Hugh Macleod: thanks for the troll cartoon, you made me laugh!

The NASA site has a photo of a total eclipse, as seen from space, yesterday. Of course Susan Kitchens has details. She always blogs cool space stuff since she knows a lot of people at the JPL. Don't miss the video (click here and visit the Webcast). The good stuff starts at about the 50 minute mark if you just want to see the good stuff.

The Wells Fargo blog is an interesting look back at earthquake history (they are preparing for the 100th anniversary of the earthquake and fire that destroyed much of San Francisco). You know, it's a bit safe and not very conversational (yet) but I like it. One post tells about banks running out of money after the 1989 earthquake (they couldn't get the armored cars out of the garage due to doors that needed electricity to work). What did they do? Put $15 million into a stretch Lincoln. What does that have to do with banking? Well, they want to remind you that they've been around that long and that they'll survive anything and make sure you get your cash. Great marketing.

Speaking of earthquakes, there's a Firefox plugin that'll shake your browser anytime there's an earthquake in the world.

A geek nurse? Yeah, Jason Ipock is a registered nurse and he's also a software engineer. Blogs too. Anything he can't do?

Zoli does a job search experiment. He is selling "Zoli 3.0." Management, sales, business development, and PM experience. Anyone need someone with those skills? Here's your chance.

Reuters is reporting that quite a few of you have naked conversations (real ones) when you're on the phone. Ooooookkkkkk. I'm not using the phone at your house anymore. 🙂

Are you going to the CITA show next week? Well, Waggener Edstrom is back with its Wynn hotel blogger lounge, April 4-6. They even let in non-blogger types if you're nice. It's a good place to get a snack, a rest, and recharge all your batteries while you're in Vegas. Tell them I sent you.

Ted Wallingford writes: "If I were Steve [Ballmer], I would allow my kids to use Google and the iPod, observe their activities, and find out just what the heck Google and Apple are doing right!  Will the Microsoft ever learn?  Come on, little Microsoft!! I'm pulling for you… I really am!"

I agree. Heck, just hang out with my son for a few hours. He loves his Apple stuff, including his iPod (Dave Winer got him an iBook for his birthday back in January).

My brother-in-law, who works for Apple on the Mac team, loves egging him on too. Bought him some Apple shirts, one of which you can see him wearing at brunch on Sunday on Tara's blog.

I tell Patrick he better do his homework before buying anything, whether it's from our side of the fence or somewhere else. I want him to explain to me why it's better and what he didn't like about the competition and he better have a better answer than "it's cooler." Although that pretty much was his answer for why he bought an iPod. Turns out peer pressure on the playground is driving a lot of technology choices. Teachers tell me that's how MySpace ripped through their schools too. Patrick told me "my school is an iPod school."

He broke his iPod, by the way (dropped it and broke the screen) so he's saving up for another device that plays media. Will it be an iPod or will there be something else to catch his fancy? Right now he thinks he's gonna buy another iPod.

I'm a bad parent and a bad evangelist, what can I say? But on the other hand, if he ever switches away from an iPod, you'll be likely to listen to him. I'd love to send him to SteveB's house and see if Steve can convince him to switch.

Personal note to Patrick: finish your homework, update your blog (it's been a while), and don't play Second Life too much.

Oh, and Steve Ballmer: you'll be happy to hear that he's bugging me to buy an Xbox 360 — I haven't yet cause I've been home something like a handful of weekends since the launch, but that should change soon (he holds an Xbox camp for all the kids in the neighborhood during the summer) and he wants me to get him a SmartPhone.

Want MSFT to MSFT get MSFT the MSFT attention MSFT of MSFT a MSFT public MSFT company? MSFT Rebecca MSFT MacKinnon MSFT has MSFT one way.

Sorry, just a little search engine work there. But you get the point of what she's recommending you do.