All posts by Shawn

Food

Red Bull Cola

9 Comments

Here’s some wise words for you based on an experience I had last night. If it’s 2am and you are getting ready to go to bed, maybe don’t drink two Red Bull cola drinks.

Someone was telling me about them the other day and I was like, “gee, okay… I guess I’ll try it to see what it’s like.”

Also, for the record, it’s not very good. Tastes like they just mixed Red Bull and Coke 50/50.

Server Admin

vBulletin 3.8.3 Upgrade…

236 Comments

Okay, gonna go ahead and upgrade the Digital Point Forums to vBulletin 3.8.3… Since so many of you are freaks and are on it 24/7, I made this post to keep you up to date on what’s going on (I’ll update it periodically throughout the process). You can also use this blog post as the new temporary forum for all your discussion needs while I do the upgrade. hah

  • 3:26 am – Reading and posting seems to work… I suppose that’s good enough for now (still working on the other stuff, but don’t need to force everyone off to do it).
  • 3:24 am – Skimming over various areas of the forum to see if things (mostly) work. I could let you guys in before the templates are fully updated possibly.
  • 3:22 am – New moderator permissions set
  • 3:17 am – Static CSS files located on single server in web cluster and spread around properly (I hate this about vBulletin BTW… gimme a hook location to do it please!)
  • 3:09 am – Core upgrade done.
  • 3:07 am – Recoded some of the upgrade scripts so they aren’t making that change to the reputation table. Will deal with issue this later instead.
  • 3:00 am – Stupid reputation table was altered in 3.8.0 to not allow negative userids so it can accommodate 4 billion users instead of “only” 2 billion. Stupid. I used negative userids internally for some stuff. /thinking what to do about this…
  • 2:55 am – First problem… reputation table alterations not going well. Going digging in raw database…
  • 2:50 am – Running “ALTER TABLE pmtext” on DB servers. That’s a big one… going to get another beer.
  • 2:49 am – Up to version 3.8.0 alpha 1
  • 2:43 am – It’s almost 3am. If you are a cute girl reading this, please post your picture in the comments, k thanks.
  • 2:41 am – I forgot we have to go through all versions to get to the newest… lol… going through 3.7.0 beta 4 at the moment.
  • 2:40 am – Userlist rebuilding
  • 2:36 am – Watching DB servers alter thread table for tagging support… (this is really boring)
  • 2:34 am – Watching DB servers alter thread table for prefix support… /bored
  • 2:30 am – New PHP files in place and synced across web server cluster
  • 2:29 am – DB backup done
  • 2:27 am – Thinking I might not have enough beer for this…
  • 2:25 am – DB backup still running (it’s huge… many, many, many gigs)
  • 2:18 am – Got beer and craisens
  • 2:17 am – Backing up DB
  • 2:13 am – Making this post
Audio/Video

Sony Blu-Ray BDP-CX7000ES 400 Disc Changer

5 Comments

So I’ve been waiting for this thing for awhile now, and it looks like Sony is finally going to be releasing it (even $400 cheaper than previously rumored). Yum, yum…

400 discs, serial control, Ethernet port for pulling meta data via Internet, etc… looks nice to me.

Press Release

SONY ORGANIZES YOUR ENTERTAINMENT COLLECTION

WITH NEW 400-DISC BLU-RAY DISC/DVD MEGACHANGER

Company Expands Blu-ray Disc Player Options with Three New Models
NEW YORK, July 23, 2009 – Looking to help consumers simplify and manage their living room entertainment experience, Sony today announced the new BDP-CX960 and the “Elevated Standard” (ES) BDP-CX7000ES 400-disc Blu-ray Discâ„¢ MegaChangers.

The company also announced the BDP-S1000ES single disc ES player expanding the Sony’s Blu-ray Disc line to 13 models offering a broad set of performance and features.

The Blu-ray Disc MegaChanger models store and play 400 Blu-ray Discs, DVDs, and CDs, allowing consumers to relocate their disc library to a convenient, easy-to-access location.

They also feature the ability to download information from Gracenote’s MusicID® and VideoIDâ„¢ products to organize movies and music. When a disc is inserted into the device, Gracenote technology automatically downloads information across an existing Internet broadband service and saves title, director, some cast information, release year, and genre information for most titles, allowing users to easily navigate the library intuitively through the player’s xross media barâ„¢ menu system.

“Think about all those great movie and music discs in your collection,” said Chris Fawcett, vice president for Sony Electronics’ home audio and video business. “Wouldn’t it be great to instantly play those movies or CDs — definitely gives a new meaning to the notion of a movie marathon!”

BDP-CX7000ES and BDP-CX960

Leading the MegaChanger line up is the BDP-CX7000ES which outputs full HD 1080/60p and 24p True Cinemaâ„¢. Designed to integrate with third-party automation control systems, the model features an RS232 connection and IR-in and is built to high-quality ES standards.

It offers exceptional audio quality with 7.1 channel analog output and superior video incorporating Sony’s HD Reality Enhancer and Super Bit Mapping technologies. The HD Reality Enhancer technology continually analyzes the original source bit by bit, sharpening edges and reproducing detail, while reducing the effects of film grain. Super Bit Mapping delivers smoother color gradation realizing true 14-bit equivalent color tone from 8-bit sources.

The model also upscales standard definition DVDs to 1080p through Sony’s Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology when connected to a 1080p display via HDMI.

Precision Cinema HD Upscale uses advanced conversion and processing to detect image changes at the pixel level, rather than the level of whole scan lines. Additionally, separate algorithms are used to process the moving and still parts of an image, resulting in sharp backgrounds with moving objects that are free from motion artifacts.

Complementing the BDP-CX7000ES, is the new BDP-CX960. This 400-disc MegaChanger also delivers full HD 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema output and Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology.

Both the BDP-CX7000ES and BDP-CX960 feature an Ethernet port for connectivity to a local home broadband network to download metadata from Gracenote, software updates and to access BD-Liveâ„¢ content. There is also an external port for local storage so users can add their USB flash storage device to support BD-Live content.

The models support 7.1 channel Dolby® TrueHD and Dolby® Digital Plus, DTS®-HD High Resolution Audio, and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding as well as bit-stream output via HDMI. It is compatible with an array of video formats, including BD-ROM/R/RE (BDMV and BDAV modes), DVD-+ Video/R/RW, CD/R/RW, and MP3/JPEG on BD/DVD/CD recordable media and supports x.v.Color™ (xvYCC) technology. The BDP-CX7000ES also supports Deep Color via HDMI (v1.3).

The BDP-CX7000ES is available this August for about $1,900, while the BDP-CX960 will be available this fall for about $800.
BDP-S1000ES

The single-disc BDP-S1000ES Blu-ray Disc player bolsters the ES line adding built-in Wi-Fi® (802.11N/G/B/A) capability for easy BD-Live access. The model offers full HD 1080/60p and 24p True Cinemaâ„¢ and upscales standard definition DVDs to 1080p through Sony’s Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology.

The model can easily connect to the Internet through an existing wireless home network to download and stream BD-Live content from select titles including additional scenes, short subjects, trailers, interactive games, and more. It also enables easy firmware updates to assist in keeping your player up-to-date with the latest Blu-ray Disc media and features.

While compatible with most wireless routers, the BDP-S1000ES also supports Wi-Fi Protected Setupâ„¢, for a quick and easy connection to enabled wireless routers. Additionally, the player is Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) ready, allowing it to connect to other DLNA compliant devices to watch digital photos on your TV.

The model also incorporates Sony’s HD Reality Enhancer, Super Bit Mapping, and Precision Drive HD technology.

It supports Deep Color video output and x.v.Color technology. The player is compatible with an array of video formats, including BD-ROM/R/RE (BDMV and BDAV modes), DVD-+ Video/R/RW, CD/R/RW, and MP3/JPEG on BD/DVD/CD recordable media.

The model also is compatible with advanced audio codecs including 7.1 channel Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS -HD Master Audio, and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio decoding and bit-stream output, as well as analog 7.1 channel output.

The BDP-S1000ES is available this August for about $700.

Audio/Video

Models et al

11 Comments

I gotta say, iMovie HD is really nice for hacking together quick videos with pretty decent quality. I threw together this video for a friend real quick for NVR Strings. Oh darn, I get to look at girls in bikinis while editing video. Sad day for me. 🙁

The original video I output was full 1920×1080 high def, but here’s the YouTube version…

Uncategorized

Override CSS

6 Comments

So I found myself wanting to override a few items in a sitewide CSS file, but only for a single page… Rather than make entire new CSS elements, I figured there had to be a way to override the CSS file with a <style> clause within the page itself…

Sure enough, I finally figured it out… !important…

[code=css]

[/code]

!important can go at the end of any style attribute and it will override anything that isn’t “important”.

Animals, Blogs, Weird Stuff

Spider Bottlecap Nearly Killed Me

1 Comment

…so as I’m going through the {cough, cough} 2+ years of comments I never got around to moderating on this blog, I came across one that is freaking me out.

//www.shawnhogan.com/2006/11/vampire-bite.html#comment-33317

Dr. Finch seems to think I have some gnarley spider bite that needs immediate doctor attention and my life is in danger.

I think he missed this part about this post… lol

Quote

“Okay, okay… it was from me trying to open a beer bottle with my bare hands last night at poker.”

Thank God is all I have to say… if it were otherwise, I might be the first person to die from not moderating their blog comments fast enough.

Blogs, Server Admin

Maybe No Less Spam?

58 Comments

The comment spam on my blog here was getting to the point of just being silly… around 4,000 spam comments per day (breaks down to about one every 15 seconds 24/7).

I decided to try and do something about it so I don’t have to weed through them manually (the time consumption on this task is one of the biggest reasons I don’t post as often as I used to).

So let’s see how it works… if you see me posting more often, then you know it worked. 😉

Sports

Padres On Track For All Sorts Of Records

8 Comments

The San Diego Padres won their season opener against San Fransisco 7-0. Let’s just put that in perspective for a moment. That puts the Padres on track to go 162-0 (undefeated the entire season, which no team has ever come remotely close to doing). It also puts them on track to outscore opponents 1,134-0. The Yankees last year went 97-65 last year, and outscored opponents 930-767 for the season.

Craziness I say…

Blogs, Tech Stuff

My Face Is So Popular It’s Red

13 Comments

I don’t recall how I came across this image, but I was rather surprised to see it randomly (considering it’s me)…

Some sort of heat map where people look at an image, and decide what’s the most interesting part of it by clicking somewhere on it…

So people thought my face was interesting I guess… either that or they knew their click would register a red dot and were just trying to cover my face up. 🙂

The original image was taken from this blog (over here).

Weird Stuff

AdSense Account Going To Be Closed Because I Didn’t Invest In Magnetic Power

80 Comments

People crack me up sometimes… Some dude from Iran figured out how to make infinite free energy, and all he needs from me is $1,000/month or else he will close my AdSense account… 🙂

From [email protected]:
This is a warning and if you don’t pay attention to it you will suffer from bad turns.
All your income is through Google Adsense and if you do not cooperate with us we will stop this income source.
We would like you to pay us the total amount of USD 1000 each month.
This small amount could be considered as nothing compared to your earnings from Adsense.
If you do not pay this amount we will have to close your account by the help of special robots & spaming & …
I am not happy to do this but I have to as there is no way out of it and I trust if you were me you would also have to do the same.
I am an inventor and I have recently innovated a new design which will be accepted by scientific societies only if I can present a model in advance; and making the model takes money. They will register my new design only after they have checked all aspects of the same.
My theory is changing the power into energy. If I succeed many big problems will be solved.
All my design specification could be viewed in the following web log:
//magnetic-machine.blogspot.com/
The magnets will be bought in installments and the amount you pay is to be paid monthly for the same.
After the registration of my design, the entire amount which I received from you will be paid back.
If you collaborate with me, you have helped to the science.
And if not, I will have to close your Google Adsense account.
I seek your help for the sake of the Science and if you are not prepared to collaborate I will have to close your Google Adsense account

Waiting for your reply…..

From me:
Bahahahahahahahahaahaha! Feel free to close my AdSense account.
From [email protected]:
i spam your adsense code to 100.000.000 email address
you earn 1000000 click from yahoo mail and Google close your account
plz wait until closing…!
Tech Stuff

So How Close Can Google Maps Really Get?

34 Comments

Want to see some crazy stuff? In some areas of the world, you can zoom in to an absurd level. Pretty close to being able to actually identify an individual.

Let’s take this scene for example… some people in Africa with their herd of camels and cows, gathered around a well. I mean come on… you can see footprints, and some dude who must have known his picture was being taken, because he’s looking right at the camera. 🙂

Almost looks fake huh? Well you can see it for yourself here:

//maps.google.com/maps?f…m=1&iwloc=addr

So like maybe Google could use some of their satellites and computing power to find Osama bin Laden and collect whatever huge reward there is for him… just a suggestion for anyone listening…

Blogs

1,251 Reasons To Not Have A Blog

24 Comments

One reason I haven’t been writing on my blog is that I just haven’t had the free time to sit around and look for cool/interesting things all day (ahhh… the good old days when I had nothing to do… hah)

I’ve been trying to keep up with comment moderation on the blog (doing it once every few days), but check this screenshot out of what I just finished.

That was about an hour of my life wasted with comment spam moderation… fun!!! 🙂

Law, Science

Astronaut Charged With Attempted Murder

4 Comments

Sweet… how would you like to be isolated on the International Space Station with a murderer? 🙂

NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak was ordered released Tuesday on an additional $10,000 bond on an attempted murder charge in Orlando, where she allegedly tried to subdue a purported romantic rival with pepper spray and kidnap her from an airport parking lot.

Nowak also was ordered to wear a global positioning satellite, or GPS, device.

Nowak, 43, appeared in court Tuesday afternoon to face the attempted first-degree murder charge.

Nowak is accused of accosting Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman, 30, in the Orlando airport parking lot early Monday, telling police she only wanted to talk with Shipman.

//www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/06/astronaut.arrested/

Games

Warcraft Raid Leader Goes Crazy

11 Comments

I have no clue what half the stuff this guy is talking about, but this video is funny. I guess it was a Warcaft raid leader (leading and coordinating 40 people, so they are all listening to him) on some raid of a dragon’s den…

All I know is if I was in his raid group, I probably would fall out of my chair from laughing so hard and die anyway… 🙂

And whoever recorded him and then did the animation for it is a pretty funny guy… hah

Blogs

No, I’m Not Dead…

11 Comments

For everyone that has been asking me (or asking others to find out)… I didn’t die.

I also didn’t get thrown in jail…

…nor did I run off with some girl…

…I also didn’t get kidnapped…

(these were all theories I’ve heard so far)

The quick version is this… I went to Mammoth for 3 days, then I was sick for a couple days, then the Chargers lost, so I didn’t feel like writing. Now I feel like writing something, but I don’t really have anything to say… So for now, I’ll just tell people where I’ve been. It’s not that easy to think of something to write about *every* day you know. 🙂

Sorry for not writing on the blog in awhile (I know Bobby loves it when people say that.. heh)

Uncategorized

Random Email #36

8 Comments

A random email I just got… 🙂

What? I mean how hard is it to get on this site? Is this a whore site?
I just want to know why it’s in my computer history????
If my husband is really stupid enough to deal with this kind of….thing, (I’ll put it nicely), then so he can go for it. Where are these girl’s parents?
He is old and trying to be young. But these girls are young trying to be older.
Maybe it’s a perfect match.
He’s nothing to write home about in bed…but if you get paid, what the hell?

Oh my god!!! Someone’s wife found him looking at my blog. That marriage is over I guess. Sad… so sad.