I get "whatever Doug does" a lot. I am that computer mystic. To my children, I "fix computers" although I think they are beginning to come around to "he makes web pages."
This morning, I configured a server located either in the United Kingdom or New York (I really don’t know where it physically sits) to no longer send email through a Linux server in Holland but instead to securely send email through a Windows server located somewhere else. I did this without leaving my basement and without physically laying hands on the servers. They are well secured against intrusion by spammers or denial of service attacks. My client is in London. I woke at 3am to be on their time. I invoice them electronically and they pay through Paypal. People in Knoxville will never see me working with my clients and assume I do nothing.
Today Woot! has the Roomba Sage (the one we have and LOVE) for $149. Great price. The killer part of today’s Woot is that you have a 1 in 10 chance of doubling your order. That means if you order 1 you could end up receiving 2. If you order 3, you could end up receiving 6!. See more details in the woot blog and woot discussions.
Does anyone know the minimum distances a wood stove needs to sit from walls? The stove is already in place so the backside with the pipe into the wall does not concern me. I need to know how close a wall can be to the side of the stove.
Just purchased a used fischer woodstove, approximately 32″ long x 22″ wide x 37″ high, with double doors. No tags attached to indicated placement distance from wall. Any idea? What is the best material to put behind the stove to protect the wall? Stove has 8″ hole in back of stove for pipe. Is it okay to reduce the pipe to 6″? Should we install the fire proof rope on the inside of the doors?
That stove did not use a gasket on the door, however, you can place one there if you like. You should use a flat gasket for this (available at stove stores)
Wall protection – sheet metal, cement board, brick, stone, etc. with proper air spaces.
So, I was holding the object being glued in one hand and the tube of Super Glue in the other hand when suddenly I needed that other hand so I just held the capped tube of glue in my mouth. What I forgot was, that this being a brand new tube of glue, I had moments earlier used the pointy part of the cap to break the seal on the glue. Doh! Guess I’m going to be quiet this afternoon.
I just realized I have been listening to the wrong music all day. And burning the wrong incense. Time to put in Buffalo Springfield and light some Song of India.
One machine I’ve cleaned of viruses and was trying to get the latest security patches has been giving me huge fits of grief with the WindowsUpdate.log growing large with error 0x80240020. Finally I discovered this registry change that seems to have fixed the problem!
Apparently congress is once again trying to cut funding to NPR and PBS. Folks, National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service are your voice.
WASHINGTON — House Republicans yesterday revived their efforts to slash funding for public broadcasting, as a key committee approved a $115 million reduction in the budget for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that could force the elimination of some popular PBS and NPR programs.
…It would reduce the corporation’s budget by 23 percent next year, to $380 million, in a cut that Republicans said was necessary to rein in government spending. [Source]
Can you imagine having your household budget cut by 23 percent?! They tried doing this last year and with MoveOn’s help, it was stopped.
in a defeat for House leaders, 87 Republicans joined unanimous Democrats in bucking an attempt to cut funding from the stations.
…
Markey expressed confidence that supporters of public broadcasting would have more than enough votes to stop a cut again this year.[Source]
There is still time to stop this one!
The reduction, which would come in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, must be approved by the full Appropriations Committee, and then the full House and Senate, before it could take effect. [Source]
Is the real issue here that Republicans see PBS and NPR as having a liberal slant? With this current administration we have seen a great of loss of freedom with people being arrested for wearing "Veterans for Peace" t-shirts while drinking coffee and an introduction of propaganda bias as demonstrated in Kentucky with the blocking of liberal media while allowing conservate media. Here is a picture of the offending t-shirt. I would not have to shield my child’s eyes from that unlike some of the non-protest shirts I see in public and wonder why the wearers are not embarassed for themselves.
A similar move last year by Republican leaders was turned back in a fierce lobbying campaign launched by Public Broadcasting Service stations and Democratic members of Congress, in a debate that was colored by some Republicans’ frustration with what they see as a liberal slant in public programming.
…
Republicans attacked the PBS for programming they said represented out-of-the-mainstream viewpoints, highlighting in particular a "Postcards From Buster" episode that featured lesbian couples and their children in Vermont. [Source]
Paula Kerger , PBS’s president and chief executive, said in a statement that the cuts would force the network to "drastically reduce the programming and services public television and public radio can provide to local communities." [Source]
Skip McDonald’s today and give Mia $5.00! Mia qualified for the National Junior Olympics in BOTH of her events: the 1500m and the 3000m. She has to pay roughly $2000 to attend the events (that’s hotel, food, transportation, etc.).
I find it interesting the small circles we read in. My wife reads Miss Zoot regularly. In the interest of not reading exactly the same thing my wife reads, I have intentionally avoided Miss Zoot. I read The Adventures of Latte Man regularly who yesterday posted a reference to Miss Zoot spurring me to ask, "Why don’t I read Miss Zoot?" so I had a look at her two most recent posts only to discover that KristyK, whom I read daily but I mostly didn’t read anyone yesterday, is having a fundraiser to get Mia to the races! I would love to do a study on the viral aspect of blog readership.
With the beautiful weather and frustration at not being able to locate my tools, I took some time this weekend to clean out the garage. Much rejoicing was had as I found goodies to pass along to the children who hazarded closely enough to investigate the mysterious cave of a garage, some braving to linger long enough to be enlisted into cleaning while others took a quick look and ran. I can walk in my garage again much to the chagrin of the hundreds of camel crickets who thought this a nice residence.
You know that scene in Twister with the barn full of scythes and sharp farm tools. I reproduced it on a smaller scale when my free standing peg board holding chisels, screw drivers, saws (including one of those handy "I cut through anything" drywall demolition saws), and whatnot fell on me. I took that Indiana Jone "the ceiling with sharp spears is coming down on me and there is nothing I can do poses" and hoped for the best. I got the best.
Steps back? Time in the garage took away from time on the computer but in the long run the organization will save time and off loading the trash makes for a happier home.
Swap blog reports "A three story building just blew up in New York." Any confirmation on this?
Update:MSNBC reports "A three-story building collapsed Monday in midtown Manhattan after an explosion and fire at the site, fire officials said. Smoke rose high above the building, located on 62nd Street between Park and Madison avenues. "
Other information I’m hearing
is that it was a doctor’s office.
Possible gas leak
NOT terrorism
Power surge
building 70 feet wide
witnesses say didn’t sound like an explosion but like something fell
4 injuries, no deaths yet
So, what’s going on in Congress that needed a swing vote based on public sentiment?
Update: One person trapped alive in the rubble.
Not to make light of a horrible situation but does anyone get the feeling this will end with a fat man with bad flatuance ala Confederacy of Dunces?
UPDATE: I was just told that in an interview on MSNBC that the NYC fire chief confirmed the building collapse as a gas leak. CNN has the scoop and of course it is credible because, well, they quote Larry King who was in a hotel somewhere in the city when it happened.
Update: Word on the street is that suicide is being investigated as the leading cause of the building collapse…I guess even buildings gets depressed.
Do you have access to a sound studio in West Knoxville? Thought I’d ask before dragging the family to East Knoxville. I have a project to record a 15 second sound bite. I figure I need 5 to 30 minutes of studio time but this isn’t worth studio time so I need to do it on a favor or trade in service. I’d much prefer to do it somewhere near home than across town.
Doing it at Roland, Scripps, HGTV, or Jewelry TV would be cool!
I scored 13 out of 20 on the immigration test. There were 4 that I changed my answer on. Had I followed ye ol’ high school standardized testing rules that would have put me at 17 out of 20. Some of my mistakes are embarassing!
Why would I know this?
19. What INS form is used to apply to become a naturalized citizen?
a) Form N-200 “Petition for Naturalization”
b) N-400 “Application for Naturalization”
c) Social Security card
d) FD-258
Husband to one wonderful wife, father to five fantastic children, juggler, technophile, freelancer, DIYer, adventurer, volunteer, KO4NFA (2m/70cm), WRMJ225 (GMRS)
