Okay, I should be posting about New Zealand. But I logged in and noticed this and thought it was an incredible thing...that here on earth, we still have so much undiscovered and unknown to us...things that have been visible with our naked eye if we had only looked...
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060208/1041632.asp
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Auckland urban adventure
Today we wandered around Auckland. Took in the sites. Had a lamb kabob at a lebanese place that was EXCELLENT. Visited the Auckland Museum and Auckland Domain, a giant park in the city, was beautiful. Did LOTS of walking around the town, just enjoying the sites and sounds of a new city. For dinner, we went to the Hogshead Brewery. Walked Queen St., down to Victoria street, into a suburb that then connected to Khatmandu St. and we took this to the park. The Museum was a war museum. Wondered about war and its potential inevitability for man. Went to a very cool bar called Minus 5 that is....well...kept at -5 degrees. You have to wear a coat and gloves its so cold, and its filled with cool ice sculptures. Took some pictures. Getting kicked out of Internet Cafe....
Arrival in Auckland...
Well...what a trip! We've been flying for over 26 hours. We hit LA and Chad picked us up late in the evening (11pm) at the airport. We had some time that night to catch up and did some sightseeing around LA the next day. Went to the Farmer's Market, which is an old LA market that's been around since the 30's at least. Went down to Santa Monica and walked around the peir. Stacey was sucked into a Zara on the 3rd Street Promenade and Chad, Vincent, and I watched the street performers. Jacklyn disappeared into the basement of the Gap looking at kids stuff. Had an excellent dish at Testavere's or whatever that place is on the Promenade.
We then jumped on a plane and headed West. Way west. To Melbourne, then to Sydney, finally Auckland. Qantas is a good airline. The food was great, flights were on time. Seating was a little tight but no moreso than any other flights.
Despite me having the wrong name on my Visa, leaving my phone in Chad's car, getting us to the wrong gate in Sydney, getting busted by customs for having honey roasted peanuts (they were a suprise for stacey!), getting my shaving cream taken from me at Melbourne security check-in and a corkscrew that has a tiny blade on it, we managed to make it here on time. After checking into the airport and getting a quick shower we walked the streets in Auckland a bit, its now about 1am New Zealand time. Not sure what tomorrow holds. Perfect :)
We then jumped on a plane and headed West. Way west. To Melbourne, then to Sydney, finally Auckland. Qantas is a good airline. The food was great, flights were on time. Seating was a little tight but no moreso than any other flights.
Despite me having the wrong name on my Visa, leaving my phone in Chad's car, getting us to the wrong gate in Sydney, getting busted by customs for having honey roasted peanuts (they were a suprise for stacey!), getting my shaving cream taken from me at Melbourne security check-in and a corkscrew that has a tiny blade on it, we managed to make it here on time. After checking into the airport and getting a quick shower we walked the streets in Auckland a bit, its now about 1am New Zealand time. Not sure what tomorrow holds. Perfect :)
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Sabbatical begins!
In less than 3 hours our trip commences. I've spent the past 2 days stocking up on cool new camping gear including stoves that can accept any form of fuel (alcohol, methane, kerosene, etc.), liners for sleeping bags, new ultra light and tiny Thermarests. Decided to stick with the classic tent (11 lbs…ugh!). Also got a pair of 12-mile Motorola two way radios in the event we misplace each other.
It was weird, looking back at the buildings on my way out of work. I just kinda stood by the car for awhile and looked out across JF. I remember when I started: there were 3 buildings, the 4th was under construction. Now there are 6 including the new IT building. I found it far more emotional than I expected. So much of who I am, and what I define myself as being, has been created within those buildings, meeting rooms, hallways. Work is not what I imagined it would be, something adults do drudgingly. Instead, the people I work with, they are my friends. My closest teammates, we have been together locked in a decade long dance in and out of each others groups, teams, and projects. We work together, we play together, (and sometimes, even create a kick butt dodgeball team, booyah!). You look so forward to going away for awhile you forget that you are actually going to MISS people. Fortunately, I’ve gotten to spend the past couple days with friends around town and say good-byes before the trip.
They say sabbatical changes you. Everyone comes back different, take radical turns in their careers. And some don’t come back at all.
Next update will be sometime after our 26 hour flight to Auckland. But first, an overnight stop off to see one of my closest lifelong friends and his family in LA. A perfect way to get this adventure started!
It was weird, looking back at the buildings on my way out of work. I just kinda stood by the car for awhile and looked out across JF. I remember when I started: there were 3 buildings, the 4th was under construction. Now there are 6 including the new IT building. I found it far more emotional than I expected. So much of who I am, and what I define myself as being, has been created within those buildings, meeting rooms, hallways. Work is not what I imagined it would be, something adults do drudgingly. Instead, the people I work with, they are my friends. My closest teammates, we have been together locked in a decade long dance in and out of each others groups, teams, and projects. We work together, we play together, (and sometimes, even create a kick butt dodgeball team, booyah!). You look so forward to going away for awhile you forget that you are actually going to MISS people. Fortunately, I’ve gotten to spend the past couple days with friends around town and say good-byes before the trip.
They say sabbatical changes you. Everyone comes back different, take radical turns in their careers. And some don’t come back at all.
Next update will be sometime after our 26 hour flight to Auckland. But first, an overnight stop off to see one of my closest lifelong friends and his family in LA. A perfect way to get this adventure started!
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Cracker Barrel Stock up 27%
woah there, cracker barrel poppin' faster than a 'coon in a hound show, up 27% today. hashbrown casserole and okra anyone?
this trend of hedge fund action signficantly moving all these restauranteurs...unlocking value, essentially by spinning off non-core franchises owned by the companies (mcds begets chipotle, cracker barrel begets logans, wendys spawns tim hortons), lookout darden, red lobster and olive garden may be gettin' to the seperatin'.
this trend of hedge fund action signficantly moving all these restauranteurs...unlocking value, essentially by spinning off non-core franchises owned by the companies (mcds begets chipotle, cracker barrel begets logans, wendys spawns tim hortons), lookout darden, red lobster and olive garden may be gettin' to the seperatin'.
The Powerpoint Virus
Some use it as a tool to convey information. Others use it as a tool to disguise lack of understanding. And like any technology, it has the capability to do good and bad in the universe. In case you felt your company was the only place it is used to confuse, a recent article on yahoo has the following statement from genentech's CEO:
"When Levinson sees signs of culture atrophy, he pounces, as he did in an e-mail to senior managers in December about "the spread of unintelligible, gibberish-laden PowerPoint presentations.... I have recently sat through several presentations that were simply incomprehensible -- mind-numbing, bloated discourses that were full of buzzwords and otherwise devoid of meaningful content. This is a serious problem, and the worst part is that it's spreading like the disease it is." (His abhorrence of corporate-speak helps explain why Levinson loathes consultants. "They suck you dry," he says.)"
"When Levinson sees signs of culture atrophy, he pounces, as he did in an e-mail to senior managers in December about "the spread of unintelligible, gibberish-laden PowerPoint presentations.... I have recently sat through several presentations that were simply incomprehensible -- mind-numbing, bloated discourses that were full of buzzwords and otherwise devoid of meaningful content. This is a serious problem, and the worst part is that it's spreading like the disease it is." (His abhorrence of corporate-speak helps explain why Levinson loathes consultants. "They suck you dry," he says.)"
Monday, January 23, 2006
Fun graphs of housing market overvaluation...
At overvalued.blogspot.com they are posting graphs of how various housing markets are deviating from the normal appreciation curve for real estate.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Bizweek article about Math careers...
I stumbled across a great read on some of the more interesting career opportunities for computer scientists and mathematicians in the next few years. You can take a read here.
a pill to remember...and a pill to forget...
Apparently, scientists are madly at work on a pill that helps you to forget stuff. They are speaking about targeting traumatic situations. Wow..methinks of the interesting implications of such a product.
The lack of posts recently is the hurried pace my life has taken in the annual review process at work, the preperations for 8 weeks sabbatical in australia and new zealand, and the 3 months after that i will be heading to shanghai.
Now, for the most part...this is good stuff, and i've learned alot about the relative competency of the average craigslist hound....i mean, who knew that there were so many people that surf the web that don't actually know how to read ?!? but i've had to prioritize posts lower than in the past. stay posted for pix as we tromp are way around down under!
Right now, I'm listening to some Dream Theater that Chad sent me....6 degrees of inner turbulence. good stuff.
The lack of posts recently is the hurried pace my life has taken in the annual review process at work, the preperations for 8 weeks sabbatical in australia and new zealand, and the 3 months after that i will be heading to shanghai.
Now, for the most part...this is good stuff, and i've learned alot about the relative competency of the average craigslist hound....i mean, who knew that there were so many people that surf the web that don't actually know how to read ?!? but i've had to prioritize posts lower than in the past. stay posted for pix as we tromp are way around down under!
Right now, I'm listening to some Dream Theater that Chad sent me....6 degrees of inner turbulence. good stuff.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Eminem acoustic "Lose Yourself" video
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