I finally decided to get off my lazy butt and re-do the site. Let’s face it! It was in dire need of a facelift. Check out the new Jaypoc dotCom and let me know what you think of it. and if you’re looking for something from the old site, it’s still available. Just change the www to old in the incorrect URL and you’ll find what you’re looking for.
I still have a lot to do, but for now I’m happy with the layout/organization. I’ll be tweaking it over the next few weeks, so feedback is invaluable!
What is it about a fresh pot of Coffee that makes it taste so good. Or should I ask, what is it about the pot that someone else made that tastes so bad? Are they using too many grinds (i.e. 2 packs)? not enough grinds (half a pack?). Do I just have the magic touch when it comes to brewing a fresh pot?
I know that the water temperature and brew times are the same because the coffee machine we have doesn’t allow for any adjustments, but the National Coffee Association seems to have the answer.
According to their web site, “Brewed coffee should be consumed immediately after brewing. They note that a pot sitting on the burner for even 15 minutes will begin to develop a burned taste. I like their recommendation about pouring it into an insolated thermos. I’ll have to pick up a good large insulated cup to keep my brew warm.
In the meantime, let me know when you brew a pot and I’ll help you finish it!
After last week’s announcement by Steve Ballmer that Windows’ biggest competitor is pirated versions of Windows, it’s amazing to me that Microsoft isn’t changing their ways. In many ways, they’re promoting piracy of their software.
As a PC builder, I get enjoyment out of the freedom to put together a PC a la cart. This Motherboard + This CPU + This Memory, and so on. In current times, you’ll usually match an equally powered name-brand PC, except you would not get an operating system with your build as you would with the store-bought PC.
Buying Windows will cost you $100 or more (up to $300) which puts you $100 – $300 beyond the cost of an equally-equipped OEM system. Is it worth it? No. What’s the solution? Don’t pay for Windows! Pirate it!
Windows is freely and readily available on any Peer-to-peer, Bit-torrent or newsgroup network and can be downloaded and installed quicker than going through the process of deciding which version of Windows you want (and can afford). Free alternatives (Linux) are just as easy to obtain, but are not as refined, and not as widely supported. Mac OS is not an option because it’s restricted to Apple hardware.
How else does Microsoft promote piracy? I have experienced one way first hand. I have a Zune MP3 player. I want to begin by saying that it’s a great device. I recommend it to everybody. But I will give this warning, If you don’t have windows, you have a $250 brick.
My home server runs Ubuntu Linux, and as that’s where I store all my music, I wanted to set up my Zune to sync with the server itself. I wanted something that could maintain my media any time. Both my desktop and laptop get shut down when they’re not in use, but the home server sits in it’s rack and doesn’t shut down. It’s the perfect machine to just plug my Zune into at night and go to sleep while it updates with podcasts and new music.
One problem. There is no way to sync a Zune in Linux. so I have to turn on my laptop any time I want to sync my zune. Unless i want to install Windows on my server. That would cost me at least another $100. More if I wanted to install any type of Windows Server software.
Many people will simply download and install the version of Windows that they need rather than turn on their laptop when they need to sync their MP3 player. Even Apple doesn’t restrict the iPod to MAC users only, and Microsoft shouldn’t restrict their customers to using Windows only. It just helps perpetuate and encourage piracy.
Microsoft needs to encourage people to use their software legitimately, rather than forcing them to use the software regardless of their ability or desire to pay for it! Lower the price of Windows and stop promoting proprietary hardware and you won’t be your biggest competitor. You’ll probably be farther ahead of your other competitors as well.
So for Valentines day, I was invited out by Vince and Gina to see My Bloody Valentine in 3D! I have been to 3D movies before, and was expecting something dumb such as, “when the killer raises his axe, put on your 3D glasses!” and then we’d get some cheesy 30 seconds of 3D video. I was mistaken.
The entire film was shown in 3D. The theater used polarized lenses to separate the images which is far superior to the Red and Blue lenses, and allows for accurate color representation.
Further research on this style of 3d imagery showed that this style of 3D imagery is created by two projectors each one fitted with a polarizing filter set at a 90 degree angle from the opposing filter. In addition, the screen must be made of materials that reduce the reflected light from altering it’s polarization. All this would explain why it could be very difficult to have a home theater set up the same way, although, I have a feeling that this is the principal being used by cutting edge “3D Televisions”. I’d have to look into that a bit farther though.
A week ago or so, I had announced to friends that i had ordered a pair of Anaglyph 3D glasses. These are the Red/Blue glasses. This was prompted by my receiving the Amber/Cyan Anaglyph glasses at Wal-Greens for the Super-bowl/Chuck 3D TV events on Super-Bowl Sunday. They were kind of cool but because of the amber tint, they weren’t good for the numerous Anaglyph You Tube videos I found, so I hopped online and spent $15 (including shipping) for a pair of GOOD 3D glasses.
So today I decided to try to make my own 3D image. I actually took 3 pairs of photos in my living room of various areas/objects. This one is my first (and ironically, came out the best.) If you have a pair of Anaglyph glasses (even the cheap cardboard ones) click on the image and take a look. It’s not bad and you can see the depth in the couch and on the animal’s body. Not bad for a first try!
When you find yourself up at 2AM, you come up with the sillyest things. Although, I’ve known about Pocky for about a a year and a half now.. Why is it that I now came up with writing “JAY” on the box? lol – I need sleep.
