ComputerWorld: House could vote soon on Senate antispam bill
There are issues, but its a start!
Thursday, October 30, 2003
ComputerWorld: IBM's Palmisano says U.S. must innovate to keep jobs
Hey... I'm doing my best to stay innovative...
Hey... I'm doing my best to stay innovative...
I just couldn't take it
Day 3 of a week long "drop some weight" diet. I'll have to see if I can find a link for it later. Anyway, Becky gave it to Tina and I. Jaime lasted one day. "Hey, I don't really need to lose weight (she doesn't), and I hate these vegtables." Day 1 was easy. Day 2 was rough. This morning, day 3. I open my mail and remember tomorrow is free breakfast day at work... waffles, pancakes, juice, etc. And my diet calls for... bananas and soup. Hmm... maybe I should go off it. Tina says yeah, 3 days is enough. So I figure I'll tough out today.
Today is mind-numbing. I've got 176 files left to review. It is going somewhat slow. My head hurts. I need some caffine... a Diet MtDew sounds great (not on the diet). Josette pokes her head into my cube, "Want Yakitori for lunch?" - Hmmm... Sure... that is enough peer-pressure for me to drop the diet.
2 greasy-crunch onion-rings... Oh man. The crunch, the grease, the sweet taste of the onion! And then 2 shrimp, just as crunchy, but dipped in mustard sauce. A sweet mustard sauce. Yum! Then the chicken yakitori and some white rice with sweet sauce. I'm in heaven.
But hey... it was worth it. I lost 5 lbs in two days! And if I watch it, I should be able to keep most of that off. The diet was ok... I think I'll do it once in a while, maybe just for 2 or 3 days. If I can maintain and drop 5 lbs here and there, I should be good!
I think it was the code review that really did me in.... just too boring w/o anything to look forward to, like FOOD.
Then down to the cafe for a MtDew... Come back, check the blogs, set my wall-paper to jcn's photo today, write this up and back to work. Speaking of today's photo. Reminds me of lunch in cancun. Sitting on the veranda, watching the lizards. Cool.
Day 3 of a week long "drop some weight" diet. I'll have to see if I can find a link for it later. Anyway, Becky gave it to Tina and I. Jaime lasted one day. "Hey, I don't really need to lose weight (she doesn't), and I hate these vegtables." Day 1 was easy. Day 2 was rough. This morning, day 3. I open my mail and remember tomorrow is free breakfast day at work... waffles, pancakes, juice, etc. And my diet calls for... bananas and soup. Hmm... maybe I should go off it. Tina says yeah, 3 days is enough. So I figure I'll tough out today.
Today is mind-numbing. I've got 176 files left to review. It is going somewhat slow. My head hurts. I need some caffine... a Diet MtDew sounds great (not on the diet). Josette pokes her head into my cube, "Want Yakitori for lunch?" - Hmmm... Sure... that is enough peer-pressure for me to drop the diet.
2 greasy-crunch onion-rings... Oh man. The crunch, the grease, the sweet taste of the onion! And then 2 shrimp, just as crunchy, but dipped in mustard sauce. A sweet mustard sauce. Yum! Then the chicken yakitori and some white rice with sweet sauce. I'm in heaven.
But hey... it was worth it. I lost 5 lbs in two days! And if I watch it, I should be able to keep most of that off. The diet was ok... I think I'll do it once in a while, maybe just for 2 or 3 days. If I can maintain and drop 5 lbs here and there, I should be good!
I think it was the code review that really did me in.... just too boring w/o anything to look forward to, like FOOD.
Then down to the cafe for a MtDew... Come back, check the blogs, set my wall-paper to jcn's photo today, write this up and back to work. Speaking of today's photo. Reminds me of lunch in cancun. Sitting on the veranda, watching the lizards. Cool.
Cool unix piping
Geek alert!
I'm code reviewing this morning. To do this, I grep for the files containing "jjw needed" (these are the files I have to review), more the diff file, look at the diffs to decide if I need to make comments in the file, and then edit the file. This was taking some manual effort (find the file, type in the name, etc.), which gets to be a pain when you have 100s of files to look at. Played around a bit and figured out that I could use the following commands:
The 'grep' searches for the files and lists just the file name, 'head' displays the first N results (in this case 4) and then tail displays the last N resluts, in this case 1. This basically perfoms a 'more' on the 4th file, appending "_diff" to the file name. Then the next command edits that file.
While I still long for VMS, and think it is a much better OS, there are some cool things you can do with Unix.
Geek alert!
I'm code reviewing this morning. To do this, I grep for the files containing "jjw needed" (these are the files I have to review), more the diff file, look at the diffs to decide if I need to make comments in the file, and then edit the file. This was taking some manual effort (find the file, type in the name, etc.), which gets to be a pain when you have 100s of files to look at. Played around a bit and figured out that I could use the following commands:
more `grep -l "jjw needed" * | head -4 | tail -1`_diff
xemacs `grep -l "jjw needed" * | head -4 | tail -1`
The 'grep' searches for the files and lists just the file name, 'head' displays the first N results (in this case 4) and then tail displays the last N resluts, in this case 1. This basically perfoms a 'more' on the 4th file, appending "_diff" to the file name. Then the next command edits that file.
While I still long for VMS, and think it is a much better OS, there are some cool things you can do with Unix.
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Long-hair
I've always (well pretty much always) had long hair. For quite some time I had it in a mullet (although I didn't really realize that. I just had it long in the back and Tina liked it short on top). Recently (within the last year) I decided to grow it all out. It is almost long enough to put in a pony-tail now. Not quite... but close enough that with some hair-spray it works.
Anyway... it is kind of interesting to see how I am treated differently because of my long hair (not longer recently, but pretty much my entire adult life). Two main things I notice. The first I've noticed for quite some time, the second just recently.
All in all... I think the advantages out-weight the disadvantages. :-)
I've always (well pretty much always) had long hair. For quite some time I had it in a mullet (although I didn't really realize that. I just had it long in the back and Tina liked it short on top). Recently (within the last year) I decided to grow it all out. It is almost long enough to put in a pony-tail now. Not quite... but close enough that with some hair-spray it works.
Anyway... it is kind of interesting to see how I am treated differently because of my long hair (not longer recently, but pretty much my entire adult life). Two main things I notice. The first I've noticed for quite some time, the second just recently.
- Fast-food, 7/11, etc. help tend to treat me as an equal. There will be someone in a suit, etc. and the service person will be like, "How may I help you sir. Is there anything else you'd like?", etc. But with me they are always like, "Hey dude, hows it going?", etc. I actually perfer the informalness of it... and it is one of the perks of having long hair. I think this is especially true as I get older. At 45 it kind of gives me a lift to have a 20-year old call me "dude", "man", "bud" and not "sir". :-)
- People tend not to trust you when you walk up to their car window. This has happend a few times in the last month. I broke down at work and there was this car that stopped and looked like maybe they were trying to see if I needed help. I couldn't see the person and thought maybe it was someone from work. (I was still at work). So I walked up to the window and this middle-age woman had a look of fright on her face. Like I was going to mug her or something. Then last night I left work and the guy behind me had his lights off. It was about dusk and it was kind of hard for me to see him. Going down Garden of the Gods Rd, I noticed quite a bit of traffic pulling onto the road. (Lots of people leaving work). I started thinking, "Maybe someone won't see him and pull out right in front of him." So I'm thinking if I should signal him somehow. We go through several lights (me being a block ahead of him at times) and finally we pull up to a light and he is right behind me. So, I figure "Oh well", jump out and run back to his window. He just stares at me... so I yell, "Your headlights are off" and jump back in my car. A few blocks later I turned off, and he still had his lights off. Oh well... I gave it a shot.
All in all... I think the advantages out-weight the disadvantages. :-)
Seascape
Jesse Chan-Norris has a cool seascape on photo_a_day. I set it as my wallpaper. For some reason it is kind of disconcerting as I close windows and am looking out at the ocean, instead of some StarWars scene. Not sure why... but I'm keeping it as my wallpaper anyway.
Jesse Chan-Norris has a cool seascape on photo_a_day. I set it as my wallpaper. For some reason it is kind of disconcerting as I close windows and am looking out at the ocean, instead of some StarWars scene. Not sure why... but I'm keeping it as my wallpaper anyway.
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
ComputerWorld: U.S. Northern Command's CIO calls Unix 'the Betamax of software'
- But Maj. Gen. Dale Meyerrose said Linux is likely to endure.
" But I predict that five to 10 years from now, there may be almost no Unix-based systems, just because the intellectual investment it takes to maintain a cadre of Unix-trained, -educated and -experienced engineers is too difficult a problem."
Wow. I had never heard that before. I'm not sure what his alternative is. To me, Linux and Unix are almost the same thing... Another paraphrase is that the systems aren't that complex and are much easier than learning Unix. I totally disagree. But them maybe I'm just working on a complex system.
- But Maj. Gen. Dale Meyerrose said Linux is likely to endure.
" But I predict that five to 10 years from now, there may be almost no Unix-based systems, just because the intellectual investment it takes to maintain a cadre of Unix-trained, -educated and -experienced engineers is too difficult a problem."
Wow. I had never heard that before. I'm not sure what his alternative is. To me, Linux and Unix are almost the same thing... Another paraphrase is that the systems aren't that complex and are much easier than learning Unix. I totally disagree. But them maybe I'm just working on a complex system.
Pet Peeves
People that don't know how to use a clock...
Tina's relatives (mom and sister) are always calling first thing in the morning and saying, "What time is it there?". One lives in Florida and one periodically works in England. In addition to all the other jobs I have, I also have the job of removing the phone from the bed-room when I first get up on Saturday. This keeps them from waking Tina up at 7:30 on a Saturday. I guess I now have to remove it during the week too, since Tina's mom just called at 7:10 with "You aren't up yet? What time is it there?"
Really... timezones are not that hard to figure out!
And just to be helpful... this Atomic Clock link is set to Mountain... just in case you want to know what time it is in Colorado. ;-)
People that don't know how to use a clock...
Tina's relatives (mom and sister) are always calling first thing in the morning and saying, "What time is it there?". One lives in Florida and one periodically works in England. In addition to all the other jobs I have, I also have the job of removing the phone from the bed-room when I first get up on Saturday. This keeps them from waking Tina up at 7:30 on a Saturday. I guess I now have to remove it during the week too, since Tina's mom just called at 7:10 with "You aren't up yet? What time is it there?"
Really... timezones are not that hard to figure out!
And just to be helpful... this Atomic Clock link is set to Mountain... just in case you want to know what time it is in Colorado. ;-)
Monday, October 27, 2003
ComputerWorld: California wins first state suit against spammers: PW Marketing ordered to pay $2M fine.I'm glad to hear it! I wasn't online all weekend, and this morning when I got on I had over 200 emails. Most of them spam. Maybe these types of lawsuits will help decrease the problem.
Play Money(?)
I posted a link some time back to the PlayMoney blog. This is a blog written by a guy who is a trader in UltimtaOnline. He trades virtual items and sells them for both real and play money.
I regularly follow his blog and his most recent article is about a tower he bought and is reselling on e-bay. He opened it at $1, and it is currently at $122.50. He bought the account for $250 and has sold off coal armor for 112.50 and regents for and unknown price. So, it looks like he'll end up coming out ahead.
I posted a link some time back to the PlayMoney blog. This is a blog written by a guy who is a trader in UltimtaOnline. He trades virtual items and sells them for both real and play money.
I regularly follow his blog and his most recent article is about a tower he bought and is reselling on e-bay. He opened it at $1, and it is currently at $122.50. He bought the account for $250 and has sold off coal armor for 112.50 and regents for and unknown price. So, it looks like he'll end up coming out ahead.
Friday, October 24, 2003
ComputerWorld: Free hot spots pay dividends
Cool... Panera Bread is going to start putting in free Wi-Fi, which will join other companies such as Starbucks that already offer it. I'm sure there will be security issues, etc., but its a start!
Cool... Panera Bread is going to start putting in free Wi-Fi, which will join other companies such as Starbucks that already offer it. I'm sure there will be security issues, etc., but its a start!
An Example of Fraud
Following is the content of a letter I received in email today. Working in a Fraud group, I've heard of things like this, but have never received one. It is hard for me to believe anyone would be dupped by it... but again, working in a Fraud group, I know people are. In the following, I've replaced the company name, etc. just to make sure no one goes to their web site, etc. from this blog!
Following is the content of a letter I received in email today. Working in a Fraud group, I've heard of things like this, but have never received one. It is hard for me to believe anyone would be dupped by it... but again, working in a Fraud group, I know people are. In the following, I've replaced the company name, etc. just to make sure no one goes to their web site, etc. from this blog!
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 12:15 AM
To: me@mycompany.com
Subject: Fraud Alert. Foo.com - Order 1845.
Foo.com & Foo.net
______________________________
Dear customer,
Recently we have received an order made by using your personal credit card information.
This order was made online at our official http://foo.com or http://foo.net website. Our Fraud Department has some suspicions regarding this order and we need you to visit a special Fraud Department page at our web store where you can confirm or decline this transaction by providing us with the correct information.
But, if you have never visited our site or made a purchase, you can decline any charges from you credit card, by entering your personal info below. Or, if you feel this method of verification insecure - please visit our highly secure site http://foo.com or http://foo.net
Enter your credit card number here:
Enter your credit card exp date:
Enter your name as it appears on the credit card:
Enter your address, zip code and city:
REMEBER: NEVER give out this kind of information over email or to someone that blindly requests it. Yes, if you are on a web site doing a purchase it is normal to expect it. But if you ever get a call or an email that of the form "This is
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Art
Not to sound too much like a un-cultured, head-stuck-in-the-techonlogy, geek... but I rarely look at art. Not because I don't like it... just because I don't think about it I guess. Thanks to Maggie, not only did I come across Heather Champ's work, but today Jesse Chan-Norris. I thought this was rather cool. I like that it is black and white... and it just touches something in me. Not sure why... But then, maybe that is the point of art.
Thanks again to Maggie for posting this stuff. I now have these links saved so that I can check them out every day as I'm munching on lunch. Cool.
Not to sound too much like a un-cultured, head-stuck-in-the-techonlogy, geek... but I rarely look at art. Not because I don't like it... just because I don't think about it I guess. Thanks to Maggie, not only did I come across Heather Champ's work, but today Jesse Chan-Norris. I thought this was rather cool. I like that it is black and white... and it just touches something in me. Not sure why... But then, maybe that is the point of art.
Thanks again to Maggie for posting this stuff. I now have these links saved so that I can check them out every day as I'm munching on lunch. Cool.
ComputerWorld: Intel's Barret warns IT execs on tech education, job drain
Intel Corp. CEO Craig Barrett ... blamed the K-12 education system in the U.S. for a shortage of computer scientists... "The K-12 system in the U.S. does an excellent job of weeding out anyone who's interested in science," he said...
It is such a cool field. A shame more students are going into it.
Intel Corp. CEO Craig Barrett ... blamed the K-12 education system in the U.S. for a shortage of computer scientists... "The K-12 system in the U.S. does an excellent job of weeding out anyone who's interested in science," he said...
It is such a cool field. A shame more students are going into it.
Curry
Last night I made Chicken Curry and Eggplant Curry. Tif had seen Rachael Ray make it and was going to try it out, but Tif wasn't feeling well so I cooked both. The eggplant turned out very good! A very nice vegtable curry dish. Good accompaniment for the Chicken Curry... or any meal where you want to add a vegtable curry.
A few recipe notes:
Eggplant: I used 2 heaping teaspoons of Thia Kitchen Green Curry Paste and it was a little hot for us. Not so bad that I wouldn't eat it, but a little hot. Next time I'll probably only use 1 tsp. The mango chutney was great, and I also sprinkled coconut on it. The sweet helps cut the hot. I think next time I may also peel the eggplant, as the skin adds some toughness. Not sure... trade-off the texture and color for a little more consistent texture. We'll see.
Chicken: I again used baby zucchini instead of green beans in the chicken. I just think it is a nicer touch. I'll have to update the recipe at some point!
Last night I made Chicken Curry and Eggplant Curry. Tif had seen Rachael Ray make it and was going to try it out, but Tif wasn't feeling well so I cooked both. The eggplant turned out very good! A very nice vegtable curry dish. Good accompaniment for the Chicken Curry... or any meal where you want to add a vegtable curry.
A few recipe notes:
Eggplant: I used 2 heaping teaspoons of Thia Kitchen Green Curry Paste and it was a little hot for us. Not so bad that I wouldn't eat it, but a little hot. Next time I'll probably only use 1 tsp. The mango chutney was great, and I also sprinkled coconut on it. The sweet helps cut the hot. I think next time I may also peel the eggplant, as the skin adds some toughness. Not sure... trade-off the texture and color for a little more consistent texture. We'll see.
Chicken: I again used baby zucchini instead of green beans in the chicken. I just think it is a nicer touch. I'll have to update the recipe at some point!
Biaggi's
Biaggi's is our favorite new restaurant. Great food and they have creme brulle! And their web site is pretty good too, with menus, locations, maps, etc.
Biaggi's is our favorite new restaurant. Great food and they have creme brulle! And their web site is pretty good too, with menus, locations, maps, etc.
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Lost archives, no problem
I was looking for my recipe for curry chicken, and I hadn't published it on my recipe site, but had posted it here. So I was looking through my archives, and some of them were not showing up. Drag... I save everything, so it would be very upsetting to me if my old posts were gone. Went out to Blogger support, found an entry on how to republish your entire site and did that. And now they are there. So easy! :-)
BTW: Took me a while to find the curry chicken link. I guess I'll have to move it out to my recipe site so it will be much easier to find!
I was looking for my recipe for curry chicken, and I hadn't published it on my recipe site, but had posted it here. So I was looking through my archives, and some of them were not showing up. Drag... I save everything, so it would be very upsetting to me if my old posts were gone. Went out to Blogger support, found an entry on how to republish your entire site and did that. And now they are there. So easy! :-)
BTW: Took me a while to find the curry chicken link. I guess I'll have to move it out to my recipe site so it will be much easier to find!
Frost
Heather Champ is a artist that is a friend of MightyGirl. MightyGirl posted links to some of her work today and I thought the frost pictures were very cool.
Heather Champ is a artist that is a friend of MightyGirl. MightyGirl posted links to some of her work today and I thought the frost pictures were very cool.
Monday, October 20, 2003
ComputerWorld: Submerging Technologies: Five That Are Sinking Fast
Still use a number of these, but am moving off of them.
Still use a number of these, but am moving off of them.
Saturday, October 18, 2003
The "kids"
The "kids" (Tiffany and Brian) are arriving this afternoon. Sushi with friends for lunch and then the kids get here. I'm so excited!
Its going to be a week of good eating (Tif and I are cooking, plus we'll be going out some), playing Halo and maybe going up to Cripple Creek just to "get away" for the day. It should be a great time. And we haven't seen them since Christmas!
The "kids" (Tiffany and Brian) are arriving this afternoon. Sushi with friends for lunch and then the kids get here. I'm so excited!
Its going to be a week of good eating (Tif and I are cooking, plus we'll be going out some), playing Halo and maybe going up to Cripple Creek just to "get away" for the day. It should be a great time. And we haven't seen them since Christmas!
Friday, October 17, 2003
MecuryNews.com:DigitalEquipmentsLegacyLivesOn
DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC tells the story of this pioneering company started in 1957 by MIT-trained engineer Kenneth Olsen.
Although it is a look at managment, I may still pick it up. I am still a VMS die-hard.
DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC tells the story of this pioneering company started in 1957 by MIT-trained engineer Kenneth Olsen.
Although it is a look at managment, I may still pick it up. I am still a VMS die-hard.
Laugh of the day
OK... this totally cracked me up. Someone sent it to me in mail, but it is 2M, so I'm just posting the link here. It is off of SpeedZone... which is in belgium maybe? I'm not sure. Anyway, click on the Antena Anti-boredom Campaign link, which is an MPEG video.
OK... this totally cracked me up. Someone sent it to me in mail, but it is 2M, so I'm just posting the link here. It is off of SpeedZone... which is in belgium maybe? I'm not sure. Anyway, click on the Antena Anti-boredom Campaign link, which is an MPEG video.
Collection of 26 Beanie Babies from Ex-Wife
Wow... 26 of them for $860. Jaime has about 100 of these I think.
Wow... 26 of them for $860. Jaime has about 100 of these I think.
Sorry state of math skills
McDonalds last night.
G: That will be $3.18
M handing the guy a $5: I've got the 18 cents
I dig in my pocket and start to hand him the 18 cents
G bewildered look on his face as he points to the register which states the change as 1.81: Oh... you have the change? Well can I just give you the 81 cents?
M: No, just give me $2 back
G enlightened happy look on his face: Oh... ok
McDonalds last night.
G: That will be $3.18
M handing the guy a $5: I've got the 18 cents
I dig in my pocket and start to hand him the 18 cents
G bewildered look on his face as he points to the register which states the change as 1.81: Oh... you have the change? Well can I just give you the 81 cents?
M: No, just give me $2 back
G enlightened happy look on his face: Oh... ok
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
IFCC
Picked up a link to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center from PlayMoney. With all the internet fraud going on, figured it might be useful to post.
BTW: If you decide to use it, you must have cookies enabled.
Picked up a link to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center from PlayMoney. With all the internet fraud going on, figured it might be useful to post.
BTW: If you decide to use it, you must have cookies enabled.
Starbucks
4 hours of sleep yesterday. Went to bed a little after 10, up at a little after 11... laid in bed for almost an hour, on the computer at 12:30 and worked till 2:30. (Good thing, the build was broke and this let me fix it so that when everyone got in we had a working build). Back to bed, reset the alarm for 6:30 so I could get 4 hours of sleep... and then work up at 6 anyway.
So... stop at Starbucks on the way to work:
G: What did you order? I'm sure our very efficient staff already has it going for you!
M, barely speaking: Triple Venti Sugar-Free Vanillia Carmel Machiatto
G: Great! Isn't it a great day today! Beautiful!
M: Sure
G: And here is your change!
M: Boy, you are awful perky for so early in the morning
G: Yeah! Oh... does it bother you, you know it does bother some people. Seems they just can't handle someone being so happy first thing in the morning!
M: No... its fine
LOL. :-) She just cracked me up. Here are all these people, stumbling in, ordering their caffine, and trying to get their bodies go. She is just bubbling away. Most of them missing half of what she is saying and responding with comments like, "Oh... were you talking to me?"
4 hours of sleep yesterday. Went to bed a little after 10, up at a little after 11... laid in bed for almost an hour, on the computer at 12:30 and worked till 2:30. (Good thing, the build was broke and this let me fix it so that when everyone got in we had a working build). Back to bed, reset the alarm for 6:30 so I could get 4 hours of sleep... and then work up at 6 anyway.
So... stop at Starbucks on the way to work:
G: What did you order? I'm sure our very efficient staff already has it going for you!
M, barely speaking: Triple Venti Sugar-Free Vanillia Carmel Machiatto
G: Great! Isn't it a great day today! Beautiful!
M: Sure
G: And here is your change!
M: Boy, you are awful perky for so early in the morning
G: Yeah! Oh... does it bother you, you know it does bother some people. Seems they just can't handle someone being so happy first thing in the morning!
M: No... its fine
LOL. :-) She just cracked me up. Here are all these people, stumbling in, ordering their caffine, and trying to get their bodies go. She is just bubbling away. Most of them missing half of what she is saying and responding with comments like, "Oh... were you talking to me?"
Different neurosis
Tina and I are sitting in a restaruant watching the waitress package up the rest of our food. I'm watching in disbelief as she puts the vegtable mix (which has liquid in it), into a divided go box and piles the shrimp crackers on top of them. What is the chance that they aren't going to get all soggy... Zero. She then puts this into a bag, puts a container of soup on top of it, and then sets a container of vegtables into the bag on its side. The chance that this isn't going to leak all over, be a disaster and edible by the time we get home is nil.
As we are walking we have the following conversation:
M: As soon as we get to the car I'm opening the bag and rearrange all of this.
T: Yeah, I figured. I was watching the look on your face as your eyes were following what she was doing.
M: Yeah, can you believe she mixed the shrimp crackers with the vegtables?
T: I figured that would bother you... but none of it bothered me until she picked up a dirty fork to put the food into the containers.
M: Oh, that didn't bother me at all. It was our fork.
T: Yeah, but still!
Tina and I are sitting in a restaruant watching the waitress package up the rest of our food. I'm watching in disbelief as she puts the vegtable mix (which has liquid in it), into a divided go box and piles the shrimp crackers on top of them. What is the chance that they aren't going to get all soggy... Zero. She then puts this into a bag, puts a container of soup on top of it, and then sets a container of vegtables into the bag on its side. The chance that this isn't going to leak all over, be a disaster and edible by the time we get home is nil.
As we are walking we have the following conversation:
M: As soon as we get to the car I'm opening the bag and rearrange all of this.
T: Yeah, I figured. I was watching the look on your face as your eyes were following what she was doing.
M: Yeah, can you believe she mixed the shrimp crackers with the vegtables?
T: I figured that would bother you... but none of it bothered me until she picked up a dirty fork to put the food into the containers.
M: Oh, that didn't bother me at all. It was our fork.
T: Yeah, but still!
Monday, October 13, 2003
Computerworld: Microsoft automates Wi-Fi network setup.
I guess its just pop open your laptop at DIA or Starbucks and start surfing. Might be cool... as long as there aren't big security holes. Microsoft claims this enhances Wi-Fi security. Coming from a company known for security holes... we'll see.
I guess its just pop open your laptop at DIA or Starbucks and start surfing. Might be cool... as long as there aren't big security holes. Microsoft claims this enhances Wi-Fi security. Coming from a company known for security holes... we'll see.
Variety
Variety at work is a cool thing. It is what keeps me interested, I think. Early last week I was doing performance analysis on the system. Trying to find new ways to make the system faster. Either by configuration or writting new code. Towards the end of the week I was debugging code, trying to figure out why major parts of the system were no longer working when we went to a new third party product. I was also involved in some architecture meetings to discuss how we are going to design some new portions of the system. And in consulting with some implementations on ways to improve their system performance and to discuss what new features might help them.
This moring I'm writting up lessons that we learned while doing performance tuning, so I can share the ideas and things that worked with other teams, so they can do it on their team.
Architecting, designing, analysis, trouble-shooting, mentor, etc. Although it all deals with the same application, and the same domain of computer science, each is different in their own ways. It keeps things interesting and fun.
I'm blessed by my job!
Variety at work is a cool thing. It is what keeps me interested, I think. Early last week I was doing performance analysis on the system. Trying to find new ways to make the system faster. Either by configuration or writting new code. Towards the end of the week I was debugging code, trying to figure out why major parts of the system were no longer working when we went to a new third party product. I was also involved in some architecture meetings to discuss how we are going to design some new portions of the system. And in consulting with some implementations on ways to improve their system performance and to discuss what new features might help them.
This moring I'm writting up lessons that we learned while doing performance tuning, so I can share the ideas and things that worked with other teams, so they can do it on their team.
Architecting, designing, analysis, trouble-shooting, mentor, etc. Although it all deals with the same application, and the same domain of computer science, each is different in their own ways. It keeps things interesting and fun.
I'm blessed by my job!
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetword Mac was awesome. It was a great concert. I have been a hugh Stevie Nicks fan ever since I saw Fleetwood Mac in Billings MT when I was probably 19 or so. She was awesome. Lindsey Buckingham was as big a freak as ever... but he is what makes part of the band. And I just love Mick Fleetwood. Man, what a drummer and showman. And then there was John McVie... just standing in the back, playing his bass like always. IMO there aren't a lot of bands that can still rock like they used to, 30 years later, but they guys certainly can. It was an awesome show and so much fun. I have the T-Shirt and Program to prove it. :-)
Christy McVie was missed. The show was awesome, but Don't Stop just isn't the same w/o Christy.
Thanks Steve so much. What an awesome birthday present!
Fleetword Mac was awesome. It was a great concert. I have been a hugh Stevie Nicks fan ever since I saw Fleetwood Mac in Billings MT when I was probably 19 or so. She was awesome. Lindsey Buckingham was as big a freak as ever... but he is what makes part of the band. And I just love Mick Fleetwood. Man, what a drummer and showman. And then there was John McVie... just standing in the back, playing his bass like always. IMO there aren't a lot of bands that can still rock like they used to, 30 years later, but they guys certainly can. It was an awesome show and so much fun. I have the T-Shirt and Program to prove it. :-)
Christy McVie was missed. The show was awesome, but Don't Stop just isn't the same w/o Christy.
Thanks Steve so much. What an awesome birthday present!
Saturday, October 11, 2003
What is it that a worship team is supposed to do
There have been some questions lately about how the youth worship team should "get the congreation to worship." I had some thoughts about that and posted them on FusionWorship.
There have been some questions lately about how the youth worship team should "get the congreation to worship." I had some thoughts about that and posted them on FusionWorship.
Just messing around
Home alone blogging. Leaving for Larkspur around 5:15 so I can hook up with Steve and we can head up to Denver. Fleetwood Mac tonight. How cool!
My first Saturday as "no longer a youth worship director." Home alone cause Tina and the girls had to drop a CD off for Bobby and then go to the movies. Tonight is Homecoming and neither girl are going. Youth ministry rules are you can't "date" and going to a dance, etc. is frowned upon if you "like" somebody. Since Jaime does like someone, she isn't going. And although she could have gone to youth, it would just be too hard to go there tonight and hang out with all the girls that are getting made-up, talking dresses, maybe going for dinner and limo rides. The other girls are going because they are going with guys that are just "friends", so it is ok. Being a teen can be really hard some times.
But both my girls (Jaime and Erika) are really great and make it through. And they'll have fun with Tina going to a movie, then maybe out to dinner, and up all night watching movies and snacking. And my other girls are so awesome too. Tif who will be home next weekend with Brian for a week. (Woo hoo!) And Tina - who is my soul-mate and who I'd be so lost without.
Kind of melancholy, sitting home alone I guess! :-)
Home alone blogging. Leaving for Larkspur around 5:15 so I can hook up with Steve and we can head up to Denver. Fleetwood Mac tonight. How cool!
My first Saturday as "no longer a youth worship director." Home alone cause Tina and the girls had to drop a CD off for Bobby and then go to the movies. Tonight is Homecoming and neither girl are going. Youth ministry rules are you can't "date" and going to a dance, etc. is frowned upon if you "like" somebody. Since Jaime does like someone, she isn't going. And although she could have gone to youth, it would just be too hard to go there tonight and hang out with all the girls that are getting made-up, talking dresses, maybe going for dinner and limo rides. The other girls are going because they are going with guys that are just "friends", so it is ok. Being a teen can be really hard some times.
But both my girls (Jaime and Erika) are really great and make it through. And they'll have fun with Tina going to a movie, then maybe out to dinner, and up all night watching movies and snacking. And my other girls are so awesome too. Tif who will be home next weekend with Brian for a week. (Woo hoo!) And Tina - who is my soul-mate and who I'd be so lost without.
Kind of melancholy, sitting home alone I guess! :-)
Productivity, Long build cycles and working 24x7
Just kind of weird to think about how some of us work. Maybe it is a computer thing, maybe not. Dan and I both work pretty much 7 days a week. Well I work 6, and Dan usually 7. He works late at night and I work early in the morning... plus our normal "you have to be at work from 9 - 4, even if you put in overtime and work other times".
Why do we do it? First because it is "fun". Hey, good thing I love what I do. Second because it is just way more productive. The Infrastructure now takes about 4 hours to build under normal system loads. That means if we get a compile error in the build and then kick off another full build, we'll get maybe 2 of those in, in a day. Well if Dan is kicking them off late, and I'm kicking them off early, we can get a few extra builds in. Add the weekend in, when nothing would "normally" happen, and you just end up with many more cycles.
This AM I got on around 6 and saw a problem with the build. Just a couple of minor things. Put in the fix in about 20 minutes and kicked another build off. About 2.5 hours later it was done (since the system wasn't under much stress being as no one was on it). If we worked "normally", then it probably would have gotten fixed and rebuilt on Monday morning, finishing up around noon or so. Pretty much 1/2 a day wasted.
Yeah... we don't have to work overtime, and yeah, we don't have to work weekends... but if we didn't, much less would get done. It isn't that working for 30 minutes on Saturday morning buys you 30 more minutes... it can buy you 4 hours. And not just for you, but for the entire team. This kind of thing happens all the time, and it happens in cycles. Some times on a weekend we'll get several builds in. I may do something early, Dan will do something mid day and maybe that night, etc.
Working 5x8 just gives you so many less cycles than working out-of-normal hours. Not that we are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.... but checking things here and there "constantly" can really improve the productivity.
Just kind of weird to think about how some of us work. Maybe it is a computer thing, maybe not. Dan and I both work pretty much 7 days a week. Well I work 6, and Dan usually 7. He works late at night and I work early in the morning... plus our normal "you have to be at work from 9 - 4, even if you put in overtime and work other times".
Why do we do it? First because it is "fun". Hey, good thing I love what I do. Second because it is just way more productive. The Infrastructure now takes about 4 hours to build under normal system loads. That means if we get a compile error in the build and then kick off another full build, we'll get maybe 2 of those in, in a day. Well if Dan is kicking them off late, and I'm kicking them off early, we can get a few extra builds in. Add the weekend in, when nothing would "normally" happen, and you just end up with many more cycles.
This AM I got on around 6 and saw a problem with the build. Just a couple of minor things. Put in the fix in about 20 minutes and kicked another build off. About 2.5 hours later it was done (since the system wasn't under much stress being as no one was on it). If we worked "normally", then it probably would have gotten fixed and rebuilt on Monday morning, finishing up around noon or so. Pretty much 1/2 a day wasted.
Yeah... we don't have to work overtime, and yeah, we don't have to work weekends... but if we didn't, much less would get done. It isn't that working for 30 minutes on Saturday morning buys you 30 more minutes... it can buy you 4 hours. And not just for you, but for the entire team. This kind of thing happens all the time, and it happens in cycles. Some times on a weekend we'll get several builds in. I may do something early, Dan will do something mid day and maybe that night, etc.
Working 5x8 just gives you so many less cycles than working out-of-normal hours. Not that we are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.... but checking things here and there "constantly" can really improve the productivity.
In case anyone was in doubt
On the plane flight (to/from - don't remember) Cancun a few months back, Heather had a book on intraverts. There is a test you can take to see where you fall on the scale. 0 is the most extraverted, 30 is the most intraverted. I got 27 out of the 30. Like I had any doubt...
And in light of that, Tina tells me at 5:00 AM yesterday that she has a part for me in one of the leadership training skits. Yeah... that's good for an intravert, put them on stage in front of 50 people. :-S Hey... but I love her. Whatever she wants.
On the plane flight (to/from - don't remember) Cancun a few months back, Heather had a book on intraverts. There is a test you can take to see where you fall on the scale. 0 is the most extraverted, 30 is the most intraverted. I got 27 out of the 30. Like I had any doubt...
And in light of that, Tina tells me at 5:00 AM yesterday that she has a part for me in one of the leadership training skits. Yeah... that's good for an intravert, put them on stage in front of 50 people. :-S Hey... but I love her. Whatever she wants.
Fleetwood Mac
Steve got him and I tickets to see Fleetwood Mac for my birthday. They play at the Pepsi Center in Denver tonight. How very cool! The last time I saw them live was in Billings MT. I was probably 19 or so. I still love Stevie just as much. :-)
Steve got him and I tickets to see Fleetwood Mac for my birthday. They play at the Pepsi Center in Denver tonight. How very cool! The last time I saw them live was in Billings MT. I was probably 19 or so. I still love Stevie just as much. :-)
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
Crackers
I was down in the cafe getting some soup (split-pea - I almost always get it when they have it, because it is one of my favorites), and I was picking through the packs of crackers, making sure I got ones that weren't crumbled at all.
This later struck me as rather odd, as I sat at my desk and crumbled them into little pieces before dropping them in my soup.
I was down in the cafe getting some soup (split-pea - I almost always get it when they have it, because it is one of my favorites), and I was picking through the packs of crackers, making sure I got ones that weren't crumbled at all.
This later struck me as rather odd, as I sat at my desk and crumbled them into little pieces before dropping them in my soup.
Monday, October 06, 2003
Girls, turning into women
After practice Saturday, Jaime, Erika and I went and grabbed food at Subway before youth started. I'm for the most part not a very observant guy. But as I was waiting for them I noticed that Erika looked different. (That's the way changes in hair, makeup, whatever hit me... Just a general - hmm... something is different.)
So, we are sitting at subway and I said, "You look very nice" or something to that extent. She had dyed her hair "red" (Ok... probably not red, but I have a very limited color vocabulary), it was straigthend some as well. And she was wearing this black turtleneck with a light suede coat. "Very eurpopean looking", to which she struck one of her "Erika the model" poses. Very elegant... at which point she took a bite of her sandwhich and dropped a black olive covered in oil and vinegar onto her coat.
Some times they (her and Jaime) look so grown up that it breaks my father's heart... but they they usually do something that they would have done when they were 2, and it reminds me that as grown up as they are... they are still "girls"... at least for a little while longer.
After practice Saturday, Jaime, Erika and I went and grabbed food at Subway before youth started. I'm for the most part not a very observant guy. But as I was waiting for them I noticed that Erika looked different. (That's the way changes in hair, makeup, whatever hit me... Just a general - hmm... something is different.)
So, we are sitting at subway and I said, "You look very nice" or something to that extent. She had dyed her hair "red" (Ok... probably not red, but I have a very limited color vocabulary), it was straigthend some as well. And she was wearing this black turtleneck with a light suede coat. "Very eurpopean looking", to which she struck one of her "Erika the model" poses. Very elegant... at which point she took a bite of her sandwhich and dropped a black olive covered in oil and vinegar onto her coat.
Some times they (her and Jaime) look so grown up that it breaks my father's heart... but they they usually do something that they would have done when they were 2, and it reminds me that as grown up as they are... they are still "girls"... at least for a little while longer.
Thanks!
And here is a beautiful note from Erika on worship and me stepping down. I love you girl. You are my third daughter. Thanks. It really touched me. (and now I'll wipe the tears from my eyes and get back to work...)
Oh... and I'll still be around to encourage and lift you guys up. I just won't be there all the time, or "in charge". But you guys rock so much. God is just taking you to a new level and letting you have a little more control over your team. And as in everything you do, you'll excell.
And here is a beautiful note from Erika on worship and me stepping down. I love you girl. You are my third daughter. Thanks. It really touched me. (and now I'll wipe the tears from my eyes and get back to work...)
Oh... and I'll still be around to encourage and lift you guys up. I just won't be there all the time, or "in charge". But you guys rock so much. God is just taking you to a new level and letting you have a little more control over your team. And as in everything you do, you'll excell.
The end of an era...
Well for me anyway.
I stepped down as the FusionWorship director. Stepped down is Christian slang for "quit"... but not because of any troubles or anything. There are quite a few entries (starting with this one) about it on the FusionWorship blog. Basically I've been working 7 days a week for close to 2 years and I just couldn't do it any longer. Plus the team is well able to lead themselves, which is an extremely cool fullfillment of the whole "student led" idea.
Well for me anyway.
I stepped down as the FusionWorship director. Stepped down is Christian slang for "quit"... but not because of any troubles or anything. There are quite a few entries (starting with this one) about it on the FusionWorship blog. Basically I've been working 7 days a week for close to 2 years and I just couldn't do it any longer. Plus the team is well able to lead themselves, which is an extremely cool fullfillment of the whole "student led" idea.
Thursday, October 02, 2003
CNN.com: And that's how the cookie crumbles
Scientists have discovered why some cookies crumble in the box.
Scientists have discovered why some cookies crumble in the box.
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Jim Richards
Pastor/Dr. Jim Richards from Impact Ministries is here at church this week. He is an awesome Pastor, person, speaker. He always has an awesome message. We would be there tonight if it wasn't for getting the Cher tickets before we knew when he was coming. But we'll definately be there tomorrow.
Pastor/Dr. Jim Richards from Impact Ministries is here at church this week. He is an awesome Pastor, person, speaker. He always has an awesome message. We would be there tonight if it wasn't for getting the Cher tickets before we knew when he was coming. But we'll definately be there tomorrow.
When is it fast enough?
Still trying to handle 100 million events a day. First we backed up the data source, then we handled the data in the initial stages, but would eventually drop some of the day.
(Part of the system is a queue that holds data until other parts are ready for it. For the non-geeks that care... think of it as a clothes basket. Someone is throwing stuff into it and another person it taking stuff out. If you take it out fast enough, then it is almost always empty. Thats a good thing. You are "processing" the stuff right away. If you start falling behind (it takes you longer to take it out and do something with it than it takes the person to put stuff into it), then you start falling behind. The basket starts filling up. If the person putting clothes in stops, then eventually you'll catch up.)
Tweaked the system some more and got it to where it never dropped data (the basket was never full), but we still weren't keeping up. Looked at what was going on in the code, and for about 150 thousand processed object, we would do 6 BILLION operations. The operations were very fast, but still... you do 6 billion and it adds up.
We figured out a way to perhaps significanly reduce that. I put in the code, we tested it out, and now the system is purring along. Running at about 50%. (In other words, 1/2 the time it is working and the other 1/2 it is just wating). And now we are never getting behind.
It was a cool think. Like I said last month, I love this kind of stuff. So now are system is up and running and we are ready to handle even larger amounts of data. And there are still other ways we could have tweaked the system. But at 50%, we are probably good enough for now... so on to other things.
Still trying to handle 100 million events a day. First we backed up the data source, then we handled the data in the initial stages, but would eventually drop some of the day.
(Part of the system is a queue that holds data until other parts are ready for it. For the non-geeks that care... think of it as a clothes basket. Someone is throwing stuff into it and another person it taking stuff out. If you take it out fast enough, then it is almost always empty. Thats a good thing. You are "processing" the stuff right away. If you start falling behind (it takes you longer to take it out and do something with it than it takes the person to put stuff into it), then you start falling behind. The basket starts filling up. If the person putting clothes in stops, then eventually you'll catch up.)
Tweaked the system some more and got it to where it never dropped data (the basket was never full), but we still weren't keeping up. Looked at what was going on in the code, and for about 150 thousand processed object, we would do 6 BILLION operations. The operations were very fast, but still... you do 6 billion and it adds up.
We figured out a way to perhaps significanly reduce that. I put in the code, we tested it out, and now the system is purring along. Running at about 50%. (In other words, 1/2 the time it is working and the other 1/2 it is just wating). And now we are never getting behind.
It was a cool think. Like I said last month, I love this kind of stuff. So now are system is up and running and we are ready to handle even larger amounts of data. And there are still other ways we could have tweaked the system. But at 50%, we are probably good enough for now... so on to other things.
Cher
Going to see Cher's "Farewell Tour" tonight. I've liked Cher at certain points in my life... Haven't really listened to her much lately. I think the best was when she was with Black Rose... However, Tina loves her. When Tina's hair was long (back in the day), people were always telling her she looked like Cher. And she can do a really good Cher impersonation. She was coming to town, so I figured, "What the heck" and got tickets. Should be cool.
Going to see Cher's "Farewell Tour" tonight. I've liked Cher at certain points in my life... Haven't really listened to her much lately. I think the best was when she was with Black Rose... However, Tina loves her. When Tina's hair was long (back in the day), people were always telling her she looked like Cher. And she can do a really good Cher impersonation. She was coming to town, so I figured, "What the heck" and got tickets. Should be cool.
A new toy for Jaime
Just because she wanted it so much, and because she is sooo cute, and because she is my baby... We got Jaime a Korg SP500. It is set up in her room and she has been playing it. Quite the cool keyboard.
Love ya kid!
Just because she wanted it so much, and because she is sooo cute, and because she is my baby... We got Jaime a Korg SP500. It is set up in her room and she has been playing it. Quite the cool keyboard.
Love ya kid!
Friday, September 26, 2003
CIO.com: Don't Trust Your Code to Strangers
A good case for XP and against out-sourcing your development.
A good case for XP and against out-sourcing your development.
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Never to old to be the hero
Tif called the other night. Brian wasn't at home and... THERE WAS A MOUSE IN THE HOUSE. Tif was totally freaked. She had trapped it under a shoe box (how in the world she did that I have no idea), but she didn't know how to get rid of it. I calmed her down (some), and talked her through it.
Slip something under the box (she used a folder), flip it over, hold the "lid" on tight, and throw it out into the field. (It might come back into the house). Ok, through it into the garbage bins... it probably won't climb out.
After we talked for about 10 minutes, she hung up to go take care of it, and then called me back in about 5 minutes to say it was done. Very tramatic experience, but at least it was out of the house.
"Tell Mom when she calls me to not laugh. This was serious."
I was the compasionate one and saved the day, so to say.
Even when your kid is 22, its still fun to be the hero. :-)
LOVE YA TIF!
Tif called the other night. Brian wasn't at home and... THERE WAS A MOUSE IN THE HOUSE. Tif was totally freaked. She had trapped it under a shoe box (how in the world she did that I have no idea), but she didn't know how to get rid of it. I calmed her down (some), and talked her through it.
Slip something under the box (she used a folder), flip it over, hold the "lid" on tight, and throw it out into the field. (It might come back into the house). Ok, through it into the garbage bins... it probably won't climb out.
After we talked for about 10 minutes, she hung up to go take care of it, and then called me back in about 5 minutes to say it was done. Very tramatic experience, but at least it was out of the house.
"Tell Mom when she calls me to not laugh. This was serious."
I was the compasionate one and saved the day, so to say.
Even when your kid is 22, its still fun to be the hero. :-)
LOVE YA TIF!
Monday, September 15, 2003
Tomatoes
I am very much the procrastinator, which doesn't work well with tomatoes and the first frost of the year. Usually what happens is that the forcast says it is going to get below freezing, I think "I should cover the tomatoes", I put it off, and the next morning they are all frozen and dead. Which is followed by a month of nice weather and me thinking, "If I had only covered the tomatoes."
Well this year I actually figured I would do it, got caught in some late meetings on Saturday and called Tina. She covered them for me. Sunday morning I checked them before they were in the sun, and they looked kind of frozen, but maybe not too bad. Covered them again last night and checked them this morning.
The ends of some of the branches look dead, but the rest of the plant and the fruit look great! Woo hoo! Maybe they'll actually ripen for me. :-)
I am very much the procrastinator, which doesn't work well with tomatoes and the first frost of the year. Usually what happens is that the forcast says it is going to get below freezing, I think "I should cover the tomatoes", I put it off, and the next morning they are all frozen and dead. Which is followed by a month of nice weather and me thinking, "If I had only covered the tomatoes."
Well this year I actually figured I would do it, got caught in some late meetings on Saturday and called Tina. She covered them for me. Sunday morning I checked them before they were in the sun, and they looked kind of frozen, but maybe not too bad. Covered them again last night and checked them this morning.
The ends of some of the branches look dead, but the rest of the plant and the fruit look great! Woo hoo! Maybe they'll actually ripen for me. :-)
Blogger
Blogger just added some new features. Don't have time to mess with them, but some look pretty nice.
Blogger just added some new features. Don't have time to mess with them, but some look pretty nice.
Friday, September 12, 2003
ETonline.com: John Ritter Dies of a Heart Problem
Wow. He was one of my favorites. I'll never forget the time I saw him doing ad-lib with Robin Williams on a Robin Williams special.
Wow. He was one of my favorites. I'll never forget the time I saw him doing ad-lib with Robin Williams on a Robin Williams special.
Friday, September 05, 2003
Almost ready to go
Sitting in the hotel in Denver, checking flight times, fighting over the computer with Jaime. "Dad, you can't work, so let me chat with my friends." Turns out no one is on yet. They are probably all at SHOC or doing something afterwards. Did a little work, but mostly just checking stuff. And blogging.
Woo hoo, plane leaves at 7:30, not 6:00... so we can sleep in until 4:30 instead of 3:00! Good thing Steve double checked the documents!
Should have done the "advance flight information" ahead of time. Didn't think about it. Next time we will. Enter it all on the computer and don't have to mess with it the next day.
Well... this is probably it. We're out of here. I'll probably do some blogging from Cancun.
Later!
Sitting in the hotel in Denver, checking flight times, fighting over the computer with Jaime. "Dad, you can't work, so let me chat with my friends." Turns out no one is on yet. They are probably all at SHOC or doing something afterwards. Did a little work, but mostly just checking stuff. And blogging.
Woo hoo, plane leaves at 7:30, not 6:00... so we can sleep in until 4:30 instead of 3:00! Good thing Steve double checked the documents!
Should have done the "advance flight information" ahead of time. Didn't think about it. Next time we will. Enter it all on the computer and don't have to mess with it the next day.
Well... this is probably it. We're out of here. I'll probably do some blogging from Cancun.
Later!
Whirlwind
The last few weeks have been very hectic. I'm finishing up two projects. One that is going into integration soon to build, and the other that we are bringing up on a production box.
The production system is brand new and we are trying to see how lean we can run it and still process the data. Last week we were processing 160 events a second throw one of N processes. I spent the week seeing what could be tweaked, configured, etc. We are now up over 400 events, which is enough for us to process the 100 million call records we need to process a day.
I love this kind of stuff. It is so cool. Its like being a detective (or what I imagine that to be like). Seeing a problem, looking for clues, trying to find a way to fix it. Its a blast... but it tends to be all consuming. I had a meeting at church yesterday at 4:00PM, and at 4:45PM I realized that a) it was Thursday, and b) it was after 4:00PM. Until then I wasn't really sure what day it was.
In to work at 4:45AM to try and get some last minute stuff done. I'm out 3 days next week, so need to get more than 3 days work done, 'cuz I won't be here to work things.
Leaving this afternoon for Cancun with Tina AND Jaime, were I won't be thinking about 400 events a second... I'll probably be thinking about a handful of events a day: breakfast, sleep by the pool, mid-morning snorkeling, lunch, sleep by the pool, mid-afternoon snorkeling, nap, dinner, after-dinner hanging out, bed.
The last few weeks have been very hectic. I'm finishing up two projects. One that is going into integration soon to build, and the other that we are bringing up on a production box.
The production system is brand new and we are trying to see how lean we can run it and still process the data. Last week we were processing 160 events a second throw one of N processes. I spent the week seeing what could be tweaked, configured, etc. We are now up over 400 events, which is enough for us to process the 100 million call records we need to process a day.
I love this kind of stuff. It is so cool. Its like being a detective (or what I imagine that to be like). Seeing a problem, looking for clues, trying to find a way to fix it. Its a blast... but it tends to be all consuming. I had a meeting at church yesterday at 4:00PM, and at 4:45PM I realized that a) it was Thursday, and b) it was after 4:00PM. Until then I wasn't really sure what day it was.
In to work at 4:45AM to try and get some last minute stuff done. I'm out 3 days next week, so need to get more than 3 days work done, 'cuz I won't be here to work things.
Leaving this afternoon for Cancun with Tina AND Jaime, were I won't be thinking about 400 events a second... I'll probably be thinking about a handful of events a day: breakfast, sleep by the pool, mid-morning snorkeling, lunch, sleep by the pool, mid-afternoon snorkeling, nap, dinner, after-dinner hanging out, bed.
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Lunch
Getting tired of the same old thing at work, and too busy/lazy in the morning to usually pack lunch. So today I made, "Grilled Chicken in a Honey Dijon Mustard Sauce."
From the "grill":
Grilled Chicken Breast - ask them to dice it up
Grilled mushrooms
Grilled onions
1 Package of Honey
2 Packages of Dijon Mustard
1 Slice Munster Cheese (from the sandwhich line)
Combine grill ingredients, add the "sauces", stir, microwave for 45 seconds, add the cheese.
Not too bad!
Getting tired of the same old thing at work, and too busy/lazy in the morning to usually pack lunch. So today I made, "Grilled Chicken in a Honey Dijon Mustard Sauce."
From the "grill":
Grilled Chicken Breast - ask them to dice it up
Grilled mushrooms
Grilled onions
1 Package of Honey
2 Packages of Dijon Mustard
1 Slice Munster Cheese (from the sandwhich line)
Combine grill ingredients, add the "sauces", stir, microwave for 45 seconds, add the cheese.
Not too bad!
Friday, August 22, 2003
Counter-Googling
Another link from ev.
Interesting stuff. Originally I thought no one read my blog... then a few family/friends. But who knows.
Another link from ev.
Interesting stuff. Originally I thought no one read my blog... then a few family/friends. But who knows.
Windows XP: How to get rid of Windows Messenger
From ev, quoted from the source above:
Something to keep in mind, since we are supposed to be upgrading to XP at work, sometime in the not to distant future
From ev, quoted from the source above:
"The fastest and safest way to remove Windows Messenger:
1) Click Start button
2) Click Run
3) Copy and paste this command into the Run dialog
4) RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove
5) Reboot and Windows Messenger is removed cleanly"
Something to keep in mind, since we are supposed to be upgrading to XP at work, sometime in the not to distant future
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
Sigh... wishing for good "old" VMS
I work on Sun boxes. I have a SPARCStation in my cube and the mid-range I work on is also a Sun running Solaris. Yesterday we took a power hit. Kind of typical durning a big thunderstorm. I was in a meeting at the time.
I get back to my desk and my SPARCStation has come down, so I reboot it. I try to log in, but the password file is hosed, because apparently the file gets corrupted if the machine takes a power hit. So I have to get the admin to come over and fix the box and reset my password. This happens EVERY time we take a power hit.
I then notice that the midrange is hosed as well. "Support is working on it." After about an hour, people start going home. "No use hanging out, I'm supposed to leave in 30 more minutes and it obviously won't be back up by then."
I get on this morning (surely it is ok by now), and find that the box is ok. I start working on it, and then my manager comes in and ircs the group. "Hey... we haven't gotten an OK to get on the box. As far as we know the disks are still syncing. Don't whine if you lose your work or cause the machine to take longer to come back up all the way.", so I get off.
I just CANNOT BELIEVE the state of the Sun/Unix world. (Maybe this is just Sun, maybe it is just Unix, I'm not sure which). Unix has its good points. And Sun has its good points. It just drives me nuts though how people claim that it is so much better than Digital and VMS. It is SO much an inferior "lights out, 24 x 7" platform.
Yes, we should have all this equipment on UPS. And then it wouldn't have happend. But still...
How long ago was the last big San Fransisco earthquake? A good 10 years right? At that time there was mail that went out about the computers. There were IBM machines that were taking days to bring back up. The VMS techs went in, pulled the ceiling tiles and junk off the VAXs, stood them up, plugged them in, and they were up and running.
I had a Vax 2000 in my cube. I NEVER had corrupted files because the machine took a power hit.
It just amazes me what garbage people are willing to put up with, when there has been so much better technology out there for so long. Sigh... marketing hype, PR lies.
Open... Yeah, I just love Open systems. I think I'd rather be working on a closed system where I could actually be more productive and do work, then on an Open system.
</whine> Guess I'll go finish my code reviews on paper, since I can't actually get onto the computer. :-(
I work on Sun boxes. I have a SPARCStation in my cube and the mid-range I work on is also a Sun running Solaris. Yesterday we took a power hit. Kind of typical durning a big thunderstorm. I was in a meeting at the time.
I get back to my desk and my SPARCStation has come down, so I reboot it. I try to log in, but the password file is hosed, because apparently the file gets corrupted if the machine takes a power hit. So I have to get the admin to come over and fix the box and reset my password. This happens EVERY time we take a power hit.
I then notice that the midrange is hosed as well. "Support is working on it." After about an hour, people start going home. "No use hanging out, I'm supposed to leave in 30 more minutes and it obviously won't be back up by then."
I get on this morning (surely it is ok by now), and find that the box is ok. I start working on it, and then my manager comes in and ircs the group. "Hey... we haven't gotten an OK to get on the box. As far as we know the disks are still syncing. Don't whine if you lose your work or cause the machine to take longer to come back up all the way.", so I get off.
I just CANNOT BELIEVE the state of the Sun/Unix world. (Maybe this is just Sun, maybe it is just Unix, I'm not sure which). Unix has its good points. And Sun has its good points. It just drives me nuts though how people claim that it is so much better than Digital and VMS. It is SO much an inferior "lights out, 24 x 7" platform.
Yes, we should have all this equipment on UPS. And then it wouldn't have happend. But still...
How long ago was the last big San Fransisco earthquake? A good 10 years right? At that time there was mail that went out about the computers. There were IBM machines that were taking days to bring back up. The VMS techs went in, pulled the ceiling tiles and junk off the VAXs, stood them up, plugged them in, and they were up and running.
I had a Vax 2000 in my cube. I NEVER had corrupted files because the machine took a power hit.
It just amazes me what garbage people are willing to put up with, when there has been so much better technology out there for so long. Sigh... marketing hype, PR lies.
Open... Yeah, I just love Open systems. I think I'd rather be working on a closed system where I could actually be more productive and do work, then on an Open system.
</whine> Guess I'll go finish my code reviews on paper, since I can't actually get onto the computer. :-(
Monday, August 18, 2003
MathWorld News: There Are No Magic Knight's Tours on the Chessboard
For those that have been pondering the 150 year old question, it has been answered.
For those that have been pondering the 150 year old question, it has been answered.
Sushi
Jaime and I went to Meg's restaruant after Fuel on Saturday. Meg had to work and wasn't at Fuel, so we went to surprise her and have some sushi. We tried their special roll, which had something like 7 different kinds of fish on it. It had octopus and squid... both of which I'm usually not too thrilled with. But they were sliced very thin. Jaime tried the octopus and she REALLY LIKE IT! So I gave it a try and it was pretty good. It had a good flavor, and wasn't too "rubbery" because it was so thin. So then we both tried the squid, which was pretty much how I remember it.
We had a California Roll, Special Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll and then an Eel & Avacado roll. It was all really good. Jaime likes the rolls better than the other kind, because it is more of a mixture and not so much just rice with a large piece of raw fish on it!
So... I'll have to take her out for sushi more... especially since she is way more adventurous than I would have thought. "Dad... it's just not Tif that likes sushi!" Octopus... who would have thought?
Jaime and I went to Meg's restaruant after Fuel on Saturday. Meg had to work and wasn't at Fuel, so we went to surprise her and have some sushi. We tried their special roll, which had something like 7 different kinds of fish on it. It had octopus and squid... both of which I'm usually not too thrilled with. But they were sliced very thin. Jaime tried the octopus and she REALLY LIKE IT! So I gave it a try and it was pretty good. It had a good flavor, and wasn't too "rubbery" because it was so thin. So then we both tried the squid, which was pretty much how I remember it.
We had a California Roll, Special Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll and then an Eel & Avacado roll. It was all really good. Jaime likes the rolls better than the other kind, because it is more of a mixture and not so much just rice with a large piece of raw fish on it!
So... I'll have to take her out for sushi more... especially since she is way more adventurous than I would have thought. "Dad... it's just not Tif that likes sushi!" Octopus... who would have thought?
Me on Google
Hey... I wanted to enter a link for "Impact Christian Center", so I typed it into google and posted the link. But then I started looking at what it turned up for links (phone listing and maps, christian directories), and then as I scrolled down I also found an article in Breakaway and a link to one of my sites. :-) I'm famous. ;-)
Wow... followed the breakaway link. Cool stuff. It is the article on Pastor Rick's D*group purity night. That was an awesome night. And there is a copy of the "Eye Convenant" that they wrote downloadable in PDF!
Hey... I wanted to enter a link for "Impact Christian Center", so I typed it into google and posted the link. But then I started looking at what it turned up for links (phone listing and maps, christian directories), and then as I scrolled down I also found an article in Breakaway and a link to one of my sites. :-) I'm famous. ;-)
Wow... followed the breakaway link. Cool stuff. It is the article on Pastor Rick's D*group purity night. That was an awesome night. And there is a copy of the "Eye Convenant" that they wrote downloadable in PDF!
The Good News
Yesterday's sermon by Pastor Joe was really good. Well they are pretty much always "really good." The main vision of Impact Christian Center is to spread the gospel, or "good news". To much of the church, and the world, the Christian message is not "good news". It is pretty much bad news. God is a mad god. God is bringing His judgement down on the world. Nothing is further from the truth!
God is a good god and He loves us. In fact He loves us so much, He sent his only son to die for us!
Anyway... I'm not going to preach much. He's on the radio, check it out, or come to church, or get a tape.
So my point was on yesterday's sermon. The main point was "Are you in the right church" and "Does it matter." Yes it does. You have to be in a church that God has called you to, if you are going to serve it what He has called you to do. Part of that was reaching the lost and letting them know how much God loves them. Seems like pretty simple stuff... In one way it is, and in another it isn't. Yeah, it is pretty simple to tell people that God loves them... But the point is, not many people know that. As Pastor Joe was speaking about that, I was thinking how right on he is.
I think that was one of the biggest messages we took to Costa Rica on our mission trip this year. Not only did we bring a message of salvation, but we brought a message of hope. Costa Rica is a largely Christian country. They are a churched country... I'd say more so that the US. But they have a lot of people that do not have a personal relationship with God. That have walked away from the church. That believe that God is mad at them for something they have done. Letting them know that God loves them brought them so much hope and joy. And it brought them into a personal relationship with Jesus and plugged them into the local church. And that is what it is all about. Letting people know that God loves them, so they can get into relationship with him, and grow. Its not just about getting to Heaven. Its also very much about how you live your life here on earth... Not in a "good vs bad" way... but in a "life vs death" way... the ability to walk in the healing, prosperity and power that He desires for each of His children.
Its good to be in a church you are called to, doing His work.
Yesterday's sermon by Pastor Joe was really good. Well they are pretty much always "really good." The main vision of Impact Christian Center is to spread the gospel, or "good news". To much of the church, and the world, the Christian message is not "good news". It is pretty much bad news. God is a mad god. God is bringing His judgement down on the world. Nothing is further from the truth!
God is a good god and He loves us. In fact He loves us so much, He sent his only son to die for us!
Anyway... I'm not going to preach much. He's on the radio, check it out, or come to church, or get a tape.
So my point was on yesterday's sermon. The main point was "Are you in the right church" and "Does it matter." Yes it does. You have to be in a church that God has called you to, if you are going to serve it what He has called you to do. Part of that was reaching the lost and letting them know how much God loves them. Seems like pretty simple stuff... In one way it is, and in another it isn't. Yeah, it is pretty simple to tell people that God loves them... But the point is, not many people know that. As Pastor Joe was speaking about that, I was thinking how right on he is.
I think that was one of the biggest messages we took to Costa Rica on our mission trip this year. Not only did we bring a message of salvation, but we brought a message of hope. Costa Rica is a largely Christian country. They are a churched country... I'd say more so that the US. But they have a lot of people that do not have a personal relationship with God. That have walked away from the church. That believe that God is mad at them for something they have done. Letting them know that God loves them brought them so much hope and joy. And it brought them into a personal relationship with Jesus and plugged them into the local church. And that is what it is all about. Letting people know that God loves them, so they can get into relationship with him, and grow. Its not just about getting to Heaven. Its also very much about how you live your life here on earth... Not in a "good vs bad" way... but in a "life vs death" way... the ability to walk in the healing, prosperity and power that He desires for each of His children.
Its good to be in a church you are called to, doing His work.
Google calculator
Now Google has added a calculator. But it isn't just a normal math calculator, it also does conversions. You can use it just like a normal Google query. "1 smoot in feet", (I don't even know what a smoot is...) or "1 cubit in feet". I had a rough idea how long a cubit was. Google says it is 1.5 feet. So, just in case you have a bible that doesn't list Noah's Ark in feet, but still lists it in cubits, you'd now be able to calculate that it was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. :-)
But in addition to doing calculations of things you may not use everyday (like cubits and smoots), it also does normal type conversion and mathematical calculations:
Now Google has added a calculator. But it isn't just a normal math calculator, it also does conversions. You can use it just like a normal Google query. "1 smoot in feet", (I don't even know what a smoot is...) or "1 cubit in feet". I had a rough idea how long a cubit was. Google says it is 1.5 feet. So, just in case you have a bible that doesn't list Noah's Ark in feet, but still lists it in cubits, you'd now be able to calculate that it was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. :-)
But in addition to doing calculations of things you may not use everyday (like cubits and smoots), it also does normal type conversion and mathematical calculations:
To use Google's built-in calculator function, simply enter the expression you'd like evaluated in the search box and hit the Enter key or click the Google Search button. The calculator can evaluate mathematical expressions involving basic arithmetic (5+2*2 or 2^20), more complicated math (sine(30 degrees) or e^(i pi)+1), units of measure and conversions (100 miles in kilometers or 160 pounds * 4000 feet in Calories), and physical constants (1 a.u./c or G*mass of earth/radius of earth^2). You can also experiment with other numbering systems, including hexadecimal and binary.
Friday, August 15, 2003
Speed, its all relevant
Geek stuff...
When Tim and I were working at DEC, we were working on a DBOS to CHAMP conversion. Or as we affectionately called it, The project from Hell. The goal of that was to get all the obligation data out of one database and migrate it to another database (converting it on the way via a set of complex mapping rules). We had to do this in the middle of the night. I think it was from 1:00 AM to 7:00 AM, or something like that. In any case, we had to process about 6000 records during this time. I can't remember for sure, but I think we had at least 3 hours, and maybe it was up to 6.
I'm now working on a Sheriff Implementation where we are doing something I probably can't talk about and we'll be processing about 6000 records a SECOND.
I guess what is fast all depends upon what you are working on. :-)
Geek stuff...
When Tim and I were working at DEC, we were working on a DBOS to CHAMP conversion. Or as we affectionately called it, The project from Hell. The goal of that was to get all the obligation data out of one database and migrate it to another database (converting it on the way via a set of complex mapping rules). We had to do this in the middle of the night. I think it was from 1:00 AM to 7:00 AM, or something like that. In any case, we had to process about 6000 records during this time. I can't remember for sure, but I think we had at least 3 hours, and maybe it was up to 6.
I'm now working on a Sheriff Implementation where we are doing something I probably can't talk about and we'll be processing about 6000 records a SECOND.
I guess what is fast all depends upon what you are working on. :-)
Busy, busy
Been pretty busy lately. Not 24 hours a day... but busy enough that I'm not blogging much (as you've noticed). I've got two projects wrapping up at work, so if I'm not busy with one, I'm working on the other. But they are both cool, so that is good.
Jaime just blogged some stuff, which is cool. As she said, Erika is spending the week with us. She's a great "kid" so that will be great.
Other than that... I'm just keeping plenty busy with work, home and church. Some cool youth worship stuff going on, but I'll probably blog that later.
Heather is home! Still haven't seen her, as she has plenty of committments at her home church, but she should be down next weekend (hopefully) or maybe she'll come down and we'll do lunch.
I'm sitting here waiting for a build to finish so I can see if I just fixed a defect or not... Well... it seems to be taking a while so I guess I'll go write some documentation while I'm waiting.
Been pretty busy lately. Not 24 hours a day... but busy enough that I'm not blogging much (as you've noticed). I've got two projects wrapping up at work, so if I'm not busy with one, I'm working on the other. But they are both cool, so that is good.
Jaime just blogged some stuff, which is cool. As she said, Erika is spending the week with us. She's a great "kid" so that will be great.
Other than that... I'm just keeping plenty busy with work, home and church. Some cool youth worship stuff going on, but I'll probably blog that later.
Heather is home! Still haven't seen her, as she has plenty of committments at her home church, but she should be down next weekend (hopefully) or maybe she'll come down and we'll do lunch.
I'm sitting here waiting for a build to finish so I can see if I just fixed a defect or not... Well... it seems to be taking a while so I guess I'll go write some documentation while I'm waiting.
Monday, August 11, 2003
CNN.com: Wild Chihuahuas spared execution
Sitting in my cube, munching on Chicken Strips (cuz nothing else sounded good... and at least they are somewhat filling) and reading MightyGirl, when I followed the link to the above article.
1) Not all that good of reading while eating lunch, but hey, I've watched Animal Precient enough to know what to expect.
2) It still kind of amazes me that with the current social problems: homeless, kids on the street, etc.; we still as a society do things like spend $500K to make sure that 170 wild dogs "live their lives out happily ever after".
Sitting in my cube, munching on Chicken Strips (cuz nothing else sounded good... and at least they are somewhat filling) and reading MightyGirl, when I followed the link to the above article.
1) Not all that good of reading while eating lunch, but hey, I've watched Animal Precient enough to know what to expect.
2) It still kind of amazes me that with the current social problems: homeless, kids on the street, etc.; we still as a society do things like spend $500K to make sure that 170 wild dogs "live their lives out happily ever after".
Monday, August 04, 2003
In case there was any doubt
In case there was any doubt about my geekyness... On my birthday (I'm sure they planned it that way), the US Patent office granted our 2nd patent on Sheriff. :-)
Long and legal, but hey, my name is there under Inventors. :-)
In case there was any doubt about my geekyness... On my birthday (I'm sure they planned it that way), the US Patent office granted our 2nd patent on Sheriff. :-)
Long and legal, but hey, my name is there under Inventors. :-)
Friday, August 01, 2003
Friday afternoon
Busy cleaning up some code. Iteratively cleaning/fixing, building, and then regression testing. While doing some of that I'm also updating the Fusion Worship blog. Trying to get code cleaned up with 1/2 my brain, while starting to think about the first Fuel-JV worship team practice with the other half. Kind of unsuccessful and it is all kind of rambling together. But that's ok... That's how I function. :-)
Well... back to it. A little over an hour till I leave work, and I've got code to clean up. Both mine and someone elses...
Busy cleaning up some code. Iteratively cleaning/fixing, building, and then regression testing. While doing some of that I'm also updating the Fusion Worship blog. Trying to get code cleaned up with 1/2 my brain, while starting to think about the first Fuel-JV worship team practice with the other half. Kind of unsuccessful and it is all kind of rambling together. But that's ok... That's how I function. :-)
Well... back to it. A little over an hour till I leave work, and I've got code to clean up. Both mine and someone elses...
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Costa Rician caffine
Sitting in my cube, reviwing code, and munching on White chocolate covered gourmet coffee beans from Cafe Britt that I picked up in San Jose. Yum!
Sitting in my cube, reviwing code, and munching on White chocolate covered gourmet coffee beans from Cafe Britt that I picked up in San Jose. Yum!
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Costa Rica - a glimpse from a teen
Erika has added an entry to her blog about Costa Rica. As always, very cool. And on my birthday no less! Thank you Erika! And it is so cool to read how you feel about the keys. Like I told you Saturday/Sunday. It is very cool to see you stepping out in that! It adds so much.
Erika has added an entry to her blog about Costa Rica. As always, very cool. And on my birthday no less! Thank you Erika! And it is so cool to read how you feel about the keys. Like I told you Saturday/Sunday. It is very cool to see you stepping out in that! It adds so much.
Writting
It is weird how writting is kind of like putting a part of your soul down on paper. For me writting just kind of flows out, as I think about something. It can be something like blogging, writting a poem, or even writting a technical document. One weird thing is that I can't repeat it. Writting a particular thing is a unique. I'll never write it the same way twice. I think about this because I don't write on paper, but on a computer. And computers crash.
I've written a document, sometimes hacked a program, or just written a blog entry. If I lose it (didn't save often enough and the program crashes, program gets deleted and I can't restore it), I can recreate the general idea... but not the same words. Not the exact same emotion. It was something I was feeling at that exact time.
I just thought of this because I've written something in blogger before and accidently hit a wrong button and had it just disappear. Forever. Never to be seen again. I can try and recreate it, and again - maybe it has the same feel, but it isn't the same thing. There for a few seconds, when I saved the last post, the screen went blank (like it always does)... and I thought "Oh man... did I hit the right button?", and then it repainted and there was the entry.
Hopefully my whole day won't be like this. I'm thinking 45 is kind of strange. ;-)
It is weird how writting is kind of like putting a part of your soul down on paper. For me writting just kind of flows out, as I think about something. It can be something like blogging, writting a poem, or even writting a technical document. One weird thing is that I can't repeat it. Writting a particular thing is a unique. I'll never write it the same way twice. I think about this because I don't write on paper, but on a computer. And computers crash.
I've written a document, sometimes hacked a program, or just written a blog entry. If I lose it (didn't save often enough and the program crashes, program gets deleted and I can't restore it), I can recreate the general idea... but not the same words. Not the exact same emotion. It was something I was feeling at that exact time.
I just thought of this because I've written something in blogger before and accidently hit a wrong button and had it just disappear. Forever. Never to be seen again. I can try and recreate it, and again - maybe it has the same feel, but it isn't the same thing. There for a few seconds, when I saved the last post, the screen went blank (like it always does)... and I thought "Oh man... did I hit the right button?", and then it repainted and there was the entry.
Hopefully my whole day won't be like this. I'm thinking 45 is kind of strange. ;-)
Its kind of bizzare
Today I'm 45. Wow.
No big pearls of wisdom or anything like that. That would take too much thought, and it is another normal day, have to get ready for work, go to work, etc.
But one thing I've been thinking of writting lately... for whatever reason. The effect of music. How it can transport you back to a place and time. When I got born again (accepted Jesus as my Lord and became a Christian), I stopped listening to secular music. Not right away, but after a time. Some of the stuff I had been listening to was not real great, and I was also joining a worship team, and I had to kind of get my mind off some stuff. So for about 7 years all I listened to was Christian music. Then a few years ago I started listening to secular music once in a while. Mostly classic rock. The stuff I listened to growing up. As a side note, I can't believe the garbage that comes out of DJs mouths these days... but I try to avoid listening and change stations when I know they are going to talk. Anyway, this isn't so much about any of that... but about how muisc can transport you.
I thought about starting another blog, just about certain songs and where they take me. Maybe I will, but for now I'll just put something here.
Two songs that really transport me, for whatever reason.
The most recent is Let it Rain, which is not a classic rock song, but is a worship song.
And then for something totally different... The Boys Are Back In Town, by Thin Lizzy. I hadn't heard that song much for a long time. This year it started getting a lot of air time on several of the classic rock stations. We used to play this in the band, back when I was a teen. We eventually broke up and went back to leading "normal" lives - which mainly consisted of going back to school. After school I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, and so spent one summer in Haver MT. We lived in Big Timber MT (pop: 2500, south-central MT), and Haver was a "city" up north, near Canada. We had some friends up there, a divorced mom with 6 daughters, a hugh house, and an unfinished basement. Some of the guys used to go up there and just hang out in the basement. Looking for odd jobs and just generally hanging out. This was the summer of 1977. Several of the guys had been up to Haver a few times, and on their latest trip I went with them.
So... The Boys Are Back In Town.
Haver MT. Warm summer evening. 17 to 19 year olds. No where to go, nothing to do. Just hanging out. Strutting down the street, walking all abreast. Probably Marv, Mel, Steve and me. Maybe Terry. Ear rings (crosses, daggers, skulls, porcupine quill). Necklaces (eagles, arrow heads, etc.), shirts (flannel or polyester) open 1/2 way down. Hash jeans - whatever was the latest - large star, hash, butterfly. Mostly likely platform shoes. There we are, strutting down the street, first night back in Haver, walking down town to see what we can find. Singing The Boys Are Back In Town.
Its weird. I've talked to Marv twice since I left MT 19 years ago. (I'm not great about keeping in touch). But I can hear that song on the radio... and feel the same way I did then. It all comes back. And in my mind I can look over, and see Marv. That look on his face, not a care in the world. Just out looking to conquer it. Whatever it happened to be.
Its just weird how music and take you back to a time and place. Sometimes far in the past, sometimes just around the corner.
Today I'm 45. Wow.
No big pearls of wisdom or anything like that. That would take too much thought, and it is another normal day, have to get ready for work, go to work, etc.
But one thing I've been thinking of writting lately... for whatever reason. The effect of music. How it can transport you back to a place and time. When I got born again (accepted Jesus as my Lord and became a Christian), I stopped listening to secular music. Not right away, but after a time. Some of the stuff I had been listening to was not real great, and I was also joining a worship team, and I had to kind of get my mind off some stuff. So for about 7 years all I listened to was Christian music. Then a few years ago I started listening to secular music once in a while. Mostly classic rock. The stuff I listened to growing up. As a side note, I can't believe the garbage that comes out of DJs mouths these days... but I try to avoid listening and change stations when I know they are going to talk. Anyway, this isn't so much about any of that... but about how muisc can transport you.
I thought about starting another blog, just about certain songs and where they take me. Maybe I will, but for now I'll just put something here.
Two songs that really transport me, for whatever reason.
The most recent is Let it Rain, which is not a classic rock song, but is a worship song.
Open the floodgates of heaven.That's it. The entire song. But it is a song we did a lot in Costa Rica. When Michael is singing that song, and Nicole starts echoing him, in her passionate way, it takes me right back to Costa Rica. Standing in the sound booth at the Oasis. Looking over the balcony at the team and a crowd of 2000 people with their hands raised. All worshipping God. And just feeling His presence so strong. And being amazed at the passion and power of her worship as He sings through her... and through the entire team as they join together and just worship Him. It was an awesome time.
Let it rain, let it rain.
And then for something totally different... The Boys Are Back In Town, by Thin Lizzy. I hadn't heard that song much for a long time. This year it started getting a lot of air time on several of the classic rock stations. We used to play this in the band, back when I was a teen. We eventually broke up and went back to leading "normal" lives - which mainly consisted of going back to school. After school I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, and so spent one summer in Haver MT. We lived in Big Timber MT (pop: 2500, south-central MT), and Haver was a "city" up north, near Canada. We had some friends up there, a divorced mom with 6 daughters, a hugh house, and an unfinished basement. Some of the guys used to go up there and just hang out in the basement. Looking for odd jobs and just generally hanging out. This was the summer of 1977. Several of the guys had been up to Haver a few times, and on their latest trip I went with them.
So... The Boys Are Back In Town.
Haver MT. Warm summer evening. 17 to 19 year olds. No where to go, nothing to do. Just hanging out. Strutting down the street, walking all abreast. Probably Marv, Mel, Steve and me. Maybe Terry. Ear rings (crosses, daggers, skulls, porcupine quill). Necklaces (eagles, arrow heads, etc.), shirts (flannel or polyester) open 1/2 way down. Hash jeans - whatever was the latest - large star, hash, butterfly. Mostly likely platform shoes. There we are, strutting down the street, first night back in Haver, walking down town to see what we can find. Singing The Boys Are Back In Town.
Its weird. I've talked to Marv twice since I left MT 19 years ago. (I'm not great about keeping in touch). But I can hear that song on the radio... and feel the same way I did then. It all comes back. And in my mind I can look over, and see Marv. That look on his face, not a care in the world. Just out looking to conquer it. Whatever it happened to be.
Its just weird how music and take you back to a time and place. Sometimes far in the past, sometimes just around the corner.
Monday, July 28, 2003
Saturday, July 26, 2003
Play Money
The other day I was doing a lot of compiles, sitting around waiting for stuff to finish, with only a few minutes here and there. Not really enough time to seriously get into any other tasks. So, I figured I'd check out some blogs. Checked my regular ones and still had some time, so took a look at Blogger's "Blogs of Note". One of them was Play Money. That sounded interesting, so I took a look.
Wow!
I've played games for pretty much forever. Started playing video games when they came out, then computer games. Also played PBM (Play by Mail) games, and then later PBEM (Play by EMail) and then online games. Some of my friends and I, who are all programmers and have at different times played games quite a bit, always said, "It would be so cool if you could earn a living playing a game."
I stumbled across the Play Money blog, and that is exactly what this guy is doing! Or at least attempting to do. Pretty amazing. It never occured to me that you could sell a virtual thing and make real money. I've played this kind of game before. Not Ultima Online, but similar types of games. And I've won some of them, and those I haven't won, I've usually done pretty well. Amassing resources, trading, etc. Who would have thought that you could take some "valuable" resource in a game, and sell it for real money? I don't know why it never occured to me. Given some of the games I've played (some lasting 18 months), the desparation of someone not having enough ships to protect a homeworld, the ease with which things could be traded, etc... it was always possible. Just no one ever thought of it!
And now I stumble across a game system, that has a few hundered thousand players, and they are selling virtual items, for real money, on e-bay. And the annualized sales for this year are $3.4M!!! That's right, $3,400,000 will change hands this year on e-bay for castles, runes, cloaks, etc. And it has an actual exchange rate (just like any country). Currently 1M Britannian gold pieces are going for $16.63, which is up 4 cents from last week.
From a game point of view, I found the very concept interesting - that it would be so formalized, "normal", etc.
From a game philosophy point of view, it was interesting too. In some of the more complex games I've played, there have always been different styles of play. Some people treat it as a war game, some as adventure, some just want to be traders. Now here is a game where someone is a real trader. Not just trading in the game, but making a living off of it in real life.
I'm not an economist, or even understand it real well, but I thought that part of the blog was interesting too.
And then there were the fraud/scam issues. Something I deal with every day, in one way or another. And here are some of those same issues being dealt with in a virtual world... or actually in the blending of a virtual world with a real one.
Some pretty interesting stuff. If Ultimate Online wasn't such a time sink, I'd think of joining. I still might... as long as I can keep myself from spending too many hours on it!
The other day I was doing a lot of compiles, sitting around waiting for stuff to finish, with only a few minutes here and there. Not really enough time to seriously get into any other tasks. So, I figured I'd check out some blogs. Checked my regular ones and still had some time, so took a look at Blogger's "Blogs of Note". One of them was Play Money. That sounded interesting, so I took a look.
Wow!
I've played games for pretty much forever. Started playing video games when they came out, then computer games. Also played PBM (Play by Mail) games, and then later PBEM (Play by EMail) and then online games. Some of my friends and I, who are all programmers and have at different times played games quite a bit, always said, "It would be so cool if you could earn a living playing a game."
I stumbled across the Play Money blog, and that is exactly what this guy is doing! Or at least attempting to do. Pretty amazing. It never occured to me that you could sell a virtual thing and make real money. I've played this kind of game before. Not Ultima Online, but similar types of games. And I've won some of them, and those I haven't won, I've usually done pretty well. Amassing resources, trading, etc. Who would have thought that you could take some "valuable" resource in a game, and sell it for real money? I don't know why it never occured to me. Given some of the games I've played (some lasting 18 months), the desparation of someone not having enough ships to protect a homeworld, the ease with which things could be traded, etc... it was always possible. Just no one ever thought of it!
And now I stumble across a game system, that has a few hundered thousand players, and they are selling virtual items, for real money, on e-bay. And the annualized sales for this year are $3.4M!!! That's right, $3,400,000 will change hands this year on e-bay for castles, runes, cloaks, etc. And it has an actual exchange rate (just like any country). Currently 1M Britannian gold pieces are going for $16.63, which is up 4 cents from last week.
From a game point of view, I found the very concept interesting - that it would be so formalized, "normal", etc.
From a game philosophy point of view, it was interesting too. In some of the more complex games I've played, there have always been different styles of play. Some people treat it as a war game, some as adventure, some just want to be traders. Now here is a game where someone is a real trader. Not just trading in the game, but making a living off of it in real life.
I'm not an economist, or even understand it real well, but I thought that part of the blog was interesting too.
And then there were the fraud/scam issues. Something I deal with every day, in one way or another. And here are some of those same issues being dealt with in a virtual world... or actually in the blending of a virtual world with a real one.
Some pretty interesting stuff. If Ultimate Online wasn't such a time sink, I'd think of joining. I still might... as long as I can keep myself from spending too many hours on it!
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Rivals of HP court Tru64 users
Death of another DEC product. :-( HP is dropping Tru64, which is the Digital Unix for the Alpha. They are suggesting their users migrate to HP-UX. Sun is countering that, saying it would be easier for users to migrate to Solaris. I haven't used Tru64 that much, but I don't think either will be an easy migrate. Digital's Unix had some cool VMS capabilities built in, from what I remember. Things like the Distributed Resource Lock Manager for one. You just aren't going to find that on other platforms.
Well... at least they continue to support OpenVMS. No longer on the Alpha, instead on the Itanium... but at least it is still there.
Death of another DEC product. :-( HP is dropping Tru64, which is the Digital Unix for the Alpha. They are suggesting their users migrate to HP-UX. Sun is countering that, saying it would be easier for users to migrate to Solaris. I haven't used Tru64 that much, but I don't think either will be an easy migrate. Digital's Unix had some cool VMS capabilities built in, from what I remember. Things like the Distributed Resource Lock Manager for one. You just aren't going to find that on other platforms.
Well... at least they continue to support OpenVMS. No longer on the Alpha, instead on the Itanium... but at least it is still there.
Monday, July 21, 2003
Reply to Nathan
Nathan added a comment on my guest book, basically asking "How do you start blogging?". Hey, its easy. Just go to Blogger, and follow the steps. There is a "SIGN UP" section. Just fill in what you want your username and password to be. It will then step you through how to do it. Getting comments, how many hits, etc. is a bit more work. But just starting is easy. Nathan, if you do start blogging, let me know and I'll add a link to your blog!
And speaking of comments, my "guest book" comments on Fusion Worship, Costa Rica 2003, seem to have disappeared. Maybe I have something set up wrong...
Nathan added a comment on my guest book, basically asking "How do you start blogging?". Hey, its easy. Just go to Blogger, and follow the steps. There is a "SIGN UP" section. Just fill in what you want your username and password to be. It will then step you through how to do it. Getting comments, how many hits, etc. is a bit more work. But just starting is easy. Nathan, if you do start blogging, let me know and I'll add a link to your blog!
And speaking of comments, my "guest book" comments on Fusion Worship, Costa Rica 2003, seem to have disappeared. Maybe I have something set up wrong...
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
ComputerWorld: Microsoft warns of widespread Windows vunlnerability
Yet another security flaw that "could give remote attackers total control over a Windows system". What else is new.
Yet another security flaw that "could give remote attackers total control over a Windows system". What else is new.
The New York Times: Internet Chat Seen as Tool to Teach Theft of Credit Cards
NYTimes article on credit card fraud. One of the things that the software I use is designed to prevent!
NYTimes article on credit card fraud. One of the things that the software I use is designed to prevent!
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
ComputerWorld: Feds ponder WorldCom's fate as government contractor
Bottom line - yeah, it would be great for our competitors, but it would hurt our customers (including the government).
Bottom line - yeah, it would be great for our competitors, but it would hurt our customers (including the government).
I'm back!
I back in the states, at home. Got to head into work today, so probably not much blogging. I'm at home right now, going through my 1115 emails I have! MailWasher shows me that 305 are hidden (meaning I've filtered them as good), the other 800 I'm checking to see if they should all be bounced. You just gotta love spam. :-(
I back in the states, at home. Got to head into work today, so probably not much blogging. I'm at home right now, going through my 1115 emails I have! MailWasher shows me that 305 are hidden (meaning I've filtered them as good), the other 800 I'm checking to see if they should all be bounced. You just gotta love spam. :-(
Saturday, June 28, 2003
I'm almost out of here
Well..., this will be my last post here for a while. I think everything else will be posted to Fusion Worship - Costa Rica 2003, until I get back. Have fun while I'm gone!
Well..., this will be my last post here for a while. I think everything else will be posted to Fusion Worship - Costa Rica 2003, until I get back. Have fun while I'm gone!
Thursday, June 26, 2003
Yahoo news: Do-Not-Call List Registration Starts Soon
We've been on the Colorado no call list for some time. But this is a national one!
We've been on the Colorado no call list for some time. But this is a national one!
Cool!
I just logged into Blogger and the new editing screen came up! It works GREAT with Mozilla. Yeah, I'm happy.
OK... so I spoke too soon. The Mozilla one is better, but still not as good as using IE. :-( Well... I'll probably try it once in a while, just to see if it gets better. I'd rather not have to bring up IE at all!
I just logged into Blogger and the new editing screen came up! It works GREAT with Mozilla. Yeah, I'm happy.
OK... so I spoke too soon. The Mozilla one is better, but still not as good as using IE. :-( Well... I'll probably try it once in a while, just to see if it gets better. I'd rather not have to bring up IE at all!
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
I'm still here
Some folks have asked how come I haven't blogged since the 11th. Yeah, I'm still here... but I've just been really busy lately. I've been working on two projects since last week, and I'm getting ready to go to Costa Rica with FusionWorship. So its just been crazy lately.
Some folks have asked how come I haven't blogged since the 11th. Yeah, I'm still here... but I've just been really busy lately. I've been working on two projects since last week, and I'm getting ready to go to Costa Rica with FusionWorship. So its just been crazy lately.
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
BBCnews: Pakistan tackles killer kites
Kite flyers in Pakistan's Punjab Province will face murder charges and a possible death penalty if their sharpened strings cause more deaths.
Wow... I had a kite book when I was a kid that talked about how to do this. Never thought about how dangerous it might be!
Kite flyers in Pakistan's Punjab Province will face murder charges and a possible death penalty if their sharpened strings cause more deaths.
Wow... I had a kite book when I was a kid that talked about how to do this. Never thought about how dangerous it might be!
Tuesday, June 10, 2003
msnbc: Your guide to the Mars rovers
The what, when and why of NASA's twin assault on Mars.
Cool. They are supposed to land Jan 4th and 25th, 2004
The what, when and why of NASA's twin assault on Mars.
Cool. They are supposed to land Jan 4th and 25th, 2004
Friday, June 06, 2003
wsj.com: Poultry in Motion: With Invention, Chicken Catching Goes High-Tech
I never realized catching chickens required automation!
I never realized catching chickens required automation!
Thursday, June 05, 2003
NewsFactorNetwork: GPS Used To Test Car Speed Control
Hmm... but what if I don't want to go the speed limit? ;-)
Hmm... but what if I don't want to go the speed limit? ;-)
Google PhoneBook
Google has added a new feature.
Wow... type in anyone's phone number and get their full name, address, etc., as well as directions to their house via MapQuest or YahooMaps.
Cool feature... or invasion-of-privacy / security-risk? Well... it does appear that it is linked to the public phone directory, so if I can look you up in the phone book, I can do the same thing by hand. Just automates it for me. And if your number is not listed, then it doesn't show up.
The world gets smaller all the time!
Google has added a new feature.
Google has added the convenience of US street address and phone number lookup to the information we provide through our search box. You'll see publicly listed phone numbers and addresses at the top of results pages for searches that contain specific kinds of keywords.
Wow... type in anyone's phone number and get their full name, address, etc., as well as directions to their house via MapQuest or YahooMaps.
Cool feature... or invasion-of-privacy / security-risk? Well... it does appear that it is linked to the public phone directory, so if I can look you up in the phone book, I can do the same thing by hand. Just automates it for me. And if your number is not listed, then it doesn't show up.
The world gets smaller all the time!
Tuesday, June 03, 2003
Cause and effect?
Reading mighty girl, I sometimes wonder if these things happen to her because she blogs her observations. I mean... do these things happen to everyone, but most of us just don't notice... because we aren't recording it? I believe that when I'm in my "I should blog interesting things that happen" mode, more interesting things tend to happen. But usually I'm too busy, so I'm just blogging other posts, articles, etc. Maybe I'll keep an eye out and see if anything interesting happens...
Reading mighty girl, I sometimes wonder if these things happen to her because she blogs her observations. I mean... do these things happen to everyone, but most of us just don't notice... because we aren't recording it? I believe that when I'm in my "I should blog interesting things that happen" mode, more interesting things tend to happen. But usually I'm too busy, so I'm just blogging other posts, articles, etc. Maybe I'll keep an eye out and see if anything interesting happens...
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