Now Ive been getting this question quite a bit lately, in fact ever since I changed my MSN Handle to this name.And I though, rather than answer another 20 times the origin of this new alias, that maybe I would save everyone the trouble and post it here.
The name is derived from a Simpsons episode. Can anyone guess which one? *thinking music* Nopes? "A StreetCar named Marge".
Lionel Hutz is burning all his personal posessions in the simpsons fireplace, he then remarks "Lionel Hutz is dead, say Hello to Miguel Sanchez". At the end of the episode the voiceover says "Lionel Hutz, AKA Miguel Sánchez, AKA Dr. Nguyen Van Falk was paid $5 for babysitting, he was glad to get it!"
Lionel Hutz, AKA Miguel Sánchez, AKA Dr. Nguyen Van Falk, is an unscrupulous ambulance-chasing "law talking guy" hired by the less affluent citizens of Springfield, mainly the Simpson family.
Note on the alias "Dr. Nguyen Van Falk" (as spelled in the closed captioning). UCLA Law Student Adam Baker says "Thoc" is a Vietnamese name while "Falk" is not, and thus his alias would be entirely Vietnamese (and entirely without credibility). Also "Nguyen" is mispronounced as "noo-yen" which can be taken as "Noonien", like from two Star Trek episodes: Khan Noonien Singh and Noonien Soong (Data's creator).
While van Falk would be the proper usage, I feel van thop gives it a little something extra ;) It is pronounced "Van-thoc" or "van-foc" in the episode, and sounds more like "van-thop" And hence...my alias.
Mattius the pirate has has taken on another of Lionel Hutz's aliases with Miguel Sanchez. The more the merrier! Get your alias today!
Here is an awesome site, its the Lionel Hutz File!
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Daniel Ellsberg - Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers
Daniel Ellsberg - Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers
I stumbled across this by accident. I was watching a movie called funnily enough "The Pentagon Papers". Its an intriguing look at the Vietnam War, and how Ellsberg released a 7,000page top secret document. In this remarkable memoir, Ellsberg describes in detail the two years he spent in Vietnam as a U.S. State Department observer, and how he risked his career and freedom to expose the deceptions and delusions that shaped three decades of American foreign policy.
After reading some exerps from this book I will be definately buying this one!
I stumbled across this by accident. I was watching a movie called funnily enough "The Pentagon Papers". Its an intriguing look at the Vietnam War, and how Ellsberg released a 7,000page top secret document. In this remarkable memoir, Ellsberg describes in detail the two years he spent in Vietnam as a U.S. State Department observer, and how he risked his career and freedom to expose the deceptions and delusions that shaped three decades of American foreign policy.
After reading some exerps from this book I will be definately buying this one!
Clickety Clack
Ahh ye olde sounds of timeless technology. The absolute pinnacle of perfection in input devices. The IBM Keyboard! No, not those new fangled plastic, dishwasher safe pieces of shite. Im talking the good old circa 1986 genuine IBM PC Keyboards.
Im convinced that there will never be a better keyboard. EVER! Its got everything, the precise feel, the reassuring click, click, Metal chassis and that superlative beige finish. With every keystroke you can feel the machinery working, and hear it too. In fact anyone within a 200 metre radius knows your using that keyboard, and probably what letter you typed.
With my latest aquisition, I now have 4 of these bad boys. Earliest - 1984, and the latest 1986 (a young-en). Im sure these will be around long after I log off this earthly terminal.
Im convinced that there will never be a better keyboard. EVER! Its got everything, the precise feel, the reassuring click, click, Metal chassis and that superlative beige finish. With every keystroke you can feel the machinery working, and hear it too. In fact anyone within a 200 metre radius knows your using that keyboard, and probably what letter you typed.
With my latest aquisition, I now have 4 of these bad boys. Earliest - 1984, and the latest 1986 (a young-en). Im sure these will be around long after I log off this earthly terminal.
Workshop/Exam Questions - Too Boring?
Well after completing a Microsoft Course a few weeks back - WIndows 2003 Active Directory Design, I have to say - how fricken boring are the questions/workshop scenarios? Example: COmpany blah blah has two offices they want to connect to enable syncronisation between AD forests." Now by this point I am off in the land of Nod, or possibly surfing the web through the Training Centres internet connection.
Why can't those unimaginatory sloths from Microsoft Courseware make questions fun, interesting and not boring! Well never fear Microsoft Scumbags, for Mark shall make some questions for you!.
Lab Exercise 1:.
You have three sites - The bat Cave, Gotham City Police Department, and bruce Waynes mansion. Design an a network and active directory structure that allows the following:
.
1.Batman to surf porn through Gotham Citys T1 Connection to the internet
.
2 Batmans Site must not be accessable by Administrators in either of the other two sites. How will you logically seperate the sites in the AD Design? Should batman have Enterprise Admin rights? Explain why a superhero needs admin rights.
.
3 How many AD Forests will be in your design? Explain why Batman should live in a forest.
4 Enable delegation of control of bruce Waynes mansion Site to Batman if so requires.
.
5 Batman has "superfriends" that need to access his network on occasions (lan games, sharing files etc) Design an extranet to allow this to happen securely.
.
6. Robin needs remote access to Batmans cave when he is running around the city in those gay ass costumes. With security as a touchpoint - design a remote access infrastructure that will enable access, and stop him wearing tights
.
Hell, Im more interested already!
Why can't those unimaginatory sloths from Microsoft Courseware make questions fun, interesting and not boring! Well never fear Microsoft Scumbags, for Mark shall make some questions for you!.
Lab Exercise 1:.
You have three sites - The bat Cave, Gotham City Police Department, and bruce Waynes mansion. Design an a network and active directory structure that allows the following:
.
1.Batman to surf porn through Gotham Citys T1 Connection to the internet
.
2 Batmans Site must not be accessable by Administrators in either of the other two sites. How will you logically seperate the sites in the AD Design? Should batman have Enterprise Admin rights? Explain why a superhero needs admin rights.
.
3 How many AD Forests will be in your design? Explain why Batman should live in a forest.
4 Enable delegation of control of bruce Waynes mansion Site to Batman if so requires.
.
5 Batman has "superfriends" that need to access his network on occasions (lan games, sharing files etc) Design an extranet to allow this to happen securely.
.
6. Robin needs remote access to Batmans cave when he is running around the city in those gay ass costumes. With security as a touchpoint - design a remote access infrastructure that will enable access, and stop him wearing tights
.
Hell, Im more interested already!
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
All Quiet on the Mofo Front
Yes I know, I havent been posting much on here lately. Why? Well Mofoisms is my outlet for my various rants, and lately I just havent had any.
No idea why, work is shitting me off, and while I could rant on about the infinite crapness which is work - I won't bring myself down to that level. Work talk is best left at work, and hence I won't be saying anything about my professional life.
So what else has been happening? Bunches as per usual! Just over 5 and a bit months until I am married (and I cant wait!), my usual geeky tendencies are once again running rampant (read: transport tycoon and Tiger Woods Golf!).
Im getting back to my geeky roots and writing some open source stuff again. Its been a long time coming. I code for the fun of it, for the challenge. Not for profit. So when my carefactor and general inspiration is lacking, my coding stops! Look out in the coming months for several new Releases from MofoSoft (Patent Pending)
Well, thats all folks! Ill post again when I have some more Mofo-type-stuff to post. Until then, Farewell!
No idea why, work is shitting me off, and while I could rant on about the infinite crapness which is work - I won't bring myself down to that level. Work talk is best left at work, and hence I won't be saying anything about my professional life.
So what else has been happening? Bunches as per usual! Just over 5 and a bit months until I am married (and I cant wait!), my usual geeky tendencies are once again running rampant (read: transport tycoon and Tiger Woods Golf!).
Im getting back to my geeky roots and writing some open source stuff again. Its been a long time coming. I code for the fun of it, for the challenge. Not for profit. So when my carefactor and general inspiration is lacking, my coding stops! Look out in the coming months for several new Releases from MofoSoft (Patent Pending)
Well, thats all folks! Ill post again when I have some more Mofo-type-stuff to post. Until then, Farewell!
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
New Phone For Me
Well its finally happened! Ive bought a new mobile :) Its been a long stretch since my distant purchase of a Nokia 8250 many moons ago. But dammit its time for a change.
Settled on a Motorola V3 cos its just so damn thin! An absolutely gorgeous phone with heaps of features. Need I say more?
Check it out!
Settled on a Motorola V3 cos its just so damn thin! An absolutely gorgeous phone with heaps of features. Need I say more?
Check it out!
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Happy Tree Friends
This is so wrong and broken, and wrong and broken that it is hillarious! Check it out!! Wrong and Broken
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
World Wide Web (of Shit)
Sitting here pondering my own existence, and debating with myself my own pro-dustbunny stance, I turn to the web in search of something even relatively close to "interesting". No such luck. I cant remember the last time browsing the web was even close to mediocre, let alone stimulating or exciting.
Its true, the web has become the crappile of the century. Porn,illegal music downloads, porn, moronic lusers who have found out how to post to forums, porn, porn popups, popups, popups. Did I mention porn?
Stuff it. The web is overrated. Im going back to ye-old-faithful TV, or maybe the xbox... Yes..xbox..or beer. Or Beer and Xbox. Looks like my evening is planned!
Its true, the web has become the crappile of the century. Porn,illegal music downloads, porn, moronic lusers who have found out how to post to forums, porn, porn popups, popups, popups. Did I mention porn?
Stuff it. The web is overrated. Im going back to ye-old-faithful TV, or maybe the xbox... Yes..xbox..or beer. Or Beer and Xbox. Looks like my evening is planned!
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
uPaq / iPaq
Awhile ago I went to Singapore, and purchased a whizzbang iPaq ..... YUMMY!! For no reason other than I HAD TO HAVE ONE, had no idea what it did, what it could do .... but I was convinced I could make use of it! And I have. LOVE IT!
Jump forward to the beginning of February, and me, having continually updated my contacts list in my iPaq, decided I should "sync" it with my e-mail account (as I usually do). Hmmmmmmm, having issues, ......... tech-head friends give me NEW version of sync software ........ sync, sync, sync.
Off I go on a work sponsored trip to the City of Churches .... open the beloved iPaq to search for a number - NOTHING! NADA! ZIP! ZERO!
Tears, stamping of feet, throwing myself on the floor and screaming - to no avail. Still on contacts on the iPaq. They are not in the e-mail system, back up - HA! What? Now nothing works - the software has gone belly up!
Fast forward to TODAY - other faithful tech-head friend gives me some advice - uninstall NEW dodgy software, re-install OLD, working software, and take a chance.
SIGH - OK..... and ..... what is this ........ syncing, syncing ...... TA DA. It worked, and for the finale ........ my Contacts list re-appeared ... Don't know how, or why - and don't care ..... NOW, about that Back up option ....
Monday, February 07, 2005
Friday, February 04, 2005
TarpMan
It is true, I have become... a SuperhEro! My name is Tarpman? Why.. Well read on..
For those that know me, you would also know that I am somewhat fanatical about my car. Going within a 1metre radius of my car without permission and expect deadly force response in nanoseconds. At my new crapshack however i only have a carport. Thats right, no garage for me! So whats the Solution..Tarps!!
Now before you dimiss me as an absolute nutter, or some sort of suburbs hobo, keep reading. My delema was a complex one. How do I get all the benefits of a garage from a carport (within the confines of Rental Agreements of course -ie. no construction/holes etc).
Step 1 - Source Materials!
Trip to bunnings and I had myself some 100% waterproof quasi shadecloth (acrylic) a couple of metal channels that "supposedly" attach shadecloth and withstand gale force winds. But how to attach it? Well thats simple. I constructed a bunch of clamps - two bits of wood (one either side of the post) with bolts between them! - Channels bolt to clamps! genius!!!
Now this is fine for the sides that never open.. but the front and rear? Two mofo heavy duty tarps!!
Step 2 - Construction
After putting all this crap together I had a bit of an issue. Even with the shadecloth stretched out - there was some lateral movement (top and bottom) as the span was 3 metres!! Solution - Shadecloth attachments that snap on to Wire/Rope and a few bits of rope top and bottom!! Sorted!!
The result? I now have a fully enclosed carpport. There is some manual efort required to "deploy" the front tarp but its all good! And as the absolutely huge/dangerous storm two days ago in Sydney Proved - this shit is built solid! All tarps are still in place! No ripping, Nothing!! Whereas my back Metal shed had its door ripped off!!!!
in the future i may develop a commerically viable business just selling conversion kits for carports.. Why the Hell not?
For those that know me, you would also know that I am somewhat fanatical about my car. Going within a 1metre radius of my car without permission and expect deadly force response in nanoseconds. At my new crapshack however i only have a carport. Thats right, no garage for me! So whats the Solution..Tarps!!
Now before you dimiss me as an absolute nutter, or some sort of suburbs hobo, keep reading. My delema was a complex one. How do I get all the benefits of a garage from a carport (within the confines of Rental Agreements of course -ie. no construction/holes etc).
Step 1 - Source Materials!
Trip to bunnings and I had myself some 100% waterproof quasi shadecloth (acrylic) a couple of metal channels that "supposedly" attach shadecloth and withstand gale force winds. But how to attach it? Well thats simple. I constructed a bunch of clamps - two bits of wood (one either side of the post) with bolts between them! - Channels bolt to clamps! genius!!!
Now this is fine for the sides that never open.. but the front and rear? Two mofo heavy duty tarps!!
Step 2 - Construction
After putting all this crap together I had a bit of an issue. Even with the shadecloth stretched out - there was some lateral movement (top and bottom) as the span was 3 metres!! Solution - Shadecloth attachments that snap on to Wire/Rope and a few bits of rope top and bottom!! Sorted!!
The result? I now have a fully enclosed carpport. There is some manual efort required to "deploy" the front tarp but its all good! And as the absolutely huge/dangerous storm two days ago in Sydney Proved - this shit is built solid! All tarps are still in place! No ripping, Nothing!! Whereas my back Metal shed had its door ripped off!!!!
in the future i may develop a commerically viable business just selling conversion kits for carports.. Why the Hell not?
Friday, January 28, 2005
Repetitive Stress Injury
Has anyone else experienced the extreme discomfort of using an xbox controller for extended periods of time? And im not talking about a 5 minute bash, more like 5 hours++. Both my thumbs look like they have been tenderised by a meat mallet ad nausiem. I was totally engrossed in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 (awesome awesome game) and now Im walking around with two thumbs up in the air. Two thumbs up for excellent holiday fun, not.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Car Shitnat Part II
Having just read steveos post (*applause*) I thought Id throw my cowboy hat into the ring. As I currently own the crown of most money poured into a hunk of metal on wheels I thought Id share my in car experiences :)
I went down a different route to steveo and poured (literally) money into a big ass incar stereo. But not just any stereo. Having done some research I settled on a nice little piece of Alpine Kit - with native support for WMA and MP3 Discs. Cool! No more burning CDs to native format. Even supports the winamp wanky scrolling titles (ID3 tags - or inbuilt media info for WMA). Now this is pretty cool!.
But alas there is a problem. I also dumped about 3,000 buckaroos on Bosotn Accoustics Speakers (8 of them!), a couple of hipo Rockford Fosgate Amps (to drive both speakers and subs) and two big pumpin RockFord 12" Subs as well as expensive huge ass guage speaker wire through the entire car.
Problem is - MP3/WMA music - regardless of bitrate cannot match a standard CD for sound quality. To quantify this with some more empirical evidence - my surround sound DTS home theatre at home has the same problem (and thats with a digital/optical out straight to the Digital Reciever!)
Hmmm, so the quality of MP3/WMA sound is inversely proportional to the quality of the speakers/stereo you play it on! BINGO!! Solution? Audio CDs rule the roost. Its a sad fact that in this digital age that an MP3/WMA format cannot match a simple cda quality.
Oh well, if I have to burn shit to cda then I guess I have to :) Ill tell you what, nothing sounds as awesome as cranking a CD on a really good quality system!
Having said that there is rumours that Apple will release in car entertainment systems built on the Ipod. Systems (like mine) can already control ipod functions through the headunit thanks to the Alpine AINet bus which allows communication with other devices such as mobile phones as well (read: you can send/receive SMS on a nokia through AINet). Lets hope that something is done to improve the sound of MP3 based recordings.
End of Rant.
I went down a different route to steveo and poured (literally) money into a big ass incar stereo. But not just any stereo. Having done some research I settled on a nice little piece of Alpine Kit - with native support for WMA and MP3 Discs. Cool! No more burning CDs to native format. Even supports the winamp wanky scrolling titles (ID3 tags - or inbuilt media info for WMA). Now this is pretty cool!.
But alas there is a problem. I also dumped about 3,000 buckaroos on Bosotn Accoustics Speakers (8 of them!), a couple of hipo Rockford Fosgate Amps (to drive both speakers and subs) and two big pumpin RockFord 12" Subs as well as expensive huge ass guage speaker wire through the entire car.
Problem is - MP3/WMA music - regardless of bitrate cannot match a standard CD for sound quality. To quantify this with some more empirical evidence - my surround sound DTS home theatre at home has the same problem (and thats with a digital/optical out straight to the Digital Reciever!)
Hmmm, so the quality of MP3/WMA sound is inversely proportional to the quality of the speakers/stereo you play it on! BINGO!! Solution? Audio CDs rule the roost. Its a sad fact that in this digital age that an MP3/WMA format cannot match a simple cda quality.
Oh well, if I have to burn shit to cda then I guess I have to :) Ill tell you what, nothing sounds as awesome as cranking a CD on a really good quality system!
Having said that there is rumours that Apple will release in car entertainment systems built on the Ipod. Systems (like mine) can already control ipod functions through the headunit thanks to the Alpine AINet bus which allows communication with other devices such as mobile phones as well (read: you can send/receive SMS on a nokia through AINet). Lets hope that something is done to improve the sound of MP3 based recordings.
End of Rant.
Hand Carved Magazine | Articles: Smurfing Socialists
Smurfing Socialists Im sure has done the rounds quite a bit, but damn Im bored and any opportunity to read about smurfs sounded like fun. I am, after all a Smurf (What? You didnt know?)
Hand Carved Magazine | Articles: Smurfing Socialists
Hand Carved Magazine | Articles: Smurfing Socialists
Friday, December 24, 2004
Holidays for Me.. None for You!
Im baaaacckkkk. Thats right, I have taken a few precious moments from my holidays to jump online and post to my blog. Although, so far it hasnt been much of a holiday. Moving tends to knock out most of the benefits of not beeing within a 50km radius of work. But now, snugly located in my new Crib a.k.a Crapshack I am now well and truly into the holiday swing of things.
Kicking back, timtams, beer, chips and pizza. The geek staple diet. All my computer related hardware all setup/unpacked and foxtel digital sitting here just waiting to be put to use.
Im going to be very busy!
Kicking back, timtams, beer, chips and pizza. The geek staple diet. All my computer related hardware all setup/unpacked and foxtel digital sitting here just waiting to be put to use.
Im going to be very busy!
Friday, December 17, 2004
Bye Bye Mister Crapshack
Well, its almost that time. Today is my last day in this very honourable crapshack that has been home for the last 12 months. In retrospect I probably wont miss this place too much, and am looking forward to getting the hell out!
Its not a bad crapshack by any means, Im just really over it. Strata management must be licenced agents of Satan, and the presence of the complex nark has only aggrivated the strangehold that strata has over this place.
But enough of that, Im off to finish cleaning this stupid place. Fricken final inspection crap.
Its not a bad crapshack by any means, Im just really over it. Strata management must be licenced agents of Satan, and the presence of the complex nark has only aggrivated the strangehold that strata has over this place.
But enough of that, Im off to finish cleaning this stupid place. Fricken final inspection crap.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Exeunt
Oh well, this will be my last post for at least another month.. Why? Well for starters I am on annual leave and will be kicking back at home. The closest thing I will be doing is firing up my xbox, or continuing my quest to translate aerial photography of alaska into Simcity 4 regions - nothing even remotely close to being online :)
Now some of you may be saying "Hell, you routinely dissapear for months/years on end without posting didly squat!". Well, while totally true I thought a final buh bye post was in order. Want to contact me? Well gee, I feel so lucky. If you know me, call my mobile, if you dont - call a shrink.
I bid thee farewell!!
Now some of you may be saying "Hell, you routinely dissapear for months/years on end without posting didly squat!". Well, while totally true I thought a final buh bye post was in order. Want to contact me? Well gee, I feel so lucky. If you know me, call my mobile, if you dont - call a shrink.
I bid thee farewell!!
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Paid Promotional Message
Just received an email from a work friend about a book thats hit the stands. Very interesting stuff.
I thought you may be interested in this article on the impact of the Australia-
US FTA on Australia's high-tech industries:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Technology/Patently-yours/2004/11/25/1101219671693.html
It is based on the book "How to Kill a Country: Australia's Devastating Trade
Deal with the USA" (written by Dr Elizabeth
Thurbon, and her colleagues Professors Linda Weiss and John Mathews).
visit www.australianinterest.com for more on Australian foreign economic policy.
I thought you may be interested in this article on the impact of the Australia-
US FTA on Australia's high-tech industries:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Technology/Patently-yours/2004/11/25/1101219671693.html
It is based on the book "How to Kill a Country: Australia's Devastating Trade
Deal with the USA" (written by Dr Elizabeth
Thurbon, and her colleagues Professors Linda Weiss and John Mathews).
visit www.australianinterest.com for more on Australian foreign economic policy.
Friday, November 26, 2004
Now this is Sad...
So why am I posting it? THis is the Mofoisms baby! Yeah!! Full of cromulent crappulent crud..
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Im Excited!
Ok, and before anyone says it..not in a "big Kev" kinda way! I found the coolest web archive site and have been surfing down memory lane looking at some of the weird and wonder creations over the years.
Heres a sneak peak:
x-y-z-files.ml.org
This site has been around as long as the hills (sounds of plucking banjos in the backgrounds). Used to be one kickass document repository. It died a sad and painful death. One of my very first sites!
www.ic-networks.com
Ahhh yes, good old ic-networks. This is possibly my second oldest site ever. I have that domain for years until i let it gracefully expire this year. At one time or another it was a portal.
parenthesis of Life
Damn i loved this site. It was a knowledge,literary repository where people could enter poems, and other literary sources. Used flat files before databases became popular and it rans for years on end. I still have dreams of reviving this one, and still to this day have heaps of the original material!
MonkeySpank
Another one of my personal favourites! Lots of fun, yet pointless and kindof sad. One day I will revive the monkey who is criogenically frozen orbiting the earth.
Centroid
Another failed web design company (how many is that now.. 3? 4?) Had the absolute coolest animated gif logo ;)~~~
There you have it.. Im a bit sad they didnt archive any of my earlier work.. But hey!! its all good!!!
Heres a sneak peak:
x-y-z-files.ml.org
This site has been around as long as the hills (sounds of plucking banjos in the backgrounds). Used to be one kickass document repository. It died a sad and painful death. One of my very first sites!
www.ic-networks.com
Ahhh yes, good old ic-networks. This is possibly my second oldest site ever. I have that domain for years until i let it gracefully expire this year. At one time or another it was a portal.
parenthesis of Life
Damn i loved this site. It was a knowledge,literary repository where people could enter poems, and other literary sources. Used flat files before databases became popular and it rans for years on end. I still have dreams of reviving this one, and still to this day have heaps of the original material!
MonkeySpank
Another one of my personal favourites! Lots of fun, yet pointless and kindof sad. One day I will revive the monkey who is criogenically frozen orbiting the earth.
Centroid
Another failed web design company (how many is that now.. 3? 4?) Had the absolute coolest animated gif logo ;)~~~
There you have it.. Im a bit sad they didnt archive any of my earlier work.. But hey!! its all good!!!
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