My AT&T U-Verse Experience (kinda technical)

I converted from Comcast to AT&T U-Verse service. I already have AT&T Yahoo DSL so the Internet service was a natural upgrade. I was pretty annoyed with Comcast lately. I was charged some mysterious fee, that ended up being an "in-house wiring" fee, for a many years and had no idea (yes, my fault I know). Lately, the HD channels were disappearing. I had to keep telling my TV to find channels again which wiped out all my preset favorite channels so I have to re-select all my favs again. The TV has also been freezing solid. I think the cable card crashed every few days, not sure about this freeze thing. Plus the guide feature built into my TV stopped working. Comcast could not help with the guide but I eventually figured out that it must use an analog signal which Comcast killed support for a few months ago.

AT&T U-Verse has been pestering me for a while. We were one of the first neighborhoods to get it. I checked online and the current deal was $250 cash back (visa debit card) for TV and Interwebz. I decided to switch. The signup and appointment setup was easy. Unfortunately the installers were an hour later that the 2 hour arrival window and never called. I called after 2 hours and they "could not get in touch" with the installers. They eventually did and said it would be another hour. This worked out to be true. I met the guys for a second but had to go back to work so I left the missus in charge. A couple calls to me (while interviewing a job candidate!!) but I guess the conversion went OK. Unfortunately, the install has the new router next to the DVR under the TV which is on the opposite side of the house from where DSL was. This screws up the network. A moment about my network...

I have two wireless routers. One was connected to my DSL in the family room. The other is in the living room some 70 feet away. I ran CAT5 under the house to connect the two routers as they refused to work as access points. So, Wifi in the living room was transported 100MB Ethernet to the family room and off to the internet. A couple computer in the family room all Ethernet connected to the main router. WiFi in the family room lets us sit out back or in the garage wirelessly. Same with the Living room. This was all working just fine and naturally very fast.

So, the new Router is across the living room from the old one. I have no way to connect the two without running a new cable under the house. The new router also has wireless and it makes no sense to have two wireless routers in the living room. The old ones and the new ones won't work together like access points either. My main desktop and web server are 50 feet from the new router.

How is this solved? Using power line network adapters of course. AT&T gives you these since the new router is probably always very far away from where your DSL was. The devices plug into the wall power outlet and use the electrical wiring as a network. Easy peasy right? Sorta. So, I plug the power line adapter into the wall outlet by the new router (living room) and one by my desktop (family room) and connect it to the old router. So I have living room old router (wireless turned off now) connected Ethernet to the old main router which is connected to the powerline adapter which magically connects to the powerline adapter in the linving room and then to the new router. This actually works. Sorta.

With the new U-Verse 3mb Internet, I am getting anywhere from under 1mb to 2.8mb speeds. Not impressive considering it dips down to under 1mb which is slower than DSL ever was. So what do I do? Upgrade from 3mb to 6mb (with a $20 cash card rebate, thank you) for $5 more a month. A couple days (yea, DAYS with no notification. I have to keep checking online over and over and over) later the order is complete and I should be at 6mb or close right? Wrong. Same speeds as before. I measure from three Ethernet connected computers. After a couple hours working with AT$T over a couple days (their support ranges dramatically from annoyingly bad advice to OK), we have not solved the speed issue. I repeatedly get routed to DSL support despite entering my Phone number and U-Verse account number. I have to repeat my problem over and over. Eventually I get routed to "someone who can definitely solve this issue" which ends up being tier 2 DSL support. Of course they can't solve it their DSL Support! They give me the U-Verse support number, "that is what I called" I say. They give me the account number to use, "that is the number I entered and gave the first rep" I say. "Oh" she says. Luckily tier 2 DSL are pretty swift and get me in touch with customer support who cannot help at all but does give me a credit and eventually transfers me to U-Verse support.

U-Verse tier 2 thinks all your problems are the desktop settings. I go through a series of annoying procedures, always two steps ahead of the rep. Everything is always fine on my desktop. Of course I tell them I have the same speed results on three different computers using both Vista and XP Pro. Eventually I get frustrated and force the point that it is not the desktop. They run some diags and look at the router but can't see anything. I give up and tell them to call me back later.

I go to a WiFi connected laptop and test the speed in the living room. 5.7mb. Huh? Whaaaa? I test a second WiFi laptop. Same thing. I test desktops in two rooms an both are less than 2mb. Ah ha! must be the powerline adapter(s) AT&T gave me. I connect one to the outlet by the old router (across the from from the new one) and disconnect the one in the family room. Speed test is 5.7 or so MB. I connect the one in the family room and test. 2.2mb. Ah Ha! The adapter is crappy! Swap adapters and same results. Oh, seems the electrical wiring between the family room and living room supports 2.5mbps or less. Usually less. This would have been handy information to know ahead of time. Apparently your house wiring is really really important and depending on the age and how it is all connected, your performance can be over 100mb or under 1mb.

So, I reverse the old network layout. Family room is connected to the living room over the CAT 5 Ethernet cable (100mb) The family room old router (basically just a 4 port Ethernet switch now) is connected to the powerline adapter which connects to the new router and then off to the interwebz. Everything is speedy and dropped 10 - 30 ms of ping time.

AT$T calls back. I advise how I investigated and diagnosed the problem and the resolution. All I get is an "OK". Case closed. Keep in mind that the installers set everything up and tested it. I guess since it was over 2mb when they tested it it must have been fine. I feel sorry for folks who are not network or computer experts.

Are the San Jose Police prejudiced to the Vietnamese?

The recent incident with Phuong Ho and the San Jose Police and subsequent news reports reminded me of something that happened to a friend of mine...

My Vietnamese friend recounted a recent experience with San Jose Police. A simple traffic stop for a legitimate reason. He and some friends were lost and made an illegal U-Turn. No biggie. I was shocked and horrified as he described how they were treated. The immediate profiling and subsequent physical and verbal abusive treatment. I urged him to file a complaint. He did not want to cause problems. It was their word against the police. He knew it was no win for him. How sad is that? I believe every word of the reporting that the Vietnamese do not trust the police. As these stories permeate through the community, there is going to be mistrust and fear of abuse.

Who is going to protect us from those who are protecting us? We watch these separatists in countries like Afghanistan, Israel and Iraq and think they are fear and hate mongers and a bunch of terrorists. People who are oppressed will eventually rebel and take up arms to protect themselves. I don't think we are immune to this eventuality especially as communities are treated "like animals". Watching some documentary crime show on TV recently, I already see communities have already taken up arms. The police forces are still more powerful than them and they may be contained to a couple housing block for now but it is evident that this is happening right here in our own communities. They have a management structure, sentries, action plans. They are armed. Sure they are criminals but organized criminals. It really is not all that different than Somalia.

Of course we don't know all the facts about this case but facts don't really matter. The police and grand jury will most certainly clear the police of any wrong doing. Is there a pattern of abuse against the Vietnamese community? I don't know but I am sure glad I am not a Viet having interactions with the police. This needs to be investigated by a independent group.

Homebrew Beer

So now I am on batch 5 of my own beer. My first attempt was a brown ale copy of Moose Drool. Lots went wrong with this beer. I messed up the recipe, did not get my grain to the right temp and a couple other issues as well. We had a hot spell to had to cool in a tub of water in the closet which was OK but not great. It came out black and had some strong flavors of ash and burnt coffee. There were some other good things like chocolate and some fruity esters. Fresh, it was really hard to drink. I tried. This was affectionately named Moose Droppings a.k.a. Joe's Black Ale (JBA).

Next was a second attempt with the proper recipe and tighter procedures. Again, I missed some target numbers but the process was better. This was much more drinkable but there was a slight off flavor I can't describe. By this time, about 2 weeks from brewing JBA, JBA was mellowing out. A couple weeks later, I started blending JBA and JBA#2. This was something I really, really liked. So much so I was going to submit it to the Northern CA Homebrew Competition. The night I went out to bottle, the keg emptied while pouring some for the missus. Sigh...

Next was an IPA. A hoppy IPA. Everything seems to go right except maybe not achieving my desired starting gravity. The fermentation went OK in my tub of cool water and swamp cooler design. Something went wrong though. Maybe a bacteria. There is a prominent band-aid smell and taste. I can drink it but I don't like it.

Then came JBA#3. This is my own recipe that was designed to try to replicate the blended concoction of JBA#1 and JBA#2. I brewed this at Antony's house on my gear using his water. the process was really good. Again, my starting gravity was lower than desired. The ferment was done in my dorm fridge in the garage. I even put a video of the fermentation on youtube. Kegged after a week and force carbonated. It was immediately drinkable. Notes of coffee, chocolate, malt, hops, bitters, something fruity too. Really nice beer! Too nice. It is going too fast.

Now Brew #5 is fermenting. Trying an IPA again. Followed a recipe in brewing Classic Styles for a Hoppy IPA but changed all the hops to try to get what I wanted in bitter and aroma. Fermentation in the little fridge is going well. Smells like beer! Looks like a churning madness of a yeast orgy.

Time for brew #6. JBA#3. I'll be heading to MoreBeer today to get the ingredients. Not sure when to brew. I am bringing my brew gear to a community brew day with the Almaden Valley Brew Club this Saturday. Maybe I should season my equipment and brew on Friday or Sunday. Since my method uses all my gear, I would rather have it to share with the club than hog it all myself.

Inuendo Enginering: Homebrew Mash Tun Project

I originally posted my project description to TheBrewingNetwork.com but rather liked my naughty tech post so I am posting it to my blog as well. I have modified it from its original text a bit.

This project was started by the original owner of the cooler. I picked up a few home brewing items from him and he tossed in a cooler he had started to make into a mach tun but willingly gave it to me for free. I now see why he abandoned it and went with a 15g keg as a mash tun. I was determined to make this work and eventually did but not without a bunch of grief. I ran into several issues right from the start. First, I needed a new ball valve since the one he tossed in did not appear to possible to make work. It seemed like nothing was gonna work right. At first my nipple was too short. I push it through the properly sized hole but there is no way I can make my nipple reach far enough for it to work. Then I find my nuts either don't reach or are too close. As frustration mounted, I almost melted the damn thing in the fire pit but decided give it one more try looking at it like an engineer this time.

I started with the folks at More Beer in Los Altos (B3) who hooked me up with a pre-built kit for a weldless stainless steel valve. The kit contained everything I needed to install a ball valve in the collar. The drain plug was already popped out and a properly sized hole was already drilled. My nipple poked through with just the right amount of resistance.

At this point, I realize that the cooler is way too thick for my nipple to reach all the way through. I struggled trying to make it work but I could not get my nipple in far enough. At this point, I probably could have replaced my short nipple with a longer one but that meant another 30 minute drive to More Beer on the off chance they had long nipples. Instead, I used my Dremel to make a larger hole in the outer casing so I could get the 1 5/8" washer against the inner casing. Even with just the inner wall thickness, the nipple was too short. I first had my nut close to the casing but with the nipple o-ring and washers, my nipple was not long enough. When I moved my nut to the other side I had too much nipple and could not get my nut tight against the wall. I spend over an hour of frustration and a roll of teflon tape poking my nipple in and out of the hole and moving my nut every which way.

Rather than continue and risk long term damage to my nipple, I stopped to consider how to engineer a solution. I eventually came up with a solution to have my nut on the outer threads of my nipple and fabricate a copper nipple ring to slide over my nipple and close the gap between my nut and the outer washer. Off to Home Depot I went for a 2" piece of copper tubing I could cut to the proper length. After an hour and $50 (why the hell can't I go to home depot and not spend at least $50??) I was back home and ready for one final push with the nipple. I cut the copper tubing into a 3/4" ring and slid it over my nipple against my nut then pushed my nipple through the outer washer and cooler inner casing. I slid my nipple o-ring against the inside wall and slid a washer over my nipple and finally screwed the coupler onto my nipple. I cranked it down, backed away and admired my hack job.

Now it was time to fill the new mash tun with water and check for leaks. After a couple minutes, it looked like to was gonna hold water so I packed up and headed over to a friends to brew a Malty Pale Ale. Several hours later, I checked on it and was happy to find my nipple was not leaking. One more check the next morning and still my nipple didn't leak one drop. I think my mash tun is ready for my first brew. Here are a few pictures of my handy work. Unfortunately, there are no separate picture of my nipple setup. With this finally done, I am not taking it apart to take pictures!

Old family recipe for squid cioppino

My mother learned this recipe from my Sicilian grandmother or aunts. The recipe has always been a bit vague as is common with family recipes. It is done with a base set of knowledge from making it 50 times before and tweaked to taste as it is make. Sometimes the garlic is weaker or stronger. The parsley is sweeter or more bitter. Tomatoes can be more acidic or sweeter. Sometimes we use fresh Roma from the garden and sometimes it is all canned sauce. I recommend a mix of fresh Roma and canned sauce.

The Recipe. I have added some comments in parenthesis based on my preference.

Fish (squid / calamari) Cioppino
2T Olive Oil (mild)
1 Large Onion (yellow or white but usually yellow. Sliced 1/4" thin or less)
Bunch of Garlic (10 -15 cloves maybe a whole bulb all depends on your taste. Smash, remove skin and thinly slice)
Bunch Of Parsley (1/2 – 1 cup fresh from the garden is the nicest. Smash, chop coarse.)
3 cans Tomato Sauce (16oz or so cans. Potatoes will thicken the sauce)
A few Potatoes (2 or 3 or 4 or... cubed. Peeled. cut into about 8 chunks)
Some Fish, any fish – But Squid is pretty good ( Mom used 10 to 15 squid I think. Maybe more. Cleaned, cut into 3/4" rings. Pop the beak and toss the tentacles (heads) in. I always cleaned the squid and remember everything in 5lb lots)

In a medium pot on medium high heat, add 1T olive oil and brown Garlic until dark brown.
Add onion and parsley brown until onions are soft but nor caramelized.
Reduce heat add Tomato Sauce then add potatoes and fish on top of potatoes.
Cook on medium to medium low until done (Potatoes, that is). Should be simmering bubble and not large popping bubbles.
When done, add a few drops of vinegar (red wine vinegar. This step can be skipped but that is what Mom did. We alwasy have garlic red wine vinegar in the house) and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Makes 1 pot. Serves 5.

Serve with green garden salad (dressed with oil and garlic red wine vinegar of course. Our Sicilian salads always had Iceberg lettuce, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, carrots and green onion).

Always serve with warm, soft french bread. No sour dough!

Adding Personal Ringtones to my new LG enV Touch

Update 6-28-2009
When I first connected the phone to the PC as mass storage, the drive only had my mp3 music files on it. I was unable to see the other directories on the flash card. So, I used the procedure below to add new sounds that I subsequently saved as ringtones. Playing around, I found I was able to check for a software update in Settings & Tools, Phone Info of which there was one so I updated. Sometime later someone suggested simply using mass storage (in the cellphoneforums.net link below) which I did and found I could now see all the directories on my flash card. This makes adding sounds much easier as you can connect the phone to the computer, on the phone select Setting & Tools, Tools as USB Mass Storage. You can easily drag and drop you ringtones to the My Sounds directory. Once they are fully copied, you can disconnect the phone form the computer and select Media Center, Music and Tones, My Sounds and you new ringtones will be there. You can then select a sound and use it as a ringtone or send it to your self as a test message and save it as ringtone so it shows up in My Ringtones.

I searched around and found this link how one might add ringtones to the new enV Touch CellphoneForums.net. Since I already had BitPM and used it on my other phones, I was pretty familiar with using it and navigating through the software. Since this procedure is for the Voyager, it does not work for the touch.

This procedure does not add ringtones to the ringtone list on the enV Touch. This is an interim procedure to add them as Sound files which can be used just like ringtones. Once the files are added, you can send them to yourself and save them as ringtones. You can delete the sound file after that. I just leave them as Sounds since they work the same.

THERE IS ALWAYS THE CHANCE THAT YOU WILL SCREW UP YOUR PHONE EDITING IT DIRECTLY. FOLLOWING WHAT I DID IS NO GUARANTEE IT WILL WORK FOR YOU. I AM DOCUMENTING MY EXPERIENCE. I AM NOT SUGGESTING YOU FOLLOW MY PROCEDURE. DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. I CANNOT HELP RECOVER A DAMAGED PHONE.

These procedure work for me. I have added a dozen ringtones.

- I create my own ringtones first. While whole .mp3 files work, I usually use sound editing software Audacity to trim mine since I don't need a 5 minute ringtone. I save all my ringtones is a separate directory so I always know where they are
- install drivers as described in the link above (Win Vista found them automatically when I plugged in my phone to the USB)
- plug USB cable into phone and computer
- let the driver install process finish
- Click My Music on the phone



- start bitpm
- Click Edit then Settings



- Click Browse
- Look for your phone on the COM port. Mine is 5. If you change USB ports on the computer, the comport will change too. Always use the same comport.



- Click the line that looks like the one in my picture. LGE CDMA US Serial Port (COMx)
- Click OK

- Select Phone Type "LG-VX 10000 (Voyager)"



- Click OK
- In the left navigation panel, click Filesystem. If it is not there click View, View Filesystem
- In the Filesystem Navigation panel, click the folder



- It will display Retrieving for a few seconds

- Navigate to /Brew/mod/18067
Note, if you poke around you will find the default ringtones in /Brew/mod/10889/ringtones/default. You cannot simply copy new files here. Each ringtone is listed in a master file somewhere else.

- Right click on 18067 and select "New File"



- Browse to your ringtones, select your ringtone and click "ok" or "open" depending on the window (Vista is Open). Wait a few seconds for the file to transfer. Repeat for remaining ringtones
- power off phone
- Disconnect the USB cable
- power on phone
- go to Media Center, Music and Tones, My Sounds
- Your new ringtones are now in the list
- You can Play them to test how they sound



- You can select any sound and set it as a contact ID, ringtone, alert sound for text messages, etc.








* You can send them to yourself and save as a ringtone to add it to the ringtone list or you can send it to someone else.



You can delete sounds from the enV.

A sign from above

Since our forefathers plowed their first field, we have looked to the sky and into the stars for guidance. For a time they believed the moon and the stars will have the answers to their questions. For some it was the winds and the elements that brought to them divine guidance and held the promises of bountiful harvests. For others it was spirits and all powerful beings.

Mankind has searched for answers from the moment they could form questions. We have sought to know why we are here and what here is and where is here. We have always relied on faith that our questions will be answered. Faith is needed where fact does not exist. When bad things happened they asked why. When no answers came, they made up their own. Left to their own devices, the answers were often not the best ones.

Faith often turned to fear. Fear that by not honoring or pleasing the stars, or sun or moon or elements would bring bad things upon the people. Should they pay special homage? Give gifts? Build special places to be closer? Sacrifice something special to show their faith? Force all others to see and follow their faith?

Throughout history one has always risen to the top. One that is seen as the leader or savior or simply the one to follow. Sometimes these leaders used their influence to become the one. Sometimes it just happened. Sometimes they just looked up and saw the one.

It was a dark and stormy night. Rain had been pounding for days. The ground was saturated and soggy. The winds whipped through the valley bending trees like grass on the coast. The soil could no longer give refuge to root and the trees groaned as they were pulled from the ground. The roots strained to keep their hold. The young tree struggled to stay upright, its short life threatened to come to an end at any moment. A hooded figure appeared in the darkness. Bearing beams, bolts an cable. The figure began to rescue the tree. Supports were wedged into place. The tree was righted. More supports and finally a cable bolted and secured into nearby pillars, strengthened the tree. The tree dug its roots into the ground and stood firm against the onslaught of the brutal storm.

Two years later the infant tree still held its ground. Leaning slightly towards the west and bearing the scars on its trunk from the night it was rescued. The cables and temporary supports dug into its bark leaving battle scars that wore like medals of courage and bravery. The tree could now hold its own against the storms with their winds and rain. But this year those storms did not threaten the tree. This year a new threat emerged. Something the tree had barely experienced ever before. This year brought a bitter cold that stung and burned the tree. The biting cold clenched its death grip around every leaf and branch. The relentless cold burned the life from every limb. When the cold was done decimating the tree all that was left was a leafless brown tower with no life left to cover the scars of past battles.

As I looked at the hundreds of tortured leaves scattered on the ground below what just a couple days before was a beautiful, green, healthy young avocado tree I felt great sadness and despair. It was just a few short years ago I received the tree from my wife on our seventh anniversary. She found just the right tree. Already nurtured into life for three years. That very year we had tiny avocados struggle unsuccessfully to grow. The next year we had two. Two beautiful, creamy, buttery avocados. The next year we had more than 20. This you tree had found its home and defying every rule, it was giving its fruit with in 5 years. I carefully trimmed the branches and comforted the tree with every snip. The tree was happy and healthy and ready to share bushels of it fruits. But the sixth year it had to burden some hard rains and winds. The tree struggled against the forces and nearly failed. But, in the dark of the night and in pouring rain, I came to its side as anyone would to a member of their family. With the wind whipping in my face and the tree struggling to hold onto the ground, I placed the first support. As the wind momentarily changed, we pushed back. Digging my boots into the soggy turf, I pushed the tree upright and wedged supports. I could see its tender bark ripping as I tried to save it. With the final support in place, I secured bolts into fence posts and wrapped a support cable around the tree. Together we stood in defiance of the storm. The tree survived, we survived.

The next two years were years of repair and strengthening. In the tree's eighth year, its branches were burdened with avocados. This year it was giving its bounty like never imagined. Were were never prepared for the cold. I could do nothing as I watched the cold draw the life from my tree. Every avocado was destroyed. Every leaf killed. Every branch brown and dead. It was months before I could bring myself to trim the dead limbs. When it was done, the once beautiful and green laden with fruit, it was just a trunk barely 8 or 9 feet tall. I left one branch. One limb to hold on to.

Somewhere within the damaged and weakened trunk was a glimmer of life. Dormant and protected, the bud of life began to grow. As it grew, new shoots of green reached out from the trunk. New branches, new limbs, new leaves spawned from the heart of the tree. Slowly it grew and expanded to much bigger than it was before before the cold. Its ninth year was a year of renewing. Its tenth year has been a year of expanding. Each of the last two years I have eagerly examined my friend for new fruit but it has not been so. It tried but the infant avocados didn't survive. The tree has tried so hard to bear fruit again. I comfort it as I prune away the excess. We are happy our friend is beautiful and healthy. It is a joy every time I look into the yard and see it standing there.

Today was a day like any other day. It has been several weeks since I mowed the back lawn. The rains and sun spurred some rapid and healthy growth. As I labored back and forth, cutting the tall grass and cleaning the mowers grass chute, my mind wandered. I thought about the work the yard needed. I thought about our forefathers plowing their first field with crude tools. I wondered why. Why is it? What is it all for? Why have people looked to the sun and stars for answers. I looked up from the base of my tree. There it was. The answer. It was all right there. Suddenly what was impossible to see, I could clearly see. This is what it is all for!