Landed in the US on a one-day business trip today. The family is enjoying Christmas with the grandparents in Victoria, BC, and I need to work remotely to cover the time.

I flew into Seattle for a one-day trip, with my brand-new Advanced Parole documents. Figured it would be speedy.

90 minutes later, they let someone who has gone through a number of security checks and other body scans into the US.

Have to wonder what people from other countries have to go through.

Technorati Tags: Green Card, Advanced Parole, immigration, strip search, body cavity

Tags: Advanced Parole, brand, business, Green Card, HTTP, IE, IM, Immigration, IP, it, LAN, Om, One, search, Technorati

This morning we dragged the family out of beg at a ridiculous hour for an adventure into downtown Boston.

It was a big day in the Green Card Process: We were off to get fingerprinted and have our pictures taken. This is a big step, as we can now be cross-referenced against all of the major security databases to verify whether we are criminals or not.

However, the biggest step came about 10 days ago when we got our Advanced Parole documents.

For those of you who have managed to avoid this happy process, an Advanced Parole document is a document that states that I have the rights and privileges of a Green Card holder, but I am on double-secret probation.

The other big deal with this is that I can take on contract work, and Samantha can get a job if she so desires.

Our fortunes may be looking up?

Technorati Tags:
Green Card, USCIS, Advanced Parole, Immigration

Tags: Advanced Parole, app, Boston, cro, data, database, Green Card, HTTP, IM, Immigration, it, LAN, Om, pr, Technorati, the other

Want to follow all the Holiday Retail Fun? Check out the GrabPERF Black Friday Dashboard! Follow the Web performance of your favorite retailer all the time!

New and updated for 2008!

This morning, Tiger Direct effectively imploded.

Bad day.

UPDATE: Looks like they found the solution to their problem.

Technorati Tags:
Grabperf, Web performance, Tiger Direct, Cyber Monday

Tags: GrabPERF, HTTP, IE, IM, it, LAN, Om, performance, pr, Technorati, update, web, Web Performance, Web+performance

Today’s biggest victim of Black Friday appears to be Sears

Sears measurement data for the last 8 hours can be found here.

UPDATE: It gets worse for Sears.

Technorati Tags:
Grabperf, Sears, Black Friday, Web Performance

Tags: app, data, GrabPERF, GrabPERF.org, HTTP, IE, IM, it, LAN, measurement, Om, performance, PHP, Technorati, update, web, Web Performance, Web+performance

Look ma: Macy’s is already too busy.

Yeah. Let the fun begin.

Technorati: GrabPERF “Black Friday” “Web Performance” “Macy’s”

Tags: EAD, GrabPERF, HTTP, IE, IM, it, Mac, Om, performance, Technorati, web

Ok, for my birthday (November 14), I am going to Columbus, OH.

Could be worse.

Couldn’t it?

Technorati Tags:
Columbus, Ohio, birthday, 39, travel

Tags: HTTP, it, LAN, Om, Technorati

We got Samantha a new T-Mobile cell a few weeks back. But it came with an unwanted and expensive feature: every morning at 11:00, she receives a weather update from Windows Live Alerts.

Apparently the previous owner of the number had these alerts programmed. And of course, there is no way to shut them off because we have no clue who this person is/was.

If anyone out there from the Windows Live team or the T-Mobile support team can try and help us, it would be very much appreciated.

Technorati Tags: Windows Live, T-Mobile, TMobile, Windows Live Alerts, help, sms

Tags: app, HTTP, it, live, Om, One, pr, T-Mobile, Technorati, TMobile, update, window, Windows

If you have been trying to send me stuff at my personal email address, it seems that Namesecure.com has decided to take it’s sweet time setting up my new email services.

Right now, if you try and send mail, the MX record reports that there is an NXDOMAIN.

I am not happy.

Technorati Tags: Namesecure, Namesecure.com, MX, mail

Tags: app, HTTP, IE, IM, it, Om, personal, Technorati

Apparently our friends at NASA are sitting on a report that clearly details the true state of air safety in the United States.

NASA Sits on Air Safety Survey

I want this report, NOW!

Technorati Tags: NASA, air safety, FOIA

Tags: app, HTTP, IE, it, Om, Technorati, United States

My colleague Roger went on his first business road trip last week.

It was from hell. He spent some time detailing the whole hellish experience here.

On November 14-15, I am travelling with Roger to Columbus, OH. I have promised to make it a much more…enjoyable experience.

Technorati Tags: travel, business, bad trips, Los Angeles

Tags: blog, business, HTTP, IE, IM, IP, it, Om, pr, Technorati