iPhoneApp Winners

I've gotten questions from several newer iPhone 3G owners along the lines of "I'm too lazy to browse the App Store, just tell me which apps to look at." Well, actually none of them admitted being lazy :-)

Rather than continue to answer these one at a time I think a blog entry is in order. So without further delay here is the list. Click the app name for more details:

• Klick - best Flickr companion
  
• PCalc - best utility belt for anything involving numbers
  
• Jott - best to-do and list application
  
• WeatherBug - multi-locations, radar, alerts and more
  
• Bloomberg - world wide market indexes and news
  
• Facebook - missing some key features but still convenient
  
• Where - finds events, friends, cheap gass, etc nearby based on GPS
  
• 2 Across - crossword puzzle app, a free lite version also available
  
• Wikipanion - guess what, this is a Wikipedia front end. Surprised, aren't you ?
  
• Now Playing - find movie times, theaters etc near you
  

All are "Ron Approved" and receive near daily use. Oh, did I forget to mention all but one of these is free? :-)

I got a bunch of others I use less frequently. I'll get around to posting on those soon.

Hurricanes - New & Improved

Well, actually it is a new and improved hurricane tracker site courtesy of Stormpulse. Though I live out of hurricane territory my past experiences with the beasts as well as my ties and friendships with those still living in target zones keeps my keen interest in tact. The National Hurricane Center gives some great data in a rather a bare bones presentation format. Stormpulse gives a lot of data in a very sexy package. You know which one I'm gonna prefer...

And yes, Ike seems to have the hots for Houston... However urricanes are notoriously fickle in their romantic attachments.

One Ugly Ike

This is a very ugly picture. I no longer live in the hurricane zone but all the activity still triggers a strong desire to stockpile water, food, gas for a generator, a rush to put up hurricane shutters, and a tendency to be glued to the National Hurricane Center forecast updates. We saw so many the preparations became routine but the stress was always there.

Ike looks to be headed right for our former home in south Florida. I have a lot of friends there and I truly hope it either curves north or becomes much weaker before landfall. And hey guys, if you want to get away and visit Dallas just let me know :-)

Good Morning Gustav

Driving to work this morning and the outer bands of Gustav had arrived overnight. The sky is ever changing today - a day where I could sit outside and watch it like a movie. Instead I have to work like most the rest of the world :-)

Image is copyright, all rights reserved.

What I don't miss about Florida...

is the hurricanes. Fay looks fairly minor as hurricanes go but could still cause a lot of damage and heartache for a number of folks. In my fairly short time living in south Florida we went through about 5 hurricanes 3 of which were pretty much direct hits. Once we were without power for 4 days (which was short compared to most folks). Another time we were without power for 2 days. In context these power outages and the attendant lack of any fresh milk, produce, meat etc. in stores covered a huge area. We suffered property damage several times but were fortunate compared to the many who lost their homes or suffered severe damage with insufficient (or simply dishonest) insurance coverage.

My best hopes and prayers to those in Fay's path.