Author: Jason 'vanRijn' Kasper

Who needs to spend $20 to replace one’s messed-up cd/mp3-player -> tape adapter! Why, for just $3.99, you can get a new jack end in either solderless or solder varieties. Simple math tells you $3.99 is better than $20, now, doesn’t it? BUT, what they don’t tell you is that you will spend 2 hours every other month, at least, re-soldering the wee beastie whenever your children decide that you don’t have enough to do in your life and manage to make it unfunctional. But this time, I’ve outsmarted them!! Muahahahah. Oh yes, I have. This time, I’ve taken the wee beastie apart, re-soldered it (again), and now I’ve used some of my flourescent zip-ties to reinforce the cord to Read more…

I know, it’s old news, but this eWeek article was a refreshing read that I ran across today. And let say it one more time: OpenDocument is an “open” format. Anyone, including Microsoft, can write to it. Of course, Microsoft doesn’t want to. The Redmond, Wash., giant makes its billions from locking users into its way of doing things. OpenDocument frees users. If everyone started using OpenOffice for their office documents they could decide, for instance, that StarOffice 8 for, say, $50 is a better deal than Microsoft Office at $500. I know, I know–it all sounds heretical and conspiracy-theory-ist to suggest that Microsoft might not be the best thing in the world, but come on and smell the 21st Read more…

Please explain to me why, in… what year is this again… 2005… people… nay, COMPANIES… insist on using stupid, dumb, ridiculous, unnecessary, proprietary, exclusionary, browser-sniffing, One-Platform-ONLY “solutions”???? CNN, please explain to me how you can legitimately not care whatsoever about the growing population of Internet users who might like to use your site who CANNOT or CHOSE NOT TO run Internet Explorer, Windows, or Windows Media Player??? Just because I choose not to (or maybe can’t afford to??) use Windows, you think I’m unworthy of seeing the videos that make up the user experience on your site??? How about doing something sensible like providing a link to the media file regardless of what OS your visitor might be using, and Read more…

I just ran across this page today and it’s very, very apropos for where I am in my life right now and with all that I’m going through…. Some of it below… Psalm 23 says the Lord is your shepherd. What does that mean? He’s not your chauffeur, taking you wherever you tell Him you want to go. He’s not your butler, making sure you’re comfortable every moment. He’s not your tour guide, telling you in advance where you’ll be going and what you’ll be doing. He’s your shepherd, leading you where you need to go to be fed and protected. He knows what’s best for you. Sheep don’t have a very high anxiety level. They’re content to let the Read more…

Lots of work to do still, but the hardest part should be behind me now. The new door jam is up, the hinges are in, the wood has been chiseled, the cons have been tapped (Tapcons are amazing!), and the door closes even better than it did before this whole operation! (psst! Fix this door, step 2 was uploadd by: vanRijn).

Out of curiosity, I wanted to look at the latest, breaking news on CNN for Hurricane Rita, but CNN has apparently decided (not without precedence or companionship in this kind of decision) that it will only cater to Windows users for its streaming videos. Hm. Yeah, that’s a really nice decision. Reminds me of FEMA’s also-really-stupid decision to be lazy, slovenly, and stupid in the same way. Good job guys! Welcome to the 20th century! Hope you don’t get any reality spilt on ya….