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I Got Hacked, Part 2

A follow-up to I Got Hacked. One of the other issues with jaydinitto.com being a fully operational battlestation was a certain plugin, Display Posts, a fine little bit of code that you easily control a list of WordPress posts. It’s how I had listed out all of my post titles and dates on the front I Got Hacked, Part 2

I Got Hacked

This site, as well some of the other sites I subhost, were taken down a few weekends ago. Someone had hacked my hosting space somehow and deleted many of the front-end files. Thankfully, no databased were affected. Bluehost had a very recent backup of the files I needed, so some sites were back to normal I Got Hacked

Heiser on Baptism

From the Naked Bible podcast, episode 8 (Spotify, YouTube): So how does this help us understand the passage? Briefly, baptism is not what produces salvation. It saves, in that it first involves or reflects a heart decision, a pledge of loyalty to the risen Savior. In effect, baptism in New Testament theology is a loyalty Heiser on Baptism

Wednesday Humpday Midday Music: “Grain Rain, Wheat Wind” from Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & The Secret Hideout

One of the best video game songs I’ve heard in a while, and it’s one of the standard battle themes. I don’t need to say how unusual its usage is, given how carefree and playful it sounds, and what even the video game layman’s idea of what battle music should sound like. After doing some Wednesday Humpday Midday Music: “Grain Rain, Wheat Wind” from Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & The Secret Hideout

Recipe: Overnight Protein Oats

Ingredients 2 parts oatmeal 1 part plain full-fat yogurt 1/2 part protein powder 1/2 part whole milk 1/2 part heavy whipping cream 1/2 part frozen berries Directions Mix and refrigerate for a few hours before enjoying. That’s it. Useless Information and Photos Aren’t “parts” measurements usually used with baking? I feel like with this recipe Recipe: Overnight Protein Oats

David Eddings Burnt His Office Down

I devoured Eddings’ Belgariad and Mallorean series as a kid. They hold up well as good YA fantasy, and even though the Mallorean was a literal copy of the Belgariad, he at least formulated an in-story reason for repeating the events. Anyways, I thought this news bit was funny, even if just for the photo David Eddings Burnt His Office Down

Good Guy Dialogue

Stallone’s work, aside from the first few Rocky installments and maybe Rambo, is cinematic candy or Wonder Bread. It’s nothing groundbreaking but it gets the job done if you’re in the right mood. Critics might look at him with upturned noses, naturally, but sometimes his dialogue can strike a decent vein of gold. Rocky doesn’t Good Guy Dialogue

Story: Cold Open

The story below is a work of fiction, but please read the footnote*. The evening of my first show with the band was that one annual autumn night where the season’s first frost comes. Pitch black by dinnertime, gentle smoke scent but no fire, powdered ice on the fallen leaves. Was there a significance to Story: Cold Open

Movie Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails must deal with a powerful new foe that has been awakened from a multi-decade slumber. The Dark Herald has a good review here. I agree with him about Mufasa and the recent direction Disney has taken, of using hyper-realistic CGI retellings and sequels. The big disconnect is Movie Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Quick Comment Re: Violence in Scripture and the Nonviolence of Jesus

I didn’t say anything particularly insight, but I wanted to post it here for safekeeping. From “Violence in Scripture and the Nonviolence of Jesus“: Might I suggest that theologians are complicating the matter? Canaan was a part of a larger plan God had, post-Babel, to establish a nation under His direct authority, apart from the Quick Comment Re: Violence in Scripture and the Nonviolence of Jesus

A Few Images for Safekeeping 03

I had to make this after watching a bunch of Robert Sepehr videos. He has some really interesting ideas but some of the word games he plays to “prove” connections to occult/secret society knowledge are just silly: An inside joke between Ed and I: My attempt at nonsensical Gen Z reaction image humor: I screenshotted A Few Images for Safekeeping 03

Photos: Hartwood Acres Hikes

I hiked Hartwood Acres twice. The first was a route suggested by AllTrails, a mix of different blazed and unblazed paths. The second was the shorter, more standard Yellow blazed trail. In general, it wasn’t as scenic as I had hoped. All the leaves had fallen and there wasn’t much variation or interesting views. The Photos: Hartwood Acres Hikes

“Select All Squares,” Literally

Seen when attempting to view a Reddit page. I probably wouldn’t have gotten this if I were logged in, but I refuse to create a Reddit account. There has to be a better way.

Cthulhu For President, 2024

Heh: Considering what the ancient Hebrews thought about the goings on in the heavenly realm with the Elohim council, and who rules the nations after Babel, a horrifying cosmic god-being directing America’s fate is not far off from the truth compared to other views. That is, if you share those ancient beliefs at all (I Cthulhu For President, 2024

Recipe: Tagliatelle Alfredo

Ingredients 1 serving of tagliatelle (around 3.5 oz) 1 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 1 tbsp butter Directions 1. Boil the pasta 2. Move pasta from the pan/pot (tongs work best) to a plate or bowl; don’t drain the water 3. Mix pasta with the butter until melted 4. Add cheese and mix until well-combined 5. If Recipe: Tagliatelle Alfredo

Haunted Houses and Babel

I made a comment on Mike Duran’s latest post: “What Does the Bible Say about Haunted Houses?“. Posting it here for safekeeping. Lots of good points here, Mike. The effects of Babel echo to the present day. God doesn’t direct the nations as they are now…that’s more under the control of the Elohim council, which Haunted Houses and Babel

Movie Review: Alien: Romulus

Alien: Romulus Young miners ransack a derelict Weyland-Yutani ship in a decaying orbit around their planet, only to find a wholly alien threat onboard. Alien for the Gen Z moviegoer, and I’m mostly saying that because the cast are older Gen Z. It makes some marketing sense, as Alien: Covenant, the previous film, had a Movie Review: Alien: Romulus

Wednesday Humpday Midday Music: “Sunshine Coastline” from Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

It’s weird. I tend to enjoy rock or metal instrumentals in video game soundtracks more than I do from traditional virtuoso artists. The reason is that instru-metal guys—who are mostly guitarists, obviously—can’t get past their virtuosity and present a coherent song without their chops getting in the way. A song that has “handles,” where you Wednesday Humpday Midday Music: “Sunshine Coastline” from Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

Anne Bradstreet Day

Today is Anne Bradstreet Day, dedicated to someone I never heard of: She was one of the first colonial poets to be published in the New World, the first Englishwoman to publish a book of poems and the first published American poet. While her early works were more rooted in the traditional poetry structure at Anne Bradstreet Day

How to Wake Up in a Movie

It’s not that movies need to be all realistic, but the dramatization of someone waking up from a nightmare has been overplayed for a while now. I can’t speak for everyone, but I never wake up from a bad dream by sitting bolt upright, breathless, and yelling out. That might be appropriate in a comedic, How to Wake Up in a Movie

You Won’t Pass

It’s been quite the minute since I posted, hasn’t it? I haven’t had the privilege of naming a wifi network in a while. I was going to do something like “FBISurveillanceVan” or “NSALogin” but I’ve seen that approach too much. There are some funny names in this forum thread—note all the “FBI” examples—but most of You Won’t Pass

Photos: Memorial Park Hike

I almost didn’t want to label this as a “hike,” since it was more of an easy walk through mostly-paved paths. Really no elevation changes or rough terrain. Memorial Park in New Kensington is mostly a forest. The developed section has a road, parking lot, a small soccer field, basketball courts, tennis courts, not-ice-or-field hockey Photos: Memorial Park Hike

A Liar’s Paradox Solution

We’ve probably come across many forms of the paradox before. The most amusing one I’ve ever seen was the two door dilemma from Labyrinth. Is the following statement true? This statement is false. If it’s true, it’s false. If it’s false, it’s true. What to make of this? There’s been many convoluted solutions to get A Liar’s Paradox Solution

Movie Review: The Imaginary

The Imaginary Rudger, Amanda’s imaginary friend, is forgotten and must learn to live with the other forgotten imaginary friends and evade the clutches of a strange man seeking to consume him. Toy Story meets Spirited Away, and I’m not referencing the latter because Studio Ponoc was related to Studio Ghibli. This was honestly more British Movie Review: The Imaginary

Movie Review: Mars Express

Mars Express A pair of private investigators travel between Earth and Mars to probe into the disappearance of a college student and her roommate, who have been jailbreaking androids from their constraining moral programming. This was a French film, which I suppose means something. I was ready to dislike this because a movie about advanced Movie Review: Mars Express

Wednesday Humpday Midday Music: “Rosekranz” from SaGa Frontier 2

I watched part of a playthrough of this game a while back, back before playthrough videos on Youtube got obnoxious with overediting and spastic commentary. I was initially attracted by the watercolor portrait artwork and the hand-drawn, diagonal gameplay backgrounds, and the story was unique enough to bother paying attention. The soundtrack, written by Masashi Wednesday Humpday Midday Music: “Rosekranz” from SaGa Frontier 2

Movie Review: Divergent

Divergent In a highly-structured, post-apocalyptic Chicago, a young woman hides her “divergent” gift when she joins the peacekeeping Dauntless faction. Let’s get the negative stuff out of the way. Without knowing the books at all—which are in my library, yet to be read—I would be fine with the story: a paint-by-numbers dystopian teen sci-fi action Movie Review: Divergent

Photos: Pittsburgh, June 2024

A ginko tree on Forbes Avenue and Smithfield Street: The Citizens Bank Tower on William Penn Place, taken from PNC Plaza. On the middle right is the old Kaufmann’s building, with a basketball court on the roof. Bottom right is the Warner Theatre sign, which I believe has been there since 1918: Fifth Avenue Place/Highmark Photos: Pittsburgh, June 2024

Made for Each Other

I was asked by a friend what I thought of the video on this page: Heavenly Fire – The John 10:10 Project. On the whole, I like what it says, despite the American evangelical bent of what’s expressed there. The explanation of the sun’s and Earth’s magnetic fields and how they interact is accurate, as Made for Each Other

Aragorn: Book Versus Film

“Aragorn: tall, dark, ruggedly handsome, dangerous, brooding, of a royal bloodline, good with horses, a natural leader, slightly superhuman. He’s just like Jay!*” I missed the The Lord of the Rings trilogy the first time around in the theaters, in the early aughts. I was too single-mindedly involved with music and making websites at the Aragorn: Book Versus Film

“He’s good at what he does”

I’ve heard it a few times before, in the context of musical talent: “he’s good at what he does.” It’s applicable to other performative arts as well. It’s said when you want to admit someone is talented, but the subject in question isn’t talented in the manner in which you’d like them to be. I “He’s good at what he does”

Acting Against Type in Blade Runner 2049

The thought occurred to me recently that a lot of the characters in Blade Runner 2049 act strongly against their profession while simultaneously maintaining that profession. Or, they act or are in circumstances that contradict their character in the previous movie. I don’t know how much merit there is in these observations. I suppose in Acting Against Type in Blade Runner 2049

Photo: Silver Street, Pittsburgh

That’s it. That’s the whole street, in one photo. This is facing west on Sandusky Street, after getting off the Andy Warhol Bridge, and on the opposite end is Vulcan Way. The gray wall on the left belongs to the Burns White building. Burns White is a law firm that moved out of that building Photo: Silver Street, Pittsburgh

Mauler on the Fallout Series

I watched most of the first episode, not quite on purpose. I knew the writers were playing with atomic bombs like plastic toys when the detonation in the beginning failed to get the attention of the partygoers simply because they weren’t looking directly at it. The light from a bomb going off would be filling Mauler on the Fallout Series

Recipe: Bubblegum Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients 3 tbsp chia seeds 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or 2% milk 1 capful of vanilla extract 1 capful of lemon extract 1/2 tsp powdered Stevia (around 12 drops of the liquid version) A few berries Directions 1. Combine everything into a container and mix 2. Let sit for at least 15 minutes 3. Recipe: Bubblegum Chia Seed Pudding

Youtube Channel Idea: Decorative Forensic Facial Reconstruction

Someone should do this. We’ve all seen forensic facial reconstruction artistry—it’s not really referred to as an art but one could easily peg it as such—for human remains, especially for prehistoric or non-modern-man/hominid species types. Why not transfer that skill to decorative skulls, like ones made for Halloween costumes or year-round decorations (people do that) Youtube Channel Idea: Decorative Forensic Facial Reconstruction

That Blade Runner Monologue

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die. I always liked it. It wasn’t overwrought or overacted, and it was a That Blade Runner Monologue

Wednesday Humpday Midday Music: “Hepatica (KOS-MOS)” from Xenosaga III

This was written, as was the entire Xenosaga III soundtrack, by Yuki Kajiura, who appears to be as prolific as Yoko Kanno in terms of soundtrack work. It’s a rather pretty song, and at first listen the pulsing electronic percussion starting up at 2:48 feels out of place for something so “natural” sounding. After hearing Wednesday Humpday Midday Music: “Hepatica (KOS-MOS)” from Xenosaga III

Photos: Spicebush Trail Hike, Part 2

A little over three years ago, we walked the same trail. Last Saturday afternoon was breezy and clear, in the mid-50s, and the trail was a little muddy from the storms the past week or so. My AllTrails app wasn’t cooperating for some reason, so I grabbed the rather low-resolution map from the park website. Photos: Spicebush Trail Hike, Part 2

Poem: Whither Creation

May the waters spill as they glorify You. May the stones crack and crumble as they praise You. May the skies rend like threadbare garments as they honor You. May the galaxies spin and spend their flames as they bow down to You. May the cosmos return to the impenetrable chaos of the dark depths Poem: Whither Creation

Photos: April 2024 Solar Eclipse

Taken at various stages. We had a lot of cloud coverage that broke up a bit in the afternoon, but I think the shots where clouds were involved added a nice effect. These aren’t very good, but I am glad to have at least something. My daughter used a pair of the eclipse glasses we Photos: April 2024 Solar Eclipse

UX Master Certification

True to my plan early in 2023, I’m now listed as a UX Master on Nielsen Norman Groups’ certification page. Earlier this week I finished my last course and passed the last exam, and I think I owe it to myself to take a break from formal learning for a while. It can wreak havoc UX Master Certification

Dune Part 2 Follow Up

A few things came to my attention after I posted the review of Dune Part 2 here. I mentioned that a nomadic desert culture like the Fremen should take from inspiration from real-world. This analysis of the costuming of Dune Part 2 suggest that this was the case, and Bedouins specifically were mentioned. Another video Dune Part 2 Follow Up

How to Subvert Expectations in a Story

The best subversions in stories aren’t overbearing, or rely on jerking the viewer/reader around with cheap plot twists. Effective subversion—usually called one of the forms of irony—are more subtle and respectful of the audience’s intelligence. In this clip from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs anthology, the subversion is simple and easy to spot: The surface How to Subvert Expectations in a Story

An Actual Hack

Every new idea or workaround is called a “hack” nowadays, even if it’s a technique that doesn’t involve technology. Some of the hacks listed in this “100 Home Hacks That Will Improve Your Life” could be considered engineering 101 hacks, but really they are just weird ideas that solve a problem or make something easier. An Actual Hack

New Book Links and an Album

Item 1: I have new links to donwload Pale Blue Scratch and Bored in the Breakroom on the About + Books + Subscribe page for free. A few more online retailers. Item 2: My friend Graham, under the name Silent Music, put out a new album, called Taciturn Headphonetics. I have no idea how to New Book Links and an Album

Long-Running HTML 4.0 Websites

Even though HTML 4.0 specs were released after these sites were published, they still could be called HTML 4.0-era sites simply because it was the longest-running version of HTML before HTML 5 came around. The coding conventions, as well as the general aesthetic and subject matter, are often associated referred to using the 4.0 descriptor, Long-Running HTML 4.0 Websites

Wednesday Humpday Midday Song: “Yewbell (Balmy Breeze)” from Arc the Lad IV: Twilight of the Spirits

Years ago, I had found garudoh’s YouTube channel, where he published videos of game soundtrack medleys. From that channel I found Supradarky‘s original account before he got nuked, where he had posted this song. I put a lot of Supradarky’s tracks on my iPod to listen to at work, and as I named the files Wednesday Humpday Midday Song: “Yewbell (Balmy Breeze)” from Arc the Lad IV: Twilight of the Spirits

Recipe: Spicy Keto Porridge

Ingredients 1/2 cup 2% milk 1/2 heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons Optimum Nutrition Double Rich Chocolate protein powder (or whatever flavor) 1 tsp butter 1 tbsp cream cheese 1 tbsp peanut butter (sugar free) 1 tbsp chia seeds 1/8 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp cloves 1/8 tsp nutmeg Stevia/sweetener to taste Directions 1. Put all of Recipe: Spicy Keto Porridge

Three Cheers for Metal Slug

I was able to plow through the first six Metal Slug installments, in between sleeping, writing, reading, eating, and doing other staycation-type activities, so the re-experiencing the action is fresh on my mind. I only played the first two games, long ago, when they were both in the arcades in the late nineties. It’s very Three Cheers for Metal Slug

Photo: Jay, 1995

Here’s a nice still shot of nineties Gen X/Millennial culture. I was home from college on Christmas break when my brother took this photo. The date in the lower right corner is correct. Some things to notice: 1. The crazy-patterned bed comforter. 2. The Jim Lee X-Men poster, view it in its entirety here. At Photo: Jay, 1995

Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli

Ingredients 1 lb broccoli 2 lb chicken breast olive oil For the sauce: 1 c cream 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp pepper 1 tbsp chives Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Slather the chicken with olive oil before placing it Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli

Video: Remembering the End of the World

Interesting explanation of the similarities of worldwide accounts (stories, myths, cave drawings) of global disasters and observable cosmic phenomenon. I don’t know if it’s astrophysically possible without a detailed model of how electromagnetism would have 1) overcome the effects of gravitational forces between celestial bodies, and 2) place Saturn, Mars, and Venus into their current Video: Remembering the End of the World

What Happened to Pressure 4-5?

I checked on Pressure 4-5 the other day after coming across one of their videos on Youtube. I got into them during my Sam Goody days when we received the promo for their album and were able to spin it when we wanted to, instore. They were a bit set apart from the normal glut What Happened to Pressure 4-5?

Recipe: Paleo-Keto Chili

Ingredients 3 lbs grass-fed ground beef 1 large onion, chopped 8 cloves garlic (or 8 tsp minced) 2 x 15 oz cans diced tomatoes 6 oz can tomato paste 4 oz can green chili peppers 2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup chili powder 2 tbsp cumin 1 tbsp dried oregano 2 tsp sea salt 1 Recipe: Paleo-Keto Chili

Photos: Wyndham Grand Hotel, PNC Park

A few recent shots. The first is not at night, but early morning, walking through Point State Park off the eastern side of Route 279, facing east-northeast. The Wyndham Hotel is in the (sort of) center, the Batman-cowl looking building on on its right is PPG Place. The gray-striped building I believe are the Gateway Photos: Wyndham Grand Hotel, PNC Park

Story: Quarantine IX

The story below is a work of fiction. A competitor called in all their remote workers, ones that were hired during you know what. So we did it too. Mandated by next calendar year. People are already pregaming before the big day. Today there was a guy in my normal seat at the cafe. I Story: Quarantine IX

Photos: Massachusetts

We took a trip to Massachusetts. Here are some photos. The ducks and geese at Hager Pond in Marlborough. They have been here for as long as I can remember: Webster Lake in Webster, MA. The real name is Lake Char­gogg­a­gogg­man­chaugg­a­gogg­chau­bun­a­gung­a­maugg. The “shortened” name is Lake Chaubunagungamaug, which manageable but ridiculous for normal English-speaking mortals: Photos: Massachusetts

Recipe: Paleo-Keto Protein Pudding

Ingredients 2 tbsp sugar-free peanut butter 1 scoop protein powder 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream Directions 1. Combine all ingredients in small stovetop pan 2. Stir over low heat until well combined Useless Information and Photos I originally did this in the microwave but it turns out so much better on the stovetop. The macronutritional Recipe: Paleo-Keto Protein Pudding

Video: Wave Racer EP Medley

Kind of mind-blowing that one guy can conceive, draw, and animate something like this, and have it come across the way it does. The poor girl just wanted to play an arcade game! Obviously the music is from someone else, and speedoru had help with the brief 3D animation, but the rest is all him. Video: Wave Racer EP Medley

Gamification Works

When I got the notification on my Fitbit app a few weeks ago that I got the Kevin badge for doing 22,222 steps in a day, I had to get the third and final badge, for the heterochromic Bob. Being a completionist kind of guy doesn’t help, either. In my defense, I was in the Gamification Works

Betting on Consciousness

Interesting. “Decades-long bet on consciousness ends — and it’s philosopher 1, neuroscientist 0“: The findings from one of the experiments — which involved several researchers, including Koch and Chalmers — were revealed on Friday at the ASSC meeting. It tested two of the leading hypotheses: integrated information theory (IIT) and global network workspace theory (GNWT). Betting on Consciousness

Recipe: Beef Bone Stock

Ingredients 2 lbs beef bones 2 chicken or pigs feet 2 onions 2 carrots 2 celery stalks 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 cup of salt 2 tbsp ground pepper 2 cloves of garlic Directions 1. Roast bones and feet for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 2. Place the bones and feet in a large Recipe: Beef Bone Stock

Video: My Minecraft House

I built a house in Minecraft. On all the gate entrances I put up my banner. It’s a cross, because Jesus, with a red skull over it, because death (lots of plants and animals need killing in Minecraft). I am very dark and poetic, you see. I wish you could see the banners from far Video: My Minecraft House