Microsoft Surface

Here's a great review and first-look into the much anticipated Microsoft Surface.

I can't wait to actually get to play with one of these things. The opportunities are endless and I definitely foresee many applications and possible implementations for the product...

Enjoy.
-zeb.

Absolutely Disgusting

Please give this article a read and watch out for those pesky record label brats standing at the street corner waiting to make you pay for singing a song while driving in the car...

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070708/NEWS01/707080343/1006

Patience, Please.

Okay we've had some serious server issues here. SamZeb.com is running from it's new home...

Pics and other things are currently down -- but don't give up hope. A new site with a new design and lots of other cool things should be coming soon.

Quick news update: Baby Zeb (my nephew -- not my son) was born. Check out his site

Now that you're bored and have nothing to do, cruise on over to my boy Paymon's site. Lots of good reading over there.

Come back and visit soon.

-zeb.

Blogging Likened To Smoking & Other Habit Forming Habits
By Vincent McDinerton
Internet News Staff Writer
Monday, March 19, 2007

In the words of long time blogger and website developer Sam Zebarjadi, "blogging is like smoking. Okay, it's not like I've ever smoked, but I can only imagine it being the same." Zebarjadi continues to say, "It's like one of those habits, that when you do it, it's all you want to do. After you've had a break and haven't done it in a while, you're dying to go back, but you're afraid of how to approach it, and you become worried about its potential consequences."

Zebarjadi, or 'SamZeb' as he is commonly referred to, has been blogging since before blogging existed. "I used to manually edit and update my webpage once every few days because I thought it to be a good way to keep friends and family apprised as to what was going on in life. But there were no commenting engines at the time, so it became [kind of] lame".

His so-called 'critically acclaimed' website, samzeb.com, would typically reach over 10,000 hits per month from all around the world during it's peak. Friends, family, and strangers alike would visit the website to read comedic blog posts, see pictures of concerts and celebrity meet-and-greets, and even view quirky home made videos of youth engaging in some hysterical and some plain stupid acts which are rivaled only by modern day MTV's hit show 'Jackass'. Unfortunately, the website hasn't seen an update since early January 2007. "You know, I've just been so busy with so much. My work has been busy, I've been traveling to far corners of the world, I have a wife and a house to take care of, and I even have a nephew on the way. There just aren't enough hours in a day."

Zebarjadi continues, recalling an incident in 2006 in which editors from the UK's Maxim Magazine contacted him and asked to use some of his photos in an issue of their magazine. There have also been numerous other incidents in which Zebarjadi's work has been used for websites, media, and sheer entertainment. "There were many times when I'd be at events like Baha'i conferences, and random people I had never met would come up to and say Hey! You're that SamZeb guy who has the website. After a while, you start to feel like a pseudo celebrity, but then you realize that you're nothing but a glorified computer nerd with a semi-pretty face and mediocre jokes who is waiting to blog about something either blatantly obvious or about something no one truly cares about."

Staff writer Gohan Schett contributed to this report.

2006 - Year In Review

Let's face it. 2006 was a busy year. Personally, professionally, politically, and all those other P words which describe a categorical being in this transient world.

Personally, much has happened. I started off the year by having just moved and started a new job in Atlanta. In March, I got engaged. My grandfather passed away pretty suddenly in April. At the end of April/beginning of May, I went on Baha'i Pilgrimage with my family. In June, I got married. In October, we moved to our new home. In November, my family moved to Atlanta. In December, we found out that Nafis and Shirin are expecting a baby. On top of that, I had several friends who got married or had other life changing events which took place throughout the year.

So usually every December, I'll do a music review of the year. Concerts, good and bad albums, and my thoughts on pop culture in general. This year, I'm changing it up. I did not have much focus this year in the music industry, and other than a few memorable events (such as meeting Justin Timberlake), not much occurred on that front.

I had the good fortune of having the ability to travel the world this year (both for work and for pleasure). I had the misfortune of having to leave my wife at home to do so. As always, a double-edged sword. My travels took me between the west coast and east coast of the US, down to South America, and all the way to various places in Europe and the Middle East. I figured I'd write a really long blog entry for those travelites who read this (I know you're out there) who want some information on my various trips and such.

So...for those of you interested, stay tuned. I'll have some really useless stuff coming soon.

Peace and Love in 2007.
-zeb.

Guest Blog
Thanks to my boy, Paymon, for stepping it up and writing a guest blog while things have been slow over here at the zeb.com. Also, be sure to check out his sports blog (very insightful) at phsports.blogspot.com. Now onto the goods:

So, Sam hasn’t had a really good blog for a while. Being the good friend/former wingman that I am, I said I would do an entry serving not only the interest of starving SamZeb.com readers but also for my desire to write about something not sports-related. Why? That’s because I have a new blog (phsports.blogspot.com) focused entirely on the sporting world.

With that said, I want to be positive … so I’m gonna write about things I really dislike and lessons learned therefrom.

Thing I Dislike #1: Impunity

First things first, people who operate in their respective positions with a sense of impunity. That really pisses me off. Instantly, you think of politicians, incompetent people in the workplace who kiss enough behind to last another day, and Coach K recruiting through AmEx commercials.

Lesson Learned #1: You Can Be Replaced

As much as I want to be that lazy, incompetent person on the job, I can’t get by on personality alone and I have – for better or for worse – too much pride to kiss ass. Everyone in job settings can be replaced so you gotta stay humble, live life as it comes, and plan in order to not let unforeseen setbacks affect you too much.

Thing I Dislike #2: Annoying Metro Walkers

Before I go into this, I want to let the slow people know that I’m not talking to all of you, only most of you. It’s not so bad that you move slower than a snail, it’s that, at the same time, you can’t walk straight. And that messes up my flow. And anyone who is either successful or plans to be successful has a flow. I have a flow when traveling alone and it works for me.

Lesson Learned #2: Metro Sucks Ass

I like public transportation. It’s pragmatic. As my friend Sum points out every time we’re either on the Metro, the tram at Atlanta Airport, or the topic arises, he says, “they gotta get rid of the seats because it takes up so much space.” He’s right. Metro spends $51,000 a year on escalator maintenance and contributes to a culture of laziness for many who can take the steps.

Thing I Dislike #3: AK suited in poker

This hand is the death wish. It never hits unless I’m up against it with Hiltons (QQ). According to my brother, being suited gives you a 3% additional chance of winning a hand. So, this might sway a 50/50 to about 53/47 in your favor, right? WRONG. You play AK suited. You’re gonna lose. You’ve got someone dominated who’s holding an ace and they hit on the river. It’s a ball buster, and if you’re female, an ovary buster, if you will. If you will not, you’ve probably stopped reading this.

Lesson Learned #3: Don’t Die with AK

Dying with Ace-King as your last hand is like throwing a hand grenade at yourself and letting it detonate. Not a way I want to go out. But seriously, if you’re near the money in a tournament and someone raised your AK, don’t get smart. Fold. Run. Take cover. That is, unless you have them pegged for AK. Then, call.

Thing I Dislike #4: Greedonomics

When greed mates with economics, you get greedonomics. I’m sure someone has coined the term, and that person was probably talking about the oil industry and the policies they propagate. The recent gas decreases of no less than 20% in the last three months taking place nationwide has broached the question, “Why didn’t the oil executives before the impending November elections?”

Lesson Learned #4: Materialism is a Dangerous Game

Essentially, materialism is greed personified. It’s a dangerous game to play. It’s kinda like going all-in with A8. You’ll knock out some people, but along the way, your chip stack is gonna take a severe hit. Poker analogies aside, this affects the power you thirst for during every waking second of your life … and most importantly, your soul.

Cool Site

Check out http://www.ideafortheday.com --

Also, note to self: do not leave trash bag in trunk of car for 6 hours.