The show was over.

The people, faces flushed with excitement, stretched and clapped.

Carman asked the pastor to come back.

The one who had introduced the “rocker” bounded up the steps to the stage.

“Stop by the table for CDs and tapes,” he encouraged us, as Carman disappeared.

“Be sure to take Dino home with you.”

The people gasped and looked at each other.

Dino? That’s this guy:

Well. Okay.

But America’s Piano Showman plays in Branson.

He’s a generous sort, I learned.

The preacher recovered from his slip.

“I mean, Carman! Dino won’t mind,” he assured us.

That settles it.

Democratic Party fails to keep politicians accountable
from the Seattle Times

The Democratic Party is dead. It might be walking, but it is effectively dead. It is time for a third party. Sure the Democrats have had ups and downs but the long, slow slide started when we failed to prosecute Richard Nixon for obvious crimes.

We let the oil companies steal from us during the gas shortages. We failed to stand up to the “government is the problem” propaganda of Ronald Reagan. We failed to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. We didn’t prosecute George H.W. Bush and his cronies for crimes committed in Central America. We said nothing when Bill Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1997, which allowed unparalleled consolidation in news media and the spread of anti-public propaganda worthy of Tokyo Rose or Joseph Goebbels.

We allowed the Supreme Court to appoint George W. Bush to a position he was clearly unsuited for and then re-elected him again four years later. We let Bush take away civil rights, violate the Constitution and lie us into two illegal wars.

We allowed the appointment of Supreme Court justices that only serve the mega-corporations and their leaders. And now we are allowing the right wing to kill true health-care reform, change that could transform the lives of millions of Americans for the better, free citizens from dead-end jobs just to maintain health insurance and create a new business climate that would add jobs for millions.

For decades the Democratic Party has failed to stand strong in the face of propaganda, lies and those who have stolen our prosperity. It is time to start a true progressive party, wooing actual liberals from the Democratic Party and wooing true patriots from the Republican Party.

We must start now, with the next election, and never fail to stand up to the bullies who are screaming in our faces as they reach into our pockets.

– John S. Snow, Woodinville

Dinosaur koji se nalazi u sportskim igrama gađa svojim lukom i strijelom i mora biti što precizniji u gađanju mete.Igra mi se jako sviđa jer je namjenjena mlađem uzrastu i jako je zabavna. Dobra je grafika i elementi u igri su precizno određeni i služe svojoj svrsi.

Evo za dobru zabavu pokušajte i vi! pozdrav.
Zaigraj Dino Streljaštvo

Photo courtesy of Laughing Dog Farm

I don’t know about you, but this recession is cramping my foodie style. Ever the clever and wily girl that I am when concessions are low, I’ve compiled a list of places that serve what I lovingly call “bar bait.” And this isn’t crap served in a trough.  This is food that’s actually good.

Note:  While I mean the vittles are free, you are expected to purchase drinks and tip your bartender well.  Don’t be stingy.  It’s bad for your karma.

Dino (Cleveland Park): Daily 5:30pm to 7:00pm.  Complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

Maggiano’s (Chevy Chase): Daily 5:30pm to 7:00pm.  Complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

Morton’s Steakhouse (Various locations): Daily from 5:00pm to 6:30pm and 9pm – close.  Complimentary steak sandwiches.

Vidalia (Downtown): Everyday 5:00-6:30 pm. Complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Tell them Mary sent you!

China ist ein großer Dino
Nihau! Habe mich jetzt also doch noch dazu durchringen können ein bisschen über die Zeit in China zu schreiben. Peking ist für mich jetzt schon gute 40 Tage her. Werd mich jetzt eher mal kurz fassen.
[edit: inzwischen schon gute 70 Tage her]

Na dann mal los. Wir erreichten China also, mehr oder weniger erfolgreich. Die Grenzstadt, Erlian, auf chinesischer Seite war nicht besonders aufregend. Wir wurden von unserem ersten Taxifahrer betrogen und bekamen nicht das gewünschte Busticket. Eigentlich wollte ich auf dem Weg nach Peking einen Stop in Datong machen, einer kleineren Stadt mit einem Tempel der direkt in den Berg gebaut wurde. Da wir für den Bus nach Datong eine Nacht hätten warten müssen, nahmen wir den Schlafbus nach Peking. Nun, sagen wir es mal so. Die Dinger sind schon billig, aber mit schlafen im Bus hat es nicht zu viel zu tun. Es gibt 3 Reihen à 25 Betten. Deren oberer Teil ist angehoben, so dass die Füße unter des Vordermanns Kopf liegen. Die Betten sind also quasi geschachtelt.

Auf dem Weg raus aus Erlian bekamen wir einen ersten Vorgeschmack auf was uns in China erwarten würde. Die Gegend ist bekannt für ihre Dinosaurier Funde. Da ist es doch eine passende Idee ein paar Dinostatuen an den Weg zu stellen. Bloß dass es die Chinesen nicht bei ein paar Dingen belassen können. So säumten entlang der nächsten Kilometer gute hundert Dinostatuen die Straße. Gerne auch mal ein kleiner Kampf dargestellt zwischen Veliceraptoren und einem Triceratops. Der krönende Abschluss war dann ein monumentales Tor, gebildet aus den Hälsen zweier Brachiosaurier. Wer jetzt in den beiden letzten Sätzen nichts verstanden hat, der hat seine Kindheit versäumt. Macht aber nichts, es gibt ja noch Wikipedia. Schaut einfach mal nach wie groß so ein Brachiosaurus wird und was das ganze Bedeutet wenn ich sage, dass diese Dinos in Originalgröße dargestellt waren.

Jedenfalls kamen wir so gegen 4 Uhr Nachts in Peking an. Was auf dem Land die Dinos waren, sind hier die Häuser. Zumindest zwei Leute können jetzt den kleinen Kulturschock nachvollziehen, den wir hatten als wir in Peking ankamen. In der Mongolei ist so ziemlich jedes große Haus schon eine gewisse Rarität. Und wer sich in den letzten 3 Wochen über jede asphaltierte Straße gefreut hat, für den ist Peking schon ein gewisser Schock.

Streetactivity – Jung gegen Alt
In den Straßen Chinas geht es schon heiß her. Speziell in den großen Städten werden die Straßen abends von hippen Jugendlichen übernommen. Straßenrennen, Discos, Bordelle. Hier wird richtig auf den Putz gehauen. Nicht.
Das Leben auf der Straße beginnt früh in China, sehr früh. Wer es mal schafft um 6 oder 7 Uhr raus zukommen, kann mal vereinzelt, mal in Gruppen die wahren Könige der Straßen antreffen. Vermehrt in Parks, aber gerne auch mal auf dem Parkplatz machen sie ihre Tai-Chi Übungen um Fit für die Strapazen des Tages zu sein. Gemeinsames Singen, Tanzen, Trommeln, Volleyball spielen, Federball spielen, Debattieren, Brettspiele oder einfach mal Tee trinken. Die Generation Ü60 ist erfinderisch in der Freizeitgestaltung. Wer die öffentlichen Plätze dominiert, ist hier klar ausgelotet. Die Jugendlichen verschwinden allenfalls mal in irgendwelchen Einkaufspassagen oder im Computerladen. Auf der Straße trifft man von früh bis spät die Alten. Und von denen gibt es in China mehr und mehr, ebenso wie in Deutschland. Bloß dass man in Deutschland keine Omis und Opis auf der Straße Federball spielen sieht. Zum Beispiel. Die Krönung allerdings ist ein anderes Spiel und gleichzeitig das wohl verbreitetste in ganz China. In Deutschland verbreitett unter dem Namen „Häggi-Säck“. In China wird das ganze nicht mit Ball, sondern einem kleinen Gewicht mit Feder gespielt. Allerdings sehr viel kreativer, als man das allgemein auf Deutschlands Schulhöfen antrifft. Die alten haben eine erstaunliche Beherrschung des „Federballs“. Vor allem beschränken sie sich nicht auf einfache Kicks, sondern es wird von hinter dem Rücken, seitlich, aus allen möglichen Positionen gespielt. Das ist Artistik und stammt vermutlich aus einer fundierten Kung-Fu Ausbildung.

The Empty Canvas | Damiano Damiani, 1963

Rome-born Alberto Moravia is a largely unmentioned novelist who was responsible for much of the narrative content seen towards the end of Italian cinema’s golden era. Moravia wrote a number of popular books that were picked up for adaptation during the sixties and seventies, including: the aforementioned Two Women (La Ciociara), The Conformist (Il Conformista) and the 1963 film The Empty Canvas (La Noia) by Damiano Damiani. “La Noia” , literally translating into “Boredom” in Italian, follows a wealthy Roman bachelor named Dino as he falls for young local girl Cecilia. Their attraction is born in an unconventional fashion, for they furst encounter one another as Dino is snooping around the house of a recently deceased neighbour and renowned womanizer. Cecilia was clearly the muse that sent this artist over the edge, in turn sparking the initial curiosity that draws Dino towards her – perhaps hoping that his own uninspired painting will benefit from her appearance. Cecilia becomes his drug of sorts, but such affectionate feelings aren’t reciprocated by the leggy seventeen year-old blonde. Her indifference to their “love” and admittance of seeing another man pushes Dino into a downward spiral of obsession and self-loathing, until he eventually breaks down entirely. The Empty Canvas is the perfect example of the kind of racy, romantic films that littered the sixties: involving an extremely unlikeable male protagonist that questions life through his various woman-shaped crusade, somehow eventually ending up on the wrong side of love. As with most of these films, romance is over-dramatised to a fault and the actors appear selected for their looks rather than anything else. Thanks to an unrelenting focus upon Dino and his obsession the plot moves sideways rather than forwards, but – thanks to some strong direction from Damiani – never stagnates.

Despite its clear flaws, The Empty Canvas is certainly one of the sexiest, steamiest pictures I’ve seen from this period. The performances aren’t stellar by any stretch of the romantic imagination, yet Horst Buchholz and Catherine Spaak manage to conjure a dangerously effective chemistry as the on-screen couple. Her innocence is betrayed by darkened eyes, something that we’re sure Dino can sense but can’t help falling head over heels. Indeed, the better scenes in the film are those where Dino and Cecilia are interacting, scenes that seem almost improvised at points. It makes one wonder just how much was lost by dubbing over their originally English-speaking performances. An aging Bette Davis also makes an appearance here as Dino’s haughty and overbearing Mother – an actress that adds American influence to the already packed international cast comprising of Belgian, French, German and Italian members. This cultured cast means that the film doesn’t particularly channel any breed of Italian lifestyle, and oher than a brief appearance by The Spanish Steps, such a tale of romance and lust could have easily taken place in any one of Europe’s cosmopolitan cities during the sixties. The Empty Canvas relies a little less upon the comedy aspect and instead dives headlong into overblown melodrama that is too pushed to be believable and too poorly written to be ultimately engaging. There are snatches of sexiness to be found though, especially in one iconic scene where Dino covers Cecilia’s body with banknotes from his Mother’s safe. Such scenes do well to provide some much-needed distraction, but by all accounts the film rather sums up Damiani’s career as a filmmaker: longer than perhaps expected and driven by scenes of empty sexuality.

Our Rating:

Dino, one of the fraternal twins of this group (H-Town), died tragically along with his pregnant fiancee after leaving the recording studio.  An SUV ran a red light and crashed into the driver’s side of their vehicle.  Dino and his pregnant fiancee (who was driving the vehicle) were both ejected.  His fiancee died instantly and Dino was pronounced dead enroute to the hospital.

May you RIP Dino!

November 18, 1974 to January 28, 2003

The Seventh Sacrament

TYPE: Thriller

RATING: 8 / 10

REVIEW:

This was a complete new author for me and as with all new authors I was pretty skeptic.

I did buy the book after having a look at the small summary at the back and that did look pretty interesting. The book did not let me down. It seems that I do have an uncanny ability to choose books that would be great to read.

This book is fast-paced and leaves no time for you to catch your breath in a way. The story keeps bouncing from the past to the present and due to the presence of common characters at both times, it did seem a bit confusing. However, after a while, the parts start feeling distinguishable enough and then you just can’t keep the book down.

The twist at the end is a good one and that is when the past merges into the present.

It’s a well written story and I look forward to reading more from this guy.

DESCRIPTION:

‘There’s an entire underground city down there … houses and temples, entire streets.’

Giogio Bramante, a Roman archaelogy professor, was master of the hidden world beneath the earth – until the day he lost his son, Alessio, to a group of students intent on re-creating a centuries-old ritual to a long-banished god. His rage knew no bounds and, in a frenzy, he beat one of the students to death.

Released from prison fourteen years later, Giorgio is bent upon a terrifying revenge on all those he blames for the loss of his son. Inspector Leo Falcone, a member of the original invstigating team, is one of his targets.

And Nic Costa, watching Falcone move relentlessly into the man’s merciless grip, realizes the answer must lie in solving a cold case that, like the forgotten Alessio Bramante, has been regarded as dead and buried for good.

‘Hewson keeps one guessing, perplexed and horrified … Absolutely super.’ Los Angeles Times

All’età di 86 anni è scomparsa a Roma Flora Viola, moglie dello storico presidente giallorosso Dino Viola.
Dopo la morte dell’amatissimo presidente, lasciò le redini della Roma a Ciarrapico dopo aver vinto la Coppa Italia nel 1991.

Ci sentiamo uniti intorno al dolore della famiglia Viola.

In today’s Daily Dino Fact ”cos” asks “Which person first ever discovered dinosaurs?” and Rex answers the question =), I was fascinated myself.

for more info concerning the text above read below:

Q: Which person first ever discovered dinosaurs? Cos

A: Well Cos, dinosaur fossils have been found by humans for a very long time. It is believed that many ancient Chinese myths about dragons were founded on the fossil remains of dinosaurs. However, it wasn’t until the 1600’s that a dinosaur bone was scientifically described. Even then, humans still didn’t know quite what it was.

Robert Plot, an English museum curator, found a bone in 1676 that he believed to be the thigh bone of an ancient giant human being. Based on drawings we have of his find, most assume it was part of a Megalosaurus bone.

In 1822, Mary Ann Mantell from England found a set of giant fossilized dinosaur teeth that she thought belonged to an ancient iguana.

Finally, in 1841, Sir Richard Owen hypothesized that these collection of bones weren’t from any kind of animal that we were ever aware of before. He decided that these group of animals should be called “Dinosauria” which we all know means “terrible lizard.” He was the first person to actually coin the term “Dinosaur” and has become famous for this.

Thank you so much for the question, Cos.

-Rex

A brontosaurus, yes. That’s a herbivorous dino.

I was with my sister yesterday and she told me that my younger cousin (just turned 4) was asking her when I was going to come home.

My sister: Bakit mo gustong umuwi si Kuya Lababo?

Cousin: Syempre tinuturuan nya ako.

My Sister: Ng ano?

Cousin: Yung dinosaur na kumakain ng giraffe.

After hearing it, she just went nuts. She said she remembered the two of us talking about it last weekend.

I was busy watching TV and a bit intoxicated while the kid was slightly feverish. So I wasn’t really paying much attention to his questions. This part of the encyclopedia with dinos were always part of our Q&A so I thought he was just refreshing his “knowledge” about them big zards. He was making kulit, asking me what the names of the dinosaurs were, for the gazillionth time (pero I’m not annoyed). This is better because I didn’t think I can run around the house with him and play so I just answered his questions, matter-of-factly-like -I-do-think-so-and-so-as-other-people-too like I was answering  Battle of the Brainless questions. I don’t know why that giraffe-eating bronto stayed stuck in his brain, why that particular one when he could have remembered the mammoth or the trilobites or the pleisiosaurus or the triceratops. Siguro kasi he found my explaining why the bronto has a looooong neck hilarious. I thought so too. Patay na naman ako kay tita, sabihin kung anu-ano na namang natututunan niya sakin. Haha

When he was younger, I heard him singing “Siling Giniling,” “Lakambini Bottom,” “Mani” (the Ali Sotto kuno version). I first introduced him to donuts, gave him munchkins so all the while he thought doughnuts were like that. He didn’t want to eat donuts with holes because “Hindi naman yan donut eh!” I also think I influenced him in his so much liking for books especially the pictured ones. Everytime I go home, he would always go to the books and give it to me, flips each page and asks out of this world questions as to what that picture is, can I draw it, why does it have holes, where does it breathe, can we eat it, where’s the other eye, et cetera.

He’s really growing fast, sana he’d grow up to be really smart and mabait. Sana.

I want my kid to be like that, in the future. =)

originally i had planned to do a little review here of a film, but some recent news changed that.

today the song ‘Powershifter’ off of the new album ‘Mechanize’ by FEAR FACTORY became available for streaming.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=130052

this song is brutal.

the song contains everything that FF should. the staccato guitars and monster drum parts coupled with thundering bass, and most of all the unapproachable voice of the one and only Burton C Bell.

when the song kicks off the trademark mechanical drums (played here by one of the single best drummers in the industry Mr Gene Hoglan) and down-tuned 7 string riffing that has been the hallmark of all classic FF tunes. the drumming here is different though. the last drummer, Ray Herrera had some of the most powerful feet in the industry, but his hands… well… they left something to be desired. here Gene plays just as adeptly with his feet and adds far more power and intricacy to the handwork. Dino’s nimble riffing has been improved as well. his time playing in bands like Asesino and Divine Heracy has made him really work on his chops and become one of the most powerful guitarists in the scene.

normally the weaker end of FF songs is the bass. Dino played bass on most of the classic songs, and the songs that former bassist Christian played on were never much to write home about. that isnt the case this time around. Byron Stroud of Strapping Young Lad fame destroys his FF bass competition. either that or Dino has really be practicing!

it would be impossible to review a FF song without touching on Burton’s voice. it is in perfect form here. he sounds like he did on Demanufacture but… better. in fact he sounds like the perfect mixture of all of his career highlights. from a vocal standpoint if the album is as good as this song it will be hands down their best. but his time in bands like City of Fire and Ascension of the Watchers in the little Fear Factory break he took was not wasted. he clearly improved on all vocal fronts during that time.

Powershift is classic Fear Factory. it isnt their best song ever, but it is the best signal of things to come i have heard in quite some time.

In today’s Daily Dino Fact user Eachares asks the team “Which dinosaur had the longest horn?” and Rex answers the question. To think of it ive always wanted to know the answer to that question too =).

for more info concerning the text above read below:

Q: Which dinosaur had the longest horn? Eachares

A: The dinosaur with the longest horn should come as no surprise. This honor belongs to the world famous Triceratops who sported horns that grew up to 3ft(90cm) long above the eyes. Paleontologists are still unclear what the primary point of these horns were. While Triceratops certainly could have used them for defense, other ceratopsians sport horns that were so elaborate and twisted around that they wouldn’t work for fighting.

Some have suggested that the Triceratops horns could have been used for friendly pushing matches. They would lock horns with each other and push back and forth as a competition. It is also suggested that they could have used their horns for mating purposes. The dino with the biggest horns would have been the most attractive mate. What do you think?

-Rex

The Blue Dog Democrats are saying that President Obama’s agenda is too progressive and that is why the governor’s races were won by Republicans.  Progressive Democrats are saying that Congress is moving too slowly on health care reform and that is why Republicans won these two governor’s races.  I have a different view.

In Virginia, the Democratic Party had a boring DINO as their candidate so the Democrats just stayed home.  In New Jersey, Corzine had his own issues, mainly, high property taxes.  Too bad for New Jersey, because Christi won’t be any better than Corzine.

The reason that the Democrats lost these two races is because of a poor choice of candidates.  If Democrats want to win next year, then they need candidates that excite the voters, especially the young voters and they need to stop fighting among themselves and get health care reform with a public option passed for Americans.  They also need to do something about keeping good paying jobs in this country and discourage companies from supplying jobs to China.

Republicans always show up to vote regardless of the qualifications of their candidate.  If Stalin or Hilter were the Republican candidate for office, the Republicans would still show up and vote for the Republican.  Democrats don’t operate that way.  Rather than vote for a poor candidate, Democrats will stay home.  This is how Republicans win elections.  It’s not that Republicans have highly qualified candidates that represent the values of Americans, it’s that Democrats have poor candidates.

Let this be a wake-up call to the Democratic Party leaders.  We will no longer hold our noses and vote for someone just because there is a “D” behind their name.  We want strong, progressive candidates who are willing to work for the good of all Americans and not just corporations and Wall Street.

På Caltrain mot Mountain View, två sitter och läser böcker, alla andra har en dator framför sig. Mac såklart, med ett par undantag. Jag kommer fram lite tidigt och går till närmaste café för en kaffe, vid varje bord sitter en eller två personer och jobbar, på sin mac med ett par undantag. Jag är i Äppelland.

När jag väl hittar entrén till lobbyn på Google campus träffar Jake Hubert, pr person som jobbar med sök, som tar med mig till mitt första möte med Adam Lasnik på Sök, Vi har en halvtimme på oss och Adam visar en presentation över hur det fungerar, hur snabbt det är och berättar att den sociala sökningen hjälper din vänner hitta det du har skrivit. En halvtimme är ganska kort tid för ett möte. På Google använder man billiga servrar för att det mer effektivt i längden, både när det gäller tid och kostnad. När jag frågar hur de ställer sig till kommentarer och tweets i förhållande till att mäta relevant innehåll tittar de frågande på mig.

Överallt finns det mat, snacks, dricka det mesta organic och mycket är närodlat. På gården står det kryddodlingar som de anställda sköter och kryddorna används i det närmaste caféet på campus.

Kryddträdgården med ett bevattningssystem som hindrar vattnet från att dunsta.

När jag frågar om folk stannar kvar på företaget eller om de rör på sig får jag det uppenbara svaret, de stannar. Vem hade inte gjort det med en dinosaur på innegården?

Campus-Dino.

Miljötänket går igen i det mesta, de har egna cyklar på campus för att ta sig mellan byggnaderna, de har egen kollektivtrafik till och från San Francisco, golven är lagda för att dels ge en utomhuskänsla och dels för att reflektera så mycket ljus som möjligt för att dra ner antalet lampor. Många av mötesrummen ser ut som små tält och väggarna består av något mjukt tjockt återvunnet material som absorberar ljud och luftslussen i taket fungerar perfa.

Min guide Jordan framför ett fluffigt mötesrum.

Det är ingen som har ett eget kontor, inte ens de högsta cheferna. Man sitter öppet och jobbar med dem man behöver där och nu. När vi går genom kontorsladskapet så är det nästan ingen som använder skrivborden, alla sitter i små mötesrum, eller runt större bord. Vill man arbeta ostört kan man gå ner till soffrummet. Lite som på dagis.

Men vad händer egentligen med de 20 procenten fri arbetstid undrar jag? Tiden ska användas till något som kommer företaget tillgodo. Sedan spelar det mindre roll om det är Gmail eller hur dagens smak på den frusna yoghurten ska kommuniceras som kommer ut ur arbetstimmarna.

Vi går förbi en konstig fåtölj med rymdluva. Jag provar. En sovmojäng för dig som behöver ta en powernap. Najs.

Jag provar Metronap.

Idéer, stora och små skissas på långa whiteboardväggar. Kreativt, öppet och till för alla. Varje vecka håller grundarna ett informationsmöte med frågestund. De berättar vad som är på gång och vad som hänt under veckan. Det är fritt att fråga vad som helst, varför togs det beslutet, vad kommer att hända osv. Det verkar bra.

En av alla idétavlor.

Det finns ett gym i huset och en liten liten pool, en sån där med motstånd i så att man kan simma på väldigt lite yta. Poolen är löjligt liten men de har en badvakt. Lagen säger att man måste det om man har en pool som är djupare är 10 cm.

Dags att gå till nästa möte med Elaine på Maps. Åh vad kul, jag gillar kartor. Jag får se hur man kan bädda in kartor och gatuvyer på sin egen blogg. Hm, fint men hur är det med ert API för mobilkartorna. Jag får svar senare av någon annan, via mejl. Jag sitter med fel person.

Elaine berättar att FN och andra hjälporganistationer använder Mapmaker för att kartlägga katastrofområden och sätta ut var olika hjälpstationer finns. Jag gillar Mapmaker. Många som uppdaterar kartorna via Mapmaker är privatpersoner. När en användare lagt till tillräckligt många bra saker på en karta kan användaren också få bli moderator. Smart. Hon berättar också att trafikkartorna uppdateras med hjälp av personer som tillåter Google att använda deras data när de har Locations på för att se hur snabbt telefonen rör på sig. Det är ett sätt att kunna tillhandahålla trafikinfo på småvägar där stora samarbetspartners inte har koll på läget.

Jag testar den nya Googlecampuscykeln.

Nästa möte är ett möte med Eric Obenzinger. Eric sitter på New Yorkkontoret och vi ska prata annonser i mobilen. Eric tror på personalisering av annonser, men blir det för riktat och för nära kan det bli fel. Om du t ex befinner dig i en stad eller ett visst område så kan det vara okej att få annonser från butikerna i det området. Får du en annons från caféet du står vid blir det läskigt. Eric berättar vidare att mobilanvändandet ändrats sedan Iphonen kom och att de har 50% fler sökningar från Iphone och Android än andra smartphones. Det totala antalet mobila sökningar har ökat med 30% det senaste kvartalet. Galet. Och jag har inte ens en Iphone. Fast jag har bidragit ganska flitigt till att öka den siffran ändå:)
Sökningarna i mobilen tenderar att vara längre än i datorn. Vi gissar på att man oftast är mer specifik i sin frågeställning eftersom man vill ha reda på den restaurangen i den staden och inte vill leta igenom en större mängd svar. Eric tror på den mobila annonsmarknaden men han tror inte på den fantastiska uppgång som många hoppas på. Han ser en stabil ökning men en marknad som måste hinna mogna under en längre tid.

Jag träffar Aaron Zamost från You Tube, också via videolänk eftersom han sitter i Palo Alto. Varje minut laddas det upp 20 timmar video och 100 år av video scannas av You Tube varje dag. Svindlande siffror.

På väg till nästa mötesrum frågar jag min guide Jordan om Google Wave. Jag har inte ens ett konto svarar han.

Google News är nästa på mitt program, vi hastar mellan möten eftersom de är en halvtimme eller en timme långa utan paus. Linda Nhem visar och berättar hur det funkar. Vi som nyhetsleverantör kan välja vad som är viktig och vad som inte behöver vara med. Om jag vill kan jag välja att inte vara med. Men varför frågar jag, då skulle vi ju tappa massa trafik. Vi hamnar i debatten om att betala för nyheterna på nätet och Rupert Murdoch som till viss del anklagar Google för det ekonomiska läget. Chris Gaither som kommit in i rummet och som jobbar med PR på News ser bekymrad ut och säger att de jobbar på att försöka hjälpa nyhetsindustrin, hur vet han inte. Microbetalningar kan vara ett sätt, annonsering ett annat, de funderar på fler. Newspaper Association of America har bett om hjälp. Inte bara Google utan den som vill och kan.

Sist på dagen träffar jag Sarah Tran från Analytics. Hon visar mig Intelligence, en ny feature i Analytics som håller på att rullas ut. Det är ett verktyg som håller reda på när det händer något exceptionellt på din sajt, tex att många fler dina användare helt plötsligt stutsar vidare eller att du har ett större antal nya användare än vanligt. Intelligence skickar mejl när något händer och du är inte beroende av att skapa egna rapporter.  Och så går vi igenom Insights for search igen. Jag älskar den tjänsten bara mer och mer. När jag kommer hem ska jag  hålla lunchföreläsningar varje vecka tills alla har förstått hur bra det är  och använder det frekvent, bara så ni vet.

Jag är lite vimmelkantig efter dagen på Google. Vad hände egentligen? Men jag skulle kunna tänka mig att stanna kvar i några dagar och lekt lite och ätit god mat. Hur som helst. Det är ett cool företag och de gör grymt mycket smarta saker. Don’t be evil. Hoppas de forsätter så och dinon håller sig lugn.

Today’s Daily Dino Fact was asked by “Aswewer” and he asked “What was the first dinosaur in the world?”, and Rex also known as “Rexxy” answers the question.

for more info concerning the text above read below:

Q: What was the first dinosaur in the world? Aswewer

A: From Mary M. Alward: “The first dinosaur, sometimes called the “dawn dinosaur,” was Eoraptor. It was about the size of a dog. An almost complete skeleton was found in Argentina in 1993. Scientists were delighted. The discovery of an almost complete skeleton of a dinosaur is a very rare find.

Eoraptor was a very fierce hunter, and a meat eater. It was fast and smart. It’s teeth were serrated (sharp and jagged). It was 1 foot (12 inches) high and 3 feet (approx. 1 meter) long. It weighed only 20 lbs. (9 kilos) It stood on its hind legs and had small, grasping hands. It looked a little like a miniature t-rex. Scientists believe it could walk on four legs, but speculate (think) it did so only if necessary. The skull was small, but strong. Its bones were hollow. Eoraptor had five fingers on its front limbs, which it used with skill.”

Thanks for the question, what else do you guys have for me?

-Rex

I don’t remember the artist that draw these but i think his or her nickname was “boss” or sth like that. I had downloaded these from “deviantart” a couple of years ago.

There is no way Niko will be trick-or-treating this year; although he has been asking about it, we just don’t feel at six weeks he is old enough to venture out on his own…  His lack of trick-or-treating does not prevent him from dressing up in a couple of Halloween costumes though.

The little Dino is on loan from his friend Trinity; now that she’s a year old, she is way too mature for such an outfit.  The karate gi is on loan from my karate build-a-bear (thanks Jenny and Mia).  From the looks of the karate pics, Niko will be ready to start sparring very soon.  I think he is working himself up to break a board in one of those shots (or maybe just breaking wind…).