Why a 32GB Nexus 7 is almost inevitable | ZDNet

This article seems to add substance to the belief expressed in comments to an earlier blog post about the Nexus 7 that consumers demand for the 16GB device far exceeded Google's expectation based on Google's belief that the cloud would more than make up for the lower memory.

"Summary: Demand for the 16GB Nexus 7 has far outstripped that of the 8GB model, so much so that a 32GB model is now almost inevitable."

"According to The Guardian, Google had believed that the cheaper 8GB model which sold for $199 would be the the most popular version because the free cloud storage offered with the device would more than make up for the lack of on-board storage.

However, it seems that consumers have been more than willing to pony up the extra $50 for $7.50 worth of extra storage so as not to have to rely on cloud storage."

Why a 32GB Nexus 7 is almost inevitable | ZDNet

Microsoft: Update Java or kill it | ZDNet

I  killed Java several weeks ago since I use Chrome on both our computer and our laptop at home and we haven't missed it yet.

Some work-related web applications require Java so my work laptop has Java activated and updated for IE only which I use only for those work-related web applications. For other web sites on my work laptop, I use Chrome with Java disabled.

This article adds credence to the absolute need to keep Java updated if you need it. Otherwise, I see no reason not to get rid of it.

Microsoft: Update Java or kill it | ZDNet

ObamaCare's Lost Tribe: Doctors - WSJ.com

In all the arguments about ObamaCare there is little to no discussion of its impact on doctors and the doctor-patient relationship. The government apparently is going to change all the rules of the game, but that doesn't mean that doctors can or will play the game and still care for patients.

"A Wall Street Journal story the day after the Supreme Court ruling examined in detail its impact across the "health sector." The words "doctor," "physician" and "nurse" appeared nowhere in this report. The piece, however, did cite the view of one CEO who runs a chain of hospitals, explaining how they'd deal with the law's expected $155 billion in compensation cuts. "We will make it up in volume," he said.

Volume? Would that be another word for human beings? It is now. At Obama Memorial, docs won't be treating patients. They'll be processing "volume." And then, with what time and energy remains in the day, they'll be inputting medical data to comply with the law's new Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), lodged in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

Here's the Centers' own description of what PQRS does: "The program provides an incentive payment to practices with eligible professionals (identified on claims by their individual National Provider Identifier [NPI] and Tax Identification Number [TIN]) who satisfactorily report data on quality measures for covered Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) services furnished to Medicare Part B Fee-for-Service (FFS)."

We're all pressed for thinking time these days, but the one group we should make sure has time to focus on what's in front of them is doctors treating patients. Instead, they'll also be doing mandated data dumps for far-off panels of experts."

Henninger: ObamaCare's Lost Tribe: Doctors - WSJ.com

And most worrisome is the fact that they don't have to play the game. Many of them can retire early and leave the practice of medicine altogether.

Unroll.Me: A WMD against Mailing Lists | ZDNet

I too am a Gmail user like Jason Perlow but unlike Perlow my Gmail Inbox is readily maintained. Even so I think I might try out Unroll.Me to see how well it works although I'm not sure I would call mailing lists that I signed up for spam. Anyway...

"The concept and execution is pretty simple. Just log onto their site with your Google account. They import all of your mail headers into their system, and identify all of the mailing lists you are subscribed to. Then they create a itemized list of the lists, which you can simply nuke line by line by clicking on an icon using a very simple UI."

Unroll.Me: A WMD against the war on mailing list spam | ZDNet

Detroit Has Run Out of Other People's Money - Reason.com

We really don't have to look all the way to Greece or California and its cities for evidence of what inevitably results from the policy of those politicians and their allies who have no limits on spending, spending, and more spending of other people's money. We only need to look to Detroit where it appears that bankruptcy will become the only recourse remaining when the fiscal well runs dry soon.

"Many cities across the country are facing unsustainable legacy costs. But Detroit is uniquely impervious to political solutions because the ratio of its public moochers to private producers is far higher than others. There are too few Detroiters with a vested interest in fixing the city and too many with a vested interest in sucking it dry. Only bankruptcy will convince them that there is nothing more to be milked."

Detroit Has Run Out of Other People's Money - Reason.com

This all brings to mind one of my favorite quotes.

"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."
- Margaret Thatcher

One Year Ago Today We Escorted Dad to His Final Resting Place To Be Honored by His Fellow Marines

Among the Americans serving on Iwo island [Iwo Jima], uncommon valor was a common virtue. - Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

"On behalf of the President of the United States, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's service to Country and Corps."

Ernie Els PSA for Autism Speaks Needs Updated

On November 14, 2011 I created a blog post about what to me is a most moving Public Service Announcement from Autism Speaks.

Blog: Ernie Els PSA for Autism Speaks

Thanks to a most remarkable ending to The Open today, they now need to update this PSA.

Autism Speaks PSA - Ernie Els

According to Summit League IPFW Is Fort Wayne

This story that broke this week was not entirely unexpected since the Horizon League has done basically the same thing but still raises a few questions. IPFW Athletic Director Tommy Bell has stated that IPFW is not changing its name, its uniforms, or anything else. But apparently the Summit League believes that from now on calling IPFW "Fort Wayne" and UMKC "Kansas City" and new member Nebraska-Omaha just "Omaha" helps the league branding.

Maybe the Summit League is correct. I don't know. I think IPFW Athletic Director Tommy Bell is correct though that what really helps branding is having a great athletic program and winning.

Apparently Scott Sutton, head coach of Oral Roberts, was ahead of the curve when he kept referring to IPFW as "Fort Wayne" during his post-game press conference following ORU's narrow escape from being upset by IPFW in the Summit League conference tournament last March.

All this raises again the issue of where the Summit League is really going after a very successful 2011-12 men's basketball season but now without Oral Roberts who has defected to the Southland Conference. Despite some recent success by a few others in recent years, most notably Oakland, Oral Roberts has been the one program in the Summit League that consistently has been in the national discussion since Valparaiso departed for the Horizon League several years ago. It was that move that triggered the Summit League expansion resulting in the addition of IPFW, NDSU, and SDSU.

And with Butler now leaving the Horizon League for the Atlantic 10 and Oakland openly campaigning to replace Butler in the Horizon League, it raises questions about the future of the Summit League, especially on its Eastern flank.

Conference unveils 'Fort Wayne' for Mastodon teams

2012 Has Three Friday the 13ths. What Are the Odds?

Today is Friday the 13th, the third in a series of three, each thirteen weeks apart. This is the first time that has occured since 1984 and is the last time until 2040.

"The fact is that any leap year starting with a Sunday will have a Friday the 13th in January, April and July. Leap years starting with Sundays are the only years in which you’ll find this exact combination of three Friday the 13ths, spaced at exactly 13 weeks apart in the same calendar year, in January, April and July."

I hope I made the most of these days in 2012 because I'm not I can make it until the next one.

"How often does the January-April-July Friday the 13th trilogy repeat?

Not often. It happens only three to four times every century. It last happened in 1984 and will happen next in 2040. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, we get a January-April-July Friday the 13th in cycles of 28 years. That 28-year cycle, by the way, isn’t mysterious either. Days and dates generally always realign every 28 years. Again, a calendar quirk."

2012 has three Friday the 13ths. What are the odds?

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

Here is a photo of my co-worker's clock in his cube at work.

Do you know what time was on his clock? If not, here are a couple hints.

1) He and I work in I/T.

2) There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.

So what time was it?