I saw one of these last year at this time.  It was the first one I had ever seen outside of a book.  This year I got a closer look at a Baltimore Oriole.  It was obviously infatuated with it’s reflection in our picture window, as it stayed long enough for me to snap this shot.

I hope he stays around!

I thought I’d give Microsoft’s Windows Live Writer (WLW) a whirl.  If you are a blogger and want to use a desktop editor rather than your current blogging platform’s editor – in my case WordPress – this may be something you want to check out.  I’m composing this entry (offline) with Live Writer and already I’m finding this very intuitive and easier to navigate than my WordPress editor. 

Here’s a screen shot of the main edit window

I like the layout because all of the options are available without having to scroll up and down the page.  The screen shot was quicker to add because I didn’t have to upload it to my server, than import it into the body of the post.  With WLW I simply clicked on the ‘Insert Picture’ icon, select the file from Windows Explorer and it’s done.  There are also options to add hyperlinks, tables, maps, video and tags.  Plug-ins are also available, although I haven’t gotten that far yet.

Here is an example of a map inserted via WLW.  It uses M.S. Virtual Earth.  You can add a pushpin, map title and use road or aerial views.

Map Example

At this point I believe I’m a converted WLW user.

The basics of getting started with WLW:

• You’ll need to sign up to get an account (free) with Windows Live. 
• Download the WLW desktop program
• Install the desktop program
• Know the path to your WordPress xmlrpc.php file

System Requirements after the jump…

Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: lasky_michael

So I’m back from my meeting in Indiana. All in all a good trip. I didn’t drop a cent into Caesar’s pocket. The first night I went along with a group of people from work and looked over their shoulder as they played poker helped fund the new carpet being laid throughout the sprawling complex. Casinos are built on the perfect business model, you know. That’s why they thrive in any economy. The House will always eventually win.

As I walked through four decks of clanging slot machines, craps tables, high stakes poker and the like, I couldn’t help but notice faces. No smiles. No excitement. Cigarettes dangling from lips or propped in ashtrays pumped smoke that overcame any oxygen in the room. These one armed bandit slaves were lower class, older, overweight and very unhealthy looking. One of the women in my group said sarcastically, “Doesn’t anyone walk normally?” It did appear that most had a waddle, gimp, off-kilter-lean-to variation of some kind. One woman skirted by in her electric scooter chair armed with an evenings supply of oxygen tanks.

There was nary a vibe of entertainment to be found. I didn’t hear any slot machines pay out, nor did I hear the elated scream of someone who just realized they could pay their next months rent – compliments of Harrah’s.

I woke up the next morning with a sore throat, pissed that I might be coming down with something. It soon passed and I can only account for the fact that, as a non-smoker, I had inhaled at least half a pack of Marlboro Reds the previous evening.

Although I didn’t go back to the boat the next day, I was still seeing the steady flow of wanna-be self made thousandaires being pulled back to the money machines. There was no lilt in their step. They did not walk with their heads held high. They did not great each other with smiles or a friendly nod.

They came with only one thought: to receive more than what they put in. And not have to work to make it happen.

Gambling has a close cousin called ‘work ethic’. They enjoy each other’s company.  That’s why casinos thrive – in any economy. The House will eventually win the game and the faces will remain the same.

Tomorrow I venture to Caesar’s Indiana for a few days of meetings.  No really.  We are going to be working.  I know the hotel is part of a riverboat casino run by Harrah’s.  But they also have meeting packages for hard working folks like me.  Plus,  I’m not much of a gambler.  A people watcher, yes.  I’ll try to post a few things  while there.  I might even take a picture from my penthouse suite.