Weekly Digest for 28 June 2009

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10:02 via Delicious
tumblr (feed #4)
20:24 via Tumblr
delicious (feed #6)
05:07 via Delicious
tumblr (feed #4)
Shared 2 photos.
17:01 via Tumblr
twitter (feed #3)
Congrats to @BBDOWorldwide, winner of Network of the Year at Cannes for a second year in a row! #cannes2009 #bbdo [#]
18:35 via Twitter
delicious (feed #6)
20:08 via Delicious
twitter (feed #3)
#Fail on @USAirways – Friend flies to LGA. Bag didn’t make it. Now they want to charge a delivery fee. This is why I fly @DeltaAirlines [#]
22:42 via Twitter
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Weekly Digest for 21 June 2009

delicious (feed #6)
Shared 2 links.
13:29 via Delicious
tumblr (feed #4)
22:29 via Tumblr
tumblr (feed #4)
22:20 via Tumblr
delicious (feed #6)
02:47 via Delicious
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01:05 via Tumblr
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Weekly Digest for 14 June 2009

tumblr (feed #4)
12:44 via Tumblr
delicious (feed #6)
Shared 3 links.
15:15 via Delicious
tumblr (feed #4)
10:02 via Tumblr
youtube (feed #7)
11:36 via YouTube
twitter (feed #3)
Macallan Twitter Tasting – http://bit.ly/UblAy – interesting brand use of Twitter [#]
21:50 via Twitter
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Weekly Digest for 11 June 2009

delicious (feed #6)
Shared 3 links.
19:29 via Delicious
tumblr (feed #4)
Published 2 posts.
01:55 via Tumblr
tumblr (feed #4)
Shared 2 photos.
01:55 via Tumblr
delicious (feed #6)
Shared 3 links.
19:09 via Delicious
tumblr (feed #4)
23:56 via Tumblr
tumblr (feed #4)
Portland, Maine [#]
23:56 via Tumblr
tumblr (feed #4)
My newest acquisition. [#]
00:17 via Tumblr
tumblr (feed #4)
Shared 2 photos.
03:38 via Tumblr
tumblr (feed #4)
Unhappy aji was delicious. [#]
03:38 via Tumblr
twitter (feed #3)
Breaking Banner Standards on AdWeek. Bespoke Web placements to overcome user "ignore" behaviour. http://bit.ly/11vHM9 [#]
12:11 via Twitter
twitter (feed #3)
Most firms unaware of upcoming top-level domain name changes. #ICANN http://bit.ly/l64uc (via @caiaphas) [#]
15:23 via Twitter
twitter (feed #3)
#BBDO ’s 1991 Cindy Crawford spot for #Pepsi ranked steamiest TV spot ever by Forbes magazine: http://bit.ly/15R46S [#]
15:50 via Twitter
delicious (feed #6)
Shared 3 links.
14:40 via Delicious
tumblr (feed #4)
19:24 via Tumblr
twitter (feed #3)
The @waffletruck is outside @bbdony today on 52nd. Nutella & banana waffle for me. Deliciousness. Pic: http://bit.ly/mUymJ [#]
19:30 via Twitter
twitter (feed #3)
The @waffletruck is outside @bbdony today on 52nd. Nutella & banana waffle for me. Deliciousness. Pic: http://bit.ly/mUymJ #bbdo [#]
19:48 via Twitter
delicious (feed #6)
Shared 2 links.
12:26 via Delicious
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Usability & the NYC MTA MetroCard

1496993875_06b3ce5ba8_o

Not that the MTA is known for providing a good experience… but…

I purchase a pre-tax monthly MTA MetroCard through a program at work, and I’ve noticed something inconsistent. When I drop my card in the machine on an MTA bus, it let’s me know the date that my card will expire. However, when I swipe my card in the subway, it just says “Go.”

Wouldn’t it make sense to make these two experiences consistent? The great thing about being reminded of the expiration date on the bus is that I’m prompted to bring my new card on the day after the old one expires. This prevents me (most of the time) from holding up the line swiping the expired one, waiting for it to tell me it is expired, and then fishing around in my wallet for the new card.

One would think that the difference in software would be a simple one. After all, both systems are able to tell you your balance on a non-unlimited card when you swipe it.

Though minor, it would be a vast improvement on the subway where, in the heat of catching the next train  waiting behind someone to swipe a second card through the turnstiles is a huge, frustrating length of time (says something about perception over reality, doesn’t it?).

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Enabling Flash Video (FLV) Playback on Windows IIS

Here’s another “gotcha” courtesy of Microsoft: by default, IIS doesn’t include a MIME type for Flash Video (FLV) files, resulting in a 404 Not Found error whenever you try to access the file. One would think that they would deliver a 401 Unauthorized error, but hey… what do I know?

Right click on either the individual site or the full server, and then click “Properties.”

1. Click on the “HTTP Headers” tab.
2. Choose “File Types” and click “New Type.”
3. Add “.flv” for the associated extension, and “video/x-flv” as the content-type.
4. Click OK to save the addition, and close out.

    Like everything with IIS, you may need to restart the service to see the change.

    This is just one more reason to use Apache on Linux.

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    Opt-Out of “Interest Based Ads” from Google and Other Ad Networks

    Google's Ad Preferences Screen

    Google's Ad Preferences Screen

    While I don’t consider myself to be paranoid about being tracked around the Web, I still value my privacy. I also don’t like companies making money off of me (unless I’m getting a cut, of course) — and behaviorally-targeted ads have a higher value to advertisers, so DoubleClick (Google’s ad serving platform) and the other networks can charge more money.

    So, this is why I “opt-out” of Google’s “Interest-Based Ads” and 28 other ad networks that are members of the Network Advertising Initiative. Conveniently, they have a tool online that allows you to do this fairly easily.

    According to NAI:

    “The NAI Opt-out Tool replaces a network advertiser’s unique online preference marketing cookie on your browser with a general opt-out cookie. It does not delete individual cookies nor does it necessarily replace other cookies delivered by network advertisers, such as those that are used for aggregate ad reporting or mere ad serving purposes. Such cookies allow network advertisers to change the sequence of ad banners, as well as track the aggregate number of ads delivered (impressions).”

    Currently, you can opt-out of the following networks via NAI’s tool: aCerno, Advertising.com, Akamai, AlmondNet, Atlas, AudienceScience, BlueKai, BlueLithium, Collective Media, Dedicated Networks, eXelate Media, FetchBack, Fox Audience Network, Google, interCLICK, Lotame, Media6degrees, Mindset Media, NextAction, Safecount, SpecificMEDIA, Traffic Marketplace, Turn, 24/7 Real Media, Undertone Networks, [x+1] (formerly Poindexter Systems), Yahoo! Ad Network, TACODA Audience Networks, & Tribal Fusion.

    You will still see ads wherever ads are served, but you won’t be tracked (usually, “anonymously,” which to me is a bit of an oxymoron). You will need to use this tool anytime you clear the cookies from your browser (you do this occassionally, don’t you?). You also need to do this for every Web browser that you may use. Just because you opt-out in Internet Explorer doesn’t mean that you’ve opted out in Firefox.

    Opt-Out with the NAI Tool. There is a security issue that prevents Safari and IE7 users from being able to use the tool in some cases (it deals with third-party cookie permissions). View their FAQ for more information.

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    Weekly Digest for 4 June 2009

    twitter (feed #3)
    This almost makes up for a fairly bad Friday. #VideoFriday http://bit.ly/tylerlit – "Literal Bonnie Tyler" (RT @JoeMyGod) [#]
    21:31 via Twitter
    twitter (feed #3)
    Just found milecalc.com, and am seriously loving it. Figures out flight miles earned, bonus & CPM (cost per mile). Yes I am a travel geek. [#]
    02:03 via Twitter
    twitter (feed #3)
    Allan Jardine’s Design tool rocks. Esp for Web developers using grids & pixel-specific design. http://bit.ly/iXkJ3 (via @dcurtis) [#]
    14:21 via Twitter
    twitter (feed #3)
    Meh to #Bing. Another bloated rehash for #Microsoft. Only plus? Can now say "Bing me," instead of "#Google me." Sounds a little dirty. [#]
    15:14 via Twitter
    twitter (feed #3)
    #Google homepage weight: 3.2kb. #Bing homepage weight: 93kb. Just sayin’… [#]
    14:13 via Twitter
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    Weekly Digest for 29 May 2009

    tumblr (feed #4)
    Shared 6 photos.
    14:49 via Tumblr
    twitter (feed #3)
    50 iPhone Apps for Web Designers & Developers (Via Mac AppStorm) – http://bit.ly/x1wRi [#]
    14:07 via Twitter
    delicious (feed #6)
    02:39 via