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Monday, November 10, 2008

Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade

Apparently I'm the last person on the planet to know about these.

Seth MacFarlane, creator of favorites like Family Guy and American Dad, has a series of shorts on YouTube called "Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade". I was only able to get through a few so far - with mixed results, unexpectedly. They have the SNL movie disease insofar as they can, at times, seem like skits that go on for to long. Still, they have their moments.

I present to you the Super Mario Brothers ending we never got to see as 13-year-olds - probably a good thing in retrospect. I recommend checking out "Jeff Goldblum Wafers" when you're done.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

2008 BAmBUu Awards

TLM and I got back not that long ago from Our House in Allston where the 2008 BAmBUu Awards were being held (and a Patriots game was being watched). It was a nice place, and with any luck they may turn out to be a team, or even a league, sponsor next year. They gave us a cordoned off area and a buffet of wings, salad, pasta and tater-tots, so we certainly had nothing to complain about.

The BAmBUu Cup was there and presented to the 2008 Champion Hustlers, and those members of the team in attendance also got a medal commemorating the achievement. Gold gloves awards were also handed out, as well as an MVP award and the equivalent of a Cy Young award.

Dan W and I were also honored (and humbled, by the way) as the first two inductees into the BAmBUu Hall of Fame, currently represented by a plaque to be held on to by the commish. Had I enough forethought I would've had some words ready, but instead I fumbled through some acknowledgments, including some thanks to "Our Place" (note: name of establishment is "Our House"). At least we managed to get a picture for posterity:

2008 BAmBUu Hall of Fame Inductees Dan Weldon and Spencer Sanchez

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Origanize Your Code - Code Collector

Code Collector Pro - M Cubed Software
I'm a big fan of centralizing and having quick access to my stuff. It's why I love products like Quicksilver, iTunes, FinderPop, and Delicious Library. For pieces of code, however, I'd always had to come up with a system of my own.

Then I came across Code Collector by M Cubed software. It's simple, clean, and exactly what I needed to keep things on hand and organized (or organised if you're from across the pond like they are :). Now when I start a new script I can bring up a template in CC instead of relying on my memory (spotty) or drudging up some existing page that I'd have to shell out. If I'm working on a project and need to have some snippets on hand, viola. I've even used the smart folders a couple of times already - just like those in the finder, they are populated by following rules. The only feature I haven't taken advantage of is sharing of code through the company's site.

It's a great new tool in my arsenal - 4.5 stars on the utility scale.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Happy 25th Raymond

Happy 25th Raymond. Hope you had a good one.

So, um, I didn't have access to many pix, so I ganked one from one of your pages and can only hope you got down as much today as you did whenever this was taken:

Ray's 25th Birthday

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Radio Blowhards Get in Trouble, Tell Listeners Election is Wednesday

Gerry Callahan and John Dennis, hosts of the sports radio show I listen to in the morning and ranted about 3 days ago for ignoring actual sports topics, apparently crossed a line this morning. At one point they told their listeners the election was postponed until Wednesday and at another they reported that only Republicans are voting today and Democrats should vote tomorrow. What they never considered (rather, one of the many things) is that some people may have actually believed them.

What seems to many of us like an obvious attempt at humor, albeit a poor one, did not register as such with all the listeners. For example, one listener "said his father-in-law believed the elections were postponed, and called him because he was so upset." Way to go guys.

Incidentally, this morning's buffoonery didn't go unnoticed by the State. Brian McNiff, a spokesman for the MA Secretary of State William Galvin, sent an email to both hosts and their station, WEEI, instructing them to "knock it off", stating that they were "doing a disservice to voters". He also made sure to mention the fact that there were laws specifically put into place to prevent any kind of tampering or interfering with elections.

As a result of that email, the broadcast on my ride home today was sprinkled periodically with not-so-subtle messages to listeners about how the election is today, not tomorrow.

It should be an interesting show in the morning, to say the least. It'll be all the more interesting considering how these results are coming in :)

Monday, November 03, 2008

Twas the Night Before 'Lection

I was originally going to try to write a parody poem, but quickly realized it was going to be much more time consuming than it'd be worth. So I found a funny picture of McCain instead:

Twas the Night Before 'Lection
According to all the polls, if John McCain gets what he's wishing for tomorrow, it seems as though most of the country will be as surprised as he'll be.
 

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Some Favorite iPhone Apps - Part 1

some favorite apps
Five minutes after realizing that I was one of three people feverishly fiddling with an iPhone on our couch, I thought it was about time I got around to listing off some of my favorite apps (as I've been telling TLM I'd do for over a year now). So, part 1:

  • Google Mobile App
    In addition to being super-helpful to those of us who make use of any of the Google services, this app is a must have if only for the fact that is was made by the folks behind Quicksilver - and if you are a QS person you can see the similarities almost immediately. Smart searching of metadata makes for lightning quick search results across contacts, the web, and more.

  • Air Sharing
    Basically, this lets you connect your iPhone wirelessly to your Mac or PC, essentially turning it into a flash drive for all intents and purposes. This is particularly handy if you need to have certain documents on hand, like resumes, class schedules, or even ebook PDFs.

  • Simplify Media
    Unfortunately for those who don't have it already, this one's not free anymore, and it's currently listed at $3.99. It's well worth it though as it allows you to connect to your entire iTunes library from anywhere. All you need is to be on a wi-fi connection and run an IM-like client on your computer at home. Oh - and you can connect to up to 30 libraries too, by the way, though that can bog down the app's performance.

  • Solebon Solitaire
    Ok, we all have our weaknesses, and though there are many games out there (and on my iPhone), I find myself playing this the most. A few minutes here, a few more minutes there - and so many games I'd never heard of. Right now I'm in the "Spiderette", "Russian Revolution", and "Scorpion" rotation. Yay for productivity.

  • Fake Calls
    Ah, the app you know you want (or have) but are almost embarrassed to have installed. We all have those moments where we need to get out of a conversation, and this app gives you that "out". Or, for a more harmless application of it, you could pretend to get a call from your favorite celebrity, politician, or Steve Jobs himself.

Saturday, November 01, 2008

I Want Sports Radio Back

Sports Radio. It's probably my #1 preference as far as what I listen to when I'm driving (TLM can attest to that). However, Now that I have more time to listen thanks to a lengthier commute to work in the morning, it seems to have all but disappeared. In lieu of listening to discussion about whether Matt Cassel is getting better or if the Celtics look poised to win another Championship, I'm instead barraged with political rhetoric and moronic condemnation from and of both callers and politicos.

I want my Sports Radio back.

I know the election is right around the corner, and I know that lots of people like to talk politics. My complaint is simply that there are other stations for that. It's like buying a newspaper, turning to the sports section and getting nothing but op-eds about everything except that in which you are interested. Enough already.

To make matters worse, the stuff I'm listening to is typical of the times: aggressively close-minded hosts who think they know best arguing with equally know-it-all callers. Is this entertainment? No, it's fuel for the [ratings] fire, and the fact that people like me who tune in to get their sports fix and end up reluctantly listening to these buffoons is testament to why it's currently allowed (and probably encouraged) by those in charge.

I'll give it a few more days. I suppose there will be a lot of airtime spent after the election filled with either intense gloat or warning of impending doom, but I'm holding out hope that all will be right by Friday.

I just hope they can remember how to do it.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Time Waster: Magic Pen

This one is very fun, very innovative, and potentially a BIG time waster, so be warned. The game is called Magic Pen, and you draw and erase lines, triangles, circles and other shapes onto the screen to manipulate an object across some flags. You can play it at MiniClip.com.

Magic Pen


Games at Miniclip.com - Magic Pen
Magic Pen

Collect the flags with the red ball to complete each level.

Play this free game now!!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Missing George Carlin Already



I was sad to hear that George Carlin passed away Sunday. He was hands down my favorite comedian, and though he's done much in his career (first host of SNL, Rufus from Bill & Ted), it was his stand-up that made his great.

My introduction to Carlin came when I unearthed my father's record collection. Amidst all of the Beatles and Led Zeppelin albums I found something called "Toledo Window Box" (and I was about the age where I got a stoney kick out of the reference). It was a recording of a show he'd had in Oakland and had some bits that, for lack of a better phrase, made me howl with laughter. Who knew nursery rhymes were that dirty?

Though he might be remembered best for his "Seven Dirty Words", my favorite George Carlin bit of all-time is easily "Baseball and Football", a version of which you can hear below. The lack of success I've had trying to recite mere portions of the skit to people who'd never heard it before stands as testament to his comic genius (or my lack of timing).

We'll miss you and remember you, George. And of course, your unique views on politics, religion, and the English language...



Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Celtics 17th - Some Shots from the TDB Garden

Still can't put anything into words, but these can help:



Sunday, May 25, 2008

Towel Day 2008

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." -Douglas Adams

Happy Towel Day!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Too Much D&D Coffee?

Ah, coffee - I love it, and I drink what is probably an unhealthy amount of it daily. But which brand is best? Some might say Starbucks, others Honey Dew. For me, I'll drink almost any kind, but my hands down favorite is, and has been for years, good ol' Dunkin' Donuts. I remember half-kiddingly going online to investigate how to get a franchise, just so I could feed my addiction a little easier (as if having a D&D on practically every corner wasn't enough).

My days of buying medium regulars are now over (ok, slight exaggeration) thanks to a member of my family landing a job at D&D corporate. Now I can bring home a FIVE POUND bag of coffee for a fourth of what it costs me for a fill up at the gas station. Too much? Maybe, though I can pretty much guarantee none will go wasted here. It's all about pacing myself...

5 pounds of fun