Happy Birthday, Mac!

Being a Mac-addict and it being Super Bowl weekend, I thought I'd point out that 25 years ago during the Super Bowl, then Apple Computer aired a commercial for its new computer, the Macintosh.  And to think, some people thought Apple would not survive five years...

No matter your computer preference, there's a good chance you remember this commercial or have at least seen it.  However, here's a trivia question for you...

What other personal computer was advertised that Super Bowl featuring Bill Bixby as a pitchman?  Remember seeing that one?... I didn't think so. (Answer below the video)  

The computer Bill Bixby was pitching? Radio Shack.

This is one company I HOPE goes under

I can't believe anyone would deliberately send out food that could sicken or even kill people.  On the other hand, with the stories I read in the financial sector about billions in bonuses to execs, lavish parties on taxpayer dollars, and other such nonsense, why care about the health of US citizens?

Maybe we should stage an anti-peanut product strike 'til Peanut Corporation of America is history like *sniff* Mother's Cookies *sniff, sniff*.

Peanut butter company knew its products contained salmonella

An A's A.

So there I was with my son in the public library parking lot (not that the location matters, but I have to wonder where and why and how he comes up with this stuff) when we engage in a conversation that goes basically like this:

Son: "Dad, remember back when donkeys used to be called the 'A-word'?"

me:"Ummm... yes?  But you can still call the donkey 'the A-word', you know."

son:"But it's not nice to say the A-word."

me:"Okay."

son:"Then what do you call a donkey's behind?"

me:"Ummm... maybe a donkey's behind??"

son:"No!  You call it the A's A!  hahaha."

I guess it's comforting to know I have a fairly normal fourth grade boy...

You didn't use any credit cards between Thanksgiving and Christmas, did you?

Well, here's a slightly scary story.  According to this USA Today article, a company that processes 100 Million transactions a month for 175,000 merchants was hacked into in late 2008.  What's even scarier is that they don't know for how long the hack was there or how many people were affected.

Anyway, it might be a good idea for you to make sure there aren't any bogus charges on any of your cards.  (Of course, that's always a good idea. :) )

I ting I cod a code...

Oh, great.  Now they tell me.  I shoulda read this a few days ago...

Can a good night's sleep prevent a cold?

The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank*

Being a techno-geeky kind of guy, I've always thought the Holy Grail of computing jobs would be to work for Google.  I mean, if you look at their perks and benefits, you'd just start drooling -- well, okay, if you're a geek like me.  However, just to prove that not everything is as good as it seems, here's a little article about the negatives of working at Google (rather more a thread of mostly former employees so take it as you like) to get my head out of the clouds.

*My thanks to Erma Bombeck for this title.  Her writings always made me smile.

Coincidence?

Earlier today, I read about Reina Hardesty, a California 13-year old who sent 14,528 texts in one month!  (That's 470 per day!)  Luckily for her parents (or maybe not so luckily - depends on your point of view) they got Reina an unlimited texting option.  Otherwise the cost for her "habit" would have been somewhere around $3,000!

Coincidentally, earlier this evening I happened to get an email from Verizon Wireless containing this ad:

Hmmm... I wonder why I got that email when I did?...

"You're smarter when you're pink!"

So says Winnie-the-Pooh, from the movie Pooh's Grand Adventure.  Of course, it's mixed up as only Pooh can mix things up.  The real quote from Christopher Robin is "You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."  It's one of my favorite quotes.  What's the relevance here?  Nothing really, but I just read this story from USA Today saying that a new authorized Winnie-the-Pooh book is coming out called Return to the Hundred Acre Wood!  I've always loved Winnie-the-Pooh, and probably always will.  My kids say I do a better Eeyore than Eeyore. :)

Anyway, can't wait for October!

Handle with Care

Last evening I was at my local UPS Store, shipping a package.  I noticed some rolls of bubble wrap for sale.  So I had a thought -- "What do they ship bubble wrap in so it doesn't get damaged in transit?"  

Come on, don't try to tell me you've never had that thought before...

"Utahk about a team!"

A great article (well, of course I'm biased) about who the real national champs in college football are.

Yes, I'm addicted. Got a problem with that?

And apparently, a number of others are addicted as well.

What's the drug?  Facebook.  According to this Facebook blog post, there are now 150 MILLION members, and what's more, almost half use Facebook every day!  Wow.

Powered by Energizer Bunny*

*no relation to this bloggin' bunny

Two years ago, I wrote this post about the amazin' Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity.  At the time, they were celebrating three years when they were expected to last only three months.  Well, this month they are celebrating their... umm, let's see, that's two years ago plus three years makes... fifth anniversary tooling around the Martian surface.  Whoop!  Whoop!

Now that your brain's done vacating over the holidays...

...give yourself a little challenge to see if you can solve some of these math problems.

Okay, okay, so they're not your normal math problems.  If you have some ideas, DARPA is ready to hand out some research grants.  Here are just a couple of the problems they'd like you to work on:

• Biological Quantum Field Theory: Quantum and statistical methods have had great success modeling virus evolution. Can such techniques be used to model more complex systems such as bacteria? Can these techniques be used to control pathogen evolution?
  
• The Mathematics of Quantum Computing, Algorithms, and Entanglement: In the last century we learned how quantum phenomena shape our world. In the coming century we need to develop the mathematics required to control the quantum world.
  
• Settle the Smooth Poincare Conjecture in Dimension 4: What are the implications for space-time and cosmology? And might the answer unlock the secret of "dark energy"?
  

These and many other perplexing problems are awaiting YOU to solve them.  So get going!

Congrats to the Utes!

Winners of the 2009 Sugar Bowl -- 31-17 over (soon to be formerly) #4 Alabama.

Salt Lake Tribune: Sugar Bowl: Utes stun 'Bama with dominating win

Happy New Year!

Hey, I gotta start out the new year with something, don't I? :)