pcal.net

I continue to be extremely impressed with the Parallels VM. However, I just
spent an undue amount of time wrestling with Window’s and Parallel’s network
configurations in order to achieve a relatively simple result. In the hope
of sparing someone else out there some wrestling, here’s the scoop:

Goal

Set up a Parallels VM with Windows XP so that it is isolated from
the outside world but network addressable from my mac via a fixed address
(192.168.2.100) and the name ‘parallels.’

Solution

1. Set up your parallels VM
2. In your VM’s Network Adapter configuration, choose ‘Host-only Networking’ for the emulation mode
3. Go to the DHCP tab of the Parallels application preferences. Set the DHCP scope to include the desired address. (I chose start of 192.168.2.1, end 192.168.2.254, subnet mask 255.255.255.0).
4. Start the VM
5. In Windows, turn off the firewall. (Control Panel | Windows Firewall)
6. In Windows, set the local connection to use a static IP. (Control Panel | Network Connections | Local Area Connection | Properties… | Internet Protocol | Properties… | Use the following IP Address: 192.168.2.100)
7. In OS X, open a Terminal. Type ‘ping 192.168.2.100′ and make sure you’re getting a response.
8. In OS X, etc/hosts isn’t recognized. In order to put a name on that IP, you have to…
9. Open Applications/Utilities/NetInfo Manager. Go to ‘machines.’ Create a duplicate of ‘localhost’. Rename it to ‘parallels’. Set ‘ip_address’ to 192.168.2.100. Save and quit NetInfo Manager.
10. Back in Terminal, make sure you can ‘ping parallels’.
11. Fin!

“So, um, there are these robots that come and destroy almost all of the humans on the other side of the galaxy. But a few humans get away on a big spaceship and the show is basically about them running away from the robots and…but yeah, no - it’s really really good. No, it’s really nothing like Star Trek. Um, yeah, really, you should check it out. I even have the DVDs”

That’s pretty much how a fan of Battlestar Galactica sounds when trying to convince a friend to watch it. After giving the clumsy spiel myself for a while, I’ve lately had the pleasure of hearing other people stumble through it.

But BSG really is hands down the best TV sci-fi ever, and I’d be willing to make the case that it’s some of the best dramatic writing on TV in any genre. It isn’t about spaceships and robots; it’s about 9/11, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. Really. I’m often amazed that the show doesn’t make headlines for the boldness of the subject matter.

But while it’s bold, it’s also subtle. There is no preaching. There is no editorializing. The writers simply say “here is the world, it’s very complex, you figure out what to think about it.” It’s so refreshing - that mode is almost completely absent from political and cultural discourse in 21st century America. Maybe it’s no surprise that you have to go to outer space to find it.

…

Unfortunately, as I write this, I am also wondering if the show has jumped the shark. I recently caught up on a episode 7 of the current season, and it was just plain bad. Laden with possibilities, it landed with a thud. It’s the first time I’ve felt like the writers have lost sight of where they are going. Here’s hoping it’s a blip and not a trend.

If you haven’t watched, it might be time to start now before things start going downhill. (And you do have to watch it from the beginning or you will be very lost).

I’m basically bummed about the A’s skipping town, but
this video made the news a little more bearable.

Last year, my friend Jesse moved his

Midnites for Maniacs
film series to the Castro. 10 bucks gets you in to see three films that haven’t seen the big screen in two decades.

Jesse gives an energetic and fascinating intro for each film - you can’t help but start to love and genuinely appreciate these goofy movies as much as he does (even if you’re laughing at them at the same time). Plus, there are trivia games with amazing prizes.

If you live in SF, you owe it to yourself to go check them out. And you have a great chance tomorrow night at 7pm:
Breakin’, Beat Street, and Cool as Ice!

1. If you have never played World of Warcraft, don’t bother reading the rest.
2. I have been true to my word and not played WoW in nearly a year.
3. I am nonetheless quite tempted to buy one of these hats: