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For Christmas this year the gift exchange on my wife’s side of the family twisted into a new tradition hopefully. Usually we would do the ‘names in the hat with a preset spending limit’ type exchange for each other. This year we switched our focus from ourselves to others and ‘gifted’ charitable donations.

This is how it went down 1. Choose a charitable organization and make a donation. 2. Think of several clues to get others to guess what the organization does. 3. Present your clues so the everyone can guess who your donation went to. I think we all had a good time and the money went to people who need it, rather than to ugly sweaters.

Erin and I supported a clean water initiative called Living Water. The others donated to a range of things from colon research to wildlife. The creative clues were also a highlight of the evening. Erin’s cousin outshined us all with her innovative clues. I’m already thinking about what we can do for next year.

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I hope everyone is having a fantastic new year!  2009 was a great year and I look forward to better things in 2010.

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It was a year ago…

a year ago that the tux was worn
a year ago that a moment was shared
a year ago that a promise was made
a year ago that laughs were had
a year ago that tears were shed
a year ago that family and friends celebrated
a year ago that cake was eaten
a year ago that toasts were made
a year ago that me became we
a year ago that I said I do

I love you lady

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Just some interesting things that came about this week.

Palm Eos

They aren’t just going to stop at the Pre. Palm has plans to release another WebOS device before the end of the year.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/01/palm-eos-headed-to-sprint-as-well/

Windows 7

There was a lot of buzz surrounding Windows 7 this week. From the release of the first release candidate to the slip from Acer about actual availability on Oct 23.

http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/04/30/2232216&from=rss
http://www.trustedreviews.com/software/news/2009/05/01/Acer-Spills-Windows-7-Release-Date/p1

Microsoft or Apple

This isn’t quite the traditional debate. This week there was lots of talk about whether or not the iphone will ever make it to Verizon or if AT&T will continue on in exclusivity. Weighing that also with the rumors that Microsoft’s ‘Project Pink’ could be an as-of-now unknown runner in the ‘beat the iphone’ race.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/28/microsofts-pink-smartphone-could-rival-iphone-on-verizon/

Nikon Drops Hefty New Cam

For all of the photogs out there – Nikon has an uber-ridiculous new cam with an articulating display.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/27/nikon-d5000-hands-on/

Microholographic Storage

Researchers are pushing the limits of storage into the 3-D realm using holograms.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/27/ge-microholographic-storage-promises-cheap-500gb-discs-blu-ray/

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I ran into an interesting problem the other day and I thought I might share the solution I found. When setting up the fingerprint reader on my laptop the security software takes over the usual login screen. So instead of my user avatar it just displays a Dell logo. So I wanted to change this. After some searching I found an individual on a dell forum who had the same problem and figured out where the necessary changes needed to be made. In short, the "oem_resources.dll" file holds the image. Simply replace it with your image and you are set. Full text below:

The embassy software installs it’s own "credential provider". This replaces the Vista login screen with it’s own. Now, the embassy software stores icons in the file c:\windows\system32\oem_resources.dll. All you need to do is delete the "103" resource bitmap from the dll and import your own 128×128 pixel bitmap. First get a copy of xn resource editor (http://www.wilsonc.demon.co.uk/d10resourceeditor.htm). Next copy the oem_resources.dll file to your desktop. Open the dll file in the resource editor. Delete the resource under bitmap/103. Right-click to import a bitmap. Save the file, copy it to c:\windows\system32. No reboot necessary, changes take effect immediatly!  You can test it by locking your workstation (window key + L).   :: From-http://tinyurl.com/cl42um

I am running Windows 7 also, so it’s not just for Vista.

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We finished up the final day of Ministry Tech yesterday and it was great.  I made some great new connections, I learned new things, and as always feel re-energized. During the conference I had the pleasure of moderating one of the roundtable sessions. Session 2 to be exact. I will post more on the conference later as I go over the notes that I took. For now I am just posting on this session.
These are the notes I grabbed on the discussion for those who wish to comeback and look over our discussion.

Roundtable Session #2 Notes:

Topics
Storage
VLANS – Whats enough how to start etc…
IPv6 – Does it really exist?
2008 Server & Published Apps
Vista & UAC
Windows 7
Internal Wikis/Collaboration
Web based/Hosted Apps
Password Management
Documentation – If you get hit by a bus

Discussion

VLANS
-Dont VLAN without a PLAN
-VLANS behave differently so TEST before rollout
-Strategize Broadcast domains
-EBuford – VLANS:’Theres trouble to be had’
-Older hardware may ‘tag’ traffic differently
-If you use Linksys – We will beat you
-You WILL be accountable for security
-Whats the Entry Point?
-Hub and spoke for VLAN Routing
-Unused ports go into ‘Public’ zone
-VOIP VLAN voice traffic on Same switches
-VOIP does not need a GigPOE switch
-Ruckus -> Wireless solution that provides different access levels(ruckuswireless.com)

IPv6
-Turn it off
-Slows Name Resolution
-Not anytime soon

2008 Server
-What are the benefits?
-Some just member servers some DC’s

Exchange 2010

-It will be possible to upgrade from 2003 to 2010
-Great improvements for Mac users
-Entourage as an apple app would be ‘iSuck’
-Probably don’t want to run the current beta in production

Vista & UAC
-Good hardware and lots of ram
-Very stable
-No problems
-Maybe wait for Windows 7

Windows 7

-Lots of improvements with UI
-Better performance
-RC being released May 5
-Try it

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It’s no secret that we have some Sonicwall gear…. and we have been extremely happy with their performance. I have found recently that there is an interesting symptom on the E-Class units.

We utilize most all features on our firewall, from intrusion detection and anti-virus to content filtering. When using the content filtering you can utilize active directory(or another LDAP Server) for single sign-on authentication.  This works pretty well but in making some configuration changes we have noticed an unexpected result.

When changes are made to the user account or server used for LDAP authentication, the firewall will start rebooting. This could be an instance when you shutdown a domain controller, or maybe change the password on the account the firewall uses to authenticate users.

I have not heard of any fix from Sonicwall on this issue, but it is definitely something I hope is addressed quickly.

Leave me a comment if you have seen anything like this…your experience may be different.

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Every now and then I like to take some of those online tests. I’m not sure where this was from but the results were interesting.
Does this sound like me?

The Inspirer

You love being around people, and you are deeply committed to your friends.
You are also unconventional, irreverent, and unimpressed by authority and rules.
Incredibly perceptive, you can usually sense if someone has hidden motives.
You use lots of colorful language and expressions. You’re quite the storyteller!

In love, you are quite the charmer. And you are definitely willing to risk your heart.
You often don’t follow through with your flirting or professed feelings. And you do break a lot of hearts.

At work, you are driven but not a workaholic. You just always seem to enjoy what you do.
You would make an excellent entrepreneur, politician, or journalist.

How you see yourself: compassionate, unselfish, and understanding

When other people don’t get you, they see you as: gushy, emotional, and unfocused

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To start off I am excited to take part in Blog Action Day. I have been thinking about this post most of the day, and I’m excited for any part I can play in raising awareness.

While I’ve definitely had a blessed life, I was part of the ‘lower’ class. We used food stamps and I was one of the ‘free lunchers’ in school. I didn’t have name brand things(clothes, food, or otherwise) unless they were on clearance(not sale…clearance), and was never ‘in style’ (usually a few behind). Sure I was made fun of sometimes, but in actuality it wasn’t bad(I had a pretty good time).
Now to take my experience and juxtapose it against the experience of those living in poverty shows how great I have it.

Every morning I can take a shower, when there are those who don’t even have clean drinking water.
I drive to work when there are people who must walk for miles for anything.
If I miss breakfast, I’m “starving” by the time lunch comes around, when some haven’t eaten for days.
I could go on, but reflecting today has shown me how easy it should be for me to thank God in every part of my life.

So where does one go from there? Well there is always some small step one can take to make an impact. A while ago I was shown a website (FreeRice.com) that by playing a game you help the hungry. And there are also organizations like Compassion or World Hope that is making a specific impact in the lives of children(My wife started sponsoring a little girl in Uganda a while ago). Whatever you have (money, time, word association skills) you can use them to help the less fortunate.

So take some time today to think about the state of our world. There is plenty for everyone, its just not everywhere it needs to be yet.

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Here’s an overview of our recently finished registration kiosk project.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuN89SOOOS4

What are you doing for your kiosks?

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