Under Normal Circumstances

Walking My Way Back To Blogging

2012-01-21T17:24:00.000-06:00

I know it's been months. Hardly a weekend goes by when I do not give thought to logging into blogger and writing a new blog. It hasn't happened. If I was a writer I could claim writer's block, but alas I only write powerpoints and reports.

So I thought I would write a report. It should be easy and get me started. Here it comes.

As many of you know, I like to walk. I usually wear 3 or more measuring devices at one time. I always have two devices.

Omron HJ-720ITC

First my Omron HJ-720ITC ($59.99 MSRP, $31.89 at Amazon.com ). I may be biased, but I find it to be the easiest to use and the most accurate. This model downloads to my PC via USB. I have my steps for three years. Not sure why I need the long history, but I do like looking at my most recent few weeks. If you just want the steps try the HJ-112 ($34.99 MSRP, $20.99 at Amazon.com). Algorithm (the instructions the sensors use to measure your steps) is virtually identical. You can wear on your waist or in your pocket (my favorite). It does have a nice security leash to keep it from falling off your waist.

FitBit

The second device I always carry is my FitBit ($99.99 everywhere). Great design and a very fine web based dashboard. Like the Omron HJ-720ITC you can see your history (I have two years) or just look at the week or month. There is a premium service, but I have yet to see a lot of value. They now have an iPhone app that is nice, but you cannot load the data through your phone. Accuracy is good, but I find it over counts my steps a bit. Make sure you secure it well or it will fall off your waist band.

MOTOACTV

The device I am adding this week is the MOTOACTV ($249.99 - $299.99 everywhere PLUS accessories). It can measure all the normal things (steps, distance, pace, etc.) and adds Heart Rate (when used with a heart rate strap). The data is available on device or on a web dashboard. It has GPS and can download through USB or WiFi. It is also an android MP3 player the can sync with music on your desktop/laptop. You can use Bluetooth headphones to enjoy the audio. It will sync with Motorola Android phones. It comes with a belt clip and headphones. The wrist or shoulder strap are separate. Accuracy, so far so good. The original battery life was awful. The new software seems to be better.

I wore all three devices as I embarked on my weekend walk. Here are the results.

Device Steps
Omron HJ-720ITC 4,496
FitBit 4,565
MOTOACTV 4,501

Not bad for the first test. I will keep track over the next week and see if they stay as close together. I also will look at the dashboards and give my view on ease of use.

Wow. I actually got a full blog completed. Perhaps being a reporter vs. an author will work. Stay tuned for more.

Take care of your heart.

Under Construction

2012-01-20T18:15:00.000-06:00

I am coming back to blogging soon. In the meantime, check out what I am drinking tonight!!

The Girl Who Does It All

2011-03-20T22:03:00.000-05:00

It only took 6 months and a long international flight, but I finally watched the second and third movies in the Milennium trilogy, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. Good follow ups, but not quite up to par with the first movie.

True to the books, everything bad that can happen to Lisbeth does. Somehow, with the help of friends like Bloomkvist, she comes out in one piece. Great acting from most of the cast.

Noomi Rapace can say nothing and still get her message across. Mikael Nyqvist as Bloomkvist is sometimes guilty of over acting, but he gets the job done. Annika Hallin as Bloomkvist sister and Lisbeth's lawyer was excellent.

Read the books, then see the movies. I am guessing they will be better than the US versions that are begining production.

T Minus 7

2011-02-12T20:48:00.000-06:00

It has been almost four years since I made a trek to Napa. Next weekend will be a great time with more wine and food than I should or can consume (I will need to walk 20,000 steps a day to stay even on weight).

Miner Diner on Saturday. Lunch and blind tasting at Chappellet on Sunday. Finishing off the trip with a day on Spring Mountain at Terra Valentine and Fantesca.

In between there will be stops at other favorites and my e-mail friend Jim Kimmel is having some of his great Chardonnay and Merlot delivered to my hotel.

Hopefully I have not forgotten how to blog from my phone. It should be a great weekend. I am in training tonight with a great Chardonnay from Fantesca.

Chris, You Can Stop Spinning Now.

2011-01-26T22:11:00.000-06:00

What's wrong with this picture. I guess that's a loaded question, but I best get on topic. No, this is not a young Rush Limbaugh (although there are similarities). This is the Governor of the great State of New Jersey. He doesn't have enough to do right now so he is encouraging (probably too nice a word) businesses to abandon Illinois for "business friendly" New Jersey in advertisements on Illinois radio.

The Tax Foundation reports New Jersey ranks 48th on the list of states with the best tax climate. Illinois was 23rd, but with the recent tax increase has dropped to 36th. With a business tax rate of 9%, New Jersey does have 0.5% lower business taxes. However, the Tax Foundation also reports that New Jersey has the highest state/local tax burden in the nation. In fact people who make more than $40,000 a year will pay higher income taxes in New Jersey than in Illinois. I guess Chris forgot to put this in is advertisements.

I don't like paying more taxes, but those who live in glass houses....

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

2010-06-20T13:47:00.004-05:00

I spent the last month reading the Stieg Larsson "Millennium" Trilogy. Great read and great author. If you enjoy"smart" mysteries, don't miss them. Definite page turners. They made my spare time easy to use up.

Last night I took a chance and went to see the Swedish Movie based on the first book, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. WOW, what a ride. It is long , 152 minutes, but worth the time. It is sub-titled, but I had no problem keeping up with the action. The

cast is great - Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace deliver outstanding performances. It's full of surprises, a bit violent and a bit heavy with sex (but so are the books), still I highly recommend the movie.

The next installment, The Girl Who Played With Fire, is due out on July 9. See both before some US version with Will Smith and Angelina Jolie messes up the karma.

Let's not forget the Book.

Larsson created a masterpiece, but adding to the mystique he died before any of the series was published. There is even a dispute over a mysterious Fourth book between Larsson's family and his long time girl friend. Nothing like adding more intrigue to the talk.

Under any circumstances, see the movies or read the books. You will be glad you did.

Another Great Under $20 Cabernet

2010-06-06T17:36:00.003-05:00

I have been off for a while so I will start slow.

Just experienced a great new wine, Educated Guess from Roots Run Deep Winery (http://www.rootsrundeep.com/educated_guess.html). Besides the catchy name it tastes great. I really get excited when I find these types of gems.

From their spec sheet:

T H E N U M B E R S

100% Napa Valley

85% Rutherford and St. Helena

15% Yountville, Oak Knoll and Calistoga

85% Cabernet Sauvignon

6% Merlot

7% Cabernet Franc

2% Petit Verdot

12 Months French and American Oak (60% New)

25,000 Cases Produced (Bottled June 2009)

$20 Suggested Retail Price (UPC Code 8-98079-00100-0)

T H E S T Y L E

Wow, what can we say about our Cabernet Sauvignon? It’s rich, ripe and focused with juicy blackberry and cherry fruit, cocoa and hints of mint all tied together with a creamy french vanilla middle and a finish that in a word is . . . lingering. Educated Guess fills all the requirements that a serious cabernet lover is looking for, while remaining fun, approachable, and food friendly!

They owners say it better than me. It will be great with the filets I am getting ready to prep.

I hope you find this one.

Congress Keep Your Hands Off My Wine

2010-04-19T23:44:00.003-05:00

Under the guise of "preventing an alcohol epidemic", a special interest group (the National Beer Wholesalers Association) has convinced a couple of congressmen to introduce HR-5034. For more information on this bill from Wine Spectator click here. The bill was introduced by representatives Bill Delahunt (D Mass), Mike Quigley (D Ill.), Howard Coble (R N.C.), and Jason Chaffetz (R Utah). If they represent you, perhaps you want to think twice this November. Amazing that Democrats and Republicans will work together on this, but they can't find a way to work together on Healthcare Reform or Financial reform.

Another good blog on the bill can be found at Vinography.

I don't know about you, but I don't want my rights limited to line the pockets of distributors. Please reach out to your congressman and ask them not to support this bill. Here is a link to find and write your congressman.

By the way I borrowed the neat cartoon and the political adage from a real blogger, Jeff Lefevere. You can catch him at Good Grape: A Wine Manifesto.

Wait Wait the Carpet Needs Sweeping

2010-02-22T22:15:00.005-06:00

How did I miss it? Peter Sagal on The Late Late Show.

By the way Peter when did you become the Empire carpet guy or perhaps that guy on the Dyson commercials?

Great laughs. I look forward to hearing about it on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me.

Great Words to End the Year

2009-12-31T13:59:00.005-06:00

Whenever I stay in a hotel, I always look forward to getting up in the morning and opening the door for my copy of USA Today. It makes me feel like I am home.

It is usually the Sports or Business section that gets my attention, but yesterday "The Final Word" from the Life section reached out to me.

I am in Akron, Ohio with my wife witnessing the passing of her mother. It has been a long and trying year, but she is comfortable at the Hospice and will soon join her friends and relatives in a better place.

These situations do make you think about your own mortality, thus my interst in Craig Wilson's piece.

He writes about a photographer, Brian Peterson, who has written about death and it's realities.

Peterson reflects on art and artists, on creativity and where it comes from, and along the way he bares his soul, sharing tales about his sister's death, his childhood home, his dog Sparky, and how Walt Whitman gave him "nourishment" once as he waited at a bus station years ago.

Luminous essays all, but one, less than three pages long, stands out. It's called "Strange Gifts."
In it Peterson talks about the approaching deaths of two men — one a guard at the museum where he works; the other a neighbor.

"Death was a gift for both of them — a strange and terrible gift that woke them up and opened their eyes to the reality of the world they were leaving," writes Peterson, who admits their deaths were a gift to him, too.

What he learned from them both — to pay more attention to the world around you — is an age-old lesson few of us ever learn.

We are all in a hurry. We don't even see the roses, let alone stop to smell them. We travel to the far reaches of the Earth but rarely see what's there. We sing "Slow down, you move too fast," but we don't hear the message.

"When I'm brushing my teeth at night and staring at my aging face in the mirror," Peterson writes, "sometimes I ask myself, 'Well, how did I do today? Did I miss anything?' "

As I titled the post, these are great words to the end of the year.

I hope you will look for the roses. I know when I travel to the far reaches of the earth (does Newark count), I will. Have a safe and a happy New Year. And thanks again Craig and Brian for the great words.

For the full text of the article:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/finalword/2009-12-30-final30_ST_N.htm

Cry Me a River

2009-12-27T22:38:00.002-06:00

Ok, I usually leave sports out of my blogs. Unfortunately, one sports genius chose to open his mouth and it has been eating at my craw all weekend. Stan Van Gundy (Warning: I am not a fan of Stan or his team, but I have tolerated his antics until now) decided he needed to take a stand on NBA games on Christmas. He was upset that he had to coach a game on the holiday. It was so upsetting that he had to protest to reports covering the game. Could it be that he did not want to talk about his team getting beat by the Celtics? Could it be that his salary of $4 million per year is not enough to merit him leaving his home on Christmas and driving to the arena? Could it be that he is so religious that he refuses to work on holy days?

I am not sure if any of my questions are correct. I only know that Stan chose his profession. If he does not like working on a holiday he could be my trash collector. Because of Christmas my trash pick up was postponed to Saturday. A day of 20 degree temperatures, constant snow, and a brisk wind. Oh and they were at my house at 5:30 AM. Stan on the other hand had to coach a game in Orlando at 1:00 PM and there is the little thing of a $4 million salary.

Stan, you win my cry baby of the year nomination. I hope the Magic come to their senses and let you stay home all the time.

Check out Cannonball

2009-12-02T10:38:00.002-06:00

I picked up a bottle of 2006 Cannonball Cabernet Sauvignon over the weekend. It was a great surprise. Tastes like a $50 wine at less than $20. Check it out.

I will add some "tasting notes" later.

A Room with a View

2009-11-10T08:18:00.002-06:00

In case your interested, here is the view from my hotel room in Hong Kong last Friday.

2009-09-19T16:48:00.005-05:00

Time can certainly get away from you. It seems like yesterday was July, yet summer ends next week. My "mutterings' have been a bit scarce. Perhaps they will incerease as he sunlight decreases.

Although I feature "what I am drinking" on the side bar of my blog, I have mixed my wine musings with my rants in the past. Here is one worth the main page.

Maldonado Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2005. I enjoyed it this week and to me it was a steal at $25.00. A little lemon, a bit of jasmine and a lot of vanilla made it a great partner to lemon chicken. I even thought I caught a hint of violets, but my wife told me I was crazy. If you can find it try it. I couldn't find a website, but here is a link to Vinfolio.

I hope you enjoy it.

2009-08-04T21:34:00.003-05:00

Ok... I know I have been MIA, but it has been hectic. You may notice I am drinking Chianti tonight (another fine use of Sangiovese). Every time I have Chianti I think about the black rooster on the bottle. A friend told me that only the best Chianti's have the black rooster (a tip that has never led my astray), but here is the rest of the story from Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico

Why is Gallo Nero (the Black Rooster) the symbol of Chianti Classico?
The Gallo Nero (Black Rooster) has always been the symbol of the entire Chianti region. The origin of this is lost in time: an amusing legend narrates of the rivalry existing in the Middle Ages between Siena and Florence. According to this legend, in order to cease their endless fighting, the two Tuscan cities decided to leave the definition of their respective boundaries to a remarkable feat between knights: they were to leave their hometowns at cockcrow and wherever they would have met each other, that exact spot would have been the border between the two republics. For this purpose, the citizens of Siena raised a beautiful white rooster, which grew big and fat. The Florentines, instead, chose a black rooster and never fed him, so that on the fateful day he was so famished, he started to crow even before sunrise. As a result, the Florentine knight was able to set out very early in the morning: he met the knight from Siena in Fonterutoli –merely twelve Kilometers from Siena -, as the latter had left much later: this is the reason why almost all of the Chianti territory was united under the rule of the Florentine Republic. Even if this is only a legend, it is however confirmed that the Black Rooster profile has represented the emblem of the historic Chianti League, which ruled over these lands since the beginning of the 14th century. The artist Giorgio Vasari painted the Black Rooster on the ceiling of the Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio, as an allegorical representation of the Chianti region. The Consortium has ultimately selected this seven-century old symbol as a certification of its wines.

Perhaps it is useless trivia, but it is interesting dinner talk.

What's Up Doc?

2009-07-19T21:44:00.007-05:00

This is a first, two postings within an hour. I had to share my experience with an application for the BlackBerry Storm (and others).

Gwabbit (http://www.gwabbit.com/) makes adding information to your contact list as easy as opening an email. The application recognizes the signature area and populates the field of your contact list. I have had it for a couple of days and found it to be a great. No more cutting and pasting. It is automatic. The only downside was the $9.99 cost, but it will likely be worth it in the long run. I get nothing out sharing this, but I hope you get a kick out of this application

Apple's iPhone "wrecking" the cell industry

2009-07-19T21:28:00.004-05:00

Maybe some day I will be able to get an iPhone on the Verizon network. My BB Storm keeps getting better, but I am intrigued by the features on my iPod Touch and wish they were on my phone.

Here is an interesting view on what iPhone is doing to the industry.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/07/13/apples_iphone_wrecking_the_cell_industry.html

I can't say I disagree. If I were Apple I would be looking for every opportunity to involve other providers.

Pizza Hut First Pizza Chain to Launch iPhone App

2009-07-15T22:13:00.008-05:00

I'm back. It has been a while, but I have not forgotten that someone might be reading this.

I continue to think that the iPhone app is a disruptive technology. Obviously when Pizza Hut takes the plunge it must mean something.

http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=137952

I have always wanted to order pizza from my iPod.

Well maybe not.

I did order movie tickets on Fandango from my iPod.

I am certain someone out there will be excited about this one.

It is still disruptive, at least to my phone.

So mama don't take my Kodachrome away

2009-06-22T10:19:00.008-05:00

"When I think back

On all the crap I learned in high school

It's a wonder

I can think at all

And though my lack of education

Hasn't hurt me none

I can read the writing on the wall"

"Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph

So mama don't take my Kodachrome away.'' - Paul Simon

Mama's not taking it away, Kodak is. I know it's business. I also know it is sad when the icons of our life go away. Kodachrome was older than most of us (74). It has a rich history that is pervasive throughout every family photo album as well as every photo magazine of the 20th century.

Here is a link to a tribute from Kodak.

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=2/6868&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=9264

Another tribute from the Chicago Tribune.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/06/kodachrome_rip_worlds_a_winter.html

2009-06-20T19:45:00.001-05:00

Well... I am trying a mobile post. Not sure how it will work, but it goes to show where mobile devices have evolved. I have 3000 steps left to walk. Later.

Reaching the Peak of Inflated Expectations

2009-06-16T13:12:00.006-05:00

I attended the Microsoft Connected Health Conference in Bellevue, WA last week. There were devices and applications on display and in discussion that may someday help all of us take better care of our health.

For me the best part of the conference was the keynote address on Friday morning by Mark Smith, MD, MBA President and CEO of the California HealthCare Foundation (http://www.chcf.org/). It was a brilliant talk. Dr. Smith certainly knows his subject and even better knows how to get the message across to his audience. here is a doctor that is not afraid to speak out on how his contemporaries are afraid to change the system. He touched on everything from retail clinics to e-visits to the reimbursement system. You can get a feel of his topic at the web site. This pdf has some very thought provoking information (http://www.chcf.org/documents/policy/TelehealthAltersMedicalEcosystem.pdf).

Now you may be asking, "what does all this have to do with the Hype Cycle". Well....Dr. Smith feels (and I agree) that today the connected healthcare market stand at peak of inflated expectations. We are all excited about the power of connected health, but the reality is we have a long way to go. Patience mat be the operative word. In the meantime take a look at Dr. Smith's work. I think you will find it fascinating.

Why Walmart Is Getting Serious About Marketing

2009-06-09T22:59:00.004-05:00

Walmart is my largest retail partner, so this article from Ad Age didn't surprise me. It did however make think about how important marketing is to the success of every business, even one of the world's largest.

"... is forcing Walmart to become a better marketer and merchandiser, said Chief Marketing Officer Stephen Quinn in an interview the day prior to the company's June 5 shareholder extravaganza. "While it's very exciting to be opening new stores and building your base out that way, it clearly is the kind of game where there has to be some natural plateauing," Mr. Quinn said. Walmart's new reality means "you're going to have to work a lot harder in an existing neighborhood to get them to consider other categories or to build that emotional bond with them."

The economy has made Walmart the secret store for many people. I am delighted to see that they are not sitting back and collecting the dollars.

Marketing clearly has assumed a more important role at Walmart under Mr. Quinn, a veteran of PepsiCo's Frito-Lay. "Certainly it's not a marketing-led company in the way a lot of package-goods companies would consider themselves to be," he said. "So I have to be careful not to overstep what it really is. But I do think marketing has a seat at the table. ... This company had a strong merchant and operations culture, and now we've added this third leg of the stool."

Even better Walmart is really trying to understand the customer.

Walmart really doesn't need to attract a different customer to succeed, Mr. Quinn said -- just do a better job of selling to and maintaining the loyalty of its existing customers.

I look forward to more from Walmart, the marketer.

10 Digital Marketing Ideas...

2009-06-08T23:15:00.004-05:00

Warning - Shameful theft of someone else's great blog

Jim Lefevre has a lot to say about some great Digital Marketing ideas.

http://jlefevere.blogspot.com/2009/06/10-digital-marketing-ideas.html

Hope you enjoy as much as I did.

P.S. it's ok to comment on the dominant size of Jim's name at the top of his blog (see the picture). I already did.

Just Having an iPhone App Isn't Enough

2009-06-03T23:03:00.005-05:00

Michael Learmonth contributed a great article to Advertising Age (June 3, 2009) http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=137069

Everyone is on the App bubble, but the devil is in the detail or as Michael points out the marketing support.
With nearly 48,000 iPhone applications in circulation, it's easy to forget how young the mobile "app economy" really is. The iTunes App Store has been around only 11 months; it registered its billionth download after nine months.

It all sounds good. Probably too good.

There's a myth that there's easy money out there," he said as part of a panel of mobile experts at the CaT: Creativity and Technology conference in New York, hosted by Advertising Age and Creativity. "Most apps don't make any money, so it's really about publicity."
Increasingly, apps have to be supported by traditional marketing; otherwise they have little chance of making it to many iPhone screens. "The App Store is not a marketing vehicle; it is a distribution vehicle," said Raven Zachary, president of digital creative firm Small Society.

As dominant as Apple has been in the field of mobile applications and smartphones, the panel stressed it's still early. The gold rush may be over, but an era of truly useful apps that enable commerce and turn mobile phones into devices that control other devices is upon us.

I think Michael is right on target. The opportunity is still there, but it is a marketing opportunity not a get rich quick scheme. Just don't forgot to support it with traditional marketing.

Need to Check Your Cholesterol? There Will Be an App for That

2009-06-02T23:24:00.004-05:00

From the June 1st Ad Age, a very interesting article on iPhone Apps. Looks like everyone is trying to figure out how to use these in their business model. http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=136991

Interestingly (is that a word) the same issue has an article about the trouble with beer companies tweeting. http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=136986

I don't know about you, but I think social media is here to stay.

Yes Virginia, Google has a business model

2009-05-25T21:20:00.004-05:00

An interesting article on Google's business model.

http://www.wired.com/culture/culturereviews/magazine/17-06/nep_googlenomics?currentPage=all

Now if I could only figure out what it means. Should I bid for the AdWords at the top of the page or on the side? Too bad I don't have the budget for either.

More Bad News

2009-05-24T15:17:00.009-05:00

This probably means nothing to you, but Chicago lost it's only full time jazz station on Friday at 9:55 AM. WNUA 95.5 converted to a spanish music station (now the Mega955). I really like latin jazz, but spanish music doesn't do it for me. I understand the business issues, but they just pushed me further to XM (Real Jazz - 70 and Watercolors - 71) or Internet radio (sky.fm/smoothjazz). My FM receiver is not very busy these days.

Actually the jazz on Sky.fm is very good. They play a lot of different artists and aren't afraid to push the envelope beyond smooth.

On Sunday Jimi King has a live show from London (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM CDT) that is very entertaining. You can also watch it live (http://www.sky.fm/liveshow/).

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

2009-05-16T22:23:00.010-05:00

I don't know much about his basketball career, but I do know Wayman Tisdale played a mean bass guitar. I experienced his enthusiasm twice. The first time was when he played with the Guitars and Saxes tour. He played big and looked big (especially next to Mindi Abair, see pic), but he could make his guitar sing. The last time was when he played with Gerald Albright, another great musical experience. When I heard his songs on XM or other contemporary jazz stations it always brought a smile to my face. I hope he is jammin in heaven.

Here is a great tribute from Dave Koz.

This is a tough one for anyone who knew Wayman — to know him was indeed to love him. No one made people feel good like Wayman Tisdale... that smile, that spirit about him — that sense of determination and focus. He had this way of making everyone feel special. He was huge in every way and took the biggest bites out of life. I feel so fortunate to have gotten to spend so many wonderful times with him, to share the stage, to laugh, to record together, just to hang out — but even if you didn’t know him, there was so much love in what he offered the world that you couldn’t help but love him back. And I can’t recall anyone fighting cancer the way he fought it — he was a hero on the court, on the stage, in his fight to live and in everything he did. I send my sincerest, heartfelt prayers of comfort to his wife Regina, the four wonderful Tisdale kids, his family, friends and the millions of fans who adored him. - Dave Koz.

Thanks for making me smile.

Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...

2009-04-30T22:51:00.007-05:00

Perhaps you remember the first time you saw the Wizard of Oz. I fell in love with Dorothy and couldn't hide fast enough when the wicked witch was on the screen. Watching the movie was a yearly event at my house (yes, this was before VCR's, cable, Dish, DVD's, DVR's, and On Demand). We never missed it.

The NPR program "On Point", Tom Ashbrook had a great interview with Evan Schwartz who has authored an interesting bio of L. Frank Baum. Take a listen. I think you will find it an enjoyable hour.

http://podcastdownload.npr.org/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/330/510053/103688469/WBUR_103688469.mp3

Napa Valley

2009-04-29T23:16:00.002-05:00

I just liked the picture.

Join My Walking Group

2009-04-26T17:54:00.001-05:00

If you want to join my walking group on Walker Tracker, use this link.
http://walkertracker.com/?i=33960062788

A New Step Tracker Widgit

2009-04-26T16:23:00.002-05:00

I added a new widgit for tracking my steps. It reports my data versus the group data on the WalkMe widgit. It will be interesting to use this for while. Keep walking!!

2009-03-29T15:18:00.005-05:00

A blog I follow (Jim Lefevre) led me to this article. I am not sure how to react, but there is something about this that screamed "disruptive technology". I will be spending some time trying to find out more. http://mobihealthnews.com/949/iphone-30-all-about-mhealth/

Lemonade Machine Discovered

2009-03-29T12:46:00.006-05:00

It's one of the more over used idioms, " You have to make lemonade from the lemons". Well now they have found the elusive lemonade machine.

From an article in the Boston Globe, perhaps it can help someone:

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2009/03/29/from_lemons_to_lemonade/

15,000 Steps a day

2009-03-22T17:39:00.004-05:00

When I decided to walk, I started with a goal of 10,000 steps a day. Now that the weather in the midwest is cooperating and day light savings time is in effect, I have extended my goal to 15,000 steps a day.

This article talks about 100 steps a minute for moderate exercise.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7950003.stm

BlackBerry Storm

2009-03-20T23:40:00.004-05:00

I found a great application for my BlackBerry Storm.

Flycast (http://www.flycast.fm/FlyCastHOME.aspx)

Let's you play your favorite internet radio through your device. Be sure you have an unlimited data plan or it could get costly. Also set your "Sounds" to vibrate or it will cut out when you receive an e-mail.

Probably not as cool as an I phone, but it has been great for me.

2009-03-17T22:38:00.002-05:00

I added the WalkMe widgit to my blog. It is a neat off shoot of Microsoft's HealthVault. It needs a little more work, but it is the best application I have found to track my steps. I hope the count is correct.

An interesting video "Did You Know"

2009-02-28T21:10:00.003-06:00

This is my first post. I am either breaking every rule there is on linking or making something that is easy very difficult. Perhaps I will get better.

I hope this makes you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY

There are a couple of different versions out there.