Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Day 58 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 58 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

The Nashville Predators remain atop the Western Conference standings with a record of 42-18-4 as of today. Let's Go Preds!

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Some beatbox - just add rhythm!



Hat tip to Judie for the link

Geocaching 101

Any local Nashville folks out there (sound of crickets in total darkness) familiar with geocaching?

What is Geocaching?

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users. Participating in a cache hunt is a good way to take advantage of the wonderful features and capability of a gps unit. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should try to leave something for the cache.

I got a Solar Bluetooth GPS Receiver and want to muck around with it, but not sure where to go to obtain maps, pair it with a Bluetooth device like a Palm LifeDrive or Treo 650 without getting deep in the weeds while learning about geocaching.

Any takers for a brief tutoring? Perhaps best done over BBQ?

Leave a note in the comments or drop me an email at:

wonderdawg at gmail dot com

Thanks!

Day 57 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 57 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Spring Fever. Dreamin' of a new Honda Element. OUTAHERE. I want to be 4EVRTRKN. GOIN4IT. NOWORIES. SEEUL8TR.

As soon as I'm behind the wheel of one (destination fall of '07), I'm chasing sunsets from Tennessee to Seattle, Washington.

* license plates from Honda Element owners.

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Monday, February 26, 2007

Day 56 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 56 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Mmmm, I'd like a banana split in a cup, small chocolate milkshake and large strawberry milkshake to go please.

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Technology - the great disconnect

This week, I had my mother-in-law and neighbor call me with questions about their televisions. Both being in their seventies, the question was simple, yet bewildering; “My TV doesn’t work!”

One was the issue of the picture staying on after powering off the TV via the remote. The other was the inability to change channels or adjust the volume. Regardless of their age or issue at the hand, the familiar cry (and frustration) is, “It used to work just fine! What happened?!?”



I’m finding a growing disconnect with technology in simplicity. Built in every product, whether it’s a remote control, DVD player, VHS recorder, cable box or modem, cell phone… you get the picture, things are getting increasingly complicated!

My Treo 650 or 680 does a lot of complex things reasonably well such as messaging, accessing the web, pulling down email and making a call. But some people (like my spouse) just want to make a call, leave a message, retrieve messages from a voicemail box and read the screen in a larger font.

I remember when MS-DOS use to (and it still does) intimidate me to no end! And while in high school, I had absolutely no clue how to hook up a stereo; thirty years later, I get a bit perplexed on properly connecting a stereo home theatre with the peripherals – DVD, amplifier, surround sound, DirecTV and other assorted add-ons.

Back in 1984, Apple made things simple with the introduction of the Macintosh with the “mouse”. The key to using a powerful computer back then, was “point, click, double click.” If you could grasp the concept of “point, click, double click,” then you were well on the way to accessing the power of the personal computer – with no DOS prompts. Apple’s concept was so easy that my kids each had their own Macintosh as Christmas gifts. MacPaint was the killer application and along with the user interface of drop down menus, served as the easy entry point to grow (if one wishes) to further explore other applications such as Excel, accounting and later, desktop publishing.

My main point is that for elderly folks, the remote on the television should just work – on, off, volume up, down and changing the channels. Nothing more, nothing less.

I’m going to buy my mom-in-law and Frank, my neighbor a new TV later this year. There’s no doubt the television that they both are presently using are either a hand me down or a local discount special ten years ago, thus the age on them, but they don’t really care about hi-def, plasma or size. They just want to watch the news, the rodeo or Oprah, check the weather and go eat dinner at 4:30 pm.

Technology and the user interface shouldn’t be so complicated for older folks! To fix my neighbor’s remote, I had to use Google to find a user forum on a Philips Universal remote no longer made. However, the users’ manual on another model used the same methodology and same codes. The Sony Universal remote used a different process to program the same television with different codes! Nonetheless, thanks to Google, I printed out an 11 page PDF, wrote the essential information on an index card and reprogrammed Frank’s TV.

I just wish that technology could be just a bit simpler. Maybe that’s the appeal of Apple’s iPhone – using your finger as a stylus. Point, tap, and dial.

Meanwhile, I have to go see Frank next door to fix my riding lawn mower. He’s an expert in small engine repair – tuning a carburetor, setting the points, spark plug and replacing the solenoid is… so complicated, yet bewildering...“My lawn mower doesn’t run!”

Where are the men?



Challenging Men to be Bold Followers of Jesus Christ

In 1991, Promise Keepers asked the question, "Where are the men?" The increasing rates of fatherlessness, abuse, absenteeism from church, and overall male passivism in spiritual things prompted the organization to call men together to worship Jesus Christ and to learn what a godly man is and how he thinks, lives, and relates to his Lord and others. Through these intervening years the impact has been immense. Now, sixteen years later, this question can be asked more fervently through the lens of the Seven Promises: Where are the men?

For info on the Nashville and other conference cities, visit the Promise Keepers link

and if you want to get involved on a local basis, make the jump over to the local PK Nashville blog, the definitive source of information about the conference including status updates, the latest news, helpful links, and contact information for the leadership team and volunteers.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Great Voice - Great Song

Alanis Morissette - Ironic Acoustic Live @ Sessions

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Day 55 of 365 photos in 2007

Day 55 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

I was listening to Alanis Morissette's "Ironic" on iTunes this morning. Besides the lyrics, I absolutely love the video concept - simple and effective. Check it out on YouTube.

Here's Ally - being the sweet dog she is, cheering me up and indulging me on a rainy Saturday!









See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Friday, February 23, 2007

Day 54 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 54 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Cool Diggy keepin' warm...

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Day 53 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 53 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Heavy lifting...

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

American Idol mini observation...

When Ryan Seacrest was introducting Fantasia, the camera quickly panned to producer Quincy Jones in the audience... Was Mr. Quincy eating sunflower seeds? (and did he really spit one out on the floor?) or did he just have some broccoli stuck in his teeth and was working it out... C'mon dawg!

For choice recaps on American Idol, make the jump over to Linda Sharps's Don't Get Me Started blog.

Day 52 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 52 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Come sit and visit for a while!

Saw this wonderful crafted oversized rocking chair at Ash Street Music on Music Row. While asking the person for permission to take the photo if there was a story behind the rocker, "Not really - We just wanted a landmark for people to find us."

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Show Me the Gift Cars (the money !)

Originally published for GearDiary.com as part of the writing team.
Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating.

_____

The love of gift cards is the root of all that is evil with money… or so say shopping purists who frown on those who purchase gift cards as lazy or lacking in the “social skills” to find the perfect gift for a friend or loved one.

Cash from Grandma on a birthday or a check as a graduation gift to many seems appropriate and a acceptable gift. I strongly prefer a Christmas bonus from an employer rather than a frozen turkey, box of chocolates or a dinner. Once I won a $200.00 Home Depot gift card in a belt sander race that went toward a new kitchen back door. Cash or a gift card is always good !

The National Retail Federation (NRF), ranked gift cards as the third most desirable category on consumers' wish list after CDs/DVDs and clothing. Source: Money.CNN

So why the pushback on gift cards? Slate columnist Dan Gross offers up his take on how the cards are both a blessing and a curse for retailers and consumers via a NPR broadcast. or his Slate article.

Says Dan:

“Retailers love gift cards most of all. They're high-margin, low-maintenance sales that can be easily conducted online. They stimulate much-wanted traffic in the post-holiday season doldrums of January and February, especially at restaurants.”

“And gift cards frequently carry a price for their recipients. Walking into a store with free money in your pocket is like walking into an all-you-can-eat buffet after fasting—you'll feel psychologically impelled and entitled to consume more than usual, because the short-term cost will seem lower.”

From my viewpoint, I’ve received a Visa gift card in the form of a Cingular $50.00 rebate check. The trouble is what do I do with the leftover $3.26 before the card expires? Did I just benefit a Cingular shareholder by adding $3.26 to the bottom line? And I don’t like trying to find something to purchase like several pounds of bananas at the local Wal-Mart just to redeem the balance on the gift card.

Once I received a Starbucks card for $40.00 that took me over two years to redeem; over that period of time, my conversion as a non-frequenter transformed me into a semi-regular customer one venti coffee at a time.

Virtually every retailer (and restaurant) produces a gift card or at least, offers a paper gift certificate. Target has taken the business of gift cards to a high standard as a marketing tool to brand their store as a shopping destination by featuring Bullseye and a manufacturer's cross merchandising in collaborative branding.

100 0048
Gift cards featuring Bullseye - a Bull Terrier and trademark of Target Brands, a subsidiary of Target Corporation. The Puppy Pine Air Freshener comes in cellophane wrapped envelope!

100 9271
Several examples of the diversity of gift card designs; some are 3-D, glow-in-the-dark, molded rubber, embossed and oversized.

Last Christmas, I noticed unique gift cards from Target promoting the Wii, PlayStation 3 and XBox 360 among their other unique designs - which sparked my curiosity to later begin collecting their gift cards as a hobby.

100 0042
The XBox 360 giftcard emits a sound; PlayStation 3 reflects a spectrum of light; Christmas tree rapidly blinks with red lights; record and playback in a Chip Munk voice and see life through the eyes of a fly in Fly-O-Vision!

I contacted the corporate office of Target about this article. The response? “Thanks for writing about Target GiftCards. Many organizations make such requests. I’m sorry for any disappointment, but we must decline these opportunities. Information about our Target GiftCard business is considered proprietary or confidential. Thanks for shopping with us. We'll see you again soon at Target.”

A Wikipedia on Target states: “The Target GiftCard is the retailing division's stored-value card or gift card. Target sells more gift cards than any other retailer in the world. The unique designs of their cards contribute to their higher sales. Past and current designs include "scratch and sniff" (such as peppermint during the Christmas season), glow in the dark, LED light-up, a gift card on the side of a bubble blower, a gift card that can function as a CD-ROM, and even a gift card that allows the sender to record a voice message.”


I have become quite smitten of Target GiftCards as collectable items and a fun hobby. Just recently, I acquired thirty-nine! new designs.

Chris and Ketzra from Maryland, USA are reputed to have the most complete collection of Target GiftCards with 778 to date. Visit their gallery... They also have a trade list available.

Here are some of my favorites:

100 0368
Tickle Elmo via a button and hear Elmo LOL...

101 0230
Press the start button for the blue LEDs on all four sides...

101 0238
Inside of a Wii giftcard with the LED lights...

100 0037
And the latest - a plastic vase that holds water for a flower and a Hello Kitty mini change purse - both examples of "outside the box thinking" of standard sized credit card sized gift cards!

Anybody else collecting gift cards from Target or other retailers ?

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

24 - Keeps on Ticking



I was reading Big Orange Michael's TV Round Up of 24 that he does each week (spoilers included) and he asks the question: ...Oh and who carries an extra PDA around to leave for people on a rooftop like that? Or was that Jack's that he took and then left.

Actually Michael, I understand your statement. I carry an extra PDA - A Palm LifeDrive because it has built in WiFi, thus I can do some Internet work and carry on my phone business on the Treo. I use to pack a lot of gear when my kids required diaper bags - now, it's a backpack with the essential gear and a mess of wires included.

In the scene when Jack Bauer dashes out to see where his father went to and spots a Palm Treo on the ledge, I sat up and realized "Where in the heck is MY Treo phone???" I had to put the show on pause, and use the home phone to call my cell phone...

It was in my Dallas Cowboys jacket (Michael is one of 60,000 long suffering Redskins fans - a subtle dig)...

By the way, the message on the phone was for Jack to call: 310-597-3781.



Call the number... and if you can translate the nice lady's message, could you leave a comment? Living in Nsshville, I'm restricted to English only, due to some councilmatic shenagigans.*

Hat tip: CLC's Dry Spot

Day 51 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 51 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Bobby says howdy to country music fans... at the Idle Hour on Music Row East.

(context of photo)...



See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Monday, February 19, 2007

Day 50 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 50 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Wow, to pull into my driveway and see a quarter moon with a bright star underneath... takes my breath away.

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Amazing Grace - Promise Keepers 1995



...gospel artist Wintley Phipps explains the origin of "Amazing Grace" and leads an audience full of men singing this honored hymn as presented during the 1995 Promise Keepers conference at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC.

Year of the Porkers (PIG)

Since I'm in a Chinese New Year / Year of the Pig frame of mind, here are "The Greatest Porkers in Pop Culture History" courtesy of RetroCrush



If I could have a talent or skill set, I wish I could talk like Mel Blanc i.e. Porky Pig

Montgomery AL Roadtrip!



I just may have to do a Bloggers Without Borders road trip to visit this cool cat!

and while I'm at it, stop by the Family Auto Mart - this dude is crazzzy...

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Day 49 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 49 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Celebrating Chinese New Year reminds me of this prized possession from my parents - it's a tree of life scene embroidered on silk from Canton. Absolutely love it!

Detail:



See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

The Awesome Giveaway of 2007

One of the hazards of reviewing so many fabulous items is that after a while…you have way more items than you can ever possibly use. So, I’m making good on my New Year’s Eve promise to have even more give-aways and contests this year…

Go see what Judie over at GearDiary is doing with this stuff:



I can't win any of this great stuff since I'm part of the Gear Diary writing team, but that doesn't prevent you - if you're reading this - to make the jump over to win some of this stuff. There are 22 items in all, so get clicking and leave a witty comment on why you want the item.

Remember that I won a SlingBox by leaving a comment, so I'm wishing you some WonderDawg luck as well.

There's no catch! This give-away will end at 5:30 pm CST on March 15.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese New Year 2007! - It's the Year of the Pig and today, February 18, 2007 is the first day of the Chinese new year.

新年快乐 Happy new year

恭喜发财 Congratulations and be prosperous

Here are some fun images to celebrate with:



Hat tip to: Marlies’ Creative Universe
(Visit the link to see how this image was constructed...)



Hat tip to: Maria @ funnycoolstuff
(Many more images at the link...)

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Draft Craft Manifesto (REPOST)



Ulla-Maaria Mutanen has figured out why we enjoyed and even embraced crafting with her Draft Craft Manifesto:

I've been trying to pin down what is driving the increasing popularity of crafting for a while now. This is what I've got so far:

  1. People get satisfaction for being able to create/craft things because they can see themselves in the objects they make. This is not possible in purchased products.
  2. The things that people have made themselves have magic powers. They have hidden meanings that other people can't see.
  3. The things people make they usually want to keep and update. Crafting is not against consumption. It is against throwing things away.
  4. People seek recognition for the things they have made. Primarily it comes from their friends and family. This manifests as an economy of gifts.
  5. People who believe they are producing genuinely cool things seek broader exposure for their products. This creates opportunities for alternative publishing channels.
  6. Work inspires work. Seeing what other people have made generates new ideas and designs.
  7. Essential for crafting are tools, which are accessible, portable, and easy to learn.
  8. Materials become important. Knowledge of what they are made of and where to get them becomes essential.
  9. Recipes become important. The ability to create and distribute interesting recipes becomes valuable.
  10. Learning techniques brings people together. This creates online and offline communities of practice.
  11. Craft-oriented people seek opportunities to discover interesting things and meet their makers. This creates marketplaces.
  12. At the bottom, crafting is a form of play.

For me, whether it's woodworking, LEGOs, writing, drawing or even blogging, I believe that there is wellspring in creativity in each of us that our Creator placed in each of us. The things I can't craft are meant to be enjoyed via other vessels such as poetry, music, sculpture, dance, etc. I think the key is that we strive for excellence; that's where the deepest sense of pride and personal gratification comes from when we hear "well done".

My kids have made birthday and Father's Day cards for me on construction paper with collage images - these I cherish greatly. Maybe there is something to offering hand crafted gifts at Christmas or other times; could it be that a crafted gift is a among the deepest expression of love?

Saturday Randomness

Today has been the longest Saturday and random as well...

I got up at 3:30 to take Megan WonderDawg to the airport for a 6 am flight... The Nashville Airport is jumping! at 5 am

On the way back to West Nashville, I saw it spitting snow and within an hour, by sunrise, it was picture purty.

Wired on coffee, I moused around on the computer reading online articles, catching up on the morning news and posted some pictures on this here blog.

Started up a new blog: PKNashville.blogspot.com with the Promise Keepers Men's Conference coming to the Gaylord Entertainment Center June 20-21. A weblog is the best communication vehicle to recruit and inform the 500 or so volunteers that will take part as well as a good part of the 17,000 attendees that the Executive Team is gearing up for.

Blogger has been working extremely well for me, especially being able to handle hires photos and multiple blogs via the Google GMail accounts. WordPress has been hard pressed in the past to handle the volume of photos I need to have displayed, but I'll have to do some testing.

Later on in the day, after shopping at WalMart for essentials (hey, I recycle! to offset the why shop at WalMart critics), I went to Dick's Sporting Goods, the first store opened in the Nashville West shopping center. Very cool to have what promises to be a class shopping center less than 2 miles from the house. Target (not a Super Target) opens March 11, followed by Best Buy, Ross and Marshalls later in the month of March. While not a big outdoors person, Dick's is a serious place for those highly interested in camping, canoeing and gear that involve exercise. (making a note to myself...)

I was thrilled to see Engadget, ranked by Technorati as the top dog blog pickup the article Palm Treo cradle crafted from LEGO I wrote for Gear Diary. Speaking of GearDiary, the site has just been named a Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine Best Site. Good stuff - Judie Hughes is our fearless leader and I'm honored to be on the writing team.

Been enjoying some music via eMusic.com a site that caters to independent and DRM free music. 30 Song Downloads per month for $9.99 per month...

eMusic is the world’s largest retailer of independent music and the world’s second-largest digital music retailer overall, offering more than 2 million tracks from more than 13,000 independent labels spanning every genre of music. A subscription-based service that allows consumers to own, not rent their music, eMusic is the largest service to sell tracks in the popular MP3 format – the only digital music format that is compatible with all digital music devices, including the iPod.

My latest downloads include Ane Brun, a Christmas special LP from Sarah McLauglin, some live Peter Green / Fleetwood Mac, It's A Beautiful Day, Explosions In The Sky and Todd Rundgren. I'm really stretching myself to discover some new artists and picking up some rare tracks as well.

If you sign up, eMusic is tossing in 50 free tracks...

Oh yeah, good SEC basketball game on national TV with Vanderbilt upsetting Florida.

Tomorrow is Chinese New Year - The Year of the Pig.

From the BBC News: The year of the pig is supposed to bring good luck and prosperity. But this time it is a golden pig year, which happens once in six decades.

The Year of the Golden Pig falls once every 60 years.

Some soothsayers warn that the pig can bring turbulence, and warn of a rise in natural disasters and conflict in 2007.

The Year of the Pig will also be celebrated with greater sensitivity in some Asia countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia with large Muslim populations, which view pigs as offensive and unclean.


I'm still full from the Pink Cadillac Feast from Corky's, but perhaps the Mothership BBQ can reach out to the Chinese population in Nashville with a turbulent pig special!

OK, I should turn in before I get a second wind and start messing around with a new LEGO craft.

Day 48 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 48 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Diggy / doggie rodeo. We're easily amused by our granddog and she's a good sport about it.

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt - Broken



Photo Hunt Theme: Broken
Join the Photo Hunt | View Blogroll | Visit participants.



Grass cutting days are over... but perhaps this broken mower may be a potential Go-Kart?

xxx

I joined the Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt hosted by TN Chick. You too can play: Join the Photo Hunt There's a different theme every Saturday, and it's a lot of fun visiting the community of participants.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Day 47 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 47 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

I met up with six leaders of men to discuss the logistics for the upcoming Promise Keepers Men's Conference here in Nashville when a double dare went out to partake of Corky's BBQ "Pink Cadillac" Feast.

This ultimate feast for four is packed with a Rack of Ribs, 1/2 Chicken, 1/2 lb of Beef Brisket plus side orders of BBQ Baked Beans, Fried Corn on the Cob, Spiced Apples, Southern Style Green Beans plus corn bread muffins & hot rolls. And gallons of sweet ice tea. No dessert.

The food was awesome, the conversation was great and the challenge *burp* was met. Rest assured, I had good company, as my brothers had racks of ribs, brisket and a baked potato bigger than a brick.



Tony, the manager and Frankie our waitress were very gracious on comping the meal as yours truly, the WonderDawg was the first to completely chow down the "Pink Cadillac" at the famous Corky's BBQ in Brentwood, Tennessee.

I have to rent "The Great Outdoors" and revisited how John Candy (Chet Ripley) did with the "Ol' 96er" - a 6-pound steak...

Next time, I'll just a have a small salad.

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

A Palm Treo cradle - LEGO style

I was looking around for a charging cradle that would allow me to store my Palm Treo 650 or 680 in an upright position. Most of the ones that I’ve seen advertised range in price from $29 to $49 USD.

While esthetically useful, the practicality of obtaining a cradle meant having yet another spare power cable and sync cable stored away in a shoebox of miscellaneous wires and USB cables.

The ancient Greek phillospher Plato is quoted as saying “Necessity is the mother of invention,” which means that a need or problem encourages creative efforts to meet the need or solve the problem.

I’ve heard of and seen Apple iPods cradles made using wood, cardboard and LEGOs. Ah LEGOs - those wonderful and versatile studded interlocking plastic bricks!

I began to sketch out a design of a cradle made of LEGOs. I went out to my garage and began to rummage around through my collection of LEGOs in zipped locked bags.

Here’s what my imagination came up with (play along) :



MAKE THE JUMP TO READ THE REST and SEE MO' PICTURES - Article originally published at GearDiary.com - Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Day 46 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 46 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

K to the W...

When the FedEx man came to the door, imagine my surprise to recieve this awesome gift of friendship from none other than The Dry Spot himself...

Chris was keen to my reputation of wearing the largest football helmet in high school because of my cranium size; ever since 1972, I have never had the opportunity to wear a cap that would not elicit a belly laugh and *snort* from Mrs. WonderDawg... until today.

Thank you my friend; because of your Dr. Phil sensitivity toward my skull size and measured intelligence, I'm now able to wear my KW cap with pride and hang with the good ole boys down at the local Cracker Barrel feed store and diner.

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Peanut butter recalled over salmonella ALERT

I almost messed up my week with some serious funk.... as I was thinking of having a peanut butter / banana / mayo sandwich for lunch when I got some breaking news from the AP (and the girls from Mrs. WonderDawg's sales office):



OMAHA, Neb. — ConAgra Foods Inc. told consumers to discard certain jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter after the spread was linked to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened almost 300 people nationwide.

Lids of jars with a product code beginning "2111" can be returned to ConAgra for a refund, the company said.

The salmonella outbreak, which federal health officials said Wednesday has sickened 288 people in 39 states since August, was linked to tainted peanut butter produced by ConAgra at a plant in Sylvester, Ga. How salmonella got into peanut butter is still under investigation, said Dr. Mike Lynch, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms can include diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain and vomiting.


LINK

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Day 45 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 45 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

A Pink Elephant... for your mind and eyes only on Charlotte Pike in West Nashville.

Pink elephants are a myth....or are they? Studies show that pink elephants don't really exist except in our minds or even on television. To give someone a pink elephant is to express to them that they are something that you have never seen before, something that you have not expected. Its kind of like judging a book by its cover, you may never know it exists until you see it, or in this case, read it for yourself.


Other Pink elephants as defined by Wikipedia...

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

My Love/Hate Affair (Hot Pocket)

I recently wrote about my hunger pang with America's Favorite Frozen Stuffed Sandwiches! the Hot Pocket.

After years of eating these microwavable sandwiches, I must have eaten one that stayed too long in the freezer. Kroger used to sell these Hot Pockets at some ridiculous price of $1.50 each to addict the masses before jacking up the price to $3.99.





thanks to Rob for the link

Paper Nirvana

Back in my old days of desktop publishing as a graphic designer and later as a print buyer for a record company, one of the joys of being involved in the graphic arts & printing industry was working with the various paper mills and suppliers.

Specification representatives would make the circuit of design firms, bringing the latest in paper sample books. The better regional paper suppliers would not only have a dedicated representative(s) but also maintain a "resource" department. Usually a stockroom brimming with publications from the paper manufacturers, these resources demonstrate use of various printing processes, varnishes, coatings and effects such as embossing and die cuts on an assortment of paper stocks in different textures and weights.



Paper comes manufactured in various finishes - felt, vellum, satin, smooth, 25% cotton, laid and linen. Within those finishes as an example, are varying degrees of whites from high gloss to muted shades each designed to serve as a canvas for the designer and printer to collaborate on a finished product that evokes a response.

As visual communications has veered at warped speed to reside on the internet with web papers, Flash animations, sound and video, there is nothing quite like holding a physical object of a book with its cloth or leather bound cover encasing textured edged pages unfolding a story in 12 point serif type face.

Consider a birthday card with sentiments expressed on heavy card stock, perhaps with objects affixed - a flower or ornament - with its tactile feel gives that particular printed piece a special home in a keepsake shoebox. Annual reports from companies and nonprofits such as hospitals want to present an image that conveys their mission statement without coming across as “slick” or “glossy”. Thus design firms take great care to craft messages and photography with the right printing process – four color, black and white, perhaps a mix of paper stocks to elicit the precise response desired.



Each paper mill such as Neenah, Mohawk, Monadnock and French Paper, just to name a few produce sample books.



Some paper sample books are reminiscent of paint chip books and there are those that are extremely well designed and printed as best examples for optimum use of the particular paper line the mill is promoting.



Graphic designers cherish these sample books as they assist in visualizing a finished project and without a doubt, serve to jumpstart the creative process for ideas.

Sample books courtesy of Chris Chamberlain of Athens Paper in Nashville, Tennessee.

Article originally published at GearDiary.com - Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Day 44 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 44 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

CUonTV - Mrs. WonderDawg on Bugs Bunny's tee vee set.

I found this postcard in my attic when Warner Bros. records used to do retail store mailings of upcoming artist appearances on television, especially on Saturday Night Live - Talking Heads, Paul Simon, Rickee Lee Jones, etc. I estimate this 6 x 8 1/2" postcard to be 26 years old. I cut out the WB logo on the screen and taped the photo from the back side.

As usual, the moral of the story is never, ever throw anything away! Could come in handy one day...

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Monday, February 12, 2007

Late night hunger pangs

The ladies of the house were out shopping all night and left me with no motive to cook my customary meat 'n' three... So I nuked some Hot Pockets for my dining pleasure.

Two hours later, I'm still trying to Scope out the awful taste of Hot Pockets (Turkey, Broccolli & Cheese) out of my mouth...

I'm very hungry.

It's 11:43 pm. I should go to bed, but I'm somewhat not ready for what dreams await me. It may be a task or project that requires measuring and power tools - I sometimes dream of projects to do, so I wake up totally obsessed of visiting Home Depot before my first cup of coffee.

And I shouldn't eat this late at night - Waffle House (smokers welcomed !) or some truck stop thirty miles down the highway doesn't appeal to me....

Neither does standing in line twelve deep with the riff-raff at WalMart with five food items in my hand behind the lady with a fifty items needing a CSR's approval on a out of state check.

Peanut butter, bananas and mayo on white bread sounds good; but I have no bananas.

Red-eyed gravy with sausage and bagels sounds good too.

One dozen jelly donuts will make my tummy hurt.

The taco pizza I ate Sunday night was pretty good - I'll just go to sleep on that culinary thought.

Good night!

Day 43 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 43 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Professional Bug Busters hard at work debugging blue screens of death inside an old 1984 Macintosh - none found.

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Sunday Disconnection

Perhaps there is a Winter of Discontentment or Doldrums going on, but yesterday was cold, I had zero energy, slept off and on too much...

Maybe the hidden male stress of " I'm F I N E " - Feelings Inside Not Expressed is lurking about in my inner spirit...

Could it be that I'm detoxing from NFL football, like a heroin addict going cold turkey. The alternatives of basketball and baseball fail to excite me as always.

And last night, I attempt to watch the Grammys - and I've not heard any of the songs by the Dixie Chicks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Carrie Underwood, Gnarls Barkley, Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige... and when I hear "Roxanne", I'm driven to hear the Eddie Murphy 48 Hours version.

I'm so... disoriented which is not good for an Oriental.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Day 42 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 42 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

A scenic Feng Shui view on a cold sunny day... as seen at Cheekwood Gardens.

Feng Shui (pronounced fung schway) is an ancient Chinese tradition of placement and design that guides human beings in living harmoniously with their environments. This practice of arranging space for optimum well being was first devised almost 4,000 years ago as farmers in China sought appropriate locations for their homes that would bring the greatest opportunity for good health and prosperity.

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Feelin' the love with Rod



Everybody's favorite Sista

....she won't be your Maggie May

....the one you loved and then forgot *

... Happy Birthday



* Suzanne Vega

Day 41 of 365 photos in 2007



Day 41 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Mashby at the Nashville Palm Users Group - doin' the demo of Windows on a Apple MacBook - goodbye blue screen of death...

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

English Spoken Here!

Nashville's Metro Council voted to make English the official language; and since I occasionally get these e-mails from Japan ever since I'm no longer worthy to hang around with royalty from Nigeria willing to offer me their goods and services via cashier's checks...

貴方様に好条件のお相手が見つかりました。
今回特別に検索結果とともに以下の優待が受けられます。

... I have to rely on the goodness of Google to beta translate Japanese to English to understand the following:

The partner of good condition was found in you. This time with the search result it can receive the generous treatment below especially.

It can select whether or not the woman, the man, with desire of each one, you receive approach to the woman in the man who desires secret association.

It is special generous treatment in just the one which is in search condition. To in just the method which receives this there is a preferential right.

We have transferred communication to the partner, to the mail address for your.   It is the time limit attachment, but it is possible directly to receive the mail from the partner.

Because it is free participation type, please receive the invitation of the woman or the man with ease. That you think whether with case of special generous treatment of secret collection, your usual compared to story advances favorably. Then, with please pass the time just two.

>>>>> secret association collection bulletin board support >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the generous treatment guide (No.14870) that you send, the executive office charge, me, we ask the secret association club which has become Miura, and nationwide 11 base may.


I've seen better fortunes in stale cookies from low rent all the fried batter you can eat Chinese buffets that make better sense than this babble...

It's official; I tried to make this site language friendly, but English is officially spoken here.

Friday, February 09, 2007

The Important Thing...



Found on a sidewalk at a market - one man's trash is another man's treasure...

I just love the simple joys of life when a gust of wind blows a picture to land at my feet... Thanks God for not letting me work at a cube farm!