Dave’s posterous

A Dutch friend of mine recently ran something across my palate that set off fireworks.  It is really good.

She gave me a piece of fabulous aged Gouda (pronounced How-da or Khow-da).  The best I'd had in a very, long, long time.  It is made in Holland by Rembrandt and amazingly enough it is available at CostCo in San Diego but available world wide and through mail order.  It has won multiple awards and it is not hard to taste why.  I'm on my way back for my second wedge since Friday (I have given some away to other to try though).  If you don't see it, ask for it.  A further description is on page three of this document and here is an independent review if you need one.  http://cheesemonger.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/aged-goudas/

Please leave your comments on the blog if you try it.

Dave

I usually avoid Internet Explorer as much as possible and use Firefox instead.  However, I have many clients who either prefer it over other browsers or are forced to use it by corporate IT staffs or IE only web pages.

Therefore, with the introduction of a new version I have to install it in order to support it.  Since I had five questions this weekend about it, I figured now was the time.  All went smoothly, being very careful to thoroughly read question posed to avoid being tricked into selections and services I did not want.  At one point I was very surprised when IE8 offered to import my bookmarks from the two other browsers I have installed, Safari and Firefox.  This was new for Microsoft, acknowledging that there were other browsers out there.  Usually, the closest they get to that is encouraging you to switch to IE as the default browser with other Microsoft services as the defaults.  I thought, "What the heck.  Sure import my Firefox bookmarks to IE's favorites."  When I checked the box to do that and hit continue it crashed.

Fortunately, I am heavily backed up and it did not take too long to recover.  Of course I also have the luxury of not paying for my own time.  I don't have time today to repeat that exercise so for the time being IE8 will remain unused and in whatever state it is still in.  So the caveat remains to make sure everything critical is backed up before you attempt this upgrade.  I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences.

I have a very nice free program that scans your computer and tells you which programs have updates available.  Adopting the philosophy of "If it ain't broken, don't fix it!" I'm not disseminating the details unless you ask.  There are several reasons for this.  If you are having a problem with a particular program just update or remove that program.  When I last ran the update availability program on my machine, 15 updates were recommended.  Immediately, I saw a few problems.  One was not compatible with my current OS.  One is a known really buggy update.  One would over overwrite a perfectly functional version of a free program with a newer one that must be paid for.  This Program is very handy but should not be used with gay abandon.  Each update should be considered carefully before installation.  If you want to know about it, let me know.

Finally, if you are a myrmidon that updates your Norton or McAfee protections without question annually, please note that both programs have dropped out of the top ten for that functionality.  In my humble opinion Norton/Symantec has not turned out decent products since 2003.  Great marketing and legal departments though. :-(             See these two sites.  http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com/    http://anti-spyware-review.toptenreviews.com/

Dave out

Probably one of the most painful experience anyone can go through in their life is unrequited love.  Usually, we refer to interpersonal relationships with that utterance but wanting, dare I say, needing things, such as intellectual stimulation, having it available and yet to have it remain financially aloof is also heart wrenching.

My last blog dealt with ignorance and stupidity in America and how, regrettably,  it's sometimes "cool" to be illiterate or innumerate.  It was a sad indictment.  To see a possible vehicle towards minimizing that problem but to only savor the aroma of potential beyond arm's reach is excruciating.

Today, I found a wonderful web site.  They offer hundreds of wonderful movies that one never finds in the mainstream.  Not even PBS seems to show them.  Many of them look fascinating and their viewing, by the masses, could go a long way to eradicating ignorance and stupidity in America.  I found many I wanted to see, in their offerings, before I even got out of the "A"s.

Unfortunately, my joy was short lived.  There is a big fly in the ointment.  I can buy a panoply of movies from top quality films like Schindler's List down to any of the idiotic adolescent exploitation films for less than $20 (and sometimes for less than a dollar on e-Bay).  I can buy films at the iTunes store for as little as $2.  I can go to the movies with a friend, sans treats, for under twenty bucks but if I want to rent or buy any of the films on the Filmmaker's Library site my wallet must be much fatter.  I looked at several films that interested me.  They were $85 to rent and between $295 and $350 to buy on DVD.

While I realize that when demand is low prices will be high, the converse is just a true.  As it is, as much as I'd like to see many of their films, it is not in the cards.  Neither I, nor anyone I know can afford that kind of expense to see these films.  I'm afraid their viewership will remain low and we, as a nation, as a people will be diminished by the loss of that opportunity.

There is obviously a business opportunity here for the right entrepreneur but for now, I'd just like to see a few of their films.  I have but one brain and limited time.  Together we should be able to improve our collective lot.  Any suggestions on this issue?

FYI  This is the film that allowed me to experience the bittersweetness of their site.  While there, these two (first, second) also caught my fancy (I've spent a lot of time lately learning about African countries and I plan on working as long as I'm able).

Too much to learn; too little time.

Dave out

~~

Addendum:  I just received a response from the Filmmaker's Library explaining that the posted prices are "the institutional prices only" and that discounts are available for peronal acquisition.  "Hear and Now" would cost me $49.95 plus $10 for shipping/handling.  I very much appreciate their punctual and courteous response.

I got home from work today at about 8:30 pm and looked at my e-mail.  I got an e-mail from Roger Brown with an attachment.  It was a recording of a customer of Verizon who just could not get anyone in their customer service department who understood very basic mathematics.  Though first amused, I quickly became incredulous.  The customer was amazingly patient.  The Verizon staff were no longer ignorant; they were stupid.  I became very saddened but curious too.  I did some research culminating in a less serious look at clips from You Tube.  It is now about 3:30 am.  I'm afraid I do that when I'm hungry, to learn something, but apparently that was not a food consumed by some of the people in the clips below.  Many thanks to Roger for about 6 hours of enlightening entertainment and the title of this piece (the clip is not 6 hours).

Most of the people below will amaze you at how stupid they are.  That being said, I have no doubt that the creators of the respective pieces below have edited them to maximize their effect.  I'm sure many people did know the answers to most of the simple questions asked and were therefore excised from the final clip.

I was reluctant to do so but out of courtesy I have included the durations of each clip.  I know that will help you decide how to manage your time but for others it may deter you.  We are all busy.  If you can not view the longer clips now consider taking the time later.  A few clips are a quick insight to idiocy with little redeeming value   Others provide considerable insight and so I encourage you to watch them.   I have culled many down to these few.  The "Stupid in America" one is very well done.

George vs. Verizon:  This audio (only) clip contains a recording of a fella trying to resolve a billing issue with Verizon.  His patience with Verizon's customer support staff is amazing.  Keep listening, it gets better and better as the courtesy and telephone smile wanes.  (22:44)

http://imgs.xkcd.com/verizon_billing.mp3

and if you like that try

Are Americans Stupid?:  (9:06)


How much do Americans Know About Europe?:  (1:04)


Americans are Not Stupid - Part 2  (2:10)


Dumb Blonde: Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?  (3:19)
(This girl was with Alpha Phi sorority at SDSU; a client of mine.)

Americans are (NOT) Stupid:  (3:56)


Stupid in America 20/20:  (40:45)
http://shrunklink.com/bxzq

If you watched the previous clip (and you should) despite having the poorest performance of any state, according to a national ratings system, the state superintendent of schools for South Carolina says she is proud of their performance.  Here is one of her graduates.
Miss Teen USA 2007 - South Carolina Answers a Question:  (0:48)  The brain does not match the eye candy.


Dave out

I have been a big fan of Willemijn Verkaik for several years now and am still amazed that I've yet to run into anyone in the USA who has ever heard of her.  Perhaps this is an effort to change that.  I've considered all of the Elphaba's who've played in Wicked and am convinced that she is the best by far.  I offer the first two clips for your consideration ... and yes, like many performers who perform internationally, she is multi-lingual.  The remaining three clips, though not my favorites, demonstrate her English.
This clip focuses on Elphaba (Willemijn) singing "Defying Gravity" from Wicked.  Dankeschön Willemijn!  For those who wish to see her live, she'll be playing in Stuttgart through January 2010.
   

Willemijn is amazing.  This is from the German/Austrian Musical "Elisabeth" about Empress Sisi of Austria.
   

These clips are added to demonstrate she often sings is English.
Wishful Thinking; Another One Bites The Dust, etc
   
   
   



  

I received a call today from a lady who wanted me to design some web pages fer her.  In the course of our conversation I learned several things about her.  One of the things I learned was that if I were to fulfill her request I might be doing her a disservice.  Here's why.

Like most of us, she is aware of the graph below.


However, this is altogether too simplistic with all jobs having fuzzy edges between boxes rather than the sharp lines indicated above plus the drawing does not give any value to the aspects of passion or variability with time.   Most of us have aspects of our respective jobs that cause us to vacillate between each of the boxes above.

This lady was fortunate enough to spend most of her early career in the green box, but not all of the time.  She was a very competent and successful businesswoman with a great command of the economics of situations and political climate..

Somewhere along the way she gave up being a part time green box person to become a full time green box person with a heaping helping of passion.  She became a very successful ballroom dance teacher which satisfied her emotional and financial needs for twenty years.

Not too long ago she felt the need to expand and refurbished a larger facility at considerable expense.  Things went well for a while until certain hidden shortcomings in the facility became a disaster until the space became unusable.  With the ensuing problems that arose out of this difficulty she lost the space, her students, her income and most of her savings.

She then found herself needing to develop an income and turned to one of her other very good skills; that of organizing.  She asked me to help her develop a site that could sell her organizing skills.

I try not to to do only what my clients ask me to do.  I try to understand where they are trying to go (goals) and help them achieve that outcome.  That sometimes supersedes what they asked for.  I'd hate to see her expend what few resources she has, at her disposal, on a web site that had little chance of success.

I believe that businesses that are well organized will all fare better than ones that are not but, that being said, I'm not sure that business are focusing on that issue at this time.  What do you think about her goal?  What other opportunities might she consider?  Are you aware of opportunities for her (San Diego)?

Thanks for any help, advice or insight you can provide.  My brain is too small and limited to address this well so please select "Comments" below to leave your thoughts (preferred) or you can respond to me directly less preferred).  Feel free to comment on what others might have said or come back to see what someone might have said about your remarks.  The goal is an optimum outcome for this lady.

We're all riding around on this rock together and it doesn't make sense to not help each other out if we can.

Sincerely,
Dave out