Killer Amoeba
Killer Amoeba
Something scarier than Mad Cow. Always the brain wasting ones that seem to catch my attention. O_O
Another Report - Reporter on the video seems a little too happy about the issue?
They say…[More]
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Blabberbox: | Random blog-like posts from pftq. |  |
Playback MPEG2 and AVCHD
Been looking around for a codec to play MPEG2 and AVCHD for a long time now. My computer can play MPEG2, but no thumbnails are visible for the files. AVCHD just comes to a standstill.
I did however, come across a very nice solution.
Review of Sony HDR-SR1…
Scroll down…[More]
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Working with AVCHD Video
Recently obtained a camcorder that records to AVCHD video; those wondering about HD Camcorders really ought not to - the prices are relatively the same as standard-def now, no point settling for that. However, for those who wish to edit their video, AVCHD notoriously poses a problem. Few programs support editing for it; Adobe Premiere (what I use) specifically fails to import it.
Not that I doubt I shall be stuck this way for long though; I will be spending the next few days hunting for a way to edit it. I’ve already found some work-arounds, but they do not provide true editing and/or are flawed.
For example:
Editing AVCHD in Premiere without intermediate codec - This is as close to native editing as I’ve found so far (native, meaning no conversions before or after editing). However, the method here loads the files in RAM. What’s the problem with this? Remember that this is an HD format; imagine loading several GB of video into RAM. Many people may not…[More]
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Adobe CS3 Install Solution
For those who did a bit of searching on their own part and know that an older version of Flash is messing up the Adobe CS3 install…
Even after deleting all instances of Flash on both the harddrive and registry, I was not able to install Adobe so hopefully this solution helps a few people. Please make sure you have done a bit of research yourself first; I recommend reading Components Install Failed at the very least to have some idea of what you need to do.
First off: Do NOT reinstall Adobe CS3 over and over again. Go to the Content CD >… Goodies > Adobe Flash > Flash Player Install
Since the…[More]
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Selling Camcorder
I originally bought a Sony SR300 camcorder back in May for use in a school club. Turns out, as we obtained another camcorder just last month, we no longer need this one. It is virtually brand-new condition, only used for a few months, and for those who know me, you can be certain I took excellent care of it.
Those who just happen to need a very nice camcorder (it’s Sony’s top standard def camcorder) or want take advantage of a good deal (selling it near half the price of retail) may want to check it out on eBay here.
You can see the official specs at Sony here. Its original price is $999 and it was only released earlier this year….[More]
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Hiding Wordpress Dashboard Completely
Read on a few sites that people were trying to figure out how to hide the dashboard on Wordpress to non-admin users. Some said they could hide the link on the panel, but not redirect it. Others said vice versa.
Anyways, I tried it on my own site right here - if you have an account, you can go to your profile and see if you can find the Dashboard (which I hope you shouldn’t :-/ ).
Here’s how to do it:
1) Download…[More]
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Six Flags Discovery Kingdom?
The names get weirder every time. I still remember when I first went there and my dad (misinterpreting the name) called it just Marine World. I later learned it was Marine World Africa USA, which made no sense to me at all. It’s like naming something Lava World Antarctica Greenland. How could you have a marine, oceanic world and a continent, a land mass called Africa, in a country, USA, at the same time? Every part of the name is a different location… I guess it makes the name unique though.
They later named it to Six Flags Marine World - which was fine. The name didn’t sound as awkward to say; most people I knew just called it, and still only call it, Marine World. Now they rename it to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Why? Apparently, it’s supposed to reflect the animal sections and thrill rides of the park as well. The park did not change much at all, however. Looking through the map, it looks very different from the park I remember…[More]
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Programming Resources
Learning Java in 24 hours, etc
Resources for learning non-web languages like Java or C will be noted here. The first non-web language I picked up was Java. I normally list resources as I find them and in the order I use them. Check out the Web Design resources for my actual pathway starting any programming/language at all through HTML, PHP, MySQL, and other web-related languages.If you come across other great resources, feel free to send them to me.
Java
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Site on Standstill
Well I’m back from my summer school program. Unfortunately, I can’t say I learned enough Java to actually do anything with it; quite the opposite - I learned nothing at all. You can take a look at some of the links in Java Resources such as Sams Teach Yourself Java in 24 Hours - stop at about half way through - and that’s as far we ever got. Not even anything on a graphical user interface (meaning the program is only text).
In any case, due to a number of projects I’m involved with, I may or may not update the site at all within the following month or so. I’ve also more or less given up on the gaming section a bit. Too much effort put into it without anything given back. This means WiB is probably discontinued and Age of Mythology/Empires III will not be seeing me again. The ”Age of” games in particular seem to have a community which is constant “rebirth” in that previous findings in the game are forgotten and refounded…[More]
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Preventing Myopia
Can glasses worsen nearsightedness and Myopia?
Quote
** Update 2019: I have pretty much confirmed, at least for myself, that getting stronger glasses each year was the cause of my myopia. I stopped going to eye exams and getting stronger glasses since 7th grade, which is over 15 years ago now. I also made deliberate effort to never wear my glasses except when needed to read far. During that time, I only went back once at the end of college to replace broken glasses, and that prescription ended up being pretty much the same as eight years prior. Another seven years later, today, after going back to replace broken glasses, my prescription still ended up being close to what it was over a decade ago.
My eyes went from 0 to -5.00 diopters from 4th to 7th grade in a matter of 3 years, during which doctors gave me stronger glasses every year. Eight years later after avoiding eye doctors for so long, my replacement glasses ended up still only -5.25 diopters. Now, my newest prescription 7 years after that is -6.00 diopters, of which I currently have to practically argue with the eye doctor not to prescribe the full amount and restart the worsening cycle. It's a bit too much a coincidence to think it had nothing to do with when I stopped upping the prescription every year.
...[More]My eyes went from 0 to -5.00 diopters from 4th to 7th grade in a matter of 3 years, during which doctors gave me stronger glasses every year. Eight years later after avoiding eye doctors for so long, my replacement glasses ended up still only -5.25 diopters. Now, my newest prescription 7 years after that is -6.00 diopters, of which I currently have to practically argue with the eye doctor not to prescribe the full amount and restart the worsening cycle. It's a bit too much a coincidence to think it had nothing to do with when I stopped upping the prescription every year.
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Summer School
I will be gone for the next month or so at a summer school program. Basically it lets you live and take a class or two at a college for the summer (dorms and everything). There’s supposedly not air conditioning there, so wish me best of luck lol. I might poke my head in once in a while if they have internet, but I don’t know for sure. I’ll be back around July 22 or so.
Classes I’ll be taking? Just one - that’s Java as I mentioned before. Each class is extremely expensive. That just means more free time for me though. 
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Learning Java
Will be taking Java at a college this summer. Thought it was Javascript at first, but ah well. The two are close enough I think.
I’m trying to look at a few tutorials and know a bit of it before I start the course though. Currently, I’m just using the the main Java Tutorials off the official site, but if anyone knows some other good tutorials, do let me know. Thanks!
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Click Race
The object of the game is to click the Click Me! links to go to the next page. If you aren't quick enough, you get sent back to the previous page. Each page gives you less and less time to click the link. There are 10 pages; the page number is displayed in the page name.
Very basic and html pages. Just something I made way back in 2006... when I didn't know any web design... and when I didn't know any better.
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MTV Movie Spoof Contest
Several of my friends have created two videos for MTV’s Movie Spoof competition. I helped them edit the video here and there. This was 4 weeks worth of work, none stop - including mis-schedulings, certain unreliable people, and the fact it takes hours for just a minute of video to save! :O
The videos have been submitted to mtvmovieawards.yahoo.com, so they should be up soon. Look for these two by jfk_mmc:
Grudged Love
Sawagalaga…[More]
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One Equals 0.99999...
Confusing math…
I came across this a few times. They say once you go into Calculus, it’s understandable, but me having not gone that far, find this pretty strange…
x = 0.99999…
10x = 9.99999…
10x-x = 9.99999……[More]
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