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I ran across this article on one of my favorite geek-sites, Engadget. Being a huge fan of Mythbusters (along with the rest of my family), I was struck by how frustrated and animated Jamie became when discussing a squashed episode involving them taking a closer look at how hack-able RFID technology can be when not implemented properly.

Being as I now work in the RFID business and that my senior design project involved hacking an RFID tag, I am still astonished that large corporations can put the ‘kabosh’ on a story that needs to be told in order for us in the engineering business to work to make it [RFID] better.

For the last week, I have been attempting to install a RADIUS daemon on my Ubuntu Server. Alas, the RADIUS server I had originally installed, did not agree the the version of PERL that Ubuntu had been compiled with. Ain’t it always like that…sigh.

The only option was to compile the latest stable version of freeRADIUS 2.0.5 on Ubuntu and cross my fingers. It was NOT all that easy. Before you compile freeRADIUS, there are two changes you’ll have to make before freeRADIUS plays nice with Debian. After you have downloaded freeRADIUS from freeradius.org (as a non-root user), do the following:
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My friends at Riff Raff Theater are at it again. This time, they’ll be lampooning arguably one of Will Smith’s worst movies (outside of Wild, Wild West) that is causing Isaac Asimov to spin rapidly in his grave: i, Robot. Believe me. You’ll wish James Cromwell (that’ll do, pig) had a more prominent role in this flick.

Sponsored by M. C. Ginsberg and hosted in Iowa City on Friday, August 15th at the Englert Theatre at 8PM.

I’ve sat back at a couple rehearsals for the upcoming show and I swear to god: This show will ROCK!

Monday night at 8:23pm, in the Palliative Care section of the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City, my mother, Mary Albers, slipped quietly from our world and into God’s hands. It is difficult to moment to describe, but was certainly the weirdest, yet most awe inspiring moment I have ever witnessed…and one will never forget.

Mom waged a long battle with congestive heart disease, following a bout of Rheumatic Fever brought on by an untreated case of strep-throat back in the late 1950’s. Rheumatic Fever is responsible for many of the cases of damaged heart-valves worldwide, of which the late Lou Costello was also a victim. Mom had elected for open-heart surgery nearly six weeks ago, but her physical strength was not enough to allow her the opportunity to recuperate. She was simply too weak.

This will be a difficult time for surviving family. Although we have always lived our lives with Mom’s serious health issues hanging above our heads, we had all (including Mom) chosen to do so to the fullest regardless. Her absence will be sorely missed, yet will be a continuing testament to those who refuse to sit on the sidelines and allow life to pass them by. I pray that we all have the opportunity to be that strong in our faith.

NOTE: Funeral arrangements have been finalized for Mary with visitation set from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 24th at Phillips Funeral Home in Keystone and the Funeral at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Van Horne at 3:00 p.m on Friday, July 25th.  The Committal Service will be at the Keystone Cemetery after the Church Service and a lunch will be provided back at the Church following the Committal Service.  Further information may be found on Phillips Funeral Home web site!  Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

We thank all of you for your continued support