Like so many other Cell phone carriers, Helio has encumbered their devices with draconian restrictions in an attempt to steer their (apparently cash hemorrhaging) customers into overpriced proprietary media downloads. The Fin (and many other Helio Kit) are plenty capable of decoding mp3s and playing arbitrary media as a ringtone or other event notification; the fact that you can’t do this out of the box is possibly the greatest annoyance conceived of in the history of cellular technology. Fret not though, the no-custom media restriction can be bypassed by tricking the phone into thinking your custom media is from a source within the network. Specifically, the Fin will allow ringtones to be set as MPEG-4 3gpp videos: videos it thinks are from other camera phones or taken itself. Continue reading ‘Setting Up Helio’s Samsung Fin with Mac OS X (part 2: Creating ringtones)’
- “Grawr!” ✓
- “Hulk Smash!” ✓
- Gamma Wave ✓
- “Iron Man” Tony Stark ✓
- Big green clappy hands ✓
So, I guess “The Incredible Hulk” was at least as good as Marvel vs. Capcom 2. And, I guess they are gonna do an Avengers movie.
Memorial Day weekend was Fanime! And I can happily say that my secret project with Andrew was a big success. Yes, I created a muppet version of Kankuro’s combat puppet Karasu! (complete with glowing chakra!) Of course, Andrew took on the gutsy task of actually donning the Kankuro costume and makeup, but I’m still rather jazzed that my muppet creation was part of such an excellent cosplay.
Andrew came up with the Muppet Karasu idea, bought the materials, and eventually came to me because Judy had recently bought a sewing machine. Being the perfectionist I am, I proceeded to hijack his project and ended up designing and constructing the majority of the muppet. From scratch! Honestly, I’m quite proud that it turned out even better than my dog-eating-head hat.
Check out my flickr set for more photos of the construction of Muppet Karasu.
I finished the last of my final exams today. I’m done with my BSSE at SJSU. I just hope I’m not permanently as stressed out as I have been for the last couple years. Free time is almost foreign to me at this point… It’ll take a lot time to relax, I guess. Some of my coworkers were joking with me saying how, now that I have my degree, I can now go get a good job. Deep down, it bothers me that I spent so much time at school when I landed my current (awesome) job primarily on merit (the rest was luck). I hate that my degree was a barrier to be crossed rather than a foothold for new opportunity.
A couple of days ago my father was being a whiney bitch. He was going off on how it is important for me to walk at SJSU commencement (I’m not). The singular reason I did the work to complete my degree was because Judy wanted me to; not for myself, not for anyone else, not for any other benefit. Now, at the end when all the work is done, he selfishly demands to be part of the experience. He tirades me with tenuous reasons why I should walk. Every reason thinly veils only his personal desires. He wants the achievement to be his own. Like he gives a fuck about me. If he gave two shits about me completing my degree, he’d have helped me pay for college. If he really cared that I finished, he might’ve helped me not encumber myself in debt. If had any desire to support me he wouldn’t have forced me out of his goddamn house when I was on hard times trying to figure out how I’d finish the degree. If he’d really cared at all he’d have asked me “What classes are you taking?”, “Who are your professors?”, “How are your grades?”, “Are you happy?”, anything.
Cryptic sent me to Las Vegas this past weekend! I brought Judy. We stayed at the Palazzo. Fun was had. Sites were seen.
I guess you could say that this was my first real (unsupervised) trip to Vegas, so I got to do pretty much just what I felt like doing, which was great. Anyhow, the sites and activities are well documented by others, I’m sure, so I’ll just go over the numbers.
Friday:
Venitian, $10 Craps (3-4-5) on $200 bankroll: -$55
Venitian, Cryptic Hospitality: +$500
Saturday:
Palazzo, $10 Craps (3-4-5) on $300 bankroll: +$410
MGM Grand, $5 Craps (3-4-5) on $300 bankroll: +$99
MGM Grand, Ka by Cirque du Soleil: -$280
Sunday:
Casino Royale, $5 Craps (5x) on $300 bankroll: -$300
Venitian, $10 Craps (3-4-5) on $200 bankroll: +$105
Total (hospitality, show, and gambling): +$479
So, my personal gambling (not counting Judy’s penny slots) plus the Ka show plus Cryptic Hospitality still ends up fairly well in the black. Even with the couple hundred we spent on dining, souvenirs, and conveniences, we’re still ahead by a fair amount. Nothing like a free trip to Vegas to lighten your spirits 
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