Archive for the 'Links' Category

At work someone had the great idea that everyone at work dress up like pirates. We were looking at patterns for pirate costumes when I suggested we might be able to get a costume like this put together for less than the price of the pattern and the material. Well, this got me thinking about when I want to be for Halloween. Thinking about pirates reminded me of the age old debate of which would win in a fight with a pirate against a ninja. Ninjas win hands down in my book. I still don’t know about pirate costumes, but ninja costumes are readily available and not a bad price, either. So if Krissy ends up as a pirate and I end up as a ninja then I’ll let you know who would really win in a fight!

It can be a daunting task for a large organization with multiple properties to keep track of all of them. Siterra seeks to change all of that. Whether it is multiple retail locations, cell towers, oil wells, or any other properties Siterra’s Asset Tracking Software makes it easy to keep track of every aspect of maintaining and keeping everything up to date. They include tools for mundane things like tracking leases, but also allow for comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of relocation, etc. This is another fine example of web-based software that is accessible from any computer with an Internet connection.

Google really seems to understand that it’s very useful to have access to information anywhere. Web-based tools like email, word-processors, and spreadsheets have been released allowing for anyone with access to a web browser to get work done. Enter Procore Technologies. They understand how useful it is to have easily accessible tools for multiple people to collaborate. They make software called SitePro for contractors to plan and keep track of construction projects. It can be deployed on a web server and everyone involved can be given their own account based on their responsibilities and the details about the project that they need to know. Everyone involved can communicate with anyone else involved through the SitePro framework. Everyone will be on the same page and there will be no confusion over what is expected. You can try out the software for free, so if it looks like something you might be able to use give it a shot.

As a computer science student it is interesting to note the shift taking place to software running on servers and being interfaced with through a browser.

When I was in Germany on a mission I had the opportunity to take a VIP tour of the Audi factory in Ingolstadt. That was one of the best factory tours I have ever been on. I would have to say it was even better than the Jelly Belly factory tour because we got to walk right on the manufacturing floor. We got to lift some of the equipment used to assemble the cars. There were some spots where we had to wait for sparks to stop showering down onto the path in front of us so we could proceed. My two favorite parts were the slow-motion demonstration of how the seats are placed through the car door opening through a series of robotic arm movements that makes it just barely clear the edges. Then the robot replays the move at full-speed and it takes less than a second to get it in, even though I don’t then I could get it in on my own if given the chance. My second-favorite part was watching the final adjustments to the door alignment. A buff guy with tattoos and a measuring device would quickly but calmly measure how far off the door was from where it was supposed to be when closed, then he would open the door and hammer on it with the heel of his hand, close the door, and measure the adjustments he had made until he got it right. It just seemed so low-tech that it seemed out of place.

The adjoining museum showcased vintage as well as new luxury cars. They told the history of Audi in auto racing. You could see people showing up to literally drive their new cars right off the end of the production line. It made me really want one of their cars someday when I am rich and powerful.

The rules of poker have found themselves into a number of American idioms. Poker is one of the most popular card games in the US. I wouldn’t recommend gambling myself, but I think it’s useful to understand poker and its variants. bet365 is a UK site that has detailed explanations of poker rules and tips on how to play the games the best. I remember my Grandfather used to study the rules of blackjack and statistical strategies for fun. As long as you don’t go gambling then these games of chance can be a lot of fun! Now you can watch those poker tournaments on TV and understand what’s going on.

You know how most of the time when you buy something online there is a box where you can add coupon and promo codes before checkout? Well, most of those stores have secret coupons that you can get ahold of. One of the best places as far a savings goes is Overstock.com. They almost always have some coupons with no minimum, but if you are looking at a big purchase then you can get even bigger savings. You can get coupons for other stores, too, like Dell, Amazon, and Staples. Just remember… you’re not being cheap, you’re being smart!

I’ve created and been in charge of search engine optimization of a couple of websites, and it’s not very easy. We tried and tried to get our results closer to the top of the search engines, but we just couldn’t figure it out. It’s not an easy task, but there are other ways to advertise. It can be complicated to get it right on your own, but paid search, also known as pay per click, advertising can be a great way to get more visitors to your site. Apogee Search has a great service that will make the most of your advertising budget. They will work with you to determine the best way to reach your goals based on what you are trying to do with your site. Next time I need services like this, I’ll definitely give these guys a try.

tovid is a set of scripts that makes it easy and painless to convert any video you can play with mplayer to a DVD compliant video and even create a DVD structure to burn onto a disc. These video conversion scripts are amazing. I have used them to convert a PowerPoint slide show that I exported to an AVI file of pictures from my mission in Germany. It’s great to finally get this out of a proprietary format before I can no longer play it. It was created by the missionaries in the Mission Office and was synched up to music.

To get tovid and to learn how to set it up, just go to http://tovid.wikia.com.

PayPerPost.com’s founder, Ted Murphy, has been seen in secretly recorded video inside the Bohemian Grove. Through PayPerPost he is gearing up to start paying bloggers to place ads on blogs that promote the Military Industrial Complex and will lead the world into a police state. The New World Order exists and Mr. Murphy is the ringleader! He tries to hide this by pretending to be an entrepreneur with nothing more than a good idea and the brains to implement it. This is all a ruse. Don’t be fooled! For more information about his front, PayPerPost.com, click on the link in this posting. Together we can resist the onslaught of the One World Government!

In the last post I said that I wished I could just let morons slam into me when they cut me off on the road, but I can’t do that because I don’t have that kind of money to spare. I’m guessing most people don’t or else bad drivers would get their commupance more often. Refinancing an auto loan can be a great way to save money in the short term and, if done properly, in the long term as well. Auto Refinance isn’t usually the most enjoyable thing to undertake, but Rate Genius can make things a little bit smoother. It’s a free service and they will help you find the best rate you can qualify for. Give it a shot and see if they can get you a better deal than what you have now. I know I could use a break every month!