The London EDITION is a great hotel

Why I love the Tate Modern Museum in London

Yuengling Launch Party for Boston

You're Better Off Manually Posting Boston.com Stories to Facebook

UPDATE BELOW: Facebook is confusing.

I liked this story, What happened when Boloco founder John Pepper became an Uber driver, on Boston.com.



I clicked the Facebook button to share the post to my timeline.

It looked like this.



This is dumb.

They made the image small AND included another story, about Avery Bradley, that I didn't want.

I deleted it.

Then I reposted it myself by copying the story title and link over to Facebook.



Now it looks better, and I had the opportunity to give Scott Kirsner a link.

UPDATE:

I just saw another image on my Facebook newsfeed and it looks like this:



Now I'm confused.

This might have something to do with viewing my own timeline vs. the newsfeed.

I'd love to hear from some Facebook experts on this.

I'm getting some coffee.

Watching the last episode of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Watching the last episode of @latenightjimmy as it was meant to be seen, on the NBC app, on an iPad, at 11:43 AM. Congrats @jimmyfallon, a photo by stevegarfield on Flickr.

Watching the last episode of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon as it was meant to be seen, on the NBC app, on an iPad, at 11:43 AM. Congrats Jimmy Fallon.

See you on the Tonight Show.

Ice, Art, and Valentines Day

ICE


ART

"The Hallway Gallery is excited to announce its first solo exhibition of 2014, featuring new work from Boston-based artist Clint Baclawski. Chromogenic, a site-specific installation, features a 30-foot wall photographic light mural stretching the length of the entire gallery."

Chromagenic at the hallway gallery. http://t.co/obD6VhzERN

— Steve Garfield (@stevegarfield) February 8, 2014

Valentines Day at CVS

HappyValentines Day at CVS! https://t.co/J3lwed0NxG

— Steve Garfield (@stevegarfield) February 8, 2014

I was a Joke Writer for Jay Leno

Jay Leno just ended his run as host of the Tonight Show.

I've got some great memories from being a monologue joke writer for Jay for three years in the late nineties.

RADIO PRODUCER
Back then I was a producer, on-air wacky sidekick, and writer for a Morning Show in Boston, Karlson and McKenzie. They're still on at WZLX.

When guests came in I'm greet them, get them set up in the green room, and take them on air.

I met lots of fun people. One time Eddie Money came in without a shirt. We game him a station T-Shirt. Crazy.

Here I am with Kathy Griffin.



I used to write topical jokes based on the news of the day. When comedians came in, I'd always talk to them about it.

JIMMY FALLON
One time Jimmy Fallon came in with his sister to talk about his book, that he wrote with his sister Gloria, I Hate This Place: The Pessimist's Guide to Life.



That's from when he was on Saturday Night Live. He was nice back then too.

WRITING JOKES
One time a local comedian took a look at the jokes I was writing and said that I should be writing for Jay Leno.

I asked him, "How would I do that?"

He explained that Jay have what's called Fax Joke Writers, and you were required to send in 10 jokes a day via Fax. If Jay chose to use one on the monologue, you'd get paid. He made the introductions, and I signed a contract.

One of the jokes Jay used was this one:

President Clinton was greeted by rioting citizens in Greece, who set fire to local stores.

CLINTON WAS OVERHEARD AS SAYING, "THOSE GREECE FIRES ARE HARD TO PUT OUT."

VEGAS VACATION
One time my wife and I made the not too well thought out decision to take my niece and nephew (21) to Vegas.

Coincidentally, Jay was doing a show there. I called into the show and got four VIP tickets. I was told, if there was any problem, to ask for Jay to come out to straighten things out.

My nephew hoped there'd be a problem. ;-)

There wasn't. We got center front seats in a huge banquette. It was a fun time.

Best of luck to you Jay. Thanks for the memories. ;-)

Watch the Olympics Live

Download the NBC Sports Live App to watch the Olympics.

You can temporarily watch free, or watch as long as you want, after logging in via your cable provider.

Here's this morning's slope side snowboarding.

Looks and sounds great!

Update from Comcast:

The NBC Sports Live Extra app has been added to the X1 Platform for the Olympics (so everything that’s online, including Gold Zone will be on the biggest screen in the house).  And Gold Zone: We know that football fans have grown accustomed to watching the best moments of the game with the Red Zone Channel.  Multiple events happening at the same time inspired something similar for the Olympics.  As a result, NBC created the “Gold Zone” for the Olympics which will automatically highlight Olympics events if a medal is about to be awarded.  Gold Zone is available on TV through the X1 Platform as well as through the NBC Sports Live Extra app.

 

And we're testing Instant On Demand, a new feature of our Xfinity On Demand platform that will let customers in the Boston area access NBC's primetime Olympic broadcast immediately after it starts via Xfinity On Demand.  So, if you walk in the door at 8:32 PM one night, you can start from the beginning of that night’s NBC broadcast through Instant On Demand on the X1 Platform.  You could do this up until 10:59 PM if you didn’t want to wait for NBC’s replay to start later in the evening.

 

Oh, and, we opened up our Xfinity WiFi hotspots throughout the country for all mobile Internet users so that they could enjoy the Olympics on the go.  Then, when an Xfinity Internet customer gets home they’re automatically logged in on their mobile device for the NBC Sports Live Extra app or NBCOlympics.com

Spencer Trappist Ale Beer Bread

When I heard that there was a recipe for bread that included beer in it, I was interested.

I found a recipe at Food.com: Beer Bread.

Here it is, slightly modified.

Ingredients:



3 cups Self-Rising Flour(sifted)
1/4 cup sugar
1 12 ounce bottle of Spencer Trappist Ale
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients, beer, and softened butter.
3. Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan.
4. Pour melted butter over mixture.
5. Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

Live from Boston http://www.ustream.tv/channel/stevegarfield

Live from Boston http://www.ustream.tv_channel_stevegarfield, a photo by stevegarfield on Flickr.

Live from Boston on Ustream http://www.ustream.tv/channel/stevegarfield



Live streaming video by Ustream

Live video via Ustream on Samsung Galaxy Camera. CC BY-NC-SA

Thanks @SamsungMobileUS for the review unit.


Samsung Galaxy Camera EK-GC100 8GB White, Android OS, v4.1 (Jelly Bean) 3G Unlocked HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 by Samsung from New Generation Products

Correction: Steve Jobs’s address to the Boston Computer Society has been widely distributed

Boston Globe: 30 years later, Steve Jobs still inspires:

Though video of Jobs’s address to the Boston Computer Society has not been widely distributed, Dan Bricklin has his own copy that he often shows when speaking to business school students.

Time.com: Exclusive: Watch Steve Jobs’ First Demonstration of the Mac for the Public, Unseen Since 1984

Yuri Baranovsky Breaks Another Leg With Viral Super Bowl Commercial

Back in the early days of video blogging, I had a web series called Vlog Soup.

It was a show that highlighted the best of web video.

In August of 2007 I highlighted a web series by Yuri Baranovsky called Break A Leg.

I thought the show was so funny, that in my video review, I edited out one of the characters and inserted myself into the video.

Here's the episode:



Yuri is having fun again with this Super Bowl commercial satire, Swiffle. He calls it a, "faux satirically sexist superbowl ad."



Some people think it's real:

cleveland.com: Super Bowl commercials 2014: Watch early ads from M&M's, Audi, Bud Light and more

CBS New York: WATCH: Big List Of Super Bowl XLVIII Commercials And Teasers


Image: Courtesy BET

BET: Ad on the Play: Super Bowl XLVIII Commercial Preview

Some people are upset.

I told Yuri that I thought that having the actress chew gum made it look like it wasn't a real ad.

Yuri replied, "Well we really didn't think anyone in their right mind would think it's real. It's completely ridiculous..."

Ha!

Searching for Chip and Pin Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fee

I'm searching for Chip and Pin Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fee.

I've gotten Travelex Cash Passport Card in the past: Buying a Chip and Pin Card in the US for England.

More on the Travelex card:

Your Cash Passport Card is a prepaid card which is loaded with money prior to your trip, locking in the exchange rate of the funds you load each time you load, reload or transfer currencies on the card.

Oops: Fees & Limits for Your Multi-currency Cash Passport™ Prepaid Mastercard®:

Foreign Exchange Fee 5.50%

Researching online:
FlyerTalk Forums Thread Wiki: USA EMV cards available today (Chip & PIN -or- Chip & Signature):

What is the difference between Chip-and-Signature and Chip-and-PIN?
You insert the chipped card into the slot. The physical contact terminal will read the EMV chip and the terminal will automatically read the preferred cardholder verification methods (called CVM) for that card.

Chip-and-Signature means that the terminal will printout a receipt for you to sign. This is the most prevalent authentication for most US issued EMV cards. Chip-and-Signature helps in a way that it will get through to face-to-face merchant transactions where you and the merchant do not speak the same language.

Chip-and-PIN means that the terminal will prompt you to input a PIN for authentication. Some credit union issued credit cards will have this CVM as secondary if Chip-and-Signature cannot be done. Chip-and-PIN is the more prevalent method of authentication used outside the US, especially in transaction environments where no human interaction is needed (i.e. automated gas pumps, toll roads, train kiosks, etc.).

Using twitter to help:

AMEX - No. Chip and Signature only.

@AskAmex Do you have a card that supports Chip and Pin technology, with no foreign transaction fees?

— Steve Garfield (@stevegarfield) January 31, 2014

@stevegarfield chip and signature, it needs to be requested on the card. ^R

— Ask Amex (@AskAmex) January 31, 2014

@AskAmex How about Chip and Pin? When will you have that?

— Steve Garfield (@stevegarfield) January 31, 2014

@stevegarfield Chip and Pin we do not offer, we offer something similar, chip and signature. ^R

— Ask Amex (@AskAmex) January 31, 2014

Discover - Not yet.

@Discover Do you have a card that supports Chip and Pin technology?

— Steve Garfield (@stevegarfield) January 31, 2014

@stevegarfield Hi there. We don't have one available right now, but are working to add one in the future. Please continue checking! *Miranda

— Discover (@Discover) January 31, 2014

Visa - Ask a Visa Card Issuer.

@askvisa Do you have a card that supports Chip and Pin technology, with no foreign transaction fees?

— Steve Garfield (@stevegarfield) January 31, 2014

@stevegarfield Hi Steve. Please address your inquiry to the financial institutions as they issue & manage all Visa cards. You’ll find (1/2)

— Ask Visa (@askvisa) January 31, 2014

@stevegarfield a list of several Visa card issuers who offer the chip card program in the US at: http://t.co/uC3FHzJcjP (2/2)

— Ask Visa (@askvisa) January 31, 2014

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Chip and Signature

@ChaseSupport Does Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card have Chip and Pin technology?

— Steve Garfield (@stevegarfield) January 31, 2014

@stevegarfield 1/2 We offer Chip & Signature tech on Sapphire Preferred, British Airways, Ritz-Carlton, Marriott Premier & Hyatt cards.

— Chase Support (@ChaseSupport) January 31, 2014

@stevegarfield 2/2 Please click http://t.co/azT9YIDP7r to compare & apply for any of these. I will forward your feedback internally. ^DS

— Chase Support (@ChaseSupport) January 31, 2014

@stevegarfield This is something we're considering, but don't have any definitive info currently. I'll ensure your feedback is reviewed. ^DS

— Chase Support (@ChaseSupport) January 31, 2014

This is a handy Google Doc:

EMV cards available in the US

Update:



Bank of America Merrill Lynch adds Chip and Pin Technology to it's Travelcards:

Bank of America Merrill Lynch, a leader in card services for middle-market, large corporate and public sector clients, today announced that it is expanding chip and PIN technology to all purchasing and travel credit card products available to clients in the United States. This is the latest development in the company’s ongoing effort to rollout EMV^® (EuroPay Mastercard Visa) technology to its global client base.

“We’re committed to providing the most technologically advanced solutions, which our clients increasingly need to improve efficiencies while adding another layer of security,” said Kevin Phalen, head of Global Card and Comprehensive Payables in Global Transaction Services (GTS). “More of our clients are asking for chip and PIN capability – not just for their key executives but for their entire employee base – and we have directed significant investments into our card platform to meet that demand.”

BankAmericard Travel Rewards® Credit Card.

Great recipe from food.com, Irish Sour Cream Bread.

Great recipe from food.com, Irish Sour Cream Bread.

atmark Winter Wonderland

It's 2014, Come On Boston Globe, Link to the Main Subject of your Story!

They don't care.

Once again The Boston Globe doesn't link to the main subject of their story.

STORY:
Boston Globe: ’14 Marathon apparel draws mixed early reviews.

The 2014 Celebration Jacket made its debut last week in Solar Zest, a fluorescent orange with contrast blue and white striping around the shoulders and across the back. Boston Athletic Association officials consulted with Adidas on the colors and design, which include an embroidered BAA logo with the words “Boston Runs as One” on the back collar. The saying is an evolution of Adidas’s “Boston Stands as One” motto conceived just days after last year’s Marathon bombings.

MAIN SUBJECT:

The Boston Marathon The 2014 Celebration Jacket.

If readers want to learn more they'll have to use Google or Bing, or copy and paste, to see the source.

In this story, readers will want to see a larger image of the jacket, or buy the jacket. What's the Globe afraid of?

Linking out to the adidas site would make things a lot easier. See below.

CHANGE THIS:

The 2014 Celebration Jacket...

Ranft, who will run in support of the Brookline Teen Center, isn’t sure he will buy the $110 jacket, which is available at adidas.com. He’s seems to be in good company, given the stream of critical reviews at the sportswear company’s e-commerce site.

TO THIS:

The 2014 Celebration Jacket...

Ranft, who will run in support of the Brookline Teen Center, isn’t sure he will buy the $110 jacket, which is available at adidas.com. He’s seems to be in good company, given the stream of critical reviews at the sportswear company’s e-commerce site.

Testing out the lumolens 0.4x Wide Angle Lens for Smartphones

Image: lumolens

I first saw the lumolens as a sponsored Facebook post. I don't know how they figured  out how to show me a sponsored post but in this case it was perfect because those other lens systems that use the magnetic rings never really worked well for me because the additional metal has to stick on your smart phone and would always fall off so I was looking forward to testing this one.

Image: lumolens and iPhone 5

Image: lumolens photo shoot

Here are some before and after iPhone photos.

I'm having fun seeing how best to use the lumolens.

An exaggerated selfie seems to be a good use case.

You can get the lumolens on  Amazon.com.

iPhone lens instant clip on attachment that works with your case with no need to glue metal rings - Not just wide angle, this is a super 0.4x wide angle lens that lets you capture 60% more - For iPhone 4S, 4, 5, 5C, 5S, Android devices and tablets like the iPad - Retail packaging with full 5 year guarantee by lumolens

Update:

A couple of set up tips from lumolens.



Update 2:

Just took this cool shot while skiing.



It takes few moments to get the lens attached correctly so that it stays in focus. Also, if you bang it up against something it moves, and you have to readjust it. I hope they come out with a stationary lens holder that allows you to clip the lens on without having to adjust it or worry that it's not attached exactly right.

The Hateful Eight - Google Search

Where did Google Blog Search go?

Search: "The Hateful Eight" on Google.

Update:

Some readers still see Google Blog Search.

@stevegarfield I just pulled up Google and still have the option... tho I hear every year how blogs are dead. News to me! ;)

— Dave Zatz (@davezatz) January 22, 2014

Google Blog Search is over here if you want it.

Google Blog Search.

Spencer Trappist Ale

Spencer Trappist Ale is out in Massachusetts.



I found it in Kappys in Danvers.

It cost just under $18 for a 4-pack.

I got it home just before the winter snowstorm hit.



Looks very nice when poured.

@stevegarfield Very Belgian. Slightly fruity with an earthy taste. It's complex!

— Steve Garfield (@stevegarfield) January 22, 2014

Nokia Disclosure:

Photos 2 and 3 taken with Nokia Lumia 1520. CC BY-NC-SA Thanks @NokiaUS for the review unit.

Nokia Lumia 1520, Red (AT&T) - 16GB

tech, nokia, lumia1520, microsoft, windows phone, review

Nokia Lumia 1520 Photo Set

Nokia Lumia 1520, a set on Flickr.

Nokia Disclosure:

Photos taken with Nokia Lumia 1520. CC BY-NC-SA Thanks @NokiaUS for the review unit.

Nokia Lumia 1520, Red (AT&T) - 16GB

tech, nokia, lumia1520, microsoft, windows phone, review