bhall

Seattle snow driving

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:58:29 GMT

I'm guessing this is from Seattle given it shows our local TV station logo on it, but even if not, this is a great indicator of the seattle driver skills in snow.

thanks to piero sierra for the comment on someone else's skydrive link that surfaced this. too good not to share...

http://failblog.org/2008/07/22/snow-driving-fail/

Fruit that changes the taste of everything

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:19:58 GMT

Food Tripping sounds like fun - read article in NYT. This is pretty darn cool. i'm goign to order up a batch of these at some point just to try out. Let me know if you want in. this doesn't say anything about cooking with it - would be really interesting to see what could do with smaller doses.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/dining/28flavor.html?em&ex=1212292800&en=ec3b4432940a68a5&ei=5087%0A

Barty rocking out

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:26:14 GMT

best ... video ... ever. ok, maybe not, but I think it's fantastic.

Yahoo’s Starting Point: A Clearer Strategy - Bits - Technology - New York Times Blog

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:54:41 GMT

Good Yahoo article by Saul Hansell.

Yahoo’s Starting Point: A Clearer Strategy - Bits - Technology - New York Times Blog

Fascinating story about fall of a company doing search arbitrage

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:50:46 GMT

Geosign had just gotten $160M for a "significant minority stake" when they effectively went bust on google changing adsense terms.

http://www.financialpost.com/magazine/story.html?id=324817

the best paragraph is here:

While no one at American Capital would comment for this story, sources say it was well aware of how Geosign made its money and what it was planning going forward. It was, in other words, placing a bet that Google would not take steps that would alter Geosign's lucrative business. "Since we didn't know Google like we do now, the question always was, ‘Is someone really going to shut off the kinds of dollars we were paying them?'" a former Geosign employee says. "It turns out the answer was yes."

In the grand scheme of things, I think Google is hands down doing the right thing for the last bit cleaning up their clicks. There has been a lot of news about it hitting their financials or advertisers not liking it. But the most important asset for them is users who see the links as value add, and back clicks condition people not to click in the future. They only make money from clicks.

European sports - better or just random?

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:23:14 GMT

I'm in Moscow right now. Fascinating trip to Turkey and Moscow (as an aside, couldn't find more different markets for my Microsoft job - e.g. Messenger is essentially used by EVERY internet user in Turkey and our country manager is pretty much "Ms. Internet". 2.2B messenger sessions a month and 26M users in a country of 80M people with more than half not online. In Russia, we're nowhere with local players and ICQ owning all categories - but an unbelievable esprit de internet corps around opportunity).

But I have to say, Euro hotel TV is the worst

First, the vast majority of stations are the stuffy news stations. CNN, BBC, Bloomberg, etc.

But wait! There's a sports station! Maybe that will save me from hearing about JC Penney having a bad quarter.

And then we have: sprint cycling, curling (yes, lots of curling), billiards, soccer interviews about leagues I really don't understand, and then a very fun looking sport that is an olympic trials. But I don't even know what it is? Literally, I've now had it on for 15 mins, Germany is up 15 over 13 to sweden. It looks like a ton of fun with women running down the court chucking balls towards a net. And I THINK it's handball, but they havent' said that at all and I always thought handball courts were the size of squash courts or something. So confused.

Mariners opening day is on Monday. I'm in international next year priority setting meetings. conference rooms with low lights and powerpoints. lots of buzzwords that sound horrible but oddly mean something: motions, drivers, alignment models, blueprints, accelerators, etc. I would so love to escape and go to the game with my wife and kids. I love mariner games.

And all of this bad TV I'm watching is while the NCAA swim meet is happening in Seattle and a kid from Yale went a 19.08 in the 50 free to take 2nd place. My old coach is in town celebrating this and I can't even buy him a beer. This kid is my new hero. and even crazier, a brazilian who goes to auburn went an 18.58 or something INSANE like that to win. Huh? .5 seconds between 1 and 2, and something like .2 seconds between 2 and 3 in a 50 free? I would pay $50 to see that race on TV right now.

So all this is a long way of saying sports are really weird. Why do I think these fun sports on europe TV are totally weird and unwatchable, but I want to see guys in skimpies churn water for 19 seconds or grown men in long socks hit little balls for 3.5 hrs?

that was random. but isn't that what the net is for? bring on the comments.

Need help getting zune, xbox, media center working well

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:22:16 GMT

I need your help!

I have a Windows Vista Home Premium PC that I use for Media Center a lot. I have Zune and buy songs via Zune on that PC. And I use an XBOX 360 as a Media Center extender connected to stereo in living room.

My problem? I can't get most of my zune music playlists to play through the XBOX. Media Center doesn't recognize the Zune playlists and include them, so I only have my old playlists. if I go to media, computer, my zune through XBOX (not Media Center) then I get rights management errors for all songs I bought through zune.

what's a guy to do? Monster kudos for anyone who can either fix it or tell me it's just a broken scenario and I should be rightfully frustrated.

Why I haven't done lasik

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:58:22 GMT

Lasik Surgery: When the Fine Print Applies to You - New York Times

Good article in the NYT. I know a bunch of people that have done Lasik and love it. My brother even went up and had the scalpel job in Canada before it was legal in the US and was/is thrilled.

But I still am not doing because:

1) I don't mind wearing glasses

2) the downside of something going wrong is very significant.

3) The risks are likely underestimated as people don't know the long-term effects still.

My education on 2 and 3 is partly based on opthamologists that I know with similar sight profiles not doing it.

What bluetooth headset should I get?

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:46:18 GMT

I was about to do what I've done for years to ask this question - email a few people that I knew would have good opinions.

But then I realized - let's try using your friends and spaces for the conversation - then other people can benefit from it too.

So here goes try #1...

Washington state law goes into effect Jan 1 that you can't drive w/ a handheld cell phone. I've had the headset jack-style corded earbuds before, but have never bought a bluetooth one. So what should I get?

My requirements are:

All I want to be able to do is talk to people on my phone. I don't need one that will open garage doors, work with misc other devices, etc.
Works well with Windows Mobile
reasonable price - not planning on doing any NPR interviews through it so don't need crazy sound quality. After all, I drive a vw vanagon, so it would go to waste anyways.

recommendations?

Gorging your way through spain: this is a trip...

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 15:55:14 GMT

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2004014652_spaineat18.html

I've gotten more and more to the point that traveling somewhere is about eating interesting food. don't know if this is just a product of the food and travel channel era, the fact I've explored cherry street and the international district pretty darn well at this point, or if I'm just looking for inspiration, but it's fact.

This article is good. Not enough detail, but makes me wish there was a really good travel book for each of the best food cultures. not gushing over the fancy dancy chef of the day who turns everything into petri dish appetizers or shoots squirt guns of food into your mouth, but instead a look at what is really unique, interesting, and to be tried - including the cooking behind it if possible. Kind of like Buford's Heat but as a travel / culinary education book rather than a personal voyage layered w/ that.

Tech Trader Daily - Barron’s Online : Microsoft Mania! MSFT Hits Another 6-Year High; Bernstein Raises Target To $41

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:02:08 GMT

I havent' seen this for WAY too long

Tech Trader Daily - Barron’s Online : Microsoft Mania! MSFT Hits Another 6-Year High; Bernstein Raises Target To $41

edie in labor

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:51:05 GMT

edie and i went to hospital last night. no baby yet but sometime today...

Opening weekend of Duck Season in Washington

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:52:07 GMT

I figured it needed to be spent with my son. He's going to be a champion duck caller. Just watch...

Barty putting food on hit head

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:49:54 GMT

This is from a while ago, but definitely a favorite of mine. I love the way he pretends he's accidentally dropping his bottle but cringes as he does it. I think I can see through it - it was on purpose. I'm onto him....

Barty is learning his animals?

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:48:07 GMT

Organic, and Tastier: The Rat’s Nose Knows - New York Times

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 19:19:16 GMT

Organic, and Tastier: The Rat’s Nose Knows - New York Times

Can't find a decent lox recipe - do they all require cold smoke?

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:43:52 GMT

best I saw... http://www.sausagemania.com/loxmania.html

Seattle Farmer's Markets and CSAs

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 17:33:29 GMT

http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/: most don't start 'til may though

Neighborhood Farmers Markets 2007
Wednesday	Columbia City	5/2/07-10/31/07	3-7pm
Thursday	Lake City	5/17/07-10/4/07	3-7pm
Friday	Phinney	6/15/07-9/28/07	3-7pm
Saturday	Magnolia	6/2/07 - 10/13/07	10-2pm
	University District	1/6/07 - 4/28/07	10-2pm
	University District	5/5/07 - 12/29/07	9-2pm
Sunday	Broadway	5/13/07 - 11/18/07	11-3pm
	West Seattle	1/7/07 - 2/25/07	10-1pm
	West Seattle	4/29/07 - 12/30/07	10-2pm

And CSAs: http://vegseattle.com/farms-csa.shtml

Interesting article on Gordon Ramsey and british food evolution

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 16:01:46 GMT

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/04/02/070402fa_fact_buford?

The guy is a foul-mouthed quote machine.

thanks shuman for pointing to this one.

Oyster soup recipe from NYTimes

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:02:47 GMT

April 11, 2007

Recipe: Pea Soup With Oysters and Pernod

Time: 30 minutes

6 cups frozen petit pois (tiny peas)
1 bunch watercress, trimmed to 2 to 3 inches long
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 to 6 tablespoons Pernod
16 ounces shucked oysters and liquor.

1. In a pot, bring enough water to a boil to cover peas. Add peas, and return to a boil. Turn off heat, and add watercress. Cover, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid.

2. Add half the peas to a food processor with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and process until puréed but still with bits in it. Spoon into a bowl, and set aside. Repeat with the remaining peas and oil.

3. In a pan, combine puréed peas and 2 cups pea cooking water. Season with salt and pepper; add lemon juice and 3 to 5 tablespoons Pernod. If desired, refrigerate.

4. To serve, drain oysters, and add to soup with 1/4 cup oyster liquor. Place soup over medium heat, and cook until edges begin to bubble and liquid is hot and oysters have plumped a little, a couple of minutes. Do not boil. Stir in remaining Pernod; adjust seasonings, and serve.

Yield: 7 cups.

Photo Album: vacation

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:33:10 GMT

vacation

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Fog

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Shed I built in back yard

Canoe Ride! Barty, Sydney, Kate

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Baby Lambs

Big Elk

Photo Album: Noli crawling to edie on beach

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:40:00 GMT

Noli crawling to edie on beach

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Photo Album: Mobile photos

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 13:44:00 GMT

Mobile photos

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Barty at the Madrona park

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posted from my mobile, but had to share this montana wal mart parking lot scene (and edit this to make sure you know I was not capable of perpetrating this myself)

More photos...

Photo Album: Baby Noli turned 6 months

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:54:18 GMT

Baby Noli turned 6 months

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Photo Album: Hall and Richards annual get together

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:05:01 GMT

Hall and Richards annual get together

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barty Kamil Alex 2

all the kids

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Photo Album: New Barty and Noli Pics

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:55:19 GMT

New Barty and Noli Pics

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Photo Album: barty faces 2

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 13:44:28 GMT

barty faces 2

Cute Faces of Barty!

Pics in Barty's Room Original 002 (2) Stitch

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Photo Album: December Pics, incl Barty in Hospital

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:17:22 GMT

December Pics, incl Barty in Hospital

Barty was in Hospital. Needed IV in arm - so sock is protecting him from pulling it.

Barty hospital

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Favorite song goes: "Mommy, mommy, MOOOOMMMY, mommy"

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Photo Album: Family Hawaii Pics

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:24:11 GMT

Family Hawaii Pics

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Photo Album: January Pics

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:29:11 GMT

January Pics

I may not like this lion outfit...

Barty getting naked time out

Baby noli Lap!

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Barty and Bode Dancing

Photo Album: Misc Nov Pics

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:15:45 GMT

Misc Nov Pics

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Photo Album: Barty's First Pics - January 10

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 11:40:08 GMT

Barty's First Pics - January 10

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OBGYN - Dr. Kimelman

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Photo Album: Nolia May Hall - First Day

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:57:48 GMT

Nolia May Hall - First Day

Just at the start

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Photo Album: Noli comes home

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 09:48:23 GMT

Noli comes home

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Barty sees Noli for first time

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Photo Album: Remlinger Farms

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:55:57 GMT

Remlinger Farms

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Bus!

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horses say "neigh..."

Hello, ladies...

Pregnant Momma

Canoe Ride! Barty, Sydney, Kate

Hello Goat!

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Photo Album: Barty and Katie funtime

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:08:38 GMT

Barty and Katie funtime

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