Categories
Development

Google Chart API

Looks like Google released a very cool looking Chart API. Seems pretty easy to use. You just make a call to their API in the image src attribute passing the API some basic parameters and a PNG graph is embedded in your page.

There’s several types of charts available:

  • Line Chart
  • Scatter Plot
  • Bar Chart
  • Venn Diagram
  • Pie Chart

The API is fully documented and instructions can be found here.

Below is a real basic example of making a call to an image on the page:

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?
chs=200×125
&chd=s:helloWorld
&cht=lc
&chxt=x,y
&chxl=0:|Mar|Apr|May|June|July|1:||50+Kb

Sample chart

Categories
Adventure

Mr. Yuk-Yuk’s Wedding

Joe Mlinarcik's Wedding

Found myself with yet another wedding to attend. This time the groom was the mysterious two dollar bill tipper, who also goes by the name Mr. Yuk-Yuk. The wedding was at 4:00 on a Friday, so I took a half day at work.

Finding something suitable to wear was quite the challenge. Luckily a suit I had bought when I was in Wes’s wedding still fit for the most part so that was taken care of. Though I was destined to not remove the jacket for the entire night as my shirt was a wrinkled mess, and no iron was in sight. I managed to tie on my second try.

The Shepherd joined my on the ride to a church in Hammonton. It was located with no problems, and we were one of the early arrivers. It was a Catholic wedding so the services were a bit long, but it wasn’t too bad. The priest looked and talked just like Principal Anderson from Billy Madison. This had me laughing for the majority of the services, that and the got in my row ripping a couple of farts. I somehow found the strength to keep the majority of my giggles at bay and didn’t make too much of a fool of myself.

The reception was at Lucien’s Manor. Again I managed to navigate my way there without a single wrong turn. It was really nice in there, and the food was very very good. Joe told me to eat up, and I was true to his request. I devoured much food. I managed to escape when the Shepherd wanted out. Took my caramel apple and got home in one piece.

Categories
Adventure

Got a TV

My Samsung LNT4061F 40″ LCD HDTV just arrived Monday night. I ordered it through Amazon, they had a really good deal. Been looking for a TV for a bit and I really like the Samsung LCD’s so I figured now was the time to actually buy it.

Was tracking the delivery all day online on Monday and they finally arrived a little past 5:30 when I got off from work. So that worked out really well, had it set up in time to watch Heroes on it. I’m very much impressed with the picture. It’s a very, very bright screen. Might actually have to turn that down a little bit. Still need to upgrade the cable boxes so I can get a HD channels. Wii games look great on it using component cables, Super Mario Galaxy is very impressive. Thus far a very good purchase, can’t wait to get the HD channels.

Categories
Video Games

Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure

Zack and WikiWith my ankle pretty much shot still, I’ve found myself playing Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure a lot and finally beat it. It was a great game, one of the most original games I’ve played on the Wii. Old PC style adventure game that’s really makes use of the Wii’s unique controller.

The cartooney cel shaded graphics were great. I really liked the art style. And the difficulty of the puzzles was impressive as well. Many of them took numerous attempts and required the use of several Oracle Dolls. The Sea Rabbits are the finest group of pirates, especially world class pilot Johnny Style. Wiki the flying golden monkey who transforms into a bell (it makes sense if you play it) is one of the most loyal and noble sidekicks.

If you own a Wii, I highly recommend this game.

Categories
Adventure

Ouch, really bad ankle sprain

Sprained my ankle really bad last night. For reasons I’m still not sure of I decided to sprint to CVS to buy AA batteries, despite Scott telling me to just walk there with him. The running was fine, until damn Cedar Hollow turned into a street of cobblestones. That’s when I turned it and immediatley knew that something bad had happened. Kinda ironic I sprained an ankle running to CVS.

Scott was in that state of laughing but knowing that something funny really didn’t just happen, like when and old lady slips on ice and breaks a hip. I immediatley had to lay down on someone’s lawn when my new swollen ankle would no longer support any weight. I then managed to hop to Jared’s drop on the floor remove my shoe and see a slightly larger than tennis ball size swelling develop on my ankle. We got ice on it as soon as possible (I still think you guys were too slow on that, damn you all to hell).

Then continued to ice it for the rest of the night that I would spend as the odd man out in Wii Sports. Those bastards enjoyed playing my Nintendo while all I could do was sit there and ice. Later that night Dustin and Jared were kind enough to assist me to my car (luckily it is my left ankle not my right, so I can still drive). Then when I got home, managed to get inside and wrap it up as best I could. Upon waking this morning the swelling has really gone up as expected (whee!), and I can’t put any weight on it still. Not too much fun right now, though it was kinda funny as I couldn’t stop cracking up most of the time just thinking about how stupid the whole situation was.

Categories
Adventure

Jury Duty

Had to report for Jury Duty Monday morning. It was in Mays Landing at the massive courthouse. This place was huge, a very nice building. I arrived there at 9:30 AM and made it through the metal detectors without a hitch. Metal detectors are always cool.

Then I sat in some room with the other people who were serving that day too. There’s some very strange people. The strangest of which was seated behind me. It was some older man who made some of the most disgusting sounds I’ve ever heard from a human being. Heavy breathing, and a constant cough that felt like it was whacking me in the back of my head. Not very fun. And his stomach shot out like he was really pregnant or something. Strange man indeed.

When we moved into the court room I wasn’t one of the 14 selected to be jurors. However after 4 people were excused from serving, I was the lucky 5th name called. I entered the box. It wasn’t too bad, just had to make it through the jururs to get to my seat. Since I knew one of the witnesses in the case I was excused and my time serving the in jury box lasted a whole 30 seconds or so.

It seemed like such a long day. Just sitting there, not allowed to talk or really do much of anything. Luckily I didin’t have to report on any other days that week. That was my jury adventure for at least the next 3 years.