WildWeazel's Aggregate Feed

[Twitter] WildWeazel: the referendum for No Shave November passed unanimously on facebook

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:40:03 -0800

WildWeazel: the referendum for No Shave November passed unanimously on facebook

[Twitter] WildWeazel: formal temporal logic hurts my brain

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:33:14 -0800

WildWeazel: formal temporal logic hurts my brain

[Music] Disciple – After the World

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:00:22 -0800

http://www.last.fm/music/Disciple

[Twitter] WildWeazel: I HAVE GOOGLE WAVE INVITES very limited numbers shared with others so if you really want one let me know WHY in 140 characters or less ASAP!

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:29:32 -0800

WildWeazel: I HAVE GOOGLE WAVE INVITES very limited numbers shared with others so if you really want one let me know WHY in 140 characters or less ASAP!

[Shared] Browser Speed Tests: The Windows 7 Results

Kevin Purdy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Mount&Blade Warband beta... so much for passing this semester

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:42:24 -0800

WildWeazel: Mount&Blade Warband beta... so much for passing this semester

[Twitter] WildWeazel: No Shave November @ 4 in favor, 2 abstain, 0 opposed. Y'all can vote here too. I'm at 4 days' beard and holding.

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:22:24 -0800

WildWeazel: No Shave November @ 4 in favor, 2 abstain, 0 opposed. Y'all can vote here too. I'm at 4 days' beard and holding.

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Celebrating election day with a non-binding vote on facebook for the passage of Resolution 1, No Shave November

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:08:02 -0800

WildWeazel: Celebrating election day with a non-binding vote on facebook for the passage of Resolution 1, No Shave November

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Don't forget to vote some politicians out of office today!

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:50:40 -0800

WildWeazel: Don't forget to vote some politicians out of office today!

[Shared] The Complete Guide to Google Wave Is a Comprehensive Book on Wave

Adam Pash — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Things I'm hating: facebook ads for a space game app that are obviously unmodified EVE Online screenshots

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:55:56 -0800

WildWeazel: Things I'm hating: facebook ads for a space game app that are obviously unmodified EVE Online screenshots

[Shared] Climate Change Treaty A Precursor To Global Government?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:23:35 -0800

[Shared] Thatcher adviser: Copenhagen goal is 1-world government

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:15:35 -0800

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Hello from virtualized XP! It's not as clean or convenient as XP mode, but it runs.

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:11:27 -0800

WildWeazel: Hello from virtualized XP! It's not as clean or convenient as XP mode, but it runs.

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Today's XKCD is EPIC. There is no other word to describe it. http://xkcd.com/657

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:53:38 -0800

WildWeazel: Today's XKCD is EPIC. There is no other word to describe it. http://xkcd.com/657

[Twitter] WildWeazel: I think Fireflight's "You Gave Me A Promise" and Kutless' "The Disease & The Cure" share the exact same guitar rhythm. Listen to first 5 sec

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:23:01 -0800

WildWeazel: I think Fireflight's "You Gave Me A Promise" and Kutless' "The Disease & The Cure" share the exact same guitar rhythm. Listen to first 5 sec

[Twitter] WildWeazel: I shaved- completely, 1st time in 4 yrs- for my Chuck impression just before the start of the month. Perfect set-up for No Shave November...

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:36:46 -0800

WildWeazel: I shaved- completely, 1st time in 4 yrs- for my Chuck impression just before the start of the month. Perfect set-up for No Shave November...

[Twitter] WildWeazel: @SorenJohnson lol?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:34:51 -0800

WildWeazel: @SorenJohnson lol?

[Shared] Ninite Easy PC Setup and Multiple App Installer - Great For Win7 Upgrades

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:01:20 -0800

[Shared] A Computer Geek’s Smart Productivity Guide [PDF]

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:26:45 -0700

[Shared] Finally, A Newbie’s Getting Started Guide to Linux [PDF]

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:25:34 -0700

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Got my burrito. Here's how it went down: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/WeaselOp/burritoman.png

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:54:48 -0700

WildWeazel: Got my burrito. Here's how it went down: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/WeaselOp/burritoman.png

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Xenophobic washer does not accept your inferior Canadian quarters.

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:21:17 -0700

WildWeazel: Xenophobic washer does not accept your inferior Canadian quarters.

[Music] The Showdown – Achilles - The Backbreaker

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:03:18 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Showdown

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Remember to wear aluminum foil to Chipotle tonight for a free burrito!

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:05:31 -0700

WildWeazel: Remember to wear aluminum foil to Chipotle tonight for a free burrito!

[Twitter] WildWeazel: I am Chuck Bartowski. This is quite possibly the best impulse idea I've ever had.

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:53:45 -0700

WildWeazel: I am Chuck Bartowski. This is quite possibly the best impulse idea I've ever had.

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Sweet. Just figured out I can queue up my bookmarked stations in Winamp and cycle through them from the toolbar.

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:33:55 -0700

WildWeazel: Sweet. Just figured out I can queue up my bookmarked stations in Winamp and cycle through them from the toolbar.

[Music] Nine Lashes – Words Of Red

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:12:33 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Nine+Lashes

[Twitter] WildWeazel: Just did a teleconference in my pajamas. Grad school is awesome.

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:20:55 -0700

WildWeazel: Just did a teleconference in my pajamas. Grad school is awesome.

[Twitter] WildWeazel: November is almost upon us. I must decide: grow a beard or write a novel?

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:13:03 -0700

WildWeazel: November is almost upon us. I must decide: grow a beard or write a novel?

[Shared] #645 Hilarious last minute Halloween costumes

nkspas — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:01:58 -0700

Back at college, I remember walking up to my friend Mike’s house on Halloween and seeing him frantically painting bright, red briefs onto a pair of nice blue jeans. He was really going at it, too — slapping the wet brush all over the crotch and pockets, wagging his tongue out like a dog.

Of course, an hour later he showed up to the party as Superman. And though he didn’t leap any tall buildings in a single bound he did manage to drink most of the punch bowl faster than a speeding bullet.

More importantly, his last minute Halloween costume got us all laughing. Some of the best ones do that:

• Professional baseball player. This is where you dig through your closet and peel out that old sweat-smelling jersey and orange foam hat from little league. Throw on your baseball glove and paint some thick black lines under your eyes and you’re good to go.

• Sandwich. My friend Brian once slapped a piece of bread on his chest and another on his back and went as a sandwich. You’ve heard of a quarter pounder, right? Well this was a two-hundred pounder.

• Vending Machine. Here’s where you duct tape little bags of chips and chocolate bars all over your body. If your party’s working properly, they’ll be ripped off you within ten minutes of getting there.

• The random closet mish-mash with a funny name. You’ve got a purple tie, dark shades, and leather pants so you go as a Club-Going Comedian With A Black Eye. You’ve got a bridesmaid dress, oven mitts, and a tiara, so you go as Lounge Singer Baking Cookies For A Bachelorette Party. You get the idea.

• Jabba The Hutt. Time to laze around on the couch in a green sleeping bag.

• A Road. Simply rip off a long strip of masking tape and stick it up your stomach and down your back. For bonus points, add a couple dinky cars to your shirt. Watch out for speed bump jokes.

• A Terrible Record Collection. My friend Alec once bought a milk crate of old records for a quarter from a garage sale. They were in horrible condition, but the price was right so he took them home. For Halloween he safety-pinned most of them on himself and went as A Terrible Record Collection. It was a good laugh, but since he couldn’t really move he ending up spending most of the party whisper-singing Monster Mash to himself on a futon.

• Grapes. Boy, if you’ve got some purple or green balloons laying around, have we got a costume for you.

• Yourself. This is where you arrive at the party completely unprepared, but rather than fess up you just tell people you’re going as yourself this year. Then whenever someone says “But that’s not a costume,” you say “Maybe it is…” and give them a really exaggerated wink.

• Stuff From My trunk. Okay, back to Superman Mike. Last year he wore an enormous tarp around his neck like a cape and wrapped himself in twine and booster cables. People, keep in mind this is the same guy who once strung a bunch of pots and pans over his shoulders and went as Pots and Pans.

Okay listen, when somebody puts an amazing amount of time and effort into a kick-ass costume, that’s worth celebrating. Nobody here denies that. All we’re saying today is if you manage to scramble around your house at the last minute and get us all laughing with your hilariously creative costume then that’s complete admirable.

It’s simply commendable.

It’s downright respectable.

And we all know it’s just totally

AWESOME!

Photos from: here, here, here, and here

[Shared] 10 Useful Things To Do After Installing Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:02:57 -0700

[Shared] Interview: Middle-earth Role Playing

Amroth — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:26:54 -0700

‘Middle-earth Role Playing’ is a modification for ‘The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion’ that aims to recreate the fantastic world that J.R.R. Tolkien imagined. We thought it would be great to find out more about the mod, so we contacted the MERP development team and they graciously agreed to answer our questions for this interview. They even threw in a bunch of exclusive, never before seen, screenshots for your viewing pleasure! Read on to find out what they had to say!

MR. How would you, in a paragraph or three, describe Middle-earth Role Playing?

Large Jack: MERP (Middle Earth Roleplaying Project) There and Back Again is quintessentially a HUGE Total Conversion mod for Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion set in Middle Earth.

It means more than that though to anyone deeply involved in this project. On a personal experience, since I was a boy, (I’m 35 now so I’ve waited a long time) I’ve dreamed of exploring Middle Earth top to bottom, visiting all the famous places, and meeting all the famous characters (yes that’s right, even on my ZX Spectrum 48) . “Ooohh how long has it been made to suffer for … preciousss???” However, modern technology has now made that dream a reality, though the challenge is still enormous, but equally fun.

Suffice to say MERP will be that dream and the dream of many others… I hope. It will also prove what can be achieved with the right dedication, enthusiasm and commitment, (and we’ve been wrote off by many in the past… with phrases like “This will go the same way as other ambitious projects!”) and we aim to ensure that doesn’t happen and to be able to say at the end of it that ‘nothing’s impossible.’

There have been many attempts by professional software companies to recreate Middle Earth, and apart from the online version (which is not my forte really) nothing has come close to that ultimate Middle Earth adventure in my opinion. It will also be nice for those like myself who were disappointed when the White Council was aborted, or more likely never got off the ground. Also in these troubled times we live I hope we can bring as much pleasure to those who wish to immerse themselves in this legendary story.

I also want to say we have a wonderful team and whatever the outcome I’m really proud of them. I give special thanks to Jnor and disturbed, who without there administration and modding skills none of this would be possible. I also thank NAU for reorganizing the team and Ced for his determination on Moria.

Bree

MR: When is the starting date of the mod? Will it, and it will if I remember correctly, take place during the War of the Ring?

Large Jack: This mod will definitely take place during the War of the Ring period of the Third Age
Jnor: The events will however not be scripted to happen on the actual date it should. Even though the map is huge it is still smaller than 1:1 scale so trips are faster.

MR: Will it be possible to encounter characters – both major and minor – from the book? Personally, I’d love to have a beer or two with Barliman Butterbur or the Gaffer…

Jnor: Yes, that will be possible. We will try to add every single character mentioned in the trilogy or any other of Tolkien’s works if they are still alive by the time the game starts. Barliman Butterbur and the Gaffer will probably be included in the next release.

Desolation of the Morannon

MR: The Middle-earth Role Playing mod has gone through at least one stage of change of management when the previous leader, The Grey Wizard, left – how did that affect the mod and the team?

Fang: This (management) change was hard on the team at the time. Members dropped out, but new leaders also emerged. Keep in mind though that The Grey Wizard started MERP as a Morrowind mod-project, which puts things into perspective. This project has had a very long lifespan. The Dev-team has gone through several reforms since the start.

All this affected the mod just as much. When The Grey Wizard left, the team endured a (another) switch of heightmaps.

This meant that a lot of the terrain and landscape had to be remade. But a lot of the models could thankfully be reused. However this also meant, bluntly put, that we had a much better heightmap, made solely by Lumpypat over the span of at least a year(?).

Largejack had at this time already emerged as one of the projects new leaders.

- ex MERP-developer & historian, Fang

Mirkwood

MR: One of the first “finished” aspects of the mod is the heightmap. How much of Middle-earth does it cover, and how does it compare to the map of Cyrodiil in Oblivion? And since you’re at the limits of what the engine can handle regarding size, have you thought about ways of adding additional areas (Rhûn? Harad?) that may not “fit” at a later stage?

Jnor: As you said, we will not be able to fit Rhûn, Harad and the Iron Mountains on the heightmap. The Undying Lands will not be included either. It is not planned to add them at this point, since we already have enough to work on. If we decide to do them in the end, we already have several ideas to make the transitions. How cool would it be to be able to leave Middle-Earth with the Ringbearers!

Compared to Cyrodiil (including the regions beyond the borders), Middle-Earth is about 5 times bigger.

MR: From what we have seen so far of the mod it seems to be a blend of designs seen in the films (Gondorian plate armour, for example) and original designs based on the book. How much of the visual aspects of the mod will be influenced by the Trilogy? Would you say you’re primarily a book-based or a film-based mod – or perhaps a mix of the two?

Jnor: We are primarily based on the books but the films are a great source of inspiration for the visuals. One of our biggest discussions is regarding the actual presence of a big flaming red eye at the top of Barad-dur. We will break book lore at times when it regards minor details such as the color of Minas Tirith outer wall or the organization of the fountain level. You’ll not see Arwen come to rescue Strider and the hobbits on route to Imladris, though.

The Blue Mountains (Ered Luin)

MR: You have said before that you’ve intended to focus on the landscapes of Middle-earth, including cities, forests, etc., before you start on the interiors and other aspects of the world. Is this something that you’re still doing, or has work now started in earnest on other areas? Would you be able to estimate how far along you are with landscaping the mod?

Jnor: The main reason for that was that we need the landscape to be in a close-to-final state before we can add proper AI and quests so we tried to concentrate the team’s effort on that. Now, we are opening some interior claims in Bree (and soon, the Shire) and of course we need writers to give life and immersion to our mod.

The landscape development is going nicely along at the moment. Of course, there is a lot to be done still (especially the mountain ranges), but the main areas are nearly all claimed. I’d estimate that about 15% of the surface is done but that about 30% or so of the effort has been done. Some of our new members are quite fast (and good) with landscaping, so I’m not too worried about that.

Arthedain: Lake and Ruins

MR: What can you tell us about the quests we will encounter in MERP? Will there be a main storyline to follow and, if so, will it tie into events from the book? Are there any quests lifted straight from the Works of Tolkien?

Large Jack: We’re currently in a lot of debate about this. You can rest assured there will be something for everyone, and especially for those who seek an open ended RPG experience. Of course our big desire is to enact the actual War of the Ring trilogy itself in all its glory, which will obviously create a more linear, sequence of events approach as well. We aim to comprise a system which enables both forms of roleplay experience. Either way you choose you will get to meet many interesting, famous and not so famous characters along the way.

names_are_useless: We do hope to have a main questline. What this main questline will entail has been largely up to date for a long while now. I think it’s fairly unanimous that we want the main questline to follow either join the Fellowship (as an actual character from the books or a no-name tenth Fellowship member) or to be helping the Fellowship behind-the-scenes. Keep in mind that no idea has been set in stone yet.
If you’d like to give your opinion on what you think the main questline should be about, then please post your opinion on our Developer forums here.

City of Dale

MR: Which races are you including? Will they all be playable? And are you including classes?

Jnor: We will be including most (if not all) races you can think of. We decided to have many subraces, because that way Oblivion allows for more height diversity. Some races like hobbits and dwarves have no subraces. Elves have three (sindar, noldor and nandor) and humans have, at last count, fourteen. Some races like the Istari or the orcs will never be playable. In the first releases, most human races won’t. Depending on the work done on side-quests, more might be opened.

We are not going to change the models much. Some people have expressed the will to have the elven/hobbit ears redone as well as hairy feet for the hobbits. We will also include a couple custom hair meshes if we get permission.

We will include classes but nothing is decided about that yet.

Ettenmoors

MR: You’ve stated that the Balrog will be in the mod, and that Ents will probably not be. Which other creatures will you be including?

Jnor: For now, we have stolen (with permission of course ) all the available creature models that could fit into Middle-Earth. This includes Mr. Siika’s numerous animals. We have nothing decided about the Ents, but they’ll be a struggle to do as they’ll require hi-poly models and brand new animations. I think we’ll have Wargs though, as we can use existing animations (wolf or mountain lion). We have no creature modelers right now, though.

MR: Magic. It’s a huge part of Oblivion, but the magic in Middle-earth is a lot more subtle and only available to a very few. How do you plan to implement it – if at all?

Jnor: The player will not have access to many spells (if at all). Magic can be accessed through magic items/weapons or by potions. We will be using the Alchemy skill for Oblivion, but the ingredients will be new and have different effects… We’ll keep some cool spells for Gandalf though. ^^

Minas Tirith

MR: The screenshots of Minas Tirith that you have released so far are beautiful, and as far as I can see all the Seven Circles are present. Will each Circle be its own “district”, as in the Imperial City in Oblivion, or will the White City be entirely open?

Jnor: Currently, Disturbed is trying to do it in one piece. However, we fear that it will drop FPS far too much as the models are already pretty heavy on the GPU (graphic card) while the AI for many NPCs will tax on the CPU (processor).

MR: And related to the above question: will other cities and fortresses such as Edoras or Barad-dûr be instanced or open?

Jnor: This is not currently planned. The deal of Minas Tirith is that it’s very big (and we have awesome models for it). Edoras will be more reasonably sized and Barad-dur will not be instanced as it’s already done.
Caras Galadhon might or might not be. I’ll have to decide when I start my work on Lothlorien. Both sides have their goods and bads.

Arthedain: Mountains

MR: Images of the Tower of Ecthelion and the Hall of the Kings have been previewed, but are any of the other famous buildings of Minas Tirith finished and included? I’m thinking mainly of the Hallows, the Houses of Healing, Merethrond and the Old Guesthouse.

Jnor: The Houses of Healing are done modeling-wise. The other three have not been done yet. They will probably use retextured buildings since they are not portrayed much in the movies (except the Hall of Kings).

MR: Another great fortress we’ve seen screens of is the Hornburg. Do you plan to include all (or most) of the great cities and strongholds of Middle-earth? Has there been any progress on any of those that you have not shown us yet?

Jnor: We plan to have all the cities of Middle-Earth that are within the boundaries of our heightmap.
In terms of strongholds, we of course have Barad-dur which is already modeled. We also have the Shire towns well developed on the exterior and Bree has some interiors already.

Harlindon

MR: One of the most atmospheric places in Middle-earth for me personally – in both the films and the book – is Moria. Have you started work on that? Do you think you’ll be able make the vast halls and caverns of the ruined underground city, and capture the oppressing darkness and feeling of dread?

Ced: To answer the first question, yes, Moria is in the works, but is kind of put aside of late, there are many other tasks and priorities such as getting the landscape done. The truth is Moria is only about 1% finished so that will give us alot of work in the future. Maybe we will include preview(s) of Moria in our next release(s).
Our goal is to create Moria as good as the Oblivion game engine lets us. That said we will be able to create Moria at almost the same level as in the films and books. So yes we will capture the feeling of dread for sure, just wait and see!

Dale: Bridge over River Running

MR: Do you have modellers/skinners on the team dedicated to making items, weapons and armour, or do you rely mostly on donations from “freelancers”? What would be your favourite item currently in the mod, and which item would you most want to see made?

Jnor: We have some modelers in our team but we also rely on freelancers such as Mr. Siika who’s doing Minas Tirith. We have used some resources from TESNexus and PES too.

The model I’m most looking for is probably something elvish. I’ll know when I’ll see it.

MR: I’ve read that you don’t plan on using Howard Shore’s music from the films – do you have someone composing a MERP soundtrack for you? Will you include voice acting, or do you feel that that is outside of the scope of the mod?

Ced: No, we don’t plan on using any of the original LOTR soundtracks due to copyright. But instead we got our own composers who make the tracks sound a bit similar to the official LOTR tracks but are still different. And our songs will sure have the same power and elegance that Howard Shore’s tracks.

Jnor: We will hopefully have voice-overs for at least the main quests and the greetings. Really, it will depend on the number of lines we need done. We have had several people show interest in doing voice-acting for us though.

Ettenmoors in Rain

MR: Oblivion isn’t exactly famous for its large scale battles, to use an understatement. Is this something you’re going to have to live with, or are you working on ways around that with MERP?

Ghostfig: The reason oblivion didn’t have large battles is because the AI takes up so much of the processing power. I have a beta I’ve worked with on the old MERP that would keep most of the AI deactivated until the player got near the NPCs.

MR: Are there any features in the mod that you are especially proud of, or any you think players will enjoy more than others?

Lumpypat: One of the defining moments for this mod was the switch from the old Heightmap to the new one. When the mod started, most of the work was being done with a smaller disjointed height map that I just didn’t like (no offence to anyone, we wouldn’t be anywhere right now if it wasn’t for the Grey-Wizards models and vision) To make a long story short, for many reasons I started working on my own heightmap to fully capture the size and beauty of just the basic landscape of middle earth, without trees or anything. Almost all of this beauty lies in the distant LOD so make sure you have this activated if you are playing this MOD! It took two years to custom create the heightmap, probably significantly more than any commercial game, and I am very proud of the results. To this day I never get tired of going for long walks in Middle Earth!

The Blue Mountains (Ered Luin): Mountainside

MR: You’ve currently got a BETA version of the mod released, which allows players to run around in some of the environments you’ve created. Are there any plans for more releases of this sort?

Jnor: We decided not to release our current version to the public because it’s pretty useless really. It’s not elaborate enough for people to enjoy it and the old BETA still attracts some modders to us.

After the next merge (where we merge all the work done since the last release into the main esm), we will most likely release it for BETA testing if we manage to fit enough content in the Shire and Bree-land.

The Blue Mountains (Ered Luin): Mountain in Sunset

MR: Is there anything else about MERP that you feel we haven’t touched on, but you would want to say something about?

names_are_useless: We would like to thank you for the interview opportunity Amroth and all the staff here at Modrealms.com. Oh, and we also have some never-before released screenshots we would like to show to the public.

MR: The ‘Middle-earth Role Playing’ team have our thanks for letting us bombard them with questions. Find out more about MERP on their website, on their official forums, and their hosted forums here at MR.

Dale: Statue

Discuss in the forums.

[Music] Savior by Skillet

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:52:38 -0700

Savior
Skillet

Album: Collide
Station: Christian Hard Rock
Favorite Created on: October 28, 2009

[Music] Haste the Day – Long Way Down

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:35:28 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Haste+the+Day

[Music] Since October – Follow Me Down

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:54:55 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Since+October

[Music] Inhale Exhale

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:37:49 -0700

Inhale Exhale

[Music] Anthem For The Underdog by 12 Stones

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:51:17 -0700

Anthem For The Underdog
12 Stones

Album: Anthem For The Underdog
Station: Christian Hard Rock
Favorite Created on: October 27, 2009

[Shared] Microsoft Office Discount for US Students -The Ultimate Steal

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:38:49 -0700

[Shared] Microsoft Office Discount for US Students -The Ultimate Steal- Office 2007 Software for $59.95

Travis Christian — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:17:35 -0700

Microsoft Office Discount for US Students -The Ultimate Steal- Office 2007 Software for $59.95

Source: www.microsoft.com

Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and many other Office 2007 products. The Ultimate Steal allows students to create, manage, organize and share documents, emails, presentations, and much more at a massively discounted price.

just installed his 3rd new OS in as many months. Win7 Pro for $30! http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx

[Music] Falling Into Place – Point to Breathe (Album)

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:15:44 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Falling+Into+Place

[Shared] mind trick

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:54:29 -0700

[Music] The Showdown – Odysseus - A Song Of Hope

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:13:15 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Showdown

[Music] As I Lay Dying – Forsaken

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:39:13 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/As+I+Lay+Dying

[Music] A Rotterdam November – Crippling Machine

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:37:41 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/A+Rotterdam+November

[Shared] Internet rules and laws: the top 10, from Godwin to Poe - Telegraph

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:05:10 -0700

[Music] Disciple – Romance Me

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:00:53 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Disciple

[Music] One Minute Halo – Under The Blue Skies

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:14:26 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/One+Minute+Halo

[Music] Thrice – Image Of The Invisible

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:43:14 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Thrice

[Music] Kutless – Winds Of Change

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:35:09 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Kutless

[Music] Still Remains – The Serpent

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:35:04 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Still+Remains

[Shared] Announcing Civilization Network for Facebook!

Thunderfall — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:24:17 -0700

Great news! Sid Meier, creator of Civilization and Director of Creative Development at Firaxis, has just joined the forum to announce the Civilization Network project for Facebook:

Hello Civ Fans!

[IMG=right]http://www.civfanatics.com/images/civnetwork/civnetwork_med2.jpg[/IMG]I wanted to let you know we'll soon be looking for beta testers to help us develop a unique new way to play Civilization. Ever since we finished Civilization® Revolution™ last year, I've been looking at ways of expanding the Civ gameplay experience to include solo, competitive and cooperative play to take advantage of the uniqueness of social networks. We're calling this project Civilization® Network™ and the full game will be available next year on Facebook. Civilization Network will allow you to join together with your friends to create the world's most powerful, richest, smartest, or just plain coolest civilization. You can coordinate your strategy to win great battles, share your technology to jump ahead of your rivals, lobby your family and friends to form your own government and win vital elections, manage and grow your cities to maximize production and happiness, spy on your enemies, and work with your friends to create the great Wonders of the World. The game will offer everything you enjoy in Civ in a fully persistent environment - you can play as much as you like, whenever you like, and it'll be free to play.

We'll offer a closed beta of the game soon, so stay tuned for details on how you can sign-up to participate. The full game will launch in 2010. For more information about Civilization Network, including development updates and behind-the-scenes posts from me and the Firaxis team, join our Facebook fanpage here: www.facebook.com/civnetwork.

Thanks and Stay Civilized!

Sid Meier
Director of Creative Development
Firaxis Games

Welcome to CivFanatics forum, Sid! :wavey:

[Music] Jonah33 – Faith Like That

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:24:53 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Jonah33

[Music] Pillar – Indivisible

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:35:27 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Pillar

[Music] Decyfer Down – No Longer

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:31:13 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Decyfer+Down

[Music] Hero by Skillet

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:30:13 -0700

Hero
Skillet

Album: Hero (Radio Single)
Station: Christian Hard Rock
Favorite Created on: October 21, 2009

[Shared] Why Christianity?

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:33:09 -0700

[Music] The Letter Black – Hanging On By A Thread

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:27:13 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Letter+Black

[Shared] Prep Your PC for Windows 7

Kevin Purdy — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0700

[Music] Carry Me Down by Demon Hunter

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:14:57 -0700

Carry Me Down
Demon Hunter

Album: Storm The Gates Of Hell
Station: Christian Hard Rock
Favorite Created on: October 19, 2009

[Music] King Of Kings by Grand Prize

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:48:22 -0700

King Of Kings
Grand Prize

Album: Identity
Station: Christian Hard Rock
Favorite Created on: October 19, 2009

[Music] Falling Into Place

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:37:30 -0700

Falling Into Place

[Music] Separated

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:36:55 -0700

Separated

[Shared] YouTube - The Shocking Youth Message (Paul Washer)

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:37:03 -0700

[Music] Still Remains – Dancing With The Enemy

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:14:47 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Still+Remains

[Shared] Guest Voices: Church: Love It, Don't Leave It - On Faith at washingtonpost.com

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:14:27 -0700

[Music] A Road Less Traveled

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:38:19 -0700

A Road Less Traveled

[Shared] Google Wave API - Google Code

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:48:33 -0700

[Music] The Way I Feel by 12 Stones

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:10:49 -0700

The Way I Feel
12 Stones

Album: 12 Stones
Station: Christian Hard Rock
Favorite Created on: October 16, 2009

[Music] One Day Too Late by Skillet

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:52:45 -0700

One Day Too Late
Skillet

Album: Awake
Station: Christian Hard Rock
Favorite Created on: October 16, 2009

[Music] Your Touch by Kutless

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:48:00 -0700

Your Touch
Kutless

Album: Kutless
Station: Christian Hard Rock
Favorite Created on: October 16, 2009

[Shared] Photo editor online - Pixlr.com edit image

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:18:37 -0700

[Shared] These Are Not Negotiable | Chuck Baldwin

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:04:20 -0700

[Shared] Win a Google Wave Invite with Your Best Use Case

Gina Trapani — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:30:00 -0700

[Shared] First Look at Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala Beta

Kevin Purdy — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0700

[Shared] #668 Walking faster than cars sitting in traffic

nkspas — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:01:33 -0700

Have you ever sat in a taxi cab in traffic?

Just tell me that’s not frustrating. Your heart thump-thumps and your anxiety zooms sky-high while you stare at the fluorescent red toll slowly ticking upwards. Sure, you know you shouldn’t watch it, but you can’t stop. You fixate your eyes on the tick-tocking numbers while your cab slowly inches forward through tight city streets, at rush hour, in construction, when it’s raining.

There is only one thing that can make this scene more frustrating and that is watching some dude walk faster than you on the sidewalk.

Honestly, look at them, strutting their stuff, moseying down the street at breakneck speed, while you pay top dollar for a slower service. You may as well roll down the back window and toss your wallet in the sewer at this point. Yeah, steam’s coming out your ears while your face turns red as a tomato.

But for the faster-walking guy, it’s a different story.

He just bops along and watches you sweat.

AWESOME!

Photos from: here and here

[Shared] Get Windows 7 Home Premium for $30 With a College Email Address

Kevin Purdy — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:30:00 -0700

[Shared] #678 Sneaking cheaper candy into the movie theater

nkspas — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:01:53 -0700

Contraband candy tastes better.

Here’s how to make the magic happen:

Step 1: Bag Up. Large purses come in handy here. Ladies, pull out the fattest potato sack you got and sling it across your shoulder with pride. For everyone else, you can try a bulky backpack or shopping bag. Business folks can pull off the classy briefcase. The only thing to avoid are Matrix-style trench coats with burrito dents in all the inside pockets.

Step 2: Food Up. Stuff that puppy with gummy worms, bubble tape, and Cinnabons, baby. If you’re feeling risky, throw a couple cold and slippery cans of soda in there or a bag of microwave popcorn. Know your limits, though. Steamy meatball subs and hot curry dishes are typically for experts only. And nobody pulls off lasagna.

Step 3: Walk Up. Confidence is everything. Hold your head high, strut a mean strut, and you’ll be just fine. No ticket-ripper should say anything, but if you get caught you can always pretend you’re diabetic. “Honestly, this is prescription Everlasting Gobstoppers.”

Step 4: Eat Up. Tear open the bag of chips with your teeth, crack the soda during a gun fight, and shake the Nerds during the Spanish dance sequence. Just get in there and start munching.

Get in there and start crunching.

Get in there and get

AWESOME!

(Congrats to Cake Wrecks on their fantastic new book!)

Photos from: here and here

[Shared] #691 When you flip to a radio station just as a song you love is starting

nkspas — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:01:17 -0700

I’m a non-stop twiddler.

Weaving through traffic, speeding down the ramps, cruising through the city, I’ve got one hand on the wheel and the other tapping through the radio dials.

Sure, I swing by for traffic and weather, but then I’m off — checking if the host is back on my main station, cruising by the backups to see what’s playing, or even stopping in for a couple innings of the ball game.

Once in a while I end up on a station I don’t visit very often just as the opening notes are kicking in for one of my old favorites. As the drum kicks and guitar strums jolt my memory back and scratch my brain stem just the right way, I smile and settle in for a few minutes of head-bopping bliss on the drive home.

AWESOME!

Illustration from: here

Photo from: here

[Shared] #692 Eating the crusts of the sandwich first to save the middle part for last

nkspas — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:01:26 -0700

Nobody wants to finish on a downer.

If you aren’t careful the last bite of your lunch will be a big chomp of dry crusts and lettuce scraps. Your mouth will finish on a lame and boring note with the delicious middle bites from minutes ago lost in a dry, crusty haze.

Don’t let it happen to you!

Put your time in at the beginning, sacrifice early nibbles and take care of all the corners, and set yourself up for a deliciously fresh and soft, ham-and-cheesy finale to finish off your lunch.

AWESOME!

Illustration from: here

Photo from: here

[Blog] This is called foreshadowing

WildWeazel — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:10:00 -0700

Ok, so in case you are still unaware, there is a little detail of my life that has changed recently: I'm in Pittsburgh! I've been here for just under a week now. The fall semester, and the MSIT program, starts tomorrow. According to all survivors, it's a brutal 12 months. As they say, the first semester is the worst and then the next one is just as bad. That being said, my blogging activity- irregular as it is already- may drop off sharply for quite some time. I already have a lot to say about Pittsburgh and CMU, but I may not have the time to put any of it into coherent sentences. Meanwhile, Twitter will likely be a much more regular and informative account of what I'm up to and whether I'm still alive. I've been taking some pictures of interesting sights around Pittsburgh which I'll try to post at some point. Until then, remember your favorite grad student. Morituri te salutant!

[Shared] Use The Same Gmail Account for Multiple Online Accounts

The How-To Geek — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:00:00 -0700

[Shared] Digsby Joins the Dark Side, Uses Your PC to Make Money

The How-To Geek — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0700

[Shared] Improvised Self Defense Weapon: Wasp Spray

Gravelbelly — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:20:00 -0700

This email was sent to my barber by a Lutheran grandmother whom he describes as rather small. At first, I thought the wasp spray was her idea, but upon closer examination, I see she implementing & passing on a great idea for improvised defense weaponry.

I still think I would like this woman. Here is the email that my barber forwarded to me:

Good idea...If you've ever used wasp spray for wasp, you'll know that it shoots at least up to twenty feet.
Guys, tell your women.

I have a friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area who was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the offering. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead.

The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote.

She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection.

Thought this was interesting and might be of use to others.

The only drawback I can see to this is that wasp spray contains toxins, and the orc might sue you for poisoning him. On the other hand, it has certain advantages over pepper spray, like range, effectiveness (foams on contact & blinds the assailant), and the feature of being able to "hide" it in plain sight.

Let me know what you think.

[Shared] The Reconstruction of our Fallen Republic

Son3 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:39:00 -0700

I take the privilege of brevity for this small speech, partly for the lateness of the hour at which I write, partly for the well known and notorious circumstances around which I write, and partly for the fact that long-winded eloquence does not befit the state of our nation.

I shall come immediately to the point, and that is that I am prepared to declare that our great Republic has ended. It is not lightly that I declare this, nor for effect or dramatics. I need not enumerate the ways and means by which it has been put asunder, as they are apparent.

Representative Ron Paul's response to whether he would consider running for President in the next election was, "In what country?!"

Indeed, in what country? There is nothing left, not one thing of our Republic left for us to build upon. Any attempt to reinstate the sovereignty of our Constitution would be in a reconstruction unlike any undertaken in history, as not one stone has been left unturned in the sacking of our country.

Look for the rebuilding of our country, and cling to those ideas which would bring our Republic back, but don't expect it to be brought back by the same system that drove it out.

The states and their legislatures are busy either declaring their sovereignty or declaring themselves agents of the federal powers, with the people left to decide whether to obey state, federal, or local powers; all the while, those federal powers are declaring themselves mightier than all.

This cannot go on for much longer, as there will be a clash among them, eventually. We, the people, will be left as the pawns of such a clash, losing our homes, lives, and fortunes while the governments duke it out.

And when it is over, there will be alternatives to our reconstruction:

1776: Revamp our entire system to resume its former structure and ability, returning to a Constitutional government system.

1861: Split into individual states, each with its own set of morals and laws; some states forming unions other states, some remaining entirely independent.

1984: Be ruled by the victor of the altercation that brought our country to an end, being worse off than ever before in a centrist dictatorship.

Start choosing sides, as the lines are being drawn today.

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." ~II Chronicles 7:14

[Blog] Unveiling

WildWeazel — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:45:00 -0700

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING POST MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION UNSUITABLE FOR THE TECHNICALLY IMPAIRED

Two weeks ago now I got my birthday/graduation/grad-school/next-3-Christmases-in-advance/don't-ask-for-a-loan-anytime-soon heavily subsidized present, a new laptop. I'm required to have one at CMU and the old Compaq just wasn't fit for service anymore.

Since I had a reasonably good desktop already I started out small, considering decent low-end "home and office" machines and even some of the more powerful netbooks. I decided that if I was getting a new computer I might as well get something that's going to last and is worth keeping around for a while. Also, my parents had offered to pay for most of it as a combination birthday and graduation present, so I wasn't limited by the amount of money I was personally willing to shell out. At that point I started seriously comparing good mid-range models from Newegg, dealnews, and Staples. I had narrowed my choices down to a few similar models, and decided to take a look at the display models at Staples before making a decision.

To make a long story short, in the end I threw budget out the window and acquired a very nice HP via Staples, after some advice and inspiration from the extremely helpful managers. The HDX 16t Premium is one of HP's multimedia entertainment lines. This machine is a beast. My particular loadout, the 1370US, features the following:

Core 2 Duo P7750 2.26GHz CPU
4GB DDR2 RAM
16" BrightView Infinity display (1366x768)
NVIDIA GT 130M 1Gb dedicated card
500Gb 7200RPM ProtectSmart HDD
DVD Super-multi drive with Lightscribe
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit SP1

And that's not all. It includes lots of little goodies like an integrated webcam, bass speaker, soft-touch media controls, fingerprint scanner, full keyboard, Windows Media Center remote control, Wireless-N and Bluetooth, e-SATA and card reader, bundled media software (polished HP products, with minimum third-party bloatware) and a stylish scratch-resistant surface. This machine makes my previous laptop, a solid mid-range in its day, seem absolutely primitive.

Take a look at that graphics chip again. With a model number ending in -30, I assumed it was a fairly low-end card and was puzzled by the fact that it comes with a full gigabyte of dedicated memory. Imagine my surprise and joy when I discovered that the GT 130M is actually a slightly overclocked 9650M GT, one of the most powerful mobile cards on the market. This thing plays Oblivion completely maxed out, although I've been using my cooling pad while doing so. I never would have thought my new laptop would beat out my desktop in every regard, but even my 9500GT is no match for this thing. I'm debating whether to even haul my desktop to school with me, since by the time I transfer my files there won't be any benefit to using it over the laptop.

Of course, as fantastic as this machine was out of the box, I'm not one to leave anything in its original state. I spent the first week leeching free wi-fi where I could get it, downloading all of my favorite free software and tweaking just about every setting I could manage to find the in labyrinth of Vista. It's now triple-booting Vista, the Windows 7 RC, and Kubuntu Linux 9.04, all 64-bit editions. I've installed various apps, tools, IDEs, and plugins ranging from FireFox to Eclipse to Trillian Astra, and those only in the Windows partitions. I haven't managed to get Linux online yet, as I'm still a newbie with regards to hardware configuration and don't know how to connect to a wireless network without downloading an application to do so (as they say, you need Internet to get Internet). That may have to wait until I get back to the civilized world and can plug into Ethernet.

By the way, I can't get online with it at all at home, because it doesn't have a dialup modem. Such technologies no longer exist out there in the real world. Aside from that, my only complaint thus far is that it doesn't seem to have adequate cooling for such a powerful video card- as I mentioned, I keep it on an external fan while running games, and it still gets very warm to the touch.

All in all, I'm very happy with this laptop. When I carried it to a friend's house for the initial boot-up and configuration we were like kids in a candy shop. It may be overkill for a second college computer, but it's going to last me a good long time. And for $850, it was a good deal even on such an advanced model.

[Shared] #709 Waking up to the smell of sizzling bacon

nkspas — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:01:44 -0700

Lazing around in crumpled sheets, sun streaking through the blinds, your eyes slowly blink open and your lips curl into a slow smile. You make some deep, grunting noises as you twist your back and stretch your neck.

You smile and enjoy the soft and slow process of waking up after sleeping in on a weekend morning. You glance casually at the alarm clock, you stare at the ceiling, flip your pillow, and roll around in Sheetworld.

Then it hits you.

Nose twitching, brain sniffing, you catch faint fumes of sizzling bacon drifting up from the kitchen. Can it be? Is this why you woke up? You bunny-sniff again and this time you’re positive, you’re certain, you’re sure.

Bacon!

It smells like mom’s cooking breakfast. It smells like a sunny Sunday sleep-in. It smells like pajamas and a fresh paper. It smells like little white grease bubbles in a crispy black frying pan.

And it smells a lot like

AWESOME!

Photo from: here

[Shared] Less Government, More Sense | by Kevin Brett

Travis Christian — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 18:29:30 -0700

Less Government, More Sense | by Kevin Brett

Source: www.campaignforliber...

Big government removes people from the consequences of their decisions.

[Shared] Software Engineering: Dead?

Jeff Atwood — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:59:59 -0700

[Blog] On the Virtues of Civilization, Part 3

WildWeazel — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:30:00 -0700

In Part 2 I described my introduction to the Civilization series. At this point, I've been playing Civ1 for a few years and have a serious case of "(Just) One More Turn Syndrome".

Since I didn't start playing Civ until around the time Civilization II was released, I missed the sequel. Instead, my next Civilization game was Civilization: Call to Power, a spin-off by Activision. In 7th grade I received CtP as a reward for making it to the oral rounds of the regional spelling bee. This time I got the whole product, including the large tech tree and statistics poster, and the official strategy guide, both of which were put to good use. CtP immediately became my new favorite game, and although I occasionally went back to Civ for the sake of nostalgia I enjoyed CtP much more.

Call to Power introduced many new concepts, especially to a Civ1 player. Public works improvements, unconventional warfare including slavery and propaganda, undersea and space cities and improvements, and combined arms combat all added depth to the game. A wide variety of civilizations, units, and buildings rounded out the options, ensuring that no two games could ever be the same.

I only vividly remember one game, playing as Germany on a large and populated map. I had built Berlin into the greatest city in the world, probably to the detriment of the rest of my nation. I owned a large portion of a major continent, but was locked into a stalemate with Canada on a peninsula to my southeast. For some reason I never rebuilt a major invasion force after my initial land grab, but resorted to extended stealth-bombing and ground skirmishes. Meanwhile, Brazil owned most or all of another continent in the north, and after establishing itself as a world power had continued to strengthen until none dared oppose it. It seemed content to peacefully enjoy an exponential increase in power, until I finally got frustrated at the near-impossibility of actually winning the game and decided to attack. I built several nukes and launched them adjacent to several Brazilian cities (to avoid being intercepted by the overpowered War Walkers who automatically shot down incoming air units), only to be put into my place a few turns later as hordes of Hovertanks skimmed across the ocean onto my lawn.

Speaking of War Walkers and Hovertanks, CtP had some crazy mixed in with its ingenuity. I was all for the extended future eras and expanded gameplay, but units like Eco Rangers and Televangelists were a bit on the eccentric side, and the deep-future technologies felt tack-ed on just for the cool value. Overall though, it was a well-designed and attractive product. It easily kept me entertained and addicted for the next year and a half, until the best game ever made was released.

[Shared] How to Defeat Barack Obama – The Most Subversive Politician in Modern US History

RMS941 — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:57:35 -0700

Alexander J. Madison - July 13, 2009

Barack Hussein Obama is not a stupid man. Regardless of how and why he was accepted to Columbia and Harvard Law School, he apparently was intelligent enough to achieve passing grades. (I say apparently, because no one has actually seen his college transcripts). It is also true that he is not a slothful man. Through his well-rehearsed, savvy, and populist political rhetoric and demeanor, he has been able to inspire left leaning Americans to follow and support him with great enthusiasm. The type of enthusiasm that has been decidedly missing from conservative American circles for the past 20 years.

But if history’s scars have taught us anything about national leaders and politicians, it is that intelligence and cunning do not necessarily equate to wisdom. And Barack Hussein Obama has yet to demonstrate that he possesses even the vaguest ability to produce wise and reasoned judgments.

You are not wise if you claim to be a constitutional law professor, yet do not comprehend the basics of the Constitution. Where, pray tell, in the US Constitution does it allow for the federal government to seize private companies, such as GM and Chrysler, and then have the president’s underlings decide which auto dealerships are allowed to stay in business? Where does the Constitution permit the Feds to create a government run health insurance entity -that will surely undercut private providers - in order to “keep them honest and help keep prices down”? Toss in a career-long hostility to the Second Amendment, and it becomes obvious that Obama subscribes to the nebulous “living breathing document” school of constitutional study.

You are not wise if you neither understand nor appreciate America’s standing in the world, as a beacon of freedom and righteousness; and the enemy of evil. In his travels, Obama has never once failed to apologize for America to people who are either envious or disdainful of our nation. He apologized in Turkey for America’s “strained relations” with that country and with islam in general. He apologized in Cairo for the US flat lining Saddam and establishing an Iraqi democracy in the Middle East. He apologized during his campaign in Berlin for “our actions around the world that haven’t lived up to our best intentions”. He apologized at the recent G8 summit in Italy for America causing fictitious ‘global warming’. And perhaps most egregiously – standing the Monroe Doctrine on its ear, he apologized that the United States has “not always stood as it should” in Latin America, while attempting to justify his jaw-dropping support for reinstating a Hugo Chavez sidekick back into the Honduran presidency.

You are not wise if you do not understand the nature of our enemies and rivals, or the history of nation-states. Promoting unilateral nuclear disarmament that will sacrifice our arsenal for leftist, politically correct “peace in our time” may put a smile on Vladimir Putin’s face, but it is dismantling the leverage that generations of patriotic cold warriors constructed. De-funding missile defenses and advanced space-based weaponry may be the cause of Champagne celebrations in Beijing, Pyongyang, and San Francisco, but it will leave our military in a position of inferiority for the first time in decades. And coddling terrorists by handing them US Constitutional rights on the battlefield may please the ACLU and Bill Ayers, but it a policy of national suicide.

So how do conservatives fight this onslaught of misguided, unwise, and dangerous policies?

1. Conservatives must reject ‘political correctness’! It was the GOP’s and John McCain’s politically correct instincts that prevented them from exposing Obama’s radicalism during the campaign. The best they could cough up was that Obama’s policies seemed “socialistic”. Balderdash. Obama’s policies then and now are rank marxist constructs. Obama has never had anyone other than far left radicals for mentors. Even when the MSM handed the McCain camp the anti-American, racist Jeremiah Wright on a silver platter, they refused it. McCain gave some sorry excuse about not wanting to impugn a man’s religion. What does hate for Israel and America and gross distortions of US history have to do with a man’s religion? Conservatives must be willing to point out that everything Obama stands for goes directly against the grain of our Constitution, our history, capitalism, and common sense. When Obama nominates a racist “wise Latina” for the Supreme Court, conservatives have the obligation to point out that racism and defeat her, instead of excusing it. The radical Latino groups that threaten conservatives by vowing to work against them have no intention of EVER supporting a conservative. John McCain’s Spanish language Amnesty ads, which aired throughout the SW during the campaign, earned him absolutely nothing but scorn from Latinos, as evidenced by his precipitous drop of support in comparison to George Bush. And keep in mind that in 2000 and 2004 George Bush was dead set against “amnesty”. Instead of dismissing out of hand the research that conservative bloggers uncover - because afterall they’re just bloggers - patriotic politicians need to assign staff to monitor these efforts and chase hard after the facts (while dismissing the chaff). If they had done so in 2008, Barack Obama would still be a harmless back bencher in the US Senate.

2. Conservatives must fight relentlessly to block Obama’s marxist agenda. The most effective way to resonate with the American people is to fiercely defend the constitution while advocating American Exceptionalism, local control, tradition, and rejection of the nanny state. We must consistently draw attention to the deficiencies of the existing federal bureaucratic cluster-f*ck and the horror stories it produces. If the democrats can trot out “victims” of the – you name it – insurance industry, second hand smoke, the mining industry, big pharmaceuticals, etc, then surely conservatives can find scads of genuine victims of the IRS, the EPA, OSHA, Medicare, and judicial activism. No compromises on the socialist fantasy called ‘Cap and Trade’. No compromises on a health bill that expands the reach of the federal government in any way, shape or form. Conservatives must work tirelessly to expose and deflect Obama’s myriad plans to neuter our military - with everything from repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, to slashing our Missile Defenses, to canceling funding for our best fighter jet, to unilateral nuclear disarmament. If Obama “wins” these legislative battles, the consequences must rest solely on the shoulders of the president and his cohorts Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. Giving these plans the legitimacy of “bi-partisan” cover is a recipe for conservatives to remain in the wilderness.

3. Conservatives must offer Conservative solutions. There is no lack of great ideas to address the pressing issues of the day. The Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, the Club for Growth, and dare I say the Falcon Party all have some excellent ideas to move America forward towards liberty, security and prosperity. And there is no lack of data to support jettisoning the FALSE pressing issues such as ‘global warming’, gays in the military, and amnesty for illegal aliens. Instead of a 2nd or 3rd stimulus plan that wastes trillions, advocate slashing capital gains and corporate tax rates to be the most business friendly nation on earth. Instead of regulating coal out of existence for the ruse of saving the planet, advocate fast tracking nuclear power and clean coal plant permits, with donations of federal lands to build them on. Instead of letting Obama pick the winners and losers of the emerging “green” technologies, advocate tax incentives to further their development and demonstration. Instead of surrendering to the siren song of socialized, federally run healthcare, advocate the elimination of regulations that force insurance providers to include things like abortion and mental health services for those who have no desire to have this crap in their policies. Instead of dangling federal dollars over the heads of state/city run schools to have them standardize per the wishes of federal bureaucrats, advocate the elimination of the Department of Education altogether; and refund all the billions of dollars to the states that are currently being collected, skimmed, and then returned with sticky strings attached. Instead of drastically cutting dollars out of the defense budget to pay other government expenses, advocate the elimination of 25% of the federal government departments and personnel. Americans will be shocked at the amount of useless, expensive, anti-constitutional nonsense that exists in the federal leviathan, if conservatives take the time to fully illustrate it.

With the confidence our founders had in capitalism, individual liberty, private property, and constitutionally limited government, conservatives must move forward to challenge and destroy the entire premise of government hyper-activism that has led us to where we are today. And with Obama now in the oval office, this activism, better known as marxism, threatens to take America from a free enterprise superpower to a sickly vassal state. America is worth saving – and only a return to conservative governance can spare her from this decline.

Wisdom is what our founding fathers had. And they created a constitutional republic. Cunning is what Saul Alinsky had, and what David Axelrod, Hillary Clinton, Bill Ayers and Barack Obama have. And their efforts to tear down this republic will fail when conservatives stand proudly on the shoulders of America’s giants and reclaim our heritage.

[Blog] Reading List

WildWeazel — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:40:00 -0700

In the past several months I've started reading books again, something I haven't been doing much since being in college. I've gotten through a few already, but there are many more. Here is a current list of what I've recently read, what I'm reading now, and what is yet to be read:

Completed:
The Noticer by Andy Andrews
Holding Fast by Karen James
Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe, and Life, The Universe, And Everything by Douglas Adams

In Progress/Incomplete:
The Old Testament
Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
The Reason For God by Timothy Keller
So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish by Douglas Adams
The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien (re-reading)
The Children of Hurin by JRR Tolkien

To Read:
Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams
The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis (last 2? books)
The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien
Dune series by Frank Herbert (minus Dune, which I've read)
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin
The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind
Shannara series by Terry Brooks
Redwall series by Brian Jacques (most recent books)
Dies the Fire series by SM Stirling
Common Sense by Glenn Beck
1984 by George Orwell
Freedom Under Siege by Ron Paul
Essential Church? by Thom and Sam Rainer
The Seven Sleepers series by Gilbert Morris
American Savior by Roland Merullo
The Rapture and Kingdom Come by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B Jenkins
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Darwin's Black Box by Michael J Behe
The Language of God by Francis Collins
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel

My list seems to be dominated by sci-fi/fantasy series, which tend to involve many thousands of pages. This should keep me busy for a couple of years, at least. If you have any suggestions to add- or even remove- please comment.

[Blog] House of Heroes, And More

WildWeazel — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:08:00 -0700

So, as you may or may not know, Friday was my 22nd birthday. For months I had been planning to go to SpiritSong at Kings Island to see Kutless (at least) in concert, but due to an unfortunate combination of poor planning and poor friends, it didn't work out. However, I heard about a House of Heroes concert at a church near where my sister lives so we planned to do that instead. Someone decided it would be a good idea for the whole family to go to the Columbus Zoo on the same day. I still couldn't get my friends to go along, but at least I was able to do something out of the ordinary on my birthday.

The concert was not exactly what I was expecting- it was better. There were only a couple hundred people there, which meant anyone who wanted to (which was most everyone) was able to stand within about 15 feet of the stage. One of the announcers from TVU promised us that the people at SpiritSong were the ones who were missing out. A band from Kentucky called Seabird opened with several songs. Then finally House of Heroes. They were quite a bit louder and more intense live than I would have thought from their recorded songs, which was fine with me. I joined the crowd at the stage, rocked out, and sang along with the songs I knew, mostly from The End Is Not The End.

At one point between songs they stopped to ask where people were from. It went something like this:
"Who here is from Johnstown proper?"
"As opposed to... improper."
*a few hands and yells*
"Anyone from New Albany?"
*several hands and scattered screaming*
"Anyone from regular Albany... also known as old Albany"
*me yelling*

Good times. The concert ended with "In The Valley Of The Dying Sun", which seemed to be a favorite.

Also, thanks to the Google homepage, I now know that I share a birthday with Nikola Telsa!

[Blog] The Lord of the Rings: Recast

WildWeazel — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:31:00 -0700

The Lord of the Rings was a great movie* and all, but like many Tolkien fans I think it could have been done better. Unlike the rest of them, I think it could have used more superstardom and outlandish, over-the-top screenwriting. Therefore, I've re-cast LotR for a more unabashedly awesome remake:

Director Michael Bay
Because that mile-high explosion of Mount Doom and the subsequent geological collapse of an entire region just wasn't enough.

Chuck Norris as Aragorn
"Strider does not sleep. He waits." A duel with an enormous troll would be more believable.

Mort the lemur of Madagascar as Frodo
Because, just perhaps, he could convey the role of being a self-pitying wuss a little better.

The guy(s)(?) who voiced the other unicorns in "Charlie the Unicorn" as Sam
"Mr Frodo! Mr Frodo! Mr Frodo! We're going to Mount Doom, Mr Frodo!"

Mr T as Boromir
He pities the fool who simply walks into Mordor.

Kevin Bacon as Legolas
Got to keep the degrees of separation low.

John McCain as Theoden
Creepy, cranky old zombie of a guy as head of state? Check.

Samuel L Jackson as Eomer
"Enough is enough! I have had it with these mother-russian orcs on this mother-russian plain!"

Dwight Schrute as The Mouth of Sauron
Assistant ~~to the~~ Dark Lord

Russel Crowe as Saruman
Why not? You can't go wrong with Crowe.

Johnny Depp as Grima Wormtongue
Imagine the political advice: "No. You want you to not do this, because the not doing of this finds you incapacitorially finding and or locating in your discovering the detecting of a way to save your kingdom. Savvy?"

Keanu Reeves as Celeborn
Hey, at least he would have a bit more personality

The Black Knight of Monty Python and the Holy Grail as Lurz
Nobody else can lose limbs and keep acting.

Wilson of Home Improvement as Glorfindel the Strangely Absent
Because we never see him.

There are still roles available, so audition now!

*Like the book, I think of it as a single movie in 3 parts rather than a trilogy. It's a well-documented fact.

[Blog] Book Review: The American Patriot's Bible

WildWeazel — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:40:00 -0700

I could not think of a better time to review this book, my third from Thomas Nelson. The American Patriot's Bible, edited by Dr Richard G. Lee, is a NKJV translation, filled with historical commentary and excerpts that highlight the influence of scripture in the shaping of America.

When I requested this Bible I was concerned that it may overreach in its pairing of Christian thought with the founding of America; that it might portray the USA as the new Israel or a wholly Christian establishment. As it turns out I was quite impressed. The additional content highlights the unmistakable Biblical foundations of American political and social philosophy, without asserting any inherent spiritual significance to this country or suggesting that the founding of America was a solely Christian endeavor. It does show many examples of how Christian values and godly people shaped the history of America. At a time when much of our culture and government is trying to deny and even erase these ideas, it has never been more important to remember this nation's origins and from where our liberty and justice are derived.

Most of the editorial content is in the form of essays on various political and social topics that point out the underlying Biblical philosophies of many American values. These essays, as well as collections of relevant quotes by famous Americans, are found in special full-color insert pages throughout the Bible, often tied in to the themes of the surrounding chapters. Short annotated quotes are found within the text, relating a specific verse or phrase to a piece of American history. One article, "The Seven Principles of the Judeo-Christian Ethic", seems somewhat contrived and a bit out of place, coming before even the introduction. It does however contain a statement that perhaps best sums up the reason for this edition: "Whether each of the Founding Fathers was a Christian is not the issue. Their writings, their statements, and their votes evidence the fact that the majority of them embraced these great principles as the basis for a civilized nation."

Note that this is not a study Bible as some are calling it, although it does include thorough book introductions and a decent concordance- as well as other additional features, such as maps and room for family records, that I was surprised to find.

[Blog] Independence

WildWeazel — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:28:00 -0700

To commemorate this historic day- the 233rd anniversary of America's independence- I'd like to share an excerpt from Chuck Baldwin's column "Independence Now And Forever":

Regarding the signing of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams said, "[Independence Day] will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the Day of Deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore."

Adams went on to say, "You will think me transported with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory; I can see that the end is more than worth all the means, that posterity will triumph in that day's transaction, even though we should rue it, which I trust in God we shall not."

Indeed, the signers of America's Declaration of Independence endured the sacrifice of both toil and blood. Pertaining to the lives of the signers, David Limbaugh writes, "Of those 56 who signed the Declaration of Independence, nine died of wounds or hardships during the war. Five were captured and imprisoned, in each case with brutal treatment. Several lost wives, sons or entire families. One lost his thirteen children. Two wives were brutally treated. All were at one time or another the victims of manhunts and driven from their homes. Twelve signers had their homes completely burned. Seventeen lost everything they owned."

Yes, America's Declaration of Independence, which is our nation's birth certificate, was purchased at a very high price. Rightly did its primary author, Thomas Jefferson, invoke God's name no less than four times in the Declaration. Without God, our struggle for independence and freedom would surely have failed.

Jefferson, along with the vast majority of America's founders, knew that freedom was, first, the gift of God, not the accomplishment of men. He further understood that man's law must be subordinate to the natural laws of God.

Therefore, with an appeal to Heaven for the "rectitude of [their] intentions," America's Founding Fathers courageously forged a document that would put their own lives at risk, but would also change the course of history.

Let us never forget the price- and the blessings- of liberty.

[Shared] #732 Taking your glasses or contact lenses off after a long day

nkspas — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:01:03 -0700

How do you spell relief?

Baby, it’s gotta be that deep sensation of finally relaxing your eyeballs when you pull your specs off at the end of the day. And whether you’re resting your Coke bottles on the bedside table or peeling your dry, itchy contacts out after a late night and a long cab ride, you just gotta love that perfect sense of freedom and fresh air.

Yes, when you pull off those lenses you can just blink twice, feel that burn, and give yourself a well deserved Pre-Dream eyeball massage.

Because you’re finally free.

Now, if you’re blessed with 20/20 vision, and have no idea what us blind folks are talking about, then let me give you the Top 5 Sorta-Similar Feelings from other parts of your life. Here you go, Perfect Eyes:

5. Unbuttoning the top button of your too-tight dress shirt after a long wedding day. You trucked around town in a strangling tux and a tie, your neck sweated and brown-collared your shirt through the pictures, wedding ceremony, speeches, and dance. When you’re back in the hotel room, just pop that button off and let it all go.

4. Flipping your belt buckle open after a big turkey dinner. You packed that stomach with slabs of turkey, slops of potatoes, mounds of stuffing, and a glass full of gravy, so when you let your stomach just flop onto your lap it’s impossible not to droop your eyelids and smile a nice and slow open mouthed smile.

3. Taking your shoes and socks off after a long day at work. Hey, we’ve talked about this one before, but it’s hard to beat the feeling of your leg hairs straightening out and blood recirculating in your calves after a sweaty day at the office.

2.Untying your corset in your dim, candle lit castle tower. Such sweet relief from a long day of washing your hair in the courtyard well, attending a stuffy dinner with the King, and sitting through hours of poetry with the troubadours in the town square.

1. Cracking open your ski boots after a day at the slopes and walking around in sock feet. All the bumps and blisters on your feet finally relax and dentisify by the chalet fire after being squeezed together all day. Now it’s time to relax by the chalet fire.

If you’re still reading then you know all of these pleasures make life so juicy and delicious. So if you’re nodding along and loving these buzzes then you deserve big ups for enjoying tiny moments of pure bliss wedged tightly in the middle of your busy and stressful day.

So today we give you a recognition you truly deserve.

Congratulations on stopping to smell the

AWESOME!

Photos from: here, here, here, and here

[Blog] On the Virtues of Civilization, Part 2

WildWeazel — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:36:00 -0700

In the previous post I explained the reason for this topic and briefly described the Civilization franchise. Let's continue.

I started playing computer games not long after my family got our first computer, when I was about 6 or 7. First it was the simple Windows 3.1 games like Mosaic and Minesweeper, then commercial games. SimTower was the first game I (and by "I", I mean "my parents, on my behalf") bought, and I quickly became a fan of Will Wright's games.

When I bought SimCity a few years later, which by then had already been around for a while, it came packaged with another game, just a CD case laminated on the front of the box, which I had never heard of. I set this one aside, eager to play the venerable SimCity. To my dismay, I could not get the game to run despite my best efforts at playing around with different system and game settings (my hacking started early), so I reluctantly turned to this free copy of "Civilization" (Civ1 DOS, for those interested) to ease my frustration.

It worked, and I spent much of the following months forgetting that I ever wanted to play Sim City. I don't remember the details of my first game, but I have plenty of memories of learning how to play- deciding that I should build additional cities before being surrounded by rivals; experimenting with diplomacy, which was then done via Diplomat units; discovering that a Trireme is a boat, and that I could now explore other landmasses; my first victory as Russia on the Earth map in which I city-spammed my way to dominance and then conquered the world; and saving all of my progress on a growing stack of floppy disks. To this day, the (now extremely rare) sound of a floppy disk writing makes me think of Civilization.

And so it came to pass that I developed a serious case of what we civvers affectionately call "One More Turn Syndrome" at such a young age. The arrival of Civilization: Call to Power did little to ease my affliction.

Continued in Part 3

[Blog] Camping

WildWeazel — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:54:00 -0700

Over the weekend I went camping with some friends (including a toddler and a dog) in Hocking Hills, a woodland state park nearby. It was typical American family camping, with a crowded campground on a paved road, campers, a bath house, a pool, and plenty of supplies; but two of us did at least sleep in a tent. We hiked a 2.5 mile path along the rim of a scenic cliff-walled valley, which for me was the highlight of the weekend. I would have liked to do more exploring, but we still had plenty of fun, even without a kayak. The weather was perfect after a cool rainy week that had us worried. We fished, cooked outside (managing to narrowly avoid disaster at least once), encountered a few snakes and other wildlife, and tried several of 24 interesting flavors of soft-serve ice cream at a camping store. While not the epic survival tale of man against nature that I prefer camping to be, it was really nice to get away from everything for a while and spend some time in (relative) isolation with some of my favorite people.

[Shared] Happy Birthday, Mr. President

Slublog — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:53:47 -0700

[Shared] #745 When someone gives you their last piece of gum

nkspas — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:01:11 -0700

When someone offers to crack that final white chicklet out of their crinkly plastic checkerboard, it just sort of dawns on you: you’ve got a new best friend.

AWESOME!

(Please click here for an exciting message from 1000 Awesome Things.)

Photo from: here

[Blog] On the Virtues of Civilization, Part 1

WildWeazel — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:17:00 -0700

Yeah, it sounds like a lofty essay compilation on world history and anthropology. Don't worry, it's about the games.

I know I've casually mentioned "Civ" quite a few times, and even posted a few previews of stuff I'd been working on for mods. I even have a tag for the subject. But the whole ~~obsession~~ preoccupation with the game(s) has never been directly addressed. I shall fill this void in installments.

For the, ahem... uncivilized, I should at this point explain what exactly it is that I speak of. Civilization is a series of "4X" (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) turn-based strategy games that follow the course of recorded human history, from the stone age to the space age. The player assumes high-level control of a civilization and develops it through building cities, improving terrain, raising a military, researching technologies, and interacting with other civilizations. The original Civilization ("Civ1") was designed by the legendary Sid Meier and published in 1991 for MS-DOS. Sid's company Firaxis Games has since created 3 additional incarnations, expansions of each, and a number of spin-off titles. The franchise has sold over 8 million copies and is now one of the most popular names in strategy gaming.

My first encounter with Civ was an accident.

Continued in Part 2

[Shared] US-Israel Relations Still Crumbling

Gabriel Malor — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:12:10 -0700

[Shared] Following Jesus in the Real World: God didn’t call us to be “comfy”

Dave Burchett — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:05:54 -0700

[Shared] June 6, 1944

Russ from Winterset — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 07:04:14 -0700

[Shared] The Web Browser Address Bar is the New Command Line

Jeff Atwood — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:55:32 -0700

[43 Things] Read more (again)

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:48:20 -0700

WildWeazel completed this goal

[43 Things] go to Carnegie Mellon

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:45:15 -0700

WildWeazel completed this goal

[43 Things] learn C#

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:44:44 -0700

WildWeazel completed this goal

[43 Things] learn a martial art

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:42:27 -0700

WildWeazel completed this goal (worth it!)

[43 Things] graduate with a 3.5 or higher GPA

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:35:28 -0700

WildWeazel completed this goal (worth it!)

[Shared] "The Right Of The People To Keep And Bear Arms, Shall Not Be Infringed"

DrewM. — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:38:37 -0700

[Blog] Book Review: The Noticer by Andy Andrews

WildWeazel — Sun, 03 May 2009 09:39:00 -0700

I read this book in 2 days, something I haven't done for years. The Noticer by Andy Andrews is a compelling story about a mysterious but likable old man known as Jones (no "Mr.") who visited a small Gulf Coast town over many years, helping people address various problems in their lives by giving them a little "perspective".

One such person was a young Andy, who thanks to Jones turned his life around and went from an orphaned young man living under a pier to a successful motivational speaker and author. Jones helped him see his problems in a new light and gave him valuable advice to help him improve his circumstances. Jones always showed up at just the right time, wearing his jeans and white t-shirt and carrying his old brown leather suitcase, giving much needed advice and assistance to people in various situations, then disappearing as quickly as he came. He called himself a "noticer", claiming that his gift was simply to notice things about people that others seemed to miss. The old man's calm, casual demeanor and logical doses of perspective changed many lives in the small town over the years as he became a local legend. He never told anyone much about himself, but anyone who met him instantly felt a strange bond with the old man. Andy wrote this book to recognize Jones' influence in his own life and to encourage others to do the same.

Andy's casual, intimate narratives make the reader feel like they know Jones by the end of the book. His advice, while not particularly profound, is practical and honest. He applies many of the same principles to different people- most explicitly in his final encounter with Andy, when they meet another young man in much the same situation and Jones gives him the same advice as he did to Andy decades earlier. Jones' no-nonsense perspective is something we could all use more of.

"The Noticer Project", founded by Andy along with the release of the book, is a movement to publicly "notice" the 5 most influential people in your life. By noticing others, you not only honor them, but gain a new perspective on your own life.

[Blog] Top 10: Influential Albums

WildWeazel — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:15:00 -0700

I was tagged with "15 albums that made an impact on your life" just before I started the Top 10 topic. Since I'm lazy and 10 is conveniently less than 15 I've lopped off 33% of the workload. Also, I can't be bothered to actually arrange them by impact, so they are In No Particular Order. But because I'm just that cool, linkage is provided courtesy of Last.fm.

Live the Difference (Acquire The Fire)
My first personal CD, which I got while on a missions trip. It's when I really started listening to music.

The Heart of War (Jonah33)
One of the few CD's that I've actually bought. It's an unapologetically awesome mix of Christian "fight songs" and one of the best overall albums I've heard.

Kutless (Kutless)
The album that first got me into hard rock. "Your Touch" is to this day one of my favorite songs.

The Beautiful Letdown (Switchfoot)
One of the first albums that I really enjoyed, long before I owned it myself. Switchfoot was one of my early favorites and the first alternative rock band I listened to.

The Triptych (Demon Hunter)
The album that taught me to listen to metal(core). My library has never been quite the same.

Letters To The President (Hawk Nelson)
Another overall great album, and the one that kicked off my punk rock phase.

Spoken For (MercyMe)
Another very early album, and one of the few CCM artists that I listened to consistently.

Fireproof (Pillar)
Also pushed me into hard rock, and for quite a while was unquestionably my favorite album.

All The Right Reasons (Nickelback)
I had to throw a non-Christian band into the mix. "Savin' Me", "If Everyone Cared", "Photograph"... this album got me to start listening to mainstrean rock, and made me a Nickelback fan.

Unbreakable (Fireflight)
By mere coincidence, this is the album I was looking for when I found that Ruckus had been shut down, prompting me to save most of my music collection before it was too late.

[Shared] Quote of the Day

Ace — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:39:35 -0700

[Blog] Book Review: Holding Fast

WildWeazel — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:50:00 -0700

As I mentioned a while back, I joined Thomas Nelson's Book Review Bloggers program to review free books from the publisher. First the book was lost in the mail, then I put it down halfway through as the semester was catching up with me, so it's taken quite a while to get through my first book. Nonetheless, here is my review:

Holding Fast is the story of the three mountain climbers trapped on Mount Hood in December 2006 and those they left behind. When veteran mountaineers Kelly James, Brian Hall, and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke went missing on Oregon's highest peak during the worst winter storm in a decade, the search caught national media attention. In Holding Fast, Kelly's wife Karen tells the moving personal story of her husband's life, the tragedy that claimed him and his climbing partners, and the search for answers and peace.

The book is an interesting read and an emotional rollercoaster. The first section of the book is devoted to Kelly's childhood and his marriage to Karen, setting the stage for the following chapters that describe the tragedy from Karen's personal perspective. She portrays Kelly as an incredible man of God, a loving father and husband, and a skilled and avid mountaineer.

When Kelly and his climbing partners go missing on Mount Hood, Karen and the families are there waiting for their return. After a grueling week of bad weather, dead ends, and failed rescue attempts, Kelly's body is discovered in a snow cave near the summit. Karen's life is torn apart in an instant, and she spends the next several months fighting the grief that threatens to consume her. But she depends on God for her strength and her faithful friends for support, and after a difficult journey she is able to find the answers that she needs, pick up the pieces, and move forward with peace and purpose.

I would recommend this book to anyone. The incredible account of these three men and their families was an encouragement to me. Holding Fast puts more than a face- a life- to the name Kelly James, and tells the untold story of faith, hope, and love behind the headline.

Also, I would recommend Book Review Bloggers to anyone who enjoys reading Christian books! I'm about to start on my second book, The Noticer by Andy Andrews. I was asked to post a review today for a special release day promotion, but since I just finished the first book I don't think that's going to happen.

[Shared] Redefining a Nation

admin — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:31:49 -0700

My last article, “Secession… an American Tradition,” elicited some good questions from readers. The whole issue of secession seems to beg the larger question of what constitutes a nation anyway.

To answer this requires a brief overview of modern nationalism.

Here are a couple of definitions to start:

Nation:

A large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own: The president spoke to the nation about the new tax. (www.Dictionary.com)

Nation:

A body of people inhabiting the same country, or united under the same sovereign or government; as the English nation; the French nation. It often happens that many nations are subject to one government; in which case, the word nation usually denotes a body of people speaking the same language, or a body that has formerly been under a distinct government, but has been conquered, or incorporated with a larger nation. Thus the empire of Russia comprehends many nations, as did formerly the Roman and Persian empires… (Webster’s Dictionary, 1828 Edition)

Notice how Noah Webster defined “nation” somewhat differently than we do today. Today, we put emphasis on government and geography. But Webster put emphasis on people with a common language or heritage living in community (or covenant) together. A nation, to Webster, could easily exist within another nation. More is involved in a nation than just the political geography.

On the other hand, the best definition of modern nationalism that I’ve heard comes from author/historian Dr. George Grant. Grant defines nationalism as equating the nation with the civil government of that nation. In other words, when we think of the United States of America, we think of a flag, a bald eagle, or a white-domed capital in Washington, D.C. We don’t generally think of the English language (especially nowadays) or small towns, mom, and apple pie.

What’s difficult for us to realize is that our view of nationalism is relatively new to the West. The modern western-style nation-state is a product of the 19th century. Before the 1800s, a map of Europe looked like someone took a black-and-white map of Europe, a box of crayons, and gave them to some kindergarteners to fill in. There were literally hundreds of dukedoms, fiefdoms, cantons, bailiwicks, kingdoms, states, etc.

Europe in 1400

Lines of political geography changed all the time. Depending on who died, was deposed, or related by marriage to King XYZ, etc., you could live your life in several different “nations” and never move!

But the French Revolution changed all of this. For the first time since the glory days of the Roman Empire, Europe saw what we would recognize today as a modern nation. France liquidated its aristocracy (literally) and embraced full-blown, top-down statism (in the name of liberty, of course). The French put a million soldiers in the field, an unheard of number at the time. This forced smaller European states to amalgamate as a matter of survival.

Of course, the French flirtation with Democracy quickly led to a tyrannical dictatorship, and the Napoleonic wars destroyed what was left of Old Europe.

Europe in 1900

There was, however, one place where the old West still thrived: America. In America, the very notion of one all-powerful national government sent chills down the spines of Jefferson and Madison. Only Alexander Hamilton and a few lackeys had dreams rivaling Napoleon, but Aaron Burr had the good sense to shoot him before his views became a real threat to the Republic (tongue firmly planted in cheek).

But this new Napoleonic nationalism began to creep into America following the War of 1812, and by the 1830s, there were actually some northern U.S. Senators making speeches about “the Union” being older than the States making up the Union—a truly preposterous notion, akin to saying a son is older than his father.

This new revelation was a convenient belief, because these same Congressmen were using the Federal treasury as a personal expense account for their home states. Believing that the States were subservient to “the nation” justified this 19th-century version of wealth redistribution (for the “greater good,” don’t you know!).

To make a long story short, Abraham Lincoln’s election was the first time this new brand of nationalism took over the Executive Branch. Before Lincoln’s presidency, the United States was referred to in the plural, viz. “The United States are”—not “the United States is.” The modern American “nation” was born. This was a nation that defined itself in terms of geography and government, not in terms of people and relationships.

Lincoln’s “of the people, by the people, and for the people” rhetoric was just that—fancy words. Lincoln did not believe the people were the government; he believed the government was “the people.” That is why when Barack Obama says today that “the American People want X, Y, Z,” he’s really saying, “I want X, Y, Z.” In this view, the voice of the Nation (i.e. the Government) is the voice of the people. Obama doesn’t want what we want. To him, his wants are our wants. Obama is a nationalist in true Lincoln style.

Lincoln is credited with “saving the Union.” But an honest review of American history will show that he did not save America. True, he preserved America’s political geography as of 1859. He preserved the tax revenue sources he inherited as president. But he didn’t save the American nation as Noah Webster defined nation. Jefferson’s America was all but destroyed. Madison’s America was all but destroyed. And Hamilton snickered in his grave.

One’s definition of “nation” will greatly affect his definition of patriotism. In fact, it will determine it. If you believe, as Lincoln did, that America is the same thing as the present federal government of America, then opposing that government in any way is “unpatriotic.” This explains why Lincoln imprisoned an estimated 20,000 Americans (mostly Northern political opponents)—without warrant, without trial, often without even a charge. Even Jefferson Davis, President of the “treasonous” Confederate States, was never brought to trial. Yet, he spent two years in federal prison.

I have to laugh when I hear talking heads like Keith Olbermann admiringly quote Lincoln when denouncing Texas Governor Rick Perry’s comments on secession. Given Lincoln’s own record of secret prisons and sham military trials, one would think Olbermann would at least cut some slack for another Texas governor he constantly attacked for similar offenses committed against suspected terrorists.

With our nation involved in seemingly endless wars, suffering an economic crisis not seen in three generations, doubled over in debt, beset by a bloated and predatory bureaucracy, and governed by incompetent leaders, many Americans are starting to re-question just what being an American truly is. What is true patriotism? What do we value most as Americans? And an increasing number are looking to Noah Webster’s definitions for the answer—not Napoleon’s.

America is not about political geography—and never was. America is about ideals. Really good ideals; but ideals that are increasingly being viewed as unpatriotic and even treasonous today.

[Blog] That Last Week

WildWeazel — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:42:00 -0700

So it's the last week of the semester. That means it's time for a post about how insane my life is right now and how I shouldn't be taking the time to write a blog post.

Well, this is it. You may want to refer to my last semester rundown for context.

With classes only on Tuesday and Thursday the mayhem is relatively contained, but that just makes it all the worse on those days. Last week I spent untold hours on a group projet involving far more VB.NET programming than anyone should ever be subjected to, while trying to prepare for a presentation on my software quality assurance research.

The weekend was the calm before the storm, although it should have been the emergency preparation before the storm. Consequently I spent most of yesterday in various computer labs, culminating a VB ~~programming~~ hacking marathon.

I came home at 10pm to get started on the final installment of a simulation project that was due this morning. Around 5am I realized I was not going to make any more progress, so I put aside the barely mediocre report and tried to get some sleep. Fortunately my 8am class had been cancelled so I was able to sleep for most of 3 1/2 hours. It seemed a reasonable compromise until in class the professor offhandedly commented that we were welcome to wait until Thursday to turn in the report if we wanted to spend more time on it. My roommate and I stared at each other dumbfounded, trying to comprehend the meaning of this through our sleep-deprived semiconsciousness. Yeah, we just wasted an (almost) all-nighter.

After that class I had an exit interview ("postmortem" as we call it in SE) with my department chair, my last chance to formally complain about things like hurricanes, fountain budgets, and the Ratio. It was a painless conversation as promised, and I offered a few suggestions on how to improve the program- specifically a C++ course, which he said everyone had been bringing up.
From there I immediately went to more fun-tastic HCI group work, and after a couple more hours of work we had finally completed the project. Sadly we have to present the thing to the class during our final exam time slot on Saturday, so I can't relegate it to the past just yet.

I managed to stay more or less conscious during senior design and even got a final small piece of documentation written. From there I came home, took a shower, and collapsed into bed for a couple hours. Now I'm just trying to get something useful accomplished before going back to bed for the night. I can sleep in tomorrow but at some point I have to study for tests in HCI and and, if I want a decent grade, redo my simulation report. Besides the 2 tests on Thursday we have our big fancy end of the year presentation on our senior design work for the faculty, administration, and various other VIPs.

After all of that, I'm almost done with my undergraduate career. From that point all I have to do prepare for the HCI presentation, take an open-note test on Saturday night, and spend a couple hours next Tuesday pretending to care what next year's seniors do with our EcoCAR system.

The end is in sight.

[Music] Decyfer Down – I'll Breathe For You

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:00:49 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Decyfer+Down

[Music] We As Human – Deliverance

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:00:35 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/We+As+Human

[Music] Seventh Day Slumber – Missing Pages

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:51:26 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Seventh+Day+Slumber

[Blog] The Top 10: Cliché Blog Posts

WildWeazel — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:07:00 -0700

Introducing a new series: Top 10 lists, as determined by myself. This shall be the definitive list of the top 10 of such concepts as stated in the title.

10. This is what I did today, in excruciating detail:
9. I feel so random! Allow me to demonstrate:
8. Here's a bad picture of something I just saw:
7. Look at all of these photos of my kids/family/pet with no context:
6. Check out this news article with no commentary of my own:
5. I'm sorry I haven't posted lately. That is all.
4. Meh. I'm bored. I'll try blogging... umm, idk.
3. Bear with me as I pour out my innermost feelings on this personal topic. I hope the faceless masses of the Internet understand my angst.
2. Test Post: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet...
1. Top 10 lists

[Music] Decyfer Down – Crash

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:29:54 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Decyfer+Down

[Music] Berman – Paint the Skies

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:14:48 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Berman

[Music] Berman – Fall Off The Earth

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:13:04 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Berman

[Music] Wavorly – How Have We Come This Far

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:02:27 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Wavorly

[Music] Red – Breathe into me

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:34:10 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Red

[Music] 12 Stones – Broken

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:42:55 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/12+Stones

[Blog] The Last Time...

WildWeazel — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:12:00 -0700

Today I did something completely normal that I will probably never do again. I took a walk across campus to the Student Village for lunch. I needed to stay on campus during my "lunch break" for a team meeting, so I decided to eat at Einstein Bros, the deli shop in the bottom floor of the residence complex. My reasoning was at first almost subconscious, before I fully realized that it would probably be the last time I would do that before graduating. It was almost surreal, knowing that I would likely never again enter this building that for most of 3 years was my home.
It was the last time I would cross that pedestrian bridge into the second floor. The last time I would shuffle down that half-spiral stairway. I was a little disappointed that there was nobody playing the piano in the atrium. It was eerily quiet and empty.
It was the last time I would stuff my face with a Turkey Triple Decker (which I maintain is the pinnacle of deli achievement). I thought of all the meal's I've had there, how many hours I've spent standing in line to order that same sandwich. I finally spent the last of my "Riddle Bucks" that I've been accumulating- and, more recently, spending- over the past 4 years. As I ate I thought of the first time I walked into the building, that now seems so long ago.
It was the last time I'd notice the USMC pull-up bars along the way and think I should stop and crank out a few but walk on by anyway. The last time I'd come to that awkward intersection next to Doolittle Hall and wonder which way really is faster. Curiously, I was approached by a squirrel on the sidewalk, as if to remind me where I am and bid me farewell. This place was my life. Now that I live off campus- and especially now that I only have classes two days- I don't often really see the place. It was an odd paradox, everything so familiar yet suddenly so uncommon, and being so conscious of the fact that it's all about to be a part of my past.
It's not over just yet. I still have (a mere) 4 days of classes plus finals, with 26 days to graduation. There is plenty to be done in the meantime. But there was something oddly symbolic about going through my old daily routine one last time.

[Music] Kutless – Your Touch

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:59:02 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Kutless

[Blog] Fight The UNCRC - Stand Up For Family Rights

WildWeazel — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:11:00 -0700

There is a growing notion in America that our personal liberties are being systematically stripped from us as the government wields more and more power- power that is permitted by neither the Constitution nor the will of the people. Yet over the past few decades we have seen an unprecedented growth in the size and authority of the Federal government. It's enough to make a libertarian like myself sick, and I won't stand for it. I'd like to point out just one battle that is facing us right now, that could have a tremendous effect on future generations of Americans.

ParentalRights.org is a campaign to amend the US Constitution to protect the right of parents relating to the upbringing of their children. Specifically the site challenges the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC), a far-reaching international treaty that imposes extensive government supervision and regulation on the lives of children at the expense of family choices and privacy.

The UNCRC was put into effect in 1990 upon ratification by several UN member nations. As of now, all member nations except the United States and Somalia have ratified the convention. Far more than a simple declaration of children's rights, the treaty severely limits the rights of parents to reasonably direct the lives of their children, and even places enforceable mandates on governments that adopt it. Under the UNCRC, parents are not permitted to spank children, opt out of "sex education" for their children, or even do more than advise their children on religious matters which must ultimately be left up to the child. Instead, minors are granted legal rights including "leisure", to challenge any parental decision, and to have abortions without parental knowledge. Also, government is granted sweeping authority in personal matters, and is even required to spend at least as much on child welfare as on national defense. You can read a comprehensive breakdown of its effects at ParentalRights.org, or the full text courtesy of the UK government. In short, the UNCRC threatens the validity of the family, places dangerous power in the hands of the government, and at the same time restricts national sovereignty under international law.

Madeline Albright signed the UNCRC under President Clinton, but it has never been brought before the Senate for ratification. Now, Senator Barbara Boxer, a Democrat from California and sponsor of the FOCA among other liberal abortion bills, wants Hillary Clinton to recommend the UNCRC to the Senate for ratification. President Obama himself has said that it is "embarassing" that the US has not ratified the UNCRC. With a large liberal majority in Congress and strong support from the President, it will be perilously easy for this treaty to be enacted in the near future.

However, there is a chance to stop this madness. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan, introduced the Parental Rights Amendment to Congress just days ago. The proposed amendment, currently known as H.J.Res 42, simply affirms the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children and prohibits this right from being superseded by any law, domestic or international. If ratified as a Constitutional Amendment, this law would permanently protect American families from international mandates such as the UNCRC.

Amending the Constitution is an enormous task. Only 33 amendments have ever been approved by Congress, and of those only 27 ratified by the states. This bill needs all the support it can get, and it needs it quickly. That means you. You can learn more about the campaign, sign the petition to support the amendment, become an active representative, or contact your Congressional representative and tell them to support the bill.

If the US Government ratifies the UNCRC, much of the personal freedoms and national sovereignty we enjoy as Americans- and often take for granted- will be endangered. An international UN council will decide what is best for America's children and America's future. Please join the fight against the encroaching authoritarianism that threatens to undermine the principles of personal liberty upon which this great nation was founded. Contact your representatives in Washington and tell them how their employers feel. This is the time for the voices of Americans to be heard before it is too late. This is where true change begins: We the People.

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
- C. S. Lewis

ParentalRights.org

[Music] Decyfer Down – Life Again

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:47:37 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Decyfer+Down

[Music] The Classic Crime – Blisters and Coffee

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:20:34 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Classic+Crime

[Music] Decyfer Down – Vanity

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:20:21 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Decyfer+Down

[Music] Ivoryline – The Last Words

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:52:48 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Ivoryline

[Music] Red – Gave It All Away

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:54:18 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Red

[Blog] AWoL 3.28.09

WildWeazel — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:15:00 -0700

As the acronym becomes increasingly appropriate, the meaning behind it is less so. Thus henceforth, AWOL shall stand for "Assorted Worthwhile Linkage."

This will be a big one because (a) I haven't done it for quite a while and (b) I recently sorted and reorganized all of my myriad bookmarks into a nice minimalist FireFox toolbar, finding in the process many old ones that had been lost in the archaic menu/folder setup.

H'okay, Here we go!

Ever seen the TV show Firefly? No? Ever heard of it? Didn't think so. It's one of FOX's infamous scheduled-to-death series that is little known outside of the nerd community. The show features a combination of sci-fi and classic western content ("space western") along with plenty of action and comedy. The entire series, a single season of 14 episodes, is available on hulu.
Free Rice is an online trivia game with a purpose: for every question answered correctly, the organization donates 10 grains of rice through the UN Food Program*. That may not sound like much, but with thousands of people playing every day they have been able to donate over 60 billion grains of rice, feeding millions in places like Cambodia, Uganda, and Myanmar.
A buddy of mine runs his own forum and news site for historical and fantasy game mods at Mod Realms. I'm the unofficial CivFanatics liason, posting news stories for Civilization mods. The site also covers mods for the Total War series, Oblivion, Half-Life 2, Mount & Blade, and other popular titles.
For those who enjoy running- or jogging- or walking- WalkJogRun is a simple web app that lets you create and share running routes using Google Maps.
A very well-spoken 12-year-old girl delivers a speech on abortion (no pun intended) for her 7th grade class. The response from the opposition was so disgusting that the video comments had to be deleted and disabled.
Now that we have robots that make sandwiches on demand, do we even need women anymore? Bonus points if you know why it's named Sudo. Extra bonus points if you know why that's funny.
Yes, this is a real product. The 21st century has finally arrived!
The Xenophile Historian is a website by semi-professional historian Charles Kimball. He writes essays on world history from a Christian perspective, including papers on various parts of the world, the history of Christianity, his interpretation of world history, and more.
Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron (of Growing Pains fame) have created a tag-team program to promote Biblical evangelism with a technique they call The Way of the Master, referring to the way Jesus addressed the lost.
Gamedesign.jp is just another website that features creative Flash games. It's also one of the greatest productivity sinks in my life. Warning: losing Dice Wars repeatedly may drive you mad.
Cyber Nations is a free browser-based MMO geo-political simulation that allows players to create and manage their own countries, trade with others, and declare war. It's no Civilization, but it's fun.
The Mars Society is running a live simulation of a Mars habitat at a desert research station. Would-be astronaut crews stay for 2 weeks at a time, preparing for a real manned mission to the red planet.
If you're interested in space travel but would prefer something more exciting, NASA is offering free zero-G flights on the Vomit Comet for anyone with a viable proposal for advances in space technology. Presumably the flight itself must be part of the research.
Also on space: I'm not sure what to think of this one. NASA is developing an MMO on the Unreal 3 engine that allows players to explore a planetary habitation and perform associated astronaut duties. Level 70 gnome mages need not apply.
The F-22 Raptor is a sexy and powerful machine. If USAF doesn't want more of them, then our friends down under will happily take more. Ok, I'll admit it. I bookmarked this article because of its awesome title.
Unfortunately, even the Raptor is not a perfect aircraft. A Lockheed Martin test pilot was killed in the second F-22 crash to date.
In a surprisingly bold move, bazillionaire Bill Gates released a small swarm of mosquitos at a tech conference full of VIPs, explaining "There is no reason only poor people should be infected." Judging by the lack of subsequent lawsuits, I'm assuming the bugs didn't actually carry malaria.
Leave it to Woot! to post the most ridiculous stories on the Internet.
More Woot!: the epoch count reached 1234567890 on February 13 at 23:31:24 UTC. For the non-nerds, that means 1,234,567,890 seconds since midnight on January 1, 1970, when the universe began.
Medieval combat RPG Mount & Blade, which I've discussed in more than one post, was named Best Indie Game of 2008 by modding website ModDB. Now go play it already.
WORLD Magazine, a conservative Christian news journal, reports on an interesting Slate column that compares the stem stell research dispute to the controversy surrounding torture as an intelligence tool.
Ending on a light note as always: Behold, Google H4x0r.

*and that's probably the first and last time you'll see me endorse the UN

[Blog] Statistically Significant

WildWeazel — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:12:00 -0700

Ok, so I'm back in Daytona after spring break. Yes, I actually leave Florida and go north for spring break. You should know that by now.

Anyway, now that I'm back from my 11-day hiatus filled with everything but the Internet and productivity, I have a few things to get done in the next 1-2 days that didn't get done over the past couple of weeks. Namely:

Write a (graduate level) research paper of undetermined length on the topic of software validation and verification in an agile process.
Study for a simulation & modeling test
Finish the detailed design of a simulation project for review
Prepare documentation for a software quality inspection
Gather or fabricate some survey data for a HCI project
Attend a group meeting for said project and feign interest
Argue my case for a few points on a test
Eat, sleep, and maintain sanity (optional)

From all of this this data we can extract a few statistics:

Probability of a blog post about it all in the near future: 0.8
Probability of a blog post in the immediate future: 0.001
Reasons for me to be writing a blog post right now: 0

[43 Things] Untitled

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:43:21 -0700

WildWeazel added an entry about learn C#:

to prepare for the project (which is now in the “needs to be coded but isn’t” stage) I worked through the book Dot Net Book Zero, a guide to C# for basic to intermediate C/C++ programmers. I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of the language now.

[43 Things] accepted!

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:41:13 -0700

WildWeazel added an entry about go to Carnegie Mellon:

I was accepted to Carnegie Mellon’s graduate programs in Software Engineering (MSIT-SE) and Human-Computer Interaction. I’m in the process of enrolling in MSIT-SE where I plan to start in August.

[Music] Demon Hunter – Deteriorate

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 08:58:59 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Demon+Hunter

[Music] Skillet – Savior

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:41:19 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Skillet

[Music] Skillet – Collide

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:55:24 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Skillet

[Music] Pillar – Bring Me Down

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:54:35 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Pillar

[Music] Anberlin – Paperthin Hymn

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:11:00 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Anberlin

[Music] Seventh Seal – It Has Begun

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:03:38 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Seventh+Seal

[Music] Fireflight – Brand New Day

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:18:51 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Fireflight

[Music] Kids in the Way – Apparitions of Melody

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:27:56 -0700

http://www.last.fm/music/Kids+in+the+Way

[Blog] Accepted: Part Two!

WildWeazel — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:56:00 -0700

The last time I posted about the grad school situation I had just been accepted to Drexel and was waiting to hear from Carnegie Mellon, my the top school.

Well, I heard from Carnegie Mellon.

On Friday I got 2 emails, the first from the Information Technology - Software Engineering program and the second from Human Computer Interaction. I was accepted to both programs. MSIT-SE has been my top priority all along, so I'll be confirming their offer very soon.

CMU's software engineering and computer science programs are some of the best in the country, if not the world. It's home to the Software Engineering Institute and the Institute for Software Research, two of the most prominent software engineering organizations. The university is consistently ranked among the top colleges in the country, especially for engineering and technology. This is the place to be for software engineering.

[Music] Worth Dying For – Infiltrate

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:57:45 -0800

http://www.last.fm/music/Worth+Dying+For

[Music] Day of Fire – Jacob's Dream

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 10:00:34 -0800

http://www.last.fm/music/Day+of+Fire

[Music] Worth Dying For – Consume me Now

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:02:41 -0800

http://www.last.fm/music/Worth+Dying+For

[Music] The Wedding – Wake the Regiment (LP Version)

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:41:15 -0800

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Wedding

[Music] The Wedding – But A Breath

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:11:28 -0800

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Wedding

[Music] The Wedding – Price For Love

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:11:22 -0800

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Wedding

[Music] The Wedding – The Last Stand

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:11:17 -0800

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Wedding

[Music] The Wedding – Redeem

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:11:14 -0800

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Wedding

[Blog] Refuting Rumors

WildWeazel — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:56:00 -0800

To address the rampant speculation in the wake of my recent lack of blogging:

No, I have not died, fallen into a vegetative state, or otherwise become incapacitated.

No, I have not been banned from the Internet.

No, I have not taken a vow of silence to reflect on my inner self.

No, I have not boycotted the world until it meets my demands.

Ok, so none of those have actually been said. It just felt so awkward not posting anything for 2 weeks.

[Blog] The Ultimate Blog Tag

WildWeazel — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 04:51:00 -0800

I keep getting tagged with these things, both in the blogosphere and on facebook. 7 things... 16 things... 25 things... 50 things. I got hit with those last two in quick succession last week. I figure if I do 50, that will cover the 25. But: I'm getting tired of making lists of information about myself. I'm getting bored with the whole random facts thing. I'm getting sick of the whole tag meme thing. And I'm getting short on things to list.

So what to do? They asked for 50 things. They want it on my blog. And so I give them....

FIFTY BLOGTHINGS!

This shall surely be the tag to end all tags.

1. How much do I know about Barack Obama?

You Got 8/10 Questions Right

You are a probably a news junkie, Obama fan, or both.
You know a lot about Barack Obama - including his politics, history, and family.
It's likely you're a very knowledgeable person and quite well read.
You can't stand ignorant people, no matter what their political persuasion is.

2. Should I be allowed to vote?

You Should Be Allowed to Vote

You got 14/15 questions correct.
Generally speaking, you're very well informed.
If you vote this election, you'll know exactly who (and what) you'll be voting for.
You're likely to have strong opinions, and you have the facts to back them up.

3. Do I have gaps in my knowledge?

There Are 0 Gaps in Your Knowledge

Where you have gaps in your knowledge:
No Gaps!
Where you don't have gaps in your knowledge:
Philosophy
Religion
Economics
Literature
History
Science
Art

4. Am I a morning person or a night person?

You Are a Night Person

For you, there's nothing worse than having to get up and moving early.
In fact, you probably don't hit your peak until well after the sun has set.
So if your struggling to make it on a normal schedule, realize it's not your fault.
You just weren't meant to do anything during the day!

5. What advanced degree should I get?

You Should Get a PhD in Science (like chemistry, math, or engineering)

You're both smart and innovative when it comes to ideas.
Maybe you'll find a cure for cancer - or develop the latest underground drug.

6. How stressed am I?

Your Stress Level is: 35%

You are slightly prone to stress, but generally you keep it under control.
You know how to relax and take things as they come, even when your world seems to be falling apart.
Occasionally, you do let yourself get stressed out, but you snap out of it pretty quickly.

7. Am I boring or interesting?

You Are 68% Interesting

You are a fairly interesting person. Many people find you to be intriguing.
You have a dynamic, adventurous life... a life that others envy.
You are genuinely interested in and open to the world.
You love making new friends, and you're always up for an unusual experience.
Like everyone else, you can get a bit boring from time to time. That's normal.
But unlike everyone else, you can pull yourself out of a rut. You don't stay boring for long.

8. Could I be violent?

There's a Chance You Could Be Violent

Overall, you're a pretty chill person - and you have a good handle on your emotions.
Sometimes your anger gets the best of you, and end up regretting how you act.
Try to curb your temper more often. It only has to get out of control once to do some damage.

9. How pure is my dating life?

Your Dating Purity Score: 100%

You are an innocent dater.
You're either lacking in dating experience or only have had long term relationships.
Either way, there's still plenty of fish in the sea out there for you to sample!

10. What is my IQ?

Your IQ Is 135

Your Logical Intelligence is Genius
Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius
Your Mathematical Intelligence is Genius
Your General Knowledge is Exceptional

11. What color car should I drive?

You Should Drive a Red Car

You're the type of driver who isn't afraid to be the fastest on the road.
You have a lot of energy built up, and you tend to get your adrenaline fix from driving.
Moving at hyper speed, you tend to be annoyed with slow drivers and slow people.
Life's too short to be slowed down by someone else!

12. How intuitive am I?

You Are 20% Intuitive

It's not that you aren't intuitive - you just prefer not to listen to your intuition.
You prefer facts to feelings and going with what's proven.
While this works well for you, you may want to listen to your intuition a little more.
It may be telling you something quite important!

13. What role do I play?

You Are the Philosopher

You love thinking things over and developing theories.
Learning is very important to you, and you pursue knowledge relentlessly.
You love to talk about the things you know, often in more detail than people would like to hear.
And you know a lot! You're always taking on new subjects, interests, and hobbies.
You are at your best when you are left alone to ponder your newest ideas and experiments.
You tend to withdraw from environments that are loud, contentious, or passionate.

14. What's my medieval profession?

You Are a Cartographer

You have a wide range of knowledge and you're very detail oriented.
You have a photographic memory, and you remember places very well.
Like a middle ages cartographer, you're also very adventurous and curious about the world.
In modern times, you would make a good non-fiction writer or scientist.

15. How nerdy am I?

You Are 64% Nerdy

You are a pretty big nerd, and you're getting nerdier every day.
Don't worry if you don't have friends... there's always robots.

16. Do I use the Internet like a man or a woman?

Your Surfing Habits are 80% Male, 20% Female

If we had to guess, we would guess that you are a man.
You use the internet to make your life more efficient - and to make you smarter.
For you, the internet is like a vast encyclopedia.
You search and surf extensively. You look up everything online.

17. What keyboard key am I?

You Are "alt"

Some people might find you to be strange, mysterious, and even a bit off putting.
You tend to be drawn to and influenced by alternative lifestyles. You're definitely not normal.
Once people get to know you, they realize you're interesting, intriguing, and very intelligent.
You have a lot of knowledge stored in that big brain of yours. Most of it is useless knowledge, but some of it is very useful.

18. What kind of American English do I speak?

You Speak General American English!

80% General American English
5% Dixie
5% Midwestern
5% Upper Midwestern
5% Yankee

19. What does my mouth say about me?

What People Think of Your Mouth

People see you both as reserved and sweet.
You tend to be very sensitive and detail oriented.
The smallest things can please or annoy you. You tend to be internally moody.
Perceptive and intuitive, you understand people quickly - though you usually won't tell them.

20. How independent am I?

Your Independence Level: High

You are extremely self reliant and autonomous.
You are definitely into doing your own thing.
But you also wouldn't turn down help if you needed it.
You follow your own path, but you don't do so blindly.

21. What US city fits me best?

The City That Best Fits You Is Austin

80% Austin
60% Denver
55% Atlanta
55% Miami
55% San Diego

22. What US state should I live in?

You Should Live in Arkansas

If you don't want to live in Arkansas, you might also consider:
Alaska
Kansas
Mississippi
Nevada
New Mexico

23. What is my ideal relationship?

Your Ideal Relationship is Marriage

You've dated enough to know what you want.
And that's marriage - with the right person.
You're serious about settling down some time soon.
Even if you haven't met the person you want to get hitched to!

24. Do people like me?

People Definitely Like You

You are very well liked, and many people admire you.
You are friendly, well mannered, and fun to be around.
Of course, you're not perfect... but that's okay.
Your friends are usually willing to accept you for who you are!
What People Like About You:
People like that you take the them to get to know them and make a connection. You make people feel important.
People like that you can defend what you believe in calmly and rationally. You stand your ground and gain respect.
What People Don't Like About You:
People don't like that you secretly are annoyed by them. You may think they can't tell, but they can.

25. Who should I vote for?

You Should Vote for Bob Barr

Where you and Bob Barr agree: Cuba - Global Warming - Health Care - Taxes
Where you and Bob Barr disagree: Abortion - Education - Immigration - The War in Iraq

26. Do I need to lose weight?

Your Weight is Ideal

Your BMI is 20.3 - a healthy BMI falls between 18.5 and 25
Congratulations, you are the perfect weight for your height.
Even though you may not be entirely happy with your weight, you are healthy.
So gain or lose a few pounds if you want, but don't go too crazy!
Don't agree? Blame the government standards we based this test on!

27. Am I approachable?

You Are Somewhat Approachable

You are a fairly friendly person, and you're definitely not scaring people away.
You do tend to have your guard up strangers, and rightfully so.
How approachable you are depends on who is trying to approach you.
You're friendly to people who seem harmless and nice. But you also know how to give creepy people the cold shoulder!

28. Am I a wimp?

You Are Not a Wimp

In fact, you are an incredibly tough person.
Your nerves do not get the better of you.
You don't back down from challenges or intimidating situations.
You love the thrill of conquer... so much so that it outweighs the fear of defeat.

29. Can I make anyone fall in love with me?

You Can Make 42% of Your Crushes Fall in Love With You

You certainly have this dating thing down - and you know how to charm most people.
And when your charm seems broken, just think back to what has worked in the past
You have the tools to make almost anyone fall in love with you - you just have to put them into action.

30. What office supply am I?

You Are a Calculator

No matter what someone tells you, you're likely to focus on facts and data.
You're a highly analytic person. You are only concerned with what you can know for sure.
You look at situations objectively, and you have no problem approaching problems from multiple angles.
You would make a good analyst or investment banker. You are confident enough to make tough calls and hard decisions.

31. Am I rock, paper, or scissors?

You Are Paper

Crafty and creative, you are able to adapt freely to almost any situation.
People tend to underestimate you, unless they've truly seen what you are capable of.
Deep down, you're always scheming and thinking up new plans. Your mind is constantly active.
You are quite capable of anything you dream of. You can always figure out a way to get what you want.
You can wrap a rock person up in your sheet of trickery.
A scissor person can sneak up and cut you to pieces.
When you fight: No one can anticipate your next move
If someone makes you mad: You'll attack them mercilessly when they're unprepared

32. Am I a paranoid schizophrenic?

You Are 28% Paranoid Schizophrenic

You're pretty grounded, though you have your occasional paranoid moments.
Just make sure to ignore those voices in your head!

33. What is my energy level?

Your Energy Level is High

You are a very enthusiastic, productive person. You have no trouble getting anything done.
Beyond having a lot of energy, it's likely that your energy level tends to be quite steady.
Unlike people with very high energy, you don't tend to be impulsive.
By keeping your energy in check, you are able to use it as productively as possible.

34. Am I addicted to the Internet?

You Are 56% Addicted to the Internet

You're somewhat addicted to the internet - but who isn't?
You can keep it under check, and you're by no means a hermit.

35. How much do I know about blogging?

Well, You Know What a Blog Is...

You got 3/8 correct!
But, truthfully, most blogs probably bore you.

36. What Internet slang am I?

You Are LOL

The internet is always cracking you up. You could waste the day away finding things to laugh at.
You're usually the first one to find a new funny video, picture, or website.
You're always up for wasting time online, even if (especially if) you're at work.
You also tend to spend a lot of time chatting, especially with people who make you laugh out loud.

37. Am I extremely sensitive?

Your Sensitivity Score: 33%

In general, you don't let your senses overwhelm you.
You're pretty stoic, and you're good at blocking out what's going on around you.
However, you are still sensitive enough to enjoy all the beautiful things in the world!

38. How is my interpersonal intelligence?

Your Interpersonal Intelligence Score: 40%

Your Interpersonal Intelligence is Medium-Low
You can relate to other people when you have to... but you prefer not to.
You prefer a small amount of quality social interaction to a huge quantity of it.
Work, play, and learning are generally all things you like to do on your own.

39. Could I pass 8th grade Spanish?

You Passed 8th Grade Spanish

Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!

40. Could I pass 8th grade science?

You Passed 8th Grade Science

Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!

41. Could I pass 8th grade history?

You Passed 8th Grade US History

Congratulations, you got 7/8 correct!

42. Could I pass 8th grade geography?

You Passed 8th Grade Geography

Congratulations, you got 8/10 correct!

43. What superlative am I?

You Would Be Voted Biggest Brain

In school, you were very serious about getting good grades and studying.
You may have thought that no one noticed you, but people did know how smart you were.
You were often at the head of your class, and people respected your intelligence.
And it's likely that all your studying eventually did pay off!

44. How kissable am I?

You Are 40% Kissable

Believe it or not, you are generally not very kissable.
Someone who loves you may be able to kiss you anyway, but it could be more enjoyable.
Make sure you have the freshest breath and whitest teeth possible.
And relax a little! If you seem confident and healthy, you will get kissed a lot more.

45. What is my candy heart?

Your Candy Heart Says "Get Real"

You're a bit of a cynic when it comes to love.
You don't lose your head, and hardly anyone penetrates your heart.
Your ideal Valentine's Day date: is all about the person you're seeing (with no mentions of v-day!)
Your flirting style: honest and even slightly sarcastic
What turns you off: romantic expectations and "greeting card" holidays
Why you're hot: you don't just play hard to get - you are hard to get

46. Am I a nonconformist?

You Are 73% Non Conformist

You are a pretty serious non conformist. You live a life hardly anyone understands.
And while some may call you a freak, you're happy with who you are.

47. How impulsive am I?

You Are 38% Impulsive

You're a pretty stable and serious person. You don't take things lightly.
This doesn't mean you can't have fun - you just have fun responsibly.
You definitely have a spontaneous side, but you only let loose when it's appropriate.

48. What temperament am I?

You Have a Phlegmatic Temperament

Mild mannered and laid back, you take life at a slow pace.
You are very consistent - both in emotions and actions.
You tend to absorb set backs easily. You are cool and collected.
It is difficult to offend you. You can remain composed and unemotional.
You are a great friend and lover. You don't demand much of others.
While you are quiet, you have a subtle wit that your friends know well.
At your worst, you are lazy and unwilling to work at anything.
You often get stuck in a rut, without aspirations or dreams.
You can get too dependent on others, setting yourself up for abandonment.

49. What does my handwriting say about me?

Your Handwriting Says You Are Not Traditional

You are a laid back person with rather low energy. You aren't lazy... you *are* sensitive and empathetic.
You are very extroverted and outgoing. You are loving, friendly, and supportive. However, you are also manipulative and controlling at times.
You are very detail oriented and meticulous. You are a careful thinker and a true intellectual.
You don't a lot of space, and you prefer to spend time with others. You are a little nosy and intrusive. You sometimes don't give people enough space.
You are a free thinker. You are unique, open minded, and artistic. You don't care what other people think.
You are a decent communicator. You eventually get your point across, but sometimes you leave things a bit ambiguous.

50. How observant am I?

Your Observation Skills Get A B

Your senses are pretty sharp (okay, most of the time)
And it takes something big to distract you!

And there you have it. 50 things. Of course they're not all true, but most are fairly accurate. A few were definitely wrong:

29. That seems about 42% too high, unfortunately.
34.56% is surprisingly low considering the portion of my time and activities spent online.
35. Just because I don't know obscure blog trivia doesn't mean that I'm not a part of the 'blogosphere'.
49. That description is almost entirely untrue, and doesn't seem to match up with answers at all.

I dare not tag anyone to continue this challenge. This is madness.

[Blog] Preparedness

WildWeazel — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 04:28:00 -0800

Last week ERAU's honors program hosted a special presentation by Lt General Russel Honore, Chief Commander of Joint Task Force Katrina. LTG Honore was tasked with the relief effort in the New Orleans region after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. He made national headlines by restoring order to the situation just days after the city was flooded.

His lecture was a combination of storytelling and advice. Interestingly, he didn't talk much about his experience in the Army, or even about the actual recovery effort in New Orleans. He spoke mostly about being prepared for disasters (specifically flooding), how most people are not, and what needs to change.

Specifically, he made the following points regarding personal disaster preparedness:

Have an evacuation pack ready should you need to leave home quickly.
Among other things, keep digital backup copies of important documents, and some cash in the pack.
Keep a 3-day supply of food and water in your home at all times.
Get a Red Cross weather radio, which features a hand crank, emergency light, and phone charger.
You can't just depend on FEMA to save you. Homeland Security starts in the home.
We need a culture shift that recognizes the need for preparedness, helps others and teaches children to be prepared. We will know that we have done this when people start going to stores and buying survival packs to give each other.

I grew up in Cub Scouts being told to "Be Prepared" but to be honest I am not. Even living in the hurricane capital of the world, I don't have a plan for evacuation.We don't have any water stored, and most of our food is perishable or must be cooked. We don't have much cash on hand, we don't have a portable radio, and we probably wouldn't beat the crowd out of town in the case of an evacuation. So in the area of disaster preparedness we fail. Being the somewhat cautious, slightly paranoid, and apocalyptically-minded thinker that I am, this is something that has been in the back of my mind for a while but I had never realized just how unprepared I am. I've since told myself that when I get my own place I'll be sure to have things squared away. But I shouldn't wait until then- I should be ready now.

[Blog] Bicentennial Birthdays

WildWeazel — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:50:00 -0800

There's been a lot of hype in the news the last few days over Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday and the political publicity surrounding it. But do you know who else was born 200 years ago today?

Darwin!

That's right, Charles Darwin, the theologian-turned-biologist who who observed natural selection, made some wild speculations, and unintentionally founded a religion. To commemorate this historic anniversary, today has been named Academic Freedom Day in honor of one of Darwin's less touted philosophies:

"A fair result can be obtained only by fully stating and balancing the facts and arguments on both sides of each question."

If you appreciate the right to believe what you believe and arrive to your own conclusions based on balanced exposure of facts rather than indoctrination, take a moment to contribute to today's festivities by signing the Academic Freedom Petition.

Thanks to Dr. Paleo Ph.D. for the heads up.

[43 Things] waiting...

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:40:09 -0800

WildWeazel added an entry about go to Carnegie Mellon:

The applications are in. I was accepted to Drexel University right away, so I’m hopeful. I applied to both Software Engineering (MSIT program) and Human Computer Interaction at CMU.

[43 Things] taekwondo!

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:38:29 -0800

WildWeazel added an entry about learn a martial art:

I joined the taekwondo club at my school. I’ve been going for a couple of weeks and just earned the first stripe on my white belt. My first testing (for yellow belt) will be in 2 weeks.

[43 Things] it's going down

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:37:08 -0800

WildWeazel added an entry about learn C#:

I just committed myself to a CS project stating that it will be written in Visual C#, so there’s no turning back now. I’ll have the next 2 months or so to work on the project.

[Shared] Barack Obama, William Ayers & ACORN

Travis Christian — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:56:07 -0700

Barack Obama, William Ayers & ACORN

Source: www.youtube.com

Part III of III: A Chicago Story

Anyone who would consider giving Barack Obama approval to be your President, please watch this first.

[Pictures] life at ERAU

Picasa — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

college and stuff

Location: Dayona Beach, FL
Date: Jun 22, 2008
Number of Photos in Album: 37

View Album

[Pictures] Random/Funny

Picasa — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

the stuff that makes camera phones a necessity

Location: the real world
Date: Jun 22, 2008
Number of Photos in Album: 35

View Album

[Shared] Divers battled Komodo dragon before rescue - CNN.com

Travis Christian — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 08:45:16 -0700

Divers battled Komodo dragon before rescue - CNN.com

Source: www.cnn.com

Five Europeans rescued Saturday after an Indonesia diving trip went wrong had to fight off a Komodo dragon while they were waiting to be found, according to reports.

[Shared] Coming Soon: The Most Realistic Virtual Reality Room In The World

Travis Christian — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:53:24 -0700

Coming Soon: The Most Realistic Virtual Reality Room In The World

Source: www.sciencedaily.com

ScienceDaily (Mar. 27, 2007) You're high above the desert peaks. Your aircraft are approaching their targets. Information from instruments, cameras and radar is before your eyes. And with the help of 100 million pixels of bright and vivid virtual reality you're in control of a swarm of U.S. ...

Literally in the next room.

[Shared] Spread Firefox | Download Day 2008

Travis Christian — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:25:39 -0700

Spread Firefox | Download Day 2008

Source: www.spreadfirefox.com

Sounds like a good deal, right? All you have to do is get Firefox 3 during Download Day to help set the record for most software downloads in 24 hours - it’s that easy. We\'re not asking you to swallow a sword or to balance 30 spoons on your face, although that would be kind of awesome.

you need to download this

[Shared] xkcd - A Webcomic - Orphaned Projects

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:50:24 -0700

6 reviews

[Shared] http://www.solarministry.com/

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:59:33 -0700

1 reviews

[Shared] xkcd - A Webcomic - More Accurate

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:06:08 -0800

706 reviews

[43 Things] pray more

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:19:39 -0800

WildWeazel adopted this goal

[43 Things] personally lead someone to Christ

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:20:06 -0800

WildWeazel adopted this goal

[43 Things] study the Bible every day

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:19:13 -0800

WildWeazel adopted this goal

[43 Things] marry the love of my life

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:06:04 -0800

WildWeazel adopted this goal

[43 Things] follow God's plan for my life

nobody@43things.com (WildWeazel) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:49:59 -0800

WildWeazel adopted this goal

[Shared] xkcd - A Webcomic - Pwned

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 21:23:28 -0700

5 reviews

[Shared] If I were an Action Hero, I would be MacGyver

Travis Christian — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 21:24:20 -0700

If I were an Action Hero, I would be MacGyver

Source: www.brainfall.com

You are MacGyver. Ingenuity is your game. Don't leave home without your sundry office supplies: rubber bands, paper clips, and the like. Life and death situations are your forte, but you may be getting too old for it. ...

Owned.

[Shared] My Major Should Be Computer Science

Travis Christian — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:55:59 -0700

My Major Should Be Computer Science

Source: www.brainfall.com

Your major should be Computer Science. You like nothing more than spending long nights with friends in the computer lab... which is a good thing since that's exactly how you'll spend the next couple years. Find YOUR major @ BrainFall.com

Not bad for a quiz site... ;)

[Shared] http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/myfeeds

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:02:54 -0700

1 reviews

[Shared] Black20 Trailer Park: 300 - PG Version

Travis Christian — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:30:28 -0700

Black20 Trailer Park: 300 - PG Version

Source: www.youtube.com

300 is tearing up the box office, and because of its success, the studio has recut the film to make a PG version so kids can learn the story as well. Check us out at Black20.com for daily videos.

Brush your TEETH!

[Shared] OttoBib - Free Automatic Easy Bibliography Generator. Fast! MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 09:42:49 -0700

22 reviews

[Shared] Color Test

Sun, 11 Mar 2007 16:12:03 -0700

33 reviews

[Shared] Intelligence-Test.Net

Sun, 11 Mar 2007 16:05:03 -0700

12 reviews

[Shared] INTELLIGENCE TEST, PART 3

Sun, 11 Mar 2007 16:04:49 -0700

2 reviews

[Shared] INTELLIGENCE TEST

Sun, 11 Mar 2007 16:04:23 -0700

147 reviews

[Shared] Survival Weekend

Travis Christian — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 10:23:09 -0800

Survival Weekend

Source: www.youtube.com

Survival Weekend: guys only, March 30-31

Don't Die. Survive.

[Shared] The People's Mario

Travis Christian — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 09:06:51 -0800

The People's Mario

Source: www.unixvideo.com

Everyone's favorite plumber is Communist propaganda!

[Shared] the best of madagascar penguins

Travis Christian — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 17:12:13 -0800

the best of madagascar penguins

Source: www.youtube.com

the best of madagascar penguins

Smile and wave boys, smile and wave.

[Shared] weebls-stuff.com

Travis Christian — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 17:56:49 -0800

weebls-stuff.com

Source: www.weebls-stuff.com

Only in Kenya.

[Shared] Picasa Web Albums - WildWeazel - Panama

Travis Christian — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 13:24:29 -0800

Picasa Web Albums - WildWeazel - Panama

Source: picasaweb.google.com

In June 2003, I was among 7 people from my home church who traveled to Chitre, Panama for a 1-week missions trip. We went with Global Expeditions, the missions branch of Teen Mania Ministries. Our group was comprised of 2 teams who traveled around the region performing a choreographed narrated skit which presented the gospel to the people in a way they could understand.