Today’s harvest from the garden
Mmmmm, Tomatoes!
Author Archives: bilborg
SuperDuper! to the rescue!
Today, I changed the password on my Mac Air, Agog. I then cooked dinner, and watched a couple of episodes of Poirot. I came upstairs … and I don’t remember the password I set. It was a good one. I have backups a couple of different ways, but neither of them seemed to be immediately accessible to me. In order to recover from the Time Machine backups, I need WiFi configured *and* I need to mount the volume that has that sparse image on it. That path seemed blocked to me. But there’s a better way!
I make periodic backups of my system using a program called SuperDuper! Among other lesser capabilities, it duplicates the whole system onto another (external) disc, and makes that bootable. Except that when I booted while pressing the Option key … the USB external drive wasn’t being presented to me as a boot option, as the documentation says it should. Sigh.
After spelunking around in Recovery mode (hold Command-R while booting) for a while, and taking a break to walk the dog, I came back, and FINALLY, in Disk Utility , the Apple menu offered me the option to set the boot disk. I selected the AirDuper disk I’d refreshed just last weekend, and that’s what I’m booted into now. I’m using that to restore Agog’s internal flash drive, which is happening in the background as I write this.
Whew!
* * *
Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:
- Staff Sgt. Carl E. Hammar, 24, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, died July 14, in Khost province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire.
- Sgt. Erik N. May, 26, of Independence, Kansas, died July 14, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan.
- Spc. Sergio E. Perez Jr., 21, of Crown Point, Indiana, died July 16, in Wali Kot District, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered when his vehicle was struck by enemy rocket propelled grenades.
- Spc. Nicholas A. Taylor, 20, of Berne, Indiana, died July 16, in Wali Kot District, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered when his vehicle was struck by enemy rocket propelled grenades.
- Sgt. Daniel A. Rodriguez, 28, of Baltimore, Maryland, died July 18, in Ghazni City, Afghanistan, when his vehicle was struck by an enemy improvised explosive device.
- Sgt. Jose J. Reyes, 24, San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, died July 18, in Ghazni City, Afghanistan, when his vehicle was struck by an enemy improvised explosive device.
- Cpl. Joshua R. Ashley, 23, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, died July 19 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
- Spc. Krystal M. Fitts, 26, of Houston, Texas, died July 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered from indirect fire.
- Senior Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Sean P. Sullivan, 40, of St. Louis, Missouri, died in a helicopter crash July 19 in Oman.
- Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) Second Class Joseph P. Fitzmorris, 31, of West Monroe, Louisiana, died in a helicopter crash July 19 in Oman.
- Pfc. Jeffrey L. Rice, 24, of Troy, Ohio, died July 19, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
- Spc. Darrion T. Hicks, 21, of Raleigh, North Carolina, died July 19 in Ghazni, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained from an enemy improvised explosive device.
Potatoes
Did I mention the potatoes? Here I some I dug up, cleaned, and ate (some of ) last night:
Red potatoes from our garden
From the Garden
Last week, a couple of tomatoes, a few potatoes, and these butternut squash:
Butternut squash
Yesterday I made first salsa. Five tomatoes, one each habañero, jalapeño, and cerrano pepper, and some cilantro from the garden. A small onion, and half a clove of garlic. Yummy, but a full 2.75 on my 3 point scale of salsa. I could not finish a measly three cups of salsa – I stopped when I noticed that my lips, cheeks, and tongue were all numb with the heat. Yummy, but too darn hot. It was four hours before that wore off…
Today, from the garden:
Tomatoes, zucchini, and insane cucumbers
Mob Rule
Yikes: http://culturewars.com/CultureWars/Archives/Fidelity_archives/parricide.html So much for a happy celebration of Bastille Day (yesterday). The things people do to each other… Sigh. It’s on teh Internets, so it must be true! Alas, not much in the way of references there, so for me, for now, a grain of salt. But I think I want to know more, in a way that doesn’t really want to know that sort of thing at all. Compared to that account, the worst doings in Iraq and Afghanistan are the work of a few isolated children.
* * *
Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:
- Staff Sgt. Raul M. Guerra, 37, of Union City, New Jersey, died July 4, in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.
- Spc. Jonathan Batista, 22, of Kinnelon, New Jersey, died July 8, in Zharay, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.
- Cpl. Juan P. Navarro, 23, of Austin, Texas, died July 7, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when he was attacked with an enemy improvised explosive device.
- Staff Sgt. Ricardo Seija, 31, of Tampa, Florida, died July 8, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, Afghanistan, with an improvised explosive device.
- Spc. Erica P. Alecksen, 21, of Eatonton, Georgia, died July 8, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked her unit in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, Afghanistan, with an improvised explosive device.
- Spc. Clarence Williams III, 23, of Brooksville, Fla., died July 8, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, Afghanistan, with an improvised explosive device.
- Pfc. Trevor B. Adkins, 21, of Spring Lake, North Carolina, died July 8, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, Afghanistan, with an improvised explosive device.
- Pfc. Alejandro J. Pardo, 21, of Porterville, California, died July 8, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, Afghanistan, with an improvised explosive device.
- Pfc. Cameron J. Stambaugh, 20, of Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, died July 8, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, Afghanistan, with an improvised explosive device.
- Spc. Sterling W. Wyatt, 21, of Columbia, Missouri, died July 11, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked with an enemy improvised explosive device.
- Sgt. Michael E. Ristau, 25, of Rockford, Illinois, died July 13 in Qalat, Zabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked with an enemy improvised explosive device.
The Dortmunder
I’ve decided to name the newest Linux system in the house Dortmunder. It amuses me greatly to name this bitty Raspberry Pi system after a spaceship the size of a small city. This one, however, isn’t captained by Andy Umberger, even though he is a friend of a friend. I’ve deployed Dortmunder in the “wiring closet”, running headless and hopefully trouble-free for a long, long time.
Dortmunder deployed
Fresh Pi, Have a Taste
Here’s a shot of the screen:
Big screen running from new computer
The screen is running from my newest linux-based computational device, which you can see at the lower left of the picture above.
It’s a Raspberry Pi!
I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it, yet, but at $35 plus shipping, I’m sure I can find a cost-appropriate use… I got in on one of the first few batches manufactured, placing my order last February, I think. It arrived today, a few weeks ahead of original schedule. They’re supposed to be opening up ordering again in a few days (whenever “mid-July” is, in marketing-speak), at this Newark/Element14 page.
Anyway, I’ve got to go roast coffee, but I thought I’d show you the newest small member of the menagerie around here. Ciao!
Sunday, continued.
And I’m back, having not forgotten my self-imposed duty to recognize, this day and every day, the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform on our behalf.
Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:
- Staff Sgt. Robert A. Massarelli, 32, of Hamilton, Ohio, died June 24, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
- Sgt. Michael J. Strachota, 28, of White Hall, Arkansas, died June 24, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
- Pfc. Cody O. Moosman, 24, of Preston, Idaho, died July 3, in Gayan Alwara Mandi, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.
- Capt. Bruce A. MacFarlane, 46, of Oviedo, Florida, died July 6, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Tiger lilies blooming
Just wanted to share this with you. There’s ALSO a tomato or two headed through orange on their path from green to red, but that’s a week or so out.
The tiger lilies are doing gangbusters this year, even in all this heat.
Tiger lilies – 8 July 2012
Lucky Us…
We have power. As of this afternoon, there are still six hundred thousand without that boon, in Maryland alone. Lucky us. Stores are closed, or selling dry goods only, using generator power. Gas stations that have power (and still have gas) have lines around the block. And the power companies are saying that they might be at 90% restored by the week’s end. Yeah, a hurricane-style hit to the region without warning, without the ability to call in out-of-state help in advance, and pre-position assets really sucks. But temps are staying in the high 90’s through at least the fourth. Sucks to be without power and AC, and your food is rotting in the fridge.
Lucky us…
* * *
Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:
- Maj. Paul C. Voelke, 36, of Monroe, New York, died Jun. 22 in Mazar E. Sharif, Afghanistan.
- Pfc. Steven P. Stevens II, 23, of Tallahassee, Florida, died June 22 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
- Lance Cpl. Hunter D. Hogan, 21, of Norman, Indiana, died June 23 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
- Lance Cpl. Niall W. Coti-Sears, 23, of Arlington, Virginia, died June 23 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
- Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Leach, 29, of Ferndale, Michigan, died June 26, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
- 1st Lt. Stephen C. Prasnicki, 24, of Lexington, Virginia, died June 27, in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
- Sgt. James L. Skalberg Jr., 25, of Cullman, Alabama, died June 27, in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.