Cedar.ServerForest.com Status
Since I know a number of ServerForest users are aware of (and I suspect read — and some I know read for that matter) this blog, I thought I'd post this status update here:
At 10:00 this morning CDT [GMT-600], Slashdot.org began linking to two articles on the Open for Business web site. This has caused temporary connectivity problems for HTTP connections that may impact your ability to view all sites on Cedar. The server has remained online the entire time and the problems appear to be clearing up as of 12:30 CDT.
Any further updates will go in the comments.
Tomorrow, Tomorrow... You're Only a Day Away
Well, I didn't see Annie like Pressed did, but as you know I did see the Music Man. Unfortunately, my comments on it and John Kerry's acceptance speech (which I did watch tonight) will have to wait until tomorrow.
Between Kerry and the hubbub with my latest piece on Open for Business, I got — ahem — kerried away tonight and didn't get to blogging until just now. Sorry.
Why GNOME's Got it Right
Ed wrote earlier this week about a project known as GoneME that seems to be quite upset with GNOME's moves to create the simplest user interface possible for GNU/Linux and other UNIX-like systems. While I commented a bit in his blog entry on the matter, I decided it was high time for me to exposit on the issue (I had been planning to for some time now). Thus, I have posted an article entitled Why GNOME's Got it Right on OfB. Take a look and give your two cents here.
76 Trombones
I need you badly, badly, Madam Librarian…Marian
If I stumbled and I busted my what-you-may-call-it
I could lie on your floor
'Till my body had turned to carrion….Madam Librarian.—“Prof.” Harold Hill
The Music Man was stunning. The performance really could not have been better. While I am familar with the play's music, this was my first time seeing the actual play. I'd say it was one of the best I've seen, if not the best. The talented actors and actresses at the Muny truly did justice to it.
I'll write more about it tomorrow, but I had to say at least that much. You'll have to wait until tomorrow for my comments on Kerry's speech as well — since I was at the Muny, I had to record the fourth and final night of the DNC and I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. I will tomorrow, however…
Going to the Muny...
I'm going to the Muny tomorrow night to see “The Music Man.” I'm a bit worried… I hear it might rain, and I sort of wonder if Christopher and Pressed's dismal record concerning the Muny might end up rubbing off on me. Scary. Very very scary.
Christopher, you're not going to be there, right?
Observations on DNC Night Two
Senate hopeful Obamba definitely stole the night. Bar none, hands down. He probably stole the whole two nights, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's the one people are talking about after the convention is over. This guy was a politician's politician and gave a very good speech on his upbringing and unifying the nation. He only sent a few barbs toward the Bush administration, which was an added plus.
Mark my words: this guy will be running for the president in a few years.
Earlier in the night Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont gave a decent speech that began after the longest applause thus far during the convention. He lamented that he had hoped to receive such a reception, but had hoped it would be on Thursday rather than Tuesday. He didn't say a whole lot new or different from his stump speeches, but this time it was (obviously) for Kerry rather than against him. Given his clear popularity with the audience and medical credentials, I betcha he has the title Secretary of Health and Human Services coming his way if Sen. Kerry beats President Bush on November 2.
Ron Reagan did a speech arguing for Embryonic Stem Cell Research, arguing that it doesn't involve fetuses (give the man a prize, that must be why they call it embryonic). He then proceeded to explain that the embryos weren't human because they didn't have fingers and toes and so on as if that was a clear fact. Anyone who didn't agree with that, he essentially stated, “has a political axe to grind.”
Reagan then used an ends-justifies-the-means argument referring to the situation of a girl who does have fingers and toes and a brain. He argued that this wasn't a political speech he was going to give, but urged people to “vote for stem cell research on November 2.” Reagan, despite mounting evidence against it, argued that embryonic stem cell research would provide replacement parts on demand for people as though this was a known and confirmed fact.
Drudge reports than Michael Reagan has again denounced this stand and says his sibling is being used by the Democrats. The senior Reagan son in June pointed out the fact that reports citing that the Reagan family supports stem cell research sadly excluded himself and his father.
QOTW #10: Traveling
What's the farthest west you've been (relative to where you are from) and when did you go there? North? South? East?
West: That would be the State of Washington (farthest point: the Pacific Ocean and the Olympic National Forest). I went there once in 1997.
North: That would be Minneapolis, Minnesota, also in 1997.
South: Eureka Springs, Arkansas, some time in the early 1990's (can't recall when for sure). I've been down that way a few times since.
East: Shelbyville, Indiana, in the mid-80's. I've been that far numerous times since then.
I was suppose to make it to Florida, Puerto Rico and and several Caribbean islands in 2001, but family medical complications prevented me from making it to that trip. I'm aiming to go to Canada some day soon.
How about you? Post your answers below or post a link in the comments to the answers on your blog.
Democratic National Convention
I've been watching most of it since 7:00 on C-SPAN. Nothing terribly remarkable thus far. Al Gore had a few humorous barbs aimed at Bush that were pretty good, I'll admit. “You win some, you lose some. And then there is that third type,” Gore remarked.
That was the only thing that's really stuck out so far, I think. Not surprisingly, all of the speakers have attacked Bush a lot. Sen. Clinton is coming up right now.
35 Questions
Christopher blogged these questions the other day.
1. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR BEDROOM WALLS?
White.
I don't read a book, I read books. I'm terrible at sticking to just one book. Right now, I am reading:
- Misunderestimated by Bill Sammon.
- End of State (Left Behind Political Series) by Nessa Hart
- Rumors of Another World by Philip Yancy
- Learn to Read New Testament Greek and It's Still Greek to Me by David Alan Black
- Just Started Back Reading: The Remanent by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins
- Planning to Start Back to Soon: Wild at Heartby John Eldredge
I plan to start Rush Limbaugh's second book and some others soon.
3. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
A big Dell logo pad for my main system, a blue (plain) ergonomic pad for my iMac.
4. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Monopoly.
5. FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
Time or eWeek
6. FAVORITE SMELL?
Ditto Christopher's choice: Freshly brewed coffee.
7. FAVORITE COLOR?
Ditto dittoing. For the one millionth time green, one of the darker shades.
8. LEAST FAVORITE COLOR?
Pink.
9. HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOUR ANSWERING MACHINE PICKS UP?
Four.
10. MOST IMPORTANT MATERIAL THING IN MY LIFE?
As long as I'm following Christopher's lead, I'll say cotton.
11. FAVORITE FLAVOR OF ICE CREAM?
Vanilla.
12. DO YOU BREAK THE SPEED LIMIT DAILY?
No.
13. DO YOU HAVE A STUFFED ANIMAL IN YOUR ROOM SOMEWHERE?
Yes. I collect seasonal ones.
14. STORMS - COOL OR SCARY?
Usually cool. I don't like the really bad ones though — I've had enough hail for a looooooong time. Of course, hail isn't particularly scary, just annoying.
15. FAVORITE DRINK?
Water (filtered or bottled), coffee, iced tea (no sweetener, no lemon), Coke, lime-aide.
16. WHEN IS YOUR BIRTHDAY?
September 24.
17. FAVORITE VEGETABLES?
Dittoing Christopher again. I love potatoes. Especially baked ones, but also fried, hash browned, mashed, twice baked, scalloped, au gratin, etc. I prefer Yukon Golds.
18. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
A job that let me do a bit of everything. If I could only pick something “exciting,” I'd say a politician.
19. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY COLOR HAIR, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Brown, just like I have.
20. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN LOVE?
Yes.
21. TOP THREE FAVORITE MOVIES (IN ORDER)?
I'm not sure. I don't think I have favorites like that. Some good ones: The Great Escape, Shrek, Home Alone, The Passion of the Christ…
22. DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS?
Usually, yes.
23. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?
Boxes, extra blankets, some pillows, an unopened Linksys EtherFast switch.
24. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NUMBER?
13
25. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH ON TV & IN PERSON?
Figure skating.
26. WHAT IS YOUR SINGLE BIGGEST FEAR?
I don't think I have a biggest fear.
27. FAVORITE CD OF ALL TIME & RIGHT NOW?
That's tough. Either Declaration by Steven Curtis Chapman or Woven and Spun by Nichole Nordeman
28. FAVORITE TV SHOW OF ALL TIME & RIGHT NOW?
All Time: I Love Lucy (others: I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
Now: The Dick van Dyke Show
29. HAMBURGERS OR HOT DOGS?
Hot dogs, big kosher hot dogs… the kind Costco has in big packs and at their food court.
30. THE COOLEST PLACES YOU'VE EVER BEEN?
Big Cedar Lodge, Ridgedale, MO.
31. WHAT WALLPAPER AND/OR SCREEN SAVER IS ON YOUR COMPUTER RIGHT NOW?
My G5 has photos from a hike on the Katy Trail (randomly switching). PC has the Mandrake Linux 10 wallpaper at the moment. iMac has one of Apple's wallpaper collection and the PowerBook has the default Panther wallpaper.
32. DOES MCDONALD'S SKIMP ON YOUR FRIES & DO YOU CARE?
Sometimes, but my main concern is that they are hot, like Christopher.
33. FAVORITE CHAIN RESTAURANT?
Hollahan's and the Cracker Barrel.
34. IF YOU HAVE A BOY (OR HAVE ANOTHER BOY) WHAT WOULD YOU NAME HIM?
Mark
35. IF YOU COULD LEARN TO PLAY ONE INSTRUMENT OVERNIGHT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Piano (after all, if you can play the piano/electronic keyboard, you can sound like you play almost anything.)
The Old Gray Lady Admits Stance
Well, not really, but almost. The reader advocate for the New York Times finally has admitted that the paper is unabashedly liberal. And not just on the opinion page or the op-ed page, but in its news coverage. In an insightful piece, Daniel Okrent, the “Public Editor” of the Times even notes that the paper's characture of the gay marriage issue makes things look so great that they “would make a very effective ad campaign for the gay marriage cause.”
Okrent, who seems to enjoy this self-examination, continues, saying that “You wouldn't even need the articles: run the headlines over the invariably sunny pictures of invariably happy people that ran with most of these pieces, and you'd have the makings of a life insurance commercial.” So what will the liberal media do now?
That's going to be difficult. It was relatively easy for the media elites to black list Bernard Goldberg, a long time CBS News reporter who they could argue was obviously crazy. After all, he published his harsh criticism of bias in the media in the conservative editorial page of the Wall Street Journal. What will they do now that the Old Gray Lady has said the same thing?
They'll probably ignore it. First, a disclaimer at the bottom of the article makes it clear that the Times isn't officially saying this. And, even if they are, the likelihood most people will hear about it is rather slim. Despite its impressive size, the New York Times still isn't read by most Americans, and I can't see Dan Rather coming on and saying “In other news, we at CBS News admit today that we're a bunch of liberals. All that stuff I said about us being all across the spectrum was hogwash.”
So maybe this article will do some good. For once the mainstream media won't be able to just mindlessly copy all the stories from the Times.
