There doesn’t seem to be any easy way to detect an international number within NANPA other than to make a list of the international area codes, so that’s what I did.  Based on this and this I wrote a quick snippet of Ruby code to generate my dialplan rules:

# Canada
codes = %w{204 250 289 306 403 416 418 450 506 514 519 604 613 647 705 709 778 780 807 819 867 902 905}
# Islands
codes += %w{809 441 787 939 340 670 671 684 599 721}
codes.each {|code| puts "exten = _#{code}XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})\nexten = _1#{code}XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})"};

I have my phone system set up to let me dial 10 digit numbers either with or without the initial 1, so there are two entries for each area code.  Here’s the result.

exten = _204XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1204XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _250XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1250XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _289XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1289XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _306XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1306XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _403XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1403XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _416XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1416XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _418XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1418XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _450XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1450XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _506XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1506XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _514XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1514XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _519XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1519XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _604XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1604XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _613XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1613XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _647XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1647XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _705XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1705XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _709XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1709XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _778XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1778XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _780XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1780XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _807XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1807XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _819XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1819XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _867XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1867XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _902XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1902XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _905XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1905XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _809XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1809XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _441XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1441XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _787XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1787XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _939XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1939XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _340XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1340XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _670XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1670XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _671XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1671XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _684XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1684XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _599XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1599XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})
exten = _721XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN})
exten = _1721XXXXXXX,1,Macro(trunkdial,${Vitelity}/${EXTEN:1})

Now my calls to Canada and the islands go through the VOIP provider Vitelity, where I pay 1/100 as much as I did with AT&T.  Decent savings for adding a few entries to extensions.conf.

1. Enter your return address and the recipient’s address in the boxes at the top of the page.  Be sure to keep the address within the boxes.
2. Write your letter and print it.
3. Fold the letter along the line on the right side of the first page.  This will make sure that the folded letter is large enough so it doesn’t slide around in the envelope and move the addresses out of the windows.

Download the template for Word 2007

Update: Letter_No10_Envelope.dot – Word 97-2003 version

FaceFeeder – Turn your Facebook news feed into an Atom feed.

Faxes Forced to be Included in Emails

There’s no way to have eFax just notify you of an incoming fax.  They HAVE to send you the whole fax as an attachment.  What if you’re receiving a credit card number in a fax? Well tough luck, it’s getting sent unencrypted.

Bad Customer Service

eFax won’t help you with most customer service issues on the phone.  Instead, they expect you to use their online chat.  And the reps are very slow and unhelpful.  When you try to cancel your account, they make you go through a long survey and your account won’t be canceled until you fully answer all their questions.  And forget about getting a refund for unused service.  If your account just renewed for a year (with no notice) and you try to cancel, too bad, you’re not getting your money back.

Can’t Keep Your Number

You put your fax number on your business cards, on your website, in your email signature, maybe company letterhead, etc.   For whatever reason, maybe one the ones listed here, you decide to switch from eFax.  Get your credit card out, because you’re going to need new business cards.  eFax’s customer agreement says

YOU FURTHER UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOU ARE NOT THE OWNER OF ANY eFAX NUMBER ASSIGNED TO YOU BY j2 GLOBAL … YOU ARE EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED FROM CAUSING OR ATTEMPTING TO CAUSE THE eFAX NUMBER ASSIGNED TO YOUR ACCOUNT TO BE TRANSFERRED TO ANY OTHER SERVICE PROVIDER, TELEPHONE CARRIER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY (ALSO SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS “PORTING” THE TELEPHONE NUMBER). IN THE EVENT YOU ARE FOUND TO HAVE VIOLATED THIS PROHIBITION YOU AGREE TO IMMEDIATELY RETURN THE NUMBER TO j2 GLOBAL AND PAY TO j2 GLOBAL AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO $500 (OR THE EQUIVALENT IN LOCAL CURRENCY). YOU AUTHORIZE j2 GLOBAL TO CHARGE YOUR ACCOUNT CREDIT CARD OR TAKE ANY OTHER MEASURES REQUIRED TO COLLECT THIS PAYMENT.

Other than that, eFax is OK.  :)

credit: chris runoff (flickr)

So yes, this is kind of a random post, but it serves a purpose.  I’ve embedded links to Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H to test out VigLink, which is supposed to make all your links into affiliate links.  They take a 25% cut but claim they negotiate better affiliate commissions to make up for it.  Sounds like a win-win and maybe a better way for bloggers to make money, as long as they don’t start shamelessly promoting products with stealth affiliate links.

ffmpeg -i IMG_0270.MOV -vcodec libxvid -aspect 4:3 -b 4000k -ab 128k mdog.avi

You will need ffmpeg for Windows.  I used FFmpeg svn rev 19159

By the way, here’s the video:

I’ve been thinking I should figure this out for a while, but it seems Mr. Swidler figured it out for me.  Thanks!