Posts

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On Day Care, Google Makes a Rare Fumble

Talking Business – On Day Care, Google Makes a Rare Fumble – NYTimes.com
Google gets positioned as the company that everyone wants to work for because of all they do for their employees.  But in the case of day care, they are falling through the cracks.

By raising the cost of day care, they are creating an elitist atmosphere and a division within their employee ranks.  In creating this division, employees are not happy and many of the brightest are now leaving for other companies.

I am hoping that this shows other companies how not to treat their employees.

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Rockies win a wild one, win 18-17

The Colorado Rockies won a wild one and had fireworks before the fireworks show at Coors Field tonight.  They came from 9 runs down to beat the Florida Marlins 18-17.
This was an amazing game.  The Rockies were down 7-1, 13-5, and 17-12 to win.

Coors Field is known for some crazy games, but this one was just crazy.  The pitching was horrid on both sides, but that might be the offenses were just amazing.  Lodo magic was in full-force.

Let’s hope this will carry the Rockies forward and propel them back into the race to win the NL West.  No other team in the National League West wants to take over.

Go Rockies!

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Colorado Rockies Fireworks Display

I went to the Colorado Rockies game last night versus the Florida Marlins and then watched the fireworks display afterwards.  It was a fun game and evening, especially since the Rockies came back and won the game 6-5 in the bottom of the 11th evening.
But, as always, the fireworks stole the show.  It was amazing.  I was able to capture it on my Flip Video camera. Enjoy.

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Getting older and to a better year…

Well here is to getting older. Tomorrow, July 3, is my 39th birthday. Not again, for the first time. The funny thing is that I don’t feel any older.
Birthdays are always fun, especially when my birthday is on July 3. We are going as a family plus my niece, nephew, and sister in-law, to the Rockies game and fireworks afterwards. It is always a fun evening and we enjoy the evening out as a family.

But this is better than last year for me. Last year at this time I was in the hospital to have my appendix out. I was a hurting puppy and it is much better to be home hanging out with the family than in a hospital in quite-a-bit of pain.

Well here is to another year.

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Can you own the rain…

A column in the Denver Post this morning by Daniel Fitzgerald asked that very question.  Can you own the rain?
Kris Holstrom lives on the western slope of Colorado and wanted to capture the rain that fell off her roof to be able to water her yard and her burgeoning organic farming business.  It wouldn’t have been that much and she applied to do that through the State of Colorado.

But the State Engineer said no and the Water Court of Colorado agreed.  They ruled that the rain that fell on her house was tributary to the San Miguel River and thereby previously appropriated.  She can’t capture rain and use it on her garden.

This is the same thinking that is causing water problems in the western United States, prior appropriation or otherwise known as first-in-time, first-in-right.  This is the same rule that has applied to water appropriation since the west was settled.

Since there is a tremendous increase in population the consumption and need of water is ever-growing.  We (the residents of Colorado and the West) need to start planning and developing innovative solutions to water management.  Being stuck in the same ol’ ways will not help us, but hurt us.

Studies have been done in capturing water that runs off the roofs and used to water gardens and also for waste supply (like toilets) and it will save a lot of water while still returning it to the river or transpired into the air to fall as rain somewhere else. 

Most likely, the water from this persons roof would not make it to the river.  It would have either evaporated or transpired through the vegetation.

We in the West need innovative technologies and a new thinking of water management.  If we don’t the water crisis will only get worse.

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United and Continental Plan Cooperation – Linking Networks and Services

I received the following email today from United about United and Continental linking their networks and services, including their frequent flyer programs.  This is the first of probably a series of combinations, mergers, or cooperations that will occur in this market.
I still won’t fly either airline unless I have to because the service is so bad, especially charging for the first checked bag.  Good luck, you’ll need it.

As a valued Mileage Plus member, we wanted you to be among the first to hear that Continental and United today announced plans to cooperate globally, linking our networks and services worldwide to deliver new benefits to you. In addition, Continental plans to join United in the Star Alliance®, the most comprehensive airline alliance in the world.

Once implemented, this new partnership, will easily enable you to take advantage of the resources of both airlines to enhance your overall travel experience, and receive more value from your Mileage Plus membership.

First and foremost, this partnership will include new frequent flier reciprocity that will enable you to earn miles when flying on either airline and redeem awards on both carriers. Travel on either carrier will count toward earning elite status. Similarly, members of either airline’s airport lounge program will have access to both Continental’s Presidents Club network and United’s Red Carpet Club® lounges.

Second, together with Continental, we will be able to offer you a more comprehensive domestic route network and together with our Star Alliance partners, greater choice of service throughout the entire world.

Starting in the U.S., you are going to see United and Continental develop extensive code-sharing that will facilitate travel whenever your itinerary involves both carriers. We will be able to provide you with a coordinated process for reservations/ticketing, check-in, flight connections and baggage transfer.

Internationally, Continental and United will establish joint ventures that will allow us to cooperate with each other and with other Star Alliance airlines throughout the world. These joint ventures will enable us to provide you with highly competitive flight schedules, fares and service to more destinations than we do today.

In short, once regulatory approval is obtained, this new partnership between United and Continental will expand your choice of flights and destinations, and improve your ability to earn both miles and elite status in Mileage Plus. Together we will offer you more value whenever you fly. We expect to bring you the benefits of our cooperation starting some time in 2009, and until then, we will keep you informed about our progress.

We appreciate you and your business, and we look forward to seeing you on your next flight.

Sincerely,

Robert Sahadevan
Vice President – Mileage Plus

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Casinos ticketed for allowing smoking

Casinos ticketed for allowing smoking – The Denver Post
I am sorry, but having a $200 for a business like the casinos is not going to deter them.  It is ridiculously low and something that they could cover quite easily.

The cigar bar loophole is also a joke. That loophole is so wide a few semi-trucks could get through, let along smokers.  That should be closed soon.  I was in Maryland and they have a smoking ban in the county I was in. The patrons of the cigar bar I walked by had to sit outside because they don’t have that loophole.

Finally, the sheriff refusing to write tickets and enforce the law is just plain stupid. He is not doing his job then. It is nice to see that he finally issued the tickets, but give me a break.

The casinos and others better clean up their act or the smoking ban will go to the voters as a referendum and they won’t like the results. I am sure that it will be much tougher than the already tough law today.  Albeight with out the big loopholes.

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How to Block Cellphone Spam – Pogue’s Posts

How to Block Cellphone Spam – Pogue’s Posts – Technology – New York Times Blog
This is a good article by David Pogue on how to prevent text messaging spam.  I have been lucky and not received any, but my parents haven’t had that luck.

They were getting so much spam, they just turned off text messaging.

I have tried to convince them to turn it back on and do things like this to prevent the spam, but they don’t want anything to do with it.

I think it is important to have it turned on so, in case of an emergency, we can communicate by text.  They live in earthquake territory.  The phone lines can get maxed out quickly, but if they would be able to text, they could get some communications out.

I’ll be visiting them in a couple of months, maybe we could come up with something and I can get them to turn it back on.