http://mikeduffy.net Thinking out loud Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:53:19 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en After closing has been postponed now for the 5th time, we are getting tired of this whole process.  Friday was supposed to be closing and we didnt find out until Ashley had already arrived at the Title place to sign.  Our loan has been ready for our new home, but ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=323 Nothing exciting happening lately other than prepping another house for sale.  Seems like there shouldn’t be very much to do, but there always is because you want it to look the best it can for that crucial 2 week period when it goes on the market.  This time I happen ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=322 In the past year, I worked on the implementation of a Revenue Coverage Optimization tool (RCO) at HP.  The optimization algorithm used in the tool was developed by HP Labs, which has recently received the 2009 Franz Edelman Award, the world's leading prize for excellence in operations research practice, ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=320 Went to iFest today with Ashley and Russ and Ashley Beth.  There was an Ireland theme this year, so I thought that would be cool.  But, we were a bit disappointed.  First of all, everything was overpriced from the moment you paid $15 a ticket to get in.  We’re talking ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=317 We'll be up in Seattle in 2 weeks, so need to actually plan what we will be doing.  Other than the brew-your-own-beer pub that I'll cap some bottles of Bob and Carlos' batch of beers, looks like we may do something we never did while we were there...Orca whale watching.  ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=315 Very cool idea from HP for creating Mediascapes.  A Mediascape is sort of like planning out an area to use GPS to locate landmarks and then planning a tour or game using these landmarks as triggers.  You carry around a PDA with GPS enabled and as you walk with headphones ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=313 So, I’ve been taping Austin City Limits shows on PBS for awhile now to catch any of the good bands that end up playing there (recent shows – that may have been old show replays – included bands like Black Crowes, Swell Season (from movie Once), Neko Case, etc.).  Ashley ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=311 Here is some advice I just gave about Finances that I figured I would capture here as well: - http://www.whatsthecost.com/snowball.aspx?country=us : The Snowball Calculator - "Snowballing is all about paying your debts in the correct order. Generally speaking you should attempt to pay off ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=305 So, the Texans draft is coming closer to us (April 25th) and with the recent signings of LBs Cato June and Buster Davis I am starting to think that LB won’t be the position we draft in the first round.  I think they are setting themselves up to take the ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=304 April 7, 1933: http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2009/04/dayintech_0407 President Franklin D. Roosevelt's signature repealed the Volstead Act, legalizing 3.2 percent beer. It also paved the way for the December ratification of the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th Amendment and deep-sixed Prohibition altogether. So, I celebrate FDR ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=301 The weekend wasn't as busy as I thought it would be, but it was a good time.  I ended up moving 235 bricks from one side of the garage to the other.  I needed the space to setup a couple of work bench/storage units.  I'll try to post some before ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=298 Houston music blog...seems interesting, telling about upcoming shows, etc. http://www.29-95.com/music http://mikeduffy.net/?p=295 It is a wonderful day outside, so I'm hoping it stays that way this weekend.  We are eating dinner at Ashley's parent's house tonight and visiting her aunt/uncle, who are in town.  Tomorrow, I'm hoping to wake up and play some soccer in the morning, do some lawn fertilizing (with Nitrophos/Barricade)/hedge ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=293 So, after a long ordeal of copy/paste, I finally updated my blog with old posts from my previous blogger site.  I'm liking WordPress version better, and hopefully I wont run into the same error of not being able to import / export my blog, if I ever move it again.  ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=272 I always have projects in my head that I'd like to get done: Connect Indoor Antenna to test HD signal: thought I would definitely need an outdoor multidirectional antenna to get the HD content, but I thought I would try the indoor variety for its simplicity first. Organize Garage: It was organized ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=56 Finally, I get to post about my Rockets.  Noone is sure what to think of them, but one thing everyone knows is that they play hard and play defense.  And, that should create problems for teams they face in the postseason.  After they surprised many by beating the Spurs in ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=38 Second part of my Houston Sports update, includes the Texans.  This team is already drawing the pre-pre-season comparison that its the next Arizona Cardinals.  And, given that we signed a new Defensive End from the Cards and our D Coordinator is from there, maybe it has some weight to the ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=35 Per one of my previous posts, I'm still looking for the right solution to cut cable.  I may put it on pause for awhile, however, as I haven't seen everything in one product and its all a relatively unstable environment which changes back and forth (Hulu takes it content away ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=31 I'll be sending my buddy Cam an update on the Houston Sports teams while he is at his Navy boot camp.  He has no contact with the outside world (including Internet) right now, except for written letter.  I know most people don't realize that people still write letters, but they ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=27 No, I haven't ditched Cable yet, but looking into what that future might look like.  I may start out with an Multi-Direction Outdoor antenna (I think the Tech Shield in my roof will probably kill the signal indoor) and a Distribution amplifier to the three tv outlets.  Once I see ... http://mikeduffy.net/?p=18