Personal Forums! Woohoo!

Huzzah! I’ve got my computer hosting my own personal forums!

Early this morning, before work, I installed an Apache HTTP Server 2.2 on my machine, enabling me to serve up web pages over the internet. It was pretty easy for someone with my level of familiarity with computers to install and set up. I was hosting a test web page in no time!

Then I installed the PHP 5.2.6 module for Apache 2.2, which allows my computer to run PHP scripts which are necessary for fancy web-based programs like bulletin boards. This pretty much set itself up for me.

After that I installed MySQL 5.0, a database server. This is needed to store posts people make on my forums.

I installed the MySQL extension for PHP so that PHP-based scripts could access the database. This was a little tricky, but I managed to get it working after remembering that I had to modify the Apache server configuration file to also load the new extension.

Lastly I installed the forum software, configured it, and blammo! Done!

So far I haven’t actually created any proper topics and such for my forums, but I plan on using it to record discussions for some programming ideas with friends.  But it’s pretty cool to have it all up and running from nothing in such a short period of time!

Cobra Humvee

I recently noticed an Incredible Hulk toy that was released for the new Hulk movie. This toy came with a Hummer which was about the right size for GI Joes. I figured a modern-day Cobra organization would be using these things, so I picked one up. I also grabbed a can of Krylon Fusion spray paint for plastics and bought some decals from Cobra Stickers.

I removed all the stickers from the Humvee, then took it apart. I spray painted the pieces separately so as to be able to get every nook and cranny. There were some designed that were painted onto the truck that the spray paint had trouble adhering to, but the paint eventually covered it after using several coats (with drying in between).

It’s nothing fancy — I just wanted an overall “Cobra” color scheme — but I think it looks okay:

Before:

After:

There was also a “button”, of sorts, that stuck out of the front grill. When this button was pushed in, it would smash the hood (i.e. “hulk smashing action!”). I removed this button and super-glued the two halves of the hood together to give them more stability. A more serious customizer would probably want to putty up the crack between the two halves of the hood before painting it.

The cannon also fires a plastic missile an impressive distance.

Also, the Krylon Fusion paint actually melts the plastic, fusing the paint into the plastic itself. If you’re thinking of using this stuff, you have to be careful when handling freshly painted plastic as its surface is quite deformable while the paint is still wet.

I had the rear trailer hitch piece sitting on the ground, with the bulk of the weight of the piece resting on a painted surface and the plastic edge there flattened out a bit. If your not careful with this stuff, you can easily end up with fingerprints melted into your plastic parts.

Because of this “fusion” action, you’ll want to wait until the paint is nice and dry (at *least* 24 hours) before putting figures in it or you’ll risk melting them a bit.

Avian Invasion!

I got up this morning to find a bird had invaded my house! It got in through the air vent by the furnace, and flew out in a flurry when I opened the furnace room doors. I managed to keep it trapped in the laundry room while I went to my bedroom to get my camera, but as soon as I opened the laundry room door again, it flew past me and into the kitchen!

After about five or ten minutes of alternately flying into the living room mirror and into the front door window, the poor thing finally tired itself out enough that I could reach out and touch him. I couldn’t even get him to fly out of the house when I opened the front door for him and tried to chase him toward it.

My first two attempts at grabbing the bird failed. I didn’t want to crush him, so I let him go as soon as he offered any resistance. I think the loud shrieks helped convince me to let him go, too. Then I remembered I had a handkerchief lying around, so I grabbed it and used it to cover the little guy’s head as I attempted to grab him again. Success!

I’m not sure, but I think the bird was an immature robin.

Darn Time-Burglars!

Someone broke into my car this morning, smashing the passenger side window and stealing my stereo. What a nice thing to wake up to in the morning.

I’m not so much bothered by the loss of the stereo; that’s easily replaced. It’s the time have to spend now calling in an insurance claim, getting the window repaired, cleaning up the broken glass, etc. It’s the theft of my time that really bothers me.

This is the third act of vandalism/theft I’ve experienced on my property in two or three years. I think it’s time I get myself a security camera…

Oh Fortuitous Happenstance!

LOL! Regarding yesterday’s post about having to buy two-packs in order to get certain Star Wars action figures, I went to the same chain of stores after work and saw that those items were 50% off now. Fortunately I had saved my receipt and was able to get half the money back that I originally paid for the Order 66 2-packs. Sweet!

A Grand Army of the Republic

I think I’m going to create a page detailing my growing army of clonetroopers and stormtroopers.

Dreamland

Over the past few months I’ve been having lots of dreams where I am either back in high school or back in university. Last night I finally graduated from high school. Now to just finish up my degree and maybe those stupid dreams will end.

dondueck.com

Yes, I finally got around to registering dondueck.com.  I’ve set it up to point to this blog for the time being.

Take that you stupid squatter who bought that address a couple of years ago.  It’s mine now, and I didn’t have to pay you.  Jerk.