Not Surprised

It is no surprise that the Pacers are the worst attended NBA team in the league. I disagreed with team decisions almost two years ago, and since then, the team has not even been making money. Yes, its a tough city to make money in due to its size, but this is also a basketball loving city.

http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=7792094

Hopefully Donnie will wake up soon. I would like to support this franchise again, but large team decisions need to be made. Maybe some other time I will go in to details on here, but not now.

Looking for Someone Smarter Than Me

I have been working to get my neighborhood included in online map web sites. It was built in 2000/2001 and is still not viewable online. Some research determined that NAVTEQ and TeleAtlas provide most of the map information for the US. And, you know which company provides for a particular area based on what company logo shows up at the bottom right of a particular map you are viewing. NAVTEQ provides most of the data for the neighborhoods and town around me. I then learned that I could create a map report on NAVTEQ's web site requesting them to update their information. I did that in December 2007 (they also indicated that updates can at their quickest take 3-4 months). Then, I cruised over to TeleAtlas only to learn that their maps DO include our neighborhood!

So, why the rambling? Well, today I was doing some research on local businesses and came across a site that had an embedded Google Map (my preference), showing my neighborhood! I became excited as I hoped that finally, someone could map directions to my house! But, all it has done is made me realize there is a lot about Google's Map services I do not understand.

Here is what I found. This is a screen capture of what I found, showing my neighborhood.


Here is what I am used to seeing.


So, I examined the URL of the new map and found the &key parameter used created a much more updated map (you will notice other differences between the two maps, and in all cases, the first map is correct).

After some searching, I know very little about the &key parameter! I will start posting on some forums to learn what has been done, but hopefully someone may stumble upon this and inform me what is going on.

Ideas, Starting Now

Ok, so it has been a little busy lately. I can't tell you why yet, but trust me.

http://gizmodo.com/349163/google-contest-winner-delivers-clean-water-via-bicycles

I ran across this article the other day and thought I would share it. Being an engineer, I absolutely love thinking up ideas, especially when they can help people. No, I have never had an idea with nearly the impact that this could have, but I do have ideas all the time that I don't even write down. I should have made that a resolution for this year... at least capture those ideas.

Hey, I can use Google Documents for that!

Do You Talk To Your Cats? Now You Can!

Some people say that cats can not be trained because we can not communicate with them. I disagree. For example, our cats play fetch, as well as scratch their scratching post before eating. We trained them through repetition (except for the fetch part, we have no idea where they got that). So, for you all out there who have cats and would like to communicate better with them, take a look at the link and read through their suggestions. I found a few of the facial expression notes interesting and am already working to better talk to my cats.

http://www.wikihow.com/Communicate-With-Your-Cat

Alzheimer's Reversal

Sorry, I am a little late in getting this post up. Very amazing stuff!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109091102.htm

Web Hosting

I am curious of everyone out there - who hosts your website and are you pleased?

I have been a user of ipowerweb for a couple years now. I have been having problems recently, but didn't think anything of it for a few days. Now, as I started googling ipowerweb, I see the news. They have been having major problems for months and there are talks of lawsuits and massive movements to other web hosting solutions.

So, I am just getting ready to move...

I know some of you out there appear to have a small hosting of a blog, and then use flickr for photos. Photos is my major use of my website, so I am now considering this route too.

Who Does Mike Huckabee Look Like?

Wait, which one is Kevin Spacey and which one is Mike Huckabee?

Warner Bros. Makes A Decision, For Now

(January 4, 2008 – Burbank, CA) – In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros.
Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the
Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry
Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner
Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

from deadlinehollywooddaily via engadgethd

One By One - Alter Bridge

I mentioned last year I had this new album, Blackbird, by Alter Bridge. It really is fantastic. Read the lyrics to this song and you may see why this is one of my two favorite songs on the album. Also, listen to part of the song here. Unfortunately, you can not get the full effect of the intense cord progressions of the chorus in this sample, so head over to the Alter Bridge website and you can listen to their songs there (bottom left on their page).

Underneath the desert sun
They bid my brother’s blood to run
Many miles away
Hell has come today
Fire raining from the sky
See the face of fear asking one last time
Let me get home safe
Before it’s too late

One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all

Deep within the castle walls
So many grievers’ funeral songs
Echo in their sleep
Ode to memories
The sacrifice of flesh and blood
For a promise land that may not be won
Let us not forget
The hero laid to rest

One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all

And they gave it all
A price we can’t ignore
Is there hope in what they're dying for?
For every hero gone
For every family torn
We will honor you forevermore

One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all

One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all
They gave it all

Comcast - Day 1

Day 1 status after being switched from Insight to Comcast.

HDTV Not Working (Jan 1, football day)

Thanks Comcast. Get ready Dish/DirectTV. I am switching soon.