Poked.net

Probably the last Blog this year. So sad. Its been a good year for me. Despite the fact that I didn't end up in Europe, I did finally get the online business thing rolling with Tag-Board, I figured out a basic game plan for post-college activities, I've learned alot about life, computers, and other things. I started flying, which I've wanted to do for so long, and even though I stopped before I got my license, I've temporarily quenched my thirst (I will be back in the air though). I'm healthier this year than I have ever been in my life for a number of reasons, and that alone feels wonderful. I've hiked a good 80 miles on the Appalachian Trail in one stretch, a small accomplishment, but one I've wanted for a while. On another note, I am happy to say that many people I know and who are near to me are doing much better IMO these days as well. All in all, a very sucessful year.

Physics Exam Strikes Again - Apparently I misread the final exam time to be 7:45pm as opposed to am. I was all set to sit in the library all day tomorrow cramming, but I re-checked the time before heading to bed. Good thing I did too. Now I'm working on an all nighter. Time to break for a blog entry. Oh yeah.

Froogle seems to be getting some interest since it came out. Webmasters that depend on google's search results for selling products (mostly affiliate marketers) are a little concerned that this might hurt sales. Google says it isn't vying for profits in this one - submissions to froogle are free, and they aren't signing themselves up for affiliate programs (I would be - geez). Anyway, it is kinda neat.

More work done on tadx.com today. Wohoo. I'm finally being productive. Unfortunately, the reason is that it's exam time and I don't feel like studying.

You wont see any more changes on the server, because there aren't any. Its all on my machine. For those of you who don't know what tadx is - I'm not telling. For those who do, the concept has changed a bit...You'll find it surprising in a good way.

For those of you who haven't seen me in a while, this is what I've been working on (Warning! - 121kb jpg). The top window is the main view of the topo data with the dark areas being lower and brighter areas higher. The blue square can be moved around which generates the polygon topo map in the larger window. I can set the perspective angle by moving my mouse around the bigger window - ie: I can move around the big object and look at it from different sides. There is some other functionality in this program, but it doesn't look nearly as cool. Yes - I programmed the whole thing in about 2 days. Pretty cool huh? (All you OpenGL buffs, dont mock me - this was a first attempt)

I found this elsewhere, but it is still interesting:

*Unocal wanted to build a 1,000 mile long pipeline from the Caspian Sea through Afghanistan to the Arabian Sea
*All of the leading Taliban officials were in Texas negotiating with UNOCAL in 1998
*Negotiations were quickly broken off and the contract was awarded to an Argentinian company to build the pipeline by the Taliban
*The Taliban are determined to be 'evil' in 1999 at Congressional hearings
*Post 9/11 we invade Afghanistan, though all of the terrorists hail from Saudi Arabia
*Hamid Karzai is installed as the new leader of Afghanisitan. Karzai is a former employee of Unocal
*The US announced Jan 31, 2002 we will support the construction of the Trans-Afghanistan pipeline

Well, there is now about, oh, a good 1.5 feet of snow outside on the ground. Really fine dusty stuff, not that sticky snowball stuff. Not sure which I like more. They both have their plusses. Honestly, the best part about snow is walking on it and the crunching sound it makes beneath your feet. I really want to walk around in it bare-footed, but I know that would be a short and painful event.

Had a dream that I was on a space shuttle during launch, halfway into orbit the engines failed and the parachute deployment screwed up. As I was plummeting towards the ground, I shook the hands of my colleagues and told them how much I enjoyed working with them as I knew the outcome. When I hit, everything blacked out and a few seconds later I woke up in a hospital being told that I had been in a comma for 15 years. The dream continued with me contacting many people that I had once known and just being extremely grateful that I had survived. Very weird, very cool.