Speaking of Telecom

I've (mostly) moved on from my assignment to our Telecommunications support duties. Most days I'm back to my usual special project work and network/field support assignments. My past week's duties included (among other things):

Cartography Development: make a hand-drawn regional map with ZIP Code overlay.
.....tools used: Inkscape vector program, mapping software, ZCTA Zip Code Overlay (Google mashup! This is really cool!)

Support Desk: answer the phones and troubleshoot standard network/pc issues.

Equipment Procurement: research and submit proposal for state-wide fax-sever application and hardware deployment.
.....reference sites: NT Fax FAQ, Brooktrout High Performance Intelligent Fax Boards

Image Deployment: Create, test and deploy an updated bootable workstation image to field staff.
.....tools used: Microsoft Sysprep tool, bootable image disk creation.

Bootable Utility Disk: Update, develop and deploy a multi-platform dual-use bootable CD and DVD workstation and utility disk.
.....tools used: -- more on that later!

Field Response: troubleshoot, update software and configurations, and remove virus/malware.

I still have to provide "mentoring" support and backup coverage to the newly rotated IT team-members sitting on the telecom support desk, but it is very nice not being in that mix on a daily basis.

I've gotten pretty comfortable getting into the pbx switches and doing re-programming, but it just isn't my primary interest. There are other things (see above) that I'm just better at.

Retro-Thing had a link to the Internet Archives video of the 1951 production of "The Nation at Your Fingertips": How direct long distance dialing made the U.S. a smaller place, and how instantaneous direct communication between Americans without operator assistance became possible.

The video is about 10min long and well worth the time to view. It is really interesting to watch. Imagine the time in our country when having just 80 area codes for the US and Canada was more than could be considered. We take so much for granted today.

I wish I had this earlier, I could have made it a mandatory training orientation video for the telecom team replacements.

High Quality stream of The Nation at Your Fingertips

Got to love this stuff!
--Claus

Silence, Cell-phones, and Shampoo

Right now I am getting my first real "silent treatment" punishment by Alvis. Haven't really dealt with this too much yet.

Lavie and I each have a Cingular cell phone. Alvis has finally gotten to the age where she can probably be responsible enough to be trusted with her own cell phone.

Our school district's policy allows Jr. & Sr. High students to have a cell phone in their possession so long as it is kept turned off during normal school hours, the bus, etc. Alvis stays with a friend after school right across the street from her Jr. High until Lavie gets off work about 30 minutes later and picks her up. We live just close enough not to have bus service to the campus, but just far enough that we aren't comfortable with her walking or riding a bike to school.

So after a parental conference we decided we would get her a cell phone. We are going to try a "Go" phone--kinda like a pay-as-you-go cell phone for Alvis right now. If she shows responsibility (as I am fully confident she will) then we will add her phone onto our family cell plan. If it gets lost or stolen well, we will be out the price of the phone and minutes but we won't have to worry about our plan getting drained out. Getting the phone from Cingular will work out well. Just a $1 charge per use and unlimited phone-to-phone talk-time as long as it is with a Cingular customer (Lavie or me).

We decided that it might be a positive thing to draw up a "parent-teen cell phone contract" between us and Alvis. Just so we all understand the ground-rules. I've been looking on-line for some sample templates, but haven't had much luck. When I get it done, I might post it for other parents in a similar mood and opinion of such things.

So we stopped by a Cingular store and looked at the models she wanted. But I wouldn't buy one until next weekend. (Bad father that I am.) That brought out the pre-teen pouting, crying and....the dreaded silent treatment.

I began to launch into a lecture about appreciation, respect, walking to and from school barefoot in the snow (uphill both ways)...blah-blah-blah. But wrapped it up quickly seeing as there wasn't much point in it for the time being. I know she really has been looking forward to "growing up" enough to have her own cell phone. I do respect that. Far be it from me to harm my daughter by not making sure she has the coolest cell phone we can (within reason) afford to provide her.

For now I'm going to concede and respect her pouting space. She is such a great daughter that I can't help but cut her some slack on this one. I probably acted the same way when I was her age and I wanted that "Army Men" battle-fortress command center play set from Sears (that I never did get).

In the end we will both make up and she will eventually get her phone and I will again be the best daddy in the whole world. It just kinda bites waiting for the clouds to pass.

That reminds me of one other bit of male vs. female bit of Valca trivia: Bottle ownership in the bathtub area.

There are (at current count) 18 bottled personal-care products in our tub area:

2-shave gel cans,
10-shampoo and conditioners (some matched pairs, most not),
5-baby-oil and body soap bottles,
1-bottle of some "girls-only" concoction.

+ 3 razors, none of which are mine.

Of those products, I bought and use only 4.

Life as usual in a "girls-rule" home zone.

--Claus

Just Say It's So, Landis!

Late last night (early this morning?) I was having trouble sleeping. I was flipping channels and came across CNN-International and they were covering the "Live" announcement that Landis' B sample test came back as positive for the presence of synthetic testosterone.

He has resolutely continued his denial of the allegations (increasing in bizarreness as the story developed) claiming the source as: cortisone shots, beer and whiskey consumed the night before, thyroid meds....and wait for it....his natural metabolism (that produces synthetic testosterone?). What is he? Some kind of android?

His team (Phonak) immediately fired him and the USA Cycling has been asked to discipline.

And what word from the august Tour de France body? Director Christian Prudhomme said, "It goes without saying that for us Floyd Landis is no longer the winner of the 2006 Tour de France." Tour runner-up Oscar Pereiro of Spain would be the likely new winner.

I didn't really watch the Tour de France this year as diligently as I had in the past; thanks in large part to Lance Armstrong's departure from Tour. However we shared a bit of pride as Landis took the Tour win.

Here is what really bothers me about this sad event:

OK, so we have all these "juicing" problems reported in Baseball. Sadly, I won't ever be able to look at any records set by Bonds without a flicker of doubt. For now, The Game has a tarnish over it--only time and internal house-cleaning will restore it to The Greatest Game Ever Played status. But I'm OK with that. That's our own house that we need to clean up.

No. This event with Landis and the Tour de France really makes me sad because it feels like just another example of an American who kicked in our gracious neighbor's door, drank all the beer in the house, pissed on the kitchen table, and barfed on the rug before finally falling asleep on the couch watching porn on the cable adult-channel. Harsh? Yep. And upon being caught by the neighbor and the local bobbies, offers up a lame excuse about everyone mistaking the situation.

Like a bad Goldilocks and the Three French Bears story. On steroids.

For better or for worse, fairly or unfairly the "American people" are not looking real good on the world stages we have been standing on as of late. We seem to be our own worst enemies.

Maybe it's because of the International melting pot Houston, Texas is; or maybe I was just raised to respect and value other cultures--whatever the reason, I strongly feel we need to wise up to the fact that just because we are Americans doesn't mean we can act like cowboys when we visit our neighbors homes and join with them in their competitions.

Let's play fair, let's win fair, and let's show the World we really can loose fair with grace and class.

OK. Maybe you are misunderstood, framed, or simply innocent, Landis. Please show the World that we Americans do have a sense of honor and fair-play. Offer to step-down until this has taken its full course. If you did take (or were knowingly or unknowingly given) steroids, fess up. Fall on the mercy of the public. Beg for forgiveness from the French people first and your countrymen and teammates second.

One day you will feel good you did. It might hurt bad now, but you will live. And the World will thank you and maybe respect Americans (just a little bit) more.

Besides, I'm sure Oprah would love to have you on her show, if you did.

I hear she's great about helping tarnished hero's come clean...after a good ass-kicking and tongue lashing.

--Claus

Saturday Night Anime Specials

This Saturday night (08-05-06), Cartoon Network will be running its Adult Swim "Have it Your Way" contest winners.

These episodes present a really wonderful selection of some bright anime stars. If you aren't really sure what anime is or it has been a long time since you've dipped your feet into the world of Japanese anime...this will present a great chance to catch up. If you're an old-hat to these shows, break out the popcorn and enjoy a date with some old friends. (All times listed are CST.)

10PM-1AM - FLCL (entire series)
1AM-2AM - Cowboy Bebop (The Real Folk Blues, Parts 1 & 2)
2AM-3AM - Trigun (Rem Saverem, Under the Sky So Blue)
3AM-4AM - Paranoia Agent (Double Lips, Happy Family Planning)
4AM - Fullmetal Alchemist (Mother)
4:30AM - Samurai Champloo (Tempestuous Temperaments)

FLCL (Fooly Cooly) has some of the best rock guitar riffs on its soundtrack. I've tracked down all three of the soundtrack cd's as well as The Pillows first cd release of their own here in the States. It's a wild and bizarre ride! And at only six episodes, not too long too long a rollercoaster ride.

Cowboy Bebop was the first anime series I watched after not having watched any anime since my old Speed Racer days. It was a great welcome back. Smooth and cool. Jazz meets bounty-hunting space cowboys. This series has real attitude.

Trigun is just plain fun. If you've seen and enjoy the old "spaghetti westerns" that brought Clint Eastwood to early fame, you'll love Trigun. Sci-Fi foreground, western backgrounds. Who knows what mayhem and madness will descend on the poor inhabitants of the next town Vash The Stampede enters next. And what's with that little black cat?

Paranoia Agent is a really trippy series. It is a psychological mystery thriller that slowly unravels its hidden secrets. What do the cops know? What don't they know. Why is that pink plush doll talking to me? And who is the mysterious "little slugger?"

Fullmetal Alchemist hooked us with its very first episode. The young Elric brothers are on a quest to find "The Philosopher's Stone," and the military, the Homunculi, and some shady characters are all doing their best to manipulate the two brothers for their own agendas. Their father has disappeared, their mother is dead and they might just be the most powerful alchemists their world has ever seen--too bad they are too young and brash to realize it.

Samurai Champloo is the hip-hop stylized journey of a cool-as-a-cucumber swordmaster, a no-cares-in-the-world punk ronin, and a young girl who is seeking the man who smells like sunflowers. A very unlikely trio. Yet the music beats and scratch-out censoring is infectious. It's a blur of action and breeze. This show has attitude!

Set your Tivo, set your VCR, drink lots of coke or coffee and pop your popcorn.

Enjoy!
--Claus

Backing up Windows Drivers

When it comes to backing up your pc system, many people consider backing up specific files and folders in the event of a system restore.

But what about your system drivers? All those things that keep your hardware and software playing nicely with one another.

While they aren't required to restore your system, having those things backed up could save a lot of headaches and grief. Some organized folks keep a copy of their latest driver install files handy on a cd, just in case.

Ed Bott posted You've got Windows XP questions, I've got answers today, and in it, he responded to a user's question if there was a utility to back up device-drivers on Windows systems.

I remembered coming across just such an application a long time ago, but didn't think much of it until this post jogged my memory. A quick search came up with these utilities:

Driver Magician
DriverGuide Toolkit
WinDrivers Backup PE (midway down list)

HunterSoft has several driver backup products listed on their Device Driver Backup and Restore Utilities page, including:

My Drivers 3.11
WinDriver Ghost 2.02
WinDriver Expert
My Drivers

Finally, CNET has a slightly older post about backing up your drivers.

So now, pick one of these utilities, back up your driver files and stick them on a cd-r. If something goes south and you have to restore your system, you might be glad you considered your drivers as well.

--Claus

I'm Mad about You, Baby!

Very rarely do I take time off from work.

When I do, it is usually to accompany Lavie to a periodic medical specialist's appointment, or to take care of a sick Alvis.

I wouldn't consider myself a "work-aholic" but I do really enjoy (most days) my job and what I do.

But today was a slow day and I just felt a strong urge to play "hookie" so I cashed in some extra leave chips I've been holding onto and am just chillin' with the kid here at home.

I've got some blog linkage to knock out so this will give me a good chance to catch up.

Right now I'm hanging out here on the floor using Lavie's notebook. Alvis and I are running through a special-edition DVD set of "Mad About You." I have to confess...watching this really makes me miss Lavie (still at work) as this show was first on TV while we were newlyweds. So many of the episodes mirror own own early days as a couple it brings back lots of silly and warm memories.

Like the day I proposed to Lavie.

Flashback...Christmas day 1990. Lavie and I were exchanging gifts upstairs in my room. I was still living with my Mom, college graduation and independence less than a year away. I had just given Lavie her gift, a racquetball racket. She was, um, politely happy but some glimmer of disappointment might have crossed her face.

Then Lavie presented me with her gift to me, a stunningly beautiful antique-style Seiko Chronograph wrist watch. She even had the back engraved with an endearment.

I looked at her, and asked her "What am I going to do with you?" This was our little back-and-forth word-play game as of late. To which she answered (right on queue),

"Well, marry me."

Except this time I was ready for her. Instead of the usual giggles that ended that game, from a hidden stash, I produced a small box to Lavie and said, "OK, I think I will!"

So I ended up tricking Lavie into proposing to me and the rest, as they say, has been a history.

I still have her watch to me and she still has my ring to her. And the racquetball racket? Who knows where it disappeared to...

Lavie--I'm still mad about you, baby!

--Claus

My Current Firefox Extensions

My Enabled Firefox Extensions: (38)

All-In-One Sidebar 0.6.4
Bazzacuda Image Saver 1.9
CoLT 2.1
Copy Plain Text 0.3.2
Copy URL + 1.3.2
Download Statusbar 0.9.4.1
DownThemAll! 0.9.9.6.1
Ez Sidebar 3.1.2006011301
Fasterfox 1.0.3
Favicon Picker 0.3.0
FoxClocks 1.2.77
IE Tab 1.0.9.5
Image Download 1.0.1
Image Zoom 0.2.6
Linky 2.7.1
ListZilla 0.8
LiveLines 0.4.5
MeasureIt 0.3.5
MR Tech About:About 2.2
New Tab Button on Tab Bar 1.0
Outlook 2003 Blue 1.5.3
PDF Download 0.7.4
Performancing 1.3rc1
Preferential 0.8.1
Print Preview 0.5.1.4
Reveal 1.0.6
Sage 1.3.6
Save Image in Folder 0.9.1
Sort Extensions and Themes 3.0.3
SpellBound Developmental Version 0.9.8.20060108
SpoofStick 1.06
Tab Clicking Options 0.6.6
Tab X 0.9.2
Tabbrowser Preferences 1.2.8.9
Talkback 1.5.0.6
Translate 0.6.0.8
Viamatic foXpose 0.3
x mod 0.6.5

Nothing exciting to see here, just dropping in case I need to restore them.
Generated with this handy little extension: ListZilla 0.8

--Claus