Enjoy!  Happy Holidays!

I very much enjoyed this interview on MS Channel 9 with Anders Heljsberg and Chris McConnell on database and information management issues. Also, this interview with the Window Vista UAC guys.

While surfing over to Robert Scoble’s Blog and his Scoble Show web site, I followed a link over to Chris Pirillo’s parody of Google-vs-YouTube-vs-Revver video web sites. Hilarious.

Next, you gotta check out Shoes on YouTube. If you haven’t seen it, it’s stupid-funny. Be warned there is some use of the F-word near the end.

Enjoy!
On a less-humorish side, this is a blog posting on FUD surrounding MPAA and home theater regulatory efforts.   Not sure if it will see the light of day, but who knows.  American privacy ideals are eroding by the day.

For years, I’ve been unable to commit 100% to a single “media player” software product.  The reasons are many, but the results are the same: I switch between several and quite often.  Some of the reasons are not my own.  Media format issues, playback and playlist limitations, UI issues, etc.  Others are entirely my own: playback and playlist limitations, UI issues, nagging ads for upgrading and so forth.

The same could be said for my inability to commit to a web browser.  I’ve tried almost every browser variant available: IE, FF, Netscape, Opera, Konqueror, Safari , and Maxthon.  I know there are many more, but I’m trying to save trees and type less (ho ho).  I think this indecision is finally coming to an end though.  Something has happened to me in the past few weeks that has guided my feeble brain into liking Firefox 2 more and more.  Maybe it’s because the RTM of IE7 is acting so frigging stupid lately.  It seems that on Vista it’s dog slow on some sites, especially Hotmail.  On XP it flat-out hangs on some sites and then on others it does this endless window spawning crap that IRRITATES THE F-ING S-IT OUT OF ME!!!!!

The line in GnR’s song “Coma” comes to mind.  The one where Axle screams out “all I need is some clarity… and someone to tell me WHAT THE F*** IS GOING ONnnnnnnnnn…… GODD****IT!”  Truer words have not been spoken.  Those lyrics fit my frustrations with IE7 to a level unknown by me before.

I’m a Firefox guy now.

I’m not saying or suggesting that it’s “perfect” by any means.  It has it’s share of flaws and irritations, like all software products do.  Repeat: ALL SOFTWARE PRODUCTS DO.  People who argue that are deluded by their own dead brain cells.  Pa-leeze.  Regardless, there’s still some web sites out there which don’t work well (or work at all) on FF, so I still need IE for those.  Our company’s electronic timesheet web app is one of those.  The stupid part is that it’s written by a company (Deltek) that builds on UNIX and Linux primarily.  So they build a web form for timesheet management that ONLY works on IE.  STooopid!
I’m a Firefox guy now.

I went up to Richmond (VA) to visit my sisters family this Thanksgiving with my family in tow.  During our visit, we drove over to Short Pump Mall (http://www.shortpumpmall.com/), on Friday.  Black Friday they’re calling it now.  Stupid name.  Conjours up thoughts of the beginning of the Great Depression.  But alas, new generations forget old meanings and start anew.  Great for retailers, so who cares.

Short Pump mall is pretty cool.  Somewhat like malls I’ve seen in California, some years ago.  It’s a two-story, interior courtyard stretch that combines the polygonal layout of traditional indoor malls, with the communal aspects of a courtyard and terraces and landings and outdoor cafes and so forth.  Huge.  Sprawls far enough to require a full day to cover it all.  VERY COOL.  We need one of those here in Virginia Beach.  In fact, I vote we bulldoze Pembroke Mall and replace it with one of these, and better yet: Include a walkover bridge to cross Va Beach Blvd as well.

Short Pump Mall has three (3) Starbucks, an Apple Store, a Dick’s Sporting Goods, American Eagle, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Crate and Barrel, and every conceivable posh retail, eatery, toy, electronic and snack place.  It also has the obligatory multiplex theater. Cool indeed.  The coolest mall we have nearby is McArthur Mall in downtown Norfolk.  Not in the same league though.  We need a Short Pump Mall here.

I can dream, can’t I?  Why not.