wiredfool

But since I’m not into short days, I’m trying to prolong this day by flying across the country.

I’m sure that it will feel like ages before I see the end of this day.

I hate computer hardware. Especially flakey computer hardware.
Most especially, I hate flakey hardware that has been in use just long enough to accumulate a bit of important data (say 8 hours), that dies
2 hours before your regularly scheduled friendly backup.

I just want it to work. Let me get on with the interesting things in life, and not worry about this ide connector seating improperly, or if the jumper is wrong, or if Murphy decides to randomly zap a drive.

Btw, the drive noise of the day is “Clunk [pause] Clunk [pause] Clunk”. That’s the sound of 40 gigs of space that’s not there. Or maybe it’s the sound of one head clapping.

I do like some hardware. I like the toys. I like the blinkeyleds. I really like the blinkeyleds.

No Lutefisk will be served in resturants in Seattle this Christmas.

• Barcode Recognition in Python, in a functional style
• Flashing a Linksys WRT54GL with OpenWRT
• Flashing a Buffalo Airstation WBR2-G54 with OpenWRT
• How to build the Python Imaging Library For Windows
• Widescreen LCDs and Ubuntu Linux
• “Frontier and Apache, 1 Public Port”
• “Manila Behind Apache”
• “Frontier on Wine”
• Frontier and apache, 2 ports (Revised 4/19/2002)
• “Sample Port Forwarding Script” sets up port forwarding at startup.
• Server Management for OSX Also needs to be revised, but more for new practices than accuracy.
• Setting up a rh 6.2 box to my specs. Probably should be updated to Debian.
• Manila Feature Requests
• rpc handler patches and glue.
  

Documentation by others

• Frontier server Monitor
• Manila behind Apache
• Updated portforwarding

Great. I get linked because I’m either not talking about scripting or not updating often enough.

Sometimes I feel like it’s all I can do to keep up with entropy. I keep trying to get rid of it, but it keeps coming back.

I had a nightmare recently.

The scene: Downtown Seattle. Grey. (Deadpan) Wet. Rush Hour. Winter.

A Cyclist is riding, wearing somewhat dirty clothes, riding a cross bike. (think racing hybrid) When suddenly out of the corner of his eye… A shining Smiling Gap clad Guy on a Segway, bearing down on him. The cyclist takes a quick turn, and there’s another Gap Guy, coming out of an alley.

A quick drop down a flight of stairs, and there’s another one. Smiling. Chasing. Relentless. Every escape leads to another Smiling Gap Guy. The nightmare ends at street like Queen Anne or Denny (18% grade) as the cross rider gets slower and slower honking up the hill.

It ends because I wake up. I don’t know if the bike rider gets away.

It’s the depth of winter. The next 5 days, according to the Seattle PI:

Showers giving way to some sun late.
Showers daily, then some clearing.
Windy with periods of rain.
Still windy with rain possible.
Cooler, chance of lingering showers.

There’s a reason that there is an espresso stand on every corner in this city. On the other hand, at least the weather will be different for a few days.

*** 28 words for Grey

An art installation. People near Portland should check this out. From Whim (noonish) through Cubicle (heavy clearing rain) to Dumper (rain during afternoon rush hour).

*** One promotion to bind them all…

One Ring of Power Collection to rule them all;
One Ring to Bind Their Power Features;
One Ring to collect all the figures
and in the Ring of Power activate Them.

Others are covering
this
well, so normally I wouldn’t get into this. But this is important, and easier corrected now rather than later.

Terrorists cannot destroy America. When they attacked, they brought out the best in Americans. We the people and our elected and appointed representatives are the only ones who can destroy it. And they are doing that right now.

According to the Executive Order and recent acts, a non citizen can be detained without charge or counsel, be tried in a tribunal without judicial or congressional review, and executed if the government so desires.

This is a nation of laws. We have constitution that defines our government’s power to pass laws. We have checks and balances in the system to protect and preserve the nation. This arrangement allows us to put our faith in the law and the collective government, not in the people in the positions of power. Abandoning those checks and balances leaves us in great peril; at the mercy of those in power and their successors.

And now, for quick reference, the Bill of Rights (full constitution):

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III

No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Amendment VII

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

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According to the marquee at the local cinema, tickets are on sale for Lord of the Rings. 14 days ahead of release. Guess there won’t be lines for tickets.

I liked the book. I’m a little dissapointed that I won’t be able to see all three movies right away. The epic scope of the book seems appropriate to immersion reading (5 days for me). Splitting the movies over three years makes it hard for the impatient among us.

Ho Hum. There’s another virus, hits outlook users, shuts down business networks as everyone opens attachments and infects their friends. Wonder how much this one is going to cost?

Of course, I can sit here smugly, as I haven’t used Outlook or Windows in years. I’m probably going to code a new virus filter for my email client. It will be very simple. If the useragent is Outlook/Outlook Express and it has an attachment other than a gif or jpeg, html or text, it will get flagged as a possible virus. On the server.