Be a Barenaked Lady
I think this is incredibly cool, even though it’s a simple idea. Barenaked Ladies spent the last couple of months recording a new album. They have about 29 songs mixed up and ready to go for a release in September. That’s nice, but here’s the cool part. One of the tracks – Easy – is available in a multi-track downloadable format on their web site for $2.95. It gives fans a chance to take the component sound tracks and make their own remix, mash-ups, whatever. After that, you can upload your new mix and listen to other people’s remix versions of the song. If you have something like GarageBand, Acid, Fruity Loops, etc. It’s pretty simple and fun to do. Check it...
A computer, beer, and an explosion
Have you ever wondered how to get rid of an old computer? There are a number of recycling options, but none of them are as interesting, fun, and potentially dangerous as the method used in this video.
Auditors Lose Credit Card Data
I just read a news article warning that thousands of Hotels.com customers from 2004 may be subject to identity fraud because their information was on a laptop stolen from an auditor’s car. Ernst & Young is the outside auditor. The laptop contained names, addresses, and credit card numbers for 243,000 customers. The auditor didn’t take the simple security precaution of encrypting the data or his hard drive. Even if you only have one transaction with a vendor, they keep your name, address, and credit card number for years. Is that ethical? What use does a vendor have to keep my credit card information if I don’t authorize another transaction? The sad truth is that you do not own your identity. The attributes that identify you are there for...
Zach Attacks
Zach is the youngest of my three dogs, so it’s no surprise that he’s the most curious. You can’t blame him for instincts bred into his pedigree. He’s a retriever. He brings things back. When Zach is outside, he brings things back to my patio. It’s covered with palm fronds that he’s ripped off my sable palm. He’s brought branches twice his size into the patio. Sometimes he digs things up and brings them to the patio. There’s half of a rusty barbell weight that some previous owner left outside. I’ve been hear seven years and never noticed it, but Zach found it and brought it to the patio. In addition to digging and retrieving, Zach likes to chew. He’s previously chewed through the power cable...
iPod Dilemma
As if I haven’t donated enough money to Apple lately, I’ve been jonesing for a new iPod lately. There’s no logical reason for it. My current 60gb iPod Photo is sufficient to play my music. It sounds great, and I take it in the car with me all the time. However, it’s not new. My iPod doesn’t play video. My iPod is twice as thick as the current iPod. My iPod is heavier than the current iPod. My iPod just isn’t new. Think of the joy I could bring to others by playing video on my iPod. After all, look at my collection. I have video from The Man Show of girls jumping on trampolines – arguably the finest concept ever produced on television. I have video podcasts, like Strong Bad’s Email or Ask a Ninja. Some of...