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place the ribs on a wire rack in a roasting pan then pour a can of Dr Pepper into the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and cook for 1 1/2 hours. At this point check to see if the meat easily pulls away from the bone. You will most likely need to cook them for about another 30 minutes but this all depends on your oven. Just make sure to get them nice and tender.
3. Meanwhile let’s make the sauce. Reduce the 2 remaining cans of Dr Pepper in a medium saucepan over high heat to about 1/2 cup. It will be just a bit syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining sauce ingredients.
4. When the ribs are done and somewhat cooled, cut into individual ribs and transfer them to a large bowl. Add about 1/3 of the sauce mixture and gently toss the ribs to coat them with the sauce. I say gently because if you were successful at getting them super tender, they will break apart if you are too aggressive with them now. Heat the peanut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Just hot enough to gently fry the ribs to crisp them up a bit. Fry each rib separately because they crisp up very quickly. About 5 – 6 seconds per side then transfer to paper towels to drain. Next return the fired ribs to the bowl and add another 1/3 of the sauce and gently toss again. Serve warm along with the remaining sauce for dipping.
Serves 2 – 4
Heat Factor
Website for this recipe and more. Chili Cheese Fries
INGREDIENTS:
For the ribs and rub- 2 full racks pork spare or baby back ribs, silverskin removed
- 4 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon herbs de provance
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (substitute brown sugar)
- 1 can of Dr Pepper
- 2 cups peanut oil
- 2 cans Dr Pepper
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce (found in the Asian sections in most super markets)
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 3 – 4 drops Sriracha sauce
PREPARATION:
1. Mix the dry rub ingredients together and rub into the racks of ribs on both sides. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or preferably, over night.2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place the ribs on a wire rack in a roasting pan then pour a can of Dr Pepper into the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and cook for 1 1/2 hours. At this point check to see if the meat easily pulls away from the bone. You will most likely need to cook them for about another 30 minutes but this all depends on your oven. Just make sure to get them nice and tender.
3. Meanwhile let’s make the sauce. Reduce the 2 remaining cans of Dr Pepper in a medium saucepan over high heat to about 1/2 cup. It will be just a bit syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining sauce ingredients.
4. When the ribs are done and somewhat cooled, cut into individual ribs and transfer them to a large bowl. Add about 1/3 of the sauce mixture and gently toss the ribs to coat them with the sauce. I say gently because if you were successful at getting them super tender, they will break apart if you are too aggressive with them now. Heat the peanut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Just hot enough to gently fry the ribs to crisp them up a bit. Fry each rib separately because they crisp up very quickly. About 5 – 6 seconds per side then transfer to paper towels to drain. Next return the fired ribs to the bowl and add another 1/3 of the sauce and gently toss again. Serve warm along with the remaining sauce for dipping.
Serves 2 – 4
Heat Factor
Molohia (Egypt) adapted from A Taste of Africa
There is a website, that contains a bunch of recipes from around the world. This I love, because it's the closes thing I can get to another country without having to leave my own. Though, I'll eventually leave my own for various reasons, food being one of them, this is the next best thing for those who can't.
Molohia (Egypt) adapted from A Taste of Africa
If you like this recipe and would like to check out more recipes similar to this and different as well. Click the link below.
Circle of International Cooking
Molohia (Egypt) adapted from A Taste of Africa
| Ingredients |
| |
| Directions | 1. Combine meat, salt, pepper, onion, water and boil. 2. Smmer until meat is tender. 3. Add spinach, boil 5 minutes. 4. Saute garlic & coriander in butter in another pan, 1 minutes. 5. Combine. 6. When ready to serve rice stir in the vinegar. 7. Serve mixture in pitas, with rice as accompaniment. | |
| Serves | 4 | |
| Time to Make | 0:00 | |
Circle of International Cooking
Hershey's Recipes - Ultimate Chocolate Lovers Dream
Hershey's Chocolate
I don't know about you, but I don't think there is a person in the world who doesn't like Chocolate. It's such an amazing thing to eat. There are many people who crave it. When you're craving Chocolate, just click the link above for some awesome Chocolate recipes.
You can find these recipes and more, just by clicking the link(s) provided. Hershey's
I don't know about you, but I don't think there is a person in the world who doesn't like Chocolate. It's such an amazing thing to eat. There are many people who crave it. When you're craving Chocolate, just click the link above for some awesome Chocolate recipes.
Black Magic Cake
All-Chocolate Boston Cream Pie
Ultimate Chocolate Brownies
Hershey's Special Dark Truffle Brownie Cheesecake
You can find these recipes and more, just by clicking the link(s) provided. Hershey's
Monday, July 11, 2011
Watermelon On Tap
I love to share things with people, that might not otherwise get to see them. This is a cool design using a watermelon and water facet.
I know what you're thinking: "What if I attached a faucet to a watermelon and filled it with spiked watermelon juice so party guests could serve themselves right from the melon?" Well, my husband finally turned that dream into a reality.
After testing three different types of faucets and spending the entire afternoon of our housewarming party creating his masterpiece — only to have it clog just hours before guests arrived, resulting in a mad dash to Home Depot and the supermarket so he could do it all over again — he's now perfected the model so all you have to do is build it. Want to impress guests with a DIY watermelon keg of your own?
Read on to find out how...
drunken watermelon on tap
After testing three different types of faucets and spending the entire afternoon of our housewarming party creating his masterpiece — only to have it clog just hours before guests arrived, resulting in a mad dash to Home Depot and the supermarket so he could do it all over again — he's now perfected the model so all you have to do is build it. Want to impress guests with a DIY watermelon keg of your own?
Read on to find out how...
What you'll need:
• 10-pound seedless watermelon
• Sharp knife
• Big spoon
• Big bowl
• Drill with a 1/2-inch drill bit
• 3/4-inch ball-valve faucet with a handle that's easy to turn with one hand
• PVC-to-faucet adapter that will screw into the back of the faucet
• Rubber O-ring that fits the back of the faucet
• Blender
• Sieve
• Pitcher
• 1 1/2 cups rum
• 4 limes
• About 90 minutes of your time
1. If your watermelon is wobbly when standing on one end, use a knife to trim off the stem end of your watermelon rind just enough that the melon sits flat. Then decide which side of your melon looks best — that'll be your front. Cut the top jack-o'-lantern style, big enough to fit your hand through, but center the cut more toward the back of the melon so you can't see the seam from the front.
2. Use a big spoon to scoop out the fruit into a large bowl. Eat some of the watermelon as you're scooping it out to make sure it doesn't poison your guests. Pour any juice in the bottom of the melon into your pitcher.
3. Drill a hole a few inches from the bottom of the melon for your faucet. Then use a knife to slightly widen the hole till it's just a little smaller than the diameter of the back of the faucet.
4. Gently screw the faucet into the hole, putting your other hand inside the melon for leverage. Don't jam it in or you'll bruise the outside of the rind and compromise your seal. Inside the melon, carve away a little more fruit from around the back of the faucet (don't go through the rind) to make room for screwing on the adapter.
5. Slide the O-ring onto the back of the faucet, then screw on the adapter. To test for leaks, fill the melon halfway with water, then turn on the faucet. Once you've confirmed that your watermelon is indeed operational, pour out the water through the top.
6. Reserve some watermelon to eat tomorrow for breakfast, then throw the rest into a blender and puree. Use the back of a spoon to push the puree through a sieve placed over your pitcher so you're left with just juice. Discard any solids. You should have about 6 cups of juice. Mix the juice with 1 1/2 cups of rum and 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice (about four limes' worth).
7. Pour the mixture back into the watermelon. Put the top back on the melon and set it on the edge of a counter or table to serve.
• 10-pound seedless watermelon
• Sharp knife
• Big spoon
• Big bowl
• Drill with a 1/2-inch drill bit
• 3/4-inch ball-valve faucet with a handle that's easy to turn with one hand
• PVC-to-faucet adapter that will screw into the back of the faucet
• Rubber O-ring that fits the back of the faucet
• Blender
• Sieve
• Pitcher
• 1 1/2 cups rum
• 4 limes
• About 90 minutes of your time
1. If your watermelon is wobbly when standing on one end, use a knife to trim off the stem end of your watermelon rind just enough that the melon sits flat. Then decide which side of your melon looks best — that'll be your front. Cut the top jack-o'-lantern style, big enough to fit your hand through, but center the cut more toward the back of the melon so you can't see the seam from the front.
2. Use a big spoon to scoop out the fruit into a large bowl. Eat some of the watermelon as you're scooping it out to make sure it doesn't poison your guests. Pour any juice in the bottom of the melon into your pitcher.
3. Drill a hole a few inches from the bottom of the melon for your faucet. Then use a knife to slightly widen the hole till it's just a little smaller than the diameter of the back of the faucet.
4. Gently screw the faucet into the hole, putting your other hand inside the melon for leverage. Don't jam it in or you'll bruise the outside of the rind and compromise your seal. Inside the melon, carve away a little more fruit from around the back of the faucet (don't go through the rind) to make room for screwing on the adapter.
5. Slide the O-ring onto the back of the faucet, then screw on the adapter. To test for leaks, fill the melon halfway with water, then turn on the faucet. Once you've confirmed that your watermelon is indeed operational, pour out the water through the top.
6. Reserve some watermelon to eat tomorrow for breakfast, then throw the rest into a blender and puree. Use the back of a spoon to push the puree through a sieve placed over your pitcher so you're left with just juice. Discard any solids. You should have about 6 cups of juice. Mix the juice with 1 1/2 cups of rum and 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice (about four limes' worth).
7. Pour the mixture back into the watermelon. Put the top back on the melon and set it on the edge of a counter or table to serve.
To find this article and more, head on over to this website. Evite
Is the Glass half full or half empty?
There are multiple ways to answer this question. One of them being, we can't tell if the glass is half empty or half full, because we didn't see who poured or emptied the glass. I like this answer better.
Random Useless Facts
Ok, maybe these aren't quite so useless, but hey, there is a ton of facts here. Enjoy.
Antarctica is the only continent without reptiles or snakes.
An eagle can kill a young deer and fly away with it.
In the Caribbean there are oysters that can climb trees.
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
The world's youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910.
When George Lucas was mixing the American Graffiti soundtrack, he numbered the reels of film starting with an R and numbered the dialog starting with a D. Sound designer Walter Murch asked George for Reel 2, Dialog 2 by saying "R2D2". George liked the way that sounded so much he integrated that into another project he was working on.
The youngest pope was 11 years old.
Mark Twain didn't graduate from elementary school.
Proportional to their weight, men are stronger than horses.
Pilgrims ate popcorn at the first Thanksgiving dinner.
They have square watermelons in Japan - they stack better.
Iceland consumes more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation.
Heinz Catsup leaving the bottle travels at 25 miles per year.
It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs.
Armadillos can be housebroken.
The first Fords had engines made by Dodge.
A mole can dig a tunnel 300 feet long in just one night.
Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite.
Ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone.
A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4 foot tall child inside.
A quarter has 119 grooves on its edge, a dime has one less groove.
A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.
Until 1796, there was a state in the United States called Franklin. Today it is known as Tennessee.
The flashing warning light on the cylindrical Capitol Records tower spells out HOLLYWOOD in Morse code.
Every time you lick a stamp, you're consuming 1/10 of a calorie.
The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year.
One in every 4 Americans has appeared on television.
The average American will eat about 11.9 pounds of cereal per year.
Over 1,000 birds a year die from smashing into windows.
The State of Florida is bigger than England.
Ants stretch when they wake up in the morning.
Thomas Edison, light bulb inventor, was afraid of the dark.
During your lifetime, you'll eat about 60,000 pounds of food. That's the weight of about 6 elephants.
Some ribbon worms will eat themselves if they can't find any food.
The world's oldest piece of chewing gum is 9000 years old.
In space, astronauts cannot cry, because there is no gravity, so the tears can't flow.
About 3000 years ago, most Egyptians died by the time they were 30.
More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones.
Your ribs move about 5 million times a year, every time you breathe.
In the White House, there are 13,092 knives, forks and spoons.
Slugs have 4 noses.
Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to watch TV for 3 hours.
Lightning strikes about 6,000 times per minute on this planet.
Owls are the only birds who can see the color blue.
The average American drinks about 600 sodas a year.
It's against the law to slam your car door in Switzerland.
There wasn't a single pony in the Pony Express, just horses.
Honeybees have hair on their eyes.
A jellyfish is 95 percent water.
In Bangladesh, kids as young as 15 can be jailed for cheating on their finals.
A company in Taiwan makes dinnerware out of wheat, so you can eat your plate.
The elephant is the only mammal that can't jump.
The most common name in the world is Mohammed.
Q is the only letter in the alphabet that does not appear in the name of any of the United States.
America once issued a 5-cent bill.
You'll eat about 35,000 cookies in your lifetime.
Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep him cool. He changed it every 2 innings.
Fortune cookies were actually invented in America, in 1918, by Charles Jung.
A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue.
Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
The pitches that Babe Ruth hit for his last-ever home run and that Joe DiMaggio hit for his first-ever home run where thrown by the same man.
Bats always turn left when exiting a cave.
The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head.
In Tokyo, they sell toupees for dogs.
There are over 52.6 million dogs in the U.S.
Dogs and cats consume almost $7 billion worth of pet food a year.
Baby robins eat 14 feet of earthworms every day.
The Pentagon has twice as many restrooms as necessary. When it was built, segregation was still in place in Virginia, so separate restrooms for blacks and whites were required by law.
In England, in the 1880's, "Pants" was considered a dirty word.
Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin.
In 2003, there were 86 days of below-freezing weather in Hell, Michigan.
Antarctica is the only continent without reptiles or snakes.
An eagle can kill a young deer and fly away with it.
In the Caribbean there are oysters that can climb trees.
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
The world's youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910.
When George Lucas was mixing the American Graffiti soundtrack, he numbered the reels of film starting with an R and numbered the dialog starting with a D. Sound designer Walter Murch asked George for Reel 2, Dialog 2 by saying "R2D2". George liked the way that sounded so much he integrated that into another project he was working on.
The youngest pope was 11 years old.
Mark Twain didn't graduate from elementary school.
Proportional to their weight, men are stronger than horses.
Pilgrims ate popcorn at the first Thanksgiving dinner.
They have square watermelons in Japan - they stack better.
Iceland consumes more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation.
Heinz Catsup leaving the bottle travels at 25 miles per year.
It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs.
Armadillos can be housebroken.
The first Fords had engines made by Dodge.
A mole can dig a tunnel 300 feet long in just one night.
Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite.
Ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone.
A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4 foot tall child inside.
A quarter has 119 grooves on its edge, a dime has one less groove.
A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.
Until 1796, there was a state in the United States called Franklin. Today it is known as Tennessee.
The flashing warning light on the cylindrical Capitol Records tower spells out HOLLYWOOD in Morse code.
Every time you lick a stamp, you're consuming 1/10 of a calorie.
The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year.
One in every 4 Americans has appeared on television.
The average American will eat about 11.9 pounds of cereal per year.
Over 1,000 birds a year die from smashing into windows.
The State of Florida is bigger than England.
Ants stretch when they wake up in the morning.
Thomas Edison, light bulb inventor, was afraid of the dark.
During your lifetime, you'll eat about 60,000 pounds of food. That's the weight of about 6 elephants.
Some ribbon worms will eat themselves if they can't find any food.
The world's oldest piece of chewing gum is 9000 years old.
In space, astronauts cannot cry, because there is no gravity, so the tears can't flow.
About 3000 years ago, most Egyptians died by the time they were 30.
More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones.
Your ribs move about 5 million times a year, every time you breathe.
In the White House, there are 13,092 knives, forks and spoons.
Slugs have 4 noses.
Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to watch TV for 3 hours.
Lightning strikes about 6,000 times per minute on this planet.
Owls are the only birds who can see the color blue.
The average American drinks about 600 sodas a year.
It's against the law to slam your car door in Switzerland.
There wasn't a single pony in the Pony Express, just horses.
Honeybees have hair on their eyes.
A jellyfish is 95 percent water.
In Bangladesh, kids as young as 15 can be jailed for cheating on their finals.
A company in Taiwan makes dinnerware out of wheat, so you can eat your plate.
The elephant is the only mammal that can't jump.
The most common name in the world is Mohammed.
Q is the only letter in the alphabet that does not appear in the name of any of the United States.
America once issued a 5-cent bill.
You'll eat about 35,000 cookies in your lifetime.
Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep him cool. He changed it every 2 innings.
Fortune cookies were actually invented in America, in 1918, by Charles Jung.
A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue.
Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
The pitches that Babe Ruth hit for his last-ever home run and that Joe DiMaggio hit for his first-ever home run where thrown by the same man.
Bats always turn left when exiting a cave.
The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head.
In Tokyo, they sell toupees for dogs.
There are over 52.6 million dogs in the U.S.
Dogs and cats consume almost $7 billion worth of pet food a year.
Baby robins eat 14 feet of earthworms every day.
The Pentagon has twice as many restrooms as necessary. When it was built, segregation was still in place in Virginia, so separate restrooms for blacks and whites were required by law.
In England, in the 1880's, "Pants" was considered a dirty word.
Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin.
In 2003, there were 86 days of below-freezing weather in Hell, Michigan.
How To Tick People Off
HOW TO TICK PEOPLE OFF
- Leave the copy machine set to reduce 200%, extra dark, 17 inch paper, 99 copies.
- In the memo field of all your checks, write "for sexual favors."
- Specify that your drive-through order is "TO-GO."
- If you have a glass eye, tap on it occasionally with your pen while talking to others.
- Stomp on little plastic ketchup packets.
- Insist on keeping your car windshield wipers running in all weather conditions "to keep them tuned up."
- Reply to everything someone says with "that's what you think."
- Practice making fax and modem noises.
- Highlight irrelevant information in scientific papers and "cc" them to your boss.
- Make beeping noises when a large person backs up.
- Finish all your sentences with the words "in accordance with prophesy."
- Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your ears and grimacing.
- Disassemble your pen and "accidentally" flip the ink cartridge across the room.
- Holler random numbers while someone is counting.
- Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green, and insist to others that you "like it that way."
- Staple pages in the middle of the page.
- Publicly investigate just how slowly you can make a croaking noise.
- Honk and wave to strangers.
- Decline to be seated at a restaurant, and simply eat their complimentary mints at the cash register.
- TYPE IN UPPERCASE.
- type only in lowercase.
- dont use any punctuation either
- Buy a large quantity of orange traffic cones and reroute whole streets.
- Repeat the following conversation a dozen times.
"DO YOU HEAR THAT?"
"What?"
"Never mind, it's gone now." - As much as possible, skip rather than walk.
- Try playing the William Tell Overture by tapping on the bottom of your chin. When nearly done, announce "No, wait, I messed it up," and repeat.
- Ask people what gender they are.
- While making presentations, occasionally bob your head like a parakeet.
- Sit in your front yard pointing a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down.
- Sing along at the opera.
- Go to a poetry recital and ask why each poem doesn't rhyme.
- Ask your co-workers mysterious questions and then scribble their answers in a notebook. Mutter something about "psychological profiles."
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Easy, Simple, Dip
I've found an awesome Dip that I want to share with people. This dip is really great. Very tasty. Not something you'd want to eat a lot of while on a Diet. You'll definitely want to eat this with moderation highly in mind. One other thing, it's easy to make. Here's what you'll need.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground mild beef. Jimmy Dean or your preferred brand.
1 can of Rotel tomatoes. Or any can of diced tomatoes you'd like to use.
2 packages of Cream Cheese. 8oz. You can use 1 package of 16oz if you wish.
Directions are rather easy too. Here's what to do.
Directions:
1 - Brown 1 pound of Ground Beef.
2 - While the pan is hot, add the Cream Cheese, then cook it into the ground beef.
3 - Add the can of Tomatoes, then turn off heat. Done.
4 - Serve.
I find that this is best served heated. Great reheated too.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground mild beef. Jimmy Dean or your preferred brand.
1 can of Rotel tomatoes. Or any can of diced tomatoes you'd like to use.
2 packages of Cream Cheese. 8oz. You can use 1 package of 16oz if you wish.
Directions are rather easy too. Here's what to do.
Directions:
1 - Brown 1 pound of Ground Beef.
2 - While the pan is hot, add the Cream Cheese, then cook it into the ground beef.
3 - Add the can of Tomatoes, then turn off heat. Done.
4 - Serve.
I find that this is best served heated. Great reheated too.
To Do, Or Not To Do, The Age Old Question Answered.
To do, or not to do. We've all heard that question. Oh wait......that was to be, or not to be. Same difference really. To do, or to be. If we're doing something, we're being something, right? Here's a simple method on how to answer that question. First things first. Ask yourself a question.
If you want to do something, one of the first things we have to do, is ask ourselves, "Will this hurt me?" Chances are if their is a good probability that it will hurt you, don't do it. That simple. If it's not going to hurt you, do it. It's our life, we deserve to be happy right?
That brings us to the second question. "Will this make me happy?" Do you get an adrenaline rush from doing something? Does that adrenaline rush make you happy? What really does make you happy? Does slowing down and enjoying the moment make you happy? If so, chances are, you should do it.
Sometimes, we just have to be brave. Yep, every so often, being brave and doing something we've never done, is exhilarating. We have to step outside our boundaries to grow. Growing is what life is all about. So, as Nike would say, "Just Do It." Have some fun in life, but don't do anything stupid that would cause you to injure yourself.
If you want to do something, one of the first things we have to do, is ask ourselves, "Will this hurt me?" Chances are if their is a good probability that it will hurt you, don't do it. That simple. If it's not going to hurt you, do it. It's our life, we deserve to be happy right?
That brings us to the second question. "Will this make me happy?" Do you get an adrenaline rush from doing something? Does that adrenaline rush make you happy? What really does make you happy? Does slowing down and enjoying the moment make you happy? If so, chances are, you should do it.
Sometimes, we just have to be brave. Yep, every so often, being brave and doing something we've never done, is exhilarating. We have to step outside our boundaries to grow. Growing is what life is all about. So, as Nike would say, "Just Do It." Have some fun in life, but don't do anything stupid that would cause you to injure yourself.
Why You Should Check Out Grooveshark
Grooveshark was shared to me by a friend of mine. What is Grooveshark? Grooveshark is a place you can go to listen to music. "Wait, can't I do that at lastfm?" Sure, you can do that at lastfm, but you might find a reason here to use Grooveshark instead.
I instantly fell in love with Grooveshark the moment I found I can get 8bit music on there. "8big? Seriously dude?" Yep, seriously. I'm a gamer. I grew up on Games. My first system was a Nintendo Entertainment System (aka - NES). I've always been a Nintendo Fan Boy. I'm a fan of Playstation as well. That seems to be Sony's expertise. Don't let them touch an MMO. (Massive Multiplayer Online game).
The great thing about Grooveshark? It's easy to find artist that you know. The search is easy to find. In fact, the search should be one of the first things you see when you enter the website. Just type in an Artist and you're good to go.
Did I mention you can create your own playlist? Yep, on top of the like and dislike system that Yahoo Radio and LastFM have, Grooveshark has a playlist option. Like a song? Create a playlist and add it. That simple.
Is this the way internet radio should be? Well, personally, in my opinion, I'd combine features of all the internet radio. The greatest things often borrow ideas from other websites. Look at Facebook. It wasn't even the first Social Networking site. Now it's huge.
Do I recommend Grooveshark? Certainly. I say give it a go. The only complain one might have right now, is that it's not fully supported by the Iphone. Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think.
I instantly fell in love with Grooveshark the moment I found I can get 8bit music on there. "8big? Seriously dude?" Yep, seriously. I'm a gamer. I grew up on Games. My first system was a Nintendo Entertainment System (aka - NES). I've always been a Nintendo Fan Boy. I'm a fan of Playstation as well. That seems to be Sony's expertise. Don't let them touch an MMO. (Massive Multiplayer Online game).
The great thing about Grooveshark? It's easy to find artist that you know. The search is easy to find. In fact, the search should be one of the first things you see when you enter the website. Just type in an Artist and you're good to go.
Did I mention you can create your own playlist? Yep, on top of the like and dislike system that Yahoo Radio and LastFM have, Grooveshark has a playlist option. Like a song? Create a playlist and add it. That simple.
Is this the way internet radio should be? Well, personally, in my opinion, I'd combine features of all the internet radio. The greatest things often borrow ideas from other websites. Look at Facebook. It wasn't even the first Social Networking site. Now it's huge.
Do I recommend Grooveshark? Certainly. I say give it a go. The only complain one might have right now, is that it's not fully supported by the Iphone. Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
What's One Thing You've Always Wanted - Technology
Ok, the question for the day is, what is one thing you've always wanted that is concerned with Technology. How might you go about getting it?
Lately, I've been wanting a Tesla Roadster. This car is awesome, a true weekend warrior car. It's a sports car, that is 100% electric. That's right. It gets good miles on the charge as well. Only problem? It cost about $100k. So, how am I going to get this beast?
I think the only way I'll be able to get it is to work smarter and not harder. I'm going to have to formulate a plan to put every dollar I get to work for me. I'm going to have to work out an investing strategy. Be it stocks, or turn key investments. Heck, I might even be able to start my own business.
I'm also going to have to take charge of the way I handle my money. No more wasteful spending. I'm going to have to keep a tight fist on that money. I can't just go out and spend it like I normally do.
Now, that I know what I have to do, it's time to start setting goals.
Lately, I've been wanting a Tesla Roadster. This car is awesome, a true weekend warrior car. It's a sports car, that is 100% electric. That's right. It gets good miles on the charge as well. Only problem? It cost about $100k. So, how am I going to get this beast?
I think the only way I'll be able to get it is to work smarter and not harder. I'm going to have to formulate a plan to put every dollar I get to work for me. I'm going to have to work out an investing strategy. Be it stocks, or turn key investments. Heck, I might even be able to start my own business.
I'm also going to have to take charge of the way I handle my money. No more wasteful spending. I'm going to have to keep a tight fist on that money. I can't just go out and spend it like I normally do.
Now, that I know what I have to do, it's time to start setting goals.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The PC vs Mac Issue
Some times, we need a little light shed on the whole argument. Some times, people argue about stupid stuff. This is no different. Which one is better? PC vs Mac? Well, to tell you the truth, it's really a matter of preference.
There is nothing you can't do on a PC that you can't do on a Mac. Just some times, it's easier on one than the other. The majority of the games are made for PC, but Macs weren't really built for gaming in mind in the first place. With that in mind, you can still play any PC game on a Mac with a certain program.
I've heard it all before. This reason vs that reason. Well, I've got news for you. News Flash. People will find something to complain about, even if it's a free item or service. What's the worst argument I've heard so far? Well, for starters, someone told me that they hated Microsoft because of the Proprietary Drivers. Yeah, Proprietary Drivers is what's driving them away from Microsoft. Seriously. Nearly every hardware for PC has Proprietary Drivers, yet at the same time, Mac has.....Gasp.....Proprietary Parts.
I'd have to say if one was worse than the other, I"d have to say Proprietary Parts. Why? Because, if a company, like Apple, creates a part and they patent it, they can charge what ever they want for the part. Thus, the reason why Macs are over priced. I can get twice as much ram and better ram for that matter, a faster processor, and a better video card in a PC Laptop vs a Mac Book Pro that's maxed out.
So, all you people that have these silly little arguments about why one is better than the other, are wasting your time. So far, no one has convinced me that a Mac is better than a PC. Now, if you want to send me a Mac Book Pro to test. I'll glad test it and you can convince me otherwise. I'll probably end up buying one, but first things first. Power over Price. I'm getting a Laptop first, then a Mac Book Pro later when I can better afford one.
There is nothing you can't do on a PC that you can't do on a Mac. Just some times, it's easier on one than the other. The majority of the games are made for PC, but Macs weren't really built for gaming in mind in the first place. With that in mind, you can still play any PC game on a Mac with a certain program.
I've heard it all before. This reason vs that reason. Well, I've got news for you. News Flash. People will find something to complain about, even if it's a free item or service. What's the worst argument I've heard so far? Well, for starters, someone told me that they hated Microsoft because of the Proprietary Drivers. Yeah, Proprietary Drivers is what's driving them away from Microsoft. Seriously. Nearly every hardware for PC has Proprietary Drivers, yet at the same time, Mac has.....Gasp.....Proprietary Parts.
I'd have to say if one was worse than the other, I"d have to say Proprietary Parts. Why? Because, if a company, like Apple, creates a part and they patent it, they can charge what ever they want for the part. Thus, the reason why Macs are over priced. I can get twice as much ram and better ram for that matter, a faster processor, and a better video card in a PC Laptop vs a Mac Book Pro that's maxed out.
So, all you people that have these silly little arguments about why one is better than the other, are wasting your time. So far, no one has convinced me that a Mac is better than a PC. Now, if you want to send me a Mac Book Pro to test. I'll glad test it and you can convince me otherwise. I'll probably end up buying one, but first things first. Power over Price. I'm getting a Laptop first, then a Mac Book Pro later when I can better afford one.
How To Stay On Top of Tech News
Tech News. We all seem to have this craving for the next best thing. What's new and hot. We all want in on it. So, how do we keep up with it? That's easier said than done. Some people make it a hobby. Some people make it a career. Though, it's not as hard as some people make it out to be.
Living life on the edge. The edge of Tech that is. Technology is ever expanding and we have to keep up if we want to do anything with our lives. The reason it's easier than it appears, is that there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of sources.
Bloggers from blogs, such as this one, always seem to be on top of things. The reason they blog is because of people like you, the readers. They like to share what they've learned with the rest of the world.
News sources are another place to learn about technology. Often the press has coveted access to the hot spots and tend to get up close and personal with people their interested in.
Youtube, is a great place to learn about all kinds of tech, from hardware to software. There are many channels on Youtube, with How To Tips and Giveaways as well.
The world is filled with information. Facebook alone is sending Billions of post every month. Youtube has millions of people watching it on a daily basis. I don't think there is one person who doesn't know about Facebook or Youtube. Ok, that's metaphorically speaking of course.
Let me ask my readers, what would you like to see on this blog? Would you like to see more tech stuff? Maybe turn this into a tech blog? Or would you like me to share more videos? Such as recipes and music that I enjoy, etc? I'll leave that up to you guys. Personally, I think a tech blog would be fun.
Living life on the edge. The edge of Tech that is. Technology is ever expanding and we have to keep up if we want to do anything with our lives. The reason it's easier than it appears, is that there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of sources.
Bloggers from blogs, such as this one, always seem to be on top of things. The reason they blog is because of people like you, the readers. They like to share what they've learned with the rest of the world.
News sources are another place to learn about technology. Often the press has coveted access to the hot spots and tend to get up close and personal with people their interested in.
Youtube, is a great place to learn about all kinds of tech, from hardware to software. There are many channels on Youtube, with How To Tips and Giveaways as well.
The world is filled with information. Facebook alone is sending Billions of post every month. Youtube has millions of people watching it on a daily basis. I don't think there is one person who doesn't know about Facebook or Youtube. Ok, that's metaphorically speaking of course.
Let me ask my readers, what would you like to see on this blog? Would you like to see more tech stuff? Maybe turn this into a tech blog? Or would you like me to share more videos? Such as recipes and music that I enjoy, etc? I'll leave that up to you guys. Personally, I think a tech blog would be fun.
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