Computer Careers Book
Saturday, November 21, 2009
On batteries
I've been reading a lot lately about emergency preparedness. That is, storing up food and water and things like batteries and hand cranked radios and flashlights. I used a hand cranked radio once, but it didn't work out very well, maybe because it was just a small cheap one. I'd crank and crank and crank and it'd still give out after a few seconds, though the manual said that once charged up it'd go for half an hour. I never got that kind of use out of it at all. But long term disasters you'll eventually use up all batteries. Of course, if it's too long then there probably won't be any radio stations operating either.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
On Orlando vacations
This must be a great time to plan orlando vacations. It's off season now because summer is over, the kids are back in school and we're coming up on Christmas. And of course people are short of money, especially people with little children. Its main source of revenue may be from grandparents who want to treat their grandchildren and pay for the family trip, which is great. Of course, besides DisneyWorld there're also beaches and marine shows and a million restaurants and shows and other entertainment designed to capture the tourist dollar.
On light fixtures
Not long ago I read a great book on how healthy sunlight is. Your Best Health Under the Sun by Dr. Al Sears and Jon Herring. I highly recommend it. The depressing part is that if you live in a moderate climate, you cannot get enough sunlight from November through April. That's a long time to go without adequate Vitamin D. You can buy full spectrum sunlight-equivalent light bulbs that go into any light fixtures. Yes, I know the Sun Police tell us to stay out of the sun and if we don't to put on sun blockers which contain cancer-causing chemicals. How safe is that? Meanwhile, people in tropical countries get tons of sunlight year-round (except when it's raining), and have extremely low rates of skin cancers -- and other cancers as well. The charts are in this book.
On Logo USB drive
I love the current trend to USB flash drives, or Logo usb drive. I didn't know this was happening until last year when I finally bought a new computer and heard that a flash drive could be used to expand its RAM. I didn't know what a flash drive was. So I learned. I bought some software recently that was downloaded, but then was also sent to me on a flash drive that I can take with me when I travel, so I can use it even in Internet cafes. That's a great idea for people who travel a lot but don't carry around laptops. I don't know how to interact with wireless networks. I guess I'll have to learn that too, soon.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
On modern sofas
October 2009 had to be the dreariest October in St Louis on record. A week before it was over, the news was reporting that it was already the coldest and wettest on record, with four record days of rainfall. Did that stop it? Heck, no. It was cold and rainy every day the final week except for October 31, Halloween, which was bright, sunny, dry and somewhat warm. Not really warm but at least in the 60s. And so it is again today November 1. This is finally our Indian summer, I guess. Though in the past October days have reached 80 degrees. Not this year. It was not a month for getting out and raking leaves. It was a month for sitting on modern sofas sitting in front of the TV watching movies or something. Staying dry and warm inside, in other words.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
On key man life insurance
One thing I have thought about a lot while learning how to make money from investing, is I've had to learn and really accept that the markets are unpredictable. The fate of individual companies is unpredictable. Many small companies are founded on one man's work. What if he died? Sure, they can and should take out key man life insurance on the really important executives and scientists who are driving the company forward, but no amount of insurance will replace a leader's vision, expertise and research ability. Where would Microsoft be now if Bill Gates had died of a heart attack in 1988? Even if they'd had millions of dollars of that insurance, they would still probably be a dead company today.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
On belly fat
A hot topic in the U.S. and increasingly throughout the world is belly fat. Many people want to lose weight through popping pills or going on a miracle diet that lets them eat whatever they want, or as much as they want of whatever foods are allowed, and not have to exercise. Yet other people are willing to exercise, but they think slow jogging or spending endless time on a treadmill or other machine at a gym will burn off the calories of their stomach. The most popular fitness books are the ones concentrating on telling men how to get six pack abs, as though we didn't also have arms and legs and chests that need strength and muscles too. So there's enormous attention to this region of our bodies. And enormous envy of those few who have the kind of abdomen, men and women, the rest of us wish we had.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
On Panama City beach FL condos
I'm not a real estate investor, but if I were, during this current downturn I'd be trying my best to get the money to buy real estate in one area -- Florida, such as Panama City beach FL condos. That's because Florida real estate is down a lot now, but that can't last, because they're a lot of wealthy baby boomers in the Northeast New England/Boston/New York City area who are going to retire soon, and those that're wealthy aren't going to want to stay where it's cold, especially not those who are new money. Old money may have family mansions to keep up, and even they'll have vacation homes in Florida. They may get the same benefit in Southern California but that is also expensive, is being increasingly turned into a province of Mexico, and is farther to fly from. That makes Florida the prime location, and its land values will be driven up again by rising demand.
Monday, September 21, 2009
On secure online storage
secure online storage is something I've been thinking about for some time, because we know need to store things on computer disks, yet most of us have only our own PCs and laptops, and of course they do breakdown sometimes, and a hard drive can be damaged so that it costs a lot to recover your data. Yet other storage media are so temporary. My mother has videotapes of her in plays and local commercials and those need to go onto DVDs, but they can be damaged or lost also. So it seems to me that a computer computer set up for truly permanent storage of photos and videos and documents would be a very valuable service.
On long distance moving companies
One thing I'll need to be checking out soon is long distance moving companies that help people move overseas. Because I plan to get to The Philippines from St Louis in the US. That's nearly as long distance as you can get. Of course I won't take any furniture. I'll be wanting to take my computer and a few books and clothes. I'm not sure yet how expensive shipping will be. Or if I can get everything into boxes I can put on the airplane with me - almost the only time I take checked bags. Usually I just take one carry-on bag. But when I go home, I notice many people in line with me waiting to check in with huge piles of boxes of stuff they bought and are taking home to their families in the U.S.
