Microsoft, it's your call

There is something that I'd like Microsoft to pay a better attention to.  It's the partnership with third party telemarketers.  

Like Ivy from CSG Openline who's for the second time calls me at 7am to both my home and private cell (from number 888-834-8586) trying to tell me about something from Microsoft.  Certainly she apologies, however, she acknowledges that it's 7am in the morning and she knew that before placing a call.  What the heck she was expecting for?  Am I sleeping and dreaming about somebody from Microsoft to call me and tell me about some crazy shit?  I'm not that lonely.  

So, please, stop it. Once is an accident.  Twice is a negligence.  Third time would be pattern and nobody will enjoy it, take my word for it.

# Posted via email from opportunity__cost

Invicta's Russian Diver for $99

via worldofwatches.com

You've got less then 24 hours to purchase this Russian Diver's inspired watch by Invicta for just $99. That's is a pretty nice deal.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000R7K3MQ/iwhite-20

They put Swiss quartz movement in, screw-down crown with a cap, very attractive rubber bracelet with buckle, decent lume and 53 mm in diameter (not including crown).

With MSRP of $575 (ridiculous, like there is anybody who pays MSRP for Invicta), however the regular price rarely goes down the $200 bucks and typically is around $249 for a piece.

Give it a shot. Pretty decent watch for those who like the Russian Diver's style but doesn't want to break a bank for it.

# Posted via web from opportunity__cost

No freakin calendar out there?

Keeping in mind that it's 2009 coming to its end, I'm really surprised to not been able to find any good calendaring software that just integrates everywhere. It's only recently Google has enabled the CalDAV access for iCal, so now, thanks God!, I can manage all my calendars both online and on my Mac laptop.

However, not that fast.  

My iPhone (come on, isn't is the greatest thing since sliced bread? :) can sync with iCal (not a decent approach for cloud-computing trending era), but fails to show any other calendars attached to my account.  In addition to such a boomer, it gets synced with the weirdest name you can imagine (but who cares).  I've also tried setting up a separate CalDAV account for calendar on iPhone as well as establishing Google sync through Exchange protocol - none of these things can show any additional calendars (called delegates in iCal). 

So WTF?

Here is an idea.  While so trendy cloud-computing managing panels are growing so fast, it looks like people managed to miss very basic things.  The managing panel for Mail-AddressBook-Calendar kind of stuff.  That has inputs and outputs, and dashboard.  Manageable with drag and drop.  Say, I want the Google Calendar, Google Mail and Yahoo Address Book (or, screw it, just native Mac Address Book.app).  These are inputs.  Outputs are connectors to any type of software you can imagine.  Dashboard is one screen that allows to work flawlessly with you stuff.  That's it.  That easy.

Anyone?

# Posted via email from opportunity__cost

Вконтакте решили поспамить

Подонки с Вконтакта.ру решили спамить онлайн.

Странная стратегия, конечно. При таком жутком переводе своего спама на английских язык, ко всему еще.

Или это какая-то новая инициатива, и это личное дело каждого теперь?

# Posted via email from opportunity__cost

One o'clock watches

After some period of silence, I'm ready to add the one o'clock watches to my collection of crows.

One o'clock.  While it's a little cheat, the limited edition from Vacheron Constantin Les Historiques line, the Historiques American 1921 has a cushion-shaped case with a crown positioned at 1 o'clock.  However, if you'll read the dial, it's on 12 o'clock.  Either way, it doesn't make it less interesting for me.

- Historiques American 1921

I still miss crown positions at 5, 7 and 11 o'clock.  You're more than welcome to send your links to unusual and interesting crown positions, and I'd be happy to add the to my collection.

The full collection of crowns' positions is here at http://live.prokhorenko.us/2009/08/watches-are-all-about-crowns.html

# Posted via email from opportunity__cost

Must-know idioms for GMAT

The following GMAT idioms list is based upon official GMAT sentence correction questions that the test-makers publicly released.

Practice these idioms using our proprietary sentence correction questions.

GMAT Idiom	Book1	Question2	Answer Page3
Official Guide for GMAT Review (12th Edition)
x is more than y	12th Edition	4	686
unlike x, y	12th Edition	20	694
in contrast with x, y	12th Edition	20	694
in contrast to x, y	12th Edition	20	694
estimate to be	12th Edition	27	698
the same to x as to y	12th Edition	32	700
depends on whether x	12th Edition	34	701
so x that y	12th Edition	37	702
targeted ... at	12th Edition	40	704
rivalry between x and y	12th Edition	44	706
expended on	12th Edition	46	707
the ability ... to	12th Edition	51	710
x is to y what w is to z	12th Edition	58	714
amount of x	12th Edition	74	722
attributes x to y	12th Edition	79	724
not just because of x, but because of y	12th Edition	83	726
distinctions between x and y	12th Edition	96	733
either x or y	12th Edition	109	740
to consider x y	12th Edition	117	745
less successful than	12th Edition	123	748
so x that y	12th Edition	124	748
x is dated at z years old	12th Edition	140	756
Official Guide for GMAT Review (11th Edition)
x is more than y	11th Edition	2	662
in contrast with x, y	11th Edition	16	669
estimated to be	11th Edition	21	671
in danger of	11th Edition	27	673
seem + infinitive	11th Edition	29	674
as much as	11th Edition	30	674
to credit x with	11th Edition	31	674
as many ... as	11th Edition	37	676
between x and y	11th Edition	40	678
require x to do y	11th Edition	53	684
restrictions on x	11th Edition	54	685
not only x ... but also y	11th Edition	55	685
there is no doubt that	11th Edition	58	686
as a means to	11th Edition	60	688
attribute x to y	11th Edition	67	691
as many as	11th Edition	76	695
used x as y	11th Edition	79	696
not x, but rather y	11th Edition	87	700
order x to be y	11th Edition	92	702
just as x, so y	11th Edition	99	706
distinguish between x and y	11th Edition	107	710
both x and y	11th Edition	112	713
so x that y	11th Edition	118	716
Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review
not...but	Verbal Review	4	256
the rising cost	Verbal Review	8	258
range from x to y	Verbal Review	9	258
except for + noun	Verbal Review	13	260
between x and y	Verbal Review	14	260
to mistake x for y	Verbal Review	17	261
to think of x as y	Verbal Review	20	262
with the aim of + (verb)ing	Verbal Review	25	264
not only x ... but also y	Verbal Review	46	274
prohibit x from doing y	Verbal Review	48	275
more x than y	Verbal Review	50	276
not only x ... but also y	Verbal Review	52	277
so x that y	Verbal Review	58	280
not x, but rather y	Verbal Review	60	281
not only ... but also	Verbal Review	66	284
in order to x	Verbal Review	69	285
as x as	Verbal Review	75	288
worried about	Verbal Review	81	291
either x or y	Verbal Review	84	292
better served by x than by y	Verbal Review	89	295
ordered x to do y	Verbal Review	90	295
both x and y	Verbal Review	93	297
x rose almost as fast as y	Verbal Review	94	297
between x and y	Verbal Review	95	298
more x than y	Verbal Review	98	299
x rather than y	Verbal Review	99	300
isolated from	Verbal Review	106	300
not only x ... but also y	Verbal Review	108	304
as a result of	Verbal Review	113	307

This GMAT idioms list is available in PDF format.

via platinumgmat.com

For those who are too cheap to buy himself or herself a copy of Manhattan GMAT "Sentence Correction GMAT Preparation Guide", here is the list of the most popular GMAT idioms that are likely already known by native speakers, and must be memorized by non-native speakers (like I am).

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0982423861/iwhite-20

For those who do own a book, take a look at chapter 9, page 142. I am not sure I would be able to memorize all that, but at least I have one more useful guide to refer to.

# Posted via web from opportunity__cost