Advice to those seeking window replacements, DON’T DO IT. Go with a reputable company who will do good work to start with.

Schedule of events

8:00 am Expected Arrival of crew

8:20 am Phone call ” Hi, I’m running a little late. Traffic is bad coming from Maryland. I should be there in an hour.”

10:30 am Arrival (which is not one hour later, but instead 2-1/2 hours later than expected)

10:40 am Floor tarps put down

10:50 am Started getting things unloaded

11:05 am Carrying windows through house

11:30 am Installation begins

photographs and monitoring

5:00 pm Panic mode. Everybody wants to go home to their families so everybody is rushing to get the job done.

6:00pm Insisted they replace the rotten wood under the sliding door after the door was removed. Otherwise how would I be able to access the wood under the door? The proper course of action is to repair/replace the entire section under the door. Instead I only got about 8 inches of the really rotten wood replaced.  Now I have to come back later and fix it again the correct way.

7:30 pm Finally everybody is out

Late Arrival

Almost 11:00 am and the team is starting to unload the windows.

Front door issues

The front door is a total mess.  First they were going to put untreated wood under the threshold.  I insisted they put pressure treated wood.

Well they put pressure treated wood, but the untreated wood filler was put on the outside.  The untreated wood should be on the inside, so that it can be painted.  You can see by the change of daylight how long this took for them to get this part right.

Notice the shredded door casing on the bottom left.

What is the purpose of the giant shim in the upper right corner of the door? Why not make the door flush with the wall.   You won’t believe that, after installation, the trim is actually bowed out, the shims are still in place, and the door was never caulked.

The outside had aluminium threshold, but even during installation, the aluminium is bending.

The large gaps are only covered with caulk. A new piece of aluminium should have been put down to cover the entire width.

The new door frame doesn’t come close to matching what was there and the installation is pathetic at best.

Storm door was installed with the hinges on the left side, per instructions.  The installer pointed out that the flow into the house is awkward and that hinges should be on the opposite side.  After the installer and I discussed this, I agreed and had the door reversed.  Unfortunately, he never wend back and filled the holes he made on the left side.

Window issues

The caulking had a ridiculously large curve to it.  All the window installations that I have ever seen have a nice tight corners.

Window salesman kept touting that the windows will be measured to 1/16 of an inch. You can see light pouring in from the gap from across the room. This is a lot more than 1/16 inch.

The kichen windows had a large chunk of framing removed.  You can see it on the left top section, right above the cable outlet.  I don’t think this was ever addressed, I imagine they covered it up with the new installation.  If the wood is missing, how did they adequately secure the window?

One of the basement windows was installed with a broken mullion. They weren’t even going to address this if I hadn’t said something about it.  How did they fix it? Cover it with caulk.

The master bedroom windows “screech” when opened. It’s the chattering of the lock mechanism against the bent window frame.

Sliding Door issues

Bad wood found under sliding glass door.  If I wasn’t following up, this would have never been addressed.  I’m sure they would have not mentioned anything about the rotting floor.  I’m sure they would not have offered to repair the floor.

I only stepped away for a few minutes when the sliding door was put in.  I don’t know if they installed replacement wood in the floor.  I definitely got the impression of “hurry up and put this door in before he gets back”

Overall Carelessness

Broken kitchen window frame. Notice the torn out wood on the left outside edge of the frame.

Scrapes on window frame. This happened when they put the new window in, not when it was taken out.

Often workers were hanging out the window without safety harnesses.  If one had fallen from the third floor, they could possibly die.

My wife and I spent many months paining and cleaning the basement.  This team managed, in a few hours, to leave scuff marks, dirt, and chipped paint on the new walls.

Overall Impressions

Started out bad when they were two and a half hours late showing up.

Recovered a little bit of faith when they put down the tarps.

Garbage including leftover screws and caulk strips littered everywhere they worked, especially on the roof outside the master bedroom.

Got the evil eye when I insisted they use treated wood on the threshold. Wasn’t very happy about that.

Loaned them a screwdriver, had to hunt it down after it had been packed away in a toolbox on one of their trucks.

My drill charger was stolen. I had to buy a new rechargeable drill.

After complaining

They sent out a review specialist to discuss my case and take photographs.  I gave a tour and pointed out all the items that were an issue, which was almost every item installed.

Nothing has been done otherwise.

The installation was May 10, 2010.  Has anything else been done?  No.

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best, I rate this company a 2.

[View with PicLens]

1234►

SiliconDust HDHomeRun Network-Based Dual Digital HDTV Tuner – $84.99SiliconDust HDHomeRun Network-Based Dual Digital HDTV Tuner

Maybe Do Sit Ups While You Watch Dragonball Z?Nerds and sports. It’s as natural as peanut butter and chocolate.In the past few years, the words “militant subset” have been used again and again. A few crazy Christians, a few mad Muslims, heck, you could probably even find a few angry Anglicans if you looked around. But the truth of the matter is, it’s a few bad apples that spoil things for the average joe. So why, then, are we letting a little batch of comics fans make all nerds look bad?
Sports have always been about obsession and number crunching, which is why the SiliconDust HDHomeRun Network-Based Dual Digital HDTV Tuner is so aptly named. It combines the cutting edge “silicon” with the timeless joy of a “home run”. And that’s not all! The SiliconDust HDHomeRun Network-Based Dual Digital HDTV Tuner also lets you watch and record digital HDTV right to your hard drive, so you can pause, rewind and fast-forward, tracking down every single stat and being just as obsessive as the dude who’s making an LCARS skin for his iPhone.
Naturally, the SiliconDust HDHomeRun Network-Based Dual Digital HDTV Tuner works on Windows, Mac or Linux, so there’s no excuse for missing out. Unless, for some reason, you’re under the impression that “silicon” and “home run” aren’t compatible. And if that’s what you think, seriously, wise up, Poindexter. It’s the 21st Century. Nerds go to the gym now. And you think some guy who knows how many times Spider-Man fought The Rhino can’t remember Rashard Mendenhall’s yards-per-carry last season?Authorized for SquareTrade Extended Warranty$(document).ready(function() {st_widget.create({itemCondition:\’New\’,itemDescription:\’SiliconDust HDHomeRun Network-Based Dual Digital HDTV Tuner\’,itemPrice:\’84.99\’,bannerStyle:\’wide\’,widgetType:\’quote\’,merchantID:\’subscrip_014793207843\’}); });

Warranty: 1 Year SiliconDust
Features:

HDHomeRun connects to your router enabling you to watch and record TV from any computer on your network
Connect to an indoor or outdoor antenna or to any US cable system to receive digital and HD channels
Streams the full-quality digital stream from the broadcaster or cable provider, up to 1080i high definition without degrading the quality
Record hours of your favorite Digital TV shows directly on to your hard drive and edit out unwanted content
Store your collection on an external drive, portable device, or burn it to a disc
One box, two digital tuners – watch and record Digital TV simultaneously or record two channels
Pause, rewind, fast-forward live television
Works with popular DVR software – integrated TV guide (provided by the DVR software)
Schedule and record all your favorite television shows
Expand with multiple HDHomeRun devices
Use an antenna (not included) to pick up free broadcast digital TV (ATSC) available in your area – What channels can I receive?
Cross OS compatible with Windows / MAC / Linux

TV Sources:

ATSC digital TV (antenna)
Unencrypted digital cable TV

Seamless Operation with Multiple Computers:

Run Windows Media Center on multiple computers sharing the pool of HDHomeRun tuners
Tuners are automatically allocated between computers as needed
Multiple HDHomeRun units can be used together to expand the number of tuners
Tuner pooling works with Windows Media Center, BeyondTV, SageTV, GBRPVR, MediaPortal, and TotalMedia
Free software/firmware upgrade available for download

Compatible With:

Windows Media Center
Elgato EyeTV – DVR for Mac
MythTV – DVR for Linux
SnapStream BeyondTV – DVR for Windows
SageTV – DVR for Windows/Linus/Mac
MediaPortal – DVR for Windows
GB-PVR – DVR for Windows
VLC – Multi-platform media viewer
TSReader – MPEG-2 transport stream analysis

Specifications:

8-VSB (ATSC over-the-air digital TV)
QAM64/256 (unencrypted digital cable TV)
IR Receiver (signal PC with a standard remote control)
Not compatible with satellite TV
Power: 2-prong AC Adapter 72” (182 cm) long; Input: 100-240V ~ 50/60Hz 0.18A; Output: 5.0V – 1.0A
Includes (2) RG-6 coax cables 6ft. each (1.83m)
Includes (1) CAT5e Ethernet cable 6ft. (1.83m)
Product Dimensions: 7.8” x 3.2” x 10” (L x W x H)
Product Weight: 2 lbs

Connectivity:

(2) Antenna/Cable RF inputs
(1) 100base-TX high speed Ethernet input

Requirements:
Operating System

Windows Media Center:
– Windows 7
– Windows Vista Home Premium
– Windows Vista Ultimate
Third-party software available for:
– Windows 7
– Windows Vista
– Windows XP
– Mac OS X (10.4 of later)
– Linux

Memory

512 MB RAM minimum, 1 GB RAM recommended

CPU

2.8 GHz Pentium 4 or better for digital content playback, dual core recommended for HD playback

Disk Space

1-4 GB per 1/2 hour of DTV recording

Additional Photos:

SiliconDust HDHomeRun Dual Tuner Back View (2 Tuner Inputs, 1 Ethernet Input, 1 AC Power Input)
Package Contents: SiliconDust HDHomeRun Dual Tuner, (2) RG-6 Coax Cables, (1) Ethernet Cable, and (1) AC Power Adapter (Installation CD not shown)
SiliconDust HDHomeRun Dual Tuner – Packaging

Important Notes:

You must have a cable TV subscription or an antenna (not included) to use this product
Satellite TV and IPTV are not compatible with this product
You must have an Internet network in place with a high-speed Internet connection to use this product

In the box:

(1) SiliconDust HDHomeRun Network-Based Dual Digital HDTV Tuner (Color: White)
(1) HDHomeRun Installation CD
(1) High-speed Ethernet cable
(2) RG-6 coax cables
(1) Power Adapter
Discuss this productPrice: $84.99I want one!

Dyson DC22 Turbinehead Canister VacuumDyson DC22 Turbinehead Canister Vacuum

You can’t keep my deposit! That’s illegal!Fine, you win. I’ll vacuum the stupid place before I move out.Yeah yeah, “a lease is a lease,” I get it. Even though I haven’t had hot water for the 12 months I’ve been here. You know what a year of cold showers does to a man?! Oh, and thank you for educating me that “lessor-controlled heat” translates to “35 degrees in my apartment in winter.”
I’ll just use this Dyson DC22 Turbinehead Canister Vacuum. I don’t care if the DC23 has a bigger bin; it’s cheaper too, but that’s because this one has more power. That means more dirt off the carpet and less time picking fingernails out of my area rug.
YEAH, I BITE MY NAILS! IS THAT AGAINST YOUR PRECIOUS LEASE, TOO?!
You know what? I’m not even going to use the hard floor tool. And forget about the stair tool. I’m sick of slumlords like you pushing people like me around! You think you’re the only one in town offering a two-bedroom with a view in a great neighborhood 20 minutes from my work?
Well an extensive analysis of the rental market indicates that you are, but that’s still no reason to lord it over me!
 

Warranty: 5 Year Dyson
Features:

The DC22 weighs 18% less than the DC23 (16lbs vs. 19.46 lbs)
Level 3 Root Cyclone technology never loses suction and captures microscopic dust
230 consistent air watts with suction control (for curtains and delicate fabrics)
Turbine head with air-driven brush bar can be used on any type of floor
Dyson Digital Motor spins at 88,000 RPM (9 times faster than a Jet engine)

Hygienic quick empty bin minimizes contact with dirt
Clean Air Exhaust, air expelled has 150 times less mold and bacteria than the air you breath
Washable HEPA filter traps microscopic allergens such as pollen
Controls in the wand to turn machine on/off as well as to turn the brush bar on/off
Includes the hard floor tool for improved cleaning on hard floors
Button press cord retraction
Telescope wrap system – hose and wand compress for easy storage
Brushless motor
Anti Vibration System

Specifications:

DC22 Suction Power (constant): 230 Air Watts; (The model DC23 is less powerful with  220 Air Watts constant)
Movement type: Fixed wheel
Filter: Lifetime Washable HEPA filter
Brushbar control type: On turbine head
Cleaner head / Floor tool: Turbine head
Digital motor driven by 5,866 digital pulses per second
Iron Core Rotor
Bin capacity: 0.32 gal
Power Cord Length: 16.57 ft.

Accessories:

Stair tool: A Dyson-designed tool for removing dust and dirt from stairs and stair carpets
Combination accessory tool: Debris nozzle converts to a brush tool for dusting
Hard floor tool: Improved pick-up on hard floors. Long bristles to prevent scratching or marking on wood or delicate floors

Dimensions:

11.46 x 15.83 x 10.35 inches (H x W x D)
Telescopic Wand: Compressed 20 in. / Extended 39.5 in.
Max. reach: 27.85 ft
Cord length: 16.57 ft
Suction Hose: 6.4 ft
Weight: 16.07 lbs

Additional Photos:

Dyson DC22 Turbinehead Canister Vacuum
Dyson DC22 Turbinehead Canister Vacuum with Accessories
Turbine Head and Hard Floor Tool
Combination Tool and Stair Tool with Mount
Telescopic Wand with Accessories Attached

Telescopic Wand Extended
Retractable Power Cord
Ready to Store
Packaging

In the box:

Turbine Head
Brush, Crevice and Stair Tool
Combination Accessory Tool
Hard Floor Tool
Telescopic Wand
Suction Hose
Discuss this product

Your Parents Really Named You Ariadne, Huh : Woot Weads The Wire

Every week in this space, we’ll take a look at the news and offer our own incisive blend of commentary, analysis, and poop jokes. The news you need, from a voice you can trust, in the 90 seconds you have to spare: that’s Woot Weads the Wire.
CHICAGO (UPI) — A boy flying alone from San Francisco to Canada missed a connecting flight in Chicago because airline workers apparently forgot about him, his family said.

As an apology, the airline allowed the boy to purchase his $4 bag of chips at a special one-time-only reduced price.BILOXI, Miss. (UPI) — Jay Leno has been booked to perform a benefit for Mississippians impacted by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino said Thursday.

Leno has been scheduled just before current BP CEO Tony Hayward, leading experts to believe that Hayward will soon be losing his job.
NEW YORK (UPI) — A growing number of nightmare sufferers are turning to a controversial treatment called scripting or dream mastery, scientists say.

Others are buying little tops and listening to Edith Piaf.
DETROIT (UPI) — Officials in Detroit say they worry that television police shows using the city as a backdrop may lead to negative perceptions about Detroit and its residents.

Officials added that if the portrayals don\’t stop soon, they\’d have everyone involved beaten to death.
VATICAN CITY (UPI) — The Vatican has started using souvenir coins bearing the image of the Pope to make change at grocery stores and the gas station, officials said.

Locals reportedly can\’t stop giggling when tourists ask if they can touch their Pope\’s head.
WASHINGTON (UPI) — The Venezuelan military shouldn\’t be on alert because of any concerns about U.S. action, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department said.

The spokesperson said the U.S. was only planning to crush all vuvuzelas, and somehow that got all twisted around.

M-Audio Recording Studio EquipmentM-Audio Recording Studio Equipment

Hit HappensProTools gear? Check. Surefire hit songs like “Love Infarction” and “Keyboard Shortcut To You, Girl”? Check. Now all I need to start my production career is a snappy nickname.Babyface, Timbaland, Glyn Johns: you can’t be a big-name producer without some wacky made-up studio handle. It can make the difference between Jimmy Jam and, uh, the other guy he made records with, whatever his name was. A good name is part of the producer mystique, like Martin Hannett’s drugs or Phil Spector’s famous “wall of hair”.
I’m just glad I chose to buy all three components of Woot’s M-Audio sale, along with separately\">the Pro Tools Keystudio. Now that I’ve got my gear situation sorted out, I can devote all of my mental energy to thinking up a good producer name. I’m not worried about tracking up to 24 parts with the Pro Tools Recording Studio USB audio interface and the included software. Create loops with over 60 virtual instruments and effects? No sweat – or rather, gallons of sweat from the sexy ladies who will soon dance to my irresistible club bangers.
The M-Audio Studiophile Desktop Speakers bring out the intricate details of my productions a lot better than my previous playback system (the tape deck in my cousin L’il P-Nut’s ‘91 Camry). And the Pro Tools Vocal Studio’s USB microphone will capture the soaring highs and rich lows of I’ll need for the vocals on my signature ballad, “Guess Who’s Not Wearing Any Underwear?”. I need a real diva to sing that one; hit me up if you know anybody.
So anyway, that’s taken care of. It’s name time. Musclepig? Curlicue? Pappy Jim, Scourge of the Tetons? Nah, those all suck. And I owe it to my classic songs to pick the most commercial yet unique producer name I can think up – anything less and the world may never get to hear “Red, White, & Thong” or “Unexplained Stain (On My Heart)”. Oh, wait, I got one: Steve Albini!
Nah, sounds too goofy. I can do better than that.
 

Warranty: 1 Year M-Audio
Features:
 M-Audio Pro Tools Recording Studio:

24-bit Fast Track USB audio interface with mic, guitar, and line inputs
Pro Tools M-Powered Essential software gives you the creative power to record, edit, and produce
Pro Tools M-Powered is backwards compatible with previous M-Audio equipment
Create songs in minutes with templates and loops to make music in any style
Over 60 virtual instruments and effects right out of the box
Works seamlessly on both Windows and Mac systems
USB bus power for portability

 Pro Tools Essential DVD Software:

16 stereo/mono audio tracks
8 Instrument Tracks
8 MIDI Tracks
Studio quality effects collection including reverb, chorus, delay, flanger, phaser, compression and EQ
3 effect Insert slots per track for up to 3 simultaneous effects
Busses for group mixes/effect sends and Aux Tracks for effect returns―like on a real mixer
2 audio inputs / 2 audio outputs
Over 60 virtual instrument sounds from piano and strings, to bass and drums

Specifications:

Professional 24-bit/48kHz sound
XLR mic input, switchable 1/4” guitar/line input
Separate mic input, input/playback mix, and output controls
Stereo RCA outputs (can also be used as two separate channels)
Stereo/mono input monitor switch
1/4” stereo headphone output
USB powered

Additional Photos:

Recording Studio Detail
Recording Styudio Front
Recording Studio Rear
Pro Tools DVD Software
Pro Tools Screen Shot #1
Pro Tools Screen Shot #2
Pro Tools Screen Shot #3
Box

Pro Tools In the box:

M-Audio Pro Tools Recording Studio
USB Cable

=================================================================
M-Audio Pro Tools Vocal Studio:

M-Audio Producer USB Microphone for great-sounding vocals and voiceovers
Pro Tools M-Powered Essential software gives you the creative power to record, edit, and produce
Pro Tools M-Powered is backwards compatible with previous M-Audio equipment
Create songs in minutes with templates and loops to make music in any style
Over 60 virtual instruments and effects right out of the box
Works seamlessly on both Windows and Mac systems
Desktop mic stand and carrying case included

 Pro Tools Essential DVD Software:

16 stereo/mono audio tracks
8 Instrument Tracks
8 MIDI Tracks
Studio quality effects collection including reverb, chorus, delay, flanger, phaser, compression and EQ
3 effect Insert slots per track for up to 3 simultaneous effects
Busses for group mixes/effect sends and Aux Tracks for effect returns―like on a real mixer
2 audio inputs / 2 audio outputs
Over 60 virtual instrument sounds from piano and strings, to bass and drums

Specifications:

Metal body
16mm cardioid capsule protected by wire mesh
1/8” stereo output jack for headphones
USB powered

Additional Photos:

Vocal Studio Detail
Vocal Studio
Pro Tools DVD Software
Pro Tools Screen Shot #1
Pro Tools Screen Shot #2
Pro Tools Screen Shot #3
Box

Vocal Studio In the Box:

Microphone
USB Cable
Tripod Stand
Carry Case

=================================================================
 M-Audio AV30 Studiophile Desktop Speakers:

3” Composite Woofers
3/4” Ferro Fluid-Cooled Silk Dome Tweeters
Optimage III Tweeter Wave Guides
Audiophile-Grade Amplifier Technology
15-Watt-Per-Channel Amplifier
Magnetic Shielding

Specifications:

RCA Inputs
1/8” Headphone Output
1/8” Stereo Auxiliary Input
Front-Panel Controls for Volume
Rear On/Off Switch
Bass Boost Control
Bass Reflex Design
Dense Wood Cabinets

Additional Photos:

AV30 Detail
AV30 Desktop Speakers
AV30 Rear
Box

AV30 Studiophile In the Box:

(2) Studiophile AV30 Speakers
6.5\’ Speaker Wire
RCA Cable
6\’ Power Cable
1/8\” Audio Cable

=================================================================
Minimum System Requirements:

Windows XP (SP3)*, Windows Vista 32/64 (SP1), Windows 7 32/64
1.8GHz multi-core processor (Intel) and 1GB RAM
5400 RPM hard drive with 4GB space (more required for loop content)
DVD drive for installation
Native USB port

*Home and Professional Editions only. Windows Media Center is not supported

OS X 10.5.5 (Leopard), OSX 10.6.1
1.8GHz multi-core processor (Intel) and 1GB RAM
5400 RPM hard drive with 4GB space (more required for loop content)
DVD drive for installation
Native USB port

=================================================================

You Choose – M-Audio Pro Tools Recording Studio or M-Audio Pro Tools Vocal Studio or M-Audio AV30 Studiophile Desktop SpeakersDiscuss this product

Woot Watches Wideos: Primer

You guys like movies with mind-bending twists and somewhat confusing endings? Recent movie box office numbers certainly seem to say you do. With that in mind, we\’d like to call your attention to a slightly underground gem that you can now watch for free through Google Video.

 
Primer was released with very little fanfare back in 2004, but it\’s gotten a fair amount of street cred among fans of time travel and sci-fi as the years have gone by. Made with only $7000, Shane Carruth\’s tale of young engineers and paradoxes is a film that almost demands repeated viewings to piece together just what\’s going on. Sure, you could google the cheat sheet flowcharts that many of the movie\’s fans have put together, but where\’s the fun in that?

 
[via io9]
  

ShamWow! – 16 PackShamWow! – 16 Pack

Suck It UpGood for leaks of all types. Well, okay, maybe not ALL types.How ya doin’, Congress guys? The name’s Vince. You might’ve seen me on television with these Shamwows I’ve got here. I got it on good authority that you guys are havin’ a problem with leaks around here, so here I am to give you an opportunity to really do something about it.
Now look, I’m not here to talk about the past, alright? I’ve got several thousand of these Shamwow Towels 16 Packs in the truck of my car thanks to my severance package with the company, and I gotta feeling they’re just what your looking for to clean up this mess of yours.
You’re gonna spend, what, a few million dollars trying to keep things from leaking every year? You’re throwing money away. You use a few of these and all those leaks are gonna dry up in no time. Say you gotta a little leak that suddenly explodes into something bigger. No problem. The Shaw-Wow holds up to twelve times its weight in coffee, wine, any kind of liquid you throw at it. And you get eight large Shamwows and 8 Mini’s, so the next time somebody wants to leak all over the place, you’re more than ready, I’m tellin’ you. Got a leak in the car? Just wipe and wow. Leak in the kitchen? Wow! Leak in a far off country? Ambassador Wow! It’s just that easy.
What’s that? Information? I thought we were talkin’ about liquids here. Dang. Well, how about some chopped nuts, huh? You’re gonna love ‘em, I guarantee it.
 

Warranty: 90 Day Value Quest

Features:

It’s a towel, chamois and sponge all in one
Holds 12x its weight in liquid
Perfect for your car, boat and many household uses
Washes, dries, and polishes any surface
Won’t scratch any surface
Machine washable and bleachable
100% Rayon

Dimensions:

Mini: 15” x 15”
Large: 20” x 23.5”

Additional Photos:

ShamWow!
Retail Box
10 Gallon Water Test – Before
10 Gallon Water Test – During
10 Gallon Water Test – After

ShamWow! Music Videos:

ShamWow! Jam
ShamWow! Song

In the box:

8 Large ShamWow! Towels
8 Mini ShamWow! Towels
Discuss this product

Springstreets

Ah, New Jersey. Is there no end to the gifts the Garden State is capable of giving us? Your people, your places, your inventions, and your filmmakers have captivated our imaginations for years, it\’s true. But it is the music that has truly helped define the way we look at you, especially when it comes to the songs of the man known the world over as simply \”The Boss\”. And now, thanks to artist Daniel Cassaro, we can all see Jersey the same way Springsteen does.

 
Containing over 200 visual references to many of Springsteen\’s greatest songs, Springstreets isn\’t a real map of New Jersey by any means, but, oh, that it were. The artist is selling poster prints of his creation right here, should you ever want to take a musical journey through Greetings From Asbury Park up to Born In The USA.
[via neatorama]
  

HTML5 Required

It may be hard for the current generation to fully grasp, but when we were kids, something like this:
 

 
was considered to be cutting edge graphics and was why you chased down the very best computer. You\’d spend the school day telling the other nerds about how your game had FOUR floppies and so was CLEARLY the best game on the market, and then race home to try and figure out why the raven needed toast before you could get a castle key. That\’s why today we were all so happy to find that the very latest thing is the Sierra-looking landscapes of our youth. At least we\’re still cutting edge somewhere! After the jump, Effect Games shows off what HTML 5 can do. Those who can\’t handle the page can just look at our screenshots. 

 
There are plenty of these digital drawings at Effect Games, if your browser can handle it. With the motion and sound already in place, it feels like the game is ready to go. You might find yourself tapping the arrow keys in hopes your character will walk on screen and let you start playing. Anybody remember the agony of the Sierra pixel hunt?
 

 
We\’re seriously hoping that this beautiful HTML5 art inspires the return of the computer games of our youth, only this time in browser/iPhone form. Wouldn\’t it be great to explore a hidden temple on your lunchbreak? Or conquer an alien planet as part of a movie marketing strategy? And we\’re openly begging you for the X-Wing series, LucasArts. Openly begging. C\’mon, one Bag of Crap per level seems fair, right? You hook us up, we\’ll hook you up.
 

 

HP AMD Athlon II Quad Core Desktop ComputerHP AMD Athlon II Quad Core Desktop Computer

He Was Internet Before Internet Was CoolToday, we salute a great man. A man who called himself “Black Bart The Po8” when 1337 was just a street address.That’s right, internet friends. July 26th, 1878, was the day that Charles Boles, a.k.a. “Black Bart the Po8”, stole a safe box from a stagecoach and left a poem in its place, the sort of taunting gesture that the Internet adores. So, in his memory, we offer the HP AMD Athlon II X4 Desktop Computer. It may not be top of the line, but like “Black Bart”, it’ll get the job done.
Of course it’s all conjecture, since “Black Bart” died in 1883, but we like to think he would have enjoyed the HP AMD Athlon II X4 Desktop Computer for its 6 GB of DDR3 RAM and the 1 TB of hard drive space. Probably he would have been impressed with the DVI port, and found the 15-in-1 memory card reader to be very helpful when planning his adventures. Plus the low low price would have cut down on overhead, and that would have let “Black Bart” spend more money on whiskey and women of ill-repute! And let’s not forget, he would have needed a monitor too.
Fake name? Check. Arrogant taunting? Check. Unorthodox spelling? Check. Illegal actions on a wild frontier? Check. Let’s face it, this guy was ahead of his time. Today, we remember you, “Black Bart”. We’re sorry you were about a hundred and twenty years ahead of your time. But even still, we dedicate the HP AMD Athlon II X4 Desktop Computer to you. Because we think you would have been right at home on the Internet of today. Although somebody would have given you crap about that mustache, probably.Authorized for SquareTrade Extended Warranty$(document).ready(function() {st_widget.create({itemCondition:\’Refurbished\’,itemDescription:\’HP AMD Athlon II Quad Core Desktop Computer\’,itemPrice:\’389.99\’,bannerStyle:\’wide\’,widgetType:\’quote\’,merchantID:\’subscrip_014793207843\’}); });
Warranty: 90 Day HP
Features:

AMD Athlon II X4 630 (P) 2.8 GHz (95W) with 4000 MHz HyperTransport 3.0 and Socket AM3
6 GB PC3-10600 MB/sec (message as PC3-8500) 240 pin, DDR3 RAM installed (Upgradeable to 16GB)
1 TB SATA 3G (3.0 Gb/sec) 5400rpm hard drive (drives use less power and support quieter, cooler-running desktop)
SuperMulti DVD Burner with LightScribe Technology optical drive
Integrated 10/100 Base-T networking interface
High Definition 8-channel audio with ALC 888S chipset
15-in-1 (4 slot) memory card reader
6 USB 2.0 ports (2 in front, 4 in rear)
NVIDIA GeForce 9100 video graphics chip set
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) Operating System

Additional Photos:

HP Pavilion p6310f Desktop Computer
HP Pavilion p6310f Box
HP Pavilion p6310f  Memory Card Slot, USB, Audio In and Audio Out Ports
HP Pavilion p6310f Side Panel Removed
HP Pavilion p6310f Rear Ports

Specifications:

Base processor

Athlon II X4 630 (P) 2.8 GHz (95W)
4000 MHz HyperTransport 3.0
Socket AM3

Chipset

NVIDIA GeForce 9100

Motherboard

Manufacturer:
Pegatron

Motherboard Name:
M2N78-LA

HP/Compaq motherboard name:
Violet6-GL8E

Power supply

300W
 

Memory

Memory Installed:
6 GB

Maximum allowed:
16 GB (4 x 4 GB) (64-bit OS)
4 GB (4 x 1 GB) (32-bit OS)

Speed supported:
PC3-10600 MB/sec (message as PC3-8500)

Type:
240 pin, DDR3

Hard drive

1 TB SATA 3G (3.0 Gb/sec)
 

5400 rpm
 

SuperMulti DVD Burner with LightScribe Technology drive write speeds

DVD+R SL:
up to 16x

DVD+R DL:
up to 12x

DVD+RW SL:
up to 8x

DVD-R SL:
up to 16x

DVD-R DL:
up to 12x

DVD-RW SL:
up to 6x

DVD-RAM:
up to 12x

CDR:
up to 40X

CDRW:
up to 32X

Sound/Audio

High Definition 8-channel audio
ALC 888S chipset

Network (LAN)

Integrated 10/100 Base-T networking interface

Memory card reader

Compact Flash I
 

Compact Flash II
 

IBM Microdrive
 

Secure Digital (SD)
 

mini-SD
 

MultiMediaCard (MMC)
 

Reduced size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC)
 

MultiMediaCard Plus (MMC plus)
 

MultiMediaCard Mobile (MMC mobile)
 

Memory Stick
 

Memory Stick Pro
 

Memory Stick Duo
 

Memory Stick Pro Duo
 

SmartMedia
 

xD Picture Card (xD = extreme digital)
 

I/O ports on the front panel

15-in-1 (4 slot):
One

USB:
Two

Headphone:
One

Microphone
One

I/O ports on the back panel

S/PDIF out (coaxial):
One

VGA:
One

DVI:
One

USB:
Four

1394a:
One

LAN
One

Audio (side speaker out, rear speaker out, center/subwoofer-out , line-in, line-out, microphone):
One Each

Expansion slots

PCI:
One (One available)

PCI Express x16:
One (One available)

PCI Express x1:
Two (Two available)

PCI Express x1 minicard socket:
One (One available)

Drive bays

5.25\”:
Two (One available)

3.5\”:
Three (Two available)

Operating System

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)

In the box:

HP Pavilion p6310f Desktop Computer
Keyboard
Mouse
Power Cable

Inset photo credit: Seiya235Discuss this product

Samsung DualView 12.2MP Digital Camera with Dual LCD Screens and 4.6X Optical ZoomSamsung DualView 12.2MP Digital Camera with Dual LCD Screens and 4.6X Optical Zoom

Apparently it’s Picture Day at the local tavernAnd I neglected to wear a clean shirtWhen I found McCormick’s, I thought: This is it. Here’s a dank, dreary, horrible little pit of a pub where I can medicate myself with liquid depressants with no distractions.
They don’t get the cheerful, after-work crowd in here. The sad, sallow faces in the mirror behind the bar all belong to dedicated, professional drinkers, winding down their careers. It’s grim. I like it like that.
I guess what I’m saying is that sometimes you wanna go where no one gives a crap what your name is. To the bartender at McCormick’s, I’m “bourbon neat.” That’s my name. That’s fine.
OK, but then the girls started coming in.
I don’t know what their story is. They moved into a nearby apartment or something. But for some unfathomable reason, they decided McCormick’s was going to be their place. And they’re ruining it.
See, these girls are happy. They’re loud. They’re bubbly. They gab. They giggle. They play “We Are Family” on the jukebox. Who even knew McCormick’s had a jukebox?
But the worst of it is the picture-taking.
I can’t imagine how voluminous these girls’ FaceBook photo albums are, because they shoot their every visit to the bar—MY bar—like it’s Lady Di’s first posthumous public appearance and they’re the paparazzi.
And they don’t even have to talk to each other about it. Like say if I was going to take a picture of myself with Floyd, the gray-faced alkie who occupies the stool two down from me—and don’t ask me why I would do such a thing, but if I was going to—I’d probably have to say “hey, Floyd, c’mere, let’s take a picture together.”
Not the girls. They’re so practiced at it that they read each other’s body language. One leans into another, and the one across the table knows to snap a photo. Another one turns her camera around to face herself, and the girls on her flanks instinctively lean in to the frame. Flash, flash, flash, flash. It’s non-stop, every time they visit. I swear, a typical Happy Hour exposes me to more duck face than the director’s cut of Treasure of the Lost Lamp.
Thank goodness for Samsung’s DualView digital camera. It’s got a one-and-a-half-inch LCD screen right on the front, so the girls can take self-portraits with each other without having to do a hundred retakes because “Jen wasn’t in the shot,” or “oh, no, I cut off our heads,” or “omigod, you aimed it right down my shirt!”
I’m telling you, everything that reduces the number of flashes is OK by me. A bar should be dark, you know?
The girls will figure it out. It’ll take them a few years, probably, and a few more disappointments. But eventually they’ll end up where I am. And where Floyd is. And where whatever his name is, the liver-spotted guy with the dyed-black Big Boy pompadour who sits at the end. After life beats down the girls like it’s beaten down us, they’ll quiet down. They won’t giggle so much. And they’ll leave their Samsung DualView cameras at home.
Because after you spend enough years in bars, and your skin slackens and your eyes go yellow? You come to a point where you really don’t want pictures.Authorized for SquareTrade Extended Warranty$(document).ready(function() {st_widget.create({itemCondition:\’Refurbished\’,itemDescription:\’Samsung DualView 12.2MP Digital Camera with Dual LCD Screens and 4.6X Optical Zoom\’,itemPrice:\’124.99\’,bannerStyle:\’wide\’,widgetType:\’quote\’,merchantID:\’subscrip_014793207843\’}); });

Warranty: 90 Day Samsung
Features:

1.5” front LCD screen great for self portraits and can play cute animations to capture kids’ attention
12.2 megapixel CCD capable of capturing images up to 4000 X 3000
Record HD video in 1280x720p resolution at 30 frames per second in H.264 format
Schneider-KREUZNACH Lens with 4.6X optical zoom  (35mm film equivalent : 27~124.2mm)
Rear LCD Touch Screen, scroll quickly through all menus, and easily access your photo library
Haptic vibration response registers your choices. Quickly access and use the camera’s key features with either a simple finger tap or hand gesture, using the revolutionary new Gesture UI
Smart Auto analyzes key elements of your composition such as color, brightness, motion and subject; then automatically adjusts to take the perfect shot
Advanced Dual Image Stabilization (IS) feature allows you to capture crystal-clear, blur-free shots without using a flash or tripod
Optical IS compensates for hand trembling by shifting the lens in the opposite direction
Recycle Bin, every shot is automatically stored in a temporary folder just in case you have second thoughts
Smart Album, quickly scroll through your entire image library and organize images a multitude of ways, including; Favorite, Face, Color, Content

Additional Photos:

Red Samsung TL220 DualView Camera
Red Samsung TL220 DualView Camera Detail
Red Samsung TL220 DualView Camera Memory Card Slot and Battery Compartment
Red Samsung TL220 DualView Camera Touch Screen LCD
Blue Samsung TL220 DualView Camera
Blue Samsung TL220 DualView Camera Detail
Blue Samsung TL220 DualView Camera Memory Card Slot and Battery Compartment
Blue Samsung TL220 DualView Camera Touch Screen LCD

Specifications:

Image Sensor

Type:
1/2.33\” (approx 7.79mm) CCD
 

Effective Pixel:
Approx. 12.2 Mega-pixel
 

Lens

Focal Length:
Schneider-KREUZNACH Lens f = 4.9 ~ 22.5mm (35mm film equivalent : 27~124.2mm)
 

F No.:
F3.5(W) ~ F5.9(T)
 

Digital Zoom:
Still Image mode : 1.0X ~5.0X
Play mode : 1.0X ~ 12.5X (depends on image size)
 

Image Stabilization

Dual IS (OIS + DIS)
OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), DIS (Digital Image Stabilization)

Display

Type:
TFT LCD
 

Main Display:
3.0\” (7.6cm) Wide QVGA(230K) Full Touch LCD
 

Front Display:
1.5\” (61K) TFT LCD
 

Focusing

Type:
TTL auto focus(Multi AF, Center AF, Face Detection AF, Smart Touch AF, Smart Face Recognition AF, One Touch Shooting)
 

Range:
Normal : 80cm ~ infinity
Macro : 5cm ~ 80cm (Wide), 50cm ~ 80cm (Tele)
Auto Macro : 5cm ~ Infinity (Wide), 50cm ~ Infinity (Tele)
Super Macro: 3cm ~ 8cm
Super Macro: 3cm~8cm
 

Shutter Speed

Auto:
1/8 ~ 1/2000 sec., Program: 1 ~ 1/2000 sec.
 

Night:
8 ~ 1/2,000 sec., Fireworks : 2 sec.
 

Exposure

Control:
Program AE
 

Metering:
Multi, Spot, Center Weighted, Face Detection AE
 

Compensation:
±2EV (1/3EV steps)
 

ISO Equivalent:
Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
 

Flash

Modes:
Auto, Auto & Red-eye reduction, Fill-in flash, Slow sync, Flash off, Red eye fix
 

Range:
Wide : 0.2m ~ 3.4m, Tele : 0.5m ~ 2.0m , (ISO AUTO)
 

Recharge Time:
Approx. 4 sec.
 

Sharpness

Soft+, Soft, Normal, Vivid, Vivid+
 
 

White Balance

Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent_H, Fluorescent_L, Tungsten, Custom
 
 

Still Image Shooting

Smart Auto:
Portrait, Night Portrait, Backlight Portrait, Macro Portrait, Backlight, Landscape, White, Action, Tripod, Night, Macro, Macro Text, Blue Sky, Sunset Sky, Natural Portrait, Natural Green
 

Scene:
Beauty shot, Frame Guidet, Portrait, Night, Children, Landscape,Close up Text, Sunset, Dawn, Back Light, Fireworks, Beach, Snow
 

Effect:
Photo Style Selector : Normal, Soft, Vivid, Forest, Retro, Cool, Calm, Classic, Negative, Custom RGB Image Adjust :Sharpness (Soft+, Soft, Normal, Vivid, Vivid+),Contrast (Hight+,High, Normal, Low, Low+), aturation(++, +, Normal, -, –)

Edit:
Resize, Rotate, Trimming, Normal, Soft, Vivid, Forest, Retro, Cool, Calm, Classic, Negative, Custom RGB, Color Filter, Elegant, Add Noise, Face Retouch, Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Red Eye Fix, ACB, Face Retouch (Level 1,2,3), Red eye fix, Snow, Mosaic, Highlight

Image Play

Single image, Thumbnails,Smart Album, Advanced Slide show, Movie Clip, Slide show with Effect & Music
 
 

Voice Recording

Voice Recording (max. 10 hours)
Voice Memo in Still Image (max. 10 sec.)

Date Imprinting

Date&Time, Date, Off (user selectable)
 
 

Movie Clip

Recording:
With Audio or without Audio (Zoom Mute)(Max Recording time : 20min)
Size: 1280×720(30/15fps) High Quality, 1280×720(30/15fps) Standard Quality, 640×480(30/15fps) , 320×240 (60/30/15 fps)
Due to noise while optical zooming the mic is turned off.
 

Effect:
Normal, Soft, Vivid, Forest, Retro, Cool, Calm, Classic, Negative, Custom
 

Edit:
Pause during recording, Still Image Capture, Time Trimming
 

Storage

Internal Memory:
About 55MB
 

External Memory(Optional):
Micro SD (up to 4GB)
 

Micro SDHC (up to 8GB)
 
 

File Format

Still Image:
JPEG (DCF), EXIF 2.21, DPOF 1.1, PictBridge 1.0
 

Movie Clip:
H.264 (MPEG4.AVC)
 

Audio:
AAC
 

Image Size:
12M: 4000X3000 pixels
8M: 3264×2448 pixels
5M : 2560X1920 pixels
3M : 2048×1536 pixels
1M: 1024×768 pixels
9M W: 3840 x 2160 pixels
2MW:1920×1080 pixels
10M P: 3984 x 2656 pixels

Interface

Digital Output Connector:
USB 2.0
 

Audio:
Microphone : Mono
Internal Speaker : Mono
 

Video Out:
NTSC, PAL (user selectable) SCC-AV20
 

DC power input:
4.2V 20 Pin
 

Physical Specification

Dimensions (WxHxD):
3.93” x 2.35” x 0.73”
 

Weight:
.328 lbs. (without battery and card)
 

Operating Temperature:
0 ~ 40 °C
 

Operating Humidity:
5 ~ 85%
 

System Requirements

For Windows:
Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7, PC with processor better than Pentium III 500MHz (800MHz recommended), 250MB available hard disk space (over 1GB recommended), minimum 256MB RAM (over 512 MB recommended),pixels 16-bit color display monitor (24-bit color display recommended), Microsoft DirectX 9.0 or later

For Macintosh:
Power Mac G3 or later, Mac OS 10.3 or later, minimum 256MB RAM, 110MB of available hard-disk space, USB port,CD-ROM drive.

In the box:

Samsung TL220 DualView 12MP Digital Camera
Battery
USB Cable
Power Cable

Inset photo credit: robstephaustralia
Inset photo credit: ~!Discuss this product

Isn’t she lovely!

Don’t know why. Must be a man thing.

He’s awesome!