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Scorecard 2.0 for the iPhone is finally available. The approval process for iPhone apps seems to have been delayed - badly - due to WWDC, so we're glad it's finally approved. After all, we shipped the desktop app some time ago.

Don't believe the reviews, either (currently 2 of 5 stars). The app works beautifully, and as I wrote here, the vast majority of the low reviews are written by people who either can't read or who resent the fact that this is an add-on freebie app to a paid desktop app.

I'm thinking of submitting my iPhone 3G for AppleCare work. The back case is cracked, and there are three little dots on the screen which almost look like little holes on the inside of the glass. The cracking is the big thing: it's cracked near the bottom port and twice near the ringer switch.

Anyone out there had an iPhone replaced? What's the procedure these days ((particularly if you can't get to an Apple store?))? How long are you without your phone?

My MacBook Pro has an annoying habit of "half dimming" even though I've turned off the screen saver and most everything else appropriate.

Fortunately, others have managed to solve the problem.

pmset -g lists the "halfdim" parameter's value, often 1. To set it to 0, use sudo pmset -a halfdim 0. The "a" specifies all profiles.

Thanks to gibbilicious and this Apple support thread for more. I may still give Caffeine a try, though.

Recently, my favorite joke has been a rather simple one. Apologies in advance if you're religious or offended by jokes about stereotypes.

A priest and a rabbi walk into a church. They see an altar boy lighting some candles. The priest says "Boy, I'd like to screw that boy." The rabbi asks "Out of what?"

Hardy har.

I'm terrible with jokes because I don't put any effort into remembering them, largely because I never figure I'm going to have anyone to hear them.

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And you know what I'd like? A real set of tools.

I have a good enough drill. I have a Dremel. I have some other things (like a fairly good level).

But most of the rest of my tools are scattered brands and types. I have one set of needlenose pliers (somewhere). I have one wrench as well as a pipe wrench. I have a hammer. Maybe two. I even have a crowbar.

I'd like one set of tools and something that organizes them. I don't need a thousand-dollar tool set. I don't work on my cars. I just want stuff that I can use around the house without having to wonder if I've got the right tool for the job.

So what do I need? Sears has "mechanics" sets. They have "Professional" and "Pit Crew" tool sets. I'd like something that's of relatively good quality with a moderate selection and variance of tools.

Any suggestions?

P.S. Lowe's and Home Depot don't seem to really get into selling "sets" of tools, per se, unless it's a ratchet set or some other single-purpose type thing. Sears sells sets… anywhere else?

Sidebar widgets are finally somewhat useful in WordPress 2.8, so I'm thinking of converting my sidebar into, errr, widgetizing my sidebar.

Currently the sidebar's a "sidebar.php" file which includes about 20 <? include('sidebar_blah.inc'); ?>. I comment the ones out that I don't want, and the rest show up. It's pretty simple, but it's kind of outdated, and if I ever want to move to a new theme - which I may at some point - it'd be nice to bring along my widgets.

So, how to make a sidebar widget? A quick Google search pointed me here, here, here, here, and of course here. Did I miss any?

I'm a bit late in commenting on it, and I'm not sure how I feel.

Something like twice - including 2009 - in the past 20 years the leading scorer in the NHL (Malkin this year) didn't win the Hart trophy.

But without Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals are still a joke of a team that probably doesn't make the playoffs. The Penguins still have Sidney Crosby, and having the third-leading scorer on your team both helps and hurts. They played on different lines (but often on the same power play), so that helps because, man, it's not like they were each earning points at the same time, but it hurts, because you're not THE guy on your team.

And, in the end, StanleyCup + Conn Smythe >> Any Regular Season Awards

How many iPhone apps do you have in iTunes? How many screens on your iPhone (or iPod Touch)?

I've got 58 applications, some of which are NOT on my iPhone because I don't like them (but haven't gotten around to deleting them from iTunes). My iPhone has four screens ((The third page has one hole, and the fourth page has two.)) of applications, including the almost all-Apple first screen but excluding the app-less "search" screen. Most of my apps are free. The one app I use the most I paid $0.99 for - WeatherBug Elite.

Carey read about a program in New York City that teaches kids to ride a bike. The method is called the "Balance First Method." You start by taking the pedals off the child's bike. They push with two feet - ideally at the same time - and effectively learn to "balance first" during the coasting stages between pushes. Then you put the pedals on, give 'em a little push, and away they'll go.

Many parents report success within minutes or hours. Our experience was no different at all - about an hour from "I can't ride a bike" to doing what can only be described as "riding a bike."

P.S. As a reward, we bought a Specialized 16" Hotrock bike (the "Sea" color). It's amazing how crappy most kids bikes are.

http://thetalkshow.net/
http://tacksharp.tv/

I know he's planning to get back into the swing of things, but I'm just hoping this teeny tiny little mention may help encourage that. I enjoy both.

I used to love soccer. Played it for a long, long time when I was a kid - from age 4 or so right on through into high school.

There's a tournament going on, and I could only manage to watch a few minutes before turning it off. Though I still think soccer requires as much physical conditioning as virtually any other sport, I'm more than disgusted with - for lack of a better term - how pussied the modern futbol player is. Cripes - they fake injuries any time another player is near 'em. Half the time the opponent doesn't even or barely touches them. Disgusting.

Does anyone know of a good free web host? I'd like to recommend one to a few people but the last time I had to look for a free web host was… never.

So, any good ((Good == minimal or no advertising, FTP access. No need for PHP, ASP, MySQL, etc. - plain old HTML is fine.)) free web hosts?

Baldwin: This society is very wired together, and it's the most neurotic a society has ever been. Twitter, all this stuff, I don't view as anything good. Everyone is so hyperaware of what everybody else is doing. Everybody has been convinced their opinion should count. We all need to be spouting opinions. I'm now giving you an opinion about opinions.

PB: You are.

Baldwin: Another element is how distant government has become for the average person. People want their opinion to count somewhere, so they've transferred the desires and expectations of their democratic voice over to entertainment. They don't have any input into what the government does. There is a chasm thousands of miles wide between Washington and the people. That's why shows like American Idol are so important: People want to think they can affect something in that Roman gladiatorial way - thumbs up or thumbs down. I'm not saying public officials are exempt, because every time the people can gang up and condemn a public official, they do.

Which of the, I don't know, hundred or so Snow Leopard Enhancements and Refinements are you most looking forward to?

My short list includes a few things in the Finder (couldn't really care less that it's written in Cocoa at this point, but that may change and is a role in some of the other things that came along "for free"), some of the things in QuickTime X (though some things also seem like a step backwards), Preview's text selection and multiple documents-in-a-window, and the smaller footprint - 6 GB of freed disk space. Oh, and the price is nice. 🙂

So again, what are you looking forward to?