Owner: Steven Bao's Blog URL:http://www.stevenbao.com/ Join Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2006 21:00:04 -0500 Rating:1 Site Description: Steven Bao's Blog of math, entrepreneurship, webdesign, and other stuff. Technology news is here, as well as webdesign tips, business news, and the occasional useful math thing. Web development in PHP and MySQL is also talked about. Site statistics:Click here
imeem: The Best of Social Media 2006-10-20 05:52:20
Let me introduce you to imeem. Its tagline is “The Best of Social
Media”. And let me tell you what I think is the importancy of this service. It’s better than Friendster. It’s better than MySpace. It’s better than Facebook. Look, this is absolutely amazing. So it is the Best of Social Media
.
Video. Music. Playlists. Photos. Blogs. Tags. Meems. People. That’s their navigation bar.
I don’t know how they managed to finish the PHP or whatever, but this is most excellent. It blends the feature-richness of MySpace with the reliability and simplicity of Facebook. This is social networking perfection. This is true Social Networking web2.0.
It also has a nice client software for itself, as a software download. I have not tried it yet, but it is for Windows and Mac.
And of course, imeem also has privacy options. Excellent.
So check it out for yourself. Get an account and start mingling. It’s pretty amazing. Add me on the way
Internet Explorer 7 Released 2006-10-19 21:27:15
Microsoft has released their official, new version of InternetExplorer
, Internet Explorer
7. (download it.) New Look! Tabs! Printing!(?) RSS! Search! Security (*cough*in under 24 hours a security patch was released*cough*)
It actually looks pretty… awesome. In the words of Adam Pash from Lifehacker:
To get a better idea of the kind of milestone the IE7 release is, keep in mind that IE6 was released way back in August of 2001. So the question is, has Microsoft spent all this time polishing a turd, or do they have something good to offer. (citeback)
There are bound to be problems with rendering pages and such, though it does (finally!) have PNG Alpha Channel support, and *better* CSS support.
In conclusion, it looks pretty good, the features presented are pretty nice, though I have not personally tried it myself. If you have a Windows machine, you might want to grab a copy if you wish.
Jump2Mail: Multi-Email Aggregator 2006-10-11 00:27:26
Jump2Mail is like a web-based Thunderbird - you can add multiple email addresses and it gets the emails from them. It has nice features, such as planning features, tasks, anti-spam filtering, contacts, bookmark management, and RSS aggregation. It looks much better than Horde - but is it really? It is taking a long time to get email from an IMAP server - it still says “Chargement en cours.” It looks promising with its nice Ajax interface, but is it really good enough and fast enough to switch to? Read more:Multi
, Email
, Aggregator
MapQuest Beta Released 2006-10-07 21:00:12
In the midst of the pwnage of Google Maps MapQuest is getting back in the game by finally adding some interactivity to their maps. Their new maps have Javascript - meaning they are draggable, just like in Google Maps. MapQuest also adds aerial views - just like Google Maps’ Satellite View. It’s almost just like Google Maps with the instant zoom bar, switching between aerial and street views, etc. Check it out, though it might not be as good as Google Maps, it will be good for the people that don’t know what Google Maps is.
Windows Vista RC2 Released 2006-10-07 20:35:58 WindowsVista
Release Candidate 2 has been released. This seems to be the last pre-shipping version that is released. Of course, it is only available to “Technical Beta Testers, TAP Testers, and MSDN/TechNet subscribers” but it looks like it is possible to download it without one. This is because that on their release page they say that “UPDATE: Windows Vista
RC2 is now available to Customer Preview Program participants for a limited time. If you're in the CPP use these links to access RC2…”
This new build of Windows Vista offers users a higher level of performance and stability - improving what was established in Windows Vista RC1. We were able to also fix many of your bugs reported from RC1 and implement them for RC2. Thank you to our beta testers for the bugs and feedback you submitted for RC1. The improvement shows as we raised our quality bar even higher!
Grab it quick, it might not be there anymore. Or, you might not want it anyway. Your cal
Facebook: More Privacy Features May Make Stalking Easier 2006-09-23 09:09:55 Today at 3:00 AM EDT I noticed that Facebook
added a few new privacy features.
Last week we asked you guys what privacy controls you thought were necessary for the upcoming expansion. We read all of your suggestions and we have built these controls:
Hide yourself from all people in a type of network (e.g. people only in a region, high schoolers) in searches.
Prevent people in those networks from messaging, poking and adding you as a friend.
Control whether your picture shows up in your search listing.
These controls are all under the Search section of the My Privacy
page. As always, please send us feedback here.
As usual, I send an email to them for thanks.
Facebook,
Thanks for implementing the new privacy features. I do believe that they are necessary, though they are making Facebook a bit more closed. Which, if the users like it, is good. But please, consider the implications of these moves; please see my blog article (http://stevenbao.com/facebook-more-privacy-features-may-mak Read more:Stalking
Trezr: Share the Wealth 2006-09-23 08:53:08
Trezr is a digg-like site where people can submit articles and people vote on them, and the best go on the front page. Only with Trezr (pronounced “treasure”) you submit deals, coupons, and tips, in a highly organized way with comments enabled. An article/item starts with a silver coin with 1 trezr (you) and if it gets to a gold coin (4 trezrs as of this writing) it goes on the front page. Very useful - deals are good … deals, coupons are coupons online and in stores, and tips are money articles and tips. Obviously.
There is also a weblet thing (like a widget) that shows your Trezrs, your posts on Trezr, or the top stories.
.weblet_header {font-size:1em;} .weblet_link {display:block;color:#337ca5;} .weblet_empty {color:#999;font-style:italic;padding:0 5px;text-align:center;margin-bottom:20px;}
deals from trezr.com
add this to your site
What might appeal to a few people is the Revenue Sharing program.
You credibility rating is currently at 1.5, which means you Read more:Share
, Wealth
Verizon Modem Returned 2006-09-19 00:51:12 Verizon returned the modem to me (the one I sent back for a replacement.)
Dear Customer [sic]: We are returning to you the merchandise that you recently returned to us. We were unable to accept the return of this merchandise and issue a refund, credit or replacement for the following reason(s):
Product: DW6100VOL
Quantity: 1
Reject Reason: Returned Product’s condition is not acceptable.
MODEM IS IN UNACCEPTABLE CONDITION.
If you wish to discuss this matter further, you may contact us at 800-567-6789 to speak to a Customer Service Representative.
Customer Service Department
First of all, Verizon, you have the worst DSL service in Cambridge, and probably the rest of the nation. So I would like to say the following thing to you:
YOU SUCK
Thank you for your cooperation. I will discuss this matter further with a Customer Service Representative; i.e. I will send the modem to you again. Read more:Verizon
, Modem
Facebook Reforms News Feed 2006-09-08 23:43:33 Due to the overwhelming response to the “stalker-ish” News Feed, a new feature implemented into Facebook
, I wrote an email to Facebook.
Facebook,
Look. I like the new Facebook. Newsfeeds are innovative. It shows what you and your friends’ statuses are, and when they change. They deliver news about new groups, friendships, and comments. Essentially subscribe to your friends’ notes. People have the choice to stay out of the newsfeed by deleting entries. Which, in my opinion, keeps the privacy part of Facebook still intact.
I believe that this has gotten out of control. Facebook goes out of their way to be innovative and have this extremely ingenious feature that lets you interact with your friends in ways you did not think possible. In other words, the common Facebook user cannot spot changes of anothers’ profile efficiently. To get changes, they go to everyone’s profile and see if anything changed.
In my view, the Newsfeed changes all of that.
It Read more:Reforms
killtown.911review.org Questions 9/11 2006-10-30 01:14:07 I don’t mean to try to disprove any 9/11 theories, but this site is strongly convincing that something is strange about Flight 77, Flight 93, and 9/11. Warning: Conspiracy Theory Links Follow!
Killtown (F77) Killtown (F77) Killtown (F93) Killtown (Coincidences and Oddities)
Also Reference: OverthrowTheGovernment.org Read more:review
Bush Signs Bill Enabling Martial Law 2006-10-30 00:34:28
In a stealth maneuver, President Bush has signed into law a provision which, according to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), will actually encourage the President to declare federal martial law (1). It does so by revising the Insurrection Act, a set of laws that limits the President’s ability to deploy troops within the United States. The Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C.331 -335) has historically, along with the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C.1385), helped to enforce strict prohibitions on military involvement in domestic law enforcement. With one cloaked swipe of his pen, Bush is seeking to undo those prohibitions. (source: Toward Freedom)
Read On
This is starting to feel like the Weimar Republic’s Weimar ConstitutionArticle 48:
In the event a state government failed to fulfil its obligations under the constitution or Reich law, the President could use armed force to compel the state to do so. Furthermore, in the event of a serious threat to public safety or Reich security, t Read more:Martial
OMG Fake Boarding Pass! Arrest me! 2006-10-30 04:18:38
In the wake of the guy that wrote a fake boarding pass generator that was arrested, I have decided to bring back the project and create another one!
The above is just a preview!
I will be releasing a generator for this fake boarding pass soon! FBI (and others if interested), please add my blog to the websites you monitor and/or subscribe to my RSS feed! (w00t +1 reader!)
I hope I don’t get the FBI on my ass! Oh wait, maybe I will with this ridiculous attempt to create fake boarding passes! OMG!!!!!!!1!1!!oneone!1!!!11!1on!!1!eleven!11!!</n00bsp33k>
Boing Boing has background on this topic, if you are interested or don’t know what the hell I am talking about. Also, about the B-B-B part, see P-P-P-Powerbook! Read more:Boarding
, Arrest
How to Stay Up Late? 2006-10-31 06:15:13 It’s 1 in the morning now (or something) and I have an essay due on Wednesday that I have not even started on the essay. I was just wondering if anyone had any techniques they have to be able to stay up late. All I know is that as time passes it is exponentially harder to stay focused and not drift off to sleep. (Duh.) So, does anyone have any good techniques on how to stay up late?
I have rebooted. 2006-11-01 19:25:06 I have rebooted. As a part of CSSReboot I have rebooted the website. Also check out Paul’s site.
CSSReboot: The Best Reboots 2006-11-02 04:51:26 CSSReboot has happened. Many great designs have been submitted. I’d like to showcase a few.
This website is clean, simple, and really nice. It also has a nice layout.
This is clean and modern, and I like the color contrast and curves.
I left a comment for Jonathan on the CSSReboot website: “Nice design! The layout is very good. Clean and simple, very nice!” ‘Nuff said. We can’t miss the Snook guy, he’s a genius at this stuff.
Another big name in webdesign, Six Shooter Media rolls out a new, nice, and orangy site for the Reboot. Nice work, I love it.
It’s weird naming Paul’s site as one of my favorite, but it’s pretty insane. So I shamelessly plug it.
Terry Ng redesigns Kineda again. Every redesign I’m like… Damn! that’s nice. Including this one.
Last but not least, JSBox, a clean, minimalistic design. Very nice gradients and color scheme.
Every year CSSReboot gets better. This year was not an outlier
US Citizens to be Required Clearance to Leave US 2006-11-04 16:50:46 US Citizens
to be required CLEARANCE to leave the US This is ridiculous. “Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union are two countries in recent history that didn’t allow their citizens to travel abroad without permission.” WTF! Read more:Clearance
, Leave
Meebo Release XX 2006-11-04 16:04:06 Meebo releases their latest version of its service, which includes a new user interface and some upgrades. more Read more:Meebo
, Release
No! Not Comcast! 2006-11-05 00:45:28 No! My parents switched Phone and Internet to Comcast
from Verizon! NO! Why, you ask, is this bad? Harder to get more important item - Macbook Pro - they’ll be saying that they already have switched to Comcast and they won’t help me buy me a new laptop.
Sign the Petition to Support H.R. 4232 2006-11-05 02:00:29 Sign the Petition to Support
H.R. 4232 H.R.4232 would prohibit further use of Defense Department funds to deploy United States Armed Forces to Iraq.
Looking Back On: 17 October 2006 2006-11-06 21:25:25 Looking Back On: 17 October
2006: Rogue Regime Rides Roughshod over Human Rights and Free America will end on Tuesday 10/17. Doesn’t this sound a bit like… uh… Read more:Looking Back
Google "will be able to keep tabs on us all' 2006-11-06 21:13:43 Google ‘will be able to keep tabs on us all’ “The internet will hold so much digital data in five years that it will be possible to find out what an individual was doing at a specific time and place, an expert said yesterday.” Uhh… Read more:Google
Iraq War Cost 2006-11-06 21:11:28 Iraq War Will Cost More-than-$2-Trillion “More than 2,500 American troops have died and close to 20,000 have been wounded…” Look at it this way, cost vs. benefit. Sure, you “freed” the Iraqis, but uh, couldn’t the rest of that 2 TRILLION be spent on alternative energy instead of OIL!? Read more:Iraq
, Iraq War
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