Yes, it was a humdinger of a quake and it really hit the city of Napa very hard…lots of structural damage. And yes, I did feel it here in Walnut Creek. I was laying in bed semi-awake when it hit. It didn’t bother me as I have been through many of them, being a California native. At first I thought one of the dogs I babysit was banging against the bed…then realized he wasn’t in the house. Then I knew it was a quake.
But I wouldn’t let an earthquake ruin my fun. This weekend I went to my first Indy car race in Sonoma and got to get close up with the drivers and their cars. Also got to see some of the great legends of the past including Johnny Rutherford and Mario Andretti. It was a 2 day event with lots of racing.
The climax was the Sonoma Grand Prix featuring 22 Indy cars racing over a 2.3 mile road course. A fun race to watch and photograph. The last ten laps were about exciting as you will ever see with cars running out of gas before the finish. Two cars ran out of gas right in front of me…they just barely crossed the finish line when the tanks went dry.
I was sitting high up on turn two and got to see the real chaos that ensues at the start of a race. There were spinouts and bumps and cars going off the track…and I photographed the whole thing. Fortunately every car got back on the track and continued racing. From my vantage point, I could see about 2/3 of the course and was able to see almost all the action.
Of course, we didn’t know if there would even be a Sunday race because of the earthquake. The epicenter was only a couple of miles from the race course. But, after a thorough inspection by race officials, the track was declared safe for racing. But there was still the problem was getting to the race track. The main road into it from the south was shut down. But, fortunately, after some inspection time, they opened the road in time for me to get on the road to the track. So all was well in the end.
The other event I attended a week ago was the first football game ever played in the new Levi Stadium, home of the 49ers. Bottom line: a great stadium but a lousy game. Still glad I went. I used the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to get down to Fremont…then took a bus from there to the stadium. The BART train I was on had mechanical difficulties in a tunnel under Oakland. That was interesting sitting in the dark with all the power off. But we eventually limped into a station and got on another train.
So its been an exciting week for me, but not all that exciting in the tech world. But that is normal for August. The real action will be in September when Apple offers up its new iPhones and possibly some other goodies…and Microsoft gives us the first peak at Windows 9. I am excited for both…but, of course I am a nerd.
I hope you find some things of interest in this edition, so let’s get started. -JRC
Tech News and Opinions
Over 1,000 US businesses are affected by the attack that hit Target
The hack that cost Target and its partners more than $200 million may have caused even more damage than we thought. The New York Times is reporting that the same malware used in the attack also targeted more than a thousand other US businesses, based on a new assessment from the Secret Service.
Windows 9: Microsoft faces four daunting challenges
The rumor mill says a public preview of the next big Windows release will appear this fall. But don't get fixated by features. This release isn't a "big bang" but is actually just the starting gun for the next stage in a very long race.
How Apple took over the only segment of the PC market that still matters
Everyone knows the PC market has been in decline for the past few years. But one segment of that market is doing spectacularly well, and one company has managed to carve out enviable sales and profits by dominating that niche. Guess who?
The fight for net neutrality goes to round two
With 1.1 million (and counting) consumer comments to ponder and an alliance of tech companies nipping at its heels, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission enters round two of the fight for net neutrality.
Former Microsoft CEO Ballmer steps down from the board
In his note to current Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Ballmer noted he had become "very busy" in the six months since he left Microsoft. He is now the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team. He also said he would be "teaching" (at Stanford University, I've heard).
Computer Tips and Tricks
Download 275 Free Resume Templates for Microsoft Word
The templates are spread across different categories, thus catering to different job types.
The Best Tune-Up Utilities
Is your PC getting slow, clunky, and generally run down? Fire up one of these programs and turn that old jalopy back into a streamlined sports car.
Windows 8.1 Update 2 is Here, But It’s a Big Letdown
Microsoft was hyping Update 2 at one point, promising it would bring the return of the Start menu to Windows 8.1 and make all those disaffected Windows users happy. That didn’t happen.
21 Flickr Tips for Photo Fanatics
Yahoo's photo service gives users access to one friggin' terabyte of storage. Here are 21 tips to help you make the most of it.
27 of the Best Chrome Extensions You Should Check out Today
Sometimes, achieving what you want is a little harder and takes a little longer than you’d really want. It’s for that reason that we’ve put together a list of 27 of the most useful extensions for Google’s Chrome browser.
Mobile Computing
Apple announces battery replacement program for the iPhone 5
If you purchased the iPhone 5 early in its life and your battery seems to need charging more often than usual, pay attention: Apple has just announced an iPhone 5 battery replacement program for phones that "may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently."
Are we in a mobile app glut? Report says most US phone owners aren’t downloading apps
Nearly 2 out of 3 U.S. smartphone owners don’t download a single app in a given month. Isn’t this the age of the mobile app economy? It is, but most of the growth is long over at this point in the cycle.
Over 90% of Apple Devices Run iOS 7 While only 20% of Android Devices use Latest OS
The report shows that, based on data gathered across 682,000 devices, Android fragmentation has quadrupled since 2012. This year, 18,796 distinct Android devices were tracked as compared to 3,997 two years ago.
10 Things You Didn't Know Your Android Phone Could Do
Whether you're rocking the latest Android device from Samsung, HTC, or LG, these tips will help you get the most out of your phone or tablet.
10 Things You Didn't Know Your iPhone Could Do
You may be missing out on some of the iPhone's most powerful features.
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