What's Been and What's Ben

I had bluehost, my hosting company, reset my website. I had been hacked and turned into a zombie that was just spamming people. So they had to shut me down. The vulnerability came from the awesome script I was running on my main page that allowed the multitude of boxes to be moved around like they were just free pieces of paper on a table. But I am back with a simpler site now that has my online journal front and center since that is why this is all here really.

There have been a few updates in my life. I finished my senior project and was offered money by my department head, Dr. Joenathan, to continue on the project for a second iteration. That will hopefully come about. I have spent the last week on break, hanging out with Morgan while she was here, sleeping, watching TV, reading things on the internet, starting a few personal projects, playing SimCity 4, and generally taking it easy.

I made grades so I decided to spend some money. I have been wanting to improve my computer case. I have a dual side project applying my senior design project stuff. I will be doing basic illumination and control in my computer case and making a desk light that will blink and stuff (without spinning around). But I also wanted to get a graphics card that will actually play blu-ray movies since my card doesn’t do that anymore. At first it seemed like a good idea to get something new and top of the line. But reason took over and since I don’t do any crazy modern 3D games I just went for a 50 dollar slight upgrade, a Sapphire 100252HDMI Radeon HD 4550 fan-less low-profile. In combinationn I also got in exchange for cheaping out on the graphics something that will actually be something to improve my standard of life, a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000, $80, which is a combination of the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 and the Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000. They will de-clutter my desk, allow to move my keyboard and mouse around, and be better on my hands and arms.

I also bought a ton of different LEDs off superbrightLEDs.com so I can make my lights simulate real light as well as possible. LEDs are so cool.

This is going to be a bad recession. The underpinnings of the economy were failed. Experts figured that the average American owing $9000 to credit card companies (source) would be a good long-term situations. But people really like Obama. Hopefully we can pull ourselves out of this one!