Grey Area

new blog

Evan — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 06:23:00 +0000

Two words

Evan — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 23:47:00 +0000

Freakin' Windows.

Who thought this one up? If you use Windows, you'll know what I'm talking about:

Start > Shut Down... > Restart

What the hell is that all about? Why do I need to click through three different terms that totally contradict one another to restart the computer? Is that the most logical terminology? So many questions... I'll stop now.

No, wait - while we're talking about it, what is up with having to click a link to show me the content of the Program Files directory? Oh yah, I just got here by accident and I don't need to know what's inside. Yah, that's it.

A new film from Michael Levy

Evan — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 18:38:00 +0000

A lovely film made in Maya.

47th dumbest state in America

Evan — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:11:00 +0000

And the winner is... California. Today I heard that I live in the 47th dumbest state in America. The only states dumber than this one are Louisiana, Nevada and another that I can't remember right now... oh man now I'm a victim. How we were scored was by aptitude testing of our kids in school. It seems California is not good at preparing kids for college and lacks even the availability of college preparatory classes. Nevermind that you want to take the class - sorry, it's not available.

As an educator in the state college system, I agree with this assessment. For the most part, kids today are showing every sign that they don't have the drive it takes to succeed once they get into college classes. My kids, depending on the class, would rather go on MySpace, keep their headphones hard-wired to their brains during class and IM their friends. Don't forget that this is a class that they (or their parents) have directly paid for, and are required to take. Actually the students respond much better to elective courses. These are usually the ones they want to be in, so they pay attention. It seems like students are getting dumber and dumberer every year.

The Inland Empire is the dumbest region in California, the survey mentions. This is not surprising to me. I see where the importance is placed to steal our youth's focus. Material things, like golf carts for 10 year-olds to drive around the neighborhood, lip piercings, iPods and even cell phones for kids in grade school. What's next? How can the last gift be topped? With something even bigger and better, that's how! There's no accountability. There's no reward for doing well. There are no goals; only rewards for mediocrity. Parents are looking for the next thing to get their kids off their backs; to steal their attention so they can get more work done.

I have been guilty of this. There is "so much to do" that there is no time to just hang out and be together. I feel remorse for those actions in the past. I was doing a disservice to my kids.

So teachers are filling up their kid's plates with busy work. Parents are working two jobs and struggling to get their kids to daycare from 6am to 6pm every day of the week because they don't even have time to drop them off, yet they still make it to Starbuck's before sitting in traffic. Our kids are being trained to be the same as everyone else. Don't you dare try to stand out. Don't make goals. Don't be excellent. Don't try to change anything. It's fine just how it is. Live in your dull little house. Sit in traffic. Have dull relationships. One day you'll wonder, "How did I get here?"

Talking Heads - "Once in a Lifetime" (emphasis mine)

And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful Wife
And you may ask yourself-well...how did I get here?

Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/after the moneys gone
Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.

And you may ask yourself
How do I work this?
And you may ask yourself
Where is that large automobile?
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful house!
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful wife!

Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/after the moneys gone
Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.

Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...

Water dissolving...and water removing
There is water at the bottom of the ocean
Carry the water at the bottom of the ocean
Remove the water at the bottom of the ocean!

Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/in the silent water
Under the rocks and stones/there is water underground.

Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/after the moneys gone
Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.

And you may ask yourself
What is that beautiful house?
And you may ask yourself
Where does that highway go?
And you may ask yourself
Am I right? ...am I wrong?
And you may tell yourself
My god!...what have I done?

Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/in the silent water
Under the rocks and stones/there is water underground.

Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/after the moneys gone
Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.

Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...

Only in L.A.

Evan — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 20:46:00 +0000

A mock-up of a plane crash is displayed as part of a Halloween display in the garden of a home in Los Angeles October 20, 2006. Los Angeles police visited the scene after thinking the crash was real. The homeowner is an aircraft mechanic in training and the parts are from a real Gulfstream jet. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES)

links for today

Evan — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 15:19:00 +0000

some video goodness:

Flight Patterns

Evolution

Paint Explosion

Body Pong (yes, that's two links)

Easy Cheese - one of my favorite snack foods

Evan — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 17:52:00 +0000

A must-read from Wired Magazine: What's Inside: Squirt-On Cheese

Find out what make Easy Cheese the scrumptiolicious* snack that it is.

Bacon Cheddar is my favorite flavor. What I like the most is that you can be artistically creative and fulfill your hunger at the same time. By the way, I have only ever tried Easy Cheese on Ritz crackers. Have you ever tried it on anything else? Is it worth a recommendation?

*extra points for naming the reference

Links for the day

Evan — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 16:57:00 +0000

Get crazy with the goldfish. This one's ~~questionable~~ just plain wrong.

Jackson Pollock fun.

oh snap!

Evan — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 22:43:00 +0000

oh snap!

first steps

Evan — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 06:23:41 +0000

yesterday Jackson took his first steps. he got up to five or six steps before grabbing onto someone. it is so cool to watch this happen. he is now 15 1/2 months old.

my kids both have been what would be considered late bloomers when it comes to walking. to me, this is a good thing. as soon as they start walking, they really get into everything. most kids start walking around 12 months i would generalize.

we aren't the type of parents that lock down everything in the house. we don't put the slippery covers on the doorknobs, the latches on the cupboards, or the latch on the toilet seat. we don't put protective covers on sharp corners or make the kids wear helmets and leashes. if he falls, he falls. it's part of learning. i just don't get parents that do all of the extreme safety stuff... start teaching your kids responsibilities the first chance you get. it's my hope that my kids will be better participants in our society armed with a knowledge of good common sense.

i'll try to get some video of his walking tomorrow.

no ladder needed

Evan — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 21:37:54 +0000

as a short person, this device makes me very happy.

UPDATED - Re: My Three Complaints About Apple Retail Stores

Evan — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 21:08:00 +0000

UPDATE: The author has posted an article talking up the 3 things he DOES like about the Apple Store - worth a read. I tend to agree with him on these points. He's still using the Victoria Gardens store picture too.

Three Things I Like About Apple Retail Stores

----------------------------

I think it's pretty funny that this blog titled "My Three Complaints About Apple Retail Stores" shows the Victoria Gardens Apple Store as it's article picture. That's where i used to work, FYI. The article has nothing to do with that store specifically, it's just the one store the author chose from the images on the Apple web site I guess.

Here's the article, from freemacblog.com:

My Three Complaints About Apple Retail Stores:

Overall, I enjoy the Apple Store experience. In fact, tomorrow I’ll give the three things I like about Apple Retail Stores. But these are the three things that could use some improvement.

And this certainly isn’t a knock on all Apple Retail employees. I enjoy current friendships with many Apple Retail employees across the country. Whenever I travel, I’m always sure to visit the local Apple store, snap a photo and chat with the workers. I’m up to 24 photos in front of different locations.

To avoid complete negativity, I’ve tried to be helpful with these complaints by offering suggestions.

1) Apple Stores usually have folks that really know their stuff. But, it seems like those who know the least are put on phone answering duty. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to call and explain to the person what they should ask for in the inventory room. Take this recent conversation.

“Hi, I’m calling to see if you have any copies of OS X Server. This is for an Intel machine so it’d have to be version 10.4.7.” I informed.

“Sure, we have Tiger here. They are ready for all Macs.”, she answered.

“Great, do you have the ten client license in stock?” I returned.

To which she replied, ” We have the single license and the family pack which can go on three machines.”

“I think you’re talking about the Mac OS X Client version.” I countered, “I’m looking for OS X Server. I’d like the ten client version.”

“Oh, the XServes? We don’t carry those in retail stores. You’ll have to order it online.”

The conversation went on, but you get the point. This is not a one time thing. There’s just so many Mac users out there that love Apple’s products and know them inside and out. I know quite a few that have been trying to work at an Apple store for quite some time. I just don’t understand why the show floors aren’t covered with knowledgeable staff.

2) There seems to be an inability to personalize the message. Just like in number one, there are some folks that do a good job at this. But, the majority of Apple workers are too programmed. They think everyone is a switcher. They assume all customers need the basics taught. It seems it’s a consistent “talking down.” There are too many pre-planned questions and answers. Especially answers.

The most effective way to sell is to:

First, build a relationship with a customer. Find out their current knowledge state, their needs, and the concerns. This is also the chance to build a frienship and common trust. Instead of asking, “Do you have any questions?” ask them “What brings you in today?” or “Can I show you our best selling products?”

Second, present them a message personalized for them. Once you know what they’re in for, show them the product or the application that can meet their exact needs.

Last, Ask if there is anything not clear then ask them if they’d like to purchase. If they say no, find out their concerns.

If the products were presented like that, it’d be much more enjoyable for the customer.

Also, the after sale questions about Applecare and the free printer would be much more effective. The way they are asked now are more of a nuisance than a helpful offer.

Apple Retail, give me 30 minutes with all new Apple employees. It’ll help. I promise.

3) Location is hard for residents. It seems that the majority of Apple Stores are in great retail locations, but they often cater to visitors and tourists. That is certainly the case here in Las Vegas.

Our only location is right on Las Vegas Boulevard. The parking is busy and it’s out of the way for anyone who lives here in Las Vegas.

There is a rumored second location being built at the Town Square mall. This is also on Las Vegas Blvd about 5 miles South of the current Apple Store location.

These are good locations that will always be full of customers. But unbeknownst to most of the country and certainly to Apple Retail Scouts, there are 2 million Las Vegas residents. Of those residents, 1.9 million rarely go down to the Strip at all. There are high scale shopping centers on the West and East end of the valley. It’d be convenient for us not to have to travel to the busy strip each time.

I think this location concern will take care of itself as more and more Apple Stores open up. Once the tourist places are taken care of, perhaps the Apple Stores will make their way out to the common folk.

Conclusion:

Like I wrote earlier. For the most part, the Apple Retail Stores are enjoyable places. I’ll tell you why in my post tomorrow.

Anything that irks you about the Apple Retail Stores?

iTunes timeline & icon changes

Evan — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 18:24:00 +0000

I was having a discussion with Bob on the progression of iTunes icons and how they've changed colors over the years. We both thought there was a blue music note on the icon previously, and there was. It was darker though.

I can't say I'm a fan of the new icon. The more pronounced rainbow reflection on the CD is annoying to me, but I'll probably get used to it.

I remember downloading Casady & Greene's SoundaJam MP and loving it. The graphic EQ that was in it, and to some extent still in iTunes, was so cool to watch! That was on my PowerTower Pro Mac clone from Power Computing.

Here's a link to the past interfaces of "iTunes"

bad dreams

Evan — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 15:28:00 +0000

I'd think that with the cool stuff that happened yesterday, I would have been keeping myself busy while sleeping thinking about great, creative, fun things. Instead, I dreamed about the crap that happened yesterday.

When I went to lunch at Wendy's, I made the mistake of getting in line behind 2 or 3 high school students. Normally that wouldn't had been a problem, but since they seemed to have a plethora of friends, it became a problem. By the time I was in line for a few minutes, the small group had multiplied into 6 or 7 people in front of me. They just assumed that because they knew someone in front of them in the line, they could join them. I wanted to tell them that this wasn't the school lunch line, but a real lunch line where people were on a schedule and were standing there first and RESPECT and blah blah blah... but I said nothing. In the end, the line didn't move too slowly because the people working there were rockin' the register. I hope my kids learn enough from me to respect other people in this world - even at a Wendy's lunch line.

I dreamed last night that I went to get lunch at some 50's-style diner and basically had the same thing happen to me again. I had to scream at the people working there to get them to even pay attention to what was going on because they were enabling it to happen. I left in a huff and didn't even get lunch :( At least it was only a dream meal.

Then there's the talks about Syria in the news and how the American embassy was bombed, and there is some confusion as to who did it and why.

I dreamed that Syrian jets were doing fly-by's of the area I was in and they kept flying very low to scare the people standing around. We were obviously in America, so it was like we were just about to be under attack. One of the jets even landed close to me. I thought for sure war was about to break out.

Talk about a stressful night. Now I'm going to get me a new iPod shuffle.

The RV with a slide-out roadster hold

Evan — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 17:53:00 +0000

This thing rules. I want one for my '66 Datsun Roadster - that way I won't even have to put it in my garage.

Recreational vehicle enthusiasts love to be able to bring their favorite mod cons with them on their annual road trips, so German RV manufacturer Volkner Mobile's idea to develop a motor home capable of storing an entire car in its underbelly is sure to be popular with those that can afford the undoubtedly high pricetag. All it needs is a green paint job, a big number "2" on both sides and you've set up every Thunderbirds fan in the country for a month of restless nights: this pointlessly excessive system definitely makes it the Tracy family's day tripper of choice. The car storage system itself consists of a 5 meter long movable plate that sits between the front and rear wheels, and is short enough to cater for low, roadster type cars. The motor home will be on display at the International Caravan Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany for the next few days: if you're at the show, just look for a stressed out attendant surrounded by hundreds of kids screaming at him to do the car storage thing again.

[Via Autoblog]