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Like magic the phone lines have started working again. After weeks of unknown issues causing dialup problems today the modem has been connecting at a solid 50.6 all day! Excuse me while I go knock on wood.

But I digress. The real reason for this post is to announce that I've started creating yet another website. Anyone see a trend here?

I'm working on creating yet another useless and unneeded blog directory. However I'm hoping to make it more than just a website list and including user reviews of blog software, reviews of blog hosts, message boards, and anything else I can think of.

It'll probably be a while before it's online seeing how I'm a major procrastinator and slow at doing any development. Hopefully there will still be a need for blog directories by then if google doesn't take over...

There's a really great article on Iraq at Frontpage Magazine. With 90% of what I hear on TV reports being negative it's nice to read about the positive things that get passed by.

Maybe it's just the media in general but all they report on is negative. More death, riots, shootings, blah, blah, blah... It's so depressing and it's driving me nuts. This kind of reporting never makes it to the big outlets but luckily we have places like frontpage mag willing to report.

Frontpage mag is run by David Horowitz who is just an amazing individual. He was a major player in the anti-war peace movement in California during the 70. He's done a lot of good for civil rights and anti-censorship throughout his life. But what’s more amazing is that he realized as he was getting older that his views on politics and life were more inline with conservatives than liberals. He's switched sides and now is a strong conservative speaker. As a part of the local Republican club on campus we brought Mr. Horowitz to speak at our campus and I was amazed by his speaking.

I highly suggest people go out and read some of his books. You'll learn a whole lot!

Found a rather funny website today. It's called I-Mockery.com and it's a humor site making fun of Nintendo products. Not to say it's mocking Nintendo or Nintendo fans just some of the goofy products that have been released.

Pretty funny stuff and a great trip back in time for me. I remember many of the products and even have some! Nes Advantage, Power Glove, etc. How I loved those things...

I was always a little Nintendo fanboy. I would defend my little old NES against those SEGA lovers till they would admit defeat. I would tell them how SEGA hardware was junk and someday they would die. I remember telling people that someday Sonic the Hedgehog would be on the Nintendo. That was blasphemy back then but I guess I was right! Of course I never saw Sony or Microsoft so I always assumed Nintendo would rule. Too bad they're not doing as well as they could be.

Nothing against Sony or Microsoft but Nintendo games are just way more fun and entertaining for all ages. Although I'll probably end up getting the next gen XBox console just because I've heard it's going to be designed as a complete home communication hub. I really like the idea of a single set top box that handles all my game, movie, music, communication needs.

Saw the original post over at BSDForums.Org. It appears that the french/med port gets the honor of being the 9000th port in FreeBSD.

The Ports Collection for those not aware is a system included in FreeBSD that allows the automated process of downloading, unpacking, patching, compiling and installing software.

For example if you wanted to install the apache web server all you have to do is type the following at a command prompt:
# cd /usr/ports/www/apache13 && make install && make clean

The ports system would download all needed files, compile them and then install the executable program. All without you the user doing anything. Pretty neat isn't it!

Continue reading "FreeBSD Ports Collection Hits 9000"

I thought I’d share my guide to building a Necromancer for the upcoming 1.10 patch for Diablo II: LOD.  Obviously this isn’t a perfect guide but just what I’m doing and I think it should work pretty good.

There are several different options for building Necromancers.  You can be a golem master where you spend all your energy on building the strongest golem possible.  A skeleton / reviver master where you work to master raising strong skeletons and eventually slain monsters.  There’s the curse master that learns powerful curses to defeat monster by weakening them then using a melee attack.  Then there’s the choice I go with, a bone / poison master.  The ultimate goal of this master is to create the most powerful bone and poison skills to defeat monsters.

And I�m happy to announce that the boys at blizzard realized how bad the necro sucked and have made the bone and poison skills much stronger.  In 1.09 a maxed out bone spear does around 200 points of magic damage.  From what I’ve read in 1.10 it looks like it will do around 1000+ points of magic damage.  Of course monsters in hell will also be 4 times stronger so it’s not like you will be stronger but it’s nice to see the major fighting weapon of a character finally do real damage.

Continue reading "My Diablo II: LOD 1.10 Necromancer Guide"