Noah Counte

Thanks for being patient. I've been preoccupied, and randomania hasn't been foremost on my list of things to do. However, I've made a gallant effort today.

• OK, so you get totally drunk and rear-end a tractor-trailer, killing your passenger. Do you a) spend four months in jail, b) sue sixteen defendants, including the guy you drove into for negligence, or c) both of the above?
• The perfect job isn't so perfect. I still want it, though!
• Buying puppies online for less? Maybe you should try someplace closer to home than the Cameroon?
• Pictures Sharing, Drawing and Image Editing Freebies:
  • If you want free, no-frills image sharing (ala Flicker or photobucket), try EchoPic. And, if you're tired of uploading files and photos to numerous social sites, you can do it all in one place with Waula.
  • Pencil is a very cool program that lets you edit drawings. Seriously - check it out!
  • Upload your face (or prank your friends), and place it into a number of cool pictures with PhotoFunia. Look who's sporting Noah Counte these days.
  • Free online photo editor, Pixlr has some handy features.
  • Instant Eyedropper is a cool utility that lets you find the color of any pixel on your screen.
  • I've been using Hugin as a panorama program (stitching pictures together to create one large picture). I really like it, but it leaves a lot of work to the user. Now Microsoft has tossed their Image Composite Editor into the ring, to good reviews. I'm going to try it, and see how it works.
  • Microsoft has another nifty little gadget that I've been asked about. You know how, when you click on photos in someone's MyOpera Photos, there is a good deal of metadata listed? You can edit that metadata with Microsoft Pro Photo Tools, a free download. Cool, eh?
• Shop for shoes (or a number of other items) based on color or style. Or try it here.
• There are 34 Bowl Games this college football season. They start on December 20^th, with the all-important Eagle Bank Bowl (played in Washington DC between Wake Forest and Navy), and end on January 8^th, with the FedEx BCS National Championship Game (played in Miami between Florida and Oklahoma). In the middle of it all is the Roady Humanitarian Bowl, in Boise Idaho. This year, Maryland will play Nevada, in a matchup that is sure to astound and amaze. You should act now to secure tickets - Boise is really a great little town, and Maryland has already sold 16 tickets, and Nevada has sold eight. Yep, a whole stadium to fill, and ticket sales already have reached the two dozen mark.
• Sometimes the best word for a situation is someone else's word. There are some great meanings on this list, but Swaffelen is my favorite!
• Elections are made to be rigged. Take that, democratically elected Miss Asia!
• Poor Sports:
  • The University of Mississippi basketball coach is in trouble for (allegely) behaving badly. It's one thing to be an asshat. It's another for public figures to be racist, and think they are going to get away with public rants.
  • If Kelvin Sampson didn't do enough damage to Indiana University's basketball team, word now is that he couldn't control rampant drug use, either. Oy!
• One nice thing about a poor economy: scoring a little beaver is cheaper than it used to be. Of course, what's good news for the consumer is bad news for the fur-trade industry.
• Here's a feel-good story from Toronto: Chief Justice feeds the poor - and feeds them well.
• Stupid Crimals:
  • It's never a good idea to pose for pictures on your way to a heist. Smile and say cheese!
  • It's also not smart to leave downloaded kiddie porn on your laptop. It's worse if you leave your laptop on the seat of your squadcar.
  • If you're going to impersonate a cop, spend a couple bucks on a decent fake ID. Don't use a Chiptle Restaurant Gift Card.
  • This guy has my admiration, and apparently the admiration of hte court, but he still had to pay his fine.
  • Advice to robbers: sober up. Really, it will make your life of crime go much more smoothly.
  • If you accidentally leave your drugs on a table at the food court at the mall, it's probably best not to reclaim them at hte mall security office.
  • Practice, practice, practice. You aren't very good.
  • Here's one where it's hard to tell who is the criminal. 17 year old gets busted for sleeping with his 14 year old girlfriend. Grand jury does not indict. Prosecutor files case anyway, and conviction is later overturned (because you can't have a trial without an indictment). Prosecutor files case again. Meanwhile, the kid has filed a wrongful imprisonment claim against the county. At what point do we stop throwing tax payer money at a couple of horny kids?
  • Bad joojoo: Cop tickets Santa while he's delivering toys to needy kids.
  • Choose your victim wisely.
  • Zero tolerance drug policy nabs another 9-year old cough drop pusher.
  • It's not the criminal who was stupid this time. Wow. Just wow.
• You've seen the famous Iraqi shoe-throwing incident. It's already spawning copy cats
• You want to learn a litte Spanish (or Dutch, or Caatalan or Irish, or...), but you don't want to learn a lot? One Minute Languages. When a little is enough.
• Ru Paul pays homage. As should we all.
• Arab clothing isn't all about the abaya or hijab. Sometimes, it's about musical undergarments. Of course, just because you can wear singing undies, it doesn't mean a red dress is appropriate. And, just in case you thought there was separation of Church and State in this country, a Georgia Judge will set you straight. Sometimes I wonder if we live in the 17^th century.
• DIY:
  • Cat owners, do yourselves a favor and ventilate!
  • Easily boost your wi-fi reception.
  • Make an R-strap for your camera. Easy access, baby!
  • Fast, healthy no-knead bread. Mmmmmmmm.

Well, that's all the shiznit that fizzits today! I tried to recheck all the links - if you have any access issues, let me know. Happy reading.