Excuse the double post, but I just had to share this with you…
I share therefore I am
4 04 2012Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: sherry turkle, ted talk
Categories : computers, internet, tech etc., current events
irony
10 03 2012Lonely people apps?
It’s true, I guess. There are apps able to stalk trace the movement of your friends via FB or Twitter etc. and when they find other people that share your interests and are in your area …they’ll let you know! For example – suppose you’ve ‘liked’ some pages on tree pruning, have visited Cambodia, enjoyed the novel ‘Brave New World’ and bought merchandise from the GAP. Well, according to technology, you could get an alert on your smartphone telling you that someone with those exact same stats is sitting in the coffee shop just a block down the street. Then, perhaps, you could hone in on them and strike up a conversation on your shared interests. Brilliant!
Actually, it is almost brilliant. Smartphones have, according to many, put up a social divide between people …so now it seems that the very same device can atone for its sins. In theory -ha. Honestly, I can’t even guess as to what people will do anymore. Things change that fast. Not just technology, but habits – and eventually culture. I do know that I am, as much as I think that I’m not, on the outside looking in when it comes to gadgetry. I like to see what’s out there, but my somewhat sheltered life doesn’t allow me to actually engage in much of it. At times I feel that perhaps my ‘getting older’ is excluding me, but then it’s not really my age as it is my demeanor that’s holding me back. Or something to that effect.
I joined the facebook/twitter revolution, again, for that exact same purpose …to see what’s going on. After ‘reconnecting’ with friends it appears I haven’t missed anything. My cousin posted on my wall that she gives me 6 months before I leave again. Lol …it’s been a few weeks and I’m itching to go already. But I’ll stay the course this time around. My real name and face out there for strangers and evil corporations to exploit at their convenience. I mean, if I’m gonna complain about something I should at least know what I’m complaining about!
Do they make complaining apps?
They must.
Image from apple.com
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Tags: facebook, highlight, kismet, smart phones, technology, twitter
Categories : computers, internet, tech etc.
tomatoes tomatoes
10 03 2012Did I mention I’m a PC?
No, c’mon …I’m joking. Kinda ;) I’ve been a mac-guy forever. They’re great machines, and more importantly they have a wonderful OS. However, after getting rid of my Air not so long ago, I missed not having something to take along with me to wherever I might need a computer. I suppose I should be more specific …wherever I might need a browser, and that’s the thing that I recently realized; you don’t need a computer to get online anymore. You don’t need Lions or thunderbolts or gigs of data or aluminum enclosures to surf the web – just a browser of choice (Firefox), your bookmarks and a laptop savvy enough to handle modern media. That’s it. Maybe a word processor too …Google docs isn’t my cup of tea for some reason.
And so, a few months ago, I bought a used Eee PC. It’s a 1001PX (if you’re keeping score) and I got it for $150 including a warranty that’s good till Aug. of this year …and after which if nothing breaks I get $50 in-store credit. The best I could afford in the Mac universe for that price is something 6+ years old and sadly out of touch with the online world. The keyboard on this thing is kinda old-school …but it’s almost full size. It’s got amazing battery life though, and Microsoft’s WordPad has been surprisingly nice to work with …aesthetically that is. That was a weird realization, especially coming from the king of aesthetics. I’m not inept with windows either, but occasionally out of practice. This PC however is my first non-Mac purchase for myself …ever! That should say something of my Apple loyalty.
After years of taking apart Mac stuff though, I’m very much aware that internally a computer is a computer. Apple makes their machines with the same chips, drives and connectivity as PC makers ….the big difference being looks, build quality and the OS. That’s all important stuff (worth its price? …easily debatable) but for browsing the internet a lot of that is overkill. Pages open the same, look the same(ish) and reveal the same content across any modern computer or operating platform – Mac or PC or mobile. I still use my iMac at home for audio, video and image editing/design, but I don’t need it to get online to do those simple things that are more house-keeping than actually creative in nature.
Apple has fallen from my pedestal though. They’ve been falling for many years actually (joining the Intel gang was a big straw) and I suppose their success in popularity now is just confirmation that they’re no longer the David in this world of Goliath’s. They’re like that independent band that sold out to the Big Label – keeping some of their indie-creed but essentially going where the money is. Kinda. Of course I can admit it may also be my bitterness with the ‘in crowd’. Lol, yes …I am that way, but at the same time I think it’s healthy to stand a little back from the herd. When the iWorld goes iCrazy you need some perspective. I think. I suppose that goes for anything assimilated into popularity. Again, I think. Or rather iThink.
Linux here I come.
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Tags: apple, browsers, computers, culture, design, eeepc 1001px, iPad, iphone, mac, popularity
Categories : computers, internet, tech etc.
robotics
8 03 2012Remember when helicopters were simple?
The TED Talk below is on autonomous robotic helicopters, or something like that. It’s pretty cool, and I’m not really into robot stuff either, but it is just that exciting. I’m a guy though -ha. Interestingly, the presenter failed to mention the most likely use for such machines: Warfare. Sad, but true. The plus side though is that maybe the mechanics can become sophisticated enough to prevent us from converting our bug friends into weapons. On the other hand, more sophistication would also lead to more easier killing …or at least more easily justifiable killing. A win-win no matter how you look at it ;) Enjoy the helicopters though, before they become all the rage and you find yourself running for your life from some kid’s idea of a prank.
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: helicopters, robotics, robots, ted talk
Categories : computers, internet, tech etc.
furniture
7 03 2012You know blogs are personal when…
The nice thing about a blog, in my humble opinion, is the ability to change things up. Tweak things a bit. It’s like going out and buying a new pair of pants. Or a shirt. Or a new hat! I don’t buy hats that often though, and I probably change my blog design even less. It’s probably more on par with how often I rearrange the furniture in my house. Possibly. I came across a blog the other day that was sporting the Oulipo theme and I thought “My, that’s a clean looking theme …maybe it’s new?” It wasn’t. It came out a few years ago and although I saw it, it just didn’t catch my eye at the time. It did now though, so I decided to take the plunge.
I haven’t tweaked too much on the CSS front yet, not like I did with my last Freshy theme, but as time goes on I’ll get a bit more into things. The neatest part for me is that the menu stays on the page no matter where you browse. The left hand menu that is. The right hand menu is alright, except for the whole issue of it disappearing when you click on any link in that sidebar. It seems that can’t be changed either, but it’s no biggie as I don’t think it will bother the three visitors I might happen to get every second day …ha.
So that’s the excitement for the day kids. That and the forecast of Spring-like temps for the upcoming week or so. After that I have a little trip planned for the last week of March. A second Spring perhaps! Ooooo, more excitement ;)
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Tags: css, freshy theme, oulipo theme, spring, wordpress
Categories : computers, internet, tech etc., the other stuff
Fidooze
1 03 2012False alarm, I suppose….
Back in September of last year when I lost my wallet and had to go through that whole ‘lost wallet’ dance, it was a month or so later that I received a $40 bill from Rogers Wireless. I don’t have a Rogers plan. Fido, yes …not Rogers. After looking the bill over I realized the gentleman who took my wallet used my identity to sign up for wireless service …on my dime. Not really my dime though, as I called them right away and told them what was up. (How the thief was able to use my cancelled VISA card to register a Rogers account was never fully explained to me). All was good now though, until the next month when I received another bill for over $300. This bill was for the same criminal element, but was the latter 3 days of his spending spree as opposed to the first day when he used only $40 worth of content. Again I phoned. Things were ‘fixed’ and I was reassured I had nothing to worry about. Until yesterday.
Yesterday I was looking at my online Fido bill (which I do maybe every two weeks because the Fido.ca website is always hit and miss with my browsers) and noticed that my contact email address had been changed. I didn’t change it. Worse yet, it was changed to the email address of the guy/gal who used my identity to open the fraudulent Rogers account. So now I was worried. Did this guy hack into my Fido account through Rogers? Did he hack into my personal info on Fido (like my bank account that is tied to it) and as a result has other information on me? The mind raced a bit. I slept alright, but couldn’t wait to get some answers, and today I finally talked to a fraud specialist at Fido. He explained that the email was just an ‘update process’ that is normal when you have one existing account and open another. Essentially, the fraudulent Rogers account was ‘connected’ to my Fido account (they are the same company after all) and when the hacker submitted his email, it simply replaced mine as a matter of update procedures. No worries.
I’m not thoroughly convinced though. After the horrible mess around my piece of LG crap that took forever to fix/replace, I’m giving Fido one more screw up before I move my account to another carrier and make a call to the BBB. I’m sure many people don’t have issues with their wireless providers, but it just seems that there’s too much non-caring when it comes to Fido/Rogers. Their rates are no better or worse than anyone else, but I think it was a few minor details that made me choose them …unfortunately. Minor details that slip my mind at the moment.
It definitely wasn’t the dog.
A few essential apps for the 21st Cen. villain...
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Tags: fido, hackers, rogers, theft, wireless plans
Categories : computers, internet, tech etc., the other stuff
skarap
18 02 2012Here’s a long overdue tune for you kids, and I hope you like your ska cause it’s one of those things. Yeah, that style that only skankers can appreciate while others sit there going “Wha…?” Anyway, it’s a tune. I wrote it close to 2 years ago and never bothered with it cause it kinda sucked but then always found myself kinda liking it whenever I heard it so I thought seeing as I’m currently inept when it comes to writing as of late I may as well arrange this thing. The lyrics are pretty corny (meaning slightly more than corny which is bad enough) but the go-go-go parts are somewhat inspirational. Somewhat. They’re my favorite part of the whole thing at least (and the super-simplistic bass line), and I was gonna get Amberlicious to add some harmonies above my lines but she buggered off to France (hee hee …it’s almost as cold there as it is here) so I had to add my own. The problem though is that the lead line is already high for me, so there was no chance of me going above it. Oh well. It’s your standard intro-verse1-verse2-chorus-tag-verse3-verse4-chorus-tag-solo-verse5-(with breakdown for the kids)-double chorus-outro-special ending form …so if you’re keeping score then that’s what it is.
I’ve mentioned this before but I just have to say it again …I. Hate. Recording. Exclamation. Mark. It’s true, I’d rather sit there with my guitar or whatever and tell other people what to do rather than play all this crap and then try to make it sound good. Reason (not the mental characteristic) is nice to use when you get your head around how things work, but to me it’s still a chore and soooo hard to get motivated to do. There are some people who absolutely love this stuff; screwing around with mic positions, effect inserts, tweaking mids etc., but I just can’t even fake tolerating it. Ditto for live sound too. That’s why so much of my stuff is bare and left to the imagination. Oh, I have an imagination, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t have the patience to translate it into the real world. And I wouldn’t even do it for money …figure that out -lol
So …you can listen by clicking the arrow thingy below (which you need flash for I just found out!) or download it by clicking here. It’s also in the ‘Music New/Downloads‘ section of this blog as well. Remember too, you can pull up all the ‘song posts’ by typing the secret phrase ilikeslurpees into the search box just above. The Shakespearean inspired lyrics are just below.
Screenshot of my living hell...
I Will Never Let You Go
did you know, I’m the only one that loves you so,
and I promise not to let you go go go, I will never let you go.
stay with me, take my hand and you will see,
it’s a matter of destiny, oh I know it’s destiny.
I will never let you go o o…
hold me tight, take me dancing all through the night,
everything is gonna be just right, everything will be just right.
in your eyes, I can tell I can realize,
you and me it’s no surprise, you and me are no surprise.
I will never let you go o o…
you’re the one, you’re the reason,
you’re the hope that I’m feeling.
did you know, I’m the only one that loves you so,
and I promise not to let you go go go, I will never let you go….
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Tags: new music, reason propellerhead, ska, songwriting
Categories : computers, internet, tech etc., music related
