11/3/09

Blank keyboards for touch typing

check out this site for blank keyboards for touch typing. It's expensive for a $150 keyboard

http://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard_model_s_ultimate.php

11/2/09

Fitbit

This is a device that will log your sleep and walking patterns

http://www.fitbit.com/product

10/28/09

site to find alternative software

check out this site to find out more about alternative software

http://alternativeto.net/desktop

Cheap OCR

this is a site you found about a cheap OCR. Get a picture of all your documents first and THEN get this. It does not look super accurate but good enough. Taking a picture of it might be a problem though because it needs 300 DPI or greater so it may not take a well focused image.

http://www.velocraptor.com/index.html

10/27/09

get paid to do a survey

go to www.rewards1.com to do surveys and get "paid" for them.

Now my brother's argument is that those that do the survey will get less pay than doing a minimum waged job.

guy that I found out the site from was

http://www.rewards1.com/index.php?referrer_id=88156

10/18/09

organize utunes files

pollux app for the mac organizes your itunes library and even gets rid of duplicates

Log me in free for window sharing software

logmeinfree.com for a software that will let you control the other PC

square space promo code

www.squarespace.com/macbreak for one month free I think

10/9/09

audible code

www.audible.com/macbreak for a free book.

9/13/09

Firefox location bar shortcut

Comand + L.

Title says it all

itunes 9

just installed itunes 9 and it's supper buggy for me. It stutters every 30 mins. Freezes for 30 seconds and then is back to normal. I don't know if this is just me or if its happening to anyone else.

I do expect bugs when a major update is sent out.

9/11/09

Snow Leopard Shipment Problem

So I ordered snow Leopard using the up-to-date program which makes the $35 (CAD) program $13. It was suppose to arrive on the third but it never did. So I decided to wait a few days.

It still have not arrived to this day and I decided to give them a call. [Apple Sales Support at 1-800-676-2775]. Apparently, there was problem with Canada post and there were lost shipment. They said they were sorry and that another full copy (the $35 version) would be delivered and would get here between September 16th and 21st via FedEx or Purolator.

Shows that I should have been more proactive.

Breaking social norms.

Just read Iva Messy's post on breaking social norms.

http://www.ivamessy.com/2009/09/breaking-social-norms.html

Here are some that I can think of that I think I should try

-talking to someone while they are in a stall
-Sitting in the back seat of a car even though you are the only passenger
-Facing the other way in the elevator

9/9/09

Something that goes wrong with apple product shipment

Problems With
Your Shipment

Shipping refunds

If you paid for expedited shipping and did not receive your package on time, please contact Apple Sales Support at 1-800-676-2775.

Incorrect or damaged items

If you received the wrong product or it was damaged during shipping, please contact Apple Sales Support at 1-800-676-2775.


info used for snow leopard that never made it to my house

Apple September event

New nanos: camera, vid, pedometer, fm radio. 8gb $149 16gb $179 same
form factor

iTunes 9: Album interaction, organize apps, new iTunes store look,
connected to facebook.

Sent from my iPhone

9/2/09

Radio Survey

So a phone representative of an un-named radio advertisement researcher asked if I wanted to do a survey for them. I figure this is the best way to get my my voice heard and why I don't listen to radio.

A few days later I received mail from the company with the package for the radio research. I am suppose to list what stations I listen to and when. Since I don' listen to radio at all, I just filled in my info. The best part is, I got $5 from them as a token of their appreciation for participating in the survey.

Sweet.

Time Capsule

Just bought the new time capsule. I am glad that I waited a few months for the new versions (1tb and 2tb)

It was a breeze to install. It took around 45 minutes to install for the first time. This includes:

-Connecting the wires
-Running software that came with the time capsule in a macbook and 2 windows xp machines
-setting up a network printer for all the computers
-setting up the shared hard drive for all the computers
-and connecting ipod touch and iphone to the internet through the new network.

I am pleased with this new hardware. It's a bunch of things in one box: network printer, wireless router, and a network hard drive.

The main reason I got the time capsule was that my D-link DL-524 wireless router kept kicking me off the network every 15 minutes.

8/27/09

Pakinson's Law

Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_Law



My brother hired someone to install software and fix his computer for him. He did not want to rush the fixer, so he gave him a week to complete a task and paid him very handsomely when he finished. I told my brother that the fixer will arrive on the last day and fix it even though he can be there any other time of the week. I was right.

8/20/09

Summer ABE at Cap U

Just finished the summer II term for ABE in capilano University.

ABE is Adult Basic Education. I need upgrading to get into courses that I want and decided that ABE would be best. Choose which classes to attend to and when. This gives me lots of flexibility and lets me keep my night job.

The student is in charge of the pace they want to go and when they want to do the test. I tend to take my time and understand everything perfectly before moving on so it's taking up more time than I wanted.

I also don't have enough time for homework. Well, homework is really not at the top of my agenda at this time. Sad really.

Anyway, ABE is self pace and the student needs to have their priorities straight and have lots of self control to get a high mark and finish early.

RROD procedure

My experience with the dreaded red ring of death.

I got the RROD yesterday (19/08/09) and I was not that sad. I knew it was coming. I was actually surprised that it did not come sooner. But the timing here could not be any better. The extended 3-year RROD warranty expire on 31/08/09.

But anyway, heres the summary of my experience

  • Got the RROD from playing fallout 3. Console froze and died.
  • Looked at xbox site for more info on the RROD
  • Called customer support and talked to rep. Set up account and process of sending xbox out
  • 1 hour later, I get email from microsoft about instructions on shipping the item
  • 2 hours later I get an email with the UPS label so I can send it off for free
  • Now I am about to send it off

To sum up, since taking action on getting the RROD fixed. Here are the resources used up in the process
  • net of 1.5 hours (took away the waiting time for email)
    -calls
    -reading instructions
    -making box for xbox
    -out the door to the UPS
  • paper and ink
    -for printing the receipt and the package info
  • box, tape, and cutters
    -making the box to hold the xbox
This was a very easy process and I was very satisfied with service I got. Bonus for not needing my sales receipt and free shipping.

6/19/09

starting out the car

what I did to get the car started again.

  • took out air filter
  • placed gasoline in air filter hole
  • onhooked the gas out and placed gas in it
  • hooked up a spare battery on the pump
    • + (red)

6/1/09

the kjerag walls of norway

a tall vertical mountain. When you jump off, the heat rising causes you to have more air time

syncing iCal with google calendar

To set up CalDAV support for Google Calendar in Apple's iCal, follow these steps:

  1. Open Apple iCal, go to Preferences and then the Accounts tab.
  2. Click on the + button to add an account.
  3. Under Account Information, enter your Google Account username and password.
  4. Under Server Options, add the following URL:
    https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/YOUREMAIL@DOMAIN.COM/user

    Replace 'youremail@domain.com' with your Google Account username.
  5. Click Add.
  6. Under the Delegation tab, select the calendars you'd like to add to iCal by checking the boxes next to them. You may need to hit refresh to get the latest list of calendars.
  7. Add your email address to your Address Book card by selecting Add Email. You'll be prompted to add your email address only if your address is not already in your Address Book.

You won't be able to invite or email guests to Google Calendar events within iCal if your address is not in your Address Book.

Your Google Calendar will now appear in iCal's list of calendars, and changes you make to your Google Calendar in iCal will be reflected when you sign in to Google Calendar.

Event information will automatically refresh every five minutes. You can change this interval by opening the iCal > Preferences > Accounts menu and selecting a new refresh interval under the 'Refresh calendars' drop-down. Keep in mind you can also force a refresh by selecting a calendar and pressing the Apple and R keys at the same time.

Calendars that are checked but disabled have already been added to iCal - you can remove them from within iCal.

5/30/09

on ninjas



Seen one?! Have I ever! But not everyone can. Only the ones that have lived through a ninja attack (and there are only 3 people in the world that has lived to tell the tale). I'm not saying I lived through one, but a homeless pirate told me about it. I know, the homeless man might be crazy. But I trust his pirate instincts. They messed with his family (and awesome cat) and he will get his revenge.

Now please be careful. They are everywhere and no where. The come in many different forms.

5/22/09

Pod to PC

use Pod to PC to get music off your ipod (or iphone) and onto any PC that can run the software

http://www.podtopc.com/

$8200 macbook Pro

Configuration

  • 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
  • 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2X4GB
  • 256GB Solid State Drive
  • SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
  • MacBook Pro 17-inch Hi-Resolution Antiglare Widescreen Display
  • Backlit Keyboard (English) / User's Guide
  • iWork '09 Family Pack preinstalled
  • Final Cut Express preinstalled
  • Aperture preinstalled
  • Logic Express preinstalled
  • FileMaker Pro 10 preinstalled
  • Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter
  • Apple Remote
  • Accessory Kit

All the software that apple sells, mobile me, and warranty. Price tag is $8200 with taxes of course

$30,000 Mac!

So I wanted to see how much the most decked out Mac would be.

Here is a decked out Mac pro

Configuration

  • Two 2.93GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
  • 32GB (8x4GB)
  • Mac Pro RAID Card
  • 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
  • 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
  • 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
  • 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
  • ATI Radeon HD 4870 512MB
  • Two 18x SuperDrives
  • Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse
  • Apple Wireless Keyboard (English) and User's Guide
  • AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi Card with 802.11n
  • Quad-channel 4Gb Fibre Channel PCI Express card
  • iWork '09 Family Pack preinstalled
  • Final Cut Express preinstalled
  • Aperture preinstalled
  • Logic Express preinstalled
  • FileMaker Pro 10 preinstalled
  • Mac OS X Server (Unlimited-Client)
  • Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter
  • Country Kit
But wait there's more! You'l need a monitor with that, hell make it two! Why? Because your also going to buy all the apple software that you could pirate for free! And a printer. You don't want to have a top of the line Mac Pro without being able to print out a picture of how awesome you are!

Final price is $26,099.90 add taxes on that and you got your self 30 thousand dollar personal computer

way to avoid burglaries

I posted a link on how to avoid burglaries.

here's some from the top of my head
  • Don't leave spare keys
  • Have lights inside and outside
  • Don't let people from the outside that you bought a giant screen TV
  • Don't put the giant screen TV's box infront for garbage pickup
  • Empty mailbox
  • Pick up newspapers
  • Trim High bushes in your yard, people can hide behind them
  • Make sure there is no way to access the second floor on high fences or sheds
  • Lock your door
  • Lock your lader
  • Tell your neighbour to lock their ladder

A floating empire

Stats on the yacht that provides my income:

5 floors
1 elevator
30 people to run
2 armed guards
one for the guests
another for the owner
3 VIP bedroom
6 guests room
16 crew rooms
Bulletproof!
$0.5M to refil the tank
$3M a year for insurance
$1M entertainment room

5/21/09

Phone Scam: Pioneer Communications

Scam Information
Companies mentioned:
  • Western International
  • Pioneer Communications
  • DLPUSA.com
  • Windham Resort
Location and phone numbers:
  • Venice, California 15500 Urwin street. Suite 4007
  • 1-866-357-0338 (for above)
  • Caller ID number- 214-900-3424
What the deal is:
  • All inclusive stay in the Bahamas
  • for two
  • transferable certificate
  • Will end on June 10th
What they don't mention

  • The below is Via Ripoffreports.com
Details of your Mexico VIP Holidays vacation package:

- 4 days/3 nights hotel accommodation (all inclusive, airfair, not included)
- 2 adults
- Certificate is fully transferable and it includes all meals
QUALIFICATION :
-Married or singles 30 to 65 years old
-$40,ooo income combined
PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A 90 MINUTE PRESENTATION OF THE RESORT DURING YOUR TRIP
-Please bring at least 2 major credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, Amex or etc.
  • They will keep calling you
  • Plane ticket to fly there is not included
  • Number of times they called me: 3
Supporting sites:
whocalled.us / 702-835-0099

Rip-off Report: WESTWOOD INTERNATIONAL - PIONEER COMMUNICATION BEWARE, STAY AWAY WITH THESE PEOPLE (FILIPINOS) REPRESENTING THIS COMPANY VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA ORTIGAS, PHILIPPINES CALIFORNIA & PHILIPPINES

Westwood International Complaints - Non-delivery of merchandise

(213) 316-7133 / 2133167133


Here's My story:

After a long and tiring day, I arrive in my house where the bed was calling for my heavy eyes. I was in the middle of my needed nap when I got a call. I looked at the phone number, and my blood pressure rose.

Part 1

It was a sales person from Pioneer communications. I was ready for them this time. But first, a bit of history with them. They first contacted my mother, the hardest working Filipina I know. A peaceful woman who hates conflict. She talked to them for thirty minutes, and called me over to get my opinion on weather I wanted to go for a cheap trip to the Bahamas. I saw her credit card on the table and the phone on her hand.

I jumped on deal and took over the phone conversation. The couple of decades that I have had to live lead me to many conclusions. One of them was: If it's too good to be true... it usually is. Now I don't remember exactly what I talked about (for it was a month ago) but here is the foot note:

Me: Tell me the deal again
Them: Transferable All inclusive trip to the Bahamas for $499 no more no less for 4 days and three nights. With all accommodations covered.
Me: This sounds too good to be true. Give me your company information.
Them: We are from Western International, our office is in 15500 Urwin street suit 4007. Our phone number is 1-866-357-0338.
Me: Why is my mother getting this deal
Them: Miss Regina is privileged to travel to the Bahamas for a 4 day...
Me: How did you get her contact information
Them: She bought one of our phone cards to call Philippines and she signed up as a member
Me: Do you think that it is a good deal?
Them: Yes!
Me: Okay, then you take it. I want to transfer it to you.
Them: We can't do that
Me: You know what you could do for me?
Them: What?
Me: Take this phone number off your list and not call this house again.

That was a gist of it, the actual conversation took almost an hour.

I did some research on Western international and it led me to this site (Ripoffreport.com). I showed the site to my mom and she learned lesson to never give your credit card information to a company you don't know.


Part 2:


A few days ago, I received a phone call from Pioneer communications again! I was furious! How dare them call me again after I have asked to have phone number deleted. The conversation went a little like this.

Them: Miss Regina has the privilege for an all inclusive...
Me: This is not Regina, she is not home right now, this is her son
Them: Oh when is the best time to call to reach Miss Regina
Me: Can you tell me more about your company?
Them: I will have to transfer you to my supervisor
Me: Hi can you please tell me more about your company. The deal is too good to be true.
Them: I know what your thinking right now-
Me: Give me more information on your company
Them: We are western international...
Me: What is your name?
Them: John de Castro
Me: Can you give me a website
Them: Winhamresort.com
Me: Ok, I talked yo you guys a few weeks ago and asked to have my phone number taken off your list.
Them: That must have been a different company
Me: Look! I want you to take my phone number off your list and delete any information you have on my mother.

I will spare you the shouting and arguing.

Me: Okay, so if I call your 1-866 number I should be able to ask for a John De castro from Venice California and get you right?
Them: No you can't I will be in a meeting soon.

So this time the phone call lasted thirty minutes.

Part 3


So after being woken from my nap by Pioneer Communications. I decided a different approach. To be nice to them.

Me: Hello?
Them: Hi this is Elly form Western International, Miss Regina has the privilege...
Me: Oh she's not home right now, but I am interested in your deal
Then: Who am I speaking with?
Me: I am her husband (being a son got me nowhere, lets try the husband)
Them: You are also eligible for the package
Me: wow the package sounds good, but I want to know how you have my wife's information
Them: well sir Miss Regina has been a member with us since 2005, she became a member by signing up with our phone card company.
Me: I have more questions (I kept asking for their company info)
Them: Let me transfer you to my supervisor
Me: Can you give me more information about your company?
Them: Well we are Pioneer Communications... located at... phone number...
Me: Can you please call me in thirty minutes so I can talk to my wife?

30 minutes later

Me: Hello again Hope charity (the last operator's name that I talked to) Look, I have been doing research on your company and it does not look good. ( I told her all I found see top of story for the info)
Them: Well, we cannot please everyone
Me: I know you can't, I am just afraid that I will be one of those un-pleased customers. (this is the point when I tell them that I this this is a scam)
Them: This is not a scam sir, if we wanted to scam you we would have taken your credit card information when your wife bought the card.
Me: I think that this is a scam, and your company has a bad business practice
Them: How can we prove that this is not a scam and the we are a good company
Me: Ok Hope, this is how you prove yourself. I want you to not call this number again and delete Regina's information. If I don't get a call from you then I would know that you followed your word. When I feel like going to the Bahamas, I will be sure to call the number given and ask for you.

Hopefully I don't get a call from them.

5/20/09

Video player that plays everything

called VLC player. Can download from videolan.org (unverified). Can play almost all videos of all formats

backup syncing

Sync up two files for backup purposes using "sync toy" a free windows program

Prgramming software

Called visual studios express. Recomended by leo. Placed here for archive

Apple's Customer service

Quick and to the point.

iPhone vibrate switch broke. Still under original warranty. Set up appointment with a genious in the apple store. Walked in. Showed phone. Phone was replaced.

It's that easy. I think that Apple is going in the right dirrection with their service. They cater to the rich (though I am not even close to rich). I told myself that if they fixed my phone without any delays that I will buy a macbook from them. 

But I will have to buy in another time. I need to get rich first :)

And some info for future me: Got iphone replaced in 19/05/09, new iphone warranty is good for 90 days. Then the old warranty takes over (until sept 2010)

The great woplfram alpha

http://www.wolframalpha.com/

this is not a search engine. It will try to answer question that you ask using math. It takes a bit of learning before you can utilize it propertly. 

I will update once I use it more

5/13/09

prevent break ins!

list from how stuff works.com

10 simple ways to discourage breakins

chromin'

some cool features in chrome .

search google images, wiki, youtube, where you place the URL.

this was the feature that you needed to switch to Chrome on your laptop


5/12/09

The rating system

Something somewhat useful.

I've decided to implement a rating system that I have read about.

Background:
the problem is that I have more songs that I have room for in my Iphone.

Solution:
I started using the rating system. I make a smart playlist that will only sync 1000 songs picked at random that is unrated. When I listen to the song, I rate it.

This will help sort out the songs you actually like and the ones that should not be played again.

Answering machine

a note to future me:

a list of quotes for your answering machine

here are my favs, well it's really your favs cause you are me and I am you from the past. you dig?

Hi, I'm not home right now but my answering machine is, so you can talk to it instead. Wait for the beep.

Hello. I'm home right now but cannot find the phone. Please leave a message and I will call you up as soon as I find it.

Hello, this is Ron. I'm not home right now, but I can take a message. Hang on a second while I get a pencil. (Open a drawer and shuffle stuff around.) OK, what would you like me to tell me?

Starship Enterprise, Uhura here, can you hold please? -- Captain, there is a transmission coming in on hailing frequency seven, do you want it on screen?

Alpha Centauri Space Station. Commander Marlin can't come to the phone right now. He's either saving the universe from some dread, unnamed peril, or perhaps taking a nappie. Leave your name and number after the beep and he will return your call.

You have reached the number you have dialed. Please leave a message after the beep.

[Sung to the tune of "Ride of the Valkyries"] Leave me a message...leave me a message....etc.

Prepare for alpha test of Beep Software revision 1.05. Counting down to test: 5...4...3...2...1...

and as for my own:

You've reached Jon, I am cliff jumping off the coast of Chile right now. Leave your message and I will get back to you when I hit the ground.

how to install windows 7

now the inner nerd comes out. Links on how to install windows 7 and how to dual boot


how to install

how to dual boot via life hacker

Virtual Box

a virtual machine program that lets you run another OS in the desktop of your own. I hear that this can run windows 7 so I might give it a try. There is a windows 7 release candidate that you can download. good until June 1 2010

virtualbox

5/10/09

Recipe: too much cheese

Archiving a new recepie my brother and I made

Ingredients:
oil, onions, garlic, tofu, eggs (lots of it), goat cheese, celery, and greens.

Thats the same order we placed it in the pot. Basically you mix everthing in and hope it turns out fine.

Good luck future me.

5/9/09

And so it begins

ECHO... Echo... echo...

Oh the internet, so big that I won't even be noticed. Nothing wrong about that of course.

Am I really that important that I can write about my personal life and people will read it? I don't think so.

So, instead, I will be putting information that is useful in my life and see where it goes from there.