As modders we are used to voiding warranties.  But perhaps you might have already voided your AppleCare warranty even before you opened the case.  Smoking apparently can do as much damage to your Apple as it can to your lungs.  According to CNET News' Technically Incorrect Chris Matyszczyk there have been at least two incidents with Apple where AppleCare has been refused due to second hand cigarette smoke.

The first was reported at the Jordan Creek Apple Store (West Des Moines, IA) by Derek.  His MacBook was having problems and after he brought it into Apple for a look he got a call saying Apple would not work on his laptop due to the health concerns of second hand smoke.

The second report was from Ruth who took it to an Authorized Apple reseller.  She was told that the tar that built up inside the computer made it uneconomical to repair.  Even with only one smoker in the house.

via news.cnet.com

When Apple broke 10.6.2 compatibility with Intel's Atom Processors everyone who has a hackintosh netbook gasped.  Nobody knows yet if the breaking was intentional or accidental, but it did mean lots of questions as to the future of hackintoshes.  It also gave me concern with modding, if Apple can break compatibility with an Atom processor, couldn't it do that with any processor?  If you wanted to upgrade an older Intel Mac with a newer Intel chip, would you run into some of these same problems, or did Apple break the compatibility on purpose to put a hold to the hackintosh netbooks prior to a the official apple netbook/tablet.

Regardless, if you have a hackintosh running an Atom processor there is relief in sight.  A Russian blog has a new Kernel you have to download to get Atom processors back online in Snow Leopard.  Yes, that's right a new Kernel.  

I wouldn't put my computer online with a Kernel from Russia, but if you really want to keep your Atom Hackintosh Netbook running the latest OS X releases you might just have to.  However, that is how Linux started ... "I'm doing a (free) operating system", so who knows, it may turn into something.

More info at TeaTeam's Blog (English Translation via Google HERE) via InsanelyMac Forums

The Church of Mac came out a few years ago, Praising Steve, the Might Spirit that is OS X and Saint Ives.  It was funny, got some hits and made me think that Microsoft's Evangelicals were lightweights compared to this guy.  But when contacted last year about the Church's stance on Modded Macs the Reverend replied that all Macs are Steve's children, but modded macs would be in the special olympics of world-wide-computing ... needless to say I unsubscribed from his video podcast shortly after that response.

But now onto today's news ... The Church of Mac may be having hard times.  The Reverend (aka Tony Edwards) appears to have dropped the Church and has moved on to become your "Personal Genius".  The last iTunes podcast was in May of 2008, and the last posting on the Church of Mac's website was October 26th, but on October 27th Tony Edwards sent out a new mass email to former Church members offering his services through www.imyourgenius.com & imyourgenius.blogspot.com

We wish Tony the best of luck, even if he doesn't like modded Macs (though he does offer hard drive and memory upgrades, which is kind of a mod?).  So if you are in or around the 310 area code (So. Cal), give the Reverend a call for your personal Mac Genius.

One of the most useful icons in the Windows task bar is "show desktop".  If you've been holding out switching from Windows to Mac until the Mac OS gets the "show desktop" icon, wait no more.  Here's how you can get your own "show desktop" icon in your Mac's Dock.  (granted you could just use a keyboard key to do it, but then it wouldn't be so Windows-ish).

To get the icon on the Dock all you have to do is fire up AppleScript's Script Editor (/Applications/AppleScript/Script Editor.app).  Copy and paste this in if you are running Snow Leopard ...

(* Show Desktop AppleScript by Mohan Noone, 2009 *)
activate application "Finder"
do shell script "/Applications/Utilities/Expose.app/Contents/MacOS/Expose 1"

or if you are running straight Leopard ...

(* Show Desktop AppleScript by Mohan Noone, 2009 *)
activate application "Finder"
do shell script "/Applications/Expose.app/Contents/MacOS/Expose 1"

Save the AppleScript as an application (run only) and put it in a safe spot on your Mac (I put my in a folder I made /Applications/Custom).  Then drag it to your Dock.  Mine took a while to load when I clicked it, but it worked.  Once it is activated you are technically in Exposé, so you'll need to click on the edge of the screen to get back out.

You can also swap out the 1 for a 2 or 3 to get Exposé's other features in the dock.

Thanks Mohan Noone via MacOSXHints.com

All die-hards have an old Mac somewhere.  A G3 in the closet, an Apple II in the basement, or on an altar with a PowerBook 290 on it.  Whatever, we all have one.  Most of the time they are committed to a single task like music server, running some ancient hardware for your company, or just to have it still working.  Now you can add one more thing to the list.  Tweeting.  I'm not a big tweeter, but if you are you should take a look at Grackle68K.

This Twitter client can run on System 6 to OS 9 as a bare bones app.  The only drawback to a regular app is that you have to log on each time you launch it.  But if you have a classic Mac, and you have it networked, tweet it!

From retards.org via TUAW

Good morning all,

While we're not quite finished tweaking, the forums have been merged into MacTech's Forums.   Over the next few months, MacTech's forums will be undergoing refinement as well as a new look as part of MacTech's overall new web presence.  Merging the MacMod forums in is the first visible part of those changes.

In the next few days, we'll be sending out information to people about how their old posts have been moved, their login ids, etc...

In the mean time, be among the first, go and check out the forums.  And post something!  (Provided there wasn't a duplicate name, your old login should work, but you'll just need a new password -- do the "forgot password").

Talk about speeding up your Mac!

Forum member motoGfour strapped a 49cc engine to a G4 Graphite tower and now has himself one slick ride.  Project BURAN started out with the idea of taking a G4 and turning it into a bicycle seat.  Somehow that bike turned into a 49cc scooter.  Granted the MotoG4 can't surf the web anymore, but it sure can cruise around the culdesac.

Not sure how serious they are, but it looks like they are coming up with some different rankings for Mac Modded sport bikes...  hmmm... THAT would be interesting.

Posted on MacMod Forums

More info at motog4.co.cc

Some of the first mods I ever created were video game mods, made with my old Macintosh Performa 640CD DOS Compatible and my Power Macintosh G3 (Blue & White).  I used to love creating new levels, sound effects, and graphics, especially for games like Wolfenstein 3D and Bungie's Marathon series.  I even publicly released a mod called ALenstein 3D, which added "Weird Al" Yankovic sound effects and a new title screen to the classic Wolfenstein.  That was 8 years ago, in 2001.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that someone had created a Wolfenstein mod for Marathon... in 2009!  Read on for more details.

My first experience modding my Mac was simple and fun, but that's because I have a Mac genius husband to guide me along. If you are interested in personalizing your login screen, here is how it is done...