System Seven Blog
Created by Josh Rossenbach
By Josh Rossenbach
1. XML is for structuring data
Structured data includes things like spreadsheets, address books, configuration parameters, financial transactions, and technical drawings. XML is a set of rules (you may also think of them as guidelines or conventions) for designing text formats that let you structure your data. XML is not a programming language, and you don’t have to be a programmer to use it or learn it. XML makes it easy for a computer to generate data, read data, and ensure that the data structure is unambiguous. XML avoids common pitfalls in language design: it is extensible, platform-independent, and it supports internationalization and localization. XML is fully Unicode-compliant. Read more »
By Josh Rossenbach
Counting cards is possible in blackjack (or “21″) because the game is played with dependent trials. To understand dependent trials it is easiest to first comprehend the meaning of independent trials. Take flipping a coin - each time you flip a coin it has an equally viable chance of landing on heads. Each coin flip is therefore an independent trial. Conversely, each time a hand of blackjack is completed, it is placed in a discard pile. These cards will not be available when the next hand is dealt. Therefore, the game of blackjack is based on dependent trials.
Anyone can count cards, and while it is not illegal, it is frowned upon by casinos and if caught you may be banned from the blackjack tables or from the premises. The most straight forward method of counting cards is the hi/lo system. Basically, whenever a 10, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace is dealt it counts as a -1. When a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 is dealt, it counts as a +1. All other cards (7 - 9) are considered neutral and are not counted. To find the target number, you divide the current count by the number of decks remaining in play. Anytime the target number is greater then +2, you should raise your bet. Read more »
By Josh Rossenbach
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) spoofing, also known as ARP poisoning or ARP Poison Routing (APR), is a technique used to attack an Ethernet network which may allow an attacker to sniff data frames on a local area network (LAN), modify the traffic, or stop the traffic altogether (known as a denial of service attack).
Basically, in an ARP poisoning attack you are virtually inserting the attacking computer in between the client computer (victim) and the gateway (or router). This allows the attacker to intercept all traffic, record the activity, and then send the packets on their way. This is known as passive sniffing. If the attacker modifies the data before sending it on, it is considered a man-in-the-middle attack. Read more »
By Josh Rossenbach
For as long as I can remember I have been in love with Marshall stack amps. It must all stem from the fact that the first album I owned (given to me by my sister for Christmas ) was MxPx’s Let It Happen. Gibson Les Paul guitars + Marshall Stacks = LOVE.
About 5 months ago, I went in to Guitar Center to spend a $30 gift certificate. That when I saw her. She had a few cuts and bruises but she was beautiful. The Marshall TSL100 (JCM2000) coupled with a vintage JCM900 angled cab. It was one hundred watts of unadulterated, monstrous noise. Read more »
By Josh Rossenbach
I have taken the MSF course put on by Team Arizona. I have my motorcycle license. And, I have been drooling over the 2007 Kawasaki Ninja 650 for the past year. But, the MSRP on the 2007 650 is still about $6400 and I just can’t justify the cost for something that I plan to cruise around on from time to time.
Enter - the 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250. Read more »
By Josh Rossenbach
I just posted my portfolio page. It is just a compilation of various websites that I have done through the years. Would you believe that I have worked on 32 different web development projects over the past 8 years? If only I had the motivation to see them all through. Someday though, I fully intend on retiring and living off the income generated by one of these brilliant ideas.
I mean, don’t get me wrong. I enjoy my current job and the people I work with (most of the time). But, who wouldn’t want to be their own boss? The risk is something that I will have to come to terms with. I admire people like Bobby G who see angles in business and dive right in. He is able to conquer the fear of failure and put his money where his mouth is.
One day, one of these ideas will be too good to pass up. I just need to maintain the drive to not give in to laziness and see the project through to the end.
By Josh Rossenbach
So I got bored one day and thought I’d start a blog. I realize there are millions of other blogs out there around these here intertubes. But, I figure I can kill two birds with one stone on this one - I love to do web design and back end coding (enter - wordpress + godaddy hosting) and every once in a while I have some thoughts that I would like to hold on to. Since my memory is not so good, I figure, why not have some space to store it online (hence - the new blog).
There is no real purpose to this blog. I am pretty random, so it is going to be pretty random. Nobody is forcing you to read it, so take everything for what it is worth. If you dig it, hate it, or can relate, let me know. Comments are welcome on all posts and will only be lightly moderated for spam.
Welp, since it’s about 4:45 a.m. I am going to shut it down.
