The Smorgasnerd

A combination of "Huh. Who knew?" and procrastinaton

2012-01-27T18:12:00.000-08:00

So, I'm doing a cake-baking booth for a Relief Society activity on Saturday (that's tomorrow). I had all these grand plans about how I would prepare gradually over the week, so I didn't have to crunch it all on Friday. Well, all of you who know me can probably predict about how well that turned out (although I did get all the buttercreams made ahead). Today I've made Vanilla Bean Financiers, Golden Financiers, and Lemon Poppy Seed Cake, PLUS I've taken the kids for a good walk, kept up on the dishes, and dinner is in the oven. Who knew I could pull off that much in a day? (Hint: Not me.) On the other hand-- I'm never procrastinating this much baking down to one day ahead again.Not ever. I've been standing in front of my stand mixer and scale all day! It does smell GOOD though...

What's for dinner?

2012-01-23T16:15:00.000-08:00

Djej Emshmel. With apricots, extra garlic, and chickpeas. And rainbow couscous. Oh yeah!

As an after-thought, why is it, Google, that if I search for an image of Djej Emshmel, this is one of the top results?

P.S. Take that, SOPA!

If there's anything I'm NOT going to do tonight...

2012-01-21T20:41:00.001-08:00

it's going to be obsessing over the South Carolina Primary. No sirree Bob.

Oh my...

2012-01-17T14:31:00.000-08:00

I watched part of the Republican debate last night (the one in South Carolina). I didn't get to see all of it-- it was approaching the dudes' bed time, and we all sit down together and watch a show then. Anyway, I asked Will this morning if he had watched any of it (mostly he was horse-playing with Ethan). He said he did see a little, and then he said "And I learned something. I learned that America is almost destroyed."Ah, politicians.

Well then.

2012-01-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

We have survived the craziness that is buying a house right before the holidays kick off. Should you have the option and are on the fence about doing so, I do not recommend it. BUT-- I love my house. :) SO. Regular reading, living, and blogging shall now recommence. Starting with reading the returns from the Iowa caucuses. And should you need another reason to start poking around here, things like this will start popping up more often too:

What Denise is reading this week...

2011-09-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

The labels of packing boxes. Not a fan. Box-labels are not high literature, Surrender is Not an Option, however, was great. I would vote for John Bolten for president, should he ever run, if for no other reason than his evident delight in ticking off bureaucrats.

WFIRA!

2011-09-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite things on the internet: Women fighters in reasonable armor. (Yes, I'm a nerd, but we've already established that, haven't we?)
You see, I like sci-fi. And fantasy. And video games. And I'm used to seeing women wearing "armor" that's not only not protecting any vital organs, but leaving them out there for the whole world to see. These pictures are not those pictures. And they rock. AND there's a whole BUNCH of Eowyns, my favorite lady in literature. Good nerdy stuff:)

What Denise is Reading this Month

2011-09-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

Real estate papers. And bank statements. And inspection reports. And Surrender is Not an Option, just for some motivation.

What Denise is Reading this Week

2011-08-10T15:29:00.001-07:00

The news. Who isn't? But when I can't stand it any more, I switch over to The Blight Way, by Patrick McManus, who's been one of my favorites since I was 7 or 8. James and I are also reading Chalice, by Robin McKinley.

What Denise is reading this week

2011-08-02T21:03:00.000-07:00

Spindle's End, by Robin McKinley. McKinley is one of my favorites for sheer get-lost-in-it stories. I read her when I want to get away from things for a bit. Spindle is one of my favorites. It's a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, and completely engrossing.
I think you can probably tell a lot about my mood by what I choose to read any given week. I think the more relaxed I am the more I go in for classics or non-fiction. When I start burying my nose in the (digital) pages of fantasy land, I tend to be more stressed.

Dilemma

2011-08-01T21:51:00.001-07:00

We're looking at buying a house. I need something like an abacus to weigh all the pros and cons. Land to run, space inside, good vs. average schools, old vs. new... argh.

Gabrielle Giffords

2011-08-01T21:49:00.001-07:00

is back voting in the House today. Good for you, Ms. Giffords!

What Denise WAS reading this week

2011-07-27T22:18:00.000-07:00

FinishedPride and Prejudice. I also readTreasure Island last week. Mom and Dad bought TI for me when I was ten, and I read that book to literal pieces. I might still have a couple bits laying around. Yay for Kindle freebies!

What Denise is Reading this Week

2011-07-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

After the grimmest opener I've ever read (including Poe), I decided against the Riverworld series (although thanks anyway, Alex!). Maybe it would have been better not to start with To Your Scattered Bodies Go. I am reading another Kindle freebie-- Pride and Prejudice. I can already hear the gasps of indignation from sundry girl friends who can't believe I've never read it before:). But so far I like it quite a bit. To be perfectly honest, I put it down with every intention of deleting it after that first conversation with Elizabeth's mother (who is insufferable). But I persevered, and perseverance is rewarded!

What should Denise read this week?

2011-07-22T12:59:00.001-07:00

I don't have any bright ideas for what to read this week, folks. So I'm taking suggestions in the comments. Please!

As requested...

2011-07-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

The table in all its done glory:)

Sorry about the weird angle. It's so shiny I was having a hard time finding a place without glare:)

Table!

2011-07-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

Our table is nearly done! It just needs a gloss coat over the top... which is no trivial thing, and will have to wait for the next hot week, as it needs to cure in 70+ degrees for a few days. Things learned: we make cool things, hardwood tongue and groove is cool to work with, and measuring twice is NOT SUFFICIENT.

What Denise read and is reading this week...

2011-07-10T22:08:00.000-07:00

I read Reckless Endangerment, by Gretchen Morgenstern and Joshua Rosner. Good book, if you like watching train wrecks. Reckless is about the 2008 crash. It explains how it happened, who was involved, and the trail of terrible decisions that led to the whole mess. And I don't even want to think about it. If you want to know what in the world happened, and don't mind being sickened by what you learned, by all means pick it up. It's a dang good piece of journalism in book form.
After that, I felt in need of something lighter, so I'm reading Thirteenth Child, by Patricia Wrede. She's been one of my favorites since I was 14. There's nothing heavy or earth-shaking or particularly enlightening, just some fun escapism. Which is nice after slow-mo train wrecks:).

What Denise WILL be reading this week

2011-06-29T21:42:00.000-07:00

Reckless Endangerment, by Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner. I would be reading it now, except the screen on my Kindle broke. A new one will be here tomorrow (FREE! Thanks Amazon!), at which time furious reading will commence. Alexander Hamilton was very good. I love how reading about the Founding 235 years ago makes me understand what's going on today more thoroughly. Sometimes it's comforting, sometimes it's profoundly disquieting, but in any case I like understanding. Anyway, Hamilton didn't deserve the bad reputation that he has. He was brilliant, occasionally nearly prophetic. He was also brash, heedless,and often incapable of self-control. In several very real ways, he saved the country. People call George Washington the father of the country. Chernow calls Hamilton the father of the government. The first 4 presidential administrations were far more fluid and uncertain than people tend to think. The whole American experiment almost came crashing down several times-- and many of those times, either Hamilton himself or one of his policies stepped in and saved it. Which is all the more remarkable considering he wasn't a huge fan of the Constitution to begin with. He just figured it was the best compromise that was likely to come out of Philadelphia, and once it was put to the vote, he did everything he could to make it the law. Good for him. A good statesman (as opposed to a politician) should know a good compromise when he sees one. Hamilton also gave the U.S. its very first s*x scandal-- and spent the rest of his life making it up to his wife. She was blissfully happy with him. Would that more men who cheated followed his example. Anyway, kudos to Hamilton (and Chernow-- it's a VERY well written book). Voracious reading will recommence tomorrow!

What Denise is reading this week...

2011-06-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow. Pretty darn good. The author seems to have a touch of hero worship, which is never ideal in a biographer, but considering Hamilton's reputation, perhaps having a biography like this a cosmic justice. Anyway, Hamilton was a fascinating person. Contradictory (yet principled), loyal (but instigator of the first great American s*x scandal), brilliant (but got himself killed in a duel, of all things). Alexander Hamilton is a thoroughly enjoyable read, and makes you see current politics in a completely different light-- as, really, all books on the Founders and early America should. If for no other reason than perspective.

Alaska!

2011-06-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

Apparently it IS possible to forget just how beautiful Alaska is. It reminds you quickly, though. We went up for a week, during which time I got absolutely covered in mosquito bites, slightly tanned (yes, I'm telling the truth), and thoroughly relaxed. We saw some old friends, and it was wonderful to see James' family-- we had a lot of fun, even though I think Ralph underestimated the amount of chaos two hyper little boys could cause:).

Alaska is QUIET. And it has a way of reminding you what's important and what's not. Life readjustment is now commencing:)

What Denise read LAST week

2011-05-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

We were in Alaska last week, which meant plenty of fun time, family, mosquitoes, and Kindle time, but no internet. So here's what I read/ am reading.

Speaker for the Dead, by Orson Scott Card. This is the sequel to Ender's Game, which I have never read (too much CIP-- Children In Peril-- to make comfortable reading for yours truly), but which James assures me is fantastic. Speaker for the Dead is quite readable on its own, but then, James had already told me what happened in Ender's Game. Either reading EG or giving its Wikipedia page a read is recommended. Speaker is a murder mystery/sci-fi/xenoanthropology study all in one-- and it's very very good. A+!

Xenocide is the next book in the series. It's also good, but I'm not very far into it yet.

I'm also working on What Would the Founders Do, by Richard Brookhiser. He writes for National Review, one of my long-time favorites, so I had high hopes for this one. The fact that I'm still trying to get through it should tell you guys something. I was hoping for a fair bit of Constitutional analysis combined with Founder-lore... but this is not it. There were what, 70-odd founders? The book's title is a faulty premise-- about the ONLY thing that the Founders agreed on were the two documents they signed-- the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Everything else is up for grabs, and good heavens, they grabbed. To my mind, the only way to answer any question like "what would they do?" is to go back to the Declaration and Constitution and what they said about, and work from there. But Brookhiser (who had listed something like 30 questions so far) simply takes anecdotes from a Founder or two's lives which purportedly answer the question (sometimes this works, sometimes not). That answers what a given Founder would have done (maybe), but it can hardly be said to answer what the group as a whole would have done. Some of the stories are neat, and I'm glad to have read them, buuuut... WWFD earns a solid C.

What Denise is reading this week...

2011-05-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

More Sherlock Holmes! His Last Bow, to be precise. I'd seen that earlier and mistaken it for the story in which Sherlock "dies",so I didn't bother to get it as I'd already read it not long ago. Serves me right-- there's some neat stories in there. Incidentally, Arthur Conan Doyle grew to hate writing Sherlock Holmes stories-- hence him killing Sherlock by having Moriarty dump him over the edge of Reichenbach Falls. Sherlock was so popular that Doyle was forced to bring him back in not just one, but four volumes. Two were collections of short stories, and I believe the last two novels were written post-Reichenbach as well, including my favorite Sherlock story of all, The Hound of the Baskervilles. There's no beating The Hound for sheer creepiness in the Holmes canon.

I also read Do the Work-- an interesting (and, be warned, occasionally profane) treatise on just getting something done. I quite enjoyed the read-- and if I had a smidgen of artistic talent, I'd draw/paint/pastel the opening image and hang it on my fridge for motivation. Maybe I'll commission Amanda...

What Denise is reading this week...

2011-04-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

And a follow-up! I'm currently reading Around the World in Eighty Days, by Jules Verne. I'm not far enough in it to offer any opinion other than I like the character names.
Follow-up: With Malice Toward None is great. As was Lincoln. The poor man was out of his depth-- but he pulled himself together, pulled it off, and saved a nation. Bravo, Mr. President.

What Denise is reading this week...

2011-04-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln, by Stephen B. Oates. It's very good. And instructional. If there's one thing that everyone who knew Abraham Lincoln agreed on, it's that his integrity was unimpeachable. Ah, for a politician that couldn't be bought! It's interesting to see, though, that Lincoln really was a politician. He was, at times, a partisan hack. Just an honest partisan hack. That makes all the difference. Also, for all the weirdness you hear about Abraham Lincoln's marriage, they evidently loved each other very much (so far anyway. I'm only to 1860). And Lincoln was a slob. He kept documents for his law practice in drawers, on tables, in boxes, in his stovepipe hat (apparently all kinds of stuff got stashed up there-- his partner said it was "[Lincoln's] desk and memorandum book), and in a little packet on his desk marked "when you can't find it anywhere else look into this". Neither he nor his partner Herndon ever bothered sweeping, and Lincoln liked to eat fruit like oranges and cherries for lunch and then spit the seeds on the floor. One law student who had been in their office said that the floor was so literally dirty that some of the seeds actually sprouted.
Politics right before the Civil War were explosive. Congressmen were duking it out on the House floor in Congress, showing up drunk for votes, and threatening the opposite sides with predictions of the end of American civilization if what they wanted to happen concerning slavery failed to come to pass. Probably not too different from now, other than I don't recall a recent fist fight.

What Denise is reading this week...

2011-04-03T22:07:00.001-07:00

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne.

What Denise is reading this week...

2011-03-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Again! Oh how I love free Kindle books:) Anybody have a suggestion for some good nonfiction? Preferably where the good guy doesn't die at the end (Amanda:) ).

New weekly feature: What Denise is reading

2011-03-04T14:29:00.000-08:00

This week, it's Etiquette, by Emily Post. It's quite interesting. Some of the rules are arcane, some make sense, and some are just cool. And, as a linguistic bonus, you find out how the English word "etiquette" comes from a Scot gardener trying to keep some French courtiers off his grass. Good stuff.

Super Ethan

2011-03-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

To all our splendiferous commenters

2011-02-28T22:23:00.000-08:00

I didn't realize that comment moderation was turned on:). All your comments are now posted-- and we really appreciate them. We'll respond in the original postings. And, apropos of nothing, we discovered tonight that the BEST canned tomatoes for pasta are sold at the Cash & Carry in Everett. Not too sweet, not too acidic-- makes for perfect sausage spaghetti.

Boys and Girls

2011-02-24T13:11:00.001-08:00

Will is friends with some 5 year old twin girls who live nearby. They came to play today. When they found Will's nerf guns, they wanted to play with them-- but couldn't figure out how to hold the guns! Ah, testosterone:)

Fancy-Schmancy cake

2011-02-20T21:28:00.000-08:00

I made this for Will's friend Ashley's birthday. Ignore the awful mess in my kitchen that you can see behind it. No one ever said cake-making was a pretty business!

The top is blank so they could put candles up there. What do you think?

Random kid pics

2011-02-20T21:25:00.000-08:00

Without further ado:

Ethan's a happy little dude when he's not rampaging.

If you're wondering what Will is so busy making,it's one of these.

Making a new table

2011-02-20T21:20:00.000-08:00

Phase 1
Thanks to Victor Barranco for the turn-a-hardwood-floor-into-a-table idea. We bought 42 square feet of Brazilian Koa (also called tigerwood) flooring that is about to become our dining room table. Our old one is cracked an falling apart. Sometime soon, when you come to our house for gastronomic experimentation, you won't have to worry about the table falling out from under your plate.

In case anyone is wondering what the square hole is, that's from when we were still contemplating inlaying tiles for place-settings.

Zombie blog

2011-02-20T21:11:00.000-08:00

is back from the dead, with a new name and new drive. Expect to see a lot of pictures of projects that James, Will, Ethan, and I have going on, along with links to stuff we're looking at, doing, thinking about, along with the occasional run-of-the-mill post. And with that, let blogging commence!

I really really REALLY

2010-05-28T20:38:00.000-07:00

hate moving. Just thought I'd share. Slow and steady, right?

We're back, part II

2010-04-22T20:53:00.001-07:00

And now Ethan, who has magically grown since the last post! (So has Will, for that matter-- he's so tall. Ethan wants to do everything he does-- check out the last picture)

We're back, part I

2010-04-22T20:46:00.001-07:00

With pictures! It was a zoo day today, and I got some pretty good ones of the little guys. Brace yourself!
Will first:

Be afraid

2009-09-02T11:54:00.001-07:00

Be very afraid. For a massive picture dump is about to commence:

Will opening presents from Meme and Grandpa Ralph. Please note that my elbow only LOOKS like it's planted in Ethan's face.

Will absolutely adores that purple T-rex. He says "He's my best friend. I love him". Which is stinking cute, albeit a little funny for something that's so obviously carnivorous.

Here's a couple of shots of Ethan, who:
is now three months old,
sleeps through the night,
loves James' beard,
belly laughs if you catch him in the appropriate mood,
is VERY ticklish,
and loves to be held by Will.

Oh, and this one. This is what happens when Grandma makes Raspberry jelly:

Birthday pictures!

2009-08-22T17:09:00.001-07:00

Will requested peperoni pizza for his birthday dinner, which he thoroughly enjoyed:

And I don't think I've ever seen him quite so excited as when he was opening presents today:

And an excellent homemade devil's food cake (with butter cream frosting):

First Picture

2009-05-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

James took this (of course!).

Ethan Emmett will be born shortly... ish

2009-05-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

Denise started feeling contractions before the sun was up.... 4am? Went to the hospital at 10/11am. They were 95% sure she was in active labor. Broke water at 3pm, pitocin at 7pm-ish, still working.

Will twitter updates: follow stevenson_nerd on Twitter!

You asked for it

2009-05-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Brooke asked for a pregnant picture of me... are you SURE you want to do that?? 'Cause I didn't think I was that big, but looking at these pictures makes me think that I must be producing my own gravity well.

Yes, I know I'm a bad blogger!

2009-05-15T15:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks.

Moving on!

James is doing really well at Amazon.

Denise is ready to explode.

Will could not care less about the alphabet, but he can tell you about the similarities between Suchomimus and Sarcosuchus (using those names, too), explain to you that a shark skeleton is made of cartilage (as are Will's ears and nose, he will tell you) whereas a fish skeleton is bone, and explain, in detail, the plot of any given Curious George.

Little Guy #2 kicks like a mule.

Oh how Will would love this...

2009-05-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

The images are in...

2009-01-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

And it's a boy! Little Guy Stevenson #2, due June 5.

I have a really cute kid

2008-12-06T20:42:00.001-08:00

Geek Morsel

2008-11-21T13:21:00.001-08:00

The more you understand about technology, the cooler it gets. I think most of our readers know that you can put a LOT of pictures, music, and email on a computer, but humor me while I explain how amazingly cool that feat is.

All of that data is stored on a hard disk. Inside that hard disk are a few, well... disks (as in flat, round plates) called platters. They're stacked vertically, and spin very quickly. Similar to a record player, data is stored in rings (records use spirals), and a head reads data from the platter, moving toward the center of the platter and back out again depending on where the data is (just like you can move a record player head to skip to different parts of a record). So there is a platter, always spinning, and a head moving in and out to read data as it passes underneath.

The interesting part about this all this is the scale! I first learned this in a class a few years ago, but saw it again today in Tom's Hardware:

"The dimensions of the head are impressive. With a width of less than a hundred nanometers and a thickness of about ten, it flies above the platter at a speed of up to 15,000 RPM, at a height that’s the equivalent of 40 atoms. If you start multiplying these infinitesimally small numbers, you begin to get an idea of their significance.

Consider this little comparison: if the read/write head were a Boeing 747, and the hard-disk platter were the surface of the Earth:

* The head would fly at Mach 800
* At less than one centimeter from the ground
* And count every blade of grass
* Making fewer than 10 unrecoverable counting errors in an area equivalent to all of Ireland."

You can look at scale another way: a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. According to this link a germ is about 1000 nanometers large. That hard drive head is a tenth the width of a germ. Next time you feel like your computer is taking too long to do something, think of a Boeing 747 flying at 800 times the speed of sound counting blades of grass!

Fall

2008-11-14T14:16:00.000-08:00

The Dude

2008-11-12T16:37:00.000-08:00

We need to post more often, eh?

2008-10-17T09:13:00.001-07:00

As soon as I get over this cold / flu our family has, we'll post some good stuff. Until then, we're all a bit out of it. There are some interesting side effects of this bug, though.

Congestion is pushing on my eyes and ears, so if I cough, the increased pressure makes my vision get clouded and blurry. One side of my hearing is delayed a fraction of a second, detuned, and spatially unresolvable (like headphones playing an out-of-tune echo, or two audio tracks slightly out of sync). The upshot (?) of this is that now kids tv show theme songs sound pretty interesting -- like some demented, evil robot clown is performing the theme with a distortion pedal.

You've gotta love

2008-09-12T11:56:00.001-07:00

Mental Floss. Today's favorite: The language quiz!

Name That Language

Score: 80% (8 out of 10)

Beat the linguist here.

Just for Grandma and Meme

2008-08-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

McCain picked Palin!

2008-08-29T11:48:00.001-07:00

Woo-hoo! An Alaskan for VP, and a good solid conservative choice at that, with few weaknesses (that we know of) and heavy appeal. Good analysis over at Eowyn's. But celebrate! This is an extremely reassuring sign from McCain.

What things have looked like around here since The Move:

2008-08-22T12:20:00.001-07:00

The internet and the collective sanity of the Stevenson household was restored yesterday at approximately 3:45 pm.

The heart of the economic mess

2008-08-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

The heart of the economic mess

I think our blog readers will appreciate this article (it was on Reddit earlier today). The author makes some interesting points about the causes behind our economy's slump, as well as proposing an approach that would help solve the mess.

His hypothesis that, since wages have not kept up with cost of living, Americans have adopted 'coping mechanisms' since the 70s: both parents work, then work more hours, then borrow money. Now, we're at a point where "there's not enough purchasing power in the economy to buy all the goods and services it's producing."

Discuss!

Can you solve... The Mystery of the Tandoori Grill Spammers?

2008-07-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

In case you've missed it, we've had a lively discussion going on in the Tandoori Grill Post. I've gotten a bit tired of it, but I think we can still have some fun with it by turning it into a mystery. Put on your detective hats fellow bloggers! Post your theories and hypothesis in the comments for that post -- we have over 40 comments so far, and lots of evidence.

We've got a few interesting characters (maybe they're the same person), and a few mysteries to solve:
Who is flooding our blog with grammatically incorrect reviews of Tandoori Grill?
Are Beautiful Southern Arizona (BSA) and Tandoori Grill the same people?
Who is 'matthew' and what does he REALLY do?

I don't really know what the whole story is, so we may never know the real truth. Get your blog readers to chime in! We might as well get some new friends out of this whole shindig. I started Google Analytics on the post yesterday afternoon, so when we're all done I'll post the map global visits, as well as and the best hypothesis.

If that's not enough to get you excited, I'll even make it a contest. I'll try to come up with a cool prize for the most exciting, interesting, elaborate explanation of who's who, and what the motives of each player are. I suppose the awesomeness of the prize probably depends on the awesomeness of the explanation, so have fun, and go crazy. I know we have some creative readers -- show us what you've got!

Not to interrupt the counter-troll war

2008-07-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

down in the Tandoori Grill post, but I saw this over at The Glory of the Present. I haven't laughed that hard in a while. Go take a look.

The Memory Game

2008-07-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

This is a cool idea:
Leave a memory you have involving one of us-- doesn't matter if it's me, James, or Will-- in the comments. Doesn't have to be anything momentous or anything, just whatever you like. One of us will do the same for you (but probably not Will). I've done Amanda and Tiffany so far...

Don't eat at Tandoori Grill? (EDIT: They seem to have improved!)

2008-07-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Review
Tandoori Grill- Indian Cuisine
(801) 769-8850
465 South University Ave., Provo, UT 84601

EDIT: This post got a lot of attention! For those of you coming in from Google, I'll note that the Tandoori Grill has had some good reviews recently from the local newspaper, and we've got actual people (in addition to our faithful spammers) reporting positive experiences in the comments. So go try it out for yourself! I've always been willing to admit we just had a bad experience, and I love to see good restaurants succeed!

And, for your entertainment, weigh your opinions of the following spam-war at Can you solve... The Mystery of the Tandoori Grill Spammers?

A new Indian restaurant opened in Provo last week-- stay away! I enjoy Indian food, but Tandoori Grill is the worst Indian I've ever had, and probably the worst food I've put in my mouth in years.

I tried three entrees from their buffet: chicken curry, chicken tikka masala, and beef curry (often not served in Indian restaurants). The chicken curry was very bad, but not as bad as the tikka masala (which left a horrid, gunky aftertaste) or the beef curry (nearly tasteless, as if someone used cheap beef and forgot to add any spices). The tandoori chicken looked unappetizing-- ordinary baked chicken with a bit of spices, lacking the yogurt and spice covering or distinctive red coloring common to tandoori chicken (usually only dye, but part of the presentation).

If you're looking for good Indian food, try the excellent India Palace on Center street instead, or the more expensive Bombay House on University.

New blog!

2008-07-07T12:55:00.001-07:00

My friend Eowyn (not her real name, but really cool all the same) has started a politics blog. It's some pretty smart stuff (and she even quoted me!), so if you're interested, go and take a look at The Glory of the Present. If you like it, she appreciates all links, as she's just getting it off the ground. And she says to thank Cara for giving her the idea for the title (she likes to look at the book club posts:)).

The mother of all politics posts

2008-06-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

Mitch is a friend of James'. He read one of my political posts once and said I sounded like a member of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy. Fair enough. I would imagine I do sometimes. And for all of you who agree with Mitch... this one's for you.

I watched two speeches about a week ago. They were by Barack Obama and John McCain, respectively. The speeches were each candidate's speech opening the general election now that the primary season is FINALLY over (I know I'm late to talking about this, but I've been rolling it around in my head for awhile).

My impressions were as follows (I'll elaborate in a minute):
1. Barring a monumental, catastrophic screw-up by Obama, McCain is toast.
2. Man, Obama's great behind a lectern.
3. ...How did we come to this?

a. I have never seen a person so uninspiring and uncharismatic as John McCain. I've heard he's better during town hall meetings and the like, but... all you can think after watching that speech is a horrified "wow". The video I watched went for 21 minutes (I think. It may have been 23 or something) before the news cut him off. I wanted to turn it off after the first three minutes. Every time he smiled... well, this is going to sound gross, folks, but every time he smiled the only thing I could think of was how my dog Rusty used to look before he threw up. McCain praised Hillary Clinton (Hillary! Not his opponents in the Republican primary, but Hillary!) to high heaven, but had not one graceful thing to say about Obama. All he could manage was a snide and nasal "That's not change we can believe in" after mocking Obama's stances (which deserve mocking, don't get me wrong). It was a terrible speech in every way, from the words to McCain's delivery to that hideous green thing behind him to the "crowd" of maybe 75 people watching him. For heaven's sake, he's the nominee of the Republican party, and THIS was all he could manage? He paused for applause only to have it not arrive until people decided to fill the awkward silences. And to top it all off, it was an utterly graceless speech. No praising of his Republican opponents (that I remember), no kind words toward Obama... the speech left me with nothing except a lingering disgust.

b. I'd never seen any of the major candidates give a speech. We don't get TV reception in this house, so I get all of my news from reading. I had only the vaguest idea of what Obama even sounded like. And all of his speeches seem rather standard (or outrageous, depending on the venue) when you read them. But put him behind a lectern, and again, "wow", minus the horror of McCain. The man's delivery and grace were impeccable. He praised every one of his opponents from both sides, particularly Hillary, saying that if anything happened on health care it would be due to her (look for Hillary in an Obama cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services).His backdrop wasn't a sheet of kelly green paper, but a massive, packed stadium. It looked presidential (McCain's looked like the press conference that the coach of the losing team gives after a football game).
I think I see part of what people love about Obama. It's there in the first part of his speech, when he discusses the fact that real people elected him. Real people decided that they didn't like the way the country was going. And that part is true to the point of inspiring. People tend to forget the fall of the Berlin Wall and the revolutions of all the other Soviet satellites. People, or even one person, really do have the power to change the world. There is a huge, magnificent power in ideas, the kind of ideas that take root in a soul and make you see differently than you did before. There are ideas and people capable of pitching them that make you believe that near anything is possible. And the wonderful, terrifying thing about that is that it's true. West Germany's government didn't tear down the Berlin Wall, East German people did. There's the Orange Revolution, and the Rose Revolution, and dozens and maybe hundreds of others that happened because people refused to be spectators to the fate of their country anymore. THAT is the gift of Barack Obama-- the ability to make you see that you are, in fact, important.
Unfortunately, that's all there is to it. There is no genius behind the lectern, just a sadly inexperienced and out-of-touch one term Senator with no executive experience. Just a thorough-going politician like all the rest. He isn't the secular Messiah that some people, including himself, believe him to be: "I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal" is how he put it in his speech.

c. After watching these speeches, a quote kept floating through my head and disappearing before I could quite catch it. I finally trapped it the other day, and it wasn't just a quote, it was a scene from a movie. I imagine all of you (except maybe Amanda) have seen The Two Towers, the second movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. You'll remember Theoden, the king of Rohan, standing on the battlements of Helm's Deep, looking out over his meager army and then seeing the hordes of barbarians and orcs coming to kill his people. The lines on his face seem to deepen, and and with pain in his eyes and voice, he says, "How did it come to this?"

I suppose it might seem like an extreme analogy at first. But is it really? Thousands of terrorists scream for our blood every day. But that doesn't even concern me as much as the problems at home and next door. Who's heard of Mark Steyn? Anyone? He's a Canadian journalist, on "trial" for quoting someone in a way that someone else found offensive. The Canadian Human Rights Commission, which is devoid of rules of evidence, and is basically winging the trial, has never found someone not guilty in one of these show trials. And it has existed for over 30 years. It recently handed down another "verdict" saying that a Christian minister could never again say anything that could be deemed "derogatory" about homosexuals. Another Christian, a printer, was fined for refusing to print pro-pedophilia pamphlets. In CANADA. Want more examples? A woman in France was convicted for things she said about Islam. A fifteen-year-old kid was arrested in Britain for holding a sign saying "Scientology is a cult". And these are in nominally free countries. First-world countries, if that's the right term. How long is it until you are no longer free to speak your mind? You no longer are in Canada or Europe. America, in that regard among many others, is unique. America is also under siege. We won't be a free country for long if we don't stand up for ourselves. If we don't have the courage to say that the Founders were right when they said that certain things were inalienable rights. If we don't have the bravery and pride to be American, with ALL that that entails-- freedom and respect, competition and generosity, compassion and courage.
Which brings me back to Theoden. With terrorism and all the threats that it brings with it, deteriorating free speech around the world, and an economic crisis in the works, how did it happen that the two choices for leader of the free world are John McCain and Barack Obama? A moody undependable old man, or a smooth-talking empty suit? This isn't the appropriate time to go into why I think the Republicans got saddled with John McCain, although I might in a different post. But it might be an appropriate time for a suggestion.
Amanda said, "politics is sort of like religion...you know? You believe what you believe, I believe what I believe and that's that." And as things are, sometimes that's true. But it's not true in all cases. Take me. I was all ready to vote for John Kerry in 2004 before I started listening to people with different points of view. And that's as it was intended to be. A person's politics were never intended to be sacred, just their vote. And yeah, our choices pretty much suck this round. But America will still be here in four years, and between now and then, we need to have done some talking. As soon as we realize we're not just spectators, as soon as we realize that politicians depend on us and not the other way around... as soon as people start talking to each other and talking to politicians and saying "We the people".... It's our job to change things. Not Obama's and not McCain's. If you're not happy with things, start talking. Start learning. We are not sheep.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Willex and the hose

2008-06-09T14:49:00.000-07:00

My sister Amanda got these trunks for him.

What happens when two full-grown men go at each other with pool noodles?

2008-06-09T14:44:00.000-07:00

This does.

How long has it been...

2008-06-04T23:11:00.001-07:00

since you've read "Casey at the Bat"?
I forgot how much I like that poem.

You know you're a true nerd...

2008-05-26T12:59:00.001-07:00

when your wife asks what type of pillows to make, and you tell her any part of the Mandelbrot set will do nicely.

You know SHE'S a nerd when she considers actually doing it (but settles on the Heighway Dragon curve instead).

Edit: Cara, if you're looking for a challenge -- an epic quest to prove that a former cheerleader can truly become a nerd -- incorporating the Mandelbrot set into your next craft will surely suffice!

Dieting

2008-05-26T07:36:00.000-07:00

I NEED one of these

2008-05-24T19:18:00.001-07:00

Weekends living down the street from the state liquor store bring this need into sharp focus...

Laugh of the day

2008-05-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

James tells me that everyone and everyone's respective dogs have already seen this. But I'd never seen it before tonight, and I think it's hilarious:

ENOUGH

2008-05-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said.

I keep saying that I'm not particularly fond of John McCain. And it's true. But if it helps keep Barack Obama out of the White House, I will, quite literally, crawl over broken glass to vote for McCain.

Obama perpetuates the worst stereotypes of Americans. For your information, Senator, I drive a Mazda 3, one of the better cars out there for gas mileage. My husband walks to and from class, about three miles each way. I don't say "Supersize me" at the drive through. And one of my dearest wishes is that my house would stay under 85 degrees in the summer and above 67 in the winter, but it doesn't. But you know what? Even if my husband and I each drove and H3, ate McDonald's out of business, and blasted air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter in our drafty house, it wouldn't be any of your business. Not even a little. Let alone the business of the UK, or Mexico, or Iran, or Venezuela.

Maybe, Senator, since you live in a tasteful (if ill-gotten) mansion and are so far above us all, you don't hear very many vernacular expressions. Here's one you should learn: IT'S A FREE COUNTRY. I don't care if you think how I live is irresponsible (thanks for libeling me in front of the entire world, by the way), because you know what?

I don't answer to you.

Good heavens, when did we reach the point that a man like this could even be considered a serious candidate?! When did it become acceptable for the president to meddle in ANY aspect of our everyday lives, let alone how much we eat, or what we drive, or how warm our homes are? And when, WHEN did any president of the United States of America try not only to get involved in the day-to-day running of my home, but then try to involve other countries in it as well?!?

That is wrong. Plainly and simply wrong. You talk about energy independence, Senator, and then you give people on the other side of planet veto power over my thermostat. How is that independence?

You tell people they can't eat as much as they would like. Let me guess: you'll create a government agency (tax-funded, of course) to create rules about how much people in every given circumstance should eat. Every one will have to go into a doctor at tax-payers' expense (but wait, you already wanted to do that anyway) and get measured, and poked, and invaded so you can tell them how much the world thinks they should eat. Are you going to give them a little government issued card that only allows them to buy so much food per week?

You talk about the greatness of the country and its people, and then you give control of its families to the U.N.

Expect a lot more political posts around here in the future. I know all of 5 people read this blog... but like I said, I'll crawl over broken glass to help prevent a President Obama, and this is as good a place as any to start.

Name the countries...

2008-05-17T19:40:00.001-07:00

OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets

Just 'cause it's funny

2008-05-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

Making Hashbrowns:

Best line of the political season:

2008-04-20T20:28:00.001-07:00

"I for one welcome our new pinhead overlords".
Chris Muir, Day by Day, 4/20/08

Of course we're not dead!

2008-04-18T21:46:00.001-07:00

Just really, really busy. But I put pictures up, see? See?
Doesn't get me out of trouble, eh? Sorry, folks. Here's the update:
1) James' thesis proposal is done and working its way through committee.
2) Will has gone plug-less (pacifier-less, for those uninitiated in Stevenson lingo) for three days! Woohoo!
3) For the entire 5 days before the past three days, Will hadn't slept through the night ONCE.
4) Cara gave me Twilight for my birthday. Holy cow addictive. I read Twilight, borrowed the sequel from Cara, and bought and read the third one from Saturday night to Monday evening. Good stuff-- and an emotional overload in so little time. I'm only reading funny stuff for a few days, which means...
5) I'm drastically behind on politics. (Drastically behind, for anyone wondering, means I haven't devoted a solid hour or more to it for a week.)

Just a couple of pictures

2008-04-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

ABC Tag

2008-03-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

A- Attached or single: Attached

B- Best Friend: James and Cara

C-Cake or Pie: Pie! Unless it's a ridiuclously good coffee cake

D- Day of Choice: Saturday

E- Essential Item: Sunglasses

F- Favorite Color: Red, in every imaginable shade

G- Gummi Bears or Worms: Worms are the best!

H- Hometown: North Pole, Alaska

I- Indulgence(s): An Elizabeth Peters novel, chili cheese nachos, and strawberry Haagen Dazs

J- January or July: That depends entirely on where I am. Utah? January. Alaska? July.

K-Kids: The Willex!

L-Life is incomplete without: Family, faith, friends, and the collected works of Robert and Elizabeth Browning. And Calvin and Hobbes.

M- Marriage Date: April 23, 2004

N- Number of Siblings: One younger sister

O- Oranges or Apples: Apples (unless you're talking Cara Cara Oranges). Oooooh, Honeycrisp Apples!

P- Phobias or Fears: Being locked in.

Q- Quote(s):
"I love thee to height and depth and breadth my soul can reach"
--Elizabeth Barrett Browning

"Here's to manufactured triumph!"
--Benjamin Sisko

"Nice to meet you, I'm the One!"
--Sibling Revelry

R- Reason To Smile: James quoting Garak, James and The Willex splitting a grapefruit (oh so funny), flowers sprouting... lots:)

S- Season: Spring

T- Tag Six: Erm... feel free to decline, but I tag Cara, Andrea,... and anybody else who wants to?

U- Unknown Fact About Me: I have seventy-four plants on my kitchen counter at the moment

V- Veggies or Fruit: Fruit!

W- Worst Habit: Procrastination, baby.

X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: ultrasounds

Y- Your Favorite Food: Anything James cooks.

Z: Zodiac: Aries- My birthday is in 13 days!!!

Pensivity II

2008-02-22T20:49:00.000-08:00

1. So many cute babies floating around right now! There's Kaden, Nora, Rachel... awwwwwww!

2. Come March, I'm going to pull a Cara and kick winter out of my house. A lot of people will probably laugh, being as this is an Alaskan household, but I HATE Utahn winters. Ugh. Dreariness embodied.

3. John McCain. I'm not looking forward to the rest of this election, folks. I'll support McCain-- I'd far rather it were him than Hillary or Obama-- but I'll find it hard to be enthusiastic. At least as long as I'm enjoying the internecine warfare over on the Dem's side, anyway. I imagine I'll settle down as soon as that's decided... won't I? I just can't get all excited over McCain. He's got some of the worst aspects of Bush, not to mention the fact that's he's "supremely vain", to quote Yuval Levin. He's great on foreign policy, at least as far as I can tell... but the man's a jerk. Not as much of a jerk as Giuliani, but still a jerk.

4. All my seeds should arrive before too long. What is politics compared to therapy that is gardening? The answer is, thankfully, not much in the U.S.A. The Constitution will still be there, no matter who wins in November. If someone screws up, that's why we have election, and (heaven forbid) impeachments. This is still a wonderful place-- no matter who sits in an ovoid-shaped office on the east coast.

Tagged-- My man

2008-02-17T19:09:00.000-08:00

What is his name? James Emmett Stevenson

How long have you been together? Well, I've known him since I was 15, so that would make it... a long time. 12 years this fall... WOW I'm old.

How did you meet? I smacked him upside the head with a drum mallet. It's a long story.

How long have you been married? 4 years this April.

Kids? The Willex!

How old is he? James is 25.

Who eats more? Me. Definitely me!

Who eats more sweets? Um. Probably James. He's a chocaholic.

Who said I love you first? Will you think I'm unromantic if I don't remember?

Who is taller? That would be me. By four inches.

Who sings better? Definitely James.

Who is smarter? Probably James. But we tend to balance each other out.

Who does the laundry? I do, but the washer and dryer are in James' office. Does that mean we both do it?

Who pays the bills? The bank's online auto pay. I set it up though.

Who sleeps on the right side? I do as you lay on the bed.

Who mows the lawn? The landlord's son.

Who cooks dinner? Depends on the night. We do about 50/50.

Who drives? Whoever gets there first, unless it's dark. My night vision isn't very good.

Who is more stubborn? It used to be me, but I think I've rubbed off on him.

Who kissed first? James did.

Who proposed? James! I'm not that brave:)

Who has more friends? Well, most of our friends are OUR friends, so I think we're tied.

Who is more sensitive? Me. For sure.

Who has more siblings? We're tied at one a piece.

Consider yourself tagged if you wanna. It's fun!

Super Tuesday's over

2008-02-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

And I'm not so happy about it, although I'm not surprised either.
No, I take that back. I'm not surprised with how well McCain did-- I'm surprised at how well Huckabee did. Huckabee has earned the distinction of being one of the few politicians whom I personally dislike.
At any rate, I don't think Romney is going to be able to get past this, although it is just barely possible. We'll see, I guess. In the meantime, I'm going to begin resigning myself to nominee McCain... although if he picks Huckabee for his running-mate, all resignation will be out the window, down the street, and in the storm drain.

Nail-biting

2008-02-05T18:49:00.001-08:00

I've been looking forward to Super Tuesday for at least a month. That said--
STUPID EXIT POLLS! Why can't this be OVER already?

Yes, I do need to take a deep breath.

Pensivity

2008-01-30T21:06:00.000-08:00

So, John McCain won Florida. Florida's a winner-take-all state (for Republicans, at least; I don't know about Democrats), so he's now in the lead as far as the delegate count goes.
I suppose I could live with McCain (although, Senator, if you want to keep any ideological conservatives on your side at all, use your common sense and do not tag Huckabee for VP). He's not conservative on taxes. Or illegal immigration. Or... lots of things.
A McCain-Huckabee ticket isn't enough to make me not vote, much less vote Democrat. But it's enough to make one cringe in the voting booth, is it not?
This has not been an enjoyable race so far. Reagan's commandment was broken from the get-go. Huckabee was (and is) plainly disgusting and calculating. The only enjoyable things I can remember are Thompson smacking down debate moderators and watching the Clintons self-destruct, and that's saying a lot for a politics junkie. Oh, and Ron Paul. The man has no shot at the nomination, but he's been nothing if not fun to watch.
Oh, how glad I will be when the nomination has been decided-- on both sides. Then at least it's a clean fight, without all the hypocrisy that inevitably besets the primary season. Candidates go for the jugular within their own parties and trash each other-- right up until they concede the race and start angling for VP, at which point they can't say enough good about whomever they believe to have the best shot at getting them some sort of office in the West Wing.
Can you tell I'm fed up?

Well, that settles that

2008-01-22T20:22:00.000-08:00

I could never decide whether I wanted to vote for Mitt Romney or Fred Thompson, but I see that Fred has dropped out. I'm kinda relieved not to have to choose, actually. I really liked Thompson's positions on just about everything. It would have been nice, however, if he had had a little get-up-and-go. I would have even settled for some get-up. Or some go, or anything. I also see that his mother is in intensive care. though, so maybe that had something to do with it. I hope his mother is okay and that he doesn't disappear-- he is phenomenal when he gets going. In any case, I am now decided. Vote for Mitt!

Life

2008-01-21T02:02:00.000-08:00

It's good, folks. Very, very good.

You must watch this.

2008-01-11T12:32:00.000-08:00

I didn't think this was quite possible.
You've got to wait for the voice change.
Hat-tip: Jonah Goldberg on the Corner.

How to understand James

2008-01-09T21:54:00.000-08:00

I know there are some people who will think that this is a joke.

It isn't. Go and read it.

UPDATE: I apologize for the cuss word in there. At least there's only one!

New Hampshire

2008-01-08T20:35:00.001-08:00

McCain and Hillary win. Darn it, I KNEW it was too early to dream about Hillary dropping out of the race.

McCain did pretty well in NH-- I'm impressed. It will be interesting to see who registered Republicans went for though-- NH allows independents to vote in their primary, and independents tend to love McCain. I'm not a McCain kinda gal myself-- I don't particularly trust him on taxes or immigration. I do respect him though, which is more than I can say for Huckabee, who regrettably is polling rather well in South Carolina...

I'm still pulling for Obama to win the Dem's nomination. On top of the fact that he's so much more likable, he has next to no experience and is even more liberal than Hillary, which does wonderfully in primaries and terribly in general elections.

We shall see. In any case, I am off to eat snickerdoodles.

On a brighter Iowa-note:

2008-01-03T20:50:00.000-08:00

Hillary's looking to come in third. Gotta look for the silver-lining somewhere.

?!?!??

2008-01-03T20:23:00.000-08:00

Mike Huckabee: The candidate who is conservative per abortion and gay marriage, liberal per everything else, sees foreign policy as a wonderful chance to treat homicidal maniacs like your sibling or best friend, and doesn't understand the concept of separation of church and state.

THIS MAN WON THE IOWA CAUCUS BY 9 FREAKING POINTS?!?

To any Republican-primary-goer who may chance to read this: Do you realize that if Huckabee becomes the Republican nominee for president, we will lose? Not only lose, but lose badly. Are we really so invested in identity politics that we'll vote for a guy just because he's a Baptist preacher?? 'Cause really, that's all he has going for him (other than a fantastic oratory presence. Gotta give credit where credit is due).

The man pardoned or otherwise helped to free over 1,000 criminals while governor of Arkansas-- more than his four predecessors combined (including Bill Clinton). And some of the most loathsome, dangerous criminals he helped because they had "found Jesus" in jail.

He's a taxer.

He isn't strong vs. illegal immigration.

He thinks people like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong Il should be treated like siblings or close friends.

He's running as the anti-Mormon candidate.

He's a liar.

Fellow GOP-ers, if this man is your choice, be afraid, come November. Be very afraid. Not only will he go down spectacularly, but the entire party will go with him.

Christmas Pics!

2007-12-25T19:47:00.000-08:00

Just time for a quick update with Christmas pictures!

And some from a while ago setting up the tree:

Little Miss Nora

2007-12-20T13:05:00.001-08:00

This is my niece!

I'm an Aunt!

2007-12-18T01:35:00.001-08:00

Sonora Walsh was born this morning, at 12:53. She is 20 inches long and weighs 8 pounds, 12 ounces. My Dad says she is "priiiitty". Pictures at a not-awful-hour!

Sorry, Macs really ARE more expensive!

2007-12-07T10:07:00.001-08:00

Got a lot of visits today on my last post (over 200 today, which is pretty good traffic for this blog). Here's an interesting comment, and my response. I guess I should clarify even more though -- there's a lot you can TRY to quantify about why Macs are "a better value" -- but I'm talking really about price. Pure, easily quantifiable $$$$$$. Sure, your frustration with Vista may equate to money -- but that's hard to quantify. That's value, not price. You can't say that the price for ground beef and steak is "a wash" because steak is so much better. It IS more expensive.

Blad_Rnr said...

I agree with the premise of the article, but you repeatedly say Macs are more expensive. I think you are generally wrong.

When compared to what you get on a Mac (Firewire, the iLife suite, Unix security, no AV software needed to subscribe to, ability to run multiple OSes, etc.) the price is not a representation of what you would typically get on a Windows PC. Yes, when you compare a $1099 MacBook to a $699 Inspiron, it appears more expensive. But if you equip the Dell with what the MacBook has, it is pretty much a wash. Numerous comparisons have been done to show the gap is very small and sometimes favors the Mac.

I do agree that MSFT is out of touch with consumers. They have failed miserably in the consumer market, i.e. they lose money on everything they make (Xbox, MSN, Zune, etc.). They are not hip anymore and they just don't get it. $399 for an OS that is a resource hog and requires 2-3 times the processing power when compared to a four-year-old Mac that can run Leopard, it's no wonder they are failing with Vista as well.

Cheers.

9:32 AM, December 07, 2007

James said...

Ah, perhaps I should clarify then: I've read the articles that show a Mac as about as expensive as a similar Dell -- but they really don't take into account the frequent sales. There are frequent sales on Vista machines, so if you're a smart shopper you can really get stuff at a great price. Also, some additions (like RAM) can be bought far cheaper on your own.

To illustrate, I have a friend who just got a dual core laptop with 2.5Gb RAM for under $500. That's about half the price of a basic model macbook, AND has more than twice as much RAM.

If you want a decent video card, price rises very quickly. A Dell XPS with a 8600GT in it is $1500 -- a MacBook Pro with that same card is $2000, and has a smaller hard drive. That's NORMAL price for the Dell -- I'm sure sales can bring that down. In fact, you can't get leading edge consumer video cards at all on a Mac, even on the top of the line models.

Lets not even consider crazy coupon codes and rebates, and just take a look at some desktop models to drive home the point.

You can get a 20" imac with a midrange graphics card -- OR a dell with a 20" monitor, three times the ram, nearly the fastest consumer video card out there, and quad instead of dual core . That Dell also includes Office BTW, so don't say that it doesn't have the same software!

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsdt_420?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~tab=bundlestab

No shopping around, and I've found yet another example of how Macs really are more expensive!

Why Apple?

2007-12-06T20:34:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a bit about Microsoft since I interviewed there last month (BTW: they didn't offer me a position, but I did accept a lucrative offer from Amazon in their Digital Media division). I enjoyed interviewing with MS, and liked the people I talked to. It's always interesting posting about a discussion I had with real people -- if anyone I interviewed with stumbles here, hello, and don't take anything I say personally!

Since I was interviewing for Program Manager, I decided to ask some questions about how strategy is decided in the Windows Experience group. I voiced my opinion that there were some strategy issues with the vista lineup -- perhaps a bold move in an interview, but it is something that I want to know. I specifically asked how MS decided which features to leave out of the lower versions. He corrected me and told me that they don't try to leave features out -- they try to look for features to ADD to the more expensive version. Well, in my book that sounds like marketing hype.

First, you should know that there are 4 versions of Vista that matter to individual users:
1) Home Basic: This version is, well, basic. It may be 'more secure' than xp, but certainly has steeper system requirements too. It costs $99, and doesn't offer a whole lot different from XP.
2) Home Premium: This version is interesting. It costs $199, but includes media center (very cool), a shiny interface, a dvd maker, 3 'premium games' (chess, mahjong, and inkball -- no shouts of excitement here), and a backup utility. Really, it only lacks one program: Remote Desktop. This is something that us nerds DO care about, so we can access our home PCs on campus, or from another room if you just don't want to get up.
3) Business Edition: This costs the same amount as Home Premium. All it does is include Remote Desktop, and leave out Media Center. Remote Desktop though IS an important feature for a lot of people -- who now have to make a choice between Media Center or Remote Desktop -- you can't have both, unless you get...
4) Ultimate Edition: At $399 (TWICE that of Premium), this was supposed to be the uber cool version. The interviewer I asked about strategy told me this was the version for those people who "just want to have it all" -- like some kind of status symbol that you could brag about to your friends who only have Premium Edition. Strangely enough though, this version doesn't actually DO very much more. You get Remote Desktop AND Media Center. That's really the ONLY REASON a power user would get it. As far as the 'people who want to have it all' group that the interviewer thought they were targeting, they may be the people who buy something 'just because' it's labeled the best, and MS may sell a few copies. But here's the list of features that you get in Ultimate:
a) Moving desktop backgrounds
b) A Poker game
c) Encrypt your entire hard drive, just in case you're paranoid or work for the FBI
d) Use more than one language on the computer (ie, switch between English and Spanish)
e) Media Center AND Remote Desktop

Wow! All I have to say is that it's asking a lot from users to ask them to pay $200 more for a poker game and remote desktop. You can get free programs that do Remote Desktop stuff. Sure it would be nice to have it built in -- but not for $200. And unless I'm mistaken, Remote Desktop only allows one person to use the machine at a time (two people can't remote login), unless you get some other Server / Enterprise edition.

After mentioning some of these arguments to my interviewer, he agreed that Remote Desktop would have been nice to see on Home Premium. But he still thought that there was a reason for a $400 Ultimate Edition, and I still disagree. If their target market is the status symbol market, then I think they picked the wrong target -- and then didn't back it up with any actual features. Since all DVDs are cheap to produce, paying extra for extra features just doesn't feel the same as buying luxury items for a sports car. Sure, there are development costs, but $200 to add poker?

Microsoft is getting too complacent if they actually believe this is a good strategy. I hate to make comparisons to Apple, but I think it's appropriate in this case. Sure, MS can say that they're far above Apple in numbers (and they'd be right) -- and they have the business section that Apple isn't even interested in (right again). But more and more I see people switching to Apple -- even though the machines are expensive. I give MS no more than 5 years before they start really feeling pressure from Apple. At first, they're quite secure in the business realm, since the IT staff don't want to have another platform to support -- until a manager high enough on the food chain demands to have a mac at work (he likes his powerbook at home) and the IT guys have to listen.

So why do people switch to Apple? Why is it the status symbol that Vista Ultimate isn't? Macs ARE more expensive after all. I think it comes down to strategy again. If you buy a mac,

1) Buying a new OS comes in a single $129 version
2) New machines come with iLife and automatically get the 'cool extras' like a movie maker and garageBand.
3) Adding a very functional word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software is $80. (Remember, if you want to actually (gasp) use Vista to write school reports, you need to go buy Office for another $150).

Sure macs are expensive -- but they offer consumers the feeling that they're getting a bunch of exciting features for that money. There's things that are lacking in the Mac OS -- the equivalent Remote Desktop is a totally different program, though you can share your screen for free. But Apple doesn't present those as add ons like candy at a grocery store -- they portray their OS as COMPLETE to begin with. MS gives consumers the feeling that they AREN'T getting features because they're reserved for the 'special versions.' Leaving aside potential interface or 'easier to use' considerations, which may be significant, and the fact that the 'extra features' in vista are really pointless, there is a fundamental good strategy in making users feel like they're getting all our cool stuff, instead of being denied stuff.

On the issue of OS pricing, I also asked my interviewer why the price was so steep for Ultimate. He replied that he thought it was an amazing thing that Windows hasn't changed it's price since Windows 3.1, many years ago. He said that with everything going up in price, isn't it great that Basic, which is way more functional than 3.1, still costs $99? The problem with this idea is that we're dealing with computers -- where processing power doubles every 18 months and keeps getting cheaper and cheaper. If your software doesn't do a ton more than it did two years ago (not to mention 15 years), something is very wrong! Remote Desktop, Media Center, and chess (a specially touted feature of Premium and Ultimate!) have been around for YEARS -- why does MS treat them as new features that you need to pay more for? Oh sure, it's not just Chess, it's 'Chess Titans', and don't forget 'Mahjong Titans' (since Titan is a cool word, you might as well use it in both products).

It's like selling a car with only an FM radio, an option to get cassette, and (if you're really into that status symbol thing), a CD player. And the FM radio costs only as much as it did in 1980! Sure, there are additions -- but they don't feel like anything special, and the lack of progress instead feels like regression. Claiming that adding a poker game and moving desktop backgrounds (which have also been around for a while) is progress only adds salt to the wound.

Of course, Apple still doesn't have an answer to the gaming market, sadly enough -- and strangely MS doesn't even market that capability, probably because they don't understand their markets like Apple. When Apple has gaming on it, they will be even more of a force to be reckoned with. Hopefully MS will change their strategy soon, or they're in for some rough times in five years.

Linkage

2007-12-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

Teeny Manolo-- lists of good stuff: best kids movies, books, games, etc. Also really cute kids' clothes, which I can look at, if not afford:).

Some people hate playing games with me....

2007-12-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

I'm not entirely sure why. I just try to keep games fun and interesting! If a game is not quite fun enough, a little rule modification or careful deal making is obviously in order. But some people call that creativity 'infuriating.'

I guess it's because I have a long history of 'adapting' games. When we were younger, my brother and I constantly modified game rules. Well, mostly I modified them. Sometimes we played games of monopoly where we both ended up with 15k and substantial hotel strips. We gave each other free rent all the time -- it was Philanthropist Monopoly, where you really just tried to accumulate as much money as possibly. We'd have to convert $1 bills to $1000 bills, or use 10k bills from other monopoly type games. Another childhood game we modified the rules to was "Hit each other with big sticks." If you're a guy, you've probably played some variation of this game. I have some friends who played "hit each other with 2x4s" which I suppose you'd call "eXtremE childhood games." I modified the game to include 6 foot pipe insulation so there was less chance of actual injury, and a greater chance of convincing my 4 year younger brother that he really did have a chance.

So while some people call my monopoly deals frustrating, they're really done out of good intentions. I think it's really just my creative part expressing itself, trying to make life more interesting. If you're not particularly good at creating your own house rules, it's ok -- you can learn. I found a guide to help you out. Try it!

Picapalooza Part Two-- Snow Day

2007-12-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

First snow for the Willex! (I figure it doesn't count until you're old enough to play in it)

Picapalooza Part One

2007-12-03T10:59:00.001-08:00

Sorry sorry sorry sorry. I know I've been promising pictures. Here you go:

At the Pike Market. There was a guy there who called himself "El Rey de Chiles" (the king of peppers)-- and he deserved the title. Fantastic wreaths of peppers, not to mention about 40 varieties that you could mix and match for $2.25 a pound. He had a pepper called a mango chile-- doesn't taste like a mango, but MAN they're good.

Look at all the different kinds! This is at Pike's too.

This and the next are both at a glass store in downtown Seattle called Vitria.

The Willex!

Andrea tagged me!

2007-11-11T11:55:00.000-08:00

Thanks Andrea!
The Rules:
A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Here goes!

1. I learned to hate seafood in Japan. I actually liked the occasional fish stick before then, but we lived on the coast, and when the fog rolled in, the whole base smelled like old sushi. Blech!

2. I hate wearing socks. I take them off if at all possible. Ditto with shoes. In fact, I think I used to leave my socks and shoes over at Cara's sometimes, which leads me to...

3. If the water is weird at your house, I will bring my own. I used to leave cups over Cara's all the time, along with my shoes and my socks.

4. I love cheese. When I lived in the dorm I used to go buy a block of sharp cheddar and cut chunks off with a plastic knife. Heck with crackers! No Urkel jokes, please:).
4a. If you bring Camembert cheese within fifty feet of my front door, I will shoot it. With a bazooka.

5. My secret (well, not so secret anymore) ambition is to create and publish a photodocumentary on American men. They get such a bad rap, and they're mostly such good guys!

6. It concerns me when no one leaves comments on my political posts. Am I too weird?

The end! Whom shall I tag??? I tag Cara, Amanda, Amy, JoAnne... and everyone else I can think of with a blog has already been tagged! Oh, except James! He's tagged too.

What do you do when it's 3:08 in the morning and you're not convinced that your baby's REALLY asleep?

2007-11-10T02:09:00.001-08:00

You blog!
Have you guys ever read Mental Floss? Apparently they're a magazine too, but I've only ever seen there website. The tagline is "Where knowledge junkies get their fix". FUN FUN website.
James helped me clean the house tonight. It looks very nice.
Walmart has a scent of candle I've never seen before. It's called Mandarin Cranberry (or is it Cranberry Mandarin??). It's very nice-- a kind of clean winter Christmas smell. Think of how your kitchen smells when you just finished cleaning after baking Christmas goodies. You know, that kinda uber-clean cookie-y smell. Something like that.
I doubt I'm making any sense, but hey, at least I'm awake!
And now I'm going to bed.

Cara: Remember, it's never too early to teach Emmy a new phrase:

2007-11-04T17:12:00.000-08:00

Mariteddu Tamant'e Un Ditu Ieddu Voli Essa Rivaritu - Corsican: a husband must be respected even if he is very short.

Respect the short people.