Getting ready to switch from a WidowPC box to an Alienware box. I’ve had the WidowPC box 8 months, it is a nice SLI liquid-cooled box, but it has had thermal problems from the day I got it and no longer runs. WidowPC is honestly not that responsive. I think they are just too small – my order number suggests I am approximately customer number 1000, and my support requests suggests they have handled ~4000 support requests — not large numbers, and too many requests per box.

Alienware offers onsite service and for the kind of bleeding edge boxes I buy, I think that is worthwhile. I just don’t have the time to be front line of support for myself, like Bob is for himself.

I hit Rattlesnake ledge this am at 630 – Rattlesnake Ledge Hike - a photoset on Flickr (not my photos) – a good wakeup hike. Saw no one on the way up, 2 people at the top, and then passed 40 people on the way down – it is going to be crowded up there today! Great to hit it while it was still quiet.

DIY Software from PC Magazine: Your Virtual Assistant – good article on deploying asterisk for a small business. I want to throw out the phone system at my house and put in an asterisk-based system, good tips in here, but I don’t have the time to do this and don’t want to be front line of support for the family. I really need a local asterisk var…

Brilliant articulation of how to think about the future –

A couple years ago, I was talking the Institute’s Bob Johansen about wisdom, and he explained that - to deal with an uncertain future and still move forward - they advise people to have “strong opinions, which are weakly held.”

Learning Movable Type: Plugin Compatibility and MT3.3 – i hate updating software, my patience was worn out years ago. but will have to do this one, start here for plugin gotchas.

Might be fun to go to this for a day next week – ONAMI : Events

Bob building his new PC – like me he is driven by gaming performance. His woes at fry’s – http://www.bobsplanet.com/serendipity/index.php?/archives/72-Frys-Slimy-Practices-the-Bobsplanet-PC-project-continues.html – personally I have given up on Fry’s, they have acres of stuff but never the exact part I need.

I’ve been on a modern mystery/suspense jag:

* “Ten Second Staircase”:amazon by Christopher Fowler. Very inventive and engaging mystery. 3rd in a series featuring a pair of superannuated london detctives working on bizarre crimes. A lot of fun, I’d pick up more in the series. Though good luck finding anything by Fowler in any of the big chains, they just don’t carry much by him. Pity. * “13 Steps Down”:amazon by Ruth Rendell. Twisted little tale of obsession and murder. Nicely crafted tho hard to really connect with the book as the main characters are not very sympathetic. Still, much better fare than most mysteries. * “The Hard Way”:amazon by Lee Child. Another great romp featuring jack reacher. These books feel like graphic novels written as prose – reacher is a classic modern day anti-hero – emotionally scarred, seemingly indestructible. A lot of fun. * “The Janissary Tree”:amazon by Jason Goodwin. My favorite of the bunch. I’ve never had a hankering to visit Istanbul, but after reading this period mystery I am ready to go, and I am ready to read goodwin’s historical work on the ottoman empire. A great setting, great main character, good supporting cast. Definitely recommended.

Vinyl Lettering, Custom Signs, Vinyl Banners and Vinyl Decals at SpeedySigns.com – I love these guys – aluminum signs made in any size you need with any kind of message or graphic. I’ve used them several times now and been happy.

Ipe Wood Outdoor Furniture - Ipe Furniture for Patio, Garden, Porch and Deck – these guys took forever to deliver, and it required some prodding from me, but the furniture seems nice. We will see how it weathers.

• Andy’s posting again – welcome back – stuff he is reading. Oh and the importance of urgency and agility
• Alex bosworth on Swik’s first birthday
• Bob on Melodeo launch, press re launch, and camera tripods (photography being his avocation)
• An older but good post from John Zagula on segmentation
• Rich points me towards an explanation of photo histograms. Also, BIOS beep codes demystified and the classic ipod reset instructions
• More recently, Rich on how to reinstall XP easily.
• Martin on the BOINC client

• The greatest musical rivalry, and of course the Buckeyes win.
• A big play breakdown of the Buckeye’s Fiesta Bowl win over ND – there is nothing quite like watching your rivals gnaw on their heartbreaking loss all year.
• CSTV launching ipod-based tool for players and coaches – this thing is way under-marketed, fanatics would pay for this service for their favorite team.

Welcome to BostonCoach – ok this is not the cheapest way to get around, but Buston Coach has been rock-solid for us over the last several years. The service has been flawless – always arriving on time, always courteous, scheduleable on relatively short notice, works well in major metro areas and more remote areas. We are huge fans.

OK our first 360 bit the dust. locks up 1 minute after booting. 7 months into owning it – just out of the warranty phase. so $129 to get it fixed – this must be the microsoft strategy for making money, $129 every six months…

I considered buying a new one at the msft company store but they don’t seem to have them, and i am not sure the discount would be anything special.

the real pain is the amount of time to get it fixed. they are shipping us a mailing box, it will take 3-5 business days to arrive. then another 3-5 to return to them. then 3-5 to fix and 3-5 to get back. so a month gone. during summer vacation high season. not good.

Clever bastards – Ross Parker has discovered that on at least one website prices differ depending on how you ask your search to be ordered. In particular, if you ask for prices to be listed from lowest to highest you get lower prices, on exactly the same hotels, than when you ask for highest to lowest prices.