Minstrel Mike's Blog

How I got a FREE iPod!

nospam@example.com (Minstrel Mike) — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:59:06 -0700

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this already!

Most "interesting" thing to happen to me lately! I scored a FREE iPod ! (iPod touch 2G 16GB)

That title "How I got a FREE iPod" (and so can YOU!) sounds like one of those "advertising fulfillment schemes" (like this article explaining the old "Free X-BOX" stuff, but if you read on here, it's nothing like that, really), but maybe it'll get me a few extra hits! ...

So, keep reading if you want the exhaustively detailed account of the twists and turns leading me to my very first iPod ...

If "cleanliness is next to godliness" then what could possibly be next-door to "i-pod-li-ness" ? (I agree, this statement makes almost no sense contextually, except that this is a pretty long entry for me, so be aware!)

Continue reading "How I got a FREE iPod!"

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Five (5)

nospam@example.com (Minstrel Mike) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 14:26:00 -0700

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Five (5)

[Edit: 2009-04-05T05:25] Sorry, ALL codes gone already!
Three codes lasted about 8.5 hours this time!
Stay tuned for Round Six! (Next weekend, unless I happen to move quicker!)

You will notice that the three (3) 12-pack (10-point) codes below are "bad", since they are "illegible", at least to me. I've tried each a few times, with no success. Hence, the "game" ...

The FIRST person to figure out the "bad" part of each code, gets to use it on MyCokeRewards.com, and gets the ten (10) points, of course!

Continue reading "My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Five (5)"

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Four (4)

nospam@example.com (Minstrel Mike) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:40:00 -0700

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Four (4)

FINALLY! The next "Bad" Code Game!

[Edit: 2009-03-23T12:20] Sorry, ALL codes gone already! Stay tuned for the next batch.

You will notice that the three (3) 12-pack (10-point) codes below are "bad", since they are "illegible", at least to me. I've tried each a few times, with no success. Hence, the "game" ...

The FIRST person to figure out the "bad" part of each code, gets to use it on MyCokeRewards.com, and gets the ten (10) points, of course!

Continue reading "My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Four (4)"

JP4KP&G: Chapter 10. More Java Building Blocks

nospam@example.com (Minstrel Mike) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 03:18:00 -0700

And on we go: Java Programming for Kids, Parents and Grandparents, chapter 10: More Java Building Blocks (p.139, 150 in PDF). This chapter basically covers a handful of further Java "building blocks", which were not covered so far. I assume these are necessary to the completion of the book's (final) "example/exercise" goals: creating a graphical ping-pong game.

Continue reading "JP4KP&G: Chapter 10. More Java Building Blocks"

JP4KP&G: Chapter 9. Saving the Game Score

nospam@example.com (Minstrel Mike) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:50:00 -0700

Finally got done with chapter nine of "Java Programming for Kids, Parents and Grandparents": Saving the Game Score (p.124/136="explicit"/PDF page number).

Took me a while to "get around" to working on it, in sufficient sessions to work out the exercises. No particular reason, just didn't DO it often enough!

Continue reading "JP4KP&G: Chapter 9. Saving the Game Score"

Wall of Diet Coke ...

nospam@example.com (Minstrel Mike) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:51:00 -0700

I used to drink a LOT of Diet Coke ...

Over the summer, I tried to sort of keep track, and I could EASILY go through a 12-pack EVERY DAY!

After I took the picture of the "Wall of Coke", it strikes me ... That's TOO MUCH!

Continue reading "Wall of Diet Coke ..."

JP4KP&G: Chapter 8: Program Errors - Exceptions

nospam@example.com (Minstrel Mike) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:51:58 -0700

Well, finally, here's the next post about my self-inflicted Java™ tutorials: JP4KP&G: Chapter 8: Program Errors - Exceptions.

This seemed to be a relatively "short" chapter (11 pages), compared to the previous chapter (ch.7, Tic-Tac-Toe, 19 pages), seemed LESS than half the time to read. But it took me about five and a half (5.5) hours over the past week to get the "Practice" exercises done.

Continue reading "JP4KP&G: Chapter 8: Program Errors - Exceptions"

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Three (3)

nospam@example.com (Minstrel Mike) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:16:00 -0700

EDIT: 2009-01-17 15:46-CDT: First Three Already GONE, More to Come!

EDIT: 2009-01-30 19:06- CDT: AGAIN! These codes are ALREADY redeemed, so you don't have to click it unless you just WANT to; More on the way, when I get around to it!

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game

Below, you will find scans of three (3) "bad" MCR 12-pack codes.

You will notice that these codes are "bad", since they are "illegible", at least to me. I've tried each a few times, with no success. Hence, the "game" ...

The FIRST person to figure out the "bad" part of each code, gets to use it on MyCokeRewards.com, and gets the ten (10) points, of course!

Continue reading "My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Three (3)"

Back to JP4KP&G - Chapter 7: Tic-Tac-Toe

nospam@example.com (Minstrel Mike) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:15:00 -0700

Updated 2008-01-08 21:03!

So, FINALLY, back to "Java Programming for Kids, Parents and Grandparents" (subsequently, "initialized" here as "JP4KP&G").

Just to recap a bit ...

I recently acquired an electronic copy of "Head First Java," part of the "Head First" series from O'Reilly, which seemed like an interesting way to try to teach stuff from books.

The "Head First" book seemed like it might be a good way to jump-start my only "formal" New Year's Resolution: to Kick-Start My Ass Back into Code-Slinging by re-kindling my self-exploration of Java (the programming language, I hate coffee). But first, I feel as if I should finish my previous Java book, since I made at least some progress with it.

So, in doing so (back to JP4KP&G), I decided to back-track just a little: "Chapter 7 The Tic-Tac-Toe Applet". As far as I can recall (and from my previous notes), earlier this year (still 2008, just barely), I'd gotten as far as Chapter 9, but since the "Tic-Tac-Toe" applet was the first "substantially non-trivial" example, I decided to start from there.

Continue reading "Back to JP4KP&G - Chapter 7: Tic-Tac-Toe"

Getting Re-Started with Java

nospam@example.com (Minstrel Mike) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:10:00 -0700

Now I'm trying to get "re-started" in my languishing "teach-yourself" experiment in Java programming ...

First, I need the latest (why not?) JRE; so far, so good: version 6 Update 11 downloaded (MB) and installed with no notable issues.

Next, the latest version of Eclipse (Ganymede SR1: v3.4.1) ... Again, so far, so good. Nothing to report.

Now, time for a little road-test: the ubiquitous "Hello, World!". Really, just to see if it all actually works at all.

Continue reading "Getting Re-Started with Java"

Minstrel Mike's Blog

How I got a FREE iPod!

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Five (5)

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Five (5)

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Four (4)

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Four (4)

FINALLY! The next "Bad" Code Game!

JP4KP&G: Chapter 10. More Java Building Blocks

JP4KP&G: Chapter 9. Saving the Game Score

Wall of Diet Coke ...

JP4KP&G: Chapter 8: Program Errors - Exceptions

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game, Part Three (3)

My Coke Rewards Bad Code Game

Below, you will find scans of three (3) "bad" MCR 12-pack codes.

Back to JP4KP&G - Chapter 7: Tic-Tac-Toe

Getting Re-Started with Java