You've just met the worlds most Handsome man

New Macbook

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:46:31 GMT

I bought a new Mac last wednesday. Posted a little video on youtube showing how fast it is.

I assume you're suposed to fill this out.

Fri, 11 Aug 2006 17:39:28 GMT

1. Name:
2. Age/Birthday:
3. Single or Taken:
4. Favorite Movie:
5. Favorite Song:
6. Favorite Band/Rapper/Artist (all three):
7. Favorite Book/Comic Book (Both):
8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:
9. Favorite TV Show:
10. Favorite Video Game/Board Game (Both):
11. Do we know each other outside of Livejournal?
12. Would you give me one of your kidney's?
13. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:
14. If you could change anything about your current life, would you?
15. Will you post this so I can fill it out for you?

Just for Lee

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:05:59 GMT

Photography Rights in Georgia

http://www.rcfp.org/photoguide/states/georgia.html

An article on genaral rights with links.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/2005-12-29-camera-laws_x.htm

If you can see it, you can shoot it
Let's get the easy stuff out of the way. Aside from sensitive government buildings (e.g., military bases), if you're on public property you can photograph anything you like, including private property. There are some limits — using a zoom lens to shoot someone who has a reasonable expectation of privacy isn't covered — but no one can come charging out of a business and tell you not to take photos of the building, period.
Further, they cannot demand your camera or your digital media or film. Well, they can demand it, but you are under no obligation to give it to them. In fact, only an officer of the law or court can take it from you, and then only with a court order. And if they try or threaten you? They can be charged with theft or coercion, and you may even have civil recourse. Cool. (For details, see "The Photographer's Right.")

It gets better.

You can take photos any place that's open to the public, whether or not it's private property. A mall, for example, is open to the public. So are most office buildings (at least the lobbies). You don't need permission; if you have permission to enter, you have permission to shoot.
In fact, there are very few limits to what you're allowed to photograph. Separately, there are few limits to what you're allowed to publish. And the fact that they're separate issues — shooting and publishing — is important. We'll get to that in a moment.
You can take any photo that does not intrude upon or invade the privacy of a person, if that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Someone walking in a mall or on the street? Fair game. Someone standing in a corner, looking at his new Prozac prescription? No. Using a long lens to shoot someone in an apartment? No.
Note that the limits have nothing to do with where you are when you take the shots; it's all about the subject's expectation of privacy. You can be on private property (a mall or office-building lobby), or even be trespassing and still legally take pictures. Whether you can be someplace and whether you can take pictures are two completely separate issues.

Chances are you can publish it
Publishing photos has some different restraints, although they're civil, not criminal. Break one of these "rules" and, while you won't go to jail, you could find yourself on the short end of a lawsuit. (Although, according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, "the subject's remedy usually will not include the ability to bar the publication of the picture.")
Revealing private facts about someone is a no-no. As the American Law Institute put it, "One who gives publicity to a matter concerning the private life of another is subject to liability to the other for invasion of his privacy, if the matter publicized is of a kind that A) would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, and B) is not of legitimate concern to the public."
Here the private property issue comes a bit more into play. Publishing a recognizable photo of someone at an AA meeting could be a problem, even if that meeting is open to the public. (An elected official, perhaps, but not of Joe Citizen.)
You also can find yourself in civil court if you publish a shot that places a person in a false light. That might be more of an issue with the caption than with the photo; running a shot of the mayor and his daughter labeled "Mayor meets with porn star" could land you in hot water. (Assuming his daughter isn't a porn star.)
Finally, you can't use someone's likeness for a purely commercial purpose — using a photo of someone in an ad, for example. That isn't to say you can't publish a photo in a commercial environment, such as a newspaper or a blog that accepts ads. If the photo is being used in a news or artistic sense as opposed to a commercial one you're OK.

mobile blogging

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 13:15:06 GMT

www.livejournal.com/mobile

for those of you with web enabled cell phones. its pretty cool, let's you post and view friends pages in a PDA friendly format.

OS X vs Vista

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 23:17:44 GMT

Bear in mind that OS X has been available for 5 years whereas Vista has been in development for 5 years and still isn't available. Doesn't it seem like Microsoft have just copied Apple.

Is it any wonder that M$ is losing money and marketshare when the only innovation that they can accomplish in 5 years is to steal from Apple..

Photoblog

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 00:17:17 GMT

I decided to start a photoblog using my cellphone cameras. The link is

http://www.splashblog.com/alexmacdonald

or as an RSS Feed (Jeny, this is for iPhoto in your instance)...

http://www.splashblog.com/rss.aspx?blog=alexmacdonald

Remote itunes

Sat, 05 Aug 2006 17:50:22 GMT

I'm lovin me some Treo 650!!!. Right now I'm using the GPRS data connection to remote control itunes on my Office Mac which is in turn streaming to my Home Stereo! pretty cool. I'm using the Salling clicker to do it. It'll control my entire Mac remotely, let me stream photo's music etc wherever I have a GPRS connection. Noice...

Ceiling Cat Rulzzzzz!!!!

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 22:35:02 GMT

Palm Treo

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 19:42:05 GMT

Well that didn't take long. I unlocked the sim card first. Then hacked in Rom 1.17 so that I could apply Rom 1.20 from Palm. Now I just need a few more programs and i'll be all set.

Gadgets Rock..

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 02:24:29 GMT

I am such a gadget whore...

About 3 months ago I bought a T-Mobile MDA

I love the device but I wanted it to be "mine". So I hacked the bastard... Started with a Sim unlock so I can use any GSM Providor, then a CID unlock so I could use any operating system. I cooked up my own custom Windows Mobile 5 rom using a few tools I found online and added my own programs and made it "mine". Freed up over 20mb in system memory by doing this, which for a device with only 64mb total (48mb available to the user, me) was no mean feat.... But now I'm bored....

So today I ordered this..

A spankin' new Palm Treo 650.. I should get it tomorrow and I'm ready to hack it to death. It's a cingular unit that i'll have to unlock first cos' I'm with T-Mobile, no problemo, should take 5 minutes. Then i'll hack in an unbranded Rom and add a few custom programs. I've already downloaded the tools I need and have the Rom ready to go but i'll apparently have to use an intermediate rom first to CID unlock the thing. Be bored again soon i'm sure. But there is always Jen's phone I could kill

I did get a blackberry 8600g last weekend but had to return it as it didn't work with my data plan, and there is no hack for that I'm afraid.

Oh Yeah!

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 16:10:20 GMT

Considering I'm normally a miserable prick, I am in a pretty good mood today. No idea why but I feel damn good. Weird.

Nothing to say today really

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 17:18:05 GMT

So just a lyric...

BNL...

The love I put away
Like games that children play
The hearts you choose to break
Like cars dumped in the lake
The laugh lines on your face
The life I won't embrace
The cold house I won't leave
The guests I won't receive

I live with it every day
Even though you've moved away
Our yesterdays are on a loop
A marathon of heartbreaking moments
I live with it every day
For every step I have to pay
The only thing that they can't take
The guilt that spirals in my wake

And the answer is.....

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 22:17:27 GMT

Close, but no twinkey....

My name: Alexander
Who is the love of my life: What's her face. Apparently a name doesn't describe ones character.
Where did we meet: Wherever we were at the time
Take a stab at my middle name: Alexander Morrison Campbell-MacDonald, so Morrison.
How long have you known me: Wow, how long has it been now?.
When is the last time that we saw each other: The last time we were together
Do I smoke: Yes, but I need to quit.
Do I drink: Not as much as I used to.
When is my birthday: 11/24/69
What was your first impression of upon meeting me: Alex is an arrogant bastard
Do I have any siblings: Yes, and I'm very proud of her.
What's one of my favorite things to do: I love to eat really really good food.
What's my favorite type of music: Like anyone else I like some of a lot of different genres. Except one, Bluegrass, I would rather stab a bollock than listen to that Ass. Like Kid Rock said "I like to play Hank Williams Jr. Records Just as loud as they will rock I'm into Lynyrd Skynyrd Run DMC And that American Pimp Kid Rock I like Willie, Waylon, George and Merle and alot of ZZ Top I like country, soul, rock-n-roll And I love me some hip hop"
What is the best feature about me: Nothing really jumps out at you.
Am I shy or outgoing: If any of you repeat this i'll kill you. I'm actually very shy and extremely insecure, unfortunately, to compensate I come accross as an arrogant heartless prick. It's purely self preservation.
Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules: I try to follow the rules.
Do I have any special talents: No, not really, not special anyway.
Would you consider me a friend/good friend: Prolly neither, I can be a dick afterall.
Would you call me preppy, average, sporty, punk, hippie, glam, nerdy, snobby, or something else (what): Preppy/Snobby/Geeky.
What is a memory we have once had: I have a terrible memory
Have you ever hugged me: More importantly, did we fuck?????
Do you miss me...do you think I miss you: I prob miss you but thats because I drove you away by being a prick.
What is my favorite food: Lamb, without a doubt
Have you ever had a crush on me: of course you have
If there was one good nickname for me, what would it be: dick, asshole, buttnugget? take your pick
What's your favorite memory of me: for most of you it'll be leaving.
Who do I like right now: Not so much who as what.....COFFEE.
What is my worst habit: Wow, where do I start..... If you can think of it i've probably done it.
If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what one thing would I bring? Memories of my Father
Are we friends: Maybe...

This is just Bollocks

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 19:28:50 GMT

Jen, you already know my name so don't fill in that one, we'll see if anyone else knows them.

My name:
Who is the love of my life:
Where did we meet:
Take a stab at my middle name:
How long have you known me:
When is the last time that we saw each other:
Do I smoke:
Do I drink:
When is my birthday:
What was your first impression of upon meeting me:
Do I have any siblings:
What's one of my favorite things to do:
What's my favorite type of music:
What is the best feature about me:
Am I shy or outgoing:
Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules:
Do I have any special talents:
Would you consider me a friend/good friend:
Would you call me preppy, average, sporty, punk, hippie, glam, nerdy, snobby, or something else (what):
What is a memory we have once had:
Have you ever hugged me:
Do you miss me...do you think I miss you:
What is my favorite food:
Have you ever had a crush on me:
If there was one good nickname for me, what would it be:
What's your favorite memory of me:
Who do I like right now:
What is my worst habit:
If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what one thing would I bring?
Are we friends:

Does age really matter??

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 13:37:35 GMT

Alright, opinions needed, bear in mind they'll be duly ignored but i'll ask anyway. I'm 36, granted, a very good looking young at heart 36, but, is that too old to date a 23 year old? Whom Jen says is lying to me and is actually only 21 but I don't believe that. Just wondering.

Xjournal

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 17:14:09 GMT

So I got this software called X-Journal for OS X, now i don't actually have to go to LJ to post. Nice for a lazy git like me....

I'll give you my retirement if you'll kill me....

Fri, 03 Mar 2006 13:00:23 GMT

I've been here since 6.30 drawing profiles through a designated flood zone. 45 sectional alignments. Please kill me. The person who was supposed to do this just bought themselves a whole lot of misery.

Christmas cookie fun for all the family

Sun, 27 Nov 2005 15:12:45 GMT

Starbucks Responds, Eventually, Kinda, well Maybe.

Fri, 25 Nov 2005 19:25:42 GMT

Dear Mr. MacDonald,

Thank you for taking the time to share your concern with us regarding providing complimentary beverages to police officers.

Your feedback is essential to Starbucks continued growth and progress. Therefore, I have shared your comments with all of the appropriate individuals within our organization.

Should you have additional questions or concerns, please call our Customer Relations department at (800)-23-LATTE to speak with a representative or email us at info@starbucks.com.

Best Regards,

Jessa M.
Customer Relations Representative
Starbucks Coffee Company

Starbucks fucking suck!

Fri, 18 Nov 2005 22:13:23 GMT

This is my letter to Starbucks, I am very disappointed in them today.

Dear Sirs.

I have been a customer for a long time but only just today came to find that you guys charge uniformed police officers for their beverages! The same guys who protect your retail establishments, whom could be called upon to risk their lives defending your employees. It's disgraceful. With all your talk of social responsibility I certainly expected a lot more. Well, If you guys won't do the right thing I will. I bought the officers drink myself and will continue to do so whenever an officer is in line with me at starbucks. You may not be able to afford to but I'll make sure I can.

I'll let you know if I get a response.

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 01:09:58 GMT

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 01:09:21 GMT

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 00:34:01 GMT

I bought Photoshop CS2 today and found the "Warp" tool under free transform. So this is my 2nd bash at this photo.

RAW Support in Photoshop CS

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 19:21:57 GMT

This is going to get a bit geeky so bear with me, considering all digital cameras will be this way in the near future it's handy information to know.

One of my primary reasons for buying my new camera is the ability to shoot in camera RAW format. This is basically a "What the camera sensor sees is what you get" format, hence the RAW designation. I'm not sure if you guys know, but when you shoot jpeg the camera has to do an awful lot of work to the image, it does this behind the scenes but the end result is a degraded image file. The post processing the camera performs includes, white balance, color correction, sharpening/softening and compression. While the jpeg may look fine to most people it is still not a true representation of the life scene.

This is where RAW comes in. The RAW setting on the camera disables all of this in camera processing an outputs a pure image, a true photographic reproduction of the life scene. The problem with this comes in post-processing the images on your computer. Each camera manufacturer has it's own proprietary RAW format which changes on a very regular basis, often from camera to camera releases. This makes it a pain in the ass for software vendors to keep up plugin support for each camera and file type. Most post-processing software doesn't even support RAW but Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements do, But only the newest version is being updated. This creates even more of a problem for the likes of me who doesn't want or need to buy the newest version of photoshop each time it's released.

The Nikon D50 is a brand new camera that uses Nikon's proprietary RAW format that they call NEF. It's is supported in Photoshop CS2 (which I do not have) but not in Photoshop CS (which I do have).

Adobe have come up with a new format (DNG) or digital negative. The aim is to try and create a standard for all of these RAW formats and try to simplify the process for the end user. In photoshop CS2 the just updated the Camera RAW Plugin to version 3.2 (which supports my camera) but it's not compatible with my version of photoshop. Luckily though they built support for the D50 the DNG converter application which is intended for use with CS2. I figured out that I can run the DNG converter app regardless and convert my NEF RAW files into the universal adobe DNG format (a completely non destructive process) and ended up with RAW files that are fully compatible with Photoshop CS.

Basically, if you have a camera that shoots RAW and cannot edit your files, download the DNG converter app and convert them, you may be surprised to find that it works for you as it did for me.