PC GEEK - (in TRaiNING)

The Armenian Genocide

2009-04-23T23:10:00.000-07:00

Get educated, and get involved.

The Armenian Genocide (presentation) from Vartan Simonian on Vimeo.

Windows XP Tour Music

2008-10-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

I've taken out the music out of the Windows XP Tour - now the only thing I'm wondering about is who made it. :)

These are good-quality stereo MP3s. Download them as a zip here, or download them one by one:

http://www.vartansimonian.com/Sound 11.mp3

http://www.vartansimonian.com/Sound 21.mp3

http://www.vartansimonian.com/Sound 31.mp3

http://www.vartansimonian.com/Sound 41.mp3

http://www.vartansimonian.com/Sound 51.mp3

http://www.vartansimonian.com/Sound 61.mp3

Age of Mythology - Behold the Great Science Fi MIDI

2008-09-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hope you like it! It is recommended that you use the Microsoft GS Wavetable Software Synthesizer (usually default on Windows machines) for playing the song back. No QuickTime complaints this time, other than it might end a tad bit too early. :)

Download it here: http://aom.heavengames.com/downloads/showfile.php?fileid=8047

I was forced to make some substitutions, but (at least to me it feels so) it wasn't as bad as the agogo substitution in the Hoping for Real Betterness MIDI. ;)

I please ask you - if you find any wrong notes or any wrong melody, please report what time it occurs at and if you can, what instrument, and I'll try to get it fixed as soon as possible. :)

Feel free to fire up a MIDI editor, check out the notes, and, even if you want, try and adapt it for the piano. I didn't create the music anyway. :P

Age of Mythology - Hoping for Real Betterness MIDI

2008-09-10T17:20:00.001-07:00

Another one of the songs from Age of Mythology, "Hoping for Real Betterness" has been turned into a midi. Now you can fire up a MIDI editor, check out the notes, and, even if you want, try and adapt it for the piano.

I'm uploading the MIDI here: http://aom.heavengames.com/downloads/showfile.php?fileid=8041

In the middle you may notice that I am using an agogo instead of the ceramic drum in the original audio file. This is because I could not find the ceramic drum in the GM, and I couldn't use the bongo because I was using it already at the same time. Anyone who can find a better replacement, please tell me, and I'll try it out.

It is recommended that you use the Microsoft GS Wavetable Software Synthesizer (usually default on Windows machines) for playing the song back. If you are using QuickTime, it is known that you may have notes being cut off during the guitar's melody.

I please ask you - if you find any wrong notes or any wrong melody, please report what time it occurs at and if you can, what instrument, and I'll try to get it fixed as soon as possible.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Age of Mythology - "(Fine Layers Of) Slaysenflite" - MIDI'fied

2008-09-05T23:18:00.001-07:00

Yes, that's right. Finally, at least one of the songs from Age of Mythology, "(Fine Layers Of) Slaysenflite" has been turned into a midi. Now you can fire up a MIDI editor, check out the notes, and, even if you want, try and adapt it for the piano.

I'm uploading the MIDI here: http://aom.heavengames.com/downloads/showfile.php?fileid=8028

It is recommended that you use the Microsoft GS Wavetable Software Synthesizer (usually default on Windows machines) for playing the song back. If you are using QuickTime on Windows Vista, it is known that you may have the fade-in sound off-tune, and possibly other notes off-tune.

I please ask you - if you find any wrong notes or any wrong melody, please report what time it occurs at and if you can, what instrument, and I'll try to get it fixed as soon as possible.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

WobZIP

2008-09-03T22:18:00.001-07:00

Ever wanted to uncompress a file that someone sent you, only to find out that you don't have the software to do it? Ever found an archive online and only wanted to download a select number of files in it?

WobZIP in action

Now, with WobZIP, the online archive decompressor, you can "uncompress on the fly." You can upload to 100 MB of an archive from one of the most common archive formats*, or give WobZIP the URL of an uploaded archive, and WobZIP will display a list of the folders and files in the archive and let you download them one by one. WobZIP can also serve as a simple archive converter as it allows you to download your uploaded archive as a ZIP.

WobZIP scans for viruses, so you can be sure that what you're downloading is legit.

Because WobZIP is an online service, you don't have to install any software on the computer you're using it on, and neither do you have to have an admin account. This is great if you're on a work or school computer which lacks the proper decompression software, but you can't install any due to lack of user permissions.

WobZIP is a free service - so please to WobZIP so that they can continue providing this service!
Check out WobZIP, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

*7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, RAR, CAB, ISO, ARJ, LZHCHM, Z, CPIO, RPM, DEB and NSIS

Blogged with the Flock Browser

FREE Microsoft Software for Students

2008-09-03T17:57:00.001-07:00

Did you know that if you are a student of an accredited school or member of a Microsoft-recognized student organization in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, China, Germany, France, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland or Belgium, you can get essential Microsoft tools such as Visual Studio Professional and Windows Server 2003 - for FREE!

The process of getting to the downloads is very easy - first, visit the DreamSpark website at https://downloads.channel8.msdn.com/ and sign in with your Windows Live ID (formerly MSN Passport - if you need to get one, check out http://login.live.com/.) Then, verify that you indeed are a student by choosing your country and what school you're in, filling out your information, and submitting (if your school/organization isn't listed, see this page in the FAQ.) Finally, download the programs you need, and you're off (hopefully you're not on dialup - the files are huge!)

I hope this works for you - it worked for me! :)

Blogged with the Flock Browser

ImageButton Class

2008-09-01T20:57:00.001-07:00

I needed a button for a project I'm working on which would work like a hover button on a website, but on my windows form.

The result is the code here. (until the code is approved on CodeProject, you can download it here)

Check it out, tell me what you think, use it where you want.

Released under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Because it is so

2008-09-01T12:41:00.001-07:00

This was my dream this morning:
As the sun rises, Timothy Gooding, an average 12 year old boy, with short black hair, blue eyes, and a curiosity which always begged to be filled, leaves the world of dreams to enter the world of reality. He sits up in bed and looks at his wristwatch, a present from his father, who passed away when Timothy was 6, which Timothy has never taken off.

The time is 6:15 AM.

Timothy lies down and stretches out from his fingers to his toes, and then proceeds to jump out of bed. He creeps into his mother's and his sister's rooms to see if they are awake yet, to find out that his mother is still asleep while his sister, Emily, in her pink cake pajamas, is sitting on the floor playing with her dolls. Emily is 6 years old, but can be easily confused with an 8 year old, because of her speech and the fact that is bigger than most 6 year olds. She has light brown curls, and hazel eyes which sparkle at any new, interesting discovery.

She looks up at Timothy and comments, "I'm giving Anabelle a haircut."

"Very well," Timothy replies.

"Timmy," she asks, "Have you seen Elizabeth anywhere?"

"No, I haven't. You probably left her at Aunt Rosenbaum's house when we were there Monday."

"Can we go check?"

Aunt Rosenbaum's house was a block away.

"No, it's too early. She's probably not even awake yet."

"But I want my Elizabeth!" Emily screams, and begins to sob.

It is Emily's scream which wakes up Marvella, Timothy and Emily's mother. Emily is quite big for a 6 year old, and has a voice to match. A creaking of the bed in the adjacent room can be heard, indicating that whoever was sleeping on it isn't doing so any longer. Then come footsteps, until Marvella walks into Emily's room, half-awake, and with her hair all over the place.

"What in the world is going on, and why are you up so early?" Marvella sleepily inquires, over the sound of Emily's crying.

"Emily lost one of her dolls," Timothy responded, trying carefully not to answer the second question.

"Oh, deary-dear," Marvella said, looking at Emily with a sense of pity, "we'll find your doll. Timothy, go back to bed!"

Marvella picks up Emily and rocks her to and fro, until Emily stops crying. As Marvella is leaving the room with Emily and is walking downstairs, a grin can be seen on Emily's face as she sends a wink to Timothy, knowing that she got her "downstairs ticket," while her brother - not quite.

Ah, girls - master manipulators.

At this point I woke up, to find that it was only a dream.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

The truth

2008-08-15T22:24:00.001-07:00

Embedded Video

Blogged with the Flock Browser

College

2008-01-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

Just like the title says - it's true! After waiting a month and a half, learning that we need grade transcripts from another school, waiting for January to get the transcripts from the school when it opens, submitting the transcripts and waiting again, the Registrar called me to tell me that I've been accepted! The college I'm going to is Irvine Valley College, a community college which has a way of approving K12 students for full-time or part-time education in college. I hope to transfer to UCIrvine when I'm done.

I must thank Ray King, who is the CEO of AboutUs.org, Joseph Kovba, who was my instructor at iD Tech Camps, and Christopher Dobrian, my professor at Computers and Music at UCI for writing a recommendation letter - without it, this wouldn't have happened. Thank you all!!!!!!!!

This is Vartan, signing off.

OMG

2007-12-24T12:08:00.000-08:00

Are you an Avatar: The Last Airbender fan?
Do you enjoy FanArt?

If so, you just have to see this:

Toph Bei Fong by *Hardedge-Maelstrom on deviant ART

DeviantArt is the ultimate stop for all art - and especially FanArt.

So check it out!

New website design

2007-10-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

If you've been watching you would have noticed that we've got a new look!

I have uploaded the new design on the 23^rd. It is managed by a combination of simple HTML and an Access database, so I have a template for my websites. It's much easier to manage for me, and in the future I might invest time in developing an online administration system for managing the website.

There are no plans as of now to update the music website and the blog to use the new system.

The ultimate WTF post

2007-10-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

I'd like to add that I wasn't only fighting underground, but hosting dance parties, too.

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Vartan!

Ancient Greeks believed earthquakes were caused by Vartan fighting underground.
Without its lining of Vartan, your stomach would digest itself.
Vartan is actually a fruit, not a vegetable.
The opposite sides of Vartan always add up to seven.
Vartan can remain conscious for fifteen to twenty seconds after being decapitated!
If you drop Vartan from the top of the Empire State Building, he will be falling fast enough to kill before reaching the ground!
Vartan can squeeze his entire body through a hole the size of his beak.
A female ferret will die if it goes into heat and cannot find Vartan.
Over 2000 people have now climbed Vartan, with roughly ten percent dying on the way down.
People used to believe that dressing their male children as Vartan would protect them from evil spirits.

And you really don't want to know what happens when my last name gets in the picture:

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Vartan Simonian!

Vartan Simonian can't sweat.
Half a cup of Vartan Simonian contains only seventeen calories.
More people are killed by Vartan Simonian each year than die in aeroplane accidents.
Vartan Simonian is 1500 years older than the pyramids.
If you break Vartan Simonian, you will get seven years of bad luck!
The only Englishman to become Vartan Simonian was Nicholas Breakspear, who was Vartan Simonian from 1154 to 1159.
The pupil of an octopus's eye is shaped like Vartan Simonian.
It took Vartan Simonian 22 years to build the Taj Mahal.
The horns of Vartan Simonian are made entirely from hair!
Baby swans are called Vartan Simonian.

I’m publishing this with Microsoft Office Word 2007

2007-03-21T14:54:00.001-07:00

Just as the title says. Testing. Yawn. ............ what?

Hiatus

2007-03-06T18:35:00.000-08:00

I have been very busy in recent days - I need to catch up on school, music, someone wants a website..... So this blog is in hiatus ... for now.

And as a sidenote, the Armenian Genocide Website is ready. See it here.

Vartan

Wise Man Says

2007-02-03T11:56:00.000-08:00

Wise man (my dad) says: The only place you'll get free cheese is a mousetrap.

I've got little time for posting now, so for now I'll get you these quotes. :)

Armenian Genocide Website

2007-01-19T19:06:00.000-08:00

I am participating in the California History Day, part of the USA's History Day, and have chosen to base my project on the Armenian Genocide. I consider it important to use this as the topic for my website. I chose this topic because the denial of the genocide is going on, and at the American competition I want to show the proof of the fact that the genocide happened and must be acknowledged. The theme of History Day for this year (2007) is "Triumph & Tragedy." The topic fits into the theme in the way that though many poor Armenians perished in the Genocide, their essence still lives on.

Such as the rules of the competition of the website do not allow me to write more than 1,200 words, but interviews are not limited in length, I have the chance to show the genocide of the Armenians via the interviews. I have already taken interviews from Robert Fisk, journalist of The Independent, Richard Hovanissian, professor of history at the University of Los Angeles, California and expert on the Armenian Genocide, and Carla Garapedian, director/producer of the documentary Screamers. In what they are saying, there is a lot information on the Armenian Genocide itself. The theme of History Day is not just tragedy, but triumph. For the Armenians after such a genocide to keep their culture, religion, and nationality intact, that is the real triumph of the Armenian spirit.

I have a lot of information on the topic of the genocide, but not many images or photographs. I got from Wallstein Verlag (Germany) permission to use two photographs on the topic of the Armenian Genocide of my choice, and have a collection of newspaper articles, and some other non-copyrighted photos, but if anyone could please be able to provide some photos without any copyright, or if they are the copyright holder, let me use the photo(s), it would be great.

I must finish the website by the 1st of February. However it must be noted and noticed that my website, after History Day, will be available publicly online.

To be or not to be?

2007-01-12T17:58:00.000-08:00

I feel down in the dumps today. Sometimes I feel like I am not understood, and this is one of those times. I think that what I am writing now is selfish, and self-centered. But I can't stop typing. I want to be all independent and not need my parents' or anyone's help. But then, I know that my parents are only trying their best to help me and raise me as a good child. (I can't believe it. I'm 12, I'm "grown-up," like mom says, and I'm writing this piece of crap?) However, instead of giving my thanks I give them sulking and whining. And I know what I'm doing is wrong. And I know I should be thankful. But it's hard to think about what I'm doing currently - but it's like that "angel and devil" playing tug-of-war with my thoughts, and I can't think (at that moment) straight. My dad has good intentions, but is sarcastic at times, and I start getting irritated very much and I do things that in retrospect are stupid, dumb, ARGH! I don't know the word to describe it. I get mad at my dad for helping me? Is that logical to you? Not to me. But I do it. Why? My grand piano has stuck notes and a broken key because I never closed it when I was done with it. And I get irritated and mad and annoyed at the fact that everytime I press below-middle-C, it gets stuck, and the notes near it, and then I start thinking: "If only I had been smarter! Everything is my fault! Nobody can trust me! I don't trust myself! Everything is dumb! No, wait, I'm dumb! I can't stand it! (screams) Why did I do that? I'm selfish! I can't stand it. There's no use to live. I'm being selfish again. How do I stop myself? Stop now. Stop. ... NOTHING WORKS!!! (cries out loud)." And I *feel* as if it happens every day, but I know it doesn't. The days when everything is OK, this doesn't happen. I don't feel annoyed and sad and depressed. But why today? Because I'm evil. No, because I'm stupid. WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHY! My dad is telling me to be strong and to pull my emotions together because I need to be strong and I cannot be a "sissy." But strangely, I'm not getting pissed off at him. I feel better. From the very beginning of this post I feel much better. It's as if a reservoir of thoughts and emotions has gathered up (think of sinuses), and now I've opened the dam and let them go. I am sorry for ever bringing this topic up. I'm selfish. I've got a lot of cleaning up to do. I'm going to work. :')

Vartan

How could I forget?

2007-01-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

Oh my! How could I have forgotten about New Year and Christmas! To all: Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!

I got a MacBook Pro 17-in., and my Mom got a laptop, my little brother got his own laptop (not a real one, of course - seriously, he's 4), my Dad got...

Do you really want to know?

Ok. Don't tell.

Some new underwear.

Yes.

And a cool, mechanical, not-quartz, Swiss Army (I think), watch, and Swiss army knife set.

My mom's PC (not laptop) will be mine (MUWAHAHAHAHA!!!), and mine will be trash, like it already is. Just kidding! Mine, I think, will be my dad's, and the office room will be mine, and my current room will be my brother's.

SWEET!

I have been posting quite a few videos recently, but my fingers need to do something, so I'll keep typing blog entries, but once in a while I'll be dropping in a video or two.

Speaking of video... (snickers)

Go laugh your brains out:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Spoiled Brat

2007-01-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I could relate to her. ... In some sense.

Orangutans are the next Sumos

2006-12-27T20:37:00.000-08:00

Dear faithful blog-readers, ... WHAT THE HECK?!

Snake Bot

2006-12-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

Check this out - it is both freaky and cool! :o

Ballade Insenato

2006-12-07T18:12:00.000-08:00

Finally! The piece I was writing (mentioned before at http://blog.vartansimonian.com/2006/11/mixed-up-post.html) is finally finished! It took me a few months (honestly, I didn't work every month ^_^'), but I'm finally done! I do not yet plan to release an online copy; the piece's new name is Ballade Insenato. Movses Pogossian is looking over it as I'm typing this message.

Also, the music website will have a few changes:

To prevent copyright violations, only 20-second (maybe 30-second) samples will be publicly available - to get the full piece, you will have to log in with a VIP account.

Vartan

Mix Yourself

2006-12-05T08:28:00.000-08:00

I'm on the run now, but check this out:

The Potion Maker
vartanium is an opaque, acidic magenta liquid derived from the sap of a forget-me-not.
Mix with vartan! Username:
Yet another fun meme brought to you by rfreebern

PC GEEK - (in TRaiNING)

The Armenian Genocide

Windows XP Tour Music

Age of Mythology - Behold the Great Science Fi MIDI

Age of Mythology - Hoping for Real Betterness MIDI

Age of Mythology - "(Fine Layers Of) Slaysenflite" - MIDI'fied

WobZIP

*FREE* Microsoft Software for Students

ImageButton Class

Because it is so

The truth

College

OMG

New website design

The ultimate WTF post

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Vartan!

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Vartan Simonian!

I’m publishing this with Microsoft Office Word 2007

Hiatus

Wise Man Says

Armenian Genocide Website

To be or not to be?

How could I forget?

Spoiled Brat

Orangutans are the next Sumos

Snake Bot

Ballade Insenato

Mix Yourself

FREE Microsoft Software for Students