# Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Vista is worth the $200 to upgrade

While looking for the character map in the accessory folder of Vista, I found a little gem that I just have to share. Vista now has a Snipping Tool that enables you to capture parts of the screen, highlight and draw on top of it and copy or save the results. Some would say it's about time and that there's about a million freewares that do this already, I'm just happy to have found it right there in Windows.

[ Atlas and more : PrtSc now useless... or maybe not. ]

OK, maybe not worth the price of admission, but it is the best clip tool I've seen. And Vista does have a couple of other enhancements as well...

#    Comments [9] |
# Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Why can't I commit this to memory?

Zero-width positive look ahead assertion

ATOM\@=

Zero-width negative look ahead assertion

ATOM\@!

Zero-width positive look behind assertion

ATOM\@<=

Zero-width negative look behind assertion

ATOM\@<!

[ Searching in VIM ]

And will blogging about it help?

#    Comments [0] |

Isn't it ironic, don'cha think?

Apparently a Muslim woman in the UK wore an all-over swimsuit to go swimming in Britain and received a bit of flack for it. I just need someone to explain this logic to me:

I'll tell you why you shouldn't go swimming like this in Britain; it's because women in this country are equal to men and are not obliged to cover themselves up when swimming - or indeed at any other time - because some men somewhere have decided that's how it has to be. Women in Britain fought for and died for the right to be equal. In this country we are able to dress, or undress, exactly as we see fit. If that's not your choice, poor you. But don't be surprised when people mock you and pass comment on your totally inappropriate clothing for swimming.

[ Comment by Linda Allan of Bath - The Guardian ]

This is the problem with "freedom" in the west, and likewise the issue I've always had with women's rights in the west. The freedom and choice were hard fought and won, and if you don't use that freedom to choose exactly the same as everyone else, then you are an affront to that freedom. But how is that freedom?

One of the things I've come to respect the most about my wife's country of Indonesia is their respect and reverence for the different traditions, ways, cultures, and practices of the peoples of their country and ultimately the world. They understand that each people have their own adat, and in order to be civilized there must be respect for each other.

Props to Islamophobia Watch.

#    Comments [8] |
# Monday, April 23, 2007

Road Trip!

Italian coffee chain Illy, whose high-end beans have been making inroads in hotels and restaurants around the country, has chosen a District site for its first cafe in the United States.

The location, named Caffe, opened last week in Marriott's Renaissance M Street Hotel in the West End. It features sleek red-and-white decor and the chain's signature ceramic espresso cup. There are no tables, only a stand-up bar on which patrons can rest an elbow, European-style.

[ A Coffee Chain's Stand-Up Effort on M St. - washingtonpost.com ]

OK, not much of a trip, but my Dad's got me hooked on the Illy, so I should see how they do it up.

#    Comments [1] |
# Thursday, April 12, 2007

Closer to Outlook without having to use Outlook

Outlook is a bit of a dog, and I no longer have an Exchange server to work off of, so I'm trying to get an "outlook like experience" on my Lappy and Windows Mobile. And here is another piece of the puzzle:

Stay in Sync with GCal and Thunderbird.

For a long time I have been looking for a rock solid calendaring system. I’ve gotten too used to working for companies who have Microsoft Exchange (or, God forbid, Scalix) installed which allow me to edit and update a calendar from multiple locations and even sync it with my Mobile Phone. When I first heard of Google Calendar I hoped that I would be able to enjoy such benefits again, but I am not a great fan of web-apps, and prefer a nice, solid desktop client to do my email / organisation from.

[ bfish.xaedalus.net Stay in Sync with GCal and Thunderbird. ]

Unfortunatly Thunderbird 2 is still at Beta 2, and since it's my main mail going through there, I'll be patient and wait for the v2 Golden Release. But, so I don't forget, I'm blogging this puppy.

#    Comments [0] |
# Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Listen up, Priceline

When you need a travel deal, there's only one man you should turn to — the Negotiator. He'll get you low prices, and he'll look good doing it. Watch the Negotiator in action, or download a piece of the legend today!

[ priceline.com: See Shatner in action as the Negotiator ]

Keep this up. Hopefully you can buy up all the spots that Geico's Caveman adverts were thinking of buying. Geico? Watch these and learn, and then go entertain me.

#    Comments [0] |

It's a beautiful day

Day number two on the new job, working on the porch, wonderful weather, birds chirping.

Wait, what is this on my Vista Desktop?

Weather.png

March winds bring April showers, not April cold freezing temperatures!

#    Comments [6] |
# Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Nate? A trip to New York is in order...

two mac-and-cheese-covered hot dogs served atop a bed of fries

[ Manly Meals on Maxim ]

That is just friggin' genius!

#    Comments [2] |
# Sunday, March 25, 2007

The search is over

I have accepted a position with:

MK Data Services
Denied Parties Screening
Searching the list of restricted and denied parties is now easier than ever.

Product Classifier
An easy-to-use tool that will aid you in specifying the proper Export Control Classification Number (ECCN)

U.S. Laws & Regulations
Current and accurate regulatory information, available twenty-four hours a day

Federal Register Database
An easily accessable catalog, updated daily

[ MK Technology - Trade Controls Management Consulting - Data Services ]

So if you are in the need for these services, please think of me first.

#    Comments [3] |
# Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Looking for my next gig

I ran the technical side of this small web development firm. Overseeing development, creative, and network resources. During the years I've worked here I have progressed from Senior Developer, to Solutions Architect, through CTO and lastly CSA.

[ David Kearns: Senior Developer or Technical Executive ]

That quote from my resume sums up so much in such a tiny space, but what will be will be.

Feel free to share my resume with those that have opportunities that I'd enjoy and fit my skills.

#    Comments [26] |
# Monday, March 12, 2007

Thunderbird Oddness

Been using the Thunderbird for a while now, but this only came up today, each time I replied it put my reply at the bottom of the email and not the top, but it only started today. Searched all through the settings, and I couldn't find squat.

    1. In Thunderbird: Go to "Account Settings"
    2. Select "Composition & Addressing" for the account in question
    3. Check the checkbox in the Composition group that says "Automatically quote the original message when replying".
    4. Once the combo box below is enabled select the option "Start my reply above the quote"

[ Replies Append to Bottom in Thunderbird at Elliot Lee ]

That proves it, my old settings had been imported from Outlook Express, and it was smart enough to duplicate that behavior. I had removed and readded an account today, and it picked up the default, which is a crazy "reply after" that would force everyone to scroll to read the new part of the email.

#    Comments [0] |
# Saturday, March 10, 2007

Smooth Transition onto the Wii

I'm a big fan of Warioware. The first game was super, mostly because it was so novel. Still a great reason to own a GBA. Then the series tried to move into a party game on the GameCube, a GBA game with tilt feature, and a DS game using it's unique interface. None came close to the first game, least of all Warioware: Twisted.


photo by jeroen020

The Wiimote has quite a few new ways to interact, and the Warioware team has worked late nights to try and use it to it's fullness. Each mini-game requires you to hold the wiimote in a starting form and then play the quick, usually under 3 second, mini game. Each time a new form is learned, there is a cheesy little intro which reminds me of Jack Handey a bit, and that's a good thing.

Since each form results in its own gimmicks, this game has a ton of new gimmicks, and with a Warioware title, it's all about the gimmicks. Eventually after playing through the "story" you unlock multi-player and some games that use the nunchuck, which thankfully aren't mixed in requiring people to frantically plug and unplug the nunchuck attachment.


Warioware: Smooth Moves
Nintendo Wii
Nintendo
Everyone
B

#    Comments [3] |

What was Sega thinking?

I have never owned a Sega console, and I don't get nostalgia over Sonic games. Perhaps that is why I never made it through the training levels on this one. The controls are just crazy, and would most likely have me throwing out my arm, or breaking up my living room. There seemed to be a descent story to this game, and maybe even one I could follow this time, but I'll never know because I just couldn't control the little Blue Hedgehog.


Sonic And The Secret Rings
Nintendo Wii
Sega of America, Inc.
Everyone
D-

#    Comments [0] |