June 2002

Happiness.

This week at work, I am a nanny by the way, I decided to listen to some music. I do this often since I can’t watch television while the baby is awake. Anyway, I turned the stereo on and I had a hard time hearing the music. I just assumed something was wrong with the speakers and kept turning it up so I could hear it. As I put the baby down for a nap I noticed I could hear music all around the house. After about an hour, a neighbor knocked on the door. As I opened it I could hear the music blasting outside. Of course the neighbor was there to ask me to turn the music down. I couldn’t believe it. I was so embarrassed. It turns out my employers just installed a speaker system outside and did not tell me. So that is an embarrassing moment from me.

Ann 07:44 PM - p-link - talk (2)

Musical stumps.

It seems the latest craze bouncing around the ’net is the Stump Your Friends quiz. It works like this. You make up 10 questions about yourself and email it to all of your friends to see how well they know you. It excited my wife more than anything I've done with the internet. She made her own quiz. So if you know Ann. Or if you merely want to put probability theory to the test. Take Ann’s quiz.

I use iTunes for about 90% of my music providing needs. Currently I have 1 day 19 hours 49 minutes and 33 seconds worth of mp3s. So I've added a cool new feature to the site. Down on the left, right underneath the linkage section is the song I am listening to right now. I found this great little peice of apple script that monitors iTunes and whenever the song changes, it uploads the information to my webserver. Very slick. If you can’t find it. I probably don’t have iTunes running.

Xian 05:58 PM - p-link - talk (0)

For love and hate.

For those not interested in the recent happenings in the soap opera that is the internet. Down below is a post that features merchandise, nice words for nice people and even a picture!

Love: Recently the IMS submited a bid to be the new .org TLD (top level domain) operator. You can read about their bid here. IMS is the only non-profit organization bidding for the position. TLD operators control the domain names on the internet, .com .net .org etc. Most are run by commercial organizations who favor money over fair play. For example, just last month I received a notice telling me that mintchaos.com needed to be renewed, complete with handy form to fill out to make it happen. On closer inspection, the “renewal” form turned out to be from a competing registrar and was actually a transferal authorization form. While this won’t fix my problems and those of other .com or .net customers. The people who run the non-profit organizations that .org is reserved for deserve service from people who won’t screw them over. Help IMS out by signing this petition.

Hate: Microsoft on the other hand is not a non-profit organization. And their latest money making scheme cuts a little too close to home for people who make the web. With the release of windows XP, office XP, and Internet Explorer 6.0 MS is quietly introducing Smart Tags. Smart Tags read documents and when they find a word or phrase they know they will turn it into a smart link. So say you are reading a page about Bob Dylan. When the smart encounters his name it will turn it into a link that might take you to the VH1 page with his latest video. So far so good. But lets say the page you were reading was on MTV.com. Yeah, that’s not as cool. And lets say that the user might not even be able to tell that MTV didn’t put the link there. Essentially Smart Tags can turn any internet content anywhere into free undetectable advertising for Microsoft’s partners. And at this point the only way to keep it from happening to you is to put this tag in every one of your site’s pages:

<meta name="MSSmartTagsPreventParsing" content="true">

Leave it to Microsoft to make web developers do extra work just so their own pages don’t get turned into ads. Sigh. Anyway, you can read about it in great detail in this article from ALA.

Xian 01:59 AM - p-link - talk (0)

Oh shirt!

Looky looky, new stuff.

There are new shirts in the store. Both feature our Shameless Plug wallpaper. Which we were told would make a good shirt. Let’s see if it does. And while we are at it. Thanks to Kelson of Asterisk for being to first to order a Mint.Shirt.

The Mercuriosity Shop is sporting a bit of a new look.

And Berry said nice things about us. Thanks berry.

Xian 10:40 PM - p-link - talk (0)

MeCompany: Wallpaper.

MeCompany offers up a collection of beautiful wallpapers. With a catch. You gotta find them. I like the lowest one on the left side of the inner circle... [more...]

Xian 04:00 PM - p-link - talk (0)

life size Millennium Falcon.

Mental Ward Film. Presents: The Building of a life-size Millennium Falcon. [more...]

Xian 02:31 PM - p-link - talk (0)

DomAPI

DomAPI: A set of DOM APIs for a whole slew of tasks.

Xian 02:05 PM - p-link - talk (0)

It’s alive!

Welcome the the newer happier MintChaos.com. First up, a list a new features:

• Technical Items:
• Text sizes that are all relative, for greater accessabilty
• Valid XHTML 1.1 baby. It’s new and stuff.
• A fully Fluid layout.
• That doesn't break in anything.
• Proper structual markup. This pages can and will be parsed correctly and be accessable to everything from screen readers to webTV clients to PDAs
• The code is elegant like it’s 1994!
• Site use items:
• Full archives for everything are finally up. Even the linkage.
• You can now comment on the linkage.
• Weblog comments on the front page now apear inline instantly when you hit the talk link. Try it, it’s neat.
• You can now choose your style (preferences, down on the left). Currently there is only two version of the default style available, but more and a full preferences section for the site are on their way.
• A new hostee. Please welcome my brother Michael with his Entertainment Center
• A new recent hosted section (down on the right). For quick acess to all the subchaos.

The wallpaper archives have not been switched over to the new design yet. Expect that and some overdue wallpapers later today.

Xian 05:42 AM - p-link - talk (8)

Pre-ex-girlfriend.

No wallpapers this week. I’ve been spending all of my time working on the new redesign. For those of you who are thinking “Wait a minute, didn’ you just redesigned it?” Yes, I did. But it only took me about 15 minutes to decide that it was broken enough to try again. The new design is coming along nicely and at this point it has been tested, and displays properly in Internet Explorer 5+ Opera 5+ and Mozilla/Netscape 6+. It features valid purely structural XHTML 1.1 markup. So all content is fully accessible with any web browser or internet device (tested in Netscape 4, webTV, Amaya and Lynx). It also meets the accessibility standards of section 508. Compare this to the current site that only looks good in two browsers, and I’d say this is an improvement.

While you are waiting for me to finish all of this. Keep busy by visiting MintChaos.com’s new merchant related hostees. The Mercuriosity Shop, and The Jinja Market.

Xian 04:24 PM - p-link - talk (6)

Cityscape

The Cityscape Project: One man armed only with his wits, auto-CAD, time and a lot of wood, recreates the New York City skyline. Just to improve his view out the kitchen window. [more...]

Xian 03:27 PM - p-link - talk (0)

Blocked persons

Our own government’s Alphebetical Listing of Specially Desgignated Nationals and Blocked Persons. People you should not do business with. [more...]

Xian 08:46 PM - p-link - talk (0)

In the summer. In the city.

I went to Kinko’s at 1:30am today and I found that I really enjoy the city at night. It had rained, and there was a quiet mist over everything. Everything was still and clear and deep. There was hardly any traffic which supprised me. Spring Arbor has more traffic at night than Oak Park does. Of course, I was never passed by a strech limo at 1:30am in Spring Arbor.

Xian 03:59 AM - p-link - talk (5)

netscape birthday

Yesterday marked netscape 4’s fifth birthday. Read this birthday message, [more...]

Xian 08:20 PM - p-link - talk (0)

Click three points.

Click three points and watch what happens.

Xian 03:13 PM - p-link - talk (0)

Scott Kim = amazing.

Scott Kim is the master of inversions. This is amazing. Very amazing. If you need proof, look at this, this, or this.

Xian 10:04 PM - p-link - talk (0)

3d java + stereoscopic

Mark Newbold does cool things with java be sure to check out his hypercube (detach it make it big, hit the stero button twice and go crosseyed). Also of note: 3d rendered stereograms

Xian 09:55 PM - p-link - talk (0)

Text size screenshots.

[more...]

Xian 08:51 AM - p-link - talk (0)

The Glass engine.

The Glass Engine features 60+ songs from composer Phillip Glass in a very slick interface. (In a bit of a incompatibility with the last post the glass engine requires IE4.5+) [more...]

Xian 08:26 AM - p-link - talk (0)

WaSP strikes back

Today marks the relaunch of the WaSP(Web Standards Project). Faithfully supporting standards compliant browsers and educating web developers on the joys of standards.

Xian 08:14 AM - p-link - talk (0)

copyright evilness

Evil commercial skippers and other nasty copyright infringements. [more...]

Xian 07:58 PM - p-link - talk (0)

glish.com

I like Eric Costello’s glish.com.

Xian 01:50 PM - p-link - talk (0)

Free logos

More corporate logos than you can shake a stick at. [more...]

Xian 12:52 PM - p-link - talk (0)

lots of subways,

There are more Subways in the USA than McDonald’s by a hundred 148. Weird, but true.

Xian 10:14 PM - p-link - talk (0)

Rual Studio

The Rural Studiois a very cool project from the Auburn University School of Architecture. Students take education out of the classroom and build community.

Xian 02:40 PM - p-link - talk (1)

Sick.

My youngest brother, Pilgrim came riding into town on the perpetually late Amtrak 355 thursday night and is spending the weekend with us. He proceeded to get sick on friday. My other brother is home alone this weekend while my parents are off on an aniversery retreat disguised as a university funded confrence. He is also sick. Ann has been overly tired this weekend. And this morning I woke up and felt like my entire body was slammed into a brick wall. Every joint ached, and every muscle hurt when moved. even my toes and fingers. I have a suspicion that my body has been ready to do this for a while but put it off till I finished my job. Hopefully I’ll be feeling better by tomorrow so I can actually do some Chicago stuff with Pilgrim before he leaves.

Xian 01:40 PM - p-link - talk (8)

Good night job.

My ex-job decided to reward me on my last day of work yesterday. It did this by giving me opportunity to deliver a ten peice living-room set that had to be carried up four flights of stairs. Through skinny stairways, and skinny doors the kind that chairs, love-seats and sofas do not like to pass through. And then to deliver a marble table. Of which the top alone weighs something like 350lbs. The only good part about the day was that all of this took so long that we did not have to do our last delivery. I guess that is only a good thing if you look at it from the right perspective.

The moral of this story is that yesterday’s promised double wallpaper goodness became today’s double wallpaper goodness. I give you Castle and Spiral Chain. Enjoy.

Xian 02:02 PM - p-link - talk (2)

chank:freefonts

Chank has a fine quality collection of free fonts. And it turns out he made that Snipple font I used to use a lot in highschool. [more...]

Xian 11:44 AM - p-link - talk (0)

Oh the media!

Sorry for how quiet it’s been around here. It has been an eventful week. Allow me to recap. But first a couple items of background information.

1. For those of you who don’t know. My wife works as a nanny for a very small child named Charley. Charley’s father is a very large man named Dave. Dave works in marketing for one of the big downtown Chicago radio stations. 101.9 The Mix, if you must know.
2. Jimmy Eat World is a rather good band that both Ann and myself rather like. Jimmy Eat world is coming to Chicago in August. Their show completely sold out in under 10 minutes. Ann and I are apparently not the only Chicago residents who rather like Jimmy Eat World. We did not get tickets for this show.

On Tuesday, Ann and Dave were talking about this summer’s shows and Dave said he might we able to help us get a hold of some tickets. He also said that Jimmy Eat World had decided to open another show. We thought this was cool. On Wednesday Ann came home with: A dual CD set of the Dave Mathew’s Band live. Jimmy Eat World’s “Bleed American” album. And two reserved tickets to see Jimmy Eat Worlds new show. All for free. Radio station marketing people can do neat tricks. Thank you Dave. It should be noted that the tickets for Jimmy Eat World’s new show do not go on sale for another 16 hours. Whoot! We are going to the rock show!

In an unprecedented (since the wedding) act of spontaneity, Ann and I went downtown to see the late night showing of Attack of the Clones last night. And quite frankly, I liked it. It was much better than the Phantom Menace. This one felt like Star Wars. And It got me excited about seeing where number three will take us. Of course the fact that we saw it at the McClurg Court Theater didn’t hurt anything. Not only did we get to see it with full and most impressive THX sound. But we also got to see it on one of the new Digital projection systems. Which had the effect of watching a 40 foot high-resolution LCD screen from a few feet away. Amazingly crystal clear and sharp. The hairs on Yoda’s head were countable. That kind of set up can make you like any movie.

Sorry the wallpaper schedule is all screwed-up this week. I spent my computer time this week doing MintChaos maintenance, the layout works in IE:win now, but in fixing that, it broke in Opera. Go figure. I’ve also got a new drop-down menu navigation started up top. So far, it looks amazing and works flawlessly in IE:5Mac. Your results will vary. So I promise two wallpapers on Friday. To celebrate my last day at work.

Oh yes, that is the other news. I Quit my annoying furniture moving job. Tomorrow is my last day.

Xian 02:17 AM - p-link - talk (4)

boxes and arrows

In keeping with the trend of the best content these days not coming from commercial sources. Boxes and Arrows tackles information architecture.

Xian 05:23 PM - p-link - talk (0)

deeesignAid

Deeesignaid. Fake your way to the top with style on a stick. [more...]

Xian 05:04 PM - p-link - talk (0)

LA graphica.

LA GRAPHICA: Los Angeles commentary, by it’s residents. [more...]

Xian 04:52 PM - p-link - talk (0)

Sorry IE 6 users.

I’ve been informed that MintChaos is still breaking in IE6:win. Which surprises me, as everything is showing up correctly in IE:mac Opera:mac and Mozilla:mac (well opera is screwing up the font sizes, but opera sucks like that). So at this point, I don’t know what the problem is. So if you are viewing this in IE:win and you can't seem to find the side bar. Try looking at the very bottom of the screen, and I’ll get it fixed just as soon as i can figure out what to fix. Somewhere deep down inside I know that this should all be working.

Xian 04:11 AM - p-link - talk (1)

New favorite creature.

I have a new favorite creature.

Xian 03:34 AM - p-link - talk (0)

This is your bed calling.

New linkage addition over there to your right. A place for me to put little link creatures. The cool part comes on monday when I get all of the category sorted linkage archive pages up (you'll be able to find all of the “waste of time” links all in one spot). I'll also get the archives for the rest of the site up. There is a new wallpaper up (pretend it’s still friday).

Xian 03:29 AM - p-link - talk (0)

Asterisk mp3.com

Asterisk’s new mp3.com page is up. This guy is good. And I made pictures for it. :)

Xian 02:16 AM - p-link - talk (1)

Disturbing auctions.

Disturbing auctions. Would you like a goat’s head with that?

Xian 02:12 AM - p-link - talk (0)

A very small guimp.

Guimp: World's smallest website. [more...]

Xian 02:08 AM - p-link - talk (0)

Kartoo: Visual searching.

Kartoo! A silly name for a visual search engine. We aren’t in the matrix yet, but we can draw lines to it. [more...]

Xian 02:05 AM - p-link - talk (0)

Silicon Art.

Who is crazier? The people who draw tiny art on microchips? Or the people who use large microscopes to look for them? [more...]

Xian 01:57 AM - p-link - talk (0)

Sword cane.

Proptology: How to build a sword cane. Because you've always wanted to know. [more...]

Xian 01:52 AM - p-link - talk (0)