Friday, October 29, 2004

10 Ways to be a better volleyball player

10 Ways to be a better volleyball player

From Mike, oh captain, my captain.

Our team needs the most help with #1, and with serving.

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Living, Loving, Learning

Living, Loving, Learning

I miss coding. Recursion, etc.
What will this do:
Brett Walker's webpage

HandymanWire - Windows Questions and Answers

HandymanWire - Windows Questions and Answers: "Window in Load-Bearing Wall
I am attempting to put an internal window into a currently load bearing wall... any advice on how to do it? I am thinking about building a frame out of 2x4's but I don't know if that will support the load... any help please.
First off, since it is a load bearing wall.. remember to provide support for the floor above while you have the wall opened up. You don't want the ceiling joists from above coming down on you when you open that section up.
To frame a window opening you should use at a minimum a header of 2x6s. Not knowing how wide a window you are talking, I couldn't say. But you should use 2x8s if are spanning more than 3 ft. To get an idea how to frame a window.. take a look at the picture of the framing for a door, shown below. The difference being under the window you will use a single 2x4 across the bottom of the window frame.. and then supported by studs cut short enough to fit."

I love the internet. I'm remodeling my kitchen in a couple weeks:
Plumbing
Framing
Electrical
Cabinetry
Finishing
Floors
Now if I could just figure out how to ORGANIZE all this information, I'd be doing a lot better.

Monday, October 18, 2004

Google Search: aa 2055

Google Search: aa 2055

Now you know Google does flight status checks. Travelocity's lookup rocks. (déjà vu?). Quick load time. Map of the route. And good departure gate information.

How to slam dunk

How to slam dunk: "Yes, you can learn how to slam dunk - but it will take some hard work. Here's how."

Step 1. Figure out what to do.
Step 2. Do it.

Getting older; running out of time!!!

Sunday, October 17, 2004

Topdownloads Forums - Disable The Thumbnail Cache to make your computer faster!

Topdownloads Forums - Disable The Thumbnail Cache: "Another very basic tip here. Every time you go into a folder which contains either pictures or movies, Windows creates a thumbnail image so you can get an idea of what the picture/movie content will be. The thumbnail cache helps speed up access to the thumbnails instead of having them load up every time you go into a folder, but each picture you have in a folder will take up around 2kb's, so imagine a folder with 200 photos and what size the cache could end up being.
The fact is though that these days having a thumbnail cache isn't that important, the thumbnails load up here in my machine in seconds without it. So here is how you remove the caching system for thumbnails:

Click on 'CONTROL PANEL' from the Start Menu.
Click on 'FOLDER OPTIONS' in the Control Panel.
Click the view tab
Finally - tick the 'DO NOT CACHE THUMBNAILS' box and then click APPLY.
Your Windows XP system will now no longer cache thumbnails. If you wish to go back to caching them, get back to the folder options menu like we did about and untick the box. "

Ha!!! This one is awesome, too!!! One at a time,

Browse your computer faster

Browse your computer faster: "If you're like me and you wonder why there's a delay between when you open My Computer and when it shows you the stuff you want: XP automatically searches your network for any network shares (Printers and Files). While it's looking for this information you're sitting there waiting for your stuff to be displayed. If you'd like to speed this up then here's your instructions.
Open My Computer
Click Tools --> Folder Options
Select the View Tab
The first box says 'Automatically search for network folders and printers' Uncheck the box next to it.
Click 'Apply' or 'OK' "

What are all the ways to make a computer faster? Where is the frequency, Kenneth?

Friday, October 15, 2004

Radio operators OK rules on Net over power lines | CNET News.com

Radio operators OK rules on Net over power lines | CNET News.com: "Radio operators OK rules on Net over power lines"

Awesome. It's about time. $20/month for 10Mbps downloads. Streaming EVERYTHING. Find a niche. Use it. Get ahead.

Thursday, October 14, 2004

Japan school kids to be tagged with RFID chips | Tech News on ZDNet

Japan school kids to be tagged with RFID chips | Tech News on ZDNet: "Japanese authorities decide tracking is best way to protect kids
The rights and wrongs of using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on humans have been debated since the tracking tags reached the technological mainstream. Now, school authorities in the Japanese city of Osaka have decided the benefits outweigh the disadvantages and will now be chipping children in one primary school.
The tags will be read by readers installed in school gates and other key locations to track the kids' movements. "

This is the short range version. Is GPS the long range version? A backpack is easy. Under the skin is hard. Will a cell phone be the intermediate? The Nextel phone already does this - kind of; how long until a parent can look up a child by location? A kidnapping victim would have the phone up until the 'evildoer' finds it & abandons it.

What if the cell phone were embedded in your wrist? Could the device talk to an earpiece using bluetooth? The kidnapper could ditch the earpiece, but not the wrist.

What about a contact lens that would show a webpage, and scroll/click via finger/facial movements? Ugh, my head hurts.

Yahoo! News - Motorola Turns Cell Phone into Credit Card

Yahoo! News - Motorola Turns Cell Phone into Credit Card

YYYEEEAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!! Simplicity at last! Serenity now? Soon I will get rid of my wallet! Who is making money on these 'PayPass' readers & NFC technology? Not me.

Logitech > Harmony Remote Products > Logitech� Harmony� Remote 688

Logitech > Harmony Remote Products > Logitech� Harmony� Remote 688: "Logitech� Harmony� Remote 688"

This looks better than my $40 ($59 retail) Sony RM-VL900, but not 4-6 times better...Try again at $99 ($80 on Froogle).

Speaking of which, the Braun food processor is $20 at Costco, $28 at Froogle. If I buy 5 of them a year, my membership will pay for itself!!!

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Yahoo! News - FDA Approves Use of Chip in Patients

Yahoo! News - FDA Approves Use of Chip in Patients: "FDA Approves Use of Chip in Patients

23 minutes ago Technology - AP


By DIEDTRA HENDERSON
WASHINGTON - Medical milestone or privacy invasion? A tiny computer chip approved Wednesday for implantation in a patient's arm can speed vital information about a patient's medical history to doctors and hospitals. But critics warn that it could open new ways to imperil the confidentiality of medical records. "


Three blogs in ONE DAY!!! I love Tech Tuesday!!!. This is very fun. How much longer until I can implant it in my yet-to-be-born daughter? I saw Man On Fire yesterday, and this would eliminate the need for bodyguards (if it could transmit a GPS location). For $300, this could be a big business. Privacy, schmivacy. If the database is secure (trust a company :( ), then that only leaves the password used to access it. And with Windows Would you like us to SAVE THAT PASSWORD?, passwords are not often that secure.

I guess that just leaves an authenticating device (like a cell phone), which in turn is biometrically authenticated. Just don't lose it. If you do, just go get another one. 'Cuz it'll be insured. And don't drop it in the toilet.

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
Well done, Matt. Alt-Tab's replacement. Efficiency is at last mine.

Yahoo! Search Shortcuts

Yahoo! Search Shortcuts

Hettermann (Grey Eagle) showed me this link, and I spend two minutes comparing it to Google's automatic tools.

Yahoo's version has a couple new tricks up its sleeve, but I'll stick with Google for now. Flight Status check is über-cool. I wonder if anyone has a site tracking this 'race', and comparing the action. Unfortunately for them, the best they can do is a second place finish to you and me.

Friday, October 08, 2004

CNN.com - Google IDs 1993 hit-and-run victim - Oct 8, 2004

CNN.com - Google IDs 1993 hit-and-run victim - Oct 8, 2004: "MOXEE, Washington (AP) -- Google, the Internet search engine, has done something that law enforcement officials and their computer tools could not: Identify a man who died in an apparent hit-and-run accident 11 years ago in this small town outside Yakima."

Hooray for Google. If I must love big brother, then perhaps this is the best way.

bbc.co.uk - Health - Awareness Campaigns - BackCare Week

bbc.co.uk - Health - Awareness Campaigns - BackCare Week: "many adults with chronic back pain can trace their problem to years of bad posture habits during their childhood."

Marta had great posture last night. What an example. Darn.

Thursday, October 07, 2004

Google Search: "brett walker"

Google Search: "brett walker": "verta"

This one is funny. My ranking has gone from #621 to about #550. Yippee. But a comment I left on WilWheaton's page is about #547. WTF. lol

Wednesday, October 06, 2004

Outdoor Photographer | Fields of Color

Outdoor Photographer | Fields of Color: "Outdoor Photographer: When is the best time of year to enjoy and photograph California poppies?
Lepp: The main season for poppies is late March through mid-May. That�s your main large display. The beginning of April tends to be the best time. There have been years where there hasn�t been a single poppy out there because it hasn�t rained or due to other conditions. As far as individual poppies, I have poppies in my yard every month of the year."

I'll set a calendar reminder to go to this next April... Good stuff.

Tuesday, October 05, 2004

One more thing I didn't know

Digital cameras use batteries. Digital cameras ABUSE batteries. Costco sells for $19.99 the Panasonic charger with six AA's & 2 AAA's. Yahtzee!

Bobby's Casio mini-TV is battery friendly. For months, maybe more than a couple years, I've been buying Duracell, and saving them after they die in digital cameras.

I just found four more, and loaded them into the mini-TV. Hours of viewing enjoyment will soon be mine!
-b