the Ramblings of a media whore download junkie

downloadjunkie @ 2008-04-03T03:13:00

2008-04-03T07:19:54Z

I'm totally addicted to twitter. come follow me at twitter.com/bujak

For a good explanation of what twitter is check out http://globalgeek.thepodcastnetwork.com/2008/03/15/twitter-in-plain-english/
(i have to thank Paul for blogging that link.)

So you should join twitter, and follow me.

Now that I have it attached to my IM, updates are trivial (so that means they are frequent). Hrrm i'm noticing that i can update LJ with IM too. Have to look at that when I get back from vacation.

Bike Journal

2007-07-21T04:57:10Z

So I have been working on getting my paper journal from my bike trip to Rochester online.

I have finished a good portion of it and I have made it available online.

If you are interested I have published it at http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/phillytorachacha

From Philly to Rochester by bike.

2007-05-24T14:11:31Z

I'm in Rochester right now. I left Philadelphia with Tim and gauk on Sunday May 13th at around 3pm. Tim and I arrived at Nik & Anya's in Rochester around 7pm Tuesday May 23rd. Unfortunately gauk couldn't continue because his knee was giving him problems and the rest day was not enough healing time for him to continue.

in 10 days Tim and I did:
516.1 Miles
32 hours ad 35 minutes of riding time
32,415 ft climbed (6.14 miles)

in the 5 days that gauk was with us we did:
195.3 mils
22 hours 39 minutes of riding time
14,059 ft climbed (2.66 miles)

I'll post a day-by-day journal sometime in the near future.

iTunes Update

2007-02-06T23:34:47Z

Another iTunes Update

Total Songs: 46,503 (down from last time)
Play-length; 131 days
weighing in at 205.14 GB

Of those iTunes thinks I have listened to 22,211 (59.4 days - 47.8%) and rated 20,699 (55.2 days - 44.5%) of them.

Breakdown according to Star rating
1 star: 11,534 (24.8% of total, 55.7% of rated, 30.1 days)
2 stars: 6,031 (12.9% of total, 29.1% of rated, 16.3 days)
3 stars: 2,620 (5.6% of total, 12.7% of rated, 7.2 days)
4 stars: 458 (0.98% of total, 2.21% of rated, 1.3 days)
5 stars: 26 (0.056% of total, 0.13% of rated, 2 hours)

i still have a ton of crappy music, but i have listened to and rated about 2,000 tracks (about 6 straight days worth) in the past month and a half. That of course doesn't include when i listen to tracks that were already rated or played.

Go me.

iPod fixed

2007-01-16T19:47:29Z

So ignore my last LJ post. I took my iPod apart and put it back together. That seems to have fixed it... for now.

iPod death

2007-01-16T16:14:53Z

My iPod died this morning. It makes me sad

That is all.

Free audio book (today only) - wow this reads like spam

2006-12-19T21:00:31Z

For all of you that religiously read my blog (all none of you)

John Hodgman (the guy who plays the PC on the Apple commercials) wrote a book. For today it's free to download. (today is Dec 19, 2006)

The link
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=182994253&s=143441

Ok I'm done now

iTunes being psychic

2006-12-18T20:01:41Z

I'm convinced that iTunes is psychic or something.

The last two Tori Amos songs that came on were each immediately followed by a NIN song.

And earlier today The Cardigans cover of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was only a few tracks away from the original.

iTunes scares me sometimes.

That is all.

Instead of preparing for a Final - iTunes update

2006-12-14T23:34:25Z

Yeah so instead of preparing for my Final in 30 minutes i'm dicking about online.

Because you all care (doubtful) here are some of my iTunes stats

Total songs: 46,572
played end-to-end would play for 131.1 days
taking up 205.36 GB on my computer

And according to iTunes i have listened to 20,080 of those songs (53.1 days or 43.3%)
but i have only rated 18,647 of those (49.2 days or 40% of the total)

Of the ones that i have rated
1 star : 10,165 (21.2% of total, 54.5% of rated, 26.1 days)
2 stars : 5,455 (11.7% of total, 29.2% of rated, 14.6 days)
3 stars : 2,383 (5.1% of total, 12.7% of rated, 6.5 days)
4 stars : 428 (0.9% of total, 2.3% of rated, 1.2 days)
5 stars : 28 (0.061% of total, 0.15% of rated, 2.2 hours)

(the addition discrepancy is because iTunes only half-supports half-star ratings, maybe more on this later)

wow I have alot of crappy music

Maybe i'll cull some of the 1 stars songs and see how the numbers improve.

Ok i'm done boring you now.

If any of you are interested in What i'm listening to check out this page http://www.last.fm/user/downloadjunkie/

Software Annoyances

2006-12-14T19:59:43Z

So i'm installing software on a computer for work. Part of the process is to clean up the start menu so that it doesn't take up two pages. One thing that i do is to put al the various video players into a multimedia group in the start menu.

I was testing Quicktime to see if it worked and then i noticed that it was back in the root of the start menu. So I delete it. I test it to make sure it works again. It shows up again. I pore over the options in the program to see if there is an option to turn this off. Nope no luck.

Later on I find out that the program that I am running from the start menu isn't quicktime, it's a program that makes sure that quicktime is on the desktop and in the "proper" location on the start menu that then runs quicktime. (i found out from here)

Wow this is insidious.
What gives them the right to modify my start menu on my computer?

I'm still shocked.

Awesome Video

2006-12-12T19:14:32Z

Because i am very busy at work i shouldn't be watching videos online. But i do anyway

http://www.break.com/movies/tony_vs_paul_stop_motion.html

HAHAHAHA!!!

2006-10-31T01:44:58Z

Everyone else did it

2006-08-25T00:31:47Z

Is Wyane Brady gonna have to choke a bitch?

Interesting take on Hezbollah

2006-08-15T13:19:36Z

So a friend of mine posted this one of her journals. it's George Galloway on Sky News (British). He has a different take on the whole Israel - Lebanon thing. Take 9 minutes and watch it. I have been thinking similar things since this whole thing started. I kept thinking "so Hezbollah is based in Lebanon and is fighting in Lebanon against Israeli forces... and what's wrong with that?" and then i thought Why the Eff is the US supplying Israel with arms? why are we in bed with them? It really makes you wonder. there needs to be some serious house-cleaning in the US government,

Cool link.

2006-08-11T13:53:11Z

Wow, this is just amazing.

a 5-year old owns at DDR.

and this folks, is the generation that will take over after us.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2598394237785753497

stupid Ads

2006-04-21T01:37:32Z

So there are these stupid Roadside billboards i see on my way to work that only have two little bits of information on them.
one reads:

6+6+06
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

the other reads:

6+6+06
IT'S CLOSER THAN YOU THINK

except the plus (+) signs look like upside down christian crosses.

I saw these and wondered WTF? if you are going to advertise something you should probably tell me what you are advertising. Cuz that advertising is pointless i cannot want to buy something if i have no idea what it is. (not that i would want to buy anything that is advertised at me)

So i did some internet research (read i used google). Most of the first three pages were about some christian groups beleiving the end of days is near and 6/6/06 has something to do with it. On about the third page i found a news article about the billboards causing problems in Daytona Beach (see http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Local/newEAST01032506.htm for more info. Apparently it is an advertisement for a movie that is coming out on 6/6/06. (it's actually a remake of this movie) Gee maybe if there was some actual information on the billboard people wouldn't get all uppity about it. (though i guess the advertising campaign worked because i devoted 10-15 minutes to researching what the hell it was, but then again i'm a special person and i get anal about things so i'm not a "normal" case)

i had so much more to put here but i can't think of anything now. i'm spent.

downloadjunkie @ 2006-04-11T22:40:00

2006-04-12T02:52:40Z

Warning Another Bikie Related journal:

So I have been training on the bike 2-3 times a week and have been getting in some really good workouts. I have been ingorning all else for it (well it and my PhillyNORML obligations) So I decided to travel with the Drexel Cycling team to Boston this past weekend to try my hand at racing again (My first race involved me flatting halfway through as I was catching back up to the main group)
We left Philly Friday at 6p or so, arrived at the hotel 11:30 where we fit 14 people in 2 rooms we get to bed at midnight only to get woken up at 1a by another team member who decided to drive up later. Wake up at 5am to leave by 6a. I stand around all day cheering on the team while freezing my butt off. (i can't race on saturday because i'm not a college student). Finally leave the race course at 6p, after other adventures and a home-cooked meal we squeeze all 14 of us into various nooks and crannies in a relatively small house and getto bed at a reasonable 10-11pm.
Wake up on Sunday early as hell again (don't remember the exact time, but it was still dark) get to the new race course around 7am, where i get to cheer people on until 3:15p when I get to race. When the fateful time arrives I line up with everyone else waiting for the start whistle, and we're off. I stay with the lead group for about a lap and a half (1km loop with 6 90degree turns, 4 of them involving hills in some way) when my left knee decides it doesn't like me anymore and wants to take the day off. I push through the rest of the lap and watch the main group pull away. I try to take it a little easy during the next lap and not get too far behind but after a few laps off the back the officials pull me from the course (because apparently i was dropping too far back and the lead group was too close to lapping me) so i pulled off and cooled off a little bit to help my knee recover. so the stats for the weekend
Driving miles: 650-700
driving hours: 14-16
sleep hours: 10-12
miles raced: 2-3
minutes raced: 15
On a scale of 1-10: non-racing:8 ... racing:2

And i still haven't had a chance to look at my heart rate monitor to see what my average and Max heart rates were for the time on the bike. I'm scared it's going to be something like 190-200 (the most i have ever seen in training is 185)

WOW!!!

2006-03-06T21:07:23Z

HOLY EFF

I do not want to mess with this guy or this shotgun.

12 rounds in under 2 seconds.

see video at http://www.compfused.com/directlink/1206/

Link of the Day --- things to NOT do to your new car.

2006-02-28T16:22:20Z

So yeah, this guy waits 2 years for a concept car, pays $200,000 for it and crashes it before he even got the odometer into double digits.

Pictures and more back story at http://acrosstheboard.blogspot.com/2006/02/dude-what-happened-to-your-car.html

wow!

Something that has been bothering me all week

2006-02-24T17:35:09Z

My thoughts on the recent fervor over the sale of a bunch shipping ports from a British based company to a company based in the United Arab Emirates

See :http://www.npr.org/search.php?text=dubai+ports for more info

Ok so these ports *that_have_already_been_controlled_by_a_foreign_company* are being sold to another foreign company. Both companies are based in countries that we are allied with very strongly. Neither company handles the security at the ports (in fact the security is maintained by the US Coast Guard, among US-based companies).

One of the other things said about this deal is that the 9/11 terrorists used the UAE (United Arab Emirates) as a financial and operational base. Umm.... didn't they also use the *_USA_* as an operational and financial base? Weren't the pilots of the planes taught how to fly here .. in New Jersey? Aren't we still finding leads here that point to financial backers in our own country?

EVERY country has underground networks of people trying to do bad things. It's what they are doing about it that makes them good or bad (and from what I understand the UAE is helping the investigations terrorist activity immensely)

So the difference between the two countries are the following two things:
Predominant skin color
Predominant religion

So why are so many people clamoring for this deal to be squashed? I can't see any problems with it.
(Sure I would like it if a US company was taking this over because that would mean more jobs and more jobs leads to less crime and a whole slew of good things, but the people on the ground, the actual workers will not change no matter who owns the company)

The way I see it our elected officials are effectively trying to enact laws limiting the rights of non-judeo-christians and I find it ridiculous.

Please correct me if i am wrong, PLEASE PLEASE tell me I am wrong. I really hope that our elected officials aren't this xenophobic and Anti-Arab.
(All Arabs aren't bad people, just like all Americans, British, Europeans, etc aren't good people)

Patriotism good or bad?

2006-02-22T20:17:09Z

So I was listening/watching this podcast while at work today and one quote from Emma Goldstein stuck out from all the rest.

The quote in question:

"Indeed, conceit, arrogance, and egotism are the essentials of patriotism. Let me illustrate. Patriotism assumes that our globe is divided into little spots, each one surrounded by an iron gate.Those who have had the fortune of being born on some particular spot, consider themselves better, nobler, grander, more intelligent than the living beings inhabiting any other spot. It is, therefore,the duty of everyone living on that chosen spot to fight, kill,and die in the attempt to impose his superiority upon all the others.

The inhabitants of the other spots reason in like manner, of course, with the result that, from early infancy, the mind of the child is poisoned with blood-curdling stories about the Germans,the French, the Italians, Russians, etc. When the child has reached manhood, he is thoroughly saturated with the belief that he is chosen by the Lord himself to defend his country against the attack or invasion of any foreigner. It is for that purpose that we are clamoring for a greater army and navy, more battleships and ammunition."

It's interesting to hear this opinion because it's similar to what I have thought for a while. Patriotism blinds people to the truth. Everyone likes to believe that they are better than everyone else. Offering no proof, I can see how Patriotism caused all sorts of issues for the united states, Internment Camps?, Red scare?, Iraq?

Just something to think about next time someone tries to get you to do something because it's patriotic.

(full text of the Emma Goldstein Speech at http://sunsite3.berkeley.edu/Goldman/Writings/Anarchism/patriotism.html)

meme alert

2006-02-14T14:24:34Z

Hey click on the links below and pick words that describe me
Using Positive Adjectives: Johari
Using Negative Adjectives: Nohari

And then make your own, it's fun

Music from your computer

2006-02-10T20:13:24Z

So my boss sends me this link http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/announcements/hard-drive-dying-dance-track-winner-151666.php
It's a contest to see who can make the "best" track using the sounds of a dying hard drive.

It's great, you should be amused.

PJ party

2005-12-24T18:05:06Z

Hey,

As before, if you know where I live, you are invited to my New Year's Eve Party.

There will be a dress code. You must we wearing Pyjamas (how do you spell that anyway?)
Robes and Towels are ok too (but you may be a little cold just wearing the towel.)

There should be plenty of crash space and as usual you can bring chill interesting people with you.

If you are coming comment here or send me an email (LJ_username at LJ.com)

If you want to come and you don;t know where i live contact me and I will give you directions.

Everyone else is doing it so why shouldn't I

2005-12-19T22:12:39Z

You are Judgement

Happiness, Content, Joy.

Judgment is related to the Hebrew letter Shin, which is fiery and spiritual. A break from the past, going forward.

With Fire as its ruling element, Judgement is about rebirth or ressurection. The idea of Judgement day is that the dead rise, their sins are forgiven, and they move onto heaven. The Judgement card is similar, it asks the resurrection to summon the past, forgive it, and let it go. There are wounds from the past that we never let heal, sins we've committed that we refuse to forgive, bad habits we haven't the courage to lose. Judgement advises us to finally face these, recognize that the past is past, and put them to rest, absolutely and irrevocably. This is also a card of healing, quite literally from an accident or illness, as well as a card signaling great transformation, renewal, change.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.