Monkeyland v2.0

Verizon is a Piece of Crap

2007-02-20T20:32:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to get an MP3 ringtone working on my RAZR V3M and Verizon cripples their phones like no one's business.

When I create a sound file on my MicroSD card by recording it on the phone*, and then take out the MicroSD card**, replace it with an MP3 of the same filename and put the card back in the phone, it won't allow me to set that sound as a ringtone.

So I tried something simpler: recording a sound file, transferring it to the MicroSD card, then transferring it back to the phone. Voila -- can't set the sound file as a ringtone because it was tainted by the evils of the MicroSD card.

So there we have it -- another example of how Verizon is crappy.

I'm never going to buy a ringtone from Verizon so they're not making any money off of me. I should be allowed to have an MP3 ringtone if I want one.

Oh, and a word of advice to other Verizon customers: don't waste your time/money on VCast. If you want to watch commercials, watch them on TV -- it has a higher resolution and either you're already paying for it or it's free. Four and a half minute clips of the Daily Show or The Colbert Report (the most entertaining thing on VCast and they don't even offer a whole segment from the show; interviews are cut short, etc.) aren't worth $10/month when you can watch the same clips at a higher resolution on YouTube (or TV). Don't fall for the hype -- there are no full TV shows on VCast. Just crappy clips of crap.

*shudders at the memory of JTTV* ***

Anyway, at least I only paid $4.99 for this MicroSD card. I figured it wouldn't work anyway and I have no need for anything big so it's only 128MB from Circuit City (online only). And it's "nice" that I can put MP3s on it and play them on my phone, but... I have an iPod... and that "feature" is pretty much useless. They probably just forgot to cripple it. Or it was tasked to the same guy who was supposed to change "MiniSD" to "MicroSD" in the Verizon interface.

* Seriously, who wants to have a self-recorded ringtone on their phone? I can think of instances where it'd be cool, but for this to be the *only* option to get a "personalized" ringtone is insane. And greedy.

** Inaccurately referred to by the phone as a MiniSD card, which the RAZR doesn't support -- nice job guys.

And just to be helpful to anyone who might get here from a search engine, my firmware version is the most current version to date: NEWC_01.09.02. Don't get your hopes up. The email "trick" for MP3 ringtones no longer works either.

*** JT = Justin Timberlake; and try as he may, he is not a fashion guru (See: JTTV). He's a Michael Jackson clone (who's not as talented as 1980's Michael Jackson) and don't let him fool you.

So it's been forever...

2007-02-19T01:09:00.000-05:00

...since I've posted here. Or anywhere. My son's hair is so long now that my profile picture makes it look like he's in the military. You know, like, if they drafted one year olds.

I really should be sleeping since I have calculus in the morning, but I just feel like I should update. I know my blog has taken a very non-personal tone as of late, and I miss actually posting stuff even though it never was terribly personal.

We've taken the first steps towards putting my daughter into school. We're strongly considering homeschooling. We do not want our kids put into the public education system, but the only thing is that private school takes money. So we're doing what we can. We've been living off of my salary alone for the last two years but my wife has a job now so things are a little easier financially.

I still find myself missing the past. I gained thirty pounds after my son was born and it hasn't gone anywhere. I have cravings to play floor hockey but I have no idea where people would play here. I got excited about a roller skating rink posting about their hockey league, but I did some research and found out the players have to be in full gear to play and skates are necessary. I'm not a fan of skating... or falling. I like to run around (read: cherry pick) and pop the puck into the goal once in a while when it's passed to me. I am not hardcore, but it was fun for the years that I did it at church.

Anyway, yeah. Time for bed.

Which File Extension Are You?

2006-11-21T08:09:00.000-05:00

Which File Extension Are You?

Funny Kitty

2006-11-05T03:41:00.000-05:00

The How to Grow a Band

2006-11-04T23:59:00.000-05:00

The How to Grow a Band

Link: The How to Grow a Band

Birthday Extravaganza

2006-11-04T17:23:00.000-05:00

Hoo boy, November is a busy month. Both kids' birthdays are at the beginning of the month, along with my brother's, my wife's uncle's, and two of our kids' friends.

We just got back from a birthday party and now I'm watching both kids and making macaroni and cheese.

Life has gotten out of control lately, so I've been keeping a list of things that I need to do and so far it has made me more productive, but not as much as I should be. I still have some work to do.

Unfortunately, "Play World of Warcraft" is not on that list. I'm sure I'll find time for that, though.

The US Torture Bill as C Code - Debug This, Please

2006-10-03T03:30:00.000-04:00

It occurs to me now that the whole 94-page bill really amounts to a common, one-character programming error.

if (person = terrorist) {
punish_severely();
} else {
exit(-1);
}

Can you spot the error? (Solution).

(This entry stolen from Boing Boing)

He Still Has It

2006-09-22T14:36:00.000-04:00

Classic Sesame Street

2006-09-17T07:25:00.000-04:00

Milk, milk, milk,
So good, so warm and white.

Milk, milk, milk,
Makes everything seem bright.

I don't even know what to say...

2006-09-12T12:12:00.000-04:00

I like this horse.

2006-09-11T22:45:00.000-04:00

Cheap and Cool

2006-09-06T05:36:00.000-04:00

The Cool: When Chumby comes out, I so want one.

The Cheap: And did I mention that college discounts are awesome? Windows XP Pro for $20 is the coolest thing ever (except for Windows XP Pro being free... or MacOS X).

...with a youthful blast of energy!

2006-08-30T21:15:00.000-04:00

Aly & AJ

Aug 30, 2006 - 12 Photos

I Speak for the Trees

2006-08-22T00:49:00.000-04:00

This is the best tea ever. And this is why:

And it was only like a dollar!

(Which is why it actually misquotes the Lorax, but that's okay.)

You'll Get More Hit Points In Heaven, Little Buddy

2006-08-16T05:23:00.000-04:00

Ska Baby

2006-08-09T02:49:00.000-04:00

Mason's Sense of Style

Aug 8, 2006 - 6 Photos

Don't pull the rope! My guitar's name is Zippity.

2006-08-07T05:45:00.001-04:00

Renee has been getting way too little sleep lately, so I told her that today I would watch the kids while she sleeps. I bought a 12-pack of Code Red and so far I'm on my second can. Wish me luck.

We're trying to see if we can get some good seats for the Aly & AJ concert that's going to be coming to the local theme park. I know -- we're hard core.

Doodlebops are apparently coming to Richmond in... September, I think Renee said? Hey, anything to get out of the house. And say what you will, but the Doodlebops' songs are quite catchy. I wanted to dislike them, I really did. But they grow on you.

The Word

2006-08-04T00:43:00.000-04:00

Blahbity blah.

2006-08-03T20:21:00.000-04:00

It looks like I've been updating pretty regularly about every month. So here we go:

I've been doing a lot of crap lately. Mostly work-related. Also, finished up my web course that I took over the summer (Intro to Database Management). I'm about to start my next course (VisualBasic.NET). Degree, here I come. I don't know how many more classes I have to take, but hopefully not that many. But I know that's just wishful thinking.

We went to Virginia Beach on Sunday and Google's got a new thing for Picasa, so I tried it out and you can see some pictures in the post below this one. It looks pretty nice.

Picasa Web Albums

2006-08-03T19:53:00.000-04:00

At the Beach

Aug 3, 2006 - 12 Photos

Don't Hassel the Hoff

2006-07-05T08:43:00.000-04:00

And Slurpees made from venison (that's deer)...

2006-06-04T09:31:00.000-04:00

I just haven't had that blogging feeling lately.

Anyway, the other night we watched a movie called Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music? It's a very good documentary about Christian rock music and it is surprisingly neutral. It began with a sort of crazy lady and hardcore Christian metal, which initially made me think it was going to be mocking Christians, but it did get better.

It's one of those movies that really makes you examine your beliefs and your values and think about what emphasis you place on the music you listen to. At least if you primarily listen to (or at one time primarily listened to) Christian music. And if you primarily listen to "non-Christian" or "secular" music, it's a good window into the "Christian music industry" (it's sad that that term even exists).

Anyway, Five Iron Frenzy was interviewed in it (Reese and Dennis, anyway) and when I saw Reese, I got a little sad. Someone said on FIF's MySpace that they now understand why adults don't go to rock concerts. It's because they saw a band that they fell in love with, and after that band breaks up, no other band can replace it, so it leaves you feeling empty. I get that.

Also, I miss who I used to be, and Five Iron represents everything I was approximately nine to six years ago (where has time gone?). I feel like a friendless zombie now. Everyone's graduated and grown up now. I left my hometown on a whim*. I don't feel like I've ever left anybody, but it feels like everyone's gone.

Listening to FIF at least gives me the same feeling I used to get. It has an empty feeling behind it, but it'll do for now.

* Clarification: whim = short period of time. As in I didn't tell anyone I was leaving. I stayed in Virginia for two weeks, went back home for one day, told my parents I was moving to Virginia, grabbed the essentials, and left.

Word to Your Mother

2006-05-16T11:39:00.000-04:00

World of Warcrack

2006-05-11T15:04:00.000-04:00

So we finally got our new iMac. Hence the lack of posting. I've been busy getting it all caught up with settings and programs and crap.

Oh, and there was also that World of Warcraft thing.

I can't... stop... playing.

Until our ten-day trial ends. Then I'll probably stop. Cold turkey. Which will suck. But until then? Well, yesterday, I played for close to eight hours.

It loads in one bounce. Less than one if it's cached. It's really cool to see the screen fading to black before the icon's even landed. Fast is good.

And the puppy's all like, "Let me out!"

2006-05-11T14:56:00.000-04:00

Seriously, though. Wario is disgusting. I've never understood the appeal. Is there any?