Ok who thought it was a good idea so that when you have a failing disk to keep popping up the warnings. The warnings I can live with but ...
they stop you mounting anything such as an external disk drive on which you might want to backup stuff to.

So rather than 30 Mb/s I have been getting 3Mb/s or less
rsync -avz -e ssh ian@tqft.local:/newmovies/ /media/movies/ where /media/movies is an external harddisk.
yes movies actually mpeg (transport stream) and mp4 files of recorded tv shows - eg
Doctor Who: The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe - ABC1 - Mon 26 Dec 2011 19:26:00 EST
2.8Gb which i haven't been able to rip because I have been busy stripping the machine before I dban it. Still going.
There is a 15Gb file to come http://www.abc.net.au/rage/archive/s3345415.htm

I could have stopped the machine and rebooted with a live cd (puppy) but worried the disks may not come up. Am avoiding stressing the disks.

Some fuckhead machine operator appears to have lost or deleted all his ripped Blakes7 from DVD except what is on his iPod which can't be mounted on the desktop because of the disk errors, and is no use mounting on the laptop because libmp4v2 has been deleted from Ubuntu 11.10
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-media/+question/180549

My laptop /home now has 2.1Gb spare. 2Gb will be freed up soon once I burn the debian gnome and kde dvds and verify they work.

I am going to have to get better organised.

So I have been paying attention to the SMART warning from my hard disks and making sure my backups are up to date.

This morning heard click click and then machine died - guessing it was the disk with the o/s on. Tried rebooting grub came up (on another disk) but no o/s. Turned it off.

My plan is to wipe and reformat all the disks in the machine - will this work on disks (another one is quite sad as it has had quite a thrashing) already warning of failure? Say run dban then reformat the disks. Will this resurrect the usable portions (almost 1/2 of the big disk with the o/s has never even been formatted) or am I screwed? I do have other disks to put in the machine and in the meantime I have a laptop.

Machine will also receive some overdue maintenance - compressed air, remove all parts, more compressed air, new thermal paste for the processor/heatsink.

When both articles are on the front page of the wsj (Asia Edition that I get by default)
"China Considers Navy Presence in Seychelles "
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203518404577096261061550538.html?mod=WSJASIA_hpp_MIDDLETopNews

"U.S. Drone Crashes in Seychelles "
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204336104577096412309842128.html?mod=WSJASIA_hpp_MIDDLEThirdNews

Perhaps the people from ACADEMI are due a nice holiday.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/call-to-pay-back-hidden-dividends-20111212-1orbr.html
"a number of leading Australian companies are hiding payments to management by paying dividends on performance shares, meaning executives are getting a return on performance stock to which they may never be entitled. ...
Further, the payments often take the form of fully franked dividends, which means that shareholders are paying tax for executives on shares that have not, and may never, vest."
Don't worry about meeting the performance hurdles - so even if the exec's demolish the company in a fit of idiocy and the exec's fail to meet the performance hurdles so that the stock vests, they have been getting the dividends anyway.

Even more surprising (am I getting cynical?) is that a journo is actually reporting this rort.

Maybe bash the big end of town will be the flabvour of 2012 and this guy is starting early.

ian@tqft-l:~$ uname -a
Linux tqft-l 3.0.0-13-generic #22-Ubuntu SMP Wed Nov 2 13:27:26 UTC 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

ian@tqft-l:~$ gcc -v
Using built-in specs.
COLLECT_GCC=/usr/bin/gcc-4.6.real
COLLECT_LTO_WRAPPER=/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/4.6.1/lto-wrapper
Target: x86_64-linux-gnu
Configured with: ../src/configure -v --with-pkgversion='Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.1-9ubuntu3' --with-bugurl=file:///usr/share/doc/gcc-4.6/README.Bugs --enable-languages=c,c++,fortran,objc,obj-c++,go --prefix=/usr --program-suffix=-4.6 --enable-shared --enable-linker-build-id --with-system-zlib --libexecdir=/usr/lib --without-included-gettext --enable-threads=posix --with-gxx-include-dir=/usr/include/c++/4.6 --libdir=/usr/lib --enable-nls --with-sysroot=/ --enable-clocale=gnu --enable-libstdcxx-debug --enable-libstdcxx-time=yes --enable-plugin --enable-objc-gc --disable-werror --with-arch-32=i686 --with-tune=generic --enable-checking=release --build=x86_64-linux-gnu --host=x86_64-linux-gnu --target=x86_64-linux-gnu
Thread model: posix
gcc version 4.6.1 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.1-9ubuntu3)

http://code.google.com/p/chromium/wiki/LinuxBuildInstructionsPrerequisites
http://dev.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/get-the-code Nb: Bootstrap notes for Ubuntu are here - install-build-deps.sh
http://code.google.com/p/chromium/wiki/LinuxBuildInstructions

assumes ccache installed

you will need plenty of memory - wiki says ". It's recommended to have at least 4GB ". There was a slashdot item recently which I didn't read apparently about chromium build requirements

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

#add depot tools to path
export PATH="$PATH":`pwd`/depot_tools

#enable ccache
export CC='ccache gcc-4.6'
export CXX='ccache g++-4.6'
#4.5 is an unknown quantity, 4.4 might work but it didn't for me

#do the build
export GYP_GENERATORS=make && gclient runhooks --force && gclient sync --deps="unix,chromeos" && cd /sourcetrees/programs/chromium/src && ./build/gyp_chromium -Dwerror=0 -Dwerror= -DWerror=unused-but-set-variable && make -j4 BUILDTYPE=Release V=1 chrome

# technically some of the above steps only need to be run once, not each time unless something eg in the deps changes,

#the Dwerror= bits are for when you get compile errors. By default all warnings and errors are fatal and the build stops, You may need to tweak that if other errors occur
-----------------------------------------------

-j4 still takes a long time
the "chrome" in the last step appears to be required for the x64 as I don't have it in my x32 build script which was working as of this morning, not sure what the difference is - I kept getting an error nothing to do for all, so I told it to do something and it worked

Result: http://imgur.com/M1XDo
http://imgur.com/YeWR0

If I had of known on Tuesday that I would be off all week including Friday I would have started a Buffython or LoTRthon. Haven't fixed printer or wife's laptop wifi connection which only intermittently auto connects.

If it is spam it got thru Yahoo's mail filter, either way I have no need to pay these people money for UK businesses. And my guaranteed one in ten uniqueness

SME Email & Direct Marketing File

We have just invested in a brand new UK Email Database and to help recoup some of our investment we are looking to resell the data to a small number of companies. We intend to use this database for our own clients so we don't want it to become saturated. The database contains 212k records. This database consists of SME businesses throughout the UK - split into UK counties. All records are strictly permission (opt in) based at decision maker level. This data has been developed during August and September this year and is therefore the most up to date and accurate email database available. All records contain contact details of senior decision makers within each company with personal business email addresses.

We guarantee a delivery rate of 90% with this data and it is sold on a multiple use basis.

The following data fields are included:

Company Name

Website

Full Address

Town / County / Postcode

Premises

Employees (Quantity)

Business Category

SIC Code

Telephone Number

Fax Number

Contact Details (with Job title)

Email address

The database is considerabley discounted at a set fee of £250 and this offer will close on Friday 25th November. The data cost us in excess of £3k with full resell rights. We intend to sell the data a maximum of ten times to differing business types to reduce our outlay.

Please reply to this email if you would like to proceed with this offer or call us on 0843 289 0979. Please ensure you let us know your primary business type.

Kind regard

Sally

rockpooldata.com (this database doesn't appear on our website as sales are limited)

Not Carlton United Brewery, Cashed Up Bogan
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204621904577016172350869312.html?mod=WSJ_hp_us_mostpop_read
"Mr. Dinnison hopes to be promoted to another underground job paying $1,400 a day, up from $800 a day. Lina Mitchell, his 28-year-old fiancée, said she is committed to teaching Mr. Dinnison how to manage his money. "The miners will spend the money on cars, bikes, parties," she said. Mr. Dinnison, meanwhile, said he is committed to mining. "I'm qualified enough now that I'll always have a job," he said. "Without mining, I'd be an auto mechanic making $600 a week. I love mining, mate.""

"The heavily tattooed Mr. Dinnison, who started in the mines seven years ago earning $100,000, owns a sky-blue 2009 Chevy Ute, which cost $55,000 before a $16,000 engine enhancement, and a $44,000 custom motorcycle. The price tag on his chihuahua, Dexter, which yaps at his feet: $1,200."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Things_Bogans_Like ;)

Gotta love progress.

Dear fuckwits at Telstra,

Thank you for providing an online contact form for use from your online billing system so I can query charges as they arise from anywhere in the world.

In my case Vanuatu.

However, WHAT FUCKTARD PROGRAMMED IT?
"The following message to was undeliverable.
The reason for the problem:
5.1.0 - Unknown address error 550-'5.1.0 Relay not
allowed. IB505'

Attachment: [] Open
--- Forwarded Message ---
Date:
[Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:58:56 +1100] "

Not an email from yahoo, my isp account or anything. No the html delivered Online contact form you get to by selecting a link in your account page.

Was very pleased to see international data access charges being added when I don't have data access enabled, there is no option on the phone to turn it off I could find and that Vanuatu regards visitors as fair game on Telco billing.

Even less pleased was that I specifically enabled international roaming so I could make calls. Go on guess what didn't work. I will give you 3 tries.

Thankfully I could receive calls, as someone called and asked if I could come in for an interview on Thursday. Luckily they agreed to reschedule for next week now that I am home.

Was just checking my account to see how bad it got - it didn't - but there is a principle at stake, but it did popup survey request which I very willingly filled in.

PS: a 3 strikes rule applied to countries would see Vanuatu's internet access disabled in about 30 minutes from application of the rule. Software, dvd's, probably a lot of the games on the shelves of the "duty free" shops all obviously pirated - unless SQLServer2008 is $50.

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=698753
"I suggest that in any public-facing communication we use something like "the Malaysian company DigiCert Sdn. Bhd.")

http://www.digicert.com.my/

According to Entrust, they are fairly well known in the region, having several government customers, including the central bank.

Entrust has discovered that this subCA has been operating in contravention of a) their contract with Entrust, b) their own CPS, and c) CA good practice, in at least 3 ways:

1) They have issued at least 12 certificates, which are currently valid, using 512-bit
      RSA keys.
2) Even though Entrust's agreement covers only SSL, many, if not all, of their certs have
      no EKU (so can be used for anything, including code signing)
3) There are no revocation pointers of any kind in many (probably all) of their
      certificates.

This issue came to light because the private key for (at least) one of the 512bit keys has been obtained by an attacker (probably by reverse-engineering; 512bit RSA is no longer secure), and used to sign malware. This malware was then used in a (noticed) spear-phishing attack on the Asia Pacific office of another CA."

I should be in the air in 24h and be offline for about a week - be careful out there

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3611194.html
"Q. There have recently been protests held in some Australian cities - similar to the "Occupy Wall Street" protests in USA - against "corporate greed" and the power of major banks and multinational corporations. Which best describes your opinion of these protests?
          Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
Agree with their concerns and support the protests 29% 36% 18% 59%
Agree with their concerns but don't support the protests 40% 37% 48% 27%"
Don't agree with their concerns 13% 10% 19% 5%

So 69% of people agree with the concerns of the OWS .
"This is despite media coverage ranging from outright ridicule through to condescending puzzlement. What do these people even stand for? There's no financial crisis here right, so why get worked up?"
People waking up? We can hope & dream.

Further down the page are some polling numbers on who the public thinks politicians represent.

Kind of glad we couldn't afford to go to Hawaii - going somewhere a bit closer and a hell of a lot saner. Maybe next year things will have sorted themselves out.

What kind of country is the USA?

If these were isolated incidents
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203752604576643422390552158.html?mod=WSJASIA_hpp_editorspicks_2
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203752604576641902694217730.html?mod=WSJ_Markets_RightMostPopular
or Naomi Wolf's fun in NY
there wouldn't be too much to fret on. But the noises coming out of various places seem to keep making sounds like control, censorship and command.

It seems the powers that be are getting less happy with people communicating freely .

tl;dr: USA please fix your country

So I bought a new laptop so i can spend more time with the wife in the lounge room with her looking for a job rather than holing up in the study.

Got wireless working Broadcom chip and all - maybe just lucky combo of versions of chip and drivers (pin everything now will it works?).

Samba - got samba started up on the old Desktop and is running. Fucked with the firewall rules and stuff and can actually see the machine and the one shared partition I selected. Can play an mp3 track from said share. Open k3b or k9copy (am actually running Gnome 3 Classic - for now - Ubuntu 11.10) and tell it to rip disc to that share - fails.

Specific question - what test(s) can I run that will allow to diagnose whether it is a permissions issue, residual firewall issue, something else?

PS: How in the hell do people get 6 hours from a full battery charge - only look at the screen sideways and not touch it.

"Koch Brothers Flout Law Getting Richer With Secret Iran Sales"
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-02/koch-brothers-flout-law-getting-richer-with-secret-iran-sales.html/
By Asjylyn Loder and David Evans - Oct 3, 2011 8:00 AM GMT+1000
"For six decades around the world, Koch Industries has blazed a path to riches -- in part, by making illicit payments to win contracts, trading with a terrorist state, fixing prices, neglecting safety and ignoring environmental regulations. At the same time, Charles and David Koch have promoted a form of government that interferes less with company actions. "

Guess who needed his back up instructions?
http://slashdot.org/journal/270642/someplace-to-record-it---chromium-build-chrome

My other plan of having my phone ring for someone to offer me a job has failed.

Spent 30 minutes trying to get an answer this afternoon about when I am likely to hear something. No luck.

A weekend of in-laws to look forward to.

ULJ
http://blog.bookviewcafe.com/2011/09/19/clinging-desperately-to-a-metaphor/
"Capitalist growth, probably for at least a century and certainly from the turn of the millennium on, has been growth in the wrong sense. Not only endless but uncontrolled â" random. Growth as in tumor. Growth as in cancer."

A giant fungus that underlies the Mid-West?