Cisco ASA 5505 Static Assignment Issue

I've been fighting with a Cisco ASA 5505 for the past couple of days trying to pass traffic on a site-to-site VPN. One of my Google searches hit on this blog entry. This entry is a note to myself to remember (which I probably won't) that if you use a Cisco ASA 5505 with only a single outside IP address, ensure that you use the interface keyword when creating static routing entries. For example, the following entry will not work:

static (inside,outside) tcp 12.34.56.233 smtp 192.168.1.188 smtp netmask 255.255.255.255

The following entry, however, will work:

static (inside,outside) tcp interface smtp 192.168.1.188 smtp netmask 255.255.255.255

I'm familiar and comfortable with several Cisco routers and switches, but I have to admit that the ASA 5505 is one of the most confounding network products I've had the opportunity to use. That being said, I would not consider using networking hardware from anyone except Cisco.

Word Of The Century

I saw this word for the first time on Van Helsing's outstanding Moonbattery blog:

kakistocracy:

Government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens.

This word so accurately describes government at every level: local, state, and federal. We have absolutely no representation whatsoever; only greedy, corrupt, self-serving, self-aggrandizing hacks! I see no relief in sight -- especially what awaits us after January 20, 2009.

Israel vs. Hamas

In Michael Graham's superlative article on the war with Hamas, he articulates how I feel about the situation far better than I ever could.

Apple iPod Touch

Best. Electronic device. Ever.

I've had my iTouch for just about six months now, and I continue to be amazed by how extraordinary this device is. I bought the 16GB version and I'm completely satisfied with it as far as the storage space is concerned. In the interest of full disclosure, I also have a 60GB iPod (I have no idea what G (generation?) it is, but it does video), so storing my entire library on the iTouch was never a consideration.

Master Of My Domain

For the past couple of years, I parked my domain at an inferior hosting service (I'll divulge the name of the organization if you e-mail me) and did almost nothing with it. That's about to change! Years ago, before the dot-com implosion, I was the co-owner of an ISP up in Maine. My business partner (and friend) and I ran an exceptional operation and built a fiercely loyal customer base over the nearly three years we were in business. As you might expect, I grew accustomed to (and took for granted) having firsthand, direct access to an internet-connected network. Worse, however, was having to relinquish control of it to the party to whom we had sold the entire operation.

It's been almost ten years, but I will soon have complete control over my own personal domain (garychambers.com), and I am nearly as excited now as I was the day my friend and I opened the doors to our company.