CityBlogz Design Studio / Blog

Yesterday, I attended the IBM DeveloperWorks speed-start seminar on Web Services in Minneapolis St. Paul. That was a pretty interesting topic, since it could apply to future projects that I may be engaging in. A good link to bookmark is http://www.xmethods.net. Another one is http://www.ibm.com/developerworks.

The Calgary Flames game 2 against Tampa Bay Lightning really sucked.  Half the team gave half effort and the result showed.  If the team wants the championship, they’ll have to start sticking it to the Lightning players.

Ok, this journal entry will be the last entry till June 6.  Until then, tah tah.  

Finally, the Mac has a tool similar to the PC’s PartitionMagic program. SubRosaSoft Ltd. has released VolumeWorks 1.0, a new utility for Mac OS X users that enables the resizing and management of hard disk drive data partitions non-destructively. It supports ATA, SCSI, FireWire and USB drives, and lets users hide partitions and apply custom icons to their newly created partitions. VolumeWorks costs US$49.95 and requires Mac OS X v10.2 or higher.

The great swammy has decided to offer another bold prediction for the NHL Stanley Cup finals between Calgary Flames and Tampa Bay Lightning. Based on the lone regular season meeting between these two clubs, Tampa Bay obviously has a very good forward group, but I believe they can be stopped by great goaltending and the solid defense core of the Calgary Flames. Everyone seems to be picking the Tampa Bay Lightning in 5 or 6 games, but I think the Calgary Flames could stick it to them in 6 games. The key players to watch for on the Flames are Iginla, Nieminen, and Kiprusoff. I predict that they’ll come up big when the time comes. Tampa Bay will have the likes of St.Louis, and Khabibulin, who will have a great couple of games, but I predict that their luck will run out for the other 4 games. Here’s hoping I’m right. Cheers!

If your vehicle’s engine does not need premium fuel, using anything other than regular is a waste of money. Premium gas isn’t necessarily superior to regular gas, rather it has a higher octane, meaning a slower burn rate. Some engines require this type of gasoline but it will say so in the owner’s manual. If it doesn’t, then regular unleaded will do the trick. Premium gas will not get you better mileage or more power.

Aggressive driving, including speeding, rapid acceleration, and braking, wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent when driving at highway speeds and by 5 percent when cruising around town. This 5 to 33 percent is equivalent to gasoline savings of 7 to 49 cents a gallon. Observing the speed limit can also help. Gas mileage decreases quickly at speeds above 60 mph. For each 5 mph driven over 60 mph, you’ll pay an additional 10 cents per gallon. Using cruise control on the highway helps maintain a constant speed that can help you save gas. Also, take the time to clean out that trunk before a big trip. The heavier the load in your car, the more gasoline used. Use the air conditioner sparingly. The A/C puts more force on the engine, forcing more fuel to be used – about 20 percent more.

Anything from a filthy air filter to under-pumped tires can put a strain on your engine. AAA estimates that a driver can burn about $90 a year just by neglecting their tires. The rounder the tire, the less energy it requires to roll.

The situation for the consumer is expected to get worse before we see any relief. Don’t forget, the federal government allows you to take tax breaks when you buy a hybrid. But you better do it soon, because those breaks are scheduled to phase out 2007.  

In case you didn’t get enough media coverage of the Calgary Flames, here’s what they’re saying. And some of the comments just make you want to stick it to them! I mean the nerve of one of these writers saying that the Flyers or Lightning are far superior than the Calgary Flames.

East Game 7 winner to also claim Cup – Experience gives Flyers edge over Lightning; winner Saturday will go on to douse Flames.

So far I’m not buying the “will over skill” mantra that has been beset the Flames hockey team. If they didn’t have the skill, they would’ve been out of the playoffs a long time ago.

Here’s something I got in the email and also found a reference in Slashdot.

Wednesday May 19th has been formally declared “stick it to them” day and the people of this nation should not buy a single drop of gasoline that day. The only way this can be done is if you forward this e-mail to as many people as you can and as quickly as you can to get the word out. Waiting on this administration to step in and control the prices is not going to happen. What happened to the reduction and control in prices that the arab nations promised two weeks ago? Remember one thing, not only is the price of gasoline going up but at the same time airlines are forced to raise their prices, trucking companies are forced to raise their prices which effects prices on everything that is shipped. Things like food, clothing, building materials, medical supplies, etc. And who pays in the end? We do! We can make a difference. If they don’t get the message after one day, we will do it again and again. So, do your part and spread the word. Forward this e-mail to everyone you know. Mark your calendars and make may 19th a day that the citizens of the United States and Canada say “enough is enough”.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to buy a drop of gas that day.