Time flies

I don't know about you, but this year has zipped by me. I can't believe we're in July already. At this rate, I'm going to blink and it's going to be Thanksgiving. I really need to figure out how to slow down time. That or find another way of life because this is getting me old, fast. I don't want to be old...

peanut gallery - Too late!

Yeah, yeah... beat you to it. We keep talking these days about sustainable energy. I wonder if there is anything like sustainable living... without being a smelly poor hippie.

iPhone for cool kids

OK, I wasn't going to obsess about this damn phone, but as the day draws nearer (July 11th) I'm thinking more about it. Now, I already have one of the first generation iPhones. It's an 8gig phone that I payed about $299 for. Let me say I have been very happy with it. For once Apple didn't make a product that sucked rocks. Actually, they make pretty nice stuff. I just wish you didn't pay such a large premium for their products.

OK, so what will I get if I stand in line for the new iPhone? Well, for one there's the 3G network. The first gen iPhone works on the EDGE network, which is about the speed of a 56K modem. According to Apple, their 3G iPhone will be about 2.4x faster than the EDGE version. So, not as big a difference as I had hoped. The 3G network is actually able to transfer more data over the air, but the hardware version of 3G that iPhone uses is in the mid range of this data band. Not sure why they didn't go all out. Alright, next up is the integrated GPS. The first gen iPhone used cell towers and a database of wireless access points to figure out where you were. And pinpoint it isn't. It draws a circle about 500ft of where you could be. It's still useful but will not be accurate to a few feet of the new GPS version of the iPhone. Item number three is a slightly better screen resolution. It's almost not worth mentioning as the DPI increase is just 3. It will use a minutely better screen used in the iPod Touch for the production of the new iPhones. I dare anyone to tell the difference. Now the last item is a bit annoying. With the new 3G iPhones you will have to pay more for your AT&T service contract. Basically instead of $20 for the EDGE network usage you can now expect to pay $30 a month for the 3G data plan. That's $240 dollars more over the life of a 2 year contract.

So in the end. I will not be getting the 3G iPhone... maybe. Data transfer rates don't seem to be that much better to justify the upgrade, and there are other things to consider as well. The new 3G iPhone is slightly fatter, and not nearly as slim as the original. And as an owner of the first gen iPhone, I will get to download the new software update, version 2.0 of the OS. So in that sense, I am not missing out on any of the new software functions. And with the new Application Download function, I'm hoping to see a new bevy of interesting software toys to play with through the iPhone. Yes, I may be a bit jealous of a new 3G user. I may feel a bit inferior standing next to someone browsing 2.4x faster than I am. But in the end I'm still using one of the best damn cell phones out there, unlike those losers with a Blackberry. Only the "Man" and people who club baby seals use a Blackberry.

Fuel economy

I was driving into the city yesterday and saw one of these Smart Cars built by Mercedes and man are they small. As you can see by my scientific image above, the Smart Car is as high as 0.718 Gary Colemans. Oddly, right behind it was a Toyota Prius. Man, all these people in their super fuel efficient cars. I was feeling a bit of envy. But honestly, I don't think I would want to be seen driving in a Smart or a Prius. I just don't want to compromise THAT much car. I did a bit of poking around and found some interesting MPG facts.

The Smart Car, in real world use gets about 40 mpg which is pretty nice. You'd expect that from a car that is so tiny with a top speed of about 90 mph. The Prius gets about 45 mpg, and is a bit larger so more practical in my opinion. My BMW 323i sadly gets about 25 mpg. So in the US, these hybrids and mini cars seem to be great when it comes to fuel economy.

Now, we don't use diesel in our cars here, but abroad it does seem to be more common. Diesels are an issue here mostly because of the emission problems. But most of those concerns were 20 years old and solutions have been found by now. So here's the thing. If I purchase a BMW 520d (diesel), which is a much nicer looking and a better performing car than any hybrid or shoe sized car, you get 41 mpg. A Honda Accord diesel gets 52 mpg and a Volkswagen Polo gets 60 mpg conservatively. The somewhat smaller companion, the Volkswagen Lupo gets almost 80 mpg. And none of these cars look gay. Unless we're going to introduce pure electric cars at reasonable prices any time soon, my next car will be a diesel. From a mpg standpoint, it just doesn't make sense to purchase a hybrid. So suck it Leonardo DiCaprio. If you really cared about the environment, you'd be driving around in a monumentally more efficient Lupo.

And screw you Ford and GM for pushing crap cars out for all of eternity. I hope you do flounder and go out of business, because I'm sick and tired of my tax dollars being used to bail-out your cruddy asses for poor business practices and no vision. Goes for you too American Airlines.

Note to girls

When asking a guy "what looks better?" between the cute short dress, or the cute long dress... short dress ALWAYS wins. Now whether or not it's appropriate for visiting the grandparents is a totally separate and in my mind, irrelevant matter.

July 4th

Just got home from seeing our local fireworks display in Manatawny Park. My oldest enjoyed the show while little Katherine took some coaxing to wake her up. Once she was up though boy, she was thoroughly... un-impressed. Not even the loud booms that followed the explosions impressed her much. I think she'd rather have gone back to sleep.

Funny hair

So, I'm in the conference room and there is this woman with one of these hair dews with the round bun on top. So picture a snowman with only 2 spheres... made of hair. Well, she was sitting at an angle where, every time I saw her from the corner of my eye it looked like someone was standing in the doorway. And every time I looked at the doorway, I realized it was just her hair. Good thing she didn't dress her hair dew with a little tiny suit, or else you would think there was a little man on her head all day.

Why, why, why

Things you should never ask me if you are a graphic artist:

"So, I printed these invitations out, but some are on glossy and some on just the 20# paper. I guess the glossy was mixed in the tray. Can I just leave it? Does it matter?"

Ok, a few things wrong with that question.

1. Check your trays before printing you moron.
   
2. NO IT IS NOT OK TO HAVE DIFFERENT PAPER STOCK FOR THE SAME INVITE.
   
3. As a graphic artist you shouldn't have even asked me. You should have just quietly redone the job properly.

"I don't think it's right that they expect us to turn around the requests in the same day. These changes should be done next day, or at least plan a day ahead."

1. Tell our client that. I'm sure Coke will be super impressed with your answer.
   
2. Are you f*cking with me? I may go through multiple changes of said project in the same day. Are you slow in the head?

Ahh, the quiet little warning signs of failure. This kind of thing may seem adorable on a cute girl. Honestly, if you were a girl and had asked me these questions I may have just petted you on the head. Coming from a 6 foot dude that looks like Clay Aiken "with experience"... not so endearing.