I’ve had in one week and already its the best album I’ve heard all year. What amazing songwriting.
Phantom Limb (YouTube)
The Shins
Foals in winter coats
White girls of the north,
File past one, five and one,
They are the fabled lambs of Sunday ham, the EHS norm
And they could float above the grass in circles if they tried
A latent power I know they hide
To keep some hope alive that a girl like I could ever try,
Could ever try
Continue reading
The market is tanking today, and the Wachovia battle isn’t helping. Citigroup and Wells Fargo are still fighting to own Wachovia. Citigroup filed a $60 billion lawsuit, which is, I think, a bit much.
Citi also cites the $225 million “golden parachutes” Wachovia senior executives would receive under the Wells deal. While I’m not usually a fan of golden parachutes, if I were a Wachovia shareholder and the board spurned a $1/share deal for a $7/share deal, I’d say that’s the way to go. As a taxpayer, any solution that doesn’t involve my tax dollars is a no-brainer, too.
If the fighting keeps up, though, there might not be anything left of Wachovia worth buying.
No account of my weekend system administration adventures would be complete without acknowledging the outstanding customer support provided by my blog host provider, VPSFarm.
I emailed VPSFarm’s customer support first thing Saturday morning requesting they shut down my server. This was completed for me in a matter of minutes, and Vinay at VPSFarm sent prompt replies to my emails throughout the entire weekend (even close to midnight). He even provided a tarfile backup of my system. In short, Vinay and VPSFarm went above and beyond the call of duty – far beyond the meager amount of money I spend would justify.
Its easy to be a friend when times are easy, but when the chips are down you find out who your friends really are. Vinay Selvaraj and VPSFarm are the real deal. If you’re looking for an Xen-based Linux box you’d be stupid to look anywhere else.
Bravo Zulu, VPSFarm!
Kelly and I took the kids up to Creedmoor Saturday to visit the Oakleys, the family of Travis’s best friend Carson. They were hosting an arts festival at their farm, known as Cedar Creek Gallery. I’m amazed this place has been here for forty years and I never knew about it until now.
We watched as Lisa Oakley did some glass blowing, creating a long string of glass which will be used to create beads for necklaces and bracelets. It was fascinating: I’d never seen glass blowing before. There were other artists around, too, including some very talented potters and sculptors. And the event attracted a crowd. At one point, their one cash register had no less than thirteen customers waiting. I was tempted to buy a few things myself.
The kind of studio where one can practice glass blowing, welding, and the like is what I’d like to see Raleigh Parks and Rec provide. Something like a Mythbusters or Techshop kind of place. Maybe some day I’ll be in a position to do something about it …
If you’re interested in some of the coolest pottery, sculpting, and whimsical handmade products around, take a morning drive up to Creedmoor and see the Cedar Creek Gallery. You’ll be glad you did.
