Category: General

How long should it take to rebuild a webserver from scratch?

I’m on 6 hours and counting.

I’ve backed up the data, reinstalled the base OS, moved the data back, installed updates, installed more updates, installed additional software from three different sources… updated the additional software… shit.

Almost done!

I shaved my head.

Good morning. I am on the bus as I type this. I’m on the driver’s side, three seats back. That doesn’t include the sideways-facing bench. If you count that as one “seat” I’m four back. But if you count each actual seat on the bench, I’m seven back. And that doesn’t even count the driver’s seat, which seems to me to be in a different world.

I ride this bus every workday. I recognize so many faces. Same group every day, nearly. In fact the driver changes more often than any of the passengers do. The driver changes every three months. Union rules. There isn’t a passengers union. Man, I’d join that, if it gave me a say in how things are run. I’d find out why different drivers have such wildly varying ideas about their job.

Bus stop approaching. Argh! Why does someone sit next to me, blocking me in, one stop before I get out? Sorry, dude, you’ve got to move, just when you sat down.

Out into the rain I go…

I’m doin’ stuff on the back end to get my old political blog, the Lie Factory, back up and running.

It’s political season and I’ve got stuff to say, both about the local races and the national races.

Be patient. It’s coming.

Thinking about the breakfast I would soon be enjoying (bacon, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, coffee), I parked the car on the quiet side street in my neighborhood. I didn’t want to take my laptop bag to the restaurant, prefering to relax with the Saturday paper. Into the trunk with the laptop, then. Out of sight, out of mind.

Grabbed the bag, got out, left the driver door open. Popped open the hatch, placed the bag, pulled the privacy screen, closed the hatch.

Went back to close the door and lock the car.

And found a fat tortoiseshell cat in the driver’s seat.

I felt more surprised than he looked. In fact, he looked annoyed at my interruption. He enjoyed the cabin and the seat, warmed by my sitting-place.

“Whatcha doin’ in there? That’s not your car, kitty.” I laughed.

He grudgingly climbed down only when I reached for him, obviously avoiding the indignity of being held by a human.

He sat in the middle of the street while I locked the car, facing away but scowling and squinting back at me over his kitty shoulder. As I walked away I bid him a good day. He sulked over losing his warm napping place, his plans ruined.

I wish…

…but wishing doesn’t work.

This weekend I plan to re-launch my political blog at the old domain impoverty.com (no linking because it’s currently parked and not in use).

I’m also going to be sprucing up “Run, Moon!” and tagging all my old posts and fixing any broken links and suchlike. I’d also like to compile a list of all my running records in an easy-to-update form and a list of all the races I’ve completed.

And I have a special project in mind to begin promotion of my first-ever novel. Details on that to come.

I wanted to preserve and make personal note of an article by Paul Graham on how to disagree. He’s taken some basic rhetorical errors and compiled them into an escalating scale, from least effective to most effective ways to dispute others’ arguments.

Click through to read his seven-point scale, from name-calling and ad hominem attacks, up through contradiction and to full refutation of the other’s central point. Well thought out and easy to use.

So easy, I’ve decided to refrain from responding to anyone who disagrees with me with what I see as levels 0 (name-calling) through at least level 2 (Responding to tone). I may or may not respond to level 3 (contradiction), and will seriously consider the content of disagreement that uses levels 4 (counter-argument), 5 (refutation) and 6 (refuting the central argument).

I learned at least two things from the cute new clerk at my neighborhood coffee shop this morning when I stopped to chat and flirt with her.

First, that the nutmeg nut is potent and hallucinogenic in it’s native form.

Second, that she dates women, not men.