Monthly Archives: October 2006

Server Maintenance

Posted on October 29, 2006 | Comments Off on Server Maintenance

Proliant 5000Since My servers have So much down time, thanks to Verizon, I'm scheduling a semi major change that should work without a hitch, but being really paranoid, I'm backing up my essential files via Tar and GZIP.

Apparently, after it's compressed, I have 17 GB of stuff in my personal home directory alone. That's not counting my Web Site on that Box. This calls for some serious housekeeping after the change as there are some files I've not touched since that server was made years ago.

This backup is fairly straightforward but time consuming. Basically, I tar and GZIP the results, use scp to copy the resulting file to my PC and then back it up to DVD. Simple, but time consuming. Even with Double Sided DVD's it will take about three Double Sided (Dual layer??) DVD's to do it. I could back it up to DLT Tape, but each DLT tape costs a lot and when that DLT Drive goes, it will be expensive to replace. Personally, after "Blue Ray" and HD DVD stabilizes, I'll probably get one for Backup purposes. 


Music I'm listening to right Now:
"Pushing Me Away" by Linkin Park from "Hybrid Theory".
 

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Ok, Verizon just Sucks.

Posted on October 29, 2006 | 5 comments

PhoneIt rained Friday night which means my phone service went down yet again. This has only been going on since September 14th.

Ok,  I tried to be patient, but I go thru the usual song and dance and apparently complete waste of time by calling Verizon Phone Repair, ask to speak to a manager and get promptly hung up on. I Have a complaint in to Verizon about that AND a complaint is being opened up to their Business office Monday. My Last bill has a “Credit” of less than $3. I can’t wait to call the City and file a complaint in writing.

Maybe it’s me. maybe I just get lucky enough to deal with people with absolutely no idea how to fix a phone line. After all, It’s TWO WIRES connected to my house, down a telephone pole, to a Central office back to a Verizon Hub (Or what ever it’s called). Obviously, This is New Cutting Edge Technology (The Phone was JUST invented, Right?) and it takes a certain amount of patience to actually trackdown and inspect the few hundred feet of TWO WIRES to actually find the problem.

The Best Part? Everyone who comes out to look at it traces it a few blocks, Observes that it goes into the ground and then has to open a trouble ticket to yet another group just to look at it. That other group takes a peek several days later and says “Looks OK to me!” and apparently does nothing. By the time they look at it at least four days have passed, the rain water that caused the problem has evaporated and the phone line starts to work albiet with lots of Static.

This situation is just beyond words. I’m betting I’ll be back here writing about how much Verizon Sucks in January.

Music I’m listening to right Now:
“Camisado” by Panic! at the Disco from “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out“.

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Keith Olbermann Special Comment

Posted on October 25, 2006 | Comments Off on Keith Olbermann Special Comment

As usual, Keith Olbermann is right on the money. After that advertisement on the RNC web site I Have to wonder; Is the Republican Party the official Fear mongering party? Other then the “Boo! Terrorists are out to getcha!“, what is their message?
Lets look at the News and try to figure out the message:

  • Is it to Vote on election Day? Apparently a volunteer for Mr. Tan Nguyen, a Republican running for congress in California, sent out a letter to “encourage” immigrants not to vote. In so doing, they may have run afoul of Federal (Lucky for him Alberto Gonzalez is On the Case!) and State voting laws. Interestingly, Mr. Nguyen is displaying the same outrage Jeanine Pirro shows when she is under investigation demanding an Investigation of the Investigation.
  • Is it keeping Children Safe? Possibly not as Rep. J. Dennis Hastert doesn’t recall any warning about about now former Rep. Tom Foley. Sure, I can see it. I’d forget if someone insinuated to me about someone being a Pervert, to say the least.
    Um, No.
    Apparently Rep. Jim Kolbe may have “issues ” too…
  • Is it Integrity? Not according to Rep. Bob Ney or Rep. Randall “Duke” Cunningham or former Rep. Tom Delay. No wait, Tom Delay is just under indictment, NOT convicted.
  • Is it to “Stay the Course”? According to Pres. GW Bush it’s never been “Stay the course“.
    Let’s see: The War in Iraq is about WMD’s, then “Freedom and Democracy”, then the “War on Terror”, Lower gas prices…
  • Is it the lower Taxes? Let me ask you: Have you seen any “Tax Breaks”? I haven’t.
  • What about Positive Campaigns? Rep. Harold Ford Jr., D-Tenn might think that they aren’t running a clean campaign. I like this analysis of the video…
  • Competent leadership? Well, President GW Bush made Yet Another Signing Statement declaring that he has the right to disregard Yet Another Law and appoint incompetent people into Key positions. I Kid you not, listen about it here.

What a confusing Message! I could probably go on for quite a while, but you get the point. All politics are local, but if your unhappy with the current state of things, you might want to vote for ANYONE else then the Republicans. At this point, I’m so fed up with the Republican party that I’m having a very hard time voting for Local Politicians that I like and respect.

Regardless: Who ever you vote for, it’s important you vote.


Music I’m listening to right Now:
“The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage” by Panic! at the Disco from “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out“.

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Posted in Current Issues

Murphy’s Law regarding Good Songs…

Posted on October 20, 2006 | Comments Off on Murphy’s Law regarding Good Songs…

Just Say MAOI listen to music while I work and without exception: I get called when listening to a good song…

It Never fails and this time it happened while listening to Martin Gore singing "In A Manner Of Speaking" from the "Just Say Mao: Volume III of Just Say Yes" Album. In fact, after getting off that call, playing the song again, someone else calls.

Very Odd. 


Music I'm listening to right Now:
"In A Manner Of Speaking" by Martin Gore from "Just Say Mao: Volume III of Just Say Yes ".
 

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Keith Olbermann Special Comment on 10/18/2006

Posted on October 20, 2006 | Comments Off on Keith Olbermann Special Comment on 10/18/2006

Once again, Keith Olbermann is spot on. Catching President George W. Bush in an outright lie was a nice touch. He’s right: We’ve now legislated torture and this is a dark day in American history.

In the past, we treated such “alternative” interrogation techniques as a War Crime, now it’s business as usual. When the Senate reviewed this law, I wonder, did they actually read it? This isn’t being “Tough” on Terrorists, it’s an out right political tool.

IMO, The consequences of this poorly thought out law will take years to fully realize.


Music I’m listening to right Now:
“Crazy” by Seal from his “Seal” Album (1991).

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Posted in Current Issues

Verizon Phone Line problems Continue

Posted on October 18, 2006 | Comments Off on Verizon Phone Line problems Continue

It rained last night so My Phone Line went Down again.

I’m really trying to be patient about this as it is obviously a difficult problem to Diagnose, but this is getting seriously ridiculous. I work from home at least one day a week and need my phone to work properly else it costs me money.

The people who come to work on the problem (On Sunday no less!) are friendly and Polite and they do know what they are doing but  I think I lucked out with a really unusual  and intermittent problem. I’m betting they replace the entire phone line cable…

10/20/2006 UPDATE: They replaced the line from my Telephone pole to the Central Office. Last night, it rained and I still have phone service. Life is good…

Music I’m listening to right Now:
Nothing at the moment.

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Verizon Phone Service – Strike 3

Posted on October 12, 2006 | Comments Off on Verizon Phone Service – Strike 3

It rained last night. What powers of observation did I apply to figure that out? Simple, for the 3rd time since September 16th , my home phone is dead since It goes out every time it rains. I first called for service at about 8:40am, at 7:15pm, it's still dead. I'm told that they are working on it.

To make life perfect, the DSL line is spotty AND I'm attempting to  work from home today…  

Cable Modem is looking better and better…

Music I'm listening to right Now:
"Here It Goes Again " by OK go from the "Oh No " Album.

 

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Keith Olbermann on The Military Commissions Act

Posted on October 12, 2006 | Comments Off on Keith Olbermann on The Military Commissions Act

As other people have pointed out “The Military Commissions Act” passed by Congress is dangerous as it has no clear definition of what defines an “Enemy combatant”. Keith Olbermann does a fine job of explaining why this is such a badly written law and points out that it is whittling away at the Bill of Rights. He also does a great job of once again demonstrating what a complete hypocrite President George W. Bush is. This is such a “hot” issue, that he can’t schedule a time to sign it? Riiiiight… BTW, while Keith Olbermann is being sarcastic (loved the “Why Does Habeas Corpus Hate America?“), people should realize this: If something can be abused it will be. The founding fathers of the United States did NOT trust Government, which is why the codified the bill of rights. Even if the current president doesn’t abuse this (Wow, What Are the Odds?), it doesn’t mean others won’t. This is not a “partisan” issue, it’s potentially a Constitutional one.It used to be that you could depend on the Supreme Court to strike down laws like this one since it smacks in the face of the Constitution (i.e. Attempted murder of Habeas Corpus) but with this line up, who knows?
Music I’m listening to right Now:
“Crazy” by Seal from his “Seal” Album (1991). It seemed appropriate.

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Posted in Current Issues, Video

Cool Sony Advertisement

Posted on October 10, 2006 | 1 comment

Just saw this on Gothamist. It was done over a year ago, but still very cool. See the Behind the scenes movie after the break.

Music I’m listening to right Now:
“Did You Get My Message?” by Jason Mraz from the “Mr. A-Z” album. Continue reading →

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Posted in Cool Stuff, Different, Images, Video

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Me in a Nikon Advertisement

Posted on October 8, 2006 | Comments Off on Me in a Nikon Advertisement

Me in Nikon Advertisement
Originally uploaded by S.D..

In July, I was lucky enough to be among the 16 photographers that were chosen to participate in an advertising campaign for Nikon. It didn’t really hit me until I turned to Page 35 of Popular Photography (Janny got me a subscription) and see my face in the lower corner.
😉

My contribution is in the lower corner of the website, just left of the American Flag by Timothy Schenck.

To be perfectly honest, I think the other photographers are much better than I am, such as Timothy Schenck or Joseph Holmes (whom I saw at NYCPB6) just to name a few.

I really believe I’m lucky to be counted among such creative people.

Best viewed Large or Original.

Music I’m listening to right Now:
“Never Ending Story” by Limahl from the “The NeverEnding Story” Soundtrack.

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