Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/09/11/squirrel-cat/
I heard a squirrel clomping up a tree. I looked and looked and couldn’t find him. But then I saw Maxwell was climbing higher than I had ever seen him climb.  He climbed as high as the second floor, hoping to sneak up on the Mourning Doves. The doves were wise to his approach, but he ascended and descended safely.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/09/11/911-ceremony-mountain-view-ca/
Tenth anniversary of the attacks. A bit difficult to recite the Pledge of Allegiance with that knot that still forms in the back of the throat.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/09/01/weekend-inspiration/
Weekends when the wife is not around I enjoy a visit to my favorite coffee shop. On this occasion while one patron was transcribing musical notation another regular started to work on the math of an idea about solar power generation.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/08/31/all-roads-lead-to-san-jose/
Monday afternoon I biked down the Guadalupe trail past the airport to San Jose Diridon Caltrain and rode a comfy baby bullet home to Mountain View.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/07/14/cuddly-maxwell/
Maxwell cuddles up on the couch for a belly rub.
Usually he avoids me but Mei is out of town.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/07/12/google-hangout/
Mei says hello to Sean, in London.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/07/06/vta-cup-holder/
A hand hold on VTA's light rail makes a convenient place to hook a travel mug
I usually have my coffee at work, but on this morning I brewed at home and took it with.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/07/05/wordpress-upgrade-php53-centos/
If you have a self-hosted WordPress blog, you really ought to keep it up to date. Popular software is a popular security target, and as new exploits are discovered, new patches are deployed. Fortunately, WordPress makes this super-easy. Just go to Dashboard > Updates and you can update with one click. I basically get a free update any time I get it in my head to write something.
Except this morning, when I was told that an update was available, but:
On my CentOS VM, this was addressed by:
sudo yum update sudo service httpd restart
Actually, it was a little difficult, because we’re replacing php with php53:
0-13:11 djh@www0 ~$ cat /etc/redhat-release
CentOS release 5.6 (Final)
0-13:11 djh@www0 ~$ rpm -q php
php-5.1.6-27.el5_5.3
0-13:11 djh@www0 ~$ yum list installed | grep ^php
php.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
php-cli.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
php-common.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
php-gd.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
php-mysql.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
php-pdo.x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed
1-13:11 djh@www0 ~$ sudo service httpd stop
Stopping httpd: [ OK ]
0-13:11 djh@www0 ~$ yum list installed | grep ^php | awk '{print $1}'
php.x86_64
php-cli.x86_64
php-common.x86_64
php-gd.x86_64
php-mysql.x86_64
php-pdo.x86_64
0-13:12 djh@www0 ~$ sudo yum remove `!!`
sudo yum remove `yum list installed | grep ^php | awk '{print $1}'`
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Setting up Remove Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package php.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
---> Package php-cli.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
---> Package php-common.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
---> Package php-gd.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
---> Package php-mysql.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
---> Package php-pdo.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 set to be erased
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
================================================================================
Removing:
php x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 6.2 M
php-cli x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 5.3 M
php-common x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 397 k
php-gd x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 333 k
php-mysql x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 196 k
php-pdo x86_64 5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 installed 114 k
Transaction Summary
================================================================================
Remove 6 Package(s)
Reinstall 0 Package(s)
Downgrade 0 Package(s)
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Erasing : php-gd 1/6
Erasing : php 2/6
Erasing : php-mysql 3/6
Erasing : php-cli 4/6
Erasing : php-common 5/6
warning: /etc/php.ini saved as /etc/php.ini.rpmsave
Erasing : php-pdo 6/6
Removed:
php.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 php-cli.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3
php-common.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 php-gd.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3
php-mysql.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3 php-pdo.x86_64 0:5.1.6-27.el5_5.3
Complete!
0-13:13 djh@www0 ~$ sudo yum install php53 php53-mysql php53-gd
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* base: yum.singlehop.com
* epel: mirror.steadfast.net
* extras: mirror.fdcservers.net
* updates: mirror.sanctuaryhost.com
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package php53.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: php53-cli = 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 for package: php53
--> Processing Dependency: php53-common = 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 for package: php53
---> Package php53-gd.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: libXpm.so.4()(64bit) for package: php53-gd
---> Package php53-mysql.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: php53-pdo for package: php53-mysql
--> Running transaction check
---> Package libXpm.x86_64 0:3.5.5-3 set to be updated
---> Package php53-cli.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
---> Package php53-common.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
---> Package php53-pdo.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 set to be updated
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
================================================================================
Installing:
php53 x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 1.3 M
php53-gd x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 109 k
php53-mysql x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 92 k
Installing for dependencies:
libXpm x86_64 3.5.5-3 base 44 k
php53-cli x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 2.4 M
php53-common x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 605 k
php53-pdo x86_64 5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 updates 67 k
Transaction Summary
================================================================================
Install 7 Package(s)
Upgrade 0 Package(s)
Total download size: 4.6 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
(1/7): libXpm-3.5.5-3.x86_64.rpm | 44 kB 00:00
(2/7): php53-pdo-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 67 kB 00:00
(3/7): php53-mysql-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 92 kB 00:00
(4/7): php53-gd-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 109 kB 00:00
(5/7): php53-common-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 605 kB 00:00
(6/7): php53-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 1.3 MB 00:00
(7/7): php53-cli-5.3.3-1.el5_6.1.x86_64.rpm | 2.4 MB 00:00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 12 MB/s | 4.6 MB 00:00
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : php53-common 1/7
Installing : php53-pdo 2/7
Installing : php53-cli 3/7
Installing : libXpm 4/7
Installing : php53 5/7
Installing : php53-mysql 6/7
Installing : php53-gd 7/7
Installed:
php53.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 php53-gd.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1
php53-mysql.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1
Dependency Installed:
libXpm.x86_64 0:3.5.5-3 php53-cli.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1
php53-common.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1 php53-pdo.x86_64 0:5.3.3-1.el5_6.1
Complete!
0-13:14 djh@www0 ~$ sudo service httpd start
Starting httpd: [ OK ]
And now I have successfully upgraded via the web UI.
Most days, I am not a CentOS admin, so if there is a better way to have done this, I am keen to hear.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/07/05/book-donations/
PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE BOOKS OUTSIDE ON GROUND OR DRIVEWAY
We eased this situation by providing foster homes for some of the books left on the ground.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/07/03/breakfast-party/
Florentine, waffles and fruits! Oh my!
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/06/29/pricing-truck-rentals-budget-vs-penske/
[Notes from my move from Brooklyn to Mountain View, CA in July 2010. We rented a truck and towed a car. We drove via I-80/I-70. We stayed at Motel 6 when we could, and I asked my Android GPS to avoid tolls, especially East of the Mississippi.]
When I moved from California to New York I went with Budget Truck rental, based on price. It went well enough. This time I’m going with Penske, based on my sweetheart’s AAA discount. Penske’s web site is more polished, especially the “enter make and model of car to be towed” interaction. Today I received a 20% discount coupon for Budget. I made my reservation and was pleased that the price came out lower, until I reviewed my Penske reservation and saw they had included tax in their total. Budget did not. It also looks like Penske applies the AAA discount per-item, where Budget’s discount was only on the truck itself.
| Item | Budget | Penske |
|---|---|---|
| Discount | 20% coupon | 12% AAA + web discount |
| 10-day one-way 16′ truck rental | $1,291.20 | $1,250.06 |
| Tow Dolly | $185.00 | $264.00 |
| Hand Truck | $35.00 | $17.60 |
| 2-dozen furniture pads | $54.00 | $26.40 |
| “Cost recovery fee” | $33.00 | |
| Total | $1,598.20 | $1,558.06 |
Notes:
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/06/27/ken-robinson-ted-talk/
Trying to get your week going? Can’t quite find your groove? Try and spend 20 minutes with Ken Robinson.
Lots of good humor to deliver a simple and important message. We face an important problem in that we designed our primary education systems to build conformist factory workers. As we rocket ever faster in to our collective future, what we’ll need more than ever is the capacity to formulate creative solutions to our new problems. Kids start out creative, then we educate the creativity out of them. We need to do what we can to help our kids grow with access to the various disciplines which move them, so that they can realize their potential as 21st century human beings.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/06/20/tire-failure/
You don't see a bike tire do that very often.
For some time I had noticed and been avoiding the weird bulge in my rear bicycle tire. Finally it gave way on my commute. The threads inside the tire appear to have been separating, and I guess I hit something sharp at a weak spot.
I put on my spare tube and made it home. I have since replaced this tire with a knobby road tire, paired with a puncture-resistant inner tube and a puncture-resistant liner. If I never have to change a bicycle tire again it will be too soon!
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/06/19/pie/
Mei's folks were in town for Father's Day, so she made him an Apple Pie, and a pork roast, and other delicious things for dinner.
Link: https://dannyman.toldme.com/2011/05/31/kona-kau-peaberry/
Would you like a nice Hawaiian . . . coffee?
Normally I brew my own coffee at work, but if I get in early and I find the pot has not yet been contaminated, I’ll clean the machine off and brew a pot for my colleagues. This was some peaberry (smaller beans) from the K`au region of Kona, on Hawaii’s Big Island. My final souvenir from the airport in Hilo.
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