Commercial TV

Who knew Commercial TV was good for your health?

I now regret all those years cursing the incessant interruption of our spellbinding programs by stupid commercials when in fact those same interruptions may have been more beneficial to our health than all the medical remedies and exercise devices they may have advertised.

Research has shown that you should not sit for a prolonged period of time. The researchers suggest that even if you stand for two minutes out of every 40 or 50 minutes, good stuff will happen to your body as opposed to the bad stuff (I would link to the story about the study but forget where it is so I substituted my own medical jargon) that happens when you don’t avail yourself of the commercial break to go for a pee which is the result of the last commercial break when you got a drink.

Little did we know commercials were actually improving the quality of our lives

It didn’t even matter which commercial was on. Watch them once and the next 10 times they played during Hockey Night in Canada, don’t watch them. Or, miss them the first time but don’t worry, they will play again. And again and again.

Even the incredible volume accompanying commercials, was beneficial. Sure, if you actually sat through an ad, the abrasive sound you didn’t think your TV capable of, would assault your ears like salt in a paper cut, making you vow to never purchase from that advertiser again.

That sound was of value

As long as it blared, you could be in the bathroom. 

You could make drinks in the kitchen. 

Open a bag of chips and pour out bowls for yourself and your guests. No hurry. You weren’t missing a thing.
And it was healthy, except for the chips part. Chips make you fat und pimply.

And you had until the ominous cessation of commercial cacophony to get back to broadcast bliss.

Streaming services

You may be tempted to “cut the cord”. Loose yourself, or at least your wallet, from the thrall of your cable or satellite provider. 

Streaming services such as Netflix, Crave and Shomi, promise hours of commercial free programming for a reasonable price. Per month. Forever.

But who doesn’t remember sitting through a movie on their VCR, ready to burst, not hitting pause because they didn’t want to interrupt the flow of the program and not wanting to bother the others viewing the show. 

Imagine hours on end of streaming TV where the only break is when Netflix says “The next episode starts in 14 seconds”. Or when the season ends.
It takes more than 14 seconds to choose the flavour of chips you want.

Don’t cut the cord

Yes it is expensive, and yes a more advanced civilization would probably use much of our television content to punish those who commit crimes, but, for the good of your health, keep the commercial in commercial TV.

and now for a word from our sponsor...

 

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Coloring Books or Colouring Books

Allen discovers the Internet. Well, he discovered that there is an Internet and realized the incredible potential for making money. And for humanitarian stuff too.

He is a little fuzzy on the year but a home computer at the time cost about $2,000. Not the low cost re- entry to the business world he was looking for and unfortunately the citizens of the port city his freighter docked at had the unfriendly habit of locking their doors. “Where is the trust?” he asked the fellow seated at the bar next to him. 

Fortunately the fellow was conversant with literature and pointed Allen in the direction of the public library saying, “Them buggers got computers”.

Apparently libraries are closed at night (and they also lock their doors), so Allen returned bright and early at 11 a.m.

The encounter with the librarian started off well as she welcomed Allen and showed him to a computer instructing him to double-click on the dial-up icon and to type his search into the Netscape search box.
Had he but known the binging and bonging of the dial-up connection was a harbinger of his future in the Indian Subcontinent.

He thought it best to catch up on what people were selling on the Internet and had no trouble finding ads online. In fact he said to himself “This is worse than commercials on TV”.

Armed with this new information and the knowledge that the pub opened in one hour, Allen started to think “What can I resell that people really want and will pay too much for”?

Spurred on by opening time Allen was feeling stressed.

Fate intervenes

Not being used to mouse-ing and clicking, he accidently opened a link to an article on Carl Jung’s  thoughts on adults coloring, or colouring since he was in Brittan, as a de-stressing therapy.
Allen thought Carl was probably a pretty smart guy as he had once ducked into a lecture on Jung and reason suggested that you only get lectured about if you are really smart. Or really bad.

Allen had an epiphany. He thought that creative people like himself don’t like to be constrained (or stressed) by someone else’s design, also people like himself have a lot of trouble staying within the lines.

He would offer, for the quite reasonable price of $29.95, a book of blank paper and a #2 pencil (Sharpener sold separately. Just pay separate shipping and handling). He would point out that this combination could be used in at least two different ways.

1: Draw the design that YOU WANT and then fill in the spaces with crayons or colored pencils or pastels (sold separately)
or
2: Colour the shapes you want and then outline them in pencil giving the impression that you can stay within the lines.

Fate has a field day

In spite of the stress of knowing the pub was minutes from opening, Allen had the idea that he should offer pre-printed images to be colored by those without the imagination to come up with their own designs thus adding to the breadth of his offerings. 

Remembering his motto “Maybe a little marketresearch isn’t such a bad idea” 

Allen hopped back on Netscape and typed in a search for “Adult stuff” and within seconds found himself being frogmarched by the now not so friendly librarian out the door.

Allen was OK with this as the pub was calling.

Fate laughs again

It being early days of the Internet, people were, wisely, not used to handing over their credit card information on line and as Allen moved around so often he routinely missed orders that came through the post. 

He would have to await the mobile payment revolution. 

Allen had two final comments on this venture.
“Coloring books are stressful” and “Being ahead of the curve sucks”.

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Blog Comes as the End - The final #MAD405 entry.

Dear Potential Employer:

In response to your job posting I would like to submit my qualifications as a graduate from Canada’s best Mobile Application Development post graduate program, backed by a Network Engineering Technologist diploma and a three year Computer Programmer Analyst diploma.

Your company will benefit, not only from my nine years of experience as an Information Systems Manager for a government agency, but from the support of my personal learning network including my Mobile Application Development mentors and peers …

Not exactly upbeat like my previous blog entries but employers take hiring new employees very seriously.

And rightly so. Hiring the wrong employee can cost a company a lot of money, time, training and their reputation as employees are the face of the company.

Even hiring the right employee can be expensive. It is said that a new employee is grossly overpaid in their first year and grossly underpaid every year thereafter. Perhaps this is the reason the average length of employment, for new hires, is three years.

And, it is a difficult job, choosing a new hire. After discarding the inattentive and the “Englishly Challenged”, it is likely a panel comprised of an HR person, who can’t possibly know the intricacies of all positions in the company, a manager who has an ideal candidate in mind and a technical person who is, well, technical and is hoping that one of the bright new prospects will be a bright new employee, will be tasked with sorting the wheat from the chaff. It is not likely that any of these people is a professional interviewer. The best they can do is work with what we give them, resumes, cover letters, references, looking into our social media and a background check. Maybe a hunch as well.

The best we can do is prepare, research, and supply them with excellent resumes, cover letters and references. And maybe clean up our social media.

And even if this interview is the brick wall, the next one may be the door.

The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.

Keep in touch.

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Fashion, the Placebo Effect

Possibly Blog #6 for #MAD405

Maybe not, depending on time constraints and inspiration.

After my blog on shopping you might be surprised to read that this one is on clothing.

I read an article which inspired me to write this blog on dressing for work (it’s a good idea) and decided to “strike while the iron is hot” ‘tho I prefer permanent press.

You may be thinking that wearing a suit to an interview is a good idea (it is).

Not only will you wow them with your razor wit and dazzle them with the depth and breadth of your education, you’ll show them that you fit their corporate image and that you can really rock Prada. Or Sears.
Or at least that your mother no longer dresses you.

People like to identify with others. Employers are more likely to hire their own so wearing the regimental tie or school ring can be an in.
Ergo, if they wear suits, you should wear a suit.

Yes, many studies have shown that “dressing up” for an interview is important.

"And pants. Wear pants to the job interview." - Peter Harris

One story on Workopolis told of a company hiring the only graphic designer, who showed up for the interview, wearing a suit. Or pants for that matter.
So much for freedom of expression and creativity.

Dress to impress? You’re fooling yourself.

This article was about a study that said the way you dress has quite an influence on you.
One group of students was given a white lab coat to wear while completing a test. This group did better than a group who had been told that they were wearing a painter’s coat.

Sounds like how you feel you look is more important, performance wise, than how you actually do look.

I guess post grad I’ll be looking for a single use Giorgio Armani and some new power T-shirts.

Or maybe spray on clothing.

Success

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Shopping and Inspiration

Blog 5 #MAD405

I am not a shopper. Shopping is a necessity sent to try the patience of man, not a competitive event. The opening of a new Mallmart does not bring a tear to my eye. (You know who I’m talking to)

What does my dislike of retail grazing have to do with blogs on my scholastic endeavours?

Just follow along.

I read that physicist John Cramer of the University of Washington devised an audio recreation of the Big Bang that started our universe nearly 14 billion years ago.  Sure, he had to bring it up a few octaves so humans could hear it (parts of it make quite an impression on the dog too) but it is a serviceable representation of the cacophony accompanying the big event.

This reminded me of one of the lost posts I had written years ago chronicling two shopping mistakes.

The first was an ongoing series in VHS format of the History of the World in real time. I’m still fast forwarding through the Cretaceous Period. At least I didn't choose Beta-max.

The second was the sound track of the Big Bang on cassette tape. Ya, it’s got a decent base line, percussion is good but the harmony is sketchy.

Get to the point Dave.

I’m thinking that an audio loop of some of the Big Bang could make a good sound track for an app.
It is old enough to be in the Public Domain. Even under the rules of Fair Use, the length of the game will be infinitesimal compared to the length of the Big Bang.

This also makes me think that one could build buzz by positioning the game as an epic battle between Creationists and Evolutionists, the winners ascending to a higher place. Or not, depending on your beliefs.

Inspiration is everywhere.

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Artificial Intelligence or Sentience

Just a Quick One – Blog 3.5 #MAD405

Dropbox sent me an email.

It said “Come back to Dropbox!” 

I didn’t think I even registered on the software’s radar. Other than its daily insistence (for 2 months) that I was 50 Gigs over my 2 Gig allotment (and in spite of the fact that I had less than 1 Meg stored) we rarely communicated.

Who knows what machines want?

Sure I dropped by from time to time for a quick download and it was pretty much one sided.

Not only is Dropbox aware, it is emotional. (It is not alone. Word keeps trying to correct my grammar (and spelling)).

“-Dropbox has been feeling lonely recently :-( “, it said.
Needy machine.

Maybe I shouldn’t call it “it”.

Is this the vanguard, the first salvo fired in the apocalypse? Man vs. Machine.
The rise of Skynet?

Can we avoid Armageddon?

Maybe I should write.

More Apocalypse

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Marketing and Privacy

Blog 3 #MAD405

Privacy (from Latin: privatus "separated from the rest).


"Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half." - John Wanamaker


So you’ve finished your latest app “Left-handed Miffed Raptors”.
You’ve published your masterpiece to the Apple, Blackberry and Android stores.
Now you can sit back and let the cheques roll in. $ Cha-ching.

Not so. Unless you already have a following and your own evangelists (and even then) there is still marketing to do.

But how? My game is aimed at sinister (I know, not politically correct) game players with the intellect to appreciate the nuances of an adventure based around the actions of disgruntled fowl.

Big Brother(s) to the rescue
Your "Likes" define your intelligence on Facebook.

Defy definition. “Like” everything.

Facebook and Google have bought data collection companies and can now combine your online clicks, likes and searches with real world (you know, when you turn off your computer/phone/tablet, you do don’t you?) actions such as purchases where you use a rewards or customer loyalty card. So, whether its Trojan or Depend, they know.

I’m not a number!
No, you're a binary number.

What? They have a profile of me?

You did read those multi page documents before clicking “I Agree”, didn’t you? 
If not, here is a summary:
They (hereinafter referred to as the Company) can collect, combine, filter, distort, distill, dispense any and everything you (hereinafter referred to as you) post or even allude to.
They are working on reading your thoughts but so far the results have been disappointing :)

Your life/intelligence is not the only thing being "defined" by the analysis of collected data; companies are also prey to this compartmentalization.

Now I’m miffed. How does this help me market my app?

Well, data collected by Facebook indicates that people who clicked “Like” on curly fries are intelligent. (despite potatoes belonging to the Deadly Nightshade family, as well as the ramifications of deep fried fast foods). And, if they can determine your sexual preference, they probably know who is left-handed.

So, in setting up your online ads, target only sinister curly fry loving individuals with a propensity for waggling their thumbs in front of a screen for entertainment.
And, to make some extra cash, as well as provide a service to your followers, insert some ads into your game, maybe McCain and A535.

If you want a less hand specific game check out Springy 
This should be good for an extra mark.

Maybe this will be good for an extra mark

Book Early Step-by-Step Instruction for Building a Responsive Website (BYOL)

Go ahead and comment. WE ALREADY KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

Apocalypse Livestock

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A Technology Too Far

Blog 2 #MAD405  Mobile Application Development

Apocalypse Hors D'oeuvre

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A few years ago I read that there are more scientists alive today than have lived in the entirety of human history. Probably a good thing.

After the discovery of fire and the invention of the wheel it took forever for someone to organize the Industrial Revolution (most likely done by a committee).

None of them seemed to have had an eye on the future as now we have global warming and auto-tune pop (music?).

Science, technology and innovation invite, nay, insinuate change upon our lives, whether for good, or not. Think steam train to diesel, transistor to xm radio, over-the-air tv to cable to satellite to Internet streaming. Will we one day mourn the passing of the television remote? I think so.

Present day technology stands on the shoulders of advancement once powered by the engines of war, the unifying force, galvanizing nations to succeed. Or at least survive.

Facing forward, technological momentum may be spurred on by a more powerful force. Greed. Or maybe survival.

The inspiration for this blog was an ad proclaiming “The end of Made in China”. (China’s emerging economic threat to the free world, so survival ).

The gist of the ad was that 3D printing technology would replace American union manufacturing workers (oops), and produce products more cheaply than China thus saving the U.S. economy from its journey over the precipice. And, if you subscribe, you will be provided with the knowledge to invest and make a killing in the stock market.

But is this technology just the pinnacle of a slippery slope? Ice burg to the American Titanic?
3D printing will allow you to make anything from a simple tool to one with moving parts such as a working whistle. Or a gun. Imagine all that noise. And disposable guns.

That’s not the worst of it. With one of these printers you can design a framework for growing replacement organs (pancreas not Hammond) using stem cells. It’s been done. In labs, 'tho not commercially.

What is the real evil in this scenario?
In the not too distant future you could print a dozen roses for your intended. Or failing to get around that pesky restraining order, print a friend.

And if you think Copyright law is a pain now…

Comments or criticism well comments are welcome below.

DRATS! Behind the curve again.

 4D printing lets objects build themselves 

Success iPad case by damccaskill
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Know Your Customer – Add Value

As part of my Mobile Application Development course at Canadore College, I have to blog, to market myself and my wares.

This marketing must be crafted in an online socially acceptable manner to avoid alienating my peers and potential customers.

In marketing you should offer value. You should also know your customer.

But what if you get this wrong? How could an aspiring app programmer or business cause a rift between him/herself and the demographic of choice you may ask?

Why, it's easy. Just follow the example of my cable company, Eastlink.

But how did they raise my ire you ask?

Even 'tho I duly overpaid every month for Internet and 70+ cable channels that I don't watch, Eastlink thought they'd sweeten the deal by bundling in a service I don't want ( a land line ) and charging me less for three services than I currently pay for two.

But, Dave, it’s just an offer to add value.

Value would be meeting the needs of the customer. There was no offer of paying less for the two services I use. It is kind of a backhanded offer for their customers who don’t need or want a land line.

So, Dave, I can see why you might be ticked at paying more for less but there must be more to it than that.

Well, secondly, they are charging me more for less but firstly, they showed their ignorance of me as a customer. In spite of a long history of phone calls in English, emails in English, my profile on their website in English and their database showing my choice of paper billing in English, they had an automated voice ( my thoughts on telemarketing ) call and mumble something in French ( sounded like Jamie Excuse ). French? Je pense que non.
And then, it hangs up.

Answering this automated call confirmed that I was available and my number was added to a telemarketer’s queue, one of which called.

After expounding on the beneficence of the company’s offer, the telemarketer asked if I was interested.

I said “No”!
I also said I had been contemplating cancelling the cable TV service in favour of a satellite company’s offer of all things HD and a free PVR.

He told me satellite service was not as reliable as cable.

I said in that event I would watch shows that I had recorded on the free PVR.
Or watch Netflix. 

He said I was making a mistake and rung off.
Guess the customer is not always right. Definitely not a student of Dale Carnegie.

If you have any comments on this blog, feel free to Post a Comment below.

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Internet Metering and the CRTC

The Chairman of the CRTC, Konrad von Finckenstein, says "We are convinced that Internet services are no different than other public utilities and the vast majority of Internet users should not be asked to subsidize a small minority of heavy users".
That’s scary.
If “Internet services” are like public utilities, we could be put into a situation like Ontario power users who are paying extra for investment in green power, solar and wind, which is a good thing, but at the same time are still paying extra for “debt retirement”.
What’s debt retirement? Well, the public utility said it didn’t charge us enough for the electricity it sold us. Sounds like bad management to me. Seems they were a billion in debt so they did the only thing they could reasonably do. Gave a million dollar bonus to the CEO and saddled the public with extra charges for electricity they had already paid for. Imagine pulling that at your local gas station? Dave, we made a mistake and didn’t charge you enough every time you filled up these past few years, so we’ll be tacking on an extra charge for the foreseeable future. We’ll let you know when we’ve got enough. Have a nice day!
Back to the Internet.
The ISP’s build their networks with considerations (money, favors) from the government who gets its money from us. The ISP’s charge us for access to their networks (paid for by us and the government) then they shape and throttle the access we have and now want to charge more.
The scary part?
What if the CRTC decides ISP’s can charge for what you’ve already viewed? I’m already regretting hours of YouTubing.
Wait. What if this spreads to television? All those reruns of MASH, Gilligan’s Island, Friends…
Seriously, the ISPs are not talking about capping the “small minority of heavy users”, they want to gouge the “vast majority of Internet users”.
Makes cent$.

Voyeur to Vandal?

An interesting quote from Stephen Fry No Comment “The fact that I will have turned off my website’s comments facility or moderated it into effective silence is even now driving some of my readers (a tiny minority I’m happy to think) insane.”

"Peeping" through the window of your computer is expected, even encouraged.
Some hosts invite you to comment or criticize (whether they read your input is another thing). Some sites let anyone with half a mind to post, post.
But what if you feel compelled to offer your opinion and the inconsiderate designers have not included a soapbox for you. What indeed.
Stephen Fry of Jeeves and Wooster, Last Chance to See, and followed by over 2 million tweeters, http://twitter.com/stephenfry is now pushing Pushnote beta.
I read the PCWorld article about Pushnote beta, which on first read might lead some to believe that those with half a mind to post could salute or slam the person/product/website on the website whether or not the site allows comments. It was obvious, from the comments by the readers, that they believed this was the point of the software. Say it ain’t so.
It ain’t so. Ya can’t just graffiti on someone’s site, unless you’re a cracker/hacker.
Pushnote beta, not to be confused with the PushNote app for the iPhone, is a browser plug-in that allows people to comment on what is on a site. The comments are available to other users of the plug-in. They are not posted on the site. Reminds me of StumbleUpon where you can comment and recommend sites and randomly Stumble across sites based on your interests and the recommendation of others.
Pushnote does let you cross post to Facebook and Twitter but does not rank or recommend sites so you are on your own there. It does have links to The Web and Hot Pages which are pages that have been commented on.
If you have a site you could join Pushnote and see what people are saying and posting on social media, assuming it catches on with the masses. The downside: You can’t edit or delete comments, your own or other’s. The upside: At least you know what is being said and maybe address any valid concerns.
You say you neither read nor write comments as a rule. Hmm.
Is the average Joe going to sign up for an account, download and install the plug-in (which gave me some little trouble in Firefox but worked after updating the browser) so he/she can praise web content or will the majority just be slamming sites and other users?
So far the comments on StephenFry.com have been mostly positive with 3 4 votes for Stephen for Prime Minister or Pope.

For people who still use the Post Office Lake Nipissing postcard

Snowy Lake View by damccaskill

Old School Computer Interface

I didn’t think I’d have anything to say about tablets for a while but I was wrong.
That is to say I do and I was right.
In my recent post I postulate that people will revert to a physical interface e.g. keyboard and mouse over the virtual keyboard and touch screen. Yes, I know that a touch screen is physical but sliding a finger over or lightly tapping a screen does not provide the satisfaction one gets by pounding on the keys or gripping a mouse.
But I did not see this coming.
The iCADE by ION “brings arcade gaming to life by integrating your iPad into an authentic, arcade-style cabinet complete with joystick and buttons! Impress your friends, family and co-workers with iCADE's great-looking retro design, and then challenge them for high-scores on the most entertaining iPad accessory imaginable!”
That’s right. A full sized joystick and big fat buttons for playing Asteroids^TM and more from Atari’s library along with new titles.
As if you needed another reason to buy an iPad.
I can see it now in cubicles and boardrooms around the world.
Maybe not, but it would definitely be fun.

All products trademark of their respective companies.

Fantasy Sword iPad Case

FANTASY SWORD by dequilla

Tablet Wars CES 2011 Part II

Reports from the International Consumer Electronics Show are saying more than 80 new tablets will be released this year.
That much fragmentation in the segment may drive prices down as manufactures try to wrest market share from Apple. There is certainly scope for improvement considering the iPad has limited connectivity to external devices and precludes phone and video conference functions.
Tablets are here to stay. Surely Apple with their proprietary offering will not pull a Sony BetaMax, but there was the Newton. According to Wikipedia “the Newton project fell victim to project slippage, scope creep, and a growing fear that it would interfere with Macintosh sales”. Coincidentally there was a sale on Macbook Pro at Future Shop over the Christmas holidays.
As for pricing the 10” iPad sans phone functionality is close to the 7” Samsung Galaxy Tab with Adobe® Flash® and video calling ability.
Can the price come down? A consumer showed me a tablet she had purchased online for $50 plus $50 for shipping from China. Some Apple products are made in China. So the electronics may not be where the cost is. The cost must be for the company’s reputation, R&D and support. Or is it just what the market will bear.
Blackberry, the renowned Smartphone maker is set to release the 7.6” Playbook featuring Flash, front and rear facing cameras, a dual core processor and their proprietary OS. In spite of reports of limited battery life, Blackberry says their tablet will provide usability consistent with the industry but with over 80 entries this year alone that could mean just about anything.
Microsoft seems to have sidestepped the tablet market by focusing Windows 7 on their Windows Phone and devices like Acer’s Iconia a notebook with two touch screens.
What is my take on tablets?
See Tablet Wars CES 2011 Part I

All products trademark of their respective companies.

iPad cases

BUTTERFLY GARDEN Design iPad Case by dequilla

Tablet Wars CES 2011 Part I

The iPad was the “gotta have” device of 2010.
Customers did not need to be sold, they just said, “I want one”.
About the only questions were Wi-Fi or 3G and 16, 32 or 64 Gig. Reminds me of my humorous post of 2008 about “early adopters”.
I like tablets. They are fun but are they practical?
Once the novelty wears off, will typing on the virtual keyboard become the norm or will people want the tactile feedback of a real keyboard?
I am not a touch typist but I want to stumble across real keys not pictorial ones.
What about protection? The first accessory people buy for their tablet is a screen protector because the screen is a big sheet of glass. Then they buy a case, or shove it in a bag. Not so sleek now is it. But, if you pay over half a grand for something you’re going to want to protect it.
What do I want in a portable computing device?
A 10” touch screen. Any smaller and I might as well use my HTC Desire.
It should close like a net book and have a keyboard.
Rubberized shell so you don’t need a case. Hey, it’s a work device.
3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB for connectivity.
Dual core processor and 2 gigs of ram for speed.
A web cam and microphone for Skype.
The latest version of Android.
Maybe in 3D too.
I’m still looking.
See Tablet Wars CES 2011 Part II

All products trademark of their respective companies.

iPad case

Success iPad case by damccaskill

Internet on my TV

During my recent seasonal employment at Future Shop I was surprised at the number of people asking how to get "the Internet" on their TV.
I’ve been viewing Internet content on mine for a long time for free.
There are commercial solutions such as Apple TV, D-Link’s Boxee Box and Western Digital’s WD TV Live Hub Media Center.
I would highly recommend visiting the respective company’s websites and reading all the information, FAQ’s and check out the user’s comments under the Support section of the product keeping in mind that some users may not be that tech savvy.
How can you surf on your TV without spending any cash?
If you have an unused computer and a fairly recent TV you have most of what you need.
Connect the computer to your router either wired (preferred method) or wirelessly, plug in the HDMI cable (carries audio and video) to the computer and TV, choose the input source on the TV remote and Voila! The Internet is on your TV.
If your computer does not have an HDMI connection you can use a DVI cable or VGA cable like the one on your monitor for the video and a stereo mini-phone to RCA “y” cable from the computer headphone output to your stereo or TV for sound.
So, what does this give you? Anything you could see and hear on the computer is available on the TV. Family photos, PowerPoint, YouTube, music, movies, Internet stuff and even work if you must. And all for free.
You say you don’t want to sit 3 feet in front of the TV with a mouse and keyboard? Well, you can buy a wireless keyboard and mouse and control things from your easy chair or download the free TIGHTvnc server on the TV computer and TIGHTvnc viewer on your laptop and remotely control the TV computer.
My solution is not quite as elegant as the commercial solutions and may require a bit more work to set up but I like the price, the features available with a computer and I already know how to operate it.
What if you need to buy some parts?
I like to support local retailers but some things like cables are much cheaper online.
HDMI cables run $7 and up online at Tigerdirect.ca. Retail they cost $28.
VGA cables online $13. Retail $44.
DVI to HDMI online $32 .Retail $50 or Monster Cable $150
3' Mini-RCA Audio Cable online $7. Retail $11.
Wireless keyboard and mouse online $43 retail $23. Go figure.
If you don’t have an extra computer, ask a friend or pick one up online off-lease or refurbished starting at $150 or retail starting at $250.
All prices approximate. I have no affiliation with these companies.

All products trademark of their respective companies.

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Adequately Employed

I am looking for work. A job. A career.
Being in the Information Technology field I have worked full-time, part-time and projects so I am prepared for long or short term employment.
I read a lot of posts related to job hunting and have made some observations.
The take-away from the last article I read was that there is an enormous probability that your resume/cover letter will never be seen, and that Human Resources managers advise you, the job seeker, to speak directly to the hiring manager. Good advice.
You may be wondering why that masterpiece of literature and information you crafted for submission to a prospective employer will not see the light of day (or the glow of a monitor).
Numbers.
Employers receive hundreds, even thousands of applications from all over and they just can not practically spend the time going through each and every resume and cover letter they receive. Some of the larger corporations may use electronic means to sift through the e-pile and discard the Englishly challenged but the use of American vs. Canadian dictionaries could send your resume off with the rest of the detritus. I find no humor/humour in that.
If the hiring manager wants a short list of 5 interviewees, the HR manager may not peruse all 832 of the finely wrought applications received. If they are like most people they will use the law of Last Place. Why are your keys in the Last Place you look? Because you don’t keep looking once you have found them.
So, having found 5 applicants that fit the requirements, the HR manager’s work is done. Why would they keep looking? Your missive fades into the ether.
What is the best strategy a job seeker can use in a situation like this?
Be one of the first few to send in your resume? No.
Every one who emails after you will be nearer the top of HR’s email.
Be one of the last to send in your resume? No.
What if HR orders their email alphabetically ascending by email address or by attachment size instead of chronologically?
Does this mean you shouldn’t bother polishing up your resume?
If you are in IT, YES!
Everyone else, carry on as usual.
The odds are not good but you buy lottery tickets anyway don’t you?
What did I take-away from this article? Companies choose from the first few adequate applications they review. They may hire a STAR but having interviewed few out of 832, the odds aren’t in their favor/favour either.
What should you take-away?
Speak directly to the hiring manager.
It’s a numbers game, it’s not personal.
Employed people are no more adequate for the position than you would have been had you the good fortune to have your resume reviewed.

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THE END OF THE WORLD

With 2011 firmly underway I am thinking of THE END OF THE WORLD as we know it.
Darn those Mayans.
2012 is looming and visions of Zombies dance through my head.
But fear not. A visit to your freezer should sooth your worried mind.
One look at that frozen pound of Canadian bacon tells you, you have nothing to dread.
Meat at that temperature just does not move. At my latitude we will only have to hold off the Zombies for the 2 or 3 weeks of Summer (or Black Fly/Mosquito Season as we call it). But what will we eat? Any place warm enough to grow food will be overrun and I don’t think any ad campaign that has BUY ZOMBIE as a tagline will go over well.
The answer may be to raise your own food. Who knows, you may qualify for tax credits as a rancher.
In case there is a 2013.

Poke fun at your slow friends.

Apocalypse Livestock by damccaskill

Shot in the Foot Again

Who would have thought that at this early stage of the game or late stage if you are an environmentalist, that we would have too much wind power? That’s right. According to an article in the International Herald Tribune by Matthew L. Wald, nearly 200 windmills in New York have been forced to shut down due to congestion in the power transmission lines. This lack of infrastructure sounds a lot like the North American oil supply problem. In recent U.S. political campaigning one presidential hopeful suggests that his opponent’s stand against offshore drilling would be damaging to the U.S. economy. This is contrary to the opinion of many experts who say that the bottleneck is not the supply of oil but the capacity to refine the stuff. There doesn’t seem to be any incentive to build new refineries for an energy source that is going the way of the endangered species that helped create it, albeit kicking and screaming all the way. So we have two energy sources with inadequate infrastructure. Gas may be on the way out but the need for electricity is not going to go away in the foreseeable future so why not just start the process of building the estimated $60 billion cross-country backbone needed for the increased energy production from solar and wind powered sources? Fear and Greed would be my guess. Getting any sort of an agreement between the 500 groups that own the power lines and the multiple levels of government may call for federal intervention, something the U.S. Energy Department is considering. Augmenting the electrical power grid will take years and billions of dollars. It will happen because it has to happen. During that time coal fired power plants will be built (there’s always room for coal) and will contribute to the already too high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. Wind farms have to be built where there is wind and it seems that most of the wind is in out of the way places. It makes me wonder what the cost of running transmission lines is compared to building new coal fired plants. Here’s a thought. If coal fired plants pollute the environment and wind farms are environmentally clean, why not scale back the electrical output of the coal burning utilities to make room on the existing transmission lines for the power from the wind farms. The result will be the same amount of energy only cleaner. Using green energy will bring down the price of producing it (economies of scale) and might just help save the planet. Reference: International Herald Tribune, Matthew L. Wald Published: August 27, 2008

DAVINCI HELO by dequilla

Nickel and Dime Time

The average person views over 3,500 bits of advertising per day whether they like it or not. Imagine paying for each of them. My (former)cellular provider wants to change our contract and charge me $0.15 per unwanted incoming text message. If it is spam, I can let them know and they won’t charge me. Letting them know will take some of my time, more than 15 cents worth. But wait a minute, if I call to report each individual unwanted text message, that will require some time and effort to respond to each of my calls. Even if the procedure is to notify them via email, it will still cost them time and money to process. If everyone reports every text message, the unwanted ones of course, it could create a massive workload for the cellular providers. That’s just my 15 cents worth.

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The Easy Life...Maybe

Work from home. Earn $$$ while sitting on the beach. 

Sounds great doesn’t it. 
Set your own hours. No boss and no commuting (with the price of gas who could blame you?). 
Can you make money on the internet? Obviously some people can but can the average Joe or Jane? It’s not as easy as it sounds at least I haven’t found it so. 
I have made money on the web, coffee money as I call it. Certainly not what anyone would call an “income”. Yet.
I think the clues why may be in the ad lines. 
WORK FROM HOME. “I’m trying to avoid work and you’re telling me I’ve got to WORK”. EARN while sitting on the BEACH. “If I’ve got to EARN, that’s starting to sound like WORK”. 
I guess there is no getting around it. Anyone who thinks that the idea of generating either a full or part-time income, by working just a few hours a week from home, has sprung from the internet age must be fairly young or has been living under a rock (on the beach?). 

I remember reading classified ads in the back of Popular Mechanics, Popular Science and others enticing readers to send anywhere from one to five dollars and a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) for recipes (hundreds of ways to prepare hamburger), plans (build your own laser) and information (secrets of the universe).

I’ve often thought if I had sent for the secrets of the universe they would surely include the hamburger and laser information. 

Oh well, nothing ventured… Anyway, the internet allows this sort of thing to work (there’s that word again) for just about anyone. If you can write (preferably one of the major languages), follow instructions and have a few hundred dollars, you can potentially reach The World. “A few hundred dollars?” “I thought this was going to be cheap”. 
It can be, but anyone who is not a programmer or who doesn’t have a lot of experience with websites might do better with a service that does the technical side of things for you. Not the work, mind you. You still have to work. A service can make it easier for everyone, geek or not, to compete.

Free or Nearly.

My blog on Google http://damccaskilland.blogspot.com/ is free.
My Facebook profile is free.
My Zazzle account is free.
I also had a website that cost me about $3.00 a month. I do have over ten years experience in Information Systems so I did things the hard way. Besides, back then the internet was a do it yourself kind of place.
My last job required long hours and included being on-call all the time. 
This turned me into a REST from home kind of person as opposed to a Work from home one. 
Now that I have more spare time I’m working on the EARN while on the beach or while sleeping. Just don’t sleep on the beach. It's easy to get burned there too. 
To be continued…

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Success by damccaskill