Recently in Everything Else Category

I'm sure there's probably been a lot written about this, but here's what I went through today:

We have a new server running Windows 2003 Server, and I needed to install SQL Server 2008 on it via our MSDN subscription.

I first tried to do this via IE7 and was getting nothing but javascript errors every which way I turned (I couldn't even login to the site), so I decided to install IE8.

After installing IE8 and rebooting, I went to MSDN and after clicking about 20 security pop-ups, adding site exceptions (all for microsoft's own sites, I might add), and lowering my security settings as far as I could, I get to the download page. Keep in mind I've spent the better part of an hour, just to get to the download page first with IE7, and then the install of IE8 and all that.

MSDN uses a file transfer add-on to handle the downloading of files which never gave me any problems before, but the enhanced security blocks the add-on. The download page says to click the information bar and allow the add-on, but when I do all I get is the information bar help.

Well, after some Googling I never did find a specific fix to that problem, there may be a setting you can twiddle somewhere I don't know, but I did find out how to disable the enhanced security (remove it via the Add/Remove Windows Features app). So, with enhanced security banished from the system the information bar finally allowed me to allow the add-on. Worked great after that.

I don't know, it may be more secure out of the box, but it sure isn't very usable.

Some California residents tell their local leaders to GTFO.

Perhaps there is hope.

Buy a used kegerator off Craigslist for $200.

Looking back on it, I should have just bought a new one. I can't even count the number of hours I've spent futzing with it, but here is what I have done.

I replaced the beer line, faucet, and gas line.

I added freon to it.

I patched the evaporator housing which had rusted through.

I made a fan shroud for the evaporator fan (which is not OEM) since the fan was just blowing air around the interior and not over the evaporator coils.



I made a tower cuzi.



And last not but, not least, we can't have analog thermostats in this day and age. I added a Love temperature controller.

"When I became the NASA administrator -- or before I became the NASA administrator -- [President Obama] charged me with three things. One was he wanted me to help re-inspire children to want to get into science and math, he wanted me to expand our international relationships, and third, and perhaps foremost, he wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science ... and math and engineering."

When I read that, I immediately thought of Kennedy's speech where he challenged us to go to the moon by the end of the decade, and then I laughed out loud at the sheer silliness of the new goals.

Why should we borrow even $1 (we will have to borrow it after all, we're running huge deficits) to make the Muslim nations feel good about their own contributions. If they don't feel good about their contributions, that's their problem. (If it is a problem.)

I'd be curious to see how NASA accomplishes this mission, but my head would probably explode if I found out. Maybe we'll send up a rocket named after some Muslim scholar loaded up with a bunch of school children from all over the world who excel in science and math? That would at least be something somewhat related to NASA's raison d'?tre.

"Yes! Several."

I love Futurama, and am so glad someone brought it back. 

Every tacticool wannabe on the planet has a bug-out-bag, so why not me?

Actually, mine is more of a combo range/hunting bag, but I'll keep it semi-stocked just in case.

I couldn't make up my mind between the Kodiak and the Sitka for the longest time. I didn't think the Sitka would be big enough, but I thought the Kodiak would be too big.

The Kodiak is probably just about the right size for me, maybe a little small if anything. Once I get some doodads and a change of clothes in it, it's pretty full, but the idea is to carry light, just the bare essentials.

Before I get too far into it, there are some pretty decent videos that do a good job of reviewing the bag. You can watch them here.

The number one feature of this bag, and other Maxpedition gearslinger bags, is that you can swing it around to the front and access your stuff without taking the pack off. Pretty cool. One of the reasons this appeals to a lot gun folk is that it has a pouch and velcro lining for sticking a holster to. This lets you pack a concealed handgun in there, and swing it around in case you need it. It's faster than taking off your backpack and digging through it for your handgun, but still pretty slow to compared to holster on your hip. On the other hand, if you grabbed the bag on your way out the door before something went down, and maybe didn't have time to get all your gear on, you'd at least have someway to carry. It's a good option to have.

The bag has tons of pockets for keeping stuff sorted. The bad thing about the bag is that it has tons of pockets and it's easy to forget which pocket stuff is in if you aren't in and out of it all the time, but at least you aren't having to dump everything out of it to find what where that gizmo you are looking for is.

Also it has a pocket for a hydration bladder, and also a Nalgene bottle. Two features I really like after last weekend. You can't have too much water here in summer.

Some people think the bag is not great for hiking long distances with anything heavy in it, and that might be true. I didn't find it to be uncomfortable, but I only have about 10 lbs in it and haven't carried it very far. I carried a backpack all through college with only one arm through a strap (only nerds use both straps) and I never had any problems, I can't see why this would be any different, but if you are packing for days out in the bush you'd probably want something bigger with two straps.

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Our app contains an instance of Internet Explorer in it, and by default we go to Google.com since it's a fairly lightweight page and could potentially be useful. The page isn't shown immediately but it is loaded up on start.

We've been getting calls and emails this morning about strange Pacman sounds.

We are now setting about:blank as the default page, and probably won't go back to Google.

First off, I hate running. Really hate it, but I hate stationary bikes and treadmills even more.

Second off, I'm really not built for running. I'm large framed, and somewhat tall, but the killer is my legs are like stumps. Squats are easy for me, but running is hard.

Despite those things, I'm trying to lose some unwanted pounds and improve my general health, so that involves cardio among other things.

Anyway, long story short, I've been concentrating on running for about 6 weeks. Today I doubled my normal distance just because I felt good and there was a nice breeze which helped to cut the nasty humidity some.

For kicks I pulled up Google Earth and commenced to find out how far that actually was. Turns out it was 3.28 miles which is just a bit over 5 kilometers.

Not sure of the exact time for the 5k part itself, but I was gone for 45 minutes. I walked the first little bit of it, .08 miles according to Google Earth again, ran a little bit over a true 5k, and huffed and puffed for a little while before I went inside and looked at the clock.

I figure that actual 5k part was done in around 40 minutes, which probably puts me on par with a 65 year old woman running barefoot. (No offense intended to said group.) I'm hauling around twice as much mass, but it's still pretty pathetic. On the other hand I wasn't really intending to race and was just cruising.

I'm kind of intrigued now. If I took it seriously and dropped 20 lbs, I wonder if I could run one under 30 minutes? I'll probably never know.

BTW, that was the farthest I have run in a long, long time. Probably 15+ years. Heck, I'm not even sure I have ever run that far before.

As societies become richer, citizens tend to want better schools, better medical care and other government services. This country is following that pattern, but without paying the necessary taxes.

I disagree somewhat. I don't think all citizens are in favor of an expanding government and its services, but there hasn't been a lot of political will to do anything about it.