Be Good Not Bad : Web Design :: Brian Warren : Denver, Colorado

I reviewed eight newsreader applications for Ars Technica, and that review went live this morning. Make sure to check it out and leave some comments here or in the discussion forum. So far most comments have been positive. Thanks for your support!

Check out the article here.

I got a new bike. I used some birthday money to take advantage of the end-of-seasons sale. I picked up a Fuji Absolute, and so far I’m pretty happy with it. I didn’t buy from Denver Spoke, even though they were really nice to me. Why? They weren’t open when I went by to do my shoppping. I bought from Performance Bike, which was nice too. I’m enjoying biking just about everywhere I go.

I turned on my iPod this morning (just like I do every morning) for my commute to work, and alas! Three mysterious flecks appeared the screen!

I think my iPod found out about the iPod nano, and now he thinks he is old news. He thinks he’s past his prime, and it’s stressing him out.

“Black is the new black,” he whimpers to me, “I’m hideous!” Well, once I calmed him down he found his happy place and we made it through this morning without further incident. Those flecks remain though.

Well, I supposed it had to happen sooner or later. I’ve depended on this guy for nearly two hears years now, and for the past year now I’ve been listening to that thing every day while walking or biking to and from work. I use my iPod more than I use my car.

It still works just fine. The audio is fine, and all the buttons still work. But it might be time to save up for a replacement. Those new iPod nanos look super fine. …

Read more…

So, I’m sure you’ve heard about it from dozens of places, but I want to encourage you to give to some sort of hurricane relief. The Warren household gave to IOCC, but you give wherever you feel appropriate. Just give. And then think about giving some more.

Also, we decided to list our house as a place a couple refugees could come. Yeah, we realize that we could be taken advantage of, and we realize we’re a good 20+ hours of driving away from southern Louisiana, but it seems like the right thing to do. Would I rather cover my ass in case someone possibly maybe takes advantage of me, or do I want to offer help in a time of need? Think about it.

Ok, I guess it sounds like I’m all self-aggrandizing by pointing out our decisions. I just want to add a bit of pressure to you guys out there who haven’t given or offered help. Do it.

Oh, and Happy Labor Day!

Last night we watched Hotel Rwanda, a movie about one good man in the middle of the genocide there in 1994. It was a brilliant film.

I was kind of avoiding watching the film for awhile because I was afraid of how it would change me, and also, I didn’t want to see a downer of a movie. But, having seen it, I’m so glad I did.

It made me angry, and for all the right reasons. I knew before how the inaction of the U.S. and the West led to lots of people dying there. I only had a glimmer of knowledge of how really awful it was, and how easy it would have been for us to save people. (Note: Hotel Rwanda isn’t a particularly violent or gruesome film, they don’t show you much, rather you see more of how it affected people’s lives).

And, all in all, I want to be someone of peace. I want my country to be known for peace. I want us to be known for helping people, not just protecting our interests. We are the richest and most influential country in the world. …

Read more…