i love tablets..

the interface of tablets... with the addition of multi-touch to me so intuitive and seems to be the natural progression of user interface.

this looks very cool (rumored Microsoft's possible next tablet the 'Courier')


coool!

if it's true and Apple throws in with a larger iPhone type 'tablet'.. it'll be fun to watch how things transpire..

google vs. bing : competition breeds innovation

Have you tried Bing yet? Microsoft's current serious foray into the web search field is definitely having a good showing. It is slowly yet significantly, taking a bite out of Google's search space pie, usurping up to 12% of the web search market share. That with the fact that essentially Yahoo! and Microsoft have joined forces on this front and we have a legitimate contender in this universally used but stale field.

Bing is very ... 'current' in look and feel. A very rich web experience compared to the tried-and-true M.O. of Google.

fun with bing and google...

If you're a bit stuck in your Google ways here are a couple of fun ways to jump in:
www.bing-vs-google.com (a side by side search results website)
blindsearch.fejus.com (and if you're afraid you're biases will still get in the way.. how about a blind search test)

emerging search technologies...

On a side note, there are a few cool things popping up in the search technology front. Surfing Google Labs I found a few cool things that may be fun ..and even productive to try out:
Google Fast Flip (visual results of news items (akin to browsing a news stand)
Google Similar Images (an algorithm that tries to locate similar images to the one you pick)
Google Squared (semantic search tool gathering pertinent info on your search)
Bing Visual Search (searching via images. a great sorting tool) (before you can use this you have to manually choose the country to United States in the upper right hand corner on bing.com) (you may have to install Silverlight (it will prompt you if you do). Microsoft's version of Adobe's ubiquitous Flash. If web apps like Bing's Visual Search take off it may be a launching pad for Silverlight to finally take a foot hold and become a legitimate contender to Flash in the interactive web space. Interesting...)

Don't talk to strangers! ... unless they have candy...

one early evening right before bed time...

mom
.... don't follow strangers... always stay with mommy and daddy...

kids
ok.

mom
let's practice.

kids
(enthusiastic. climbing into bed)
ok!

mom
ok. Natalie, Tobias is daddy. You stay with daddy. I'm a stranger, ok? You always stay with mommy and daddy and never go with strangers, ok?

Natalie
(wide eyed. smiling. Tobias watching intently from behind)
ok.

mom
(extremely cheery)
Hi little girl! I have a very cute puppy in my car. Do you want to come with me and see my cute puppy?

Natalie
(wide eyed. looking through the top of her eyes up at mommy)
after a quick moment Natalie slowly smiles and nods her head yes.

mom
(surprised. amused) (Tobias quietly cracking up in the background)
No, Natalie. I'm a stranger. You're not supposed to follow strangers, right?

Natalie nods her head in agreement.

mom
You stay with dad. Don't follow me. ok?

Natalie
(enthusiasm renewed reminded of her objective, ready for the challenge)
ok.

mom
(extremely cheery)
Hi little girl! You're very pretty. I have some candy over there. Do you want to come with me?

Natalie wide eyed and motionless

mom
(keeps pushing)
Do you want to come with me? I'll give you some yummy candy! Come give me your hand and we'll get some yummy candy! (mom reaches out her hand in anticipation)

Natalie stares up at mommy. unmoving. after a moment a small smile develops. she then reaches out and takes a hold of mommy's hand.

mom
(surprised.)
Natalie, no! You're not supposed to go with strangers!

Natalie's shoulders droop. She looks depleted. Tobias then springs up..

Tobias
(excited)
Let me try! Let me try!

mom
Ok. Natalie you pretend you're mommy. .... Hi little boy. I have a cool toy over there. Do you want to see it?

Tobias immediately breaks out into full-on bruce lee mode with the karate chop hands and all the kung fu noises he can muster.

mom
(taken aback.. then amused)
What are you doing?

Tobias continues to move his hands around menacingly while still making the noises of "the last dragon"

Natalie
(pouting. softly under her breath)
... i want candy .....

I am blessed to say the least ....

..everyone loves Marineland...

We just got back from Marineland (thx sooj!). I haven't been there for over... 25 years (gulp! I'm getting oolllddd!). I have fond memories of getting swarmed for food at the deer park. This visit did not disappoint either. ... but how could you be disappointed with bears, seals, sealions, walrus,..
dolphins,

beluga whales,

killer whales,

rides for kids..

as well as for adults...

All in all, a lot of fun!

IM IN UR U-TUBZ WATCHIN UR CAT VIDZ!

may i present to you NINJA CAT


and a very disappointed feline...


and for those who don't know (where've you been?)
lolcats.com

How to fail a breathalyzer test..

too funny....

synecdoche new york - mini (mini) movie review

Synecdoche New York
(synopsis & trailer)

Very interesting. Surreal. Well Acted. Reminds me of why I (sometimes) like Charlie Kaufman.

kids say the darndest..

while Tobias is playfully teasing his sister...

Natalie
Tobias! Don't do that. It puts a crack in my heart.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

while Tobias is being put to bed ...

Tobias
Is tomorrow 'no school day'?

Dad
No. Tomorrow is Wednesday.

Tobias
How about after tomorrow?

Dad
No. Then it's Thursday.

Tobias
How about after?

Dad
That's Friday.

Tobias
How about after?

Dad
Then it's Saturday! No school day.

In one quick coordinated move Tobias does a big underhand fist pump while lowering his head and loudly whispering 'yesss!'

waky waky...

if this doesn't wake you up in the morning... i don't know what will.

am i the only one who can't stop from laughing when listening to this?

father and son event: shoveling.

there have been a few big dumps of snow recently. today was the latest.

i was out shoveling when my son came out. all smiles as usual. but instead of immediately jumping in the biggest snow bank to play on he was eager to help out ol'dad. he picked up the extra shovel and started trying to move the heavy wet snow. which he did.. a bit.

after a while his shoveling turned into a small snowball fight with dad and then some fooling around in the snow but it really warmed my heart to see him come out wanting to help me do some work. as i stood there, shovel in hand watching my boy smiling while playing in the white snow my eyes started welling up.. thinking about the next few years.. when my boy is a bit older.. all the things i can make him do.

shoveling, mowing the lawn,.. raking leaves,.. picking up groceries... ...designated driver ... ,.. excuse me.. i think i need to go blow my nose....

father and son