Blinking Lights for Burning Man
I ordered several blinking lights and batteries from BodyLighting.com, but in my search also came across FlashingBlinkingLights.com which also has a wide selection of lights, as well as Logo'able Blinking Ice Cubes, which when I return from the burn, I will arrange to get Brotherhood Logo'ed cubes for the VIP area next year. 🙂
I also want to get some lanyard type blinking lights to gift to people on the Playa.. this year its just hearts with SDTJ on the back. Next year I will work on getting the )'( 2006 logo'd on them either with a sharpie, or if its cheap have the vendor do it.
BodyLighting.com as TONS of batteries specifically used by blinking lights, and offers free shipping on all orders. You can pay with PayPal and don't get charged tax. 🙂
Utilikilt for Burning Man and Sabbat
 After hanging out with one of my friends that is a Black Rock City Ranger, I decided to get my Utilikilt. I tried on one of her Kilts and it fit and felt perfect! I got an Original styled kilt, that is all black, with a 34" waist, and 21.5" length. I am figuring after one or 2 washes I MIGHT be able to get the playa dust out of the kilt, and be able to wear it to Sabbat or Sin Factory. 🙂
http://www.utilikilts.com/Â
El-Wire for Burning Man
Part of my planning for Burning Man has ment the collection of some El-Wire to be used to lightup myself, my ride, and my backpack. To this end I am picking up several 'drivers' which can be set to either be constantly on, or to blink at different rates. You will see from my list that I have 2 different types, some for running short runs (like 6feet for my backpack), and some that run 10+ feet (bike frame).
The nice thing about El-wire is that you can cut it to fit, and solder a male connector to it and mix and match what colors you want to power on which nites... this way you don't HAVE to be the same color every night. It also means I'm going to be able to borrow some colors from others on the Playa. 🙂 Here is my order sheet.
(2x) IM4-Regular 14 1-6ft Inverter ($5.05/ea)
http://www.coolight.com/product-p/im4-regular.htm
(1x) TL9v10 - 9v Techlight Blink+continous inverter ($10.10/ea)
http://www.coolight.com/product-p/im4-regular.htm
12 Feet of Lime Green 3.2mm Lytec ($1.30/foot)
http://www.coolight.com/product-p/02s-lg.htm
12 feet of Ultra Marine 3.2mm Lytec ($1.30/foot)
http://www.coolight.com/product-p/02s-um.htm
(4x) C01MF Male-to-Female connector kit ($1.00/ea)
http://www.coolight.com/product-p/co1mf.htm
1 foot - Black 1/4 inch heatshrink ($0.75/foot)
http://www.coolight.com/Heat-Shrink-p/1-fslash-4hsblk.htm
1 foot - black 1/8 inch heatshrink ($0.75/foot)
http://www.coolight.com/Heat-Shrink-p/1-fslash-8hsblk.htm
LG vx8100
I just got a new LG vx8100 from Verizon Wireless. I waited for this phone for a while, and used my LG vx4400 for 2.5 years before upgrading. I found several things that I wanted to do with the phone that took a while to figure out. But after doing so made the phone very cool.
There is some good information about the phone here... Article about vx8100, and
Review of vx8100.
I started setting up my phone by getting an OpenSource program called BitPIM - http://bitpim.org/ this utility allows you to connect to LG and other phones and access the filesystem.
Connecting via Bluetooth
Details of bluetooth and other settings.
http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=688705
To connect to my desktop I ended up buying a AmbiCom - Bluetooth Wireless USB Adapter (BT2000C-USB) from CompUSA for $29.00
- Supports USB 1.1, and Bluetooth Version 1.2. Also online I found this
Cheap bluetooth USB adapter for $19.00
There is a good
Bluetooth Tutorial on Profiles that helps explain why you need to have a USB adapter that supports the profiles you want. Basically they are features for accessing and supporting different protocols.
Ringtones
Using this I was able to move my purchased ringtones off my vx4400 and onto my vx8100. I was happy about this since I had over $20 of ringers... (side note they sound much better on the vx8100).
Wallpapers
The phone supports a screen resolution of 176x220 at 262k colors. So one might think the wallpapers would be the same. This is not the case as there is banners on the top and bottom. The optimal resolution I have found was 176x184 and to save the files as .JPG's. I used the Microsoft Office Picture Manager to resize, and crop my images.
I found several good starting points by downloading the 240x320 backgrounds from this Free Cellphone Wallpapers site. This link has a bunch of Fun Wallpapers
I haven't played much with setting the background of the front display which is 128x128 65K color since i find it hard to read, and instead have taken a picture of a white napkin with the built in camera, and set it as the wallpaper for the front of the phone. This provides a much easier to read screen for the clock, which is what I have found I use the phone for, since I no longer wear a watch.
Video Clips
The instructions above for putting images and ringtones also works for Video clips. By far the easiest way is to use the built in MiniSD card to put pictures onto the phone. I found some issues with filename length, shorter the name the better for some reason. I also think that even though you can put video clips onto the card, deleting the items when attached to my PC, didn't necessarily delete them once I put the card into the phone. I suggest following the same steps used in putting video clips via the data cable, and delete the related .DAT files, forcing them to be recreated. Takes a couple extra steps but seems to work all the time.
I ended up using PVAuthor and ImTOO 3GP Converter and I think Quicktime Pro will also make the necessary .3gp files.
Video clips 176 x 144 is the ideal resolution.
Overall Review of vx8100
I like the feature that allows the phone to vibrate regarless of your ring volume setting. This helps ensure I know the phone is ringing while outside or while driving my car.
I find the reception to be slightly worse than my vx4400, which seemed to get good signal coverage everywhere.
The Camera is pretty good at 1.3 Megapixel. It doesn't work well in low light, but outside it takes good pictures. I am still looking for a way to protect the lense from being my pocket, and am looking at a belt clip to hold the phone instead.
MiniSD Slot
PDA Screens Covers - I still need to find some PDA covers, which I think I can get at Staples or Frys that I can then cut to make screen covers for the camera and the external screen.
Labyrinth Masquerade (LoJ) July 15th
http://labyrinthmasquerade.com/site/tickets.html Time to get your tickets... I have mine.
July 15th, 2006
The Henry Fonda Music Box
6126 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
DOORS OPEN AT 8:00 PM Need to get my hotel room setup again... where was that last blog entry about this topic again... that why I love that I keep this stuff online.
We are staying at the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel
Do Not Call Registry
Sorry for the wide spam on this, but an email is better than getting a cold call from someone on your cellphone.
This took me 40 seconds, and must be done from your cell or home phone.
There is no "Last Day" to add yourself, its an ongoing list of do-not-call numbers, which take effect within 31 days of you registering your phone number.
Not all cold callers are using the system, but if you get a call ask for the company's name, and phone number, and report them at the same phone number you registered your number with.
It blocks your number for five (5) years.
You must call from the phone number you are wanting to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number.
HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS
OR GO TO: http://www.donotcall.gov
"You may have received an email telling you that your cell phone is about to be assaulted by telemarketing calls as a result of a new cell phone number database; however, that is not the case. Federal Communications Commission regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers."
More info about the bogus deadline that is associated with several emails floating around.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/04/dnc.htm
Went wine tasting this weekend
My friend Ian and Jhoana from LA put together a group of people to go wine tasting in Temecula. We met in Murietta at Jhoana's parents house and got on the party van there. We travelled to 4 winery's, and then one bonus winery, which served a chocolate truffle with their port... SWEET!
Will update this entry later with more details about the wine tour. 😀
X-Sanguin V – July 22nd, 2006 – Tickets now on sale
X-Sanguin V - July 22, 2006
The Brotherhood invites you to our fifth annual X-Sanguin event located at "The Abbey" here in San Diego CA.
X-Sanguin has grown to one of the largest events of its kind in Southern California, and once again we have pulled out all the stops to ensure that this will be the best event that we have ever produced.
EBM - TECHNO - GOTH INDUSTRIAL - TRANCE
DJ's Tom King and Brendan Cahill
Light and Vision
Photos with Dan Bergeron of Dan Bergeron Photography
Live video feed from the X-Sanguin video team
Dark Entertainers
Go Go Dancers
Special Guest Entertainers
Special Guests
R. Black - Resident Artist of the Brotherhood
Amelia G - Artist , Blue Blood
Forrest Black - Artist, Blue Blood
The Lady Malice of BeautyDestroyed
More being announced in the week to follow!
No wonder I am hungry in 10 Minutes
We were at Dim Sum last week and i got this cute little box for my 1 piece of take home. Its so CUTE!
And I thought that was what the internet was for. 😛