A Christian, homeschooled, PDA slinging, iBook modding, techno-savvy former Missionary Church PK's third attempt at a weblog. Here I go...
View my complete profile
Recent Entries
+ Uhhh...
+ Ooh, that was way too close for comfort...
+ iHave Decided
+ Again...
+ Have you ever wondered...
+ BlogBoy
+ JoeM
+ LeviSuarez
+ Striker
+ pianolove
+ PoorBoyHat
+ EldestOf5
+ BlogTips
+ crazy4jesus
+ jennab
+ Kadeesis
+ FarmerJason
+ Lyric
+ countryrose
+ Lysolidge316
+ Sarah435
+ grelb32
+ starling
+ cutiepie
+ TKB
+ legochristian
+ Home
+ Archives
+ My Blog's RSS
+ Login
+ TMC of Yale
+ Apple, Inc.
+ Gmail
+ Ubuntu Project
+ Kubuntu Project
+ Xubuntu Project
+ Palm, Inc.
+ Answers in Genesis
+ OpenOffice.org Project
+ OpenSuse Project
+ AJW Web Studios
+ BlogStatter.com
+ Shattering Windows
+ SourceForge
+ Version Tracker
Posted in Announcements
|
Hi, I'm just posting to let y'all know that I'm still alive. Mom says that we need to take a break from being online all the time, and that means that I won't post for a while. (For those of you who email me, I can still email you.) Keep watching my blog (or RSS feed); I'll be back. 
|
Posted in Technology/Computers
|
Since my last several posts were regarding Apple laptops, why don't I add another one? I have had a slightly disturbing experience over the last several days, and it involved a certain MacBook. It happened like this: The other day, I was looking on CraigsList.com, and I found what seemed to be a pretty good deal on a Black MacBook. Knowing that I wanted a new Mac, and seeing that the price was desirable, I took a look at it. According to the listing, it was a top of the line BlackBook that was in good condition, for only $380 bucks! Of course, I sent an email to the address provided, and this is what I got back: Hello, The laptop is still available and I hope you are still interested. My name is Amy and I am now in Manchester, U.K. This machine has been used for professional needs over the past 11 Months, it is in great condition and runs perfectly, and beyond evidence of normal use the laptop is in perfect shape. The warranty is good until August 2009 and it is fully transferable. One more thing, it works on US voltage so you do not need a converter. I have attached some pics with the laptop to this e-mail so you can see the condition of the laptop. Please get back to me and let me know if you like the laptop if you're really interested in buying it. Thanks, Amy I emailed back and forth with "Amy" for a few days, and determined that, even though it would be shipped from the UK, the price was still way too low to resist. We got to where she sent me a link to a page that was supposedly from DHL, and she said that it was the most secure way to do it. You can see the page here. About that time, my buddy Caleb sent me an email linking to this page. It detailed a scam that said it was selling a Black MacBook in various locations around IN, and that the seller claimed to have moved to the UK. That's when I grew suspicious. I ran a whois check on the 'freightpost-dhl.com' domain, and found that it was not owned by MarkMonitor, which runs DHL's web page. It is owned by "Daniel Parker" of Beverly Hills, CA, according to the server. So, I notified DHL, and asked them about it. They haven't gotten back, but it doesn't matter. I checked the other pages out, and discovered that tons of people had fallen for the same trick. Fortunately, I hadn't sent any money to "Amy." I told my mom and dad, then sent a note to "Amy," letting her know that the deal was off and that people don't like being scammed. Whew, that was too close. Good thing I have friends like Caleb who notice obscure scam notification pages.
|
Posted in Technology/Computers
 Disregard that last post. My iBook is officially dead. After much deliberation and some discussion with my geek friends, I determined that Paul, Eric, and Joe are not the people you want to discuss Macintosh philosophy with. I also decided that it isn't worth keeping a computer that I don't trust; that I have to fix every two days. Therefore, my iBook is now sitting in two boxes; with the exception of one component. The first box contains pieces that I can sell on eBay. The second one contains pieces that aren't worth selling. The one component is the hard drive, which I am going to put in a friend's computer. I have some great opportunities this summer to make some money, so I should be able to afford a MacBook soon. If I hurry and save up enough dough before September 15th, I can also get a free iPod Touch with it. Maybe I should bury my iBook instead of selling it. On second thought, maybe not. I am not good at eulogies (who could forget my classic speech at my brother's pet's funeral: "Priscilla was a... uh... really nice praying mantis.") Also, I doubt that would help the soil pH levels any. --------------------- On another topic, Eric Novak has started a Pro-Life website for teenagers. I recommend that you check it out, and perhaps even sign the petition. Thanks.
|
Posted in Technology/Computers
|
If I were to choose one word to describe my iBook, it would have to be "survival". That laptop has taken more beatings than any piece of hardware should be able to withstand. In other words, it suffered from the Dreaded Logic Board Error again. The GPU has fried twice in the last two days. I think that it is doing that because the temperature has been over 80 degrees for the last several days. I'm assuming that the air temp, combined with the heat generated from running the computer, caused it to crash on me. I have been fortunate enough to be able to save it, but I want to be on the safe side. I bought a set of CD-RW discs for backing up my documents and pictures. One of these days, that laptop will die, and I won't be able to save it. I want to be ready when it happens. I'm probably going to get a job this month. Once that happens, I'm planning to save up and buy a new MacBook.
|
Posted in Family - Silly
|
...what happens when you leave your eggs sitting alone in the carton for too long? They begin to develop personalities, and they become too cute to eat!
 Okay, I know that that was a little bit weird. :)
|
Posted in philosophy
|
Yesterday, my sister, my father and I got the opportunity to volunteer at a sponsorship table for World Vision during a Casting Crowns concert they were hosting. We did get to see a good portion of the show, but I’ll talk about that a little bit later. First, I’d like to write about something that Mark Hall said during the course of the presentation. One of the times he spoke, he pleaded with the audience to avoid worshipping them or their songs. He pressed that we should stop looking at him and his songs, and start looking at God instead. This got me thinking. If we are not supposed to worship the singer or the songs, why do we go to concerts? What’s the point? If we want to worship God, couldn’t we save our forty dollars and attend a church service? (That’s for the people who paid for the concert; the volunteers got in free). I can’t give a universal answer to that question. I will, however, tell what I personally got out of it. (Besides a World Vision T-shirt and an autograph, that is.). It is so easy to listen to a Christian artist’s album and begin to find yourself worshipping the songs or the singer. It is so easy to envision the person who is singing as some glorified, untouchable, superChristian being who is perfect. It is so easy to begin to enjoy the artist so much that you lose the message that their music is trying to encourage. That’s where the concert comes in. I was able to watch Casting Crowns play their music and sing it, less than 90 yards in front of me. I was able to view them and see them as normal human beings. They could blend in with everyone else. My friend and I didn’t recognize them for a couple seconds when they walked twenty feet past us. It brought them back down to a human level in my mind. Okay that’s all for my philosophical rambling about it. I hope I didn’t bore you to death. The concert itself was pretty good. The music was loud, but it wasn’t too bad. I’ve been to youth rallies that were worse than that. Casting Crowns is a pretty good band overall. I think that they did very well with it. The guest artists were John Waller and Leeland. I had never heard any of John Waller’s songs, and I wasn’t in the auditorium for that part. My sister, our friends, and I went in for a couple of Leeland’s songs, but we came back out after a while. We were at a table for World Vision, where we were helping people sign up to sponsor a child in a foreign country. It wasn’t hard, and we were able to see most of the concert. I would have taken pictures, but I forgot my camera in the van until the very end. After the concert, a few of us went and helped pass out water bottles at the doors. That was nice because we got to stay until almost everyone else had gone. That meant that line at the autographing table was almost non-existent. I ran and retrieved my camera from the van and got in line. My dad took a picture of Mr. Hall for me while I was in line, but it didn’t turn out very well. I got my fluorescent orange World Vision volunteer shirt autographed by all of the band members except for Andy Williams, the drummer. I hung it up on my wall. I don’t wear shirts that people have written on because the “permanent” marker fades after repeated washings.
Well, that’s about it. I’d say that I’ve had a pretty profitable time lately. I’ve gotten to see two famous artists sing for free, and meet a famous political columnist, all within the space of a month. Not bad.
|
Posted in Technology/Computers
|
If there is one word that makes every download geek tingle with delight, it is “freeware.” Something about being able to use great software without having to pay a cent just makes you feel like you’ve gotten a great deal. I figured that I would list out my top ten favorite software titles, and share links, just in case anyone wants to try them out. #1: Ubuntu Linux Ubuntu is an Operating System that runs on any platform you could think of, including Macintosh. It includes bundled software (including a complete office suite) that would cost thousands of dollars commercially, and it has access to repositories containing tens of thousands of other absolutely free software titles. You can download it or order it for free. Wikipedia entry Main site: #2: OpenOffice.org OpenOffice.org is the office suite that comes free with every Linux distiribution. It contains a word processor, a spreadsheet program, a slideshow program, a drawing program, and more in one package. It is 99% compatible with all of Microsoft’s Office formats, including Office 2007. It can be downloaded for free, or ordered on CD for a small shipping price (definitely worth it). Wikipedia entry: Main site: #3: VirtualBox VirtualBox allows you to install a guest Operating System on top of yoru computer’s normal system and run it in a window without messing up your hard drives. It keeps the installed guest system in a file in your documents folder. This software is perfect for those who want to try out another OS without installing it permanently, or to try out beta software without devoting an entire computer to it. Wikipedia entry: Main site: #4: The GIMP The GIMP is a free alternative to Adobe’s Photoshop software. It has most of the functionality of Photoshop, and it is free. I use this software for all of my photo editing, and I don’t have any problem with it. If you want the functionality of Photoshop at 0% of the cost, then GIMP is for you! Wikipedia entry: Main site: #5: nLite Are you sick of all of the excess stuff in Windows that is weighing your computer down? Do you wish that you could remove it? Well, now you can. nLite allows you to copy the contents of a Windows 2000, XP, or Vista installer CD onto your hard drive and remove all of the excess junk that you don’t want installed. I used it to slim down Windows 2000 so I could install it onto my iBook, and it works great. Wikipedia entry: Main site: #6: CrimsonFX Have you seen the lightsabers on Star Wars? Don’t you wish that you could shoot your own lightsaber movies? Now you can. Crimson FX makes keyframing laser effects simple. Sorry Windows users; this is a Mac-only treat. Note: Make sure that you have a fast computer; this program is pretty performance-hungry. Download Site #7: Vienna Sorry PC users, this is another Mac-only title. Vienna is an RSS feed reader that is nothing short of amazing. From its Leopard-integrated interface to its built-in web browser, this software never fails to disappoint. If you want to read the full version of an article, just click the title and it will open it within Vienna. I use it for my RSS feeds, nad I love it. Wikipedia entry: Main site: #8: FreeRip Do you wish that you had more control over your mp3 files than WiMP (Windows Media Player) gives you? Do you want to put songs onto your device without having to sync with a library? Then FreeRip is just for you. It can rip into mp3, wav, and ogg formats. I used it to put songs on my CLIE before I got a Mac, and it is great. Main site: #9: Picasa If you aren’t a Mac user and you want the photo organizing features of iPhoto on your PC, then you should try Picasa. Created by Google, this application integrates closely with their web albums and webmail services. Whether or not you have a Google account, Picasa is amazing. Wikipedia entry: Main site: #10: Google Desktop If you are stuck with Windows XP, but you want the gadget features of Vista, then you want to download Google Desktop. It includes a sidebar with more gadgets available than Vista, it’s free, and you can run it on XP. It includes a Google search feature that enables you to search Google from your desktop. Definitely worth a download. Wikipedia entry: Main site |
Posted in Stories
|
This is the third time I have written this. It's not nearly as good as before. I have got to be careful with my use of shortcut keys. :P I had a neat experience on Tuesday. My Mom and I got to go to our local Right To Life banquet. We were given VIP invitations to go to the pre-banquet meeting, where we got to personally meet the keynote speaker, Mr. Cal Thomas. My Mom and I spoke to him for a few minutes. I had uploaded the Wikipedia article about him onto my PDA, and we asked him about it. That was neat. It isn’t everyday that you get to talk to the subject of an article about the article. After the meeting, we went to the banquet hall. The food was pretty good, though I had no idea what fork to use.  After some formalities, Mr. Larnelle Harris sang a few songs. He had a wonderful voice, and he was accompanied by a choir from a local Christian high school. After Mr. Harris sang, Mr. Thomas got up and spoke. He was a very good speaker, and he made some very good points, while keeping everyone laughing with his sarcasm.  We left about five minutes before Mr. Thomas finished because we wanted to avoid as much traffic as we could. After we got out of the banquet hall, we shook Larnelle Harris’s hand and had a CD cover signed by him before we left. I tried to take pictures, but they didn’t turn out very well, as you can see. 
|
Posted in philosophy
|
There is a trend that I have been noticing lately with many of our modern churches. As more and more churches are outfitting themselves with screens and projectors to display the lyrics to their songs, the use of hymnals is dying down. And as the use of hymnals dies, the use of hymns dies too. Over the last few months, my parents and I have noticed that our church is gradually decreasing the use of the hymns in favor of more modern choruses. I have no problem with choruses, but if they replace traditional hymns, that just doesn't seem the same. My mom wants us to be able to sing hymns and become familiar with the works of some of the most influential theologians ever. Charles Wesley, Martin Luther, Isaac Watts, Fanny Crosby, and many others make up the group of people who authored these songs. Each hymn that was written has some story behind it. There is a depth of theology and history within the pages of our hymnals that our churches are throwing away too hastily. There is over one thousand years of history behind these books, and we have the opportunity to connect with the writers through the songs they have written. Once again, I have no problem with modern music. There are some wonderful songs written by modern writers. I just think that church is not the same without hymns. If the worship time begins to feel like a rock concert, it just doesn't feel right. I don't think that we should just stop using the hymns merely because they're ancient and archaic. What do you think? (Yes, I am probably the only person any of you (besides you, Amanda) will ever meet who has put hymns on his mp3 player. Well, when I had an mp3 player.) |
Posted in Technology/Computers
|
Here's a quick tip for you photography enthusiasts: If you want to take macro pictures with a cheap consumer camera, try putting a magnifying glass in front of the lens. Here's an example: Here's an example of a picture without the magnifying glass. If you can't tell, it's a picture of a Lego skull.  And here's an example of the same picture with the magnifying glass.  It isn't too bad. If my magnifying glass was a bit clearer, it might work better. |
Last Page | Next Page