International TableTop Day

Geek and Sundry Announces this Saturday, April 30th, 2016, is the International TableTop Day.

In celebration, Amazon has huge discounts going on for TableTop games:

"For a limited time only while supplies last, up to 40% off strategy board games for TableTop day. Discount is only applicable to items sold by Amazon.com. Also, for an even greater value, take advantage of FREE Shipping (restrictions apply) and Prime (restrictions apply)."

 List of retailers observing International TableTop Day.  Find Community Events near you.

Free Comic Book Day in May

Free Comic Book Day coming 1st Saturday in May (May 7th, 2016).  Use the Store Locator to find a local participating comic shop.

Optical Illusion Dance

Optical Illusion Dance - if you watch the steps are very simple, but the illusion appears much more acrobatic.

Microsoft says we have to disown one of our children

With your Microsoft Account, you can create a Family Account to "to help manage your kid's online activity".

With a Family Account you can:

• Block websites - You can make sure that adult websites are blocked for the kids in your family. You can block specific sites, too—or choose which sites you want your kids to see.
• Play time is important. Let them have fun, safely - You can allow your child to download apps and games appropriate for their age, and still make sure they don’t get anything they’re not ready for yet.
• A window into their digital life - Get recent activity reports on sites visited, apps used, games played, and screen time. Or, check in online anytime.
• Set good screen time habits - Together, you can talk about good habits and set limits on how much time they can spend with their screens.

A excellent concept, except for one problem: the Family Account is limited to 3 children and 2 adults.  We have 4 children.  There are a number of Community Form Threads about this issue.

I tried contacting Microsoft support, and the exchange went like this:

Microsoft: "What that means is that you have the reached the maximum amount of persons that can be added, hence the reason why you are getting that message."

Me: "So how do we fix it?  How do we upgrade out account? You can't be serious in thinking that an acceptable answer is one of our kids just can't be part of our family?"

Microsoft: "Unfortunately once you are receiving that message then there wouldn't be anything that can be done with regards to changing the number of persons that can be added on the account."

Me to my daughter: "Microsoft says we have to disown you, because you can't be a part of our family."

Microsoft then forwarded me onto another tech support, who then forwarded me to billing, who then forwarded on again in a great big circle.

One community member found a ugly workaround that if they remove the second parent, they can add a 4th child.  There is currently no workaround for families with 5 or more children.

Star Wars vs Star Trek

Bill Nye chimes in on the Star Wars vs Star Trek debate.

... Star Wars is all about magic, royal family drama and sounds in space ...

... Star Trek is all about an optimistic scientific view of the future, and exploration ...

Why Do Scouts Go Camping

Why Do Scouts Go Camping

Camping requires living deliberately, examining the essential facts of life.

Camping requires establishing an outpost of civilization, managing resources, setting routines, cooperating, and learning the practicalities of interdependence.

Camping requires recreating the mechanisms of survival, applying specialized skills, depending on what we can do with our hands.

Camping takes us to the frontier where nature and civilization meet; we can learn a lot about both if we keep our eyes open.

Camping separates from everyday life because camping is at odds with everyday life.

Camping means leaving distractions behind; it is just us, the forest, and our fellow Scouts.

Camping means pushing ourselves physically and mentally beyond our normal sphere of comfort.

Camping asks us to take ourselves as we are, it’s hard to be someone you aren’t in the wild.

Camping inspires humility, to confront our frailty in the face of the natural world.


Camping inspires reverence for nature and teaches us where we fit in the grand scheme of things.


Source: Why do Scouts go Camping? - Scoutmastercg.com

Brook vs Primary Data

Brook attempts the obstacle course at Primary Data's booth at VMworld 2015

Favorite line: You got to love Rick's Fusion-io pride when he says, "Ladies and gentlemen thank you for coming by Fusion-io".  I miss Fuison-io too.  :-)