To use it, drag the following link to your toolbar.

YouTubeFullScreen

When viewing any page on youtube, click it to go fullscreen mode.

**Problem:** I have too much music on my iPod. I collect music faster than I can listen to it all. When I listen to my ipod using the “shuffle songs” mode, I often have no idea what I’m listening to. Having to constantly retrieve my iPod to learn the artist/track name is inconvenient and bothersome.

**Proposed solution:** Create a 3rd-party hardware device that uses voice synthesis to periodically “read back” artist and song names. Other features:

* It would allow you to set the frequency of song re-caps. For example, I could set it to only interrupt the music every 3 songs.
* It would allow you to specify whether you want to hear just song names, artist names, album names, or a combination.
* You could also specify if you want the information read before or after a song plays, or randomly.
* It might also provide some basic voiceover data, where applicable, such as the time, or miles run (if being used with the Nike accessory).
* It could contain an “interrupt alarm” which the user could set.
* It could allow the user to select one of 3 or 4 voices to use, and well as reading rate.
* Configurations and settings would be done via the ipod (similar to how the Apple FM receiver attachment works).

I envision it connecting through the data connection on the bottom of an iPod, and be sandwiched between the iPod and the headphones, like so:

Song recaps would be short and formulaic, such as:

*”That was **song3** by **artist3**. Before that we heard **song2** by **artist2**. Starting us off in this set was **song1** by **artist1**. The time is now **time**.”*

What do you think? Are there others out there that would find this useful?

Keep in mind that this is a widely syndicated strip, that by all counts appears to be publicly denouncing religion.

Personally, I think it’s refreshing to see a counter-point to B.C.’s occasionally overtly religious (and occasionally hate-filled) themes.

Thoughts?

(Okay, truthfully, I don’t know how to solve a Rubik’s cube. This is a hoax. See if you can figure out how it was done.)

Here’s a really easy way to do it.

1. Make sure Safari is installed (Windows users probably got it during a recent iTunes update)
2. Go to” Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced”
4. Make sure “Show Develop Menu in Menu Bar” is checked.
5. click X to close the popup
6. Go to “Develop -> User Agent -> Mobile Safari”
7. Go through the AT&T signup page, and you’re done.

Happy surfing, while it lasts!

Related Links:

Stay tuned for notes, pics, etc…

There’s a couple of shades of grey and blue, an ugly shade of green and pink, and an “invisible” white option. There’s really not much to choose from.

Even stranger, Apple chose not to include a color picker. Why they did this is beyond me.

Here’s a screenshot of the Desktop Preferences windows illustrating the available solid colors:

What this means is that if you want, for example, a solid red background, you have to go into Photoshop or some other image editor and create an image from scratch. And you’d need to do this every time you wanted to change colors. For many, it’s more trouble than it’s worth.

So I decided to automate the process using a little PHP wizardry. I built a very simple tool, located here, that dynamically builds a variety of colored image swatches, simplifying the process of generating new solid colors for desktop backgrounds.

Simply visit the tool, generate some images, and then use “File -> Save Page As -> Webpage, Complete” to download the image files. Then move the image files to this directory:

~/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors

They’ll automatically be recognized in your desktop preferences, which will now look more like this:

As a bonus, the tool I created allows you to customize the color schemes of generated images… so you can get a wide variety based on your preferences: dark colors, light colors, “websafe colors” or whatever. I also allowed for the adjustment of swatch size, in case anyone has other uses for this.

Here’s a link to a zip file of all the “websafe colors” in case someone just wants to quickly download it: websafe-color-swatches.zip

The post contains a link to [this CNN video of a woman attempting to outrun a train](http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/09/07/pkg.mom.train.cnn), and not succeeding. Two of her children were killed. [Watch video](http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/09/07/pkg.mom.train.cnn)

The resulting comment thread ranges from name-calling to discussions about removing stupidity from the gene pool. [One comment](http://lasterjames.blogspot.com/2007/09/stupid-bitch-kills-children.html#comment-5168720213218077975) nicely sums up the other comments:

> Nice to see the moral majority out in full, judging a woman they don’t know from the security of their computer chairs. It does give one a warm feeling to make smug self-gratifying comments about a critically ill stranger who has just lost her two children, based on a CCTV tape of the worst moment in her life. Let’s all give ourselves a pat on the back just for not being her, safe in the knowledge that a woman on life support will be chastened by the judgements of the news watching cognoscenti.

But I couldn’t help myself, and felt the need to chime in. But instead of focusing on this one incident, I think it’s worthwhile to use this incident as a reminder about cars in general.

We can all agree that trying to outrun a train is stupid. There’s no denying that this decision was extremely short-sighted, with tragic and irreversible consequences.

But… we don’t know this woman, and it would be bad for us to jump to the convenient conclusion that she was some stereotypical idiot, label her a “stupid bitch”, and move on.

Every day, I see educated, upper-middle-class commuters demonstrating examples of similar stupidity on a regular basis.

I’m referring to those people that are immersed in their cell phone conversation instead of giving attention to pedestrians on crosswalks. Or those that are “multi-tasking” while driving. Or those speeding as if their lives depended on reaching their destination sooner.

According to the [National Safety Council](http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statinfo/odds.htm), the odds of dying in a motor vehicle accident are 1 in 84. Motor vehicle accidents are the 4th leading cause of death for Americans, following heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

But contrary to the old adage, driving is rarely viewed by Americans as a privilege; instead it’s perceived as a right and a necessity.

Like naive teenagers, too many drivers also seem to suffer from an invincibility complex, as if the 1-in-84 statistic doesn’t apply to them.

Sadly, this mother just added 2 of her children to that growing list of statistics.

My point: This is not just about one woman. Or at least it shouldn’t be. It should serve as a wake-up call to all of us, reminding us about the power we wield when we get behind the wheel.

Instead of taking recognizable photos, it is now only capable of producing abstract blobs of color and digital artifacts.

Here are a handful of examples:

(Click each thumbnail to view high-res versions):

And here are some slightly larger, vertical ones:

I’ve found that by by pointing the camera at different colored sources, under different light intensities, you can somewhat influence the resulting image.

Normally, the news of a broken camera would be upsetting, but I find some of the images aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps I will have one or two of them printed out and mounted, sortof like a 21st century Rothko. Or, alternately, they might make nice desktop backgrounds.

As for the cause, I really don’t know. Anything from accidental exposure to magnetics/radiation/lasers to mechanical failure is entirely possible.

It’s been about a full month since I purchased my scooter, and for the benefit of others, I want to share some observations.

###Advantages of a scooter

Let’s start at the beginning and consider the advantages of a scooter:

**Simple registration process** - In Massachusetts, a scooter with a cylinder capacity smaller than 50cc doesn’t require a license plate. You simply need to register it ($40 for 2 years), slap on a sticker, and you are street legal.

**Unlimited parking** - Because scooters smaller than 50cc’s are registered as “mopeds,” you can park them on the sidewalk. Just chain them to a traffic light or a parking meter as you would a bike.

**Extremely high gas mileage** - Most scooters get around 100 miles per gallon. So for about $3.00 you can fill your tank for a couple of weeks.

**You can legally ride in the road OR in the designated bike lane.** When traffic is stopped at a light, you can cruise to the front and beat the traffic.

**Access to areas not covered by public transportation** - Go somewhere new!

**They are easy to ride and control** - Because they are so lightweight, even novices can get comfortable very quickly.

**They are much cheaper than cars!** - Instead of financing for years, you can pay for it and own it outright.

**Scooters are getting more and more popular.** - I’m amazed at how many scooters I see in the city every day, being used by working professionals, college students, men and women, across all age groups and demographics.

These were my reasons for being interested in a scooter in the first place. So I did a little research…

###Which Scooter to Buy?

First, I knew that I wanted a scooter that was 50cc or smaller. That was a strong requirement. Anything bigger, and I wouldn’t be able to reap all of the aforementioned benefits.

I also knew that I wanted a more “classic” look over a sportier look. [Kymco](http://www.strmotorsports.com), for example, makes very reputable scooters, but I personally don’t like their styling. I wanted something that looked European, like the classic Piaggio Vespa.

After some research, I came to the conclusion that there are three reputable brands out there:

* [Vespa](http://www.vespa.com/)
* [Yamaha Vino](http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/150/home.aspx)
* [Honda Metropolitan](http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/model.asp?ModelName=Metropolitan&ModelYear=2006&ModelId=CHF506)

Now, the Vespa LX is an excellent choice, but it’s expensive. These start at around $3200, and that’s more than I wanted to pay. In contrast, the Vino and Metropolitan are priced more reasonably, at $1900 new.

I also looked at a couple of other brands, such as [Schwinn](http://www.schwinnscooters.com/). I came across a handful of forum posts from Scooter enthusiasts who claimed that Schwinn were poor quality Chinese bikes, and so I ruled those out quickly.

I came across a handful of sites that praised the Honda Metropolitan’s performance, but these come in such horrible color schemes that I just couldn’t see myself riding one. (You can see what I mean [here](http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/model.asp?ModelName=Metropolitan&ModelYear=2006&ModelId=CHF506). Check out the “red kanji,” “blue ice”, or “peach hibiscus” colors… pleh.)

It quickly became clear that based on my pricing requirements and research that Yamaha Vino was a good choice.

I was planning on buying one new, but one day I randomly stumbled across a craigslist posting for a used 2003 Yamaha Vino priced at $1000.00. At nearly half the price of a new Vino, it seemed like a deal, so I bought it.

###Essential Accessories

There are a couple of essential accessories that any scooter owner must have before they hit the road.

**First and foremost: A helmet**

It is against the law to ride without a helmet in Massachusetts. It is also unbelievably stupid, considering scooterists travel with traffic at 25+ miles per hour on a tiny bike that offers virtually nothing in the way of protection.

There are plenty of stylish half-helmets and full-size helmets out there. Pick one you like, make sure it’s DOT-approved, and always wear it.

I personally like the half-helmets. Despite the fact that they offer less protection than a full helmet, they allow you to see and hear more of the environment around you, helping you to avoid getting in difficult spots in the first place.

**#2: A nice, big long bike lock**

Scooters are lightweight. Two grown men can easily lift one and put it in the back of a truck. So if you value your purchase, you’ll lock it up.

No lock is 100% secure. Locks only function as a deterrent to thieves. But for $50, they offer you peace of mind in knowing your bike will probably be waiting for you.

One tip on shopping for locks: Make sure it’s really long… Otherwise you’ll have trouble getting it around medium-sized lamp posts and trees.

**#3: A Cover**

It rains in Boston, and nobody likes riding a wet bike. Buy a cover and take the T to work on rainy days.

**#4: Gloves**

Okay, it looks kinda dorky wearing motorcycle gloves on a scooter, but they are completely worth it. With gloves you have much more control over the bike, and you are less likely to get blisters.

###Driving around the city

I’ll admit, I was at first pretty apprehensive about taking the scooter on the road. I’ve been relying on trains and buses for years, and the thought of being in the middle of the road with crazy Boston drivers was scary.

I found that the easiest way to get comfortable on the scooter was to ride it regularly, just to get comfortable with how it performs.

The following are some tips I used to get more comfortable on the road:

1. **Take up the whole lane.** You may be tempted to ride in the bike lane, or stay off to the side, but don’t. If you give cars an opportunity to pass you, they will, and you may be forced in a tight space. Likewise, if you are riding off the the side, you risk being hit be a parked car’s opened door, or someone coming out a side street. The safest bet is to take up the whole lane (which is rightfully yours to share) and allow yourself to be more visible to drivers.
2. **Don’t weave in and out of traffic just because you can.** Get comfortable first, and obey the most basic laws of the road. This means you have to sit in traffic with the rest of the cars (at first), but you’ll be more comfortable in the long run.
3. **Wait on lights, and then slowly accelerate.** Don’t gas it at a green light, because many Bostonians run red lights all the time. Let the light turn green, look both ways, then go.
4. **Find a speed that you are comfortable driving at, and go that speed.** Don’t feel pressured to keep up to a certain speed just because cars are behind you. Most speed limits in the Boston/Cambridge area are less than 30 miles per hour anyway.
5. **Watch the road quality ahead of you.** Boston streets have tons of potholes and construction. Use the whole lane, and avoid the larger bumps.
6. **Take familiar roads** until you are comfortable enough to drive around unfamiliar places. If you are nervous about getting lost, you won’t be able to concentrate on riding your scooter, and that can be dangerous.
7. **Go somewhere safe, like a parking lot, and practice stopping sharply and swerving.** That way, when the time comes where you have to do some defensive driving you won’t be surprised at how your scooter handles.

I found that after a few weeks, I was no longer nervous about taking my scooter out, and now I regularly drive it to work each day with no concerns.

It’s still too early to begin reflecting on how scootering has changed my lifestyle, but already I feel like Boston/Cambridge has become more accessible to me than ever before. I had forgotten the freedom and convenience of being able to just go somewhere without having to rely on buses and trains.

Stay tuned for future observations once I have even more miles under my belt.