Mickey's Blog On Computers, Music, Politics, And Religion

Cutting The Cable - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 15:35:00 +0000

If you haven't already, please read my Cutting The Cable - Part 1 first.
This Part 2 is a bit unethical and considered illegal, but greatly expands your entertainment horizons.

Kodi + Exodus

What makes Kodi so amazing is all of the add-ons it supports for watching (or listening) to anything imaginable from anywhere and everywhere all over the world. First, you'll need a few things to get started...

Broadband internet (such as cable or DSL)
Computer
Amazon Fire TV (such as a FireStick, and optional if you can stream video from your computer to your HDTV)

Depending upon your OS (operating system), simply download and install Kodi from https://kodi.tv/download/
Follow these directions if you're installing Kodi on your Amazon Fire TV device...

Install Kodi on a FireStick (should work with all Amazon Fire TV devices)
Complete Kodi 16.1 Setup Guide For FireStick And Fire TV (YouTube video)

Once you've installed Kodi, you'll want to install the Exodus add-on for Kodi...

Install Exodus Kodi
How To: Install Exodus on Kodi v16.01 "Jarvis" (YouTube video)

Cutting The Cable - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 14:41:00 +0000

I think the main reason cable and satellite TV prices are continuously on the rise is because so many people (including myself) have cut their cable/satellite TV to save money. Yes, there will be some initial investments involved, but they often pay for themselves within a year, and no need for me to regurgitate what many other articles have already discussed before. Here's some articles below on how to cut your cable the ethical, legal way...

In most of these articles, they discuss various options, such as HDTV antennas for live/local content (news, sports, etc.). They also discuss streaming boxes, such as the Roku and Amazon's Fire TV. Lastly, the various streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix.

Technicals

Unfortunately, most of these articles don't discuss the technical aspects to get the most out of your entertainment experience, mostly because a lot of it has to do with where you live, and what local TV stations and Internet services you have in your area. Unfortunately, if you live in a very rural area (like some of my in-laws do), your choices are very limited.

Antennas

If you live more than 50 miles away from a large city, most likely an indoor antenna won't suffice. Jump on Google Maps and see how far away the nearest major city is from you, and take a look at these antennas...

Streaming Boxes

I jumped on the Roku 3 bandwagon back before Amazon's Fire TV came out. Although I love my Roku 3s (I have one in my living room and one in my bedroom), Amazon's Fire TV supports Kodi (in which I'll discuss this in Part 2), whereas Roku currently doesn't at the time of this writing. I'm planning to switch over to Amazon's Fire TV at some point when money permits. Unless you're a fanboy/girl, I wouldn't bother with Apple TV.

Streaming Services

This is really a matter of preference. If you're a movie buff, Netflix is a good choice. If you're a TV show nut, then try out Hulu. If you already an Amazon Prime member, Amazon Prime Video is the obvious choice. Since both Hulu and Netflix is about $10/month and often have a 30-day free trial without any contacts (at the time I wrote this), it doesn't hurt to try them both. Even paying $30/month for all of them is still cheaper than basic cable/satellite TV.

Internet Service Provider

This is where the articles above doesn't discuss because this solely depends upon what services you have where you live. Below is a list of internet service types sorted by download speed (at the time of this writing)...

Cable: usually the fastest type using coaxial cable provided by your local cable company, offering download speeds up to 200 Mbps (recommended for large families with many devices)
FTTN (Fiber To The Node): fiber optics replacing old copper telephone lines usually provided by your local phone company, offering download speeds up to 50 Mbps (recommended for average-size families with several devices)
DSL: usually provided by your local phone company over old copper telephone line, offering download speeds up to 25 Mbps (recommended for singles and couples with a few devices)
Satellite/Other: only consider this option if you don't have access to any of the above services!

A good rule of thumb for streaming HD (High Definition) video is at least 10 Mbps (Megabits Per Second) download speed per person. Someone living alone could easily get away with only having only a 10 Mbps download speed whereas a family of five (such as mine) requires a bit more (I currently have 60 Mbps download speed via my cable provider). To test your current internet speed, please visit http://www.speedtest.net/

To see what broadband Internet Service Providers are in your area, please visit...

Wireless Routers

Many people buy the cheapest router possible, and often get frustrated that their inexpensive router can't keep up with all of the HD video streaming demands of their gadgets. When it comes to routers, you usually get what you pay for. Although I don't have any specific brand preferences, I prefer Asus, Linksys (Cisco), or Netgear. However, I don't recommend Belkin. A general rule of thumb for buying a router is spending about $25 per device (anything that can stream HD video, such as computers, smartphones, streaming boxes, tablets, etc.) you'll connect to your router (please also consider future additions/demands)...

To fill-in a Wi-Fi dead-spot, purchase a range extender/repeater (wireless access point), and install it somewhere between the router and the dead-spot. Although most wireless range extenders will work with most routers, it's a good idea to purchase a range extender made by the same manufacturer as your router...

Cutting The Cable - Part 2 >>>

Fixing Politics

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:23:00 +0000

I haven't wrote anything on here in quite some time, and lately, been trying to avoid political discussions on social media websites such as Facebook, but I can feel myself being sucked back in. So without having to dig through my blogs, first I'll briefly describe my political stance and then dive a little deeper into specific topics.

I consider myself a left-leaning Libertarian-ish. For the most part, I agree with most of their platform, with exceptions. When some of you think "Libertarian" you automatically assume we're anarchists, which is untrue. Although most of us would love to "maximize" our freedoms as much as possible, I realize we do need government to simply keep balances and checks, including themselves. However, from personal experiences at the local political level, I can vouch that government has grown too big to even govern themselves. The more laws, regulations, etc. that you impose, the more officials and employees you must hire, raise taxes to pay these people, and then figure out how to manage them, and thus a vicious cycle. Eventually, government hits a breaking point. There's no more blank checks.

Education

Vitally important to me. It's a global economy, and if you want to compete globally, then you must educate your people. It's really that simple. However, as with most government programs, it's extremely inefficient. Depending upon your source, 50% to 75% of our U.S. tax dollars spent on public education doesn't even make it into the classroom. In other words, at least half is spent on administration. Absolutely ridiculous. Private companies can't afford this, so how can our government?

What I also find absurd is when budget cuts are needed, they hand it off to these useless/worthless administrators to handle, so they start cutting the important jobs first, our teachers, to save their own asses. Not how it's usually done in the private sector. I know, because I've worked in the private sector for over two decades. When done correctly, managers and supervisors are usually demoted or laid off first, simply because they aren't usually creating company assets themselves.

The average median income for school superintendents is almost $150k/year (http://www1.salary.com/School-Superintendent-Salaries.html), yet they'll lay off teachers who make about a third of that salary (http://www1.salary.com/Public-School-Teacher-Salary.html) instead of reducing or eliminating the salary of school superintendents. Stop paying these school superintendents these unproportionate salaries. Start eliminating administrative jobs. If at least 75% of our tax dollars allocated aren't going directly back into the classroom, then you might as well be burning our money in the schoolyard.

Minimum Wage

I have mixed opinions about minimum wage and how it effects our economy on different levels. On one hand, you can quickly and easily research the percentage growth of CEO salaries versus the stagnant growth of yearly incomes of average Americans, and how it also has become disproportionate over the last several decades. So our government wants to play "Robin Hood" and take from the wealthy to distribute this wealth to the lower income classes. Does it make it right? Perhaps, which is why I'm on the fence here. However, I'm not blind to the consequences, either.

For one, liberal leftists seem to hate these rich CEOs of these monopolized corporations, yet raising minimum wages only creates bigger and fewer monopolies because these small "mom and pop" shops can no longer afford to pay their workers. Seems "back asswards" to me. So it only makes sense to me that reducing or eliminating minimum wage would have the opposite effect, although I'm no economist. But I do have many family members who owned their own private businesses, only to be driven out of business because they can't compete on different levels, including wages. I do know that wages consume much of what a company pays, more so than other expenses, such as bills, rent, etc. To me, raising minimum wage only create bigger monopolies and fewer businesses - what liberal leftists claim to hate but created themselves.

Secondly, there's fewer businesses that have to compete with workers wages, so it's not like you have tons of choices like you did several decades ago. It's hard to threaten your current employer that you'll leave if they don't give you a pay raise when they know there's few places for you to go. That's called the free market, and not only works well with good and services, but also pay wages, too.

So how do you fix this problem of equalizing wealth among your citizens without creating these corporate monopolies? I'm completely open to any suggestions!

Taxes

This topic really burns me. Our tax system is so convoluted, and I honestly believe it's done on purpose. If I were to rewrite our tax code, it could probably fit on one page. For one, I'd have both a flat and fair tax systems.
First, I'd have a fixed 1% federal sales tax on all sales, much like a state sales tax. This percentage can never be changed. Ever. If anyone buys anything legally here in the U.S., regardless if you're a citizen or not, you're paying into the system. Period.
Secondly, I'd have a flat income tax percentage, perhaps based upon income. I haven't decided on any definite figures, but just created a spreadsheet of a very aggressive, progressive tax based upon your yearly income. Of course, I believe that if you're paying over 50% in taxes, then that's way too much! I'd prefer to keep it no more than 25%, personally.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P4IbcrZYkuPl3m8kXoeD1kmdKDXvDuHYjLHMjMue4pE/edit?usp=sharing

The Sims 3 Household

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 01:36:00 +0000

The Sims 3 Household

These are obvious wise choices when designing a Sim for a specific purpose...

Artsy Fartsy
Description: Want a Sim who's into anything and everything art, books, and music?
Traits:

Artistic
Bookworm
Couch potato
Perfectionist
Virtuoso

Favorite Food: Mac and Cheese

Lifetime Wish: Renaissance Sim

Career: Music (Rock Star)

Lifetime Rewards:

Opportunistic (10,000)
Fast Learner (15,000)
Multi-tasker (10,000)
Office Hero (5,000)
Extra Creative (30,000)
Acclaimed Author (30,000)

Hints/Tips:

Since your career is music, focus practicing your guitar first and learning a new song every level.
Once you have achieved your music career, focus on painting and writing books.

The Chef

Description: Every house needs a good cook! This Sim focuses on being the self-sufficent chef.
Traits:

Angler
Green Thumb
Loves the Outdoors
Natural Cook
Perfectionist

Favorite Food: Lobster Thermidor

Lifetime Wish: Renaissance Sim

Career: Culinary (Celebrated Five-Star Chef)

Lifetime Rewards:

Opportunistic (10,000)
Fast Learner (15,000)
Steel Bladder (10,000)
Multi-tasker (10,000)
Office Hero (5,000)
Dirt Defiant (15,000)
Super Green Thumb (20,000)

Hints/Tips:

I'd recommend to raise Fishing skill as quickly as possible. Immediately take a fishing class at the grocery store in town. Also read books from the bookstore on how to catch different types of fish everytime you level.
Immediately take a class in Gardening at your town's local science lab. Use your caught fish as fertilizer.
Lastly, take a class in the Cooking skill at your town's local restaurant and focus on Cooking using caught fish, and gardened fruits and veggies.

The Diplomat

Description: You're all about being a politician, making new friends, and throwing great parties!
Traits:

Charismatic
Excitable
Friendly
Good Sense of Humor
Schmoozer

Favorite Food: Waffles

Lifetime Wish: Leader of the Free World

Career: Political (Leader of the Free World)

Lifetime Rewards:

Opportunistic (10,000)
Observant (5,000)
Office Hero (5,000)
Legendary Host (5,000)
Multi-tasker (10,000)
Never Dull (10,000)
Attractive (15,000)
Long Distance Friend (20,000)

Hints/Tips:

Immediately take a class in Charisma in the town's government building.
Become best friends with everyone in your household asap!
Avoid using mirrors to raise your Charisma skill. Studying at the library is faster.
If you invite neighbors over, be sure to have your cook prepare a meal in advance so they won't leave if/when your guests get hungry.

The Jock

Description: Do I need to explain?
Traits:

Athletic
Brave
Genius
Loves the Outdoors
Lucky

Favorite Food: Autumn Salad
Lifetime Wish: Perfect Mind, Perfect Body
Career: Law Enforcement (Special Agent)
Lifetime Rewards:

Opportunistic (10,000)
Fast Metabolism (5,000)
Office Hero (5,000)
Multi-tasker (10,000)
Steel Bladder (10,000)
Dirt Defiant (15,000)
Hardly Hungry (25,000)

Hints/Tips:

As soon as he finishes work, make him jog home every day from work. If he's running erands and not on a tight time retraint, make him jog everywhere!
If possible, use the treadmills and workout machines at the gym instead because of the bonus offered at the gym.

The Nerd

Description: Don't bother getting him a job or a career, because he'll make his money hacking and winning chess tournaments.
Traits:

Computer Whiz
Couch potato
Genius
Handy
Lucky

Favorite Food: Grilled Cheese
Lifetime Wish: The Tinkerer
Career: None
Lifetime Rewards:

Opportunistic (10,000)
Fast Learner (15,000)
Speedy Cleaner (5,000)
Steel Bladder (10,000)
Hardly Hungry (25,000)
Collection Helper (40,000)

Hints/Tips:

Since you're "self-employeed", you'll need to hack every night, win chess tournaments, and take opportunities whenever possible to earn income.
Don't upgrade anything in your household to "Unbreakable" until you've completed the repair challenges!

____________________________________________________________________________
And for something completely different...

The Evil Emperor
Description: Want to play something evilly fun? (^_^)
Traits:

Ambitious
Evil
Inappropriate
Insane
Mean Spirited

The Challenge
Description: This isn't called "The Challenge" for nothing!
Traits:

Absent-Minded
Clumsy
Grumpy
Loser
Hot-Headed

Mike Patton

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 00:14:00 +0000

"Who's that?" you may ask. For those of you who was born before 1985 may know him as the lead singer of FNM (Faith No More), as shown in the video below. However, most of us probably didn't notice the white t-shirt he was wearing occasionally...

But FNM wasn't Mike Patton's only band. He's been in quite a few, and has helped with vocals in many other projects.

Mr. Bungle

A college friend of mine in the early 1990s convinced me to buy their first self-titled album and their second album, Disco Volante. I'm not mentioning any names, Nathan (LOL). Mind you this was years before broadband Internet, YouTube, and many other online resources where you could listen to music before you bought it. Back in these days, unless you knew someone who already had the album, you were taking a big risk with your $15. I was angry because I hated these albums, and thought I wasted $30 of my hard-earned money. Since I had already opened them, I couldn't return them, so I figured I would give these albums a few more tries. Mr. Bungle went from being my most hated Mike Patton band to my top three most favorite bands of all time. Their bassist, Trevor Dunn, is also amazing, and is in a few other Mike Patton bands (excluding FNM).

They've made several demo albums before their self-titled album, but their self-titled album is usually considered their "first". It's funky jazz rock meets deranged carnival/circus music along with stuff you'd expect to hear in a Pee-wee Herman show with offensively hilarious lyrics. Two of their most loved songs by most fans are "Squeeze Me Macaroni" and "Girls of Porn" (both containing explicit lyrics)...

Personally, "Dead Goon" is also a great song, until you realize what the song lyrics are about, and then you wish that you didn't (LOL). But seriously, "Dead Goon" is probably the most disturbing songs I've ever heard in my entire life.

I personally consider Disco Volante to be their musical genius album, since they drifted away from the deranged carnival/circus music into other genres, such as combining various forms of metal with techno, 1950's (both Beach Boys and Elvis), music from The Munsters, Italian James Bond music, avant-garde jazz, elevator music in a psychotic horror movie, weird sound effects/samples, and whatever else floated their boat. One of my personal favorites from Disco Volante is called "Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz", or as I lovingly call it, "The Cartoon Song", since it reminds me of Looney Tunes intoxicated, and high on both acid and crack. My kids love it.

I never could get into their third album, California, because it was mostly 1950s music, but I may give it another try again soon. Here's my personal favorite song from that album...

Fantômas

If I thought Mr. Bungle was hard to get into, Fantômas was even harder. Their first self-titled album (as the cover album art implies) sometimes sounds like background music for a low budget, B-rated 1960s sci-fi movie that you'd quickly pass by on Netflix. It's been regarded as "anti-music", and Mike Patton doesn't even sing throughout the entire album, but uses his voice as "special effects", if you will. But you'd think with a superband line-up such as Mike Patton doing vocals, Buzz Osborne of Melvins playing guitar, Trevor Dunn of Mr. Bungle playing bass, and Dave Lombardo of Slayer playing drums, that it would be funky jazz metal. Nope, not really. It is considered "avant-garde" (experimental) metal, and here's a sample...

I need to listen to their newer albums because I've heard Fantômas have changed styles since their first self-titled album.

Tomahawk

Oh, how do I discribe Tomahawk? To me, IMHO, it kind'a sounds like Faith No More combined with some Native American music, but has ventured down a very strange, dark path. I like some of it, but not all of it, but perhaps it needs to grow on me more. Here's a sample...

Peeping Tom

It's Mike Patton doing electronica/hip hop. Yes, that's right, but it's actually not that bad. To me, it has kind of a sexy sound quality to it. Before you judge, here's a sample below. Just give Peeping Tom a try...

Mondo Cane

It's Mike Patton singing 1950s and 1960s Italian pop songs with a 40-piece orchestra (and you though him singing electronica/hip hop was strange). Still don't believe me? Here's proof...

Miscellaneous

And he's done work with plenty of other acts, bands, and even video games. For example, here's Mike Patton with John Zorn...

Mike Patton is more talented than most vocalists, and I consider him to be a true musical genius. Turns out Mike Patton, and not Axl Rose, is the greatest singer of all time.

From Me, Part 4

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 00:47:00 +0000

Inspired to write this song while listening to "jaHer" by Skinny Puppy

...Even though the lyrics has nothing to do with the song I wrote below, I wish I could borrow the music.

Begrudged... silence

Nothing left to say

Emotional violence

Skies turned to grey

Every... day...

I feel you drift away

Every... day...

I feel you slip away

...from me...

...from me

This... is...

Ripping me apart

This... is...

Tearing me apart

Every... day...

I see you walk away

Every... day...

I see you turn away

...from me...

...from me

Years of neglect

Filled with resent

Lifetime of regret

Spent in lament

What can I do

To right this wrong?

How can I prove

This love's still strong

...from me...

...from me?

We... are...

Falling apart

We... are...

Growing apart

Every... day...

I feel you push away

Every... day...

I feel you pull away

...from me...

...from me

Tears like rain

Wash over me again

Break these chains

Wash away this pain

...from me...

...from me.

- by Mickey

Political Discussion: Part 2 + Rant

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 19:07:00 +0000

<< Political Discussion: Part 1

The primary reason we have to stress about terrorism here in the U.S. is because of our involvement policing the world. And because of our involvement, we are associated as being an enemy because we befriend and side with their enemies. Long before the Korean War, we often refrained from interfering/intervening, and we rarely ever worried about terrorism happening here in the U.S. If my memory serves me correctly, we didn't get involved in WW2 only until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, after Hitler had already taken control most of western Europe. Until then, we did nothing, and at that time, our international policy was to not interfere/intervene unless we were directly involved and our national security was compromised. Now, we can no longer afford to police the world when we can't even afford to police ourselves. Still worried about our borders? I've got a simple solution for that too that not only increases national security, but reduce military spending. Reallocate all of our military personnel from all over the world back to our country, and put them on guard duty to patrol our borders. Boom. Problem solved. We'll greatly increase our border protection, and reduce costs by not having to ship supplies to our military overseas. However, we still should make immigration as easy/simple as possible. Our ancestors were once immigrants here, and I never want to deny access to anyone who could become a contributing/prosperous citizen to our country. In my teens, I spent two weeks in Mexico (and no, not in the Americanized tourist areas, either) around Monterrey and Guadalajara, and personally witnessed why people strive to come to our country, both legally and illegally. Unfortunately, we've been involved policing and siding with other countries, factions, regimes, etc. for so long to make anything suggested in this paragraph feasible/plausible. We're in far too deep for far too long to get out now.

I also believe in fewer laws, but strictly/severely enforce the few laws that we do have. People may argue with me on this, but the War on Drugs is a disaster and a failure, both economically and poorly executed. I don't believe that all drugs should be made legal, but the punishment should never be jail/prison. I also believe that no one should be incarcerated for prostitution, either. Jail/prison should only be reserved for those who commit violent crimes (molestation, murder, rape, etc.). We lead second in the ENTIRE WORLD for incarceration rates per capita (see http://en.wikipedia.org/.../List_of_countries_by...

). Our tax dollars are paying to incarcerate these non-violent criminals, to build more jails/prisons, and spent for private prison lobbyists push legislation to incarcerate even more. If we have fewer people incarcerated, then those who are incarcerated will spend more time incarcerated since we'll have more room for prisoners, and without having to build more jails/prisons. Not to mention, we would minimize the possibility of “creating” (teaching) more future violent criminals when the non-violent criminals no longer serve time with violent criminals (make contacts, join gangs, learn behaviors, etc.). My mother was once a teacher in a juvenile prison, and she can personally attest that this happens. Isn't it time to break this cycle?

To conclude, I want Democrats to stay out of our wallets, and I want the Republicans to stay out of our bedrooms. I vote for third party candidates who still seem honest, genuine, and sincere about wanting REAL change, and not the same empty promises people want to hear. Most people argue that voting for third party candidates is throwing your vote away, but I retort that voting for the same failed policies, voting for the same old political games, and voting for the same two political parties that got us here in this mess in the first place is throwing your vote away. Albert Eisenstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”, yet we continuously vote for the same old political rhetoric and lies, expecting different results. Both the Democrat and Republican parties have become far too corrupt with personal interests funded by corporations, special interest groups, and lobbyists to actually care what's best for the country as a whole and for the average American citizen. He who has the most money influences legislature now, and only until you remove the corruption from our political system will you ever see any REAL change. You may find yourself voting for "the lesser of the two evils", but in the end, aren't you still just voting for evil?

Rant:

Crap, now I'm all riled up and angry...
Republicans say they want smaller government, yet they've increased our police and their powers to fight their war on drugs, they increased the size of our military to fight their war on terrorism, and they've increased the powers of the CIA/FBI/NSA to enforce their Patriot Act. How's that decreasing the size of the government?!
Democrats say they fight for the homeless, yet they create regulations and strict housing codes, driving up the cost of homes, and increasing property taxes. How's that helping the homeless?!
Parties of hypocrites and liars. Ugh, I'm fed up with the fed.

Political Discussion: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 19:02:00 +0000

This started as a political discussion between two Democrat and Republican friends of mine on Facebook that turned into a rant. It's long, but here it is in its entirety...

I commend you both for having this discussion, however, here's my rebuttal for both arguments. If my comments seem all over the place, it's only because I'm attempting to reference both your arguments, starting from top to bottom.

History bears witness that both major parties, Democrats and Republicans, have shown to be too incompetent and greedy to actually resolve many of the issues we are facing, and it seems the situation is slowly getting worse, with a continual rise of our national debt, extreme fluctuations in our economy and market, jobs loss overseas, government dependency/inefficiency/intervention, crime, wars, gradual tax increases, more restrictions/regulations, and the list goes on and on. Both parties have had their chances. For brief moments of the past few decades, both parties have had majority control over at least two out of three federal legislative branches, and yet, we continue on this overall steady decline. Taxes have risen under control of both parties, these tax dollars are wasted, and our elected officials accomplish very little or nothing positive.

To start, although I believe in fewer regulations, we should still protect ourselves and the environment. Sensible regulation that promote both economical growth, yet healthy living conditions for our kids and grand kids. For example, reducing or even removing regulations that regulate cost/prices, geographical location, etc. that we often see in the healthcare system will also lower taxes (fewer laws mean fewer government officials needed to regulate these laws), promote a free market, reduce costs for everyone (due to competition), promotes efficiency, etc. However, specific markets (such as the healthcare system), spend millions to lobby against such legislature, creating monopolies and market dominance, higher costs due to lack of competition, inefficiencies, etc. Even Bill Clinton once agreed with Republicans that private health insurance companies shouldn't be confined within state lines, and should compete nationally. Watch http://www.foxnews.com/.../bill-clinton-enters-no-spin-zone/

...and if you like, skip to about 4:30 into the interview. And while on this topic, fewer officials to regulate fewer laws will help resolve issues with the “over-policing” of citizens, unlawful seize of private property, higher taxes, etc. But small businesses fail, and mega-corporations thrive not in spite of, but because of government regulations (http://youtu.be/7bLcja6Qe0I)

The majority of our tax dollars spent for public education is wasted in administrative costs. It's estimated that somewhere between that 50% to 75% of our tax dollars allotted to public education never makes it to the classroom (depending upon your sources). Our teachers who make $30k/year have to spend money out of their own pockets for their classrooms, while the average school superintendent makes $146k/year (http://www1.salary.com/School-Superintendent-Salary.html

). I don't mind spending money into public education, as long as it's spent wisely.

The free market system (capitalism) has proven time and time again that true socialism (such as communism) is a failure. Even China has adapted a minor form of capitalism, changing some of their economic policies to include private business/ownership in their country to survive and grow. I highly recommend watching this 2 hour 41 minute video by PBS titled “Heaven on Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism” at http://youtu.be/c_uCqAHW0bw
A truly free market works in everyone's best interest only if the government interferes/intervenes in the free market as little as possible.

Political Discussion: Part2 + Rant >>

Crossroad, Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 01:32:00 +0000

Inspired to write this song while listening to "haZe" by Skinny Puppy...

I also borrowed some lyrics from a song I love called "In Power We Entrust The Love Advocated" by Dead Can Dance...

Blind-sighted by the inevitable
Came full circle back once before
Unaccustomed instability
Adrift in the sea of uncertainty

Inadequate. Disappoint. Discontent
Unfulfilled. Incomplete. Resent

Standing alone at another crossroad
Disabled by fears which course to take
Uncharted territory seems familiar
Just coincidence, or is this my fate?

Unveiled beneath the disguise
Wounded truth by harmless lies
Unhealed memories bleeding again
Welcome demons like long lost friends

Injured. Regret. Helpless
Surreal. Exhausted. Hopeless

Standing together at a crossroad
Disabled by fears which course to take
Uncharted territory seems familiar
Just coincidence, or is this our fate?

"Crossroad, Part 3" by Mickey Buchanan

The Bottom of the Abyss, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 May 2014 03:39:00 +0000

Thoughts weighing heavy of deceit

While agonizing tears of grief

Rain down your pale white cheeks

Just for a brief moment of release

Lest we ever soon to forget

Broken lives filled with regrets

Angered memories of resent

Breached trust with fraudulent intent

Two lives spinning and weaving

In two opposite directions

Twisting and turning down

Into a spiral of hopelessness

While wading through the darkness

We gently touched the Bottom of the Abyss

Through all of this uncertainty

It is very difficult to see

A formidable reality

Of what each of us could be

Guilt and shame are one and the same

That bears false witness of who’s to blame

Pointing fingers and screaming out names

As no one wins in our tainted game

Two lives spinning and weaving

In two opposing directions

Twisting and turning down

Into a spiral of emptiness

While wading through the obscurity

We softly touched the Bottom of the Abyss

We’ve lost ourselves to none other

We’ve lost ourselves to each other

We’ve lost ourselves to all other

We’ve lost ourselves in each other

“The Bottom of the Abyss, Part 2” by Mickey

Learning To Cope, Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 May 2014 03:35:00 +0000

Filled with fear and filled with stress

Mirror in your eyes reflect loneliness

Within your soul resonates emptiness

Trying to remember what’s happiness

Facing and befriending our demons

Which have all grown into a legion

Constantly changing with the seasons

Spent seeking out some sort of reason

Drifting down this gradual slope

I had just caught a brief glimpse of hope

Learning to live or learning to cope

Descending down this rushing slope

I had just missed a brief glimpse of hope

Am I dying to live or trying to cope?

Love and trust waxes and wanes

Counting our loses and our gains

As bitterness is all that remains

Attempt breaking animosity’s chains

Lack of esteem and lack of respect

Although what else could one expect?

Waiting for the unknown to take effect

Quietly anticipating the disconnect

Accelerating down this continuous slope

We had just caught a brief glimpse of hope

Learning to live or learning to cope

Falling down this hastening slope

We had just missed a brief glimpse of hope

Are we dying to live or trying to cope?

You’ve lost who you are and what you want

Lives lived together yet living apart

We’ve lost who we are and what we want

Lives lived together yet living apart

“Learning To Cope, Part 1” by Mickey

Stronghold Kingdoms

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 14:41:00 +0000

Stronghold Kingdoms

This isn't a Beginner's or Newbie's Guide, but stuff I wish I knew before I started playing. I've never played any of the previous Stronghold games before, and even though there are a couple of good game resources on the internet, unfortunately, I didn't understand enough before I started playing.

If you are impatient, Stronghold Kingdoms isn't the game for you. It's a lot of “hurry up and wait”, and only gets worse as you progress. It's a great game for the casual gamer, one who likes to play a game for several minutes a day. It moves very quickly in the beginning, but gradually slows down. I encourage for you to read through the game's Official Stronghold Kingdoms Wiki and Stronghold Kingdoms Advanced Guide - Beginner's Guide - The Honour Route

Continue reading this after you finished the game's tutorial.

When you first start playing, you only have three days before your free Premium Token runs out, and so anticipate you'll spend the first three days playing the game a lot. The biggest advantage of the Premium Token is you can build and research up to five items at a time versus only one at a time. The ability of moving any building around (except your Village Hall) is also a nice bonus for new players who's still learning and experimenting. Take advantage of the 3-Day Premium Token when you first start playing!

Research Points

Although most game guides emphasize how important building and researching Arts, Decoration, and Literature, I don't think these websites stress how important these buildings and research really are. To me, the most important aspect of the game is research, and in order to gain Research Points, you must upgrade your rank (level up). And you only get three Research Points every time you upgrade your rank, so you have to spend them very wisely! Research Arts, Decoration, and Literature at every possible chance, and keep these maxed at all times! This will greatly increase the Honour Points you get every day (think of Honour Points like Experience Points), thus you'll be able to upgrade your rank much more quickly. Building both Decorative and Entertainment buildings near your Village Hall helps increase this (discussed below).

One thing that I did do right was max Tools, to reduce building cost. The more you build, the more expensive everything gets! So try to max out Tools as quickly in the beginning of the game!

Next, try to maximize both Forestry and Stone Quarrying. The bigger your Stronghold gets, the more buildings cost to build, and will require more of these two resources.

Research Plough as quickly to 4th level as quickly as possible, so you have access to Hops Farming, Wheat Production, and Vegetable Cropping. Your game peeps enjoy having access to a wide variety of food, and more food sources increases the Honour Points you receive per day!

You'll want to start researching most of your food. If you wish to sell and make lots of money, I recommend dumping most of your Research Points into whatever items sells for most at your local Stock Exchange. For example, if 500 Vegetables sells for more than anything else, then I would dump most of your Research Points into Vegetable Cropping first, and then possibly Wheat Production if it sells for second most.

Lastly, in the first few days of game play, you'll want to spend...

At least two Research Points into Scouts, one Research Point into Foraging, and one Research Point into Horsemanship. Being able to Forage quickly helps offset times of when you're low on food, wood, or stone. Foraging a Research Stash (a bag with a question mark) also gives additional Honour Points, and whoever (player) get to it first gets these extra Honour Points!

You'll also want to spend two Research Points on Mathematics, one Research Point on Merchants Guilds so you can sell excess food and resources. Anytime you have a spare Resource Point to give, spend it in Mathematics.

Spend two Research Points on Engineering, one Research Point on Stockpile Capacity, and one Research Point on Grainery Capacity. You'll want to spend points into these later as your village grows and need more room to store food and resources.

Buildings

Placing your buildings to maximize productivity is everything in this game! During the first three days of the Premium Token, spend it wisely experimenting. The only building you can't move is the Village Hall.

If I had to choose what are the most important building types in the game, it would have to be Decorative, followed by Entertainment, since they directly influence your Honour Points. Build as many of these types as quickly as possible! You'll want to place your Decorative buildings as close to the Village Hall as possible, followed by Entertainment.

At first, you'll want to start off with at least five Woodcutter's Huts, five Stone Quarries, and five Hovels. You'll also want one of each of these: Apple Orchard, Dairy Farm, Inn, Brewery, Bakery, and Vegetable Farm. You'll want to try to triple the amounts of these buildings as quickly as possible, except for the Inn and the Market (you'll only need one of each). Build the Woodcutter's Huts and Stone Querries as far away from their respective resources as possible, but as near to the stock pile as possible. Move the stockpile around to get the most wood and stone per day, and according to what resource you need the most. Move it back somewhere in the middle

Once you have built three farms of each type and have at least four Research Points in the corresponding food types, you'll be able to double your food and ale rations, thus increasing your earned Honour Points.

Allies

Since people can start attacking you after you've been playing for about a week, making friends and powerful allies can be the difference between being attacked and not being attacked. Become allies/friends with anyone and everyone around you.

YouTube Tutorials

Shkdru has done several Stronghold Kingdom tutorials, including Stronghold Kingdoms Tutorial - Beginners Walk-Through

DDO Dwarven Defender Paladin

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 May 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Dungeons & Dragon Online:

Dwarven Defender "Paladin" (Cleric/Fighter)

I've been playing DDO again lately, and like most other MMORPGs I've researched, often tried calculating the "best" type of character possible, squeezing out as much as I can from my characters. I often like to play a "jack of all trades, but master of none". One who's not superior at a single, specific task, but can perform at least a couple of different roles, and preferably more. Since I get bored easily if I feel like I'm grinding at the same monotonous task repeatedly, I like to drop what I'm doing and move onto something else until I'm ready to come back. This even effects my gaming style to a degree that I like for my characters to be quite self-sufficient, relying upon others as little as possible, and even perhaps offer a helping hand, when needed. Now, onto what I designed...

First of all, I'm not a fan of Paladins, neither the old-school PnP (pen and paper) AD&D (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons) 2nd or 3rd Editions, and I'm especially not a fan of the changes Turbine made to Paladins in DDO to fit their game. So, after studying DDO's Paladin class, I was convinced that I could make a better "Paladin", using a combination of Cleric and Fighter classes, who could outfight DDO's Paladin class, but could also "outspell" them, too. Basically, making a better Paladin.

My first objection was to overcome Paladin's hit dice, which is the same as a Fighter's d10. So, for this instance, I decided to go with a Dwarf because of their +2 Constitution, and pump up their Constitution to help make up for the Cleric's d8 hit dice. Plus both Dwarves and Fighters have access to Enhancements that increase their hit points, which helps. Next, Paladins have access up to 4th level Cleric spells, meaning that I would have to dual class with a Cleric up to level 8 to have access to the same spells. But Dwarves also have access to a lot of Armor and Shield Enhancements, thus my version of the Dwarven Defender "Paladin" was born, although not quite the same as the Dwarven Defender Prestige Class in D&D 3.x Edition, which was strictly a Fighter class. Now, onto the stats!

Starting Abilities (28-point)

Strength: 16
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 18
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 6
+1 Strength at every 4th character level

Ok, so maybe he's not the best at turning undead or skills, but at least he can cast 4th level Cleric spells, has decent hit points, and should be able to hold his own in melee combat. Even though you could technically go straight through 12th level Fighter before switching to Cleric, I like to mix it up a bit to keep it a little more interesting...

Class Level Progress / Skill Points

Fighter / Jump +2 / Swim +2
Fighter / Jump +1
Cleric / Concentration +1
Fighter / Swim +1
Cleric / Concentration +1
Fighter / Jump +1
Cleric / Concentration +1
Fighter / Swim +1
Cleric / Concentration +1
Fighter / Jump +1
Cleric / Concentration +1
Fighter / Swim +1
Cleric / Concentration +1
Fighter / Jump +1
Cleric / Concentration +1
Fighter / Swim +1
Cleric / Concentration +1
Fighter / Jump +1
Fighter / Swim +1
Fighter / Jump +1

...which will result in a 12th level Fighter and an 8th level Cleric. Going the above route will give you 1st level Cleric spells at 3rd character level versus the Paladin's 4th level. Now, here's a feats list:

1st Level General Feat - Toughness
1st Level Bonus Feat - Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
2nd Level Bonus Feat - Shield Mastery
3rd Level General Feat - Diehard
6th Level General Feat - Stunning Blow
6th Level Bonus Feat - Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons
9th Level General Feat - Power Critical
10th Level Bonus Feat - Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
12th Level General Feat - Improved Shield Mastery
14th Level Bonus Feat - Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
15th Level General Feat - Power Attack
18th Level General Feat - Empower Healing Spell
18th Level Bonus Feat - Improved Sunder
20th Level Bonus Feat - Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons

Lastly, the Enhancements...

Dwarf 1 (Fighter 1 / Cleric 0)

Fighter Toughness 1
Fighter Armor Class Boost 1
Fighter Armored Agility 1
Fighter Improved Intimidate 1

Dwarf 2 (Fighter 2 / Cleric 0)

Fighter Strength 1
Dwarven Axe Damage 1

Dwarf 3 (Fighter 2 / Cleric 1)

Dwarven Constitution 1
Dwarven Racial Toughness 1
Fighter Item Defense 1

Dwarf 4 (Fighter 3 / Cleric 1)

Fighter Armor Mastery 1
Fighter Tower Shield Mastery 1

Dwarf 5 (Fighter 3 / Cleric 2)

Dwarven Axe Attack 1
Fighter Critical Accuracy 1
Fighter Strategy: Sunder 1

Dwarf 6 (Fighter 4 / Cleric 2)

Fighter Improved Intimidate 2
Fighter Strategy: Stunning Blow 1
Fighter Toughess 2

Dwarf 7 (Fighter 4 / Cleric 3)

Dwarven Axe Damage 2 (4)

Dwarf 8 (Fighter 5 / Cleric 3)

Dwarven Constitution 2

Dwarf 9 (Fighter 5 / Cleric 4)

Fighter Armor Class Boost 2
Dwarven Armor Mastory 1

Dwarf 10 (Fighter 6 / Cleric 4)

Fighter Stalwart Defender 1

Dwarf 11 (Fighter 6 / Cleric 5)

Fighter Strength 2

Dwarf 12 (Fighter 7 / Cleric 5)

Dwarven Axe Attack 2

Dwarf 13 (Fighter 7 / Cleric 6)

Fighter Critical Accuracy 2
Dwarven Armored Agility 1
Dwarven Shield Mastery 1

Dwarf 14 (Fighter 8 / Cleric 6)

Fighter Strategy: Sunder 2
Fighter Strategy: Stunning Blow 2

Dwarf 15 (Fighter 8 / Cleric 7)

Fighter Specified Weapon Specialization
Cleric Prayer of Life 1
Racial Toughness 2

Dwarf 16 (Fighter 9 / Cleric 7)

Cleric Life Magic 1
Dwarven Faith 1
Dwarven Spell Defense 1
Dwarven Poison Resistance 1

Dwarf 17 (Fighter 9 / Cleric 8)

Cleric Energy of the Zealot 1
Cleric Life Magic 2
Cleric Prayer of Incredible Life 1

Dwarf 18 (Fighter 10 / Cleric 8)

Dwarven Poison Resistance 2
Dwarven Spell Defense 2

Dwarf 19 (Fighter 11 / Cleric 8)

Cleric Energy of the Zealot 2
Cleric Prayer of Life 2

Dwarf 20 (Fighter 12 / Cleric 8)

Fighter Stalwart Defender 2
Cleric Empower Healing 1

As you may notice, it's a nice blend of both offensive and defensive Feats and Enhancements. Sure, he won't be able to DPS as well as a Fighter, nor will he be able to cast as many powerful spells like a Cleric, but that's not his purpose. His role is to be a better Paladin than what DDO's Paladin class is. He'll fit well among very small groups of people who lack either a Cleric and/or a Fighter, possibly able to fill both roles. He'll mostly need to rely upon Rogues for hidden/locked doors and traps. As far as Cleric spells go, only focus on buffs and healing spells. And since he will help keep himself and his group alive rather than on DPS, I focused mostly on passive Feats and Enhancements versus those that are active.

To view the full character build, please visit...

http://www.ddochargen.com/home.aspx?build=49557

Computer Protection

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 03:27:00 +0000

Computer Protection

When most people think about protecting their computer, they only think about installing an anti-virus, and making sure they're behind a firewall. However, there has been a great increase of advertisement servers that have been getting attacked lately. Although major websites, such as Facebook, are usually safe, these major websites may use third party companies for advertising. Since these ad servers may have dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of customers, such as Facebook, attacking these ad servers is extremely appealing for hackers since they reach a much larger audience.

To make matters worse, a huge exploit (vulnerability) has been detected in Microsoft Internet Explorer that has been around since the early days of version 6...

http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/microsoft-ie-patch-fixes-flaw-under-acti/240007833

Besides keeping your antivirus and Microsoft Windows current and updated, switching from Microsoft Internet Explorer to another web browser may help reduce your risks. Two free web browsers I highly recommend are...

Google Chrome - http://www.google.com/chrome/

Mozilla Firefox - http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/

However, just using these web browsers alone won't help keep you protected. You will also need to block these ad servers. To do that, you will also need to install an extension (also known as add-ons or plug-ins) called AdBlock Plus for both Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Once you have installed Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, please visit http://adblockplus.org/, and downloand and install the AdBlock Plus extension for either Google Chrome or Mozilla firefox. Not only will AdBlock block these ad servers, but they also block the advertisements from displaying in your web browser! Websites will look much cleaner without all of those annoying ads!

Lastly, to help warn you of potentially harmful websites, I highly recommend also installing WOT (Web Of Trust). First, you'll need to create an account at http://www.mywot.com/. Then you'll need to download and install the extensions for either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. When you attempt to access a website with malicious intent, WOT will give you this warning...

Please share this with others!

Dead Can Dance Tickets

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 02:13:00 +0000

Dead Can Dance Concert Tickets

Selling Dead Can Dance concert tickets at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, GA

Second row seats located in the Center Orchestra Section, Row AA, Seats 109 and 110 (adjacent seats for two people).

$100/seat x 2 = $200 total

How To Setup A Free Home Web Server

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 16:53:00 +0000

How To Setup A Free Home Web Server

And why on earth would someone want to do this? For a few reasons...

Personally, it's so that I can teach myself the various aspects of web hosting, such as the software used (Apache/Tomcat, MySQL, etc.), along with HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, SQL, etc. Running your own home web server is a great way to learn all of the different aspects of a web server!
Secondly, you can share whatever you like (docs, pics, music, etc.) instantly anywhere in real time, as long as your home web server is on and connected to the internet!
Most "free" web hosting serves have restrictions, such as bandwidth, annoying advertisements, etc. You avoid these restrictions by hosting your own home web server.
And lastly, it's fun!!! Well, for us geeks and nerds, it's fun, anyways. :-)

DISCLAIMER:

I have to write this simply because you will be opening your computer system more to the internet, meaning that anyone and everyone will have greater access to your computer. With this being said, I cannot guarantee that someone with malicious intent will not attempt to attack or hack your computer!
With that in mind, I also don't recommend publicizing your home web server to the world. "What fun is that?", you may ask. Not only are you inviting hackers, but your internet bandwidth could become drastically slow, reducing it down to a crawl like back in the days when people were using dial-up connections. Most home users don't have the needed internet bandwidth to handle dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of other users accessing your home web server all at once! Your home web server should only be used for learning purposes only, and should only shared with close friends and relatives to enjoy. :-)

Recommendations:

Although these aren't requirements, they're definitely recommendations of what you'll want before getting started:

Desktop computer
Wired broadband internet, such as cable or DSL
Router
Basic network knowledge, and the time and willingness to learn!

Basic Network Knowledge:

I'm not going into a whole lot of details about this, because people go to school for many years just to learn all this stuff. However, there are several basic things you should know (listed in alphabetical order):

Apache - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_HTTP_Server
Broadband - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadband
Client - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client
Computer Program - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_program
CSS - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascading_Style_Sheets
DHCP - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_Host_Configuration_Protocol
DNS - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System
Domain Name - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name
FileZilla - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/FileZilla
FTP - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTP
HTML - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML
HTTP - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertext_Transfer_Protocol
Internet - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet
IP Address - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Protocol
ISP - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_service_provider
Java - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_(programming_language)
JavaScript - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript
Links - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link
Network - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network
Network Port - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_port
MySQL - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/MySQL
Perl - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perl
PHP - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/PHP
Programming Language - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programming_language
Router - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Router
Server - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server
SQL - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_Query_Language
URL - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Resource_Locator
Web Browser - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_browser
Web Pages - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webpage
Web Server - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_server
Website - http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Website

Computer:

Ok, now let's get started. The first thing we'll need to do is to get your computer ready.

If you're running a 3rd party firewall, such as one that comes in many antivirus internet security suites, you may want to disable it and simply turn on (enable) Windows built-in firewall. For most of us home users, a 3rd party firewall is a bit of an overkill, and may prevent internet access to and from your computer. Once you disable your 3rd party's firewall (if you have one), here's an article on how to enable Windows built-in firewall at http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000551.htm. If you don't have a 3rd party firewall, you should be able to skip this step and move onto the next.

You will also need to go into your network adapter settings and set the IP address from a dynamic IP address to a static one. Different versions of Windows have different steps. The article at http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/19249/how-to-assign-a-static-ip-address-in-xp-vista-or-windows-7/ does a great job at explaining how to do this, with screenshots and everything. HOWEVER, they demonstrate setting the last number in the IP address to a low number, and setting up all of your network devices to have their own static IP address. You only need to worry about the computer you're designating as your web server. Don't worry about the other stuff connecting to your home network, and let the router automatically assign them their own IP address (DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Depending upon how many devices (computers, tablets, gaming consoles, and other gadgets) you have connected to your home network, you may want to set the IP address number just for your home web server much higher. I have it set to my router's maximum at "254", and don't have to worry about any conflicts with my other network devices. If I ever make enough money to own 254 internet-enabled devices in my home, then I can afford to pay for a web hosting service! I also set my DNS settings to use Google's DNS server versus my ISP's DNS server, as demonstrated in the article above.

Router:

Now, the computer itself is ready for incoming and outgoing connections. This is where things start getting a little trickier... time to setup the router.

In order for your home web server to send and receive information, you have to tell the router where to send this specific information to and from. At this point, your router doesn't know what computer to do this with, so you must go into the settings for your router. Most router settings can be accessed using your web browser and going to http://192.168.1.1, but some may be different. Once you access your router, most require a login and password. Once again, this will be different for different routers, especially if you've already changed it. A website that tells how to port forward literally thousands of different routers is at http://portforward.com/. For now, only worry about forwarding ports "21" (FTP) and "80" (HTTP) to your home web server's IP address that you setup earlier.

Software:

Now, it's time to download, install, and setup the software. There are many free web server packages available on the internet, but from what I've read at the time of this post, XAMPP (http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-windows.html) is one of the best, easiest free packages available. But don't take my word for it, so here's a Wikipedia comparison chart of WAMPs (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Perl/Python) available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_WAMPs.

If you decided to go with XAMPP, I recommend installing everything as a service if you want everything to automatically run when you startup your home web server. By default, Apache will deny access to all incoming internet connections, so if you want to access your web server outside of your home network, you will need to change a setting in the "\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-xampp.conf" file. The easiest way to change this setting is to...

Open the XAMPP Control Panel
For Apache, click on "Stop" (on the same row as Apache), if the Apache service has been started.
For Apache, click on "Config" (on the same row as Apache)
Select "Apache (httpd-xampp.conf)"
Notepad should open this text file. Scroll down to the very bottom of the file.
Change the line that says "Deny from all" to "Allow from all".
Save
For Apache, click on "Start" (on the same row as Apache).

And now, Apache will accept all incoming requests!
The default folder you should put all of your HTML, CSS, and PHP files in is "\xampp\htdocs". Although you can organize your files and folders (directories) any way you wish, I recommend creating these folders:

"css" for CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
"htm" for other HTML files other than your index file (home)
"img" for image files (logos, pictures, photos, etc.)
"media" for music and video files (use sparingly!)
"php" for other PHP files other than your index file (home)
"script" for JavaScript files

If you attempt to run the Tomcat service on an x64 (64-bit) Windows operating system, you may run into service issues. I'll post how to fix this later.

DDNS:

After everything is setup and running, you're now able to access your home web server on the internet! But wait, how do I access it? Well, unless you want to pay your ISP (Internet Service Provider) about $5 per month for a static IP address, a free way around this is to use a DDNS (Dynamic Domain Name System) service. In a nutshell, you're assigned a DNS name of your choosing (with limits, of course), and this DNS name gets updated frequently whenever your IP address is changed by your ISP. This can be done a couple of different ways:

If your router supports it, your router can update your current IP address to the DDNS service.
Download and install software from the DDNS service that automatically updates your IP address.

Since my Netgear router only supports DynDNS (http://dyn.com/), that's the service I chose to go with. However, they require a credit card for a 14-day free trial. Once I got everything I wanted setup on their end, I cancelled the trial, and I still get to keep my one DNS name for free. After I had already set everything up, I had heard of issues of routers not properly updating the DDNS service correctly and frequently, so I downloaded and installed their updater client software (http://dyn.com/support/clients/windows/installguide/) anyways, so that my dynamic IP address from my ISP is updated by both my router and my computer. I didn't want to take any chances. ;-)

If you don't want to use a credit card, there are many other truly free DDNS services out there. A popular DDNS service at the time of this post is No-IP at http://www.no-ip.com/. No matter which DDNS service you choose, always be sure to download and install their updater client software so that your computer can always tell their DNS service what your ever-changing IP address currently is.

References:

For anyone who's wanting to learn HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, SQL, and much more, to help get you started, I highly recommend:
http://www.w3schools.com/
http://www.html.net/
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/learn/html

This article is mostly finished, but not completed!

NC Amendment 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:16:00 +0000

Please Vote AGAINST!

Although this shouldn't matter, but I'd first like to mention that I am a heterosexual male North Carolinian, happily married to an amazing wife, and I have three wonderful kids. I would also like to state that I am completely against North Carolina's Amendment One, and have mentioned so in many of my Facebook posts. But for anyone who cares, here's a few reasons why:

First and foremost, I believe it is unconstitutional, and against what our forefathers had intended. I know our forefathers wanted the states to have their own rights, but I also honestly believe they did not want our government to be a theocracy (ruled by a religious majority or organizations). Not that they wanted to remove religious beliefs, ethics, and morals from government, but they didn't want to make laws forming a national religion (as what had been done in England), but also didn't want a religious majority or religious organizations influencing the government, either. To me, when I read the first few of the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament, and the first Amendment of our Constitution of the United States, I personally feel that they conflict with each other, if not contradict each other. On one hand, the first few Commandments state to not worship any other gods or idols, whereas the first Amendment protects the right of any religion (and doesn't explicitly protect the rights of just Christians). So, I personally interpret these two differently: God wrote laws for His followers to obey. Our forefathers wrote the United States Constitution to protect the rights of all its citizens. Although both may share similar laws, not all of them should be shared. Many of the laws of God and the laws of men should be kept separate. No one wants a religion imposing their beliefs, ethics, and morals onto people of a different religion, so why should this be any different? Regardless of whether or not I agree with you, I do not want someone's religious ethics or morals enforced upon me. Period. No matter how some may want to distort and twist it, that is what is being done. Writing religious laws into political laws. The first and foremost purpose of our government is to protect the rights of all its citizens, and not writing laws to hinder or prohibit them.

By now, you're probably thinking I'm a liberal left-winger, but you're wrong. I may be a liberal leftist on social issues, but quite conservative on fiscal issues, which brings me to my next point: I cannot understand how ANY fiscal conservative could stand behind this unnecessary amendment! I'm angered by the wasted time and resources our state has spent on lawyers and the like to create such an amendment, let alone the time and resources trying to get it passed. Personally, I feel that there are much more important issues to deal with, such as taking steps to reverse our economy, bringing jobs back to North Carolina, reducing our unemployment rate, improving our public school system, etc. Worried about gay couples getting married isn't even on my list. In fact, even if this amendment doesn't pass doesn't mean that gay marriages are legal in North Carolina! It simply means that everything remains the same as it has always been: gay marriage is still illegal in North Carolina; which only confuses me as to why people are so worried about passing this Amendment. Regardless of what happens on Tuesday, May 8th, 2012, same sex marriage is still illegal in North Carolina on Wednesday, May 9th, 2012.

And speaking of May 8th, I can't help but feel somewhat critical or skeptical of why and when this Amendment came about. I was going to vote in the Republican primaries on May 8th, anyways, but this Amendment only drives me to the voting booth with that much more vigor and vigilance. I can't help but think it odd we're voting for this Amendment during the Republican primaries for what is considered an extremely critical point in our national, state, and local politics. North Carolina became a state in 1789, and we've done just fine without this amendment for 223 years, so why now? We were also the last Confederate state to secede from the union, and for good reason. We're also the last Southern state without a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. Just because all of the other neighboring Southern states has such Amendments doesn't mean that we need to have one. Let's not make a similar mistake again. Before Amendment One became so famous (or infamous), I never heard any commotion about changing any current civil union or marriage laws in North Carolina. To me it seems that this Amendment has only angered those of us who have never previously spoken out against these laws, and for different reasons.

I remember not that long ago, many Christians were very angry and upset that ObamaCare required religious institutions to provide abortion, birth control, and contraceptive services because it infringed their religious beliefs and freedoms. But it's perfectly fine when an amendment infringes the liberties and rights of others who don't believe the same way.

Look, we all can argue and debate what's right, what's wrong, and what the Bible says. My wife's a Christian and I am agnostic, but we both share the same views about Amendment One. When you remove all of the fluff and examine the core issue, it all comes down to whether or not you believe that God's interpreted laws should take precedence over men's laws. That's fine, if everyone believed the exact same way, but we don't, which is what makes America so great! Our diversity, individuality, and uniqueness makes this such a wonderful country to live in. We're all able to live, think, worship, and vote as we see fit; but this only works well when everyone regardless of gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation are all able to share in these and all other civil liberties and rights. "What's good for the goose is good for the gander."

Please Vote AGAINST!

I suppose I'm a Libertarian. I believe in equal rights for everyone, both organizations and citizens alike. Is that even possible? I'd like to think so, but it requires a lot less government intervention on all levels in all facets of life. I attempt to put aside my personal beliefs and opinions, and understand issues from opposing point-of-views. What is for the benefit and greater good of the whole? What would protect the privileges and rights of everyone, both citizens and organizations alike? From that perspective, Amendment One does the opposite of that. Our forefathers also wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." A very similar statement also appears in our own state's constitution (Article 1, Section 1). So, how exactly does Amendment One fit into this?

Free Web Development Tools

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:30:00 +0000

Free Tools For Beginning Web Designers And Developers

For anyone who's interested in creating basic websites, here's a few free software programs you'll need to get you started.

Internet Web Browsers

One of the most important tools any beginning web designer/developer will need are a couple or more web browsers. Unfortunately, web pages won't display the exact same in all web browsers, MSIE (Microsoft Internet Explorer) being the worst. You can install as many web browsers as you'd like, but there's a few popular ones many different people use, besides MSIE...

Google Chrome at http://www.google.com/chrome
Mozilla Firefox at http://www.mozilla.org/

Since Google Chrome uses the same rendering engine as Apple Safari, there's really no need to install both Apple Safari and Google Chrome, since all web pages should look identical in either web browser.

Adobe and Java

Many websites use Adobe and Java products, and the latest versions should always be installed. However, if you're thinking about using Java on your website, then I'd highly recommend installing the JDK (Java Development Kit) versus the JRE (Java Runtime Environment). The JRE is just for displaying Java, whereas JDK is for Java developers.

Adobe at http://www.adobe.com/downloads/
Java JDK at http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/

Editors

There are many editors you can use, some very expensive, some free, some WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get), and some text-based. Personally, I prefer the free, text-based editors. Although WYSIWYG editors are nice, they often add a ton of unneeded codes, blowing-up your web pages, thus taking longer for web browsers to render them. And the WYSIWYG editors that don't add a ton of useless codes aren't very powerful. However, if you've never made a web page in your life, don't know any HTML or CSS, then a decent WYSIWYG editor is Amaya. It's jointly made from the same people who write many of the web standards we all must conform to (W3C at http://www.w3.org/).

Amaya at http://www.w3.org/Amaya/

Learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Many web designers/developers, at one point or another, will start learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other programming languages due to the limitations of many WYSIWYG editors. Many go back to school, but many of us prefer to teach ourselves. There are many wonderful, free websites for people to learn and use their products and standards.

W3School at http://www.w3schools.com/
HTML.net at http://www.html.net/
Mozilla Developer Network at http://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/learn/
CSS Basics at http://www.cssbasics.com/
CodeAcademy at http://www.codecademy.com/

Once you start learning HTML and CSS, then it's time to start writing your own codes. Many of us started out using a very basic text editor like Notepad, but quickly found out how soon we needed something more powerful. The better solution to Notepad is called Notepad++. Not only does it give you line numbers (which is important when you're trying to figure out code issues), but it also colorizes different types of code so it's easier to separate code from content. You can even add a spell checker for those of us who write a lot of our own content.

Notepad++ at http://notepad-plus-plus.org/
ASpell spell checker at http://aspell.net/win32/

But eventually, even Notepad++ has its limitations.

Eclipse and Aptana

Eclipse is a free IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that helps assist designers/developers with writing codes. Aptana is a free plugin for Eclipse that assists specifically for writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Although Aptana comes in a stand-alone package (without having to install Eclipse), unfortunately, doesn't offer some features that Eclipse comes with, such as a spell checker. Also, Eclipse allows you to expand your horizons by offering support for Java and other programming languages. For this reason, I recommend downloading Eclipse, and installing the Aptana plugin versus the stand-alone package.

Eclipse at http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/
Aptana at http://www.aptana.com/

Not sure which flavor of Eclipse to download? That depends upon which programming language you want to use. However, for most beginners, I recommend either the Classic version or Eclipse IDE for JavaScript Web Developers, if you're thinking about learning JavaScript. You can also add a simple text file as a custom dictionary for Eclipse under Window -> Preferences -> General -> Editors -> Text Editors -> Spelling.

Dictionary.txt at http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/collections/interfaces/examples/dictionary.txt

Firefox and Chrome Web Developer Toolbar

I'm not a fan of toolbars. In fact, I hate them. But unlike most toolbars that provide yet, another worthless search bar, this one is specifically designed for web designers/developers without a search bar! Just only what you need to view different aspects of a web page, for both Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome web browsers.

Web Developer Toolbar at http://chrispederick.com/work/web-developer/

Digital Image Editors

At one point or another, may web designers/developers will want to add an image or two or ten on their website. Like other types of editors, there are some very expensive digital image editors, and there are very good free ones! Since there are a lot of free digital image editors geared toward different audiences, I'll narrow the choices down to two types and two choices:

Easy to use, but less functionality
Complex with tons of features

So, it depends upon your current knowledge and experience, and what you're willing to learn and try. If you want ease of use with the basic, standard features, then I recommend Pixlr. It's a free, online photo editor that doesn't require a software program to be downloaded and installed to use. My second recommendation for those who need Photoshop-like features is Gimp. Gimp has almost all of the features as those hundreds-of-dollars digital image editors, but for free. Unfortunately, all of those features do come with another price - it's not for the faint of heart to use! For those who's already familiar with Photoshop's interface may do well with GimpShop.

Web Page Validation

One important aspect of writing codes is to make sure that everything is correct, and that you are using the proper codes. One way of doing so is to verify your web pages with W3C, and also clean them up a little using HTML Tidy. Both are free, online tools, and don't require to download and install any software programs.

The W3C Markup Validation Service at http://validator.w3.org/
HTML Tidy at http://infohound.net/tidy/

Web Hosting Services

Eventually, at some point, you'll want to upload your web pages to a web hosting server for all of the world to see. What's the point of writing web pages if no one can view them? Most broadband ISPs (Internet Service Providers) offer a small amount of online storage with limited functionality, but with unlimited bandwidth. However, there are many free web hosting services that give you tons of features, but they display ads on your website, and have limited bandwidth. Once that bandwidth is used up, your web pages will be cut off from the rest of the world until the next month. Personally, I prefer to make do with the limited functionality but adless and limitless bandwidth my ISP gives me. However, here's a couple of articles that you may want to read...

How to build and host a website for free at http://www.techsupportalert.com/how-to-build-a-website-1.htm
Best free online applications and services at http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/best-free-online-applications-and-services.htm

If your website is for an organization (whether it's commercial or non-profit), most likely, you'll want to use a recognized, paid-for web hosting service. Paid-for web hosting services can vary from a couple bucks a month to about $30/month!

Uploading Your Website

Whatever online web hosting service you choose, you'll need a way to upload your web pages, images, and other files to their web hosting server. Most web hosting servers support FTP (File Transfer Protocol), and you will need to know your web host's FTP address, your login, your password, and any other settings they may require. Personally, I prefer to use FireFTP, a free addon extension for Mozilla Firefox, but some people prefer a separate software program, such as FileZilla.

FireFTP Client at http://fireftp.mozdev.org/
FileZilla Client at http://filezilla-project.org/

Eclipse IDE/Aptana Studio has a built-in "sync" option that automatically uploads your saved web page, which is very nice, but it's not very "user friendly" to setup. However, once you figure out how to set it up, it's definitely the best option, since it automatically uploads after you save any changes made to the web page you're editing.

Adobe Flash Versus HTML5 Canvas

For those who's thinking about putting money, effort, and time learning and using Adobe Flash, personally, I wouldn't, considering you could put the same effort and time learning HTML5's new Canvas abilities along with JavaScript. From what I've read and understood, the new HTML5 Canvas used in conjunction with JavaScript will be able to do anything and everything that Adobe Flash can do, without having to buy any expensive proprietary software programs. Using HTML5's Canvas plus JavaScript is free.

FixNet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:59:00 +0000

@ECHO OFF
BREAK OFF
COLOR 0F
SET PATH=%PATH%;%CD%
%SystemDrive%
CD "%SystemRoot%\system32"
CLS

ROUTE -F
IPCONFIG /RELEASE
IPCONFIG /RENEW
ARP -D *
NBTSTAT -R
IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS
NBTSTAT -RR
IPCONFIG /REGISTERDNS

NETSH INTERFACE IP RESET %SystemDrive%\ResetIP.txt
NETSH INTERFACE IPV4 RESET %SystemDrive%\ResetIPv4.txt
NETSH INTERFACE IPV6 RESET %SystemDrive%\ResetIPv6.txt
NETSH WINSOCK RESET CATALOG
NETSH WINHTTP RESET PROXY
NETSH INTERFACE IP SET ADDRESS NAME="Local Area Connection" SOURCE=DHCP
NETSH INTERFACE IP SET DNS NAME="Local Area Connection" SOURCE=DHCP

IF EXIST "%SystemRoot%\System32\Drivers\Etc" CD "%SystemRoot%\System32\Drivers\Etc"
IF EXIST Hosts ATTRIB -R -S -H Hosts
IF EXIST Hosts COPY /A /V /Y Hosts Hosts.Bak
IF EXIST Hosts ECHO 127.0.0.1 LocalHost > Hosts
IF EXIST Hosts ATTRIB +R +S +H Hosts

SHUTDOWN /R /T:1 /F
EXIT

Ultibuntu

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Ultimate Ubuntu

There are about as many Linux distros (distributions) as free software programs for Linux. I personally prefer Ubuntu because it’s so customizable and updated frequently. But there are many different flavors of Ubuntu, so I created this script (batch) file to automatically download and install many different desktops and common/popular software programs for both new and seasoned Ubuntu users to learn and try much of what Ubuntu has to offer. It’s intended to run on a central, main desktop computer than can be used as a powerful gaming/multimedia center. Installation may take at least a few hours, depending upon your computer and Internet speed! Most of the installation is fully automated, but some software programs may require user input before proceeding. Please watch installation occasionally. Download the script file at http://webpages.charter.net/drkstlkr/Ultibuntu.sh

I'll include instructions of how to make this script file executable soon!

Requirements:
At least 20GB of free HDD (hard drive) space on Ubuntu partition(s)
Broadband (high speed) Internet connection

Recommendations:
Dual-core CPU (processor) or better
2GB of system memory (RAM) or better
Non-integrated video card (ATI or NVIDIA)
Ubuntu installed on its own HDD (hard disk drive) partition(s)

Current List Of Ubuntu Additions:
Google, Medibuntu, and Mozilla Repositories
DKMS and Build Essentials

Desktops and Restricted Extras:
Ubuntu, including Gnome, Gnome Themes, and Restricted Extras
Edubuntu, including Edubuntu for KDE
Kubuntu, including KDE and Restricted Extras
Lubuntu, including LXDE and Restricted Extras
Mythbuntu and MythTV Documentation
Ubuntu Studio, including Studio Controls
Xubuntu, including XFCE4 and Restricted Extras

Compatibility and Emulators:
Wine, including add-ons
Samba, including System Configuration
DosBox
PlayOnLinux
ScummVM, including games

Software Programs and Add-Ons:
7zip, including add-ons and other compression tools
Adobe Acrobat Reader and Flash plug-ins
Audacity
Bleachbit
Childsplay
Chromium Browser, including codecs and plug-ins
Clementine
Compiz Config Settings Manager, including plug-ins
DeVeDe
Diagram Editor
E17 (Enlightenment)
F-Spot
Filezilla
Firefox, including extensions
Foobillard
Gimp, including add-ons
Glest
Gnome-Do
Gnome Tweak Tool
GnuCash
GParted, including add-ons
HedgeWars
Kino, including add-ons
Kompozer
LibreOffice, including add-ons
DropBox
Mail Notification, including add-ons
MPlayer, SMPlayer, and other add-ons
NeverBall and NeverPutt
Nexuiz, including add-ons
Not-Free Codecs
OpenArena
OpenJDK 7
OpenTTD, including add-ons
Periodic Table
Pitivi
Planner (Project Management)
Plymouth Themes
PokerTH
PowerPoint Viewer
Scribus, including additional templates
Scorched 3D
Skype
Start-Up Manager (will be replaced with Grub Customizer when available)
Storage Device Manager
SuperTux and SuperTuxKart
Synaptic, including add-ons
Thunderbird, including extensions
VLC, including plug-ins
Warzone 2100
Wesnoth

Download Link:
http://webpages.charter.net/drkstlkr/Ultibuntu.sh

Gallon Of Sweet Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

How To Make A Gallon Of Good Southern Sweet Tea

What you will need:

Regular size (12 cup) coffee maker
Gallon pitcher
4 family size tea bags, preferably Lipton or Luzianne
2 cups of sugar or equivalent artificial sweetener (adjust to taste)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional, adjust to taste)
Coffee filter (optional)

How to make it:

Step #1:
Thoroughly wash your coffee pot and filter basket, to remove any coffee residue, or the tea will have a bad taste.

Step #2:
Place 4 family size tea bags in the coffee maker along with a coffee filter (optional). The coffee filter helps keep any loose tea grains from dripping into the coffee pot.

Step #3:
Fill coffee maker with 12 cups of water. Most regular size 12 cup coffee pots is equal to about 1/2 (one-half) gallon.

Step #4:
Turn on coffee maker and brew. Please wait until tea has finished brewing before continuing to next step.

Step #5:
Turn off coffee maker and pour tea into a gallon pitcher. A full 12-cup coffee pot should fill a gallon pitcher about half-way.

Step #6:
Fill coffee pot with another 12 cups of water, turn on coffee maker, and brew more tea, while still using the same tea bags.

Step #7:
While second pot of tea is brewing, add 2 cups of sugar or equivalent artificial sweetener (adjust to taste), and stir.

Step #8 (Optional):
Add two caps of lemon juice (optional, adjust to taste), and stir.

Step #9:
Once the second pot of tea has finished brewing, pour into gallon pitcher and stir. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 8+ hours. Enjoy!

BCPS Voting

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0000

If you have our BCPS (Burke County Public Schools) best interests at heart for either your kids, grand kids, nieces, or nephews, I've made a list of whom to vote for:

Please Vote For:

Randy Burns
Dom Hemstreet
R.L. Icard
Edna B. Weller

Mickey's Website

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

I have added and changed a few of my webpages. First, I modified my home page to make it a little more "visually appealing". I also created a United States Holiday Calendar using Google Calendar...

Home - http://webpages.charter.net/drkstlkr/index.htm

U.S. Holiday Calendar - http://webpages.charter.net/drkstlkr/HolidayCalendar.htm

There's plenty of websites that link to other kid-friendly, educational, and fun websites on the internet; but most of them are bland, no pictures, and just plain text. Most kids are very visual, and don't like wordy websites. So, I created, changed, and updated a bookmark/favorites page for kids that also include thumbnails (screenshots) of these websites, and currently links to about 60 kid websites at the time of this writing. So far, my kids have really liked it, and I hope yours will, too. It makes a great home page for the web browser your kids use. If there's a few FREE, popular websites you think I should add, please let me know by e-mail at junkmail3612@gmail.com...

Kids Bookmark/Favorites - http://webpages.charter.net/drkstlkr/Kids.htm

There's not very much on the internet that helps kids learn how date and time works. I found plenty of pages aiding parents and teachers to teach kids how to read a calendar and tell time on a clock, but not much out there for kids themselves. So, I decided to try to make a couple of pages that may help...

Kids Calendar - http://webpages.charter.net/drkstlkr/KidsCalendar.htm

Kids Clock - http://webpages.charter.net/drkstlkr/KidsClock.htm

I tried making my three kids web pages listed above as visual as possible, but due to my limited web space and lack of knowledge about HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, these web pages still aren't as fun-looking as I'd like. I'm always open for CONSTRUCTIVE criticism by fellow web designers. Please keep in mind that I "hand-write" all of my web pages because I despise all of the extra codes and tags many web design software programs often insert. I attempt to keep my web pages "clean, fast, and sleek" (efficient and optimized).

New Posts On The Burke County Forums

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

I have posted a few articles on the Burke County Forums at http://bcps.forumotion.org/ in hopes of sparking a little more interest...

House GOP Leaders Press NC Gay Marriage Amendment

http://bcps.forumotion.org/t45-house-gop-leaders-press-nc-gay-marriage-amendment

Are Members Of Congress Paid Enough?

http://bcps.forumotion.org/t46-are-members-of-congress-paid-enough

CSM Saves $0 From Closing Schools In First Year

http://bcps.forumotion.org/t47-cms-saves-0-from-closing-schools-in-first-year

Burke County Forum

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000

I expanded my currently dead BCPS (Burke County Public Schools) Forum to just the Burke County Forum, so that anyone can ask questions or discuss ANY topic related to Burke County, North Carolina. This could include local politics, events, and, of course, our schools, as well. I'm hoping this may spark some interest in what's going on in our county, our state, and even in our country that affects us citizens here in Burke County. I encourage anyone and everyone to take an interest and participate! Forums are only as helpful and useful by the contributions (posts) made by its members.

http://bcps.forumotion.org/

Mickey's Blog On Computers, Music, Politics, And Religion

Cutting The Cable - Part 2

Kodi + Exodus

Cutting The Cable - Part 1

Technicals

Antennas

Streaming Boxes

Streaming Services

Internet Service Provider

Wireless Routers

Fixing Politics

Education

Minimum Wage

Taxes

The Sims 3 Household

The Sims 3 Household

Mike Patton

Mr. Bungle

Fantômas

Tomahawk

Peeping Tom

Mondo Cane

Miscellaneous

From Me, Part 4

Political Discussion: Part 2 + Rant

<< Political Discussion: Part 1

Rant:

Political Discussion: Part 1

Political Discussion: Part2 + Rant >>

Crossroad, Part 3

The Bottom of the Abyss, Part 2

Learning To Cope, Part 1

Stronghold Kingdoms

Stronghold Kingdoms

Research Points

Buildings

Allies

YouTube Tutorials

DDO Dwarven Defender Paladin

Dungeons & Dragon Online:

Dwarven Defender "Paladin" (Cleric/Fighter)

Computer Protection

Computer Protection

Dead Can Dance Tickets

Dead Can Dance Concert Tickets

Directions/Map/Location:

Seating Chart:

For details, please visit:

How To Setup A Free Home Web Server

How To Setup A Free Home Web Server

DISCLAIMER:

Recommendations:

Basic Network Knowledge:

Computer:

Router:

Software:

DDNS:

References:

This article is mostly finished, but not completed!

NC Amendment 1

Free Web Development Tools

Free Tools For Beginning Web Designers And Developers

Internet Web Browsers

Adobe and Java

Editors

Learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Eclipse and Aptana

Firefox and Chrome Web Developer Toolbar

Digital Image Editors

Web Page Validation

Web Hosting Services

Uploading Your Website

Adobe Flash Versus HTML5 Canvas

FixNet

Ultibuntu

Gallon Of Sweet Tea

BCPS Voting

Mickey's Website

New Posts On The Burke County Forums

Burke County Forum