Don't look now but the number one software giant for what seems like an eternity has been showing its age. One guy you don't ever want to back into a corner is Bill Gates. On any given day, it's Yahoo!, Google or any number of young whippersnappers making some kind of exciting announcement. Just yesterday Google announced its alternative plan for energy that would not only save the cheerleader, it would save the world. What's a Bill Gates to do???
For starters, look for a major campaign to highlight how Microsoft's free online software connects you to its Windows operating system over the Internet. This serves a two-fold purpose, one, to defend the company's bread-and-butter Windows turf and two, to extend its reach into the Web. In short, Gates wants to make Microsoft cool again and is willing to spend A-Rod money to get it done...
Earlier this month, Microsoft released a full package of online software marketed under the Windows Live umbrella including applications for messaging, blogging and sharing photos. Ad agencies are falling all over each other to get what promises to be a gazillion dollar campaign to sell Windows to the world. By the way, whoever said Microsoft's Vista slows down a computer had to be an enemy of Mr. Gates. Since I've had Vista in my new Dell Inspiron 530, I've never had a faster Internet connection...
The last Wednesday of the month picks for "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" will follow in my Commentary...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1582] Wedding Bells: Young Will Shakespeare having already asked Anne Hathaway, "wouldst thou taketh thine hand in holy matrimony" and gotten a "yea, merrily", walks down the aisle with Anne as Bard and Bardess tie the knot poetically...1986] NBC-TV sports dude Ahmad Rashad proposes to Phylicia Allen on live TV during halftime of the Jets-Lions game. Allen accepts as Bill Cosby mumbles incoherently...
- 1922] Call Melrose 5-5300: Capt. Cyril Turner of the British Royal Air Force gives the first public demonstration of skywriting. He spells out "I-s-i-a-h m-u-s-t g-o" over Times Square. James Dolan hires a plane which writes "I-s-i-a-h s-t-a-y-s f-o-r-e-v-e-r". Here's a skywriting primer from the 30s. The pilot spelling it all out resembles WCBS-FM morning man Dan Taylor, also a pilot: http://youtube.com/watch?v=0xBcRsE9zyk ...
- 1925] A Grand Ole time: The longest running live music show debuts on WSM Nashville when host George Dewey Hay invites an 83-year-old Civil War veteran to play fiddle for an hour. The 'WSM Barn Dance" begins. In 1927 its name is changed to the "Grand Ole Opry"...1964] Willie Nelson makes his Opry debut...
- 1942] Flaming inferno: A devastating and deadly fire destroys the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston, taking nearly 500 lives. This former doctor was one of the survivors: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9SLnzxnsCZY ...
- 1948] Get the picture?: The first Polaroid camera is sold. Today's prices for Polaroid cameras on eBay range from $34 to $500. Back with more after this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=QH0GK6emctw ...
- 1956] Cy? Si: Baseball trivia...Who was the first Cy Young winner in the major leagues??? Answer below, following Timeline Countdown...
- 1963] Name that Cape: LBJ renames Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy. The name is changed back in 1973 by residents of Brevard County...
- 1981] 'The Bear' mauls his way to the top: Alabama coach Bear Bryant passes Amos Alonzo Stagg as the winningest coach in college football history. Joe Namath and other ex-Tides players watch on the sideline. Bryant's final stats: 323 victories, 15 bowl game appearances and 6 national titles. Bryant retires in December of 1982 and dies one month later of a heart attack...
- 1994] "Happy Trails": 1960s war protester Jerry Rubin dies two weeks after being hit by a car. Rubin was 56...1994] 34-year-old serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is murdered in a Wisconsin prison. Dahmer becomes Thursday's 'Blue Plate Special'...1999] Hsing-Hsing, the giant panda and the symbol of U.S.-China detente is euthanized at age 28 because of deteriorating health. He/she lives long enough however, to have a prison named after him/her...
- 2001] Enron-ron-run: Enron Corporation collapses after would-be rescuer Dynergy Inc. backs out of an $8.4 billion bail out...
Music Memories:
- 1970] Released on this date: "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison, here's a live version: http://youtube.com/watch?v=wynYMJwEPH8 ...1970] "Your Song" - Elton John, Elton at the piano: http://youtube.com/watch?v=mTa8U0Wa0q8 ...
- 1974] Lennon's farewell: Elton John and John Lennon sing a duet of "I Saw Her Standing There" at Lennon's last stage appearance at Madison Square Garden...
- 2000] Madonna on the Web: 9 million viewers watch a Madonna concert from London on the Internet...
Commentary:
Here's 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' for November: The Good: Jimmie Johnson who donated $341,000 of his winnings at the Pep Boys Auto 500 to the Red Cross' California Wildfire relief effort...The Bad: Michael Vick who turned himself in to begin serving a jail sentence because he was flipped by his cohorts, not because of feeling he owed it to the public to come clean...The Ugly: Barry Bonds who finally got nailed by a federal grand jury for his steroid use. Next month, in addition to December's awards, TGTBTU for 2007...Sorry to hear about 5-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Bill Hartack who passed away at 74. Hartack died from heart disease...WKTU has fired Whoopi Goldberg, now a permanent member of 'The View'. She never gave KTU the numbers they were looking for in morning drive...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Jon Stewart (45), Judd Nelson (48), S. Epatha Merkerson (55), Paul Shaffer (58), Randy Newman (64), Bruce Channel (67), Bruce and Delbert McClinton discuss "Hey Baby", the Beatles and more: http://youtube.com/watch?v=kdXzJaCeHP8 , Gary Hart (71) and Berry Gordy Jr. (78)...
Timeline Countdown: 7 days until Hanukah, 24 days until winter, 27 days until Christmas, 33 days until New Year's Eve and 38 days until the Wild Card Playoffs...(The answer to the Baseball Trivia question: Dodger pitcher Don Newcombe was the major league's first Cy Young Award winner. All Newcombe did was win 27 games that year)...
