tcpip | Hello LJ my old friend...

Hello LJ my old friend...

Well this has been the longest gap between post since I started keeping this journal. And for good reason. I've been working like a Trojan on my PhD. I really hoped to have it finished by today, but having written some 2,000 words too much on section 3-5 (Data Integration), I now find myself some 2,500 words short from completion.

Two other reasons have come between me and completion on this day. The first is that in a couple of hours I'm meeting up with the erstwhile hackers from alt.2600.au - despite being "good Friday" and all (I never understood what was supposed to be so good about it), they've found a bar, and I intend to be there.

The other reason is to satisfy caseopaya's once a year desire to have red meat - on the day when Christian folk aren't. So to satisfy this desire I've spent the better part of two days creating the hardest meat recipe in the world - the notorious "selle de veau orloff" (instead of veal I've substituted porterhouse steaks on the bone). With close to $100 worth of ingredients, this meat dish is roasted, braised, roasted again, boiled, then roasted. It is accompanied by no less than nine additional recipes, including stock, two sauces, soubise, mushroom puree, salisifs and tartalettes. Apparently it reaches a state of perfection when you cannot tell the difference between the sauce that it covers and the meat underneath it.

Last weekend was caseopaya's birthday, so we took a trip down the Great Ocean Road to Warnambool. This rugged coastline of cliffs and strong winds is the home of over a hundred shipwrecks from the nineteenth and early twentieth century, as boats from England sought to cut time (and money) by engaging in the "great circle route", which soon became known as "The Shipwreck Coast". The Warrnabool maritime museum recites the feeling of the times rather well. If you're looking for a place to run aground, then the Shipwreck Coast can give you all the misery you desire". A rather extraordinary place, the museum is a recreation of a nineteenth century coastal port.

Any fortunate moment whilst in town was encountering a touring play by Wesley College of (quelle surprise) John Wesley. David Dunn, the Director of Wesley College student theatre, is deserving of a trial for causing art damage for (believe it or not) making the story of this important social reformer into a musical. Nevertheless, the performance was saved by some excellent customing and a rather charming performance by Ashleigh Franklin who came across as much as a starry-eyed Christian idealist as Wesley himself was.

Social highlight of the week previous was attending birthday celebrations with log_reloaded, which included a visit to the Melbourne Comedy Festival's Stupid, but Lucky by Peter Monaghan, which is full of sensible advice (such as don't hunt wild pigs with a .22, don't take LSD at your last day at work, and don't swim in crocodile infested waters).

Some may remember the frustration I have had in the past with the East Timorese government trying to make them see sense in engaging in a commercial development of the .tp domain - a matter that could bring the world's poorest nation several million dollars income per capita (and with a population of c800,000 that's a big deal). Well because they haven't taken up the idea, it looks like someone else is about to:

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-19mar04.htm
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-5176438.html

In other Internet related news, the Australian government does something right: no spam is good spam.

And it doesn't just apply to the Internet. All unsolicited advertising is under the hammer. Numbers up for unwanted spam

You know that Australian politics is in for an interesting time when the leader of the Labor Party supports abolishing ATSIC and the leader of the conservative government doesn't. Meanwhile the ATSIC leader is trying his hardest to keep the organization viable, whilst opinion-makers don't seem to have an answer either.

Best of livejournal reading for the past fortnight comes from greylock who expresses real concern about how fictional stories are destroying factual knowledge. My favourite lines is how "a significant chunk of the British population [is] ... unmoved by academia". I also have doubts about the veracity of the report however. Really, it just isn't possible that even 1% of the population believe that Battlestar Galatica - the defeat of humanity by cyborgs - really existed. I mean, wouldn't you notice?

Rilian has two rippers. Vampire Bats Kill 13 People in Brazil and Installing Linux on a Dead Badger.

On related Vampire tales, the_christian reminds us of how common they really are. Especially in Romania where villagers are upset that police are investigating a vampire slaying.

Every wanted to hit the real wide open road? From the cyberpunk community how about riding a motorcycle through Chernobyl?

Social justice meme. An anti-Judiac website has Googlebombed the word 'Jew' so that if you search with that word in Google and hit the "I'm Feeling Lucky" function, you will get their page, which is full of the usual paranoid and racist rubbish. To counteract this, just copy and paste this into your own journal:

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jew">Jew </a>

Update

Silly things you forget when you've been away from LJ for so long:

- Last fortnight saw another two meetings with AVI. One was another skills assesment one-on-one meeting. Left it confused about whether they want me to go to Viet Nam or to a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. The other was a meeting with some 100 people who were considering taking up AVI positions.

- Have been using a Windows 98 box for dial-up networking for several months now. Recently hard-disk errors have arisen, causing a slow swan-song. First the dial-up networking program stopped working, then the mouse, then MS-Access... and so forth. It was quite elegant watching new bad blocks appear on a daily basis from ScanDisk.

Anyway the long and short of it is that all useful data has been transferred by my Linux (Mandrake 9.1) box which is operating happily. More to the point I was pleasantly surprised by how much more useful and - believe it or not - easier to use KPPP is than MS's dial-up-networking. More feathers in the cap for the open source community, I say...

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1. Whereas about 98 per cent of email spam arriving in Australian inboxes comes from overseas and will be unaffected by the legislation.

It would be interesting to test that one, since the courts recently ruled in a defamation case, that internet publications are deemed to be published where they are read, rather than where they are uploaded.

2. Your red meat feast sounds sensational. Hope it tastes as good as it sounds!

3. Glad to see news spreading about the Chernobyl rides. It reminds me of a modern Pompeii. Rather moving.

4. Even worse that Battlestar Galactica, 1% of Poms believe that Edmund Blackadder was a real person!!! (I wonder how this survey was conducted and who was taking the mickey).

And gee golly gosh! I always thought Robin Hood was real. Moreover, I learned when Richard Greene played him on TV, that they used to wear wrist watches back in those days!

It would be interesting to test that one, since the courts recently ruled in a defamation case, that internet publications are deemed to be published where they are read, rather than where they are uploaded.

Yeah, but that only works if the person who did the post ever visits Australia and the protagonist takes up the case. Of course, Henry Kissinger better be careful.

Red Meat!

Not too bad at all for a first attempt. I'd like to try it again at some stage. It went very well with a full bodied red wine..

I always thought Robin Hood was real

So did I... However Robin Hood falls in the category of a "definite maybe" (like King Arthur). I guess I was biased to the story...

http://www.robinhood.info/robinhood/candidates.html

Glad to see news spreading about the Chernobyl rides.

That's right, you posted that before as well. It's extraordinary... I find it kind of creepy, whereas Pompeii .... I don't know, kind of reminds of that a "Carry On" film I saw as a a youngster.. "Up Pompeii" if I remember correctly...

Chernobyl is a little too close to the bone. Radiation on those levels scares me.

A man-made disaster rather than a natural one is what makes it creepy.

Yes, you're right of course. If it was a natural disaster - like the Tunguska event.

http://www.tmeg.com/artifacts/tunguska/tunguska.htm

I'm dubious about the UFO hypothesis...

5. tp domain: the World Bank or somesuch probably told them it was inappropriate for the public sector.

In various bits and pieces:

I have never heard of this meat dish. I refuse to look it up. But I can't imagine Lent still being popular outside a supermarket advertising push "Fish! For Lent!". Somehow, I couldn't fit an apostrophe into that).

I was always confused by the logic of Good Friday too.

Stikes me, the Government of East Timor is not all that savvy.

Also, I'm not a big fan of the anti-spam law, since I can see the diffenence between legitimate advertising e-mails, and spam.

The ATSIC thing is interesting.

The Chernobyl thing had a sequel at Salshdot recently, but I have neglected to save the URL.

I suppose a long-term resident of New York or Sydney like Ramos Horta is unlikely to be very savvy. I think, however, that the problem is more likely to rest with World Bank advice - they never advocate profitable commercial ventures for the public sector. And they back up their advice with serious amounts of no risk money.

.. the Government of East Timor is not all that savvy

More specifically, it's the Ministry of Telecommunications, Roads and Post. From what I can tell, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thinks it's a good idea, the President thinks it's a good idea, but it's the TRP Ministry that has the final authority.

Also, I'm not a big fan of the anti-spam law, since I can see the diffenence between legitimate advertising e-mails, and spam.

Opt-in is legitimate advertising because it is solicited.

It can be tricky. I have sent out bulk emails in the past. To be sure I'm not trying to sell anything, but I get your point.

But as organizations like cauce point out, email is different to traditional advertising - the receiver pays the cost.

ATSIC

I must admit, after several years involvement in Aboriginal Affiars Policy, I'm still pondering this one... I think part of the problem is that unlike the Maori, there is no single Australian aboriginal culture and furthermore a majority of indigenous Australian's do not have their language as a first language.

The article about fiction vs history - simply frightening. 11% of people believed Hitler didn't exist, 1% of people believe Xena is real, and 3% of people think the Battle of Helm's Deep was real... so what happened to all the Orcs, Elves and Dwarves then?

"That's the problem with vampires...They'd be all right if you could set them after your enemies. But they only kill loved ones. I can understand why, but they have to be stopped."

This should probably worry me, I'm supposed to have relatives in Transylvania.
;-)

so what happened to all the Orcs, Elves and Dwarves then?

Orcs - old Anglo-Saxon for demon.
Dwarves - Nordic-Germanic beings.
Elves - nicked off with the Celtic twilight to the Land of the Ever Young. Except for the "half-elven" kind... Like La-fey-ette.. ;-)

Like Greylock originally suggested the last paragraph may be a bit of humour...

Translyvania...

What's the language there? Vlach?

I've never been there, but AFAIK Transylvania is one of those borderland areas, so they probably speak a dialect consisiting of a combination of Romanian and Hungarian. That would fit in with the names I saw in that article.

Hmmm.. Finno-Ugarian and Romance-Turkic..

Maybe Romani?

http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=RMC

Vlach... I'm way off. I was thinking of Wallachia.

http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=RUP

Loved the chernobyl piece. I might not want to take that ride, but if I have to visit, I think a big Ninja makes good sense!

Always find your updates enlightening.

Always find your updates enlightening.

Why thank you. For someone who spends most of their life behind a computer screen it can sometimes take a bit of effort - as long as I can remember to go outside at least once every couple of days!

I'm drooling, dribbling and something else starting with dr at the thought of that meat dish.

Yes, if you're me it's possible to read through a post loaded with weighty topics, and focus on the food!

Huzzah! Found some of it online.

It's a great dish. I'm having it for lunch as well....

Saddle of Veal with Soubise, Mushrooms, Truffles with Mornay Sauce (Orloff)

Selle de veau Orloff

To serve 8

Soubise:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup uncooked long-grain regular-milled white rice
2 cups coarsely chopped onions 1 cup "White Chicken Stock", or substitute 1 cup canned chicken stock, chilled, then degreased

Soubise (Onion-and-Rice Mixture):

Pre-heat the oven to 325ºF. In a heavy 1½- to 2-quart casserole, melt the 4
tablespoons of butter over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the chopped onions and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes until they are soft and translucent but not brown. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly.

Stir in the rice and stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the
casserole tightly and bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, or
until the grains are soft and have absorbed all of the liquid. Purée the
onion-and-rice mixture through the finest blade of a food mill, or rub it
through a fine sieve with the back of a spoon. Set the mixture aside.

Purée de champignons:

1 pound fresh mushrooms "Butter with Flour"
2 tablespoons "Clarified Butter" ½ teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream Freshly ground white pepper
1 and ½ tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice

Purée de champignons (Mushroom Purée):

Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth and trim off and discard the base of
the stems. Then put them through the finest blade of a food grinder or chop
both caps and stems as fine as possible. A handful at a time, place the
mushrooms in the corner of a towel or double thickness of cheesecloth and
squeeze vigorously to extract as much of their juice as possible.
In a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over moderate
heat for 10 seconds. Add the mushrooms and, stirring constantly, cook over
low heat for 3 or 4 minutes. The mushrooms are done when the liquid
accumulated in the pan evaporates. Do not let them brown.

Pour in 1 cup of heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Then stir in the lemon juice, the "Butter with Flour", salt
and a pinch of white pepper. continue cooking for 4 or 5 minutes longer,
still stirring occasionally until the "Butter with Flour" has been absorbed.
Stir the purée into the onion-and-rice mixture, cool to room temperature,
cover with foil or plastic wrap and set aside.

Selle de veau:

A 5 and ½- to 6-pound saddle of veal (a short double loin), with inner fat
removed and all but 1/8 inch of fat trimmed from the surface ½ cup thinly
sliced celery
2 teaspoons salt 1 medium-sized firm, ripe tomato, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper A "Bouquet garni"
3 tablespoons butter, softened ¼ cup dry white wine
1 pound veal bones, sawed into 1-inch lengths 2 tablespoons "Meat Glaze"
1 large onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch thick rounds 2 large black
truffles cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds
½ cup thinly sliced scraped carrots

Selle de veau (Saddle of Veal):

Ask the butcher to prepare the veal for roasting in the following fashion,
or do it yourself: Trim the bone at the base of the front end of the saddle
with a cleaver so that the saddle will lie perfectly flat. Then trim any
ragged edges from the flaps. Sprinkle the underside of the veal with 1
teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper. Tuck the flaps under
and, with white kitchen cord, tie the saddle crosswise in at least three
places.

Pre-heat the over to 400° F. Sprinkle the top of the saddle evenly with 1
teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper and rub it with 3
tablespoons of softened butter. Spread the bones as evenly as possible in
the bottom of a shallow roasting pan large enough to hold the saddle
comfortably and set the saddle, fat side up, on top.

Roast the veal uncovered and undisturbed in the middle of the oven for 30
minutes. Then reduce the oven heat to 350°F. Scatter the onion, carrots,
celery and tomato around the saddle and add the "Bouquet garni". Cover the
pan snugly with heavy foil and braise the veal undisturbed for 30 minutes.
Then remove the foil and roast for 30 minutes longer. Transfer the veal to a
cutting board and let it cool to room temperature.

With tongs or a slotted spoon remove and discard the bones from the roasting pan and pour in the wine and "Meat Glaze". Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly and scraping in the browned particles that cling to the bottom and sides of the pan. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing down on the vegetables with the back of a spoon to extract all their juices before discarding them. Set the strained liquid aside. When it cools, skim all the fat from the surface.

Happy eating!

Thank you so much - no idea when we'll get around to it, but we will.

Took some time out last week to read the chernobyl piece: it was posted in #gothic. Thought it was amazing.

I tried a new (to me, anyway) Linux desktop distrib this week called Xandros and found it to be the most user friendly distrib yet. Check it out.

Thanks for the enlightening read :)

Ah yes, I've heard very good things about Xandros. Haven't actually seen it myself, but the reviews are positive.

http://www.madpenguin.org/Article811.html

Really, it just isn't possible that even 1% of the population believe that Battlestar Galatica - the defeat of humanity by cyborgs - really existed. I mean, wouldn't you notice?

No you wouldn't notice.

The premise of BG was that the "13th tribe" left the original area of the Galaxy and headed out to eventually colonise Earth as the Ancient Egyptians, etc. That's why the Viper Pilot helmets looked vaguely like the Egyptian nemes. You need to think Erik von Daniken.

But then something like 10% or so of the American population believe the moon landings were faked so why is this any less incredulous?

You need to think Erik von Daniken.

Or L.Ron Hubbard. Who is Xemu?

http://www.cnbc.cmu.edu/~dst/Coltice/xemu.html

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Hello LJ my old friend...

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Bingo! Part I

Bingo! Part II

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Devil's Advocate

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