Ziggy's Branch

mobile test

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:44:55 GMT

testing from Blackjack II

Flickr page

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 13:16:49 GMT

Wow. It's been a long time since I posted here.

You can follow me on Twitter now. My name on there is Civisi. Add me as a friend if you'd like. I don't Twitter often, so you won't be overwhelmed with messages from me.

I also have a Flickr account now where I will be uploading my good pictures. Check it out.

Uncensored Jukebox

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 02:37:15 GMT

In response to Ed Bott's post at http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1848, I am posting my Uncensored Jukebox. The idea is that you open your media manager, select all songs, select Shuffle, and click Play. Then post the first 10 songs that play. Is my list typical of the music I listen to? No, not really. My library was filled with mostly contemporary Christian music, but all of it was acquired through my Zune pass which I did not renew when it expired on Jan 7.

Here's my list:

"Baby Likes to Rock It" by The Tractors
"Fiddle and Banjo" by Earl Flatt and Lester Scruggs
"In Another's Eyes" by Garth Brooks
"Love Shack" by the B-52's
"I Knew I Loved You" by Savage Garden
"Beautiful" by Creed
"How Your Love Makes Me Feel" by Diamond Rio
"Red Red Wine" by UB40
"So Long My Friend" by Yanni
"Blue Clear Sky" by George Straight

Want to play along? Post your list here or on your blog, and post the results on Ed's post.

*Update: Funky Cold Medina by Tone Loc just came on as I was publishing the original post. Definitely NOT my usual music preference, but I do love the beat and the music. I wonder if I can get an instrumental version...

2010 Mustang Outline

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 03:41:38 GMT

I took one of Brenda Priddy & Co's photos of a camouflaged 2010 Mustang and tried to "peer" underneath the covering. I sketched out what the body lines might be on an overlay of the picture. I remember reading about a Ford exec who said he was worried that people would think Ford copied the new Camaro design. So does this new Mustang have hips? Looks like it could!

Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/03/spy-shots-2010-ford-mustang-coupe-caught/

Cheeseburger in Paradise Nutritional Information

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 23:51:49 GMT

I'm trying to watch what I eat; I've got about 50 pounds I need to lose. In a discussion today about how ridiculous the calorie content is in many fast food meals, hamburger joints were mentioned. My personal favorite is Wendy's Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger with mustard, lettuce, and pickle at a modest 290 calories. The guy I was talking to really liked Cheeseburger in Paradise. I've only been there once, and it was good, but not great. Nutrition information, though, is not available on their web site. So I contacted them for information. Here is the response:

Good evening ******,
Thank you for your interest in the nutritional value of Cheeseburger in Paradise entrees. Cheeseburger in Paradise does not make nutritional claims about our menu items, such as 'Fat Free' or 'Low-Fat' and accordingly, we have not conducted a detailed nutritional analysis of our menu items. However, all of our food is prepared fresh daily, so when possible, we will try and accommodate your dietary needs.
Your patronage is greatly valued and we hope to maintain your confidence in our concept.
Thank you for your inquiry.
Sincerely,
Your friends at Cheeseburger in Paradise

Now I don't expect them to have "healthy" food, but I would at least like to know how many Blizzard's I'll have to give up over the summer...

Dining out is not for people who are watching what they eat... but you probably already knew that...

When you can use a headline like this...

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 21:20:43 GMT

I bet the big news companies love stories like the following because they can legally use the title without risk of libel.

The following is a screenshot of the story in Google Reader.

Triggering events to make things more exciting

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 04:08:11 GMT

I run across videos every now and then that show what happens when "vehicle X" collides with "object Y." What bugs me is when an explosion is used to produce a more dramatic effect. When I see a truck slam into a concrete wall, I want to know what really happens.

I found the following video at http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/01/concrete-truck-crash-test-video.html. I followed all the source links and couldn't find any information about the video. Maybe it's used as a movie effect, in which case the added dramatic effect is good. But the original source labels it as a "crash test."

I wonder if the same effect would have happened without the explosion?

The Evil Eye

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:46:18 GMT

Ford's Chicago Plant Walkthrough

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:47:01 GMT

Cars.com has a brief but neat look into Ford's Chicago Auto Plant. It's a short video showing how everything comes together to produce the Ford Taurus, Taurus X, and one of the Lincoln MK cars.

Check it out at http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2007/12/ford-factory-1.html

Zune in hand

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 05:20:31 GMT

In stark contrast to my previous post, I must now say that I am glad I waited to buy a Zune.

I was able to score a refurbished Zune with full MS warranty from a certain deal-a-day special for $100.

Now I just have to wait for the new software updates.

Looking for more Zune information? Check out the following sites:

www.Zune.net - the official site.

www.ZuneInsider.com

www.ZuneScene.com

Why I stick with Microsoft

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 04:08:17 GMT

I've been holding out for the second generation Zune media player. Now that reports are coming in, I'm glad I waited, but also a little upset with missed opportunities on my part.

Microsoft is a leader in the PC world. But many people claim, and rightfully so, that their leadership is also a weakness. When Microsoft releases a new version of Windows or Media Player, it can't just drop support for everything the previous player supported. Microsoft makes a strong attempt to allow you to run your old programs on the newest version of Windows. If they had a small market share, they could get away with losing backwards compatibility. Like Apple. Apple had to create a Classic mode for OS X to support OS 9 applications. When Firefox releases an update, many of the extensions break and have to be rewritten. When Apple updates their iPods, some of the accessories for previous versions lose functionality. Not so with Microsoft.

The new Zunes are having information published now, and it looks like the original Zune will receive the same updates as the new ones. And the accessories that worked with the old Zunes will work with the new ones. Microsoft understands that people (like me) can't afford to buy a new media player and associated accessories every year. My only media player is a $15 512-MB SanDisk MP3 player that I bought from www.Woot.com. Knowing what I know now, I wish I would have gotten the $130 Zune from Woot.com. But that time has passed and I didn't know then what I know now. Regardless, I have just added a black Zune 80 to my Christmas list. It might be the only thing I get for Christmas, but that's okay.

Find more information about the Zune from the fabulous Paul Thurott at http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/zune2_preview.asp

Yikes

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 15:45:31 GMT

I'm an animal lover much more so than many people. I'm particularly fond of cats, but I like a well-trained dog after he's had a bath and dried, too.

I have a problem with animal costumes, though, and this following picture just disturbs me.

Thanks to Cute Overload for the pic... http://www.CuteOverload.com

It doesn't get any closer than this...

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:43:23 GMT

These pictures are starting to circulate the 'net, so you may have seen them. However, for those that haven't, take a look.

This is a single-vehicle accident that happened in Utah. The driver went off the road, over-corrected, crashed through the concrete barrier on the far end of the culvert, flipped over the culvert, and landed where you see it now. If that in itself isn't amazing, look at the next picture to get a full perspective.

Yes, folks, that is a 200-foot drop. And these pictures are real.

Sources: CNN and That's Not News

If you ever park this close to me...

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 02:41:38 GMT

If you ever park this close to me, you better believe I'm calling for a police report...

The nerve of some people...

Night Driving

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 20:02:26 GMT

Big Bass

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 20:00:18 GMT

Talk about a Lunker!

DeLorean on trailer

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:58:58 GMT

Saw this DeLorean one day near Evansville. I don't see them often, so I took a picture.

Purging

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:57:51 GMT

Some people are pack rats. I can understand that. I, too, hate throwing things away, but I will also recognize the value (or lack thereof) of an item and take that into consideration. Then every few months, I will purge and get rid of old stuff.

The owner of this car apparently hasn't purged in a long time.

Time to water the plants

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:54:48 GMT

Took this picture at a place I went to. I won't say the name of where, but it was in a conference room.

Unusual place names

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:53:53 GMT

Following are several pictures taken about a year ago while on one of my projects. The names of these places aren't too far out, but I found them to be a little unexpected.

The Dairy Yum

Big Boyz Toyz

A '92 Dodge Caravan is a Big Boyz Toy? News to me...

The Farmer's Wife

Sun Your Buns

Arms, legs, and tummies extra?

Front Wheel Drive?

I think this is near Cincinnati.

Photo Album: Oops

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:51:26 GMT

Oops

PB159327

Photo Album: WVMC Car Show

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:46:28 GMT

WVMC Car Show

WVMC Car Show 072 Stitch

Photo Album: Blog Images

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:51:22 GMT

Blog Images

Photo Album: Blog Images

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:14:53 GMT

Blog Images

More Photos...

Photo Album: Blog Images

Sat, 19 May 2007 22:43:38 GMT

Blog Images

More Photos...

Custom List: Podcasts

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 17:36:39 GMT

Podcasts

Buzz Out Loud
Daily podcast about tech stuff served with humor and wit
Daily Giz Wiz
Leo Laporte and Dick Debartolo spend a few minutes each day talking about a cool gadget.