Hitting the road
Leaving tomorrow morning to travel to Bangalore (via Vancouver and Frankfurt). Acclimating and working there for a few days and then to Beijing (via Singapore) for more of the same. I'll be posting about my experiences and posting pix over the next two weeks as I check out these cities, so stay tuned...
Perfect website
This website was set up (for/by?) an author about a new book being published. It kept me entertained and clicking through to read everything. It also interested me in her book. To me, that's a perfect site!
(Click on the picture to go to the site.)
Free Muzak
Found a new site that lists free MP3s you can download from all kinds of artists. Of course, before you download ANYTHING from the internet, please make sure that you have a good antivirus program and that it's up to date. A decent antispyware program is a good idea too...
Anyways, the site is sonicx.com and you can search for artists and see links to free downloads of songs from that artist. I've pulled down a few so far and they've all been clean as of yet. I also accidentally found a song I've been looking for that they play on KCRW pretty frequently (I still listen to KCRW Music online - great tunes. Another great online station based here in Seattle is KEXP).
Sorry, I know I'm rambling. Back to the story....
So, I heard this song on KCRW that I really liked and wrote down the name of the artist (Charlotte Gainsbourg) but for some reason couldn't find it in the regular places and forgot about it. I was looking for a different Charlotte Gainsbourg song and I accidentally found the one I had forgotten about and it's a free download!
Happy Amy.
Oh yeah, to listen to the MP3s before you download them, just click on the link. To download them, RIGHT click on the link (I have no idea what Mac people do with their single mouse button other than fondle it) and select Save link as (if you're using Firefox) or Save target as (if you're using Internet Explorer) and then click OK. Make sure you note the location where you're downloading the tune to so that you can find it later.
As a general rule, I avoid websites that end with a .ru (Russia). Weird internet things happen in Russia. Some of the links on the site don't work, but the majority of links I clicked worked.
The screenshot above is all the free music I just pulled down. Click on it if you're interested in actually being able to read a list of my odd (eclectic) taste in music.
Diggin' the Shuffle
So, I'm heading to India and China in a few weeks for work and I'm starting to organize and plan. I was going back and forth about whether to bring my old iPod or my new Zune for tunes and audiobooks (and Podcasts like "This American Life" and "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me", which should be familiar to anyone who listens to NPR...) Anyways, I decided I'd get an iPod Shuffle and bring that along with the iPod or Zune so that I could use that for walking around, working out, etc. The reason to bring the second MP3 player is cause the Shuffle um..... shuffles. You can't pick what you want to listen to, which would be tricky with audiobooks 'n podcasts.
I ordered one from Apple's refurbished hardware site. If you aren't familiar with the idea of refurbished stuff, it's a great way to get discounted hardware directly from the manufacturer with all the same warranty, etc but for a lot less dough. Mine cost $49 for a 2nd generation (current) Shuffle (they retail for $79, so this made me very happy since no one discounts iPods). I just searched for Apple refurbished. What you're getting is hardware that was returned and they fix it and someone manually (and personally) tests it out (which doesn't happen with the new ones, by the way). They aren't allowed to sell them as new, so companies will resell these items for a good discount. Also, I didn't have to pay sales tax since Apple is in California & they don't have any stores in Washington State.
Anyhoo...
So, the thing arrives on Saturday (btw...who ships for Saturday delivery? Apparently, Apple does.) It's a good thing cause they wanted my signature and I would have been spitting mad if I came home from work on Monday and saw that stupid piece of paper saying I wasn't home to sign for my package and they'd try again...in a few days (I'm not the most patient kinda gal).
I immediately got on the web to search for tips and it turns out that you can choose what to sync to the device and you can tell it what order to play in - without shuffling! So, I loaded one audiobook and three podcasts and then told iTunes to fill the rest of the thing with assorted music. I set it to play the audiobook first and then the podcasts, so I know that tracks 1 & 2 are the Bob Newhart autobiography and tracks 3, 4 and 5 are podcasts. The remaining tracks are music. I set it to play in order rather than shuffle and automagically, it works for both music & spoken word....
I'm totally just bringing that on the trip with me. I'll have my other audiobooks and podcasts on my computer so that I can move them over to the Shuffle when I'm ready -- even if I'm on the plane or on an airport (cause there will be lots of that on this trip).
It's super cute and super handy. Apple's so on top of these things. I wish more of the world was this pretty and worked so easily.
It's all HBO's fault
Actually, it's all David Chase's fault. David Chase is the brains behind the Sopranos and he worked out this deal with HBO that the show would run for 16 weeks and then wouldn't run again for almost another year. The idea is that this gave him and his team time to be creative.
I appreciate the whole creative idea, but I just have a hard time picking shows back up after a 9 or 10 month break. I spend the first few episodes kinda getting my brain around what's happening again and have forgotten plot lines and minor characters. Maybe I'm just getting old or something, but it really irritates me.
This fabulous idea has caught on with other series on HBO and Showtime (such as my current favorite, Weeds) and now it's spreading to network tv. Lost just signed a deal with ABC to wrap up in three years, which gives the writers and producers and end point to work towards tying everything up. However, the deal is for 16 episodes a year. That means we have Lost for 4 months and then it disappears for 8 months. I just don't see how a show can maintain its audience that way.
I think that they're all hoping we'll run out and buy the DVDs so that we can refresh before the new season starts. Evil Hollywood.... DVDs of tv shows have turned out to be some of the biggest sellers - it's definitely the most enjoyable way to watch a show like Lost. There are no commercials and you can just go from one episode to another without have to wait a week...or EIGHT MONTHS!
I appreciate the whole creative idea, but I just have a hard time picking shows back up after a 9 or 10 month break. I spend the first few episodes kinda getting my brain around what's happening again and have forgotten plot lines and minor characters. Maybe I'm just getting old or something, but it really irritates me.
This fabulous idea has caught on with other series on HBO and Showtime (such as my current favorite, Weeds) and now it's spreading to network tv. Lost just signed a deal with ABC to wrap up in three years, which gives the writers and producers and end point to work towards tying everything up. However, the deal is for 16 episodes a year. That means we have Lost for 4 months and then it disappears for 8 months. I just don't see how a show can maintain its audience that way.
I think that they're all hoping we'll run out and buy the DVDs so that we can refresh before the new season starts. Evil Hollywood.... DVDs of tv shows have turned out to be some of the biggest sellers - it's definitely the most enjoyable way to watch a show like Lost. There are no commercials and you can just go from one episode to another without have to wait a week...or EIGHT MONTHS!
Visit From a Nice Old Lady
Yep, that's how Jon Stewart refers to Queen Elizabeth's visit to the White House. It's a great bit. You have to sit through a commercial to see it, but it's totally worth it. My favorite bit is his "Helloooooo" bit --especially when she's talking to Cheney.
Cinco de Mayo
Yesterday was not only Cinco de Mayo, but opening of boat season here in the Seattle area. I went to a friend's house for a small gathering. Mari's house is right on the lake and has beautiful views of Seattle and the boats going by. It's also right near the 520 bridge. So, there we were, enjoying the view and trying to catch some Vitamin D when the sun decided to tease us with a brief appearance, watching the boats, playing with the dog, taking pictures, eating Mexican food...
And this morning, I hear that a boat crashed into a bridge yesterday! Everyone was okay, but I'm all sorts of bummed out that I didn't get to see a boat crash into a bridge...I miss all the good (non-deadly) accidents.
Pictures posted on my pix site in the Cinco de Mayo at Mari's gallery (in the Friends category). Also posted a couple of new really pretty pix in the Seattle Area Stuff gallery (the new ones are the full moon/tree/bird pix. I can't figure out which one I like better). Both categories are highlighted at the top of the page in the "Featured galleries" section of the site.
Do you know about Yelp.com?
It's a website where folks create reviews -- about most anything. It's a great place to find a new restaurant to try, things to do, doctors, etc etc etc and covers the whole US. Just put in your zip code (or the zip code of the place you're visiting) and it will show you info about that area.
I was just wandering around there after looking up a restaurant near where I'm going to the theatre on Sunday (looked up reviews for the theatre and then had the option to see shopping, restaurants, etc. nearby) and clicked to see the "Best of" shopping list for Seattle. What amused me is that the #1 choice of reviewers is not Pike Place Market...that's number 2. Number 1 for my adopted city is Babeland - an adult toy store. Snicker.
I was just wandering around there after looking up a restaurant near where I'm going to the theatre on Sunday (looked up reviews for the theatre and then had the option to see shopping, restaurants, etc. nearby) and clicked to see the "Best of" shopping list for Seattle. What amused me is that the #1 choice of reviewers is not Pike Place Market...that's number 2. Number 1 for my adopted city is Babeland - an adult toy store. Snicker.
Breaking News: Paris Hilton to "pay complete attention to everything"
''I'm very sorry and from now on I'm going to pay complete attention to everything. I'm sorry and I did not do it on purpose at all,'' she told the judge before announced the sentence.
That's right folks - apparently now that she's been busted for drunk driving (I think this wasn't her first time - she was driving with a suspended license or something), Paris has decided to pay complete attention to everything. What a relief. I guess that prior to now, she's paid complete attention to nothing. Everyone needs a little wake up at some point in their life, right?
The good news is that she's going to jail for 45 days: Hilton, who parlayed her name and relentless partying into worldwide notoriety, must go to jail on June 5 and she will not be allowed any work release, furloughs, use of an alternative jail or any electronic monitoring in lieu of jail, Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer ruled after a hearing.
Ooh, it gets better:
On Jan. 15, Hilton was pulled over by California Highway Patrol. Officers informed her that she was driving on a suspended license and she signed a document acknowledging that she was not to drive, according to papers filed in Superior Court.
...
Hilton's spokesman, Elliot Mintz, said at the time Hilton wasn't aware her license was suspended. A copy of the document Hilton signed on Jan. 15 was found in the car's glove compartment, court papers say.
She's not really stupid. It's just an act cause that's what the public likes, right? Oy.
From the New York Times.
That's right folks - apparently now that she's been busted for drunk driving (I think this wasn't her first time - she was driving with a suspended license or something), Paris has decided to pay complete attention to everything. What a relief. I guess that prior to now, she's paid complete attention to nothing. Everyone needs a little wake up at some point in their life, right?
The good news is that she's going to jail for 45 days: Hilton, who parlayed her name and relentless partying into worldwide notoriety, must go to jail on June 5 and she will not be allowed any work release, furloughs, use of an alternative jail or any electronic monitoring in lieu of jail, Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer ruled after a hearing.
Ooh, it gets better:
On Jan. 15, Hilton was pulled over by California Highway Patrol. Officers informed her that she was driving on a suspended license and she signed a document acknowledging that she was not to drive, according to papers filed in Superior Court.
...
Hilton's spokesman, Elliot Mintz, said at the time Hilton wasn't aware her license was suspended. A copy of the document Hilton signed on Jan. 15 was found in the car's glove compartment, court papers say.
She's not really stupid. It's just an act cause that's what the public likes, right? Oy.
From the New York Times.
Presidential Candidates who don't believe in science
(aka evolution) Think of the implications of that...Please don't vote for any of the guys who raised their hands. (or quite frankly, anyone on this stage.)
Joe Scarborough is a nutcase
And I quote "Forget the messy details of Iraq, overlook Katrina, and dismiss the whole WMD thing as a youthful indiscretion."
Hang on - I'm hoping he's being sarcastic. Let me finish reading (totally giving him the benefit of the doubt here...) Okay, I'm done reading. Here's the entire article.
YOUTHFUL INDISCRETION? (finished the article. he wasn't kidding around.) How many people (on both sides) are dead or missing body parts because of this youthful indiscretion? I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Joe Scarborough never replied to the Clinton intern deal as a "youthful indiscretion". It didn't qualify. Getting us into a war - now that's a youthful indiscretion.
Despicable.
Hang on - I'm hoping he's being sarcastic. Let me finish reading (totally giving him the benefit of the doubt here...) Okay, I'm done reading. Here's the entire article.
YOUTHFUL INDISCRETION? (finished the article. he wasn't kidding around.) How many people (on both sides) are dead or missing body parts because of this youthful indiscretion? I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Joe Scarborough never replied to the Clinton intern deal as a "youthful indiscretion". It didn't qualify. Getting us into a war - now that's a youthful indiscretion.
Despicable.
Interesting quotes
On the anniversary of "Mission Accomplished," Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Dick Polman compiled some telling quotations from a bygone era.
Neoconservative leader Bill Kristol, April 1, 2003: “There is a certain amount of pop psychology in America that the Shia can’t get along with the Sunni….There’s almost no evidence of that at all.”David Asman, Fox News, April 9, 2003 (upon the toppling of Saddam’s statue in Firdos Square, where tight shots by the cameras masked the fact that the crowd barely filled one quarter of the plaza): “My goose bumps have never been higher than they are right now.”
Brit Hume, Fox News, same time: “This transcends anything I’ve ever seen.”
Dick Morris, Fox News, April 9, 2003: “Over the next couple of weeks, when we find the chemical weapons this guy was amassing…the left is going to have to hang its head for three or four more years.”
Fred Barnes, Fox News, April 10, 2003: “The war was the hard part….And it gets easier. I mean, setting up a democracy is hard, but not as hard as winning a war.”
Columnist Charles Krauthammer, April 19, 2003: “The only people who think this wasn’t a victory are upper West Side liberals, and a few people here in Washington.”
David Broder, The Washington Post, reacting to the events of May 1: “This president has learned how to move in a way that just conveys a great sense of authority and command.”
Columnist Robert Novak: “Could Joe Lieberman get into a jet pilot’s jump suit and look credible?”
Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, same day: “I think it was time to say to the American people, the hostilities in Iraq have ended.”
Bush, speaking to the press, May 29, 2003: “We found the weapons of mass destruction,” claiming that two mobile labs “to build biological weapons” had been discovered. (This was false.) “For those who say we haven’t found the banned manufacturing devices or banned weapons, they’re wrong. We found them.”
Happy Danes
Just finished reading this article about why people in Denmark are the happiest folks in Europe.
Asked to rate both their happiness and long-term life satisfaction, Danish people trounce their European cousins.
The article then goes on to talk about how they have high taxes, but they trust their government officials, have free health care, good education and have no pressure to work overtime.
But I think this really sums it up:
"Year after year we're just happy that things didn't go as badly as we'd feared."
Asked to rate both their happiness and long-term life satisfaction, Danish people trounce their European cousins.
The article then goes on to talk about how they have high taxes, but they trust their government officials, have free health care, good education and have no pressure to work overtime.
But I think this really sums it up:
"Year after year we're just happy that things didn't go as badly as we'd feared."
New officemate
Where I work, we have a problem with not having enough space for everyone. I've managed to slip by and have my own office for almost two years now (pretty much everyone up to five years of employment is sharing an office), but I recently got an officemate. Here's the thing. Her cell phone "crows" when someone calls. You know...cock-a-doodle-doo.
Sigh.
Sigh.
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