she is pretty hot

So, after the hacking stuff.. and job stuff.. got my real first paycheck today in almost 2 years.

Its actually awesome.

I'm happier now.

Chim is rich. Chim is God?

so as many of you should know, I've been learning Portuguese

and fortunately, I think just about every single Brazilian who is vacationing in Buenos Aires was at my favorite (only?) bar tonight

So I actually got to speak some Portuguese. Mostly it went like most of my Spanish conversations go, which is me saying 'comó?' alot--- but Brazilian girls really are quite attractive

*will have more to say when I'm sober but mostly I'm really excited about going to Brasil at some point in the near future

hey, next time don't give your phone to people at 4 AM so they can call me when I've stayed home sick

I've talked to a girl last night who lived in Brazil for over a year and learned the language. She has a friend who has Portuguese ancestors and speaks Portuguese. When they try to talk in Portueguese they don't understand each other at all because Brazilian and Portuguese are so different.

Coincidentally enough, my Harmony remote stopped working yesterday. I was able to figure out that the IR emitter was the problem. (Another cool fact that Google taught me: cheap digital cameras, like the one in your cell phone, pick up near IR frequencies, so you can see the IR flash on your remote by pointing it at your cell.) Having nothing to do and not wanting to right off an expensive remote, I decided to replace the IR emitters, which are soldered onto the remote.

Fortunately, there is a step-by-step online guide (appears to be a pretty common problem with Harmonies). Went to Radio Shack, got a soldering iron and new LEDs, took the remote apart, and voila, desoldered the old ones, put the new ones on, and voila, it actually worked! I can't even tell you how stunned I am that this repair actually worked. When the TV turned on after the repair, my gf blurted out, "Oh my God! It works!" It turns out that soldering things is pretty fun and easy! So I guess my NY resolution is to solder more stuff, when it's appropriate?

My old harmony's USB connection stopped working. I think I dropped it too many times, which is why I buy the low end ones. Now I just need to figure out how to program it to work properly with my TV. If it was on TV when I turned it off, and still is when I turn it back on, it switches the input, which toggles the TV to the wrong one.

Or buy a $10 Walmart Programmable Remote (Like the All-In-One brand) and use the JP1 interface to program it to do or support whatever you want.

The geek solution...

Does that allow you to set one button to do multiple commands? That's the joy of the harmony. I can set it so my 3 yo can turn on the tv, PVR and receiver, all on the right settings AND set the channel to treehouse merely by pressing the red button

Yeah.... It allows you to "program" whatever you want. Up to the memory limitations of the device.

The downside? It is really only programmable by a very technical person (I'm looking at you WN) that is willing to absorb a moderate learning curve.

The harmony remotes can be programmed by the common man (I'm looking at you Antidan).

However, given the above, my supercustomized bedroom $10 remote is my favorite remote ever. I shiver a little if I think about it ever breaking...

If anyone is curious, google JP1 interface...

The JP1 interface is the equivalent of "USB" for remote controls...

$30 cables are ridiculous.

I meant to say, Mark, your family photo looks exactly like i pictured your family...except for you. I have no real idea why, but somehow i picture you as having long curly hair

I've been meaning to buy a harmony remote but maybe I'll have to check out JP1. Thanks for the tip

Shhhh.... You were supposed to keep quiet about "those" pictures.

I just had a somewhat mindblowing experience in which I realized that when I was in the Toronto airport I bought a hamburger and that they must have had prices listed in Candian dollars rather than American dollars yet apparently it never actually occurred to me, and I have no memory at all of what happened when I was paying. I must have used my debit card and paid no attention to the fact that what got charged to me wasn't the same as the amounts that were listed. I certainly didn't get any change in Canadian dollars like that one that for some reason is sitting on our kitchen table right now.

wait, canadian dollars and us dollars are worth like the same thing right now so of course I wouldn't notice a difference of a couple percent when there's a burger and a drink both added together

yeah I must have paid with my card

but I mean, it's still weird that it took me 5 months to realize that an airport in Toronto wouldn't list their food prices in USD

I did 100 situps today, Im exhausted

Dude-- grats!! I know we've all been pulling for you for awhile!

lol this

booooooooooooo.

I listen to DMB when feeling pretty much all ways. It will cure what ails ya.

You are allowed a carry-on and a personal item. We have a small walk-on suitcase that is too large for the overhead in many planes and may or may not be too big to be considered a "carry-on." But, it fits when I walk thru security, and the people at the gate are typically more than happy to gate-check your bag (i.e. they put a little tag on it and put it below the plane. Then, depending on the airport/airline combo -- you'll have to ask -- you may be able to retrieve your bag on the jetway when you land, or they'll put it thru to baggage claim). This way you beat the checked bag fee, and often you don't have to wait at baggage claim.

To do this, you can carry like a laptop bag ("personal item") and your carry-on only, though. If you need more stuff, just pay I guess. Oh wait, you're flying internationally, you should get 1-2 free checked bags anyway.

Philadelphia is the worst airport in the US, imo. They'll screw something up. Or at the very least, they will be generally unpleasant and unhelpful and will take forever.

PS - when flying into or out of Philly, give yourself some cushion. My last 3 flights there have been delayed by 1hr+, and not for weather or mechanical reasons.

Happy cakeday Jaredl

Watching some archived BB games, just saw this...loooooool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDDJ2-9h7EY

Also to all the college BB folks have any of you watched Gonzaga much. Saw in the OU game that Elias Harris is playing for them this year, he's been pretty good for our national team during the last tournament and had some offers in Europe. Somewhat unusual to go to college (I guess he'd have made 300k-500k/year on his first contract with a chance to eventually go to 4 million max in Europe)

lol nice vid clown

first off,

I met a girl at the bar

guess her nae BobO? winner=100 points?

2nd, I took a cat home from the bar. All black. Seems like a very nice cat. Soah doesnt seem very happy about it even though know he likes cats

1. skank?

2. you should have had girl at said bar call soah and ask if you could bring home a cat. I heard soah likes 4am phone calls from random womenz.