FSP 1.1

Staged Pictures

When I upload images in MT, I choose between

* immediately creating a new entry using that image; and

* having MT show me the HTML for the image I just uploaded,
and copying that HTML to the clipboard. Then, I hope I don't
get distracted and copy and paste something else before I
need to retieve the HTML code.

There's no way to re-generate the HTML for an already uploaded
image.

I'd like a third option, to add picture to library where MT would
build an index of all uploaded images (whether uploaded via MT,
or otherwise placed in the image-archive director).

This new feature would display the list of images and beside each would be:

* a link to the HTML to copy and paste into an entry to use that image

* a list of and links to entries using that image (think of this as a categories
feature where each image is automatically its own category).

This feature would also generate a list of images not used
in any entry. Orphan images.

Since MT already has a thumbnail generator, this feature could optionally
include thumbnails in the lists of images it generates.

Note: I've refered to images here because that's how I've been
using MT: upload an image, and let Mt generate a thumbnail and the HTML code
with correct width, etc, for the image. The current MT feature is actually
UPLOAD FILE, but I haven't explored what it does if I upload a sound or
movie file.

MT Primary Category or Keywords

The Main Menu > FSP 1.1 Editing Menu > Create New Entry page
says Primary Category; the Customize the display of this page page
says keywords.

In any case, it only shows one category, and hides the other
categories even if more than one category has been specified.

What are keywords ?

Keywords:
The Keywords field can hold whatever type of data you want to put in it; it is
geared for holding metadata or keywords about your entry, and is not normally
displayed on your public site (though you can display it using the
<$MTEntryKeywords$> tag). It is searched when a user performs a public
search on your site, so you can use it to tag entries with words that may not
normally appear in the entry body.

meetup Oktoberfest

I'm in the transition form GreyMatter to MovableType.

Update 2002-Oct-23

The blog URL remains the same: http://omor.com/b/ . The permalinks have
moved, but GreyMatter messages 2-180 have been converted, (see archives
on left) and messages 181 to 240 are following soon. And there's two dozen
new messages in the draft queue.

Meetup STLBloggers' Oktoberfest.

Ikea

St. Louis may not be a great city because it does not have an Ikea.
A local Ikea experience inspires road trips from elsewhere.

Personally, I think Ikea veneer over particle board furniture is a bit shoddy,
but their kitchenwear is a great value. What's more, their catalogue and in
store displays are outstandingly helpful in selecting the right item for you.

Travel Booking

The Internet allows me to be my own travel agent.

I check Expedia and Travelocity, and the airlines'
and hotels' own sites. Interestingly I sometimes find a

Northwest ticket for a flight on a Continental flight for half
the price of a Continental ticket on the same flight. I book with
Northwest, but get all the benefits of being a Continental Elite
frequent flyer. Preboarding, upgrades to first class, all that.

I'm finding ways to optimize my travel, such as changing planes
at airports which have premium lounges I can use.

Travelocity is very good about selling "illegal" routings combining
travel on NW and CO. I have had agents at CO say "this ticket was
validly issued, but I don't know how they got this routing."

You can see some crazy stuff come up over there that you won't
find elsewhere.

The subtleties of travel search systems and enhancement
opportunities is an ongoing series.

_Transporter_

Saw Transporter where Jason Statham (the thinking man's Vin Diesel) and an under-utilized Qi Shu have a bad hair day. The twenty minute opening sequence is of almost _Ronin_ quality, from there it's downhill. Good use of southern French scenery and a memorable garage brawl in used motor oil. There's no point in spotting continuity errors (why is Statham so clean after the oil brawl ?) because the plot itself makes little sense as the Clive Owen type battles the duo of an Ethan Hawke type and an aging overly made up Ric Young (_Corruptor_). Thanks to Ryan, Don and Angeline for before movie conversation over conventionally labeled drinks. I'm looking forward to John Woo's Hostage.

Trip planner

Orbitz and other trip planners have greatly
improved the travel planning experience.

However, these sites require the user to specify dates
of travel before they search for flights, so you can't
perform a search like:

STL --> SFO return, less than $200,
find flights in November 2002.

Also, for mileage junkies, you can't restrict the search
to three or more segments.

Frequent Flying

Praxeology today: flying just to get frequent flyer .

If you bought more beer in order to collect money by returning
your empty bottles to the re-cycling center, the breweries would
be richer, but not you. (But you could sponsor your own Oktoberfest.)

But if you flew in order to get frequent flyer so you could fly
some more, would you get rich ? Well, are the airlines making
any money ?

FlyerTalk is a trove of tales and
techniques of the frequent flyers and mileage obsessed.

As an Alaska MVP Gold, I can change tickets without any penalty at all.
Yesterday I was running too late for my flight to get the 500 mile Kiosk
check-in bonus. (The Kiosk cuts you off about 15 minutes before departure.)

So, I called on my cell phone and changed my reservation to a later flight.
I then ran to the Kiosk, checked in for the later flight to get the 500
bonus , and then went to the counter and asked them to put me
back on my original flight.

Speedtrap

Posted a new listing to Speedtrap.org.

City: Clarkson Valley
Location: Clarkson Road / MO 340
Time of Day: Any time of day
Level of Enforcement: High
Type of Enforcement: Radar

Date: 10/2002

The two mile long strech of MO 340, aka Clarkson Road, from Kehrs Mill Road
in Chesterfield on the north side of Clarkson Valley to Clayton Road in Ellisville
on the south side of Clarkson Valley. Clarkson Road is four lanes plus generous
shoulders and a two-way left turn lane. It's posted at 45 mph in Chesterfield
and 40 mph in Clarkson Valley. Clarkson Valley residents are concerned about
traffic noise, and low speeds reduce noise. And as the surrounding area becomes
more developed, there is a desire to divert north-south traffic out of Clarkson Valley
and into neighboring towns. Enforcement is typically by in-car radar from moving
cars or cars parked on the shoulder or up sidestreet, from behind luscious trees.

Police cars are typically white Ford Crown Victorias or new Chevrolet Impalas with no lights
on the roof. At least one car is marked as Ballwin City police. (Ballwin is a nearby
city, they might share police equipment and staff). Morning rush hour 7-10 am they
run speed traps at least two days per week, and at other random times of day until
at least 9pm.

tire wear

My Bridgestone s03 Pole Positions are worn. Six autocrosses and 10,000 . Still, they are excellent rain tires, and good dry tires. Used at 95 percent of their limit, they are great tires. But exploring the limits and overdriving them rapidly wears the outer tread block. The s03 performs much better than the Yoko AVS I used prior. Click on picture to enlarge.

Laos trading web

One thing that the new solar-powered network will allow villagers
to do is decide whether it is worth going to market. Phon Hong,
the local market town, is 30km away, so it is worth knowing the
price of rice before you set off to sell some there. Links farther
afield may allow decisions about growing crops for foreign markets
to be taken more sensibly—and help with bargaining when these
are sold. And there is also the pleasure of using Internet telephony
to talk to relatives who have gone to the capital, Vientiane, or
even abroad. in The Economist.