11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Something that made me laugh....a lot
To contact us Click HERE
The other day the whole family was driving through a small town when we came across this sign.....
It made me laugh so much that I had to go back (TWICE) to try and capture a clear picture (while trying not to look like a nut who was taking pictures of a random sign - I have to say, in that regard I failed completely).
The part that REALLY had me in stitches??
Yes, I am easily amused.
For those of you that are too young to have ever heard the expression slyly hinted at in the sign - you can find edification here and here. Although, I must admit, even though I'd heard this colorful expression as a child I had no idea what Shinola was until I Googled it just now....now the phrase makes perfect sense....and I will probably be using it often since I seem to be surrounded by people who don't know the difference.
And for the record? The property they are attempting to sell.....definitely not Shinola.
It made me laugh so much that I had to go back (TWICE) to try and capture a clear picture (while trying not to look like a nut who was taking pictures of a random sign - I have to say, in that regard I failed completely).
The part that REALLY had me in stitches??
 |
| "We Know the Difference" |
Yes, I am easily amused.
For those of you that are too young to have ever heard the expression slyly hinted at in the sign - you can find edification here and here. Although, I must admit, even though I'd heard this colorful expression as a child I had no idea what Shinola was until I Googled it just now....now the phrase makes perfect sense....and I will probably be using it often since I seem to be surrounded by people who don't know the difference.
And for the record? The property they are attempting to sell.....definitely not Shinola.
Ivy League
To contact us Click HERE
It was interesting, although not a surprise, to read that some Chinese students fake their applications in order to get into USA Universities. I expect that the second half of this story is that many Universities turn a blind eye to the practice (or, to be fair, don't have strong ways to identify cheaters) because foreign students pay premiums to attend, and this makes up an increasing amount of University revenue. The following was reported in September:
California has reduced funding for the university system by $650 million this year .....most dramatic shifts have taken place at some of the UC system’s more popular campuses, such as UC-Berkeley, where out-of-state residents and international students make up 30 percent of this year’s freshman class, up from 23 percent last year.
The negatives (beyond the moral aspects of cheating) are:
1) The overall quality of students decreases, as a higher percentage of unqualified students are accepted.
2) The education level in the US decreases, as some qualified students do not get accepted at top schools.
I don't actually believe (1) as I don't believe the SAT / AP / GPA tests accurately reflect potential. In fact, being creative enough to cheat well to get into school may imply a better aptitude. In which case, I am wrong about (2) as well.
The positives are:
1) The US is still seen as a preeminent location to get an education
2) The Universities are fostering multiculturalism
I thought that I would find that spending on education, as a percent of GDP, had decreased over the last fifty years, but that is actually not the case (of course, this is overall spending, but I imagine the University portion of this has also grown proportionally).
So, one (not so scientific) conclusion is that the education system has become inefficient. They have the same, or more, funding than 50 years ago, but are resorting to artificially pushing foreign student ratios to cover expenses.
California has reduced funding for the university system by $650 million this year .....most dramatic shifts have taken place at some of the UC system’s more popular campuses, such as UC-Berkeley, where out-of-state residents and international students make up 30 percent of this year’s freshman class, up from 23 percent last year.
The negatives (beyond the moral aspects of cheating) are:
1) The overall quality of students decreases, as a higher percentage of unqualified students are accepted.
2) The education level in the US decreases, as some qualified students do not get accepted at top schools.
I don't actually believe (1) as I don't believe the SAT / AP / GPA tests accurately reflect potential. In fact, being creative enough to cheat well to get into school may imply a better aptitude. In which case, I am wrong about (2) as well.
The positives are:
1) The US is still seen as a preeminent location to get an education
2) The Universities are fostering multiculturalism
I thought that I would find that spending on education, as a percent of GDP, had decreased over the last fifty years, but that is actually not the case (of course, this is overall spending, but I imagine the University portion of this has also grown proportionally).So, one (not so scientific) conclusion is that the education system has become inefficient. They have the same, or more, funding than 50 years ago, but are resorting to artificially pushing foreign student ratios to cover expenses.
FTC should look at the Republicrats
To contact us Click HERE
It strikes me that the Republicrats (the Democrats and the Republicans) form an unfair monopoly.
While antitrust law is typically associated with corporations, it could, conceivably also be applied to government (the FTC is an independent government body).
Triggering the antitrust laws typically means that you have a monopoly (hard to argue against that for the Republicrats) and that you abuse that position. It has become abundantly clear over the last year that both parties are abusing their positions by focusing all of their energies on "win at any cost" as opposed to "do something for the country." This is also why they can be considered a single entity (for the purposes of a monopoly)...they are not really two parties; just one inward facing machine.
Unfortunately, it appears that there will not be any real third party, yet again, in the next election....so there is no motivation for either party to change their behavior. It also appears that you can't change the system "from within", which I believe was one of Obama's unstated goals. So, it needs to be changed from outside....and the FTC is the only thing I could think of :-/
If the FTC were shake things up a big, they would have to consider Durverger's law, which implies that the US political system is set up to converge to a two party system. Some changes to the "representative" system would have to occur.
It strikes me that the Republicrats (the Democrats and the Republicans) form an unfair monopoly. While antitrust law is typically associated with corporations, it could, conceivably also be applied to government (the FTC is an independent government body).
Triggering the antitrust laws typically means that you have a monopoly (hard to argue against that for the Republicrats) and that you abuse that position. It has become abundantly clear over the last year that both parties are abusing their positions by focusing all of their energies on "win at any cost" as opposed to "do something for the country." This is also why they can be considered a single entity (for the purposes of a monopoly)...they are not really two parties; just one inward facing machine.
Unfortunately, it appears that there will not be any real third party, yet again, in the next election....so there is no motivation for either party to change their behavior. It also appears that you can't change the system "from within", which I believe was one of Obama's unstated goals. So, it needs to be changed from outside....and the FTC is the only thing I could think of :-/
If the FTC were shake things up a big, they would have to consider Durverger's law, which implies that the US political system is set up to converge to a two party system. Some changes to the "representative" system would have to occur.
Fixing the Game
To contact us Click HERE
There is a great summary article in Forbes of this book by Roger Martin. Having run a public company for several years, the thesis here resonated with me immediately. Executives spend way too much time managing the Expectations Market (i.e., the stock market) as opposed to building value in the Real Market (i.e., goods and services used by your customers). And, because the Expectations Market exists, hedge funds and activist investors have a platform. To change the focus back to the Real Market, Martin has several suggestions, including:
I have had a related theory for a long time: that the tax system is unfairly structured to favor the Expectation Market. You pay lower taxes on Expectations Market gains (capital gains) than you do on Real Market gains (gains tied closely to the production of Real goods). The further a financial instrument gets from the Real Market, the higher the taxes on it should be. Hedge fund gains, or credit default swaps, should be taxed at a higher rate than income tax. Of course, money is the lubricant for the Real Market, so we would have to ensure that direct investments that are "close to the Real" still had a tax advantage. However, by increasing taxes based on the "derivative level" of an instrument, we would encourage people to spend more time in the Real world.
There is a great summary article in Forbes of this book by Roger Martin. Having run a public company for several years, the thesis here resonated with me immediately. Executives spend way too much time managing the Expectations Market (i.e., the stock market) as opposed to building value in the Real Market (i.e., goods and services used by your customers). And, because the Expectations Market exists, hedge funds and activist investors have a platform. To change the focus back to the Real Market, Martin has several suggestions, including:- Repeal safe harbor, thus eliminating earnings guidance and forward speculation.
- Eliminate stock-based compensation.
- Regulate hedge funds.
I have had a related theory for a long time: that the tax system is unfairly structured to favor the Expectation Market. You pay lower taxes on Expectations Market gains (capital gains) than you do on Real Market gains (gains tied closely to the production of Real goods). The further a financial instrument gets from the Real Market, the higher the taxes on it should be. Hedge fund gains, or credit default swaps, should be taxed at a higher rate than income tax. Of course, money is the lubricant for the Real Market, so we would have to ensure that direct investments that are "close to the Real" still had a tax advantage. However, by increasing taxes based on the "derivative level" of an instrument, we would encourage people to spend more time in the Real world.
BrowserID in the Edison Quadrant?
To contact us Click HERE
I have been reading up on Donald Stokes theories of innovation, which, for some reason I had not seen before. It is quite philosophical, but has some interesting points. The main one is that "the path to innovative products" does not always start from pure research and evolve towards useful products. Instead, research often moves between quadrants - both left and right as well as up and down. Sometimes, for example, very applied research will highlight a fundamental technology gap, which then drives use-inspired basic research. Beyond Bohr, Pasteur, and Edison, I was trying to map some other projects into the matrix. DARPA, for example, is focused in the Pasteur Quadrant, while the CERN work is certainly Bohr-ish :-)
BrowserID, which we have been developing at Mozilla, is a good example of Edison research. The fundamental building blocks were available, but they had not been put together in a way that met our "consideration of use" (a sign-in system which respects the privacy goal of "law of least knowledge").
I have been reading up on Donald Stokes theories of innovation, which, for some reason I had not seen before. It is quite philosophical, but has some interesting points. The main one is that "the path to innovative products" does not always start from pure research and evolve towards useful products. Instead, research often moves between quadrants - both left and right as well as up and down. Sometimes, for example, very applied research will highlight a fundamental technology gap, which then drives use-inspired basic research. Beyond Bohr, Pasteur, and Edison, I was trying to map some other projects into the matrix. DARPA, for example, is focused in the Pasteur Quadrant, while the CERN work is certainly Bohr-ish :-)BrowserID, which we have been developing at Mozilla, is a good example of Edison research. The fundamental building blocks were available, but they had not been put together in a way that met our "consideration of use" (a sign-in system which respects the privacy goal of "law of least knowledge").
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Donna Summer: A Quiet Passing
To contact us Click HERE
I think I've mentioned that I was a musical snotball when I was young.
In the 1970s when many of my peeps were disco-mad and wore the clothes to prove it, I had long hair parted in the middle and actually wore a green army jacket with a peace sign stenciled on the back to school.
I campaigned actively against disco music which, ironically, in my older age not only doesn't sound so bad but brings me right back to a carefree time when my worries were no more serious than which Bay Ridge diner we'd hit after the movie...and would I order cheesecake or breakfast.
I listened to Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel, The Doors and sang Janis Joplin to my mirror when I was alone.
But breaking through this hippie-wannabee haze was always the strong voice and pulsing songs of Miss Donna Summer.
Today she passed away of lung cancer at the age of 66. She believes it may have been a result of inhaling the toxic air of 2001 New York City after 911....but who knows.
She will get a mention on the entertainment shows tonight and maybe a few more tomorrow. I doubt there will be public tears and huge crowds. Unlike Whitney, her passing -- not from self-abuse and a disregard for her own legacy and welfare -- will not be sensationalized and rehashed.
But Donna was, indeed, sensational....have a listen: Thanks for the music, Donna.
I think I've mentioned that I was a musical snotball when I was young.In the 1970s when many of my peeps were disco-mad and wore the clothes to prove it, I had long hair parted in the middle and actually wore a green army jacket with a peace sign stenciled on the back to school.
I campaigned actively against disco music which, ironically, in my older age not only doesn't sound so bad but brings me right back to a carefree time when my worries were no more serious than which Bay Ridge diner we'd hit after the movie...and would I order cheesecake or breakfast.
I listened to Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel, The Doors and sang Janis Joplin to my mirror when I was alone.
But breaking through this hippie-wannabee haze was always the strong voice and pulsing songs of Miss Donna Summer.
Today she passed away of lung cancer at the age of 66. She believes it may have been a result of inhaling the toxic air of 2001 New York City after 911....but who knows.
She will get a mention on the entertainment shows tonight and maybe a few more tomorrow. I doubt there will be public tears and huge crowds. Unlike Whitney, her passing -- not from self-abuse and a disregard for her own legacy and welfare -- will not be sensationalized and rehashed.
But Donna was, indeed, sensational....have a listen: Thanks for the music, Donna.
Hanging Tough Around the Finger Sandwiches
To contact us Click HERE
I attended a bridal shower yesterday and had a lovely time.
Held under a tent, I sat at a lace-draped table and partook in the traditonal manifestations of commitment and love that result in the coming together of friends and family on a beautiful afternoon as well as the forcing of a perfectly nice young woman to wear a paper plate on her head.
But enough about that, people.
Love, shmove, I say--this is about finger sandwiches! And Susan Says loves her some finger sandwiches.
Tuna and cucumber, egg salad and chicken to name but a few...piled in tempting pyramids, there were thousands of them...maybe millions. In fact, I am quite sure there may have been a billion. Yes, a billion finger sandwiches.
If, in my building delirium, I had overturned the tables, tipping over the tiered trays and platters, I could have rolled around in them and still had plenty to enjoy with iced tea and lemonade once the fever passed.
But guess what? Susan Says is trying to lose weight.
Punishment enough under normal circumstances, cutting back on a day when there are a billion finger sandwiches within stampeding distance and the only thing between them and my tummy is a bunch of frail old ladies, is a feat of superhuman and character building self control.
Factor in trays of lady fingers with clotted cream and individual strawberry short cakes served in teeny little teacups and the fact that I did not begin speaking in tongues was pretty amazing.
Thank the good lord there weren't petit fours* or all would have been lost.
I cannot resist a petit four under any circumstances so when attempting tostick to my goddam diet fully embrace this lifestyle change of eating in a more healthful manner, I try to avoid environments where they may be present...bridal showers are risky.
There could be a snarling, snapping pit bull blocking my path and I would toss him aside with one swipe to get at a tray of petit fours. The Berlin Wall could not have kept me from petit fours.
Finger sandwiches are a close second.
When the hostess announced that it was time toattack the finger sandwiches eat, I kept seated for a few moments to gather my strength.
Watching the trays carefully, I was prepared to strike like a crazed mongoose if I felt the towering and artfully arranged piles of cunning little sandwiches, crustless and cut in triangles, were being significantly diminished by the locusts disguised in heels and colorful summer dresses.
After visualizing terrifying combinations of cellulite, thunder thighs and back fat for several minutes, I rose and slowly approached the table,
Breathing exercises helped as I concentrated on keeping my balance in the tent-shaded grass.
I grew closer and closer, nonchalantly taking a plate from the stack. Instead of following my impulse to bend at the waist and eat straight from the platters using no hands, I placed no more than four on my plate and, as Buzzy does when he is given a piece of ham, took my food into a corner and growled while I ate.
And I did not go back for seconds. Victory was mine.
I tried not to look at the food table for the duration of the event.
So, here I am...guilt free and feeling feisty. Today, finger sandwiches. Tomorrow the world.
* I used to think that petit fours meant "small fours" but it really means small ovens.
I attended a bridal shower yesterday and had a lovely time.Held under a tent, I sat at a lace-draped table and partook in the traditonal manifestations of commitment and love that result in the coming together of friends and family on a beautiful afternoon as well as the forcing of a perfectly nice young woman to wear a paper plate on her head.
 |
| The dreaded ribbon hat |
But enough about that, people.
Love, shmove, I say--this is about finger sandwiches! And Susan Says loves her some finger sandwiches.
Tuna and cucumber, egg salad and chicken to name but a few...piled in tempting pyramids, there were thousands of them...maybe millions. In fact, I am quite sure there may have been a billion. Yes, a billion finger sandwiches.
If, in my building delirium, I had overturned the tables, tipping over the tiered trays and platters, I could have rolled around in them and still had plenty to enjoy with iced tea and lemonade once the fever passed.
But guess what? Susan Says is trying to lose weight.
Punishment enough under normal circumstances, cutting back on a day when there are a billion finger sandwiches within stampeding distance and the only thing between them and my tummy is a bunch of frail old ladies, is a feat of superhuman and character building self control.
Factor in trays of lady fingers with clotted cream and individual strawberry short cakes served in teeny little teacups and the fact that I did not begin speaking in tongues was pretty amazing.
 |
| And I love you, too, petit fours. |
Thank the good lord there weren't petit fours* or all would have been lost.
I cannot resist a petit four under any circumstances so when attempting to
There could be a snarling, snapping pit bull blocking my path and I would toss him aside with one swipe to get at a tray of petit fours. The Berlin Wall could not have kept me from petit fours.
 |
| Back off, Cujo. You're going to lose. |
When the hostess announced that it was time to
Watching the trays carefully, I was prepared to strike like a crazed mongoose if I felt the towering and artfully arranged piles of cunning little sandwiches, crustless and cut in triangles, were being significantly diminished by the locusts disguised in heels and colorful summer dresses.
After visualizing terrifying combinations of cellulite, thunder thighs and back fat for several minutes, I rose and slowly approached the table,
 |
| Dr. Oz crusading against cellulite. |
Breathing exercises helped as I concentrated on keeping my balance in the tent-shaded grass.
I grew closer and closer, nonchalantly taking a plate from the stack. Instead of following my impulse to bend at the waist and eat straight from the platters using no hands, I placed no more than four on my plate and, as Buzzy does when he is given a piece of ham, took my food into a corner and growled while I ate.
And I did not go back for seconds. Victory was mine.
I tried not to look at the food table for the duration of the event.
So, here I am...guilt free and feeling feisty. Today, finger sandwiches. Tomorrow the world.
* I used to think that petit fours meant "small fours" but it really means small ovens.
High Anxiety
To contact us Click HERE
Today I ran across some erroneous information and feel the need to set the record straight.
Some idiot did some research (it consisted of playing Twister with his assistants and your tax dollar probably paid for it) and has come to the misguided conclusion that people who experience extreme anxiety emit a scent that, while undetectable to humans, is repellent to mosquitoes.
Ha.
I am the Empress of Anxiety. If tiaras were handed out for worry and self-induced stress -- based on either real or imagined events -- I would be wearing a towering stack of jeweled crowns because, simply stated, worry is what I do best. It's my thing. My forte. My spec-i-ality.
I can take any event and twist it into a pretzel of horror over which I will perspire and twitch for hours.
Ex. Are you a minute late? Then you must be in a ditch, outstretched hand a few inches short of being able to reach your cell phone as you bleed into the mud. Or, are you traveling outside of the tri-state area? A tornado, flood, hurricane will affect your plans. Taking a cruise? I hope you're a strong swimmer. Enjoying an outdoor event? Beware of drive-by shootings. Adopting a puppy? What if it grows up to be Cujo?
Pretty impressive, I know...and I'm not even warmed up. Yet, despite this so-called "research," mosquitoes love me more than any other human alive today.
In fact, this summer I should finally act on my plan to get rich by renting out my services at summer parties...
If I attend your backyard soiree, no one else will get bitten. The mosquitoes will ignore all others and just line up in a hovering queue to wait their turn to chomp any exposed part of my irresistible flesh... including eyelids, knuckles and the backs of the knees.
This has gone on since I was a succulent little girl and my mother, ahead of her time in her mistrust of harsh chemical sprays, tried all kinds of natural, homemade potions to save me.
Lemon eucalyptus...useless. Clove oil...nope. Even the popular Skin-So-Soft by Avon -- used successfully by hunters and fisherman in the swamps of Louisiana where mosquitoes are the size of peacocks -- could not stave off those flying bloodsuckers once they'd caught sight of my chubby arms.
And, being card-carrying Hungarians we, of course, tried garlic. So, not only did I stink to high heaven but I got bitten to hell and back anyway.
Vampires steered clear of me, though. And that wasn't a bad thing since, at the time, I had little interest in living forever in a drafty stone castle. Although it seems like a perfectly acceptable lifestyle to me now.
As a kid, I was a connect-the-dots of calamine lotion every summer evening. My mother would shake the bottle vigorously as she dreamed up new combos of herbal aromas while liberally daubing me with the pink liquid, dmonishing me to "sit still" until it dried.
Back then adults used to comment on how sweet I must be to make the mosquitoes love me so much.
For a while this made me feel special despite the red, itching welts that covered my body. But I soon decided that I would rather taste like curdled milk spiked with urine than endure the voracious devotion of every mosquito in New York City.
I can't imagine who this guy based his research on. They must have been amateurs when it comes to real anxiety--just pretending to lie awake at night muttering about flesh eating bacteria, pit bull attacks and David Wright's fragile emotional health.
Whether anxiety invites bites or bites cause anxiety, I already have my first one. With Memorial Day less than a week away, it's right on time.
Today I ran across some erroneous information and feel the need to set the record straight.Some idiot did some research (it consisted of playing Twister with his assistants and your tax dollar probably paid for it) and has come to the misguided conclusion that people who experience extreme anxiety emit a scent that, while undetectable to humans, is repellent to mosquitoes.
Ha.
I am the Empress of Anxiety. If tiaras were handed out for worry and self-induced stress -- based on either real or imagined events -- I would be wearing a towering stack of jeweled crowns because, simply stated, worry is what I do best. It's my thing. My forte. My spec-i-ality.
I can take any event and twist it into a pretzel of horror over which I will perspire and twitch for hours.
Ex. Are you a minute late? Then you must be in a ditch, outstretched hand a few inches short of being able to reach your cell phone as you bleed into the mud. Or, are you traveling outside of the tri-state area? A tornado, flood, hurricane will affect your plans. Taking a cruise? I hope you're a strong swimmer. Enjoying an outdoor event? Beware of drive-by shootings. Adopting a puppy? What if it grows up to be Cujo?
Pretty impressive, I know...and I'm not even warmed up. Yet, despite this so-called "research," mosquitoes love me more than any other human alive today.
 |
| Is "Susan Says..." here??? |
In fact, this summer I should finally act on my plan to get rich by renting out my services at summer parties...
If I attend your backyard soiree, no one else will get bitten. The mosquitoes will ignore all others and just line up in a hovering queue to wait their turn to chomp any exposed part of my irresistible flesh... including eyelids, knuckles and the backs of the knees.
This has gone on since I was a succulent little girl and my mother, ahead of her time in her mistrust of harsh chemical sprays, tried all kinds of natural, homemade potions to save me.
 |
| Remember this? |
Lemon eucalyptus...useless. Clove oil...nope. Even the popular Skin-So-Soft by Avon -- used successfully by hunters and fisherman in the swamps of Louisiana where mosquitoes are the size of peacocks -- could not stave off those flying bloodsuckers once they'd caught sight of my chubby arms.
And, being card-carrying Hungarians we, of course, tried garlic. So, not only did I stink to high heaven but I got bitten to hell and back anyway.
 |
| What? |
 |
| Calydryl was our choice. |
Vampires steered clear of me, though. And that wasn't a bad thing since, at the time, I had little interest in living forever in a drafty stone castle. Although it seems like a perfectly acceptable lifestyle to me now.
As a kid, I was a connect-the-dots of calamine lotion every summer evening. My mother would shake the bottle vigorously as she dreamed up new combos of herbal aromas while liberally daubing me with the pink liquid, dmonishing me to "sit still" until it dried.
Back then adults used to comment on how sweet I must be to make the mosquitoes love me so much.
For a while this made me feel special despite the red, itching welts that covered my body. But I soon decided that I would rather taste like curdled milk spiked with urine than endure the voracious devotion of every mosquito in New York City.
I can't imagine who this guy based his research on. They must have been amateurs when it comes to real anxiety--just pretending to lie awake at night muttering about flesh eating bacteria, pit bull attacks and David Wright's fragile emotional health.
 |
| "Why, oh why, have I never reached my full potential?? |
Fantasia vs. Chaka or Happy Memorial Day to All!
To contact us Click HERE
I am still recovering from Fantasia Barrino's outfit on American Idol last Wednesday.
Between her and Chaka Khan (who I have loved since she sang with Rufus many years ago), I have had to lie down frequently with a cool rag across my forehead and a basket of assorted carbohydrates by my side.
I am all for people expressing themselves in their outfit choices. After all, taste is personal...individual...and risky.
And I would NEVER comment on anyone's weight unless you're LeeAnn Rimes, that skinny husband stealing witch.
Fantasia and Chaka took a risk by packing their very "solid" selves into unflattering outfits and are taking the heat as a result. Such is the life of a diva.
The worst part is that they both sounded terrible.
Fantsia simply looked insane. I think Chaka lost some weight recently and was determined that we all knew it...but her skin tight sequined Spanx, worn on the outside, was not a good look.
Luckily I have the Memorial Day weekend to recover.
Have a great holiday weekend everyone and remember, we are celebrating a lot more than a watermelon cut into the shape of a bowl and filled with more watermelon.
And, we are honoring a lot more than the mega-sales at Macy's...
Thank a veteran if you have chance to. If not, say a prayer for the souls of all those who gave their lives.
And, don't forget to have fun!
Here's Chaka -- circa 1974 -- when she sounded g-r-e-a-t...
 |
| It looked even worse on TV and yes, that is a slit on the side of the leg. |
I am still recovering from Fantasia Barrino's outfit on American Idol last Wednesday.
Between her and Chaka Khan (who I have loved since she sang with Rufus many years ago), I have had to lie down frequently with a cool rag across my forehead and a basket of assorted carbohydrates by my side.
 |
| Chaka then... |
I am all for people expressing themselves in their outfit choices. After all, taste is personal...individual...and risky.
And I would NEVER comment on anyone's weight unless you're LeeAnn Rimes, that skinny husband stealing witch.
Fantasia and Chaka took a risk by packing their very "solid" selves into unflattering outfits and are taking the heat as a result. Such is the life of a diva.
The worst part is that they both sounded terrible.
 |
| ....and now. |
Fantsia simply looked insane. I think Chaka lost some weight recently and was determined that we all knew it...but her skin tight sequined Spanx, worn on the outside, was not a good look.
 |
| Ewwwww. |
Luckily I have the Memorial Day weekend to recover.
Have a great holiday weekend everyone and remember, we are celebrating a lot more than a watermelon cut into the shape of a bowl and filled with more watermelon.
 |
| A Memorial Day treat |
And, we are honoring a lot more than the mega-sales at Macy's...
Thank a veteran if you have chance to. If not, say a prayer for the souls of all those who gave their lives.
And, don't forget to have fun!
Here's Chaka -- circa 1974 -- when she sounded g-r-e-a-t...
It's Always Something
To contact us Click HERE
I haven't posted for a while. My heads been in a muddle since receiving news last week that a dear friend had passed after an amazingingly courageous nine year battle with cancer.
She left behind two beautiful sons who are mostly grown but she had lots of parenting left to do as well as daughtering, sistering and friending...and lots more stuff, too.
In other words, 53 is just too young to say goodbye.
So, that's been on my mind and has kept my heart heavy.
In the midst of this, there have been a few life obligations that have also weighed on my tiny, little mind. I have worked to cross them off my list...and, with their completion, breathed a sigh of relief as they were a source of stress.
Lo and behold, this morning -- as is the nature of life -- another stress-inducing obligation popped up on my personal horizon and I found myself saying, "Man, it's always something, isn't it?"
Well, yes, it is. It is always something.
Thank God.
I haven't posted for a while. My heads been in a muddle since receiving news last week that a dear friend had passed after an amazingingly courageous nine year battle with cancer.She left behind two beautiful sons who are mostly grown but she had lots of parenting left to do as well as daughtering, sistering and friending...and lots more stuff, too.
In other words, 53 is just too young to say goodbye.
So, that's been on my mind and has kept my heart heavy.
In the midst of this, there have been a few life obligations that have also weighed on my tiny, little mind. I have worked to cross them off my list...and, with their completion, breathed a sigh of relief as they were a source of stress.
Lo and behold, this morning -- as is the nature of life -- another stress-inducing obligation popped up on my personal horizon and I found myself saying, "Man, it's always something, isn't it?"
Well, yes, it is. It is always something.
Thank God.
 |
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Microsoft: Pay me $250 instead
To contact us Click HERE
If this article is accurate, Microsoft is paying Nokia almost $250 for every Windows phone that Nokia ships. The payback, ostensibly, is twofold:
Of course, Google may react and try to shut down, or limit, such a practice.....but operators might endorse it. More Microsoft services, more data usage.
The marketing tradeoff is straightforward: is it easier to get someone to download the Windows 8 App, or to purchase a Nokia phone? With most of the planet sitting in front of a Windows OS, and using a Microsoft browser, they would seem to have a lot of leverage for promoting a software download.
Why won't Microsoft do this? Because it implies that the OS is no longer important (the App would run on Android!).
If this article is accurate, Microsoft is paying Nokia almost $250 for every Windows phone that Nokia ships. The payback, ostensibly, is twofold:- Wide enough adoption that Microsoft becomes a player in mobile
- People, through usage, will stick to Microsoft services, and become long term customers.
Of course, Google may react and try to shut down, or limit, such a practice.....but operators might endorse it. More Microsoft services, more data usage.
The marketing tradeoff is straightforward: is it easier to get someone to download the Windows 8 App, or to purchase a Nokia phone? With most of the planet sitting in front of a Windows OS, and using a Microsoft browser, they would seem to have a lot of leverage for promoting a software download.
Why won't Microsoft do this? Because it implies that the OS is no longer important (the App would run on Android!).
Facebook IPO - the new normal?
To contact us Click HERE
It used to be that an IPO was:
The secondary markets also provide a means for companies to attract early growth capital...with a lot less hassle than an IPO. Companies will probably stay on secondary markets until they are more mature, meaning more of the upside value will have been realized before they go public.
This is certainly the case with Facebook. They are mature, they are profitable, and they raised a lot of their growth capital already. The IPO (rumored to be raising $10B) is more about establishing a war chest so that they can compete with existing war chests (Google, Microsoft, etc.). The evolution to the social web has just begun, so this is a smart move.
- The first major liquidity event for shareholders
- A means to raise growth capital
- The first time a company was "market priced" due to (1).
The secondary markets also provide a means for companies to attract early growth capital...with a lot less hassle than an IPO. Companies will probably stay on secondary markets until they are more mature, meaning more of the upside value will have been realized before they go public.
This is certainly the case with Facebook. They are mature, they are profitable, and they raised a lot of their growth capital already. The IPO (rumored to be raising $10B) is more about establishing a war chest so that they can compete with existing war chests (Google, Microsoft, etc.). The evolution to the social web has just begun, so this is a smart move.
facebook.com/realtimefinancials
To contact us Click HERE
[ This is a thought experiment arising from speculation on if Facebook would give quarterly guidance once they are public; implementing this thought experiment is not realistic :-/ ]
I wrote a few weeks ago about "Fixing the Game", by Roger Martin, which details how the public markets have become a game of Expectations versus Reality. He argues that, unless this changes, the capital markets are in trouble.
A lot of the Expectations Game is enabled by public companies giving quarterly and yearly guidance, leading to "gambling" behavior by investors. One of Martin's recommendations is to repeal safe harbor regulations, which would strongly discourage companies and executives from giving forward guidance.
Another (extreme) approach would be have companies post real time (unaudited) financial information. While very difficult for some types of business, doing so for an online advertising business is possible.
Real time financials would not only make forward guidance useless, it would remove the gambling behavior that is stimulated by quarterly earnings release.
More generally, I would postulate that the time between company updates is directly proportional to uncertainty and therefore, the longer the period between updates, the more extreme the Expectations behavior will be. If a company only gave yearly guidance, then 363 days into the year you, as an investor, would have very little knowledge, and the possible correction when the yearly results are released could be huge. If, on the other hand, the company reported every Friday, uncertainty is very low, so you are more likely to invest on the Real value of the company.
The point is this: we don't have to go all the way to "real time"; releasing financial results on a daily or weekly or monthly basis would have a huge impact on "Fixing the Game", as opposed to the quarterly schedule the market is currently on.
Like I started out, this is a thought experiment only, as implementing this would be very difficult for many types of businesses. Revenue recognition complexities, backlog, inventory, etc. etc. etc could make real time financials more misleading than quarterly results and actually result in more Expectations behavior, rather than less. I can imagine, however, that the lifecycle of ad buys is usually pretty short, so that companies like Facebook could report much more often without significantly more cost (of course, you would only want to audit quarterly; accounting firms are not cheap).
[ This is a thought experiment arising from speculation on if Facebook would give quarterly guidance once they are public; implementing this thought experiment is not realistic :-/ ] I wrote a few weeks ago about "Fixing the Game", by Roger Martin, which details how the public markets have become a game of Expectations versus Reality. He argues that, unless this changes, the capital markets are in trouble.
A lot of the Expectations Game is enabled by public companies giving quarterly and yearly guidance, leading to "gambling" behavior by investors. One of Martin's recommendations is to repeal safe harbor regulations, which would strongly discourage companies and executives from giving forward guidance.
Another (extreme) approach would be have companies post real time (unaudited) financial information. While very difficult for some types of business, doing so for an online advertising business is possible.
Real time financials would not only make forward guidance useless, it would remove the gambling behavior that is stimulated by quarterly earnings release.
More generally, I would postulate that the time between company updates is directly proportional to uncertainty and therefore, the longer the period between updates, the more extreme the Expectations behavior will be. If a company only gave yearly guidance, then 363 days into the year you, as an investor, would have very little knowledge, and the possible correction when the yearly results are released could be huge. If, on the other hand, the company reported every Friday, uncertainty is very low, so you are more likely to invest on the Real value of the company.
The point is this: we don't have to go all the way to "real time"; releasing financial results on a daily or weekly or monthly basis would have a huge impact on "Fixing the Game", as opposed to the quarterly schedule the market is currently on.
Like I started out, this is a thought experiment only, as implementing this would be very difficult for many types of businesses. Revenue recognition complexities, backlog, inventory, etc. etc. etc could make real time financials more misleading than quarterly results and actually result in more Expectations behavior, rather than less. I can imagine, however, that the lifecycle of ad buys is usually pretty short, so that companies like Facebook could report much more often without significantly more cost (of course, you would only want to audit quarterly; accounting firms are not cheap).
Connectome as a Book
To contact us Click HERE
Your Connectome is a map of your brain. Every neuron, every synapse.
I am only a few pages into Connectome, but was intrigued by a sentence: "Human DNA....has three billion letters....would be a million pages long if printed as a book." The companion question, "How many pages for the Connectome?" might be answered later in the book, but I thought I would take a shot at it here.
Here is the punchline: Your Connectome book is 6.7 million times longer than your DNA book.
That human DNA is about a million pages is not too surprising, although it probably is not optimized. According to quora there are between 1500 and 1800 letters per page. I am going to use round numbers, namely 2000. Then, the 3x10^9 DNA letters would actually be 1.5 million pages. But this is very wasteful. Even using just ASCII we can encode four DNA letters per character, so the book should really only be about 400K pages. And, this book is much more interesting; instead of endless GATC's, you get a full 256 character set to work with. Further compression is definitely possible, and in fact, up to 99% compression has been shown. This is largely due to repetitive structures in DNA that can be encoded efficiently. So, we can write the DNA book with only 15,000 pages. Robert Jordan's series The Wheel of Time is 11,000 pages and probably a little bit more readable.)
Now, the Connectome, according to Wikipedia, has 10^10 neurons and 10^14 synapses. So, on average, there are 10,000 synapses per neuron. If we imagine our Connectome book to be (somewhat) efficiently coded, we could do the following. With 10^10 neurons we need 34 bits to encode the "neuron address". I am going to assume that neurons have a "local space" (i.e, are connected to other neurons that are physically close by), and can be addressed relative to themselves with only 32 bits (if a connection is out of local space, we can use an escape sequence and a full 34 bit address). This 32 bits gives us a nice round 4 characters per neuron. Our encoding is then the following: <marker><neuron number><neuron for synapse 1>....<neuron for synapse 10,000>.
But this is still highly wasteful. Let's sort the connections by neuron address and then use a differential encoding. With 10^10 neurons, and 10^4 connections per neuron, the average "distance" between synapses will be just 10^6, or a measly million. This takes only 20 bits to encode, or 2.5 characters. Let's round down to 2 characters per synapse, assuming more compression is possible. (I am assuming that there is no repetitive structure in the Connectome, so while some more compression is possible, it is probably not going to be much). Now we have 2 * 10^14 / 2000 = 10^11 pages in our Connectome book. That is a hundred billion pages, or approximately 6.7 million times as many pages as the DNA book.
Amazon can deliver one, but might struggle with the other.
Of course, I have used the assumption that, just like folding is ignored in the DNA Book, the XYZ coordinates of synapses is not required for the Connectome, just the connection graph.
Your Connectome is a map of your brain. Every neuron, every synapse.
I am only a few pages into Connectome, but was intrigued by a sentence: "Human DNA....has three billion letters....would be a million pages long if printed as a book." The companion question, "How many pages for the Connectome?" might be answered later in the book, but I thought I would take a shot at it here.
Here is the punchline: Your Connectome book is 6.7 million times longer than your DNA book.
That human DNA is about a million pages is not too surprising, although it probably is not optimized. According to quora there are between 1500 and 1800 letters per page. I am going to use round numbers, namely 2000. Then, the 3x10^9 DNA letters would actually be 1.5 million pages. But this is very wasteful. Even using just ASCII we can encode four DNA letters per character, so the book should really only be about 400K pages. And, this book is much more interesting; instead of endless GATC's, you get a full 256 character set to work with. Further compression is definitely possible, and in fact, up to 99% compression has been shown. This is largely due to repetitive structures in DNA that can be encoded efficiently. So, we can write the DNA book with only 15,000 pages. Robert Jordan's series The Wheel of Time is 11,000 pages and probably a little bit more readable.)
Now, the Connectome, according to Wikipedia, has 10^10 neurons and 10^14 synapses. So, on average, there are 10,000 synapses per neuron. If we imagine our Connectome book to be (somewhat) efficiently coded, we could do the following. With 10^10 neurons we need 34 bits to encode the "neuron address". I am going to assume that neurons have a "local space" (i.e, are connected to other neurons that are physically close by), and can be addressed relative to themselves with only 32 bits (if a connection is out of local space, we can use an escape sequence and a full 34 bit address). This 32 bits gives us a nice round 4 characters per neuron. Our encoding is then the following: <marker><neuron number><neuron for synapse 1>....<neuron for synapse 10,000>.
But this is still highly wasteful. Let's sort the connections by neuron address and then use a differential encoding. With 10^10 neurons, and 10^4 connections per neuron, the average "distance" between synapses will be just 10^6, or a measly million. This takes only 20 bits to encode, or 2.5 characters. Let's round down to 2 characters per synapse, assuming more compression is possible. (I am assuming that there is no repetitive structure in the Connectome, so while some more compression is possible, it is probably not going to be much). Now we have 2 * 10^14 / 2000 = 10^11 pages in our Connectome book. That is a hundred billion pages, or approximately 6.7 million times as many pages as the DNA book.
Amazon can deliver one, but might struggle with the other.
Of course, I have used the assumption that, just like folding is ignored in the DNA Book, the XYZ coordinates of synapses is not required for the Connectome, just the connection graph.
The Fourth R.
To contact us Click HERE
Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic, and algoRithms. My wife and I were just brainstorming about this: how coding should be the next "basic" skill. Of course, someone was ahead of us and posted this. It is awesome to see Mozilla Hackasaurus referenced in this article. It is a small world.
In the early days of the printing press, scholars wrote the books; the press was simply used for production (see this article). As time went on, "average" people became familiar with the medium, and used it for their own messages. We are at just that point with the Web. Software Engineers write the code, and the Web distributes it. Software Engineers are the algoRithm scholars of today. They won't be for long. Soon algoRithms will be taught starting in elementary school, along with the other three R's.
Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic, and algoRithms. My wife and I were just brainstorming about this: how coding should be the next "basic" skill. Of course, someone was ahead of us and posted this. It is awesome to see Mozilla Hackasaurus referenced in this article. It is a small world.In the early days of the printing press, scholars wrote the books; the press was simply used for production (see this article). As time went on, "average" people became familiar with the medium, and used it for their own messages. We are at just that point with the Web. Software Engineers write the code, and the Web distributes it. Software Engineers are the algoRithm scholars of today. They won't be for long. Soon algoRithms will be taught starting in elementary school, along with the other three R's.
5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe
Goodbye, Amtrak Hole Punchers?
To contact us Click HERE
Oh this is so sad. An end of an era.
The New York Times reports that Amtrak is slowly introducing new technology to scan passengers' rial tickets. Instead of the familiar "click click" of the hole punchers, we will now hear the "BEEEEEP" of a scanned ticket. :( I like the hole punchers.
Apple iPhone, even. Woo woo, betcha Apple is happy about that. Amtrak says they are developing Android capability, too. The two companies are gonna be raking in the cash, as Amtrak is spending $7.5 million for this new system. I wonder, will they buy it all outright for opt for structured settlement payments? What about software security? Abuses of the system? power outages or bugs?
What I also DON'T like is that this new technology will track passengers on board. That's creepy. iPhones and Droids are so very cool, but the last thing I want is to be monitored because of them.
So while I love the iPhone and think technology is very cool, there are definite caveats, Technology is wonderful in the right hands and when it works... but when it's hacked or something goes wrong, it's an absolute nightmare.
Plus, I will certainly miss the clackety-clack of the hole punchers.
The New York Times reports that Amtrak is slowly introducing new technology to scan passengers' rial tickets. Instead of the familiar "click click" of the hole punchers, we will now hear the "BEEEEEP" of a scanned ticket. :( I like the hole punchers.
Amtrak, the government-owned corporation that oversees the nation’s railroad train services, has been training conductors since November to use the Apple handset as an electronic ticket scanner on a few routes, including from Boston to Portland, Me., and San Jose, Calif., to Sacramento.
By late summer, 1,700 conductors will be using the devices on Amtrak trains across the country, the company said.
With the new system, passengers will be able to print tickets or load a special bar code on their smartphone screens for conductors to scan, and conductors will be able to keep track of passengers on board, Amtrak said.
Apple iPhone, even. Woo woo, betcha Apple is happy about that. Amtrak says they are developing Android capability, too. The two companies are gonna be raking in the cash, as Amtrak is spending $7.5 million for this new system. I wonder, will they buy it all outright for opt for structured settlement payments? What about software security? Abuses of the system? power outages or bugs?
What I also DON'T like is that this new technology will track passengers on board. That's creepy. iPhones and Droids are so very cool, but the last thing I want is to be monitored because of them.
So while I love the iPhone and think technology is very cool, there are definite caveats, Technology is wonderful in the right hands and when it works... but when it's hacked or something goes wrong, it's an absolute nightmare.
Plus, I will certainly miss the clackety-clack of the hole punchers.
Lots of Hacking Going On
To contact us Click HERE
Remember just two weeks ago how I gleefully celebrated the new look to my other travel blog, NewYorkTraveler.net? Well, I'm eating my words because it was hacked a week later. :( What a mess.
It seems that there is a lot of hacking of WordPress blogs going on. I can immediately think of at least a dozen people I personally know who have had their blogs hacked. Usually, a hacker inserts hidden, malicious links and/or images. Some redirect the blog to a malicious site. It's getting pretty fierce.
I had all my blogs updated and everything. My blogs may have been hacked a few times, without me knowing! I have no idea exactly how they got in. For one instance, I installed a plugin whose owner had evil intent. In another instance, maybe it was through the WooThemes theme I was using (which had a vulnerability). But the day I found out about that, I'd updated the theme. According to MySQL backups, someone had hacked into the blog previously, before those issues.
Anyway, lots of other bloggers are getting hacked, and they don't have the same plugins or themes. What the heck is going on?! And why can't these hacking idiots get THEIR OWN WEBSITES?
It seems that there is a lot of hacking of WordPress blogs going on. I can immediately think of at least a dozen people I personally know who have had their blogs hacked. Usually, a hacker inserts hidden, malicious links and/or images. Some redirect the blog to a malicious site. It's getting pretty fierce.
I had all my blogs updated and everything. My blogs may have been hacked a few times, without me knowing! I have no idea exactly how they got in. For one instance, I installed a plugin whose owner had evil intent. In another instance, maybe it was through the WooThemes theme I was using (which had a vulnerability). But the day I found out about that, I'd updated the theme. According to MySQL backups, someone had hacked into the blog previously, before those issues.
Anyway, lots of other bloggers are getting hacked, and they don't have the same plugins or themes. What the heck is going on?! And why can't these hacking idiots get THEIR OWN WEBSITES?
Places Starting to Open
To contact us Click HERE
It's May. The end of the month is usually when the New York State travel season gets underway. By the end of the month, we can generally expect no more snow (generally, mind you), open roads clear of snow and ice, and the end of the heating season. I have long lamented the fact that most New York tourist sites shut down for the winter, from October to May. That leaves us with only SIX months of tourism, folks. And the New York State powers that be still expect to meet or exceed revenues every year.
Such is incredible. Think about it-- in other states (southern ones), they have a year round tourism industry. I wonder what their revenues are, compared to New York's?
Here in the frigid winter months, the only real entertainment we get is from the direct tv, huddled around our tubes or computers. OK OK, yeah, there's the Iditarod and the Snow Festivals. Oh, and there's the swimming in the 10-degree-lakes, just for kicks. (Actually, I'd rather be huddled around my directtv instead of that). But what else is there for us, for half the year? Not much.
I think the tourist places should be open for a longer period of time. Thanks to improved weather forecasting and snow plows and such, roads are better maintained. Winter is a wonderful time to remember historic things-- some historic houses do open briefly for Christmas, which I think is lovely.
But the real contender comes with winter's very high energy bills. Most tourist places cannot afford the extremely high heating and electricity costs. Heck, most New Yorkers can't either.
I like traveling in the winter-- when the roads are clear! In winter, there are fewer crowds, fewer bugs, and less humidity. I like the weather, I like snow. Maybe someday, the tourist places will expand their seasons. For now, I'm stuck waiting another 3,4 weeks until anything opens. Oh well, at least there's
www.dx3.net.
Such is incredible. Think about it-- in other states (southern ones), they have a year round tourism industry. I wonder what their revenues are, compared to New York's?
Here in the frigid winter months, the only real entertainment we get is from the direct tv, huddled around our tubes or computers. OK OK, yeah, there's the Iditarod and the Snow Festivals. Oh, and there's the swimming in the 10-degree-lakes, just for kicks. (Actually, I'd rather be huddled around my directtv instead of that). But what else is there for us, for half the year? Not much.
I think the tourist places should be open for a longer period of time. Thanks to improved weather forecasting and snow plows and such, roads are better maintained. Winter is a wonderful time to remember historic things-- some historic houses do open briefly for Christmas, which I think is lovely.
But the real contender comes with winter's very high energy bills. Most tourist places cannot afford the extremely high heating and electricity costs. Heck, most New Yorkers can't either.
I like traveling in the winter-- when the roads are clear! In winter, there are fewer crowds, fewer bugs, and less humidity. I like the weather, I like snow. Maybe someday, the tourist places will expand their seasons. For now, I'm stuck waiting another 3,4 weeks until anything opens. Oh well, at least there's
www.dx3.net.
New Post About Our Trip to the Cloisters
To contact us Click HERE
I finally got a new post up about our March trip to the Cloisters in Manhattan. The museum is stunning; we had a wonderful trip.
I'm all excited about going to New York City again, now! While researching information about the Cloisters, I came across some stuff on the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (The MMoA runs the Cloisters). The MMoA became my second home in NYC when I attended school in Manhattan. I visited very frequently. Despite all my visits, I don't think I ever saw everything in the entire museum, either! I read that it is a 1/4 mile long, 2,000,000 square feet!
So I think, Lord willing, we will go see it sometime. I do like NYC. It's a place where you can see and do so many wonderful things, from buying clothes and discount perfumes to walking through museums and historic places to eating the most amazing foods... and more.
I'm all excited about going to New York City again, now! While researching information about the Cloisters, I came across some stuff on the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (The MMoA runs the Cloisters). The MMoA became my second home in NYC when I attended school in Manhattan. I visited very frequently. Despite all my visits, I don't think I ever saw everything in the entire museum, either! I read that it is a 1/4 mile long, 2,000,000 square feet!
So I think, Lord willing, we will go see it sometime. I do like NYC. It's a place where you can see and do so many wonderful things, from buying clothes and discount perfumes to walking through museums and historic places to eating the most amazing foods... and more.
Restaurants Needed
To contact us Click HERE
I can't imagine how difficult it must be to own a small business in New York State. I see places opening and then closing left and right. :( It doesn't leave New Yorkers with a whole lot of choices, either.
We're going to be going back up to the Adirondacks this autumn, Lord willing. I am very excited because it's SO magnificent there, so peaceful, so refreshing. But it's also a real pain because there are so few restaurants. When we stayed at Blue Mountain Lake, there was only ONE restaurant open, 15 miles away, and it was not a very pleasant experience (had a bar and the food was poor). Some folks we talked to knew a great deal about Hospitaliy Supplies & Hotel Catering Supplies but had little means to get heavy Restaurant Equipment and other Restaurant Supply products up to the Dacks.When we visited, we had to get our food at a convenience store that cost a TON of money.
There are some pretty cool places to stay in the Dacks-- loads of cabins and campgrounds and hotels and etc... but so few places to eat or get food. The nearest cities are, what, Utica and Rome to the south, Plattsburgh to the north... ? How does these people live in the Dacks year round and still eat?!
There's a great need for food venues up there, in my opinion. While I'm looking forward to our stay, I'm not too keen on paying through the nose for hotdogs and eggs.
We're going to be going back up to the Adirondacks this autumn, Lord willing. I am very excited because it's SO magnificent there, so peaceful, so refreshing. But it's also a real pain because there are so few restaurants. When we stayed at Blue Mountain Lake, there was only ONE restaurant open, 15 miles away, and it was not a very pleasant experience (had a bar and the food was poor). Some folks we talked to knew a great deal about Hospitaliy Supplies & Hotel Catering Supplies but had little means to get heavy Restaurant Equipment and other Restaurant Supply products up to the Dacks.When we visited, we had to get our food at a convenience store that cost a TON of money.
There are some pretty cool places to stay in the Dacks-- loads of cabins and campgrounds and hotels and etc... but so few places to eat or get food. The nearest cities are, what, Utica and Rome to the south, Plattsburgh to the north... ? How does these people live in the Dacks year round and still eat?!
There's a great need for food venues up there, in my opinion. While I'm looking forward to our stay, I'm not too keen on paying through the nose for hotdogs and eggs.
4 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
New Fiat 500L Minivan: More Than 60 HD Photos and Videos, U.S. Sales to Start Next Year
To contact us Click HERE
Here’s a fresh gallery of photos and an assortment of new videos of the Fiat 500L that will be available for order in Italy and other major European markets starting from this month (July, 2012), with first deliveries scheduled for the beginning of October.
VIDEO
Here’s a fresh gallery of photos and an assortment of new videos of the Fiat 500L that will be available for order in Italy and other major European markets starting from this month (July, 2012), with first deliveries scheduled for the beginning of October.
During the course of 2013, the second addition to the Fiat 500 family will go on sale in more than 100 countries around the world, including the United States.
The five-seater 500L (the 'L' stands for Large) is a tall B-segment model with MPV-like practicality and an SUV-esque raised ride height that promises to be a more roomier version of the 500 city car while maintaining the latter's chic styling.
Some of its rivals in Europe include the Ford B-MAX and Opel / Vauxhall Meriva small MPVs.
Underneath the 500-inspired sheetmetal you will find a development of the Punto platform which Fiat calls 'Small Wide'.
At 4,140mm long (163 inches), 1,780mm (70 inches) wide and 1,660mm (65.3 inches) tall, it's 594mm (23.4 inches) longer, 153mm (6.0 inches) wider and 175mm (6.9 inches) taller than the three-door 500.
It's also 32mm (1.3 inches) longer, 99mm (3.9 inches) taller and 9mm (0.4 inches) slimmer around the waist than the more upscale and expensive Mini Countryman.
According to the Italians, the Fiat 500L can "easily accommodates five passengers 2 meters tall (6.6 ft) with their five suitcases without ever compromising passenger room". The 500L has a boot capacity that approaches 400 liters (~14.1 ft3).
In Europe, the small MPV will launch with a choice of three engines. These include Fiat's 0.9-liter two-cylinder TwinAir turbocharged petrol with 104hp (105PS) and a 1.4-liter naturally aspirated petrol rated at 94hp (95PS), plus a 1.3-liter turbodiesel delivering 84hp (85PS).
Next year, Fiat will enhance the range with a 'Natural Power' model fitted with a Turbo TwinAir engine converted to run on compressed natural gas.
The Italian automaker has not said which engines will power the North American specification model.
The 500L is produced at the former Zastava plant in Kragujevac, Serbia. Fiat's future plans for the 500L include the presentation of a longer model with seating for seven (not for North America) and a crossover model called the 500X.
VIDEO
Kaydol:
Kayıtlar (Atom)