Last day

So the year ends, it has been good with work for me, but then I lost it all in the market so I guess in the end I am behind. That dream of owning a house is still some devaluation away, if I get to keep my job, which at the moment isn't that demanding, but I guess that is the nice period when you start to get yourself acquainted with a company.

Today after work I brought home my first couch surfer, a first for me, Mark was a rather pleasant individual that actually hung out with 3 couch surfers today, it worked out that I am close to the airport where I eventually dropped him for his flight to Miami and Brazil.

Vacation planning

There is a cool natural Hot Creek in Apple valley. In looking at it I found a great nature travel blog. I hope to return there some day as I very much enjoyed the area and the people I went with last time.

Movies

I have to say that movies on demand is cool and a fast way to get delivery, although I stuffed my queue on Friday morning, so far it looks like none have shipped, but given the online part, who cares, there are many streaming ones I can see, and if I get mostly the kids movies on Monday that works for me. Meanwhile you can connect to my Netflix. Something I haven't tried out yet. This whole social networking function.

time

The holidays have for the first time this year given me some time to reflect and do what I want, I had a cold on the 23rd, Festivus, and I ended up going to the FestivusPole website and reading about it, then I saw the episode on Seinfeld, only watched it because I got interested in this phenomenon of coming up with a better way to celebrate the holidays. Apperantly George's dad fought for the last doll in a store and decided that there was a better way, he put up an aluminum pole and the airing of the grievances started it, only to be ended by pinning down the head of household. The holiday for the rest of us, seems pretty easy and inexpensive to setup. Given the economy, I hope I can celebrate Christmas next year as it seems simpler, but hey who knows, something will turn up, like Chinese New Year.

I tried out NetFlix, the streaming works, and you can get lots of content. Seems unlimited, but I can't watch that much. I will have to try out next if I can see 2 movies on 2 different PCs, as in multiple family members. You can with DVDs. It works great on Windows and OS X, both tested with FireFox, but it seems like it might with Linux with Moonlight from the Mono people.

My cold is getting better, I am allowed with the rest of the family again. Big hoopla at work over me asking to telecomute, well lets see if I still have a job on Monday. Other then that all is smooth sailing.

Spent a moment at an design studio here in town asking if they thought the art NetFlix would be a good idea, I thought that I might pitch it at Startup Weekend together with DVDexchange.

speed

Fast raw internet bandwidth is cool, but so much of it is waisted as it is usually unmetered and so many computers out there are doing things their owners wouldn't approve of if the knew. I once read that a very high percentage of Windows systems were powned. I have even found on occasion that my Windows system had something on it, this uses your CPU, power and bandwidth. In aggregate lots of resources are used by these machines. True that today we all watch movies and video on the internet and that also uses up more bandwidth.

Trying the other connection, not too good today:

Tonight show fond it on eBay

So today I started bidding on eBay for an unattractive 6EXU690 California license plate just for the hell of it. Thinking this auction should be submitted to some of those eBay watching shows like Leno or G4's Attack of the Show. Story is that his wife wouldn't put this on her car the DMV won't take it back, wow, so if you want it bid on eBay. I kept being outbid.

Cheap data centers

So we can move the heat with water to a evaporation pound with solar panels at the bottom generating electricity to power the servers. Perhaps the servers electronics can be on the other side of the solar pannel so cooling comes from the water directly, cool... turn it all into roofing, man I should write science fiction, and then maybe it will turn into reality someday.

albaqurquie new mexico

so it seems like we are considering a move to a cheaper state, houses are still expensive here. Wow a place I can't even spell

Albuquerque, NM

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Abort email campain

This morning I had the bright idea of emailing the old building I used to work in and offering Cuban food to them, I would also offer internet access and my consulting services, then pickup the food and deliver it right before my interview, but I got an ice cold shoulder from a friend. So never more.

Internet Brands Cars Direct

I met some people going to the 11th floor and asked, if they needed a sysadmin, they took me to Beth the in house recruiter and I got to talk to Paul the Unix guy, turns out yes they are very interested in me, and geez, it is in the same building I worked in before, seems like getting layed off really opens up opportunities you wouldn't otherwise see.

They are also looking for a Network guy and a manager.

T3 still slow

For kicks i decided to run another test of the t3 against
DSLReports.com and i got a less then satisfying result, not that it
matters anymore:

DVD Exchange

I worked on a project I didn't complete a while back, it was a DVD
exchange started by the idea that I could pass on my DVDs to the next
person to watch, but this gives me drawing rights on the exchange to
draw a DVD from someone, I then got my idea validated by someone doing
it, but I think that with broader exposure and more objects to
exchange this idea could flourish and am looking for a place to
develop it. I realize that both eBay and Amazon to a certain extent,
as well as CraigsList enable you to do something like this, but I
think I can still make something more of it. The idea is a NetFlix
without a central exchange, peer 2 peer should increase speed and
lower costs, and despite the P2P, it is legal if you mail the media or
manage to pass it forward in person.

I just listened to the video on http://www.google.com/support/jobs/bin/static.py?page=why-ca-sm.html&sid=gallery
about working in Santa Monica, and it sounds lovely. We are at a
stage where we want to buy a house and find a place to do it, SM is
where I met my wife, were we lived 10 years ago and a good place to
return too. There are plenty of companies that could help make this
come true, but I have to say that Google is the one I find the most
interesting.

I spend many a night at The Tavern on Main here in El Segundo
brainstorming with 2 guys about economy 3.0 and localization, at least
that is what we talk about these days.

Dawn

I got to bed in time last night to get a good night's sleep and wake
up at dawn, cool. I don't like turning on lights at night as I have
figured out that they screw with your natural cycle. Since I have
renounced TV, I am not longer compelled to stay up late to watch
Letterman or Leno. Life is good this way a green way of living,
reduces the need for electrical power and maximizes the use of natural
light, I am trying really hard to be green, separating my trash even
when others in the house hold will not do it. I want to start a
compost heap again, I used to have one when I lived in a house, but
even here in a smaller space there is a planter where I could burry
the stuff, after all even here a nice little yard would be a welcome
improvement, just have to find a shovel at a garage sale, or borrow
from the owner, could be easy to do, might enjoy the results. It
doesn't often rain in this area, but last night a shower, time to wipe
off the car, I have been waiting for this rain to clean it, but it has
been a long time coming, unfortunately the other car isn't parked
outside, it is covered, big mistake, free water today is cool, but
then when it rains it pours so we may have more of it.

Today I am trying to email post this, It would be an easer way to work
with Blogger, I hope to do it more in the future as well.

So much to talk about and to do today, wish I had more time for this
blogging.

Cable 9.95

So I get this thing in the mail, for digital TV conversion, envelope has nothing to say it is from the cable company, they want to offer me analog cable for 9.95/month, tempting.

New directions

Seems like GN is taking its sweet time to hire me, meanwhile I may be thinking of getting more involved with the SoCal WiFi project and the meeting with the mayor, whenever that is happening. I just got a call from ServiceMajic about wiring my apartment to the one next to me so we can share the internet with a wired connection, don't get me wrong the wireless is working great so far, but I was interested in what it would cost to do it with copper, seeem like it might be $150, didn't find that web site all that interesting, but it is rather expensive and it does ask for licenses and bonded workers, so I wouldn't want to be on it anyhow.

Bailout

My day has been spent cleaning and boy did I collect some dust bunnies today. Meanwhile the car companies seem to be close to a bailout. That ad really expresses everyones feeling, except for the unions perhaps.

Gosh, I should get some of that cash for my startup, it might fail, but then again, so will the big 3, so what about it? Bail out my startup!