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Useful Safari extension

Tired of those annoying IntelliTXT ads? They can be blocked with this simple extension for Safari, hurrah!

http://homepage.mac.com/drewthaler/jsblacklist/

JavaScript Blacklist also blocks those annoying snap.com previews, and the stupid tynt copy & paste blocker (though I have not been running into either of these as much lately).

Thank you Drew Thaler!

Update: First you will have to upgrade to Safari 5 and then enable extensions before you can use Drew Thaler’s excellent annoyance blocking extension.

You can run Software Update to get Safari 5 installed.
I found the following instructions useful for enabling extensions:
http://www.geekosystem.com/safari-5-extensions/

    To enable Safari extensions:

    1. First, open the ‘Preferences’ panel by dragging down from the ‘Safari’ menu or with the shortcut command+comma.
    2. Then, click on the ‘Advanced’ panel at the far right and check the ‘Show Develop menu in menu bar’ box if it’s not already checked.
    3. From there, a dropdown menu called ‘Develop’ should appear between the ‘Bookmarks’ and ‘Window’ dropdown menus; check “Enable Extensions,” which will be the third item down on the menu.
    4. Go back to Safari’s preferences by hitting command+comma, and you’ll see a brand-new extensions panel. From there, you can manage the Safari extensions you’ve downloaded.

Last, apply JavaScript Blacklist extension by double clicking on it.

Open Safari Preferences, click the Extensions Tab, and add kontera.com and quantserve.com to your JavaScript Blacklist to prevent IntelliTXT style adds at MacNN.com and LowEndMac.com.

Examples of sites with crappy IntelliTXT style ads (look for the double underlined common words):
http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/06/15/mac.mini.rises.in.price.for.speed.expansion/
http://lowendmac.com/pb2/powerbook-g4-400-500-mhz.html
http://www.macnn.com/articles/10/06/15/apple.kicks.callers.from.phone.line/

2010 06 14 snolan Computer Security
Computers
Web Design Comments (0) Permalink

Avoiding the trap of Breezewood, PA

Many of my friends drive regularly to Western Pennsylvania, and one of the more common routes is to follow I-70 to Breezewood, PA where they are forced to run the gauntlet of dozens of sleazy, crappy, tourist trap food vendors to get on I-76/I-70 to continue West.

It happens to also be about 1/2 way between the DC area and Western, PA destinations… so… it frequently becomes a good bathroom stop and commonly the error is made of actually buying food there… which then causes another bathroom stop an hour further down the road where you pay for the bad decision of actually eating in Breezewood, PA.

Well folks, there is a happy alternative! A tasty diner (breakfast and lunch and afternoon snacks only); about 5 miles South-East of Breezewood right on I-70. The Cornerstone Diner is open 7am-3pm on Sunday, 7-6pm most weekdays, and 7-7 on Friday and Saturday.

Exit 151 along I-70 is marked Crystal Spring and is the intersection with PA-915.

Westbound Directions:
If you are Westbound, exit at 151/Crystal Spring/PA-915 – go straight across 915 at the stop sign, make your first Right after crossing a little bridge onto Township Road 500 which becomes Campmeeting Road. The Cornerstone Diner sits back from the road on the left, mostly hidden behind some light industrial vehicle place… very hard to see.

Eastbound Directions:
If you are Eastbound, exit at 151/Crystal Spring/PA-915 and turn Right onto PA-915 heading North. Make your first Right after going under I-70, then make your first Right after crossing a little bridge onto Township Road 500 which becomes Campmeeting Road. The Cornerstone Diner sits back from the road on the left, mostly hidden behind some light industrial vehicle place… very hard to see.

GPS Directions:
Put 101-299 Campmeeting Rd, Crystal Spring, PA into your GPS or Google maps for directions. Clean, simple, diner food that will not make you ill.


View 101-299 Campmeeting Rd in a larger map

2010 06 14 snolan Travel Comments (0) Permalink

Nongkran Daks on Kojo Namdi show with recipes!

One of our favorite Thai restaurants is Thai Basil in Chantilly, Virginia. Erci has been taking cooking classes from Chef Nongkran Daks, and the food is spectacular. For those of you who might like this Kojo Namdi had Chef Daks on his show a few days ago. WAMU (the local NPR affiliate) does not keep the shows online for long, so RUSH to your downloader and snag the show before it disappears, and snag the Thai recipes too!

http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2010-06-09/local-restaurant-world-tour-thailand

Chef Nick Srisawat from Tara Thai is on the same show – Tara Thai (Vienna and Falls Church) is one of our favorite Thai seafood places.

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2010 06 14 snolan Fun
Local
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Excellent article in Rolling Stone

This may be the best bit of journalism publish in the United States in two decades… excellent and valid criticism of our president and the corrupting power of giant multi-national corporations.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/111965?RS_show_page=0

Hat tip to “The Richmonder” on Blue Virginia for pointing the excellent article out.

http://www.bluevirginia.us/diary/844/required-reading-the-spill-the-scandal-and-the-president

2010 06 11 snolan Economics
Environment
News
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We need nuclear, wind, and solar energy

We desperately need to switch our energy sources from coal and oil to a mix of wind, solar, and nuclear energy. Air pollution is killing us twice (particulates and climate change); and coal is so horribly filthy in so many ways that it simply must be stopped.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8T_PK2I3EU

This is like the Hindenburg crash – dramatic, but not all that deadly, as nearly 2/3rds of those onboard survived the crash. Name an airplane crash with anywhere near that survival rate. Additionally it was the first crash in something like 2000 flights over 30 years, but because it was caught on video tape it was dramatic and horrifying and stopped vastly more efficient air travel in it’s tracks.

People complain about bird strikes with wind energy, and they are correct; but more birds will die from climate change than we can strike with windmill blades if we continue to burn coal and oil for energy. We need to apply some common sense and take the path of least harm.

Disposal of nuclear waste is a problem, but the whole planet is going to waste if we don’t stop burning coal and oil. Nuclear waste is a must smaller problem in comparison.

2010 06 10 snolan Environment Comments (0) Permalink

Gah, more illegal robocalls

The Spanish language robo-callers found my cell phone number again (and I changed numbers to avoid these bastards). The message sounds the same… beginning with “Attention!” – and then kicking into whatever pitch with no identification, no chance to tell them to go to hell, complete disregard to my number being on the Do-Not-Call list and complete disregard for it burning my minutes.

I complained with the FCC again via http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm, for whatever good that will do… sigh.

For me this started on my cell phones in November 2008.

https://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/11/20/angry-about-a-new-kind-of-telemarketing

Here is a list of numbers the robo-callers have used (though I suspect every time the phone companies and FCC find then they simply hi-jack a new number):

  • 662-997-9876
  • 218-833-9889
  • 509-362-9996
  • 712-200-8989
  • 775-562-0196
  • 248-758-9138
  • 313-924-7021

Google any of them and you will see hundreds of complaints about each of them, all the same. Some people have gone to great trouble to try to find the spammers.

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2010 06 08 snolan Personal Comments (0) Permalink

Primary Elections Tomorrow

Several of Virginia’s U.S. Congressional districts are holding Republican Party Primary Elections tomorrow, June 8th.

If you are a registered voter in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 8th, or 11th congressional districts; you may vote in tomorrow’s primary.

The State Board of Elections has the candidates by district here:
http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Cidate_Information/Cidate_Lists/CidatesList.asp

I confess I have not been following too closely because I like NONE of the Republican candidates Virginia puts forward, and it would be a chore to decide which is the least bad candidate in most of these primary elections. Thankfully Lowell has done an analysis and has some thoughts on the choices:

http://www.bluevirginia.us/diary/805/my-snarky-virginia-endorsements-for-june-8th

Exercise your rights and vote, if you live in one of those districts.

2010 06 07 snolan Politics
Virginia Politics Comments (1) Permalink

New AT&T Pricing for Data Plans

I think John Gruber has an excellent analysis up of the new pricing plans coming out of AT&T.

http://daringfireball.net/2010/06/good_and_bad_regarding_att_data_plans

AT&T’s decision to charge more for tethering without giving more bandwidth is unsustainable and it should be called a “$20 bullshit fee” just as Gruber suggests. The market will demand a fix to the $20 bullshit fee by hacking tethering in like they do already or going to a different vendor. MiFi from Sprint or Verizon is attractive though it costs more because it can be used on multiple devices. Data is data, and charging more for using more makes sense; giving a discount to those who use less makes sense; charging for the ability to do something we can already do makes no sense and is unforgivable.

Lower prices for a little less data usage will be attractive to many customers, and should be attractive to most except that many just don’t want to think about it.

For me, this will likely save money (still doing the analysis of data usage habits).

AT&T and all the other providers are still evil, but the market is slowly forcing them to be a little less evil each day.

2010 06 03 snolan Computers
News
Personal Comments (3) Permalink

Rodrigo y Gabriela @ Filene Center in Wolf Trap, August 24th

I am excited that Rodrigo y Gabriela are touring their 11:11 album/show at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center on August 24th, tickets are $25 for lawn or $40 for house seats. We got to stand pretty close in Baltimore last year, so I am content to do lawn seats and pray for good weather, and we have friends with house seats already. Interested in making it a group shindig?

Get Tickets and More Details

It’s a Tuesday at 8pm, evening concert.

2010 05 31 snolan Local
Music
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Lots of walking

Friday night we met up Judy and Mike at Gordon Biercsh at 9th and F in DC, then walked over to the Lansburgh Theatre to see Carol and The Liar (which is very funny and very well done). We tried Co Co Sala after the play and indulged in chocolate and coffee way too late. Between work and walking around DC I managed to log 8,113 steps.

Yesterday we went exploring Washington and Alexandria with Erci, Mike, Judy, Carol, and Tim. Managed to log 14,766 steps… and now have sore feet… but had a great time.

We started by meeting at the Chinatown gate and then enjoying noodles and dumplings at Chinatown Express. Then we walked by the Harmon Theatre where Carol works and toured the Navy Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the WWII Memorial. Then we went to Alexandria for more walking around and a brief pint at Murphy’s then more walking around followed by an excellent dinner at Las Tapas. Everywhere we went there were more than the usual numbers of people, and lots and lots of bikers in town for Rolling Thunder. carol, mike, judy, erci, tim look up at the washington monument, may 2010
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2010 05 30 snolan Fun
Local
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