This is why: don't shop on an empty stomach

I just returned from shopping on an empty stomach and realized how ridiculous my purchases are. I am not a diabetic or am alcoholic but I don't like to run out of chocolate.

iPhone Applications for Trick and Treating

If the iPhone had been invented when I was still trick or treating, me and my friends could have made a haul (that's me on the right, note the empty pumpkin). Combining the iPhone's connectivity, GPS, Google Maps, SMS and some basic Web 2.0 features could add up to a pretty serious candy gathering device.

The Trick or Treating iPhone application of the future will let kids track each other's friends (see Loopt), following each other around with GPS, cataloging the kinds of candy (think GroceryIQ optimized for candy) at each house, and digg-style rating them as they go along. Using the 34G network, kids will follow a real time Google Map (aerial night vision view) showing them where the best take is closest to them. SMS text messages will highlight important alerts!

Houses with fruit will go dim on the map. Houses that run out of candy will go dark. Not home? skull and crossbones. There will even be a metal detector built-in to scan apples for razor blades (the candy lobby would never have gotten away with such a blatant ploy in the age of Snopes).

Future smart mobs of kids with iPhone-like devices are going to make fast work of neighborhoods like mine. Beware, if you don't stock your house with the good candy - expect to be blacklisted on some Halloween Worst Houses web site - complete with photos and links to your social security number.

Ding dong, gotta run...

Sunrice for Lunch near University Village

If you've enjoyed Sunrice's tofu (TSS, TSSS, TSSSS) or nori wraps (Kimpap) at PCC or Whole Foods, try their cozy drop-in location for lunch. It's just north of University Village. Learn more.

I recommend the Chapchaebap at $8.50 - sweet potato noodles mixed in house teriyaki sauce with spinach, onions, carrots and zucchini with a choice of grilled beef, chicken, tofu, or shiitake mushrooms served with brown rice. Yum! And lots of leftovers...

William Kristol Tells Jon Stewart He's Reading the New York Times Too Much

Camera Bag Made for Street Photography: Tamrac Velocity 9x

I picked one up today and will follow up with a review after I run around town this weekend with it. It seems like a great fit for street photography.

Review NewsCloud's Knight News Challenge Applications for 2009

This year, Knight's News Challenge applications are open for public review. We're encouraging NewsCloud readers and open source developers to take a look at and rate our applications. This year, we are entering three related projects:

• Social Media Toolkit: an open source solution for social media publishing and website integration
• Open Topics: semi-automated, community-driven topic pages for news
• Get Involved Widgets: A service for online news sites and blogs

If you are interested in entering, the deadline is Saturday, November 1st, 2008.

You can rate and post comments on each proposal at the News Challenge website using the above links.

Never forget where you parked again - iPhone Car Finder

I'm not sure I'm ready to go in this direction, but there are car finder applications for the iPhone. Is this technology that makes me dumber? Is relying on technology to find your car much worse than say...Internet dating?

Read story at NewsCloud.

Will Bush Pardon Ted Stevens?

Undoubtedly. Sen. Stevens should be glad he was convicted prior to 1-20-09.

Boo!

Scary times in store!

AddThis: Improving bookmarking widgets

AddThis is an attempt to simplify the over proliferation of bookmark widgets.