Straight from the Lam’s Mouth

Every Christmas, ESPN shows the names of every employee in the credits after SportsCenter. This is a screenshot with my name right in the middle.

ESPN has launched a redesign beta of the site to Insiders to preview before the site is officially launched for everyone. Here is a side-by-side comparison with the current frontpage and some highlights.

1. Simplified navigation and layout
2. Fewer, less intrusive advertisements
3. A new scoreboard with live, auto updates
4. More accessible with less Flash
5. Lighter page weight and better performance
6. Personalized scores, headlines, and navigation

• ESPN.COM is counting on less clutter and more advertising options to bolster revenue…Instead of inundating visitors with its intense coverage of every major sport from the get-go, something that the company now believes can drive away certain fans, ESPN.com is moving in a less-is-more direction, at least on the home page — NY Times
• The redesign brings a cleaner user experience, something I love, and also more naturally brings ESPN’s video content to users, another plus — FanSection
• Nice. Very nice…much cleaner and more efficient…pleasantly shocked…looks so friggin’ great…the scoreboard, columns, top stories, many of the same elements but simply improved — Small White Ball
• I have spoken glowingly about ESPN and ESPN.com previously - I don’t feel bad being sour about ESPN Beta… too much like a magazine and too little like a sports site — Ryan Spoon (founder of beRecruited)
• a wider, more prominent video player… tons of links to additional videos…site’s background is a darker hue of red…featured columnists are promoted with larger modules…soliciting user feedback — PaidContent
• the revamp will be video-centric, including a larger video player and a new navigational scheme — Paid Content interview with John Skipper (ESPN EVP Content)
• the principal change isn’t a surprise: a greater emphasis on video — MediaDailyNews
• they have done away with banner ads on the home page — Louis Gray
• The new look goes live in a month or so — Steve Clancy
• the site is substantially better looking…not sure that the new look brings much more than just that, a new, fresh look — Cheap Seats
• At first glance, the site is aesthetically pleasing… [but] it’s really hard to find any of the “breaking news” content you might be looking for — AwfulAnnouncing

Robin Hood in a duel with Maverick is all I can picture in my head when I read an article or see something on TV about the election. Everyone talks about how Obama (Robin Hood) wants to spread the wealth around. Less imagination is needed for McCain (Maverick) because the media literally interchanges his name with maverick because he “crosses party lines.”

Yes, I refer to all of the drinks in the picture below (Fanta, Canada Dry, and Coca-Cola) generically as Coke (Soda is acceptable, but Pop is definitely not). And it appears everyone in the South is with me!

Kevin Rose’s Apple rumors from August 23rd 2008 ended up coming true 17 days later.

1. iPhone/Touch 2.1 software update (w/Nike+ integration, various performance updates, and emphasis on games)
2. iPod Touch 2G more like iPhone 2G (w/speaker and rounded corners): 32gb for $399
3. iPod Nano 4G adds colors and new tall form factor: 16gb for $199
4. iTunes 8 released w/auto music recommendations based on listening and NBC returns to iTMS
5. New white Apple in-ear headphones released for $79
6. iPod Classic update: 120gb for $249
7. iPod Shuffle update (new colors): 2gb for $69

I have always wanted the ability to drive two external monitors with my Macbook Pro. The ViDock achieves this by connecting an external video card (ATI 2600XT) with your MBP via the ExpressCard slot. This leaves the MBP’s video card intact, so you can drive the laptop display and 3 external displays over DVI (at 2560x1600 - read 30” LCD). All of these features for the low high price of $499

Read more from the people who make the ViDock at VillageTronic.
Or read the ViDock Review at Gizmodo.

I couldn’t find the schedule in a format like this, so I compiled this from various sources. I’d put TV information in, but all these games are on NBC or some NBC channel like USA, Universal, or the special Olympics channels.

Watching the Olympics reminds me of my high school days when I was a competitive track & field athlete. It has been a long time, so I forgot most of my personal records. I did a little googling and found a couple of my results from the past. I am sure I had results better than these (ran a 11.87 in the 100m), but these results are a good start :)

LAX, originally uploaded by keithlam.

I spent way too much time at this airport.

Skateboard Vert Final, originally uploaded by keithlam.

X Games 14