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Home again

Henk van de Goor — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 12:42:54 +0000

So, I am home again after a relaxing three weeks of vacation in Florida. We – as in me and my girlfriend – didn’t do that much: just chill, watch trash TV, catch a movie, eat out, shop, swim and enjoyed each others company.

I certainly enjoyed my trip. Florida is very nice although it aways takes me a few day to get used to the 90+ (= 30+ celsius) temperature and the 90+ humidity. This time the weather was very nice even though we had almost 1 week of cloudy weather (kinda perfect for me). And I only got bitten like 5 times by the mosquito’s.

We also drove down to Boca Raton to visit my girlfriends son.

Boca Raton is a very nice town. Nice beach as well. Very laid-back and nice environment. You can also tell people that live there, make more money on average than others do. The city is impeccable clean and you see more people driving expensive cars (Audi, Mercedes, Ferrari, Jaguar, Porsche) than anywhere else in Florida.

Also, when it comes to eating out, I love the US. I know: many people frown upon their “cuisine”, but I like it. I always have been a steak & burger guy.

The real find this trip was a joint called “Five Guys”. They really went back to basics when it comes to hamburgers. They basically sell four kind of burgers in two sizes, two kinds of “home-made style” fries and also kosher Hot Dogs. As far as a chain restaurant goes, they are really good. Unlike all the other fast food places you can actually taste the hamburger meat. You can get similar good burgers if you go to a family restaurant, but I like Five Guys better.

My girlfriend who knows my taste like no other, predicted that I would like them and she was right. I will never enjoy a burger at McDonalds again.

Other then that we enjoyed Italian (Carrabas), a steak & Ahi Tuna (Outback) and last but not least a very nice Thai restaurant in Tallahassee. And my girlfriend cooked a killer pork chop meal (in the oven) for me. Jummy!

But now I am back again and trying to recuperate from my jet-lag. Funny thing is, that I felt like I was over it, but today I woke up at 11:45am which means I slept about 11,5 hours! Man, what a drag: half my day is over.

Anyway: I’m chilling out the rest of the day: I’m sure I’ll be busy enough again this week to forget about my vacation (and my jet-lag) pretty quick.

A flight attendants exit strategy

Henk van de Goor — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:15:22 +0000

JetBlue Flight Attendant Steven Slater (Personal Photo)

Let me tell you something. I fly internationally frequently. And ‘flight attendants’ – or as we know ‘m: stewards or stewardesses - do not have the glamorous job people might think they have. Sure, if you look no further than the surface you see mostly young, attractive people flying all over the world to cool places. And people generally envy them for that.

Well, reality is that they are mostly playing babysitters to annoying people. People that don’t obey the safety rules on a plane. People who are rude and get abusive because they experienced a delay of simply because they had to much to drink. Or people that are just assholes in general. Also, they get underpaid a lot, just like pilots.

Let’s face it: if you are in the service industry – and that’s what I think flight attendants are in – you can have a hard time and your job may become just a modern variant on “cattle herding”.

Well, this morning, it was one of those days for JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater (38) who has been in the business for many years, working for 5 different airlines. But this time Slater took matters into his own hands and decided that enough was enough.

The official report of what happened is as follows:

When the JetBlue flight landed on JFK International airport in NY, one passenger stood up to retrieve her belongings from the overhead compartment before the crew had given permission and the plane was still taxiing. Mr. Slater instructed the person to remain seated. The passenger defied him. Mr. Slater reached the passenger just as the person was pulling down the luggage, which struck Mr. Slater in the head.

Mr. Slater asked her for an apology. The passenger instead cursed at him. Mr. Slater then got on the plane’s public-address system and cursed out the womand for all to hear. Then, after declaring that “20 years in the airline industry” was enough, he blurted out, “It’s been great!” To everyone’s surprise he then activated the inflatable evacuation slide at a service exit and – on his way out the door- paused to grab a beer from the beverage cart. Then he slide out the plane and ran to the employee parking lot and drove off to his home where some time late he got arrested.

Neighbors in California, where Mr. Slater grew up, said he had recently been caring for his dying mother, a retired flight attendant, and had done the same for his father, a pilot.

A former flight attendant, Janet Bavasso, who lives next door to Mr. Slater in Queens, sympathizes with Slater: “Enough is enough — good for him,” Ms. Bavasso said. “If he would have called me, I would have picked him up.”

What can I say: I can understand why Slater did it and I sympathize with him as well.

Just because you paid for a ticket doesn’t mean you can do what you want. Safety rules may look stupid to you but the last 9 years have shown us that those safety rules are not there just for fun.

I’m sure he will be out of a job because of this (he broke many serious FAA safety rules) and might even go to jail. I think he also will become an icon for many of his fellow flight attendants who might dream of doing the same he did.

Anyway: when I am flying to the US this weekend I will make sure I thank the flight attendants and the pilot when I leave the plane.

Hunting mice with a rifle: mice win

Henk van de Goor — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:59:52 +0000

Mouse trap

Hunting pesky rodents can be more dangerous than most people would think.

If you choose the wrong tool for the job and couple that with bad decisions and poor judgement; it can end in a tragedy.

As was the case with a 52-year old dentist from Holland who tried to get rid of some mice in his vacation home in Jumilhac-le-Grandin, in the French Dordogne (July 26, 2010).

Aggravated by the noisy mice that inhabited his French home, he decided to take matters into his own hands and hunt ‘them pesky mice’ down.

However; instead of using the usual tools for such a task – traps, poison, a broom or maybe even a cat – he decided to use a rifle. Wrong decision number one.

Instead of trying to shoot the mice (which sounds logical when you grab a gun), he decided to try and club them to dead by holding the barrel of the gun and trying to hit them with the butt of the rifle: something you would more expect to see in a Tom & Jerry cartoon.

Wrong decision number two.

The third bad decision he made turned out to be his last and a fatal one: not checking if the rifle was loaded.

When the dentist swung the gun at one of the mice, it promptly went off hitting him in the abdomen and wounding him fatally.

A tragic event.

But also a perfect example of stupidity that deserves a Darwin Award.

It’s amazing Mike!

Henk van de Goor — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:24:47 +0000

Don’t you hate those those annoying, stupid infomercials? Usually they are on TV during the day when ~~no one~~ only braindead housewives watch them, or in the late after hours, way past midnight.

I seriously think those infomercials should come with a warning, just like they put on cigarette packs:

“Warning. Watching these stupid infomercials causes severe braindamage and/or mental retardation. No shit, Fool!”

Personally I think the only way they are bearable to watch, is when you’re stoned as a shrimp or someone just knocked your lights out with a hockeystick.

Since I am not into drugs (never even smoked a joint in my whole life – even though it’s perfectly legal here in Holland) – or into violence (well, only when it’s “functional”), I’d like to show you a fine example of how a stupid infomercial actually can become fun to watch

First watch the stupid original Slap Chop commercial down here:

Now check out the “Enhanced Trinidadian” version ……Ya ain’t hear meh or wa?”

Funny thing: there is actually a Spanish version of the Slap Chop infomercial as well:

First I thought it was dubbed too, but then I saw the part where the guy tosses the other chopping machine and it actually hits the window (at 1:05)! LOL

For more retarded products check out the following links:

The Comfort (Ass)Wipe
The Snuggie (dub) and another Snuggie Dub: the WTF Blanket.

You know what: watching infomercials suddenly isn’t that bad anymore

Darth Vader robs bank: “I find my lack of money… Disturbing.”

Henk van de Goor — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 11:05:23 +0000

Now here is something you don’t see every day: a guy (at least we think it’s a guy) robs a bank in Long Island (NY) dressed as… Darth Vader. What?

Yeah, I laughed at it as well. Makes you wonder: is Darth Vader trying to rebuild his Death Star?

According to anonymous sources, Darth Vader explained himself to the bank employee saying: “I find my lack of money… Disturbing.”

Darth Vader really must have been low on cash: his getaway vehicle was a bicycle instead of a Tie Fighter.

Anyway, here is a video report on the whole deal.

Anatomy of a song

Henk van de Goor — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:34:37 +0000

Here is a little lesson in pure ’70′s pop-history that I came across and was fascinated with. As such I like to share this with you all.

The British pop-group 10cc (known mostly from their song “Dreadlock Holiday“) released a song called “I’m not in love” on May 31st 1975. A time when synthesizers where not that common – yet. When you listen to the song however, it sounds very much like a modern day synthesizer was used. But it wasn’t. The unique sound the song has, was completely conceived using the technology available in 1975 – which included a moog synthesizer – and pushing the technology to it limits. Mainly using so-called “tape-loops” (now we’d call that “sampling”). The idea was, to use just voices as backing track to the song. The end result is – as said – a milestone in recording. A lot of techniques used in the record were done for the very first time.

How, and what did they do exactly to create that unique sound?

In the podcast below, which is just a partial audio clip from a BBC radio documentary, some of the very special techniques are explained and discussed, and some other “special ingredients” are disclosed, including an unique alternative lead vocal that never made it to the record! It is also revealed who the sultry voice is, of the woman that speaks just a few simple lines during the song (“Be quiet. Big boys don’t cry”).

All in all very interesting and intriguing stuff, highly recommended to listen to if you’re into pop history or music in general! So click on the title below and listen for yourself. By the way: if anyone has access to the whole documentary: please let me know. I haven’t been able to find it (yet).

10cc – I’m Not In Love – making of documentary

And here is the finished product, so you can enjoy what just was pointed out to you in the documentary. Can you hear what they where talking about?

10cc – I’m Not In Love

Jobs addresses ‘Antennagate’: “Smartphones have issues”

Henk van de Goor — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 10:28:52 +0000

Jobs on iPhone 4

As announced Thursday, Apple addressed their ~~problems~~ biggest public relation issue in a long time: the new iPhone 4, in a special press conference that took place Friday at 7pm (CET), 10am pacific time.

Steve Jobs himself took the stage and addressed, what he dubbed ‘Antennagate’.

You can watch his whole speech at the Apple site and I encourage you to do so and then read on.

Other smartphone antenna issues

So what did Jobs do? Well, after throwing some data at the press (“3 million iPhone 4′s sold in 3 weeks”) Jobs first demonstrated how other (popular) smartphones have antenna issues as well. Jobs continued then by saying that Apple practically pointed out the problem themselves “We made it very visible. With some help from certain websites. What we did: X marks the spot”.

Next Jobs added that there is was a software glitch that makes the drop in signal look “more catastrophic than in reality it was. (iOS 4.0.1 has been released to fix this)”. Something that more less was what Anandtech had already found in their review of the iPhone: it looks worse than it is, but in low-reception areas it can and will drop your call.

Also, after explaining about Apple’s state of the art testing facilities, Jobs then confessed that Apple knew about the antenna problem: “We tested it. We knew that if you gripped it in a certain way, the bars are going to go down a little bit. Just like every smartphone”.

Jobs then continued to tell the gathered press: “We didn’t think it’ be a big problem. Every smartphone has this issue.”

He then presented some ‘hard’ data from Apple and their AppleCare program: only 0.55% of iPhone 4 owners called Apple to complain (- now, I wonder if that should not be 0,55% of iPhone 4 owners that actually have AppleCare, as I suspect not everyone has that, so it would be interesting to hear about that).

Also, the return rate to AT&T (T) was less than 1/3 of what it was for the iPhone 3GS (1.7% vs. 6%). However, according to AT&T, the iPhone drops more calls than the iPhone 3GS did. But less than one more call per 100.

In other words: the “brilliant engineered” wonder-antenna that Jobs was talking of so highly during his presentation of the iPhone, does not perform better than the iPhone 3GS.

Jobs’ personal theory: more 3GS iPhones were bought with cases.

After that Jobs started to sound like a broken record, driving home the same mantra over and over, using the data he just presented: “Smartphones have issues”.

Jobs also complained that the hard facts Apple has, do not relate to the amount of negative publicity the iPhone 4 has gotten: “We think this has been so blown out of proportion.”

Jobs continued his rant: “We take this really personally. Maybe we should have a wall of PR people keeping us away from all that, but we don’t, we take it really personally. So we’ve been working really really hard these last 22 days on this trying to solve the problem. And we think we’ve gotten to the heart of the problem here. And the heart of the problem is, smartphones have issues, and we made it easy to exploit the issue by showing people where to hold the phone to cover the antenna. But the data supports the fact that the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone in the world, and that there is no Antennagate… there is a challenge for the entire smartphone industry to improve its antenna performance so there are no weak spots.”

Apple’s fix: a free ‘bumper case’

As expected, Jobs then announced that Apple will give a free case for every iPhone 4 purchased through Sept. 30 and refund users that already bought one. And if you are still not happy with that, you can return your iPhone 4 within 30 days and Apple will give you your money back, no questions asked, no re-stocking fee (their normal policy anyway).

In other words: what everyone already knew – the problem goes away if you use a case: so just use a case.

Also: in the Q&A after the press conference (the Apple video does not show this!) Jobs did apologize for the problem – something analysts at WSJ predict was “unlikely”. He reportedly said: “To our customers who are affected by the issue, we are deeply sorry, and we are going to give you a free case or a full refund.”

So Apple did the most predictable: downplay the problem (in an odd way), apologize, and come up with the cheapest fix possible (a recall would have been way more expensive).

So: problem solved, right?

A final take on Antennagate

So what is my final take and analysis on this whole iPhone 4 ’Antennagate’ then?

Well, all said and done, I think Jobs handled this pretty smooth. Downplay, apologize, then compensate users.

However – and here is a big, fat “but” from my side: “Dear Steve: I don’t care how bad the reception with OTHER smartphones is, or how this is a GENERAL problem of smartphones.”

Pointing out the weaknesses of “other” smartphones and then saying “We’re not perfect. Phones aren’t perfect” actually means: “We’re not perfect and neither are our (i)phones.”

But that was something Jobs carefully avoided saying. No doubt he was instructed by both the legal and PR department about that.

I really think it shows a huge weakness that Jobs kept comparing the iPhone 4 problems over and over again with “other smartphones” and using the fact that “other smartphones” have the similar problems both as an explanation and an excuse for their own weakness.

Aren’t Apple products in general – and the new iPhone 4 in particular – supposed to be “superior” to competitors products?

Jobs never ever ceases to tell the world over and over how great – heck: how brilliant - their products are?

By comparison: if “other cars” have bad brakes is that an excuse for your car to have bad brakes as well? I don’t think so!

Also: they knew about the problem. Why didn’t they address it?

As many experts pointed out: if Apple just put a cheap coating on the antenna, the problem would have been a lot less or even non-noticeable!

Well: Jobs basically admitted that they flat-out underestimated the potential problem. A big mistake as well.

Jobs presented the antenna as “brilliantly engineered”. Yet data – so far – shows that it does not perform any better than the old iPhone 3GS when it comes to dropping calls. How’s that brilliant?

Pouring out date, like how many phones were sold (and I bet you anything a lot were pre-ordered), or how ~~many~~ few people called AppleCare to complain about it, doesn’t mean that much to me either: there is simply no way for me to verify those figures. So I just need to trust Apple is being straight-forward about it.

Let’s face it: Apple has become as main-stream as it can be.

Before they had the advantage of being sort of an underdog.

That’s over for good.

If Apple makes mistakes – no matter how small Apple themselves feel they might be – they will get scrutinized by the press. Especially if you present your products the way Apple does.

So: Apple needs to accept being flamed over things like this, just like people have been flaming Microsoft for years. Get over it. And pretty please stop complaining that things were blown out of proportion!

Bottom line: no matter how you spin this: this IS an engineering mistake!

And I bet you Apple will address it in the next-gen iPhone: it is easy to address. Just put a coating on the antenna!

And please do stop using other manufacturers problems as an excuse for your own mistakes!

My precioussss?

So what does that mean for my initial plans to buy an iPhone 4?

Personally I know that if I buy an iPhone 4, I want to have a case for it anyway. After all: who wants to scratch up a super nice phone like this?

I also know that the cases I usually buy, are the kind I wear on my belt. So it means I would be taking the phone out of the case a lot (it’s how I roll). So, unless Apple fixes the next batch of iPhone 4′s with some kind of coating, there is a chance I might have the issue myself as well – but then again: if you know about it, you will most likely avoid the problem (“Don’t hold it like that”).

Even though I have not held the new iPhone 4 in my own hands, nor having played with it, I still am convinced that Apple’s claims about the design, features, ease-of-use etc. are very much valid:

For me – currently, and subject to change – the iPhone 4 IS the best looking, most beautiful designed smartphone to date. And I would be sad having to cover up that design with an ugly “bumper case”.

And yes: it looks like a great engineering accomplishment as well. I said so in my initial article after the launch, and I have no reason to doubt that.

However, since I’m not up for a new phone until February 2011, there is a lot that can happen in 7,5 months.

Android 2.2 “Froyo” will be released soon. Other phone manufacturers might come out with models with the same kind of “retina” screen as Apple has. Maybe Apple will come out it a new version of the iPhone without this problem?

Anyway: if I had to get my new phone right now: I definitely would get the iPhone 4 (in white) – no doubt whatsoever.

Don’t buy an iPhone 4 – yet

Henk van de Goor — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:22:38 +0000

iPhone 4 solution

The soap surrounding “the best iPhone ever”, is nearing it’s climax. Apple is holding a press conference later today to address the problems with the iPhone 4.

Rumour has it that Apple might appease customers by offering the “bumper case” (a flimsy plastic cover) to disgruntled buyers for free. Analysts do not expect Apple to announce a recall as that would probably be more damaging to the company even though a poll at the Wall Street Journal Online shows that about 60% of the readers think Apple should issue a recall. Analysts estimate that such a recall would cost Apple around 1,5 billion Dollars (approx. Euro 1.8 billion).

Ever since the antenna problem got confirmed – just a few days after the June 24th release – Apple has received much criticism for the reception problem caused by what many see as a critical design flaw. First Apple denied the problem and downplayed it (“you’re holding it wrong”), then the company said it was a software problem and the phone was just displaying the signal strength in the wrong way.

Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal (not just another newspaper), published a story in which the paper claims that Apple knew of the iPhone antenna risk, but nevertheless released it, “because Steve Jobs liked the design so much”. The iPhone 4 is not the first iPhone that has been troubled with reception problems. Previous generations suffered from poor reception – although in many cases it has been also proved to be problem of the provider (in the US AT&T) and not the hardware.

The Wall Street Journal also reports in the same article that, according to their sources, the field testing process of the iPhone 4 was very limited as well, because of “Apple’s emphasis on secrecy”.

Earlier this month American Consumer Reports.org (a large US consumer interest organisation) officially announced that people looking for the new iPhone, should not buy it until Apple comes up with a good solution to the antenna problem, although the fix is shown in a video as well: a simple piece of duct-tape eliminates any problems.

The whole controversy heated up after the publication with reports of overactive moderators deleting any links to the article from posts by users in the official Apple support forums.

Personally, I am reconsidering my previously decision the get an iPhone 4 myself. I still have a couple of months to decide what my new phone will be (either iOS of Android based), and it will be crucial to me to see how Apple handles this situation.

We will probably know the latter later today.

A heroes welcome

Henk van de Goor — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:59:57 +0000

A heroes welcome: 800.000 fans at Museumplein

Holland may have lost the World Cup Soccer, but that’s not how the 800.000 people perceived it when they gave our National Soccer Team a heroes welcome this Tuesday. As I wrote before, the national team that won the European Soccer Cup back in 1988 received the same kind of welcome.

To be honest: it gave me – and many of my fellow countrymen some closure. It also showed that we backed up our team, no matter what.

And like in 1988 it also gave us some unique footage of literally hundred thousands of crazy Orange fans celebrating

As Arjan Robben said it: “I’m convinced of one thing: Spain might be world champion, but we have the best supporters in the whole world”

National trauma number three

Henk van de Goor — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:07:52 +0000

Despair after Spanish goal

Normally three times is a charm, but for Holland it has become more like a curse: again we failed to win the Holy Grail of Soccer, the World Cup. After ’74, ’78, now 2010 goes into the Dutch history books as the third national soccer trauma. We all knew it was going to be a tough match against Spain – the ruling European Soccer Champions – but nothing in this world could have prepared us for this match.

Until the final, the tournament went very well for Holland: our National team won 14 straight games, counting the qualifying matches and tournament matches. Spain had won 15 out of 16, loosing only from Switzerland in their first game in South Africa. If we would have won the finals we would have been the second country since 1970 (Brazil) to win the tournament undefeated.

Reality was a different animal this Sunday-night in Africa. Within the first few minutes it showed that both teams – but in particular the Dutch- had a hard time getting into the game. No doubt a fair amount of nervousness was involved as well.

Five minutes after the start of the match Dutch goallie, Stekelenburg, had to come into action to prevent an early Spanish goal: it made it painfully clear to 16,6 million Dutch spectators that – if anything – this was not going to be an easy match.

As the commentators on the official FIFA website wrote after the match, it soon became “a case of the irresistible force versus the immovable object.”

Things started to turn bad real quick when Van Persie got a yellow card in the 15th minute after making a dreadful foul, performing some kind of karate kick that could have easily earned him a red card. Barely one minute later it was Spanish player Carles Puyol who got a yellow card.

After that referee Howard Webb turned the match into bizarre card-fest leaving the millions of spectators world-wide wondering what the heck was going on.

Broken dreams

Literally minutes later Ramos (Spain) got a yellow card, followed by De Jong (Holland). The second half was even worse with Van Bronckhorst, Heitinga (all Dutch), Capdevila (Spain), Robben (Dutch), Heitinga (2nd yellow and thus red), Van der Wiel, Mathijsen (all Dutch) and finally Xavi (Spain). Bringing the total score to a whopping 13 yellow cards and one red card.

It was pure chaos and a final unworthy.

In the midst of the storm the Dutch team was able to ward off wave after wave of the Spanish conquistadors. Dutch goallie Stekelenburg saved us more than once from certain defeat and for over 115 minutes – going into overtime – we stood our ground.

Then the Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta was able to squeeze through our defence, and scored the winning goal in the 116th minute of the match.

Just minutes away from what – until then – looked to become a much dreaded penalty shootout. But by scoring just once Spain wrote history and became the first European team to win the World Cup on a different continent.

With the clock ticking away It was over for Holland. Adding insult to injury, referee Webb completely missed a situation in which Holland should have gotten a much needed corner: it was typical for a game in which neither the Dutch nor the Spanish were able to show off their real qualities.

We fought as hard as we could, by all means earning our nickname as “The Dutch Lions”, but it wasn’t good enough. An honourable second place was all we were able to squeeze out of this tournament.

But as we all know: in the World Championship of soccer second place doesn’t count.

And so Spain left the Dutch team and 16,6 million supporters behind with a broken dream.

For the third time.

Bloggers@large

Home again

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