October 25th

2 Samuel 12:23 “…why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

Happy Birthday Son.

"Whose side did you fight on during the Wars, daddy?"

Downloaded IE 7 today. So far I'm pretty impressed. Pages load noticably faster than IE 6. Of course the best feature is Tabbed Browsing. Most everything I do for work is web based...shipping/accounting apps, customer service apps, access to FedEx-UPS-USPS for tracking...so I normally have at least 5 browser windows open at once in addition to email, Office apps, and at least 2 IM conversations going at a time. The taskbar gets a little crowded sometimes so anything that can help the clutter is appreciated.

Before you say it, I KNOW Firefox has offered Tabbed Browsing for some time now. I love their layout. Everything is logical and intuitive. Sometimes when I have had trouble uploading a pic here in IE 6 Firefox will do it with no back-talk. Occasionally the text and alignment on Jeremy's site will render weird in IE 6 but not in Firefox. My main reason for not using Firfox is it's behavior on HTTPS sites. Our main online app at work (NetSuite) is all via HTTPS. Firefox just will not work right...even version 1.5 and 2.0 RC3. One other thing: it's memory management compared to IE 6 or IE 7. Right now I have 1 tab open in Firefox to my work app and it is swallowing up 40,868K of RAM at idle. IE 7 is using 11,764K at idle with 6 tabs open, including the same one that's open in Firefox! Can you say Memory Hog?

Honestly, I think they're both pretty good. The 'set-it-and-forget-it' part of me loves Firefox's simplicity. It stands alone and leaves a light footprint on the system. If it crashes you're still in business system-wise. IE on the other hand: doesn't 'break' often but when it does it takes the whole system with it and you're screwed (when I did IE support we used to joke that the only call script we needed was 'You're screwed', hang up, answer next call, repeat). IE assimilates itself like a Borg implant and is a real bear to repair. I do have an easier time manipulating my favorites and cache with IE, but that's probably due to my background more than anything. Bottom line, I really don't see why so many people, on BOTH sides, cop this 'mine-is-best-and-yours-is-crap' attitude.

Same thing with all the other wars:

• Windows vs. Apple (and yes, Virginia, I have used a Mac before). If all I did was email, web, video/pics a Mac would be great. Since I have to actually use a computer for business and like an occasional game or two I use a PC.
• iPod vs. everything else (iRiver in my case). iPod's are cool and trendy...and overpriced...and fragile...and light on features (no FM-radio? Come on!) but they ARE cool and trendy. My iRiver came with an armband, steel chord nearly-indestructible lanyard, smaller that an iPod Shuffle but with an easy to read display, FM radio (great for the TV simulcast in the club while on the treadmill), protective case, lasts 12+ hours on 1 AA battery, & enough memory that I can go for 3-4 hour rides and not hit the end of the play list, all for about $150 3 years ago (way less than that now with more memory). The iPod's of the day, didn't offer the flash option-just the fragile hard drive - and were about twice as expensive...still are today, although with more memory. Plus I've heard stories about iPod batteries that won't hold a charge. My iRiver has survived thousands of workouts, thousands of miles on bike rides & dozens of drops with hardly a scratch. Some iPod users I know haven't been so lucky. But iPods really do look cool.
• Dell vs. HP; Ford vs. Chevy; McDonalds vs. Jack-In-The-Box; Chocolate vs. Vanilla; Mustard vs. Mayo...

You get the point.

It comes down to this: what do YOU like? what are YOU most comfortable with? what fits YOUR needs best? I'm just thankful we live in a world where competition keeps pushing the envelope on software & hardware development, consumer products...and keeps prices down!

So, if you have Windows XP with service pack 2 download IE 7 and have fun!

Brothers

Kennith Noal Wright Jr., was born October 19 in Houston, Texas. When he was 4 they moved to Houma, Louisiana. After a brief stay (not brief enough, according to family legend) they moved to Dallas, then Irving where the family business was born.

He grew up like most guys: school, sports, friends, pesky little brother, the usual. Think 'Leave It To Beaver' (he's Wally) and you have an idea what life was like. He loved football and played until 7th grade. A 6-inch-in-8-months growth surge along with rough contact resulted in knee problems. This led to the discovery of his first real gift: he could beat the pants off almost anyone at golf and could drive a ball 250 yards by the time he was a Sophomore. For some reason he chose not to pursue golf after High School but remained a scratch player the rest of his life.

He went to Baylor, majored in Accounting and passed the first 2 parts of the C.P.A. exam. After graduation he was at a crossroads: pursue his dream of working for one of the large accounting firms or come into the family business. His decision to enter the family business affected all our lives and will echo for at least another generation.

For several years life was exciting: the business was growing and prosperous, the family grew, the future looked good. He found his second and third real gifts: marketing and an uncanny ability to make money in ways no one had thought of for our industry. He was a true visionary. Though liked and admired by many he wasn't what you would call a people person or manager, he just didn't have the patience for it. But, with Mom's frugalness (she could stretch a dollar farther than anyone I know) and my Beautiful Wife's hyper-organizational and administrative skills we made a good team.

He fought alcoholism for several years, losing the battle on September 22 at the age of 37.

That day mother lost son, brother lost brother, sister-in-law lost brother-in-law, 4 children lost an uncle, and 2 boys lost a father. Not long afterwards cancer took Mom and the sons moved away.

I am a better husband and father for having a brother like Kenny. I learned from some of his mistakes but more importantly I learned from his courage and the gifts he shared. To this day I haven't met anyone with his gifts for business. I remember his child-like enthusiasm and insatiable curiosity. I wouldn't trade any of the pain to have missed the joy.

Norman Maclean says it best:
"But when I am alone in the half light of the canyon all existence seems to fade to a being with my soul and memories. And the sounds of the Big Black Foot River and a four count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters."

Happy Birthday Brother.

Song of the week: Somewhere Only We Know

I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete

Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?

Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

So if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
So why don't we go

This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know

By Keane