What was once lost can never die

Here's part of a continuing series on why Corgis are like cows.

Corgis Sound Like Cows

Melvin the Corgi

It's only 11 a.m. and I've already learned the following today:
Polyandry

Polyandry is a type of mating system where females mate with more than one male during a breeding season, resulting in the ofspring of one female having more than one father. 

Polyamory
 
   
 

Polyamory is a term that describes the practice of being open to more than one loving, intimate relationship at a time, with full knowledge and consent by everyone involved.

Undines

In Alchemical tradition, undines are the elemental sprits of water. They have the appearance of women

Gnomes.

 

Gnomes are tiny men who sneak into your house and steal your underwear. Through a simple four-step process, the gnomes are able to turn the stolen underpants into profit. Of this process steps one, two and four are well known. Step three remains a mystery.
 

technorati tags:Underpants Gnomes, Undine, Polyandry, Polygamy, Learn something new every day.

Blogged with Flock

iPhone

“Apple is supposed to be the kind of company that you can feel good supporting,” is what a friend of mine said last year when she learned of the allegations of human-rights abuses going on at Apple’s iPod manufacturing plants in china.

She was shocked. It seemed unfathomable to her that Apple Computer (now known simply as ‘Apple’)-- could be a big mean business that would put profit above the health and safety of their workers.

I said to her that she shouldn’t be so naïve. Apple is about what’s best for Apple, just like any other corporation out there.

Enter the iPhone. Launched early this month with glamour and pizzazz, Steve Jobs wowed those who made the pilgrimage to the holy city of Macworld with a shiny, sleek, --I’ll admit it-- sexy all-in-one device.

“We’ve got 200 patents, and we’re going to protect them,” Steve said at the now infamous keynote.

Does that sound like the words of a shiny happy CEO who just wants to make products that will make the world better?

Of course not. Those are the words of the leader of a company that motivated the same-old-same-old capitalist hokum that has kept us from owning flying space cars that run on garbage.

But, without the ever present threat of boneheaded lawsuitery, Apple has no way to keep you from buying the sure-to-come generation, me-too iPhone clones that are sure to start popping up on the marketplace.

That’s what’s got me excited about Apple’s new product. The smart and sexy iPhone is going to inspire many smarter, sexier iPhone clones.

Many of those imitators will likely offer iphone-like services that are better, easier, and more accessible.  With any luck, those gadgets aren’t linked to one specific phone company that sells one specific kind of service, and is married to one specific kind of devil.

I seems that with the iPhone Apple has adopted the kind of strategy that made their products the second choice in the past. “If you don’t want to play with us, don’t play.”

In today’s day an age, I like to think that consumers are more  savvy than that.

There will be better, less restrictive products on the marketplace in short order. No matter how many lawsuits Apple throws at the makers of those products, they will come to market.

It would seem a bad move on Apple’s part to put too much energy into suing every manufacturer of iPhone-like devices. That energy might be better served making a better product.

Leaders lead, Apple. Losers litigate.

Regarding an Earlier Conversation

The small business times posted this chart illustrating exactly how much profit the alleged non-profits actually took in last year. The short version of it: Southeastern Wisconsin hosptial systems made (non)PROFIT of $428 Million last year. That's Margin dollars, people. Revenues Minus expenses. It kind of makes you sick, ehy? Or course, that's exactly what they want: Sick people is who they blame for your increases in your insurance premiums.

So, Linux Peoples. What's the deal with Picassa? Why not write a native ap? Why use WINE? Wine is a pig. Let me show you:

Screenshot

The top blue one is my Processor consumption. Basically, the more blue you see, the more the processor is working. Note the sudden steep drop off. Care to guess when I killed the WINE process?

Seriously, It's making picassa absolutely useless for me. Is it really WINE or is it something else. Help me Linux People, You're my only hope.

You're In the Army Now

A vacation in a foreign land
Uncle Sam does the best he can
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Now you remember what the draftsman said
Nothing to do all day but stay in bed
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

You be the hero of the neighborhood
Nobody knows that you left for good
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now