Yeah, I took the plunge at work on one of my production machines whose Windows install finally gave up the ghost. It may have had something to do with the fact that it was a 4 year old install. Then again, it may also have had something to do with the fact that it was a Microsoft product.
I went with Version 6 (Dapper Drake) and installation couldn't have been easier. I went with a LAMP install, then layered Desktop on top of it. Workin' well so far.
Shortly after I got it setup, someone at the office made a router change and let the whole world onto our LAN. Of course we got infected with all sorts of crap, and several machines were spamming the network to the point where not only could we not connect to the internet, but we were having a damn hard time connecting to any of our internal resources as well. Enter Ubuntu...
I'd installed EtherApe, Ethereal, NMap, NMapFE, and some other tools when I set up my box. Ethereal and EtherApe came in right handy, as we were able to isolate the machines that were flooding the network right fast. Of course, it's one thing to know the IP address and hostname of the offending machines, and it's another machine to find the actual machines in our building. But after a brief interlude of an hour or so, we had the zombies isolated.
Once we could access the rest of the world from our computers and a quick installation of Nessus via Ubuntu's Synaptics Package Manager later, we were able to scan all our internal resources for open ports, known exploits, etc... Pretty freekin' cool.
I did make the mistake of telling the Engineering Manager about Nessus and showed him the preliminary scan results. He got pretty excited and wanted wanted to appropriate my computer and use it to run scheduled Nessus scans on our network resources. This really bummed me out. Fortunately, Nessus installs just fine on Max OS X...so I was able to keep my Ubuntu right where it belongs: with me. Now we'll be running Nessus scans more-or-less regularly and will hopefully catch any dramatic changes to any of the machines on our network before disaster strikes.
Inspired by my success with Ubuntu at the office, I also installed it on my laptop at home. This time, nothing complicated... just the standard desktop version. What can I say, it detected my wireless NIC with no fiddling around. Something, I might add, that SuSe was never able to do. With only 256MB RAM, the ol' laptop was just barely able to run WinXP Pro. If I remember correctly, I had to jump through some hoops just to get it to install. With Ubuntu it just works. Mind you, it didn't magically transform the machine into some sort of speed demon, but I'm able to browse the web, use Writely, run MediaWiki, Nessus, Apache2, etc... without a hitch. More then 10 tabs in Firefox and it starts to bog down pretty severely, but that's no surprise. Firefox is known for it's memory leaks and whatnot. I find that if closing Firefox doesn't do the trick, simply logging out and back in to the desktop restores everything.
So that's my take on things. I know that Ubuntu has received a lot of hype of late, and it's become trendy to blog about how great it is... but at least for this user, it lives up to the hype of simplicity, reliability, and power.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Monday, June 26, 2006
Stevie on Sesamie
I'm so glad someone was able to dig this up. I remember seeing this as a kid. I just love the fact that not only doesn't he dumb anything down for his performance, but he absolutely smokes.
Thank you Stevie!
Thank you Stevie!
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Weather Alert Radios
The week before the tornados hit, I purchased two weather alert radios. A unit for the bedroom and a handheld version for when we have to take shelter. Since we live on the top floor of an old house, I figured the unit in the bedroom would wake us if a storm were to hit at night, and the handheld one would be located close to the basement door so that we'd have access to weather information during storms.
What I ordered:
These are both S.A.M.E. enabled. S.A.M.E. stands for "Specific Area Message Encoding" and allows you to program your S.A.M.E. enabled weather radio to raise alerts only for emergencies in your area. If considering purchasing a weather radio, I'd highly recommend you get one that is S.A.M.E. enabled.
Programming is kind of a pain for both of them, and needlessly so. Cumbersome interfaces and lack of any sequence reinforcement leave you wondering where you are in the process and what you have left to do. I think both companies would be well served to look at the human interface issues for their next product revisions.
In short, programming involves selecting the best NOAA radio station for your area, and then entering the appropriate S.A.M.E. codes for your location. You can lookup the S.A.M.E. code for your location here.
Experience:
They both served their purpose well. The Midland WR-300 AM/FM Weather Radio gave a Tornado Warning for us a good 20 seconds before the local sirens went off. We were in the bedroom at the time and made our way to the basement. On the way downstairs, I grabbed the Oregon Scientific WR 103 Hand-held Weather Radio from it's power-cradle. I noticed that it had not gone off yet, which wasn't much of a surprise since it was located in a spot in the house that doesn't get good radio reception.
Once settled in the basement, the WR 103 was able to lock on to the NOAA radio station (providing I held it just so) and we were able to listen in on all the warnings and alerts. This was essential, as when we went to the basement I had assumed that this would be another storm like all the others: a whole lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. How wrong I was.
Soon we were hearing reports of funnel clouds being spotted all around us. I'm not talking about miles away, but blocks away. It's a strange feeling, sitting in the darkness (we had lost power) listening to a computer generated voice tell you that a Tornado is on the ground and headed for your specific street. I'm thankful for the information, of course...but it is strange.
The little radio stayed operating on its batteries for a good three hours while we were in the basement. Aside from it's weak reception, the WR 103 revealed a rather frustrating shortcoming during the experience: Lack of AM/FM reception.
We spent the entire time in the basement, aware that tornados had touched down, but completely incapable of tuning into a local radio station to find out about damage or other important information that isn't broadcast on the NOAA channels.
When we did come out of the basement a few hours later, we were still without power. The moon was out and the sky had cleared. Hungry for information, my wife and I went back upstairs to our bedroom and tuned the Midland WR-300 (the Weather Radio we keep in our bedroom) to a local news station and heard about the destruction in town and only then did we realize how close we had come to disaster (4 blocks).
After using these little radios, I'm glad we had them. To be honest, I felt a little sheepish about buying one (much less two) of these...and my wife looked at them with some skepticism. But for us, they quickly proved their worth.
If you don't have one, I'd highly recommend you get one (or more) for your home.
Purchasing Criteria
When shopping for a weather radio, I'd recommend choosing a model that meets at least the following criteria:
Recommendations
Based on the above criteria and my experience with the two weather radio models, I'd recommend the Midland WR-300. In fact, I'd get multiples: One for the bedroom (especially if you live in tornado country and sleep on the second (or higher) floor of your house or building and one for the basement (or other shelter area).
That's not to say that the WR 103 is a waste...its portability is a major asset, but for us, in our situation, the lack of an AM/FM tuner makes it less than ideal. We'll still use it, of course... It's just that now I have to look for a good AM/FM portable radio to keep in our basement for these emergencies also.
Buying
Each radio listed above can be purchased for well below their list price. I think I paid around $50 for each of mine. I'm sure you can do better with a little searching, but I was comfortable with the price I paid from vendors I trust.
What I ordered:
These are both S.A.M.E. enabled. S.A.M.E. stands for "Specific Area Message Encoding" and allows you to program your S.A.M.E. enabled weather radio to raise alerts only for emergencies in your area. If considering purchasing a weather radio, I'd highly recommend you get one that is S.A.M.E. enabled.
Programming is kind of a pain for both of them, and needlessly so. Cumbersome interfaces and lack of any sequence reinforcement leave you wondering where you are in the process and what you have left to do. I think both companies would be well served to look at the human interface issues for their next product revisions.
In short, programming involves selecting the best NOAA radio station for your area, and then entering the appropriate S.A.M.E. codes for your location. You can lookup the S.A.M.E. code for your location here.
Experience:
They both served their purpose well. The Midland WR-300 AM/FM Weather Radio gave a Tornado Warning for us a good 20 seconds before the local sirens went off. We were in the bedroom at the time and made our way to the basement. On the way downstairs, I grabbed the Oregon Scientific WR 103 Hand-held Weather Radio from it's power-cradle. I noticed that it had not gone off yet, which wasn't much of a surprise since it was located in a spot in the house that doesn't get good radio reception.
Once settled in the basement, the WR 103 was able to lock on to the NOAA radio station (providing I held it just so) and we were able to listen in on all the warnings and alerts. This was essential, as when we went to the basement I had assumed that this would be another storm like all the others: a whole lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. How wrong I was.
Soon we were hearing reports of funnel clouds being spotted all around us. I'm not talking about miles away, but blocks away. It's a strange feeling, sitting in the darkness (we had lost power) listening to a computer generated voice tell you that a Tornado is on the ground and headed for your specific street. I'm thankful for the information, of course...but it is strange.
The little radio stayed operating on its batteries for a good three hours while we were in the basement. Aside from it's weak reception, the WR 103 revealed a rather frustrating shortcoming during the experience: Lack of AM/FM reception.
We spent the entire time in the basement, aware that tornados had touched down, but completely incapable of tuning into a local radio station to find out about damage or other important information that isn't broadcast on the NOAA channels.
When we did come out of the basement a few hours later, we were still without power. The moon was out and the sky had cleared. Hungry for information, my wife and I went back upstairs to our bedroom and tuned the Midland WR-300 (the Weather Radio we keep in our bedroom) to a local news station and heard about the destruction in town and only then did we realize how close we had come to disaster (4 blocks).
After using these little radios, I'm glad we had them. To be honest, I felt a little sheepish about buying one (much less two) of these...and my wife looked at them with some skepticism. But for us, they quickly proved their worth.
If you don't have one, I'd highly recommend you get one (or more) for your home.
Purchasing Criteria
When shopping for a weather radio, I'd recommend choosing a model that meets at least the following criteria:
- Can use AC and batteries
- Is S.A.M.E. enabled
- Can tune AM/FM stations in addition to NOAA Radio
Recommendations
Based on the above criteria and my experience with the two weather radio models, I'd recommend the Midland WR-300. In fact, I'd get multiples: One for the bedroom (especially if you live in tornado country and sleep on the second (or higher) floor of your house or building and one for the basement (or other shelter area).
That's not to say that the WR 103 is a waste...its portability is a major asset, but for us, in our situation, the lack of an AM/FM tuner makes it less than ideal. We'll still use it, of course... It's just that now I have to look for a good AM/FM portable radio to keep in our basement for these emergencies also.
Buying
Each radio listed above can be purchased for well below their list price. I think I paid around $50 for each of mine. I'm sure you can do better with a little searching, but I was comfortable with the price I paid from vendors I trust.
IC Tornados
Wow. What a crazy night. Iowa City was hit by a few tornados. I say "a few" because the jury is still out on just how many hit us.
We were in the basement for a good three hours as the tornado sirens wailed. Donna was a bit confused, as she was on her leash, muzzled, within view of a cat, and undoubtedly thinking, "Why are we sitting here when I'm leashed up and ready to go for a walk?????"
When the storm passed, the sky cleared and a full moon came out so that we could all witness the destruction. Houses destroyed, cars overturned, trees down, lines down...just a few blocks away.
Fortunately, only one fatality is listed...and that wasn't in Iowa City. Some reports and photos of looting downtown, as the storms hit whilst the masses of students were out quaffing suds at the downtown watering holes. Word has it that a local liquor store was partially damaged, and shortly thereafter was completely looted of all its liquor. I've seen video of young college age kids carrying kegs of beer from the ruins.
I share the same sentiments of my brother, who was sent to New Orleans after Katrina: "Looters are the lowest forms of scum." Hopefully these kids will be identified and taught that IT'S NOT OK TO LOOT. I'm not talking about sending them to jail...they are still young and malleable enough (hopefully) that maybe 1000 hours of community service can teach them the errors of their ways. Iowa City sure could use the labor in the cleanup, that's for sure...
We were in the basement for a good three hours as the tornado sirens wailed. Donna was a bit confused, as she was on her leash, muzzled, within view of a cat, and undoubtedly thinking, "Why are we sitting here when I'm leashed up and ready to go for a walk?????"
When the storm passed, the sky cleared and a full moon came out so that we could all witness the destruction. Houses destroyed, cars overturned, trees down, lines down...just a few blocks away.
Fortunately, only one fatality is listed...and that wasn't in Iowa City. Some reports and photos of looting downtown, as the storms hit whilst the masses of students were out quaffing suds at the downtown watering holes. Word has it that a local liquor store was partially damaged, and shortly thereafter was completely looted of all its liquor. I've seen video of young college age kids carrying kegs of beer from the ruins.
I share the same sentiments of my brother, who was sent to New Orleans after Katrina: "Looters are the lowest forms of scum." Hopefully these kids will be identified and taught that IT'S NOT OK TO LOOT. I'm not talking about sending them to jail...they are still young and malleable enough (hopefully) that maybe 1000 hours of community service can teach them the errors of their ways. Iowa City sure could use the labor in the cleanup, that's for sure...
Friday, April 07, 2006
Harry Taylor for President!!!
Harry Taylor for President
I found myself cheering for something I saw on the news today. This is not a frequent occurrence.
Bush, whose handlers are notoriously careful to screen audiences at speaking engagements, got to face a cogent and thoughtful criticism of him. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen often enough. While his response was predictable enough, I want to thank Harry Taylor for standing up and putting a face on and giving a voice to what many of us feel.
Watch it here.
Thank you Harry. You have my vote for President '08.
I found myself cheering for something I saw on the news today. This is not a frequent occurrence.
Bush, whose handlers are notoriously careful to screen audiences at speaking engagements, got to face a cogent and thoughtful criticism of him. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen often enough. While his response was predictable enough, I want to thank Harry Taylor for standing up and putting a face on and giving a voice to what many of us feel.
Watch it here.
Thank you Harry. You have my vote for President '08.
Strange New World!
We are here. Some of the things Rebeka was surprised at/commented on:
- Houses made out of wood.
- Round doorknobs.
- Front doors (to houses) that aren't "strong".
- Traffic cameras at intersections.
- Rest areas along the highways.
- Bathrooms that you don't have to pay to use.
- SunChips (It is amazing how fast a bag can vanish).
- Standard coffee ("Hmmm...it's like tea!")
- American Mayonnaise
- Difficulty finding stores that sell slippers.
- Clothes can be cheaper here.
- Sneakers can be cheaper here.
- Squirrels (in the trees. Apparently not a familiar sight).
Scientific Discovery!
I have discovered another immutable law of the universe, one that no doubt will have repercussions throughout all of mankind endeavors. Prepare yourself to be both shocked and awed at the revelation:
When your wife suffers from jet lag, you suffer from jet lag.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Explanation for the Abrahamic Religions
Trolling through the various feeds today I came across this gem:
"Moses, Mohammed, and Jesus all experienced revelations on mountains, but they were probably just suffering a form of altitude sickness [...]" (source)
Uh huh.
"Where," you might ask, "does such an insightful analysis come from?"
Why, from the journal Medical Hypothoses, described here as being "positively boastful about giving a run to bright new ideas that haven't been through the usual discouraging process of scientific peer review."
And I thought the republicans were the only ones that couldn't be bothered with peer review, science, and fact.
-Michael
"Moses, Mohammed, and Jesus all experienced revelations on mountains, but they were probably just suffering a form of altitude sickness [...]" (source)
Uh huh.
"Where," you might ask, "does such an insightful analysis come from?"
Why, from the journal Medical Hypothoses, described here as being "positively boastful about giving a run to bright new ideas that haven't been through the usual discouraging process of scientific peer review."
And I thought the republicans were the only ones that couldn't be bothered with peer review, science, and fact.
-Michael
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Time to Take Action Against Bush
If you are American and want President Bush to be held accountable for his actions, I highly urge to sign Rep. Conyers petition for a special panel to investigate impeachment proceedings against Bush.
You need to get the word out. Post the link on your blogs, write your papers, send it to your friends...in short, post it anywhere you can.
Sign the petition at the following URL:
http://www.johnconyers.com/citizencosponsors
You need to get the word out. Post the link on your blogs, write your papers, send it to your friends...in short, post it anywhere you can.
Sign the petition at the following URL:
http://www.johnconyers.com/citizencosponsors
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Trip to Bosnia
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Microsoft Branding Video
One of the funnier things I've seen recently. This attempts to answer the age-old question, "What would happen if Microsoft took over the branding of the iPod?"
Well worth a watch.
Click here to watch the video.
Well worth a watch.
Click here to watch the video.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Done Got Hitched
Well we done did it...Rebeka and I. We are now officially hitched. I am on my way from Zagreb to Iowa City. Yay! 24 hours of travel!!!!
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Bosnia Rocks, Croatia Rolls
Having a great time in Bosnia. The country doesn not seem as desperate as my last visit over a year ago. Unfortunately, I cannot understand if desperation replaced by resignation is a good thing or not.
My first trip to Sarajevo is memorable for many reasons, unfortunately I have not the time to chronicle them now. My impression of Sarajevo is that its beauty is matched only by the horror they went through. The scars of war are still visible...bullet holes, shelled out buildings, land mine warning signs...and the hills, forever a reminder not just of the beauty, but of the shelling.
One simply cannot understand the ontological existence of Sarajevo today without standing in the city center and seeing the perfect circle of hills that surround you...hills from which the artillery was fired into the city.
Will post more later.
My first trip to Sarajevo is memorable for many reasons, unfortunately I have not the time to chronicle them now. My impression of Sarajevo is that its beauty is matched only by the horror they went through. The scars of war are still visible...bullet holes, shelled out buildings, land mine warning signs...and the hills, forever a reminder not just of the beauty, but of the shelling.
One simply cannot understand the ontological existence of Sarajevo today without standing in the city center and seeing the perfect circle of hills that surround you...hills from which the artillery was fired into the city.
Will post more later.
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