WiFi Links and more

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photo of a WiFi Cantenna, courtesy of Seattle Wireless Net

I’m still playing around with my Airport Express (AEx) at home.

The signal strength LED blinks yellow (medium) most of the time, rather than glowing green as I’d prefer.
The AEx is in the Den (our TV/Stereo media room), down a floor and at the other end of the house from my G4 Mac in the office. The AEx has an internal antenna, so without cutting it open to hack on a bigger antenna, I’m pretty much stuck with leaving it alone. But I can increase its received signal strength by focusing the transmitted power into a narrower, more concentrated beam, rather than using the omni-directional pattern of the built-in G4 antenna.

Basically this means I need to build or buy a tighter beam anternna (with a 2 foot long or so lead) and connect it to the antenna connector on the Airport Extreme card within the G4.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, its makes sense to look at what others have already done – there has been an evolution beyond the old Pringles “Cantenna” technology. And considering I’ve worked in CATV/TVRO technology and around the edges of antenna tech before I gave it up and came to web development, I have some old N connectors and such stashed away from those old days (somewhere!).

Here are some reference links for later use:

Airport Express … it just works (Great!)

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photo of Airport Express on my stereo     photo of Airport Express

My long pending order arrived yesterday! Back in June Apple announced the Airport Express (AEx) – a neat little wireless networking gadget (802.11g – 54 Mbps) that can serve as a wireless link between my computer in the office, and my stereo/media center downstairs at the other end of the house. As soon as I heard about this, I had visions of using iTunes to tune in some of the more interesting internet radio stations, and using the AEx to send them to my stereo downstairs. Its crazy to be trapped in the office to listen to some of the nicer internet music sites.

Also see
notebookreview.com – includes AEx internal photo!

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Pining for the old west? Come to Virginia!

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July 1st was a “special” day in Virginia …

Not content with passing the hateful House Bill 751, and accidently reinstating the Sunday Blue laws, it seems the Virginia legislators took away gun control from all local jurisdictions, but put nothing up in its place!
The end effect is that packing a 6 shooter is now Legal in public anywhere in the Old Dumb Onion! (for you out-of-staters, thats a play on Virginia’s title as The Old Dominion)

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More from the Mumbo-Jumbo Whitehouse

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Bush White House checked with rapture Christians before latest Israel move
The Jesus Landing Pad
by Rick Perlstein     May 18th, 2004 10:00 AM

It was an e-mail we weren’t meant to see. Not for our eyes were the notes that showed White House staffers taking two-hour meetings with Christian fundamentalists, where they passed off bogus social science on gay marriage as if it were holy writ and issued fiery warnings that “the Presidents [sic] Administration and current Government is engaged in cultural, economical, and social struggle on every level” this to a group whose representative in Israel believed herself to have been attacked by witchcraft unleashed by proximity to a volume of Harry Potter. Most of all, apparently, we’re not supposed to know the National Security Council’s top Middle East aide consults with apocalyptic Christians eager to ensure American policy on Israel conforms with their sectarian doomsday scenarios.

But now we know.

“Everything that you’re discussing is information you’re not supposed to have,” barked Pentecostal minister Robert G. Upton when asked about the off-the-record briefing his delegation received on March 25. Details of that meeting appear in a confidential memo signed by Upton and obtained by the (Village) Voice.

See the whole story at

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0420/perlstein.php

Hateful HB751 goes into effect July 1st

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Virginia actually did it. They passed a bill that kicks a group of people right in the teeth, and they have the audacity to say its
“protecting” marriage. Thats right, they weren’t content to let the existing Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) show folks that they didn’t support marriage between gay people. No, they had to pass an over-the-top law that says not only do they not support gay marriage here, but anything that even presumes to grant privileges that are considered part of marriage is not legal. And by the way, if you do get Gay-married in another state, … its not legal here.

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Love the country, keep an eye on the Government

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We went to the Fine Arts Cinema in Fairfax yesterday and saw Fahrenheit 9/11. Its an important film – and I’d urge anyone who is curious to see it – but if you rather not spend money for a film, I found the following website to be an excellent parallel resource – it outlines and defines many of the points that Michael Moore makes in his movie, and has links to commentary by many folks (republican, democrats and others). Its a must read for all …

Unprecedented Corruption: A guide to conflict of interest in the U.S. government

Michael Moore, Director of Fahrenheit 9/11

the Institute for Policy Studies

All politics are loco!

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While in Colorado, Kerry made a quick stop in Aspen for a $500,000 fund-raiser at the home of Michael Goldberg, president of Miami-based airline leasing company Aerolease International. Kerry invited Aspen resident and writer Hunter S. Thompson to ride in his motorcade and brought three copies of Thompson’s book about the 1972 presidential race, “Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail” for autographs.

"Just to put your minds all at ease, I have four words for you that I know will relieve you greatly," Kerry told the fund-raiser. "How does this sound – Vice President Hunter Thompson."

From a Yahoo News Story

Road trip for a piece of Heaven

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Emma at the EDS Campus in Boston, June 18, 2004

Well, Late Saturday night we got back from our whirlwind tour of Boston – whew! What, you didn’t know about our trip?? I guess I never mentioned it online, only in meatspace –

The reason? My partner Emma had reached the end of her 5 years of classes, study and candidacy (internship) and it was time for her interview to determine if she would become a pastor in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Church (UFMCC – or MCC for short). Her interview was scheduled for Sat June 19th in Boston, so we made plans to drive up on Thursday, spend Friday relaxing and seeing the sights, then drive back to Virginia Saturday after her interview.

And the lobster?? I promised her a New England Lobster dinner while we were in Boston, so we dropped by Legal Seafood at Kendall Square in Cambridge and had a fine dinner – lots of fun!

Saturday morning I took her to the MCC interview at the Episcopal Divinity School – and a bit over 1 hour later, she was Reverend-Elect!

The only thing left now is the ordination ceremony – which involves the “laying on of hands” by various peers and mentors. She’s hoping to do have that ceremony in Richmond, as her parents can’t travel far, and she wants her dad to be involved. He retired 2 years ago after 50 years of being a Methodist Minister – so it would be very cool for him to “pass the baton” to her. Tho Emma has lots to do before we get to that point, its still very cool that all went well at the interview …