iFAQ

iFAQ
inFrequently Asked Questions

Who are you?

Michael Arthur Everett-Lane, AKA Mike, MEL, Miguelito, Kitch, and according to my junk mail, "Everett M. Lane."

What the heck is this?

I have never found a "collaborative filter" that really works (whatever happened to Firefly anyway?). The recommendations on Amazon or other e-commerce sites are 1) written by strangers whose tastes are unknown to me, and 2) edited by people who want to sell me stuff. Wouldn't it be better to get recommendations from your friends? Thus, Ishbadiddle. See, my friends know a lot more about pop culture than I do, so instead of pestering them personally for recommendations, I decided to create a Blurb Ponzi.

So hey, write a blurb -- could be nothing more than "I saw Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and I thought it combined the emotional power of Depardieu's Cyrano with the kick-ass fighting of the Matrix" or "Have y'all checked out Cleopatra 2525 yet?"

What kind of things can I write about?

You name it, you write it, I'll share it with the rest of the class.

How often does this come out?

Sometimes weekly, sometimes less. You think I've got nothing better to do?

I'm having trouble getting my ketchup out of the bottle in a timely manner. Do you have any suggestions?

First, make sure the cap is on tight. Then, holding the bottle upside-down, vigorously shake it from side-to-side, so that the top of the bottle describes an arc. This will force the ketchup toward the top of the bottle through centrifugal force. Next, remove the cap. Tilting the bottle at a 45-degree angle hit the top side of the bottle several times. Hitting the bottom of the bottle is more frequently done; however it is less efficient. Hitting the top forces the ketchup down, enabling air to break the ketchup seal at the top of the bottom. Then gravity will do the trick. Never put ketchup on a hot dog; they were meant to be eaten with mustard, relish, onions and/or kraut if you are so inclined.

What's a blog?

Short for "web-log," it's a mechanism to post stuff on the 'net without mucking around with HTML. Go to to blogger and you too can join the revolution.

Can I opt out?

Of course! Just send me an email saying "stop bothering me!" to [email protected].

Is someone making money off of this?

Of course not! Don't you know you can't make money on the Internet any more? (Well, I put a few commerce links in, just in case you wanted to buy something and were too lazy to search for it yourself. If I make $2 I'll be shocked.)

Can I invite friends?

Sure! The more the merrier!

What's an Ishbadiddle anyway?

It's a nonsense phrase that my grandparents taught me: Ish-ba-did-a-lee-oaten-doat-bo-bo-ske-dee-ten-dot. I think it's from the 30s. Say it a bunch of times. Kind of sticks in your head, don't it?

Back to the good stuff.

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