Looks like it will be a struggle just to wade through today. My arms feel heavy. My head feels like it is in a vice. Light seems brighter. I’m going to do those things I have to do. I think I am subconsciously struggling between what needs to be done and what I want to do. Coffee might help fix this.
Blog
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Van wants shoes
I just noticed how ridiculously bald the tires on the van have become. I was hoping for one more month but I fear we are in danger of a blowout or simply sliding off the road. I sure don’t want this vehicle being driven in the rain! This is not the best time for this type of maintenance but when is it a good time.
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Anyone want to do a group project?
I’ve never done an open source project before. Here’s my proposal. We write a WordPress plugin that helps create a blacklist of known content thieving IPs. When an IP from the blacklist requests the RSS feed or direct link from the WordPress blog, we deliver an anti-theft of content notice instead of the actual content. The plugin will have the ability to deliver a custom message allowing people the personal choice of making the payload as obscene or marketable as they like. I have some thoughts on implementation since the splog delivering the content might have a different IP than the scavenger. For instance, the plug could alter the comment interface to include a check to mark a comment or trackback as potential content theft. The plugin would then have to examine the server logs to try to draw a correlation between when the real content was posted, the IPs that requested the RSS or post, and the time the stolen content was posted. With large samplings to a single database I think we could be very effective at blocking the thieves. Now, what’s the abuse potential here?
After getting this working on WordPress, I think we could extend it to other platforms.
Update: Looks like Owen Winkler (Antileech) has already written this! Kudos! Lorelle gives an overview and also recommends Digital Fingerprint Detecting Content Theft WordPress Plugin.
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I do not like Flash sites
As a developer, I steer clients away from relying upon Flash for anything on their site. Adobe would love Flash to be the medium of choice for everyone but the truth is Flash doesn’t bode well for deep linking, navigation is often slow and clumsy, and it is not as portable as straight HTML to mobile devices and other non-traditional browsers. Granted, Opera mini, other tools, and Adobe are trying to make Flash more readily usable on all platforms.
I do like Flash! I think it should be used to enhance the overall user experience on a website. Perhaps certain navigation elements could be done in Flash but if the browser cannot detect the Flash plugin then it shows a regular HTML navigation. Keep it small and light. Now, all that aside, the Sony Bravia Flash site is cool! And just when I was getting comfortable with the 2D web, someone had to go and add depth.
Ah! I put my finger on it as I was commenting at ProfessorFalken:
It adds the z-axis to browsing to bring us closer to that 3 dimensional hokeyness we see in computer movies like Hackers and Johnny Mnemonic. [Source]
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Women’s legs sure do look sexy when they wear high heels
Want to see why high heels hurt women’s feet? Is it worth it?
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My Entry to the Problogger iPod giveaway
My entry for Problogger’s 6th giveaway is:
iBlog for iMust
I met a guy from Oz
Tim Miller his name
Of SpyJournal fame
We have never met in person
But are friends all the sameSee I was trying out
This fad call blogging
Tim said its more than a game
Blogging is not a fad
It’s here to stayPeople make a living
In this digital world
Publishing their own word
Tim advise, “Check out problogger
A site by Darren Rowse.”Problogger showed the way
Follow these rules
And you can make your pay
In the comfort of pajamas
Sitting at your computer all dayI have yet to make a dime
But Darren must be doing ok
For it’s Problogger’s birthday
And good ol’ Darren
Is giving $54,000 awayRemember, they just needed a poem with the word "problogger" or "Darren" in it. The poem did not have to be a literary masterpiece although there are a couple of gems! At the time of this post, Darren Rowse and Lara Kulpa had 416 entries for their iPod giveaway which includes 4 iPods and 1 iPod makeover. You still have 4 hours to enter.
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Browncoats will rise again!
One year ago almost to the day, the web was filled with this quote:
"There’s no sequel, no secret project regarding Serenity or somesuch and I’m not even sure how anyone thought there was talk there. So let’s put that to bed and smother it with a pillow" says Whedon. [Source, WHEDONesque, a community weblog discussing the work of TV maker Joss Whedon]
So, it is not without irony that today we get the announcement of a possible Serenity 2.
According to the guys over at Moviehole, Tudyk told them that a sequel could be happening. … the way Tudyk talks it sounds like the entire cast would be more than willing to come back. That includes Nathan Fillion, the crew’s intrepid Captain Tightpants. [Source, Cinema Blend]
Coincidentally, I was listening to the Serenity soundtrack on XM’s Cinemagic just the other day thinking it is about time to re-watch Serenity. I would really love to see another movie! Somehow I doubt we will ever seen Serenity 2. I really wanted to see the series continue because it seemed like they had some serious subplots setup that needed to be played out. I didn’t realize Alan Tudyk played Sonny in I, Robot! (Are they really considering a sequel to I, Robot?!)
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Sexual Tension on the rise in Alabama
Over the past few years I have made several references to Alabama outlawing sex toys. Here’s my response to Michael Silence’s post on Alabama sex toys today:
These laws are dangerous.
Setting all the privacy issues aside, these laws destroy opportunity to make sex toys safe. A devices intended to come in contact with a human can be required to be made of medical grade materials and FDA approved. By outlawing the sale of sex toys, these business can buy inferior products, stamp a “for novelty purposes only” sticker on it, and go right on selling them. Do we outlaw novelty items next? Every magic store, Stuckeys, Cracker Barrel and, possibly, toy store would have to close shop.
Who suffers? The consumer. Why? Because some prude who wouldn’t buy one in the first place stuck their nose in your bedroom.
“That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.” –Thomas Jefferson
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Problogger’s iPod giveaway is up!
If you are following Darren Rowse’s $54,000 giveaway, then you may be interested in knowing that the iPods will be given away in the next 24 hours. To enter, write a poem (read the post for the specifics! Follow the rules!) before noon Oct 5. They are accepting entries based on doing not literary quality so even if you do not fancy yourself a poet, you should do it. Good luck!
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Programmer Tip of the Day
It doesn’t always have to be elegant. It just has to work!
Remember, we create function before art.
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When coders dream
Apparently I wrote the solution to this problem in my web application while I slept. It certainly is not in the code and I really remember putting it in the code. It was some slick programming too!
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How to get into programming mode
Have a ritual! Some morning I just want to stare at the computer and bemoan, "I’d rather be blogging." Today I have a video I want to make and other fun stuff like painting the kitchen but responsibility has to come first. How do you kickstart yourself? My ritual to start programming:
- Pour a cup of coffee
- Read a few blogs (get it out of the way) then CLOSE the feedreader
- Write a blog post
- Refill the coffee
- Light a stick of incense
- Get some music going
- Wear some ear plugs (kills the white noise and seems to make me focus better)
- Determine a milestone which will be my next break
- Begin typing like mad.
