Microsoft Releases Preview Of Its New Browser ‘Project Spartan’ In Fresh Windows 10 Build

When given free reign to put their techie skills to full throttle, the whiz-kids of Microsoft can still “bring it”.  That was again the conclusion I came to after my first test drive of Project Spartan the web browser that will takeover from the venerable, yet much maligned, Internet Explorer.  When Windows 10 ships this summer the default web browser will be Project Spartan. I got my first sneak peek at Spartan yesterday after downloading a new Window 10 Preview Build and I was very impressed with it, especially some of the new, exciting features it has built in.

Spartan has a clean, minimalist look with simple menus

Here’s a typical complicated web page with ads

Just one click of the ‘book icon’ takes you to a clean reading mode

Project Spartan helps with a beautiful new Reading List to collect everything you want to read, including the ability to save any webpage or PDF for convenient access later, and an integrated, distraction-free Reading View that keeps you focused on the content.

You can draw, highlight, and crop web pages and save them to OneNote

Everyone uses the Web routinely to share questions, thoughts, info and comments with friends and colleagues. Now with new inking capabilities, Project Spartan enables you to write or type directly on the page, comment on what’s interesting or clip what you want – then easily share this “Web Note” via mail, or a social network. I tried this just using my finger to select a paragraph and save it to One Note and it worked just perfect.

Cortana voice assistant is integrated right into the web browser

Cortana in Project Spartan is a personal assistant that helps make Web browsing easier for you, with whatever you’re trying to get done. Cortana offers help based on what she knows about the Web, about you and what you might be trying to do. She remains in the background but provides additional information when you need it, making browsing easier and more efficient.

You can highlight a word and get more info on the subject from Cortana.

Right now, it’s important to note that there will be tons more features and many improvements coming to Project Spartan before Microsoft makes it available with Windows 10.  This preview is NOT a polished, ready-for-everyone release but it sure is impressive to work with and just make me think again about my favourite web browser – Chrome.  Spartan is definitely built for Windows 10 – it’s brand new, slick and Microsoft is definitely back in the game!

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"Fix This Now” - The Indianapolis Star Devotes Entire Front Page To Editorial Blasting The GOP Gay Hate Law

The Indianapolis Star has had enough.  They dedicated their entire front page on Tuesday morning to a scorching editorial calling on Gov. Mike Pence to “stop clinging to ideology or personal preferences; to focus instead on fixing this”.  The editorial went on to address Pence saying “Governor, Indiana is in a state of crisis.  It is worse than you seem to understand.  You must act with courage and wisdom …..You must ensure that all Hoosiers have strong protections against discrimination.

Tuesday, March 31, 2015 – Front Page of The Indianapolis Star

Here are just a few of the reasons why the editorial board of the Indianapolis Star and many other business leaders in Indiana are extremely worried about this hate law and Governor Pence’s tone-deaf reaction to his bigoted decision to sign this bill into law. This is not going to end well for Governor Pence.  The good news is he’s finished on the national stage – good riddance!

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I’m Running Windows 10 Preview Build On My Laptop – It’s Coming This Summer And Looks Good

Windows 10 could be on a computer near you as early as this June but almost certainly by the end of this summer. With that news I thought I’d better get a bit of a head start on Windows 10 to see what it looks like, how it works and how it compares to Windows 8.1. To do that, I joined the Windows Insider Program and was soon able to download the latest Windows 10 Preview Build and install it on my laptop computer which I don’t use much while we’re not RV’ing.

Running a Preview Build of Windows can be tricky as explained by Microsoft:

“The Program Services include experimental and early prerelease software. This means that you may experience occasional crashes and in rare cases data loss. To recover, you may have to reinstall your applications, the operating system, or re-flash your device. Using the Program Services on some devices may impact your warranty (check with your device provider). By participating, you agree to frequently backup your data.”

The new Windows 10 – one and only desktop display with the Start button

OK, then.  With those dire warnings in mind I nevertheless plunged ahead and followed the simple steps to replace my perfectly good Windows 8.1 with the experimental and perhaps flaky pre-release build of Windows 10.  Basically, I just selected the option to install Windows 10 then sat back and watched for about an hour or so as my laptop downloaded files, shutdown and restarted several times until at last it told me Windows 10 was finalizing settings and I would soon be set to go.

A new comprehensive Notifications Panel replaces the awkward Charms Bar

Finally, I was at the familiar Windows sign-on screen where I keyed in my 4-digit PIN and with that I went directly to the new Windows 10 desktop.  It has the old familiar Windows 7 style Start menu but it also displays fully customizable Window 8 tile icons too.  From the start menu, you have access to all of your apps, most used apps and other functions just like you did with Windows 7.  If you prefer the Windows 8 look then that’s easy to display with just a click but you still stay on the same desktop and don’t get sent off into never, never land.

A new Settings App looks ready to replace the jumbled mess Control Panel

Windows 10 features a new Settings App that’s a combination of the Control Panel from Windows 7 and Settings from Windows 8.  Even though Control Panel is still included in this Windows 10 Build, I’m betting the jumbled jumbled mess it grew into over the years will be replaced by the new, clean, functional Settings App.  It’s very simple and clear and I liked it a lot.

Cortana is a voice activated assistant similar to Apple’s Siri

The Taskbar now has a search box with a microphone that brings up Cortana which is Microsoft's voice-driven assistant that works similar to Apple’s Siri. You can ask questions out-loud, and Cortana will answer by serving up relevant results. Cortana has an integrated search capability, meaning she can search your hard drive to bring up things like documents, specifics apps, or photos from a certain month. She can send emails for you too. Or, if you don’t want to talk to Cortana then you can type in the Search Box and It'll look online and across all your Windows 10 devices..

Cortana in action doing web searches

There is much, much more to Windows 10 than the few things I’ve mentioned here but the biggest news to me is how simple it is to use. I don’t think anyone will find this new OS confusing at all.  It is very similar in function to Windows 7. This is going to be a “free upgrade” to Windows 10 for all Windows 7 and 8 users (for 1 year).  It will be installed automatically by Windows Update shortly after Microsoft releases Windows 10 this summer.  Be aware and be ready!

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Six Times Pence Refuses To Say That Law Won’t Allow Discrimination

Yes or No?  Indiana Gov. Mike Pence was asked 6 times on Sunday morning by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos to answer the question “if, under the law, it would be legal to refuse service to gay customers and six times Pence refused to answer.”  I watched in disbelief as Pence unwittingly continued to dig himself deeper and deeper into the hole he started by signing this bigoted hate law on Thursday. I found myself at a loss for words (really!!) in trying to explain what I had just witnessed.  However, a staff writer for Daily Kos, Barbara Morrill summed it up perfectly:

By Barbara Morrill – Daily Kos Staff

In the annals of damage control that did more harm than good, Indiana's Gov. Mike Pence has truly set the new standard. Appearing on today's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" to defend and "clarify" Indiana's new right to discriminate law that he eagerly signed last week, Pence—and this is putting it kindly—crashed and burned.

Six times Stephanopoulos asked if, under the law, it would be legal to refuse service to gay customers and six times Pence refused to answer. And when asked outright if "you [Pence] think it should be legal in the state of Indiana  to discriminate against gays or lesbians … it's a yes or no question," Pence's astonishing (and eye roll-inducing) answer was, "Hoosiers don't believe in discrimination." So there you go.

And while Pence continued to peddle the notion that he'd support efforts by the Indiana legislature to "clarify" their new license to discriminate, when asked if making the LGBT community a protected class would be considered, Pence said no, that he wouldn't push for that, that it's not on his agenda and that it's "not an objective of the people of the state of Indiana," and then flat-out said, "We're not going to change the law" and that "I stand by this law."

So, given all this, what was the real purpose of Pence's announcement that they'd seek to have this legally-enshrined bigotry clarified? Beyond insisting that Hoosiers were really nice people and that their only concern was to "strengthen the foundation of the Constitution"? Apparently it was to let everyone know that Pence has been reaching out to business leaders and cooperate leaders to "correct the gross mischaracterization of this law." Because that's the real bottom line.

I have a feeling it’s not going to be a good week for GOP Governor Mike Pence or for the state of Indiana either. Pence has deliberately stepped in “dog-poop” and instead of just scraping it off is now intent on taking his foul smelling bigotry into the living rooms of folks across the country and the world by appearing on TV.  The good news – he’s no longer a viable candidate for the GOP presidential nomination. Nobody, not even the GOP, wants a candidate with dog-poop on his shoes!

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Dumb And Dumber: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence To Introduce New Bill To Try And ‘Clarify’ His Anti-Gay Hate Law

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, burned by a fast-spreading political firestorm, told the Indianapolis Star yesterday that he will support the introduction of legislation to “clarify” that Indiana’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act does not promote discrimination against gays and lesbians.  The RFRA act was dumb, bigoted and hateful. Seeking to clarify it instead of repealing it is dumber and only reinforces the fact that the law was, in fact, hateful and Pence now knows it.

In his interview with the Star, Pence acknowledge that Indiana’s image — and potentially its economic health — has been hurt badly by the controversy.  No kidding?  This isn’t the 1950’s….what exactly did he expect?  Governor’s can’t sign laws that legalizes the oppression of groups of citizens some groups don’t like. Pence still insists that the intense blowback against the new law is the result of a “misunderstanding driven by misinformation.”  If that were true then why are you trying now to introduce legislation to clarify it?  You should be ashamed.

The religious reps witnessing the signing of a hate bill – incredible!

Pence’s backtracking came about on the same day that Angie’s List CEO Bill Oesterle announced that his company will abandon a deal with the state and city to expand the company’s headquarters in Indianapolis because of RFRA’s passage. Osterle is a Republican and it’s a sign that the damage from the RFRA debacle could be extensive.  Hopefully, the damage will be to whatever fantasy Gov. Pence was dreaming up to seek the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination.  He can kiss that dream goodbye no matter he does with his hate law.

Gov. Pence appears to be completely tone-deaf regarding signing his bigoted law.  When asked about the strongly negative reaction this has brought him and his state, he replied “I just can’t account for the hostility that’s been directed at our state,” and even more telling that his team didn’t see it coming.  That’s no surprise as Pence continues to insist, against all evidence, that the law is not about discrimination.  Really?  How sad he can’t recognize this.

I’m puzzled as to why so many Christians support this bigoted law

Whatever is in the new proposal to ‘clarify’ the hate law, it will no doubt be a real doozy and predictably stupid.  Hopefully, true Christians who have also had their credibility damaged by this will find the courage to stand up and speak out strongly and publicly against this discriminatory law. Pence is using religion as his excuse for signing this legislation and so far Christian groups who should know better have been strangely silent. Why is that? 

Perhaps the best reaction to Gov. Pence’s decision to sign this bill into law came from former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer who vetoed a similar bill as one of her last acts as Arizona Governor.  She said “even I wasn’t dumb enough to sign a bill like that.”  Too bad for Gov. Pence that he didn’t consult with former Gov. Brewer before torpedoing any future national political hopes he fantasized about.

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Would Jesus Hate Gays As It Seems Indiana’s Religious Right Does?

Indiana's Republican Gov. Mike Pence, tellingly behind closed doors, signed into law a hate bill that protects business owners who refuse service to gay and lesbian customers on trumped-up religious grounds. This Sharia-like law allows Indianans who are sued for discrimination to cite their religious beliefs as a defense.  It’s plainly a case where so-called Christians can use their bigoted personal beliefs to discriminate against not only gays but anyone else they claim offends their religious freedom. Does anyone who believes in Jesus Christ agree that Jesus would support this law?  Is this “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”?

Indiana is making Arizona look liberal

Why is it that these cases of discrimination always seem to be brought in the name of religious freedom?  What do so-called evangelical Christians have against people who are our brothers, sisters, family members, friends, fellow-workers, ministers, priests, nuns and many others who are nothing more than law-abiding, hard-working, good citizens. It boggles the mind that these Republicans, and make no mistake, it’s always Republicans, who promote these hate laws, want to take society back to the 1950’s and shamefully use their supposed religious views to justify it.

Putin or Pence?  What’s the difference?

What next for these bozos?  Will it be separate “straight and gay” water fountains?  Bathrooms?  Back of the bus?  It amazes me that folks who profess to being Christian and believe that “Jesus loves everyone” continue to vote for politicians who oppose everything that Christianity is supposed to stand for. To me, these folks are nothing more than “bumper-sticker” Christians. Forget that – they’re really just hypocrites who think they are better than the minorities they piously despise.

Apple CEO warns Arkansas about approving similar law to Indiana

Apple CEO Tim Cook is now calling on Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchison (R) to veto an anti-gay "religious freedom" bill making its way through the state legislature in the aftermath of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s decision. Hutchison is trying to bring new technology companies to Arkansas.  Good luck with that if he signs this bill into law.  The CEO of Salesforce said Thursday his company was canceling its programs in Indiana over the law. The CEO of the ratings website Yelp said his company wouldn't expand into states that had laws like Indiana's – and the list of companies planning to boycott Indiana and similar states is growing hourly.

Gov. Pence is considering a bit for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) was pressed by a radio host on Friday to say if something happened in Indiana to justify signing an anti-gay religious freedom bill into law. Pence said "I'm not aware of cases and controversies.”  What then could possibly be his motivation for signing such a bigoted law?  Well, how about the fact that he’s considering joining the “clown-car” in a bid for the  2016 Republican presidential nomination?  Pence is putting his own personal ambition ahead of his state because, I suppose, he believes this is what Jesus would do if he were Governor.  

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Wonderful Reunion Visits With Our Little Mason

Paulette and I couldn’t wait to see Mason again after our long 3 month stay in Palm Springs.  On Wednesday evening, we picked up a pizza and took it over for dinner to share with Carrie and our little man.  Out “little man” seems to have grown a foot and is well on his way to becoming a little boy.

“It’s sure great to have you home again, Grandpa”

Mason was as happy to see his Grammy and Grandpa again as we were to see him.  It was absolutely terrific to see his wonderful smile and to see how excited he was as he ran around his home showing us all his toys and playthings. 

I was so busy trying to hold and give Mason hugs that I totally forgot to take any pictures that night.  These ones are from the day after when I drove down for another visit and to spend more ‘bonding’ time with my little grandson.

It sure was fun and we’ll be seeing lots of Mason over the coming months as we take him on hikes, to summer beaches and, of course, to our home where he can run around and play in our big backyard (once I get the 2-feet long grass cut)!!

Sorry, Grandpa…I kinda messed up Mommy’s laptop!

Mason decided to try and improve his Mommy’s laptop by moving some keys around.  I managed to get a few of them back on o.k. but these ones have the snap connectors pulled off.  No problem….I’ve ordered a new keyboard ($20) and it’ll be as good as new once Mason and I put it back together.  I’ll give him the old keyboard and he can practice removing the chic-let keys on it.

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