Burrell, No. 1 overall pick in '98, calls it a career

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Remember two weeks ago when we talked about television themes? That went so well it got us thinking: what’s more popular than television? Naturally, the answer is “nothing” but Scott still had to put together a post for today, so he pretended the answe…

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We will always be grateful for Charlie Manuel leading the Phillies to the 2008 World Series crown. “This is for Philadelphia!  This is for our fans,” screamed Charlie after the Game 5-Part 2 clincher against the Tampa Bay Rays.  Charlie will likely never have to pay for a beer again in the City of Brotherly [...]

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In this edition of Real Actual Field Tests, we try out the TopChips microwave potato-chip manufacturer. Can we really make potato chips in our microwave with this thing? And if so, as a follow-up question, can we make chips that look like great men fro…

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Priva-See Concerns

Welcome to the neighborhood! I hope we’ll be seeing a LOT of each other.

Paul and Lori, is it? Welcome, welcome! Here’s a little something I picked up to make you feel at home: a Zmodo 4-Channel Surveillance System with 4 Weatherproof IR Cameras. No, no, it’s a nice neighborhood. But with the way thing are going these days, who knows, right? It’s sad when a guy like me can’t even feel safe doing nude chin-ups in his own sunroom.

After you get settled in a little, I can help you get those four cameras installed. Hey, as close as our houses are to each other, it’ll help keep me safe, too. I certainly don’t want any creeps watching me shower. I can’t even get a curtain to hang in that bathroom window. Yeah, the one that opens onto your kitchen. The bracket’s, like, messed up or something. If somebody wanted to get an eyeful, there’s literally nothing I could do to stop them. But hey, I don’t let that keep me from taking very long showers several times a day. You gotta live, that’s my motto.

So yeah, not only does this system let you watch the cameras in real time, but with the addition of a hard drive (sold separately, or with this 8-camera system), the included DVR records H.264 surveillance video at 704×480 resolution with infrared night vision. So you can use it however you want: to capture evidence against burglars or vandals, to identify animals scavenging out of your trash cans, or just to privately admire the splendor of, oh, I dunno, a neighbor’s spectacular physique as he weeds his garden naked, bending and crouching and grunting and sweating, often for hours at a time. It’s a really versatile system that way.

I should warn you, though. If something sets off the cameras’ motion detector between the hours of 6 and 8 a.m., or 7 to 9 p.m., or noon to 1 p.m. on weekends, don’t freak out. Just check the video on your computer or smartphone and you’ll see it’s probably just me in my backyard doing my nude Maori war-dance workout. Have you guys heard about this? Great cardio workout, strengthens your core. Really invigorating. It’s the new capoeira or whatever.

Or the motion detector could also be set off by my laundry hanging on the line, I guess. See, I believe in living simply, so I only have one outfit. Which means I have to do laundry every day. You’ll get used to seeing me out there filling my tub, scrubbing my clothes on the washboard, and hanging them on the clothesline, every single day. It’s a chore, but I figure it’s the least I can do for Mother Earth.

Anyway, Paul and Lori, welcome to the neighborhood. I hope you like the Zmodo 4-Channel Surveillance System with 4 Weatherproof IR Cameras. You never know what kind of freaks might be living among us these days, right? Well, nice talking to you. I gotta go do some laundry.

Authorized for SquareTrade Extended Warranty

Warranty: 1 Year Zmodo

Condition: New

Features:

• Surveillance kit includes a 4 channel H.264 real-time standalone DVR and four indoor/outdoor IR security cameras, cabling and mounting hardware
• Everything you need to have your surveillance system up and running in your home or business quickly and easily
• The DVR is a 4 channel, fully integrated, real time, and hardware based standalone digital video recorder
• The first Zmodo DVR to support Mac. Supports Apple Mac OS X versions 10.7.x (Lion) & 10.6.x (Snow Leopard)
• Supports up to 2TB 3.5” SATA hard drive (hard drive not Included) and includes (2) hard drive mounting screws
• A hard drive is not needed when using cameras for surveillance, but is required when using DVR for recording camera images
• The DVR is based on an embedded Linux operating system and includes a remote control for easy setup and operation
• DVR functionality is easily controlled by using either the remote control or the front panel controls on the DVR
• DVR supports network access through Ethernet RJ45 interface
• Support DVR backup via USB flash drive, removable drive, recorder and network
• The DVR also features the most updated 3G mobile live! Preview via mobile phone
• Use the 15-pin VGA output to connect a computer monitor (not included)
• Playback resolution 704×480
• The cameras included in the kit are weatherproof, day/night, security cameras with 30ft night vision
• Record Mode options include Continuous, Time Schedule, and Motion Detection
• Each camera comes with a 60-foot power and BNC video all-in-one cable
• All four cameras are powered by one AC adapter using a 4-way power splitter
• Monitor is not included in the package

DVR Features:

• 4 CH Real-time Surveillance DVR
• H.264 Hardware Compression
• Video Input / Output: BNC 4 / BNC 1
• Audio Input / Output: RCA 4 / RCA 1
• Signal System: NTSC / PAL
• Display: 120 fps
• Record: 120 fps
• Remote Access: Internet Explorer or Netviewer Software
• Support Remote View via Smart Phone & 3G Mobile:
  a) iPhone™
  b) Google Android™
  c) Blackberry™ OS V4.6
  d) Windows Mobile™ Pro 5.0 & 6.1
  e) Symbian™ S60 3rd & S60 5th

Camera Features:

• 1/4” Color CMOS Image Sensor
• 420 TV Lines, Horizontal
• 6mm Lens
• Weatherproof
• Signal: NTSC
• Iris: Auto
• Night Vision Min. Light: 0 Lux (IR On)
• IR Irradiation Distance: up to 30’
• Mount: Ceiling or Wall
• Video Connector: BNC
• Power Connector: RCA 12V DC

Additional Photos:

• Security Camera
• DVR Box
• I/O Ports
• Mouse
• Remote Control
• Package Contents
• Packaging

In the box:

• (1) DVR-H9124V DVR System (hard drive not included)
  
• (4) CMOS Color IR Outdoor Security Camera with Bracket
• (4) 60ft Surveillance Video + Power All-in-one Cable
• (1) 12V/1500mA 4 Port Power Supply
• (1) IR Remote Control
• (2) AA Batteries
• (1) Mouse
• (1) User’s Manual

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It has been somewhat of a slow week in Philliesville with some minor transactions involving some once major players.  Brad Lidge finally inked a deal this offseason agreeing to a one year contract with the Washington Nationals.  The closer spot in Washington already belongs to Drew Storen and he has proven to be a big [...]

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This off-season the Phillies improved their offense quite a bit by adding multiple free agent reserve types. One of those acquisitions, Jim Thome, is a familiar face that made the man who is in charge of the team each game day extremely pleased. Phils’ manager Charlie Manuel knows what Jim Thome can do and looks [...]

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Spill It!

The keyboard on this Lenovo is spill-resistant. Ever wonder how they test that?

Spill Tester’s Log:

9:02am: Successfully spilled can of soda on keyboard while ThinkPad turned on. Effect on Rapidboot’s 30% faster boot up time: none.

9:31am: Simulated composing a college essay and managed to spill latte on keyboard. Reached for pen to make this note and managed to knock second latte (personal latte, intended for drinking) onto keyboard. Damage to Lenovo (through two spills): none.

9:42am: Taking mid-morning break early to purchase second personal latte (third latte overall) since first personal (second overall) was inadvertently included in a field test.

9:53am: Tripped on way into office. Not sure how book got there. Second personal (third) latte inadvertently incorporated into field test much like first personal (second). Damage to keyboard: none. Damage to pants: noticeable.

11:42am: Watched full movie on 11.6” display with anti-glare finish. Forgot to spill work-provided bottle of juice on Lenovo. Consumed instead. Lack of caffeine affecting focus.

11:44am: Ancillary Bottle of Juice Request Form: submitted.

11:56am: Supervisor denied request. Not happy with performance, despite my two additional Latte Spill Tests at personal expense.

12:03pm: Working through lunch to show work ethic to supervisor.

12:11pm: Using dual-core 1.6GHz AMD Fusion E-350 CPU and integrated AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics to play video games for soda spill test. Opened soda. Did not fizz out at all. Must have forgotten to shake it. Need to file Ancillary Bottle of Soda Request Form. Working through lunch hour might not look good for work ethic after all.

12:12pm: Taking lunch break to buy third personal (fourth overall) latte. Maybe caffeine will reinvigorate.

12:14pm: Supplemental test – damage to Lenovo when latte is spilled on shirt in coffee shop nowhere near spill testing environment: none.

Authorized for SquareTrade Extended Warranty

Warranty: 1 Year Lenovo

Condition: New

Features:

• The first ThinkPad with VISION Pro technology from AMD comes chock full of features: a full-sized, spill-resistant keyboard, plenty of connectivity options (including VGA, HDMI and Bluetooth®) and more
• Powered by a dual-core 1.6GHz AMD Fusion E-350 CPU, 2GB of RAM, 320GB 5400rpm hard drive, integrated AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics, and 802.11n Wi-Fi
• LED backlit 11.6” display features a matte anti-glare finish, 16:9 aspect ratio, 200cd/m² brightness rating, 300:1 contrast ratio, and 1366 x 768 native resolution
• 4-in-1 memory card reader lets you download photos from your digital camera. It supports MMC, SD, MS, and MS Pro card formats
• Low light-sensitive webcam is perfect for use in dim environments
• Boot up and shut down your PC 30 percent faster using Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows® 7 with RapidBoot technology
• Up to 7.5 hours of battery life will keep you working long past your deadline, while 10 percent lower thermals will make sure you and your PC don’t overheat in the process

Additional Photos:

• Left Profile
• Right Profile
• Rear Profile
• Keyboard & Touchpad
• Package Contents

In the box:

• Lenovo ThinkPad x120e 0596 Notebook
• 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery
• AC Adapter

photo credit: @boetter

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Maikel Franco has quickly caught plenty of attention around minor league baseball. The Dominican Republic native, whose name is pronounced similarly to Miquel, was signed by the Phillies in 2010 as an amateur free agent. The 6-foot-1-inch 180-pounder began his pro career with the Gulf Coast League Phillies in 2010. As that club’s everyday third [...]

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One moment can define a career for a player, especially if it happens in October. Ben Francisco had one of those career defining moments in the third game of the National League Division Series. Cole Hamels kept the Cardinals scoreless over six frames. However, Jaimie Garcia was pitching just as well — that is, until [...]

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