Monday, February 23, 2009
Media blizzard resumes on a different front
I was premature in saying that the media blizzard had ended for me. What has happened since I haven't had a TV in front of me is that I have been focusing even more attention online. Still snowing; just new clouds,pun intended:) I have been exploring TV watching options online and have found several useful ones, Hulu and Sling are two that I can recommend at this point. These will not be news to most readers, except for other old semi-retired guys like me. It is also worth noting that I will really need to upgrade my computer to watch these properly. You need lots of RAM available. When I watch, the audio is rarely coordinated with the video.
Innovative Web 2.0 companies.
The March 2009 issue of Fast Company has a very interesting list of their 10 most innovative web companies.
Your familiarity with the companies on this list will depend on your level of immersion in Cyberspace. I discovered some new companies myself and found plenty of interest to share.
Google is obviously number One. They mention the new Chrome browser which I have tried and it looks interesting. The main problem I had with it was that Roboform hasn't been updated to work on it, so I had to enter all my usernames and passwords manually. This is not happening, so I will wait to explore more when Roboform updates their software.
I have found myself using the iGoogle homepage more. I am particularly amused by the always cynical quotes which Google posts. Being a big fan of uplifting quotes, these more snarky ones are a bit like a guilty pleasure.
I have also become a regular user of their maps and directions which are much better than the other options out there. Be careful though, sometimes they do screw up. Double check if they don't look right. Spoken from experience.
On Gmail, you are given the option of opening attached docs in Word or with Google docs. I have found for some reason that some Word docs are illegible when opened in Word but work when opened with Google docs. Someone with more computer knowledge could probably explain why; I just report the facts, mam.
There is way too much information about this list to put in one post. I will make this the first of a series.
Your familiarity with the companies on this list will depend on your level of immersion in Cyberspace. I discovered some new companies myself and found plenty of interest to share.
Google is obviously number One. They mention the new Chrome browser which I have tried and it looks interesting. The main problem I had with it was that Roboform hasn't been updated to work on it, so I had to enter all my usernames and passwords manually. This is not happening, so I will wait to explore more when Roboform updates their software.
I have found myself using the iGoogle homepage more. I am particularly amused by the always cynical quotes which Google posts. Being a big fan of uplifting quotes, these more snarky ones are a bit like a guilty pleasure.
I have also become a regular user of their maps and directions which are much better than the other options out there. Be careful though, sometimes they do screw up. Double check if they don't look right. Spoken from experience.
On Gmail, you are given the option of opening attached docs in Word or with Google docs. I have found for some reason that some Word docs are illegible when opened in Word but work when opened with Google docs. Someone with more computer knowledge could probably explain why; I just report the facts, mam.
There is way too much information about this list to put in one post. I will make this the first of a series.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Blizzard ends!
I had to make a decision when I moved from Buffalo Grove to my new digs in Round Lake Beach. What to do about TV? BG had a big 27" Panasonic and a Comcast cable connection built in and I had been taking full advantage, keeping the tube on a lot.
Moving, I would have no TV and if I wanted cable or anything else, I would have to buy it. I got enough nudges to forgo the TV, so I took the plunge and have been living TV less now since I moved in, a week ago today. As I expected I am getting a lot more done and I am also missing Charlie Rose, Tavis, Oprah, the View, etc. etc. but on balance it was definitely the right move.
There is a TV in the common room downstairs and I have gone down for a fix occasionally but it has no remote and some of the channels don't have audio, so its a pain in the you-know-what. Today I went down to watch Jeopardy at 3:30 and walked in on the Bingo game. I asked them if the TV would bother them, and I got a chorus of Yeses so its a new reality folks, and I'm lovin' it.
Moving, I would have no TV and if I wanted cable or anything else, I would have to buy it. I got enough nudges to forgo the TV, so I took the plunge and have been living TV less now since I moved in, a week ago today. As I expected I am getting a lot more done and I am also missing Charlie Rose, Tavis, Oprah, the View, etc. etc. but on balance it was definitely the right move.
There is a TV in the common room downstairs and I have gone down for a fix occasionally but it has no remote and some of the channels don't have audio, so its a pain in the you-know-what. Today I went down to watch Jeopardy at 3:30 and walked in on the Bingo game. I asked them if the TV would bother them, and I got a chorus of Yeses so its a new reality folks, and I'm lovin' it.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wednesday, Jan 14th, 2009
What a delicious morning of TV! Oprah's focus on spirituality made for a brilliant hour of television. Elizabeth Lesser,The author who was the primary guest had wonderful, practical simple suggestions. Like starting out doing one minute a day of spiritual contemplation, then increasing it by a minute a month until by December you are doing 12 minutes a day. And you have a spiritual practice! So brilliant, simple, and achievable by anyone. I love that.
And there was more. The show had a seamless integrity to it. Kudos to the producers! Marianne Williamson's comment that one's problem is not what you're getting, but what and how you're giving was an eye opener.
The couple who had experienced the death of one of their twin sons had enormously practical things to say. Taking the time to grieve, and how they finally moved on, delicious stuff!
In Chicago ABC follows Oprah with The View.
Paul McCartney was the first guest, so more treats. He was his usual delightful self. He is a lovely model of success, doing what he loves, and providing a wonderful service to the world in the process.
Richard Belzer and Richard Lewis were next. They described themselves as "a couple of old Jews"...etc. Funny, familiar stuff. For people of a certain age, ie, Boomers and people like myself, these guys are all like family that we grew up with.
So now here it is 11 AM and my day is well underway.
And there was more. The show had a seamless integrity to it. Kudos to the producers! Marianne Williamson's comment that one's problem is not what you're getting, but what and how you're giving was an eye opener.
The couple who had experienced the death of one of their twin sons had enormously practical things to say. Taking the time to grieve, and how they finally moved on, delicious stuff!
In Chicago ABC follows Oprah with The View.
Paul McCartney was the first guest, so more treats. He was his usual delightful self. He is a lovely model of success, doing what he loves, and providing a wonderful service to the world in the process.
Richard Belzer and Richard Lewis were next. They described themselves as "a couple of old Jews"...etc. Funny, familiar stuff. For people of a certain age, ie, Boomers and people like myself, these guys are all like family that we grew up with.
So now here it is 11 AM and my day is well underway.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Boston Legal does it again
I love Boston Legal. It is one of the few shows that actually causes me to laugh out loud.
Tonight the home run struck was really a grand slam. Of course the subject was a juicy and vulnerable one, Big Pharma. Denny Crane almost died and it turned out he was taking forty or fifty different prescription drugs a day. So the James Spader character got to sue big Pharma, and he didn't miss a trick in his attack.
I find this is the only place on non-PBS stations that you hear this kind of talk, and on this show it is done artfully and loquaciously, in the most delicious fashion. James Spader is always brilliant; his character represents the best voice of aware Boomer consciousness when he is going after these corrupt forces.
Hearing these arguments on mainstream TV gives me hope. Barack Obama might actually be able to effect some positive change if he can manage to get elected. There are still a lot of aware Americans, although I often wonder if we have 100 monkeys:)
What do you think, monkey?
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Dancing & Memory
I only caught the end of Oprah today, where she had someone teaching the audience some cool dance moves.
The interesting thing is that on the View they had Leeza Gibbons and partner doing a Tango, and it was mentioned that ballroom dancing is a great tool for helping to retain memory function and slow the Alzheimer's effect.
For anyone past middle age the loss of memory function frequently becomes an issue. Ginkgo has already proven itself to be helpful for this, and it makes sense that dancing would too since you are working on remembering steps combined with movement, so more than just the brain is engaged.
Its funny, because without knowing this (or rembering it?) I have been trying to get into the habit of going dancing with a friend. So now I have yet another reason to go. I liked the idea of going simply because it is a fun way to get some good exercise. Of course I was thinking about folk dancing and square dancing, but I'm sure the same principle applies.
The interesting thing is that on the View they had Leeza Gibbons and partner doing a Tango, and it was mentioned that ballroom dancing is a great tool for helping to retain memory function and slow the Alzheimer's effect.
For anyone past middle age the loss of memory function frequently becomes an issue. Ginkgo has already proven itself to be helpful for this, and it makes sense that dancing would too since you are working on remembering steps combined with movement, so more than just the brain is engaged.
Its funny, because without knowing this (or rembering it?) I have been trying to get into the habit of going dancing with a friend. So now I have yet another reason to go. I liked the idea of going simply because it is a fun way to get some good exercise. Of course I was thinking about folk dancing and square dancing, but I'm sure the same principle applies.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Autism
I don't pretend to fully understand Autism but based upon what was presented and what my own research and experience has taught me, here is my perspective:
Autism is a karmic condition like all illnesses and disabilities. Although the expert doctor poop-poohed the connection with vaccinations as the trigger or the catalyst I would not be surprised to find that this was indeed the case.
Understanding Autism as a karmic condition is key. My understanding is that as Soul you choose your parents, and if you end up as a Autistic child there is a karmic reason for it. The most enlightened comments in this presentation came from the parents who described their Autistic child as a gift, someone who has helped them grow and has taught them love.
If you don't understand what I mean by karmic condition, the book that made this crystal clear to me was one written years ago by Gina Cerminara based on the Edgar Cayce readings, called Many Mansions. I'm pretty sure this is still in print and if its not you can easily find a used copy. She was a PhD psychologist who studied the Cayce readings and layed out in a very understandable way how karma works, and especially relevant is what she had to say about the karmic causes of illness.
Autism is a karmic condition like all illnesses and disabilities. Although the expert doctor poop-poohed the connection with vaccinations as the trigger or the catalyst I would not be surprised to find that this was indeed the case.
Understanding Autism as a karmic condition is key. My understanding is that as Soul you choose your parents, and if you end up as a Autistic child there is a karmic reason for it. The most enlightened comments in this presentation came from the parents who described their Autistic child as a gift, someone who has helped them grow and has taught them love.
If you don't understand what I mean by karmic condition, the book that made this crystal clear to me was one written years ago by Gina Cerminara based on the Edgar Cayce readings, called Many Mansions. I'm pretty sure this is still in print and if its not you can easily find a used copy. She was a PhD psychologist who studied the Cayce readings and layed out in a very understandable way how karma works, and especially relevant is what she had to say about the karmic causes of illness.
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