Matthew Gifford

MacDevCenter has an article that explains a few useful programs for manipulating HTML (via TUAW) from the command line. I’d never heard of textutil before. I can’t count how many times that would’ve been helpful in the past.

According to Think Secret, Apple may launch a new Mac mini at January’s Macworld Expo.

Apple’s Mac mini will be reborn as the digital hub centerpiece it was originally conceived to be, Think Secret sources have disclosed. The new Mac mini project, code-named Kaleidoscope, will feature an Intel processor and include both Front Row 2.0 and TiVo-like DVR functionality.

Sorry about the lack of posting over the last week or so. Between work and Thanksgiving, I really haven’t had much of a chance to read and write.

I’ve also been in a bit of a funk since the reality of my lack of technical skills punched me square in the face a couple weeks ago. But now I’m done feeling bad and am resolved to fix that problem.

Anyway, over the weekend, Jenn and I bought a 17″ iMac. Jenn’s been itching to play games that her iBook can’t handle for several months, but we just couldn’t justify the cost of a new machine. However, my PowerBook recently developed a couple new problems that are causing it to be a pain for everyday use. And, being the foolish early-adopter that I am, I’d like to wait to buy one of the Intel-based Mac notebooks rather than buy one of the current PowerBooks.

After having worked on this machine for the last couple days, I have to say that I’m very happy with our choice. While the screen is only a little bigger than my notebook’s, the difference is significant enough that I’m finding that I don’t have to minimize windows quite as often as I did. Also, because the screen is raised off the desk, I can sit up straight in my chair. Between these things, and the iMac’s much better performance, I feel like my productivity has improved a decent amount.

Of course, this could also be due to the newness of the machine. We’ll see how I feel about it when that wears off.

I look forward to celebrating many more with you.

Sometimes I like to dig around in Google Video for something interesting. Tonight, I hit the jackpot. It’s a video of a girl named Li Jie playing Paganini’s Caprice No. 24. I really need to practice.

In his latest Washington Post column, Charles Krauthammer, who is far from being a liberal Democrat infidel, explains why the “intelligent design” movement is a bad idea (via Crooks and Liars):

The relentless attempt to confuse [science and religion] by teaching warmed-over creationism as science can only bring ridicule to religion, gratuitously discrediting a great human endeavor and our deepest source of wisdom precisely about those questions — arguably, the most important questions in life — that lie beyond the material.

I think this is a big point that many people are missing. At the very least, the “intelligent design” movement makes Christians look stupid because they apparently can’t distinguish between science and religion. But, even worse, I think it’s going to foster anti-religious feelings. People don’t like to have religion force-fed to them.

A day after Rep. Murtha announced that he was sponsoring a resolution calling for the redeployment of troops from Iraq, House Republicans introduced a bill calling for the immediate withdrawl of troops without any of the safeguards outlined by Rep. Murtha. Obviously, it was an attempt to force the Democrats to vote against redeployment. And they took exception to the tactic.

Is Rep. Jean Schmidt of Ohio a disgrace to our country or what? I wonder if Ohioans can recall their Representatives.

Joel Spolsky doesn’t think that making more money per song is the real reason (via TUAW) why the music industry is pushing for variable pricing in iTunes.

Now, the reason the music recording industry wants different prices has nothing to do with making a premium on the best songs. What they really want is a system they can manipulate to send signals about what songs are worth, and thus what songs you should buy.

I think he’s correct. The music industry isn’t happy unless it has complete control over a situation. A few examples: DRM, payola, P2P, wanting a cut of iPod revenue, contracts that take away most (if not all) of the artist’s rights.

I really hope that Apple will hold the line on uniform pricing. iTunes is a place where independent labels and artists can compete with the major labels on quality and taste, rather than price. It would be a shame for that to be lost.

Garr Reynolds’ post contrasting the presentation styles of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs (via WorkHappy) is right on the mark. In retrospect, presentations where I’ve used less text in my slides have been much more successful. I think that this in part stems from the fact that I spend less time looking at, and reading from, my slides and more time thinking about what I’m saying.

If you’ve never watched Steve Jobs give a presentation, I highly recommend you do so. There’s a lot to learn from it.

Today, Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, who spent 37 years in the Marine Corps, introduced a resolution that calls for the redeployment of troops from Iraq. From the speech he gave today:

The war in Iraq is not going as advertised. It is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion. The American public is way ahead of us. The United States and coalition troops have done all they can in Iraq, but it is time for a change in direction. Our military is suffering. The future of our country is at risk. We can not continue on the present course. It is evident that continued military action in Iraq is not in the best interest of the United States of America, the Iraqi people or the Persian Gulf Region.

But my favorite part came from the Q+A session afterward (stolen from Talking Points Memo):

I like guys who’ve never been there that criticize us who’ve been there. I like that. I like guys who got five deferments and never been there and send people to war, and then don’t like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done.

Right on.

It’s been a few days since I posted some flamebait.