The iWatch is Coming! Should I buy it? I am not Sure.

I want to make a full disclosure.  I do not own an iPhone or an iPad and I don't feel deprived.  My whole family has apple everything but not me. I have a Samsung Galaxy and I love it. I have a tablet and I love it. At work my job is to support android devices.  We have a lot of them/  My day goes by quickly.  My husband thinks I am nuts that I use no apple products and we actually have arguments about it.  I will not be bullied.

Now the apple iWatch is about to be released.  I love watches and I have quite a collection but I will not be buying an iWatch at least not when they are first released.

The main reason is because the iWatch is not a stand -alone product.  You need an iphone for it to work.  I am not ready to buy an iPhone  to have my watch work.  That is not to say I would never buy an iPhone and an iWatch but the apps on the watch would have to blow me away for me to purchase them both. There is also the question of whether  when I  an app  for the watch will I  have to purchase  the phone version of the app as well.  In other words would I have to pay twice for the same App.

The cost of the watch is interesting as well.  There will be several versions and the cost will range from $350 to $10,000 or more.  The $10,000 model will be 18 carat gold.  I sure hope so.

For me there is one more consideration, the size. For me this may be the deal breaker. Even if I got the bigger size of 1.65 inches I think it would still be too small for me to use the apps.  I am not sure that would bother everyone but for those of us who wear glasses to see close this could be an obstacle to using the watch to its fullest potential.

The last thing I worry about is battery life.  Will it get me through my day? I sure don't have time to charge a watch during the day and my days are long.

All that being said, I look forward to  the iWatch release.  I hope it lives up to the hype.  Since Apple reinvented itself it has only had hits.  I like seeing companies succeed. Let's see what happens with this product.

Crazy april Holidays

There are more crazy holidays than you might think.  This past month I talked about Pancake day, Popcorn Day and potato chip day.  Since tomorrow is April Fool's Day we can start with celebrating this day.  Traditionally April Fool's Day provides opportunity to play little tricks on people.  The more believable the trick is the better.

The rule is that the tricks must be harmless and humorous.  I don't like when I am pranked and in return I do not participate in this holiday.  None the less it would not be right to talk about holidays in April with out taking about April Fool's Day.  I hope everyone survives the day.

A Spool of Blue Thread

Abby and Red are married and have four children.  Each character has a story and Anne Tyler does an interesting job of introducing you to them all.  As with all families this one has its quirks.  Their son Denny was a troubled adolescence but he manages to stay out of trouble. Maybe.  He leaves home after High School and he drifts in and out of Abby and Red’s life throughout the book. Their son Douglas nicknamed Stem has an incredibly interesting back story as well.  The two daughters round out the family.

In addition, Abby is continuously inviting people they don’t know to the house for dinner. She is a social worker and feels the need to reach out to people in need. The children call them the orphans and are not particularly happy about them being invited.  Things start coming to a head when Abby starts wandering off and Stem and his family decide to move in with his parents to help out. This is the perfect opportunity for the author to highlight the family dynamics.

Read More about this book A Spool of Blue Thread

Health Holiday in March

All Month long I have been talking about holidays that celebrate foods that aren't that healthy but are oh so good. Well tomorrow is National Spinach Day.  I happen to like spinach a lot.  Some of my favorite dishes are sautéed spinach and mushrooms and spinach quiche. Growing up my Mom would combine spinach and mashed potatoes another one of my all time spinach recipes.

So tomorrow put away the potato chips and popcorn and eat a spinach salad!

Last Month Pancake Day This Month International Waffle Day

Waffles have been around for a long time in fact they might have been around way back to the 1300's.  Greeks cooked flat cakes between to metal plates and topped them with cheese and herbs. The holiday, however originated in Sweden.  It is called Våffeldagen.

There is also a National Pancake Day on August 24th which celebrates the patenting of the waffle Iron by Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York.  The patent was approved on August 24, 1869. 

So now you have two excuses to eat waffles although I don't know why anyone would need an excuse.  Happy eating!

If you think your emails are safe think again

Email my second most favorite form of communicating.  I bet you thought it would be number one on my list and it is if I want to send a lengthy note to friends ,family and business acquaintances.  However texting is my number one favorite type of electronic communication. Its short, its sweet its quick and you better believe its traceable although it is the first two reasons that I like it so much. 

At work I prefer email when I am communicating with my colleagues.  Why because it leaves a trail.  If I email and someone claims I never got back to them, all I have to do is print off the email.  It is date and time stamped and has the email address to prove when and where it was sent and what I said.

 I don't know how many of you watch any of the many crime shows on television.  Most if not all use surveillance footage and all forms of electronic communication to catch the bad guys.  This technologic world is a good and bad thing.  It is great when you are trying to trace someone's steps.  It is bad when the communication contains sensitive information and gets into the hands of the wrong people.  Look at all the recent security breaches in some of these big companies such as Sony and Target.

And if you think your data or your computer is safe think again.  My belief is any system can be hacked if you have someone or ones with determination.  I mean just look at what McGee and Abby from NCIS can find out by analyzing data and electronic footprints and these are characters on a show.  There are real life characters that can do the same thing.  If you want to read an interesting book on hackers and virus read Countdown to Zero Day. It is downright scary.

 I find it funny that the US government thinks its email servers are more secure than Hilary Clinton's. I doubt it. I don't believe that even the best security experts in the government believe that the US email servers are immune from hackers. 

I found an interesting article you may want to read Emails secure? The moral of this story, don't put anything in an email that you don't want someone to see.

Countdown to Zero Day Stuxnet and the Launch of the world's First Digital Weapon

I work in Information systems. Recently a handful of employees received an email that contained malware.  Within a very short time many of our computers were infected.  I was part of the response team.  We use symantec but in this case it did not pick up this virus and remove the threat.  Our team was able to run another piece of software  to remove the virus because it was just an ordinary virus, nothing as sophisticated as Stuxnet. 

This story all started in 2009  at a Uranium Enrichment plant outside Natanz in central Iran. At this facility there were about 8,700 centrifuges that would spin at supersonic rates to enrich uranium hexafluoride.  The centrifuges were delicate and breakage was expected at the rate of about 10% over a year. Inspectors were in and out of this plant and they soon began to notice that the centrifuges were breaking at a much higher rate.  The conservative estimate was 900- 1000 but it was possible that it was way over that number.

Sergey Ulasen worked for a very small security firm in Belarus as the head of the anti virus division. His division was methodically working their way through suspicious files they had just found on a computer from Iran.  At first they thought it was your every day run of the mill computer hacker virus but it turned out to be way more. They were looking at a zero day exploit, a term that was new to me and perhaps to some of you.  An exploit is attack code that hackers use to install viruses and other malicious tools onto your computer. When you do a windows update often the updates contains code to combat known malicious virus code.  When it is a zero day exploit there is no known fix yet.  Hackers use them to attack holes that are still unknown to the software makers and the antivirus vendors like Symantac,AVG, and Microsoft just to name a few. These zero day exploits are very very dangerous to the integrity of the data found on the infected machines.

Stuxnet was  the name given to this virus and it was soon discovered that this virus was different than other known virus or worm.  Instead of just infecting the particular computer where it was installed, it was programed to cause physical destruction on the nuclear facility.  

I was completely engrossed in how the virus installed itself and how it worked.  The author did a great job relating the story of the planning, conception and execution of  the virus and how it was discovered, I will not give away any of those secrets.  You will have to read the book yourself.  I really found the book fascinating and scary and when I say scary I don't mean a little bit scary.
 
I am scared and awed by the individuals who write the code that creates such havoc in the tech world but really I am even more impressed and gratified with those who identify and combat these hackers.  It is scary to know what a strong weapon these viruses have become and what a threat they are to all of us.  We are now so dependent on computers and satellites for almost everything. 

If you are in the IT world or even if you aren't Countdown to Zero Day is a book to put on your reading list.


 

The Hills are alive with the sound of Music

I LOVE The Sound of Music and I love Julie Andrews.  Lady Gaga sang a medley of songs from this musical on the Oscars show.  While she was very good, after all we are talking about a pop diva, she was not Julie Andrews. Julie Andrews is in a class of her own.  The only two female artists that come close to her caliber are Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand at least in my opinion.

I have talked about Salzburg many times in my blog but honestly it is a magical city.  I never took a Sound of Music tour but I wandered the streets and got caught up in its beauty.  I know my Mom's family is from Austria although not from Salzburg so I guess my affinity towards the city is because my family was from there.

Wednesday night I watched the Diane Sawyer/Julie Andrews Special The Untold Story of The Sound of Music.  Did I mention I love the movie and Julie Andrews.  It was a fun show.  I also found this Link Sound of Music  I thought you may enjoy about The Sound of Music Guide to Salzburg.  I hope I get to see Salzburg one more time.  Not really to visit the sites from the movie but just to enjoy the city.  If you are considering making a trip to Europe consider a day or two in Salzburg. The 50th anniversary DVD of the movie is out.  If interested check out this link The Sound of Music

Erin go Braugh!

Happy St Patrick's Day.  Here in the United States that day has become synonymous with drinking.  I am sure all the bars all over various cities are thrilled that this day exists.

In reality St Patrick's day is to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland St Patrick who brought Christianity to Ireland also referred to as the Emerald Isle. Over 34 million people in the United States are of Irish descent which is almost nine times the population of Ireland.

Just in case you do not want to drink green beer you can make some Irish jello shots. I found a recipe for you St. Patrick's Day Whiskey Shots.  Enjoy!

A Dual Inheritance

It took me awhile to get into this book.  I almost stopped several times but I decided to persevere.  I guess the reason I kept on going was because this was my book club selection.  I always do my best to read the book.  It makes the discussion so much better.

The author opens the novel with a definition of the Dual Inheritance theory (DIT) which was developed in the late 1970's through the early 1980's. The basis of the theory is that human behavior is a product of two different and interacting evolutionary processes: genetic evolution and cultural evolution. In DIT, culture is defined as information and behavior acquired through social learning.

Hugh and Ed meet at Harvard in the 1960's. They come from two different worlds.  Ed is a scholarship student who studies hard and knows that someday he will succeed.  His father is an ex fighter who lives in tenement scraping together a living .  They are not close. On the other hand, Hugh is from an old venerable family.  There is enough money for Hugh to live off his trust fund which by many standards is not a large fund but Hugh does not need much. Ironically enough, Hugh does not like his father or the world he grew up in which is what I think draws these two men to each other.

After they graduate Hugh goes to Africa and ends up involved in humanitarian work while Ed starts an investment fund on Wall Street that becomes very successful.  How much of each of their success is from genetic evolution and how much is from cultural evolution or the combination.

Overall I think the author did a great job portraying the characters although the book was a little too long for me.

 

Tomorrow is Pi Day so celebrate with a Pie

Tomorrow is Pi day.  That is Pi without the "e".  Since not everyone is a mathematician and that goes double for me I thought I would include the definition of Pi found on math.com.

Pi is a name given to the ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter. That means, for any circle, you can divide the circumference (the distance around the circle) by the diameter and always get exactly the same number. It doesn't matter how big or small the circle is, Pi remains the same. Pi is pronounced "pie", just like the dessert. I can't think of a better way to celebrate than to eat a slice of pie and I mean the pie with the "e".  Pi day in 2015 is a very special Pi day because of the day it falls on in the calendar, 3/14/15.  Usually pi day is just 3/14 representing the first three digits. This year it so happens that the date represents 5 digits, 3.1415 which is the first time this will occur this century.  Very exciting news in the Math world. 

I was reading the Washington Post and they have compiled 14 pie recipes that you may want to use so that you too can celebrate Pi Day at home.  Follow this link Yum Pie recipes for Pi Day

Great News Tomorrow is National Potato Chips day

Wow have we hit the jackpot this month or what.  March 12^th was Popcorn Lover’s Day and tomorrow is Potato Chip Lover’s day.  It use to be that your only choices for potato chips were one with ridges or smooth ones.  Not but not anymore.  There are so many kinds that it is like waking up Christmas morning to all those presents.  There are so many types and flavors it is often hard to choose.  

But tomorrow my choice will be potato chips with ridges.  What can I say I am a purist. 

Popcorn Lover's Day

It has come to my attention that tomorrow is Popcorn Lover's Day.  Finally a holiday I can sink my teeth into and that makes sense.  Popcorn got me through college.  It was very economical and very filling. Did I say delicious as well. Two weeks ago I found one of those Jiffy Pop things that you pop on the stove.  Flunked popping pop corn in it. 

Making it in that container is harder than you might think.   I think the technique is all about wrist action and constantly shaking it.  I could not get the hang of it and most of the popcorn that did pop burned!  The other kernels sat there looking pitiful.  I think I am just spoiled.  It is so easy to make in the microwave.  So in celebration of the day I think I will pop some popcorn in the microwave of course.  However I am thinking that giving that Jiffy Pop thing another go is not out of the question.

Ben and Jerry can always be counted on for Innovative ideas

I found this article I wish to share with you. I guess in keeping in the spirit of being innovative, the new flavor developers at Ben and Jerry have been working overtime.  They are consider making weed infused ice cream.  Who knows how it will taste.  You can read about it for more info  New Flavor.

Even Bethany Frankel seems to want to get in on the cannabis craze by creating a Skinnygirl Marijuana.  This will be distributed in Alaska, Oregon, Colorado and Washington where Marijuana is legal.  Not sure it will show up in D.C.  because it is not suppose to be sold.  Who knows?

Pancake alert

If you have read my blog before you know some of my Pancake stories.  Growing up I really wasn't a big fan of pancakes.  Then I had a pancake epiphany.  I can remember the exact moment it happened.  My husband was leaving the army.  We had just flown from Germany where breakfast is brotchen und cafe, translated  roll and coffee. We flew into South Carolina and after he completed all his paperwork we walked around outside of the base.  To our joy and amazement we came to the Pancake Palace otherwise known as International House of Pancakes (IHOP).  We ordered a stack of pancakes and I fell in love with those fluffy delights right then and there.  I am always on the hunt for new pancake recipes and I happened to come across this one for Carrot Cake Pancakes.

 

Since I am not a big fan of coconut, I left that ingredient out.  Try this recipe.

Hurry Up and Read

I don't know about you but I like to read a book before I see the movie based on the book.  Am I the only one?  Hollywood takes such liberties with the story that sometimes it makes me down right mad.  When the Harry Potter movies were being made, I never went to see them without reading the books first.  Luckily they translated well but that is not always the case. 

I was on the Huffington Post site and found this list of books  being made into movies.   I just thought I would give you the heads up before the movies are released in case you want to read the books first.  Here is the link from Huff Post Ten Books That will be movies.

Just an FYI the book Me Before You is being made into a movie.  If you have not read this book yet, read it.  I really liked it.  It is that whole right to die issue and much more. You can check out my blog post.  What is interesting about this movie is that while the author Jojo Meyes was consulting on the film she decided she would  write a sequel.  Usually sequels are not as good as the original book but I don't really care I plan to read After You anyway.