Monday, 24 July, 2006. 12:02:11 PM
Windows did it to me again. The space bar selects the default option on a dialog. Unfortunately, Windows always seems to think that it can pop up anything it wants whenever I'm typing. It popped up a dialog, I was typing a space right at that time, and the default option was selected before I could even read the dialog. Ridiculous.
Thursday, 20 July, 2006. 02:29:05 PM
I got a new iPod shuffle yesterday. It didn't cost me anything because it was a gift award for collecting points on my credit card, similar to airline miles. I did some research on the Shuffle before I ordered it, including a trip to the local Apple store. What I discovered is that the iPod Shuffle is absolutely ideal for listening to podcasts, and surprisingly, even the people at the Apple store didn't seem to be aware of the features that make it so perfect for this particular task.
My usage of mp3 players is a little different than the way most other people use them. I don't listen to much music on these tiny devices, preferring podcasts instead. Instead of having a hundred 5-minute long tracks on a device, I might only have 5 tracks that are each an hour long. I also don't use Windows, and I don't use GUI programs if I can help it. Once I listen to a podcast, it's deleted forever, unlike music which is kept permanently. The existing GUI programs such as iTunes or gtkPod make an assumption that you're filling your Shuffle with songs from a precious database of mp3 files which should never be deleted. That assumption makes these programs difficult for me to deal with, because deleting podcasts (done on a daily basis) requires the podcast to be deleted, plus the additional step of removing the deleted podcast from the iTunes database.
The consequences of my particular usage patterns is that the most important feature of an mp3 player is that it doesn't lose its bookmark in a podcast when I turn it off or pause it. I have another mp3 player which resets completely anytime it's turned off, or paused more than about a minute. When I'm 45 minutes into an hour-long podcast and that happens, I've got no choice but to sit with my finger on the fast forward button for 20 minutes to get back to where I was in the podcast.
After some research on the web and on mailing lists, I came to the conclusion that the iPod shuffle probably did support the type of bookmarking that I needed. There was some contradiction on that point though, and it seemed that almost nobody reported on this feature except as an afterthought. As a contrast, this journal entry is pretty much ONLY about this feature, because it's the only feature that I absolutely can't live without on an mp3 player.
I went to the Apple store and asked the tech if the Shuffle would remember that it was 20 minutes into a file when it was either paused or powered off, and would resume from the exact location when it was started again. The tech in the Apple store said NO it would not, but a quick test with the single Shuffle they had on display proved that the Apple tech was wrong about that. The Shuffle does indeed save a bookmark whenever you pause it or turn it off completely, exactly in the way that I require. When I go back to my Shuffle after hours or days, I can turn it on and it starts playing exactly where I stopped listening.
The Shuffle also works perfectly with Linux, without a cumbersome GUI application. It mounts just like any other flash drive. I used iTunes under Windows to create a blank song database - this is as simple as starting iTunes and plugging in the Shuffle. iTunes creates the database automatically.
To put mp3 files onto the Shuffle, I mount the Shuffle just like a flash drive, and use the command line to copy files onto the Shuffle. This fits right into my current podcast listening infrastructure, which is completely driven by shell scripts. I don't use the cumbersome iPodder or jPodder applications. There's a script written in Python called 'rebuild_db.py'. After mp3 files are copied to the Shuffle, in any directory structure, the rebuild_db.py script is run to rebuild the Shuffle's file database. After that, the device is unmounted, and it's ready to play podcasts.
The Shuffle has two modes of operation, controlled by the switch on the back. The main mode that people seem concerned with is the shuffle mode, where the tracks are played in random order. Useless for podcasts. The other switch position will cause the Shuffle to play tracks in a fixed order. Perfect. Since I have at most 10 tracks on my Shuffle at any one time, it's simple to use the forward and backward track button to select what podcast I want to listen to.
Summary:
The Apple iPod Shuffle is perfect for listening to podcasts
Features:
-The Shuffle saves a bookmark automatically when paused or turned off, allowing podcasts to start playing right where they were previously stopped.
-The Shuffle will play podcasts in order, without shuffling, by moving the power switch to the middle position.
-The Shuffle works perfectly with Linux. Using the rebuild_db.py script, cumbersome GUI applications can be completely avoided, and the device can be treated almost exactly like a traditional thumb-drive mp3 player.
Thursday, 20 July, 2006. 09:56:44 AM
There's a fire in the lab. There is a freezer filled with 10,000 blastocysts and a real live baby in the lab. You have time to save just one of them.
Do you save the freezer with 10,000 blastocysts, or do you save the one real live baby?
Sunday, 16 July, 2006. 09:30:44 PM
This is what the insane people on Raptureready.com were writing before their looniness started attracting too much attention. These people are just a little excited about the current tragic situation in the world, especially the Middle-East.
Is it time to get excited? I can't help the way I feel. For the first time in my Christian walk, I have no doubts that the day of the Lords appearing is upon us. I have never felt this way before, I have a joy that bubbles up every-time I think of him, for I know this is truly the time I have waited for so long. Am I alone in feeling guilty about the human suffering like my joy at his appearing some how fuels the evil I see everywhere. If it were not for the souls that hang in the balance and the horror that stalks man daily on this earth, my joy would be complete. For those of us who await his arrival know, somehow we just know it won't be long now, the Bridegroom cometh rather man is ready are not.
it has been quite a day today, if you caught all the news; I'm getting the feeling world tension is gonna be high for a long time with increased terrorism and nations being defiant. I don't think it will cool down until after the rapture when the peace deal is confirmed.
How can we not be excited, our redeemer cometh. We should pray always for the lost. But he is coming. Amen Amen ever so come lord Jesus.
Ready, waiting and excited here! Still telling others whenever possible that the rapture could take place at any time because this world is in such a big MESS and evidently it goes through one ear and right out the other.
I am excited beyond words that the struggle of this life may be over soon and I can finally be FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
Shelle circles her fist over her head and imitates Arsenio Hall by yelling WHOO-WHOO-WHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
I too am soooo excited!! I get goose bumps, literally, when I watch what's going on in the M.E.!! And Watcherboy, you were so right when saying it was quite a day yesterday, in the world news, and I add in local news here in the Boston area!! Tunnel ceiling collapsed on a car and killed a woman of faith, and we had the most terrifying storms I have ever seen here!! But, yes, Ohappyday, like in your screen name , it is most indeed a time to be happy and excited, right there with ya!!
Our bridegroom and kinsmen redeemer, what a beautiful thought!! To finally see His face!!!
Sound the shofar! Let the Enemy know the alert has been sounded and Yeshua is stepping onto the battlefield.
...If He tarries, I will just have time to get my hair and nails done (you know let all I come into contact with know of my Bridegroom and what He has/will do). So i am all spiffied up for Him when He does arrive to take me home. No disappointment, just a few last minute details to take care of to be more pleasing to look at.
Days like today it's all I want. Other days because of others I want one more. But what a privilege to be apart of the rapture. I can hardly wait!!
Friday, 14 July, 2006. 01:47:39 AM
OK, solving the problem of instability and unrest in the Middle East might be a noble goal, but getting everyone in the region killed in an ever-expanding war of honor is the wrong way of going about it. Some analysts are suggesting that after Lebanon, Israel might go after Syria next.
Thursday, 06 July, 2006. 10:48:48 PM
Ann Coulter's in real trouble now: her book "Godless" has at least three passages that were plagarized from other sources, and her newspaper columns are filled with passages lifted verbatim.