finding Monsuun | est. 2005

I have been asked recently why I plan to leave my Microsoft (rest in peace sweet Microsoft) roots when I don’t even own one piece of Apple hardware or software. In fact, I have only one friend that actually uses his Mac email address. Thus, my current connection to Apple, Mac, iPod, et cetera is close to nill.

This will all change soon, however, when Apple releases its iTV in the spring, Leopard OS in January, and Andrea and I buy a Mac mini (shhh, I haven’t told her yet) in preparation for the media distribution giant that we will become upon the advent of a child.  And if Mr. Cringely is right this time (and he usually is), by using Apple’s iTV, coupled with an iSight, I can sit on my couch, open iChat on my TV, start a video chat with my Grandparents in Wisconsin, and immediately share those home videos of my baby farting in the bath water. And after that Andrea and I can put the baby to bed, sit back, relax, and watch the Lucky Number Slevin I just downloaded from iTunes. At least until the crying starts…

Yeah, this lovely legislation just passed on Wednesday:

It’s no joke. The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved legislation instructing Americans to “give high priority to energy efficiency as a factor in determining best value and performance for purchases of computer servers.”

Soooo…while I, as an IT Manager, search for alternative fuel servers and energy efficient hardware, let me know when Congress decides to pass legislation that instructs the millions of Americans that commute alone from their suburb islands in their premium unleaded gasoline-guzzling SUVs and army tanks while talking on their radiation-emitting cell phones and listening to sound wave-polluting Michael Bolton and Celine Dion duets to CARPOOL! Or better yet, that instructs Americans to buy hybrids or scooters or hovercrafts–anything that doesn’t consume one gallon of gas for every 15 miles thus emitting a gross amount of pollution into the air, attributing to the ecologically disdainful brown haze that surrounds virtually every metropolitan city in the world. Oooorrrr…Congress could write legislation that forces automobile companies to produce more hybrid, bio-diesel, electric, hydrogen, or otherwise alternative-fuel vehicles–and this surplus of product would force lower prices which would in turn increase sales–thus reducing our reliance on crude oil from the Middle East and ending the constant need to meddle in their affairs under the pretense of democracy and freedom.

But then, where would Senators aqcuire their campaign dollars if not from the oil companies and automobile manufacturers? So, while they flip through their fat pocketbooks and decide whether their fourth home will be on the lake or on the beach, I’ll continue to look for ways to make my server environment more energy efficient. Thanks Congress.

via Cnet via Slashdot

Negroponte’s dream is close to reality. Check out the sites below to read more and see some images of the real thing:

eWeek.com .:. Working Model of $100 Laptop Steals MITX
laptop.org .:. On Laptop per Child website (images)

I’ve been a fan of this project since it’s inception (or at least since I knew about it).

If you are at all interested in the subject of information technology, media and media distribution, than you need to have this guy’s blog on your blogroll. And soon. I’ve been reading his weekly PBS column for almost a year now and his media predictions and insights are brilliant. I highly enjoy the reading. Hopefully you can now too. Enjoy.

I have incorporated Nio’s Anti-Spam Image into my comment form and so I have have removed the comment moderation. Therefore, as long as you are a human with fingers, you can comment freely on any of my posts without my needing to approve your comment. This is great for all of us! I hope it works.

Oh, and while you’re at it, sign up for CoComment (I have integrated that as well) and track all of your comments from multiple blogs from one site or one feed. Enjoy!

Update:
I have set up this site to apply your Gravatar beside your User Name in the comment section. So, if you don’t have one yet, get one now. It works great at Inbreaking.com and numerous other sites.

And just when I was getting ready to jump into VMware, Microsoft has to go and do a thing like this. I guess now I’ll have to place an order for the CD when it is released in May. *sigh* Anyone interested in donating an x86 PC (preferably XP Pro, but I’d take XP Home w/SP2) for a test install so that I don’t ruin my own computer? Yes? No? Anyone?

via Digg

I love the web. I would much rather produce documents on the web and access them anywhere than have to throw files on a thumbdrive and copy them to the next computer that I sit down at (FolderShare helps with this, but there’re still limitations). I thought that Writely.com had a shot as a web word processor (and maybe it still does now that Google has picked it up), but the new Microsoft Office 2007 looks incredible and unbeatable (sorry OpenOffice but it’s true). The functionality is staggering and could really throw some serious weight onto the side of desktop apps, tipping the scales back into their direction. I’m still hopefull though — Web 2.0 has all of 2006 to kick it into high gear and it’s virtually all open source and it has a plethora of readily available APIs.

Here’s a rundown of anti-terror technologies set to fly within the next couple years.

The Tech: Cabin Cams Multicamera closed-circuit video surveillance systems
What It Does: Cameras provide views of the cabin and cockpit-door area to pilots. Satellites could beam images to ground control.
Big Players: Video Intelligence System by Rockwell Collins; Cockpit Door Video Surveillance System by Goodrich Corp.
Time Frame: Basic systems are already installed on JetBlue and United. Next-gen versions include crash-proof cams inside and outside the plane.
Problems: General privacy issues, and pilots are concerned about adding video monitoring to an already hectic workload.

The Tech: Missile Shields Civilian version of military airborne-missile-detection and directed-laser-jamming systems
What It Does: Infrared and UV sensors detect and track missile threats. Laser beams jam missiles’ infrared guidance systems.
Big Players: Jeteye by BAE Systems; Guardian by Northrop Grumman
Time Frame: Both systems are now undergoing FAA certification; they could be installed on commercial flights this year.
Problems: Airlines may balk at the estimated system cost of $1 million per plane.

The Tech: Robo-Pilots State-of-the-art terrain-avoidance system to prevent intentional crashing
What It Does: Using GPS, the system first warns pilots of oncoming obstacles, then assumes control if the pilot fails to take action.
Big Players: Assisted Recovery by Honeywell
Time Frame: Honeywell is now in negotiations with Boeing and Airbus to install the system on commercial planes.
Problems: Pilots are skeptical of a system that they can’t override.

Via Digg.com

Next year will welcome the release of the H4 — equipped with a mounted machine gun, terrorist-resistant sidewalls and jihad-proof glass.

Nothing is a better mass depressant than fear.