ABC Reporter Arrested in Denver Tracing the Money Trail

It's not even about the story that he was trying to report. It's about the fact that he was arrested for being on public property (the sidewalk). Watch the video to see the officer push the reporter into the street, then later another officer grabs him by the throat. ...gets my blood boiling.

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Abandoned Michigan Central Train Station in the fog - Detroit

Abandoned Michigan Central Train Station in the fog - Detroit, originally uploaded by Derek Farr ( DetroitDerek ).

I have fond memories of, as a kid, sitting in the HUGE lobby, on the long wooden benches. I have no idea why I was there, I just remember being there. :)

Suggestion for going out with a bang! (letter to Pandora)

Tim and gang,
Shortly after wiping the tears off my face after reading the New York Times article, my mind was racing to figure out what I'm going to do after Pandora goes black. I have been a huge fan of Pandora for a long time, and I really don't know what I'm going to do without it. So, to my point:

Idea 1) for the last 24hrs (or so) set up all the users' stations so that they only play the thumbed up songs. That way, they'll be guaranteed great radio on their(your) last day.
Idea 2) Make it easy for the user to export all their fave'd (or even thumbed-up) songs so that at a later date the user can refer to the list when looking for the music they like.

The bottom line is that Pandora is a great resource, not only audibly, but it holds a lot of data the I'm sure users would like to have (about themselves).

These are just a couple of thoughts I thought might be worth (someone's) while. Thank you for the many years of AWESOME service. You are loved by many, and will be missed.

Mark
(AmateurX)

Basic Rights Denied At J.F.K. Airport

Although I'm not surprised, I am still bothered by stories like this. You must read it.I was recently stopped by Homeland Security as I was returning from a trip to Syria. What I saw in the hours that followed shocked and disturbed me.

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GT350

GT350, originally uploaded by AmateurX.

My Pandora Bio

I figured since Pandora is probably going to shut down soon, I'd post my Pandora bio for all my millions of blog readers see. Here it is:

I grew up exploring hard rock, then eventually hair metal in the 90s. In college I went thru a music identity crisis; listening to all sorts of things, none of which really struck me. In 1999 I discovered electronic music with a now defunct internet radio station Pajamajammyjam. I quickly dove in with both feet & have been stuck there ever since. I like Euro-Dance, Trance, some funk, some downbeat, some goa, and the occasional D&B. I'm sure there's other categories I can't define...

Now I'm a Pandora die-hard with no intentions of stopping. Curse SoundExchange with their bogus royalty rates. Long live internet radio!!

Technorati Tags: Pandora.com, music, biography

Pandora Nears Its 'Last Stand'

The burgeoning company may be on the verge of collapse, according to its founder, and so may be others like it. "We're approaching a pull-the-plug kind of decision," said Tim Westergren, who founded Pandora. "This is like a last stand for webcasting."

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Saddest Picture You'll See Today

U.S. Army Capt. Charles Ford plays a video game with seven-year-old Wa'ad, who lost an arm and a leg to an improvised bomb, during a visit to the child's home near Muqdadiyah, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province.

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Inspiration...revisited

Flickr: Explore interesting photos from the last 7 days in FlickrLand...



I could hit the reload button for hours... It's amazing how many good pictures there are out there in the world. It kinda makes me feel challenged to improve my picture-taking performance. Now all I need is more hours for post-processing...

Technorati Tags: photography, flickr, pictures, web

I'm a sucker for financing...Canon 70-200mm yummy goodness

70-200mm...yummy

Amazon.com: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo

No Interest if Paid in Full in 24 Months...
when you purchase this item or other select Camera, Photo & Video products using the Amazon.com Store Card. Minimum monthly payments required. Applies only to products sold by Amazon.com. Does not apply to products sold on our site by third-party sellers. 1-Click and phone orders do not apply. Offer ends September 30. Additional restrictions apply.

I saw this today, on my usual check-for-deals web searching. I've been wanting this lens ever since it came out a couple of years ago. I haven't really been able to justify the expense. In fact, last year was the first football season where I really wished I had that lens. The girls are cheering again this season, so when I saw this financing deal (and a good price to boot), I started shuffling around in my seat. Picture a 10 year old boy jonesin' to go to the bathroom during a test in class.

Now, all I have to do is justify the cost, v.s. the financing, & see if I can wedge it into the budget.

Photo by GregCee
Technorati Tags: deals, photography, Amazon, photography, budget

Some days I LOVE Pandora. This is one of them.

I've been using Pandora for quite a while now. Most of the time I listen is at work. Lately, I've been quite busy & unable to slap on the headphones. The few times I've had chances to listen, I've been unimpressed. I'm not sure if it's the mood I'm in, or the selections that Pandora has been making...

Today on the other hand, it's as if the big P has been saving up all the good songs! I'm grooving like crazy here at my desk (my colleagues are most certainly snickering at my toe-tapping).

The last time I had such a good listen, I emailed them and they sent me a shirt! I'm not trying to get another shirt (although, that would be pretty righteous), but I just needed to give them props...again.


PandoraScreen by AmateurX on Zooomr
Technorati Tags: Pandora.com, music, web

Just got back from Vacation...

..and boy am I whipped. I know it's "vacation" so I'm supposed to be recharged. Well, when you go camping with an overworked wife, and 3 kids under age 9, relaxation isn't automatic. I'm making some attempts to get back into the craziness of the city. I'll post pics later...