Tech Parent: Remember the Milk
One of the things that despite solid offering for e-mail, and Calendar kept me locked into Microsoft Outlook was Tasks (or To-dos). Yes there are a few different offerings out there of a Web 2.0 nature, but nothing that integrated with other offerings very well. That was until I discovered RememberTheMilk.com. Remember the Milk is brilliant in its simplicity and ease of use. But, that is not the end of it. It can integrate into your Google Calendar, it has features called SmartLists (basically pre-sets like “all tasks due in next 2 weeks, 1 month, etc”), you can share tasks with others.. all for free. And if you go for a Pro Account, you will be able to sync Remember The Milk with your Windows Mobile, Blackberry or even Apple iPhone.
There are plenty of places that have given full reviews of Remember The Milk, so I am not going to give you a full run down. It is a to-do list and Task manager. You know what it does (basically). Sign up (its free), and give it a try… and you may never forget the milk on your way home again.
It will be interesting to see what Windows Live Mesh will bring to the table with the ability to sync data “across the cloud” but until it is fleshed out a bit more, and the direction clear, I will stick with Remember The Milk for all my tasks.
Of course, as with many small Web 2.0 companies, particularly those still in Beta, or of unknown financial status, I would not keep anything in this or any other site that would be devastating if it was lost. Keep duplicates, or synchronize with another source, but never trust your only copy of critical data out of your own control.
A Diet guarenteed to work… if you dare.
OK, if you are like me you have gone on plenty of diets, tried “everything” but “nothing worked.” Most of the times, if we are honest, we probably do something to sabotage it without even realizing we are doing it. But I believe I may have found a cure. The only question becomes, if you have the “stomach” to see it through.
My idea stems from a book I heard about recently, Everything I ate for a Year. We all have some sort of camera at our disposal at virtually all times, whether it be that little point and shoot, or is there a phone left that doesn’t include a camera in it nowadays? So, do exactly what that author did. Whenever you are about to put something in your mouth, whether it is a cup of coffee, a “little snack” or whatever it is, if it is going to go in your mouth, take a picture.
This solves to different issues. Issue one, you have documentation of everything you have put in your mouth (assuming you don’t “skip” a few pictures), and it will help you see what you are actually consuming on a daily basis. The second potential helpful benefit, is that you may even start questioning whether the calories are “worth” having to take a picture and add it to your collection. (Or should you be particularly daring, and post it to a collection on say Flickr, “Is it worth letting people know that I eat that junk?”)
What do you think… would photographing every single thing you put in your mouth deter you from eating more?
Friday Foccacia
Help Wanted - This one isn’t a link. I have been a bit lagging on my posting lately because I am working on a new endevour that I have been wanting to work on for quite some time. A new Podcast. Any tips or tricks on setting everything up would be greatly appreciated. I have been looking at MightySeek’s PodPress plugin for WordPress, any opinions to share?
Go ahead, defend DRM now - Microsoft announced that it is taking offline the License Servers that handle the DRM (Digital Rights Management) for the now defunct msn Music store. Once that happens, anybody who “purchased” music from the store will only be able to listen to it on the devices it currently resides on. So if that PC holding your music dies, too bad, your music is history, and you would have to go buy it again. Once again proving that you do not “own” music that is bogged down with DRM. While the music labels may like this idea, it is just plain stupid in today’s day and age. Just another reason, I am now using Amazon for my music purchases.
You must be a terrorist - Freedom? Protection against unreasonable searches? You must be some sort of terrorist or pedophile with something to hide, right? No matter, according to Ars Technica, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has decided that US Customs agents have the right to take your laptop and search it without reason. Only your alimentary canal is safe against search without cause. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Bad Wiring? - BusinessWeek offered pure speculation on Dell acquiring Radio Shack. While most stories I have seen talk about how it would ruin Dell, or be bad for Dell, I am more terrified of what Dell would do to Radio Shack. I mean, you could be sure that the days of being able to buy circuit boards, and wiring would be over. Where would millions of kids get their parts for science projects?
TechParent Editorial: Alltop? Make it Stop already!
I feel very lonely, no I am not completely alone, there are others (well at least two here and here). But it was this glowing over the top “review” that was the straw the broke the camel’s back. I’ve had a lot of thoughts about Alltop, and none of them are positive.
I have seen nothing at Alltop, that would make it stand on its own if Guy’s name wasn’t attached to it. As a matter of fact there are very similar sites already that you could say it is a KNOCKOFF of, and that most people probably haven’t heard of, such as popurls.com or Web 2.0 Workgroup. Never heard of them? My point exactly. Not that there is anything wrong with them per se, they are RSS aggregators. Whoo Hoo! They are not the “next big thing” even if Guy’s name is attached.
Many are bragging about the traffic it brings, but this really reminds me a lot of the old “Web Rings” that were popular with some web sites a long time ago. Yes, they brought some traffic for a little while, that traffic basically was the other members of the web ring (or in this case, other people that are listed at Alltop.com). Much like a multi-level-marketing plan, it almost looks real at first, but eventually the house of cards tumble.
The layout and design is neither time saving, nor customizable enough of experience to make it useful, it is difficult to read, and the “one-page” paradigm is washed out by lots of longs scrolling.
Then, and this may sound a bit bitter, but hear me out. There are some blogs and sites (some of which I read mind you), which are listed on Alltop, which just make me scratch my head, and say if that is the “Top” there is something wrong. Now again, this is not about me being bitter. I know damn well, I don’t belong on any “top” list at this point. I certainly hope to share things with people, and I hope some even find some value in this blog, but when the day is done, I realize what this blog is. It is more of a social medium than anything else. I share bits of knowledge I have garnered and I get some advice when I am stuck by a few readers. That does not qualify this blog as “top” of anything. I saw a comment go by on Twitter the other day saying, “Just ask Guy, I’m sure he will add you if you ask him.” Oh, I see this is what it takes to be a “top” site on the web today? Give me a break.
In the end it is a novelty that will go nowhere once Guy moves on to his next project, and the people listed, stop coming back to prove how worthy they are to be on “the list.” A few sites will continue to have the “badge” long after anybody cares any longer, much likes some old sites that still have links to web rings that have long since stopped being updated, but it won’t matter because nobody will click on it anyway.
Just Because… OK?
I’ve been stewing on this one a while, and while I have made mention of it before, it was always just more of an afterthought; but after encountering it yet again this past weekend, I think I have finally had enough. By now I am sure most of you (well all three of you), are saying “get to the point” so I will. Why is it that “everybody” (especially it seems older people, and for some reason very religious people) seem to have this particularly invasive idea that they have the right (or almost responsibility) to inquire about your reproductive plans? Oh, and if that isn’t enough, then they are going to judge you on it based on what they have determined is the “right” thing.
When TheWife and I were first married, it was the constant (and somewhat typical) question of “when are you going to start a family?” The fact that we waited 6 years was almost unconscionable to some people and family members. I won’t even get into what my poor sister has to go through since she and her husband have opted to not have children. For these people, can I just point out that people actually get married for reasons other than to start pushing out children.
Of course, fortunately the reason that we did not have a child right away was because of choice. I know (both in real life, and many others that I have come to know through blogging) that haven’t because of medical problem. This of course serves to act as a big slap in the face, and can (and usually does) open some painful emotions in people struggling to have a child, when these reproductive nazis…er… well intended individuals, come along and decide to poke their noses in and demanding answers.
Lately, the new question has come up about when are we going to have another child (now with the extra bonus of them reminding me that I am not getting any younger). The incredulous looks and shocked to downright snarky replies we get when we say we are done with one is a sight to behold. You would think that I had just put an end to the chances of the human race’s chance of survival. Then they begin the prodding, because they all need to know the “real” reason. Is it physical problems? Is there something wrong with LatteGirl that makes of afraid of another child? Is it money? (because apparently when you have enough kids, you can live on love) Wouldn’t it be easier to have more if TheWife didn’t work? (That one of course is insulting on assorted levels and goes into other issues I am not going to touch now) They just cannot accept that this was the choice we made. I had somewhat jokingly come up with the response of “We can only afford to raise and spoil one properly” just to try and head off the amount of time I would have to deal with their probing questions. But to be honest, I am tired of using it as an answer, because I see no reason that I should feel compelled to answer.
The answer is “Just Because” and I am done with it. LatteGirl is quite well adjusted thank you, and I know plenty of other only children at various stages of life to know that being an only child does not guarantee that they will not know how function in society as you seem to like to claim. While I like to use the term, somewhat loosely “spoiled” she certainly isn’t. She knows and has boundaries, she can play well with others, and is able to wait her turn, and doesn’t expect to always be first, just because that is “what she has always known” without competition from siblings. I don’t question your choice to have more than one child, even if it means going beyond your financial means (well, except for you Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar!! 17 kids? WTF is wrong with you people?) .
While I am busy annoying people today, let us take a side rant here. Why is it that people are against the use of condoms, or birth control because it “messes up” some divine plan, and that if “god” (or your personal choice of term) sees fit to bless you with a child, you should not “interfere” with this plan… but yet these same people seem to have absolutely no problem with fertility clinics and drugs that attempt to help in difficult situations (just to be clear, I do not have a problem with EITHER situation, I just don’t understand why messing with “the plan” is OK when you want to have a child, but not when you don’t). Simiarly confusing to me is why there is nobody protesting, bombing or trying to shame men that go to a place that offers a vasectomy. Doesn’t that mess with “the plan” as well?
What does this little side rant have to do with anything? Well, it really all ties up quite nicely in the end… Stay the hell out of our choices. My wife and I will choose what is best for us. And the only reason I will give from now on is “Just Because!”
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