chip found this great site that lists some of the top tivo hacks. i decided to try out #11 and # 21 first.
30-second skipping: for a while now, i’ve been interested in setting my remote to skip ahead in 30 second intervals (rather than just fast forwarding) during commercial breaks just like the replay does. finally, i have the answer! once i figured out that i needed to be watching a recorded program and not live tv (even though they say you can), it turned out to be super easy. (it only involves pressing a combination of buttons on the remote.)
flickr browser: the other hack i was REALLY interested in getting to work is the browser for flickr. tivo has a built-in application that lets you browse yahoo pictures (who uses that?!), but even though yahoo owns flickr, it doesn’t allow you to browse flickr accounts. some developer used tivo’s home media engine software to build an application to do this. this turned out to be a lot easier to install than the instructions make it out to be (the developer’s site is the easiest way to figure it out), but the program requires you to have the application running on your computer for it to work. i’ll be glad to show anyone interested how to set this up (i’m thinking of you, jocelyn!)
at some point, i’ll probably setup #1 to convert the programs so i can burn them to dvd (i have another program that will convert them to play on my ipod). i’m trying to figure out if it’s more productive for me to go the easy way on this and install the $25 tivo ToGo software. (i rarely have the desire to burn the stuff from my tivo to dvd… all i really want to do is convert it for my ipod…) i might also give #23 a go just because it sounds like a neat idea.
i promise i’ll be less geeky in a few days or so. you know, i’ll write about puppies, kittens, anne geddes photos, toss in a little knoggler-speak here and there… =)

i was thisclose to winning a heated sci-fi discussion with chip. i know, it seems impossible! believe it or not, i had the victory within my grasp until chip fired back with a left hook and won with a knock out.
let me give you a little background: chip is in the process of recording every. single. episode. of star trek that ever aired. (believe me, i’m as embarrassed as you are.) anyway, i will actually admit to “liking” star trek as far as the next generation, but no further! chip, flaming liberal sci-fi fan that he is, does not respect this boundary and tries to force me to accept that which i cannot: computers have feelings.
a scene from the star trek voyager spawned the debate. the captain says something to the doctor (a poor man’s data, if you ask me) like, “something tells me this is not your last adventure,” to which the doctor replies something like, “me too.” for me, this is reason enough to write off star trek voyager.

scrappy (shouting at the t.v.): “what?! a computer with intuitive feelings? on what basis? i can’t believe you’re watching this…”
chip: “yeah, but it’s the future. in the future computers have feelings.”
scrappy: “no they don’t. data didn’t!”
chip: “this is 300 years in the future! computers might have feelings by then.”
scrappy: “well, star trek next generation was 250 years in the future…”
chip: “actually, it was taking place at the same time as this.”
scrappy: “exactly! data didn’t have feelings…”
chip & scrappy in unison: “except when he had that emotional chip inserted, but decided he didn’t like it and had them take it out.”
scrappy: “data would have never said something like ‘me too’ to statement based on intuition and emotion. he would have said something like, ‘i agree. based on my calculations, i understand that i will have a 28% chance of participation in an adventure in the future.’ none of this ‘me too’ b.s. that the doctor (whoever he is!) dribbles about.”
chip: “yeah, well he’s a mac.”
scrappy (totally confused): “what?”
chip: “the doctor. he’s a mac. data’s a pc. get over it. he has emotions.”
scrappy: “FOILED AGAIN!”

i wonder how one goes about getting a job writing for the police blotter?

‘Shiny’ nude man charged with peeping
A naked man with his body slathered with petroleum jelly was arrested Tuesday evening after a woman complained he was lurking outside her apartment at Dougherty Commons, 436 E. Dougherty St., Athens-Clarke police said. from Athens Banner Herald:Cops