I Stand Corrected

It's not easy to admit you're wrong. But on some rare occasions (like today, being Feb. 29), even someone like me can be a little off the mark. Hard to believe I know. But it happens.

Remember back in December when I wrote about how I won the logo contest and that I don't expect anything from the six-figure directors who are grossly overpaid and at the same time super cheap because all they care about was their pensions and collecting $20 for the Christmas party and charging us an hour vacation time to attend their "free" lunch and making sure no one leaves early on Christmas and New Year's Eve saying there's lots of work to be done even though they themselves take that time off because they know there's really nothing to do and even if there was there's plenty of lower level people making half their salaries who are quite capable of doing their jobs for them??

Well, that's still mostly true.

Last week I got a call from upstairs on behalf of the general manager. They wanted to officially recognize me for my winning logo. (I think they were prodded by my little boss because she knows we rarely get any respect and recognition. To them we're just the people under the stairs.) So anyway, this executive-level gal visits me and asks me what I would like for a prize. I was flabbergasted! Who me?? A prize?? I get a prize?! She said yes. And she asks why I'm so surprised (good thing she doesn't read my blog). She said it has to be something environmentally conscious and renewable. So I immediately asked for a Prius!

She laughed and said, "...what about some light bulbs or a coffee thermos?" I gently told her that light bulbs are 3/$1 and I don't drink coffee because it's bad for my blood pressure. What I really was thinking was how incredibly cheap they were - I mean who would offer light bulbs for a prize?? But then I remembered that I should be happy because I wasn't expecting anything in the first place so even if it was only a few light bulbs it would still be better than nothing at all. I gratefully smiled and said let me consult my wife to find a suitable prize. She said ok, smiled back, and left.

I go home and tell Chrissy. She thinks to herself and asks if there was a budget. Heck if I know, but I'm definitely not getting a Prius! I tell her to think along the price range of light bulbs and coffee mugs. (By her facial reaction I could tell she was thinking they were cheap too). She told me to get the $20 Sigg Aluminum Water Bottle. (To stay on topic, I'll blog about the Sigg at a later date).

So yesterday I was honored at a big-wig meeting and received my bottle. Of course when I was up there I had to make a short speech explaining my choice in the prize. I was really nervous and stuttered a bit, but I won't lie, it was a nice feeling being recognized from the top. The GM knows me now. My chief knows me now. They now can put a face on all the high-profile campaigns going around here. Yes, they'll continue to expect great things from me. And I will continue to deliver (or continue to think of excuses why I couldn't...). Fact is, now I'm on their radar. Hmm, methinks maybe that's not a good thing...

If this was at some private company, this would be a perfect time to ask for a raise. Unfortunately as a public employee, the only raise I get is in my union dues and blood pressure. There are times when I get jealous of you guys and your great jobs that let you travel, feed you, let you work from home, give you a car, give you a Blackberry, give you 33% discount, let you fire people for fun... But I know I should be content. I'm pretty lucky to have a quiet corner cubicle where I can churn out incredible works for the enjoyment of mankind – and when I'm NOT blogging, I do some pretty decent designs too! A job is just a job. We lead a simple life so as long as it pays the bills, I'm fine. To me, my cube is just a hideout from the kids, sorta like a clubhouse for me and my staff of driftless thoughts. Going home and facing the family – now that's where the real job is. Yeah, that's where I deserve a raise!

3 Things

Chelsea Clinton recently discussed current events with a U.S. soldier. She asked if, as an American fighting man, anything scared him.

He told her there were only three things he feared:

1) Osama

2) Obama, and...

3) Yo Mama

5% Cash Back, Part 2

Back in October I told you about the Citi 5% CashReturn Mastercard. The 5% off everything only applies for the first three months, but during the holiday shopping season, we sure racked up the bonus dollars. We charged everything possible including: gas, groceries, property tax*, homeowners insurance, auto insurance, DMV, my $4000 Lasik, and of course shopping. Just in those months, we received three rewards checks totaling over $700!

Since my promotional period expired last month, I had Chrissy apply for another card under her name. So now we have another 3 months of 5%. And it's not like we're overspending just to get the dollars, we're just using it like normal with everyday purchases. And considering the price of gas is going up again, it's nice to know we're getting a little bit back with each pump. 5% may not seem much, but it adds up quickly. You may think it's a hassle to apply (not really, it only takes one week to get your card), but let me tell you, when you get that check in the mail for doing nothing extraordinary, that smile on your face will make it all worthwhile. Yes, free money will do that to you!

Another idea is to spend it on giftcards during the promotional period. If you KNOW you're gonna shop at Safeway, Home Depot, Apple Store, etc. in the future, buy the gift card now and guarantee the 5% savings. This is really a no-brainer. And remember, property tax is coming again. Apply Now.

*Property tax has a 2.5% surcharge for using credit card. You'll still come out ahead 2.5% ($25 savings per $1000). Also, I get zero points/credit for referring you. But if you feel inclined when receiving your rebate check, I'm always free for lunch!

Rainy Friday Fun: I love these games!

HD DVD is dead. Woohoo!

I don't own either product, or even a widescreen tv. Like many of you, I'm sitting on the sidelines until a winner is declared (and for it to pop up on craigslist). Well, this morning Toshiba officially pulled the plug from HD DVD – and I couldn't be happier!

Sony, Panasonic, HP, and Apple are the main backers of Blu-ray. While Toshiba, Universal and Microsoft are on the other side. It's easy to see why I root for Blu-ray. Many of you may be curious as to how the competing formats came to a battle. Would it surprise you that Microsoft was behind it all? Sure, my opinion may have a slant, but if you read the article below, it will spell out exactly how Microsoft tried to use its monopolistic powers to force an inferior, proprietary format.

Origins of the Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD War
Here are some excerpts:

In the late 90s, Apple began work with the ISO to deliver a successor to the MPEG-2 container used by DVDs. Microsoft proposed its own replacement for MPEG-2 based upon a new container file it called the Advanced Streaming Format.

In 1998, the ISO chose Apple’s proven QuickTime container format over Microsoft’s proposed ASF, dashing Microsoft’s plans to use its desktop monopoly power to simply brush aside technical superiority and establish control of the digital media industry by fiat.

By tying specialized new non-standard DVDs to its iHD and Windows Media file formats, Microsoft hoped to eventually earn royalty payments and licensing fees for every movie sold, just as it does for every PC. Additionally, this would also tie HD development into Windows, preventing playback on Linux, Macs, or any other platforms.

Bill Hunt of Digital Bits explained to InternetNews that Toshiba was ready to drop HD-DVD and join Blu-ray in 2005 until an unnamed company, which Hunt believes to be Microsoft, “pressured the company to stick with HD DVD since so much time and money had been invested in it.”

Need I convince you more about who's evil??

In the end, competition is still good for the consumers (unless you're a poor sap that bought HD DVD). Thanks to HD DVD, the prices of Blu-ray players (and Playstation 3) have dropped significantly. Some believe that now with HD DVD dead, Blu-ray prices will drop slower. I don't think so. I think they will continue to drop because of all the sub-$100 upconverting DVD players out there. My guess is that most people aren't going to repurchase their DVD library in HD format, so Blu-ray players won't necessarily be flying off the shelves (although in the wake of Toshiba's demise, Playstation 3 sales have now surpassed Xbox, and is only behind the Wii – article).

Upconverting DVD players (such as the Oppo) will play your standard movies in 720 and/or 1080 resolutions. Most of them only upconvert with HDMI connectors, but a few work with composite inputs also. Be sure you know which one you're getting before you buy. I myself am just learning about these features because our tv can play 1080i, but lack an HDMI port. So the hunt begins.

I'm still carefully researching my choices – and I'm far from being an expert on this subject, so don't totally rely on my opinions. If any of you have any recommendations, I'm all ears. There's no hurry, Mother's Day is still three months away so I have plenty of time to find a good deal on a PS3 or a widescreen tv :)

If you're one of the unfortunate early adopters that bought an HD DVD player, here's Engadget's Top Ten things to do with your now-defunct player.

And one last thing. If your DVD library is comprised of a binder of DVD-R discs, your compressed files may look pixelated on an HD screen. So an upgrade on resolution would actually be a downgrade on viewability.

Oh, I couldn't resist

Vista Print has an offer for one Free Personalized Hat. The hat was free but shipping was $4.91. According to Mr. Cheap Stuff, the hat is not some cheap hat, but it's high quality with an adjustable strap. I selected the cheapest shipping method so I can expect it in 21 days. I have plenty of hats, and I rarely wear them, but to get one personalized and delivered for under five bucks, I couldn't pass this up. If I like it, maybe I'll order some for my kids :) I can't wait to show it to you! It's sure to be a great conversation starter!

It's not just hats, they have other free stuff at Vista Print, check them out.

Who's Your Nerd?

I must say, whenever a friend comes to me and tells me about their peecee problems, I am sad. The selfish part of me wants to say "I told you so!" But the (much larger) sensitive side of me eventually prevails as I console and share their pain. I sympathize with them and try to alleviate their agony by pointing them in the right direction – to the Apple Store.

I also must say that whenever you come to me and tell me you just bought a Vista laptop, a little part of me dies. Really it does. I don't care how cheap it was or how creative you were stacking coupons... as a friend and a reader of my blog, I ask you, "Where is your loyalty? Do you really enjoy stomping on my heart? Does the word 'betrayal' have any meaning? How can you expect our friendship to survive this tragedy?"

I won't name any names, but you know who you are. And my heart bleeds for you. Sniff, I need a tissue...

On Saturday there was an article in the New York Times about some poor sap's brand new Vista laptop crapping out in the first 72-hours to the tune of an $800 repair bill. Below are some excerpts.

Since I had ordered my Dell over the phone, I tried to seek technical support the same way. The Dell answering menu kept directing me to seek help online. After nearly an hour, I finally contacted a human, but there was an infuriating language barrier. It sounded as if the customer representative was repeatedly asking if I’d pressed the “cat slap button.” Then I realized she was referring to the “caps lock” button. I asked where she was. “In the Philippines,” she replied.

I called John C. Dvorak, a prominent columnist for PC Magazine and a podcaster on the Podshow network. “I advise everybody to buy a Macintosh because Apple products are the easiest to use,” he said. “If you own a PC, you have to find a local nerd, a kid, maybe a relative. Every family has one unless they’ve just moved here from a foreign country. That’s the only solution.”

“A geek is someone who bites the head off a chicken,” he notes. “A nerd is a socially inept person with faulty eyewear.”

“We would have made a lot less money off you if you’d come to us and asked what to buy before you decided on the Dell Inspiron 1720,” he said. “I’m not a big fan of new operating systems like Microsoft Windows Vista because you get software bloat. They do some remarkable things. But they also have too many processes going on at the same time, and they often make needless and confusing changes in the way their features are presented.”

This, my friend, could be you – Penny-Wise and Pound-Foolish. Sure, you may save money up front. But at what cost? If I can mimic the voice of Al Sharpton, "Guard your souls, my children! Don't be tempted by the Dell! It will consume you with instability, insecurity and uncertainty! Leading to loss of productivity, credibility, and longevity! Leaving you with feelings of negativity, irritability, and hostility. Flee my children! Flee I say! Lord have mercy!"

For all you nerds out there that have been repairing peecees your whole life for family and friends, I say bravo to you! I wish I had the skills, the patience, and the time to devote to such a thankless job. Um, actually I don't. But I will be sure to send people your way anyway! :)

And to those of you that don't know jack about fixing a computer and is stuck in a nerdless family... it's YOU that I fear for the most. You'll call me and I won't have a clue to what you're talking about. Sorry, I don't have the latest Norton... Sorry, I don't know why your cousin's iPod won't play your WMA files... Sorry, I don't know why they can't hear you on your webcam... – yes, all real questions. I want to help you but we must speaka-da same language first. We must be on the same page. I can't jump your car if you already drove it into the lake...

I may no longer have the faulty eyewear, but I'm still a nerd for many people (all Mac users, mind you). For most of the people I support, many of them don't even need me. With the exception of hardware issues, most problems they figure out themselves. They in fact, are their own nerds – to which makes me a needless nerd to the nerdless! It's a great feeling. But to the rest of you, my heart is still wounded. Although I do have a forgiving heart :)

Free Pancakes Today

For all you moms that have nothing to do after dropping off your kids :) Reward yourself with some free pancakes. They're available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. today only. Click here for to find the nearest IHOP.

Am I the coolest dad or what?!

This Christmas we received our latest piece of fine home furnishing. It was for the boys from their Uncle Ricky (who is single). It was a great gift but with no room in the house, we had to leave it in the cold garage, next to the air hockey table, and taking up a parking spot.

Then after dismantling the Christmas tree, normally a sofa chair would return to that corner. While I was resting after Lasik surgery, I had no energy to move that big heavy chair from upstairs. But instead, I was easily able to move this basketball court from the garage! And it was even easier because Chrissy was at work :)

Oh man, when the boys came home, boy did their faces light up! "That is soooo cool dad!!" It's really been the main attraction of fun, especially for friends and during rainy days. And with the 30 second timer, you can really get a good cardiovascular workout! It sure beats an ugly Nordic Trak! Just last night my mom commented that it was the best toy because it can be played by all ages. Hmm, I wonder if she's been launching basketballs when no one's home...

So far, no damage yet. We've knocked the vent cover off and loosened one of the spindles on the railing, but the netting does a great job containing about 95% of our shots. As long as you're not attempting a fade-away or some half-court heave, there shouldn't be any problems. We've been getting creative by trying different ways to shoot baskets, like sitting on the floor, or in complete darkness, or while holding a child... Needless to say, I hold the record in all categories!

I know in normal households, this would be totally-out-of-the-question in the living room. But surprisingly Chrissy hasn't voiced any complaints about it so far. Maybe because she secretly thinks it's cool too... or maybe because it came from her side of the family... whatever, it's here to stay until the next thing. Now I just need to find room for our air hockey...