I upgraded the hardware hosting TheCzechs.Net blog, web, etc., to a new Mac Mini Server running Snow Leopard Server 10.6.1. This is a big upgrade for this little personal site.

Seems to really work well, but the migration from a PowerPC (G5) platform to the Intel box was certainly not painless. Not only were there big OS changes from 10.5.8 to Snow Leopard, there was a platform change as well.

I had to rebuid several binaries to account for the platform change. But the biggest hurdle seemed to be Apache, PHP, and MySQL. It took me all day (and many hours more) to figure it out. I wore out Google, and pulled a few clumps of hair, but it seems to be working.

Will keep a close eye the next few days to see if all is well with the configs, etc.

Make sure to check out Jim's New World for the latest updates.

I don't think I have abandoned this place, but found a "new world". Just another place for more rambling in the internet.

Check out the new blog, Jim's New World, based on WordPress and hosted on my server here.

While in the new year it has been sunny (at least for the 4 hours of daylight) and clear, the temperature has only ventured once above zero, and then only in the single digits. I think the "minus" sign on the digital thermometer must be "stuck".

Right now, it's -7F / -22C outside. Haven't gone out today, but hoping to see the full moon once it gets a bit more dark. The sun set about a half and hour ago, but it's still like dusk. Saw the moon the past couple of mornings on the way to work, and while not quite full, sure was BIG as it was low on the horizon. Hopefully get to see the largest full moon in 2009.

Another year is winding down. Another year older. Time to reflect, time to look ahead. Time to break out all the "old" songs and while away the hours.

I wonder... Probably so much happened this past year, but what stands out...? Hmmmmm.....?

Most notable, the surprise visit home for the holidays. :D It was "recent" but that doesn't make it the reason to stand out. That was a wonderful time... I will never forget standing at the door, and wondering if anyone was home. I will never forget the look on my Dad's face, when he finally answered the door.

Then there are the material things. :P After almost 30 years, I finally got a Rolex. Well, not just one, but two. :)) Guess I was making up for lost time...

I had a great vacation, only back in September, and went back home. We were on the go for the whole 2.5 weeks! Did a lot, saw so much. But again, had a great time with my parents.

The summer here, well, I don't know if you can call it a "summer"... Cool and wet. Only a couple of days above 70F / 21C. The old timers say this is what summer is all about; I don't want to agree (we'll see what 2009 brings.) But even the spring, always my best time of the year, only had a couple of sunny days.

I truly can't think of things, that were significant to "me". Sure there was a historic election, and so many things around the world. But in my own little world, these few gems are what matter, in some fashion.

Ok... Without saying.... "Happy New Year" to all. :)

I don't know why, but I have yet to dump the StinkFoot. Maybe it's because I paid $9.95 for the quarter for the "premium" spam protection and want to attempt to break even. But at the rate the daily received spam increases, it's a losing proposition.

So, I need to start researching how to contact (or even if you can contact) the StinkFoot people to cancel my account. It's gone far past being a joke or a curiosity. The gee-whiz-bang charts I was creating over the years to track good versus junk mail is to cumbersome, and adds no value, to this situation.

Hopefully the next report will indicate I've driven a stake through the heart of the Bigfoot and moved on to bigger and better pursuits.

:P

I found a "review" site when I did a Google search for "Bigfoot mail spam review". I've had problems for years, and guess I am not the only one. Bigfoot has, finally(!), outlived it's usefulness. I posted the original review on the xomreviews.com site. I wanted to get the word out further... (Plus I edited some typos and grammar mistakes...)

--------------------------------

Bigfoot's got the Stink Foot

I stumbled upon this site after many, many months of issues with Bigfoot. I thought, "hey, maybe it's not just me..." Sure enough, many other reviews here mirror my experience and sentiment.

I've subscribed to Bigfoot premium for many years. I had decent service at first, that has deteriorated over the years. For more than a year now, I've continued to pay the premium subscription fees (it auto-renews) and then start complaining.

My biggest issue is the almost 10:1 spam to "good" email ratio. I've continued to tune, check settings, attempting to filter and blacklist, all to seeming no avail. I've complained in the past, and over almost two years ago started charting the spam that gets through, versus the ones that are trapped. The statistics are amazing!

I resorted to using SpamAssassin and SpamSieve to filter the "junk" that gets through Bigfoot's filters. I started distributing Bigfoot mail to Gmail and Hotmail. Gmail catches 100% (with no false positives in several months of use). Even my Hotmail account, which collects it's own goodly portion of spam itself, and has caught the spam that is forwarded from Bigfoot. If those guys can do it with such success, why can't Bigfoot make even a half-hearted attempt at improving their filtering, using just free open source tools?!?!

Makes me think one of Bigfoot's side businesses is the "processing" of spam, and selling addresses to the spammers...

I guess with this review, I have *finally* talked myself in to canceling the account and ending the drain of money to support this service.

Appreciate some of the suggestions of others I have seen here, such as pobox.com, etc.

Good luck, from a long since satisfied Bigfoot customer. RIP...

About Sarah Palin, and since I am from Alaska… what I thought about her as the Vice President.

Here was my reply…

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Well, frankly, I haven’t made up my mind. I like her, as the Governor. She is a “real person” but has the where-with-all to do the job. Looks aren’t everything…

It is interesting to see the skew from the media in the L48. Sometimes it hits, but more often, it isn’t the same as what you see here. Their perspective on her stance, compared to what we have seen here isn’t always correct.

Ok, is she qualified…? I haven’t made up my mind quite yet.

I look at other “governors” who “made it” big time. For better or worse, Spiro Agnew; a VP from MD. Look at Bill Clinton… Huh, he made it all the way to President, and he was “just” a governor.

We fool ourselves if we think any one person in those positions control all or make all the decisions. Yes, they are held responsible, and hopefully have input in the words that come out of their mouth. But I would hope they have learned advisors. Those folks, just like the speech writers, are really in tune. It’s for the “person in charge” to sift through all that input and make something of it.

Anyway, back to the question. My take…

Truthfully, I think she can do it. I don’t always agree with her stance on some subjects. She’s done us “right”, with the “extra” dividend we are getting. Or, with her push to suspend the gasoline tax ($0.08/gal) for a year. Our gas is way out of line with the L48. Oil has dropped over 27% from it’s high. Our (in AK) gasoline has dropped only 4%. With the tax break, 6%. That is criminal. (And I work in the BP building, related to the O&G industry…)

So, can she do it? Yes, I really do think she can. She does bring a fresh perspective. Does she know all, of course not, far from it. But I really do think she can bring the outsider, the hockey mom, to the table and make a change.

In any event, as I have told my parents… we are in for a historic election no matter which way it is decided. I am glad to be here for that… :)

So, what do you think?

The day is fast approaching. Been making plans and getting little things ready. But this is the last weekend, and the week ahead will be busy.

Have been getting things together for the trip. Today will be laundry and I need to cut the grass. It will probably still be pretty shaggy by the time I get back. At least the weather is trying to cooperate today; the sun is peeking in and out from behind dark clouds. It rained last night, so hopefully the grass will have a chance to dry a bit before I get out there.

Still need to "configure" my camera bag. I've thought about what lenses I will bring, but think I will leave the 300mm f/2.8 at home. It would fit, but I don't have an easy way to pack a tripod, and you can't handhold that one. If my monopod will fit in the luggage, I might reconsider, so will have to try it out.

Lots to do... I probably should start making a list.