Something I did not know about Eggs... Posted by Jeff

a bomb regardless

Read my comment at "A Bomb Regardless" (ironically named)

Adjusting Courier IMAP to support Thunderbird Defaults Posted by Jeff

The Courier IMAP mail server has a default limit of 4 connections per IP address. Mozilla Thunderbird defaults to using up to 5 simultaneous connections per server. This is a problem. :) Many pages document how to fix it from Thunderbird, but here's how to fix it in Courier IMAP on the server:

I'm running FreeBSD Unix. I find my courier imap configuration files in /usr/local/etc/courier-imap/

You'll find a file called imapd - edit it. There's a line that says MAXPERIP=4. Change the 4 to a 5 or a bit higher, to be on the safe side. But don't make it too high -- this restriction is there for a reason.

Now, restart courier imapd. I did this on my system by going to /usr/local/etc/rc.d/ and running:

./courier-imap-imapd.sh stop

./courier-imap-imapd.sh start

And there you have it. Your Courier will now behave gracefully with the default settings for a modern version of Mozilla Thunderbird.

Of the mountain and the vale, and the path that I went Posted by Susie

Not necessarily *good*, just bizarre, and worth listening to at least once.

Heilige Saeure (Ding Im Ding) by Paniq

Lyrics:

guten tag meine damen und herrn
äähm...wir sind.... ich bin.....nun....also.....ich mach mal die musik an

seht, ich experimentierte mit heiligen saft,
hörte, das gibt Kraft,
dass man alles rafft
fraß meine portion
und merkte schon
ich war kein mensch sondern ein elektron

zufällige fluktuation
gedankenlegion
ein bewusstseinsstrom
mit zweiundvierzig ohm

was früher ich gekannt, wurde seltsam verzerrt
ich begriff dieses land ist unerhört gestört

mein kopf war entbrannt
er hat auf dem boden ein' topf aus gedanken
welche sich auf einem hohen niveau befanden
und ich merkte wie sie mich langsam überrannten
fühlte mich zudem bedroht von äähh tischkanten

und so beschloss ich in panik was zu tun
ich war mir sicher, ich dürfte nicht nicht nicht ruhn
denn ich dachte, dass wenn ich dächte,
dass das nichts brächte
dass ich wusste das sich das früher oder später noch rächte

(Chorus 2x)
seht ich probierte die heilige säurEE
hört wie ich für euch meine schaltkreise steure
ich erzähl euch vom fraqtal, dem ding im ding
von berg und tal und dem weg den ich ging

und immer wieder ertappte
ich mich wie ich innerlich an dem gedanken bappte, ich dächte nur an mich
und sicherlich
war das auch richtich,
nur nich wie ich mir das ausmalte, oh jetzt bezahl ich fürchterlich

und als ich dachte, dass ich dachte, dachte ich dass dachte, dass ich an denken dachte
HÄÄÄ?? sachte

ich dachte dass ich beim denken an das denken etwas machte
und so verschachtelte ich mich und lachte
die sache war verrückt und ergab trotzdem sinn, denn in jeder schachtel ist natürlich noch so eine drin
und wenn du diese aufmachst, siehst du dann,
dass man in dieser wieder eine schachtel finden kann

und jede schachtel, jeder karton, jede box, jede kiste,
die du danach findest stand schon immer auf deiner wunschliste,
denn das auspacken dieser dinge ist allein das erlebnis,
alles gleich und anders, so lautet das ergebnis

(2x)
seht ich probierte die heilige säurEE
hört wie ich für euch meine schaltkreise steure
ich erzähl euch vom fraqtal, dem ding im ding
von berg und tal und dem weg den ich ging

meine zimmer, warn gefüllt mit prächtigen schätzen
angesichts der herrlichkeit musste ich mich erstmal setzen
wer hätte das gedacht - sehr her auf meine wände
bei der struktur meiner tapete klatsch ich freudich in die hände
und in der küche fand ich ein sonnenblumenkernbrot
kein kern mit gleicher farbe, ich fand blau grün und rot
und jeder schmeckte anders, das konnte ich schon sehn
allein durch den geschmack konnte ich alles verstehn

und später hörte ich musik, die klang wies himmelreich
ein gebilde aus logik und kein ton klang gleich
oh diese geistesnahrung war wie die offenbarung
dieser tag war eine unglaubliche erfahrung

ich rat euch, gebt euch den heiligen saft
ich sag euch das gibt kraft weil man alles rafft
fresst eure portion
und ihr merkt schon
wer keine angst vorm denken hat, gewinnt ein telefon

(3x)
seht ich probierte die heilige säurEE
hört wie ich für euch meine schaltkreise steure
ich erzähl euch vom fraqtal, dem ding im ding
von berg und tal und dem weg den ich ging

I hate charities that beg! Posted by Jeff

14:56:48 <ziviks> I hate the special olympics people who call and beg for money
14:56:57 <ziviks> they make me feel like a monster
14:57:01 <ziviks> I think i'll blog about it!

And so I am.

Charities shouldn't call and beg people for money. It is annoying, and they are disrespectful in how they present the information and try to pressure you into helping. There are SO many different charities out there, that if I donated to all of them, I myself would be in need to call and beg as well. One shouldn't feel bad to have to reject some of these callers. Your money should go where you decide to put it, not where people are pressuring you to put it. There are many great charities out there that can be considered. But there are many more things that can be done besides just giving money, and those things are often more important, and have a bigger impact.

Veronica Returns! Posted by Jeff

If this isn't an important Quasi-Religious event, I don't know what is...


Veronica Mars is returning for a third season, on the new CW network (taking over the reigns from The WB and UPN).

Tech Support Experience Posted by Jeff

I got onto a certain ISP's "Live Help" for my grandfather, who chose (perhaps unwisely) to have his main email go through them. It took 3 hours and 10 minutes!!! waiting in a queue which started with 26 people in it before anyone even began dealing with me. Some Names and Usernames have been changed to protect the innocent. This is hilarious:

2:12:48 PM System MHI Sansan has joined this session!

2:12:50 PM System Connected with MHI Sansan

2:13:09 PM You Hello

2:13:30 PM MHI Sansan I am pleased to meet you, Bill.

2:13:53 PM MHI Sansan Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

2:13:55 PM You This is actually Jeff, Bill is my grandpa. He had to leave. WE are having password issues on the account

2:14:20 PM MHI Sansan What was the error message you received when you tried to access your AOL account?

2:14:41 PM You well.. We haven't had to put the password in in so long, we reinstall software and when we tried to enter it it says it is wrong

2:15:20 PM You we had it written on a paper, and maybe the O's and Zeros were mixed up or something

2:15:40 PM You So we would like to do a password reset

2:16:50 PM MHI Sansan Let me see if I have this right. I understand that you need assistance with resetting your AOL screen name password. Do I have that correct?

2:17:06 PM You That is correct. I tried to reset it, and it said unable to verify and sent me to live help

2:17:39 PM You Our user name is aolsucks

2:18:10 PM MHI Sansan Thanks for clarifying that.

2:18:30 PM MHI Sansan I will be happy to assist you in resetting the password here online. However, I need to complete account verification before processing your password reset request.

2:18:52 PM You ok

2:20:20 PM You what do you need to verify?

2:22:02 PM You I am ready to complete account verification.

2:23:16 PM You I have waited 4 minutes since you said something?

2:23:23 PM MHI Sansan What is the master screen name of your account?

2:23:31 PM You aolsucks

2:25:14 PM You The screen name is aolsucks

2:25:49 PM You I already told you that 8 minutes ago?

2:26:11 PM MHI Sansan May I have your first and last name please?

2:26:22 PM You William Day (or Bill Day -- nickname)

2:27:21 PM MHI Sansan To protect your privacy and security, I need to verify your account information. Can you please provide me the answer to the Account Security Question of the Primary Master Screen Name? Here is the question:

2:27:21 PM MHI Sansan What is your pet's name?

2:27:42 PM You fuzzball ...... or fido ... i have two pets

2:28:01 PM MHI Sansan I am pleased to meet you, Maggie.

[ May I stop to point out here: WHAT!?!?! ]

2:28:11 PM MHI Sansan Please disregard the last response. I apologize for the confusion it may have caused. The message you received was intended for another member I am currently assisting as well.

2:28:31 PM MHI Sansan I appreciate the added information.

2:28:33 PM You Understood.

2:28:51 PM MHI Sansan What Screen Name would you like to have the password reset on?

2:29:00 PM You aolsucks

2:29:41 PM You As I said 12 minutes ago.

2:30:17 PM You Please help me reset the password for screen name aolsucks

2:32:11 PM MHI Sansan Thank you for waiting. I have reset your password to WD9747 under the screen name aolsucks. For security, please update this password the next time you log in to the service.

2:32:48 PM You Please wait while I try this before you leave.

2:33:17 PM MHI Sansan To change your password, please go to https://names.[the isp].com. Type in your screen name and password, then click the SIGN ON button. In the PASSWORD section, under your screen name, click the CHANGE link.

2:34:27 PM You I have succesfully logged in. It took [YOUR ISP] and you combined 215 minutes to assist me. Do you have faster support options for the future?

2:35:01 PM You After waiting in a queue I was told I was now the first in line, but you do not have enough employees to help people individually?

2:35:53 PM MHI Sansan I do apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you. For further assistance, you may contact our Password Department at 1-888-265-8004 toll free number.

2:36:01 PM You People would be happier if you help them one at a time. I am a computer consultant and software professional in my area, and I will be recommending my customers stay away from [YOUR ISP] because of this poor service.

2:36:34 PM You Most companies have a password reset web page that does this instantly.

2:37:18 PM You You can hire a teenager for $50 to make that service work for your company and eliminate the need for this live help.

2:37:51 PM You Bye

2:38:32 PM You p.s. Dell is hiring for tech support. They are a nicer company, you might consider moving.

2:39:16 PM You I will be sharing this transcript (With the names changed) on my blogs as well.

2:40:02 PM MHI Sansan Here is what I have done for you today: The password for your Screen Name AOLSucks has now been reset . The change will go into an immediate effect on your next login. Please do not forget to update this password once you have successfully logged back in.

2:40:11 PM MHI Sansan Thank you for visiting Member Account Services Live Help. Have a wonderful day.

2:40:11 PM System MHI Sansan has left this session!

2:40:11 PM System The session has ended!

Focal Curve :: Archive » The Evil Entity Posted by Jeff

Focal Curve :: Archive » The Evil Entity

A blogger after my own heart. Character entities are pain enough as it is, they should at least render according to the language they declare themselves.

Crossing Over Business and Blogging Posted by Jeff

I met with a business owner today and learned that she is into esoteric studies as well. So, I decided to tell her about my blogs. I've never crossed over my blogging and business associates before, so it shall be interesting if she decides to read much of what I write. Unfortunately, since I told her about my blogs, that disqualifies her as a subject to blog about, lest she realize I'm writing about her. I imagine this type of crossover will become more common as time progresses. I know this is a common thing for bloggers to consider, and I wonder how it will influeunce the perceptions of potential clients. I tend to think it is generally good to be open and forward about who you are, and provides a comfortable experience in comparison with the typical dry, impersonal, corporate American business.

It's DVDs! it's a book! no ... it's Superman? Posted by Susie

I was wakened this morning by the doorbell ringing, and after a frantic search for some clothing, opened the door to a package! We had ordered some Buffy DVDs and a set of books last week, so I thought maybe ...

But, when I opened the box, all it contained was a Superman action figure and a note: "Congratulations! You are a fifth prize winner in the QTG Superman Online Instant Win Game, sponsored by The Quaker Oats Company."

A month ago, I had bought a box of Pasta Roni (Alfredo, yum), and it had this superman contest on it. I usually don't go in for stuff like that, but this time it paid off, sort of.

I'll add a picture of the toy later today.