Starting sometime tomorrow, the site will be down for a period of possibly 2 weeks. We’ll be in transition and it will have no home.
Sadly, this also means no IRC. Probably should’ve warned everyone.

oh well.

I’ve started broadcasting my MP3’s again. I got tired of internet stations breaking up and skipping. I had reasonable success broadcasting from home in the past and decided to set it up again. I did it a little different this time though. Now that I have the iBook I have all my MP3s on there, because I really like iTunes. Sadly though iTunes won’t broadcast (at least I haven’t found a way to).

What I’ve done is set up a shoutcast server on the FreeBSD 4.3 webserver/router and I’m using Audion from the iBook to stream to that. Amazingly I’m able to stream at 96kbps with little to now skipping. The only problem that’s occurred is Audion crashing occasionaly.

I’m hoping to get some sort of web interface/request system in place, but unless I find one I probably will never have the chance to program one.

Point your favorite listening device to GonzoCast at http://gonzo.is-a-geek.com:8049

In the past my work has decorated for the holidays by running strings of lights inside and out. Today they bought and set up a Christmas tree. Not a big deal right? Well, it wouldn’t be, except that I’m jewish. I don’t mind the lights since they really just create a festive atmosphere and there is no religious connotation in lights.

The tree though, that’s another story. The moment a tree is set up, I expect a menorah as well. Is that wrong? I made it a point to ask when the Hanukah party was when the e-mail about the “Christmas Party” went out. I was just being a smart ass then, but a tree carries significant religious connotation.

True, the history of the tree dates back to druids burning evergreens in a winter solstice ritual, but it was adopted by early christians in an attempt to convert the pagans and now is a christian symbol.

When I was growing up, we did not have a tree. That meant we were different. I was 12 or 13 before I experienced any sort of involvment with a tree. Our neighbors invited me to help decorate theirs. I was clueless as to what I was supposed to do. Now my only involvment is when I hang a single ornament on the tree at my in-laws and pull gifts out from beneath the same tree the next day.

In the future Gianna (the wife) and I will probably have both a menorah and a tree (in fact we’d have a tree this year if we weren’t moving), but regardless of all that. I’m jewish and feel I deserve to be represented in the holiday decor.

So anyhow, I asked about the menorah and was told one is on its way (in other words they forgot and will get one). I thanked this person as they walked past my office. They then proceeded to put a small little Christmas stocking on the desk next to me and walk out . In fact, she’s been in here a couple of times. Would it be wrong now to ask where my dreydel is?

Update 12/6/2002: Yeah. So today this person comes by and asks if it’s still okay to put a menorah out since tonight is the last night (or is it tomorrow?). I pointed out to her that the point is to represent Hanukah, not celebrate it. It’s not Christmas and the tree’s out isn’t it?

I have no idea why I’m awake. I got home at 5am. I woke up at 9am. It’s now 11:30am. I think I’ll go back to sleep.