Sunday, March 28, 2010

Love Hate affair......

Hi dolls,

So I've been working on this project where am supposed to demonstrate the capabilities of a FOSS network management software. I felt this was a good way to put my newly learnt *Nix skills to use. But so far all its done is given me a headache and shaken my faith in the user friendliness of all *Nix systems. Here goes the sorry tale.....so far!

Firstly..after alot of research into what software I should use, I decided to use VMware because it seemed like the most user friendly out there. After downloading and installing VM workstation (which was a breeze after an hour of reading up on ALOT of ubuntu forums)I noticed that I did not have a serial to use it. So,I asked around and the only one everyone had was of a lower version so I had to uninstall it so that i can downgrade. Uninstalling was so shitty,it took a whole day because I did not know how to(apparently, when i was reading up on how to install the damn thing , i did not figure that i would need to unis tall it so soon so did not bother reading about that! Tip for next time) and neither did most of my colleagues and all this was in between trying to pretend that am actually doing official things as all this was during office time.

After the uninstall(done by the 5th person who tried), I tried to download the lower version...then I noticed that the website actually has a key for one month trial use which is fine with me because I had not intended to keep it after am done with this project.. so I install VM workstation again!!! Then after going through the hassle of installing...I find out my processor cant support that version and I need to downgrade!!!AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!(Another Tip-always check hardware compatibility before installing any kind of software.)

After that, I decide to leave VMware and all its issues alone.I decide to try virtual box since apparently its open source(hence no serial key fiasco!) and is apparently well suited for linux machines.So I download virtual box and try to install that...but apparently the package I had downloaded had some bundles missing! And the installation could not be completed.

At that point the day had come to an end and I was frustrated as hell. So I have put the whole thing on hold for some days untill I find a way to install virtual box on my ubuntu box. As for now,am back to friendly and familiar territory-Windows XP! My love affair with linux is officially on a break!!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The way of the Spiritual Warrior!!!!!

Hi dolls,

Recently, I found out that one of friends is clinically deppressed. I was in awe which quickly progressed to shock then to sadness. Am familiar with deppression(Hell, I was deppressed for most of my teenage life) but for it to get to a state where one needs medication is beyond me. And I always believed it was a hollywood fad anyway. But seemingly it's real.And though am strongly against it,if my friend doesn't take her medication she will not be able to live a normal life! But I still believe that this is not the solution. Am not asking her to wear rose tinted spectacles like I do to evade the harshness of life, am asking her to take the bull by its horns and face it. To face whatever she is going through and conquer it as opposed to sitting in a corner and being deppressed about it.

I believe she needs to take time off and speak to inner demons and make peace with them. Because,I believe that in order to walk through grief, fear, loneliness, despair, confusion and anger without recourse to drugs, alcohol, over-eating, over-sexing, or the endless mind-numbing distractions provided by Western culture, one must become a spiritual warrior.

I further believe that the pay-off for enduring suffering, for soberly embracing the inevitable bouts of emotional pain that life brings, is wisdom and serenity in the face of calamity.

But make no mistake here, the path of the warrior is treacherous and cannot be walked alone. To survive, she must have brothers and sisters-in-arms to carry her when she buckles. When we lived and died in small tribes, this principle of mutually supporting one another through the trials of life was deeply woven into the fabric of the group mind. With the advent of towns and cities we were forced to live with the daily dilemma of being desperately alone and yet desperately needing one another. Which is why we are, by design, always seeking new tribes.

With that in mind,dolls, I humbly offer a simple guideline to evaluate the efficacy of any tribe you might encounter on your path to becoming a spiritual warrior: if they ask for your money or access to your crotch, run away. If they ask for your money, smile unceasingly, never blink, and guarantee to make you a demi-god, running away will not suffice. Change your mailing address and briefly reconsider drugs, alcohol, food, sex and TV. Can I get an Amen?!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Ubuntu craziness!!

Hi Wendall,
This post is directed at you. I needed a bit of help (understatement-alot of help!) and i tried looking for your messenger ID so i could IM you to no avail. Problem- am trying to set up a virtual network that i can monitor using nagios (that's the really summarized version of it all). Firstly, what virtual tool should i even install on my ubuntu? I was thinking of installing Virtual box but OMG the headache am getting over it. Also, is there a way i can install it offline? Having a reliable internet connection has also become a problem for me. I think that's all for now. Waiting for your reply.(seriously, I really would have preffered to send you an email though.)

GAGA!!!!!!!

Hi dolls,

For some reason, I believe work and school has really lowered my IQ! Repeateadly doing dull mundane tasks on a daily basis is really mind numbing. The result of all this, i have resorted to plagiarism. But dont worry dolls,am only getting good stuffs like this article about lady Gaga who am currently obsessed with (The shoes she wore to the grammy's were the first picture I posted to this blog!).

Since its release almost two weeks ago, “Telephone” has had over 22 million views on YouTube and has become an Internet sensation. With “Telephone” Gaga, as always, has taken performance to the next level.

In a jet-lagged state, I watched it over and over. Sleep deprivation made the prison dance montages, lesbian make-outs, cigarette sunglasses and images of poisoned diner food interspersed with Americana feel like I was in an alternate universe. Gaga saturates her videos with graphic imagery that is simultaneously repulsive and aesthetically fascinating. There is shock value and beauty and ambiguity all in one 10-minute segment. Classic Gaga.

2009 was Gaga’s year. She blasted to fame, won a slew of Grammys, Teen Choice Awards and MTV Video Music Awards and sold over 8 million albums to boot.

Truth is, her music is pretty unremarkable: If Kelly Clarkson had produced “Poker Face,” it would have been a dud. Most of the awards she wins are for her videos and performances, not her lyrics.

Why do we love her so? She is the whole package — glamour, pop, scandal, fashion and rumor — in one tiny 5-foot-4-inch, 23-year-old form. She walks off airplanes in absurd architectural costumes, creates 10-minute-long high-concept videos laced with powerful Warholian imagery and doesn’t debunk rumors like “does she have a dick?” No one, not even David Bowie, does glamour and celebrity like Gaga.

Lady Gaga proved to be the Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg of pop music all in one. She is a tycoon — redefining glamour, challenging convention and getting up in your face — she has made millions on the back of it. And that’s what makes her such a trailblazer.

The Tisch dropout is an ultra-savvy media manipulator engaged in an elaborate and complex project to re-glamorize the pop star. None of that is readily evident in her actual songs. But that might be part of the point. Regardless of whether you buy her pop-intelligence, you can’t deny that “Gaga” genius in one important sense. Timeless branding of things we don’t usually brand.

From dangling on stage in La Perla lingerie as fake blood gushes from her breast to wearing an orbiting head dress to an award show, every appearance she makes is worthy of the front page. Her image sells, whether you revere it or find it pretentious.

Virgin Mobile, Diet Coke, Wonder Bread, Polaroid and the dating Web site Plentyoffish.com all recognize this; the flagrancy of product placement in “Telephone” is almost distracting. How many other artists have companies vying for them to put arsenic in their Miracle Whip?

Let’s compare Gaga to someone even more successful in 2009: Taylor Swift, who made $18 million last year according to Forbes estimates and was listed by Nielsen SoundScan as the top-selling digital artist in music history. They are a bit different, you might say. Swift is the girl next door. Gaga is your parents’ worst nightmare. Gaga makes music videos with graphic death imagery. Swift sings songs about teen love and being “15.”

Parents love Swift because she spews morals they deem good for their daughters. They see her as a responsible big sister. The most controversial thing she did last year was host “Saturday Night Live” (and she was amazing). The least controversial thing Gaga did was meet the Queen of England in a red leather dress.

Admittedly, the pop stars have some similarities. Like Gaga’s music, the world could do without Swift’s. Swift’s career is based on a particular image and branding — tapping into the tween scene in a way that would make Britney circa 1997 drool. She has become the celebrity face of l.e.i jeans and Wal-Mart, and many companies are vying for her as well.

But Swift’s brand is a ticking time bomb. As we know all too well from the Spears, Aguilera, Moore, Simpson battle of the 90s, the girl next-door image has an expiration date. She turns 21 this December. Soon America will not buy into lyrics like “she’s cheer captain and I’m on the bleachers.” As precedent shows, she will either fade into obscurity or have to rebrand herself as a young sexually empowered woman, singing songs like “Dirrty” or “I’m a Slave 4 U,” struggling to find a new niche.

Gaga will not face the perils of musical puberty. As far as we are concerned, Gaga doesn’t have an age, sex or “innocent” thought in her body. Her burlesque film neon/noir videos might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but we have never seen anything like her. She is a novelty and will continue to be controversial, shocking us with images we seldom face in mainstream culture, like Butch lesbians and non-heteronormative sexuality. And power to her.

As Gaga said in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, her music and performance is “all about letting people who don’t fit in know that someone out there is fine with who they are.” I guess America is a country of freaks then, and it is Gaga’s genius for getting us to embrace it — while making millions in the process.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Racism of King Kong

"In all three film versions of the basic story, we are led to believe that Kong regularly feasts on native girls. Female human sacrifice is how the locals appease him. Then, in each re-telling, he is transformed from mindless, blood-thirsty carnivore to smitten, suicidal love monkey by a skinny, blonde-haired white girl (Fay Wray, Jessica Lange, Naomi Watts). Given this behavioral trend, it is my contention that King Kong would eat Halle Berry. This troubles me deeply and I wanted to share it with you."

From one of my favorite writers,Chuck Lorre.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Good Vs Evil...Amin Vs Gandhi!



Hi y'all,

So everyday in the morning when i get to work, I have a ritual. Take a cup of hot coffee concetrate( Don't judge, if you have to start work at 7 am you would be seriously hooked as well!) Go through all my mail;outlook,yahoo,facebook. Check my twitter for updates from the people/organisations that i follow (Twitter is the shits!!)And finally go through my favourite sites(Fmylife,postsecret,textsfromlastnight,oddee)so i dont doze off as i carry on with this mundane shit i call work.

And guess what i find today, a foosball(foosball being the only football I can stand!LOL) table which has a ugandan character!! And it's not just any table, its an EVIL VS GOOD table just so you can have a kick(no pun intended) kicking(now am starting to rhyme!) the evil guys' asses! So, guess on which team the Ugandan was playing and which ugandan he is!! You are all gonna die when i tell you. It is our very own Idi Amin Dada!! And ofcourse he's on the evil team in between Hitler and Jack the Ripper! The actual line up for both teams is;On the team of Evil XI we have: Pot, Lucifer, Calgula, Ripper (as in Jack), Impaler (as in Vlad the), Hitler, Macbeth (as in Lady), Hyde, Klebb (as in Rosa), Amin, Catcher (as in the Child). Playing for Good XI we have: Claus (as in Santa), More (as in Sir Thomas), Moore (as in Bobby), Gordon (as in Flash), Robin (as in Christopher),God, Assisi, Jekyll, Poppins, Teresa, M.K. Gandhi.Only 20 of these were made and they retail for a whopping 14,500 pounds!! Am already imagining Amin legging it with Gandhi or even God!! Cool stuff! If I could afford it,I'd seriously buy this table. Is it me or there is seriously no better way to commemorate this dude?!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Awesome Linux Newbie Site

Hi dolls,
I just stumbled upon a site that all you linux newbies (am sure even advanced users) will love. It has a good number of articles,tutorials and various resources to get you up and running with Linux. It has 3 homes;for a desktop user,a windows admin and a Linux admin.I am especially loving the forum. It has been abit hard for me to follow or even contribute to most of the Linux forums I have found because most people assume that you are already an advanced user but this one caters to the Linux babies like me. Check it out here.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Fashion baby-Stella Atal.


Hi dolls.
I just wanted to share one of my favorite pieces from one of my favourite fashionistas with you and would love to hear what you all think.

I personally love all of her pieces because I would actually wear every single one which is important, but I think this khaki and white hand-painted cotton dress is probably my #1 fav.

I love the fact that the dress is basic and simple but then it has that fun, edgy and sexy look to it! And, I'd die for that cow horn and porcupine necklace.You can check out more of her stuff here.

Personally, I own just a skirt from her collection which was given to me by a model friend of mine(Annet,luv you doll!). But I'd love to get more of her stuff.

Stella, if you ever read this. I just can't wait for you to open your own store. I think your stuff is phenomenal and you are a phenomenal woman.
Keep on being FIERCE!!!

Hallelujah..

Hi dolls,
Suffering from mild depression at the moment so i have nothing witty or funny to write.
Love is when you dare to reveal yourself fully. I dared, I was torn to shreds, now am hurt. But I believe this too shall pass. Either to make us stronger or to make me stronger.

For now i can't stop listening to this song by leonard Cohen.

I heard there was a secret chord
that david played and it pleased the lord
but you don't really care for music, do you
well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth
the minor fall and the major lift
the baffled king composing hallelujah

hallelujah...

well your faith was strong but you needed proof
you saw her bathing on the roof
her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
she tied you to her kitchen chair
she broke your throne and she cut your hair
and from your lips she drew the hallelujah

hallelujah...

baby I've been here before
I've seen this room and i've walked this floor
I used to live alone before i knew you
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
but love is not a victory march
it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

hallelujah...

well there was a time when you let me know
what's really going on below
but now you never show that to me do you
but remember when i moved in you
and the holy dove was moving too
and every breath we drew was hallelujah

well, maybe there's a god above
but all i've ever learned from love
was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
it's not a cry that you hear at night
it's not somebody who's seen the light
it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

hallelujah...

Monday, March 1, 2010

I need to get me some wheels.


Hi dolls,
I've always wondered what the big deal is about having a car. In most cases, the first purchase after most people get a job is a car. Funnier still is that fact that most girls (the ones i know anyway) would never dare to date a guy who doesn't have a car! This has always left me puzzled till ofcourse the beginning of this year, when I joined the reat of the crazy Ugandan car wanting population .But dont judge me yet, i dont want the said car as a symbol of social status(though my inner diva is blushing at this gross misrepresentation!) or whatever else you might be thinking. I am a pretty down to earth babe, I can jump on a boda boda in broad daylight, hop into a taxi, anything transportwise i can do( I draw the line at bicycles!).
But lately, this whole helmet wearing business has just turned my once lovely boda boda experience in a nightmare. And for some reason, I find it hard to sit in a taxi for more than 10 minutes!(even just the thought makes me nauseous!)so the solution to my problems is evidently a car.And am not picky. Am not looking for a fancy car (right!) but any car as long as it works. Even the tiniest starlet would make me happy.
Unfortunately for me, I don't have the money to buy even the most basic of cars and even i could save my meagre earnings(which i can't) It would take me atleast 2 years(hoping inflation is not affecting car prices,which it is). So what does a 21year old girl in my situation do? Go off to find the next available rich man's bed to hop into?(I will not deny that this thought has crossed my mind)
Truly,I dont know what am going to do to get this car. But i believe that what the mind can conceive,the body can achieve. So now am off to see how am going to come up with the 7 million required to buy that little car in picture.

Wish me luck dolls(seriously!)