I need suggestions. The gist of the problem is our Ubuntu server changes IP address at random times.

The router does not seem to reliably reserve an address for use by a specific computer in the DHCP service so I setup the Ubuntu machine with a static IP (x.x.x.3) outside of the DHCP range (x.x.x.4 to x.x.x.100). Then the web traffic is routed to x.x.x.3 by our router.

However when it appears the website is down, I run "ifconfig" to see if there are any problems with the interface and I find that the IP has changed to an address in the DHCP range. For instance last time it said "inet x.x.x.7".

To fix this I open the networking GUI and find that it says I am on my fixed address x.x.x.3. So to get this setting to take effect I disable the ethernet adapter in the GUI and then enable it again. When I go back to "ifconfig" it says my address is now x.x.x.3 again.

What the heck!?!? Why does it keep changing? Is there someplace ELSE where I need to disable DHCP or hard wire the IP address.

Wow, I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it on the internet... Famous last words?

Anyway, these huge heat sinks are ridiculous!

They look like they should be in a motorcycle or car, not strapped onto your CPU or GPU... Wow. That is cool in a non-sustainable power wasting kind of way.

Time to do some shameless ballot box stuffing for a version of "Nerd Idol":

http://www.autodesk.com/masters

Nathan Martz is a friend of mine from college going for some CG industry award thingy. Voting is open until June 3. Thanks in advance & pass it on peeps!

The Hybrid Solar House has been designed and built by Enertia Building Systems for a few decades now. It is pretty sweet technology and the houses are nice to look at too!

Enertia® is a new technology for building houses so that they heat and cool themselves. This is achieved from the design, the orientation, and the materials of the home, rather than a furnace, heat pump, or air-conditioner. Three basic, millions-of-year-old principles of nature, combined with state-of-the-art windows, radiant coatings, and prefab manufacture, make it possible, and practical. The principles are inertia, thermal currents, and the energy capacity of wood.

What I find interesting is that they use solid wood walls (southern yellow pine) which have a great heat storage capacity with the resins in the wood.

When heated the resins turn from crystal to liquid. This state change uses a lot of engery (just like converting ice to liquid water). But this state change happens at around 70 degrees instead of 32 degrees. So you have this massive structure of the house that really wants to remain at 70 degrees. The daytime heating and night cooling keep the house in equilibrium.

These house plans also call for the use of a basement which surrounds that part of the house with another constant year round temperature of about 50 degrees. This provides a source of cool air in the summer and a source of heat in the winter. The outer shell of the house allows air to circulate from below ground up to the attic which keeps the temperature constant throughout the house.

Looks like you could get a 2100 square foot kit for $64,400 (pre cut solid wood pieces). You would then need to buy doors, foundation, windows, and other items. They said you should expect to pay 3 to 4 times that number for the total cost of building the house. That means this model would be $193,000 to $257,000 to build ($89 to $119 per sq ft).

Pretty sweet when you figure you would not have to the house much. Our annual heating gas costs in Seattle for a 1800 square foot house is about $500. Spread that out over a 30 year loan and that saves you $15,000. But when you look at homes, they often last 100 years or more so the long run energy and cost savings would be huge!

This article is great: German Love Study: No Sex Leads To Less Sex, Research Shows - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News

This is the best part

"On the other hand, people who have sex at least twice a week don't want to work. "