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 Well I'm back home after a rather thought-provoking offsite; feels like I've been on the road *forever*. Looking forward to a nice evening and then tomorrow I'm riding a tough century, the Heartbreak Hundred. In the meantime I'm thinking ... and blogging.
Wow, happy 20th birthday, Visual Basic. I totally remember VB v1, how revolutionary it was, and how easy it was to create graphical user interfaces (compared to "Petzold" programming in C). Truly a major factor in Microsoft's success. 
Of course I must add, about ten years ago they broke it rather badly; VB.NET has never been as easy to use or as cool as VB...
Eight reasons web workers should look forward to Windows 8. Hmmm... are you looking forward to Windows 8? Me neither. Seems likely to be a disaster, like Windows Vista, and it won't be until Windows 9 that they fix it.
Hmmm: iPad causes Windows sales to shrink for the first time ever.
Cringley: What Microsoft should do. Windows 8 is not his answer.
 And so Google announces Google Wallet, a way to use your Android Phone as a payment instrument via NFC. I'm trying to decide whether I think this will matter. Somehow it feels like it won't. Maybe it's that Citi logo :) Or more likely, the fact that Google have never succeeded at anything that required customer service.
Excellent detailed description from 2ality.
Did you know? The computer science job market is red hot. Unlike the job market for, say, automotive assemblers. This is what's weird about the economy right now, some parts of it are at a much different temperature than others.
 Kind of sad that these are necessary, but kind of amazing that they exist: single home protected levees. Wow.
Your next phone will work better outside - because it will block glare in concert with polarized sunglasses. Great idea, presently, phones suck outside.
Good stuff: six key principles of a successful acquisition:
- Keep principal objectives consistent
- Understand probability
- Option value
- Aligning incentives
- Buying market leaders
- Synergies, synergies, synergies
Cisco seems to understand how to make these work, unlike so many other tech companies. Look at Yahoo for an example of destroying value through acquisition. Even Google doesn't have this nailed.
I couldn't believe when I saw this, but Salon has a celebratory review of Seattle restaurant Canlis, where I've personally dined and enjoyed one of the finest meals ever. Awesome. If you're ever there ... yeah.
 I need this! Porsche iApp measures your vehicle's G-force while accelerating, braking, and cornering. Yes!
 ZooBorn of the week: rare white Kiwi chick. Awww...
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