-
![[FSF Associate Member]](http://server.ericsbinaryworld.com/images/fsf.png)
djotaku's twitter feed
-
- http://www.gnu.org/fry/
- Clinton Supporters: Are you really such sore losers that you're prepared to screw us all over for four years just because you lost?
- More Christian Tech Goodness: http://tinyurl.com/6c8587
- When I was a kid, I played some corny Biblical video games. Now this comes out: http://tinyurl.com/5mxczl Will it sell?
- From now on all LPGA players must pass an oral english test. Who cares if you speak english if you can swing a stick at a small white ball?
- I thought my blog looked a little weird and then I remembered that I had ad blocker turned on and my google ad was therefore missing.
- Foobar2000 the strangely named audio player with the neat features
- I'm annoyed that my Civ 4 BTS hasn't been auto-updating. Just had to download over 300 MB of patches just to play Fall from Heaven 2.
- @ASPwizer: Nothing wrong with you, Honda Elements are the cars that winners drive. q;o)
- Also, sharing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericsbinaryworld/sets/72157606917571613/
-
Dec
6
sudo make me a sandwhich
Category: Geek Love, Holidays, family, xkcd | 
Leave a Comment
I think that the single largest source of mirth at the Thanksgiving dinner was Dan’s xkcd tshirt. Dan and I were the only ones who knew what this meant. Dave was the only other person capable of grasping it. Everyone else kept asking Dan to explain the shirt over and over. No matter how many ways he tried to do it, the response was always “I don’t get it”. Later on the response was a sarcastic “OK”. Later on in the evening/night everyone was sudo ordering people to do things even though they had no idea what that meant. The person who was ordered to do something would invariably answer “OK!” IT was hilarious and maddening at the same time.
Blogged with Flock
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Aug
14
Influence
Category: family | Leave a Comment
When my brothers and I were young, influence pretty much flowed in one direction - from me to my brothers. Whatever music, movies, or video games I was into they also wanted to experience. It’s not that they didn’t also have their own likes and dislikes. They did like some stuff I didn’t and disliked some of my choices. Overall, however, I probably played a larger role in influencing my brothers than even my parents.
For example, I am pretty sure that my brothers would have never gotten into Anime had I not introduced them to it while I was in Middle School. I also introduced them to Christian Rock and Rap music. Had I not found Monty Python & The Search for The Holy Grail funny, they might not have been introduced to British Comedy until much later.
As we’ve gotten older, our preferences have started to diverge. Dan told me he no longer likes Monty Python. I’ve taken photos since I was about six but really got into photography when I was in college so they usually don’t do more than simple snapshots. Both my brothers despise rap.
But another thing also started happening, now the influence goes both ways. For example, I’ve always listened to Alternative rock here and there, but my brothers have influenced me to give it more of a listen. Now rock and pop rock ar eon the tops of my playlists. What started with me listening to Gold Finger and Lucky Boys Confusion over Christmas Break because it’s all that was on the computer, has resulted in my current favorite artists being Anberlin, Thousand Foot Krutch, Lostprophets, and Fallout Boy. I’ve also gone back to music I had previously dismissed.
And I continue to influence them, for example, Dave’s fondness for creating videos.
So, basically, as we grow older we become even more individualistic while at the same time continuing a bond of influence which makes us unique as a set of brothers.
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Aug
12
This weekend was pretty great. I got to spend a lot of time with my wife. They were supposed to call her in on Saturday, but it got canceled, so that made our time together more enjoyable.
Dan came over and we watched him play Guitar Hero 2 on the PS2. I gave it a shot, but it was actually a little painful on my phret (fret?) fingers. The overall game is a pretty good concept and the music was pretty good. But, because it was music being played, it felt a bit repetitive. I’ll probably have to give it another shot to be fair.
courtesy of Randall Monroe over at xkcd
Tried watching “Little Miss Sunshine” on OnDemand. But the POS kept going on the fritz. We decided “to hell with it” and went back to bumping Netflix to an infinite number of discs per month. Today it kept messing up while Danielle was trying to watch some sort of scary movie.
When we weren’t hanging out with Dan and each other, I was busy working on “Sugar”. I started modeling a character named Nick. So if you thought “Sugar” was going to be about animated inanimate objects, you were wrong. Now you’ll really be guessing what I’m going to do. Started modeling on Friday and finished nearly all of the materials/texturing today. It’s my first attempt at a semi-realistic looking human. (As opposed to Raul Domingo, which is just a humanoid)
When I textured the eyes I was creeped out at how realistic it looked. I mean, not photorealistic, but it was like he was looking at me. See for yourselves!
I also started to give him hair, but due to something I don’t quite understand enough yet, his hair came out blue. It’ll be fixed soon.
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Feb
14
Happy Valentine’s Day
Category: Holidays, Photography, family | 1 Comment
I love you darling. It’s been great so far and I look forward to even more V’s Days with you.
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Jan
15
The Aida Interview Final Video
Category: family, videos | Leave a Comment
Here it finally is:
Aida’s Life: The Interview on Vimeo
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Jan
14
The Aida Interview
Category: family, videos | Leave a Comment
That tape I was waiting to rewind was an interview I did with my grandmother. She was only 3-4 months from dying. It’s freakin’ surreal! I knew I had this tape, but I couldn’t find it for the past 3 years! I had wanted to do this for years - video tape an interview with my grandmother about her life - for genealogical purposes. A lot of questions I’ve recently asked my mother, my grandmother answers in this tape. I just didn’t bother writing it down since I was video taping it. I couldn’t believe it when she died because I wanted to do this so badly and I wanted to get more interviews. She used to tell me story upon story when I was a child. It was my favorite thing to do at her house. I will post it to vimeo with some translations and an introduction. Probably tomorrow if I’m feeling especially ambitious.
—-
edit
it was 1 year and 3-4 months from her death - but still came out of the blue for me!
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Jan
14
Impatience
Category: family, videos | Leave a Comment
I’m waiting for a video to rewind which is the last time my grandmother Aida was on tape. This is the longest rewind EVER!
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Dec
16
Mythbusters Japan
Category: Computers, Technology, family | Leave a Comment
This is from my brother, Dan, who went to Japan last summer.
Hey all,
I went walking with no apparent destination and, about 6-10 miles
there and back later I found myself home and with impressions of
Japan that I figured I’d share. Pretty much, I’m gonna take myths
about Japan and debunk or support them. Here we go…
Myth: Everyone in Japan knows English.
False! Everyone in Japan knows English about as much as everyone in
the States knows Spanish or French or Italian…they might be able
to understand what you’re saying, but most can’t speak it to any
degree of proficiency (at least in Okinawa). Luckily, with
Okinawa’s large American base presence, road signs are in English
and most restaurant menus in Japan have pictures on them, have
English, or both English and pictures. Don’t expect the locals to
understand too much of what you have to say though, especially if
it isn’t rudimentary.
Myth: The Japanese all wear kimonos and stuff.
Obviously false. They wear the exact same stuff as us.
Myth: Vending machines are everywhere in Japan and they sell all
sorts of weird, kooky things.
Mostly true. I have been in the middle of nowhere in Japan and
there will be a soda machine right on the side of the road. It’s
also common and not rude at all to just pull over on the road and
get a soda if you’re thirsty. They have soda, coffee, tea, even
beer in machines. That’s pretty much all I’ve seen vended, other
than cigarettes and capsule toy machines (like the machines in the
grocery store that give toys for 50 cents, only these cost ~$1-$2
and are much higher quality).
Myth: The Japanese eat dogs and cats and stuff.
False. They eat pretty much what we eat, with the addition of more
seafood. I have yet to see any dog or cat. Additionally, the meat
and food are all of comparable quality or better. In fact, the
Japanese are afraid of American beef getting them sick, if that
puts it in perspective a little bit more.
Myth: Electronics/Manga/Anime/Video Games/Music are cheaper in
Japan because they’re made here.
Let’s break this down a bit:
Manga: True. The books I normally buy in the states are about $8.
In Japan, depending on the exchange rate, they go for just under
$4, a definite improvement.
Electronics: False. Electronics in Japan are either more expensive
or about the same price as in the States. Don’t ask me why…
Anime: False. Anime is more expensive in Japan with less episodes
per disc and close to no special features. Again, don’t ask me why.
Video Games: Also false. Who knows?
Music: I’m sure some of you have thought: “Man, if only I lived in
Japan, then I could get this CD that I want for way less than the
rip-off $30 that Amazon charges me for the CD!” Guess what: that
price is actually pretty accurate. You pay about $12 for a CD with
3-5 tracks on it here in Japan. For a full CD, expect to pay about
$20. A soundtrack from a tv show or video game: expect to pay, you
guessed it, $30. This was a major disappointment to me…
Myth: Japanese TV is just jam-packed with anime.
False. I have seen less anime on TV than I can usually catch in the
States. Granted, I have few channels and I am in Okinawa instead
of Tokyo…
Myth: Japanese people act just like they do in the cartoons.
Obviously false. However, their live-action shows are over-acted
and exaggerated, much like their anime is.
Myth: Shopping malls only exist in America and Canada.
False. They have shopping malls in Japan, but with the major
shopping mall paradigm slightly modified. Let me illustrate this
change with what I imagine to be the brainstorming session that
came up with this.
Boss: So this mall we’re building, I want to improve it. It seems
that it doesn’t have everything a Japanese person could need in it,
I only want them to have to stop one place to get everything they
could possibly need. What can we do to fix that?
Employee: We could put a supermarket in?
Boss: WHAAAT!!!
Employee: But that would clearly be a stupid idea…
Boss: You’re brilliant! You get a raise! Have them put that in the
blueprints right away!
Employee: Uh, thanks.
Boss: There’s still one problem though…I can’t see all the other
merchandise when I’m in a store because of something…why is that?
Employee: Those would be walls sir.
Boss: Can we do anything about them?
Employee: Haha, like what, knock ‘em down?
Boss: WHAAAT!!!
Employee: I was kidding, of course.
Boss: (crying tears of joy) How lucky am I to have such amazingly
intelligent employees. You get a promotion for that brilliant idea!
Employee: Why thanks! I did go to Todai, you know…
Boss: STOP BEING LAZY AND GET BACK TO WORK BEFORE I DEMOTE YOU!!!
Scary how accurate I must be on that, isn’t it? Malls in Japan have
supermarkets inside and they have minimal walls. What walls they
do have are sometimes even made of glass to keep that open bazaar
feeling going.
Last but not least:
Myth: The Japanese work super-hard at everything they do.
I think this one’s true. Even going to a McDonald’s, you’re
confronted with motivated employees. The hamburgers they put
together look like they do in the pictures and everything. All
other employees seem to work hard too (they also wear the same
funny uniforms that you see in the cartoons and comics).
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Nov
1
The Loveable David
Category: Photography, family | Leave a Comment
Aw, our youngest brother is no longer so little.
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Oct
30
My mother
Category: Photography, family | Leave a Comment
If you want to know what the glue is that binds our family together, it’s my mother. She has worked tirelessly to ensure that we have built up the relationships we need in our family. Always working, it’s pretty rare to see her just slacking off. But then again, that’s what’s made her the amazing mother she is and the great wife to my father she is. When others were giving up, she was just getting started. She’s the strongest, hardest working person I know. The only person who works as hard as her is my father and that’s why they’ve pulled themselves out from being poor when they first got married to now nearly being business owners!
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Oct
20
I miss you….
Category: Me, Photography, family | Leave a Comment
But at least I continue to surprise myself with the amount of pictures I have, not only of my grandmother, but of my grandmother with my brothers and I. I have spent months dispairing that I had not taken enough pictures of her before she left us, but as I’ve gone through my old photos looking for pictures that should be on flickr, I have found so many of them. They bring me so much happiness and sadness at once that they cancel each other out and all I can do is stare at them and thank God that I took them.
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.