T.A.S. Independent Programming

Custom Visual Basic, JavaScript Programming & More
"If you think im loosing time, then your running late !!!"
Software Developed In The USA

Superstition Mountain - Apache Junction Arizona

Latest Site Updates

Review of the NWS's new HotSeat, The NWS Warning Decision Simulator.
Porn Pal, For The followers Of Gamma Entertainment.
Streaming Alarm Clock Radio SE 1.0 Public BETA 5 now available.
NWS CAP Alerts Ticker 1.2 is now available under Weather Utilities.
Spampal Supertoy 2.0 is now available under Newest Creations.

All of my software is freeware, however if you can afford it feel free to make a donation.

Donation Ideas
$2.00	Buys me a pouch of tobacco.
$5.00	Buys me a fishing trip.
$10.00	Buys me a new clothing item.
$20.00	Buys my dogs a bag of dog food.
$30.00	Buys me a shopping trip to goodwill.
$50.00	Buys me a shopping trip on EBay.

All donations are greatly appreciated!

Back At The Shop

Thomas Swift - April 2003
Owner, Senior Programmer And Webmaster Of
TAS Independent Programming

On April 15 2002 I set out on a journey to learn visual basic programming, everything on this website is one mans work. I sincerely hope you enjoy your visit! All the software you will find on this website is 100% Adware, Spyware free. It is provided for you free of charge. Their is very little advertising contained within this website. Every ad or banner is hand picked, because its something I believe in.

My Personal Weather Station

[ Full Screen Rapid-Fire Flash View ]

My Awards And Accomplishments Just remember excellence comes from the heart & determination !
Inet Who Is And NTP Example May 2008 [ My Other Code At Planet Source Code ]

Find out what it takes to be a NWS forecaster, take 10 minutes in the HotSeat!

Being interested in weather data as a programmer even before becoming a trained weather spotter for Pinal county, I always wondered just what those fellas down at the local NWS forecast office really did to earn their money. Just what kind of torture would one have to endure every day to fill just one of their shoes. Well today I ran across a website called NWS HotSeat. The NWS Warning Decision Simulator. Well to shorten this story a little I will say after playing with it for a while I have gained a new respect for our hard working meteorologists at the local NWS office. If you’re just a regular storm spotter like me I challenge you to go take a little time in the HotSeat! This little gem of a simulator was just way too cool not to share with the rest of you. It seemed a little goofy at first, but after playing thru the first scenario I am already addicted to it. You can guarantee I will be returning until I play every last scenario.

Needed improvements: I feel it would only be fair to include a reports log, like any normal NWS personnel member would have at his/her disposal. It would fit perfectly on the right side of the map. The simulation window needs to be launched into a full screen popup window so users don't have to use F11 key which seems to be disabled during the simulation.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/HotSeat/index.shtml

Not bad for a first timer. LOL And I didn't even read the tips and tricks.
The NWS really should develop this SIM into a full size game, it rocks !!!
Don't miss the extra scenarios on the contributors page! Now all they need is some desert scenarios.

Skills

20 Years Consumer Electronics Repair
20 Years All Around Appliance Repair
15 Years All Around Computer Skills
7 Years Web Design And Modern Programming

I specialize in all makes of computers, MS DOS & windows operating systems! Do you own a name brand computer and tired of talking to foreign tech support who are generally about as helpful as a box of rocks? Well I offer full out of warrantee technical support and repair for Dell, Hp, Compaq and more. Once you establish your self as a customer of mine you will get my personal phone number and you can call or leave a message for me 24 hours a day. I return all my customers calls generally within 24 hours or less. Not all matters can be handled over the phone but I will try. Only hands on diagnosis can deal with many serious computer problems.

Services Available

Virus And Spyware Removal
Custom Registry Editing & Tune-up's
Driver, BIOS & Firmware Upgrades
Hardware Maintenance & Upgrades
Peripheral Upgrades & Maintenance
CD-ROM Optical Cleaning & Belt
Laptop Battery Repair
Mother board recapping.
Home & Small Office Networking
Wi-FI Setup & Diagnostics
Front Page Web Design & Consulting
Web Multimedia Feature Integration
Streaming Multimedia Encoding
EBay Buying, Selling, & Consulting
General Computer Skills Tutoring
In Home Appliance Repair & Consulting
In Home Small Wiring Projects
Non Gas Wire Feed Welding Projects
Small Engine & Power Tool Repair
Other Consumer Products Repair

Feel free to visit my EBay Trophy Case to view a few of the personal items I have repaired in my spare time.

Recapping Score Card

By recapping motherboards I have to date brought back over 10 boards from ether unstable status or completely dead. In fact this very website is being served off one of them.

Their are motherboards being sold right now that people are buying simply because their motherboard of the exact same build failed. These capacitors have failed because they where under rated for the circuit they where placed in or else where such poor grade they simply failed due to heat. Most all of these motherboards once recapped with updated higher rated components are capable of running like tanks and making a true friend that's going to last you for years.

I pride my self in being honest and finding true solutions for my customers rather than the typical garbage you will get anywhere else. I will always try to repair a computer first, before recommending a customer buy either a new motherboard or whole PC. Unless that's what the customer wants to do.

General Fees

$25 Bench
$20 Hour labor
$10 Laptop battery repair
$20 Motherboard Recapping
$20 Hour in home computer tutoring.
$40 In home computer repairs 1 hour or less.
All parts and associated shipping fees are extra. You provide the transportation for all in home services. All other service prices are negotiable depending on services needed. Generally battery repair with labor, parts and shipping will run around $50. That's around 1/2 what a factory battery would cost.

What I Don't Do

Repair most internal hardware in laptops.
Charge for what I cannot fix!

About Me

I have lived here in Apache Junction all my life. I have lived here at the same address for 35 years as of 2009. So if your looking for dependable 100% drug and alcohol free, honest, low cost, well experienced help with your computer system, programming solutions or just wanting to better your personal knowledge. I am always available here in the Apache Junction Arizona area for your computer needs. I can usually get most computer jobs done in the same length of time or less and at about 25% of what local shops charge. The reason that I can offer this is I literally have that much experience that it don't take me as long as my less experienced competition. Please feel free to use the contact form on the left or simply click the button below to get in contact with me. I always love hearing from people who share my interest in computers.

The most common question I get, is if there is anything made that I can’t fix. The answer is hardly. I have found a few things I cant fix but they are few and far between. I have been repairing things since I was old enough to hold a screwdriver and a soldering iron. Even before that when I was about 6 years old I use to tear everything apart just to see how it worked. I was first introduced to a computer in the 6Th grade which I wrote a continues loop program and got an A+ on an Apple 800E. I was the only student that got a decent grade for that activity. Which really blew the mind of my teacher because I was such a rotten student other than that. Later I discovered that was only because I simply learn differently than most people. I first got heavy into basic programming when I was 14 on an old Timex Sinclair ZX1000. Throughout the years since I have programmed on several different computers as well as operating my own BBS's back in 1987 under commodore All American BBS software and again in 1989 under TriBBS software. Which I had over 25 door games for the users to play. Including the Legend Of The Red Dragon. So I guess you could say I grew up along with the advancing technology, software and video games. I use to do a lot of custom interface programming on my favorite Commodore Desk Model 128 which also had the C64 mode. With the help of the old Loadstar window toolboxes. That was a lot of fun.

I wrote all the first party software contained on this site as well as the site my self. The majority of the software was written from scratch. I packaged all the programs in installers myself. While most others where playing games I spent my time expanding my knowledge of windows operating systems, hard code-able computer languages and webside programming. It may not look like much, but a lot of hard work is represented in this website and the hand written software available at this site. I have custom written almost all the JavaScript code in this website. The programs isn't even a half of it all. Their is many more prototype codes on my main computer that just simply didn't make a grade good enough to package yet and share with the rest of the world. Some I hope to return to and bring forth. Some may never see the light of day.

If that's not enough convincing that I'm one of the best in the Apache Junction area. This website and the weather data from my location at weather underground is being served by a single PC in my own workshop at my home. A fully dedicated private web server. Its not just another website being hosted by some huge web hosting provider. It is a PC linked through wireless to a secondary wireless network access point that is connected to A 2Wire DSL modem. I have my domain parked through TuCows and I pay $5 to Qwest for a static IP every month. I set up, programmed and maintain the entire system my self. So if you need to know if I know how to network computers. As long as you can view this site, here is your proof that I am a genuine web master!

All I am trying to put forth here is enough information to show all who question. I am a hard working dedicated technician and your computer or appliance will not be my first rodeo. I hope for others to hire me work their computers back into shape, in a caring way to preserve your data. The same care and dedication goes into every item I repair. There isn't a computer or appliance made that I cant repair, provided the hardware is in proper condition and parts are available. Due to my knowledge of computers and electronics theory I can diagnose if not fix most all hardware problems if they raise their ugly head. Why wonder what happened to your PC or appliance when I can ether fix it, and or else offer you full forensics of its failure? I dare you to find another tech offering such experience. They exist like I do, but are few and far between. Then if you find one I doubt they will be as down to earth as I am. I can just about explain anything to where the general laymen can understand it. I also don't get mad if you cant. That just makes me try to spend more time to teach you what might be lacking. After all I'm far from being any rocket scientist! In fact I suffer from Left Brain Adult ADD, Narcolepsy and learning disabilities. Its just plain strange that all this stuff comes natural to me. But its what I love and truly enjoy doing. I guess you could blame it on my father because he was an electronics engineer and I wanted to be just like him. Now even he comes to me with all his computer problems.

Am I bragging, Hell yea! If you could pull all this off wouldn't you?
What I enjoy is I come by all of it honestly, thru hard work and dedication.
Sincerely Thomas A. Swift

Note to telemarketers: I do not like telemarketers, I paid for this site to offer my services not solicit yours so don't even bother! I can find anything I'm needing or wanting to buy without having it crammed in my face!

My Political Side

I want to voice my opinion which I'm outraged with the US Department of Homeland Security. Their blatant interference with Joe Arpaio's efforts to rid the US of illegal aliens is completely inexcusable! Their blatant disregard to law enforcement's involvement with homeland security is nothing less than treasonous. If this is what the new president Obamma had in mind when he promised change he needs to get his head out of his ass !!! Our government apparently are a bunch of idiots when they pull this crap after the entire nation has clearly spoken by passing laws that we want secure borders !!! I say either Mexico requests to join their country with ours so we can police and secure it properly or we need to send a very clear message that our borders are not to be F--ked with by placing sharp shooters on the boarder. See I don't have any problem with Mexicans, My problem is their country is not being policed let alone secured. It wont be very funny to our president if one of those low life's comes up here and shoots his ass. I'm laying a very high probability of odds if our disregard to border enforcement don't change and get real, real soon the next assassination will probably be perpetrated by a illegal alien. I don't think that's freaking funny !!!

Joe Arpaio is doing nothing less than protecting not only our president but our citizens! We need a few more John Wayne's in this country to get things accomplished instead of being a bunch of idiots! Our forefathers didn't secure this country by kissing the enemy on the cheek, they put a bullet in their freaking heads! All Joe is doing is escorting these ignorant basterd's home! Our enemies in the past shouldn't have been so lucky, which they weren't. So don't even say his mission isn't peaceful! If you cant tell I'm tired of this crap! This whole situation has gone way beyond the point of being able to be labeled retarded! I don't know about the rest of you but I'm personally very proud of the blood our solders have shed to protect this country! A little too proud to watch the mistakes that's happening, happen without saying something!

The Article

PHOENIX — The self-proclaimed "toughest sheriff in America" has never gotten so much resistance from the federal government. The Homeland Security Department wants Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz., to stop arresting illegal immigrants whose only crime was crossing the U.S.-Mexico border without documents.

The thing is, Arpaio doesn't much care.

"I'm not going to bend to the federal government, I'm going to do my job," he said. "I don't report to the federal government, I report to the people."

Shifting winds in Washington have led the Homeland Security Department to rework a federal program that has allowed Arpaio's deputies to make federal immigration arrests since February 2007. It's not yet known whether Arpaio – who has 160 deputies and jail officers trained to make federal immigration arrests and speed up deportations – will sign the new deal. If he doesn't, the feds say he would lose his authority to make any federal immigration arrests.

The revamped program would require Arpaio to clear plans for immigration sweeps beforehand with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and coordinate with ICE before releasing information about such enforcement actions to the news media. Those requirements don't sit well with the sheriff, who is known for his independence and well-oiled media operation. Even as he considered whether to sign the deal, Arpaio launched a three-day immigration sweep east of metro Phoenix on July 24. Deputies arrested 74 people; 25 of them were illegal immigrants.

Ten of the illegal immigrants were released because they had committed no other crimes, and that fact pitted Arpaio against Homeland Security. Arpaio says the feds told his deputies to let them go, while Homeland Security says the decision was exclusively Arpaio's.

That sweep was the latest of 10 Arpaio has conducted in the last two and a half years. Many were held in heavily Latino areas in metropolitan Phoenix, with deputies stopping drivers for traffic violations.

The sweeps sparked several angry protests from critics who said they amounted to racial profiling and led to a Justice Department investigation of Arpaio. Arpaio said the people who were pulled over were approached because deputies had probable cause to believe they had committed crimes.

Homeland Security's revamped program focuses on the most serious criminals and creates three priority levels for immigrants who are to be arrested and detained. Immigrants convicted or arrested of major drug offenses or violent offenses such as murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery or kidnapping are the top priority.

The other two levels pertain to immigrants with prior convictions, but people whose only crime is being in the country illegally are not covered under the program.

Eleven agencies in the country have signed the new so-called 287(g) agreement, while 66 agencies operating under the old program – including Arpaio's – were given 90 days starting July 10 to decide whether they want to agree to follow the revamped program, said DHS spokesman Matthew Chandler.

Arpaio called the new program an amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Dear Joe, or should I call you the last American Joe. I don't much understand why you don't feed your prisoners better, put them to work or something !!! But I am damb proud of your efforts to secure our country. Their isn't anyone doing as good of that job than you! Your grabbing these dorks right where they hide in our inner city's. If you ask me our president Obamma needs to send our US Department of Homeland Security agents to you for proper training because its obvious they suck !!! They would be better titled The US Department of Homeland Corruption. The bad part is we are paying these morons wages. If it was up to me they would be way fired long time ago! Along with the folks that stopped the assignation of Saddam Hosier by the infiltrated agent we had in the field. Because of that bullcrap our government put us into 2 wars wasting trillions of tax payers money. What a freaking waste! That money would have gone a long way to paying for our incarcerated prisoners food. I actually feel as if I have to apologize for our lousy government because its my fellow neighbors and family who put the imbeciles into office. We need some better choices in the next election.

TAS Independent Programming Would Like to Endorse And Introduce You To
Project Kaisai

"Solving a problem starts with knowing that you have one. Project Kaisei vividly shows how discarded plastics are clogging the ocean, causing a major problem for the planet's vital "blue heart," entangling marinelife and insidiously killing as it accumulates in the food chain, from tiny plankton to great whales. Best of all, the mission highlights hope with ideas for positive action."

Sylvia Earle
"Explorer-in-Residence"
National Geographic, Mission Programs

When I first seen the video on Oprah about the Pacific garbage dump I couldn't believe my ears. To imagine that our own government was letting this happen to our world while they tended to matters based upon greed is beyond my comprehension. Its beyond any reasonable excuse for any man ! The video above will give you a good look at the latest conditions of our oceans as well as a great look at the new capabilities of Google Earth 5.0. Project Kaisai deserves any and all the support that we can give them. For at least they have chosen to make a true difference that will improve life on this planet for eons to come.

Thomas A. Swift

Stats Reset Jan 1 2009

Newest Programs From TAS Independent Programming

PORN PAL FOR BROADBAND

I am announcing the re-release of my only free porn program that I have ever written, Porn Pal. If your a prescriber of Gamma Entertainments Teens By Mail or any one of their other many free pictures by mail programs then this program is for you ! Porn Pal runs in your computer tray allowing you to automate downloading their free hourly pic's from each of their different porn categories in a computer ezine fashion. It also automatically saves each category's pictures to browsable organized collections. For a free program it is guaranteed to make a hit with any porn lover out their. Unlike my other software Porn Pal does contain click thru banner advertising. Also I have no control over the content delivered by other peoples servers. However I can guarantee as the sole programmer of this program that this program dynamically generates its own HTML code and is incapable of downloading infected content. So your truly safe to enjoy and collect some of the finest/sickest still porn the internet has to offer !!! I was not partial to any personal sexual preferences when I wrote this program, the image subjects you choose to select using the main program interface menu is what it displays and saves. Make sure you look over the main interface menu's before forming any judgments. Because you literally can select one or all of all the subjects. Its all up to your preferences !!

Note: I originally wrote this program over 2 years ago. It has every since functioned flawlessly other than a couple subject mix-ups. I am very proud to be on my own server finally to where I could share it. Enjoy !!!

Porn Pal is only for those 21 or older !

Download Porn Pal - 1.85 MB
Uninstaller Included

Streaming Alarm Clock Radio SE 1.0 Public Beta 5
Possibly the best dammed alarm clock on the internet !
Now completely compatible with Windows Vista.

After not writing anything really hard core in over 2 years, I have written a master piece modeled after the same concept of a household clock radio. With a few features of a standard home radio receiver. Wake up every morning to your favorite internet streaming radio web casts. You can also select one of your presets from the tray menu to listen during the day while you work. This isn't no mamas boy toy, its written for the hardcore streaming media lovers out their !

It's current features include:

User programmable station database.
Databases with streams for all 50 states.
17 presets to hold your favorite stations.
One click database station verifier.

12 or 24 hour display with date.

Preset tool tips to indicate set stations.
Fully captioned tray menu presets.
Fully tray accessible interfaces.
Automatic internet detection.
Automatic network time synchronization.
Backup alarm buzzer if internet fails.
Backup alarm buzzer if stream fails.
Fully automatic mixer un-muting.
Fully automatic volume crank at alarm time.
Volume restores when stop is pressed.
Each preset stores its media player volume.
Loads with windows to the tray.
Wakes the computer if in standby.
Live user chat room.

Windows Media Player 7 Or Higher Required.

Click Here To Download Public Beta 5 - Uninstaller Included

Changes

PB5: Major change to ability to awaken the users computer from standby. I have changed the code so it no longer uses power interception to set the windows wakeup timer. Doing it this way solved the bug with the program having to be reloaded once a wakeup event had taken place. No more every other day wakeup failures. This also gave the program feature the ability to be compatible with Vista.

Tips: If you have trouble figuring out how to set the alarm. Simply click on the clock display where it shows the alarm time. Sliders will appear over the clock. Make sure you pay attention to set your alarm time accordingly to AM/PM format. This code is dead accurate if you set it for PM instead of AM its going to be going off in the evening instead of the morning. 12 AM is all the way to the left. Click on the clock to switch between 12 or 24 hour time formats. To force a time synchronization manually simply click on [ Synk Time ]. While your music is playing go to the tray menu and click Visualize to display windows media player visualizations.

Question: When I start up streaming radio in Windows Vista if I am not logged on as admin then I get permission denied 70 error.

Answer: Set streaming radio to run in compatibility mode and it will ask for admin permission easiest way to do it for now. Permission 70 is caused by the program writing to registry from what I read. Vista blocks this for some reason.

Question: After installing streaming radio I received the error "WMP.exe is missing or corrupted" What does this mean ?

Answer: You need to install a version of Windows media player between 7 and 10, which ever is compatible with your system. Windows 2000 users will need version 9.

Please let me know if you encounter any problems. I have already been working on this program with another developer who has helped me test it extensively. I'm still going to follow a normal procedure of releasing first as this public Beta. If you would like to suggest any improvements you would like to see feel free to post them in the chatroom or use the chat with me now button above to either chat directly with me or leave a message.

Report shows number of online radio listeners puts satellite radio to shame.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released summary statistics of its latest data on the deployment of high-speed connections to the Internet in the United States. The report states that high-speed connections to the Internet Increased 33 percent during the second half of 2001 for a total of 12.8 Million Lines in Service. The weekly online radio audience remains steady over the past year at an estimated 29 million. Eleven percent of the U.S. population age 12+ has listened to online radio in the past week (compared to 12 percent in 2006). Sixteen percent of persons age 18-34 have listened to online radio in the past week. Online radio also reaches 14 percent of adults 18-49 in an average week.
The weekly online radio audience remains steady over the past year at an estimated 29 million. Online radio saw a dramatic increase in numbers of weekly listeners from 2005(8 percent) to 2006 (12 percent), and in 2007 we see a steady 11 percent of the U.S. population age 12+ who report listening to online radio in the last week.

Commentary: It appears if company's like Clear Channel and the others want an audience they better cut the crap and get with the times. Simply going by the numbers of AM/FM listeners clearly shows that people don't mind listening to commercials if the content is good enough. However at the same time when it comes to listeners of online radio clearly do not want to be forced to visit websites full of banners and other network advertising.

As old Paul Harvey would put it, "And folks that's the rest of the story!".

The Rest Of The Team A little photo humor.
As of March 3Rd 2009 the shop boss was replaced by the shop cat, which promptly ate him. May he rest in peace.	To bad they hung old Saddam. I wanted to chew him a new asshole! You people need to learn to recycle he would have made good dog chow!

The turquoise used in this web template is in honor of the late Apache Junction resident and family friend. - Treva Clemens