It never ceases to amaze me that so many people who are religious take their creator/ god/ holy deity’s name in vain or worst yet bother them praying for insignificant things like a slot machine win, world peace, long life, eternal salvation, an unstale bagel or their favorite TV show not to be cancelled. Some things are just wrong and these flip-flop, fair-weather faithfuls should be smited by their almighty every time their attentions are diverted by listening to their petty, small materialistic wishes.

Living in Vegas, I see these “worshippers” all the time. People rubbing a slot machine, begging their creator/ god/ holy deity to give them that jackpot and then maybe they’ll be better people; that for $200 (nickel players), $1,000 (quarter players) or $4,000 (dollar players) they’ll suddenly become devout in their faith. With prayer beads in hands, they pull that handle, push those flashy buttons and all the while pray. Pray for a win. Pray for their luck to change. Pray that their creator/ god/ holy deity will smile down and convince Lady Luck to be a little more forthcoming for his/her/its worshippers and slip them some silver. If you think about it these people are basically praying really petty prayers, begging their c/g/hd to bribe them so they’ll scream his/ her/ its name out in joyous rapture proclaiming their worship in the highest octave range permissable to the human ear.

Give me a royal flush, oh Lord and I shall sing your praises in joyous exultation!

Only if they win, of course. Some people flip out when their savior doesn’t provide the big payoff. Muttering under their breath (or loudly) they curse the same deity they were just praying to.

Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Two of ^&%$#@ing clubs?! Why don’t you love me?! Come on! Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Seven? You $#@&ing don’t love me!! I hate you too! You $%#@ing, suck! I’m converting!

Disgusting. You’d think these people wouldn’t waste their prayers on such little things, or stop to think that their c/g/hd might not look favorably towards their small-mindedness. Repulsive. Unforgivable. Blasphemy at it’s highest level…

BTW, Jesus bought me a Personal Video Recorder and a new TV. My PVR has a hard drive and a DVD burner and my 27″ Truflat RCA TV has all the inputs and outputs I’ll ever need, replacing my 16yr old 25incher w/a blown speaker. No more swapping cables for me.

Thank you, Jesus! (And thank you too Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino!)

(I didn’t pray for a win but those four freaking deuces on that quarter machine showed up anyways. Hallelujah, heathens!)

[And now for the obligatory non-graphical odd post.]

I thought I’d take this time to answer all your questions. I have received many emails since this site went up and although I really am not into the whole “interaction” thingy but what the hello-jello… how could it hurt?

Q: Hey Vince, I’ve been reading your site for a LONG time and I just have to say you’re funny! *giggle* Wanna hook up? -Denise, Baton Rouge
A: No. You broke 2 rules. The first rule is you called me Vince, like we’re friends or something. I’ve never met you. The second is you made eye contact… also I know how this ends. You’re probably a 35yr old law enforcement officer pretending to be a preteen waiting for me to pull up in the driveway. No thank you. Besides, as a died-in-the-wool computer geek if you’re not made outta wires and heavy tech you’re not my type. Unless of course you’re a kinky 35yr old law enforcement officer. purrrrrr

Q: Hey man I read your This Hax0r House entries. Do you really know [name deleted to protect the guilty]? COOL MAN! You’re ^&%$@ing awesomely cool. To the XTREME!!!! WOOOO! -Tyler, Detroit
A: Yes I do know [name deleted to protect the guilty]. But knowing someone doesn’t make you cool, dude. Of course on the flip side [name deleted to protect the guilty] knows *MOI* and has a special nickname when referring to me. That Fucker is a cool freaking nickname dontchathink? (Profanity allowed because it is my nickname.)

Q: I noticed you have an iPod. Now that you’ve gone the way of us Apple-ites when will we hear all about your new Powerbook? -Steve Jobs, Cupertino
A: When? About 3 seconds after my penis is forcibly removed by a wild yak. I put owning a Mac and yak penis removal to be equally likely. And the yak thingy is a tad more desirable. Does this mean I’m an Apple hater? Nope. They make a fine PC but look, I don’t run a Linux desktop, primarily use OS/2 or want my sole PC to be a Mac because I want to run software and thus I go where the options really are; with the majority. And I game so there’s only 1 choice for a machine (PC), OS (Windows) and Processor (AMD 64). Anyone that says otherwise just hasn’t met the right yak yet.

Q: So you’re a lemming, huh? Just another mindless sheep chomping at whatever scraps “the Man” chooses to give you? Think different! -Steve Jobs, Cupertino
A: You’re $%#@!ing running Intel doofus. Just another mindless sheep running whatever processor “the Man” chooses to give you. We’ll all be running XP together soon, baby. You know it. Besides, I really do think different. I run AMD

Q: You’re pretty out there. Uhm, ya know, nuts you know that? Seriously you’re way way bizarre! Are you on drugs?! -Rhonda, Michigan
A: And the sky is blue, Captain Obvious. Thanks for the newsflash. No, I’m not under any influences (save for Bach, Bethoven and 2:3 of the Three Tenors). I rarely drink and I don’t do drugs. I may be crazy, but I’m not stupid. Well… except for mistaking Demansia papuensis for Demansia vestigiata. Everyone knows the former is the Australian whip snake from northern Australia while the latter is from northeastern Western Australia. I’m such a moron sometimes…

Q: How many times have you gotten sick from Hormel Chili? - Greg, Boise Idaho
A: Only once, Greg; only once. I doubt it was really the chili, those people at Hormel rock. It was probably all those voodoo curses finally catching up to me or cumulative bad karma from sharing my opinion with people. For example, why the hello does anyone live in Boise Idaho? It’s not like the Entertainment Capital of the World, dude. Slightly smaller than Spokane? Wow. Nonstop fun there. MOVE! Seriously or get a drinking problem or roll something other than a hobo… then again that’d explain why you live in Boise.

Q: Why don’t you post daily? I want something new to read every day. You’re a blogger, it’s all about content. Give us more! -Kyle, Denver
A: Usually I’d inform you that I prefer quality over quantity, scoff at that whole blogger label or tell you I do this blog for me but instead I’m going to send you your very own yak to play with. Enjoy! He loves to give special low kisses…

Q: What’s your favorite hobby? - Eleanor, Washington DC
A: Breathing. It’s a habit I just can’t break, no matter how hard other people try to help me quit. Oh, and llama snuggling. *sigh*

Q: Please let us know what you feel about [insert current event or political topic here]? We never really hear about what you think about these important topics. -Jennifer, Los Angeles
A: You don’t want to know. This blog is an escape from reality (well in truth it’s my being mired in my special blend of reality) and will remain so. See, as a person we’re pretty powerless although we like to think we can change the world if we share our opinions or outrage about current events and hot button topics. In reality, if that were true, if we could change the world Claudia Schiffer would be in my room making the bed, worshipping me as a higher being and doing my math homework. Until then, you’re all on your %^$#@ing own. (note lack of smiley)

Quote of the Day:

Minnietaur: I know a person with a god complex…
Me: Does he have a bunch of houses he calls Jesus?
Minnietaur: … uh, no…
(pause)
Minnietaur: (laughter and giggles)

A few years ago, the esteemed Scott Herriott did a documentary about the Pacific Coast Trail. Well now peeps, I’m proud to announce that Scott is back again with a sort of followup documentary on the PCT, called Still Walking!

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a 2,650-mile national scenic trail that runs from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington. Many attempt the PCT, but few make it all the way. The average journey takes about 6 months and is not for the weak of heart.

This time around Scott “Squatch” Herriott hikes a longer section of the PCT, catches up with a few of the hikers he filmed in Walk and shows you what some of the people he met in his earlier documentary are doing now. If you like nature, the Great Outdoors, triumphs of the human spirit and Scott’s distinctive style of documentaries then you’ll love his fifth and latest work, so go get yourself a shiny new copy of Still Walking today.

I just saw it last night and loved to see this 2nd take on the PCT and seeing what the hikers I saw in Walk are up to. You really feel a connection to the people Scott puts on camera and it was good to see “old friends” again. Nice job! Head on over to www.walkpct.com and take a look, peeps…

As time goes on and the web gets bigger it seems impossible to get the kind of information I want when I want it. There’s just too much bloat on the web and the time it takes to sort through even a tiny portion of it to read about stuff that interests me, well, it just seems like I’m Sisyphus constantly trying to push that friggin’ boulder uphill.

*push* roll sonufa *push* roll sonufa **push* roll sonufa

Well I’m sick of it so like others I have found a better way of getting what I want, (especially after that stupid $%#@!ing 7-day waiting period was over.)

I use what’s called Aggregate sites. Websites that parse through all the stories and information out there and serve them up to you like an endless, yet organized buffet. A smorgasboard of relative information served in easily digestible portions for the hungry masses. These aggregate sites are all over the place and there are a lot of them specializing in news, technology, medicine, daily events, etc. In fact one day I fully expect that mischevious imp, Irony, to rear his prankish head and for there to be so many aggregate sites that we need aggregate sites just to keep track of all the aggregrate sites out there…

Who has the time to sort through all the garbage? And even if you had the time who’d want to sift through the entire bloated universe looking for a crumb of interest?

When I want news I use Google News and Reuters.
To keep track of tech I use Gizmodo, Slashdot, the Inquirer and Digg.
If I want hot deals on shiny gadgets it’s Hot-deals, Slick Deals and Techbargains that I trust.

Do you use Aggregate Sites to more easily find the stuff you want to read about? If so, please share them with us! This way we can spend more time on things that matter like making playlists for our iPods…

PS. I’m not providing a link to explain that whole Sisyphus thing, look him up on Google! (And if you have to look him up you’re obviously a product of the current American school system.)

Do you long for a decent show about computers and technology? Do you miss not having such a thing anymore on your TV, if you ever had it? Do you want to watch a show hosted by two tech-loving geeks that don’t look like tech-loving geeks? (One is married and the other is DATING!)

Well then peeps, DL.TV (formerly known as Digital Life TV) is just what the doctor ordered! This twice a week TV show streams live every Tues and Thurs (4pm Pacific time).

The shows, running anywhere from 30min to about an hour is hosted by Robert Heron and Patrick Norton. Both are well-respected and recognized tech enthusiasts / writers / lab rats with great pedigrees (I’ve seen their kennel records). Backed by the global tech conglomerate, Ziff Davis, this grass-roots show is humble, honest and human. The three H’s folks. Wow.

What can you expect out of an episode of DL.TV? Everything and anything you ever wanted to know about HDTV, $800 remotes that suck, portable media players (not just iPods folks), game reviews, browser plugins, free software and protecting your rights online. Learn what really bugs the show hosts as a topic that strikes near and dear to their hearts causes an entertainingly heartfelt rant/digression. (Robert Heron: digital TV is not all digital!) Rob and Pat are a good duo and they share the screen well.

Plus they’ve got backup thanks to being a part of Ziff Davis Media. Guests frequently include game/hardware reviewers from sister sites like 1up.com and ExtremeTech reviewing XBox 360s, digital cameras, upscaling DVD players and assorted other shiny gadgets. Jim Louderback, VP of Ziff Davis Media and formerly a television tech host himself, stops by from time to time to review products, encourage the staff and personally refuse Robert and Pat’s $50,000 requests for “office supplies.”

If you haven’t checked out DL.TV yet, you can do so live as it streams (4pm Pacific Tues & Thurs) or download the shows (available in many different audio and video formats) and watch them at your convenience. You can subscribe to their broadcasts via their website or iTunes among other ways.

And it’s not just about computers. It’s about living the Digital Life, baby… best of luck, guys!