Merry Christmas to All and to all a Happy Holidays!
For us, we’re having 2 Cornish Game Hens with stuffing (currently thawing out for prep tomorrow as we get Christmas nearly last; only Hawaii is later, by 2 hours… then some spots in the Pacific…
I’ve taken the opportunity to re-do my lab / desk layout and FINALLY have the set up I’d originally envisioned a few years back.
I have the Ordoid C1 (it was supposed to be the C2 but it died…) driving the TV Set as “general monitoring and videos” station. So I can put up “htop” panels for every other system and have a full HD board of condition displays. As it is also able to drive video (only up to about 480p but that’s OK for Youtube general info and music) and makes nice stereo sound – so now I have my Media Center at the desktop too (the good one is in the bedroom ;-)
My DVI Adapter monitor is for “Work Du Jour” and is now completely free of monitoring other systems ;-) So I can bounce it up and down and not need to restore a bunch of long duration sessions or htop monitors. It is set up to use the System Du Jour (currently the Ordoid XU4 as it is just dandy for enteral Blog Stuff (minus sound as the DVI quashes it…)
The Dogbone Stack of Pi B+ (the v6 original single core 700 MHz) and a Pi M2 (original quad core v7 900 MHz) are in the bottom two slots both doing DNS / Squid Proxy and connected to UPS power and the “TV & DNS Network” aka the Telco Router. I’ve got one more Pi M2 in the stack that’s set up for distcc and general cluster playing (as is the other one) but at present powered down. Then the Odroid C1, so no more “junk on the desktop” to drive the TV as monitor. Finally, wire tied to the top is one of the Orange Pi One boards connected as my NFS File Server (with the 8 TB disk behind / under the TV – all out of the way at the back edge of the desk.
So most of the time at least 4 of the 5 things in the dogbone stack are powered on and working. The other one when I want to do distributed compilation of v7 arm code. Behind my DMI Monitor is the 2 x power strips ( File Server on a dedicated one so I can switch it all off together when not in use. Why have files on line and exposed if you are not actively using them?) and the Ethernet Switch for the private side LAN. It has an uplink to the Netgear that isolates from the TV / House / DMZ network.
On my desktop are two Ethernet ends to the two major networks so I can boot a system into either destination as desires happen. The front 1/2 of my desk is substanially clear other then KB & Mouse (mousepad and mice…)
Notice that missing in that list is any mention of my 2 x USB Powered Hubs!
The Orange Pi One is using a powered USB disk, so doesn’t need any extra power, and running headless has no need for KB or Mouse connections. The move to one big disk eliminated the need for the Hub.
The Ordroid XU4 has a big fat barrel connector to power the local 2 GB hard disk, and 2 ports for KB & Mouse. I’ll need to attache the hub if I want to play with multiple disks, but otherwise, it’s a “done deal” As primarily just a place for “daily stuff”, I think I’ll not need to attach a hub very often. Mostly I expect the hub will be attached to any “variety system of the day” when I swap the monitor, kb, & mouse onto that board for “whatever” project – like finishing the Pocket PiHole on a R.Pi M3.
Basically, with the “Monitoring Station” all set up and happy with a browser, the “Workstation” can be shut down any time for “play with something else” and minimal plugging of things – just move KB / Mouse / Monitor over as needed. (For things run as headless servers I can just power them up on a network spigot and use the Workstation as KB/Mouse/Display via remote connections.)
You may have noticed that other than the one ancient v6 system, this is all v7 32 bit stuff. I’m going to be assembling my v8 64 bit systems into their own cluster (though maybe not a dog bone case, not sure yet as they are all different sizes ;-) so I can do distcc on v8 codes and run very fast math problems (as the v8 codes know to use the GPU for math…). This will have some minor issues in that they are not all the same kind of system so we’ll see what surfaces as I assemble the cluster and make it go. The v7 32 bit stuff is fine for general desktop and dedicated server stuff and frees up the “hotter” 64 bit boards for heftier compute stuff. I expect that over a year or so the RockPro64 will become my major desktop replacing the XU4 (that becomes just a v7 cluster node then), but the software needs some maturation first.
With that, I’m on to sorting out the couple of dozen “System Images” I’ve accumulated over the years. Some times I’d just “move on” to a new chip / SBC / system as a general reset on “anything that’s accumulated”; and now there’s a few that are in the “not going to use that again” pile that really need a final “harvest anything you saved there and want” prior to a scrub.
Yes, I’m doing “Christmas Holiday Lab Cleaning” ;-0
Hey, after a few decades of working EVERY Christmas ’cause that’s when we could shut down the computer room (as all the staff were on holiday…) it’s a habit now ;-)
Well, time for tea and maybe a spot of lunch!
Musings from the Chiefio 
Merry Christmas! I hope your celebration lasts long into the new year!
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones Chief.
Merry Christmas to you and all your followers!
Merry Christmas to all.
Apollo 8 Christmas Message
Merry Christmas to you, E.M. and all the regulars and lurkers here.
I’m well aware that there is a mix of atheists, agnostics, Christian believers, and several other religious beliefs that visit here. So far, there have not been many religious food fights here, for which I’ve been grateful and appreciative.
Without bothering to go into where I’m at on the spiritual spectrum, I will say that I’ve always thought Christmas was a very wonderful holiday. Birth of Christ… Sinter Klaus, gifts, children, magic.. Peace on Earth good will towards men… feasting with plum pudding and turkey… emphasis on family, caring, giving… something for everyone there.
Christmas is a wonderful holiday regardless of your religious beliefs or lack thereof. Heck! Make it totally secular and it’s still a wonderful time with fine underlying sentiments.
Sooo… Merry Christmas to all!… and the best way to enjoy Christmas is through the eyes of children. Snag a kid if you don’t have one and enjoy the wonders of the season.
I’ve mentioned that I’m snowbirding in Florida, but this is the first time we’ve been down for Christmas. All other times (several) that we’ve escaped the snow and cold of the Midwest to snowbird have been after Christmas.
Now for those of you readers in the ‘wrong’ hemisphere or in tropical or semi-tropical climate zones, this will be no big deal to you, but I just finished rib-eye steaks on the grill with green beans and mashed potatoes on the side, and I was quite comfy dressed in shorts and my safety yellow t-shirt. I could get used to this. The HECK! with dreaming of a white Christmas. 😆
My sister lives in Florida and we are going to her house tomorrow (12/25) for Christmas dinner. It’s been about 30 years since my sis and I have shared Christmas day. I have two older brothers that live closer and, here and there over the years, we’ve been able to hit Christmas day together, but not with my sis. So it’s a rare and happy day for us tomorrow.
My best wishes to all.
H.R.
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P.S. To Larry L. – I don’t know how Christmas will play out for you this year. You’re a life-long bachelor and of an age where there is less family left for sharing the holidays. Still, you have a community from Chiefio’s and several other blogs that ‘know’ you, value you, and enjoy the contributions you make that expand and enrich our knowledge and lives. ( And you get a few humorous zingers in here and there, eh?)
So… if this Christmas finds you short of physical bodies sharing your day, be aware that there are a fair number of kindred spirits only a keyboard away that are enjoying the day with you.
P.P.S. @ beth the serf – 👍👍
I don’t comment back to you much mainly because… you most often leave me speechless. I banter with the usual suspects here, but I can only recall a few times I’ve replied “@ beth”. So, @beth, Merry Christmas!
(I hope the star on the top of your tree is wired on tight. After all, you’re upside down and it might fall off… Okay… maybe it doesn’t work exactly like that. 😜)
Well okay. Similar greetings as above to all.
We do have snow on the ground, so all is white. Most of the snow on pines is still there also.
However, we are not expecting more snow until Wednesday.
Does it have to snow on the 25th to be a “White Christmas” or are we safely in the fold?
Good cheer!
H.R. says:
Along that line Jonah Goldberg’s article “The War on Christmas” is a great read.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2015/12/war-christmas-christmas-virtues-excerpt/
That’s because, properly speaking, Christmas should be about as controversial as puppies, kittens, motherhood, and Scotch: Just one of those things everyone agrees is a good thing. Indeed, that’s the underlying assumption among Christmas’s cable-show champions: Christmas used to be something that united us — but not anymore, thanks to the secular humanists, multiculturalists, and other killjoys. And that’s absolutely true. Christmas was uncontroversial for a while. Then it was controversial. Then it was uncontroversial. And so on. That’s because Christmas is in fact older than cable TV.
I’m sorry to leave anything out, pagans, Cromwell, Damsels Gone Wild, eating and drinking …
but the key to Christmas as we know it is Charles Dickens.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Beautiful pic @Larry
P.S. To Larry L. – I don’t know how Christmas will play out for you this year. You’re a life-long bachelor and of an age where there is less family left for sharing the holidays. Still, you have a community from Chiefio’s and several other blogs that ‘know’ you, value you, and enjoy the contributions you make that expand and enrich our knowledge and lives. ( And you get a few humorous zingers in here and there, eh?)
So… if this Christmas finds you short of physical bodies sharing your day, be aware that there are a fair number of kindred spirits only a keyboard away that are enjoying the day with you.
Your sentiments are very much appreciated, – yes it has been 50 years since my last true family Christmas. This year I am going up to have Christmas dinner with a guy I work with and his family so all is well for Christmas here in the Rockies, high country will get some snow, dry down here in the metro area, so no complaints.
And I truly do think of you folks as an extended family and do enjoy the daily interaction with my on line friends.
My Lady and I are snug in our cabin Warmed by the wood burning stove, A nasty COLD rain storm outside visability as low as 100 feet. Weather unfit for man nor beast ! Boiled beets fresh from their Garden beds.for supper, emmmm sweet as candy with their earthy smell. A Blackberry cobbler is in the offing. Roast Beast and all the fixens on the morrow at the family dinner. I’ve been listening to the 3D printer singing it’s song of creation for most of the day as it renders nearly 7 hours of work into reality. Looks like it did a near perfect job this time. What a good little Robot! Now I will be able to test version 5.of my work. I hope everyone out there has a comfortable Christmas Eve and Day….pg
OH yes and the Brany needs testing as well 8-)
The Blackberry Brandy has passed the test! My Lady has a smile on her face!.
There will be lots of smiles tomorrow…pg
Merry Christmas to all, and best wishes for a joyous and prosperous New Year.
Terry
Well, back from “Family Gift Exchange”. A nice bag of chocolates of various sorts, one of them about a cup of chocolate covered coffee beans from someone who knows my needs well ;-) along with a bit-o-plastic with some unknown amount of Amazon on it, to be expended later… plus desert with daughter & s.o., wife’s twin and her daughter, etc. Then spouse did the Mass at the Mission and we’re home, full of KFC ’cause she was hungry and didn’t want to wait to get home ;-) (Evening mass lets out about 6 pm ish…) I made Rare Seared Ahi steaks for lunch, so it isn’t like we didn’t do something special on Christmas Eve ;-)
I’m thinking that bottle of Chardonnay on the shelf has lived too long… so perhaps time to send it to the great beyond… Desert was before dinner – with family – cheesecake, pumpkin pie, and an apple / raspberry / ginger pie. I’m not sure I have room for much of the Chardonnay ;-)
Tomorrow the spouse and I do our Christmas. Our gifts and those from afar. Then for dinner the “2 Hens” with sides. I’m thinking stuffing, baked acorn squash – buttered, and some baked beans. Or maybe butter beans…
It’s been raining on and off. Typical winter. Wet, cold, sunny / cool, wet again… I love it ;-) When you live in a semi-desert with 7 inches rain a year common you like the wet… no need to water the lawn at last ;-)
Well, I’ll be back after I see how the Chardonnay feels about a “French Haircut” on the cork / top wrapper ;-)
I usually have company on Christmas Eve. We are usually running ourselves ragged, racing through the local stores that will be closing earlier than usual.
This year, my relatives won’t be coming this way until around New Year’s Eve. So, not being one to deprive myself of the opportunity to barely miss a deadline, I managed to almost miss my Christmas Eve gig.(!)
I was about to make a quick pass through the last grocery store, when I was met by an old music buddy as soon as I entered. We gave each other a hug.
Friend: “Are you coming to church tonight?”
Me: “Sure! Are you coming tonight?”
Friend: “….”
Me: “Oh wait…I have to be at church in … 13 minutes!!!”
So I abandoned the shopping cart and went back out.
When I got home, I called to my young’un and said I needed help getting the groceries unloaded from the back seat…and putting away the cold stuff…and I have to go change clothes and get my music.
Well, surprisingly, I made it in time(!)
Another different twist was that we did our candlelighting outside. Since it was a little windy, we kept having to re-light each other’s candles.
Except that the songleader forgot to let me do the 4-bar transition and modulation to the new key on the first song, it went fine.
It will feel more like Christmas once the relatives get here in a few days. In the meantime, I hope to get lots more sleep than usual. :-)
Merry Christmas to everyone on the blog. Also, have a very happy New Year.
FWIW, for a good while I started doing a litany of names for Christmas. I wanted to be what is now called “inclusive”. So I started off with adding Hanukkah, then Kwanzaa then … you get the idea. Then the PC SJW types started getting snooty and in my grill.
That was about 16? years ago. At work someone sent out a Merry Christmas email, then about 10 minutes later “apologized”… I took the opportunity to reply-all pointing out the specific law and date it was passed creating the National Holiday of Christmas, and pointing out that was the proper legal name no matter your beliefs, and that from that day forward I’d NOT be calling it “winter holiday” or “seasons greetings” or whatever, but by the proper and codified in law name of Christmas.
That said, I love it that so many folks have some winter holiday piled up at the solstice. The early Church landed their Holy Day on top of the then Pegan / Druid holiday. Yule and the yule log, the mistletoe, and more date back to those Druid and ancient German Winter Solstice holidays; so from the very beginning, “Christmas” has been soaked in multiple religious traditions.
https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/sacred-celtic-holidays-year-st-brigids-day-winter-solstice
https://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/yule.htm
The 12 days of Christmas is the old Pegan tradition of getting the biggest Yule Log you could find, lighting a fire at one end, and trying to keep it burning (and the party going!) for 12 days ;-)
Over the centuries other folks added their “Winter Celebration” or Holy Day to the Christmas Holiday time window. Nobody cared. Christmas Tree, Hanukkah Bush, Yule Tree, etc. etc. it’s just a bit of green in the house to remind of us the outdoors and that in the depths of winter, green and spring are now approaching.
It is that which I celebrate. The Yule. The Christ Mass. The winter party. The whatever…
Now wishing you a Merry Christmas once again, but this time with a nice 2015 Chardonnay in hand.
Anyone know where I can get a 20 day Yule Log? ;-)
@p.g. re blackberry brandy – I can’t remember the product, but I remember the commercial. The tag line was “Eat all you want. We’ll make more.”
Well, I hope you incorporate that tag line into your blackberry brandy. “Drink all you want. I’ll make more.” 😆😆😆 mmmmmm…..
From comments: it seems like most, if not all, of the denizens here are in for a fine Christmas. Good.
@E.M. I might be too late here, ’cause it sounds like you’ve already got a good head start, but I wish you and yours a merry Christmas. Mayhaps next year’s Chiefio’s Blog Florida Christmas Party, Holiday Extravaganza, and Solemn Scientific Proceedings will have more than two attendees, eh? I’m sure we can find something to vote on…. More beer? “AYE”! Motion carried. 😜
Wishing a very Mary Christmas to all at
“Musings…”
Just back home with the wife from dinner at my daughter’s with her husband and his parents. Nice dinner and nary a political word.
The commenters here at Musings are overwhelmingly a step above, both in educated thoughts, and the egos that hold them, all in all – a fine reflection of our host.
Merry Christmas everybody. I haven’t posted much this year as my wife died in February and I didn’t want to come across as too bitter and miserable. Feels very strange to be on my own, even having had Christmas eve with my Daughter and Lunch today with my Brother.
My advice, those of you who are fortunate to have loving family, clasp them to you with hoops of iron.
@EM wrote: ‘Anyone know where I can get a 20 day Yule Log? ;-)’
Now THERE is a straight line if I ever heard one!
Well Christmas here in Adelaide was hot (35℃) with 3 more days coming of the same or hotter. Thank goodness for air-conditioning and enough electricity to keep it going.
The TV channels are full of the traditional Christmas news, 10% church and 90% about the coming Boxing Day sales. It is now silent (no point in wasting electricity).
Curiously there has been no mention of Global Warming and indeed the local newspaper has run stuff for 4 weeks debunking the idea. I hope to add to that (New Year’s resolution).
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.
Christmas fun at Jo Nova
“Merry Christmas with Carols For Coal :-)”
http://joannenova.com.au/2018/12/merry-christmas-with-carols-for-coal/
Merry Christmas to all! The people here have been supplying me with a lot of useful things to know, a lot of things to think about, and the occasional belly-laugh over the years. Digging a bit deeper than the average bear. Above all, it’s good to know that in the SHTF moments, or TEOTWAWKI times, there are people who will keep calm and carry on, and keep civilisation going. It’s also good to know that there are people who are working to avoid us having to go through those times, too.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Merry Christmas andysaurus sorry to hear that news, it does change how you celebrate holidays when your immediate family goes through those kinds of events – it will get better as time works its magic!
Larry
Wishing a very Mary Christmas to all at
“Musings…”
And to E.M. thanks again for sowing the way on the SBCs
Merry Christmas, one and all.
Anyone know where I can get a 20 day Yule Log? ;-)
Would a 38 ft Ponderosa Pine work?
They have a bit of char on the bark already. Came from a fire zone 7 miles from us.
~~~A local hardware had logs on sale last year for to make patio fires. Original price was about $20 and the sale was for $10. I asked if they sold many, and the answer was “Not at either price.” I said, anyone in my neighborhood could make a dozen for a quarter’s worth of gasoline, so there is no local demand.
Simple, cut the piece to length, cut some slots, add a little fire-started, and a wick.
Light-n-go-fire
Party on!
And Christmas Morning has arrived at the Chiefio Compound (isn’t that what the Yellow Stream Media call any home with a conservative that owns a gun? ;-) and all is well. Among other things I got a nice 5 lb bag of coffee beans – so just ground up some beans for my morning brew. Hmmm… MUST be a radical Alt-Right type… even has food & fuel enough for 3 months and does ‘crazy stuff’ like canning his own soup and grinding his own coffee…. (Even though that is what my Dad & Mum taught me to do, having lived through The Great Depression & W.W. II and knowing what it was like…)
I’ve also got some plastic rectangles.
Some of them have magic numbers to enter at Amazon and then DIY gift selection. Others are to be stuck in computers to hold Majik Sause… I got 3 x 32 GB uSD cards ;-) in the Christmas Stocking… So my need to erase one image to boot another one is now somewhat lessened.
Hopefully everyone is enjoying their Christmas and “Boxing Day” too!
@Andysaurus:
No worries. Just be you, even if in need of cheering. Folks like helping thous in need of some lifting up.
I’m sorry for your loss. Take what comfort you can in knowing it is part of the human experience. If we didn’t eventually pass on, the world would be a mile deep in people, some of them in leather skins and swinging clubs. Time marches on, and we only march with it a short path, then our march is done and the next group gets to carry forward. Such is life. You need not soldier on alone in this part of your march…
@Simon:
It’s a 2 way street! You’ve given me a new perspective on 2LoT and QM interactions, a great gift!
@CoRev:
You are most welcome. As I’ve said before, this just started as my “Tech Notebook” where I could put bits as I figured them out. Believe it or not, I often come back to my own Tech Postings when I want a do-over on building one of them. It is why I make “build scripts” too. Having a build script AND the notes that say “And when I ran it I needed to fix up this bit” makes the 2nd time really easy. That it also helps others is just a gift to the world.
FWIW, I’m really really happy with the PiHole filtering! Squid utility is still there, but dropping as more sites / stuff goes httpS and the encrypted bits can’t be cached, but it is what it is. Watching my P M2 it looks like all up it can get to about 5% CPU utilization, so room to add a lot more services ;-) I’m thinking maybe an email server and VPN and OwnCloud and… ;-)
@Another Ian:
I’ll have to visit Jo’s – after all, I like coal ;-)
FWIW, about 25 years ago the local OSH hardware store sold sacks of coal. I bought one. Burned in the fireplace it made a dramatically acrid smoke – all the S making sulfuric fumes ;-) I saved one big chunk that is out by the side of the garage somewhere, but decided it was unsuited for home use when wood was available. The rest got burned one small lump at a time in with wood fires.
A few years later they stopped selling it. Now OSH is out of business (having been bought by Sears / Kmart / conglomerate “maybe we can buy good stores faster than we destroy them” raiders). So ends my coal experience…
@Graeme No.3:
Merry Christmas Down Under! Though now you are past it… being almost a full day ahead of me.
I’ve noticed that here Global Warming has become the exclusive province of the Alt-Left. Normal folks don’t speak of it, and the Conservatives only mention it to make fun of it or complain about the Alt-Left. Unfortunately, it is the Alt-Left / Ultra-Left that is in abundance and in control of our State Government… I suspect this will continue until California has a financial collapse.
@David A:
Thank you for the kind words, but really, it is you-all who have chosen to be here. Without you, I’m just mumbling to myself ;-)
@Steven Fraser:
8-)
@H.R.:
Well, I suppose there could be some sort of regular floating party plan put together… As I hope to make more regular visits to Chicago, and then it will take a while to get the California place suited to selling, I could see a couple of years of “3 Corner Monty” ;-)
Summer in California – maybe a Wine Tour?
Spring in Chicago – it IS nice there in spring and they have some nice venues. Maybe an ICCC conference?
Fall / Winter in Orlando – Snow Birds R Us?
With the occasional “in transit” stop in Texas, Denver, etc…
As much as I like the California weather, I’m missing Florida. I got real comfortable with the place living down there for about 5 out of the 10 years. The Spouse is now officially retired (again…) and is ready for The Big Move. Unfortunately this puts a big work load on me. Moving a house full of stuff, 4 cars, 2 dogs, and more 3000 miles is not a small task. Heck, just sorting through 35 years accumulated stuff is going to take most of a year. (I’m not keen on just shoving it all in a big truck THEN choosing what is a keeper…)
But as with all things “We’ll See”. Worst case the house mortgage here is paid off in 18 months and we can just do repairs. (Best case we take the money and run while housing prices here are crazy high and retire to a Mansion in Florida ;-) Which gives clue. A 1200 sq. ft. shack in California pays for a 5000 sq. ft. on the lake Mansion in a gated community with about $1/4 Million left over… Just have to “Get ‘er done!”
That’s for the future though. For now, I’ve got coffee to grind (next cup!) and some systems to build on my new uber fast uSD cards ;-) In about 3 hours it will be after lunch and I’ve got the other half of that bottle of Chardonnay waiting for me too ;-)
So “Back to the Lab!” for me 9-0
Merry Christmas all! I hope this message finds you well!
I am in preparation stages of grilling some Bos taurus and Nephropidae whilst shaking the cobwebs out from a loooooong night at the local hood Christmas bonfire bash.
Cheers to you!
@Andysaurus
Best wishes for you moving forward. I share your sorrows having lost several loved ones this year. Holidays can be difficult, but staying positive is what they would want.
To live in the hearts of those left behind, is to never die.
@Ossqss:
Nephropidae eh? You near the ocean or just willing to pay up? ;-)
Spouse is prepping to make a cake. I get the oven at about 4 PM to start my dinner prep. Used to make a full turkey (or sometimes whole ham) when we had a house full. Now with just the 2 of us it is smaller things (Cornish Hens this time). Once we’re relocated to Florida likely more grillin’ ‘n chllin and less oven… I really liked having a little grill / BBQ on the “park bench table” just outside the door where we were living. It was nice to just step out and put on the marinaded chicken and ribs… or more nice to just take them off ;-)
It was just one of those stupid $15 box things, but it worked nicely. Many a happy meal. The $hundres Weber I have here is much nicer, but somehow the food doesn’t taste any better… I think it’s the California Air ;-) Something about the warm snuggles of the Deep South that make BBQ tastier ;-)
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year