Gmail Address Flexibility And Filtering
February 28, 2007 | 1 Comment
You hate spam. I hate spam. Lets face it, we sign up for things online and our e-mail address become prone to being spread all over hell’s half acre and our inboxes inevitably gets invaded by irritating e-mail. Heck…sometimes we set up accounts on sites that we want kept out of our inboxes to avoid irritating clutter. Here’s my easy little Gmail solution.
Gmail has a nice little feature that allows you to tack on a phrase to the end of your username without destroying the delivery of e-mail to your inbox. Here’s how it works:
- Lets say my e-mail address is super.awesome.coder.ninja@gmail.com and I want to sign up at Amazon
- All I need to do is add a phrase to my e-mail separated by a + when I sign up!
- Lets say I add the word shop…my e-mail would now look like: super.awesome.coder.ninja+shop@gmail.com
- Now any time mail is sent to super.awesome.coder.ninja+shop@gmail.com, I receive it at super.awesome.coder.ninja@gmail.com with the ability to create Gmail filters to mark as read; add a label; move to trash; etc…all based on what e-mail address the e-mail was sent to.
Very awesome.
If you’re curious, here’s what I use this feature for:
- Sending pictures, documents, etc to myself so I don’t have to carry a physical storage device. I just send it to myemail+storage@gmail.com and with filters: mark it as read and archive the e-mail.
- Sign up for online stores and gaming accounts. I sign up as myemail+shop@gmail.com.
- Sign up for multiple test accounts on systems I develop to allow me test as multiple users with the same e-mail. I sign up as myemail+[somerandomstring]@gmail.com
All told, this feature has proven great for e-mail organization and the reduction of spam (at least spam that reaches my inbox). Lets just hope spammers are slow to pick up on this…although I’m sure this blog isn’t helping in the prevention of their knowledge of this Gmail feature…ah well. Hope this helps you out :)
Internet and Awesomeness Diagram - A Technical Post
February 27, 2007 | 9 Comments
Contents:
Introduction
I’ve been involved in a number of conversations about how cool the internet is and how awesome many things are (specifically Ninjas). There is typically a great debate on what is and isn’t awesome, what is and isn’t on the internet, etc. Well, I’ve done years of research on the topic and will detail the internet as a whole in a series of Venn Diagrams.
The Internet
The internet exists. This is a fact. We see that in the following diagram as proof of its existence.
Awesomeness
Awesomeness exists. This is also a fact. As you can see in the following diagram - as proof - that there is a lot of awesomeness in the world (about as much as there is internet)…BUT…it is important to note that there is a cross-section of the two. Not all of the internet is Awesome. Not all of the Awesomeness in the world is the Internet.
Ninjas Are Awesome
Ninjas exist. This is a fact. All Ninjas are Awesome. While not all, a majority of Awesomeness in the world is Ninjas. A chunk of information on Ninjas exists on the Internet. This is Awesome. In fact, most Awesomeness on the internet is about Ninjas…the rest isn’t so Awesome. See here:
What about other cool things?
This is important. There are other Awesome things that are worth noting, particularly Dinosaurs, Zombies, and Robots. Its also important to note that there is a lot of information on those topics and not all Dinosaurs, Zombies, and Robots are Awesome…It just so happens that they are ONLY awesome in the event that they are Ninja Dinosaurs, Ninja Zombies, and Ninja Robots. That is Awesome. Especially when that important and Awesome information is on the Internet. Seen here:
Where Are The Pirates?
Pirates are not Awesome. In fact, even though there is a large amount of data on the Internet about Pirates, they are the furthest thing from being Awesome. Shown here:
Refined Awesomeness
I find the Disney Cartoon show Gummi Bears Awesome. They are neither Ninjas nor on the Internet. But Awesome none-the-less.
Expert Opinion
These are the hard facts. While there may be more Awesomeness in the world (and on the internet), they pale in comparison to the aforementioned Awesome subjects. The countless hours of research and statistics that have gone into these diagrams is something to consider when framing an argument around the Awesomeness on the Internet and, specifically, where Pirates fall in the grand scheme of things.
Pirates are not Awesome, although their decrease in number has lead to Global Warming.
Other Resources
There aren’t any other resources worth mentioning as this is all the expert opinion that is needed. Although, if you are looking for a great Pirate vs Ninja video, check “How to kill a mocking bird” out.
If you want a sweet Ninjas > Pirates desktop background, get it here.
Settlers of Catan: Online & Free
February 27, 2007 | 4 Comments
I have a blast playing Euro Games. By far my favorite Euro game is Settlers of Catan. I was introduced to this awesome game by a few of my cousins that used to live nearby. Sadly, they’ve graduated high school and have moved away leaving my Catan player base generally below par. To counter-act this lack of Catan playing, my pal Randy directed me to a location to play Catan online!
Aso Brain Games is a site built by a couple of competent developers from the Netherlands. They’ve coded an excellent Java version of Catan that allows you to play solo or multiplayer; basic ‘Catan’ or ‘Cities and Knights of Catan’. To avoid copyright violation, the game has been renamed to Xplorers.
If you’re on the hunt for an online Catan game…
Aso Brain Games is all you need :)
Also, if you’re a fan of Carcasonne, they’ve got that game as well…dubbed “Toulouse.”
How To Kill A Mocking Bird
February 26, 2007 | 4 Comments
Vasken has been very god-like in showing me this amazing piece of work. Pure genius.
Sadly, this video isn’t on YouTube or Google Video so I had to link it directly and do a little JavaScript magic to get this thing to not auto-play. So…the loading text is misleading. Just hit play (below the movie) to start things rolling. w00t!
Fun With My Wacom
February 23, 2007 | 1 Comment
I’ve been having some serious fun as of late with my Intuos Art Pad. Honestly, I haven’t done much drawing since my Alien Sketch back in July. I didn’t realize how much I was missing ;) Well, ever since getting back into Star Wars, I’ve had an urge to do more drawings…well, actually drawings have been asked of me and I’ve happily obliged.
I’m pumped and ready to hone my skills even more…From these sketches I can tell that I’m pretty rusty but things will come around! Here are a few of the other drawings/crests I’ve done as of late:
Sweet Image Manipulation: OH NOES!
February 12, 2007 | 4 Comments
Thank you. That is all.
DotA 6.41 Released!
February 7, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The new version of DotA has been released! You can download it here or here! Here’s the changelog:
- Heavily optimized and reduced map size (2.56 MB -> 1.88 MB)
- -showdeny now shows denies from any player, using the denying player as the color of the “!”
- Purchasing bottle now automatically gets filled up (meaning chicken can buy it for you and have it filled the first time)
- Improved Lion’s Mana Drain level 4 a little
- Added a minor cooldown to detonate to prevent some abuses
- Restored boots of speed non-stacking text
- Added extra visual effects to some scepter upgrades as suggested by sagoboi and RilleL (KOTL, Lina, Lion, Ogre Magi, Pugna, QOP, Rhasta, Zeus)
- Restored Headshot’s old functionality of triggering on allied creeps
- Fixed a small issue with witchcraft and silence aoe
- Lowered Doom Scepter Upgrade damage
- Fixed Fatal Bonds + Marksmanship bug
- Found a workaround for the old water color engine bug when reloading from saved game
- Fixed bug with the scoreboard when reloading an observer mode game
- -DenyInfo (-di) now sets -cson and -showdeny to true
- Lowered Twin Head Dragon’s base damage
- Watchers and Remote Mines no longer prevent neutral spawns
- First towers are invulnerable until first wave comes out (to prevent some abuses in -rd)
- Fixed misc typos
- Fixed a bug with burrow strike
- Lowered mana cost on Amplify Damage
- Lowered Darkness cooldown from 240/210/180 to 240/210/150
- Wrath of Zeus no longer hits all meepos
- Fixed a bug with Stormseeker causing the damage to not increase when leveled until he dies or is hexed
- Scoreboard and Obsboard now show total sent/scourge kills in multiboard
Note: Some new content is being held of until the next version as too many people were abusing the Spirit Breaker bug.
Google Maps: Map World of Warcraft
February 7, 2007 | 8 Comments
Google Maps has been taken to a whole new level. The greatest mashup of the gaming world has been created using data from World of Warcraft and the Google Maps API. The end result is brilliant! Its name? MapWoW.
What is it exactly? Well, its a map of World of Warcraft that you can zoom in and out on Blizzard’s wonderful MMORPG world with the familiar controls of Google’s mapping tool. MapWoW gives a good description on what can be done with the tool:
Use the menu to the right of the map to select resources and labels that you wish to display. Currently you can display herbs, ore, treasure, zone names, and city names. There are over 15,000 data points covering 69 resources with their exact map location in our database. The bottom of the menu provides quick links to popular locations in the game. Found a great area that you want to share with your friends? Go to the location on the map, click on the “Link to this Location” and then copy the URL.
We are always looking to make the site better; so more features will be coming shortly. If there’s something you’d like to see on the map or have an idea for a new feature, please [contact MapWoW].
The following herbs can currently be mapped: Arthas’ Tears, Black Lotus, Blindweed, Briarthorn, Bruiseweed, Dreamfoil, Earthroot, Fadeleaf, Firebloom, Ghost Mushroom, Golden Sansam, Goldthorn, Grave Moss, Gromsblood, Icecap, Khadgar’s Whisker, Kingsblood, Liferoot, Mageroyal, Mountain Silversage, Peacebloom, Plaguebloom, Purple Lotus, Silverleaf, Stranglekelp, Sungrass, Wild Steelbloom, and Wintersbite. The following ore can currently be mapped: Copper Vein, Dark Iron Ore, Gold Vein, Ooze Covered Gold Vein, Incendicite Mineral Vein, Iron Deposit, Lesser Bloodstone Deposit, Mithril Deposit, Ooze Covered Mithril Deposit, Silver Vein, Ooze Covered Silver Vein, Small Thorium Vein, Ooze Covered Thorium Vein, Rich Thorium Vein, Ooze Covered Rich Thorium Vein, Tin Vein, Truesilver Deposit, and Ooze Covered Truesilver Deposit.
Overall, a fairly groovy mashup with a lot of functionality for World of Warcraft! Awesome.
UPDATE: It seems the guys at MapWoW have an Outland map as well. w00t!
A Weekend of Euro Gaming
February 6, 2007 | 4 Comments
As I alluded to in my post on Settlers of Catan, I’m a fan of European board games (Euro Games). In my mind, American gaming companies (sans Avalon Hill and Cheap Ass Games) have a lot to learn about good, fun, sexy games. I’m not alone. I was born into a competitive family. My sister is just like me. In fact, this weekend I plan to drag my wife down to Boston for a weekend of board gaming with my sibling. We’ve begun initial planning; you know, travel timing, board games we’re bringing, and a schedule.
Yes. I said a schedule. You see, we have a number of board games between the two of us and there are only so many hours in the weekend. My sister asked for a schedule and I replied with the following ‘loose’ schedule:
Friday:
7:00-7:30 arrival and situation (greetings, bathroom, games transport, parking, etc)
7:30-8:00 Food & I explain Thurn and Taxis (a very easy game to understand)
8:15-9:45 Thurn and Taxis
10:00-12:00 Carcassonne
Saturday:
6:00-8:30 Robo Rally
8:30-10:00 Settlers: Cities and Knights
10:00-12:00 ???
Sunday:
10:00-12:00 ???
1:00-3:00 ???
3:00-5:00 ???
5:00-6:00 pack up and leave
Room for movement and change…but not solid enough for my sister who really wants to maximize her gaming. Here was her response:
I like what you have started but we have to consider that Friday you and Abby may be tired from traveling and Thurn and Taxis will be a new game to Joe and me. I suggest we play 2 sessions of Thurn and Taxis Friday evening in order to #1 accomplish learning a new game, and 2# give Joe and me the opportunity at a fair game once we are fully educated, therefore letting the potential fun-level sink in, in order to up the chance of Joe wanting to own the game himself. (thoughts?) Rarely it seems, can a newly introduced game be played only once and still be fully appreciated by a non-gaming crowd. (again, thoughts?)
Saturday I agree that we should start early in the evening with a new game considering it is always a bad idea to teach a new game once a crowd is teetering on becoming tired. Waiting until later could be detrimental to the potential for crowd likeability if newbies are tired and irritable… so. You will have STUDIED thoroughly the rules to Robo Rally by 6pm when play commences. Again, as long as the crowd is on board I believe this should be played twice. Then starting at 10:00pm we can end the night on a strong note with a game previously learned and loved: Settlers: Cities and Knights. (thoughts?)
Sunday we should be up at 8/9ish. Breakfast by 9:30. Play begins promptly at 10:00am. I suggest a nice light session of Ticket to Ride to kick off the morning. Easy to teach, yet not to thought provoking for those still in sleepy mode. Then another Settlers: Cities and Knights match… Joe will want this and we will need to get it over before Abby is tired and not compliant since it isn’t her favorite game. :)
1-2:00pm: Carcassonne. I believe at LEAST one session will be in order.
The last and final game should be dictated by a crowd vote. Each person will select their game of choice, whether that be a new game such as A Game of Thrones which remains unplayed, a newly learned game, or game that one itches for a re-match at. These game selections will be placed in a hat and the the selection will be drawn by the pregnant lady representing pureness of heart. We will all engage in the final game with smiles and enthusiasm as we recognize that no matter what the selection, this is our grand finale.
(THOUGHTS?)
I almost busted a gut at how precise the schedule was. She saw fit to give Abby and me a little room to poke around Boston during the day on Saturday before we got back to gaming. Awesome. It’ll be a sweet weekend!
70’s Haircuts
February 2, 2007 | 1 Comment
After the bomb scare in Boston on the 31st, the two men being tried in court due to their participation had a press conference…sort of. This is the best way I’ve heard someone plead the fifth…ever.
They are my heroes.
Thanks to Zach for telling me about this awesome, heavily televised event. My friend Cliff posted a similar story with much greater detail into the events that transpired around these two individuals and the marketing strategy for Aqua Team Hunger Force…the Adult Swim cartoon that started it all. Good Times.
