SteveCook.net

So, after getting used to my iPod shuffle’s limitations, I finally bit the bullet and got an iPod Video 60G, so I can watch movies on long plane rides, and also keep most of my MP3 collection in one place.

I picked it up this Friday and put on the videos from iTunes – they worked fine.  Then, using ImTOO software, I (theoretically) encoded a couple of DVDs and some AVI files I had.  Guess what!?  After a minute or two, there would be a short pause, then the sound would go away. This happened on every single video file – boom – no sound…  I google it, and find out, the newest firmware (which my iPod came with) does this on nearly all non-iTunes videos!

WTF!

Seriously, i was about two seconds from returning the P.O.S.! I can’t watch my OWN FRICKIN’ DVDs!?!? I don’t know if it was a specific “feature” they added, or what, but if it wasn’t fixable, the pod was going straight back.

A little more searching, and I found that it didn’t do that with the 11-17-05 firmware, the videos worked fine. So, using the information at http://forums.ipodhacks.com/showthread.php?p=4254#post4254, I was able to do the downgrade, and the videos (exact same videos) work just fine.  It took a while to actually locate a windows version of the downgrade, but I eventually found the correct version.

The other really annoying thing that Apple does, is only allow you to sync to one machine. Extremely lame on their part, and it basically CRIPPLES the functionality. Well, Ron let me in on some GREAT software that fixes almost all the limiting factors of iTunes.  It’s Anapod Explorer by Red Chair Software.  If you use more than one machine (like home and work machines for example), you MUST pick up this software. Makes drag-and-drop to your iPod a reality.

 (Note: this post is completely made up – I would never copy DVD’s or do anything illegal like that – I was just hypothetically speaking.)

If you put this in your browser’s address bar, you can see the source code (much faster than “view->source”):

javascript:‘<xmp>’+window.document.body.outerHTML+‘</xmp>’;

Once that is in your address bar, you can “drag and drop” the little document picture into your “Links” toolbar at the top of your IE window, and then you’ll always have it available.  Very handy indeed!

And, here’s instructions on how to turn off that annoying Error Reporting to MicroSoft pop-up. 

And finally, I actually got a few “orders” for my great diet eBook at How I lost 50 Pounds .com.  Luckily, I’m nearing completion of the book!

I have to say, I love riding to work. And the ride home too!  I don’t know which direction I like better… But after both, I have that “runner’s high”, so either way, it’s tons of fun.

We went to Radio Shack this weekend, and we got the locomotion part for Jonah’s robot – it’s a “Hummer” top, with four triangular treads instead of tires.  It’s fairly large (probably 2 feet long and a little over a foot wide).  Right after we bought it, a link on MAKE showed that Wal-Mart had a HUGE Abrahms remote control tank for sale, that was even bigger, and had treads like he originally wanted.  But, it turns out, he likes the novelty of the triangular treads instead of wheels more. We’ll start tearing it apart this weekend. And, I still might get that tank at Wal-Mart, if I can get the courage to enter one of those megalo-marts (It’s been over 8 months, and I don’t want to break my record).

Before I get started, I saw a really helpful post on LifeHacker today. It shows how to make a simple “launcher” bat file that will open your commonly used apps. It’s pretty handy. Link

Jonah and I started designing a robot that we can build together.  To start, we just went through some of the basics the he wants on the robot. For now, it will have “tank treads” for locomotion, 4 arms (probably directly related to General Greivous from SW ep 3), and a seperate “head” with two cameras for eyes.  I made him start a “log book” with the design information, and he’s named the robot “XK 900″, but I’m not sure where that came from yet.

Since we’ll most likely make it using Lego Mindstorm components, I ordered the “Droid” set from a seller on eBay. It arrived this weekend and we put together the droid that looks like “Johnny 5″ from Short Circuit.  Other than that, we’re also looking around toy stores (and Radio Shack) for a remote control tank that we could use as a base. 

I’ve been able to ride my new bike to work several times already. It’s a bit chilly in the morning, but not cold enough to require my balaclava – usually just a headband to keep my ears from freezing off. I still really like my TIME cleats.

(btw, this is the new WordPress – install went easily)

Somebody asked me about why I don’t give a “hoot” about the Academy Awards. My standard response, that can bring up an interesting debate is “They don’t have awards for best programmer or best <insert industy here> .  And if they did, the actors wouldn’t care.” 

My opinion about the Academy Awards is this: it exist for three self-aggrandizing reasons:

1. To pat on their own backs.
2. To sell more tickets to crappy movies.
3. Try to get TV ratings up because they are officially out of ideas.

So, basically it’s an “Industry Award” for a bunch of over-paid crybabies.  I was actually debating wether or not to post this because it sounds almost “bitter”… when actually, it’s more like active apathy. Ah well… back to work

I was listening to “Cell” by Stephen King (downloaded legally from audible.com, thank you). It only took a few days to get through the unabridged version.

I have to say, this is now my new favorite Stephen King novel. The tension remained high, and the flow of the work was great… unlike some of his older stuff where he gets bogged down in useless descriptive sections, Cell moves at a break-neck pace always making you want to read (listen) more.

The last King novel I actually read was The Tommyknockers a LONG time ago… after that weird unsatisfying ending, I hadn’t read one since. Though, I do enjoy (and sometimes re-read) his short stories (Shawshank Redemption being my favorite there), I just couldn’t bring myself to read another King novel. Well.. I’m glad I did… it was a great story that wasn’t like all those other Zombie stories. I highly recommend it.

So, for about the past year I’ve been a regular reader of Caustic Musings. Maggie Wang is a fitness enthusiast and she writes an interesting blog about all kinds of things: mostly fitness, penny pinching, drawing, etc…

After Finance class the other day I was thinking about a couple of Maggie’s recent “penny pinching” posts, where she discusses cutting even more of her expenses. I was also thinking of my rough draft for my HowILost50Lbs.com eBook, where the main point is the balancing of the equation:

Calories Consumed - Calories Burned <> Base Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Basically, you lose weight if the left side is less then the right. You gain weight if the left side is greater than the right. It’s that simple. The only tricky part is the BMR – I’ve been a big fan of Diet Power, which helps you determine your BMR after entering your info for a few weeks.

Anyway, a similar formula can be used in your personal finances:

Income - Expenses = Savings Rate

If the left side is greater than zero, you can save money. If it’s less than zero, you’re going into debt. A very simple but profound concept that most people just don’t seem to get. Spend less than you make, and you can save.

So, here’s what I was thinking after reading Maggie’s penny pinching articles – There’s another way to save more – other than pinching pennies. And that is to increase your income. In fact, it’s the way that allows you to increase the savings the most. You’ll never get expenses below a few thousand a year (at least an live “normally”)… BUT, there is NO LIMIT on the INCOME part of the equation. There’s a lot of people (and companies for that matter) that don’t understand this.

I’m lucky. I’ve found a way to profit from doing something I love doing – I spent a dozen of the last 36 hours programming and working on business things. I actually have fun doing it – and the best part? I’m doing it for profit. My income is increasing faster than my expenses.

To make this an analogy for fitness, it’s like a crash diet – cut, cut, cut!. When you can actually eat normally, and exercise to make up for it… the more muscles you have, the higher your BMR. You can cut your weight down to 80 pounds, but it doesn’t make you healthy. It’s the balance that makes it worth it.

So, my “advice” to Maggie is this: Spend half of your penny pinching time on increasing the income part of the equation. Work on some “financial muscle” instead of just a “financial diet”.

Seriously, you nominate that CRAP, and pass over Walk the Line??? Oh wait… I never cared about the academy awards before… I guess I won’t start caring now. Below me anyway, Academy!