Author: Mark

Just saw that BoingBoing posted a link to the 100 oldest domain names. I thought I had posted it here ages ago but it turns out I posted it in a forum back in December before I had this blog. Anyway here is the link to the 100 oldest dot com domains. [Link]

I am posting this post using Linux on Nats powerbook. I feel like such a newbie using this OS. It took me like 5 minutes trying to figure out how to get the network setup though which is faster then it would have taken me trying to figure it out on Windows XP. Linux does feel allot like Windows though which isn’t a good thing. The OS is pretty fast and responsive running on Nats 867mhz pbook. I am running the live version of Ubuntu. The hardest part of working with Linux is I am using the Command key when I should be using the CTRL key for stuff like copying or closing windows. Anyway, gonna boot back up into OSX now.

Jennifer and Vince, sitting in a tree, K I S S I N G! [Link]

Once I get the old clamshell iBook which I posted about yesterday night, I am going to install Linux on it. The reason is OS9 is a great OS and should run nicely on the iBook, but if I want to use it for web surfing its going to suck because there are no decent browsers on OS9. iCab sucks, Mozilla sucks and IE is the best of the bunch so you could imagine how bad the situation is. OSX would install on the iBook but its not going to be fast, its not even going to run at a decent speed at all.

This is why I have one other option to go with, Linux. I am going to install Ubuntu on the iBook and then install FireFox. With a 160MB RAM and 300mhz CPU, it should run smoothly and definitely faster then installing OSX on it.

If you have a Mac and are interested in installing Linux on it, you can download and burn the Live version on a CD. That way you can check out the OS without needing to install it. [Link]

Yesterday I watched The Big White and it was disappointing. Maybe I was too tired when I watched it or maybe I was expecting something else, whatever the case was, I didn’t enjoy it. Robin Williams, Woody Harrelson, Holly Hunter (from Cronenbergs CRASH), and Giovanni Ribisi star in the movie so the cast was pretty cool. The story on the other hand I think was the main problem. Here is the plot summary from IMDB:

To remedy his financial problems, a travel agent has his eye on a frozen corpse, which just happens to be sought after by two hitmen.

The movie was funny in some parts but overall the story was just lame. It wasn’t exciting at all, throughout the movie I didn’t care much on what was going to happen next or what would happen at the end. I just didn’t care and I don’t know why. Maybe because Robin Williams character annoyed me, maybe his brother was a dickhead or maybe because this was Giovannis lamest acting, whatever the reason, I didn’t like the movie.

One thing I did like about the movie was the intro. I love the typography and the minimalism in the intro credits. I also loved the first scene of the movie in which Robbin William’s wife Holly Hunter is running in her PJ’s in the snow. It was very beautifully filmed and gave me the impression it was going to be a very beautiful movie visually to watch. Sadly, the beauty ended right there after the first scene.

A friend of mine called me earlier, he is in the Mac business and I had asked him before if he ever came across someone who wanted to sell their old iBook to give me a call. So he calls me up awhile ago tells me there is a 300mhz Tangerine iBook, excellent condition with box and all its CDs for and owner is selling it for only KD25. It comes with 32MB RAM but it would cost me only $29 to add another 128. I should be able to run OS9 easily on the system and if I need to I could even install OS10. I am thinking of getting it since when they first came out I really wanted one but couldn’t afford it. I remember I had just started going out with Nataly back then and I went with her to the Apple Store to show her how funky the ibooks were. I also wouldn’t mind having a laptop to surf the web while watching TV or lying in bed. I won’t be using it for anything else just web browsing. I might even just run VNC on it and connect it to my main mac and use it like that. Lots of possibilities for a really good price, KD25 only. Very tempting.

Wow, this rocks. vpn.google.com/getpass/

I just downloaded the PPTP software DigiTunnel and am going to try it out. If it works I won’t have to use proxify anymore.

Update: It didn’t work at work but I just set it up at home now and its working perfectly. Keep in mind that once you disconnect from the VPN you will need to get another username and password from the google site. Bye bye proxify!

I just got an email from 23HQ (previously 23people). They have moved out of the beta stage and are upgrading all existing users to a free 2 year plus subscription. 23HQ is like flickr except not as crowded. I personally use it to put my favorite photos on and I also love the fact that my username is “mark” there. You can check out my favorite pictures by going to 23hq.com/mark

I just downloaded a copy of the newly renovated I-Mag magazine to check it out. I wasn’t expecting it to be any good but it turns out its actually better then the majority of the free English magazines you find at Starbucks. Check it out [Link]

Yesterday I watched Audition (Ôdishon) which was recommended to me by my brother. What a fucked up movie that was. The movie starts off extremely slow, boring and uneventful. I wanted to turn it off soo many times but I remembered my brother telling me wait till the end so I did. What a fucking end! No way on earth would I have expected anything like that. I wish I could explain what happens but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. The end of the movie has one of the most graphic scenes I have ever watched, Nataly even covered her eyes and wanted me to mute it because she couldn’t handle it. The movie in short is about this guy who is a widow and is looking for a wife. His best friend suggests they set up a fake movie audition in which he could use it to find a girl he is interested in. The guy finds a girl and falls in love. Other then that I will not say any more.

This is the second movie I’ve watched for Takashi Miike. The first one was Visitor Q (Bizita Q) which was also really weird but not as enjoyable as Audition. Overall I really liked yesterdays movie, I realize now why the intro was so normal and dull, its just to create a huge contrast with the end of the movie.

I got my new sneakers today from Aramex. I ordered them from Amazon since I can’t find the DCSHOE’s brand in Kuwait. I only wear DC’s, they are the most durable sneakers I have found and combined with my brother we have tried everything from DVS’s to Vans and DC’s always outlasted them all. I don’t skateboard (my brother does) but I only buy skateboarding shoes since they look really cool and they are built to withstand some of the harshest treatment.

My new sneakers are from the new DCSHOE’s Danny Way signature series. They fucking rock. Here are some technical features:

Super Suede
50% more durable, lasts longer, feels like regular suede

DGT Dynamic Grip Technology
DGT is engineered around the fact that each part of a skate shoe’s sole does different things, and wears out at different rates. With DGT, there’s soft rubber for control on ollies and flips. There’s medium rubber for grip and traction. Finally, there’s a tougher, thicker rubber for durability where it’s needed most.

Airbag
DC’s high performance skate shoes have a thermoplastic urethane airbag to provide cushioning in either the forefoot or heel area

Performolite Polyurethane
DC developed its very own exclusive composition of polyurethane and dubbed it Performolite. It’s softer and much lighter then standard polyurethane.

For more info on DCSHOE’s check their website [Link]

Thanks to Purg for the link to this site with famous Lebanese. Here are some interesting ones I didn’t know about:

Nicolas Hayek, creator of Swatch and savior of the Swiss watch industry.
Marisa Tomei, winner of Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in “My Cousin Vinny”
Frank Zappa, rock legend
Yasmine Bleeth, starred in “Baywatch” and “Nash Bridges”
G.E. Smith, guitarist and “Saturday Night Live’s” bandleader for many years (Smith is the translation of is family’s Lebanese name, Haddad)
Kathy Najimy, award-winning comic actress, the fun-loving nun in the “Sister Act” films and co-star of Kirstie Alley as Olive in “Veronica’s Closet”.
Tom Shadyac, director of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective(1994), The Nutty Professor (1996), Liar Liar (1997), Patch Adams(1998), Dragonfly (2002) and Bruce Almighty (2003)
Ned Mansour, president of Mattel, Inc.
Paul Orfalea, founder of Kinko’s

Here is the full list. [Link]

Update: Here is another list from a more reliable source. [Link]
Update 2: Wendie Malick is of Irish and Lebanese heritage. She plays Nina Van Horn on NBC’s hit show Just Shoot Me. [Link]

Help stop Internet Explorer, the world’s most popular and worst internet browser. [Link]

I love the way how Wired always give credit to Tony Fadell for the creation of the iPod. Majority of other media outlets usually make Steve Jobs the star. [Link]

Send them a complaint. [Link]