The Everyman Photo Contest - 2004 Amatuer Contest Rules. Deadline is 10/4/2004.

Since Mike is the type that writes his own IRC clients in Python for fun, he should be amused by the story of the Myserious billboard. At least I was. [via Melissa.]

Years ago, there was a company called FreePC.com. The premise was that you signed up for their free computer, and they sent you one - with banner and spy software, so they could monitor your surfing habits. I didn’t own a computer at home at the time, and I was happy to sell my soul just for a free machine. I signed up, but didn’t hear anything. I forgot all about it for the most part, randomly checking back to see if they had updated the site or if there was any new information.

Then, one day I received an e-mail asking me if I still wanted to participate, and if so - to verify where to send the new PC. Yes, free. Well, somewhat free, but I had to be willing to be spied on. Ok, whatever - I didn’t mind.

A year or so later, the company folded, and they sent us the information on how to reformat things to get the banner ads off the computer. Since then, I have replaced the hard drive, buying one from a co-worker for $40. The PC still works just fine. Free.

The point of all of this? You can have a chance to get a FREE iPod. I signed up for the pink one. Shocker there, huh? Anyways, I need to refer five friends - so if you are interested in helping me out and want to sign up, go to my special freeiPods.com referrer page. Once you sign up, get 5 friends to sign up and go for one of the offers (Columbia House DVD, AOL for Broadband, White Smile, BMG Music Service) and … well, that’s it. Free iPod, or so they claim. For a price slightly cheaper than your soul. (UPDATE: I removed the link to my referrer page because I’ve met the requirements for one. If you still want to sign up, help these people out.)

Don’t want an iPod? That’s ok. They will give you $250 in gift certificates for iTunes instead.

I really, really, really want the pink iPod though… although the silver is nice too…

Normally, I avoid eBay like the plague. Not because I hate eBay. Oh no. No, no, no… I love it. Too much. I have never been an eBay junkie because I see the writing on the wall and I would be trying to win every auction I found any remote interest in. That is a bad, bad thing. No, no eBay for me - I would get too sucked in to a deep, deep hole.

But now I’m helping Chelsey, aka Bridezilla, get the last details together for her wedding in 5 weeks. She has pulled me in to being her eBay bitch. She does not have an eBay or a PayPal account, but she saw on The Knot, cult of all good bridezillas everywhere, that you can find great prices on eBay.

The e-mails keep coming in with requests to bid on things for her on eBay. We bought her champagne toasting flutes on eBay. We are bidding on her veil and her gift card box … and we are WINNING! Winning! How exciting! I love winning on eBay! And I don’t have to pay for any of it! This ROCKS!

Whew. Ok. I’m calm now. But I think this is the way to go for eBay. Bid for other people, so that you are spending their money - but you get all the thrill of the win!

13 minutes to go on one item, and 2 hours and 14 minutes to go on the other … and we’re still winning! Yes!

A freaky optical illusion. Can you make it stop? [via Hicksdesign]

Just the other day I was ranting about TypePad. It would never let me log in, so whenever I try to comment on MT sites, my comments end up in moderation mode. I’m sure Kristine and Meredith just love me for that.

However, the fabulous Shelley (in her role as a MT staff member) fixed me right up tonight. I can log in to Typepad again! Now, you’ll never believe how simple it was…

I was using my full e-mail address instead of my username. Oops!

When I finally got a chance to view the season finale of “The Resturant”, I discovered that President Reagan had died that day and the programming was messed up. I never got to see the finale. However, it’s still no surprise to learn that Rocco is Shut Out of his “Restaurant”. Yeah, Rocco was being a jackmonkey, wasting money, spending it on crazy things. It’s no wonder he ran the restaurant into the ground.

Yeah Rocco, so how do you like them meatballs?

Four Inmates Flee Jail, Return With Beer. Why bother escaping when you have beer?

Can’t take the heat of your laptop? You need the Lapinator!

Thanks to Claudia, I found the movie! I found it! It’s So Fine, from 1981. Man, I wonder if that’s out on DVD - it is a riot. Just look at those jeans! The whole “craze” starts when Ryan O’Neal somehow rips one of the pockets off of his jeans and his butt is showing. Everyone comments on what a great look it is, so they market jeans with a see-thru butt. Sort of drives home the point that sometimes in the name of fashion, we will go for the stupidest things.