Tuesday, December 30, 2014

An Alphabetical Link List

I realized a while back that I was just typing in a key letter in the address bar of my browser to get to my usual sites (e.g. n pulls up a variety of news sites...).  Yes, I know it's all based on browsing history, but I decided to go through the alphabet in this manner.  Some letters had few or no associations, others - too many.  So upon arrival at home I decided to share some.

I really could make two slightly divergent lists: one reflecting my actual browsing, the other reflecting what I want to engage. There are few differences between the two, but the difference reflects the gap between who I am and who I want to be.  This is from the actual side....


A - Shop till your fingers are sore.
B - The background news fix
C - Alt mainstream news
D - Financial encouragement
E - The world's garage sale
F - No, not facebook
G - More garage sailing
H - Cheap tools
I - Light humor
J - meh
K - Digital security news
L - Appliances, tools,...
M - You got here, yes?
N - News aggregator
O - News from back home (No, it's not Lake Wobegon.)
P - Interesting blog from a Benedictine oblate
Q - Still not sure this is a useful letter
R - Upbeat classical
S - Audio masking
T - Just a bit shy of being as useful as a babelfish
U - Weather!
V - Blog covering legal and other issues.
W - OK... it was either this or Walmart
X - very aspirational
Y - Great resource for learning how to do something new... (yeah, and music videos)
Z - Turns out, I haven't visited many "Z" sites...

So, what is you alpha link list, realistic?, aspirational?...

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Martha's Sons by Rudyard Kipling

The Sons of Mary seldom bother, for they have inherited that good part;
But the Sons of Martha favour their Mother of the careful soul and the troubled heart.
And because she lost her temper once, and because she was rude to the Lord her Guest,
Her Sons must wait upon Mary's Sons, world without end, reprieve, or rest.

It is their care in all the ages to take the buffet and cushion the shock.
It is their care that the gear engages; it is their care that the switches lock.
It is their care that the wheels run truly; it is their care to embark and entrain,
Tally, transport, and deliver duly the Sons of Mary by land and main.

They say to mountains ``Be ye removèd.'' They say to the lesser floods ``Be dry.''
Under their rods are the rocks reprovèd---they are not afraid of that which is high.
Then do the hill-tops shake to the summit---then is the bed of the deep laid bare,
That the Sons of Mary may overcome it, pleasantly sleeping and unaware.

They finger Death at their gloves' end where they piece and repiece the living wires.
He rears against the gates they tend: they feed him hungry behind their fires.
Early at dawn, ere men see clear, they stumble into his terrible stall,
And hale him forth like a haltered steer, and goad and turn him till evenfall.

To these from birth is Belief forbidden; from these till death is Relief afar.
They are concerned with matters hidden---under the earthline their altars are---
The secret fountains to follow up, waters withdrawn to restore to the mouth,
And gather the floods as in a cup, and pour them again at a city's drouth.

They do not preach that their God will rouse them a little before the nuts work loose.
They do not preach that His Pity allows them to drop their job when they damn-well choose.
As in the thronged and the lighted ways, so in the dark and the desert they stand,
Wary and watchful all their days that their brethren's ways may be long in the land.

Raise ye the stone or cleave the wood to make a path more fair or flat;
Lo, it is black already with the blood some Son of Martha spilled for that!
Not as a ladder from earth to Heaven, not as a witness to any creed,
But simple service simply given to his own kind in their common need.

And the Sons of Mary smile and are blessèd---they know the Angels are on their side.
They know in them is the Grace confessèd, and for them are the Mercies multiplied.
They sit at the feet---they hear the Word---they see how truly the Promise runs.
They have cast their burden upon the Lord, and---the Lord He lays it on Martha's Sons!

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Advent Begins

The things we think we know are the most dangerous.

"Advent" - what is that?  "To the coming"?

"Advent" -  Shopping time?  That is how we behave...

"Advent"  Tree worship like druids?  Again, behavior....

We skate from Thanksgiving-gluttony to Conspicuous-consumption-mas so quickly.

Yet under the dry leaves and early ice of late fall something is nascent, growing....
Something conceived in mystery nine months before.

The lectionary readings this last week were in Revelations.  They conveyed such a longing, such a call: maran-atha - Come, Lord Jesus.

Yet now we look not toward a conquering king, but the crying infant.  Not the thrum and beat of armies on the march, but the pant and push of labor.

A day of small beginnings - so ordinary, so human....

Yet the Creator has entered his creation and creation responded almost unnoticed: a star, angels, visers... and the assault against the reign of sin started.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Gyro Fake

So last night, we wanted some protein for dinner.  I had made pita earlier in the day.  Seemed like gyros were in order, but I don't have a supply of lamb... so sad.  Improvisation was in order.

For the meat I thawed a few Steakeze and... for seasoning:

1 tablespoon: dried chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon each: garlic powder, oregano, cumin, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Grind the seasonings in a mortar and pestle (or however you prefer to pulverize).

Toss one pound of thawed Steakeze or thinly sliced meat with the seasonings and let sit to allow the flavors to become acquainted with one another before tossing into a hot pan.  Fry until just a bit crispy.

Serve with pita, tadziki, tomatoes, lettuce, feta... and tea.

Friday, October 24, 2014

The Definitive Bagel Recipe

It is high time I post the bagel recipe I use.  I promised that I would share it when I was able to make bagels for the family in Tennessee, and that was a few months ago.  It was a hectic weekend, and I simply forgot to give them the recipe.  Hopefully this will suffice to make amends.

For a while, I was making these at least once a week, sometimes two or three times depending on my baking mood.  I am sure if you follow me on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram you must have seen many many posts about these magical goodies.  Homemade bagels are, indeed, goodies.  The family in Illinois can testify.

I don't even remember what got me to make bagels in the first place.  I think the family here must have been buying bagels, and I thought, "I can totally make bagels.  Let me find a good recipe."  And they never bought bagels again.

Sophisticated Gourmet's recipe was the only recipe to completely appeal to me in my quick Google search.  It's easy, short and beautifully written.  My favorite thing about the process is the length of time.  If I stay on top of everything, I only spend about two and a half hours from start to finish.  Bagels, people!!!  In under three hours!!!  The results from following the recipe are even better.  I would even call the recipe fool proof.  I have done so many things that I was sure would adulterate the bagels.  Every time, they just sit there defiantly perfect and delicious.

I have a few notes for the recipe.  When you are forming the dough into balls before making the bagel rings, it is really important to make sure that the dough balls are smooth all the way around so that the finished product comes out looking like a bagel.  Water can get caught in the nooks while boiling and can make for soggy bagels coming out of the oven.  Yeah, I did that.

Now this is just a personal preference, but I think that the optimal boiling time for each side of the bagels is a minute and a half.

In a pinch, these can be made in about two thirds of the time.  If you put your oven on the lowest, or warm setting and pop the dough in there to rise, it cuts rising time at least in half.  Make sure to leave the oven door open or the dough will start to cook on the edges, and that is no bueno.  I only do this as a last resort, but the bagels came out just fine.  Samuel thought they were better than usual.

Now, go and enjoy your bagel adventures.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Thoughts on the edge of seventeen

This is my life philosophy at this moment, as I begin the seventeenth year of my life.

The world is a large place,
Full of terror and mystery.
The world is a huge place,
Full of grace and beauty.
Choose your focus.
That will become your reality.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Thought of the Day

Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

 ― Benjamin Franklin. 

Monday, May 12, 2014

Here's to my brother, Thomas, who is more geeky than me. Thank God.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Browsers: Armor Up



So, I've been working on getting ahead a bit in browser security.  Here is why and a few hows.

The economy of the web is doubtless primarily based on advertising revenue.  The advertising takes advantage of cookies, third party scripts, etc.   There is nothing inherently evil in this, but...
Today, web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari (to name a few), are installed on almost all computers. Because web browsers are used so frequently, it is vital to configure them securely. Often, the web browser that comes with an operating system is not set up in a secure default configuration. Not securing your web browser can lead quickly to a variety of computer problems caused by anything from spyware being installed without your knowledge to intruders taking control of your computer.  CERT

Look at it this way:  advertisers and webhosts want to maximize the number of eyes they get in front of. Malware pushers use the same tactics.  The key then is control the amount of exposure to potentially bad content while preserving a useful level of web content.  If you have to drive to a store through a part of town with a lot of carjackings, you would probably lock your doors while driving through and park in a well lighted area once you got there.  Use the internet in the same manner.

Stuff I have found useful for providing a secure browsing environment:

  1. Open DNS  - Secure the DNS lookup first.  
  2. Iron - A Chrome-based browser with the Google tracking cut out.  Keep your browser up to date regardless of what it is.  It took Microsoft a week (and a chapping by Homeland Security) to secure Internet Explorer recently.  
  3. Browser Plugins
    1. Adblock Plus - You haven't been using this for years? 
    2. NoScript - Decide what scripts you will allow to run.
    3. ghostery - See and control the trackers.  


Friday, April 18, 2014

Good Friday: The power of Christ's blood

From the Catecheses by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop

If we wish to understand the power of Christ’s blood, we should go back to the ancient account of its prefiguration in Egypt. “Sacrifice a lamb without blemish,” commanded Moses, “and sprinkle its blood on your doors.” If we were to ask him what he meant, and how the blood of an irrational beast could possibly save men endowed with reason, his answer would be that the saving power lies not in the blood itself, but in the fact that it is a sign of the Lord’s blood. In those days, when the destroying angel saw the blood on the doors he did not dare to enter, so how much less will the devil approach now when he sees, not that figurative blood on the doors, but the true blood on the lips of believers, the doors of the temple of Christ.

If you desire further proof of the power of this blood, remember where it came from, how it ran down from the cross, flowing from the Master’s side. The gospel records that when Christ was dead, but still hung on the cross, a soldier came and pierced his side with a lance and immediately there poured out water and blood. Now the water was a symbol of baptism and the blood, of the holy Eucharist. The soldier pierced the Lord’s side, he breached the wall of the sacred temple, and I have found the treasure and made it my own. So also with the lamb: the Jews sacrificed the victim and I have been saved by it.

“There flowed from his side water and blood.” Beloved, do not pass over this mystery without thought; it has yet another hidden meaning, which I will explain to you. I said that water and blood symbolized baptism and the holy Eucharist. From these two sacraments the Church is born: from baptism, “the cleansing water that gives rebirth and renewal through the Holy Spirit,” and from the holy Eucharist. Since the symbols of baptism and the Eucharist flowed from his side, it was from his side that Christ fashioned the Church, as he had fashioned Eve from the side of Adam. Moses gives a hint of this when he tells the story of the first man and makes him exclaim: “Bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh!” As God then took a rib from Adam’s side to fashion a woman, so Christ has given us blood and water from his side to fashion the Church. God took the rib when Adam was in a deep sleep, and in the same way Christ gave us the blood and the water after his own death.

Do you understand, then, how Christ has united his bride to himself and what food he gives us all to eat? By one and the same food we are both brought into being and nourished. As a woman nourishes her child with her own blood and milk, so does Christ unceasingly nourish with his own blood those to whom he himself has given life.

Friday, April 4, 2014

...Are you now or have you ever been a supporter of traditional marriage?...

I will be getting rid of Mozilla Firefox on all platforms I administer.  Why, you ask?

It is not on technical grounds.  Firefox is a very good browser: flexible, able to be secured. 

It is not because it is open source.  This is a good thing.

It is because of ideology.  It because the board of the Mozilla Foundation lacks the will to stand up to a heckler's veto of their choice for chairman, Brandon Eichs.   

This is as bad as the Komen Foundation Flap.  

The call to persecute and ban people from work based on ideology, especially the dysfunctional, short-sighted, amoral ideology that is behind the current LGBT acceptance at all costs is reprehensible.  The push reminds me of the old "blacks make me feel uncomfortable"  meme.  Straights, especially traditional marriage supporting hetrosexuals, apparently impel some in the LGBT community to act in an intolerant manner.  One might even use the words "shrill" and "hissy fit" to describe the reaction.

Disappointed is the best description of my reaction.  This is a "food sacrificed to idols" issue.  A browser is a browser.  Yet, if someone goes out of their way to point out an explicit political stance taken by a company that is in conflict with what is right (and what most sustainable cultures have embraced)  I must act.  

At some point I too may be unemployable for political reasons.  

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Thursday, March 27, 2014

'blog, blog, blog

Where have you been lately?

This morning's list:



www.drudgereport.com
help.gnome.org
slashdot.org
http://www.bbc.com/news/
news.yahoo.com
www.theatlantic.com
weather.yahoo.com
www.shadowserver.org
www.kb.cert.org

http://www.rainymood.com/

This afternoon/evening:

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/LDAP-HOWTO/
http://www.samba.org/samba/docs/man/Samba-HOWTO-Collection/samba-pdc.html
http://www.oregontechsupport.com/samba/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpaQYSd75Ak

http://www.libertycpc.org/Home/lentenreflections

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/bbc_world_service

http://www.universalis.com/-500/compline.htm

Monday, March 10, 2014

Lent 2014-03-10

Turn your back on the tempter when he whispers in your ear: 'Why make life difficult for yourself?'

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Lent 2014-03-08

Don't say: 'That's the way I'm made... it's my character'. It's your lack of character: Be a man.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Lent 2014-03-07

Maturity. Stop acting the child; drop that affectation that only suits a silly girl. Let your outward conduct reflect the peace and order of your soul.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Lent: 2014-03-06

How I wish your bearing and conversation were such that, on seeing or hearing you, people would say: This man reads the life of Jesus Christ. 

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Lenten Reflections

I plan to post some short reflections this lent from Josemaria Escriva.  His directions are:

Read these counsels slowly.
Pause to meditate on these thoughts.
They are things I whisper in your ear-
confiding them-
as a friend, as a brother, as a father.


----

Don't let your life be barren. Be useful. Make yourself felt. Shine forth with the torch of your faith and your love.

With your apostolic life, wipe out the trail of filth and slime left by the corrupt sowers of hatred. And set aflame all the ways of the earth with the fire of Christ that you bear in your heart.