Politics In Church? Depends On Your Party | Oliver Willis
Interesting.
I edit a newsletter for a not for profit genealogy society and one of the things that I am always careful of is urging people to vote, or even call their representative over an issue. Maybe it is time we start kicking some of these churches (and other tax-exempt organizations) off the tax-exempt bandwagon when they start getting into politics.
Friday, June 03, 2005
O'Reilly Radar > Anil Dash, Goatse, and Social Hacking
O'Reilly Radar > Anil Dash, Goatse, and Social Hacking
A fancier term for social engineering, but same idea. At least this one was relatively harmless, compared to the people who call up and get unsuspecting people to give up their credit card information.
A fancier term for social engineering, but same idea. At least this one was relatively harmless, compared to the people who call up and get unsuspecting people to give up their credit card information.
Smart Mobs: A family of four,living just outside Barcelona
Smart Mobs: A family of four,living just outside Barcelona
Ok, I have been reading about this for years, and watching it on TV & movies for even longer. At least with text messaging it makes more sense. I'll believe it when I can go and see a working model in person and can buy equipment off the shelf.
However if we are going to make our houses "smart," why not hook them in with some limited computer control? Instead of having to text in and turn the lights on and off at random times, why can't a computer do that for us? How about various levels of notification - maybe an email if something is minor (the garage door was not closed in the morning) to going through a call list with one of those "press 1 to stop calls" type things if water is spewing from the kitchen faucet? Buried water detectors to control the sprinkler system? All these things are really doable, but currently they are technolgies that are not really tied together or VERY expensive.
Ok, I have been reading about this for years, and watching it on TV & movies for even longer. At least with text messaging it makes more sense. I'll believe it when I can go and see a working model in person and can buy equipment off the shelf.
However if we are going to make our houses "smart," why not hook them in with some limited computer control? Instead of having to text in and turn the lights on and off at random times, why can't a computer do that for us? How about various levels of notification - maybe an email if something is minor (the garage door was not closed in the morning) to going through a call list with one of those "press 1 to stop calls" type things if water is spewing from the kitchen faucet? Buried water detectors to control the sprinkler system? All these things are really doable, but currently they are technolgies that are not really tied together or VERY expensive.
Yahoo! Publisher's Guide to RSS
Yahoo! Publisher's Guide to RSS
I find this to be ery interesting, since I have had a lot of problems with RSS feeds and My Yahoo - some work, some don't. Seems the ones that don't buddy up to Yahoo or other corporate sites don't get handled right through Yahoo, but Bloglines works fine. Note to Yahoo - if you want to be my portal you need to work with all RSS feeds and not require a special ping to YOUR servers.
I find this to be ery interesting, since I have had a lot of problems with RSS feeds and My Yahoo - some work, some don't. Seems the ones that don't buddy up to Yahoo or other corporate sites don't get handled right through Yahoo, but Bloglines works fine. Note to Yahoo - if you want to be my portal you need to work with all RSS feeds and not require a special ping to YOUR servers.
Review: Wireless Devices Live Up to Hype - Yahoo! News
Review: Wireless Devices Live Up to Hype - Yahoo! News
Given my problems with my current gear (purchased just before the "pre N" stuff mentioned in the article) I am definately keeping an eye out for real 802.11n stuff, even if it means disabling the included adaptor. My bluetooth has better connectivity in my living room than my WiFi. Wish I had built in bluetooth, the one thing I will change for my next purchase.
Given my problems with my current gear (purchased just before the "pre N" stuff mentioned in the article) I am definately keeping an eye out for real 802.11n stuff, even if it means disabling the included adaptor. My bluetooth has better connectivity in my living room than my WiFi. Wish I had built in bluetooth, the one thing I will change for my next purchase.
CNN.com - Study: Shoppers naive about retail prices online - Jun 1, 2005
CNN.com - Study: Shoppers naive about retail prices online - Jun 1, 2005
I do have to agree with The Geek that that this is a huge invasion of my privacy, but then again if Amazon, Best Buy, or my local grocer is going to gather information on me anyways I might as well benefit somewhat. I have not checked out my local grocer to see if I can get some custom coupons off the internet. The trick though is I want to get SOMETHING. I don't want to get charged more because I keep coming back to your site/store and buy the same thing.
I have been having trouble with this in real life as well. Give me some reason to remain a loyal customer. My bank, to attract new customers, offer free ATM use from other banks but for me, who has been a customer for over 10 years having all my accounts (save 1 CD and a small savings account I have had since I was 10) have to pay. You see the same thing in cellphone service. Essentially you are using your current customers to fund new customers.
What does this mean? If you are going to track my spending habits, give me something useful in return - discounts, new product info that is related to my spending habits. I'm a single male, I don't really care about feminine hygeine products or tampons. I buy maybe 1 bottle of wine every 2 years, don't tell me about the latest beer sale. If I have some kind of service from you, don't require me to call you and jump through hoops to get changes that the same services I could get if I was a new customer. Charging me more because you know my shopping habits or making me call you to claim a service is customer abuse, and one reason why many of us have no loyalty. Building a business model based on churn is not a way to sustain a business.
I do have to agree with The Geek that that this is a huge invasion of my privacy, but then again if Amazon, Best Buy, or my local grocer is going to gather information on me anyways I might as well benefit somewhat. I have not checked out my local grocer to see if I can get some custom coupons off the internet. The trick though is I want to get SOMETHING. I don't want to get charged more because I keep coming back to your site/store and buy the same thing.
I have been having trouble with this in real life as well. Give me some reason to remain a loyal customer. My bank, to attract new customers, offer free ATM use from other banks but for me, who has been a customer for over 10 years having all my accounts (save 1 CD and a small savings account I have had since I was 10) have to pay. You see the same thing in cellphone service. Essentially you are using your current customers to fund new customers.
What does this mean? If you are going to track my spending habits, give me something useful in return - discounts, new product info that is related to my spending habits. I'm a single male, I don't really care about feminine hygeine products or tampons. I buy maybe 1 bottle of wine every 2 years, don't tell me about the latest beer sale. If I have some kind of service from you, don't require me to call you and jump through hoops to get changes that the same services I could get if I was a new customer. Charging me more because you know my shopping habits or making me call you to claim a service is customer abuse, and one reason why many of us have no loyalty. Building a business model based on churn is not a way to sustain a business.
Vic Gundotra - Simple, Safer and Sexier
Vic Gundotra - Simple, Safer and Sexier
Let's try this again with comment.
Frankly I have not kept up with the latest & greatest in Longhorn (the next Windows version) and Indigo (the interface layer), because frankly it is still at least a year out and I can say that the feature set is probably not as gelled as everyone would like.
What I do like is Microsoft is FINALLY doing what the rest of the industry have been trying to do for years - multi-tier programming which spits the user interface away from the logic systems. Sounds like they have been moving in this direction for some time, but it sounds like they are finally going to achieve it.
Anyone who has developed on Microsoft products knows it takes 3 versions of something for MS to get it right. Windows 3.0 was when GUIs took off. We have had a few more than 3 releases since Windows went to 32 bit, and they are finally getting it.
One thing that I hope happens is they start to build hooks into Indigo to call out to third party apps. I think with extensions, add on, etc. that many individual programs use there is an obvious need for this kind of ability. I also want to see scripting ability out of the box, not from third party stuff. The big problem with scripting is the MS products themselves.
Let's try this again with comment.
Frankly I have not kept up with the latest & greatest in Longhorn (the next Windows version) and Indigo (the interface layer), because frankly it is still at least a year out and I can say that the feature set is probably not as gelled as everyone would like.
What I do like is Microsoft is FINALLY doing what the rest of the industry have been trying to do for years - multi-tier programming which spits the user interface away from the logic systems. Sounds like they have been moving in this direction for some time, but it sounds like they are finally going to achieve it.
Anyone who has developed on Microsoft products knows it takes 3 versions of something for MS to get it right. Windows 3.0 was when GUIs took off. We have had a few more than 3 releases since Windows went to 32 bit, and they are finally getting it.
One thing that I hope happens is they start to build hooks into Indigo to call out to third party apps. I think with extensions, add on, etc. that many individual programs use there is an obvious need for this kind of ability. I also want to see scripting ability out of the box, not from third party stuff. The big problem with scripting is the MS products themselves.
TV shows on DVD -- too much of a good thing? - Yahoo! News
TV shows on DVD -- too much of a good thing? - Yahoo! News
I have to agree that there are a lot of these coming out, but then again we now really have a good medium for releasing all the episodes from a series. VHS & Beta were not really great for this unless it was an extremely popular series. My brother has seasons 1 & 2 of XFiles on VHS and it cost an arm and a leg. DVD can not only hold more, but costs less to manufacture & takes up less space on the store shelves.
For me I have cut back on buying TV series since I joined Netflix and can get anything through them. The last series I bought was Charmed Season 1, and I may not buy any more.
I have to agree that there are a lot of these coming out, but then again we now really have a good medium for releasing all the episodes from a series. VHS & Beta were not really great for this unless it was an extremely popular series. My brother has seasons 1 & 2 of XFiles on VHS and it cost an arm and a leg. DVD can not only hold more, but costs less to manufacture & takes up less space on the store shelves.
For me I have cut back on buying TV series since I joined Netflix and can get anything through them. The last series I bought was Charmed Season 1, and I may not buy any more.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Random Ravings
I just saw an ad for latest Fantastic Four that is coming out in July. Looks pretty cool. I am an old FF fan. My comic interests growing up were a little off the standard - Green Arrow instead of Superman. FF instead of the Avengers. It is nice to see the FF getting first class treatment.
Not happy with audioblogger
I had just finished my walk and I wanted to record some thoughts, more for myself than becuase I thought anyone here would want to hear the raving, and I just kept getting a busy signal from audioblogger. Grrrr!!! Looks like I will have to consider a microphone for my iRiver. It is an ancient 390 model, but it has 256 meg and I usually don't keep a lot on it.
Anyways I was relistening to David Winer's Morning Coffee Notes from 27 May. Although it was on a variety of topics, he got me thinking about creativity. He was commenting on how kids just sing for the fun of singing. They don't care if they are good or not, they just do it. The wider implication, and one he has made in a prior podcast, is that creativity is not limited to the "blessed few." As long as we are having fun (and not harming anyone), why can't we create whatever we want?
I have mentioned that I am taking a workshop on creativity. I have never really considred myself creative as most people think of creativity: Drawing or other visual arts, writing (in case you have not gathered that already), music, etc. A large part of that was the wonders of public education - Given the overworked art & music teacher if you did not show a natural talent you were pretty much left on your own to figure out how to do stuff. As for writing my high school experience was somewhat bipolar - one teacher wondered if English was my first language and another who thought I could possibly do some professional writing.
However on a wider scale, why do we all feel that our creation has to be perfect? Most artists i have met constantly talk about the imperfections of their work. There was a quote that said something like a book is never finished it just stopped in interesting places. Do we have to create to make money? Can we just create for the joy of creating?
Blogs, podcasts, and moblogs (to a point) are a way for everyday people to expresss some creativity in a more public arena. The price of entry on the web is much lower than when you needed to print up a zine or get some time in a studio to record.
And in a way these mediums also get us to exercise our skills. If you want to write, a blog can be a great way to motivate yourself to write everyday (or nearly every day). A moblog could be a way to motivate yourself to get some photos taken. You get the idea.
Speaking of creativity, one of the things I have learned, or more to the point relearned, is you need to refill the well. For me programming is my creative outlet. I have always said programming is more art than science, and I never really thought much about how creative it is until I read an articlethat pointed out for some programming can be as creative as painting or playing drums. The last 3 or 4 months have really zapped my desire to do much of anything creative, and even affected my job since the well was empty and I was just not able to make those weird leaps of logic that are needed sometimes (many times) in any creative endevor.
So how does one go about filling the well? For me it involves regular walking, getting to some live music (that ideally does not involve a smoke filled bar), going to the art museum or maybe a lecture. Even reading some weird books, or at least some books outside of my normal tastes.
Not happy with audioblogger
I had just finished my walk and I wanted to record some thoughts, more for myself than becuase I thought anyone here would want to hear the raving, and I just kept getting a busy signal from audioblogger. Grrrr!!! Looks like I will have to consider a microphone for my iRiver. It is an ancient 390 model, but it has 256 meg and I usually don't keep a lot on it.
Anyways I was relistening to David Winer's Morning Coffee Notes from 27 May. Although it was on a variety of topics, he got me thinking about creativity. He was commenting on how kids just sing for the fun of singing. They don't care if they are good or not, they just do it. The wider implication, and one he has made in a prior podcast, is that creativity is not limited to the "blessed few." As long as we are having fun (and not harming anyone), why can't we create whatever we want?
I have mentioned that I am taking a workshop on creativity. I have never really considred myself creative as most people think of creativity: Drawing or other visual arts, writing (in case you have not gathered that already), music, etc. A large part of that was the wonders of public education - Given the overworked art & music teacher if you did not show a natural talent you were pretty much left on your own to figure out how to do stuff. As for writing my high school experience was somewhat bipolar - one teacher wondered if English was my first language and another who thought I could possibly do some professional writing.
However on a wider scale, why do we all feel that our creation has to be perfect? Most artists i have met constantly talk about the imperfections of their work. There was a quote that said something like a book is never finished it just stopped in interesting places. Do we have to create to make money? Can we just create for the joy of creating?
Blogs, podcasts, and moblogs (to a point) are a way for everyday people to expresss some creativity in a more public arena. The price of entry on the web is much lower than when you needed to print up a zine or get some time in a studio to record.
And in a way these mediums also get us to exercise our skills. If you want to write, a blog can be a great way to motivate yourself to write everyday (or nearly every day). A moblog could be a way to motivate yourself to get some photos taken. You get the idea.
Speaking of creativity, one of the things I have learned, or more to the point relearned, is you need to refill the well. For me programming is my creative outlet. I have always said programming is more art than science, and I never really thought much about how creative it is until I read an articlethat pointed out for some programming can be as creative as painting or playing drums. The last 3 or 4 months have really zapped my desire to do much of anything creative, and even affected my job since the well was empty and I was just not able to make those weird leaps of logic that are needed sometimes (many times) in any creative endevor.
So how does one go about filling the well? For me it involves regular walking, getting to some live music (that ideally does not involve a smoke filled bar), going to the art museum or maybe a lecture. Even reading some weird books, or at least some books outside of my normal tastes.
Prosecutor: Jackson Sexually Abused Teen - Yahoo! News
Prosecutor: Jackson Sexually Abused Teen - Yahoo! News
Two words: THANK GOD!
Update: I thought I had commented on the one where they announced the closing arguments, and I was thanking god that the trial was nearing an end.
Two words: THANK GOD!
Update: I thought I had commented on the one where they announced the closing arguments, and I was thanking god that the trial was nearing an end.
Israeli Companies Suspected of Spying - Yahoo! News
Israeli Companies Suspected of Spying - Yahoo! News
Hmmm... probably one of the most efficient spy organizations in the world combined with mandatory military service and you get businessmen who spy on their competitors. Who would have thought?!?
It may hurt the above board foriegn investment, but why do I see an underground of hiring Israeli "security experts" to do exactly what they are doing here?
Hmmm... probably one of the most efficient spy organizations in the world combined with mandatory military service and you get businessmen who spy on their competitors. Who would have thought?!?
It may hurt the above board foriegn investment, but why do I see an underground of hiring Israeli "security experts" to do exactly what they are doing here?
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Pesky'Apostrophe. Better Than an Unexpected Period.
Pesky'Apostrophe. Better Than an Unexpected Period.
This hit it on the head on why I dislike organized religion. It is not the believe in god, it is the damn dogma of the church itself that is the problem. Stuff like what Pat Robertson did here makes it even worse.
This hit it on the head on why I dislike organized religion. It is not the believe in god, it is the damn dogma of the church itself that is the problem. Stuff like what Pat Robertson did here makes it even worse.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Powazek: Just a Thought: Ajax, Ajax Everywhere
Powazek: Just a Thought: Ajax, Ajax Everywhere
First the pendulum swings from rich client (everything on the client) to thin client (everyting on the server). Now we are swinging a back to the rich client. At work I coined the term "medium client" - hitting the server when you need to.
I have talked about Ajax before, and I like the idea since it gives you the ability to ONLY get the information you need based upon user action. Smaller packets across the net, smaller parts of the screen to update, in theory quicker pages for the user. I'm all about quicker pages, particularly if I am using them.
However I think this provides a richer experience for the user. I tis not simple from the creation aspect, but there is so much that can be done by just sending a little bit more info down to the cleint.
Of course the downside is overall performance can degrade since the server is probably handling a lot more traffic. Essentially what each request lacks in volume is made up for in number of requests. Implimentation of this kind of page requires make sure the server(s) can cope with the increased volume.
First the pendulum swings from rich client (everything on the client) to thin client (everyting on the server). Now we are swinging a back to the rich client. At work I coined the term "medium client" - hitting the server when you need to.
I have talked about Ajax before, and I like the idea since it gives you the ability to ONLY get the information you need based upon user action. Smaller packets across the net, smaller parts of the screen to update, in theory quicker pages for the user. I'm all about quicker pages, particularly if I am using them.
However I think this provides a richer experience for the user. I tis not simple from the creation aspect, but there is so much that can be done by just sending a little bit more info down to the cleint.
Of course the downside is overall performance can degrade since the server is probably handling a lot more traffic. Essentially what each request lacks in volume is made up for in number of requests. Implimentation of this kind of page requires make sure the server(s) can cope with the increased volume.
O'Reilly Radar > Top Ten Reasons Episode IV is Better Than Episode III
O'Reilly Radar > Top Ten Reasons Episode IV is Better Than Episode III
I have yet to see Episode III, but I still love the list.
I have yet to see Episode III, but I still love the list.
Folkstreams � The Best of American Folklore Films
Folkstreams � The Best of American Folklore Films
In case you are not already on info overload between Netflix, Blockbuster, and all the various streaming/downloadable sources here is another. They need to get a working search function and an RSS feed to really make this useful. I have not found anything yet to download/stream, but I have not spent a lot of time on the site.
In case you are not already on info overload between Netflix, Blockbuster, and all the various streaming/downloadable sources here is another. They need to get a working search function and an RSS feed to really make this useful. I have not found anything yet to download/stream, but I have not spent a lot of time on the site.
TIME.com: It's a Wiki, Wiki World -- Jun. 06, 2005
TIME.com: It's a Wiki, Wiki World -- Jun. 06, 2005
Wikis are cool, and can be a great collaborative tool, but it is important to remember than anyone can post something. Thanks to Dave for the article.
Wikis are cool, and can be a great collaborative tool, but it is important to remember than anyone can post something. Thanks to Dave for the article.
Bush Calls Human Rights Report 'Absurd' - Yahoo! News
Bush Calls Human Rights Report 'Absurd' - Yahoo! News
I did not read the whole thing, but given what went on in Iraq I would not discount what is being said about Guantanamo Bay.
I did not read the whole thing, but given what went on in Iraq I would not discount what is being said about Guantanamo Bay.
Judge Gives Offenders Option of Church - Yahoo! News
Judge Gives Offenders Option of Church - Yahoo! News
Aside from the issues raised by the American Civil Liberties Union, I would be curious if there is a choice given as to what church/religion is used for this alternative sentencing. If I had to go to a Christian church then this is CLEARLY a consititutional issue.
Aside from the issues raised by the American Civil Liberties Union, I would be curious if there is a choice given as to what church/religion is used for this alternative sentencing. If I had to go to a Christian church then this is CLEARLY a consititutional issue.
Court Overturns Arthur Andersen Conviction - Yahoo! News
Court Overturns Arthur Andersen Conviction - Yahoo! News
Sounds like Arthur Anderson is getting off on a technicality. I hope they retry the case.
Sounds like Arthur Anderson is getting off on a technicality. I hope they retry the case.
'Deep Throat' Reportedly Comes Forward - Yahoo! News
'Deep Throat' Reportedly Comes Forward - Yahoo! News
Given the guy is 91 I am skeptical until the documents are released that will confirm this identity, which will not happen until after his death.
Given the guy is 91 I am skeptical until the documents are released that will confirm this identity, which will not happen until after his death.
Monday, May 30, 2005
Yahoo Testing E-Mail Service for Photos - Yahoo! News
Yahoo Testing E-Mail Service for Photos - Yahoo! News
Sounds interesting, although I was not able to play around with it since I use Firefox. Not sure if this is more useful than photo stream software like Flickr, although it definately sounds cheaper.
Sounds interesting, although I was not able to play around with it since I use Firefox. Not sure if this is more useful than photo stream software like Flickr, although it definately sounds cheaper.
O'Reilly Radar > Yahoo! Mindset
O'Reilly Radar > Yahoo! Mindset
This is a neat idea, one I am surprised Google has not already tried. I did a neat search and it reordered the search pretty quick. Looks like it was probably done with some Javascript. Yahoo is giving people reason to go back to them, that or they are overriding my Microsoft "borg" implant ;).
This is a neat idea, one I am surprised Google has not already tried. I did a neat search and it reordered the search pretty quick. Looks like it was probably done with some Javascript. Yahoo is giving people reason to go back to them, that or they are overriding my Microsoft "borg" implant ;).
O'Reilly Radar > US Army to Deploy RFID "Listening Rocks"
O'Reilly Radar > US Army to Deploy RFID "Listening Rocks"
Hmmm... could this be combined with some other technology to read RFID credit cards that people are trying out in Atlanta? RFID & secure cash payments are a bad idea in my book, and this does not make me feel any better about it.
Hmmm... could this be combined with some other technology to read RFID credit cards that people are trying out in Atlanta? RFID & secure cash payments are a bad idea in my book, and this does not make me feel any better about it.
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Long weekend?
Well I went into work today for about 5.5 hours. It was nice and quiet and allowed me to get some real work done. I had some work that I needed to really concentrate on and this allowed me to get most of it done. That is until I ran into some walls with my tools that I need to talk with some people with on Tuesday. At least I feel in a lot better shape about my projects than I did on Friday.
Normally I would not even consider going in on a long weekend. It was supposed to be raining on and off all day, and it turned ot to be all off, clear and perfect walking weather. I did get out and do a walk, but not as far as I would like.
I went over to my brother's last night and we grilled some animal flesh. Google weather is giving thunderstorms tomorrow so it is a good thing we did the cookout thing yesterday.
Speaking of Google
I went out and played a little with the Google portal. Ihave to say I am completely unimpressed. The customization is limited to a few items (something like 12 - 16 feeds) and there is no way to customize the look and feel of the page there there is in Yahoo. Not that Yahoo is not without its problems, but Yahoo still offers a better experience than Google on this one. The Google page is cleaner, but I have not updated my syle in some time so there maybe a cleaner sytle available.
I have also been doing some comparisons betwen Google Map directions and Mapquest. Over all I like Googles interface when I am trying to get directions from one location to a number of places, but I perfer Mapquests format for printed directions. Mapquest will also sync diretions to yourPalm (and no doubt Pocket PC) and I am not sure if Google will do that yet. There is also some significant time difference between the two. Mapquest gave me a drive time of 4.5-5 hours, Google 6+. However on a different set of directions Google gave me 16 minutes, Mapquest 22. Both seem to be about as accurate.
Normally I would not even consider going in on a long weekend. It was supposed to be raining on and off all day, and it turned ot to be all off, clear and perfect walking weather. I did get out and do a walk, but not as far as I would like.
I went over to my brother's last night and we grilled some animal flesh. Google weather is giving thunderstorms tomorrow so it is a good thing we did the cookout thing yesterday.
Speaking of Google
I went out and played a little with the Google portal. Ihave to say I am completely unimpressed. The customization is limited to a few items (something like 12 - 16 feeds) and there is no way to customize the look and feel of the page there there is in Yahoo. Not that Yahoo is not without its problems, but Yahoo still offers a better experience than Google on this one. The Google page is cleaner, but I have not updated my syle in some time so there maybe a cleaner sytle available.
I have also been doing some comparisons betwen Google Map directions and Mapquest. Over all I like Googles interface when I am trying to get directions from one location to a number of places, but I perfer Mapquests format for printed directions. Mapquest will also sync diretions to yourPalm (and no doubt Pocket PC) and I am not sure if Google will do that yet. There is also some significant time difference between the two. Mapquest gave me a drive time of 4.5-5 hours, Google 6+. However on a different set of directions Google gave me 16 minutes, Mapquest 22. Both seem to be about as accurate.
TiddlyWiki - a reusable non-linear personal web notebook
TiddlyWiki - a reusable non-linear personal web notebook
Wikis are a great thing, and this is one that requires NO server side logic. This might be a great way to store notes on a project and be able to drag the whole thing around, or maybe store it in a version control system. One more thing for me to play around with...
Wikis are a great thing, and this is one that requires NO server side logic. This might be a great way to store notes on a project and be able to drag the whole thing around, or maybe store it in a version control system. One more thing for me to play around with...
Boing Boing: Pro file-sharing seal for CDs
Boing Boing: Pro file-sharing seal for CDs
Neat idea for those who are trying to get their music out there and heard by people. What we really need is a creative common seal to let people know that some rights are reserved and to check the liner of the CD.
Of course with Yahoo offering $5/month streaming/downloaded music is the CD's days numbered?
Neat idea for those who are trying to get their music out there and heard by people. What we really need is a creative common seal to let people know that some rights are reserved and to check the liner of the CD.
Of course with Yahoo offering $5/month streaming/downloaded music is the CD's days numbered?
Friday, May 27, 2005
Virgin Mobile
Forgot to put this in my last post. Does any of my readers reader have any experience with Virgin Mobile. I was at a Radio Shack earlier this week and since I had nothing better to do (I was waiting on my car) I actually talked to the sales guy for a bit about my cell plan.
Now as I have mentioned before I am not much of a cell phone guy. I have a $10/month for life plan I got 10 or so years ago. No minutes and few bells & whistles, but it serves its purpose of allowing me to call someone if I need some help.
Now the Virgin Mobile plan is $20 every 3 months. Right now with tax, title, dealer prep, fondling & molesting I pay about $140 per year, assuming I do not use the phone at all. This would be $120 and, according to their advertising, all the money stays on the phone as long as you have the account open. Plus the cost per minute is lower than my Verizon plan.
The only downside I can see is Virgin Mobile uses Sprint for their carrier in the US. Sprint is not bad, but apparently if I am out of Sprints service area I have no phone service. This seems a bit unclear since both the Radio Shack salesman & the Virgin Mobile site says "No Roaming fees", but then again if I have no service outside of Sprint's area then they are teling the truth when they say "No Roaming fees" - if you can't roam there is no roaming fee. However given that I want to do a trip across some of the northern prairie states next year at best coverage is going to be very sporadic.
So, I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Virign Mobile and possible roaming situations. Frankly I don't mind paying the roaming when I need my phone. I am very happy with Verizon, but damn $60/year difference is quite a bit, and it essentially has roll over. The downside is that if this ever goes belly up I would be looking at a 400+% increase in my cell bill. If I was not so attached to my landline I might consider killing it and just going with a cell phone. I am very attached to the number since that is the same number I have had all my life. I don't think I can transfer a landline to a cell line though.
Now as I have mentioned before I am not much of a cell phone guy. I have a $10/month for life plan I got 10 or so years ago. No minutes and few bells & whistles, but it serves its purpose of allowing me to call someone if I need some help.
Now the Virgin Mobile plan is $20 every 3 months. Right now with tax, title, dealer prep, fondling & molesting I pay about $140 per year, assuming I do not use the phone at all. This would be $120 and, according to their advertising, all the money stays on the phone as long as you have the account open. Plus the cost per minute is lower than my Verizon plan.
The only downside I can see is Virgin Mobile uses Sprint for their carrier in the US. Sprint is not bad, but apparently if I am out of Sprints service area I have no phone service. This seems a bit unclear since both the Radio Shack salesman & the Virgin Mobile site says "No Roaming fees", but then again if I have no service outside of Sprint's area then they are teling the truth when they say "No Roaming fees" - if you can't roam there is no roaming fee. However given that I want to do a trip across some of the northern prairie states next year at best coverage is going to be very sporadic.
So, I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Virign Mobile and possible roaming situations. Frankly I don't mind paying the roaming when I need my phone. I am very happy with Verizon, but damn $60/year difference is quite a bit, and it essentially has roll over. The downside is that if this ever goes belly up I would be looking at a 400+% increase in my cell bill. If I was not so attached to my landline I might consider killing it and just going with a cell phone. I am very attached to the number since that is the same number I have had all my life. I don't think I can transfer a landline to a cell line though.
Friday Fun
Well, much to my chagrin my weekend is starting out on a bad note. Between starting the day off with some gastral-intestinal distress, working late when I intended to leave early, and leaving my car in the shop overnight (hopefully they will find the problem this time) it is not the start of a stellar weekend. Oh yea, did I mention is is probably going to rain all weekend I will probably end up working? Kill me now.
I did watch National Treasure tonight. Not a bad film, nice piece of fluff to kick off the weekend. I also just downloaded the Sarah McLachen original over at iTunes that was on their music store this week. I figure it is worth a listen. I got to finish mysnack food crack Funyuns. I should really by them by the much smaller bag least I go into a carb coma.
I did watch National Treasure tonight. Not a bad film, nice piece of fluff to kick off the weekend. I also just downloaded the Sarah McLachen original over at iTunes that was on their music store this week. I figure it is worth a listen. I got to finish my
Woman Sues Yahoo Over Nude Photos - Yahoo! News
Woman Sues Yahoo Over Nude Photos - Yahoo! News
I would expect to see more of these kinds of things in the future. Looks like this lady at least tried to handle things before going to court at least.
I would expect to see more of these kinds of things in the future. Looks like this lady at least tried to handle things before going to court at least.
Five Cases of Quran 'Mishandling' Found - Yahoo! News
Five Cases of Quran 'Mishandling' Found - Yahoo! News
I guess the key phrase here is "credible evidence." I'm not saying Newsweek (or whatever publication it was) was right in reporting something based upon 1 source, but it looks like there is some nugget of truth buried there.
I guess the key phrase here is "credible evidence." I'm not saying Newsweek (or whatever publication it was) was right in reporting something based upon 1 source, but it looks like there is some nugget of truth buried there.
Yahoo Mail goes to 1 GB for all users
I logged into my Yahoo mail account and found that it is now 1 gig just like Google. *sniff, sniff* I smell a battle brewing...
Ga. Credit-Card Holders 'Blink' Cards - Yahoo! News
Ga. Credit-Card Holders 'Blink' Cards - Yahoo! News
Hmmmm.... Just what I - RFID broadcasting my credit card info everywhere. I give crackers 2 weeks to crack the code and start ripping people off by just sitting in the mall and picking up credit card info from passerbys. Oye!
Via GeekNewsCentral
Hmmmm.... Just what I - RFID broadcasting my credit card info everywhere. I give crackers 2 weeks to crack the code and start ripping people off by just sitting in the mall and picking up credit card info from passerbys. Oye!
Via GeekNewsCentral
Hacking NetFlix : Yahoo! Recommends Movies
Hacking NetFlix : Yahoo! Recommends Movies
Hmmmm... between this and an earlier article from Geek News Central about some of what Yahoo is doing it looks like Yahoo really wants to push the portal model.
Yahoo has had the portal idea for awhile, with limited customization capability. I have mentioned before that with RSS taking off the ability to do this with useful information for ME is really just becoming available. With DSL/cable modem prices low (and possibly dropping) Yahoo's patience is finally paying off. I have yet to check out Google's offering for portals.
My only complaint about portals, at least on the early RSS feeds from Yahoo, is they do not always update correctly for random feeds. Maybe they fixed the problem with My Yahoo. If you cannot depend upon the portal providing the latest information from ALL sources then it is not useful.
Hmmmm... between this and an earlier article from Geek News Central about some of what Yahoo is doing it looks like Yahoo really wants to push the portal model.
Yahoo has had the portal idea for awhile, with limited customization capability. I have mentioned before that with RSS taking off the ability to do this with useful information for ME is really just becoming available. With DSL/cable modem prices low (and possibly dropping) Yahoo's patience is finally paying off. I have yet to check out Google's offering for portals.
My only complaint about portals, at least on the early RSS feeds from Yahoo, is they do not always update correctly for random feeds. Maybe they fixed the problem with My Yahoo. If you cannot depend upon the portal providing the latest information from ALL sources then it is not useful.
The Nation | Subject To Debate | Practice What You Preach | Katha Pollitt
The Nation | Subject To Debate | Practice What You Preach | Katha Pollitt
I like the idea. I wonder how many people would really support abstinence only sex ed if they had to support their grandchildren from underage children until the grandchildren were 18 and out of highschool (I think out of college is silly - that is more reponsibility than is required for their own children).
Thanks Mac for pointing me to the article.
I like the idea. I wonder how many people would really support abstinence only sex ed if they had to support their grandchildren from underage children until the grandchildren were 18 and out of highschool (I think out of college is silly - that is more reponsibility than is required for their own children).
Thanks Mac for pointing me to the article.
Top actresses exit new series - Yahoo! News
Top actresses exit new series - Yahoo! News
Interesting. Now I have heard that Shannen Doherty can be tough to work with, but I am wondering if this is a matter of money for all involved, or maybe people are looking more for eye candy instead of ladies who can actually act.
Interesting. Now I have heard that Shannen Doherty can be tough to work with, but I am wondering if this is a matter of money for all involved, or maybe people are looking more for eye candy instead of ladies who can actually act.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
43 Folders: Roger von Oech's “Creative Think” home page
43 Folders: Roger von Oech's “Creative Think” home page
A cool site if you ever feel stuck and need a "Whac on the side of the Head."
A cool site if you ever feel stuck and need a "Whac on the side of the Head."
Feds Move to Stop Viagra for Sex Offenders - Yahoo! News
Feds Move to Stop Viagra for Sex Offenders - Yahoo! News
Ok, I can see eliminating this drug for everyone since it is more of a quality of life drug, vs. something to keep you alive, but to do this only for convicted sex offenders is silly and probably illegal.
Ok, I can see eliminating this drug for everyone since it is more of a quality of life drug, vs. something to keep you alive, but to do this only for convicted sex offenders is silly and probably illegal.
Geek News Central Revealing Links & Useful Technical Information
Geek News Central Revealing Links & Useful Technical Information
BitTorrent has been a boon I think for people trying to distribute large files. Like all person to person (P2P) file sharing there are many legitimate uses, podcasting being just one. I guess ISPs, or more specifically hosting serves (which many times are the same company) just want toextort increase their revenue.
BitTorrent has been a boon I think for people trying to distribute large files. Like all person to person (P2P) file sharing there are many legitimate uses, podcasting being just one. I guess ISPs, or more specifically hosting serves (which many times are the same company) just want to
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Hackers Holding Computer Files 'Hostage' - Yahoo! News
Hackers Holding Computer Files 'Hostage' - Yahoo! News
Yet again the term 'hacker' is misused. What they mean is that 'Crackers Holding Computer Files 'Hostage'.
Yet again the term 'hacker' is misused. What they mean is that 'Crackers Holding Computer Files 'Hostage'.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Charmed's Future
WARNING!! SEASON FINALE SPOILER ALERT! DON'T LOOK MARTHA!
I have watched Charmed pretty much from the get go. In part because there are some good looking women, and in part because I alwasy support shows like these (concerning the supernatural, not with hot women) as long as I can stand to watch them.
I had heard they were working on both a season & series finale because they felt the fans deserved a good finale, and I think they did an OK job. Frankly had that been a series finale it would have been better than Star Trek: Enterprise's and many that I have seen in the last 10 or so years.
The problem becomes what are they going to do next year? They have now vanquished major evil 3 different times. It was not mentioned if Phoebe & Piper got their powers back. The world beleives them to be dead, so if they stay in the real world they will have to remain in disguise all the time unless the depatment of Homeland Security finds out they are still alive. Demons will, eventually find out they are alive, of course. The elders know they are alive, or at least that Paige is still alive since she has been functioning as a white lighter. Also if they stay in the world they will not be able to be aroundthe kids until they are school agewhen they could be "away at bording school". And if they have them hang out all the time at Magic School it will be a boring show. What happens to the book of shadows?
I have watched Charmed pretty much from the get go. In part because there are some good looking women, and in part because I alwasy support shows like these (concerning the supernatural, not with hot women) as long as I can stand to watch them.
I had heard they were working on both a season & series finale because they felt the fans deserved a good finale, and I think they did an OK job. Frankly had that been a series finale it would have been better than Star Trek: Enterprise's and many that I have seen in the last 10 or so years.
The problem becomes what are they going to do next year? They have now vanquished major evil 3 different times. It was not mentioned if Phoebe & Piper got their powers back. The world beleives them to be dead, so if they stay in the real world they will have to remain in disguise all the time unless the depatment of Homeland Security finds out they are still alive. Demons will, eventually find out they are alive, of course. The elders know they are alive, or at least that Paige is still alive since she has been functioning as a white lighter. Also if they stay in the world they will not be able to be aroundthe kids until they are school agewhen they could be "away at bording school". And if they have them hang out all the time at Magic School it will be a boring show. What happens to the book of shadows?
Sunday, May 22, 2005
If its Sunday it is chore day
Since I spent most of yesterday doing other things, today I get to make up for it all by doing a bunch of chores. Always fun, in weird bizzaro world.
Here is a link to the Gund Arena. If you say the name real fast it sounds like something that could have been prevented by the Rubber Bowl.
Rantings about Akron
There is still talk about how we an make Akron a place where the young Gen Xers (and the next generation coming) a place for them to be. Akron does have a lot going against it - weather & lack of jobs. A consultant hired had said her overall research into Gen Xers shows some are willing to move to a place because of other things and then worry about getting a job. One guy, a 23 year old, had mentioned that we have 2 big state universities (Akron & Kent) yet all the graduates move away. Why? No jobs. In his view there is not point in building bars and what not because even if people stay they have no money to spend in them. The mayor for years has been stressing downtown development, ignoring the neighborhoods and many other projects.
For me personally (who, depending upon which person you talk to, am a Gen Xer) most of what they talk about is rubbish. Downtown is important, but Akron has always been about the neighborhoods. I don't drink, smoke, dance, or even like large crowds (and extremely loud music) so most night clubs & bars hold no interest to me. Many jobs, especially things like writing & art, can be done anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. Same is becoming true with music.
The mayor has complained that downtown is still very much like a ghost town after 5 and would like to see more bars/nightclubs and the like. If you want to attact more people downtown you need VARIETY. I am more likely to go to a quiet coffee house (with cup of tea in hand) instead of any nightclub. We have 2 outdoor venues for events but they are pretty useless 4-6 months a year. The art museum is currently closed while they build a new building, although there is a smaller space for working artists in the area, and the vernable Don Drumm Studios is still open. I missed out on a recent events to show what some of the young professional groups are trying to do. It featured some local musicians, live music venues (which are usually bars), and other things to try and rally the troops and show how Akron ain't dead yet.
I think, however, we are closer to what we need than a lot of people realize. We have a lot of small live theaters, art galleries, live music venues, etc. The problem is finding out about them. With one newspaper that not only covers the music locally but from Cleveland it is easy to loose track of the small stuff. I am not sure how much one has to pay to advertise in the Akron Beacon Journal. Cleveland has a free weekly magazine (actually a couple) that are free for the taking. Some Akron venues advertise in them, most do not. But my question is: Why is there not some kind of free space (or at least cheap) on the internet? Why not something like CraigsList? Maybe instead of emails like what The Lime Spider does they need to get RSS feeds? Maybe we all need better content mangement of our email/RSS feeds to weed out the junk, or at least highlight things we might have an interest in. Maybe Ajax is an answer for some of that. Maybe some combination of Ajax & portals. Maybe I'm just getting whiny in my old age.
One other thing that I think would help is if the universities would open up a little more to the surrounding communities. Not just in offering classes, but in making some of their art openings and the like more public. I know at least twice a year the art students put on a show on campus. Student recitals could likewise allow for those on a tight budget to enjoy some live music year round. Many times these things are not advertised outside of campus except by word of mouth. It is easier for a graduate to WANT to stick around if they can continue to participate in campus events after graduation.
The most important thing I hope everyone keeps in mind is variety. You maybe targetting young Gen Xers now, but they will eventually get married, have kids, and just plan get older. You don't see a lot of 50 year olds at night clubs. Nights of dancing are usually replaced by a night with the family after kids come along. Even among the young and single not everyone wants smoke filled live music places playing heavy metal or punk music. We have a lot of great, smaller places. Maybe we just need to make sure people know they are there.
Here is a link to the Gund Arena. If you say the name real fast it sounds like something that could have been prevented by the Rubber Bowl.
Rantings about Akron
There is still talk about how we an make Akron a place where the young Gen Xers (and the next generation coming) a place for them to be. Akron does have a lot going against it - weather & lack of jobs. A consultant hired had said her overall research into Gen Xers shows some are willing to move to a place because of other things and then worry about getting a job. One guy, a 23 year old, had mentioned that we have 2 big state universities (Akron & Kent) yet all the graduates move away. Why? No jobs. In his view there is not point in building bars and what not because even if people stay they have no money to spend in them. The mayor for years has been stressing downtown development, ignoring the neighborhoods and many other projects.
For me personally (who, depending upon which person you talk to, am a Gen Xer) most of what they talk about is rubbish. Downtown is important, but Akron has always been about the neighborhoods. I don't drink, smoke, dance, or even like large crowds (and extremely loud music) so most night clubs & bars hold no interest to me. Many jobs, especially things like writing & art, can be done anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. Same is becoming true with music.
The mayor has complained that downtown is still very much like a ghost town after 5 and would like to see more bars/nightclubs and the like. If you want to attact more people downtown you need VARIETY. I am more likely to go to a quiet coffee house (with cup of tea in hand) instead of any nightclub. We have 2 outdoor venues for events but they are pretty useless 4-6 months a year. The art museum is currently closed while they build a new building, although there is a smaller space for working artists in the area, and the vernable Don Drumm Studios is still open. I missed out on a recent events to show what some of the young professional groups are trying to do. It featured some local musicians, live music venues (which are usually bars), and other things to try and rally the troops and show how Akron ain't dead yet.
I think, however, we are closer to what we need than a lot of people realize. We have a lot of small live theaters, art galleries, live music venues, etc. The problem is finding out about them. With one newspaper that not only covers the music locally but from Cleveland it is easy to loose track of the small stuff. I am not sure how much one has to pay to advertise in the Akron Beacon Journal. Cleveland has a free weekly magazine (actually a couple) that are free for the taking. Some Akron venues advertise in them, most do not. But my question is: Why is there not some kind of free space (or at least cheap) on the internet? Why not something like CraigsList? Maybe instead of emails like what The Lime Spider does they need to get RSS feeds? Maybe we all need better content mangement of our email/RSS feeds to weed out the junk, or at least highlight things we might have an interest in. Maybe Ajax is an answer for some of that. Maybe some combination of Ajax & portals. Maybe I'm just getting whiny in my old age.
One other thing that I think would help is if the universities would open up a little more to the surrounding communities. Not just in offering classes, but in making some of their art openings and the like more public. I know at least twice a year the art students put on a show on campus. Student recitals could likewise allow for those on a tight budget to enjoy some live music year round. Many times these things are not advertised outside of campus except by word of mouth. It is easier for a graduate to WANT to stick around if they can continue to participate in campus events after graduation.
The most important thing I hope everyone keeps in mind is variety. You maybe targetting young Gen Xers now, but they will eventually get married, have kids, and just plan get older. You don't see a lot of 50 year olds at night clubs. Nights of dancing are usually replaced by a night with the family after kids come along. Even among the young and single not everyone wants smoke filled live music places playing heavy metal or punk music. We have a lot of great, smaller places. Maybe we just need to make sure people know they are there.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Friday, May 20, 2005
Freaky Friday
I had something of a weird week, so I left work early today with the plan of getting a walk in. Foolish human that I am I followed Mapquest's suggestion and could not find the start point. Further yours truly forgot to stop at the bank so I had no money for parking, and I was not sure where there was a bank to get some. So instead I came home, cleared out some saved stuff from the aggregator, and finished up my Tremors marathon. I watched them in chronological order, so it was 4,1,2,3. There is rumors of a 5th movie, but I will believe it when I see it. This is not great cinema, but it is fun and mindless.
Tremors 2 did yield a quote that I like: "I feel I was denied critical, need to know information." This is how I am feeling many days anymore. Between work and home I see to have a lot floating through my head. Between my home computer, work computer, Palm, various web sites, and of course old fashioned paper sources things are just over flowing.
The problem is I don't see this situation changing much in my lifetime. The Palm (or similar device) helps to unload some of it and keep the infomration at hand but out of your brain. However it becomes a matter of size. Most handhelds do not have a bunch of memory, and usually cannot hold all that you need. Palm has recently released a device with a 4 gig HD, but lets face it, how much stuff do we have? Even 4 gig for some heavy users will not be enough. My 64 Meg is pretty comfy, but I have a couple of dozen contacts (3 dozen at the outside), minimal calander info and I do not synch any email or RSS feeds. Consolidating all of that, plus maybe some MP3s or photos would rapidly fill up my 64 meg, and the 4 gig will not hold up either.
For me personally I handle this by putting onlyt the crticial information at hand. My contacts, calander, to do (actually Next action list per Getting Things Done), Pocket Quicken, and that is about it. I have a few spreadsheets and a few other programs to track data where I need to do the data entry on the fly away from my computer.
My computer keeps the bulk of my information, and the filing cabinet in the lab keeps all the dead-tree stuff that I need to keep, such as copies of my taxes. I have a few websites that keep some things like Bloglines for my RSS feeds.
To me at least the trick is to follow the Getting Things Done (mentioned earlier) and to keep on top of things and not get behind on maintenance of your data system. If you do get behind you need to get up to date as soon as possible.
Tremors 2 did yield a quote that I like: "I feel I was denied critical, need to know information." This is how I am feeling many days anymore. Between work and home I see to have a lot floating through my head. Between my home computer, work computer, Palm, various web sites, and of course old fashioned paper sources things are just over flowing.
The problem is I don't see this situation changing much in my lifetime. The Palm (or similar device) helps to unload some of it and keep the infomration at hand but out of your brain. However it becomes a matter of size. Most handhelds do not have a bunch of memory, and usually cannot hold all that you need. Palm has recently released a device with a 4 gig HD, but lets face it, how much stuff do we have? Even 4 gig for some heavy users will not be enough. My 64 Meg is pretty comfy, but I have a couple of dozen contacts (3 dozen at the outside), minimal calander info and I do not synch any email or RSS feeds. Consolidating all of that, plus maybe some MP3s or photos would rapidly fill up my 64 meg, and the 4 gig will not hold up either.
For me personally I handle this by putting onlyt the crticial information at hand. My contacts, calander, to do (actually Next action list per Getting Things Done), Pocket Quicken, and that is about it. I have a few spreadsheets and a few other programs to track data where I need to do the data entry on the fly away from my computer.
My computer keeps the bulk of my information, and the filing cabinet in the lab keeps all the dead-tree stuff that I need to keep, such as copies of my taxes. I have a few websites that keep some things like Bloglines for my RSS feeds.
To me at least the trick is to follow the Getting Things Done (mentioned earlier) and to keep on top of things and not get behind on maintenance of your data system. If you do get behind you need to get up to date as soon as possible.
Google Ride Finder
Google Ride Finder
A neat idea, but I am not certain of the practical application of this. I'm sure the companies involved have finer control so they can route the closest vehicle to an incoming call, but for users I am not certain if this is useful. Of course I don't do taxis that often so maybe I'm off base.
A neat idea, but I am not certain of the practical application of this. I'm sure the companies involved have finer control so they can route the closest vehicle to an incoming call, but for users I am not certain if this is useful. Of course I don't do taxis that often so maybe I'm off base.
43 Folders
43 Folders
I came across this blog and it is pretty cool, particularly if you are a fan of Getting Things Done. I do use a lot of the ideas David Allen presents, although I do tend to combine his ideas with Stephen Covey's roles, and based upon some of my reading I am not the only one who does that. I think they are a natural fit since David Allen gets you to, well, get things done but Stephen Covey helps you to maintain a well rounded life and prioritze what needs to be done.
Strictly my opinion - David Allen's approach starts at ground level and lets you work up to the "50,000 foot" level, and Stephen Covey starts at 50,000 foot and works down. David is "get the little stuff under control to free up time to work on the big stuff" and Stephen is "get the big stuff set up and then prioritize the little stuff". Both approaches have their place, and to me (and others) they both work well together. Even with the best prioritization we all still have to deal with all thecrap little stuff in life.
I came across this blog and it is pretty cool, particularly if you are a fan of Getting Things Done. I do use a lot of the ideas David Allen presents, although I do tend to combine his ideas with Stephen Covey's roles, and based upon some of my reading I am not the only one who does that. I think they are a natural fit since David Allen gets you to, well, get things done but Stephen Covey helps you to maintain a well rounded life and prioritze what needs to be done.
Strictly my opinion - David Allen's approach starts at ground level and lets you work up to the "50,000 foot" level, and Stephen Covey starts at 50,000 foot and works down. David is "get the little stuff under control to free up time to work on the big stuff" and Stephen is "get the big stuff set up and then prioritize the little stuff". Both approaches have their place, and to me (and others) they both work well together. Even with the best prioritization we all still have to deal with all the
mozdev.org - greasemonkey: index
mozdev.org - greasemonkey: index
Now I have to admit I was very much against Google altering the browsing pages, mostly because content is altered only to the benefit of Google.
However, if a user wants to do some page hacking, I see no problems with that. At least the user has control over WHAT gets done, and can easily turn off the changes (theoretically at least). This goes hand in hand with the link to Ajax earlier.
The really cool scripts I have yet to find. I saw a dead-tree article about how someone had linked in a hover over to let them know if an ISBN was available at their local library, and a similar hover over to show the price of a book (again through ISBN) at Amazon and several other book sites. Personally I like these more than changes on the page itself. Even the developers have admitted they need a clearer way to let the users know that a page has been modified by user scripts.
BTW - there is a GreasemonkIE for Internet Explorer users. I use both IE & Firefox (at work & home respectively), although at work I am not sure I want to use GreasemonkIE since part of my job does involve web page development. There is enough weirdness going on without rogue javascripts giving me the red ass.
Now I have to admit I was very much against Google altering the browsing pages, mostly because content is altered only to the benefit of Google.
However, if a user wants to do some page hacking, I see no problems with that. At least the user has control over WHAT gets done, and can easily turn off the changes (theoretically at least). This goes hand in hand with the link to Ajax earlier.
The really cool scripts I have yet to find. I saw a dead-tree article about how someone had linked in a hover over to let them know if an ISBN was available at their local library, and a similar hover over to show the price of a book (again through ISBN) at Amazon and several other book sites. Personally I like these more than changes on the page itself. Even the developers have admitted they need a clearer way to let the users know that a page has been modified by user scripts.
BTW - there is a GreasemonkIE for Internet Explorer users. I use both IE & Firefox (at work & home respectively), although at work I am not sure I want to use GreasemonkIE since part of my job does involve web page development. There is enough weirdness going on without rogue javascripts giving me the red ass.
Geek News Central Revealing Links & Useful Technical Information
Geek News Central Revealing Links & Useful Technical Information
(Cleaning out some stuff from my aggregator, in case you did not guess that already.)
With the already announced Yahoo 360 (which I have not gotten an invite to, but I'm not sure if I want to use it) it should be interesting to see what happens. I already posted about Google getting into the portal arena, which means the portal heat is getting turned up again.
Portals seems so ancient history (like what, 2000 ;)), but I have to admit after having some problems with slow loading web pages even on cable I am liking the idea of a portal more and more. Couple portals with the Ajax concept and I think things will really cook.
I think, actually, portals before was an idea before its time. A good idea - a central point to gather your information. Reminds me of the "information at your fingertips" days of Micro$oft. However I think it was not until RSS really caught on that people saw the importance and potential for portals.
Speaking of Micro$oft, Dave Winer points out that MS is up to something concerning RSS. Ballmer, at least, misses the point of RSS - it is SUPPOSED TO BE SIMPLE. Over the years Microsoft only grudgingly adheres to open standards that they cannot control. After all that is one way they make money - ever notice how the file formats change version to version in Office? It will be interesting to see what MS will bring to the table, but as always it will not be worth a damn until version 3.0. Not that I am going to get much of a chance to use anything since I use OpenOffice at home.
(Cleaning out some stuff from my aggregator, in case you did not guess that already.)
With the already announced Yahoo 360 (which I have not gotten an invite to, but I'm not sure if I want to use it) it should be interesting to see what happens. I already posted about Google getting into the portal arena, which means the portal heat is getting turned up again.
Portals seems so ancient history (like what, 2000 ;)), but I have to admit after having some problems with slow loading web pages even on cable I am liking the idea of a portal more and more. Couple portals with the Ajax concept and I think things will really cook.
I think, actually, portals before was an idea before its time. A good idea - a central point to gather your information. Reminds me of the "information at your fingertips" days of Micro$oft. However I think it was not until RSS really caught on that people saw the importance and potential for portals.
Speaking of Micro$oft, Dave Winer points out that MS is up to something concerning RSS. Ballmer, at least, misses the point of RSS - it is SUPPOSED TO BE SIMPLE. Over the years Microsoft only grudgingly adheres to open standards that they cannot control. After all that is one way they make money - ever notice how the file formats change version to version in Office? It will be interesting to see what MS will bring to the table, but as always it will not be worth a damn until version 3.0. Not that I am going to get much of a chance to use anything since I use OpenOffice at home.
WIL WHEATON dot NET: Where is my mind?: spam egg spam spam bacon and spam
WIL WHEATON dot NET: Where is my mind?: spam egg spam spam bacon and spam
You go Wil! After all the years of spam I am ready to take a cattle prod the the dangly bits of some of these people. My favorite was a woman at work, a geek girl who has been around the internet quite awhile as well, who complained about not getting the right porn spam. I mean you would think with Elizabeth being part of her email they might at least send her some guys to look at. (In case you did not guess she had a weird sense of humor.)
You go Wil! After all the years of spam I am ready to take a cattle prod the the dangly bits of some of these people. My favorite was a woman at work, a geek girl who has been around the internet quite awhile as well, who complained about not getting the right porn spam. I mean you would think with Elizabeth being part of her email they might at least send her some guys to look at. (In case you did not guess she had a weird sense of humor.)
Howstuffworks "How Lightsabers Work"
Howstuffworks "How Lightsabers Work"
Ok, this is too cool, plus they have a picture of Mace Windu (Samuel L Jackson) on the main page. I want one to solve some of those pesky household chores, plus I bet I could scare some door to door sales men by practicing in the back yard ;).
Ok, this is too cool, plus they have a picture of Mace Windu (Samuel L Jackson) on the main page. I want one to solve some of those pesky household chores, plus I bet I could scare some door to door sales men by practicing in the back yard ;).
Google Introduces Internet Portal Feature - Yahoo! News
Google Introduces Internet Portal Feature - Yahoo! News
It should be interesting to see what Google does for portal work.
It should be interesting to see what Google does for portal work.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Netflix Takes Over Wal-Mart DVD Rentals - Yahoo! News
Netflix Takes Over Wal-Mart DVD Rentals - Yahoo! News
The first person blinked in the DVD by mail wars.
Let me say that I use Netflix and I have tried Blockbuster's by mail and in store unlimited rentals. I found Blockbuster's options to be slower than Netflix and they had availablity problems (and from what I have heard they continue to). Their in store option is good, but when I did it it was $27/month (with tax) and it was hard to come up with enough rentals to make it worth my effort. They have since lowered the price which makes it easier, however because of the lower price and the no late fee promo there is very little available in the store.
The first person blinked in the DVD by mail wars.
Let me say that I use Netflix and I have tried Blockbuster's by mail and in store unlimited rentals. I found Blockbuster's options to be slower than Netflix and they had availablity problems (and from what I have heard they continue to). Their in store option is good, but when I did it it was $27/month (with tax) and it was hard to come up with enough rentals to make it worth my effort. They have since lowered the price which makes it easier, however because of the lower price and the no late fee promo there is very little available in the store.
Reid: Bush, GOP Seek to Reinvent Reality - Yahoo! News
Reid: Bush, GOP Seek to Reinvent Reality - Yahoo! News
I still can't believe the short sightedness of the Republicans. A part of me wants them to get their way and then quickly become the minority and start crying foul when the Democrats start ramming radical liberal judges through the system.
I still can't believe the short sightedness of the Republicans. A part of me wants them to get their way and then quickly become the minority and start crying foul when the Democrats start ramming radical liberal judges through the system.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Walking Fun
I added 3 new photos to my Flickr feed below from some of the walks I have been on this year.
I do these things called Volksmarches. They are run various chapters of the American Volksport Association. A Volks event is a non-competitive, non-charity based walk, bike, swim, etc. It comes out of Germany and from Hitler and was designed to help non-athletes get some exercise. The only person you are competing against is yourself.
What I like about these walks is they usually go by something interesting, and many times they lay them out so you walk by some of the more interesting sites in a city. Additionally they run a number of special programs which can help you to learn about say the Civil War. I hope to get my scanner up and running (my parallel cable disappeared) so I can scan some of my special patches that I have gotten this year.
One thing I am looking for is somewhere to post some photos on line. Flickr is ok, but I want something a little bigger and maybe a little more customizable that is free. If I get somewhere where I can post pictures on my trip I want to be able to throw things up for some of my friends to see.
I do these things called Volksmarches. They are run various chapters of the American Volksport Association. A Volks event is a non-competitive, non-charity based walk, bike, swim, etc. It comes out of Germany and from Hitler and was designed to help non-athletes get some exercise. The only person you are competing against is yourself.
What I like about these walks is they usually go by something interesting, and many times they lay them out so you walk by some of the more interesting sites in a city. Additionally they run a number of special programs which can help you to learn about say the Civil War. I hope to get my scanner up and running (my parallel cable disappeared) so I can scan some of my special patches that I have gotten this year.
One thing I am looking for is somewhere to post some photos on line. Flickr is ok, but I want something a little bigger and maybe a little more customizable that is free. If I get somewhere where I can post pictures on my trip I want to be able to throw things up for some of my friends to see.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Not a happy camper
Yours truly spent the night at the mechanics getting a high pressure hose on my transmission fixed. I have had a series of these little things of late - the things that break every so often but you just hate to keep paying for these things. It seems a shame to trash the car since this is basically normal wear & tear, but man does it suck. On the upside I probably would not have even known what the problem was if my sister in law was not over because my nephew was mowing my lawn. She noticed the transmission fluid running (not dripping) out.
What pisses me off more is that I missed my creativity class. I am enjoying the classes, but they were not done until after the class started. I also had to skip my walk today because of the car, and my computer had problems finding my wireless network. Needless to say I am not a happy camper.
On the upside I did finish The Hidden Messages In Water. For those who have any doubt of the power of words I would recommend this book. Dr. Emoto has some impressive pictures that shows how words affected the crystals when exposed to certain words, pictures, sounds, etc. VERY interesting.
What pisses me off more is that I missed my creativity class. I am enjoying the classes, but they were not done until after the class started. I also had to skip my walk today because of the car, and my computer had problems finding my wireless network. Needless to say I am not a happy camper.
On the upside I did finish The Hidden Messages In Water. For those who have any doubt of the power of words I would recommend this book. Dr. Emoto has some impressive pictures that shows how words affected the crystals when exposed to certain words, pictures, sounds, etc. VERY interesting.
Showdown Over Filibusters Appears Imminent - Yahoo! News
Showdown Over Filibusters Appears Imminent - Yahoo! News
I have said this before and I will say it again - the filibuster is a good idea, no matter who has the majority. When (notice I did not say IF - politics are cyclic) the Republicans loose their majority they will do the same thing with "radical" Democratic candidates. If you look historically few candidates are blocked on both sides of the aisle. The current "problem" is just some whining in my opinion, mostly because there are Supreme court nominations coming up (as is mentioned in the article).
I have said this before and I will say it again - the filibuster is a good idea, no matter who has the majority. When (notice I did not say IF - politics are cyclic) the Republicans loose their majority they will do the same thing with "radical" Democratic candidates. If you look historically few candidates are blocked on both sides of the aisle. The current "problem" is just some whining in my opinion, mostly because there are Supreme court nominations coming up (as is mentioned in the article).
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Grocery Store Wars | Join the Organic Rebellion
Grocery Store Wars | Join the Organic Rebellion
Just in time for the new Star Wars episode. Truely weird, which is probably why I like it.
Just in time for the new Star Wars episode. Truely weird, which is probably why I like it.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Voinovich Slams Bolton but OKs Senate Vote - Yahoo! News
Voinovich Slams Bolton but OKs Senate Vote - Yahoo! News
Although a Republican, George Voinovich has always been level headed. I even voted for him because he has good common sense.
Although a Republican, George Voinovich has always been level headed. I even voted for him because he has good common sense.
Testing Fun
 | You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational.
What is Your World View? created with QuizFarm.com |
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
MacDad: The Hubble Telescope Discovers God is Watching
MacDad: The Hubble Telescope Discovers God is Watching
I loved this picture and thought I would let everyone else see it.
I loved this picture and thought I would let everyone else see it.
MacDad: The Hubble Telescope Discovers God is Watching
MacDad: The Hubble Telescope Discovers God is Watching
I loved this picture and thought I would let everyone else see it.
I loved this picture and thought I would let everyone else see it.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Feeling better
I'm doing some system stuff that I need to do so while that runs I thought I would take some time to do an update.
The worst of the cold/flu thing is over. I think there was an allergy aspect to this, although I have never had spring allergies. Between that and getting some serious sleep last night I feel pretty good right now.
The worst of the cold/flu thing is over. I think there was an allergy aspect to this, although I have never had spring allergies. Between that and getting some serious sleep last night I feel pretty good right now.
Monday, May 09, 2005
Apple - Trailers - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Apple - Trailers - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
More tease than trailer, but still worth a look.
More tease than trailer, but still worth a look.
CITIZEN-TIMES.com: Members say church ousts Kerry supporters
CITIZEN-TIMES.com: Members say church ousts Kerry supporters
Although I would say that by and large churches should be allowed to determine who can be members, I hope the IRS makes an example out of them and revokes the tax-exempt status. It is one thing to kick pro-choice people out of a church that is pro-life, but to kick people out because they supported a candidate REGARDLESS OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL VIEWS ON THE TOPICS, is wrong and against the law for tax-exempt status.
Any more candidates are choosing the lesser of two evils. You may feel that it is less evil to vote for the pro-choice Kerry vs. what Bush has done in Iraq. I have met pro-life Democrats and pro-choice Republicans, Democrats who feel we did the right thing in Iraq, and Republicans who don't. Backing a particular candidate does not mean you agree with everything that candidate does. Personally I am a Democrat only because I cannot vote on issues only during a primary locally, or should I say at one time that is what I do. I voted for Kerry, put I also voted for a Republican senator because I thought he was the best man for the job. Novel concept - voting for who you feel will do the right job and not concern yourself for what poltiical party he belongs to.
Although I would say that by and large churches should be allowed to determine who can be members, I hope the IRS makes an example out of them and revokes the tax-exempt status. It is one thing to kick pro-choice people out of a church that is pro-life, but to kick people out because they supported a candidate REGARDLESS OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL VIEWS ON THE TOPICS, is wrong and against the law for tax-exempt status.
Any more candidates are choosing the lesser of two evils. You may feel that it is less evil to vote for the pro-choice Kerry vs. what Bush has done in Iraq. I have met pro-life Democrats and pro-choice Republicans, Democrats who feel we did the right thing in Iraq, and Republicans who don't. Backing a particular candidate does not mean you agree with everything that candidate does. Personally I am a Democrat only because I cannot vote on issues only during a primary locally, or should I say at one time that is what I do. I voted for Kerry, put I also voted for a Republican senator because I thought he was the best man for the job. Novel concept - voting for who you feel will do the right job and not concern yourself for what poltiical party he belongs to.
For Some Techies, an Interminable Workday - Yahoo! News
For Some Techies, an Interminable Workday - Yahoo! News
You don't have to have super long days dealing with off shore teams to have this kind of burn out. Hopefully companies will realize they are only burning out their managers.
You don't have to have super long days dealing with off shore teams to have this kind of burn out. Hopefully companies will realize they are only burning out their managers.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Some random things
Today I feel like crap. I am getting the cold/flu thingy that is going around work and I feel like crap. One of the interesting things about this is you see things in a different light.
Bovine Feces
I was reading a story in the paper and the author was quoting someone who, obviously, had said bullshit and they substituted Bovine Feces. Pretty cool idea!
Cool licsense plate
On the way to work today I saw the plate WHO RU2B. It stuck with me all day.
Professional wrestling = male soap operas
I dislike professional wrestling, however I saw an ad for one of the wrestling shows. The way it was done it reminded me a lot of ads for soap operas. It seems that if there is body slams involved it is OK for a guy to watch it.
The Longest Yard, remixed
Again I saw an ad for The Longest Yard that is coming out at the end of the month. Adam Sandler is hit or miss for me, but he will probably do a good job in this. I loved the original with Burt Reynolds, and it looks like he has a part in this one.
I think I am going to cut it there. My head hurts and I am ready to fall asleep.
Bovine Feces
I was reading a story in the paper and the author was quoting someone who, obviously, had said bullshit and they substituted Bovine Feces. Pretty cool idea!
Cool licsense plate
On the way to work today I saw the plate WHO RU2B. It stuck with me all day.
Professional wrestling = male soap operas
I dislike professional wrestling, however I saw an ad for one of the wrestling shows. The way it was done it reminded me a lot of ads for soap operas. It seems that if there is body slams involved it is OK for a guy to watch it.
The Longest Yard, remixed
Again I saw an ad for The Longest Yard that is coming out at the end of the month. Adam Sandler is hit or miss for me, but he will probably do a good job in this. I loved the original with Burt Reynolds, and it looks like he has a part in this one.
I think I am going to cut it there. My head hurts and I am ready to fall asleep.
Google-Yahoo Traffic Maps
Google-Yahoo Traffic Maps
Found this over at O'Reilly Radar. REAL cool idea, but unfortunately it uses Yahoo & Google, which means this probably will not last for long. Just goes to show you how ingenius hackers (and I mean the real definition of the term, not what the media uses) can be.
Found this over at O'Reilly Radar. REAL cool idea, but unfortunately it uses Yahoo & Google, which means this probably will not last for long. Just goes to show you how ingenius hackers (and I mean the real definition of the term, not what the media uses) can be.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Regular-type post
Just kind of a catchup.
I started a creativity workshop, for lack of a better term. I have been in groups run by Jim in the past so I know it will be good. Given how drained I have felt lately this is part of what I need to help fill up the well. What I like is that we are going to look at not only some of the more traditional types of exercises I have worked with in the past, but also some of the latest research on brain function. This will, hopefully, give me a few new tools to help me reverse my current situation.
RSS - Some things I would like to see
I am something of a johny-come-lately to the whole RSS thing. I have to admit though I like it. I think all blogs should have a feed. Face it - we all do not have the time to visit even 12 blogs daily.
After seeing the traffic update that comes through Yahoo earlier today, I thought of a few things I would like to see:
1) Electronic bill presentment - It would be cool to see at least a message and a link to the page. I would optionally like to either present a generic message or the name of the presentor. For example I would not care if, over an unsecure line, that Dominion East Ohio came through since they bill EVERYONE in the city. However I may not want everyone to know I have a GM Mastercard.
2) Weather, although I am sure that is already done.
3) TV schedules. This would be cool, and given that My Yahoo offers that I am sure there is a way to do this. The trick here is formatting the feed in a table format so it looks like something out of TV Guide.
4) Localized upcoming events. Typically these things are done through newspapers now, but it would be cool if we could get these events submittedthrough some kind of gatekeeper (to avoid spam) and receive the events we want, or to open up to search/filtering so that we can skip all the over 50 and country music acts but include all the oompa band & bagpipe performances. Have the problem I have is wading through all the "crap" (crap being relative to each person) to find events that I maybe interested in.
5) Notifiers - given the number of email, voice mail, and other accounts it would be nice if we could have something that would easily monitor if there is new items and provide a link over to the source.
I started a creativity workshop, for lack of a better term. I have been in groups run by Jim in the past so I know it will be good. Given how drained I have felt lately this is part of what I need to help fill up the well. What I like is that we are going to look at not only some of the more traditional types of exercises I have worked with in the past, but also some of the latest research on brain function. This will, hopefully, give me a few new tools to help me reverse my current situation.
RSS - Some things I would like to see
I am something of a johny-come-lately to the whole RSS thing. I have to admit though I like it. I think all blogs should have a feed. Face it - we all do not have the time to visit even 12 blogs daily.
After seeing the traffic update that comes through Yahoo earlier today, I thought of a few things I would like to see:
1) Electronic bill presentment - It would be cool to see at least a message and a link to the page. I would optionally like to either present a generic message or the name of the presentor. For example I would not care if, over an unsecure line, that Dominion East Ohio came through since they bill EVERYONE in the city. However I may not want everyone to know I have a GM Mastercard.
2) Weather, although I am sure that is already done.
3) TV schedules. This would be cool, and given that My Yahoo offers that I am sure there is a way to do this. The trick here is formatting the feed in a table format so it looks like something out of TV Guide.
4) Localized upcoming events. Typically these things are done through newspapers now, but it would be cool if we could get these events submittedthrough some kind of gatekeeper (to avoid spam) and receive the events we want, or to open up to search/filtering so that we can skip all the over 50 and country music acts but include all the oompa band & bagpipe performances. Have the problem I have is wading through all the "crap" (crap being relative to each person) to find events that I maybe interested in.
5) Notifiers - given the number of email, voice mail, and other accounts it would be nice if we could have something that would easily monitor if there is new items and provide a link over to the source.
Pa. Eatery Offers New 15-Pound Burger - Yahoo! News
Pa. Eatery Offers New 15-Pound Burger - Yahoo! News
Ok, this is stupid. There was a place in Akron that had a half or one pound burger that required a special bun.
Now for the ultimate Mike's Place in Kent, Ohio has something called "The Belly Buster." This is, basically, one order of everything from their breakfast menu that, as I have been told, is served in one of those trays used at the all you can eat places. Even with that Mike's is still a good place. If you notice on their web page is a shot of the restaurant with a full size (or pretty close) X-Wing fighter in the parking lot.
Ok, this is stupid. There was a place in Akron that had a half or one pound burger that required a special bun.
Now for the ultimate Mike's Place in Kent, Ohio has something called "The Belly Buster." This is, basically, one order of everything from their breakfast menu that, as I have been told, is served in one of those trays used at the all you can eat places. Even with that Mike's is still a good place. If you notice on their web page is a shot of the restaurant with a full size (or pretty close) X-Wing fighter in the parking lot.
NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio: Press Releases
NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio: Press Releases
Everyone in Ohio is yelling that the sky is falling, or more specifically the population is falling and yet we continue to do stupid things like this.
According to a WKSU (Kent State radio) interview this bill further makes it a felony to transport a woman to a state that would allow an abortion. The logic on this is that its frowned upon to go out of state to perform an action that would be illegal in state. I guess the next step would be to arrest anyone who went out of state to gamble.
Everyone has been complaining about not only the population falling but the brain drain in the state. All the Republicans point to our high taxes as the ONLY reason. Let's see - we want to attract intellectual people, many of whom are women (and in an unrelated issue gay) yet we want to ban abortion and gay marriage. If I was a woman or gay and had a choice of jobs Ohio is not where I would take that job, even though I love my state.
I don't care if people are for or against abortion. If you are against it feel free to park yourself outside of abortion clinics and protest, but do not try to legislate this issue.
Everyone in Ohio is yelling that the sky is falling, or more specifically the population is falling and yet we continue to do stupid things like this.
According to a WKSU (Kent State radio) interview this bill further makes it a felony to transport a woman to a state that would allow an abortion. The logic on this is that its frowned upon to go out of state to perform an action that would be illegal in state. I guess the next step would be to arrest anyone who went out of state to gamble.
Everyone has been complaining about not only the population falling but the brain drain in the state. All the Republicans point to our high taxes as the ONLY reason. Let's see - we want to attract intellectual people, many of whom are women (and in an unrelated issue gay) yet we want to ban abortion and gay marriage. If I was a woman or gay and had a choice of jobs Ohio is not where I would take that job, even though I love my state.
I don't care if people are for or against abortion. If you are against it feel free to park yourself outside of abortion clinics and protest, but do not try to legislate this issue.
O'Reilly Radar
O'Reilly Radar
Forgot to add this to my last entry. This blogish type page is interesting for anyone who is even remotely geekish. O'Reilly has done some interesting books and a big supporter of open source (as well Microsoft and Mac - they recognize how to make money). There are not a lot of entries, and although not every entry is going to be interesting it is worth it to find that 1 or 2 entries that will send your mind working in a different way.
Forgot to add this to my last entry. This blogish type page is interesting for anyone who is even remotely geekish. O'Reilly has done some interesting books and a big supporter of open source (as well Microsoft and Mac - they recognize how to make money). There are not a lot of entries, and although not every entry is going to be interesting it is worth it to find that 1 or 2 entries that will send your mind working in a different way.
Traffic Conditions Data - John Resig
Traffic Conditions Data - John Resig
This is neat, and in my opinion a much better way to get traffic info than trying to read the paper. It looks like there is a tie in for Apple OS X for those who use Apple as well, but there is an RSS feed for the rest of us unwashed masses.
This is neat, and in my opinion a much better way to get traffic info than trying to read the paper. It looks like there is a tie in for Apple OS X for those who use Apple as well, but there is an RSS feed for the rest of us unwashed masses.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
An interesting observation
Is it just me, or are charities sending out more return address labels at a time when people do not need as many labels? Granted I still mail a lot of stuff out the old fashion way, but it seems like people over all are using the regular mail less and less.
Burn It Spring 2005
Sorry all for getting this out late. I should be dropping the discs in the mail tomorrow. Here is what I came up with.
Don't Stop Believin' by Journey
I Get Around by The Beach Boys
All Revved Up With No Place To Go by Meatloaf
The Ballad of Billy the Kid by Billy Joel
Mr. Roboto by Sytx
The Devil Went Down To Georgia by The charlie Daniel's Band
We Will Rock You by Queen
Another Brick In the Wall, Pt. 1 by Pink Floyd
Heartbreaker by Pat Benatar
(You Can Still) Rock In America by Night Ranger
My Town by Michael Stanley Band
Seduce Me Tonight by Cycle V
Flamethrower by J. Geils Band
Tusk by Fleetwood Mac
Dancing in the Sheets by Shalamar
Hot For Teacher by Van Halen
In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins
Illegal Alien by Gnesis
Foxey Lady by Jimi Hendrix
Don't Stop Believin' by Journey
I Get Around by The Beach Boys
All Revved Up With No Place To Go by Meatloaf
The Ballad of Billy the Kid by Billy Joel
Mr. Roboto by Sytx
The Devil Went Down To Georgia by The charlie Daniel's Band
We Will Rock You by Queen
Another Brick In the Wall, Pt. 1 by Pink Floyd
Heartbreaker by Pat Benatar
(You Can Still) Rock In America by Night Ranger
My Town by Michael Stanley Band
Seduce Me Tonight by Cycle V
Flamethrower by J. Geils Band
Tusk by Fleetwood Mac
Dancing in the Sheets by Shalamar
Hot For Teacher by Van Halen
In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins
Illegal Alien by Gnesis
Foxey Lady by Jimi Hendrix
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Running on Empty
The last week left me realizing that I have been running on empty for too long. I am to the point that I have nothing left to give. I have violated rule number 1 - take care of yourself so you can take care of others.
The worst part is you never notice it at first. It kind of creeps up on you. For me at least things were mostly ok, although I had noticed some small things for awhile now. The all of a sudden whamo - the wheels come off and I am ready to go postal.
I am looking to reverse this trend. First off I am making up some good meals for myself for next week. One problem is that I have been eating out too much the last few months, and I can feel the difference between that and what I make for myself. Next I am also going to get my exercise in, which I have not been consistent with for awhile as well.
Lastly I am going to try and refill the well. Today I went to see The Hitchhicker's Guide To the Galaxy. Not a bad film, for those familiar with the books (and it has been awhile since I read them) it is enjoyable.For those who did not like the books avoid the movie.
The worst part is you never notice it at first. It kind of creeps up on you. For me at least things were mostly ok, although I had noticed some small things for awhile now. The all of a sudden whamo - the wheels come off and I am ready to go postal.
I am looking to reverse this trend. First off I am making up some good meals for myself for next week. One problem is that I have been eating out too much the last few months, and I can feel the difference between that and what I make for myself. Next I am also going to get my exercise in, which I have not been consistent with for awhile as well.
Lastly I am going to try and refill the well. Today I went to see The Hitchhicker's Guide To the Galaxy. Not a bad film, for those familiar with the books (and it has been awhile since I read them) it is enjoyable.For those who did not like the books avoid the movie.
Your Birthdate: December 20 |
Your birth on the 20th day of the month adds a degree of emotion, sensitivity, and intuition to your reading. The 2 energy provided here is very social, allowing you to make friends easily and quickly. Yet you are apt to have a rather nervous air in the company of a large group. You have a warmhearted nature and emotional understanding that constantly seeks affection. You are very prone to become depressed and moody, as emotions can turn inward and cause anxiety and mental turmoil. It can be hard for you to bounce back to reality when depression sets in. When things are going well, you can go just as far the other way and become extremely affectionate. |
Friday, April 29, 2005
MoveOn PACh
MoveOn PAC
Although I thought he would not make a good president (and no I did not vote for Bush Jr. - I voted for some third party candidate in the hope of getting someone else permanent ballot status in Ohio) I do believe Al Gore is a very intelligent man. He hits home with this speech. I like the way he puts it - aside from the fact the founding fathers wanted the whole freedom of the branches to work independently, eventually the Republicans will fall out of favor (if history is any indicator) and when they are they may WANT to have the filibuster and other tools that are currently in place to fight "the evil majority." I think some people have lost track of the fact that politics is a marathon, not a sprint and there are times you will not be the front runner.
Although I thought he would not make a good president (and no I did not vote for Bush Jr. - I voted for some third party candidate in the hope of getting someone else permanent ballot status in Ohio) I do believe Al Gore is a very intelligent man. He hits home with this speech. I like the way he puts it - aside from the fact the founding fathers wanted the whole freedom of the branches to work independently, eventually the Republicans will fall out of favor (if history is any indicator) and when they are they may WANT to have the filibuster and other tools that are currently in place to fight "the evil majority." I think some people have lost track of the fact that politics is a marathon, not a sprint and there are times you will not be the front runner.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Monday, April 25, 2005
Quick Check In
I was at work for 12+ hours yesterday to come home to a bunch of other crap so I have not felt like doing much of anything. Just a quick note since I have not done anything lately.
Note to phishers
Note to phisers - when trying to extract information from someone you should probably try and make sure that the target at least has some kind of relationship with the entity you are trying to immitate.
Today I got this email addressed to "Dear Keybank Member." Now aside from the fact that my name was not used (one tip I have seen in phishing scams), I don't have any kind of account with Keybank. The level of criminal compentence has truly fallen off of late.
Today I got this email addressed to "Dear Keybank Member." Now aside from the fact that my name was not used (one tip I have seen in phishing scams), I don't have any kind of account with Keybank.
MyPyramid.gov - United States Department of Agriculture - Home
MyPyramid.gov - United States Department of Agriculture - Home
Looks like a cool site if you want to play around with the new food pyramid. Amazing they finally figured out one size does not fit all! And the web might make it easier for people to figure out what they should eat. Wow.
Looks like a cool site if you want to play around with the new food pyramid. Amazing they finally figured out one size does not fit all! And the web might make it easier for people to figure out what they should eat. Wow.
Friday, April 22, 2005
This and that
Well, I am finally catching up with some things. Things at work have slowed down enough that I can breath, always a plus. My car seems to have settled down, although it still needs some work which I might et done this weekend since it seems that the weather is going to suck out loud. I'm not complaining too much becuase we had a nice run of weather.
New feet
Yesterday during my walk I got some intense shin pain. This is not ot of the ordinary since the shin is the first place something hurts when I am walking too fast. After slowing down nothing changed, so it was time to head to the store for a new pair of walking shoes. Picked up a pair of these. I have to agree with the one review that stated they seem to run a half size small, but overall I am happy with them so far. Of course I only did 3 miles today and my arches hurt and I got a little knee pain while walking, but both of those is normal when I first get a new pair of shoes, particularly a new model. The arch problmes I expect since I need to get used to an arch support that is not borken down. The knee pain with this came from the fact these shoes try to keep the ankle in a neutral position, something my last shoes did not do. It wil take a few miles to get the legs used to the new shoes, but I have to admit by the end of the 3 miles I was feeling pretty good so I have good feelings about these shoes. The big thing I like is the upper is almost all mesh to allow for some great breathing of my feet. When I do longer walks I need to get a lot of ventilation on my feet or I start to get blisters right behind the balls of my feet. I never knew what caused them until I taked with someone who had a similar problem and heclued me into the trick of long distance walkers.
New feet
Yesterday during my walk I got some intense shin pain. This is not ot of the ordinary since the shin is the first place something hurts when I am walking too fast. After slowing down nothing changed, so it was time to head to the store for a new pair of walking shoes. Picked up a pair of these. I have to agree with the one review that stated they seem to run a half size small, but overall I am happy with them so far. Of course I only did 3 miles today and my arches hurt and I got a little knee pain while walking, but both of those is normal when I first get a new pair of shoes, particularly a new model. The arch problmes I expect since I need to get used to an arch support that is not borken down. The knee pain with this came from the fact these shoes try to keep the ankle in a neutral position, something my last shoes did not do. It wil take a few miles to get the legs used to the new shoes, but I have to admit by the end of the 3 miles I was feeling pretty good so I have good feelings about these shoes. The big thing I like is the upper is almost all mesh to allow for some great breathing of my feet. When I do longer walks I need to get a lot of ventilation on my feet or I start to get blisters right behind the balls of my feet. I never knew what caused them until I taked with someone who had a similar problem and heclued me into the trick of long distance walkers.
Oops I Did It Again: The Original
Oops I Did It Again: The Original
I have mixed views on this - I love poking fun at Brittany Spears, but then again the trumpet playing is so bad it is really an afront to Satchmo fans, and anyone who has respect for brass instruments. I could have played that and I have not picked up an instrument since high school, and a trumpet in particular since my sophmore year.
I have mixed views on this - I love poking fun at Brittany Spears, but then again the trumpet playing is so bad it is really an afront to Satchmo fans, and anyone who has respect for brass instruments. I could have played that and I have not picked up an instrument since high school, and a trumpet in particular since my sophmore year.
Yahoo! News - US protestants split over new pope
Yahoo! News - US protestants split over new pope
We live in a world gone wild when protestants should even give a flying fig about the new pope.
We live in a world gone wild when protestants should even give a flying fig about the new pope.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Star Wars Revelations .. A�Panic Struck Productions Film
Star Wars Revelations .. A�Panic Struck Productions Film
I believe I have blogged about this before, but now it is out! The largest file is 260 meg and is just over 47 minutes with credits. With BitTorrent it took less than 2 hours (I did not check the exact time - I started it up and came back 2 hours later it was all done). They alos have a DVD image for those with a burner.
Was this a great piece of cinema? No, but it was enjoyable. Frankly I have seen worse commercial releases. Sometimes the effects seemed a little, the word I thought of was "incomplete". Like they needed another day or two of computer processing to really finish things off. I don't discount this could have been a result of my computer monitor however. Wish I had a DVD burner to get the image and see it on a regular TV.
What I find most interesting is the process they used. Although they will not give a final figure, it looks like the spent somewhere in the neightborhood of $30K or less on the film. Granted all the actors & crew were volunteers and the whole process took something like 3 years to complete, but I think this shows what a group of dedicated individuals who are inspired to create something can do.
Right now the timing is such that such films can gain a market. Low budget films & documentaries have, traditionally, had no good outlet. However with broadband getting great penetration into homes people are now looking at the $40-$50/month and wondering how to maximize the return. Indie musicians figured out awhile back how they can market themselves on the internet, and now I think indie film makers are learning. BitTorrent, I feel, is the tipping factor for video. I know, personally, that is how my thinking has been.
BTW - does anyone else know what Karen Hammang has been in? She played The Emperor's Hand in the movie and her face seems familiar. I plugged her name into Google and did not come up with much. Maybe she just looks like someone I know.
I believe I have blogged about this before, but now it is out! The largest file is 260 meg and is just over 47 minutes with credits. With BitTorrent it took less than 2 hours (I did not check the exact time - I started it up and came back 2 hours later it was all done). They alos have a DVD image for those with a burner.
Was this a great piece of cinema? No, but it was enjoyable. Frankly I have seen worse commercial releases. Sometimes the effects seemed a little, the word I thought of was "incomplete". Like they needed another day or two of computer processing to really finish things off. I don't discount this could have been a result of my computer monitor however. Wish I had a DVD burner to get the image and see it on a regular TV.
What I find most interesting is the process they used. Although they will not give a final figure, it looks like the spent somewhere in the neightborhood of $30K or less on the film. Granted all the actors & crew were volunteers and the whole process took something like 3 years to complete, but I think this shows what a group of dedicated individuals who are inspired to create something can do.
Right now the timing is such that such films can gain a market. Low budget films & documentaries have, traditionally, had no good outlet. However with broadband getting great penetration into homes people are now looking at the $40-$50/month and wondering how to maximize the return. Indie musicians figured out awhile back how they can market themselves on the internet, and now I think indie film makers are learning. BitTorrent, I feel, is the tipping factor for video. I know, personally, that is how my thinking has been.
BTW - does anyone else know what Karen Hammang has been in? She played The Emperor's Hand in the movie and her face seems familiar. I plugged her name into Google and did not come up with much. Maybe she just looks like someone I know.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Scripting News: 4/20/2005
Scripting News: 4/20/2005
You go Dave!
Seriously it has been my view that most organizied religions just get in the way of your relationship with your deity of choice. I have never figured out why you need to go to a special place at a special time to have a religious experience.
You go Dave!
Seriously it has been my view that most organizied religions just get in the way of your relationship with your deity of choice. I have never figured out why you need to go to a special place at a special time to have a religious experience.
Yahoo! News - TV, Radio to Issue Decency Guide This Summer
Yahoo! News - TV, Radio to Issue Decency Guide This Summer
Why can't people use intelligence when watching a show. There are ratings available already, and any show that may have objectionable material usually warns you at the beginning AND many times just before the segment that will be offensive. Now a delay system on live broadcasts is not a bad idea, but I fear this is going to become pandering to the lowest common denominator, which means anything that could in any way, shape, or form offend ANYONE will never get broadcast again. Why can't people just vote with their viewing habits?
Why can't people use intelligence when watching a show. There are ratings available already, and any show that may have objectionable material usually warns you at the beginning AND many times just before the segment that will be offensive. Now a delay system on live broadcasts is not a bad idea, but I fear this is going to become pandering to the lowest common denominator, which means anything that could in any way, shape, or form offend ANYONE will never get broadcast again. Why can't people just vote with their viewing habits?
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Yahoo! News - Bush Says Raising Retirement Age a Possibility
Yahoo! News - Bush Says Raising Retirement Age a Possibility
Interestingly in my last statement from Social Security my retirement age for full benefits is already 67, and I fully expect it to be 70 by the time I am old enough to draw benefits.
There is one assumption I think that Bush is missing in this - we are all comfortable with investing in stocks & bonds. Most of the people I know (including myself), all of whom are very intelligent, don't have much of a real clue as to what constitutes a good investment. Worse yet we do not necessarily have the time to spend to follow the markets or the money to pay someone to do it for us. If people were serious about individual investment accounts (which, BTW, sounds a lot like the 401(k) or similar programs we have now) then maybe teaching about investing in, say the public schools, would be a good idea.
RANT ALERT - In a country that prides itself on its economic system we do very little to teach our children how to make use of that system. When I was in school unless you took an accounting class you did not necessarily learn even how to balance your check book or how compound interest works. Maybe over the last 20+ years things have changed, but for some reason I doubt it. If people want the whole idea of personal investment accounts to fly (which I am opposed to only because of the governmental control) maybe we should be teaching kids about how the markets work in high school so that everyone IS comfortable with investing in stocks & bonds.
Interestingly in my last statement from Social Security my retirement age for full benefits is already 67, and I fully expect it to be 70 by the time I am old enough to draw benefits.
There is one assumption I think that Bush is missing in this - we are all comfortable with investing in stocks & bonds. Most of the people I know (including myself), all of whom are very intelligent, don't have much of a real clue as to what constitutes a good investment. Worse yet we do not necessarily have the time to spend to follow the markets or the money to pay someone to do it for us. If people were serious about individual investment accounts (which, BTW, sounds a lot like the 401(k) or similar programs we have now) then maybe teaching about investing in, say the public schools, would be a good idea.
RANT ALERT - In a country that prides itself on its economic system we do very little to teach our children how to make use of that system. When I was in school unless you took an accounting class you did not necessarily learn even how to balance your check book or how compound interest works. Maybe over the last 20+ years things have changed, but for some reason I doubt it. If people want the whole idea of personal investment accounts to fly (which I am opposed to only because of the governmental control) maybe we should be teaching kids about how the markets work in high school so that everyone IS comfortable with investing in stocks & bonds.
Monday, April 18, 2005
Developers-Association.org :: Don Box et son groupe !
Developers-Association.org :: Don Box et son groupe !
Time for some geek humor. The video is kind of long, and my guess is the site is in French, although the video is all English. Songs about programming and other computer geeky stuff by geeks. Fair warning - this is not exactly great music AND the songs will probably not be understood by those outside of the computer industry.
Time for some geek humor. The video is kind of long, and my guess is the site is in French, although the video is all English. Songs about programming and other computer geeky stuff by geeks. Fair warning - this is not exactly great music AND the songs will probably not be understood by those outside of the computer industry.
Sunday, April 17, 2005
T-Shirts Akron : Rubber City Clothing
T-Shirts Akron : Rubber City Clothing
There has been a lot of talk lately in town about how to make Akron "cool." More on that, I think, in coming months. Now the idea of making a city "cool" is silly in my opinion, but I like this place's idea of trying to promote a great place to live. Akron will never be LA, Chicago or New York, and frankly I don't want it to be. BTW I highly recommend looking at the "Click Here Vote For Your Favorite Design" link. Some of them are inside jokes that locals would get, but mostly I think everyone would enjoy them.
There has been a lot of talk lately in town about how to make Akron "cool." More on that, I think, in coming months. Now the idea of making a city "cool" is silly in my opinion, but I like this place's idea of trying to promote a great place to live. Akron will never be LA, Chicago or New York, and frankly I don't want it to be. BTW I highly recommend looking at the "Click Here Vote For Your Favorite Design" link. Some of them are inside jokes that locals would get, but mostly I think everyone would enjoy them.
Recovering from Adventures in Babysitting
I am recovering today from two days of babysitting. My sister in law went in for some emergency surgery to drain an infection on Friday. I took off half a day to watch the kids so Brian could go back and be with Carla in recovery. Not a bad day of babysitting, but for some reason the kids wanted to watch DVDs on my laptop that I took over to get some things done. Needless to say I got nothing done, although I bet we were a sight -4 kids and an adult all grouped around a laptop sitting on a recliner.
Last night Carla was not feeling quite right so she went to the emergency room. I stayed up much longer than I would have liked, but the kids were little terrors. They had been to a birthday party earlier in the day and were still all sugared up. After some whining, and 2 of the 4 falling asleep things went a lot easier.
Aside from that, I have been dealing with a car that is not a happy camper. Right now he still needs to go back for some additional cleaning, but at least things are pretty normal right now. I do have to say though at least the car is nice and clean. I hate to clean, but I have to admit there is something very satisfying about the results. As a programmer at the end of the day there is no physical results from my work. It is nice to see the results of my effort for a change.
Geek Alert
Now let me start this off with I am a big Star Trek fan, but I was not a big fan of Wil Wheaton on there. Nothing against him as an actor, in fact I think he did great, but I never connected with Wesley. Yes, I know there is a difference between Wil & Wesley, but it is sometimes difficult to separate emotions when you are watching the show week after week. It was refreshing to read his blog and find out he is a major geek. A few weeks ago I saw he was into short wave radio, so that really pushes him into the geek category. It is refreshing to read about an actor and find out he is a very normal guy who has a bit of a (ok, a big) geek.
Last night Carla was not feeling quite right so she went to the emergency room. I stayed up much longer than I would have liked, but the kids were little terrors. They had been to a birthday party earlier in the day and were still all sugared up. After some whining, and 2 of the 4 falling asleep things went a lot easier.
Aside from that, I have been dealing with a car that is not a happy camper. Right now he still needs to go back for some additional cleaning, but at least things are pretty normal right now. I do have to say though at least the car is nice and clean. I hate to clean, but I have to admit there is something very satisfying about the results. As a programmer at the end of the day there is no physical results from my work. It is nice to see the results of my effort for a change.
Geek Alert
Now let me start this off with I am a big Star Trek fan, but I was not a big fan of Wil Wheaton on there. Nothing against him as an actor, in fact I think he did great, but I never connected with Wesley. Yes, I know there is a difference between Wil & Wesley, but it is sometimes difficult to separate emotions when you are watching the show week after week. It was refreshing to read his blog and find out he is a major geek. A few weeks ago I saw he was into short wave radio, so that really pushes him into the geek category. It is refreshing to read about an actor and find out he is a very normal guy who has a bit of a (ok, a big) geek.
WIL WHEATON dot NET: Where is my mind?: one by one
WIL WHEATON dot NET: Where is my mind?: one by one
Although it looks like voting has closed on this (I could not find the link mentioned as of Sunday night), I thought it was cool to see what an actress was doing. Plus, Ms McKellar is a math major which earns major geek points. Graduating 1 credit shy of a math minor myself I can tell you this lady has some real smarts, plus most of the math majors I have met (my comp sci degree was offered through the math departement) are about 1 standard deviation off of normal.
BTW the reason I was 1 credit shy is because I could not stand to take another math class. That's ok - most people could not understand how I could suffer through all those comp sci classes. So intead of minoring in math I minored in psychology. I had to get some upper level electives and the minor fit the bill.
Although it looks like voting has closed on this (I could not find the link mentioned as of Sunday night), I thought it was cool to see what an actress was doing. Plus, Ms McKellar is a math major which earns major geek points. Graduating 1 credit shy of a math minor myself I can tell you this lady has some real smarts, plus most of the math majors I have met (my comp sci degree was offered through the math departement) are about 1 standard deviation off of normal.
BTW the reason I was 1 credit shy is because I could not stand to take another math class. That's ok - most people could not understand how I could suffer through all those comp sci classes. So intead of minoring in math I minored in psychology. I had to get some upper level electives and the minor fit the bill.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Yahoo! News - FDA Panel Backs Mentor Silicone Breast Implants
Yahoo! News - FDA Panel Backs Mentor Silicone Breast Implants
A similar story was the top story on my paper. I guess after what seems like weeks of stories on the Pope, Terry Shiavo, and the war in Iraq they wanted something a little lighter. Now whereas I am all for breast implants for women who want them, does this really warrent being the lead story on page one?
A similar story was the top story on my paper. I guess after what seems like weeks of stories on the Pope, Terry Shiavo, and the war in Iraq they wanted something a little lighter. Now whereas I am all for breast implants for women who want them, does this really warrent being the lead story on page one?
Blog censorship gains support | CNET News.com
Blog censorship gains support | CNET News.com
Ok, maybe I have a little more common sense than your average bear, but I would have thought that blogging addresses, phone numbers, etc. would OBVIOUSLY BE A BAD THING! Especially with regard to average Joe type of people. Most celebraties' addresses are well known anyways, although the whole Paris Hilton Blackberry shows the need for good password protection.
Now note that without knowing what is meant by "other personal information" I can't comment further. To me someone's sex life is private, but would it be appropriate to out someone's homosexuality if they are publicly opposed to, say, gay marriage?
Ok, maybe I have a little more common sense than your average bear, but I would have thought that blogging addresses, phone numbers, etc. would OBVIOUSLY BE A BAD THING! Especially with regard to average Joe type of people. Most celebraties' addresses are well known anyways, although the whole Paris Hilton Blackberry shows the need for good password protection.
Now note that without knowing what is meant by "other personal information" I can't comment further. To me someone's sex life is private, but would it be appropriate to out someone's homosexuality if they are publicly opposed to, say, gay marriage?
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