D9 5A DC 79 D2 7C 72 02 00 C3 BF E0 7A 16 4B DC

You are probably wondering what that random configuration of numbers and letters means. I don’t blame you. A week ago, a string of similar characters was released onto the internet. Those characters were the key to decrypting the digital right management on HD-DVD discs. I don’t know how you do it, and I wouldn’t care to elaborate, that would be breaking the DMCA.

So again, you are thinking, “What’s up with your random string of numbers and letters?” That, dear reader, is my 128-bit encryption key. Ed Felton, Professor of Computer Science and Public Affairs at Princeton University, on his blog has created a script that generates a 128-bit key that you can own.

The idea stems from the fact that the AACS-LA (Advanced Access Content System Licensing Authority) claims to own a 128-bit key. Ed Felton, genius that he is, thought that if everyone owns all possible 128-bit character combination, then no other company could ever claim to own a number again. Genius!

My key will be released for anyone to use under the Creative Commons Share alike with attribution. So if you want to use it, you must: let others use the same key, you must also say that it is my key, and you can never charge for it.

Get your very own key at Ed Felton’s blog.

Dear Meat, I must say so long to you, my old t-boney friend. Tomorrow I am leaving on a journey of vegetarianism. It will not be easy, in fact I foresee it being very hard, but I have to leave you. Tonight, let us have one last fling, a lusty spectacle of carnivorous rumination. I will see you at a local sushi restaurant. I will be wearing a blue shirt, I look forward to seeing you there. If I don’t see you there, I’ll assume that we are officially over.

Jered Future vegetarian.

After spending Saturday out and about, Esther and I decided to focus on our home and ourselves. Saturday was not a great Weight Watchers day, we ate out a lot, most of which was not points friendly. Sunday, we decided to get back on the WW horse, that meant after brewing some coffee, we went to the Nolan Trail and did the whole 5 miles. I have always wondered why the Nolan Trail was advertised in a lot of brochures, and I have finally found out why. It is a fantastic 5 mile loop through the woods surrounding the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News.

The Nolan Trail, originally uploaded by Tobyotter.

After our long walk, the conversation that ensued essentially went as follows:
Esther: “We should get our backyard in shape.”
Jered: “Yeah, wouldn’t it be great to have our friends over and not have to hide the back yard?”
Esther: “Yeah, we should get our backyard in shape.”

So that is how most of our Sunday was spent. A whole bunch of tilling and weeding and planting. You can see a diagram of our backyard below, it is shaping up very nicely.

The big news that I had to report, but barely could contain myself about last night: I have a new job. I gave my 2 weeks notice today. I wanted to give a month, but the new payroll system wouldn’t allow it. Two weeks is all I can give.

I am leaving the world of print behind. I am shifting from being a graphic designer with a heavy print emphasis to a website manager, virtually no print what-so-ever. I haven’t forsaken my first master, but I am give him a little bit of a break, seeing what I can do with this new fangled Internets and getting a much needed break from the world of ink on paper.

I am leaving behind Christopher Newport University after 3 great years. I have gathered a large collection of invaluable colleagues and good friends. I hesitated before accepting, thinking about how “different” it would be starting that whole process over again. The thing that I had to remember was that I’m not losing the people I know, I’m just going to be a little more removed.

So begins the two week count down

I have some really big news, but I can’t talk about it until tomorrow around noon. I just wanted to let you, kind reader, that I am here and that I will be posting tomorrow.