This collection of entries is from February 2005.
Sunday, February 27, 2005
BLOG SHUTDOWNTo my frequent, not so frequent, and irregular readers, to my RSS Feed readers, and to the people that stumble here from the various search engines:
I am being FORCED to shutdown my blog. Yes, the administrator of my webhosting service suspended my account and I am not being allowed to run MovableType on his host.
Why? Well the CPU usage for mt.cgi shot through the roof and was averaging 80%.
Why? Because of a certain thing going on in the industry - Comment Spamming. As ANY user of MovableType knows, MT just doesn't hit a CPU utilization of 80% and sit there. MT only runs when you - as an author - are posting or rebuilding. How often is that? For me - it's barely once or twice a day. And if you use the product, you know how quick that happens.
So you just know that the issue are those damn Comment Spammers. I'm running MT 2.661 and MT-Blacklist. While this has been helpful to stop a lot of the spamming, it still happens. the MT log is filled with rejected attempts to comment. I was also starting to get hit with Trackback Spam as well.
Version 2 of MT - as far as I recall - DID perform poorly when a spammer attacked a site. I have been putting-off upgrading because of other plugs-ins I use and there compatibility with MT 3. It's been getting so bad lately that I didn't give a damn - I was going to upgrade anyway.
Then I got suspended. I guess the reason why I am just SO PISSED-OFF RIGHT NOW is that I feel that this was a knee-jerk reaction that was a bit out my control, and it was happening right in the middle of me deciding to upgrade and potentially fix the issue.
The only reason this website is up right now is the admin renamed the MT directory (and password protected it) and told me I cannot use the product anymore on his box.
He is also NOT allowing me to upgrade to MT 3.15.
So, that's it. I have to shutdown MT. There will be no more additions to this blog for as long as it's on the current webhost box.
Now, that doesn't mean this is over. Oh, no - not by any means. The website will remain up and you can always view the archives here. THE COMMENT AND TRACKBACK FEATURES OF MY BLOG ARE NOW INOPERABLE.
My INTENT is to find a a new webhosting service, preferably one that understands MT (I have a feeling that the admin of this host has no clue what the product is or does).
If anyone out there has any recommendations for a webhost that has good pricing, good service, and may have a clue about MovableType, PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY. I have one lead that seems to have good pricing with what I think is GREAT bandwidth and GREAT storage. And let's be frank - it's all about the money. I ain't making any money from this site.
I mean, for cripes sake - this is just a personal website with a bunch of pictures and a blog, people! It's not like it's a huge e-commerce site!
I really didn't want to move - I've been using a reseller for this website, and Jeff has been absolutely great over the years. I really don't want to leave him, but the admin has forced my hand and I don't have a choice.
*sigh*
So, thanks Jeff for the great service over the years. Thank you to the readers who have stopped by here over the years.
I hope to see you within a few days/weeks (better not be months!) when we're back up and running at a new host!
Don't forget, drop me a line with recommendations! Also, if you know of anybody (even yourself) that would be interested in transferring MT and the blog(s) to the new host, I am willing to entertain hiring somebody to just do it for me (my time is a bit limited recently, and if I can (reasonably) pay somebody to pick-up my MT/MySQL installation and plop it down on a new host, I would love to do it. Remember - MT is shut down and do I have any valid recent exports of my data? HELL NO! Can we do the transfer just doing MySQL exports?) I am even willing to entertain a website redesign (for $$$) if anyone wants to quote me that as well. Any way, please help me!
SEE YA!
posted at 09:54 AM | Link | Blogging § |
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Hmmm... time to change the infrastructure...I don't have a lot of time to write lately, between being busy and being under the weather, it's just an effort.
What's been more of an effort has been trying to clean-up after those damn comment spammers. I'm using MT-Blacklist, but I'm still on MT 2 so I think it's time to go to MT 3 and get the new blacklist pieces and new comment pieces and hopefully things will work out.
I'm saying this publicly because if things get a bit "wonky" here, you'll know why.
posted at 10:23 AM | Link | Blogging § |
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Ahhhhhh... it's begining...PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT TODAY!!!!!!!
Yes!!!! Baseball has cranked-up and my life somehow feels more complete just knowing that I can watch preseason baseball on TV in just 19 days...
Now, if Jose Canseco could just take his book and disappear...
...sort of like the NHL - which officially canceled the entire season today.
posted at 06:25 AM | Link | Baseball § |
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Stressed to the limitThings are pretty stressful at work. First time since I've been here. It's a lot of nose to the grindstone heavy spreadsheet building & analysis that is of a critical nature.
That's the reason why there's been a lack of any posts with any substance.
I'm swamped. I'm sick. I'm fatigued.
I'll be back some day...
posted at 03:16 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Monday, February 14, 2005
Carol downMy cold has spread.
Carol's down now with a sinus infection and an ear infection - sort of an annual occurrence with her. So, she's got her meds and is taking time off.
Me - well, other than the cough, I'm s-l-o-w-l-y coming out of this.
posted at 06:15 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Sunday, February 13, 2005
At homeNormally, Carol & I go to my mom's for dinner on Sundays.
Well, not today. Mom's been in the E.R. overnight. She's in a lot of pain and the doctors believe it's kidney stones. She's just beside herself with the pain - having never had kidney stones before, I guess I've never experienced the pain. I guess it can get pretty bad. Mom doesn't handle stuff like that very well. Nor does she handle taking medications well - she just doesn't want and doesn't like to take pills. Period. Even if they'll help with pain.
Hopefully she'll get through this just fine.
In the meantime, Carol and I aren't doing anything other than trying to catch-up on sleep and recover from our colds.
posted at 03:15 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Wolves 4 - Aeros 5 (Shootout)
read more of this entry »
Same ref - different game.
Jeff Smith called the game again today and just like yesterday, he let the teams play and kept he calls down. Except, he sure didn't do the right thing in the 3rd period.
The energy isn't the same as yesterday, but they crowd is one of the largest of the season - 14,912.
The Wolves were up 3-0 in the 3rd when the Aeros had 2 goals within 7 seconds of each other against. Michael Garnett was in goal again, and everybody looked a bit shook-up. The teams combined for six second-period goals, including five in a span of 4:39. I guess that's enough to shake-up everybody. (One of these goals was by Steve Maltais - it was his 450th regular season goal as a member of the Chicago Wolves.)
It got REAL UGLY in the 3rd.
Houston's Mark Cullen scored a goal at 9:54 in the 3rd, tyeing the game 4-4. It shouldn't have counted. As he shot, Michael Garnett opened up and reached to glove-it with his left hand. At the same time, Kirby Law charges the net off-balance and - with his skate blade - hits Garnett in the face, popping-off his helmet and slashing him in the mouth. It happened so fast, all anybody saw was the helmet flying and Garnett flying face-first onto the ice. He laid there and everybody thought he was just pissed at himself for missing the shot. The TV cameras had a closeup of him on the ice, when all of a sudden you see blood flowing out his mouth onto the ice. The place went crazy. Jeff Smith finally calls a penalty against Law - a 5 minute major for Charging (which, somehow, also got spun-up to a Game Misconduct) - but ALLOWS THE GOAL. Kari Lehtonen had to step-in and finish the game for Garnett. I still haven't heard what happened to him.
So, it's tied after Regulation.
Another Overtime period. Still tied.
Another Shootout. Still tied.
Sudden Death Shootout.
It takes 5 rounds and we lose.
Damn. Very unsatisfying.
(Boxscore - Gamesheet) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 11:44 PM | Link | Wolves § |
Friday, February 11, 2005
Wolves 5 - Admirals 4 (Shootout)
read more of this entry »
Back at the Allstate Arena for some more hockey.
The game started with a moment of silence for Tim Breslin, a former player with the Wolves, who died from a form of cancer I had NEVER heard of: he died last Wednesday night due to complications from appendiceal cancer - yes, a malignancy of the appendix. He was diagnosed in late November of 2004. He was a local guy and fan favorite. Everybody knew him. So, it was a sad beginning of the night.
But, OH WHAT A GAME!
Milwaukee has been a major problem for us this year, but tonight something was different. The energy was up for both teams. It was like watching a post-season game! The intensity was great, a lot of up and down play, hard hitting...
The referee - Jeff Smith - wasn't calling anything. Which you would think is bad, but the key is he was consistent, and that's all you can ask for in a ref. The crowd was really going after him when he wouldn't call something but you could see that he just wasn't calling anything.
Well, until the 3rd. With only 44 seconds left and the game tied 4-4, he called Brad Larsen for interference. It was a controversial call, because the ref actually DIDN'T call it - one of the linesmen did (I think it was Jay Jacobs). Linesmen can't call a penalty unless it's a major. In this case, there was a "skirmish" between former Wolf Simon Gamache and Steve Maltais right between the two benches as they were leaving the ice. Brad Larsen was on the bench and grabbed Simon Gamache. So, it turns out that this is another case that a linesman can actually call a penalty.
We made it though the 3rd, but that also meant it was 4-on-3 for 1:16 into the 5-minute overtime period.
Turns out that the Wolves survive that and overtime ends in a tie. It's been a couple of years since we saw a Shootout (due to rule changes), but that's what we were headed for. The Wolves outscore Milwaukee 2-1 in the shootout and WIN.
Michael Garnett was in goal tonight because Kari Lehtonen has had strep. Garnett has been in net for the 2 Shootout Wins the Wolves have had this year.
Pretty damn exciting and the best game we have seen in a long, long time.
(Boxscore - Gamesheet)
« hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 11:43 PM | Link | Wolves § |
Thursday, February 10, 2005
I didn't need to see thatJust went to the restroom here at work and saw something I've never seen before...
read more of this entry »
posted at 12:56 PM | Link | Odd § |
GravellyNot, gravely, but gravel-ly. My voice. You know it's bad when people throw cough drops at you and people in teleconferences question your health. My throat is on fire and I'm stuffed-up.
Another fun day.
posted at 12:19 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
SpreadingCame home tonight only to find Carol upset at me, claiming that I want to share too much with her.
She claims I gave her my cold. She looks and sounds like I did yesterday. As to MY cold, it's progressing well, thank you very much. I sound worse and my sinuses love to go through fill-and-drain cycles.
Looks like we're going down together...
posted at 05:21 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Tuesday FatnessLaissez le bon temps rouler
You know, when you're coming down with a cold, you don't care how many bon temps can rouler.
My sinuses are full, my throat dry and rough, my nostrils and eyes burning, my voice down at least a single octave if not two. (Don't believe me? Listen to me.)
And I can't believe it's Mardi Gras time again. I guess technically I'm closer to missing a Paczki Day than I am a Mardi Gras day since I've never really celebrated a Mardi Gras.
That's the problem with holidays and Holy Days that are dependent on moon cycles. Sometimes they just show up a little too early in the year...
posted at 12:22 PM | Link | § |
Monday, February 07, 2005
Silver CircleYesterday morning I get this frantic phone call from my mom. "Turn on WGN," she says. We had the TV on so we went over to Channel 9. No, it was the radio - something that we don't have in the house. I hung-up the phone and dove for my portable radio and my digital voice recorder. It was Dean Richards' Sunday Morning show and he was talking to my wonderful former boss - Bill Jackson. It seems that Bill has been voted into the Chicago Chapter National Academy Of Television Arts and Sciences (you know, the Emmy people) Silver Circle (it's to recognize outstanding individuals who have devoted a quarter of a century or more to the television industry and have made a significant contribution to Chicago broadcasting).
Well, I guess the induction is April 29th at the Drake Hotel, and he'll be inducted along with Roger Ebert, Greg Gumbel, and Linda Yu.
I. MUST. BE. THERE.
I wonder how?
posted at 02:49 PM | Link | Puppeteering § |
Sunday, February 06, 2005
XXXIXOK, not a bad game. Not too boring, but not REAL exciting, and, in the end, closer than I thought it would be.
Didn't want the Pats, though. Being from Chicago, I think I have issues regarding teams and "dynasties", since - other than the Bulls for 6 seasons - we have never experienced that in our sports teams.
Commercials:
read more of this entry »
First off, the NFL Network was supposed to run all of the commercials back-to-back right after the game, and let's just say they really screwed that up. I'll have to get my TiVo to catch that tomorrow.
Anheuser-Busch still takes the cake for best commercials (hell, they buy enough of them). Liked the skydiving one and even liked the animals coming to audition for the Clydesdales. Thought the troops coming home was nice but a little heavy handed (notice the uniforms had no identification on them at all, not even fake names?)
Really liked the Brad Pitt Heineken one. Liked the Ameriquest robbery one (oh and the cat and the spaghetti sauce one, too). Like the CareerBuilder monkey ads. There are times in my career that I've felt like that.
I use GoDaddy.com and I'm not sure I liked the ad (although it's the only one that poked fun at the "dumbing-down" of the advertising this year due to wardrobe malfunctions).
I'm not getting the whole Lincoln Fry McDonald's campaign. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:28 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Puppy BowlOh.
My,
God.
Animal Planet is running their "counter programming" this afternoon - The Puppy Bowl.
Imagine 3 hours of puppies in a pen that's shaped like a stadium. That's it. No commentary, just music. Just puppies.
(If you really, really, really want to see what I'm talking about, here's a nice segment that I captured for you in DIVX AVI. It's 52Mb, but it's 640x480)
Oh dear Lord, they have "fouls", too. (VIDEO)
posted at 02:10 PM | Link | Mundane | 2 comments § |
Saturday, February 05, 2005
Away Team - minus 1It was time for The Away Team to get together and have lunch.
Only... one of us was missing.
John went into the Hospital on Wednesday and is in critical but stable condition. They thought it was congestive heart failure as his lungs filled-up, but now they know his heart is fine but he may be having a reaction to one of his numerous and strange infections. He's on a respirator and he's kind of fighting it.
This guy has had a hard life, including polio as a child. And if I remember correctly, he has a birthday this week. And if memory serves me correctly, something always happens on his birthday (he's had two heart attacks on his birthday) or something happens around it. here's another year to chalk up.
Hopefully he'll get better - people sounded reservedly optimistic, but jeez. How much can this guy bear? He was supposed to retire in 2004. He was going to be our here when he did that. Instead, he was at work, working out in the exercise room we had, and something triggered a breathing problem. Thank God someone was there with him who called 911 - they still had to bag him when the paramedics got there because his breathing went hell in a handbasket.
posted at 01:28 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Friday, February 04, 2005
Wolves - Barons
read more of this entry »
Oh, God, this was painful.
Cleveland is 6 games under .500. We should have rolled-over them. Instead, what we're against is a team with no veterans and 10 rookies on the roster. So what? These guys were fast. No great, just fast. Oh, and they shoot. US? Well, think S-L-O-W and passing a lot, and not well, mind you. there was absolutely nothing good that came out of this.
(Boxscore - Gamesheet) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:51 PM | Link | Wolves § |
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Sucky AirIt's warming up but for the first time in the winter we've got ourselves an Air Quality Alert due to soot pollution.
Hmmmm... a toss-up... warm temperatures or trouble breathing? Hmmm...
posted at 11:04 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
(Toy) Soldier Abducted in Iraq
So it looked like another faction kidnapped still another American soldier in Iraq.
It looked like it.
But then somebody looked at the released photograph just a little bit more clearly - and realized that it wasn't "American soldier John Adam". It was Special Ops Cody, a toy doll. And if you look really close, you can see that the gun pointing at his head is actually the plastic one that came with his set.
read more of this entry »
"Was 'abducted' US soldier in Iraq a toy? Updated: 2005-02-02 09:15
A picture of an "abducted" U.S. soldier in Iraq appeared on a Web site on Tuesday, but suspicion grew it was a hoax after a U.S. toy maker said it appeared to show a model soldier made by the company.
"Our mujahideen ... have managed to capture the American soldier John Adam after killing a number of his colleagues," said the Mujahideen Squadrons in the undated statement on a Web site monitored in Dubai. It threatened to kill him.
But Liam Cusack, marketing coordinator for California-based Dragon Models USA, said the picture appeared to show a special forces operative figure the company had made for collectors.
Defense officials at the Pentagon in Washington said the U.S. military had no indication any of its soldiers were missing in Iraq.
Cusack said the striking similarity between his company's action figure, which was marketed under the name "Cody," and the published picture, were pointed out to him early on Tuesday by an Arizona retailer.
"I worked on the development of that figure so I had seen the look of that head before," Cusack said. "We don't want to be the ones to say that it is (a hoax) for sure. Because if there is a search and rescue, that needs to be done."
Cusack, speaking from his office at City of Industry, California, noted the rifle being pointed at the figure in the photograph posted on the Web site also appeared to be the plastic M4 rifle included with the figure.
The message and photograph were posted on a site run by a group calling itself al-Muntada al-Ansar, which has in recent months restricted access to the site to registered users in an effort to avoid unknown groups posting messages.
The site has been the main channel of communication in recent months for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq.
Insurgents in Iraq, including al Qaeda's wing in Iraq, have been waging attacks on U.S.-led forces since they invaded the country in 2003." « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:09 PM | Link | Odd § |
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
*nose wiggle* x 2posted at 06:48 AM | Link | Memes § |
|