2007.364

Thought: What is Bhutto is right and Bin Ladden is dead?  If we don't care about him any more is the power he holds gone? Today: Spent the day running errands this morning.  Tried to get my iPhone dock connector cleaned at the Apple Store because my phone periodically reports it has something plugged into the dock when infact nothing is plugged in.  Bummer.  I probrably need to make a genius bar appointment downtown and have it looked at. Tomorrow: We are driving up to Hood River for the day.  Hopefully the bad weather holds off as I don't have the now tires on the honda and the Volkswagen can't take chains.  I suspect it will all be fine but let's just say I have put the car out of commision more then one time in my brother in law's driveway :)  Hey, it is long and gravel after all! Blogged with the Flock Browser

The Ocean is Filled with Plastic..

The plastic killing fields - Environment - smh.com.au: "'Charlie once found a mile-long trail of Taco Bell wrappers which had plastic in them. I didn't see anything like that, but that's not the point, because it's the little bits that are really making it a plastic soup,' Connacher says." Holly cow. A mile long? This article pains a dire picture where ships avoid a continent sized flotilla of garbage in the Pacific Ocean. This really gives us something to think about the next time we buy or throw away a plastic object. All of it is slowly ruining the earth and killing us.

Food 3% Higher in 2008?!

I noticed this article on the Seattle Times website this morning. I can't help but notice that our family grocery purchases have definitely been hitting the pocketbook deeper in 2007. Business & Technology | '08 forecasts: food at least 3% higher; gas up 10.7% | Seattle Times Newspaper: "The sharp rise in food prices seen in 2007 is expected to be followed by another higher-than-normal jump next year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said last week. And 2008's punch will be to the breadbasket." Looks like the trend will continue in 2008 which is somewhat unnerving. To top it off it looks like the trend will be close to the magic 3% number traditionally given to employees as a cost of living increase. What this means to me is the increase in basic costs of goods including groceries and fuel will most likely nullify any cost of living increase in 2008 holding everything pretty much even. Let's just hope we don't see a larger increase. In another note, some of the 3% increase in food was directly attributed to increase in transportation costs most directly related to fuel. I wonder if we will finally see a return to locally grown food options as a more viable alternative to mass produced globally transported food. Local farmer's markets will probably see an increase in use if costs of especially international organic foods increases rapidly. As I monitor my 2008 spending, food will continue to be an area to watch closely.

Rioting in Pakistan continues - Los Angeles Times

Paramilitary troops in the most volatile areas have been given permission to use deadly force against rioters.

Rioting in Pakistan continues - Los Angeles Times We continue to see unrest and violence in Pakistan today.  I worry when the government (see Musharraf) has authorized his troops to use deadly force against citizens of his own country.  I feel for those troops, firing their weapon at a fellow citizen must be one of the hardest and most difficult things they will ever have to do.  Let's hope Musharraf still has control over the military and the nuclear weapons.  I see a great deal of risk in the India / Pakistan situation if Musharraf can't prove he has control. Blogged with the Flock Browser

Monkey Bars

Monkey Bars
Originally uploaded by Shawn Smith

Molly and I went to Gymboree today. I took this shot of her climbing on the monkey bars. She continues to get better each time we go. In the winter she doesnt have a chance to go to the park near our house so gymboree is a good substitute.

Microsoft Watch Defending Windows Vista

This is a post I never imagined writing. But with so many year-end reviewers panning Vista, somebody other than Microsoft must make the defense.

Microsoft Watch - Vista - Defending Windows Vista No, actually Joe Wilcox we are beginning to think you are secretely paid by Redmond to promote their products. You are starting to sound about as bad as Scoble during his Microsoft years. Just deal with it, Vista sucks. Move on. The rest of us are holding our breath for Windows 7 hoping the mothership can get it right. And don't even get me started on the Zune post... come on... Blogged with the Flock Browser

iTunes TV Store?

I love my Apple TV. We turned off Cable in the early summer in favor of using just and Apple TV, the iTunes music/tv store and Netflix to get our content. There is just one thing I don't understand about Apple TV? If Apple can build the iTunes music store for the iPhone then why can't they build an iTunes Music/Video store for the Apple TV? I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to buy a new show for my daughter and have had to run upstairs, buy the show, download it to my laptop, and then sync. Really, all I want from Macworld is the ability to buy content directly from the Apple TV. Preferably without having to buy a whole new unit too :)

The Story of Stuff...

Embedded Video

Excellent comentary on the complete supply chain of consumption.

A couple of things hit me as I watched this: 1) Recycling helps, but the recycled materials are in the wrong place. They need to be back where the manufacturing happens. Unfortunately it is just too expensive to ship all those recycled products back. So, what happens? We put them in landfills. Sad but true. 2) The cost of transportation. Ships, Planes, trucks and trains consume enormous amounts of energy.  We forget that as we speed up the time between manufacturing and consumption that we use more expensive modes of transportation like aircraft.  Believe me, I worked for UPS for years. Blogged with the Flock Browser

Skinny Makeover

The “Skinny” on Starbucks® Caffè Mochas and Caffè LattesMade with Starbucks® signature espresso, the tall (12 fl. oz.) Caffè Latte or Caffè Mocha ordered with sugar-free syrup, perfectly steamed nonfat milk, and a dash of foam contains only 90 calories. If customers replace their daily tall Starbucks® Vanilla Latte with Starbucks® Skinny Vanilla Latte they would save 700 calories and 35 grams of fat per week. Swapping out a daily, tall Caffè Mocha (made with 2% milk and no whip) for a Skinny Mocha would save 550 calories and 30 grams of fat per week.

Starbucks Latte and Mocha Offerings get a Skinny Makeover to Help Coffee Lovers Feel Great in 2008: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance Wow, 700 Calories per week.  That is literally pounds off the old bod per year.  It is nice to see Starbucks finally giving coffee drink lovers a wakeup call in 2008. Blogged with the Flock Browser

Bhutto Assassination Sparks Disarray

The death of Ms. Bhutto, leader of Pakistan’s largest political party, throws Pakistan’s politics into disarray less than two weeks before parliamentary elections scheduled for Jan. 8 and just weeks after a state of emergency was lifted. There was immediate speculation that elections would be postponed and another state of emergency declared.

Bhutto Assassination Sparks Disarray - New York Times How can it get any worse? Blogged with the Flock Browser

Reading: Spook Country

I just started the latest book by William Gibson. Review and report forthcoming... Amazon.com: Spook Country: Books: William Gibson

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Molly By The Tree

IMG_1051
Originally uploaded by Shawn Smith

Molly had so much fun Christmas morning. She is 3 this year and I must say it is the magical age for really enjoying Christmas morning. Julie and I arranged all the presents around the room for fun. Molly came down stairs in the morning and shouted, holly doodle! There are so many gifts everywhere! I think next year, I will go one step farther and put everything in really big boxes. A trick I learned from my Dad. He amazed me so many times by the sizes of the gifts when I was a kid. Sometimes packing even the smallest gifts in a huge cardboard box from our Grocery Store.

Intent...

If the intent of the people who killed Benazir Bhutto was to destabalize a country with nuclear weapons and a huge grudge with their immediate neighbor and throw their entire country into civil war then "nice job". Otherwise, I am not so sure it was a good idea... And somehow the world does not feel safer this Thursday, December 27th, 2007.

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Flickring Lights

Flickring Lights, originally uploaded by Shawn Smith.

My Ode to Flickr, 2007. Happy holidays to my favorite photo sharing site.

Got Flock?

Did I mention that I use the excellent flock browser to maintain this site?  No?  While if you were at all wondering it is true.  I love the cross service integration!

Welcome to Flock

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Google, Please give me a contact list API in 2008?

Google all I want in 2008 are: 1) A contact list API which allows syncronization with my iPhone. 2) A contact list API and application which syncs my gmail.com contacts with Apples Addess book. Give me these things, and I might just fly down to Mountainview to hug the engineers... Blogged with the Flock Browser

Apple Rolling Out Movie Rentals for Apple TV?

As MG Seigler said today, this is huge. Assuming that Sony, Paramount and Warner Brothers follow suit, as they are also rumored to do, many folks may quit Blockbuster and Netflix subscriptions for the economy and convenience of an AppleTV unit, especially if rentals are $2.99 for 30 days.

Google Reader If this is really true it could change the landscape of how movies are consumed in homes.  I have Netflix today and would drop it quickly if I could get a catalog the size of Netflix on my AppleTV with the touch of a button.  Also, the rental model is good because then I don't feel like I need to store the movie anymore which is nice from a storage cost perspective.  This is why Netflix is so appealing. Blogged with the Flock Browser

Let It Snow

IMG_1156, originally uploaded by chezsmithy.

Molly mentioned that all she wanted for Christmas was a bit of the white stuff. When she talked to my mom early in the morning she was very interested if she had lots of snow in Kelowna. Well, later that morning Molly got her wish. We had a sudden dump of the white stuff and Molly got to try out her new ski suit.

Julie snapped this picture of Molly eating snow in the back yard.

The Meaning Of Boxing Day

I now live in the US. I must admit I miss the Canadian tradition of boxing day. I don't mean what it has become as the largest shopping and return day known to man, but as a time to wind down from the holidays and spend time with family and friends.

This year we spent time with friends and family. I feel bad for all the folks who have to work today. I an one of the people who would
like to see businesses closed on Christmas day and new years day.

So, if you can take a few minutes to think of those less fortunate today and spend time away from the stores. Take a deal breath and relax.

Happy Boxing Day!

Sent from my iPhone

Reinvent Health Care

Reinvent Health Care I applaud Regence (my employer) for taking a big risk and creating this unique web site.  Now, I challenge folks to sign into the site and be very candid about how you feel about the US health care system. I am watching the forums closely.  There is the opportunity for some interesting discussion. Blogged with the Flock Browser

Cigna defends decision to let teenager die..

What most people don't realize is the most health care dollars are consumed by any individual during the last 7 days of their life.  At this time the insurer takes the largest net impact to their bottom line and the greatest risk because the doctors literally throw everything at the patient to save their life.  From the Raw Story article:

"What is often misunderstood is that most health benefit plans, whether public or private, do not cover unproven and experimental treatment related to transplants or other treatments," they wrote. "Coverage decisions under these plans are based on the best scientific and clinical evidence available, often utilizing external experts, without consideration of cost."

The Raw Story | Cigna officers defend decision to let teenager die

The facts remain, that until you can remove cost as a component of any health care decision these types of events will continue to happen.  A model must be found where we can better balance the risk and the cost of health care across all of society, rather then a single insurance risk pool.

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Pirates!

Pirates!, originally uploaded by chezsmithy.

iPhone

I am trying out a mobile post from my iPhone. Looks like I have to use HTML mode to do the entry. This is why I decided to move back to blogger. This way I could leverage my mobile time to keep up with my writing. See you all soon.

Twas the weekend before Christmas...

Let's see.  Molly got her first big-girl hair cut.  Looks great don't you think?  We were hanging out upstairs while Kate was taking her afternoon nap.  I had a super great day with the kids today.  Kate is getting better and better at walking.  It won't be long and she will be favoring getting up on two feet over crawling! Blogged with the Flock Browser

Reindeer Molly

Reindeer Molly

If you don't folly my Flickr photo stream you might have missed this priceless holiday shot of Molly.  We attended a friends birthday party last weekend and molly received this light up nose and reindeer headband.  Enjoy :) Blogged with the Flock Browser

My Little Swimmer

Molly.Swimmer: I am so proud of Molly.  That is her with the pink goggles on the left BTW.  This was taken last Wednesday night on the last day of swimming lessons for 2007.  She has come so far this year.  We started at the beginning of the year with her barely wanting to put her mouth in the water to blow bubbles. Now, she is in the pool on her own with the teacher.  I am banished to the side of the pool to watch in wonder and cheer her on.  She is swimming half way across the pool on her own and diving assisted all the way to the bottom (4 feet) to retrive toys and rings. Way to go Molly!  I am looking forward to another set of great sessions next year. P.S., Kate will be joining you in 2008 :) Blogged with the Flock Browser

Love

Love, originally uploaded by .:Gaby:..

I thought this image from user Gaby over on Flickr was so very fitting. I can't help but feel overjoyed about my family and friends at this time of year. So, hear is to all of you! A bit of love from me to you.

Santa and His Elves

Santa and His Elves, originally uploaded by chezsmithy.

Wow, here we are at the end of 2007 already.

Another year swings by. Lots of 2007 highlights! Kate is now 1! Wow, amazing. Last year at this time I was unemployed from UPS and waiting to start my new job at Regence. Kate was just a well little thing. One year latter Kate is starting to walk and is growing up so quick. Molly is now 3. At 3 it seems Molly can do just about anything. She is like a mini adult now, who plays games, is learning to swim, roller-skate and interact with all kinds of kids.

I am looking forward to 2008 with vigor. Lots of good times with the kids and Julie. We will finally escape the baby years and move forward with enjoying some real quality time with the kids. I look forward to getting Kate into swimming lessons and Molly swimming on her own for the first time. Molly starts Playschool in January giving Julie a much needed break.

Whew... Happy Holidays everyone from the Smiths.