Author Archives: jaypoc

Beginning Databases with PostgreSQL
by Richard Stones and Neil Matthew
ISBN 1-861005-15-6

Size
Length: 650 pages
Height: 9.0 in.
Width: 7.3 in.
Thickness: 1.2 in.
Weight: 32.8 oz.

PostgreSQL is rapidly on its way to becoming the most successful open source relational database system. It has had an explosive growth, from its roots in academia, to the Internet, through the efforts of a talented hard-working worldwide development team. The vast array of enterprise businesses migrating to PostgreSQL from proprietary databases are stark evidence for its success to come. This book is a complete tutorial on PostgreSQL features and functions beginning with the basics and building up to the design and construction of databases and integrating them with programming languages for the Web. Here we’ll show you how to make the most of this fully programmable databases’ powerful features like aggregate, join, transaction, inheritance, embedding your own C routines and more.

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I finally got some pictures of the Pac-Man costume. After taking the exterior picture, I cut small arm-holes, but other than that this is the finished product. You can also note that on the inside, I hooked up my Dell Axim to a set of amplified speakers and created a “Pac-Man Video Game Sounds” loop 😉

So, I was dissapointed when I went to Kohls. They didn’t have the Pac-Man shirt I saw on the website in stock. As for the Pac-Costume, it’s sitting in the courtyard. Cross your fingers that none of the neighbors complain. I have to leave it out there for a few hours, until it drys enough for me to bring it inside. I made arrangements to borrow my father’s truck to get the damn thing to work because it won’t fit in my car.

It’s 40 inches round by 20 inches tall (when laying on it’s side)

Pictures to come either later tonight or tomorrow.

So this weekend I started on my next creative creation. As I mentioned in my last update, This week is our cellebration of Customer Service week and each day are different features and contests. For example, today is Bagels provided for lunch and wear your favorite team jersey day. Tomorrow is crazy hat day. Wednesday is crazy shirt day, and while I don’t know what I’m doing for any of those, I do know that thursday for dress like your favorite video game character, I’ll be dressing up like Pac man.

Here’s how I’m making it:

I started by making a 40 inch round Pac-men (Pac-mans?) out of 4 pieces of foam-board. I made 7 triangular cross-braces (20 inches long) and attached them to the Pac-man halves using tape and glue. I made a few larger cross supports to hold the costume as well as support straps that will go over my shoulders to hold the costume in place.

Instead of my head poking out of the top of the costume, I made a window and used black material that is somewhat thin, so from the outside, it will appear like the black interior of Pac-Man’s mouth but I will be able to see out it, much in the manner that Window Tint works in a car.

Tonight, I’ll finish the “shell” by wrapping oaktag around the frame, enclosing the whole monstrosity. Then it’s outside to spraypaint the entire costume yellow. I’m hoping to get home as early as possible so I can spray it by 10 or 11 PM. This will give me around 3 hours for it to dry outside at which point I can bring it in to finish drying and finally attach the final details.

I have created Eyeballs, and am considering putting styrofoam balls on a hanger wire and extending it foward from the mouth. We’ll see if I wind up doing that.

I may need to cut arm-holes but I want to wait and see how the “suit” fits prior to cutting any additional holes. After all, Any time I make a cut, I lose stability in the costume.

It should be interesting. My next problem is going to be getting the costume to work. I think it’s bigger than my car door. Oops. 🙂 Anyone with a truck want to give me a ride to work?

It’s that time of year again. Time for Haloween costumes. Now, I actually have two occaisions I need to dress up for. One is Halloween and the other is work’s Customer Service week. I am not prepared for either.

I have some great ideas, mainly I thought of making a Voltron costume. Think of it. “Lion” shoes and arm pieces… I could make it out Foam Board, the same stuff I made the Motorolla Modem last year. Freakin’ thing won me $100 and a reputation as “The modem guy” at work. lol.

During Customer service week (a whole week where each day they have some wacky cellebration) the year before, I won an MP3 player by dressing up as an asshole during Science Fiction day. See, there was an “80’s” day, a sports day, a science fiction day, pajama day and some other (on my day off). The best costumes won prizes.

I’m actually pretty good at winning these things. It’s my creativity and willingness to do something completely obscure and stand out (like dressing up as a 5 ft. tall/working lights/cablemodem)