Insider Info: istockphoto.com

At my job, I work heavily with the graphic development and content layouts of new websites. The stock photography service that our company mainly uses is istockphoto.com. They have a massive library of royalty free stock photography. However, anyone that deals with stock photos knows that they are not always cheap. In fact, when developing a multi-paged site or working with a larger scale collateral project (large brochure, etc.), photos can get down right expensive.

I know some of you are citing free photo services in your mind, but trust me, with a little bit of investigation into paid vs. free photo options, you can very quickly see the advantages to paid services. They just have more photos...not only that, they tend to be A LOT better conceptually and resolution-wise.

Now, as I stated before, even a more affordable option can still get expensive. However, istock has a neat little area called the "Dollar Bin". This area brings photo options ranging from 1-4 dollars for the various resolutions of any particular photo (higher resolutions of any one photo bring a higher price tag). For anyone interested in an affordable way to give their site a professional look and feel, this is amazing. Don't believe me? Take a look at the price tags on photos at places like Gettyimages. (I recently priced out ~$1800 for a client to use a handful of their images...for a year)

All and all, it's a good way to get your feet wet in terms of leveraging legal, professional imagery on the web or in print design.

Bonus Tip: most images you use on the web (about 90-95%) will be in the small-medium range. You shouldn't have to go larger than that (circumstantially of course). Print...that's a different story and the size of photo should be judged on a case by case basis.

Christmas Parties Are For Losers

Recently we had our office christmas party up at Sundance resort. Great place with classy people. The theme just happened to be Casino Royale. (I think Tasha [or T Kubb] made up for my frumpiness with her stellar looks.) The nights goal was to make as many chips as you can in 2 1/2 hours, then translate those chips into drawings for our raffle. Games: Bingo, Texas Hold 'Em, Black Jack, and Craps.

Tasha and I are regular Texas Hold 'Em players (free hold 'em players... :) ), and when we found out what the theme was, we thought it would be a good opportunity to put our 'skills' to the test....in the end, not the most strategic move we could do. We took the last two open seats at the hold 'em tables, which happened to be next to our CEO (photo: my left).

Now...it was not for lack of skill that I ended up left with only the shirt on my back (I had to fight for my pants), but a severely lucky hand. My betting strategy was perfect, but accounting for luck is apparently not a strong suit of mine, and 'all-in' really translated into 'all-out'.

While T Kubb won more than she lost (she's a great player), we ultimately walked away with about half the chips of when we started...my no chips didn't contribute too much.

Next year, given a similar party theme, I'm gonna stick with black jack...especially since most of the people that walked away from those tables hauled in a cool $40k (We each started with $1k). My new years resolution?...find and kill my bad luck.

Heavenly Night Light

Late last night Tasha and I were about ready to go to bed and I had just got done taking our dog, Piper, outside to do her pioneer style business ('The Final', as we call it). I had come inside and set about my bed-gett'n-ready routine, when Tasha, who was in the living room, came hustling back to the bedroom and asked, "Was it raining outside?"

Initially I thought piper had somehow gotten wet and I was about to be charged with the task as to how on earth that happened. I then responded, "No. Why?" Tasha then proceeded to anxiously tell me that she saw what looked like lightning outside...but not lightning...just light...a BRIGHT light.

I could tell she was unnerved by this experience, but I thought...I have no idea what to do about this. Ultimately, I said I have no idea, but I was sure it was nothing and proceeded with my sleep preparations.

It wasn't until this morning when I overheard one of our programmers talking about a 'bright light' that I did some additional investigation into the previous nights events. That's when I came across the video below. This is one time that I am actually glad to hear that a meteor came violently crashing into the Earth's atmosphere. Now I can let my wife know how crazy last night actually was. And that there is an explanation to what happened.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Now You Can REALLY Love Your Food

Haven't you ever wanted to hug a good Japanese meal? I know you've all thought about it. Dreamed about it in fact. Well now your asian-snuggling fancies can become a reality, thanks to ThinkGeek.com's very own Plush Sushi invention. It is interesting to note that ThinkGeek considers them collectables for 'adults 14 and over'. Firstly that 14 year olds are considered adults, and secondly, why can't the little ones enjoy squishy --but not sticky-- goodness? They say choking hazard, but the kids that I know don't have reptilian-like, dislocatable jaws. That's like saying that pillows and blankets aren't intended to be used by sub-teeners. In any case, it is my view that this invention is fun for the whole sushi-rollin family. View the product at the read link below.

Read

I'm Not As Much Of A Geek As I Thought

This is a circumstance that I don't know whether to wince or applaud. I have always wanted to be a DIY'er, but never had the money or the space (no offense 550 sqft apt...there's a reason why I rent you). When I see projects like this, I admittedly get a little jealous. Not because I personally want my own personal Starfleet Shuttle Simulator, but rather that you know they have to be die hard fans and had to have loved the construction process. Heck. I like ginger bread houses and have a blast when I build em (hey...it was the best personal example I could come up with...).

In any case, a cheers is in order for the uber geek echelon. Click the Read link for more...

Read

"IT'S SWEATIN' TIME!"

Ain't Halloween grand? Where you get to dawn your best pair of shaved legs and let their sheen warm the souls of all those who have the pleasure of basking in their glory. Okay...maybe your Halloween doesn't play out the same way, but that's how mine does...surprisingly often...and not always on Halloween...and sometimes on stage...and it may or may not be for money......BUT you get the point. *ehem*

This year I led the Creative Service team in some Richard Simmons antics. And of course they were the rest of the "Sweatin to the Oldies" crew. Check out some additional pica's after the break.

(And I know...the wig is pretty bad...)

UPDATE: (And yes I did get both a Ruva and spray on tan for this. And no I did not pay for it.)

Richard's response:

Hulu: My Best Friend

It's not that I don't have any friends, causing me to hand out the "BFF" title to the first thing that holds my interest for more than ten seconds (like many geeks I know). It's just that when something like Hulu comes strolling along, your life -nay- reality changes. While there are many internet movie/television hubs out there (and I'm sure you all know about them to some degree), hulu is easily the front runner in what is sure to be the next phase in TV watching. Pat yourselves on the back, ladies and gentlemen. We are one step closer to a couch potato utopia. Don't kid yourselves by saying you haven't contributed to the mayhem (youtube ring a bell?). All-n-all I consider this both a small step and a giant leap for mankind. I've been warming up my "Stay-putt'n Char" for a few years now. Just waiting for the ideal way to be spoon-fed my everyday media. Take that ABC! You and your smug network shinnanigans. I watch TV on my own time! (You too TiVo! I already bought my computer!)

A Little Bit Of Morbid...A Whole Lot Of Awesome!

Let me first say that, no, I am not on a StarWars kick...it just happened that way. When I recently saw this item, I honestly did not know how to react. I don't know if was the concept of emulating one of the most disturbing scenes in StarWars with this product, or if it was the fact that the product is intended for children. Maybe it was the idea that I am actually pretty jealous of the kid in this promo shot. I'll be the first to say, Christmas is right around the corner and I want this under my tree, but the idea does beg a slight twinge to the stomach. Speaking of which, note the entrail lining. Feel free to follow the image link over to ThinkGeek.com for more info on this great products. That's right...I have recently come to terms with my Geekdom.

I Smell A Winner!

I never knew what a true desire to grill was until I saw this idea on blogadilla. Apparently, it was a marketing idea that never came to fruition. Why? I sincerely have no idea. All I know is that I would have probably bought 3 of them for each meal of the day. Sometimes people don't know genius when they see it, I guess.

0 Days Without An Accident

What would we do without elderly people on the road.

It was Sunday night and my wife, Tasha, and I were having a relaxing evening together with our dog. We decided that we wanted to watch a documentary on dinosaurs (may sound odd, but it was part of a long term dino-strategy). What goes better with a great dino-doc-flick than an ice cream Snickers bar? That's right, nothing. So off we went to my work where we happened to have some. We live about four minutes away without traffic, so, really the order was not so tall. Something most people wouldn't think twice about. Especially at 10 o'clock at night.

We were leisurely making our way to my work and were approaching our freeway overpass (I work just on the other side). Keep in mind that it had been raining all day and was continuing to do so. On the far side of the freeway I was proceeding through the green light when a car darted out in front of me, running his red light.

This is basically what I saw, recreated (except darker...rainy-er):

In an instant, my brain calculated that I did not have room to maneuver to the right. I couldn't make it to the far lane on the left, else I would have rolled the Element. So, I ended up between both lanes and launched us into the middle "river" section. I say my 'brain calculated' because at the moment above, all my conscious was calculating was, "AHHHHHHHHH!!".

If I did not correct we would have plowed into the drivers door...to a very very bad end.

When we came to a violent stop in at the bottom of the median, I asked Tasha if she was okay, mentally checked myself, then exited the vehicle to survey the damage and make sure everything was safe.

I later found out that there was an employee of the deputies office that had been waiting with the other cars at the red light and was on the phone with 911 before we had "arrived". He was letting dispatch know that the red light was taking an abnormal amount of time and that people were being impatient and running the light. Just after that, we were on the rocks.

A few people, including the deputies office employee, stopped to assist. We told them what had happened and they then questioned the man from the other vehicle, who had stopped. I soon found out that he was denying that he was even a part of the accident...which was a little infuriating. Mostly since that would have meant that he was either calling me crazy or just a really...really...really bad driver. Either way...I had percolating blood.

In the end, he was cited for running a red light and will be held responsible, my vehicle towed out of the pit of despair (suprisingly intact [the underside got it the worst and the bumper popped back out]), and we made it home in one piece. 

Tasha is feeling some residual from the crash. Her neck, back and jaw are hurting. I am doing fine. We thankfully did not bring our dog, as that could have ended up bad. We are waiting to hear back from the claims adjuster. I am thankful for how this turned out, considering how bad it could have been. Pictures of the car found after the break.

Crash Photos

Doom With A View

I mean that in the best way possible. I finally got my HP camera working, so I was finally able to take a panoramic shot of the glorious view from my desk. The only format that would do it justice. This is what I get to stare at 8-10 hours a day. I really can't complain...except for the times when I find myself staring at the majesty of the mountains of mother nature, rather than the mountains of emails that have stacked up in the last 30 seconds. Therein lies the "Doom" definition. (nah. I really do love my job...for the most part). It is a much needed, in my face reminder of the insignificance of the mundane worries in life. We are part of something huge. That's for sure...

Robo Follow Up...

This is what Google Earth caught when viewing mom's house(A)...looks like a giant bot (B) from the last post is helping her move.....the moving truck. Uh oh!...yeah I'm dumb...:)

One Of The Coolest Things

This is more toy than tech...but that might depend on how you look at it. I read a post this morning on Engadget that I thought was pretty awesome/hilarious. It is about a generation of robots made by a company called Kondo. At one school in Japan, they are trying to gain a foundation interest level among teens. They do this by having the teens develop "fighting bots". Hilarity found here. (Watch the videos embedded into the post.) How they move is the funniest part...

Reservoir Dog

Recently, my wife and I went for a drive with our dog, Piper, up to a nearby reservoir. We we were admiring the scenery (click the photos to enlarge)...

when Piper saw a german shepherd. I had my phone out still, so I took a quick snap shot and got a vid.

Mainly I just wanted to share her cute little growl. She's an adorable dog that loves people...she likes to eat the faces off of other dogs though. At least she pretends to want to. She will usually end up just playing with them.

Silence...

I had a few minutes at work so I made this image that had been stuck in my head as a follow up to the last post. I hope it doesn't offend any lambchop fans out there... :)

Of Peace And Placidity

Since my wife, Tasha, and I have started dating, wool socks have been one of those things that just...I dunno...makes things better. I'm not just talking about "oh yay, my feet are warm" better. I'm talking about "I am now one with the universe" better. It really is an amazing thing. Our "Woolies", as we lovingly call them, have the uncanny ability to pacify and enlighten beyond the expected ability of any physical device. A tiff will turn into a philosophical snuggle fest. Silence of the Lambs becomes Lambchop and the Rainbow Kids. Wild bears seem to have the need to be "coochie coo'd" and absolutely require baby talk. It was when reflecting back on that situation that we realized the danger brought about by wearing the socks. We started to think they were part of a government conspiracy or the commies trying to wage some level of biological warfare...but then put the socks back on and all was forgotten. Ultimately, the socks are here to stay...and we're okay with that. ahhhhhhh Yup...we're really......really okay with that.

A Quick, More Detailed Example

Check out a more detailed form for our family reunion here.

(I made this in a few minutes and it will allow me to track all data submitted.)

One last go at technobabble...

...and only because we could all find a use for this. For anything from family get togethers to
weddings. If you want to have a convenient RSVP distribution and tracking setup or simply poll a group of people/readers.

We can accomplish this by leveraging the tools made available by our beloved pals at Google. Their Doc options allow you to not only create editable doc (Word) and xls (Excel) files, but create forms that you can email to friends or embed into a blog such as this.

Here is a demonstration of what I mean:
______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________

Above is a live field that anyone can submit their answer to. When someone makes a selection, they get the following confirmation:

At this point the information selected gets submitted to your Google Docs database. You can then review the information simply selecting the "Summary" or "Spreadsheet" options under the "See Responses" button. For this particular form, I get the following information for the "Spreadsheet":

Or the following for the "Summary":
This is just a brief (simplified) overview of what you can do with this GoogleDoc application. It has practically an infinite number of uses and be extremely complex/intuitive as you would like. You could make registration pages for a little league baseball team, see who's bringing what meal to a church potluck (and who hasn't responded yet), or simply take a more techy approach to seeing if these pants make me look fat.

There are so many options and possibilities for this application that you would think that it would be difficult to utilize, unless you were a computer genius. But Google, as always, excels at simplifying processes and putting a friendly, usable face on a complex situation.

Since this quasi tutorial barely scratched the surface of this tool, let me know if you have questions and I will help you out. Trust me, this is something you will want to know.

A Blog With A Touch Of, Meh...

I firstly need to apologize to my family and friends for this blog. I feel as though my deceit has gone too far. I unwittingly intrigued essentially all readers that come to my blog, with the prospect of an entertaining column. Instead they will have most likely found there is now a chunk of life missed that they will not get back... possibly along with slight depression. That is not intended as a self loathing comment, but rather an awakening as to the idea that my interests are not...everyones interests. Lesson learned. Moving forward I promise, nay, insure (or your money back) that the interest level of this publication will be oriented more towards "general".

Thundercats are GOOOOoooo!: A Recollection of Modern Action-Thrillers

Our culture consists of a multitude of various metaphoric bandwagons that adapts/evolves approximately every 3-10 years...depending on what band is filling what wagon. And how finicky said band is. An illustration of what I mean by this is exemplified within the blockbuster bandwagon. One of my favorites.

With a spectacular script in tow (uh-heyuck!), a 1996 blockbuster by the name of 'Twister' changed the direction of movie making to focus more on the grumpier side of mother nature. From Dante's Peak to Deep Impact, humanity seemed doomed about 3 times every summer for the next eight years. Until along came the 2004 trump card.

The producers of 'The Day After Tomorrow' looked at all the other disaster movies that came before and simply stated..."I smell a stew!" Thus was born natural disaster's amalgamate behemoth-child. With its continent wide super-hurricanes, acne-like breakout of tornadoes, and sky scraper size tidal waves, 'TDAT' effectively slammed the movie industry gears into reverse.

Seeing as the disaster genre had been beaten into a bloody, lifeless, pulp, the movie goers of America had already started repainting the Hollywood bandwagon with a large 'Marvel' logo. Arguably kicked off with the 2000, mutant-infused 'X-Men', the modern super drama had arrived. While not limited by the disaster genres content options, the super hero lineup is in full swing today with and doesn't show any signs of stopping any time soon. In fact, with movies like 'Watchmen' and 'The Spirit', the array of styles and original approaches seems to know no bounds.

Bolstered by cutting edge special effects and a gravitas pull on acting talent, we already see a multiplicity of sequels, prequels, trilogies, and originals coming down the pipe over the next few years. Films that are likely to both delight and disappoint, but inevitably entertain us as we reflect upon our mundane lives. Now all they need to do is make a Thundercats movie...oh wait!

MWC: When the world looks into their mobile future.

For those of you that are interested in the bleeding edge of gizmo's, gadgetry, and various forms of cellulophonics, you must know that last Thursday saw the finale of this years Mobile World Conference (MWC), where we were able to feast our eyes on the all the cellular goodies we could imagine. This year had a number of highlights including Windows Mobile 6.5, planet saving phones, and the inevitable momentous shift to touch based interfacing.

I for one was most excited to see the HTC Magic (G2) announcement with carrier, Vodafone. "But Vodafone is a European-only carrier, Joe!" Not so fast young reader! Feast your eyes on this little tidbit. During Google's demo of their newly released mobile software enhancements, the device being used was in fact the HTC Magic (quote Google's Vic Gondotra), but had the oh-so-familiar American T-Mobile logo beutifully encrusted below the phone's mic. Evidence enough for me to have hope that the G2 is right around the corner.

While there was not an over abundance of technological knock-outs, there were some notable innovations by third party developers. One of which being Stantums "true" multitouch screen. Anytime you find a development that enhances your interfacing experience with your cellular companion, there is a chance that metaphoric game is changed. While I don't think Stantum is tearing down any Berlin walls, they demonstrate how there can be leaps and bounds made with the current finger-to-screen interfacing standard. 

All in all, the next phase of the cellphone industry has begun on a decent note. We can't wait to see what types of waves might be made post MWC, which there are bound to be...given the economy doesn't suffocate the movement first. I'll at least try to stay positive.

Ice...Who Needs It?

Yesterday started like any other weekday. Aches. Groans. Phlegm. It was snowing out. Which was more of the exception over the last couple weeks, but was generally common enough not to cause any alarms. I headed out to work and was glad to see that roads seemed "code yellow"...except for one anomaly. 

The road that links Geneva to Pleasant Grove Blvd. seemed to be "The Street That Time Forgot". Sure the roads were basically flash froze the night before, but that's what salt is for. Come on! And this street needed it bad. Bad enough that only a few seconds down the road I saw a truck that had just flipped into the ditch. I and a few other cars quickly (but gingerly [remember...really bad road]) pulled off the street and foot raced down to the wreck.

I saw a body laying on the roof, and based on how the cab was positioned (wrapped around the ditch) I couldn't help but think, This is going to be a mess. We yanked the door open and to our surprise she was conscious. We pulled her out and found that she was not only conscious, but unscathed. No visible damage whatsoever. Definite miracle. You'd agree if you saw the truck.

We started discussing the details with the lady. What had happened? Are you okay? etc. Then I noticed that one of the guys that was there was a good friend of mine. Val. He was a designer at my company who had recently left for another job. Quick visual. The guy is a 6'4" and 300 lb Polynesian. Big dude. Then I thought no wonder getting the door opened and the lady out seemed so easy. We had the human jaws of life.

All in all. It was as good of an end to that type of a circumstance that you can have. Sure the car was undoubtedly beyond totaled, but the lady was unharmed, and I wasn't even late to work.

Moral: drive slow, drive safe, and have big friends.

Intro of Duction

Most people blog about family. Or interests. Or events. I on the other hand...will post about all that too. Time will tell what the future of this web-log holds. Starting with...