A SAFARI Glitch

With the way I have SAFARI setup, I have asisaid as a testbed, and then all of the other SAFARI enabled sites feed off of one codebase to which I push out updates. I did such a push a few days ago to fix the disabled comments bug that was affecting Ed's blog. Silly as I am, I didn't check afterwards to make sure everything was still OK on my church's site, which also uses SAFARI. As it turned out, I killed off most of the site because of a small bug that hasn't been a problem on the other sites.

Keeping the code centralized is good for saving time doing updates, but has its disadvantages…

Long, Tedious Meme

GRUB-OLOGY

•_ What is your salad dressing of choice?_
Typically, Thousand Island.

• What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
White Castle.

• What is your favorite sit down restaurant?
Lewis and Clark's in downtown St. Charles.

• On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
Average is probably 15%, although I “default” to 20%. If the service is good, 20%; mostly good, 15%; questionable, 10%; bad, 0%.

• What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
The beautiful thing known as a potato.

• Name three foods you detest above all others.
Tuna, Herring, Raw meats of any kind.

• What is your favorite dish to order in a Chinese restaurant?
Broccoli chicken fried rice.

• What are your pizza toppings of choice?
Either the deluxe/supreme or pepperoni and onion (depending on the type and place).

• What do you like to put on your toast?
Homemade jellies, preserves, apple butter, etc.

• What is your favorite type of gum?
I don't chew gum.

BI-OLOGY
• What do you consider to be your best physical attribute?
I have no idea.

• Are you right handed or left handed?
Right handed. I wish I was bi-dexterous like my grandfather was.

• Do you like your smile?
No.

• Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
Do splinters count?

• Would you like to?
No, I don't think that sounds like much fun.

• Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
Sight.

• When was the last time you had a cavity?
To the best of my knowledge, never.

• What is the heaviest item you lift regularly?
Computer components — monitors, mostly.

• Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
No.

MISC-OLOGY
• If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
No, thank you very much.

• If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?
I'm not sure, but something “interesting” while not being “crazy.”

• How do you express your artistic side?
Poetry, photography and web design.

• What color do you think you look best in?
This isn't something I've ever really thought about. Yellow?

• How long do you think you could last in a medium security prison?
Not very long.

• Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
Paper stuck to food, perhaps. Seeds, pits, etc., yes, I use to do so quite often.

• If we weren’t bound by society’s conventions, do you have a relative you would make a pass at?
I certainly hope not.

• How often do you go to church?
Most every Sunday. More often if you count going there for meetings and other “work”-type things.

• Have you ever saved someone’s life?
I don't believe so.

• Has someone ever saved yours?
Ditto.

TQ: Privacy and National Security

This week's TQ from Mark is on privacy. Feel free to respond below.

1.To what extent do you believe our govt is eavesdropping on you?

I think they probably intercept some, though not all, of my electronic correspondence. I doubt any of it has been looked at by a live person, however.

2.Do you think the govt has gone too far in the name of national security?

Yes. Though I have not experienced any problems due to PATRIOT Act issues, I would assert it provides far too much freedom for the government. Wiretaps should be used only when shown to be necessary before a judge and detentions should be impossible without pressing charges.

3.Have you taken any steps to protect your privacy?

In general, I try to keep my data secure, but not out of concern that the Feds will come looking for my information. I just don't want script kiddies breaking in. I don't encrypt e-mail or anything like that.

4.Comment on this picture.

I think it relays what many think less privacy will accomplish. Realistically, I don't have a lot of faith that our national security reforms are actually going to work to improve security. Especially with the amount of illegal immigration — if that many people can sneak into the country, how are we going to stop a few terrorists?

5.3.Will personal privacy ever be restored, or will things continue to decay?

As technology advances, it will become increasingly easy to create a police state. While I'm not entirely pessimistic about the future, I do expect that we will have less privacy in the future than the past.

Note: The questions on this page written by Mark are governed by the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 2.5 license. I believe my responses are allowed under fair use and therefore are not licensed under the Creative Commons license (I don't want people messing with adapting my personal opinions, thank you very much).

...there are Passengers and there are Drivers.

Of Diesels and Other Things Volkswagen

I've been casually looking at cars for quite some time, figuring if something worked out, it'd be better to bite the bullet at my convenience rather than when I was desperate and had to take just anything. My goal was to find something more fuel efficient than the Jeep Grand Cherokee I had been driving. It was running OK, but making a few noises, dropping in fuel economy (at trade-in, it was down to less than 15 MPG) and, not being mechanically inclined, it seemed best to trade it in while it would provide some value.

I looked at a few different cars. The new 2007 Jeep Compass was intriguing, but disappointing; one I looked at cost more than a 2006 Liberty ($19k) despite having manual windows (though the sticker did note that this nearly two and quad-zeroes car did have an A/C). Given that it isn't off road capable, I'm not sure why the model I looked at was so pricey. It is also rather ugly, losing much of the charm of the typical Jeep. It's cheaper cousin and heir to the Neon's job, the Dodge Caliber, looks nicer and was nicely equipped for about three thousand less. It was tempting and not at all unpleasant. I think “Dr. Z,” as current Chrysler Group promotions refer to DaimlerChrysler's Dr. Dieter Zetsche, has given the Star-marquees a touch of German engineering that is really nice, although not as nice as a pure German car.

Drivers Wanted. I'm a Volkswagen man, so I was strongly leaning toward some kind of VW. Primarily it was between a Jetta and a New Beetle. When my parents were looking for a car this spring, I managed to coax my dad into looking inside a 2006 Passat, and despite his dislike of Volkswagens, he saw how nice it was in comparison to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. It begs to be compared more to the likes of this, only for thousands less. Obviously, then, I really admire the Passat, but it was more than I wanted to spend, and I really don't need that large of vehicle. I did end up test driving a left over demonstrator of the 2005 Passat which was dramatically reduced in price, but I opted against that (in part because of how much I think the all new 2006 model is improved).

The Beetle has been floating through my mind as a car I've wanted to own since the Concept 1 awed everyone in 1994. Call me odd; while most kids dream of getting some kind of muscle car when they finally got their licenses, I dreamed of a Bug. Having grown up riding around in my mother's bright orange 1971 Super Beetle, I am thoroughly a Beetle fan, and (unlike most of my peers) not just from hearing about them: I experienced the real thing. The world's best selling car (ignoring the Corolla which is really a bunch of different cars that have carried the same name) is truly an amazing thing and a pleasure to ride in; although my mother's VW was wrecked probably a decade ago and has been patiently waiting its slow restoration since then, I did not forget.

Nevertheless, I did seriously consider the Jetta. It's a bit more expensive than a Beetle, but better at hauling more than two passengers and features some of the extra bells and whistles of the Passat. I test drove one after I drove a New Beetle, but while it is an amazing car, everything good about Beetles came to mind and won out over the next few days. Volkswagen's 2006 literature calls the New Beetle a “peace pod on wheels” and a “force of good,” and those are good descriptions. Many cars get the attention of people, the Beetle just quietly makes everyone smile. There's something to be said for being in a car that seems to have built in rose colored glasses. Perhaps it is like Steve Job's RDF (Reality Distortion Field).

The Diesel Dilemma. Having settled on the “force of good,” I next had to decide about diesel. One dealer in town had several Beetle's with Volkswagen's amazing TDI diesel technology. If you judge diesels by the old 1980's American diesels, you are getting the wrong picture. The TDI is a turbocharged, finely tuned machine that gives 44 MPG on the highway and provides very good acceleration without making a racket. While its horsepower looks meager (100 versus the gas engine's 150), more torque makes up for the difference. The problem is that people really want these puppies. While I wanted to put my money where my mouth is and support what I think is the best alternative fuel option, I couldn't justify the cost. The TDI only costs $1,200 more than the 2.5L 5-cylinder that comes standard in the Beetle or Jetta, but unlike the 2.5 models, dealers won't negotiate on the TDI. So while you can get a 2.5L for invoice price, you pay the higher sticker price for the diesel. I had figured that at a $1,200 difference, a TDI would pay for itself in two years, but when the difference shot up to almost $3,000, the fuel economy no longer was worth paying for.

Having tried to deal with a dealer farther away that had TDI's, I returned to my local dealer, which I really like and ended up with my car. (If you live in the area and go to buy a VW, Hyundai, Isuzu or Suzuki, ask for Kip Rodgers and tell him Tim Butler sent you — Kip likes to play the negotiating game, but he's also a pleasure to deal with and very, very helpful.) I've always liked beige interiors (as well as the Gecko Green exterior) and the decision on my Bug was aided by the fact that the one other Beetle they had included the sizably more expensive leather package as opposed to leatherette. I liked both Beetles at St. Charles VW better than the configurations at the aforesaid other dealer.

So that's the story of my Bug, which like any New Beetle should, has been given a name. “June Bug.” (it was made in June.) So far, I absolutely love it. I really admire the German engineering that VW puts into all of their cars, from the low end Rabbit (a.k.a. Golf for those of you across the pond, $14,990) through the absolutely stunning Phaeton, which I have had a chance to sit in (starts at $66,700). I could easily be a VW salesman, having admired Ferdinand Porsche's legacy since I was a little boy. There is a different feel to driving and riding in a German car; it rides smoothly, but you “feel one” with the road. It may not be for everyone, but I love it.

By the way, if you connect this post's title to my first post about car buying, you'll notice you will get most of Volkswagen's slogan. Yes, being the devious guy that I am, I included a hint in the title of my post that asked for guesses of what I bought. On the road of life there are passengers and there are drivers. Drivers wanted.

It'll Have to Wait

I kept getting sidetracked today, and did not make it through the comments. In addition, I still do not have my car post written (good thing I just gave up and posted a photo!).

Tomorrow, tomorrow, there's always tomorrow…

Late Night Post

Well, I ended up spending a late night at a client's home who is using his home as an office while his real office remains without power after last week's storm. As such, I have not had a chance to read the comments on the “Power Grid” or “Soda” posts; I'm not ignoring those comments, though. Tomorrow hopefully.

I'll also write the very late post on my new vehicle tomorrow. But, since I keep promising it, I'll at least provide pictures (if you click the photo it'll take you to an album that also has a few neat sunset photos, along with car photos).

The Gecko Green Bug, a.k.a. “June Bug”

I'm going to give the asisaid points (10 each) to Christopher and Mike. Mike has tried various creative ways to figure out what kind of car I was talking about, and he picked up on my clue about Germany too. He even mentioned a TDI Beetle. I'll also give him 10 extra points for the said creativity. Christopher earns twenty for guessing a VW Beetle, albeit in black.

Irrational Behavior and the Power Grid

According to KMOX 1120 AM, the Rev. Al Sharpton is coming in to St. Louis today to protest the fact that minorities are still without power in St. Louis after the storm that hit last week. He joins a growing faction that is angry at Ameren for its “slow” repair of the power lines.

Let me get this straight. A storm with 90+ MPH hurricane force winds hits six days ago and knocks out almost 600,000 customers' power — the worst damage in the power company's history. The power company gets over 100,000 of those lines restored only to have a storm on Friday morning push the number back up to almost 600,000. Nevertheless, using over 4,000 Ameren and other power utility workers from all across the midwest, the number is inching down to 235,000, as of yesterday afternoon, and someone still has the nerve to suggest that Ameren is discriminating against minorities!?! Last I checked many non-minority areas in St. Charles were out of power all weekend, and St. Charles has the advantage of newer infrastructure with less large trees. St. Louis too is getting most of its power up, but there is a price to living in older areas, whether one is a minority or not.

People need to get a grip. Ameren has done an amazing job dealing with an “act of God” and to say otherwise is only to demonstrate one's lack of connection to reality. This isn't discrimination, its life after a major storm.

Weighing in on Soda

About two years ago, Kevin started me thinking about soda. At the time, I was drinking six to eight liters of Coca-Cola a week at home, and usually ordered a Coke or Dr. Pepper when I was eating out. I drank a lot of water too, but soda was, at the very least, a close second in my total liquid consumption. Kevin at the time decided to cut back, or maybe quit, drinking soda. I thought it sounded like a worthy thing to consider, and started cutting back a bit myself. Cutting back a little meant there wasn't always an open two liter in the fridge, making drinking soda less convenient. I was particularly busy at the time this all started, and before I knew it, that slight decrease in convenience meant I wasn't drinking any soda at all. Then I started ordering iced tea (no sugar — coffee and tea are meant to be black — thank you very much) or water at restaurants.

I essentially quit drinking the sweet stuff without really thinking about it much.

Now, I drink just a little soda. An energy drink-type soda once or twice a week, a Coke on a rare occasion, a Dr. Pepper if I go to Taco Bell (since their iced tea isn't so great)… that kind of thing. When I combined this with trying to be just a small bit more active, stuffing myself just a bit less at dinner and so on, I essentially ended up going on a painless diet. I went from hovering at somewhere around 275-280 lbs. (127 kg) down to somewhere slightly under 195 lbs. (88 kg). That took me from being considered obese according to the NIH through the realm of being overweight and, in the last six months or so, into the territory of “normal weight.”

This is interesting. Yes, I've tried to quit eating a whole 12” pizza when a little over a half will fill me. Yes, I don't always supersize my french fries. But, by and large, I've not really changed my eating that much. I still eat unhealthily. And, while I've tried to walk and do other healthy activities a bit more, I still spend more time reading, listening, writing, driving, computing or otherwise sitting than moving. While I knew I drank a lot of soda, I never thought I drank that much! Calorie percentage wise, I don't think I really have lowered my intake that significantly. What maybe 300 or 350 calories a day? It makes me wonder what's in that stuff.

Food, or drink, for thought.

Sunday Miscellany

Well, I said in the comments of my car post that I'd post the answer to what kind of car I traded up to, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow. If anyone else wants to take a guess and try for some asisaid points, now's the time. Perhaps I'll give points for the best or most amusing guess, if no one gets it right. If nothing else, I find it interesting to see how my writing impacts what y'all think I'll putt around in.

I had a pleasant surprise this morning. Last week, I went to Oak Hill Presbyterian Church to hear Dr. Alan Meyers, my professor in times past as well as present day advisor and friend, preach. Dr. Meyers is just as wonderful at preaching as teaching (which I've talked about before), providing interesting reflections and connections that draw out the meaning of whatever passage he happens to be preaching on.

He's the parish associate that fills in when the regular pastor is otherwise occupied. Their pastor was on vacation still today, so he was suppose to preach again, but I was not sure exactly what was up with the service today since the church is located in one of the hardest hit areas of St. Louis city from last week's storms. I should have called him to see if he was preaching rather than e-mailing, but I didn't, and so I did not know as of this morning whether there would be a regularly scheduled service this morning or not. I suspect perhaps his Internet is down, which would explain why I did not hear back from him.

As such, I returned to my church instead, rather than venturing 45 minutes to downtown only to discover that the power was out and the service canceled. While it is disappointing that I likely missed out on Dr. Meyers preaching, Greg, our youth and contemporary worship pastor, was manning the pulpit at my church, which was a very nice surprise. Greg just graduated from seminary and moved up from being our youth minister to this new, full time pastoral job. He has one of the best gifts for preaching I've ever heard — he is both captivating and sincere. I was glad I did not miss one of the rare occasions that he puts his talents to use.

All in all, that made for a good start to the morning!

I'm working on a computer for a friend who plans to give it to his son to use for web surfing and the like. It is an old, 1998-era Compaq, which is in fairly good condition, except that when it was purchased used it came with a pirated (and thus unupdateable) copy of Windows XP. I'm trying to install a new copy of Windows XP, but the system is too old to boot off a CD-ROM. Apparently Windows XP requires six diskettes in order to attempt to start setup via diskettes, so I need to stop by the office store to get some new diskettes tomorrow.

It just amazes me how little use I have for those once essential small black squares. My primary computers for the last two years have not even included a diskette drive! And I don't recall whether I bothered using the diskette drive in the computer before that either.

Quiz Redux: I'm Germany

Interesting; several years ago when I took this same quiz, I was Japan. Now I'm Germany. What country are you?

Which Country of the World are You?
Germany - Despite a controversial recent history, it has had a tough and powerful history. A modern-day technological and cultural beacon, it is still target to stereotypes and antiquited thoughts.

Positives:
Technologically Advanced.
Culturally Admired.
Global Power.

Negatives:
Target of Historical Fervor.
Constant Struggle.
Funny-Looking Ethnic Clothing.

Take this quiz!