Hector Alejandro's Blog

Winter wonderland (In HD-R)

2010-02-12T22:13:00.001-08:00

Notice: These pictures are best viewed in full-screen. Click on an image to view a larger version.View a slideshow comparing the HDRs with non-HDRs here.

Second 2010 Snowstorm If you live in the United (50) States chances are you’ve seen some snow by now. The AP reports Hawaii as the only state without snow so far. Unless you live in downtown Atlanta, you probably haven’t seen the beautiful white powder as it covers Georgia Tech’s campus:

GT Logo at Crecine Apartments

The view of the Burger Bowl from my window as the snow came down.

GT Logo on a snowed up van

Close-up of the snow on the leaves

Students building a snowman on the Burger Bowl

The view from outside Armstrong Hall

A Georgia Tech Bookstore van covered in snow View the entire gallery of 57 photos here.

All images are licensed under a creative commons attribution license. Feel free to use them as you please as long as you attribute them to me (Hector Alejandro).

#ATLSnow

70 on Campus HDRs

2010-01-31T09:54:00.001-08:00

Background

I spent about an hour on Friday walking around mostly east campus taking some HDR shots.

Most of these shots were taken from the west stands of Bobby Dodd Stadium and the surrounding area.

The pictures

All these photographs are licensed under a creative commons attribution 2.0 license.

You can view the entire set (70 HDRs), and the non-HDR image on my flickr page.

Leave me a comment with suggestions or recommendations for future HDRs.

Pen Tool

2010-01-03T14:38:00.001-08:00

Orange Bowl Wallpapers

I’ve been working with Photoshop and a little on Illustrator recently learning how to make graphics. You can see some of my latest wallpapers, all Orange Bowl themed, in the North Avenue Bulletin.

The Pen Tool

So far the hardest thing for me to grasp had been the magnificent pen tool.

I had heard of its power but it wasn’t until I recognized the importance of the “convert point tool” that the light bulb came on.

The tutorial that helped me understand can be found by clicking on the penguin.

Next Challenge

I’m looking for the next challenge to tackle on this Photoshop/Design game. If you have any projects you’d like me to try let me know. I’ll make wallpapers, posters, logos, etc.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T13:54:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas
Originally uploaded by hectorir

Feliz Navidad

Picking the 2009 Bowl Game Winners [College Football]

2009-12-19T12:58:00.001-08:00

Ordered by confidence:

Chronological Order:
Printable, chronological version.

Today’s Games (Saturday 19)

The season kicks off with Fresno State vs. Wyoming, followed by Rutgers vs. UCF.

The first game should be an easy win for Fresno State with the help of a strong effort by the nation’s leading running back Ryan Matthews (151.3 ypg).

The second game will be much more competitive. I think UCF will have the lead for part of this contest, but Rutgers comes out victorious at the end.

More bowl game predictions to come…

Update on Ice Machine Water

2009-10-10T08:11:00.001-07:00

I received this message from maintenance:

“Checked water and ice machine there is know visible signs of any thing that would cause problems.the water is coming out clear and it has a aerator to restrict any thing from coming into the tap.Refering this to mechanical shop for to also look at.9-30-9 1-01-09 services call from bernard washington,to check ice machine,removed cover with the assistan from M2,ice machine was service and clean,inspected the water filter,filter in good condition install 8-09,and carry a 12 months exp.”

Feel free to keep drinking the water in the kitchen.

If you do experience any type of facility related problem, please make a maintenance request here.

7x7 (Part 2)

2009-09-28T11:56:00.001-07:00

Originally Posted on the “Knowing Changes Everything” Blog

for Georgia Tech Admissions

7 Lists x7 Days

My first seven blog posts will be lists of 7 ranking some of my favorite things at Tech. Each day I will post a new list. I have some topics in mind, but if there is a specific list you’d like to see, let me know on the comments box.

1. My top 7 classes at Tech so far

3. 7 things I always carry with me on campus

3-7. TBA

7 things I always carry with me on campus

7- Pen & PaperYou never know when you’ll get a great idea, but if you have a pen and a notebook, you’ll have somewhere to save that thought until you need it again.

6- Something to read

Whether I’m waiting for a Stinger bus, my class to start, or just waiting in line, I always have something to do by reading one of the magazines I keep on me in my sack pack (see 5). On Fridays, when the Technique comes out, I’ll pick that up to stay up to date on campus news.

5- My Sack PackThis Under Armor brand sack pack has come in handy and proved quite durable. I carry it with me whenever I don’t have my laptop book bag with me. I need somewhere to put all that reading material, and textbooks of course.

4- A CameraThe notebook helps me remember ideas, but the camera lets me capture moments (on video or photo) that occur spontaneously on campus. I also use it in places like the library where I can take a picture of the call # of the book I’m looking for, then view the photo when I’m actually in front of the book rack. 99% of the time, taking a picture of the call # is faster than writing it down.

3- My Cell PhoneI’d estimate about 90% of students on campus have a cell phone. Out of that 90%, 60% has either unlimited or a high number of pre-paid text messages. Texting is a popular way of communicating with class group members and friends on campus.

2- My Room Keys

A few buildings (Hefner & Armstrong for the Freshman Experience) already have RFID Buzz Card entry systems installed in their residence halls which allow their residents to enter the building without using a key. That isn’t the case for me in Fitten. I learned early on that you can’t afford to lose your keys. The fee for having your key replaced is somewhere in the $75 range!

Most rooms on campus require the resident to open 2 locked doors before reaching your own room door. Fitten has 3 locked doors before reaching my room door, so if I do forget my key that would be lots of waiting around for someone to let me in.

1- My Buzz Card

You don’t need your Buzz Card, unless you plan on:

Eating at a dining hall
Taking an exam
Entering the library
Getting back into your residence hall (for the North Avenue apartments as well as Hefner-Armstrong)
Paying for your broken chemistry lab materials
Paying for a variety of things on campus (from vending machines to your books @ Barnes & Noble)
Attending a Freshman Experience area-wide program
Paying for your laundry
Paying for things like Six Flags night (scheduled for last Friday before the flood changed our plans) or World of Coke night (scheduled for this Thursday)
Entering the Student Center after-hours
Playing intramural sports (Buzz Card checks you in each game)

So basically, your Buzz Card is an essential item. Never leave your room without it.

What other lists would you like to see? Let me know in the comments section.

Websites shown in the PL presentation

2009-09-14T18:46:00.001-07:00

http://www.2ndfitten.com/

http://2ndfitten.blogspot.com/

http://getsatisfaction.com/

http://2ndfittenfridge.tumblr.com/

http://www.mailchimp.com/

http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/dashboard?id=unmgindvv0fvlb9rk4djuqrrc8&gsessionid=xo2xI1WthPbcHPni-Uin2A

http://twitter.com/2ndFitten

http://twitter.com/heftyfitnstrong

http://twitter.com/fittenhall

http://cotweet.com/channels#heftyfitnstrong

http://groups.google.com/group/HFAteam

http://sites.google.com/site/miniepcot/

https://t-square.gatech.edu/portal/site/d16d989a-f7fb-44cf-881b-93a39600883e/page/7c2aa8c5-6301-4523-b4e9-23558f63f515

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hectoralejandro/tags/

http://docs.google.com/#spreadsheets

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AqFxHjaCrODJdE8zcWxsUllZNmNJTnk0Z0dPQVljenc&hl=en

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&cfg=true&formkey=dE8zcWxsUllZNmNJTnk0Z0dPQVljenc6MA..

http://crush3r.com/page/mswxlickcw#module_invitation

http://crush3r.com/

http://www.funofficepools.com/ncaafw09/pool_results_summary.php?ps_key=10d363c80ab&pool_key=925ccf3ffdb

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_annotate?v=NVNeh39zYo0

http://screenr.com/

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=s&utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-na-us-bk-gm&utm_medium=ha&utm_term=google%20maps

http://www.google.com/calendar/render?hl=en&pli=1

http://www.teampages.com/teams/18322

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlXRengzZoc

http://www.dafont.com/

http://delicious.com/hectorir

http://www.google.com/reader/view/#stream/user%2F16733121427057370742%2Fstate%2Fcom.google%2Freading-list

http://alejandro.hector.googlepages.com/

http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=CE8205B6-32B2-48D4-994C-3323B9F58679

http://www.google.com/chrome

My Room

2009-08-25T21:10:00.001-07:00

Photosynth is awesome!

Tuesday of opening week

2009-08-11T20:58:00.001-07:00

Between working ‘parking’ for the Fitten Parking lot:

Working with the Hefty-Fit-‘n’-Strong Team:

Playing with Fire:

And getting to hangout with the new 2nd Fitten boys:

I’d say today was a good day.

Can you spot the difference between these?

2009-07-29T18:20:00.001-07:00

I updated and changed around a few things on my Twitter backgrounds for @2nd Fitten & @hectorir. Can you spot the changes? Leave your answer in the comments.

Hint: Some are less obvious than others

@hectorir (before)

@hectorir (after)

@2ndFitten (before)

@2ndFitten (after)

To Sprint or to Boost?

2009-07-28T21:32:00.001-07:00

Background

My “Rumor” cell phone has served me well for the past year, and my Sprint mobile coverage has been decent for the past 3 years, but the prices are just getting too ridiculous!
After paying an almost $80 bill last month due to a incidental download I made, I’ve decided its time to make a change to my mobile plan.

My current options

Boost Mobile’s $50 unlimited everything plan definitely caught my attention. I’d probably change to it right away if I wouldn't have to pay an Early Termination Fee for leaving my Sprint contract 10 months early.
Today I found a good plan from Sprint that would save me $20/monthly. The biggest drawback is it doesn’t have the free incoming minutes that my current plan has.
I made the charts below comparing the costs & features of 4 plans (my current plan, Sprint’s Everything Messaging 450 & 900, and Boost Mobile’s unlimited everything plan).

Below are my current usage trends:

My plan is…

If I switch to the Sprint 450 plan for the next 11 months or until my Sprint contract expires, and then switch to Boost Mobile’s unlimited everything, I’ll save the most money (long-term).
So far this looks like my best option considering my usage needs and the Early Termination Fee restriction.

If you know a better deal let me know.

If you have any good/bad experiences with Boost Mobile let me know.

Comment via Twitter or on the blog.

Leaving for OCS tomorrow

2009-05-20T19:20:00.001-07:00

OCS 6 weeks - Packwhiz.com via kwout

For 42 days starting tomorrow, I’ll be training at the Quantico, Virginia Marine Corps Officer Candidate School.

I’m all packed up and ready to go now. Flight leaves at 7 AM, so I’ll be going to sleep soon.

-Candidate Alejandro

The World of Sid and Marty Krofft

2009-05-14T09:35:00.001-07:00

The World of Sid and Marty Krofft
Originally uploaded by King Power Cinema

If you've ever taken a tour of the CNN center you've probably heard of "The World of Sid and Marty Krofft".
It used to be there before the CNN World Headquarters arrived in the late 80s. That's back when the building was known as the Omni complex.
This image I found on Flickr has a pretty good map of the "first indoor amusement park".

Can Wolfram Alpha live up to the Hype?

2009-05-13T15:42:00.001-07:00

Check out Wolfram Alpha’s latest Screencast featuring 13 minutes of example queries and results.

They’re webcasting the Launch

Well that’s something different. I can already imagine Wolfram trending on Twitter this Friday May 15 with links sending people to the live stream or the Wolfram page.

What IS/ISN’T Wolfram Alpha?

What it isn’t:

A “Google Killer”.The Wolfram Alpha database is not an index of webpage and files on the internet.
A promise to make the web completely “semantic”. Although I’m sure the ability to use natural language commands for search has been an integral part of the project, it can only be used (for now) within the parameters of their database.

What it is:

A tool to compute data using innovative perspectives.
A place to find real-time and historical data covering a great deal of topics.
A large scale demo of Wolfram’s other software, Mathematica.

What it could be:

A very useful mobile application.
A partial substitute for Wikipedia.
A game changer in politics. The economic, health, science, and _____ comparisons we’ll be able to make will help us view national and international issues from a different perspective.
The beginning of Web 3.0.

Screenshots of the Screencast

Interesting correlation: It knows DNA too!

An incomplete list of what Wolfram Alpha can do

What’s your take on Wolfram Alpha? Will you use it? What improvements would you like to see?

Having fun with maps!

2009-05-12T15:10:00.001-07:00

UMapper.com has this awesome feature that lets you create “dart-maps” so you can quiz your friends on just about anything that has to do with geography.

I made a few quizzes, give them a try:

ACC Schools- How well do you know your ACC Schools? If all fails, just click somewhere in North Carolina. That gives you a 1 in 3 chance of being on target.

Georgia Tech 2009 Football Schedule – Planning on following the Jackets wherever they might travel this season? Let’s see how much you’ve scouted our 2009 football opponents…

Georgia Tech Locations/Landmarks- Whether you’re an alumni, a current student, or just a fan, quiz yourself on some of the famous (and not so famous) locations around campus

7 wonders of the ancient world – Let’s see what you can remember about World History…

US Marine Corps Pacific Theatre (WWII)- Locate some of the major battles of World War II. Semper Fidelis!

Top 10 New York City Landmarks & Attractions- What do you know about our nation’s first capital?

Post your scores in the comments!

Learn to make your own dart maps HERE.

Countdown To OCS Begins (36 Days)

2009-04-14T21:20:00.001-07:00

The Countdown

Countdown To OCS (1st Increment)

In 36 days I begin my journey through Marine Corps Officer Candidate School.

What I’m Doing Right Now

Right now its 11 PM and I have papers, essays, group presentations, tests, simulations, and just plain old homework to do before “dead week” begins on Monday.

At some time before/during/after I do those things, I’m also writing my North Avenue Bulletin, doing what I always call “PL Stuff”, and preparing my mind and body for the rigors of OCS.

What I need to do during these 36 days

Between now today and May 21st I need to work on bringing my run time to below 18 minutes, doing the ever elusive 20 pull-ups, maintaining the endurance needed to hump 3-6-9-12 miles, embed all the Marine Corps knowledge I will be tested on so that I don’t mess up under pressure, and of course gain weight.

Those are things that I’ve been “working on” since freshman year, but now its really crunch time, and I’ve always felt that I work even better under pressure.

Let’s see what happens

OCS Countdown Bookmarklet

Don’t know what OCS is about? Check out this video:

Hector's Fall 2009 Schedule

2009-04-13T10:44:00.001-07:00

So I registered for classes this last Saturday.

I did my usual strategy of clicking everything under INTA, but it didn't really work because that only got me to 12 hours.

I still haven't taken INTA Sci & Tech because the teacher always insists on scheduling it for late in the day. I think I'll have to add that to my schedule though because its a pretty easy class and I think its 2000 level making it the only 2000 level class I havent' taken yet.

Im almost done with all my INTA classes now and I won't be having any NROTC course for the fall, meaning that I'm moving into my free/cluster electives. For now it looks like Music Technology & Principles of management will fill those needs. HTS (Modern Cuba) will fill out my HTS requirement. Hopefully Cuba doesn't change TOO MUCH between now and the time I begin taking that course.

I'm done with all my languages for good.
I should probably meet with my advisor to see what he/she thinks about this plan, and to see what else I have left before "getting out".

I Can Read Your Mind!

2009-04-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

I bet I can see what's in your mind from where I sit at the keyboard, if you'll just answer a few simple questions. DO NOT skip ahead!

1. Choose a number between 1 and 10.
Got it? Ok.
2. Take that number and multiply by 9.
This shouldn’t be too tricky, but take your time.
3. If your number is a two-digit number, add the numbers together. If not, skip ahead.
Ok.
4. Now, subtract 5 from the number.
I think I’m getting close here. Just a few more questions.
5. Line your number up with its corresponding letter of the alphabet.
So, 1=A, 2=B, 3=C, 4=D, 5=E, etc.
6. Think of a country that begins with the letter you’ve got.
Now, this is important, and where things get hard, so when you’ve got your country, I want you to concentrate on it VERY HARD for a few seconds. I’ll be here in the internet, trying to intercept your brainwaves.
7. Next, you need to envision an animal whose name begins with the LAST letter of the country you were just thinking about.
The picture’s almost clear. One or two more steps and I’ll have you.
8. Finally, take the last letter of that animal and think of a fruit that BEGINS with that same letter.
Now hold it in your mind!! I think it’s coming clear finally… . . . . . . .
9. You are thinking of a kangaroo eating an orange in Denmark!!!!!
Amirite? That’s the POWER of the internet!! If I’m wrong, it just means your think differently than 98% of people, so congratulations on being so independent-minded!!
Found this on BuzzFeed

NROTC Lookout March 09

2009-03-29T19:20:00.001-07:00

Check out a few clips from the March 2009 edition of Georgia Tech NROTC’s “The Lookout”, our midshipman publication

So Much To Do

2009-03-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

So far during my spring break, I know I've done alot of work, but it doesn't look like it.

I've been trying to:

Clear all of my unread Google Reader articles (Download my XML/OPML)
Work on my brand and on 2nd Fitten's brand in Twitter, on both blogs, reading up on SEO, etc
Clean & organize my room
Answering questions of incoming freshmen
Plan Housing related programs
Reading military related articles & books
Watch movies
Make my March Madness picks
Relax
Discover new songs
Watch Puerto Rico loose the WBC
And much much more

My next big concern is working on this blog. The design is poor and the content is still pretty low.

Along with this blog, I'm planning on starting a new blog named the "North Avenue Bulletin" where i'll be exploring topics related to Georgia Tech and Georgia Tech Sports.

Imma get to it.

Economic Crisis

2009-03-10T12:35:00.001-07:00

I’ve been trying to figure out what this whole recession/economic crisis is all about.

This article from Wired has helped me understand what’s going on.

This video has helped fill out the holes:

And this article, from Wired as well, has shown me a very appealing way to “fix” the problem.

Hello

2009-02-05T14:47:00.001-08:00

Posted via SMS from hectorir's posterous

Hector Alejandro's Blog

Winter wonderland (In HD-R)

Notice: These pictures are best viewed in full-screen. Click on an image to view a larger version.View a slideshow comparing the HDRs with non-HDRs here.

All images are licensed under a creative commons attribution license. Feel free to use them as you please as long as you attribute them to me (Hector Alejandro).

70 on Campus HDRs

Background

The pictures

All these photographs are licensed under a creative commons attribution 2.0 license.

Leave me a comment with suggestions or recommendations for future HDRs.

Pen Tool

Orange Bowl Wallpapers

The Pen Tool

Next Challenge

Merry Christmas

Picking the 2009 Bowl Game Winners [College Football]

Ordered by confidence:

Chronological Order:

Today’s Games (Saturday 19)

More bowl game predictions to come…

Update on Ice Machine Water

7x7 (Part 2)

Originally Posted on the “Knowing Changes Everything” Blog

for Georgia Tech Admissions

7 Lists x7 Days

7 things I always carry with me on campus

What other lists would you like to see? Let me know in the comments section.

Websites shown in the PL presentation

My Room

Tuesday of opening week

Can you spot the difference between these?

@hectorir (before)

@hectorir (after)

@2ndFitten (before)

@2ndFitten (after)

To Sprint or to Boost?

Background

My current options

Below are my current usage trends:

My plan is…

If you know a better deal let me know.

If you have any good/bad experiences with Boost Mobile let me know.

Comment via Twitter or on the blog.

Leaving for OCS tomorrow

The World of Sid and Marty Krofft

Can Wolfram Alpha live up to the Hype?

They’re webcasting the Launch

What IS/ISN’T Wolfram Alpha?

Screenshots of the Screencast

What’s your take on Wolfram Alpha? Will you use it? What improvements would you like to see?

Having fun with maps!

I made a few quizzes, give them a try:

Post your scores in the comments!

Countdown To OCS Begins (36 Days)

The Countdown

What I’m Doing Right Now

What I need to do during these 36 days

Hector's Fall 2009 Schedule

I Can Read Your Mind!

I bet I can see what's in your mind from where I sit at the keyboard, if you'll just answer a few simple questions. DO NOT skip ahead!

1. Choose a number between 1 and 10.

2. Take that number and multiply by 9.

3. If your number is a two-digit number, add the numbers together. If not, skip ahead.

4. Now, subtract 5 from the number.

5. Line your number up with its corresponding letter of the alphabet.

6. Think of a country that begins with the letter you’ve got.

7. Next, you need to envision an animal whose name begins with the LAST letter of the country you were just thinking about.

8. Finally, take the last letter of that animal and think of a fruit that BEGINS with that same letter.

9. You are thinking of a kangaroo eating an orange in Denmark!!!!!

NROTC Lookout March 09

So Much To Do

Economic Crisis

Hello