Amazon just did something awesome. It would have been cool if this had happened before I spent large chunks of my life ripping all of my CDs twice (once at a too low bitrate when hard drives cost money). But it is still way cool. Here’s the first part of the email from Amazon announcing AutoRip.
“The answer to this systemic problem is not more gorillas,” Simmons continued, her eyes welling with tears. “The answer is fewer gorillas.”
I tend to agree with this. I offered to trade my Surface RT to Paul for just about anything. Then I took it to my office and offered to sell or trade it to anyone for just about anything. No takers. Even the one hardcore Windows lover said he was waiting for the Surface Pro. I don’t think it’s going to work out for Windows 8, thanks largely to hardware maker disinterest. My guess is that Windows 9 will be pushed out the door sooner, rather than later.
If I took the Barnabas Collins route back to the mid-60s, one of the first things I’d do is go hear (and see) The Pretty Kittens.
The WordPress Process is a series of posts at Newsome.Org, documenting my forced march from the comfort of Blogger to the initially uncharted territories of WordPress. Parts 1 & 2 are here, Part 3 is here, Part 4 is here, Part 5 is here, and Part 6 is here.
Newsome.Org (formerly and sometimes currently known as Rancho DeNada) has lived a gypsy’s life. When I started blogging (actually no one knew about blogging then; it was just “Latest News”), I published content via a Perl script. It seems antiquated now, but it worked pretty well. Then I began using Blogger’s publishing platform, via the now-discontinued FTP publishing feature. My blog was hosted on my web server, but I could use Blogger’s front-end to manage content.
When FTP publishing was no longer available, I made the move to WordPress. Again, hosted on my web server. It was sort of bumpy, as noted in Parts 1-6, but I got it done.
Near the end of last year, it dawned on me that (a) I might need a new tractor this year and (b) for that to happen while staying married meant I had to cut out some expenses. So I did. One of them was my web server. I needed a mighty and dedicated web server back in the glory days of ACCBoards.Com, but I don’t need it anymore, with the decline of the message boards and the vast improvements to content management platforms. So, I decided to move Newsome.Org to WordPress.Com. What this means, in effect is:
1. My blog is hosted at and by WordPress.Com;
2. WordPress handles all the software updates: and
3. There are a few limitations on how I manage pages and content.
This was probably the best blog-related decision I’ve ever made. For one, I don’t have to worry about updating WordPress. They do all that. Two, media handling is very easy, often requiring nothing more than a URL or shortcode. Three, it is a lot cheaper. I need some storage and the ability to stream media files, so I pay for the $100/year upgrade bundle– less than half my prior monthly cost. I could go into a lot of detail, but the point is that managing my web site is much easier and much less expensive. Sure, I can’t install certain plug-ins, and I can’t install any theme I want. But you know what? I don’t need to. I don’t miss them at all.
I had a lot of content, and the import process was very easy and mostly successful. Because of my blog’s long history and many prior platforms (and resulting scattered media files, etc.), some of my pictures weren’t imported correctly. I sent a request for help, and got it quickly and effectively (Valerie is tech support awesomeness). After all was done, I still had to manually go back and revise some internal links, but that was because some of my early blog posts were in .shtml (because of all the server side includes I used to hack and use). It took a few nights, but soon enough I was up and running.
And it is great. So much less stressful. It’s hard to explain, but blogging just seems easier and more fun. In sum, if you have a blog or want a blog, there is no good reason not to host it at WordPress.Com. There are plans ranging from free to enterprise.
One limitation of WordPress.Com over my former web server is that I can’t just upload whatever pages I want. Native JavaScript isn’t supported either (content from certain approved sources can be used via shortcodes). This is the reason for all the scrambling I did last month to find a new home for The Home Place, my internet portal. I ended up hosting it at Amazon via S3. Here’s the new link. Amazon S3 (and Glacier) are unbelievably cheap. Look for a tutorial on those shortly.
This is probably a stretch, but during my grandfather’s final living moments yesterday, he attempted to write us a note. None of us can decrypt it, but I’ve seen reddit do things like this before.
I started the 11th grade at the new Cheraw High School.
You can still find these
1) I remember lots and lots of Bicentennial stuff. Ads, TV, coins, you name it. Once in a while, you can still find these quarters in circulation. I always keep them.
2) I remember Jimmy Carter! I haven’t been that excited about politics since. Even now, the words “My name is Jimmy Carter and I’m running for president” send a shiver down my spine. I actually raised the possibility of naming Luke James Carter Newsome. One of many awesome names Raina shot down.
3) I remember my then favorite team, the Portland Trailblazers, winning the 1976-77 NBA championship. I was a Portland fan because I was a huge Bill Walton fan. He seemed like a great combo of student, athlete, hippie. He later ruined all that for me by playing for the hated Celtics. Later, I got bored with pro sports altogether.
Assuming you were alive then, what do you remember about 1976?
Here’s a little music to brighten your day. NRPS from 12/31/71.
This article pretty much sums up my Facebook news feed. I’ve addressed confirmation bias before in the context of global warming.
Speaking of global warming, at this point, denial of climate change is on the same level of absurdity as those kids who said we really weren’t on the moon back in 3rd grade. Is an extra buck or two in some billionaire’s pocket really worth jacking our planet up at our kids’ expense? It’s not like kids aren’t screwed enough already.
This guy is right, but for the wrong reason. Yes, it would matter greatly if Microsoft Office came to iOS. Because the entire corporate world uses Word and Excel, and nothing else. But much of that same corporate world fears- and often blocks- the cloud. So if Microsoft is using Office on iOS as a way to get folks to sign up for its Office on the web service, it will not work. So if the only meaningful way we will get Office on our iPads is to subscribe to some web service, then Office on the iOS won’t matter. The question is who does this hurt more- Apple or Microsoft.
If you enjoy television, you surely enjoy Homeland. If you enjoy Homeland, you’ll dig these jazz record covers. Really cool art. This one is my favorite.
I’m completely serious when I tell you that the first season of The Joe Schmo Show was some of the most entertaining TV ever. They’re launching a new season tonight. Definitely worth a look.
Windows history makes an awesome 3 minute video. This one is almost 8 minutes. Still worth a watch.
AllThingsD has a primer on photo sharing, including with those who aren’t on your preferred network. I will never, ever use Facebook as my photo repository. Never. Ever. Google+ is a ghost town if you’re middle-aged and not techno-centrally located, but the platform is pretty robust. It might make a good photo sharing place. If you’re a ghost. I use Flickr and the very elegant WordPress gallery function. I think I’d like Photo Stream better if I even half way understood it. Apple needs to have whoever makes those iMovie and iPhoto video tutorials to do a series on Photo Stream.
People boggle my mind sometimes. So there’s this cat, named Pasta Batman. Someone bails on Pasta Batman, and some nitwit decides to change his name to Whisper. Whisper, really? Some relative of some friends of mine did something almost as lame. They had a cat named after one of the greatest space travelers of all time, and changed it. I didn’t even ask to what. I just decided to change our friends’ daughter’s name to Rygel. I’ve called her that for years. She answers to it, unlike the renamed cat.
Fitbit is coming out with a flexible wristband. I’m not sure if I’ll trade in my beloved Fitbit One, but I’m going to watch closely. I am curious how the armband works, given that Fitbit One instructions say not to wear it on your arm when awake. What if I am in a heated conversation about which of my two favorite shows (Walking Dead and Downton Abbey) are more reflective of my true nature and start waving my arms around like an aristocratic zombie? I’m also interested in what “water-resistant” means in this context.
When bad PR goes bad. I am amazed at what gets approved as acceptable PR these days.
Consumer Reports is back on the hate side of its relationship with the iPhone. Burglars, on the other hand, still prefer Apple.
This is what the app looks like if I’m not at home
Belkin added a light switch to its WeMo line. What they need to add more is working remote access if you have a roaming wireless network. We have three Extremes creating a single wireless network and remote access does not work. This is a known issue, at least to those with the problem. Otherwise (and this is a big otherwise), WeMo is pretty cool.
TUAW has the best Mac apps for 2012. I’m flabbergasted (flabbergasted I tell you) that they picked iTunes as the best of anything. If you want “moar apps!” Addictive Tips has the 100 best Mac apps of 2012.
Here’s an update on my 2013 initiative to spend less money on things I don’t really need, that might save you some money too. I called DirecTV and said I wanted to downgrade my deluxe package to the lowest one. I got $40 a month off my monthly cost, plus some HD channels for free. The discount lasts 6 months, but they said I could probably call back then and get another discount. Then I called Sirius XM and tried to cancel the subscription in my truck (in favor of Spotify and an old iPod I confiscated from Delaney). They gave me half off for a 1-year subscription, for that one and the one my kids use by the pool.
Paul Thurrott is a smart guy, who I enjoy reading. But he needs to step away from the crack pipe if he thinks there is anything about the Surface RT that is even close to as usable and enjoyable as an iPad. Now, the Surface Pro may be another matter. Paul, what will you trade me for a lightly used Surface RT? Almost anything of roughly equal value will do.
How-To Geek (great site) has tutorials on how to do a lot of stuff computer stores overcharge you for doing. A must read for all geezers.
If your kid is too obsessed with video games, here’s a novel approach.
Still can’t believe I bought one of those
I was too kind in my pretty harsh criticism of the Surface RT. It sucks completely. Now I can’t even get it to update apps the first or fifth try. Before long, it will go in the secret drawer of horrible purchases. With this. And this (I still can’t believe I bought that). If anyone wants to buy a lightly used surface RT, make me an offer. I’ll trade it for just about anything of roughly equal value.
As part of my new cost-savings initiative, I would really, really like to cut the cord and get rid of my rising satellite TV subscriptions. About the only things holding me back are some HBO and one Showtime shows that I don’t think I can get without subscribing. If and when I do take the plunge, Guidebox may become indispensable. Really nice interface.
Click for a larger view
Apple’s iRadio service may be launched this year. I would be a little interested except for this: “We expect iRadio to be incorporated into the iTunes iOS app with personalized radio functionality akin to Pandora, integrated with iTunes to purchase music an other music related content such as concert information/tickets/merchandise via Live Nation and Ticketmaster.” There are few lengths I wouldn’t go to to avoid iTunes. There are none I wouldn’t go to to avoid LiveNation and Ticketmaster.
I am amazed at the stupid things people put on Facebook.
I’ve seen this expression before
Sometimes you have to chill just to survive. I get the above expression every time I tell my kids anything. There is a lesson here somewhere.
Here’s some info on the forthcoming version of Microsoft Office. Two things. One, I’m never, ever going to pay for Office on the web. I want an app, not a service. Two, I hope Microsoft doesn’t completely forget about the Mac version.
I updated our News Page last night. It automatically pulls top stories from several news sources. It now has weather, for Bellaire, TX at least.
As another part of my new cost savings initiative, I have moved some of my web hosting and all of my online backup to Amazon S3 and Glacier. It is a little harder to get set up, but a lot cheaper. A lot. Look for a tutorial soon.
Here’s the background on ACME Corporation. And here’s a catalog of products.
Here’s a little music to brighten your day. NRPS from 12/31/71.
People boggle my mind sometimes. So there’s this cat, named Pasta Batman. Someone bails on Pasta Batman, and some nitwit decides to change his name to Whisper. Whisper, really? Some relative of some friends of mine did something almost as lame. They had a cat named after one of the 
Fitbit is coming out with a 
Newsome.Org 