Journal of a Sysadmin

QOTD from the “you have got to be kidding me” department…

From America’s Plan Executive Summary, Federal Communications Commision, National Broadband Plan, March 2010.

Broadband is the great infrastructure challenge of the early 21st century.
Like electricity a century ago, broadband is a foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and a better way of life.

Broadband will not reverse the US Economic Crisis. Bailouts administered by the bankrupt institutions the bailouts were to save will not reverse the US Economic Crisis. Outsourcing even more Government services to companies legislated to generate revenue for their shareholders will not reverse the US Economic Crisis.

Perhaps the way the US looks at the rest of the world and the way American Institutions function should be looked at to resolve the current problems with the American Economy.

Exec Summary Broadband plan.

Close to Home

Last night as I sat in front of my computer trying to work out a problem with mailman, I heard a loud bang. Minutes later I could hear a chorus of sirens which lasted at least 15 or 20 minutes.

This morning I read in the Herald that a man died of his injuries from a hit and run at Richmond Road and Sarcee Trail. The person who ran was apprehended and is pending charges.

When I read the news, I felt profoundly sad that a person passed from this world and it was so close to home I could hear the moment of impact that caused his passing. I have no idea who he was, but I can only imagine he had loved ones who will feel his loss so much more than I. Even the thought of this persons suffering is saddening to me.

WordPress automatic upgrade

Woot, it worked. Maybe I won’t have to diff/patch every time there’s an upgrade from now on!

Music in my Life

I was introduced to the sixty one tonight by the woman that has been giving me the gift of music for the past five years. From ska to folk, from Alexi Murdoc to Dar Williams and everything in between.

I had a hard time turning it off tonight because I want to hear all the unheard ‘da kine’ music there is and it just can’t be all heard in one night, there’s too much out there if you have ears.

Thank you again Jaime, some day I hope I get to repay you.

Happenstance

Great weekend with a bunch of surprises.

Friday night I went by myself to Dicken’s Pub to listen to the bands playing Sled Island. It was a good venue but the second band caught my attention.

As I’m watching them set up I notice that one of the guys, a guitar player with black Converse Sneakers, a black shirt and those oh so stylish black jeans which are saggy in the ass and tight everywhere else (Sorry Pat, but I really think those are *not* classy looks just like my nephew would at 26ish… So, I pull out the phone and google it.

Sure enough, The Get Down is playing and it’s my nephews band from Edmonton. When the set was over I walked to the side of the stage and got his attention. Complete double take and he almost fell off the stage to give me a hug. We hung out that night for a while and even though I went by myself there were another 3 people that I knew that I ran into and stood around to talk with and my buddy Mark showed up after his date to listen to the last couple of bands.

All of the bands were great and the last band, Monotonix, was completely off the wall. Off the wall enough that Dicken’s Pub was trashed by the end of it and the crowd was doing some serious pulsing to the very loud, very lively music. It was a great night which didn’t end until about 3:30am.

Saturday night I was blown away. Calgary’s own Kilbourne played at Vern’s (the venue we choose to go to that night) and were loud and tight. If I hear of them playing again wild horses won’t keep me out of the venue. Last was Tricky Woo from Toronto and they were also great, and tight and hard rock.

Mark and I showed The Get Down to a late night Chinese restaurant and we all chowed down. Pat and Brett slept on my available furniture and I gave them a ride in the morning.

Sunday was spend biking and skating, also things I really really enjoy.

It was a great weekend, one of the likes I haven’t had in a long time. I have to make a note for the fridge to always try and get out to listen to our local talent. There is a lot of it and some of the music just carries you away.

So by happenstance, I managed to wake myself up. If only for a weekend.

Testing UTF-8

I’ve set the database settings to UTF-8 and I want to make sure at least this sstill works.

So far so good.

Tags: guinea pig

New Proposed DST change rules

OK, this is BS. Why, WHY are we wasting our extra and short hours in the middle of the f’ing night?

I propose these new simple rules:

• First Friday of March at 3:15pm we spring forward one hour thus shortening our work day on that Friday.
• First Friday of November Fall back one hour at 7:00pm thus giving us an extra hour on Friday evening to play or to just go to bed early and catch up on sleep.

With these new rules it will help with the, I’m so f’ing tired this morning I can’t function on that Monday after spring forward. Likely I won’t be able to function properly until at least Wednesday evening.. If I get enough coffee.

How did that happen?

This morning I took Jonah to daycare as usual, we parked the van and he had to walk through the snow (le neige) on our way into the daycare.

His group, le Papillon, were getting ready to go to the washroom. We hung up his coat, he gave me a hug and a kiss and as his group sped off he joined them. They were all jumping and laughing.

The sight of him being a little boy with all of ses amis était belle et joyeuse.

Notre fils, il est beau. Our son is beautiful and it makes my heart joyous.

99% effort 1% motivation

The gym is really hard this time around.

Last time I started a 12 week cycle there were a lot of things different. Head space wise. I know things aren’t right because of the cleaning and the caring about certain things including what I eat and drink. I see my weight going up but… *sigh* I wonder if I care?

So yesterday I went into the gym for cardio and it was *everything*, every last ounce of what I had, to spend a 1/2 hour breathing and sweating. My legs actually felt weak afterwards… This time last year an hour and I didn’t feel like this. Hell, I ran the CCC 10k in September and didn’t feel like that after.

So it took 99% of my effort to move my 1% motivation. Today I was going to try and get into work early (7:30ish) and go do my upper body workout before work so that I could play soccer at lunch. What am I doing? I feel like a slug, I have zero motivation for pretty much anything, and I still have to get the baby ready for daycare and get to work at the crack of 9…

And just when things feel like they could be good, it changes. Life is hard with 1% motivation…

Funny stuff

Saw two bumper stickers this morning, both on the same car (or should I say mini van just like ours).

First one, “why are all the really cool girls lesbian?”

Second one, “Do I look like a fucking people person to you?”

I think I want one of the second sticker for my cubical at work.