Hijinks Inc.

Category: How-to

  • Scratch magic

    It’s probably happened to all of us LCD owners at one point or another… somethings scratches that beautiful real-estate you’re so proud of, and it makes you cry a little on the inside every time you see the glaring blemish. Good news! I’ve found a way to remove scratches… even fairly deep ones!

    Disclaimer: I’ve tried this trick on one screen, a Samsung LCD TV (LN40A550). I can’t be sure it works on all LCDs, and I’m pretty sure it won’t work on the glossy type, only the anti-glare screens.

    Ready for it? A white pencil eraser! Not the white ink pen erasers, which are rough, but a soft, white pencil eraser.

    When we received our screen at work it had several deep scratches in one corner. It looked as if something sharp like a screwdriver scratched it. After reading somewhere online that white erasers worked, I gave it a shot. I was able to completely remove them by rubbing them with a white pencil eraser for a couple of seconds, then cleaning the residue with Windex and a soft cotton cloth.

    Don’t believe me? Check out the pictures after the break. I can’t even tell where they were before, by sight OR feel. If your screen is scratched, consider giving this trick a try, then post a comment and let everyone know if it worked for you or not.

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  • How To Run Cracked .IPA Files

    Yes, this is blatantly illegal, proceed at your own risk.

    The App Store is missing one feature which I deem key, and that is the ability to try applications before you buy. While some apps offer “Lite” versions which accomplish the same thing, I’d like something a little more consistent.

    Enter the jailbroken iPhone solution.

    Requirements: A jailbroken iPhone / iPod touch running 2.0.2 or 2.1

    Stage 1:
    Open Cydia.
    Install Open SSH.
    Restart.

    Stage 2:
    SSH into your device. Default username is root, default password is alpine
    Then navigate to the following directory: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MobileInstallation.framework
    Make a backup of the MobileInstallation file from the directory above.
    Download the patched version of the file here for 2.0.2 or here for 2.1 (the 2.0.2 file might come up as a .dylib, if it does make sure and remove the .dylib extension after you copy it to your device)
    Copy the patched MobileInstallation file into the /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MobileInstallation.framework
    Set the permissions for MobileInstallation to 775
    Navigate to /private/var/mobile/
    Set permissions for the Applications directory to 777. Make sure reclusive is checked.
    Navigate into the /private/var/mobile/applications/ directory.
    Create a new folder named Documents in the /private/var/mobile/applications/ directory.
    Set permissions to 777.
    Navigate to the root level.
    Open the Applications folder.
    Create a Documents folder here as well. Set permission to 777.

    Restart the iPhone/iPod.

    Download an application from the app store (one of the free ones will work just fine)

    Now you’re free to download and install cracked IPA’s! Obviously for legal reasons I can’t link straight to a source for cracked IPA files, but they’re pretty easy to find, just do some searching.

  • 75 Skills Every Man Should Master

    Today’s young men are overly feminized, indecisive, binge drinking good-for-nothings who need a backbone and a brain. Or so my grandpa might say. For those of us who endeavor to rise above that description and desire to achieve real manhood, Tom Chiarella has a few things we can work on to get there. My favorite?

    29. Understand quantum physics well enough that he can accept that a quarter might, at some point, pass straight through the table when dropped.

    Sometimes the laws of physics aren’t laws at all. Read The Quantum World: Quantum Physics for Everyone, by Kenneth W. Ford.

    Followed closely by:

    30. Feign interest. Good place to start: quantum physics.

    It’s Esquire, so you know going in there will be questionable content in the general area. You’ve been warned.

    The 75 Skills Every Man Should Master


  • Run Facebook Chat in the Sidebar [Firefox]

    I could care less, but Facebook launched their GoogleTalk clone chat utility the other day. And apparently, just like GoogleTalk you can run it in the sidebar in Firefox. Woot.

    The upside to this is now you can chat with all your friends without having to open up Facebook, and you’ll be free to browse other websites while chatting.

    To add the Facebook chat to your Firefox sidebar, press Ctrl+Shift+B to bring up the Bookmarks Organizer.

    Go to Organize -> New Bookmark and type the following address: http://www.facebook.com/presence/popout.php

    Also mark the box that says “Load this bookmark in the sidebar”.

  • Spybot Pwns Your Windows Firewall

    Yes, I did just use the word “pwns” in the title of my post… blame it on the fact I’m typing this on my iPhone since Apple has my computer for the next week.

    So apparently Spybot has a nasty habit of taking away your ability to disable your Windows Firewall, go figure, so now when you go to disable it, the disable option is grayed out and cannot be selected.

    Here’s how to disable it manually:

    Click Start

    Hit Run

    Type services.msc

    Once it opens, find the entry marked “Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing [ICS]” and right-click on it and hit Stop.

    Now right-click on it again, and select Properties.

    On the General tab change the Startup Type to Disabled. Click Ok.

    And there you have it, no more Windows Firewall. Of course I would recommend installing another firewall solution after disabling the Windows Firewall, but that’s your call.