Skip's Rambling

Friday, February 27, 2009

The Word "Salary" Comes From "Salt!"

Salt, our oldest preservative, was extremely rare in the past. So rare, in fact, that it was often used as pay. Imagine...earning a couple of tablespoons of salt for a hard-days work. Today, salt is so common that restaurants give it away for free, and packaged food contains so much that it's far too easy to eat too much salt (salt is also known as "sodium").

From Nutritianl Management Services.

Skip at 6:00 AM

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

DiamondCS NET CHECK allows you to quickly and easily test the status of your Internet connection by attempting one (or more) DNS resolve and TCP connection tests. Simply run the program and press the Start button to activate the tests. The DNS test allows NetCheck to test if your system can currently resolve Internet addresses to their respective numeric IP addresses, and the TCP test determines if your system is able to connect to servers on the Internet. It's free. Check out Net Check!

Skip at 6:00 AM

Monday, February 23, 2009

Another share of one of my MP3s. I set up a new one once a week and give you seven days to check it out. After that it will be gone and replaced by a new selection. Please don't link to this. Just click on the link and save it. Until I can make some money and buy some, if you get the message BANDWIDTH exceeded, just try again tomorrow. For this week:

Linkin Park
"Minutes To Midnight"
(explicit language)
or you can try here too!

I was totally unprepared this week and at a loss as to what to pick for sharing. That brought to mind the 2007 Linken Park release of an album called "Minutes to Midnight" Without any more comment, other then there is a word the kids probably have heard, here is the lead track for which the album is named "Minutes to Midnight". If you enjoy it check out the wiki.

Skip at 6:00 AM

Friday, February 20, 2009

From PCWorld.com: 10 Ways Microsoft's Retail Stores Will Differ From Apple Stores Brennon Slattery, PC World Feb 13, 2009 10:20 am Microsoft announced plans to open retail stores, hoping to boost visibility of many of its products and its brand. The move seems to be an effort to mimic the success that Apple has had with its retail stores. The news is just too tempting not to have some fun with. So here are some yet-to-be-officially-revealed details about the Microsoft stores. 1) Instead of Apple's sheer walls of glass, Microsoft's stores will have brushed steel walls dotted with holes -- reminiscent of Windows security. 2) The store will have six different entrances: Starter, Basic, Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. While all six doors will lead into the same store, the Ultimate door requires a fee of $100 for no apparent reason. 3) Instead of a "Genius Bar" (as Apple provides) Microsoft will offer an Excuse Bar. It will be staffed by Microsofties trained in the art of evading questions, directing you to complicated and obscure fixes, and explaining it's a problem with the hardware -- not a software bug. 4) The Windows Genuine Advantage team will run storefront security, assuming everybody is a thief until they can prove otherwise. 5) Store hours are undetermined. At any given time the store mysteriously shuts down instantaneously for no apparent reason. (No word yet on what happens to customers inside). 6) Stores will be named Microsoft Live Retail Store with PC Services for Digital Lifestyle Enthusiasts. 7) Fashioned after Microsoft's User Account Control (UAC) in Vista, sales personnel will ask you whether you're positive you want to purchase something at least twice. 8) Xbox 360 section of the store will be organized in a ring -- which will inexplicably go red occasionally. 9) DreamWorks will design a scary in-store theme park ride called "blue screen of death." 10) Store emergency exits will be unlocked at all times so people can get in anytime they want even if the front doors are locked.

Skip at 6:00 AM

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Google may be good at many things, but people search is not one of them. For that you’ll have to use a more specialized search engine. Several have been available for a while but very quietly a new player has been making serious headway in this search vertical, and it’s name is Pipl.com. Going by ComScore’s December numbers, Pipl is leading in the US with 557K unique users. How has Pipl pulled this off? Matthew Hertz, the company CEO, tells says it’s mostly word-of-mouth. It’s a simple answer but it rings true. Just take it out for a spin and you’ll see why. In fact it’s so good it’ll probably scare some people’s pants off when they see what information it is able to—legally—drudge up. Check it out!

Skip at 6:00 AM

Monday, February 16, 2009

Jason Mraz "I'M YOURS" or you can try here too!

A while back I posted this: I like to watch Austin City Limits on PBS and a couple of years ago, I tuned in to a show with Jason Mraz. I was totally engaged by his music and quite taken with the strange last name. He was here in Toronto just last week at Massey Hall with Lisa Hannigan. I thought it a good time to share another tune from him. Here is a cut from his newest album "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things" called "Make It Mine". Check out his official site and his myspace Now Jason has has had the song I'm sharing this week, picked as a Grammy Song of the Year. It puts him in in the same heights as Cold Play (who won) and Kanye West. From the same album, here's "I'm Yours". Enjoy!

Skip at 6:00 AM

Friday, February 13, 2009

A repost from the last Friday 13th:

Friday the 13th — Paraskavedekatriaphobia
A word derived from the Greek words for Friday and thirteen, and phobia — a specialized form of triskaidekaphobia, a fear of the number thirteen.

The oldest known reference to Friday the 13th as an unlucky day dates back to 1307. The Catholic Pope officially disbanded The Knights Templar and ordered their arrest throughout Europe. The Knights were a dedicated order of Catholic Monks who had battled for Christianity and were known for their willingness to give their lives for their cause. They were arrested on false charges in a scheme devised by the King of France to gain access to their vast wealth. Over the next 5 years, the Knights were tortured and their Grand Master was burned at the stake in 1311.

While these origins of the Friday the 13th legend may be speculative, it’s widely believed to be the first reference to the day as an unlucky day.

Both the number thirteen and Friday have been considered unlucky. But don't be a victim. Just go with the flow and have a good Friday the 13th.

Skip at 6:00 AM

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Font Squirrel features free, quality fonts that are licensed for commercial work. These are all top quality, handpicked fonts. It's sorted by style and they've got nice previews of each font. Commercial fonts can quickly get very expensive so perhaps you can save a few hundred dollars this way. This is a site you will want to bookmark for sure. Visit Font Squirrel.

Skip at 6:00 AM

Monday, February 09, 2009

The Hidden Cameras
"Death Of A Tune"
or you can try here too!

Back in 2006 The Hidden Cameras released a great album called "Awoo" It was under appreciated. I still play the album regualrly. From the album here is the lead track "Death of a Tune". It is just one of 13 you will want to own. I hope you enjoy it and check out the wiki if you do.

Skip at 6:00 AM

Friday, February 06, 2009

The British government is launching the citizenship test for foreigners who want to become British. If you want the passport, then you'll have to read Life in the UK, a special book, and sit a 45-minute test on society, history and culture. But do you know what it is to be British? The following, very unofficial, questions are based on information in the official book. For some Friday FUN let's see how well you do by taking the unofficial BBC Test. I managed a pass. How did you do?

Skip at 11:04 AM

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

AUDACITY is a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux and other operating systems. You can use Audacity to Record live audio. Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs. Edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files. Cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together. Change the speed or pitch of a recording. And more it's FREE! See the complete list of features by going THERE!

Skip at 6:00 AM

Monday, February 02, 2009

Tegan and Sarah
"The Con"
or you can try here too!

Some more Canadian content with Tegan and Sarah, twin sisters, singers, and sonwriters. They released an album called "The Con" back in 2007. I shared "Back In Your Head" with you back in September 2007 and since the album is still in my playlist, I decied to share another. From the album here is a share of the title tune called "The Con". This is their fifth album now but it's on a major label that should get them much more deserved exposure. Check them out at their own site. I'm sure you will enjoy this one.

Skip at 6:00 AM