Sunday 30 April 2006

InDiggNation

I like Digg. The whole concept makes a lot of sense - let the popularity of a submitted news item determine it's rank on the news site. I've put stuff in there and its gotten Digged.

Or should that be, It got Dugg? Anyway, I can Digg it. The site itself has a lot of good features (some of the comments on items are hilarious) but it also represents its own "UnDigging" if you will.

The problem is, there are alot of junk that really isn't newsworthy at all. Here's an example (very recent):

 

All of the above are really mediocre, mostly uninformative, but they still made it to the front page of Digg. I tell you, this is just not diggnified.

There's also some Digg Fraud going on where people get together and Digg something up to the top in order to encourage traffic which can result in DiggF*cking - the process of creating so much traffic to a site that it is brought down. Gettting traffic to your site is good,  but it's not good when a whole week's worth of it is concentrated into a single 20 minute blast filled with mostly curiosity - seekers!

There is good stuff on there - but you still have to filter it out. I like the DiggSpy page too - very good example of how an asynchronous webpart can be beneficial rather than just frills.

InDiggNation

I like Digg. The whole concept makes a lot of sense - let the popularity of a submitted news item determine it's rank on the news site. I've put stuff in there and its gotten Digged.

Or should that be, It got Dugg? Anyway, I can Digg it. The site itself has a lot of good features (some of the comments on items are hilarious) but it also represents its own "UnDigging" if you will.

The problem is, there are alot of junk that really isn't newsworthy at all. Here's an example (very recent):

 

All of the above are really mediocre, mostly uninformative, but they still made it to the front page of Digg. I tell you, this is just not diggnified.

There's also some Digg Fraud going on where people get together and Digg something up to the top in order to encourage traffic which can result in DiggF*cking - the process of creating so much traffic to a site that it is brought down. Gettting traffic to your site is good,  but it's not good when a whole week's worth of it is concentrated into a single 20 minute blast filled with mostly curiosity - seekers!

There is good stuff on there - but you still have to filter it out. I like the DiggSpy page too - very good example of how an asynchronous webpart can be beneficial rather than just frills.

Saturday 22 April 2006

News from the world of search

Some new developments from Google and Yahoo were announced recently. And also some third-party goodies. 

First, there are some new tools for Google Calendar. The calendar data API was released, enabling developers to build scheduling applications with Google Calendar running on the back end. The API uses the standard GData protocol for submitting queries. There's also a companion Java client library.

For the Windows users among us, some bloke called Lifehacker has this tidbit about the application getCals that syncs all of your calendars to your iPod using Google Calendar.  Very cleaver.

The latest new search product to emerge from beta is Yahoo's FareChase. The service works by searching multiple travel brokers to help you comparison shop for airfare. I don't think it is the first app to do this, but FareChase does have some pretty slick features. I searched every available site in the system for tickets from Sydney to Paris and saw my search results list fill up one entry at a time thanks to a little bit of Ajax.

There's also a cool live progress bar that you can see in the screenshot below. So, when the search was completed, that space taken up by the progress bar was replaced by some sponsored links. The tables even have rounded corners!

Not surprisingly, FareChase also offers complete integration with Yahoo's mapping service, making it easier to find a hotel that's within walking distance of your favorite bars and record stores. Oui?

 


News from the world of search

Some new developments from Google and Yahoo were announced recently. And also some third-party goodies. 

First, there are some new tools for Google Calendar. The calendar data API was released, enabling developers to build scheduling applications with Google Calendar running on the back end. The API uses the standard GData protocol for submitting queries. There's also a companion Java client library.

For the Windows users among us, some bloke called Lifehacker has this tidbit about the application getCals that syncs all of your calendars to your iPod using Google Calendar.  Very cleaver.

The latest new search product to emerge from beta is Yahoo's FareChase. The service works by searching multiple travel brokers to help you comparison shop for airfare. I don't think it is the first app to do this, but FareChase does have some pretty slick features. I searched every available site in the system for tickets from Sydney to Paris and saw my search results list fill up one entry at a time thanks to a little bit of Ajax.

There's also a cool live progress bar that you can see in the screenshot below. So, when the search was completed, that space taken up by the progress bar was replaced by some sponsored links. The tables even have rounded corners!

Not surprisingly, FareChase also offers complete integration with Yahoo's mapping service, making it easier to find a hotel that's within walking distance of your favorite bars and record stores. Oui?

 


Friday 21 April 2006

Lock Picking/Bumping

Still annoyed at the $220 bill I had to pay to have a guy open our front door (having locked our keys inside) and was wondering how hard it is to actually pick locks... 

So, via metafilter, have been checking out the demonstration (97 min, Windows Media format) of this incredible lockpicking technique by the TOOOL association. It explains the principle behind the technique and shows how to make your own tools (filing a key into a bumpkey).

What's impressive about this technique is that it apparently requires very little training, works with a large majority of pin tumbler locks and doesn't leave any trace.
In addition, the tools (a bumpkey that fits the target lock and a flexible hammer) are simple, discreet and easy to make (bumpkeys seem surprisingly tolerant to fabrication flaws).

Also worth checking out, a howto video for making your own (traditional) lockpick set

Lock Picking/Bumping

Still annoyed at the $220 bill I had to pay to have a guy open our front door (having locked our keys inside) and was wondering how hard it is to actually pick locks... 

So, via metafilter, have been checking out the demonstration (97 min, Windows Media format) of this incredible lockpicking technique by the TOOOL association. It explains the principle behind the technique and shows how to make your own tools (filing a key into a bumpkey).

What's impressive about this technique is that it apparently requires very little training, works with a large majority of pin tumbler locks and doesn't leave any trace.
In addition, the tools (a bumpkey that fits the target lock and a flexible hammer) are simple, discreet and easy to make (bumpkeys seem surprisingly tolerant to fabrication flaws).

Also worth checking out, a howto video for making your own (traditional) lockpick set

Tuesday 18 April 2006

Easter at the Hawkesbury River

 

A very chilled out 4 days spent fishing, eating (thanks Carla & Kieran), drinking and swimming in the river. 



Interested in stalking? - how about buying a pair of night vision goggles.

Easter at the Hawkesbury River

 

A very chilled out 4 days spent fishing, eating (thanks Carla & Kieran), drinking and swimming in the river. 



Interested in stalking? - how about buying a pair of night vision goggles.

Wednesday 12 April 2006

SlickRun + Playing Travel Agent

Recently I've discovered SlickRun. This great app lets you launch products, web pages, and is a small global floating window that can sit anywhere on your screen. It can also serve as a small notepad for throwing text in there (better than launching notepad.exe).

I highly recommend it.

So, the other night I was playing travel agent and realized what a pain in the neck it is to use the travel sites out there. Most have appaulling date/time pickers and require many mouse clicks to simply search for a flight.

I've set up a MagicWord for SlickRun that accomplishes this task very elegantly. All you need to do is type:

fly sydney to london may 05 - 25

And you get a ton of search results.

Just create a MagicWord called "fly" and set the url to:

http://www.mobissimo.com/onebox_process_air.php?onebox=$I$

Love it.

 

SlickRun + Playing Travel Agent

Recently I've discovered SlickRun. This great app lets you launch products, web pages, and is a small global floating window that can sit anywhere on your screen. It can also serve as a small notepad for throwing text in there (better than launching notepad.exe).

I highly recommend it.

So, the other night I was playing travel agent and realized what a pain in the neck it is to use the travel sites out there. Most have appaulling date/time pickers and require many mouse clicks to simply search for a flight.

I've set up a MagicWord for SlickRun that accomplishes this task very elegantly. All you need to do is type:

fly sydney to london may 05 - 25

And you get a ton of search results.

Just create a MagicWord called "fly" and set the url to:

http://www.mobissimo.com/onebox_process_air.php?onebox=$I$

Love it.

 

Monday 10 April 2006

Medical Science Proves Laughter really is "The best medicine"

In a paper being presented in an American Physiological Society session at Experimental Biology 2006, Lee S. Berk of Loma Linda University, reports that not only is there real science and psychophysiology, but just the anticipation of the "mirthful laughter" involved in watching your favorite funny movie has some very surprising and significant neuroendocrine/hormone effects.

You can read the release here.

Bottom line is, a good belly-laugh improves your overall health and your immune system. It also reduces stress. 

At work, a laugh every day, seems like good preventative medicine to me.

If you're having trouble laughing, perhaps this old ASCII quote from a 90's era BBS will help:


ACHTUNG!
--------
Das machine is nicht fur gerfingerpoken und mittengrabben.
Ist easy schnappen der Sprinngwerk, blowenfusen und
poppencorken mit spitzensparken.
Ist nicht fur gewerken by das Dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken
sightseeren keepen hands in das Pockets.
Relaxen und watch das blinkenlights...

 

Medical Science Proves Laughter really is "The best medicine"

In a paper being presented in an American Physiological Society session at Experimental Biology 2006, Lee S. Berk of Loma Linda University, reports that not only is there real science and psychophysiology, but just the anticipation of the "mirthful laughter" involved in watching your favorite funny movie has some very surprising and significant neuroendocrine/hormone effects.

You can read the release here.

Bottom line is, a good belly-laugh improves your overall health and your immune system. It also reduces stress. 

At work, a laugh every day, seems like good preventative medicine to me.

If you're having trouble laughing, perhaps this old ASCII quote from a 90's era BBS will help:


ACHTUNG!
--------
Das machine is nicht fur gerfingerpoken und mittengrabben.
Ist easy schnappen der Sprinngwerk, blowenfusen und
poppencorken mit spitzensparken.
Ist nicht fur gewerken by das Dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken
sightseeren keepen hands in das Pockets.
Relaxen und watch das blinkenlights...

 

Sunday 9 April 2006

Using Google AdSense? Get Ready for your 1099-MISC

I got a Google AdSense 1099–MISC last week. I tried entering it into TurboTax I was surprised that it said that I had to file a Schedule C (never done that before). Anyway, I found this website which explains what Google AdSense revenue means for your taxes.

Basically, if you make more than $600 on AdSense revenue you are now a small business.  TurboTax makes filling out the Schedule C easy enough. For me it turns out that my business will not be a “passive activity” since I spend more than 100 hours a year on my website and other related stuff and I’m the only person in my “business” that does this. Supposedly I now get to deduct any related “business expenses” such as hosting fees, DNS registration and so on.  We'll see.

 

Using Google AdSense? Get Ready for your 1099-MISC

I got a Google AdSense 1099–MISC last week. I tried entering it into TurboTax I was surprised that it said that I had to file a Schedule C (never done that before). Anyway, I found this website which explains what Google AdSense revenue means for your taxes.

Basically, if you make more than $600 on AdSense revenue you are now a small business.  TurboTax makes filling out the Schedule C easy enough. For me it turns out that my business will not be a “passive activity” since I spend more than 100 hours a year on my website and other related stuff and I’m the only person in my “business” that does this. Supposedly I now get to deduct any related “business expenses” such as hosting fees, DNS registration and so on.  We'll see.

 

Windows Live Local Street-Side

This is pretty amazing stuff.

 

Windows Live Local Street-Side

This is pretty amazing stuff.

 

Wednesday 5 April 2006

Super Mario Bros Race

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6590364564874563352&q=super+mario+race

Maybe it was the "Danger Zone" Kenny Loggins music towards the end, but I actually thought this was quite exciting.  Two guys racing Super Mario Bros. 1.  Watch the full 5 minutes..

 

Super Mario Bros Race

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6590364564874563352&q=super+mario+race

Maybe it was the "Danger Zone" Kenny Loggins music towards the end, but I actually thought this was quite exciting.  Two guys racing Super Mario Bros. 1.  Watch the full 5 minutes..

 

Tuesday 4 April 2006

Remeber remember the fifth of November

Saw V is For Vendetta the other day, which is mad as hell and out to rile up a politically lethargic audience.  The movie is powered on ideas which are not computer-generated, although the special effects are the best i've seen since the Matrix.  Would see it again.

 

Remeber remember the fifth of November

Saw V is For Vendetta the other day, which is mad as hell and out to rile up a politically lethargic audience.  The movie is powered on ideas which are not computer-generated, although the special effects are the best i've seen since the Matrix.  Would see it again.

 

Sunday 2 April 2006

Shortcut Keys

Once a year I happen to learn about a new shortcut key that just amazes me. Usually it’s because it’s something I didn’t know was possible or was possible but required to many mouse clicks. Recently I learned of control-space and had that same reaction.

Control-Space

In Microsoft Word, selecting text and typing Control-Space will clear the formatting. Since I do this dozens of times a day when copying/pasting text into Word Mail this is super handy.

Control-+ (NumPadPlus)

This will cause any item list control in Windows to “Auto Fit” I use this all the time in the explorer shell to make all the columns in details view automatically fit to the items in the list.  As far as I can tell, this shortcut is not documented anywhere.

WindowsKey-E

This will launch the Explorer Shell to the My Computer View. I do this dozens of times a day.

WindowsKey-D

This will display the desktop and hide all application windows.

WindowsKey-L

This will Lock your desktop or switch user if you have FUS turned on.

Alt-F1

In Outlook this will hide the folder list, giving your reading pane more room to view a message.

WindowsKey-Q

If you have Office Communicator, this will expand it from the Tray and place focus in the Word Wheel Control so you can quickly initiate a chat.

Control-Alt-M

If you have Windows Desktop Search, and the Taskbar Toolbar visible, this will place focus in that control.

 

Shortcut Keys

Once a year I happen to learn about a new shortcut key that just amazes me. Usually it’s because it’s something I didn’t know was possible or was possible but required to many mouse clicks. Recently I learned of control-space and had that same reaction.

Control-Space

In Microsoft Word, selecting text and typing Control-Space will clear the formatting. Since I do this dozens of times a day when copying/pasting text into Word Mail this is super handy.

Control-+ (NumPadPlus)

This will cause any item list control in Windows to “Auto Fit” I use this all the time in the explorer shell to make all the columns in details view automatically fit to the items in the list.  As far as I can tell, this shortcut is not documented anywhere.

WindowsKey-E

This will launch the Explorer Shell to the My Computer View. I do this dozens of times a day.

WindowsKey-D

This will display the desktop and hide all application windows.

WindowsKey-L

This will Lock your desktop or switch user if you have FUS turned on.

Alt-F1

In Outlook this will hide the folder list, giving your reading pane more room to view a message.

WindowsKey-Q

If you have Office Communicator, this will expand it from the Tray and place focus in the Word Wheel Control so you can quickly initiate a chat.

Control-Alt-M

If you have Windows Desktop Search, and the Taskbar Toolbar visible, this will place focus in that control.

 

AirBus A380

Great video detailing the making and testing of the new AirBus A380.
 

AirBus A380

Great video detailing the making and testing of the new AirBus A380.
 

Saturday 1 April 2006

Bridge Climbing

 

Bridge Climbing

 

Consolidated Blog

Well, i've updated this site with the old entries i'd done for blogger.  If anyone is interested in coverting from blogger -> dasBlog, here's how i've done it:
  1. Got a copy of the atom.xml file on my blogger site http://matthewgoodman.blogspot.com/atom.xml
  2. Create a console application, which references the dasBlog.Web.Runtime.dll
  3. Parse the atom.xml, extracting all "entry" nodes and extract relevant infomation e.g. CreatedDate, Contant, Title.
  4. For each node parsed, created an instance of the Runtime.Entry class, populate properties, and save using saveEntry method.
  5. Generates a whole bunch of xml files in web/content directory, which can be copied directly on to the webserver hopsting this site.  
Took about 20 mins, and have attatched the solution (VS2005) for those interested.

 

BloggerToDasBlogConverter.zip (208.84 KB)

Consolidated Blog

Well, i've updated this site with the old entries i'd done for blogger.  If anyone is interested in coverting from blogger -> dasBlog, here's how i've done it:
  1. Got a copy of the atom.xml file on my blogger site http://matthewgoodman.blogspot.com/atom.xml
  2. Create a console application, which references the dasBlog.Web.Runtime.dll
  3. Parse the atom.xml, extracting all "entry" nodes and extract relevant infomation e.g. CreatedDate, Contant, Title.
  4. For each node parsed, created an instance of the Runtime.Entry class, populate properties, and save using saveEntry method.
  5. Generates a whole bunch of xml files in web/content directory, which can be copied directly on to the webserver hopsting this site.  
Took about 20 mins, and have attatched the solution (VS2005) for those interested.

 

BloggerToDasBlogConverter.zip (208.84 KB)