mikal – Page 83 – Made by Mikal

The Complete Hammer’s Slammers Volume 1

Post author:mikal
Post published:May 7, 2008
Post category:Book

It occurred to me over the weekend that it was odd that I was updating books I had recently read on a book site like goodreads, given that all I'm doing by entering data on their site is blogging someplace that not even I remember to read. I'm therefore going to move all of that stuff over to here, and then try to remember to blog about books I've read recently in the future. Don't worry though, I don't get much time to read in between work, study and kids, so it wont be too many posts. Dad got me this and the second volume for my birthday last year, and they were awesome. The books are about a future tank squadron which takes on mercenary jobs, none of which ever seem to be clean or simple. Along the way you end up learning that they're all just misfits who haven't managed to find any other job which is a better fit for them. Worse than that, I'm left with the impression that in the back of their minds they all realize that they're running on borrowed time. David Drake has a unique position to comment on what its like…

A Stainless Steel Rat is Born

Post author:mikal
Post published:May 7, 2008
Post category:Book

This was another book I read as a kid and had fond memories of. When I found it at Powell's books for under $4 I just had to pick it up. Harrison seems to focus on "pulp science fiction" -- all of the stuff I have seen from him has been short and easy reading, as is the case with this book. What do you do if you're stuck on a farming planet, smart, and bored out of your brain? Apparently the answer is to turn to a life of crime for entertainment. That's what James DeGriz does, and he is a great anti-hero while he's at it. Great book. [isbn: 0553279424]

init script

Post author:mikal
Post published:April 13, 2008
Post category:Mythtv

Jake Graft pointed out in a comment that I had forgotten to put the init script from the MythTV book online. My apologies. #! /bin/sh # # mythbackend # PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin BACKEND=/usr/local/bin/mythbackend BACKEND_NAME=mythbackend MYTHUSER="myth" test -x $BACKEND || exit 0 set -e case "$1" in start) echo -n "Starting MythTV: $BACKEND_NAME" su ${MYTHUSER} -c "$BACKEND -v all -d -l ${MBE_LOGFILE}" & echo "." ;; stop) echo -n "Stopping MythTV: $BACKEND_NAME" killall $BACKEND echo "." ;; *) echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop}" >&2 exit 1 ;; esac exit 0

In Australia, alive

Post author:mikal
Post published:January 27, 2008
Post category:Travel

So, after a somewhat traumatic 30 hour journey from America, I am now in Australia happy and well. I'm surprised by how not-jetlagged I feel, which is nice as well. Qantas in Melbourne were actually much better than Qantas in LAX about the missing bag. They were friendly, sympathetic, efficient and gave me $100 AUD cash to buy new clothes. So, I'm here and I'm alive.

“Other than the fact our child will be bright, text-based and sarcastic, we will otherwise be a normal family.”

Post author:mikal
Post published:January 15, 2008
Post category:Link

Because there are fewer and fewer of us, I must help keep our lineage alive. I am looking for someone to help me do this. I need a woman (obviously) who is willing to raise a child with me in the method of Unix. Our child will be introduced to computers at a young age, and will be setting emacs mode before any other child can even read. I earn a sufficient income to support a family in modest comfort. Other than the fact our child will be bright, text-based and sarcastic, we will otherwise be a normal family. We will even go to Disney World and see Mickey Mouse. http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/nyc/485967082.html Via IRC.

More nuclear bunkers

Post author:mikal
Post published:January 5, 2008
Post category:Travel

Its clear from my past posts that I am interested in cold war bunkers. I just watched "Lost Worlds: US Nuclear Bunkers". That's re-ignited my interest in US nuclear bunkers (as well as cold war history in general). I like the idea of the Lorton Bunker (under a correctional facility 20 miles form Washington DC, and abandoned in only 2001), and I've talked about the Greenbrier bunker before. It's a pity its four hours drive from Arlington, VA: View Larger Map The Greenbrier was secret for 30 years, and kept constantly stocked will all the supplies needed for three weeks of sealed living for 1,100 people. Finally it was leaked by one article in the Washington Post. After the article, the site had to be decommissioned. Next, they talked about the Palm Beach Florida bunker built for JFK. Tours of that bunker are cheap too -- only $10 each. This bunker is only a decontamination shower, and a single room, but I guess you wouldn't complain if you'd just been nuked. Finally, there is Cheyenne Mountainwhich used to offer tours, but apparently doesn't any more.

Mental note: don’t become a US permanent resident just in case

Post author:mikal
Post published:December 28, 2007
Post category:Travel

To quote from this blog post (its a bit odd that its a PDF, but whatever): ... the new expatriate regime (Exit Tax Provision) requires expatriates to recognise gain on their assets, and imposes a new tax on gifts and bequests by expatriates to Americans, This new provision (styled Section 877A) is an addition to (and not a replacement of) the current expatriation tax rules of Section 877. Under the Exit Tax Provision, certain individuals who renounce their U.S. citizenship or U.S. long-term residents who relinquish their U.S. residence status (collectively covered expatriates) must recognise gain, or otherwise be taxed, on all their assets on the date they expatriate. In addition, gifts or bequests they make to U.S. citizens or residents after expatriation will be subject to tax at onerous estate/gift tax rates. In other words, if you're a US resident and you leave the US permanently, then they deem all of your world wide assets sold, and then tax you on the gain. This includes retirement funds, as well as savings. Congress is proposing this as a way of funding tax relief for serving members of the US military. Its not law yet, but still something I should pay…

I’m liking python too, thanks for asking

Post author:mikal
Post published:December 6, 2007
Post category:Link

Boston

Post author:mikal
Post published:November 20, 2007
Post category:Travel

I must say that I like Boston. It feels a lot like Sydney, and I hope that Boston is the city that Sydney is in another 200 years. Boston has plenty of history (it seems that America happened here, and the rest of the continent came along for the ride), isn't too built up (not all sky scrapers), has great public transport, and friendly people. Its too cold though -- it snowed a little on my walk to the office this morning.

Boston

Post author:mikal
Post published:November 19, 2007
Post category:Travel

I am forever glad to be away from Dallas, which seemed to have few redeeming features (although perhaps that's because I was staying in the worst hotel I have stayed in in the US). I'm now in Boston, where the Kimpton is very nice. It has a hilarious leopard skin print theme, but apart from that is very nice. The meat loaf for dinner last night was fantastic. I have an idle day today, so the plan is to catch the metro to Boston Common, and then walk the freedom trail. I wonder if I'll be freer at the end. I should try to remember to take a tea bag as well, and ceremonially throw it in the harbour. Then I can honestly say that I've tea bagged for America.