Posts from — August 2007

This week is a taper week for me - 9 miles. Weather looks like it will be perfect.I’ll probably do ten since I’ve found a route I really like. It still floors me sometimes that I can look at ten miles so flippantly.

Beyond that, don’t expect many updates here. We’re off to a friends place on Wind Lake for a little R&R and maybe down to Chicago for a family picnic. To top that off, I think we may start painting yet another room in the house. I’ve also got some prints to order for a client (my first paying photo gig!)

In sad news, I wanted the commemorative New Balance Jacket for the marathon though I felt a bit guilty since I still haven’t run it yet. I got it last week and while it was really nice, like most clothing for me, the sleeves are way too short, so it went back yesterday. I still want to get a decent high-performance jacket for when the weather gets colder. I’ve grown to love running outside too much to seriously consider spending all winter on a treadmill. I remember trying one on at REI last year, so I might start there. I just wish I could remember who made it.

Wow, another toy recalled due to lead paint.  This time it’s a wooded coloring case sold by Toys “R” Us.  Scary thing this time is not only does paint on the packaging contain lead, but so does the black watercolor paint inside.

Unfortunately, I’m guessing this in not the last lead paint recall we’ll see.  Looks like the kids are going to be getting books and clothes for their birthdays this year (they have enough toys as it is, but that’s best saved for another post).

I’ll probably be in the market for some new external storage soon.  After adopting the photo workflow from The DAM Book (I can’t recommend this book enough if you are the least bit serious about photography, it’s the best workflow I’ve seen so far) coupled with the fact I’m shooting exclusively in RAW the second hard drive in my laptop is almost full of photos.  Today is see that a terabyte of data can be had for about $400.  Incredible.  I’ve always thought that was a lot, but according to Web Worker Daily, Microsoft Research says that is enough storage to archive audio of every conversation you have in your life.  Crazy.

I remember not too long ago when 1TB broke the $1000 mark.  I guess I missed it break the $500 mark.  I don’t know if I need quite that much storage for a photo archive, but I may pick up a second drive to have as an offsite backup (and put the free safe deposit box we get to good use). Since photos carry quite a bit of personal value for me, and as my photography business expands - there is some serious monetary value in those images now as well.  Time to get a serious backup plan in place.

Being the true blogger that I am, I watch the stats on the site to see what is getting hits here.  Surprisingly, the bulk of my traffic is for the goofy Mike Rowe QVC videos.  Not as surprisingly, Thomas Recall is a close second.  A few folks have left comments wondering about the status of the metal “Take Along Thomas” toys. 

First off, I should say I’m nothing more than a concerned parent.  Around the time of the initial recall for the wooden trains, there was a lot of rumors swirling about the metal ones as well. A lot of this was fueled by reports in the Chicago Tribune that the Illinois State Attorney’s office was investigating these trains. There is also a pending class action suit. Beyond that, I’ve seen no other news on these toys.

One thing I did find interesting was RC2’s second quarter filing, specifically regarding the financial impact of the recall:

…due to the high levels of recovery and related toy replacement costs, the Company has recorded a charge of approximately $4 million, net of tax, in the second quarter. This charge is based on the latest estimates of retailer inventory returns and consumer product replacement costs…  In addition, the Company currently anticipates incremental professional service fees, air freight, returns and replacement processing, marketing and promotional costs related to the recall totaling between $3 million and $4 million, net of tax, in the second half of 2007. These charges include estimated defense costs relating to the class action lawsuits that have been filed against the Company.

Eight million dollars.  According to the report, they only had $2.4 million in the second quarter, down from $8 million for the prior year’s same period.  Revenue was also down 14% year-over-year. I’m glad I’m not a stock holder.

RC2 seems to have fallen out of the spotlight after Mattel’s lead paint recall (thankfully we had none of the affected toys.) The big difference I’ve noted is I’ve heard Mattel’s CEO on the radio at least twice making a statement and trying to calm fears, where I had to utilize some serious search engine kung-fu to see anything offical from RC2 or HIT Entertainment.

So to answer the question I’ve gotten several time, no, I know nothing more about the safety of the metal Take Along Thomas trains.  My suggestion would be to follow both the CPSC site and possibly news on RC2.  (Note: There have been more wooden trains and Thomas merchandise recalled this month due to lead paint. Neither are from RC2.)

I knew 22 miles was going to suck, but with all the mental preparation, you know what?  It sucked. 

4:40 all said an done.  I need to go back and re-trace the route on the USA Track and Field site to see how close to 22 I came. I know I was in the ballpark, but that time seems a bit slow so I think I may have gone further.  My 20 mile time was 4:10, so 30 mins for 2 miles seems a bit off.

I still think I’m line to meet my goal of finishing while the course is still open. The Chicago marathon finish line closes 6:30 after the opening gun, and given I’m not going to be starting until well after the opening gun, my goal is a sub 6:00 time.  Doing the math on today’s run puts me right there (5:50ish).  I know there is no way I could have gone another four miles today.  I’ll be interested to see what my 24 mile time is in a couple weeks.

Things are all set this morning for the longest run of my life so far.  I’m attempting 22 miles this morning and thank the maker, it looks like the rain will stay away.  I was fully committed to running in the rain today though my biggest fear was not having my iPod with me due to lack of headphones that could withstand 4-plus hours of rain.

Hopefully I remember to update later today… if I’m not dead.

So after almost three years, I got myself a new phone - my brand spankin’ new Samsung Blackjack arrived last night (I just looked, I got the old phone in October of 2004).  So far, I can’t get the Bluetooth to pair with my Acura TL’s Hands Free Link.  According to Acura, it may not be compatible, but I’m not buying it.  My old Audiovox 5600 wasn’t on that list either and it worked like a champ.

[No, I didn't rush out to get the iPhone. No matter how sexy, I couldn't justify the cost.  The Blackjack cost me less than $100 and does all I'd use the iPhone for to boot.]

I’d pretty much been wanting one for a while, but Microsoft bought me exactly one phone in the six and a half years I was there (even though they required me to carry one) and I left right when they were looking like they were going to buy me another.  Forced foot the bill for myself, I was a little hesitant.  I was also on a rate plan I didn’t need anymore - I don’t talk on the phone as much as  I used to.  Switching rate plans required a new two-year agreement, so I figured if I was going to have to sign a new agreement, I might as well get a new phone out of the deal.

So far, I like the form factor.  I forgot the specialized data cable at home, so setting the thing up all the way will have to wait. I do have it doing POP3 email for my photography address just fine. I also ordered a memory card for the thing so I can puts some apps on it (like Live Search, Google Maps, and after reading Omar Shahine’s take on doing GTD with it - Smarter Tasks).  With the Audiovox, installing apps really required a memory card otherwise you’d kill the performance of the phone.  I’m sure WM5 and Samsung have address some of that, but better safe then sorry.  Given I paid $70 for the 1G mini-SD for the 5600, the $24 for the micro SD card seems like a steal.

Got a can’t live without app for a Windows Smartphone?  Let me know.

I guess I shouldn’t be shocked when someone moves the curtain a bit and I get a glimpse at how the “other half” lives, but I’m still floored.  Seems that people with more money than they know what to do with now have an outlet to get their nature on.  It’s called “Glamping” - short for Glamorous Camping. At $600 a night, plus $110 per person per day for the private chef, you to can rough it in style, including an “outhouse” with heated slate floors and granite counters.

Check out the LA Times article [via Dethroner] 

About a day or two after Apple announced the iPhone, I threw my email into the ”fishbowl” on the AT&T site to get an update when it is available.  I got that email last night:

Wow, thanks AT&T!  Since I’ve been living under a rock for the past two months I had absolutely no clue you could buy these things! Furthermore, since you made no haste in informing me, I’ll do likewise in my rush to go buy one. Hopefully I don’t get a speeding ticket. 

Morons.

Rumor is that Mattel is going to announce another toy recall due to… wait for it… lead paint from China. This time from a different factory. With this being the third major recall of toys painted with lead paint from as many factories, when is someone going to do something? I heard an argument somewhere over the weekend that China is going through its own industrial revolution and like the US and others did at the turn of the last century, will have some “growing pains.” I’m not buying it. Are we partly to blame for demanding cheap products? Maybe, but I don’t think anyone ever said that we’ll trade safety for that.