Uhh... yea...

Yea, I still post here sometimes...

2007-02-27T09:51:00.000-05:00

And while today is a small post... its special. Star Wars + Hello Kitty... need I say more?

Another, in a long line of wacky food posts...

2006-09-08T07:42:00.000-05:00

My Graceland on the Internet.

Wicked Awesome embodied in a web site right there.

Oh my personal note, lots of changes in the life these days. Started taking classes for my MBA / MS and school is awesome... when you don't have a job and the parents are footing the bill. I do have a job, and I love my folks, but they aren't paying for my masters. I'm not going to say school sux, but I gotta re-learn how to use a pen. Fricking computers ruined (and made) me.

Also, new job. I'll be doing some deal sourcing for a VC near where I live. The job couldn't be cooler. The company invested in the makers of Eve Online, and I'm spending a lot of my time reviewing video gaming companies as well as any company that look interesting. Very cool.

That's all for now. I'm a slacker at posting to my blog... deal.

The future is here...

2006-08-29T14:25:00.000-05:00

I totally want one of these when it's released...

Yea... I know people will call me "Star Trek" after they knock me over and steal my lunch money. Its cool.

Ohh... lists!

2006-08-29T13:01:00.000-05:00

First off, check out http://www.econsultant.com/ as they have a pretty awesome list for just about everything.

Anyway, I was going to buy a domain and move this lil blog into the prime time, but I didn't want to spent a bundle (I'm cheap.) I found this list, and liked it enough to blog about. That is all, I guess.

Netfirms : $4.95/yr (.com .net .org)
Hostway : $6.95/yr (.com .net .org)
FrugalName : $7.95/yr (.com .net .org)
Namecheap : $8.88/yr (.com .net .org)
AIT Domains : $7.99/yr (.com .net .org)
Go Daddy Software, Inc. $8.95/yr : (.com .net .org)
RegisterFly $8.95/yr : (.com .net .org)
PlanetDomain $12.99/yr : (.com .net .org)
Dotster $14.95/yr : (.com .net .org)
DirectNIC : $15/yr (.com .net .org)

Alrighty then.

I love grafitti...

2006-08-25T11:44:00.000-05:00

So, many of you know that I enjoy street art lots. I think I started this passion back when I was a child, during trips with my family into New York City. The subway trains all colorful and wild really appealed to me. Anyway, now-a-days I'm big into the "stencil" movement and political tied messages ala Banksy. I frequent The Wooster Collective website as it updates often (way more often than my lame ass blog.) Anyway, I saw this one this morning, and I laughed out loud.

As many of you remember, Kanye made a statement during a Hurricane Katrina Relief special that said something to the effect of "Bush doesn't care about black people." or maybe he said hates... I don't recall. What was funny about that statement was that Mike Myers was standing next to him, pale as a ghost after the statement. Myers being Canadian originally was probably scared of deportation...

Anyhoo... that's all for now. Pip pip and cheerio!

Microsoft's iPod killer?

2006-08-18T08:07:00.000-05:00

Enter the "Zune"

From what I've read this morning on the usual blogs, it has AM/FM tuner, runs a UI similar to Windows media center, and all the other usual mobile media player stuff. Here's the kicker IMO, see that scroll wheel in the middle? It's not a wheel at all, but 4 buttons arranged in a circle. Weak Sauce.

http://www.comingzune.com/ I will mentiont that the website confuses me.

Anyway, I'll take one if it happened to be sent to me, but I don't think that's going to happen. Besides, I love my iPod. Really. We're thinking about taking our relationship to the next level. Unprotected ear buds...

Another in a long line of credit card posts...

2006-08-16T08:47:00.000-05:00

Okay, so the line of credit card related posts isn't that long. Anyway...So awesome. If you take a little trip over to the website, not only to you get this awesome credit card, telling the world that you're cute, but also a little mysterious, but you also get a wicked awesome Hello Kitty Phone Pocket. And here I thought the pocket in my pants was good enough...

Whoops, not wearing pants today.

Pip pip!

Cool New Tech

2006-08-15T11:59:00.000-05:00

SecureID on a device you'll be sure not to lose. Well... less likely to lose I guess...

InCard

OFF. It's not just for killing bugs anymore...

2006-08-15T08:22:00.000-05:00

In my usual format of regurgitating information from other, more reputable news sources on the Internet, I present to you OFF. OFF or Owner Free Filing System is a new P2P application as well as a system in which to provide sanctuary from litigious bastards.

In their own words:

“Basic synapsis: The Owner Free Filesystem (OFF) is a system in which all files inserted are given several additional representations via multiple use encoding and exhibit a digital state of being that has depreciated the file’s status to “ownerless” and no longer belonging to one person. A file inserted into OFF will intrinsically become part of several other files, and a block’s (see technical details) representation depends solely on its coupling with other blocks. This is known as a ‘brightnet’ where nothing held within an “OFF Cache” can be considered copyright infringing, and thus can be shared and traded freely without fear of repercussions.”

I love this idea, and really hope we can find a way to share files again, without fear of the legal ramifications. However, the issue here is that the people making and enforcing the law are also the people loose money with information is shared freely on the Internet.

The folks over at The Big Hack wrote a funny letter about this subject.

ARRRRRRGGGGGG!!!!

**Update**

What you're missing:
Before you do anything, you pass a large amount of data, which is hashed into 128k chunks.

When you go to 'get a copy' of something, those 128k chunks are rearranged according to the new content. Not actually copied, but arranged so that they identically resemble the file you're after. Much of the data you get isn't even downloaded - as such, there's very little evidence of your transaction.

Say you don't have chunks that match the hashes you're after; that's fine. You download those chunks from other peoples stuff; their music collection, their wedding photos, the novels they're working on.

How are they arranged? Well, for a given file, there's the data and the recipe. You download the recipe - which could also be data if it matches another recipe - and your computer arranged your data and that of others into the file you're after.

So, no, it's not technically copying.

Also, it's not very detectable, and theoretically uses less bandwidth the more you hoarde.

To be honest, I think it's a quantum leap in P2P technology.

For that special lady in your life who has everything...

2006-08-02T16:56:00.000-05:00

Best Gift Ever

A "I'd rather not be named" lady I work with showed me this today. Apperently a "friend" emailed it to her. I don't believe it.

If you know me, expect one of these as a gift this holiday season.

More Awesome Food!!

2006-08-02T09:07:00.000-05:00

Okay, so it may be hard to see from this picture, but the head liners for this little food stand at the Orange County Fair are as follows:

Deep Fired Twinkies - I've actually had the pleasure of eating these before. They are very tasty, and one of the only foods you can actually feel making you fat. Pretty cool!

Deep Fried Veggies - Nothing to see here folks, move along.

Deep Fried Avocados - Woah! That's new. I wonder how they pull this one off. They must be using under ripe avocados or something. I bet they are tasty tho...

Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich - Great Ceasars Ghost! A chicken sandwich on a Krispy Kreme doughnut?!?!? I have never even thought to think of such a wonderous and mysterious food creation. How do you eat it? How is the chicken cooked? Are there condiments? This one really baffles me. So, naturally I'll hit the web to discover more...

So the idea of using Krispy Kreme doughnuts as buns for your sandwitch is not new it seems. Enter the Luther Burger! Snopes Wikipedia & Urbanhonking all jump right into the subject. The short version is that one day R&B Legend Luther Vandros was making a cheese burger and did not have any buns, so he used a couple of doughnuts. Now I can love the man and his music!

This is so awesome that I will be making these my next BBQ. Its a shame I'll be forced to use Krispy Kreme's that are not fresh... (the Krispy Kreme in the Pru closed... damn fine location too...)

Pip pip!
(my blog is totally roaring these days... its too hot to go outside!)

Call me crazy...

2006-08-01T16:23:00.000-05:00

... But I would actually eay something called Beef Whiz. All the time. On everything. Yea...

OMFG BACON!!!!

2006-08-01T10:37:00.000-05:00

I've got nothing...

2006-08-01T09:40:00.000-05:00

Ahh, the phrase made famous my yours truly. It describes my recent life oh so perfectly. I have nothing to report, discuss or even comment on. My summer since July 4th has been completely uneventful. My days are filled with sleeping late, teaching a class or two, slinging drinks and eating foods that will some day catch up to me. I'm sorry.

I know my fans are in a state of unrest due to my lack of content on this little blog. There's not much I can do for you. I could repost some bullshit I've seen elsewhere, but I think I'm past that stage.

Oh, well I guess something interesting has happened recently. I company I worked with not to long ago just had it's release party. Eons is a social networking / life planning / post life planning website for the 50+ crowd. I met up with these guys while I was doing some work for a VC in cambridge, and they have an amazing team of people. The media seems to be focusing on their "death notices" functionality, however the site and idea are WAY bigger than that. Check it out! (yes, some of my readers are near or over 50 years old, shocker?)

Hrm... what else... Uhh...

Yea... I got nothing.

2006-07-12T13:50:00.000-05:00

Oh man, when I saw this story this afternoon, I laughed. Twice.

Link!

So, these two old birds have been mailing this old hot dog back and fourth for 54 years. While that story is strange, the pictures are where the magic is happening.

I can hardly tell when the fingers end and the hotdog starts.

Now, I've eaten some rather foul hot dogs in my life (the top winners are Cleveland Circle cinemas in Brookline MA, 7-11 in Lewiston ME and a mystery dog from a neighbors grill) but this thing is just nasty. I'm sure these two old bats consider this training for finding a man in their age range. Strange food story quota met. (This story got me thinking that I haven't heard a good "Old Guy's Balls" joke in a while.)

***

On to some cool tech / Microsoft is taking over the world news. Well... maybe?
From 6.10.04
Microsoft VP Peter Moore (formerly of Sega), in a Game Industry.biz article:

Moore said that Microsoft has no intentions of following Sony and Nokia into the handheld gaming business, commenting that "we're not in that business and there are no plans to be in that business right now."

But recently there has been a flurry of new articles (are blogs news? Mine ain't even close... its more like Cracked (the poor mans MAD)) about the "Xboy". This new digital music player is suspected of being designed to compete with Apple's iPod. I guess Brier Dudley of the Seattle Times started this whole rumor and all Microsoft has done is deny it. As the old Yiddish proverb goes "He who denied it, supplied it." Well, I'm all for the Xboy (minus the aweful name.) Anyone who knows me, I'm all about convergenance, and just 5 months ago, I finally got my phone and PDA unified and as my previous post mentioned I love it. If I could only cram my iPod in there as well, I'd be happier than a pig in shit. Throw a PSP or Nintendo DS into that package, and I'm a mobile warrior, only needing to stop to power up (or juice up as I was going to type.)

Anyway, I believe I have meet the quota on all requested blog topics and I got work to do (12oz curls and a Cuban cigar.)

ciao babe.

I suck

2006-07-11T11:30:00.000-05:00

Hi loyal readers of my blog. As most of you know by now, I suck big time. I talk a good game, but I just cannot produce. Anyway, I woefully missed my goal of 1 post per day, and I'm pretty sure that I am going to continue to miss that goal. I'm teaching a class 3 days a week and doing a little bar tending here and there. That's not really the reason I'm not posting as much as I know you all would like me to, but its the reason I'm giving.

Well, and that I'm lazy, and don't have much to say.

Anyhoo... I got nothing.

Reading Words on Pages...

2006-07-01T11:02:00.000-05:00

Well, more posts is going to mean less riveting content, and I'm sorry for that. Anyway, here's what I'm reading...

Exchange Server 2003 - Administrator's Companion
Yea, studying for the Microsoft exchange Server MSCE test 70-285. Sometimes I want to shoot myself...

The Art of Intrusion
So, I'm a fan of Kevin Mitnick's first book, The Art of Deception and this book followed the format of the first. Stories of hackers and their exploits (haha!) then he deconstructing their actions from a Information Security point of view. The main point of the book is still "People are the weakest link." which is sooooo true.

DMZ
Brian Wood's latest (well, along with Supermarket) comic book / graphic novel. It's got amazing art and the heavy political overtones that we all love and expect from Brian Wood. It's really a great series that I look forward to each month.

Marvel's Civil War
It's not often that I feel like I'm getting screwed (well, not since I stopped working!) but Marvel's really doing me dirty. They're doing this whole Super Hero Registration Act where Iron Man is facing off against Capitan America. The lush bag Iron Man is being a government tool and Capitan America is fighting for privacy and the things America stands for. This is right after the whole Scarlet Witch Marvel event, and I sadly bought into that one too. I just wish Marvel would stop pumping 100's of books down my throat each month, and let me save my pennies. I had to stop reading DC's events and most of their titles cause my wallet hurt. Badly.

Uhh... Slacker?

2006-06-30T10:20:00.000-05:00

So, I have been prodding all my loyal viewers for feedback on the blog. Apart from the facts that I don't post often enough, and my posts are all duplicates of shit I've read on Digg or Slashdot, people seemed happy enough with the blog.

So I am going to try and make a post a day. It's a lofty goal, I know, but I think with proper time management and a little perseverance I will accomplish this task.

So... Links?

http://postsecret.blogspot.com/ - Ohh, another fan of the Blogspot. I call this link, Post Cards from the Edge. Yea... I'm not very creative (hence my dupe posts of Digg and slashdot) This pic is from that site and it's for CD and JB. Two of the most wonderful people I have ever worked with. Both are rather hairy...

http://overheardinnewyork.com/ - I visit this site daily now. It's funny. Really. For example:

Boy, reading a pamphlet: Umm... Penny-less... Pen-iss.
Girl: It says penis.
Boy: Well, whatever.
Girl: How are you not going to be able to spell something that you have?
Boy: Well, it's gay to know how to spell penis.

Yea... it's awesome.

Pip-pip!

Comcast...

2006-06-23T08:37:00.000-05:00

So, I have a few funny comcast stories, but this never happened to me while I was a customer...

Oh man... that's some funny shit right there. My funniest story with a Comcast tech happened back when I was living in the college ghetto of Brighton MA. Comcast Chris came by to swap out a dead HD receiver. I was reading some comics minding my own business when Comcast Chris starts up a debate about the changes that were currently going on in Spiderman (I'll admit, not one of my fav books...) I played my usual devil's advocate and gave him a few counter points that apparently were sacrilegious. The debate started to get heated and he stopped installing the new HD box and left in a huff. I ran into him down at NEC a few months later, but avoided eye contact...

The other story involves a tech coming out to add a new line, and staying for a BBQ and party. He hooked all my shit up too...

2 posts in 1 day!!!!

2006-06-19T09:37:00.000-05:00

Expect a lot more "2 posts in 1 day" in the coming months... I'm not doing a whole heck of a lot.

So, I came across this on Engadget this just yesterday, figured it was post worthy... maybe not. It's awesome, so I thought I'd share.

I'm calling the top photo "Ann Boleyn" and the one under that "Fronting"

It did get me thinking tho... you could put a USB thumb drive in just about anything these days. What's the strangest place you've seen a USB thumb drive?

Finally a topic worth Posting!!!

2006-06-19T09:20:00.000-05:00

Well, I first saw this on Digg early this morning, however the poor boxen that was hosting this site was not prepared for a Digg mention. Thankfully, I am not the type of guy who is easily deterred.

Enter the most magical food creation since... well... fired candy bars I guess.

Now if I could only find a place in Boston that could conjure up one of these baddies.

Discuss...

My rock, is a nice little rock...

2006-05-08T13:16:00.000-05:00

So, I am unsure how something like this managed to get past me, but it did. Gawd, I suck.

Google Talk for BlackBerry

My Army of Robots...

2006-05-08T09:19:00.000-05:00

I always wondered when science would catch up to the cartoons. It seems that we are getting close. See the link here.

Not only would this be useful in my plans for world domination through use of an army of robots, but I also know a few individuals who would be super human in strength if our muscles could be powered off alcohol.

Now if we could only make robots who use the alcohol powered muscles that could also brew more alcohol, they cycle would be complete. Mmmm beer...

My CrackBerry and the USTPO

2006-05-05T09:43:00.000-05:00

I'll start this post by saying that I am addicted to my BlackBerry. I rock the Verizon 7130t and while it's not as stable as the 957 or 7250 are, I love the size and phone integration. I know my old 7250 had a phone as well, but talking into that brick was not an enjoyable experience. The problem's with this device are battery life and occasional lockups (I've installed a lot crap from a lot of places...)

Anyway, when the NTP vs RIM law suite started to gain momentum at the end of last year, I was asked to research alternate mobile email methods. Of course ActiveSync or GoodLink are the answers, however neither of those are as solid a platform as BlackBerry (for email, calendar and contacts at least.) I get irked when I see companies with the sole purpose to obtain patents and use those patents to sue other companies. There seems to be a great need for reform of the patent process here in the states. I would like to see some sort of time window where a real product needs to be created from the patent. Like, say, 5 years from a patent being granted, you need to have a working prototype and plan to take that product to market. However, I do not see any of this happening...

Huxley

2006-05-05T09:15:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've all heard about Huxley by now. What? You have not? Does your rock come with a driveway and mailbox? Anyway, it appears to be a very ambitious MMOFPS (Massively Multiplayer Online First Person Shooter) with some RPG goodness thrown in the mix. I would love to get all amped up about this game, but I played PlanetSide, so I cannot.

The idea behind an large scale FPS is very interesting and exciting, however it's just too difficult to pull off right. Ever play PlanetSide? It was a Sony Online Entertainment (EX folks) based around this same idea. I played it for a few months, and leveled up a couple of ranks. One of it's downfalls, for me at least, was the time it took for a battle to get started. You'd log in, check the map, see where the action is happening, spend the 5-15 minutes to get to the battle, and BLAM a airship would fly over head and blast you all to hell. Which leads me to another one of the issues I had with that game; Ranks in an FPS. I understand the need to put in ranks and leveling in RPGs, however those ideas typically contradict with the idea of an FPS. Having everyone on the same level playing field, all using their own skills to best each other is what I look for in an FPS. The problem with this is when you have people who can devote lots more time than others, and they are rewarded for their play time with more power, they can all too easily make in-game life difficult for those without the time.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the idea of an MMOFPS that works. I played (and still play a little) Battlefield 2. It's a really awesome FPS with up to 32 vs 32 at any time. Again, it can be all to frustrating at time due to some ace pilot in a bomber just nuking everything in sight, but another pilot on your side can counter that.

Anyway... check out some early screen shots of Huxley here. I really hope this game can pull it off, cause I love the idea.

Fat MacGyver!!!

2006-05-03T15:50:00.000-05:00

So, the VP of my company, another consultant and I were having a little chat about the SciFi line-up (someone please put me out of my misery.) It all started with us talking about our love of the new Doctor Who series and all of it's glory. In the natural turn of events we got onto the subject of Stargate SG1. I know little of this series other than my man, Richard Dean Anderson, AKA MacGyver, plays the main character (or something.) So, VP tells me that he looses a lot of weight for that role, and during non-shooting months he blows up like a balloon. Like Orca fat. That got me and consultant Josh thinking about a Fat MacGyver series. Picture him trying to put together one of his signature bubblegum, duct tape & paper clip bombs with this sausage fingers. Unable to accomplish the task. Or trying to fit under some bus full of refugees, and the pure girth prevents him from reaching the bomb.

While I have no skills what so ever when it comes to flash and what not, I would love to see some take this idea and run with it. It's too preciously funny.

That is all.

First post worth reading!!!

2006-04-25T20:44:00.000-05:00

Really, I don't plan on posting much stuff that's not worht checking out.

Click this...

If you don't know where I stand on MySpace, I hate it. The site I just linked makes me hate it more...

Anyway, first post where I actually made a link. Cookies please.

Yea... First post...

2006-04-25T20:11:00.000-05:00

So, here's the first post of this newly created blog. yea... not much to it at this point. I guess I'll ramble on about some new technology or something... Isn't that what people do on blogs?

Okay, so maybe I won't do that. My cat's acting all nuts. I think she found a bug or something. If only she could speak english... meow... ect... doesn't help.