Found this neat little iPhone/iPodTouch eBook reader called TextOnPhone. Over 25,000 books, including a decent catalog of recents and classics, all for free.
They also have a Facebook App that emulates the iPhone experience on a desktop.
Thorough video review here showing off some slick features:
Shameless plug: Guess which recent novel is included?
Friday, March 21, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Sox May Boycott Japan
Interesting standoff going on down in Florida right now. The Red Sox are threatening to boycott their season opener in Japan and not board their plane this evening upon finding out that the coaching staff will not be receiving a $40,000 travel stipend as previously promised by Major League Baseball.
More details:
Boston.com
ESPN.com
Gotta love and respect the players standing up for the coaches like this.
More details:
Boston.com
ESPN.com
Gotta love and respect the players standing up for the coaches like this.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Friday, March 07, 2008
Jury Recap
I had planned a post at the conclusion of my epic 6 week jury duty, but then got so caught up in getting Timely Persuasion out the door that I never got around to it. Thought about scrapping it altogether since so much time had passed, but since I still get asked about it quite a bit I figured it was still worth blogging about for the record.
I'll try to keep this somewhat abbreviated, but here we go:
I served as a juror on a toxic tort case for 6 weeks from January 2 through February 21. Plaintiff was a Caltrans worker who used to spray herbicides on the sides of the freeways. He did this in various capacities from the early 70s through the early 00s. One of the pesticides he used in the 70s was called Paraquat, which at the time was sold by Chevron. The man went on to develop pulmonary fibrosis and subsequently died, so his family was suing Chevron claiming that Paraquat caused his illness and death.
During the trial it came out that this was a retrial, though we weren't privy to what happened the first time around. We were also barred by court order from discussing the case or doing any online research about things related to it. This drove me crazy as you can imagine, but I was a good citizen and upheld my civic duty for the long duration. (The night the trial ended I'm surprised I didn't manage to single-handedly crash a Google server with all of my pent up questions, but we'll get to that in a bit...)
Complicating matters, the plaintiff also had some other medical conditions that may or may not have played a role in his fibrosis, primarily something called GERD. This causes excessive heartburn and acid in the esophagus, which can theoretically lead to one inhaling small amounts of gastric juices and developing pulmonary fibrosis.
Further complicating matters, the plaintiff sprayed Paraquat from about 1972-1979, then never used it again because the EPA made it a restricted use pesticide that required special training and licensing, so Caltrans decided to stop using it. He was perfectly healthy until at least 1987 and possibly 1997 (different experts interpreted his medical records differently) before developing the disease. The evidence showed that Paraquat is very toxic, but it tends to kill you quick or not at all. Linking this 15-25 year delay to the disease was the key question for us in the jury room.
We were nearly hung after several days of deliberation, mainly due to the fact that a lot of the documents referenced in the case were not "in evidence" so we weren't allowed to see them, and partly due to some confusion over jury instructions on how to answer certain questions if the answer was "the evidence did not prove it." In the end we had a 9-3 verdict for the defendant. Everyone was in agreement that there wasn't any evidence to support Paraquat as the cause, though the 3 on the plaintiff's side were basing their vote on reasons why the evidence may not exist. I fully understand and appreciate their positions and if I could find anyway to vote that way myself I would have, but playing by the rules and relying on the facts I just couldn't make that leap. (Personally, I do feel that Paraquat is bad and should probably be further restricted or outright banned both from what I heard at the trial and things I found out on my own afterwards. But even with that hindsight, I still don't think Paraquat had anything to do with the death in this particular case.)
At this point, it'll probably be helpful for me to introduce the cast of characters via the power of the Internet (thus keeping this post somewhat on topic for the theme of our blog...). As a disclaimer before I start, keep in mind that the following analysis is just my opinion (and sometimes the opinions of my fellow jurors) based on our experience listening to these people firsthand or discussing it privately in the jury room after the fact. It should not be held up as "fact," only personal impressions based on a limited window of exposure. Had the same cast of characters been involved in a different case with different facts or different evidence, the opinions reached may have been different. Also note that I didn't view or even know of the existence of any of these websites until after the conclusion of the trial.
With that out of the way:
The Lawyers
Raphael Metzger - www.toxictorts.com
Co-counsel for the plaintiff who tried a small portion of the case, though it seemed to come out during the trial that he was the primary attorney the first time around. The main point he was trying to get across in his questioning was that nobody knows if Paraquat can't cause fibrosis after such a long delay because nobody has ever done a study to investigate it. I agreed with that logic and that fact, but he also wanted us to then go in the opposite direction and say "because a study hasn't dis-proven it then it must be true" which I had trouble buying. Can't have it both ways.
He was also the source of some unintentional comedy throughout the trial when his wife would loudly whisper questions for him to ask, pass him notes, or otherwise interrupt when he was speaking. Probably well intended, but as I told his partner when the trial was over it was extremely distracting and seemed to undermine his credibility. A few of us even saw the Court TV guy rolling his eyes and smirking while this was going on. The benefit of the doubt side of me wants to say this was part of an act to play up the "David vs. Goliath" analogy of a worker vs. a big corporation, but I can't quite convince myself of that.
One last note on Metzger: For whatever reason I got a strong ambulance chaser vibe off of him during the trial, and when I was finally allowed to Google and looked at his website it seemed to confirm my hunch in both the chosen URL and the content. Oh my...
Allen Stewart - www.allenstewart.com
Co-counsel for the plaintiff who tried the majority of the case for that side. Website is a heck of a lot classier, though the audiovisuals at the top are a little over the top, especially since I can't figure out how to turn off the sound.
Website aside, this guy was just a dynamite lawyer. Passionate, energetic, smart, personable (with a little bit of a forgivable Eddie Haskell streak), and a heck of a lot of fun to watch in action. A lot of times (especially in his closing argument) he almost had me revved up and swayed onto his side, but when I took a step back and saw it was all heart and no substance logic prevailed.
I would love to see what Stewart could do in a case where the evidence even slightly leaned towards his side, and if I or anyone I know is ever in the unfortunate position of having a legitimate toxic tort claim I'd recommend him in a heartbeat. Only criticism I have is that he always made a big deal about how much money expert witnesses were being paid for their testimony, when from my perspective this was a little hypocritical since he came across as a hired gun for the retrial and was probably earning a comparable if not greater fee for his expert lawyering.
Lawrence Riff - www.steptoe.com
Primary counsel for the defense; tried virtually the whole case by himself. Another great lawyer. Seemed like a respectable, stand-up guy throughout. He was big on facts and getting the science explained which was helpful to the jury. Putting him head to head with Stewart was interesting, as it played up the "Lost" themes of man of science vs. man of faith. Similar to what I said about Stewart, I'd be very interested to see what Riff would do in a case where the evidence wasn't in his favor. Would he still be a likable, stand-up guy, or would he play dirty and give me a different opinion? I'll probably never know.
I can't really comment too much on his website since it's the site for his corporate firm and not him as an individual, but I do really like his little essay on defending toxic tort cases toward the end of the page. Going with my concern on what he'd do in a different case, reading this after the fact put me at ease that my perception was the real deal and I hadn't been conned or taken.
The Experts
Dr. Ronald Crystal
Plaintiff's expert. Brilliant man. Likable and well spoken. Comes across as a touch arrogant at times since he was so confident and self assured in his opinions. Only problem was he didn't really back up any of his testimony with evidence or studies, though this may not have been his fault as most of the studies referenced were not admitted into evidence by the judge anyways.
Robert Wabeke
Plaintiff's expert. One of the few things the jury unanimously agreed on was that this guy was a terrible witness. There were at least three different times where Stewart asked him a softball of a question and he answered in the opposite as to how you expected, which led to "Are you sure about that? Let me repeat the question.." after which he'd quickly change course. It was almost like he was caught not paying attention while in the witness chair.
One other note: His email address starting with "chemriskman" reminds me of that infamous guy who applied for a job at iNetNow and had "smack-a-ho@hotmail.com" as his email address ON HIS RESUME! Fastest way to look unprofessional...
Dr. Talmadge King
Defense expert. I liked this guy, but a lot of the jurors thought he crumbled under cross examination. I agree he was less elegant under cross, but my interpretation was he was being asked vague questions and being forced into an "only answer yes or no" game that he just didn't want to play.
I found it interesting how it came out during witness questioning that many of the witnesses and lawyers have crossed paths before in previous cases. Made me wonder why they didn't anticipate some of the questions/tactics that would be used on them and take the time to anticipate how to answer them. You'd think it would be more of a chess match and less "I don't recall."
David Garabrant
Defense expert. Another really smart guy. The jury put him toe to toe against Crystal and they came out more or less at a draw, putting enough doubt in each others opinions in an "agree to disagree" sort of way. Unlike King, he came out swinging in cross examination with a stern yet professional push to give full answers that went over fairly well.
Dr. Carlos Pellegrini
Defense expert, and primary proponent of the GERD/Fibrosis connection and theory. What I liked most about this guy was that he was honest enough to say "My theory has not been proven to scientific certainty. Everyone agrees there is something there and it warrants more research. Some support it, some don't. But I believe it, and I'm going to prove it one day." This was quite refreshing after so many other witnesses on both sides would say "I'm right, everyone else is wrong" to have someone give an honest answer that acknowledges the gray area.
The plaintiff's lawyers worked so hard during the trial to write off this GERD theory as made up pseudo-science that it became an important part of the case. In the end a number of us felt that we were being asked to choose one unproven theory (GERD + Aspiration = Pulmonary Fibrosis) vs. another unproven theory (Paraquat + a long, slow smoldering effect on the lung = Pulmonary Fibrosis decades later). Given that choice, the only viable answer was "not enough info on either, could be one or the other, not proven either way."
Final Footnote
After everything was over and I started Googling in full force, I looked up the old trial online. You can do so here, using case number BC256293. (Sorry; won't let me deep link)
I about fell out of my chair when I saw that the first time around the plaintiff sued over 40 different companies, seemingly Caltrans and the manufacturer of every chemical they ever used. It also appears that everyone settled out of court except for Chevron. Finding this both solidified my feeling that we reached the right verdict, and made me lose a little faith in our legal system that such a blatant abuse of the system would be allowed to occur. At least it answered one pressing question I and several other jurors had during the trial: Why aren't they suing Caltrans, as it would have been a slam dunk.
Thus concludes the short version of my experience and the longest ever Towform post. Remember, it's just one man's opinion and thought process during and after his jury service. Happy to answer questions in the comments if any.
I'll try to keep this somewhat abbreviated, but here we go:
I served as a juror on a toxic tort case for 6 weeks from January 2 through February 21. Plaintiff was a Caltrans worker who used to spray herbicides on the sides of the freeways. He did this in various capacities from the early 70s through the early 00s. One of the pesticides he used in the 70s was called Paraquat, which at the time was sold by Chevron. The man went on to develop pulmonary fibrosis and subsequently died, so his family was suing Chevron claiming that Paraquat caused his illness and death.
During the trial it came out that this was a retrial, though we weren't privy to what happened the first time around. We were also barred by court order from discussing the case or doing any online research about things related to it. This drove me crazy as you can imagine, but I was a good citizen and upheld my civic duty for the long duration. (The night the trial ended I'm surprised I didn't manage to single-handedly crash a Google server with all of my pent up questions, but we'll get to that in a bit...)
Complicating matters, the plaintiff also had some other medical conditions that may or may not have played a role in his fibrosis, primarily something called GERD. This causes excessive heartburn and acid in the esophagus, which can theoretically lead to one inhaling small amounts of gastric juices and developing pulmonary fibrosis.
Further complicating matters, the plaintiff sprayed Paraquat from about 1972-1979, then never used it again because the EPA made it a restricted use pesticide that required special training and licensing, so Caltrans decided to stop using it. He was perfectly healthy until at least 1987 and possibly 1997 (different experts interpreted his medical records differently) before developing the disease. The evidence showed that Paraquat is very toxic, but it tends to kill you quick or not at all. Linking this 15-25 year delay to the disease was the key question for us in the jury room.
We were nearly hung after several days of deliberation, mainly due to the fact that a lot of the documents referenced in the case were not "in evidence" so we weren't allowed to see them, and partly due to some confusion over jury instructions on how to answer certain questions if the answer was "the evidence did not prove it." In the end we had a 9-3 verdict for the defendant. Everyone was in agreement that there wasn't any evidence to support Paraquat as the cause, though the 3 on the plaintiff's side were basing their vote on reasons why the evidence may not exist. I fully understand and appreciate their positions and if I could find anyway to vote that way myself I would have, but playing by the rules and relying on the facts I just couldn't make that leap. (Personally, I do feel that Paraquat is bad and should probably be further restricted or outright banned both from what I heard at the trial and things I found out on my own afterwards. But even with that hindsight, I still don't think Paraquat had anything to do with the death in this particular case.)
At this point, it'll probably be helpful for me to introduce the cast of characters via the power of the Internet (thus keeping this post somewhat on topic for the theme of our blog...). As a disclaimer before I start, keep in mind that the following analysis is just my opinion (and sometimes the opinions of my fellow jurors) based on our experience listening to these people firsthand or discussing it privately in the jury room after the fact. It should not be held up as "fact," only personal impressions based on a limited window of exposure. Had the same cast of characters been involved in a different case with different facts or different evidence, the opinions reached may have been different. Also note that I didn't view or even know of the existence of any of these websites until after the conclusion of the trial.
With that out of the way:
The Lawyers
Raphael Metzger - www.toxictorts.com
Co-counsel for the plaintiff who tried a small portion of the case, though it seemed to come out during the trial that he was the primary attorney the first time around. The main point he was trying to get across in his questioning was that nobody knows if Paraquat can't cause fibrosis after such a long delay because nobody has ever done a study to investigate it. I agreed with that logic and that fact, but he also wanted us to then go in the opposite direction and say "because a study hasn't dis-proven it then it must be true" which I had trouble buying. Can't have it both ways.
He was also the source of some unintentional comedy throughout the trial when his wife would loudly whisper questions for him to ask, pass him notes, or otherwise interrupt when he was speaking. Probably well intended, but as I told his partner when the trial was over it was extremely distracting and seemed to undermine his credibility. A few of us even saw the Court TV guy rolling his eyes and smirking while this was going on. The benefit of the doubt side of me wants to say this was part of an act to play up the "David vs. Goliath" analogy of a worker vs. a big corporation, but I can't quite convince myself of that.
One last note on Metzger: For whatever reason I got a strong ambulance chaser vibe off of him during the trial, and when I was finally allowed to Google and looked at his website it seemed to confirm my hunch in both the chosen URL and the content. Oh my...
Allen Stewart - www.allenstewart.com
Co-counsel for the plaintiff who tried the majority of the case for that side. Website is a heck of a lot classier, though the audiovisuals at the top are a little over the top, especially since I can't figure out how to turn off the sound.
Website aside, this guy was just a dynamite lawyer. Passionate, energetic, smart, personable (with a little bit of a forgivable Eddie Haskell streak), and a heck of a lot of fun to watch in action. A lot of times (especially in his closing argument) he almost had me revved up and swayed onto his side, but when I took a step back and saw it was all heart and no substance logic prevailed.
I would love to see what Stewart could do in a case where the evidence even slightly leaned towards his side, and if I or anyone I know is ever in the unfortunate position of having a legitimate toxic tort claim I'd recommend him in a heartbeat. Only criticism I have is that he always made a big deal about how much money expert witnesses were being paid for their testimony, when from my perspective this was a little hypocritical since he came across as a hired gun for the retrial and was probably earning a comparable if not greater fee for his expert lawyering.
Lawrence Riff - www.steptoe.com
Primary counsel for the defense; tried virtually the whole case by himself. Another great lawyer. Seemed like a respectable, stand-up guy throughout. He was big on facts and getting the science explained which was helpful to the jury. Putting him head to head with Stewart was interesting, as it played up the "Lost" themes of man of science vs. man of faith. Similar to what I said about Stewart, I'd be very interested to see what Riff would do in a case where the evidence wasn't in his favor. Would he still be a likable, stand-up guy, or would he play dirty and give me a different opinion? I'll probably never know.
I can't really comment too much on his website since it's the site for his corporate firm and not him as an individual, but I do really like his little essay on defending toxic tort cases toward the end of the page. Going with my concern on what he'd do in a different case, reading this after the fact put me at ease that my perception was the real deal and I hadn't been conned or taken.
The Experts
Dr. Ronald Crystal
Plaintiff's expert. Brilliant man. Likable and well spoken. Comes across as a touch arrogant at times since he was so confident and self assured in his opinions. Only problem was he didn't really back up any of his testimony with evidence or studies, though this may not have been his fault as most of the studies referenced were not admitted into evidence by the judge anyways.
Robert Wabeke
Plaintiff's expert. One of the few things the jury unanimously agreed on was that this guy was a terrible witness. There were at least three different times where Stewart asked him a softball of a question and he answered in the opposite as to how you expected, which led to "Are you sure about that? Let me repeat the question.." after which he'd quickly change course. It was almost like he was caught not paying attention while in the witness chair.
One other note: His email address starting with "chemriskman" reminds me of that infamous guy who applied for a job at iNetNow and had "smack-a-ho@hotmail.com" as his email address ON HIS RESUME! Fastest way to look unprofessional...
Dr. Talmadge King
Defense expert. I liked this guy, but a lot of the jurors thought he crumbled under cross examination. I agree he was less elegant under cross, but my interpretation was he was being asked vague questions and being forced into an "only answer yes or no" game that he just didn't want to play.
I found it interesting how it came out during witness questioning that many of the witnesses and lawyers have crossed paths before in previous cases. Made me wonder why they didn't anticipate some of the questions/tactics that would be used on them and take the time to anticipate how to answer them. You'd think it would be more of a chess match and less "I don't recall."
David Garabrant
Defense expert. Another really smart guy. The jury put him toe to toe against Crystal and they came out more or less at a draw, putting enough doubt in each others opinions in an "agree to disagree" sort of way. Unlike King, he came out swinging in cross examination with a stern yet professional push to give full answers that went over fairly well.
Dr. Carlos Pellegrini
Defense expert, and primary proponent of the GERD/Fibrosis connection and theory. What I liked most about this guy was that he was honest enough to say "My theory has not been proven to scientific certainty. Everyone agrees there is something there and it warrants more research. Some support it, some don't. But I believe it, and I'm going to prove it one day." This was quite refreshing after so many other witnesses on both sides would say "I'm right, everyone else is wrong" to have someone give an honest answer that acknowledges the gray area.
The plaintiff's lawyers worked so hard during the trial to write off this GERD theory as made up pseudo-science that it became an important part of the case. In the end a number of us felt that we were being asked to choose one unproven theory (GERD + Aspiration = Pulmonary Fibrosis) vs. another unproven theory (Paraquat + a long, slow smoldering effect on the lung = Pulmonary Fibrosis decades later). Given that choice, the only viable answer was "not enough info on either, could be one or the other, not proven either way."
Final Footnote
After everything was over and I started Googling in full force, I looked up the old trial online. You can do so here, using case number BC256293. (Sorry; won't let me deep link)
I about fell out of my chair when I saw that the first time around the plaintiff sued over 40 different companies, seemingly Caltrans and the manufacturer of every chemical they ever used. It also appears that everyone settled out of court except for Chevron. Finding this both solidified my feeling that we reached the right verdict, and made me lose a little faith in our legal system that such a blatant abuse of the system would be allowed to occur. At least it answered one pressing question I and several other jurors had during the trial: Why aren't they suing Caltrans, as it would have been a slam dunk.
Thus concludes the short version of my experience and the longest ever Towform post. Remember, it's just one man's opinion and thought process during and after his jury service. Happy to answer questions in the comments if any.
Daylight Savings Time: Why?
Almost time for my favorite rant again. But this time there's something new to contribute:
Study: Daylight Saving Time actually raises utility bills
You also have to love the bold statement contained in this quote:
I'm all for killing DST, as it makes for a tidy end to my pet peeve. But that would mean 2 less Towform posts per year...
Study: Daylight Saving Time actually raises utility bills
...While lighting bills were reduced, air-conditioning units had to run more often, because people were home on hot afternoons when they'd otherwise be still at the office. Heaters had to be run on cool mornings, too, when people got up and it was still dark outside.
You also have to love the bold statement contained in this quote:
Professor Matthew Kotchen, who pioneered the study, noted, "I've never had a paper with such a clear and unambiguous finding as this."
I'm all for killing DST, as it makes for a tidy end to my pet peeve. But that would mean 2 less Towform posts per year...
Monday, March 03, 2008
1000 Hours
Ever wonder what would happen if you ran your iPhone stopwatch for 41 days and almost 16 hours?
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Travel Supplies for Time Travelers
I was at a dinner last night, and a fellow mentioned that he'd been in Echo Park a few weeks ago where there was a new "time travel" store.
I then randomly came across this posting on Gizmodo. I believe they are one and the same:
http://gizmodo.com/362641/eco-park-time-travel-mart-whenever-you-are-were-already-then
My favorite item was the Time-Freezy Hyper Slush.
Not an Employee
I saw this site and virtually swooned. I'm going to hang their manifesto on my wall. Considering the title of our blog, I know you all will appreciate....
"We’ve escaped.
Escaped the office, the factory, the regimen, the rat race, the vultures and that goddamned rock.
And all the more, we collaborate.
Independent, but never alone."
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Why can't Apple and Microsoft play nice?
Having issues with iWeb formatting text that had me up most of last night:
Took me 90 minutes to figure out that it wasn't playing nice with copy/pasted text from MS Word (even if reformatted in iWeb). Probably a better way to work around this, but best fix I've come up with is copying, pasting into TextEdit, recopying to convert to plain text, re-pasting into iWeb, and reformatting. Not sure who's fault it is (Microsoft, Apple, or mine), but it sucks when I thought I was done and now having to reformat 70+ pages. Guess it's time for me to really learn how to code...
(I do find it hilarious in a painfully ironic way that Google's contextual ads look at this mess and decide to offer up "Download Adobe Acrobat 8")
Took me 90 minutes to figure out that it wasn't playing nice with copy/pasted text from MS Word (even if reformatted in iWeb). Probably a better way to work around this, but best fix I've come up with is copying, pasting into TextEdit, recopying to convert to plain text, re-pasting into iWeb, and reformatting. Not sure who's fault it is (Microsoft, Apple, or mine), but it sucks when I thought I was done and now having to reformat 70+ pages. Guess it's time for me to really learn how to code...
(I do find it hilarious in a painfully ironic way that Google's contextual ads look at this mess and decide to offer up "Download Adobe Acrobat 8")
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
1.1.4 & Starbucks Connection
Apple just dropped iPhone 1.1.4 moments ago; I'm upgrading as I type this.
Also, another story is floating around that Starbucks is closing all of their stores tonight at 5:30pm local time for a special 3 hour employee training session. Coincidence?
Coffee chain to close all 7,100 stores for employee training.
Also, another story is floating around that Starbucks is closing all of their stores tonight at 5:30pm local time for a special 3 hour employee training session. Coincidence?
Coffee chain to close all 7,100 stores for employee training.
One BILLION Dollars
Analysts at Marketwatch speculate Apple is losing buckets of money due to iPhone unlocking:
But a blogger at CNET.com disputes the math with much aplomb:
(Quick little postscript: I'd never noticed the "live updating" stock quotes inside a story at MarketWatch before. Pretty slick.)
Sacconaghi estimated that between 25% and 30% of the more than 4 million iPhone units already sold have been unlocked to work on other wireless networks, and that each unlocked iPhone results in Apple's missing out on $370 in earnings over the phone's two-year contract period. If Apple were to hit its 10 million-unit sales target, the unlocked devices would cause the company to forgo between $1.1 billion and $1.3 billion over two years, he said.
But a blogger at CNET.com disputes the math with much aplomb:
Which is why -- and, jeez, how many times does the Macalope have to say this? -- it makes absolutely no sense to say that Apple is losing this money. If these phones are in countries where Apple has no contract, the only thing you can say is that Apple should get an exclusive contract there faster (easier said than done). If they're being used by people who just don't like the exclusive provider Apple's signed with, then these are people they'll never get anyway.
(Quick little postscript: I'd never noticed the "live updating" stock quotes inside a story at MarketWatch before. Pretty slick.)
Friday, February 22, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Yahoo vs. Google: The Class Struggle
I can't really get my head around "why" this would be so, but it is somewhat interesting.
Poor People Use Yahoo, Those Better Off Use Google
Poor People Use Yahoo, Those Better Off Use Google
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Final Draft + Google Docs = ?
Monday, February 11, 2008
Danger Dogs
Interesting (and entertaining) LA Weekly article on street vendors, guilty pleasures, and governmental double-standards.
THE BACON-WRAPPED HOT DOG: SO GOOD IT'S ILLEGAL
Be sure not to skip the comments. My favorite:
THE BACON-WRAPPED HOT DOG: SO GOOD IT'S ILLEGAL
Be sure not to skip the comments. My favorite:
In Germany you can get grilled hot dogs at every hot dog stand and at many corners from carts. Especially in Berlin. What is the matter with the Americans... so many are fat, probably from boiling hot dogs, but won't allow any one to have a well tasting hot dog. This country is getting duller by the minute. And to jail people for broiling hot dogs... what a country. In the meantime Bush and his cronies, who have and still are killing thousands, are strutting around like peacocks, when they should be jailed and sent to Guantanamo forever, demonstrating the joys of Waterboarding for a paying public.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Benefits of eBooks
March 2 - March 8 is "Read an eBook" week. Timely Persuasion is scheduled to be released February 29 (jury duty permitting.) I think I smell a connection...
In the meantime, I like how this article on eBooks acknowledges (and actually hopes) they never replace paper books, but still manages to give a long list of compelling reasons why both can live together side by side.
30 Benefits of Ebooks
In the meantime, I like how this article on eBooks acknowledges (and actually hopes) they never replace paper books, but still manages to give a long list of compelling reasons why both can live together side by side.
30 Benefits of Ebooks
Friday, February 08, 2008
On Strike
Although it may be a little late for this, Towform has gone on strike until the WGA goes back to work.
Check out our live video from the picket line for more.
Check out our live video from the picket line for more.
Lost In Translation
Translation From PR-Speak to English of Selected Portions of Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang’s Company-Wide Memo Regarding the Microsoft Takeover Bid
"Everyone seems to agree that Microsoft would fuck Yahoo up but good."
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Put the Consipracy Theory Down and Walk Slowly Away From Your Computer...
Hey team. Just to counterbalance my previous comment on the possibility of something fishy going on with the communication cables being cut, here's another take on what could be happening over in the Mid-East. I am still leaning towards malfeasance of some kind but I think this is a pretty even-handed look of what's going on over there. From Wired.
"As a security guy, I'm paranoid, but I don't understand the threat model here. On the other hand, four accidental failures in a week is a bit hard to swallow, too. Let's hope there will be close, open examination of the failed parts of the cables."
My favorite among the comments:
"I really don't care what they find when they pull those cables up...
...as long as it isn't bite marks."
"As a security guy, I'm paranoid, but I don't understand the threat model here. On the other hand, four accidental failures in a week is a bit hard to swallow, too. Let's hope there will be close, open examination of the failed parts of the cables."
My favorite among the comments:
"I really don't care what they find when they pull those cables up...
...as long as it isn't bite marks."
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Text Toilet
The US probably isn't quite ready for this yet, but with Finland's cellphone penetration up over 100% it's a brilliant idea.
Use SMS to Unlock Public Restrooms
(via 4Info Mobile Search Blog)
Use SMS to Unlock Public Restrooms
If you need to use the facilities, people just need to send the word "open" to a short code listed at the bathroom, and the door is unlocked remotely. If the room is vandalized, a short-term record of the phone number that unlocked the door prior to the vandalism can help authorities track down the vandals.
(via 4Info Mobile Search Blog)
The Internet is Down!
Shows what a fragile world of technology we live in...
Internet failure hits two continents
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
-Extensive Internet failure has affected much of Asia, the Middle East, north Africa
-Two undersea cables believed damaged, possibly by a ship's anchor
-It has caused major disruptions to business, television and phone services
-Several reports say damaged cable in the Mediterranean could take a week to fix
Internet failure hits two continents
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
-Extensive Internet failure has affected much of Asia, the Middle East, north Africa
-Two undersea cables believed damaged, possibly by a ship's anchor
-It has caused major disruptions to business, television and phone services
-Several reports say damaged cable in the Mediterranean could take a week to fix
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Spinning Woman: Left or Right Brained?
I was listening to someone say today that there's this cool new visual test that will tell you if you're a left or right-brained thinker.
Herald Sun Story
(read this first)
So, I took the above test and low-and-behold it tells me I'm a right-brained thinker, which didn't really jive with the descriptions they give. I definitely share more in common with the left-side.
As a natural skeptic, I found it preposterous that a "test" could tell you something like this.
So, I found a more scientific explanation and of course it's muddier than some "simple minds" would have you think:
Science Line Explanation
And lastly, I still can't see the spinning woman go counter-clockwise. So, I used this to help me:
The Answer
Ah, much better!
What brain side are you?
Herald Sun Story
(read this first)
So, I took the above test and low-and-behold it tells me I'm a right-brained thinker, which didn't really jive with the descriptions they give. I definitely share more in common with the left-side.
As a natural skeptic, I found it preposterous that a "test" could tell you something like this.
So, I found a more scientific explanation and of course it's muddier than some "simple minds" would have you think:
Science Line Explanation
And lastly, I still can't see the spinning woman go counter-clockwise. So, I used this to help me:
The Answer
Ah, much better!
What brain side are you?
Monday, January 28, 2008
Counterpoint
Another side of the debate, from the other side of the pond.
I Hate Macs
I Hate Macs
"I hate Macs. I have always hated Macs. I hate people who use Macs. I even hate people who don't use Macs but sometimes wish they did. Macs are glorified Fisher-Price activity centres for adults; computers for scaredy cats too nervous to learn how proper computers work; computers for people who earnestly believe in feng shui."
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Right of Way
Minor fender bender last night. Thought I'd draw out the scene with Skitch and see what the Towform jury thinks. (Cars anonymized to eliminate bias.)
Three-way stop at a slightly goofy intersection. Just after 6pm, mostly dark and slightly rainy. Cars are represented by the numbered dots (ignore the satellite image cars).
Car 1 and Car 2 reach the intersection and stop at the same time. (Car 1 may have been slightly first, but it's negligible and a virtual tie.) Both are signaling left turns.
Car 3 is approaching the intersection but has not yet arrived. They are signaling for a right turn. (I don't recall if the signal was on or not, but will assume yes for this exercise.)
Cars 1 & 2 are at a standstill for about 3 seconds. Car 1 slowly edges into intersection. Car 2 remains at the stop sign. Car 3 arrives at about this time.
Car 1 completes their left turn, and has a small accident with Car 3. Point of impact is approximately the black dot in the image.
Corner of the rear passenger-side bumper of Car 1 is scratched, while the front driver-side corner of Car 3 is dented.
Drivers exit to exchange pleasantries. Car 1 says "Three way stop, I was there first, my right of way." Car 3 says "Doesn't matter. I was taking a right, you were taking a left. Right trumps left."
Who would be the at-fault party?
Three-way stop at a slightly goofy intersection. Just after 6pm, mostly dark and slightly rainy. Cars are represented by the numbered dots (ignore the satellite image cars).
Who would be the at-fault party?
Saturday, January 26, 2008
The Internet was Formerly Retarded
Found this great article about how truly AWFUL the internet used to look WAAAAAAAY back in 1996. Some great screenshots using the WayBack Machine.
"...many of the best preserved ones were created by fast food and soft drink corporations because they were some of the earliest adapters of the internet. They viewed the medium as a chance for inexpensive advertising and invested dozens upon dozens of dollars into it. The results are tremendously humiliating."
"Additionally, very few web designers had even the most rudimentary of aesthetic sensibilities, and nearly half of them were clinically retarded."
Friday, January 25, 2008
iMovie is a dangerous thing
So I grabbed some footage and photos from a fishing trip to Mexico that had been sitting on my hard drive for a few years, fired up iMovie for the first time and 2 hours later here's what I did. Forgive the pacing and camera work. It was all done with my Fuji Finepix 3000.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Feedback on the iPhone Interface
Edward Tufte is reknowned for his books and articles on interface meets design meets data presentation. (search his site for the article PowerPoint and businesses)
Anyways, he just put up a posting on what the iPhone does right, and a few things he thinks could have been done better.
(make sure to check out the video link in the article for an actual demo)
And speaking of interface, with the new moveable home page icons, here's my latest first page setup:
After going through several iterations, I've finally moved my frequently used icons to the upper-right hand corner. This provides quick access for my right-hand thumb.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Macworld Prediction
Thought of this yesterday afternoon and wanted to get it "on the record" before the keynote. I have no insider information and have not seen this specific prediction elsewhere; it's just a personal guess based on the "There's Something In The Air" slogan and connecting a few existing dots.
-A MacBook (and/or the rumored subnotebook) with a built-in HSDPA modem for high speed data access on the AT&T network. It would leverage Apple's existing carrier relationships, give them a new slice of coveted subscription revenue, and simplify the usually clunky process of activating and configuring an aircard.
We'll see what develops soon enough. Feel free to mock or praise me in the comments.
-A MacBook (and/or the rumored subnotebook) with a built-in HSDPA modem for high speed data access on the AT&T network. It would leverage Apple's existing carrier relationships, give them a new slice of coveted subscription revenue, and simplify the usually clunky process of activating and configuring an aircard.
We'll see what develops soon enough. Feel free to mock or praise me in the comments.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
All That Glitters
31 Minutes!
Glitz-Free Globes
Glitz-Free Globes
The first Golden Globe of the night went to Cate Blanchett for her supporting role in "I'm Not There" and that pretty much said it all about the awards ceremony Sunday that was wiped out by the Hollywood writers strike.
Because Blanchett wasn't there. Neither was anyone present to accept the best drama award for "Atonement," the final award of the 31-minute, news conference-style fiasco that raced through 25 winners so fast, it was as if the Hollywood Foreign Press Association just wanted to get it over with.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Holy Grail In Action
We've talked about the Google drag-to-reroute feature before, but it blew me away to see how well it worked in practice.
My wife was on the 5 South headed to a baby shower in Costa Mesa. She texts me and says "Something's on fire. Billowing black smoke, traffic on the 5."
I hit SigAlert.com:
Uh oh, lanes closed. Plus...
Big accident, and that's the fire. Google Maps w/traffic:
And after one simple drag and drop:
"10E to 710S to 5S will get you around it."
Done in literally 90 seconds. What a difference 4 years makes.
PS: The authors of Towform do not condone texting while driving. Use a bluetooth headset.
My wife was on the 5 South headed to a baby shower in Costa Mesa. She texts me and says "Something's on fire. Billowing black smoke, traffic on the 5."
I hit SigAlert.com:
Uh oh, lanes closed. Plus...
Big accident, and that's the fire. Google Maps w/traffic:
And after one simple drag and drop:
"10E to 710S to 5S will get you around it."
Done in literally 90 seconds. What a difference 4 years makes.
PS: The authors of Towform do not condone texting while driving. Use a bluetooth headset.
User Determined Computing
Interesting thoughts on a soon to be released Accenture study (rightfully) claiming that most users home computer systems and programs make them better workers and more productive than the ones at the office.
User Determined Computing
User Determined Computing
Today, home technology has outpaced enterprise technology, leaving employees frustrated by the inadequacy of the technology they use at work. As a result, employees are demanding more because of their ever-increasing familiarity and comfort level with technology. It’s an emerging phenomenon Accenture has called “user-determined computing.”I also like the dig the blogger takes at Accenture's website towards the end.
I wasn't hugely impressed with Accenture's own website, which didn't comply with the most basic standards of Web 2.0. For one thing, it's Flash-based, with no options for a quicker loading, HTML version. And the Flash doesn't load quickly. Secondly, a pop-up window greets you on your immediate arrival requesting your participation in a survey. Not a good start.(via SvN)
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Change the World
Bits and pieces of this have already been told, but an interesting "for dummies" overview of how game changing the iPhone really is.
The Untold Story: How the iPhone Blew Up the Wireless Industry
The Untold Story: How the iPhone Blew Up the Wireless Industry
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Fwd: Dash
Testing posts via email (by way of forwarding) from our correspondent
"live" at CES.
"live" at CES.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: derteufel
Date: Jan 9, 2008 1:36 PM
Subject: Dash
To: Jake of All Trades
Just got a demo of the Dash Express. Looks very cool, though I'm now
more excited about the community saved searches feature than I am
about the traffic.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Programming Crash Course
The code portions of this Daily WTF blog tend to be a little over my head, but I find some of the anecdotes on dealing with people and users to be hilarious. Case in point:
Could You Explain Programming Please
Could You Explain Programming Please
Friday, January 04, 2008
Most Evil Game Ever
Mario Knockoff is the Most Evil Game Ever
I can't even try to expand on the title. Just watch.
My favorite is the stuff that happens at the level 3 flag (towards the end of the third video).
I can't even try to expand on the title. Just watch.
My favorite is the stuff that happens at the level 3 flag (towards the end of the third video).
Thursday, January 03, 2008
New iPhone Firmware 1.1.3
Since the majority of us have iPhones, I thought I'd post.
http://gizmodo.com/339055/full-video-demo-of-apple-iphone-firmware-113-features
What I like:
http://gizmodo.com/339055/full-video-demo-of-apple-iphone-firmware-113-features
What I like:
- Google Maps drop pin
- Multiple recipient SMS
- And moving around home page and dock icons (you can even create multiple home pages)
And yes, Google has finally returned the cell phone tower triangulation technology that last powered AT&T's friend finder. Why they just got around to it now, I'll never know.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Snorting a Brain Chemical Could Replace Sleep
Snorting a Brain Chemical Could Replace Sleep
In what sounds like a dream for millions of tired coffee drinkers, Darpa-funded scientists might have found a drug that will eliminate sleepiness.
A nasal spray containing a naturally occurring brain hormone called orexin A reversed the effects of sleep deprivation in monkeys, allowing them to perform like well-rested monkeys on cognitive tests. The discovery's first application will probably be in treatment of the severe sleep disorder narcolepsy.
Siegel said that orexin A is unique in that it only had an impact on sleepy monkeys, not alert ones, and that it is "specific in reversing the effects of sleepiness" without other impacts on the brain.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
New Lost Experience ARG
Oceanic Air is Back...
www.flyoceanicair.com
And on a related note, the trailer for Season 4 is being shown in theaters and online:
www.flyoceanicair.com
And on a related note, the trailer for Season 4 is being shown in theaters and online:
Friday, December 28, 2007
Bart vs. Homer
Playing with Hulu and found a neat feature where you can create your own short clip from any episode they have and embed it online.
Quality is pretty decent, and features like this show they realize the need to retain the social aspects if they really want to be the "legit" YouTube.
Quality is pretty decent, and features like this show they realize the need to retain the social aspects if they really want to be the "legit" YouTube.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Alexander Graham Theft
Book argues that Bell stole phone idea
I found this line most intriguing:
In "The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell's Secret," journalist Seth Shulman argues that Bell — aided by aggressive lawyers and a corrupt patent examiner — got an improper peek at patent documents Elisha Gray had filed, and that Bell was erroneously credited with filing first.
I found this line most intriguing:
Bell, not Gray, actually demonstrated a phone that transmitted speech. Gray was focused instead on his era's pressing communications challenge: how to send multiple messages simultaneously over the same telegraph wire. As Gray huffed to his attorney, "I should like to see Bell do that with his apparatus."
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Scold the cell squawkers
Scold the cell squawkers
A woman at the Rose Cafe shouted her eyeglass order into her cell -- going into great detail about her family's medical plan (they have flexible spending; they'll pay after the first of the year). So I blogged her conversation, including her phone number, and she got calls from around the world: "Eva, your glasses are ready!" I'm guessing she has newfound respect for others' profound disinterest in her life.
Barry sure does. He shouted his number across a Venice Starbucks. I went home and called it: "Barry, I know everything about you but your blood type." Next time I saw him, he took his calls outside.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
iPhone Hacking as Internship
Apple hires author of the unofficial iPhone SDK
Lucas Newman of Delicious Monster has been hired by Apple as an “iPhone engineer” according to a post from “Chief Monster” Wil Shipley.
Newman is an avid iPhone developer who worked on the first native iPhone game, Lights Off and helped iPhone Atlas develop their initial 5-step native application install guide back in August.
(Above is paraphrased because, to quote the second commenter on the original article: "Please proofread your posts. This one is utter gibberish.")
Related: Wired puts Jailbroken iPhone on top 2007 gadget list
Lucas Newman of Delicious Monster has been hired by Apple as an “iPhone engineer” according to a post from “Chief Monster” Wil Shipley.
Newman is an avid iPhone developer who worked on the first native iPhone game, Lights Off and helped iPhone Atlas develop their initial 5-step native application install guide back in August.
(Above is paraphrased because, to quote the second commenter on the original article: "Please proofread your posts. This one is utter gibberish.")
Related: Wired puts Jailbroken iPhone on top 2007 gadget list
Friday, December 21, 2007
Video from a Time Traveller
Okay, so this could be hoaxed. But its an intriguing story.
A Norwegian man was working on his kitchen plumbing when he claims he inexplicably travelled into the future and met his future self. Bonus: he has video from his mobile.
Yeah, that could be his dad, I guess. And the story is frustratingly light on the details - like...how did he get back? What did they talk about?
But interesting nonetheless. Maybe interesting enough for Jacob to dig up more...
A Norwegian man was working on his kitchen plumbing when he claims he inexplicably travelled into the future and met his future self. Bonus: he has video from his mobile.
Yeah, that could be his dad, I guess. And the story is frustratingly light on the details - like...how did he get back? What did they talk about?
But interesting nonetheless. Maybe interesting enough for Jacob to dig up more...
Social Enemies
Parody sites start anti-social networking trend
Snubster
Enemybook
Hatebook
Tired of phony online friends? Make enemies instead. Riding on the popularity of social networks such as Facebook and MySpace, new Web sites are poking fun at online friendships that connect you to the people you like, by turning attention to the ones you don't.
"I didn't understand these fake-friend war chests that people were so busy building online," said Bryant Choung, a technology consultant who started Snubster last year.
Kevin Matulef, the creator of Enemybook, said the idea for his Facebook application started as a joke last summer when friends at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) were asking if someone was a real friend or a Facebook friend.
"It started basically as a satire, sort of a parody of some of the superficial aspects of Facebook and the connections that you have, but now it's kind of evolved and it allows people to express themselves via their dislikes," said Matulef, 28.
Snubster
Enemybook
Hatebook
Thursday, December 20, 2007
More Copyright in the Internet Age
The debate around the bubble video is getting more and more interesting. Some of the best opinions from both sides:
TechCrunch
Misunderstanding Copyright Law And Ruining Everyone’s Fun
Fair Use Vs. Free Speech in the Internet Age
Plagiarism Today
Analysis on The “Bubble” Controversy
Update: Bubble Video Reposted)
Lane Hartwell (the photographer)
My statement regarding the “Here comes another bubble” video dispute
My statement regarding the new version of the video
The Richter Scales (the band)
Credit and "Here Comes Another Bubble"
DMCA Takedown of "Here Comes Another Bubble"
Announcing "Bubble" Version 1.1
TechCrunch
Misunderstanding Copyright Law And Ruining Everyone’s Fun
Fair Use Vs. Free Speech in the Internet Age
Plagiarism Today
Analysis on The “Bubble” Controversy
Update: Bubble Video Reposted)
Lane Hartwell (the photographer)
My statement regarding the “Here comes another bubble” video dispute
My statement regarding the new version of the video
The Richter Scales (the band)
Credit and "Here Comes Another Bubble"
DMCA Takedown of "Here Comes Another Bubble"
Announcing "Bubble" Version 1.1
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Me too!
I think I've said this before, but the best side effect of Google's innovations is that they light a fire under Yahoo to stop being so stagnant.
Yahoo Maps Gets Drag-and-Drop Rerouting
Props to Yahoo for the comparison of old route vs. new. I also liked the rubber band effect on the drag, but have to agree that Google showing you the name of the street you're dragging onto wins out.
Now, when will someone give me my web based LineDrive directions back?
Yahoo Maps Gets Drag-and-Drop Rerouting
Props to Yahoo for the comparison of old route vs. new. I also liked the rubber band effect on the drag, but have to agree that Google showing you the name of the street you're dragging onto wins out.
Now, when will someone give me my web based LineDrive directions back?
Monday, December 17, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Copyright Controversy
Controversy surrounding the video Bo previously posted about the tech bubble.
Misunderstanding Copyright Law And Ruining Everyone’s Fun
Misunderstanding Copyright Law And Ruining Everyone’s Fun
So the video that everyone has been talking about is history. It is the victim of a bullying tactic by a photographer and her lawyer. Once again, a perversion of copyright is being used to destroy art.
The video, set to the tune of We Didn’t Start the Fire by Billy Joel, mocked just about everyone in Silicon Valley as being part of a new technology bubble. But the video has now been taken down, because Lane Hartwell, the photographer who took one of the pictures that was included in the video, complained that she wasn’t paid for her work. She hired a lawyer, and the creators, Richter Scales, decided to take it down rather than fight that Hartwell had no right to stop them from using the image.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Helpful Help
This might be one of the worst website help articles I've ever encountered. I know MySpace shouldn't be required or expected to teach basic html to their users, but a little effort via description or simple tools would go a long way.
How do I add color, graphics, & sound to my MySpace Profile page?
- Simply go to "Edit Profile"
- Enter the desired HTML or CSS coding where appropriate.
- If you do not know HTML or CSS, you can reach out and make a new friend by asking someone who has color, graphics, and/or sound on their Profile page how they did it. People on MySpace are friendly and always willing to help, so just ask! This is a great way to meet new people!
Friday, December 14, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Bye Bye Payphones
Um, what took them so long?
Also, remember this database from the Surfboard?
AT&T to Disconnect Pay-Phone Business After 129 Years
AT&T Inc., the biggest U.S. phone company, plans to leave the pay-phone business after 129 years as more people use wireless handsets to make calls on the go.
The first pay phone, installed in 1878, had an attendant who took callers' money, AT&T spokesman Michael Coe said. Inventor William Gray set up the first coin-operated phone in 1889 at a bank in Hartford, Connecticut.
At their peak in 1998, there were 2.6 million pay phones in the U.S., San Antonio-based AT&T said today in a statement. That number fell to 1 million this year, including the 65,000 phones AT&T has in 13 states.
Pay phones, especially those in booths, have played a role in U.S. pop culture for decades. Clark Kent started using them to change into Superman in the 1940s. In the 1989 movie ``Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure,'' a phone booth doubled as a time machine. In 2002, actor Colin Farrell played a man trapped at a phone by a sniper in the film ``Phone Booth.''
Also, remember this database from the Surfboard?
AT&T to Disconnect Pay-Phone Business After 129 Years
AT&T Inc., the biggest U.S. phone company, plans to leave the pay-phone business after 129 years as more people use wireless handsets to make calls on the go.
The first pay phone, installed in 1878, had an attendant who took callers' money, AT&T spokesman Michael Coe said. Inventor William Gray set up the first coin-operated phone in 1889 at a bank in Hartford, Connecticut.
At their peak in 1998, there were 2.6 million pay phones in the U.S., San Antonio-based AT&T said today in a statement. That number fell to 1 million this year, including the 65,000 phones AT&T has in 13 states.
Pay phones, especially those in booths, have played a role in U.S. pop culture for decades. Clark Kent started using them to change into Superman in the 1940s. In the 1989 movie ``Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure,'' a phone booth doubled as a time machine. In 2002, actor Colin Farrell played a man trapped at a phone by a sniper in the film ``Phone Booth.''
It's A Gas Gas Gas
Wis. drivers line up for gas at 33 cents
An employee closing Trig's Minocqua Shell for the night mistakenly entered the price of a gallon of gasoline as 32.9 cents instead of $3.299 on Monday night.
He left about 10 p.m., but drivers could still use their credit cards to buy gas.
Word of the bargain spread fast in the rural northern Wisconsin community, with 42 people buying 586 gallons of gas in an hour and 45 minutes. One person had pumped 27 gallons and two purchased 18 gallons.
"I was very upset that there's that many dishonest people," said store manager Andrea Reuland. "They knew there was a problem, and they took advantage of an employee's mistake and I think that's terrible."
An employee closing Trig's Minocqua Shell for the night mistakenly entered the price of a gallon of gasoline as 32.9 cents instead of $3.299 on Monday night.
He left about 10 p.m., but drivers could still use their credit cards to buy gas.
Word of the bargain spread fast in the rural northern Wisconsin community, with 42 people buying 586 gallons of gas in an hour and 45 minutes. One person had pumped 27 gallons and two purchased 18 gallons.
"I was very upset that there's that many dishonest people," said store manager Andrea Reuland. "They knew there was a problem, and they took advantage of an employee's mistake and I think that's terrible."
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Back to...
Back To The Future Flux Capacitor Replica
Three thoughts:
1. Guess what I want for Xmas...
2. $220? My word!
3. TFAW.com needs to work on their "related items" algorithm at the bottom of the page, as it seems to think any other movie starting with the words "Back To" is related to BTTF.
Three thoughts:
1. Guess what I want for Xmas...
2. $220? My word!
3. TFAW.com needs to work on their "related items" algorithm at the bottom of the page, as it seems to think any other movie starting with the words "Back To" is related to BTTF.
Shift Happens
A little long and slow, but interesting.
The Luxembourg broadband stat was especially surprising to my dial-up using self back in 2003...
The Luxembourg broadband stat was especially surprising to my dial-up using self back in 2003...
The Chuck Norris Effect
Hilarious, but also pandering a bit if something like this can really have an effect on an election. Have to give them credit for the buzz factor though.
Chuck and Huck: GOP's Delta Force?
Here's a Chuck Norris fact you may not know. If Chuck Norris endorses you and appears in one of your campaign's TV ads, you take the lead in an Iowa poll and your Web server crashes.
(In Huckabee's defense, in the article he says "We didn't seek his endorsement, but we're sure lucky to have it.")
Chuck and Huck: GOP's Delta Force?
Here's a Chuck Norris fact you may not know. If Chuck Norris endorses you and appears in one of your campaign's TV ads, you take the lead in an Iowa poll and your Web server crashes.
(In Huckabee's defense, in the article he says "We didn't seek his endorsement, but we're sure lucky to have it.")
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Friendship Bracelets Are the Next Big Thing!
Are we in another bubble?
I believe so, but it's being around to watch it.
(UPDATED 12/20 to new video link)
I believe so, but it's being around to watch it.
(UPDATED 12/20 to new video link)
The Science of Santa
Santa Claus is coming to town -- for 34 microseconds
"We estimated that there are 48 people per square kilometer (120 per square mile) on Earth, and 20 metres (66 feet) between each home. So if Santa leaves from Kyrgyzstan and travels against the Earth's rotation he has 48 hours to deliver all the presents," he said.
"He has 34 microseconds at each stop" to slide down the chimney, drop off the presents, nibble on his cookies and milk and hop back on his sleigh, Larsson said.
Monday, December 03, 2007
The SMS Novelists
I can barely fathom this:
In Japan, cellular storytelling is all the rage
via TechCrunch (with inspiration from Kit)
In Japan, cellular storytelling is all the rage
"In just a few years, mobile phone novels - or keitai shousetsu - have become a publishing phenomenon in Japan, turning middle-of-the-road publishing houses into major concerns and making their authors a small fortune in the process.
Remarkably, half of Japan's top-10 selling works of fiction in the first six months of the year were composed the same way - on the tiny handset of a mobile phone. They sold an average of 400,000 copies."
via TechCrunch (with inspiration from Kit)
Sunday, December 02, 2007
From the Future
I know sports isn't usually on topic for our blog, but the technology bits and time travel undertones are quite Towformian...
A letter to the Junior High Sports Guy
A letter to the Junior High Sports Guy
Friday, November 30, 2007
DASH GPS device shows off Zillow API Mashup
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Mobile GMaps & My Location
Great new pseudo-GPS feature in Google Maps For Mobile
Reminiscent of the old AT&T "Find Friends" technology we used to know and love.
New magical blue circle on your map
Plus, I'm starting to really love these new "demonstration" videos Google does when launching new features.
Reminiscent of the old AT&T "Find Friends" technology we used to know and love.
New magical blue circle on your map
Plus, I'm starting to really love these new "demonstration" videos Google does when launching new features.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
QL Fanfic Movie
The long rumored Quantum Leap "Bold Leap Forward" sequel series on Sci-Fi sill hasn't quite made it off the ground yet, but now someone is taking matters into their own hands:
QL Fanfilm: A Leap To Di For
Award Winning Filmmaker Christopher Allen has announced the title of his company’s next film production, a fan based effort to re-launch the popular “Quantum Leap” television series that ran on NBC from 1989 to 1993.
“I just want to re-launch the (Quantum Leap) series in some way or another. I don’t care about not making any money on this. It’s not about money... its about quality stories and characters people still care about to this very day. Above all else, it is ultimately for the fans.”
Watch the Teaser Trailer
QL Fanfilm: A Leap To Di For
Award Winning Filmmaker Christopher Allen has announced the title of his company’s next film production, a fan based effort to re-launch the popular “Quantum Leap” television series that ran on NBC from 1989 to 1993.
“I just want to re-launch the (Quantum Leap) series in some way or another. I don’t care about not making any money on this. It’s not about money... its about quality stories and characters people still care about to this very day. Above all else, it is ultimately for the fans.”
Watch the Teaser Trailer
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
The Do Not What List?
This is great just for how brazenly ridiculous their loose interpretation is:
DirecTV Telemarketing
Link includes letter to a customer from DirecTV lawyer explaining the reasoning:
DirecTV Telemarketing
DirecTV is defending automated sales calls to Do Not Call List subscribers as "informational," and "not telemarketing." The satellite TV provider recently called customers to say: "Because you are on our Do Not Call List, we can't call you with all of our super-awesome special promotions."
Link includes letter to a customer from DirecTV lawyer explaining the reasoning:
Since our calls were informational in nature, and not telemarketing sales calls, they fall outside the scope of the Telemarketing Sales Rule and related federal and state laws and regulations governing telemarketing sales practices. As such, our calls did not violate any of these statutes or regulations.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Pas d'Internet pour vous
France Sets Sanctions Against Internet Piracy
Internet users in France who frequently download music or films illegally risk losing Web access under a new anti-piracy system unveiled on Friday.
Internet users in France who frequently download music or films illegally risk losing Web access under a new anti-piracy system unveiled on Friday.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Gmail Interview (& Parody)
Interesting Lifehacker interview with Google's Product Manager in charge of Gmail.
Gmail Product Manager on IMAP and Greasemonkey
Strange aside:
Direct Lifehacker post links don't seem to be working in the new Tiger version of Safari 3.
Funny aside:
What if Microsoft Designed Gmail?
Windows Live Gmail
Gmail Product Manager on IMAP and Greasemonkey
Strange aside:
Direct Lifehacker post links don't seem to be working in the new Tiger version of Safari 3.
Funny aside:
What if Microsoft Designed Gmail?
Windows Live Gmail
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The Tryptophan Myth
My favorite iNet Thanksgiving question/answer pair:
Thanksgiving Myth: Turkey Makes You Sleepy
The sleepy-turkey myth lingers around each year because it sounds so logical.
Alas, it is only marginally true. What's making you sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner is any combination of booze, bad conversation and a carbohydrate-heavy meal, but not the turkey itself.
Turkey does have tryptophan. But all meat has tryptophan at comparable levels. Cheddar cheese, gram for gram, has more.
In essence, big meals with any food containing tryptophan can cause sleepiness. The real culprits are all those carbohydrates from potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, bread and pie. The massive intake of carb-heavy calories stimulates the release of insulin, which in turn triggers the uptake of most amino acids from the blood into the muscles except for tryptophan.
With other amino acids swept out of the bloodstream, tryptophan—from turkey or ham or any meat or cheese, for that matter—can better make its way to the brain to produce serotonin.
Bonus Thanksgiving Funny via JibJab
Thanksgiving Myth: Turkey Makes You Sleepy
The sleepy-turkey myth lingers around each year because it sounds so logical.
Alas, it is only marginally true. What's making you sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner is any combination of booze, bad conversation and a carbohydrate-heavy meal, but not the turkey itself.
Turkey does have tryptophan. But all meat has tryptophan at comparable levels. Cheddar cheese, gram for gram, has more.
In essence, big meals with any food containing tryptophan can cause sleepiness. The real culprits are all those carbohydrates from potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, bread and pie. The massive intake of carb-heavy calories stimulates the release of insulin, which in turn triggers the uptake of most amino acids from the blood into the muscles except for tryptophan.
With other amino acids swept out of the bloodstream, tryptophan—from turkey or ham or any meat or cheese, for that matter—can better make its way to the brain to produce serotonin.
Bonus Thanksgiving Funny via JibJab
Monday, November 19, 2007
Kindle
Amazon's new EVDO powered (via Sprint) eBook, Blog, Newspaper, Magazine, and Wiki reader device.
Amazon Kindle
The next iPod? Or the next Newton?
Apple Newton
"Although the Apple Newton was produced for six years, it was never as successful in the marketplace as Apple had hoped. This has been attributed to two primary reasons: the Newton's high price (which went up to $1000 when models 2000 and 2100 were introduced), and its large size (it failed the "pocket test" by not fitting in an average coat, shirt, or trouser pocket)."
Amazon Kindle
The next iPod? Or the next Newton?
Apple Newton
"Although the Apple Newton was produced for six years, it was never as successful in the marketplace as Apple had hoped. This has been attributed to two primary reasons: the Newton's high price (which went up to $1000 when models 2000 and 2100 were introduced), and its large size (it failed the "pocket test" by not fitting in an average coat, shirt, or trouser pocket)."
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Capturing the Power of CAPTCHA
Stumbled into this via a Webware post about Southwest shutting down boarding pass sniping site Pass-a-Matic.
Re-CAPTCHA is a Carnegie Melon University project that repurposes those CAPTCHA verification boxes (last discussed by us here) to help digitize books.
The basic idea is to take words that optical scanners can't recognize, turn them into CAPTCHAs, and then use crowdsourcing ala Mechanical Turk to do the heavy lifting. It's all pretty clever.
More details here.
Re-CAPTCHA is a Carnegie Melon University project that repurposes those CAPTCHA verification boxes (last discussed by us here) to help digitize books.
The basic idea is to take words that optical scanners can't recognize, turn them into CAPTCHAs, and then use crowdsourcing ala Mechanical Turk to do the heavy lifting. It's all pretty clever.
More details here.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Know When To Say No
Cool SvN post on how to innovate by staying true to your ideas and not being bullied into being something you're not.
How opinionated companies get customers to live without floppy drives, assigned seats, credit cards, etc.
Examples from the story:
Southwest
"...in the case of Southwest Airlines, customers who value more of the amenities, policies, and procedures of the legacy carriers aren’t ever going to be passionate about Southwest. Customers who are passionate about Southwest don’t just value the low fares that open seating supports, but have come to expect and enjoy the organized chaos that the experience involves."
Apple
If you simply had to have a floppy drive, then that new iMac was no good for you.
ING
You want to open an account with a million dollars? Please find another bank. “Rich Americans are used to platinum cards, special services,” Kuhlmann told me. “The last thing we want in this bank is to have rich people making special demands. We treat everybody the same, which is how we keep things simple.”
How opinionated companies get customers to live without floppy drives, assigned seats, credit cards, etc.
Examples from the story:
Southwest
"...in the case of Southwest Airlines, customers who value more of the amenities, policies, and procedures of the legacy carriers aren’t ever going to be passionate about Southwest. Customers who are passionate about Southwest don’t just value the low fares that open seating supports, but have come to expect and enjoy the organized chaos that the experience involves."
Apple
If you simply had to have a floppy drive, then that new iMac was no good for you.
ING
You want to open an account with a million dollars? Please find another bank. “Rich Americans are used to platinum cards, special services,” Kuhlmann told me. “The last thing we want in this bank is to have rich people making special demands. We treat everybody the same, which is how we keep things simple.”
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
It's not easy being Yahoo!
Interesting blurb of an article on Jerry Yang of Yahoo. Too short, but a good glimpse at his feelings on their history and future.
Yang: Being Yahoo CEO is a 'lonely job'
My favorite throwaway quote:
"Today I'm still not sure why we added the exclamation point."
Yang: Being Yahoo CEO is a 'lonely job'
My favorite throwaway quote:
"Today I'm still not sure why we added the exclamation point."
Saturday, October 20, 2007
!@#$
Swearing at work boosts team spirt, morale
Regular swearing at work can help boost team spirit among staff, allowing them to express better their feelings as well as develop social relationships, according to a study by researchers.
The pair said swearing in front of senior staff or customers should be seriously discouraged or banned, but in other circumstances it helped foster solidarity among employees and express frustration, stress or other feelings.
Regular swearing at work can help boost team spirit among staff, allowing them to express better their feelings as well as develop social relationships, according to a study by researchers.
The pair said swearing in front of senior staff or customers should be seriously discouraged or banned, but in other circumstances it helped foster solidarity among employees and express frustration, stress or other feelings.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Best Google Design for SEO Traffic
Let's say that I want our blog to get traffic from people searching on how to get relevant SEO-optimized content that will show up on Google.
Well, I'd make sure to talk about Google and SEO plenty of times, and that we're the best at helping people get great SEO results.
I'd also provide an example of how the Google home page would look if it was SEO-optimized.
http://www.meangene.com/google/design_for_google.html
Of course, I would need to use some nifty AJAX call-out boxes to guide the user through the steps to creating a relevant, SEO-friendly home page that will get indexed by search engines like Google.
Now just wait several weeks and your site should be picked up by the Google spider and show up in search results when people are searching for "best google optimized SEO".
P.S. I should throw in the original pointer from Slashdot:
"Web developers increasingly grow weary of having to put so much effort into designing their sites according to the whims of the Google search engine. When the most important thing is 'getting indexed' it is increasingly difficult for web site designers to offer the simple, uncluttered user experience they'd like to. Reminiscent of the famed what if Microsoft designed the iPod box here is a humorous look at what would happen to that famed, clean, uncluttered look if Google had to design for the Google Search Engine."
Well, I'd make sure to talk about Google and SEO plenty of times, and that we're the best at helping people get great SEO results.
I'd also provide an example of how the Google home page would look if it was SEO-optimized.
http://www.meangene.com/google/design_for_google.html
Of course, I would need to use some nifty AJAX call-out boxes to guide the user through the steps to creating a relevant, SEO-friendly home page that will get indexed by search engines like Google.
Now just wait several weeks and your site should be picked up by the Google spider and show up in search results when people are searching for "best google optimized SEO".
P.S. I should throw in the original pointer from Slashdot:
"Web developers increasingly grow weary of having to put so much effort into designing their sites according to the whims of the Google search engine. When the most important thing is 'getting indexed' it is increasingly difficult for web site designers to offer the simple, uncluttered user experience they'd like to. Reminiscent of the famed what if Microsoft designed the iPod box here is a humorous look at what would happen to that famed, clean, uncluttered look if Google had to design for the Google Search Engine."
Sunday, October 14, 2007
At least they tried...
New beta version of MapQuest:
beta.mapquest.com
Unfortunately they still don't get it...
I know I've been a MapQuest hater forever, but it's always been with good reason. They were first, and they're the most popular, but they still just don't know how to do directions in a useful manner.
People want to redo a route easily with drag and drop. They want to start on a highway without having to fake it. They want simplified line drive directions. They want to find a pseudo neighborhood even when they don't really know what they're looking for. They want to easily skip streets they don't like, and be advised as to "why" something is the best route rather than fastest/quickest via a mathematical stairstepping calculation. They want the simplicity of a Line Drive visualization instead of every intricacy of a turn by turn. They want notes, landmarks, and street level views for visualization.
They want something better than MapQuest.
Google Maps is the best (true that double true.)
beta.mapquest.com
Unfortunately they still don't get it...
I know I've been a MapQuest hater forever, but it's always been with good reason. They were first, and they're the most popular, but they still just don't know how to do directions in a useful manner.
People want to redo a route easily with drag and drop. They want to start on a highway without having to fake it. They want simplified line drive directions. They want to find a pseudo neighborhood even when they don't really know what they're looking for. They want to easily skip streets they don't like, and be advised as to "why" something is the best route rather than fastest/quickest via a mathematical stairstepping calculation. They want the simplicity of a Line Drive visualization instead of every intricacy of a turn by turn. They want notes, landmarks, and street level views for visualization.
They want something better than MapQuest.
Google Maps is the best (true that double true.)
Thursday, October 04, 2007
R&B
If Gary named iNetNow...
Research Bitch
Aside from the comedic value of the funny name, the voiceover pitch for the site is pretty interesting and not something I've seen before.
Research Bitch
Aside from the comedic value of the funny name, the voiceover pitch for the site is pretty interesting and not something I've seen before.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Banning the Bomb
Good idea in theory, but...
Experts doubt plan to block bomb recipes on Web
A European Union proposal to stop people from accessing bomb-making instructions online is fraught with technical difficulties, if not downright unworkable, Internet practitioners say.
"I do intend to carry out a clear exploring exercise with the private sector...on how it is possible to use technology to prevent people from using or searching dangerous words like 'bomb,' 'kill,' 'genocide' or 'terrorism,'" Frattini told Reuters in an interview earlier this month.
Experts doubt plan to block bomb recipes on Web
A European Union proposal to stop people from accessing bomb-making instructions online is fraught with technical difficulties, if not downright unworkable, Internet practitioners say.
"I do intend to carry out a clear exploring exercise with the private sector...on how it is possible to use technology to prevent people from using or searching dangerous words like 'bomb,' 'kill,' 'genocide' or 'terrorism,'" Frattini told Reuters in an interview earlier this month.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Rotten Neighbors
Stumbled onto this via Lifehacker and think it's an absolutely brilliant idea for a GMaps Mashup:
Rotten Neighbor
Not sure how accurately it's being used, but there's a grain of truth to every story, and a lot of these are hilarious.
If only LinkedIn had a similar feature for "reviewing" the unemployable...
Rotten Neighbor
Not sure how accurately it's being used, but there's a grain of truth to every story, and a lot of these are hilarious.
If only LinkedIn had a similar feature for "reviewing" the unemployable...
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Language Barrier At Risk
Interesting article on how the world's languages are fading away. Not sure if I'm more amazed at how many there are (were?), or how many are at risk. Both numbers are bigger than I expected.
Study finds languages quickly dying out
Half of the world's 7,000 languages are expected to disappear before the end of the century.
"We are seeing in front of our eyes the erosion of the human knowledge base."
Study finds languages quickly dying out
Half of the world's 7,000 languages are expected to disappear before the end of the century.
"We are seeing in front of our eyes the erosion of the human knowledge base."
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Dial Directions
Dial Directions
Interesting new directions-by-phone service with a "why didn't I think of that" phone number.
Downsides are the fact that it's voice recognition and uses MapQuest for the actual directions, but reviews are positive and it uses some familiar tricks and tenants based on this WSJ review:
"It's smart enough to ask you if you know how to get to the highway, thus saving you from reading directions you already know."
"Symbols help to shorten the messages, like using "L @ Maryland Ave. SW" to tell a user to turn left at Maryland Avenue Southwest."
"While the mobile versions of these services are improving, the user interface of a cellphone isn't ideal for inputting addresses and extracting directions. Even smart phones with larger screens and full keyboards can be hampered by slow Internet speeds."
Interesting new directions-by-phone service with a "why didn't I think of that" phone number.
Downsides are the fact that it's voice recognition and uses MapQuest for the actual directions, but reviews are positive and it uses some familiar tricks and tenants based on this WSJ review:
"It's smart enough to ask you if you know how to get to the highway, thus saving you from reading directions you already know."
"Symbols help to shorten the messages, like using "L @ Maryland Ave. SW" to tell a user to turn left at Maryland Avenue Southwest."
"While the mobile versions of these services are improving, the user interface of a cellphone isn't ideal for inputting addresses and extracting directions. Even smart phones with larger screens and full keyboards can be hampered by slow Internet speeds."
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Visualizing Search Results
There's quite a few of these alternative search engines now ...quite a lot more than I imagined, actually.
This is an interesting collection of visually based search engines - The crystal one is particularly strange but ingenious somehow at the same time.
Heres a pic of a crystal visual search engine result.
This is an interesting collection of visually based search engines - The crystal one is particularly strange but ingenious somehow at the same time.
Heres a pic of a crystal visual search engine result.
25! :)
Happy Birthday, Smiley
Sept. 19, 1982
"I propose the following character for joke markers: :-) Read it sideways," Fahlman wrote. "Actually, it is probably more economical to mark things that are NOT jokes, given current trends. For this, use :-( "
And my favorite quote from the article:
"Good writers should have no need to explicitly label their humorous comments."
Sept. 19, 1982
"I propose the following character for joke markers: :-) Read it sideways," Fahlman wrote. "Actually, it is probably more economical to mark things that are NOT jokes, given current trends. For this, use :-( "
And my favorite quote from the article:
"Good writers should have no need to explicitly label their humorous comments."
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
10!
Google, at age 10
On September 15, 1997 Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two 24 year-old Stanford University students, registered the domain name of "google.com."
On September 15, 1997 Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two 24 year-old Stanford University students, registered the domain name of "google.com."
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Google In The News
Google Founders’ Ultimate Perk: A NASA Runway
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/13/technology/13google.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
The famous founders seem to have acquired landing rights to a runway that NO other civilian planes can land at, and are only a few miles away from Google's headquarters. The articles says that NASA gets to run scientific missions on their planes, and thus the allowance. Hmmm, I want to see the results of those experiments.
In other Google news, it seems that some confidential Google plans to compete with FaceBook were leaked.
http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/09/video-leak-goog.html
They're allying some of their platform around the Google Reader. I haven't used the reader yet, but I may have to. And some interesting learnings at the bottom of the article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/13/technology/13google.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
The famous founders seem to have acquired landing rights to a runway that NO other civilian planes can land at, and are only a few miles away from Google's headquarters. The articles says that NASA gets to run scientific missions on their planes, and thus the allowance. Hmmm, I want to see the results of those experiments.
In other Google news, it seems that some confidential Google plans to compete with FaceBook were leaked.
http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/09/video-leak-goog.html
They're allying some of their platform around the Google Reader. I haven't used the reader yet, but I may have to. And some interesting learnings at the bottom of the article:
- Two thirds of all RSS feeds only have one subscriber
- Google prioritizes more popular feeds polling every hour for updates, while the two thirds mentioned above are polled every 3 hours.
- The Google Reader back-end stores a staggering 10 terebytes of data from 8 million feeds
And of course, there's the Moon Prize they announced. I was at the first prize, so I'll definitely try to be at this one, if someone enters.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)