phillbecker

I’m not a fan of computer hardware that behaves the wants to, rather than the way I tell it to. My wife thinks it’s a control issue. She’ probably right.

I was getting peeved that the music on my (gifted) iPod wasn’t readable by anything that couldn’t decode the iTunes database structure. Well, the music is readable, but you can’t tell what song you’re clicking on unless you memorize the length and size of every song. The names are replaced with things like FWOX.mp3 in folders of similar names with dissimilar tracks (not of the same album). Plus you couldn’t copy (decoded) music from the iPod to another computer unless you purchased it through iTunes and were transferring it to one of your five approved machines. And you couldn’t play open-source music formats (ogg, flac, etc)

Well, I fixed that.
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Well, I got the onboard wireless card to work on this laptop. It’s a compaq presario v2000 and the wireless chipset is a Broadcom.
I tried using ndiswrapper and had a heck of a time finding the right M$oft drivers. Then it didn’t work. (more…)

I bought a pair of vegan birk sandals in April 05. For $90 you’d expect a pair of shoes to last more than 2 years, especially when they’re only seasonal wear.
I took them in the other day to get resoled, and the guy said fixing them would be “throwing good money after bad.” The footbed (the pride and joy of birks) was cracked, and the synthetic straps were tearing on both feet. Now they no longer (according to the birkenstock USA website) carry 100% leather-free sandals, so replacing them is as pointless as repairing them.

Just for grins and giggles, I’ll post the email exchange I’ve had with customer service. More if they bother replying again.
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9 1/2 months old and walking. Yesterday she was walking a few steps between Allison and I. Back and forth, getting up and going again on her own. Naked, of course.

This video is the second round, a few minutes later. With a diaper on. I’m sure someone would never forgive us if her first steps (and tushy) were plastered on the webby for all to see.

Today she was walking down the hall (20 steps or so) at various speeds and even pulled up on the wall to launch herself.

It’s official. She walks before 10 months.
Did I mention her food of preference right now is canned, organic, beans & rice. Tons of it.

pb

“OH MY GOD! There’s a bear in our backyard!!”

So I grab the camera and head to the back door.

yup. that’s a bear.