Life rarely offers the opportunity for a corrective second shot; on the playground there is the “do-over” and the golf course the ”Mulligan”. Two software developers have created an instant replay application that allows software designers to “proofread” their programs live and “records” any crashes from bugs in the system. Follow the link for the full story from the New York Times.
Home computer users may have a long wait for a similar product so in the mean time follow the simple advice to prevent a disastrous loss of your data: back-up, back-up, and back-up. Backing up your data onto an external hard drive or burning back-up CDs will give a baseline for recovery from if your computer crashes.
For advice on preventing computer crashes and instruction on creating back up discs and using external hard drives consult the book Troubleshooting Your PC for Dummies. Recent articles from Forbes (hardcopy available at HPL) and David Pogue’s NYT column (follow the link) offer further options in hard drives and back up software.

Baristas, like bartenders, get to know their regulars. Sometimes this interaction leads to a deeper friendship, as is the case with Starbucks barista, Sandie Anderson and patron Annamaries Ausnes. Starbucks, or rather their employee -- Sandie Anderson really saved Ms Ausnes’ live by donating a kidney. Read the story as reported on EfluxMedia.
Then there’s Michael Gates Gill’s more metaphorical salvation through employment -- How Starbucks Saved My Life. Gates’ home life and career were in the dumpster when he filed an application at Starbucks. Working with a much younger and ethnically diverse workforce he discovers the joy of the daily grind.

Send in the Clones – Cuttings of Rare Plants and Hopes of Repopulation

You might have clones living in your home. No, you don’t have to check the basement for “pods”. (The science fiction film Invasion of the Body Snatchers featured alien invaders who hatched clones from pods). If you have cuttings that have matured into rooted plants you have cloned a houseplant.
In an effort Olmsted would applaud 900 cloned giant redwood trees have been created in an effort to reestablish the endangered tree.
This story and audio clip from National Public Radio’s All Things Considered presents another example of scientists seeking to preserve a rare wild coffee plant. It’s the story of the impact of alien species on the island of Rodrigues. Douglas Adams’ Last Chance to See provides some of the source material for the radio story and is available at Hinsdale Public Library.

An estimated 27 million people will fly to their Thanksgiving celebrations and the FAA and the airlines are taking action that should result in faster and safer trips. President Bush announced the creation of ‘express lanes’ in the air. During the Thanksgiving rush, November 21-25, 2007, the FFA will authorize temporary use of military flight paths over the continental United States in an effort to reduce flight delays.
But will the weather cooperate? Not according to WGN’s Tommy Skilling.
Check your guests’ flights with this universal flight tracker.

IBM joins Google as one of the high tech corporations going green. IBM has created a process to recycle silicon from computer chips, which then can be used to create solar panels. Recycled silicon may reduce the cost of solar panels by an estimated 30% and reduce the amount of material becoming land fill. To read more about this win-win situation follow the link to full article from Information Week.