I got this e-mail today. I have to say, I was like nothing I have ever received before.  A quick Google search reports that TimothyStuff and the phone number listed have hit a few other inbox’s today as well.  Bring it on Timothy!!

Subject: Hi Jeremy Buy Heroin, cocaine and other shit from timothystuff
I am very sorry for you Jeremy, is a pity that this is how your life is
going to end as soon as you don’t comply. As you can see there is no need
of introducing myself to you because I don’t have any business with you,
my duty as I am mailing you now is just to KILL you and I have to do it
as I have already been paid for that. But I give you a chance. Call my neighbor 315-678-2789 and say password “there is time to save my skin” and if that would sound convincing, I will forget about you.
Tell him this password for Timothy Sinclair (be sure it is not my real name).

WARNING: DO NOT THINK OF CONTACTING THE POLICE OR EVEN TELLING ANYONE
BECAUSE I WILL KNOW.

Well, if I end up dead, its been a good life.

Popularity: 1% [?]

I’ve never liked computer programming much — which probably explains why I left a computer science degree 3/4 of the way done.  I do however, have a great deal of respect for people who can look at code and see it as “beautiful”.  I’ll never be one of those people so for now I’ll stick to bash scripts and maybe a little php. I do however, have a friend that likes code a bit more than I do and has written some very unique software that has its roots in a love for both computer science and literature.

In short, his software selects random words from a group of texts then interfaces with Wordpress to create a blog post everyday.  I’m not sure if he just uses the “post by e-mail” feature of Wordpress or if his software interfaces directly but either way, it produces some interesting results.

Have a look at the blog that writes itself here:

http://mkv.dnlr.net/

Read more than one and you will find that although it seems non-sensicle, the software has a way of putting words that create a cohesive post (at times).  I find it facinating to see what topics appear.

Popularity: 1% [?]

As the web fills up with more and more useless crap its becoming harder to sort through it all.  Every once in a while you come across a little diamond-in-the-rough and the other day I found one.  It’s quite possibly the new “bored at work” phenomenon.

http://myphoneblaster.com/

What is it?  In short, you call people and when they answer they hear an MP3 you have uploaded through the site.  You select the number to call, set the caller ID (which is the best part, he he…) and upload a MP3 from your computer or select from a few “default” tracks.

Although I’m first reminded of the days of ‘ole (before everyeone had caller ID) when you could prank call people without being immediately called back or reported to the authorities, I’m sure you can use this site for things other than getting into trouble.

For example:

• Send your significant other a sweet song
• Express your anger through music instead of screaming
• Bug your co-workers (as I have already found this effective)
• Brighten up someone’s day
• Fill-in-the-blank

Give http://myphoneblaster.com/ a try.  I think you will quickly find it fun a addicting.

Popularity: 3% [?]

At home I use Linux and Windows, at work I use a Mac.  I enjoy aspects of all three OS’s but for a while Mac’s have had a killer app that was not available on any other OS.  This applications biggest asset was what it didn’t do — Get in the way!

The app is called Growl and it provides useful notifications only from applications you want to monitor.  For example if you are chatting with someone and reading an intriguing article from Wired but your browser is taking up the entire screen.  With Growl there is no need to flip back and forth between the browser and the IM client, instead Growl pops up a small, non-obtrusive “bubble” with the message from your friend which “floats” there for a few seconds, then goes away.  Growl works with a grocery list of applications to display useful information you may want to be aware of like completed downloads, new IM’s, new e-mails and so many other things.  If you want tend to the notification you can click on the bubble and the appropriate application will be made active, if not, it will just fade away after a few seconds.

For you Linux users out there an application with the same idea in mind is available called Mumbles.  It works with the Gnome desktop and can be installed via a source or a .deb package.  The range of supported applications is not as vast but the ones that matter to me work out of the box — Pidgin, Firefox and Thunderbird.  More support is coming and what is available is already a must-have.

Finally, for you Windows users an app called Snarl is available.  The current issue with Snarl is application support.  I believe it’s on its way to being a great app — just give it a few months.  It does have a developers guide available for anyone who wants to add Snarl functionality into their existing application.

While all three apps serve the same purpose Growl is by far the pack leader.  It has been around the longest and provide support for tons of applications. (Both of the others are admitted attempts to bring “Growl” functionality to the respective OS.) If you are on the computer even half as much as I am I can assure you that once you use these apps you will wonder why someone didn’t think of this a long time ago.  Don’t just take my word for it, download the apps and give them a test run!

Growl - http://growl.info/

Mumble - http://www.mumbles-project.org/

Snarl -  http://www.fullphat.net

Popularity: 13% [?]

Just over a year ago this blog was a big part of my life.  I was in a transition period and had quite a bit of free time on my hands.  I was pumping out 2-3 posts per day and was starting to get a steady stream of readers.  Then opportunity knocked and I opened the door.

I landed a job at a web-hosting company.  It wasn’t just any job — it turned out to be one of the best things in my life thus far.  I work with a small group of extremely talented people whose combined knowledge could overload a supercomputer.  I have superiors but they do not make me feel inferior.  I not only get to come up with ideas but implement them.  I spend most of my time dealing with server related issues but my input in many areas of the company is respected.

I have the joy of getting paid to “play” with computers, help customers avoid certain web disaster, become a Linux guru and, with the help of my co-workers, learn the skills it takes to be a damn fine system engineer.

I hope anyone who reads this has the opportunity, at least once in their life, to truly enjoy their career.  There is nothing better in life than enjoying what you do for a living.

Popularity: 22% [?]