Slightly early but …

Sharka says if you drink, remember not to drive.
Be a responsible Sharka!

*sniff*  Bye-bye Netscape.  We’ll miss that flashing N as seen in Mission Impossible.

And for those traveling in the new year, TSA has announced a ban on non-rechargeable lithium batteries in checked luggage.

Still shopping for that perfect gift for that special someone in your life (or family member or friend or whomever).  Dreading that last minute shopping mall madness?  Consider a donation in the name of your friend to the One Laptop Per Child initiative.

How often have you thought about the amount of technology you use on a daily bases?  A computer, the internet, television, cable or satellite signal, a cellphone, a car, public transportation, a space heater, a doorbell, a refrigerator, a washer or dryer, a hair dryer, the list can go on and on.  Why not give the gift of technology and the potential for innovative thinking in areas not as blessed with technology as we are.  Give a gift of a laptop to a child who could use it just as any other child in the United States.

*Edit* There’s even an article in the Post about the XO Laptop.

Have you ever been in a situation where you talk to old friends that you haven’t seen in awhile and they seem more interested in how your individual family members (who aren’t present) are rather than see how you’ve been doing?  That and they’re emphasizing that you tell them that you saw them and to tell them “Hi” from this person?  Guess I’m just not that interesting.

To those Canadians who read this site … At least you all have universal health care. 

Wow.  This can’t be good.  But then again the F-15 is 30 years old.  I started to breakdown once I turned 25.    That and the original  three G1 Seekers (Skywarp, Starscream and Thundercracker) were F-15s.

My co-workers were talking about various TV comedies during lunch and they were surprised that I didn’t find Seinfeld funny.  I mean really.  It’s a show about nothing. Nothing funny.  See.  Not funny at all.  Unfortunately, I don’t think I could come up with a numeric list so here’s a list of five shows that I found extremely funny.

• Arrested Development – Critically acclaimed, hilarious, smart and canceled prematurely.
• Coupling (BBC) – The US tried to copy this very hilarious British show but failed terribly.  Do yourself a favor and watch the BBC version.  Just make sure your parents aren’t in the room. 
• Futurama – Another show that got canceled prematurely because they stuck it at a 7pm time slot so the show would always get preempted by a football game.  Though very similar to The Simpsons, I actually find Futurama having more cultural references and less stupid antics.  Plus Bender says all the stuff that I wish I could say but know I shouldn’t.  Tell it like it is baby.  Tell it like it is.  (Plus it’s coming back to TV!!!)
• Family Guy – Just plain wrong and funny. 
• Spaced - Another BBC show that’s just wacky and funny.

Huh.  Looks like all the US shows that I’ve liked have gotten canceled at one point. 

Some festive music …

This past week …

To store or not to store … that’s what I learned by attending this past Storage Decisions conference in San Francisco, CA.  For a free conference it’s actually not too bad if you’re into the whole data protection and archival business.  Not too much good swag this year since every vendor had raffles for either a Wii, XBOX 360, iPhone, iPod Touch, PS3 or a GPS.  I unfortunately was not that lucky. 

Some highlights of our trip to SF:

1. While getting a tour of Chewy’s brothers place we noticed this gal having a photo shoot on the top of an adjacent rooftop.  It was pretty funny.  I sorta wish we took pictures of them just because it seemed so random.
2. We walked so much that I found some new muscles in my legs that I apparently never had before. 
3. One of Chewy’s relatives lived in the Montgomery Village area and then later in Potomac. 
4. A friend of mine calls their second child (a daughter no less) “Bubba” – It actually stems from the eldest daughters inability to say the real name so she would constantly say “ba-ba” instead of “baby”.  Somehow the name “Bubba” stuck and everyone in the family calls the kid that.
5. The Jelly Belly factory is still a fun place to visit.  The Bertie Botts Sausage and Bacon beans taste horrible!  On the other hand the new Pomegranate flavored beans are pretty good.
6. We ate at several organic restaurants:
   • Out the Door – Presented by The Slanted Door and located at the Westfield San Francisco center.  Definately yuppie, overpriced and not so good Vietnamese food.
   • Thirsty Bear – Tapas and other Spanish style foods.  Wasn’t too bad.  Probably a bit better than Jaleo or La Tasca in the D.C. area and only slightly overpriced but the portions and the food was pretty good.
   • Greens Restaurant – Chewy really and I mean REALLY wanted
     to go this place.  So we went once when they were closed (we didn’t
     know that) and then another time with one of her friends.  Definitely
     overpriced and not even all that tasty.  Chewy was slightly
     disappointed since the previous times she had been there it was better.
7. Some of the other interesting places we ate at:
• Mel’s Drive-in – Pretty decent burgers and fries place.
• Beard Papa’s – We originally had these in Waikiki and were pleasantly surprised to see them here.  Chewy prefers the vanilla whereas I think I like the chocolate ones better.  Though don’t get us wrong, given the opportunity we’ll eat either flavors.  They’re that good. 
• House of Nanking – Yep, apparently it’s a tourist trap now.  Hardly any Asians were eating there.  I happened to stumble onto them when watching late night television and caught one of Rachael Ray’s Cheap Eats for SF.  Food wasn’t bad.  Chewy said they used a lot of MSG which probably was the reason the food was tasty.  The dude who took our order apparently was one of the chef’s and he said he’d make us some “special” soup which IMO seemed like the leftovers from a previous meal.  However, it was some pretty good soup.  Good broth and ingredients.
• Jamba Juice – Can’t visit the west coast without getting some JJ!
• The Cliff House – Well actually the Bistro at the Cliff House.  View was nice and the food was decent.  It’s mostly about the view though.
8. While walking around AT&T Park (trying to see if Bonds left any “goodies” around) we noticed that Cirque du Soleil was in town and were performing Kooza in San Francisco.   For a traveling show, we both enjoyed the performance even if the second half seemed rather short.
9. Sean Taylor’s funeral service was held on Monday, December 3rd.  We had access to the NFL Network which was showing it.  It was amazing to see how many people were there.  I mean even beyond the whole Redskins organization the stadium was packed with people.  Even Jesse Jackson was there.  Which I really don’t understand.  For one man who’s played in the NFL for four years did he really know that many people who wanted to pay tribute to the man and to his family?  It almost seemed like a spectacle because of how grand it seemed.  I mean why was Jesse Jackson there!!!  Yes, it was a tragedy.  But when John Doe dies in SE D.C. does Jesse Jackson go to their funeral?  I highly doubt it.  Don’t get me wrong, I truly feel sorry for Taylor’s family and understand that their respective families and football family the Washington Redskins, Miami Hurricane’s and various NFL players would want to pay their respect to the man and to the family but I just don’t get the whole grandness of the event.  It just seems sad.
10. Lastly, since when did the Grand Old Party become the second coming of the Democrats?  Why are we encouraging poor decision making with bailouts and handouts?  For all the people that played by the rules or played it safe in this housing market get totally screwed by this.  What type of an example are we setting to the people of this nation?  Sure there were predatory lenders.  That’s an issue that needs to be addressed but this doesn’t do that.  This is a band-aid for a different problem.  Sure it makes the GOP look better and maybe they’re jocking for votes in the upcoming election but this is just bad.  Not only that the Democrats say that the plan isn’t enough.  Obviously because the votes they are going for are those who apparently need the government to bail them out and give them their cheese.  Freebie’s for everyone!  Poor decision making with no consequences means they aren’t poor decisions anymore.  Maybe that’s what needs to come out of this.  More poor decisions for everyone.  No need to worry about them because we’ll get bailed out.  Even though they say no government money will be used for this project be realistic.  Who will end up paying for all the poor decisions?  Those who made the apparent “good” decision which as it looks is actually the “poor” decision in all of this.  bah.