Just a quick update on what’s going on.

Finishing up a whale watch website for San Juan excursions www.watchwhales.com

Researching new web cam solutions.

Jumping on the trampoline at the cable ski park.

Reading “the age of spiritual machines” by Ray Kurzweil.

Working on my message board at www.Desticam.com.

Continuing to improve my voice recognition Vocola commands.  My newest command is one that switches to my time tracking program and clocks out of the existing project and clocks into a new project and then jumps back to the previous program that I was working in.  I just have to say “punch into Project X.”… or if I am ready to take a break I just say “take a break” and I am automatically clocked out of everything.

I set up another group of commands for working with leads/contacts that I am communicating with.  This one just works with a basic text file in notepad.  If I say “show next lead” in the current contact is closed and the next one is opened.  At that point I can say “call this lead” and the number is automatically dialed through Skype and I am ready to start the conversation with my headset already on.  I can then dictate in the notes of the conversation and say show next lead to open the next lead.  The next step will be to add a couple more commands such as “visit their website” which will automatically open their website and “e-mail this lead” which will automatically switch to Outlook and open up a new e-mail message addressed to them.  I could have a general message already prepared and just say “e-mail sales information” to have the e-mail message automatically sent.

Enough about voice recognition.

Played frisbee on the beach today followed by a couple beers.  Had what was probably the best seafood dinner I’ve had in my life at my buddies place.  Monstrous shrimp, soft shell crab, scallops, smaller shrimp, squid, fish, vegetables, and lots of spice.  Hungry?

Moving on.

Another month has gone by; time to do the monthly billing stuff.  That stuff really bugs me.

Still reading my David Rockefeller “memoirs” book.  Right now he is discussing his time spent at Chase Bank where he is moving up the hierarchy and having a difficult time “modernizing” the company.  The old guard of Chase Bank are focused on solid lending to corporate customers while Rockefeller sees a company falling behind in international lending and direct investment.
End of David Rockefeller stuff

This Tibet/China/Olympic stuff is pretty interesting.  It is a dog eat dog world.  The guys with the guns will make the decisions and the guys without the guns and technology will “lick boots”.  America is being brainwashed into giving up their weapons for their own safety.  How many years will it be before this decision comes back to haunt us.

I guess I will boycott the Olympics.  That’s interesting; I was thinking this was about the Olympics but this is just as much about where the products are made that I buy.  So what are you going to do Wesley?  Not buy anything from China?  Good luck.  How about don’t buy from China whenever you have a choice?  That sounds okay.  Vote with my dollars.

Enough on that topic

Actually let’s go back to that topic.  I wonder what my personal Chinese trade deficit is.  I have one customer from China; they pay me approximately $100 a month.  Where’s my computer made?  Japan.  How many of the parts inside are made in Japan?  That’s irrelevant because I don’t have any customers from Japan.  Definitely a trade deficit to Japan.  What about my Microsoft natural keyboard and wireless mouse?  Made in China.  Down another hundred dollars.  What about my Toyota?  Made in Thailand.  Not looking good here.  What about my customers from the states?  Are they making money from the Chinese?  Are they making money from the Japanese?  Maybe that can be a good strategy; reduce my own personal trade deficit.  But it’s only a deficit if you look at things that divide us like location, currency, and race.  And work ethic.  And human rights.

Running out of brainpower.  Time for some rest.