Dear Larry,

Please – stop it! You killed Google Reader. Then you killed Latitude. Then I just found out that you stopped supporting XMPP server-to-server federation back in March. No wonder I couldn’t get external friends to IM with me! I moved off of my own XMPP server to use Google because you supported federation. You complain that nobody is working towards open standards, so you pull your support for it? You’re supposed to be better than the other guy. Set an example, don’t play at their level. Microsoft will quickly pick me up where you so curtly dropped me off. They’re great at innovating neutralizations, even if they’ve never had an original thought in their entire existence.

Brilliant idea! Not sustainable, but after all it comes from an oil company…

Korean Oil Company Helps Drivers Save Gas With…Parking Balloons?.

You can’t argue with stupid.

I’d like to introduce the term “Schwartz Modulation” to the Musical Theater community.

I want to start by saying that I have the utmost respect for Mr. Schwartz, as I believe he is a fantastic and prolific composer. Indeed, I would not have noticed this pattern had I not repeatedly listened to many of his works. Composers all have their own unique cadences and progressions that they like to use, and one that is particularly favored by Mr. Schwartz is what I now call the Schwartz Modulation (SM).

Here’s a simple but effective tool from the DOE for folks wanting a more direct comparison on the costs of operating an EV vs. a gasoline powered car. Interesting about Hawaii.

The eGallon: How Much Cheaper Is It to Drive on Electricity? | Department of Energy.

Okay, folks, it’s time to talk security again. I’ve proselytized email security and two-factor authentication in the past, and now I’m going to tell you about voice calls. I was going to say phone calls, but we’re way beyond – and in many ways simpler than – the traditional telephone model.

Read this article and then tell me why I should give ANY of my money to the banks? Yes, read the whole article. It’s important, this one.

The Biggest Price-Fixing Scandal Ever | Politics News | Rolling Stone.

YES! Finally a diesel plug-in hybrid to be available in the U.S.!

Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid.