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GRAFFITI -- September 15 thru September 21, 2003>> Link to the Current Week <<Last Week << Mon Tues Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun >> Next Week Welcome to Orb Graffiti, a place for me to write daily about life and computers. Contrary to popular belief, the two are not interchangeable. About eMail - I publish email sometimes. If you send me an email and you want privacy or anonymity, please say so clearly at the beginning of your message.. |
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September 15, 2003 - Updates at 0839 EST
Good morning. I'm just now catching up with myself... No, we didn't buy a house over the weekend, but I am still well and truly wiped. House hunting is hard work. I'm starting today in the office, then I'm off to Falls Church to install a new computer, then up to Gaithersburg - a busy day. So I'd best be about it. See you later.
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September 16, 2003 - Updates at 0734
Hullo. Yesterday was a good day. Tasks were completed, clients were happy, everything pretty much came out as it should. I get paid, of course, to do my job. So do the people at RoadRunner, the company that provides cable modem service to many areas, including Bob Thompson in North Carolina. But why don't they do their jobs?
Sep 16 07:22:25 rocket postfix/smtp[24511]: 5BCA12640C4: to=<[email protected]>, relay=ncmx03.mgw.rr.com[24.25.4.97], delay=1, status=bounced (host ncmx03.mgw.rr.com[24.25.4.97] said: 550 5.7.1 Mail Refused - 64.246.16 - See http://security.rr.com/mail_blocks.htm#security - 20030910)
You see, RoadRunner not only uses assorted RBLs, they also maintain their own private block lists. They do so just as aggressively as the heaviest RBLs, in that they expand the block beyond any offending IP to overlap innocent bystanders. So far, so good. But while there was indeed apparently a problem of some sort with one of our IP neighbors at Rackshack, that was corrected last Thursday, and the appropriate address at RoadRunner notified. However, there's been no action to open the Class C block they've got in place. In the meantime, if we want to send email to someone in that Balkan state, we've got to use a disposable account. And as Jerry noted the other day, for some reason or another, AOL is blocking all of Earthllink. That impinges on Roberta's business. Do the world a favor, turn your head if someone decides to vivisect a spammer or twenty. Then maybe the madness will stop.
One item of note yesterday was my left front tire. It was down to 15 PSI again, after I filled it last week. Time for a trip to the tire place at Sears. I'd best be about that, if I'm to drop the bills over at the Post Office. Have a lovely day...
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September 17, 2003 - Updates at 0730
Good morning. Yesterday started with a trip to the Sears tire place to have a slow leak in the left front checked out. They got me in and out in just over an hour, and while the shop people don't say what they fixed (for a flat $15, why should they stop to talk), I watched the action... It appeared to be the valve stem. After that I shot back home to pick up my gear and lunch, to find Sally completely napped out, as shown. She only woke up as I was leaving, and looked up as to say, "Hi, why are you here, I'm going back to sleep now. {thud}"
It was another two-site day yesterday, and I accomplished useful bits both places, applying RPC and DCOM security updates to client and server machines right left and sideways. I bailed out 15 minutes later than planned, at 16:30, to head home, pick up Marcia, and go look at more houses. Two really nice places on itty-bitty lots (no ground to speak of other than a postage stamp lawn out front, then one that really hit the spot for us. A nice neighborhood, a third of an acre, enough space upstairs for all the office and sewing requirements, a nice master suite and so on. One nice touch - a complete guest suite including kitchen in the basement with enough other room left for me to make it over into a small woodworking shop one day.
We like it enough to go ahead and write up the offer, so we are. We talked to the banker last night and got a good estimate of our payments and closing costs and we can do this. It'll be fun to see how it plays out. I'll cut out briefly after my first meeting of the day and head back here to sign the offer, then off to the next gig. Wish us luck.
Before I go, I'll share with you Andrew Colbeck's input on the Roadrunnner situation:
Hello, Brian.
Supposedly, RR has also taken the measure of blocking web access to http://openrbl.org which they replace instead with their own web page telling them something along the lines of fill in this form to request permission to access this web page via a password. Supposedly as a measure imposed by their "Director of Security".
It's nice to see that RoadRunner is finally doing something about the rampant spam emanating from their netblocks, but it's a pity that they're doing it so poorly.
Not having an account with them, I can't test if that's true; however, I wonder if they have also blocked the mirrors (which currently need to be used anyway, as the site is being DDOS'ed), e.g. http://us.openrbl.org
Andrew 8)
I noted that "I'm not quite sureI understand why RR would block web access to openrbl by it's subscribers... is it to prevent ddos attacks against it from within? Me == confused." So I post it here for your consideration.
Additionally, update your SSH installations. Two or three vulnerabilities were discovered over the last couple of days, and while there's no indication that they CAN be exploited, if they were, it could be less than good. So patch up to 3.7.1 and have a great day!
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September 18, 2003 - Updates at 0701
Good morning. Just about 12 hours ago our friend and real estate agent, Shelley (email us for contact details, she's great), called us to say that the owners accepted our offer. They want ... to take the master bedroom drapes with them. Beyond that, it's down to the inspection report and the Home Owners Association covenants. If there's nothing too heinous in either, then we'll be trading a few tens of thousands of dollars in return for keys, a garage door opener and the right to declare lots of interest on our tax returns. I commented today that the difference in the indentured servitude resulting from the purchase of property rather than the renting thereof is that we'll own the ground that covers us when we're dead and gone. Upbeat sense of humour, that's me... Closing is scheduled for on October 20th, as long as we all (and I include structures in this) survive the coming hurricane.
As Bob noted yesterday, this mother is likely to pick up steam and power as she crosses the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The Federales closed up shop last night, as have the schools all 'round, county offices and who knows what all else.
I pulled in all the bits that might blow about in the wind. We have candles, some batteries, a lantern, camp gear, a working grill with full propane tank and plenty of food and water laid in. All I need is an extra box of donuts and I'm set for an extended power outage.
You're welcome to send email as Rocket (this server) is in Houston, unaffected by events here on the right coast. But depending on power conditions, I may be out of touch from late this afternoon until power and services are restored. Don't be alarmed, and if you really, really need to get in touch with me, you have alternate routes and cell numbers and such. I'll check messages there from time to time. Now to work with me for a few hours, then back home before the storm batters its way in...
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September 19, 2003 - Updates at n/a
No power, no post.
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September 20, 2003 - Updates at n/a
No power, no post.
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September 21, 2003 - Updates at 1740
Whew! Finally, after 71 hours, the lights are back on here at the rental hovel. As of 4 this afternoon (shortly before we got power back), BGE was quoting 385,000 customers still without power. Yowzah! I've got pictures and news, but I'll hold those until tomorrow. We're fine, the new house still looks fine (inspection is tomorrow), and it's time to get back to work tomorrow. See ya then!
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Visit the rest of the DAYNOTES GANG, a collection of bright minds and sharp wits. Really, I don't know why they tolerate me <grin>. My personal inspiration for these pages is Dr. Jerry Pournelle. I am also indebted to Bob Thompson and Tom Syroid for their patience, guidance and feedback. Of course, I am sustained by and beholden to my lovely wife, Marcia. You can find her online too, at http://www.dutchgirl.net/. Thanks for dropping by.
All Content Copyright © 1999-2003 Brian P. Bilbrey.
