Diane Kruger

Yesh! I saw National Treasure Book Of Secrets. Can't make sense of the plot, can make sense of Diane Kruger. I can see the studio execs now, "...make damn sure that girl is in something lowcut and tight." Done!

Haapy Xmas/Merry New Year/Beer

Happy Xmas/Merry New Year. After 6 years of abstinance, I started drinking beer again. Tonight, I picked up Boddington's Pub Ale Yum. I had 2 pints and I think I should sleep well. I had a bottle of Tucher last week and slept good that night too.

Evel dead

Evel Knievel died. I had his toys, cycle, scramble van as a kid. I had a teacher in 2nd grade tell us his stuf should be thrown in the toilet. I am surprised he made it to 69.

Heidi

Don't want to hear Ms. Klum talk, just want to look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWbSeC898u4

Home networking

A couple of weeks ago I managed to get my work laptop, my wife's laptop and our desktop all conected. I have been able to share the Internet wirelessly for quite a while. I decided on a day off to make it all work, file and print sharing, etc. It took me about 3 hours but I got it going on.

I like to listen to iTunes and stream music from my desktop while I use the work laptop. It is nice to be able to print out a work spreadsheet and not email as an attachment or wait until I get in the office.

It would be neat to be able to use the Internet to access our home network. I know it can be done by Remote Desktop, but the last time I tried that I had to reformat my desktop.

Listening/Reading

George Harrison "Dark Horse Years Box Set
FDR-Jean Edward Smith

CPI October 2007

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm

On The MikePod

Wingspan-Paul McCartney

Deathcult: Deathcult EP (This group became The Cult)

Elvis Costello: Armed Forces

Game Theory: Tinkers To Evers To Chance Compilation

XTC: The Big Express

World Party: Goodbye Jumbo

Coming Soon:

George Harrison: The Dark Horse Years Box Set

Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains The Same expanded soundtrack

Recent Reads

The Berlin Wall : a world divided, 1961-1989
Author: Taylor, Fred, 1947- Publisher: HarperCollins, c2006. 1st U.S. ed.

Excellent book documenting the Cold War era symbol.

Strength training past 50
Author: Westcott, Wayne L., 1949- Publisher: Human Kinetics, c2007. 2nd ed.

Interesting book on weight training. Even thought I am not even near 50.

Currently:

FDR

Author: Jean Edward Smith

Sept 2007 Economic Data

Economic data. Not as hot as Erin Burnett but hot none the less

Fed Beige Book: http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BEIGEBOOK/2007/

ISM Report On Business Sept 2007
http://www.ism.ws/ISMReport/MfgROB.cfm?navItemNumber=12942

Jobs Report Sept 2007
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Fall Music Events

Led Zeppelin:

Song Remains The Same Film reissued on DVD (expanded) and soundtrac reissued on CD (also expanded) both 11/20/07

Mothership: New compilation 11/13/07

Possible reunion concert Nov 2007, press conference possible 9/12/07 (Courtesy Billboard.com)

Beatles:

Help Film reissued on DVD (expanded) 10/30/07 (Courtesy Abbeyrd's Beatle Page)

Aug Financial News/Reports

Oh, I am an exciting guy!

Fed beige Book for Aug 2007

ISM Report on Manufacturing Aug 2007

ISM Report on Non-manufacturing Aug 2007

Happy Labor Day

Happy End of Summer. I used to hate this time of year, but kind of like it now, probably because football season begins. Let the lefty folks song tributes to the workingman begin

On the MikePod August Edition

Black Sabbath "The Ozzy Osbourne Years" Box Set
Led Zeppelin "Another Trip" 5CD bootleg Box Set
Yes "Fragile"
KEXP "Song Of The Day" Podcasts
Replacements "It Aint Over Until the Fat Roadies Play"- Bootleg (I'm In the Audience!)
Free "Best Of"
Robert Plant "Fate Of Nations"

Summer Reading-Hedge Funds

As an avid CNBC watcher, I have been hearing about hedge funds and the role they play in the economy. So I read a book by Scott Frush called Understanding Hedge Funds. Since I am not an accredited investor, I don't think I will be a part of a hedge fund anytime soon. Next I tackle mutual funds

Wha Up Dog?

Turnabout is fair play. Some enterprising person has a created a Michael Vick Chew toy
If he ever gets on the field again, I wonder if people will think he is "dogging it."

Darwin Walker

The Bears made a great trade getting Walker from the Bills. He will force teams to contend with him with Tommie Harris on the other side. I was also impressed that Walker has interests outside the game as his official website attests to

Chicago Purchasing Managers Index July 2007

Index falls for July 2007, more info here

Google calendar

I love Google Calendar You can have more than 1. I have a personal one, work and Chicago Bears. It really helps keep me on track.

Simpsons Movie

We saw the Simpson's Movie last night. We though it was quite funny. Usually these things don't translate to the big screen well, but in this case it does. Oh and Harry dies @the end. Oh wrong one.

Form

I keep track of notes on projects with a form I wrote in Excel called
"Note Of Vendor Discussion." When I am going to have a discussion with a vendor, I create a form from the template and use a pen to take notes.
When I have time I update the form typing into the form. This helps me track changes and keep up to date of developments. It also helps me track who said what and when.

Kane County Fair

Attended the Kane County Fair on Saturday. There seemed to be more emphais on food than anything else. Quite a greasy smell and that does not even include the animals. I even some some folks sleeping in animal pens. Lots of women with back tattoos

Kane County Fair

Michael Vick

Old Ron Mexico is indicted by the feds for dogfighting in several southern states including killing dogs. The Feds don't indict unless they are reasonably sure of convitions. I think the best option for all concerned is for Vick to go on a paid leave for the 2007 season.

June 2007 CPI

Exciting! (ha ha) June 2007 Consumer Price Index Numbers
http://www.bls.gov/cpi/home.htm

up a little bit, small decline in gas.

Caribou Coffee

I love it. I went there twice the week of 7/1. I love the White Chocolate Mocha and the Heath Bar Cooler. Going there again tomorrow.

Caribou

Summer Reads!

The Starbuck's Experience-http://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Experience-Principles-Ordinary-Extraordinary/dp/0071477845/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-0010720-3016474?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183905529&sr=1-1
Good business book. The author is not affiliated with Starbuck's. He is way too into the place though.

Nixon & Kissinger- Partners In Power:
http://www.amazon.com/Nixon-Kissinger-Partners-Robert-Dallek/dp/0060722304/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-0010720-3016474?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183904940&sr=1-1- Excellent account of the relationship between two figures who shaped US policy from 1969-1974. The use of previously classified documents offers insight into the giant egos and paranoia of these two flawed men.

Revolver: The Secret History of the Beatles-
http://www.amazon.com/Revolver-History-Beatles-Geoffrey-Giuliano/dp/1844541606/ref=sr_1_2/105-0010720-3016474?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183905276&sr=1-2

On Message! June Jobs Report

June Jobs Report http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

On the MikePod II

Happy Summer! On the MikePod: Coverdale/Page, PJ Harvey, "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" Nine Inch Nails "The Downward Spiral"

One of the worst songs I have ever heard is "Lipgloss" by Lil Mama. This is not on the MikePod

Laptop

We bought a laptop on Monday 7/2. Exactly one year after we bought our desktop. Maybe we buy a UMPC next year. Toshiba, DVD/CD burner, Vista, built in WIFI. Decided to get one so we can have a PC on both floors.

On the MikePod

Van Halen "Diver Down" (Purchased via Itunes), Marshall Crenshaw, "Life's Too Short", Various Artists "Instant Karma-Save Darfur"

July 1, Happy Birthday to me!

Tune Cast II for iPod

I bought a Tune Cast II for iPod for my car. I took the iPod on it's first long trip to Charleston, Il (3.5-4 hrs) a few weeks ago and it was cool to use. I had it connected to the car's tape deck. The tape thing would not work in my wife's car so I decided to get the Blekin Tune Cast II. I am still working with it, but once you find a clean frequency (kind of hard in the Chicago area) it works well.