AJ's blog

Everybody like proverbs. So, a while back, I implemented a random proverb AJAX script that fetches a proverb from a MySQL database that I compiled (as seen on the left-hand side of my blog). Random proverbs are nice, but for those who wish to overdose on proverbs, I created a page that lists all the proverbs in my database. I've only added proverbs that I really like, so the database is that huge (only about 60 of them), but it's about quality, not quantity, right?

"There is something wrong with the one who knows how to accept a kindness and does not know how to return one."

-Plautus, Persa 762

With that in mind, I feel that there may be something wrong with me. I sense that there is some unbalance between my friends and I. My friends are great to me -- they're nice, friendly, funny, and all that good stuff. However, I feel like I am not providing anything in return, other than my company, and friendship shouldn't be a one way road like that.

Unless were doing something active like sports or a game, I it seems as if have nothing to give. I mean, if we're just talking or hanging out, I don't really have much to say or add. I know I'm not Mr. Personality, but even a complete stranger would have more to say. Maybe it's because I don't know them all that well, but my previous statement contradicts that excuse. Regardless, I wish I could be more of a friend.

Maybe there is something wrong with me.

There seemed to be a substantial amount of interest, in my list of facebook statuses that I posted a few months ago. They seemed to be popular due to their comical/witty/funny/hilarious (okay, maybe not "hilarious") nature. Since then, I have accumulated a few more statuses that are ready to be recycled. So here it goes, with the most recent first:

• AJ uses one scoop in every load of laundry to make his whites whiter, his brights brighter!
  
• AJ whistled for a cab, and when it came near, the license plate said "fresh" and had dice on the mirror.
  
• AJ has a PSG-1? He can use that against Sniper Wolf. Hurry up and save Meryl!
  
• AJ is getting to the choppa!
  
• AJ the British are coming!
  
• AJ presses the Action button to drop down.
  
• AJ is armed with five five sixers, and pineapples.
  
• AJ is client #8.
  
• AJ is he is, or is he ain't.
  
• AJ is a secret agent man.
  
• AJ is under the bridge downtown.
  
• AJ is NP-hard.
  
• AJ loads sixteen tons, and what does he get? Another day older and deeper in debt.
  
• AJ said "What about Breakfast at Tiffany's?" He said "I think I remember the film, and as I recall, I think we both kind of liked it."
  
• AJ doesn't do it for his health.
  
• AJ is what makes the world go 'round.
  
• AJ will kick you apart!
  
• AJ + Red Vines = Crazy Delicious.
  
• AJ wonders what the morlocks would do if the chickens could get their own bananas.
  
• AJ killed a sensei in a duel and he never said why.
  
• AJ has a brain for a heart.
  
• AJ is sixty quid, and eight for the fruit-bat.
  
• AJ is not something that you just dump something on. He's not a big truck. He's a series of tubes.
  
• AJ has got no strings to hold him down.
  
• AJ doesn't do it for the money.
  
• AJ is getting too old.
  
• AJ 's resemblence to any persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
  
• AJ can do it with his eyes closed.
  
• AJ does it with style.
  
• AJ is back with a vengeance.
  
• AJ feels most alive while he's killing.
  
• AJ sees the light.
  
• AJ wears boots and suit of red; AJ wears a long cap on his head.
  
• AJ is totally pumped that facebook dropped the "is" from the facebook status thing!!!
  
• AJ is not underwear! Do not attempt to put in pants.
  
• AJ is for external use only.
  
• AJ is what Chuck Norris would do.
  

A long time ago, on my Dad's computer, we had this set of games. Despite the mediocre review, and how old they are, there was one game that used to enjoy way back when, and that was Foggy Boxes.

Basically, this is how Foggy Boxes is played:

• You have a grid of dots.
  
• You (and an opponent) take turns connecting two dots.
  
• If you complete a square, you get a point, and you are allowed to take another turn.
  
• Once all the dots are connected, whoever completed the most squares wins the game
  

I enjoyed this playing this game when I was younger, so I created my own version of the game to play. Although, instead of calling it Foggy Boxes (which is probably trademarked or something), I refer to my version by the generic name, Dots and Boxes.



It's still a work in progress, so it's kind of rough around the edges. The AI is pretty decent, I think; if there is an opportunity for it to score points, it will always choose the best move to get it the most possible points on that turn. That's not to say that it always make the best move; The AI trys to get the most possible points on each turn, it doesn't take into account what might happen on its next turn, or where the player might have to move next. It's pretty decent on offense, but it can't play defensively at all; If there is no place for it to score a point, its move is totally random.

To play, just click to place your line. If you complete a box, the box will be filled with an "O", and you get to go again. The AI will take its turn instantly; It's a little difficult to see where it placed its line if you don't watch close because it's real quick (i'll fix this in later versions). When you complete a game, a restart button will appear on the bottom right.



You can either launch the game via Web Start (the left button) or download/open the JAR file (the right button).
Enjoy.

Long time, no update. That's because the host that provided my MySQL database (which stores my updates and a few other things) did some "upgrades." Upgrades which made communcation between my web host, www.t35.com and them impossible.

I contacted both parties about the issue. T35's help was great, and very timely. Unfortunately, they said that the problem seems to freemysql.net's side, and there was nothing they could do. I have yet to receive a response from freemysql.net (i contacted them about it more than two weeks ago).

So after more than three weeks of near total downtime of my website, and with no sign of life from freemysql, I decided to switch to a different MySQL host. So, now I am using a database provided by 100webspace.net.

Everything should be functional again.

The other weekend, I was playing around with my camera and long exposure times in pitch blackness and with only one light which I could move around in front of the camera.

I eventually came up with the idea of making shapes and letters with the light, and a short while later, my name was produced. It should be noted though, that the image image above is a combination of two images that I combined with image editing software, and I did a horizontal flip of the J so that it was not backwards.

Just about the only control that I have of my camera's f-stop and exposure time is by adjusting the ISO, so I could only get up to 1 second exposures.