Halloween Night

I'm not big on Halloween but this year was especially nice. A friend from down the street came by with her two year old daughter who got to meet my oh-so-gentle ferret Ella for the first time which worked out really well.

A friend I hadn't seen since before the identity theft nightmare began also stopped by with his family. We talked for about 45 minutes and it seems that the friendship is intact. It turns out mail he sent me bounced (probably when my mail server was compromised) and he wasn't sure on how to get in touch. He finally stopped by and renewed the friendship and that was good too.

I did watch the Halloween episode of Pushing Daisies which was cute. It's a Bryan Fuller series and it's quirky so I'm sure it will be canceled soon but in the meanwhile I kind of like it. OK, it isn't as good as the oh-so-short lived Wonderfalls, which Fuller did with Tim Minear, but it's cute.

All in all it was a nice night. We handed out maybe 70 bags of candy which means there is some (too much) left. Oh well...

Recent Music Choices:
Phew - Our Likeness
Can - Landed
Deuter - Aum
Deuter - D
Adelbert Von Deyen - Sternzeit
Asmus Tietchens - Alpha Menge

Technorati Tags: halloween halloween night ferrets ella friends pushing daisies bryan fuller wonderfalls

A Hike On A Beautiful Fall Day

Yesterday (Sunday) I went on a hike with a good friend in a state park about 45 minutes from home. It was a beautiful crisp, cool fall day and the scenery was just gorgeous. We hiked just under five miles of trails. In addition to some much needed exercise for me the hike reminded me that no matter how hectic or unfair or difficult my life has seemed lately that taking some time out in nature can remind me or any of us just how much good life has to offer.

Another great stress reliever: some ambient and electronic music with a little jazz mixed in. You'll notice an almost complete lack of rock in my recent listening list below. The one notable exception is the psychedelic Ash Ra Tempel material and that, too, is instrumental.

My recent music selections:
Michel Huygen - Elixir
LAND - Archipelago
Asmus Tietchens - Zwingburgen des Hedonismus/Mysterien des Hafens
Asmus Tietchens - Musik An Der Grenze
Jeff Greinke - Cities in Fog
Klaus Schulze - Irrlicht
Conrad Schnitzler - Gelb
Conrad Schnitzler - Rot
Manuel Göttsching - Private Tapes, Vol. 1
Manuel Göttsching/Ash Ra Tempel - Private Tapes, Vol. 2
Manuel Göttsching/Ash Ra Tempel/Ashra - Private Tapes, Vol. 3
Club of Rome - Grosse Statik

Technorati Tags: hike hiking state park fall music ambient music electronic music exercise

A Death Threat From A Puppy Linux Supporter

I've just been informed by e-mail that not only are some defenders of Puppy Linux flaming me on the new DistroWatch Weekly comments but one actually issued a death threat against me for being "negative" about his or her favorite distribution in a recent post on the O'Reilly Linux Dev Center blog. It's one thing for a distribution to be well liked and inspire loyalty. It is something very different indeed to threaten the life of someone who disagrees. The point of my post which so outraged this person was that I couldn't review Puppy Linux because the distro won't run on my laptops.

If you're curious about the threat see post #90 on DistroWatch Weekly's comments. I have not responded there and I will not. I also won't back down or be intimidated and I stand behind my previous post.

This is a public appeal to Barry Kauler and the Puppy Linux user community to speak up against anyone who would resort to threats of violence to defend their distro. Indeed, I'd like to see some of that community speak up against the personal attacks on me in general. Do you believe there should be "hell to pay" (quoting post #90 again) if someone has a bad experience with Puppy Linux and reports on it?

Digg It!

Some recent music choices:
Phew
Earthstar - Atomkraft? Nein, Danke!
Conrad Schnitzler - Trigger Trilogy
Jean-Michel Jarré - Equinoxe
Vidna Obmana - The Trilogy
Eberhard Schoener - Sky Music/Mountain Music

Technorati Tags: death threat linux linux community puppy linux o'reillynet linux dev center fanatics

Linux Journal's Offensive Sexist Content: The Whole Story

Since her posts on O'ReillyNet which I wrote about, Carla Schroder has tried in vain to get some sort of response from Linux Journal after offensive ads were run and articles were published. The same is true for Linux Journal's sister magazine, Tux Magazine. Carla has gone ahead and chronicled the whole sordid mess in an article for LXer.com.

"I have to wonder- where on Earth did Ms. Fairchild get the idea that alienating her customers is a good business practice? So what if she finds sexist, demeaning humor funny? It doesn't belong in Linux Journal. I paid my subscription money in good faith for many years, trusting to receive good Linux articles. If I want to read about blowjobs or read about how helpless and stupid women are, I don't expect to find it in Linux Journal. There are abundant sources for that elsewhere."

As far as I am concerned the whole article is a must read.

Digg It!

Some recent music choices:
Steve Roach & Vidna Obmana - Inner Zone
Dieter Moebius - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: "Blue Moon"
LAND - Road Movies
King Crimson - Thrak
Asmus Tietchens & David Lee Myers - 60:00
Pink Floyd - Obscured By Clouds
Pink Floyd - A Saucerful of Secrets
Hans-Joachim Roedelius - Jardin Au Fou
Between - Dharana
Moebius & Beerbohm - Double Cut

Technorati Tags: sexism linux linux community linux journal carla Schroder lzer.com advertisement gender stereotyping feminism