Ten Forward

I started working at Microsoft just under seven years ago.  My seven year anniversary will be on July 9th of this year.  It has always been an honor and privelage to work at Microsoft.  This is mostly because I have been honored to work for a truly brilliant and good man: Bill Gates.

Today was Bill's last full day as a Microsoft employee.  The company produced a send-off meeting for the employees to express their gratitude towards him.  Since the facility could only hold about 900 people, a raffle was held to see who could attend.  Anyone else had to watch it on their computers.  I was lucky enough to be chosen, and I took it very seriously.  Seating began at 8:45, but I wanted to make sure I had a great seat.  I was there at 7:15.  There were still about two dozen people in front of me.

 

I ended up getting a front row seat and had an excellent view.  I was about 15 feet away from Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates.  To my right was a "Who's Who?" of Microsoft.  Melinda Gates (Bill's wife), their children, Ray Ozzie, Lissa Brummel, Kevin Turner, Jeff Raikes, Chris Liddell, and other VIPs were right within my view.  It was extremely cool to be there and quite an honor.

I hear that I even made it on TV for the web cast given my front row seat.  Now i'll have to watch it to see.

Bill - thanks so much for the opportunity to work at one of the best companies in the world.  I really do love my job.

I was asked to make my blog a bit simpler so it would load faster.  Here you go world! :)

Virgin Airlines is spending millions and millions of dollars worth of capital in order to develop a space tourism industry.  This is absolutely amazing.  The fact that a company is willing to take on the burdens of R&D, manufacturing, insurance and profitability risk, etc to build this industry.  Tickets will not be cheap.  They will start at 100,000 English Pounds (Yikes!).  If you can afford it, I'm sure it is worth it though.

That's the thing - if you can afford it.  Virgin has every right to charge this given the risk they take in building this industry.  However, look at one of the comments by some idiotic liberal bloke concerning the service.

Apparently high prices "discriminate" against those who cannot afford them.  With that logic I should be able to go out and buy a Mercedes right now for a buck because my current salary does not give me enough capital to afford that.  I realize that this is just one random voice, but wow - this sense of entitlement just annoys the hell out of me.

 

Update - forgot to include the URL: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23433757-details/Book+a+space+now+on+out+of+this+world+tourist+flight/article.do

That really went by quickly.  Life is definately going well for me.  Suzanne and I are truly blessed.

Thanks Suzanne for marrying me! :)

My Windows Vista Ultimate machine just started recording Deep Space Nine off of the Spike Network.  It is the episode where Sisko goes crazy trying to find Edington (after he was betrayed by him).

Windows says that the original air date of this episode was 1997.  Ten years ago.  Wow.

While I don't think that I will ever get tired of watching DS9 (especially seasons 4-7), I would like some new Star Trek.  I think it is time.  Enterprise, overall, was a disappointment.  I did not watch it past season 1.  Fire Rick Berman - keep him as far away from it as possible, but let's get it done people! :)