August 31, 2010 by Joel.

Apple really tries to make things simple, and it should have been a 10 minute job but it ended up taking an hour. I wanted to extend my home wireless network, as the coverage on the patio and porch has been weaker than I’d like to have. The porch in particular was weak. I use an Apple Airport Extreme (in the DMZ of my 2Wire Uverse router) and the Apple access points have network extension settings built into the setup dialog. I picked up an Airport Express from the Apple store. Power up the new Airport and set to extend the network. ‘cept it didn’t work! The Express connected to the Extreme, but it gave an error extending the network. Looked in the log, and the Express updated its time via NTP thru the Extreme but no extension of the network. Moved the Express to the same room as the Extreme, so there was not a range problem. No good. Checked and re-checked and retyped the helpfully copied SSID and password. No good. Then, as I poked around the Extreme configuration looking for clues, there it was…a checkbox that said “allow this network to be extended.” Clicked that, and suddenly all was happy, and my network is extended

Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »

July 1, 2010 by Joel.

What a hot June it’s been here in central NC. Most days over 90F, and one officially 101F at the RDU airport. That makes the break so nice. Low 80’s, low humidity, blue sky…after a meeting this afternoon, I left one campus building and just sat on a wall outside, pulled out the iPad and scored some campus wifi for email. Much better than my office!

Tonight, we’re sitting on the patio enjoying a wonderful evening. Even have a small fire burning in the fire pit, and a nice Cotes du Rhone red! Tonight’s lows should be in the upper 50’s. Doesn’t get much better here in the summer.

The weekend weather is supposed to be equally spectacular. We’re heading to the beach for the long weekend.

Cheers, y’all!

Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »

May 26, 2010 by Joel.

As I drove home from work today, as usual I listened to the podcast of The Economist magazine. They read a story about the recent flurry of press activity and governmental proclamations around the press release from Google that Google had inadvertently collected wifi data with the street view vehicles. I have a couple of thoughts about this:

1) Inadvertent? Hah! It was not wise, but I doubt it was unintentional by the developers who loaded the code.
2) However, what’s the big deal? This was unencrypted wifi data from folks who didn’t care about the security of their data! Geez. Get over it, and worry more about changes in Facebook privacy settings, where I do think there should be scrutiny and review.

Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »

December 23, 2009 by Joel.

It’s been just over a month since my last posting. I’ve thought about several things to blog on, but somehow it never happened. Lots of excuses, busy at work and at home. I’ve taken on the role of District Chairman for Orange District, Boy Scouts of America…that will keep me busy. However, if I don’t tend my digital garden, no one else will (they better not, ’cause then I’ve been hacked ). I’m off work until January 4th, so hopefully I’ll have something to say. I have read a couple of books, Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon and Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol. I really liked Cryptonomicon, and the Lost Symbol felt like a lightweight after reading Cryptonomicon. I should do a book review of that one. Over Winter Break, I’ll try to catch up on my RSS feeds, update all the computers in the house, do a few blog entries, maybe go winter trout fishing, shoot some clay birds…hmmm…better take off a few more days!

Jan and I have done a few fun things. The weekend before Thanksgiving, we hopped a plane to Buffalo to catch the last stop on the Rippington’s 2009 concert tour (great show!). Also did a quick trip to Niagara Falls while we were there. So, what’s a question that you don’t answer affirmatively to the border agent on the Canadian border? Do you have any firearms on your person? Sure, I alway pack heat when I visit tourist destinations…geez, what the world must think of us Americans . Oh well…

Also, in early December, did the annual Chapel Hill Wine Company Champagne dinner at Acme Food & Beverage in Carrboro. Great food; Champagne really is a great dinner wine.

Can’t think of much else now…to be continued!

Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »

December 20, 2008 by Joel.

I’m off work now until Jan. 2nd (yep, that will be a one day week, but I need to cover for my colleagues in the office that day). The last couple of weeks have been very hectic, and I’m looking forward to sleeping late, reading, catching up on odd jobs (digital & physical), and a bit of general sloth. Today is a gray, cloudy day, and that’s a good way to say, hey, slow down, stay inside, listen to some tunes (Pandora.com, Wallflowers right now…), have some tea…you get the general idea.

Went running with the dogs this morning before it started raining, glad I did that. Did some weights afterwards; have to try to ward off the holiday goodies. Will head out to do a bit of Christmas shopping in a few minutes. (Pandora just queued up Cold Play) Need to take inventory of what we’ve bought and what we still need to procure. I can just feel the stress oozing out and mellowness seeping in

Happy Holidays all!

Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »

July 27, 2008 by Joel.

Our neighbors came over for some wine & watermelon on the patio last night. A fine evening to listen to tree frogs and enjoy July in the south. He’s the facilities manager at a local “eco institute”, and they have some new piglets there. As we were visiting, his cell buzzed with a text message…it seems that the pigs had opened the gate, but were still in the electric fence. No emergency, but one that would take attention in the morning. With apologies to Robert Redford, my wife asked our neighbor if he was a Pig Whisperer (and apparently, this was the title of a 1996 episode of “Spin City”, but heck, I’d never even heard of that). She then mused that perhaps “Dances with Pigs” might be more appropriate. At any rate, we ordered a “pig whisperer” t-shirt for him as a gag. You too can have one if you feel the need!

Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »

November 14, 2007 by Joel.

Before this post, I noticed that 3 of the last 4 items I posted started with “So, ….”

I think I’m in a rut

Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »

January 1, 2007 by Joel.

So, here’s an odd little post

Opened a bottle of Moet at midnight last night, but only wanted a glass for each of us.  I put a “vacu-vin” stopper in the bottle, pumped out the air, and then put the champagne top (the little metal cap with the wires under the bottle rim) back on over the vacu-vin cap.  Opened the bottle about 2PM today and and Jan & I finished the bottle, sitting on the front porch…just as fresh and bubbly as when first opened.  Maybe this is old hat to everyone, but it was news to me.

Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »

December 24, 2006 by Joel.

While the holiday season is often a whirlwind of plans, preparations, etc., today has really been a breath of fresh air. The gifts are bought and wrapped, we’re having dinner at the neighbors’ house tonight, so no cooking, and the agenda has been simply to take the dogs for a walk, exercise, and read a book.

For about a month, I’ve been part of the way through reading “Collapse” by Jared Diamond. I’ve read a couple hundred pages today, and may finish this afternoon. Reading is one thing that I don’t get to do enough, it seems. My dad has given me a subscription to the Economist magazine for Christmas (the first issue just arrived), and am looking forward to reading that, even if I skim more than throughly reading as I’d like.

Happy holidays to all!

Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »

November 12, 2006 by Joel.

…Just trying out the software & tools provided by the ISP, really and moving content from an old blog over here…

Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »