Monday, November 16, 2009

Coconut Bliss Ice Cream Party

Debbie won a contest for an ice cream party from Coconut Bliss, so we decided to use the interwebs and invite some family to the party live! 5 different ice creams reviewed--and they're all freakin' amazing. Join the party and see which was our favorite, won't you?
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Crave Bakery - Episode 21

Owned and operated by Cameo Edwards, Crave Bakery offers gourmet gluten-free desserts. Today we tasted an apple and an apricot tart... But will they leave us craving more? Find out!
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Sunday, November 8, 2009

TweetDeck not working behind your corporate firewall? Try this.

Sometimes you've got a pesky firewall (AKA "proxy server") in your way that prevents you from accessing certain websites. TweetDeck, a popular twitter client running on the Adobe Air platform, seems to have some issues connecting to twitter behind my corporate firewall. I came to find out recently that it is not TweetDeck that is to blame, so much as it is Adobe.

Anyway, here's the fix. Once TweetDeck launches, click on the question mark button at the top right (the tooltip will say "Launch TweetDeck Support"). What should happen is a little window pops up asking you for your proxy server username and password, and then the TweetDeck support website will open. Once this happens, simply click the Refresh button in TweetDeck and your tweets should appear.

Did this work for you, too? Post a comment and let the world know.

Posted via email from michaelpaul's posterous

Friday, November 6, 2009

Another beautiful sunset at the apartment

The bright white in the pic is actually a deep orange that's much better appreciated in person.

Mike

Posted via email from michaelpaul's posterous

Monday, November 2, 2009

iPhone App: Is That Gluten Free? - Episode 20

Our first iPhone app review is here: we've found one of the most popular gluten-free apps for the iPhone and put it through its paces, leaving no stone unturned. What we found is that while the app is generally great for determining whether or not something is gluten free, too much time has elapsed between the verification date and the current date, leaving the possibility that the recipe/formula has been altered--which still requires a phone call to the manufacturer to clear up any questions.
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Thursday, October 29, 2009

The old "cracked LCD" prank

The setup: friend steps out and leaves computer unlocked (bad security). You step in and display an image of a cracked LCD full screen, then turn off the keyboard and mouse. Trackpad, too.

Sorry, but opportunity... she was a knocking. :-)

Posted via email from michaelpaul's posterous

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Halloween Candy Special - Episode 19

It's our Halloween Sweets Spooktacular, and we've got a special time-sensitive contest! We sink our teeth into some tasty treats that you, too, can enjoy! Surf Sweets, Licorice International, Brighton's Candy and Sweets Company, and Pure Fun are on the menu today--but how did they fare with the critics? Find out!
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Monday, October 19, 2009

Nana's Cookie Company - Episode 18



We take a bite out of crime and investigate Nana's Cookie Company. Results were inconclusive, but for people whose diets are restricted to the degree that borders on insanity, these are worth a try. For the record, these cookies have: No Dairy, No Refined Sugars, No Eggs, No Cholesterol, No Trans Fats, No Hydrogenated Oils, No Preservatives, and No GMOs. Nana's Cookies are also vegan and kosher.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

What should I carve into this pumpkin? Photorealistic. Lots of canvas to work with.

Years past, I've carved some pretty bad-ass shit into pumpkins, from Betty Boop to my own shiny happy mug (and the mug of my wife, too). More pics at http://bit.ly/1OUyuF

Mike

Posted via email from michaelpaul's posterous

Protect your electronics, invest in an InvisibleShield

InvisibleShield is a product from Zagg that I find most interesting: it's a case without being a case. It's made of the same material that's used to protect helicopter rotor blades from being damaged, and is virtually scratch proof. What's more, it's custom cut to your specific electronic device. So far, I've put an InvisibleShield on my iPhone, iMac, and a digital camera. You can't even tell it's there, but for the fact that your grip on the device improves about a hundred times. (I stuck my iPhone to my sliding glass door and it hung there for about 10 seconds before it fell off.)

The only downer about this product is the application process: you've got to get it just right, otherwise it won't stay adhered. Moreover, it takes a long time for the product to completely dry off once applied--so you must, must must exercise patience once it's applied! I applied it in the evening and just let it sit overnight. So, don't apply it during the day or you'll be sorry.

This is not an ad, although I wish I were getting paid for writing this. I just really like the product.

You can get deals by following twitter accounts @zaggdaily and @zaggman.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Jungle Grub - Episode 17

Get your grub on as we take you the Jungle and back! Jungle Grub bars are great for kids, as they meet recent SB-19 Nutritional Guidelines that limit sugar, fats and calories found in foods consumed by kids. (Good for adults, too.)
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Monday, October 12, 2009

Puppy dog eyes. I haz dem.

Mike

Posted via email from michaelpaul's posterous

Dippy Chick - Episode 16

The mixes from Dippy Chick were a mixed bag: the ranch was a little strong--though that could have been our fault--but the Crabby ol' Beach Seafood Dip Mix was fantastic. Too bad we didn't have any shrimp on hand.
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Glutino Dream Cookies - Episode 15, Part II

O-R-E-Oh, wait, these aren't Oreo cookies, but they come pretty darn close! We give you the straight scoop on these fabulous cookies. Thanks to Glutino.
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Glutino Crackers & Pretzels - Episode 15, Part I

Part 1 of a 2-part series on Glutino Foods. Four varieties of crackers are reviewed, as well as three different types of pretzels. Are they as good or better than their glutinous counterparts? Find out in this episode of GFree TV
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Gluten Free Cafe Assorted Sesame Bars - Episode 14

From chocolate to lemon to a touch of cinnamon, these sesame bars from Gluten Free Cafe really satisfy. The Chocolate has hints of espresso, while the lemon hits you with the zing of lemon zest, and the cinnamon takes us back to weekend breakfasts of french toast with the family. Definitely worth stocking up on these!
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Jules Gluten Free Graham Cracker Gingersnap Mix - Episode 13

Will the Jules Gluten Free Graham Cracker Gingersnap Mix put an end to our quest for the perfect graham cracker mix, or will we still be on the hunt? It seems that it's still open season.
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Jules Gluten Free Graham Cracker Gingersnap Mix - Episode 13

Will the Jules Gluten Free Graham Cracker Gingersnap Mix put an end to our quest for the perfect graham cracker mix, or will we still be on the hunt? It seems that it's still open season.
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Purely Decadent Ice Cream (Cookie Dough)

One of Mike's favorite "food groups" (yes) used to be ice cream. Ever since he gave up drinking regular milk though, it's been a hard sell to convince him that alternative ice creams can be as good as the original. Will the Purely Decadent brand live up to its name, or will it be just another carton in the crowd?
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Gluten Free Mama's Cookie Mix - Episode 11

Is this sugar cookie recipe using Gluten Free Mama's Cookie Mix a slam dunk, or will it have to be dunked to be appreciated? Find out in this episode of GFTV!
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Monday, September 21, 2009

Creepy cool house

Just testing PicPosterous on the iPhone.

Posted via web from michaelpaul's posterous

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Udi's Blueberry Muffins and Lemon Streusels

The bakery from Denver, CO continues to amaze us, this time with their absolutely moist and delicious muffins. But will it be enough to satisfy the non-gluten-free one in the family? Find out!
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Amici's East Coast Pizzeria - Episode 9

If you've been missing pizza ever since you turned gluten-free, you can find a gem of a pizzeria in Amici's. While their prices are steep, you can rest assured that your pizza experience will be just like it was before--absolutely delicious. One reason why: the crust doesn't taste like cardboard.
Formats available: MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Monday, September 14, 2009

Friday, September 4, 2009

WOW Vanilla Cake Mix & Pamela's Products Frosting - Episode 7

Part II of Mike's birthday bash: can we say cupcakes AND frosting? Yes, we can. Buttery, moist, and delicious. UPDATE: even after a week later, they're still just as moist and delicious.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Udi's Pizza Crust - Episode 6

It's Mike's birthday, and what better way to spend it than sharing his experience of Udi's Pizza Crust with the lovable @debzaz? Turns out this stuff's almost indistinguishable from regular pizza crust.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Friday, August 7, 2009

Friday, July 31, 2009

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Rules for Bedroom Golf (SFW)


Rules for Bedroom Golf

1. Each player shall furnish his own equipment for play -- normally one
club and two balls.

2. Play on a course must be approved by the owner of the hole.

3. Unlike outdoor golf, the object is to get the club in the hole and
keep the balls out.

4. For most effective play, the club should have a firm shaft. Course
owners are permitted to check shaft stiffness before play begins.

5. Course owners reserve the right to restrict club length to avoid
damage to the hole.

6. The object of the game is to take as many strokes as necessary until
the course owner is satisfied that play is complete. Failure to do so may
result in being denied permission to play the course again.

7. It is considered bad form to begin playing the hole immediately upon
arrival at the course. The experienced player will normally take time to
admire the entire course with special attention to well formed bunkers.

8. Players are cautioned not to mention other courses they have played,
or are currently playing, to the owner of the course being played. Upset
course owners have been known to damage players equipment for this reason.

9. Players are encouraged to bring proper rain gear for their own
protection.

10. Players should ensure themselves that their match has been properly
scheduled, particularly when a new course is being played for the first time.
Previous players have been known to become irate if they discover someone
else playing on what they considered to be a private course.

11. Players should not assume a course is in shape for play at all
times. Some players may be embarrassed if they find the course to be
temporarily under repair. Players are advised to be extremely tactful in this
situation. More advanced players will find alternative means of play when
this is the case.

12. The course owner is responsible for manicuring and pruning any bush
around the hole to allow for improved viewing of, alignment with, and
approach to the hole.

13. Players are advised to obtain the course owners permission before
attempting to play the back nine.

14. Slow play is encouraged. However, players should be prepared to
proceed at a quicker pace, at least temporarily, at the course owners request
(Course time is Four to Five Hours).

15. It is considered outstanding performance, time permitting, to play
the same hole several times in one match.

Posted via email from michaelpaul's posterous

Monday, July 27, 2009

Certified Farmers' Market Newsletter

hey friends,

we'll be at downtown sacramento's farmer's market this sunday--will we see you there? let me know via email or direct message on twitter! (direct message get sent as a text to my mobile. w & 8th st, downtown sac.

mike

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Certified Farmers Market <farmersmarkets@comcast.net>
Date: Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Subject: Certified Farmers' Market Newsletter
To: mapaul@gmail.com


California Fresh Farmers' Market Update
 
Week of Monday, July 27th
 

Ready for Market

  • Several varieties of melons are now ready, including red and yellow watermelon, cantaloupe, ambrosia, and honeydew melons. Did you know a 1 cup serving of cantaloupe has only 60 calories, and over 100% your daily value of both vitamins A and C?
  • Peaches and nectarines of all sizes are available at the market. A true taste of summer is the plump and dark Fantasia nectarine. These are expected soon, so make sure you have a paper towel or a sink handy because they are juicy!
  • Plums and pluots of all colors are ready too. Green Gage plums are golden and green with a mellow and sweet taste. Dapple Dandy pluots are a favorite variety named for their signature red spots. Flavor King is a sweet-tart variety of pluot with darker skin. Apricots are reaching the end of their season.
  • Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are still for sale at many markets. Of these, strawberries have the longest season. All of these berries are a good source of dietary fiber.
  • Now is a great time to make a vibrant and appetizing salsa. Finely chopped yellow and red onions and minced garlic are a must. California jalapenos will add plenty of spice. Fresh leaves of cilantro will provide authentic character. And four different colors of tomatoes are just more fun than one.
  • Red and yellow Bartlett pears have arrived. It is the first pick, so if you prefer pears that are soft, you may choose to place them in a closed paper bag to encourage the natural ripening process.
  • There are plenty of grill-friendly vegetables to choose from. Try seasoning thin slices of summer squash and Japanese or Thai eggplant. Huge Walla Walla Onions (also called Hangtown Sweets) are also available at several markets. And of course, don't forget the sweet corn.
  • Grapes are now ready. Seedless Red Flame are a popular and sugary sweet variety.

Tomatoes with History

Chances are, if you shop at the local farmers' market you've picked up an unusual looking tomato. Perhaps it weighed over a pound and had flame-like yellow stripes, and you remarked to yourself, "this is NOT your grandma's tomato!"

This tomato, an heirloom tomato, might not be your grandma's, but its history goes back many generations.

Heirloom varieties are tomato plants that have not been modified. Instead, many heirloom varieties are the same as they were 100 years ago. Their seeds were likely saved and passed down through family members, including grandmothers, through the changing generations. This is how they earned the name heirloom.

Now that heirloom tomatoes have gained popularity, their seeds and plants are more widely available, but their growing methods remain traditional.

Here are some varieties available at the market:

Black Prince: This juicy variety has a thin reddish-brown skin with green flesh in the inside. It is originally from Siberia, and was considered quite rare in the United States until recently.

Cherokee Purple: One of the sweetest tomato varieties. It is medium sized with a mixture of dark green and red on the inside. Many people believe this variety originated with the Cherokee Indians and is more than 100 years old.

Marvel Striped: This variety originated in Oaxaca, Mexico. The Zapotec people who were indigenous to the area over 2500 years ago are likely to have first cultivated this variety, as well as other pleated tomatoes. Marvel striped can be medium sized and round or grow large and pleated. It is always a beautiful warm gold with coral stripes, and has a lovely fruity flavor.

A similar-lookng fruit named Mr. Stripey originates from 19th century Mennonites who farmed in the Appalachian region of Virginia. It has a mild low-acid flavor. Note: some people refer to the hybrid Tigerella as "Mister Stripey," but this is an entirely different tomato.

Brandywine: Most of these tomatoes are very large and dense, and are prone to cracking. Sometimes the cracks and the heft are the best indications of a truly delicious Brandywine. They have bright colorful stripes and come in colors ranging from red and pink to yellow. It is said that the seeds came from the Sudduth family who had kept the variety for 80 years before passing them to an Ohio farmer, Ben Quisenberry. He introduced them to the Seed Savers Exchange in 1982 and the rest is... history.

 

Please Help Spread the Word & Forward to Friends

Thank You!

 

For times and locations, go to

www.MarketLocations.com

You can also subscribe to this newsletter.

 

If you are having a problem viewing this message please click on the link below

http://www.california-grown.com/Market-news.html

Email ad by Balderrama Design

 

 

 

 

 


Forward email

Safe Unsubscribe
This email was sent to mapaul@gmail.com by farmersmarkets@comcast.net.

Certified Farmers Market | 9656 Sheldon Road | Elk grove | CA | 95624


Posted via email from michaelpaul's posterous

Sunday, July 26, 2009

I'm in ur sidewalkz, blockn ur wheelchairz --Signed, Miramonte Trovas Mgmt

Here's an example of the douchebag in Mitamonte Trovas's front leasing office who parks his motorcycle in the middle of the leasing office's entrance. He parks it there to demonstrate two things:
 
1. How much the staff and maintenance enjoy taking shortcuts and treating their residents (wow, especially their disabled residents) like sub-humans, and;
 
2. How safe it is to leave your vehicle out of sight in the parking lot. He wouldn't want someone taking off with his crotch rocket now, would he? No, of course not. So why not partially block one of the two entrance points?
 
So glad I am out of here. Do not rent here! Unless, of course you're ghetto-fabulous. In that case, move right in. You'll feel right at home.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from michaelpaul's posterous

Friday, July 17, 2009

Life Boils Down to 2 Questions

Life really boils down to just 2 questions...

 

 

 

 



1. Should I get a dog....?
 









 

 

 

 

OR...  



2. Should I have children?

 

 

 

Posted via email from michaelpaul's posterous

Monday, July 13, 2009

Quicken: Bank of America and the OL-226-A Error

UPDATE: Are you still a Quicken user? What are you doing? Go download YNAB and change the way you budget... for the better.


----- Original Post -----

QUICK & DIRTY:
Here's a quick PRO TIP that WORKS for the infamous OL-226-A Error that Quicken produces whenever you try to download your Bank of America credit-card-only (i.e., you don't have a checking account with them, just a credit card) account information via Direct Connect:

Create a new account and choose Bank of America - All Other States. Once your new account is created you'll need to categorize all your transactions, but from here on out you should be able to download your monthly statement via direct connect without issue.

DETAILED BACKGROUND:
For years, I was an MBNA credit card customer. Then in January 2006, Bank of America bought MBNA, and I became a Bank of America customer by default. During this transition, an important banking feature seemed to become quite flakey: the ability to download account informaiton (transactions) directly into Quicken, without going to my bank's web site and downloading them separately.

The inconvenience of not being able to download transactions directly through Quicken was one reason I lost touch with my finances for some quite some time--it was always such a pain to go update my account that I kept putting it off until there was so much data to go through I gave up all together.

Recently, I found myself in a situation where it now made sense to track my income and expenses. I went through all the motions and downloaded my transactions from my financial institutions, categorized the transactions, etc. All was well--even Bank of America--until the very next day after I set up all my accounts.

For some reason, my Bank of America account was only able to download transactions the very first day. Today, it decided it didn't want to update. Now... having had plenty of problems with Quicken in the past, I immediately wrote it off as a quicken problem and began my search.

The error code Quicken gave me was OL-226-A. Seems like lots of people had this error, and most of them had to do with Bank of America. I later learned that many of *those* people were specifically using Bank of America - California specifically.

After lots of troubleshooting over many weeks and months, I finally broke down and called Bank of America, where I waited on hold for over 20 minutes before I spoke to a rep, who proceeded to tell me that I could not use Quicken for a Direct Download of financial transactions because I had a credit-card-only account. He went on to say that if I had a checking account with them, I'd be able to do it no problem.

"No way," I thought. I need a second opinion. So I spoke with the rep's manager, who proceeded to tell me the same story: I must have been downloading transactions all these years by, and I quote, "some unexplained glitch in the system."

I'm sorry, what did I just hear? That must mean that somehow I've been beating the system all these years until something went haywire.

<FoulLanguageWarning>
Excuse me? I think I need to grab my boots, because the bullshit's getting pretty thick. I mean, what kind of shit is that? This is the largest fucking bank in these United States of America, and you mean to tell me that I can't download my transactions using the most popular financial software on the fucking planet? Something's wrong here. Something doesn't add up!
</FoulLanguageWarning>

So after I got off the phone, flaming pissed, I set out to end this bullshit once and for all--after all, I can't leave my boots on forever.

About 15 minutes of serious digging landed me on this gem of a thread from Quicken, which I seem to have misplaced because I first started this post back in December of 2008. (Side note: wow, the blog post that time forgot.)

In any event, I was able to delete my current Bank of America account in Quicken, the re-establish it using this little trick: when Quicken asks you what state your account is located in, choose Bank of America - All Other States.

That's it! So far, it seems to be working well... but I must say, I'm a Mac user once again and I've been waiting eons for Quicken to come out with a Mac version of Quicken... and I've been let down yet again. Quicken Financial Life for Mac will not be coming out until at least February 2010. I say "at least" because they company has pushed it back several times since 2008. At this point, I think I'm considering moving on to something like Mint.com -- I've been trying the two in parallel, and I'm noticing some interesting differences.

For example, Quicken only downloads Bank of America's credit card statements once per month as an entire statement; Mint, on the other hand, downloads transactions on a per-transaction basis, as if you were logging into the site directly and viewing the latest and greatest. This is particularly handy because after a month passes and I download all my transactions into Quicken, I often wonder what certain expenses are that I don't have receipts for. With Mint, I can check it daily, weekly, whenever the mood strikes me.

What's more, while both programs automatically categorize your downloaded transactions, Mint puts Quicken to shame because it is constantly improving its algorithms/database to predict which category your income and expenses really are. Unlike its aging great grandfather Quicken, which seems a bit like it's playing pin the tail on the donkey--in the dark.

Would I switch to Mint today? Probably not. While graphs are nice, I like the reporting in quicken because I use a zero-based budgeting system and need to make sure certain numbers get down to zero by the end of the month... reporting makes that easy. I also like the flexibility of entering transactions manually--like when you write a check today and nobody deposits it for a month--that Quicken has and Mint desperately needs. Sometimes those laggard checks get deposited at the wrong time, creating surprises. But had I been able to enter that transaction manually, I'd have seen that my balance really wasn't $1,000 but $1,000 minus that $500 check and, well, I wouldn't have bought that $501 collector's postage stamp. ;)

Phew, that was a long post. If you're still reading this, you either really liked what I had to say (thank you) or have too much time on your hands. Or both. ;)

Till next time, World!