Turn the Table on Reality TV Shows

Feb

13th

2008

Filed Under General
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I’m not a big fan of reality TV (except for the show Cops as it reinforces my belief that the world is full of stupid people who continue to do stupid things). My wife, however, doesn’t miss an episode of several so-called reality TV shows. By default, I end up watching a few of the episodes as well. It’s good “brain-dead” entertainment for me.

The thing I find interesting about them, aside from the fact they are hardly “real” after editing, is that the newest contestants always seem to be surprised at the horrible conditions the show puts them in. Take Survivor, for instance. The “survivors” always seem to think it’s going to be a cake walk, make an allegiance on the first day, make promises they can’t keep, but then find themselves shivering in a cold wet rain after having boiled shrimp terds for dinner. And then they get upset that someone lied to them in the process.

Another household favorite, Big Brother, started it’s 39th season (or something close to that) last night. Can you imagine that two of the complete strangers didn’t get along right off the bat? And they couldn’t believe it. It’s as if the contestants had never seen one of the previous seasons before. Wake up, idiots.

I’ve got an idea for CBS. Next season, put the contestants on an island, in a house, or whatever and take away the boats, lock the doors, and simply make sure it is hard for the contestants to leave once they wake up and realize the environment isn’t great. Then, reward the person(s) who gets out of the situation FIRST. Wouldn’t you like to see someone build a raft by themselves, fend off the other saboteurs, survive on fish tails, and then paddle 100 miles to the mainland? That would be a real survivor.

Passpack Password Manager

Feb

13th

2008

Filed Under Computers, Organization
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Passwords are a necessity these days. Complex, strong passwords are not, but need to be considered for the sake of your personal information security.

One of the programs/solutions I’ve come across recently to handle the multitude of usernames and passwords that an average online user has is Passpack. It remembers login information, generates secure passwords, and even allows for a “one-click” login to all the sites you may visit.

It’s secure because no information is sent to a remote site. Everything is stored on your local PC in a “pack” that only you have access to through a master password.

It’s also free, or at least the first 100 entries are.

Having said all that, I haven’t signed up yet as it is still in beta testing. I’m hesitant to jump in if the service isn’t going to be around long.

Has anyone used Passpack? Any comments?

How to Frame a Photograph

Feb

13th

2008

Filed Under Photography
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If you’re reading to see how I put a picture in a frame, skip to the end. This post is the result of a great article at digital-Photography-School.com about how to compose a picture in your mind before you snap the shot with your camera.

As a REALLY amateur photographer, I’ve become more familiar with the “rule of thirds” and what to look for in a scene over the past few years. I’m not positive it’s helping any, but I’m at least aware of the tips and tricks the professionals use, so I’m able to try them when time allots. But, the article “Rapid Composition - How to Compose a Photo Quickly” describes some of the different variables in trying to capture a moment in time. And, the examples used do a great job in illustrating the process your mind might go through while framing the picture.

I don’t necessarily agree that there are hard and fast rules to photography, but the techniques described certainly can add to your photographing experience and may help produce some better pictures.