Day: August 24, 2006

Top 10 Ubuntu hacks

This one gets a posting just because I know folks who are using or at least trying out the latest Ubuntu distribution. If you are just getting your Ubuntu install running, or are thinking of trying Ubuntu out, be sure to check out the LifeHacker list of 10 essential Ubuntu applications and tweaks.

8. Add NTFS Read/Write support

If you’re switching from Windows, chances are you’ve got lots of data stored on an NTFS (New Technology File System) formatted drive that you’re not ready to get rid of. This used to be a major problem, since Linux isn’t able to write files to NTFS drives. Or at least that used to be the case. Luckily the Linux-NTFS project has built a driver to overcome those limitations.

HOWTO: NTFS with read/write support using ntfs-3g (easy method)
[Ubuntu Forums]

[tags]Ubuntu, Apps and tweaks[/tags]

Today in History – volcano go boom

Today’s History Channel lead story is on the August 24th, 79 A.D. eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in southern Italy, destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum.  The people in the region lived there to take advantage of the fertile ground.  They had no idea why the land was so fertile.

The ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum thrived near the base of Mount Vesuvius at the Bay of Naples. In the time of the early Roman Empire, 20,000 people lived in Pompeii, including merchants, manufacturers, and farmers who exploited the rich soil of the region with numerous vineyards and orchards. None suspected that the black fertile earth was the legacy of earlier eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. Herculaneum was a city of 5,000 and a favorite summer destination for rich Romans. Named for the mythic hero Hercules, Herculaneum housed opulent villas and grand Roman baths. Gambling artifacts found in Herculaneum and a brothel unearthed in Pompeii attest to the decadent nature of the cities. There were smaller resort communities in the area as well, such as the quiet little town of Stabiae.

At noon on August 24, 79 A.D., this pleasure and prosperity came to an end when the peak of Mount Vesuvius exploded, propelling a 10-mile mushroom cloud of ash and pumice into the stratosphere.

Also of note today in history is the last tank produced by Cadillac came of the line today in 1945, and in 1954 the Communist Control Act was passed, coming to effect not long after the disgrace of Sen. McCarthy (who, BTW, was correct on many of his accusations).
Read the entire account and see what else of note occurred today in history, thanks to The History Channel.

[tags]Today in History, The History Channel, Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii[/tags]

Radical gaming ideas

This list started with mention of a game from a co-worker. His idea for the game differed from mine, but I decided to try coming up with a few games that matched my idea of some new games that I haven’t seen done before.

  • Fag hunter

    • You are a British man, looking for your next cigarette fix

  • Put that bitch in her place

    • You are a young test lab intern, and there has been a breach. You have to capture all the female pups used in lab tests and put each back in the right cage.

  • Work that ass hard

    • You are a farmer working hard to save the family farm. Your tractor is broken, so you have to use your old mule to try to maintain the fields and bring in the harvest.

I’m working on more, but these are the starting ideas I have. I could see a series of mini-games coming from this. Maybe a bunch of online Java games. Hmmmm, I think I just came up with a reason to learn Java.

Feel free to add any similarly themed games in the comments.

UPDATE (2006-08-24 22:36): Some more game ideas from one of my brothers.

  • Beat your meat

    • You are out for dinner at a restaurant that lets you cook your own steak. Before throwing it on the grill, you want to pound it a bit with a tenderizing mallet

  • Trim the Queen’s bush and pound it in

    • You are head gardenkeeper for the Queen of England. One of your biggest responsibilities is keeping the Queen’s favorite rose bush properly trimmed and staked properly

  • Clean up the seaman spill

    • You are a helicopter emergency rescue pilot. You have to get your team to naval disaster sites to rescue the men and women of the navy who are in the water. Some rescues take place in icy waters, giving a time limit. Other missions take place in shark infested waters where you get a mission bonus for saving a certain percentage of the seaman.

[tags]Radical game ideas, Games that sound dirty but aren’t[/tags]