Once again, I prove to be a friend to the Des Moines Register - this time regarding McDonald's and Wi-Fi access:

Jason Cross, director of consumer Internet services at Lighthouse Communications in Des Moines, likened McDonald's wireless service to the McRib sandwich.

With 30,000-plus restaurants, McDonald's has to test consumers' appetites for high-speed wireless hot spots before rolling them out to millions of customers.

"If you're there eating a Happy Meal and you don't know how to configure your computer (for wireless access), the kid behind the counter isn't going to be able to help you," Cross said. "They want to get all the bugs and issues" sorted out before the company decides whether to expand the service nationally.

The whole thing is here.

It gets weirder and weirder...

Taco Bell is running a promotion in California where you can place a "vote" (not legally counting) for your favorite Recall election governor choice by purchasing a taco or burrito.

Remember in the movie Demolition Man how Sly and Sandra go out for an evening of dinner and dancing at Taco Bell because it's the only surviving restaurant?  This is how it starts!

Stolen from The Onion.

And don't go acting all surprised or indignant...  you all already knew I was a liberal!

Click picture to read

Hot air ballooning, that oh so Indianolan of past times...  I have my pictures from this year's National Balloon Classic and O'Henry crewing up in the ImageGallery.  Click here to check them out.  Warning--hundreds of pictures!

This morning I got to take my second balloon ride.  It was a beautiful morning - great visibility and calm winds.  I took about 70 photos while in flight, many of which I hope to have online Sunday. Ah Sunday...when I can finally sleep in (since ballooning requires 5am mornings each day this week!)

Click picture for a larger version!

I was interviewed by the Des Moines Register yesterday about that Primate Programming, Inc. site (I am on their list of tech people to call when they need a quote), but unfortunately the Iowa Primate Learning Center was unhappy about the site (who links to the IPLC), so their unhappiness made the article rather than my hilarity.

BUT as it turns out, a second article was submitted and picked up by the AP, which in turn made the front page of Salon.com today!

"It's hilarious," says Jason Cross, director of consumer Internet services for Lighthouse Communications in Des Moines. Click here to read the whole thing.

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