Much faster...

I faced the daunting task of updating all my PC's running Gentoo Linux (because a new version of Gimp is out) -- and it looks like I would most likely kill my bandwidth repeatedly.  But as usual, I would dread updating the laptops because Portage cache is very slow to update on them.

So, I try http-replicator and python-cdb (I already have a local rsyncd mirror).  The former would conserve bandwidth similar to what I did in Slackware (although I just NFS-mounted it's cache) -- http proxy.  The latter actually puts the portage cache in a simplistic database instead of a filesystem mapping abstraction.

The difference is night and day.  Updating Protage's cache just ZOOMS on my laptops and sub-half-Ghz systems.  It doesn't wedge itself at 50% and trudge though that muck. It speeds through like it's not time for a lunch break just yet.

Now for compiling...

Light Rail, Truck Accident Send 2 to Hospital

(merged from WBAL and WJZ reports) A truck swerved infront of an incomming Light Rail maintance train early Friday morning, sending it's two passengers to the hospital.

The accident occurred at 3:30am at Route 648 and Ferndale Road in Glen Burnie, outside the Ferndale Light Rail Station.  Both directions of Light Rail's Cromwell branch were closed, with buses servicing the stations to Lithicum, until after 9:30am.

Police and Maryland MTA officals are investigating.  Rumors of illegal drugs and alcoholsm abounded; people local to Ferndale told reporters that most of the time drivers were trying to race the crossarms.