Is Your Backup Secure?

While there are a number of online backup solutions available, not all provide the same levels of data security, according to Heise Online, in which several leading solution providers were tested for vulnerability to a man-in-the-middle attack. Many solutions failed the test, but Mozy passed with flying colors.

So, I'd say if you aren't using Mozy, now would be a good time to switch. Or start.

2008 ALMS at MMSP

Derrick and I went to see the 2008 ALMS races at Miller Motorsports Park last Saturday. It was a beautiful day and good times were had by all.


We showed up just in time for the IMSA Lites races, which seem to have taken a cue from the AMA in their class naming conventions. Regardless, it was good fun to watch these guys race around and made me wish I could try it. And it just got better from there.

Action shot!

Next was qualifying for the SPEED Challenge series. Mostly Porsche 911s and Corvettes in this class.

The KPax Porsches were quite nice looking and pretty fast.

There were some nice looking Corvettes also.

Close Racing

Next was ALMS practice and qualifying. Last year we got to watch these guys race. Alas, this year the race was on Sunday so we did not get to see it.
Right as ALMS practice was about to start, Dave and my dad showed up. We watched the remainder of the events with them.

Here's a shot of one of the awesome, eerily-silent-running Audi LMP1 turbodiesel prototypes.

Like last year, this year one of the yellow Penske Porsche LMP2 prototypes won the overall, even beating the LMP1s which are supposed to be faster.

My favorite cars in all of ALMS are these yellow Corvettes - they sound AWESOME!

Here an Acura prototype has just completed a pass on a Ferrari 430 .

That yellow LMP2 Porsche wasn't behind these other two cars for long.

Next was the Star Mazda series race. I didn't get to see them last year so I was kinda looking forward to it.

There was some pretty close racing in Star Mazdas. Notice the paint job on the red car in front - it looks a lot like F1 Ferraris did a few years ago, when Vodafone still sponsored them.

The last race of the day was the IMSA Challenge series - all Porsche 911s.

My favorite shot - four Porsches in one photo!

Belgium vs. Australia

The other day I was talking with my dad on the phone about the recently concluded AMA Supercross championship, and my pleasure that the Australian Chad Reed had managed to claim the championship (if you read this blog you already know that I'm a big Chad Reed fan).

Dad was trying to be supportive but he just wasn't really showing the love. Finally I asked him about it, and he said, "Well, I know you really like Reed, but I was kinda hoping that Windham would win it. You know, since he's an American. I just think since you are an American you should cheer for Windham over Reed."

Well, Dad's entitled to his opinion. So I thought about this for a while. Then I realized: This is the same man who had posters of Roger DeCoster on his workshop wall when I was little.

Roger DeCoster. The Man. The legend. The Belgian.

Chad Reed - AMA Supercross Champion

Embarrassingly, I have neglected to blog about the awesome fact that Chad Reed is the 2008 AMA Supercross Champion. Sincerest apologies, readers.

2008 will be one of those Supercross seasons to remember, unless your name is Kevin Windham. Don't get me wrong, I'm not dogging on K-Dub. He rode a great season and shouldn't be at all upset with his effort. But I'm betting that this one hurts enough that he would like to forget it.
Maybe he'll remember it just enough to compete the 2008 Nationals and win that title. I'm all in favor of that.

But this post is not about K-Dub, it's about Chad Reed. Chad had an uncharacteristically inconsistent season, with some rather distant finishes in a number of races due to minor things like a blown engine or a broken shoulder. This season, it was Windham who was consistently top-5 or better every race, not Chad. What Chad did do that was very Chad-Reed-ish was to fight like a dog for every point possible, against conditions and obstacles that would sideline practically any athlete of any sport you want to name.

I'm a big fan of both Windham and Reed. What made the difference this season was that Reed went out and got that championship. At the start of the season, when Stewart dropped out, everyone thought we might as well just hand the championship to Reed. Well, it wasn't handed to him - he went out there and earned it, every point of it. Both Windham and Reed had opportunities to seize the championship; the difference was that Reed seized it when it really mattered, and Windham didn't. When Reed faltered, when Windham had those opportunities to take points and really make it hurt, he didn't always grab those opportunities.

That, my friends, is the difference between winning and just having a really great season.

First Week Goals - Nailed

I'm feeling pretty stoked right now because I met my goal of completing a feature request by the end of my first week.

I have learned a lot of programming languages in my time. I've delivered production code in six: C, C++, Perl, Java, PHP, and Python. All six have syntax that varies from one to the other, Python being the most unique of the six; all six have varying degrees of suck-itude (Python, hardly any suck-itude; Java, 100% suck-itude); some are object-oriented, and some are C. But they really are all quite a bit like each other in concept.

Objective-C, however, is kinda throwing me for a curve. The metaphors of this language are a bit unique, and it is hard to anchor them to anything. I don't mean that I can't do it, but rather that it is stretching me.

That's why I'm so pleased that I met my goal. I imagine once I get this new technology figured out, what I did in one week (well, in fairness, it was really only about half a week, because of all the new-hire stuff I have to do) I should be able to do in a day or so. No matter. I'm stoked and ain't nobody bring me down today.

Get a Dog, Little Longy

I started my new job yesterday at Mozy.com and it seems like it is going to be pretty cool. Speaking only for myself, I have to say that if you aren't using Mozy now, I wonder why. Things seem cool here, and so far I'm loving my new Mac Pro workstation.

The name conjures images of cattle rustlers and dusty plains. Which, of course, conjures images of Patrick Star, hence the title.


If you are still wanting for a clarification, perhaps you need to dedicate more time to the fine community of Bikini Bottom.

Breaking Up with Novell

Tomorrow is my last day of employment at Novell as a software engineer. I've never before mentioned in this blog who I work for.

I'm sitting in my office thinking about my last day tomorrow. It's an incredibly nostalgic and bittersweet emotion. I'm looking northward out my office window on the 7th floor. I have a magnificent view of the mountains and Utah Valley - at seven floors up in Provo, Utah, you are pretty much at the top of the city. I am sure going to miss this view.

I dated a girl in college named Stefani. She was a great girl, and we enjoyed our time together. In spite of this, after time I came to believe that our relationship was not ever going to work out. With mixed emotions I broke off the relationship, not because I didn't like her, but because in spite of the liking it just wasn't working out.

Choosing to leave Novell has been like that. After eight years (give or take) at a place, you can't help but harbor fond memories and feelings. I don't know how else to describe the feeling, unless you too have ended a relationship that was not fruitful, even in spite of all the enjoyment you had gotten from the relationship.

Funny thing is, I don't regret my decision to leave at all. I don't have any second thoughts or feel like I'm making a mistake. I guess it is a feeling of sorrow, regret, and disappointment - oh, if only it could have worked out. Alas, it didn't. I guess it wasn't meant to be.


The upside: After I broke off the relationship with Stefani, I met another girl that was even more wonderful. She is still my girlfriend (and wife) after 14 years. Maybe that's a good omen.