m0n0wall

This could be a great firewall option.

How to Buy It: Vinyl Tile - eHow.com
"Are you wondering where you can buy it: Cheap vinyl tile,
high quality vinyl tile, free vinyl tile? Well we probably
can't help you find it for free, but we can show you the following places
to buy it online. "

Hometime - How-To - Project Help - Flooring

"Vinyl tile is a simple, inexpensive way to cover a floor. Many tiles have a self-adhesive that only requires peeling off the backing and sticking them down. "

We are considering using this method to cover floors in our lower-end rentals. If there are already tiled floors, we will re-cement over them and then vinyl tile them.

Ever want to compete with Tivo?

Episode 2 of SYSTM is going to come out some time this week!

In this episode of SYSTM, Kevin and Dan show how to make your own Tivo.

You can compete with Tivo installing this on your old boxes. If you get a $170 vido capture card, and already have a good enough box just laying around, then you can sell it for say $300 a box. Not bad for a simple 1/2 hour of work.

Don't steal my idea man.

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Myth TV compatible PVR on sale!

CircuitCity has the Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150 w/ remote for $100 - $40MIR = $60 w/ free shipping.

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Great Google AdSense tips

Links to great Google AdSense tips.

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A Hacker Games the Hotel

"A vulnerability in many hotel television infrared systems can allow a hacker to obtain guests' names and their room numbers from the billing system."

Just for your security in hotels...

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Tiniest drive to date
Techworthy - Tech Blog

I just had to put this up. If they can make 4gb drives this small, then a terabyte solution could be in the palm of your hand very soon IMHO.

Purchase a Skycar!

"As a result of the recent successful hovering flights of the M400 Skycar, Moller International is accepting deposits to secure delivery positions for our M400 Skycar until after the Skycar has flown from hover to full aerodynamic flight and returned (transitioning flight). A limited number of delivery positions are available."

I have been watching this skycar since the mid 90's.

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Mountable Linux File System Using GmailFS and Your Gmail Account

"GmailFS provides a mountable Linux file system which uses your Gmail account as its storage medium. This means you can use all your favorite UNIX command line tools to operate on files stored on Gmail."

Again, something I haven't yet tried, but I am going to as soon as I get some time. This solves the need for a 2gb thumbdrive.

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So what if it is in Japanese? It look like a lot of fun

"Most gamers can get it in one shot even if the instructions are in Japanese. Enjoy the Cursor Dodger game...the character is a mean looking fellow."

This is a blast for a while.

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Autoupdated site keeps you up-to-date on news in the DIGG community.

digg spy

Breaking News: 10th planet discovered

NASA is currently holding a press conference announcing the discovery of the solar systems 10th planet which is larger than Pluto.

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the cheapest web hosting - pay for what you use

"This is the Cheapest Web Hosting I have seen. I've used it for a few months. it works great. 1 dollar per gig of traffic and .01 cents for every meg of storage. they will refund your remaining money if you don't like the service."

I read the site and like the people there already. Not too often that you run into people with this kind of integrity.

Now, I don't use them, yet, so don't hold that against me. :D

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Could this be the beginning of the end of big storage comanies like EMC?
Big storage on the cheap | CNET News.com

"Capricorn's storage systems cost about $2 a gigabyte, said the company's chief executive, C.R. Saikley. At that price, the cost breakdown would be about 65 cents for the gigabyte of storage and $1.35 for racks, software, networking, management tools and other components.

That means that a Capricorn 1-terabyte system (which consists of 1,000 gigabytes) would sell for about $2,000, while a 1-petabyte system (1,000 terabytes) would cost about $2 million."

The most popular blogger on blogster.com: AMEN brother!
Blogster: Chief Blogster in Man's Life

"if it turns out that some 40 year old white guy organization start blowing up buildings ... I am not going to have a problem with being searched because I match the description. I would rather you search me than have to explain to the parents of those who are killed that my rights to privacy are greater than your kids right to live."

Also, most white males technically ain't white. I know I ain't. I have a blood disorder that only middle eastern hard laborers had until transportation made the world small enough that it is everywhere in every race now. So, if they search me twice as long as they tell me it is because I match the profile more power to them. I am 1/32 American Indian, and the same goes there. If you saw me, you'd say I looked white. But, I ain't any whiter than any other mixed blood.

It ain't racial profiling unless they are searching a race two and three times more often for no reason at all. If intelligence says a certain group all of one race is planning an attack, I say tell everyone from that race to be ready for extra searching and like it. If I were in that race group, I'd rather not have someone's blood on my hands cause I cried for my "rights". My rights stop at your face. Rights are about a civil society. How can we be civil if we're living like we're at war?

I'll get off my soap box now...

Houston, Manhattan Beach Apple stores open soon - Yahoo! News
"Apple on Tuesday announced that its two newest brick and mortar retail store locations will open this weekend. Apple retail stores will open in Houston, Texas and Manhattan Beach, Calif. on Saturday, July 30, 2005."

Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades).

Another potentially political entry.

You think you know about Islam. But did you know...

• Islam teaches that Muslims must wage war to impose Islamic law on non-Muslim states
• American Muslim groups are engaged in a huge cover-up of Islamic doctrine and history
• Today's jihad terrorists have the same motives and goals as the Muslims who fought the Crusaders
• The Crusades were defensive conflicts Muslim persecution of Christians has continued for 13 centuries–and still goes on...

When PC (politically correct) propagandists assure us that jihadist terror doesn't reflect "true," "peaceful" Islam, they're not only wrong, they're dangerous -- because they lull America and the West into letting their guard down against their mortal enemy. And not only do self-appointed "experts" lie elaborately and persistently about Islam -- they have also replaced the truth about Christian Europe and the Crusades with an all-pervasive historical fantasy that is designed to make you ashamed of your own culture and heritage -- and thus less determined to defend it. But now there's a remedy: in The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades), Robert Spencer reveals all the disturbing facts about Islam and its murderous hostility to the West that other books ignore, soft-pedal -- or simply lie about.

This book is a unique guide to the bloody teachings and history of Islam, and to the Crusades that still stand today as the Western world's most sustained and successful defense against the warrior hordes who were inspired by those teachings. Exposing myth after myth of the "Islam means peace" establishment, Spencer (director of JihadWatch.com and the bestselling author of Islam Unveiled and Onward Muslim Soldiers) here tackles all the hot-button issues regarding Islam and the Crusades. (Paperback, 270 pages)

Yahoo!'s Konfabulator site up with download!

"Found this while guessing URL's on yahoo's site. They have a full site already up for Konfabulator which was turned over to Yahoo!, they also have downloads up for both Windows and Mac."

The Mac version has tons of fun cute widgets.

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Blatant Political Opinion:
Hiram Lewis for US Senate

I received this letter from a fellow veteran and it struck a chord. Although I am not from West Virginia, I thought the best thing I could do is support his effort.

" Click Here to help get Robert Byrd out of office!

Dear Fellow American,

Please take just a moment to look at this picture of me sitting on Saddam Hussein's throne in his Republican Guard Palace in Baghdad, Iraq.

Helping overthrow Saddam and his Republican Guard -- and helping bring Democracy to the people of Iraq -- is one of the proudest moments of my life.

Sadly, some Americans, even some of our elected leaders, were not proud of my actions in Iraq.

While I was serving my country as an Army Ranger and Command Judge Advocate in Operation Iraqi Freedom...

... liberal politicians like Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, and Tom Daschle were attacking our mission and undermining our troops from the safety of their fancy taxpayer-funded offices in Washington.

Robert Byrd, the Senator from my home state of West Virginia, made grandstanding speeches on the Senate Floor proclaiming my service in Iraq "unconstitutional" and gloomily predicting it would soon lead to more "vicious terrorist attacks."

I never let the cowardly words of these career politicians get me down.

But I can tell you that on the ground in Iraq, their words definitely had a demoralizing effect on a lot of the young men and women that I served with and commanded.

That's when I realized what my next mission would be when I got back from Iraq:

Defeating Robert Byrd for his Senate seat in 2006.

I hope you'll help this Army Ranger take out a left-wing Democrat career politician by joining my Campaign Team today.

All I need you to do is to click here:

https://secure.responseenterprises.com/hiramlewis/?a=5

Because the challenges facing our country are too important to be left to liberal, life-long politicians like Robert Byrd and Ted Kennedy.

It's beyond me how someone like Robert Byrd -- a man who never wore his country's uniform -- could sit back and undermine our troops and their mission...

... and attack a President like George W. Bush who has done an amazing job protecting our country from terrorist madmen after the horror of 9/11.

Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Byrd exploited his "authority" as the most senior member of the Senate to lead the fight against President Bush and the war against terrorism.

He voted against crucial funding and life-saving equipment for our troops.

During the planning stages of the war, Byrd called President Bush's leadership "dismal" and he accused his fellow Senators of "cowardice" because they voted to give our troops the support they needed.

Once the war began, Byrd engaged in scare tactics, falsely predicting a rash of new "vicious terrorist attacks" on American soil and saying our work in Iraq was "destabilizing and unwise."

As a soldier on the ground in Iraq, it was sickening to me to hear Byrd call us "occupiers" and "international bullies."

He suggested we were no better than the tyrant we replaced, and accused our country -- and soldiers like me -- of "relying on intimidation and control."

And shortly before the handoff of power to the Iraqi people and the historic vote that put an Iraqi democracy into place, Byrd again called us "occupiers" and shamelessly predicted the peaceful transfer of power would never take place.

Once the vote did take place, Robert Byrd and his liberal cohorts like Jimmy Carter, Ted Kennedy, and John Kerry were silent about their doom-and-gloom predictions.

But that didn't silence Byrd's attacks on President Bush.

In fact, it only increased them.

• Byrd orchestrated the opposition to Condi Rice's nomination as Secretary of State.
• Byrd became the most outspoken obstructionist of President Bush's judicial nominees... trampling on the Constitution and leading the filibuster effort.
• Byrd even went so far as to compare President Bush to Hitler for trying to get judicial nominees approved!

After 50 years of being the Senate's "chief obstructionist" -- isn't it time for Byrd to go?

If you agree, I hope you will click below and join my "HIRAM LEWIS CAMPAIGN TEAM" today:

https://secure.responseenterprises.com/hiramlewis/?a=5

The time for Robert Byrd's defeat is here.

And I think it's only right that a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom be the person to defeat him.

In fact, Robert Byrd has never been more vulnerable.

His hatred of President Bush has made him resort to lies, childish name-calling, and petty obstructionist tactics.

The voters of West Virginia are growing tired of Byrd's games. West Virginians are conservative by-and-large. And in 2004, they voted for President Bush by a huge margin -- 13%.

And over the years, Robert Byrd has become more liberal and more out-of-step with the average West Virginia voter.

Byrd is now a liberal in the mold of Ted Kennedy. A liberal who votes to: raise taxes, defend abortion, take away your guns, and hand America's sovereignty to the United Nations.

There couldn't be a clearer difference between Robert Byrd and myself. I am a veteran and a conservative who believes:

1. Taxes should be lower and spending should be controlled.
2. Human life is sacred.
3. Marriage is between one man and one woman.
4. You have a right to protect yourself and your family. (I've worked for the NRA and have been endorsed by them 100%)
5. America has the right to defend its citizens from terrorist threats.

When the voters hear the differences between Robert Byrd and myself, this long-time liberal's days in office will be over!

But to get my message out, I need the support of good Americans like you.

Byrd has spent the last 53 years collecting political favors... and as a result he has a campaign war chest in the millions. And every day the liberal special interest groups pour more money into his coffers.

To compete, I'm going to need thousands of concerned Americans on my side who will make a personal sacrifice to help me defeat President Bush's #1 foe in the Senate.

Will you join me by clicking below to join the "HIRAM LEWIS CAMPAIGN TEAM" today?

https://secure.responseenterprises.com/hiramlewis/?a=5

And when you do, will you support my campaign with a gift of $53 -- that's just one dollar for every year Robert Byrd has been a career politician in Washington, D.C.

To compete with Byrd and get my message out, I'll also need gifts of $100, $250, or even $1000.

I'm hoping some will even give the maximum allowed by law: $2,100 for the primary and $2,100 for the general election. That's a total of $4,200.

If you can afford a gift like that, wonderful.

But if not, I'm hoping that you can send the very symbolic gift of $53 to help me end Robert Byrd's 53-year career as an obstructionist liberal in Congress.

And please don't forget to join my "HIRAM LEWIS CAMPAIGN TEAM" by clicking here:

https://secure.responseenterprises.com/hiramlewis/?a=5

For America,

Hiram Lewis
Candidate for U.S. Senate, 2006

P.S. The photograph of me sitting in Saddam's throne, just after I helped with the liberation of Iraq, is very special to me. This photo can also be viewed by Clicking Here... so please feel free to download it and use it to remember me during this long and difficult road to the election. I hope you will join my "HIRAM LEWIS CAMPAIGN TEAM" and help me defeat one of the Senate's worst liberals.

DONATE NOW: https://secure.responseenterprises.com/hiramlewis/?a=5

If you prefer to mail in your donation, please make the check payable to:
Lewis for Senate, Inc.
PO BOX 8455
Dept Code 5
Charleston, WV 25303"

Thanks for your patience in this blatant political post.

Donuts and Time Travel: Time Travel Is Possible; Physics Proves It

Time travel theories of Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Ken D. Olum, Amos Ori, and Igor D. Novikov all packed into a short article. It's a great read.

"To return to the past, a traveler in a rocket would zip around inside the donut, receding a little further into the past with each orbit, Ori says."

Donuts and time travel. It'd be cool, but could it happen in our lifetime?

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Hacker Erased Spammer's Database

Hacker tired of getting spam messages hacked and deleted the spammer's database

We need many more such activists to make it very expensive to spam.

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Whoppix and WHAX demos from whoppix.net and iwhax.net

EYE POPPING demonstration of how a hacker gets into a windows system.

This is too easy.

Flash Video Showing Microsoft IIS Being Hacked

An interesting flash video supposedly showing in real-time how someone used an exploit to break into an IIS server and obtain administrator functions. Scary stuff.

read more | digg story

Boot Linux In 25 Seconds!

Walk-through on how this guy tweaked his Fedora system to boot in under 25 seconds. You may want to hit the google cache, the site is laggy.

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:RCSu3CoSUdsJ:www.improvedsource.com/content/view/13/2/+&hl=en

read more | digg story

Software: KHdRecord

First designed to record LPs to WAV file directly, it now does MP3s and can be used to record SKYPE conversations. This is another alternative to the GIZMO podcast recording solution.
Thanks Marcel Gagne for introducing this Linux application.

Index of /dav/Asterisk PBX for Mac OS X

Just setup Asterisk with FWD ID 682790 on my Mac Mini. Now, I will need to figure out how to setup my netgear router to forward the right ports to the mini.

Asterisk, the Open Source IP PBX, beat 3Com to Level3 interoperability success, and despite near annonymity, blows the doors off any IP PBX out there. The missing piece in most IP PBXes, NAT Traversal, Asterisk conquers handily with IAX.

Could "OPEN SOURCE" be the one reason holding Asterisk back from full-out market domination?

Gizmo – How many people can conference call at once?

"How many people can conference call at once?
Technically, there is no limit to the number of people that can conference call together on the Gizmo Project system.

We have found that as a practical limit, the sound quality degrades once you have more than 4 people.

You can get around this limitation by having people put thier Gizmo Project's on mute while they're not talking. Using this system of putting everyone on mute, we have had successfull conference calls with as many as 28 people in 11 countries."

Personalized Google Page Gets RSS!!!

Google's Personalized Page NOW HAS A RSS FEED Reader

Add your favorite feeds, ie. blogs, podcasts, etc. and you have an executive view to what's important to you.

Don't forget to add http://feeds.feedburner.com/crusaderx and crusaderxpod !!!

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Skype vs. Gizmo Project

For those of you not in the know, there are now two programs out there that do free P2P VoIP - Skype has been around for quite awhile now, where Gizmo Project (which may get a new name soon) is a relative newcomer.

See the entry about recording with Gizmo as well.

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jkOnTheRun: Gizmo- Skype alternative with integrated recording

"Gizmo handles the technical side of the calls in such a way that it is a simple matter of clicking a record button during a call to record both sides of the conversation. The recording is saved as a standard WAV file and preliminary testing shows pretty decent audio quality. Better than Skype anyway and without jumping through hoops using a separate program like Mixcast Live."

I so agree with this oppinion so far in just an initial test of the system. The record button definitely beats how you have to setup a separate recording system with skype.

I loved how simple it was to get a gizmo-in number. I am going to test it by using it as our home phone number. I have a usb phone plugged into this mac-mini so that it feels like a real phone, and I have gizmo running on boot. Now, I just have to get my accessline to ring there first before it tries my cell phones.

With this, I can definitely see hosting a podcast show with call in guests. Coming soon to your favorite crusaderx blog/podcast.

Linux in Government: You Can Use the Desktop on a Laptop Now | Linux Journal

"As part of my work, I had to install and use Windows XP this past week. I had not used a Windows desktop for a couple of years for anything but testing. I found using it painful. I finally reorganized the program menu like my GNOME desktop so I could find programs easier. I installed Zone Alarm's free firewall, Grissoft's free Anti-Virus program and Spybot S&D. I made sure every port was closed or at least was running in a stealth mode. I was surprised at the number of times Zone Alarm warned me that an application I just launched attempted to access the Internet. That's really freaky.

It took about a day before the system got infested with spyware and icons showed up on the desktop leading to various Web sites. I couldn't believe it. Then, the system began slowing down--in fact, grinding down. I fed Windows 1 GB of fast DDR RAM, but it didn't seem to matter. Finally, I defragmented the hard drive, which took an hour.

Soon, programs began to freeze and in the top bar I saw the message 'Not responding'. I waited a little while and they eventually came back. I couldn't believe how many times I had to stop work while XP gathered itself. And this is what media analysts consider ready for the desktop?

I know I'm not the only one who has written this, but I'll do it again. If the major manufacturers put as much engineering into the Linux desktop as they put into Windows, they would produce a superior product for their customers. I'm sorry I don't have a billion dollars to give you for marketing so you can keep your stock prices up. Maybe you could make it the old-fashioned way--by offering a superior product."

Quake hits Tokyo

Ottawa Sun, Canada - 30 minutes ago
By Sun Media. TOKYO -- A magnitude-6.0 earthquake shook the Tokyo area yesterday, injuring at least 27 people, rattling buildings ...

Device Profile: Aeronix Zipit instant messenger appliance

"Aeronix used Linux to build a $99 instant messenger appliance aimed at keeping kids from tying up the family PC while chatting with friends. Naturally, hackers soon appropriated the device for other duties, such as remotely controlling/monitoring Sony's Aibo robot."

Weather Underground: Tropical Storm: 5 Day Forecast Map

Thanks to Weather Underground, the following forecast map appears to say that Houston, Tx will not be affected by Emily on Wednesday. We arrive in Houston at 9pm. Hope that this forecast comes to pass.

Cisco comes out with their own security warnings
TechWhack - Delhi,India
The company has identified multiple issues in their range of hardware solutions for VoIP services, which can result in DoS attacks. ...
See all stories on this topic

Although VoIP news has been slow lately, CISCO's multiple issues probably don't qualify as news. Since their stuff runs on Windows boxes, it would be surprizing if these issues were entirely CISCO's alone.

Shuttle Update

As NASA works to resume shuttle flights, the clock continues to tick for the international space station.

As long as the shuttle is our only option, SAFETY FIRST. However, the best option would be commercial efforts launching for much less. Anyone affraid of this needs to think back before commercial airliners started flying regularly. Even if the only destination ends up being the space hotels around Earth, commercial efforts will get there cheaper and do it better in my oppinion.

"Rumours that Bill and the Boyz might soon embrace open source have been quickly quashed."

On one hand, I wish microsoft would spend less fighting and consider the possibilities. On the other hand, a public company cannot just through away one of its largest cash cows.

"Monday is earliest launch date for shuttle," NASA says

I for one pray they fix the problems before they launch despite how much this is costing the USA tax payers.

GarageBand.com Rules for PodCast creation

As you can tell from my previous post testing the garageband.com flash play for my CrusaderX Podcast, garageband.com not only hosts my mp3 files, the build my podcast feed, and they have flash players too. As I posted before, it is as simple as 1) record with Audacity on Linux and export into MP3, 2) Upload to your garageband.com playlist and post the new file to your podcast(s), and 3) serve it through a my.rsscache.com proxied feeds.feedburner.com feed.

All that is left to do is tell all your friends, family, and email lists to subscribe to your feed through iTunes and Viola you have a fledgling podcast building a listener base which when popular enough will attract syndication. (IANAL, but at least make sure you have your copyright notices correct!)

You read it hear on CrusaderX Blog. Use the links to subscribe, and email this to your friends so they too can be in the know and up-to-date on this and other CrusaderX News.

My first attempt at a simple podcast using audacity on Linux and posting it to garageband.com

Not only can you host unlimited mp3 files on garageband, but they have this simple flash player as well:



Here's to your podcasting future. As I will be returning from Japan on the 20th, I plan on subscribing to a ton of podcasts with my iTunes via Codewavers' CrossOver on Linux so that I don't have to watch the same shows and listen to the same audio shows again and again. Now I just need a recommendation for a good way to recharge my computer on the plan because it is a 17 hour flight from Nagoya to Chicago.

How To Get Gmail To Find BitTorrent Downloads

Scott Villarosa posted about how to get Gmail to find specific downloads on BitTorrent websites using RSS feeds.

Combine this with the username+DOWNLOADS@gmail.com and you can get all your emailed files handled by one label/filter set.

See my recent blog entry on this for a link to tons more GMAIL hints.

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"Launch On Hold, But For How Long?"

Follow the google news on this subject, or make it a part of your customized news.google.com

Turning $15,000 into $64 million. Kissing $64 million goodbye.

Very interesting story by Bob Parsons (founder of GoDaddy.com and Parsons Technology) describing the struggles he dealt with and the need for perseverance to realize your dream of building a successful business.

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skype 1.3.0.57 Is out

skype 1.3.0.57 Is out! download it now

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50 Hot Gmail tips

A nice list with informative content about gmail and cool tips on usage etc. Worth a click ;)

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Newly discovered planet has 3 suns

A newly discovered planet has bountiful sunshine, with not one, not two, but three suns glowing in its sky.

read more | digg story

Proof that the Ionic Breeze Air Purifier is Junk

Sharper Image has agreed to pay Consumer Reports $525,000 in legal costs after a judge dismissed its libel suit. Consumer Reports stands by their claim that not only does the Ionic Breeze not perform as advertised, but that it is also potentially hazardous to your health. (Plenty more to read at ConsumerReports.org if you have a membership.)

read more | digg story

iTunes on Linux via CrossOver on Linux ROCKS!

Just an update on iTunes since I installed it (see below), iTunes for listening to Podcasts rocks. I listen to TWIT, DIGGNATION, and Guzen Radio among others.

When we get out podcast working after we get back from Japan, be sure to add us to your iTunes and vote for us on www.podcastalley.com. We will put the feed up on the right as soon as the first podcast is up.

add to My Yahoo link added

We just added a link on the right side which lets you add the feed for this site to your My Yahoo page. Please tell everyone you know who uses My Yahoo.

iTunes on Linux, a success story sort of

Today, I installed and ran iTunes on my Mandriva 2005 Limited Edition Linux install on my Toshiba laptop. "How?" you say? Well, I have a CrossOver Office install and I used the dreaded IE to go to the iTunes site and downloaded the windows iTunes software. I thought "what the heck! Just for grins!." The sorta part is that the CD burner stuff doesn't work, so iTunes complains and asks to be reinstalled every time I run it. But, since my Toshiba laptop is pre-CDR or CDRW technology it wouldn't have been able to load those drivers anyway, so this must be a bug in the Apple programming.
But, as you can see from the screen shot, that is my desktop. Don't be fooled by the MusicMatch icon, I still haven't gotten that to work or show me any errors so that I can debug it.
Thanks Codeweavers. I hear CW will also support OS X on intel whenever that happens. That should make a vast amount of software available to Linux users like me.
But, I'd like some good cheese with my Wine. Where is Marcel Gagne when you need him?

Maruoka Castle, a piece of an amazing history that actually survived

Maruoka Castle, the oldest standing original castle in all of Japan, sits magestically on a man-made hill in the middle of rather flat Maruoka City, Fukui Japan.

Debugging PHP scripts with Quanta Plus and Gubed PHP Debugger - Tutorial

Yet another very useful tool from the open source community. Don't worry about the intallation instructions on this page if you are running KDE on Mandriva. Gubed is built into that install. Just urpmi quanta if you haven't already installed it and happy PHP programming and debugging.

Google SMS: "Google Short Message Service (SMS)"

This may be a better way to find certain things immediately even on a computer and not on your phone.

Fukui: Bamboo Dolls

Visited by the Emperor and the pride of Maruoka, Fukui, this bamboo doll factory has an amazing display of skill in true Japanese fashion. Dolls made entirely of bamboo with 4000 strands of very thin bamboo for hair and intricately created kimonos and Japanese armor are displayed throughout the museum and store.

It costs money to enter and you wont believe the cost of some of the dolls, but if you are in the Maruoka area, it is a definite recommendation.


Fukui Bamboo Doll factory

Linux has emerged as the main competition for customers looking to switch away from IBM, Novell or NT4

In the following article, Microsoft has all but admitted that Linux is a threat.
Techworld.com - Microsoft in hands-on Linux lab shock:

Try this simple Audio Blog / PodCasting solution

It is a quasi-answer to PodCasting with one touch. It is quasi because it isn't mp3 format.
If you are like me and you figured out how to create mp3s for podcasting, then you can rely on people who have mp3 players to be able to listen to your podcasts. Or, if you want audio or video for your web-site users without them having to download a special program, and you have the income to write off this expense then you should look at this solution.

Correction: Actually, it is MP3 format in addition to the flash format. Video will be flash format plus whatever format the source file is (this is all the choice of a user).

Thanks for the link!

Best,
Eric Rice
Audioblog.com
podcast + videoblog publishing

Here it is straight from their site:
Audioblog.com - Create&Publish Podcasts and Videoblogs:
* Record an MP3 through your browser.
* Podcast by phone.
* Upload an MP3 or WAV file.
* Compatible with most blog software and services.
* Add multiple weblogs.
* Customizable podcast players.
* Publish Podcast-only RSS feeds.
* Ping podcast directories.

Now with videoblogging!

* Record video with your webcam.
* Upload video files

Two options from the site are:

FREE 7-Day Trial Account Then $49.97 Per Year!
After a 7-day trial account, Save over 15% off our already insanely low price end enjoy an entire YEAR of Audioblog service for just $49.97. ** This makes a wonderful gift for friends of family members who blog on a regular basis **

FREE 7-Day Trial Account
FREE 7-Day FULL ACCESS Trial Account, then just $4.95 per month. Your credit card will not be charged until your trial period expires in 7 days.

: "Brian Hatch writes the 'Linux Security: Tips, Tricks, and Hackery' newsletter which you can sign up for at http://lists.onsight.com. All articles are reprinted here for your convienience, and include formatting (bold/italics/etc) that may not render as well in the text version sent in email."

I joined this list and love this guys insights.

We ate Wakasa (southern fukui) Beef

Tonight my wife cooked beef steak which when we figured it out it was $45 a pound. It was definitely good, but I don't think I want to pay $45 a pound for beef again.

It is amazing to know that Japanese didn't have beef cattle farms before after World War II I believe. Now their beef is the most expensive..

Echizen Wakasa Beef

Jump and land safely without a parachute

Don't show your kids, but just think if you were in a plane about to crash you could jump with this on and live.


gizmag Article: Preparations for world's first human landing WITHOUT a parachute: "Preparations for world's first human landing WITHOUT a parachute"

Podcast Using Linux: My simple How-to

The growing number of podcasting alternatives boggles my mind as simple as that is to say. So, I searched for a simple way to podcast. Of course, podcasting isn't as simple as say blogging since all you have to do is be on a page you want to blog and then have google blog this installed in your open source web browser firefox, then right mouse click the page and click blog this.

Podcasting is just a little harder than that because you have to record voice segments and then mix music segways to separate the segments and such. Of course, this complexity is totally up to you. You could just podcast your voice and hope that people subscribe, but a little music is more fun.

So, here is my simple how to:
Registration (all free):
o Register for a blog if you don't have one - I recommend www.blogger.com (google)
o Register for either or both of a www.feedburner.com account and a www.rsscache.com account. Rsscache keeps the number of hits on your blog lower and provides some statistics, feedburner doesn't cache but has neat viewer counters for your blog so that people know you are being read by others.
o Register for a garageband.com account to host unlimited numbers of mp3 files for your podcasts.
o Register another feedburner for your garageband podcast feed.

Software:

This is where it gets somewhat complicated. I used the best desktop/laptop OS in the world: Linux. With my favorite distros (mandriva and some version of knoppix), audacity is a standard install which allows you to simply record audio and export it to mp3. My recommendation is to search google for your OS and software to podcast. One recommended well is ipodderx.

Simplified steps:

1. Record segments.
2. Pick segway music.
3. logon to www.garageband.com and go to "my music" to upload your mp3s for the podcast.
4. use the garageband software to compile your podcast and publish it.
5. Blog your garageband podcast feedburner feed onto your blog.
6. Finally, email your friends your blog feedburner feed to tell them to share your podcast with everyone they know.

One final hint. Put your Podcast up on www.podcastalley.com usine your garageband feedburner feed so that people who don't know you can find your podcast and so that those who like your podcasts can vote for your podcast and get it into the top 10 of its genre or even into the top 10 of all podcasts.

**Note: for my Japanese readers, I don't have an angle on the Japanese equivalent of any of these services especially a japanese www.podcastalley.com. If you know of anything, please use the contact info in "About CrusaderX" to tell me.

Employment News Japan

According to news in Japan there are now more or less 7600 Temporary agencies in Japan and the number of full-time employees who have begun working for Temporary agencies has risen steadily since the 1990's.

These sorts of jobs are by contract and so people who want to take a vacation on their terms can easily cancel the contract when they want to. This allows the Japanese worker to fit their job into their lifestyle.

Podcast still new tech; not as easy as blogging

Macworld UK - Market opportunity: Podcast creation tools: "compares the ease with which users can create online blogs with the relative complexity of creating podcasts"

Investment Bank: Gathering investment monies

A little known investment has returned a constant 20% or more return since conception in 1989. They are looking to replace their current investors. APRs in Japan are at historic lows and 5% is totally unheard of. Normally, in order to even take advantage of an investment like this which returns 5% of your investment the first year, and then every quarter of every year there after it returns a portion of the principle as well as 5% on the remainder of the princple still invested, investors would have to come up with the entire $2.3 million (approximately 2 Oku 5 sen man yen) on their own.

Through this limited oportunity, friends of Crusaderx in Japan can participate in this investment. Turn $30,000 into $34,500 in just 6 years. There is no limit on the size of the investment above $10,000 all the way to $2.3 million. The dollar amount is based on the exchange rate at the time of investing and is placed in the contract.

Also, in order to assure that we gather at least the $2.3 million as soon as possible, we are offering friends of Crusaderx an extra 0.1% for every 5 people they refer who either invest more than $10,000 each or who together invest more than $50,000. There is no limit to the number of investers you can refer up to the goal of $2.3 million.

Also, if we gather much more than $2.3 million, the next goal will be a total of $5.0 million with the same conditions.

Why would Japanese rather place their investment in 0.01% return bank accounts instead of an investment in a 16 year old financial institute in Houston with a stellar track record of never once missing interest and principle payments over those 16 years?

Click on the About Crusaderx link to the right and email us if you know anyone who wants to participate. Positions are limited and they will go fast.

FeedBurned

Our feed now available here CrusaderX from feedburner.com.

Unix To Linux: I could hear choruses of "Hallelujiah, Hallelujiah, ..." when I read this article on moving from a Unix mainframe to Linux

Open Source Ascendant - Editorial - CIO: "How Cendant Travel Distribution Services replaced a $100 million mainframe with 144 Linux servers and lived to tell about it."

When companies stop running scared of anything other than that Redmond, Washington software, and actually open-mindedly research all their options, many applications will make much more sense when moved to open source. In fact, their save tons doing it as you can tell from the $299 Linux desktops in a previous article in this Blog.

Those who are open-minded will read this article for new options. Those who aren't probably stopped reading it along time ago.

Hurricane Dennis bears down on the US
Use our Traffic and Weather page to track the hurrican and find links to the NOAA for predictions for landfall.

**Note: you can see new systems possibly headed for the Gulf of Mexico as the come onto the right side of the picture below which is just off the coast of Africa. And of course, this is always available on our Traffic and Weather page.


live infrared hurricane satelite view from wunderground.com.

Terror Attack in London
Initial inidications are that a secret branch of al-Qaida attacked London.

Google Search::

"A group calling itself The Secret Organisation of al-Qaida in Europe has posted a claim of responsibility for the series of blasts in London"

As of yet, no indications of any Japanese casualties from the terror attack according to BS1 in Japan.

Add a Podcast category to Google News

Recently, I wanted to start paying attension to Podcast News, so I added a custom section which searches all news for the word "podcast". This adds a section on the http://news.google.com home page so that I can skim the latest news in this breaking area of news.

You can do the same for any news item you'd like to track as well:

1. go to news.google.com
2. If you haven't customisd this, you can click "customize this page" in the right side of the news.google.com page. Or, you can click "Edit this customized page" if you have already added custom sections or rearranged the news on this page.
3. In the box that opens on the right side of this page, you can click the "add a custom section" button to the bottom of this box.
4. In the Keywords box, place the keyword or keywords which will narrow down the news for just this section to deliver the stories you'd like to see.
5. Click "add section" and viola you is done as the french chef would say.
6. Finally, click close in the section edit box to close the edit box and return to a normal news.google.com page with your new section in the section navigation on the left as well as in the headline sections in the main body of the page.

**Note: if you want to move the location of the section you just added, just edit the customized page again and drag the section to the location you want it to appear. Try it! I have Linux and Podcast above the normal World, US, Business, Sci/Tech, and Health sections. Can you tell where my priorities lie?

Try the search first: Google News - podcast

If you'd like to see my news.google.com Edition, let us know what you think. Don't forget to share your special edition with us and your friends using the "Share your edition" link at the bottom of your newly customized page.

Our route to the airport on 7/20 will be as follows.

Fukui Prefecture, Mikata County, Mihama Town, Sata Map -- ??????????? - goo ??

Here is where we are on work-vacation from 6/1/2005 to 7/20/2005.

Unshackled: desktops cheaper than $300 for retail to those who aren't tied to one type of OS

The sooner small to medium sized businesses can un-shackle their central computer processes from the underlying OS by webifying accounting, contact management, sales presentations, and sales management into one central portal, the sooner they can take advantage of these VERY low price points.

$299 Linux PC hits US shelves - vnunet.com:

"Systemax has unveiled its first desktop PC pre-installed with desktop Linux. The budget model is selling in the US for $299.

The system builder chose Linspire's operating system for its Venture L335 system which comes with an Intel Celeron D processor, 40GB hard drive and 256MB of Ram."

Vienna goes for Linux - Breaking - Technology - smh.com.au:

"Vienna city council has developed a Linux distribution which it will use on local government desktop PCs."

Another choice for freedom from profiteering license tax.

Researcher: Tenfold growth in podcast consumption | Tech News on ZDNet:

"The number of people who download free serial audio programs, or podcasts, is set to explode over the next few years, according to a new report."

Find Sex Crime Offenders living near you; stay safe

Recently there was a piece on how many registered sex offenders live in your neighborhood on CNNj. Like any concerned parent, I searched and found the Texas Sex Offender Registration Mapping Utility:

: "the Sex Offender Registration Mapping Utility"

Within 5 miles of our home are at least 3 moderate sex offenders, and another 5 registrations marked "unknown".

One person lives just down the street.

Did you feel the goose bumps run down my back just then?

???????????? click here for Tanada information

This site aims to get volunteers to help rice farms stay in business despite being nearly destroyed by earthquake.

Click to see a menu of recent pictures.

Linux: Switching for Free: By Patrick Norton

A good fair and balanced look at why windows users might or might not want to switch or even try Linux by a favorite Techie of mine, Patrick Norton.

Wanting to provide something unique to the podcasting universe, CrusaderX has decided to cover Japanese topics such as segments on: o Japanese Tech o Japanese News o Japanese Entertainment (Movies, Anime, and Music) o Japanese Sports o Japanese Toys like Gandam, Transformers, etc.. o Japanese Society o Japanese Humor Look forward to individual segment podcasts as well as a combined Japanese New podcast all in English. CrusaderX will start this podcast with one announcer and begin its search for at least one regular and many more guest speakers. Look forward to our first segment by the end of this month. We'll be looking for your help moving our podcast up the charts on www.podcastalley.com. Also, look for CrusaderX to publish a new Podcast Directory listing clean podcasts recommended by members as well as a Digg type site on Japanese News with member recommended posts showing on the front page.

All SAP Solutions Should Soon Run on Linux

Stefan Schindewolf, chair of the Linux interest group of DSAG said "All SAP Solutions Should Soon Run on Linux".
More reason for Enterprises to expand their possibilities with tons of Open Source projects available on the same box as their SAP project. This should allow for interesting integration ideas.

Biography of President George W. Bush:

"President Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, and grew up in Midland and Houston, Texas."

Happy Birthday Mr. President.

Chris Pirillo's blog:
I just loved this quote from Chris Pirillo's site.
"'Friendship is like peeing in your pants. Everyone can see that it's there... but only you can feel the true warmth.'"

NASA's Deep Impact

The impactor hit its mark! Way to go Deep Impact Team.

Top Podcasts on PodcastAlley.com -- The place to find Podcasts:

"These are the top 50 rated podcasts on Podcast Alley as voted on by you"

I voted for TWIT (this WEEK in TECH) and Diggnation since I missed hearing these guys' thoughts on tech.

Solving the Million Dollar Mystery: 4 Steps To Create A Turn-Key Business - Printer Friendly:
"You can have the freedom, focus and results you want in business. Solving this problem is simple. "

It is simple, but all business owners should begin this process as soon as possible. In the middle of it, you might just fix some problem areas and either way you will be able to delegate with at least 80% confidence that the job will get done right.

If you cannot get these chores that others should be doing off your desk, then your company's growth will suffer.

NewsForge | My Workstation OS: Puppy Linux:

"My previous OS was Windows XP, which I think is excellent, but I was spending too much time protecting it and cleansing the registry and so on. I spent 30% of my time maintaining the OS."

Linux moves into midrange Motorola phones | CNET News.com:

"Motorola announced a new step this week in its plan to remake most of its mobile phone line with Linux, expanding use of the open-source operating system to midrange phones."

Google News: Fed rate hike:

"Another Fed rate hike fails to pull up the long-term rates that really matter."

Google News: Comet Collision:
"NASA craft 'healthy and ready' for comet collision"