On one hand it's cool when a company realizes that their fans want to build fan sites, and work with them to make sure it's acceptable to their lawyers, and the fans can still have fun with it. On the other hand it's not cool when some marketing guy just doesn't get it. Case in point: "Resident Evil 4" by Capcom.

I went looking for wallpapers, as I always do, to add to my collection (which gets rotated on my PC at work and home about every 15 minutes) because I'm a big geek. The Resident Evil 4 site had no such downloadables, but did have a "build a fansite" contest, which I figured might have something close. Instead I found a wizard that build this. It's not a fan site, it's a wizard to build mini-marketing sites. What fun is that? And if it appeals to anyone, it would be young kids, who shouldn't be playing this game anyway.

I have completed the upgrade, and it appears to be successful. And, although the dasBlog homepage is in a sad state of confusion, the dasBlog wiki appears to be back up for the mean time:

DasBlog is an ASP.NET weblogging application. It runs on Microsoft .Net 1.1 and is developed in C#. DasBlog, an evolution of the BlogX weblog engine, adds lots of additional features like Trackback, Pingback, Mail notifications, full Blogger/MovableType API support, Comment API support, fully customizable Radio-style templates, Mail-To-Weblog/POP3 with attachment and embedded picture support, web-based DHTML editing, web-based OPML editor, web-based configuration editing, and other goodies to the BlogX codebase. And it's free without restrictions.

[ DasBlog.HomePage ]

My guess is that newtelligence just doesn't have the time to keep up with this, but Omar Shahine does. What I don't get is why newtelligence doesn't have the time to redirect dasblog.net to the wiki site.

Since I've hacked the code, I have to spend a good deal of time merging the changes in, and this usually means that I have a good grasp of all the changes. There were large sections, however, that I didn't review since I knew I had no code in those parts. I believe that a large part of this version is tightening of code. Some anti-comment spam features have been added. Pingback and trackbacks have been touched, and there are comments that lead me to believe that they now work. Comments can now be shut off on an entry by entry basis. Draft entries can be saved, which is welcome by me, sometimes I want to save to make sure nothing gets lost, but I know that I'm not quite ready to go live with an entry. The login has been reworked, it's just a link to a login page, with just a note that it was done for "many reasons". I did have to hack that work, the "Sign in" link wasn't inside a div like the login box was before, and it wasn't lining up correctly. Admin functions have been tightened up, and now referrals are intelligently parsed, splitting out search engines, and just displaying keywords, and all referring stats can be accessed, not just todays.

All in all I'm pleased, if you like to hack .net code, and you are looking for blogging software for a home page, I would recommend dasBlog. (Though I do run .Text on geekprime.com, I'm frustrated with the delay on Community Server :: Blog and the migration tools for .Text .95)

And jumped over to SourceForge:

dasBlog Community Edition is an ASP.NET weblogging application. It runs on ASP.NET 1.1 and is developed in C#. dasBlog, an evolution of the BlogX weblog engine, adds lots of additional features like Trackback, Pingback, Mail notifications, full Blogger/M

[ SourceForge.net: Project Info - newtelligence dasBlog Community Edition ]

Not having worked on these open source projects, I'm not sure what the difference is between SourceForge and GotDotNet, but I do know that SourceForge has always seemed quicker. From what I read previously on the GotDotNet forums for dasBlog this release should have quite a few fixes in it. I guess I'll be WinMerging some code this weekend.

Why can't I get this out of my head?

Correct me if I am wrong, but are you asking for a challenge?

[ Coming Soon! The biggest name is Web Advertising!! ]

Speaking of games that I'm eagerly awaiting, not one but two Wario Ware games are headed our way. I truly enjoyed Wario Ware Inc.:Mega Microgame$, and somewhat enjoyed WarioWare Inc: Mega Party Game$. The party game had much repeated from the GBA game, and it's not so much fun to play the party game when I'm totally familliar with the mini games but the unsuspecting victims who agree to play the party game are not.

Not content to sit on innovation, Wario has two more games headed our way: “Wario Ware: Touched!” and “Wario Ware: Twisted!” Touched is coming out for the DS and involves dozens of new games that use the stylus or microphone. I'm expecting super innovation here. Twisted is for the GBA and contains some sort of mini-gyro or something that can tell what direction the GBA is facing, and thus if you are twisting it. It uses this innovation to drive many of it's dozens of new mini-games. Certainly good things can be expected from both titles.

     

GameFly has Starcraft: Ghost listed in “upcoming titles” including box art and a rating of M.

Blizzard Entertainment's StarCraft franchise comes to next gen consoles with the innovative StarCraft: Ghost. But instead of managing tactical units, in Starcraft: Ghost, you will control a futuristic, "Ghost" super-warrior.

[ Gamefly ]

I'm not getting my hopes up, Blizzard has been dragging their feet on this one. I think the entire gaming community is hoping that Blizzard is doing this to get the game “right”. Blizzard has a lot of story behind the Starcraft universe, and the ghost unit is one of the more exciting human military units from the strategy game, there is no reason that this game shouldn't be perfect. I'm still willing to give Blizzard the benefit of the doubt, but actual box art and a rating is a good sign.

Update: on a closer look it appears that the “M” rating is only on the box, and their database says “rating pending” (RP). Plus the GameCube version has different box art, different box rating, is listed as RP and releases TBD, and is being published directly by Blizzard instead of Vivendi like the PS2 version. All adding up to more waiting...

    

Another site that looks darn interesting. Where will I find the time to read so much?

Selecting and implementing a content management system (CMS) will be one of the largest IT projects tackled by many organisations. With costs running into the millions of dollars, it is vital that the right CMS package be selected.

[ How to evaluate a content management system ]

I'll just leave it here on my page, and that will encourage me to go back and read it, right?

Asjouré thinks this is cute, I have to agree...

Sending a PajamaGram^SM gift is like sending a mini-vacation. She'll receive the softest, most luxurious pajamas, along with a personalized card, lavender bath tea, and a "Do Not Disturb" sign, all wrapped in a beautiful keepsake hatbox.

[ Pajamas from PajamaGram.com - You get all of this with every PajamaGram gift! ]

But no international delivery. :-(

I'm sure one of the most frustrating things for terrorists and other enemies of the state is reconnaissance. Driving around in your unmarked van, trying to take pictures of bridges and buildings, pulled over by the authorities for questioning... Now they can plan attacks from the privacy of their own lairs:

The most powerful technology A9.com invented for Yellow Pages is “Block View,” which brings the Yellow Pages to life by showing a street view of millions of businesses and their surroundings. Using trucks equipped with digital cameras, global positioning system (GPS) receivers, and proprietary software and hardware, A9.com drove tens of thousands of miles capturing images and matching them with businesses and the way they look from the street.

[ A9.com > Company > Yellow Pages on A9.com ]

Odd, DC isn't one of the cities they chose... Also odd Jeff Bezos remains a free man...

The small shop that I work for is large enough to need automation, but not large enough to need the sorts of automation that I've researched so far. SUS was very welcome, it replaced the SMS server that we were trying to use, but took way to much time to implement, and the hoping that people would visit Windows Update on a regular basis. SUS now allows me to know that systems have been updated when I need them to be (and it successfully did that with XP SP2 just this week). However it only does windows updates. I think I'm about to be pleased:

Available now as a public beta, WUS was recently evaluated by Mandy Andress of Network World's Lab Alliance (see link below) who pronounced it "a definite improvement over Software Update Services, the product it replaces," as well as "a credible alternative to existing patch management products such as BigFix and PatchLink for cost-conscious, Windows-only shops." This last means that, while very good, WUS is not as feature rich as many of the third-party commercial products available to you.

[ What's inside Windows Update Service ]

Isn't it great that there are journalists who take time time to report this sort of thing... ;)

Good tips here, I think:

Hiring is all about probabilities. When we evaluate a candidate, we are basically just trying to predict whether that candidate will be a success in the position being filled. We're trying to know the future, but we have no prophets and no Oracle.

[ Hazards of Hiring (The Business of Software) ]

Microsoft is just a wealth of knowledge, eh?

Yes, this is where I work. Yes we are in need once again:

We are currently searching for a producer/project manager to work with our current and future clients to complete their Web projects. The ideal candidate will have experience in both project management and the Internet. Strong organizational skills and writing ability are required.

[ Employment Opportunities ]

And, since I know that many project managers read my site, I figured I'd link it up.

...perhaps. At least this looks very interesting. I keep meaning to read it in depth, but never seem to have the time. Perhaps if I blog about it I'll get around to it...

Consistently delivering high-quality technology solutions on time and on budget is challenging for any business. The Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) provides people and process guidance—the proven practices of Microsoft—to help teams and organizations become more successful in delivering business-driven technology solutions to their customers. MSF is a deliberate and disciplined approach to technology projects based on a defined set of principles, models, disciplines, concepts, guidelines, and proven practices from Microsoft.

[ Visual Studio: Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) ]

Hey, buddy! Canada here! We were all really excited when we heard aboot all you Democrats moving up here after the Christian Conservatives took over your country.

[ Welcome to Canada, Eh? ]

Props to Mikah.

Don't know why this was so hard to find. Gruska even had the correct name, I think. But this is, apparently, the only decent freeware program to report hard drive usage in a manner conducive to freeing up some space.

Every hard disk is too small if you just wait long enough. TreeSize tells you where precious space has gone to. TreeSize can be started from the context menu of a folder or drive and shows you the size of this folder, including its subfolders.

[ JAM Software - Windows Freeware ]

NPR had an interesting story about Mormons and Native Americans which is apparently part of a series:

Worlds of Difference uses radio documentary features to explore the impact of global change on local cultures worldwide. Individual pieces air on public radio news magazine shows; they will be compiled and rebroadcast in thematic hour-long specials in the spring and summer of 2005. The goal of the project is to stimulate public discussion on questions of diversity, tradition, identity, connectedness, continuity and change.

[ Worlds of Difference ]

Unfortunately a bunch of the stories seem to have disappeared from their original postings, but a bunch are still available. All rather touching, all rather interesting.

If you have been on the fence about the GameCube, this should make you jump the fence:

In Resident Evil 4 players are reacquainted with Leon S. Kennedy, Raccoon City Police Department's idealistic rookie cop from Resident Evil 2. It has been six years since the destruction of Raccoon City and in that time, the U.S. government has been able to destroy the nefarious Umbrella Corporation. Fast forward to 2004 and players rejoin Leon, who is now a U.S. agent with a top-secret mission. He has been tasked to look into the abduction of the President's daughter and his investigation has led him to a mysterious location in Europe. As Leon encounters unimaginable horrors, he must find out who or what is behind everything.

[ Amazon.com: Computer & Video Games: Resident Evil 4 ]

The reviews are in, and this one is a hit. I've just finished chapter one, and I must say I'm quite pleased. My only complaints so far is that Leon can't seem to run, perhaps I just haven't found the run button, but I think they've done that on purpose; and some time switching in and out of cinematic mode is a bit clunky. Otherwise I feel they've kept everything that has made the Resident Evil series a hit in this version, and threw away all of the crap that drove me crazy. If you want to get into the series, but you're worried about not following the events of the past, this is a great place to jump in. Very little in this game relies on knowledge of the past games (as far as I can tell) and they bring you up to speed on the important parts.

Capcom's site for the game is crap, and the have no wallpapers to download, which is stupid. This game is M for mature, and rightfully so. So what are you waiting for, go buy a GameCube if you don't have one and a copy of ResidentEvil 4 and get to playing a masterpiece. And, Dari, I've already acquired the rifle with sniper scope.

The good news? My favorite manga was made into a movie, and now is being released in the US:

The year is 2131. A non-nuclear war has left the earth barren. Deunan Knute roams the badlands, one of the many soldiers who, with lines of communication cut, continue to fight, unaware that the war has ended. Deunan is never one to take things lying down: a highly trained soldier with police and SWAT experience, she is prepared for nearly anything -- but not for the heavily armed helicopter that assaults her without warning. Before she realizes what's going on, Deunan is losing consciousness: her last thought is hazy realization that she's been hit by a tranquilizer. Not only that, but one of the perpetrators is her old love Briareos. He has arrived with the beautiful Hitomi to intercept Deunan and take her back with the to the enigmatic utopia, Olympus.

[ Appleseed ]

The bad news? Limited release. Apparently there is no perceived market for Anime in the DC area. New York, Chicago, LA, San Francisco, Hawai'i, and Philadelphia are all represented, but nothing anywhere near DC. Obviously the distributors have never been to Annandale or near the Merrifield Theater, I'm sure this thing could run a week or two and do a good deal of business. *sigh* I guess I'll have to keep my eye out for the DVD release.

How freaking deranged do you have to be to make a conclusion like this?

SpongeBob - who appears on the children's cable channel Nickelodeon - is seen as an icon for adult gay men in the US, apparently because he regularly holds hands with his sidekick Patrick.

[ US right attacks SpongeBob video ]

Holding hands makes you gay? And SpongeBob's apparent gayness is communicated best through this video remake? As a way to turn children gay? I think we're all aware that Spider-man will make you gay, but SpongeBob, please. Checking the site of the organization who has released the video, WAFF, I note that the ADL is also involved. Perhaps they are trying to turn my children Jewish as well...

The organization that is promoting the video has a different take:

WAFF spokesman Mark Barondeso told the newspaper that anyone who thought the video promoted homosexuality "needs to visit their doctor and get their medication increased".

The head of Focus on the Family, Dr. Dobson, claims that SpongeBob isn't turning America's youth gay, but instead representing the gays of America who we should be beating down (my words). Of course if he ever watched the SpongeBob program, he'd know that A: SpongeBob digs Sandy and B: he's impervious to gay bashing. Though I'm sure that Dr. Dobson doesn't want America's youth accepting the diversity of the heathens (read Jews) either, but it's easier to blame the gays...

Your phone has a camera on it, now what? You could take stupid pictures and share them with the world:

This is a public moblog dedicated to the man himself....Spongebob Squarepants (other Spongebob characters can also be posted). If you have a pic of him and wish to post it, email it to Spongebob.daniel[at]tamw.com

[ SpongeBlog SquarePants ]

I found this via Laura Foy's and Mogan Webb's Moblog. Apparently a few of the G4TV hosts like to share.

Oh, and Hello Kitty too...

Wow, lots changing in my blogroll these days.

Recently removed JoyStiq or whatever it was called, thanks for the tip Bull, but 19 out of 20 posts seemed to be straight off of slashdot's game feed (which I already read).

Recently added many game links. Video Fenky had a few, I've added the ones that looked good and had RSS feeds, hopefully some good stuff in there. Also added T-Dub and Thug AKA Tina Wood and Laura Foy, they are co-hosts of G4TV.com on the swell G4TechTV (née G4TV, and I've heard could revert as well).

I wonder if there are any good blogs or news sites that focus on coffee...

Some love the bandwagon:

Google has come up with a solution and I think every blog should start to pay attention to it. It has to do with an extra attribute. Anyway here's the athoratative link: google blog

[ Stopping Comment Spam ]

Others are irritated by the brute force nature of this move:

I'm not happy about the breach of protocol, but not as mad as I was when I thought that they were introducing a brand new attribute...

[ KooshMoose ]

Everyone seems to think it's a good idea. I've added it to my “filters” so all links should be rewritten to include this googletastic best practice. Now if I only had the motivation to hack it into .Text as well. Meh, I'll just wait for Community Server :: Blog.

A serious bit of paper art:

...the fine art of paper folding is inherently super cool...

[ Anticlown Daily - Awesome Origami ]

I hope that a degree in engineering and/or a CAD/CAM program were involved.

Apparently VW was pooh-poohing hybrids until a few more details came to light, and now they've come up with a Golf concept car:

The diesel-HEV could potentially deliver up to 10 to 15 percent better fuel economy than a comparable gasoline-electric powertrain, stated Matthias Rabe, director of research for the VW Group. And what about performance? Zero to 100 km/h (0-62.5 mph) needs a mere 11.0 seconds while a top speed of approximately 196 km/h (122 mph) is attainable. The Golf ECO.Power is equipped with a stop-start function, similar to all current production hybrids, and achieves a thrifty 3.8 liter per 100 km fuel economy average.

[ Canadian automotive network ]

Sounds like the exact car that I want...

Google, seriously ticked off with the likes of Apple and BMW has announced a new product:

With the new product, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company hopes to broaden its search-appliance business to cater to smaller businesses with fewer documents and tighter budgets. The blue box, which plugs into a corporate intranet and searches up to 50,000 documents, was launched Thursday at Google.com for $4,995.

[ Google unveils budget search appliance | CNET News.com ]

Starbucks has commented that they wish they had called the Chantico the Cocoa Mini...

Props to Mak.

Well, perhaps not die, but it's fun to vote anyway! I like Concept III. Still room to sit for the elderly or handicapped, but much easier access to the train. Just add in some swell video monitors with notifications about the station and direction of train (in Kanji, Katakana, and Romanji of course) and it'll feel just like Tokyo.

[ Survey input page ]

Well, perhaps it will take more than that, but DC metro does have more seats than any other commuter train system I've ever ridden on.

Props to the Persian Diversion...

I love coffee. I also love the Internet. I really love it when they come together.

Don't let your card run low -- add to your Caribou Card balance online. In order to add money to your card, you will need to log in or create a personal account with Caribou.

[ Caribou Coffee — My Account ]

I had been Caribouing regularly, but I really enjoyed the fact that I could load up my Narbucks card from their website. The cashiers are nice enough, but loading up a card isn't what they're best at. With the card I don't have to see dozens of tiny ATM POP transactions, or *shudder* carry cash. Now that 'Bou is on-board with Internet reloads, I think I'm switching my regular back...

It's true:

Washington's largest alternative rock station, WHFS 99.1, was replaced by an all-Spanish music format. WHFS, an indie favorite in the D.C.-metro area since it's inception in the 1960s, saw many changes over its lifespan. Originally a home for music that couldn't find a home elsewhere, it became an Infinity station in 1996

[ washingtonpost.com - Live Online ]

Of course Infinity made it suck even more than it had already started to. I blame Seattle and “Grunge” for killing WHFS. Viva El Zol! (www.whfs.com).

More props to el Dari.

Update:

Of Infinity's five stations in the market, WHFS was its weakest ratings performer. In the Summer 2004 survey, the station had a 1.6 overall share and a 3.3 among its 18-34 target. Infinity's own Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio WPGC-FM is the top-rated station and the 18-34 leader.

[ Media Week ]

Time Warp Playlist!

• Supertramp
• ELO
• Styx
• Yes
• REO Speedwagon
• Rush

Mostly greatest hits albums. Debated putting some Boston on there too...

This looks small, light, inexpensive, and clever:

Time to mix things up. Meet iPod shuffle, the unpredictable new iPod. What will it play next? Can it read your mind? Can it read your moods? Load it up. Put it on. See where it takes you. Choose from pocket-size 512MB or 1G models starting at $99 and surprise yourself.

[ Apple - iPod shuffle ]

Too bad my GTI doesn't have a USB interface for the radio...

Now you can make a low profile PC driven solution with a Mac!

Live the digital life in stylish simplicity. Just 6.5 inches wide and 2 inches tall, Mac mini provides what you need to have more fun with your music, photos and movies — right out of the box.

[ Apple - Mac mini ]

Maybe my kitchen needs Internet...

Props to Dari.

For a while now I've thought of putting together a playlist and burning a CD of songs related to one of my passions, coffee. So far I have about 1/2 what I need for a full CD. Can anyone think of something (available from Rhapsody) that would fit this list?

 Coffee

1. "Black Coffee" - Bobby Darin
2. "Cigarettes And Coffee" - Otis Redding
3. "Black Coffee Inn Bed" - Squeeze
4. "Coffee In A Cardboard Cup" - Mandy Patinkin
5. "Pot Of Coffee" - Frankie Paul/Pinchers
6. "Tom's Diner (A Capella)" - Suzanne Vega
7. "Let's Have Another Cup O' Coffee" - Glenn Miller
8. "The Coffee Song - (previously unreleased, alternate take)" - Frank Sinatra
9. "Java Jive" - Manhattan Transfer
10. "Jumpin' East Of Java" - The Brian Setzer Orchestra

And yes, the Rhapsody thing, unfortunately leaves Prince's Starfish and Coffee of the list. (Why Prince, why?!?!?)

But I like it!

Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) is a security technology that helps protect Windows users from spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Known spyware on your PC can be detected and removed. This helps reduce negative effects caused by spyware including slow PC performance, annoying pop-up ads, unwanted changes to Internet settings, and unauthorized use of your private information. Continuous protection improves Internet browsing safety by guarding over 50 ways spyware can enter your PC

[ Download details: Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) ]

It did seem to require a verification of my Windows license, so if you don't have quite a legal copy, you might not be able to get this. I have little information on the database that Microsoft (previously Giant's) has put together, and how it stacks up against Ad-Aware, but so far I am impressed. It lets me set some options on how I want it to run, if I want automatic, and when, and then finds spyware for me. It registered my VNC as possible spyware, but since I installed it (and only use the client) I told it to ignore that in the future.

And for power users there are some “Advanced Tools”, including some “System Explorers” which allow you to view Downloaded ActiveX, Running Processes, Startup Programs, etc. And the software informs you what it might be, and if it might be safe. If you agree to assist their little network, you can submit programs to them to review for “spywaredness”, I sent in the one ActiveX component they don't seem to be aware of (that I have installed) Bitstream's TrueDoc plug in.

Certainly good value for the money. (Though I think I'll still give Ad-Aware a run every now and then).

It would seem so. At first I was quite disoriented. The layout of the game has changed a bit since version one, and now there is an “over world” of sorts. Instead of just picking up races like you would in NfSU1, you drive around town looking for races. Sometimes you happen upon an underground racer, a quick SMS back and forth and it's off to see who's fastest. Other times you happen across actual events and you enter a slide race or some such. In between all of this you use your earning to “pimp your ride”.

Need for Speed Underground 2 dares you to go faster and deeper into racing culture! Immerse yourself in the tuner culture, exploring an expansive, free-roaming city divided into five distinct neighborhoods.

[ GameCube Games : Gamefly ]

Once I got used to the interface, and realized that each event on the map had uploaded coordinates into my navi-computer (courtesy of Brooke Burke), and my car came equipped with a GPS system to guide me, I think I really like this one. I'm not so much of a racing freak that I'll be buying this one, but the game certainly seems decent enough. Career mode, however, takes a racing game type to get through. Tricking out your car just takes too long in career mode to suit my taste. I'm not sure if there is an option to make the damage model more realistic either. No matter how bad your crash is, the worst effect it seems to have is slowing you down. All in all a great show, I give it 4 thumbs out of 5 stars, or something like that.

T. R. Reid and Bob Sacha have great jobs:

Slurped in black coffee or sipped in green tea, gulped down in a soda or knocked back in a headache pill, caffeine is the world's most popular psychoactive drug.

[ National Geographic ]

I'm sure they've had to cover all sorts of other stuff that I wouldn't enjoy, and the only way to get a story like this is to have a full career of it. And I'm sure Bob Sacha is correct that this story has ruined his ability to be satisfyed with sub-par coffee, tea, and chocolate. But still I think this would be the trip of a lifetime...

Contrary to the opinion of some (possibly most in the US):

"Jihad" is one of the few Arabic words used in English. It means holy crusade[sic], but many Muslims have pointed out that "jihad" is almost always used in English in the context of terrorism, even though the actual meaning is broader. Commentator Anisa Mehdi would like to propose a word that could be used instead of "jihad."

[ Rethinking the Word 'Jihad' ]

My understanding is that jihad means something close to struggle for the sake of God. There are internal and external struggles. Ms. Mehdi makes a good point about how the struggles of those so quick to use the word aren't even struggles for the sake of God. I would also make the point that a physical struggle is actually the easiest of all levels of struggle. Think about when you are upset is it easier to alter your own behavior? To tell others that what they've done should be corrected? Or just hit them?

Including:

• Madness
• The Specials
• The English Beat
• The Police (there's some Ska Influence there...)
• Save Ferris
• Smash Mouth
• No Doubt
• Hepcats

The tweaking continues...

Seems like a bunch of websites are tweaking their designs...

[ New Year, New Design ]

To address some of the criticism of my new design, I've changed the font again, Arial or Helvetica, should look much better, and I've reduced the complexity quite a bit. I've also removed the “What I'm Playing” piece, and aim to have a whole page dedicated to that shortly.

Sure the picture looks inviting. And truffles are yummy.

'Chantico', a new gourmet drinking chocolate beverage, will be offered at Starbucks shops in the United States and Canada beginning January 8, 2005. Described as 'drinking a melted truffle', the chocolate has an intense, full-bodied flavor and a rich, silky texture that builds on the tradition of European drinking chocolate.

[ Yahoo! News - Top Stories Photos - Reuters ]

Maybe I'll have to partake later today...

Update: Say it isn't so. With the Chantico Starbucks has actually created a chocolate beverage to rival that of “My Buddy Tom”. Tom is a bit of a hot chocolate purist and will go the extra mile to make a perfect cup from scratch. Starbucks has actually produced a cup that is finer. However the Starbucks solution must cost about 10-20 times as much.

Very interesting Talk of the Nation. I don't think they truly had enough time to explore and appreciate all views here, though.

Many victims of the tsunami are left with tough questions about fate and natural disasters. Often, they're left with few answers, only their faith. We discuss how Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Christians reconcile religion and disaster.

[ NPR TotN ]

The caller “Fathima” who doesn't identify her religion is clearly a Muslim. Her point is valid, but perhaps too much of a tangent. I felt the Imam did bring up an important point about testing vs. punishment, but left off other important concepts like why it is better to be punished in this life than the next. More importantly, I think, one of the Muslims should have touched on the concept of punishment of a society for societal ills.

As for the non-Muslims, who's opinions I am not as familiar with, I'm not sure the “end of days” scenario of the Jewish gentleman was truly on topic, he seemed to be more concerned with Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and to imply that disasters of this proportion didn't occur before that invasion is a bit out there.

I also found the information about Krakatoa to be very intriguing, and may have to purchase his book.

I understand that there was previously a brand of bread called “Kearns Bread” but now the only item I can find in a store with close to my name is:

[ Mexijew's Flikr ]

Mexijew got a Sidekick II, and apparently I had something to say about it:

Welcome to the world of the Sidekick II

I'm sure you've seen the adverts where Paris Hilton, Snoop Dog, Wee Man, Wayne Newton, and I all share tips about life via an application that doesn't really exist. And we love it!

Honestly, my Sidekick is my sidekick. Just got my bill and I used over 13MB of data this past month. On T-Mob's unlimited usage Sidekick plan that's great, on other networks, with less appealing tech, that could double or triple my monthly costs with overage.

Here are a few warnings, however:

• The $10 sync package is worth about that. It doesn't auto-sync like a PDA or Blackberry, and if you sync too much the app tell you that you must wait before you can sync again (with no guidelines on what "too much" is).
• You can't use the Hiptop (Danger's name for the device) ability to save .WAV attachments as phone rings due to T-Mob's restriction that ensures proper licensing of music tones (read extra cash in their pocket)
• The web browser leaves a bit to be desired. It goes through a proxy, and they reduce the size of pages to make it appear better on the sidekick, but trying pulling up my site and you'll see what happens when their proxy guesses wrong. I now need to figure out how to make my site viewable again. Oh, and no javascript. This increasingly becomes an issue, and many things just can't be done on the SK (like refilling scripts at CVS, or a Starbucks card)
• The sound profiles only affect the volume not the actual ring.
• The Yahoo IM client is not as polished as the AIM client. If it drops you and reconnects, any status is wiped and you're once again available. If you log in elsewhere, the SK will log back in unless you've ended the connection. And the [menu]+. hotkey that closes AIM doesn't work for Y!M
• A few months ago, without my approval, T-Mob started charging .15 per international SMS message (it was treated as one of my 1000 included before then)
• The ToDo list, when "deleting" actually moves the items into a trash can that needs to be emptied. I had to figure this out when I reached the device's limit and couldn't understand why I couldn't add anymore ToDo items...

The Apps that I've downloaded/bought include:

• Time Traveler (free at the time, meh)
• Calculator (still free I think, handy but the interface is clunky)
• Apples to Oranges (about $5, but helpful when talking to my wife)
• Y!M (free, great way to “talk” to my wife)

All-in-all I love my Sidekick, and feel that the SKII is close to living up to my expectations. If the SKIII adds Bluetooth (for a hands free), a better web browser, and G3 Internet speeds, I'll be loving it even more...

[ Me ]

I guess I just should have blogged this one to begin with...

Excellent.

NPR news and information is available through RSS feeds, which use a technology called XML to deliver headlines and summaries to your desktop. Many NPR Member stations also provide local and regional RSS feeds of their own.

[ NPR : RSS Feeds ]

If only Nintendo would get RSS feeds, I'd be pretty much set.

I'm a big fan of ClearType. Don't know exactly what wizardry Microsoft is trying to pull off, or if they deserve a patent, but I do know that if you're running XP, ClearType is hot.

With Windows XP, ClearType delivers improved font display quality over traditional forms of font smoothing or anti-aliasing. ClearType improves readability on color LCD displays with a digital interface, such as those in laptops and high-quality flat panel displays. Readability on CRT screens can also be somewhat improved.

[ ClearType Step 1: Turn on Windows XP ClearType ]

Somewhat my butt. ClearType has improved my web browsing experience on every computer I use: LCD, CRT, or otherwise.

If you don't like the invasive web-based tuning tool, Microsoft has created a PowerToy as well.

Seems like a bunch of websites are tweaking their designs, must be something in the air because on a whim I redid my site. Gone is the big fat table that provided the structure of the page, replaced with a CSS solution. It's not as elegant as it should be, but I only played with it for a few hours. It is still very understated, but no longer in bright “safety yellow”. I'm not sure about the font, though, as on my box I have “Eras Medium ITC” but haven't a clue where it came from, I back that up with “Trebuchet MS” but I'm guessing that Macs don't have that one. If anyone has any font suggestions, feel free to speak up.

Full Disclosure: I used a web-based tool to assist with the color palette.

Update: apparently my sub-conscious bogarted the quote graphic design concept from Joe Grossberg's site.

Hopefully they won't screw this one up.

It is the year 2071 and humanity is living in an interplanetary society. A new breed of “cowboy” bounty hunters pursue outlaws across the lawless solar system in the hope of receiving high rewards for the hackers, drug-dealers and terrorists they capture. Shipping Fall 2005, Cowboy Bebop has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

[ BandaiGames.com - Games - Cowboy Bebop™ ]

It says you can play as different characters: Spike, Jet or Faye, why not Ed?

Props to Mikah.