iBook, iMac, iBlog

[December 29, 2000]

Happy New Year!

I probably won't be posting again 'till 2001. Don't forget to update your copyright info! Until then I leave you with a Benediction. God Bless.

[December 28, 2000]

I'm not "Dear Windows User" either...

It seems I wasn't the only Mac fan to get a misguided spam sent to "Dear Windows User." Actually the spam I received went to my mac.com email address, and several other mac.com addresses as well.

My favorite part of the letter (which wasn't reproduced at the ROM site) was:

This announcement is being sent to PC users who asked to be kept informed about new developments in Windows(tm) technology.

[December 27, 2000]

Plumbing problems

In the process of replacing our badly corroded disposal (it was literally ready to fall off of the sink), my dad and I once again proved the axiom that any plumbing job requires at least two trips to the hardware store. And the corollary: if you can get away with only two trips, you'll discover another "issue" that requires at least one more trip at a later date.

It also reminded me how I ended up creating web sites...

[December 26, 2000]

Set!

In the gaming mood still, thanks to Matt Haughey, he of MetaFilter, for pointing to an online version of the game Set. This takes the form of a daily puzzle that uses JavaScript to time how long it takes you to find the 6 sets from twelve cards. Addicting and fun!

Mad Gab!

We received this game from my sister. You read what appears to be a nonsense sentence, but when it's read phonetically you hear a phrase that makes sense. For example "law sand jealous" becomes "Los Angeles." Try some more at the web site. So I leave you with...

Sea song readings forum then ewe how says!

Christmas 2000

This was perhaps the best Christmas I have ever had. Meaningful homemade gifts from my 8 year old daughter top the list, including a surprise recorder performance with my aunt. It was great to see my grandmother, and hard to see her as well. I'll cherish these memories for a long time...

[December 22, 2000]

Happy Holidays

For the past several years we have sent a newspaper style holiday newsletter to our family and friends. This year is no different, except that I have also posted it on the web. And so I offer it to you. God bless you this holiday season. I'll be back after Christmas...

[December 21, 2000]

Steve Jobs Keynote info...

For those who are interested, Apple has posted information about how to catch Steve and his famous RDF (mouse over the acronym to expand it) at the MacWorld Keynote on January 9 (9:00 am PST), via Satellite and a QuickTime stream on the web. I wonder how many times he'll say, "One more thing..."

PC Confessions

I'm not really into soap operas (in fact I rarely watch TV anymore), but I must admit to really enjoying the ongoing saga that Right On Mac publishes each Wednesday as PC Confessions...

[December 20, 2000]

Apple Internet Developer Site

In case you haven't heard, Apple has created an Internet Developer site. Looks pretty good so far...

Dragon's Breath...

That's what my mom used to call it to get us to take the wretched stuff. 25 years later they still haven't figured out how to make cough syrup taste any better...

[December 19, 2000]

Sick

I hope to be back up to speed again tomorrow...

[December 18, 2000]

You're 4 today!

Happy Birthday, Moriah! I love you!

[December 16, 2000]

No bypass, yet...

It turns out my grandma didn't have surgery yesterday. She was bleeding internally and lost a third of her blood into her abdominal cavity. There were large clots when they discovered it, and had to drain the blood out. She'll be resting and recovering for surgery in the first week of January. The good news is her doctor says that in spite of 80% blockage in one main artery and more than 99% in the other, her heart is very strong, and she should be fine until the surgery.

[December 15, 2000]

Praying for Grandma...

Even as I write these words, my grandma is going into surgery for at least a triple bypass. I love you Grandma, and I know God is watching over you. Our prayers are with you, and so are our hearts.

[December 14, 2000]

We (finally) have a President...

Ok, technically we've always had one, we just finally know (for certain, barring any electoral college drama on Monday...) who the next one is going to be. Gore has conceded and Bush has declared victory (again). I am hoping that "W" will be able to prove his detractors wrong, and that we'll have some positive changes in the next 4 years. If nothing else, he should be good for some entertainment...

[December 13, 2000]

100 and out...

Buckingham Palace was quoted as saying it was glad Talley had received the telegram. "Of course it is very sad to learn that he died so shortly afterwards," a palace official said.

Jobs Be Nimble, Jobs Be Quick...

In a bit of a rebuttal to recent stories about the fate of Apple, Business Week's Charles Haddad writes a more positive article about Apple's expected poor financial showing this quarter, outlining his reasons for believing that Steve can turn the ship around quickly. I hope he's right...

An international perspective on Apple's finances

I ran across this article from MacCentral about how a strong US economy hurts international sales. This effects Apple's bottom line because Apple is involved in the global market while being tied to the US economy. Interesting read...

[December 12, 2000]

Ouch, part III

Think Stock Market...

I/O Republic

Curt Cloninger turned me on to a cool new design site called i/o republic. I'm already thinking about what I might submit...

[December 11, 2000]

Ouch again!

It would appear that Sam Jaffe concurs with Jim Seymore on the fate of Apple. However, I have a few problems with a reporter who can't get all his facts straight. Witness: Sam says that Apple's speed woes are not entirely its own fault (true) because "Its chips are made by IBM, which has essentially stopped spending money on developing them." Anyone with an iMac and an internet connection could tell him that Motorola is the culprit here. There are other comments that seem to imply a lack of even basic research on Jaffe's part, as well as other inconsistencies in his article (bleeding away their $4 billion bank account at $250 million/quarter would take 4 years vs. "But whole lines of new products take many months, if not years, to create, and Wall Street has little patience." Apple has the cash and the motivation to innovate again (and nobody but Jobs, Jonathon Ive, and a few engineers knows what Apple has been up to for the past 6-12 months).

If you play the market I'd think $15/share would be a steal. APPL can't go much lower, and it has certainly been a lot higher!

Ouch!

Jim Seymore thinks the latest Apple financial problems are just the latest in what amounts to a long goodbye for Apple (long because they have some $4 billion in the bank). The article is laced with enough flamebait to keep the evangelists going for awhile:

"Now Stevie warns, but reassures us that 'we're not happy about it, and plan to return to sustained profitability next quarter.' (Yep, his words, not mine.) Gosh, Steve, I plan to get about 6 inches taller and earn a Ph.D. in Serbian linguistics by next quarter. Wish us both luck, huh?"

"When the PC industry gets a cold, Apple gets pneumonia."

"Apple has made itself in effect the unsafe choice.... And bragged about it: 'Thing (sic) Different.'"

I could go on, but you can read the article yourself. While I hope he's wrong, I'm beginning to wonder what the best choice is, to invest in Apple at about $15/share, or buy some wintel iron. Of course it's a decision I don't need to make because I have no money (I'd invest, BTW...).

Hot Beverages

My wife doesn't go for coffee, but she really enjoys her hot chocolate - especially in the colder months. She was making some the other day called "French Vanilla Hot Cocoa." It was like it couldn't decide if it was vanilla or chocolate. It was brown like chocolate, but tasted like vanilla.

It was also recommended by 7 out of 3 patients with multiple personality disorder...

[December 8, 2000]

Happy Birthday Dad!

I love you...

[December 7, 2000]

Cool!

Fetch (Mac FTP software) author Jim Matthews appeared on ABC's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" last night, and walked away with $500,000! Congratulations Jim. I guess giving away software has its rewards...

[December 6, 2000]

Wheeee!

I'm driving to work (which I do about once a week) and I glance up at the speed limit sign and do a double take - they've increased the speed from 45 MPH to the 55 MPH that everybody drives on that stretch anyway. I smiled and adjusted my speed accordingly...

[December 5, 2000]

Site of the week...

Got a nice email from Family-Mac.com letting me know that they picked the Keeper of the iBook as their site of the week. Thanks guys!

[December 4, 2000]

Praying...

Daniel, our prayers are with you and your family.

I feel like a label sell-out...

My sister-in-law works for Old Navy. Yesterday was family day there, with family members receiving an additional 20% off whatever they bought, so we spent a small chunk of change there, and I am wearing some of those clothes today. Finding jeans was a challenge. I didn't realize that there were so many different kinds of jeans - you don't just look for your waist size and inseam anymore. I saw Relaxed Fit Number 7 Jeans, Painter's Jeans, Baggy Fit De-Luxe Jeans, canvas Painter's Pants, Boot-Cut Jeans, Loose Fit Landmark Jeans, Carpenter's Jeans, denim Cargo Pants, and I don't know how many other styles. It took me awhile to find the right style for me (relaxed fit, for those who are interested).

Made me wish they had an "Over 30 so you really shouldn't be shopping here but we'll take your money anyway" style. That would have made my shopping much easier...

[December 1, 2000]

Separated at birth?

Another month gone...

So I've updated the iFAQ, and archived November for posterity. Or something...

Mark Newhouse is the Web Designer for the public outreach arm of the National Optical Astronomy Observatories in Tucson, AZ. He has been using Macs for over a decade, and sometimes gets Distracted.