When You Know Your in Love

Some people say: "you know your in love when you can't get your mind off the other person." Others might say: "I know I'm in love because I see her everywhere I go and everything I do."

Well I say: "You know your in love when you are waiting outside your friend's apartment and can't wait to get onto AIM so you pull it out (it being the laptop) and go at it wirelessly!"

River Rafting Spring Break Adventure

Who's ready? MAN, I know I am! Ok, so the email has gone out - 15 people invited... This year we are going to go in March (during the Spring Break time period) to the Rocking 'R'. We are also trying something new this year... Camp on the river! I think its going to be a lot of fun for a very inexpensive cost.

Anyone that I missed, due to not knowing your email address, PLEASE let me know if you want to join. More people the better!

Typical Friday @ The Office

Just another week at the good ole office. The Zunch team finished up QA Recruiting & Executive Car Service redesigns.

RIA Technology Patented?

Could this really happen? Is out government that dumb? Well apparently they are...

If you are unfamiliar with what a Rich Internet Application (RIA) is or what is does, take a look at any service Google offers (maps, local, rss reader, gmail and Google talk). Or go to Microsoft's www.live.com - this application is completely written in AJAX (a language that comprises a RIA).

The patent--issued on Valentine's Day--covers all rich-media technology implementations, including Flash, Flex, Java, Ajax, and XAML, when the rich-media application is accessed on any device over the Internet, including desktops, mobile devices, set-top boxes, and video game consoles, says inventor Neil Balthaser, CEO of Balthaser Online, which he owns with his father Ken. "You can consider it a pioneering or umbrella patent. The broader claim is one that basically says that if you got a rich Internet application, it is covered by this patent."

"It's kind of unbelievable that [the patent] has such a wide ranging use because it covers so many technologies," says Bola Rotibi, a senior analyst at Ovum, an IT advisory firm in London. If the patent is enforced broadly, she says, "anybody who does anything with rich applications will have to pay royalties to the company."

Rotibi identified Microsoft, Adobe, Google, Yahoo as having made significant investments in rich Internet and interactive technology. These companies, she says, bet that rich Internet media along with handheld device proliferation and embedded technology, is the gateway to a market that sees a convergence between consumer, workplace, and appliance interactions. "This is a defining market--not unlike the effect the PC had for Microsoft-- and the bedrock of future software applications," she says.

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Update: Sump Method Decided

Ok I finally made up my mind on the way I am going to use a sump on my new 40g reef... I'm going to go with the inline sump idea that I talked about before. Here is an example of the someone's reef which just so happens to be the same size using an inline sump/fuge:



Notice on the left side there is a glass barrier where the fuge is located behind? I will attempt to replicate this. I will update on progress soon

More Global Warming Censorship

Can you believe our goverment is doing this? This is unreal...

White House appointees wanted NASA press releases to refrain from referring to "atmospheric warming" and talk instead about "climate change," said the NASA employees, speaking on conditions of anonymity.

Read more @ http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060222/sc_afp
/usscienceclimatenasa_060222024902

New Reef (40g) Update

Today I picked up the following:

• 1.5" Bulkhead & Fittings
• 3/4" PVC & Fittings
• 10g Glass Tank for Sump
• Rio+ 2500 Pump for Sump
• (2) 3/4" Directional Returns

I still need to make my final decsion on how I want to build the sump. The choices are: Inline Sump, External Sump (10g), or HOB Sump (somehow).

Here is what is going through my head...

Inline Sump
There are a few problems with the inline style sump. First, this limited the space of the sump to 4 gallons or so. Second, it is visible from the front of the tank (since it takes up 6 inches of one side) which is an eye-sore. Third, I don't think my protein skimmer will fit. Forth, I would have to add more powerheads to the other side of the tank.

The inline sump is good because the sump is housed inside the main (obviously). This means there never is an issue of flooding or overflowing. Also I wont need another set of lights or drill glass which seems to be a big issue.

External Sump
This option is what I'm considering most at the time. If I do this I will need to create an inline overflow in the main tank (which requires drilling the glass) which will flow into the sump (10g tank) below. There, the water will be conditioned and treated without any visible equipment. Then the water will be returned via two directional return nozzles.

The two major cons to this options are cost and drilling the main glass tank.

HOB Sump
Or Hang On the Back Sump... This would involve ample room behind the tank for the sump and some sort of intake/return system. I would need to research this method more if I start considering. Also, the sump would only be 3-5 gallons.

What to do??? Decisions, decisions, decisions...

New Reef Photos

I add a new coral (Frogspawn) and a new shrimp (Sexy Shrimp). See new photos below...

Chris Rock Owns!

I would have to say Chris Rock is by far the best comedian I have ever listened to. He just speaks so well... (LOL)

New Reef Project: The 40G Dream Tank

The time has come to build my dream tank. This includes...

• 40 Gallon BDR
• No Visible Equipment
• Sump based system
• Dawn/Dusk Lighting

So far I bought the tank:

I also got a 55G tank stand from Walmart but am probaly going to return it because it's only 20" high... Why would anyone want a tank less then 36" off the ground?

Doctors Now Have a Place to Get Advise

That's Right! My latest project, AlignerHelp.com, is a simple application allowing doctors to create accounts and upload there patients photos to get advise in the aligner practice. The application was some what fun to build because it uses a bunch of different technologies... AJAX, XML, Web Services and Coldfusion 7 would describe this user friendly application.

Global Warming...

I’m guessing you all have heard about the mudslide in the Philippines today (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/philippines_landslide). I believe this to be another attack from our silent enemy, Global Warming. Global warming is really starting to scare me! And the best part is the Government is trying to keep it quite to the public for whatever reason. That’s right! You might not know this but the United States and Australian Governments take every precaution necessary to “Hush” the public of global warming. See this: http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2004/10/26/
warming041026.html

Global warming isn’t only affecting us at a natural disaster level; it’s affecting your health. I recently watched a documentary on Coral Reefs throughout the world. It was absolutely appalling to discover our natural reefs are dying by 16% per year! This means in 30 years we may not have any reefs left.

Some organizations and intelligent people have started to realize this and act upon. Their first obvious questions are: “How is this happening? What are the causes?” The causes are very simple; over fishing, pollution and Ocean warming (i.e. Global Warming).

Did you know if the ocean temperature is 2 degrees different then normal some algae’s and corals could get stressed to the point of death? Some healthy reefs can defeat temperature changes – which is good. But when you add another stressful element such as pollution, the corals will not be able to fight back.

Now you might say: “Coral reefs are pretty and fun to explore but who really cares that much?” Well as a fellow human I say YOU SHOULD. Reefs are not only beautiful they provide many benefits to humans. These would include food source, medicine developments/improvements, and they even protect our shores from impact waves from major storms (http://www.globalissues.org/EnvIssues/Biodiversity/
CoralReefs.asp).

I wrote this email to voice my opinions on Global Warming and how it affects us as humans. I hope some of this makes sense and makes you want to get more involved in these issues that will affect you in your lifetime. I am currently research ways to help the battle against global warming and coral reef depletion – let me know if you want me to share my findings with you.

Ski Trip '06

I finally got the pictures back from the ski trip Danielle, Ross and i recently returned from. We went to Angel Fire, NM to go snowboarding for about a week. See photos below...