$6M

Last year, conversations started in Wal-Mart around the potential of swirls to save customers money on utility bills. "Somebody asked, 'What difference would it make if we changed the bulbs in the ceiling-fan display to CFLs?'" says Kerby. A typical Wal-Mart has 10 models of ceiling fans on display, each with four bulbs. Forty bulbs per store, 3,230 stores.

"Someone went off and did the math," says Kerby. "They told me we could save $6 million in electric bills by changing the incandescents to CFLs in more than 3,000 Wal-Marts. I couldn't believe it. I didn't know I was paying $6 million to light those fixtures. I said, that can't be right, go back and do the math again." The numbers came out the same the second time: savings of $6 million a year...

I mentioned compact-fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) a while back. Here's an informative, rah-rah article about them. :^)

So, Bubba...

You think that your PC is cheaper than my Mac? Yes?

Well, check out the price list for upgrading your OS to the latest and greatest bug-ridden, Swiss-cheese securitied offering from Redmond. Someone accidentally put it on the web.

Order now from Amazon.com

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium $239 full / $159 upgrade

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate $399 full / $259 upgrade

(Both qualify for free shipping ;^)

By way of comparison, the Mac OS is included in the price of the computer, is easily transferrable, and the typical upgrade price is $129.

Readers: If you've been here in the last week or so, you may have seen the generally excellent cartoon DayByDay here at the top of my blog.

It has been removed due to its portrayal of a couple who have been involved in extra-marital sex.

Dear Chris,

I _just_ last week promoted your strip to my blog-readers (both of
them :^) and put it on the top of the page. And then it becomes very
obvious that Damon and Jan have been fooling around.

I can't promote that. :^/ I expected better of Damon.

I'm glad that you're marrying Zed and Sam. And I'll keep watching.

Sincerely,
Mark

UPDATE: A Quick Response

Yeah, the characters do things I wouldn't do. But that's who they are.

Seriously, you're the client, and if DBD is not meeting your expectations, remove it. It's your blog, man!

Both couples fool around (before marriage) though Zed/Sam are engaged, but that's the reality of their world.

If it doesn't fit in, my apologies, and I am glad you gave it a shot, I appreciate very much your input, Mark!

Thanks,

Chris

The video below was found at Little Green Footballs and hosted by YouTube.



It's a remake of a classic 'Net video capture of a video game ("classic" if you're a geek, that is :^)

Here's another popular re-interpretation.

UPDATE: There seems to be an official website! You have to watch this one last from the official website - with apologies from to Queen, I hope.

If you can handle a bit of old technology - or desire to be able to do so - here's a bit of news from one of my favorites that hit my INBOX today:



* No minimum purchase required. Does not apply to past purchases.

Shop online or call 1-800-634-9599.

I received this newsletter by submitting my name and address at
http://www.TABASCO.com.

They've never bothered me, so sign up yourself.

A gallon of Habanero Tabasco is a Good Thing, is very economical, may be able to prevent/cure prostate cancer, and can last a long time. (It goes very well with Nature's Most Perfect Food. ;^)

There is a technology called SawStop, which could save your fingers when involved in careless or accidental woodworking mishaps. Read about it here.

Check out the "Hot Dog Demo!" :^)

My Dad can only count to 9 1/2, something like this would have been a good thing(tm).

A little bit of geekery here:

Why you won't have to worry about whether or not your computer and its applications are 32- or 64-bit with Mac OS X and why you will with Windows Vista: article.

So why haven't you bought a new Mac? They can run all your "necessary" PC apps in a safe sandbox via Parallels or VMWare (beta).

(Okay, Bert, I know your reason. ;^) Price. But find something comparable before you say it.)

Did I forget to mention that these things are fast? Just as fast as PCs these days. *sigh*

Here's the vivisection of one. Did you work on the drive?

UPDATE: A price comparison between Apple and Dell.

Is it just fun? Or is it Euro-snobbery?

This was seen at Radio Blogger.

I won't be buying a "smart" car or anything else from Daimler-Chrysler anytime soon.

(But I may send them some web traffic, I guess.)

So... My company supports the quest for continuing education.

I took them up on it and have been accepted into the UCCS graduate program in Computer Science - probably with a preponderance of Information Assurance coursework.

Have your advanced degrees served you well?

So... The DayByDay cartoon is talking about RightRoots. What is that?

It's explained by Captain Ed Morrissey over at Captain's Quarters Blog

It can be found at: ABC PAC.

I'm experimenting here. Hopefully you'll soon be able to see "DayByDay," a political cartoon, when you visit.

Update: That doesn't seem to be a bad fit. Any problems with seeing it near the top every time?