I couldn't find ANY information on the Schwinn Loop when looking to buy an inexpensive folding bike. I took a gamble and bought one on the cheap and made this video so future folding bike shoppers can see what one can get for around $200. This video was done in one take without a script, so be kind.

My complaints about iPod/iPhone:

1. iTunes.  You MUST use it to transfer files to and from your device.  I should be able to see my device as a drive letter and be able to drag files over to it.  Also, iTunes is very slow and clunky.  It doesn't matter what computer I'm using and how fast that computer is, iTunes just seems to hang for long periods at a time.  You also have to be careful about having iTunes installed on different computers because moving files to and from an iPod or iPhone is done by synchronizing in iTunes.  If some files are on one computer and not another, you could actually wipe files off of your iTunes or iPod when you go to do a synch.

2.  The iPod doesn't have a microphone.  This is particularly annoying on the iPod touch.  The Touch can use all the same programs as an iPhone, as it's essentially an iPhone without a phone, but because there is no microphone, you can't use certain applications that utilize voice recognition and you can do voice recording.  Get with it Apple.  Zune HD has a mic.  Even Creative Zen has a mic.

3.  Titles of movies and songs don't scroll.  This is true even with the Touch and iPhone and is amazingly frustrating.  So if I have something with a long title... say an MP3 with the artist name and song title or a TV program that has the season number, episode number, show name and episode name in the title... you can only read the first few characters of this title if it's longer than what the iPod or iPhone screen allows for.  Dumb. 

4.  Inability to multi-task.  There's no pausing a game on your iPod Touch or iPhone so you can read an email or check on your stocks.  Once you leave that game, you have to restart it when you fire it back up again.

5.  Battery life is horrible.  Of course, this is a relative thing and the battery in an iPod and iPhone are quite small.  Regardless, I feel this is still something that Apple should address.  The fact that the battery can't be (easily) accessed and replaced only doubles this problem.  With other companies' phones and MP3 players, spare batteries can be swapped out if need be when you're running out of juice.

6.  There's no stop.  Only pause.  It sounds like a silly complaint, and on the surface it doesn't sound like a big deal.  But use an iPod or iPhone for a while and you start to wonder why they didn't put a stop button that allows you to stop playing a song or a video and either replay that file or go back to browse for another. 

7.  There's flaky WiFi on the Touch and iPhone. I'm not sure why, but if the device is allowed to fade to a black screen, I will lose my WiFi connection and it takes it forever to make the connection again.

8.  Lack of non-proprietary connector.  I know WHY the iPod has a proprietary connector.  It's because you can actually control an iPod or iPhone through it's interface.  Simple signals through the multi-pin connector can control track navigation, volume, etc.  There's even a video output pin.  But this is no excuse for a complete lack of a standard connector like a mini-USB.  Charging the iPod or iPhone is impossible without having an expensive, proprietary iPod cable.

9.  Spell check.  Yes.  Spell check on the iPod Touch and iPhone will drive you mad.  Unlike most phones that give you spelling correction suggestions, Apple just automatically assumes you're a crappy speller and changes words for you on the fly.  You have to tell it NOT to change words for you as you type, which I feel is completely backwards behavior.  Let me keep typing.  If I want to change the spelling of something I think I might have spelled wrong, I'll tell you.

First we went bike riding.  Chantel was willing to go 5 miles.

She's a good swimmer too.  If we can work on her running, she can become a regular Triathlete!

In the evening we went to the park where Chantel took advantage of some inflatable obstacle courses and when the sun went down, the fireworks show began.

I think she's dancing.  Hard to tell with her.

I had to take pictures of these guys.  I thought they were too cute.

Last week, we found a mommy bunny protecting five new borns in the side yard next door.....

After a week (as of last night), one of them found his way into our yard... and sometimes our garage!

Looks like the little bunny wants some popsicle.

If Daniel could build this in 40 hours, I want to see what he can come up with in a month's time!

"Fully semi-automatic, up to 14 shots.  Capable of delivering over 18J kinetic energy, and speeds up to 110km/h! (42 gram projectiles).  It’s a single stage gun, using a 8800uF(4×2200) capacitor bank with max 400v (704J).  Max shot efficiency is 2.8% but reaches almost 4% at lower voltages.

Charge time for 300v (12J kinetic energy 396J capacitor bank) is 8 seconds for the mains connection, and when using the internal batteries about 90 seconds. It also has a Digital voltage display.

Coil overheat after 14 shots at 300v.  Total weight: 5 kilogram.  Total spend: ~~ 100 Euro.  Construction time: ~~40 Hrs."

Check it out here.

It's one thing to put a show up against American Idol and expect it to survive; it's another to not tell us what the show is really supposed to be about before throwing it out there.

Initially, we were told that "The Chopping Block" was the US version of the Australian show of the same name.  This didn't interest me at all.  But then I caught a re-run of the first episode on NBC's website and found that it's more like the UK's "Last Restaurant Standing" than "The Chopping Block".

Another misconception is that Marco Pierre White is just another Gordon Ramsey.  This couldn't be farther from the truth!  Where Gordon berates and belittles the competitors (which I admit can be fun to watch), White is very compassionate and actually cares about the success of the contestants.

Essentially, The Chopping Block consists of two teams made up of couples.  Each couple is comprised of a chef and a server.  Each team has their own restaurant; Soul (the black team) and Crimson (the red team).  A hectic dinner service that is somewhat reminiscent of Hell's Kitchen, occurs and exposes the weakest link of each team.  Ultimately, each restaurant's performance is judged by a secret food critic that dines at both restaurants and the restaurant with the worst performance has a couple fired by Marco.

At the time of the cancellation, there were still four couples left, potentially leaving at least three additional shows in limbo.  There's no word as to when, if ever, these final episodes will air.  For now, NBC is filling The Chopping Block's slot with re-runs of "Law and Order's Criminal Intent" (like that's going to do any better in the ratings?!?!?)

(04/08/09) UPDATE:  The Chopping Block episode 4 and 5 are on NBC.com.  What's odd is episode 4 is listed twice (as 4 and 5.  They're both the same even though the thumbnails and episode number are different) and episode 5 is listed as 6.  Whatever... at least it looks like we're going to see how this wraps up.

If the news is true and Applebee's is intentionally falsifying the calorie and fat information for the Weight Watchers portion of their menu, I can not say that I would not be very disappointed with the restaurant chain.

There is currently a class action lawsuit against Applebee's and Weight Watchers because a number of menu items from Applebee's Weight Watchers selection had a good deal more calories and fat than advertised on the menu.

Initially, my attitude towards this lawsuit is somewhat lackadaisical, outside of my usual disdain for human-kind's unwavering need to sue the pants off of anyone with more expensive pants.  But this morning I was watching the Today show and saw something that I felt was very irresponsible journalism.  And I'm hadly lackadaisical when it comes to other people's stupidity.

First, watch the video here.

They start off by saying that the menu items will cause you to GAIN weight instead of lose weight, as if to imply that the menu items in question are actually, not higher in calories and fat that advertised, but rather higher in calories and fat than the other items on the Applebee's menu that are not "Weight Watchers" items.  They inform a number of Applebee's customers of the potential discrepancy in the menu and note the reactions of the customers, "I was probably going to try (the Weight Watchers menu items), but I guess with what you just said I might think twice about it."

Look lady... you're there now, you're going to order something... what's the better option?  The shrimp and parmesan smothered steak?  A rack of honey BBQ baby back ribs?  A chicken finger platter?  Regardless of whether or not Applebees did publish incorrect information on their menu or not, the FACT remains that ALL of the choices on the Weight Watchers menu are far, far better choices than ANYTHING else on the Applebee's menu (or any other chain restaurant's menu for that matter).  Yu don't need a PhD in agricultural science to know that smaller portions, fewer sauces, less deep frying, all of the characteristics that separate the items on the Weight Watcher's menu from the regular menu, are the perfect strategy to reducing calorie and fat intake.  But I suppose you DO need to be smarter than your average NBC reporter to know that.  Mozzarella sticks anyone?

Chantel's pictures used to be hosted on Tripod at http://chantelamber.tripod.com.  I know that dealing with implanted banner ads and random pop up ads comes with the territory when using a free service to host your photos, but when I recently visited Chantel's site on Tripod, I was apalled to find that there were so many banner ads across the top of the site that any pictures of Chantel on the page were pushed mostly below the fold.  There used to only be one above and one below, but not anymore.

No more.

Everything is now here at http://www.jongerow.com/ChantelAmber/  Of course, these are only pictures from birth to two years of age as everything after early 2005 is buried in the Blog somewhere (something I'm sure Grandma would rather I not do).

On the surface, one could say "slow news day", but for the wing eater, the rising price of chicken and one of the nation's largest chicken wing producers filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy means a buffalo wing shortage!

"Food suppliers the region over report that several unrelated circumstances are combining for shortages and even brief outages in their chicken wing stockpiles. The end result has been a spike in the price restaurants and bars are paying — $15 to $20 more than normal for a 50-lb case."

"A major poultry farm in Texas, Pilgrim’s Pride, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December, reducing supplies. Add to that a national demand far exceeding other times of the year and wing prices, unlike the chickens themselves, have soared."

"While a long-term production shortage might be more likely because of the failure at Pilgrim’s Pride, Cysco’s buyer in Falconer, N.Y., Bill Paul, said the shortage is due more to the season. He cited high demand combined with holiday time off at all poultry farms as the culprit."

"Companies like McDonald’s and KFC can impact the market in a major way by creating new short-term menu specials with chicken wings. The boost in their orders alone can have a drastic impact on supplies nationwide and take many of the wings slated for the Buffalo/Niagara area out of circulation."

Read the full story at the Tonawanda (NY) News.

FYI:  Shortly after this picture was taken, my camera froze.  Literally... it's now completely dead.

What happens is the condensation in the air freezes to the PCB.  When it thaws, it turns into water and that shorts out the circuit board.

I'm going to wait another 24 hours or so to see if the camera comes back to life, but right now it looks like I'm in the market for another camera.

UPDATE!  It took more than 24 hours, but it looks like the camera is ok!  Whew!  It was going to cost me $200 to get another one like it off of eBay!