As many of you know I am an Apple computer fan. So todays keynote by Steve Jobs at Macworld was something that I was eagerly awaiting. One of the big announcements last year was that  Apple would be moving to Intel based processors this year. Currently they are using IBM processors and in the past they have used Motorola processors, this move to a mainstream chip maker was a big news. There was a lot of speculation that the iBook which is the company’s lowend notebook computer would reap the benefits of the new processors. I personally thought that would of been a good way to go, as it could potentially bring in new customers who have tried the lowend dells notebooks and were looking for something more.

Interestingly enough there wasn’t a webcast of the keynote address as there had been in previous years. So I ended up reading the play by play from the macrumorslive.com site that used an AJAX application to update the page dynamically. So I read the page every sixty seconds when it refreshed to see what announcements had been made. Of course they mentioned the iPod which is Apple’s bread and butter. In the fourth quarter of 2005 they sold 16 million of them. They announced a new FM module for the iPod which is something that it has kind of needed for a while now. I know not everyone thinks that it was needed, but for someone like myself that doesn’t watch much TV and rides the train to and from work, getting some news through an FM station would be nice from time to time. However this wasn’t the part of the keynote I was really interested in, I wanted to hear about the new hardware/computers that would be switching to the Intel platform and how they planned on dealing with the applications that were written for the PowerPC platform.  So lets talk about the software first and then we’ll move to the hardware.

In the software arena Apple has introduced a couple of things that should make the Intel/PowerPC based applications easier to deal with. First they have created what they call the “Universal”.  This allows applications to be written in such a way that they will run happily on both the Intel and PowerPC platforms. Currently Apple doesn’t have a lot on there site about it, but I’ll take a look at the developer site and see if I can’t dig some more information up on it. Secondly they have created an application called “Rosetta”. Apple calls Rosetta “The most amazing software you’ll never see.” As far as I can tell it is a PowerPC emulator for the Intel platform. Of the two I am more interested in Universal. It seems to me that writing applications in Universal broadens the appeal of your application and keep people that just bought a new Mac last year much happier. Now on to the hardware.

I have to admit that I was quite surprised by Apples choice of hardware to revamp. First they retrofitted the iMac with the new Intel core-duo processor. They claim that the machine is now twice as fast as the previous model. However I haven’t been able to tell if the processor is 64 bit or not, which the PowerPC G5 chips are. It does seem like that iMac might just be the right machine to prove that the Intel platform is completely viable. Second is the end of the powerbook line and the start of the MacBook Pro line. It had been a while since the Powerbook got a serious revamp, however discontinuing the line and starting the MacBook seems to be something that was completely unexpected. Apple claims that new MacBook to be 4 times faster then the previous Powerbook. It has the same streamline design as the powerbook just now with the Intel Core Duo Mobile processor. Of all of the features added to the new notebook I’d have to say the one that grabs my attention the most is the MagSafe PowerCord connection. Now the power cord is magnetically connected to the computer so if someone trips over the cord, it is pops out not damaging the computer.  While the new hardware is always exciting, we will have to wait and see if it performs as promised.

So I just got a look at the new 2007/2008 Dodge Challenger online this morning and I just had to post it. You see my family has loved Mopar (Chrysler Family of Cars). If you thought the new Mustang had the Retro-fastfoward looking going check out the new Challenger. Of course it will have an optional 425 hp, 420 lb-ft torque Hemi engine available as well as a six-speed manual transmission. Check it and and let me know what you think.

So at work we have this vehicle for venting/asking questions and making comments that is completely anonymous. Most of the time they are little interdepartmental temper tantrum, or something dealing with an employee slacking off or being the managment version of a teachers pet. However one came through today that was so random, I had to share.

Chuck Norris likes to knit sweaters in his free time; and by "knit," I mean "kick," and by "sweaters," I mean "babies."

I have no idea who sent this or thought it up, but it made me laugh.

Update: Here is a link a friend sent with more Chuck Norisms

Well, so far it’s been an interesting day. We woke up to the local police in our neighborhood going door to door asking if we had heard anynthing. Apparently around 4 or 5 am this morning, some very not very nice people went ahead and cut the tires of almost every car that was parked on the street. And not just on our streets but for four blocks east and two blocks west. I can’t even figure out why someone would want to do something like that. So unfortunately alot of my neighbors are getting new tires today. Our cars were in the driveway so we didn’t get hit, but it should could of been us.

So I’ve not be updating my blog alot lately, why? Well, I’ve been working, alot. We have a huge project to get done, so I’ve had a lot of attentions being placed on that. I’ve read a lot of my past post when he I was under deadline and it all says that, “I’m working hard” well you guys all know that I work hard. So I will just skip that.

MSNBC has published it's "The Year in Pictures 2005" , some photos are beautiful, some are sad and some are a little graphic, but it was this year.

On a little lighter side, there is some photos I took this year. Let me know what you think.

Well it's about ten days late, but it was around this time two years ago that I started this blog thing. My first post was fairly simple, it just said: "Just did the bills... Either need more money or less bills or both." And it has a cartoon of a guy with a wheelbarrow full of bills. That image linked to my amazon wishlist. I was telling my beautiful Wife about that and she commented that the wheelbarrow full of bills hasn't changed, and she asked if my amazon wishlist had changed, I told her it did. She said good, so at least there was some change in two years. She always knows how to make me smile.

I started this blog two years ago, just to make me enjoy the web again. I've been doing Web work since 1997 and after six years of working at the business end of it, it was nice to kind of get back to the roots of the internet, which for me is, anyone with a little time can publish their thoughts, Ideas, Interest and Passion to the World Wide Web so that others can learn from each other. In the begining the internet was used to connect universities together so that the could share their collective knowledge, and in a bigger way that is what the web has become. One of my new favorite methods for the whole collection of knowledge is the Wikipedia, it allows people, everyday people that know a little something about a certian subject to submit an article about any subject. Then once submitted if there is an error in the article anyone is allowed to edit it. It's had its ups and downs, as some people abuse the privilege of being about to edit such a site (Adam Curry). In the end, if some respect is shown it could be a great thing.

Today, I received a very encouraging email. You see about a month ago I submitted one of my photos to BetterPhoto.com of Max the Wonder Puppy. I entered it in there monthly contest for Animal photos, and apparently I got picked as a Finalist. So here is the email:

Hi Russell

Congratulations... you have placed as a Finalist in this month's BetterPhoto
Contest! Over 22200 photos were entered into the competition; it is an honor
to have your image selected among the top 561 Finalist photos.

Your Finalist photo: Who's There? (#1421907)

This image can be viewed - along with all of the Finalist images - at:
http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGall2.asp?catID=8648

During the next few days, the judges select the top winning photos. If
your image is selected as a winner, you will be emailed again.

Again, congratulations on placing as a Finalist - keep up the great work!

Heather Young

Kind of Cool, Huh?