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boston_diaries.atom.xml (40305B)
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1 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
2 <feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
3
4 <title>The Boston Diaries</title>
5 <updated>2021-03-12T21:14:00Z</updated>
6 <id>http://boston.conman.org/</id>
7
8 <link
9 rel = "self"
10 type = "application/atom+xml"
11 hreflang = "en-US"
12 href = "http://boston.conman.org/index.atom"
13 title = "The Boston Diaries"
14 />
15
16 <link
17 rel = "alternate"
18 type = "text/html"
19 hreflang = "en-US"
20 href = "http://boston.conman.org/"
21 title = "The Boston Diaries"
22 />
23
24 <!--
25 <link
26 rel = "license"
27 type = "text/html"
28 href = "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/"
29 />
30 -->
31
32 <author>
33 <name>Sean Conner</name>
34 <email>sean@conman.org</email>
35 <uri>http://www.conman.org/people/spc/</uri>
36 </author>
37
38 <generator uri="http://boston.conman.org/about/" version="mod_blog v37, CGILIB 6.11.1, Lua 5.4.2, This is GDBM version 1.8.0, as of May 19, 1999.">mod_blog</generator>
39 <rights>© 1999-2021 by Sean Conner. All Rights Reserved</rights>
40
41 <entry>
42 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-03-11:/2021/03/11.1</id>
43 <title type="text">Place your bets!</title>
44 <updated>2021-03-12T21:13:59Z</updated>
45 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/03/11.1" />
46 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/03/11.1" />
47 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/03/11.1" />
48 <category term="Gmail"/>
49 <category term="Google mail"/>
50 <category term="Mt. Pfeiffer"/>
51 <category term="betting pools"/>
52
53 <content type="html"><P>I just checked my Gmail account and I received an update on the <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2021/02/24.1">Mt. Pfeiffer situation</A> five days ago—apparently it is <EM>still</EM> melting so I guess there's still time to place a bet as to when it will ment completely away.</P>
54
55 <P>There's also about 50 recipients to that email,
56 and I'm wondering if I'm supposed to be related to the other four Conner's who received this email.
57 I supposed I should notify the sender,
58 especially given this disclaimer at the bottom of the email:</P>
59
60 <BLOCKQUOTE>
61
62 <P>This message is intended only for the use of the addressee(s) and may
63 contain information that is PRIVILEGED and CONFIDENTIAL. If you are not the
64 intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any dissemination of
65 this communication is strictly prohibited.</P>
66
67 <P>If you have received this communication in error, please erase all copies of
68 the message and its attachments and notify us immediately.</P>
69
70 <P>Your email address and contact information will be stored within <SPAN CLASS="cut">XXX</SPAN>'s
71 Customer Relationship Management platforms (CRM) and Communication
72 Management Systems and may be used by <SPAN CLASS="cut">XXX</SPAN> for lawful business purposes. <SPAN CLASS="cut">XXX</SPAN>
73 does not share or sell your contact information. Details about how we use
74 your information and your rights are contained within our Privacy Policy
75 (click here to view our Privacy Policy).</P>
76
77 </BLOCKQUOTE>
78
79 <P>But if I notify the sender of their mistake,
80 I won't get closure!
81 I'm now emotionally attached to Mt. Pfeiffer's fate!
82 Oh the dilemma!</P>
83 </content>
84 </entry>
85 <entry>
86 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-03-10:/2021/03/10.1</id>
87 <title type="text">Notes on an overheard conversation while passing by a building</title>
88 <updated>2021-03-11T08:12:37Z</updated>
89 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/03/10.1" />
90 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/03/10.1" />
91 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/03/10.1" />
92 <category term="daily life"/>
93 <category term="overheard conversations"/>
94 <category term="Brutalism"/>
95 <category term="architecture"/>
96
97 <content type="html"><P>“Oh! That building is <EM>so</EM> hideous! It's … what? Monstrous?” </P>
98
99 <P>“<A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brutalist_architecture">Brutalist</A>.” </P>
100
101 <P>“That's it! Brutalism!” </P>
102
103 <P>“But it's not quite Brutalism.” </P>
104
105 <P>“No, this building has windows.” </P>
106 </content>
107 </entry>
108 <entry>
109 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-03-09:/2021/03/09.1</id>
110 <title type="text">Christmas in March—The Clockwork Gift</title>
111 <updated>2021-03-10T10:03:16Z</updated>
112 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/03/09.1" />
113 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/03/09.1" />
114 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/03/09.1" />
115 <category term="grandfather clocks"/>
116 <category term="grandmother clocks"/>
117 <category term="longcase clocks"/>
118 <category term="Christmas gifts"/>
119
120 <content type="html"><P>On Christmas,
121 one of the gifts I received from Bunny was a small flat box,
122 about 7″ by 7″ and an inch thick—perhaps a <ABBR TITLE="Compact Disc">CD</ABBR>,
123 but it was no <ABBR TITLE="Compact Disc">CD</ABBR>.
124 No,
125 there was a small grey pouch with a clock winding key,
126 and two pictures of a <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandfather_clock">grandfather clock</A>
127 (technically,
128 a “grandmother clock” as it's not quite 6′ (2m) in height;
129 both are a type of “longcase clock”).</P>
130
131 <P>“It's currently being restored,” said Bunny.
132 “So sorry it's not here in person.” </P>
133
134 <P>“Wow!” I said.
135 “It looks <EM>just</EM> like the one I had as a kid!”
136 Yes, it's true.
137 I was the only kid I knew in high school with a longcase clock in their room.
138 It belonged to my maternal grandparents.
139 When my grandfather died and my grandmother moved in,
140 the clock came with her.
141 My Mom wasn't all that keen on clock,
142 what with all the constant ticking.
143 I,
144 on the other hand,
145 <EM>loved</EM> it.
146 I did not mind the ticking at all
147 (and that probably explains why I don't mind using the <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard">IBM Model M keyboard</A>).</P>
148
149 <P>After my Mom died,
150 my uncle (Mom's brother) came down to help move his mother to live with him,
151 and he ended up taking the clock as well<!-- and slapping a 2nd mortgate on me, but that's another story-->.
152 Sigh.</P>
153
154 <P>Bunny knows I have a thing for grandfather clocks,
155 as I tend to fawn over them when we're antique window shopping.
156 So it's wonderful that she decided to get me one for Christmas,
157 even though it wasn't here on Christmas.</P>
158
159 <P><A CLASS="external" HREF="https://www.josefjoseph.com/">Josef &amp; Joseph</A> certainly took their time with the restoration,
160 but they wanted to make sure not only it worked,
161 but it worked <EM>flawlessly!</EM>
162 It finally arrived at Chez Boca today.</P>
163
164 <DIV CLASS="pf">
165
166 <A CLASS="notype" HREF="/2021/03/09/longcase.jpg" TYPE="image/jpeg"><IMG SRC="/2021/03/09/thumb-longcase.jpg" WIDTH="300" HEIGHT="400" ALT="[A grandmother clock from Colonial Mfc. Co.] I'll take this tick tock over TikTok any day." TITLE="I'll take this tick tock over TikTok any day."></A>
167
168 </DIV>
169
170 <P>Oh,
171 there were plenty of logistics in getting it home.
172 And way more in getting it set up,
173 spending way over an hour getting various shims under the feet of the clock to get it level.
174 It turns out that even out by 1° from true will eventually bring the pendulum to a stop,
175 and the <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Quarters">chimes</A> won't always strike true.</P>
176
177 <P>So now it's quietly ticking away
178 (and it's not nearly as loud as one would expect),
179 keeping time quite nicely.
180 It's a nice feeling to know I'll have a time-keeping piece that will survive the next <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrington_Event">Carrington Event</A>.</P>
181 </content>
182 </entry>
183 <entry>
184 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-02-24:/2021/02/24.1</id>
185 <title type="text">4</title>
186 <updated>2021-02-25T03:36:42Z</updated>
187 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/02/24.1" />
188 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/02/24.1" />
189 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/02/24.1" />
190 <category term="error messages"/>
191 <category term="detailed technical info"/>
192 <category term="Gmail"/>
193 <category term="Google"/>
194 <category term="we don't have to care we're Google"/>
195
196 <content type="html"><P>I have a <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://mail.google.com/">Gmail</A> account that I don't use for anything other than </P>
197
198 <OL>
199 <LI>having claimed <CODE>seanconner@gmail.com</CODE> as an email address;</LI>
200 <LI>seeing what spam Google lets through its famed “spam filtering process” (hint: quite a bit actually, and I suspect Google gets paid to deliver it);</LI>
201 <LI>seeing email for other Sean Conners who's friends/family don't know that <CODE>seanconner@gmail.com</CODE> doesn't go to the Sean Conner they know.</LI>
202 </OL>
203
204 <P>That last category is just a by-product of getting in early enough with Gmail,
205 and after all this time,
206 I'm still surprised at receiving email addressed to other Sean Conners
207 (latest one: a betting pool to see when a pile of snow known as “Mt. Pfeiffer” will melt completely away).</P>
208
209 <P>So I load Gmail today and get:</P>
210
211 <BLOCKQUOTE>
212
213 <P>We’re sorry, but your account is temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience and suggest trying again in a few minutes. You can view the Google Workspace Status Dashboard for the current status of the service.</P>
214
215 <P>If the issue persists, please visit the Help Center <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2021/02/24.1">»</A></P>
216
217 <P><A CLASS="local" HREF="/2021/02/24.1">Try Again</A> <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2021/02/24.1">Sign Out</A></P>
218
219 <P><A CLASS="local" HREF="/2021/02/24.1">Show Detailed Technical Info</A></P>
220
221 </BLOCKQUOTE>
222
223 <P>And when I clicked on “Show Detailed Technical Info” I got “Numeric Code: 4”.</P>
224
225 <P>Woo hoo!</P>
226
227 <P>Way to go, Google!
228 Wonderful technical detail!
229 That helped a lot!</P>
230
231 </content>
232 </entry>
233 <entry>
234 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-02-22:/2021/02/22.1</id>
235 <title type="text">Lightsabers and Pitfall!</title>
236 <updated>2021-02-25T03:50:22Z</updated>
237 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/02/22.1" />
238 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/02/22.1" />
239 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/02/22.1" />
240 <category term="daily life"/>
241 <category term="games"/>
242 <category term="Activision"/>
243 <category term="Pitfall!"/>
244 <category term="Star Wars Lightsaber Ice Pops"/>
245
246 <content type="html"><P>My hetero life mate <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://seanhoade.wordpress.com/">Hoade</A> <EM>finally</EM> got around to mailing my <DEL>Christmas</DEL> <DEL>birthday</DEL> Valentine's Day gift,
247 and I must say,
248 much fun.
249 The first item in the package was the <A CLASS="external" HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07FJXQZBW/conmanlaborat-20">Activision Flashback Blast</A> gaming system,
250 an <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_2600">Atari 2600</A> in a modern game controller
251 (technically, the games are stored in the <ABBR TITLE="High-Definition Multimedia Interface">HDMI</ABBR> interface that the game controller connects to),
252 and of the twenty games included,
253 I've only heard of half of them,
254 the standout one being <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitfall!">Pitfall!</A>
255 The one standout game I never heard of
256 (and by “standout” I mean “<ABBR TITLE="What the Fudge">WTF</ABBR> was Activision thinking?”)
257 is <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crackpots">Crackpots</A>,
258 a kind of reverse <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Invaders">Space Invaders</A>,
259 but instead of bug-eyed aliens marching down towards you,
260 it's actual bugs crawling up towards you.
261 Interesting take on the genre,
262 but still a <ABBR TITLE="What the Fudge">WTF</ABBR> moment the first time I played it.</P>
263
264 <P>In fact,
265 <EM>not</EM> having instructions makes these game all the more fun.
266 Back in high school and through college,
267 my friend Bill and I would often … um … aquire … games and attempt to play them without knowing how to play.
268 I still recall playing <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbarian:_The_Ultimate_Warrior">Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior</A> with Bill and both of us falling over laughing when suddenly and rather unexpectedly,
269 one of us somehow managed to chop the head off the other player.</P>
270
271 <P>The other gift Hoade sent was a “Lightsaber™ Ice Pop Maker.”
272 A kit of four small lightsabers
273 (two modelled after Darth Vader's saber,
274 and two moddeled after Luke Skywalker's second, green lightsaber) and a mold to make four pops at a time.</P>
275
276 <DIV CLASS="pf">
277
278 <IMG SRC="/2021/02/22/popsaber.jpg" WIDTH="300" HEIGHT="400" ALT="[My hand, holding up a Darth Vader Lightsaber™ Ice Pop that isn't quite lit up all the way] “I find your lack of lightsaber … disturbing!”" TITLE="“I find your lack of lightsaber … disturbing!”">
279
280 </DIV>
281
282 <P>As a test,
283 we used cranberry juice for two of them
284 (one for Darth's, one for Luke's—just to see how the green <ABBR TITLE="Light Emitting Diode">LED</ABBR> interacts with the red cranberry juice)
285 and ginger ale for the other two.
286 I'm not sure if we left them in the freezer long enough,
287 because the first two I attemped to pull out broke apart.
288 The third one came out
289 (after running hot water over the mold)
290 but Bunny and I learned that we should have used <EM>flat</EM> ginger ale—the carbonation caused large pits in the “light” portion of the lightsaber.
291 And as you can see in the image above,
292 the light doesn't quite go all the way through.</P>
293
294 <P>We have ideas for other attempts.</P>
295
296 <P>Anyway,
297 I want to thank Hoade for the gifts.
298 They were much appreciated and caused some great merriment here in Chez Boca.</P>
299 </content>
300 </entry>
301 <entry>
302 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-02-17:/2021/02/17.1</id>
303 <title type="text">But not enough atmosphere to actually stop</title>
304 <updated>2021-02-17T07:54:00Z</updated>
305 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/02/17.1" />
306 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/02/17.1" />
307 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/02/17.1" />
308 <category term="Mars"/>
309 <category term="landing on Mars"/>
310 <category term="crane landing"/>
311 <category term="Perseverance"/>
312 <category term="Curiosity"/>
313 <category term="7 minutes of terror"/>
314
315 <content type="html"><P>I'm feeling a bit better after the <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2021/02/16">events of yesterday</A>.</P>
316
317 <P>Now,
318 seeing how the Perseverance Mars rover is expected to land tomorrow,
319 I present “<A CLASS="external" HREF="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHwUrxzrvtg">Seven Minutes of Terror</A>”—yes,
320 that video is about the Curiosity Mars rover landing,
321 but they're using the same method for Perseverance,
322 an insane method involving parachutes, rockets, and a crane.</P>
323
324 <P>Insane,
325 I tell you.
326 Insane.</P>
327 </content>
328 </entry>
329 <entry>
330 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-02-16:/2021/02/16.2</id>
331 <title type="text">Uncle Dale</title>
332 <updated>2021-02-16T07:54:00Z</updated>
333 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/02/16.2" />
334 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/02/16.2" />
335 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/02/16.2" />
336 <category term="daily life"/>
337 <category term="Dale West"/>
338 <category term="death"/>
339
340 <content type="html"><P>I found out today that my Uncle Dale died.</P>
341
342 <P>Much like with <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2020/11/07.1">Undle Ed</A>,
343 it's mixed news—sad that he is no longer here,
344 but relieved since he too, was suffering from a neurological disease for years
345 (but a different one from Uncle Ed).</P>
346
347 <P>Dale married my Dad's sister Kay,
348 and they lived about two miles from my grandparents house,
349 so I spent a lot of time there as well.
350 And what really stood out about their house was not the garage,
351 but this giant black walnut tree in the backyard that made running around in your barefeet a rather dangerous endevour
352 (the walnuts would fall and slowly decompose into the ground,
353 making for a very bumpy backyard).
354 This was a thing because of the pool they had in the backyard,
355 a rare thing indeed in Michigan.</P>
356
357 <P>But what really stood out to me about Dale,
358 aside from Dale himself
359 (being I think 6′2″ or 6′4″)
360 was his love of family and sailing.
361 Every year he and the rest of his family would drive up to <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://www.michigan.org/city/higgins-lake">Higgins Lake</A> with <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catamaran">catamaran</A> in tow.
362 I do recall riding it once,
363 only because I wasn't into the whole “family camping thang” he and his family did every year
364 (roughing it for me is the lack of <ABBR TITLE="Air Conditioner">A/C</ABBR> in the hotel room).</P>
365
366 <P>He also taught me how to ride a bike.
367 I was probably seven or eight at the time and Dale took it upon himself to teach me how to ride in the most effective way he knew how—by placing me on a bike on the sidewalk in from of the house
368 (which ran parallel to a 4-lane road)
369 and shoving <EM>hard</EM>.
370 All I had to do was keep upright and avoid falling into traffic,
371 the large blue mailbox or the utility poles.
372 I learned how to ride a bike in three days.</P>
373
374 <P>Effective … yes.
375 Safe?
376 Probably not.</P>
377
378 <P>But I did learn quickly.</P>
379
380 <P>So here's to Uncle Dale.
381 And much love to Aunt Kay,
382 and my cousins Joshua,
383 Aaron,
384 Jordan,
385 Caitlin and Ethan.</P>
386 </content>
387 </entry>
388 <entry>
389 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-02-16:/2021/02/16.1</id>
390 <title type="text">Today was not a good day</title>
391 <updated>2021-02-18T08:08:11Z</updated>
392 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/02/16.1" />
393 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/02/16.1" />
394 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/02/16.1" />
395 <category term="daily life"/>
396 <category term="death in the family"/>
397 <category term="dead computer"/>
398 <category term="dead UPS"/>
399
400 <content type="html"><P>I walked into the Computer Room at Chez Boca to a pair of unpowered computers and a <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR> that was turned off.
401 Okay,
402 perhaps a brownout of something and the squeal got to Bunny so she did as I instructed and just turned off the <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR>.
403 I went to turn it back on and … nothing.
404 It did not turn on.</P>
405
406 <P>That was not good.</P>
407
408 <P>But even though the <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR> might not turn on,
409 the “surge protection” side might still work until I get a replacement.
410 The Apple Mac I have turned on,
411 no issues.
412 The Linux box,
413 my main development system,
414 did not.</P>
415
416 <P>That was even less good.</P>
417
418 <P>Okay,
419 perhaps it's too much draw for a nearly dead <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR>. Next step,
420 a replacement <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR> from <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://stores.bestbuy.com/fl/boca-raton/20540-state-road-7-554.html">Best Buy</A>.</P>
421
422 <P>“Yes, can I help you?” </P>
423
424 <P>“Yes, where are the <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR>es?” </P>
425
426 <P>“The back wall over there to the left, with the car stuff.” </P>
427
428 <P>Odd, but … “Okay, thanks.” </P>
429
430 <P>Nope,
431 just car stuff over by the back left wall.
432 I corner a clerk and ask again.</P>
433
434 <P>“Where are the <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR>es?” </P>
435
436 <P>“The what?” </P>
437
438 <P>“A <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR>.” </P>
439
440 <P>“A …?” </P>
441
442 <P>“<ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR>. You plug the computer into it,
443 then plug that into the wall.” </P>
444
445 <P>“Oh!
446 A battery backup!” </P>
447
448 <P>“Oh,
449 is that what you young hipters are calling <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR>es these days?” </P>
450
451 <P>Pricy,
452 but I have a new <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR>.</P>
453
454 <P>The illustrations didn't indicate that you had to connect the <EM>black</EM> wire to the battery before the <EM>red</EM> wire to the battery,
455 but perhaps I should have known that prior to learning the hard way with a large pop.
456 Fortunately,
457 no magic smoke was released,
458 and when I plugged the <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR> into the wall outlet,
459 it seemed to be fine.</P>
460
461 <P>I plugged in the Linux box and … it still didn't come on.</P>
462
463 <P><SPAN CLASS="cut">XXXXXXXXXX</SPAN>!</P>
464
465 <P>I wasn't terribly upset—I do have backups and even if the computer died,
466 the harddrive could still work on a new machine.
467 It was just the severe inconvenience of it all.</P>
468
469 <P>I then recalled a weird premonition I had last night.
470 The weather forcast for today was thunderstorms,
471 and I had a notion to shut the computer down “just in case.”
472 But I thought better of that—after all,
473 the <ABBR TITLE="Uninterruptable Power Supply">UPS</ABBR> should be good, right?</P>
474
475 <P>Ha ha.</P>
476
477 <P>It was then I received the news about <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2021/02/16.2">Uncle Dale</A>.</P>
478
479 </content>
480 </entry>
481 <entry>
482 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-01-08:/2021/01/08.1</id>
483 <title type="text">Notes about the first time I tried a S'more</title>
484 <updated>2021-01-08T05:00:00Z</updated>
485 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/01/08.1" />
486 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/01/08.1" />
487 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/01/08.1" />
488 <category term="daily life"/>
489 <category term="S'more"/>
490 <category term="desserts"/>
491 <category term="it was okay"/>
492
493 <content type="html"><P>For some unknown reason,
494 Bunny came into The Computer Room with a <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%27more">S'more</A> in hand for me.
495 This was my first experience with a S'more.</P>
496
497 <P>“Um, did you slay the Stay Puft mashmallow man?” I asked.</P>
498
499 <P>“Okay,” said Bunny, “the marshmallows were <EM>kind of</EM> big.
500 Do you like it?” </P>
501
502 <P>“Like it?
503 I can't even get a hold of it.” </P>
504
505 <P>“Would a fork help?” </P>
506
507 <P>“Wait a second,” I said.
508 “Let me flip the plat over and see if I can get it that way … ” </P>
509
510 <P>“Wow! That marshmallow sure is sticky stuff.” </P>
511
512 <P>“There we go.” </P>
513
514 <P>“Do you like it?” </P>
515
516 <P>“Mmmmm mm'm mmmm.” </P>
517
518 <P>“Pardon?” </P>
519
520 <P>“Iths okay.
521 Messy,
522 but okay.” </P>
523
524 <P>“So it didn't knock your socks off?” </P>
525
526 <P>“I'm not wearing socks,
527 but yes,
528 if I <EM>was</EM> wearing them,
529 this wouldn't knock them off.” </P>
530
531 <P>“Oh.” </P>
532
533 <P>“It's okay.
534 A bit too sweet for me,
535 but I don't hate it.”
536
537 <P>“But at least you tried it.” </P>
538
539 <P>“Yes,” I said.
540 “At least I tried it.” </P>
541
542 </content>
543 </entry>
544 <entry>
545 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-01-06:/2021/01/06.1</id>
546 <title type="text">It's finally the Twelfth Day of Christmas!</title>
547 <updated>2021-01-06T05:00:00Z</updated>
548 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/01/06.1" />
549 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/01/06.1" />
550 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/01/06.1" />
551 <category term="The Twelve Days of Christmas"/>
552 <category term="Christmas Carols"/>
553 <category term="the horror of the 12 Days of Christmas"/>
554
555 <content type="html"><P>By the Twelfth Day of Christmas,
556 my true love has gifted me:</P>
557
558 <UL>
559 <LI>12 drummers drumming,</LI>
560 <LI>22 pipers piping,</LI>
561 <LI>30 lords a-leaping,</LI>
562 <LI>36 ladies dancing,</LI>
563 <LI>40 maids a-milking,</LI>
564 <LI>42 swans a-swimming,</LI>
565 <LI>42 geese a-laying,</LI>
566 <LI>40 gold rings (and not one to control them all),</LI>
567 <LI>36 calling birds,</LI>
568 <LI>30 French hens,</LI>
569 <LI>22 turtle doves,</LI>
570 <LI>and 12 partridges in a dozen pear trees!</LI>
571 </UL>
572
573 <P>I now have here 140 people,
574 34 of which are playing loudly,
575 66 are prancing about loudly,
576 and 40 complaining that the noise is making it difficult to milk their cows.
577 Speaking of which,
578 there are 40 cows milling about constantly mooing,
579 and making such a mess on the floor.
580 There are 184 birds flying about,
581 honking,
582 calling,
583 cooing
584 and otherwise making <EM>more</EM> of a mess on everything <EM>but</EM> the floor,
585 to the point where it's wise <EM>not</EM> to eat the pears without a thorough cleaning
586 (and possibly peeling).
587 The 40 golden rings aren't <EM>quite</EM> enough to make up financially for all the damage caused so far.</P>
588
589 <P>I think next year I'll just ask for a pair of socks.<!-- This is a lighthearted post,
590 to make up for the total dumpster fire at the Capital Building. Sigh.--> </P>
591
592 </content>
593 </entry>
594 <entry>
595 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-01-02:/2021/01/02.1</id>
596 <title type="text">When one IP address fails</title>
597 <updated>2021-01-03T03:26:32Z</updated>
598 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/01/02.1" />
599 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/01/02.1" />
600 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/01/02.1" />
601 <category term="programming"/>
602 <category term="network programming"/>
603 <category term="getaddrinfo()"/>
604 <category term="multiple IP addresses"/>
605
606 <content type="html"><P>I wrote my own gopher server several years ago.
607 And it works fine for my own uses,
608 But I could not load <CODE><A CLASS="external" HREF="gopher://raymii.org/">gopher://raymii.org/</A></CODE>.
609 I could use <CODE>telnet</CODE>
610 (the gopher protocol is very easy to use by hand).
611 I could use <CODE>nc</CODE>.
612 But my client <EM>could not</EM> connect.</P>
613
614 <P>I finally dived into the problem and I found the issue—not all the addresses for <CODE>raymii.org</CODE> work!
615 My code would call <CODE>getaddrinfo()</CODE>, which returns a list of addresses,
616 and my code would just use the first one returned.
617 Only in the case for <CODE>raymii.org</CODE> not all the addresses accept connections.
618 And that's an issue that I've never encountered before.</P>
619
620 <P>The fix was easy—attempt to connect to each address and return when the first one connects.</P>
621
622 </content>
623 </entry>
624 <entry>
625 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-01-01:/2021/01/01.2</id>
626 <title type="text">The forced march of progress</title>
627 <updated>2021-01-02T03:46:19Z</updated>
628 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/01/01.2" />
629 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/01/01.2" />
630 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/01/01.2" />
631 <category term="programming"/>
632 <category term="API"/>
633 <category term="LibreSSL"/>
634 <category term="OpenSSL"/>
635 <category term="libtls"/>
636 <category term="library versioning"/>
637
638 <content type="html"><P>When I first wrote <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2018/07/23.1">the Lua module for <CODE>libtls</CODE></A>,
639 I had issues with <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2018/08/06.2">using <CODE>TLS_API</CODE> to version the code</A>,
640 so I ended up using <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2018/08/07.1">using <CODE>LIBRESSL_VERSION_NUMBER</CODE> instead</A>
641 and mandating at least <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://www.libressl.org/">LibreSSL</A> 2.3.0.</P>
642
643 <P>But now that <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2020/12/31.1">I'm switching away from LibreSSL</A>,
644 I can't rely upon <CODE>LIBRESSL_VERSION_NUMBER</CODE> anymore.
645 After some thought,
646 I have decided to no longer support versions of <CODE>libtls</CODE> prior to 20180210
647 (or LibreSSL 2.7.0).
648 The non-LibreSSL <CODE>libtls</CODE> versions I've found all seem to be newer than 20180210,
649 so that shouldn't be much of a prooblem.</P>
650 </content>
651 </entry>
652 <entry>
653 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2021-01-01:/2021/01/01.1</id>
654 <title type="text">The upside is that 2020 is over—the downside is that COVID-19 is not over, murder hornets are a thing, and the election is still contentious</title>
655 <updated>2021-01-02T03:21:35Z</updated>
656 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2021/01/01.1" />
657 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2021/01/01.1" />
658 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/01/01.1" />
659 <category term="2020"/>
660 <category term="20201"/>
661 <category term="New Years"/>
662 <category term="Presidential Election"/>
663 <category term="COVID-19"/>
664
665 <content type="html"><P>All I can say is—thank God it's <DEL>Friday</DEL> a new year!</P>
666
667 <P CLASS="hotflamingdeath"><STRONG>HAPPY NEW YEAR!</STRONG></P>
668 </content>
669 </entry>
670 <entry>
671 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2020-12-31:/2020/12/31.1</id>
672 <title type="text">Yet another wrinkle in the TLS library woes</title>
673 <updated>2021-01-01T00:04:53Z</updated>
674 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2020/12/31.1" />
675 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2020/12/31.1" />
676 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2020/12/31.1" />
677 <category term="programming"/>
678 <category term="LibreSSL"/>
679 <category term="OpenSSL"/>
680 <category term="libtls"/>
681 <category term="performance"/>
682
683 <content type="html"><P>I downloaded and compiled <CODE><A CLASS="external" HREF="https://git.causal.agency/libretls/">libretls</A></CODE>,
684 a <CODE>libtls</CODE> for <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://www.openssl.org/">Open<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR></A>.
685 I also recompiled my <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://github.com/spc476/lua-conmanorg/blob/master/src/tls.c">Lua wrapper for <CODE>libtls</CODE></A> and reran <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2020/12/28.1">the profiling tests</A> from the other day.</P>
686
687 <P>I can now say for certain that there is no need to profile <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://www.libressl.org/">Libre<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR></A> because the results speak for themselves—an accumulation of 24 <ABBR TITLE="Central Processing Unit">CPU</ABBR> seconds using Open<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR> vs. 1 minutes, 24 seconds using Libre<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR>.
688 Looking at the results,
689 it makes some sense.
690 The Libre<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR> library I'm using the the “portable version” for non-Open<ABBR TITLE="Berkeley Software Division">BSD</ABBR> systems,
691 and there's probably little work to making it <EM>fast.</EM> </P>
692
693 <P>So now I have to rethink <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2018/08/07.1">my using <CODE>LIBRESSL_VERSION_NUMBER</CODE></A> when compiling the Lua module.
694 I will no longer be using the Libre<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR> version and I can't exactly rely upon the <CODE>TLS_API</CODE> value either … sigh.</P>
695 </content>
696 </entry>
697 <entry>
698 <id>tag:boston.conman.org,2020-12-30:/2020/12/30.1</id>
699 <title type="text">A sane and easy to use TLS library for OpenSSL! Will wonders never cease!</title>
700 <updated>2020-12-31T04:06:19Z</updated>
701 <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" hreflang="en-US" href="http://boston.conman.org/2020/12/30.1" />
702 <link rel="alternate" type="text/gemini" hreflang="en-US" href="gemini://gemini.conman.org/boston/2020/12/30.1" />
703 <link rel="alternate" type="text/plain" hreflang="en-US" href="gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2020/12/30.1" />
704 <category term="programming"/>
705 <category term="TLS"/>
706 <category term="LibreSSL"/>
707 <category term="OpenSSL"/>
708 <category term="libtls"/>
709
710 <content type="html"><P>I saw the following on the <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://lists.orbitalfox.eu/archives/gemini/">Gemini mailing list</A>:</P>
711
712 <BLOCKQUOTE>
713
714 <P>Perhaps take a look at "[gentoo-dev] [<ABBR TITLE="Request For Comment">RFC</ABBR>] Discontinuing Libre<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR> support?". Fascinating dynamic.</P>
715
716
717 </BLOCKQUOTE>
718
719
720 <P>I only use <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://www.libressl.org/">Libre<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR></A> because it comes with <CODE><A CLASS="external" HREF="https://man.openbsd.org/tls_init.3">libtls</A></CODE>,
721 <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2018/07/19.1">an easier to use <ABBR TITLE="Application Programing Interface">API</ABBR></A> than the base Libre<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR> (which itself was forked years ago from <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://www.openssl.org/">Open<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR></A> for various reasons).
722 It seems that over the years,
723 the <ABBR TITLE="Application Programing Interface">API</ABBR> between Libre<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR> and Open<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR> have drifted and now the <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://archives.gentoo.org/gentoo-dev/message/9a92320c599e63c8c18b2ed29050f22f">Linux distribution of Genntoo is thinking of dropping support for Libre<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR></A>.</P>
724
725 <P>It doesn't affect me,
726 since I'm not using <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://www.gentoo.org/">Gentoo</A>
727 (and the last time I used Gentoo was a <A CLASS="local" HREF="/2004/09/19.1">rather stressful time</A>).
728 I just install it from source
729 (and it's a pain to use too, because I don't want to destroy my existing Open<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR> installation).
730 I was,
731 however,
732 happy to see <A CLASS="external" HREF="https://git.causal.agency/libretls/">a port of <CODE>libtls</CODE> to Open<ABBR TITLE="Secure Socket Layer">SSL</ABBR></A>,
733 as <EM>that</EM> would make it easier to keep using <CODE>libtls</CODE>.</P>
734 </content>
735 </entry>
736
737
738 </feed>
739