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musings of mark since 2001

Starting off this morning reading article from yesterday, R. Cringely about how Steve Jobs is going to take over the entertainment industry with the Mini Mac, what caught my eye though was:

Imagine a Mac Minicluster running Apple’s xGrid software. Start with a 16-port fast Ethernet switch and stack 16 Mac Minis on top. That’s a 720 gigaflop micro-supercomputer that costs less than $9,000, can fit on a bookshelf, and can be up and running in as little time as it takes to connect the network cables. High schools will be sequencing genes.

Got sidetracked though catching up on what Verisign was up to after having the unpleasant experience of trying to help someone move a domain name from Network Solutions to GoDaddy.com and realized they are they same company promoting RFID chips for tracking. Along the way, another company called EPCglobal Inc kept being mentioned, turns out they bought the entire MIT lab where RFID’s were invented, although their website takes pains to make like they are some sort of global standards when really it’s just a consortium of people that stand to make a lot of money from the devices. I guess it wasn’t too much of a surprise poking around to find a pdf document archived with the company Accenture written all over it.

Yup, that’s the same company that has taken over our BC Hydro and BC Gas being a major player in the RFID tracking business.

Looks like MG Web Services won’t be hosting the Municipal web site, which is odd because the other two proposals afaik had hosting costs at approx. 400/month and 85/month, the latter being about 800% more than the basic plan. No mention in the letter who got the job of developing the web site either. With only two proposals submitted from an island that has lots of developers, it’s pretty obvious that their requirements were not clear enough and/or their budget was unrealistic.

On the day job at the marina it was an interesting day yesterday too, as the owner had decided that I was going to be telling other people what to do and when. No problem with that, but there isn’t a snowball’s chance that it will happen at the pay rate I’m getting now. Been a foreman enough in my life to know that no matter how much responsibility or authority you have, unless you own the company you have nothing but headaches and can be let go just like anyone else if the owner decides they don’t like you anymore. Thanks but no thanks, I’ll just continue being a prole if you don’t mind while I peck away at this computer

In my experience riding on the bus system of Vancouver, the drivers are a pretty darn good bunch of people that put up with a lot of bull throughout the day with much aplomb. The Defective Yeti post could very well be one of them at a stop in downtown as the conversation is picked up from a junkie-like person trying to get on the bus: http://www.defectiveyeti.com/archives/001152.html

Chris B. submitted his recommendations to Municipal Council tonight on the web site proposals for them, still don’t know if the hosting will be with MG Web Services or not. The Council approved his recommendations without them being read to the public in attendance, (namely me, as I was the only person in the room that had a proposal submitted), so will have to wait to see if my services are part of that approval. Unsuccessful applicants are supposed to be notified within thirty days of the opening on Jan. 10th, so will wait and see. Maybe I can get a copy of his report somehow, should be public record …

Peter F. wanted to make sure that a web cam with streaming video could be added to the site, and Chris told him it was, because it’s just code embedded in the web page which is true. Just like the Request for Proposal though, lots of gotchas in that statement as web cams generally just upload an image via ftp every few seconds, (which doesn’t cost a whole lot bandwidth-wise), but the quality leaves much to be desired. Streaming video on the other hand is a whole ‘nuther ball game that uses lots of bandwidth, and an actual video camera so there is some picture quality to the final product. Generally, I recommend a configuration that we have that uses a separate server, optimized and loaded up with the software needed just for streaming. We do the same thing for clients that do online game playing, utilizing different boxes that have smaller hard drives, but the processing power they need is massive with dual quad processors. Inexpensive too, only USD$129/month and for streaming we can do quite a few gigabytes for $50.

Forgot the links about the pic of Bush, thanks to Rudy for the reminder
http://www.prisonplanet.com/
articles/january2005/210105devilhand.htm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
id/6852171/
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
english/doc/2005-01/22/content_411357.htm

It never ceases to amaze me how completely people can be connected and disconnected from the TV at the same time. The emperor to the south had his swearing in ceremony yesterday, giving a twenty minute speech that included variations of the words free and freedom at least a score of times.

While their elected (?) leader is pontificating on the freedoms that they cherish, the city he is giving his speech in is locked down in a virtual state of martial law for the event, with roadblocks, troops and military hardware everywhere.

One hundred square blocks of downtown Washington were fenced off or otherwise blocked while Humvees mounted with Stinger anti-aircraft missiles were deployed and combat jets patrolled overhead. Airspace was restricted across the entire Baltimore-Washington region, doesn’t sound like any kind of freedom at all.

At one point, while Bush was reaffirming his dedication to the cause of liberty, a policeman could be seen demanding that a banner be taken down. Toward the end of speech the television cameras showed protesters, who had apparently dared to boo Bush’s remarks, being taken into custody. Woo-hoo! Go Freedom! Near the end: “America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof.”

I guess those of us in the world outside the US had better duck for cover or get ready to fight back as we’re about to be “liberated” too. Although they do understand litigation, as Rumsfeld decides not to visit Germany anymore.