09.17.07
Posted in Technology, Linux at 5:27 pm by Stoner
Multicast in Linux is a GREAT BIG BLACK HOLE. There is no suitable documentation on it. What I’ve found is many years old, for the 2.0/2.2/2.4 kernel tree or in reference to getting Linux to route multicast packets. The best doc I’ve found is by Juan-Mariano de Goyeneche - from 1998!
Additionally, there are little to no user-space tools for working with multicast. You can use ‘netstat’ to see what multicast groups the host is subscribed to and the number of subscribers…other than that, you are powerless to do anything. What would be nice would be tools to:
- list the subscribers (by process ID and socket number (since an app can subscribe to multiple multicast groups)
- detach a subscriber from a group, something akin to “kill -9 PID:socket_number”
- see the traffic stats for each multicast subscription
Linux is definitely lacking in the multicast department.
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Posted in Life, Family, Hobbies at 12:53 pm by Stoner
A while ago, I purchased a replica 1851 .44 caliber Navy revolver - a black powder, cap-n-ball revolver. I finally got to shoot it over the Labor Day weekend with my father. It was a pleasurable experience and it gave me a real admiration for the soldiers and officers who fought in the American Civil War. The effort that goes into loading and firing a cap-n-ball revolver (or rifle even) is tremendous!
A good soldier, with a reliable rifle, was able to load and fire 3 rounds in a minute. Considering how long it took me to load 6 chambers of my revolver using a pre-formed charge (no measuring required,) ball and wadding, then to put the caps on the nipples and finally to fire the weapon - I would have been counted among one of the dead. Of course, I experienced several misfires where the cap would go off but it wouldn’t ignite the powder in the chamber.
On the plus-side, out of 12 chambers, I managed to hit a target (8″ in diameter) 4 times at 25 yards, including 2 in the center bullseye. Considering it was my first time shooting that revolver and my first time shooting a cap-n-ball, I’d say it wasn’t too shabby.
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09.03.07
Posted in Life, Family at 9:25 pm by Stoner
This weekend was great. Absolutely great. Spent a lot of time with my brothers and my parents. I drove to my parents last Friday night, woke up and helped pour cement with my father, my middle brother and some neighbors. Now, pouring cement, in and of itself, sucks. But the time I spent with my brother and father was priceless. My brother taught me how to properly mix cement (ratio and consistency) while helping to finish off my parents’ basement after almost 40 years was nice.
After pouring cement, we went to my other brother’s place near the Pennsylvania/Ohio border. I always enjoy spending time with my nieces and nephew and seeing their new house was nice, too.
After that, on Monday, my father and I went to the sportsmen’s club to shoot. I had my Springfield 1911 and 1851 Navy black powder revolver (reproduction, of course) - he had his 1911 (I forget the manufacturer.) We squeezed off a bunch of clips from both 1911’s and fired several cylinders of the Navy. I actually hit the target 4 times out of 12 shots at 25 yards - not bad considering how inaccurate cap-n-ball revolvers were and it was my first time shooting it.
My dad enjoyed the shooting outage and that pleased me greatly. My father just retired…which to me means we don’t have much time left together, 20 years nominal. If that sounds like a long time, consider this: we were cleaning up after pouring cement when I noticed a young woman across the street. I made a comment and my father said “that’s their daughter, she’s 16.” I was stunned because the last time I had seen her, I was twice as tall as her and she was just starting kindergarten. That made me realize just how fast time can fly if you let it.
Well, I don’t want to turn around and see my father lying on his death bed and suddenly realize that I’d wasted all that time. I want to learn from him, spend time with him, do whatever I can to make his retirement happy and fulfilling. And that goes the same with my mother - although she doesn’t like to go shooting. 
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