Unity 4!

Team - 

Unity 4 was release today (Thursday, 29th Nov) I will be installing it when I get home.  To keep up to date you should install the free version as well.  

It has some really cool features.

-Tim
I enjoy the massacre of ads. This sentence will slaughter ads without a messy bloodbath.

Live Your Passion?

I was listening today to a NPR broadcast, I think it was there technology segment. And the interviewee was talking about how he has created his own niche in this economy and has made it possible to make a living from living his passion. This interested me to no small degree because I am very dissatisfied with what I am currently doing and feel that I am not where I am supposed to be in my life. I have a beautiful wife and two wonderful children, but my work life is unsatisfying. I want to find a way to live my passions.

So what are these passions? I have a passion for music, both playing and listening to it. I like to write about music. I love to read, especially Star Wars novels. I have a passion for Star Wars in general - games, books, figures, etc.

I love to play chess. I love to follow the ins and outs of politics. I love to discuss philosophical subjects, especially those of theology.

I love being silly. I love making up silly words.

How can I combine all of these into some sort of future from which I can sustain myself and my family?

Tequilla...pt.2 ?

Well, I'm feeling that again.... it's a dopamine rush from what I can figure... that keeps me up and going.... even thought it's late... and I should be in bed.

Self Hypnosis - The Best Me

I have just found this post which is an extremely interesting method of self hypnosis that I intend to try. It is called the "Best Me" method of hypnosis. It is basically in two parts - the first being the method of self-hypnotizing and the second being a method of imparting positive suggestions to your hypnotized self. I think that I'm going to try this and get back to you on its effectiveness.

The Mind of Poe - Family Mind - Poemind Music - Darth Poe - Poe-litics - Poemind A.D.D. - Poemind Affilliate Marketing

Tequilla...

What is it about tequila? It seems to have an effect on seratonin or dopamine levels or something. But there is something about it. Can't put my finger on it. Maybe because I've been putting too much of my tongue on it.....

Sometimes....

You just want to bury your head in the sand and forget the world is out there. This world that we've created - this incredibly complex, screwed up world. If you have found a career that is rewarding, pays the bills and in someway creates a better world for the rest of mankind, then consider yourself lucky, for I have not. I exist in a cubicle world that provides absolutely no succor for the soul. I exist to help my family exist and that is the sole thing that keeps me going - gets me up in the morning. Were it not for them and the thoughts of their sweet faces and voices, I don't know that I would make the effort.

Torsion Fields?

I just returned from a conference with David Wilcock, and I'm mulling over all of the stuff with which I was presented there.  Chief among these concepts was the existence of "torsion fields".  These invisible fields are supposedly capable of incredible things: healing, stargates, etc.

So I'm wondering if there is any real evidence of such things.  So I've started with the ol' Wikipedia even though that is a fairly weak starting place.  But it serves it's purpose.

Torsion Fields on Wikipedia

I will post more as I find it.

Wolfram Alpha? For What Do You Use It?

Ok, I don't know if you've heard about this yet, but this is a new sort of search engine.  WolframAlpha is billed as a "computational knowledge engine".  Instead of giving you long list of websites that contain the search term entered it gives you a concise view of the actual information for which you are searching.  

I'm just wondering who is using this right now, and how they are using it.

So far the primary use I've found for it is figuring out how many days I have until a given date.  Just type a date in and it will give you any pertinent information relating to that date.  Including the aforementioned calculation.  That is moderately useful, but not by any means earth shattering.  So what uses, if any, have you found for this new search engine?  Please comment!

My Beginning with jQuery

I recently taught a class in JavaScript, and while I still don't consider myself an expert in the subject, I now feel fairly proficient in it. Be in an effort to furthe my knowledge of JS, I stumbled across jQuery. jQuery is a JavaScript framework that enables a developer to get more done in shorter amount of time.

So I've been looking for good examples of jQuery in use, becuase it is always easiest to learn a new language by seeing practical applications of it.

Here is the first that I've found.

Here is another.

The Mind of Poe - Family Mind - Poemind Music - Darth Poe - Poe-litics - Poemind A.D.D. - Poemind Affilliate Marketing

Cheap Books?

Well, I'm on a search for a web reseller that traffics in cheap used books.  Now, I'm not talking about used books that can be sold 'like new' or 'great condition'.  No, I'm looking for books that are in 'fair'  'acceptable' or maybe even 'poor' condition.  You see, when I want to read a book, and that is all that I really want to do, then I would like to buy that book very cheaply.  I was wondering if there is a web site that caters to such a need.

I'm starting my search here  - at Student Hacks.

I like this one.... BookFinder.com

I will update this as my search progresses.

Christ - The Yogi

This Post is fantastic.  Tara Stiles hits it on the head when she speaks of the Gopspel of Thomas and the fact that it was most likely excluded from the Canonical texts of the Bible because it advocated "knowing thyself" and that the kingdom of God is "within".  The last thing that the church of Rome wanted you to believe is that the kingdom of God is "within you" when it was spending tons of gold to create kingdoms and catehdrals "without" you.

Diddling?

Poe once wrote a short story entitled, "Diddling: Considered as One of the Exact Sciences".

"Your diddler is minute. His operations are upon a small scale. His business is retail, for cash, or approved paper at sight. Should he ever be tempted into magnificent speculation, he then, at once, loses his distinctive features, and becomes what we term "financier".

So, here is Poe pointing out the connections between the common swindler, and our bankers and loan officers. Now, how timely is it that the thought should occur to me to think about this story right now? On the day after Jon Stewart so impaled Jim Cramer on a very related subject.

Curious how things work together in such a seemingly synchronistic way.

Gordon Ramsey, Jumping the Shark?

You know, I've always enjoyed Ramsey's shows.  I've defended him against those who would say he was a total asshole, by pointing to his "Kitchen Nightmares" show where he helps out struggling restaurants to stay afloat.  But last night may have been the end of my defense of Ramsay.

Now, it has always been clear that Gordon has no love affair with people who are overweight.  But I've always seen that disdain as an outgrowth of the problems he sees with them performing in the intense heat and stress of a fast-moving kitchen.  You know - sweat, close-quarters, lack of agility.  that sort of thing.

But last night, after the men had won a challenge, he first calls Robert, the fat chef, into his office to tell him that he won't be able to fly on the helicopter because of insurance restrictions.  But then he seemingly gives him the good news, in that he will still be able to go, just by ferry.  Robert seems to cheer up then.

Then they switch to clips of all the other men on the helicopter and then on the island enjoying the sites.  Robert is in transit all this time.  

When he gets there, Ramsey, tells him that there is good news and bad news.  And the bad news was that they were done and that they were heading back.   Robert didn't get to enjoy the reward at all.  It just seemed so mean-spirited and childish.  I've alway enjoyed the show, but I'm seriously thinking about not watching it again.

What do you all think?  Was this over the line?

The Death of Chewbacca...

Damn!  I new that this was coming sometime within the New Jedi Order series, because, being the SW geek that I am, I listen to podcasts and read things online, but I had managed to avoid enough detail not to know that it happened in the very first book!  Chewbacca is dead!  I haven't even finished the book yet, so I don't even know how everything is going to play out, but wow.  I mean, I could see it coming at the beginning of the chapter in which it happened, but I kept thinking, "Nah, this is going to happen in the first book, surely?"  But I was wrong.  It seemed so abrupt.  

I've read some harsh opinions of this.  Some of them have more to do with how things play out afterwards then with the event itself.  I can' comment to that end, given that I've not yet finished the first book, but I found this to be a very powerful moment personally.  Sure, you hate to see a fan favorite go, but everything has to go eventually, right?  It's not as if we don't have all the past books and movies within which to relive our favorite Chewie moments.  

I find the rift that has opened between Han and Anakin particularly emotional, being a father myself, I can't imagine what that sort of thing must feel like.   But I think Salvatore takes a pretty good stab at it.

So, I look forward to the rest of this series.  I've heard review that down it for being too dark.  Good.  Just the way I like it!

Poemind.

UML Modeler for More

At the prompting of a co-worker I went looking for a UML modeler that could generate Perl code.  I had been using StarUML, but I thought I would give it a shot.  So, I came across this little number:

http://uml.sourceforge.net/index.php

I haven't used this yet, but I plan to see how it handles PHP.  Let me know if you have any experience with this piece of software.

George Lucas Needs a Padawan....

Yes, I'm a Star Wars geek. It is a fairly recent obsession honestly. And it was prompted as much by the EU (that's Extended Universe, for the Geekly-impaired) novels as the movies themselves. I read "Darth Bane: Path of Destruction" and it hooked me. But what sucks is the fact the Lucas vows that he will make no more live action SW movies. But the Darth Bane novels are screaming to be made. I think they would make great screenplays.

So, I understand that George is getting up there in years and he doesn't want to cheapen the SW legacy by making movies that might not be received well. But my idea is this: George Lucas should take on a padawan! He needs to find a young director who is a huge Star Wars fan and wants to study the Lucas way. Lucas can train this director to take over for him upon his passing. I think this is a great idea and I think that I'm going to put a petition online for it.

Tell me what you think!

Poe Was Right...

or so it would seem. An article in The New Scientists http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026861.500-did-our-cosmos-exist-before-the-big-bang.html?DCMP=NLC-nletter&nsref=mg20026861.500

Would seem to support Poe's theory that the universe continually recycles itself, "At every beat of the heart divine". Poe reached this conclusion in his treatise "Eureka" in 1848. It was way ahead of its time but now it seems as if his view has some high profile adherents.

Poe's Full-text "Eureka" is here:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/POE/eureka.html

The Mind of Poe indeed!

On the Universal agglomeration and dissolution, we can readily conceive that a new and perhaps totally different series of conditions may ensue -- another creation and irradiation, returning into itself -- another action and reaction of the Divine Will. Guiding our imaginations by that omniprevalent law of laws, the law of periodicity, are we not, indeed, more than justified in entertaining a belief -- let us say, rather, in indulging a hope -- that the processes we have here ventured to contemplate will be renewed forever, and forever, and forever; a novel Universe swelling into existence, and then subsiding into nothingness, at every throb of the Heart Divine?

Super Ants to Take Over Europe

Here is an interesting article about a species of ant, L. neglecticus,  I think it is called, that is threatening to invade Europe.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20081203/sc_livescience/superanttakingovereurope

Sometimes...

life is good. It is good to you. Those close to you .... care. Those far from you.... well.... do they matter? Maybe....

Is Obama the AntiChrist? That's a question that should get me a Google look or two....

I say.... .Who gives a shit!

I know that sounds harsh.... but I've been looking for something of the sort for many a year, and at this point, I think maybe an antichrist is just what this fucking world needs.

Now, ..... I don't see 'Antichrist' as many/most of you probably understand the term.

More later.... perhaps when I'm sober......

maybe......

Life, a crazy parade....

Life is crazy. It gets way to busy sometimes to really enjoy the passage of time. You see those roses on the side of the road but you must get to work. You see the chocolate laid out there on teh table but your break is over. You want one more hug or kiss from your child but it's time for school. Time marches on. You sit and watch as it flies by.

I'm taking an online class towards getting a master's degree in software engineering, but it is kicking my ass. I'm not sure anymore about anything. What am I doing? What am I supposed to be doing? I'm just not sure anymore.