Even more validation

I've been redesigning the top layers of this web site to be valid XHTML, and I've greatly reduced the file size. The svelte new front page of the site is now only 4K, it used to be 12K, and there's actually more content now than there was before. I wish I could take full credit for the design, but the truth is it's a page you learn how to build in the Zeldman book I'm reading right now (the orange one on the left). I modified and simplified some of the code to fit my needs, but I'm not that good with CSS yet.

Spring Break

It's spring break here at the University, and all is quiet. This is the time when Sysadmins actually get things accomplished, and don't spend the whole day in meetings about password policies. Now it's time to go set up another server...

Comment Spam

I've had a few instances of Comment Spam this weekend, so I've installed the MovableType anti-spam plugin. I'd already set the site to throttle the commenting rate to 1/minute, so I only had one instance of each spam to clean up and blacklist the IP. Not a major hassle, but if I can put one more roadblock in place for the comment spammers, I might as well do it.

Why not to use UPS

I'm glad there was nothing breakable in this package, just a cable for my old MP3 player, as apparently UPS decided to back over it a few times en route to my house. I always thought the "Ground" in UPS Ground referred to the method of travel, not the manner in which they mutiliate the package. This is why I ship via Fed Ex.

IT Draft

I saw this article over at Slashdot, mentioning that the U.S. may hold a draft for people with computer skills at some point in the future. I can't see how drafting a bunch of out-of-shape computer nerds who already dislike governmental authority will possibly turn out well. I'm 27 now, hopefully I'll be exempt from any such draft if it's ever implemented, otherwise, I've got the 'ol trick knee... It's not that I'm not patriotic, I am, but as Heinlein said, "A nation which must resort to conscription for it's defense, has no moral right to exist." Another way to look at it, is if your nation has entered into a war which is so unpopular it can't fight solely with volunteers, it shouldn't be in the war, and any nation under attack whose citizens won't rise to defend it also doesn't deserve to survive.

Now if Uncle Sam wants to hire me for my IT skills, that's another story, just show me the money. :)