jquack's Blog - 2old2play

Awesome

So cool!

Goodbye

We buried a 20 yr old girl today. This was the first young person to come up through the youth group I serve in to pass away. Her car ran off the road and hit a pole. She broke her neck and died instantly. She had been away from us for awhile, no one really saw her as she lived a life of rebellion from her parents. She had just started to get her self straightened out, went back to school and graduated. Now she's gone.

Death has never been a big deal for me personally. But this one hit close. I pour as much as God allows me to into these kids, knowing that someday they're going to walk across their high school stage and then leave off to college. I might never see them again. I know I'm not the only one teaching them things. But I've always tried to act like I'm the only Jesus people would see. I don't feel like I failed with this kid in that aspect. I don't really feel like I failed at all.

It just sucks to know she's gone. She was a funny one too, I'm gonna miss her jokes.

....that is all.

[4 Comments]

GaETC

Well,

I'm off to the GaETC Conference as of tomorrow night. I get to work tomorrow, then turn around and go work for the board of elections by displaying Election results. As soon as that is finished, (around 11:30), I will drive up to Atlanta, GA. Probably arriving around 4am. Get a couple of hours of sleep in the hotel, and head off to the conference.

And I did end up presenting this year! I'm "assisting" during the presentation my boss is doing about 4 open source apps we use in our network. The apps are:

Free Open-Soruce Ghost

OpenDNS

SpiceWorks

and Windows Steadystate (I know that it isn't opensource, but it's free)

I'll mainly be there for the FOG project and Steadystate, as I helped mass deploy the FOG across our entire network (and forever rid us of the Ghost headache). We are slowly starting to use SteadyState, as we get the scripting down. I'd offer to take pictures, but there probably won't be very exciting things at this conference. Unless someone starts a PS3 vs Wii war again.....ugly.

Anyhoo, happy gaming to all!

[2 Comments]

Caption Contest

For the biker, or the dog. Your call.

[4 Comments]

Can ya Guess

Can you guess what these pictures represent? I took me a couple of minutes.

[3 Comments]

Caption Contest

*Sigh*

On another note: SoupNazzi is trying to muscle in on my territory.... So I gotta step it up a notch

[2 Comments]

Caption Contest

This is rather disturbing. Don't let your kids see, for obvious reasons

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Chicken

1,280 chicken dinners sold in our fundraiser today. I have had about 5 hours of sleep in the past 48 hours. I am quite exhausted,but our kids got money to go to Winterfest now.

Now if you excuse me (you really should patent this, Char), I'm gonna pass out. Just dropping a blog to say hello to my 2o2p peeps. Miss you guys.

[4 Comments]

Caption Contest

I know I haven't been around lately, there really hasn't been much to blog about. With that, I give you a Caption Contest

It apparently is getting pretty heated between these two.

[3 Comments]

Ahhh, good stuff

So we're having a lock in tomorrow night at our church after the big football game. In the lock in we are having a Movie at 5am. We're doing it big too. Really theatre style with seating and printed tickets and a popcorn machine and whatnot.

Anyhoo, they asked me to come up with "Pre show" entertainement stuff. Much like the things you see in theatres now. Commercials and things of the like. Of course some previews. I'm rendering that now.

For a little fun, I decided to include the THX demo, and that sparked a memory from almost 14 years ago. I present that memory to you in a youtube video.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to rip off Char's goodbye line

[2 Comments]

Xbox Media Center

Several months back, I took a weekend and decided to mod my old xbox (which I never used for Live anyway) and turn into a Media Center machine with the wonderful software XBMC. It took me two days of reading, studying, testing and eventual deployment, but I finally had an original XBOX with a 120GB hard drive inside that ran a custom OS that had XBMC installed plus a program to store XBOX games on the hard drive. All done with a softmod, no soldering required.

I have put that baby to good use. I stuck it in my bedroom and started loading it up with TV seasons and movies on DVD, plus a few XBOX games. That way I could play a game whenever I wanted and not have to look for game discs (never tried online, didn't care to). I did connect it to my network so I could access my other ripped DVD's (all legal) and music on my main HTPC. It runs like a dream, just don't try and get too picky with what it can do. It was slightly buggy.

Well, the crew that made the XBOX version has since expanded their software. It started with a Linux version, then a Mac version, and now they have just announced "Atlantis Beta 1" Which effectively puts their software out there in every possible OS. I downloaded the Windows version tonight and am extremely happy with it...so far.

I have used practically every decently popular Media Center out there so far. I don't have a TV card because I don't have the resources nor to the hard drive to justify it. I've used MediaPortal which was my choice for a long time because of it's customization. I've moved between that and Media Center, mainly because I used the Media Center extender on my Xbox 360. Mediaportal is slow however (especially when moving between full screen and window mode. Media Center was...welll....media center...it worked as long as they were "common" video files. MP4's and MKV (Matrosky High Def files) need not apply.

I have used SageTv before, but it works mainly as a DVR, the Media center stuff runs second. Plus, it costs. We use it at work anyway for TV distribution systems for our schools. fun stuff!

Either way, XBMC, although buggy is a very nice addition. It plays beautifully on HDTV (720p output through HDMI does play well) and is very easy to add folders for Video, Music, and Photos. A nice Weather Channel and the ability to add scripts (a quick glance at www.xbmcscripts.com shows scripts for Youtube Viewing and Program Guide addition, plus email clients and calendars)

All in all, if you are looking for a HTPC software, you might want to check this out. They also offer a "live cd" option, which lets you install the "OS" to a CD, boot to it, and then install the OS on a thumb drive. That would be a very nice option as well, and one I might try as soon as I can get a thumb drive big enough.

http://xbmc.org/download/

[0 Comments]

Caption Contest

This time, the Caption Contest morphs into "Complete The Joke" Provide the punchline.

[3 Comments]

The Jericho Files #7

Hey guys, for your reading enjoyment is another issue of The Jericho Files. For new fans, you can read previous issues in the earlier blog posts.

For Autumn: This answers a certain question you were left with after issue 4

Enjoy guys!

The Jericho files #7

The ReRoute

"You are crazy. Men die just for knowing this package exists."

I had been trying to convince myself that it was a bad idea to have this cargo in my possession, but my desire to own items in high demand was greater and trumped my objections. I threw the tarp over the package, then jumped into the drivers seat of a large delivery truck and began to drive away. Simultaneously, I signaled two drivers of identically marked delivery trucks to take off in the opposite direction. If anybody was watching, they would need to decide for themselves which truck to follow.

As I drove down a badly carved road, I began to relive the past 24 hours in my head. There was nothing but desert ahead of me. All I had to do was drive and sweat. Might as well be productive.

24 hours ago, I received a call that stood me up on edge. It was a contact of mine from a neighboring nation. His region had a rumor circulating about a new type of nuclear device. One that was easier to create under government scrutiny and was 100% undetectable by radioactive scanning. It could easily be hidden in an individuals basement or storage building. There were also rumblings that there were daily improvements over it's half life and durability.

These factors alone made the device extremely dangerous. The official word was it doesn't exist. I knew better, my contacts don't lie. That's why they are my contacts. I knew that if this device fell into the wrong hands, there would be serious security issues.

I began to map out a plan to, at the very least, see this device. I was well known as a man of knowledge in this area. People came to me with questions and I could give answers. I had to know what this device was all about. I would worry about owning it later.

I began my plan by studying the region of my contact. It was fairly remote, which meant that there was a high probability of running into surprises while I studied this region. I began by getting my hands on maps, I contacted an associate of mine who specialized in GPS systems programming and satellite tracking. I gave him ranges of coordinates and got maps of the entire area. I planned 3 separate routes that could easily be switched should the need arise. I picked routes that had very few towns on their roads, so there was little chance of being spotted.

I then began gathering some intel on the group in possession of this device. They were a rather large team of terrorists in a neighboring nation, they were also extremely high tech. A quick scan of sales record from nearby vendors proved that they were terrorists with deep pockets and could afford high quality survaillance equipment. This meant that I would be watched from multiple angles as I approached their operation.

The records did not include weapons that were purchased. For that, I would have to search the records of the US counter terrorist intel records.

That would be slightly tricky. The last time I broke into a US based server, I was nearly caught and would've gone to jail for a very long time. This time, I decided to take a different route.

I pulled out a older laptop and turned it on, connecting a secure card to it to connect to a special network. Once the connection was complete, I opened up a terminal chat window and collected a random ID. The random ID was only valid for 60 seconds, long enough to get my data and get out. I typed in the location of the server I wanted the info from and a generalization of the intel.

60 seconds later, I was given the location of a server where my data would be placed. I was advised to wait up to one hour for proper measures to be taken to protect privacy. This was the “Ghost Ring” network. A completely secure and anonymous network of Hackers and Intel specialists. Their network was as simple as logging into the right spot, with the right credentials, and requesting the information you needed. They would then tell you where to look for it among countless servers being used for storage. No names were ever exchanged, and the connections were encrypted. Completely safe for me, and in one hour I would have my intel.

I spent the next hour securing trucks for my job. The 3 routes had been meticulously planned and need certain truck types for each route, given the nature of the roads. I was able to get the perfect trucks for the road types. The handling was important, as I had to make sure I wasn't deterred by a bad tire or other mechanical issue because the road was in terrible shape.

As the next hour rounded the corner, my data was available. I logged into the server and downloaded my data files and examined them. Although they were a high tech group, their weapon budgets must not have been that high. They ran with standard AK-47's and some variations of American made M-4's. That was a basic cause for concern, but wouldn't prove to be distressful. This document gave no information regarding RPG's or other explosives.

I looked over all my intel and my routes. I had more than enough backup plans to pull this off, now it was just a matter of getting it done. I took my notebook and hopped in my truck. I made the trips to the all of my suppliers, collecting the trucks, packing materials, firepower and various other equipment parts.

Within the next 6 hours, I had trucks, crates, identification papers, and the guns necessary to pull this off. I met with my two dummy truck drivers and laid out the plan for them. I loaded their trucks up with their payment, ammo and other various packages of clothing and food to sell on their markets. This made them look innocent should they be stopped by anybody. I gave them each a GPS with their specific route preprogrammed, and then advised them to get some rest. I planned on beginning the plan at 3am.

Shortly before I was to lay down for some sleep, my phone rang. It was another one of my contacts who told me the weapon was being relocated. This caused a slight problem in my plans. I got the new coordinates from him, and made notes to change my GPS devices. He then provided me with another piece of information. He was able to get his hands on the “secure address” of the GPS that belong to the truck carrying this nuke. I wrote that address with great excitement and then hung up.

A while back, some hackers in Russia had discovered that each GPS had an address that it used to communicate with the satellites in space. After much studying, it was discovered that the GPS signal could be routed to communicate with another device, providing false information. It wasn't the easiest task, but it could be done. I looked at my watch, I had 4 hours to get it done before we started out trip. I started off my reprogramming the GPS with the new location. Then I started work on the GPS spoof. I looked up the instructions for this hack job, and set to work on it. After many tests, I was confident that the hijack of the GPS code would work. I prepared my hack job and then packed it up with the rest of my GPS devices. I looked at my watch. I had 30 minutes before we left.

I decided against sleeping, and went to wake up my other drivers. We would make the trip early just in case problems arose. We hopped into the trucks and began our route. Driving down empty roads in the middle of the night was boring to say the least. I constantly was looking at the GPS, as my anticipation and my anxiety grew.

Once we were 50 miles away from the drop point, I and the other drivers stopped as instructed. I then pulled out my wireless device and being the GPS hijack. I turned the device on and punched in the instructions. I watched as the device began by copying the characteristics of the main satellite for this region. Once it had the system specs, it began to broadcast the information exclusively to the GPS secure address we had obtained. The device suddenly beeped and flashed green. This meant that the connection was complete and transmitting. This meant the GPS in that truck would shift everything by 10 degrees latitude. That would, by my calculations, bring the truck right to the remote location we had set aside. With the hard part taken care of, we set up part 2 of our plan. We planted one of our vehicles in the middle of the road with a flat tire, to block the progress of the truck when it did arrive.

We hid our other trucks and stood behind a rock while we waited. The time seemed to take forever. As the sun rose, our cover was slowly diminishing because of shadows. At the crest of 6am, we heard the rumble of a heavy duty diesel engine. We loaded our weapons and waited for some voices to be heard.

Several minutes passed and we heard the car doors close. That brought me some panic, as I began to assume they had radioed their teammates to let them know their situation. We would have to act fast. We heard two pairs of footsteps walk toward our truck. I heard one of them ask if anybody was there. That was our cue.

We whipped around from behind the rock with our guns loaded and pointed at them. They immediately threw their hands up in surrender. I was quite taken aback by this. It was then I realized that they weren't armed! I shook my head in disbelief. I kept my gun on them though. We forced them to walk to the back of their truck. My drivers kept a bead on them while I climbed into the back of the truck and found the package. It was placed in the far back of the truck bed underneath a pile of boxes of cabbage that was in the early stages of rotting. They had planned this very well. I moved the boxes around and fought through the smell until I was able to retrieve it. I slightly cracked the case open and saw a lead lined case with the warning “Radioactive Material”. I closed the case back and nodded at my drivers. At that point, they knocked out the two unarmed men.

We set to work on securing the package in my truck. It proved to be quite heavy and took all 3 of us to get it lifted into my vehicle. By the time we were finished, our unarmed friends were waking up. We took some rope and tied them to the front of their truck. They were tied in such a way that they couldn't turn their heads. This way, they could not see in which direction we leave. I then motioned to my drivers to get in their trucks and start driving when I give the signal.

I took one more look at the cargo in my truck. In 24 hours I had gone from a simple arms dealer and business man, to being the proud owner of an incredibly valuable piece of nuclear weaponry. I was either incredibly smart, or incredibly stupid. I threw the tarp back over the crate and climed in the truck. I gave the signal to the other drivers and then drove off. As I drove along the road, I took out my records and wrote down a number for my warehouse. For optimal security and privacy, it would be store in my warehouse compound. I assigned it to container #1319203. That section of my warehouse was well protected by a state of the art security system.

I began to wonder about who I could trust to tell about this package. Apparently a handful knew about it, but only few knew I now had it. I knew the drivers of the other trucks could be trusted, because they didn't know who I was. For all they knew, I had stolen a cache of guns or something. They didn't care because they got paid.

Over the next few days, I would consider who I could trust with this secret. In the meantime, I would make the trip to my warehouse to get this package stored. News of it's disappearance would spread quick. It was best to keep it out of sight and out of mind.

Despite the surprises, I feel like the operation ran smoothly. This was definitely a big step for me. I knew this was a life changing weapon, and I felt safer with it in my hands. It was definitely going to be interesting from now on......

The End

[4 Comments]

Another Caption Contest

Are you bored with these yet? Be honest.

Anyhoo, this caption should from The dude on the toilet or the old lady at the front of the picture. your choice.

Yes, there's carpet in that bathroom....don't ask me why.

[7 Comments]

Dear John Madden,

Not EVERYBODY is "devastated" that Tom Brady has been injured and may be out for the season. I'm pretty sure that Matt Ryan, Matt Forte, Brett Farve, Devin Hester, Tony Romo, Reggie Bush, Eli Manning, and Donovan McNabb can do MORE than enough to make Tom Brady's absence a moot point.

To all the patriot fans, I apologize if this upsets you. But it's not the TBFL, it's the NFL, and there are 30+ other teams that are more than capable of being superstar teams. Besides, their backup QB still helped them win the game. (and got me some more fantasy points via Randy Moss.) This can just prove how many REAL patriot fans there are, especially after their 17-1 debacle last year.

So to all the people who thought that Tom Brady played every position on the patriots team, maybe it's time to discover some of the OTHER teams in the nfl to cheer for

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