Lesser-known drafts from the ever-resourceful IETF:

• RFC 1149: Standard for the transmission of IP datagrams on avian carriers
• RFC 2549: IP over AC with QoQ
• RFC 2550: Y10K and Beyond

If you enjoyed those, try searching the RFCs for "1 April".

Just had to look up what Cinco de Mayo is... (Yeah, yeah, I know: "the fifth of May"—ha!) They don't teach us anything in American schools, so of course I knew nothing about our neighboring's country's history.

Now, if only we could figure out what that catchy little Liz Phair tune is supposed to mean...

Microsoft gets funny in their "Stationery Is Bad" campaign for the admittedly quite under-used OneNote 2003 product. Watch the people in the background of these 3 little movies for your daily dose of schadenfreude laughs. (And hey, while you're there, you can get yourself a demo copy and maybe win a free license, too.)

Last night on the way back from MDC Ains, Whitley and I were rather unpleasantly rear-ended by a hit-and-run driver in a little red sportscar. My battle-scarred Subaru, currently just short of 100,000 miles, has more scratches to the bumper now—but they're nothing like the mashed-up front end on the perpetrator's vehicle. Don't think the coppers will have any trouble finding him with that tell-tale hood crumple and the clear view of the plate and driver we got, since he had to sit for a moment right next to us, waiting for traffic, before making his screeching getaway.

Now this afternoon we all get to visit the incomparable Dr. Fox to get our necks and backs realigned. Sheesh.

Funny... just last night I was employing the habit of "parking on a downhill slope", which I've done off and on for some time, with some complex writing at work—it's remarkable how freeing it is.

In the evenings I'm trying to finish reading David Allen's Getting Things Done, a book which I started for too long ago, found to have an excellent and useful premise, and never got back to. I need it now more than ever. I'll keep you posted.

Avaya is running a new ad series—promising more info on May 2nd, following the pattern of too many 'Net ads these days—pushing VOIP services with very Terry Gilliam/Monty Python graphics over at debunkthemyth.com. Cool graphics, that's all I'm sayin'.

The past couple days I've been tripping on the song "Arc of Time", from Bright Eyes' dealing-with-death album, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. Heh. Despite the obvious tongue-in-check lyrics on the bit about, "If you make friends with Jesus Christ / You will get right up / From that chalk outline / And then you'll get dolled up / And you'll dress in white / All to take your place / In his chorus line"—I think it's great. Although I don't think Jesus had in mind a circuit board when he talked about you must be born again... (Maybe The Matrix series' Messiah-complex Neo would've?)

I'm also pumped because tonight local musician Halsey Burgund, under the name 'Aesthetic Evidence', is having a CD-release party at Casco Bay Books. And—this is pretty cool idea—he'll have the Bring Your Own Voice Booth with him, to record. I propose to read a selection from the incomparable All My Friends Are Superheroes, a delightful read which I first discovered at that very same bookstore in which the evening's festivities will take place.

The EFF explains another strike-out for Digital Rights Management and Copy Protection: AACS for BluRay & HD-DVD.

Sometimes I wonder if they even have a "clue phone" at the companies where they dream up new, totally flawed DRM ideas like this one. Either way, if it ever rings, no one's picking up.

(Sorry, no pun intended on the WUS reference...)

Typically, many vendors publish their "Get Out of Jail Free Card" statement to officially excuse themselves from having to support their software on hard-to-troubleshoot virtual machines. Microsoft—even though they now sell their own Virtual Server product—is no different, and not too long ago they published this KB article to officially let us know that they won't touch your virtualized Exchange servers.

But, some good—and surprising!—news: they do plan to support virtual servers after Exchange 2003 SP2.

It's that time of year again: a day most Americans approach with more dread than ever was stirred in Julius Caesar's dark heart after the witch's prophesy—the Ides of April—Tax Day.

And, once again, it's time for my annual Tax Tips post. Or rant. Whatever.

First, a less useful tip for those of you using TurboTax software and hoping to "up your firepower" as it were. (Just click the link, if you're game, okay?)

Now for the more useful stuff. Did you know that you can eFile online for free, as long you follow the links right from the IRS web page correctly?