Browsed by
Category: Entertainment

Watching movies in Windows Media Center

Watching movies in Windows Media Center

I’ve transferred some of my movies to an external hard drive to make it more convenient to browse, select and watch a movie.   Windows Media Center makes it easy to select and play movies stored on disk.  First you will need to enable My DVDs by editing a registry setting.  Details are found in this post. It will instruct you to edit the following key:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Settings\DvdSettings].

and change  “ShowGallery”=”Play” to “ShowGallery”=”Gallery”

You will next want to select folders to monitor for movies.  It turns out that the settings for My Videos are used to locate DVDs on disk as well.    Navigate to the My Videos Screen, then hit <Ctrl><D> or right click or hit the Info button on the Windows Media remote.  Select Add Videos from the popup menu.   You will be able to add or remove folders.

WMC doesn’t show you artwork for your movies so you will have to manually provide an image to use in the main My DVDs screen.  I get all my artwork from CD Covers.  You will need to name the image folder.jpg and place it in the folder where your ripped movie is stored (the folder CONTAINING the VIDEO_TS folder).  Not the easiest process to go through but once you’ve done it you have a nice free  catalog for your movies.

Paintball around Austin

Paintball around Austin

There are three primary fields I know of around Austin.  We’ve been to Hill13 the most because it is the most convenient to us.  I have not been to Texas Paintball but I know it is a much larger place and a more expensive than Hill13.  Some of David’s friends that have been there prefer Hill13. They particulary did NOT like crack house field at Texas Paintball.  They actually quit in the middle because they were too intimidated at being “trapped” in the crack house.  David and I visited Extreme PB years ago and liked it. We hope to return soon.  Here are comparisons of the three fields:

 

Texas Paintball (No  outside paint allowed)
Reviews: http://www.pbreview.com/fields/reviews/639/
Price:     $41.95 (500 rounds) $15 field fee
Paint:    $43 1000 rounds, $78 2000 rounds

Hill13 (Outside paint for personal guns allowed)
Reviews:http://www.pbreview.com/fields/reviews/2956/ 
Price: $40 (500 rounds). $12 Field Fee, $8 all-day air
Paint:  $17 500 rounds, $30 1000 rounds, $57 2000 rounds. They charge $8 for allowing you to use your own paint unless you previously bought it there.

Xtreme Paintball (No outside paint allowed)
Reviews:              http://www.pbreview.com/fields/reviews/2562/
Price:                     $40 (500 rounds, includes NXE Pack (pods & belt) )
CO2 Refill:           $19,12oz $2 20oz $5 all-day
Paint:                   $35/$40 1000 rounds $60/$80 2000 rounds

Other field not visited:

Outlaw Paintball Field (Pflugerville)

So over Halo 3. COD4 is where it’s at.

So over Halo 3. COD4 is where it’s at.

David can’t get enough of Call of Duty 4.  I have to admit, it is quite compelling.  The campaign is fun, but I found playing multiplayer online was extremely difficult.  You get killed almost instantly!  I kept at it and I’m finally at the point where I’m doing well and really enjoying it.  I really like the team work aspect of Search and Destroy.  Nothing beats hearing “Comrade, you’re the last one. Complete the objective!” and actually managing to kill the last two opponents or detonating the bomb while David, who is playing along with me from upstairs, watches and encourages me through our chat session yelling YEAH!!! when I manage to win the game for our team.  Doesn’t happen very often but when it does….sweet!

I read an interview with somebody involved with the game and he made two points I found very interesting. First, they took a great deal of time making sure that there were no completely “safe” spots where you could camp through the whole game.  Virtually every “good” spot has another spot from which you could get shot!
The other point was that they wanted the game to be fair for a newbie when they found themselves up against an experienced player.  They felt if you had the “jump” on a guy, you should be able to win that fire-fight. And even though more experienced players may have better equipment it shouldn’t give them TOO big of an advantage.  That’s why the almost-instant kills in COD4 can make for a better online experience than Halo 3 which due to the shields, allows a better player to turn things around and easily overtake a novice that started out with the advantage.

Prestige Modes Icons (Thanks Pavel)

COD4prestige_icons 

Points needed to rank and unlock weapons and perks.

RANK (number/rank title/xp required)

1 Private First Class 0
2 Private First Class I 30
3 Private First Class II 120
4 Lance Corporal 270
5 Lance Corporal I 480
6 Lance Corporal II 750
7 Corporal 1080
8 Corporal I 1470
9 Corporal II 1920
10 Sergeant 2430
11 Sergeant I 3000
12 Sergeant II 3650
13 Staff Sergeant 4380
14 Staff Sergeant I 5190
15 Staff Sergeant II 6080
16 Gunnery Sergeant 7050
17 Gunnery Sergeant I 8100
18 Gunnery Sergeant II 9230
19 Master Sergeant 10440
20 Master Sergeant I 11730
21 Master Sergeant II 13100
22 Master Gunnery Sergeant 14550
23 Master Gunnery Sergeant I 16080
24 Master Gunnery Sergeant II 17690
25 2nd Lieutenant 19380
26 2nd Lieutenant I 21150
27 2nd Lieutenant II 23000
28 1st Lieutenant 24930
29 1st Lieutenant I 26940
30 1st Lieutenant II 29030
31 Captain 31240
32 Captain I 33570
33 Captain II 36020
34 Major 38590
35 Major I 41280
36 Major II 44090
37 Lt. Colonel 47020
38 Lt. Colonel 50070
39 Lt. Colonel II 53240
40 Colonel 56530
41 Colonel I 59940
42 Colonel II 63470
43 Brigadier General 67120
44 Brigadier General I 70890
45 Brigadier General II 74780
46 Major General 78790
47 Major General I 82920
48 Major General II 87170
49 Lieutenant General 91540
50 Lieutenant General I 96030
51 Lieutenant General II 100640
52 General 105370
53 General I 110220
54 General II 115190
55 Commander 120280

UNLOCKABLES (Unlockable/Rank #)

Features

Demolitions Class 2
Sniper Class 3
Create-A-Class 4
Challenges 5
Clan Tag 12
Prestige Mode 55

Pistols

M9 0
M1911 .45 16
USP .45 0
Desert Eagle 43
Golden Desert Eagle 55

SMGs

Mini Uzi 13
MP5 1
Skorpion 4
AK74u 28
P90 40

LMGs

M60E4 19
M249 SAW 1
RPD 4

Shotguns

W1200 2
M1014 31

Assault Rifles

AK 47 4
M4 Carbine 10
G3 25
M16A4 1
G36c 37
M14 46
MP44 52

Sniper Rifles

SVD 22
M21 8
M40A3 3
Barrett .50cal 49
R700 34

Perk 1

C-4 x2 1
Special Grenade x3 1
RPG-7 x2 2
Claymore x2 23
Frag x3 41
Bandolier 32
Bomb Squad 14

Perk 2

Stopping Power 1
Juggernaut 1
Sleight of Hand 20
Double Tap 29
Overkill 38
UAV Jammer 11
Sonic Boom 1

Perk 3

Extreme Conditioning 1
Steady Aim 1
Last Stand 8
Martydom 17
Deep Impact 1
Iron Lungs 26
Dead Silence 44
Eavesdrop 35

Daddy’s rules for dating

Daddy’s rules for dating

Daddy’s Rules for Dating

Rule One:
If you pull into my driveway and honk you’d better be delivering a package, because you’re sure not picking anything up.

Rule Two:
You do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her, so long as you do not peer at anything below her neck. If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off of my daughter’s body, I will remove them.

Rule Three:
I am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys of your age to wear their trousers so loosely that they appear to be falling off their hips. Please don’t take this as an insult, but you and all of your friends are complete idiots. Still, I want to be fair and open minded about this issue, so I propose this compromise: You may come to the door with your underwear showing and your pants ten sizes too big, and I will not object. However, in order to ensure that your clothes do not, in fact come off during the course of your date with my daughter, I will take my electric nail gun and fasten your trousers securely in place to your waist.

Rule Four:
I’m sure you’ve been told that in today’s world, sex without utilizing a “Barrier method” of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate, when it comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I will kill you.

Rule Five:
It is usually understood that in order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about sports, politics, and other issues of the day. Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my daughter safely back at my house, and the only word I need from you on this subject is: “early.”

Rule Six:
I have no doubt you are a popular fellow, with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is okay with my daughter. Otherwise, once you have gone out with my little girl, you will continue to date no one but her until she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make you cry.

Rule Seven:
As you stand in my front hallway, waiting for my daughter to appear, and more than an hour goes by, do not sigh and fidget. If you want to be on time for the movie, you should not be dating. My daughter is putting on her makeup, a process than can take longer than painting the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead of just standing there, why don’t you do something useful, like changing the oil in my car?

Rule Eight:
The following places are not appropriate for a date with my daughter: Places where there are beds, sofas, or anything softer than a wooden stool. Places where there is darkness. Places where there is dancing, holding hands, or happiness. Places where the ambient temperature is warm enough to induce my daughter to wear shorts, tank tops, midriff T-shirts, or anything other than overalls, a sweater, and a goose down parka – zipped up to her throat. Movies with a strong romantic or sexual theme are to be avoided; movies which features chain saws are okay. Hockey games are okay. Old folks homes are better.

Rule Nine:
Do not lie to me. I may appear to be a potbellied, balding, middle-aged, dimwitted has-been. But on issues relating to my daughter, I am the all-knowing, merciless god of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have a shotgun, a shovel, and five acres behind the house. Do not trifle with me.

Rule Ten:
Be afraid. Be very afraid. It takes very little for me to mistake the sound of your car in the driveway for a chopper coming in over a rice paddy near Hanoi. When my Agent Orange starts acting up, the voices in my head frequently tell me to clean the guns as I wait for you to bring my daughter home. As soon as you pull into the driveway you should exit the car with both hands in plain sight. Speak the perimeter password, announce in a clear voice that you have brought my daughter home safely and early, then return to your car – there is no need for you to come inside. The camouflaged face at the window is mine. But, before you even think of dating my daughter, you’ll have to fill out the Application for Permission to Date My Daughter.

Application for permission to date my daughter

Application for permission to date my daughter

APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION TO DATE MY DAUGHTER

NOTE: This application will be incomplete and rejected unless
accompanied by a complete financial statement, job history, lineage,
and current medical report from your doctor.

NAME_____________________________________  DATE OF BIRTH_____________

HEIGHT___________  WEIGHT____________  IQ__________  GPA_____________

SOCIAL SECURITY #_________________  DRIVERS LICENSE #________________

BOY SCOUT RANK AND BADGES____________________________________________

HOME ADDRESS_______________________  CITY/STATE___________  ZIP______

Do you have parents?               ___Yes  ___No
Is one male and the other female?  ___Yes  ___No
If No, explain:
       ______________________________________________________________

Number of years they have been married ______________________________

If less than your age, explain
       ______________________________________________________________

       ______________________________________________________________

ACCESSORIES SECTION:

A. Do you own or have access to a van?              __Yes  __No

B. A truck with oversized tires?                    __Yes  __No

C. A waterbed?                                      __Yes  __No

D. A pickup with a mattress in the back?            __Yes  __No

E. A tattoo?                                        __Yes  __No

F. Do you have an earring, nose ring,               __Yes  __No
   pierced tongue, pierced cheek or a belly button ring?

(IF YOU ANSWERED "YES" TO ANY OF THE ABOVE, DISCONTINUE APPLICATION
AND LEAVE PREMISES IMMEDIATELY.  I SUGGEST RUNNING.)

ESSAY SECTION: 

In 50 words or less, what does "LATE" mean to you?

       ______________________________________________________________

       ______________________________________________________________

In 50 words or less, what does "DON'T TOUCH MY DAUGHTER" mean to you?

       ______________________________________________________________

       ______________________________________________________________

In 50 words or less, what does "ABSTINENCE" mean to you?

       ______________________________________________________________

       ______________________________________________________________

REFERENCES SECTION:

Church you attend ___________________________________________________

How often you attend ________________________________________________

When would be the best time to interview your:

       father? _____________

       mother? _____________

       pastor? _____________

SHORT-ANSWER SECTION: 

Answer by filling in the blank.  Please answer freely, all answers
are confidential.

A: If I were shot, the last place I would want shot would be:

       ______________________________________________________________

B: If I were beaten, the last bone I would want broken is my:

       ______________________________________________________________

C: A woman's place is in the:

       ______________________________________________________________

D: The one thing I hope this application does not ask me about is:

       ______________________________________________________________

E. What do you want to do IF you grow up? ___________________________

       ______________________________________________________________

       ______________________________________________________________

F. When I meet a girl, the thing I always notice about her first is:

       ______________________________________________________________

F. What is the current going rate of a hotel room? __________________

I SWEAR THAT ALL INFORMATION SUPPLIED ABOVE IS TRUE AND CORRECT TO
THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE UNDER PENALTY OF DEATH, DISMEMBERMENT,
NATIVE AMERICAN ANT TORTURE, CRUCIFIXION, ELECTROCUTION, CHINESE
WATER TORTURE, RED HOT POKERS, AND HILLARY CLINTON KISS TORTURE.

_________________________________________________________
Applicant's Signature (that means sign your name, moron!)

_______________________________      ________________________________
Mother's Signature                   Father's Signature

_______________________________      ________________________________
Pastor/Priest/Rabbi                  State Representative/Congressman

Thank you for your interest, and it had better be genuine and
non-sexual. Please allow four to six years for processing.

You will be contacted in writing if you are approved.  Please do
not try to call or write (since you probably can't, and it would
cause you injury). If your application is rejected, you will be
notified by two gentleman wearing white ties carrying violin cases.
(you might watch your back)

To prepare yourself, start studying Daddy’s Rules for Dating.

Survivor China: James is a class act

Survivor China: James is a class act

Survivorchinajames Never have a group of folks been so scared of repercussions for going behind someone’s back when voting a trusted tribe member off.  James was physically strong, assertive, a force.  But I have to say James’  final words were the classiest I’ve heard.  He basically said he wasn’t mad, they did what they had to do,  it was a smart move on their part, and the  most impressive, he blamed himself for throwing the dice one too many times and not playing one of the TWO idols in his possession.

Hats off to you James!

I’d like to see a show where the “social” aspect is deemphasized and the “survivor” skills more emphasized.  The most worthy ones rarely win.

More of Andy’s work

More of Andy’s work

Andy entered a short movie titled MEAT in the All Hallows Fest at DVXUSER, an online community for filmmakers.  The Kleymeyers have a cameo appearance at the end.  The story is about a guy that starts eating himself.  It’s not graphic but the images are disturbing, PG-13 at least.  I think he has a good shot at placing in the contest.

Check out this music video he shot recently.  The song is pretty good (Wait in the Water by A.L.T.) and the video very professionally in my opinion.