Reading (For Dummies)

Reward for Virus

It's interesting that SCO and Microsoft are offering rewards for the author of MyDoom.

I propose an alternative. How about we raise a $250,000 reward for the arrest of the author of the hole?

Of course, a new idea to disguise the worm would be e-mails like, "Hello, I'm a computer security expert currently trying to track down the origin of the MyDoom virus. I have so far traced it back to your machine, with a timestamp that marks it as one of the earlier infected hosts. My team and I are very close to finding the author, and would be willing to share 10% of the current reward fee (which is $500,000US) if you helped us. Please click on the attached program, which will forward the log files from your e-mail client to us so that we can analyze your logs."

But don't let that give you any ideas...

Geeking out

Went over to James' all day yesterday, attempting to set up an IPSec gateway.

I was uncharacteristically bad in both an inability to form coherent sentences most of the day (I'll blame that on sleep the night before) but also computer-stuff. Not having my own reasonably fast x86 box running linux has been a real detriment to my *nix knowledge. Even when I had a box, though, I would rarely install software or set up services that required reboots (for example, IPSec requires kernel patches, a few LKMs, and some serious breaking of networking to get it working). That was all because my one good x86 box was my webserver. Fortunately things have gotten better in the server department.

So my eyes are turning toward building myself a decent, reasonably priced desktop machine to keep my knowledge levels up. I guess upcoming computer shows can help me there. Of course, if any friends have some slightly-dated-but-still-fast x86 hardware they want to sell, I'm game (anything faster than, say, 1.2GHz, preferably motherboards with an AGP slot).

Guys Night Out

Takiguchi-san after practice

I went to Aikido again tonight. My shoulder doesn't hurt nearly as much. Yukiko (pictured above) tells me it's because I'm actually rolling correctly. Apparently, last week I wasn't doing such a good job.

After that, I broke a 'date' with a friend to hang out with the boys of 315. I suppose that my actions could be explained by Ladder Theory.

I guess that makes me a crazy. In reality, I've found these computer-geek generated formal models of dating (and non-dating) incredibly helpful. I guess I've become incredibly sexist in the belief that (well, most, anyway) women are nothing more than finite state automata, for very small values of finite. It doesn't take a very complicated program to manipulate their inputs and outputs.

Anyway, Doug and Dave didn't show. Bastards. I'm sure they're still whining about no-smoking laws in New York State. Reality is much more...realistic.

The Smoke-Free bar laws in effect

In short, if I ever hear Doug complain about smoking laws again, he's going to end up with a broken nose. The picture above actually features 6 (yes, SIX!) people in the process of smoking (one vaguely masked behind the girl). Yes, this photograph is indoors, at a bar in New York state.

I won't mention the name, as I'd prefer to keep bars and whatnot out of trouble. Still, the disregard for this law reminds me of the no pinball on Sunday law in Ocean City, New Jersey. Nobody seems to care if it's enforced, and I don't even see Tommy complaining about that law, let alone our resident libertarian. So what's the deal with the complaints about smoking?

This rant brought to you by the letters h, t, p, and the punctuation symbols :, ., and /.

Investigative Reports

This video has been floating around the internet. I don't want to be knee-jerk liberal, but I have heard reports from people "in the know," (and people that I would trust as having some degree of credibility, yeah yeah yeah James, propaganda my shiny metal ass) that the Iraqis in this film were repairing a broken down truck, and that the report of a surface to air missile being inside the open-bed trucks (which would be clearly visible) was obviously non-existant. I guess this is one way to show our good will (by presumably elminating the broken down truck problem)...

A Rebellion by any other Name

It appears that our monarch friends in Saudi Arabia are beginning to have a little rebellion on their hands. Note that they are now officially "rebels," not "terrorists." So much for having a nice objective, black and white view of the world where everybody that performs, "a systematic use of [a sense of intense fear], especially as a means of coersion, " (thanks, Merriam-Webster) is not a terrorist.

This will be an interesting story to follow. If Bush' reasoning for entering Iraq was to spread democracy, and this rebellion gets squashed by the Saudi royal family, will we go in and help them out?

Boy oh boy, though, the Middle East is a convoluted and complicated place...

Weekend Visits

My dad came up to visit for the evening yesterday. We sat around and talked politics and sex while drinking soju, eating bizarre dishes of monkfish and miso at the Secret Garden.

It was a quiet evening, avoiding the pornography party at Megan's. Instead it was the usual gentle musings on relationships past and being self-referential hypocritical, complaining about families complaining about each other. The old man always offers some insightful ramblings on politics and gender relations, conversation that is missed when I'm hanging out in the 20 below.

Becoming Japanese

Gochisou sama deshita!

Chigusa and Keisuke bought me a surprise gift of a rice cooker, and dropped it off shortly after the first Triathlon Club meeting. So lately it has been breakfast of rice, miso, and soon seaweed, and fish rolls, in traditional Japanese fashion. Four years ago I probably would have balked at eating such a "weird" (by American standards, anyway) breakfast, but it actually makes a deep sense when you think about it -- easy to digest carbs and gentle protein start the day off right.

Today I also started Aikido again. A mental note about Japanese politeness: I discovered a good reason for bowing. Generally, the shorter a guy is, the more easily he can throw you to the floor before you know what's going on. Bowing is a way to show that you are, in a deep sense, smaller than Sensei. Especially in the case of ours; the 5'2" teacher tossed my 6'0", 170 pound body around until I was dizzy.

So, I plan to go twice a week to the club dojo, which includes Thursday night weapon training. Time to buy myself a jo and start practicing kata...

Bush in IRC-mode

This has to be the most bizarre interview that anyone would ever willingly have posted on their own website. President Bush sounds like some kind of horny pre-teen in IRC, except about ribs...

(Thanks, Henry, and Pete!)

Remarks by the President to the Press Pool
Nothin' Fancy Cafe
Roswell, New Mexico

11:25 A.M. MST

THE PRESIDENT: I need some ribs.

Q Mr. President, how are you?

THE PRESIDENT: I'm hungry and I'm going to order some ribs.

Q What would you like?

THE PRESIDENT: Whatever you think I'd like.

Q Sir, on homeland security, critics would say you simply haven't spent enough to keep the country secure.

THE PRESIDENT: My job is to secure the homeland and that's exactly what we're going to do. But I'm here to take somebody's order. That would be you, Stretch -- what would you like? Put some of your high-priced money right here to try to help the local economy. You get paid a lot of money, you ought to be buying some food here. It's part of how the economy grows. You've got plenty of money in your pocket, and when you spend it, it drives the economy forward. So what would you like to eat?

Q Right behind you, whatever you order.

THE PRESIDENT: I'm ordering ribs. David, do you need a rib?

Q But Mr. President --

THE PRESIDENT: Stretch, thank you, this is not a press conference. This is my chance to help this lady put some money in her pocket. Let me explain how the economy works. When you spend money to buy food it helps this lady's business. It makes it more likely somebody is going to find work. So instead of asking questions, answer mine: are you going to buy some food?

Q Yes.

THE PRESIDENT: Okay, good. What would you like?

Q Ribs.

THE PRESIDENT: Ribs? Good. Let's order up some ribs.

Q What do you think of the democratic field, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: See, his job is to ask questions, he thinks my job is to answer every question he asks. I'm here to help this restaurant by buying some food. Terry, would you like something?

Q An answer.

Q Can we buy some questions?

THE PRESIDENT: Obviously these people -- they make a lot of money and they're not going to spend much. I'm not saying they're overpaid, they're just not spending any money.

Q Do you think it's all going to come down to national security, sir, this election?

THE PRESIDENT: One of the things David does, he asks a lot of questions, and they're good, generally.

END 11:29 A.M. MST

Winter Blues

Humans are genetically wired to prefer waking up in the same bed as other humans. Preferably naked, and preferably post-coital. It is a celebration of life to come to grips with that, and it has caused me laugh out loud on more than a few mornings (and nights) lately. Even I'm a slave to my genes.

Fortunately I've been spared the winter seasonal affective situation this year. Probably the bitter cold and isolation of foreign countries (not to mention a slightly better apartment) makes me a lot more calm in comparison.

Still, there are funny things that crop up now and then. I've been spending some time hunting around for a cheap source of Herbert Grönemeyer music (hidden purpose is mix tapeology), and Amazon constantly recommends add-ons to computer games that I bought for Annie on Christmas and Birthdays past. I suppose that's a little bit on the distressing side. Sometimes you just want to put those things in a box.

But then we all need to pull it out sometimes...

State of the States

I'm sure there are others out there who have, like me, taken their television into a nice place in the woods, hooked it up a UPS, turned it on the Dan Rather's evening news, and then proceeded to load their shotgun with buckshot and taken the fucker out.

*Ahem*. For those, like me, who no longer own a television, have some State of the Union.

I would watch it online, but unfortunately this White House only offers the message to people who run Windows.

Siberiacuse

Here in Syracuse, we have a much more accurate way of measuring the temperature in the morning than any weather service can, at least in the winter.

When the frost forms interesting geometric patterns on your bedroom window, it's friggin' cold

Fortunately, Henry and I have found adequate, rustic, and inexpensive methods of heating our humble abode.

All hail the Earth Spirit, which makes mountains that we can climb, and dirt which can grow vegetables (and trees)

The face cord of mixed hardwoods and cherry was delivered over the weekend; currently, we have a fire burning so hot that it would put a sailor with herpes 'checking the wake' to shame. Also on the plus side, it gives the apartment a nice aroma when we bring in loads to thaw and warm in the living room. Ah, a wintry treat!

Additional good news came over the weekend when some folks at Infimed decided to contract my services as a GNU/Linux and QT guru. Seems that doing all that building and packaging of QT for debian wasn't such a bad thing. I get to set up a development workstation for them for a decent post-Christmas bonus, with possible future contracts teaching their developers how make and qmake work, and other fun things.

Americans on Mars

Every now and then, Ferri comes through with a witty little photo depicting Capitalism in its essence.

How could you pass this one up?

You know you've been in Syracuse too long when...

You walk home after a party, the temperature is in the double digits (on the positive side of Farenheit), and you note that your jacket is too warm for the weather...

Amazon is Wicked

I've been posting all sorts of little links to albums and books and what not throughout the history of my website. A few months ago, I decided to get one of their associate accounts to see if I could make back some of the hosting money for the new co-located server. So far I've sold a whopping 4 items (for a total take of $1.71 in sales commissions). What's interesting, though, is that all the items I earned interest on are not items that I linked to. So either someone out there is making links with my name (thanks, whoever you are), or amazon now does something funny involving indirect referrals (ie click on a book, decide you don't like it but buy a CD instead and I earn interest...?).

Ohwell. Whatever it is, at this rate I'll make my first $10 paycheck from them sometime in 2007.

More Birthday

I figured I would toss up the ubiquitous clip from 2001 detailing Hal's birthday to show off how cool I am.

Happy Birthday, Indeed

Well I feel honored. My home state decided to do something really nice on my birthday: approve same-sex domestic partnerships. I'm not gay (not that there's anything wrong with that), but it pleases me to see my old home take a step towards giving same-sex couples the same basic rights that the rest of us enjoy.

Happy Birthday

To me. I had some friends over for a sort of early birthday party. Lots of good Korean food (thanks, Kyoung Mi!), lots of goofy conversation and dancing with Keisuke, Kyoung Mi, and Chigusa. It was a happy sort of drunken affair, a certain comfort that comes with friendships in the longer-term. A night full of moral quandaries and relationship dilemma that keep life interesting.

Miyake.Chigusa wears a cute hat

Kyoung Mi and I falling to the ground after some drunken dancing

We ate well, talked much about the important things (less so politics, more so sex). I am finding it more and more interesting spending time with this group (really these three are the only people I see on a regular basis, besides my roommate). I thought it funny this morning as I realized that their language rubs off on me a lot, when I said, "You should coming over soon." Much more of this and I will be speaking Japanese on the street.

Keisuke has put some additional party pictures up here.

We all fell asleep in the beds and futons scattered about the house, after several wine-spilling incidents and friendly arguing. Most of us were in recovery mode from travel and illness (Kei and Chigusa just coming back from Japan), so we turned in early by party standards, and woke up very late.

This morning came the rude shock (!) of several of my guests' cars going missing. Tracking them down to good old Field's towing, I handed over a nice wad of ATM-fresh cash for the hostage release, and then it was all on their merry ways home.

128.230

Went for a birthday dinner with my mom at some Chinese restaurant called "Jasmine's" in NJ. The menu had an oddity.

I'm referring to item 10

The next day, I headed up to Syracuse, and met Chris on the way. We once again ate Chinese (I'm beginning to think I really miss the Syracuse Asian gang that I hang out with all the time). This time the fortunes were more amusing.

Out of focus, sorry. The fortune reads, "Society prepares the crime, the criminal commits it."

We discussed at some length the moral implications of his fortune.

I then continued along my way to Syracuse, through blizzards, white-outs, deer, and sub-zero temperatures. I'm back in the 'cuse, arriving Wednesday night to a little blizzard. The temp is -19C (-3F), and that's at 2 in the afternoon. Tonight promises to dip far lower. I've already burned through most of the wood Chris gave me on the way up, and ordered a face cord from a local wood delivery company. Warm times inside.

The most obnoxious thing about the extreme arctic cold we are experiencing? Any exposed skin gets frozen almost immediately when outside. I'm nursing a wee little cold, so am staying in for the time being...

Back "Home"

I'm back in New Jersey, in the good old USA. Haven't slept at all in almost three days, partially insomnia, partially hot dates with an old friend. At least we're home safely, our Boeing 777 not being down by F-16 fighter escorts, bombed by bizarre foreigners, nor suffering mechanical failure at the hands of statistics. There is usually a major airline crash every 8 months due to mechanical failure, and I couldn't remember one happening in the last three years. I generally feel safer flying within a month or two of a major air disaster, since the airlines probably work double-duty doing mechanical maintenance on aircraft to keep customer confidence high. Looks like another one took the fall for us, though.

Bummer

Well, I'm in Paris but only have 4 minutes left on the old internet machine. No access to e-mail because my inbox has over 10MB, no access to ssh, crippled java (thanks, Microsoft) so no web-ssh clients to fix things. No access to cell phone (turns out t-mobile has no service here :( ). No wi-fi open around anywhere I've been. In short, Paris is a wired man's (or woman's) nightmare.

Anyway, lots of interested anecdotes and pictures to come. Been typing them on the old laptop and will backpost later (and probably delete this entry).

But I'm still alive.

A Very Parisian New Year's

We spent New Year's on the Port de Alexander III, a little bridge not far from the Eiffel Tower. Much hugging, kissing, champagne, fireworks, etc floating around. Went downtown to Bastille to see what the night life would be like. Apparently we narrowly missed some riots not far from the Bridge we stayed on. I had no idea that Paris had this sort of activity going on...would have been cool to snap some pictures.

Sarah and Brad just before midnight, Le Tour Eiffel in the background

Staying out of harm's way had its advantages, though, such as meeting some very Parisian cuties.

Heloise, acting coy

We spent some time at the "Tiny Club Bar," Robbie and Erik dropping like flies, I stayed awake until 6:30am to be mostly ignored by the women of Paris, but having the occassional talk of politics interspersed with miscommunication.

Lor, sending SMS in the tube station

This year more love, indeed.