Newsgroups in Outlook
I've finally found a program for reading my newsgroups in Outlook :). No more Outlook Express to deal with, and I can use all of the management features of Outlook to keep track of all of my newsgroup posts. The program is called Newshound, and it's a plugin for Microsoft Outlook, which is a steal at $30. You can find screenshots and a features list on their site.
The Grapes of Wrath
Yes, I know it's punny, but I couldn't help it!!! I spent all day Saturday at Amity Vineyards picking grapes. Yep... picking grapes. Amity Vineyards has a Harvest Party every year where poor suckers like us get to go see what it's like to work in a vineyard, and I'll tell you, it's damn hard work. I believe we picked a grand total of 10 tons of grapes off of 3 acres, which Myron Redford will use to make Pinot Noir and other tasty wines.
So why did I pick so many grapes that I still have a hard time making it down the stairs two days later? Because you get wine at employee prices (after all, I was an employee for a day) and if you come back the following year you get a free bottle make from the grapes you broke your back picking. Not only that, but Myron's wife makes a fantastic dinner, and all the wine you can drink is free. Needless to say I'm glad I wasn't driving home, because I was fat, happy, and thoroughly inebriated on some of the best reds I've had in a long time. I brought home 8 bottles, and I ain't sharin....
Macromedia Offers NCL Option for Flex
Macromedia today announced a Non-Commercial License option for Flex. This should make it easier for developers to start getting into Flex-based development, so we can all find out what it's really capable of :). You may just end up seeing a Flex-based UI for Dan's Shorts.... oooooooooohhhh... who knows :). They also have a nifty little page that will help everyone understand exactly what an NCL license is, so we can all figure out if we're eligible.