Author: andy

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Mmmm, toys…

Well, I’m about ready to purchase that new computer system in the next few weeks… I already got a new LCD monitor for a whopping $105, after rebate, so I’m well on my way… But for now, here’s the system I have speced out:

I was hoping I didn’t need a video card, as many nForce motherboards have one integrated (and for my Linux purposes, I don’t need anything crazy with regards to gaming), but this board apparently doesn’t have one, so I’m adding on a card… Total, the cost comes up to around $700 once you figure in shipping, etc…

Not too bad, you think? I’d actually like some video card suggestions… Not that I really want to play games much, but I’d kinda like to try getting UT2004 running under Linux, since a). there are Linux versions available, and b). I can run it in 64-bit mode. I’d like to stick with nVidia because their Linux drivers are much, much better than ATi’s…but I’m thinking that I could get a decent GeForce card of the previous generation (6 series) for the same price as a budget GeForce of the current one (7 series). So yeah, that’s just one on Newegg right now, but lemme know if you know of something better…

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Hell freezes over…

1). Dell has officially decided to start using AMD chips in their desktop line of PCs beginning as early as next month. Honestly, I’ve had three major reasons for hating Dell over the past few years: reliance on only Windows, reliance on only Intel, and the fact that their systems suck because of both. So yeah, hopefully by adding AMD, they’ll improve the quality of their systems and give AMD a boost in the process.

2). Due to the new planet-naming structure, if Pluto is to remain a planet, then other “celestial bodies” needed to be re-designated as planets, including an asteroid (Ceres) and even Pluto’s moon, Charon. Well, apparently, if Charon is to be added, then that means that our own moon would count as a planet, as well.

Anyway, we’re off to Columbia a little later today…just figured I’d post a bit…

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Ooooo, Zooooo…

So, I had to go by the lab to run my cytotoxicity assay on the cells I killed Friday, and there’s a 3 hour incubation time…so Brooke and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and go to the zoo.

I must say, for free entertainment, it was a good time. We went last summer once, but only went to a few exhibits. This time, we went through the ape house, herpetarium, insectarium, and all the outdoor exhibits. Sadly, we didn’t see the new baby elephant, but I did get to go through the herpetarium for the first time in mostly forever (see, Mom doesn’t like snakes…so we didn’t get to go through that house very often… Thanks, Mom… :-P).

For the record, however, the penguins are, by far, the bestest exhibit at the zoo. They even have Gentoo penguins!? 😉

Regardless, we had a good day. Hadn’t been to the zoo in awhile and, honestly, we should make use of a free attraction more often. Next on our list is the Anheuser-Busch Tour, which sadly, we haven’t done yet… Maybe tomorrow…maybe some other time…

On another note, my experiment worked… w00t! to data!

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An Adventure…

So, Brooke and I went to Best Buy tonight and bought the new Audio Adrenaline album, “Adios” (their last one, apparently). While we were there, we found some $6.99 movies.

We bought “Wayne’s World” and “Adventures in Babysitting.”

Oh yes. We’re watching 1987’s greatest movie starring Elizabeth Shue, Vincent D’Onofrio, Bradley Whitford, and Penelope Ann Miller.

Could life be any better?

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30-sec skip

So, I was reading on ArsTechnica that TV ads are losing their relevance. More specifically:

“McKinsey makes a number of assumptions about consumer behavior such as projecting ‘a 15 percent decrease in buying power driving by cost-per-thousand rate increases, a 23 percent decline in ads viewed due to switching off, a 9 percent loss of attention to ads due to increased multitasking and a 37 percent decrease in message impact due to saturation,’ all by the year 2010 and in comparison to the year 1990. Those numbers are then synthesized into TV-based marketing becoming one-third as effective in 2010 as it was in 1990.”

Now, I can’t say that I find this to be terribly surprising… As the article points out, more people are using DVR/TiVO services, as well as on-demand services, than there were in 1990 (oh yeah…that stuff didn’t exist back then…), but at the same time, realize that these percentages are calculated from data spanning nearly 20 years. Wouldn’t you think that people’s tastes in television and advertising would change anyway, without any help from DVR or TiVO? Personally, I tend to watch shows when they’re premiering, so I can’t skip forward. On the other hand, Brooke’s sister (Rachel) will wait ’til her show starts, pause it, and then go take care of the dog just so she can come back a little later and skip the commercials.

On another note, last month, execs from the ABC network decided to start investigating ways to prevent DVR owners from skipping commercials (apparently thinking we wouldn’t mind). Obviously, the networks are starting to “get wise” to the situation and make adjustments as soon as they can, ’cause as the article points out, “TV advertisers today are paying more for access to a smaller audience, which makes that medium an expensive way to attract new customers.”
Regardless, the model’s going to have to change and we aren’t going to have commercials as we know them for much longer…

…except during the Super Bowl, of course…

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What else is there?

Haven’t posted recently, mostly because there hasn’t been much going on besides the same ol’, same ol’… I’ve just been keeping up with Biostatistics for the past 5 weeks, and getting some experiments done before the school year starts up on August 21st.

I guess I’m generally ready for classes to start, but only to an extent. While I’m perfectly fine getting to work around 9:30 and leaving by 4:00, I’m also ready to get into learning a bit more about my chosen field, as well as moving on with my research beyond where it currently lies. I’ve actually been getting some pretty good data, recently, so hopefully that continues (otherwise…well…graduation may be “delayed”…).

Anyway, this week marks the end of Biostats (woo hoo!). Brooke’s also got a few interviews for jobs, so hopefully that goes well. Otherwise, I’ve got from August 9th to the 20th to be lazy and worthless…maybe I’ll drop into Columbia and see what’s going on there (you know…frisbee golf and the like)…

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Suck it, BP…

So, I watched “The Daily Show” tonight…Jon Stewart was kind enough to point out some information that came out today based on the quarterly earnings of BP (British Petroleum):

Last quarter, BP made $55,000 in profit.

Every.

Minute.

Seriously. wtf?!?!

For those that don’t know, a “quarter” lasts 3 months, and there are 1440 min in a day, 43200 in a month, and 129600 in three months. Multiply that times $55,000 and you get approximately $7.1 billion in profits.

Can someone please explain to me why I’m paying $3.05 a gallon right now?

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Mmmmm…hobos…

“Yeah. before the role [Venom], I went out and killed a hobo with a hammer just [to] kind of get into [it], and it worked. All of a sudden, people were treating me differently.”

— Topher Grace