Alright...so, given my employer, perhaps I am biased.  But, I have owned only an Ipod (2 actually as my wife has her own), and have been an Itunes user since they were purchased about 2 years ago.

I recently stumbled upon a Halo 3 Limited Edition Zune.  I was originally thinking I would only use this on work trips simply because I can't be seen sporting competitive stuff when I am representing my employer.   

Then, I plugged it in.  First of all...I love the Zune program.  The UI is better than ITunes.  Then, much to my surprise, it converted all of my Itunes.  I figured I was going to have to spend hours burning songs to disk and then reloading them into Zune.  Nope, it converted the lot.  I asked it to sync to my player.  I am pretty sure it uploaded my entire library, all of my photos, and all of my videos.  Even after all that...I still have over 22 gigs left. 

The screen on this thing is HOT.  More colors than Video IPod.  Pictures are clearer.  Videos run more smoothly.  It's sweet. And the Sound.  Wow.  I don't know that I would say the sound is better...however, the default Zune earphones are definitely better.

That's about it.  Just had to share.  IPod is like the Qtip...everyone knows its name.  People use it when talking about all MP3 players.  Even when I talk about Zune, I have to call it Microsoft's Ipod for people to get it.  For all those that knock it...give it a shot before judging.  And...keep in mind that this is version 1.  Version one began as a concept in Feb. 2006.  It launched in November 2006.  10 months to come up with a kick ass device.  It's only gonna get better.

Oh...and a quick note about the IPhone.  People are talking about how revolutionary it is and how it will change the world?  Dude...my Blackjack does all of those things, now.  There have been products that do all of that stuff (pics, internet access, e-mail) for years.  The only difference is that this one is by Apple.  Apple is "cool."  Apple is also overpriced. 

That's my propoganda for the day.  Cheers!

Artice here:

 

After 5 Years In U.S., Terrorist Cell Too Complacent To Carry Out Attack

June 18, 2007 | Issue 43•25

According to cell leader and boat owner Jameel al-Sharif, the potentially devastating operation, which involves breaching the station's reactor core and triggering a meltdown that could rival the Chernobyl disaster, "can wait."

"We remain wholly committed to the destruction of America, the Great Satan," al-Sharif said. "But now is not a good time for us. The season finale of Lost was such a cliff- hanger that we have to at least catch the first episode of the new season. After that, though, death to the infidels."

"Probably," added al-Sharif, who noted that his nearly $6,000 in credit-card debt from recent purchases of a 52-inch HDTV and a backyard gas grill prevents him from buying needed materials for the attack.

Though the members of the cell said that they "live only to spill the blood of crusaders who oppress Muslims," they cited additional reasons for the delay, including an unexpired free Netflix trial and nagging lower-back pain.

"I think I'm entitled to a little time to fully enjoy the in-dash MP3 adapter and heads-up display that Allah, in His infinite wisdom, has seen fit to provide me with," munitions expert Mohammed Akram said of the 2006 Mercury Mariner that is intended to be used as a car bomb during the attack. "Also, I have nine months left on the lease. But after that, I am more than willing to load it with explosives and go to my glory in its all-leather interior and heated seats."

Cell member Sayyid al-Tantawi, a Cairo-born former physics professor who was able to obtain employment at San Onofre as a reactor technician, once routinely worked 18-hour days so he could secretly obtain security codes and detailed schematics of the facility. But since his promotion to senior project manager last November, al-Tantawi has grown accustomed to perks such as higher pay, mandatory vacation time, delegation of responsibilities, and long lunches with other managers.

"Don't get me wrong, I totally wish swift and painful death to all American pigs, especially that jerk [general manager] Dave [Landis]," al-Tantawi said. "But I'm no longer the new guy—why bust my ass all day long anymore? When I get home after a day at work, I don't savor staying up all night designing dirty-bomb triggering mechanisms like I did when I first got here. Sometimes I just want to pop in a CD by that soulful infidel Chris Daughtry and relax."

Al-Tantawi added that due to the sedentary nature of his job, he would have to "lose a few pounds, Allah willing" before being able to fulfill his most challenging task: infiltrating the reactor's spent fuel storage area and draining its coolant, thereby triggering a fire and releasing radioactive material.

Indeed, general preparedness appears to be the cell's greatest stumbling block.

"Five a.m. is when the facility is most vulnerable to attack, when the morning shift security personnel replace the overnight crew," said Adib Dhakwan, the cell's second-in-command. "Unfortunately, Starbucks doesn't open until six, and I don't know about you, but if I don't have that first cup of coffee, forget it."

Despite the terrorists' successful assimilation into American society, the FBI has been monitoring the activities of the "San Clemente Six" since late 2005. According to declassified intelligence documents, the cell's status was recently downgraded to "low risk," due in part to a near absence of cell phone chatter to parties other than Moviefone, and last month's online purchase of a hammock.

Well...it appears someone has been reading my blog (note: anytime I say something and read about it being implimented somewhere, I assume it's because someone has read my blog).

 

NY Times Artice 

 

Anyway, apparently, some states are beginning to experiement with merit pay for teachers. 

 

Currently, most teachers are based on the number of years they have been teaching as well as the amount of college coursework they have completed.  Coursework, specifically, is one of the reasons teacher's unions whine about how teachers need to make more money.  They are forced to continue their education.  Fair...but, still...why pay someone more when they are still terrible at their job. 

 

Ah...merit pay.  The practice of paying someone based on the job that they do.  If you are successful, you make more money.  If you're not, you don't.  Seems simple, right?  Apparently not. 

 

I heard about this on the radio today while listening to Sytman and Boze (who you can't listen to online, by the way...so they only get me during the commute which is a shame cause I enjoy the show).  It surprised me at just how many people called in to say this was a stupid idea.  The ones saying it was stupid also said they were currently or had been teachers.  Reasons that it was stupid; 1) Instead of working together, teachers will compete with one another for bonuses, 2) There are too many factors (ie: parenting and background) that influences a student's success.  The teacher shouldn't be punished for these issues, 3) Next year's class could be totally different than this year's class.  The standards shouldn't be the same every year.

 

Huh, wha?  Seriously...where to these people get off thinking they should be held to different standards than the rest of us working folk?  My job can change daily.  I am still held to the same results.  As time goes on, I don't adjust my committments so that they are easier.  I make them harder so I can constantly improve.  If I don't meet my goals, I don't get paid.  That's how it works. 

 

Now, granted, some schools will have different standards than others.  If you are teaching English in Bellevue to a bunch of rich white kids, I'm not sure you should be paid the same amount as the teacher teaching in Spanaway or Lakewood or even Tacoma where the population is much more diverse and the income gap is much more pronounced.  But...that Spanaway, Lakewood, or even Tacoma teacher should still be held to certain standards.  X number of kids should still pass, and not a social pass, either.  They should be able to read.  The should be able to perform basic algebra.  And, they should be able to graduate and get a job so that we don't have to support them through the welfare system. 

 

As I have said many times...I support paying teachers more.  But, ONLY if they are successful.  Which, right now, in the State of Washington, is not the case.  Yes, there are great teachers out there. But, there are also crappy ones that can't be fired due to the freakin' teacher's union that I despise so.  Maybe...if we start paying out some performance bonuses to those with the 95-100% promotion rate, the others will either step up or get out.  Or...maybe it will make them easier to spot so we can fire their asses. 

 

 

 

---

Yeah, yeah...I know it came out a while ago.  2 things.  a) remember...I don't go to the theatre that much, anymore.  b) it has taken a while to consider myself "ready" to see this movie.  Still don't know if I'm ready for United Flight 93. 

 

So...World Trade Center.  Great freakin' movie.  This movie wasn't so much about the terrorist attacks of 9/11.  This movie was more about what we did afterwards.  It was about how a city worked through the nights after the attack to pull out 20 living souls from the wreckage.  It's about the ex-Marine who left his comfy home in some rural area (forgot where they said now), put his uniform back on and, on his own, started searching the wreckage.  And, it's about the families of those that were trapped.

 

The movie didn't focus on the attacks.  In fact, other than a shadow crossing a NY highrise, we didn't even see the planes.  News reports were shown as they were watched to remind us of how we all felt on that day (holy crap...I still get choked up even right now when I think about it).  It starts with some members of the Port Authority PD, getting ready for the morning shift.  They are following their regular routine when a shadow quickly passes over them.  The Police Officer looks up, and that's when we see the shadow cross the building.  We follow another Police Officer, and we hear a boom followed by a seconds long "what was that pause" before the building shakes with the shockwave.  "What the hell was that?" faces everywhere.

 

Nicolas Cage plays the Sergent of this particular squad.  Since the original attack on the World Trade Center, his character helped create "the plan" in case anything like that ever happened again.  He and his officers go in, collect some gear, and hope to start helping to evacuate.  Before they can, however...the building collapses.  They are trapped in an elevator shaft.  The movie follows their panic, their courage, their support of one another, and their rescues by the hands of hundreds of PD, Firefighters, and citizens who found themselves nearby. 

 

In a scene that helps me remember why I can't stand George W...Oliver Stone takes us around the world to see how they felt after the attacks.  I remember how everyone stood by us.  Everyone cried with us.  I remember a friend, who was vacationing in Spain.  She was out of her hotel disconnected from the news when it happened.  When she got back to the hotel...the hotel manager met her at the door, said, "I am sorry," and informed her of the news.  I remember how, at that time, I was working in HR at a casino.  The following day, the country observed a moment of silence.  You didn't hear a single mumble or ding or peep during this entire moment.  Casinos are never quiet.  I remember how everyone had their American Flags out.  I remember unity.  Worldwide unity in the face of an act so heinous that nobody could believe it actually happened.  

 

Then, we screwed it up by becoming a bully.  By fighting an enemy that had nothing to do with the attacks.  By sending our troops into harms way against an unrelated enemy instead of focusing on crushing the one that hurt us so deeply.  But, that's all for another blog.

 

This movie helped me remember.  I did not know anyone directly involved in the attacks.  But, as I am sure most people will agree...as Americans, we were all involved.  This movie helped me remember my confusion at how a commuter plane flies into one of the tallest buildings in the world.  My fear when we finally understood that it was no accident.  My anger when I realized that human beings were actually consciously murdering innocent people.  And, my pride in my country.  My faith in my fellow Americans.  And it reminds me of how my belief that humans are naturally good was reborn.  Instead of running away, so many of these men and women ran in.  Ran in to save their fellow people.  God bless them.