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14 October, 2004
Debate Notes
I missed last night's presidential debate, but the Defective Yeti provided me with a good summary: Some Notes About The Debate IV: The Final Chapter.
A few excerpts:
- Bush, dude, your "it's kind of one of those exaggerations" line in response to the "not that concerned about Osama bin Laden" quotation was a huge gaffe. Huge! First of all, Gore was the exaggerator, Kerry is the flip-flopper, and Clinton was the waffler -- get your facts, straight, man!
- The debate is a lot more fun to watch if (1) everytime Kerry says "I have a plan," you mentally substitute the phrase "I have a girlfriend in Canada," and (b) you shout "hi-YAH!" everytime Bush karate chops his podium. Hi-YAH!
- Well, I guess Bush isn't wearing a wire after all. Because, if he was, I'm sure Karl would have told him to wipe the spit from the corner of him mouth instead of just letting him look like Mad Dog Dubya for half an hour.
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Pop-Ups
From CNET: Revenge of the pop-ups.
It's been barely two months since Microsoft made a pop-up blocker available for its Internet Explorer browser--but Web advertisers have already found a way to slip their loathed marketing pitches past it.
The article states that the cost of pop-up advertising has increased significantly because more people use pop-up blockers. I like this quote:
"What is also affecting the price is the fact that individuals who are not using pop-up blockers are more likely to be those users who have traditionally found them to be less annoying and intrusive," said Chris Berman, of the ad network Dedicated LA, who said that on average, 50 percent to 60 percent of Web users are now actively using pop-up blockers.
In other words, they are now targeting the dumbest half of all Web users -- those who don't know how to block pop-up ads.
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Contrails Over Georgia
Yesterday's Astronomy Picture of the Day: Contrail Clutter over Georgia.
Artificial clouds made by humans may become so common they change the Earth's climate. The long thin cloud streaks that dominate the above satellite photograph of Georgia are contrails, cirrus clouds created by airplanes.
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Office 2003 Developer Strategies
New at MSDN: Overview of Office 2003 Developer Technologies.
One of two articles, this overview of developer technologies describes the newer technologies that help enable solution developers to build custom solutions incorporating programs from Microsoft Office 2003 Editions. Read this article to understand the new development technologies for Office 2003 Editions and the types of solutions you can create with them. (38 printed pages)
I scanned it. It's Greek to me.
I think it's safe to say that I am way behind the times when it comes to developing for Microsoft Office.
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Favorite Day
This is a stupid question, but that's never stopped me before.
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Martha's Prison Book
From CNN: Report: Martha plans prison book.
Imprisoned
domestic diva Martha Stewart is considering doing a book on her experience in
federal prison, according to a published report.
The magazine said the book deal could be worth more than $5 million.
Why not? If I were famous and got sentenced to five months in slammer, I'd gladly accept $1 million per month for writing a book. I just wouldn't be able to provide the fashion tips.
Posted on 14 October, 2004
The State Of The Blogosphere
From Sifry's Alerts: Oct 2004 State of the Blogosphere: 4.6 posts per second. It has a very interesting chart.
As of October 6, 2004, there are approximately 400,000 posts created every day in the blogosphere, which averages out to about 4.6 posts per second, or over 16,000 posts per hour.
Man, even with RSS I can't read more than 1 or 2 per second. I'm getting way behind!
(via Doc Searles Weblog)
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Google Your Hard Drive
Those geeks at Google never slow down. Now it's Google Desktop.
Google
Desktop Search is how our brains would work if we had photographic memories.
It's a desktop search application that provides full text search over your
email, computer files, chats, and the web pages you've viewed. By making your
computer searchable, Google Desktop Search puts your information easily within
your reach and frees you from having to manually organize your files, emails,
and bookmarks.
Windows only.
Somebody try this and report back with the verdict. It's gotta be better than the search feature built into Windows.
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Easy-Bake Cook-Off
Food news: First Ever Boy Baker Wins Easy-Bake Chef of the Year Contest.
John
McCune, a 9 year-old master baker from Valley Center, Kansas was named the
EASY-BAKE 2004 "Chef of the Year" today after baking his tempting "EASY-BAKE
Carrot Cake," concluding the search for America's best child chef by Hasbro,
Inc., the makers of the EASY-BAKE Oven. John is the first boy to ever win the
EASY-BAKE "Chef of the Year" contest, which was created in 1998.
It's amazing what you can do with a light bulb.
Congratulations to John!
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Alaska Disbursements Only $919.84
From CNN: Alaska: Everybody gets $919.84.
...Nearly everyone living in Alaska will receive a payment of $919.84, thanks to dividends from a $27.4 billion trust fund set up with some of the state's oil wealth.
However, the dividend was $187.72 lower than last year's pay out, and less than half the record pay out of $1,963.86 made in 2000.
The dividend is go out on Oct. 13 to about 600,760 men, women and children residents.
Hey, that was yesterday. Not only that, they pay no state income tax.
I guess there'll be lots of partying in Alaska this weekend.
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Ron Popeil: Inventor, Master Salesman
A brief history of Ron Popeil.
Ron
"Ronco" Popeil is one of America's greatest inventors. Over the last 40 years
his products have pulled in more than $1 billion in sales. He was voted by Self
Magazine readers as one of the 25 people who have changed the way we eat, drink
and think about food. And he's still going strong, his latest invention, the
Showtime Rotisserie and BBQ is selling by the thousands every week. It wasn't
always this way, however. Like many a self-made man, Ron Popeil didn't have a
childhood.
The site doesn't mention the fact that he invented some of the most useless crap in the history of the world. For example, would anyone really pay $20 for the Inside-The-Shell Electric Egg Scrambler?
You can go to the Ronco site and watch some infomercials right on your computer!
(via Grow A Brain)
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Dynamite Clock
Here's a nice addition to any room: The Dynamite Clock.
Over
the years our world famous "Dynamite Clock" has repeatedly made the news due to
it's super-realistic appearance. Designed by a REAL demolitions expert, each
unique piece is and hand assembled one-at-a-time. Each of these works of art
will instantly command anyone's attention. Talk about a conversation piece...
Each clock features multiple sticks of dynamite (simulated), and realistic
explosives wrapping paper. We then attach a hi-quality digital clock, motion
sensor (mercury switch), circuit board with functional L.E.D. lights, a speaker,
battery power supply, and top it off with a de-activated detanator pin.
Once the battery has been connected the unit will be "set-off" if it is moved, jostled, or picked up in any way. The red L.E.D. lights blink, the buzzer sounds, and the poor fool who moved it will need a change of underwear!
Terrorists should heed this advice:
This device is sold as a novelty desk clock ONLY. It is not to be used as a joke, prank, or hoax bomb. Period. Criminal charges will undoubtedly apply if misused
(via Sarcasmo's Corner)
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Word Toys
If you're a heavy user of Microsoft Word, you might be interested in Rom Soldaat's Word Toys.
The WordToys Personal Edition gives you nearly 30 free utilities that make Word easier to use and more fun to work with. The Professional Edition aims at the power user, and practically doubles the number of innovative enhancements.
(via Office Zealot)
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Hamburger Duplicator
This could potentially put an end to world hunger: The Hamburger Duplicator.
The hamburger duplicator is a cow friendly machine that duplicates hamburgers. First put the hamburger to duplicate on the hamburger digitizer, then press return. After 1 minute you have two hamburgers.
Here's the original hamburger:
And here's the duplicated hamburger:
They look identical. And, supposedly, they taste identical.
(via Information Junk)
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Ford WOW Bus
Check out the Wow Bus:
Priced at only $130 million dollars, the 1986 Ford WOW Bus offers both exclusivity and a whole slew of add-ons rarely seen on other cars.
(via Boing Boing)
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Ashcroft Will Save The World
From Wired: Ashcroft Vows Piracy Assault.
While the entertainment industry has had some recent setbacks in its fight against piracy in the courts and in Congress, it has a new ally in John Ashcroft, who recently pledged to make cracking down on copyright violators a top priority.
On Tuesday, the attorney general released a report from the Department of Justice's Intellectual Property Task Force that outlines plans to beef up enforcement of copyright violations.
And, of course, there's the obligatory "ties to terrorism" reference:
The report -- which covers copyrights, trade secrets, trademarks and patents -- also says that those who benefit most from this theft "are criminals, and alarmingly, criminal organizations with possible ties to terrorism."
Jason Schultz, an attorney for the EFF summed it up nicely:
"This is a clear example of getting taxpayers to fund the RIAA's private war."
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Nick Nolte's Diary
Actor Nick Nolte has a blog. He calls it Nick Nolte's Diary. Some of these are pretty funny. Here's an entry from a few days ago:
I
have decided to wage war on Ishii's kids. I know, I know, better judgment would
be to ignore their antics, but because of them I haven't read the Calendar
section in weeks. There is more evidence, trust me, but that alone is enough to
make a man my age a little rash. This morning they duct taped the storm door
shut in a way that not only made me walk right into it, but to also rip the
thing off it's aluminum hinges. I fell to the ground in a heap, and as I nursed
my ankle I heard their giggles from the bushes. I chased Heckle and Jeckle down
and locked them in the trunk of Monolo's Isuzu. I couldn't think of anything
clever, so this will have to do. I better go let them out, thanks as always for
listening diary.
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Natural Keyboards Aren't Natural
From The Inquirer: Microsoft admits natural keyboards unnatural.
A
man from Microsoft told an audience of 400 system integrators today that despite
extensive research that resulted in the Natural Keyboard, it has now realized
that actually it's rather an unnatural design.
The split keyboard approach was heralded with a blaze of publicity when it was launched in the 1990s. It would aid your typing, it would reduce the incidence of repetitive strain injury, and in short it was bloody ergonomic, Microsoft said then, without using the bloody word, of course.
Natural or not, I'm hooked. I can no longer type of a traditional keyboard.
(via A Welsh View)
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Gobbler Toys
Toys that never really existed -- but should have: Gobbler Toys.
Shown here is an ad for Hair Putty.
Sculpt beautiful hairdos in minutes!
Available in 5 different colors
(via Jaf Project)
Posted on 14 October, 2004
StoryCorps
This site is called StoryCorps.
StoryCorps is a national project to instruct and inspire people to record each others' stories in sound.
We're here to help you interview your grandmother, your uncle, the lady who's worked at the luncheonette down the block for as long as you can remember-anyone whose story you want to hear and preserve.
(via I Love Radio)
Posted on 14 October, 2004
Rejuvenating Hip Hop
An editorial from All Hip Hop: 12 Point Program for Hip Hop.
This is a twelve point program I have constructed in hope of rejuvenating the Hip Hop community and industry across the board. I believe without fail that if these ideas are put into action that Hip Hop will gain a higher status in the minds of those who love it as well as in the hearts of those who hate it.
Seems like good advice to me.
Posted on 14 October, 2004
The Router
The Router: A guy buys a wireless router from Wal-Mart, and it's actually just a bag of dirt.
The story has a happy ending:
I was able to return the dirt for a router.
Posted on 14 October, 2004