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On your Windows machine there is a file called the Hosts file that exists here:
C:\Windows\system32\Drivers\etc
This little guy can be a major source of trouble because whenever your computer makes a DNS request (i.e. it wants to fetch a webpage) Windows checks the Hosts file for any DNS routing first. So if some malware edits the hosts file it can redirect your computer to strange websites whenever go to any URL. But the hosts file can also be used to your advantage and will help speed up ad ridden websites like Myspace. Simply go here and download the hosts file that they provide, and then copy it into the above mentioned directory (yes, you want to overwrite the old one) and you are all done.
This new hosts file places well known ad servers and malware sites on a restricted list, alot like Firefox's Adblock extension. This little modification will take most of the frustration of browsing the internet for all four of you who still use Internet Exploiter, so I suggest you do it. More information about your hosts file lies here, and a very useful little anti-spyware utility that does almost the same thing as the hosts file edits lies here (with no RAM footprint, so its okay for RAM nazis like me).
A fly buzzed…
After missing my promised Sunday Post for two Sundays in a row I figure it's time to redeem myself. And seeing as my second favorite cartoon Ed, Edd, and Eddy is on in my room right now and I am here blogging about spirituality, God will consider it a fair trade (that WAS a joke by the way). And yes, I watch cartoons. They are way more entertaining than 99% of the crap that the major networks show. On to the topic: death.
I chose this topic for this Sunday because I went to a funeral this weekend. One of my best friend's sister died of cancer on Wednesday, July 12th 2006. I am not troubled by it--even though I did shed tears at the funeral, because her life was a beautiful mosaic of how the life of a tried and true servant of Christ should appear. Nevertheless to the unprepared, death can disguise itself as a horrible monster in the closet.
What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave?
Psalm 89:48
That verse sums it all up. Human beings are meant to die. We are finite beings living and limited by a finite, linear entity called time. Everyone in our respective circles will grow old, and eventually pass on into what lies after. For some, the outcome of death is merely a comma (Judeo-Christian beliefs), and for others an arrow pointing back to where they originally started (reincarnation), and still others who consider death to be a period--with nothing but blackness after.
This weekend I have thought about death and how it has affected me during my lifetime. I'm a decently emotional guy--which sometimes embarasses me, and when faced with the thought that my loved ones will pass on one day I can't help but prepare myself for the inevitable grief that I will have to deal with. I have no doubts that everyone in my tight little circle will end up in the right place, but that doesn't make it any easier.
My favorite verse when I was young and dealing with the death of my mother was 1st Corinthians 15:55, which is in actuality a throwback to Hosea 13:14:
Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?
1st Corinthians 15:55
And it's 100% true. Death has no hold over the Christian. It is simply a transition into a better state. It is the ultimate evolutionary step for a believer, and often I view it as a reward. Passing from a pain striken world into a glorified state sure sounds like a good thing to me.
There are at least 18 or 19 additional verses in my concordance of my backup Bible (NIV) that I could write about, but most of them are themed the same. Through Christ we have defeated death. Because of His sacrifice we are able to welcome death as the reward that it will be. Amazing. How that should enbolden me to do so many things for the Kindom of God! Instead as an American Christian I act like the proverbial "Cock of the Walk" by shouting "I will die for Him!" How often in our society do we truely get to exercise such an extreme profession of faith as being martyred for what we believe in? If it happens rest assured it will happen only once =). But what if we lived with the danger that we might actually die for what we believe in? How would our days be changed? Words are cheap and people are interested by non-hypocritical actions, and laughing in the face of death while our self-preservation instincts are screaming "run away!" will definately catch someone's attention.
It is hard being a Christian in todays society. All our beliefs are exactly opposite of what the world teaches. We have no reason to fear death, we have no motivation to be selfish, and we have no reason to be first. Quite contrary, Christians thrive in the extreme negatives of each of those concepts. God uses the last for his glory, calms the fears of the grave, and rewards the unselfish. It's amazing how everything that God wants for us is exactly opposite of what we think we want.
TCP Interlude
After scouring the internet looking for wiring diagrams that apply to a humbucker + single coil Telecaster with two volume controls I have found that I will most likely be figuring this wiring schema out by myself. I haven't found a schematic on any of the sites that I have visited. I plan on emailing a couple of guitar wiring Gurus (including Lindy Fralin) to try and get some idea of how I need to do this. In the mean time I have been getting edumacated.
Update: I found this wiring diagram for a Fender Jazz Bass on StewMac's site that will work perfectly! All I need to do is adapt it by taking the tone control out of the circuit and figure out how to factor a three way switch in.
Now Accepting Donations
My original title for this post was: “Why My Friends Should All Chip In and Buy Me a Digital Camera,†but I decided that was just a bit too long. I have avoided the Digital Camera fad for about as long as I can stand it. I am not a camera person. I don’t like taking pictures of things, especially myself. As a matter of fact I hate pictures. It was too much trouble to take the little roll of film to the drugstore and then wait a week to get images of somewhere that I remember perfectly anyhow. More so, whenever my Dad sent me to camp with one of those disposables I would come back with all 24 pictures intact.
However, at the risk of being a stereotypical Caucasian Asian, I think I have finally found a use for a decent digital camera. There are several “things†that I “need†to take some pictures of.
- Miscellaneous Pieces of Musical Equipment - This would be the source of my proverbial “shiny object†complex. I like guitars. I like amps. I like guitar toys. I must take pictures of these objects.
- My Dad’s Sexy Cars - Let’s face it. Cool cars get chix. My Dad’s cars are cool. I’m single. Win-win.
- Nature - Nature is pretty. Therefore, pictures of nature are pretty. Being a pseudo-web designer and a connoisseur of all things pretty I have many uses for pretty pictures. Note that this does not compromise my manhood, but instead enhances my sensitivity and hopefully woos aforementioned chix.
- Rock Shows - Nothing better than jacking a press pass and taking pictures of rockstars to post on the internet. Thanks to my sister for the idea.
And that’s about it. So the conclusion of this tomfoolery is that I really need a digital camera so I can take pictures of all this cool stuff that I mentioned. All checks can be made out to “Jduv.â€Â The bank people know me.
TCP Phase 2: Hardware
One of the more fun parts of this project has been thinking about the hardware that I would like to replace and/or upgrade. There isn't anything wrong with the Tele's current hardware, but some of it is looking a bit weathered. The pickguard screws are a little rusty--probably due to sitting in Mike's basement with all the humidity, and the control plate and bridge are look tarnished. Most people say things like this add character to an aging guitar. I agree with them in most cases, but since I am giving the Tele some growl with the new pickups I think a more aggressive appearence is necessary 
. No worries for those who like the vintage look though. I am stashing all the original hardware somewhere safe and humidity free in case I ever disassemble this creation.
The Vintage Look
Here is a picture of the Tele in her current form. She's a 1991 American Standard, Midnight Wine in color, with basic chrome hardware and a White/Black/White laminated pickguard. It's already a very pretty guitar.
The Aggressive Look
I am thinking I want to go with all black hardware. This would make the guitar look much more edgy. A friend and I threw together a quick photoshop of what it might look like with black hardware. I won't torture you with our l33t photoshop skillz, but I will say that it looked preatty cool. The deep blood red finish matches nicely with a black pickguard, controle plate, and bridge. I thought the maple neck might clash, but I think it looks good! Here is a shot of the pickguard I ordered:
I received this and some of the electronic parts yesterday, and I am psyched about putting this baby together. Here's how the list is shaping up:
Parts I still need to buy in bold italic.
- Pickguard Screws
- Gotoh Brass Saddle Modern Telecaster Bridge
- Standard Telecaster Three Way Switch
- Rio Grande Dirty Harry Telecaster® Bridge Pickup
- Rio Grande Fat Bastard P90
- 2 x 500K Ohm Potentiometers
- Custom B/W/B Pickguard (Humbucker compatible)
- Vintage Black Control Plate
- Straplok Strap Locking System
- Black Brass Telecaster Knobs
- Custom Jack Cup for Telecaster
Cash Spent So far: $61.20
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