Rossotron.com

So I know I'm not alone in wanting everyone to turn off that "recent updates" feature that appears on your homepage.  Until Vox admin gets around to letting everyone decide whether the reader wants to view these updates, rather than whether the publisher wants to share it, it seems we're stuck noticing every time someone changes their template, adds a new neighbor, or picks their nose (okay, that last one is made up, but now you probably understand how intrusive/unnecessary this "feature" seems to me).

Anyway, having recently read Andy's comment about using Greasemonkey to hide spoilers, I thought it would be pretty easy to use Greasemonkey to similarly hide this section of the homepage.  Using the platypus plugin to cut/widen sections of the table holding the recent updates section, I've created a very stupid, simple Greasemonkey script that anyone using Firefox+Greasemonkey can install and automatically get rid of this section of their vox home page.

Basically, all the script does is cut the "recent updates" section from the page and stretch the "recent comments" section to cover the gap, as shown below:

Greasemonkey Change – Before and After

TO INSTALL:

The Greasemonkey script you need to install can be found here.  If you have the latest Greasemonkey add-on installed for Firefox, it should pop up the install box and ask you whether you want to install.  You can view the script if you want to make sure it's safe, yadda, yadda.  As long as Greasemonkey is turned on, your homepage should load and [almost] immediately be reformatted to hide the "recent updates" section.

Please note that this variant of the script to perform this modification was created by me using the openly available Platypus addon for Firefox.  Platypus is not required to use this script.  While it appears to work just fine, I claim no responsibility for any problems you have while installing, modifying, or deleting this script.  If you do have problems, it's easy to uninstall via Greasemonkey's configuration page.  Instructions on how to install/use Firefox and Greasemonkey can be found on their respective installation links above.  This script is subject to the same Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial -Share Alike 3.0 License that governs the rest of the content on my site.

Note: I do understand that some people like to see this info, or want to see parts of this info.  I don't have enough Greasemonkey knowledge to be able to let you configure the section to only hide those kinds of updates you don't want to see.  If anyone wants to take a shot at this, I'd be more than happy to help however I can, be it beta testing, code reviews, etc.  I just don't think I can do it on my own given the time and energy I have to commit to things right now.

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To the Woman Who Decided She'd Walk Up to the Drive-Through ATM,

Drive-Thru

Hello.  You don't know me and I don't know you.  But today, you decided that you would walk up to the drive-through ATM at the bank, and use it on foot.  Now, I understand that the bank location we were at does not have an ATM for pedestrians, and that you may not have wanted to go inside and talk to a teller.  However, I saw you walk back to your car, get in, and drive away.

What made you decide to use the ATM on foot instead of driving your car around and going through the drive-through lane?  Do you have trouble getting close enough to the machine when you pull through, and figured it would be easier just to park and walk?  Were you afraid you'd be wasting gas driving around the extra 50 feet from the parking lot to the entrance to the drive-through?  Or were you trying to justify your walk from car to machine and back again as your "exercise" for the day?

Any way you swing it, it's just plain odd to use the drive-through ATM on foot.  And from the way that pickup truck driver was frowning at you as he nearly ran you over, it may be a safety hazard, too.

Please use your car next time…if for no other reason than you'll find it less likely for your picture to end up on the internet when you are acting like a normal human being.

Sincerely,

A "concerned" bank customer

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mp3eme VOX: Power Cycle

http://mp3eme.gro…

POST A TRACK THAT DEALS WITH OR REFERENCES ELECTRICITY …whether it be man-made, nature-made, or anything that uses or needs juice!

I tried to keep the number of tracks I'm posting for this mp3eme down this week, so no Electric Slide, thank you very much.

However, in its place, I do have a few tunes for you….feel the power…

I've always like this tune…glad I could finally use it for a mp3eme.

Electro Shock Faders

Hooverphonic

Not my favorite tune off the album, but a little Luscious Jackson goes a long way towards making my day a good one.

Electric

Luscious Jackson

Finally, a double-shot of Bad Religion to power down by…the first is an obvious fit – the second one takes a little listening to the lyrics to get how the power theme fits in…

Beyond Electric Dreams

Bad Religion

I Love My Computer

Bad Religion

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Do you like Radiohead?  Do you like well-crafted flash animations?  This one is for you then, courtesy of Monkeehub.

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If you are ever in the Houston area, I highly recommend going out to eat at Papadeaux, a self-proclaimed "Seafood Kitchen".  Although there appear to be multiple locations in the US, the one I at at is located southwest of Houston proper on Highway 59, and provides an excellent meal with good service, a nice atmosphere, and reasonable prices.

I went to Papadeaux for dinner twice during my stay in Houston (yes, it was that good).  Each time, I left feeling sated, happy, and glad that I had chosen that restaurant for the evening.

The restaurant itself feels cozy, but is actually quite large.  A substantial bar area to the left of the main entrance looked to hold quite a few people, but did not feel packed.  The main dining area had plenty of tables, but they were spaced far enough apart that you did not feel you were intruding on another's meal.  Wooden pillars painted to look like old wooden columns were interspersed with the occasional fish mounted on the wall.  The ceiling appeared much higher than it actually was, due to the light grey spanish tile decorating the entire span of the restaurant.

The service was also excellent – my waiters were attentive, polite, and answered all of my questions regarding the menu.  Both times I felt they actually cared about my dining experience, as opposed to some places where it seems the waitstaff is only concerned about pushing tables through their meals.

Meal #1:

I started off with a Manhattan and a half dozen raw oysters.  The drink was very strong, but offset slightly by the large amount of ice they put into it.  The oysters, on the other hand, were some of the best I've ever had; they were large, plump, very fresh, and were actually seven in quantity (I guess they throw in an extra for the half dozen).  It wasn't long before they were gone, but not forgotten.

For my entree, I had two soft-shell crabs, served blackened, with dirty rice on the side.  I was surprised to see that in addition to the dirty rice, the plate also appeared with a side of mixed vegetables.  While pretty, these vegetables had little taste and I quickly ignored them in favor of the spicy, flavorful dirty rice and the exquisite soft-shelled crabs.  Each of the crabs was medium in size, crisp and blackened on the outside but juicy and tender within.  Between the crabs and the rice, I found myself reaching for my water glass often, but in a good way.

I chose to end the meal with the bread pudding, which was half the price of all the other desserts on the menu, at a surprisingly low $2.95.  Served warm with a bourbon sauce, it was topped with whipped cream and was the perfect portion to end my meal without leaving me overstuffed.

Meal #2:

Wanting to mix things up a little bit, I chose to try a cup of the "Louisiana" Seafood Gumbo for an appetizer along with my typical Manhattan.  While full of rice and seafood, including two large shrimp and pulled crab meat, the gumbo was not anything out of the ordinary, and the small size of the cup was probably not worth the $5.50 I paid for it, in my opinion.

For my main course, I chose a "Blackened Catfish Opelousas Fillet", which, in addition to the blackened catfish you would expect, came served with blackened oysters, shrimp, and crab meat in a creamy lemon garlic butter sauce.  The fillet was HUGE, so large I couldn't dream of finishing it, but was extremely tasty.  The blackening added spice, but the meaty fillet was still tender and flaky to the touch of the fork.  With three or four large, plump oysters, a handful of smaller shrimp, and assorted pieces of pulled crab meat, this was an entree that could not be beat.  Served with a huge half-plate portion of dirty rice, I really could have turned this dinner into two meals, had I chosen to take the rest home with me.

Having stuffed myself on gumbo and catfish, I declined to order a dessert after this meal.  I left the restaurant to the well-wishes of the host-staff bidding me a good evening, sure that I would return again the next time I was in town…

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mp3eme VOX: Digital Display

http://mp3eme.gro…

Post a song that references a number(s) in any way/shape/form

First, count to 30 with me….I know you can!

30-Second Song

Wizo

Slightly longer in duration, 2000 light years is a LOT longer in distance:

2000 Light Years Away

Green Day

And then, my piece de resistance, a song that not only references a number(ed century), but brings it all back to the "digital"….

21st Century (Digital Boy)

Bad Religion

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