Thomas Shaffer Personal Hurricane

Thomas Shaffer Blog has moved

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 07:54:00 +0000

I will no longer be posting on this blog. I've moved on to my own thomas site. Whenever WordPress is compatible with this new blogspot, I hope to transfer everything over. If you link to me, please update your blogroll to include my new site. Thanks.

Thomas L. Shaffer - www.thomaslshaffer.com

Free Money Blogger - Favorite New Site

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 05:03:00 +0000

I love making free money, especially if it's easy. My favorite free money site is Hustler $$$. The site is definitely on top of the free money gig, and even goes as far as showing how to open multiple accounts to take even further advantage (can you say BOA?). Anyway, if you want free money, get the rss feed for free money.

Watch March Madness Online For Free

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 02:32:00 +0000

CBS once again is offering to show March Madness online for free. This is a great option for those who have to work during the first round games and are unable to bring a tv to work. Signing up early will also give you faster access to the games - they run off a waiting room system, so it pays to sign up early. They also have a boss button that will open up a spreadsheet. Pretty cool. Go Heels.

Coors Light Ditka Mora and Walsh Great Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 00:25:00 +0000

These Coors Light commercials are great. If you haven't watched a single sporting event in the past 3 months, you've missed some of the best advertising on television. Coors Light has taken old press conferences from some of the best sound-byte coaches in the NFL - Mike Ditka, Jim Mora, Bill Walsh and Dick Vermeil, and edited their responses to answer questions from Joe Blow sports fan. The best question has to be towards Vermiel "isn't it a little hot in here for a mock turtleneck?" You can watch them all at youtube, but I've added one of Jim Mora's for your enjoyment.

Bears Fans are Insane - Give Birth Early

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:43:00 +0000

We all know men are crazy when it comes to sports. It's a well known fact that our girlfriends and wives have to deal with weekends where the TV stays on ESPN or whatever local station the games are on. We (well, most of 'we') have overpriced and oversized televisions that are neccessary to watch that buzzer beater or to see whether or not his foot was out.

Most men ask one favor of their significant others during playoffs - leave us alone. No trips to Target, no repainting the guest room, no talking about our feelings. We want to watch the end of another season and we don't want to be bothered unless you are bringing us another 12 pack or freshening up the queso dip.

What I would probably never ask for (sans the Cubs in the World Series) is for my wife to induce labor for a game. But that's what Colleen Pavelka did for her husband Mark. Mark had tickets to Sunday's NFC Championship game and was facing a situation - his child could be born any day now. Maybe the doctor knew about Mark's tickets, because he informed the couple they could induce labor on Friday, and they did. So, while Colleen was in the hospital today rooting the Bears on, Mark was at the game, watching the Bears clinch the NFC and come one win closer to a Super Bowl Championship.

Now that is what I would call a labor of love.

Happy First Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 19:42:00 +0000

Happy first anniversary to my wife and I. We've spent 364 days of it living in the Pacific Northwest. She is the best thing in the world to me and I love her deeply. You can stroll down memory lane with me looking at the wedding photos.

LifeHacker Best of 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:12:00 +0000

Thanks to the power of RSS feeds, I've been able to read more and do more in less time. One of the sites that I've come across since using RSS feeds is Lifehacker. Lifehacker is a blog about increasing your productivity through software, DIY techniques, and even offer reviews.

They have compiled their top 12 most popular postings for 2006. You should definitely check it out. I'm sure this site will become an instant RSS feed favorite. I've posted some of the topics, but you'll have to visit their post to find out more.

1. Hack Attack: Turn your $60 router into a $600 router
Adam came back from O'Reilly's Maker Faire event so inspired, he installed Linux on his home wireless router and practically made it do backflips. Far and away our most popular post of 2006, check out how to unlock the hidden powers of your standard issue home wireless router with free software.

2. Geek to Live: Top Firefox 2 config tweaks
What do a bunch of web-browsing geeks do the day after a new version of Firefox comes out? Jump right into its configuration to make it work exactly how you want it to.

3. Windows Vista Beta: How to dual-boot Windows XP and Windows Vista
Get your paws on an early copy of Vista but don't want to commit your whole machine to it? Here's how to have your Vista and your XP, too.

4. Geek to Live: Automatically back up your hard drive
Backing up your data is one of those things... you know you should do it, but who remembers? Here's how to set it and forget it. (If you look at no other post on this list, look at this one. Resolve to keep your data safe and redundant in '07!!)

5. Hack Attack: Top 10 Ubuntu apps and tweaks
When you decide to take the leap to Linux and banish Microsoft and Apple from your computer desktop and go Ubuntu ("Linux for humans"), take a gander at Adam's favorite applications and mods to make it more workable.

6. Hack Attack: Build your own DVR
Adam builds his on TiVO on the cheap with his PC and a copy of SageTV, and lives to tell about it.

7. Geek to Live: How to format your hard drive and install Windows XP from scratch
As most PC users who install and uninstall a lot of software know, the "wipe clean and rebuild my PC" routine can be a yearly event. Here's how to format your hard drive and start from scratch with a fresh new Windows installation.

8. Hack Attack: Become a Gmail master
Adam drops science on how to bend Gmail to your keyboard shortcut-loving will. This one changed the way I deal with email forever.

9. Hack Attack: One-click DVD rips
Rip DVDs to your hard drive in one step with Adam's freely-available AutoHotkey Windows app.

10. Hack Attack: Automatically download your favorite TV shows
Subscribe to your favorite TV downloads with BitTorrent using Ted.

11. Hack Attack: The self-sustaining iPod
You know you can use your iPod as a hard drive, and you know you can install portable applications on an external drive. Well, here's how to turn your iPod into a stand-alone plugin jukebox that'll rock out on any computer.

12. Geek to Live: Lifehacker Pack
Google's got Google Pack, and Lifehacker's got Lifehacker Pack. Check out our picks for best free software everyone should have to make their computer just work

Seattle Space Needle - It's Cold!

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 01:33:00 +0000

Went to the Space Needle over the long Thanksgiving weekend. It wasn't busy, probably because it was around 5 degrees with the altitude! If you are in the area, it is definitely a landmark to check out. If you have time and enjoy music (especially Jimi Hendrix) go to the Experience Music Project (EMP) right next door. There is also a Science Fiction Hall of Fame.

Looks like somebody needs a haircut!

Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:18:00 +0000

While the inlaws were here, Ashley went out and purchased our first christmas tree as a married couple. Last year we had a fake tree while engaged. I preferred this tree because it's easy to assemble, needs no water, and I don't have to vaccuum up after it. Ashley LOVES christmas, so getting a real tree wasn't an option. I will say that it smells nice, and Sammy loves it.

I helped with the decorations, I even got to put the first one on. You can see that in the up close picture :) Ashley really likes it because it even makes sounds and plays two movie clips. It is a very lovely tree, even though it tilts slightly at the top. After careful examination, I've determined it is the tree that is crooked and not how it is sitting in the stand.

Anyway, tis the season kids - get those trees up and the christmas lists out!

Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow - Seattle Style

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 01:05:00 +0000

Soon after my in-laws left, it started snowing here. Coincidence? Probably. Anyway, You could see the snow during the MNF game, and even NFL fans probably said to themselves "Is this game in Green Bay?" Below are some pictures from the patio the night before and the next day. We tortured Sammy by putting him on the ledge. It was pretty freakin cold - He'll think twice about escaping out the front door.

Turkey Day Spread

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 05:44:00 +0000

Yummy!

Happy Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 21:15:00 +0000

Although I am thankful for stuffing and pie, I'm also thankful for the following:

*For my Mom to be with her sister and family for Holidays.
*For my family to be generally in good health (we could all be better!)
*For my family in-law making the trip out to the great Northwest to spend the week with us
*For a great job and a great wife
*For my Aunt who is spending her Thanksgiving teaching English in Thailand. She is the true definition of courage, selflessness, and spirit. If everyone in this world were 1/10 as wonderful, this world would be completely different.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone - all 5 readers!

Here is a picture of me when I was almost two helping my Grandma Lichty stuff the turkey!

Alfonso Soriano is a Chicago Cub

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:43:00 +0000

A fellow Cubs sufferer sent me an email asking what I thought about the Chicago Cubs signing Alfonso Soriano. Below is my response.

I like it. Hendry has finally layed out a plan and is getting some talent. They still need pitching, but from what I read they are still going after that (and some left hand bats). Sure, he's signed till he's 38 or something, but he adds some much needed pop to an outfield. cubs had 51 OF hrs last year, soriano had 48. I like it. He does strike out, and I've heard "sammy jr." but as I recall we were winning with him when he was cranking 60 hrs.

There aren't many big pitchers out their worth the asking price (zito, mulder, etc). I wouldn't mind seeing them get these 2nd and 3rd starters like Meche, Lilly, or Padilla. Their price tag should be considerably lower. My biggest concern is that they still have the same pitching coach in Larry Roth. and he has been unable to keep them healthy or find the strike zone with consistency. Maybe a change in the bullpen is needed. Maybe Lou has someone in mind.

the Cubs lineup looks solid. Possible lineup:

Soriano OF
Derosa 2B (can't find a solid 2nd batter)
Lee 1B
Ramirez 3B
Jones OF
Murton/Pagan OF possibly move soriano to center
Barrett C
Izturis SS
Pitcher

Whatever may happen, it's great to see Jim Hendry make some moves to improving on the NL's worst record. Bringing in Lou, Soriano, and hopefully some pitchers will make for some exciting seasons at Wrigley. Lou has a 3 year contract, and I'm hoping they'll do something besides get top draft picks.

Buffett and Tigers and Prisons oh my!

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 05:18:00 +0000

Long time no post. I've been running around like crazy these past few weeks. This past weekend was the first full weekend at home in probably a month. I've been on several trips the past month and I'm looking forward to some downtime.

Like I had said before, Ashley and I went to Vegas. We stayed at the Flamingo and had a great time. We ran around and did all the free tourist stuff - Bellagio fountains, MGM Grand sanctuary, Mirage volcano, Mirage Lions, etc. Below are some pictures.

I was also in San Francisco this past week. I was lucky enough to catch up with my Uncle who lives near there and we did some site seeing. We ate at Bubba Gump's at the Fisherman's Wharf and walked up and down to Ghirardelli Square. I know someone who is jealous of that! I also go to see Alcatraz, one of top 10 places to see in the United States. Oh yeah, and I can't forget the sea lions!

That's about it for now. I'll have more updates soon, hopefully before Evan does another site redesign.

Kazakhstan National Anthem Courtesy of Borat

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 02:31:00 +0000

Off the release of the new movie "Borat" I found the national anthem that plays at the end of the movie. This may appear to be poor quality, but it's actually high quality considering the original version. Just for those who are clueless, this is not the actual Kazakhstan National Anthem.

Happy Halloween Free Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 08:00:00 +0000

Happy Halloween. To Celebrate, Doubletree Hotels are giving out free cookies. This is to everyone, not just guests. They better be good, or I know someone who is getting a flaming bag of poo in their rotating door. Find a Doubletree near you.

No costume for me this year, but I plan on doing something next year.

Viva Las Vegas Shaffer Family Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 01:16:00 +0000

Okay, so my definition of family is me and the wife, but still, we are off to Las Vegas! 4 days of fun in Sin City. We leave early Friday and are staying at the Flamingo. Yeah, it's cheesy, but that's why I like it. Neon lights, hot pink everywhere, older vegas feel to it (none of that Venetian crap) and one of the best pools in Vegas. Oh yeah, and it's on the strip and a great central location for our plans. Friday night we are going to see David Spade do some standup. On Saturday, it's Jimmy Buffett at MGM!

This is our first vacation as a married couple. We got to go to Victoria when my Mom was out here, but this is the first one by ourselves. We are leaving Sammy at home alone. Hopefully we won't come back to a burned down building.

So, no updates for me in the next few days. I have a ton of things on my mind and lots to blog about, but I've just been too busy. Also, having your brand new car break down isn't the best experience either.

Great things to keep you busy over the weekend:
Secret Stash: Build yourself that Scooby-Doo hidden room you've always wanted
ABC's Lost Review: check out this great review site for ABC's hit show Lost. I've even contributed (once).
UNC Football Coach Search: Who will replace John Bunting? Evan thinks Butch Davis is using UNC to get a better paycheck.
Do-It-Yourself: You can have a cool Mac wannabe power cord too! How to build a magnetic power cord like the Apple MagSafe Connector.
Book Swap: Similiar to the hit tv show Wife Swap, you can now swap books!
Pumpkin Head: No more Triangle eyes and teeth for pumpkins! Free PDF pumpkin carvings that will really make some noise. Somebody please do the Calvin and Hobbes one!
Double Down: Blackjack strategy for the novice. This won't work on the $100 tables I'll be at. I won't be at them gambling, I'll just be at them!

Viva Las Vegas Everybody. Have a great weekend!

Happy Birthday Evan

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 05:19:00 +0000

Happy Birthday to my buddy. I met this fool in Graduate School where we both realized how much we hated educational authorities, stupid students, and the fun that can be made at P1! Too bad we can't celebrate in Vegas. I'll think of you and Jen when Ashley and I are tipping back the coronas! Seriously though, have a great birthday and many more!

Nintendo Quiz - Test your NES skills

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 20:00:00 +0000

Test your old-school knowledge of the Nintendo Entertainment System, aka NES. I remember playing all these games, which means I am old. I still have my NES somewhere, but the only game I have is Double Dribble.

Air America Goes Bankrupt - Shocking News!

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 01:14:00 +0000

Well apparently the liberal-controlled media really does hate Al Franken. He and others are going to restructure under Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. In a poor attempt at hiding the truth (common amongst the lefties) Air America denied reports about them filing for bankruptcy.

This move will no doubt "save" some money. From the story "Air America has struggled financially since its inception. Documents filed with the bankruptcy court show that the company lost $9.1 million in 2004, $19.6 million in 2005 and $13.1 million so far in 2006." Sounds like they should have put that money to better use over the past 3 years.

To put a little perspective to this, the liberal Air America lost nearly 42 million dollars in three years. Jew-hating when drunk Mel Gibson and chronic druggie/prisoner Robert Downey Jr.'s Air America grossed $33.5 million. The only thing they have in common is they both suck.

Mark Cuban Is Funny and Right - Often

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 16:28:00 +0000

Evan and I trade links back and forth all day. One site that we always seem to jump at first is Mark Cuban's Blog. For those who don't know anything about sports or the internet, Cuban is the owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks and former owner of broadcast.com

I'd like to think it's the money, cause Cuban says pretty much whatever the hell he wants to and doesn't necessarily have to deal with the consequences. For example, if I was to rip into my employer about some of the less than intelligent moves that have been made, I'd be looking for a job. Cuban doesn't have a higher authority, so he can say what he feels. Sure, people try to linkbait him to show that they are cool, but those people are full of themselves and IMO deserve a cockpunch.

Back to Cuban. He's been talking a lot about the Google Youtube deal, and gotten some shit. He said it was a bad idea - actually moronic. I agree. He said copyright owner s are going to get mad and eventually take action. I agree. He's compared NBA officials to DQ managers. I agree. The only thing we don't agree on is the NBA - I think it sucks, but I applaud him for trying to make it change. If I had millions, i'd probably do the same (right after I got the Cubs a World Series ring).

Today Cuban cut through all the bs and told the story how it is - cynically of course. He goes case by case showing how he can put music on his Ipod (maybe if he sends me his address, I'll buy and send him a Zune) all without worrying about copyright laws or any of that RIAA hassle. He also points out that just because "everyone is doing it" or there is a majority opinion doesn't make it right (see 2000 US Presidential election).

Mark Cuban is bringing Sexy Back, and I like it.

The David Zucker Albright Ad

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:57:00 +0000

The David Zucker Albright Ad

Thanks to Boortz for pointing this out to me. From the Drudge Report:
In the ad, Zucker, producer of SCARY MOVIE 4, recreates former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's 2000 visit to North Korea. During the visit, Secretary Albright presented North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il with a basketball autographed by former NBA superstar Michael Jordan.

An actress playing Secretary Albright is shown presenting Kim Jong Il with the Michael Jordan basketball, painting the walls of Osama bin Laden's Afghanistan cave and turning a blind eye to suicide bombers. In one scene her skirt rips as she changes the tire of a Middle Eastern dictator's limousine.

One GOP strategist said "jaws dropped" when the ad was first viewed. "Nobody could believe Zucker thought any political organization could use this ad. It makes a point, but it's way over the top."

Zucker is the producer and director of comedies such as "Airplane" and "The Naked Gun." In 2004, Zucker, a longtime Democrat, embraced the Republican Party based on concerns he had about national security issues and voted for President George W. Bush.

See, some people get it.

MSN Soapbox Beta Site is Live

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 03:53:00 +0000

I got my beta invitation to MSN Soapbox today. You probably haven't heard much about it since there is other big news. Anyway, Microsoft is getting into the video site market.

Initial reactions are that it is pretty good. Considering youtube was founded just under two years ago, MSN has done a good job of improving the site functionality - both in looks and with technical aspects.

I uploaded a couple videos and it was really easy. There is currently a limit of 100 megs per video, no idea if this is going to be temporary or not. Server costs are a big concern with sites like this. Below is a copy of a video I uploaded. I made this in college with my future best man and beloved dogg. I know I know - Scorcese and Spielberg SHOULD be afraid.

MSN Soapbox is so far a cool site, I just hope that they find a way to popularize it and more importantly monetize it for the stake of my stock.

Video: Duff Dogg Day Afternoon

Tesla Motors Makes Me Hate Hippies Less

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 15:24:00 +0000

I hate the environment and all, but this thing is pretty cool. If GM, Honda, and Toyota start making electric cars like this, I'll definitely start an ING account to buy one. This is a video about the electric supercar that Tesla Motors has created. 0-60 in 4 seconds, 250 miles a charge, and a sporty featherweight frame and body make this a pretty cool ride.

Anyone rather have this than a porsche?

The Dallas Philadelphia Terrell Owens Donovan McNabb Show

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas) — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 20:44:00 +0000

If you don't think today's matchup between Dallas and Philadelphia is big, just look at this map:

It's almost as good looking as the Republican Democrat mapping. Terrell faces off with his old teammates today in Philly. As if there wasn't enough gas for the fire, they were handing out free popcorn (in reference to Terrell Owen's comment 'get your popcorn ready') and free beer. Yes, the fans who once had a fully functional holding cell and court underneath the stadium were being fed free beer.

I don't have either of these guys on my pathetic fantasy teams, However I would like to see Reggie Brown have a big day.