You can’t always get what you want
And if you try sometime you find
You get what you need
The Rolling Stones
Once again Santa Steve has made his deliveries. Now the house is a mess with the remains of wrapping paper. The guests are still there, but have spread out into smaller groups. The glow of the keynote is beginning to darken. Now comes the inevitable discussion of the gifts. Was it what we wanted, or needed? Did it come in the right size? Are there any plans to return or exchange it for something else? Like some proverbial Christmas gifts, we don’t get to play with them for a while. We have to wait with anticipation. Not of anticipation of last week, not knowing what we were getting, rather the anticipation of getting to finally take it out of the box.
Gift number one was obviously all the new things we can soon do or buy for our iPhones...if we have iPhones. Santa Steve decided to only deliver that to the good little boys and girls who buy phone service from ATT. The rest of us got to watch as they joyfully got to play with the new toy we couldn’t have. That’s still the case with the 3G phones. Any question about Apple losing their edge compared to the other smart phone makers proved to be false. It’s now going to be tougher for them to battle Apple in the smart phone wars. The rest of us can still get a taste of some of the toys if we have an iPod Touch and want to spend the extra $9.99 for the 2.0 package.
I think the App Store may be one of the biggest stories from the Stevenote. Looking at the quality of some of the apps, you have to wonder about all the unannounced apps over the horizon. The games look amazing, with big name developers like Sega coming to the table, you have to wonder about Nintendo and the other handheld game makers. Will the iPod/iPhone become a major player in the handheld game market? Will there even be a market after what Santa Steve has delivered? We won’t even talk about the Zune, the little toy who couldn’t.
Will all the fuss over the iPhone 3G, it was easy to miss that OS X 10.6 was announced. The details were...that OS X 10.6 was announced. All we really know is that Snow Leopard will be kind of like a Service Pack One, but with a sexier name. It will fix or enhance what is in 10.5 without adding much. That’s probably a good idea since Leopard has not been quite as smooth as Tiger. I love all of Leopard’s features, but it lacks the feeling of brute strength that Tiger had. Hopefully, Snow Leopard with bring back that feeling of strength from Tiger.
Last but not least, was a gift for me. Actually, it was a gift named ME. Santa Steve finally killed the remains of iTools. MobileMe takes online services to the next level. We will still have the email and iDisk, but a lot has changed. No more iCards, no they didn’t make the jump to the cloud. I was disappointed initially, but then stopped to consider when the last time I sent one. Plaxo also does online cards, but they remind you to send them. Apple could have added that, but it would have been small potatoes compared to what they did. MobileMe is going to be a wonderful service, and it seems to be mandatory if you want all you can get out of the iPhone. It appears that Santa Steve has drawn the line in the sand and dares RIM to step across. It will be interesting to see how the battle of the fruits plays out. RIM has their new phone, and now Apple has the iPhone 3G. My money will be on Apple because of the App Store.
My plans? I guess I need an iPod Touch. That works since they are giving them away as part of the college back to school promotion. I can’t wait to see how MobileMe works with my Nokia E62. The old system worked pretty well. I suspect I won’t have all the nice push features, but that’s where the iPod will come in. I will have my two devices to make up for not being an ATT customer, but that’s OK. At least my data plan didn’t go up in price.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Santa Steve and Christmas in June
Have you been a good little boy or girl? Are you or naughty or nice? Do you have iWork 08 or AppleWorks? Well you better be on the edge of your seat, because Santa Steve is coming to town.
What new toys will he bring? Will it be a new iPhone that will better support the enterprise users? What about OS X 10.6? Maybe it will be a new table computer, if we’ve really been nice? I don’t know what it will be and my record as a speculator sucks. I’m hoping for a new .mac service that is more user-friendly.
My biggest complaint is that a mac like interface doesn’t work as well on the web. I like a lot of what Google has done. Their tools lack the integration of .mac, but they work well from a web interface. I think if Apple follows their lead to a small degree, .mac will improve greatly. I am not one of those who argue to set .mac free. I don’t believe it should be free, however, I do believe that those of us who drink lots of Kool-Aid and buy a new computer often, should get a big break on the price.
I don’t think this present will come until after the real Christmas, but I’ll ask anyway. Santa Steve, can I have full screen editing in Pages 09? I love Pages and would really appreciate it if you added some basic writing tools like full screen editing. The page layout tools are wonderful and solve a lot of my problems. I now need the writing tools to get my ideas into Pages so I have something to format.
Thank you Santa Steve,
Mark
What new toys will he bring? Will it be a new iPhone that will better support the enterprise users? What about OS X 10.6? Maybe it will be a new table computer, if we’ve really been nice? I don’t know what it will be and my record as a speculator sucks. I’m hoping for a new .mac service that is more user-friendly.
My biggest complaint is that a mac like interface doesn’t work as well on the web. I like a lot of what Google has done. Their tools lack the integration of .mac, but they work well from a web interface. I think if Apple follows their lead to a small degree, .mac will improve greatly. I am not one of those who argue to set .mac free. I don’t believe it should be free, however, I do believe that those of us who drink lots of Kool-Aid and buy a new computer often, should get a big break on the price.
I don’t think this present will come until after the real Christmas, but I’ll ask anyway. Santa Steve, can I have full screen editing in Pages 09? I love Pages and would really appreciate it if you added some basic writing tools like full screen editing. The page layout tools are wonderful and solve a lot of my problems. I now need the writing tools to get my ideas into Pages so I have something to format.
Thank you Santa Steve,
Mark
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Experience Has Lost It's Meaning
Marge: This is the worst thing you’ve ever done!
Homer: You say that so often that it lost its meaning.
What is experience? What experience is good for a president? I’ve heard it said that Barack Obama doesn’t have any experience. I’ve never heard anyone detail what experience he’s missing. He’s a Senator, just like McCain. He won elections, just like McCain. He loves this country, just like McCain. What is the difference? McCain is a veteran and former POW, Obama isn’t. McCain has been in the Senate longer than Obama. What experience has that provided and why does it qualify McCain to be president more so than Obama?
There is only one job that being a senator qualifies you for, being a senator. The job of president is unique. There are no prep classes. There are no prerequisites. The only people qualified to do the job are those who were the president. If we are truly interested in electing experience, we need to remove the Constitutional ban on presidents serving more than two terms. That amendment was added to the Constitution as a knee-jerk reaction to FDR's four terms as president. We can’t have it both ways.
Homer: You say that so often that it lost its meaning.
What is experience? What experience is good for a president? I’ve heard it said that Barack Obama doesn’t have any experience. I’ve never heard anyone detail what experience he’s missing. He’s a Senator, just like McCain. He won elections, just like McCain. He loves this country, just like McCain. What is the difference? McCain is a veteran and former POW, Obama isn’t. McCain has been in the Senate longer than Obama. What experience has that provided and why does it qualify McCain to be president more so than Obama?
There is only one job that being a senator qualifies you for, being a senator. The job of president is unique. There are no prep classes. There are no prerequisites. The only people qualified to do the job are those who were the president. If we are truly interested in electing experience, we need to remove the Constitutional ban on presidents serving more than two terms. That amendment was added to the Constitution as a knee-jerk reaction to FDR's four terms as president. We can’t have it both ways.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
A Question of Character
“It’s not easy to juggle a pregnant wife and a troubled child, but somehow I managed to fit in eight hours of TV a day.”
Homer Simpson
One of the definitions of character is, the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. I would argue that character goes deeper than that. I believe that society sets the standard for character. The dictionary leaves it open for a person to have bad character, I would equate that with little or no character. Typically we think of character as something a person demonstrates in adverse conditions. While a person may show great character doing something they want to do. They are best remembered for their performance in situations they didn’t like.
Today we see Hillary Clinton’s character. She will demonstrate her strength and honor. She can choose to show us her best or something less than that. I believe that any questions about her character will be fully answered by the end of this day. I believe we will see a person who just completed one of the biggest political donnybrooks in recent history exhibit such strength and grace that the rest of us will see what her supporters knew all along. We will see Hillary at her best. Make no mistake about it, this day will be painful. It will hurt. If you truly believe in what you are doing, admitting you won’t be successful is very painful and hard. Today is Hillary’s day. We need to surround her with our prayers and praise, she’s earned them.
Homer Simpson
One of the definitions of character is, the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. I would argue that character goes deeper than that. I believe that society sets the standard for character. The dictionary leaves it open for a person to have bad character, I would equate that with little or no character. Typically we think of character as something a person demonstrates in adverse conditions. While a person may show great character doing something they want to do. They are best remembered for their performance in situations they didn’t like.
Today we see Hillary Clinton’s character. She will demonstrate her strength and honor. She can choose to show us her best or something less than that. I believe that any questions about her character will be fully answered by the end of this day. I believe we will see a person who just completed one of the biggest political donnybrooks in recent history exhibit such strength and grace that the rest of us will see what her supporters knew all along. We will see Hillary at her best. Make no mistake about it, this day will be painful. It will hurt. If you truly believe in what you are doing, admitting you won’t be successful is very painful and hard. Today is Hillary’s day. We need to surround her with our prayers and praise, she’s earned them.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Rail is a Choice
Give no decision till both sides thou'st heard.
Phocylides
Fuel prices are way too high. That’s probably a statement you can agree with. The problem is what to do about it. The debate from our politicians usually revolves around where to get more. Do we fight wars or take over other countries? Do we drill in ANWR or on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado? What do we do to get more? The one thing we haven’t done is to have a full and open debate about it. The debate over a fuel tax holiday doesn’t represent a full vetting of the issue. Fuel may become a major campaign issue for Obama and McCain, but I doubt it. Both are willing to give the topic lip service, but little else.
Conserving fuel doesn’t seem to be part of the solution. Conserving is a burden that each of us would have to bear. It would mean having to do more with less and that’s un-American. Worst of all, we see it as a temporary measure. We think there is technology around the corner that will provide us with cheap fuel and allow us to continue with our normal lifestyles. Do we really need to consume resources like we do? Are there other options available? We have many choices; some haven’t even thought of yet. We need to really think about how we do things and see what can be done to change. We need to be open to ideas. We need to take won’t out of our language.
One option that gets little discussion now is rail. Many have forgotten this country used to depend on the railroads for transportation. Railroads used to be about the only choice for getting between cities and towns. Starting in the 1960s, the airlines grew quickly and people moved away from the railroads. Airlines were quicker and eventually cheaper. Now the airlines are in trouble. Their fleets of aircraft are quickly aging. Services and amenities are disappearing. Many are having serious financial woes and the future doesn’t look good. It reminds you of the railroads in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
1971 marked the year that everything changed for the railroads. They cut a deal with the federal government to create a national passenger railroad and free them of their burden. Amtrak was born. Since that time, Amtrak’s budget has been sliced and diced. Many in Congress wanted to kill it completely, but it lives on. Now it represents a solution that many people ignore. September 11, 2001 was a dark day in American history. By the end of the day all air travel was grounded, the only transportation that was moving was cars, buses, and trains. Amtrak trains were full and continued that way. Amtrak ridership grows every year.
We need to bring Amtrak back to the table. We need to expand service and make rail a viable choice for public transportation. We need to rebuild our passenger train fleets and networks and make them more efficient. We do not need to ever put all our eggs in one basket again. Public transportation is a must if we want to decrease our dependence on oil and take the strain off our personal budgets. We need to be able to leave our cars at home and take the train.
Phocylides
Fuel prices are way too high. That’s probably a statement you can agree with. The problem is what to do about it. The debate from our politicians usually revolves around where to get more. Do we fight wars or take over other countries? Do we drill in ANWR or on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado? What do we do to get more? The one thing we haven’t done is to have a full and open debate about it. The debate over a fuel tax holiday doesn’t represent a full vetting of the issue. Fuel may become a major campaign issue for Obama and McCain, but I doubt it. Both are willing to give the topic lip service, but little else.
Conserving fuel doesn’t seem to be part of the solution. Conserving is a burden that each of us would have to bear. It would mean having to do more with less and that’s un-American. Worst of all, we see it as a temporary measure. We think there is technology around the corner that will provide us with cheap fuel and allow us to continue with our normal lifestyles. Do we really need to consume resources like we do? Are there other options available? We have many choices; some haven’t even thought of yet. We need to really think about how we do things and see what can be done to change. We need to be open to ideas. We need to take won’t out of our language.
One option that gets little discussion now is rail. Many have forgotten this country used to depend on the railroads for transportation. Railroads used to be about the only choice for getting between cities and towns. Starting in the 1960s, the airlines grew quickly and people moved away from the railroads. Airlines were quicker and eventually cheaper. Now the airlines are in trouble. Their fleets of aircraft are quickly aging. Services and amenities are disappearing. Many are having serious financial woes and the future doesn’t look good. It reminds you of the railroads in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
1971 marked the year that everything changed for the railroads. They cut a deal with the federal government to create a national passenger railroad and free them of their burden. Amtrak was born. Since that time, Amtrak’s budget has been sliced and diced. Many in Congress wanted to kill it completely, but it lives on. Now it represents a solution that many people ignore. September 11, 2001 was a dark day in American history. By the end of the day all air travel was grounded, the only transportation that was moving was cars, buses, and trains. Amtrak trains were full and continued that way. Amtrak ridership grows every year.
We need to bring Amtrak back to the table. We need to expand service and make rail a viable choice for public transportation. We need to rebuild our passenger train fleets and networks and make them more efficient. We do not need to ever put all our eggs in one basket again. Public transportation is a must if we want to decrease our dependence on oil and take the strain off our personal budgets. We need to be able to leave our cars at home and take the train.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
It's Over, It's Obama
“A little more than kin, and less than kind”
Hamlet
William Shakespeare
What a night last night. Barack Obama is now the Democratic nominee for the presidency. As a Democrat, I know we must put this primary season behind us. I also know that it will be difficult. This race became personal and many are not ready to let it go. The question to them is whether they are hanging on for the good of the country, or are they protecting their own self-interests. Regardless, the issues that divide the party and potentially divide the country are real and need to be addressed.
For Barack Obama to win the White House, he must first win back the Democrats. The race between he and Senator Clinton became personal and about race. Race an issue that needs to be quickly and decisively addressed. Senator Clinton can either help him or get out of the way. He needs to go to the areas of the country where he is weakest such as Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky, and campaign hard. He needs to get out of the city and head for the hills. He needs to visit people where they live so that healing can take place. He needs to listen to them and hope they will listen to him. It will be a lot tougher for them to ignore him when he is in their town, standing on their front porch.
Senator Clinton must accept defeat. Her campaign came on the scene like they were the nominee and it backfired. If you study the campaign, I think you will find that it was about as fair as it could be, and that the tables weren’t tilted against her. Her campaign had some miscues. Comments were made that shouldn’t have been made. She let others control her message and it hurt. She now has to be the person she is and accept defeat gracefully. Her future is hers to enhance or destroy. She can either decide to rise above the fray or sink to its dark depths. She will make that choice in the real world, not in a vacuum. Her decision will have consequences and not just to her.
I hope that we can come together. I know I got caught up in it and am still part of it. I know that I need to let go and support the Democrats and not just Barack.
Hamlet
William Shakespeare
What a night last night. Barack Obama is now the Democratic nominee for the presidency. As a Democrat, I know we must put this primary season behind us. I also know that it will be difficult. This race became personal and many are not ready to let it go. The question to them is whether they are hanging on for the good of the country, or are they protecting their own self-interests. Regardless, the issues that divide the party and potentially divide the country are real and need to be addressed.
For Barack Obama to win the White House, he must first win back the Democrats. The race between he and Senator Clinton became personal and about race. Race an issue that needs to be quickly and decisively addressed. Senator Clinton can either help him or get out of the way. He needs to go to the areas of the country where he is weakest such as Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky, and campaign hard. He needs to get out of the city and head for the hills. He needs to visit people where they live so that healing can take place. He needs to listen to them and hope they will listen to him. It will be a lot tougher for them to ignore him when he is in their town, standing on their front porch.
Senator Clinton must accept defeat. Her campaign came on the scene like they were the nominee and it backfired. If you study the campaign, I think you will find that it was about as fair as it could be, and that the tables weren’t tilted against her. Her campaign had some miscues. Comments were made that shouldn’t have been made. She let others control her message and it hurt. She now has to be the person she is and accept defeat gracefully. Her future is hers to enhance or destroy. She can either decide to rise above the fray or sink to its dark depths. She will make that choice in the real world, not in a vacuum. Her decision will have consequences and not just to her.
I hope that we can come together. I know I got caught up in it and am still part of it. I know that I need to let go and support the Democrats and not just Barack.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Rules
“Do you bite your thumb at me sir?”
Romeo and Juilet
William Shakespeare
Discipline is hard. It’s tough to punish members of your family when they don’t follow the rules. The bigger problem is that if you don’t follow through with the punishment that was announced, you look foolish. Yesterday the Democrats looked foolish. Florida and Michigan were both warned of the rules and warned of the consequences. Both states went a head with their plans. Both states should receive the punishment announced.
When employing 20/20 hindsight, the word "should" always stands out. The Democrats look foolish because they SHOULD have enforced their rules. Florida and Michigan SHOULD have followed the rules and voted on or after Super Tuesday. Hillary Clinton SHOULD have kept her agreements. Should, should, should, and now we have to pick up the pieces. How do we do that? I don’t know. The Rules Committee of the Democratic Party as left the door open for further challenge of their rules. They have fed the argument that somehow Florida and Michigan are justified for breaking the rules. They have allowed Hillary to change definitions after the fact.
This is a good day to be a Republican. They know full well that if you buck the rules long enough, you’ll win. They believe that if you are consistent and tell the same lie over and over again, it will become the truth. The Rules Committee proved this once again. Hillary believes the same and shows no shame when confronted with the real truth. I guess our country isn’t out of the woods yet. Maybe Barack Obama will win in November. Maybe Hillary Clinton will suddenly put the party first, so the party can put the nation first. Maybe I’ll win the lottery, which will be really hard since I don’t play. Maybe there’s hope.
Romeo and Juilet
William Shakespeare
Discipline is hard. It’s tough to punish members of your family when they don’t follow the rules. The bigger problem is that if you don’t follow through with the punishment that was announced, you look foolish. Yesterday the Democrats looked foolish. Florida and Michigan were both warned of the rules and warned of the consequences. Both states went a head with their plans. Both states should receive the punishment announced.
When employing 20/20 hindsight, the word "should" always stands out. The Democrats look foolish because they SHOULD have enforced their rules. Florida and Michigan SHOULD have followed the rules and voted on or after Super Tuesday. Hillary Clinton SHOULD have kept her agreements. Should, should, should, and now we have to pick up the pieces. How do we do that? I don’t know. The Rules Committee of the Democratic Party as left the door open for further challenge of their rules. They have fed the argument that somehow Florida and Michigan are justified for breaking the rules. They have allowed Hillary to change definitions after the fact.
This is a good day to be a Republican. They know full well that if you buck the rules long enough, you’ll win. They believe that if you are consistent and tell the same lie over and over again, it will become the truth. The Rules Committee proved this once again. Hillary believes the same and shows no shame when confronted with the real truth. I guess our country isn’t out of the woods yet. Maybe Barack Obama will win in November. Maybe Hillary Clinton will suddenly put the party first, so the party can put the nation first. Maybe I’ll win the lottery, which will be really hard since I don’t play. Maybe there’s hope.
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