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Is the torch of democracy getting picked up by others?

Tom Engelhardt of TomDispatch.com rarely disappoints and this Tomgram is particularly poignant:

Tomgram: Engelhardt, Washington’s Echo Chamber (Feb 24th, 2011)

Freedom is never free, it must be earned, and fought for. It is clear that even after toppling several dictators, the people of Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya have a long struggle ahead of them, but they are earning their own freedom now. It’s a fascinating time to be alive.

Hat tip to Mark who brought this Tomgram to my attention, though TomDispatch is already on my regular reading list and should be on yours too.

2011 02 25 snolan Foreign Policy
History
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Theft of public resources for private profit

The events going on in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana have nothing to do with state budgets. It is all about busting up the public sector unions and privatizing energy utilities through non-bid auctions to give the Koch brothers monopolies. It is an alliance between Republicans and the filthy rich to exploit everyone else and hang on to power.

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2011 02 22 snolan News
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Shindig (for Firefly fans)

If you are a Firefly fan and you would be interested in a costumed shindig, perhaps in June or July, please send me an email with the email address you would like the invite to be sent to. Please title the email “Shinding, Yes Please” and I will get you on the list. My scottnolan.org address is the correct one to use.

2011 02 17 snolan Fun
Local
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Preliminary review of HAI Web-Link II Software

The HAI Web Link II software works with both HAI OmniPro and OnQ HMS home automation controllers that are version 1.8 and newer firmware. It might work with AEGIS systems too – but I know of no one with that to test on. I may hack it enough to work on Linux too, given enough time.

It requires Windows XP Pro (or newer), IIS v4 (or newer), and Windows Media components (for video feeds)… I know, the irony of controlling a home security system with something as insecure as Windows and IIS is not lost on me… it’s compounded by the fact that out of the box the whole thing is plain old clear text HTTP services with no obvious option to encrypt all the traffic. I will have to investigate wrapping the entire server in SSL encryption myself, or putting it on a private LAN with VPN service access only.

It makes turning thermostats on and off very easy, but re-programming them is not an option (which is a shame, as the HAI thermostats are amazing devices that support multiple programs, but they are a real pain to re-program at the keypad; way too many options and features.

I have no access to the Rules section mentioned in the manuals; which means I can’t update the programs in my controller. I am not sure if this is a limitation of my old OnQ HMS 1050 – or if I just have not found the section in the software yet. I am still programming the system with PC Access.

Initial connection was a bit of a mystery as my old OnQ HMS 1050 had never had Names associated with each Code number on the keypads. I had to fire up the old PC Access software to assign a name, then the Web Link software could use it.

Only one of the two can be connected at a time, but that is as easy as changing the com port to the Web Link software so it can’t hang onto the MODEM while you re-use the old PC Access software, then change it back.

The software claims it can send email alerts and a whole slew of other features I have been completely unable to access so far… but I am just beginning to get familiar with it so I will allow it just being non-obvious.

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2011 02 16 snolan House Comments (1) Permalink

Apple’s New Subscription Rules

Perhaps Apple ought to call it what it is; a consumer protection surcharge…

Frankly, it if could keep me off annoying spam call/catalog/email lists by aggressive marketers like the Metropolitan Museum of New York’s gift shop; I’d be perfectly willing to pay 30% more to hide my identity from them and let me shop for some nifty things.

Go Apple!

What whiners people are… I suppose Sony and Microsoft don’t take far more than 30% for PlayStation and Xbox games? I suppose Atari never fought any competition for it’s own games on the old VCS (2600) platform? If you are really that unhappy, sell your Apple products to people who can apply common sense and reason to their priorities and make a measured response.

2011 02 16 snolan Computers
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Evil is going to war and killing people for personal gain…

Defector admits to WMD lies that triggered Iraq war

The WMD lies were made up, and the Bush administration knew it in mid-year 2000, and deliberately hid the knowledge and locked their source up so he could not talk until their highly profitable little war and fleecing of the American taxpayer was well underway.

Evil, pure fucking evil. May they all die and rot in hell, and by “they” I mean George W Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Dick Cheney, Richard Perle, and Karl Rove. They are all complicit in the worst crimes of humanity.

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2011 02 15 snolan Foreign Policy
News
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Jules Verne’s Birthday; Mac DiveLog find!!!

Woo hoo! We have used for years Suunto Cobra dive computers when SCUBA diving, they are awesome, but they only connected to Windows software. Apparently a very geeky fellow decided he was so frustrated with Suunto ignoring many divers who are Mac users that he’d address the problem directly by writing his own software to interface two wonderful gadgets. Thanks Mark! I only wish I’d discovered this project earlier, he’s been at it since 2004…

Happy Birthday Jules Verne; we are celebrating by installing Mac DiveLog on our Macs and finally synchronizing all the dives logged to our Suunto Cobra dive computers.

One less reason to have Windows annoying me.

2011 02 08 snolan Computers
Personal
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Fujitsu B142 Lifebook (circa 1999) parts wanted and available

During the summer of 1999 my friends and I all purchased the coolest laptop in the world, the lovely Fujitsu B142 Lifebook.
I got many years of great use out of that tiny laptop until I had to upgrade to a bigger, faster machine.
I am trying to restore my old B142 Lifebook for nostalgia reasons and ran into two snags.

I am missing the PCMCIA adaptor card that connects the optional external CD-ROM drive (UJDB120). I have the CD-ROM drive itself, and a cable that connects the CD-ROM to the edge of a PCMCIA card, but I have somehow misplaced the PCMCIA card adaptor itself..

Is it possible to buy a new one or even a refurbished one as a replacement? The machine will boot from Hard Drive, or Floppy, or Floppy assisted PCMCIA mounted CD (it cannot boot from USB as it is an old firmware). My goal is to be able to re-image the box from the recovery CD.

The second issue is that the blue/grey bottom plastic shell that holds the laptop battery in place has broken, and the very thin strip across the bottom front of the laptop is gone (I can operate the machine while it is on a desk, but moving it around or placing it on a lap no longer works as the battery is prone to fall out now). It would be nice to replace the case if you have just the case available as a part.

I actually have two batteries that work and two port replicators, I only need one of each. I am offering a trade or to straight up buy replacement parts.

2011 02 08 snolan Computers
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Audio problem fixed on my MacBookPro

Audio stopped working on my work-provided MacBookPro recently, and I was able to fix it by reading this thread and applying the suggestion (I used a coffee stirring stick/straw).

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3255575

Basically using my regular stereo headset confused the headphones/digital audio port into thinking I was connected for digital audio only.

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2011 02 07 snolan Computers
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Doh! Wish I’d thought of this sooner…

So the whole time we had no power and were exiled to a place with power and internet access and hot running water, we kept wondering… Is the power back on at our house yet?

That question could only be answered this time by a drive out to our house to see in person.

So now I am setting up Dynanic DNS; and a tiny home server to report the temperature in the house and outside of it. I’ll put this server outside our firewall (or in a DMZ zone if I can get the router to do that) and plug it directly into the wall without the benefit of battery backed up UPS.

Next time, I can simply check that server to see if power is on and if so, how warm the house is. I should have thought of this sooner.

2011 01 31 snolan Computers
House Comments (4) Permalink