Author: Jan Dembowski (page 23 of 96)

December 4, 2010

Power to the People! 3D for Everyone!

Okay, that’s over the top but for less that $4.00 I get to try out NVIDIA 3D video game effects. I have a GTX-260 in my Windows 7 game machine Home Workstation and wanted to play around with the 3D capabilities. NVIDIA does sell a nice LCD shutter kit for around $200 but I had a couple of issues with that.

First off it’s $200. For just trying it that seemed a little steep. Second, it seems like the shutter kit needs a video display monitor that can do 120 Hz refresh rate. My Dell 2407WFP display can do some resolutions at 75Hz but not at resolutions I like to play at. And last time I looked 75Hz was not 120. So after quick search on eBay and I found a seller and made a purchase. With postal shipping it came out to less than $4.00 and my glasses arrived a couple of days later.

It’s too bad that not all my gadget purchases were like that! In the NVIDIA desktop control panel, I enabled 3D, did some quick setup, and it’s off to the races. The glasses are what you would expect. They are cardboard with a left red plastic and a blue right plastic. By default I leave 3D off but pressing CTRL-T (it’s definable) I turn on 3D.

Borderlands in 3D is bizarre. Aiming takes some more effort; it’s not that the target has moved or the coordinates are different. It’s that the addition of perspective makes aiming more challenging. Left 4 Dead 2 was just plain nuts. It looks like any DirectX that has a 3D perspective can work. I tried playing Max Payne 2 in 3D and that was also pretty wild. Even Torchlight does the 3D shuffle!

The colors are of course off. You are looking through two different colored panes of plastic and that changes the look somewhat. But your brain does an interesting thing. When you are dodging for your life in Borderlands or Left 4 Dead 2, you skip the odd colors and just play the game.

It’s not perfect but for what I paid I am very satisfied with the 3D effect. And when I get tired of it, it’s just CTRL-T and take off the glasses.

November 21, 2010

Trying Firefox 4 beta again

Recently I gave Firefox 4 beta 4 a try but ended up removing it. As a beta it was not bad but I had some minor problems with Adobe Flash and the benefits were not enough to get me to keep it.

Firefox 4 beta 7 is another story. On a whim I installed it on my Windows 7 PC and it’s been smooth sailing ever since. It’s fast and I don’t seem to get any web page rendering issues. I use my browser for news reading, WordPress, Facebook (okay, almost ashamed to admit that one), etc. and some of the content is mixed and dynamic. With this new beta, the only thing that is different is the menu is hidden. Other than that, the experience is very smooth.

It’s definitely not for the casual user (I am not installing it on the shared iMac) but if you want to see what’s next then give it a try.

November 14, 2010

Go visit the American Airpower Museum

Yesterday while Lily was out with our daughter shopping and swimming (in that order) I took our son to the American Airpower Museum. On Veteran’s Day the museum dedicated a Sherman tank and I knew he wanted to see it.

You can see the photos I took Saturday as well as other days on my Flickr page.

My family routinely visits this museum. It’s like visiting the Smithsonian but more real and down to earth. Most of the planes on display are operational and others are being repaired. We didn’t get to see the Sherman move (there was a Navy ceremony going on) but we did get to take in the usual sights.

This museum combines history with tangible testimony. The staff are always helpful and can tell you some stories about the displays. If you are in Nassau county, or are on the western part of Suffolk county then do yourself and you kids a favor and stop by. It’s definitely worth it.

November 11, 2010

I think Margaret and Helen get it

This pretty much sums up the difference between Democrats and Republicans.

For instance, I have learned that when Democrats over-reach, we end up providing health insurance coverage for children who have pre-existing conditions. When Republicans over-reach, we go to war.

via Higher Ground « Margaret and Helen.

Margaret and Helen are always a good read. The job of an elected official is to get work done, and that usually means compromise.

Since President Obama started, the GOP have intentionally mis-categorized every effort and labeled his policies both fascist and socialist. Which is ironic because many GOP members do know the difference. They have essentially voted NO for everything and have not cooperated at all.

So now they will control the House of Representatives. Will anything get done? President Clinton was in similar straits and he managed to hand President Bush a vibrant economy and surplus.

Let’s see how President Obama does in the face of such ignorance and shameful pandering.

November 5, 2010

My son is a huge train buff

Ever since my son got his first Thomas the Tank Engine, he has been preoccupied with anything train related. I saw this video on Gothamist and wanted to share it here.

I know he’ll appreciate this video.

November 2, 2010

Election 2010

Today, like so many people, I voted once again. This year I am not making my usual joke about vote early and vote often.

This mid-term election has been brutal to watch on a national level. There is a lot of anger about the economy, about the wars, and about politics. And as usual, there are people who take advantage of that and stoke that anger.

Locally it has not been that bad, but the Tea Party candidates concern me. In NY we have Carl Paladino who is a businessman and unrepentant character. Good for him! But that wont get him elected to political office. Anger is not a solution and this state has some serious problems. After tonight I hope Carl starts a reality TV program.

In Nevada Sharron Angle is running against Harry Reid. Good luck Harry, you need it. From Mrs. Angle’s comments, political ads, and speeches, I think I can honestly say that Nevada maybe getting a proven racist and fear monger.

In Alaska She Who Quits anointed Joe Miller to replace Lisa Murkowski. He admires East German border guards and unleashes well dressed thugs on reporters. Okay, the Quitter really dislike Murkowski but honestly does she think she can ride Joe Miller’s coattail to the presidency in 2012?

In Kentucky they have Rand Paul. I don’t have anything negative to say about Rand Paul and like Scott Brown I don’t think he’s really a Tea Party candidate. He won the primary and is running a campaign. The head stomping event was ugly and the assailant has been charged with a crime. But aside from some ideas of his that I think are odd, he may make a fine Senator.

Christine O’Donnell. What can you say about her that has not been well documented already? I hope that after the election she can find meaningful employment. She’s got a lot of debts and that’s not funny.

I am comfortable with the GOP regaining the House. If they also overtake the Senate then we can expect 3 more years of do-nothing with witch hunt committees tossed in. But I’m okay with that too, it’s not the end of the world.

But I do hope the Tea Party candidates lose big. There is only so much bile this country can take.

October 30, 2010

Completed the MG Zaku II MS-06J “White Ogre”

I’m beginning to believe that the regular decals that come with the MG Zaku II’s are just advertising for the water slide version. The decals are okay, but they are tiny.

Next up: I’m going to detail and apply water slide decals to my MG Gouf v2.0.

October 24, 2010

Slowly but surely, the White Ogre is a WIP

And now back to our regular scheduled feature.

I’ve been busy and have not had much time to spend on this Master Grade Zaku II. Yesterday and today I finished assembling the legs.

Now I’m cleaning up the detailing so I can apply the decals.

October 23, 2010

Have you ever caught anyone or anything?

Next time you go to an airport, see if they ask you to step behind a screen to disrobe. Bending down and touching your toes while naked may be optional.

Also the goon examining you? Don’t worry, he promises to not keep that photo he just took with his cell phone of you. You can be assured, if the TSA does catch the alleged offender, they promise that nothing will happen to that person, no one will ever hear about it, and there will be no investigation.

Don’t worry, this always worked in the movies

Years ago, after 9/11, buildings that I worked in had installed airport style x-ray machines. When you came in you put your bag on a conveyor and ran it through the machine. Bored security guards would look and pretend to be interested. I don’t recall 100% but I don’t think you had to run your coat though the machine.

I’m a friendly talkative guys and I got to know the security guards. I stood next to them, saw what they saw while they did their work and when no one was around I just asked them: did you ever find any weapons or anything illegal?

They never caught a thing. I asked them because occasionally even night club security will turn up knives and small-caliber handguns. No joke, while the machines were there they x-rayed thousands of bags and never had one hit.

But there was a press conference so it must work

For many companies the x-ray machines were not about security. Those companies got a significant discount on their building insurance just for having them. Those machines were part of a profit center. Since I no longer have to do this (for years), I’m guessing that the insurance companies wised up to the scam.

The full body scanners installed in JFK are just like that except there is no discount to the airlines, consumers, or airport. It’s one of those things done to advance the idea of Security Theater and does not do a thing to make traveling by airplane safer. It’s not as ridiculous as the bottled water ban (seriously, bad guys wont be able to sell “compromised” water in the concession stands?) but it sure is more expensive.

What makes this more offensive is that to pass through this is to submit to a strip search. The TSA can (and does) dress this up as something else but that’s what it is. Every time you submit to this you are permitting yourself to be strip searched.

It doesn’t matter that their survey show that 98% of the passengers opted to be x-rayed instead of physically molested by untrained guards. The reason it does not matter is that the survey only reflects the passengers desire to get past the security theater portion of their trip quickly.

The TSA respects your rights, now shut up and get in line

NOTE: I would easily wager that 98% of the TSA staff at the airports are professional, polite, and patient. Except for seeing my wife and all other Asians randomly racially profiled in Dallas again, I expect to meet and deal with more TSA professionals. But I also expect to encounter that 2% and strip searches sure wont help.

Here are some questions that would be nice to have answered by example.

What protections does the TSA provide/implement to prevent abuse?
What are the penalties for the convicted abusers?
What is the TSA’s success rate, their hit/miss ratio?
If anyone can opt out (and I hope many do) how will the TSA penalize the people who opted out?
Will opt-outs be accidentally be required to miss their plane?

I won’t submit to a strip search and will not let them scan my children either. If I get physically assaulted patted down by a screener what remedy do I have besides none?

The TSA security guards are not law enforcement, they are not trained police officers. I don’t care how emboldened their TSA shoulder patch makes them feel, they are the equivalent of bank guards.

October 19, 2010

I’ll miss Rahm this election season

I don’t watch much SNL but the Rahm impression is really good.

Maybe the Democrats can get SNL to run a get out the vote campaign? You know, to counter the GOP don’t vote initiative?