Booty Pop! (warning! that link shows posteriors in panties)
Category: Of Interest
Those miscellaneous things that just must be published.
Switching Spam Filters
I have been a huge Spam Karma fan for years but the open source community does not seem to be taking the ball and running with it.
As of January 1st, 2009, I am no longer developing, maintaining or supporting Spam Karma. If you want to contribute to its code or download the latest GPL release, you can check out the code repository, over at Google Code. [Source, unknowngenius.com]
So I’m switching to Akismet. The last time I tried Akismet, I had many false positives. That is, it reported real comments as spam. With Spam Karma, I had almost zero false positives for all the years I used it. If you try to leave a comment and it fails or doesn’t show up, just contact me.
Everybody stop! Hey, what’s that sound?
I’ve spent 40 years thinking I was hard of hearing or just dim witted because I could never fully make out the lyrics in many songs particularly of the rock, punk, or heavy metal genres. No one told me my headphones just sucked. I finally splurged and bought myself some Skullcandy Full Metal Jacket (FMJs) earbuds for the iPhone and am hearing sounds in my music I never knew were there before! (I’m also going to quit complaining to my children that they listen to their music too loudly…even if they do.)
Will it blend? iPad!
Suggestions? iPhone password/data keeper
When my beloved Motorola v3xx bit the dust, I bought an iPhone with the promise to myself that I would use it as a business tool to facilitate building iPhone apps for my clients. I have not talked about my iPhone experience much but that’s coming. In the meantime, know this: 1) Steve Jobs is a user interface genius! and 2) I love my iPhone!
Over the past few years, I endeaved to eliminate paper from my life using cloud tools such as Google Docs. The iPhone seems to be the missing link and has helped me take the last steps toward cutting the umbilical cord to paper. Meeting notes go straight to my iPhone. Todo lists, via Jott, straight into the iPhone. The iPhone has helped make my already digital world even more digital.
Now I need a secure password/data keeper for the iPhone. I’m considering SplashID, 1Password, and iAccounts. What are your recommendations?
Related: Best password manager programs for your MacBook and iPhone 3G
Review: Secret keeper apps for the iPhone
Internet Access a Fundamental Right
In 1988, I was introduced to this thing called the Internet. At the time, I was told there were 25,000 nodes on the Internet. I have since tried to confirm that number and come up with a number more like 66,000. The Internet at the time was somewhat elitist. Today, the BBC published an article suggesting that 4 out of 5 people believe access to the Internet is a fundamental right. Even the UN agrees. This line of thinking places Internet access on par with roads, waste, and water.
It’s fascinating to have witnessed the growth of such a world changing technology. I’m embarrassed to admit that around 1992 when commercialization of the Internet was being discussed that I was among those saying commercialization would destroy the Internet. When the Internet moved from strictly the domains of the universities and military in 1994, I was proven wrong.
Open letter to the designers of men’s restrooms
Dear designer, If you are going to install a mirror perpendicular to the urinal, that is such that a man clearly sees his side view in the reflection, please do not use a regular mirror. Instead use a carnival mirror that shrinks the size of our stomach and increases the size of other things. Thank you!
LOST Thought
For the record, I have thought for a long time that Season 1 was the middle of this story and not the first time that the main characters had been to the island. But there’s holes in that theory.
Air America is gone
Announced today at AirAmerica.com:
It is with the greatest regret, on behalf of our Board, that we must announce that Air America Media is ceasing its live programming operations as of this afternoon, and that the Company will file soon under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business. … Air America Radio launched in April, 2004. [Source, AirAmerica]
Protected: Can you read this?
Save a life
Chico was abandoned and needs a home. He is a pure bred chihuahua under a year old. Please let @cathymccaughan know if you or someone you know would like to give this dog a home.
WordPress 2.9 has arrived
Grand Central No More
I was fortunate to receive an early invite to Grand Central. Unfortunately, this meant when it became Google Voice, I was stuck with my number unless I paid $10 which is fine because by the time I found out about the $10 I’m sure any number I’d want was taken. I also never took advantage of Grand Central for reasons I won’t get into. I am now very comfortable with Google Voice and am being to direct more of my calls through it.
If you used Grand Central, your old messages have remained available but that ends December 31st.
Dear GrandCentral User (djuggler):
We’re writing to let you know that we will be closing down the GrandCentral website as of December 31, 2009. Get your messages while you can (if you want them).
All GrandCentral accounts were upgraded to Google Voice earlier this year, but since that time, you’ve still been able to log-in to your GrandCentral account and listen to old messages there. You will no longer be able to log-in to your GrandCentral account after December 31. Because of this, we strongly suggest downloading any messages or contacts that you want to keep before December 31.
We suggest you take action now to download any information you want to keep.
– The Google Voice Team
Vibraplex moving to Knoxville
On January 5th, 2010, Vibraplex will move from Alabama to Knoxville, TN. Very exciting!
Dorm Room Flashback
The in-laws must be cleaning out their garage. The children brought home a huge box of highlighters. So I started thinking, "What could one do with so many highlighters?" Then I remembered Clement Hall room 308 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. That was my room. The walls were the color of an 80s computer that had been used too long. Dingy. Gray. Like a light but wet modeling clay. And the walls were cinder block.
A fun trick for the frequent traveler who stays in hotels a lot is to leave a message on the bathroom mirror using a light application of chap stick or other oil. Done correctly, the message remains invisible until a hot shower steams the mirror.
Highlighters on cinder block painted in that gray color work the same. Draw the highlighter art by turning off the normal lights and turning on black lights. The art in room 308 was quite intricate when my friends and I were done. When the black lights are turned off and the normal lights turned on, the highlighter disappears. Turn the black lights on and feel like you stepped into a Jimmy Hendrix black light poster.
