August 2005 Entries
Every once in a while I have to update one of our Crystal Reports that we have made available on the web. I really hate Crystal. It’s quirky, doesn’t work the way you expect and don’t get me started on the error reporting. While deploying our application to test I was receiving a “Query Engine Error”. Very descriptive. Luckily, I found this post on this error and it turns out that the dataset was different from the XSD. I updated the stored procedure and everything was shiny. The Moral of the story was move to Reporting Services as quickly...
Right now I don't have any power. I've put the DSL on the battery backup and I don't know how much I've got. We're watching the hurricane on CBS4 over the net now. We're located in Palmetto Bay right where the red area is on the satellite map. The ironic thing is that we were supposed to get shutters on Saturday. We also found a roof leak on our nice, new drywall. The wind is whippin' something fierce. Bryan Norcross is predicting another 3-4 hours of this. My parents are fighting water coming in to the house from the doors and windows. We...
One of my boys, Ryan, has a band, Invisible Fireworks. I love their sound. They were lucky enough to shoot an excellent music video for one of their songs, The Weather In My Eyes. This video is involved in a CBS4/Herald contest. Part of this contest is a reader vote. Voting ends on Friday so go and vote for Invisible Fireworks!Now Playing: Les Howard and Kari Haley - The Signal #7, 17th August 2005
OK. I'm officially angry. As some of you know my wife and I have embarked on a large home improvement project. During this project we have worked with some excellent people. People who do their job with pride and will not call a project “completed” until we are completely satisfied. I will write about these individuals another day.
Some others have not taken such an approach. One such firm is Ameritex. (I used the nofollow command to prevent them from any Google juice.) They started installing our laminate floor on Thursday and pretty much ignored me all day. I don't like...
The one where Rory buys Star Wars Galaxies and makes some friends, fast. I think this is his best post of the year.
Take a look a this incredible video of an octopus vs. a shark. (stunned slience). Via Digg.
I've jumped into the melee. I'm now producing a podcast. The podcast is focused on our fantasy football league, Cane Crazy. Co-host Jason Christman and I plan to have every manager on the show as well as talk about the NFL and our beloved Hurricanes. Our first show was riddled with technical issues. We were using Skype and receiving loads of delayed audio. We also had issues with recording. I used the Skypecasting method but it was cumbersome and clunky. I'm researching other methods of recording. All in all I think we did alright for a first show. Let me...
The host of TechTV’s Unscrewed has returned from the wild and opened his own blog. If you don’t know who Martin is count yourself lucky. Martin is full of nonsensical wit and incomprehensible garb. I recommend you check him out. Via Sarah Lane.
Now Playing: Nelly - No. 1
Leigh Nash, the lead singer of the dearly departed Sixpence None the Richer (My favorite band ever. Did I say ever? I meant EVER!), has announced that she will record a solo album due sometime in 2006. Excellent. If I can’t have Sixpence this might be something to curb my appetite. She also has made some of her music available via her myspace page. Too bad they’re not available for download. Via The Phantom Tollbooth's News.
Now Playing: Les Howard and Kari Haley - The Signal #6, 10th August 2005
There is an excellent interview with Buffy/Angel/Firefly mastermind Joss Whedon at In Focus magazine. The interview sheds light on Joss’ work in Toy Story, Alien 4, Speed, the new Wonder Woman film and of course the follow up to his Firefly series, Serenity (opens on September 30th). It’s a fascinating look into one of the most creative minds in Hollywood.
“This summer’s sold-out hit-and-run public screenings of an almost-finished “Serenity” – I count 65 such screenings so far – appear to be wholly unique in the annals of motion picture exhibition. Is it safe to say you’re encouraged that so many thousands...
Finally, ESPN got something right. They predict that the Hurricanes could challenge USC’s crown. They highlight UM’s defense as one of the reasons they will contend. Of course the Hurricanes will contend. They are loaded not only on defense but their O-line is very talented and if their wide outs can avoid the dropsies they will be a force as well. I believe Wright will be just fine under center and will follow in the proud tradition of Kelly, Kosar, Testaverde. Bring on the Seminoles, er, Tallahassee!
“Larry Coker's team is not being mentioned among the nation's elite heading into the 2005...
Because I’ve been using the phonetic alphabet way too much over the past two weeks here is the NATO phonetic alphabet.
Engadget reports that if you press the Door Closed button and your desired floor at the same time you could change the elevator into an express. This “trick” will override everyone else’s floor selections and should work with most Otis elevators. Via Engadget.
Update: 8/3/2005 4:24 PM - It didn't work in my office building. Has anyone else gotten this to work?
Now Playing: - Engadget_Podcast_037
The best second baseman to ever play the game was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Saturday. Ryne Sandberg played the game without chest thumping, without long glares of his towering shots and without glamour. All he did play the game it’s supposed to be played, with respect, everyday. CubsNet.com has made his induction speech online. It’s fitting that my favorite ball player as a kid is now enshrined in the Hall of Fame. I can’t imagine him anywhere else. Via CubsNet.
IGN has released its top 100 games of all time. While I can’t really argue with the top ten (Super Mario Bros. is numero uno), the rest of the list is crazy. They omitted games like The Legend of Zelda, KOTR and Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight in favor of Tetris Attack, Battletoads and Freedom Force. Via Joystiq.