Category: product endorsements

happy RSS day

On By Rick McIn internet, product endorsementsLeave a comment

Glorious are the 6% of people that use RSS.

Then there’s YOU.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a format used to deliver information from websites and pages that get updated regularly. An RSS document (which is called feed) contains either a summary or the full content from a website.

The main benefit of RSS is that it enables people to stay connected with their favorite websites without having to visit them. Once you subscribe to a particular RSS feed, you will automatically receive updates from the website that publishes the feed, whenever they release new content.

rss-day-logo.jpg
read more

RSS is the best thing since email.

… OK, bad example. Best thing since email-if-it-did-not-have-SPAM.

Get into RSS so you can look down on the 94% of those — mostly richer and better looking — dolts that don’t.

hostel at Hermosa Beach, California

On By Rick McIn product endorsements, travelLeave a comment

The hostel I usually stay at in Los Angeles has banned me for life.

LA Adventurer Hotel requires you have a foreign passport AND be under 30-years-of-age.

In the past I’ve been able to talk myself in. I “was once 30”, I claim. In 2008, this no longer gets me past the door.

Happily, I’ve discovered another great hostel willing to take old cranks:
Surf City Hostel.

It’s got a “killer location” right on Hermosa Beach — Beach Volleyball Capital of the World. Not quite so close to LAX, but not bad. You don’t need to rent a car to get to Hermosa.

Like LA Adventurer, it’s noisy. But you can’t beat $25 / night for a dorm bed, including breakfast.

Hermosa (“beautiful” in Spanish) is an accurate description of this city’s beach, which is also flat, sandy, and long; ideal for sunbathing, beach volleyball, surfing and paddleboarding.

Wikipedia

hermosa.jpg

With a mellow vibe. And a wonderful fitness culture, you’ll find me at Hermosa when in Los Angels.

blog rants and raves

On By Rick McIn Apple, blogs, Google, internet, product complaints, product endorsementsLeave a comment

Blogging is ALL about ranting and raving. Taking an extreme or contrary point of view. Still … all those unique voices tend to march in lock step on certain topics.

Bloggers HATE:

Patents, Patent trolls, and the Patent office
Vista
ValleyWag
The MPAA and the RIAA
Comcast
Cellular carriers
Mainstream media
Facebook
Guy Kawasaki
CNET

Bloggers LOVE:

Apple
Google
Linux
TechCrunch
Engadget
Firefox

After reading The 10 things you may complain about (and five you may not) by the astute Rafe Needleman, I felt a bit sheepish.

firefox-ie.jpg
original – flickr – Lordcolus

back in Mazatlán – more dental work

On By Rick McIn health & fitness, product endorsements, travel, travel MexicoLeave a comment

The view from my Centro Historico home away from home.

02-olasaltas1.jpg

11 bedroom, 12 bath with pool. (OK, I only get 1 room, 1 bath)

Own Mazatlan’s premier address and have the ocean and storied Olas Altas Boulevard at your feet. Enjoy sea vistas, city views and sunsets from one of four gracious terraces, or luxuriate in the privacy of the large verdant garden with its 50 square meter swimming pool. Entertain lavishly in the 1500 square foot Sala Grande or the 700 square foot formal living room. Imagine glittering parties around the home’s centerpiece: a breathtaking spiral staircase with a stained glass canopy.

It could be yours for about $800K.

My room ($45/night) is in the same building as Mexican Dental Vacations. The dental work finished. … For now.

We were doing my most visible teeth, the top front.

BEFORE:
before.jpg

MIDDLE:
midddle.jpg

AFTER:
after.jpg

All 6 front top teeth are fakes. Five of those new.

LONG TERM GOAL
long-term-goal.jpg

As you can see, I have a long way to go. But I’m happy my teeth are in better shape than they’ve been since the last time I had dental insurance: 1993.

And I am happy with Mexican Dental Vacation. (details and prices)

Actually, my original dentist Dr. Mackey departed, apparently due to health reasons. Happily, the first time replacement Dr. Hernandez worked out very well. It was an interesting contrast for me. The veteran, American authoritative man contrasted with the young, recently-trained Mexican female. Both were good. But in different ways.

Leave a comment if you want to know more about Mexican dental vacations. I am a big fan.

UPDATE:

Do your homework before you walk into any medical facility:

… numerous complaints about so-called “medical clinics” in the Golden Zone that profess to deal with emergencies. …

Pacific Pearl newspaper

building a better bike lock

On By Rick McIn cycling, product endorsementsLeave a comment

About 99% of bike locks worldwide are CRAP.

And where did you lose those bicycle lock keys? Over the years?

Design site Core77 regularly runs “One Hour Design Challenge” competitions; I would love to see how many of these ideas were thought up and drawn in an hour. The winner in their latest, to design a better bike lock, is very clever. …

bikelock_winner.jpg

TreeHugger

growing up in the 1950s

On By Rick McIn books, product endorsementsLeave a comment

I enjoyed the last audio book by Bill Bryson so much — A Short History of Nearly Everything — that I followed up by listening to his latest book:

A Memoir

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir

It’s back to the much loved Bryson comedy. But this time, the funny stories are nostalgic commentary on growing up in American in the 1950s.

He recounts meeting the infamous Stephen Katz, for the first time.

I loved the book. Bryson is a few years older than myself. But some of the experiences paralleled my own upbringing in Calgary, Canada.

A Shorter History of Nearly Everything

On By Rick McIn audiocasts, books, product endorsementsLeave a comment

Brian recommended this book, one I had years ago dropped like a hot potato after learning it was not a funny travel story.

One of my favourite writers, Bill Bryson, had switched to science.

A Short History of Nearly Everything

A Short History of Nearly Everything

At the library, I got the 6hr abridgment on CD read by the author. Excellent. In fact, an abridgment may even be better for this text. Bryson should have called it A Shorter History of Nearly Everything.

… explores the history of biology, botany, and zoology, and traces life from its first appearance all the way to today’s modern humans, placing much emphasis on the development of the modern Homo sapiens. All along the book, humorous stories about the scientists behind the discovery and their half-crazy behaviour is given. Throughout the book, there are many reports on the way humans change the Earth’s climate and destroy other species, as well how the Earth was and is a very destructive planet itself, briefly touching about earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and mass extinctions. His tendency to look for big explosions and awe-inspiring devastation takes him to the most destructive disasters in the history of the world, from Krakatoa to Yellowstone National Park. ….

Wikipedia

Brian learned how LITTLE we actually know about “everything”.

I was most struck by how much confusion was caused when scientists started analyzing DNA in human fossils. One group of people living in Australia, for example, were “impossible” by all known science.

I highly recommend it.

Microsoft Live SkyDrive

On By Rick McIn internet, product endorsementsLeave a comment

Feeling guilty about trashing MS so often, I’m obliged to mention it whenever they do something (unexpectedly) right.

I have no use for this product, myself. But if you do group collaboration online, know that it works. Works on a Mac. In browsers other than IE. Works in Canada and other countries. It works.

Bravo Microsoft.

Windows Live SkyDrive (previously Windows Live Folders) … allow users to upload their files to the computing cloud, and then access them from a web browser. … keep the files private, share with contacts, or make the files public.

The service currently offers 5GB, with a maximum upload file size of 50MB. Up to five files can be uploaded each time.

Wikipedia

Video: Demo: Windows Live SkyDrive

SkyDrive – homepage

Where’s the Google version, people are wondering. Not often MS beats them to the punch.

why Apple is sort-of evil

On By Rick McIn Apple, music, product complaints, product endorsementsLeave a comment

I’m all about the balanced journalism.

David Sykes made the scary (actually not that scary) leap to Linix, Ubuntu specifically, and now claims to be happy away from Mac.

He’s right. I wish I had the guts to do it.

Ubuntu is available pre-installed on computers from a number of different vendors, including Dell, Tesco, and System 76. …

… Besides standard system tools and other small applications, Ubuntu comes installed with the following software: the OpenOffice.org productivity suite, the Internet browser Firefox, the instant messenger Pidgin (formerly known as Gaim), and the raster graphics editor GIMP. …

Wikipedia

ubuntu.jpg
one Ubuntu desktop – Wikipedia

Many Linux users like Apple, but have reservations about the company. The iTunes / iPod monopoly, in particular:

Apple also has received criticism for its iPhone and iPod integration with iTunes for not facilitating creation of software to run and maintain those devices using different applications tools besides iTunes.

Similarly, Apple has not licensed its Fairplay DRM system to any other company, preventing users to listening to DRM protected music bought from sources other than the iTunes store. By not allowing other companies or individuals to interoperate with its DRM system, Apple prevents competition and divides the market. For that reason most other online music stores which use DRM use the Windows Media format, which is incompatible with Apple products.

Another common criticism of Apple is that its products are often not user serviceable, instead requiring they be returned to Apple for repairs and upgrades.[citation needed] Typical examples include the batteries in the iPod, iPhone and MacBook Air which are non-user replaceable, and the difficulty of installing simple upgrades (HDD, RAM etc) in older MacBooks.

Wikipedia

There are many serious complaints about lock down of iPhones too.

apple_lock-1.jpg

Any company with something of a monopoly is a problem for customers.

On the other hand, Apple has been astonishingly successful at popularizing technology. The design team, led by Jonathan Ive, is the best in Tech. I love the philosophy of “simplification” of complicated technology.

The Steve Jobs reality distortion field works for me.

One day I too will switch to Linux. But that day is far off yet, I think.

I resisted the iPod until last year. But, since then, I’ve been very happy with iTunes and iPod. It works perfectly.

Apple is somewhat evil, but I’ll stay a Mac Snob for now. Research shows Mac users think that they are ‘self important, extraordinary and more intellectually curious’. HEY — it ain’t bragging if it’s true.

If you might be interested in Ubuntu for yourself, check Dave’s comment below.

I have seen the future. And it is 3D.

On By Rick McIn movies, music, product endorsementsLeave a comment

When I was a young man, Gord Starchuk introduced me to a hip Irish Band. Their Album was called War.

Ever since, I’ve been a big fan of U2.

Bono may be preachy. But in rock music, who’s done more to improve the world? (U2 made it BIG at the same time as Bruce Springstein. But what’s Bruce done to change the world?)

I very much recommend you go see the new IMAX film U2 3D.

It’s fantastic. One I’ll include on my very short list of BEST concert movies:

Prince – Sign of the Times
The Band – The Last Waltz
Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense
Neil Young – Heart of Gold

(What am I missing?)

A rave review:

In fact, watching U2 3D—a concert film shot using digital 3-D multicamera technology during the South American leg of the band’s Vertigo tour—projected onto the museum’s giant Imax screen is perhaps the next best thing to actually being within fingers’ reach of the Edge’s ubiquitous wool cap. …

But U2 3D’s true achievement comes less from its cool gimmicks and perfect simulation of an environment than from the effect this optical illusion has on your perception of the band itself: The sensation of physical proximity imparts a newfound feeling of immediacy to the songs, making the delivery of every lyric feel fresh, heartfelt, almost raw. Even if you don’t wholeheartedly buy the politics of the man in the cool shades and blazer, when Bono belts out “Sunday Bloody Sunday” onscreen, it’s like falling in love all over again with the band. Goosebumps included.

Washingtonian

At times you feel you’re in a hologram. You can reach arms length and clean the smudge off Bono’s famous glasses. The potential for 3D technology is mind boggling.

Bono’s self-admittedly only an average vocalist. But Edge is one of greatest, innovative guitar stylists ever.

u2.jpg

official movie website