Aeonian Samurai

WRC Finland 2011

2011-08-20T07:28:00.001-07:00

Beefing Up Your Google+ Profile's Privacy

2011-07-19T11:00:00.001-07:00

Here are some tips on beefing up your Google+ profile's privacy.

The coolest thing about Google+ is that it offers much more in terms of privacy than Facebook does. In fact, the "Circles" which the entire service revolves around exist because Google knows that you may not want to share everything you post with all 1,000 of your friends. Privacy is essentially the number one priority of G+.

That doesn't mean much if you don't know how to utilize it, so let's run through a few key items.

Creating your circles

This is the key to the social network that will destroy FB. Or at least, the social network that is really making FB sweat.

From your Google+ home screen, you will see four tabs at the top (to the left of the "Find People" search bar). These are Stream, Photos, Profile, and Circles. Click on the fourth one, "Circles."

This will take you to a list of all of your friends with several pre-defined circles at the bottom. You can keep the default circles or create new ones that better reflect your preferences.

Just go through your friends and drag them into different circles, based on how much you think you will be sharing with them. Close friends and family will likely be receiving more regular and more personal updates than your coworkers. You can also have one person in multiple circles. Be as meticulous as you want, because having good, accurate circles is important for beefing up your profile in the next step.

Editing your profile

Now, from the four tabs next to the search bar, click the third one, "Profile."

This is your hub. This is what everyone else sees when they click on your name. From your profile, they can see all of the information you have chosen to let them see, all of your G+ posts which you have allowed them to see, any photos you have made visible to them, among a few other things.

On this screen, there is a blue button that says "Edit Profile." Click that and you will be able to select every individual section of your profile and edit who can see that section. By everything, I mean everything. Well, except for your gender. And your name. And your profile picture. So, yeah, everything but those things.

Go ahead and click around your profile and select which circles can see them. For example, everyone in my "Family" circle can see my phone number and home address. However, this information is very personal, so other circles cannot see this info. This same level of micromanaging can be done with all other fields such as "Bragging rights" and "Employment."

You may choose that only your "Family" and "Church Family" can see all of your information. Everyone else may only be able to see your name and gender. Or, you may be comfortable with the whole world seeing your job title and work history. You may want everyone in all of your circles to see who your friends are, but you don't want a complete stranger to see. You get the point. It's all up to you.

While you are still in "edit" mode on your profile, go ahead and click around to the different pages of your profile, such as "photos". You can also control whether these pages even show up when other people view your profile.

When you are done with all of this, click "Done Editing" to submit your changes. Then click "View profile as..." This allows you to view your profile as it would look to someone who is outside of your circles. Make sure it reflects the settings you just submitted.

Google+ settings

One of the things I hate about Facebook is that when someone tags me in a photo, it links the photo to my profile and places the photos in my albums. There may be a way to change it, but that means I have to do the other thing I hate about Facebook - crawling through the dark labyrinth of their settings. So I haven't done it.

Anywho, click on the image of the gear in the upper right-hand corner of the screen and then "Google+ settings" toward the bottom, you can choose which circles are allowed to link to your profile if they tag you in a photo. Awesome!

Well, there you have it. You have now tweaked your profile and Google+ is now ready and able to completely replace FB as soon as you convince your friends to make the switch. What are you waiting for?

Netflix Instant Additions July

2011-06-08T19:02:00.001-07:00

July 1st begins an exciting month for Netflix Instant Watch users. Here are the additions I have deemed noteworthy.

Star Trek
Star Trek TNG
Star Trek Voyager
Star Trek DS9
Xmen (1992 cartoon)
Modern Marvels
Momento

Planting My Own Tobacco: The Transplant

2011-05-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

The hundreds of ground-black-pepper-sized seeds grew into hundreds of tiny tobacco sprouts. Eventually, when they were all about a centimeter tall, Amy moved them over into individual trays. Since there were so many in a small space and since they were so small, it was a fairly tedious process. She used a plastic fork to help break up the dirt around the roots and to scoop each plant out without damaging it.

The plants did not require much sun to sprout - only soil that is always moist - however, once placed in individual trays they need a nice sunny window sill to grow. I placed all of the plants on a tray and would pour water into the bottom of the tray each day.

They are tough plants and don't need the amount of attention and care that I have given them. You can pretty much water them and forget about them. Once they are about 4 inches tall, they are ready to move outside. I made sure to dig a pretty deep hole. I filled it back in with dirt to make sure the roots would be able to spread out more easily. It is recommended that you leave about 2 feet of space between the plants. Once they are in the ground, just make sure they get sufficient water and give them some plant food. They should take off.

I believe field mice have been nibbling on my plants during the night, but they haven't caused any major damage. Only the leaves that are laying on the ground get messed with. Other than that, bright leaf Virginia is a darn tough plant and thrives in harsh soil, so I'm sure it will do quite well the rich soil around my house.

The MANtage

2011-05-06T06:59:00.000-07:00

The celebration of masculinity is an underlying theme that we frequently revisit on the blog. When I came across this video featuring a compilation of manly activities, I had to share it. Although I have never wrestled a bear at night, I did kill a bear single handedly.

Last Exile

2011-05-05T05:25:00.000-07:00

It's not often that an anime will have me hooked in the first couple episodes. Even my favorite anime took up to five episodes before they really had me intrigued. Last Exile is unusual in that the fantasy world portrayed in the story had me wanting to learn more about it from episode one. The two main characters, Claus and Lavie, are very likable. Immediately, I was interested in their fate and how the story would unfold. The animation is top notch and the supporting cast is fantastic. Toward the end, I was actually more interested in Lord Dio's story than the main characters'. The series has all of the components necessary for an excellent anime.

However, Last Exile is also unusual in that, as hooked as I was, I almost completely lost interest in the show halfway through the story. True, the characters were all likable, including the supporting cast. The story was grand and intriguing. It's odd that a series having so much going for it would be such a flop for me. The chief reason for this is that Last Exile should have been at least a 36 episode anime. With such a large, excellent cast and a deep, epic story Last Exile tried to do way too much in 26 episodes. Thus, I was left feeling like I was robbed of a show that could have been one of my favorites.

Google TV in family worship

2011-05-03T17:58:00.001-07:00

A great use I have found for Google TV is practicing singing psalms in parts in the living room. I have an elder email me a recording of each part for the psalms that will be sung on the upcoming Sunday and just check my email on Google TV. From there I play the mp3 over the surround sound. If no hymnal is available, I could easily display the lyrics on the TV screen.

What a cool way to use the TV to do something constructive.

Great Place to Buy Seeds

2011-04-14T12:20:00.001-07:00

I bought some Virginia Bright tobacco seeds from here. The seeds were shipped promptly and arrived safely in my mail box within the expected time period.

I was expecting to have a rough time finding some tobacco seeds and was prepared for a difficult search. However I was pointed to Victory Seeds and they turned out the be my first and only stop.

From my experience, the site appears be a courteous, customer-centered business interested selling quality plants to their customers with no hassle. I had no trouble ordering or receiving them and was even greeted with a kind follow-up email after my seeds arrived.

in reference to: Tobacco Seeds - Rare and Heirloom Seed Varieties from Victory Seeds® (view on Google Sidewiki)

Switching Back to Blogger

2011-04-14T05:22:00.001-07:00

I recently switched to Tumblr due to Blogger's lack of flashy designs. With the new dynamic views, plus the fact that Blogger is linked to my Google profile, may have me switching back.

in reference to: All about Dynamic Views for Readers - Blogger Help (view on Google Sidewiki)

Coming Soon to Instant Watch

2011-03-13T18:29:00.000-07:00

Here are what I think to be the most notable additions to instant watch coming in the next 30 days.

March 15

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Seasons 1 & 2

Shin Chan

Trigun

Three Kingdoms

Eden of the East

April 1

Jericho

MacGyver

Planting My Own Tobacco: The Beginning

2011-03-06T17:08:00.000-08:00

My seeds have arrived from Victory Seeds and its time to start growing my tobacco. If all goes well I will harvest some yellow Virginia tobacco for pipe and cigar smoking this fall.

The seeds arrived in a little bag with what looks like hundreds of tiny seeds inside. I sprinkled the entire batch onto damp soil and will keep the soil damp and warm on my sunny back porch for two weeks until, hopefully, I will see some sprouts pop up. I will thin them out and continue to grow them until about 4 inches tall. I'll report from that point if all goes well!

Symbolism in Tron Legacy

2011-03-05T17:37:00.000-08:00

I saw Tron Legacy tonight and here are some thoughts on the symbolism that I noticed in no particular order.

Flynn is creator of the grid and is also the spiritual hero/christ figure. He is creator, yet sacrifices himself to save both the real world and his creation.

The creation of the grid was done by a three people, Flynn, Clue and Tron - a trinity.

Clue was created in Flynn's own image, but fell into corruption.

Clue picked up an apple in Flynn's headquarter's. The apple reminded him of his fall.

The apple also represents knowledge of good and evil - the ability to make correct and just judgments. Flynn, after all this time, now realizes that he did not aspire true perfection. He realizes now that true perfection would have been to sacrifice his own interests for his loved ones - namely his son.

Flynn sacrificed himself to preserve a new and improved humanity - he ensured the last remaining ISO, Quorra, would live.

Finally, Sam, the action hero, was a true super user (I'm sure this Linux joke has already been made).

Unlimited Storage on Picasa, Kinda

2011-02-26T04:39:00.000-08:00

Google Operating System reports that Picasa Web Albums has received an update. Pictures that are 800 x 600 pixels or less no longer count toward the storage limit. Great news for Picasa users who lament having to carefully choose which pictures to upload due to the old storage limit.

Glenn Beck vs. Google

2011-02-19T18:31:00.000-08:00

Glenn Beck recently constructed a conspiracy that portrays Google as a biased harlot secretly tied to the Obama administration.

If I didn't know who Glenn Beck or Bill O'Reilly was, I would think this video was a parody of Fox News.

Google's Social Initiative Part 1

2011-02-19T10:12:00.001-08:00

Earlier I posted on Google Search being an important and exciting part of their new social strategy. Well, Social Search is officially leaving beta and rolling out to everyone.

With social search, what your friends say about the topic you search for shows up on the first page of results. If you search for IT Crowd, you may see a tweet from your friend raving about how hilarious he thinks the show is. Facebook, Twitter, Buzz, etc now will now appear in your results. And why not? My friends carry more weight in my opinions than a blogger whom I've never met.

This also confirms that Facebook is not a threat to Google, but makes its social strategy even more robust.

I'll share more when I see Social Search integrated into my search results.

Example of How Not to Use Twitter

2011-02-19T10:01:00.001-08:00

Hexxeh has suspended Chromium OS Lime indefinitely thanks to people who use social networking to pester people whom they would never even speak to in real life.

Ubuntu to Chrome OS

2011-02-19T06:55:00.000-08:00

Because of the problems and hassles my laptop gave me, I'm no longer interested in having a computer with an Ubuntu partition. However, I did gain a huge appreciation for what Canonical does, and for open source software in general. It's quite impressive to see support for a free, open source OS that has a growing user base.

Lately, I'm becoming more interested in what is to come through Chrome OS since it is integrated between all Google products. The apps in the Web Store are impressive, and the functionality as a solo OS is increasing quite fast. Of course, you can simulate Chrome OS right now by opening Chrome browser and never closing it, but the system is still running from Windows.

Blogger App

2011-02-03T16:01:00.001-08:00

Just testing out the Blogger app for Android. Thanks for showing Blogger some love, Google!

How to Change Amazon Account Name Without Adding Your Address

2011-02-03T12:40:00.001-08:00

I've been an Amazon user for quite some time. So long, in fact, that I even began my account using an ancient alias from long ago that I never use anymore. However, when I sell something on Amazon, it lists the item under the old account name. I wanted to update my account name and only my name. The problem was that when I updated my account name, it wanted me to add a business address and phone number, both of which it says would be visible to anyone who viewed my page. I don't want either of those available for the world to see. So here is an easy 3-step solution I discovered.

1) Navigate to your seller account by clicking on "Your Account" on the main Amazon page, then "Seller Account Information" under Settings.

2) Click "Edit" on the Seller Information section, and update your account name. You will have to fill in an address and phone, but you will delete that in the next step.

3) Go back to "Your Account" as in step 1, and click "Manage Address Book." Delete the new address you just put in.

Now, you have an updated account name and no address or phone associated with it. I don't believe that the Seller Profile you create is the same as your name appears when you leave a product review.

If there is an easier way to do this, post it in the comments.

Why I Don't See Chrome OS and Android Converging

2011-02-01T10:36:00.000-08:00

Android - I install Wordfeud on my Android phone and leave my phone at work. I cannot play Wordfeud until I get my phone back the next day.

Chrome OS - If Wordfeud existed as a Chrome web app, I could access it from any of my computers with Chrome browser installed and/or a Chrome OS computer. Whether from work, home, netbook, or mobile device, Wordfeud would be completely cloud based and the machine it's installed on would be irrelevant.

Halo Reach Mythbusters

2011-01-19T06:02:00.000-08:00

I made a playlist for the Halo Reach Mythbusters. There are five episodes right now. It's very entertaining and you can actually pick up some nice tactics from watching it.

Mute Certain Types of Updates on Buzz

2010-12-26T13:23:00.000-08:00

Do you have someone you follow on Google Buzz who is generally interesting but they feed some sources that you do not want to hear about? My Buzz feed posts from seven sources. It posts my shared items on Google Reader, my Twitter feed, and my feed from this blog just to name a few.

My friends who follow me on Twitter may not want to also see my tweets on Buzz. Some of my friends may not care about what I post on this blog (except this post of course). In such cases, Buzz has an option to mute certain feeds, while still subscribing to the ones you do want to see.

To do so, click on the friends name in Google Buzz. Once you click on their name it will take you to a list of all of their Buzz posts. At the top it will tell you all about that person's Buzz profile such as who they follow and what accounts they have linked to Buzz. Beside each account there is an option to mute posts from that feed. Select "mute" and you will no longer see any posts from that source. Now you can enjoy following the interesting things that person has to share while leaving out the boring stuff.

A Touch of HTML5

2010-12-23T13:18:00.000-08:00

Today the Google homepage is a collage of Christmas cards from different countries. It is a nice example of how a little bit of HTML5 can bring even a simple webpage to life.

Diablo III Trailer

2010-12-18T08:21:00.000-08:00

This is a link to the Diablo III website, it provides a trailer and gameplay video.

Kinect Hacks

2010-12-04T09:08:00.000-08:00

Since the Kinect was hacked and the driver was open sourced, there have been some pretty amazing hacks. I created a playlist of some of the hacks that show pretty amazing things the Kinect is capable of. Here's hoping that Xbox developers are as innovative in their use of the hardware.

Samurai Champloo Chrome Theme

2010-11-21T17:33:00.000-08:00

At this blog we like samurai. We also like anime. We also love Samurai Champloo, one of the greatest of all anime. So I created a Samurai Champloo Google Chrome theme. We also love Google Chrome and each of us has installed the theme and you should too if you use Chrome and like anime, samurai or Samurai Champloo.

Now and Then, Here and There

2010-11-19T19:40:00.000-08:00

I just finished Now and Then, Here and There. I knew absolutely nothing about this 13 episode anime beforehand but I am very glad I added it to my queue. It is dark and, at some points, downright depressing in tone for the first 6 episodes, yet it definitely pays off in the end. It takes place in a futuristic dystopia - a fairly common setting to be sure - but the story is unique and distances itself from other movies in the genre. I am particularly satisfied that Now and Then, Here and There offers such a strong commentary on the issues of war and abortion.

This anime is a real gem and I would recommend it to anyone who has the stomach to watch a fairly dark show that touches on some very weighty issues. It is available on Netflix Instant Watch.

Makeshift TV-Top Kinect Brace

2010-11-19T16:23:00.000-08:00

The $30 stand for sitting your Kinect on top of your TV has a pretty steep price tag. It may be a fitting Christmas present, but I doubt if most people will be too excited about purchasing it right away. Having a Kinect a full two months before release, here is the cheap, sub $10 solution I came up with.

What you'll need:

3" corner brackets: You can buy these at Lowe's for $2 to $4 total.

3M picture hanging strips: Also available at Lowe's for a one stop shop.

Position both braces parallel to each other about an inch apart. Place a 3M strip perpendicularly across both braces, one strip at each end. Position the braces on the TV and adhere the other adhesive strips to the TV where the brace will be sitting. Now you have a Kinect stand to make do until you get the real, overpriced version.

Note: Since the braces are metal, be careful if you have your TV and Kinect running for too long. I'm not sure if the braces could get hot enough to damage the Kinect, but you can't be too sure. For this reason, I intend to get the official stand instead of sticking with my corner braces.

PdaNet Testing

2010-10-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

I installed PdaNet on my Droid to see if it could be a replacement for the absurd $65/month of my cable internet. Here are the results.

It was impossible to watch 1080p videos on YouTube. On Hulu, 480p videos were slow and sometimes needed to rebuffer. I went to speedtest.net to get some hard numbers on the speed, and this is what I got:

Unfortunately, PdaNet is not a total replacement for someone like me who skips the cable TV bill and uses Netflix and Hulu for video entertainment. Connecting to an Xbox would be a challenge as well, but with a ping that high, it would be unbearable. However, it seems to be quite useful when on the road and you want to use the computer for general web browsing, email, etc., and when you don't want to do all that on the tiny screen of a Droid.

Ars Technica: Price of Gaming

2010-10-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

A while back, I posted on the Price of Gaming over the years, and how prices have actually come down over time. Ars Technica just posted an article backing up my assertion.

It feels good to be vindicated.

Acer customer support

2010-10-02T07:37:00.001-07:00

A few months ago, I was given an Acer Aspire One as a gift from my mom. It's a pretty descent netbook for the amount she paid for it, there was only one problem- the internet card turns off and back on every ten minutes or so.

After dealing with this for a few months I decided to do something about it. I called their customer support and the Indian gentleman I spoke to told me he couldn't do anything about it, so he sent me to their official support team called Answers by Acer.

The reason I didn't call the Acer support team to begin with is because I noticed that it costs $129.99 to speak with them about my computer problems.

The first thing I told him was I had no money, I was just trying to see if they would do something about my internet card. The guy kept trying to sell me time to talk to their support team. I tried very hard not to be rude or mean, because I know it was only his job. If you are the type of person that relies on customer service to fix your problems, do not buy anything Acer.

Netflix Streaming Additions: Anime Edition

2010-09-23T20:05:00.000-07:00

Here are the anime titles being added to Netflix streaming after the first of October. As always, these are the ones I think are noteworthy from the insanely long list. Keep the anime coming Netflix. I love you for this.

Fullmetal Alchemist
Soul Eater
Basilisk
Trinity Blood
Gunslinger Girl
Darker Than Black
Samurai 7
Fullmetal Panic
Witchblade
Last Exile
Xenosaga

King of Kong

2010-09-21T05:16:00.001-07:00

Steve Wiebe is once again the world record holder for Donkey Kong, as Joystiq reports. The interesting part is there is a documentary on Wiebe and his rivalry with Billy Mitchell. Even better, this documentary is streaming on Netflix.

Google Me: I Think It Will Rock

2010-09-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

Google Operating System reports that Google's social network will not be a new service but will be a social upgrade to existing services.

The idea appears to be to revamp Google Buzz to be the central hub of all Google applications with more Google products integrated into the Buzz stream. Based on Google's criticisms of other social networks, the new social structure will likely have customizable social circles. You don't necessarily want to share the same information with college friends as you would your family, and this structure will reflect this. The network should have the ability to have certain things that always appear to only these friends, and other things appear only to those friends.

Say you have a social circle of close relatives and you all are working on several Google docs for a family reunion. You have a drawing to sketch out ideas for setup, a spreadsheet for attendees and a word doc for invitations. When you make a change to the attendee spreadsheet, a notice would appear on their Buzz feeds. They would then be able to comment on that Buzz post. "I'm not so sure we should invite Bob, he really caused a ruckus last year."

Using Buzz as a common social strand to all Google products could make a great social network. However there is another thing I expect from the new social structure which could make it worlds better than other social networks - integration with Google search. Social search has been in beta for a while now, but it hasn't really been anything special. I do think that Google wants its social structure to stretch beyond its own products, which could involve getting real with social search.

Google's CEO, Eric Schmidt recently said, "The best thing that would happen is for Facebook to open up its data. Failing that, there are other ways to get that information." This leads me to believe that Google wants to vamp up its social search. Right now Google users can link their social networks to their Google profile. You can link your Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, etc. With social built into search, when you searched for something there would be a section of your search results that would show what your friends have said about the topic you searched for. You would see any Blogger posts they have posted concerning the topic, Twitter posts, Facebook wall posts, etc.

If Google will capitalize on all of this, it could be pretty amazing. If I'm searching for something, I am certainly interested in what my friends have to say about the subject. Adding such a social dynamic to Google search would take social networking to a whole new level.

Now we just have to wait and see if Google lives up to its full potential.

Choose Wisely

2010-09-18T16:40:00.001-07:00

If you could magically change people's opinion on just one of the following topics that are often negatively stereotyped, which would you choose?

1. Video games
2. Pipe smoking
3. Alcohol

Any other suggestions to add to the list? Put them in the comments section.

Bioshock Infinite

2010-09-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

Judging by this image from Bioshock Infinite, I'll be pretty happy with the ideals the new Bioshock will be offering a commentary on.

AlternativeTo

2010-09-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

I recently came upon a fairly useful website that finds alternative software for the operating system you are running. AlternativeTo has software suggestions from Mac, Windows, Linux, Online apps, Win Mobile, and Android.

XBMC Media Center Complete

2010-09-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

I have completed my XBMC Media Center, and it works beautifully. The HDMI cable was inexpensive, and when I'm not using my laptop in the media center, I connect the cable to the Xbox. When starting up the Xbox, however, the speakers will make a 'pop' sound which didn't happen with the component cables connected. Perhaps Ben could enlighten me as to the cause of this.

Setting up your media folders in XBMC is self explanatory.

The interesting part came with the XBMC Remote app for Android. Installing it was quite simple, but it took me a bit to find the wiki page on how to set it up. So, go ahead and check out the easy-to-setup tutorial! The app connects via your home network and speaks to XBMC via HTTP.

The only problems I had using XBMC were some slight mouse lag (probably due to the weakness of my laptop), and frame rate drops from improper cooling. However, I went to the dollar store and picked up a $1 laptop stand that elevates the back end of the laptop to improve airflow and thus cooling. Problem solved for $1. Excellent.

The limits of my current set up are the hard drive space available for movie storage, and the fact that I use my laptop for many other things. So, setting up the media center requires moving tables, the power cord, etc. Although my setup is not dedicated, it is cheap and versatile. I love it.

Also check out the gallery to see the power of XBMC on your Android phone.

Copying Ubisoft

2010-09-09T04:41:00.000-07:00

Companies that aren't even in the video game industry will soon be copying Ubisoft's DRM tactics with Always-Online style requirements.

Book companies will require customers to call their Book Rights Management (BRM) centers and read the book out loud to the BRM representative. This must be done in a quiet, sound proof room to prevent others from having the experience of the book and therefore breaking copyright laws.

Movie studios will push to have webcams installed on every TV in America which connect to their Movie Rights Management (MRM) departments. Representatives will use the webcams to see how many people are watching the movie. This will prevent large groups of people from seeing the movie, and in effect, reduce the need for more DVD purchases. If someone new walks into view on the webcam, the movie will stop until the viewer shows a credit card to the webcam. Babies who walk into the room will be charged only half-price.

Restaurants may or may not begin charging for smells that leak into the noses of potential customers. These smells are essentially demos for the food, but not all companies want to offer something for free. Potential charges for smelling food as a person walks buy a restaurant could begin around 5 to 10 cents per smell. And if a person lingers and gets a good whiff of the food inside, restaurants will have that person arrested for theft.

Installeth Ubuntu

2010-09-07T15:59:00.000-07:00

If you are the tech guy among your family and friends, you should leave your mark by changing the background to this after each support session you perform.

HT: spreadubuntu

Netflix' Anime Selection

2010-09-07T11:03:00.000-07:00

Netflix really disappoints me with their anime selection. They have DVDs missing from nearly every anime series I'm interested in. One of the few exceptions was Naruto Uncut Boxset. I added all of it to my queue and sure enough, when I got to set 3 it suddenly became unavailable, so I added the crappy Toonami version to my queue to cover for that box set. Now we are finally nearing the end of the horrible-opening-themed-Toonami DVDs and ready to pick back up on box set number 4 and suddenly it is unavailable. At least with Naruto I have an inferior collection to fall back on. Such is not the case with most anime.

On top of that, the streaming selection for anime is bare-bones. Come on Netflix, this is just unacceptable. If anime DVDs are so hard to come by, please put some resources toward some streaming deals. If you have people destroying and stealing, please be prompt in suspending them so other's do not have to suffer.

Is anyone else disappointed with this aspect of Netflix?

I Needed A Novice Mortar and Pestle

2010-09-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

All they had were apprentice, journeyman and expert.

Receiving Google Voice Calls in Gmail

2010-09-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

Now that the phone feature has been added to Gmail, if you are a Google Voice user you can have all of your phone calls ring to your Gmail account as well as any other phones you have set up. To do so, simply log into your Google Voice account, go to settings, edit phones and you will see Gmail as an option. Just put a check mark there and you will be able to receive calls in Gmail.

Remember, Google Voice is available to everyone now, so if you are not using it go here and sign up because its awesome.

Chrome 6 Is Out Today

2010-09-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

Today Chrome version 6 was released to the stable channel. Two features that I'm excited about are extension sync and the single menu button. Extension sync is just a great addition to the already incredible sync feature and combining the two menu's into one saves some valuable space, especially for netbooks.

You can also hide the home button (I'm not sure if this was available in 5). Also - I have yet to test this out - I would imagine that the stable version for Ubuntu has now moved the window buttons to the left side. If you can verify this change to the stable version, please let me know in the comments.

View Any Youtube Video in HTML5

2010-08-30T09:13:00.000-07:00

Youtube now has a new special parameter that you can add to the end of any Youtube video's URL which allows you to watch that video in HTML5. If you're getting frustrated with a laggy Flash video, just add "&html5=True" to the end of the URL.

MP4Box

2010-08-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

MP4Box is a powerful MP4 multiplexer. It does not have a GUI and must be run from the command line. After searching for a halfway decent program to split up a video file from my camera, I found MP4Box to be much better than most of the programs I found people suggesting as free MP4 editors.

To use the program, you can drag the .exe into the command line and hit enter. This will show you a list of the available commands. Your command will look something like this:

MP4Box -[command] video.mp4

A few of the commands for splitting are:

- split seconds
- splits size (in kb)
- splitx Starttime:Endtime (in seconds)

I had an 11 minute video that I wanted to split into two. In the command line, I specified (in seconds) the segment of video that I wanted to split off. The command looked like this.

MP4Box -splitx 282:677 kansas.mp4

Voila. I had an MP4 ready to upload to Youtube.

Netflix for Iphone

2010-08-29T06:17:00.001-07:00

Netflix is finally available for the Iphone and Ipod touch in the Apple appstore. Despite the small screen, the picture quality is superb. Now I finally have something to do to keep me occupied while waiting for my classes to start.

Flock Social Browser

2010-08-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

I just installed the beta of Flock browser, which is basically Chromium browser with a social twist. Though I don't particularly like the UI changes they made, it is nice to have all of your Facebook and Twitter updates on a sidebar within the browser. I could see how it would help productivity to have a single spot to look for updates. If you are interested in trying it out, check it out here.

Jolicloud Review

2010-08-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

Recently I installed Jolicloud on my Dell Mini 9 and have been using it for more than a week now. Although I was initially underwhelmed, I have actually grown quite fond of the OS. I will probably continue to use it at least until Chrome OS arrives.

What I really like about Jolicloud is that it treats cloud apps just like desktop apps. The desktop has all of your most used websites on it. If you launch Gmail, Twitter and Facebook, each one runs in its own window. Each web app has the feeling of a standalone application, even though they are really just web pages (Chromium browser with the URL bar and extensions hidden). You can run Open Office and Google Docs side by side and both will look equally like a normal desktop program.

The Jolicloud desktop is actually an HTML5 page running on Chromium browser. This is also really cool. This means that the entire time your Jolicloud machine is running, Chromium browser is running also. This is nice if you have extensions such as Chrowety or Imo. On a normal desktop machine I hate installing desktop twitter clients like Tweetdeck, so I use browser extensions. However, I have a habit of closing the browser between sessions. Thus, Chrowety will not tell me how many tweets came through while I was away. With Jolicloud, all of your handy extensions are always running; Chrowety will always keep up with your twitter account, even if you have closed all applications.

There is also a social aspect to Jolicloud that some people may find fun. You can have Jolicloud friends who can recommend applications to you. So if you have a friend or family member who also uses Jolicloud and they install a cool program (by the way, installing programs is super simple on here) they can "like" the program. From your computer, you can see a list of applications that your friend liked and you can install them with a single click if they suite your fancy.

I like the direction that Jolicloud is taking. They realize that most of the computing we do, especially on netbooks, is done in the cloud. Yet, for those skeptical of a cloud-only OS, Jolicloud has a full build of Ubuntu behind its HTML5 surface.

On the other hand, anyone could use Jolicloud without ever knowing anything about Ubuntu. The HTML5 interface gives users everything they need for daily computing and nothing is ever more than a few clicks away. For all of these reasons Jolicloud has my recommendation.

Netflix Instant Watch Additions: September

2010-08-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of good titles being added to Netflix Instant Watch on the 1st of September. Here are the ones that I thought were particularly notable. You can check out the behemoth list yourself if you want.

The Godfather Trilogy
Indiana Jones - all 4 movies
Aeon Flux
Event Horizon
48 Hours - both movies
Star Trek (the new one)
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
The Running Man
Iron Man
Crank 2

September has a lot of great titles coming. Will you be adding any of these to your queue?

How to Scan QR Codes in Android

2010-08-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

A QR code is a barcode that a smartphone such as a Droid can read via its camera. This is useful in that you can find an app online such as Lightning Bug sleep clock, take a picture of the QR code with Barcode Scanner, and Android will take you to the app in the marketplace to download. Barcode Scanner comes with Android phones, so no need to download an app before doing this. And yes, you read that right: Use your camera phone to take a picture of a picture on the computer monitor. It's a literal 'screen shot'!

You can even make your own QR codes with a generator. Check out the QR code for Aeonian Samurai:

Play with the generator here.

XBMC First Try

2010-08-19T07:44:00.000-07:00

I'm attempting to make a media center powered by Android, XBMC, and a value laptop. Although it's not complete yet, I want to share the outline of the project. The scale of the project is quite small. I don't want to record live TV like a DVR, or even watch live TV. I simply want to stream content from a PC to my TV. One thing I've learned from Netflix over the years is that streaming content straight to a TV is far more convenient than having to sort through DVDs.

So here are some details.

1. Being a college student gets you Amazon Prime for a year for free, which means free 2-day shipping, an $80 value. This is great for picking up a few components quickly, such as the High Speed HDMI cable I bought for $7. This will be used to connect the laptop to the HDTV, and when the media center is not in use, it will replace the component cables on the Xbox 360.

2. I'm going to try XBMC as my media center software. I have it installed on my computer right now. My only first impressions so far are that the software runs very quickly and smoothly. This outright makes it better than Windows Media Center.

3. XBMC also has an XBMC Remote app for Android. I'm quite anxious to see how well this works in a few days. It has 4.5 of 5 stars on the Android Marketplace, so I suspect it works well.

That's it for now. I'll put it all together when the HDMI cables arrives and give an update on the project.

Should everything go smoothly, I'll look into an Ubuntu based media center so that Mabuntu will have a new purpose.

Installing Jolicloud

2010-08-10T14:46:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I shared how I got my Ubuntu tailored perfectly for my netbook. Well now I'm wiping it out the try Jolicloud. The whole concept of Jolicloud intrigues me. It's largely cloud-based, treating internet apps like regular destkop apps. A lot of it runs off of Chromium browser, while the core is simply a reskinned Ubuntu. The primary interface is built on HTML5 which is really cool.

I'll use if for a few weeks and let you know what I think.

Tasting Notes: The Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout

2010-08-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

I'm finishing up a six pack of The Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout which I purchased from Lowe's foods. The Duck-Rabbit is a NC brewery. The milk stout is one of several beers that they offer. As the name suggests this beer is a stout brewed with lactose.

As you scan the beer aisle, this beer catches your eye with its cool red and black label that shows off the company's optical illusion logo (the duck-rabbit). The price at Lowes Food was $8.49 - standard fare for a microbrew.

Initially there is nothing out of the ordinary upon pouring it into the glass. The color is as dark as any other stout, with a slightly less dark, brown head. You may need to turn a few more lights on in the house because the dark beer sucks the light out of the room. For someone who loves stouts though, this black-hole effect is a daily event. Nothing special here.

With the aroma you begin to get a sense that this is a rather extraordinary beer. Vapors of wheat and coffee - which attend most stouts - rise combining with the unique aroma of lactose that bring thoughts of latte or cappuccino.

Don't be fooled though. Take a swish of this beer and you won't be thinking cappuccino for long. On the front it is a thick, smooth, bitter wheat flavor with subtle hints of chocolate. The finish leaves you with a hint of coffee and a distinct sweetness that clearly comes from the lactose. On top of that lactosey sweetness, the finish is characterized with a distinct acidic bitterness that keeps you coming back for another sip.

Unfortunately, the sweetness of this beer prevents me from being able to enjoy a bowl of pipe tobacco while I'm drinking it. I don't like to smoke my pipe with sticky lips. With that insignificant squabble aside, the Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout is a very enjoyable beer that will be a staple of my beer diet for years to come. I really love to find such high quality beer that is brewed in my home state. I would like to find a pub that serves it on tap to get the true experience.

Optimize Ubuntu for Netbooks

2010-08-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a way to get the most out of your netbook's screen on Ubuntu.

Install Cairo Dock from the Ubuntu Software Center. Cairo Dock is a Mac-like dock with loads of customization options. With the dock set correctly, you will no longer need your top or bottom panels, which will free up some valuable space.

Once you have it installed you'll want to set it to start at boot. To do so, go to "Preferences > Startup Applications." Click on "Add." For name, put "Cairo Dock" and the command to should be "/usr/bin/cairo-dock." If you want it to run with OpenGL (if you like an attractive UI then you do) you will want to add a space and then "-o" to the end of the command path. Click "save." Now the dock will start with Ubuntu.

Now that the dock running, let's add the features that you need in order to eliminate the top and bottom panels. Right-click on the dock and click "Cairo-Dock > Configure." At the bottom click "Advanced Mode." Put a check mark beside the following applications.

Clock
GMenu
Log-Out
Shortcuts
Switcher
Systray
Dbus

With all of these things checked you should have a clock complete with calendar, all of the menus that were on the upper panel, a log out button, desktop switcher for rotating desktop, your recycle bin and the systray (explained below).

Now with the essentials of your gnome panel in Cairo Dock, we'll make it a little more attractive. First we'll add icons in your Gmenu. Right-click on Gmenu and configure the applet. Go to the configure tab and put a check mark in "Display icons in the menu." Save the settings and exit. Now press Alt+F2 and run gconf-editor and go to desktop > gnome > interface. There is an option on the list for "menus_have_icons". Put a check mark in that box. Now your Gmenu should look good.

You may notice that your systray is floating awkwardly in the upper left. It is the panel that tells your battery life, wifi signal, dropbox status, and bluetooth. The panel should be floating about 40 pixels down from the upper left corner of your screen. To fix this, go into Cairo Dock preferences, find "systray" and edit the desklet settings so that the x,y position is 0,0. The change may not reflect immediately, but it will look good after reboot.

Finally, any applications that you want to add to your dock can be dragged and dropped from your applications menu.

Once you have your dock set the way you like it and feel comfortable with we can remove the panels. Press Alt+F2 and run gconf-editor and browse to desktop > gnome > session > required components. Right-click on "panel" and select "edit key" and remove the value. Press OK and now your top panel should be gone. If it is not gone right now, the change should be reflected on reboot. To remove the bottom panel, simply right-click on it and remove it.

L4D2 Mutation: Four Swordsmen

2010-08-06T10:16:00.001-07:00

The mutation this week for L4D2 is Four Swordsmen. Although, when I joined, 2 of us had katanas, and 2 had handguns. My first game, I thought the game was bugged because when we died, we started over. The mistake I made was assuming that it was a type of versus game, when really it's a campaign mutation. Now, here's what makes this mutation so cool: There are no common infected.

The only infected you fight are special infected, including tanks. And they come in packs of 4, not one at a time. It can get quite intense. Of course, without common infected, boomers are pretty worthless. When I played Swamp Fever and we were at the plantation, we had to fight off 2 tanks at once. Thank goodness for molotovs. But only 1 of us survived.

JailbreakMe 2.0

2010-08-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Now that jailbreaking are now legal, it has never been easier to do. There is a Safari-based web app named JailbreakMe that jailbreaks your handset in a computer-free fashion. It's incredibly simple. It installs the app directory Cydia, which provides countless open-source apps that don't have to be approved by Apple. It has many emulators, themes, tweaks, and many (legal) repositories you can add that broadens your app selection.

Dell Mini Users Can Run Android

2010-07-31T19:21:00.001-07:00

I can't wait to try this out. I'm on AT&T network and will probably stay on the network, even after buying an Android phone. The thing about AT&T is they lock down the OS so that you can only install apps from the Market. Being able to boot my Dell Mini into Android will be great because I want to play around with developing some apps.

I truly appreciate the hard work of the people who work on Android porting.
in reference to: Dell Mini - magicandroidapps.com Wiki (view on Google Sidewiki)

Toy Story 3

2010-07-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually one to go out to see a movie because theaters are fairly expensive for a one time viewing of the movie, but I got the privilege to obtain two free tickets from my girlfriend's family. I had to see Toy Story 3 because I feel like I practically grew up with Andy and his toys, being around the same age as him during the first two and graduating 13 days before Toy Story 3 (which is about him graduating and about to go off to college). Toy Story has always been my favorite Pixar series growing up.

The movie is about what Andy is going to do with his toys while he was going away to college. He decides to take Woody with him (I would do the same thing with my favorite toy from my childhood) and instead of donating his old toys to a daycare he decides to put them up in his attic. His mom mistakes the trash bag full of toys for garbage and they are put out with the trash. Sooner or later the toys sneak into a box of toys being donated by his sister and they end up in the daycare.

Woody ends up with the toys in an attempt to talk the toys out of staying at the daycare. The toys soon find out that the daycare that seemed to be everything they've ever wanted was actually quite a totalitarian system run by a tyrannical stuffed teddy-bear.

A Stalin-bear, if you will

I'm not trying to spoil anything so I'm going to stop there. The movie is very emotional, along with witty and just hilarious. If you are a fan of Toy Story, this movie is bound to make you cry. Probably the best animated film that's going to be out this year. The only thing I disliked about the whole thing was that it was 3D, and it kinda hurts my eyes. This movie deserves at least a 9 out of ten.

The New Way to Watch TV

2010-07-30T09:56:00.001-07:00

Netflix Instant Watch is one of the best services I have come by. With their streaming service, I have actually eliminated my cable TV bill completely and use Netflix exclusively for TV. They seem to be focusing more and more on moving their library to streaming, which is great.

The predictions on what rating you will give a movie is phenomenal. If it thinks I will rate a movie 4 or 5 stars, its usually dead accurate. A movie suggestion from Netflix is almost as reliable as a suggestion from a close friend (sometimes more).

The biggest let down is their Anime selection. The way they categorize the anime doesn't seem logical. You can browse the entire collection and never see an anime that they in fact do carry. Also, nearly every anime series I have rented has had one or more discs unavailable, which resulted in me having to buy the disc.

As they move more anime to streaming, this problem will disappear. I just hope they are quick about it.
in reference to: Netflix: Watch Instantly (view on Google Sidewiki)

Midnight Riders - Save Me Some Sugar

2010-07-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

Like all great rock bands, Midnight Riders made a rock ballad. This premiered in Left 4 Dead 2's DLC The Passing. I always make sure to blast the song at the wedding, even if it attracts a horde.

Wubi

2010-07-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

Wubi is an Ubuntu installer for Windows that partitions your disk for you. I tested it out with my netbook, and it works fairly well. The only problem is that you can't choose the partition size you want, and it set aside only 12 gigs for Ubuntu (but I have the 120 gig "SYSTEM RESERVED" partition that I can mount).

For someone who wants to do a simple dual-boot for a smaller computer like a netbook which has no CD drive, it worked pretty well. Otherwise the link for the previous Windows 7/Ubuntu dual-boot tutorial posted earlier went very smoothly for me as well.

If you don't like the way it installs Ubuntu on your system you can simply uninstall it from through Windows.

Told To Spread Abroad

2010-07-29T13:49:00.000-07:00

told to spread abroad
yet for idols joined as one
their knowledge scattered about

told to unite all
our thoughts we hoard like silver
and keep knowledge from the poor

How to Make Notes in Gmail

2010-07-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I want to make a note about a particular email, but in Gmail there is no way to make a note other than adding it to tasks. Tasks isn't particularly a good way to make notes though, because it serves as a to-do list. I like to check things off of my to-do list in a timely fashion, but I may wait months before referring back over notes that I've made. If I have a note sitting on tasks, I'm just itching to get it off of there. So I looked around for a good method to add a note to a Gmail message and here is the best one I have found.

Go to Settings > Filters > Create a new filter.

In the "To" section type your username then "+notes@gmail.com." It should look something like bentok+notes@gmail.com. Now click on "next step."

Put a check mark beside "apply label," pick "new label" from the drop down menu and make a label called "notes." You may also want to put a check mark beside "skip the inbox" if you want the note to skip your inbox and go straight into the label. Now click on "create filter."

Now you can send emails to yourself at the address [yourusername]+notes@gmail.com. You can send yourself a note from any email address. If you want to make a note on a particular email, forward the email to yourself at the +notes address, and type your note into the body of the email.

Aeonian Samurai Shirt?

2010-07-29T10:28:00.001-07:00

While browsing through Eternal Revolution, I came across this shirt.Groovy.

Aeonian Samurai Web App

2010-07-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

Check out the Aeonian Samurai web app for Google Chrome. You will most likely need the dev build of Google Chrome to install it. You may want to install the canary build if you do not want to give up your stable build.

First you want to enable web apps (instructions here). Once you have them enabled download the extension from the link below. If Chrome does not auto launch the installation, just double-click on the file and "open with" the chrome.exe. Enjoy.

Aeonian Samurai Web App

Great site to keep motivated for exercise

2010-07-26T16:39:00.001-07:00

Dailymile is a good site for logging your progress in training and exercising. Everyone keeps a training routine better if they have a buddy to do it with, which is why I think this site is a good idea. The social aspect makes training much more engaging.

in reference to: Training Log for Running, Cycling, and Triathlon | dailymile (view on Google Sidewiki)

Chrome Web Store

2010-07-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

As Chrome OS rapidly approaches features keep getting piled on. Last week web apps were introduced. Now the dev build of Chrome has added Chrome Web Store to the new tab page, which appears beside any web apps you have installed. The Chrome Web Store basically just a link to the extension gallery. It will eventually be a one stop shop for extensions and apps for Chrome OS, Chrome browser and maybe Google TV.

If you are interested in trying out web apps on Chrome but do not want to give up your stable version, Google also just released the canary build, which allows you to run a second browser that receives auto updates from the developer channel.

Earthbound/Mother 2

2010-07-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

Earthbound (Mother 2 in Japan) is one of my favorite RPG's of all time. You play as Ness, a young boy who is gifted with psychic abilities. When a meteorite crashes beside his house in the quiet town of Onett, it is the beginning of Ness fulfilling a prophecy written on an apple. On the journey, Ness must befriend two other young boys and a girl who will accompany him in order to save the world from the evil Giygas.

Giygas is the embodiment of evil. He is practically evil itself. His very presence corrupts good people into raging lunatics. Friendly animals become ravenous, attacking at will. Monsters terrorize small towns. And when you make it to Giygas after traveling the world, you might expect to see a hideous monster. But no. He is without form. You cannot even grasp the true form of his attacks! The game flat-out tells you this while you're fighting him. Without spoiling the ending or boss fight for anyone who hasn't played this game, I will say that the final battle makes quite a bold statement in how evil must be defeated.

The dialogue throughout the game sets it apart from almost every other RPG I've played. It is humorous, witty, and enjoyable throughout.

And the music is fantastic. Check out this boss fight music if you want to hear just how great the soundtrack is:

http://starmen.net/mother2/music/044-%20Earthbound%20-%20Sanctuary%20Guardian.mp3

Google Chrome in Ubuntu on Mac

2010-07-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

Time for an episode of Mabuntu Adventures.*

Problem: Chrome crashes when syncing bookmarks
One of the biggest reasons I use Google Chrome browser is because of the ability to sync bookmarks. Trying to keep the same bookmarks on my HP laptop, Mac OSX, and Ubuntu with a browser that doesn't do this would be painful. Currently, Chrome isn't quite stable enough on Mabuntu yet, but from what I gather from reading over forums, a solution could be coming soon. A particular problem is that syncing bookmarks can cause the computer to freeze, requiring a hard reboot.

Solution: What I do is this. I open Chromium and tell it to Sync Bookmarks. Once it does, I immediately tell it to stop syncing. This allows me to import my bookmarks and prevent crashes. If I add a bookmark on another computer and want it on Ubuntu's Chrome, then I just re-sync and de-sync. As a temporary fix, it works great and is barely inconvenient.

Problem: Hitting "Delete" on the Macbook's keyboard doesn't go back a page in Chrome.
Backspace is what I want to use to go back a page in my browsers, although my Microsoft mouse has a Back button that I use to go Back now. Anyways, Apple's equivalent key is "Delete", however hitting it doesn't take you back a page. It's possible to change Firefox settings to allow this to happen, but so far I haven't found a way to customize specific buttons within Chrome.

Solution: I decided to do what no man should ever have to do. Look at the manual. Browsing the Getting Started forum in Google Chrome's Help, I ran across this gem. A list of keyboard shortcuts. So the solution is that I have to hit alt + left to go back a page in Chrome. I'm okay with this, and I'm sure there are other Linux users who have been doing this for years. Now if I can only find out how to change what "Delete" does...

*Mabuntu is my Macbook 1.1 with Ubuntu 10.4 installed.

Ubuntu Diversity

2010-07-16T09:43:00.001-07:00

Bentok runs Ubuntu on a Dell Netbook, and on a desktop PC. I run Ubuntu on a first generation Macbook. This causes me to have a whole different set of keyboard shortcuts, controls, and challenges. Differences between PC and Mac keyboards are enough to cause confusion, but having a compact Macbook keyboard compounds the experience.

I don't know how to take a screenshot.

Chrome Web Apps

2010-07-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today I installed the developer build of Google Chrome to test out the new web apps. First, I was pleasantly surprised that the dev build of Chrome, like Chromium, has moved the window buttons to the left for Ubuntu.

I continued to install the only three available web apps released thus far - Gmail, Calendar and Docs. They install like a standard extension, but are activated on the new tab screen. Once activated they appear as small icons and act as tabs. It seems to me that the idea is to have a similar feeling to a desktop environment, where desktop icons are ever present. On a Windows desktop, you have an Outlook Express icon sitting there and you open it when you need to check email. Likewise, Chrome will have a Gmail application pinned as a tab. If you need to check email you go to that "application" even though it is really just like any other tab.

The main difference between one of these "apps" and a regular tab is the address bar goes away when that tab is active, making it feel like a self-contained desktop program. Obviously this addition is a result of Chrome becoming an operating system. The more Chrome OS feels like a desktop environment, the more likely people are to leave Windows for Chrome.

Generate A Folder Content List in Ubuntu and Windows

2010-07-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

If you are like me and have cut the cord of your cable or satellite company, your entertainment comes from a media center PC and Netflix. When you are storing your media digitally, its nice to have a log of what you have in your library. Here's how to easily generate a log with both Ubuntu and Windows.

Ubuntu

From your terminal, type the following command:

ls -R1 your/videos > output.txt

If you are unsure of the exact path to the directory your media is in, simply drag the directory into the terminal. This will generate a list of every subdirectory and each file within them. You can find the list in your home directory.

Windows

You will want to move into your media directory with the command line by using cd.

cd c:/your/videos

Then generate the list with the following command:

dir /on /b /s > c:/list.txt

The list will be waiting for you on the root of your C drive. Note that you can leave out the /on, /b, or /s if you wish. /on puts the list in alphabetical order. /b leaves the path out of the names and /s includes subdirectories.

There you go, now you can generate a list of your media with either Ubuntu or Windows.

A Good Site for Game Reviews

2010-07-10T07:25:00.001-07:00

xbox360achievements.org is one of the first sites I go to when looking for a review of a game. They are the only site I know of that factors the achievements into their rating. Achievements are part of the game and completionists will not want to buy a game with horrible or glitched achievements.
in reference to: Xbox360Achievements.org - Every Point Counts (view on Google Sidewiki)

Good Old Games

2010-07-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

I love Good Old Games. Period. They sell DRM-free PC classics at very low prices. I noticed they have Earthworm Jim 1 & 2 together for $6. Compare that to Earthworm Jim HD for XBLA for $10, with 200 points of achievements included of course.

In the past, I bought Fallout 2 from them to hype myself up for Fallout 3's release. GOG is part nostalgia, and part just-great-gaming.

Pipe Smoking Tips

2010-07-08T18:24:00.000-07:00

Pipe smoking is a great activity for any cultured man. Among friends, it cultivates deep and thoughtful discussion while smoking alone is a wonderful time for reflection. Here are some tips for anyone wanting to pick up one of the best hobbies known to men.

Find a good tobacconist in your area.

Your local tobacconist can teach you a lot of wisdom and you will meet a lot of other people who share your same interests hanging around his shop. Feel free to ask him advice on tobaccos, equipment or techniques. He also needs your support. These are tough times for the tobacco industry and its always uplifting to meet new people with a passion for pipes.

Take care of your pipe

The guys over at Pipedia have put together a great guide on proper pipe care and maintenance. Check them out for a very detailed guide. I would like to highlight a couple things to remember on your first smoke to prevent your from nearly ruining your pipe. With my first pipe I was too lazy to read a maintenance guide and nearly ruined it.

Lick your thumb and wet the rim of your pipe when you are lighting. This prevents you from burning it and messing up the finish.
Do not fill your tobacco to the top of the bowl to avoid burning the rim. Pack your tobacco to be slightly lower than flush with your bowl.
Do not tap the bowl of your pipe against your hand to empty the ashes while the pipe is still warm. Use the spoon part of your tamper to scrape out the ashes. This prevents cracking the pipe.

Learn how to pack and light your pipe

Don't get discouraged if your light goes out frequently. I have seen people give up because of this. It takes a little bit of time, but you can learn to smoke a pipe in one good light (after two short preliminary lights). If you persevere, you will be greatly rewarded.

Packing
The three layer method (the baby, mommy, daddy method) - I recommend using the three layer method for packing a pipe. You'll want to take a big pinch of tobacco and and stuff it down into the bowl gently like a baby would. With your second pinch, you want to pack it in the bowl with a medium strength like a mommy would. With the last pinch you want to pack it into the bowl firmly like a daddy would. It's cheesy but the analogies helped me develop my technique. After the bowl is packed, take a puff and draw some air through the stem. When you suck the air through, it should feel about like sucking water through a straw.

Lighting
The three light method - You want to do your first light as you draw some air. Light all of the surface tobacco as you draw and then let the fire go completely out. The top layer should be burnt and crispy. Gently tamp the tobacco evenly. Now light a second time in the same manner. Once you let the fire go out again, the top layer of tobacco should be completely gray ash. Tamp the ash evenly once more. Now you should have an even white layer of ash at the top of your bowl. Now you are ready for the third and hopefully final light. Enjoy.

Using these two methods should help you get a good handle on packing a bowl that requires only one good light. It won't be perfect at first, but keep trying. Eventually you will develop your own technique and will no longer be using a "method," but will be going by your gut.

Find a complimentary drink

There are many different beverages that enhance the experience of smoking a pipe. My first tobacco went well with black tea. Every time I smoked, I brought a glass of black tea with me. Certain beers also go well with certain tobaccos. Port wine has a wonderful smoky taste and is very enjoyable. The ultimate beverage, though, is Scotch. Every man should experience the pleasure of Scotch and tobacco.

Take time from your busy day. Contemplate what is good and true.

To me, this is what pipe smoking is all about. If you are interested in picking up this hobby, then I hope I can convince you that there is more to it than the relaxation from the nicotine. Use the ritual of pipe smoking as a time to contemplate the good things in your life. Sit outside and enjoy creation. Listen to the birds and watch the squirrels. Write a haiku. Tobacco is a good gift from God and is meant to be enjoyed...so enjoy it.

The Price of Gaming

2010-07-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

With more Red Dead Redemption DLC being announced, and 3 of the 4 already priced, I was reminded earlier today about how expensive gaming is these days. Assuming you paid full price for RDR at launch and didn't take advantage of a pre-order offer which effectively lowered the price (such as how Amazon offered $20 off your next purchase), then you paid $60. Add in three $10 DLC and suddenly the amount you've paid for one game is $90. Pretty steep.

In mainstream gaming, one of the pricier consoles was the N64, which came out in 1996. The games themselves were priced higher than PS1 games because cartridges are more expensive to make than CD's. Some games were expensive even by today's standards. I specifically remember seeing games priced between $60 and $70. Games like Legend of Zelda broke that ceiling and went as high as $80. Of course, $80 spent in 1996 is more than $80 spent today because of inflation. So gaming was quite expensive.

But now it seems like we're returning to the old days of expensive gaming after a great run of high quality, more affordable gaming. Whereas you would spend $50 on a new PS1 or PS2 game, play it, and then resell it, now you pay for the game upfront, buy DLC, then resell the game. But any money spent on DLC is lost forever. You can't resell it. You can't let friends borrow it. And unless you plan on keeping that particular game forever, you can count on the DLC becoming a sunk cost at some point.

By now you're thinking, "But if I like a game, I don't mind paying a little more money to get even more out of a quality game." That's very true. And I myself don't complain when I eat a nice restaurant with good friends. That money is gone forever too. I can't resell my food after I've eaten it. It was all about the enjoyment of the experience.

But come on Rockstar. Zombies in Red Dead Redemption? Come on.

The Quest to Delete My Facebook

2010-07-03T18:29:00.000-07:00

Facebook created a long and annoying process to go through to delete an account. I deleted my account at least 4 times before it was actually deleted. The first time I tried was about two weeks ago, it showed me pictures of people I am friends with with the caption "...will miss you!". I was with a friend a few days later and when the topic of Facebook came up (it's a trending topic in the modern world) I informed her that I deleted mine. She told me that she was on it the day before that.

I tried deleting it many times sense then. I was so irritated I was looking for an e-mail address to send a complaint to, but I failed. I learned that deleting my Facebook is actually more difficult than it should be (not so much difficult, just a quick google) and I found a guide to get me through the process.

Surprisingly enough, it doesn't actually delete it until 14 days after you request it to be deleted. Obnoxious social networking at it's finest.

Beer Notes: Sam Adams Double Bock

2010-07-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Samuel Adams Double Bock is from the company's Imperial Series. This was only my second excursion into bock style beers, Yuengling's Bock being my first. I first noticed the intense flavor if the beer as it had twice the bock-ness of a regular bock. Sam Adams describes the beer as being very smooth, but to me, it had somewhat of a bite.

The Double Bock is a good beer, no doubt. But this is certainly not a beer that I would seek out in the hot summer days spent outside. This is a sophisticated indoors type beer that demands to be sipped and savored, quite like Sam Adams Imperial Stout, which I will review soon.

Red Dead Race Results

2010-07-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

Bentok who lagged far behind for the majority of the race took first place after a momentous move in which he got 100% completion and won 3 consecutive free-for-all matches.

DropTheHammer secured second place only moments before the finish line, finally overcoming Abernasty who he had been trailing for weeks. Though he did not win the race, he did kill Brumas the Legendary Bear with a knife and a high place.

Abernasty, after leading for two thirds of the race was hindered by a week of no internet access, finishing third overall. This was devastating as he only had online achievements left. Abernasty had completely diminished the spirit of the other contestants with his massive lead and wholehearted devotion. The tables were turned, though when his own spirit was crushed by the unbearable wait of a telecommunications company.

In fourth, AoF Furious had a promising run, at one point holding third place. Fifth and six spots were filled by Rontok and AoF Techno respectively. Rontok got a very late start, but put forth an admirable run passing up Techno's good effort.

Test Out Your Password Strength

2010-06-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

How Secure Is My Password? is a very cool tool for testing your password strength. I would recommend coming here and testing out any prospective passwords, especially for sites that don't have a built in feature for telling you what your password strength is.

View on Google Sidewiki

Copyright Infringement Fines Are Unconstitutional

2010-06-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

In support of the EFF's noble stand mentioned in the previous post, I thought the supreme law of our land would be worth noting.

Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

EFF Argues Against Mass Copyright Lawsuits

2010-06-29T06:10:00.001-07:00

Electronic Frontier Foundation is taking action against mass copyright violation lawsuits on the basis that "these suits improperly lump thousands of defendants together, a shortcut that deprives the defendants of fair access to individual justice." It's interesting to note that there are 14,000 people being tried together for illegal downloads, and each download comes with a punishment of $150,000. If you do the math, 14,000 times $150,000 is $210 million! Why, the makes of these movies could retire and never make a movie again and just take people to court and make millions! Cut out your office workers and just have your managerial staff and your lawyers. It's a gold mine, I'm telling ya!

http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2010/06/28

Discrimination Against Samurai

2010-06-28T15:27:00.001-07:00

Personally, I find this offensive.

Hammer vs Brumas

2010-06-24T12:00:00.001-07:00

After killing so many animals across New Austin, Mexico, and West Elizabeth, there seemed to be no animal that was even worthy of a hunter's efforts. Killing and skinning dozens of animals for their skins and meat was becoming too easy. I could easily provide food for my family, but the process was becoming boring. A hunter of my calibre needed a challenge.

I sought Lobo, the wolf. I heard that he was stalking Tall trees, so I figured I would stalk him. When I arrive, I take my time and observe my surroundings. Without warning, a black wolf attacked my horse from the side and killed it almost instantly, knocking me to the ground.

"Lobo..." I say as I pull out my buffalo rifle. He growls menacingly at me, showing his teeth as the moonlight makes his eyes glow white with hatred. Certainly he wants to be the only great hunter in Tall Trees.

Still picking myself off the ground, I shoot and hit his foot, and he strafes to his left to avoid my second shot. He starts to charge, but falls at my feet as I shoot him in the head and stain the snow red. I whistle for a new horse.

I head to Stillwater Creek to find Gordo, the legendary boar. On my way, I see a stagecoach under attack from bandits. I easily dispatch the outlaws and put an end to their theft of someone else's hard work. Moving on, I see a large boar, and he sees me. Without hesitation, I pull out my Carano Rifle, aim for his head, and fire twice for good measure. He falls over in defeat. As I walk to his corpse and skin him, I am trying to figure out how everyone else must be so weak as to consider this boar a legend. Still not satisfied, I talk to Bentok about how to make this challenge more interesting. He suggests that I take on Brumas the Bear with only my knife and wits.

That night after dark, I travel to Nekoti Rock to face the ultimate challenge. I look into the cave and spot him. He knows I'm there. He stomps out of the cave and the trees shake off their snow. I pull out my knife, ready for a fight to the death.

As Brumas charges, a man on a horse gets between Brumas and myself asking for help because his wife has been kidnapped.

"Get out of here you damn fool!" I yell at him. He leaves but somehow thinks I'm following him.

Brumas charges, and we run circles around each other trying to get the advantage. We take turns knocking each other further down the mountain side. Finally, a challenge. After a few swipes of his massive claws, I was hurting. Never had I fought such a worthy opponent. I knew that strength alone wouldn't save me. So I came up with a plan. I slid down the mountain, grabbing everything I could to slow my fall. Picking myself up, I taunt Brumas.

"Come and get me!" I scream as I stand with my arms straight up, challenging him. Enraged he charges down the hill, but he loses control and falls. Being crushed under his own weight from such a height, I knew I had won. I walk over and skin him, claiming everything salvageable as proof of my superior hunting skills.

July Additions to Instant Watch

2010-06-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

I have trudged through a grueling list of boring shows coming to instant watch in July to bring you what I have determined to be the cream of the crop. All of these arrive on July 1. Check it:

Now and Then, Here and There
Futurama (all of the original seasons)
The Cowboy Bebop Movie
Lupin the 3rd movie
Zombieland
Batman movie (1960s)

I am excited because just last week I was entertaining the idea of buying the complete collection of Futurama. Glad I didn't.

Feedfliks

2010-06-23T12:40:00.001-07:00

Feedfliks is a great tool for Netflix users. By linking Feedfliks to your Netflix account, you can see how much value you are getting out of your Netflix service. Based on how many movies and shows you watch on Instant Watch and how many DVDs you return per week, it calculates how much you are paying per view. It also tells you other stats such as the average time you keep DVDs.

As a heavy Instant Watch user, the most useful feature for me is streaming central though. Here you can view a list of new arrivals that will be added to Instant Watch within the next 30 days. In addition to new arrivals, you can also see which items will be taken off of streaming within the coming months and recently added movies. (In my experience, this list of recently added movies is more accurate than the Netflix site itself)

I heartily recommend Feedflix to anyone who watches TV primarily through Netflix Instant Watch.

in reference to: Get Your Money's Worth Out Of Netflix | FeedFliks.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Chromium Updated for Ubuntu

2010-06-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

On my lunch break today, I installed an Ubuntu system update. After it installed I was pleasantly surprised when my wife opened Chromium browser. Now the window buttons are on the left side to match Lucid's new style. Note that this change is only for Chromium browser at the moment, which is planned to be the default browser in the next netbook edition of Ubuntu. I'm not sure if Google Chrome will follow, but I do know Chrome beta doesn't have it yet (but perhaps the daily build does). It is likely that Chrome will get it too since the two are almost identical.

The Elders of the Internet

2010-06-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

It looks like Roy and Moss wrote a speech for Joe Lieberman. Listen Joe, there aren't really any elders of the internet and the internet is not really a black box with a blinking light. Geez.

10 under-appreciated things about John Marston

2010-06-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

John Marston was the first to use gps in the wild west.
He forced evolution on the Buffalo. They didn't survive.
He loves animals so much, that if he accidentally runs over a dog while on his horse, he loses as much honor as if he killed a policeman.
John Marston can swim. It's just that the thousands of pounds of grizzly hide he's carrying in his pants pockets make him sink to the bottom.
John Marston is just a good ol' boy, never meanin' no harm.
His chilvary extends to ladies who have been dead for months.
He's so stealthy, people still call him by his name while wearing his bandana and they don't know it's him.
Time stands still when his hand is on his revolver.
John Marston's wife calls him "John Marston."
John Marston's rides into foreign lands are so epic, this song plays throughout the desert:

Never Thought I'd Trade in Games Again, But...

2010-06-18T05:23:00.000-07:00

Gamestop was recently having a deal where you got a 150% of the normal trade in credit for used games. I dismissed the idea at first, since I only thought of the Xbox 360 games I would trade in, which happened to be none. But then I remembered all the Gamecube and PS2 games I had. And since selling them online would be slow, tedious, and not guaranteed to sell, I traded them in. My potential purchases were: Borderlands, Dead Space, Bayonetta, Mass Effect 1 and 2. However, ME1 was $30, so I wasn't going to do that at all. I decided to get Dead Space and one other game. Moments later, I almost made a huge mistake. I almost bought Bayonetta instead of Mass Effect 2.

Mass Effect 2 reminds me of how great games can be. The story is intense. The characters are interesting and unique. My favorite part so far? The battle system requires strategy. You can't just run and gun. You have to set up your squad to be well rounded because of the myriad of abilities that your opponents will have. It makes me want to pick up the original for the story, and if you import your character from the Mass Effect 1, many decisions you made will be reflected in the sequel. If you don't import a character, the game assumes that every time in ME1 you had a choice to kill someone, you killed them. Talk about game-changing decisions! And to think I almost bought a repetitive button-masher game instead of something with depth.

Axe Sling

2010-06-16T05:04:00.000-07:00

Just because there's an outbreak of zombies doesn't mean that you shouldn't maintain some base level of fashion for your survival gear. Check out the Axe Sling.

Important Exchange Rates

2010-06-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

Here at Aeonian Samurai, we feel it is important to keep the community updated on current exchange rates between the most common currencies.

$1 = 1.25 Microsoft Points (used for gaming)
~$25-35 = 1 Scotch Dollar*

*1 Scotch Dollar is the equivalent of one 750ml bottle of fine Glenfiddich or Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

So the next time you think of spending US Dollars, remember the exchange rates to know what you're giving up in terms of MS Points and Scotch Dollars.

Beer Notes: Old Rasputin

2010-06-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

This beer is one heavy hitter. Its complex, intense, dark, rich flavor makes this one of my favorite stouts, and easily one of my favorite beers in general. This beer is a beast that any stout lover has to try. It will be love at first taste.

My old cell phone

2010-06-13T19:06:00.001-07:00

Cell phones are notorious for having short lives. But my old cell phone was a trooper. It never gave me any troubles. It didn't complain. As a tribute to a phone that lived to the ripe old age of 5, I present to you the body of the dearly departed.

Those marks aren't so much scuffs and scrapes as they are outward representations of inward character.

iOS4

2010-06-12T06:37:00.000-07:00

The iOS4 update is coming soon, and for the iPod/iPhone owner, this is exciting. At least the owners of the iPod touch 3g and the iPhone 3gs. The new features are the very things that I wanted to be upgraded, including multitasking, creating folders, and a home screen wallpaper. Here is a list of the iPod features, and the iPhone.

Whiskey!

2010-06-11T19:17:00.001-07:00

TimeIdol has a great post about the different distinctions between types of whiskey, including bourbons, Scotch, sour mash, and Canadian whiskeys.

Netflix on Ipod Touch

2010-06-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

I recently bought a 32-gig Ipod touch and I've had quite the adventure integrating the Ipod and Ubuntu 10.04. One thing that I'm very excited for to say the least that will be coming very soon in the future is an app that is being developed right now that allows Netflix to stream on the Ipod Touch and Iphones this summer. As soon as I heard about this I resurrected my Netflix account and I am now waiting patiently.

Chromium Default Browser for Ubuntu 10.10 Netbook

2010-06-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

The open source version of Google Chrome will be the default browser in Ubuntu 10.10's Netbook Edition. Hopefully this decision will carry over to the desktop edition. If so, Chromium would get a skin change to make it compatible with the new Ubuntu look with the window buttons on the left side.

Chrome Experiments: Showing the Power of the Browser

2010-06-04T10:52:00.001-07:00

Computing is moving from the desktop to the internet browser at an amazing speed. More and more things that once required some pricey hardware can now be done online in your browser on a netbook, often for free.

If you have trouble getting excited about moving to the cloud, Chrome Experiments is a great place to go to get excited! The site is composed of a bunch of "experiments" which use JavaScript and your browser to do some very amazing things. Like the site's tagline says, it's "not your mother's JavaScript."

in reference to: Chrome Experiments - Home (view on Google Sidewiki)