Technologic

If you have a device which you want to have on the internet but it is a huge hassle to plug into your router because it is in a different room, then this article is for you!

Technologic is the name of a very cool song. Look it up on YouTube. I call this blog Technologic because more and more do I seem to be the technology geek in GAP. I guess my father's blood runs in my veins because I am fascinated with solving computer problems. God bless my wife for putting up with me while I am hacking away at computer problems.

So I am writing this post because open source software (Unix) has broken into my life once again in a wonderful way. Open source software is programming that utalitarian super nerds somewhere out there in cyberspace decide to create and give away for FREE! Some examples of open source software are: OpenOffice, Firefox, and Thunderbird. Unix is code that everyone is required to share freely. Is there really anywhere else in the world that people just create things and give them away for free? Thanks to this open source unix firmware I have figured out how to do something so cool with a wireless Linksys router that I am compelled to share.

I installed DD-WRT firmware on a WRT54G.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/

This firmware allowed me to use my router (instead of my laptop) to connect to local wireless internet signal being broadcast at my apartment complex. Once I connected my DD-WRT router to the local broadcast it redistributed the internet signal through the hardwire ports in the back and wirelessly! This is useful if you have wireless internet upstairs and a desktop or X-Box downstairs which does not have wireless capabilities. This is also useful if you live in an apartment where free internet is being broadcast and you want to have it in your apartment.

Let me tell you how it works. DD-WRT firmware is unix based software which gives ordinary routers extra special features. First visit this website and see if you have a router which in on the list of approved devices.

Then go to the “Tutorials” section of the website and follow the instructions. There is a lot you can do with this firmware! Read up on it and see if there is any extra functionality you wish your router could do. Happy routing!

Note: If you install open source firmware on your router the manufacturer will not cover it with support or warrenties.

Grand Canyon

Bethany and I got to visit one of the seven natural wonders of the world for the first time, the Grand Canyon. Upon arriving at our lovely bed and breakfast, with serious emphasis on the breakfast. Our host, Casey, cooked a mad awesome breakfast which included strawberry crepes! But seriously folks, if all you have to do is provide a bed and a breakfast, why not do both well? Casey did both well. We stayed in Williams, AZ which also happened to have some cool Cowboys.

The first night Casey told us how to get to the canyon and what time the sun would be setting. We headed out for our first look at the massive crack in the earth. There were clouds that evening so sunset wasn't that spectacular over the west view of the canyon but our first sights of the natural wonder took our breaths away. It is simply stunning to see! The next day we took lots of pictures along the south rim and then ventured down for about 1.5 miles before we turned around, passing mules and many hardcore hikers. That barely gave us a taste of what it's like to hike the whole thing. We definitely want to go back and maybe try to make the 2 day hike to the hidden Havasu Falls. There is no road that leads to the falls and it is on an Indian reservation. Anyone up for a trip to one of the most photographed water falls in the US?

There is an amazing tourist town set up on the edge of the Grand Canyon with people visiting from all over the world. We ate at a restaurant (the food wasn't special, really it wasn't. I had turkey and cheese on wonder bread for more money than your average all-you-can-eat buffet) but we had a very respectful Chinese waiter who would bow every time he came by our table. I opened the door for an elderly couple and they responded, “Merci” sadly my French failed me and I simply smiled and bowed like my Chinese waiter had taught me. As we walked around the park we noticed that dozens of nationalities seemed to be represented. We saw Germans, Chinese, French, Hindus, Mexicans, and heard plenty of languages being spoken I simply did not recognize.

Bethany and I watched a 30 minute IMAX presentation of the Grand Canyon which was wonderful and awe inspiring. Multilingual translations were provided via headphones to those in need. The movie ended with a quote similar to this, “The transcendent beauty of the canyon causes humans to inwardly rise towards the infinite divine and reach for each other in bonds of peace.” This quote makes everyone feel included except atheists. Pictures really do not do the canyon justice (play the video clip and you will hear my wife's testimony). Even after visiting the canyon for two days and watching a movie about it we still felt we had just scratched the surface of this awesome canyon. It did make our thoughts travel upwards to the creative power of our heavenly Father.

Bummer Times

So this past week I happened to get two speeding tickets. Wow. What a wake up call. I do not recall ever learning in my drivers education classes how much freedom cops have to hand out ridiculously large bills. In Arizona if you are caught going 1 MPH over the speed limit you can get fined over $100.

Not only can cops fine you that much money for such a small error but cops sometimes don't have to even sit in the cars they use to fine you with. I will explain how this works. The cop can park a special SUV and go for a pizza buffet followed by some flash games on his state issued laptop (the previous statement may be less than fully factual). While the cop is indulging himself a special camera technology on top of these police SUV's remains. It rises like a black Asherah pole to a dark god as you can see in the photo provided.

From the top of this pole pictures are taken of every vehicle which zooms by at an inappropriate speed. Two weeks later you receive a letter in the mail with a picture of your smiling face, your license plate number, and a sucker punch to your wallet.

At this point in the story my parade has already been rained on. I have been fined around $400 dollars. A five day trip to Sea World costs that much money. The next day we have our good friends over in GAP, Charles and Michelle. These really are our only good friends in GAP because we work our butts off everyday and have no time to make friends. While visiting, Charles smiles in his disarming manner putting us completely at ease and says, “My wife has something to tell you guys.” They proceed to tell us they are leaving GAP due to issues with the ministry administration and so they can have more family time for their new baby. My jaw drops with such force that my teeth get whiplash. I then cried a river of tears that filled the wash runoff outside my apartment to overflowing. Even after this display of sorrow our friends still decided to leave. They are wonderful and we love them.

Praises: For God's work in the Charles and Michelle life and the love of Christ they have shown us.

Prayers: God would give us peace and patience with our job and while we build friends. Pray that God also would continue to provide!