Month: August 2004

Site NewsLeave a comment

Zip Code Fun

Rob

Did a bit of fiddling and I’ve got PostgreSQL doing zip code tricks. You can get the distance of one zip code with another. Or you can get a list of zip codes by radius.

All this works by a magic C function. It was originally writen for MySQL, but I was able to port it over to PostgreSQL with some effort (and much learning). If time allows, I’ll post the code and instructions in the webdev section. This cool is especially cool since it now includes location data which I didn’t have in the MySQL version.

Performance isn’t too bad for a query that has to hit 3 table to collect the data. The MySQL version goes supper fast, but it brings back a very limited amount of data (zip and distance).

Classic disclaimer: The zips are not 100% accurate, but close enough for most needs.
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SchoolLeave a comment

Grrr – U. Akron loses my payment plan application

Rob

I worked late the day before. I checked with my boss if the schedule allowed. I then took the 45 minute drive to the University of Akron and got my stuff in order for fall 2004. This meant I stopped to get my books and pay for class. I made it to the cashier’s line. I filled out my application for the payment plan right there and then handed them the first installment payment. I did this way back in July. Now my account is on hold because they lost the payment application. Grrr. A phone call to a few people at the university seems to have the ball rolling in the right direction. I’ll have to wait and see what happens…
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CrittersLeave a comment

Powder survived the vet trip

Rob

Murzik and Powder both visited the vet yesterday. Powder went first since he got nervous and pee-ed in the carrier on the way over. Murzik just cried for the entire drive while Powder was very quiet.

Powder had a slight temperature, but he didn’t have enough urine to allow the vet to take a sample (it all went in the carrier!). The vet thinks it could be a urinary track infection. Hopefully its an infection and not Powder being ornery. Powder got an antibiotic shot which really got him upset.

This freaked Murzik out and she huddled as small as she could in her carrier. Her turn came and she got a booster shot. Her shot wasn’t as bad and it was in a better location than where Powder had his. She was declared very healthy.
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Site NewsLeave a comment

PostgreSQL

Rob

Just installed PostgreSQL on our web server. Now our web sites can use MySQL or PostgreSQL their database storage needs. I’ve been checking out phpPgAdmin which is a web front end to managing your PostgreSQL databases. Its pretty impressive! I’m liking it. Triggers, views, functions and all sorts of other nifty goodies not available to MySQL. I think I’m going to need to develop a few apps under PostgreSQL. I think its going to run circles around MySQL.
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GeneralLeave a comment

That’s a first for SBC

Rob

Wacky!

SBC is usually good about being on time when you need them. Usually.
Because its SBC (formally Ameritech), its hard to get them to do
anything when you want them to. So I needed SBC to evaulate a phone
line that got wrapped around my tree (the trunk is in the process of
falling down). The operator said they’ll be out on Monday, August 16th,
from 3-7pm and I should be home for it. Its Friday, August 13th, at 2pm
and I get a call from the SBC tech saying they’re there and they have no
problem re-wiring the line away from the tree. Cool, I guess. I was
told I was to be home for this. Oh well. I asked the tech, “weren’t
you supposed to be out on Monday?” The response was, “no, the work
order right here says today.” This is the first time I’ve seen them
error in my advantage.

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TravelLeave a comment

Back to the Island

Rob

A lot happened. I won’t go into all the details, but I got sick on
Thursday and had to call off sick on Friday. I didn’t get anything done
but get a hair cut on Saturday. Sunday I launched
href=”http://www.ancientrhino.com”>Ancient Rhino. I was starting to
feel ok on Sunday.

Monday we went to Kelleys Island. THAT was fun! Whatever I had caught,
I wasn’t feeling the effects of any more and we went to the island. We
eat dinner at the Casino. Walked around some and enjoyed the sites.
Then we headed back and I started a campfire. We enjoyed the evening
together. Oh yeah, I turned 30 on Monday too…

Tuesday went great. We got up and had breakfast at Bag the Moon. Then
we went back and packed up our campsite. Then we spent a good amount of
time at the beach and in the water. We got tired of that and then we
headed home and had dinner with my mom. Its been a busy week! And
thank you to everyone who wished me happy birthday!

So that’s also why there hasn’t been any updates to the site. As you
notice, I’ve swapped the counter with one that counts the days down to
my calculus class (ugh!).

I haven’t forgotten about the Tanzania pics either. There’s only a few
rolls left to do. But I was way too sick to even think about scanning
them. If all goes well, I might get some more up tonight.

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TravelLeave a comment

Tanzania Pics

Rob

The gallery got upgraded and tweaked. I’ve ironed out the kinks and the
7 rolls of Tanzania film are now up. I
hope to have the last 7 rolls up by the end of next weekend. If you’re
wondering what is taking so long, I’m scanning each negative
individually. I’m doing very little image touch up. You’ll notice a
lot of black borders hanging around the images. This is due to how the
negative gets aligned over the scan head.

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GeneralLeave a comment

A Lot Happens in a Weekend

Rob

Went to the University of Akron and gave them a lot of money for class
and books (which reminds me I have to save the receipts!).

The Integra rolled over 110,000 miles on the way back from Akron. I
think its now broken in.

Saturday we went and got furniture and supplies from our grandmother’s
house. There’s some pics at the end of this gallery:
href=”/gallery/moving”>House Moving.

Went to a two year-old’s birthday party on Sunday. It was festive and
loud and the two year-old was worn out before the party got started.
But it looks like everyone had a good time.

I’ve been scanning in pictures from my Tanzania trip. I have 14 rolls
of film and 7 of them have been scanned in. I’m scanning them from the
negatives. Although Gallery hiccuped this morning and I get to
re-upload them all. It also appears the galleries all got shuffled
around. Ugh. You know what that means! Time to upgrade gallery.

Continue reading “A Lot Happens in a Weekend”