Blog posts

1. With Teeeth-ah

   I left a a listening party thinking I only liked track 2.

   I now have track 2 and don’t really care for that one either. Ha ha ha.

   Posted on Blog over 21 years agoon May 11, 2005 - 3:51 AM and archived here at /blog/2005/2005-05-10-with-teeeth-ah/at https://pizza.slow.high.quality.gravely.pizza/blog/2005/2005-05-10-with-teeeth-ah/ in the Blog collection in both HTML and markdown.

2. Science :(

   Will you look at what these assholes in Kansas are up to: Take pages from both L Ron Hubbard scientific-vocabulary-abuse and Jack Chick tract writing and set up a string of logical fallacy’s that fail to actually support or even lead to a conclusion at all, then state the ridiculous assumption from which the whole mess was inversely deducted.

   Lets try:

   Brain Structures (BS) posits that where science has failed to determine, using Magnetic Resonance Imaging any specific part of the brain or any other organ responsible for causing a majority of people when surveyed to profess a belief in a God, there is in fact an answer. Where science discards evidence that such a structure must exist to explain the existance of atheists, polytheists, and so on; BS has an answer. Using simple hyperpolar magnets, X-Ray imaging and BS-specific application of the scientific method the hypothalamus, a structure clearly linked the very brain and believed to be important both by the ancient egyptians and the native americans is responsible for this lack of faith.

   Oh dear, this is too easy.

   Bolded text highlighting confusing terminology: Check
   Un-cited data: Check
   Scientific devices: Check
   Devices too advanced for science: Check
   Ancient peoples: Check

   Before my head explodes, check out this quote as linked at ars that the AP snagged:

   As a State Board of Education subcommittee heard more testimony Friday on how evolution should be taught in Kansas classrooms, one member acknowledged that she hadn’t read all of an evolution-friendly draft of science standards proposed by educators.

   Kathy Martin of Clay Center made the comment while attempting to reassure a witness who said he hadn’t read the entire proposal, just parts of it. Russell Carlson, a biochemistry and molecular biology professor at the University of Georgia, said he had reviewed an alternate proposal from intelligent design advocates.

   “I’ve not read it word for word myself,” Martin said of the other proposal, eliciting groans of disbelief from a few members of the audience.

   These jokers are pandering to the apathetic majority by even keeping evolution in the books.

   Posted on Blog over 21 years agoon May 09, 2005 - 2:02 PM and archived here at /blog/2005/2005-05-09-science/at https://pizza.slow.high.quality.gravely.pizza/blog/2005/2005-05-09-science/ in the Blog collection in both HTML and markdown.

3. nothing but the nerds...

   Leave it to the visiting IT consultant to annoyingly figure out the silly maze-puzzle that no one else in the office has had any luck with.

   

   Posted on Blog over 21 years agoon May 02, 2005 - 1:59 PM and archived here at /blog/2005/2005-05-02-nothing-but-the-nerds/at https://pizza.slow.high.quality.gravely.pizza/blog/2005/2005-05-02-nothing-but-the-nerds/ in the Blog collection in both HTML and markdown.

4. 2 more weeks

   My car appears to have a new door and rear quarter panel. I love that Shannon Autobody keeps work-in-progress photo gallery’s up for customers.

   

   I miss the audio system, manual transmission, handling, size, seating, climate control, sun-roof, and just about every other quantifiable thing about my RSX. Driving the Altima makes me stop at green lights out of sheer boredom. Acceleration in the (automatic) Altima turns me into Captain-Cut-You-Off while the fucking thing downshifts. The sofa that passes for a drivers seat bothers my back when driving for an hour or more. The mileage isn’t great and a fill-up runs $40. Parking it is a 15-point-turn-affair in my garage spot vs. 3 for the RSX. hate, whine hate, etc…

   Posted on Blog over 21 years agoon May 01, 2005 - 5:13 PM and archived here at /blog/2005/2005-05-01-2-more-weeks/at https://pizza.slow.high.quality.gravely.pizza/blog/2005/2005-05-01-2-more-weeks/ in the Blog collection in both HTML and markdown.

5. Network Engineer/Consultant

   We are getting pretty busy at work and are currently hiring. Know anyone in the DC/Metro area looking for a IT Consulting gig?

   GURU, Inc. has an immediate opening for an experienced network support engineer, with a preference to those with a small business consulting background. Our ideal candidate should possess real-world experience with current Microsoft server operating systems and be adept with PC, server, and infrastructure hardware. Our candidate should also possess a minimum of two-year’s experience in supporting end-users in a Microsoft networking environment (MCP, A+, or Net+ certifications are preferred, but not required) and must also be able to demonstrate an understanding of TCP/IP, as well as a proficiency in managing Microsoft Windows 2000/XP workstations in a networked environment.

   Our candidate must be a forward thinking self-starter with the desire to grow within our company. He or she must also be customer oriented, not be afraid of learning new skills and technologies and be able to easily mold him or herself into a multitude of different client environments. The ability to travel within the Washington DC metropolitan area is a must as well.

   GURU, Inc. is a growing Information Technology consulting firm located in Gaithersburg, MD that services the Washington DC metropolitan area. We have built our reputation and success on providing excellent customer service to our quickly expanding client list. If you possess the talents and the desire to be a part of a dynamic team of professionals who hold the bar high on customer satisfaction, then we would like to talk to you. We offer competitive compensation and benefits, as well as an environment that will challenge you daily.

   If interested, send resume’s to hr at guruconsult dot com. I can be reached at any address on the jokerbone or writequit com domains.

   Posted on Blog over 21 years agoon April 27, 2005 - 11:11 PM and archived here at /blog/2005/2005-04-27-network-engineerconsultant/at https://pizza.slow.high.quality.gravely.pizza/blog/2005/2005-04-27-network-engineerconsultant/ in the Blog collection in both HTML and markdown.

6. OS X Tiger

   Upgraded to Tiger last night - a note of caution.

   
   My /etc/hosts file got completely wiped.

   :crying:

   Posted on Blog over 21 years agoon April 27, 2005 - 5:51 PM and archived here at /blog/2005/2005-04-27-os-x-tiger/at https://pizza.slow.high.quality.gravely.pizza/blog/2005/2005-04-27-os-x-tiger/ in the Blog collection in both HTML and markdown.

7. Is it ok to laugh...

   …at seeing a server with the Microsoft Baseline Security Advisor installed on actively supported network comprised of dozen’s of Windows 2000 machines running SP3?

   …at a vendor support tech that does this:

   tech: what operating system are they running on the workstations?
   me: Windows 2000
   tech: Professional?
   me: … does she want me to answer this?.. uhhh yeah.

   later in the conversation in listening to a list of suggested “performance tips” for the client/server app:
   me: it lags for 10-15 seconds opening some screens of the app that are near instant on the server
   tech: Are you using DHCP? You should really be using static IP addressing
   me: ohhhkay
   tech: and make sure no other protocols are running on the network cards
   me: ohhkay

   …at a grandfather, father, son rotation with offsite backup media policy in a site that the actual backup software has not even started to record a job to said tapes in two months…

   …at walking into the basement of a small business consulting office to find the firewall to which multiple other techs and consultants had claimed the password was impossible to reset and the unit needed to be discarded to find a whitebox running FreeBSD

   …at getting to explain the company name “Guru” to a potential client of which the three women at the top of the organization present in the meeting are obviously Indian born natives and claim when asking for the explanation to be familiar with the “real meaning of the name”

   …at mere days after hours of 16GB limit disaster recovery defragmentation and user admonishing Symantec antivirus spontaneously forgetting all of it’s exclusions on an Exchange server and eating the Exchange logfiles causing the information store to dismount and become corrupt as soon as the nightly Store backup tried to flush the logs to find they don’t exist causing further hours of disaster recovery

   …at any of the words used in a phrase between the words “blackberry” and “again” (isn’t working/froze/died/is lost, you name it) from an executive or a tech

   Posted on Blog over 21 years agoon April 22, 2005 - 6:03 AM and archived here at /blog/2005/2005-04-21-is-it-ok-to-laugh/at https://pizza.slow.high.quality.gravely.pizza/blog/2005/2005-04-21-is-it-ok-to-laugh/ in the Blog collection in both HTML and markdown.

8. Drugs

   The debate over pharmacist’s refusal to dispense specific medications for ethical reasons seems like a no brainer to me. Is this country just too sue happy for employers to terminate non-compliant pharmacists?

   Posted on Blog over 21 years agoon April 20, 2005 - 12:39 AM and archived here at /blog/2005/2005-04-19-drugs/at https://pizza.slow.high.quality.gravely.pizza/blog/2005/2005-04-19-drugs/ in the Blog collection in both HTML and markdown.

9. RFID Security

   Privacy advocates are worried that RFID in passports will start open season on identity theft. Addressing the concerns from the commenters (warning: IANAHO/SG I am not a ham operator / signals geek):

   RFID can be snooped like any radio device using a strong directional antennae. But, the signal is extremely weak and broadcasting only reflections of external radio waves – so weak that wrapping an RFID device in tin foil is enough to defeat the snoopers. Designing a physical passport token defaulting to a closed state via a spring, slide, fold or other mechanical means is trivial and closes the security loophole in the same way your wallet keeps thieves from getting your driver’s license and credit card numbers using strong optical photographic means.

   Am I on the wrong track here?

   Posted on Blog over 21 years agoon April 15, 2005 - 2:39 AM and archived here at /blog/2005/2005-04-14-rfid-security/at https://pizza.slow.high.quality.gravely.pizza/blog/2005/2005-04-14-rfid-security/ in the Blog collection in both HTML and markdown.

10. Bumper Cars

    I was driving west on NY Ave:

    

    Approaching sixth street, I’m in the center of three lanes, the light is green. To my left is a car trying to turn south on sixth st. NW, hanging out in the intersection - a Van, or something. As I go through the light, a white car catches my eye as being directly in front of the van and seeming to cross the intersection into my lane-OH SHIT! I slam on the breaks and veer right slightly as she hits my car just behind the front drivers-side wheel. ABS kicks in, no airbag goes off (YAY) and I bump-bump-bump (abs) to a stop on the corner in front of NY Ave. Pizza, pull up and straighten my parking spot out (wtf), put my ipod in my laptop bag after noting that the other driver is turning onto 6th and parking on the corner, grind the door open CREEAAAAAAK, and go get the paperwork taken care of. Nice lady, feels terrible about the whole thing, blind spot, van, etc… Cop came, no one injured == no police report. Insurance called, probably get a loaner but won’t know until her adjuster calls me back tomorrow morning.

    Notes:

    • There’s a chunk of paint missing from my rear bumper from I-don’t-know-what and a dent in the hood from a rock falling out of a dump truck on 495, but no, the accident only masked the slight scratch I put in the panel over the rear wheel squeezing out of my parking space one morning. I guess 1/3 ain’t bad.
    • I walked to work that morning, figuring I’d avoid the car for a day but ended up having to drop a PC off in PG county, hence me returning home on NY Ave. I should have avoided the car all day.
    • Oh noes I’ll have to get my fancy Infinity speakers out of the door.
    • I was absolutely blasting The Libertines at the time of the accident. with the window half way down because it was chilly. The window is fine - were it all the way down I’d be broken but I was able to put it all the way up as I parked.
    • On the way back up from taking the pictures in the above gallery, Manda and I noticed a very nice stainless steel cyllindrical-with-a-lid-and-foot-pedal trash can sitting amongst the building’s large plastic trash cans. Score. Carried that up to the house as a replacement for our plastic, tall, white, lidless kitchen can. Amanda thinks I’m crazy for not washing the inside before using it. It is cleaner inside than our trash can.
    • I was ultr-friendly to the lady, she was very nice to me and gave me a hug as we were leaving. The officer on the scene said it was the “nicest accident he’d had all day”. Ha.
    Posted on Blog over 21 years agoon April 14, 2005 - 1:46 PM and archived here at /blog/2005/2005-04-14-bumper-cars/at https://pizza.slow.high.quality.gravely.pizza/blog/2005/2005-04-14-bumper-cars/ in the Blog collection in both HTML and markdown.