Test - Creative Commons license

This is a test of the html code generated by the Creative Commons web site - http://creativecommons.org/license/

This is only a test. I don't really have a book titled "MyBook". Really.



My Book by Mike Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

TED and Isabelle

Today I found TED.com. TED stands for "Technology, Entertainment, Design". Their "About" page says "We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world."

The site presents videos of short talks given at TED conferences. I found the site after reading Guy Kawasaki's interview with Garr Reynolds. It was recommended as a place to see great presentations and learn from great presenters. There's lots to see there, and it is a visually stunning site - great design and presentation. (Hint: Go to the "Themes" page and click on "View as Visualization".)

This is a site I'll visit often for ideas and inspiration. This morning I watched a video of Isabelle Allende, the Chilean author, telling "tales of Passion". She had me from the beginning, when she began with "an old Jewish saying": "What is truer than truth? Answer: The story."

It's an 18 minute talk that is alternately funny, sad and inspiring. Check it out below...and visit TED.com.

Now can we impeach George W. Bush?

I opened the newspaper this morning during breakfast and saw the following:

"WASHINGTON -- The White House said Wednesday that the widely condemned interrogation technique known as waterboarding is legal and that President Bush could authorize the CIA to resume using the simulated drowning method under extraordinary circumstances."

Read the article...

What possible justification could there be? Yes, I know, mumble...mumble..."Al Qaeda"..."9/11"...."homeland security"...

How about we just say "we no longer give a damn about demonstrating any kind of moral leadership in the world"?

Not If, But When...

Like we need something else to be paranoid about...the CIA is now warning about a threat of foreign hackers ability to infiltrate the US power grid and, literally, shut off our lights.

Where's my 40 acres and a windmill?

I Want To Go Here!

I'm posting this mainly so I don't lose it...a New York Times "Frugal Traveler" guide to Hawaii. Wow!

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/travel/27Hawaii.html?8td&emc=tda1

A Little Bit of Melvin...

Remember Melvin Udall? That was Jack Nichoson's character in "As Good As It Gets" - the OCD-neurotic character who couldn't walk down the sidewalk because it had cracks in it?

Well, I think Beans, our Boston Terrier, has a little bit of Melvin in her.



We've seen a few incidents lately where she balks at walking down the back hallway - one of only two ways out of the condo to the little patches of grass where a dog can "do her business". Maybe it's the smell of another dog's marking - who knows? We spent several nights this week in a hotel while a hardwood floor was being installed in the condo. Beans would happily trot down the hallway from our room, but would balk when expected to turn the corner to the elevator. Back at home today, she is balking at entering the condo - something about the new wood floor is disturbing to her. It looks oddly Melvin-ish..."I'm not gonna walk on that stuff...only bad things can come of it."

We're working with her, using the little 'treats' from the local dog bakery. (I know...how can you help having a neurotic dog when you go to the 'dog bakery'.) She's getting it...little by little. I don't know whether to call the "Dog Whisperer" or Helen Hunt.


I guess the good news is thatBeans doesn't look like Jack!

Quote for the Day

"Champions take chances and pressure is a privilege."

Text message from Billie Jean King to Maria Sharapova before Maria won the Australian Open tennis championship on Jan. 26, 2008.

Out of this world!

Here's a really cool site to visit - the Hubble Telescope News Center. It contains press releases and other information about the telescope. The best part is the collection of images from the telescope. High-resolution photos of planets, galaxies, stars and other space phenomena.

The image shown is "Dark Matter Distribution in Supercluster Abell 901/902".

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/