The App Store is really cool and shows a lot of potential even if all the Apps aren’t up to snuff yet. I didn’t get any of the pay ones ($10 for a iphone game? $49 to keep track of my medical records?), but here are a few free apps I downloaded:

Salesforce: Can’t get past registration. Apparently I may need a new license for my Salesforce account.

zintin: finds others running zintin in your area and tries to get you to talk to them I guess. I’m not sure what you say to the person in the coffee shop beyond, ‘cool app, hey?’

facebook: a little bit better than running it through the normal browser.

Talking Spanish: there are a ton of language translators. Most cost $, but this free one has a bunch of basic phrases that it lists in text and will say for you.

midomi: hum or sing a song into your iphone and this will tell you the song and even play the original for you.

Bank of America: A lot of bad reviews on this one, but since I hadn’t used their mobile banking site, I didn’t notice that it’s basically the same thing. It being able to tell you where the nearest BofA ATM is makes it worth the space on my screen.

The apps are a great start and the possibilities seem endless. Some other cool ones I want to grab include:

Jott: records your voice and turns it into text

WHERE: tells you what restaurants are in your vicinity, what’s going on event-wise, where the nearest ZipCar is, etc

Save Benjis: comparison shops online while you are out in the real world.

Remote: turns the iPhone into a remote for your computers iTunes.

I attended a fantastic screening of Paranoid Park by Gus Van Sant on Friday night at the Miami Beach Cinematheque. A professor of Van Sant’s from the Rhode Island School of Design, Marian Marzynski, an accomplished filmmaker himself, spoke about Van Sant’s career and showed 3 of his school films. Paranoid Park was shown and followed by a webcast Q&A with Van Sant, who was in his editing room working on his new Harvey Milk film (which stars Sean Penn). I asked Van Sant if he had been to San Francisco much during the mid to late 70s (he lived in LA at the time) and how shooting in and about San Fran went. Van Sant said he hadn’t heard of Harvey Milk until Harvey was killed, that he hadn’t come out as a gay man yet and definitely wasn’t any sort of activist at that point. I didn’t get a chance to ask a Crime and Punishment question.

In other Harvey news, check out the wicked new look for Harvey Dent. I’m trying to contain my expectations for this movie but the first one may be my favorite comic book movie of all time, the Joker clips look fantastic and now this photo.

(thx Tati for the Harvey Dent link)

Do your homework and be prepared to put with many surprises, if you consider an anteater as a pet. First of all, they don’t come cheap (up to $4,500) - and they need a special diet (unless you have an endless supply of ants, but even then, they need a supplement) Tamanduas are very loving, but just like cats, they tend to “let you” love them.

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CHECKING BAGS

• Second bag - $10 (AirTran); $25 (American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways)

• Southwest charges starting with third bag - $25

SEAT ASSIGNMENTS

• Exit row extra legroom - $20 (AirTran); $5 to $35 (Northwest Airlines)

• Window, aisle seats in front of plane - $5 to $30 (US Airways)

• Reserving seat number in advance online - $6 (AirTran)

• Business Select early boarding - $10 to $30 more than highest fare (Southwest)

link (via consumerist)

Choose from Letters sold as a set of 3 for $19.95, Numbers sold as a single tray for $9.95, or buy the set of Letters and Numbers for $29.90.

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13,000 circular modules of limestone and concrete weighing 700 pounds each will spell ‘SAVE THE REEFS’ off the coast of Miami Beach to raise awareness and create a fish habitat.

The installment will take up an area the size of 40 football fields and be visible to planes flying into MIA.

”It will be the greatest fish habitat ever created by man” said Fort Lauderdale artificial reef builder Gary Levine who is in charge of the project.

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Although lawmakers said they’re widespread in North Florida, the bill says that displaying reproductions of bull genitalia — one version has the brand name Truck Nutz — on a vehicle or trailer can lead to a $60 fine, charges of a moving violations, and points against a driver license.

I’m not a fan myself, but I have to agree with Senator Steve:

“I find it shocking we’d tell people with metallic testicles on their bumpers that this is a violation,” said Sen. Steve Geller, D-Hallandale.

Apparently these things started as two baseballs inside a pair of pantyhose, but damn have they come a long way!

link (thx matt)

It’s not easy getting fans in the seats these days. Competition is tough and extras like baseball tickets are being cut from many family budgets. ESPN lists their top ten minor league promotions, including: Dairy Day (pictured above), Midget Wrestling Night and Pillow Fight Night!

Includes a great gallery of stadiums.

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Uses Doppler radar, like conventional hand-held sports and police radar speed guns and attaches to the back of any ball glove.

Endorsed by Ken Griffey Jr. “All-Century Center Fielder”

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The next time your children get cavities, they might get tooth regeneration instead of fillings.

That’s because materials scientists are beginning to find just the right solutions of chemicals to rebuild decayed teeth, rather than merely patching their holes. Enamel and dentin, the materials that make teeth the strongest pieces of the body, would replace the gold or ceramic fillings that currently return teeth to working order.

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