Installing a PCIe card in the Intel SS-4200

Interested in adding a PCIe card in the SS4200 NAS without having to cut up the box??

Linkback to Bit for Byte's blog giving good info on getting FreeNAS loaded on the Intel SS-4200 DOM.

I will be using the Galaxy Geforce 7200 GS 16x PCIe video card - passive cooled, compact.
Google an image and follow along

First, I have some measurements.
-The video card cannot be thicker than 46mm or it will hit HD2. A small PCIe card will fit flat under HD2 next to the power supply.
-You will need a 23cm long cable from 1x slot in mobo to the PCIe card 1x connector.
-To run VGA from the video card to the dsub punchout, you'll need about 45cm long connector.

Connecting to the 1x: You'll need a 23cm or longer cable. Check ebay, as of now I see a 1x riser cable 17cm long for $1. Chain two together, and pray the signal loss isn't enough to affect operation - possible underclock (you're not gaming anyway) to reduce interference. If you are using a cheaper 16x video card (My passive cooled 16x was $10 after rebate, a 1x will run you $100). You will have to use a dremel and cut a slot in one end of the plastic 1x connector (on the riser cable) to allow a 16x to fit. Pinout is compatable as I hear 16x cards work in 1x open ended slots (but run slower).

My Galaxy card has a removable 15pin VGA connector attached via 9cm ribbon cable and plugs into a standard 2x8 PCB connector, so I can use a 36cm standard 2x8 pcb ribbon connector between the video card pcb pins and the VGA header, then screw the VGA header in the db punchout.

FDA Bans Clove Cigarettes

http://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/FlavoredTobacco/default.htm

Flavored Tobacco
On September 22, 2009 a ban on cigarettes containing certain characterizing flavors went into effect. The ban, authorized by the new Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, is part of a national effort by FDA to reduce smoking in America.


Supposedly, more kids start smoking with flavored and clove cigarettes than RJ Reynolds cigarettes. Lies, damned lies, and statistics.

Let's do a little investigating and see how many RJR lobbyists to make this happen, and finally close off the last few percentages of the tobacco market share from outside companies like Djarum.

Instead of just banning these cigarettes, why didn't RJR just buy the companies?

I myself aren't addicted to cloves. It all started several years ago in LA, at clubs which had smoke patios since it was illegal to smoke inside. These patios became a great place to socialize since it's away from the loud music. I just sort of fell into it then.

I don't have an addictive personality, so I quit smoking every time I run out. Sometimes it would be a couple of months before I got more.

As to whether these are full on addictive like 'white' cigarettes, I don't know. I do feel a minor nagging desire when I have not had one for a day or two.

My point... since cloves are banned, that was the only thing I smoked. I cannot stand the white cigarettes and it is not a replacement. What about the people who are addicted to cloves and also can't find a replacement? Withdrawl. Supposedly smoking cigarettes is one of the hardest addictions to quit, and the FDA is finding it in its good wisdom to cause possibly hundreds of thousands of people to quit smoking involuntarily, 'cold turkey.'

Maybe that Obamacare should come a little sooner, for people who need the patch and maybe a prescription....

To Yahoo (sent thru suggestions)

(consider this the original source)

I have a suggestion for the right click context menu (on a message) inside the Inbox.

Consider this your precursor to a systems requirement document :)

Need to stay ahead of the ball game (especially since selling your advertising to microsoft) in services offered - like recent upgrade to the yahoo mail.

Along with Add Sender to Contacts, I would like another option, Add Domain to Whitelist - with a similiar popup "Edit Domain" (instead of "Edit Contact")

Smart domain naming (the option to add the domain at the highest level, or the full subdomain.

As I am sure you have blacklisted or risk rating to other domains - you can integrate a 'risk warning' when adding that domain - categorized by spam, virus, sex, illegal activities. "Are you sure you want to add this domain, it is suspected of spam."

You'll also tie in the birthdate of the user to block age appropriate domains.

Mutual of Obama Life Insurance?

Wall Street Pursues Profit in Bundles of Life Insurance
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/business/06insurance.html?th&emc=th

The title of this got me on a tangent:

The next best derivative trading. Just wait til the government expands (as with any government program) from Obamacare to Mutual of Obama Life Insurance. Government backed, Wall Street will start trading these based on no/low risk, they will get high ratings, and in no time something is going to happen like a pandemic scare. Or another recession where people are selling off what assets including insurance policies so they can to stay afloat.

Wall street will panic, the MOOLI bubble will burst, and all the life insurance packages traded as derivatives will be worthless, and Wall Street will need another bailout.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/bu...html?th&emc=th
Wall Street Pursues Profit in Bundles of Life Insurance

I said it first (I think) ... just you wait until after Universal Healthcare passes... it will expand into universal life insurance ... you betcha!

Woo $4500 subsidy to buy a new car

Now looks like you can get rid of a car you own that gets less than combined 18mpg (less for trucks) for it to qualify, you own the car for at least a year, and the new vehicle gets at least 10 more mpg (trucks need to have 2 more mpg than the 'clunker'.

Sure I'm against the whole idea but let's see how we could make it better:

1) Each of the qualifying new vehicles must be 80% or so manufactured in the US (Which means that japanese cars rolling out of US assembly plants would qualify). Sure that would anger some countries, but I think it would also make things interesting. Boost profit for failing US automakers. Reactivate the loan industry (more people buying new cars with that huge subsidy).

2) Allow purchase of motorcyles and scooters (I'd probably do it and pick up a low end Harley for 6-7k). Those usually get great mileage.

Aveo's can be had for 10-11k. That comes out to a pretty good reason to trade and old car in for a new cheap high mpg one. More targets for me to bop around the highway in my full size Ram.

Alas, my car that I don't drive, gets good gas mileage, automatic disqualifier. I somewhat anticipate getting to rebuild the top block, thank you GM for not notifying me of the lawsuit you lost which caused the damage I'm repairing.

So the math... purchase price - 4500 + salvage value of old car = what you pay out of pocket, don't forget to count what you could have sold your old car for. Hybrids I think might still have a tax credit as well. You can also still get from $975 to $1700 on some ford hybrids. Wonder if you can take both?

The Cobb Tea Party - July 3, 2009

Posting some pics of the Tea Party. Saw no teabagging whatsoever.

Hermain Cain at the mic...






Just a few others interested in things other than fireworks...

Highlander / Star Trek series/movies

I figured my first blog would be about the libertarian party, the Cap and Trade tax, or something political. Oh well... I was posting this on another forum, just wanted to also put it someplace that was 'mine.'



Each film has it's own universe. Take #2 ... they come from planet Geist? Protective shield around the earth? After that movie, as far as I'm concerned, all the movies don't have to be true to each other.

I dont like actors going between TV and the big screen as the main star.

Duncan belongs on TV, we can see Duncan on a daily or weekly basis. A better route on the movies was connor being the movie maker, sort of like how the Picard's crew just doesn't really do it for me on the big screen. The actor playing Connor was getting older, but I can use my imagination enough to accept a 43yo Connor in a modern day Highlander, and another movie 5 years later with a 48yo connor in a pirate day Highlander.

Connor's been alive hundreds of years, the sequels could have been a different points in time (like a Highlander in the Old West, in the ship pirating days, during a major war, French revolution, Civil War).

Highlander movies don't have to end in 'becoming the one'. Like every Star Trek movie, they defeat one enemy, but there is always another.... no finality. So what, we all know 'the day' will come for Connor but every movie doesnt have to end with it.

With Connor being 'the one', the Duncan series could have been more focused on his desire to become the one (altho he wont) or the haunting thought that he will die that persists in the series ... and it gives the deserved conclusion of a TV series: that Duncan was not the one and the finale kills him off. Connor could have then been in the series as 'the one' but long time off before that happens.

Duncan could have appeared in the movies to help Connor. They shared a 400 year timeline, could have had Connor present when Duncan first died. Both in a pirate (arrrr!) movie or TV episode. And after the Adrian Paul series is over, there is always an opportunity to restart the series with a younger McCleod - like maybe starting at the time he first died and covering his first years as a new immortal, learning the ropes. that would eliminate the Adrian series of always skipping back in time in different scenes of the show.

A movie based on Highlander could work, like a movie about a young Methos in 3000BC Egypt. We'd know in advance that he will later become one of the oldest Immortals (opening credits could say something like "One day I will be the eldest of Immortals, but there are many days until then..."

The TV series and movies had been better thought out. I loved the series tho.