Free sIFR fonts

sIFR is a free web design tool for replacing text with Flash text images. It is useful for displaying fonts that aren't generally on a Mac or Microsoft computer. One of the difficulties of using this technique is that you may not be able to create your own fonts, if you lack a Flash editor. I'm posting links to three sites where you can download already converted .SWF files to use in your sIFR headings:

sIFR Vault has been recommended as a good resource.
Fontsmack has over 100 free sIFR fonts.
Sifr Fonts has a growing font library.
Isarie's Blog hosts a huge library of almost 300 sIFR fonts.

Micro Fiction

I have been writing Micro Fiction for a while now. People often use the terms "Micro Fiction" and "Flash Fiction" to refer to the same thing: Ultra-short stripped to the bone fiction. Here are some of the top Micro Fiction search links:

Micro Stories article at Story South
The Micro Fiction Anthology
Definition at Word Spy
Anatomy of a Micro Fiction
The Essentials of Micro Fiction
Short Shorts: A Resource
Micro Fiction Guidelines by Jerome Stern

Ghost Whisperer

Yes, I have watched it a number of times. Here is what I think:

The Husband: Too damn understanding. Why won't he just die? The show would be much better...What's the deal with the huge fake eyelashes? They suck. Get rid of them because they make you look stupid...Get a hairstyle. I mean, COME ON! The bangs are not working...You look much better with your hair tied back...Everybody watching this show must cry a lot...Man there are so many feel-good moments in this show...It must make lonely old people miss just about EVERYBODY...Ghosts appearing everywhere: Cool! Flashbacks to childhood: Cool! Overall rating: 4 of 5 stars because of the ghosts and pretty pretty girl...Recommendations: kill the husband. He knows too much.

Video Quote:

Well we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley."
-Pleasantville

More Experimental CSS

I've uploaded a couple of new demos to my my website. One is called Mozilla Flavored Popups and requires Firefox to get the full effect. The other one is In Your Monkey Suit and requires a CSS-compliant browser [ NOT Internet Explorer ] to view the effects. It's inspired by a page at the now offline CSS Destroy! website. No new techniques here, just some variations.

Update: I've added a version of In Your Monkey Suit for
Internet Explorer

Unearthing Unknown Monk

Last night I listened to a recording of the Thelonious Monk quartet with John Coltrane made in 1957 at Carnegie Hall by Voice of America but never broadcast. Jazz enthusiasts are pretty psyched about this recording, which captured not only two short 25 minute sessions by Monk's quartet, but also featured sets by Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, and Sonny Rollins. The Monk sets were recently released on Blue Note. The recording quality is quite good; both Monk and Coltrane sound great.

Source: NPR.Org

Flotsam: Microsoft vs. The Borg

My Man Godrey

One of my favorites, with outstanding comic acting from both Lombard and Powell, My Man Godfrey can be viewed or downloaded online at Archive.Org.

I ran across The Hype Machine today and it's worth a visit. Not only does it collect music files being posted to blogs and present them in a custom stream for your enjoyment, it also posts links to the original blog posts themselves. If you want to see what is currently being posted music-wise on MP3 blogs, this is a good place to go.

p.s. I'm listening to it RIGHT NOW!

Everybody is blogging about Writeboard today and I don't want to be left out. This is a truly innovative web app which allows two or more users to write a document together, and save the various versions. This is only of of a handful of features. Great for writers and bloggers alike.

Freeware is cool. Tiny is cool. Here is a huge page of links to almost every little freeware graphics program ever made. Check out the other categories too.

Video Quote!

"I would like to direct this to the distinguished members of the panel: You lousy corksuckers. You have violated my farging rights. Dis somanumbatching country was founded so that the liberties of common patriotic citizens like me could not be taken away by a bunch of fargin iceholes...like yourselves."

Source: Movie Quotes dot Com