DeFrag's Glob

Face the Music

2006-09-19T20:34:00.000-07:00

I've recently got back into making music again, going hog wild with acquisitions. I suppose with all the compact guitar effects pedals now, one might assume the boy can't play a note. This isn't far from the truth. I showed Chris a few chords, a scale, & a few techniques about a year or so ago & he out-licks me! I need to get over the hump so I've commissioned a local cat to show me some ropes. I'd just like to be able to feel comfortable in improvisation enough to have fun. I read over some old songs in college i wrote.. patheticism. A couple weeks ago however, I finally conjured a dandy. Deep, dark, almost Alice In Chains. Truthfully, I've always been interested in audio engineering so I see a http://www.mackie.com/products/cfx12mkii/index.html in my future.

Port Angeles Halibut Derby 2006

2006-05-30T21:50:00.000-07:00

After pumping $1700 into the boat this year, we did well at the Port Angeles halibut derby taking 4th place & $1200 which was split 3 ways. It was our first one & we landed it beautifully. Justin sure was proud & Casey was happy to share in the prize money. I was just glad they had a good time & with my share I can defray some of the cost of the trip. We'll be eatin' high on the hog for some time as the freezer now holds more fish than bait!

Pivot Stickfigure Animator

2006-03-06T22:51:00.000-08:00

Create your very own stickman movies! Get it now at Snapfiles which by the way is my favorite repository of free software. There are of course a few good links to go with it:

Pivot Group
Stick Page
Stickdude Forums

Just be sure to check out Xiao Xiao, he creates the best stick-movies by far. Numbers 3 & 5 are my fav.

Sony's PSP = Best Device Ever!

2006-02-06T22:06:00.000-08:00

I've had mine for about 10 months now & at first I didn't really do much with it besides hack a D00M-wad onto it for a little Quake action. Lately even though Sony forced us to upgrade the ROMs, I'm loving it even more. More features & capabilities are welcome & rumor states we may even be getting some office apps with future updates! There are literally billions of accessories for those hipsters who require decking out.

I simply must grab another memory-stick or two.. preferably a 4 or 8GB which should be on the street soon. In the meantime, I think I may purchase an audio cradle with an earthshaking sub to watch those movies. A great little project that can be done in a matter of 10 minutes is a USB-charger. This gadget does it all but will inevitably be superceded by chip implants into our temples & a serial tatooed on the back of our necks someday. Until then of course, it maintains supreme reign over all that is cool.

Here's a list of great things this little powerhouse does for me:

1. Play the absolute best portable games (duh;P
2. Display high-resolution photos
3. Hold & transfer files like a USB drive
4. Listen to flaming gobs of MP3s with playlists
5. Rip & watch DVD movies (courtesy of high-cap memory sticks;)
6. Subscribe to RSS audio feeds (Podcasts)
7. Wirelessly browse the internet including Javascript apps & games
8. Reading Gutenberg e-books via HTML instead of converting to jpgs

Wishlist:

1. GPS & cellphone obviously tops the list
2. Shockwave Flash support
3. Email & IM
4. Biometric security & PKIs
5. Document & spreadsheet apps
6. Master remote control of Sony A/V components
7. Integral FM-transmitter for playback on car radios
8. Alarm clock

PSPortal is Online

2006-01-31T21:44:00.000-08:00

Ok kiddies, I've got the latest update on my PSP & have been wirelessly browsing the web, listening to RSS audio casts, & rippin' DVDs to the sucker. My latest effort is the creation of my very own portal for PSPs everywhere. The page renders perfectly on the PSP but looks slightly off in IE. Nonetheless, keyboard input on the PSP isn't the greatest so the PSPortal definately helps get around the usual sites including a few that favor the PSP exclusively. I still need to implement a quick-entry field for URLs prepopulated with "http://" but ran into problems without a PHP backend. I can't wait for Sony to support mailto: so I can email myself that last thought before slipping away for the evening.

PSP Nettin' Like a MoFo

2006-01-26T22:57:00.000-08:00

So after a couple flash updates forced upon me by games I installed, I finally have a browser for my PSP. Ok, I couldn't actually get it talking to my LinkSys router for a while but now its runnin' WEP like there's no tomorrow. Note to self: "Always remember, the problem is usually configurational!"

Page rendering is extremely good, much better than I expected. Now I can surf lesbian pr0n from the sheets! Mwuhahaahaaaa... The tabbed interface is decent except for the fact that there is no keystroke to close a tab. Anyway after the flash upgrade to 1.5 (now 2.0), all hacks I had configured are toast, corrupt, gone, *poof*! Needless to say I'll miss running the Quake port & chess, but roaming internet access more than makes up for it considering the fact I hardly play the games hehe. Crap, now I gotta run into town & pickup at least a 1GB if not a 2GB Sony memory stick. Maybe then I can start ripping DVD movies onto the unit.

Plebes beware, we geek to a whole new level 'round these parts :)

Xbox 360 In the House!

2006-01-08T21:39:00.000-08:00

That's right. All you wannabes drool while we waste our lives with the world's latest gaming console. They are sure are hard to find. I certainly hope Microsoft adds another fan to the unit or something. The power connector is HUUGE & one can almost fry an egg atop the case! Gads, its hot in more ways than one.

BONUS: Check out Ambient Design for an award winning, very cool freebie that allow you to paint in oils!

Death to the Fatman...

2005-12-24T19:08:00.000-08:00

So, I load up OO-buck & hunker down in the bushes near my house. All those years of disappointment soon come to a head. Red & white no longer hold meaning in my life unless its running rich down the drain. I think I hear bells in the distance; ears strain against the thick night. The metal receiver is burning cold against my palm as a faint smirk emanates from my thin lips. My breath hangs heavy in the midnight air as bells become louder. Grip tightens; beating heart pounds with anticipatory revenge. Suddenly, through the light fog, highlighted by the nearby streetlamp I can barely makeout flailing hooves. My aim is true, 28 feet 10 inches behind the glow of red. Waiting, tracking, sights align, weapon shouldered, there is a deafening roar as screams cut through the darkness. The beacon hits the snow near my feet as wooden trains scatter randomly about. Reports come from all directions as the heavy vehicle dives erratically. One shouts, "I've got him!" Another, "He's mine!" My claim is challenged but my soul knows of the truth. Rewarded for tears every Christmas morning I silently rejoice in the spirit of the season. Vindication has been slow in coming yet, I feel as though I've broken the everlasting bond of the old fatman & his partners in crime... Easter will come soon enough & that bow-tied bastard of a rabbit will finally get his. Carrots & potatoes slowly simmering among delicate strips of pale flesh. Hoffenpepper for all.

Bah, humbug!

2005-12-13T21:02:00.000-08:00

I hate Christmas. There, I said it. Sure I love the snow, the extra money from grandmother, & all the presents but its such a commercial hassle I can live without it all. Its lost the magic & I yearn for a simpler time. I'm beginning to think that Santa is dead & he just isn't coming this year. If I break the news to my youngest, I can save a bundle! Hmm.. now should I go down & get that big screen or blow all the savings down at Susie's? At least at Susie's I can get a free roll-over & that happy ending! Mwuhahaaaa...

Oh, & for those of you who dedicate yourself to improving your lot in life by subscribing to New Year's resolutions, Grow a Nut! I mean c'mon.. haven't you any mere shred of discipline within? Oh ok.. you quit smoking everyday. Big deal. Take charge of your life & just do it. Don't wait for some magic point on a calendar. Must everything be an excuse? Remember, there's nothing about you that changing yourself entirely won't fix.

Samorost

2005-12-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

Thankfully, I've run across two very cool Shockwave Flash games which I assume are a bit like Myst. Samorost & Samorost 2. They can be tediously ripped out of your Temporary Internet Files; don't ask me how I know that heh, I'm a god ;) Go play them now & burn a half hour or so. Now if I could only get my hands on Chapter II.

GameFreaks Downtown

2005-12-06T21:21:00.000-08:00

The server is being relocated & should be back up in a few days. If anything ever happens to it, I suppose I must rehost elsewhere. I know I could run it on my home box but I'd probably need a static IP which would cost me at Wave. I think DynDNS hates my dirty router as it pings them way to often for their liking. Bad router, but I like it. I guess I could stand to double my bandwidth for the IP I'd get. Dunno, we'll see what works out. #Fear# has really kept me going these years with GameFreaks. Thanks bub.

Mmmm...

2005-12-01T23:32:00.000-08:00

Chivas Regal on crippled ice cubes cannot under normal circumstances be challenged. Live long & prosper. ;)

>> Creative Title Goes Here <<

2005-11-28T20:47:00.000-08:00

For those in the know, I'm finalizing the USB app compilation. Please stand by... I added some quick financials down the sidebar instead.

Switching the DVR between dual-tuners is too fuggin' complicated but its worth the $6/mo. There's been no word on my A/V receiver. I think I'll call tomorrow.

I'll probably get Justin a cellphone for Xmas & tell the other boys Santa is dead. Sure I'm a cheapo but Christ on a stick, the youngest is 13! Chris will probably get an Crate amp while Casey will get some games, pants, etc.

Its getting cold & we expect snow tonight, yay! I hope it falls in feet. Its almost time to break out the vanilla extract! Our Thanksgiving turkey came out good but it was a small bird. Work has been slow.

NetFlix

2005-11-21T19:19:00.000-08:00

I signed up for NetFlix to save a butt-load of money & stay current with the movie scene. I had been purchasing all of my DVDs & collected almost 200 before trading them back in for a loss. I'm down to about 20 now & will only buy the ones I wish to keep forever like LOTR.

If I averaged only 1 DVD purchase a month @ $20, that's $240/year. Compare that to $10/month for the cheapest NetFlix plan where I could easily watch 1 movie/week. The savings amounts to over $120/year while affording me the ability to watch 4 times the number of movies. The net gain is roughly 800%!! At $2.75 per movie, I don't think the deal can be beat. If I was practically able to watch 2 movies/week, I'd double my advantage yet again.

They're online reservation system is adequate. I've chosen 40 already to start us off. I don't think I'll run out of good titles to choose from. Maybe a solid month of Cheech & Chong classics are in the cards eh? :)

DVR Bound

2005-11-18T21:05:00.000-08:00

Alright, I missed a couple days.. at least they weren't consecutive. I picked up a DirecTV dual-tuner DVR & will be hooking it up tomorrow. It was free with a rebate & a good friend hooked me up with a dual LNB & some quad-shielded cable. I only have to pay an extra $6/mo for a good step up in programming convenience. The worst case for the deal could have been about $150 but its a good thing I don't gettin' lubed up the wazzu & did my homework instead. In all, I'll be out the tax on the $100 unit which amounts to roughly 9 clams.

I've been considering the jump into NetFlix. I figure I could save hundred of dollars per annum by joining up by NOT having to buy those movies I end up trading back in at a fair loss. I could simply purchase the movies I REALLY want to keep forever like LOTR etc. I'm behind on the new releases 6 months or so anyway so we can still watch near 10 titles each month. Furthermore, $10/mo for NetFlix beats the hell out of any premium package through satellite.

I worked a few hours today even though it was my regular day off. We have some important deadlines at work this next week. Now I have some time to take off so that I may shop for Christmas.

Stuff

2005-11-16T23:14:00.000-08:00

I bought a new LG dehumidifier to warm the boys' room & keep the mold at bay. It works surprisingly well bringing the ambient temperature up almost 10 degrees while reducing the humidity from 65% to 35% in about 12 hours. On another note, I was thinking of upgrading to DirecTV with DVR but would have to find a cheap dual LNB to make it worthwhile as the receiver is free & I don't want to blow $100 on a new dish. We'll see what transpires. I ripped 3 bad A/V units out this last weekend: receiver, DVD, & VHS. Sony isn't all it could be I'll tell you that right now.

Justin takes his driving test this Friday. He still needs to work on his parking skills. I suppose I must shell out more dough soon for his insurance. He'll be 17 in a couple weeks! He's diligent & fun loving, a pleasure to be around. I sure hope he keeps his head about him while driving. Chris will be off his grounding if he pulls his grades up. Then maybe I'll let him back on the computer. Casey is doing great in school this year averaging about a B. He grows so fast. I'm not sure about this Santa Claus thing anymore. Hell, I had to buy his last tooth because that damned fairy bitch just never showed up! hehe

I should find out what the boys want for Christmas this year so I can get shopping over with. Casey is really looking forward to that Xbox. At least I don't have to buy presents for all the family members this time around. What a commercial entity it all has become; lost all meaning if you ask me. I count on the kids getting ONE (maybe two) good presents from me as usual. Done. Over.

Oscar the Grouch

2005-11-14T22:02:00.000-08:00

My Oscar had gotten along fine with my 3" Bala Shark for 2 months. All of a sudden last night he grabbed him by the head & by morning the poor Bala was face first down an Oscar. I picked up a 5-incher today at PetSmart but in a few hours he was missing some scales. The Tinfoil Barbs nipped at him & even the fun-loving loaches took an interest in his caudals. He's now laying on his side at the bottom & the situation looks grim.

I suppose by lowering the temperature a couple degrees & holding back a bit of food to buy myself some time before the Oscar grows too large for the 18 gallon tank just isn't going to work. He is simply acting his species, voraciously eating anything edible that will fit into his mouth. He seems to become more & more territorial as time progresses. Maybe when he grows into a 5-pound monster I'll pan-fry the bitch.

Nah, he's cool & teaching me valuable aquarist lessons. Besides, he's the master over all he surveys & the highlight of the tank!

Anyone have a half stick of butter I can borrow? Mwuhahahaaa... >;)

Bow Man!

2005-11-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

Jesse started eating today so I think she'll be fine. In celebration, I present a very cool game to pass your time.

Files 4 You

2005-11-12T17:24:00.000-08:00

I present two files for your financial pleasure that I use frequently to stay on top of things & payoff my loans early:

amortize.xls

loancalc.xls

The other file took great effort on my part to compile & basically is a rule list of many different dice & card games. It includes the ever popular Texas Hold'em & important BlackJack tables.

game_rules.doc

I'll add them to the sidebar for your future convenience.

Sidebar Additions

2005-11-11T13:56:00.000-08:00

Self explanatory so check it. Two-faced eh? Hell no, as my new pic portrays. Oh, I've got random backgrounds for ya too ;)

Kneel before Zod.

Sounds Like Work

2005-11-10T19:16:00.000-08:00

I was talking with kanaeda late last night & didn't have time to post. It seems we'll work together on a couple homemade aquarium stands. I guess I should borrow my father's table saw & buy a mitre saw so I can return my bro-in-law's to him.

Jesse is up walking around, greeting us when we go out to check on her, still hydrated. She's STILL not eating though. Isn't she getting pretty damned hungry by now? Christ its been like 2 weeks since she ate anything real. If she doesn't start on her own tomorrow, then Saturday I'll use the turkey-baster aggressively.

On another note, its looks to be a challenge to grab an Xbox before Christmas but I'll do my best. I think I want Call of Duty 2 & while Casey wants Quake4, it really would be best on the PC.

Handy Bookmarklets

2005-11-08T18:22:00.000-08:00

Drag & drop the following shortcuts to your IE Links toolbar:

Behind This will open all subsequent links you click in their own window, behind the current window. Great for multitasking through websites!

Dup This simply opens a duplicate window of the one you have open. Can be handy at times.

Light This highlights all clickable links on the webpage to increase their visibility. Its a toggle so you can turn them off too. It works a bit funny when you toggle it off on some sites (like this one) but normally is just fine. Refresh the page to fix as necessary.

Search Select some text on the webpage & click this to pass it to Google automatically. It really saves a step or two.

Tiny Convert the URL of the current page however long, into a tiny address you can more easily reference.

Next, go install Easy Read which gives you Plus & Minus buttons on your toolbar to zoom in & out of a webpage. The good thing about this one is that it affects all objects on the page including graphics.

I use another IE utility called FavSearch from HarmonyHollow but I think its been changed to ShellSearch. In any case, simply UNCHECK the Install SaveNow & you'll be fine.

I think of myself as a utility guru. If you ever need anything just ask, I'll do my best to service your request or provide further information. Enjoy :)

Milk Plus Vellocet

2005-11-07T20:27:00.000-08:00

Title link continues to be my personal cult-classic of all time.

I've tweaked the blog source a bit & added some content including some favorite links. It is impractical to give you all 4000+ URLs but of course there's my compiled page of bookmarks over at My Favorite Links if thou dost wish.

Casey & I are going halves on the Xbox 360 & anxiously await its release on Nov 22.

Procrastination has got the better of me but tomorrow is the day I dig into the entertainment center to rip out the A/V receiver. What a drag.

I'll throw some polls at you from time to time so be sure to vote down the sidebar.

Invites Are Out

2005-11-06T21:51:00.000-08:00

I've invited all I wish to the blog.. hope to get a little action. I finally hooked up with kanaeda again, my buddy from the mapping days. He's a cool cat but we've yet to meet F2F! See what I can do by year's end.

My Q2 server has been lonely for over a month now. I guess I'll get the boys hookin' in Q3 to entice them back ;)

Jesse is doing better, still not eating though. I imagine we'll know if she'll be alright by this next weekend.

Stay tuned for a quasi-religous experience so to speak as I plan to layout the basics of /me.

Jesse's Home

2005-11-05T16:03:00.000-08:00

Well, the final bill came to about $2200 so we went & picked Jesse up at the vet. I may take Monday off next week to help her. We've made her a dry bed in the basement & I whipped up some chicken & rice for her. We shall start her meds tonight. She looks better hydrated up for sure, I just hope she doesn't lose it. She gets Pediolyte in her water & she seemed thirsty which was a good sign. Squirts of red goop came out of her ass but I expected as much.. she's very sick. I'd pray for her if I was a believer but I'm just a heathen who can't be saved.

These Titles Are Tough

2005-11-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

The titles will sometimes include a link to somewhere I want to share so be sure to mouseover it! Today however is my regular day off work so I don't get out much hehe.

Jesse is doing a bit better but I'm fearful that she won't pull through. We'll pick her up tomorrow I guess as I'm about low on dough. On another note, the oldest boys have some grades to pull up but Casey is doing well though.

I've got to pull apart the A/V system tomorrow & yank the receiver for repair. Those wires are just a mess all weaved together in knots with dust & webs throughout. I think I'll pull a couple units we don't use often out of the rack to simplifiy things. I may reevaluate the speaker connections since I don't have true rear-channel separation but it would be a pain in the ass to crawl around the attic fixing the problem. Live & learn. We're relegated to watching broadcast on the 13" in the bedroom & DVDs through a TNT card on the computer which can stutter at times.

I wonder how many days in a row I can commit this heinous act of globbery...

Oh Donna

2005-11-03T19:53:00.000-08:00

Who loves Donna Pinciotti? Stupid question. My nightly routine usually includes a Seinfeld & That 70s Show episodes. My favorite used to be brunettes but now redheads are top.

Jesse isn't responding to medical treatment & I'm feeling pretty bad about that. I suppose I'm more attached to her than I had realized. I just hope she makes it.. she deserves it.

Anyway, Deano should expect a waay cool download of USB apps soon enough. Its been quite an ongoing project for me to accumulate the best small apps to run off USB. I may post the readme.txt for you folks, dunno.

init readall /s

2005-11-02T20:43:00.000-08:00

Finally, a glob of my zone --

New aquarium.
A/V receiver down.
Dog in medicare.
Tossing back a Johnnie Walker &
Hackin' some alpha...