If you’re using the popular http_authentication plugin from DHH and getting a NoMethod error “protected method `render’ called for <SomeController>”, the problem is that in Rails 2.x controller.render is now protected.  This was a pain to figure out, but it can be easily solved using an updated plugin from Matthew Rudy at http://github.com/matthewrudy/http_authentication/tree/master.  Google wasn’t much help, so I’m hoping this post will save someone with this issue some time.  Just run

script/plugin install git://github.com/matthewrudy/http_authentication.git –force

and you should be fine after that.  The README in the plugin’s folder has further examples on use.

• Mapstraction - map abstraction API for Javascript - Hackszine.com
  Mapstraction is an abstracted Javascript mapping API that can make use of Google Maps, Microsoft Virtual Earth, Yahoo Maps and Mapquest. Instead of deciding on a particular mapping provider, you can build your web application with Mapstraction and easily switch to a different service by changing a single line of code.
• Browse Del.icio.us Bookmarks Visually With FavThumbs - TechCrunch
  FavThumbs offers a visually-pleasing web application to view screen shots of your bookmarks using the del.icio.us API.

  Not so interested in the app itself, but in the fact that clear, published, open API’s make it so easy to add value around a great service.

• When Distraction is Good - O’Reilly Radar - Insight, analysis, and research about emerging technologies
  Distraction is getting a bad name. This past month, I’ve been heads down on a few projects and noticing something I’d not been very conscious of before now. When I get “stuck” or when I reach a natural break point on a piece of work, the menu of potential distractions includes everything from email and telephone calls to getting food, socializing and more.I did an informal audit. Sometimes I would check email. Other times, I would pace, get a glass of iced-tea, or walk outside for a few minutes. When I did the latter — any activity that was quiet, reflective and receptive, I would feel refreshed. I was open to receiving an insight and to being in the moment. When I returned to the project that had momentarily stumped me, I would enjoy new energy. I started calling this receptive distraction. Receptive distraction is any sort of distraction that creates mental space.

  When I went to email, however, I would “spin out.” That is, I would completely lose track of what I had been working on and get immersed in all sorts of other issues. I started calling this deceptive distraction. I thought I could take a short break and crank out a few emails, but it took longer to do the emails than I thought, and longer to get back into my project afterward.

• Scaling on EC2 - WebMynd Blog
  Interesting post about how WebMynd is scaling quickly using EC2, Solr, and nginx.
  (tags: ec2 scalability architecture solr)

I’ve been using Jott now for a few weeks and it’s super useful.  You set up a (free) account, give it your e-mail address and phone number, and (optionally) any other friends e-mail addresses who you may want to Jott.  Once set up, you just dial Jott (a toll-free 866 number) and the automated system asks who you want to Jott and what your message is.  You can Jott “myself” or any friends name that you already set up on the web site.  A few minutes later, the recipient gets an e-mail with a text transcription of your message.  The voice to text translation works really well in my experience.

I use this all the time driving to or from work - anything I’m trying to remember, especially to do lists - I just Jott them and then I have a nice list waiting in my inbox when I get there.  Highly recommended.

• All I need is a red guitar, 3 chords and the TRUTH! - Welcome to Vendor Alley
  So it begins…  Woolley | Robertson Group has found a home!

  What more do you need?  (Products, customers, employees - yeah, yeah, I know - let us enjoy a day at a time).
  

• del.icio.us is social search – skwpspace
  I find myself more often turning to tag search on del.icio.us when I’m looking for ‘best of’ type searches.
  (tags: delicious)

  Good insight - totally agree with this - delicious is one of my most used web tools.

• The HOW of Gnip: keep it simple stupid! - Gnip Blog
  Gnip scales using EC2.
• WordPress Gears - WordPress.com
  New WordPress has Google Gears integration for local caching. Hit the Turbo link for a speed increase.
  (tags: wordpress gears)

From my experience.

1. “That sounds stupid.  Why would I want to use that?  My life is busy enough already.”
2. “Hey - this is kind of fun, especially at this conference.”
3. “Man, the web site is down a lot.”
4. “Cool - using twhirl will solve all my problems.”
5. “Hmmmm - I guess all of twitter is down a lot.”
6. “How can I live my life when twitter is f’ing down all the time!?!?!?!?!?”

• Gnip » The WHAT of Gnip: Changing APIs from pull to push
  Connects Data Consumers to Data Publishers in a low-latency, highly-scalable standards-based way. Data can be pushed or pulled into Gnip (via XMPP, Atom, RSS, REST) and it can be pushed or pulled out of Gnip (currently only via REST, rest to follow).
  (tags: post:tzetzefly)
• This American Life - The Giant Pool of Money
  By far the best explanation I’ve heard of the Housing Mortage and Credit Crisis. Worth an hour of listening time.
  (tags: post:tzetzefly)
• TwitPic / Share photos on Twitter
  Post photos from mobile phone right to Twitter.
  (tags: post:tzetzefly)

• New TLD Fun - ongoing
  Can you think of a good use for your own top-level domain?  Rumor is you can get one for the low six figures next year.  What would be a good use for one?
• Choosing the right things to say no to - Signal vs. Noise
  “I’ve made much more money by choosing the right things to say no to than by choosing things to say yes to. I measure it by the money I haven’t lost and the quality I haven’t sacrificed.” - Danny Meyer of the Union Square Hospitality Group
  Great quote from the book Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big.
• This American Life - The Giant Pool of Money
  By far the best explanation I’ve heard of the Housing Mortage and Credit Crisis. Worth an hour of listening time.
  (tags: post:tzetzefly)
• TwitPic / Share photos on Twitter
  Post photos from mobile phone right to Twitter.
  (tags: post:tzetzefly)
• Macworld | Master Mail’s reminders
  Properly setup Mail.app Notes and ToDo’s with IMAP accounts.
  (tags: mac)
• The Website Is Down
  Man this is funny!!! Speaker volume down for bad language.
  (tags: post:tzetzefly)

• BMW’s fascinating GINA Light Visionary Model design study - Signal vs. Noise
  BMW presents GINA, a new take on car design, materials, and flexibility. The GINA replaces the traditional metal/plastic skin with a textile fabric skin that’s pulled taut around a frame of metal and carbon fiber wires. Even the shape of the car can change. Fascinating and creative design study.
  
  The video is absolutely nuts.

I was just having a conversation with my wife this morning about how anxious I was - anxious to be productive, feeling like I should be building stuff - instead of just enjoying my time off for a few weeks. Then I saw this amazing quote that Om Malik referenced this morning - he attributes it to Rocketboom founder Andrew Baron:

“After Sysiphus’ boulder fell down the mountain, during his descent to get it again, his time was free for the beautiful things instead.”

Wow - let’s see if I can keep that in mind the next few weeks.