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September 2006 Archives

September 2, 2006

British Cell phone commerical : Guy with two girls

This is a Funny British Cell phone commercial.

At least I think it's a British commercial. Anyway, I thought it was pretty funny.

September 3, 2006

Neat Music Video

With all the junk people produce in music videos, I thought this was a very creative and unique idea someone came up with.

September 4, 2006

Somewhere over the Rainbow on Harmonica

Anyone who has ever tried to play Harmonica should have an appreciation for just how amazingly good this guy is at it. I mean, seriously good at playing the Harmonica.

Here he is playing somewhere over the Rainbow on Harmonica

September 6, 2006

Looking to laugh?

I don't know if this is everyone's batch of humor, but I thought this site was very funny! It's all the things a guy finds annoying about his girlfriend.

September 8, 2006

How to use Movable Type to publish a Google Sitemap

I was wondering if I could get Movable Type to publish a Google Sitemap that would update automatically every time I updated my site.

The answer? Of course. Movable Type is so darn verstile!

These three posts proved to be extremely helpful.

http://www.mtlookup.com/samples/mtlookup-fulltext-search-google-sitemap.html

www.jacobsen.no

http://www.sixapart.com/pronet/weblog/2005/06/google_sitemaps.html

September 10, 2006

Sand Art Video

I assume that this was part of some big exhibition, or a larger show in front of an audience. It's a pretty amazing demonstration of what the human mind can conceive of and how transient/interchangeable an image is.

If nothing else, it's entertaining to watch what people can do with nothing but sand!

Take a look!

September 11, 2006

Observations from DIA Denver International Airport

Observations from Denver International Airport, September 11, 2006

"Sign up today and get a free trip!"

So there's this guy wandering around the airport on concourse A saying "Sign up today and get a free round trip on Frontier." Just when you thought you were safe from being marketed something, here's someone wandering around the airport, looking for people to sign up for credit cards. It is not that I mind being marketed to, or even that I mind being marketed to in the airport. But as much as I do like sitting for an hour and waiting while someone repeats the exact same message over and over (like they already do over the sound system about aerosols and toothpaste), now I'm listening to a guy selling a credit card over and over. This is not even to mention the tacit acceptance we all have that it's okay for a large company to encourage and even reward us for contributing to the huge problem of Americans drowning in debt. But I digress...


Wireless Internet

Denver International Airport = something fishy. DIA is the only airport I have ever been in where wireless Internet is offered and fully accessible, but where it costs you something. You can log in through any of the major providers on their main page, but there's a cost associated with getting on their wireless network (provided by AT&T). If you don't already have an account with one of these major providers, you can pay $7.95/day for unlimited access. Admittedly, that is not super expensive, but didn't I pay for DIA with tax money already? How about the landing fees that are tacked on to my ticket prices just because I happen to fly from here? Couldn't a small portion of that go to pay AT&T or someone else so that while wireless Internet access is available while I'm sitting here listening to how aerosols and toothpaste are prohibited (and how I can get a free round trip ticket if I'm willing to dig myself into a hole of debt)?

Hey DIA, how about this suggestion? A little innovation: The equipment for wireless Internet is already here, so all that has to be purchased is the access. DIA pays for the Internet connection, but when a traveler connects through the DIA travel network, it's accompanied by a small sidebar. This sidebar runs ads for the people and companies who rent space in the airport. They get a 15-30 second rotating banner impression, and it's just $10/month added on to their rent cost. There are potentially 100 or more vendors here in the airport, each paying $10/month. This could serve to let people know what shops are available (did you know you can get a massage at DIA while waiting for your flight?) while at the same time paying for the Internet connection of all travelers through the airport. 100 vendors*$10/month = some pretty nice bandwidth being carried into the airport for wireless connections.

The Internet situation here is kind of like Starbuck's versus the local neighborhood coffee shop. At both places, you've already bought overpriced coffee, but at the neighborhood coffee shop, you generally can sign in after agreeing to their terms and conditions, while at Starbuck's, you have to pay T-Mobile or another major provider in order to log on to the Internet. Could it be that DIA is getting some sort of kick-back from these companies?

Nah, it couldn't be that (catch the sarcasm). (Actually, if it isn't that, DIA should be making some money for allowing these guys to own the wireless space at the airport.)

It's just interesting that this is the only airport I've seen (and I've traveled to plenty), that charges for its wireless internet access. Denver International Airport's new slogan: *DIA: Starbuck's of airports*.

Parents with kids on leashes

Everyone has probably seen this more recent phenomenon of parents putting their kids on leashes. Aside from the huge moral fallacy presented in such a big way by the people who think that this is okay, what I notice most about parents who put their kids on leashes is that both hands of the parent are usually full. In addition to hanging on to the strap for their child(ren), they are carrying something in both hands: generally it's 3 or more of the following: coffee, candy bar, book, ice cream, hot dog, super-sized cola, backpack, doughnuts, etc. Generally, if you notice the parents who have their children on a leash, they are overweight. Could there be some sort of relationship here?

Don't get me wrong, because it must be difficult to be a parent, something which I will have the joy of experiencing someday. But parents, understand this: the only time that it's okay to put your child on a rope that is attached to them and you is when you are mountain climbing. If you're putting a leash on your kid to prevent them from running away, then you need to help your child learn boundaries, and you really should lose some weight, so that if absolutely necessary, and only as a last resort, you can chase after your child. Get rid of some of the stuff you're carrying, because even though you want it, you likely don't need it. This is especially true if what you're carrying is excess weight.

If you're putting a leash on your kid to prevent someone else walking away with your child, then you need to watch less TV. This is not to downplay the significance of child abductions, but if the best response you can come up with to keep your child safe from an abduction is to keep them tethered to you at all times, then you clearly have been brainwashed into paranoia by watching too much news. Instead of a leash, here's an idea: teach your child some lessons about people who are okay to be with and people who are not okay to be with, and then give your child some freedom to explore, while at the same time establishing some boundaries (GASP!) for them.

Get your poor child off of the leash.

September 15, 2006

Failure Quotation

"Failure is just another way to learn how to do something right."

September 17, 2006

Funny trick of the foot

How smart is Your Right Foot ? ?

Just try this. It is from an orthopaedic surgeon............

This will boggle your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see if
you can outsmart your foot, but you can't. It's preprogrammed in your brain!
1. WITHOUT anyone watching you (they will think you are GOOFY.....) and while
sitting where you are at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot
off the floor and make clockwise circles.

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with you right hand.

Your foot will change direction.

I told you so!!!

And there's nothing you can do about it!

You and I both know how stupid it is, but before the day is done you are
going to try it again, if you've not already done so ! ! !

Dick Lamm's Speech in Washington DC

Take the time to read this. It's an email I received, and I'd like to know the opinions of people who are reading it on this blog.

We know Dick Lamm as the former Governor of Colorado. In that context his thoughts are particularly poignant. Last week there was an immigration overpopulation conference in Washington, DC, filled to capacity by many of American's finest minds and leaders. A brilliant college professor by the name of Victor Hansen Davis talked about his latest book, Mexifornia," explaining how immigration - both legal and illegal was destroying the entire state of California. He said it would march across the country until it destroyed all vestiges of The American Dream.

Moments later, former Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm stood up and gave a stunning speech on how to destroy America. The audience sat spellbound as he described eight methods for the destruction of the United States. He said, "If you believe that America is too smug, too self-satisfied, too rich, then let's destroy America. It is not that hard to do. No nation in history has survived the ravages of time.
Arnold Toynbee observed that all great civilizations rise and fall and that 'An autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide.'"

Here is how they do it," Lamm said:

"First, to destroy America,: turn America into a bilingual or multi-lingual and bicultural country." History shows that no nation can survive the tension, conflict, and antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures. It is a blessing for an individual to be bilingual; however, it is a curse for a society to be bilingual. The historical scholar, Seymour Lipset, put it this way: "The histories of bilingual and bi-cultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy."

Canada, Belgium, Malaysia, and Lebanon all face crises of national existence in which minorities press for autonomy, if not independence. Pakistan and Cyprus have divided.
Nigeria suppressed an ethnic rebellion. France faces difficulties with Basques, Bretons, and Corsicans.".

Lamm went on:

Second, to destroy America, "Invent 'multiculturalism' and encourage immigrants to maintain their culture. I would make it an article of belief that all cultures are equal. That there are no cultural differences. I would make it an article of faith that the Black and Hispanic dropout rates are due solely to prejudice and discrimination by the majority. Every other explanation is out of bounds.

Third, "We could make the United States a 'Hispanic Quebec' without much effort. The key is to celebrate diversity rather than unity. As Benjamin Schwarz said in the Atlantic Monthly recently: "The apparent success of our own multiethnic and multicultural experiment might have been achieved not by tolerance but by hegemony. Without the dominance that once dictated ethnocentricity and what it meant to be an American, we are left with only tolerance and pluralism to hold us together." Lamm said, "I would encourage all immigrants to keep their own language and culture. I would replace the melting pot metaphor with the salad bowl metaphor. It is important to ensure that we have various cultural subgroups living in America enforcing their differences rather than as Americans, emphasizing their similarities."

"Fourth, I would make our fastest growing demographic group the least educated. I would add a second underclass, unassimilated, undereducated, and antagonistic to our population. I would have this second underclass have a 50% dropout rate from high school."

"My fifth point for destroying America would be to get big foundations and business to give these efforts lots of money. I would invest in ethnic identity, and I would establish the cult of 'Victimology' I would get all minorities to think that their lack of success was the fault of the majority. I would start a grievance industry blaming all minority failure on the majority population."

"My sixth plan for America's downfall would include dual citizenship, and promote divided loyalties. I would celebrate diversity over unity. I would stress differences rather than similarities. Diverse people worldwide are mostly engaged in hating each other - that is, when they are not killing each other. A diverse, peaceful, or stable society is against most historical precedent. People undervalue the unity it takes to keep a nation together. Look at the ancient Greeks. The Greeks believed that they belonged to the same race; they possessed a common language and literature; and they worshipped the same gods. All Greece took part in the Olympic games. A common enemy,Persia, threatened their liberty. Yet all these bonds were not strong enough to overcome two factors: local patriotism and geographical conditions that nurtured political divisions. Greece fell. "E. Pluribus Unum" --From many, one. In that historical reality, if we put the emphasis on the 'pluribus'. Instead of the 'Unum,' we will balkanizeAmerica as surely as Kosovo."

"Next to last, I would place all subjects off limits; make it taboo to talk about anything against the cult of 'diversity.' I would find a word similar to 'heretic' in the 16th century - that stopped discussion and paralyzed thinking. Words like 'racist' or 'xenophobe' halt discussion and debate. Having made America a bilingual/bicultural country, serving established multi-culturism, having the large foundations fund the doctrine of 'Victim logy,' I would next make it impossible to enforce our immigration laws. I would develop a mantra: That because immigration has been good forAmerica, it must always be good. I would make every individual immigrant symmetric and ignore the cumulative impact of millions of them."

In the last minute of his speech, Governor Lamm wiped his brow. Profound silence followed.

Finally he said, "Lastly, I would censor Victor Hanson Davis's book Mexifornia. His book is dangerous. It exposes the plan to destroy America. If you feel America deserves to be destroyed, don't read that book."

There was no applause. A chilling fear quietly rose like an ominous cloud above every attendee at the conference. Every American in that room knew that everything Lamm enumerated was proceeding methodically, quietly, darkly, yet pervasively across the United States today.

Discussion is being suppressed. Over 100 languages are ripping the foundation of our educational system and national cohesiveness. Even barbaric cultures that practice female genital mutilation are growing as we celebrate 'diversity.' American jobs are vanishing into the Third World as corporations create a Third World in America - take note of California and other states - to date, ten million illegal aliens and growing fast.

It is reminiscent of George Orwell's book "1984." In that story, three slogans are engraved in the Ministry of Truth building:
"War is peace," "Freedom is slavery," and "Ignorance is strength.".

Governor Lamm walked back to his seat. It dawned on everyone at the conference that our nation and the future of this great democracy is deeply in trouble and worsening fast.


If you're reading this blog post, please post your thoughts below. I'd love to get a discussion going on this speech.

September 18, 2006

TSA September 18 at Las Vegas Airport

Five years and some after September 11, and our airports are no more safe than they were prior to September 11, 2001.

After over an hour of standing in security lines at Las Vegas airport, I have realized something in a crystal clear way. Our security is only as strong as the people in it: some of the people in it are not very smart.

There are many within the TSA workers who are highly intelligent, and there is no doubt that they are working hard, and dealing with a lot of crazy travelers. But this morning, I will walk on to a plane with two foil-wrapped granola bars. The contents of an aluminum wrapped package walking through a stand-up x-ray scanner may or may not be detected by the machine, but when screened, and showing a security screener that it was just granola bars, I found myself able to walk away and get on the plane. The screeners are dealing with so many people every day, that it’s easy to let some little things slip through the cracks. Little things can result in big problems.

One other thought… Who is getting wealthy re-selling all the items that are confiscated at airports around the country?

World Internet Summit Picture with Sterling Valentine

There is no doubt that a great many posts will appear on this blog as a result of my attendance at the World Internet Summit this past weekend. It was truly PHENOMENAL!

For now though, here's a picture of myself with Sterling Valentine signing a water bottle for me. More will come soon on both why he was signing a water bottle, as well as what was so great about meeting Sterling Valentine himself

jonathan-kraft-sterling-valentine-wis06.jpg

September 21, 2006

Dave Taylor at Affiliate Summit 2006

Dave Taylor has rapidly become one of my favorite Internet "gurus". Dave Taylor's approach to keeping Google coming to your web site, and keeping your content exciting for search engines, makes SO MUCH SENSE!

Take a look at this video from Affiliate Summit 2006 in Orlando.

Continue reading "Dave Taylor at Affiliate Summit 2006" »

Mike Litman Audio

Mike Litman has an email audio called "The 2 Common Characteristics All Internet Millionaires Have In Common"

While it initially takes a minute to get used to Mike Litman's New York Accent, his words are important. Mike Litman has impacted me in many ways, and I think this audio offers some little nuggets that people would do well to learn and apply on a regular basis (myself included).

NOTE: It may take a minute or two to begin playing.

You can enjoy it here.

September 23, 2006

Awesome Flash Animation

The more you learn about Flash and trying to use it to create programs and movies, the more impressive this little animation will become.

Wow.

I loved it. Very creative!

September 25, 2006

If the world were 100 people...

If the world were 100 people...


September 27, 2006

A bear trampolines and is carried like a six pack

Check this out.

The bear crawls into a tree.

People are afraid of the bear.

The bear must come down from the tree.

How will they ever get the bear down from the tree?

About September 2006

This page contains all entries posted to Strive4impact Main Page in September 2006. They are listed from oldest to newest.

August 2006 is the previous archive.

October 2006 is the next archive.

Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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