HP PhotoSmart 2575: Apple Vs. PC

We bought the scanner the other day to scan photos through the home network to our vast supply of different computers. We decided on the HP PhotoSmart 2575 so we can scan photos and post them on the blogs. (Note: The wife has a blog and won't let me see it :()

Anyhow we have two types of computers, an Apple and PC.

Here's the install process for the Apple:

Plug in printer.
Connect printer via network cable to router

Insert disk.
Load program.
Apple Air Port finds HP 2575
(Poof!) Printer prints test page.
I scan ultrasound photo and the results are on the blog post below titled "Coming in August" within minutes.

Install Process for PC:

Plug in Printer
Conncet printer via network cable to router.

Insert disk to PC
Load Program
Everthing looks good, restart PC: Nothing.

Go into Control Panel to see if new printer is installed. It's not.
Click add Printer. Cannot load printer into PC.

Insert Disk and reload printer.
Now I have 2 2575 HP Printers load.
First one does not work, second one does. Print test page. Nothing.

Go back to printer and print network page conveniently located in Printer's program.
Check address on PC. Address is not found.

Swearing ensues! I keep swearing, give up and go play Tiger Woods 2006 on XBOX 360

Three days later after wife's bitching...

Attempt installation again with success after second time.

Successfully print test page over wireless network.
Attempt scan, nothing.

Go to Printer. No computer found.
Open HP help page.

Discover you need to tell computer to allow scanning.

Attempt scan of "Conrete Blond" CD cover laying nearby.
Scan immediately goes to Apple computer instead of PC
Turn off Apple and start scan again.
Nothing!
Restart scan and select PC, double checking access
Nothing!

Swearing ensues! Hand jumpdrive to wife and say "You are gonna have to use this to scan your photos."

Go back, and play Tiger Woods 2006 on XBOX 360.

Minimum Wage Increase Cross Post

This story is cross posted at Bring It On in the Red Diary. Bring It On and I have a love-hate relationship that started last spring. Some there really hate my opinion. Others have grown to understand me and embrace me. Bring It On has changed recently to become a small political chatter box where the left, the blue people, and the right, the red people, can shout it out, form an opinion and discuss the real issues at hand. Some people dislike politcal blogs, (s'up lawryde) and others love them. Personally my blog isn't intended to be political but about issues I face everyday. If you like discussion and love to argue a point, visit BIO and sign in. Special thanks again to the Bastard and pia. The Bastard even inadvertently linked me to the Daily Kos, getting me 300 or so hits so far.

Here's the minimum wage post (Kurt, I am gonna love your thoughts on this one!)

During the California state of the state address, Governor Schwarzenegger eluded to minimum wage increase. A political move? Absolutely! Straight out of Pat Brown playbook. What else is he going to do if he wants to win? State worker’s comp insurance is going down in California. A very big gift for the state’s small businesses who are safe workplaces. The effect of the minimum wage is minimal because I believe worker’s comp is off-setting it. The proposed increase over 2 years is $1 per hour. We already have a state mandated wage much higher than the national minimum wage at $6.75 instead of $5.75. No matter how you slice it though, we still are an expensive state to do business with. Real estate is insane, worker’s comp is still the nations highest and there are a lot of high wage technical jobs requiring high wage, talented people to do the job. It’s a crazy place…. anyhow back to minimum wage:

Personally, minimum wage to me sucks. It goes against supply and demand, anything you read and learn in an Economics class at the local college and is a deteriment to small business. It’s a mandate, it throws the system out of whack and it actually causes people to abuse the law, just to stay in business. I work for a large supply company and we sell one of the necessary products to aid mostly small businesses and some large corporations. Our product is an important source for both revenue and labor savings. Kind of a unique position, yes but it can become a problem. The companies I sell to are in the convenience business. They provide a service at a low cost that many of us cannot perform ourselves. It’s also a luxury versus a necessity. Many of us, use this business as much as once a week. Though a luxury the service is price sensitive and highly competitive. And if everyone in this country used this service, the enviroment would actually be cleaner! But price would scare us off if it got too high.

Things are stable in my line of work as of late. But now, the industry buzz is this pending minimum wage increase. Most of my customers are proud to say the either offer medical benefits or a wage a little bit over the current minimum wage. It’s a labor intensive business. You need quality people. Unfortunately, the market does not support a high wage or a wage a dollar an hour higher than our current minimum wage. It really is a starter job. A stepping stone. Not a life long career. Much better than unemployment.

So what does a minimum wage do to this industry I supply. Suppose they provide a service for $10. And labor rate and taxes, before they pay utilities or building costs is $4. So the net to pay other costs and to pay himself is $6. He pays the building costs, taxes and utilities and now he has $1 left for those services. As I said earlier the industry is price sensitive and can only command $10 for the service. The minimum wage goes up a buck and now costs him $5 instead of $4 for labor. He now has $5 to pay utilities, taxes, buliding costs and well, what’s left for the small businessman? $0.

This scenario happens everytime you raise minimum wage. Minimum wage increases hurt the local mom and pop grocery store on the corner, your dry cleaner, your local car wash or local sandwich shop. Big chains who are gobbling everyone up and over building like Walmart or Taco Bell can eat it. They got big bucks and low profit margins and no one notices when they raise their price. The little guy takes it in the shorts and simply goes out of business. This whole scenario all points to minimum wage and a cost of labor. What did the small businessman do wrong? He followed an economic model that didn’t make sense.

Now imagine what happens when you force Health Care costs on all businesses. That triple Venti Vanilla Latte will be 7 bucks instead of 4.20.

Coming in August

Well, here is the second ultrasound photo. Kind of a weird experience seeing an ultrasound. We watched it take a flying jump today. It was pretty cool!

Not much else to write. The photo says it all.

I feel like going out and plunking down a hundred grrr on my own ultrasound machine.

But then, you all might think I was crazy.

Gonna go jump on some couches now.

We Have Conservative Nut Jobs in California After All

Search Evolution on Yahoo! and you find this.

Look up theory in Webster's and you get this:

the·o·ry Pronunciation: 'thE-&-rE, 'thi(-&)r-E Function: noun Inflected Form(s): plural -ries Etymology: Late Latin theoria, from Greek theOria, from theOrein 1 : the analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another 2 : abstract thought : SPECULATION 3 : the general or abstract principles of a body of fact, a science, or an art theory> 4 a : a belief, policy, or procedure proposed or followed as the basis of action theory that all children want to learn> b : an ideal or hypothetical set of facts, principles, or circumstances -- often used in the phrase in theory theory, we have always advocated freedom for all> 5 : a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena theory of light> 6 a : a hypothesis assumed for the sake of argument or investigation b : an unproved assumption : CONJECTURE c : a body of theorems presenting a concise systematic view of a subject <theory of equations> synonym see HYPOTHESIS

Yes people, the Theory of Evolution is going to court in California. There is a school down in Fresno that has decided to have a class dedicated to refuting the Theory of Evolution by using science, biology and Biblical ideas to show students that the Theory of Evolution is wrong. The class is being disguised as a philosophy class instead of a true science. I personally think it's great and would have taken the class if I was in high school.

And what is it about evolution that drives us all nuts. If you believe the scientists, you need to understand that the Theory of Evolution is just that: A theory. Look at the word theory as it appears in the Webster's entry again. What if we called it the Speculation of Evolution or the Conjecture of Evolution? We'd all call Mr. Darwin a quack. But since it's a "Theory". Whoa! It's believable. It's something to have faith in. Something to sort of defend, perhaps even worship. You know, kinda like a religion?

Why is it that kids NEED to learn Evolution so bad in our schools, yet denied an alternate view? You have to have the proper belief system in order for a theory to be true. The SCOTUS has already ruled in Torasco vs Watkins, that atheism, or "secular humanism" is a religion. No matter what an atheist puts forward, they are still fronting a belief system regardless if there is no ultimate deity or after life, which is what many of the world's religions support. Atheism by definition fits a description of what Webster's defines as religion. (Look at 3 and 4)

So if evolution is a secular humanist's idea, then it technically is a religious argument. Isn't it? So if it is an idea why are we teaching it in our schools but not along side an alternative view. Our public schools are technically preaching "religion" to our kids by teaching evolution. It's kinda like sex education if you think about it. You teach the kids the facts, and the parts, and how they all go together. Then you have to make them believe in a system so they won't get a disease if they abstain or use protection, or that you'll not get pregnant and they don't. You are imposing a belief system on them by punishing them with consequences.

Makes you think, don't it?

Ted Kennedy's new book!

The dog's name is "Splash"!

Get it? Splash!

I am so rolling on this one!