William Bridges

Once again I am fortunate enough to attend another game at the old Meadowlands. If rumors are true, they are building a bigger and better stadium right next door that will literally dwarf the old. It has been 2 years since my last visit, when the Giants hosted the Atlanta Falcons and I was lucky enough to be sitting only 3 rows back from the infamous Micheal Vick. Now besides all the convictions he went thru, the man had some serious talent and I found myself rooting for him and his 25 yard playaction roll-outs. With the defending NFC champions in town this Sunday the Giants will have to bring their losing anger after last weeks shlacking by the Saints. I’ll post some picks when I get back…and by the way, go Yanks!

One little thing that Golf teaches you is self-discipline; either you play the game or the game plays you. After 54 holes of the PGA Championship, the game seemed to be eating away at Tiger; shots were long, putts were misjudged, and clubs were tossed. As an avid golfer myself I can relate, yet for Tiger much more is on the line. Now I ask you golf enthusiast this, can the game actually be beat or is it just a battle with yourself?

Come tomorrow, I will be returning the Jawbone II that I have recently been raving about. I am unsure if the product had been defective, yet it fell short of my expectations. Noise interruptions and continuous voice fading were at the top of my list of complaints. Friends, family, and collegues informed me that voice clarity was the biggest issue. After many attempts of finagling, nothing had corrected. The only positive side of the bluetooth headset, was in fact a wireless connection; although convenience cannot be compared with quality. As I mentioned prior, there is a possibility that this had just been a defected product, yet my future hands free calling will be done with a good ole’ wired headset.

I am quite excited to try out the new Jawbone II with Noise Assassin technology. According to Jawbone’s new noise suppression algorithms, developed side by side with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); noise suppression tests had to pass in vigarous areas such as battlefields and helicopters. Even though the only battlefield you will find in is a paintball field, it is always better to be prepared. Once tested, I will write up a review, be sure to check back.

Diagram above:

Image A : Shows a phone conversation without “NoiseAssassin”

Image B : Shows “NoiseAssassin” activated; only your voice is captured

View Demo Video’s here…

With November 4th closing in, I encourage you all to get out and vote. Prior to stepping into that retro looking booth, take a few moments and research the other positions being voted upon in your community, city, and state. When it comes down to it, you’ll have many options to ponder over, and you shouldn’t just cast a vote soley because of the members party or just because you like the way their name sounds. Educate yourself with your surroundings; stick with credibal news sources and come to a conclusion from the information you have gathered to make your vote matter. November 4th should be considered a National Holiday. Many people miss the opportunity to exercise their right to vote, mainly because they are at work. Why not have official voting days, thus gathering all voices and votes to be heard? Sound crazy?

If you are a Monroe County citizen; here are the 2008 candidate listings from the Monroe County Board of Elections. Google your hometown for your local listings.

Vote your Presidental Pre-election vote here…and see results of others.

Senator McCain cancelled his late night appearance with David Letterman Thursday night; along with making an announcement of his campaign suspension. If that’s not enough cancellations in one night; let’s cancel Friday’s Presidential Debate due to the severe circumstances that our economy is dealing with. I say, what better way to analyze our two Presidential nominees, than conducting a debate with each nominee sharing their perspectives and ideas towards handling our current financial crisis. If you have a moment, check out the Pre-Election poll running to your right, take a moment to vote and voice your opinions…

Bank of America will be acquiring Merrill Lynch & Co. for $50 Billion USD; so how does a large buyout like this effective “you”, being one of their 59 million consumers? Positively speaking, with the takeover, Bank of America will earn the status of the country’s largest retail bank, largest credit issuer, the largest mortgage provider, and the largest retail brokerage. Thus, allowing Bank of America to send a sense of stability to its consumers and small business owners in an unstable economy.

With everything under one umbrella, perhaps this will bring bargaining power towards financial services. On the other hand consumers may get drawn into heavy rates and fees with the markets lack of competition. There is also the chance of the powerhouse, metaphorically speaking, “collapse”; and we as consumers may have nowhere to turn.

Side Note: Their online Customer Service is remarkable; I hope they will soon intergrate 24/7 LiveChat sessions.

Feel free to voice your opinion…

Before the leaves start to make their decent and certainly before the nights reach those bitter low temperatures; there are a few things you must do before September 22nd, which is the first day of the Autumnal Equinox. With 2 weeks counting down, here is a small check list that I highly recommend accomplishing…

1. Cookouts! (clams, spedies, budweiser)

2. Water! (lakes, oceans, pools; even kid pools count if the water exceeds the ankles)

3. Sunsets! (rocking chairs, porches, open fields)

4. Sports! (18 holes, bachi ball; something with a ball!)

5. Friends! (concerts, baseball games, festivals)

You have exactly two weeks, don’t hesitate! Post your ideas…

Battle Stations, designed by Tyler Projects, newly released a Facebook application for those looking to kill some time and enemies. My close friend / co-creator introduced me to the strategic online game where users build their own battleships to set sail and fight other users. Battle Stations is a free onine game (which fits my budget perfectly!) and is now running a promotion to its players; a chance to win a Nintendo Wii or a touch IPOD!

Today is the start of the 2008 Summer Olympics being held in Beijing China. The photos shown on the left is Beijings own “Bird Nest” Stadium; where most of the games will be held. Over 3,600 hours across 7 television networks will be broadcasting this years games and I am excited to say that this is the Olympics first broadcast ever in high-definition.

According to David Neal, executive vice president of NBC, states that “Even the smallest lipstick camera - the camera that is embedded in the archery target that gives you a view of the arrow coming directly at the target; will be in HD.” I am quite excited!

To schedule a viewing check out;

http://www.nbcolympics.com