HOLA (ala UČ tune "Vertigo") all,
"New Guy", here - Ready for my "life's story" (heh) & a regular "collage"? Since this is a "getting to know you" kind of thing?? I thought it'd be appropriate to be THOROUGH!
So... that all "said & aside" - Here goes, since this is a "get to know you" type thing:
----
"STARTING ENGINE":
----
My real name's Alexander Peter Kowalski, & I am from the United States of America. I am a multiply degreed (MIS/Comp. Sci.) + multiple time internationally published professional software engineer of 15++ yrs., professionally (Network Administrator/Software Engineer) by trade, & I love the internet (changing the way people THINK, & COMMUNICATE!)
----
"ENGAGING CLUTCH" getting 'into gear':
----
Me, having FUN (celebrating)
Myself & one of my ex's "3 sheets to the wind" on New Year's Eve! LOL, what a nite... I think I had a hangover for 2 days after (I mean, lol, look @ my eyes! Red as stoplights - Dracula had NOTHING on me that night, hehe!)
----
"SHIFTING GEARS" now (1st gear):
----
I like F A S T cars too, & this is my "latest ride":
&
& this was my ride before it, below (God rest "betsy's" (named after the Harold Robbins novel no less) soul - cuz this car? SHE HAD "SOUL"... lol, @ least before I BLEW THE MOTOR (ticked me off large))
(Sure - I'd like to be able to afford the new Jaguar XKR series, but, that's a "wee bit beyond me" lol, @ least for now, gimme a couple years more)...
----
"SHIFTING GEARS" again (2nd gear):
----
I also am a huge fan (& former collegiate NCAA starter/player) of the sport Lacrosse!
(& I come from one of the best, IF NOT THE BEST, places in the world to learn it):
The Central N.Y. State area is currently home of the:
- NCAA Division I champs 10x now, as of today (1983,1988,1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2004, & 2008) Syracuse University
- NCAA Division II champs 3 yr. in a row & iirc, 4x (2007, 2006, 2005, & 2004), & my old 'AlmaMater', Lemoyne College who JUST fell short THIS year, as runner up
- NCAA Division III former champs (& last yr. runner-up) Cortland State
(Here was my last year there, before I got injured & could not play anymore my junior year (I still "lettered" though)):
http://www.lemoynedolphins.com/sport...story/1985.HTM
& that's me, 3rd row on right from bottom - with the "CHEVELLE" T-Shirt on (love hotrods - I had one then in fact 1972 SS Chevelle) + arms folded, & mirrored sunglasses as a sophomore in College:
& these 2 old friends/acquaintances of mine are a couple OF THE GREATEST athletes I have ever known as well below in this sport!
(& I've been exposed to quite a few, All-Americans & the like - these 2, stoodout above the rest, bigtime... & we all grew up together in a town called Camillus N.Y. (suburb of Syracuse) -> Mr. Todd Curry #16 of S.U. & Mr. Tom Korrie #24 of S.U. (& both are formerly from from W.G. Highschool, mentioned below (both are World "Hall of Fame", All-American, you-name-it)))
IN FACT - One of the PROUDEST moments of my life, was scoring against their team as a FRESHMAN player no less! I had in highschool before (I ended up @ a diff. school than W.G. later, because my parents got divorced), but, this was a different level of play - on the collegiate level.
(S.U. is the 10x United States NCAA Lacrosse Champ, & also in 1983-1984, the year we played them in a scrimmage between divisions)
That was @ Coyne Field in front of my parents, my sis, but most importantly in front of my "little bro", Captain John Kowalski, USMC (a hero in his own right - then, he was only 8 yrs. old or so though)!
(@ the end of the game, though we hadn't seen one another in years, Mr. Curry said "GOOD SHOT AL" (they KILLED US, 21-1, but... I got that 1, & stopped the "shut out"))...
LeMoyne (my alma mater) has NEVER been "shut out" in that sport either... & I wasn't going to let THAT happen all those years ago (1st yr. there was a "varsity" team there for this sport no less, & NCAA membership etc.))... that was 1 of 2 times I stopped that (the other was vs. RIT).
Heh, & I absolutely HATE to lose (especially if it's nobody's fault but mine)... I truly do, but that time? I was actually proud anyhow (losing to them was NO dishonor, they were THAT good, legendary in fact!) - It made me realize 1 thing in this life: I can PLAY WITH THE BEST OF THEM, in anything (confidence is key, to success) when I put my heart & soul into things!
I originally come from where even this nation's best highschool team for it (where I initially learned it, kids play it in the neighborhoods there even, vs. baseball & such) is located:
The West Genesee "WILDCATS" High School (ALMOST 24 state championships in a ROW, in one of the hardest league states in the union, a world record) is, in Syracuse N.Y., U.S.A.!
See - I guess my point in showing others in my post here is, that in my life IS that I feel I've been fortunate, in having been exposed to + had around myself, some TRULY great people ("world class", all of them - athletes, computer scientists, educators, & more... God's been GOOD to me, in this respect - people like them? INSPIRE YOU, to do great things (or try to @ least))
(YES - I am very proud of this sports stuff above &, to this day - It was an accomplishment that between good grades & doing ok in highschool sports got me a scholarship all those years ago - it changed my life - Can't have "sound mind" w/ out "sound body" (I must be insane & a physical wreck, right? Hehe) - because of that stuff, I am still an avid fan of being in good shape: It does help you think better too!)
---
"SHIFTING GEARS" once more (3rd gear):
----
My best little buddy is my little niece McKenna (we are going to the zoo today in fact (Sunday - 05/25/2008))
(She is a joy to be around, only 6 yrs. old, but makes me "smell the roses" (that's her saying the word "FLOWER" for the 1st time when she was 1.5yrs. old, after I taught her it, checking out bees, & ants + other stuff kids love) when we go out to play (which is nearly ALWAYS outside, lol) & makes me realize the world's NOT SO BAD, after all!)
And, "There she is", with her pal "Rusty" (whom @ the time, lol, she called "Ru-Tee", she was only 1 yr. old or so!)
She's even my co-worker when I clean (LOL, a rarity - remember, I am a SINGLE guy!) This is my FAV pic of her, & here is why: I was cleaning & lost track of her while I vacuumed... I looked around, & saw here "helping", lol, with the pushbroom! Hilarious, to myself @ least... had to catch her in the act, for posterities' sake & memories!
& here she is getting ready to sleep (after I read her a story of course!) - Can you tell, I really LOVE her? Absolutely... (she's not only my niece, but a wonderful little person & my PAL too!)
---
"SHIFTING GEARS", nearing 'overdrive' (4th gear):
----
My best pals are:
Jack (a private investigator who "keeps me in line" lol & whom I raise hell with on occasion (with him though, gotta watch it, he's a MONSTER @ over 350lbs.!!!))
&
My Tenant @ my home in the lower apartment, Jim (whom I play chess with, he's great (@ least a 1,000 games the past 6 yrs. now, split down the middle, great competition), & whom I "raise hell" with too, lol)... This fellow has one of the greatest personal philosophies I have ever encountered, & that is whomever he meets that day, he aspires to make THEIR day, better...
---
"SHIFTING GEARS", hitting 'overdrive' (5th gear):
----
I also love:
- GREAT Food (one of the simple pleasures in life)
(& am even a 1/2 decent cook (for a guy))
"IRON MAN" ruled recently, & Tony Stark's one of my heroes since I was a boy (into comics then), go see it!
It was truly, "inspirational", funny & great action + Special FX... & moreso than just that, it showed that Robert Downey Jr. is BACK (god bless him, the man deserves it, in overcoming adversity... only CHAMPIONS imo, can "pick themselves up off the floor", & overcome adversity!)... perfect guy for the role, & he even LOOKS like the comicbook version of Tony Stark, no less!
(Good film is a "big entertainment" for myself (call me escapist, I don't care, lol!))...
Listening to "INXS" & their songs "Never Tear us Apart" & "MYSTIFY" from the "KICK" album, as I edit this... good stuff - too bad their lead singer passed away, just as they were hitting the "top" of their game!
---
"SHIFTING GEARS", (downshifting, & into neutral dropping the clutch, & the "turbo spools down"):
----
And, of course, I love F A S T Computers too... Due to the inspirational qualities of 1 of my "Technical/Intellectual personal Heroes" portrayed EXCELLENTLY by one of you brits (the great David Bowie) no less? The Legendary NIKOLA TESLA (father of radio, the Tesla Coil, & the TESLA TURBINE):
I aspire to be THAT great, but... I am not made of THAT calibre mental material imo - Like sepulchre said below (editing now) "one of the greatest minds there ever was" &, he was. The once in a 100 yrs. mind/per generation imo! Also, Per the film "IRON MAN" above? "Well, I'm NOT Tony Stark"... but, we try!
Anyhow - that's me below "Dreaming in Digital" (a forums board member did this for me, years ago, & I still have it):
"GHOST IN THE MACHINE..."/"Deus Ex Machina..."
* So... anyhow/anyways, There 'tis! Pleased to make your acquaintance - I have stayed off forums boards (for roughly a year now) in order to keep all my time devoted to making money & discharging other of life's duties, but You all can thank (or, lol NOT thank) Cat-Tranz for getting my attention & getting me into YOUR forums here...
APK
P.S.=> Also - during my stay here so far, I have noted that many of you I have are from the UK, & my fav. so far? Cat-Tranz... she's really nice! Plus, you Brits? Well - you have one of my "screen heroes" as one of your major BBC1 shows, in "Doctor Who" & that all said & aside?
I also do freeware development for a hobby! Here is my "latest creation", in honor of the longest running Sci-Fi (big fan of this genre, often called "THE LITERATURE OF CHANGE") series on the planet, which is again, Doctor Who (1962-present):
================================
APK Doctor Who ScreenSaver 2008++
================================
http://www.drwhodaily.com/community/...st=0#entry1550
================================
It's 100% free, & of fairly 'advanced' design!
- Multithreaded coded engines (2-6 threads depending on its stage of operation)
- "1 moving part only design" single .scr executable structure (via internal resource storage of the animation it plays (the new series 3d intro) as a memory accessible resource!)
- It is even self-checking vs. virus & corruption (in other words, binary viruses CANNOT affect it without it knowing & shutting itself DOWN to stop 'spreading the disease')
... & it was developed in the FASTEST combination of code I know possible - Borland Delphi 7.x highly optimized by compiler & by profiling by hand (via hi-res multimedia timers), Win32 API calls, & Inline Assembler code.
If you like Dr. Who? You may like this one - It was MY tribute to that show & I've loved it since I was a young boy, the concept's excellent, + is always a good "morality play" & the world today needs MORE of that (do the right thing type stuff)...
======
PLUS - I am only a 'sort of a "brand new guy"' here, because around 6 months ago here? I put up a guide onto your forums here:
-----
HOW TO SECURE Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003 & VISTA, plus make it "fun to do", via CIS Tool Guidance:
http://www.thenewtech.com/forums/ope...03-vista-3550/
-----
That was part of my "New Year's Resolution" to "DO A GOOD DEED"... & so far, that's gone pretty well, here & elsewhere online! It got me paid $100 even (the "lord works in mysterious ways"), QUITE unexpectedly, & that was a surprise over @ PCPitstop.com, - but, not unappreciated!
(All in all - The guide was to help others stay as SAFE as possible online, on their Windows machines (2000/XP/Server 2003 & VISTA even))
So far, "worldwide", across 20 computer-oriented forums? On 15 of them, that guide has been made an:
- "STICKY/PINNED THREAD" (5)
I was "just doing my part", to stop the misguided scum that make us computer programmers look bad - virus/spyware/trojan/rootkit creators - & thus, SO FAR, judging by the results?
Well - I suppose I got my New Year's Resolution accomplished by the looks of it... (& this, is good + what "went around, came around" in getting that prize from PCPitstop (was nice surprise, for doing what I felt was "the right thing"))!
(Thus, you KNOW I'm into computers - I do them both for a living & hobby (been fortunate to have found a career I enjoy is all, & I thank God for that @ least))... apk