Yea, I have a thing for Schmitt Söhne 2005 Qualitatswein Riesling. We have gone through at least 100 bottles of this stuff in the last 12 months. It is the only wine that someone will drink. Thankfully it is very good. It goes with everything (Chinese food especially) and is very thirst quenching. There is nothing more satisfying after a good long run than to come in and quench my thirst with half a bottle of Riesling.


So, believe me now when I say that something is mysteriously funky with the bottles we have purchased lately. First off, the cork is definitely more wet than usual. I rarely had a cork snap off in the bottle when using my puller, however lately at least 50% of them have snapped. Not just snapped, but disintegrated near the bottom of the cork, closest to the wine. And lastly, the taste is all wrong. I don't want to say it tastes bad, but certainly it doesn't taste like it should.

As I am not anywhere near an expert in wine so I cannot say with any authority that either of these things are related. However as a wine fool, I will say they are related.

Is anyone else drinking this wine? Can you verify that not all bottles of this wine are starting to go bad? If not, can you go buy a bottle and confirm that it is just the Bay Area having a problem with a batch. Thanks!




technorati: wine, Riesling, Schmitt Söhne

Created 75 weeks, 12 hours ago

Days like today make me wish I didn't have a job that kept me indoors all day tied to a computer. The crisp, dry air and the steady breeze is probably my most favorite of all elemental conditions. Add to that a recent rain that made everything clean and I do believe I am in heaven.

Maybe I could switch jobs with someone for a few days so I can enjoy more of this.

Created 75 weeks, 1 day ago

I wanted to syndicate some RSS recently for my blog so I created a new macro for dasBlog. The GetRSS macro will pull in some RSS, cache it and wrap it in a standards compliant unordered list for you to stylize.

Download the new macro from my dasBlog macros project page.

Updates since first version:

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I updated the script to have it auto-create a "getrsscache" folder in the content folder (thanks for the feedback).

I also totally forgot about the date node, so I added 2 new params for date (show date, and show elapsed time)

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technorati: dasBlog, macros, rss, syndication

Created 75 weeks, 2 days ago

I finally gave Chevys Fresh Mex restaurant a chance and I am somewhat remorseful that I waited so long to go there. With all the mom-and-pop Mexican food restaurants in the Bay Area turning out so awful, I was pretty certain that a large franchise would do it even worse. Turns out I was way wrong.


We were at the Stonestown Galleria last week and on the way out we peeped an advertisement for margaritas at the Chevys in the mall. After a day of shopping, that was exactly what we needed.

The margaritas were from an actual margarita machine. The flour tortillas are pretty close to perfect (Alamo cafe tortillas being the best of course). And best yet, the Fajitas were mouth-watering, brought sizzling and served with "sauteed San Antonio veggies."

Finally! I think anyone who has lived with access to authentic Tex Mex will fully appreciate having access to decent fajitas and margaritas outside of Texas. Give it a shot. Let me know what yall think, I recommend Chevys.

technorati: Tex Mex, Mexican food, Chevys

Created 75 weeks, 4 days ago

I just got my beta test account setup with SmarterMail 4.0 that Crystaltech is wanting users to try out. My first impression is that this version smacks of Outlook even more than the previous version. It even defaults to a "start page" with a summary of mail folders and upcoming events.

Outlook comparisons aside, I do prefer the new visual upgrade. The page load time seems far faster than with this new version and the new dhtml tabs are a better way of switching between the tasks and features. They have included a new version of the Telerik R.A.D. WYSIWYG Text Editor for composing email, and that is a nice upgrade over the older FTB. There are new features in the calendar and inbox sharing, but since I didn't use these features in the older version I don't know which features are new.


There are still three features not included in this release that I think should be a part of a best-in-class web email application.

1. RSS - for inbox and folders, daily roll-up summary for account stats

2. Auto-suggest e-mail address from accounts you have recently sent email to, replied to or have stored in your contact list(contact list support has been added). Yes, like Gmail does this. This is too handy not to be a core feature of any "to" entry box on the web.

3. Image embedding support for the Rich Text editor. The editors can support it and other e-mail packages offer it, just not SmarterMail.

technorati: SmarterMail, Crystaltech, web mail

Created 76 weeks, 1 day ago

Well, we are about to jaunt down the street to check out Tenacious D.

technorati: tenacious d

Created 76 weeks, 3 days ago

Does anyone know if there exists an ASP.NET music jukebox script? The kind of script that provides access to your music collection remotely through the Web.

There are plenty of scripts are written for PHP and I have one written in ASP classic, but a search on Google, Sourceforge and the scripting boards didn't lead me to believe that any existed.

If you have knowledge of any, could you point me in the right direction. I have a hankering to upgrade mine to ASP.NET but not if any (good) ones already exist. Thankssomuch!

technorati: asp.net, mp3, jukebox

Created 76 weeks, 6 days ago

Well that figures. I spent more than $100 a year ago on a Razer Copperhead mouse and the other morning I discovered it dead. It has been, without question, one of the best input devices I have ever used. It really hurts me to use lesser mice. I even use a Razer Diamondback at work and for travel.

I sat down to use my computer and noticed right away that the Copperhead wasn't working. I figured maybe the cat had been behind the computer and pulled the USB cable loose or dislodged something.


When I had more time to look into the problem last night, it turns out the sensor or lighting for the sensor must have died. All the other internal lights seem to be working fine, and the buttons are working, but the mouse won't track anything (probably because it can't see anything).

I can't help but to think that one of the Razer's own features is the cause of this problem:

Always-On™ mode pioneered by Razer™ - the laser engine sensor never powers down to provide instantaneous response at all times during gameplay

I did a cursory search on Google to see if others have had the same problems and it looks like this might be a flaw in the product. Many people seem to be having this same issue. Apparently Razer isn't keen on replacing the mice (it has a 2 year warranty) but they do have a form to fill out if you need to replace a product. I hate having to RMA stuff, but for a $100 mouse that only lasted a year (and a year of light use at that), you can bet I am going to have them replace this.

Update 12/06/2006 - I took apart the mouse to discover that the illumination device (LED? Laser? Infrared?) was burned out. Hopefully I can replace it with a 60 cent LED.


technorati: Razer, Copperhead, Mouse

Created 77 weeks, 4 minutes ago

Nah.. this really makes me smile.

Usually the expiration screens for trial software are so marketing oriented. That is if they don't just close themselves and launch a web browser to their e-commerce cart with the product already locked and loaded waiting for you to click the "Buy now as fast as you can" button.

Virtual CD (it is Das Original if you didn't know) has a nice, polite message on the expiration popup.



I bet if wrote them to let them know that their software presumed wrong and that I actually only got to use it for about 5 days they would give me another 25 days to try it out. That's how nice this little message seems. I actually would have liked to try it out longer, I just wasn't home enough during the last 30 days to really get a full feeling of trial out of it.

Since I am on the subject of Virtual CD, if you need the most nifty software since .... forever, do check them out. The software creates a virtual cd / dvd reader and a virtual cd / dvd burner in your PC system.

What does this mean for you? For me it means all those CD's I was making from iTunes purchases can now be done virtually. I don't have to waste any more physical CD's or CD-Rs or even open my burner any longer. This is good software done right.


technorati: Virtual CD, DVD Burner, Virtual

Created 77 weeks, 7 hours ago

If you are looking for a solution to cache gravatar images for your blog, forum, newsletter, BBS this gravatar caching script might be just what you are looking for.

I present to you the first public release of the gravatar caching script for asp.net. This script offers you the ability to have your application cache gravatar icons on your own server to improve the user experience of your application when the gravatar servers get bogged down or go offline.

It is super simple to setup and use. Just download the script, plop it into a folder with asp.net 2.0 support, configure your asp.net permissions on the caching folder and start sending all of your gravatar URL traffic to the new URL. Every bit of the script is configurable with a few simple variables to modify. You don't even have to change the query string variables you are sending now.

Of course, this wouldn't be possible without the wonderful gravatar.com global avatar site. If you don't use it, you should. There are already some minor mods I have in store for the next version update (security - keep people from using your caching script, local icons - include your own icons for faster service, and more).



technorati: gravatar, asp.net, cache

Created 77 weeks, 12 hours ago

Update: Thanks to Steve Trefethen's diligent searching, he found a patch to get SessionSaver working with Firefox 2. Thanks Steve!


When I upgraded to Firefox 2, I was quite surprised to see that one of my most trusty extensions (I mean add-ons) was not compatible with the new version. SessionSaver has been one of the most useful extensions I have ever had the pleasure of working with.

The developer states the features best:

SessionSaver restores your browser -exactly- as you left it, every startup, every time. Not even a crash will phase it. Windows, tabs, even things you were typing -- they're all saved.

I mostly used it to backup my tabs while doing development work. Every UI designer knows that working working with say...  javascript and the XMLHttpRequest object will inevitably result in a browser bail-out if you do enough interface scripting. And despite Firefox trying to detect slow or looping scripts, we have our ways to get it to crash - or at least bog down until it is insufferably slow.

Firefox 2 (all glossy and loaded with 'features') comes bundled with its own Session Restore feature and after using it for a few weeks now, boy does it suck. So far, I think it has saved my tabs a total of 10% of the time I have had Firefox close unexpectedly. Unreliable is unwanted.

I waste time having to re-open tabs that I need setup for rapid (rabid) UI development. And, before you suggest, saving the open tabs to a bookmark folder is lame for two reasons. First, you can never be quite sure what tabs you need open for a particular project. And second because there was an add-on that filled this need for me perfectly before SessionSaver 2 became incompatible.

TabMixPlus has had the ability to save sessions for a while, and it is compatible with Firefox 2 so I am giving that a try. It doesn't let you force-save a session like SessionSaver did, but maybe it will at least be more reliable in bringing back my tabs after Firefox crashes.

technorati: Firefox, SessionSaver, TabMixPlus, Session, Add-ons

Created 77 weeks, 1 day ago

So.. want to show a badge with a list of recent comments on your blog?

Do you have AKISMET running and have you upgraded to dasBlog 1.9 latest build?



Well, your in luck. Based on the original macro from voidclass, this version has many new features (read below)

Download the Recent Comments macro at my dasBlog project page.

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Features for this macro:

• Admins and visitors can be shown a different number of recent comments.
  
  
• Admins can see comments marked as spam. Admins will notice that the comments are spam based on some custom css styles.
  
  
• Visitors will have spam filtered.
  
  
• You can truncate either the title, comment body, or comment author to better fit your design.
  
  
• You can choose to show or hide the comment body.
  
  
• The macro produces xHTML standard list elements.

technorati: dasBlog, macro, asp.net, blog

Created 77 weeks, 4 days ago

Lyrics Born has a new Live album out titled "Overnite Encore: Lyrics Born Live!"

LB has been a major part of my musical diet since I got turned onto this amazing group through Chris and Claudia back in Austin last year. Therefore, I compel you to go get a copy of this record.

I am trying out a new affiliation with IODA Promonet that lets me bring you free mp3s from artists which IODA represents. Below you can download a free Lyrics Born mp3 from the new album. And,.. after your ears peep those wonderful LB stylings, click through my blog to buy the record


technorati: Lyrics Born, Iodalliance, Hip Hop

Created 77 weeks, 4 days ago

Good a' mornin'. Time to-a' fix the comments. A little paint over the obvious memory leaks... duct tape across some structural connections... a few decorative stickers over the holes... that ought to do it.

Yeah.. umm.. the comments should be working again .

Also, thanks to Joshua Flanagan we are back in the comment spam-filtering no-need-for-CAPTCHA business with a patch he checked in with an AKISMET fix for the comment blockage this morning.

Jforsythe.com is running a nightly-build version of the dasBlog code, so this very blog gets to uncover some of the problems with the software before those same problems make their way to the final build. The older AKISMET code was about 90% of the comment problem, with my Rich-Text comments the other 10%. Lets hope we both get it right with our fixes.

I love being part of open-source collaborative software. I think seeing others check-ins and getting to be part of the development process makes everyone a better programmer. Of course, those who are already amazing geniuses which check in the amazing stuff probably rue us armchair-programmers.

technorati: dasBlog, AKISMET

Created 77 weeks, 5 days ago

Thanks to the more than one person (I love yall) that wrote to me telling me the comments were being chomped. The best I can do at this moment is warn you that comments will be eaten, digested and turned into cybernure by my blog.

It makes perfect sense that the day leave my laptop and source code at home that the blog will decide to start this shiiat again.

If you care, it is related to how the comments are sniffed by AKISMET for spam. The system is still having the kinks worked out as you can tell. My favorite part is how the new feature I added for rich text comments was the culprit for a week, then immediately after I fixed that, the spam sniffing service found opportunity to fail.

Come back tomorrow when I get it worked out. I really do treasure your comments. Like gold. Like precious golden comments.

Created 77 weeks, 6 days ago

If you are driving a prius [or insert your gas-saving vehicle type here] and you are driving it in the passing lane at 60 mph or less, you sir/madam are a big-time jerk. Six months now in the bay area and I can say with authority that you folks are doing this on purpose. I am now aware yall are rallying in some lame message forum somewhere to drive slowly in the fast lane to ultimately piss me off.

Let me direct you to the California Driver Handbook - Laws and Rules of the Road pages 22 through 25. Here, you will find a section titled "Choosing A Lane". I will make bold the important sections for you.

Choosing A Lane

Traffic lanes are often referred to by number. The left or “fast” lane is called the “No. 1 Lane.” The lanes to the right of the No. 1 lane are called the No. 2 lane, then the No. 3 lane. etc.

Example of numbered traffic lanes

Drive in the lane with the smoothest flow of traffic. If you can choose among three lanes, pick the middle lane for the smoothest driving. To drive faster, pass, or turn left, use the left lane. When you choose to drive slowly or enter or turn off the road, use the right lane.

And, there we have it. Cut and dry. Written with simple, efficient words, just for you. Look it up if you want, I linked to the electronic version so you don't even waste paper reading it. Oh, while you are at it, read a little further. You will find this passage:

Don’t weave in and out of traffic. Stay in one lane as much as possible.

Your slow driving in the left lane prevents folks using the correct lane from following this very important rule. Stop forcing us to weave. Stay out of our lane.

technorati: prius, hybrid, driving, bay area

Created 78 weeks, 19 hours ago

There is now a very new, very solid, beautiful door hanging where once hung (barely) an old dilapidated antique.

The old door had character, that's for sure. Someone had installed a dog passway in it at some point, and then someone had boarded that up later on. It had, easily, 30 coats of paint on it; I think that was the only thing holding the handle and lock in place. Some mornings I would find slugs on the floor where they had entered from the gap under the door or between the hinges.

The worst though was that Mercury the cat had just about figured out how to unlock the door himself. Winston the dog had already figured out how to push open the door if it was unlocked. They just needed to work together if they wanted to bail on us.

So, maybe a door replacement doesn't mean much to those of you who have corporate rental agents to notify when things stop working; or an apartment complex facilities manager to handle this kind of stuff.

It becomes a big deal when you rent a house from what some neighbors told us were some of the more difficult realtors in San Francisco (remember, a city of just about a million people and the second most densely populated major city in the United States).

Created 78 weeks, 1 day ago

I have twice now had to contact customer service at bankofamerica.com to request they give my online profile access to my own Checking and Savings accounts. This is twice in the last 3 months. I don't think they want me looking at my account balances.

The scenario works like this. I log into my account just like any other day to look at my balances when I notice I only have access to my Credit Card account. WTF. The last time this happened I had to setup all of my Auto-pay and Linked outside accounts all over again. Plus it took another three days for their account changes to 'stick'. This is unacceptable, unwarranted and totally out of control.

I think I will take the advice of some of my peers and open an ING Orange account; or an account with WAMU. There are a bunch of WAMU branches around my home and office which makes it as convenient as Bank of America has been.

technorati: Bank of America, banking

Created 78 weeks, 3 days ago

So my blog was probably eating your comments for the last few days. Sorry about that if you posted something really important and it didn't get through. I think I have fixed the offending pieces, we shall see.

Created 78 weeks, 3 days ago

Its a strange thing, 30. It kinda sneaked up on me, which is suprising seeing as how it has been at the back of my mind all year. After an introspective sappy 'what does all of this mean' kinda evening I am happy to say that I find myself astonished at all the stuff I have seen and done in the last 9 or 10 years (since reaching full self-awareness of course).

Most importantly I have my parents to thank for installing within me the drive to live life fully (in 1976 prices, I am sure that cost a bundle), my sister who is my original and best friend, and to all my friends and lovers for giving me the opportunity to learn, and in turn, live my life with compassion, love and companionship. Without you I wouldn't be who I am today.

Created 79 weeks, 18 hours ago