UPDATE: After updating to BlogEngine.NET v2 I've enabled comments on all posts 

Just an FYI for anyone interested. My blog is getting swamped with spam comments so I’m turning them off for any post older than two weeks until I can get BlogEngine.NET v2 installed. This next release adds a few nice features for managing comments better so I’m hopeful I can get the functionality restored soon. I’m curious about $l(Disqus) but haven’t read enough positive things about it to want to move in that direction.

Update: The culprit was the Microsoft USB Keyboard driver for OSX. After uninstalling the driver these problems disappeared which sounds very similar to this.

While I'm not sure the exact date the first $g(kernel panic) that occurred on the new MacBook it's been a near daily occurrence. I’m going to use this post to document what I was doing when a panic occurs. Here’s a view of the OSX Console window where you can see logs of the last 8 panic’s I’ve seen in since December 2th.

December 20, 2010
Kernel panic editing text in Visual Studio running on Win7 under $g(VirtualBox). Eclipse, Chrome, Trillian and a few other apps were running at the time.

December 19, 2010
Kernel panic editing text in Eclipse for Java Helios Service Release 1 Build id: 20100917-0705. Google Chrome was not running this time but Firefox v3.6 and Safari were running.

December 17, 2010
Kernel panic editing text in TextMate, Chrome was running as it's seemingly the only browser that works well with Google Maps v3.

December 16, 2010

• Latest kernel panic 9:20p occurred while editing text in TextMate. Decided to stop using Google Chrome as one application to eliminate.
• Picked up Macbook from the Apple Store and they were unable to reproduce the kernel panic. Offered as a next step to send the machine to a lab for further testing which could take from 7-10 days.

December 15, 2010
Backed up machine using $l(Apple's Time Machine) Dropped Macbook off at the Apple Store in Los Gatos for overnight testing

December 14, 2010

• Panic occurred while typing into an input field on Facebook in Google Chrome
• Panic occurred as I was editing a Google Doc in Chrome

  Model Name:    MacBook Pro
  Model Identifier:    MacBookPro6,1
  Processor Name:    Intel Core i5
  Processor Speed:    2.53 GHz
  Number Of Processors:    1
  Total Number Of Cores:    2
  L2 Cache (per core):    256 KB
  L3 Cache:    3 MB
  Memory:    8 GB
  Processor Interconnect Speed:    4.8 GT/s
  Boot ROM Version:    MBP61.0057.B0C
  SMC Version (system):    1.57f17
  Serial Number (system):    xxxxxxxxxxxx
  Hardware UUID:    xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx
  Sudden Motion Sensor:
  State:    Enabled

Apple Hardware Test:

  Last Run:    11/22/10 12:28 AM
  Version:    3A185
  Loop Count:    1
  Result:    Passed

Ran both short and extended hardware tests from the OSX boot disk neither reported any problems. Ran the Disk Utility, no problems.

Back in April of 2009 I wrote a post about a Facebook application named SocialMine. It basically plots your social network on a map based on information for your network using $g(FQL queries). I'm writing this post because I've recently tweaked the application to correct a problem where the vast majority of your friends didn't appear on the map. Initially, I was thinking the issue was related to all of the $g(Facebook profile privacy concerns) from the last 18+ months though it turns out the code I wrote to parse the results for use in a $g(Simile Exhibit) was failing. Facebook changed the results for current_location which broke my code, a problem that's now fixed. Despite the fix a user commented that they couldn't see any of their friends on the map and after a little digging I discovered that he wasn't getting any geographic information back for any of his friends. Using my ASP.NET Facebook Starter Application I suggested he try few queries using the FQL page so he could debug what's being returned. I thought I post the same steps here in case anyone wants to review their own FQL data.

• Add facebookaspnet (another application of mine) to your account.
• Once in that application click on the FQL link at the top which will take you to a page where you can execute FQL queries.
• Paste this FQL statement into the edit box substituting your UID (provided on the page):
  SELECT name,current_location FROM user WHERE uid IN (SELECT uid2 FROM friend WHERE uid1 =<uid> )
• Check the "Use JSON" option
• Click the Execute button and check to see if the location data is null
• SocialMine application profile page

When I first created my Facebook Starter Kit one of the Facebook features I was interested in playing with was $g(FQL). Back then Facebook had an online tool for testing FQL queries which is no longer available from their tools page. Fortunately, one of the features I'd added to my Starter Kit app was an FQL page which allows you to test FQL queries and provides both your UID and a list of all your friends along with their UID.

To access this page simply add my Facebook application to your account and click the FQL link on the main page.

If Facebook has simply moved the FQL test page I'd love to know where it's hiding. I found another FB app that supported FQL testing but it's been shut down and I'm curious as to why since that page mentions a change in the API that caused a problem.

Update Dec 12, 2010: I found where Facebook's FQL test page is "hiding" though I just happened to stumble into it.

Over the last eleven months I've focused a great deal of time and energy on issues related to the public schools here in Scotts Valley. Like many districts throughout California, Scotts Valley has suffered years of consecutive cuts pushing the limits of how to deliver the quality of education the district is known for. Having cut practically all but essential services there remains no choice but to reduce the quality of education. The only option provided by California law for raising local funds for schools is a parcel tax and of the 26 such measures on November's ballot only two passed.  

My reason for posting here is to find parents facing similar problems, share stories and look for ideas. After educating myself on the myriad of challenges facing the district I started a new blog and launched Organizing for Scotts Valley Schools patterned after ideas found in $g(Organizing for America). I'm particularly interested in hearing about experience with $g(Charter Schools).

So, feel free to post comments, contact me or leave me voicemail. I'd like to hear your thoughts.

I continue to be thoroughly impressed with this new MacBook and had to write a post on it. The new MacBook Pro (MBP) I'm using, purchased Oct 2010 (Model: MacBookPro6,1) is, IMO, dramatically improved over the previous MBP (purchased July 2007) I used at Falafel.

• Battery last far longer
• Keyboard is much nicer and I like having space between the keys
• Unibody design is a huge improvement and the sharp edge seems less of an issue
• Clamshell enclosure is much nicer with the rubber seal around the screen
• Lack of heat while using the battery can't be overstated compared to the old model
• One button mouse is awesome and works exactly as my fingers automatically expected it would

Btw, I'm really enjoying working on a Mac. I was somewhat concerned at first but having traveled a fair amount while at Falafel I used the built-in Mac keyboard a lot so the adjustment hasn't been anywhere near as I'd anticipated since many of the shortcuts are/were the same on Windows. I find I'm wanting Windows Explorer occasionally as Finder seems a bit sparse particularly when it comes to context menu choices though I can live with that.

One of the many things that drew me to MerchantCircle was the opportunity to work on OSX and an OS stack. Last Wednesday I got a new 17" MacBook Pro (OSX 10.6.4, 2.53GHZ core I5, 8GB RAM and 500GB HD) as my primary development machine but this time running and developing using OSX (not Vista). This has been a pleasant change and has stirred up some long dormant Unix commands from college days on Sun workstations. MerchantCircle.com is built on an OS stack and leverages lots of interesting technology which I'm digging into such as NoSQL databases and Python.

One thing that's made moving to OSX less of a "thunk" is the fact several of my essential applications are available including Google Chrome, JungleDisk, Privoxy, Remote Desktop, Skype, Thunderbird and Trillian. I'm also able to continue using my preferred Microsoft IntelliMouse Optical (though I'm interested in trying Apple's MagicMouse) and Microsoft Natural Pro keyboard so in many ways I feel right at home. While I'm already familiar with many keyboard shortcuts with the built-in keyboard I'm still scratching my head over the lack of support for the Home/End keys on my MS keyboard.

Regarding the hardware the uni-body MacBook is much nicer and far more solid than the old model I'd been using and the one button multi-touch mouse pad is pure bliss. Unlike the old machine, the new latchless closure means no more jamming of the release button which at times was rather frustrating. The new machine has a rubber seal wrapping the entire screen which means crumbs/dust/dirty/lint etc. is less likely to get to the inside of the machine while carrying it in my bag. Apple has built a highly refined laptop and the marriage of OSX with the hardware is devine.

I happily bid adieu to the various things that didn't work well using Windows on a Mac like resume from sleep, problematic multi-monitor support and various USB "challenges".