The new computer...

A few weeks ago my 10 year old, made from spare parts desktop system, running Windows 2000 finally bit the dust. As you can tell from the state of my last machine, I'm not much of a "latest and greatest PC" kind of guy. Which is actually strange because I am a bit of a gadget guy with GPS, iTouch, HAM radio and such. I've been using an old emachines laptop with a thermal shutdown problem (watch a youtube video and the fan goes turbo before the entire system just drops dead). After some consideration of what I actually do on a computer at home (most of the time) if figured all I need is a system that does email, browse the web, edit/create word documents, spreadsheets, and maybe a drawing or two (with Visio if possible). I didn't think of the iPad until I talked to a guy with one at the Austin airport flying back last week. I asked a few questions and decided that it may do most of what I want. This weekend I took the plunge and purchased an iPad with 3G and 64G of memory. Signed up for AT&T's unlimited data plan and mobileMe (cloud computing stuff).

I've downloaded a few apps to let me access the files on my NAS storage disks (Filebrowser), use the device as a car GPS (motionX), and an office document suite (Office2 HD). I must say the email in the iPad isn't the greatest. I tried sending an email with an attachment but wasn't successful. Apparently since the iPad doesn't have the concept of a local file system, there's no "attach file" option. I was able to go into the file browser, copy a file from my NAS disk to the iPad and then "send as an email attachment". That didn't work to well with a .pdf; I couldn't read the attachment on the copy I sent to myself as a test. A quick search didn't reveal any alternatives to the built in email on the iPad....

I tried to edit a word document with Office2 HD but strangely, the application doesn't work with the blue tooth keyboard I picked up for the iPad (to make typing easier). Using the BlogPress app (free) I can create blog posts like this one (I'm typing it now with the keyboard) and it seems to work pretty well. I sent an email to Office2 HD to tell them about the issue and hopefully they will fix it soon and I'll see an "update" when I hit the app store soon.

The Apple/Mac style keyboard takes a little getting use to. I can't figure out how to page up/down/home/end. I have no idea how the option and command keys work (if at all) but for basic typing with some tactile feedback, it's pretty nice.

Now for wireless: It is awesome to be able to browse the web from anywhere (almost). I have yet to find a place I can't get a 3G signal. After getting home from Best Buy (where I purchased the iPad) I hooked it to my laptop and started a sync in iTunes. I took quite a while, mainly because I chose to restore my iTouch stuff to the iPad (which worked fine). As soon as the sync was done we jumped in the car and headed to the beach. I played with the iPad, setting up the 3G account with AT&T as my wife drove us to the coast. Setup was quick and I was online browsing, setting up email accounts and downloading apps basically in the middle of nowhere. It was sooooooo cooool (still is).

Right now I have the iPad in a docking cradle on my desk with the keyboard right in front. A nice little setup for typing emails, blogs and other stuff. And portable: no wires at all!

I'm hoping I find the right combination of apps to let me edit and create MS documents, spreadsheets and such. I also need to find a good app to enable printing to my wireless printer. All-in-all it seems to be working out. There are a few kinks (when using Goodreader for PDF's, the unit forgets my wi-fi network security key!) Apple claims the "closed" OS and all is robust but so far I can't see it being much better than a PC with some of the bugs in apps I've seen.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

This kind of article just makes the blood shoot out of my eyes. Read it if you can keep from vomiting...

Mayors: Fight Gun Scourge Through Courts

The premise that the availability or existence of a thing is the reason for it's misuse is absurd. Suing a gun maker for the "damaged caused by their product" assumes that the fact a criminal using a gun to kill someone is somehow a defect in the gun itself. It makes no sense. It would be like saying bottled water companies should be sued if the water quenches your thirst and re-hydrates you, Duh:  *thats what it is suppose to do!* If you happen to water board and drown someone with the bottle of water, would that lead to "water control" laws? These misguided people focus on the device as the cause of the problem, not the people using it.

Show me that place where you can flash your US drivers license and walk out, with as many guns as you can carry with no BATF background check or waiting period. That statement is a prime example of the bold face lies that these people are allowed to get away with.

Is Truth Stranger Than Fiction?

A story about Thai Soldiers caught my eye this morning. Reading the article was eerie, I couldn't help but imagine a slightly different version:

In the U.S. capital Washington hundreds of soldiers and riot police have taken up positions in a main commercial district popular with tourists.  The heavy security was mobilized to prevent anti-government protesters, who have been demonstrating over a month now, from marching on the area.

Soldiers armed with assault rifles and police in riot gear massed early Monday morning on Pennsylvania Ave.

They spread rolls of razor wire across parts of the sidewalks and took up positions on the street and overpasses, and briefly blocked traffic.

Anti-government protesters threatened to march on the area, which the government says it will not allow.

But by mid morning only a hundred or so red-dressed protesters danced and cheered in front of barricades while traffic flowed normally and businesses were open.

Ben Gleck, the international spokesman for the protesters, known as the TEA Party. He says they called off the march.

"There will not be a march on Pennsylvania Ave today. But, we reserve that option to do it other when we feel like," he said. "We want to exercise our freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement, and we feel like … but it's not a need to risk anybody hurt or killed over this."

Although the march was called off, soldiers and riot police did not immediately pull back and razor wire remained in place.

The military presence raised concerns of another violent clash in Washington.

On April 10, 24 people were killed and hundreds injured when soldiers tried, and failed, to clear protesters from the city's historic district.

Both sides have blamed the other for the violence.

The Tea Party protesters are mainly from the countryside and have been demonstrating for weeks demanding new elections.  They have occupied a major commercial district, blocking traffic and forcing shopping malls and hotels to close their doors.

They say Washington elites overthrew their democratically elected leaders in the 2009 Elections.

A series of politically charged court rulings and legislative actions diluted or eliminated Constitutional protections and expanded executive powers in 2010 after the current administration took office.

The government offered to hold elections in nine months and says it is willing to negotiate with protesters. But, protest leaders say they are done negotiating and will continue pressuring the government to immediately step down.

Certainly this is a fictional scenario. But how far away from this are we?

Now we are talking! The Florida Congress is doing all the right things!!!

In addition to HB 21, the Florida House and Senate are working on several pieces of legislation to protect the state's citizens from the federal takeover taking place in our country today.

• CS/HJR 37 - Health Care Services 
• HM 17 Congressional Term Limits
• SCR 10 - Balanced Federal Budget
• CS/CS/SB 8 - Medicated and Public Assistance Fraud

There are others (2468 at last count). For a full list check out this link.  Be sure to encourage your senator and representative to vote for passage of these bills, and resolutions.

Support Florida HB 21

Florida has joined the ranks of several states in proposing legislation to protect the rights of Florida Citizens. Check out HB 21 and let your representative know that you want them to support it. Here's the preamble of the bill:

Regulation of Firearms: Creates Florida Firearms Freedom Act; provides legislative findings & definitions; provides that specified firearms, firearm accessories, & ammunition for personal use manufactured in state are not subject to federal law or regulation; provides that importation into state of specified parts & incorporation of such parts into firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition manufactured in state does not subject firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition to federal regulation; provides that certain basic materials are not subject to federal regulation of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition under interstate commerce; provides that specified firearm accessories imported into state from another state do not subject firearm to federal regulation under interstate commerce; provides legislative findings with respect thereto; provides exceptions; provides applicability; requires that firearms manufactured & sold in state must bear indicia of manufacture by specified date.

There is a companion bill in the Senate; SB 98 sponsored by Carey Baker.

The House bill is sponsored by the following representatives:
O'Toole (CO-SPONSORS) Adams; Adkins; Ambler; Carroll; Coley; Crisafulli; Dorworth; Drake; Eisnaugle; Evers; Flores; Ford; Fresen; Glorioso; Grady; Hays; Holder; Hooper; Hudson; Hukill; Kelly; Kreegel; Legg; Mayfield; McBurney; Murzin; Nelson; Patronis; Plakon; Planas; Poppell; Precourt; Renuart; Robaina; Schenck; Schultz; Snyder; Stargel; Tobia; Weinstein; Williams, T.; Wood; Workman

Please be sure to contact your representative and express your appreciation for their efforts to protect your freedoms. 
 

The Reality of the new Health Care Bill

We are starting to see the affects of the recently passed health care bill and it's impact on the economy:

• AT&T Plans $1 Billion Charge
• Insurers give up as Investors

And of course this goes against the claims of the tyrants in charge. So now they are going to "investigate" these "claims":

• Companies Charge prompts hearings

 The Dems are succeeding in their plans to wreck the economy so they can say "See! Bush and the policies of free markets and capitalism just don't work, we have the answer and need more power to fix it"

Improving the US image in the world

One of the things I hear supporters of the current policies state is that Obama is improving the image of the US in other countries. That certainly seems to be happening, especially in places like Cuba, Venezuela, and others. I'm sure Michael Moore and Fidel Castro are thrilled with the latest passage of Health Care Reform. This news story shows that Castro clearly thinks its a positive move.