Observations from my trip to the US

One thing about going back home to the US only once or twice a year is that it allows me to see changes that I probably would not perceive living. It is sort of like seeing your sister's kids only once a year and notice how much they have grown.

New Cars:
In particular, I like seeing the news cars on the road. Here in Western Australia, the car market is just too small and slow what the car companies have come out with. I noticed that the new cars seem to have a military inspiration. They have a boxy shape, sharp edges, low roofs, and narrow windows that look more like gun slits than windows. They look like troop carriers. Perhaps the designers are inspired by the current War On Terror.

For example, look at Chrysler's new 300 model. To me it looks like the Civil War warship the USS Monitor. It looks like it needs a gun turrent on top!

I was very surprised to see that Honda now has a pickup truck, and a full size one at that. But, I think it is ugly.

I got to see the new Cadillac XLR, their new two seater convertible. I first thought it was a Mercedes-Benz SL until I saw the Cadillac badge on the grill. It looks like they totally ripped off Mercedes.

Needless Products (1):
It is also fun to see some of the ads for new products and services. Some are for things are just simply a waste of money. The worst has to be these thing called "Sling Box". I saw an ad for it on TV. It is a consumer electronic device that you plug into your television and broadband connection. It captures a television program and broadcasts it, live, across the internet to your laptop computer. The television ad features a guy sitting in the back pew of a church in a funeral. He is watching a football game on his laptop computer and is yelling encouragement to his team in the middle of a somber funeral.

I was stunned. I could not believe it. How totally lame and pathetic do you have to be to need this? Watching a Football at a funeral? Why did the subject of the ad even bother to go to the funeral if he felt that game was more important? What on earth could be so important on TV that you can justify spending money to broadcast it live across the internet? I can't imagine.

If there was a show on that you want to catch, then record it on the VCR (or Tivo) and watch it later when you have time. If it is so important that you can't wait for later, then stay home.

I really hope that this product fails and no one buys it. It scares me to think that someone might find this to be worth it. What has me totally baffled is that the damn thing has won awards all over in late 2005 and early 2006 as best new product. WTF?

Needless Products (2):
The other "solution looking for a problem" that I saw is the electronic ultraviolet toothbrush cleaner. It is a case the you put your toothbush in, which is then bathed in ultraviolet light in order to clean it. Some of the ads I saw to justify this expense give reasons that border on the ridiculous.

One ad presents the "problem" of your children accidentally using the wrong toothbrush when rushing to brush their teeth, which might spread germs among them. Huh? I grew up with a mom, dad, brother and sister on a small boat with one head. I never remember having any problems confusing who had what toothbrush. If your kids are in such a rush that they grab the wrong one and fail to notice, then perhaps you should question why they are in such a rush that they can't take care of their teeth.

Another ad presents the "problem" of house guest using your toothbrush because they might have forgotten to bring their own. Oh please. The US is the land of Seven-Eleven and 24-hour grocery stores. Can't your guest just run out and buy themselves a toothbrush? I have been a guest of many homes, and I have never, ever, considered borrowing a toothbrush from anyone. Gee. How often does this "problem" happen? How about if I just buy a couple of extra cheap toothbrushes for $3 each and keep the in the house for guests? Wouldn't that be better and cheaper?

Funny Products:
In Los Angeles, I saw billboards all over for a drink called "Pom". It is a pomegranate drink that claims to prevent cancer. Whatever... but what cracks me up is that word Pom is mildly derogatory Aussie slang for an Englishman. It was funny seeing that word all over the place.

I'm back in Perth!

Hey everyone. I just wanted to post a quick note to say that I am back in Perth and doing better. I am sorry that I have not been able to post anything. I simply have not had any time to do so.

I ended up getting very sick sometime after New Years while in The States. I got back to Perth a little over a week ago and went straight to the doctor. I am finally getting back to normal. It was a nasty head cold that I just couldn't kick.

The flight home was fine. I lucked out and got an exit isle on both legs. I missed the flight to San Francisco, but was able to catch a standby seat on a later flight to Sydney. United lost all my luggage, but it finally caught up with me a couple of days later. That is one of the problem of missing flights and catching others.

There are sooo many things that I want to write about. I hope to catch up as time permits. I've been taking notes so that I don't forget anything.

Regarding my situation here in Oz. Everything is up in the air right now. My contract here with IBM was only extended to the end of March 2006. After that, I have no idea. I do know that if it is not extended again, then I will loose my visa and have to move back to the US. What I will do, or where I will live, or how I will live, is a complete unknown for me.

That explains why I have been so quiet. I have a lot to do in the next 60 days. Blogging is a bit lower on the priority list under surviving.

Cheers!

Understanding Engineers

An engineering student friend of mine sent me this... thanks Katie!

Understanding Engineers - Take One
Two engineering students were walking across a university campus when one said, "Where did you get such a great bike?"

The second engineer replied, "Well, I was walking along yesterday, minding my own business, when a beautiful woman rode up on this bike, threw it to the ground, took off all her clothes and said, "Take what you want."

The second engineer nodded approvingly and said, "Good choice; the clothes probably wouldn't have fitted you anyway."

Understanding Engineers - Take Two
To the optimist, the glass is half full.
To the pessimist, the glass is half empty.
To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

Understanding Engineers - Take Three
A priest, a doctor, and an engineer were waiting one morning for a particularly slow group of golfers. The engineer fumed, "What's with those blokes? We must have been waiting for fifteen minutes!"

The doctor chimed in, "I don't know, but I've never seen such inept golf!"

The priest said, "Here comes the greens keeper. Let's have a word with him." He said, "Hello, George! what's wrong with that group ahead of us? They're rather slow, aren't they?"

The greens keeper replied, "Oh, yes. That's a group of blind fire fighters. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime."

The group fell silent for a moment.

The priest said, "That's so sad. I think I will say a special prayer for them tonight."

The doctor said, "Good idea. I'm going to contact my ophthalmologist colleague and see if there's anything he can do for them."

The engineer said, "Why can't they play at night?"

Understanding Engineers - Take Four
Q: What is the difference between mechanical engineers and civil engineers?
A: Mechanical engineers build weapons and civil engineers build targets.

Understanding Engineers - Take Five
The graduate with a science degree asks, "Why does it work?"
The graduate with an engineering degree asks, "How does it work?"
The graduate with an accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?"
The graduate with an arts degree asks, "Do you want fries with that?"

Understanding Engineers - Take Six
Three engineering students were gathered together discussing the possible designers of the human body.
One said, "It was a mechanical engineer. Just look at all the joints."
Another said, "No, it was an electrical engineer. The nervous system has many thousands of electrical connections."
The last one said, "No, actually it had to have been a civil engineer. Who else would run a toxic waste pipeline through a recreational area ?"

Understanding Engineers - Take Seven
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

Understanding Engineers - Take Eight
An engineer was crossing a road one day, when a frog called out to him and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess."

He bent over, picked up the frog and put it in his pocket.

The frog spoke up again and said, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful princess, I will stay with you for one week."

The engineer took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it and returned it to the pocket.

The frog then cried out, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a Princess, I'll stay with you for one week and do ANYTHING you want."

Again, the engineer took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back into his pocket.

Finally, the frog asked, "What is the matter? I've told you I'm a beautiful princess and that I'll stay with you for one week and do anything you want. Why won't you kiss me?"

The engineer said, "Look, I'm an engineer. I don't have time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog, now that's cool."

New York Times article on Western Australia

A friend pointed out to me a recent feature article in the New York Times Travel section about Western Australia. It features some photos of Cottesloe beach, which is where I live.

Check it out!

I wonder if it will spoil Perth?