Quote from Helvetica

As a type geek took me longer than I’d like to admit to catch Helvetica (the movie), but there was definitely one quote by Lars Müller about the quaint ubiquity of the modern world’s “default” typeface that stuck with me: “What I like is that this very serious typeface tells you the dos and don’ts of sweet life — it must be Helvetica.” [Photo by Marcos Dopico]

Help Veronica and me stay caffeinated, recommend a machine

Usually Veronica and I usually just head to one of the 38 cafés in our neighborhood to get some coffee, but after a while the mediocre baristas just can’t stack up to the Rituals and the Blue Bottles, which are just out of reach for the daily routine. So we’re about this close to picking up a home machine, except I’m still hesitant to drop the coin being that pulling a proper shot can be a somewhat daunting (yet enticing) task. So here’s where I defer to the home espresso brewers in the house. The candidates of machines we’re looking at (no particular order):

• Solis SL-90: Supposedly not a bad Swiss-made auto machine, and it’s got pressurized and non-pressurized filter baskets so newbs like us don’t suffer at the onset (but can theoretically ease into pulling a proper shot with a non-pressurized basket). Still, I hear it’s a generally mediocre machine — plus it doesn’t feature a 3-way solenoid valve.
• Breville 800ESXL: Cheap n’ pretty Aussie machine with high quality parts and a pressurized basket. Has to be modded to take non-pressurized baskets though, and even then generally seems to be thought of as a wolf in sheep’s clothing for budding coffee nerds. It’s a tempting buy, but it also doesn’t have a 3-way solenoid valve and I keep hearing “avoid!”
• Gaggia Classic: A very well respected machine, but supposedly prone to breaking down and no option for pressurized baskets. Bah.
• Rancilio Silvia: The most beloved consumer espresso machine and so, so pretty — but also difficult to master. I don’t necessarily trust us to get our tamps and grind just right, so my inclination is to go a little more user-friendly and sacrifice some of the sheer Rancilio awesomeness.

Your recommendations for a machine (hell, and grinder!) are much obliged. As you can tell, we’re looking at mid-range single-boiler consumer models.

H&R Block’s TaxCut is a scam

Did you know that when you pay money for H&R Block’s TaxCut software you’re only able to use it for one filing season, despite its built-in ability to download the latest forms and recognize the latest regulations for federal and state filing laws? I sure didn’t — and H&R Block doesn’t make that clear anywhere on their site (like, say, the FAQ, where one CSR told me that was supposedly clearly outlined). Apparently they expect you to re-pay for the same software every year — not including their ridiculously overpriced e-filing fees. Absolutely not cool. (I’ll try to fight back the urge to do my annual post in favor of flat taxes.) Maybe it’s time to go back to the local CPA!

CNET layoffs aren’t foreboding

As you might’ve read, yesterday CNET (internally) announced 120 layoffs across the board, including some well-respected tech writers you may have read. Naturally this is a pretty big bummer (and any CNET eds looking for a gig, feel free to hit me up!), but it’s also important to realize that, strangely enough, CNET isn’t really a tech media industry bellwether, and these cuts come amidst two years of downward-headed stock prices even while the rest of the industry — even some still supporting legacy print publications — reported record numbers. I suppose it’s not all that different from the dips TWX took for an under-performing AOL post-Miller (aside, lots of interesting stuff in this week’s Fast Company profile about the company I work for). It’s pretty clear CNET was long overdue for some belt-tightening, but I suppose the only question now is whether they tightened the right belts across their myriad properties.

Clear through security?

I tend to travel quite a bit, so Veronica got me thinking about enrolling in Clear, a “fast lane” for frequent fliers that supposedly lets the registered and approved breeze through airport security in mere minutes. The Clear security machines are only present at a few airports, and from what I can tell, you’re charged by the year and for a one-time TSA vetting fee (together $128); the DoHS gets a bunch of personal data about you, including a number of biometrics (iris scan, fingerprints, photograph).

If you’re approved for Clear, according to their site, you and your belongings still have to pass through the usual metal detectors and X-ray screenings; it seems like the only real bonus is that the Clear are shorter (usually non-existent), and there are attendants to assist Clear members with packing / unpacking their belongings for scanning. Of course, besides all the obvious privacy concerns, the vaguely creepy statement that Clear members are “continuously reviewed by the Department of Homeland Security” doesn’t leave me super excited. Clear maintains that its privacy policy is straightforward and progressive, though.

Maybe I naturally lean more to the tinfoil hat end of the spectrum, but is the trade-off of privacy really worth the claimed expediency? Any Clear members, what are your thoughts?

Rolling resolutions

I’m not really too into the whole new year’s thing, but there are a few rolling resolutions I’ve been after:

• Up my number of total vacation days taken. Been getting better about this, but really looking forward to this year.
• Travel less. Yes, less. Spend more time in the bay area.
• Get that gamerscore up past 5k. Totally doable.
• Get my data in order. Everything from contacts to media. Oh sure, it SOUNDS easy.
• Resurrect the Engadget Index. Sorry Tony, I swear, it’s gonna friggin’ happen!
• Buy our next place. Been after this one a while. I should probably consult my friend Alan, the real estate magnate.
• Watch more films. Originally “watch more foreign films”, and then I remembered an increasingly short attention span combined with little free time means the ratio is actually pretty decent.
• WQXGA. Totally.

Portal: game of the year. Blocks: protagonist of the century.

As a Block, you’ve no idea the amount of joy it brings me to see the humble cube finally get its comeuppance. Not only does Portal make stars of the simple and six-sided, but now Joystiq has shown its proper appreciation by awarding it Game of the Year. It had some stiff competition from such Ryan-faves as COD4, Bioshock, and especially Rock Band, but is it any wonder Portal is my new favorite game?

-Ryan “Veronica’s Weighted Companion Cube” Block

Let’s get with the program and abolish HMOs for good

Not that there is any dearth of reasons these days, but the Sarkisyan story makes me ashamed in my country. And the sad thing is people being injured or dying because of HMOs isn’t even that uncommon — and yet we all put up with it because for so many that’s all we know. Even without getting into the whole Michael Moore Sicko thing, every person I know from a country with socialized universal health care (Canada, UK, Australia, etc.) has had largely only good things to say about it — and the bad things I sometimes hear (like depending on where you live there sometimes aren’t enough general practitioners, so there are long leads for routine stuff like checkups) are pretty minor. Compared to your child dying despite being “insured”.

We can put a man on the moon but we can’t take care of our nation’s ill? Absolutely sickening.

Good vibes to the Orchant family

Sending good vibes to the Orchant family, who today suffered the loss of former WIN editor Marc. I never really knew Marc, but as a colleague, father, friend, technologist, and all around good person, he’ll be remembered very fondly.

On a somewhat related note, December 6th was the anniversary of James Kim’s death.

I never really have a lot of words when it comes to these things, but those who wish to can donate to the Orchant family through Oliver Starr’s page (that link again), as well as to the James Kim Technology Foundation.

Happy holidays, everybody.

A Million Bucks by 30, my pal Alan’s book, out in January

My old pal Alan Corey’s book is finally out in early January. It’s ambiguously, tersely titled A Million Bucks by 30: How to Overcome a Crap Job, Stingy Parents, and a Useless Degree to Become a Millionaire Before (or After) Turning Thirty. So very Alan. Seriously though, if there’s anyone qualified to write this book, it’s him. Well, he or Pete Rojas.