Hi folks. Since my parents just got a new computer and will be able to go online more often and read my post. I decided to re-post this post. For all you Yahoo users out there (including my parents)
Go to your My Yahoo PageClick on "Add Content"
To the Right of the Find Button, Click on Add RSS by URL
in the URL field type http://feeds.feedburner.com/JaysRandomRantsRaves
Click Add
Go back to My Yahoo Page
Click on Change Layout
"Jay's Random Rants & Raves" should be down at the bottom of the wide column.
Move it wherever you like.
It should work pretty much the same way if you use my.msn.com.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Video Game Reviews
Last night I had some time to play my Playstation 2 demo disk after Alanna went to bed. So, here's what I played.
Ratchet Deadlocked - o.k. game, but they've turned a pretty fun (Sonic the hedgehog type)adventure into more of a battle droid game and it's not quite as much fun. (8)
Shadow of the Collosus - This game would have worked in about 5 years. They tried to be so realistic with it that it turns out being worse quality. I'd rather play a character that doesn't look like the game creators failed in their attempt to make it look realistic. To give them some credit, there's no way I could have done it. Then again, I went to college for accounting, not graphic design. (8.2)
Sly 3 - I seriously think I could have won the battles better by putting my controller on the ground and stomping on it since pushing individual buttons apparently has no effect on what your character is doing on the screen. (6)
King Kong - I've seen much better shooters and it's not much fun fighting as King Kong when all you can do is one or two types of hit. (6)
Star Wars Battlefront II - I'm definitely going to rent this one so I can play it more. It was pretty fun. (9)
Soul Caliber III - Pretty good for a fighting game (8.5)
Jak X - Combat Racing - A racing game with guns on the front of your car. Hmmm. Pretty fun. (7.5)
Ratchet Deadlocked - o.k. game, but they've turned a pretty fun (Sonic the hedgehog type)adventure into more of a battle droid game and it's not quite as much fun. (8)
Shadow of the Collosus - This game would have worked in about 5 years. They tried to be so realistic with it that it turns out being worse quality. I'd rather play a character that doesn't look like the game creators failed in their attempt to make it look realistic. To give them some credit, there's no way I could have done it. Then again, I went to college for accounting, not graphic design. (8.2)
Sly 3 - I seriously think I could have won the battles better by putting my controller on the ground and stomping on it since pushing individual buttons apparently has no effect on what your character is doing on the screen. (6)
King Kong - I've seen much better shooters and it's not much fun fighting as King Kong when all you can do is one or two types of hit. (6)
Star Wars Battlefront II - I'm definitely going to rent this one so I can play it more. It was pretty fun. (9)
Soul Caliber III - Pretty good for a fighting game (8.5)
Jak X - Combat Racing - A racing game with guns on the front of your car. Hmmm. Pretty fun. (7.5)
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
My Long Absence
Hi folks,
Sorry for the very long drought without posts. I've been very very busy with the Thanksgiving / Christmas season. Kristen began working a few evenings a week. In the accounting world, the end of the year is huge and it seems to sneak up on most people. Sometime around the 16th of November, the powers that be looked back on the year 2005 and said "Whoa! We've only got 30 business days left to do this and this and this and this and this and this....." So, I've been working more than normal and have had less time to allow my brain to venture far from my intercompany reconciling efforts at work.
I will try and post more often.
Jay
Sorry for the very long drought without posts. I've been very very busy with the Thanksgiving / Christmas season. Kristen began working a few evenings a week. In the accounting world, the end of the year is huge and it seems to sneak up on most people. Sometime around the 16th of November, the powers that be looked back on the year 2005 and said "Whoa! We've only got 30 business days left to do this and this and this and this and this and this....." So, I've been working more than normal and have had less time to allow my brain to venture far from my intercompany reconciling efforts at work.
I will try and post more often.
Jay
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Zubbles
O.k. I just read a really amazing article in Popular Science. You've got to check this out.
www.zubbles.com
Seriously, this guy spent 10 years figuring out how to make a colored bubble that doesn't stain. From the article I read, it sounds like you shouldn't try it on your own. It took a guy with a PHD in dye technology to figure it out.
You can read more at www.popsci.com
I wish the company were publicly traded. I'd invest.
www.zubbles.com
Seriously, this guy spent 10 years figuring out how to make a colored bubble that doesn't stain. From the article I read, it sounds like you shouldn't try it on your own. It took a guy with a PHD in dye technology to figure it out.
You can read more at www.popsci.com
I wish the company were publicly traded. I'd invest.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Microsoft plans to reduce energy costs
Newswire – Microsoft announced today a brave new plan to combat the US rising energy costs. First in a long line of improvements, they will now begin charging $4,798,567.99 for a copy of their new Windows operating system (Vista), set to release in early Spring of 2006. Simultaneously, they will end all support for previous operating systems and release a devastating virus that will cause your computer to pick up a top hat and cane and sing “Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal …”
“Those who can’t afford $4 to $5 million for a copy of our operating system can just try and make their own” said a major billionaire stockholder whose net worth is more than many third world countries. He says, “I’m tired of my company profits being low. I want more money and making people pay more is the way to do it.”
Their second plan to combat rising energy costs is to eliminate 70% of the people. “If we eliminate 70% of the people in this nation, my blasted air conditioner in my 5th house won’t go out anymore because of power outages, and that would be a very good thing. 50,000 barrels of oil per person is more than enough for me and my Learjet.” Says Microsoft CEO. He refused to divulge his plan to us in order to keep the 70% from preparing for our impending doom, although we suspect is will be linked to your singing and dancing computer.
For Horribly Inaccurate and Totally False News, this is Jason Smith – Reporting.
“Those who can’t afford $4 to $5 million for a copy of our operating system can just try and make their own” said a major billionaire stockholder whose net worth is more than many third world countries. He says, “I’m tired of my company profits being low. I want more money and making people pay more is the way to do it.”
Their second plan to combat rising energy costs is to eliminate 70% of the people. “If we eliminate 70% of the people in this nation, my blasted air conditioner in my 5th house won’t go out anymore because of power outages, and that would be a very good thing. 50,000 barrels of oil per person is more than enough for me and my Learjet.” Says Microsoft CEO. He refused to divulge his plan to us in order to keep the 70% from preparing for our impending doom, although we suspect is will be linked to your singing and dancing computer.
For Horribly Inaccurate and Totally False News, this is Jason Smith – Reporting.
What would you do?
So apparently many of the commuters in Green Bay, WI are a bunch of theives according to AOL "Strange but true news" (http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20051026214809990004). A few months ago I wrote about my new use of AOL explorer instead of internet explorer and now I have a "feeds" section. I like to read AOL's strange but true news sometimes. Well, looks like a bag of cash rained over a bunch of commuters in Green Bay and what did they do? Stuffed it in their pockets and ran away. That's right. No calling the police and no picking it up for the police, just "Hey, there's some money for my new plasma screen TV." Where's the honesty and integrity in people anymore? Well, if a bag of money drops on your head, please bring it to the nearest police station.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
10 fun ways to annoy your friends and loved ones.
1. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ....
2. Stuff dead leaves into their new car's air system for their anniversary (confetti).
3. Teach their kids catch lines from 10 year old commercials (...whasuuuup).
4. Run around like a banshee, drink soda, and eat candy with their kids right before bedtime.
5. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ...
7. Skip a line in a list that you send to them.
8. Force them to watch Lawrence of Arabia nonstop without a bathroom break.
9. Have a machine call them up and when they pick up say "Please wait, (insert name here) will be with you shortly"
10. Create a blog site and ask them to read your endless ramblings.
2. Stuff dead leaves into their new car's air system for their anniversary (confetti).
3. Teach their kids catch lines from 10 year old commercials (...whasuuuup).
4. Run around like a banshee, drink soda, and eat candy with their kids right before bedtime.
5. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ...
7. Skip a line in a list that you send to them.
8. Force them to watch Lawrence of Arabia nonstop without a bathroom break.
9. Have a machine call them up and when they pick up say "Please wait, (insert name here) will be with you shortly"
10. Create a blog site and ask them to read your endless ramblings.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Endless Spam
I never knew until I started my blog here that a blog could be spammed if you left it open to anonomous comments. Several times now I've posted a picture of Alanna and received some comments such as "Your blog is very interesting. Based on the information here I think you might be interested in Charles Babbage's Difference Engine invented in 1822" or "This is a cute picture, perhaps you might be interested in Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis - i.e. a disease caused by ultra-microscopic particles of sandy volcanic dust."
Come on people. I could perhaps receive spam such as "Based on your blog, your readers may be interested in 101 ways to make your kids eat broccoli" or the world renound site "How to shoot peas over 50 yards from your nose" I don't think my readers are interested Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitaetenhauptbetriebs-
werkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft (yes it's a real word) thank you very much.
Incidentally, if you liked this post, you may be interested in http://members.aol.com/gulfhigh2/words11.html
I borrowed some words from that site. :)
Come on people. I could perhaps receive spam such as "Based on your blog, your readers may be interested in 101 ways to make your kids eat broccoli" or the world renound site "How to shoot peas over 50 yards from your nose" I don't think my readers are interested Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitaetenhauptbetriebs-
werkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft (yes it's a real word) thank you very much.
Incidentally, if you liked this post, you may be interested in http://members.aol.com/gulfhigh2/words11.html
I borrowed some words from that site. :)
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Apple Picking
There's something about going apple picking (having grown up in New England) that gets one in the mood and prepared for the cold months to come. You simply cannot begin the fall and winter season without kicking it off with a good slice of apple pie or apple crisp. Not only does going apple picking help you get in the mood of fall, but it also gets you in the mood of giving, which is something that most of us should do more of anyway.
How does apple picking get us in the mood of giving? Well, if you (like my family did), buy a bag at the orchard, by the end of the day you end up with about 20 pounds of apples. Although my daughter (1 1/2 years old) can pack away apples in her belly better than anyone, she just isn't up to the task of eating close to her weight of them. So, we made apple pie, apple crisp, apple brown betty, apple pie again, apple crisp again and so on. What can you do but give them away?
Go give stuff away :)
How does apple picking get us in the mood of giving? Well, if you (like my family did), buy a bag at the orchard, by the end of the day you end up with about 20 pounds of apples. Although my daughter (1 1/2 years old) can pack away apples in her belly better than anyone, she just isn't up to the task of eating close to her weight of them. So, we made apple pie, apple crisp, apple brown betty, apple pie again, apple crisp again and so on. What can you do but give them away?
Go give stuff away :)
Thursday, September 22, 2005
The Eleven Commandments of the USA
(The real 10 Commandments can be found in Exodus 20 - the real commandments are useful to us today because they show us that we do wrong (Romans 3:23) and that we don't deserve heaven. But we can still go to heaven if we call on God Romans 10:13)
TheTen Eleven Commandments of the USA
1. Thou shalt not tell others that there is only one God and one way to enter heaven.
2. Thou shalt not read the bible unless you have time. Thou shalt not pray unless you are in a really tough spot in your life. And whatsoever thou doest, never pray or bring a bible to a school.
3. Thou shalt not tell anyone to watch their language as it is a hindrance to their freedom of speech.
4. Thou shalt play sports, go to the beach, sleep in, travel, or do any other activity, but whatsoever thou doest, thou shall not go to church unless there is absolutely nothing else in your schedule.
5. Honor anybody famous.
6. Thou shalt not murder, especially if thou art the government and are punishing someone for breaking this rule. If thou dost break this rule, depending on how much publicity you get, you will spend 25 years (less if you are good), in prison, working lightly and getting free meals, exercise rooms, and TV.
7. Thou shalt receive really high TV ratings if thou have adultery in the show.
8. Thou shalt not steal … very much. Unless thou dost not get caught, then it’s o.k.
9. Thou shalt say anything thou wishest in order to get things you want. If thou dislike thy neighbor, by all means, lie to get rid of them.
10. You shalt love money, sex, houses, cars, stocks, bonds, bank accounts, and all other worldly goods that you can get. You shall work as hard as you can to obtain these things.
11. Thou shalt not put the unrevised version of these commandments in a public place.
The
1. Thou shalt not tell others that there is only one God and one way to enter heaven.
2. Thou shalt not read the bible unless you have time. Thou shalt not pray unless you are in a really tough spot in your life. And whatsoever thou doest, never pray or bring a bible to a school.
3. Thou shalt not tell anyone to watch their language as it is a hindrance to their freedom of speech.
4. Thou shalt play sports, go to the beach, sleep in, travel, or do any other activity, but whatsoever thou doest, thou shall not go to church unless there is absolutely nothing else in your schedule.
5. Honor anybody famous.
6. Thou shalt not murder, especially if thou art the government and are punishing someone for breaking this rule. If thou dost break this rule, depending on how much publicity you get, you will spend 25 years (less if you are good), in prison, working lightly and getting free meals, exercise rooms, and TV.
7. Thou shalt receive really high TV ratings if thou have adultery in the show.
8. Thou shalt not steal … very much. Unless thou dost not get caught, then it’s o.k.
9. Thou shalt say anything thou wishest in order to get things you want. If thou dislike thy neighbor, by all means, lie to get rid of them.
10. You shalt love money, sex, houses, cars, stocks, bonds, bank accounts, and all other worldly goods that you can get. You shall work as hard as you can to obtain these things.
11. Thou shalt not put the unrevised version of these commandments in a public place.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Fantasy Football
To those of you who have never tried "Fantasy Football" count yourselves lucky. If you don't know what it is, here's a short synopsis. People get together before the football season begins and throw all the NFL player's names into a big player pool. Then, each "manager" drafts players onto their own fantasy "all-star" team. Each fantasy team must have one quarterback, 2 or 3 running backs, 2 or 3 wide receivers, a kicker, a defense, 1 or 2 tight ends. Then, the playing begins. Your teams score is determined by how well your players play. Long TD passes and your QB gains points, interceptions and fumbles loose points.
Well, I liked fantasy football until my team met a highly successful player named Daunte Culpepper. Yesterday, Daute was intercepted 5 times (-10 points). 3 times the week before. To put this in perspective, he only needs 3 more to match his total interceptions from last season.
A good quarterback in fantasy football will get your team 20 points or more, so it's very frustrating to a fantasy manager when he is actually happy at seeing a big fat zero after being in negative numbers for most of the game.
For those of you who don't like football, give fantasy football a try. You'll find yourself involved in watching and tracking a sport and find out it's actually fun sometimes. As long as you stay away from a guy named Daunte Culpepper.
Well, I liked fantasy football until my team met a highly successful player named Daunte Culpepper. Yesterday, Daute was intercepted 5 times (-10 points). 3 times the week before. To put this in perspective, he only needs 3 more to match his total interceptions from last season.
A good quarterback in fantasy football will get your team 20 points or more, so it's very frustrating to a fantasy manager when he is actually happy at seeing a big fat zero after being in negative numbers for most of the game.
For those of you who don't like football, give fantasy football a try. You'll find yourself involved in watching and tracking a sport and find out it's actually fun sometimes. As long as you stay away from a guy named Daunte Culpepper.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Computer and TV displays in thin air
Several years ago I read an article about projections in mid air and again a few months ago. So, I looked it up. Yes, that's right, "Help me Obi-one-kenobi" is only weeks away. Well, for those of us who have an extra $18,000 lying around. Two major companies where you can spend your $18K is www.io2technology.com and www.fogscreen.com. I think amusement parks should get some of these things. Haunted mansions and stuff. Check them out. Once you get an extra $18K lying around, let me know and you can buy me one.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Accountants and waste management
The more I work in the field of accounting and financial analysis, the more I see the strange, yet significant similarities between the accountant and the waste management business.
For example, I analyze an account called "other miscellaneous accruals and deferrals", which is accountant talk for "iey yie yie, what the heck is this and where do I put it ... oh, this looks like a good place." I spend endless hours a month dealing with the accounting trash of the company, the dust bin called "other misc".
Another such place is a great world called intercompany. In large companies this dumping ground is so huge that some companies such as Enron can defraud the public for years before the feds catch up to them. Other more honest companies, such as my own, simply spend thousands of man hours a year trying to keep on top of it. What exactly is intercompany and how can it get so out of hand.
Let's suppose I took $100 out of my pocket and sent it to you via Western Union, but didn't tell you about it. Would you know to go to Western Union to pick up the cash? Of course not. So it goes for all large companies. Company A takes money out of their pockets and puts it into intercompany (Western Union), but if they don't tell Company B, then the money just sits there until someone cleans it up. Enron cleaned up all of it...many times... then didn't include Company A as part of their company so they would get all the cash (Company B), but not send any of it out.
Well, it's time to go home. I think I'll wear an orange garbage man suit to work on Monday :)
For example, I analyze an account called "other miscellaneous accruals and deferrals", which is accountant talk for "iey yie yie, what the heck is this and where do I put it ... oh, this looks like a good place." I spend endless hours a month dealing with the accounting trash of the company, the dust bin called "other misc".
Another such place is a great world called intercompany. In large companies this dumping ground is so huge that some companies such as Enron can defraud the public for years before the feds catch up to them. Other more honest companies, such as my own, simply spend thousands of man hours a year trying to keep on top of it. What exactly is intercompany and how can it get so out of hand.
Let's suppose I took $100 out of my pocket and sent it to you via Western Union, but didn't tell you about it. Would you know to go to Western Union to pick up the cash? Of course not. So it goes for all large companies. Company A takes money out of their pockets and puts it into intercompany (Western Union), but if they don't tell Company B, then the money just sits there until someone cleans it up. Enron cleaned up all of it...many times... then didn't include Company A as part of their company so they would get all the cash (Company B), but not send any of it out.
Well, it's time to go home. I think I'll wear an orange garbage man suit to work on Monday :)
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Internet Explorer
For the past few weeks, I've been using AOL Explorer instead of Microsoft Internet Explorer to browse the web and it's opened my eyes to a new world of internet exploring.
I'm what you would think of as a power surfer. I like reading ten different web pages at a time and, much to the annoyance of Kristen (my wife), I click back and forth between web pages at frequent intervals. As you can imagine, anyone looking over my shoulder trying to read the news article, e-mail, or weather needs a quick eye to read it all... or fast reflexes like Kristen, who immediately smacks me on the shoulder and says "hey, I was reading that."
Well, now with AOL explorer (or Mozilla Firefox), I can have five or six pages open at a time and not five or six icons in my toolbar that all say "Internet Explorer". It's called tabbed browsing and instead of creating a new bar, it just creates a new tab (like a tab in Excel). Now, I can switch to a different page even faster and know exacly what page I'm going to. Cool!
Another great thing is a skinny little toolbar on the left with Mail, Favorites, Channels, Feeds (*cool) History, and others. The feeds button is great because I can look check on any new additions to news or blog feeds without having to browse to the web page. Which reminds me, any of you who have blogs should create a feed so I can add it to my new favorite button :)
Anyway, I'm still trying to keep up on posting to this blog frequently, so keep checking.
I'm what you would think of as a power surfer. I like reading ten different web pages at a time and, much to the annoyance of Kristen (my wife), I click back and forth between web pages at frequent intervals. As you can imagine, anyone looking over my shoulder trying to read the news article, e-mail, or weather needs a quick eye to read it all... or fast reflexes like Kristen, who immediately smacks me on the shoulder and says "hey, I was reading that."
Well, now with AOL explorer (or Mozilla Firefox), I can have five or six pages open at a time and not five or six icons in my toolbar that all say "Internet Explorer". It's called tabbed browsing and instead of creating a new bar, it just creates a new tab (like a tab in Excel). Now, I can switch to a different page even faster and know exacly what page I'm going to. Cool!
Another great thing is a skinny little toolbar on the left with Mail, Favorites, Channels, Feeds (*cool) History, and others. The feeds button is great because I can look check on any new additions to news or blog feeds without having to browse to the web page. Which reminds me, any of you who have blogs should create a feed so I can add it to my new favorite button :)
Anyway, I'm still trying to keep up on posting to this blog frequently, so keep checking.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Soccer is for Kids
Do you have friends that tell you that Soccer is for kids? Once you "grow up" you are interested in more adult type games like Football and Basketball and other games that end with ball. When I hear this sentiment it is usually a non New Englander / non European. When I hear this sentiment, I'm reminded of my high school days and I have come up with a solution for all of us who love the game of soccer. We can teach our friends that it is not for kids.
Take your friend outside to a soccer field in November (preferably a rainy day) and dress them in some nylon shorts and shirt. Let them run a couple hundred yards without stopping. Next, ask your friend to run direcly at you and try to get the soccer ball from you. Just as they approach you, kick the ball directly at them as hard as you can. The proper kicking technique on a below 55 degree day will produce an interesting "ping" sound and your friends expression will look as if you have just smacked them with a 2x4. As they lie on the ground and contemplate the stinging sensation that a 60mph soccer ball on a cold day can produce, this is the perfect situation to begin a discussion about whether or not Soccer is for kids.
Alas, soccer is a fun sport for everyone. Well ... everyone except the unfortunate person who gets hit by a 60mph soccer ball on a cold day.
Take your friend outside to a soccer field in November (preferably a rainy day) and dress them in some nylon shorts and shirt. Let them run a couple hundred yards without stopping. Next, ask your friend to run direcly at you and try to get the soccer ball from you. Just as they approach you, kick the ball directly at them as hard as you can. The proper kicking technique on a below 55 degree day will produce an interesting "ping" sound and your friends expression will look as if you have just smacked them with a 2x4. As they lie on the ground and contemplate the stinging sensation that a 60mph soccer ball on a cold day can produce, this is the perfect situation to begin a discussion about whether or not Soccer is for kids.
Alas, soccer is a fun sport for everyone. Well ... everyone except the unfortunate person who gets hit by a 60mph soccer ball on a cold day.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Too many icons
Have you noticed that your toolbar at the bottom of Windows gets cluttered with all sorts of silly little icons, many of which, you don't know how or why they are there? I have twelve of them right now glaring at me from their home next to the clock. Yes, these sneaky little pictures of runners, disks, cameras, shields, and other things somehow manage to weasle their little pictures onto my toolbar without even so much as a hello. Tracking them down and getting them to go away is very tricky. They are the messy pile of papers on the edge of my otherwise clean virtual computer desktop, and I intend to shred them. Well, at least the ones that I didn't invite to the party. Here's a few tricks to try and get rid of the ones that you don't want. I suggest option 4, but hey that's just me.
Here's a few ways you can try and get them not to start up with Windows.
1. Right click the icon and click options or preferences. See if there is a checkbox somewhere that you can uncheck that says "Run when Windows Starts". Uncheck it.
2. If that doesn't work, there is a little known tool called msconfig that will help you. Go to your start menu. Select "Run..." and type msconfig and tada... the system config box pops up. As a general rule, don't touch anything here unless you know what you're doing, but on the startup tab, you can usually find the icons that you don't want ... like "qttask" (Quicktime) and uncheck the box for them. I don't suggest unchecking something just to find out what happens.
3. If all else fails, don't ever turn your computer on. That way those icons will never show up on the screen. You also won't be able to read my blog anymore because you won't be using your computers and all the more productive your life will be :)
4. If you can't help yourself and find yourself turning your computer on, there is a great tool called a rock. Find one of these versatile tools, preferably a large one, and proceed to beat your computer until it no longer functions.
5. If you don't wish to destroy your computer, then download Linux and spend the rest of your life searching online to figure out how to get it working (see the Linux link on my main blog page). After several months of option 5, you will find yourself reverting back to option 4.
Here's a few ways you can try and get them not to start up with Windows.
1. Right click the icon and click options or preferences. See if there is a checkbox somewhere that you can uncheck that says "Run when Windows Starts". Uncheck it.
2. If that doesn't work, there is a little known tool called msconfig that will help you. Go to your start menu. Select "Run..." and type msconfig and tada... the system config box pops up. As a general rule, don't touch anything here unless you know what you're doing, but on the startup tab, you can usually find the icons that you don't want ... like "qttask" (Quicktime) and uncheck the box for them. I don't suggest unchecking something just to find out what happens.
3. If all else fails, don't ever turn your computer on. That way those icons will never show up on the screen. You also won't be able to read my blog anymore because you won't be using your computers and all the more productive your life will be :)
4. If you can't help yourself and find yourself turning your computer on, there is a great tool called a rock. Find one of these versatile tools, preferably a large one, and proceed to beat your computer until it no longer functions.
5. If you don't wish to destroy your computer, then download Linux and spend the rest of your life searching online to figure out how to get it working (see the Linux link on my main blog page). After several months of option 5, you will find yourself reverting back to option 4.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Running across America
On my drive to work this morning as I was listening to the radio, the show had an interview with a guy who has been running across america since Mother's Day. He started in Newport, CA and is now almost through PA. He runs between 20 and 50 miles a day and he ran a 56 mile day in Missouri!! I can't imagine. 56 miles is two marathons + 4 miles (www.runwillyrun.com). What can you do today with determination and perseverence? Or better yet, what can you do for God with determination, perserverence, and His guidance?
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Add my blog to your My Yahoo / MSN etc... Home Page
Go to your My Yahoo Page
Click on "Add Content"
To the Right of the Find Button, Click on Add RSS by URL
in the URL field type http://feeds.feedburner.com/JaysRandomRantsRaves
Click Add
Go back to My Yahoo Page
Click on Change Layout
"Jay's Random Rants & Raves" should be down at the bottom of the wide column.
Move it wherever you like.
It should work pretty much the same way if you use my.msn.com. It's weird, sometimes it'll work and sometimes it won't. Give it a try :)
Click on "Add Content"
To the Right of the Find Button, Click on Add RSS by URL
in the URL field type http://feeds.feedburner.com/JaysRandomRantsRaves
Click Add
Go back to My Yahoo Page
Click on Change Layout
"Jay's Random Rants & Raves" should be down at the bottom of the wide column.
Move it wherever you like.
It should work pretty much the same way if you use my.msn.com. It's weird, sometimes it'll work and sometimes it won't. Give it a try :)
Friendster
Our friend, Laurie, just introduced Kristen and I to a new internet thing called "Friendster." It's pretty cool and I think you should all join. It's basically a way to keep connected with the people that are important to you, no matter where they move to. Sort of like Classmates.com, but better. If you haven't received an invite from me, just go to www.friendster.com and sign up. It's really cool, and who knows, you might find one of your long lost friends that you wished you had kept in contact with and now don't know where they are or how to contact them.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Setting up Windows (XP or NT) & Linux on the same Hard Drive
Last night, was able to set up my computer hard drive to have two operating systems and I can boot to either one. It's awesome, now I can still have my expensive Windows for games, but I can have free Linux for everything else. I got instructions here (http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/answers.php?action=viewarticle&artid=441) and this is how I did it. It can be done without erasing Windows, but that requires some software like "PQmagic." It was easier for me to just erase the drive. Here's how I did it. I'm using Windows XP Pro and Linux RedHat Fedora Core 3.
Step 1: Zero Fill the hard drive (zero fill means completely erase everything)
Step 2: Create Two Windows (XP) Partitions, but don't format your entire drive. Leave a bunch of space for Linux. Don't partition or format any of it in this step. I use two partitions because FAT32 is necessary for this process and NTFS allows me to have very large files. I have an 80GB hard drive, so I set up one FAT32 drive as 5GB and another NTFS partition of 15GB.
Step 3: Install Windows XP (I installed it onto my FAT32 partition)
Step 4: Install Linux RedHat - when you get to the section about formatting the hard drive, choose the Automatic Formatting option and then choose "use Empty Space".
Step 5: Jot down the root (/boot) partition name (i.e. /dev/hda# where # is the number of the partition - example /dev/hda3) - this is important. Also, jot down the name of the FAT partition.
Step 6: When asked about the Boot loader choose "Advanced options", then click next. Do not install the boot loader onto the "MBR". Instead choose the /boot partition name that you jotted down in step 5.
Step 7: Reboot to your Linux disk, but instead of choosing the regular install, choose "LINUX RESCUE". This will get you to a screen prompt.
Step 8: type "mkdir/mnt/windowsdrive"
Step 9: type "mount /dev/hda# /mnt/windowsdrive" (where # is the number of the FAT partition that you jotted down in step 5)
Step10: type "dd if=/dev/hda# of=/mnt/windowsdrive/bootsect.lnx bs=512 count=1" (where # is the number of the root (/boot) partition that you jotted down in step 5
Step 11: reboot your computer
Step 12: Windows XP will boot automatically. Go to the FAT32 Drive and copy the bootsect.lnx file to your C drive.
Step 13: Add c:\bootsect.lnx="Linux" to the end of C:\boot.ini and save. (Can't find boot.ini? That's becuase it's a hidden system file. Go up to tools-> folder options and uncheck the Hide Protected Operating System files.
Reboot your computer.
You will now notice that when you boot your computer up, you will be given 30 seconds to choose whether you want WindowsXP or Linux.
This post was written for Ben Bensen's enjoyment :)
Step 1: Zero Fill the hard drive (zero fill means completely erase everything)
Step 2: Create Two Windows (XP) Partitions, but don't format your entire drive. Leave a bunch of space for Linux. Don't partition or format any of it in this step. I use two partitions because FAT32 is necessary for this process and NTFS allows me to have very large files. I have an 80GB hard drive, so I set up one FAT32 drive as 5GB and another NTFS partition of 15GB.
Step 3: Install Windows XP (I installed it onto my FAT32 partition)
Step 4: Install Linux RedHat - when you get to the section about formatting the hard drive, choose the Automatic Formatting option and then choose "use Empty Space".
Step 5: Jot down the root (/boot) partition name (i.e. /dev/hda# where # is the number of the partition - example /dev/hda3) - this is important. Also, jot down the name of the FAT partition.
Step 6: When asked about the Boot loader choose "Advanced options", then click next. Do not install the boot loader onto the "MBR". Instead choose the /boot partition name that you jotted down in step 5.
Step 7: Reboot to your Linux disk, but instead of choosing the regular install, choose "LINUX RESCUE". This will get you to a screen prompt.
Step 8: type "mkdir/mnt/windowsdrive"
Step 9: type "mount /dev/hda# /mnt/windowsdrive" (where # is the number of the FAT partition that you jotted down in step 5)
Step10: type "dd if=/dev/hda# of=/mnt/windowsdrive/bootsect.lnx bs=512 count=1" (where # is the number of the root (/boot) partition that you jotted down in step 5
Step 11: reboot your computer
Step 12: Windows XP will boot automatically. Go to the FAT32 Drive and copy the bootsect.lnx file to your C drive.
Step 13: Add c:\bootsect.lnx="Linux" to the end of C:\boot.ini and save. (Can't find boot.ini? That's becuase it's a hidden system file. Go up to tools-> folder options and uncheck the Hide Protected Operating System files.
Reboot your computer.
You will now notice that when you boot your computer up, you will be given 30 seconds to choose whether you want WindowsXP or Linux.
This post was written for Ben Bensen's enjoyment :)
Monday, August 22, 2005
Boston Traffic
It seems cars and traffic bring out the toddler and preschooler in all of us. No one ever questions a toddler or a preschooler when they cut in line or push and shove because they haven't learned yet, that everyone is entitled to their turn in line. They've been waiting and we should be polite and respect them and wait our turn as well.
Kristen and I drove in to Boston on Saturday and I commented to her. "When you're sitting in traffic, you can tell the people who should have taken an extra year of kindergarten." It's true, what is it in people's minds that makes them think that they're entitled to drive their car to the exit ramp and push their way to the front of the line? Did they buy a more expensive car and so they shouldn't have to wait in traffic? Do they not realize that 90% of the traffic slowdowns are not because of accidents, but because of pushy drivers that force other cars to slam on their brakes? I suppose not. And from their point of view, the fact that they caused another person to have to wait in a traffic jam doesn't bother them.
Since I can't do anything about it, I'll just have to let the bullies of the traffic world have their fun. I'll do my part and take my turn. While I'm waiting in traffic that is partly their fault I'll offer up a prayer for them, that someday God will replace their selfishness with Christ's love and selflessness.
PS: Kristen would like to point out that I wasn't offering up prayers when people were cutting me off, but that's what I should have done.
Kristen and I drove in to Boston on Saturday and I commented to her. "When you're sitting in traffic, you can tell the people who should have taken an extra year of kindergarten." It's true, what is it in people's minds that makes them think that they're entitled to drive their car to the exit ramp and push their way to the front of the line? Did they buy a more expensive car and so they shouldn't have to wait in traffic? Do they not realize that 90% of the traffic slowdowns are not because of accidents, but because of pushy drivers that force other cars to slam on their brakes? I suppose not. And from their point of view, the fact that they caused another person to have to wait in a traffic jam doesn't bother them.
Since I can't do anything about it, I'll just have to let the bullies of the traffic world have their fun. I'll do my part and take my turn. While I'm waiting in traffic that is partly their fault I'll offer up a prayer for them, that someday God will replace their selfishness with Christ's love and selflessness.
PS: Kristen would like to point out that I wasn't offering up prayers when people were cutting me off, but that's what I should have done.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Strategy Game Ideas
As promised in yesterday’s entry (xanga), I had a great idea for a video game. I’m jotting down details as I have time.
From my point of view, strategy games have one major flaw. You have to tell every single worker and unit what to do. You shouldn’t have to do that. You should be able to prioritize your goals, and be able to do it in different ways. For instance, say you have 5 workers and you want to build roads, construct a market, and build walls around your cities. A game should ask you where you want the market, the walls, and the roads and let you prioritize how quickly you want each one. Your workers divide their responsibility and work on whatever they need to in order to finish the top priority item first. And, there should be several ways to prioritize. One (the Ancient Egyptian way) would be slave labor (that would cost more in military resources). Another would be higher pay (that would cost more in gold / silver other resources). You see where I’m going. Anyway, in computer speak, this means a lot of complex formulas and calculations, But hey, what’s a 3 ghz processor for if not for millions of complex formula calculations a second right.
Anyway, that’s the beginning of my idea for a strategy game. You’ll see it out on the shelves sometime in 2015. ( Until then, I will continue to command my mindless computer drones.
From my point of view, strategy games have one major flaw. You have to tell every single worker and unit what to do. You shouldn’t have to do that. You should be able to prioritize your goals, and be able to do it in different ways. For instance, say you have 5 workers and you want to build roads, construct a market, and build walls around your cities. A game should ask you where you want the market, the walls, and the roads and let you prioritize how quickly you want each one. Your workers divide their responsibility and work on whatever they need to in order to finish the top priority item first. And, there should be several ways to prioritize. One (the Ancient Egyptian way) would be slave labor (that would cost more in military resources). Another would be higher pay (that would cost more in gold / silver other resources). You see where I’m going. Anyway, in computer speak, this means a lot of complex formulas and calculations, But hey, what’s a 3 ghz processor for if not for millions of complex formula calculations a second right.
Anyway, that’s the beginning of my idea for a strategy game. You’ll see it out on the shelves sometime in 2015. ( Until then, I will continue to command my mindless computer drones.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
VCR to DVD recording using Linux
I'm trying a new (well, sort of old) thing now. I've got a bunch of VHS videos that I'm trying to burn to DVDs. Windows sort of works, but I'm persuing my interest in Linux and trying to record TV onto my computer, then burn it to a DVD. I have a WINTV-Go card as a TV tuner.
So far I have installed these:
Linux RedHat Fedora Core 3
mencoder - for recording from the VCR
transcode - for transposing to DVD format
K3b - for burning
I'll keep you posted on progress.
So far I have installed these:
Linux RedHat Fedora Core 3
mencoder - for recording from the VCR
transcode - for transposing to DVD format
K3b - for burning
I'll keep you posted on progress.
The big switch
I've just swiched from xanga becuase I wanted a blog that let me post web links on the side of my page. I would have had to pay money to do that at xanga, so welcome to my new blog site. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I will enjoy publishing it.
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