October 23, 2003

There were 2 posts published on October 23, 2003 (this is page 1 of 1).

World Domination Inches Closer

At home last night, I spent most of my waking time (and some of my sleeping time) configuring my Asterisk PBX server. The stuff is addictive! Major geek points for having a home PBX.

I now have six or seven “extensions” at home, ringing my Zaurus, two Windows desktops running X-Ten lite, and a cordless analog phone, among others.

I can also dial out from my PC. I even configured it to automatically dial our calling-card number for long-distance calls. (Eventually, I’ll replace that with one of the many VoIP services for free calling). It’s truly amazing what can be done now with SIP-based telephony.

With a little more work, I’ll have the ability to place calls through my home phone from anywhere on the Internet. THAT’S the reason why I’m canceling my Packet 8 account, only a few months into having it. Why pay $20 a month for service you don’t need?

This should make for a killer presentation to the local Linux group. It could also turn into a great consulting offering, with any luck.

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Something In The Air

I would’ve made a good cop.

On the way to work this morning, I noticed something out of the ordinary. A convoy of tractor-trailers with Arkansas plates headed west down I-40. They stayed bunched up together as they drove, but really didn’t seem out of the ordinary.

When I got to my turn, though, I saw them do something funny. Two or three trucks got caught in the wrong lane and had to quickly merge back on to I-40 to keep up with the pack. Seasoned truckers would never make such a dumb move. They know the highways like the back of their hand. These guys drove like rookies.

All this would’ve been just another instance of dumb drivers if it weren’t for a helicopter which flew parallel to them, staying slightly in front. My paranoid mind put the two together and suggested something was up.

I wonder if they might have been hauling radioactive waste to the Shearon-Harris disposal site? Or if I’m being way too paranoid? At any rate, it was not a scene I typically see on the morning commute.