In the first half of Wednesday night's "epic" (as much as any December NBA game can be "epic) battle between the 20-2 Bostont Celtics and the Detroit Pistons, it was pretty clear that this was the same Pistons team that we've seen in the playoffs the past couple of years. It was an ugly half marked with bad defense leading to lots of uncontested shots and open driving lanes, too many jumpshots, and overall poor execution. The Pistons were playing hard, but it looked like they didn't have enough talent to contain the explosive Celtics nor the desire to shut them down defensively.
I don't know what happened at halftime, but a different Pistons team showed up for the second half. They played with intensity and desire, and they brought their defense. The Pistons disrupted the Celtics offensive flow. Chauncey Billups really got into a flow, and he brought his team with him. Rasheed Wallace stepped up and made some huge plays. Give the Celtics credit though, they didn't give up and tied the game on some monster 3's by House and Allen. It was very exciting, right to the finish!
In the end, it was the cagey veteran, Billups, who remembered the advice from teammate Tayshaun Prince as they left the huddle to draw the foul on the pump fake. Two free throws later from Mr. Big Shot, and the Pistons had their biggest road win of the season! Excellent!
As an additional footnote on the Celtics game, the Memphis game last night was important. In years past, after a big game like the one on Wednesday night, the Pistons would typically come out against a subpar team like the Grizzlies and lay an egg. I give the Pistons credit for not just stepping up to beat Boston - they are expected to compete for the east, so they should give Boston a battle - but for maintaining enough intensity to beat a subpar team in their next game rather than letting down.
Nice job on both games!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Congratulations, NetSuite!
Just a quick congratulations to NetSuite on their successful IPO this week! The 20:1 reverse split certaintly didn't help my personal cause, but I'm happy to see a company I worked for enjoy some success! Congratulations to everyone!
How about Larry Ellison, eh? Love him or hate him, you have to respect him. He certainly is on a roll right now. Oracle is doing extremely well, his much criticized acquisition strategy is really paying off, and he hits a home run with NetSuite (approx. $1B to Larry's worth after the IPO).
I'm not surprised to see NetSuite succeed as I always thought it was a brilliant idea! It has taken longer for the concept to gain acceptance and proliferate, but as people become more comfortable with their critical data being housed outside their own walls, they should continue to accelerate their growth.
NetSuite truly fills an open market segment between Intuit's QuickBooks and "enterprise" software from Oracle, SAP, etc. Where else can a small, growing company turn for a complete business software solution?
The added benefits to NetSuite's offering is that the customer's don't have to invest or manage the computing infrastructure. For a small company, this can really help take a lot of cost out of supporting the business. Not to mention doing a tech refresh every couple of years to "keep up" with technology advancements. All the upgrades are on NetSuite to manage, the customer just pays their subscription fees. And no more messy, complicated software upgrades. Done for you. Brilliant!
Some ideas take a while to mature, and NetSuite is the right company with the right idea, so their much anticipated success is well deserved.
How about Larry Ellison, eh? Love him or hate him, you have to respect him. He certainly is on a roll right now. Oracle is doing extremely well, his much criticized acquisition strategy is really paying off, and he hits a home run with NetSuite (approx. $1B to Larry's worth after the IPO).
I'm not surprised to see NetSuite succeed as I always thought it was a brilliant idea! It has taken longer for the concept to gain acceptance and proliferate, but as people become more comfortable with their critical data being housed outside their own walls, they should continue to accelerate their growth.
NetSuite truly fills an open market segment between Intuit's QuickBooks and "enterprise" software from Oracle, SAP, etc. Where else can a small, growing company turn for a complete business software solution?
The added benefits to NetSuite's offering is that the customer's don't have to invest or manage the computing infrastructure. For a small company, this can really help take a lot of cost out of supporting the business. Not to mention doing a tech refresh every couple of years to "keep up" with technology advancements. All the upgrades are on NetSuite to manage, the customer just pays their subscription fees. And no more messy, complicated software upgrades. Done for you. Brilliant!
Some ideas take a while to mature, and NetSuite is the right company with the right idea, so their much anticipated success is well deserved.
The Third Degree should be The First Book In The Trash!
A few comments on Greg Isles' new book "The Third Degree"...
I'm a Greg Isles fan - he usually writes a mean page turner. Good suspense, lots of twists and turns, and people who aren't as they seem. In short, a lot of fun! Nothing intellectual, but a good read.
It's a tragedy to call "The Third Degree" a book. It reads like something you'd expect to see scribbled on a bathroom wall at O'Hare.
To my own shame, I actually finished the entire (so called) book. The only reason for this is that I kept waiting for the "real" Greg Isles to show up. It didn't happen. He didn't make an appearance. When I finished the book, I literally threw it in the trash (in a hotel in Reno, NV where I was at the time).
I wasn't just disappointed in the book, I was angry. I felt ripped off for buying the book, and I felt cheated out of (what I had expected to be) a good story. I find it difficult to imaging anyone liking the book as it was truly repugnant. Every character in the book was hateful, and it was impossible to root for them. As I read the book, I was hoping the next page would bring a character's death - regardless of who - because they all deserved it. The main characters consisted of two people who had a Harlequin romance novel type affair, both cheating on their absolutely repulsive spouses. Nobody in the book was sympathetic. The man's wife was a horrible person who only wanted money. The wife's husband was a psycho who took his family hostage to prove how bad they were. Ok, great! This sounds like the makings of a great tale. Add in all the other sub-characters who were just as disgusting, and there you go...
I truly believe this is one of the worst books I have ever read. I guess I learned my lesson about pre-buying books & having them ship automatically when they are available. There are some authors who can stay on that list.
Greg Isles has been permanently removed, and I don't know if I will ever read one of his books again.
I'm a Greg Isles fan - he usually writes a mean page turner. Good suspense, lots of twists and turns, and people who aren't as they seem. In short, a lot of fun! Nothing intellectual, but a good read.
It's a tragedy to call "The Third Degree" a book. It reads like something you'd expect to see scribbled on a bathroom wall at O'Hare.
To my own shame, I actually finished the entire (so called) book. The only reason for this is that I kept waiting for the "real" Greg Isles to show up. It didn't happen. He didn't make an appearance. When I finished the book, I literally threw it in the trash (in a hotel in Reno, NV where I was at the time).
I wasn't just disappointed in the book, I was angry. I felt ripped off for buying the book, and I felt cheated out of (what I had expected to be) a good story. I find it difficult to imaging anyone liking the book as it was truly repugnant. Every character in the book was hateful, and it was impossible to root for them. As I read the book, I was hoping the next page would bring a character's death - regardless of who - because they all deserved it. The main characters consisted of two people who had a Harlequin romance novel type affair, both cheating on their absolutely repulsive spouses. Nobody in the book was sympathetic. The man's wife was a horrible person who only wanted money. The wife's husband was a psycho who took his family hostage to prove how bad they were. Ok, great! This sounds like the makings of a great tale. Add in all the other sub-characters who were just as disgusting, and there you go...
I truly believe this is one of the worst books I have ever read. I guess I learned my lesson about pre-buying books & having them ship automatically when they are available. There are some authors who can stay on that list.
Greg Isles has been permanently removed, and I don't know if I will ever read one of his books again.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Tigers Blockbuster Trade!
You have to hand it to Dave Dombrowski, Jim Leyland, and Mike Illitch - they are certainly willing to make BOLD moves to try to improve the team! After pulling off a trade for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, there's no doubt that the Detroit Tigers are doing everything they can to win the World Series in 2008.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers are now willing to consider trading Marcus Thames, Brandon Inge, and Chad Durbin due to the revamped roster. Hopefully, they can replace some of the prospects that they had to include to land Cabrera and D-Train. The Tigers are also looking to move Chris Shelton and Timo Perez after designating them for assignment earlier in the week.
The Tigers also traded Jose Capellan to the Rockies for Denny Bautista. It is sad to see how little the Wilfredo Ledezma trade garnered for the Tigers. Wilfredo was a valuable part of the team, and they basically lost him for nothing. Hopefully, Bautista will be able to make more of a consistent contribution than Capellan did in 2007.
Busy week! And the Tigers are apparently still interested in LaTroy Hawkins.
Ultimately, wins and losses will determine if the heavy price generates big returns, but you have to admire the fact that the team is willing to pull the trigger to improve the team. Giving up 6 prospects, including Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, Mike Rabelo, and Eulogio DeLaCruz, is a very heavy, heavy price. However, the keyword here is prospect. Nothing excites fans like "potential", but Cabrera and Willis are proven. The question remains how well they'll perform in Detroit uniforms. The 2008 club has the potential to be a powerhouse - and bear little resemblance to the 2007 team.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers are now willing to consider trading Marcus Thames, Brandon Inge, and Chad Durbin due to the revamped roster. Hopefully, they can replace some of the prospects that they had to include to land Cabrera and D-Train. The Tigers are also looking to move Chris Shelton and Timo Perez after designating them for assignment earlier in the week.
The Tigers also traded Jose Capellan to the Rockies for Denny Bautista. It is sad to see how little the Wilfredo Ledezma trade garnered for the Tigers. Wilfredo was a valuable part of the team, and they basically lost him for nothing. Hopefully, Bautista will be able to make more of a consistent contribution than Capellan did in 2007.
Busy week! And the Tigers are apparently still interested in LaTroy Hawkins.
Ultimately, wins and losses will determine if the heavy price generates big returns, but you have to admire the fact that the team is willing to pull the trigger to improve the team. Giving up 6 prospects, including Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, Mike Rabelo, and Eulogio DeLaCruz, is a very heavy, heavy price. However, the keyword here is prospect. Nothing excites fans like "potential", but Cabrera and Willis are proven. The question remains how well they'll perform in Detroit uniforms. The 2008 club has the potential to be a powerhouse - and bear little resemblance to the 2007 team.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Lions - Season is Over!
It's amazing how 6-2 and a feeling of optimism and progress can suddenly turn into 6-6 and a knowing sense of football dread. Will anyone be surprised if the Lions end the season at 6-10?
Regardless of the final outcome, the Lions did make some progress this season. The remaining question for 2007, is how far will they regress?
The Lions need some help on the offensive line. That's been a clear weakness this season. The running game is not effective - part of that is scheme (Martz), part of that is execution - and the pass protection is not providing Kitna enough time to be consistently productive when defenses only have to prepare to stop the pass. Kitna is holding the ball too long which doesn't help matters, but, ultimately, the o-line is bad which leads to complete offensive breakdown. The wide receivers are obviously frustrated which is also a funny thing in a Mike Martz offense.
The Lions also need to focus on the defensive secondary. Injuries and overall lack of depth have really hurt the defense. Improving this area will help the overall defense improve dramatically.
Lastly, the Lions really need to improve their coverage and tackling on special teams. They are truly pathetic this year! Minnesota, Chicago, and Arizona have all hurt the Lions badly on special teams.
Let's hope the Lions finish the season with some pride (and some wins!), not an 8 game losing streak that sends the team and the fans back to the depths of despair.
Regardless of the final outcome, the Lions did make some progress this season. The remaining question for 2007, is how far will they regress?
The Lions need some help on the offensive line. That's been a clear weakness this season. The running game is not effective - part of that is scheme (Martz), part of that is execution - and the pass protection is not providing Kitna enough time to be consistently productive when defenses only have to prepare to stop the pass. Kitna is holding the ball too long which doesn't help matters, but, ultimately, the o-line is bad which leads to complete offensive breakdown. The wide receivers are obviously frustrated which is also a funny thing in a Mike Martz offense.
The Lions also need to focus on the defensive secondary. Injuries and overall lack of depth have really hurt the defense. Improving this area will help the overall defense improve dramatically.
Lastly, the Lions really need to improve their coverage and tackling on special teams. They are truly pathetic this year! Minnesota, Chicago, and Arizona have all hurt the Lions badly on special teams.
Let's hope the Lions finish the season with some pride (and some wins!), not an 8 game losing streak that sends the team and the fans back to the depths of despair.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Go BLUE!
Posting this just before the Michigan vs. Ohio State annual clash of the titans! I am a Michigan man through and through, but I'm concerned about this game. OSU has had the Wolverines number over the past several seasons. I know Henne, Hart, and Long desperately want to win this game, not to mention Lloyd Carr, but injuries and inconsistency are plaguing this team. It would be a HUGE win in the Big House!
Smile down on the Wolverines today, Bo! We miss you!
Go BLUE!
Smile down on the Wolverines today, Bo! We miss you!
Go BLUE!
Sports Update
Crazy week. Not a good week if you're a sports fan in general or a Detroit sports fan. The Pistons and Wings are spinning their wheels right now. It's early, so there's no need to panic, but it's frustrating to watch your teams flail about.
Rod Marinelli is absolutely right when he says that it comes down to "execution". Players who want to win find a way to dig down deep and execute - even if the circumstances are against them. Desire can and should fuel execution. As much as I love watching Rip Hamilton play, his ability to put the team on his back and carry them to victory is limited. Rip gets frustrated when the calls don't go his way, and he loses focus on the job at hand. Opponents have learned this, and they realize they can take his head, and therefore his game, out of the game. He's only human, but he needs to work on rising above the pettiness or finding a way to use it as further fuel for his desire (like Rasheed Wallace).
Extremely good news on the Kenny Rogers front! Looks like The Gambler may be returning to the Tigers after all! It was shocking and disappointing to see all of the posturing coming from Kenny Rogers' camp over the past 2 weeks. Now it appears that a lot of this was due to Kenny's agent, Scott Boras. After firing Scott Boras, Kenny is now representing himself, and he has given every indication that he would like to pitch for the Detroit Tigers in 2008. If Kenny is healthy, that is terrific news!
And speaking of rough weeks, big turn of events for Scott Boras. After the recent article in ESPN The Magazine basically labelled him a sports agent genius, it appears that Scott is being put back in his place. The Yankees refuse to deal with him on the A-Rod deal, and Kenny Rogers fires him publicly. GMs are commenting in the media on the difficulty of working with Boras. Clearly, a message is being sent to Boras that his schtick is getting tired, and he needs to change his approach. Over time trends develop and the trend with Boras is that he manipulates markets and people. After a while, this comes across as viscious and lacking integrity. There's nothing wrong with getting top dollar for your players, but not if it destroys the team where the player lands. This is a lesson to everyone that even in today's society of "me" that there is accountability for one's actions at the end of the day.
Rod Marinelli is absolutely right when he says that it comes down to "execution". Players who want to win find a way to dig down deep and execute - even if the circumstances are against them. Desire can and should fuel execution. As much as I love watching Rip Hamilton play, his ability to put the team on his back and carry them to victory is limited. Rip gets frustrated when the calls don't go his way, and he loses focus on the job at hand. Opponents have learned this, and they realize they can take his head, and therefore his game, out of the game. He's only human, but he needs to work on rising above the pettiness or finding a way to use it as further fuel for his desire (like Rasheed Wallace).
Extremely good news on the Kenny Rogers front! Looks like The Gambler may be returning to the Tigers after all! It was shocking and disappointing to see all of the posturing coming from Kenny Rogers' camp over the past 2 weeks. Now it appears that a lot of this was due to Kenny's agent, Scott Boras. After firing Scott Boras, Kenny is now representing himself, and he has given every indication that he would like to pitch for the Detroit Tigers in 2008. If Kenny is healthy, that is terrific news!
And speaking of rough weeks, big turn of events for Scott Boras. After the recent article in ESPN The Magazine basically labelled him a sports agent genius, it appears that Scott is being put back in his place. The Yankees refuse to deal with him on the A-Rod deal, and Kenny Rogers fires him publicly. GMs are commenting in the media on the difficulty of working with Boras. Clearly, a message is being sent to Boras that his schtick is getting tired, and he needs to change his approach. Over time trends develop and the trend with Boras is that he manipulates markets and people. After a while, this comes across as viscious and lacking integrity. There's nothing wrong with getting top dollar for your players, but not if it destroys the team where the player lands. This is a lesson to everyone that even in today's society of "me" that there is accountability for one's actions at the end of the day.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Deflated, Dejected, Destroyed!
Dismal! I'm too distraught to dwell on the way the Detroit Lions and the University of Michigan Wolverines were dismantled and dominated this weekend, but it was very depressing!
Michigan had a chance to put themselves in the drivers seat for the Big 10 title with Ohio State falling to Illinois. It was a bad game for UM, and one that they could have won. Too many mistakes, too little execution. No offensive line protection and absolutely no running game.
Speaking of no running game, what the heck happened to the Lions? At one point near the end of the game, the Lions had turned the ball over 5 times and only rushed for -19 yards. Yes, negative 19 yards. Talk about going the wrong way! For a 6-2 team trying to make a push for the playoffs, this was a frightening blast of the old Lions. They were unable to establish any offensive rhythym or any protection for Kitna or the running game. They gave the ball away time and time again. Not only could they not stop Arizona, they couldn't even tackle when they had opportunities.
An utterly forgettable weekend for both teams! Sadly, after this weekend's performances, it looks like the same statement may apply next weekend as UM squares off with Ohio State for the Big 10 title, and the Lions host the New York Giants (who will be angry after getting spanked by the Cowboys).
Michigan had a chance to put themselves in the drivers seat for the Big 10 title with Ohio State falling to Illinois. It was a bad game for UM, and one that they could have won. Too many mistakes, too little execution. No offensive line protection and absolutely no running game.
Speaking of no running game, what the heck happened to the Lions? At one point near the end of the game, the Lions had turned the ball over 5 times and only rushed for -19 yards. Yes, negative 19 yards. Talk about going the wrong way! For a 6-2 team trying to make a push for the playoffs, this was a frightening blast of the old Lions. They were unable to establish any offensive rhythym or any protection for Kitna or the running game. They gave the ball away time and time again. Not only could they not stop Arizona, they couldn't even tackle when they had opportunities.
An utterly forgettable weekend for both teams! Sadly, after this weekend's performances, it looks like the same statement may apply next weekend as UM squares off with Ohio State for the Big 10 title, and the Lions host the New York Giants (who will be angry after getting spanked by the Cowboys).
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Red Wings Win Again!
8 Straight! I love it! I thought it would be a rough game after coming off such a long layoff - and so early in the season. It seems that the Wings didn't have their legs in the 3rd period, but they still managed to come out with points!
I think one of the early trends we're seeing in 2007 is that, unlike last year, the Red Wings are finishing games off with a win. During the 2006-2007 season, the Red Wings had 13 overtime/shootout losses. That placed them in the top 5 amongst all teams (not a good thing!). This year, they are converting those lossess into wins! That is a key factor behind their great start this season.
By the way, check out the NHL Stats Machine on nhl.com. A wealth of statistical information at your fingertips, and you can slice it/dice it any way you want - team/player/year/regular season/playoffs/etc. I'd like to see all sports leagues make it so easy to look up that stat that just tickles your brain!
I think one of the early trends we're seeing in 2007 is that, unlike last year, the Red Wings are finishing games off with a win. During the 2006-2007 season, the Red Wings had 13 overtime/shootout losses. That placed them in the top 5 amongst all teams (not a good thing!). This year, they are converting those lossess into wins! That is a key factor behind their great start this season.
By the way, check out the NHL Stats Machine on nhl.com. A wealth of statistical information at your fingertips, and you can slice it/dice it any way you want - team/player/year/regular season/playoffs/etc. I'd like to see all sports leagues make it so easy to look up that stat that just tickles your brain!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Restore the Roar!
I'm impressed! Only halfway through the season, but I am truly impressed! I never thought the Lions would be 6-2 after 8 games! That is fantastic progress!
As we've learned by watching the Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings in recent years - it's how you finish that counts, not how you start! But, still, 6-2?! Seriously? Who would have ever thought they'd beat the Bears twice and blow Denver off the field? And they haven't played up to their capabilities yet - at least on offense.
Now that Kevin Jones is back and starting to look like he's really back, the offense should really start to pick up steam! As Jones improves in catching the ball out of the backfield ala Marshall Faulk, the Lions offense will take on a whole new dimension.
I think we saw a real flash of the Mike Martz offense on Sunday when the Lions went 95 yards in 2 plays for a big touchdown! That was something that has been done to the Lions - not by the Lions - for the past many years!
Everyone thought Kitna was crazy when he predicted 10 wins. Personally, I liked his confidence(what is he supposed to say?), and I'm glad to see that he's backing it up (so far!).
Major credit to Rod Marinelli and his staff for laying the groundwork for a major culture shift wiht the Lions. I'm not saying that the Lions are a dynasty in the making or even that they'll have great success the rest of the 2007 season. But I am saying that these Lions are breaking with the past - they are creating their own identity - and that will allow them to define a future that is as much about winning as the past teams were about losing.
Go Lions! The fans in Detroit deserve a winner after so many years of losing! Keep up the winning ways and CRUSH Arizona this Sunday!
As we've learned by watching the Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings in recent years - it's how you finish that counts, not how you start! But, still, 6-2?! Seriously? Who would have ever thought they'd beat the Bears twice and blow Denver off the field? And they haven't played up to their capabilities yet - at least on offense.
Now that Kevin Jones is back and starting to look like he's really back, the offense should really start to pick up steam! As Jones improves in catching the ball out of the backfield ala Marshall Faulk, the Lions offense will take on a whole new dimension.
I think we saw a real flash of the Mike Martz offense on Sunday when the Lions went 95 yards in 2 plays for a big touchdown! That was something that has been done to the Lions - not by the Lions - for the past many years!
Everyone thought Kitna was crazy when he predicted 10 wins. Personally, I liked his confidence(what is he supposed to say?), and I'm glad to see that he's backing it up (so far!).
Major credit to Rod Marinelli and his staff for laying the groundwork for a major culture shift wiht the Lions. I'm not saying that the Lions are a dynasty in the making or even that they'll have great success the rest of the 2007 season. But I am saying that these Lions are breaking with the past - they are creating their own identity - and that will allow them to define a future that is as much about winning as the past teams were about losing.
Go Lions! The fans in Detroit deserve a winner after so many years of losing! Keep up the winning ways and CRUSH Arizona this Sunday!
Gold!
Congratulations to Placido Palanco and Pudge Rodriquez for winning Gold Glove awards for the 2007 season! Placido had an especially amazing year! No errors for the entire season - and hitting .350! Amazing! The Tigers are much better when he's in the lineup. I love watching Placido play because he's such a complete, disciplined player. He doesn't strike out a lot, he hits for average all over the field, he can jack one out when needed, and he's flawless in the field. The best part is that he's a true team player! Nice recognition for Pudge, too. Perhaps not his best year, but he's still very solid behind the plate. He calls a good game, and he does a great job blocking pitches in the dirt. The one area of his game that seems to be struggling a bit is throwing out runners on steal attempts. Even though his hitting is down, I'm very happy he's returning to the Tigers in 2008.
In reflecting on the 2007 season, it's amazing to think about some of the offensive accomplishments - Magglio and Curtis Granderson had phenomenal years! Placido was right there, too! If (my favorite restrospective word) the pitching had been just a bit better, they would have been right there at the end. Verlander looks primed to be the ace of the staff next year. Let's hope they can beef up the pitching staff around him - especially in Zumaya's absence (OUCH!). Francisco Cordero?
In reflecting on the 2007 season, it's amazing to think about some of the offensive accomplishments - Magglio and Curtis Granderson had phenomenal years! Placido was right there, too! If (my favorite restrospective word) the pitching had been just a bit better, they would have been right there at the end. Verlander looks primed to be the ace of the staff next year. Let's hope they can beef up the pitching staff around him - especially in Zumaya's absence (OUCH!). Francisco Cordero?
Sunday, November 4, 2007
LASIK
I can see!
I had LASIK done last week at the Stanford Eye Laser Center by Dr. Edward Manche.
http://ophthalmology.stanford.edu/laser/index.html
After 30 years of wearing glasses, it is absolutely fantastic to be glasses free! And yesterday, my lovely wife helped me pick out cool (non-prescription!) sunglasses off the shelf! Since I hated (and did not wear) contacts, this was a new and novel experience!
Obviously, the decision to undergo surgery is highly personal, but my experience was very positive. I was pretty anxious leading up to the surgery as I've never had any type of surgery or really any serious health issues / procedures before. And the thought of having my eyes operated on was especially scary - what if something goes wrong? Gulp!
Dr. Manche and his team at the Stanford Eye Laser Center were absolute pros! They made me feel at ease, and walked me through everything multiple times so I knew exactly what to expect. The whole procedure was so fast and painless that there was no time to be nervous once we got started.
Probably the worst part was keeping my eyes closed for the rest of the day to allow my eyes to heal. You can only sleep and listen to music for so long before you get really bored! However, when it comes to eye surgery, boring is good!
My left eye is 20/15 and my right eye is 20/20. WOW!
I had LASIK done last week at the Stanford Eye Laser Center by Dr. Edward Manche.
http://ophthalmology.stanford.edu/laser/index.html
After 30 years of wearing glasses, it is absolutely fantastic to be glasses free! And yesterday, my lovely wife helped me pick out cool (non-prescription!) sunglasses off the shelf! Since I hated (and did not wear) contacts, this was a new and novel experience!
Obviously, the decision to undergo surgery is highly personal, but my experience was very positive. I was pretty anxious leading up to the surgery as I've never had any type of surgery or really any serious health issues / procedures before. And the thought of having my eyes operated on was especially scary - what if something goes wrong? Gulp!
Dr. Manche and his team at the Stanford Eye Laser Center were absolute pros! They made me feel at ease, and walked me through everything multiple times so I knew exactly what to expect. The whole procedure was so fast and painless that there was no time to be nervous once we got started.
Probably the worst part was keeping my eyes closed for the rest of the day to allow my eyes to heal. You can only sleep and listen to music for so long before you get really bored! However, when it comes to eye surgery, boring is good!
My left eye is 20/15 and my right eye is 20/20. WOW!
Digital Infrared Photography
I love infrared photography - it's alien and otherworldly. In the past, I've experimented with both color IR slide film and B&W infrared film photography. Great, unpredictable, beautiful results! Complete and utter hassle!!! Loading/changing the film in complete darkness is very annoying. And some cameras can't even use the films because their film advance mechanism uses a light which can fog the film.
The November issues of Outdoor Photographer has a terrific article by Bob Krist on converting your old digital camera to IR. I have an old Canon 10D that's lying around the house gathering dust. After reading Bob's article and revisting some of my old IR photos, I'm definitely going to look into getting my 10D converted!
Here are two of the links that are suggested for IR conversions:
http://www.maxmax.com
http://www.lifepixel.com
The November issues of Outdoor Photographer has a terrific article by Bob Krist on converting your old digital camera to IR. I have an old Canon 10D that's lying around the house gathering dust. After reading Bob's article and revisting some of my old IR photos, I'm definitely going to look into getting my 10D converted!
Here are two of the links that are suggested for IR conversions:
http://www.maxmax.com
http://www.lifepixel.com
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Renteria a Tiger
Well, just a few days ago, I mentioned that shortstop was a big hole for the 2008 Detroit Tigers. Seems that post is now out of date! Nice move by the Tigers to pick up Edgar Renteria! Reunites Renteria with Placido Polanco, Jim Leyland, and Dave Dombrowski. Chemistry should be great in the clubhouse as Carlos Guillen mentioned Renteria by name when he accepted the move to first. Renteria is a .300 hitter so the move also adds a bit of additional pop to the lineup.
Steep price, however. I'm not so concerned about Hernandez as the Tigers have plenty of centerfielders, and it seemed that one of them was going to get moved out. I really liked Jair Jurrgens when I watched him pitch in 2007. I think he has a really bright future in the league. I'm trying not to get seduced by his "potential" (a very dangerous baseball word!), but my primary concern is that we haven't seen the full Detroit pitching rotation for 2008 yet - and Jurrgens may have been able to help. Especially true if the staff has injury problems again. Maroth and Ledezma are gone. Capellan and McBride are inconsistent. And who's going to be the closer? Todd Jones is officially a free agent.
Some questions answered, more to be answered.
Steep price, however. I'm not so concerned about Hernandez as the Tigers have plenty of centerfielders, and it seemed that one of them was going to get moved out. I really liked Jair Jurrgens when I watched him pitch in 2007. I think he has a really bright future in the league. I'm trying not to get seduced by his "potential" (a very dangerous baseball word!), but my primary concern is that we haven't seen the full Detroit pitching rotation for 2008 yet - and Jurrgens may have been able to help. Especially true if the staff has injury problems again. Maroth and Ledezma are gone. Capellan and McBride are inconsistent. And who's going to be the closer? Todd Jones is officially a free agent.
Some questions answered, more to be answered.
Go Lions!
I'm going to write this quickly since the moment may be so fleeting that is gone in the blink of an eye!
Go Lions!
5-2!
WOW! I'm not saying that Kitna was right with his 10 win prediction, but it's nice to see the Lions win some games for a change. Sweeping the season series from the Bears is HUGE! It's been a long time!
They still need to play a lot better to make the playoffs, but at least there's still a reason to watch the Lions in November!
Go Lions!
5-2!
WOW! I'm not saying that Kitna was right with his 10 win prediction, but it's nice to see the Lions win some games for a change. Sweeping the season series from the Bears is HUGE! It's been a long time!
They still need to play a lot better to make the playoffs, but at least there's still a reason to watch the Lions in November!
Monday, October 29, 2007
San Francisco 49ers - Not Fan Friendly!
Monster Park, where the San Francisco 49ers play, is a beat up, rundown stadium. It's about as ramshackle as it gets. The seats are often covered by bird crap - and the ushers don't clean the seats. The concessions are lousy and overpriced. Water is $4.75 a bottle this season. The jumbo soda in the souvenir cup is a bargain at $6.00.
There also seems to be a problem lately with crowd control. Yesterday's debacle at the hand of the New Orleans Saints probably had more violence in the stands than on the field! The section where my group sits is normally pretty much filled with season ticket holders. There were 3 fights in my immediate area yesterday - when there hadn't been one the past 3-4 seasons. It was pretty ugly.
My real gripe, however, is the awful parking experience. We pay $25/game for the optional parking pass (which has a waiting list) so that we can park close to the stadium. Sometimes we just want to park and head into the game, sometimes we may want to tailgate. The problem is that nobody is regulating fan behavior in the parking lot. Except for the absence of blood, you'd think you were at a Raiders game. It's virtually impossible to drive down the aisles looking for a parking space as the tailgaters spill over everywhere. And they won't move to allow you to pass. Many of the tailgaters are taking up 3 or 4 parking spaces, some set up tents, others just put stuff in other spaces to prevent people from parking too close to their party. It can take up to an hour of white-knuckled (frustration) driving just to find a place to park. And nobody from the 49ers is there to assist. There are a lot of really drunk people wandering about, behaving in a manner that is completely inappropriate - especially when there are lots of young kids around. For some reaons, the 49ers seem to feel this is a set of behaviours to prize as they want to preserve the "tailgating experience" at the new stadium. I find it interesting since it must pull alcohol sales out of their pockets with everyone getting hammered in the parking lot!
In any event, why not create a separate area for tailgaters? Then those who just want to park and watch football (at least what is supposed to be football) can do so without it being a physical experience?
There also seems to be a problem lately with crowd control. Yesterday's debacle at the hand of the New Orleans Saints probably had more violence in the stands than on the field! The section where my group sits is normally pretty much filled with season ticket holders. There were 3 fights in my immediate area yesterday - when there hadn't been one the past 3-4 seasons. It was pretty ugly.
My real gripe, however, is the awful parking experience. We pay $25/game for the optional parking pass (which has a waiting list) so that we can park close to the stadium. Sometimes we just want to park and head into the game, sometimes we may want to tailgate. The problem is that nobody is regulating fan behavior in the parking lot. Except for the absence of blood, you'd think you were at a Raiders game. It's virtually impossible to drive down the aisles looking for a parking space as the tailgaters spill over everywhere. And they won't move to allow you to pass. Many of the tailgaters are taking up 3 or 4 parking spaces, some set up tents, others just put stuff in other spaces to prevent people from parking too close to their party. It can take up to an hour of white-knuckled (frustration) driving just to find a place to park. And nobody from the 49ers is there to assist. There are a lot of really drunk people wandering about, behaving in a manner that is completely inappropriate - especially when there are lots of young kids around. For some reaons, the 49ers seem to feel this is a set of behaviours to prize as they want to preserve the "tailgating experience" at the new stadium. I find it interesting since it must pull alcohol sales out of their pockets with everyone getting hammered in the parking lot!
In any event, why not create a separate area for tailgaters? Then those who just want to park and watch football (at least what is supposed to be football) can do so without it being a physical experience?
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Canon vs. Nikon
I get a lot of questions from people on what camera equipment they should buy. There's a lot of choice out there, and it can get very confusing trying to read through all the features and make a good choice.
In terms of SLRs, a lot of the decision can be simplified if you already have lenses you like. If you have good Canon or Nikon lenses, stay in the family, and continue to use your investment. Then it's a question of choosing the right body, which is a function of the features you need and price.
This is pretty much down to digital only these days as film is mostly dead - or certainly not prevalent in the consumer or advanced amateur ranks.
Personally, I use Canon. I'm on my second Canon digital SLR, the Canon 5D. I had an investment in Canon already, so it was an easy choice to stay with Canon. The 5D is a very high end advanced amateur camera (one level down from true pro). One of the unique aspects to the 5D is the full 35mm sensor size - which means that a lens used on the 5D will look the same as if it were used on a 35mm film camera. This is an important distinction because most digital cameras have a cropping (multiplier) effect because the digital sensor is smaller than a piece of 35mm film. This is mostly an issue with wide angle photography, but it can make a big difference in your photo results.
What this really underscores is that to make a good camera choice, you need to decide what type of shooting you want to do. There are a lot of great point 'n shoot cameras with non-interchangeable lenses these days (Canon Powershot S5 IS). If you want something you can just grab and shoot, this is a great way to go! Great results, no fuss!
If you want to change lenses, use different apertures, and have true creative control, then choose an SLR. Then look at your subject - people, landscapes, sports, etc. and try to narrow down the features you need. Fast shutter speed? The ability to shoot several frames per second (important for sports)? Lens choices?
Once you break it all down, it becomes a lot easier.
Also, do some research. Great sites on the web, including: http://www.dpreview.com
In terms of SLRs, a lot of the decision can be simplified if you already have lenses you like. If you have good Canon or Nikon lenses, stay in the family, and continue to use your investment. Then it's a question of choosing the right body, which is a function of the features you need and price.
This is pretty much down to digital only these days as film is mostly dead - or certainly not prevalent in the consumer or advanced amateur ranks.
Personally, I use Canon. I'm on my second Canon digital SLR, the Canon 5D. I had an investment in Canon already, so it was an easy choice to stay with Canon. The 5D is a very high end advanced amateur camera (one level down from true pro). One of the unique aspects to the 5D is the full 35mm sensor size - which means that a lens used on the 5D will look the same as if it were used on a 35mm film camera. This is an important distinction because most digital cameras have a cropping (multiplier) effect because the digital sensor is smaller than a piece of 35mm film. This is mostly an issue with wide angle photography, but it can make a big difference in your photo results.
What this really underscores is that to make a good camera choice, you need to decide what type of shooting you want to do. There are a lot of great point 'n shoot cameras with non-interchangeable lenses these days (Canon Powershot S5 IS). If you want something you can just grab and shoot, this is a great way to go! Great results, no fuss!
If you want to change lenses, use different apertures, and have true creative control, then choose an SLR. Then look at your subject - people, landscapes, sports, etc. and try to narrow down the features you need. Fast shutter speed? The ability to shoot several frames per second (important for sports)? Lens choices?
Once you break it all down, it becomes a lot easier.
Also, do some research. Great sites on the web, including: http://www.dpreview.com
Detroit Tigers - what's next?
2007: great season, frustrating season! Watching the World Series, I can't help but think that if the Tigers had been able to make it to the post-season this year, they would have had a good shot to win it all. It was a really fun year watching the Tigers battle it out. It would have been nice to get a few extra wins and make the playoffs! When was the last time the Tigers went to the playoffs in back to back years?
I see that Mike Maroth was released by the Cardinals. I wonder if the Tigers will take another look at him? Interesting that the problem heading into 2007 was considered to be too much pitching, yet it seemed to be pitching that let them down. And injuries...and an inability to get the key hit when they needed it. And now there are a lot of question marks about the pitching staff.
Will Kenny Rogers return? Todd Jones? Is Joel Zumaya ready to be the closer? Can he return to his 2006 form? What about Fernand Rodney? He was really up and down.
Nice to build around Justin Verlander - he's the real deal! If he stays healthy, it will be very interesting to see how dominant he can become. Jeremy Bonderman also shows flashes of brilliance, but there's inconsistency there, too. Not sure how much the injuries affected him, but a noticeable dropoff in the 2nd half. Nate Robertson is one of my favorites because he never gives up - I love his spirit, but he needs to regain his control. Nate's problem this year was too many walks. In general, that's a problem the Tigers really need to work on - cutting down the walks. Very painful to beat yourself - at least make the other team put it in play.
I will also be very curious to see who the Tigers pick to be their everyday shortstop. I think moving Guillen to first is a good move as he clearly doesn't have the range to play short anymore. Great ballplayer, great bat! Can't play short. I like the willingness to move to first without a lot of drama. Today's ballplayers seem to feel entitled to...well...just about everything, so nice to see a player just accept the team's request and move on. Says a lot about the players and the team.
The other areas to shore up seem to include: left handed relief pitching and adding some left handed hitting.
More questions leaving 2007 than entering, but still a lot of great potential for some fun baseball over the coming seasons.
I have confidence in Dave Dombrowski and Jim Leyland. Do you?
See you on DIRECTV in April!
I see that Mike Maroth was released by the Cardinals. I wonder if the Tigers will take another look at him? Interesting that the problem heading into 2007 was considered to be too much pitching, yet it seemed to be pitching that let them down. And injuries...and an inability to get the key hit when they needed it. And now there are a lot of question marks about the pitching staff.
Will Kenny Rogers return? Todd Jones? Is Joel Zumaya ready to be the closer? Can he return to his 2006 form? What about Fernand Rodney? He was really up and down.
Nice to build around Justin Verlander - he's the real deal! If he stays healthy, it will be very interesting to see how dominant he can become. Jeremy Bonderman also shows flashes of brilliance, but there's inconsistency there, too. Not sure how much the injuries affected him, but a noticeable dropoff in the 2nd half. Nate Robertson is one of my favorites because he never gives up - I love his spirit, but he needs to regain his control. Nate's problem this year was too many walks. In general, that's a problem the Tigers really need to work on - cutting down the walks. Very painful to beat yourself - at least make the other team put it in play.
I will also be very curious to see who the Tigers pick to be their everyday shortstop. I think moving Guillen to first is a good move as he clearly doesn't have the range to play short anymore. Great ballplayer, great bat! Can't play short. I like the willingness to move to first without a lot of drama. Today's ballplayers seem to feel entitled to...well...just about everything, so nice to see a player just accept the team's request and move on. Says a lot about the players and the team.
The other areas to shore up seem to include: left handed relief pitching and adding some left handed hitting.
More questions leaving 2007 than entering, but still a lot of great potential for some fun baseball over the coming seasons.
I have confidence in Dave Dombrowski and Jim Leyland. Do you?
See you on DIRECTV in April!
Hockeytown - Alive and Well!
I'm really tired of hearing that Hockeytown is dead! Perhaps a more true statement is that the Red Wings ticket prices are fairly high, and the Detroit economy is absolutely terrible! Detroit fans will always bleed Red Wings blood!
Speaking of the Red Wings, nice win over the Sharks last night! The Wings didn't fare so well against the Sharks during the regular season last year, so it's nice to see them get 2 wins in a week.
I'm starting to really like this team. First time in a long time where they've trusted a lot of the team to young players. Nice to see a blend of youth and experience.
Congrats to Kris Draper on his 3 year contract extension! Couldn't happen to a nicer guy! I live in the San Francisco area now, and I follow the Wings passionately. Last spring, Game 5 of the Wings/Sharks playoff series (elimination game) was very difficult to get tickets for. My dad (in Detroit) called a friend who know Kris. The next day, I was at the Shark Tank in Kris Draper's seats cheering loudly as the Wings knocked the Sharks out of the playoffs! That was wonderful on all fronts!
Speaking of the Red Wings, nice win over the Sharks last night! The Wings didn't fare so well against the Sharks during the regular season last year, so it's nice to see them get 2 wins in a week.
I'm starting to really like this team. First time in a long time where they've trusted a lot of the team to young players. Nice to see a blend of youth and experience.
Congrats to Kris Draper on his 3 year contract extension! Couldn't happen to a nicer guy! I live in the San Francisco area now, and I follow the Wings passionately. Last spring, Game 5 of the Wings/Sharks playoff series (elimination game) was very difficult to get tickets for. My dad (in Detroit) called a friend who know Kris. The next day, I was at the Shark Tank in Kris Draper's seats cheering loudly as the Wings knocked the Sharks out of the playoffs! That was wonderful on all fronts!
Friday, October 26, 2007
NetSuite - come on already!??!
Ok - soooooooo - is NetSuite ever going to IPO? Come on, already! I'm dyin' here! I was an early employee at NetSuite (back in the NetLedger days), and I stayed about 14 months. On my way out, I picked up a few shares, thinking it would pay off someday. Well, I left in March, 2001, so shouldn't someday be here already? It looked like things were really moving forward after the S1 was filed this summer, but nothing since then.
I remember the optimism when I joined NetSuite. Bill Mirbach, the CEO at the time, spun a great tale, "In 6 months, we're going to have over a million subscribers, we're going to IPO, and we're all going to be rich!" (Dec 1999). Wow! What a different world then.
Some great people at NetSuite - very bright, capable, motivated. However, not a very enjoyable place to work - at least back then. I remember being completely shocked at how poorly 25 people could get along and wondering how the company could make it with such tremendous culture gaps internally.
It looks like things must be better - I hope so - and I wish NetSuite nothing but the best.
And...GET ON IT! Please! ;-) It would be nice to have my cup of coffee now!
I remember the optimism when I joined NetSuite. Bill Mirbach, the CEO at the time, spun a great tale, "In 6 months, we're going to have over a million subscribers, we're going to IPO, and we're all going to be rich!" (Dec 1999). Wow! What a different world then.
Some great people at NetSuite - very bright, capable, motivated. However, not a very enjoyable place to work - at least back then. I remember being completely shocked at how poorly 25 people could get along and wondering how the company could make it with such tremendous culture gaps internally.
It looks like things must be better - I hope so - and I wish NetSuite nothing but the best.
And...GET ON IT! Please! ;-) It would be nice to have my cup of coffee now!
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