More New Stuff

The real upside of blogs being so incredibly popular now is that people are developing a ton of cool widgets for them.

New at the top of my sidebar is a Good Reads widget. It turns out that Good Reads, has also created a blog widget, which is displaying the books I am currently reading.

Now in addition to tracking what movies I am renting and what music I am listening to, you all can see what I am reading. As you can see I am currently reading "When You Are Engulfed In Flames" by David Sedaris and "The Expectant Father" by Armin Brott (which I've been slowly perusing throughout the entire pregnancy).

For now (not sure if I will leave them there) you can also see widgets displaying the books I've read and the ones I want to read as well.

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Never The Same

I just wanted to point out a really cool new feature on the blog.

Over at Jforsythe.com you can create a neat little widget which displays which movies you have at home from Netflix. You can see mine in the sidebar to the right.

Where it would have previously been Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Alias, and Criterion DVDs, I'm betting it's going to be a lot of Baby Einstein and Disney DVDs from here on out.

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New Feature

Check out the new banner above. That is my Zune Card.

With the new update to the Zune software (version 2.5), Microsoft has added this function which allows users to embed Zune Cards on web pages. So now you guys can see what I'm listening to.

If you guys are members of the Zune Social be sure to add me as a friend!

As with all new features, I'm sure there are kinks to be worked out. For instance, it appears that the tag is not refreshing with an regularity. Hopefully that is something Microsoft can work out soon. In any event, I think it's a pretty cool feature. They even added a Facebook application.

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A New Look

What do you guys think of the new look of the blog? It's actually not all that different. I saved the old template in case I want to go back. I'll see how I feel about this one for a while.

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Recommended Reading

If you guys get a chance, check out this site:

Passive Aggressive Notes

It's a hoot.

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Bad Blogging Times

This post is officially the 700th post here at Useless and Pointless Knowledge, spread over the last thirty-one months. That's a lot of posts.

In the last couple of days I've had ideas about things I've wanted to write and realized as I was gearing up to write them, "Wait a minute. I think I've already written this exact same post." And so I check the archives, and what do you know...there it is. Already written.

Not good.

Maybe it's just tax season rearing it's ugly head. Maybe it's nothing. I hope I'm not out of things to share.

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From The Beast

This is so offensive yet so funny.

The 50 Most Loathsome People in America

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Recommended Reading

If you're looking for a book recommendation and an incredibly well written post on the topic of love, I urge you to please read Scott's most recent post at On the Rocks. You won't regret it.

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Another Reminder: Why I Love Blogs

As I mentioned earlier, there are some fantastic blogs out there. One of my favorite daily stops is Go Fug Yourself. I don't particularly love celebrity gossip and I am not terribly interested in fashion but the authors of GFY are brutal, brilliant and among the meanest funny girls out there on the net.

This week they take on Lindsay Lohan's recent letter to (I'm not sure who she meant that letter to sent to) regarding the state of....something. It's such a jumbled mess that I'm not even entirely sure what her point was. The Go Fug Yourself Girls give the letter a thorough English-exam grading after the jump. The letter and the notations are so funny, please read both.

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Please Blog More

I'm not sure if all of you readers out there read any blogs other than mine, but I really hope you do. I don't say that to sound as self-centered as it does: as if "my blog is the only one worth reading for all of you" but because I'm not sure if you all enjoy the whole blog-thing the way I do.

If you read only one other blog out there, it should be Cute Overload. No one can not like the pictures there.

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New Find

It seems I'm constantly searching the internet for specific movie quotes. What I usually do is run a Google search for the script for that movie. This produces mixed results. Most of the time I can find what I need, but sometimes not.

As I was writing that last post, I wanted to use the quote I used and couldn't recall the precise wording (anyone recognize the quote?). In my search for it I came across The Internet Movie Script Database (new link added to right sidebar).

This is a very cool resource if you're into quotes.

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Tips For the New View

If you guys are having problems viewing the blog now that I've added the second sidebar, here are a few suggestions to make your viewing experience much easier.


(1) - Dowload and install Firefox. Internet Explorer can't hold a candle to Firefox. I haven't used the latest Internet Explorer 7, which I understand is supposed to contain a lot of major changes (maybe they're as good as the awesome new Windows Media Player 11, maybe not), but the latest version of Firefox is really impressive. The look and feel of the browser is streamlined and it even includes an embedded spell-checker. How cool is that? No more writing e-mails in Word and copying and pasting into your browser. Also, Firefox is widely recognized as a safer and superior internet browser.

(2) - Change your Screen Resolution display settings to 1280x1024 pixels. This makes everything on the screen smaller, and you may not want this, but this is the setting I use and I love it. I find it neat and clean. Start->Control Panel->Display->Settings tab->Screen Resolution box.

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More New Stuff

I've got a few new changes to the blog today. I changed my RSS feed from Blogger's standard RSS or Atom to Feedburner. You can subscibe by clicking the  RSS Feed button on the right sidebar.

Do any of you guys use feed readers? If you don't, you really might want to look into them. I've been using Newzcrawler for about two years now and I love it! I suggest finding one that you are comfortable with and using it like crazy. There isn't much need to pay for your local paper anymore.

To learn more about feed readers, and to view a list of free ones click to:

For those of you unsure what a "feed reader" is:

An aggregator or news aggregator or feed reader is client software that uses a web feed to retrieve syndicated web content such as weblogs, podcasts, vlogs, and mainstream mass media websites, or in the case of a search aggregator, a customized set of search results.

The following from About.com

RSS feed readers offer one of the most efficient ways to follow news, web site and software updates, newsletters, blogs and more. Many of the best news aggregators for Windows are available for free. Find them reviewed here.

1) Omea Reader

Omea Reader makes staying up to date with RSS feeds, Usenet news and web pages a smooth experience tailored to your reading style and organizing talent with search folders, annotations, categories and workspaces.

2) Awasu Personal Edition

Awasu Personal Edition is an extremely feature-rich RSS feed reader. The option to enhance it with plug-ins and hooks in particular makes Awasu a powerful aggregator, in spite of some limitations.

3) Bloglines

Bloglines is a great, web-based way to read RSS feeds. There's no software to wrestle with, and using Bloglines is smooth and easy. Unfortunately, searching and a few other features are missing.

4) Google Reader

Google Reader is a decidedly simple yet very usable and, thanks to a flexible labeling system, quite comprehensive web-based RSS feed reader.

5) RSS Bandit

RSS Bandit is a nice and very capable feed reader that lets you browse news in an organized fashion. Its flexibility, virtual folders and synchronization abilities are great, but it would be even greater if it integrated with Bloglines and NewsGator Online, too.

6) Squeet

Squeet delivers news items from RSS and Atom feeds to your email Inbox, integrating them nicely with other incoming "stuff" and exposing them to all the power of your email program while providing convenient subscription management itself. Unfortunately, Squeet emails themselves are not all that appealing and, worse, hard-coded to take up too much horizontal screen estate. More flexible delivery schedules would be great, too.

7) intraVnews

intraVnews makes Outlook read RSS feeds naturally, allowing for smart grouping, searching, filtering and archiving of news items and blog posts. Unfortunately, intraVnews' interface is not always straight forward, and the option to post news would be great, too.

8) SharpReader

SharpReader is a great RSS feed reader that knows how to organize news and blogs in their logical order to make following them easy. Virtual folders and searches would be logical next steps.

9) Mozilla Thunderbird

Mozilla Thunderbird is a fully featured, secure and very functional email client and RSS feed reader. It lets you handle mail efficiently and with style, and Mozilla Thunderbird filters away junk mail too.

10) BlogExpress

BlogExpress is a nice, simple and highly functional news reader. You can't currently use it to search news or work on individual items, though.

Continue reading "More New Stuff"

I Am Really In Trouble Now

I just added a second sidebar to the left of the blog. Now that I have two, there should be a lot more room to add cool stuff.

For instance you will notice five radio players beneath the links on the left hand sidebar. You can click play on them to listen to radio podcasts from IndieFeed.com.

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Long Time Coming

I finally updated my book log.

It hasn't been the best year for me reading. I haven't been nearly as active. I've read far fewer books this year than last year.

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This is Too Messed Up Not To Republish

This is a blog post taken from Mlle. Claire's MySpace blog. Can I just say...ugh!

Bone and bong are not same thing

HOW ON EARTH DID I MISS THIS?Teen Who Cut Off Corpse's Head To Make Bong Sentenced

June 29, 2006

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. -- A Vermont teenager has been sentenced to prison for breaking into a tomb and cutting the head off a corpse.

Nickolas Buckalew, 18, of Morrisville, Vt., pleaded guilty to two charges.

One was a felony count of intentionally removing or injuring a tombstone. The other was a felony charge of intentionally disinterring and carrying away the remains of a human body.

Buckalew was sentenced to between one and seven years in prison and was given credit for serving 14 months while awaiting trial.

On April 8, 2005, Buckalew broke into a tomb, opened the lid of a casket and cut off the head of a corpse. He stole eyeglasses and a bow tie from the dead man. He then wrapped the head in plastic bags and took it home, The Caledonian-Record reported.

The teen reportedly told friends that he planned to leave the head outside to dry and would then bleach it, a police affidavit said. The witnesses said his plan was to turn the skull into a bong -- a pipe generally used to smoke marijuana. Buckalew went to an apartment where some of his friends were and told them that he had chopped off the head because he was bored, according to The Caledonian-Record.

The witnesses said they then went to the tomb to see the casket and saw that the lid was removed and the body in the casket was headless.

Morristown said that while executing a search warrant at Buckalew..s home, they found a human head wrapped in bags, a necktie, a hacksaw, crowbar, garden trowel and two small parts of the damaged casket, according to the newspaper.

A psychiatrist has diagnosed Buckalew with mental health issues.

Dr. Philip Kinsler, a clinical psychologist and adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry at the Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, N.H., testified that Buckalew ..has always felt extraordinarily out of place" and that Buckalew said he tried to hang himself when he was a child.

After the incident, the victim's widow, the only family member in the area, was told of the vandalism.

"The widow was in shock," the chief of police said said. "She did not want any information. She did not want to know any details."

Buckalew addressed the court after his sentencing, saying, "It was a horrendous thing that I did -- what I did was appalling. I didn't think of the victim."

He went on to say he wants to get help for his mental problems.

He's been sent to a residential treatment program for juveniles.

Continue reading "This is Too Messed Up Not To Republish"

Vindication Tastes So Good...Like Chicken

Wow, I almost had to read this blog post twice to figure out if I wrote the damned thing myself! This guy feels exactly the way I do about this soup. I think I ate this can of soup for lunch every single day of 2004, and well into 2005.

From the new and very good Dethroner:

Of all the canned soup in the world, none stands higher than Campbell’s Chunky-brand Chicken Corn Chowder (or, the “5C”). It manages to overcome the curse of most canned chowders, staying creamy without tasting of chemical preservatives. The indestructible endosperm of the corn kernels adds a nice contrasting texture to the soggy potatoes typical of canned soups.

Imagine my horror when I tried the new “Smoked Chicken with Roasted Corn Chowder” variety to find it thick with nasty, chemical piling of fake “smoke” flavor. Would this new variety supplant my old standby, tasting as it did like something that dribbled from a lesser demon’s gnarled cock?

I wrote Campbell’s with my concern. Their reply:

We still do make the Regular Chunky Chicken Corn Chowder Soup. We are sorry to learn that you purchased our Campbell’s Chunky Ready-To-Serve Smoked Chicken with Roasted Corn Chowder by mistake. While some of our packages may be similar in appearance, the names of each product is clearly written on each package.

I can read, Campbell’s, you crooked-mouthed sluggards. You’re missing the point: Don’t ditch the marvelous 5C for this hideous wastewater-infused variant.

You may ask, “Haven’t you tried to make a chicken corn chowder at home?” I have, in fact, but even when buying top-quality ingredients, I find the home-made version lacking. If you have a corn chowder recipe that knocks socks off, I may need it should Campbell’s blame flagging sales of the 5C on their customers’ inability to read.

Continue reading "Vindication Tastes So Good...Like Chicken"

Exciting New Changes

Two exciting new changes have occured over in the sidebar.

First, if you'll notice Ed will now be home (free of the Army's clutches) in less than one year. As I write this the counter reads: 364 Days, 05 Hours, 16 Minutes, 43 Seconds. Stay safe Ed.

Second, I have added a new link to the "Never Take Sides Against the Family" links category. It is a new blog by the name of Salt Makers. Here is the author's description of the site:

Dear Friends,

You are cordially invited to view and contribute to the latest collaborative effort of Misters Scott and Zachary Sonnier, The Salt Makers.

http://saltmakers.blogspot.com/

The Salt Makers is a discussion forum, open to any and all, to discuss the topics of politics, pop culture and any other items of interest. You are invited to contribute to any discussion by responding to a post by any of our members, or by posting to the blog yourself. You may simply post a link to a news item you find of particular interest, or regale us with your opinion on the current farming techniques of Indo-China.

To become a contributing member, simply send a message to the site administrator at scott.sonnier[at]gmail.com.

All opinions are welcome, as are any disagreements. The purpose of this forum is to promote discord and discontent through rigorous debate.

"Debate and divergence of views can only enrich our history and culture." -Ibrahim Babangida

Thank you,

The Salt Makers Team

Continue reading "Exciting New Changes"

New Features

Periodically I am going to try to update you guys about new features on the blog that have become available with the move to Blogger Beta. I think they are pretty cool, and hopefully there will be more to come.

Labels
- You may notice at the bottom of each post, there are now terms seen near the comment button. These are labels. When I write a new post I select a label based on the content of the post and all posts with that label are grouped together. So, if you want to look through and read nothing but posts about my family, you would look on the sidebar and scroll down to the bottom to the section titled "Labels". You would then click on "Never Take Sides Against the Family" and would be taken to a page that looks just like this blog but contains nothing but posts about my family.

Links in New Windows
- You may have noticed that anytime you click on just about any link on this blog, the link opens in a new window. I write the blog this way because that's how I like my links to open. Maybe you don't? If not, you can now scroll down and look on the sidebar just beaneath the drop down box containing my archives (the one that now says "September 2006") and you will see a box with a check in it. If the box has a check in it, all links will open in new windows. If there is no check in the box, all links will open in the same window in which you are viewing the blog. I'm not sure why you would want to do that though, because that means that you would just have to click the back button to come back here, and you are coming back here, right?

Counter
- I mentioned the new counter in my last post, but thought it deserved a mention here as well.

That's all for now. Hopefully I will have many more new features to try in the coming months.

Continue reading "New Features"

Regularly Scheduled Maintenance

Hey guys, I have officially (for now) moved this blog to the new Blogger Beta for a test run. If Google can keep Beta working well I'll keep it here, but if there are still too many problems, I am going to switch back to Blogger Classic until the bugs are fixed.

For now, they haven't implemented a feature to migrate or import the old blog to a new blog, so all of my old posts are still stuck on the old blog which is hosted on Blogger Classic. I seriously doubt that anyone reads my archives (hell I barely look back at them) but IF you are looking for them, they can be found at http://uselessandpointlessarchives.blogspot.com. The link to that can be found on the sidebar as well.

If you notice the blog looking weird/messed up, can you leave a comment to let me know about it. An e-mail will work too.

Thanks.

Also, I have changed the way comments work. You guys can either register with Blogger Beta to leave comments, or leave them as "Other". When you click other you will see a space to fill in your name and web address.

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