Neuros OSD

I received the Neuros OSD yesterday. Check the link to see what it is and you can also get a review at CNET—just do a search and you'll find it on their website.

I just opened the shipping package but not the actual box to the Neuros OSD so I can't actually say anything on the quality of the product physically or for what it actually does. I will post another entry once I get to the meat and potatoes of it.

I've read quite a few reviews and there aren't many complaints, if any, on this thing for transferring video from multiple sources to a hard drive/memory card so I'm expecting big things from this little thing. I am looking for an easier way to capture video off my TiVo or MiniDV to either move to my computer, Zen W, Zune or even a DVD. I have tried to capture video through Pinnacle's USB TV capture contraption and Windows Movie Make. It worked fine but I'd like to be able to do something without having to initially use my computer because it misses me when I'm away from it too long.

Australian Open 2008 Women's Final

It has been decided. The 2008 Australian Open women's final is set. Who will win? I'm hoping for Ana Ivanovic because I cannot stand the screaming/screeching that comes from Maria Sharapova.

The only shrieking I want to hear from either of them is when I have them bent over the dining table...never mind.

They just need to be saying..."JAY! JAY! JAY! YES, JAY!" :-)

Maria Sharapova vs Ana Ivanovic

I Is A Business School Undergrad

So, this is a little late...only by a week or so...but I have been officially accepted into the undergraduate business school at the college that I work. After a semester and month or so of applying, not meeting the minimum GPA of 3.1 by a half grade point, taking an extra class to see if I could raise my GPA, writing an appeal letter after not increasing my GPA, meeting with the undergraduate admissions director, then meeting with the dean of the undergraduate program for him to tell me he's denying my appeal letter but he'll take it to his boss (who just happens to be the boss boss of me) and see what he decides...I have been officially endorsed and accepted by the dean of the business school. Yippee! So, approximately another three years I will be the 40-yr-old undergraduate graduate!

So, the Spring 2008 semester has started and I am officially enrolled in six hours of class or two classes. One should be an easy A- or greater. The other, who knows at this point. The "A-" course is a basics of photography course that teaches photography with the ancient form of 35mm. The "who knows" course is a business law and ethics course whose book cost me $140 used AND weighs about 20 lbs AND we have to read at least two chapters and a handout between class sessions. I'm not sure I'm into this class but it is part of the business core...go figure...so I have to take it sometime or other. I guess why not sooner than later and besides, it was the only available core course I could fit into my busy work/play schedule. We'll see how it goes.

In conclusion, I just want to let all you middle-aged people out there that it is never too late to get your degree. Although I don't really plan on doing anything with it, I will hopefully, finally complete it in the next three years. It will be nice to say I'm a college graduate even though I don't believe that someone needs a degree to be a competent contributor to ANY part of the workforce. Nor does it mean that one with a degree is better/smarter than one without. What it does mean is that (1) I got my worth out of my free tuition benefit from the college I work at since they pay me peanuts, (2) I will have something that says I came, I saw, I endured, I kicked ass, (3) it looks good for my kids even though I really don't think I need a degree and college is WAY overrated, and (4) I will have a BBA degree from one of the most prestigious schools in the south!

All I have to do now is finish....{fingers crossed}

Australian Open 2008

On the women's draw, I'm hoping someone else wins this year besides Justine Henin or Serena Williams. I'm so sick of seeing the same damn people winning. Of course, I guess that's the whole point of being the top in the game but seeing the same people win major tournament after major tournament gets boring to me after awhile.

On the men's draw, I hope someone takes Roger Federer out of the running. He's a great player but, again, I'd like to see someone else step up and win! Even Rafael Nadal would be a change but I think I'd like to see James Blake take the championship, even Novak Djokovic would be a change even though he's not an American which is why I'd prefer Blake. Hell, I'd even take Jo-Wilfried Tsonga from France. Somebody listen to my yelling at the TV and dethrone Federer and Henin/Williams!

So here's the draw for the women's quarterfinals with pictures. I'd do the men's too but who cares what they look like?!

Justine Henin vs Maria Sharapova


Jelena Jankovic vs Serena Williams


Venus Williams vs Ana Ivanovic


Daniela Hantuchova vs Agnieszka Radwanska

Mark Cuban is rich

...if you didn't know that already.

They had an article at DallasNews.com regarding people fighting the property tax appraisals. They say most people don't fight it because they are too busy or their mortgage company or trust fund or whatever handles it.

Even though I'm super jealous that his a gajillion times richer than I'll ever be, it's nice to see Cubes fight for something that the county will secretly suck you dry with. But on the other hand, Cubes is rich.

I guess that's how the rich stay rich or get richer. Stick it to the man, Cubes!

Here's a picture of Cuban's house that they had in the article. Now, why does a man with a wife and two children (I think) need a house THIS fucking big!? You could say that's showing you have more money than you know what to do with but it says it's ONLY appraised for $13.5mil. That's just $2.7mil under Jerry Jones house...which wasn't pictured. I envision it in the shape of a Cowboys star. LOL!

Cici's toys are...OUT THERE!

So, took kids and a friend of theirs to Cici's for dinner. They had the forethought to get some change together before going so they could either play games in the shit hole room they call a game room or use the crap-toy coin machines.

Well after dinner, these are a couple pictures of the strangest ass toys I've ever seen come out of a gumball machine!

I mean who the fuck would want their kids to have something like this. A squeezy-squishy ball with black and/or white maggot warms with a red-orange liquid that I can only assume is supposed to be a blood-type substance.

I guess Cici's did some marketing survey and found that the Mexicans (which predominantly live in the near area and visit Cici's for breakfast, lunch and dinner) preferred to have their kids spend their hard-begged-for-on-the-street-corner quarters. Okay, that was a little harsh and stereotypical but go with it.

Again, I say, "What in the hell?!"

 

 

Pets are like having extra kids

This is my bill from a vet visit four days before Christmas. I was getting the vehicle an oil change and an inspection when the wife called to tell me the dog still looks like she's not doing well. Earlier around 5-6am in the morning, the dog had puked in her cage...twice. She didn't feel like eating and she seemed very lethargic. Hell, by the size of her pukes, I would feel lethargic and not eat!

Anyway, the wife never had a dog before but has had children so you would think she wouldn't freak the hell out at a simple puking. You don't know my wife! So, while I'm waiting and waiting for the vehicle work to be completed so I can go play tennis (this IS a Saturday), the wife keeps calling me to give me a 5-min by 5-min status. It's really freaking annoying! Anyway, she gets the kids so worried as well that now I have to take her to the vet so soothe the kids -- and the g-ddam wife! There goes my damn tennis day...it was a pretty day too!

So, no insurance on pets and three hours later, this is my final tally for them to tell me the dog is fucking A-Ok. All her numbers came back just fine. They gave me anti-nausea pills to give to her before feeding her the iD dog food...a basic, bland food. They also gave her a shot of some solution that's like IV for humans. They put like a liquid bubble under her skin, between her shoulder blades that slowly dissolves into her system, making her feel better

Two days later the dog is running the hell around feeling just hunky dorry! I'm glad I got to spend so much time and money with her two days before.

Christmas gifts

I got this from the wife and kids. It's a leather cross shield necklace from James Avery. It's pretty cool. It comes with clasps that you can take to the store with the necklace and they can connect it all but I decided to just do the whole tying thing...for now.

 

---

I got this "mood head" from a coworker. I think it captures me perfectly. It's Asian-looking and has my moods down pat!

 
 
 
 

StarWars.com

I'm a huge, geeky Star Wars fan(atic). Yes, I admit it. I loved it as a kid. I love it now. I am stoked that my kiddos love it too!

But...

I joined the starwars.com e-news letter years and years ago back when talk of Episode I was coming to fruition. I maintained my reading enjoyment with each installment of the newsletter. I am pretty much done with it now that all the prequels have been made and I believe there is pretty much nothing worth noting about Star Wars these days.

I mean I enjoy reading the books that are coming out although I don't like that these people who are writing them are killing off the core characters from Episodes IV, V and VI. You just don't mess with Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, C3PO or R2D2. I know they can't live forever -- well the human(oid)s anyway -- but you don't kill them off during battles or shit like that.

Anyway, I bring this up because I still get these e-newsletters and they contain a little less worthy content than when the prequels were being made but I'm wondering what the hell for are they sending this shit out?

I don't think they are weekly like they used to be...maybe monthly now or biweekly or random. Who knows? I stopped paying complete attention.

Oh well! Chalk that up to another meaningless, random thought!


By the way...I did read something in the latest e-newsletter that directed me to this link..."The Official Star Wars Blog".

Email humor 01/03/2008

Innocence is Priceless

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex standing in he foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with names with small American flags mounted on either side of it. The seven year old stared at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly "Good morning Alex."

"Good morning Pastor," he replied, still focused on the plaque.

"Pastor, what is this?" he asked.

The pastor said, "Well, son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service."

Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque.

Finally, little Alex's voice, barely audible and trembling with fear, asked, "Which service, the 8:30 or the 10:45?