So tomorrow Bridget and I will leave early to visit my Dad and Brother in Panama. As part of my ongoing "ATM Mode" ventures I am not going to bring a computer. I'll be taking my iPhone (the old model) which is now loaded up with the 2.0 software. The new software totally rocks! In fact I created this post on the iPhone using Typepad's new App, which is free. I'll also be testing the TruPhone app, which let's you make low cost phone calls using a Wi-Fi connection. I tested it a few times from my house and the voice quality is great. So we'll see how it works from Panama.

So, what about other recommendations? Well, the best thing is to get some ideas of restaurants that are close to where you are staying and then one or two outside that zone. Go to NOMENU.com and check out the listings of restaurants by neighborhood (scroll down and look on the left side for the hard to find link). But, first consult their Grand Repertoire list. If you look at that list, you'll not only know where to go but also what to order.

When the new 3G iPhone was announced I was intrigued, but figured I'd avoid the first day rush and let things die down before I switched over.  But a couple things made me change my tack.  First, I told my VSO (a/k/a 'very significant other') I'd give her my old iPhone when I upgrade.  Recently, her phone's battery starting acting up so she's needing to make a move.  Second, I thought about how much fun it was sitting in the line last year (I know, I'm weird).  And lastly, I figured that, with an 8 am launch, not that many people would get in line before 6 am.  This is New Orleans, after all.

So yesterday morning I got up early and scootered over to the AT&T store. Amazingly, there were as many people as there had been when I got in line last year.  I wound up sitting next to a cool guy named Jesse, who is a writer.  We had a great time talking about all kinds of things, while  AT&T employees handed out water bottles and smiled cheerfully.  The nice woman who bought my house was in line ahead of us and came over to say hello. She told me that she had gotten engaged and I gave her a big hug and felt good to learn that the new owner was very happy.  The iPhone thing that brought us all together seemed secondary. 

Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well because I had been swimming the night before and got water in my ear.  So I was getting kind of woozy and pain was starting to develop.  Also, I was overly-hydrated (thanks to the generous water supply), thinking how nice it would be if there was a bathroom close by, but there wasn't.  Then the friendly AT&T guy, who had earlier asked us what model of iPhone we intended to buy, came over to say that I probably wasn't going to be able to get the 16 GB black model.  He said they had plenty of white ones, but only 20 of the black ones.

I started to think about having to wait another 45 minutes (or more) just to get into the store.  Why wait in line to get something that isn't exactly what you want?  I knew that Becky wouldn't want me to do that, especially when I didn't feel well.  And especially if I could probably just come back in a few days and get the black one then.

So I scootered home (by now it was 8:30 am).  At 9 am I sat down to my computer and I found out that the whole iPhone 3G launch was turning into a massive disaster.  People who bought new iPhones couldn't activate them in the stores, and were told to go home and do it there only to find out that they couldn't make the phones work.  People, like me, who had the old iPhones and bought new ones often found that they paid more money for a new phone that didn't work.  And then there were the people who didn't want a new phone, but just wanted to download the new 2.0 software.  In many cases, they wound up with a non-functioning phone too.

Fortunately, my friend Billy tipped me off about a secret way to download and install the software yesterday so I have the new software on my old phone.  And, even more fortunately, the phone works.  Becky and I went for some ice cream late in the day and on the way we stopped in to the AT&T store, which was by then not busy at all.  I spotted one of the nice guy who had told me that I wouldn't be able to get the black phone, and asked him if they had any phones left.  He looked pretty demoralized as he told me that they had sold all the phones.  I asked him if there were problems with the activation, and the corners of his mouth dropped even lower and his shoulders came down too as he nodded his head.

I felt bad for him.  Earlier in the day he had been so upbeat, and was sharing the joyful anticipation of the crowd.  But obviously that crowd's joy had turned to anger and frustration and that had taken a toll on him.  Apple screwed up big time.  The early word is that their servers couldn't handle the load.

I'm not an engineer so I can't say how they might have managed their servers better.  But, to me, the core problem wasn't an engineering problem, but a hubris problem.  Apple wanted to do too many things at once.  Last year they had some server problems, and they were only rolling out the iPhone in the United States.  This year they were rolling out the iPhone across the entire world.  And they weren't just rolling out a new phone; they were rolling out the new 2.0 software and that required every old iPhone user to essentially reactivate their phone.  And if that all wasn't enough, Apple was also cranking up their new MobileMe service, which was a server based system. 

I can't for the life of me figure out why Apple didn't roll out the 2.0 software a week or two ago. And they should have rolled out the MobileMe stuff two weeks after the new iPhones came out.  Well, actually that part might wind up happening after all.

Apple's strong suit has always been its careful approach to putting things out.  Maybe the euphoria of its stock climb and all the positive press has clouded their judgment.  That's usually what happens when hubris gets the better of you.

And me?  I learned that while it's nice to meet people in line, it's stupid to buy something on the first day that it comes out.  I really don't need a new iPhone, but when I do finally get decide to get one, it'll be at my convenience and on my terms.

Time Machine is a great idea because most people find backing up too hard, and that's why they don't do it.  Apple makes it so easy that there really isn't much to think about.  One thing many people did think about was whether it would really work in an extreme emergency, such has having to restore all the data on a computer hard drive.

Which brings me to main story.

Thanks to Mike B for the link to the video!

But as you can see from the latest information from the DHL website, the computer, after having spent a bit of time travelling around the country, is in Waco Texas.  Update: it's now made it to Louisiana (although not to New Orleans).

If I was interested in the crime reports I'd read the email blasts that I get from the local police station. Here's today's offering:

Shooting – 9000 blk Edinburgh

The victim stated he entered a friend's vehicle to drive to the store
when he heard gunshots. The victim stated he then observed he had
been shot. The victim stated he jumped from the vehicle and fled for
his safety. The victim stated he did not see any perpetrator or
perpetrators.

Aggravated Battery by Shooting – Olive & Hollygrove

On Saturday, 07/05/2008 at about 3:24 a.m., the victim and his cousin
had stopped at the intersection of Olive and Hollygrove Streets.
According to the victim, he heard several shots in the area and drove
off. While driving from the location the victim noticed that he had
been shot in the left side of the hip. The victim's cousin then
transported him to Tulane Hospital.

Aggravated Battery by Shooting – 9000 Block of Edinburgh

The victim stated he had entered a friend's vehicle to drive to the
store when he heard several gunshots. Realizing that he had been
wounded he fled the area for his safety. The victim was unable or
unwilling to describe the suspect.

Aggravated Battery by Shooting – Milan & S Tonti

On Saturday, 07/05/2008 at about 11:20 p.m., the victims were at the
intersection of Milan Street and South Tonti Street. The victims
reported hearing several shots and observed that the driver was struck
in the face and the rear driver's side passenger was also struck in
the right hand.

Perhaps we should be broadcasting Bill Cosby's speech at this year's Essence Festival instead of the local crime reports. Sadly, there are people who regard shooting as normal behavior. Then again, maybe it is in New Orleans.

Well what happens if you decide to drink beer? (Which hopefully the host is providing in bottles for maximum refreshment). You'll probably have to either bring a bottle opener or keep going back to the kitchen to open your beers. But not if you own a pair of Reef Fanning Sandals ($49), which come with bottle openers on the bottom of the soles. Trust me, nothing is more minimalistically cool than reaching down and casually opening your beer with your sandal.

Pick up a pair and try it out this holiday season!

Before I switched over I had no idea if Apple computers were better or worse, but that didn't stop me from deriding Macs. Now I know better. I know both systems well enough to compare them, and I know that I can't live without Windows but I can keep it under control.

So, when I came upon an email yesterday from a Windows user who was trying to give advice to a lawyer who wanted to switch to Macs I had to laugh. Let me explain the situation so you'll understand.

There is this 'email group' that I tune into, and it's inhabited by lawyers who like technology. One of the participants writes in to say he's tired of Windows XP because it crashes all the time. He says he has no intention of moving to Vista. He hates XP's vulnerability to malware and viruses. He doesn't like how long it takes his laptop to wake from hibernation. But he needs to run a Windows program called Casemap as part of his practice. His plan is to get a Macbook Pro and use a virtualization program like Parallels or VM Fusion to run Windows on his computer, but first he wants to know if he's headed for problems he can't see.

Of course, since I live in exactly the world he is seeking I could have told him that he'll probably be fine. It'll take him awhile to get used to the Mac operating system, but after a few weeks he'll get the hang of it and after a few months he'll wonder why he didn't switch sooner. Of course, it won't all be perfect (nothing is) and he'll find some things about the Mac OS that he finds annoying. But he won't have the major annoyances that he seems to be trying to avoid: i.e. frequent crashes, inability to reliably sleep his laptop, and excessive vulnerability to viruses and spyware. At least not for now. Like I said, who knows what will happen to Apple computers in a few years?

But I didn't write in because I didn't see his email. I did, however, see the response from a Windows lover.

The Windows zealot tells him that if he switches to a Mac just to avoid those problems he's basically 'throwing the baby out with the bath water.' Then, after carefully considering the best way to solve all of the guy's supposed problems, he offers this amazing solution:

"Do a fresh install of Windows XP. This will ultimately be quicker than trying to figure out what is going on exactly. Once installed update Windows until it will update no more." (emphasis added)

Yes, it's true that Macs can get viruses and may face increasing threat as they become more popular. But for now they are less prone to malware than Windows computers. I haven't run virus protection on any of my Macs and have had no problems on any of them since I started using them in 2003 or so. I have had to reboot my Macs, but only occasionally. For the most part they run great for months at a time.

Oh, say that reminds me: you know what I've never had to do on any of my Macs? Re-install the whole freaking operating system. Of course, in the Windows world reinstalling the operating system is considered a routine housekeeping practice. Some people do it at least once a year, and others do it whenever Windows reaches its 'half-life.'

So, if you are thinking about switching to a Mac just to get more reliability, better sleep mode, and less malware, please don't. Don't be rash, and try to keep things in perspective. Just reinstall the operating system.

And quit whining about the goddam viruses.

Flash forward...

The other day I rented a couple of DVDs from the local Blockbuster. It was a Friday night and Becky and I were staying in. I picked two movies that were clearly distinct. So we watched one, which turned out not to be so great. The other one, which was about Bob Dylan, was one I really wanted to watch. But I knew the reality: I would never watch it within the 1 week deadline.

What a waste of money and effort.

But then I remembered that I had a computer program called Handbrake (free, open source program for Windows, Mac, or Linux). Handbrake allows you to 'rip' (i.e. copy) DVDs. Is this legal to do for a Blockbuster video? Perhaps not, but this is not a post about what's legal. This is a post about how to make your life easier.

So I ripped the DVD to my hard drive (where it took up 1.5 GBs of 'space') and returned it to Blockbuster. I didn't want to watch it on my computer so I imported it into iTunes, which is set to automatically sync to my AppleTV (which is connected the sleek flat panel TV in the bedroom). Now I was ready to enjoy my movie. Sure enough, halfway through watching it, the phone rang and I had to abandon my viewing. But a few days later I finished watching the movie without fanfare. That's when I realized why I never watched my DVDs.

Watching DVDs is a huge PAIN IN THE ASS!!!

If you own an AppleTV then you know what I'm talking about already. On the AppleTV you just call up the video you want to watch. If you get interrupted you pause. If someone else comes along and watches something else in the meantime you can still go back to your movie and it will remember where you are. There are some DRM issues with the AppleTV that I'm not going to get into because this isn't a post about DRM. It's a post about ripping DVDs to make your life more convenient.

When I ripped the Bob Dylan movie ("I'm not there") the only thing that got extracted was the movie itself. The FBI warning intro (the one that can't be fast forwarded through) was gone. So were all the annoying previews. All that was left was the movie itself, and the chapter markers. So I went from a physical DVD with 4.6 GBs of information, to something that took up no space and had only 1.5 GBs of information.

Ripping the movie took about 1.5 hours, but it wasn't a process that I had to administer so it was only mildly inconvenient. Actually watching a DVD the way the manufacturer envisions it is vastly more inconvenient. And that, my friends, is why we never watch our DVDs, even though we allow them to take up space in our homes.

So, guess what I've been doing with those DVDs that were on my shelf?

Yep, I'm ripping them to the newly installed 1 Terrabyte hard drive on my MacPro desktop computer. And when I'm done I'll give away the DVDs or donate them to some charitable institution. Incidentally, I deleted the Dylan movie from my hard drive after I watched it, mostly because I didn't think it was worth keeping. I don't mind paying for DVD movies or renting them. But I do mind very much the constraints that they impose.

Thanks to Handbrake, I won't be operating under constraints like that anymore.

Recently, Judge Young was profiled in the Charleston Bar Journal and I happened to get a copy. His answers reflect his thoughtful and humble sensibilities. Of course, I appreciate his kind words about this blog. And I agree that the best blog is The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs blog (aka 'Fake Steve Jobs'). So check out the nice profile, and then check out the Fake Steve Jobs blog.

So how would one construct such a system to deal with financial information in way that makes it easy as possible?

For the past few years I've kept all of my checking and credit card information in Quicken. I've never really been able to make the program work the way I wanted it to, at least not completely. I have used it for mainly two things: (1) writing checks, and (2) as an electronic check register that keeps track of all of my monetary inflows and outflows. Quicken has the ability to download transactions from your bank or credit card companies, which—theoretically—makes it easy to track monetary inflow and outflow. I say 'theoretically' because I've had some trouble getting this to work properly.

Setting up the online hooks to your financial institutions is kind of tricky. And if there are problems (as inevitably there are) it's not easy to figure out if the problem is with Quicken or your financial institution. Somehow I managed to get everything set up, and for a long time everything was great. But a few days ago I decided to make a change to improve the security of my online world, and that broke Quicken's connections to my financial institutions.

Here's what happened. I decided that, if I was going to put my financial information in 'ATM mode' that I needed to make my system as secure as possible. I downloaded a program called 1Password (Mac only), which lets you keep all of your passwords in one place that is—of course—password protected too. The idea is that you only have to remember one password, and that password allows you to access all of your other passwords. Then, and this is the key, you make all of your other passwords as hard to remember (i.e. very secure) as possible. The program has a password generator so you don't have to think about how to make the other passwords hard. And, believe me, it works! I couldn't tell you the passwords to my financial institutions if you held a gun to my head.

So, you ask, doesn't that make it hard to get to my financial information online? The answer (thanks to the way that 1Password works) is: no. It's actually quite easy.

What happens is 1Password has a hook into every browser that you put on your computer, so when you go to one of your financial institution sites you simply enter the password to unlock the 1Password program and it fills in your password automatically. It can also be used to fill in your name, address and so forth when you're buying things online. It also can store your credit card info and automatically fill in those form fields as well. All in all, the program not only makes everything more secure, but it also saves a lot of time.

But, you ask, doesn't this system (by relying on computers) go against your 'ATM mode'? Great question! But the answer is no, and here's why.

First, when you buy 1Password ($34.95) you're allowed to install it on up to 3 computers. So I have it installed on my Macbook Air too. And because I have a .Mac account (soon to be called MobileMe) my Mac computers automatically sync to each other and also back up to the web. Thus, my password system is actually in at least 3 places at all times. It's true that the maximum functionality of the password program only works when it's installed on the computer you use to access your financial information. So if I didn't have my desktop or my laptop I'd theoretically not be able to access my financial data. I say 'theoretically' because I have a way to make this system work even without my computers.

I have an iPhone. And 1Password syncs my passwords to my iPhone and then encrypts them on that device. To access my passwords all I have to do is enter my master password and I am allowed to see all of the passwords that are stored in the program, along with my credit card numbers and all of my important information. In fact, if I use the iPhone to browse the internet I can use 1Password to automatically enter the passwords too.

So, what does this have to do with Quicken?

I've been longing to have all of my financial information in one place online. Quicken is great if I'm at the one computer that has all my Quicken information, but otherwise I'm forced to look at several sites in order to find out my overall financial picture. Plus, when I started using the 1Password system I broke some of the connections between Quicken and my financial institutions. I didn't want to troubleshoot this and I started looking for something that would manage all my data online.

That's when I discovered Quicken Online. The system is free to try for 60 days, and after that it's $2.99 a month.

Amazingly, it works pretty much the way I hoped it would. I entered all of the usernames and passwords for my financial institutions (the hard to remember ones that 1Password generated) and now I can go to one place and see my overall financial picture. So, if I'm ever on the road without a computer I can use my iPhone and log into one place and see what's happening. The online Quicken doesn't let you write checks or pay bills, but that's okay for now. The main thing is that I have my financial information in a much more secure state than most people, and yet it's conveniently accessible at all times.

Step #1 in achieving ATM Mode: Check.

For some reason, to my 12 year old brain, that album was more than just comedy. It was TRUTH. Carlin talked about things that I knew were true but, for some 'adult reason, were not discussed. I got older and put aside my Carlin albums, although I'd catch him on TV or recite some of his material from memory every now and then. In law school, we studied the case based on a bit he did in the Class Clown album. It was ironic to come across Carlin in my 'career studies.' Each time I came back to him I found myself respecting him more. He had no great message, no method, no tidy summary. He just pointed out the way things were.

Sometime around 2000 I went to Las Vegas with my then-wife Monique. Carlin, as it turned out, was doing his act in the very hotel where we were staying. I insisted we go see him, and she readily agreed. I was a little worried about seeing him in person, especially in Vegas—the pinnacle of hackneyed illusions. Sure enough, the audience was a mish-mash of Vegas tourists, many of whom didn't seem to likely to accept Carlin's hard edge viewpoints. Then again, maybe he had learned to tone it down in Vegas.

The curtain came up and revealed him next to a stool that had a stack of messy papers. After the applause died down he began:

"Thank you for coming tonight. Before we begin I want to make a few things clear. Every couple of years I do an HBO special, which is basically all the material I've worked on for the past two years. As you can see from the papers I have here with me, I'm working on some new material. So, sometimes I'm going to have to refer to my notes. I hope you don't mind, but that's the way it is. Look, let's just all face the facts: you're here for me, I'm here for me, and no one is here for you. Okay? Let's get going..."

He then went on to talk about his bad driving habits and how that caused him to occasionally hit a pedestrian but he never stopped because it didn't make sense. As he explained his logic I was doubled up in laughter. And, sure enough, next HBO special came out and he had honed that bit into something even funnier.

I've always been intrigued by stand-up comedians. It's such a difficult thing to do, and the people who do it are usually completely crazy. And yet their best material comes from topics that we don't feel comfortable with. It's like the only way you can talk about the truth is if you learn how to disguise it in humor, and even then your path is riddled with obstacles.

After Carlin died I tried to avoid listening to the TV news accounts of his 'importance' because it would would be like listening to a serial murderer talk about the virtues of his victims. The other day I was scouting the blogosphere and found a link to an interview of Carlin at New York's 92nd St. YMCA. Actually, the link included two interviews on iTunes Store (free): one of Carlin and the other one with Charlie Rose interviewing Steve Martin. I just finished listening to both interviews, the Martin one last.

If you are inclined to hear these interviews I recommend that the Steve Martin interview should be listened to last. Rose asks Martin some really personal questions and he winds up becoming very uncomfortable, but in a 'good way' if that makes sense. It probably doesn't. If I was a stand-up comedian I could probably make a joke and explain it, but I'm not. So, you're better off listening to the interview.

I guarantee you won't regret it.