Covert USB Drives

Today, I want to mention a couple of fascinating items that kind of fall under my love for the James Bond stories. Gotta love that spy stuff, right? Now, the James Bond tales are one part gritty espionage action and in a lot of the movies more than the books, it involves some complex and not-so-complex gadgetry (and in some of the movies, a ridiculous amount of gadgetry). But the two items here not only provide some awesome storage, but they do it in a clever little package.

Take this, for instance.

Why, that's a bit of frayed USB cable, right? Someone had some rotten luck with the dog, I would guess. And why wouldn't you guess any different? Anyone who has enough cables laying around their house (like I do, just listen to the Queen complain about them -- love you, honey) will know that one of them ends up like this eventually if you're not careful (well, mine don't end up like this -- actually, I've never shredded one like this on accident...yes, I said on accident). 

This thing is actually a 2Gb flash drive. That's space a plenty for your important files, and it's very doubtful anyone would steal this bit of cable or even ask to borrow it for their own RAZR hacking purposes. No, your data is probably safer here than on a standard USB drive that looks suspicious like a...well, a USB drive. I think the best picture to paint with something like this is to imagine yourself in McDonald's, happily enjoying the free wi-fi access with your frayed USB cable sticking out the side of your laptop, and catching the looks of the strangers concerned about your sanity as they steal glances at your broken cable while you laugh inside knowing they don't know the truth.

Here's the link.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/drives/ab63/

The other covert drive just might end up in someone else's pocket, if you're not careful, but it will make you popular in the smoke hole...oh wait, my building doesn't have a smoke hole anymore. But you know, those people bring their cigarettes, but forget their lighters. Ah, but you're the hero! For some reason unbeknownst to your smoking friends, you carry a lighter, and assist them in their unhealthy habit with this classy little job:

But wait. That doesn't make sense. Why would someone who isn't smoking be carrying around a lighter? Impromptu fires? Afraid of being caught in an ice storm unawares? Going camping over the weekend? Truly disposing of your trade secrets most effectively? And then, with a glance left and right, you sit down to your computer and pop your lighter into the side of it.

Oh yes, for 8 Gb of storage, I would definitely keep my lighter on me at all times. I mean, a lot of good gossip passes in the smoke holes. I was told at one job that the best way to find out what was really going on in the business was to hang out with the smokers outside, since they talk while they smoke. Not sure what other purpose a lighter would have in todays world... But hey, it's cool.

Here's the link to this one.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/aacd/

Finally, we have this little job:

Ah yes, now theres something truly useful. If you aren't using your cell phone for the time, you can keep time on this handy watch. The watch has been used for some time to keep time on one's own wrist. This was apparently before we had the time displayed in the lower right hand corner of our screens.

But this particular watch, like our other items, is special. You see, this watch has either 2 or 4 Gb of storage on it in the same USB drive format as the other items:

Who saw that coming right? So like James Bond, your watch would have a secret in it. No, it isn't lasers or a bomb detonator, but it could hold secret files for the communists plan to take over the world. Just break into said communist leader's office, plug in your watch and start downloading. When done, make your way back to the party in the other room, and no one will be the wiser. It's a lot easier than carrying some 3.5" floppy around.

Here's that link:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/watches/9771/

Guitar Hero: Metallica

So the time has come for yet another music rhythm game to hit the market. If you've read my blog much, you know I love these types of games. I used to be big on the platformer games, but these have taken my heart since they couple video games with one of my other loves: music. I'm actually running a bit behind on my collection of these games, though, and I'm not sure I'll catch up before this Metallica game comes out. 

I still lack the Rock Band track packs -- all three of them. Thats 40 random songs and an entire disk dedicated to AC/DC. I also happen to need (yes, that's a need) Rock Band 2. Now, I know that seems a bit strange going for random songs, but I only play it to play the songs. I actually don't care what the songs are. In fact, I've discovered some new (and old) songs that it turns out I like. I would never have discovered these if not for Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I love that Rush song, "Tom Sawyer," but I wouldn't have known it so well if not for Rock Band. Metallica is actually another one, since I've enjoyed a couple songs from previous games.

But here's the most interesting part (to me) about this upcoming game. If you've ever, ever seen a picture of the Metallica band, you might notice the drummer has two, not one, bass drums at his disposal. This new game is going to be a full band game meaning guitar, bass, vocals...and drums. So how is it fair that the real drummer has two drums and we only get one? 

Get this. The game will be sold as a stand alone, not a package containing the guitar, drums, and microphone, but sold separately will be...a second bass pedal. Time out! A second pedal? Meaning that we can actually play some double pedaled bass drum?! I don't have the Guitar Hero drums, but with this revelation, the need for such an extraneous item becomes even higher on the want list. I can't help but wonder how you work a double pedaled bass drum if the drums only have one plug for the pedal. 

The geek mind works and I wonder if they're using a splitter to plug in both pedals. And if that's the case, could a similar principal be used on Rock Band to plug in a second pedal? Ah, imagine the possibilities. Those annoying speed bass pedal songs would be so much easier having a second pedal down there. I know, they're supposed to be possible with only one pedal, but my leg wears out on some of those expert level parts. Oh well...

So, though I'm not a huge Metallica fan, I do enjoy some of their songs, and I'm a sucker for these games, so I'll be wanting this one too. Of course, it's supposed to be a bit harder than GH World Tour, but the Metallica songs that are in the other games are in the upper levels, so that's to be expected. I probably won't get it on March 29, when it comes out, but eventually...it will be mine, too.

Human Physiology

It has been an interesting weekend. We got our state refund after only two days (gotta love that electronic filing), and so opted to go out get a few things that we were lacking and that the sudden financial downturn of the economy (read: cutting of overtime) had prevented us from getting. One of those items was nothing more complicated than some new jeans, and here's where it gets interesting -- to me anyway.

When I was in high school, I weighed about 165, but my pants were a 32 waistline. This weekend, I tried on jeans and can easily wear a 30 waistline, but my weight is sitting around 185. Curious, thought I, that I can wear a smaller size than higher when I'm 20 pounds heavier. But there is a difference. In high school, the most I did was marching band and video games, but over the past six months (or so), I've been working out more vigorously with running and other exercises, meaning my muscles are probably more toned than they were then. Muscle mass is heavier than fat, and if I have been building that mass while losing fat, then this sort of weird mismatch is plausible.

Of course, I could have just been wearing pants that were too big for me, but I do remember having to go from 30 to 32 back then because I thought I was just growing. The 30's no longer fit right (and for all intents there were some 30's I tried on that were too tight, though the ones I ended up with fit just fine). Still, I tried to wrap my head around how I managed a smaller size since high school, and the whole muscle vs fat thing is all I've got at this point. 

I've lost about 25 pounds since I've started seriously working out, and I guess it's doing me some good. I haven't had any heartburn in a couple months (used to get it all the time), and the Engineer told me that my face has thinned out. In addition, other people we've known for some time have observed that I've lost some weight, so clearly something is working. 

What did I do to accomplish such a feat? I didn't do any kind of diet. I simply regulate when I eat, and I pay attention to when I feel full. I also run several times a week for at least thirty minutes. My goal when I started running was to try and hit the Army passing time for an eighteen year old. Haven't reached that point yet, but I'm almost ready to try upping the treadmill speed to passing for my age group. If I can do 7 miles per hour for 2 miles, I can pass an Army PT test for a 33 year old. 6 miles per hour is getting easier, and I think the next time I run, I'll give it a shot. If I do 7 miles per hour for my full thirty minutes, that will be three and a half miles. 

Not too shabby considering I got my treadmill only last April or May, and I only started being really diligent with it around August or September. Now, I don't have my six pack yet, but if indeed I am toning my muscles as I'm doing my strength workouts on the Wii Fit, then by the time the fat is trimmed off my belly, I just might have something to show for myself come the summertime. I might also need some new pants...