Daleisphere – Page 6 – The Musings of Dale Dietrich

April 16, 2009February 28, 2017

How to Import Firefox Bookmarks into Safari 4 Beta in Windows

While Firefox is my mainstay browser, I pretty much use all current browsers from time to time both to test my various websites for compatibility and to keep current with what’s new in the browser wars.

I recently installed the Safari 4 beta. In earlier versions of Safari, there was always an option to import bookmarks from IE or Firefox during the installation process. Not-so with the Safari 4 beta install.

Note: I purposely uninstalled Safari 3 before installing Safari 4. My hope was to get a fresh import of my most current Firefox bookmarks in the process. That didn’t work.

I use xmarks (formerly foxmarks) to synchronize my bookmarks between computers. While there is an xmarks beta client for use on the Mac, so far there is none for the PC.

Here’s the easiest way I could find to import Firefox bookmarks into the Safari 4 beta:

In Firefox:

Click on Bookmarks
Click on ‘Organize Bookmarks’ (Ctrl-Shift-B)
Click on ‘Export HTML…’ under the ‘Import and Backup’ pull-down menu

Continue reading “How to Import Firefox Bookmarks into Safari 4 Beta in Windows”

April 3, 2009February 28, 2017

The Twitter Apps, Tools and Widgets I Use

The Twitter apps, tools and widgets I use are constantly changing. Below are the tools I currently use (click on the images for larger views):

Desktop Client – Twhirl

I use Twhirl as my desktop twitter application. I looked at TweetDeck but it was overkill and it takes up too much screen real-estate. I tried the gorgeous blu (works only on Vista and Windows 7), but it does not have an adjustable font. The default font is too small for my aging eyes. Twhirl is surprisingly feature rich but it takes awhile to figure out all the intricacies. I’ve tried others, but keep coming back to Thwirl.

iPhone App – Tweetie

Tweetie is terrific. I had previously used Twitterific and Twinkle on the iPhone but Tweetie ($2.99) satisfies me the most. Tweets are presented in bubbles similar to the iPhone’s SMS bubbles. Thankfully, the font is adjustable. Functions and information are an easy swish away. Twitterific does have the advantage of supporting both Twitter and friendfeed.

See also: 29 Twitter Apps for the iPhone Compared (Mashable)

Continue reading “The Twitter Apps, Tools and Widgets I Use”

March 27, 2009February 28, 2017

Starbuck with Starbuck at Starbucks

I thought these pictures of Dirk Benedict (the original Starbuck from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series), with Katee Sackhoff (the new Starbuck from the 2004 ‘reimagined’ Battlestar Galactica series) at Starbucks were compelling.

I snapped these from the BattleStar Galactica Finale Special that aired on Space TV on March 20, 2009. It looks like they was taken towards the beginning of the ‘reimagined’ series given how young Katee Sackhoff is in them.

Click on the images for larger views.

March 23, 2009February 28, 2017

How to Host Your Email on Your Domain using Google Apps’ Gmail– for Free!

With Google Apps’ Gmail you can set up personalized email addresses for yourself, up to 50 members of your family or 50 employees in your business, using an Internet domain you own and control – for free! Your email address will no longer be chained to your ISP or your web-based email provider such as Hotmail, Yahoo! or Gmail.

I have been using Google Apps to host my personal and professional ‘@daledietrich.com’ email (pictured above) for about a year now. In this post I provide detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to do this.

While Google Apps’ Gmail is completely free, to use it you must register your own domain. If you haven’t yet, you can register a domain with a Domain Host (‘DH’). I use GoDaddy. As of the date I write this, GoDaddy charges $9.99 U.S. ($9.99 on sale) for a one year registration of a DOT COM domain ($6.99 to transfer in an existing .com domain) and $10.69 for annual renewals.

Screenshots below were taken when I set up my ‘daleipshere.com’ domain to use Google Apps Gmail using GoDaddy.com as my DH.

Why Google Apps for Email?

A. Email Hosting for Any Domain – for Free: I used to pay $65 a year to have my @daledietrich.com email hosted by Elehost (a terrific ISP by the way). Now my @daledietrich.com, @daleisphere.com and @wishhh.com email is hosted on Google Apps for free!

B. Freedom from ISP Domains: Most personal email accounts use the ISPs domain – eg: yourname@comcast.com, yourname@rogers.com. This artificially locks users into a given ISP. If you wish to change your ISP you may be reluctant to do so because you’ll have to change your email address. If a move results in a change of ISP, you’ll have the additional hassle of changing your email address. But, when you set up a Google Apps Gmail account with your own custom domain, email accounts you set up for your family or business can be used forever – regardless of your ISP.

Continue reading “How to Host Your Email on Your Domain using Google Apps’ Gmail– for Free!”

March 23, 2009February 28, 2017

Why I moved to Media Temples’ Grid Service from Self-Hosting with DynDNS

Self-hosting using DynDNS.com was working out well until recently. However, there are several reasons why I moved to Media Temple’s Grid-Service:

Cost: Not including the original home-server cost (I had been using a $600 Dell desktop), it was cheaper to use DynDNS.com for my initial 3 or 4 domains. As I add new domains, the cost of DynDNS was about to become more expensive than Media Temple which allows me to host up to 100 domains for $200 a year.

Future Sites Planned: I have several websites planned for the future. I’m hoping one of those will take-off or get Dugg – where I’ll need the surge capacity that media temple can support.

Bandwidth Caps: As of August 2008 Rogers imposed a 95 Gig per month bandwidth cap. Unlike in the U.S. where a typical user accounts have 200+ Gig caps, the 95 Gig Rogers cap was attached to their highest price consumer account. I have bumped up against and surpassed that cap over the last few months (Rogers charges $2.95 per Gig above the cap). Note: Bell’s highest end consumer account cap is 100 Gigs.

Continue reading “Why I moved to Media Temples’ Grid Service from Self-Hosting with DynDNS”

March 18, 2009February 28, 2017

The Daleisphere Has Moved to Media Temple

On Wednesday March 18, 2009, The Daleisphere was moved from a self-hosted server to Media Temple’s Grid-Service.

If you notice any problems with The Daleisphere flowing from the move, or otherwise, I would appreciate your leaving a comment.

Thanks to Dave Zatz for his constant help and guidance before, during and after the transition. Thanks also to the helpful support folks at media temple for making the transition reasonably painless.

For those interested, here are a few helpful resources I used when making the transition:

March 16, 2009February 28, 2017

Toronto Tamils Protest Dale’s Right to Silence

For most of today there has been a protest below my window (Young and Front – Toronto) driving me crazy, frazzling my nerves and inhibiting my ability to get work done.

I decided to find out what the heck this was about and typed in “Toronto Protest” into Google News. The FIRST result that came up was this CBC article, ironically containing the picture to the left.

The picture shows the protest directly below me. The arrow (which I added) points to the building I am typing this from. I feel like I’m being personally protested. These guys are insanely loud!

According to the CBC article linked above, they are protesting the Canada’s adding the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to its official list of terrorist organizations in 2006 for the group’s use of suicide bombers and child soldiers in the conflict.

March 9, 2009February 28, 2017

Solving TiVo Desktop Plus v. 2.7 License Key Issue Under Windows 7 Beta

On Sunday March 8, I spent several hours on the phone with both TiVo and Digital River’s (TiVo’s online license key fulfillment provider) technical support teams. After installing the generic TiVo Desktop 2.7 software under the Windows 7 Beta , the desktop software would NOT accept my TiVo Desktop Plus License Key. It kept telling me I had an invalid key.

The only solution TiVo’s support team had in its database was to reinstall the app – which didn’t work when I tried it. Digital River issued me a new license key. The TiVo Desktop 2.7 app rejected that key as well.

After a couple hours and four phone calls we/they all gave up. I was about to try installing the older TiVo Desktop version 2.6.2 when it occurred to me to try running BOTH the installer and the app in Windows Vista compatibility mode.

VOILA!!!! That worked!

TiVo Desktop 2.7 accepted my Desktop Plus License Key and the application has been working fine under Windows 7 beta ever since.

Continue reading “Solving TiVo Desktop Plus v. 2.7 License Key Issue Under Windows 7 Beta”

March 4, 2009February 28, 2017

Pixlr – Terrific, Free, Web-based Image Editor

I discovered a terrific new web-based image editor called pixlr.com. It works like Photoshop Elements, Paint.net and other popular image editors – but from inside any browser, with nothing to install.

It’s free. No sign-up or user account needed. No downloads or installs required. It just works – instantly.

Remarkably, If you have Adobe Flash 10 installed, it works like a desktop app, but, still, in your browser. Load and save images from your PC via typical desktop pull-down menus. Press F11 to make it go full screen. It looks and feels like you are running a desktop app.

It works on the Mac or a PC – anywhere you can install Adobe Flash. This is particularly attractive for Mac users given that there is no useful image editor built into OS X.

Continue reading “Pixlr – Terrific, Free, Web-based Image Editor”

February 23, 2009February 28, 2017

Oscars Production 2009

Reference: Roger Ebert’s 09 Oscar Page | Official Oscars Website | IMDb Oscar 09 Page | Wikipedia 81st Academy Awards Page

Kudos to the producers of the 81st Annual Academy Awards for some wonderful changes to the show this year:

Nobody was prematurely played offstage: Winners were FINALLY allowed to give their acceptance speeches. Thank God!
Intros: Introductions to the acting awards by prior nominees is a terrific idea. It was great to see/hear the Oscar greats while hearing a personal introduction to each of the nominees.
Orchestra Onstage: The orchestra wasn’t hidden in a hole – rather they were put on stage where they could be seen. Perhaps when seen publicly they were too embarrassed to prematurely play someone off! 🙂
No Comedian: While Hugh Jackman was OK, the best part of this change was that the nominal host spent little time on stage, thereby giving the actors and other winner more time to talk. I miss Billy Crystal but I enjoy the winners getting a fair shake at an acceptance speech.

February 21, 2009February 28, 2017

Changeling (2008)

(3/5) thriller

Reference: |

Reviews: Roger Ebert (3.5 of 4) | IMDb External Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes 61% | Metacritic 63%

In The Changeling (2008), Angelina Jolie plays Christine Collins, a pre-depression era single mom whose only child (Gattlin Griffith) was kidnapped. The L.A. police return a boy that is not her son, they know it, and they expect her to raise this strange boy pretending it to be her son. These plot elements are revealed within the first 15 minutes of the movie.

I couldn’t get past how preposterous the story was. I wondered to the end … how could a Hollywood script writer, write such a thing, how could Clint Eastwood agree to direct it, or Ron Howard produce it?

It turns out the movie was based on a true story! Yikes! I still find it hard to believe. Had I known this I likely would have appreciated the movie more. As it was I couldn’t get the idea out of my head how ludicrous it was.

Continue reading “Changeling (2008)”

February 19, 2009February 28, 2017

The Visitor (2008)

(2.5/5) drama, romance

Reference: |

Reviews: Roger Ebert (3.5 of 4) | IMDb External Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes 91% | Metacritic 79%

In The Visitor (2008), Richard Jenkins plays the lonely widower, Prof. Walter Vale, who lives and works in Connecticut. His life is rudderless until he returns to his Manhattan apartment to speak at a conference. There he meets a young couple that change the course of his life.

visitor (2008) richard jenkins playing bongo drums in central park The Visitor (2008) gives character actor Richard Jenkins the opportunity to play a leading man. But very little happens. His performance is monotonic. Perhaps that is what the life of a lonely professor is like, but it doesn’t make for a compelling story.

The bright spot for me was watching the performance of the relative newcomer Haaz Sleiman (who recently played Heydar on "24"). Sleiman helped coax some life back into Vale by, among other things, teaching him the African drums. I look forward to seeing more of Sleiman’s work in the future.

Given the buzz surrounding this movie I was expecting it to take a dramatic and interesting turn. It made a few unexpected turns, but it never got very interesting.

Continue reading “The Visitor (2008)”

February 18, 2009February 28, 2017

Data Robotics Wants to Charge Me for Drobo Firmware Updates!

This is the first time in my 25+ years in computing that a hardware manufacturer has informed me that it wants to charge me for a firmware update to a consumer electronics product. I checked my Drobo for firmware updates yesterday and was startled to receive this message:

It was bad enough that my DroboShare experience was a disaster. Despite promised upgrades, Data Robotics support folks could never get it to work properly with my Vista 64 or my XP systems on my home network – others had the same problem. They just gave up. To this day, my DroboShare sits unused on a shelf in my closet – $300+ wasted!

Continue reading “Data Robotics Wants to Charge Me for Drobo Firmware Updates!”

February 18, 2009February 28, 2017

Doubt (2008)

(4.5/5) drama

Reference: |

Reviews: Roger Ebert (4 of 4) | IMDb External Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes 77% | Metacritic 68%

In Doubt (2008) the principal of a Catholic school and senior nun (Meryl Streep) suspects a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of being involved in an inappropriate relationship with an alter boy.

On that premise I did not want to watch this movie. But, all four of its primary actors were nominated for an academy award. I couldn’t pass it by. I’m glad I didn’t. The writing and all four performances were superb.

doubt (2008) meryl streep confesses to having committed a mortal sin Meryl Streep demonstrates, once again, why she is the reigning queen of cinema. I disliked her character intensely. But there are layers to this nun that are not readily apparent. Each nuance is played to perfection by Streep – including a New Jersey accent and persona that is reminiscent of Edie Falco’s Carmela Soprano.

Continue reading “Doubt (2008)”

February 17, 2009February 28, 2017

Tropic Thunder (2008)

(4/5) comedy – action – adventure

Reference: |

Reviews: Roger Ebert (3.5 of 4) | IMDb External Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes 83% | Metacritic 71%

In Tropic Thunder (2008) a frustrated director (Steve Coogan) sends his actors into the jungle (filmed in Hawaii) to make a more realistic Vietnam-era film. Local drug runners mistake the actors as Drug Enforcement Officers. The actors mistake the drug runners for other actors attempting to induce better performances. Comedy ensues.

I liked Tropic Thunder a lot. I laughed a lot. The cinematography was beautiful.

It has a large ensemble case. Ben Stiller plays a an actor attempting to prop up a sagging action star career. Matthew McConaughey plays his agent – seemingly willing to do anything to keep his cash-cow of a client working. Jack Black plays a low-brow comic actor not concerned with much more than his next drug fix. Nick Nolte plays a Vietnam vet. The movie being made is based on his book.

Continue reading “Tropic Thunder (2008)”

February 17, 2009February 28, 2017

Dale’s 2009 Oscar Roundup

Reference: Roger Ebert’s 09 Oscar Page | Official Oscars Website | IMDb Oscar 09 Page | Wikipedia 81st Academy Awards Page

Here are my thoughts/picks for the major categories of the 81st annual Annual Academy Awards show- to be held on February 22, 2009. Links in this post are to my reviews of each on The Daleisphere. The rating I gave each to each appears in (parenthesis). Movies where I indicate [RCS ] indicate a ‘review coming soon’

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has 13 nominations, Slumdog Millionaire has 10, The Dark Knight and Milk each have 8 nominations, Wall-E has 6 and each of Doubt, Frost/Nixon and The Reader have 5.

Best Picture

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: (3/5)
Frost/Nixon: (3.5/5)
Milk: (4/5)
The Reader (4.5/5)
Slumdog Millionaire (5/5)
– winner

Slumdog Millionaire should win Best Picture and I predict it will win. It was the best picture of 2008.

I rated each of the following movies 5 out of 5 in my reviews. In my opinion, each were better overall movies than those nominated other than Slumdog Millionaire:

Iron Man (5/5)
The Dark Knight (5/5)
Kung Fu Panda (5/5) and
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (5/5)

Still, I would give the Best Picture Oscar to Slumdog Millionaire.

Continue reading “Dale’s 2009 Oscar Roundup”

February 16, 2009February 28, 2017

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

(3/5) [genre]

Reference: |

Reviews: Roger Ebert (2.5 of 4) | IMDb External Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes 71% | Metacritic 70%

I had no desire to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2oo8). I did because it the only 2008 film nominated for the Best Picture Oscar that I hadn’t seen. My instincts were right.

It’s a story about a person, born into a baby-sized, old-man’s body, that ages backwards. The story works, but to a point. I can’t help but think a more apt title would be ‘Mork from Ork meets Forrest Gump’. It was similarly narrated and slowly paced. Unfortunately it didn’t hold my interest for it’s whopping two hour and 45 minute length! Bring a seat cushion! 🙂

[Update: After writing this review, I discovered why I instinctively felt this movie was similar to Forest Gump – they share a screen play writer: Eric Roth – Take a look at this funny, comparative, Benjamin Button = Forrest Gump? video – scroll down a bit to get to the video.]

Continue reading “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)”

February 15, 2009February 28, 2017

Canadians Losing It! iPhone Apps Segregated by Jurisdiction

The bloom has just been taken off my iPhone rose somewhat. Prior to today I thought all iPhone Apps were available in all jurisdictions. Turns out that is not the case.

[June 25, 2009 Update: I was able to download Lose It! using Hotspot Shield on the iPhone. See my post: “How to Use Hotspot Shield to Get U.S.-only iPhone Apps” for details.]

As a Canadian long suffering the woes of countless U.S. web-based and other consumer applications, products and services not being available here, I had been extraordinarily happy with the understanding that iPhone apps would not be blocked by national borders.

After hearing so many comments on how terrific the ‘Lose It!’ iPhone App was, I decided to try it out today. When I tried to access it I got this error message:

Sad, very sad!

February 13, 2009February 28, 2017

Can the U.S. Stimulus Package Work?

Of late, I’ve heard countless Republicans, Fox News pundits and others emphatically state that:

Keynesian stimulus spending has never worked in the past;
World War II was the sole impetuous for recovery after the Great Depression – not spending; and
the New Deal had no ameliorating effect on the Great Depression’s high unemployment rates.

All of this is said, of course, in argument against the current Obama/Democratic stimulus package.

It is certainly true that World War II proved to be an enormous, if not THE most important, stimulus to post Depression recovery. The chart* below, however, makes it clear that Roosevelt’s stimulus spending did have an important, positive effect on the U.S. economy:

Continue reading “Can the U.S. Stimulus Package Work?”

February 13, 2009February 28, 2017

U.S. Job Losses – Current vs. Recent Recessions

This graph speaks for itself! It shocked me!

It puts into perspective the depth of the current economic downturn compared to the most recent 2001 and 1990 recessions. U.S. Job losses are almost double those of the prior two recessions in the same amount of time and already deeper than they were in the worst of the prior two. It is also the first time in my living memory where the unemployment rate in the U.S. is worse than in Canada.

*The chart above was displayed on MSNBC’s Rachael Maddow show on Monday February 9, 2009.

February 13, 2009February 28, 2017

In Bruges (2008)

(2/5) comedy, crime, drama

Reference: |
Reviews: Roger Ebert (4 of 4) | IMDb External Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes 81% | Metacritic 67%

I would sum of In Bruges as follows: Mobsters lay low in the story-book town of Bruges Belgium – and nothing happens. This movie was simultaneously boring and amusing. Amusing because each of Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes were amusingly quirky. Jordan Prentice, a Canadian Dwarf, was also very good.

Once again, fine performances do not alone a fine movie make. All of the main actors were good. But I kept waiting for something interesting to happen. Nothing did.

Continue reading “In Bruges (2008)”

February 13, 2009February 28, 2017

Milk (2008)

(4/5) docu-drama, bio-pic

Reference: |

Reviews: Roger Ebert | IMDb External Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes 93% | Metacritic 84%

In Milk, Sean Penn inhabits America’s first self-identified gay politician, Harvey Milk. As with Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon (2008), within seconds I ceased focusing on Sean Penn the actor and was carried away with his brilliant performance as Milk.

Penn is one of the finest actors of his generation. The characters he convincingly plays in, for example, Milk (2008), I Am Sam (2001) and Dead Man Walking (1995) couldn’t be more different. There are only a few actors capable of his astonishing range – Ed Norton being another.

Continue reading “Milk (2008)”

February 12, 2009February 28, 2017

The Wrestler (2008)

(2.5/5) drama

Reference: |

Reviews: Roger Ebert | IMDb External Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes 98% | Metacritic 81%

Mickey Rourke is an intriguingly unique actor. He was terrific in Sin City (2005) but disturbing, to me, in Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986). My opinion of him has flip-flopped over the years. Ultimately I do respect his considerable talent.

The Wrestler, as you know, is his come-back from obscurity movie. A movie of a down-and-out Wrestler – with parallels Rourke’s acting career and personal life. Randy the RAM is one-trick pony – as the Springsteen theme song to the movie goes. He’s a wrestler that knows nothing else. Years after he should have retired, his pride keeps him from moving on.

On Charlie Rose Rourke made the point that, unlike Randy the RAM, he had someone to talk to (a therapist), to equip him with the tools he need to overcome his demons and move on.

Continue reading “The Wrestler (2008)”

In Firefox:

Desktop Client – Twhirl

iPhone App – Tweetie

Downsides:

Why Google Apps for Email?

Best Picture