Kindle Nation Daily: The inside scoop on all things Kindle

The Aladin Prime Dive Computer

Santa Debbie really took care of me this year!  I'll put this through it's paces in a couple more weeks.

Kindle Sets Amazon Sales Record

Android Operating System 2.1 Looks Cool!

Google City Tours

Why should trip planning be any more complicated than opening your browser and entering the name of your favourite city? Six months ago we launched City Tours on Google Labs with the goal of making vacation planning as easy as searching the web. After all, Google knows the top sights in many cities around the world and we've been providing directions on Google Maps for years, so Google Labs seemed to be the perfect way to test out a combination of these two capabilities, with our computing power thrown in to sift through the thousands of possibilities.

Someone With Just A Little Bit More Free Time Than Myself

Spoiled

Well, They Certainly Are Cheerful!

Santa Brought Us A Popcorn Machine!

A big "Thank You" goes out to this Eugene based Santa!

The New Weather Station Is Up!

After 3 hard years the weather station finally gave up the ghost.  Today I set up the new La Crosse Weather Pro WS-2810U-IT and everything seems to be working fine.  You will note I activated the weather Icon on the Right sidebar above the radar map.

The Cocktail Cost Calculator... Or "What Does It Really Cost The Bar To Make Your Drink"

60 Cents!?
 Click on the article title to see how much your drink costs the bar.

An astute observer notes: "Actually this only calculates the pour cost, there is also labor, overhead etc..."

How Long Until Paper Books "Go Away?"

You Don't Need to Regularly Reinstall Windows; Here's Why

One of the most persistent myths about Windows is that you need to reinstall the operating system regularly to keep it running at top performance. Let's take a look at the real problem and how to fix it.

Stop Crime, Chinese Style!

What do you do when you see two purse snatching thieves on a motor-scooter fly by?  Calmly got off your bicycle, picked it up, and then throw it at the crooks!

Is Your Kindle Spying On You?

10 Things You Must Do With Your New Windows 7 PC

Amazon Sold More Kindle Books Than Physical Books On Christmas!

Amazon.com, Inc. today announced that Kindle has become the most gifted item in Amazon's history. On Christmas Day, for the first time ever, customers purchased more Kindle books than physical books.

Christmas Light Wonder Land!

Finally!

After 4 hours we are finally flying.  I am typing this as we head north to Lewiston, Idaho with our final destination being Orofino.  The irony that the total travel time by air will now equal the time it would have taken to drive there is not lost on us.  I am ready to be done travelling!
I was at : Lewiston, ID 83501,

Twas The Night Before Christmas...

And we are sitting in the abandoned Boise Airport.  We were so close!  Boarded, buckled up, whistling Christmas tunes and then the mechanics started rushing the cockpit.  When the power to the entire plane is cut and they are using flashlights to see, you know it's going to be a long night!  We were asked to de-plane and here we sit waiting for an update.
I will keep you posted.
I was at : 2877-3399 W Wright St, Boise, ID 83705,

Christmas Boom... Alright This Has NOTHING To Do WIth Christmas

Ah, The Stupidity Of The Holiday Shoplifter

Your DROID Is About Ready To Get It's Ass Kicked!

What To Look For When You Are Dining Out

Some restaurants use what researchers call decoys. For example, they may place a really expensive item at the top of the menu, so that other dishes look more reasonably priced; research shows that diners tend to order neither the most nor least expensive items, drifting toward the middle. Or restaurants might play up a profitable dish by using more appetizing adjectives and placing it next to a less profitable dish with less description so the contrast entices the diner to order the profitable dish.

Alright Everyone, Time To Stop Paying For Your Anti-Virus Protection

Anti-malware testing group AV-Comparatives.org not only gave Microsoft Security Essentials a top rating for malware removal, but now they've given it their best ranking in their performance test as well.

NORAD Santa Tracker!

For My Sister

And it was on December 22nd that she spoke with a wisdom beyond her 40+ years... "Rather than messy bird strikes portrayed during the holiday season, why not beautiful Christmas lights or various recipes on how to make fruit cake? Just a thought..."

Alright, Just One More Angle

Here is an angle you just won't see anywhere else.

Don't Gross Out The World!

SMF Tops California Airports For Bird Strikes

More bird strikes are reported each year at Sacramento International Airport than any other airport in California.

November to February is the most dangerous time of year for bird strikes at the airport, as winter is the time of year when birds migrate.

Cessna Citation Versus Duck

This is what is left after a 22,000 pound plane meets a 6 pound duck during a landing in Sacramento California.  A sound like a door being slammed, everyone ducking, followed by an uneventful landing.  The good news is the duck never knew what hit him and there was no damage to the plane.  As usual, any event that ends well and produces a good story is always welcome in my book!

At this point some of you may be asking:  Rick what am I looking at here?  The answer my friend is Snarge.

The residue smeared on an airplane after a bird/plane collision. The snarge is generally all that is left of the bird. Every day numerous samples are taken off of airplanes and sent in for DNA testing to help map out what kinds of birds are colliding with airplanes. Both the FFA and military have a vested interest in these results

 

Each day, the Smithsonian Institution's Feather Identification Laboratory receives about a dozen packages from around the country, each containing tissue swabs of snarge for DNA analysis to identify the species of bird. The bird/plane collision data is used to improve aviation safety by having flight plans that are less likely to encounter birds and by engineering more bird-resistant planes. For example, jet engines must now be able to withstand the ingestion of an 8-pound waterfowl without failing (this is tested in the lab by firing a chicken from a cannon at point-blank range).

Stitch Photos Into Panoramas with Free Software

You Better Have Drink Before You Watch This One!

Human Cannonballs Recreate Intel Chime

Evernote For The Droid

Evernote turns your Android phone into an extension of your brain.  This award-winning app lets you remember and recall anything that happens in your life. From notes to ideas to snapshots to recordings, put everything into Evernote and watch as it all instantly synchronizes from your phone to the Web to your PC.

McDonald's Offering Free Wi-Fi Starting in January

I Might Have Heard This One A Few Times In My Life!

Now That's A Horn!

Wanna Necky?

Top 10 Gadgets Of 2009

Just Another Shot Of The Christm... WHAT THE HELL?

The Snow

With each newscast comes news of "The Big Punch" and "Significant Event."  What has really happened is best described as a fine, continuous dust descending from the sky and slowly piling up.  Still plenty cold out and very pretty.

The Return of Retail: Holiday Spending 2009

Looks Like Snow!

The Winter Weather Advisory for snow in the upper Treasure valley of southwest Idaho is now in effect until 5 PM MST Sunday.

* Snow amounts... an inch or so early this morning... then several impulses bringing 3 to 7 additional inches this afternoon through Sunday afternoon.

* Snow levels... surface... rising to 3000 to 4000 feet by Sunday afternoon.

* Winds... light winds.

* Timing... today through late Sunday afternoon.

* Impacts... total snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches through Sunday.

It Just Got Colder! Minus 10 Degrees!

Droid Gets Android 2.0.1 Update Starting Today

Droid owners can expect their promised Android 2.0.1 OTA update to be pushed to their phones within the next 48 hours, if not already. Reported improvements include a fixed autofocus, improved battery life and audio quality, and a new unlock screen.

Click title for list of changes!

Google's New Real-Time Search Streams Breaking News and Live Twitter Updates

Google Has Some New Things In Store For Mobile Devices!

Google Goggles Searches by Sight

Yup, click the title to learn more!

Explore a whole new way to window shop, with Google and your mobile phone

Click on this article title for more information!

Winter Has Arrived!

It snowed last night right before the arctic front arrived.
Currently as I type this it is minus 4 degrees out!

Yea, We Might Live In The Boonies!

The Sound Of Space

DROID update on December 12th!

I was at : 1600-2100 N Locust Grove Rd, Kuna, ID 83634,

Have Yourself A Horribly Traumatic Little Christmas

The Lesson For Today? Centripetal Force

How You Get The Flu

Friggen Cold!

Down in the teens tonight!

Upgraded To Windows 7

Very smooth install and is working like a charm!

The Tree Is Up!

San Francisco Trolley Dash Cam Footage - 1909 (1st Person Perspective)

"Cool!" Does not even begin to do this footage justice!

Indy: The Cat That Fetches!

A first look inside Burj Dubai, the tallest skyscraper in the world, as it nears completion

Kim Jong-Il‘s top ten craziest moments

Yawn

It’s one of the best things you can do for your brain.

Introducing The MASTER Of Lazy!

I'm Stuffed!

Thanksgiving Breakfast? Monkey Bread!

Black Friday Anti-Deals: What Not To Buy

Your Black Friday Tech Deals List!

The Bird: Ready For The Oven!

Growing A Beard?

The colder it gets outside, the more fur you will find on Beo!

The Kindle Gets A Firmware Update

Kindle (Global Wireless) and Kindle (U.S. Wireless)

• Longer battery life for Kindle (Global Wireless): You can now read for up to 1 week on a single charge with wireless on. Turn wireless off and read for up to 2 weeks.
• Built-in PDF reader: Your Kindle can now display PDF documents without losing the formatting of the original file. Send PDF documents directly to your Kindle (via your @Kindle address) or drag and drop PDF files from your computer to your Kindle (when connected via USB). Learn more.
• Manual screen rotation: The Kindle screen can now manually rotate between portrait and landscape views so you can see the entire width of a web page or magnify the page of a PDF file. The page-turn buttons work the same in either orientation, and the 5-way controller movements are switched to match the orientation. Learn more.
• Option to convert PDF files to Kindle format. If you prefer to have your personal PDF documents converted to the Kindle format (so that they can reflow), type "Convert" in the subject of the e-mail when you submit your personal document to your @kindle.com address.

Kindle (U.S. Wireless) and Kindle (Global Wireless) users can go to Archived Items on their Kindle and download the Kindle User's Guide, 4th Ed., which now documents all the features of Kindle Software 2.3.

Getting Ready For Christmas EARLY!

New Apple ads to Verizon: Can Droid do this?

The Muppets: Bohemian Rhapsody

The 20 Best Gadgets of the Decade (2000-2009)

Fishbowl: For All Of You Facebookers Out There

Fishbowl brings Facebook to your desktop.

Experience your Facebook content in new ways with a trial desktop client application that lets you personalize how you read your newsfeed, update status, comment, like, browse and upload photos.

Trial in this case means the software is a tech demo, and Microsoft does not offer customer support... but it works great.

Pigeon: Impossible

BEST OF THE 2000s: COMMERCIALS (NON-SUPER BOWL)

BEST OF THE 2000s: SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS

17 Things Worth Knowing About Your Cat

Yamaha Wants You To Hear The Lexus LFA

Wow!

The Droid Dock

I've Got Something In My Eye

Everybody Has A Skill

You WIll Laugh... Trust Me

The Decade in Seven Minutes

Ninja Cat

The View From The Top Of The World's Tallest Building

Video from the top of Burj Dubai tower - the tallest man-made structure ever built, at 818 m (2,684 ft).

Burj Dubai tower is part of the 2 km2 (0.8 sq mi) center called "Downtown Burj Dubai" at the First Interchange along Sheikh Zayed Road, near Dubai's main business district.

The total budget for the Burj Dubai project is about US$4.1 billion, and for the entire new "Downtown Dubai", US$20 billion

Floor layout:
160-206 Mechanical
156-159 Transmission
155 Mechanical
139-154 Office
136-138 Mechanical
125-135 Office
124 Observatory
111-123 Office
109-110 Mechanical
76-108 Residential
73-75 Mechanical
43-72 Residential
40-42 Mechanical
19-39 Hotel
17-18 Mechanical
5-16 Hotel
4 Hotel, Mechanical
3 Hotel, restaurant
2 Hotel, lobby
1 Hotel, lobby, restaurant
Concourse Restaurant, lobby
B1-B2 Parking, Mechanical

What If Earth Had Rings Like Saturn?

... And Sometimes It All Goes At Once!

November has brought to me the perfect storm of system failures:

- Theater Room HDTV DVR died, replacement arrived but will not boot.  A new one should arrive on Tuesday.

- SLK keeps showing a low pressure warning for the tires even though they are all aired up to 32 pounds.

- Computer that runs the weather station has died, this occurred the week after the wind speed sensor failed on the station.

- All of the media readers on my main computer will not work anymore and each day brings another strange glitch.  I smell a motherboard problem.

- The main line of electricity for the entire backyard has an underground short somewhere.  No power for anything.  We have to run a brand new line.

I think I know what I'll be doing during my next vacation!

Kindle Reader For The PC

Google Sky Map - For Droid Mobile Phone

The universe in your pocket

With Google Sky Map for your Android phone you can discover and browse the night sky just by pointing your phone to space.

By using your Android phone's orientation sensors, we can show you a star map for your location. Explore planets, stars, constellations, and more! Learn the name and location of space objects and impress your friends.

Key Ring - For Droid Mobile Phone

Leave those bulky club cards at home! With Key Ring you can create a digital copy of any club card by simply scanning its barcode or by manually entering the barcode number / membership ID. Key Ring provides logos for over 650 + retailers.

New Toy - The Motorola Droid

Both Deb and I had been waiting for this one! Amazing smart phone. You name it, it does it.

Dos Equis - The Most Interesting Man In The World

Possibly The Wrongest Thing I Have Ever Posted!

Open Wine Without A Corkscrew

It will be very obvious that the last thing this guy needs is more wine! However, he does get it open.

MyLifesIsAverage

Yesterday, I was handing out candy when a costumeless boy came up and wondering what he was, I asked. He looked at me with a straight face and said, ''I'm a serial killer. We look like everyone else.''

About MyLifeIsAverage

MyLifeIsAverage is a place to share your everyday mediocrity. It is a place to post the mundane things in your life, and read about what makes life normal for other people.

We believe that for every fail story, or good story, there are about a million normal stories. So tell the world what makes your life average. Anyone can submit a story, because everyone's lives are unexciting and insignificant at some time or another.

Bobby Denning Furniture

Cuban Gynecologist

Fast Food Folk Song (at the Taco Bell Drive-Thru)

Yes! the guy's reaction is totally authentic. He had no idea we were coming, and he really got the order right (almost right). We couldn't believe it either, so we understand the questions....

LYRICS:
Iʼll start with a taco, soft like a cloud
I want mine crunchy, I like to eat loud.
Iʼll choose a chalupa, Iʼll grab a gordita,
and two taco salads for our senoritas.
And a Burrito Supreme, with extra sour cream
Itʼs a cylindrically shaped seasoned beef dream.
A taquito. An enchirito. Some cinnamon twists.
A chicken border bowl. Are you gettinʼ all this?

And you know that nothing beats a
hmmm, mmmm...Mexican Pizza...
Weʼll take two of those, but please hold the diced tomatoes.
And I admit, Iʼve always felt,
like Iʼm in love with the meximelt.
Make mine with a little extra love, and think of me...
as the cheese drops from your Taco Bell glove.
and thatʼs it.

No! Iʼm not done...Iʼll also take a...

Double-decker taco cause Iʼm feeling wild
And make my sauce Fire. Uh, heʼll take mild.
and weʼll take two Mt. Dew Baja blasts
for a chance at 25 dollars cash
Iʼm told thereʼs a winner for every 5 minutes
Iʼm stealing your online code if you win it.
Why would you do that? You owe me 25 bones
I owe you 5. Plus interest--it was a loan.
And I think weʼll be satisfied, if we get some mexican rice on the side.
And thatʼs it.

Honesty Is The Best Policy

How To Destroy A Warehouse!

iTouch or iPhone Photo App!

Nikon is pleased to offer our consumers a new way to access the educational and editorial content found on NikonUSA.com. Nikon’s new Learn & Explore iPhone application now makes this material available to you, whether you are taking pictures close to home or in the field.

From beginning photographer to experienced enthusiast, you are sure to find information on Learn & Explore that is of interest to you—and now that information can go where you go.

Read an article on getting the most from your travel photography while you’re on vacation. Check information on adjusting depth of field or selecting the right shutter speed when you’re taking photos at your child’s sporting event. Access advice on the right aperture for shooting photos indoors when you’re attending a wedding. It’s all there on the Learn & Explore iPhone app. Photography information at your fingertips.

In addition to articles on the fundamentals of photography and various shooting techniques, you can read the four latest issues of Nikon World magazine, complete with images and audio slideshows. Need the definition of a photography term? Check out the Photography Glossary.

The Learn & Explore iPhone app is continually updated with new articles and information. It’s a must for any enthusiastic photographer.

Mount Hua

Hua Shan or Mount Hua is one of the five sacred mountains of China. It is a protected national park about a half day's drive outside Xi'An, capital of Shaanxi Province. It was a place of refuge for Tao hermits and monks for centuries and may even be where The Tao originated thousands of years ago...

Click on this article title for a great shot of the Gondola!

The Dangerous Huashan Hiking Trail

Click on "The Dangerous Huashan Hiking Trail" after watching the movie!

The Boys

Yeah, there's a mouse pad under there somewhere!

You WILL pet us more... You WILL feed us fresh meat... You WILL get us MORE TOYS!!!

This just showed up! Not A Single Leaf On Any Tree, Or Anywhere In The Yard!

The Wind Advisory is now in effect until 3 am MDT Tuesday.

A cold frontal passage is expected across the Owyhee Mountains 7
to 8 PM... the eastern portion of the upper Treasure valley 9 to 10
PM and the Magic Valley shortly after midnight. Gusty southwest to
west winds to 30 or 40 mph look to precede the front then west to
northwest winds gusting around 45 mph are expected with and behind
the front for an hour or two. Local gusts to 55 mph and blowing
dust reducing visibilities to a mile are possible.

The Tallest & The Shortest

Golf Trick Shots

NewsMap

Newsmap is an application that visually reflects the constantly changing landscape of the Google News news aggregator.

A treemap visualization algorithm helps display the enormous amount of information gathered by the aggregator. Treemaps are traditionally space-constrained visualizations of information. Newsmap's objective takes that goal a step further and provides a tool to divide information into quickly recognizable bands which, when presented together, reveal underlying patterns in news reporting across cultures and within news segments in constant change around the globe.

Newsmap's objective is to simply demonstrate visually the relationships between data and the unseen patterns in news media.

Google News automatically groups news tories with similar content and places them based on algorithmic results into clusters. In Newsmap, the size of each cell is determined by the amount of related articles that exist inside each news cluster that the Google News Aggregator presents. In that way users can quickly identify which news stories have been given the most coverage, viewing the map by region, topic or time. Through that process it still accentuates the importance of a given article.

This Video Is Wrong... But You Will Laugh

Color Home Movies From 1956 & 58

Ninite Make Installing Apps A Snap!

The easiest way to get apps.

1. Pick the apps you want.
2. Start your customized installer.
3. You're done!

Ninite runs on Windows XP/Vista/7 and works
in the background 100% hands-free.

We install apps with default settings and
say "no" to browser toolbars and other junk.

All we do is install the latest versions of the apps
you choose. Not even Ninite is installed.

Want to see how it works? Read a step-by-step
walkthrough at How-To Geek or Simple Help.

When it was in private beta, Ninite was called Volery.

Random October Photos