Get Smart

I keep seeing more and more of the Smart cars running about town. Their US model, named the FourTwo (which either refers to the four-wheels/two-passengers or the actual height/width of the car in feet) looks like a coffin on wheels. They tout an advanced safety frame similar to an F1 car, but I don't think F1 cars would hold up too well under an 18 wheeler. Houston is a dangerous city for drivers, especially motorcyclists, and now add Smart FourTwo owners to the mix. Today one was parked at the stoplight waiting for the light to turn and I wanted to knock on his window and ask "Why? Why did you buy this? A Nissan Sentra is 2 grand less, has a back seat, is not a coffin, and get the same 35mpg." Buying a Smart car is like smoking in high school. Sure it's cool and it draws attention to your rebel ways, but it will kill you.

Long lost family member?

I think I might be related to this guy...I even like the name of his blog....

I'll admit it....I went to CarMax

Even though I've slammed CarMax for their straight markups over blue-book prices, I've found them useful for something - pressure free test drives. Doing a quick online search (and CarMax's new website is perfect - it has the simplest search algorithm and refinement process - it just works) I found that the local CarMax had a number of GTO's that I could walk in and test drive, and here's the good part - then I could leave without being hassled.

So behind the wheel of the GTO for the first time, the interior is really simply, tight finish lines, feels sturdy. Many of the reviews praise the GTO for being "squeak-free" even after 50K miles. Other highs - lots of legroom, INCREDIBLE seats with heavy bolstering, and overall really comfortable in the front seats. Not so sure about the back seats, but at this point who cares.

Now the test drive began, and I have to say that in comparison to the F-Body cars (Camaro, Trans Am), the GTO got everything right except the outside styling. It has a more cab-forward feel, with a windshield that has a normal pitch instead of the F-Body's 2 degree windshield and three-mile long dash. The only drawback I found as I moved from 1st thru 5th was how long the shift throws were. It was a mile between gears, which left the 2-3 and 4-5 shifts in no man's land and gave a first time driver nervous twitches of "I hope this isn't reverse...oh well, here we go...."

In the end, great performer, very comfortable, but not a looker like it's namesake. I showed Susan two GTOs on the road the other night, and I felt underwhelmed as they passed by. Not sure if you want a muscle car that could be confused for a G5 coupe....

My past is for sale

If you wanted to purchase a part of my pre-baby past, here it is:
Wakeboard
Exhaust
Guitar
Bike

My fight against Hallmark

No more shall we pay $3.50 (or $3.99 Canadian) for a piece of paper with a joke that no one thinks is funny, Hallmark! Yes, I'm talking to you Hallmark, you paper-pushing price-gouging peddler of chicken soup for the soul messages which are marked up 3,000% and sold as greeting cards. It ends today. I vow to make all my own greeting cards, and I will not be stopped.

Here's a sampling..... (click to read)

The Disc is Dead

I've talked about BluRay and HD-DVD before, and advised everyone to wait and see who wins (BluRay did), but I realized the other day that both have lost. Digital media on spinning discs is soon to be dead. When's the last time you bought a CD? Probably been a while. Pretty soon you'll be thinking the same thing about DVD's. With HD movie downloads from iTunes and Amazon, there's no need for a $500 BluRay DVD Player. 'But what about 1080P?' you ask - Dish Network now has 1080P on-demand pay-per-view, and this is just a taste of things to come. Although we are years away from 1080P coming over the free airwaves, it will soon be available for download purchasing as bandwidth becomes faster and cheaper...

There's even economic and environmental factors at play. Downloads in contrast to DVDs have no transportation cost and no packaging (no more using your car keys, a hanger, butter knife, and non-stick cooking spray trying to pry open the DVD case!)

Your email is open.....

I just realized today that reminding someone that their "Out of Office" email reply is still on is the office equivalent of "your fly is open" or "there is toilet paper on your shoe" or "there is something in your teeth/hair/face/whatever".....

Car of Choice

Car of Choice

In line with a previous post on always being one-up'd in H-town, I have started to compile a list of "dream" cars that I would really enjoy. Please notice that I indeed dream small. No need to buy a DB9 when a cruise down Westheimer will yield a DBS...

I am really looking for something that is unique, with a V8 engine and manual transmission, and has some staying power. Here's the list:

2005-2006 GTO - 6.0L V8 / 2004 GTO - 5.7L V8 - $14k-$23k
Highs: Unique - only a 3 year production run; great handling, huge power numbers for the price (400HP)
Lows: G6 styling....it's a muscle car wrapped in Grand Am packaging

1998-2003 Camaro SS (F-Body) - 5.7L V8 - $10K-$19K
Highs: I had the Z28 variant of this car, and would love to reprise it with an late model SS; mods are cheap
Lows: New Camaro is on the horizon, and this generation was prone to transmission and differential problems (which I attribute to people ragging them out...)

2005+ Mustang GT - 4.6L V8 - $14k-$19k
Highs: Reliable, plentiful mods allow you to create a custom ride, plus a 2010 redesign is due out soon, and will push the value of the 2005 models lower, plus plus I could challenge my father to a race...
Lows: the Shelby GT500 is to GT as an orca whale is to a seal (thank you SAT prep), dash hits my knee, less horsepower than the above cars, but how much do you really need? I feel like less of a man for asking that question

2002 Corvette Z06 / 2003-2005 Corvette Z06 - $20k-$29k
Highs: Track ready car for a bargain price - my European counterparts couldn't get a car like this for under $75K...wait for it....EUROS!
Lows: I would be "that guy with the corvette", I would need to wear a windbreaker or leather jacket, possibly a mustache

The New Breed....

2009 R/T Challenger - 5.7L Hemi V8 - $29K-$33K
Highs: Head turning design, and I could put two Hemi's in my garage
Lows: constantly telling people "no, I bought a CHALLENGER not a Charger....it has two doors, I promise", knowing that an SRT model might find me and make me feel insignificant

2010 Camaro SS -$30K?
Still a glimmer in Chevrolet's eye, although the V6 has already been out and about for press runs. I'm afraid Transformers may have ruined it for me...

Grey Market

I love new terms from the internets (correction, this is universally know as the Parallel Market). First and foremost is the Grey Market. These are "retailers" who setup websites to sell products they may or may not own and are certainly unlicensed to sell, but offer such great deals you can't resist giving them a try. If you've ever used Google Shopping, your search for a name brand product ultimately gives way to some interesting results. Let's say you search "Playstation 3"....this would give you some of the following hypothetical hits:

$399 - Sony Style
$449 - Best Buy
$378 - Computer City USA
$284 - Refurb Depot

Those last two are Grey Market - unauthorized retailers who offer savings on usually fixed priced products. Shopping grey market can be a mixed bag, but if you follow a couple rules you can shop successfully:

1) First off, never use a check or money order - look for Google Checkout, PayPal, or other 3rd Party credit app service
2) If you use a credit card, make sure you are protected against fraud - this means your credit card company not only has a fraud policy, but have a history of acting quick and siding with the consumer
3) Another credit card tip - some credit cards offer additional warranty protection on certain purchases (i.e. electronics). Here's a list...
4) Don't pay any outlandish shipping/handling fees - if you pay $50 for the iPod and $50 for shipping, and the iPod never shows up - you may only get back your purchase price, not the shipping
5) Check seller ratings on Google or Yahoo shopping. Also do a quick search of the company's name followed by "fraud" or "scam".

As of late, my favorite Grey Market site is Meritline.com.They have scores of accessories for all sorts of devices, and they often ship for free....

Reverse Materialism

If I've learned anything from Houston (I like to think I've learned at least 3 things), it is that no matter what you buy, someone will always have something better. Whether its a house, or the location of the house, or a car, or a phone, or anything - someone always has something better. This is a great lesson in materialism, for as much as I focus this blog on stuff you buy, I try to keep it under the guise of "how to buy stuff as cheap as possible, then sell it on eBay when you're done and break even". My materialism does not take the form of having the most expensive item, but from finding the largest percentage savings on an item you would personally enjoy...

Here's some great examples
42" Panasonic Plasma + 5.1 Phillips DVD + Install for $690
Razr batteries for $.99
JVC MP3/CD Car Stereo with built-in HD Radio for $30

Truck Rehab Step #2

The new exhaust has arrived and has been installed. Overall, it is nearly as loud when you put the pedal to the floor, but the cruising and start-up are much more quiet and smooth. It has a straight-thru design with fiberglass insulation to deaden the sound. The old Flowmaster setup had welded chambers that redirected the exhaust to reduce drone/resonance. The biggest difference is that the new setup exits behind the rear wheel, and putting the sound well behind the cab.

Want a piece of history, it can be yours for $250.....I just need to find a big enough box to ship it in.

And this post wouldn't be complete without some before and after video:

Learn to merge...

I have a couple pet peeves on the roadway, and for the most part you've heard them before, but #1 seems to come up every day now...

3) Cell phone talker driving 10 under the speed limit

2) No blinker random lane change guy

1) But my most passionate gripe is MERGING TOO EARLY! If you decide to merge 1/2 a mile before the merge point, don't straddle the lanes and penalize me for using COMMON SENSE. Utlilize the entire lane until it merges, keep every one queued properly, and stop the madness!!! Here is a someone who saw the light...

Dilemma (feat. Shell/Exxon)

Both Shell and Exxon posted record profits for the last quarter, but today our stocks got thrashed. Why? Here's a great explanation of the dilemma we now find ourselves in.

Truck Rehab: Step 1

So while I wait for the new exhaust system to arrive, it's time to install new door speakers. I picked out Alpine Type-S full range speakers (6x9 and 6.5") that have pivoting tweeters. If you need some car speakers, these things are incredible, and right now they are half-off at Crutchfield.

Speaker installs are pretty straight forward - take off door, take out old speaker, put new speaker in, put door back on, and listen to your tunes. I didn't realize this until my first car stereo project, but car interiors are put together like Legos. Taking the door panels off on the Dodge takes 3 minutes tops.
Here's a pic of the old speakers:




Next the empty speaker hole, which this time around I lined with weatherstrip (the kind you use around your doors) to make sure that there were no rattles:

And lastly the new speakers installed, wires neatly tucked behind inside the door:



My tip - always double check the clearance between the back of the speaker and the window. This includes the wires. I once installed a set of speakers, put everything back together, then rolled down the window only to hear a hideous scrape as the window ripped the wires from the back of the speaker.

Ink on your face

Here's your free computer tip of the day:

Notice how ink-jet printers seem to cost almost nothing? You can get an entry level one for $30 and a nice all-in-one for less than $75. Why you ask? Because they gouge your eyes out with the cost of ink. My new Epson CX8400 came with HALF-FULL ink cartridges, that lasted less than 100 pages of printing. New cartridges are from Epson are $19.99 each. Unless....

There are a couple options for getting new ink for your printer:

1) Buy the name-brand stuff and eat nothing but rice for the following month
2) Buy the gray-market stuff (Amazon) that is "compatible"
3) Or refill your cartridges using a syringe (you can buy kits online, or stores like Walgreens will do it for you).

Methods 2 & 3 will save you a bunch of money. Another tip - if you only print black and white you should consider a Laser Jet Printer. Their toner often gives you more pages than ink-jet printers.

If you have an ink-jet and only want to print black and white, you can adjust the default settings to do so, or switch out the micro-chips on the ink cartridges. Place the color micro-chip on a new black cartridge and BAM, you're printing in B&W in no time....

Homeless Gauntlet

I made a run through the Homeless Gauntlet today (no it's not some wacky new reality show, but it could be, and no it has no relation to the MTV Gauntlet, although those participants are most likely homeless too). This gauntlet was encountered on my way from the office to the parking garage in downtown (this was not my first brush with the homeless).I have created an illustration for your viewing enjoyment.

Let me explain how this perfect storm of homelessness happened. I decided that on my way home from work that I would cut through the library courtyard, then across the City Hall reflection pond, and then traverse the park under which my vehicle was parked. Bad moves all around.

Passing through the library courtyard, first was the long-range panhandler, or LRP. LRPs asks for change while seated at a distance greater than 50 yards. I give him the obligatory "no thanks, sorry" wave, and he unleashes a torrent of indecipherable profanity while explaining how I don't understand. It's not that I don't understand, it's that I can't even hear what he is saying. You're just too far away to make me feel uncomfortable, so I keep going...

As I pass through the library courtyard I feel the eyes of all of them looking at me and my tucked-in shirt. I'm not sure what to do. Just keep moving. Keep moving.

Finally across the library property, I pause at the cross-walk with a young lady. As we both wait for the traffic to pass, I notice that she is looking at me. So I glance her way and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary - normal clothes, hair, etc.. But then, she cracks a smile. We will just call her "Teeth but no Teeth".

Now lightly jogging across the park in front of city hall, up ahead lies a man feeding the pigeons. I gently cirsumvent (look it up, or even better listen to #20) the situation but manage to scare the pigeons off. This elicited a cackle from the man feeding the birds, and I have to say he kind of resembled a bird. Let's call him "The Penguin". I think the birds returned, but maybe they didn't and I feel socially responsible.

Getting across the last park is the last step. Everyone is asleep like lions in a den, but one misplaced step, crack of the twig, or swoosh of the pants will awaken them. I am now in the homestretch, and as I wind the blind corner and dive into the stairwell I come across the last of the sleeping lions. Stepping around his bags I make a clean break for my car. I hope to see all my new friends tomorrow.

Wall of Shame

Stumbled upon this web-gem while perusing the news feeds. It's the Nassau County DUI Wall of Shame! These pics are incredible. My favorite is Tamas (pictured) with Spenser (also pictured) coming in a close second.

I know you're out there...

I have been feeling a little lonely on the blog - 3 comments this past month - so I checked my page hits on Analytics....bam....2K hits since July 1st. So you're reading, but afraid to comment for fear of associating yourself with my writings. I don't blame you.

BTW, I have continued to incorporate "bam" into my everyday speech and writing.

DVR Picks - Oasis in the Desert Edition

You know your Tivo is running lean when you get excited that a new Antiques Road Show has been recorded - "Please, please be in HD! Please, I need to see people excited or disappointed in the value of their personal items in full HD....please.....come on.....dangit!!! 420p......

As an aside, next time The Roadshow (as I call it - when you've seen enough episodes you can call it "The Roadshow", it's a write of passage for young males in the US)...anyway, next time they film in Houston, I am buying a vase at Garden Ridge , walking behind their camera while they are filming a scene, then slip/trip/stumble and bobble the vase until it comes crashing to the ground, and then proclaim "Mam-Maw, Mam-Maw, I knew I shouldn't have taken you out of your jar! I just wanted to see how much it was worth! WHYYYYYYY!!!! WHHHHHHYYYYYY Mam-Maw...."

Since there is nothing on TV, I have set the Tivos to record any HD movies. Last night it picked up Man on Fire, which is very re-watchable. Ever notice how it parallels Gladiator? Girl stolen from man, man wounded mortally but must avenge girl, man must sacrifice himself even when he doesn't have to, man just wants to get to the afterlife, man convinces Ethan Hawke to smoke a controlled substance...wait....what?

Truck Rehab

So I have slowly come to realize that the exhaust I put on my truck is about 100db to loud, and the vibrations are such that the speakers I installed have slowly come apart, sounding like a rattle snake den in each of my front doors. How to solve this? Buy another exhaust system!

So, using the magic of eBay, I will turn my Flowmaster 50HD Muscle Truck side exhaust system into an MBRP full-length system and hopefully curtail the violent exhaust note that plagues the interior of my ride like a banshee. First, order the new system on eBay, then sell the old system on eBay for a similar price. I am also pulling this trick with my old door speakers and buying new ones as well. Will update the post later when/if my old gear sells. Last time my gear had actually appreciated.

Note to self - next time you put in a custom audio system in your car, don't install an exhaust system that drowns out the music. Counter-productive....

Baby Advice

Best baby advice I have gotten to date - pack a cooler with beer and keep it in the truck of your car so after the baby is born you can go relax in the parking garage and have a cold one. Awesome.

Conspicuous Consumption

I'll be the first to admit that my Dodge Ram truck doesn't get the best fuel economy - I am that guy with the $90+ gas bill that's left on the pump screen when you pull up in your car and think, "Wow, $93.51! It only costs me $72.13 to fill up my car....poor guy with a truck". I did love the reactions that $3.55 gas received while we were in Victoria - people were amazed, like finding manna on the ground, such is $3.55 gas.

Being in Texas (and America in general), I can get away with a big truck since it has been our lifestyle for 50 years. But, my international co-workers love to stick it to me. Pity the truck owner whose full-size behemoth is flanked by a Z3 and and 911 at the restaurant's valet. Not to mention when the exhaust starts up and all 5.7L rumble out onto the ground in cacophony of gas fumes and carbon footprint. I am just making up for the rest of you who have decided to slack off on your daily carbon deposits.

Doing some quick math, it only makes sense to buy a new fuel efficient car (i.e. Civic, Focus) if gas reaches $5.00 (which it will likely not as summer is winding down). The truck is paid off and gets 15 City / 18 highway. I did some recent mods to help out the fuel efficiency, and I have a couple more planned...

This is a strong blog

We all know car dealers use some slight of hand tactics to separate you from your money when it comes time to buy a car (I like to think that I am immune, but it has probably happened to me). But it is a bit different when a kid from your old church sends you a form letter spewing a half-truth trying to get me into some new debt:

"Dear Lee,

I was just reviewing your records and noticed that your Xterra has almost 36,000 miles on it.

Are you interested in selling your Xterra? If so, there is a strong used car market and we may be able to give you more than you would expect.

Should you choose to purchase another vehicle from Baker Jackson Nissan South, we have many new models to choose from.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,
Brad Baker
Sales Manager
Baker Jackson Nissan South"

Strong market for my used SUV? If we are talking it's value as scrap metal maybe so. This just in: Nissan is having a strong quarter...

2.0 Software

Welcome to the iPhone 2.0 live blog - I'm going to go step by step as I upload the new software and apps.

Ok, I waited until the initial rush was over to get the iPhone 2.0 software loaded on my phone. It appears that my strategery has worked - it took me 1 hour to install 2.0 - no issues so far. I also didn't rush out to ATT to buy the new iPhone as I was waiting for the 2.0 software to become available and test it's features - 2.0 upgrade is free...

Don't despair if you have the old iPhone as I do, and wish you had waited for the new one. Here's some reasons why I am not yet upgrading.....

Reason's why the original iPhone is fine with me:
- My web browsing speed is just fine - the sites I spend my time on have very few pics/graphics, and they load fast over the old Edge network. They could always load faster, so this is the only reason I would upgrade...

- I don't need GPS - I know where I am going, but if I need help the original iPhone's map and faux-GPS are just fine

- The new iPhone plane is $15+ more a month including an SMS bundle

-The iPhone 2.0 software is available for free, no need for a new phone...

Ok, so I have 2.0 installed and here's the review:

First let's go to the Apps Store - AHHHHHH! There are too many apps! Guitar Tuner, Remote Control emulator, eBay, MLB, MONKEYBALL....yes, MONKEYBALL!!!!! (I don't know what Monkeyball is) and each one has it's own Applized icon....my mind is blown. I need to get some Advil. Be right back.

Alright, I'm back - I'm going to start with the key apps I need - eBay and PayPal - and go from there.

The first test - do these Apps speed up my normal experience on eBay and Paypal? Normal ebay page takes 15 seconds on EDGE - but the new App is blazing fast. Loads lists of items in mere seconds, but it missing some functionality. Since this is v1.0, I'll let it slide. PayPal is the same way. Viewing my balance once took 3 web pages and 60 seconds, but now it takes less than 5 seconds.

So my initial verdict is that the original iPhone is just fine now that 2.0 software is loaded. Sure I'm missing some location-aware GPS apps, but other than that I am fine. Plus the original phone will be somewhat of a rarity, and you'll be the early adopter of a product that will be as ubiquitous as the iPod itself. Now on to Monkeyball...

A true American

When people across the pond think of Americans, do you suppose this guy comes to mind? I found this picture in CNN's coverage of the iPhone 3G release

Exhibit A - Yankees hat...wait, this just in, it's a VISOR...a Yankees VISOR everyone...wow, what a stunning moment

Exhibit B - Jon Bon Jovi concert t-shirt - this tells us two things - that he likes Bon Jovi, and that he is from New Jersey (or he spent 4+ hours there for the concert - either way he is from Jersey)

Exhibit C - unbridled enthusiasm for commercialism as demonstrated by the iPhone being held up high as an object of worship, although his face is not as enthusiastic as I initially thought. If you look close, into his eyes, you see that voice in his head is saying "I'm not really sure how much I just spent" or perhaps "my girlfriend Tina is going to be upset that I blew our Bon Jovi fan club membership dues on this iPhone"....

Frying Pan Challenge

Anybody want to do this?

The second coming...

I smirked a bit when I saw today's Consumerist iPhone post - the second coming indeed....

OxyMoron?

Just saw a guy outside with a LiveStrong bracelet smoking a cigarette. Isn't that like wearing a WWJD bracelet in a strip club?

Amazon $5 MP3 Albums

Amazon has weekly specials on MP3 albums ($4-$8 each) that download directly to iTunes or Windows Media player to be burned to CDs or put onto your iPod.

I recently purchased Cold Play and Feist albums both for less than $5 each using Amazon. This is a great example of how digital downloads are going to fully replace digital media in the near future. Why waste all that money making and distributing CDs when you can make them available online for a fair price and still make profit?

Same goes for Blu-Ray DVD - I can download HD movies for less than Blu-Ray. True they don't come with a cool jacket or disc to show my friends, but they are a fraction of the price and give me the same HD movie.

(Yes, iTunes has been doing this for sometime, but combining this approach with a largely discounted price as compared to CD/DVD media is truly a Amazon trait)

Event though CDs/DVDs have incredible profit margins, digital downloads should become the most profitable form of media delivery since they lack physical packaging and shipping/delivery mechanisms - even if they sell for half as much....

Subscribe to the Blog

To subscribe to the blog, simply add the site URL to as a feed to your iGoogle site (or other reader).

For iGoogle, click on "Add Stuff", then click on Add Feed or Gadget at the botton of the left hand column, then paste http://fullthinktank.blogspot.com/ into the form and click submit.

The Attic

Warning - this will be boring if you're not a homeowner. Just letting you know. With the baby on the way and Susan working from home, we now keep the house a cool 75 degrees during the day, but our upstairs has not been very cooperative. Lately it has been only able to cool to 79 during the peak heat of the day (usually 95 degrees outside), so I've been forced to take some measures to keep things cool. My first thought - the AC needs to be charged or cleaned, but after speaking with my father I found the best place to start is attic ventilation.

There's a couple things going on here - first, you need to have enough ventilation that air moves through the attic and keeps it cool. This prevents hot air from leaking into your home and thwarting your AC. Now it's time for some Beakman's World up in here....

Through convection (basically hot air rising), air flows through the soffit vents on the underside of the roof and up through the turbine, square, or ridge vents on the top of the roof. If either the top or bottom doesn't have the right amount of flow, then you're attic becomes hotter than normal.

Ok, so how do you tell if your attic has enough ventilation? Use this simple calculator to find out how much intake/exhaust ventilation you need, and which vents you should add. If you need a roofer, I just used Technology Contractors (Houston) who charged me $200 to install 3 turbine vents (I provided the turbine vents from Home Depot for just $36 each)

Result - we are now at 75 degrees all day long - we are expending the same energy as before, but now we get to enjoy it. Only problem is that the AC never shuts off, meaning that it is barely keeping pace at 75. So, here are the next options:

1) Insulation - make sure the attic is properly insulated, including the attic door. Insulation comes in rolls or in "blow-in" cotton-candy style packages that you can distribute yourself (use a mask) to help fill any gaps.

2) Radiant barrier - this is basically a foil sheet or spray on lining that can be applied to the underside of your roof to help block the radiant heat from the sun and keeps things even more cool in the attic. I am installing this soon and will report back.

3) Have your A/C checked - I have heard this both ways - yes, have your A/C checked every year, and then I have heard no, only if it breaks. So I am going with a compromise - if the A/C ever begins to under perform it's normal benchmark I will call for service. Otherwise, it will ride as is.

There you go - boring if you don't own a home, and probably boring if you do own a home. But hey, I'm not sweating it...(sweet pun intended).

Random things I'm a fan of...

Bill Simmons - Patin introduced me to the Sport's Guys' column about 6 years ago, and it's become my lunchtime reading ever since. I'm also addicted to the podcasts that started last year - he does 2 a week. Basically, Bill blends sports and pop culture together and surrounds himself with people who know their stuff and don't take themselves too seriously.

Wired Magazine - I cashed in all my airline miles for magazines a couple months back (should have spaced it out, as I know have 5 subscriptions including ESPN, MotorTrend, Road&Track, BusinessWeek, and Wired and trying to read them all is overwhelming). Wired really captures the culture we're in today - a blend of the highly technical, everyday convenience, and bleeding edge ideas for the next big things.

Kenneth Cole - the shoes and watches are great and you can find them at Ross....which leads me to...

Ross - If I ever need a dress shirt, belt, or watch I go to Ross. It's like a garage sale, but with less order and more screaming children, but you can find some serious deals. Or as it was once said, it's Rossome...

Old episodes of King of the Hill - anything from 2000 or earlier is classic stuff. If you were raised in small town Texas (or married someone who was), check it out...

Oil changes at NTB - for $20 you can get a full Pennzoil oil change at NTB, and their wait is usually short since most people think they just sell tires. And they are open Sunday. Heathens.

Adidas Climacool Shoes - They are like feathers on your feet, but not at all like that. What?

Coupons - this sounds weird because it is - I look through the coupon mailers to figure out where we should eat out. I do this so much that our friend Nolan gave me an Enterntainment Book (that big coupon book they sell as a fundraiser) as a gift. I am that guy.

Online Coupons - just before I make a purchase online, I check retailmenot.com for coupon codes - everything from free shipping to $5-$10 coupons are there for the taking.

LOLCats - unreasonably funny...

I think I've said too much...

Updates to HDTV Guide

Now that we are well into 2008, I need to update the 2007 HDTV guide....

LCD/Plasma Flat Panel HDTV prices have fallen so low that DLP/Rear-Projection has been priced out of the market. A 50" LCD/Plasma is now $1200. Go with the flat panel, even for larger sizes.

Bigger isn't always better (insert a comment by Kyle here) - you generally want about 4 inches of screen size per foot of viewing distance. That's what she said. So if your couch is 12 feet away from the TV, go with a 46" to 50" TV. Be careful not to be that person with a 72" TV in a six by seven room. Unless you are a big IMAX fan.

If I had to buy a TV right now, it would be a close tie between a Panasonic Plasma or a Vizio LCD. I am still a Plasmas over LCD kinda guy, but if I was going to get one I'd buy a Vizio and save some cash...

First post from the iBook

I got the iBook up and running - as a reminder, here are the specs:

500mhz G3, 128MB SDRAM, 10GB HD, Airport, 12" LCD

I've decided I am getting that whirring rainbow beach ball of death too much, so I bought a 512MB SDRAM stick from ebay for $30. That should do the trick and get me up to speed. I am really impressed with the condition of this iBook - it is 7 years old, but looks 90% new. It has a mark from an asset tag in the back, meaning it was probably sitting in a library or school somewhere and nobody was sure how to use it. This also makes me question if it's origins are truly legit - the ebay seller had a number of lots of other used equipment, but that is not proof positive.

At any rate, in order to spruce up the old iBook, I gave it the new Leopard background - the Northern Lights, or as those of us who attend dinner parties call it, the Aurora Borealis. I had to Photoshop it for the standard 12" screen (it came in the new widescreen 13.3" format). So if you have an old iBook that is not widescreen, here's the background for you:




I also created one for my iPhone - just click the picture and save it in your computer's picture folder, then sync your iPhone and apply as background using your iPhone's menu:

This blog is brought to you by....

The Stock Market, which has been punching me in the face since Jan 2008...

Computer Buying

When buying that shiny new computer, the first question to ask is not what brand, but what do you want to do? Travel light, create music/dvds, surf the web and manage your music collection, replace your desktop PC? Buy based on how well it supports your activities. If you are like 99% of the world, you just need it for web surfing so go cheap!

On brands, most computers have the same pass/fail rates since all of their components come from the same place (China) and likely the same factory. Go for cheap. Pay no more than $500 for a laptop or $350 for a desktop. Just don't. In 2-3 years you will either spill coffee on it, drop it (laptop), or just want something new. Treat your computer like a 3-year purchase.

Where to buy? Check out the dealnews.com streams for laptops/desktops to find the best deals on PCs, and then if you're of the turtleneck persuasion you can check out Macs refurbs at the Apple store.

My Movie Theater is dying...

Tickets are now $9.25 at my local AMC theaters here in south Houston. Unreal. Is this New York City? I could buy two dvd's for the price of a single ticket and just stay home. The theater is smelly, people are making noises, I can't pause it, it's out of focus half the time, and now it is $9.25. Alas, this must be Bush's fault.

Reading, but not reading

Inevitably, someone someday will ask you " Have you read book xyz?" and then tell you that you need to read this book because it "changed the game" or is "so far outside the box that it destroyed the box" or something like that. To that I say - it's time to read books via Wikipedia or WikiSummaries. The Wiki is our new Cliff Notes - short summaries of the themes and impact of books (new or old) that can be digested within minutes. Here are a couple I hear about often in my world:

Tipping Point and Blink
Freakanomics
World is Flat

Or for even more depth - check out the chapter summaries at WikiSummaries.org. Here's an example:
Good to Great

Too good of a deal?

Every now and again one of those deals comes by that spits in the face of retail sales. This is one of those deals.

New iBook (new to me...)

I had been putting off purchasing a Mac laptop due to the upscale pricing (basically, you get twice as much for half as much with PC laptops), but finally found my price point - $150. I bought an iBook 500mhz 128mb 10GB with Airport today on eBay. The failure rates for these bad boys are over 50% (motherboard) but I still jumped based on the price. It's a good opportunity to learn the Mac OS X (10.3 to be exact) for a small price.

I did a quick youtube search on the iBook, and found a great video of Steve Jobs introducing it in 2001 - his presentation style is the exact same as today. Another great hit is the iPod Nano introduction (listen to everyone oooohhh and ahhhhh when he takes it out of his pocket). And then of course, there is the recent MacBook Air intro...

Stuff Christians Like

I am a big fan of #17 - just because it melds the personal commentary "meth dealer, money laundering" with the stellar photo of LL Cool J telling us to keep our prayer requests on the DL...

iPhone 3G

You've heard me talk and talk and talk about the iPhone, and let me tell you that the new iPhone is going to take over the world. $199 + new software + ultra-fast = the best mobile device hands down. The new software is effectively a shot across RIM's bow (maker of BlackBerry) saying that Apple is going after the corporate world, and any developer that wants to help can join in for near zero or even free.

You know it is unstoppable when even the naysayers can only cite 2 issues, both of which could be solved with a 5 minute software update - 1) It's only on AT&T, 2) iTunes store is only available over WiFi, not cellular "3G" signal

You know that it is unstoppable when Apple has been in the cell phone business for less than one year, and the biggest and baddest cell phone makers (Samsung, HTC, Nokia) constantly tout their new phones as "iPhone Killers"....in market cap, that's like Lexus saying their newest model is a Kia killer...well done international conglomerates...

You know it is unstoppable when their model for adding features is now left in the hands of anyone, anywhere to meet any need- the possibilities are endless, endless possibilities...

All that being said, here is a reality check on the cost of ownership compared to other "similar" models.

DealNews

Last week Ty and I were discussing just how wonderful DealNews.com is. Naturally, it let's you know if there are any deals in the news. Which is great and all, but the best part is that it keeps a history of deals, so if you are about to make a purchase, you can do some real quick comparison shopping and get educated. I'm a big fan of the laptops....

Some of my favorite recent deals:

$799 - Panasonic 42" HDTV Plasma (best plasma on the market at any price, not just my opinion)

$399 - The $400, all you need laptop from Dell

And of course, the Amazon list

Learning Golf

Well, over the past year I have been learning how to golf. Giving up my putt-putt ways, I am now a complete sellout. Dress pants, shoes, shirts, gloves, you name it. Learning how to golf is like having your first baby - well maybe not in every way, specifically one way, no make that two ways, either way they are similar. When you tell someone you are learning to golf or that you are having your first child, they invariably have some great advice that you must use immediately. So after 12 months on people getting in my head about my golf swing, I finally took it back to the basics...on youtube. Here's the video that has given me some hope...



AND here's a video of how I used to be (a well done video I might add...)


AND if you ever feel that you'll never learn golf, and your swing is just too bad, there's always Charles Barkley:




Last week, Dan Patrick asked Charles, "Don't they make medicine for that type of thing?"...

It's droppin Monday

Rumor is the new iPhone drops Monday (you probably know this unless you've been stuck somewhere since January), and I am interested on three fronts:

1) Faster 3G data rate will give a true mobile broadband experience, and make taking a laptop on the road thing of the past...

2) Rumored $199 starting price (with contract) - AT&T is supposedly going to subsidize this version of the iPhone, since they are raking it in on the monthly fees...

3) Apple's stock price - Wallstreet was doom and gloom this past Friday (down 3%), but Apple keeps chugging right along - my hope is that the new iPhone release opens even more eyes to the potential dominance of this device - both for corporate and personal use - and pushes stock to $200+

Salvation for $40 a month

I haven't quite wrapped my brain around this one yet...hopefully I'll have an opinion soon...

Step 1 - Have an idea

Step 2 - Make it into a website

Step 3 - Profit...

BabyEidson Update

Susan has taken over as editor and chief of the BabyEidson blog, so check in on her updates from time to time. I think she was tired of my snarky baby comments, so she is now taking the reins.

Business Casual Rules

I violated Business Casual Rule #3 this week (or Biz Caz if you are on the street) - wearing brown shoes with black pants. Not sure which is worse - violating the rule or not remembering even putting on my shoes in the morning. Either way here are the rules:

1) No logos on your shirts - avoid horses, penguins, alligators, swooshes, or anything that says "I've been to XYZ and bought/received this great shirt in order to remind both you and other random people that I visited place XYZ". (I violate this rule at least twice a week, just to make sure people don't think too highly of me)

2) Wear formal attire strategically - wearing a tie/sportcoat can belittle those who don't, making all of us wonder if our attire is somehow sub-par. Your coworkers will then combat your over-dress with a counter-assault of casual: rolling up sleeves, taking off their shoes at their desk, and wearing bluetooth headsets.

3) Don't mix black with brown unless you know exactly what you are doing - I think MacGyver did this once with explosive results, so be careful and make sure you don't cross the line from complementing-contrast to colorblind.

4) Button down collars are the standard - collars that don't button down can cause an unintended 70' vibe. Be even more careful if you have substantial sideburns.

5) Jeans are not slacks - even if you get the dark blue ones that are expensive, they are still jeans, and much like how free-range pork doesn't belong in a burrito, neither do jeans in the office. One caveat - if you can pull off the jeans/cowboy-boots/large-belt look, then wearing jeans could possibly catapult you into Biz -Caz lore...

Addicted to iGoogle

I officially have an unhealthy relationship with iGoogle. What's that you say? How can someone really be that involved with RSS feeds? On my 4th iGoogle tab I decided it was time to scale back and really take a look at my life, and what info I really needed on iGoogle. Here's the RSS feeds and Widgets I currently employ:

Home Tab - Gmail, Daylight Map, Farside Comic of the Day
Deal Tab - Fatwallet RSS, Dealnews RSS, SlickDeals RSS
News Tab - CNN, BBC, Drudge Report, Houston Chronicle (TX edition), Google News, ESPN, CNET News
Market Tab - Google Finance Portfolio, CNNMoney, MarketWatch

Basically, this allows me to review my email, current deals, global/local news, and the market with seconds...and makes iGoogle my quick fix...give it a try...

Tire Buying

I recently had to purchase tires for my Dodge Ram's 20 inch rims (oh yes, I have been rolling on dubs since March 2003 - as a side note, Kyle once asked Susan, who at that time was my new girlfriend, how she liked "rollin on dubs?". Susan, believing that Kyle was referring to her recent 20th birthday, answered that she enjoyed rolling on dubs, and that was that.)

So, back to tires - unless you know someone at a tire store, here's my favorite way to buy tires: First, go to TireRack.com and using your tire size (printed on the side of your tire), do a quick search and find out the lowest and highest tire prices. Next, go to Discounttire.com and do the same. For the most part, TireRack will be cheaper, so take note of their cheapest tire for your car and head into your local tire store with that price as your target. Buying tires is almost like buying a new car - the price they quote you is full of profit margin, and can usually be cut by 10%-30%. Having the online prices in hand helps you break into negotiations and get the best price.....my 2cents.

TV 2.0 News

TV 2.0 is alive and well....

Netflix box - $100 + $8.95 a month for unlimited access to 10,000+ movies from your Netflix queue, but not HD just yet...

Tivo gets HD downloads from Amazon UnBox - I had a sneaking suspicion this was coming. AppleTV beat Tivo to the punch, but this is what I love about competition. Add to this that the Tivo box (like AppleTV) can be given new firmware, functionality, and content all without any additional cost to the buyer, and you have an evergreen product. I covered this in a previous post on the iPhone...

Guitar Hero

I'm finally diving into Guitar Hero, Amazon dropped its price to $59.99 for the whole package. I had stayed away due to my pompous "I really play guitar" attitude, and have found myself on the outside of this dinner party phenomenon.

Carbon Footprint

Has anyone paused to think that maybe we are actively becoming carbon neutral? My point is in how online technology has changed my physical behavior - I connect with people online instead of driving to see them (sad, but true), I check prices and do my shopping online which again avoids driving, I use telecon and video-conference at work so that I can work from home instead of driving or flying to another location, I send an email (or write a blog entry) instead of mailing a letter which requires both paper and fuel to deliver....see what I'm saying? Gore acts like we are in a perpetual landslide toward oblivion, but technology has already begun to take a bite out of carbon....but of course, Al invented the Internets....

The Pain of Gas Guzzlers

Check out this article about people trying to sell their gas-guzzling SUVs and trucks. Then look at the picture of the guy and his truck at the pump - he has to fill up 3 times a week at $75+ a pop. Typical American experience? Notice the 22 inch Mopar SRT wheels, and the body side moldings - this guy is driving an SRT-10 Viper Powered Dodge Ram that get 6 miles to the gallon. Yes, trying to drive a Viper back and forth to work and the grocery store will cost you at the pump. When you buy a vehicle that has single digit gas mileage, be prepared for the worst...

I think most of us are experiencing the pain at the pump, but in some ways I view this as a much needed diet for America - both literally and figuratively. For the past 20 years our economy has been driven by cheap oil, leading to huge cars and bad habits that need to be modified if we are to continue as a world power. High oil prices mean several things for me -

1) Higher returns on your mutual funds and pensions that invest in energy stocks (before you trash Big Oil, check your fund prospectus and see how much Big Oil stock you own),
2) More expensive food and pinched budgets, forcing us to eat from our grocery store and not McD's - could this be the obesity solution we need?
3) Demand has created incredible monetary motivation for alternative fuels - now that it is profitable to make solar panels, lithium batteries, electric/hybrid cars (or even small cars), we are seeing an explosion in the alt fuel markets and will see leaps in technology now that venture capital is behind the green wave
4) More efficient use of resources (driving less, carpooling more), and spurring on public transportation

This will not be a popular post, but just my positive take on the issue at hand.

One last thing - don't be fooled by electric power (just yet) and those who tout it as the solution to save us all - a majority of our electricity is created by coal and natural gas, meaning that plug in car is really still burning fossil fuels....

Computer Backup

I've had two recent calls from friends asking about how to backup and restore data on their computers, specifically laptops in different stages of disrepair. Your best bet is to get an external hard drive that connects to your computer via USB. Most of these now come with auto-backup software included, so you just plug it in and set the drive to copy every 24hrs. If you have a laptop that travels, you can plug it into the hard drive periodically, but this will leave your most recent files unprotected.

Better options for a laptop that travels are a USB flash drive or "thumb drive" that you can use to manually backup your My Docs folder by doing a simple copy-paste, or you can use an online service that encrypts your files and copies them to an online server that you can access anywhere at anytime if you have a hard drive failure (this service usually requires a monthly fee).

New Baby Pics

Check out Baby Eidson - just updated with pics and videos from the 3D ultrascan this week....and one last thing, it's a BOY!

Mustang for a day

I borrowed the Mustang for Saturday/Sunday...we'll see if I still want one (answer is yes, just based on the 20 minute drive home). On the way home, AC/DC's "Back in Black" came on the radio - too bad its passion was struck down by my need to balance the thoughts of "don't stall now" with "don't make Susan sick and puke on the leather and then have to clean it up with special cleaner all Saturday when you could have been kayaking". Here's the ride in my garage, right next to the Scupper Pro...

And for the review - great handling, awesome stock engine and exhaust sounds, styling speaks for itself (people are breaking their necks to look at this thing), perfect amount of horsepower. Negatives - needs 6 more inches of leg room, needs the dash bezel trimmed down (it sticks out 2 inches for no reason and hits my right leg in both the rest and accelerating position), the back seat is non-existent - and I drove a Camaro for 3 years. For the price (GT models start at $24K), this is one incredible value, and for me the retro styling puts it over late model Corvettes, Hemis, and GTOs, even though it has less horsepower....

New iPhone features

If you still haven't joined the iPhone bandwagon, it's never too late (or too soon). To prove my point, check out the iPhone software updates for 2008. Every few months Apple adds features and functionality to the iPhone, at no extra cost. Even though I've had the same iPhone since October, the feature list has grown it into a different, and better device. My favorite is the new faux-GPS, that uses cell phone towers to triangulate your position.

Kayak revealed

Here's a pic of the kayak I mentioned earlier this week - it's a Scupper Pro. Sweet ride, even sweeter name. The two guys I fish with have a Scout and a Prowler, so I got the short straw when it came to the naming convention.

There is definitely a secret underground club for kayakers - much like those who road-bike, wear yellow bracelets, or even fake tan, there is a mutual respect given among people who shun modern locomotive engineering, but instead embrace modern polyethylene engineering and resort to paddles to propel them to greatness. However, I often see people with kayak racks on the top of their SUVs that look suspiciously unused - hardcore kayakers use rope and old couch cushions to get their 'yak (secret kayak term) to the water. I prefer the truck-bed transportation method, also affectionately known as the "Windshield Impaler"....

Prescreen for SuperCars

Spotted in D-town - The choice in presidential candidate is sketchy enough, but the fact that someone put a BUMPER STICKER on the fresh paint of a Porsche Carrera S leaves me no choice but advocate for an advanced pre-screening process before someone is allowed to buy any limited production vehicle over $50K. Good luck peeling that bad boy off...they must have arrived under sniper fire when entering the garage....

New Links

Check out the new links section on the right. That took me 13 hours and $4600 to create, pretty impressive if you ask me. I'll begin to add more as time goes on, but you gotta start somewhere. BTW, babyeidson is my baby, in case there was any confusion.

Blogging Hiatus

Please excuse my lack of blogging over the past week - I'm offering a full refund of $0.00 to my subscribers. Work is always busy, but my free time as of late has been absorbed by kayaking (thank you craigslist), so much so that Susan has bestowed the moniker "kayak widow" upon herself, giving me the chance to claim the nickname "kayak widower" which henceforth shall be my handle should I purchase a CB radio or become a professional wrestler. So, due to the lack of time and upcoming baby, I have decided to condense my hobby list down to the following activities - kayak fishing, Xbox, mountain biking, golf, guitar, blogging, and commemorative plate collecting. I'll have some items up on craigslist this week for your gawking pleasure as I begin the consolidation effort.

In the meantime, I have 30+ blog topics coming your way, so stay tuned....

Milk was a bad choice...

12 week Ultrasounds

Baby blog is updated with week 12 pics - check'em out....

Tivo HD Price Drop

The new TiVo HD box (retail $299) can now be found as a refurb at both Tivo.com ($199) and yesterday on Woot.com ($179 + 3 months free service - now expired). I continue to tell everyone I know to cut the cable bill and get over-the-air HDTV with Tivo HD. Here's the cost breakdown:

$179-$199 - Tivo HD Box (one-time purchase price)
$35 - Tivo Wireless Adapter (one-time purchase price)
$25 - Phillips HD Antenna (one-time purchase price)
$13 per month for TiVo service - no hidden fees, no activation fee, just 12.95+tax each month

With 40+ channels (only 10 or so that I really watch, just like cable), I have more programming than I can ever watch. Plus we now get some ESPN simulcasts on channel 55.1, Astros on 51.1, and the Rockets in HD once a month on 20.1.

If you do sign up, put my email address (Lee.[insertmylastname]@gmail.com) into the referral box. I am working on getting the TiVo slippers. Sweet.

The URL is here...

www.fullthinktank.com

Bookmark it, tell your friends, the URL is here...(if you click it you come right back)

New Car?

Got a new car! Well, not really. But I did take a picture next to the car I want - this baby is on the 5 year plan. That's 4 years of saving, and 1 year of convincing Susan that I need a 2nd car. Also notice how I defaulted to the Abu-Ghraib prison pose for the picture - double guns and everything - completely unconscious and unconscionable at the same time. Try spelling those words back to back.


It's a Roush 427 package - basically a Stage 3 Roush with 427 HP. The real blocker is the price tag - $54K. You're in Z06 and Viper territory with that price...not sure what Roush is thinking. The Roush Stage 1 version of the car runs at $35K and 325HP - a more fiscally responsible package, right?

DVR Picks

Last week I discovered Dexter reruns on CBS, and found that I really like the show now that it is toned down for broadcast television. I caught an episode on Showtime while I was on the road, and it made me a bit queasy (which is also a word that would be a great nick-name for grandma to be Sharon....grandma "queasy"...I like it).

Also check out some spots from our Arrested Development crew - Jeffrey Tambore is staring in Meet the Captain, which I am slowly warming up to - his character worked on the set of Three's Company back in the day and he constantly name-drops it into every conversation - "When I was with 'Three-Co', ..."

And Will Arnett and Will Ferrell are making the rounds promoting Semi-Pro, so set your DVRs for Conan and David Letterman this week for some good time.

Baby Update

BabyEidson Blog is updated with week 10 ultrasound pics - looking like a baby to me. Just chillin' in there, resting up before I make it do all the chores around the house. This will be totally sweet.

My Blake incarcerated...

I have been walking around the house randomly shouting "My Blake, incarcerated" (1:35 mark) in a heavy accent, followed by Susan yelling from another room "Ray-Ray and Joe!" (1:24 mark). Love it.

Wealthy Habits

Great article from TheStreet.com on habits that produce/preserve wealth. Surprisingly balanced, since usually articles from TheStreet need to be taken with a "Jim Cramer is nuts" grain of salt...

iPhone $299

iPhone 4GB Refurb from Apple for $299 while they last (usually not long...)

In my experience, the refurbs from Apple are 99% new, and you still get the same 1 yr warranty so there is really no reason to say no...

On the refurb note, I just picked up a refurbished 37" LCD from NewEgg for a sweet price - check out NewEgg's deals - lots of free shipping, and tons of discounts - you can sort by rebate type and discount amount using their nifty form.

Superbowl 42: Football

I am headed to the store to buy a Citizen watch, so my entry here will be brief.

I rooted for the Giants, but not against the Patriots - I really did not want to see a perfect season. What happens then?

Giants defense was incredible, Eli caught the breaks and made the most of every opportunity, and ultimately made this the most fun and intriguing NFL game I have ever watched.

Eli's pass to Tyree on 3rd down (w/sound!) was the most incredulous and improbable play I have ever seen.

Strahan's "stomp'd 'em out" routine (w/sound!) is kinda freaking me out. Or maybe it's his teeth.

Quick Updates

Baby Blog is updated with Week 8 pics. Still black and white. Asked the doctor about a high-def option, but apparently I am now an idiot for asking obvious questions.

Also in breaking news, someone at work used the word Ginormous in a formal meeting. Pretty sure my personality is having an unindented affect on those around me.

Superbowl breakdown coming...

I'll have a Superbowl breakdown including commercials out this week - but in the mean time, someone should review the go-ahead touchdown catch made by the Giants. I am pretty sure that Petey tackled Plaxico before he entered the end-zone...you be the judge....