My life 08 into 09
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
Early in 2008 I put together a list of goals I wanted to accomplish. They weren’t fancy lofty goals by any means, they were attainable things I could actually do if I put my mind to it. I find that it helps to write these down on a small piece of paper and keep them in my wallet as a constant reminder. I’m happy to say that I got it all done in 2008 but at times was a blur!
2008:
- Visit Miami (had a great time visiting with Korre)
- Buy a BMW (got fed up with Zimbrick BMW, bought from International Autos)
- Renew my GCFW and GCIA certifications (my good-for-4-year SANS certs)
- Get promoted to the Senior position (I also celebrated my 5 year anniversary at work)
- Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru (amazing, amazing, amazing)
- Finish my Private Pilot’s License (after close to two years, I can finally say I’m a pilot)
- Find a great woman to date (hi)
- Visit Amsterdam (traveled solo for the first time, which I recommend for everyone)
- Visit San Francisco (was work related but got to do some exploring)
2009:
- Find and purchase 5-10 vacant wooded acres in Wisconsin
- Camp at Dells of Eau Claire, Nelson Dewey and Point Beach state parks
- Vacation on Holbox Island, Mexico
- Travel to India
- Fly fly fly (a trip to Washington Island is in order)
- Design and start a half-sleeve
- Road trip! Wyoming (Yellowstone), Washington, Oregon, Arizona (Grand Canyon), Colorado
hotels at a discount, priceline.com
Posted by creining | Filed under Travel
In these tough economic times, it’s nice to save some cash on hotels. I recently went to Chicago for a weekend getaway and decided to try out priceline.com for the first time. I ran across another very useful site called biddingfortravel.com that provides strategies for bidding, information on which actual hotels are in the bidding zones and a forum where people post their hotels with price which gives an idea where to start bidding. I learned that using priceline comes down to understanding and using free re-bid zones. A free re-bid zone is a city area where the highest star level available is lower than the star level you are bidding for. So in my case, I was bidding for a four star hotel in the River North area of Chicago therefore I had free re-bid zones in Lincoln Park, Midway, O’Hare South, and Skokie Niles Evanston. I started a bid at $75 for River North. Not accepted. $85 with adding zone Skokie Niles Evanston. Not accepted. $90 with adding zone O’Hare South. Accepted. I got Westin Michigan Avenue. I thought this was a good first experience with priceline and I’d do it again.
Amsterdam trip recap
Posted by creining | Filed under Travel
My trip to Amsterdam was awesome! I found the city busy yet laid back, overrun by bicycles which I enjoyed to see, dense yet sustainable and absolutely beautiful. The fact that it was fall with the leaves on the trees falling added to the experience. Walking around the city felt like being in a fantasy land as the streets are lined with charming, tasteful and gorgeous canal houses. It felt like I was walking in a city where time had stopped decades ago. One thing I notice the more I travel abroad is how much we in the states are all about over-consumption and consumerism which are things I don’t associate with yet live with on a daily basis. Anyways, as this was supposed to be a relaxing vacation for me I didn’t have an aggressive itinerary.
My hotel was right by Dam Square so the first day (after finding my hotel and checking in) I started to explore the area nearby, walked through the Red Light District and ended up going on a canal boat tour at dusk which was peaceful with the lights from the canal streets reflecting off the water.
The next day, Thursday, I was planning on going to the Anne Frank Haus but when I got there there was a note posted on the door that said it was closed that day. So instead I walked down to the museum area and went to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum. They were both excellent museums but the Van Gogh was truly great. I spent some more time in that area, relaxing in the Museumplein (museum square) before taking the tram back to centrum.
On Friday I headed to the Heineken brewery only to find that it was closed until October 20th. So instead I walked through the Albert Cuypstraat Market which is a very large market, apparently the largest day market in Europe. There was everything from fresh fish to vegetables to clothes to watches to luggage for sale, with more shops and cafes behind the street market vendors. I spent some more time exploring the area, the De Pijp.
Saturday I went to the Anne Frank Haus which I found really moving and would recommend as a must see to everyone visiting A’dam. I walked around the 9 streets area in Jordan, went to a flea market at Elandsgracht 109, walked up and down Nieuwe Spiegelstraat popping into some of the pricey art galleries and hung out in the Leinsplein area.
On Sunday I took the train to a nearby city called Haarlem. It was a lot smaller and therefore quieter than A’dam and I was fortunate to wander a lot of the city centrum streets without seeing anyone as it was Sunday and all the shops were closed. It was a relaxing time in an amazing old city and a perfect day trip. After getting off on the train in Haarlem I got a “Freebie Map to Haarlem” which had a suggested walking tour of the city which I did.
Monday, my last full day in A’dam, I went out looking to buy a painting (my tradition) after not finding one the previous days. I found a shop on Spuistraat that, peering through the window, looked like it may have something for me but alas the shop was closed. I was just standing outside this place when a van pulled up and a guy got out and opened up the shop! He was the owner and was just dropping some stuff off. He let me look around and I ended up finding a painting that I liked and after negotiating a price for it I payed and had a great new painting. I spent most of my day in this area, Spuistraat and along Singel, which I hadn’t explored before but found it to be quite enjoyable. And that, was my trip.
SCADA security
Posted by creining | Filed under Security
I have recently become interested in SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) systems and the security implications within their deployment. My research has yielded the following informational links.
News
how vulnerable are we?
The Information Security Evolution in the Utilities Sector
Digital Bond – SCADA Security Blog
Whitepapers/Presentations
Risks of Cyber Attack to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition for Water Supply
Electric Power Information Assurance Risk Assessment
Assessment and Remediation of Vulnerabilities in SCADA and Process Control Systems
IT Security for Industrial Control Systems
Safeguarding IEDs, Substations, and SCADA Systems Against Electronic Intrusions
Attack and Defend Tools for Remotely Accessible Control and Protection Equipment in Electric Power Systems
Concerns About Intrusions into Remotely Accessible Substation Controllers and SCADA Systems
Electronic Security of Real-Time Protection and SCADA Communications
Electronic Security Risks Associated With Use Of Wireless, Point-To-Point Communications In The Electric Power Industry
Protecting SCADA and the Vital Energy Infrastructure
SCADA & Control Applications: Security Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Solutions
RTLinux and Process Control Security
Protocols
Open Source
Transparent Modbus/TCP Filtering with Linux
ScadaSafe
Virtual Honeypots For SCADA Networks
Standards / Groups
North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC)
Process Control Security Requirements Forum (PCSRF)
ISA SP-99
Upcoming Amsterdam trip
Posted by creining | Filed under Travel
I’m heading to Amsterdam in a couple weeks. I’ve found useful information at The Channels site and the Wikitravel Amsterdam page.
I am traveling solo, which I have never done before. I’ve flown to other countries before to meet up with someone but this will be a different experience. I’m looking forward to exploring, meeting new people, spending time with myself, contemplating, growing, becoming more self-reliant and confident and doing what I want when I want. I am really excited about this trip!
Also, I am typically a planner. Down to every last detail. With this trip however it was spur of the moment, sort of. I had wanted to go to Amsterdam this year after I finished my pilot license but wasn’t really committed to the idea. But I went ahead and bought a plane ticket 3 weeks from my departure date and I’m just gonna go. And I don’t really have a set agenda. Sweet.
Okay, well I do sort of have an agenda. But it’s much less planned than normal. When I arrive at Schiphol airport I’ll take the train which will drop me off right at Centraal Station. I will buy a museumkaart there and walk to my hotel.
I did look at a bunch of places to stay. I really wanted to stay at Hotel Brouwer but they are fully booked. Here’s the places I looked into and their ratings on Trip Advisor:
Brouwer #12, Bellevue #30, Kap #146, Corner House #185 and Museumzicht #214. I also looked at the Bulldog which is an “upscale” hostel but it was in the RLD which I don’t want to stay in and I just don’t feel like sleeping in the same room as other people anymore. It reminds me of the dormers from college.
The things I want to do are the Van Gogh museum, the Rijksmuseum, the Tattoo Museum, the Anne Frank House, the DutchFlower coffeeshop, shopping around the nine streets (negen straatjes) in the Jordaan area, wandering the flea markets Looier Kunst en Antiek-centrum (daily) on Elandsgracht 109, Beverwijkse Bazar (Saturdays), 16 miles Northwest of Amsterdam and Albert Cuypmarkt (M-F) in the De Pijp neighborhood, taking a canal bus tour, renting a bike for a day or two and riding the train out to Haarlem. And if I get bored I’m going to take the train to Belgium.
I’m a private pilot!
Posted by creining | Filed under Flying
I finally got my private pilot’s license! It took close to two years (21 months) between when I went on a demo flight until yesterday, September 6th, when I passed my checkride. Of course I took two long breaks in there where I didn’t do any flying but hey, that’s how it goes sometimes. Now that I have my license I really believe it is a license to learn. I have begun putting together a list of goals I want to accomplish. I ran across the list below within the article at AVweb entitled Leading Edge #1: After Your Checkride — The Next 100 Hours . It looks like a good starting point.
Kombucha!
Posted by creining | Filed under Food
I tried kombucha for the first time last summer (2007). At the time I thought it was just okay, nothing that I would shell out the $3.50 for again. Well, I tried it again recently, and, well, now I can’t get enough of the stuff. I’ve tried all the different kinds that GT’s sells. My favorites are Gingerberry, Gingerade and Guava Goddess.
Original – straight up kombucha, a little boring but a good introduction to the tea
Citrus – this one is really heavy on the citrus, almost to the pucker point
Gingerade – it has that ginger zing to it, I really like this one
Multi-Green – tastes like Original but with blue-green algae, spirulina and chlorella
Trilogy – with raspberry, lemon and ginger juice but it tastes generically fruity
Mystic Mango – good, but not enough mango taste for me
Raspberry Rush – good, but not enough raspberry taste for me
Passionberry Bliss – fruity but somewhat tart in the mouth
Strawberry Serenity – weak strawberry taste, eh
Cosmic Cranberry – sort of tart, you know, like cranberry, just okay
Guava Goddess – I like the taste of guava and thought this was really good
Divine Grape – a tinge of grape, I thought it was just okay
Gingerberry – I really really like this one, blueberry taste with ginger as well
Packing for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – Revised
Posted by creining | Filed under Travel
Revised 5/30/2008, post trip. I updated the stuff I packed. I was pretty close, the changes are in italic below.
I am taking a trip to Peru soon where I will be hiking up the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The only luggage I will be bringing will be what fits in my Kelty Redwing 3100 backpack. Here’s the list of the stuff I am planning on taking with me:
Passport/Vaccination certificate
Travel insurance papers
GAP vouchers and dossier
Airline tickets
Global GSM/GPRS smartphone/charger
500 USD
Credit and debit card
Camera/camera bag/camera charger
Disposable reading material
1 100 weight fleeces
1 North Face waterproof breathable shell
1 pair Prana shorts
4 t-shirts
1 sun hat
1 pair ExOfficio convertible pants
1 wool hat
1 pair North Face waterproof gloves
3 pair hiking socks would be nice to have another pair or two
1 pair hiking shoes
1 pair flip flops
1 pair sunglasses
1 bed sheet did not use, would not take
1 pair Patagonia thermal underwear
10 pair underwear
1 Nalgene bottle used, but could have reused plastic water bottle
Sunblock
Headlamp
Daypack
Glasses
Extra pair contact lenses
Saline solution
Eye drops
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Razor and shaving cream
Facial cleanser
Shampoo
Deodorant
Lip balm
Aleve
Band aids
Antihistamine
Antibiotic (Ciprofloxacin)
Multi vitamins
Hand wipes
Plastic Ziploc 1 gallon bags very useful, should have taken more
Yurting
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
One of my dreams is to buy 5-10 vacant wooded acres in Wisconsin, within an hour or two drive of Madison and preferably with a stream meandering through. After buying such a parcel I would love to put up a year-round yurt. After looking at most of the companies that sell yurts, I think that Pacific Yurt offers the best product. I came across this list of places on the Pacific Yurt website that have their yurts. In Wisconsin, the Tranquil Timbers and Wagon Trail campgrounds, both in Door County look good. I’m going to plan on staying in one this summer.
Camping in Wisconsin 2007
Posted by creining | Filed under Travel
As I posted last year, I wanted to go camping this year at Blackhawk Memorial Park Campground in Argyle, Dells of Eau Claire County Park Campground in Wausau, Long Lake Recreation Area Campground in Dundee, Nelson Dewey State Park Campground in Cassville, Point Beach State Forest in Two Rivers and Pine Woods Campground in Wales. Well, I made it to Blackhawk Memorial Park, Long Lake (Kettle Moraine North) as well Pine Woods (Kettle Moraine South).
So, for next year, I would like to camp at Dells of Eau Claire, Nelson Dewey and Point Beach.