“Random” Failure

Got an update to a ticket asking if it could be closed. I clicked the link in the ticket to get to the web site to close it. The web site told me before I could do anything I needed to provide my email address. “Um, the same one you used to email me to get here?”

I closed the browser window and tried again. Same thing. So I provided it. Next it informed me it already has that one. If this is in error, then I should email the administrator. The administrator tells me this sometimes occurs. They have no idea why.

While waiting on the administrator to respond, I happened to click on the link from another ticket. That one worked. I think all the prior updates to the failing ticket worked until the issue, but they all fail now, which is kind of good.

But it made me curious, so I started looking closer. I like root causes. What is the one thing that caused a failure. Even as I accept that many times the root cause is a scapegoat. Many things contribute to a failure, so often times it is a cascade of events leading to the thing we label the “root.”

First, I compared URLs of the failing link versus the link in the next update for a different ticket which works. I copy both to my text editor. There is a pattern. The URLs sent by the ticketing system have one variable provided. There is a pattern to them that I should be able to determine. The obvious part is the ticket number is first. The non-obvious part is code after. The ticketing system has areas for tickets of different types. It looks like the URLs that are failing have a type code inconsistent with the type of others. When I change it to the right area type, I get in.

But, it is easy to make a typo and end up in the wrong work space.

The question is why would it do this? I looked at the frequency. Only 28 times was the wrong code sent out of 4,480 messages.They only affected five tickets. All five are ones I opened. They happen on all messages for those tickets. They all have the same failure.

Also, it might be a bad assumption that the ticketing system is what is sending the corrupted URL. It could be an anti-viral server scanning email, something on the email system “fixing” a problem, or the security software work runs on my system. Hard to pin down what system in helping caused the corruption. Maybe not worth the effort.

Also, this kind of thing could be like chasing the White Rabbit down the hole. It probably just leads to more questions and surprises than actual answers.

The post “Random” Failure appeared first on Rants, Raves, and Rhetoric v4.

From “Random” Failure published September 30, 2016 at 01:28PM.

Daily Show Chrome Ad

Very strange to be getting an ad that works against the displayed content. The Daily Show web site gave me an advertisement to use Chrome. Yet, Google is actively dissuading its users against using Flash. And the daily Daily Show uses Flash in its video player. I was only using another browser because the Daily Show has not reached 2014 and switched to HTML5 videos yet.

Chrome is my browser of choice. However, I stopped not use Flash in Chrome even somewhat before Google’s recent blocking the video technology. It was a strategy to improve performance of the browser. And Flash constantly has serious vulnerabilities which Adobe was slow to fix.

Even Adobe killed Flash nine months ago. When the company making something says, “Damn, we give up,” it is time to move on to better technology.

The post Daily Show Chrome Ad appeared first on Rants, Raves, and Rhetoric v4.

From Daily Show Chrome Ad published September 21, 2016 at 06:14PM.

Outage FUD

A gas pipeline running from Houston to New York had a break in Alabama over the weekend. My understanding is the owner has crews working to route around the problem. By the end of the week the flow should resume. Their second line for other fuels is apparently being used to help. The governor of my state declared a State Of Emergency in order to allow truck drivers to work beyond safe hours to ensure gas gets to places. 

I hear of places running out of gas which I am sure fuels the panic. (Get it?) My guess is people scared of not being able to fuel up hit the gas stations over the weekend when the cars were at over half full. “Just in case.” In other words their panic caused a gas panic.

People’s fear of losing their money caused them to withdraw their cash out of banks caused banks to fail. People’s fear of not being able to get gas caused the fuel panics of the 70s. This is no where near that bad if the reports are correct. Just stay calm. Drive a little less. And get a hybrid.

The post Outage FUD appeared first on Rants, Raves, and Rhetoric v4.

From Outage FUD published September 19, 2016 at 05:25PM.

Collected Quotes 2016 Election

Since the United State presidential election is right around the corner, I have been thinking quite a bit about qualities in the head of the executive branch. Here are some quotes I ran across in dwelling so much.

You have to remember one thing about the will of the people: it wasn’t that long ago that we were swept away by the Macarena.
― Jon Stewart

Every election is determined by the people who show up.
― Larry J. Sabato, Pendulum Swing

The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.
― Winston S. Churchill

Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.
― Abraham Lincoln

I do not know if the people of the United States would vote for superior men if they ran for office, but there can be no doubt that such men do not run.
― Alexis de Tocqueville, Tocqueville: Democracy in America

We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
― Thomas Jefferson

Oh God, the terrible tyranny of the majority. We all have our harps to play. And it’s up to you to know with which ear you’ll listen.
― Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.
― Benjamin Franklin

Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.’
― Isaac Asimov

I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
― Thomas Jefferson

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or in the holy name of liberty or democracy?
― Mahatma Gandhi

As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
― H.L. Mencken
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.
― John Adams

I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.
― Thomas Jefferson

 

 

The post Collected Quotes 2016 Election appeared first on Rants, Raves, and Rhetoric v4.

From Collected Quotes 2016 Election published September 10, 2016 at 10:35AM.