http://www.allappropriatetech.com/older.html.htmlTechnology news and commentary.en-ca15 Jul 2010BOTTLE 0.8 alphaGlenn C. Lasher, Jr.Glenn C. Lasher, Jr.http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/07/15/recipe-site-groks-open-source.htmlPoking through some other sites that I like, I stumbled on a link to a recipe site, and it bore the rather interesting logo you see above. Okay, I was intrigued, so I clicked. 15 Jul 2010http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/07/15/recipe-site-groks-open-source.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/04/26/godaddy_wordpress_hacked.htmlBlogcast.fm is reporting that a massive number of GoDaddy blogs have been hacked with a particularly stealthy set of malware. If you log in norally and directly, you don't see it because it hides itself, but if you hit the site from a set of Google results (and let's face it, that could happen easily), then the malware is triggered. 26 Apr 2010http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/04/26/godaddy_wordpress_hacked.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/03/12/ooma.htmlWell, we're all looking for ways to save money, yes? I've recently considered my phone bill as a prime target. Verizon currently takes, on average, $33 a month after taxes. On top of that, I have to pay Sprint another $22 for long distance service. In exchange for that, I get a dial tone with the ability to call long distance, and the ability to receive incoming calls. Whoop-de-flippin-doo. 12 Mar 2010http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/03/12/ooma.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/03/04/starbucks-has-my-sympathy.htmlHoo boy! As some of you may have read already, and the rest are about to, Starbucks -- yes, the coffee house -- has unwittingly stepped on a political land mine. 4 Mar 2010http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/03/04/starbucks-has-my-sympathy.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/02/18/musings_on_audiophilia.htmlThe other day, I was talking to a coworker about music, specifically something he believes to be true (and I have not moved to confirm or debunk), that Disco was generally 132 beats per minute, in order to facilitate blending, because variable-speed turntables were hard to come by in the 70's. That lead to a discussion of turntables, including my mentioning that I still have and use one. 18 Feb 2010http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/02/18/musings_on_audiophilia.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/01/13/wiive_given_in.htmlI have always said that I would not ever own a video game console. My wife has said likewise. So why is there now a Wii sitting under our TV? 13 Jan 2010http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2010/01/13/wiive_given_in.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/11/10/collegiality_is_what_is_missing.htmlThis past weekend, I attended (and, indeed, was part of the planning and execution of) the Toastmasters District 53 fall conference in Saratoga Springs, NY. As you might expect from such a gathering, you find a large number of people who are dynamic speakers and leaders, and who are not afraid to speak their minds on any topic. 10 Nov 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/11/10/collegiality_is_what_is_missing.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/30/rationing.htmlReading today's newspaper, I saw something interesting. There was discussion, as has often been the case lately, of the swine flu. The discussion wandered into how there is a shortage of vaccine. 30 Oct 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/30/rationing.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/23/rss_now_live.htmlThe RSS feeds on this site are now live. While there is no visible link to them just yet, your RSS feed reader and/or RSS-enabled browser (e.g. Firefox + Sage) should be able to discover them just fine. There is an RSS feed that corresponds to the main index, one that corresponds to the full index, and one that corresponds to each tag. Go to the HTML index page for each individual RSS feed. 23 Oct 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/23/rss_now_live.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/19/how_to_use_a_telephone.htmlDoes the title of this article sound ridiculous in this day and age? It should. The situation that lead me to it cerainly was. 19 Oct 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/19/how_to_use_a_telephone.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/18/flu_vaccine.htmlLet me begin by saying that I believe that vaccinations to various diseases has been one of the greatest inventions that medical science produced in the 20th century. Sure, some will say "but we're now in the 21st century" and surely, this is true, however, just because something is old does not mean it is bad. You do use fire, after all, don't you? 18 Oct 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/18/flu_vaccine.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/17/a_perfect_demo.htmlSome of you may be aware, and others not, that I am a member of a chapter of Toastmasters International, a club which assists its members in public speaking and leadership skills. The particlar chapter to which I belong is based in my workplace, and so all of the members of this chapter are my co-workers. On Wednesday, I presented, as one of the advanced speech projects, a demonstration of Ubuntu Linux, to a mostly non-technical audience. 17 Oct 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/17/a_perfect_demo.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/16/the_new_burger_joint.htmlA couple of weeks ago, while my wife and I were out and about on other business, we found ourselves looking for someplace to eat. Passing by all of the ususal bad choices, she said, "I would really love a good burger." As we rounded the corner off of Western Avenue onto New Karner Road, she happened to spot a new sign on a strip mall that looked like the icon above, so we pulled in. 16 Oct 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/16/the_new_burger_joint.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/15/reopening.htmlWelcome back. 15 Oct 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/10/15/reopening.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/09/30/kiss.htmlAs my readers (both of you) will have observed, my blog has been out of commission for almost a month. You will also have observed that, coming back up now, it looks radically different. There is a good reason for this. 30 Sep 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/09/30/kiss.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/09/02/not_important.htmlBehold what met me at the mailbox when I got home today. 2 Sep 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/09/02/not_important.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/07/08/oh_this_is_going_to_get_interesting.htmlOver the past week, I’ve been telemarketed to by two different organizations that sound shady as hell. 8 Jul 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/07/08/oh_this_is_going_to_get_interesting.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/06/30/off_topic_so_long_billy.htmlThere have been lots of celebrity deaths this past week. Ed McMahon, Michael Jackson, Farah Fawcett and Billy Mays. 30 Jun 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/06/30/off_topic_so_long_billy.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/06/16/the_hybrids_achilles_heel.htmlIt makes sense when you think about it, but hybrids have one serious flaw in that they are typically reliant on having both fuel in the tank and juice in the battery in order to work right. Think about it: a Prius has a 76 horsepower gasoline engine and a 67 horsepower electric motor. Taken alone, neither will be very punchy; put together,they can pack a surprising whallop! 16 Jun 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/06/16/the_hybrids_achilles_heel.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/06/16/dtv_transition_tthoughts.htmlSo now the DTV transition is finally done. We can now get on with the debugging. 16 Jun 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/06/16/dtv_transition_tthoughts.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/06/10/the_one_true_purpose.htmlThis morning, my computer had a little functionality hiccup that got me wondering: why is this even possible? 10 Jun 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/06/10/the_one_true_purpose.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/06/10/numbers.htmlJust a couple of observations about numbers used to identify things. 10 Jun 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/06/10/numbers.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/05/17/using_electricity_for_everything.htmlMy sister, the Budding Locavore, has been recently working on putting in a garden with some friends of hers. While she was waiting on someone else to come up with a rototiller, I told her that I had one that she could borrow, to which her response was that I am "made of win and topped with awesomesauce." A little further in on her post, though, she says: 17 May 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/05/17/using_electricity_for_everything.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/29/if_you_cant_open_it_you_dont_own_it.htmlPicture this scenario: You're driving home from work, and your car's engine starts to run erratically. It sounds like it is only firing on 3 cylinders, and the plume of smoke and scent of unburnt fuel tend to confirm this. You're almost home, so you limp the rest of the way there, where your neighbour notices your problem and wanders over. 29 Apr 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/29/if_you_cant_open_it_you_dont_own_it.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/16/drm_strikes_again.htmlAccording to an article over at the Consumerist, an Amazon Kindle owner recently found his access to the Kindle service revoked because, unrelated to his Kindle, he had ordered and returned too many books. You know, the dead-tree variety? 16 Apr 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/16/drm_strikes_again.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/14/another_blackberry_outage.htmlCNN is reporting that there has been another Blackberry outage. It was less impactful than the last time around, but at least one question remains: Why does Research in Motion (RIM; maker of the Blackberry) funnel all email traffic through their data centres, rather than having it handled by the individual cellular carriers, which (1) would be like most, if not all, other smart phones, and (2) would provide some diversity? 14 Apr 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/14/another_blackberry_outage.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/11/please_give_a_warm_welcome.htmlPlease give a warm welcome to my sister, who has just joined the blogosphere with Diary of a Budding Locavore. Please join her as she documents her efforts to move herself and her family to a diet of locally-grown foods. 11 Apr 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/11/please_give_a_warm_welcome.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/06/fun_with_debt_collectors.htmlMy work-issued blackberry rang last night. When I answered, the lady on the other end asked for Dominick. 6 Apr 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/06/fun_with_debt_collectors.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/04/fbi_raids_dallas_data_centre.htmlVia Slashdot, I have learned this morning that the FBI raided the data centre of Core IP in Dallas. Rumours abound as to why, but that is not so important. Far more important is how. 4 Apr 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/04/04/fbi_raids_dallas_data_centre.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/03/20/audio_codec_shootout.htmlTo begin with, this is, admittedly, not very scientific, but it is neat. 20 Mar 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/03/20/audio_codec_shootout.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/03/05/ego_surfing.htmlEgo surfing is a slang term for looking yourself up on a search engine (usually Google these days, but the term goes back much farther than Google’s dominance of the search market). It used to be looked at as something you would do to stroke your ego, to see what that you have said has made its way into the web for the world to see how great you are. In short, it was viewed as narcissistic. 5 Mar 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/03/05/ego_surfing.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/01/31/reply_to_all_verboten_at_nielsen.htmlTechCrunch has an article that talks about a new policy at Nielsen corporate: The Reply-to-all function on their email is disabled. 31 Jan 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/01/31/reply_to_all_verboten_at_nielsen.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/01/18/the_day_the_earth_stood_still.htmlQuick summary: IMAX is worth seeing. The Day The Earth Stood Still, on the other hand, is not, especially if you enjoyed the 1951 classic. 18 Jan 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/01/18/the_day_the_earth_stood_still.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/01/06/sly_telemarketing_from_slydial.htmlI’ve told this story in person to a few people today, and every time I have done so, I have had to explain what SlyDial is, so let me start there. SlyDial is a service that is provided by MobileSphere in Boston, and it works like this: First, you call their number. They play an advertisement to you to pay for the service you are about to receive. Next, they prompt you for the phone number of a mobile phone. You punch this in, and they will then take you right to that person’s voicemail box, all without ringing that person’s telephone. It’s a pretty cool service, actually, and a great way to deliver low-priority messages without disturbing the recipient. 6 Jan 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/01/06/sly_telemarketing_from_slydial.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/01/06/is_cable_tv_still_relevant.htmlUpdate: The Atlantic gets it. 6 Jan 2009http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2009/01/06/is_cable_tv_still_relevant.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/12/22/do_you_need_a_dtv_converter.htmlA post on another blog inspired me to draw up this flowchart. 22 Dec 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/12/22/do_you_need_a_dtv_converter.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/12/21/tv_shrinkray_redux.htmlAbout a month ago, I wrote about how Sears had started selling “50 inch class” TVs in place of actual “50 inch” TVs. The fine print revealed that the actual size of the TV might be 49.5 inches or what have you. At the end of the article, I was musing about vendor honesty. I said: 21 Dec 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/12/21/tv_shrinkray_redux.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/12/10/tech_gratia_technis.htmlFor those who don’t speak Latin, Tech Gratia Technis is a play on words of MGM Studios’ slogan, Ars Gratia Artis, “Art for art’s sake”. Yes, I made the term up, and it refers to technology that is applied for no reason other than to apply technology. 10 Dec 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/12/10/tech_gratia_technis.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/28/i_smell_marketing.htmlIn the Black Friday advertisements sent around this week, I noticed something I hadn’t noticed before. In the Sears and K-Mart flyers, TVs were advertised as being “32 inch class” or “50 inch class” or whatever. Never a “32 inch” TV, but a “32 inch class” TV. 28 Nov 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/28/i_smell_marketing.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/19/satellite_radio_after_the_merger.htmlRecently, the nation’s two satellite radio providers, XM and Sirius, merged. There was a lot of concern expressed over this, with many folks thinking that the removal of any competition would mean the removal of quality. 19 Nov 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/19/satellite_radio_after_the_merger.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/12/iget_it_now.htmlA colleague of mine who had shared my sense about iPhones, but who has an even more insatiable curiosity than mine, has figured out the iPhone phenomenon. It is about cheap access to the Internet. Apparently, it can be more cost effective, and, in many cases, “good enough” access to the Internet than some other broadband options, plus you can make phone calls. 12 Nov 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/12/iget_it_now.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/10/dtv_converter.htmlWell, my dear readers, it is getting closer to that point in time when the cutover to digital TV will be complete. While I am certain that anyone reading this blog is already set, there will be those in our lives who, for one reason or another, may need assistance. 10 Nov 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/10/dtv_converter.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/04/uneventful_trip_to_the_polls.htmlAs of 6:20 this morning, my vote is cast. They open at 6:00 AM here in New York State. I woke up around 4:30 and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I decided I should just go earlier than I’d originally intended. 4 Nov 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/04/uneventful_trip_to_the_polls.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/03/tomorrow_could_be_interesting.htmlWe have a very contentious election, coupled with a set of polls that point to an overwhelming upset for the current party, past electoral hijinks, and what may be the highest voter turnout in our nation’s history. 3 Nov 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/11/03/tomorrow_could_be_interesting.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/10/24/quarantine_not_quite_as_bad_as_cloverfield.htmlI want to find out if there is a name for the style of cinematography where the entire film takes the form of “raw” footage shot from a single camera operated by one of the characters in the film, who happens to be in the thick of the action. If it lacks a name, I would like to suggest “cheap-ass cop-out suck.” 24 Oct 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/10/24/quarantine_not_quite_as_bad_as_cloverfield.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/10/13/a_very_simple_idea.htmlYesterday, I woke up with a blinding headache due to an oncoming cold. I went to my medicine cabinet, pulled out a bottle of analgesic, and found I couldn’t remember Ibuprofen from Acetaminophen, and therefore couldn’t tell whether I was supposed to take one or two. 13 Oct 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/10/13/a_very_simple_idea.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/10/03/the_movie_makers_have_missed_the_point.htmlQ. Why do you buy or rent a DVD? 3 Oct 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/10/03/the_movie_makers_have_missed_the_point.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/10/02/be_careful_of_rumours.htmlA college professor of mine used to poke fun at ignorance by saying (sarcastically, of course), “my mind is made up; don’t confuse me with facts.” 2 Oct 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/10/02/be_careful_of_rumours.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/09/10/needless_complexity.htmlWell, let’s face it, needless complexity is really the key issue on this blog, isn’t it? 10 Sep 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/09/10/needless_complexity.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/09/05/in_defense_of_the_humble_fax.htmlThis morning, while reading a post in another blog, I saw an off-the-cuff remark saying that fax machines are no longer relevant. I would like to stand in the fax machine’s defense. 5 Sep 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/09/05/in_defense_of_the_humble_fax.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/29/lost_translation.htmlOne of our four local grocery store chains has, in the last couple of years, put in place a system of credit/debit card machines which can be used not only in English, but also Spanish and French. I speak all three languages, and so I tried it out. 29 Aug 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/29/lost_translation.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/25/they_dont_make_broadband_like_they_used_to.htmlSF Gate has a story about Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who have started imposing usage caps on what was previously “unlimited” internet service. I find this trend to be troubling. 25 Aug 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/25/they_dont_make_broadband_like_they_used_to.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/21/playing_nice_together.htmlI’ve been finding, as time goes on, places where multiple technologies have been deployed together, with some sort of common function, but without the level of integration to make the all play together nicely. 21 Aug 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/21/playing_nice_together.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/20/confusion_of_ideas.htmlEvery now and then, I raed something that just makes me shake my head in disbelief. The problem usually stems from a misunderstanding of time when it is related to energy. 20 Aug 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/20/confusion_of_ideas.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/09/fine_print.htmlLast week, I bought a new DVD burner for my computer to replace my ailing five-year old TDK burner. Since I am a computer consultant, and have good familiarity with the equipment, and no need to deal with any special drivers or software thanks to being a Linux user, I never bothered to consult the the instructions. 9 Aug 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/09/fine_print.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/06/journey_to_the_centre_of_the_earth.htmlThis past weekend, I took my nine-year-old nephew to see The Journey to the Centre of the Earth. I was somewhat intrigued, because some technologies were in play that I had seen before, but in a “not quite there” state. 6 Aug 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/08/06/journey_to_the_centre_of_the_earth.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/07/28/why_do_all_of_the_crackpots_cling_to_tesla.htmlThere have been a number of Great Engineers between the 19th century and now. To name a few, James Watt, Thomas Edison, Guglielmo Marconi, R. Buckminster Fuller, and, of course, the topic of this post, Nikola Tesla. 28 Jul 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/07/28/why_do_all_of_the_crackpots_cling_to_tesla.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/07/01/a_little_consistency.htmlI have given a bit of thought to this one and decided that it is time to gripe. 1 Jul 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/07/01/a_little_consistency.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/27/interesting_people.htmlIt seems to me that there are people in the world who you are just supposed to meet. Now, I’m not talking about your nearest and dearest friends, significant others or such, just the occasional stranger who strikes up a conversation. 27 Jun 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/27/interesting_people.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/27/disposal_of_compact_fluorescent_lights.htmlThe Consumerist is reporting that Home Depot has begun a program to recycle dead CFLs. If you have one that is burnt out, simply bring it to their Customer Service desk and they will recycle it for you, guilt and cost free. 27 Jun 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/27/disposal_of_compact_fluorescent_lights.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/17/naming_legal_beverages_after_narcotics.htmlRecently, there have been a handful of legal beverages that have hit the market, which beverages have been named after narcotics. Right off the top of my head, there is one called Cocaine, and another called Drank. 17 Jun 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/17/naming_legal_beverages_after_narcotics.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/10/no_commentary_needed.html 10 Jun 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/10/no_commentary_needed.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/06/a_flaw_in_the_design.htmlFirst off, my hat’s off to the truck drivers in the US. They put up with a lot of nonsense ranging from uneven law enforcement to drivers of little cars who cut them off, to soaring fuel prices (diesel fuel is now well over $5.00/gallon) and so on. 6 Jun 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/06/a_flaw_in_the_design.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/03/security_is_getting_bloody_ridiculous.htmlOh, this is good. A camera crew for the Washington DC Fox TV station was at Union Station to cover a story about Union Station security harassing photographers. While they were there, interviewing an Amtrak spokesperson, who was telling the news crew that there are no restrictions on photography in Union Station, along comes a security guard, who promptly shuts down the interview because photography is not allowed in Union Station. 3 Jun 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/06/03/security_is_getting_bloody_ridiculous.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/05/30/conversion.htmlWith the marketing and technological disaster that has been Microsoft Vista, combined with Microsoft’s stated intentions not to sell Windows XP after next month, there has been a bit of a scramble to find options. Apple has, needles to say, capitalized on this. 30 May 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/05/30/conversion.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/05/29/dow_chemical_raising_prices.htmlI heard a sound last night while listening to the radio. It sounded to me like the distinctive splat of fecal matter violently entangled in a rotary air-moving device. 29 May 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/05/29/dow_chemical_raising_prices.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/05/22/raw_nerve.htmlI don’t like spam! 22 May 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/05/22/raw_nerve.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/05/04/yet_another_reason_why_ive_had_it.htmlI’ve written before about the fun I’ve had dealing with the Very Big Banking Corporation (VBBC, not their real name) and their “interactive” voice response system. 4 May 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/05/04/yet_another_reason_why_ive_had_it.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/04/27/you_get_what_you_pay_for.htmlOne of my dollar store CFLs died last night. I had put it into service to provide some small amount ambient light in my home office when working at the computer. It worked well for this application (they being as weak as they are), but this puts its lifespan at something severely below the 10,000 hours one can expect on average from CFLs. 27 Apr 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/04/27/you_get_what_you_pay_for.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/04/17/how_much_water_goes_into_your_energy.htmlThe C-Net Green Tech Blog has an interesting summary of how much water is used by the different energy technologies that we use. 17 Apr 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/04/17/how_much_water_goes_into_your_energy.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/04/06/the_great_cucumber_controversy.htmlIn this day and age, we have become really accustomed to the idea that we can take the things that we are buying to the front of the store, and a quick scan of a barcode or punching in of a code will bring up the price of the item. We don’t really think about it much. 6 Apr 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/04/06/the_great_cucumber_controversy.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/04/03/cfl_problems.htmlA friend and colleague has told me that compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) that she has installed in her home are not lasting for the length of time that they are supposed to last. There are a couple of reasons why this may be. 3 Apr 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/04/03/cfl_problems.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/03/27/cell_phone_laws.htmlI understand the inspiration behind the laws banning cell phones from being used by someone operating a vehicle. I do. I think they are the wrong approach, but I do get it. 27 Mar 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/03/27/cell_phone_laws.htmlhttp://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/03/19/driving_efficiently.htmlJames Howard Kunstler has warned us, “No combination of alternative fuels or systems for using them will allow us to run America the way we currently run it, or even a substantial fraction of it.” Regardless of whether or not you believe he is correct, I think we can all agree that there are three very solid reasons why we should be concerned about energy efficiency: 19 Mar 2008http://www.allappropriatetech.com/content/2008/03/19/driving_efficiently.html