Note to self: pay your bills!
I SSH between my many computers several times in the course of a day. Today when I went to SSH to my web server I couldn't quite figure out what was wrong. I could ping the IP address but SSH just didn't want to work. I tried restarting the SSH daemon and when that didn't work, I rebooted the entire box. After it still didn't work, it finally hit me: I forgot to renew my domain name and it was set to expire on July 17th! To confirm, I did a simple dig lookup:
; <<>> DiG 9.4.2-P2 <<>> xaero.org
;; global options: printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 46405
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 0
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;xaero.org. IN A
;; ANSWER SECTION:
xaero.org. 85511 IN A 69.46.228.231
;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
xaero.org. 85511 IN NS expired-domain-ns50.directnic.com.
xaero.org. 85511 IN NS expired-domain-ns51.directnic.com.
;; Query time: 0 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#53(127.0.0.1)
;; WHEN: Mon Jul 20 13:08:14 2009
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 124
Oops!! Needless to say, I very quickly renewed my domain name and within a few short hours my nameservers were happily serving up DNS again. Thankfully my registrar provides a grace period for renewing expired domains so they don't immediately get thrown back into the available pot. Next time I'll stamp a sticky note on my forehead.
How the subprime mortgage market works
Since subprime mortgage loans will probably mostly go away, it can't hurt to learn how they work. Here's a really funny slideshow that does just that:
https://docs.google.com/TeamPresent?docid=ddp4zq7n_0cdjsr4fn&skipauth=true&pli=1
Windows uses pirated software?
Too funny. The sound guys used a cracked version of SoundForge to create the WAV files for Windows.
Article here.
For NSA photo opp prop, Feds use security portal as if top-sekrit
Funny stuff:
For NSA photo opp prop, Feds use security portal as if top-sekrit: "Xeni Jardin:
Mike Outmesguine says,
Boing Boing readers may have missed this on Digg, but I thought they'd get a kick out of it: Link.
In a press pic of Bush touring sooper sekrit NSA headquarters, a way cool, wargames-looking big screen display is in the background with all sorts of cryptic worldwide threat intel: Link.
But that's actually a volunteer-run computer security portal that anyone can display through a web browser: Link to SANS.org
(Ed. note: SANS, btw, does not stand for 'Sekrit-Ass-NSA-Stuff.').Click here to launch your own NSA Global Threat Display. I'm so leet, I have it running on LCD #4 right now!
(Via Boing Boing.)
Flashback to 1985
Boy if this doesn't somewhat show my age. Here's a spoof that Engadget did of a BBS set back to 1985. For all the n00bs, a BBS is a Bulletin Board System, or a Blog/Message Board/File Sharing thingie that you dialed into with your 2400 (if you lived on the cutting edge) baud modem. Articles are included on the latest and greatest tech goodies of the day. We sure have come a long way. Enjoy it here.
Why 1337 sucks.
If you've ever posted on a message board or chatted on IRC, you have undoubtedly come across "1337-speak". Read here to see why it sucks so bad.
Anti-Piracy Campaign Gets a Laugh
A website launched by a pair of independent filmmakers pokes fun at efforts by the Motion Picture Association of America to prevent the illegal copying of Hollywood films. By Jason Silverman. Via Wired News.
Ohio adopting scarlet letter for drivers caught under the influence
Basically, the State of Ohio has adopted a new law that will require individuals caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs to display special license plates--eye catching, bright license plates with (you guess it) red numbering. Via Ars Technica.
In a word: "Ouch".