I know how the support guy feels

This one is a hoot for sure. If you've ever had to do any Tech Support for someone, then you more and likely understand what is going on here.

Uverse with HDMI and TOSlink for the Win

A recent update from Uverse has done more than just making things look pretty, we now can hear everything as it should be. A little over a week ago I noticed the Aspect ratio on my TV was off and when I went to investigate or reset things, I noticed the menus had been updated.

I thought to myself, they had to have done more than give us a different feel for the guide areas. I've been busy with a horse show and haven't had much time to watch anything by the time I make it home. But this last week of the show I've made it home earlier and last night I was able to test out some things.

I made sure my Aspect Ratio was correct and enabled the Dolby Audio under the preferences for Uverse. My set is connected with HDMI and I have a TOSlink running to my faithful Sony Receiver for my audio needs.

Last night I watched Underworld: Evolution in HD off the FXHD channel and the audio was solid and never dropped. Its only taken them almost a year to fix the audio problems we use to have. I think we will enjoy a lot more shows with this problem behind us now.

The big claim from Uverse is to give the best digital entertainment experience and for me audio is a big part. Most of the techs seemed to think HDMI was not the way to go an it also sounded like a number of users did not use TOSlink for Dolby 5.1 sound as well.

Finally a fix has come down and things are like they are suppose to be. In addition to the audio fix, the update also added features to set recordings from any set top box as well as delete recordings from those boxes; another plus in my eyes and I no longer have to run back to the living room and remember which shows I watched to delete them.

If you've been on the fence about Uverse or heard about some of their issues, you might take another look and find the service is finally as good as its suppose to have been.

I've been Tagged Now

I'm still enjoying my new Windows Mobile Phone and checking out different apps that are available. Over the past few months I've noticed this funny looking tags being used as Avatars or Icons for people's twitter accounts, like the one on the left here.

I created the Tag with Microsoft's Tag program and they allow you to create your own Tags for either a URL, Free Text, vCard, or a Dialer and as long as your phone can run the Tag Reader software, you can then access the information being provided by the tag.

I'm amazed that they can come up with enough combinations and placements of the color dots, as well as allow you to add an image in the back ground or even trick out that tag to not even look like the dots all together. Pretty slick process if you ask me and I think I'll have fun creating some additional tags as well as looking for them while I'm out and about now.

What's that in your PockeTwit there?

Is that twitter or you just happy to see me? I think its my favorite app so far to date. Ok, I really haven't downloaded to many Apps, but I have to say that PockeTwit is very slick and works well with my XV6900 Touch phone.

If you haven't heard about Twitter, well I'm really not sure where you've been lately. Fact is Social Marketing is growing by leaps and bounds and Twitter is one of the popular ones by far. Known as micro blogging to most of us, Twitter allows you to post messages of 140 characters about things your doing or thinking about.

The main screen loads nicely with the avatar images of the people your following and has their message off to the right hand side. You can slide out various menu options from the left and right hand sides of the screen. I think the menus work really well with the touch features of the phone.

I've already had to rethink my phone usage and found out with a major shock, that my charges for Data were out the roof. Seems a lot of text messages and updates to an from Twitter can really add up.

So I know have a text plan for the phone that should work out better and I've added a nice package for Internet Data usage as well. By far this is a lot cheaper than what was happening and I didn't really like it when Customer Service said, "You would have had an outrageous bill at the end of the month."

In closing, the one thing my phone doesn't have is Wi-fi, but other than that feature, I'm really pleased with the features and performance of my new PDA phone.

Finally a phone I think I'll love

It's no iPhone, but in a lot of cases people say its the closest thing to it, with out the high price tag. The XV6900 comes from makers HTC in the form of their HTC Touch phone. I think I'll call it... myPhone!

This phone has been available from Verizon for about a year now and they've recently slashed their price on this PDA model. More and likely making way for some newer models that have more features, but at those higher prices.

It's the high prices that have kept me from a PDA phone for so many years now. I can look back at all the previous PDA style phones that I wanted and some are very much beasts and perhaps I can be thankful that I stuck to my guns an refused to pay those high prices.

So why now and why this phone particular phone an not an iPhone? Well the features and price say a lot for me. For one thing, this is a Windows Mobile phone, a hand held mini PC really. I can actually learn a bit more with Visual Studio 2008 pro and make some Mobile Applications to run on my hand held mini PC.

The PDA Phone comes with Windows Mobile 6.1, mini versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, the Adobe PDF reader, the ability to sync up with Outlook and take my schedules with me, and Internet Explorer for web access. These are a lot of features and programs I use on a regular basis with my PC. With the latest 6.1 update comes the expaned memory, allowing a 16gig MiniSD Card to be used for storage.

The price for this phone is currently set at $69.99 (while supplies last) from Verizon and my upgraded price for agreeing to another 2yrs, lands my new phone for only $19.99, a "No-brainer" as I like to say. The other plus is I don't have to pay for full blown Internet really. I can pay per kb used and so if I don't use the Internet a lot, I'll save at that point.

Most of the times I've looked at other PDA phones, the only deals were for the new customers and they forced you to pay about $40 a month for Internet. So I was looking at about $300 or more for the phone and a hefty Internet charge. Not the case this time around though.

I do give much praise to the iPhone and if money was not an issue, I could more an likely see something myself using something like the iPhone. But I think I can still have as much of a Cool & Wow factor from the XV6900 PDA Phone and well under the price tag.

I guess I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and at least this was not a phone that was sold out like many of the others in the past. So I'll finally have that PDA phone combo I've dreamed about... ok, I haven't dreamed about it, but I've thought long an hard over the past years about it.

Doing the Dew Diet style

First I want to state that I've started working with a web site called BzzAgent.Com and I've signed on with them to take surveys and talk about some products that they come in contact with.

Its a pretty cool thing and we get to simpy speak about the product and tell what we feel about it. So we can say if we love it or hate it pretty much. When we share our views, we also like to have those we expose give their honest feedback as well.

The first campaign I'm working with is Diet Mountain Dew. I have to say I'm rather surprised at the taste of Diet Mountain Dew and I've been sharring this with some of friends recently. Some of them like it and some don't, but for me I didn't find a really strong after taste, like I thought would come with diet drinks.

As far as a pick me up drink, I think it had the right amount and I skipped having coffee this morning and went with the Diet Dew only. I've had some energy drinks in the past that had more of an after taste than Diet Mountain Dew.

I'm not a normal drinker of Mountain Dew and the only other flavor I've really tried was Game Fuel and that was tied to the Halo 3 campaign. I prefer the taste of Diet Mountain Dew over Game Fuel. Well if you've never tried it, then I suggest you giving it a try and enjoy the fact it has no calories and is low in sodium too.

If you like visit ChatThreads.Com and use the id: 101-683-462882 as well to give your feed back on Diet Mountain Dew. Also check out BzzAgent.Com if your intrested in joining and getting in to all the Bzz as well.

What a sweet ride

The 2009 BMW K1300 S is the latest on two wheels from BMW Motorcycles and looks like a very nice ride. Take a look at my next dream machine through the following video clip someone put together. I think I need to see about test riding one of these babies soon, but until then... I'll just have to dream.

Visiting Don's Barber Shop

I was due for a haircut and in a very big way. So I decided I would visit the place my father use to go over the past years. Located in south Arlington, Texas is a very small Barber Shop, built in the late 60's and still running today.

I wanted to visit the small white building near my parents home and remember some of the good times I had with Dad. The thing about a place like Don's is its filled with a lot of old memories and the many years of people coming and going. His business is slowing down a bit and he's seen loyal customers pass away or move out of the area.

I stepped into the shop and the older gentleman was just about done with his haircut and only one more ahead of me. It turned out that the other man was the son of the man getting the haircut and his mother sat in the shop with them. That's what I call some loyal patrons.

It's quite a different experience to visit an old Barber Shop such as this. Now days things are very busy and you have various chains all over to get a haircut. But at a place like Don's, you get to sit a while and hear some old stories, perhaps a joke or two, and even learn a bit about the old days.

Its not fancy at all and I'm sure my Dad felt quite at home visiting with Don and he was very pleased with not only the style of haircut but the price too. I myself hope Don continues to do well and I might even pop in to his place from time to time for other haircuts.

The end of one's Journey

A different path has now been set before me and I will see you all again very soon, when our paths meet up again, my friends. It was Thursday evening, June 19th that I visited my father for one last time, only I didn't know it would be the last time. His journey has now come to an end, being so very tired... yet at last with peace and a little more clearer I think now.

He still had his wit, joking and smiling as he liked to normally do, but I feel he knew all to well that he wasn't feeling very well. He asked about everyone and always seemed to know what was going on in our lives. We talked for a while and I asked him to try and get better and to let me know if he would like me to visit again soon. He simply smiled an said, "Very much so... I always want to see my boys."

I didn't say goodbye when I left him, only I'll see you later Dad and I was happy with our visit. I had no clue that the path had changed before me and I myself was on a different journey now. The journey is in no way mine alone and in fact my whole family is taking the same journey, only slightly different paths for each of us, but with the same destination ahead.

My Dad didn't take the easy routes in his life, but he would still remind all of us which routes would be better to take. I don't have to worry about any of the troubles he had along his journey anymore, he's gone on to a better place, has no more pain, and he can finally rest in peace now.

This journey was not one I was prepared for really, but I knew it was one I would have to take someday soon. I just never expected it to be so very soon. Just like that visit last night, I'm not looking at this as a goodbye now, rather I'll see you later and its time for him to rest until then. I'll miss seeing you Dad and I'll focus on our fond memories and the times we had together until then.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. - Proverbs 3: 5-6

From Russia With Love... Baby!

From Russia With Love brings us another film with Sean Connery as James Bond and co-stars Daniela Bianchi (Tatiana) in the role of Bond Girl #2. Well they don't call her that and she plays the spy hired to lure Bond in to Spectres trap.

The thing I noticed off the bat was how much it looks like the movie Austin Powers took from this movie. I kept wondering if Mike Myers would walk out on the set and say, "are you Randy Baby?"

One thing for sure is they didn't forget that Bond likes the ladies. The film had a couple rather dark scenes and other than the silly Assassins Training camp part, I enjoyed most of this movie.

The next movie on my list will be the third film in the series and for Sean Connery with Goldfinger. I have a feeling I'm going to find more similarities here with Austin Powers Goldmember.

James and the Bond Girls

Ursula Andress, aka Honey Ryder in the first ever James Bond film Dr. No, would become the first of many Bond Girls. Something that would tend to be a returning theme at the end of all of the films for 007 Agent, James Bond and the leading actress in his arms.

Encore VOD now has 17 Bond films available to watch and I've decided to start off with Dr. No, being the first in the long series of films. Its fun to go back and watch these old films and see how far things have now come.

With very simple effects and the acting being a bit silly in some parts, its still entertaining to watch these. When Bond arrives on the island and is captured by Dr. No, I just had to laugh at some of the costumes and set designs they built for this film. In the end it would be James getting the girl, after he finished getting his man and saving the world of course.

I think it will be fun to watch the rest of these and see how far Sean Connery actually helps in bringing the character of James Bond to life on the screen. For me I've always found Sean Connery's portryal of the character to be my favorite of all the James Bond films.

Perhaps that is why other actors have wanted to play the role of James Bond and have their shot at saving the world and getting the girl. I'm sure the same can be said for the leading ladies and a chance at becoming the next Bond Girl.

We're on top of things

Growing up as a kid and sharring a room with my brother, it was bunk beds that we had as kids. I think its a given that the oldest gets the top bunk. For one if they fall out, perhaps they'll take it better than the younger.

The goal is to not fall out of these things and actually get some sleep. The real goal for us is to get the younger child to start sleeping in her own bed for us.

Perhaps sharring a room with big sister might help us with this. I'm sure its going to be a challenge and hopefully my oldest will adjust and get the sleep she needs. For one, she is going to school and she'll be hating things if shes tired.

In addition to this change, we are taking Guest room and turning it in the a Play room, perhaps that will mean all toys will stay in that room and not scattered around the house. Yes, things always look good down on paper, but we can dream and have a plan at least.

The time is now, reclaim the house and certain rooms for ourselves. Draw the boundries and lines and at least provide them with reasons they'll feel and enjoy their new surroundings as well. Hopefully they'll be fine sharring a room for awhile. At least long enough to get the little one sleeping on her own.

That girl is really Fly

The SI super model Bar Refaeli, is not only flying high on the latest cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue, she's also now wrapped on the outsides of some Southwest Airline planes that are flying now.

Southwest Airlines has wrapped some of their planes in the past, so its nothing new here in that area, but to see a large than life Swimsuit Model clad in only her Bikini, flying high through the air is new.

Mixed feelings are coming from people on the new wrap for these planes. Some find it offensive and others are OK with the look. The one thing I haven't heard is comments in regards to other planes flying to close. I'd be worried more about some pilot getting distracted by a giant Bar Refaeli soaring through the air at 50,000 feet.

Yes I jest and I think our pilots are better than that and Air traffic control does a better job at keeping planes apart. I actually think the plane is fine and not offensive. I think there are other things to worry about in this world than something on the outside of the plane. Then again, that's just me.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

So I just started reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer this week and its not like anything I've ever read before. With the stories lead character, Isabella Swan or Bella as she prefers to be called and told through her eyes, I've found myself at the start of a suspensful romance that deals with Vampires it seems.

I don't have a hang up with young leading female characters at all, its just I've never found myself reading a romance of sorts before. The story an hype for this saga is suppose to be along that of the next Harry Potter and is all the rage now. The movie just released at the end of last year and I decided I'd like to give the book a crack befor watching the film. Something a few of my friends know about is my preference to read the book an then see the film, followed by complaints of they cut what out of the book an how dare they do that.

Now I've got a real challenge ahead, to stick with this book til the end and finding myself inside the head of Isabella or Bella as she progresses through this story. I have to say in the short bit of reading I've done so far, its very true that men and women are different on so many levels.

With just the smallest parts of this book, its made me think and look at things that female characters do compared to those of a male character. I've just scratched the begining of this tale and I wonder what all is in store.

I have seen a trailer for the film and look I forward to reading a bit more of the action parts for sure. The romance stuff I'm not sure about though at all. Regardless, I'm determined to finish the book now and learn more about all of these characters.

Lets play Fetch now...

Well I heard about this story and didn't think much about it at the time. Mistakes are made and it just happened to be Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper's turn while working at NASA. See a tool bag worth $100,000 accidentally got away from her. Opps! Well her co-spacewalk partner Stephen Bowen at least takes some of the blame here, he was the one who packed the tool bags before leaving on the EVA. Just watch the clip to see how slow you can loose $100,000.

Now what caused me to think more about this was hearing that an Amateur Astronomer, Kevin Fetter of Brockville, Ontario has used his basic knowledge and skills to pin point and now track the tool bag as it moves around Earth. You can see the quick fly by in this clip with the bag streaking from the top right to bottom left.

So what I don't understand is why these things cost so much, but why don't the take that shuttle and rescue the thing. Seems we would have the ability to fire off the engines a bit, get in front of the bag, rotate a bit and open those big bay doors and let it float back inside. Or can we afford to just drop $100,000 like that? Sure seems like it would be a nice little exercise on recovering something from space.

Benediction at Obama's Inauguration

I think that Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction was the perfect closing to the events for Obama's Inauguration. I watched a lot of the events through out the day while at work and sadly missed this portion of the event.

Thankfully my wife saw it and told me about it, I found this clip on the web to share with you all. It's not every day you see History in the making and today was one of those days. I'm glad I was able to see parts of it at least.

The Last Templar

NBC has a new mini series coming in a week and I'm looking forward to this one. Its actually from a book that I've thought about reading and well I don't think I'll have time to get the book read, but I can at least record the show an try an save it for later perhaps.

Here is a video preview of the upcoming mini series, in case anyone else is interested in this. I think I might see if my library has the book an pick it up. Might need to do some power reading.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Christmas Carols for all

Alright, today its a triple shot of Christmas Cheer for you all. I thought I'd fine a few fun songs about Christmas time and show them here today. The first one up comes from the Cheeky Girls, Have a Cheeky Christmas. I stumbled over this one while searching for a few songs and just had to share it. This duo is twin sisters Monica and Gabriela Irimia, from Cluj-Napoca in Transylvania, Romania, and they are currently based out of Britain.



One of my all time faves is the original from the Waitresses, but I had a bit of trouble finding one from them to share here and went with this clip from the Spice Girls. Here is Christmas Medley for you Live.



The last song comes from the movie Love Actually, if you remember this little tune from the movie. This one was a real treat to watch and reminded me of some of the old music videos I grew up watching. Here is Christmas is all Around.



Well I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and at the very least a nice break for a few days. I'll see you all over the weekend now.

Look on the Bright Side

I think I've been stressed out a bit, its to be expected with the possible layoffs at work. Some of my co-workers have told me to just remain positive and not to worry, what happens will happen and roll with the punches so to speak. I know the support of my family is there as well and I'm doing the best I can to take everything to heart from their messages.

Here is another little clip from The Meaning of Life and the Monty Python players. With all the things going on these days, I think we just need a little chuckle from time to time. So even if it pushes things to the limits a bit here, I have to say that the simple words of this song could be very appropriate with all that has been going on recently. So if your feeling a bit down, then look to the Bright Side and give a whistle!

I'm going to try and come up with a few more clips to help express my thoughts of lately, so check back later this week.

Where's George when we need him?

I have to say this is my all time favorite Christmas film and one that I have to watch on Christmas Eve. Its a classic and as long as I can remember it would play that night and tomorrow we would free all of the presents from under the Tree.

I think it means more to me this year than any year to watch this film. I can't think of a time in my life that I've seen things as bad as they are. I remember the gas shortage on the news, but I've never seen so many people being laid off or heard of bail outs like we are seeing now.

I have my job for now, but the questions of how long I'll have it remain to be told. I've never planned on leaving it and I might not have a choice. What I can say is I'm thankful to have it and want to keep it. Tough times are ahead for us though and in the end, I know I have the support of family and friends.

Perhaps we all could use a George Bailey in our lives these days. I hope you'll enjoy this little clip and I have a few more to share over the next few days.