Today Was Awesome

OS X Menu Bar Overload

I have way too much stuff on my menu bar. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that I like to keep my dock as empty as possible. Just take a look at all the stuff I keep on there ->
menu bar overload

A Solution

I have a solution in mind, I need a drawer for my menu bar items! Something like stacks except for my menu bar. Basically I imagine it opening up vertically and showing it’s contents. Something like this ->
Menu stack

UPDATE Justin Hileman Just sent over a screenshot of his menu.

Impressive

OS X Menu Bar Overload

Posted Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Mail Templates- Why you shouldn’t

I was feeling very enterprising at work this morning (Im on lunch now) and decided to make a nice mail template for something I send out quite often. I didn’t need anything crazy but quickly found some guides and went to work.

You have to manually code via html/css your email template and do all sorts of stupid and useless things like generate plists to make it but here is the catch. Let us liken the generation of this email template to a cute puppy. This is what I made:

Look how awesome my template looks!

So I was really excited to test it out and send it to someone using outlook. What they got was very different, they got the equivalent of this:

ZOMG WHAT ISTHAT?!?!!? WHAT HAPPENED!?

So be aware, it’s not worth using apple mail templates because they look like crap when you send them to people.

Mail Templates- Why you shouldn’t

Posted Thursday, August 21, 2008

iPhone 3G to keep or leave?

I’m feeling very conflicted about keeping my iphone 3G. Is it shiny? Yes. Does it make calls? Yes. Does it tether? sort of…

iPhone Tethering

The most important thing about getting a phone was that I would be able to get high speed internet anywhere I was. I was really looking forward to that functionality. So far I’ve had occasion to use it twice tethered with my laptop and both experiences were lack luster. I followed this guide and tried a few different things. I did manage to get all my apps to connect to the internet by setting my entire computer to use the SOCKS proxy settings required, so at least I could use all my apps with out reconfiguring every last one of them.

Problems with tethering

The biggest problem with tethering is that it depends on your iphone to maintain the right route to the internet, that is to say, it has to continually default to it’s 3G or edge connection for the proxy to function. This has not been my experience, every 5 minutes or so my iphone would default back to the wifi connection and I’d need to reload a page on the iphone to reset the route. That is a pain in the ass and a piece of functionality that is very easy to use in almost every other damn smart phone. Plus it kills the battery life.

So can I really justify paying for an expensive data plan when I could do what I want on any other smart phone for much cheaper? I have a little more than a week to decide whether or not I will take my phone back. What do you think?

iPhone 3G to keep or leave?

Posted Monday, August 11, 2008

Magical Zombies

What is a Magical Zombie?

Magical Zombies are zombies that have been created by wizards, witches or other people that play Magic the gathering. The are unique in that they generally aren’t contagious, so when they bite someone they won’t become a zombie and they have no grounding in the physical world. Take a look at the examples if you don’t get what I mean:

History in movies

Scooby Doo: Zombie Island 1998 (not a reality show)
Army of Darkness
White Zombie One of the first zombie movies
Harry Potter: Half-blood prince 2009 (Zombies are called inferi in Harry Potter)
Idle Hands 1999
And a whole bunch of crappy movies (2003)

The most comedic of all zombies

You may have noticed from the movie list magical zombies aren’t exactly the biggest threat on film makers minds. They are however very unique and should you ever run into them it’s important to know how to fight them and survive!

Magic Zombie Fact List

Magical Zombies are generally not infections! Don’t go killing party members because they got bit!
Their limbs can function independent of their bodies, cut off and arm and the arm will chase you.
It’s generally agreed that magic zombies TOTALLY hate fire!
Their attacks are usually limited by geography: get out of the effected town and you should be ok
They have a nasty habit of popping out of the ground, watch your feet and avoid cemeteries

The Zombie Plan

After you’re done laughing because magical zombies are totally weak take a moment to realize that guns won’t stop them. Even if you blow their head off they’ll keep coming. Even if you chop their limbs off, all you will do is create five parts that are trying to kill you…granted they don’t have much leverage.

Your real goal should be to get out of the area effected by zombies. Stock up on molotov cocktails but remember that anytime you use them whatever building you run into will probably start on fire. Flame throwers are great too and you can make them from scratch!

Shotguns are good too because they won’t end up starting you on fire and they still help slow the zombies down.

If you can’t just leave and you insist on stopping the zombie invasion

That’s easy, just find the shmuck that rose those zombies from the dead and kill ’em. It might be difficult because they’re magic but it should be easy because they’re total wimps that play Magic: The gathering.

Just remember, if Scooby Doo can survive a Magical zombie attack, you can too.

Todaywasawesome award: Yahoo Music

That’s right! Yahoo Music has won a todaywasawesome award for the category of advancement of anti-DRM. Yahoo music recently announced that they’re going to disable their DRM servers. That’s great, just that much less DRM in the world! Whoo!

Wait…they did what?!

Apparently Yahoo isn’t just disabling their DRM servers, they’ve gone the EXTRA MILE and are going to be disabling all the music that anyone has bought with their service! Not only will there be less DRM in this world but less DRM music! What a break through for digital rights to have Yahoo leading the the way in doing away with DRM technology.

But seriously, they should get an award

At least they’re proving, by stealing all of their users music, that DRM is a failure wherever it’s implemented. Here’s a breakdown in who gets robbed in DRM and non DRM situations.

DRM situations: The consumer is robbed of things they already paid for.
Non-DRM situations: No one is robbed of anything.

I’d like to announce that I’m also nominating Yahoo for biggest douche of the year award as well.

UPDATE Yahoo has vowed to reimburse customers. I guess it could be worse.

Todaywasawesome award: Yahoo Music

Posted Friday, July 25, 2008

My New iPhone – Car trouble

The new iphone is so amazing! The other day I had some car trouble and I was stuck in the middle of no where with no help in site. Luckily I still was in 3G coverage so the internet was lighting fast, I found out where I was using the built-in GPS and starting looking for a mechanic.

I started in on wikipedia to find out what might be wrong with my car and 4 1/2 hours later I was too busy watching sweet car crashes on youtube to care about being stuck in the middle of no where!

In fact, I felt so mobile I made this blog post and sent an email to my boss to let him know I wouldn’t be in today!

Thanks iphone!

My New iPhone – Car trouble

Posted Monday, July 14, 2008

Biological Zombies

What is a biological zombie?

A biological zombie is the most popular current incarnation of zombies. These are zombies that are created through the spread of a virus, generally created by man, or other biological factor that physically changes a human into a zombie using science.

Movies In which biological zombies are used

28 Days Later (2002)
Resident Evil (2002)
Shaun of the Dead (2004) – at least we think they were bio zombies
Night of the living dead (1968) – Once again, not confirmed
I am Legend (2007)

Important Facts

They are infectious, anyone they bite will probably turn into a zombie. Kill them quickly
They used to be slow but thanks to 28 days later they now run fast as hell
The best way to kill them is to shoot them in the head
They will eventually starve to death*
For some reason they have a human brain magnet and will always be drawn to fleshy pink parts
They’re probably wicked strong

The Guide

So you woke up one morning and all of the sudden there were zombies kicking down your door trying to devour your flesh. Time to break out the old firearm and defend yourself. What’s that? Don’t have a firearm? Your liberal ass probably doesn’t deserve salvation, good work trying to make guns illegal for the entire time you weren’t undead.

What you need

Many of you may be familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs as well you should be but that scale changes significantly in a zombie attack. Observe the modified pyramid:

Good strategies

Kill your self.

I kid I kid! But seriously, you might be better off.

Secure the area

Start off by securing your immediate vicinity or leave. You need time to think dammit! Can you fortify your house? If not get the hell out of it. The last thing you want to do is get trapped in a corner where you won’t be able to get out. Remember this hard fast rule: Whenever you’re stuck in a corner zombies will attack!

You need weapons, it doens’t matter how careful you are, you will always need weapons (unless you’re in a bomb shelter a la Matinee) and even then you’ll probably need them.

Get some guns!

If you don’t have guns you’ll need to get some, K-mart is almost worthless because they stopped carrying most ammunition. Thanks to that kid that Michael Moore manipulated you’ll have to go to gun stores, wallmart or pawn shops. Congrats, if you have to go to those places you’re probably dead. Be a boy scout and load up on zombie shooter’s today, before you need them! Copy my setup if you need some ideas.

Oh yeah, special note, if you live in England or any of the other countries that made guns illegal you’re probably screwed.

The real plan

The real plan has to be personally made, something that fits your circumstances. I made my first zombie plan when I worked in a mall. We knew that there was a sporting goods place in the mall so we could get guns, there was also a super target so we had food. The trick would just be to secure the borders to keep Zombie’s out. Now my situation has changed dramatically and I wouldn’t go near the mall.

Sit down with your family and come up with escape routes (to get away from zombies), code words (to verify they’re not a zombie) and procedures for slaughtering ~~everyone~~ anyone ~~when~~ if they get bit.

Still Confused?

Ask your questions and we’ll make sure you get the answers you need before the biological zombie’s attack!

Biological Zombies

Posted Thursday, July 10, 2008

Surviving a Zombie Attack

This past weekend I met my niece for the first time. She’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen, so innocent and so cute. As I looked down into her bright blue eyes all I could think was “How will you survive the future? How will you know how to fight off zombies?”

All purpose zombie guide

Unlike most guides which only cover one type of zombie eventuality I will be covering every kind of possible zombie attack. Everyone knows there are three types:

Biological Zombies – Zombies created by a virus, probably engineered by man.
Magical Zombies – Zombies created by a witch/sorcerer. This is actually the easiest to survive!
Apocalyptic Zombies – Zombies brought about by the end of the world. The Mac daddy of all zombie attacks and the hardest to survive.

So stay tuned for some updates and remember there are two kinds of people in this world: Those with a zombie plan and those without. Who would you rather be?

Surviving a Zombie Attack

Posted Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Solar Panels suck

I, like many recently, have been looking at alternative fuel sources. Looking for ways to cutback my dependance on expensive electricity and gas. I’ve come up with some ideas but one that doesn’t seem to be worth a damn is Solar Panels. I found this solar panel kit that only costs $600 and yields about 1 kWh a week.

Wow a whole kilowatt every week!

electrifying!
That sounds like a pretty good dead right! I mean, 600 bucks gets you 52 kWhs a year assuming you have perfect weather and the sun is always directly on your solar panel…oh and it also has to be summer all year long.

There’s only one problem, after a year you will have paid ($600/52)=$11 a kilowatt. That doesn’t sound like a bad deal. A kilowatt is like…1000 watts right? That must be a large sum of watts! Like…a whole barrel of watts!

Back in the real world

Unfortunately last month my house used 981 kilowatts for a bill of $78.56. Which means I paid $0.0698 per watt. That makes solar power a whopping $10.30 more expensive per watt. In order to power my entire house I would need roughly 981 solar panels of this size 4.5 ft x 1.5 ft which means I would need an area roughly 4414.5 ft x 1471.5 ft. I’m pretty sure thats more area than the plot that my house sits on. Oh yeah, plus it would cost $588,600 dollars to make…

Sorry solar power, until you cost less than 11 times as much as normal electricity it looks like it’s a no go.

Update: Solar Panels Still Suck (7/17/2010)

Read the follow up to see if solar panels still suck in 2010.