And yes, I *did* just rush here to post something after a week of inactivity, just because I’d posted the link in the shack thread.

Busy again, nothing to post. But I’ve been messing with the Xbox a lot, dev stuff - I think I’m going to come up with something for XBMC’s Screensaver Contest. It’s not so much that I want a VGA adapter (though it’d be cool), it’s that it seems like a fun little project that I could use to get started with Xbox development and actually finish.

I’m also helping Sam get his blog started. I think some of his posts are going to be pretty terrifying.

XBMC is now my default dash, after some trouble getting it working that required me to boot up Splinter Cell again, forgetting that my box is setup to boot ltools if I start the Xbox with the drive open.

Anyway, the key is that I needed to put the XBMC executable as default.xbe in /e/Dashboard/ together with the XboxMediaCenter.xml config file, NOT in /c/

A modded Xbox is a wonderful thing, second only to the pot roast from the other day, maybe.

I softmodded the Xbox a couple of days ago, in an amazingly simple process that cost me $2.49 for a USB cable from this guy. Plus $4.99 shipping & handling.

Read on for the full experience.

Read the rest of this entry »

What the hell? Seaman was real?

Here’s a short but sweet entry - awesome list of co-op games.

I made the best pot roast ever today, together with mashed potatoes, fries, and gravy. It was just like what I order at Denny’s, only with no fatty bits and half the pubic hairs in the pan.

Anyway, in case you wish to duplicate this taste sensation (and also so I don’t forget):

~3lb rump roast
2 tbs oil
2 cans Campbells French Onion soup + 2 cans water
1 can Swanson’s vegetable broth
1 can sliced carrots
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano

Put the oil in a Dutch oven, and brown the roast in it.
Pour the French Onion soup and water in. It doesn’t matter if the roast isn’t completely covered.
Cover and leave on low heat for 2 hours. Turn the roast a few times during cooking.
Add everything else and bring to a boil.
Cover again and cook for another 1 - 1/2 hours.

It should now be nice and tender. Check the internal temperature to make sure it’s > 170F, and pull apart the meat, ready to serve. I ladled out the onions and carrots from the pot and used gravy, but you could also use the cooking liquid instead.