"Life on higher ground" written by Paul on estrip.org

07/26/09 07:05 - 70ºF - ID#49388

Life on higher ground

Nothing like the downpour flood yesterday to make it clear that
picking a house near high street was the way to go.

Really it's just chance. I wonder if the people near hodge and
ashland ever knew they were in such a floody area. (e:matthew,49381) said maybe it was a storm drain clogged. Then again, our street is on such an incline that we don't even have sewer grates. It all just washes downhill so fast that it was dry justt a couple hours later.

Permalink: Life_on_higher_ground.html
Words: 104
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/26/09 05:43 - 71ºF - ID#49385

Margarittas

From my perspective.

Permalink: Margarittas.html
Words: 8
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/26/09 05:27 - 71ºF - ID#49384

Estrip backup server complete

After lots of surgery and cleaning the old estrip server has been
resurrected as a backup server.

I can't believe how many dead bugs were in it from back when it was
back in the Artvoice basement. Looking back in it, I just can't
believe how much expensive equipment they store in such terrible (for
electronics) conditions.

Just to be clear, estrip has always been backed up off site, this us
just the first time a backup server is ready to go at a moments notice
in case something goes wrong. The stress of having to think about
building a server in an emergency was too much. Especially without
any real computer store in town anymore.

My plan is to have it power up itself at a designated time each day,
sync and run updates then go back off so that it's always there just
on case and I can freak out less.

Once buffalo gets fios I can have it truly be a real time mirror with
both machines at my house.

I even redid the thermal paste while in there.

Permalink: Estrip_backup_server_complete.html
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Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: programming

07/26/09 01:45 - 69ºF - ID#49380

Still working on estrip

I just spent 10 hours today working on the new estrip. The rain made me not want to go out so I thought I would take advantage of it and get the new version of the mobile site finalized. The mobile version is not that much different on the front end, althought a little more use friendly in the search area.

It was the one big obstacle between being done and not being done. The basic idea was to get everything updated to the latest surebert framework and toolkit

and then I can easily add new features as I release new stuff for that and for work.

Now all I have left is some themeing and some testing/refactoring to do. Its realy minor. I decided to just freeze featrues and launch it soon. Then I can add the new stuff I want much more easily to that version. There is the new topic of the day system and the API which will left you post to estrip from more devices, places, etc. Both of them can be addons after the launch.

I also want to add a more robust chat, but same thing, can wait.

The worst part of the day was when I started working on the old server and the CPUs started to overheat. I guess after 7 years, the thermal paste between the fans and the cpu started to break down. Glad I was home to catch it happening or it would have been a disaster.

Permalink: Still_working_on_estrip.html
Words: 254
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/25/09 03:35 - 76ºF - ID#49374

Setting up the old server

I keep having nightmares about the server fucking up when I am really
busy so I decided to be proactive and set up the old server to act as
a mirror. In case anything goes bad, I can just swap out the machines.

Permalink: Setting_up_the_old_server.html
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Location: Buffalo, NY

07/24/09 11:51 - 66ºF - ID#49372

Dinner at toro

Went to dinner at toro with James and Robert and (e:jim). The food was
really yummy but seriously lacking in vegetable content. I think my
favorite was the tri tip steak with fresh made potato strings and the
short ribs.

Permalink: Dinner_at_toro.html
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Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: shopping

07/24/09 11:59 - 70ºF - ID#49368

Wilson Farm's a rip off?

I guess because one of the original estrip posts I wrote was about an incident at wilson farm's on breckenridge (e:news,29677) - this person thinks I am just a anti-wilson farm's individual. Otherwise I have no idea why they sent this to me?!

Message from an anonymous guest 07/22/09 13:50@205.188.116.66 says:

paul wilson farms is rip off there prices are high one dollar for a candy bar sandwiches are no longer made on premises and for four dollars u get 3 thin slices of meat i hope people will realize this and stop patronizing this high priced store

uncutsaniflush writes at 09:15:32 07/24/09 - Comment #50279: Conflict of Interest Alert - I work for a company that provides inventory services for Wilson Farms (and many other stores) and I, personally, inventory Wilson Farms on a regular basis.

Convenience stores exist for only one reason - convenience. And convenience costs. Unless something is on sale (usually because of the vendor or manufacturer), you are not going to find bargains at legitimate convenience stores.

In my professional and personal experience, vendor items (bread, diary, soda, beer, chips) prices are competitive with Tops and Wegmans (I also inventory both stores). The less turnover in a product, the higher the price. This is true for all retail, but especially convenience stores.

As to buying sandwiches at Wilson , I think anyone who buys their sandwiches is unwise. If you want a sandwich go to a sandwich shop. Or make it yourself. It's not that hard. Even at Wilson Farms, you can get a half-pound or so of lunch meat and a loaf of bread for less than 4 dollars.

But coming back to the anonymous coward who complained, I wonder if s/he bothered to contact Wilson Farms corporate management about the problem. These days, since the severance from Ahold, customer satisfaction is a bit more of a priority. I don't think that the A.C. would have gotten her/his money back but at the very least s/he would have gotten a coupon for another sandwich.

metalpeter writes at 07:49:12 07/24/09 - Comment #50277: Um no what they bought was a rip off. Many things there cost about the same as a tops, and if you get stuff on sale their prices are good. What you are paying for is not standing in a tops line when you need just a few things. Hey they think that place is costly go to 7 Eleven and see what rip off really means, on some items.

hodown writes at 05:22:14 07/24/09 - Comment #50273: Compared to the bodega in mt hood Wilson Farms is a dream. They should be sent to JC and then let's see how much they complain about WF.

jason writes at 04:28:58 07/24/09 - Comment #50271: ?? That's so crazy. In any case, it is a convenience store, where you go to pick up TP when you're desperate and can't make it to Wegman's. Of course convenience stores are pricey.

joshua writes at 04:19:22 07/24/09 - Comment #50270: Weird. They do have a point about Wilson Farms but it's a convenience store; what is so hard to understand about that?

Permalink: Wilson_Farm_s_a_rip_off_.html
Words: 96
Location: Buffalo, NY

07/23/09 01:55 - 75ºF - ID#49363

Gay prisoner penpal

Looking for a gay prisoner pen pal? Then today is your lucky day.

paul writes at 01:03:36 07/24/09 - Comment #50269: I imagine it would be interesting. If only they could be emailpals I would do it. I mean the chances of me using a pen are slim. You could use all your caligraphy skills.

mike writes at 12:24:08 07/24/09 - Comment #50268: maybe i'll do it

paul writes at 11:54:56 07/24/09 - Comment #50267: That's a very good observation.

lauren writes at 11:20:18 07/24/09 - Comment #50266: I would have to say that...jail/prison is not some objective place where they put "bad" people because of a natural effect of their bad actions/choices. Our justice system is deeply flawed. We also can't forget that queer youth often are homeless because they aren't safe at home, have been kicked out or have chosen to leave for various other reasons. And then, once they get into the system, chances are they are more likely to face discrimination inside prison walls.

tinypliny writes at 05:45:12 07/23/09 - Comment #50252: Writing to someone regularly doesn't strike me as being casual. When I write, I like to think that it is a real and personal conversation. I don't write personal letters believing that I would never really meet the person I am writing to.

Prisoners don't stay in prisons forever and as you pointed out, prisoners have a high likelihood of being maladjusted and emotionally disturbed. So the question I would ask myself is would I be comfortable sitting down at home or at a coffee shop or at a party talking to this prisoner?

Though it might be beneficial to them, my self-preserving instinct screams out against any sort of risk-taking... I think its a sad statement on myself that I trust people so little. :/

matthew writes at 05:18:02 07/23/09 - Comment #50250: I haven't looked at it that way before e;jenks. Point well taken.

jenks writes at 05:04:08 07/23/09 - Comment #50249: I know matthew... and you're right.
Not everyone in jail is a horrible child murderer who deserves no sympathy.

Then again, there are plenty of people who have managed to stay OUT of jail who could use people to help them form stable relationships too...

matthew writes at 05:01:28 07/23/09 - Comment #50248: I'd also like to point out that many prisoners are looking for friends not lovers. I'd write to them, not the triple murderer who's looking to "find mr right". Cause we all can guess what he did to the two previous mr wrongs. Lol

matthew writes at 04:39:19 07/23/09 - Comment #50247: Not all the people in prison are murders and the like. Many are drug dealers, drug addicts, and petty thieves. Just the sort of people who need stable relationships (or the practice of how to create and maintain healthy stable relationships) when they get out so the hopefully can stay out. That's why the penpal program started. Remember, lots of people are sent to prison to recieve help, others to be sent away. I'd think the "doctors" would understand that.

matthew writes at 04:30:45 07/23/09 - Comment #50246: There are a few sites online that let gay prisoners post classifed ads looking for Outside penpals. It's interesting to read them, and sometimes sad. I'd even write to some of them if you could do it through email, but you have to use your real name and real home address for obvious reasons.

jenks writes at 04:27:06 07/23/09 - Comment #50245: to answer you question tiny-
bleeding heart liberals who think 'prisoners have feelings too'.

That's the type of person who wants to foster a relationship with these prisoners.

(this comment is only sort of tongue-in-cheek)

hodown writes at 03:35:36 07/23/09 - Comment #50244: It sounds like a scam waiting to happen.

tinypliny writes at 02:11:06 07/23/09 - Comment #50242: Seriously though, I have never really understood this "pen-pal-ing" with prisoners. Why on earth would you want to cultivate a relationship - however remote, with a murderer, a potential serial killer, stalker or rapist? Who does that in their right minds??!

Permalink: Gay_prisoner_penpal.html
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Location: Buffalo, NY

07/20/09 12:28 - 59ºF - ID#49332

Weekend vacation on a fingerlake

We headed out to (e:chris)' vacation house on one of the finger lakes.
We went with the chris', (e:james), (e:jim), cowboy mike and cara.

The house is right on the lake.

Originally, we thought we were going to go camping but this was much
more relaxed than camping. Full kitchen, 2 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms and
sattelite television.

Did some Linux compiling to get a 3g broadband card working on a netbook running ubuntu remix, did some swimming (both daytime and night), a lot of drinking ... Oh and ate 250 clams, steaks, fresh peas and yummy cherries. It was great.

It's nice to have fun friends. Thanks guys. I still can't wait to go real camping.