[Geek post alert!]

I came across a rather perplexing and quite odd computer issue that befell my sweet, sweet UUGM (Ultimate Ultimate Gaming Machine) recently. Which was a complete surprise to me since all the code out there in all the ‘verse, past present and future were made to swear that they would not ever affect UUGM as I gave birth… err, created my sweet sweet UUGM. So naturally after applying the Dec 2005 update to DirectX 9.0c and watching my monitor go blank during the DX9 tests, I immediately started to look for my half-brother Loki and ask about his Mistletoe inventory…

While the update and the loss of the video signal to the monitor during DX9 testing was alarming, it did not appear to affect my gaming but nevertheless it was clearly a problem and problems like this need solutions. Or at the very least, huge erotic posters of hot chicks on winged horses…

I researched as much as I could about failed DX 9 testing and the loss of video signals to monitors during such tests but failed to find an definitive conclusion and remedy. I didn’t want to try to de-install DX9, which you can do but is not for the faint of heart and I didn’t change much stuff/install a lot of new programs and drivers on UUGM so I decided to take some time and see what I could work out on my own. And look for a pesky obligate parasitic plant with its roots imbedded in my monitor’s signal processor. You know, the basics.

Anywhoo, after playing around with my video card drivers, I was HUGELY surprised to have come across the solution sans smoking mistletoe arrow.

(Please pay $9.95 to View Solution)
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Kidding. This isn’t a subscription service or that really uber-lame Experts Exchange site.

See, the problem was all due to my checking the Enable Doublescan for lower resolution modes box in my Nvidia driver. Doublescanning is a technique used to increase image quality, especially in lower resolutions (ie nice for older games) by using more video bandwith, bandwith that usually can be spared when using older games. However, in this case the combo of the resolution mode DX9 uses for its tests and having doublscan enabled on my video card caused the loss of video signal problem. So if you have an Nvidia card and see that No monitor signal or suddenly your monitor goes blank during testing, don’t worry… just uncheck that doublescanning option under Display Timing on your Nvidia card and all is well. In fact, I’ve re-enabled it since it does not appear to affect anything other than DirectX’s test itself.

Weird. And oh, I’m sorry to have accused you about my problems Loki. But, you have to admit that your reputation precedes you, Trickster…

(I brake for Ragnarok)

No news flash there. No siree Bob, I’m definitely not your normal typical run of the mill blogger posting every single day about my life, political leanings, views on religion, cut ‘n pasted joke dumps or ranting about the aggrevating tendancy Google has of cluttering up all my adult-oriented searches with tons of kid friendly G-rated results. I turned SafeSearch off for a reason you bleeping bleep bleep bleeping bleepers! Stop it! (Although on a side note thank you Google Image Search… *drool* pant!pant! *drool*).

Nor is my blog normal, but that’s alright since (a) it’s my blog (b) I don’t care about normal things and © apparently Gundar: Destroyer of Worlds is napping and unresponsive. Sure © has nothing to do with anything save for explaining the reason why I have time on my hands right now to write this entry.

I don’t write daily entries here, talking about politics, depressing events of the week or causes/agendas I believe in. I do it to attract chicks. Blogs are babe magnets and I wanna score more action. (By “attract chicks” I mean repel, by “babe magnets” I’m referring to ladies with adam’s apples and by “action” I’m referring of course to crying alone in a dark corner of my room, nekkid, sucking my thumb.) What? I’m honest, so sue me. Besides, I didn’t tell your cerebrum to display that visual…*cough*yourparentsnaked*cough* Ok, that one’s my fault. Lalalala, hehehe.

With that said I now do a day(s)-in-the-life post. Oh come on like you’re surprised after the rant? You must be new here.

What I’ve Been Up to Lately

1. A few weeks ago I went to CES (the Consumers Electronic Show) and as yet have not put up the pictures. Nyah. Unlike last year though I promise I will eventually put them up. Apparently I get distracted by little things like shiny objects with sleek black fronts, life, new blog redesigns and scoring cool stuff for free. Blech.

2. I am currently listening to the coolest thing; a tiny, great sounding white stereo powered by my freaking iPod!

3. Speaking of the iPod, I had to pick up some Nano-related accessories for it. I got some clear film ($6) and an aluminum hard-case ($10) to help protect it. I’m still looking for a reasonably priced clear acrylic case w/a belt-clip for it but alas my search is fruitless. Also, because I lack good headphones I picked up two pairs, the Philips HS386 w/Bass Beat (a small white pair of lightweight behind the neck/over the ears headphones for when I’m out an about - $14) and the Panasonic XBS RP-HT227 ($19) foldable ear cup jobbies for my listening pleasure at home.

4. Oh yeah, I almost forgot - I picked up 15 AAA 850mAh nickel-metal hydride batteries ($15) when I bought those headphones. Sorry I almost left you guys out NiMHs…

5. I redesigned my blog and can’t freaking believe how good it came out. I love looking at it! The color scheme and redesigned layout’s awesome!!

6. I found a really cool Vegas shirt ($17) at JC Penny’s. Strange enough I’ve never bought a Vegas shirt… I guess I was waiting all this time for it.

7. Did anyone mention that cool dinner at the Outback I was at Friday with all my sisters? No? Well, I just did. Hysterical fun all around, always! We HAVE to start podcasting our conversations…

8. Steve Jobs tried to kill my PC. Details later.

9. I finally bought what I’ve been wanting to get for AGES, The Complete Monty Python’s Flying Circus 16-Ton Megaset DVDs! Every Monty Python Flying Circus skit is now mine! Who the heck could resist that?! Frodo couldn’t. %^$#@ing cool, dudes! %^$#@ing cool!

10. I’ve been watching a pretty durned good sci-fi series on NBC called Surface. Who would have thought a good sci-fi show would come from an old stodgey public channel? Oh and a special shout-out goes to the Sci-Fi channel for rebroadcasing the previous week’s show as well as the last 4 every once in a while which helped me catch up when I accidently missed 2 episodes.

11. I’ve been practicing my juggling a little more. No ball jokes or mimes, please.

12. New episodes of Stargate SG-1, Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica are on. Why aren’t you watching them? Huh? *poke* I mean it.

13. Got my car smogged and resgistered. “Resgistered” ? Registered.

14. Today, the apartment complex office was getting rid of some computer equipment and I nabbed over $300 in brand-new laser printer toner for my HP 5L printer! SCORE! (I also nabbed 2 toner cartridges for HP 4 series lasers). Sweet! What were the odds that they had the exact toner for my 10+ yr old printer? I loved the cool background music the office played on my way out with all that toner: woo! woO! wOO! WOO! WOO!WOO!WOO! WOOOO! The lights were flashing too, I felt like a supermodel!

15. I stayed up late with Minnietaur laughing our butts off over the phone thanks to iPodlaughs, a site that shows you fictitional iPod engravings amongst other things. The inscriptions are hysterical!

That’s it for now folks. As you can see I have been a busy little bee.

Buzz buzz buzz… off I go. Buzz buzz buzz…

The Football playoffs are on. Why are you here? Go away.
(Denver Broncos should have practiced with this more…)

As only the most observant of you have no doubt realized, my blog has been redesigned… almost colorized you might say. Away went the dreary plain-jane black text on white background and now a technicolor wonderland is before you. Pleasing to the eyes, not too bold or filled with obscenely loud colors that clash, this sucker is not only easier to read but it brings people of all backgrounds together in peace, harmony and love. On a stick.

This effort would not have been possible without the opinions of my adopted sistas, Minnietaur and Special K. It’s also been made possible by the letters C, S and S. CSS - we make things better without more bloat. Boo-ya!

Likies? Please share your opinions on the redesign. You might win a stick…

No, Vinny doesn’t have an iPod. It’s a not-secret I’ve kept ever since those stoopid freaking infernal contraptions came out making even the most die-hard Wintel gods gush and squeal like preteen girls at an Nsync concert…

Apple has never EVER infected my home and never EVER will. My home is apple free; the only apple products being the Macintoshes in my fridge or the apple and cinnamon oatmeal in the cupboard. Is this by design? Some deep seated Intel/Windows driven prejudice? Am I yet another paid anti-apple blogger hellbent on slapping all things Apple?

Nay! The reason is simple… iPods suck and so do the people that use them. These people are clearly deranged degenerates and should be rounded up like sheep and transplanted into a desolate wasteland (like New Jersey) to keep us all safe from their madness which infects us like SARS, Ebola, the Bird Flu and Republicanism.

iPods suck. iMsure.

Want to see how many slobberingly crazed rabid lunatics are out there? See if they have an iPod. Add +1 to the slobberingly crazed rabid lunatics counter. There’s just no sane way to reason with these people; they’re nutz. Psycho. Impaired. Usually deaf too from cranking the suckers way too loud. They think that suddenly they’re part of the “cool kids” crowd just because they have what’s trendy. Like designer jeans, $200 Nike sneakers and paying $15 for a Grande Caramel Macchiato - these things will NOT make someone cool, hip or popular. Learning to $%#@!ing bathe and dress yourself without help will do that you #$%^@!ing morons!

They put their freaking iPods in Altoids cases! Why? Seriously I have no idea why, I’m asking. If anyone knows please contact me at imstillsane@mybrain.com .

They buy really stupid high priced accessories to make it do simple things it should already do like listen to the radio, protect it from scratching, breaking or buttering toast. Usually a $300 iPod costs the average iPod owner like $400 in “cool hip accessories". Wake up, iPodders! Snap out of your iComas and iSee what those cute kewl things are doing to your former sense of individuality! You know the one that died the minute you became an iPod owner?

Vinny Doesn’t Have an iPod.
Vinny Doesn’t Need to Have an iPod to be Cool.
Vinny Doesn’t Have an iPod.
Vinny Doesn’t Need to Flush His Brain into the Toilet Like the Rest of You.
Vinny Doesn’t Have an iPod.
Until now.

Seriously aren’t these things the coolest?! *squeal* I LOVE my iPod Nano! I got one for my 40th birthday and spent the whole day looking for the right albums to put on it and the coolest accessory for it - the iHome iPod Clock Radio. Amplified speakers, clock radio, charger all in one compact unit! $85 this week at Target. Be cool, get one. Be cooler. Get two!

Thanks sisters!

iGotta go. iHaveto play with my iPod.

(Vinny has an iPod.) *squeal*