2006-04-15

I finally set it back up...

I got my tiny Linux server running again, and serving web pages, shells, and X window sessions. I'm using Ubuntu this time around, because it seems to be a little bit more current than Debian, yet still using apt at its core, and some of the Debian repos to boot. I won't say that it's as nice of a server set up (some of the Apache packages were broken when I tried to get them the first time around), but it's an excellent desktop setup. Seeing as how that's the Ubuntu goal, I'd say that they're doing well. I'm actually posting this from that machine now, using a SSH tunneled remote X session with Cygwin. I haven't figured out how to "drop an icon on the Windows desktop to connect" yet, but I'm really close. I have plans on perhaps making this a media server in the entertainment center with a wireless card for network access to shares. This idea *really* appeals to me, as I can have it serve up tunes as well as web pages, and perhaps use the VGA out for video delivery, and control it all via a remote X session. Oh yes, there's potential.
The machine that I'm hosting on is a laptop with a bad battery (A Dell Inspiron 2650 to be exact), so it's really not useful as a portable laptop, unfortunately. Pentium 4M 1.4Ghz, 512MB RAM, and 10GB disk (I stole the original 20GB drive to use for portable storage. The 10GB drive came from another dead laptop we had at the shop), it does alright, and realistically is overkill for what little I'm doing with it currently. It's bungeed to the underside of my computer table (on one of the leg supports of one of those simple folding tables that you can get from any office supply store), so it's completely out of the way, and safe from feline and human jarring alike. I like the idea of using laptops as servers, as they tend to be quiet, consume less power, and (unlike this one, unfortunately. Batteries are not inexpensive for these units) have their own battery backup on board. Also, if you can't access the thing remotely, you already have a complete interface setup (keyboard, mouse, and display) on the unit, assuming that all are functional. Used laptops with damaged monitors or bad batteries can be had for a song from eBay, so while you lose one of the advantages of using a laptop, you keep the rest.
Hopefully, I can get some of the photos that I've taken in the past couple of years posted. Out of the several thousand snaps I've taken, I do have a few that I'm proud of. :)
What I *haven't* done is ride my motorcycle in a couple of weeks. I'll have to remedy that soon.

2006-04-12

From the "mostly entertaining" category

The Right Brothers, Bush was right has to be one of the most entertaining bits of political satire that I've heard in quite a while. The Right Brothers are selling their stuff through their own website. I might just have to send them some coin.

2006-04-03

A tiny bit late...

but this *really* takes the cake. Lemme set this up, and then offer more commentary:

The incident started with this: A woman pushes by Capitol Security, bypassing a metal detector. One of the officers repeatedly ask her to stop. He reaches to stop her. Something happens between these two.

Other facts remain to be said: The woman was House Representative Cynthia McKenney, GA, D.
All Congresscritters are given an ID pin of some sort that is supposed to make them easily identifiable to Capitol Security. I don't have an image of this to show that I can be certain of.
McKenney didn't have hers on.

Those are the facts as we know it. The rest is kinda fuzzy.

Please be forewarned, the rant tag is now ON, and turned to 11.

(Gee, a good use for the blink tag. Whodathunk?)

This congresscritter has the audacity to say this on her website:
Earlier today I had an unfortunate confrontation with a Capitol Hill Police Officer. It is traditional protocol that Capitol Hill Police Officers secure 535 Members of Congress, including 100 Senators. It is the expectation of most Members of Congress that Capitol Hill Police officers know who they are. I was urgently trying to get to an important meeting on time to fulfill my obligations to my constituents. Unfortunately, the Police Officer did not recognize me as a Member of Congress and a confrontation ensued. I did not have on my Congressional pin but showed the Police Officer my Congressional ID.

Please note the lack of apology, and the "well, he should have known" mentality. This being the USA, I don't really expect much more. The real thing that set me off was this from the Associated Press via The Ledger-Enquirer, a newsrag out of Columbus Georgia:

McKinney held a news conference Friday in Washington in which she said -- quote -- "This whole incident was instigated by the inappropriate touching and stopping of me, a female black congresswoman."

Allright girl, where do you get off bringing gender and race into this subject? If it had been some no name white male senator, that the officer didn't recognize (and I'd imagine it's even *easier* to forget those guys faces... more than half of the congresscritters are older white males), this would have had the *exact same ending*. Being late for a meeting does not give you a free pass by protocol. All the times you got a free passes from Capitol security before don't count either. Those guys were slacking. The guy was doing the one thing he gets paid for: his JOB.
The irony of this is, if someone actually gets by security, and nukes the hell out of the place, whose fault is it? Capitol security. Funny how she feels that she should get to break the rules, when it's *her* life on the line if other people who may want to do harm to the nation may also get to break the rules as well.
This just makes me fume. Almost as much as the Pat Robertson deal. Almost. It also makes me sad for the state of our nation's government. There was a time where this would have been a non-story. I don't remember this time first hand, but I've read about it. I wish for less government in our lives, for my sake, and the sake of my generation's children.