Armen Chakmakjian's Blog, page 21

A catch up post…

I've been remiss in updating my blog. This summer has been pretty busy. So here are a list of random things that I've come across this summer that got a reaction out of me: 1) iPad Mania. ho hum. I played with one, it is now circulating through my team. I get it, but I [...:]

The Kindle Killer? The NOOKstudy…

So I am a happy kindle owner. I really enjoy reading it on a Sunny day on the beach or at lunch outside near where I work. I also go to school at night. When I attempted to buy books for classes on my kindle, few were available. And truly the small form factor is [...:]

So I'm thinking about a kindle book promotion tying it to a donation to a charity…

So I was sitting here.  I've done a bunch of shameless self promotion in trying to get book sales. Remember, at the moment you must have the amazon kindle or a device that has the amazon kindle software (iphone/ipad/ipodtouch, pc, mac or android phone)  I've had several, nothing that'll help me buy that writing grotto [...:]

Features designed by geeks…

So I have a kindle (as you may know).  I love my kindle, but there are some days that this product reminds me of the latter days of the Palm handhelds (not the phones…think back before they bought handspring). So Amazon comes out with a new set of features 2 of which I had waited [...:]

This first thing that popped in my head today on Fathers' Day…Abbott and Costello on "Mudder and Fodder"

BUD: Didn't I see you at the race track yesterday? LOU: Yeah, I was there. I like to bet on the nags. BUD (grabs him): Don't talk like that about horses! Do you realize that I have one of the greatest mudders in the country? LOU: What has your mother got to do with horses? [...:]

Graduation Weekend…

My son Daniel will be graduating from both Armenian Saturday School (13 years) tonight, and Arlington High School tomorrow.  Separately, these are both pretty significant accomplishments, and of course on top go off to his prom in a tux last week, watching him compete in a state decathlon meet this week (something he's never done [...:]

Dear Mr. President…

If James Carville has nothing stupidly supportive to yapyapyap about the current administration's reaction to the oil spill, that's terrible.  At least you could count on him to purvey the straight party-line BS.  As Tip O'Neill said, "all politics are local", and Carville's backyard is covered in grease. George HW Bush (41) once was derided [...:]

Red Line to the Orange Line

So I was taking a scrum class in Boston on Washington St.   I had to take the same ride I had taken so many times in the 90s to get to the (former) Teradyne facility I worked in on Harrison Ave.  Actually it was between Washington and Harrison Ave, across the highway from N.E. [...:]

Conan vs Jay

I'm so tired of this story.  In any other industry, when a veteran is set aside to make room for an up and coming talent and that new talent doesn't work out, I've seen companies move the veteran back into that position.  I don't care if you are a steel worker, a secretary,  a software [...:]

A short example of really excellent writing…

So I have friends on all points on the political spectrum.  For a moment, I'm going to ask you to not grouse about the topic, the protagonist, the political or financial implications, or the class hierarchy issues.  Just focus on the writing below, an excerpt from this month's Atlantic magazine's lead article "Inside Man" by [...:]