This is a work-related post, so consider this fair warning, all non-geek visitors!

A customer has been using InfoWest's web email interface to read email for quite some time, but today discovered that logging in presented only a blank page.

So I logged on to the FreeBSD server in question and started perusing web server access and error logs, but nothing unusual was showing. In fact, the access attempts by the user weren't being logged at all by the Apache web server. Fortunately there was something useful in the system logs:A quick googling of that error message pointed me to PHP Bug #42862 where another user (sborrill) provided a patch. I copied the patch over to the appropriate place in the server's FreeBSD ports directory at /usr/ports/mail/php5-imap/files/patch-php_imap.c where it would be automatically applied. A quick port rebuild, reinstall, and server restart, and the customer was happy again.

Now I just need to submit this patch to the FreeBSD port maintainer, at least until the PHP maintainers integrate a fix into the next release.

This is why I love open source software! Were we using some proprietary system and we encountered a bug like this, we'd have to wait days, weeks, or months for the vendor to issue a fix. With the source code available, one can dive into the code, find the flaw, and fix it. Then share the fix with others.

Now this is astoundingly cool!

A gentleman I know named Jeff, of Cedar City, Utah owns the Internet domain name utahdemocrats.org. Jeff has his web site set up currently so that any and all visitors are immediately redirected to John McCain's web site, www.johnmccain.com. Before Mitt Romney bowed out, Jeff's site redirected to www.mittromney.com.

I know Jeff. I've worked with him. He's an honest, hard-working, likable guy, with a touch of the entrepreneurial spirit. He collects and invests a little bit in Internet domain names among other things, and has had some success doing this over the years. I've sought his advice on various domain investment topics before and will in the future when dabbling in domains. (I currently own a two-letter domain, eq.net, and used to own, in the 90s, with some friends, the domain southwest.com but sold it to Southwest Airlines for a meager sum and some airline tickets.)

He's also a conservative Republican. (I don't know if he's a registered party member, but from what I've heard of Jeff's views, he seems quite conservative, and I suspect he is registered as a Republican.)

So today I hear from Jeff that the Salt Lake Tribune has mentioned his utahdemocrats.org web site in an article at http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_8542223 (At least as of now that link works--I expect that article will eventually migrate to the Trib's archives and the link may stop working.)

Down near the bottom of the Tribune article, it says:Jeff's little bit of political speech via his web site apparently got someone in a tizzy, so much so that later in the day, this article turned up on the web site of KSL (a local Utah television station) at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2839356 where the short article's author, Mary Richards, reports in the first paragraph:I find it interesting that none of the reporters tackled the free speech angle. Political free speech one of our most preciously held constitutional rights, and the press is usually quick to back it up. Just because Jeff owns the domain utahdemocrats.org and he might not actually be a Democrat isn't a problem. So what if the Democrat Party of Utah chose to use as their web site utdemocrats.org? That's not Jeff's problem, unless he were deliberately trying to confuse visitors and make them think his web site was the official web site. He's not, though.

He's not committing a crime. In fact, far from it. Now were he representing his own web site as something other than it is, he would possibly be within the realms of fraud. But he's not. He's clearly making a political statement by redirecting web visitors to Senator John McCain's campaign web site.

I think the best analogy would be something like this: Let's say the Democrat Party of Utah leased space for party headquarters in a building, and someone of a more Republican bent chose to lease space right next door in the adjoining suite. On the door or in the window of the adjoining suite, the non-Democrat hangs a prominent sign that says merely "Utah Democrats Welcome". Immediately inside of his office, he bedecks the place with conservative and Republican paraphernalia, campaign posters, signs, etc.

Now anyone going into the building might see the two doors and initially wonder where he was going (if he didn't carefully check the address). But upon opening the door, he would immediately know he was in the wrong place if he mistakely opened the wrong one. He could and would likely quickly step back out, double-check the address, and then enter his original destination.

Is this sneaky? Perhaps. Is it valid political free speech? Very much so! The next-door neighbor isn't purporting to be the headquarters of the Democrat Party, and upon opening the door, makes it very, VERY clear that it is not.

(I hope Jeff doesn't mind me mentioning this, his only regret expressed to me today was that his mother called him about this after hearing it on radio KSL 1160 AM. Apparently the radio report cast his domain ownership in a somewhat negative light, and his mother, in her 70s, didn't appreciate hearing her son's name in that context.)

So is this domain speculation (or worse, typo squatting), or is it political free speech? I'm going to vote free speech on this one. (But then perhaps my own conservative leanings make be biased.)

No matter what you think about the issue, if you think it's interesting, join me and Digg the KSL news story here: http://digg.com/politics/Democrats_Having_a_Fit_Over_Free_Speech_in_Utah

I hope things go well for Jeff, if there's any more hoopla about his domain. I find it all terribly funny! All I can say is: Go, Jeff! Go!

UPDATE: 12 March 2008
Jeff spoke up for himself on KSL's web site in the story's comments section (see comments by user Dc84720) where he said:And a bit later, another user asked and commented:To which Jeff responded:And finally, when someone commented about KSL not contacting Jeff before running the story, Jeff replied:So it looks like my interpretation of Jeff's actions as being mostly political free speech is not entirely accurate. From Jeff's own words, it looks like he was simply doing business, and in the interim, doing a little bit of political speech on the side (i.e. redirecting the web site to sites that match his own political views so long as the domain remains unsold).

Thanks, Jeff, for the clarification. Your responses definitely paint a better picture of the situation than KSL's original story did.

Ah, the little annoyances of computer applications...

I just discovered while editing my Amazingly Astounding profile that Facebook won't let me put "St. George, UT" in my current contact information. It keeps insisting on expanding it to "Saint George, UT".

While the "St." in "St. George" is an abbreviation for the word saint, the City of St. George, Utah is officially incorporated using the abbreviated spelling "St. George" and not the expanded "Saint George" -- so the perfectionist in me prefers to use "St. George" and not "Saint George" for any/all web sites, or anything else asking for the city of my residence.

I blame the U.S. Postal Service. Their database is most likely responsible, as it uses the "unofficial" non-abbreviated spelling.

Just for that I'm going to boycott using U.S. Postal Service stamps when mailing my bills each month. That will show 'em! (Oops! I use online bill pay for all those, so that won't work... *chuckle*)

You know, it's important issues like this one that should decide the 2008 presidential election. Really.

Finding humor difficult to detect, parse, or comprehend? Try Salty the Sailor's Gargantuan Grains o' Salt for the Humorless. The recommended dose is one grain applied to tongue while reading or observing any material you suspect may be contaminated with humor or sarcasm, or any byproducts thereof. A double-dose may be required while perusing various portions of this web site. (Or you can send me gold. I'll accept any 99.999% pure 1 oz. gold coins you want to give me, or at least I'll try!)

Wow, did I just admit I'm on Facebook now? *sigh* It appears I have, though such fact is difficult to face.

UPDATE: Wed. 12 March 2008
I just tried registring to comment on ksl.com, a local Utah television/radio station web site. It rejected me, because "St. George" was not a valid city. *sigh* The U.S.P.S. database strikes again!

Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX certified computer speakersThe very first computer speakers I ever bought that sounded good, really good, were the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 stereo speakers plus subwoofer. I don't recall when this was, but it had to be five or more years ago (before 2003).

Today while watching the latest episode of Tekzilla wherein they were reviewing computer speakers in the $90-$150 range, they agreed with my own personal experience that the Klipsh speakers sound great. The hosts of the show several times shared their amazement about how inexpensive these high-quality speakers were. They just sound like they should be much more expensive.

Since buying the Klipsch speakers, when I bought a new Apple Mac workstation in 2003, I bought a Creative 5.1 THX certified speaker set. I gave my Klipsch 2.1s to my parents for their computer use. Years later, I now regret giving up the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers. While the Creative speakers are also THX rated, I just don't quite care for the sound. I love, love, LOVE the sound of the Klipsch 2.1s and I miss that sound! And since I never really did do much that needed the additional 2 surround channels that the Creative set added, I would happily go back to the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1s.

I have noticed that Klipsh offers a newer 2.1 speaker set, called the ProMedia GMX A-2.1, but these are not THX certified. While they look funky, I wonder if they would sound as good as the older ProMedia 2.1 THX certified speakers. I have grave doubts. I've also seen other Klipsch speaker offerings, even another ProMedia set, but they too were not THX certified.

My original Klipsch speakers (now at my parents' house) are still going strong and sounding great on my folks' PC. And my brother also has Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers attached to his PC at his apartment. I know he loves 'em too.

The newer Creative speakers I replaced the Klipsch speakers with is now on the fritz, sporadically refusing to power up, randomly cutting out. Once they're truly dead, I'm going to replace 'em with the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers. When I do, I'll be in computer speaker heaven once again!

The Klipsh speakers have a suggested retail price of $149.99, but I hear they can be found on the street for anywhere between $100 and $150. They're worth it. More than worth it! Once you hear 'em, you'll be a believer too. You to will think $150 is a steal for these.

Anyone who follows pop music would probably be astounded to learn that I'd never heard of KT Tunstall before becoming acquainted with her Suddenly I See track from Eye to the Telescope (2006) in the Devil Wears Prada (DVD) (Blu-Ray) soundtrack. It wasn't until 2008 that I decided to check Amazon's MP3 downloads and iTunes to add that track to my iTunes library, and that's when I learned KT Tunstall's name for the first time.KT Tunstall's "Drastic Fantastic" album coverKT Tunstall's "Eye to the Telescope" album cover

After buying Suddenly I See from Amazon, I had to see if there were any other KT Tunstall tracks I might be interested in. Before I knew it, I'd bought Other Side of the World and Black Horse and the Cherry Tree, both also from Eye to the Telescope from the iTunes store, and the track If Only from KT's 2007 album Drastic Fantastic from Amazon's MP3 store.

Just the other day, I shocked my sister Janna when I told her I'd never heard Black Horse and the Cherry Tree at all prior to my online purchases, and that my first introduction to that track was listening to an iTunes or Amazon MP3 preview.

In February, I noticed while listening to music while working that a friend's iTunes library (visible on the local network) had both KT Tunstall albums. So I was hooked. I knew I needed those CDs.

The CDs arrived near the end of February, and on Monday the 24th joined my iTunes library, then joined the CD rotation in my RAV 4. I tend to leave CDs in my RAV for months on end, as I did in March last year with Dana Glover's Testimony album.

I enjoy most tracks on both CDs, and really, really like quite a few. I haven't noticed myself skipping over any particular tracks yet, so I don't actively dislike any particular tracks. I guess that means I'm now officially a KT Tunstall fan!

I used to joke about having to reboot Windows XP for every little item of software or every update installed. Then I got my Apple Macbook notebook. I was glad to be away from such madness.

Now running Apple Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard it seems I'm back in the land of eternal rebooting for upgrades. Apple's Software Update just popped up yet again informing me of available updates, and that a restart is required.

Apple! What's up with that? Fix your system! Your kernel has elements of a microkernel. Use that! One shouldn't have to reboot except perhaps to upgrade the running microkernel itself. Okay, probably a few other times too.

Today upgrades makes sense, a Keyboard Firmware Update and Leopard Graphics Update. But the past several updates to QuickTime and/or iTunes all also required rebooting, which made little sense to me.

Tell me, Apple, why?

Jazz diva Sophie MilmanCurse those free Amazon.com downloads! It's all Amazon's fault that I first encountered Sophie Milman when I ran across her MP3 track So Long, You Fool as a free download. I'm a Jane Monheit fan, and enjoy Madeleine Peyroux too--and I think Norah Jones shares some slight overlap with these ladies as well--so the chance to download a free MP3 from a female jazz vocalist I'd never heard of before was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.

So why am I cursing? She's good! That meant I just had to purchase a few other tracks. So I curse that in finding a new jazz vocalist I like, my pocketbook is a bit lighter. *grin*

All in all, I've now got three of her songs in my iTunes library:

• So Long, You Fool from the album Make Someone Happy--This track was the free MP3 download--and it may still be free, so check it out!
• Undun, also from the album Make Someone Happy--I think of these three tracks, this may be my current favorite!
• Aqua de Berber from the self-titled album Sophie Milman--I could only find this album available on Amazon as an import CD or as an MP3 download album.

Now I've got another CD or two on my gotta-buy list (which seems to be eternally growing longer). *sigh* Life's rough when you absolutely have to listen to good music!

In googling the 'net a bit, I ran across this 2006 Jazz Monthly interview with Sophie Milman (at least I think it's from 2006--I couldn't find a date anywhere other than a copyright year).

I look forward to more music from this young, talented Russian-born Canadian jazz vocalist.

Sophie Milman's self-titled album "Sophie Milman" album coverSophie Milman's "Make Someone Happy" album coverMonday, 03 March 2008 UPDATE:
I'm now the happy owner of two of Sophie's CDs, her self-titled album Sophie Milman, and her latest album, Make Someone Happy.

I like many of the tracks, though there a few arrangments I don't care for. Overall these two CDs (now a part of my iTunes library and added to my vehicle's CD player for playback rotation while I drive) make me happy.

This morning while working on an email log processing ruby script, I discovered this bit of strangeness with Ruby's Regexp regular expression class.


>> /((?i)A|B)/.match("a")
=> #<MatchData:0x613de8>
>> /((?i)A|B)/.match("A")
=> #<MatchData:0x608330>
>> /((?i)A|B)/.match("b")
=> #<MatchData:0x603024>
>> /((?i)A|B)/.match("B")
=> nil


It appears the in-group match modifier (?i) (which should enable case insensitivity within the group) correctly modifies the A option, but does something strange on any subsequent options, apparently inverting the regular expression case so that string "B" doesn't match regular expression character "B".

Here's the same thing with a lowercase regex:


>> /((?i)a|b)/.match("a")
=> #<MatchData:0x5fa2d0>
>> /((?i)a|b)/.match("A")
=> #<MatchData:0x5f5c58>
>> /((?i)a|b)/.match("b")
=> #<MatchData:0x5eeb9c>
>> /((?i)a|b)/.match("B")
=> nil


There is no odd inversion in this case. String character "B" doesn't match regex character "b" -- leading me to conclude that the (?i) modifier only applies within grouping's first option. This would be a perfectly fine expected behavior if when I use uppercase in the regex, the (?i) modifier didn't act on subsequent optional subsets and effectively invert them when they're uppercase.

It gets worse:


>> /((?i)Aa|Bb)/.match("aa")
=> #<MatchData:0x5d9eb8>
>> /((?i)Aa|Bb)/.match("aA")
=> #<MatchData:0x5d0980>
>> /((?i)Aa|Bb)/.match("Aa")
=> #<MatchData:0x5be370>
>> /((?i)Aa|Bb)/.match("AA")
=> #<MatchData:0x5b2ea8>
>> /((?i)Aa|Bb)/.match("bb")
=> #<MatchData:0x5a5870>
>> /((?i)Aa|Bb)/.match("bB")
=> nil
>> /((?i)Aa|Bb)/.match("Bb")
=> nil
>> /((?i)Aa|Bb)/.match("BB")
=> nil


In the above, the first match of string "bb" with regex group option "Bb" makes it seem the (?i) modifier is acting correctly on both the first group option AND the second group option. However the failure of all other variations of capitalization of "bb" means there's something screwy.

My conclusion? Don't use (?ix-ix) modifiers (or at least (?i) anyway) inside groups with multiple options separated by the bar/pipe "|" character unless you stick the modifier in each and every such option, or unless you stick it outside the group with multiple options by enclosing the group in a non-capturing group with the modifier, thus:


>> /(?i:(Aa|Bb))/.match("aa")
=> #<MatchData:0x58e8c8>
>> /(?i:(Aa|Bb))/.match("aA")
=> #<MatchData:0x589c10>
>> /(?i:(Aa|Bb))/.match("Aa")
=> #<MatchData:0x584f6c>
>> /(?i:(Aa|Bb))/.match("AA")
=> #<MatchData:0x5802c8>
>> /(?i:(Aa|Bb))/.match("bb")
=> #<MatchData:0x57b624>
>> /(?i:(Aa|Bb))/.match("bB")
=> #<MatchData:0x576980>
>> /(?i:(Aa|Bb))/.match("Bb")
=> #<MatchData:0x571cdc>
>> /(?i:(Aa|Bb))/.match("BB")
=> #<MatchData:0x56d038>


Now THAT works as expected.

NOTE: I'm running ruby version 1.8.6 on Mac OS X Leopard. However I get the same results with 1.8.6 under FreeBSD too.

Update (29 April 2009):

I'm now running Ruby 1.9.1 on Mac OS X and it looks like things are fixed:


irb(main):001:0> /((?i)A|B)/.match("a")
=> #<MatchData "a" 1:"a">
irb(main):002:0> /((?i)A|B)/.match("A")
=> #<MatchData "A" 1:"A">
irb(main):003:0> /((?i)A|B)/.match("b")
=> #<MatchData "b" 1:"b">
irb(main):004:0> /((?i)A|B)/.match("B")
=> #<MatchData "B" 1:"B">


The Well of AscensionBrandon Sanderson's second book in the Mistborn series, The Well of Ascension is now out! I got my copy a few days early on Saturday the 18th.

Saturday morning my brother, sister, and I decided it would be fun to drive up to Provo to go to Brandon Sanderson's first book signing for The Well of Ascension and pick up some early release copies. Before we could go my brother and I helped my sister move a bunch of her stuff from St. George to Hurricane.

By the time we were ready to leave, it was well into the afternoon, but we still had time to make it to Provo by 6:00 PM. Unfortunately during all the moving work, my sister began feeling ill and so would not be accompanying us. We promised to take her Elantris and Mistborn: The Final Empire books up with us and ask Brandon to sign them.

So my brother and I drove over 250 miles northward from St. George, Utah to Provo, Utah, arriving and parking at the Towne Centre Mall shortly after 6:00 PM when the event was scheduled to begin. Though Mother Nature was urging me to visit the mall's public facilities, that could be ignored as there were more important things at hand.

We'd chosen our parking place well, for we were unfamiliar with the mall and knew not where Waldenbooks was located inside. Turns out we parked near the closest entrance. The bookstore was on the second floor.

The line was still forming, already winding out the Waldenbooks entrance into the mall's interior past several adjacent storefronts, turning a corner, and obstructing nearly half of the large Dillard's store entrance. We quickly claimed our places in the line and began the wait.

With our place in line assured, I had my brother save my spot and hang on to my camera and the bag containing the two of my sister's books, then I was off to find the mall's restrooms, for nature was growing insistent.

When I arrived back at the line it seemed it hadn't moved at all yet. I found my brother, a guide for a St. George area spa in leading groups on hiking, reservoir kayaking, and mountain biking adventures, engaged in conversation with several friendly newcomers in line behind us, exchanging snowboarding stories and bicycling adventure tales. It made waiting in line enjoyable to encounter friendly people.

The line winds along the railBy the time we had moved forward perhaps 20 feet, the line still growing, mall security had taken notice of the line, and while most Sanderson fans in the line were courteous and careful to keep a gap in the line open for other mall patrons to enter and exit the nearby stores wherever the line crossed in front, the mall people had a better plan. The line was moved and reformed along the railing of the second-story walkway bridging the two sides of the wide two-story hall, overlooking the lower floor, then turning sharply to follow the railing down the length of the central hall.

Almost to the front of the lineSlowly but surely the line crept forward. Finally we arrived at the table just inside the Waldenbooks entrance. It was our turn.

Brandon Sanderson was courteous and friendly. I don't know how he manages to sign so many books. He numbered fresh copy of The Well of Ascension (it's #98) then signed and numbered (#99) one for my sister. He signed my sister's books we'd brought with us and also some others I bought on the spot. (I asked for a hardback copy of Elantris so he grabbed the one he had displayed on the table and signed it, all because my own copy was still in St. George, forgotten on my bookshelf in my haste to depart. That forced someone at the bookstore to go scrounge up some more hardcover copies. They found some, but they were already signed.)

Brandon Sanderson signs a fan's copy of The Well of Ascension - That's MY copy of Elantris on the corner of the table! *smile*While Brandon and also Isaac Stewart (the man who did the map work and symbol design work) signed the books, Brandon was being continually bombarded with questions. (I helped in the bombardment.) I don't know how he managed to keep track of things, but he did, signing away, chatting, and answering questions nearly simultaneously.

Brandon Sanderson explains his future plans for ElantrisWhen one of our line neighbors with whom we'd been chatting asked Brandon about his future plans for Elantris, I surreptitiously captured it as a video clip with my camera. Here is an Apple Quicktime MPEG4 video file (.mp4) of Brandon's answer. (If you have iTunes installed, then that should be able to play it, otherwise try VLC player.)

My question for Brandon was "What is the least asked question you get at book signings like this one?" since I wanted to be a little different, and I suspected that "What is the most asked question..." is one of the more often asked questions he fields at such events.

Once finished, and after paying for the books, it was time for some grub. We had time to hit the mall's food court (Panda Express) then come back for the drawing at the end of the signing. The big prize? A manuscript of the third Mistborn book. I wanted it!

In spite of having purchased several books and having a greater chance at winning, sadly I didn't. Nor did I win one of four or five gift certificates. *sigh*

Overall it was a fun event. I appreciated Brandon Sanderson, Isaac Stewart (the map and ornaments designer who also signed the books), Brandon's wife (I only assume that was her), the others helping, including all those at Waldenbooks for making the experience enjoyable. I only wished while waiting in line, Brandon was miked so we could all hear the questions and answers of others as he signed away. (Ooooh the carpel tunnel, signing so many many books!)

So thanks, Brandon!

On the way back home, my brother and I paused for a night visit with our brother who lives in Nephi, Utah. If only we'd been able to leave earlier, it would have been a blast to visit longer with him and his family.

Once back in St. George, after midnight, my brother and I having parted ways, I immediately had to begin reading.

Overall I really enjoyed The Well of Ascension. It's a good follow-up to the first book, which remains my favorite Sanderson novel. I look forward (and wish I didn't have to wait) for next year's release of the final installment.