Dissecting a Frog Was Never This Fun

I am sad to report... my laptop is dead.

But I'm not one to give up easily.  It may still be of some worth to me.

I decided to take it apart for two reasons.  One, I wanted to see how it went together.  If I get another laptop, I want to know how to pimp it out.  Two, I wanted to see if I could fix the problem.  Alas, I couldn't.  The motherboard is completely fried, and an expensive part to replace.

What made it fun, was I didn't quite remember how to put it back together...

But I don't think I need to put it back together.  I looked at a few sites, and it made me think of selling it for parts.  The motherboard is no good, and the Hard Drive isn't wiped, but I can sell the battery, the monitor, the memory, etc.  Maybe I can get a few bucks from it?

What I am probably going to do is replace it with a true blue PC.  Both my gf and I have laptops, and there is no desktop in the house.  Not for long.

I have built a PC from scratch before, and I'm looking forward to do it again.

But before I begin... I'm asking for advice.  Are there any sites that you, my followers, recommend for the best deals?  I usually check frugaldad.com when shopping for any deals or discounts.  They usually have a bit of everything.

Are there certain parts I HAVE to have?

Intel vs AMD?

Nvidia vs ATI?

Windows vs Linux?

Traditional-looking box, something with LEDs like an Alienware box, or should I go crazy and do something like this???

Let me know what you all think.  I am very open to suggestion, and would like some feedback with the designing process.  Cheers!



Oh, and Edit:  Check this out!!



Edit #2... check out this funny as fuck post!  I just learned about buttlube beer.

Sunday Sillyness: Tyra... you so crazy...

As a teenager in the 90's, I had a fun array of celebrities and models to, um, "inspire" me.

One of my favorite models, BY FAR, was Tyra Banks.

The eyes, the hair, the skin, the CURVES... Tyra was a goddess to me.  I bought her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in 1997, and wore that magazine OUT.

When they started showing Victoria's Secret shows on TV, I'd lock myself in my bedroom and practically go blind...

So naturally, when I heard she was getting her own show in 2003, I watched.  America's Next Top Model was my guilty pleasure.

Season 1 aired, and it made me fall for Tyra even more.  Not only is she GORGEOUS, but she's down-to-Earth too.  She has a sense of humor, and is more 'real' than I thought.

But as the show continued from season to season....

Tyra started to lose her appeal to me...

This bitch is just plain crazy...

When she spawned 'The Tyra Show,' I was no longer attracted to her.

I'm sorry, I don't care how good you look, or if your boobs are God's gift to men everywhere.  The second you go psycho, my peepee shrivels.

Sorry Tyra. 10 years ago, I would have done EVERYTHING to you.  Now, I'm just worried for you... Maybe it has to do with her hair color?  Too much bleach is rotting her brain?  Or is she turning into the stereotypical blonde?  Either way, run and hide...

Raaar! And Wooo! And a challenge.

I couldn't sleep last night, and was playing around in photoshop.  I made this guy as a continuation of yesterday's post.

When I looked at the wall with the a/c vents, and the speakers/doors/etc, this is what I saw in my head.

The vents jutting out like that reminded me of the bushy bushy eyebrows on my Greek grandpa Petros.  You could comb those badboys... maybe even braid them.

~~~~~

Also, a big woooooo to my followers!  There is now over 300 of you, and I am very appreciative of the fact you come to me and let me vent.  I'm going to be making some minor changes to the layout (and maybe URL) of this blog, so sit tight!  Everything will be bigger and better!

~~~~~

Lastly, I would love to challenge my audience.  My bud Rose and Crayons did this earlier, and I loved the concept.

It goes like this.  Grab your cell phone, and send me a picture from it.  As random as you like.  Next Saturday, I will make a collage of pictures, submitted to me by my viewers.  The top 3 will be singled out, and major kudos will be given to you (unless you want to remain anonymous, let me know).

Rules:

- If you send me any R or X rated stuff, it won't make it to the thread.  Trying to keep my blog porn-free, just so the internet police don't get angry.  However, if you DO send me any nudity *wink wink* I won't complain.

- Limit 3 submissions per blogger.

- Let me know in the email if you want to be recognized or anonymous.  I'll keep you private, if you want.  If your email doesn't say anything about your blog, I won't be able to give you props.  I'm not going to say "James Walsh sent me THESE!" or anything...

The two I sent to R&C for her experiment were these:

Gives you an idea of what I'm looking for...

Please send your submissions to lostinidaho@ymail.com.  Results will be shown next Saturday!  Go go go!!!

End of the Week, End of the Move

Today is official moving day.  Everything is packed, movers are coming, and boxes will migrate.

Wednesday, we were given a chance to tour our new 'temporary building.'  As we entered, our tour guide said "Welcome to 1967."  How right he was.

First off, on some of the main doors, there are some fancy woodcarvings.  I'm not sure what the building was used for before, but it looks like the last owners loved to decorate.

There are different 'coat of arms' designs on a handful of doors.  It reminded me of a Knights Templar building, or an old Masonic Center.

The building has two floors:  The main floor and the basement.  There is office space in both, and I was fortunate enough not to get placed in the dungeon.  Downstairs was just plain weird.

First off, it has a sauna down there.

First thought was "BADASS!  We can have department meetings down here!"  Then I remembered that I'm the youngest of all my coworkers by a good 25 years.  Maybe...not.

Secondly, there is a 'pinhead room' downstairs.

I'm not sure why someone designed the room like this, but they did.  Yes, it goes to a point.  The corner is about 8 inches wide, and the entire room is like that.  Starts out wide, but slowly closes in to the point.  Maybe that can be the disciplinary room?  "Bob!  Go stand in the corner!"

Upstairs is better, but not by much.  Again, this building was made in the 60's.  Yellow stained glass is everywhere.

The main conference room looks like UFO's are about to land on the meeting table.

And the heating/air conditioning vents look like they were slapped on not too long ago.

Does anyone else see the face on the wall?  The eyebrows?  The eyes?  I laughed a little when I saw this room, but noone else seemed to see what I saw.

So today is moving day.  Possibly tomorrow, if we don't finish.  Our new home for the next 4 months.  Get out the lava lamps and the LSD, it's going to be a trip.

Interaction Time! Why do you blog about what you blog about?

So I'm following about 150-200 people on a semi regular basis.  By semi regular, it means there are a lot of you I read daily, but all of you I read at least once/twice a week.

I love the broad subject matter.

I have blogs that make me laugh on a regular basis, like Colorful Rants of a Fed Up Sista, Rose and Crayons,  and Sara's Organized Chaos.  I read these, and they always get me laughing on a regular basis.

I have a few paranormal blogs I follow, but the best of the best is Ghost Hunting Theories.  Always detailed, always insightful, and always makes you think.  Even when it keeps you up at night once in a while...

I follow a few tech blogs (like Come At Me Bro), photography blogs (like Adam Badge Photography), some brewing/bar blogs (Bar Science, for example) and some truly unique blogs that must be seen to be appreciated.  (Like this one.  Surprise, I didn't say the name!)

What I see more than any other genre, though, are music blogs and video game blogs.

Now don't get me wrong, there are a few of them that are damn good, and I interact with them on a regular basis.

But some are just cookie-cutter blogs that seem to be run by the same minds.  The 'hivemind blogs' are numerous, and just seem to frustrate me to no end.

When 4 bloggers link the same Deadmau5 vid that has been out for over a year, it grinds my gears....

When they have ALMOST THE EXACT REVIEW, word for word, I usually unfollow one or two of them in a mini-rage...

I still like the music, and I love hearing about new things coming out, or the best of the best, but I love originality too.

Keep it fresh, guys and gals!

So here is the interaction time:  Tell me (and the world) what you blog about, and why you picked the topic you're discussing!  I'd love to hear the methods behind the madness!!!

We're back now at the jackoff hour, this is DJ Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeazy Dick...

I had a mini-conversation with Choirchick22, and it got me thinking.

First, check out her blog at the link above.  Find her youtube, and melt when you hear her voice.  Do it nao!!!

Secondly, I am sad for Idaho.  There is NO Hip Hop radio station in all of Eastern Idaho.

So I have decided to start working toward owning a radio station, so I can inject this spud-culture with some 80's and 90's Old Skool Hip Hop and Rap.

I know NOTHING about being a DJ, or owning a business, but this is now a goal of mine.  I want make it happen.

Idahoans need some NWA in their daily lives.  Some Suga Free.  Some Eazy E.  Some Snoop, before he was collaborating with Katy Perry.

Disclaimer:  I am white.  But I have a good chunk of my iPod dedicated to Rap & Hip Hop, to go with Rock, Classical, Jazz, Swing (there is a difference), Techno/Electronic, Drum Corps Music (yes I was a band nerd) and much more.  Why?  It's how I was raised.

Go to Rubidoux, California on google maps.  Scroll down mission boulevard and tell me what you see.  That's where I grew up.  The white boy is out of the ghetto, but the ghetto is not out of the white boy.

Now, I'm not 'gangsta.'

I don't dress in 'bling.'

But I'm still from the motherfuckin west side, and I want to being some of me into this state.

Will it be a popular radio station?  Maybe.  But I don't care.  It's time to educate the masses.

Oh, and if you didn't understand the title of this blog, watch this video.

Welcome to your new career... now get packing

Week 2 at the new job, and I'm already packing my things.

Why?

We're moving!

Apparently I'm coming at a fun time for the company.  They are 'in between' buildings right now, like I was in between jobs.  They have a brand new building being custom made for them, which will be ready in June.  The problem is, in order to pay for the construction, they had to sell their old building to pay for the new.

Shooting yourself in the foot much, eh?

They sold the building late last year, and struck up a lease agreement with the new owners.  "We can't move out yet, even though the building is yours."  At the time, I guess the new owners were ok with it...

Not anymore.

In January, they said "we are switching you to a month to month lease."  The company gulped.  A few days afterward, they said "ok, now we're switching things again.  You need to be out in 30 days."

That 30 days ends this week.

So we are packing our things in a rush, only to be moved into a temporary location for the next 4ish months.  About 2/3 is going into boxes and will stay there until June, while the other 1/3 is travelling with us.

The funnest part?  I don't think we quite know where we are going yet...  They have a few buildings picked out, but I don't think any lease paperwork was signed....

I don't remember "packing and heavy lifting" in my job description.  Or organizing storage spaces.  Trying to learn a new position, while packing away your training material, makes for a fun week.

Wish me luck!

America... F**k Yeah... (yeah right)

To the 74% of my followers from the US, happy President's Day.  To the remaining 26%, happy Monday.  (And happy Tuesday to my Aussies, New Zealanders, and Eastasian fanbase)

This is my first President's Day in Idaho, and wasn't surprised to see an american flag planted in every yard on almost every street this morning.

Well, every yard but mine.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not unpatriotic, I'm just poor.  I don't have a flag.  But even if I did, would I hoist it up like the rest of the masses?

I'm not exactly sure if, based on this century so far, I am necessarily 'proud' of my country.

It seems that, over the past 10 or so years, the pride (as well as ignorance) of the US has escalated beyond belief.  We truly believe, no, we KNOW we are the central hub of this Earth, and other countries look up to us.

The title speaks for itself

Meanwhile, our country's debt has escalated more and more since GW Bush took office, and it's not really getting better under Obama.  It's hard to tell if he is trying to push back and stop the financial avalanche, or if he's just riding the wave and hoping we all survive when the rocks stop falling.

Then again, depending on who you ask, the financial problems of the last 8-10years are all Obama's fault.

Like I said, it depends on who you ask:

I think, as a nation, we need to put down the apple pie and take a big swallow of some humble pie.  Stop thinking we are the World Police, and become one of the many world leaders, instead of the self-appointed world leader.  

For a country that was founded in democracy, it makes me ill when I hear so many people in grocery stores, on the radio, or just chatting in the mall saying which world leaders we should throw out, which countries are the next big threat, and then complain about our government's financial crisis.  People tend to forget that wars are expensive, and our defense spending is still a MAJOR chunk of our upside-down budget.

And the budget talk around the water cooler makes me laugh even more.  It shows me how many people didn't do very well in Math and Economics in school.  Raising taxes is not an option, because people don't want to give the government any more of their money.  Spending cuts aren't an option, because our population is growing too fast to absorb cuts in health care, social services, education, road upkeep, etc.  So... what IS the option?  Complaining, it seems...

I'll end on this note.  The last time our country was truly booming was the Eisenhower era.  Education levels were on-par with the rest of the world, we were expanding our roadways to counter the rising populations, and our hospitals, police staff, and social services were well taken care of.  The income tax rate for the median household was 48.23%.  Now, in the 21st century, roads are cracking.  Hospitals are overcrowded.  Social Security is failing.  Our national debt has risen more in these past 10 years than at any other point in history.  The income tax rate for the median household is about 25%.

Let it sink in a bit...  Happy President's Day, my fellow Americans.

Sunday Sillyness: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

So my laptop is dead.  DEAD.   It won't start up.  The fans come on, and the initial 'click' of the drives happen, but the BIOS or starting screen won't pop up.  I've troubleshooted online, and it says it could be a memory issue, motherboard or CPU.  I'm worried it could be one of those, plus a nasty virus.  I reformatted my comp about a month ago, and my antivirus software has miraculously found nothing since then.  No spyware, no viruses.  Awfully fishy.

So I'm dead in the water right now.  I'm borrowing my gf's laptop to post this, since we have 2 machines in the house.  @#$%^&^$#@@#$%^&

Anyway, here are two vids that cheered me up a little, and I hope they will bring a smile to your face too.  Two ridiculous videos from two awesome bands.  Enjoy!

SEO

So I google'd myself yesterday.  I do this from time to time, because I know a little about Search Engine Optimization, and want to see if my blog is gaining any popularity on the search engine charts.

It doesn't help that I have a common name.  My Own Private Idaho is a song from the B-52's, the name of a movie, and a lot of people use it.  I have dabbled with more unique names (Spuds and Meth came to mind) but haven't found anything I really liked yet.

Yesterday was the first day I actually found positive results from google.  I typed in "Mormon Discrimination in Idaho" and I was on the first page, like 5 results down.  I typed in "Idaho Coffee Culture" and I was #1.   Granted, these aren't major searches, but it's nice to see your name in a list of search results, especially on the #1 slot.

That's when I noticed that my Valentine's blog helped get me google results as well.  People were searching for the Steve Irwin val:  "Crickey, you got me in the heart" and 2 people were referred to my blog because of it.  Woo!

I'm close to 275 followers now.  I was averaging 250-300 views a day last week, and now I'm down to 175-225.  I want to inject some life into this blog, and keep it climbing....

I ask you, my audience... What do you think of a name change?  I like MOPI, but something more original would help me climb the google ladder...  And do you work on improving your blog's search engine results?  I'd love to hear from you.

Shocker...

So, I have a few extra pounds on me.  Not a lot, but I'm not exactly trim.

I like to tell people I'm not fat, I'm just a food connoisseur. 

With that said, I've been around.  I have had a lot of different types of Mexican food.  From major chain restaurants to holes in the wall, to the actual stuff in Mexico.

But never have I tasted anything that compared to the Mexican food I have found in Idaho.

Yes, the best mexican food I have ever had is from Idaho.

Where, you may ask?

There is a taco truck that parks in front of a redneck bowling alley.  You can get stuffed for less than $5 here, and it is BY FAR the best I have ever had.

Being a California boy, I have had Chipotle.  I loooove me some Chipotle, but this is better.  Believe it.

Plus, you get a TON of food for super cheap.  I buy this burrito for only $3, and it is big.

How big?

Big big.

As I said, I'm a big dude, so I can put down food when I need to, but I can't finish this burrito in one sitting.  It almost always turns into two meals for me.

The best part?  It doesn't have the 'Taco Bell' effect.  If you don't know what that is, this web comic sums it up nicely.

So, if you're ever in Idaho Falls, check out this taco truck.  It's an absolute gem, and worth the wait.

Bikini Bars and the Male Libido

So a few months ago I was working at a local car dealership, and the BIGGEST NEWS with all the guys in sales was a new bikini bar opening up in town.

I was confused.  So I asked.

It was then that I was told there were no Strip Clubs in the entire state of Idaho.  Apparently showing your breasts in a public place is illegal.  I've never been to a strip club, so I'm not missing much, but it's such a big deal to the locals that some groups of guys make the long trek to Wyoming to go to a strip joint.

OMG BOOBIES!!!

Still confused about the bikini bar, I was told that guys don't get to see a lot of skin in Idaho.  Being raised less than an hour from the beach, I took this for granted.

I'm used to seeing things like this.  (These pictures were taken in March, by the way.  Currently in mid-February in Idaho it is 36 degrees....March up here isn't going to be much warmer...)

If I showed these pics to my Idaho bros, they'd have instant-boners.  If they ever go to a Cali beach, they won't know what to do with themselves...

So on the opening day of the AMAZING bikini bar, about 75% of the guys at the dealership went.  They came back the next day saying it was awesome.  I just chuckled a little.

They talked about it ALL DAY.  Even about how much money they spent.  There wasn't a guy in the crowd who didn't drop at least $30 that night.  The best part was... they all wanted to go again... as soon as possible.

*groan*

A few days later, a few female friends of my gf were hanging out at our place, drinking and talking.  After a while, a new person came in.  "Oh, that's my friend @#$%^" said one of the girls.  "She works at the bikini bar."

First, let me remind you all of the definition of butterface...

Now, with a butterface, you still have something to look at.  Just don't look up.  If you have a paper bag handy, you can cover up her face, maybe slap a photo of Marisa Miller on it, and you're good.

But with this chick, the butter had migrated south.

Butter melts, after all.

I can see guys going "ooh, but that ass!" or "ooh, but those boobs!" and just ignoring the neck up, but this wasn't going to work with her...

She wasn't even that attractive.  And she was one of the dancers at the bikini bar??

What did the rest of them look like?

They're closed now, which I'll go into later, but at the time they had a website.  The site featured pictures of the bar, the drink specials, and "the girls."  I was stunned.

They either had cute faces and squishy bodies, were 40 or older (and looked too aged to be doing the job), or had MAJOR cases of lazy eye.

But I guess if you're a dancer, that can work to your favor.  Straddle two laps, and do two lap dances at the same time.  With derp-eye, you can look at both guys at the same time!

Guys LOVE eye contact, after all!  And if you can stare at two dudes at the same time, double the tips... right?

I'm sorry, but you can be a Victoria's Secret Model, and have a perfect body, flawless face, etc.  But if I look at you and see...

...it's not gonna happen.

Now I'm not a shallow guy.  Personality and wit weigh big on me, and there are a million factors to make a woman attractive.  But the entire purpose of a strip club or bikini bar is just to have hot (36-24-36) women grind on you, right?

Right?

Based on the 'talent' that worked there, I didn't expect this place to be open for long.  I was right, they shut down after under a month, but was shocked to find out it was because of solicited sex being rampant in the club.

Apparently guys, when they see boobs, can't control themselves and want more more more.  And girls, in this town, can't say no to money.  It fuels their meth habit, after all!

Anyway, there's my rant.  It makes me sad to think of all these undersexed men who will drool over the slightest bit of cleavage or a bare midriff...  But then again, I'm in Idaho, and it's February.  Meh.

(Note:  This is my first Dude Write submission!  I hope it becomes the first winner as well...)

Bros.

I need more bros in my life.

Oh, and if you don't read Questionable Content, you should.  Go there!  Nao!

http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1862

Bonus to QC, Jeph the artist does live streams when he draws.  Every now and then, it gets ridiculous...

Introducing bonercat!