Google unveils IM chat client

So you love their search, you love their mail, you love blogger (yes they own that), and you've got their desktop search running, but you need more Google?

Look no further, the big G has just dropped the bomb on AOL Instant Messenger's parade. Google Talk, a new chat client, is now available for Windows download and can be used via iChat with few tweaks. There's a reason for that. Continued ...

Jordan Running over at Download Squad had all the gory details and a product review, but from the early look of it - this is going to be huge. Google Talk has basic IM capabilities, high-quality VoIP, complete integration with Gmail, and an ads-free interface.

Google is using an open protocol, Jabber, so you can access Google Talk's servers with any compatible client (aka iChat or Trillian). Already in the works: SIP support, potentially interoperability with Skype, AOL, and Yahoo!, and my favorite dream: a "joint search." This would allow two or more Google Talk buddies using Google to surf the web together. It's the future, baby.

Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Blogging | Writing | Google | Google Talk | Media

From the mixed up files of Mr. Steven R. Neuman

I have had a bit of an absence from posting, but with good reason. I have been dredging through my files and re-posting (with the proper time stamps, of course) all my posts from the original Hyperbole blog. I hate to sound like a nostalgic geezer, but when I first started blogging in 2002, it was pretty rugged technology and the concept of what qualified as a post was still quite malleable. Continued ...

Archiving was a mess, there was no such thing as a "blogspot" domain and templates were just a glimmer in Google's eye. As a beginner you had to write your own HTML page and then insert the tags, so learning to blog meant learning HTML. Placing comments into the scheme was so complex I had to use an outside Web site. Needless to say, it was a crash course in technology. My first posts mostly consisted of "Why isn't this working?" then "Ok, I think I know why this isn't working," and finally, "Damn this thing for never working." Eventually I got it.

Besides getting the opportunity to see myself change, it also is like turning back the pages on a diary. I find myself wallowing in nostalgia for events that are not even half a decade past. Personally, I have never been able to keep a true pen-and-paper diary or journal, so this Web site presents a unique circumstance.

So what's your take on the long term effect of blogging? This is the frontier people, enjoy it while you can. P.S. If you don't get the title I'm sorry. You missed out on childhood if you ask me, but you could always catch up.

Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Blogging | Writing | Media

Journo News: PBS

Romanesko, the blog that most newspaper editors don't realize is a blog, had an interesting link to a story in the Village Voice about Fareed Zakaria, media gadfly, Daily Show guest and Newsweek International editor and columnist. Zakaria, a "Neoconservative policy wonk," can finally give Mr. Stewart's sofa rest because he's the winner of the brand new PBS show Foreign Exchange With Fareed Zakaria.

Now is where you ask, 'A neocon? Is this more Red-stating over at PBS?' I don't thinks so. Continued ...

His show is focused on international affairs and in his own words "the other 95 percent of humanity," and his guest are primarily foreign so FEWFZ (great acronym) will probably avoid most of that partisan hack framing that you get on cable news punditry shows. Zakaria has built his reputation on his Islamic heritage, although it is noted that he grew up in a very upper-middle class secular home. He's an interesting gent.

Nevertheless, the Voice's article is terrible: there's an intentional wink-nod to Tiger Beat style articles, but it just sounds sleazy and obnoxious. The repeated comments of about Zakaria's hunky attributes dilute a piece that doesn't get to Zakaria's initial support and subsequent lambasting of Bush's war until the last paragraph. This nugget was buried completely:

"... he protests that he is no longer a diehard Reaganite but a firm centrist. 'And anyway, in America the entire spectrum has shifted to the right. I still like the same kinds of people I always did - conservative Democrats, moderate Republicans, call them what you will. But we're an increasingly embattled phenomenon in a country with a president talking about intelligent design.'"

Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Blogging | Writing | PBS | Fareed Zakaria | Islam

Meth Madness

Well kids, it's official. You now need a prescription to buy your Sudafed in the state of Oregon when you've got the sniffles. The law, signed Tuesday, requires a prescription for previously over-the-counter drugs containing a component, known as Pseudoephedrine, which can be used by home-grown 'cooks' making meth. Nevermind that such sources represent a small source of the drug component since, "two-thirds of the meth in the nation is imported from "super labs" operating in Mexico" according to USA Today. Continued ...

One bigger issue is that without national legislation it will be simple for home-grown producers to hop across state lines, and it will give Mexican drug cartels, which are already stepping up meth production, an obvious vacuum to fill. Nevertheless, it seems to me like the whole meth paranoia sweeping the nation seems highly reminiscent of the crack epidemic in the '80s - trumped up by ineffective police and drug agencies and overblown by politicians into a legislation frenzy. My girlfriend suggested I should stock up on a few boxes before I leave Washington, but it seems far more likely that I will just have my Mom send me a box when I get sick with a cold next winter.


Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Blogging | Writing | Meth | Oregon | Sudafed | Ephedrine

"This town is like 'Twin Peaks'"

The latest weirdo-factor to crop up here in Spokane - a federal judge who was caught allegedly masturbating in Riverfront Park. A local teacher, who's entire last name is just plain "X," pleaded guilty to having sex with a 16-year-old female student in his first year on the job. Plus, since I've been here it's been nothing but gay mayors, serial sex offenders and abductions. My boss came over and pointed out the two strange stories and noted that Spokane is a little like "Twin Peaks." While I agree, there certainly are some sinister elements to this town, it seems that Spokane is a lot more like another fictional, eccentric and storied city of the pacific northwest. Continued ...

Cicely, Alaska in "Northern Exposure" rings truer to this city than the darker David Lynch hamlet. Every time I meet some quirky local shopping for groceries in their cowboy hat and glittery tank-top or spend some time watching bikers picking up their kids from school I cannot help but identify with Rob Morrow's character from the series - the neurotic, cosmopolitan Dr. Joel Fleischman, fresh out of college and completely overwhelmed by the locals. I often feel like this, especially when I find myself chasing a moose with a videographer in tow around Comstock Park.

Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Blogging | Writing | Media | Spokane

Foodie Fridays: *real* Mac and Cheese

One of the most popular dishes I have ever cooked - it remains a frequent request to this day - is my *real* Mac and Cheese.

You: What makes it real?
Me:It doesn't come out of a box.
You: But I love the box! Don't you love the box? (Shock and seizures ensue)

That doesn't mean that boxed M&C doesn't have a place in the world, but when you try this version and see how simple and easy to make this rich, creamy and comforting dish from scratch, you'll never want the Kraft again. Continued...

My version is heavily based on a version shown on Alton Brown's superb television show, but only in technique, not in measurements. After cooking a dish once with a recipe I rarely use it again, opting to let the dish evolve as I use a pinch of this - a dash of that - and a half a handful of those. Nevertheless, I will give you AB's version and note my modifications in a different color.

It is a baked dish, which means more time is needed, but the upside is that you can assemble the entire casserole, pop it in the fridge and then move it to the oven any time within 24-48 hours after it has been assembled. It's always a smash.

If you are looking to pick-up and understand the mechanics of cooking I highly recommend AB's show and book, "I'm Just Here for the Food (Food + Heat = Cooking)."

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1/2 pound elbow macaroni *I like to use rotini (spirals), but you can pick your fave short pastas. Pene works too.
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
Powdered garlic to taste
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg *I don't bother with the egg, but if you're inexperienced making a roux use it.
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs *These are specialty Japanese bread crumbs, but plain will work fine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
2. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
3. Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
4. Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
   

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Technorati: Food | Chef | Blogging | Writing | Cooking

Windows Vista already has a virus

Windows Vista (ne Longhorn) is still very much in BETA and not even a month old, yet it already has a virus. The first bug has prompted a smart response from NYTimes Blogger David Pogue who points out that the premiere of a Vista virus shoots some holes throught he conventional wisdom about why Apple's OS still remains virus-free.

He writes, "One reader, commenting on this news, added this postscript in a note to me: 'I think this is an excellent counter-example to the claim that 'Nobody writes viruses for Mac OS X because it has low market share.' Uh, I think we can safely say that OSX has considerably higher market share than Vista, yet here we are already!'" Continued...

I'm inclined to agree. Yesterday Pogue laughed about how one blogger joked "Vista is actually an acronym for the top five Windows problems: "viruses, infections, spyware, trojans and adware." His next post, today, is on the first virus.
Eric, my brother, has been BETA testing Vista and apparently loves the voice-recognition and the virtual folders (which is a feature I truly love in OS X Tiger).

Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Blogging | Writing | Media Windows | Vista | OS X |

White trash just got dead sexy

So you thought "double-wide" meant tacky, cheap reproductions of quality craftsmanship? Well fear not Mr. and Mrs. Federline, the fellas over at my favorite home/design/consumer goods blog Inhabitat have found you a ultra-modern trailer with class.

"Designed by architect Christopher Deam, this minimalist single-wide trailer home has 400 sq ft of living space and sells for just $45,000! The trailer has one bedroom, a full-sized bathroom, an open kitchen, and comes with built-in storage and entertainment units. The front of the structure is composed of four large sliding-glass doors that are outfitted with blinds for sun-control and privacy." Continued...

I find the concept of having your home delivered by a Semi to be a bit lame, although mass-produced domiciles do go hand-in-hand with the core ethics of modernist architecture. Unfortunately, the strict quality demands, intense workmanship and expensive materials commonly used in modern design did not often lend themselves to inexpensive mass production until recently (I love you IKEA).

So if you're looking for that modernist edge without all the moolah, check out the builder's Web site for more details.

Technorati: Newspaper | Homes | Blogging | Writing | Media | Design

I want my hyperbole

The title of this post is to the tune of that Dire Straits song. Right now Hyperbole is in hardcore construction mode. I've migrated the main page over to the new stevenneuman.com domain, but everything else should be up and running in the next few days. Presently, problems abound, but the hyperbole.tk re-direct will remain intact.

Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Blogging | Writing | Media

Adventures in DUI

A drunk driver hit my parked car on Saturday night. My poor 1997 Subaru wagon was badly scuffed when the police decided to pull over a drunken driver in front of my apartment, and the driver (being drunk) decided my car would be a perfect spot to park.

It all started when I saw police lights through my front windows. Being a reporter, I looked out and saw a squad car and a Chevy Corsica. Both cars stopped, then the Corsica driver made what can only be described as a half-assed attempt to parallel park - INTO MY CAR. When I heard the soft crunch I threw on some shoes and was on the street in five seconds flat. The driver was in the car, screaming at the police officer in Russian. Continued ...

As it turns out, this guy was a regular at the Elk restaurant across the street from my house. He was drunk and when he refused a taxi, saying he was going to sleep it off for a few hours in his car, and then started his car right away. The bartender then called 9-11. All that slurred, "I can't understand you," stuff turned out to be an act when the bartender revealed the man spoke perfect English.

So far, it's not looking like this shmuck has insurance. The police arrested him on DUI charges, and they couldn't find any insurance information in his car, which wasn't registered to him anyway. My insurance is on the job, but if the registered owner doesn't have insurance I have a $300 deducable.

UPDATE: The guy doesn't have email, but the registered owner of the car does, so I'm in the clear. Now they've just got to fix it.

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Foodie Fridays: A traveler's supper

Keeping in step with my plans to create regular content for Hyperbole, today marks the first edition of Foodie Fridays. Aren't you excited?

Next Friday both my mom and my girlfriend are flying in at around 9 p.m., which leaves me with a conundrum. By the time we've retrieved their baggage, return to town and check my mom into her hotel it seems implausible that anyone would want to go to a restaurant. I am the one picking them up, so cooking a light supper is a bit problematic. It has to be ready without prep, and must not require a microwave (since I do not own one). The answer to this riddle lies in a simple dish, easily prepared. Continued ...

Quiche! Yes I know what you're saying: 'Real men don't eat quiche,' well sirs, I am here to tell you that they do. Quiche is not only satisfyingly light, savory and filling, but it is also easy to make, an excellent fridge cleaner and delicious when served at room temperature. The one thorn in most of our sides is the pie pastry crust; assuming you're not Martha Stewart (I am not), and that you are not a French pastry chef (I am not) pie crust is a daunting and time-consuming prospect.

Fear not my pastronomically challenged friends, because your local grocer stocks perfectly usable frozen pie crust shells. Yes, those of you who know me know I loath the processed frozen foods but let's face it, pastry is tough stuff. It requires years of practice, loads of time to make and patience I don't posses. So pick up a frozen crust, whip up some custard (dairy + eggs = custard), shred some good cheese (swiss is the classic), chop up anything you've got handy (cooked veggies, onions, bacon, ham, chicken,spinach), combine and start cooking (375 degrees for about an hour and half covered lightly covered with foil). Serve that up with some green summer salad (perhaps fresh pea shoots with a shallot-honey dijon dressing)

Here's a classic custard recipe for quiche. Because I find it to be very heavy to use cream and I usually use 1 percent milk and an extra yoke. It makes enough for an 8' pie crust.

6 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Technorati: Food | Cooking | Blogging | Writing | Foodie | Gourmet

My second front page story

I spent yesterday in the field. There was a triple fatal car crash outside of Spokane in Mead, Wash. and I took a company car to go get some more information on the accident from any police remaining on the scene. What I received, instead, was enough personal information to write a real good article about who these poor kids who died. The photojournalism by Liz Kishimoto is fantastic.

I find one of the hardest things about being a journalist is striking the balance between being empathic and being driven to get the story. More...

In this case when I reached the site of the crash there was an makeshift funeral going on. The women were all extremely distraught and speaking Russian. There is a fine line between being driven and being a jerk.

At any rate Lyudmylda eventually was the only one left and finally called me over, the first thing she said was the first quote in the story.
Click the image to see the PDF.

Technorati: Newspaper | Journalism | Blogging | Writing | Media

Midsummer reading update

Here's what I've been reading since we last chatted literature...

The Final Days, the second Watergate book by W&B is not nearly as snappy as the first. I have found the reading much slower. Breakfast at Tiffany's is classic summer reading; light, pleasurable, but not fluffy.


I finished Harry Potter in two days flat - this was the best one yet. Eragon is next on the list.

The Moose is Loose

I spent most of my Monday chasing a pair of moose around a residential park in Spokane, with SR videographer Colin Mulvany. We got a call that there was a cow and her young bull in the neighborhood just after nine and it wasn't until 1:30 that the moose were in a trailer and ready to go home. The whole neighborhood turned out to see the animals prancing calmly around their park At the end of the whole affair I was completely exhausted, but the pictures, story and video that came together make a great little package.

"I crashed my van into Jesus!"

I saw Saved! when it first came out in the theaters (with April I believe) and I loved it. I had not seen it in a long time, so when I swung by Hollywood Video to pick up six or seven DVDs for the week I slipped it into my stack.

What really stuck me about the movie is not how cruel it is to the characters, because even the bad characters only mean well, but how sympathetically they are portrayed. Even a spiteful Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore) is just not getting it right, as opposed to being plain evil. Eva Amurri ("the only Jewish" at an all Christian school) and Macaulay Culkin have true chemistry, and of course, Jena Malone is great. The cast rocks.

Fresh news made daily

I had a horribly unproductive weekend. It was over 90 degrees, far to hot to not have air conditioning, so I basically spent almost all of my energy trying to keep cool. It was not my idea of fun.
The paper had an amazing story Sunday by investigative reporter Bill Morlin. It was a massive 100+ incher on a pedophile ring in Spokane in the '70s, which also involved several close acquaintances of embattled mayor Jim West and tied together the allegations of abuse aimed at the local Boy Scouts, Catholic Church, Morningstar Ranch and Sheriff's Office into one big knot of inter-related pedophilia. A scintillating story about horrible stuff. There was some initial skepticism about the length of the story, and as one editor correctly noted, "Yeah it's 100 inches, but it will read like 40." So it did, so it did.