Oct
29
2005

Why Girlfriends Are Great

A.K.A "A typical conversation in these typical times"

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 07:41:27 pm
(Posted Under: No Category)
Just a quote recently that I thought was great!

But yeah, I would certainly get us houses in Tempe and Melbourne and other giiiifts and hookers and stuff.
A way to a guys heart is certainly with hookers. [wink] But seriously, the greatest comment.

Funny also that Def Leppard is on, given the subtitle I stole. Blatently! [smile]
Now Playing: Def Leppard - Stand Up
Oct
29
2005

A Year Of Gentoo

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 02:56:54 pm
(Posted Under: Linux Linux, Gentoo Linux Gentoo Linux)
Given that the Melbourne Cup is just around the corner (next Tuesday - roll on the public holiday baaaaaaaby [wink] ), it's almost a year that I've been running Gentoo Linux.

I've actually been using Gentoo for longer than that, probably since around April 2004. Funniest thing is how much I initially hated it. At the time Debian was my Linux distro of choice. I'd used UN*X type systems since 1996, but it wasn't until Feb 2004 that I took the plunge and installed my own Linux system. Not through lack of desire I don't think, mainly through lack of a spare machine. However in Feb 2004 when I got wireless broadband internet. I'd been using a Windows 98SE machine to host and share my dialup connection, and on expirencing MTU problems it was 3 days before typing format c:\ and installing Debian. Not that fixed the MTU problems per se, but certainly was good to get away from ICS, and have proper NAT and a firewall. And was so much better, (duh!), for a server. So, anyways, what am I talking about...oh yeah, Gentoo! [smile]

So yeah, the company I was with at the time moved from Debian to Gentoo, much to my dismay. My first Gentoo install, which was a mail scanning server was such a headache. It took about a week (admitadly it was running on a 233MHz PII which didn't help none) and several attempts, and I recall proclaiming once it was all said and done (after constant bitching) that Gentoo was absolutely ridiculous and I'd never personally use Gentoo! Pretty funny, given that 7 months later, with more experience with Gentoo, and growing frustration with Debian being in the dark ages, I installed Gentoo on my new beefy server in November. The new server was a result of getting sick of the aforementioned MTU problem, which ironically fixed itself (it must have been upstream) a week after ordering the new server, a week before it arrived.

At the time I did consider briefly sticking with Debian, but went with Gentoo, and haven't looked back. By November I was fairly sold on Gentoo as it was, but the past year dealing with it day in and day out is such a pleasure. Also highlights how fast time goes, I can remember doing the installation like it was yesterday!
Now Playing: Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers - Americano!
Oct
29
2005

Get Firefox!

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 01:24:44 pm
(Posted Under: Geek, Firefox Firefox, Thunderbird Thunderbird)
Get Firefox!
Hold the press! After 9 years of exclusive Netscape support, I've migrated to Firefox.

I've actually been using Firefox at work for the last 3 months. And have conceptually supportive of the whole Mozilla thing for quite a while. Certainly I've been much more interested in the direction and philosphy of Mozilla / Firefox for quite a while, it's just been a case taking the plunge of leaving a browser I've used for near on 10 years.

Largely, and humourously, it's been largely influence by look and feel. Humurous both because of it being not a great reason, and because everything else Mozilla is sexy. The website is the sexiest website on the internet (by far - I love the Mozilla website of today), the Mozilla icons are sexy - it's just damn Firefox's GUI. [wink] I've never been able to take the look of Firefox seriously, and visually "feels" as lightweight as Internet Explorer. Maybe not as, but certainly feels (in it's look) less solid than I've always found Netscape to be. I'm yet to find a theme that really does it for me, but I've decided I just had to suck it up.

Otherwise, the change isn't a huge one, both Netscape and Firefox being from the same codebase. Other than the main UI look, the perferences dialog has been a pet peeve of mine with Firefox. Yes, I'm a fickle and picky son of a bitch, there is no doubt about it! I'm sure it's just an issue of change and being set in your ways. I had the same issues with Winamp 3 and Winamp 5, and while.....I still do not like the Winamp 3 look (and never fully embraced the player), Winamp 5 has become a favorite. I figure it'll be true with my few pet peeves with Firefox, because I've known for a while that it's a better browser, just hesitant to make the change from the warm and fuzzy Netscape browser I've always known.

Jumping to the Google search box, rather that typing "?term" in the location bar, may take some getting used to, though I've certainly had enough time to get used to that at work.

Why finally take the plunge? The whole Mozilla movement over the past year has been pretty exciting, and while I've not taken the plunge until now, it has been something I've wanted to be part of. I had some sort of interest back in the days of the Mozilla / Netscape split, however there wasn't too much to be excited about back then. The browser (back then) was bloated (at least felt bloated on a 550Mhz P3 with 64MB RAM, in comparison to Netscape 4.x), and the mail client at least was buggy. Those were the early days. The past year, for me has seen the whole Mozilla movement really come to life, and step up. I even recall the pre Firefox browser (Phoenix?), which didn't seem like a big deal. However, Firefox was really Mozilla taking that big step up. I can think back to it's release (last year?) and while I wasn't jumping ship on Netscape, I knew Mozilla had finally stepped up to the big time.

A big contributing factor also is the open source culture of Mozilla vs. Netscapes commercial culture. I definately feel better using Firefox for that reason. Being able to know exactly what's going on with Firefox, it's a good thing. Something I've missed since Netscape 4.x days (at least pre 4.8), where there were actual changelogs, vs. bullshit commercial spins on "latest features". (See blog from around this time last year). Not only because of the culture, but it means Firefox is going to have more features I'm interested in. As a geek that is. [wink] Similarly, one of the scale tippers, is extentions for Firefox. There are some really cool ones out there, which make the browsing experience better. To be honest, I've not sure where Netscape is in terms of Extensions (I never moved past 7.1, but know that a lot of extensions weren't friendly to it), and maybe Netscape 8 is better (and I know it has things like Live Bookmarks, which was another draw card), but I'd rather move to Firefox than dick around upgrading to Netscape 8.

Also, I used to, in the 4.x days, like the whole bunded package thing (browser + mail). Yet these days, not so much. Well, not at all. I like that Firefox is a 4MB download. That Thunderbird is a 4MB download. Verses downloading 20+ MB (god knows what Netscape 8 is at these days. I shudder to think. [wink] ). Having two products from the same family, but as seperate entities is a nice thing.

Speaking of which, moving to Firefox means I've completely migrated to the Mozilla suite of products. I've been using Thunderbird for mail since - well, a couple of months - ever since I instated my new mail / mail server setup. This was not really a conscious decision. Once I finally moved out of the Netscape 4.x browsing dark ages (last year), I had no intention to move away from Netscape 4.x for mail. Then I instated my new mail setup / mail server, and used Thunderbird for testing IMAP, with the intention to continue using Netscape 4.x with the new IMAP setup. However, it seemed kinda flakey in comparison to Thunderbird, and I kinda just started using Thunderbird. I didn't even notice until a week or so later that I had unconsciously moved to Thunderbird. Dropping Netscape for Firefox completes the switch to Mozilla.

Sure, it took me a while, but I've been converted! Take back the web, reclaim your inbox, and all of that! [wink]
Now Playing: The Clarks - Shimmy Low
Oct
20
2005

Belt Girls

(Add / View Comments) (0)Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 10:09:29 pm
(Posted Under: No Category)
Y'know, when you hear about something for 6 months, you've just got to see it for your self. I finally just came across photos of the infamous Mexico May 2005 Belt Top incident...

http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/users/40ead389_c669/24d6/__sr_/17b2.jpg?phck4VDBPf1e28G4

Life is full of let downs. [smile]

Oh, and nice balloons! [biggrin]
Oct
17
2005

Where's My Notepad?

(Add / View Comments) (0)Monday, October 17, 2005 - 09:29:30 pm
(Posted Under: Geek, Linux Linux)
I find the followiong Slashdot article compelling: http://developers.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/10/16/235216&from=rss.

Obviously bad mouthing vim makes my blood boil (yes, can you say zealot), but what I find compellingly...compelling [wink] is the comparison of vim to Notepad...on Slashdot. Like Notepad can be even classed as a text editor! Sure, if you can't use vim, find, but at least compare it to an actual GUI text editor! Sheesh.

I also find it compelling the lack of progress in Microsoft Window's base applications in 20 years. A few years ago I found a site that had special builds of Windows 1 & 2 apps, tweaked to run on 32bit Windows. Comparing Notepad from Windows 1.01 (© 1985) to Windows XP (© 2001) is....a lot of things, including sad.

Enhancements in Notepad since 1985:
  • 32 bit (I guess) icon vs. monochrome icon
  • File Menu has "Page Setup" and "Exit"
  • Edit Meny has some different key bindings
  • 'Clear' is labeled 'Delete' (Edit Menu)
  • 'Word Wrap' moved to Format Menu
  • Replace functionality
  • Font selection
  • Status bar toggling
  • Unicode Support
  • Support for files larger than 64K
So, in terms of real differences, 64K+ support (shocking that that didn't exist until realitvely recently - first time I saw it was XP), replace functionality (wow, an editor that can replace text, how futuristic!) and Unicode support. In 20 years. I find it both hilarious and sad.

What I find most annoying, and shocking is that Notepad still can't read or write UNIX files. I can admit that having a dumb down light weight editor (I used it for a scratch pad) can be handy, and I'll turn to Notepad over a proper editor for stupid jotting stuff down (or a cut / paste buffer) is the lack of UNIX file support. The lack of that makes it truely pathetic, even as a dumbed down lighweight app.

Using it as a comparison to vim, even to argue user friendlyness, is just ridiculous!

It also makes me laugh, regarding web development, that I "my website building tool is Notepad". Why? Because it's a true statement metaphorically, as I code pages by hand rather than using a WYSIWYG, but I don't at all actually use Notepad. [smile]
Oct
15
2005

Euphoria

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, October 15, 2005 - 01:43:14 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
As per a rant I had this morning [wink], the only half good thing about My Space is artists with tunes on their My Space page. This morning I wound up on Jim Beach's page. Euphoria is excellent.

It's one of the few pages I've come across where downloads (vs. streaming audio) is available. Of course, being the pile of puke that My Space is, the downloads aren't currently working - "Sorry, we're undergoing maintainance". Bleh! Which of course reminds me of the Slashdot article yesterday regarding the My Space worm that someone wrote. Oh, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy. [wink]
Oct
12
2005

Gentoo's Still Compiling

(Add / View Comments) (0)Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 01:12:35 pm
(Posted Under: Geek, Linux Linux, Gentoo Linux Gentoo Linux)
Eh, I'm over the cliche dig at Gentoo - "It's still compiling". Notibly slash dotters are culprits of this.

Last Friday I set up a Gentoo box as a router (with VPN) for the office. I started later in the morning, and had the damn thing done, and was leaving the office at 4pm.

This was on a Pentium 3 1Ghz, with 256 RAM. Admitadly I also had distcc setup on Gentoo inside a virtual machine on my chucky Dell 3.0Ghz workstation, but even so... Bullocks to digs about how long it takes to install Gentoo. From Stage 3 anyway...

I do remember when it'd take days to get a Gentoo machine up and going - which was partly incompetance on my part at the time. It's been such a long time since a Gentoo install has taken more than a couple of hours. (Less when copying a portage tree and distfiles from an existing machine).
Oct
10
2005

Tres Confusion

(Add / View Comments) (0)Monday, October 10, 2005 - 12:34:00 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
Okay! So Del is Danny, and Lars is Jesse...and of course Miss Lady is Susan.

Jesse's blog entry this week all of a sudden makes a whole lot of sense now!

Now I've got to low down. Nice going with the aliases, this whole Tres thing has been...er...fun. *raising fist*

Now, what about Pablo? [wink]

I'm going to bed.
Oct
09
2005

One Wrong Girl

(Add / View Comments) (0)Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 11:45:09 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
Okay, I know Sandburg when I hear her! Leading on from my thoughts on this morning on Tres Diablos, listening to the tracks sung by Miss Lady, I totally thought it was Susan Sandburg. But with no mention of her on the My Space page, I figured Miss Lady must be someone from Devereaux 75...assuming that's a band. Which I'm willing to now bet, with the help of Google, it ain't. Tres diablos indeed! [wink]

Tonight, via about a billion levels of indirection I wound up at Sandburg's website, particularly the news page - where she mentions being in Tres Diablos with Jesse. I fucking knew it! I know Sandburg when I hear her! Definately makes the who Tres Diablos thing even more exciting. I'm partial to Susan (and the Sandburg / Valenzuela combo - "You're in my dreams, you light the dark, you're the fire from one little spark")

The news postering also mentioned co-writing Let's Play Too with Jesse, which I actually heard about at one of the Blossoms shows I was at (Solana Beach I think) and had totally forgotten about. Funny, I've been such a huge fan of the Sandburg / Valenzuela songs I know (Spark (Tunes Young People Can Enjoy - Valenzuela), One Wrong Girl (Down Comes The Night - Sandburg) ), but of all the new Blossoms tracks, Let's Play Too doesn't do much for me.

In anycase, it's nice being right! [smile]
Oct
09
2005

Side Projects Blossoming

the longshadows & Tres Diablos

(Add / View Comments) (0)Sunday, October 9, 2005 - 01:49:05 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
It's taken a while, but I've finally had the chance to check out the longshadows (one of Robin Wilson's side projects) and Tres Diablos (Jesse Valenzuela's side project). Unfortunately it means trips to My Space, but eh, what are you gonna do?

Both quite impressive. I'm a little suprised by the longshadows, I guess I was expecting something more The Popping Wheelies (a little too sugary for my tastes). Excellent alt. rock from Robin Wilson and Steve French. I particularly like To Saione and Little Birds. The latter which made me think of Little Stars, hence had The Popping Wheelies in mind. Actually, Wishing We Weren't So is also awesome.

Tres Diablos is also great, but with Jesse Valenzuela involved, there is little suprise there. Interesting is the version of Fool For The Taking, which for all extents and purposes is a new Gin Blossoms tune. Talk of this is really what prompted me to take the time to finally check these bands out. I'd figured Fool to be penned by Robin, however it would appear that Jesse wrote it. Or should I say Del. The whole secret identities on the My Space page is quite amusing. Definately a lot of variety in the four tracks on My Space, the loungy feel One Last Time sung by Miss Lady, Talk Of The Town, again sung by Miss Lady which reminds me of Susan Sandburg (who Jesse has worked with), the Petty-isque Fool For The Taking and the typical Valenzuela type tune California Sun, which I'm quite partial to.

With all these side projects (also Scott & Troy and Northly / Valenzuela - Craig Northly from The Odds and Jesse Valenzuela), is it any wonder that the new Gin Blossoms album is a long time coming?
Oct
01
2005

That's Rock N' Roll

Marc Norman, Zubia Brothers & Stephen Ashbrook @ Last Exit

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, October 1, 2005 - 04:03:03 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Last Exit and Creamy Radio rock.

Today has been as awesome afternoon listening to the goings on at Last Exit, via Creamy Radio.

First up, the crazy guy with the afro - Marc Norman. An incredibly long set, totaling 4 songs and 17:37 minutes. [wink] But talk about missing Arizona. Listening to Marc (and knowing that the capo is fixed firmly to the next of the guitar [wink] ) instantly reminds me of sitting at Yucca watching him. Just instantly. Fairly short set though!

Hearing the Zubia Brothers, obviously great! They busted out some Gasoline - which prompted me to think how much it rocks that they at least still do that song. Lawrence actually mentioned it being a Live Nudes song, which was sort of fitting, given I was thinking how in the midst of the majority of new songs (from Voices) it was so cool that they still did Gasoline (one of my favorites from Mistaken For Granted).

Up now, Stephen Ashbrook. Yeah, that's rock n' roll. And it's a perfect afternoon for it, it's an awesome afternoon, much like the last time I listened to Last Exit Live on Creamy. Only downside is my internet dropped out during Scotch & A Handgun right through the end of the show. God bless replays and the Creamy archive is all I can say.

Of course, it gets better. Next week, the Katrina Benifit show, including the Blossoms. I really need to devise a way to record it while at work. [smile]
Oct
15
2005

All Roads Lead Back To Tucson

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, October 15, 2005 - 01:31:08 am
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
I was actually going to title this "All roads lead to Rome, or Tempe...", and then thought of the fitting Americano! lyric. But yeah, Tucson or Tempe. [wink]

I've been thinking this week about the pre Blossoms bands I liked, that end up having relations to the Blossoms.

The example I've thought of in the past is Toad The Wet Sproket. I was totally captured by All I Want back in 1991, amazing song. As well as (post being a Blossoms fan) Something's Always Wrong. Back in the day, the Blossoms toured with Toad extensively. One of the coolest things is Robin and Phil joining Toad for All I Want live.

The second example is The Rembrandts. Again, back in 1991 I was way into Just They Way It Is. Admitadly I wasn't a Rembrandts fan per se, but really liked the two songs I knew (Just The Way It Is and Someday). And admitadly I got over I'll Be There For You relatively quickly. For me, it's an Iris or 'Til I Hear It From You - a pretty average song that recieved critical acclaim and broke the band. (Well, Iris is fantastic, but won them a lot of fans that would have never being Goo fans otherwise - eh). But in anycase, really liked Just The Way It Is, and Jesse has had quite an association with The Rembrandts, co-writing one of their songs, and of course Danny Wilde being in Tres Diablos.

Just interesting to think about how I was into both artists, or at least their songs, years before getting into the Blossoms.
Oct
06
2005

Katrina Benefit

Rockin' Relief @ Last Exit

(Add / View Comments) (0)Thursday, October 6, 2005 - 83:95:09 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
Okay, so recording the Rockin' Relief Katrina Benifit concert was largely a success. Again, the internet rocks - being able to record a broadcast when not physically (at work) at the recording equipment is great! With the exception of 2GB file limits in the version of Sound Forge that I use, hence missing most of The Pistoleros set, and the ending time on Creamy Radio being wrong (listed the show finishing at 11:20pm, however the Black Moods apparently finished at 1:00am) hence missing the Black Moods, it basically went without a hitch.

I'd thought, and admitadly it was wishful thinking in play, that both the indoor and outdoor sets would be broadcast. As it turns out, only the indoors ones were. Which is fine, though I was looking forward to hearing Brian Blush. It also meant that I recorded a lot of between sets tunes. Which is fine, Creamy plays such a sweet selection, but it'll make editting the files fun. (My hard disk is thrashing as I type.)

My interest in Tramps and Thieves is relatively low, so I haven't listened to that much. However, I must say I didn't mind what I've heard. I was quite looking forward to hearing Hans Olsen. Other than one song on a various artists CD, I've not heard an Hans Olsen, and have always been intriged to hear him. I really wanted to see him at the Tempe Music Festival, but I was still somewhere between California and Arizona when he was on stage. In highensight, even if I hadn't of been, I doubt we would have made it to his set anyway. [wink] Regardless I was still bummed. Even more true listening to his set for the Katrina Benifit. Hans is great. Hilarious hearing him during one song, as his guitar is going wildy out of tune, and him desperately tuning throughout the song, without missing a beat - until he finally gives up and asks the audience to pretend that he's still playing while he tunes. [smile]

Next up was Train Wreck, a band I don't know of, and leading up to the show thought I didn't give a rats ass about. However, I was notibly impressed by their songs, especially musically. At one point I was skipping through the file, and hit their opening track, and mistook it for part of the between sets Creamy Radio mix. Furthermore, I later discovered the band is headed up by Dave McKay who sung in the Ten O'Clock Scholars with Doug Hopkins. Worth enough to have recorded their performance, even aside from how good most of their tunes were.

Then The Pistoleros - I can't comment much, because I missed most of it because of the whole 2GB file limit issue. Let's hope it ends up in the Creamy Radio rerun and archives. I did catch the end of Long Last Lonely Mile and Sara Says though. I think that would have to be my favorite version of Sara Says to date. From what I've read, the Pistoleros were the band of the night.

Next up, the band I really wanted to get recorded, the Gin Blossoms. Obviously it was going to be a short set, and as such, it's strange hearing them open with Hey Jealousy. With such a short set, it's suprising they did Allison Road but hey, that song just won't die. [wink] The broadcast was an awesome opportunity to get a decent sounding recording of the new songs. I must say, on it's own Suicidal Advocacy stands up well, but they've done a lot to it - and it pales in comparison to the Scotty Johnson version. There just ain't no comparison. Now, if the band were to strip it back to basics, ala how Johnson performs it...well, that'd be a good thing. [smile]

Now from not so great decisions, to fucking awesome ones - End Of The World. The band really doesn't need to do anything else right post this - the decision to start playing End Of The World is just that good. [wink] It's been on the setlist for a couple of months. I fell in love with this song years ago when I first heard Robin Wilson doing it acoustically. I never knew (not through a lack of trying to find out) whether it was a cover or an original. Of course we know now it's an original. And what an original it is!

As it turns out, Hans Olsen wasn't the only one to suffer guitar problems. During Til I Hear It From You Scott's guitar obviously suffered the same tuning problems. I'm not sure Scott saved face as gracefully as Hans Olsen though. [wink] A really comical and painful rendition of Til I Hear It From You, as Scotts guitar blazes out of tune. Particularly painful is his solo at the end. Poor Scotty - he should have just surrendered the fantasy - that guitar wasn't going to back into tune by itself. [wink]

The show closed with my favorite closer - Hands Are Tied, complete with the Jesse Valenzuela / Scott Johnson five minute wank off interlude that I have come to love so much. Not my favorite one (the performance at Solana Beach would have to take that cake), but still awesome - nice to hear Jesse throw some Pipeline into the mix!

Hmmm - "Come to love so much". I was actually an immediate fan, the minute I witnessed this is Solana Beach. But you know what I mean! [smile]

I've got no idea what the Black Moods were like, but I'm hoping to take advantage of the Creamy Radio archives in the next week.

An awesome night of music. I love Last Exit and Creamy Radio. Almost as much as I'd love being there. [wink]

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