FiOS STB Widget Platform

I was a friends loft in Phoenixville Saturday and he was showing me
the good and bad in the new FiOS TV set top box guide. The negative
was that it was too slow. Latency in the percieved results from a UI
gesture is always bad. Apple defeats these problems on Apple TV with
animations (wipes and fades and the ubiquitous spinner. The good parts
included search feature.

I noticed a top level menu item labelled "Widgets". Clicking this
raised a modal dialog asking for zip code. After submitting zip code a
traffic and weather widget showed up in header carosel. I think it
worked pretty good as STB platforms go. I can't see how this would
scale and hold a candle ever to an open widget platform with a more
capable UI engine, especially anything which is cross platform.

Best Job in Philadelphia

I have been walking to and from 30th Street Station 10 blocks down to
2000 Market each day. There is hardly any people around so its
relaxing and a good time to think. While there is far less hustle and
bustle than there is at Suburban Station, it is a drought as girl
watching goes.

I snapped this picture of the rear wheel man on the ladder truck
cutting a tight turn off Market just before the PECO building. This
fire fighte has to have the best professional job in the city.

Waiting for Greg

Greg Ayre claims to have some great seats for this rare game. There is
a hot breeze and 80 degrees and it is April. We're the ones with three
kids and two little games to coach and yet Tara and I are here, have
beer and Greg and Dana are late. Come on guys!