Who blocks the (ad) blockers? | Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone

Apparently, I’m a thief.  Like hundreds thousands millions gazillions of other users out there, I use the Ad-Block Plus extension for Firefox.  It effectively removes all advertising images and links from any website I go to.  Turns out that the web companies that receive income from these ads don’t like you to not be able to see the links they paid so much for. 

I’m not real media-savvy, but isn’t that a risk they run when paying for ads?  That a certain percentage of their intended audience won’t see them?  When I sit down to watch Dog the Bounty Hunter on A&E, and it’s time for  a commercial, I can take my trusty remote and flip to ESPN where, hopefully, they aren’t showing any commercials.  When I think that a sufficient time has passed and Dog is back on, I can flip back to it and watch him catch some bad guys.  Isn’t there some choice involved in what I view?  How is that any different than ads on websites? 

Turnabout is fair play, I suppose.  Now there’s a guy who is blocking Firefox users because Mozilla allows ad-blockers to be used with that browser.  Is this what is meant by “browser wars?”

Who blocks the (ad) blockers? | Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone

Cool trick with the Gimp

I’ve been experimenting with a cool open-source graphics editor called The Gimp, and I came across this cool hand-colored effect from Gimp Guru.  It’s a cliche, I know, having a black-and-white background with a color subject, but I thought this shot during our summer portrait session turned out really cool.  In this case, it’s a sepia-effect for the background, which makes the stark mid-Columbia river terrain look like an authentic old photo.  Click on the thumbnail to see the real thing:

Sad milestone

It was ten years ago today that Rich Mullins died in a car accident.  His music is timeless, and I’ve looked to it again and again over the years to help me get through the rough spots. The world of CCM is often shallow and devoid of real spiritual substance.  Mullins wrote music that both  emanated from the Word of God and touched the soul of those who paused to listen.

Nyquil-induced fog

Must…go…to…bed…

Mario Danelo: One Final Kick – TrojanWire

I’m not a copy-and-paste guy, but I can’t add any more to this story than what’s already here.  Read on:

Something special happened Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; something that carried more weight than USC’s 38-10 victory over the Idaho Vandals. After holding the Vandals to a punt in the opening drive of the game, the Trojans set in motion a ten play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by 3-yard touchdown run by sophomore Stafon Johnson. It was the first touchdown of the season and the coliseum roared with applause. The first of a long line of touchdowns that, many hope, will culminate in a national championship for the USC Trojans.

But it wasn’t the first touchdown that will resonate in the minds’ of those in attendance. It wasn’t Booty or Stafon Johnson or any other Trojan who played at the coliseum that September 1st…but rather who was missing from the roster that will be remembered. Immediately following the touchdown, everything seemed normal. The Trojan extra-point unit ran out, taking the usual formation on the field. But something was missing -or rather somebody.

There was no kicker to be found.

At first, every person in the stands was hollering about such an obvious mistake. Then, one by one, they started to quiet as everybody realized what was taking place. The statement the team was trying to make was slowly sinking in. And in moments the coliseum fell completely silent.

The referees were finally forced to throw their flags, charging the Trojans with delay of game and a 5-yard penalty.

USC kicker Mario Danelo died tragically on January 6th, 2007. The players had asked coach Carroll if it would be okay to leave the first kick for him. It was a kick that everyone felt rightfully belonged to Danelo; a kick, however, that could never be taken. But it was in this simple moment of silence that the USC Trojans found the perfect way for Mario Danelo to enter the coliseum, and take a bow for the Trojans for one final time.

Mario Danelo: One Final Kick – TrojanWire

Update: Here’s the YouTube record of this tribute:

The speller of the family

Saturday, we traveled down to the Oregon State Fair so that my youngest son could participate in the state spelling contest.  Last spring, he won the county level, which earned him the right to compete at state.  They only announced the top three winners, and he wasn’t one of them, but he said he knew most of the words.  Afterward, he was interviewed by one of the local television news anchor guys who emceed the event.  He was asked what his favorite kind of music was.  He replied, “Mmm…Classic rock, mostly.”  A kid after my own heart. 

State spelling contest

WordPress › Blog » WordPress 2.3 Beta 1

Looks like this next release will be out end of September some time.  I used to dread upgrading my custom WordPress installs, now it’s kind of a matter of pride in knowing my blogs have the latest versions.  I’m such a weirdo geek.

WordPress › Blog » WordPress 2.3 Beta 1

Technorati tags: WordPress, blogging, software, open source

100 Things About Me

Mark Lee of Third Day did this thing on his blog where he posted 100 things about himself.  I thought I would see if I could do it.  Here goes:

1. I still have no idea what this blog is about or what to do with it.
2. I have two boys, 15 and 11.  They wear the same size clothes.
3. I own an Intrepid.  I’d like to get a pick-up soon.
4. My dad and I are going to build a computer together.
5. Dog the Bounty Hunter is my favorite show.
6. Make that 2nd favorite.  I dig Beaver football more.
7. I have no dreams to travel.  That said, I would like to have some some day.
8. I play piano/keyboards.
9. I play the trombone.
10. I play bass guitar…kinda.
11. When I was in college, our marching band performed at halftime of a Seahawks game. 
12. We got to watch the game at ground level.
13. Steve Largent caught a pass about twenty yards from me.
14. My son just bought the new Police cd.  When he’s asleep tonight, I’m going to sneak into his room and put it onto my iTunes.
15. Ditto White Stripes.
16. I had a bike wreck this summer and landed on my head.  Good thing I was wearing a helmet.  Otherwise, I’d be sipping pureed soup through a straw right now.
17. The only thing that still hurts is my knee.
18. I’m 40.  I feel it, especially after that bike wreck.
19. I used to be a music teacher.
20. I’m now a school counselor.
21. Soon I hope to be a school principal.
22. I played one year of high school football. 
23. I was a tight end, and I caught the winning touchdown pass in our very first game of the season. 
24. My season pretty much went downhill from there.
25. I once bet a guy a pizza I couldn’t date ten girls my senior year.
26. I lost…just barely.
27. I still owe the guy the pizza.
28. I like cheese.
29. I pretty much like most dairy products.
30. I like vegetables, but I’m kinda picky about them.
31. Broccoli, spinach, carrots and green beans are all on my favorites list. 
32. Tomatoes, onions, peppers and squash are pretty much out the window for me.
33. I own a 7-Up bottle that commemorates the 1977 Portland Trailblazers NBA Championship.
34. I have no idea why I kept it all these years.
35. I’m a third of the way done with this list.
36. Dances with Wolves is my favorite movie.
37. The Shawshank Redemption is a close second.
38. I much prefer Facebook to MySpace.
39. I listen to Car Talk, usually on my iPod.
40. I lost 58 pounds earlier this year.
41. I have been divorced…twice.
42. I’m proud of #40, but not #41.
43. My very first car was a 1982 Dodge Omni.
44. I own a Korg N1 music synthesizer.
45. I also own a Korg i3 music workstation.
46. I usually wear ankle socks, but occasionally I enjoy the longer ones.
47. I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.
48. I love my job–I have a great staff where I work.
49. The Oregon Coast is my favorite place to be.
50. I’m halfway done with this thing.
51. I was luckier than most kids when I was growing up; I had more than two sets of grandparents.
52. My youngest brother is 36, my oldest brother is 52.
53. I also have two sisters who are 48 and 50.
54. I’m not sure they would want me to tell you how old they all are.
55. Payback’s tough–they used to pin me to the ground and tickle me until I screamed.
56. I’m pretty sure I’m permanently scarred from that experience.
57. I haven’t put up a Christmas tree in two years.  Long story that I may get into some time.
58. I once hit a half court shot in a high school basketball game to end the first half of the game.
59. We ended up winning that game by 2 points.
60. I once broke a cordless phone by smashing it against a brick wall.  I was angry at the time.
61. I’m proud of #58, but not #60.
62. My favorite bat in high school was a 34 inch Easton.  I hit a couple of home runs with it.
63. By the time I was out of college, I had been to Hawaii, Washington DC, and California (twice) by being involved in performing groups.
64. I used to balance my checkbook to the penny.
65. Now I just guesstimate.
66. I’m not sure when I changed, or even why.
67. We used to call our math teacher in high school ET because those were his initials.
68. He kept a little action figure of ET the Extra-terrestrial on his desk.
69. I wouldn’t have gotten through college math if I hadn’t had him as a teacher in high school.
70. The first vinyl record album I owned was Bill Cosby’s Why Is there Air?  I rescued it from a trash can.  I was like 7.
71. The first cassette tape I owned was Billy Joel’s 52nd Street.
72. The first cd I owned was Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms.
73. The first album I downloaded on iTunes was Switchfoot’s Nothing Is Sound.
74. Doing 100 Things About Me is a lot tougher than it looks.
75. I can cook a few things pretty well.  My best is stir fry, and I make a pretty mean pasta salad.
76. I drove a total of 27,000 miles in two years to earn my Master’s degree.
77. I consider U2 to be the greatest rock band of all time, and The Joshua Tree to be the greatest album ever recorded. 
78. Beatles fans need not comment.
79. The Police are the second greatest rock band of all time.
80. See #78.
81. I get really creative when I’m pumped full of caffeine and haven’t had much sleep.
82. I’m like that right now.
83. I’m not ready for school to start on Monday, but I’ll get there.
84. My youngest son is competing at the state spelling contest next weekend.
85. I graduated from high school in 1985.
86. I earned my Bachelor’s in 1989.
87. My Master’s came in 2002.
88. I have had three careers in my life. I’ve always come back to education though.
89. Three important words to me are moderation, conservation, and contribution.
90. I came up with those in 1998 when I was re-evaluating my life.
91. If you’ve read this far, you’re either a really good friend or don’t have much to do right now.  Or maybe both.
92. This was my football number in high school.
93. My boys have that jersey hanging up in their room right now.
94. My son’s number is 72.
95. This is the first summer in a long time that I haven’t experimented with facial hair.
96. I don’t understand the allure of teens texting each other 400 times a day.
97. I don’t know any famous people.  I once had a 10-minute conversation with former NBA All-star AC Green.  He actually became a Christian at a Campus Life event in my hometown of Hermiston, Oregon when he was in high school.
98. I have no desire to own or ride a motorcycle.
99. I don’t own a credit card; nor do I have any credit card debt.
100. Done.

Switchfoot drops Sony

Looks like Switchfoot will be striking out on their own as an independent band.  I love their music, especially their last 3 albums.  I wonder if they will be able to get the kind of success this way as they have with a major label?  My only request is they keep cranking out the tunes just like they always have.

Switchfoot Sony Jon Foreman Columbia – CCMmagazine.com

Retro MacOS Theme

If you’re a WordPress user and used a Mac twenty years ago, you might want to check out this Retro Mac theme I just found on the Weblog Tools Collection.  It comes complete with time bomb warning icon–definitely an idea that was ok pre-9/11.  My own first Mac was a 1 megabyte (that’s with an M, as in, your Mom) Mac Classic around 1987 or so.  Take a look for yourself.