MovableType multiple domain search redux
A while ago (yikes, over a year!), I posted a hack to get MovableType to be able to use multiple URLs for search forms. Why would you want to do such a sick thing? Well if you host multiple sites, it’s tacky to use the same domain for all the searching. It has been proven that only .0168% of people notice URLs these days, but I’m a total URL-ist and need ’em pretty.
The problem with my previous hack was that you need to mess with the CGI files. This is just not fun, and every time you upgrade your installation you have to worry.
My new hack uses PHP, but seems to work fast. There’s technically a little more work (the server fetches the CGI results), but unless you’re powering Google it probably won’t be much to notice. It also works a bit smarter and changes the default search form that appears on the results page to reflect your new URL and change it to a GET query.
The Paris Hilton effect
MobileTracker has seen a nice spike over the last two days. Not because of my hard work and dedication, but because Paris Hilton gave her Sidekick password away. Over 36K pages were served yesterday, about a 2x spike. Today looks to be just a bit higher. All in all it will help average out being a 28 day month.
She may be a dumb blonde, but she’s got pull.
Double walled glasses
I ordered a set of double walled drinking glasses from Bodum after seeing them in Fortune (December issue, but they have been on backorder). It’s the little things in life–a glass of ice water that doesn’t sweat like a fat man at the gym is an extremely gratifying experience. Not to mention that they’re spiffy.
Construction wise the glass feels thinner than normal, but I think it may be due to my body sensing the thickness and feeling the lighter weight (there’s air in the middle).
Motorola E1060 is a liar
Well not really–but Reuters flubbed the facts about the E1060. It doesn’t have iTunes! I first got wind of the story at 3AM ET right as I was heading to bed. Instead of sleep I sent off requests to various press contacts in Europe, hoping for a quick reply (it was business hours there at the time). By about 6 I had what I needed and the story hit just before 7AM. Chasing a scoop is ridiculously fun… Even if it means giving up a night’s sleep.
It’s my birthday
I’m 20 today. My second birthday on TypePad, man time flies. I’m spending the day mostly offline with friends which is sure to be fun.
How do you get new music?
How do you get new muisc?
- Buy the CD (online, offline)
- Buy online
- Get from friend
- Get from online
- Other (explain)
I’m an old fashioned hipster and buy the CD usually. CDs at Target or BestBuy are pretty cheap and you can rip them at better qualities. Not to mention getting non-DRM infected MP3s.
The Paradox of Choice
I picked up a new book today, and it looks like a winner: The Paradox of Choice—Why More is Less. While the web has not been mentioned yet, 37Signals lives and breathes the philosophy of this book: simple is best.
Google Maps may be the most technological mapping system on the web (from a development point of view), but it’s dead simple to the user. When I go to Google Maps, I’m not hit with a million choices.
I think a surplus of choice is is why a lot of people aren’t attracted to "smartphones". Smartphones aren’t really smart, if they were then they wouldn’t have so many choices. On the other end of the spectrum we have the iPod Shuffle which is one of the most simple devices out there, It’s a huge hit because its main feature is not having features. Bizarro world!
I’ll enjoy the rest of this book. You should check it out.
Progressive taxing
"The rich should pay more in Social Security taxes."
They already do. Besides paying at least $14,860 dollars a year in FICA, most "rich people" are employers and thus pay half of their staff’s employment taxes.
How to fix social security? Extend the minimum age for benefits. It’s not reasonable to assume today’s workers need to support yesterday’s workers for 1/3rd of their lives.
Health insurance
About the only downside to being self-employed is the lack of health insurance. For some reason, US insurance companies decide to give decent rates to large groups and gouge individuals and small businesses. Car insurance isn’t like this, they just gouge young people (possibly the reverse of what health insurance should do?) and unsafe drivers.
I found my policy through health.yahoo.com, as lately I have been plugging in what I am looking for dot yahoo dot com and find a great resource. However, as of this writing it appears they have changed the site and I don’t see the health insurance search feature. It was powered by eHealthInsurance which is just as easy to go to.
The papers were all filled out online which made everything easy. I appear healthy enough, most likely because of my age, that they didn’t send anyone out to poke and prod.
If you’re looking for a policy, I suggest going the same route. I got a good price and the convenience could not be beat.