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Freezing It Out In Calgary
2008-01-29 19:37:00
It is seriously cold here. My temperature widget is saying -32 degrees Celsius right now. My truck had a difficult time starting this morning and had some interesting noises when I was first driving. The wind factor has dropped the wind chill int into the -40's as well. If you have never experienced it before, I wouldn't recommend it.Published on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:37:52 MST. - 0 Comments
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Spike In Traffic For January 2008
2008-01-28 18:13:00
I have been enjoying a spike in traffic this month. I have been averaging 3 to 4 times the traffic each day for almost the entire month. It is interesting that it has all come from a few articles I wrote at the beginning of the month that have received a ton of search results traffic. Revenue is up as well, but it is interesting to note that it isn't exactly coming from these articles. The articles are in the Computer category with Google Adsense and the payout is not really that high for this category. I have pulled slightly more traffic for my Finance articles which were written almost a year ago and they are earning more than ever. I guess with extra traffic, you pull a few extra for other page as well.Published on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:13:26 MST. - 0 Comments
More About: Traffic , January , Spike , January 2008

Google Calendar
2008-01-25 15:52:00
If you haven't tried out Google Calendar yet, you should. Basically, it is a on-line calendar application where you can schedule out meetings, events, and whatever else on calendar. What differentiates Google from the rest though is that you can share and see other people's calendars. Some people have generated all sorts of calendars and you can search them and have them applied to your calendar if you want. For example, I have the Calgary Flames game schedule and the Calgary Flames television schedule as my "add on" calendars. You can turn them on or off if you want like a filter. There are calendars for whatever people felt like making up. I have seen open stage night calendars, television schedules for particular shows, concerts, and some people just share their personal calendar so you know what they are up to. If you are looking for an easy way to keep track of what is going on then check it out. If you already have a Gmail account then you won't even need to sign...
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Tripod Shot Of Us In Cuba - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-25 14:00:00
I had taken my handy little Optex tripod with me on our honeymoon to Varadero, Cuba . This was a shot using my Canon S50 point and shoot camera. I had set it to no flash and the exposure last a few seconds. The photo turned out awesome and this is exactly how it looked in the evening. We were staying at the Princesa del Mar (a Sandals resort at that time).Published on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Varadero Sunrise - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-24 14:00:00
This was the sunrise from our room at the Princesa del Mar in Varadero, Cuba. Cheryl and I were there for our honeymoon in April of 2005. The sunrises were awesome, when we were awake to see them. I took this on my Canon S50 point and shoot camera.Published on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 1 Comments
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Elephant Video Is Getting Close To 20 000 Views
2008-01-23 22:13:00
I am getting closer to earning my $100 on MetaCafe. You have to produce your own video and reach at least 20,000 viewers while maintaining at least a 3 star rating. This was shot by my brother-in-law and I in 2006 at the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. This woman wanted a close-up photograph and got a bit too close for comfort. You can't hear it in the video, but their are guides screaming at her to get away. Elephant And The Stupid Tourist - More bloopers are a click awayPublished on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:13:24 MST. - 0 Comments
More About: Video , Views , Close

Ho Chi Minh City Ferris Wheel - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-23 14:00:00
During my trip to south east asia in 2004, I went to a large park in Ho Chi Minh City , Vietnam. It was pretty neat and had a large ferris wheel that was all lit up at night. Taken on my Canon S50 again.Published on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Wedding Invitation Reject 2 - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-22 14:00:00
Another rejected photo for our wedding invite, but I still like it. The romantic semi-silhouette shot. This was from my Canon S50 again.Published on Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
More About: Photo , Wedding , Invitation

Still Looking For A Frets On Fire Guitar
2008-01-21 16:00:00
Well, I am still looking for a guitar for Frets on Fire . For anyone that knows me, I have to get something for a deal and I have had a hard time finding a deal for a Frets On Fire guitar. I was able to get Frets On Fire working over a week ago. It is a free version of Guitar Hero that lets you play all the regular songs from the game plus more. It is a cool little software program that is a bit buggy. Anyhow, I have been trying to get a guitar controller for it. I have read a number of articles and because Frets On Fire will let you map the actions to any controller, you are able to use any of the guitar controllers from the console to play it. In addition, there are people who have built their own guitars from scratch or used children's toy guitars and rewired them. eBay I have been hunting for guitars on eBay and it seems that these items are still a bit too hot to find a good deal. The cheapest guitar controller I can find is a PS2 wireless guitar, which comes to around...

Stormtroopers - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-21 14:00:00
I couldn't pass up this opportunity. There were a half dozen storm troopers walking around West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta to promote Star Wars Night at the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. I decided to get a photo with them. They even had microphones in their suit to make their voices sound like the ones in Star Wars. I was imagining that they would be a bit taller however.Published on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Cheryl At Dusk - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-20 14:00:00
I snapped a few more photos of Cheryl when we were trying to get a photo for our wedding invitation. I like this show. I took it on my Canon S50 point and shoot.Published on Sun, 20 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Mountain Panorama - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-19 14:00:00
This was an attempt at stitching photos together using the Canon software that came with my Canon S50 point and shoot camera. That is why this photo is so wide. The photo is from a scramble I did at Canmore, Alberta.Published on Sat, 19 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Wedding Invitation Reject - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-18 14:00:00
My wife and I rejected a number of different photos for our wedding invitation, but I did like some of them. This was a picture of us that happened to include a cruise ship that was pulling into the harbor at Victoria, British Columbia.Published on Fri, 18 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Getting Frets On Fire Working On Windows XP
2008-01-18 13:10:00
I recently installed Frets On Fire on my computer and have been having a great time. I still need a guitar though, but I'll figure that out soon enough. Getting Frets On Fire to work took a little bit of effort though. I had issues getting it to work on both Vista and XP, but managed to figure them both out. This is my article for Windows XP, but you can also read how I got Frets On Fire Workin g With Vista. I have seen 2 different errors and experience terrible performance, but I will explain further below. Windows XP Frets On Fire Crash I installed Frets On Fire version 1.2.512 and loaded it up. The first time I tried to load the game it just plain crashed. I received the Windows XP error message: FretsOnFire.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Here is a screenshot of hte error. This error was random and could happen on startup or when trying to play a song. Windows XP Frets On Fire Error I tried loading it up right ...
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AC3 Encoded Sound Is Too Quiet
2008-01-17 15:18:00
I have recently been watching hi definition video downloads on my laptop. Their sound was encoded using AC3 and I found that I was not able to get the sound loud enough on my laptop to watch the movie enjoyably. The movies were mkv format (otherwise known as Matroska). Fortunately, I found a very useful AC3 configuration too called the AC3 Filter that allows you to boost the sounds volume and push your speakers a little farther. You can download the program off their site and install it. Just open it up, adjust the gain or any other settings, restart your media player, and enjoy. The only catch is that you will need to restart your media playing application anytime you change a setting to see its effect. Screenshot of AC3 Filter Published on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:18:10 MST. - 0 Comments
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Cuchi Tunnels - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-17 14:00:00
I was traveling in South East Asia in 2004 and went to see the Cuchi Tunnels outside of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. These are the tunnels where the Vietcong would hide and use to move in on U.S. troops during the Vietnam War. They are impressively small as our guide shows himself going into one and putting the lid on. I took this with my Canon S50 point and shoot.Published on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Olympic View Golf Course - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-16 14:00:00
My wife and I were on the hunt for a wedding venue and the Olympic View Golf Course was one of the candidates. We ended up not going with them in favor of a closer location to her parents' home, but it still looked pretty nice. This was taken with my Canon S50 point and shoot.Published on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Vista Computer Cannot See XP Computer In Home Network
2008-01-16 13:58:00
I recently purchased an Acer Extensa 5420 laptop that was running Windows Vista . My home computer runs Windows XP and I wanted to network the two machines so that I could access files and the printer from my laptop. It seemed to be an unending problem that I was unable to fix. Anyhow, I finally got it working. I can't even remember everything I did, but I tried to do as much as possible through the Control Panel to get the network working. This included: Running the Network Setup Wizard. Creating shared folders on either computer. Defining a name for each computer in the Control Panel->System. Make sure the computers are both part of the same Workgroup. After rebooting a couple of times and tinkering with various settings, my laptop was able to see the XP machine when I looked at the Network through Vista. When I double clicked on my computer I would still get the following error though: xxxxxxx is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource....
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Getting Frets On Fire Working On Vista
2008-01-15 14:11:00
I recently installed Frets On Fire on my computer and have been having a great time. I still need a guitar though, but I'll figure that out soon enough. Getting Frets On Fire to work took a little bit of effort though. I had issues getting it to work on both Vista and XP, but managed to figure them both out. Windows Vista Frets On Fire Error #1 I tried installing the latest version which is Frets On Fire 1.2.512. I installed it and loaded it up. I was able to scroll through the menus and make selections. As soon as I enter a song, I get the following error in a window titled cx_Freeze: Python error in main script: Traceback (most recent call last): File "c:usersprojcx_Freeze-3.0.3initscriptscon sole.py", line 27, in ? File "src/FretsOnFire.py", line 79, in ? File "srcGameEngine.py", line 369, in run File "C:APPSactpythonlibsite-packagesopengl-3. 0.0a4-py2.4.eggOpenGLerror.py", line 90, in__str__ File "C:APPSactpythonlibsite-packagesopengl-3. 0.0a4-py2.4.egg...
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Canmore Hiking Self Portrait - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-15 14:00:00
I was doing a scramble on a mountain (forgot the name) south of Canmore in 2004 and decided to do a self portrait at the top. Not the prettiest photo of myself.Published on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
More About: Photo , Hiking , Portrait , Self Portrait

Frets On Fire - Free Version Of Guitar Hero
2008-01-14 14:53:00
What is Frets On Fire If you have ever played Guitar Hero then you will understand Frets On Fire. The Guitar Hero series has been one of the best selling games the past few years. Basically the game consists of trying to play a pattern of notes for various popular songs by following the note patterns on the screen. It sounds simple, but it can be really difficult and very addicting. Frets On Fire is an open source software program written by some guys in Finland. It is free and has the ability to do any song. So if you are looking to try it out, then it is a great opportunity to see what it is all about. If you are looking to play songs that are not in the real Guitar Hero series, then Frets On Fire might just have them. Check out the Frets On Fire Homepage or watch a demo video of Frets On Fire. What Is Great About Frets On Fire Free You cannot beat the price. If you don't like it, then who cares? Guitar Hero itself costs anywhere from $50 for just the software to $100 ...

Sinking Boat In The Mekong Delta - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-14 14:00:00
This looked really funny, but I shouldn't really laugh at it. In 2004 I was traveling in south east asia and was on a tour of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. As we boated along the river we came across this scene. There were a crew of guys quickly working to do something. I'm assuming to try and float it again. It looked like a nasty predicament either way. I snapped this with my Canon S50 point and shoot camera. Published on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Edmonton Man Made Waterfall - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-13 14:00:00
If you have ever lived in Edmonton , Alberta, Canada for a period of time, you will have seen this sight. For special occasions (like Canada Day) they create a man made waterfall off of the High Level Bridge. It looks pretty neat at night when it is all lit up. I took this photo from the 18th floor of WatersEdge Condominiums (101 St. and Saskatchewan Drive) using my Canon S50 point and shoot. The falls are in the left hand side and you can see some of the Alberta Legislature to the right.Published on Sun, 13 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Engagement Evening At The Cannery Row - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-12 14:00:00
Cheryl and I were engaged on August 13, 2004 in Calgary, Alberta. That night we went for a nice dinner at The Cannery Row. Excellent food for and excellent day. The waitress took this photo for us with my Canon S50 point and shoot camera.Published on Sat, 12 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
More About: Photo , Evening , Engagement

Acer Extensa 5420 Black Screen On Startup
2008-01-11 18:20:00
Well I have already screwed up my Acer laptop, but have managed to recover it (somewhat). I purchased the Acer Extensa 5420 in the end of December 2007 and been quite happy with the laptop so far. I have been installing applications and I decided to upgrade to the latest ATI drivers for my ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2400XT video card that is inside. I went to the ATI website and searched through their drivers sections. This is where I went wrong. ATI's Site Does Not Provide Laptop Drivers I was searching around for drivers and could not find the 2400 series drivers in the Mobility section so I downloaded the ones from the regular Radeon area. If I had read the fine print in the Mobility section, I would have seen that they do not provide drivers for laptops. The laptop manufacturer is responsible for this. Anyhow, after I installed the driver package I downloaded, the laptop would only boot to a black screen. After some messing around I decided I would just to the restore from...
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Fluffy Dog - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-11 14:00:00
This little guy/girl was looking pretty cute as he tried to run across the cul de sac in Victoria, British Columbia. I took this with my Canon S50 point and shoot camera.Published on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Portrait Photography Tips
2008-01-10 16:03:00
I read a blog regularly called Epic Edits Weblog. There is an excellent article with 31 Lessons In Portrait Photography . Check it out for some good examples and things to think about.Published on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:03:01 MST. - 0 Comments
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Canmore Hiking - Photo Of The Day
2008-01-10 14:00:00
This is me with my goofy grin. I had just scrambled up one of the mountains (forgot the name) to the south of Canmore, Alberta, Canada. I had a picture taken looking down from the top at Canmore. Pretty spectacular view from up there. Published on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:00:26 MST. - 0 Comments
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Schweitzer Ski Resort - Review
2008-01-10 13:05:00
I spent the first week of 2008 in northern Idaho at the Stoneridge Resort at Blanchard. One of the closer ski hills is Schweitzer Ski Resort. It is a fantastic little ski hill that claims to be the 3rd best tree skiing in North America. I don't know if that is true or not, but I had a pretty good time. Just a few minutes north of Sandpoint, Idaho, you turn west off the highway. There is a parking lot at the bottom where you can take a bus up to the top. I think they said it was around 9 miles from the bottom to the top so it is as bit of a drive. When you get up there, there are a few different parking lots that are basically all ski in and ski out of, but be careful. The top parking lot is a $10 fee to use. There is a front side and a back side to the hill and there are quite a few treed areas that you can ride through. Quite a few of them I would say are blue tree runs so it is good for more beginner types. Not Too Crowded It might have been the day, but there were a ...
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Hoya Macro Filters Review
2008-01-09 14:18:00
I have always wanted a macro lens to get those close up shots, but have convinced myself out of it. They are more expensive, take up more space in the bag, and can be a bit cumbersome to change lenses depending on the situation. Anyhow, my wife purchased the Hoya Close Up Filters for me and I have to say they are a convenient middle point for taking macro shots. You can get a set of 3 filters that are 1x, 2x, and 4x. The ones I have are for 52mm thread diameter lenses so it works perfectly on my 50mm Nikon 1.8D lens. Basically, it decreases the minimum focusing distance for you lens so that you can get closer to the object than you were able to before. I was able to get a lot closer to my test subjects at Christmas time and get some decent close up photos. Limitations It does not get a 1:1 ratio so you will not be able to get your subject to be the same size in the photo as it is in real life, but it definitely can make it a couple magnitudes larger.Published on Wed, 09 Jan 2...
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