Jared0×90

Has anyone noticed the lightning fast DNS propagation as of late? It took literally less than 15 minutes for my ISP to pick up on the new IP.

…you are viewing jx90.com on our new host!

Server is in the process of moving. Downtime should be expected but it may not occur at all if all goes smoothly. More RAM, faster CPU and more space are in the works.

I added a few old but great games I have found around the net. They were a hassle to get from underdogs and so I figured I would just mirror them for people who are looking for them. Make sure you take a look. If you have any others to suggest contact me using the email address on that page.

One of the most successful open source projects, OpenOffice, released version 2.0 today! This has been a long time coming. I got my notification email at 6:52AM EST and had it downloaded at roughly 6:55 at which point I was installing. This project is great. There has been a lot in the news about this project stealing the spot light away from MS recently and for good reason. Great community, great software and of course it is open source and free. I would highly recommend giving it a try if you are an MS office user. There are literally state governments in the USA that have declared they are switching completely away from MS office to OpenOffice.

Added a video of a Nintendo Choir that was recently posted on big-boys.com. It is quite a funny video for all those who loved the NES back in the day.

The next installment for AOL’s Instant Messaging program (AIM) was released over the weekend for beta testing. AIM Triton was first leaked about 8 months ago on the boards, but the program was still under heavy modification by AOL. Now that the file has been released to the masses via AOL banner ads, AIM.com’s beta section, etc.. It’s going to be interesting to see how they improved the video interface that once bogged down 2 year old graphics cards, that normally stood their ground in intense gaming.

If you’d like to learn more about AOL IM Triton please see http://www.aim.com/you/

So I noticed Cox’s Easypay didn’t show up on my latest checking account statement. Interesting. I go back another month. Nope. Another month. Nope. So I go on line to pay the obvious bills that are waiting. It informs me my account is locked. So I call them and they tell me they have sent me an email informing me that they have been unable to bill me. Gee, what if I don’t use your P.OS. email service? Apparently lifting a finger to contact someone is impossible these days. So I tell the lady I have been locked out of my account and she says she will forward me to tech support. After sitting in a 25 minute wait to hear her 20 seconds of information and resolving nothing she thinks I want to go sit in another call line. So before she is able to forward me I abruptly stop her and inform her that I at a minimum want to get the billing straighted out before I go sit in another 20 minute plus line and then have to come back and sit in this one. We go through the payment system and get the bills paid yadda yadda yadda and she forwards me on to tech support. I inform some hot-shot of the situation and he informs me I can now login to my account. Great. I am on the road at this point on my way home from work so I clearly can’t check it. So I get home and try to login and wow - what do you think? It is the same error message. Sounds like the hot-shot didn’t know what he was talking about. So I call back and sit in another 20 minute wait for someone to answer my call. I get a young sassy girl (and for me at 22 young she must be very young!) who is clearly reading from some sort of automated manual. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is the there automated customer support program on there website she is using. After making tons of completely ignorant and/or meaningless statements like “there is one main computer connected to every router - that is the one you need to shut down”.. Yes because that will affect my cable modem right? Even though neither one is aware of the others existence since they are on a router. Or perhaps because it has some magical weight the other machines on that switch and wireless network don’t have I suppose. Anyhow after debating this point with her I give in and follow her instructions like a zombie for about 20 minutes. Nothing is resolved and at the end of this I now have another account I cannot login to supposedly on there EasyPay system that is registered to a non cox email address because she claims that was the problem. Another one of her brilliant statements. She informs me it is a billing problem and they close at 5:00 EST which is a lie because my initial call to them was well after 5:00. I don’t call her out on it and hang up. I call back cox about an hour later and speak with an admittedly nice lady who listens to me and forwards me to another person who I am on the phone with now. My password is now being reset for the second time today. Whooptie-whoo let’s see how this goes. Nope! No dice surprise surprise! Now I am on hold for a “quick check on the system”. 1 minute passes… Another… And another.. So far this call has just hit the 30 minute mark. OK after 40 minutes on the phone with this guy he realizes nobody knew what they were talking about. He resets my password and unlocks my account. I can now login again. Amazing. Now I can view my EasyPay account which is separate from the view and pay your bill info. Amazing…Simply amazing. Why cant they have one login screen with a SIMPLE easy to follow interface? So 3 hours and 5 levels on competence later ranging from absolutely none to decent I am fine again. Or so it seems. They still can’t find the other account stupid woman #3 had me create. I will have to call back later this week I suppose. Give them “48 hours for it to process in there system” Anyhow there goes a day down the drain.

I am saddened tonight to find out about the loss of one of the greatest men I knew growing up. John Ballenger, the father of two of my best friends, passed away yesterday morning after a valiant struggle with Mesothelioma. If you are friends with the Ballengers, I am sure they would appreciate your support in this trying time. Below is information about the memorial service this weekend.

Saturday October 8th
4PM at St. Luke’s Church
Location/Directions

Posted to Bungie.net today was the statement that Halo, the movie is in the works with producers from Universal. The team that will create Halo, the movie; will be the same team that created King Kong. Excuse me while I go pick up my jaw.

Source :: Bungie.Net News Article