Jaypoc

The Night I Met Santa Claus

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:14:06 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

I was standing on the platform looking at the train. It was packed. Had I stepped on, I would surely have stood the entire way to Jamaica station, which wouldn’t be so bad, but then at Jamaica I would have to find the next train to continue on. I was hungry and there was a direct train coming in just under 30 minutes. I had been out Zombie-Christmas caroling all night with Vince and some new friends from ZombieNYC.com, so I decided to head back up into Penn Station and get a late dinner. For some reason, I always find myself at Kentucky Fried Chicken when I get food at Penn. This night was no different.

After eating, I set out to catch the 1:06 train. Standing in the waiting area was a hefty man carrying a large bag, wearing a red coat, red pants, and even red sneakers. He had a distinguished white beard and was wearing a festive Christmas hat not unlike my own. Okay, Mine had elf-ears and bells, but it was still your typical red/white Christmas hat. As a zombie-caroler, we were handing out candy canes to people, and I made sure to take a handful with me when I left the zombie crew at Bar None. so I approached him, addressing him as Santa and offered him a candy cane and some friendly chatter. He was in the city visiting some friends, though in my mind, he worked at Macy’s or some mall. He was very friendly and really played the part of Santa, so I smiled, wished him a Merry Christmas, and we shook hands as he handed me his business card. Simply a portrait of Santa Claus on one side, and a very well done cartoon of Santa’s workshop on the back. Above the portrait were the words, “I met Santa!”. I laughed and walked away thinking how funny it was that I had just met Santa in the middle of Penn Station. This is where the fun of the evening ended.

I watched eagerly as the clock approached 1:06, however the track number for my train never showed on the large display in the station. It wasn’t until about 20 minutes past the time my train was supposed to arrive that people started to notice the smaller screens reading that due to switch difficulties, there were no trains running between Penn and Woodside. This meant no trains in and out of Penn Station. Announcements were made advising that the subway would honor Long Island Rail Road tickets to Woodside, but there was no mention of trains from Woodside to anywhere else. I waited on line to speak with an MTA agent. At 1AM on a Friday, you can imagine that there are a lot of people, mostly drunk and/or tired standing around Penn. By this time, the departure times for multiple trains had passed, so there were an exorbitant number of people stranded in the station’s waiting areas. To make matters worse, there was one MTA agent working in the office. By the time I got to her, she seemed pretty irritated and gave me an attitude because I didn’t understand her initial answer. Rather than simply stating that there was no way to get to Hicksville via LIRR/MTA, she explained the entire region claiming that all the main lines were out but some of the interconnecting lines were operating. This meant absolutely nothing to me, as I don’t ride the train that often. I don’t know what trains interconnect to what stations. She eventually clarified and basically told me I was S.O.L until the track issues are resolved.

My cell phone was dead, so I ran into Duane Reed and picked up an emergency cell phone charger. As I walked back into the waiting area, I saw that they had announced my train was on track 20. Excited that they actually fixed the train, I bolted across the waiting room to the staircase that descends on the train platform. I took a seat on the train next to a man who with his jacket seemed to take up 2 and a half seats. Perhaps it was his way of trying to discourage others from sitting there, but I refused to stand any longer. My feet were killing me. No sooner had we begun moving, when the train came to an abrupt halt. We were stuck again, and this lasted a while. I tried to sleep, dozing in and out a few times. According to the authorities, the train had somehow managed to jump tracks with some cars on one rail and others on another. It took about an hour, though it seemed like an eternity for them to get the train going again.

I managed to sleep for a better portion of the ride. I woke up amazingly as the train opened its doors at Hicksville Station. I jumped to my feet, grabbed my jacket and bag and ran before the train left and I was stranded again. I had made it. I looked at the clock and it was 4:15am. The 1:06 train got me home 3 hours late! I hate to look back and think that I could have gotten on that first train and made it home hours earlier. But then I wouldn’t have met Santa Claus.

Dumb things we do

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:58:12 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

So I woke up at my normal time this morning. About 8:00 AM. I got ready, grabbed my camera and headed out. I work for a Radio Station on the weekends so today was going to be an easy day. The weather was miserable and we were promoting a pet store. The rain prevents some of the larget set-ups and I love animals, so pet store events are always a blast.

I pull up to work and walked in to see Jaime. I hadn’t seen her in a long time, so it was great to see her, though she’s usually only there during the week when the offices are open (She’s the receptionist.). It felt good, but something was wrong. I realized the lights were on. The lights are rarely on when I am there on the weekends. The morning DJ walked by saying hi to me. I asked Jaime what today was.

She said “Friday”.

Oops!

Don’t worry. It ends well. I made it to my regular job on time (Thank god!). I wasn’t completely in “work attire” but since I had my station-branded collared shirt on, I was able to get away with it. I can’t believe I did this though!

Windows 7: Pin Folders to the Start Menu

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:18:22 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

I’ve started playing with the Release Candidate of Windows 7 in anticipation of recieving my copy in October, so I thought I’d document the tips and customization tricks I’ve researched/come across.

It’s a relatively simple registry hack to enable Windows 7 to pin Folders (and Libraries) to the start menu:

1. Open the Registry Editor (regedit) *NOTE* Don’t screw up your registry! Mistakes can make your PC inoperable!

2. Navigate to: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Folder \ ShellEx \ ContextMenuHandlers

3. Right-click on ContextMenuHandlers and select NEW and then KEY

4. name the key, {a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8}

That’s it! Now to pin a Folder to the start menu, hold down the SHIFT key while you right-click on the folder and you’ll see the option to Pin to Start Menu available. Note that this will not work for some special or system folders.

Facebook Discriminates Against Web-saavy Users

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:38:22 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

Since it’s inception, I have had an account on Facebook. Over the years, it has grown to be one of the best social networking sites available. It’s users range from teens to adults, but a recent move by Facebook is going to upset a small portion of it’s users, the technically advanced users.

My email address is admin[at]jaypoc[dot]com, and has been for close to (if not more than) ten years. I have maintained this address as my personal email address and is the address that friends and colleagues know to contact me and/or search for me on social networking sites. A few weeks ago, I signed on to Facebook and saw a message stating “Our systems have detected that admin@jaypoc.com is no longer a valid email. Facebook requires all users to maintain an active contact email.“.

It asked me to enter a new email address or re-confirm the same one, but would not allow me to reconfirm my valid email. I searched their help for a reason this was happening. It took a while to find it, but I located this absurd statement:

“Unfortunately we do not support email addresses with generic prefixes (e.g. info@, webmaster@ etc.). Since email addresses of this nature are typically used for organizations and businesses, we do not allow them to be used for personal Facebook accounts. You will need to use a personal email address that does not contain this type of prefix. There are no exceptions to this rule.”

Sure, Email addresses of that nature COULD be used for organizations and businesses, but only if the domain name is owned by an organization or business. I own a PERSONAL WEB-SITE and have a PERSONAL domain name, so it’s only fitting that admin@MyDomainName.com is me. Facebook ignorantly refuses to accept that an individual could have their own domain name or web-site. Unfortunately, Creating a “valid” name according to Facebook’s statement would require me to reconfigure my mail server with additional aliases or email addresses. While a trivial task, none of my colleagues, friends, or family will know this new “facebook-compliant” address. How would they search for me? The simple answer is that they would not be able to. The basic functionality of Facebook, bringing people together, would be lost because of their closed-minded opinion that a domain name can not belong to an individual.

The fact remains that my email address is what it is. I will not change it for Facebook. If they want to kick me off of their system, then that’s what will happen. I will become a victim of discrimination not because of my religion or skin color, but because email address (while valid) doesn’t conform to their standards.

Keep your scion the road.

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:20:48 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

It’s funny how things happen sometimes. This weekend, I took a trip with my Mother and Brother to the Acura dealership in Greenlawn. A few weeks ago I totaled my CompG Grand Prix after I fell asleep at the wheel, so I have been in the market for a new car. I wanted to take a look at the Acura TSX and they had a pretty nice one in stock, but upon arriving we found that they were closed on Sundays. Since Greenlawn is a bit out of the way for us, we pulled into the next dealership to see what they had.

Yesterday, we picked up my new 2005 Scion tC. It’s silver with Carbon Fiber accents and interior. It’s not the huge supercharged monster I was used to driving, but it has a peppy 4 cylinder engine with a manual transmission. I should add, My first manual transmission.

It’s been a real adventure learning to drive it. Don’t get me wrong. I have three people to thank for my ability and confidence: My father, who taught me initially; Dave, who let me try out his souped up Mustang; and Casey, for letting me watch her car for her when she was ill, and even allowed me to drive it around locally. If it weren’t for these three people, I would not have even considered this car. Ironically, I’m told that the tC has the same engine as Casey’s, which I had driven the most recent (with in the past 6 to 12 months).

As most people starting out, I have the most trouble getting into first. Normally, I’m alright, but if I’m even the slightest bit rushed (at a light with people behind me) I tend to either release the clutch too soon, or give it too much gas. It’s a lot of fun trying though. and aside from pissing off a few people at stop signs, I enjoy driving it!

Sprint PCS, Ugh

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:48:31 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

If you haven’t read my previous post, Sprint PCS, For better or for worse!, you may want to review it again. I just received my fourth replacement phone. I was less than amused (though not shocked) to find the keypad defective on this one as well. This time some of the keys were hyper-sensitive and would double or tripple up when pressed. Others wouldn’t work at all unless I used additional pressure. I was given a new option this time which I’m skeptical about, but if the deal is honored, will be acceptable. Sprint offered to reimburse me the amount of the deductible.

Sprint PCS, For better or for worse!

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:23:23 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

I like Sprint, or at least I used to. They have a lot going for them. They have one of the best high-speed data networks in the area (I’m in New York, about 40 minutes outside the city) and they have decent pricing. Maybe I’m lucky because I’ve been placed into a great offer. I pay less than most of my friends for phone service and have a business data plan on a Windows Mobile phone. I often wonder if this is enough reason to stay with Sprint. Sprint has managed to fall short of basic expectations more and more lately. Here’s my recent story.

I went into the Sprint store to check out the Palm Pre and ask about the upcoming Android phones (While just rumors now, I do believe they’ll have one with in 2 months). While I was there I found out I was eligible for a replacement phone at the “new contract” price point. I was also told there would be no cost to have my phone replaced as it had a faulty directional-pad on it (not bad if thats all thats wrong after 2 years of use!). It wasn’t a big deal, but who was I to turn down a clean new phone. Especially since I wasn’t ready to drop $100-$200 or so on a new phone at this point.

A week later, the new phone arrived. I opened Pocket Internet Explorer and typed “wwwgooglecom”. After trying again, I realized the period (.) key was sticking and I had to press the key really hard to get it to register. I called sprint and they sent me another refurbished phone.

That phone arrived after a few days, and I was delighted. I activated it and went through the letters. Every one worked! NICE! Now I tried the numbers (you have to press a “Function” button to get the numbers and symbols to work). The Function button had the same issue as the period key on the previous mogul. Annoyed, I decided to bring the phone in to the Sprint Repair Center. This sunday, June 28, 2009, They looked at it and said the keys didn’t line up with the contacts right, but didn’t have a replacement or parts, so they ordered me another phone.

Another Mogul was delivered and I tested the keys.. They ALL worked! The keyboard, Directional Pad, and even the shortcut and side-keys all worked properly. I was so happy the whole ordeal was over, and then I made a call. The speaker crackled and clicked whenever there was any audio playing through it. This time I had one with a blown speaker. I couldn’t believe it. Third time is usually the charm! Not in this case.

I called up and here’s where Customer Service disappointed me. They did get me up to priority service since this was the third replacement. I’d heard that they usually offer the equivalent phone and was shocked to be offered the HTC Touch Diamond. The phone runs Windows Mobile, but it nowhere near the same phone. It does not have a slide-out keyboard, and does not take memory cards as the HTC Mogul (my phone) and HTC Touch Pro (the new equivalent) do. In addition, I would have pay the Shipping and Tax on the new phone which was over $100. I convinced them to upgrade to the Touch Pro, but they would not back off from the $100 fee. When I said I was not paying for an upgrade they told me I would have to file an insurance claim with the warranty service.

The warranty service advised me that there was a $100 deductable that I would be responsible for, and to top it off, there was a chance I would get a refurbished Mogul. I was not about to pay to have another refurbished phone sent to me, so I called Sprint back one last time.

I called Sprint back and the agent got me a supervisor who guaranteed me that I would get a working phone, so I said, bring it on! A few times she kept telling me that she was going to send me a brand new phone, but when I asked what model at the end of the order, she advised me they were sending another refurbished Mogul. I asked that the unit be inspected and tested prior to sending it out so we could avoid repeating this ordeal in another 3 days. She noted the account (which probably means it’s documented that I asked, but nothing will be done about it.)

I wish I could say that I’m happy with this, but i’m not. I have lost all trust and respect for Sprint’s repair department and can’t say that I have any faith that this next phone will work. I’d be happy with a New Mogul or a Touch Pro (the equivalent). Maybe I’ll change my mind… IF the next phone works.

If not, I need to seriously investigate other cell companies and phones, and I encourage others to do so as well.

I reciebe

Michael Jackson RIP (and now some tasteless humor)

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:36:46 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

So yesterday as work ended, I had the opportunity to watch the events of Michael Jackson’s unfortunate death unfold. As somebody mentioned his name, I opened up Twitter Search to find that everyone was reporting Michael Jackson as dead. The strange part is there were few or no references. Finally I get a link to TMZ.com. They reported he had passed away, but hitting up other news sites reported only that he was taken to the hospital. After checking numerous news sites, I settled on CNN and started watching their live feed.

Around 6:28 PM they announced that they received confirmation that Michael had passed away, but it’s amazing how sites like TMZ can start up such a stir. A handful of other news organizations, including our own local Newsday.com reported the death prior to receiving any confirmation. They cited TMZ as their source long before any confirmation had been received.

Michael Jackson was an incredible performer and artist, but definitely had a quirky sense of being. It seems that we’ll never know for sure if all or any of the allegations against him are true or not, but they’ve certainly lead to tons of celebrity gossip humor. While some of it may be tasteless, I’ve continued to get bombarded with text messages containing Michael Jackson jokes, so rather then sending them all on, I will post them here for those who care to read them to do so.

If you are offended by Michael Jackson jokes, please leave this page now.

LA County hospital are unsure what to do with Michael Jackson’s remains since plastic recycling isn’t until next Tuesday.
Rumor has it Michael Jackson wants to be buried at sea and strapped to a couple of buoys…
Michael jackson hasn’t been this stiff since Macaulay Culkin slept over
When Farrah Fawcett got to heaven, God granted her one wish. She wished for all the children of the world to be safe. So god killed Michael Jackson.
In remembrance of the King of Pop, McDonalds is coming out with the McJackson Burger. 50 year old meat between 12 year old buns.
Due to the fact that Michael Jackson was 99% plastic, instead of being cremated, he is going to be melted into toys so little boys can now play with him.
Michael Jackson died of food poisoning. They found 9 year old sausage and 11 year old nuts in his stomach.

Thanks to the few of you who sent me the above (or variations of the above) jokes.

Palm, Time to “Pre”-release the SDK!

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:16:48 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

This is my cry to ask if anybody has (and can send me) a copy of the Palm Mojo SDK for the Palm Pre. From what I can gather in the forums, there have been some people added to the early SDK program already, but palm has not opened their developer program to the public yet. I’m surprised that the development kit hasn’t popped up on BitTorrent or in the newsgroups.

You have to wonder what the holdup is. Palm has, what could be the next big phone, and the only thing preventing me from showing more interest in it is that there’s applications that I use that are only available for Windows Mobile at this time. If I had the ability to write my own applications (Supposedly very easy as Pre development is based on HTML5/JavaScript) I could easily see myself switching to their platform.

I have considered switching to Android, but have been unimpressed with T-Mobile’s connectivity options. I’m rarely in an area with WiFi and their broadband is mediocre when compared to Spring and Verizon’s. I’m with Sprint now, so the Pre was just what I ordered. An incredibly well designed handset based on open source software and technologies.

It would make more sense if Palm initiated a controlled release of the SDK prior to the public launch of the phone. Give their key developers time to create many killer applications for the device and have that all ready at launch time. Now that the phone is available to the public, it would make sense for Palm to open the SDK. There’s already a strong community about developing for the Pre, mostly relying on hacks and backdoors in the Pre. Palm is not taking a stance against the home brew community, but isn’t doing them any favors by holding back. If the SDK is ready for one developer, it’s ready for the community. If it’s not ready, offer it as a Beta to those who want to begin with it.

With competition like the iPhone, and Android based phones coming out, you would thing that Palm would try to step up to the established products as quickly as possible.

Magical Weekend with Jeff McBride

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:57:35 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

One of my passions is Magic. Those of you who know me are aware that I spend a lot of time, money and energy on the art and it’s something I strive to be better at every day. This weekend I had an opportunity to see one of my favorite professional magicians perform just inches away from me, and also had multiple opportunities to to work with and learn from him.

Jeff McBride has a very unique style. His performance is backed by strong storytelling and poetry. He takes you deep into his own world of magic while wowing you with effects that are both visually astounding as well as emotionally astounding. I had the pleasure of sitting second row for a performance at Fantasma Toys, a Magic and Joke shop in Manhattan, just upstairs from Penn Station! Jeff performed his Vegas-style show in a small theater that held around a hundred people. To see that caliber of a show close up was incredible.

He performed many of his classics as well as some new effects. It was a treat seeing his mask routine, coin production, water bowls, illuminated canes, and especially his card and card-fan procuctions. Jeff combines his magical skill with performance skill to bring a show that is unlike any other.

Getting to listen to Jeff lecture to a room full of magicians, students and enthusiasts was enlightening. Learning the psychology behind many of his effects and the detail and work that goes into the performances opened my mind to new possibilities with my magic. If that wasn’t enough, I took an opportunity that I had missed last time Jeff performed locally and signed up for a closed-door workshop. The workshop was held at Fantasma again but consisted of a small group of about a dozen business professionals, working magicians and hobbyists, but all students of magic. Jeff taught about the different phases of magician; The Trickster, Where we all start out learning our first tricks and opening up communications with our audiences; The Sorcerer, where we apply disciplines to bring our magic to the next level; The oracle, where our magic touches inner thoughts and emotions; The Sage, who mentors and teaches using the combined knowledge and experiences through the other three stages. Through each phase he gives invaluable advice, magical history and even a few effects that can be integrated into our reportiore.

Jeff McBride’s magic is astounding and his attitude toward the craft demonstrates that he is truly a real magician.

Improv Everywhere Strikes at Roosevelt Island

Sun, 24 May 2009 03:27:05 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

Here’s my recap as I posted as a comment on the official Improv Everywhere site, edited a bit:

Where to start? First of all, the weather was great and everything was just perfect for an Improv Everywhere Mission!!! Job well done. I was glad to get to meet Charlie and Alex, the writers of “Causing a Scene: Extraordinary Pranks in Ordinary Places with Improv Everywhere“, even if only briefly.

I picked up the book and was fortunate enough to have both authors, Charlie Todd and Alex Scordelis sign the book. Alex had just returned from being the “Big Bad Wolf” in the mission and had barely sat down when he was handed my book to sign. I’m greatfull that he did, and am apologetic towards him for not really giving him a chance to breathe.

I’ll spare the details of the event as the guys from IE do a wonderful job of that with their pictures and videos. Besides, I started explaining the event to a few people who were out on their first time. Their friends told them about it in the morning and said, check out this site, download the MP3 and to meet them on site. I stopped myself realizing, there’s no way to explain the event without sounding insane. Even Charlie Todd, who is the person behind Improv Everywhere agrees in the foreward of his book. I just explained, go with it, and you’ll have fun! And I followed up with them afterwards and they had a blast!

I actually met a lot of first time attendees this year and their reactions are all the same. Everyone had a blast, and the conversations always ended with “We’ll see you next year!” - I hope not only to see them again at more MP3 Experiments, but at other Improv Everywhere missions. Being from Long Island (and working 2 jobs including one that ties up my weekends), it’s difficult for me to run into the city for short-term events, especially during the week, but I am definitely going to continue making an effort to support Improv Everywhere.

This was my fourth MP3 Experiment (and actually my fourth Improv Everywhere mission altogether) and it certainly won’t be my last.

Thank you Charlie, Alex, all the IE agents who worked their butts off to make this happen, and of course, the more than 2000 (Wow! I don’t think anyone saw that coming) of you who came down to participate. See you next year!

Calling All Improv Fans

Thu, 21 May 2009 01:42:39 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

This weekend (Saturday, May 23, 2009 to be exact) is Improv Everywhere’s 6th annual MP3 Experiment. I’m looking for a group to head into the city and take part in the Improv Comedy group’s largest public scene. If you’re interested in going into the city together, let me know and we’ll coordinate a place to meet (either here on the island or in the city).

What’s Happening:

Thousands of people wearing a Red, Green, Blue or Yellow Shirt on top of a white t-shirt will meet on Roosevelt Island and at 4:00 PM sharp will press Play on their MP3 and/or CD players and be lead through 47 minutes of fun, silliness and excitement. If you’ve never been to a past MP3 Experiment, this is your chance to be a part of something really cool, and really unique! Those of you who know me in person know how excited I get when I talk about this event.

Rain or Shine, We’ll be heading into NYC around Noon or so, and will aim to be on Roosevelt Island no later than 3:30PM (for the 4:00 Start!). Contact me or head to Improv Everywhere’s web-site for complete details and the MP3 (Don’t listen to it!!!)

Past MP3 Experiments:

My first MP3 experiment (which was IE’s Third) was the “Search for Steve”. I went alone (as everyone backed out on me at the last minute) and had the time of my life following my team leader, a Snowflake, around Central Park and eventually to a mortal kombat battle of the elements. We found Steve, but Snowflake got his ass handed to him. Oh well.

My second experiment began by the Yacht Harbor in lower Manhattan. After assaulting some poor individual in a Yellow shirt we took our dogs for a walk through the park and finished up with a game of darts and freeze tag! This time I brought a few friends along and despite us all having very different personalities and backgrounds, we all had a great time!

The last Experiment was held on Governor’s island. Again, joined by a bunch of friends, we took the ferry across early and got to sight-see for a few hours before pressing play. We all congregated on the battle field to take part in an Epic Battle! This MP3 experiment actually had corporate sponsorship by Yahoo! and was being held in 5 cities in the US. Even though the weather didn’t pan out in our favor (it rained most of the time and was wet and nasty the rest of it) the event was a total blast!

Everybody Everybody, Testify!

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:10:24 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

Saturday Night was host to Long Island’s premiere shadow cast of the latest Rock Opera Repo: The Genetic Opera presented by Z.E.N. (Zydrate Enthusiasts Network), a local group of enthusiasts.

For those who haven’t experienced Repo, The story takes place after millions die from an epidemic of organ failures. One company, GeneCo steps forward and offers organ transplants to those who can’t afford it. But these transplants come at a price. Can’t keep up with your organ payments? Organ Repossessions have been made legal, so watch out for the Repo Man!

In a style not unlike the midnight showings of Rocky Horror, the Z.E.N. cast performed along with the movie, while members of the audience participated in song and witty commentary. The action begins outside the theater as cast members dressed as characters in the show passed out vials of zydrate (glow-sticks), the anesthetic of choice in the world of Repo. The crowd chants “Everybody Everybody Testify!” and waits to be let into the theater.

In the show, the cast performs on stage, and sings and acts along with the scenes in the movie. Often incorporating or addressing the audience directly. The experience immerses the audience in the center of the action, excitement and outrage. The antics of the live cast add a new element to the movie.

While I’m not into musicals, I have taken on a liking to performance that incorporates great music, and/or visuals. Repo comes across as a graphic novel on the screen and features some incredible music. Some of the lyrics could have used a little more work, but they work with the story line. Having seen the movie, just a few nights earlier for the first time, I somewhat knew what to expect at the shadow cast, but seeing it really made it worth it.

I knew a few of the people in the cast, and I have to say that I think they played their parts the best. Jim played the Grave Robber, my favorite character in Repo and played him well. There was little distinction between watching the on-screen actor and him. Then there were the henchwomen, one of which was played by another friend of mine, Sarah. Again, I don’t think she broke character (or a smile, appropriate for her role) once. I can’t say that they were the only ones who were phenomenal. Everyone seemed to have worked hard and knew their parts and queues well, The only issue I recognized was an issue with a quick costume change, but the actor continued his part despite having both hands tied (literally). Everybody stuck to “the script”. Even those who didn’t added in realism or humor making ths shadow cast a lot of fun.

To quote one of the guys sitting near me at the end of the show, “This was the best twelve dollars I ever spent!”. That pretty much sums up the performance, so keep an eye out for the next Zydrate Enthusiasts Network (Z.E.N.) shadow cast of Repo: The Genetic Opera

CW11 embarassed, loses credibility.

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:16:24 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

It would appear that an April Fools prank has finally gone too far, leaving the initial pranksters victims of abuse of copyright law, and taking away the credibility of a major news network.

On April 1, 2009, Improv Everywhere reported about their latest mission, to give a mourning family the best funeral ever. They reported that in their Improv Everywhere style, they attended a funeral and pretended to act as friends of the deceased. Their stunt shocked many people, including myself, who realized after about 30 minutes that this whole story was nothing more than an April Fools prank. But CW11 News did not see the humor.

The stunt was reported as real by CW11’s anchor, Jim Watkins, as legitimate. Obviously embarassed by the fact that he got it wrong, Jim Watkins noted on his blog that the staff at CW11 knew that the IE report was an april fools joke in itself, but reported it as true as an april fools joke of their own. I don’t buy it for a minute as Improv Everywhere had a recording of the CW11 news report up on YouTube, but it was taken down after the parent company of CW11 filed a copyright claim against the video with YouTube.

To watch the Improv Everywhere prank head over to www.ImprovEverywhere.com and also feel free to watch the CW11 news report below.

Download this video for yourself here. (Right-click on this link and select Save.

It’s time for a change.

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 05:12:34 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

I finally decided to get off my lazy butt and re-do the site. Let’s face it! It was in dire need of a facelift. Check out the new Jaypoc dotCom and let me know what you think of it. and if you’re looking for something from the old site, it’s still available. Just change the www to old in the incorrect URL and you’ll find what you’re looking for.

I still have a lot to do, but for now I’m happy with the layout/organization. I’ll be tweaking it over the next few weeks, so feedback is invaluable!

What makes a good cup o’ joe?

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:07:59 GMT

Originally published at Jaypoc dotCom. You can comment here or there.

What is it about a fresh pot of Coffee that makes it taste so good. Or should I ask, what is it about the pot that someone else made that tastes so bad? Are they using too many grinds (i.e. 2 packs)? not enough grinds (half a pack?). Do I just have the magic touch when it comes to brewing a fresh pot?

I know that the water temperature and brew times are the same because the coffee machine we have doesn’t allow for any adjustments, but the National Coffee Association seems to have the answer.

According to their web site, “Brewed coffee should be consumed immediately after brewing. They note that a pot sitting on the burner for even 15 minutes will begin to develop a burned taste. I like their recommendation about pouring it into an insolated thermos. I’ll have to pick up a good large insulated cup to keep my brew warm.

In the meantime, let me know when you brew a pot and I’ll help you finish it!

Windows XP Free Edition

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:10:35 GMT

After last week's announcement by Steve Ballmer that Windows' biggest competitor is pirated versions of Windows, it's amazing to me that Microsoft isn't changing their ways. In many ways, they're promoting piracy of their software.

As a PC builder, I get enjoyment out of the freedom to put together a PC a la cart. This Motherboard + This CPU + This Memory, and so on. In current times, you'll usually match an equally powered name-brand PC, except you would not get an operating system with your build as you would with the store-bought PC.

Buying Windows will cost you $100 or more (up to $300) which puts you $100 - $300 beyond the cost of an equally-equipped OEM system. Is it worth it? No. What's the solution? Don't pay for Windows! Pirate it!

Windows is freely and readily available on any Peer-to-peer, Bit-torrent or newsgroup network and can be downloaded and installed quicker than going through the process of deciding which version of Windows you want (and can afford). Free alternatives (Linux) are just as easy to obtain, but are not as refined, and not as widely supported. Mac OS is not an option because it's restricted to Apple hardware.

How else does Microsoft promote piracy? I have experienced one way first hand. I have a Zune MP3 player. I want to begin by saying that it's a great device. I recommend it to everybody. But I will give this warning, If you don't have windows, you have a $250 brick.

My home server runs Ubuntu Linux, and as that's where I store all my music, I wanted to set up my Zune to sync with the server itself. I wanted something that could maintain my media any time. Both my desktop and laptop get shut down when they're not in use, but the home server sits in it's rack and doesn't shut down. It's the perfect machine to just plug my Zune into at night and go to sleep while it updates with podcasts and new music.

One problem. There is no way to sync a Zune in Linux. so I have to turn on my laptop any time I want to sync my zune. Unless i want to install Windows on my server. That would cost me at least another $100. More if I wanted to install any type of Windows Server software.

Many people will simply download and install the version of Windows that they need rather than turn on their laptop when they need to sync their MP3 player. Even Apple doesn't restrict the iPod to MAC users only, and Microsoft shouldn't restrict their customers to using Windows only. It just helps perpetuate and encourage piracy.

Microsoft needs to encourage people to use their software legitimately, rather than forcing them to use the software regardless of their ability or desire to pay for it! Lower the price of Windows and stop promoting proprietary hardware and you won't be your biggest competitor. You'll probably be farther ahead of your other competitors as well.

In True 3D

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:07:34 GMT

So for Valentines day, I was invited out by Vince and Gina to see My Bloody Valentine in 3D! I have been to 3D movies before, and was expecting something dumb such as, "when the killer raises his axe, put on your 3D glasses!" and then we'd get some cheesy 30 seconds of 3D video. I was mistaken.

The entire film was shown in 3D. The theater used polarized lenses to separate the images which is far superior to the Red and Blue lenses, and allows for accurate color representation.

Further research on this style of 3d imagery showed that this style of 3D imagery is created by two projectors each one fitted with a polarizing filter set at a 90 degree angle from the opposing filter. In addition, the screen must be made of materials that reduce the reflected light from altering it's polarization. All this would explain why it could be very difficult to have a home theater set up the same way, although, I have a feeling that this is the principal being used by cutting edge "3D Televisions". I'd have to look into that a bit farther though.

A week ago or so, I had announced to friends that i had ordered a pair of Anaglyph 3D glasses. These are the Red/Blue glasses. This was prompted by my receiving the Amber/Cyan Anaglyph glasses at Wal-Greens for the Super-bowl/Chuck 3D TV events on Super-Bowl Sunday. They were kind of cool but because of the amber tint, they weren't good for the numerous Anaglyph You Tube videos I found, so I hopped online and spent $15 (including shipping) for a pair of GOOD 3D glasses.

So today I decided to try to make my own 3D image. I actually took 3 pairs of photos in my living room of various areas/objects. This one is my first (and ironically, came out the best.) If you have a pair of Anaglyph glasses (even the cheap cardboard ones) click on the image and take a look. It's not bad and you can see the depth in the couch and on the animal's body. Not bad for a first try!

My name is...

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:01:26 GMT

When you find yourself up at 2AM, you come up with the sillyest things. Although, I've known about Pocky for about a a year and a half now.. Why is it that I now came up with writing "JAY" on the box? lol - I need sleep.

Happy Belated Ney Year!

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:19:38 GMT

Typically, I would post this on the first, but I seem to have slept through it. I've thoroughly enjoyed 2008 and I'm looking forward to 2009. As I do each year, I set out at the last minute to get a great group of people together. And each year, we continue to have a blast. I am thankful for and love all my old friends, and have already welcomed some new.

After the party, I found my place among the bodies laying asleep in my home. People were still trickling out up to 5AM, at which point I managed to get some sleep. I woke up with everyone hanging out around me, and sat up with them for a few hours in the morning. After they left, I cleaned up a bit and found my way back to my own bed. I guess this was around noon. I woke up in the early evening. Probably about 7PM and cleaned some more. Come 11 PM I decided to get myself back on schedule and set my alarm for 9AM. Surely I'd be able to wake up. And thats just what I did... wake up... at 2PM. Somehow I slept right through the alarm. Perhaps I turned off my alarm in my sleep. Who knows.

I finally got up and finished cleaning. I think I have another load of dishes left, but for the most part, you can't tell there was a party at my place just 2 nights ago. and it's still clean (and those of you who know me well, might even see this as a religious sign!)

It's been a normal day since. Hanging out with my parents and typing this entry on my brother's computer while he's out.

Just 27 days until my birthday! Just one more year to 2010! Exciting times. Happy New Year..

No More Television

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:59:17 GMT

My family has always been very handy. My father and uncle both skilled craftsmen. My father did a lot of home repairs, and my uncle, being an engineer, handled a lot of the electrical work. Perhaps this is where I got my interest in DIY projects.

I remember working with my father and uncle years ago, putting together electronics projects. I was young and didn't know what was going on, but learned at a very early age what electrical components were called, how to read resistors, and even picked up some general theory about electronics. It was back then that I learned to solder electronics, a skill I apparently still have today.

After what must be 10 or so years of not touching a soldering iron, I decided to assemble the TV-B-Gone kit I picked up at The Last Hope conference. I'd say it took me about 30 minutes to an hour to assemble, kinda pathetic considering it's just 19 components. Then again, I had to re-acquaint myself to the equipment, and try to deal with my tremors, which were actually no problem at all. My hand was rather steady.

I took my time, and the TV-B-Gone is assembled and works. I was able to shut off my TV (Funny thing is, it turns it off, then on, then off again. I guess my TV uses the same code for on and off. Makes sense since there's only 1 power button on the remote). The next trial will have to be somewhere where there's a lot of TVs. Maybe Wal-Mart/Best Buy/etc...Maybe a bar. Who knows. I'm still impressed that it works!

I'll have to look for some other electronics projects to pick up so I can get used to this sort of thing. Then, maybe next time my stereo breaks, instead of spending $600 on a new one, I'll try to fix it myself.

Flight Plans

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 23:13:56 GMT

So I open my eyes this morning and it's 4:30 PM. I slept the entire day! Granted I needed the rest, but I may have just screwed up my sleep schedule. I need to be at work normal time tomorrow, so I have no clue what time I should call it quits tonight. Maybe I can force myself asleep by 2AM or so.

I've had a lot of free time the past few days so I've broken open some of my old projects. While in Pennsylvania, I picked up the screws I needed to fix my eFlite Blade CX Helicopter. I could have gone locally, but I found myself at a toy store that sold them, so I asked for the parts while I was there. I put the Heli back together and started it up. In the past, I have not been able to control the chopper. I could make it ascend, but upon trying to move it, I would typically hit a wall, the couch, etc...

Somehow, I was more relaxed, and almost in control as the heli lifted off. It started to move but I adjusted it and even had it hovering on it's own for the first time! It was a momentous occasion as it drifted above the Hanukkah candles, extinguishing them, then smashing into the wall right next to them. Oh well.

I had to run out to the hobby shop to repair it this time, but have now replaced all the plastic parts with their aluminum equivalents. I paid very close attention to what it was doing and was able to stabilize the controls so that the hellicopter can actually be controlled fairly easily. I have had several successful flights (and landings!) since and am finally getting some decent air time.

I still have a bit of trouble maneuvering and getting used to controlling the chopper in a full 360 degrees, but the last time I flew it, I could barely go up and down properly, so a few more baby steps and I'll be running with the big kids.

Who knows, Maybe I'll get my next Helli in a year or so.

PennsylvaniaTrip

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:27:09 GMT

Aside from finishing my reading, This weekend was a lot of fun, but very Tiring! It was my god-daughter's fourth birthday, so I had to drive out to Pennsylvania to visit Keaira and my best friend Dave and his wife Kerry. The initial drive was not bad at all. Granted I needed a red bull to keep me alert as I had woken up early to run some last minute errands (Wrap Gifts, pick up EZ-Pass from parents, etc..).

Despite leaving about 30 minutes later than I planned, I got to the party right on time. It was a great time. Keaira seemed like the happiest child in the world the whole time with a bright smile across her face from the moment I arrived, to even when she was waving to me good bye.

I left the party and headed out to meet Casey, 5 hours away. Farther into Pennsylvania. That was a rough drive. I have no trouble driving, even long distances. I had my Zune loaded up with multiple episodes of the podcasts I mentioned exactly one month ago. I needed to catch up anyways, and I had hours of education and entertainment at my disposal. The weather sucked. As I left the party, it had started snowing and was doing so on and off throughout the trip.

Three cans of Red-Bull and 4 hours, 45 minutes later, I let my attention slip as I swerved slightly out of my lane. I promptly corrected myself as the rotating red lights of a police car lit up behind me. Asking if I was in a hurry, I advised that I was not, was just tired, though I didn't believe I was going that fast. The officer asked where I was headed and I stumbled as I tried to explain that I was headed to a friends house, but frankly had no idea where I was going. I pointed to my GPS and the fact that wherever I was going, was about 12 minutes away. He looked at the GPS and the pile of Red Bull cans and seemed to have a smirk on his face, almost laughing at me, as he told me to slow down and try to keep my vehicle on the road. I thanked him and continued on.

I got to the house and met Casey's housemates. They all seemed cool, and hope that I made somewhat of a good impression, though I was mad tired. We started to decorate their Christmas tree, but after hanging only 1 decoration, Casey decided it better to put me to bed than leave me to doze off on their couch.

The next day, we left while everyone else was sleeping. It was a 7 hour drive from there back home, so I didn't want to leave any later than 5PM. Breakfast was at Kings, a friendly's/denny's/IHOP type chain with a frowning brownie as their mascot. I really think that they should fire everyone in the marketing department for this one, I mean... Their mascot Frowned. Who wants a Frownie? I want a Happy Brownie (not to be confused with a Special Brownie of which this marketing company had one too many of!)

I got a tour of the campground that hosts Pennsic, a reenactment medieval war that occurs during the warmer weather. This time of year it was covered with snow, but thanks to 4-wheel drive, Casey was able to show me around.

We took a drive into Pittsburgh and hit up a coffee shop that catered a middle-eastern theme. The venue was popular for belly dancers and musicians to perform live. A friend of mine, and former roomate, Carmine had performed there in the past, and they even had his CD prominently displayed for sale there.

Our last stop was at one of the coolest toy stores in the USA. The building is shaped like a UFO that had crashed on the side of the road. The front door is designed to look like an aft thruster, all burnt out. This place had lots of great toys. Board Games, Juggling Supplies, R/C Cars and Helli copters, Trains, Slot-Cars, Learning/Educational kits and so much more They even had Segways ($5k ouch!). They were really cool there. They hooked me up with some parts I needed for my R/C helicopter, and I picked up a rubber band gun. The kind that you can load 7 rubber bands and shoot them one at a time by pulling the trigger (Hopefully the picture (to the left) is still there by the time you read this.)

The ride home was almost a pleasure. There was no traffic, and the weather couldn't have been clearer. The car, on the other hand was filthy and all the squeegees at the gas stations were frozen. So were the tubes feeding washer fluid to my windshield wipers. I managed to get the window pretty clear, but it could have been better. Either way, I made it home and managed to get home a half hour before my initial ETA. It was a great weekend. I'm thoroughly looking forward to next weekend, half afraid my plans will fall through. I really hope they won't!

Urban Exploration gone Literary - The Unseen

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:51:12 GMT

I would like to thank T.L. Hines and Thomas Nelson Publishing. As part of their marketing efforts for T.L. Hines's new book, The Unseen, they sent out free copies of the book to Bloggers in exchange for a review. In my opinion, This is a great way to build up hype about the book and get people interested.

and it got me Interested.

The story follows a loner named Lucas. Lucas makes his home inside of underground steam tunnels, train stations, even in active office buildings above ceiling tiles and just about anywhere else that he can set up a perch to watch and observe people as they go about their daily business.

You begin to sense that Lucas, and how he considers this lifestyle of stalking workers as normal, is rather creepy. Until he meets a fellow "Urban Explorer" who is traversing the steam tunnel that Lucas claimed as his home. Their acquaintance sets forth a roller coaster of events leading Lucas to an underground organization of urban explorers who, like Lucas, follow and watch individuals, though they make Lucas's creeping seem normal.

The story picks up and lures you in more and more as Lucas gets involved with the local police, mob-like thugs and government agencies. Throughout the book you wonder, along with Lucas, who is friendly and who is not.

I'll admit, it was difficult to relate to Lucas and the characters introduced early in the book, but like a train wreck, you just have to read on and see what will happen next. Once you're really hooked, the book gets extremely exiting as Lucas is constantly running for his life and trying to avoid members of the underground organization, local police and government agents (but who knows WHICH government!)

Those of you who know me, know that I don't read books very often. The Unseen, being a freebie, sounded like a fun "Bathroom Book". You know, one that i would pick it up and read a few pages, at most, a night. About three quarters into the story, I realized I was reading 2 or 3 chapters at a time. If you're looking for a fun read, pick up The Unseen.

Pick up The Unseen at Amazon.com (and support my blogging habit!)

Either Wii...

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:02:58 GMT

I'm sitting in the diner with Tiffany playing Dots, and we couldn't help by being amused by the people sitting in the booth beside us. It was a family of 3. There was Mom. She was a heavy set but confident looking woman. Her husband, your typical "All american" man in jeans and a T-shirt. Finally, there was their son. Your average teenager, probably 14 or 15, wearing a red baseball cap and a grey hoodie. He sat down at the table with his family and asked innocently, "What is W-I-F-I? Is it the Ninetendo game"?

Now I was engrossed in our game, so I misunderstood the mother's response. I thought she told her son that "WiFi" was a Nintendo product. Tiffany pointed out to me that she explained to her son that "Wifi was Wire-free Internet." ...

okay, my bad.

"The Nintendo game was the "Wii Fee" She continued. Or maybe Wii Free.. Maybe it's a diet Wii, Like pepsi-free or caffiene-free. Either Wee, it's back to the Laundromat to dry our clothes and go home!