Microsoft Surface

Saw a “demo” of Microsoft Surface with Bill Gates on the Today show this morning…
http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=ed66be57-9a6b-4c96-85ae-fb263443de9c&f=05&fg=rss

Some very nifty stuff.

Imagine the things that could be brought to market if every company had pockets as deep as Microsoft’s… How many “mind blowing” or paradigm-shifting ideas there are out there which never see the light of day because of a lack of funding.

Ninja’s were never this funny…

http://www.askaninja.com/  He’s hilarious!

Is THAT your mom or your grandma?

In the news, it’s being reported that a 60-year old New Jersey woman has given birth to twin boys, making her the oldest known American woman to give birth.  The discussion has not been one of amazement, but more of irresponsibility and woman’s rights.

I heard about this from the Today show this morning.   They did an interview with the new mother — uh, Congratulations BTW…  Meridith (the Today anchor) asked her how she was doing – not why?  But the mother proceeded to explain that she wanted only to prove a point… that a woman her age and of the baby-boomer generation could still have kids.

My jaw hit the floor.

I expected her to say, “Oh thanks… It’s really a ‘modern miracle,’ and thanks to the doctors for making this happen.”  Instead she was explaining how she’s just trying to show other women that they can do this and she hopes to be a role model to other women.  You mean, she didn’t have the babies because she wanted kids?!?!?

Now, I have nothing against feminism or women’s rights or any of that… but I have to say that this woman (and I hate to sound cliche’) — very unfair to those kids.  My first reaction was, “I hope she’s well off and can take care of those kids.”  But after hearing the interview, I’m thinking “She’s a horrible person… very selfish.”  Those kids will grow up with a mother who cares more for her political cause than her impact on her kids.  What kind of role model is that?!?  When she’s 78, she’ll be on the sidelines of a high-school ball field watching her kids play some sport for their school…  If she lives to be 82, she’ll see her kids graduate from college.  I hope her older years won’t require any kind of long-term care or medical expenses… because her prime earning years are behind her and she’s going to have a tough time sending her kids through college if that’s the case… unless she’s very wealthy.

On top of all this, she’s 60.  While there are many 60+ seniors who can handle a high energy life style – kids (twins, no less) will push even a younger set of parents to the edge (believe me I know).  Not being able to care for them personally (ie, if she just hires a governess or nanny to care for them 24×7) is just wrong as well.  Those kids won’t get the parenting or the love or the guidance they need and deserve.

——–

All of this makes me think of an old school-mate of mine…  In 6th grade, I was in the same class as Strom Thurmond Jr. (son of the late Senator Strom Thurmond from South Carolina).  I specifically remember being surprised to find out his dad was this quite old fella with white hair, and his mom was a much younger woman.  It was quite the talk of the classroom when we found out.

That situation was rather different, primarily because one of the parents was “young” and one was “old”… but it was also very different because the older parent was the father.  Yes, it’s a double standard, and maybe it’s unfair… but feminism can’t change the biological facts that a woman’s primary child-bearing years are in the younger part of life — not the later part.  As a big believer in “survival of the fittest” there’s certainly a reason for that, don’t you think.

Car, meet my kids’ classroom…

Ring!  “I’m busy.”  Ring!  I figured if she called my cell twice in quick succession, it’s probably important.

“Honey, [the kids] are okay and no one got hurt…” said my wife when I picked up the phone.  Uh, this can’t be good if the phone call starts off this way.

Apparently somebody ran their car into the wall of the daycare where our kids are during the day.  More than that, my kids’ classroom was the actual victim. Now, it wasn’t like the movies where a car comes careening into the room full speed… but there’s a pretty good sized indentation in the wall now and some very apparent damage to the inside and outside of the building.  As Lauren puts it, “My classroom is broken.”

I’m not sure what happened exactly, but no one was hurt — although kids had to leave class yesterday, and the teachers were a bit shaken up.  I wanted to take a picture of it and post it here, but by the time we got to the school this morning, it was already boarded up.

UVA Finals Weekend

Here’s a link to a photo slide show (I didn’t create it) of photos from this year’s graduation at the University of Virginia (UVa). It certainly brings back lots of memories. Seems like it wasn’t too long ago that I was the one walking down the lawn…

One woman’s courageous story…

I didn’t know Kari Mason, but I work at the same company she did.  I found out about her from the internal notice of her death in our “company email newsletter” – she died earlier this week of breast cancer.  It pointed me to her website, a place for sharing memories for her kids’ sake, a place to donate, and a link to a local magazine article about her struggle.  While not a “happy” story, it is very touching…

On the to-do list… Tile Backsplash

Add a tile backsplash to our kitchen. I like the “mini-tile sheets” they used in this example.  Would be good to do similar things in the bathrooms too…

HGTV article

Asian Female Mind insights… and then some

Uh, any truth to this? Funny!

Perhaps this perspective on why asian guys don’t get white girls will lend some insight…

Man, I hope this is not true…

Folks in charge of the critical infrastructure in the world (water, food, communications, electricity, etc.) had better not be skimping on security concerns.  I hope the choices they make day-to-day keep security at top of mind – or else it’s back to the stone age for all of us.

http://www.hackinthebox.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=23087

Ok, this restitution for slavery thing is getting a little crazy…

Today, Queen Elizabeth II of the UK visited the US – on the start of a tour of the US, she stopped in Virginia to celebrate the 400th birthday of Jamestown settlement.  I think that’s pretty cool.

WTF, does this have to do with slavery?

Well, they were talking about the Queen’s visit on the CBS news (with Katie Couric), but they were focusing on the address that she gave to the audience that was there. She acknowledged that 3 cultures came together to help make Jamestown a success and ultimately start this great country…  Western European, Native American, and Africans.  [so far, no big deal]

But then the news article took a turn for the worst.  They started talking about how this was hardly an apology for slavery and that some people were hoping for more.

Let me just say at this point, that I am ANTI-SLAVERY.  It was a horrible thing that was done to the slaves, that they were kidnapped and brought here under in-human conditions and then treated like animals.  But that was 200-400 years ago!  No body still living is directly responsible.  No body still living is a directly affected victim.

I wonder, if the Queen had apologized for things her ancestors did – would this be the last we hear of it???  No.  It makes me wonder what it would take to finally stop complaining about this water that is not only “under the bridge” but has been for hundreds of years.  Come on, people (complainers of the topic, specifically) – give it a rest already!

Besides, you are aware that the Africans were not the ONLY slave throughout history, right??  England was NOT the only country to have slaves.  Why is it that we never hear of other people from other cultures who were enslaved and how they deserve apologies too???  Hmmm…. CRAZY!