Month: August 2013

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Untangle Web Filter: Thoughts

Update: Untangle recently released a very affordable “home” complete package. I’m going to reevaluate it, and update as necessary.

A while back I wrote up an article on how to set up the Untangle Web Filter distribution, and explained how it worked.

However, after a few months’ worth of using it, I’ve discovered a rather unpleasant shortcoming. Untangle doesn’t support keyword filtering. So, as easy as Untangle is to set up and configure, it doesn’t do the one thing I really needed it to do well: filter web content.

Don’t get me wrong, Untangle is still an excellent firewall/filter/etc. distro under certain circumstances, but for home use, the regular “blacklist” content filter just isn’t cutting it. Untangle works great for sectioning off your network, doing wireless sharing, access control, etc. and I’d still recommend it for a lot of uses. Just isn’t a strong enough filter to work on my home network. Without even trying, I was easily able to find and get to stuff I shouldn’t have. This is unacceptable when its primary function is to stop people from accessing unwanted web pages!

So, what do I do now?

Well, good news, there are plenty of web filter packages out there. The best one is probably DansGuardian, which is also free and open-source. The problem is, I can’t install it on Untangle, so I’ll have to completely redo the filter box with a different Linux installation.

Smoothwall is an excellent firewall/proxy/filter distribution, and I almost used it initially, but it’s not quite as easy to set up (I went with Untangle because of its easy setup). However, I recently discovered that Smoothwall has the ability to install third-party modules to add functionality, one of which is DansGuardian (and a Samba file server! Yay! Which is something else Untangle won’t do) so it looks like in the next week or two, I will be learning how to install, configure, and run the Smoothwall setup. It should work fine with the existing hardware I have, and it might even work with USB wi-fi adapters, which would be pretty slick. (This would be a great way to repurpose old laptops, etc.)

I will begin the process and document as it goes along. Wish me luck!

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Who Am I? The Doctor.

Yesterday as I was watching Doctor Who with my kids (The Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith… in case you were wondering) a thought formed in my head. The episode was about a regular guy who gets mixed up with the Doctor, ends up being a hero, saving his own son, and truly becoming a “dad.”

And it got me thinking about how the Doctor isn’t really a hero.

Well, I mean, he is, but in most of the shows, it’s the doctor’s companions that rise to the occasion. It’s just assumed the Doctor is brave and strong and good, even as his character develops and descends into more darkness. He doesn’t always save the day, he’s just the catalyst.

His companions, however, are transformed from clueless bystanders into true warriors. People of passion, wit, bravery, and fury. By stepping into that little blue box, their lives are transformed into something amazing.

And really, that is what makes the Doctor a hero: he turns other people into heroes. He doesn’t force them, he just puts them in situations where their true bravery is allowed to come to the surface. He gives them the option, the opportunity, of doing the right thing.

As I watch my kids grow up around me, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve allowed their true character to shine through. Have I just manipulated them and told them what to do? Or have I put them in situations where their character is tested, and allowed them to rise to the occasion?

In our lives, we need to strive to be like the Doctor. If you want to be a hero, focus on making others around you a hero. By yourself, you can accomplish great things. But if you disciple the ones around you, your legacy can go on indefinitely. Which will have more impact on the world? Unlike the Doctor, we can’t live nearly forever.

We need to step back, look at things through God’s perspective, and then bring our companions along for the ride. Not because we’re good! But because we want to enable people to be better, to rise to their full potential.

And who knows? You might even have a little adventure along the way.

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Hate The NSA? Do Something About It: Start Here.

If you haven’t heard about Snowden and the NSA whistleblowing scandal, you either 1. live under a rock (with no internet) or 2. only use the internet to play Candy Crush (which is just as bad).

Basically, it was made publicly known that the U.S. Government records everything you do on the internet, including emails. Do you like the government having access to all of your emails and surfing history? Your passwords? Your private information? I hope not… and today, I’m going to show you what you can do about it.

Disclaimer: I’m not going to even address the faulted logic of saying “Why use encryption, I have nothing to hide!” Basically, the government can and will use anything you do or say against you if they want, for any reason they want, and their track record of mistakenly incriminating innocent people isn’t particularly good! Encryption is basically the digital version of the Fifth Amendment. Protect yourself.

Back before my web hosting server got wiped a few years ago, I had written a few articles on how to use something called “GPG” to encrypt computer files, primarily emails. GPG (Gnu Privacy Guard) is a fantastic application that basically encrypts computer information using public and private keys.

How GPG works:

  • You download the GPG software. The easiest way to use GPG is to add it as a plug-in to your email client, like Thunderbird or Outlook. (I use Thunderbird with the Enigmail add-on, works fantastically!)
  • You pick an email to identify yourself… this is your digital “identity” that people will associate you with. Doesn’t matter which email it is, but most likely your primary one.
  • You create a “Key Pair” which includes a Public Key and a Private Key. The public key is what other people use to send you messages, and the private key is what you use to decrypt, or read them. You publicly hand out your public key, and you keep your private key, well.. private.
  • You will also want to create a revocation certificate which lets you “revoke” the keys if they ever become compromised. Keep it safe!
  • Now if someone wants to send you a private encrypted message, they use your key to send it to you, and nobody but you can read it. Not even the NSA. You can encrypt messages or files with more than one key, so it does work for group messages. Just be aware! If more than one person can read it, you’d better trust them!

There are lots of other interesting things you can do, and of course, it doesn’t encrypt the email’s headers… who it was sent to, the subject, and any other header data. But if you want to simply communicate without being snooped on, GPG will do it.

You can get started by downloading GPG and trying it out. Feel free to send me an encrypted message to try it out!

My public key (jeff@jeffhendricks.net) can either be downloaded here, or you can search for and download it from a GPG Keyserver.

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Corporate Emo Poetry Monday (Day Late, Dollar Short Edition)

Curmudgeonly zombies with dotted lines to power
Throw hand grenades willingly to sabotage their friends
Fighting tooth and nail to climb the allmighty tower
Till they realize too late the climb never ends

Yet hopefully optimism beams as a light in the void
An isle of tranquility amongst the rages of dread
Cause wherever you look there are empty stares to avoid
Occasionally mentioning how they’d be better off dead

But I refuse to go along with all of the the bored zombies
I smile as a tactic to confuse the ranks like a joke
Resplendant in their khakis, ties, egos, and Abercrombies
They will never know the taste of freedom until they are broke

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Less Is More: Recycle An Old Computer

One of the ways I’ve been able to save money over the years is to not buy new computers, or software for my older computers.

Seriously. When you buy a new computer, you’re paying for the hardware, plus a license to use some version of Windows, but to get Microsoft Office, you have to dish out another few hundred bucks. And antivirus, of course, need that, so that’s another $60. CD burning software? It doesn’t come with that? Another $20. Games? $20-$50 a pop. And you need other stuff to go with it, of course.

Wouldn’t it be nice to just buy a computer, and then be able to use it? Man. Who wants to spend an extra $300 on software to use on a $400-$800 computer? I sure don’t. Did you know that there are thousands of perfectly usable programs out there, that work just as well as the Microsoft stuff, that you can download, legally, for free?

Yup. So fire up that shiny new computer, and immediately go find a free web browser, like Chrome or Firefox.

Need something to open and edit Office files? Spreadsheets, documents, and so on? OpenOffice, or Libre Office. Both are fully-functional office suites, but completely and legally free.

Antivirus? Did you know you can download AVG Antivirus for free?

There are tons and tons of more productive things you can put on your computer, for free. Can’t upgrade to Windows 7/8? Things like Evernote, Dropbox, or Winamp will work fine on older computers.

But if you want to build the ultimate cheap/free computer, you can pick them up (usually with wiped hard drives) at Goodwill or garage sales. Sometimes I find them in a dumpster! If you happen to find a working, functional computer- even if it’s old- you can usually bring it back to life by installing some version of Linux on it, probably Ubuntu.

And Ubuntu is completely, legally, free. It works very similar to OSX, but you don’t have to pay $300! Not even $30!! You get an awesome, virus-proof fast-running computer for absolutely nothing more than the cost of the used hardware. How can you beat that?

It comes with Audio/Video software… free. Word processing, internet, chat, webcam, graphics, you name it! All for free, legally. All it takes is some time to get used to it, and learn.

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Stick To What You Know, A.K.A. “Less Is More”

Life is funny. Since Google shut down their RSS Reader feed, I discovered RSS is a pretty slick way to compile and review bunches of excellent blogs. I didn’t even know what the fuss was about until I heard all these people complaining about how convenient it was, so naturally, my curiosity got the better of me.

I started following all kinds of blogs, from friends and people I respected. As I looked through my list last night, I discovered most of them have a common thread. This caught me off-guard at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew why. They almost all have something to do with non-traditional living.

So what does this have to do with me?

Well, I have a blog, too (shocking, I know). What good is it if I just post occasional rantings here? A few people like reading what I write, but it’s not doing much other than that. What if I could combine all the things I have experience with in ways people could actually use, and then post them up here to help other people get to where I’m at?

Well, yeah, that’s a no-brainer. I’ve already got a few articles on how to do things, but I haven’t tied them in to anything specific. I’ve just been posting whatever comes off the top of my head, which sometimes is interesting, and sometimes isn’t.

So starting today, I’m going to start tying all these things together with a common thread: living a non-traditional, debt-free Godly life, and using that freedom to turn around and bless other people, because that’s what God wants His followers to do.

Let’s face it. Who wouldn’t want to donate thousands of dollars to charities? I mean good charities, not the ones that are business cover-ups. Who wouldn’t feel great about being able to genuinely help people who need it? But most people don’t, because they allowed themselves to get to a place where they spend everything they have, and nothing is left over.

I’m here to tell you that there’s no reason you can’t retire early with what you’re making now, and spend the rest of your life doing whatever the heck you want to. All it takes is lowering your cost of living to the point where you can put a decent amount into a retirement fund, and then work a little while and let it build up.

Spend less, save more. Sounds easy, right?

It works exactly like losing weight (which I’ve also done). Your calorie intake has to be less than your output, or you will never- I repeat, never- lose weight.

“But that’s uncomfortable!” you say. “Why can’t I eat and spend what I want?” Well, you can. But you won’t lose weight, and you won’t become free from debt. You choose.

Still with me? Okay, this is where it gets interesting. I’m here to help you find ways to do more with less, using stuff I have experience with. We’re going to lay out a few things you’ll need on your journey to “Less Is More.” Almost everything I’m going to recommend is either free, or ridiculously cheap.

Resources You Should Be Reading

You can’t change your life without at least a little direction. If you’re serious about wanting to change your life for the better, you should start by reading Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover. (Here’s a hint: borrow it for free from the library!) Dave breaks it down into seven “Baby Steps” but you shouldn’t be discouraged. This is how I got started!

The basics, for Those Who Can’t Wait:

  1. Save $1000 for emergencies. Do what it takes to get there*, and don’t touch it!!
  2. Snowball your debt, i.e. pay off the smallest debt you have**, then move on to the next biggest one until they are all gone.
  3. Once your debt is gone, use the money you saved from credit payments to save 6 month’s of income in the bank.
  4. One that’s done, invest at least 15% into your 401K and/or a Roth IRA***
  5. College Funds for Children. This is optional.
  6. Pay off your mortgage. Without dropping your retirement investments****
  7. Build wealth and give. This isn’t really a step, per se, it is the goal!

*If you can’t save $1000, then lower your cost of living until you can.
**If you can’t pay off the smallest debt, lower your cost of living until you can.
***If you can’t invest 15% into retirement, lower your cost of living until you can.
****If you can’t put money down on the principal of your mortgage, well… you know.

Seriously, it’s a very simple equation. Money in > money out. If you can’t increase your money income, then lower your money output. It’s just that simple.

“Ah!” you say with a frown. “I can’t lower my standard of living!”

Well, yes you can, unless you’re already homeless. You just don’t want to. But you do want to be debt-free, right? Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to work until you’re 75, and then pass on debt to your kids?

“Sure, doesn’t everybody?” you say.

Right. But what are you willing to give up now in order to be able to do that later? Cable TV? Hobbies? Eating out? Designer clothes? New cars? Chances are you have at least one of those things. If you do, and you’re still in debt, you should stop right now and think. There are tons of websites and blogs to give you ideas as to how to save money.

I can see you’re upset, so I’m going to just leave you with these words…

Less is More.

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Change “I Want” to “I Will”

Recently, I was reading a Charlotte Mason book on homeschooling, and came across this quote:

Children should be taught to distinguish between “I want” and “I will”.

And it got me thinking. This is primarily directed towards teaching and training children, but it struck me how applicable this is to everybody, especially in today’s ridiculously backwards society.

How many times have we said to ourselves, “I just want….” or even “I’d really like it if…” when we really are saying “I wish things were different.” The truth is, we can’t change anything except ourselves, which includes our attitudes.

What if instead of saying “I want to know more about God” we say something like “I will spend twenty minutes a day reading my Bible.” Did you know you can read through the entire Bible in about 90 days if you read 20 minutes a day?

Instead of saying “I want to write a book” we say “I will spend an hour today writing.” Did you know if you can write 1500 words a day, you can write a novel in about a month?

Instead of saying “I want to save for retirement” we instead say “I will stop eating out and wasting money, and put that into my 401K.” Did you know you can retire early (and even be debt-free!) if you do simple things like this? It’s not as difficult as it sounds.

What if instead of “I want to lose weight and get in shape” we say “I will eat smaller meals, and get a little more exercise?” Did you know, just controlling your meal portions and getting a few hours of exercise a week is all it takes? Like 40 pounds in 3 months.

What it boils down to, then, is that we always want things to happen, but we’re not willing to take the first step. And truthfully, most things we want to accomplish are easily doable if we just take it one step at a time.

How do I know this? Because I’ve done all four of these things. I’m not a superhero, either. And they weren’t that hard if you break them down into manageable chunks. It’s not magic! It just takes the willingness to take the first step.

So… don’t just say “I want.” Nothing will change.

Get up and take the first step.

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Server Migration

Funny, but I thought only animals migrated… maybe web servers are some sort of bizarre animal species? (I know computer programmers are!)

Seriously, website got moved to a new server, so if you couldn’t reach it today (I know, you were anxiously clicking, waiting with bated breath, right?) that’s why. Took a while for the DNS servers to catch up with the new location.

So, yeah. Like all three of my subscribers. Lol.