Winter Storm – December 2009

So it started yesterday morning around 6:00 AM with some flurries, then turned to a steady snow.  This is the backyard as it all began. Sim and I headed out to get bagels for the family. I felt the Swedish side of me crave cream cheese with large slabs of lox with red onion. A quick stop at the grocery store for a few things and then we quickly hustled home.  By 10:00 AM there was 4 inches on the ground and the air was full of large flakes. Everything was getting a nice coating of snow.  THEN the wind started and the snow started coming down very heavy. By 3:00 PM the sky was darken and the winds were blowing around 35 Mph.  We were in near white out conditions almost from then on. I did a quick run to Home Depot for salt, and did the first go round of shoveling of the driveway and front walkway. By nightfall the snow was 20” inches and it was still falling heavily. Drifts were making it almost impossible to open the house doors. This morning The doors were snowed in again and after clearing the front door, porch and the front walkway, the final snow count was an easy 30 inches. I’m including a few photos for your viewing pleasure.

the front porch

another view

and another

another

yet another

from inside the garage door.

The new Bird igloo

The backyard going left to right

like the foot of snow on the shed

Those lumps as our juniper bushes

Fire pit and bird bath

The view form the front door of the neighbors

The front yard and walk way.

yes its filling back in as it is STILL snowing. Lightly but yes still snowing. Should be stopping soon as the sun is coming out. going to be a big, bright, beautiful day.

Recall on Slim-Fast

Well it does help you lose weight….

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Recall -- Firm Press Release

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Unilever Conducts Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Slim-Fast® Ready-to-Drink Products in Cans Due to Possible Health Risk

Contact:
Anita Larsen
201-894-7760

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Englewood Cliffs, NJ, December 3, 2009 - Unilever United States, Inc., in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is conducting a nationwide voluntary recall of all Slim-Fast® ready-to-drink (RTD) products in cans, due to the possibility of contamination with Bacillus cereus, a micro-organism, which may cause diarrhea and possibly nausea and/or vomiting. The probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.

The products were sold in stores nationwide.

Product Description:

The products are packaged in paperboard cartons and contain four, six or 12 steel cans that are 11 FL OZ (325 mL) each. Individual cans are also sold in certain retail outlets. The recall involves all Slim-Fast® RTD products in cans, regardless of flavor, Best-By date, lot code or UPC number. A listing of all RTD recalled products is attached to this press release.

No other Slim-Fast® products are affected by this recall. No Slim-Fast® powdered shakes, meal bars, or snack bars are affected by this recall.

The recall was initiated after the company conducted quality testing on Slim-Fast® RTD products in cans. Out of an abundance of caution, the company is recalling all RTD products in cans that are currently in distribution centers, on-shelf or in back rooms in retail outlets or in consumers’ homes. The company is in the process of identifying and correcting the production issue, and will resume production and shipment of the product when the issue has been addressed and corrected.

Consumers who have purchased Slim-Fast® RTD products in cans are urged to discard them immediately and contact the company at 1-800-896-9479 for a full refund. The Consumer Services Center is open Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM ET. A recorded message is available 24/7.

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Waiting for the Snow

Once again I wait for the possibility of the first snow of the season. I expect rain, but as always hope and pray for snow. the little boy in me still gets excited about the hushed sound and beauty of a white covered ground. Maybe this will be the year that we have a heavy snow season.

Day Two – Birds, Fish and String Rays Oh My!

Up early and out the door the door. This was amazingly easy as all we needed was our swimsuits, everything else was to be provided (YES we did grab coffee at the Starbucks in the lobby, no way I was passing up an Americano). Discovery Cove does a nice job of hiding away on a mass of trees and bushes. everything there is designed to relax you, form the large tropical themed reception area, where they take your picture for your park ID tag that you hang around your neck for the day. Then the doors open and you enter into the lush park.

The hosts directed us to the suiting area. Wet suits or vests were the order of the day. we grabbed vests, masks & snorkels, then headed for breakfast. Basic fair,, muffins, fruit, etc. They even provide the suntan lotion as it’s an all nature by Panama Jack so that no oils can do harm to the birds and fish. first stop of the morning (overcast no sun yet) was the aviary. We were greeted by this guy. 

Then a few other feathered friends dropped in. This one “party mask” was like an 80’s punk rocker.

then it was time for a swim around the tropical reef.

there were schools everywhere.

then it was String Ray time!!!

Petting and feeding time

I got a little close.

I loved every minute of the day. An experience that I will not forget for sometime. Now I feel that I have to get Simmy down to the Keys and snorkel a live coral reef. She needs to see that this was but a small sample of the real thing.

 

Evening with an old friend

My wife’s friend Rosemary came up for the evening. I knew Rosemary years ago through a friend who dated and married a friend of Rosemary ( Hey Shelly! ). We headed back to Downtown Disney to one of our old haunts… Wolfgang Puck’s. You MUST HAVE the Butternut Squash soup. We used to drive up some nights just for a bowl of this wonderful soup. 

After dine we walked through Downtown until we got to the bridge to Pleasure Island and back to House of Blues. Then it was over and time to fall into bed. The next day we were heading to my favorite Disney park… Animal Kingdom.

Day One – Stress Free Travel or Life’s Final Attempt to be a Killjoy

Simmy planned our takeoff day well. Sunday in the middle of the afternoon. This way no matter what my work week was like I would have all day Saturday to get ready. Boy did she plan that right. The week was loaded in unexpected events and ended with me pulling a really long Friday at work. But then Saturday came… My packing choices were few, so I was packed and really to go in under an hour, she took most of the afternoon to pack. Guys definitely have it easier in this area. We can get by with a few items and don’t have to worry about matching accessories.

 

Time to Go

We got to the airport as planned, 2.5 hours before the flight. The idea was lunch and “We’re on vacation” festive drink while waiting for our flight. The plane was of course late to arrive. We were quickly boarded, we got better seating as Simmy’s leg was still in a walking cast, and in minutes the doors were sealed and we lifted off. Next stop… Orlando, FL. A few hours later we were on the ground, bags in hand, and ready to get our transportation. Simmy opened her purse and… could not find her driver license. Instant HIGH stress level! Everything was booked in her name and was to require her ID. I ran ever scenario I could think off through my bogged out head. I was fighting hard in my mind to find a way to get her an ID, then I hit me… why?  I could  just use my ID and have them re-issue the paperwork in my name. If I had thought of this earlier I could have saved us 20 minutes of extreme stress. but then it was over and vacation really began.

 

BTW: My girl know how to work a deal. Cost for 2 round trip tickets, travel insurance ( with our family, it’s not an option, many a vacation has been canceled at the last minute due to someone getting injured or sick), and 1 checked bag…. $90.00. AWESOME!!!

 

Bonnet Creek Resort

By 6:45 we were at checked into our suite at the resort. Simmy again came through. The suite was VERY nice.

Drop the bags, grab cameras, vacation fun starts…. NOW! The phone rang and our friends coming up for dinner were minutes away. Pile into car and off to Downtown Disney we went…. all of 2 miles down the road.  Raglan Road was just what I needed. Strongbow on

tap and an outdoor table. Sun went down and the cool of evening set in. Nothing feels quite like being at Downtown Disney in Pleasure Island. The flow of people on vacation and not in a hurry is different from the parks.  This is a place to relax and stroll. A few Strongbows later, dinner arrived. Irish marinated and sauced short ribs. The first of several good meals. we sat around and talked until midnight, and then it was time to say goodbye and crash. The next day we were going to need a lot of energy.

The short but needed Vacation

My lovely wife made all the arrangements and told me nothing besides the days to take off. A week before I was told what type of clothes to pack. Shorts, T-shirts, and sandals. It was to be a warm weather trip. A few days before she let me know to make sure to pack a swim suit as there was to be a day long special event that would require one. My mind raced with the possibilities. I was to not be disappointed with the plans. This was also to be my first trip with my first real DSLR camera. I felt that I was ready for anything. I just needed to get away. While I love my In-laws, it does mean very little alone time with my wife. The last few years have been quite an adjustment. In that time we moved from being a couple living in a small bungalow, my job being 1.5 hours away to having her parents living with us in a large house and me with a new job that is not always a 8-5 day, but is much closer to home. Last year our “vacations” where surgeries. My gallbladder and her thyroid. We did get away for a 3 days weekend, but we pushed so hard to get there and back there was really only 1 day that we relaxed. I am learning that I need to carve out more time to relax and let things go as I get older. My trouble is that I take things to heart and treat them like life and death whither they are critical or not. As I get more stressed, everything is do or die. That’s when I really HAVE to get away or my head will explode and then everyone hates being around me. This time I was feeling it, but not seeing it, so Simmy stepped in and took over and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She knew what i needed. So…  the next few posts are an quick review of what she did for my mental health.

Weather Conditions from The Weather Channel

Severe Weather Alert for Brick, NJ (08723)

Freeze Warning until Wed Nov 04 2009 09:00 AM EST

...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM EST WEDNESDAY... A FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT UNTIL 9:00 AM ON WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST TONIGHT. WITH A MOSTLY CLEAR SKY AND A DIMINISHING WIND, TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO DROP NEAR OR JUST BELOW FREEZING IN PARTS OF OUR REGION. WIDESPREAD FROST IS EXPECTED. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A FREEZE WARNING MEANS THAT SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST. THE SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL KILL SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

For more weather information, visit www.weather.com from your PC or mobile device.
Sent while on the road from my Blackberry

Labor Day weekend wonderfulness

the work portion of the weekend is over and the day of relaxing has begun…. sort of. My cat Cluie decided that it was a normal work day and nibbled my fingers at 5:30 this morning to wake me up. So… I headed down to the kitchen and brewed up a pot of Mocha Java coffee. Not a flavored coffee, but a type of bean that’s smooth and creamy. windows are open so the sounds of birds are filling the kitchen. first in were the ducks looking for breakfast, then came the squirrels. So I threw out some peanuts for them, and that brought in the Bluejays and their loud squawking. The wild rabbits (Pork, Bean, and Beanie Baby) are looking around my backyard looking for clover that survived the mowing. The slowness of a Monday holiday is wonderful. The lack of the need to rush on what is normally a work day feels strange. As does sitting with my wife and watching Master Blasters, which she is enjoying more then me. The day only has a loose idea of what we are doing. No schedules, not hurry, no worries. the hardest part will be getting out the front door. It overcast or I'd be heading for the beach. Temps have dropped into highs in the 70’s. Summer feels truly gone and Fall is rushing in. But I look forward to this. Fall is my favorite time of year. Things seem to slow to a more controlled pace. There is a cool crispness to the air. Sleeping is deeper and more relaxing. Every season has its place, and Fall begins the wind down of the year and Labor Day signals its start.

Florida Orange BBQ

I went to make BBQ chicken last night only to discover that I was out of sauce. A quick look through the refrig & I was able to come up with the following sauce that my family went crazy for.

 

1 TB butter

1 med yellow onion

1 TB liquid smoke

1 Medium Orange (Navel)

1 Tsp Red Hot sauce

1 TB Worchester sauce (Lea & Parens)

4 Cups ketchup (Heinz)

2 Cups Light Brown sugar

 

In a sauce pan, melt butter and thinly sliced and chopped onion, & Liquid Smoke. Saute until onion get soft. Zest ( the finer the better, as it’s all about the oil in the skin ) the entire orange and add to pot. Juice the orange directly into pot. Add ketchup and the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 30 mins. Sauce thickens as it cooks. Cook chicken on the grill or in the oven with just a little salt & pepper on the skin. in the last 10 minutes of cooking spoon BBQ sauce over the chicken ( or pork ) reserving half. 5 minutes later cover the chicken with the remaining sauce.

 

Serve with tomato salad, NJ white corn, and baked potatoes.

Enjoy! A wonderful summer meal.

just another day – By Wil Wheaton

 

I don’t normal blog another blogger personal post, but this one is just to close to home not to… It reminded me of how much I love my wife and though we don’t always have a meeting of the minds, we have a good sense of humor in common and that smoothes the rough edges of my personality.  Love you My Girl….

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Just Another Day – By Wil Wheaton

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wwdn/~3/Nq-GyEtYF34/just-another-day.html

The Sun reached out from 93 million miles away, pushed against the curtains in my bedroom until it found a small gap, and poked though it. As it moved across the sky, it crept silently down the wall behind me, then deliberately down the headboard until it landed on my forehead. Once there, it took careful steps until it found its target and blazed relentlessly into my eyes.

I was jarred from my wonderful dream, forced to trade my viking garb for the Wheaton college T-shirt I sleep in, and my trusty wolf companion for my dog, who thumped her tail against the bed and licked my face when she realized I was awake.

I scratched her head and then my own, sat up, and got out of bed. She jumped down behind me and trotted down the hall toward the living room. I heard movement behind me and turned to see my cat, stretched out on his side next to Anne's pillow.

"Morning kitty," I said.

"Mrrow," he replied, but what I heard was "I again chose not to kill you while you slept. You're welcome."

I stretched, blinked my eyes several times, and made my way toward the kitchen, where I hoped I'd find coffee.

When I got there, I found not only coffee, but my wife.

"Is there coffee?"

"There is coffee," she said. We always ask each other if there's coffee, whether we know the answer or not; it's part of our morning routine.

"I like coffee," I said. I kissed her on the shoulder while I stepped around her and poured myself a cup. I took it into the dining room, and sipped it.

Ten minutes and half a cup later, I was officially awake. I became aware of the birds singing on the patio, the distant drone of an early morning lawnmower, and then the smell of something familiar on the air. I looked into the kitchen, expecting to see pancakes or waffles on the stove, but it was empty. I shrugged and went back to my coffee. When it was empty, I returned to the kitchen to refill it, and while I stood in front of the coffee machine, Anne took a loaf of banana bread out of the oven.

"Banana bread!" I said, excited. "I thought I smelled it, but I didn't know you were making it!"

She put it on a cooling rack and said, "I told you that I was making banana bread when you were getting your coffee."

I put on my best Homer-Simpson-is-exasperated voice and said, "I was tuning you out. Jeeze!"

She poked a toothpick into the center of the loaf. "Oh, that's sad."

I waited a second, and then I said, ". . . what?"

She looked at me and slowly shook her head as I giggled.

just another day

Jersey Corn on the Cob – Grilled

Every summer its a race for the farm to get corn. Tomatoes from the pots out back. This year we’ve had to purchase as the June rain slowed everything down. It’s not summer till We have a dinner of only Grilled corn on the cob with tomato salad.

Corn on the Grill

Peel back the husk and leave attached to the bottom of cob. Remove all the silk by gently rubbing in finger tips. spread ear with soft butter and add a pinch of salt. wet the husks by dipping into a bowl of water. pull up hush and spread leaves around to cover the kernels. Roast on upper warming rack with a grill temp of 350-400F for 10 mins and then roll over the ears and grill for another 10 mins. Check if ears are done by pulling back a leaf of two and if a few kernels have a light brown color, you are ready to eat.

 

Tomato Salad

Slice tomatoes across their sides like you would for a sandwich about 1/3-1/2 inch thick. Take a large plate and drizzle on some balsamic vinegar and place  tomato slices on it. drizzle with EVOO (olive oil), a little oregano, parsley and pinch of salt. Thin slice yellow or red onion (my favorite) and break apart and spread over tomatoes. Slice fresh mozzarella cheese cut the same thickness as the tomato and place a slice on each tomato slice. drizzle more balsamic vinegar and olive oil. A pinch of pepper and refrigerate for a few minutes to cool everything down. Serve with a crusty bread.

 

Enjoy Summer’s Bounty

Transparent aluminium is ‘new state of matter’ – Dvorak Uncensored

 

http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/28/transparent-aluminium-is-new-state-of-matter/  |  Comments

Quick, somebody check that two whales have not been kidnapped by a Klingon spaceship from the future. William Shatner performing the Sarah Palin speech as a poem must be a distraction.

Transparent aluminium is ‘new state of matter’ – Phyorg.com: Oxford scientists have created a transparent form of aluminium by bombarding the metal with the world’s most powerful soft X-ray laser. ‘Transparent aluminium’ previously only existed in science fiction, featuring in the movie Star Trek IV, but the real material is an exotic new state of matter with implications for planetary science and nuclear fusion.

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Transparent aluminium is ‘new state of matter’

Palin’s Farewell Speech Presented As A Poem By William Shatner – from the Dvorak UnCensired

 

http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/07/28/palins-farewell-speech-presented-as-a-poem-by-william-shatner/  |  Comments

Read the transcript of the speech.

Found by Gasparrini

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Palin’s Farewell Speech Presented As A Poem By William Shatner

Comcast?

Fatal monorail collision at Walt Disney World

 

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/boingboing/iBag/~3/omIEAGXeU-I/fatal-monorail-colli.html

Eric sez, "The operator of a monorail at Walt Disney World died Sunday morning when two monorails crashed. About five or six guests were on the monorail at the time of the accident, but they are not seriously injured." It happened at the Ticket and Transportation Center station.

A person who was on the scene reported to the news stations that they head a loud explosion and saw the mangled trains in the station. They tried to run to get people out of the front of the crashed train. They saw a family make it out, but the driver [ed: news report cuts off here]

The monorails involved were the pink and purple trains, according to Local 6 in Orlando; pink was moving and hit purple, which was stationary.

Breaking news: Two monorails crash at Disney World overnight, one Cast Member dead (Thanks, Eric and John!)
 

Fatal monorail collision at Walt Disney World

Jason?

Shut Up & Eat on a Saturday morning with my Nephew! Aaaaah? Nice pajamas
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Project Porch light

I found this on my door yesterday morning. Floresent lamp to replace my incandescent bulb. Saves money & is more "green" but most important free. NJ does a home good!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Kato

Meet Kato. Our new rolling, twisting & meowing excitable boy. He loves sitting on your lap ( he doesn’t ask first, just does it ).

the boys are seldom far apart, but that is changing as Kato is not one to say in place.

The was a lot of hissing and spitting in the beginning, but Cluie has begun to accept them. They are not quite playing, but the upset seems to be gone as Cluie realizes that she is not being replaced, but instead has a larger family to be part of. I look forward to the day that she cuddles up with them and naps like she did with Onyx. I think that time is coming and coming soon.

Niff

 

It almost scary how much Niff looks like our departed Onyx. (see Simmy’s Blog “What's the Poop”) Very different personality, shy, loving and frisky.

Meet our new Kids

In the back is “Niff” and in the front “Kato”. Both are boys, a first for our family. the are litter bothers and can not be far from one another. Niff is shy and is looked after by Kato, but is coming out of his shell. He already has claimed the kitchen window as his. Kato is an adventuresome boy, inspecting everything and hamming it up to get attention.

Nutro Products Announces Voluntary Recall of Limited Range of Dry Cat Food Products

 

Nutro Products Announces Voluntary Recall of Limited Range of Dry Cat Food Products

Recall -- Firm Press Release

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Nutro Products Announces Voluntary Recall of Limited Range of Dry Cat Food Products

Contact:
Monica Barrett
Nutro Products, Inc.                       
(615) 628-5387
monica.barrett@effem.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Franklin, Tennessee (May 21, 2009) -- Today, Nutro Products announced a voluntary recall of select varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods with “Best If Used By Dates” between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010. The cat food is being voluntarily recalled in the United States and ten additional countries.  This recall is due to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium in our finished product resulting from a production error by a US-based premix supplier.

Two mineral premixes were affected.  One premix contained excessive levels of zinc and under-supplemented potassium. The second premix under-supplemented potassium.  Both zinc and potassium are essential nutrients for cats and are added as nutritional supplements to NUTRO® dry cat food.

This issue was identified during an audit of our documentation from the supplier.  An extensive review confirmed that only these two premixes were affected. This recall does not affect any NUTRO® dog food products, wet dog or cat food, or dog and cat treats.

Affected product was distributed to retail customers in all 50 states, as well as to customers in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Israel.  We are working with all of our distributors and retail customers, in both the US and internationally, to ensure that the recalled products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold or distributed further.

Consumers who have purchased affected product should immediately discontinue feeding the product to their cats, and switch to another product with a balanced nutritional profile.  While we have received no consumer complaints related to this issue, cat owners should monitor their cat for symptoms, including a reduction in appetite or refusal of food, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea.  If your cat is experiencing health issues or is pregnant, please contact your veterinarian.

Consumers who have purchased product affected by this voluntary recall should return it to their retailer for a full refund or exchange for another NUTRO® dry cat food product.  Cat owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-800-833-5330 between the hours 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM CST, or visit www.nutroproducts.com.

Recalled Pet Food

The varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods listed below with “Best If Used By Dates” between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010 are affected by this voluntary recall. 

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Click below for full Website and complete listing of products:

Nutro Products Announces Voluntary Recall of Limited Range of Dry Cat Food Products

Lifehacker - Trilllian Astra Beta Open for Downloads - trillian

By Kevin Purdy, 4:30 AM on Wed Jun 10 2009, 10,739 views (Edit post, Set to draft, Slurp)

 

Windows: Trillian Astra, the app that wants to manage all your social network updates, chat protocols, and email notifications, has opened its beta to anyone who wants in.

We took a first look at Astra's beta, which is technically Trillian 4.0, back in April, when invites were spontaneously plentiful, but the application remained in closed beta. Now everyone can give Trillian a try and see how the grandpappy of multi-service chat clients has grown up. As CNET's Webware reporters point out, other third-party clients like Pidgin and Digsby have drunk Trillian's milkshake in regards to platform support—which app doesn't have Facebook integration these days?—but Trillian's compact, glossy looks, smart notifications, and bountiful configuration options may win it back some of its old-line fans.

Like the closed beta, this release automatically installs a 30-day trial of Trillian Pro, which adds "advanced" video chat, multi-client logs, and a few other doodads for a price. Unlike the closed beta, Trillian's developers say bugs and efficiencies have been worked on quite a bit. Mac and iPhone versions are on their way, and you can sign up to be included in those testing groups.

Trillian is a free download for Windows XP/Vista/7 systems only. Let us know what you think about Astra's public debut in the comments.

ehacker - Trilllian Astra Beta Open for Downloads - trillian

Tired of long lines at Disney? Now, there's an app for that

 

http://forums.pinstack.com/showthread.php?t=109329&goto=newpost

From the Orlando Sentinel
"Like most people, Brent Pope of Jacksonville gets annoyed by long lines at Walt Disney World.
So after Pope, 44, was laid off from his job at an ad agency few months ago, he decided to do something about it. He developed "Wait Times" — an iPhone application that will tell you how long the lines are at the Magic Kingdom.
Approved for sale by Apple on Tuesday, the "app" depends on other users to supply wait-time information. They choose from a list of rides and then enter or view the wait for that ride. The more information people report, the more useful Pope's 99-cent app becomes."
[Read More]

Tired of long lines at Disney? Now, there's an app for that

Review: Facebook v1.6 for BlackBerry

 

http://forums.pinstack.com/showthread.php?t=109313&goto=newpost

It was ready, then it wasn't... almost two weeks ago we were all waiting impatiently for the much anticipated release of the latest version of Facebook, v1.6. Then, on the day it was to be launched, we were all hit from behind by a HUGE (but all too familiar) bus. It wasn't ready. It's not like we haven't seen that happen before, right? ;)
After waiting, for what felt like months (ok, it was only one week, give or take three hours), its here in all its GLORY (clouds open up and let out sunlight from the Heavens). Much like the Facebook we all see on the web, similar to what seems to me the Twitter Status UI, Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you Facebook 1.6 for BlackBerry.

Setup
The setup is quite like the previous version. You have the options of syncing the contacts (including images), calendar and BlackBerry messenger. With the contacts sync, the contacts on your BlackBerry are synced with the contacts on Facebook, including all the latest profile information, updated photos (be sure to read their mini "privacy statement" on syncing contacts). Syncing with the calander allows you to accept invitations sent to you on Facebook into your BlackBerry calendar. Finally, checking the box for BlackBerry Messenger allows you to be alerted of a new Facebook message while you are in BBM.

Options
In the options menu, you get the choice again whether you want to sync your contacts, calendar or BlackBerry messenger. Scroll down and you also have a few more options to choose from including the ability to clear the Facebook cache and a link to look for updates.

Composing Messages
Composing messages is very easy. Start typing the name of your contact and you get a drop-down menu of all your contacts in alphabetical order.

Pros: you will most likely never need to log back in from desktop ever again; revamped UI is AWESOME; seriously too many to list
Cons: haven't found any yet
Verdict: the developers over at FB really out-did themselves this time. this update should hold us over until the next major :)
Download link: point your BlackBerry browser to mobile.blackberry.com (be sure to remove the www in the 'go to' field)
Check the attachments for more eye candy :)

Review: Facebook v1.6 for BlackBerry