The Underground Man

Kerry endorsed by Bush's "hometown" newspaper

I put the "home town" in double quotes 'cause Bush is not really a Texas native by a lot of accounts. In any event, the Guardian reported this morning (along with NPR) that the newspaper in Bush's home town of Crawford, Texas has endorsed Presidential candidate John Kerry.

A pretty huge indictment I should think. It's worth reading the editorial in the Iconoclast. It gets a few facts wrong (like Social Security lasting until 2042) but it does speak to the depth of feeling that some of us have against the current administration's policies.

Modding the XBox

So, I've bought a "mod chip" for my XBox recently. It lets me play my DVDs region-free on the XBox (without paying $30 for a remote and decoder chip), copy my XBox games to my harddrive, and load up cheats so that the games are easier. Very nifty.

Only problem is that I have to go out on the Internet and try and find an EvolutionX Dashboard. This is a replacement dashboard for the XBox that gives me the software "front-end" to the mod chip. Unfortunately, since Micro$oft doesn't condone the use of the Dashboard (it being compiled with development software) it's quite hard to find EvoX. Now I have to engage in a Byzantine search on IRC channels and dubious download sites.

The only saving grace is that my major platform is OS X so I'm pretty much proof against catching a virus during my browsing.

Now, on to the search.

A new record in Windows virii

For one of my clients.. (also on the Web according to an article today on CNN).
But I digress.

I removed some 438 "infections", mostly the Win32.Bagle virus from a client's Windows XP Home machine this morning. Simply stunning. Poor people had neither a firewall, nor virus protection. They had about fifteen different virii on the machine and it was barely functioning.

Thanks Microsoft for the business but it seems to be approaching criminal to put out an OS that is both vulnerable and lacking in the most basic protections.

Or perhaps I judge them harshly.

No, no, on reflection I don't. Hang them from the highest yardarm!

Avantgo and the Palm

I've used my Palm for years for a whole variety of things. I listed the books I have on it a little while ago--one reason that it is jam-packed and I feel the need for a new one. No expansion port so I'm stuck with 8Mb. No easy wireless option (unless I buy a Palm modem and who wants to have to plug into a walljack and dial-up?).

It's enough to make me want to buy the Tungsten E. Just waiting for the Xmas sales (I live in hope!).

But one of my favorite apps for the Palm, perhaps my favorite app is Avantgo. Installing their connectivity software allows one to download content from hundreds of channels. Few pay attention to one of the key features of the software--the ability to create one's own channels from any Web site. Normally, Web sites have to publish their content in a particular format (determined, I believe, by XML) in order to have the Avantgo agent pick it up and display it properly.

But it is also possible to just tell Avantgo to make a particular site a channel. It doesn't work with every page but enough that it really extends the capabilities of the medium. One could, for instance, write scripts or use apps to bring in content from things like RSS feeds and synthesize those into a single Web page, thus collating information from all over the Web into a single channel.

I just got Avantgo working with my Palm again. Since shifting to largely using OS X, I found that Avantgo doesn't publish software that works on OS X. So I had to find an alternative. I got a pointer on the Avantgo site and its working ten minutes later.

My channels are:

• Christian Science Monitor
  
• George & Dragon (local pub showing Liverpool games)
  
• Guardian Unlimited Football (England)
  
• Le Monde (Paris)
  
• Reuters US
  
• SCIFI Channel
  
• Slashdot
  
• Soccer-SPAIN
  
• The Sporting News
  
• uefa.com
  
• Wired News
  
• WSJ.com Europe
  

I guess you can discern a common theme. I'm lucky though if I have 250kb free. I'm really looking forward to being able to store 64Mb (or more) of content on my new handheld.

An RC UAV

You've probably heard of the Predator UAV--its an unmanned aerial surveillance (and attack) vehicle prowling the skies over Afghanistan and presumbably Iraq.

Well, I was doing some research this evening on servo motors (for one of my planes) when I stumbled across this.

It looks like students at the University of Manchester (my father's alma mater, btw) have come up with a class project design of a UAV that can be assembled from off the shelf components. It's got RC components (servos, motor) and you can buy everything except the guidance system off the shelf.

I don't believe they actually built it but I wish I had this sort of project when I was in school.

I guess I'm just a frustrated mad scientist.

The Packers

As a San Francisco season ticket holder, I have to say that they are the team you love to hate (now that Dallas has fallen on hard times). To my recollection, they stopped the Niners in the playoffs at least three, perhaps four times in the 1990s.

As much as I hate to admit it, I always harbored a sneaking admiration for Brett Favre's play. He reminded me a lot of Elway in his ability to bring the team back in the last couple of minutes for a win.

I watched last night's game against Carolina and saw that he seems pretty much as sharp as ever.

I love the fact that I can watch American football with only one eye (and an ear) on the TV and do a bunch of other stuff at the same time. Not the case with English football.. far faster pace. If you don't watch intently, you lose the plot right away.

But American football? I can go away, cook dinner, eat it, and come back and very little will have happened in at least 75% of the games I watch.

Good for my productivity with household chores.

XBox hacking

I'm thinking about hacking my XBox again. I spent the weekend playtesting this Christmas' blockbuster game for Microsoft. I can't say which game but those in the know will know. Great fun.

I learned, talking to one of the other participants, that the state of the art in XBox hacking has progressed quite a bit in the last year or so. It's now possible to open up the box and insert a solderless "mod" chip that allows one to do all kinds of nifty things: run Linux, load your games from the DVDs into the hard drive, play your DVDs on the built-in DVD player (region-free), etc.

I'm going to get one shortly.. I'll report on what I hope is my success in the next couple of weeks.

the smoking gun..

So the truth finally comes out about Bush dodging his National Guard service in 1972/1973. It only took about 10 years..

'bout time.

I wonder if this will lead to an intensification of the attack's on Kerry's record? It would fit the pattern of personal attacks that seem to characterize Bush's run for office. Whether or not he actively sanctions them (and I hope not) they do seem to be condoned by him (in that they come from his staff).

Barging in France

My next vacation is a couple of weeks in the Cayman Islands, visiting family who live there and doing a LOT of scuba diving. (I can get in at least two dives per day, sometimes three if I include a night dive). That's probably a good twenty to thirty dives.

But I'm already planning next year's vacation to France. I've been interested in barges for quite a while. All of Europe (including the UK) has a very extensive canal system that one can travel for very modest fees. There are quite a few companies that will rent one a boat to travel up and down the waterways. You pilot it yourself, moor where you want to, and take as much time as you would like.

I could easily see spending a month travelling through the south of France, stopping at whatever village I find most attractive. Bicycles carried aboard allow one a little ability to roam. (I would imagine a Vespa would be even better.)

Radioactive exposure in Iraq/Afghanistan

We've known about it for quite a while but it just hasn't been reported in the mainstream press: the exposure of both civilians and military in combat areas to NDU (non-depleted uranium) and DU (depleted uranium) dust. I caught this article on Top 25 Censored Stories (I'm not sure that they are really censored, just "avoided").

The contention is that Iraq and Afghanistan are now irremediably contaminated with radioactive elements as a result of our invasion. For quite a few years, our tanks have used depleted uranium warheads on their shells. It's a very heavy substance and is ideal for penetrating heavy armor ('cause its also very hard). However, a significant portion of it does get turned to dust on contact with the target and since it doesn't decay, remains in the environment to be breathed in by anyone in the area. Forever.

This stuff is incredibly toxic. In fact, plutonium is the most toxic substance known to man and is both mutagenic (to DNA) and teratogenic. Uranium is only slightly less so.

People have talked of the "Gulf War Syndrome" for years. I haven't heard much, if any, mention of it being related to exposure to radioactive elements in the environment. But it seems obvious that it is an issue from this report.

And, unfortunately, there is no cure.

Bush II's service still a real question..

I caught this article this evening while do a little research on Zell Miller's keynote speech at the RNC.

The Associated Press is like a dog with a bone (thank goodness!) and are still trying to get the government to cough up Bush's military records for the period when he was apparently AWOL in 1972.

No luck so far but they have been able to clearly document what is missing--the documents that military procedure dictates should have been written. I doubt anything will come of this with the man the sitting president but one can always hope.

Hero (2002)

I saw Ying xiong (2002). It is now as "Hero" in this country and stars the iconic Jet Li. It was originally released in 2002 in Asia and was a huge success. So Disney has decided to import it into this country and is now banning all sales in the US market of the DVDs. However, with a little work, you can own the Director's Cut (while it is still in US cinemas).

It's a truly magnificent film (as far as cinematography and martial arts goes) and makes an immediate entry into my top twenty films. The film works on several levels. Its a fascinating play (somewhat Rashomon-like) on the concept of a story being told from different perspectives. Its an intriguing premise (I won't say more and spoil it) and the martial arts are spectacular. Add in some of the best use of color that I've ever seen in a film and you have a film that is finally work paying $8.50 to see.

I believe Asia approaches film quite differently than most Western artists/directors. I'm not sure that I've ever seen a Western film that treats the screen as a canvas the same way this film does. Perhaps some of the stuff Wim Wenders has done. I'm at a bit of a loss for words because I haven't seen anything quite like this before.

So I urge you to go see it.

I'm taking a risk and buying the DVD out of Beijing. I hate this practice of pretending the film doesn't exist overseas and trying to control the distribution.

My latest obsession

My latest obsession is flying radio control planes. It's something I've wanted to do since I was a kid of ten or twelve. Only in recent years have I come back to it.

Now every Sunday is spent at the flying field, learning how to fly (and to build) radio control planes. Now, these aren't your Dad's planes. Some of these puppies are pretty damn big.

My trainer (the plane on which I learn) has a six-foot wingspan and a motor that puts out about 1 horsepower. The prop will also cut your fingers off if you are foolish enough to stick them in it.

I've seen planes at the field large enough that they require a small trailer to carry them (so a wingspan in excess of ten feet).

I've just about finished building my first plane (the trainer was something I purchased pre-assembled). It's called a Gremlin and it's for air combat and weighs about 3lbs. It has one of those motors that almost make 1 hp and should approach speeds of 80-100mph in the air.

I love the attention to detail necessary to keep these babies flying and the motors are just little jewels. I've recently gone on an EBay buying binge and now have something like five motors--and only two planes at the moment.

Next plane after I get the combat plane airworthy (flying this Sunday) will be a SPAD. Not the WWI fighter but rather a Simple, Plastic, Airplane Design. It uses corrugated plastic (Coroplast) for wing material and the fuselage is made out of aluminum angle iron stock. Not pretty, but very, very cheap to build. I think my total cost on building one with a six-foot wingspan will be something like $30. (Free plans are available on the site.)

It's all about leverage..

I'm filing this under the 2004 Election topic though it's not so much a commentary on the election (or the Republican convention) but rather a statement of intent.

I've been giving some thought to how I can make a difference in volunteering for Kerry. I'm not a phone guy (don't like cold calls and such) and so, following the model of MoveOn.org, I'm am going to try and organize a fund-raising event.

With the kind help of friends (whom I hope to convince to loan me their house for the evening) we will hold a fund-raising potluck/barbecue. Every person attending will be asked to contribute a minimum of $50 and they will be able to indicate how they want the funds split (between Moveon and the Kerry campaign directly).

I'll put Outfoxed on one TV and Fahrenheit 9/11 on the other and maybe even loop some of the best Moveon.org advertisements on a third (just to keep the passion flowing).

I got this email from MoveOn yesterday. Quite interesting if it can be believed:

Here's why the hype that Bush is winning doesn't stand up to scrutiny:

Nation-wide polls don't matter. This election will be decided in the 20 or so states that aren't firmly in Bush's camp. So while most national polls--which include voters in Texas and California--show a dead heat between Bush and Kerry, polls of the so-called "battleground states" tell a different story. A bipartisan poll from NPR1 has Kerry leading 52-43% in these states, and Fox News2 reports a 47-37% Kerry lead there.

Historically speaking, Bush is in a very weak position. Most experts agree that when a president is seeking re-election, most voters first decide whether he deserves re-election, and then look at the challenger. And most voters aren't liking what they see: Bush's approval rating is very low for an incumbent. Even more importantly, in some recent polls a large portion of voters say the country is on the wrong track, a benchmark that is extremely tough to recover from. Bush is not where he needs to be, and even a significant bounce won’t put him there.

In the swing states, the name of the game is turnout. There are literally millions of people who prefer Kerry to Bush but who are unlikely to vote at all. In fact, there are far more of these folks than there are "swing voters" who haven’t made up their minds yet. Experts on both sides agree that the winner on November 2 will be the candidate who gets his base out in the places where it matters. And it's pretty straightforward to get their attention: we'll call them on the phone, knock on their doors, and invite them to neighborhood house parties. We'll listen to their concerns and talk to them about both candidates' positions on the issues. And we'll remind them repeatedly to show up on Election Day.

1 September 1939

Let's remember that today is the 65th anniversary of the start of World War II.

I think its generally accepted by now that the Second World War was brought about by how the First World War was ended: to wit, at the peace negotiations at Versailles (WWI ended in an armistice, folks) the Allies discovered how weak Germany and Austro-Hungary were and decided to take advantage of this. Their reparations clauses and the punitive destruction of the German merchant marine (not to mention taking the Ruhr valley) led to a great deal of dissatisfaction in Germany. This dissatisfaction was fertile ground for Herr Hitler when he came to power in 1933.

John Maynard Keynes predicted the Second World War while attending this conference. Quite prophetic.

In any event, spare a thought for the millions killed during the war today.

I really hate wasps..

I just cannot fathom what purpose they serve in the great scheme of things. I figure they must be a link on the food chain--some small bird must eat them--but neither our swallows nor our sparrows appear to.

This summer they have been hugely successful in growing their numbers. I have undertaken an eradication program around my parents stables. Unfortunately, they seem to add new nests as fast as I zap the old ones.

Yesterday I was up on the roof of the stables to fix some leaky skylights (in preparation for the coming monsoon season--what is laughably known as winter in the Pacific Northwest) and discovered a couple of "hidden" nests. The skylights are plexiglass with an aluminum surround. They fit over a wooden coaming and are secured with aluminum rivets.

Over the last twenty years since the barn was built some of these rivets have given out, allowing the skylight to lift slightly and water to come in. Determined to fix it, I got up on the roof of the barn with power drill, wood glue, and long screws. Oh, yes.. and a little foaming wasp spray.

All was well (no nests sighted) until I drilled into the frame of the skylight. Literally boiling out from under the edge came about twenty very pissed off wasps.

I got to see one coming for me in ultra slow-motion. I didn't realize that they can fly almost vertically, with tail extended forward when they attacked.

Stung me just beneath my lower lip. Fortunately, my immunity to bee stings (they don't really bother me at all) seems to commute largely to wasps. A little cream on the wound, a little numbness, and a couple of hours later there isn't even a mark. Lucky me.

Today I will prophylatically spray the entire surround of each skylight before tapping on it from a distance (to piss them off and make them come out through the killing foam).

A dangerous job.

Bond, James Bond.