Made by Mikal – Page 103

I got MythBurn working!

Post author:mikal
Post published:July 24, 2006
Post category:Mythtv

It took a few hours, but I have MythBurn (a web interface for creating DVDs with MythTV) finally working. The problem was that the mjpegtools shipped with Ubuntu Dapper crashes with an invalid free(). Compiling from source fixed that. Update: I might have lied. I now have troubles getting Xine to playback the DVD when I mount the ISO image through a loop back. I don't have any DVD media handy, so I will have to wait a couple of days until I can do more testing. The symptom I see is that the intro MythTV screen plays, and then Xine freezes before displaying the menu.

Did I mention it’s hot here?

Post author:mikal
Post published:July 24, 2006
Post category:Link

California is suffering under a record heat wave, I find it odd that people debate whether there is global warming, when we keep hitting new temperature records. Then again, as a single person I feel rather unempowered to actually do much about fixing the whole thing.

I-94s at the airport

Post author:mikal
Post published:July 23, 2006
Post category:Travel

Andrew is having some pain with his I-94, I suspect the first problem is that he flew United who are self admitted cunters. Secondly, you're meant to hand in the I-94 at boarding not check in (or at least that's my experience). All is not lost though, apparently you're meant to mail the I-94 back to them, although that wont be processed in time for your return to the US. Update: my brother assures me that it's no big deal to mail the I-94 in, even if you're returning quickly to the US, as they're not processed in real time at the airport either. So, perhaps the delay isn't a problem...

Hmmm, this seems a little bit too much like a Police Academy movie to make me comfortable

Post author:mikal
Post published:July 23, 2006
Post category:Link

A NSW Police trainee has been arrested and stood down after he paraded his personal collection of illegal replica firearms at the Goulburn Police Academy. How a trainee cop came to class armed to the teeth.

Car engine diagnostics

Post author:mikal
Post published:July 23, 2006
Post category:Link

It's interesting that car engine diagnostics have been standardised in the US since 1996, and you can buy consumer grade readout devices for your car. I wonder if that means that they're standardised in Australia and that I never realized? This sort of thing is probably of interest to lots of hardware hackers.

Cadbury doesn’t own purple?

Post author:mikal
Post published:July 18, 2006
Post category:Link

I worked at the Australian Trade Mark office when Cadbury applied for their purple trade mark. That mark has now been litigated on a couple of times and it looks like it's not so certain a thing. Interesting, especially given the IPAustralia web site still has information about the original grant online, without any mention of the ensuing court action.

Man tripping on LSD thinks he’s a bridge troll

Post author:mikal
Post published:July 15, 2006
Post category:Link

A most excellent hallucination if i do say so myself.

What is the point that people’s morals evaporate?

Post author:mikal
Post published:July 13, 2006
Post category:Link

Apparently people's morals evaporate at around $1.39 a litre. That's good to know. Is it therefore safe to predict widespread anarchy when fuel gets to $2 a litre?

What would you ask Mr T if you met him Starbucks?

Post author:mikal
Post published:July 11, 2006
Post category:Link

I don't know if this is the perfect question or not, but it is certainly a first order approximation.

How to lay people off

Post author:mikal
Post published:July 11, 2006
Post category:Link

Guy Kawasaki tells CEOs how to fire people, he makes an interesting point, although I've never worked somewhere going through layoffs, and hopefully never will.