Denton Gentry

Just had some really great Szechuan beef. It made ice water taste funny. So good.

Received an invitation to attend an event from an organization I definitely did not expect to hear from again.

I decided to accept and to try to keep an open mind. Wonder what will happen.

I'm trying to use InfluxDB with Grafana because I want the `integral()` function it implements in order to accumulate a cubic-feet-per-minute metric over time.

To get `integral()` you must use Flux to query InfluxDB, and holy cow do I not like this.

```
from(bucket: "flowrate")
|> range(start: v.timeRangeStart, stop: v.timeRangeStop)
|> filter(fn: (r) => r._measurement == "cfm")
|> filter(fn: (r) => r._field == "gauge")
|> group(columns: ["device"])
```

This is just trying to get the underlying metric before moving on to the calculus. It doesn't work, it prints a bunch of stuff about _value metrics with no data shown.

Why doesn't it work? Fuck me, that's why. If I loved functional programming more I wouldn't be such an idiot now would I?

@JessTheUnstill@infosec.exchange I feel this. I ended up with no income for an extended period in:

• 2001, in the dotcom bust + financial churn following 9/11
• 2008, after the subprime mortgage financial churn
• 2017, though just localized circumstances no big industry downturn
• Since early this year, in the Tech layoffs

One has to structure one's finances for it.

@fugueish@wandering.shop

I too binge-watch The Expanse, but only the scenes with Amos. Good fit with today's world.

@fugueish@wandering.shop

Yes.

I think USB Zip drives and floppy drives score slightly higher.

Parallel port Zip drives with a USB<->Centronics adaptor score higher still.

Recommendations for Trademark help?

Many years ago I filed for a trademark which was rejected as being too generic, and I decided not to pursue it further.

Since then, roughly weekly, I get solicitations from firms about how my trademark is in jeopardy or that there is a competing application and that I must urgently call them. Most of them are email, a sizable number are SMS, a few actually call me — several pretending to be the USPTO urgently reaching out. YEARS later, they are still emailing and texting and calling.

Which leads me to today: I filed a different, completely unrelated trademark a few months ago which the examiner has rejected with two main points about confusion with an existing (though abandoned for 20+ years) mark, and this time I do want to pursue it. I feel like I need help... and I absolutely distrust the hive of villainy which I've experienced so far from firms in this industry.

Can anyone recommend a firm or expert you've worked with who you trust and who could help?

@phire@phire.place

For the US Gov tech, blowing up USDS maybe didn't help.

> - I use my US eSIM through my Australian eSIM transparently

You kept a US number, it sounds like using VoWifi over the Australian data network ? How is that working, do calls ring and text messages appear without excessive delay?

We ported our US numbers to Tello based mainly on its good VoWifi support overseas, and for the month we spent in Europe this summer it worked. No roaming US data plan in Europe, only a local eSIM and the phone set to use Tello VoWifi over the other SIM's data connection.

One thing I couldn't test is whether the CallerID worked, displaying our US number to people we call. It should, but didn't manage to test it.

@fugueish@wandering.shop

Is Nonsense part of Stuff?

Or is the modern flood of terrible ideas an entirely separate category from physical goods?

@fugueish@wandering.shop @skinnylatte@hachyderm.io

I look forward to the epic screed about yummy restaurants.