tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-368785702024-03-07T15:22:42.179-08:00Aaron's BlogDoesn't Have A Clever TitleCallipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-38909321164973287732010-10-07T14:59:00.000-07:002010-10-07T14:59:47.086-07:00And... we're back.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6jMnv-mp3rwBLpP9O0eS4UJllhzVbUHz1Roxfnxia4-cvhMtV5D1g2-4tBIdrH7LKo9eSjhbhOApsyeiXLhAqndUh0gjnQ63VQxZoQWWf65zMuZa4ZCTsBVzJ8BsHLq2_29otg/s1600/3031585564_b31a9f4163_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6jMnv-mp3rwBLpP9O0eS4UJllhzVbUHz1Roxfnxia4-cvhMtV5D1g2-4tBIdrH7LKo9eSjhbhOApsyeiXLhAqndUh0gjnQ63VQxZoQWWf65zMuZa4ZCTsBVzJ8BsHLq2_29otg/s400/3031585564_b31a9f4163_b.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Please excuse the dust and cobwebs while I changed some settings.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After allowing my hosting service to expire, not renewing my domain registration, and blatantly neglecting my DNS settings, I am proud to announce that my blog is back online.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With the emergence of other methods for keeping up with friends (read: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/callipygian">Facebook</a>), I don't know how much I'll be publishing, but I at least wanted to get back online again.</span></span>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-52500482458799190782009-02-24T10:31:00.000-08:002009-02-24T17:40:51.657-08:00The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdQddGAZDHTwbwK2fDUstuTcOIlRmq5UcBr5PcqjimvBxkPvqwjFZjlIwmZdQdN5OnafDroDJlg_vowjnh6XZMQtMNoboWqHy8mcYf_WEj2UqU4eooLSrv3dHZcxcnu409Pn5NA/s1600-h/eat-before-you-die.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdQddGAZDHTwbwK2fDUstuTcOIlRmq5UcBr5PcqjimvBxkPvqwjFZjlIwmZdQdN5OnafDroDJlg_vowjnh6XZMQtMNoboWqHy8mcYf_WEj2UqU4eooLSrv3dHZcxcnu409Pn5NA/s400/eat-before-you-die.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306434411577259442" /></a><br />I saw <a href="http://www.7x7.com/content/eat-drink/big-eat-sf-100-things-try-you-die">this list</a> posted on a friend's FaceBook page (thanks <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=678587948">CarOline</a>!!) and am definitely inspired to start eating out more often in SF. It's a list of 100 dishes and drinks to try at various restaurants around SF:<a href="http://www.7x7.com/content/eat-drink/big-eat-sf-100-things-try-you-die"><H2>The Big Eat SF: 100 Things to Try Before You Die</H2></a><br />I'm also totally inspired to write my own East Bay version... but that will come later.<br /><br />Of this list, I'm surprised I've actually had a fair number of these. I'm mostly surprised because I don't eat out in SF 1/10th as often as I do in the East Bay. There are sooooo many wonderful restaurants in Oakland, Berkeley, etc, I only eat in The City when I'm there for work, partying with friends, or going to a show or something.<br /><br />I'm definitely going to have to write my own list. I'll probably put it on Yelp.<br /><br />For the curious, of this list so far I've tried:<br /><br /><b>#7. Shaking beef at the <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-slanted-door-san-francisco">Slanted Door</a></b> is absolutely worth the hype. Totally and completely delicious with super tender steak.<br /><br /><b>#10. Baja-style fish tacos at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/nicks-crispy-tacos-san-francisco#hrid:BwAwLwyKTAbgkVzyN3VnEw">Nick’s Crispy Tacos</a></b>I absolutely love taco's Nick's Way (crispy taco wrapped in a soft tortilla with melted cheese in between and a HUGE scoop of guacamole on top. Completely and totally delicious.The fact that it's the same location as Ruby Skye is hilarious. I think it's perfect decor for a taco joint. I haven't tried the baja fish yet. I'll have to go back.<br /><br /><b>#22. Vietnamese roasted pork sandwich at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/saigon-sandwiches-san-francisco">Saigon Sandwich</a></b> enjoyed on a wild adventure of a night before boarding the Applause bus to watch drive-out theater "The Big Lebowsky" with a guy named Chicken John and a bunch of strangers. Then we all went bowling.<br /><br /><b>#29. Spaetzle at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/suppenkuche-san-francisco">Suppenküche</a></b> is delicious. I also recommend the venison steak and the hunter's platter.<br /><br /><b>#40. Cheeseburger at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/taylors-automatic-refresher-san-francisco">Taylor’s Automatic Refresher</a></b> should be enjoyed on their front patio on a hot sunny day, preferably with garlic fries.<br /><br /><b>#53. Garlic soup at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/piperade-san-francisco">Piperade</a></b> I used to work just across Green St. from this Basque restaurant and and always appreciated the custom iron work on the front porch. I went for dinner with Myshelle once. We had our puppy with us and sat on the patio. The servers brought her a bowl of water and all pet her. Our waiter growled at her. It was really funny. It would have been funnier if he weren't serious. Never tried the Garlic soup.<br /><br /><b>#57. Goat stew at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/kokkari-san-francisco">Kokkari Estiatorio</a></b> I'm glad Kokkari made the list, this place is AWESOME. I haven't tried the goat stew but now I've got a good excuse to return.<br /><br /><b>#84. A margarita at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/tommys-mexican-restaurant-san-francisco-2">Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant</a></b> they've got great tequila, just don't bother with the food. <br /><br /><b>#87. Fresh spring rolls at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/out-the-door-san-francisco">Out the Door</a></b> I love me some fresh spring rolls. These are an excellent specimen.<br /><br /><b>#98. Basil gimlet at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/rye-san-francisco">Rye</a></b> is one of the best drinks I've ever had. Inspiring. Their Black & Blue is also very good.Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-55324978390297041762009-02-08T22:52:00.000-08:002009-02-08T23:01:16.669-08:00Courage Campaign: FidelityKen Starr -- and the Prop 8 Legal Defense Fund -- filed legal briefs defending the constitutionality of Prop 8 and attempting to forcibly divorce 18,000 same-sex couples that were married in California last year. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in this case on March 5, 2009, with a decision expected within the next 90 days. <br /><br />The Courage Campaign has created a video called "Fidelity," with the permission of musician Regina Spektor, that puts a face to those 18,000 couples and all loving, committed couples seeking full equality under the law.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="302"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3089746&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3089746&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="302"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/3089746">"Fidelity": Don't Divorce...</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/couragecampaign">Courage Campaign</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br />The more people who see this video, the more people will understand the pain caused by Prop 8 and Ken Starr's shameful legal proceeding. <br /><br />After you watch the video, please join me and over 70,000 people who have signed a letter to the state Supreme Court, asking them to invalidate Prop 8 and reject Starr's case. <br /><br />http://www.couragecampaign.org/Divorce<br /><br />Thanks.<br /><br />/AaronCallipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-79025289028782362482008-12-05T16:23:00.000-08:002008-12-05T16:24:29.827-08:00First Full Day in Tulum, MXTulum is BEAUTIFUL. The trip took a little longer than expected, but <br>after a fun filled 24 hours outside of DFW, we finally made it (looong <br>embarassing story involving my passport). The adversity makes the <br>reward that much sweeter. Our cabana at Ocho Tulum is a stone throw <br>away from the crashing surf.<p>Today we went touring with Mani from Edventure Tours. He took us on a <br>zip line over the Cenotes. Afterwards, we snorkled one of the most <br>famous Cenotes, Dos Ojos. It was BEAUTIFUL. Amazing stalagmites over <br>crystal clear blue water. I'm looking forward to returning on Tuesday <br>to dive the same caves.<p>We continued on to the town of Akumal to swim with the sea turtles and <br>sting rays. After lunch, our last stop was snorkeling at Yal-Ku <br>lagoon. The brakish water is protected from the ocean so it was almost <br>perfectly still. Lots more fish to see.<p>Right now we're exhausted and hanging out back at the lodge sipping <br>Coronas and writing in our journals. Myshelle's convinced we'll have <br>enough energy to go Salsa dancing at the Friday night party at the <br>hotel down the street. We'll see.<p>I wish I had a computer so I could upload pictures. I'll have to take <br>some iPhone pics tomorrow, after our reef scuba dive.<p>Wish you were here.<p>/A<p>Sent from my iPhoneCallipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-55642332330070040692008-11-11T21:45:00.000-08:002008-11-11T22:16:25.387-08:00Anybody Need An IT Guy?Sorry for the dramatic headline. No, I'm not leaving <a href=http://www.arcsource.com>ArcSource</a>, just looking for more clients. I'm still very happy with my current employment situation. Working with small businesses is exciting and fun, I love being able to really help people, while getting to play with technology at the same time. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.arcsource.com"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jmeV4zIduEKHGNg8aPOitO7u1Gcv4s0ygfjdnYOESJ3ZVT3EfcnDDMM_ETkVQBvY_49WgpfqY5BttH6-GF20N06cJ22yI8z3Gjljua59ruHmITdTAqHaorHZ0V60KwRgph5lkw/s400/Blog.ArcSource.Com-Screenshot.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267646859188153714" /></a>Case in point, Kyle and I have recently revamped <a href=http://blog.arcsource.com>a pretty spiffy looking IT blog</a>. Check it out if you're feeling curious. You'll find more of my favorite iPhone apps, a comparison of the new IE7 vs FireFox vs Google's new Chrome browser, all kinds of good info. So yeah, ArcSource has been great for me. My work week is VERY flexible which I also have really been enjoying. I'm also serious as cash about new client referrals. Email me if you know any small businesses in need of an awesome IT team.<br /><br />I'm also sorry I haven't written in a while. I guess I haven't had much new to say. <a title="Batdog & Superpuppy Keeping a Watchful Eye over El Cerrito 1 of 3, by callipygian" href="http://flickr.com/photos/callipygian/2998021205/"><img align=right src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3237/2998021205_c7af09a4b3_m.jpg" width="226" height="240"></a>Halloween was fun, Myshelle and I stayed home and gave out candy to kids. Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays and I enjoy being a part of the experience for other kids in our neighborhood. Plus, it's fun to torture the dogs with silly costumes. This year, Batdog and Superpuppy kept a watchful eye over the dangerous El Cerrito suburbs. They wiggled around a bit when we first dressed them up, but after a couple minutes they're resigned to it and trot around the house looking all cute. <br /><br /><a title="Snorkeling Underground, by jakewa" href="http://flickr.com/photos/jakewa/2387786165/"><img align=left src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2315/2387786165_00f3f741fb_m.jpg" width="160" height="240"></a>Not much else new going on. Myshelle and I are going to Tulum (90 minutes south of Cancun) in December. We're both really excited about that. I'm looking forward to hanging out on the beach, exploring the famous Mayan ruins, and also stoked about scuba diving the Cenotes (rivers that run through old caves).Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-5904313558273671492008-08-21T23:34:00.001-07:002008-08-21T23:35:50.719-07:00Top 7 Must Have iPhone Apps<a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/pandora.png"><img src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/pandora.png" alt="" width="107" height="105" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-109" /></a><strong>Pandora</strong><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/pandora-1.png"><img align="right" src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/pandora-1-200x300.png" alt="" width="150" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-108" /></a><br /><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284035177&mt=8">Download for free from the iTunes Store</a><br />Forget about searching for streaming radio stations, that's so 20th century. Pandora lets you CREATE your own radio stations. Just tell it the name of a song or artist you're in the mood for and it starts playing. As it plays, you can thumbs-up or thumbs-down songs to teach the software what you like. You can even create multiple stations. Works from your computer as well, so you can listen to and edit stations from your computer and then listen to and edit them on your iPhone. This is THE killer iPhone App. If you only download one thing for your phone, make it this.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/pangeavr.png"><img src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/pangeavr.png" alt="" width="102" height="101" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-110" /></a><strong>PangeaVR</strong><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/pangeavr2.png"><img align="right" src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/pangeavr2-200x300.png" alt="" width="150" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-111" /></a><br /><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284877515&mt=8">Download for free from the iTunes Store</a><br />This is the application I use to show off just how nifty the iPhone is. Download and view thousands of gorgeous panoramic photographs. Navigate with your finger, zoom in and out with pinch, rotate your phone to switch from panorama to portrait in real time. Very beautiful. I was showing my architect friend some shots of Barcelona and she said Park Güell was even more beautiful than she remembered.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/shazam.png"><img src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/shazam.png" alt="" width="104" height="104" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-117" /></a><strong>Shazam</strong><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/shazam-3.png"><img align="right" src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/shazam-3-200x300.png" alt="" width="150" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-116" /></a><br /><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284993459&mt=8">Download for free from the iTunes Store</a><br />Ever hear a song and wonder what it is? Wonder no more. Just hold your phone up to the speaker for 15 seconds and you'll have your answer. You get the artist, song title, album, even a link to purchase the song from the iTunes music store. In my experiments, this even worked in a crowded restaurant with the music barely audible. I don't know how it works, but it's darned impressive. The application even keeps a list of songs you've found so you can download a whole day's playlist when you get home.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/1password.png"><img src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/1password.png" alt="" width="105" height="104" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-103" /></a><strong>1Password</strong><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/1password1.png"><img align="right" src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/1password1-200x300.png" alt="" width="150" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-104" /></a><br /><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=285897618&mt=8">Download for free (for a limited time) from the iTunes Store</a><br />Entering passwords on the iPhone is a pain, and even worse, it can't offer to remember passwords for you. This nifty little application can store and manage all your passwords so you don't have to. It can even sync with your Mac! I quickly set up the Mac application and extracted all the passwords out of FireFox and Safari. I was then able to sync them to my iPhone. Now my iPhone knows all of the hundreds of passwords my computer knows! It's only free for a limited time, so if you're interested, download it now and check it out.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/remote.png"><img src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/remote.png" alt="" width="103" height="102" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-113" /></a><strong>Remote</strong><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/remote1.png"><img align="right" src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/remote1-200x300.png" alt="" width="150" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-114" /></a><br /><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284417350">Download for free from the iTunes Store</a><br />This one's from Apple and should have been included with the phone. You can use this to remotely control iTunes playback on any Mac on the network. If you have music playing from your computer, you can use your iPhone to browse through your whole song collection and fully control iTunes, including pause, volume, fast forward, track navigation, artist navigation, even assigning star ratingss to songs!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/yelp.png"><img src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/yelp.png" alt="" width="103" height="103" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-118" /></a><strong>Yelp</strong><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/yelp2.png"><img align="right" src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/yelp2-200x300.png" alt="" width="150" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-120" /></a><br /><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284910350&mt=8">Download for free from the iTunes Store</a><br />For those not aware, Yelp is an amazing website that allows users to write reviews of local businesses. This application uses your iPhone's location-aware functionality to show you Yelp.com reviews of local restaurants, bars, banks, gas stations, and other small businesses. With your iPhone and Yelp, you never have to go to a bad restaurant again!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/now-playing.png"><img src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/now-playing.png" alt="" width="102" height="101" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-107" /></a><strong>Now Playing</strong><a href="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/now-playing-2.png"><img align="right" src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/now-playing-2-200x300.png" alt="" width="150" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-105" /></a><br /><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284939567&mt=8">Download for free from the iTunes Store</a><br />Also using your location, Box Office shows you show times of your local movie theaters. You can search by theater, or by movie. It shows synopses, reviews and ratings from RottenTomatoes.com, and links to YouTube trailers. When you're on the go, you can quickly and easily find a movie and even email details to your friends!Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-55175548011547426322008-08-21T15:23:00.000-07:002008-08-21T15:27:42.470-07:00CarrotMob.orgMy friend Dan Fisher just started working with these guys. I'm pretty sure they can change the planet.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="324"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LUz0kM1u_jk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LUz0kM1u_jk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="405" height="324"></embed></object>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-69913408545639361382008-08-02T14:16:00.000-07:002008-08-04T22:07:20.901-07:00Kingdom Game for the iPhoneDear iPhone wielding friends,<br /><br />There's a pretty fun game that I've been playing for the last few months and I wanted to invite you to join me if you're interested.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://kingdomgame.net/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DUk4IB5AikBbZtUnWWpeDfWif0-Yxwfal0l3RL0ogyKAA8LOMXZwvBo7o36uHdVT-pM74Wp9KO3yK5fXHQSLzXIueIt8GVrZSEtKcI3zf-kiCHXa9DULo_ZWmitemzkSk9wF7w/s400/KingdomGameLogo.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230033027635913970" /></a><br />It's a kingdom building game, set in medieval times. You collect resources like wood, stone, and gold, and use them to build a kingdom. You have peasants that you can train into troops like archers and knights, and then you attack other kingdoms. You can form alliances with other players who then help you out with resources, intel on enemy kingdoms, and goofing around in the message boards. It's pretty straightforward, totally text based, and a lot of fun. Reminds me of of the old BBS games I used to play back in the day (TradeWars 2002, Legend of the Red Dragon, Barren Realms Elite, etc). <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://kingdomgame.net/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8t9cKOlXJnJ2Ix72GUdaZh6KldBTyjnbu3fS1j7qNH1l2zeXO3C4nrAG5_5ii5vbkWdurlo5se_P_qoD0S7Mo4Rf2eZFMpOAkus_vhQCM-hJDffjT3BkQpgJXkiApuZajf2LIA/s400/KingdomGameMenu.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230033333693444066" /></a><br />Anywhoo, if you're interested, it's totally free and you can play from an iPhone or from your computer. I've just last week started up a new kingdom in world 1 so now's a pretty good time to jump in.<br /><br /><a href="http://kingdomgame.net/W1/">http://kingdomgame.net/W1/</a><br /><br />See ya there.Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-71734856748711848402008-07-15T16:27:00.000-07:002008-07-15T17:29:55.065-07:00Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along BlogIf you liked Firefly or the musical episode of Buffy, <i>Once More with Feeling</i>, you MUST check out Joss Whedon's first webisode of a 3-part mini mini series: <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?id=284353399&s=143441">Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog</a>. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSkteLq7tCzRMyQ30MgNl12K4DeZsBoJeMS6IzgGyVzueai5U7gzLRh9YBAk8h4jToBSSydUBEZNIDYXWvlyvsY28j3Kjsmnu2qeTlPXOkzdxW7d-3bFlHTGlQG0iZUNhVKT2rQ/s1600-h/Neil+Patrick+Harris+Dr+Horrible.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSkteLq7tCzRMyQ30MgNl12K4DeZsBoJeMS6IzgGyVzueai5U7gzLRh9YBAk8h4jToBSSydUBEZNIDYXWvlyvsY28j3Kjsmnu2qeTlPXOkzdxW7d-3bFlHTGlQG0iZUNhVKT2rQ/s200/Neil+Patrick+Harris+Dr+Horrible.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223395984736708722" /></a>Neil Patrick Harris plays an aspiring super-villain. In the first episode we learn of Dr. Horrible's application to join <i>The Evil League of Evil</i>, and he's just mere <b>weeks</b> away from actually being able to talk to the cute redhead at the laundromat. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoK0pI5INak4Si8WpMotsYdx-UgtM0WVbMKwy_tyudf-Iu8JiNF8LH7idJnBIPQbaK9i5IAhVL5VmbdbL0jmCSJpv5wh7z2w7vzeJudI5B3ybsQl57dBtG1mGUlXHHONvYBMGpIQ/s1600-h/Nathan+Fillion+Captain+Hammer.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoK0pI5INak4Si8WpMotsYdx-UgtM0WVbMKwy_tyudf-Iu8JiNF8LH7idJnBIPQbaK9i5IAhVL5VmbdbL0jmCSJpv5wh7z2w7vzeJudI5B3ybsQl57dBtG1mGUlXHHONvYBMGpIQ/s200/Nathan+Fillion+Captain+Hammer.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223397879349574706" /></a>Nathan Fillion (Cpt. Mal from Firefly) plays his arch nemesis, the heroic Captain Hammer, thwarting Dr. Horrible at every turn.<br /><br />Oh, and if it couldn't get any better, it's also a <span style="font-weight:bold;">musical</span>.<br /><br />ACT ONE (Wheee!) went up today,Tuesday July 15th. <br />ACT TWO (OMG!) will go up Thursday July 17th. <br />ACT THREE (Denouement!) will go up Saturday July 19th. <br /><br />You can watch it for free at <a href="http://www.drhorrible.com">http://drhorrible.com</a>, or even better, you can purchase all three episodes for just $3.99 in <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?id=284353399&s=143441">the iTunes music store</a>.<br /><br />I despise Fox for canceling every intelligent comedy (Firefly, Arrested Development, Kitchen Confidential) that they can get their hands on. I love being able to directly support projects like this.<br /><br />Spread the word.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0E_tc-0neB25K1mMRnr6TH2Da2LvoGYGHHFmWVYUvSoNy0YJSlP8vl1B3IHcEmdHefM5gBGcYqxf4oSzcHGCNSXavbvtRnzmwmitKcKe8TWr6qAi8ygp21tgsgHET1TvYH7l22g/s1600-h/Dr+Horribles+Sing+Along+Blog+Logo.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0E_tc-0neB25K1mMRnr6TH2Da2LvoGYGHHFmWVYUvSoNy0YJSlP8vl1B3IHcEmdHefM5gBGcYqxf4oSzcHGCNSXavbvtRnzmwmitKcKe8TWr6qAi8ygp21tgsgHET1TvYH7l22g/s400/Dr+Horribles+Sing+Along+Blog+Logo.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223393695539725714" /></a>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-74384969358061739072008-06-02T23:50:00.001-07:002008-06-02T23:54:51.892-07:00ArcSource <3 Yelp.comCross posted from <a href="http://blog.arcsource.com">The ArcSource Blog</a>:<br /><br /><p>There is a huge variety of amazingly useful Web 2.0 services that ArcSource depends on for our business. We keep in touch throughout the day with <a href="http://www.twitter.com">Twitter.com</a>, we keep track of useful web sites using <a href="http://del.icio.us/arcsource">del.icio.us</a>.<br /><br />Our work life depends on these resources on a daily basis.</p><br /><p><a href="http://www.yelp.com"><img align="left" alt="Yelp Logo" src="http://www.cs.uiuc.edu/mm/images/articles/yelpLogo.jpg" /></a>So I've been using Yelp.com in my personal life for a couple years now. It's the most amazing resource. I was trying to figure out how to describe it in a nutshell and was at a loss. Luckily, they've hired professional copywriters to do that for me:</p><p>From <a href="http://www.yelp.com/faq">The Yelp.com FAQ</a>:</p><blockquote><p><strong>What is Yelp?</strong><BR><BR>Yelp is an online urban city guide that helps people find cool places to eat, shop, drink, relax and play, based on the informed opinions of a vibrant and active community of locals in the know. Yelp is the fun and easy way to find, review and talk about what's great — and not so great — in your world.</p><br /></blockquote><br /><p><a title="Mini Parked on Grizzly Peak 2 by aar0n5150, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/callipygian/2357304502/"><img width="240" height="180" align="right" alt="Mini Parked on Grizzly Peak 2" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2391/2357304502_f1d79b02eb_m.jpg" /></a>I've been Yelping for a couple years now. It’s so incredibly useful, I feel like I can be an educated consumer. A power consumer even. I haven’t (willingly) gone to a bad restaurant in 2 years. When I locked the keys in my 2 day old Mini Cooper, I knew <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/junebugs-towing-and-recovery-oakland#hrid:RQc3xu3jUw9AED5ua-fnHQ">exactly who to call</a>.</p><br /><p>I use Yelp almost daily. When I'm visiting a new client, in a neighborhood I've never visited before, I know <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-house-cafe-alameda">exactly where to go for lunch</a>. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/butano-state-park-pescadero#hrid:txQzRemX_M7MzdhwzM_lFQ"><img align="left" alt="Butano State Park" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2213/2101975644_7f1d08aaab_t_d.jpg" /></a></p><br /><p>When the weekend rolls around, I know about <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/butano-state-park-pescadero#hrid:txQzRemX_M7MzdhwzM_lFQ">the best camping spot within a 90 minute drive of SF</a>.</p><br /><p>But the real reason for my blog post is for an exciting announcement. ArcSource is now on Yelp!! You can find us here:</p><br /><p><a title="www.yelp.com/biz/arcsource-consulting-inc-berkeley" href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/arcsource-consulting-inc-berkeley"><img alt="ArcSource on Yelp" src="http://blog.arcsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/arcsourceonyelp.gif" /><br /><br />http://www.yelp.com/biz/arcsource-consulting-inc-berkeley</a></p><br /><p>Yay for leveraging personal passions for a business advantage!</p>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-17820788508331081892008-05-17T19:33:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:49:37.050-07:00Free Month of Netflix<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-pM5fz-34CgroVaf32CgOMpllG_WlLSuuDz001gh5xrLogf6zCzqnVchHRRr9kSZCmWtFtjzOBOzEPJsFfrM2hs3VrivxpMXxfzJsAkF8eMrmjRJ9GnKoYAS2Nd7YOXO6KfyKA/s1600-h/sc00aae0b2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-pM5fz-34CgroVaf32CgOMpllG_WlLSuuDz001gh5xrLogf6zCzqnVchHRRr9kSZCmWtFtjzOBOzEPJsFfrM2hs3VrivxpMXxfzJsAkF8eMrmjRJ9GnKoYAS2Nd7YOXO6KfyKA/s320/sc00aae0b2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201542623126990130" /></a>As many of my friends know, I'm a total Netflix evangelist. I've been a member since 2002 and it's the best movie service I've found. I love how easy it is, I love the ratings and recommendation engine, and I love the selection.<br /><br />So, apparently it's free movie month right now.<br /><br />They sent me 4 coupons to give to friends. Normally the free trial is only for 2 weeks, but if you use the code, you can get a whole month for free. As a bonus, I get a free rental if you sign up.<br /><br />If you'd like a free month of Netflix, go to <a href="http://www.netflix.com/tellafriend">netflix.com/tellafriend</a><br /><br />The 4 activation codes are:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /><strike>M44491747615</strike><br />M42491717655<br />M41495707695<br />M46490777695</span></span><br /><br />They expire June 15th, so act quick if you want to take advantage of the promotion.<br /><br />If you use one of the codes, leave a comment below so I can remove it from the list.<br /><br />Already a member? Add me to your friends list!<br /><a href="http://www.netflix.com/BeMyFriend/Pcpw6aB5mCvg1ST3RXDC">http://www.netflix.com/BeMyFriend/Pcpw6aB5mCvg1ST3RXDC</a>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-6573808292200550222008-04-03T22:51:00.001-07:002008-04-03T23:24:10.424-07:00Vote Different<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvA21puQ6HaLDJ8ObRnnsjmYGI4Vz1D75hsy4U3nWPRT_S2JZ5W_eVuXA5UC_lHt7Enhv0-rk0InVPanWj93SV1-oFl3scE39cwkhyphenhyphen-PAZ0VmLw69b099E2jpbOMQL_fRdigweA/s1600-h/VoteDifferent.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvA21puQ6HaLDJ8ObRnnsjmYGI4Vz1D75hsy4U3nWPRT_S2JZ5W_eVuXA5UC_lHt7Enhv0-rk0InVPanWj93SV1-oFl3scE39cwkhyphenhyphen-PAZ0VmLw69b099E2jpbOMQL_fRdigweA/s400/VoteDifferent.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185265424457513538" /></a><br /><br />Join the revolution: <a href="http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/MacUsersforObama">my.barackobama.com/page/group/MacUsersforObama</a><br /><br /><object width="400" height="334"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6h3G-lMZxjo&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6h3G-lMZxjo&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-47216668003734936832008-04-02T22:47:00.000-07:002008-04-02T23:47:29.819-07:00Bike Ride Angel Island - Saturday 4/12/08I'm organizing a bicycle ride around Angel Island the weekend after this. If you'd like to come along, let me know. Alternatively, if you don't know me but found this page through a search engine, here's all the details you need to plan an AWESOME daytrip bike ride around Angel Island:<br /><br />Saturday morning, eat a nice big breakfast, pack yourself a lunch, stick it in a backpack, and ride to BART.<br /><br />Helmets and water bottles (or Camelbacks) are mandatory. Spandex, a pump, and a spare inner-tube are highly encouraged.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Click any image to see the google map page.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=2001+The+Embarcadero,+San+Francisco,+CA+94133,+USA&ll=37.797806,-122.394304&spn=0.006596,0.012639&z=17&layer=c&cbll=37.7945,-122.39479&cbp=2,402.3577244568053,,0,2.877039588671635"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4n4DtOcVt2sUkEonrzOPZ2pHz2yfGbzIrarU8Z4cqR-R4sXaA_sa0nygfI0AvA3l5KVf3uXt_u4rkxrlzBSEny9QElMZVnGjH12RGrv0JofKC1-TRXYh0vSZL7XICPuIstUwDQ/s320/Justin+Herman+Plaza+from+Market.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184894523966732770" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">9:00 AM:</span> We will meet at Justin Herman Plaza (a half block East from the BART station at Embarcadero)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=2001+The+Embarcadero,+San+Francisco,+CA+94133,+USA&ll=37.815022,-122.410119&spn=0.013188,0.025277&z=16&layer=c&cbll=37.808415,-122.411075&cbp=2,17.913488048141687,,2,3.0080440998245503"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2R_ydtebojo_DxaZRPepK_74ntCsP6QCB_kOcw9G5aBlrAbbWsbwSnlvOoHBvHCc-qLfh8FaNC6avMR0C2qqdJEdqd4qOxDgVIeOqaxCFdzPpKsANGiUrDykHFFQKsRmC2SkybQ/s320/Blue+%26+Gold+Ticket+Office+at+Pier+41.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184894846089279986" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">9:30AM:</span> We will ride to the Blue & Gold Ticket Counter at Pier 41 (NOT pier 39).<br /><br />If you're driving, meet us at Pier 41 at 9:45AM.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=2001+The+Embarcadero,+San+Francisco,+CA+94133,+USA&ll=37.809674,-122.409636&spn=0.006595,0.012639&z=17&layer=c&cbll=37.806458,-122.41039&cbp=2,33.362161319543475,,0,2.5957866772783684<br />"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8A8yh2LIqbAxpB-RG8YJHJtP-npyRrS2kJUHV0AX6PhyLSdAgLo6OoLE9jglGO55mQSGGKoKkIIBWCE6DBJkpUCFMhZtGZxBoeX6bKV4N-Ys8HXAA4UDZPgaXov5FssfgAiklw/s320/Cheap+Parking+at+Fisherman%27s+Wharf+Pier+39.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184896297788226050" /></a><br />The cheapest parking lot (believe me, I know) in the area is on Stockton between North Point St. and Bay St. From there, you can ride a couple blocks to Pier 41.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">10:35AM:</span> We will depart on the Blue & Gold Fleet ferry to Angel Island. There's only one boat, and it leaves at 10:35am. Round trip tickets cost $14.50 for adults, Children 6-12 are $8.50. Everybody will buy their own tickets at the ticket window when we arrive that morning.<br /><br />Details on the Angel Island Blue & Gold Ferry can be found here:<br /><a href="http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/Ferry/Angel/">http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/Ferry/Angel/</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINDaE1X7epGdzbCLNAh7vf-rvN5eSKwjdE9bTXeVQFzFHOhwxr3xHmS4-utaTNND98gBTmlpc332aMr-vUD9HKabWCeMe1ajJ42WIb2InONTLrmzpvbEz4iRVHMKShNJCcLa8eA/s1600-h/AngelIsland.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINDaE1X7epGdzbCLNAh7vf-rvN5eSKwjdE9bTXeVQFzFHOhwxr3xHmS4-utaTNND98gBTmlpc332aMr-vUD9HKabWCeMe1ajJ42WIb2InONTLrmzpvbEz4iRVHMKShNJCcLa8eA/s320/AngelIsland.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184900468201470498" /></a>For the ride, there are two loops around the peak, one paved, and a smaller inner fire-road. I figure we can all do the big loop together. Those that have energy can do the inner loop a couple times. After that we'll break for a pic-nic lunch.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3:50PM:</span> There's only one boat home. The ferry back to SF leaves at 3:50pm.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">5:00PM:</span> The ferry will have you back at Fisherman's wharf around 5pm. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">5:30PM:</span> If you need to ride back to BART, you can expect to be done with your day by 5:30PM.<br /><br />If people are interested, we can BBQ at my house after the ride. I'm 3 blocks from El Cerrito Plaza BART.Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-66304144100428404182008-02-01T15:57:00.000-08:002008-02-05T11:20:54.416-08:00New Job!!So, it's time. I'm getting out of advertising (at least for now). I've accepted an offer to join a small IT consulting firm in Berkeley. They have clients spread out between the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville) and Downtown SF.<br /><br />For those of you keeping track:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sT37Gx7AfNuxQXFjsi7ifKZUMv0on99TbqNfV06yhHloYJ6-Vf7nwQXqV1mM1qUxsV_FYk3zF9o1zl4XUeo88zCOqEUL6bR-bnu7FL0fe6si1hFFnvZ3ALWMC5fmvI1mF6Lhyphenhyphenw/s1600-h/GoodbyePublicis.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sT37Gx7AfNuxQXFjsi7ifKZUMv0on99TbqNfV06yhHloYJ6-Vf7nwQXqV1mM1qUxsV_FYk3zF9o1zl4XUeo88zCOqEUL6bR-bnu7FL0fe6si1hFFnvZ3ALWMC5fmvI1mF6Lhyphenhyphenw/s400/GoodbyePublicis.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162183283548308402" /></a><br /><br />I'll be a Lead Consultant, doing Mac and PC IT for businesses that are too small to have their own IT department. They started out with a lot of architecture firms as clients because that's the founder's background, but now they have an eclectic mix of small businesses they work with.<br /><br />I'm uber excited for new learning possibilities and it's a great move for me career advancement wise. At the same time, I'm totally gonna miss goofing around with all my friends back at Publicis.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/49/117802143_b0f850820d_m.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/49/117802143_b0f850820d_m.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />UPDATED: My last day is Friday 2/8, we're all going out for drinks on Thursday 2/7 at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/azul-san-francisco">Azul</a> if you'd like to come.<br /><br />Interestingly, this new job will require us to purchase a second car. I've REALLY enjoyed being a 1 car family. It's a huge expense saver. But at the same time, it means i get to go car shopping, which is of course totally exciting.<br /><br />We want to find something that gets good gas mileage, is reliable, and is also a little fun. Trying to decide if we want to go bigger or smaller than the Mazda3 we love so much. Myshelle's only requirement this time: must have a back seat. Unfortunately, that ruled out the Mazda Miata and the Honda Insight. Luckily, there are still some good options.<br /><br />Which one do you think I should get?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAcH0BvSymOLM9jLGtNuofEYmc9OzQaiJRzC5ygxLI8t5cxtS1VIFpTSEIpVZxobSgXm9qf6BHLQPA4ThRpQwbJU0P6vnwf56gHJvFVb_IMwStNR_NWXj0liU_VSzD9F6X4dEBA/s1600-h/Honda+Civic+Si.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAcH0BvSymOLM9jLGtNuofEYmc9OzQaiJRzC5ygxLI8t5cxtS1VIFpTSEIpVZxobSgXm9qf6BHLQPA4ThRpQwbJU0P6vnwf56gHJvFVb_IMwStNR_NWXj0liU_VSzD9F6X4dEBA/s200/Honda+Civic+Si.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162179323588461442" /></a>Honda Civic Si Coupe<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdD9LJXRNSEPbeBMIjP91qTZGoYXJERcy2HZhNup2SqsvQ8_Y2q4e7MsHaRLNZnW13A3HCR0ENywfOmyp5DB52V8GM7S9Z-_XB8Ixe9l8vXfU2GpxM8sj46RHfg6VsRS08YYKXg/s1600-h/Mini+Cooper.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdD9LJXRNSEPbeBMIjP91qTZGoYXJERcy2HZhNup2SqsvQ8_Y2q4e7MsHaRLNZnW13A3HCR0ENywfOmyp5DB52V8GM7S9Z-_XB8Ixe9l8vXfU2GpxM8sj46RHfg6VsRS08YYKXg/s200/Mini+Cooper.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162179452437480338" /></a>Mini Cooper Type S<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1U8Zh0i-z8zScCgdYq0-YbOAEwZJpamZS0ve-mKVCUL7iSIGZyOwlHUBJs65SNyPxqKbRsaVjq1YU_K_rJZQuyPWojOaSGuP1JX5MUrEl-MKrYnVaB3vHsVh2QblSJqFH1DAGYw/s1600-h/Honda+CRV.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1U8Zh0i-z8zScCgdYq0-YbOAEwZJpamZS0ve-mKVCUL7iSIGZyOwlHUBJs65SNyPxqKbRsaVjq1YU_K_rJZQuyPWojOaSGuP1JX5MUrEl-MKrYnVaB3vHsVh2QblSJqFH1DAGYw/s200/Honda+CRV.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162179001465914226" /></a>Honda CRV<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4S_1hGo0mGKpSkes7emDhWIQl87HRAgSh50GnmvkQlSAW6VqljFXbxBu-NJzbXXOpNLR1eJqszYHdlxqDjI2M9gnSOFSGg_jqqlLy4qJPepp0U1oYq5V5qZb2KLXzP2rCKHVqg/s1600-h/Toyota+RAV4.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4S_1hGo0mGKpSkes7emDhWIQl87HRAgSh50GnmvkQlSAW6VqljFXbxBu-NJzbXXOpNLR1eJqszYHdlxqDjI2M9gnSOFSGg_jqqlLy4qJPepp0U1oYq5V5qZb2KLXzP2rCKHVqg/s200/Toyota+RAV4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162179650005975970" /></a>Toyota RAV4<br /><br /><form method=post action="http://poll.pollcode.com/mSYt"><table border=0 width=150 bgcolor="333333" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2><tr><td colspan=2><font face="Verdana" size=-1 color="White"><b>Which car should we buy?</b></font></td></tr><tr><td width=5><input type=radio name=answer value="1"></td><td><font face="Verdana" size=-1 color="White">Civic Si Coupe</font></td></tr><tr><td width=5><input type=radio name=answer value="2"></td><td><font face="Verdana" size=-1 color="White">MINI Cooper</font></td></tr><tr><td width=5><input type=radio name=answer value="3"></td><td><font face="Verdana" size=-1 color="White">Honda CRV</font></td></tr><tr><td width=5><input type=radio name=answer value="4"></td><td><font face="Verdana" size=-1 color="White">Toyota RAV4</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan=2><center><input type=submit value="Vote"> <input type=submit name=view value="View"></center></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="black" colspan=2 align=right><font face="Verdana" size=1 color="333333">pollcode.com <a href=http://pollcode.com/><font color="333333" size=1>free polls</font></a></font></td></tr></table></form>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-45532557478458246852008-01-21T21:49:00.000-08:002008-01-23T14:26:18.595-08:00Congratulations Seán & Michelle<font size=5><center><span style="font-weight:bold;">SHE SAID YES!!</span></font><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/onblack.php?id=1807854293&size=large"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi051z5JQrdvpsbIMv-7HFHZJBdvcDV5BSZ6ge645VW441T9GMyA2UOnFKQA7yEsPRPuecINuxQeL2CPfZNEdwwb6Knl0sodlYSDHB8cApMDqlLATPJDDsb0eVTpuHHS5ifMUCHCQ/s400/1807854293_e69cfe6b74.jpg" border="0" alt="Trevi Fountain, Rome"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158174569978417890" /></a><a href="http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/onblack.php?id=1807854293&size=large"><font size=2><b>Trevi Fountain, Rome<br />(click to see full size)</a></font><br /><br /><font size=1><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chanc/1807854293/">Photo Credit: Christopher Chan</a><br /></font></b></center>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-19929867462433382202008-01-03T19:53:00.000-08:002008-01-23T14:27:17.800-08:00PULSE - Platinum EditionMyshelle and I completely fell off the couch laughing when this came on the TV just now. She was laughing at me, and I was laughing at my embarrassed self. This is <b>EVERY</b> song I was listening to (and making mix tapes with, and recording off the radio) in 1996 .<br /><br /><B><font size=5>I'M OLD!</font></B><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nWKbEW14jV4&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nWKbEW14jV4&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />I narrowly escaped this time. Had we seen this commercial before the holidays, I bet this would have shown up under the Hanukkah Bush.Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-84572270757495261402007-12-29T17:39:00.001-08:002007-12-29T17:44:39.122-08:00He's Arrived!!<!--<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCrAj36D36zhLbPskjJDmRp_QQzSSCa81KDKHKPtOAPye-VXzJHWNS3q2sjOV7zME3xNJ2rPJY26u5F2KJB6ogncuZw-_lGuxNahJHwtLpAwvfqmaNqCHeJ29Rq-BjIdCxBge2g/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCrAj36D36zhLbPskjJDmRp_QQzSSCa81KDKHKPtOAPye-VXzJHWNS3q2sjOV7zME3xNJ2rPJY26u5F2KJB6ogncuZw-_lGuxNahJHwtLpAwvfqmaNqCHeJ29Rq-BjIdCxBge2g/s400/photo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149575031839543986" /></a><br />--><br />Ivan Raymond Watson was born today (12/29) at 11:40am. He is 8lbs 7oz, and 22" long. Gaby and Dan are elated and exhausted.<br /><br />Welcome Ivan!!<br /><br />Congratulations Gaby and Dan!!Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-61727240330252836712007-12-18T15:09:00.000-08:002007-12-18T15:23:20.558-08:00Happy Holidays from Digitas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipV4oyA33Xb0RLwpDzSKMXX5davDLRLMspiRy0QEwI73MZqcL_Sh-iPKR3Yh8ILlFGSJlKZYGcOPic_3MoSz1R-DMnzQatLf2TOXdiI6FpHoiV7sDH-upatIh-Wb-AdQGBVr28pQ/s1600-h/holidaycard_emails_r1D_03.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 0px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipV4oyA33Xb0RLwpDzSKMXX5davDLRLMspiRy0QEwI73MZqcL_Sh-iPKR3Yh8ILlFGSJlKZYGcOPic_3MoSz1R-DMnzQatLf2TOXdiI6FpHoiV7sDH-upatIh-Wb-AdQGBVr28pQ/s320/holidaycard_emails_r1D_03.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145454925547065986" /></a><br />Dear Aaron, <br /><br />Earlier this year, we put out an open call for "merrymakers" to help us with our Digitas holiday card. You know the kind: couple of inches tall, pointed hats, beards. Naturally, we thought we'd get a bunch of elves to come audition. <br /><br />Thing is: We got a bunch of Gnomes instead. <br /><br />So, the interactive holiday card we were hoping to dazzle you with turned into a riotous Gnomepage takeover. We found out the hard way that Gnomes like to strike during the holidays. <br /><br />Warmest greetings,<br /><br />All of us at Digitas<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://holiday.digitas.com/index.asp?id=1&pload=true&pageurl=www.callipygian.org"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrvb0PxJrRUaSpSfgu_tMlSg9ZqoVStCHTEIMa6xxhQYMTn-Hk1Be7CUlfkq-JmrI2NwL90144yaWmkiFWB2yAokw5zKKJUz30srk9e9vdAQInU8ZxzgtFqn9-kgGVFiCv3kXPQ/s320/view_the_attack_of_the_gnom.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145456368656077474" /></a>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-63590052044227579872007-12-11T11:03:00.001-08:002007-12-11T11:09:49.594-08:00Happy HanukkahWe had an excellent latke dinner at Dov & Cari's last night. It was so much fun! Myshelle and Cari fried up the potato pancakes, while I put together a big salad. A gorgeous fruit platter for dessert and we had a perfect dinner. Thanks for having us over. We'll have to do it again soon!<br /><br /><b>Video from last night:</b><br /><br /><object id="A4649028315126054912" quality="high" data="http://llnw.jibjab.com/content/player.swf?content_url=http://www.jibjab.com/sendables/api/remote/tJdh2MGuxKki7oA893ylXJep.xml" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="339" width="400"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="movie" value="http://llnw.jibjab.com/content/player.swf"></param><param name="scaleMode" value="showAll"></param><param name="quality" value="high"></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="content_url=http://www.jibjab.com/sendables/api/remote/tJdh2MGuxKki7oA893ylXJep.xml"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"></param></object><div style="text-align:center; width:400px; margin-top:6px;">Non-Crappy <a href="http://www.jibjab.com/sendables/category/52/starring_you">Starring You! eCards</a> on JibJab</div>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-35324503041062532532007-11-15T11:03:00.000-08:002007-11-28T11:20:16.627-08:0024: The Unaired 1994 Pilot<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.collegehumor.com/moogaloop/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1788161&fullscreen=1" width="400" height="225" ><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="movie" quality="best" value="http://www.collegehumor.com/moogaloop/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1788161&fullscreen=1" /></object><br /><br /> This is farking hilarious. Thanks to <a href="http://dodgy-yank.com/blog/?p=176">smc12</a> for sharing!<br /><br />Definitely makes me nostalgic for the early days of the internet.<br /><br />In 1994 I was connecting to the internet with a 60MHz PowerMac 6100 (250MB Hard Drive baby!) on a blazing fast T1 while working at the Exploratorium. We had one of the fastest web connections on the planet. I'd use <A href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CU-SeeMe">CU-SeeMe</a> to do real-time video chat with students in London. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxTYOdrDY4nUOo_AgbJIFXoYpbzyTdFiffao68MBGtqPVZPwfcU-fg0iPTvmCf7JZ8LA6yCBXVjUTylevlP51fICNDM6EmF2Rjzlyrj3mTrQTk8ulFntk6CFmxQxUqrutwQ4peQ/s1600-h/cuseeme.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxTYOdrDY4nUOo_AgbJIFXoYpbzyTdFiffao68MBGtqPVZPwfcU-fg0iPTvmCf7JZ8LA6yCBXVjUTylevlP51fICNDM6EmF2Rjzlyrj3mTrQTk8ulFntk6CFmxQxUqrutwQ4peQ/s400/cuseeme.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133152777603791794" /></a>Video chat across 5,371 miles?! This was Jetsons technology in real life!!<table width=400 bgcolor="white"><tr><td><br /><br /><font size=3 color="black" face="times new roman">Meanwhile, web pages were white, text was black (Times New Roman of course), <font color="blue"><u>links</u></font> were blue, <font color="purple"><u>and viewed links</u></font> were purple. <br /><br /></font></td></tr></table><br />If you did a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebCrawler">webcrawler</a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbCzMZvEDJWIxm4I7QOMF53d8e5Zqxbi2KU3bLA1PpGHTmKEjPbH7VG9Z2vK0MkXWwMcD9NQsZXhCe31WV5hXerpCLDd8WnC1TDppC1aZJaSfLGGwDPBJc1BL3-0qOisC-J7lCA/s1600-h/webcrawler_logo.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbCzMZvEDJWIxm4I7QOMF53d8e5Zqxbi2KU3bLA1PpGHTmKEjPbH7VG9Z2vK0MkXWwMcD9NQsZXhCe31WV5hXerpCLDd8WnC1TDppC1aZJaSfLGGwDPBJc1BL3-0qOisC-J7lCA/s200/webcrawler_logo.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133155586512403410" /></a> (this was before google, heck it was before AltaVista) search for Tori Amos, you'd get 4 hits, one of which linked to a page that even had PICTURES!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCAYGapvwStjsJ5Uirp4dAzfXgc4CQ7steohQjTy-o-MANJ1K2sN83Zrw1I8WhAq53Fk77eQZ-EQI1SW5fa2j4I7KMyQDgV3gwsSKiSjiDwp7yVyHV13QtaX5atTaSovHVK6Lzg/s1600-h/tradewars2002.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCAYGapvwStjsJ5Uirp4dAzfXgc4CQ7steohQjTy-o-MANJ1K2sN83Zrw1I8WhAq53Fk77eQZ-EQI1SW5fa2j4I7KMyQDgV3gwsSKiSjiDwp7yVyHV13QtaX5atTaSovHVK6Lzg/s200/tradewars2002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133153421848886210" /></a>Meanwhile, back home on my 386, I was excited to upgrade to a 14,400 baud modem (up from 2400) to connect to my favorite Renegade BBS (Nation of Slime, in Berkeley), to play late night games of TradeWars.<br /><br />What about you? What level of internet geekery had you achieved by 1994?<br /><br />(Notice, parentheses implemented in this entry by a professional parentheses stunt driver on a closed blog. I am professionally trained in safely tangenting (is that a word?) my own stories. Do not attempt to use this many parentheses at home. Severe sentence fragmentation may result.)Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-51699368615362140982007-11-14T10:48:00.002-08:002007-11-15T09:56:50.583-08:00Free iPhone Ringtones Are Back!Yay for the triumphant return of free iPhone ringtones!! With the latest release of iTunes 7.5 and iPhone firmware 1.1.2, Apple has allowed users to upload short AAC music files they already own to their iPhones without having to pay for them. Thanks Apple! First a $100 gift certificate, and now free ringtones? I LOVE my iPhone!<br /><br />I'd like to provide a walkthrough tutorial on how to install MP3 or AAC music files as ringtones without having to pay for them. These instructions are for OS X Mac users. It'll work for Tiger (10.4) or Leopard (10.5). I suspect a similar trick will work for Windoze machines, but I haven't tried it.<br /><br />* * * * * * * * * * * *<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXkRu-RAl5Tn0gWRmJ016UJZwR1yJR7ejQnlLZhgZN7kyq79asa4652XHKYt_CoM8pVzar7_SeBJb5llbOaRV3ITQsMdu8qDyrFU4ZS0yzqGvCYzcNUcu5Qf70A_54ZylEMinzQ/s1600-h/About-iTunes.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXkRu-RAl5Tn0gWRmJ016UJZwR1yJR7ejQnlLZhgZN7kyq79asa4652XHKYt_CoM8pVzar7_SeBJb5llbOaRV3ITQsMdu8qDyrFU4ZS0yzqGvCYzcNUcu5Qf70A_54ZylEMinzQ/s200/About-iTunes.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132777538109709682" /></a><br /><b>STEP 1: SOFTWARE UPDATE:</B><br />As of right now, the latest version of iTunes and iPhone software is what we need to run this hack. Open iTunes and choose About iTunes to see what version you're using. It should say 7.5, if not, run Software Update (requires an admin password). <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOVqEOtq_iIEc1qwbPb4Pt5QhCj_QZEQiGYw_AxFuszIQpPzzszVD8IuStyCQHJr57QLp1ormcleS6mhY07gDIeEFLKDHR-ZMT61xxuE9f3KmZJgoWsDKbdHSyT11NkuCKxc_qA/s1600-h/About-This-iPhone.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOVqEOtq_iIEc1qwbPb4Pt5QhCj_QZEQiGYw_AxFuszIQpPzzszVD8IuStyCQHJr57QLp1ormcleS6mhY07gDIeEFLKDHR-ZMT61xxuE9f3KmZJgoWsDKbdHSyT11NkuCKxc_qA/s200/About-This-iPhone.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132782382832819586" /></a>Connect your iPhone to your computer, and make sure you're iPhone is running Software Version 1.1.2.<br /><br /><b>STEP 2: CROP AN MP3:</b><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUcuIcn7EmhX37SC4qLlrK89uaArmknYhiPA4t-yDq1w_J3831krYJZB8_rOvDfwMriiP1h8aI2mIdUsKtJi09BksMvJP7lC8T1rDPMbHWS41zA9a5ifn2d9kqfsqQOeomtDAVw/s200/Audacity-logo-r_50pct.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132771778558565698" /></a> The goal of this step is to create a 30 second MP3 music file. I like to use Audacity because it's powerful, and even better, it's free. You can download it for Mac or PC <a href="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/">here</a>. Drag your MP3 or AAC song of choice into Audacity. Highlight a 30 second clip (spacebar to preview your selection) and choose Edit -> Trim to crop the song. <br /><br />Since the iPhone ringer isn't very loud, I like to amplify the audio file as well. Do this by choosing Effect -> Amplify.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbg7IG0XAVAuZbsh4EjruwNMswS7EEYVNxA5HwKotsyK_oTbcq-em8Njkq7riDdBkpb2xYkW4iFPg8jAbcZgHBcMrAZmfuXJbsqnjtls4C-dqVjQfhT-mfscZSq1-h-GyrLzQY2w/s1600-h/Amplitude-Effect-Amplify.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbg7IG0XAVAuZbsh4EjruwNMswS7EEYVNxA5HwKotsyK_oTbcq-em8Njkq7riDdBkpb2xYkW4iFPg8jAbcZgHBcMrAZmfuXJbsqnjtls4C-dqVjQfhT-mfscZSq1-h-GyrLzQY2w/s400/Amplitude-Effect-Amplify.jpg" border="0" alt="OS X Amplitude Menu Effect Amplify"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132786746519592354" /></a><br />I usually take it to a peak Amplitude of 3 (give or take depending on the file). Notice that amplifying a song like this will likely degrade the quality of the music file, but in this case, I want volume over fidelity.<br /><br />We're all done with Amplitude. To save the changes you've made, you need to export your song. You can export it as a WAV, or as an MP3 (requires installation of an MP3 Codec, instructions <a href="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&item=lame-mp3">here</a>). Export the file to your desktop.<br /><br /><b>STEP 3: CONVERT TO AAC</B><br />Now that our music file is ready to be used, we need to turn it into an AAC file. We'll use iTunes to do that. First we have to check your iTunes preferences to make sure it will handle your files properly. Click iTunes in the menu bar and choose preferences. Select the Advanced tab. Under General, make sure "Keep iTunes Music Folder organized" and "Copy files to iTunes Music Folder when adding to library" are both checked.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TX2T5J1viblFwymcc0VEBuJwNZZ5qkr6Sl8T8opWRmjPuR2rs6WgHNJioUiEuNCYUXlv41yan4reFY2Q34nRPj0y7r1T0wiuDIikymzX1FhHQLxZXJKo8ehClNFJj695WtZLKg/s1600-h/iTunes-Preferences-Advanced.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TX2T5J1viblFwymcc0VEBuJwNZZ5qkr6Sl8T8opWRmjPuR2rs6WgHNJioUiEuNCYUXlv41yan4reFY2Q34nRPj0y7r1T0wiuDIikymzX1FhHQLxZXJKo8ehClNFJj695WtZLKg/s400/iTunes-Preferences-Advanced.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132790294162578866" /></a><br />Also, under the Importing tab, make sure Import Using is set to AAC Encoder, and Setting is High Quality (128 kbps)<br /><br />Now that your settings are all ready, drag your cropped MP3 or WAV from the desktop into iTunes. Highlight the file and choose from the menu bar Advanced -> Convert Selection to AAC. You now have 30 second AAC file. We're almost there! Now all you have to do is change the file name 3 letter extension from m4a to m4r.<br /><br /><b>STEP 4: RENAME THE M4A TO M4R</B><br />Right click (control click for you one-button mousers) on the song in iTunes and choose Show in Finder. Click on your song and rename yoursongfile.m4a to yoursongfile.m4r. It should prompt you "are you sure you want to change the extension?", you're sure, so choose "Use .m4r". <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2x0MU7AUbXQbPmowD9vRWf_dU7TkFbGxiXxWnEGLvsiVSm5bQfNtmqA01uaQ2PCUrQeOVPcYdK4a6SySZHybgo41_kvgRey9pmoOSP32Agq35k3lyVsAFsnjZUe9c8BbQtz19ow/s1600-h/confirm-extension-change.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2x0MU7AUbXQbPmowD9vRWf_dU7TkFbGxiXxWnEGLvsiVSm5bQfNtmqA01uaQ2PCUrQeOVPcYdK4a6SySZHybgo41_kvgRey9pmoOSP32Agq35k3lyVsAFsnjZUe9c8BbQtz19ow/s400/confirm-extension-change.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132800773882781122" /></a> If it <b>doesn't</b> prompt you, then it didn't work. Choose Get Info on the file, and rename it under the Name & Extension drop-down.<br /><br /><b>STEP 5: RE-IMPORT YOUR RINGTONE INTO ITUNES</B><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Gk3tVwVdaInj8-LpoRSwhquAeYt1VamWvmy_CWTmm9ycu2Ni49Ajwl74hRcF6A-SAl1HxkNbsRKhAwcJPAH0Xj3L9JF6wtvNchn4eZzgNkb-i0IAZeLJ6S8h8-nfLZM_ZFlOgA/s1600-h/iTunes-Library-Ringtones.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Gk3tVwVdaInj8-LpoRSwhquAeYt1VamWvmy_CWTmm9ycu2Ni49Ajwl74hRcF6A-SAl1HxkNbsRKhAwcJPAH0Xj3L9JF6wtvNchn4eZzgNkb-i0IAZeLJ6S8h8-nfLZM_ZFlOgA/s320/iTunes-Library-Ringtones.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132801658646044114" /></a>You're ready to import your finished ringtone into iTunes. First, we need to delete the AAC file you created. Open iTunes, find your converted AAC, and hit the delete key on your keyboard. When it prompts you "Do you want to move the selected files to the trash", choose Keep Files. Now go back to yoursongfile.m4r and double click it. If we did everything right, iTunes should place the file in your Ringtones section in iTunes. <br /><br /><b>STEP 6: SYNC YOUR RINGTONE</b><br />In iTunes, choose your iPhone in the devices section. Under the ringtones tab, choose Sync ringtones, and choose which ones you want to use. Now sync your iPhone and it will copy your new FREE ringtones to your iPhone!!<br /><br />To choose a ringtone for all incoming calls, go to Settings -> Sounds on your iPhone. If you want to assign a specific song to a particular person, find their entry in your phone contacts section and choose the ringtone setting. I like to create different ringtones for all my friends. That way, I can tell who's calling without looking at my phone. Plus, its way fun to figure out which song is appropriate for which friend. For example, Gaby is <i>99 Luftballons</i>, Dov is <i>Manamana</i> from The Muppet Show, and Myshelle is <i>Why Don't You Do Right</i> as sung by Jessica Rabbit. <br /><br />So there ya go. A complete walkthrough (with pictures) on how to install free ringtones on your iPhone. If you have any questions, post them in the comments.<br /><br />* * * * * * * * * * * *<br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://www.tuaw.com/2007/11/11/itunes-7-5-and-iphone-1-1-2-return-custom-ringtones/">The Unofficial Apple Weblog</a> for pointing out the return of free ringtones.<br /><br />Honestly, the only reason I ever hacked my iPhone in the first place is so I could use music I've already legally purchased as a ringtone. The idea that you have to pay an extra $2 to use a song you already own as a ringtone is ridiculous. If I have 30 friends with custom ringtones, that's $60 just to have my phone function the way I expect it to.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideOQfRx8TcEL13-0DeaTDKwx1MA11ayoxQUyvyunXTdlT4_XR6XDAsw9aweahmWOydbHHSG8jMSu5dVgfFBmkY6aIqwHZDNT5ECrvCuYUIroEEQJDEzrCN-BZnhAtKEdw7VfaUQ/s1600-h/V-Moda+Vibe+Duo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideOQfRx8TcEL13-0DeaTDKwx1MA11ayoxQUyvyunXTdlT4_XR6XDAsw9aweahmWOydbHHSG8jMSu5dVgfFBmkY6aIqwHZDNT5ECrvCuYUIroEEQJDEzrCN-BZnhAtKEdw7VfaUQ/s200/V-Moda+Vibe+Duo.jpg" border="0" alt="V-Moda Vibe Duo iPhone Earphones"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132807383837449714" /></a>PS: I just spent my $100 Apple iPhone rebate on a badass pair of earphones. The latest model of the<a href="http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=7FF48884&fnode=home/shop_iphone/iphone_accessories/headsets&nplm=TP637LL/A"> V-Moda Vibe Duo Earphones</a> were just released a couple weeks ago, and are the only in-ear headphones I know of that have the pause/answer phone/skip track button on an integrated mic, just like the Apple ones that came with the iPhone. The difference is, these are in-ear phones, so instead of hanging on your earbud, they use a rubber plug to seal them into your ear. The difference in sound quality is AMAZING. I can't recommend them enough. Hard hitting bass, and nice clear mids and highs. They're replacing my old <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-EX71SL-Fontopia-Headphones-Black/dp/B000092YQW">Sony Fontopia MDR-EX71</a> in ear headphones (they don't have a mic or button and the jack doesn't fit in the iPhone). The difference in sound quality is definitely noticeable.<br /><br />PPS: I just noticed somebody else anonymously posted his own version of these instructions. The walkthrough on this site is a little simpler than mine. Feel free to use it as a resource as well: <a href="http://freeitunesringtone.blogspot.com">http://freeitunesringtone.blogspot.com</a>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-21000270820117735792007-10-29T14:18:00.000-07:002007-10-29T16:49:39.728-07:00Paris Tourism TipsMy friend Nicole was just blogging about a trip to Paris and looking for some advice on when to visit. Having done the year abroad thing, I consider Paris to be my second home. Or at least, I like to think so. I've given all kinds of friends advice on where to stay and what to do, I figured it'd be useful information to blog about.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/omeuanel/1640998132/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tNgZ-H4EyhhK1cd3CICq4lP1PzLieSIOfh-VgyGDg-vPsrLn3Yp0KjekLMT8PK3DXbfCFUuZ-GBCr7eIpRoxRv-1mSv7v25YpTK2lmOWmbLy9-d5SWFuuzpsLgVOjXzqNV0AYQ/s200/ParisInAutumn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126892715995197026" /></a><b>WHEN TO VISIT:</B> My favorite time of year in Paris is September and October. August is the worst time to go because the entire country takes the month of August off to go traveling and all that’s left are folks that work in the tourism industry. Many (most?) businesses in Paris close for the entire month. June and July are bad because families with kids and college students all travel during their summer vacations so things are more crowded and expensive. Winter is beautiful, but wet and cold. Spring is also nice, with all the gardens in bloom, but Autumn is just plain gorgeous. Less chance of rain, and beautiful fall colors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/isemantics/71556282/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbhCC7UySZzgMZsErRzY7Trb0TJK8cRrC8oWZbrDt37Dyg2n1MzaV1Cmt0pk8UMJ2DjUa-A7b8no5ATZwbAvxvkvJg3Qlhuw0oGIztFhHE5s0V1slEj_xGIzvXUub8hyphenhyphenKDoWU-Q/s200/Montmartre.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126893351650356850" /></a><b>WHERE TO STAY:</B> My favorite neighborhood is Montmartre (18eme Arrondissement) just south of Sacre Coeur Cathedral and north of Pigalle. It's a little bit on the touristy side, but not nearly as bad as the Latin Quarter. It's centrally located so you're no more than 2 metro stops away from just about everything. You'll find lots of good restaurants and places to visit, and the whole area feels very lively. There's folks walking around and sitting in cafes and hanging out on the cute curvy narrow streets. <br /><br />As far as <b>specifically</b> where to stay, I found that if you're going for more than a week, it's actually cheaper to find a <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=paris+vacation+rentals">vacation rental apartment</a> with a full kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom than it is to stay at a cheap hostel with a sketchy shared bathroom and petty thieves trying to steal your passports and camera. The place we found put me in touch with the landlady and required a fair amount of interaction in French to deal with the contract and reservation, but I imagine there are others that don't require you to speak French. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/badibouzouk/409876108/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROWc3mbuTgmPiQDKfykEiDxFsPLNsds3UXgXhcjoTwcdlJMUSilM8wYCs5lzJ0ys2xaQV_p8Ue-bkMr1XBcBfD92znpOdn7d5VE0McKeFrf4LQUP7buOjPPhO_4S5lwSJ7pD11A/s320/ButtesChaumont.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126880088791346722" /></a><b>WHERE TO GO:</B> Get a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Paris-Steve-Fallon/dp/1740598490">Lonely Planet Paris</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Go-Paris-13th/dp/0312335555">Let's Go Paris</a> for lots of good ideas. Looking for something a little further off the beaten path? One of the most beautiful parks in Paris is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parc_des_Buttes_Chaumont">Parc des Buttes Chaumont</a>. It's absolutely gorgeous, and every time I've been it seems all the visitors are locals. Definitely worth a visit. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/francesca911/523108896/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KUnjMBIsNniMAHxzu_MN1or493MJcw2ofDwuGdiGybOEQ67WFjcDyojTisdwlaOG2rNs7WrVYt-U0vvbn8K1FRidgz5C2BInPIG-P547EVHCAgJfX0Mh5b4ZpwatKuZ4nKDeVA/s200/Berthillon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126901971649719938" /></a>You'll probably want to spend some time walking around Ile de la Cité and Il St. Louis (1ere Arrondissement). Make sure to pick up a couple scoops of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthillon">Berthillon home-made ice cream</a> while you're there. From here you can stop by Notre Dame and then bop over to the adorable curvy cobblestone streets of Le Quartier Latin (5eme). Don't be tempted to eat there, it's very cute, but since it's tourist food they don't care about repeat business. Hence, the quality of the food is absolutely DREADFUL. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/stuartisett/167570069/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhuRFyZnckXgvpF7gSZupZJzPPkxcThcwgsB9VngF5f99fbgchna6EB0XzNd6jCSuQDfkFAMf2oA7oFJQYoSfwEH5kNfMbaCerk7z6BWhBWOuir8oRBx7kFDsIeRO9Z1TkRjf4w/s200/Marais.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126907078365834898" /></a>I also highly recommend taking some time to wander around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Marais">Le Marais</a> (4eme). It used to be the Jewish district, and in recent years it has also become the gay district. The combination of cultures makes for some fascinating people watching, shopping, and dining (see Mi-Va-Mi below).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.joesherlock.com/01-6-Diab.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 147px;" src="http://www.joesherlock.com/01-6-Diab.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><b>BEST RESTAURANT (FANCY):</b> My all-time-favorite restaurant in Paris is Les Diables au Thyme at 35 rue Bergere, 9eme, ph: 01.47.70.77.09. They serve upscale, reasonably priced, traditional French cuisine. They've completely blown me away with impeccable service and incredible food each and every time I've been. Call for reservations, because it's a small establishment with limited seating. Bonus: they have English menus available.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/roboppy/422573711/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9jAElLQP5h4F9IBZIa63yJUyqoRCxTQcrykV907wkDxuowIX9Wth_E0HtaCBLYVzQ8yueBGILnTsKva0lCS-PvwD9eUtXcrChx3_nIkG_2RgAGx9i2fVncrvO23mlVw3olqSSQ/s200/MiVaMiFalafel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126889743877828178" /></a><b>BEST RESTAURANT (NOT-SO-FANCY):</b> Mi-Va-Mi in the Marais (27 Rue des Ecouffes, 4eme, ph: 01.42.71.53.72) has the best falafel I've ever had outside of Jerusalem. In fact, when I was there last, I told the proprietor as much and he was so pleased that he gave me a free cup of mint tea. It was absolutely delicious and sweet with a big sprig of fresh mint.<br /><br />That's all I can think of for now. If you need to know anything else, let me know.<br /><br />Photo credits on this blog entry all go to the original artists as linked.Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-81044345901514470802007-09-20T10:22:00.000-07:002007-09-20T10:41:16.842-07:00A Second DogMyshelle wants a second dog. Or, more accurately, Myshelle says that Zahava wants a second dog. Somebody to play with and keep her occupied during the day while we're at work.<br /><br />We had the pleasure of puppysitting for my friend <a href="http://www.pixiegrrle.com/wordpress/?p=449">Nicole</a> for the last two weeks while she was off getting married and honeymooning in Fiji.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/callipygian/1377839952/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1203/1377839952_3bbc55ac1e_m_d.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> Audrey is one of the sweetest pups I know. When I walk in the front door she jumps up, puts her paws on my shoulders and licks my ears. It's absolutely adorable. She's completely fascinated by our cat Sophie, chasing her all over the house. She's an excellent tug-of-war and wrestling partner for Zahava. Her best tricks are "roll over", which she does with enthusiasm, and "whisper", which is a lot like "speak!" only quieter and cuter. Nicole can get her to spin circles while standing/jumping, but I couldn't get her to do it. At night she jumps up on the bed and curls up in a ball between my feet.<br /><br />We (reluctantly) returned her to her rightful owners last night, but only after they promised to take really good care of her. I hope Nicole and her <span style="font-weight:bold;">husband</span> Nick go out of town again soon.<br /><br />This is what Hava and Audrey did all day:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="366"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2qhVv11oPio"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2qhVv11oPio" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="366"></embed></object>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-69093616062090396892007-08-17T10:17:00.000-07:002007-08-17T16:46:50.598-07:00NetFlix Feature Request - "I Want It Now!"An open letter to my friends at NetFlix. A request for the most cleverest feature ever.<br /><br /><br />August 17, 2007<br /><br />NetFlix Customer Service<br />Requests and Suggestions Department<br /><br /><br />Dear NetFlix,<br /><br />I have an idea for an "I want it now!" feature. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4XrjGpiqhUW7ZbgdGrmqhokLNgvg4fTeRjjvzwkfnJi6ulOfsgwDEhTpoBanBhy89ajJwBVwQKcCs3AvlJjbIf-xKLwYjnlJIN8oPkfSbmkQg32YfnCbLM8k25Q8GYnhIEi0aA/s1600-h/netflix1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4XrjGpiqhUW7ZbgdGrmqhokLNgvg4fTeRjjvzwkfnJi6ulOfsgwDEhTpoBanBhy89ajJwBVwQKcCs3AvlJjbIf-xKLwYjnlJIN8oPkfSbmkQg32YfnCbLM8k25Q8GYnhIEi0aA/s400/netflix1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099756306459210098" /> <font size=1> <center>click to enlarge</font></center></a><br />BACKGROUND: Thursday afternoon, I was chatting with my friend Cari. We make plans to get together on Saturday to watch a movie. She's totally fried from a hellish workweek and wants to watch a silly fun comedy. Unfortunately, all the movies I've got at home right now are foreign epics and heart-wrenching dramas. Even if I did have a movie to return, I would never be able to get it back to NetFlix in time for you to ship me a movie before the weekend. I despise the idea of signing up for a Blockbuster account for occasions like this. What's a boy to do?<br /><br />IMPLEMENTATION: Here's how the “I Want It Now!” button would work. For a nominal fee, I could rent an additional movie, even though I’ve already got all 3 of my movies already at home. It will be sent out right away, so I can watch it the next day. I won’t be shipped an additional movie until I’ve returned 2 more, to get myself back under my quota.<br /><br />ALTERNATIVE: There are already a couple ways to achieve this, but nothing ideal. I’m pretty sure I could upgrade my account to 4-movies-at-once, and then change it back down to 3-at-once the following month, but that’s a lot of work, and is possibly overkill for what I’m trying to accomplish.<br /><br />MOM & POP ALTERNATIVE: I could go out and get an account with my local video store, but I really REALLY like NetFlix, and would much rather use them for ALL my movie rentals. I hate late fees.<br /><br />CONCLUSION: Although there are a couple ways to achieve this kind of functionality, I’d much rather pay a couple dollars extra rather than try to go around the system. Hopefully NetFlix will realize the profitability of a functionality like this and implement it in a future upgrade. <br /><br />I’ve been a NetFlix evangelist for YEARS and love everything about their service. I’ve got all my family and friends signed up and can’t recommend their rental program enough. I don’t even want any royalties for my idea, just the opportunity to improve upon an already awesome DVD rental experience.<br /><br />Thanks for listening.<br /><UL><UL><UL><UL><UL><br />Sincerely,<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KVVCz5qG6uxTr6nTYun_CqoQtGV81X831rvhdRLVM0PGEyePhHe7J1Z5ds6-eYCv4iONx7N9pYfiACrH-LU8N3oWnfUkM3rLa6SCh7gZIpwm7MVnC3Ddj3wXV59Lbd2PM6CV9A/s1600-h/aaron-signature-on-black.gif"><img style="border-width:0px; cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KVVCz5qG6uxTr6nTYun_CqoQtGV81X831rvhdRLVM0PGEyePhHe7J1Z5ds6-eYCv4iONx7N9pYfiACrH-LU8N3oWnfUkM3rLa6SCh7gZIpwm7MVnC3Ddj3wXV59Lbd2PM6CV9A/s320/aaron-signature-on-black.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099757762453123458" /></a><br />Aaron Marks<br /></UL></UL></UL></UL></UL>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36878570.post-68462026976668278022007-08-17T09:01:00.001-07:002007-08-17T09:09:59.204-07:00OMG I <3 XKCD!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://xkcd.com/304/"><img title="Cue angry letters from all seven fans of Xenocide." style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 341px;" src="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/nighttime_stories.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Callipygianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10376135243843734061noreply@blogger.com3