to not recompile xorg while its in use.

Apparently xorg has the ability to be recompiled while it is being used without changing system stability. Nvidia, on the other hand, does not like finding out that its kernel module is out of sync with your kernel and may kill Xorg the next time you open an application.

Also, the new xorg startx script defaults to not allowing remote X connections. This makes sense from a security point of view, but it can be troublesome if you use remote X connections and weren't expecting it. Server options for startx are stored in the startx script which is generally located at /usr/bin/startx

how to use a self service car wash

Self service car washes work much better if you see the bubble brush and use it to wash the car. Another tip for all would be washers: bring towels. They don't provide a car drier and the spot free rinse really isn't.

what ctrl-r does in bash

Hit ctrl-r in a bash window will bring up a search prompt that will take user input and scan previously entered commands for a match. Hitting ctrl-r again will cycle the previous commands. This is a more intelligent version just mashing up till you see the command you were looking for.

how to remove a splinter

I realized today that a small scratch just under my knee was really less of a scratch and more of an entry hole for a splinter. The whole area around the splinter was a little tender and I could feel about where the splinter was by pressing on the skin.

This lead to several lessons for the day. First off, razor blades are incredibly sharp (which can be handy if you need to cut some skin). Secondly, cutting yourself open intentionally is a really interesting sensation. Lastly, if all else fails ask a friend to get the needle nose pliers and start pulling.

The splinter that finally came out of my leg was just a little longer than the diameter of a quarter and I've included photos below. Click the photo to see more like it.

that washing machines are a lousy way to clean leather

The wallet is fine and the cards all seem to work, but that is the last time I'll throw pants into the wash without check the pockets.

that originality is overated

I always figured that a day was never wasted if you could walk away from it knowing at least one thing you didn't know when you started it. I kicked around the idea of starting a site that I would update daily with something I had learned. I finally decided to start that page today.

I signed into blogspot and started to sign up for my very own blog page. I chose a title, listed the URL I wanted to use, and all seem right and well. With a click of the submit button I was sure I had begun to carve out another little section of the internet to call my own. The only problem was that the URL I wanted to use was taken. Apparently someone had tried this before.

The best part about the internet is how simple it is to voice yourself. People from around the world can sign up and become a part of it in a manner of minutes. That much freedom often causes most of the normal options for urls and ids to be taken, so I'm used to getting creative with titles and the like.

I creatively entered another URL only to find it taken as well. 15 URLs later and my creativity had started to turn to frustration. Every combination seemed to be taken by 3 post blogs or blank page holders that hadn't been updated in 3 years.

That was when I learned todays lesson: There is a good chance that even your most original idea has been done before, done often, and (if you are lucky) done very poorly. Well... its either that or that blogspot should be a titch more aggressive about reclaiming blog names.