Google Chrome browser is probably the best PDF viewer I’ve used.  If you have Adobe Reader installed–as most PC users do, since it’s often included with other software, or even installed by your PC manufacturer at the factory–there’s a good chance it’s left you open to serious security risks.  I won’t bother linking to all the security issues it has going for it because a) I don’t feel like wasting so much time, because b) your security is your job, not mine.  But I will suggest you do a Google search for Adobe Reader security issues and do some reading.

One alternative many people began using after the Reader security flaws were made very public, is Foxit Reader.  It’s a great PDF reader, but also has a few security concerns, often the same ones as Adobe Reader.

So, why not get rid of both of those, and just use Google Chrome browser instead?  Late in 2010, Google announced every future version of Chrome would have PDF viewing built in:  http://chrome.blogspot.com/2010/11/pdf-goodness-in-chrome.html

A few versions later, it’s working better than ever, and I’ve yet to find a PDF it doesn’t render perfectly.  There’s just one small issue that we have to look at when it comes to setting Chrome as your default viewer:  how the hell do you do it?  Unlike most programs, Chrome isn’t in the Program Files folder of Windows.  Instead, it’s hidden way down in the AppData folder, which is, by default, invisible.  So, what I’m here to do is show you how to find the Chrome.exe file, and then set it as your default PDF viewer.

Obviously, before you proceed, you need to install Google Chrome, so do it here:  http://www.google.com/chrome/

Once you’ve install Chrome, proceed…

First, open up My Computer (or just ‘Computer‘ on later versions of Windows), and click on Local Disc (C:).  Next, click on Users, and then on your name (or whatever you’ve named your account).  Inside this folder is AppData, but you probably can’t see it.

In Windows 7, click on Organize at the top-left of the window.  Next, click on Folder and search options, which will cause another small window to open.  Click the View tab, and then click the small circle next to Show hidden files, folders and drives.  Click OK and a bunch of folders will now appear in the window that were never visible before.

Find the folder called AppData, and right-click on it, then select Properties.  On the General tab, near the bottom, you’ll see there’s a checkmark next to Hidden.  Uncheck it, and hit OK.  A smaller window will open that gives you the option to apply this unhide action to all subfolders and files.  Make sure you click the small circle next to it, then hit OK.  Now, go back to Organize > Folder and search options > View tab > and click the small circle next to Don’t show hidden files, folders or drives.  All the other hidden folders will disappear again, but the AppData folder will remain.

Now, you need to go find a PDF file saved on your computer.  When you find one, right-click on it, then hover over Open with, and click on Choose default program.  You’ll see a Browse button at the bottom of this window, so click it.  Now, it’s time to find the Chrome.exe file, so you can set it as the defaul.

Click on Local Disc (C:) > Users > your name > AppData > Local > Google > Chrome > Application > chrome

Click on chrome and hit OK.  That window will close, leaving you back at the Open with window.  Be sure to put a checkmark next to Always use the selected program to open this kind of file, and hit OK.  That PDF will now open inside of Chrome browser, and the icons for all other PDFs will change to reflect that Chrome is now their default program.  You’re done.

When editing my photos, I typically use the Smart Sharpen tool in Photoshop, set to a value of 20, while leaving all other settings at default.  It works well for its intended purpose of compensating for a digital camera’s inherent lack of sharpness.  Then the other day, I decided to change a single value:  Radius.  I don’t remember the default setting, but it was fairly low.  I adjusted the slider to a value of 50.0, and suddenly my photo looked a crap-ton better.

I didn’t mess with brightness or contrast, curves, or even adjust colors.  I was so pleased with the results, I made a default action, so now I can just apply it to any photo with one click.  However, today I discovered something else… what if I do it a second time to the same photo?  The result is an HDR-ish(y) look, without all the effort.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work equally well for all photos; in fact, many come out looking completely retarded.  But for some, it works extremely well, without the super-over-processed look that some HDR photos end up with.  Obviously, opinions and results will vary, so use it at your own risk.

Louis XIV may have broken up and gone separate ways for the time being, but all is not lost.  Singer/guitarist Brian Karscig has started a new band, called The Nervous Wreckords.  Not ironically, the song I have playing right now, Similar But Not the Same, is a great description of the sound compared to Louis XIV.  In other words, it has the overall nuance of classic rock, with an updated sound.  It’s not quite Rolling Stones meets Led Zeppelin meets Pink Floyd meets The Beatles, like Louis XIV had going on, but it’s good stuff nonetheless.

Their first album is called Valuminium, and you can pick up the MP3 download version on Amazon right now for less than six bucks.

I use Drop.io quite a lot for sharing files with family and friends that live across the country.  It’s not something I use every day, but when I need it, it’s great to know I can count on it.

Unfortunately, Mark Zuckerberg and the Facebook crew have announced that they’ve bought Drop.io, and they’re going to shut down its services, and delete all data, in the middle of December.

Link:  http://mashable.com/2010/10/29/facebook-acquires-drop-io/

Not only am I, and countless others pissed to hear this news, but it’s just another reminder that, as web service users, we can never count 100% on any of the up-and-coming cloud services that are so common these days.

Vinyl is generally lame, too.

But a Ferrari F40 wrapped in faux carbon fiber vinyl is just about the most awesomest thing ever (short of an authentic bare carbon fiber body).  Click the link below to see it in all it’s glory.

And if that’s not enough for you, here’s a legitimately flat-black Ferrari F50, the often forgotten successor to the F40.

Sources:  Autoguide.com and Jonsibal Design Works

(click the images below for a larger view, since it’s difficult to make them out at a small resolution)

The first thing you do is select all the files you want to convert.

Right-click, and select ‘Get Info’ from the drop-down menu.

If you’ve selected more than one, a prompt may come up asking you if you’re sure you want to edit more than one track at a time.  Click ‘Yes’ to continue.

In the window that opens, click the ‘Options’ tab.  Look for ‘Media Kind’.  It’ll be set to Music, so click it, and in the drop-down menu, select ‘Podcast’, then hit ‘OK’.

That’s all there is to it.  Now go to the Podcast section of iTunes and you’ll see your tracks over there.  Sync with your iPod and you’re ready to go.

Biolab Disaster is a Mario-esque game, written entirely in HTML5 and Javascript, and works in most browsers.  It’s only a 3-level game, and not very difficult, but it’s a) a great time waster and, b) an excellent example of what a game can look like written in HTML5, without the use of Adobe Flash.

Link:  http://www.phoboslab.org/biolab/

Yes, it’s a bit difficult to look at, but screw that–this just may be one of the coolest cars of all time!  This baby rides looooow, has a front-wheel-drive, small-block Chevy drivetrain, and a cabin in the rear so big that you could practically live in it full-time.

As of this post, it sits on eBay Motors with a But It Now price of only $15,000.  That’s not bad for a roomy 2-seat interior, plus  sleeping for 4, a full bathroom with shower, kitchen with stove, and two A/C units.  Not to mention it’s more rare than many Ferraris…  there’s only the one!

Flickr Set

This beauty was seen on a stop sign near MU campus on 9th St.  Dubya would be proud.