If nothing else you can say that the Obama understand that the interwebz are not a big truck. Check this thing out. Ask the President a Question on Youtube. Reminds me of what Digg has been doing for a while.
Archive for January, 2010
A President For the Internet Age.
January 28th, 2010iPad: Tablet PC or Reader?
January 28th, 2010
I came away from yesterdays iPad news with mixed feelings. A giant iPod touch? Hmmm…. Not sure that’s something I want. After all it lacked some of the features I thought it should have. But when I thought about it, I was wanting more of a computer and what they released if much more of a reader.
With that in mind I set out to evaluate it against the Barns and Noble Nook and the Amazon Kindle.
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| Features | Nook | Kindle | iPad |
| Screen | 6″ E-inc/Color | 6″/9.7″ E-inc | 9.7″ of LED Backlit Apple Kick-ass-ness |
| Wireless | Wifi/3G | Wifi/3G | Wifi/3G |
| Wireless Plan | Free 3G | Free 3G | $15 |
| Books Cost | Around $9 | Around $9 | $15? |
| Book Store | Barns and Noble | Amazon | Apple, and Probably Amazon and BN via their Apps |
| Interface | Partial Touch Screen | Buttons | Multi-touch |
| Maybe | Extra | Oh Ya | |
| Expandability | SD Cards | None | None |
| Hackability | Its running Android/Linux… | I guess it can be done | Steve Jobs is watching you |
| Other Things it Does | Not Much | Not Much | Various other Multi-media, Games, Apps from the Apple App store. | Lowest Price Model | $259 | $259 | $499 |
Conclusion: The iPad, although lacking free 3G, is a reader +. If you are going to buy a reader you should strongly consider the iPad. If you are looking for a small computer you should consider the MacBook Air or any one of the unwashed masses of netbooks.
I think its important to remember that Apple Steve was not looking to reinvent the laptop.
The Day The Earth Stood Still
January 27th, 2010ITS A TABLET! [update] and its just ok [/ update]
Apple Event Live Blogs:
Macworld
Engadget
Audio from Apples Event! http://live.twit.tv/<
The fun starts at 10:00 PST.
Competing News Items: State of the Union v Apple Tablet
January 26th, 2010And the judge will be: Google Trends
The blue line is “State of the Union” the red line is “Apple Tablet”. This chart shows (if I coerced their system correctly) the relative Google search volume.
As a side note people really took a dump on old W’s last state of the union. [deleted Bush rant]
Update:
Now that we know its name:
Chart shows last 30 days.
State of the union in Blue
iPad in Red
Surefire: Email Marketing WIN!
January 26th, 2010Subject Line: SureFire Has Your Back This Valentine’s Day
Nothing Says I LOVE YOU like a blast of brilliant retinal-searing white light. This Valentine’s Day give a gift that can protect the ones you love.
Update: I forgot to mention that I actually bought my wife a Surefire for our last anniversary. Yes she liked it. But she really liked it when her boss spotted it along with the knife she shamelessly stole from me (both of which she carries everywhere in her purse). Her boss was impressed by both the knife and the flashlight.
Tomorrow! Apple!
January 26th, 2010Unless you actually live in a cave, or don’t have internet access (its really the same thing), you will have sensed that the intertubez are climaxing over the whole Apple tablet thing. Prepare for orgasm, unless there is no tablet in which case the internet will be seriously pissed off.
If I remember I will post where the best live blog is happening. Already a great bet will be FakeSteve.net.
Building The Training Kit
January 26th, 2010Among the things that I want to get done early this year is firearms training. So far my education has mostly been what I would classify as “informal”. I apply one of my golden principals, hang out with people who are better than you. Thus I have learned from ex-millitary, law enforcement officers and anyone else who will take the time to hand out jewels of wisdom. But to some degree what I have learned is sporadic. I can shoot left handed with one hand, but the basic ready aim fire type commands given during most instruction escape me. Thus the need to “formalize” my training, filling in all the gaps.
Training Classes Planned
I plan on taking the classes at the local shooting range. This is the same range and instructors used by the Portland (and Portland area) law enforcement agencies.
101A: The 101 class is, this is a gun, I tested out of that class. 101A is the “accelerated” course that preps you for the 102 class. In 101A you learn speed reloading, shooting faster and well as brush up on basics you may be missing or weak.
102: This is the class everyone talks about. Two 10 hours days. 1000 rounds. Essentially all the good stuff. This class has a reputation for kicking people ass.
Building the Training Kit:
Each class has a list of necessary equipment. Going through this list has been interesting. It has forced me to think about the gear I am currently using and how it applied to training.
101A:
Eyes: Check
Ears: My favorite ear protection
Gun: My trusty XD-9
Belt: I ordered a Wilderness Tactical Instructor Belt
Mag Pouches: Now here is a place to cut corners. I will never carry extra mags, this the pouches I use in training can be cheap. I had the extra crappy XD Gear double pouch but I went out and bought a slightly less crappy Uncle Mikes double.
At least 4 Mags: I had three, so I got an extra.
102:
All of the above plus.
2 to 4 more Mags: Need to hit the gun show.
Strong Side Holster: Ahh… So I love my IWB Comp-Tacs but, I was strongly advised to come to training with an OWB holster. Additionally, this could be something that I get continuing use out of. An OWB would work during the winter months when I am wearing layers anyway. OWB will also work while backpacking (where I can open carry). I could go buy a $27 blackhawk but I have decided instead to order a Raven Concealment Phantom. The Raven will give me a a few more options for carry plus meet the requirements of training.
Anyway, this is what I have been thinking about lately. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, drop me a comment.
I am not a writer.
January 26th, 2010But Munchkin Wrangler is. Furthermore I have been really enjoying his blog.
Sad Blogroll
January 26th, 2010My blogroll is looking really sad. I think it needs some friends. If you are interested in swapping blogroll links with me, hit me up at admin AT extremetolerance.com or you could leave a comment.
Speaking of comments, I have noticed that my filter is very aggressive. If your comment gets marked as spam, and your not a spammer, drop me an email and I will fix the situation.
Quick Mandrake, The Red Coats Are Coming!
January 24th, 2010
Last night we went to a friends 40th birthday party. We had a great time and it was really good to meet a bunch of new people. Most of the people were drinking and being merry. As I circulated and conversed with the party people one of the guys explained his conspiracy theories to me.
I am going to respond to some of the claims he made, but not necessary contradict him, but let me lay out some of his claims. He said, 911 was an inside job to cover up some other conspiracy, the world is controlled by 7 people, the US government is a puppet of something, there is a new world order coming, income tax is illegal, "they" are coming to take my guns, and of course the whole Kennedy assassination thing was some sort of cover up.
Whoa... guess this guy's rabbit hole goes really deep. While I was listening to this I realized that I could care less. Maybe when I was younger and looking for meaning in the world I would have cared, but now I tend to only care about things are are relevant to me.
It sounds selfish, and it is, but acting in your own best interest is the only truly pure thing you can do. Do I think the world is coming to an end? No! But, I have a lot of extra food on hand and emergency plans. Its called covering you bases. People need to take a pragmatic look at their lives and plan from there.
I joke about the nazis showing up or the zombie apocalypse. Its my way of making fun of the people who have examined their world and have selectively chosen evidence that supports their wild ideas. Not to alienate all my readers but looking for evidence of a world controlling power is about the same as looking for evidence for God. (Really I would probably become religious before I started fearing the nazis, because at least God is usually a good news story)
Now before you go thinking that I am just as cynical as conspiracy guy... well I probably am... Anyway, we live in a chaotic and irrational world filled with people who make psychopathic choices. Ultimately, its this pure chaos that keeps us all safe and moving forward. If we all acted like machines, on a micro level, things like communism would work out great. So if I believe in one overarching principal, its evolution. In essence we all make choices that work out for us, their correctness can only be judged in the context of our own survival.
Zooming out to the macro, we need society to lay down foundational laws and principals that keep us moving in an upward direction rather than descending into anarchy. (if you like anarchy move to western Africa, personally I like it here in the States)
In closing, remember what Keynes said, “In the long run, we are all dead.” I find that keeps shit in perspective.
Or you could look at humanity like this:
