Blog - foXnoMad

Keep Track of Timezones: FoxClocks

foxclocksThis Firefox extension lets you keep track of several time zones from your Web browser. If you have friends and family overseas or on travel you can easily keep track of what time it is ‘over there’ so you don’t end up calling at 3am. You can download the extension here.

Here is another good Firefox extension if you want to keep track of your favorite sports teams.

Thanks Matt!

How to Rip DVDs and Burn Them For Free

Using free means ripping your dorm-mate’s DVDs personally created DVDs easily. College kids, frequent travelers, and people selling celebrity sex tapes here is how you do it. Of course you can forgo DVDs and watch free movies and TV shows online via PeekVid and TVLinks.

  • First thing’s first, you have to ‘rip’ and decrypt your DVD. All DVDs are encrypted (very poorly I might add) so download DVD Decrypter. Oh yeah, then install it too.
  • Get familiar with this interface, there are three parts that you need to to be aware of (Source, Destination, and DVD > Hard Drive).
  • The Source is the DVD drive your DVD is sitting in. For most people there is only one drive and it is selected by default, for geeks you may have 4 drives – but then again most geeks probably don’t need this tutorial.
  • The Destination is where all of the DVD files are going to be dumped. They are big files and to make them easy to find drop them to your C drive. You can do that by clicking the little folder.
  • Finally once you get all of that set, it’s time to rip baby rip! Click the little DVD > Hard Drive icon and the process begins.
    • It will take about 30 minutes, go grab yourself a beer.

Now the ripping part is done. You are left with some files in your C drive named after the movie (for example, C:\Godfather).

If you have Nero, you can use that to burn these “raw” files to DVD, but Nero isn’t free although Final Burner is. Download and install it. Hang in there you are almost done

  • When you run Final Burner, the start up screen will give you three options, select Burn an already authored DVD-Video (VIDEO_TS).
  • Make sure you’ve selected Burn an already authored DVD-Video (VIDEO_TS).
  • Then find the files you just ripped (aka. C:\Godfather).
  • You’ll find a file named VIDEO_TS in the (for example C:\Godfather) folder.
  • Click Burn.
    • 30-45 minutes later you’ll have your very own DVD, exactly like the original.

Last but not least delete the movie folder so you don’t use up useless space on your hard drive 🙂

This is for Windows users only it is way easier to do this on a Mac. Click this link download the free program Handbrake.

I know this is a long post, but if you want to rip and burn DVDs the free way, here you go! Good luck and if you have any comments let us know, well…in the comments!

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Army Stories Part 3: Entering Burdur

Burdur, Turkey is a small place and most everyone gets there via car or bus.

On the lonely, dusty highway in, as the signs tell you that only a few kilometers remain one gets the sense that the drive will never end. I have no doubt these feelings have something to do with anxiety, but as soon as I felt on the edge of the world a set of very familiar golden arches could be made on the horizon.

I’m not kidding…a McDonald’s, in the middle of nowhere.

As I was overcome with a small surprise (no, not a Starbucks in sight) I saw a haze from the car window which I made out to be the huge Lake Burdur. A few shops and small cafes began to line the street and while absorbing the town I was shocked to see a few thousand people in the streets, all with bags and chattering like little old ladies.

Some old, bald, and fat, they looked more like they were going on vacation more than anything else. At this point any feelings of anxiety were washed away (from me at least). Perhaps it was the crowd, seeing the surroundings, or excitement.

I hung around for a few minutes and got ready to go on to the base, surrounded by gray walls and the occasional solider with a machine gun directing traffic. Bags in hand people line up to go through metal detectors that beep every time someone passes through, but no one gives any notice.

At that moment something hits…that the reality you know is gone and you are entering a new order. Suddenly you are no longer under your own control.

Britons Entering the US: The FBI Wants Your Fingerprints

I’d be worried about this if I were British.

Millions of Britons who visit the United States are to have their fingerprints stored on the FBI database alongside those of criminals, in a move that has outraged civil rights groups.

The Observer has established that under new plans to combat terrorism, the US government will demand that visitors have all 10 fingers scanned when they enter the country. The information will be shared with intelligence agencies, including the FBI, with no restrictions on their international use.

Snow Days Based on the Federal Government: Recieve Email Notification

Many businesses in the Washington DC metro area base their ‘winter weather’ status on the Federal Government. If you are one of employees this affects, you can sign up to the Operating Status List which will automatically send you an email anytime there is a status change so you don’t have to sit through the boring local news.

This service is run by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management so you won’t receive any spam or advertisements. Also, you stay on the list unless you decide to opt out later on.

Btw – the Federal Government hasn’t been closed on account of the weather in the past three winters (not that anyone is counting). Gee, I wonder why…I’m looking at you mother nature!

About Anil Polat

foxnomad aboutHi, I'm Anil. foXnoMad is where I combine travel and tech to help you travel smarter. I'm on a journey to every country in the world and you're invited to join the adventure! Read More

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