Older blog entries for ajh (starting at number 16)

By tomorrow noon, I need to have a quote/slogan for the 2001 OLS t-shirt. The first year we quoted ESR's "I'd like to live in a world where software doesn't suck..." (which we're still waiting on guys!) and last year we used the preamble of the Gnu Public License. We need something interesting for this year! I've even put a bounty of 5 t-shirts to the person who sends me the quote we choose. Suggestions should be sent to ajh@linuxsymposium.org

Been busy, OLS is nearly all planned. Still looking for about 50 more people to sign up in the next few days.

So far, everything in the tank has survived and seems to be doing well. If I only had any money left after the move, now would be the time to add some more wildlife.

Spent yesterday in Montreal visiting Zero-Knowledge and SecureOps (interesting trip to say the least, and I'm afraid the least is exactly what I can in fact say). Then spent 4 hours freezing to death on the way home, at night, with a tinted motorcycle helmet visor in 3 degree Celcius weather. I think my bones are beginning to thaw now.

Ok, one week after we started moving and ALMOST everything is out of the old place. Spent all day today moving fish, filters and rigging up the new aquarium hood with the lighting. This time it is a proper salt-water hood with room for 2 45.5" VHO bulbs and up to 2 250W Metal-Halide bulbs (once I get another $600 for lighting, yeesh) I just hope everything is still alive in the morning.

Off to hand up things that should be hung on walls and try to get some more things out of boxes and into their correct places. Yeesh, did I mention I *HATE* moving?

Secured more prizes for the OLS early-bird draw, this one should be pretty interesting. I'll probably post an article about OLS 2001 and the draw on Friday. We're over 31% booked and the interest from the major corporations is higher than ever this year; I really want to make sure all the hackers who should be there find room.

Well, we are finally moving on April 1st. Our new apartment is in Conservation Co-Operative; a housing co-op with a strong environmental angle to it. What this really means is that we lose our dishwasher and air-conditioning. The housing market at the moment in Ottawa is utterly insane so we're not complaining as this will allow us to save enough to purchase and renovate a house next year.

Woke up to a 2nd Cleaner Shrimp in the tank, oh wait it molted again except this time left the carapace clinging to a large rock. The tank is finally mature, the calcium level is near 350ppm and stable, small feather-duster polyps are growing all over most of the rock surfaces, baby snails are propogating like mad, and best of all coraline alge (purple stuff) is spreading to most of the rock surfaces; all signs of a healthy well established tank. Now we have to move it.

So, given that it has to move anyway I've sold my existing tank, stand and hood and purchased a 90G drilled tank and 15G sump tank to replace the 55G tank. The new one will have an overflow skimmer to drop water to the sump where all the filters, protein skimmer and heaters will live down out of sight where they won't get in the way of the livestock. It also has the nice effect of maintaining even top water level since water loss is reflected in the sump rather than the main tank.

Now I just need to determine how to move 55G of water across Ottawa, ok well across about 8 blocks... it is still a major hassle!

After having a chicken sandwich at Yesterdays, on Sparks Street in Ottawa the last few days have been food poisoning hell. I recommend that everyone avoid that place if possible. Anyone who can't cook chicken properly is a danger to themselves and those around them.

Woke up to a missing three stripe damsel fish, searched the entire tank. Got worried. Moved rocks around, got more worried. Went to get breakfast, came back... damsel was out. Got perplexed. Turns out it found an area in one of the pieces of Live rock that it could hide in. Relaxed.

Spent most of the last two days placing most of my life into small cardboard boxes. After several evenings of 25+ people being lead through my apartment by realestate agents I've become fed up. Time to move.

Very good progress on the OLS sponsorship front. Many companies are being very cooperative and I am looking forward to working with them to make sure things go well.

18 Jan 2001 (updated 18 Jan 2001 at 23:11 UTC) »

Very strange, my Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp molted again yesterday. That's 9 days between moltings, very strange considering they're typically supposed to be 30 days apart. I must be feeding it some kind of super shrimp growth-hormone!

Looks like the first 250 people to register for OLS (if before March 1st) will get a free Ximian pet Monkey except with the new Ximian logo!

Damn high-limit credit cards! Damn them to hell!

I would like to thank Bryce for today. I'm not entirely sure how it is his fault but it will make me feel better just knowing that it could be.

Things have gone from Interesting to hellish. I found out today that my landlord is putting my apartment up for sale and for dramatically more than it was worth when I moved in. Personally I think he'll have trouble at the asking price, but new owners may not want to keep leasing it.

With this in mind I need to figure out how I'll move the 55 gallon marine tank if it does come to that.

In an attempt to raise some towards the potential upcoming downpayment (I really don't want to go through this again) I've listed some items for sale at my website. Most of the items are pretty large and will probably only be of interest to people local to Ottawa.

Now off to keep working on evaluating the OLS2001 paper proposals. Looks like a great batch again this year. Even the NSA has submitted a proposal.

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