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Archive for January, 2009

Jan 29 2009

Less indoor ski slopes, more sewage treatment plants

Published by japadamus under news

Dubai has everything. Indoor ski slopes, some of the world’s tallest buildings, and island shaped like a palm tree. One thing it doesn’t have: adequate sewage treatment.

The problem has gotten so bad that sewage is just being dumped into the ocean. That’s a problem for the city’s many beach front hotels, which have had their beaches closed due to…well…shit.

It’s an interesting contrast, some of the world’s most wealthy people living in some of the world’s most expensive real estate, surrounded by a sea of shit.

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Jan 29 2009

5 days of mail?

Published by japadamus under news

Everyone knows times are tough…but who knew cuts would come at the US Postal Service? And we’re not only talking about job cuts here, we’re talking about a whole day of mail.

The Postmaster General thinks that eliminating a day of mail may be necessary to cope with the economic downturn. Apparently a bad economy means less mail being sent, which has put the USPS in a pretty poor position. How poor? The USPS lost $2.8 billion last year, and they could lose $6 billion this year.

I think we need to chalk this one up for the Internet. I mean, I don’t really need the USPS now…I can get all my bills online, and most of the stuff I get in the mail are advertisements. And I no longer get many huge catalogs in the mail. I think many businesses have moved away from expensive print catalogs to email ads. And, when I do order stuff online, most of the time they are delivered via UPS or FedEx.

At the end of the day, who really needs mail on saturday? If you need something sent quickly and reliably you’re not sending it USPS.

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Jan 26 2009

Flay’s Sushi Throwdown

Published by japadamus under Bob Loblaw

I really don’t mind Boby Flay’s Throwdown show. I mean, you get to see a wide variety of foods and you get to kind of learn how to make them.

But really, sushi is going a bit far here. I know that seems a bit hypocritical, but really, there is a big difference between Flay making chicken and waffles or hot dogs or desserts, and him making sushi.

In any case, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but the Sushi Throwdown has finally taken place.

Interestingly, Flay didn’t go against a big time sushi chef like Nobu or Morimoto…in fact, Morimoto helped to teach Flay how to make sushi. Instead, he went against a sushi chef who owns a restaurant and teaches at a sushi school in Los Angeles.

Spoliers are going to follow. But you really shouldn’t be surprised. Flay did a spicy tuna roll with, of course, chipolte and honey. He also did a scallop nigiri.

The challenger, whose name I don’t remember, also did a spicy tuna roll and he added an ono nigiri as well.

The competition was pretty much over when they unveiled two old japa judges. I mean, not only could they visually pick out Flay’s sushi, but they also were able to taste his amateurish rice.

Yup, Flay lost…and I’m glad he did. Still, it was an interesting episode and it was pretty amusing how Flay approached sushi. He was a good sport and although his spicy tuna roll wasn’t traditional – I mean, spicy tuna is not traditional in itself – he did make a pretty good looking southern inspired spicy sauce.

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Jan 25 2009

The 1.5 GIGAPIXEL inauguration photo

Published by japadamus under Bob Loblaw

Photographer David Bergman stitched together 220 images from Barak Obama’s inauguration to create this humongous, 1.5 gigapixel photo. You can view it here.

The resolution is incredible, and you can zoom in to see not only Obama, but the various faces in the crowd. That, incidentally, is hours of fun.

More info on the picture is here.

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Jan 24 2009

Smoking evolved

Published by japadamus under shopping

Love smoking but are realizing that society is treating your addiction like a we treat lepers?

Well smokingeverywhere.com has a new strange device which is an electronic cigarette that you add cartridges which release smoking “vapor” that either deliver nicotine or just smoking flavor. Depending on what you are into.

I haven’t personally tried this product but get looking at the website, It definitely looks interesting. I’m pretty sure they don’t have any real scientific studies that prove this device is any safer than actually smoking. Also, although the device really isn’t smoking, it looks like a cigarette and allows you exhale vapor and most likely people are going to tell you to take your fake cigarette outside. Just because you don’t have a technical cigarette, doesn’ mean that people won’t treat you like a jerk off.

Jose Canseco is promoting the device on Howard Stern.

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Jan 23 2009

Artie versus Rolling Stone

Published by japadamus under Howard Stern

The latest issue of Rolling Stone features a scathing article of Howard Stern’s Artie Lange. The article titled “America’s Biggest Loser” profiles Lange as a loser who has stumbled into money which he proceeds to blow on hookers and drugs ruining the lives of his family and friends.

Artie and Howard decided to comment on the article on 1-21, each one taking their shots at Artie and how he allowed a reporter to diss himself, this family and his dead father. Artie thinks that author of the article held him contempt because of her elitism and his lack of refinement and education.

In typical Artie liar fashion, the article revealed that Artie had indeed taking Heroin intravenously but he said his prior statements meant that “he didn’t do it do himself” and therefore he wasn’t lying before. I call bullshit on this, I bet its going to come out that Artie used IV Heroin more than once.

Tags: HowardStern

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Jan 22 2009

Rouxbe for all you top chef wannabe’s

Published by japadamus under best of the internet, food

The internet is a great resource for recipes and cooking tips. For the most part though all you get is a list of ingredients and cooking instructions…you don’t learn all the tips that a real chef would know.

To really learn, you need video. Enter Rouxbe. Sure, you can TiVo the entire food network, but that’s information overload. Why not just watch the cooking videos that you’re interested in.

It’s a great idea and I’m surprised someone hasn’t done this yet. Not only that, but Rouxbe doesn’t give you low quality YouTube-like videos – you get high quality video with excellent instructions. There are even separate volume controls for the narrator and the background porno music (here’s a tip, turn the music off).

The recipes on Rouxbe really run the gamut…meats, seafood, pasta, even homemade french fries. And Rouxbe certifies that recipes themselves so you’re not stuck with poor instructions or crappy food.

You have the option of watching a quick recap or detailed instructions. The detailed instructions really teach you everything you need to know…like using a fork to whisk eggs so there’s not too much air, for example.

There are also videos on cooking basics, like cutting an onion. These are super helpful because they are linked within other recipes so you can access them quickly while you’re viewing other, more intricate videos. Rouxbe calls these ‘Cooking School’, and they really provide you with a great background in basic cooking that you wouldn’t otherwise find if you were, say, reading a recipe.

I’m totally blow away by Rouxbe. It’s comprehensive, incredibly well done, and amazingly helpful. I’d suggest watching a few recipes before you leave work and picking up your ingredients on the way home.

Definitely check this one out.

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Jan 22 2009

The punahou president

Published by japadamus under politics

Well it’s over! The first Hawaii born president was sworn into office yesterday and now America holds it’s breath waiting for Obama to do something to stop the current economic tailspin. Are expections for Obama too high? Probably, but I guess when you run on the platform of Hope no one can blame you when things don’t end up as planned. It’s a sign of a bad economy when 2/3 writers for this blog have recently been laid off.

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Jan 21 2009

Planet Earth

Published by japadamus under Bob Loblaw

So a lot of people have been telling me about this Planet Earth series from the Discovery Channel. But you know what? It sounds gay and boring. I mean really, 3 discs worth of nature bullshit?! Who would pay for that? Especially because it’s available for free on TV.

Well, guess what, I was wrong. It’s totally worth it. I got Planet Earth on Blu Ray today and I haven’t been able to stop watching.

First of all, the movie is made for Blu Ray. It’s filmed in super high resolution and the series is really what blu ray was made for. The visuals are incredibly detailed…not only that but in some cases super high speed cameras are used so you can see detailed scenes in super slow mo, with everything perfectly crisp.

And although the idea of watching nature bullshit sounds boring, the combination of spectacular visuals, unprecedented detail and amazing camera work makes this a hard series to turn off.

It’s hard to explain, but the show does a really good job of creating narratives from nature film. Like, you’re watching monkeys, which alone would be boring, but you get to learn the story of why the monkeys are moving like they are…and that is interesting. You also get to see amazing perspectives of how animals move as groups…lots of shots from the air and again, great camera work.

I’m not a nature lover by far. But I’d recommended this series to everyone, particularly if you have a blu ray player and a nice TV. It is really what high def was made for…it just happens to be a nature show, not, say, Dark Knight.

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Jan 21 2009

HISTORY!

Published by japadamus under news

It’s not often that we get to witness a truly historic event unfold right before our eyes. Most of us are too caught up in our day-to-day routines to really appreciate something special - unique events that will affect the world for years to come.

Well, I witnessed such an event recently. Not live of course, but on TV. Still, when we take a step back and consider the numerous battles that have been fought over time, we are really able to appreciate the incredible scope of what has unfolded over the past few days.

That’s right, the Arizona Cardinals have made it to the Super Bowl.

Look, not only is this the first time the Cards have made it to the Super Bowl…this is the first time in history that a 9 - 7 team has made it. And the Cards aren’t really a team of high priced superstars. Sure, you have Larry Fitzgerald and Boldin, but then you have guys like Kurt Warner and Edgerin James who have been overshadowed in the NFL for quite some time.

I mean, think of Warner. After he was booted from the Rams few thought that he would ever be relevant again in the NFL. Even when he signed with the Cards he was likely going to be only a mentor to first round pick Leinart.

But Warner regained his job and did a decent job in the regular season. More importantly, he has been incredibly solid in the post season, knocking off three rounds of pretty accomplished teams…the Falcons, Panthers and the Eagles.

I’ve been picking against the Cards this entire post season, and I’ve been wrong over and over. I’m guessing that they’ll cover 6.5 in the Super Bowl…maybe even pull out a win.

Anyone down for a trip to vegas?

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Jan 17 2009

Obama gets his own Hennessy

Published by japadamus under Bob Loblaw

The New York Times has an interesting article about the various promotional items that are being sold to commemorate the inauguration of Barack Obama. Weird, right? I don’t really remember anything like this happening before for other presidents.

Still, you have to admit that having a Hennessy bottle made in your honor is kinda cool. The maker of Hennessy, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, is only making 180,000 bottles of the special ‘44’ edition of Hennessy which will retail for $30. Don’t kid yourself…you know you’re gonna pick one up for yourself.

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Jan 17 2009

Circuit City to close remaining stores

Published by japadamus under news

We all know that Circuit City has had a rough time over the past few years. They closed a bunch of stores several months ago, while they searched for a buyer.

Well, no buyer was found, and yesterday Circuit City announced that it would close its remaining 567 stores.

It really doesn’t come as a surprise…I mean, you figure that no one purchased a Circuit City gift card this holiday season – a huge revenue generator for retailers.

Not only that, but Circuit City has engaged in the ridiculous practice of building its stores right next to Best Buy stores. And although Best Buy is pretty horrible in itself, it’s much better than the teenagers that work at Circuit City.

Apparently sales should start today. I’d expect the liquidation to take place over several months, with discounts dropping from 25% to 50% to 75% etc. It wouldn’t hurt to stop by today, though,

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Jan 14 2009

More on the LG Watch Phone

Published by japadamus under tech, Bob Loblaw

Seems like this LG Watch Phone has generated a lot of attention here at Japa (and fyi, a lot of attention here is 2 comments), so here’s a few additional pics and some specs.

The watch phone has a 1.43 inch capacitive touch screen. You dial and text on a virtual key pad, which seems a bit difficult although on the video below it seems accurate enough.

Not only that, but the phone has voice recognition so you can dial with only your voice. Also, the phone has text to speech, so it can read messages to you if you don’t want to look at the tiny screen.

Other features include a media player with 70MB of memory. And there’s even a little camera on the top right of the watch face which can be used for video conferencing.

As Jak mentioned the phone has Bluetooth, but unlike the iPhone it also has bluetooth stereo support. That’s important because it means you can use a stereo bluetooth headset instead of walking around with headphones coming out of your watch.

Still, there’s lots of questions about pricing and availability. It will be available for GSM and 3G networks, but most likely won’t be released officially in the US.

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Jan 13 2009

CES roundup

Published by japadamus under tech, Bob Loblaw

I have to say, I love reading about CES. It makes me so excited I almost hopped on a plane on friday to take a look in person. Too bad I couldn’t convince TJFKAK to come with me, or I SO would have been there.

In any case, here are a few of the cooler things I saw from CES in 2009:

First of all, a bit more from Palm. The Pre will have a wireless charger that will charge the phone through magnetic induction…in other words, there will be no direct connection to the phone. Pretty cool, huh?

The LG watch phone is interesting. On one hand, who really wants to talk on a wrist phone. It is uncomfortable and super dorky. BUT, it looks incredible…so slick, touch screen, I mean, it’s a wearable wrist watch phone.

And here’s another form factor: a home theater PC in a keyboard. I’m not sure how this thing will really work in practice, but man, doesn’t that LCD in the keyboard look incredible?

There were a ton of netbooks at CES, and Dell had one of the more impressive ones with the Dell Mini 10. The thing is tiny…yet it sports a 10 inch 720p a TV tuner and 3G wireless internet. Who knows how much it will cost, though.

More disappointing from Dell however, was the Adamo. First of all, Dell engaged in a weird guerilla marketing campaign for the Adamo. And it was lame. Fake leaks, lots of hype…I mean, they’re trying way too hard. Then, when it came time to finally announce the Adamo there were no specs, in info on availability or pricing…nothing. All the press had was a quick look at the device and some info about the Adamo product family. Lame…the Adamo looks nice, but really Dell went about it in completely the wrong way. They acted like they had the next iPhone on their hands and really all they’re releasing is another small computer.

But, all in all, the Palm Pre was the announcement of CES 2009…I can’t wait to see this thing in the wild, and if all works out I’ll quickly drop my iPhone for it.

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Jan 12 2009

Email spam scam of the day

Published by japadamus under funny

Positions for the ‘Holiday Shopping Study’ from Craigslist is full, but we have another survey at
the moment that pays the same ($300 Per survey). Only limited candidates are needed
for this survey so kindly go through the survey information below and get back to us if
you are interested in participating.
We are a dynamic organization , a development and management Consulting firm involved
in helping companies achieve market leadership and Improving connections between
professional service firms and their clients.
Our company is currently conducting a survey on MoneyGram International to help measure
and improve effectiveness of the services they provide to the general public. This is as a result
of complaints from some of MoneyGram reliable customers about the behavior and orderliness
of most MoneyGram outlets.
The survey involves you visiting a MoneyGram Outlet in your area and patronize the services
they render as a customer, then give us feedback on your overall customer experience with
them by filling a simple online questionnaire. A check to cover all expenses needed to conduct
this survey will mailed to you via UPS.
Each survey takes a maximum of 1Hr to complete and you will be paid $300 for every survey
completed. No Sales Involved and this will not inconvenience your present occupation.
If you are interested in participating, please send us a reply with the following information in the
below sequence.
Full Names:
Mailing Address(P.O. Box not allowed):
City / State / Zip Code:
Home Phone / Cell Phone:
Email Address:
Age / Sex:
Present Occupation:
We shall get back to you after receiving this information to confirm yourparticipation in the survey.
Yours faithfully,
David Bircham
Research Analyst
Magma Consulting LLC.
5 John Walsh Blvd
Suite 40
Peekskill NY 10566

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January 2009

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