Upgrading an Intel Mac Mini with an Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 (2.33Ghz) Merom Processor

This is a fascinating article for a PC guy like myself. It shows that there is a future for PC users who like to tweak, mess around with and upgrade PCs, but who want to make the switch to Mac and still tweak, mess around with and upgrade their Macs.

It is an excellent read, so don't miss out!

For those of you who don't follow the Mac scene, the Mac Mini (pictured above) ships with an Intel Core Duo processor of either the 1.66GHz or 1.83GHz variety. The real plus with these new fangled "MacIntel" (so-called) Minis is that the "Yonah" Intel Core Duo processors that they ship with can be upgraded directly to a "Mermom" Core 2 Duo, which is more advanced technology.

For Great Justice!

Unless you are a true internet nerd, you are not expected to get the references in this classic Calvin & Hobbes strip.

* Clicking on the image above will give you a larger version.

The iRack: You absolutely MUST go and see this!

The link is here. It is a MadTV skit that spoofs both the way that Steve Jobs presents Apple's new "i" items (iMac, iPod, etc) and is also a thinly veiled commentary on the situation in Iraq and our involvement there.

So, if you haven't done it yet, stop what you are doing and go see it now!

* Note: iRack has nothing whatsoever to do with George W. Bush eating a kitten. That is another story entirely.

A few new pics (macro photography)

I have figured out that I have a definite slant towards images that exhibit a higher contrast than the norm. Take a look at these two images and see if you see what I mean.

* Clicking on the images above will give you much larger versions.

What if...

What if Jesus had been a cat? or a dog?

* Clicking on the images above will give you larger versions.

My quest for employment is right on "Target"

Finally, after my sixth consecutive interview, this time with the District Team Lead (DTL), Target made me an offer making more than what I was making at Harris Teeter. How could I possibly refuse such an offer I ask you?
After being unemployed for 24 days it certainly feels good to be working again.

30 Funniest Jerry Seinfeld Quotes

I was the best man at the wedding. If I'm the best man, why is she marrying him? It's amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the newspaper. What is a date really, but a job interview that lasts all night? The only difference is that in not many job interviews is there a chance you’ll wind up naked. You know you're getting old when you get that one candle on the cake. It's like, "See if you can blow this out." Men want the same thing from their underwear that they want from women: a little bit of support, and a little bit of freedom. Dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them's making a poop, the other one's carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge. Now they show you how detergents take out bloodstains, a pretty violent image there. I think if you've got a T-shirt with a bloodstain all over it, maybe laundry isn't your biggest problem.Maybe you should get rid of the body before you do the wash.

That's the true spirit of Christmas; people being helped by people other than me There's very little advice in men's magazines, because men don't think there's a lot they don't know. Women do. Women want to learn. Men think, "I know what I'm doing, just show me somebody naked." According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy. Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason The Swiss have an interesting army. Five hundred years without a war. Pretty impressive. Also pretty lucky for them. Ever see that little Swiss Army knife they have to fight with? Not much of a weapon there. Corkscrews. Bottle openers. "Come on, buddy, let's go. You get past me, the guy in back of me, he's got a spoon. Back off. I've got the toe clippers right here." Why do people give each other flowers? To celebrate various important occasions, they're killing living creatures? Why restrict it to plants? "Sweetheart, let's make up. Have this deceased squirrel." Why do they call it a "building"? It looks like they're finished. Why isn't it a "built"? People who read the tabloids deserve to be lied to Seems to me the basic conflict between men and women, sexually, is that men are like firemen. To men, sex is an emergency, and no matter what we're doing we can be ready in two minutes. Women, on the other hand, are like fire. They're very exciting, but the conditions have to be exactly right for it to occur. The big advantage of a book is it's very easy to rewind. Close it and you're right back at the beginning. I have a friend who’s collecting unemployment insurance. This guy has never worked so hard in his life as he has to keep this thing going. He’s down there every week, waiting on the lines and getting interviewed and making up all these lies about looking for jobs. If they had any idea of the effort and energy that he is expending to avoid work, I’m sure they’d give him a raise. To me, a lawyer is basically the person that knows the rules of the country. We're all throwing the dice, playing the game, moving our pieces around the board, but if there is a problem the lawyer is the only person who has read the inside of the top of the box. Men don't care what's on TV. They only care what else is on TV. The idea behind the tuxedo is the woman's point of view that men are all the same; so we might as well dress them that way. That's why a wedding is like the joining together of a beautiful, glowing bride and some guy. The tuxedo is a wedding safety device, created by women because they know that men are undependable. So in case the groom chickens out, everybody just takes one step over, and she marries the next guy. My parents didn't want to move to Florida, but they turned sixty, and that's the law. I will never understand why they cook on TV. I can't smell it. Can't eat it. Can't taste it. The end of the show they hold it up to the camera, "Well, here it is. You can't have any. Thanks for watching. Goodbye." Somebody just gave me a shower radio. Thanks a lot. Do you really want music in the shower? I guess there's no better place to dance than a slick surface next to a glass door. See, the thing of it is, there's a lot of ugly people out there walking around but they don't know they're ugly because nobody actually tells them. What would the world be like if people said whatever they were thinking, all the time, whenever it came to them? How long would a blind date last? About 13 seconds, I think. "Oh, sorry, your rear end is too big." "That's ok, your breath stinks anyway. See you later." You know what I never get with the limo? The tinted windows. Is that so people don't see you? Yeah, what a better way not to have people notice you than taking a thirty foot Cadillac with a TV antenna and a uniformed driver. How discreet. Nobody cares who's in the limo. You see a limo go by, you know it's either some rich jerk or fifty prom kids with $1.75 each. You can measure distance by time. "How far away is it?" "Oh about 20 minutes." But it doesn't work the other way. "When do you get off work?" "Around 3 miles." Are there keys to a plane? Maybe that's what those delays are sometimes, when you're just sitting there at the gate. Maybe the pilot sits up there in the cockpit going, "Oh, I don't believe this. Dammit..I did it again." They tell you it's something mechanical because they don't want to come on the P.A. system, "Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to be delayed here on the ground for a while. I uh..Oh, God this is so embarrassing...I, I left the keys to the plane in my apartment. They're in this big ashtray by the front door. I'm sorry, I'll run back and get them." I once had a leather jacket that got ruined in the rain. Why does moisture ruin leather? Aren't cows outside a lot of the time? When it's raining, do cows go up to the farmhouse, "Let us in! We're all wearing leather! Open the door! We're going to ruin the whole outfit here!"

Captain America...not dead?

In reference to this prior post, it seems that Captain America might not be dead after all? I don't read comics at all these days, but when I did read them, CA was on the list of monthly items that I would subscribe to. All I have for now is this panel and a link to a Digg thread where there is a discussion concerning the panel.

* Clicking on the picture above will give you a larger version.

Molly, Queen of the Cats

This cat has an attitude problem. Dare I say "catitude"? Molly looks at me as if to say "Hey, human! How about you go and fetch me a can tuna and then go change my litter box. After that go and fluff my bed pillows so that I can take my 17th beauty nap of the day."

* Clicking on the above picture will give you the full size version.

You have to do this!

Stop whatever you are doing right now and head over to Imagini VisualDNA and get started answering the questions. You will be absolutely amazed as to how accurately this website gadget thingie can tell you all about you. I was astounded, because there was very little in the final report that was off.
Go check it out right now!

By the way...

In case you hadn't guessed it by now, I am ready to drink the Kool-Aid, the Apple flavored Kool-Aid that is. I don't know why it has taken me so long to realize it, but I guess what it took was an hour and a half with a totally devoted Apple Store Guru to show me the light. I can say now without a shadow of a doubt, that with the exception of a very very few games, a Mac can do everything you want and need a PC to do, but without all the fuss and muss of owning a PC.
And no Gary, I was not brainwashed.
Friends, Macs just work, and they keep on working, even after the PC has broken down for the fifth time or has just contracted the most recent virus.
As soon as I can afford to do so, I will be "switching" to a Mac and I won't be looking back.

A band I recommend

When I look back at which bands are getting the most play on the iPod, I have been seeing that Default has been receiving the majority of the repeat plays. You can listen to most if not all the tracks from the most recent album One Thing Remains at the link I have provided.

Some info from Amazon:

After two years on the road with such bands as Evanescence and fellow Canadians Nickelback, Default returns with their most mature and uncompromising collection of songs to date. "One Thing Remains" equally channels the classic and the modern--from Led Zeppelin to A Perfect Circle--into something unique. The undeniable riffs and passionate vocals of the first single, "Count On Me"

I own One Thing Remains, The Fallout and Elocation and if you were thinking of taking a chance on Default, I would definitely steer you towards One Thing Remains as I think it is the best of the three, but that is not saying that the other two are bad which they are not.

By the way, Mom, Diane and Fred, you will not like this kind of music. Fair warning!

Great news!

Just got the call from Target a few minutes ago and they want me to come in Monday at 10am to discuss a job offer package that they are assembling over the weekend (their words). I guess since this is a management-level position (FT Team Lead) and not an entry-level position (PT Team Member) then there is a bit more involved. Also, since they are bringing me in "off the street", so to say, as opposed to promoting me from within their own ranks there may be some hoops I have to jump through that internals wouldn't have to. Still, this is great news!
On the other hand, Lowes Foods is dragging their tail on getting back with me like they said they were going to.
God, if only Target sold Macs.... *sigh*

Today is the day

Well folks, today is the day where we find out what Lowes Foods have to offer, if they have anything to off at all. Target said that I would hear from them on Friday (today) and Lowes Foods said that I would hear from them "soon". Well, those who haven't called me by 12 noon today are getting calls from me asking "So what's the deal-e-o yo?". Well, maybe not quite like that. I will post events as they happen as soon as I am able to.

Captain America...Dead?

I remember reading Captain America comics when I was a little kid. I think what I liked about him the most was the fact that he didn't rely on a lot of super powers to defeat his foes. All he had were his wits, some martial arts and of course his trademark shield.
Since the Associated Press says that I am not allowed to reproduce their story here, I shall give the link for you to follow HERE.

Seems I am very popular indeed!

The interviews with Lowes Foods and with Target went fantastic. Both companies are showing signs of wanting me to hire on with them. The difficult part will be in deciding which one to go with. The Lowes Foods is less than a miles from my house, but the pay wont be so good. the Target is seven miles from home, but the pay will be better and I will be working with a lot of former Harris Teeter people (like myself). Decisions decisions. My gut feeling is that I will end up at Target. Anyone out there got anything to say 'bout that?

A few more pictures (click on the pics for larger versions)

Job search update

Today I have an interview with the Store Manager of the Holly Springs Lowes Foods at 10am. I also have two interviews with Target, one at 2:30pm and the other at 3:30pm. Each of the Target interviews is with different individuals who are responsible for supervising different aspects of operations there. Looks to be an interesting day!

Oh the irony!

If you can figure out what is ironic about this image, leave a comment.

CJ has "A Challenge For All those Bloggers Out There"

It seems that on her own blog, CJ has put out the call to other bloggers for the following:

[05/03/2007 5:59 pm]
A Challenge For All those Bloggers Out There

Create a list of 15 to 20 songs that define you and/or your taste music.
The order of the songs is in most cases probably important, and you can add commentary or not.

Only specification is that you define Song title and Artist/Composer as often several people have covered a song with different versions out there and many people have written songs of the same name.

I have this challenge out there amongst a group of my friends only we will be creating CDs. And currently I am having trouble keeping the number down.

I almost need two volumes one for what was and one for what is.

The posting where she put out the call is here, so head on over there and let her know what you have in mind for your song list. I will probably post mine there, as well as here.

UPDATE: I just have not had the time to to get my list posted here, or at CJ's blog and I don't know when I will either. Sorry CJ.

In between the interviews, a few pictures for you (click on the pics for larger versions)

I am in between interviews with Lowes Foods and Target, so in the interim I have decided to post a few more of my recent pictures. I took these over the weekend and would like some feedback as to what you think of them. They are presented in no particular order and all comments are welcome.

Jobs jobs jobs

Seems that now that I am available, EVERYONE under the sun wants a piece of the Paul pie. Rather, they want me to come and work for them. I have an interview with Target tomorrow at 10am and Lowes is showing a lot of interest. Also, a former supervisor is trying to get me a job as a food technician with a company that services my old job! Ah the irony! Another thing too, I found out that I am eligible for rehire with Harris Teeter (my former company) after being gone for six months. So I still have options there as well. Am I ready to work for big red? I will post again tomorrow after the interview with Target.

Thanks Mel!

Yet another shout out, this time to Mel. She was also kind enough to leave a nice comment. Hell it looks like I am actually getting some traffic here! All these comments are making me start to feel guilty about blogging...making me feel like I need to get off my ass and start writing writing writing! Thanks to Poody, Mel and of course CJ, The Girl on a Gold Mine for convincing me to get to work.
XOXO to all ya'll, Paul.

Thanks Poody!

Just a shout out to Poody. She was kind enough to leave nice comment regarding my blog, so I went over and checked her's out and it's pretty cool too. Thanks Poody!