All posts by Tyler Taylor

Tech

Internet Safety Tips

By Tyler Taylor
August 10, 2015

San Francisco is a hot town for technology, there’s no doubt about that. Some people call the tech startup bonanza a new California gold rush, but you’d better remember to be careful out there, pardner. Sometimes you gotta wonder if the WWW in the internet addresses stands for World Wide Web, or Wild Wild West! Here are some tips to help you stay safe in cyberspace.

Make sure your browser only accepts artisanal cookies. It may sound obvious, but not every cookie is the same. You don’t eat hydrogenated soybean oil, so why should you put it in your computer? It’s common sense. There are plenty of great new cookies in San Francisco, from pop-ups to food trucks. If you’re buying organic handmade treats for your dog, you should expect better for your browser too.

If you’re using the wifi at a cafe, you can check the Yelp reviews to see if hackers like to go there. If you see a five-star review from a guy called “Anonymous” with a “V For Vendetta” user profile pic, there’s a good chance that cafe is a hacker hot spot.

And if you’re using hashtags for the first time, be careful. Make sure you use the hashtag #sanfrancisco on every post you make while in San Francisco. Adding a #california or #norcal hashtag doesn’t hurt either. But you can stop short of tagging #USA and #earth, even if you technically are in those places too.

And of course, remember to have fun!

Bay Area, Featured, Tech

New Uber Service ‘U-Boats’ Attracts Controversy

By Tyler Taylor
December 13, 2014

With the recent rise of floodwaters in the San Francisco Bay Area, it was inevitable that the entrepreneurial spirit of the city would find a way to get involved. Uber, no stranger to controversy, has drawn fire for their latest offering, a ride sharing service they’ve dubbed “U-Boats”. Marketed towards the affluent and stranded, Uber’s boat service has been plagued with problems since its launch. “My shoes got wet!” tweeted one user hailing from the Marina. Another posted to Yelp, “I got seasick and my driver used salty language.”

Uber’s response has been measured. “While we understand that there may be a few bad apples out there, we’re confident that our service will overcome these setbacks.” In fact, their offering has already proven more successful than their competitors. Lyft’s floodwater ride sharing services involved little more than driving cars with giant eyeptaches over one headlight, and was met with both flooded engines and legal woes. Sidecar’s rubber rafts and inner tubes fared little better. “Uber does seem to be coming out on top with this one,” noted one tech industry analyst, “but women should think twice before boarding an Uber boat. Because of the implication.”

Bay Area, Featured

Nation Catches Giants Playoff Fever – Orange and Black Everywhere

By Tyler Taylor
October 14, 2014

Its official – orange and black is the new Orange Is the New Black. Seemingly overnight, from DIY home decorations to grocery store candy aisles, it looks like everyone is getting into the spirit of the San Francisco Giants playoff run.

Gum drops, yum. I wonder if the black one is licorice…

Correct us if we’re wrong, but wasn’t the Brachs logo pink and white? I wonder why the change of heart. In any case, we’re not complaining.

Pumpkins have always been orange, but this year we’re seeing them out in full force in support of our team.

Can you get more San Francisco than Dia de los Muertes candy skulls? Oh yeah you can, by making them ORANGE AND BLACK.

For the Etsy crowd, we’ve got these old timey candy canes done up in Giants colors. Together we are crafty.

Looks like we’ve got all the orange and black snacks we need for our playoff watching parties. Thanks, America – go Giants!

Featured, Tech

Is The Y2K Virus Making a Comeback With Millenials?

By Tyler Taylor
September 9, 2014

The Y2K virus made headlines in 1999, when it set off a wave of panic over potentially catastrophic computer system failures. Those fears proved to be largely unfounded, but a new worry has cropped up recently. Many young people today were not online in 1999 when the virus first appeared, and experts fear that this younger generation of ‘millenials’ may be susceptible to the virus.

One expert cautions, “It’s a perfect storm. These so-called millenials weren’t exposed to Y2K the first time around and haven’t developed the necessary antibodies to combat the virus. Their near-total dependence on technology makes them especially vulnerable.”

Yet another compounding factor is the ’90s nostalgia that’s become fashionable among the younger twenty-somethings who were just kids when Y2K was something their parents were worried about. “First you had the ’90s hip-hop revival, where you couldn’t go out on a Saturday night in some neighborhoods without hearing Bel Biv Devoe,” explained one fashion blogger. “Next thing you know, everyone’s buttoning the top collar of their button-down shirts. But it doesn’t stop there. There’s a dangerous side to the late ’90s, and if Backstreet is really back, these kids need to know the risks.”

Bay Area, Featured

Drought Tips For Smarter Water Use

By Tyler Taylor
September 3, 2014

The summer might be coming to a close, but the San Francisco summer is just getting started. With the state in its worst drought in history, it’s time to start thinking about how we could all be doing our part to conserve water.

Switch from coffee to Adderall.

The ocean, man. It’s, like, right there.

Your body is 80% water. Try watering your lawn with your own blood.

Empty lakes and reservoirs make great skate parks, so grab your boards and get ready to shred!

And on the bright side, if our lakes and reservoirs are at 10% of their water capacity, that means they’re at 1000% fish capacity.

Change your bongwater no more often than twice a day.

Spay and neuter your houseplants.

Wash your car in the pool.

Bay Area, Featured

Burning Man Becomes Rain Man, Heads to Casinos

By Tyler Taylor
August 26, 2014

With heavy rain forcing organizers of the popular Burning Man event to close its gates on opening day, many festival goers are viewing the rain as a sign from heaven and reconsidering their plans for the week. “We’d become so enmeshed in our noncommercial alternative lifestyle, we’d lost sight of what makes this whole thing possible: money. What we’ve been looking for might have been right in front of us the whole time.” said one Bay Area denizen standing by his car on the side of the road. “Let’s play some cards!”

In fact, the combination of Tom Cruise’s morally bankrupt yuppie and Dustin Hoffman’s autistic math genius might be a perfect encapsulation of the Silicon Valley elite that now finds itself stranded in the middle of the Nevada desert. One would-be Burner expostulated it this way: “If you could take everyone here and harness their raw greed and ambition with this crowd’s analytical understanding of complex systems, we could take down every casino in Reno.” Said another, “Of course I don’t have my underwear. I’m definitely not wearing my underwear.”

Arts & Media, Bay Area, Movies

Halloween 2014: Robin Williams or Phillip Seymour Hoffman?

By Tyler Taylor
August 14, 2014

With the news of the death of Hollywood legend Robin Williams, the first question on many people’s mind was, “Do they still make adult-size Genie costumes?” But not so fast – what happened to that Brandt from The Big Lebowski costume you’d been planning on wearing? We’ll help you make the tough decisions that these serious moments call for.

The Big Lebowski is a perennial favorite, a true modern classic, but Hoffman’s character basically is just a guy in a suit. We’d recommend this costume if you look like Phillip Seymour Hoffman, otherwise probably not advisable.

However, you don’t have to look anything like Robin Williams for anyone to know WTF you’re supposed to be with this outfit. Well, it helps if the people at your Halloween party either grew up with Nick at Nite in the early nineties, or are over 45 years old.

As long as we’re doing ’70s throwbacks, who could forget Phillip Seymour Hoffman playing legendary rock critic Lester Bangs in “Almost Famous”? Probably most people. Unless you’re willing to yell in people’s faces about how under-appreciated the Stooges were in their prime (and we know that some of you are), this costume might be just as under-appreciated. ‘Almost’ a good idea.

But wow, if you can find this jacket that Williams is wearing in “Death to Smoochy”, how could you not wear it? Like, every day?

Hoffman plays a Catholic priest in “Doubt”, but if you have a Catholic priest outfit lying around…

Why not go as Williams in “License to Wed”? No “doubt” about it!

Sadly, unless you’re Tom Cruise in “Mission: Impossible III”, most Phillip Seymour Hoffman costumes involve little more than wearing a tuxedo and looking like Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Now here’s where it gets tricky. Mrs. Doubtfire, one of Williams’ most beloved roles, is a pretty serious makeup job…

Whereas Hoffman in ‘Flawless’ is basically just a headband, lipstick, and some sexy lighting.

Basically, at the end of the day, Scotty from “Boogie Nights” is a pretty solid choice, as is the awesome gay stereotype from “The Birdcage”. Let’s just hope there are enough Genie costumes to go around – one would imagine that Party City is having some high-level meetings about this right now.

RIP guys!

Bay Area, Nightlife & Dining

It’s It: What is it?

By Tyler Taylor
July 21, 2014

Faith No More has been asking this question for 25 years now. There are believed to be between three and five flavors. Very little is known about this self-reflexive treat.

Bay Area

Best Places to Not See Fireworks in SF

By Tyler Taylor
July 3, 2014

Wondering where to see the fireworks in the city tomorrow? We’ve got you covered.

1. Twin Peaks

2. Bernal Hill

3. Alcatraz

4. th of July!

5. Golden Gate Bridge

6. Azeroth

7. Oakland

Bay Area

Think You Know Bay Area Sports? Think Again.

By Tyler Taylor
June 18, 2014

Did you know? Because the SF Giants and the Oakland Giants play in the same stadium, they are technically considered the same team.
The San Jose Sharks were not named after the many sharks that swim in the San Francisco Bay, but rather after their owner, billionaire Tony Sharks.
The 49ers get their name from the fact that there are 49 players on the team.
The original stadium where the Giants first played in San Francisco stood at 16th and Bryant, a location which is now a Safeway Supermarket. Once a year, the Giants play an exhibition game inside the Safeway.
You may have seen numerous bicyclists and runners along Embarcadero, but did you know that bicycling and running are actually considered sports? Yeah, really.

Disrupting the Hackathon Since 2014