Create a PostgreSQL jail in Freenas 11 using iocage

This tutorial covers creating a jail to run PostgreSQL in a jail using the iocage commands.

IX Systems  introduced the iocage jail management system to replace the warden based system. I’m running FreeNAS 11.1. which still has the Warden method in the web interface, however the iocage framework is available if you are prepared to use the command line.

Before starting, a couple of caveats:

  1. FreeNAS is a NAS, not a general purpose, or dedicated database server. I use this on a small system to support a couple of small apps which need a “proper” database back-end. It also gives a small personal database server to for small dev tasks.
  2. Follow these instructions at your own risk

Continue reading Create a PostgreSQL jail in Freenas 11 using iocage

My Simple Bread Recipe

My Simple Bread Recipe

This is the basic recipe I finally settled on. It’s  a simple and quick to make bread recipe that makes a good general purpose sandwich or toast loaf.  It is also quite forgiving with the quantities.  I’ve also found it makes a good base for fruit bread or sun-dried tomatoes. You can make it with white flour, but my preference is to use half white & half wholemeal flour.

When I started, I found following a recipe takes quite a lot for granted (for example, how to knead bread, what the texture should feel like, how the dough will feel to your hands, what the yeast would look like), so this is part recipe, part full description of the process.  I hope this helps you.

I’ve put the shortened version of the recipe at the end, so you can skip all the verbiage if you just want the recipe. Continue reading My Simple Bread Recipe

Making Bread, trying again

Having tried to make bread once years ago, and ending up with something hard and tasteless, I gave up and decided that bread making was probably not one of my strengths.

However, recently I was browsing the flour section of the local supermarket (as you do), and looking at all the types of bread flour, I decided to forget my previous failure and try again. Picking up the cheapest own-brand white flour, I saw it had a simple recipe on the side which looked pretty fool-proof.  So hurriedly throwing it into my shopping basket, along with a small tin of dried active yeast, I made my way to the check out. Continue reading Making Bread, trying again

Replacing Bryton Heart Monitor Strap with a Polar SoftStrap

Replacing a Broken Bryton Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) Strap with a Polar SoftStrap

My Bryton Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) has had a lot of use, but the last time I removed the sensor from the  strap , one of the button clips came away from the strap with the ANT+ module.

Bryton ANT+ Heart Rate Monitor (reverse view)You can see on the left hand clip the part from the strap.  The rivet had broken, and looking at the strap I couldn’t see how to replace it. Continue reading Replacing Bryton Heart Monitor Strap with a Polar SoftStrap