Of the different ways to forward RSS to email, I've found that simple systems like RssFwd and Rmail are easier to work with but less configurable, while full-featured systems like FeedBurner and FeedBlitz are more complicated because they're so configurable.  All in all, RssFwd did the best job of simply delivering RSS items via email in a relatively timely manner, though there were delays of several hours in some cases.  FeedBurner and FeedBlitz are too full of cruft and self-promotion, and they generally lack any useful configurable options (like when to send what, how it should look, etc.).  Of course, the internal, site-specific solutions like Subscribe2 for WordPress work the best because they email new things as soon as they're published, not as soon as a 3rd-party site's robots notice new material. #technology

I've implemented a new feature on this here website:  Updates via email.  If you don't like visiting my site (and/or don't know about RSS) but would like to be notified when I post something new, you can subscribe to updates via email.  It's easy to subscribe and unsubscribe, and I won't sell your email address to spammers or send you spam myself. 

Edit:  Never mind.  I got rid of it.  It's stupid. #technology

There's this thing that happens on websites geared toward article discussion and comment:  For every single article that's published, some jerk announces that he (I'd say he/she but that's probably unrealistic) is the first commenter. 
All websites have the ability to filter and delete comments.  My question is this:  Why do we, as a civilized human race, allow these idiots to clog up the internet with their worthless comments?  You might think I'm overreacting.  If so, you don't read enough geek websites.  This is a major problem, and I can't even fathom why website owners allow it to continue.  I personally think the offenders should be publicly mocked and beaten, preferably with a tube sock full of quarters or some sort of archaic torture device.  I think the general human populace is smarter than this.  We shouldn't need to be the first to comment on something, and that comment surely shouldn't be something as stupid as "First!" #technology

I don't understand why websites have site searches like this: 
If I go to a specific website, why would I want to search "the web"?  That's what Google is for! 

I remember reading the same complaint about CNN's site search, but they've apparently grown a brain and fixed it. #technology

Pick a random string of 10 letters, numbers, and symbols, making sure at least two of the letters are capitalized and the entire 10-character string doesn't spell any kind of recognizable word or phrase.  Now memorize that 10-character password and use it to log into important websites and things like that. 

That's the stupidest thing in the history of the universe.  Yet more and more, I'm forced to do exactly that.  I truly believe longer passwords are less secure than shorter, more memorable passwords.  What do I do with all my stupidly long passwords?  I write them down, thus committing the cardinal sin of passwording.  I keep all those passwords in a password-protected document, so there's at least some amount of security.  But honestly, it defeats the purpose of having a password in the first place.  There's no way I can remember these passwords, and it would be stupid to use the same password for everything.  I'm forced to write them down or click on that link that says "Forgot password?" every time I login to a website. 

I'll take a wild guess and assume my method for storing passwords is actually more secure than the method used by most other people.  I've seen passwords written on pieces of paper, stored in a desk drawer, or carried around in a wallet.  This obviously isn't a viable solution, but it has solid rationale:  What if you forget the password to the computer where your password-protected document of passwords is stored?  You can't argue with that. 

To you nameless, faceless people who invent password requirements:  I can assure you, longer passwords are less secure. #technology

Sometimes people read my website and later tell me, "I'd like to leave comments, but [insert rationale here]."  I personally usually don't leave comments on other peoples' websites because I'm not very sociable and don't really like to share my opinion with people who might not care. 

If you, the reader, are the type of person who sometimes thinks about leaving a comment but doesn't, I encourage you to leave an anonymous comment.  Just enter any old name and email you'd like and inject some sort of witty comment or cutting remark.  I'll probably know who you are because your IP address is tracked and usually shows what area of the country (or world) you're from.  But it's not always completely accurate, and there's a good chance I won't know who you are.  But the important thing is that no one else will know who you are.  Thus, relative anonymity. 

For example, if you'd like to comment on this post, enter something like the following.  Just make sure you enter some name (any name) and a valid email address (something@something.something). 
#technology

Despite the booming industry created by the newly utilized global positioning system satellites, I have one thing to say:  GPS devices suck. 

For one, they're phenomenally expensive.  Even the most basic device costs around $200, and that's only because it's using outdated technology and competing with hundreds of knockoffs.  I think it's safe to assume the plastic casing of a GPS device doesn't cost much, and I would assume neither does the software.  So basically, you're paying for a little radio transmitter/receiver chip.  Why hasn't demand for these things driven down prices?  It's not like it's a new technology.  It's been around since the 1970s and operational since the early 90s. 

Second, GPS devices are incredibly unintuitive and extremely user unfriendly.  Why are there functions to name marked points and input data if there's no keyboard?  And why is the onscreen keyboard like those Nintendo games from 1987, organized in alphabetical order?  Keyboards haven't been organized in alphabetical order since the invention of the typewriter!  A touchscreen would be a vast improvement, as would a bigger display and a move intuitive menu system.  Honestly, for $200 you'd think I could get a device with a screen larger than a 10-year-old cell phone.  And full-color! 

Third, battery power for handheld devices is generally laughable.  Twelve hours between charges?  That won't even last a moderate weekend hike!  The last thing I need when I'm lost in the middle of the woods is an expensive chunk of plastic and silicon with a dead battery. 

Finally, although I'm impressed by vehicle navigation models that give turn-by-turn directions and tell you where the closest McDonald's is, I don't really need turn-by-turn directions or the location of the closest McDonald's.  I'm pretty good at finding my way around places, even if I've never been there before.  And to find the nearest McDonald's, I can probably just turn in a circle and find two or three. 

P.S. - "Recalculating route" shouldn't take 60 seconds to complete.  Even MapQuest loads faster than that. #technology

Most search engines employ a few different options, or search operators, to make searching easier and more relevant.  Google has a bunch, the most useful of which are site:, which searches for results only from a specific site, and cache:, which shows Google's cached snapshot of the page.  The other search operator I use all the time is one that's a little more universal:  The minus symbol.  This simple character removes certain entries from search results.  For example, if I search for hikes in new jersey, some of the results point to a site called trails.com, which is essentially a useless landing site that charges money for any type of relevant information.  To remove those results, I repeat the search as hikes in new jersey -trails.com.  I'm also not a fan of Amazon links in my results sometimes because I'm not looking to buy anything, so I can search for hikes in new jersey -trails.com -amazon.com.  This simple operator makes search results incredibly more relevant. #technology

Oh, the sad state of portable audio devices.  Why is it so difficult to listen to music from my mp3-capable Treo while in my car?  Sure, I can use an FM transmitter, but they have shoddy reception and are prone to interference.  (Perhaps there'd be less interference if the transmitter was closer to the car's antenna, but my 2004 Camry is mysteriously missing a protruding metal antenna.  I'm sure it has one; I just don't know where it is.)  Sure, I can use a tape player adapter (yes, my car has a tape player), but the audio quality and subsequent noise of spinning tape wheels turns me off to the idea altogether.  Why doesn't my car audio system have an audio input jack?  Why wouldn't that be a standard feature?  Why are there wires involved?  Haven't we reached a point in our technological revolution where we can do everything without wires?  Hasn't Bluetooth use become so widespread and simple that it permeates all areas of our lives?  Why does my Treo's built-in music player (Windows Media Player Mobile) not have a function that remembers the place in the song where I left off?  Who wouldn't want that feature by default?  Why does my Treo use a non-standard audio output jack, requiring me to buy an adapter? #technology

Having a website/blog means there will be spam comments, just like having an email address means getting spam email.  I could very easily disable the ability to leave comments, but I sometimes like to hear what people have to say.  Currently, I have a very simple yet effective method of preventing spam involving basic arithmetic.  It works great at filtering out (a) people with math disabilities and (b) robots who leave spam comments.  Every once in a while, a spam comment gets through, either because it was left by a real human (which I find surprising, seeing that most spam is done by automated means) or because the robot happened to guess the correct number to type into the box. 

But what I find most surprising is how much spam I get while I'm away from my computer.  I spend a good 9 hours per day at a computer, so I can quickly delete spam comments that get through.  I might get one or two spam comments per week normally, if any at all.  But as soon as the weekend rolls around, I suddenly get three or four.  And if I'm on vacation like I was last week, I suddenly get all kinds of comment spam.  It's like the robots know when I'm not around, so they all gang up and abuse my website.  Be careful robots, I might disable commenting altogether.  Don't ruin it for everyone. #technology