EPIC Nerf-War

The Great Office War from Runawaybox on Vimeo.

RRR

Rave:

I found some useful Word and Registry info. for XP. Check them out below:

Microsoft Word shortcut keys

Applying Bullets from the Keyboard (Tips.Net)

System Delay at Startup Windows tutorial

OS Novice: Increasing mouse scroll speed in firefox

**Please note that I am not responsible for any damage or loss of data to your computer or files.

Use at your own risk**

Rant:

Why can’t there be a CTRL+F for books? It would be SO useful for doing definitions.

Random:

Cotton Ball + Scotch Tape = Better than a Band-Aid

How so you ask?

Here are 5 reasons using a cotton ball and tape are better than a band-aid:

1. Easier to use:

Everyone knows bandaids are a pain to open as they are wrapped up and difficult to open, especially if the cut you have is on your finger. With a cotton ball and tape, all you do is apply pressure with the cotton ball, tear off a piece of tape, and wrap it around the cotton ball and your finger. Presto! No unwrapping stuff.

2. It works better than a band-aid:

It’s common knowledge that in order to stop the flow of blood from a wound, you must apply pressure. However when using traditional bandages this often becomes a compromise between applying pressure and cutting off circulation to your finger (assuming it’s your finger that is cut). This is because the cotton is in-line with the adhesive part and thus must be wrapped tightly to apply pressure. With a cotton ball it is raised up, so you must simply tape it around your finger as the tape holds the cotton ball in place rather then cutting off circulation. Also, because tape is less adhesive that a band-aid, it won’t rip out your precious hairs or cause pain when removing.

3. It’s green:

Yes you heard me, using a cotton ball and tape is more enviromentally friendly than using a band-aid, not to mention the fact that you don’t have to go through the trouble of throwing away any wrapper, because there isn’t one. Another plus is that you don’t have to find an object like a tissue or rag to apply pressure while you get and unwrap the band-aid. Since the cotton ball is what you use to apply pressure, it’s all you’ll need.

4. It’s cheaper:

100 cotton balls cost about $1.00

A tape dispenser costs $0.75 to $1.00

Total: $2

A box of 100 bandaids costs about $6-7.

5: Both materials have multiple uses:

Both cotton balls and tape can do more than one task. Cotton balls and petroleum jelly make a great fire starter. You can use them to clean things like your sink or toilet, and tape has all of its obvious uses.

Can you fix a torn book page with a band-aid?

Can you use a band-aid as kindling?

Can you use a band-aid to clean things?

No. Why use something that only has one purpose, when something that works better has multiple purposes?

Exactly.

RRR

Rave:

I am making a Monty Python and the Holy Grail bridge of death quiz in MS Visual Studio. It’s coming along quite well aside from a few minor hiccups I need to fix.

Rant:

I was watching The Daily Show make fun of CNN. I used to watch CNN as my only source of news (aside from the Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and AP articles on my phone). However I stopped watching several months ago due to the fact that they are trying to integrate social networking and failed terminology with news in an attempt to attract younger viewers. Jon Stewart destroys them on a regular basis, so this is sort of a rave (Jon Stewart) and a rant (CNN).

Random:

I recently bought a new knife to replace my broken one. I had been looking at the Kershaw Skyline and bought it at the local Walmart (not a fan of Walliworld, but didn’t want to pay shipping and I could hold it in the store). It was $35, and though I could have found it at a better price, I had the advantage of having it then and there. Very sharp out of the box. More on it in a separate non-RRR post!

RRR

Rave:

AP American History revealed some awesome insights about our (American) culture.

For example out of all the colonies under rule by Britain, the 13 American (technically not at that point) ones were the only ones that stood up to them. (Unless you count Ireland too.) Also American’s hate lines. If you go to a bus stop in Australia, England, or Canada they will get in a line without being told to. As American’s we believe that we are all equal so we form mobs instead of lines, in order to fight and push our way to our objective.

How true…

Rant:

I dislike my VB teacher more and more with each passing day. After moving to my assigned seat, changing the XP Scheme to silver, changing the desktop background, and disabling the netop service, I spent the rest of the hour waiting on her to hurry up and give us instructions on how to make a ‘Contact Me’ program in Visual Studio. What should have taken 30 seconds to explain (adding 3 labels and 3 text boxes) instead took 30 minutes. We haven’t really even written any legitimate programs because every day we have to do stupid ‘Concepts’ and ‘bell work’ crap. UGH! The problem isn’t that it takes a long time (quite the opposite), it’s that I spend the majority of the time waiting for the rest of the class to catch up instead of actually learning anything.

Random:

I shouldn’t have to learn about useless math properties every year. Any number X 1 is the #, I shouldn’t have to learn that as a property, it’s common knowledge!

RRR

Rave:

Recently hung out at my friend’s house. I tried out Little Big Planet and really enjoyed it.

One thing I built was a giant base with an iron circular safe (made of dark matter and electrified) on the floor, with two large electrified dark matter fences (equipped with tons of turrets) surrounding it on either side, and a proximity activated retractable roof (dark matter on fire). Also the turrets and door to the safe can be controlled from inside it.

Rant:

I wish Little Big Planet’s Camera would switch to a split-screen view when one person leaves the area. This way I wouldn’t have to follow the other player when I want to work on something.

Random:

The Monster Truck class in Motorstorm rapes small cars, and can survive insane crashes!

1st Day as a Junior

Yesterday was my first day back to school. As a Junior in HS, I have already fulfilled all of my course requirements, so I can take whatever classes I want now (besides core classes).

Here’s the lowdown of what happened and my impressions of each teacher/class:

1st Hr: Environmental Design

In this hour, I am one of the only juniors in the class (all the others are sophomores). We started a project where you must write instructions for a vessel

that will protect an egg from breaking when dropped from a height of 20 ft. You can only use 4 sheets of posterboard, and 12″ of masking tape. You must also create a way for the egg to be inserted into the vessel, as you can’t build the vessel around the egg. Lastly, you (the designer) are not creating the vessel. I have to write out instructions on how to make something that I have never made before and hope they’re clear enough for a random person to construct. I must also construct someone elses design, and will be graded both on my design and my construction of the other persons.

2nd Hr: Graphics/Communications

This class is usually combined into Enviro. Design. I’m confused as to how it works. They’re two separate classes, but stuff carries over as well.

3rd Hr: Chemistry

Not too excited about taking chemistry. Chemistry is boring and it hurts my brain. I find it to be too abstract for me to understand, and I’m terrible at memorization.

Also the teacher talked about how she liked chocolate but didn’t like soggy bread (french toast, sandwiches, etc.) Strange…

4th Hr: English

English is one of my strongest subjects, and while I could take AP (Honors) English I’m already taking a college level American History Class, so I’d rather have a higher grade in

a lower-level class than have to cope with the extra workload of two AP classes and have lower grades. The teacher, Mr. Super, seemed nice enough. He was quite talkative

(which I liked, I can’t stand teachers that don’t talk at all), but he sort of raised his voice randomly. He sat in a rolling office chair, and it was kind of creepy as he would roll over really close to you. Seems like a good class though.

5th Hr: Advanced Algebra II/Trig

Yep. I have to take Algebra (one of my weakest and least-favorite subjects) again and learn trig stuff on top of that. Luckily, my teacher was pretty low-key.

He is the only math teacher I have ever had that lets you write in pen! He also has a fair late work system (5/5 on due day 4/5 any day afterward, but before the test over that chapter).

The lame thing is, I have last lunch. As you can probably guess, last lunch sucks because you eat really late (12:45 Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri) and (1:00 on Thurs) in addition to this there is hardly any food left. This is because:

1. The lunch staff doesn’t order enough food for everyone

2. Everyone before you eats like there’s no tomorrow

In addition to this I have no-one I know in any of my classes or in my lunch hour, so I’m stuck eating by myself in the library.

You’re probably wondering what this has to with math but the other great thing about my math teacher is he lets you bring whatever snack/drink you want to eat in class as long

as you don’t spill it.

6th Hr: VB Programming

I’ve already taken two semesters worth of web design classes, and was satisfied with what I had learned. So I decided that I would learn programming as well.

I have heard that my VB teacher is new, and I don’t really know what to think of her. She spent 10-15 min. explaining to people how to pin the Visual Studio

shortcut to the Start Menu, and how it was convenient when you could have just made a desktop shortcut. The good news is that the school hasn’t locked me out of anything yet,

so I can change the desktop background, access services.msc, msconfig, Computer Properties (max performance is so much faster!), and Task Manager (Why are you running 50 processes on a system running XP with only 1 GB of RAM?!) I also disabled the netop service, which allows teachers to control your mouse, keyboard, and lock out programs remotely.

7th Hr: AP American History

I’m very fond of history and have always enjoyed learning it. So I signed up for this class because:

1. I can get college credit for it

2. I enjoy it

3. I don’t know much about American History (sadly)

The teacher explained how the class would be very different from the type of work we had done before, but that it would be very beneficial

should we decide to attend college later on. I liked the teacher a lot, as he was very engaging without being too enthusiastic. I look forward to

taking this class.

RRR’s

I have decided that I shall post a daily Rave, Rant, and Random (or RRR) on my blog. These posts include one thing I enjoy or like, one thing I dislike, and one thing that is not a like or dislike such as a link to a favorite website or an interesting news article. Included below will be my first RRR, and all new RRR’s will follow this format.

Rave:

I like having a blog on wordpress. I find it much easier to use and organize my ideas than on the free website host (tripod) I was using. I also enjoy the freedom to customize the

layout of the blog, without having to deal with ads, popups, or fees.

Rant:

I had to go back to school yesterday (see my separate post for more info.)

Random:

I have $600 saved up for my car. (Goal of $1500 and no job yet, but I have a gig mowing a lawn for $20/wk.)

If you’re wondering why I appear to be saving so little for my first car, it is because both of my parents (divorced) have

agreed to pay 1/3 of the car (matching whatever I save).

What is FAT?

FAT, short for Fun and Tech, is a personal website that I run where I both technology related news, ideas, reviews, etc.

along with my own personal thoughts, opinions, and information. It is somewhat of a hybrid of a personal site and a

technology blog. I will post info. on upcoming video games, gear, movies, or whatever else I may be interested in at

the time as well as my experiences and stories from high school and other places. I hope that by offering this website

that someone will find it useful, something they can relate to, an independant source for opinions,

or at least a well constructed website. If you ever have any suggestions, opinions, or other things you wish to tell me

you can do so via the contact page.

- Hudson

FAT Webmaster