Ok, so the headline is not quite accurate – but have a read of this!

Im not kidding, this is a live, real job ad which, as I write this, is listed on a New Zealand job site.

Zombies. Machetes. Unix adminstration, shotguns, brains and more!

How cool is this:

It’s funny how technology sometimes works.

I have a Thecus n7700 Pro. It’s a 7 drive NAS, and works very well. Its very fast as it has an Intel Core2 Duo and 4 Gig of RAM driving it, and its connected to my gigE managed switch via a balanced-ALB dual GigE connection giving it 2Gbps upstream and 2Gbps downstream.

Perfect for allowing both my PC and Tvix media player fast access. And it sure is fast. Even write speeds are in the order of 75MBps (600Mbps) and higher.

One day my excellent Thecus n7700Pro works, the next day it only half works.

Sure, I could still access it via the web interface GUI by visiting its IP address, but I no longer could access it via the mapped drive I had created, mapping to the exact same IP address! And my media box simply couldn’t connect to it any more.

When I tried to connect via my mapped Z drive, I simply got a bad username/password type error.

So that pointed to a problem with the Thecus 7700, as two connected boxes werent working any more despite no changes to anything. (I eliminated my switch because it just works!).

I tried changing it to use my normal login username and password: no go. I then tried using the admin login and password for my Thecus box – again no luck.

It was starting to get annoying!

So there I am, wondering what on earth it could be. I do what is normal – I poke around the settings screen I could still access – but no luck. Nothing I try seems to work.

I then re-upload a past config file I knew worked. Rebooted….no luck. Same issue.

By now I’m starting to get annoyed, and I start Googling. No luck with that either, other than someone with the exact same problem back in 2008, but the forum didn’t contain the answer. Which is why I’m posting this!

So, keen to avoid rebooting back to standard config using a USB key, I try one last thing.

Even though I haven’t touched it, I delete/disconnect the Windows 7 mapped network drive to my Thecus. I then re-create it from scratch, simply using the IP address and folder name such as //10.0.0.111/raid – exactly how I had it before.

Lo and behold, it worked! My main storage folder instantly popped up, and all files visible as they should be.

Suddenly my Tvix media player also worked and could see the NAS drive too.

No idea what caused it, but it seemed Windows 7 did something with the credentials it had stored for the mapped drive, which then prevented the connection from being successful. Alternatively the mapped drive was mishandled some way by the Thecus – this makes more sense as the Tvix box was also not able to connect to the Thecus directly using SAMBA.

Remaking the mapped drive connection from scratch – taking all of 10 seconds – instantly restored things back to normal.

So there you have it!

If you have had the same issue and this worked for you, please do leave a quick comment as I am interested to know!

In a stunning announcement, Subway has stated that there will be a potentially crippling change to its cheese allocation algorithm – and all cheese types are impacted: including the popular (but orange) tasty cheese in addition to cheddar and swiss. This change has the potential for upsetting the balance of Subs, and making 12″ subs unwieldy – perhaps even dangerous to yourself and those around you.

I am not alone in my concern. Russell, an important Subway customer who has asked to remain anonymous, has also provided commentary on this stunning announcement by Subway:

“I’m concerned the implementation date is July 1st however stores can choose to implement immediately. This may lead to an inconsistent sandwich experience for purchases from different stores and the resultant post traumatic stress disorder could be crippling.

I also fear for the staff with possible repetitive stress injury having to flip two cheese slices per sandwich. There’s no indication of an Occupational Health and Safety Analysis being performed which should include the additional preparation time per sandwich for this activity also increasing customer frustration with an increased delay in service further exacerbating the post traumatic stress of random process implementation.

Shareholders and franchisees should be very nervous.”

Running late. Massive cost overruns.

And never an answer as to why.

Sensible people asked why Victoria didn’t simply implement a proven system similar to London’s Oyster Card or Hong Kong’s Octopus card. Both are far cheaper, off-the-shelf and proven solutions that cater to volumes far in excess of what Victoria has in the foreseeable future – and do so at an much cheaper price.

Well now itsNbits has an exclusive insight: Victoria’s State Government is attempting to roll out a world-first technology, and is so desperate to success that cost and time are somewhat secondary considerations.

The planned system will enable public transport users to travel on trains, trams and buses without the need to swipe their Myki card. The card can stay in the user’s wallet or handbag, and the card readers will still be able to read the cards. All the user has to do is walk between or near the reading devices.

No need to fumble in your wallet to find the card. No pulling out cards and holding them near card readers.

Simply walk on through, and, in what is alleged to be a world first, the system will locate and identify your card, and bill you appropriately using the cheapest applicable fare. God knows where else they might stick readers to unknowingly track people, just like the silent (no beep) channel on E-tags used to track cars at various points around Melbourne they also tend to forget to tell us about.

At least some Mykis will offer an anonymous purchase option.

And that attempt to roll out a world first, ladies and gentlemen, is the key to the reason why there seems to be an insane cost-and-time-is-no-option logic being applied by the Victorian State Government. They have gone so far and it’s cost so much, that its likely they desperately need the glory of a world first to justify it all. And if they fail, then they pretty much have to admit that they spent an unnecessary fortune on a system equal to or potentially worse than any other similar system in the world.

Personally, I’d rather we get a $1B refund to the state coffers, spend $100M or so on a proven solution, and in return simply have to hold our Oyster card near a reading device. We could have done that several years ago. On time. On budget.

Instead they have wasted hundreds of millions of state money, have a solution that’s potentially still a fair way off before full and successful implementation, is likely to have significantly higher upkeep costs due to it being so heavily customised, and all so there are some bragging rights about not having to take your card out of your pocket.

World Youth Day – Sydney, Australia. 18 July 2008

In this shocking photo (see below), the Dark Lord himself can be seen, undertaking his secret campaign to dominate World Youth Day.

It is not known if the Pope and Darth Vader threw down and whipped out their light sabers to battle for the forces of good and evil.

The Pope has not yet answered our prayers asking for an explanation.

More news as it comes to hand.

Check it out!

A small download of software from Google is needed, but it takes only a minute.

You can log in with your existing Gmail/Google login information.

Why not drop on in and remodel the room a bit for me while you learn how to add and move things?

To kick it off, simply click on “Click to enter room” at the bottom of the image below!

Anyone familiar with the amazing qualities that old style vacuum tubes have will understand the amazing prices 40, 50 and 60 year old tubes fetch on the internet. Its just as amazing that so many brand new but very old tubes are available in the first place.

Millions of dollars of tubes would be traded on Ebay alone each day, with many tubes fetching hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

The sound they produce can be absolutely amazing, and most people will be very impressed when they hear a well made amplifier with 1950′s tubes sounding much better than their latest solid state high tech amplifier.

Well, a French amateur radio operator goes one step further than making his own valve-driven radio – he also roles his own tubes!

This 17 minute video gives an amazing insight into this incredible talent, something I would love to be able to do!

Sit back and watch this genius at work – its amazing!