Google Chrome Proxy Server Setup

Google Chrome uses IE's Proxy settings... However, you can force it to be something different using the "--proxy-server=XXXXX" switch. Or, just use "--proxy-server=" to use no proxy.

This is really nice, because now I can set up two Google Chrome shortcuts - One to fire up Chrome at work and use the proxy, and the other with the "--proxy-server=" switch so I can use Chrome at home!

I like that better than going into the settings of FireFox each time I start it up (I haven't found a proxy plugin that works well yet...). Maybe FireFox has a similar switch?

Rear Derailleur adjustment

There's some time of black magic behind adjusting the rear derailleur. It's as hard as trying to remember how "derailleur" is spelled!!! When I read some tips on adjusting it, it seems easy. About 30 minutes later, my chain is all over the place on the rear cassette.

Anyways, this seems like about the best article I've found so far. At least my chain shift through *most* of the gears now!!

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=64

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

http://garynuke.homestead.com/derailleur.html

*** After some more reading and monkeying around, I realized it isn't quite as hard as I thought... I just wasn't getting it for some reason at first...

Mountain Bike Technique - track stand

A track stand is something I really need to practice:
http://www.mountainzone.com/videos/category.asp?cid=401645

More related videos here (the "Beginner" section is kinda funny to watch... The lady doing the stuff is just strange)
http://www.mountainzone.com/videos/category.asp?cid=300545

The advanced technique also describes bunny hopping in good detail.

And the drop:
http://declinemagazine.com/visuals/fluidride/fluidride_vol1.htm

Various technique:
http://www.goclipless.com/techniques/


After that, I'll work on these:

http://www.trashzen.com/bunny-hop-blunt.php

;)

Temp file in Perl

Use the following to generate a temporary file in Perl:

use File::Temp;
my $fh = tempfile;

print $fh "temp data";

Also, this finds the directory of the Perl script being executed:

use FindBin;
my $program_dir = $FindBin::Bin;

This, and some other useful Perl things, are found here:

http://www.perl.com/pub/a/2003/05/29/treasures.html

Auto Repair

Just changed a wheel bearing on the Impala, thanks to this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-TsTn-3ktk

Also came across this good blog:

http://free-auto-repair-advice.blogspot.com/

perlboot

Beginner's Object-Oriented Tutorial

It's a pretty nice tutorial accessible via 'perldoc perlboot'

As usual, it's also available on the web, for example:
http://perl.active-venture.com/pod/perlboot.html

Picture Backups

Just wanted to mark down my backup command... I also throw SSH in there sometimes to backup to a remote machine:

(cd /cygdrive/c/my_backup ; tar czf - Pictures_Backup) | gpg -o - -c - | split -b 512M - backup_

I noticed the flavor of "split" varied between cygwin and RHEL.

UPDATE:

A couple of new notes:

tar cvzf - DirToBackup | gpg -o - -c - | ssh me@some-server 'cd /backups/backupdir ; cat | split -b 512m - date_tar_gz_'

Then, use the following to produce "differential" backups:
tar cvzf - --newer "YYYY-MM-DD" DirToBackup | blah blah blah


(note to self: one canine pound)