Netbook: Step up for me, but not for everyone

 

I bought an Acer D260 Netbook to replace my Palm Pilot. I have the Tungsten E2 and it has served me well for several years. But I use it to take notes when covering meetings in my job as a newspaper editor.

I had purchased the Palm wireless keyboard on sale for $10 at Staples. Again, it served my needs but eventually it just wore out.

So, I was faced with the question, Do we buy a second notebook or do I get a Netbook?

My birthday was coming up and my wife asked me what i wanted, so, we went to Walmart and soon the Acer was in the car, heading home with us.

I really like everything about it. The 10-inch screen is good for my purposes. The keyboard is actually a pretty good size. The only time I have any problem is retraining my fingers to use the smaller Netbook keys after using the full size Dell desktop keyboard in the office.

I have ready many good reviews of Acer products and the criticism of Netbooks in general (small screens, limited power to run multiple programs, small keyboards, etc.) seem to stem from people who expect to use their Netbooks in place of a full size laptop or desktop computer. I wouldn’t suggest that.

Oh, I can edit video (using Movie Maker – the Acer came with Windows 7 starter edition), listen to my old time radio shows, and write and edit news stories. I even edit pdf files of newspaper pages at home before the paper goes to press.

So, I would definitely recommend the Acer D260 Netbook. Just don’t plan to use it to replace your other computer unless your needs are very limited.

Are we a nation of observers?

Is it just me or do other people think we have become a nation of observers instead of participants?

Latest example: The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Last night for the first time I watched Rachel Maddow on MSNBC.

She had a report on the 1979 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Her staff restored old video news footage of the oil spill that was, up to that time, the worst spill in world history.

It took nine months to finally end the spill by drilling a relief well. In the interim, the oil company tried to put a large funnel over the leak to capture the oil (then it was called a sombrero, today we call it a top hat), they tried dispersants and booms to round up the oil. All failed.

Not only was this leak in 200 feet of water, but no new plans have been developed to stop an oil leak in the last 31 years.

The only thing that has changed, as Ms. Maddow pointed out, is that we now drill wells deeper under the surface of the ocean. Instead of risking a major ecological catastrophe at 200 feet, we drill at 5,000 feet, making it that much harder to contain an ecological nightmare.

We have another oil pill at 5,000 feet and all we do is watch and wait.

Now we have the Internet and we can view a TV picture originating on the bottom of the ocean that shows the oil spewing from a broken pipe.

Then, BP officials debate what might work and why it might not work instead of getting off their keisters and doing something.

Don't just stand there, do something!

If the "something" doesn't work, then try something else. But don't allow the Gulf of Mexico to die just because BP officials want to protect their financial bottom line.

Our attitudes have changed for the worst and those attitudes are reflected in out TV shows and in other art forms.

In the 1960s, TV gave us "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" and the nuclear-powered submarine "Seaview" and its crew actually did things.

In the 1960s, TV gave us "Star Trek" and the crew of the "Enterprise" did things.

In the 2000s, TV has given us "Stargate" and people dive into other worlds just to do what? To observe!

Don't just stand there, watching, do something!

'Morning Joe' revisited

"Morning Joe" is MSNBC's dynamite morning news program featuring Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

I reviewed it for this blog about two years ago, before it found its feet and became the really great show it is today.

Joe has matured in his role as program host. He is still conservative in his viewpoint but seems to be much more comfortable with more liberal guests. At least he doesn't use the show as his bully pulpit, a lesson all of Fox News needs to learn.

Mika really needs to be more dominant. Unfortunately, too much of the time she is window dressing, albeit very attractive window dressing.

"Morning Joe" is the very informative, classy, well-done program deserving of the letters (MS)NBC.

Another really good podcast

When I wrote praises for Buck Benny's podcast, I forgot for the moment about another really great podcast: "Two Chairs No Waiting."
It is an "Andy Griffith Show" podcast by Allan Newsome.
The title may not ring a bell, but it is taken from the fact that Floyd's Barber Shop had two chairs, no waiting, even though Floyd was the only barber in the shop.
Newsome likes to portray Floyd at Mayberry fan get-togethers.
I enjoy listening to the podcast just to hear Newsome's southern accent as much as to learn what I did not know about "The Andy Griffith Show," its cast and characters.
Newsome keeps each episode fairly short, less than 15 minutes, usually.
Everyone likes to spend some time in Mayberry. They aren't making any new episodes of "Andy Griffith," but visiting via "Two Chairs No Waiting" is a pretty good substitution.

My favorite podcast

Have you checked out Buck Benny's podcast?
It is found on iTunes and Podomatic.
I found it while searching for Jack Benny shows on iTunes.
Buck Benny is a pseudonym for someone I deduce lives in the northwest part of the country, perhaps Washington or Oregon.
I think he is a professional person, perhaps a psychologist or a psychiatrist. I think I read something about him that indicates the same.
Anyway, Buck Benny has become my favorite podcast because he does a daily podcast that features an old time radio show from 60 or 70 years earlier.
Often Buck Benny introduces the show by giving a brief bit of information about that episode's offering. On one show he gave an impassioned plea to support Radio Spirits. Not because he personally benefits from Radio Spirit's sales but because the company finds and makes previously unavailable shows available to the public.
By the way, Buck Benny was the name of a personna Jack Benny took for himself, playing a comedic cowboy.
It's a great podcast. I highly recommend it and thank you, Buck!

Novel: "Living in Victory" available

Over the past few years I have referred to my first novel. It is now published and available on the Internet.

It is titled, "Living in Victory." More information, including a free preview, is available at: http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=3884077

"Christmas in Connecticut" and "Eve's Christmas" reviewed

Two new reviews of Christmas movies have been uploaded to my podcast.

In the first show I review the original and the revised versions of "Christmas in Connecticut."

Today I uploaded a review of a 2004 Christmas movie titled "Eve's Christmas" starring Elisa Donovan and Cheryl Ladd.

Hope you enjoy. Each review runs about 10 minutes.

Click on: http://frankphillips.mypodcast.com .