Unable to connect to xend: Connection refused. Is xend running?

can be caused by a number of issues, but if your xend.log contains lines regarding syntax, such as:

[2012-01-23 11:33:37 5670] INFO (SrvDaemon:227) Xend stopped due to signal 15.
[2012-01-23 11:33:38 6427] INFO (SrvDaemon:332) Xend Daemon started
[2012-01-23 11:33:38 6427] INFO (SrvDaemon:336) Xend changeset: unavailable.
[2012-01-23 11:33:38 6427] ERROR (SrvDaemon:349) Exception starting xend (no element found: line 1, column 0)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/xen/xend/server/SrvDaemon.py", line 341, in run
    servers = SrvServer.create()
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/xen/xend/server/SrvServer.py", line 251, in create
    root.putChild('xend', SrvRoot())
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/xen/xend/server/SrvRoot.py", line 40, in __init__
    self.get(name)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/xen/web/SrvDir.py", line 84, in get
    val = val.getobj()
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/xen/web/SrvDir.py", line 52, in getobj
    self.obj = klassobj()
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/xen/xend/server/SrvNode.py", line 30, in __init__
    self.xn = XendNode.instance()
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/xen/xend/XendNode.py", line 1140, in instance
    inst = XendNode()
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/xen/xend/XendNode.py", line 158, in __init__
    self._init_PPCIs()
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/xen/xend/XendNode.py", line 270, in _init_PPCIs
    saved_ppcis = self.state_store.load_state('ppci')
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/xen/xend/XendStateStore.py", line 104, in load_state
    dom = minidom.parse(xml_path)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/_xmlplus/dom/minidom.py", line 1915, in parse
    return expatbuilder.parse(file)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/_xmlplus/dom/expatbuilder.py", line 926, in parse
    result = builder.parseFile(fp)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/_xmlplus/dom/expatbuilder.py", line 211, in parseFile
    parser.Parse("", True)
ExpatError: no element found: line 1, column 0

there is a good chance your xend database (stored, intuitively, in python syntax…) is suffering from corruption.

It is safe to remove the database but best practice to back it up so rename the directory:

# mv /var/lib/xend /var/lib/xend.bak
# /etc/init.d/xend restart

I was a little wary given my caged experience on the keybo; I expected captive portals and locked down features abound. I talked myself into it though, realizing if I really liked it I would probably return it, drop all the VoIP buggery and get a real plan with an incumbent provider. Imagine my delight when I turned it on and:

• Connected to my access point
• Downloaded an SSH client from the REAL android market for FREE
• Created a VPN and shelled into a server
• Browsed a bunch of websites
• Installed and ran a terminal emulator
• Enabled built-in mobile hotspot (tethering)

At this point I knew I was in love; even though the prepaid data on Telus is crap ($10/250MB), totally unrestricted wifi makes up for that by letting one sync and cache certain apps before heading out. Kudos to Telus for embracing tethering; to tether the Keybo you have to unlock the service menu and grab your PPP credentials then use dial-up modem emulation over BlueTooth or USB.  Unfortunately, the terminal emulator doesn’t really give you any access to your phone unless you install a custom (rooted) ROM. I’m two weeks in and haven’t needed to root my phone yet but if the urge arises expect another article. Interestingly, the NSA released SE Android yesterday but at present it looks like it must be built from source and probably won’t be very noob-friendly for a while to come.

Here are the specs, courtesy of GSMArena:

Although the camera’s resolution is no improvement over the Keybo I’m thrilled to finally have automatic, mechanical focus. Now instead of snapping 50 shots to get one decent one I’m down to something like 5. My Optimus shipped with Android 2.3 and a now-defunct app called the LG App Advisor.

Now that I had become introduced to my new toy it was time to get that totally badass animated weather wallpaper HTC Sense UI users have. To do this without purchasing Beautiful Widgets we first replace the default launcher (LG’s kind of sucks anyway) with GO Launcher EX. Then download GO Weather, both available through the Android Market. GO Weather is a beautiful (literally) piece of software that provides three interfaces:

App – This sits in your app tray and has its own video theme. Opening the app provides detailed weather information and updates the weather data.
Widget – There are four different sized widgets that can be included in your launcher; depending on the skin you choose they may display different things.
Live Wallpaper – Set your launcher’s background to the GO Weather Live Wallpaper and download a video theme to get a similar effect as the App.

Next I wanted to grab a few apps that would be handy around the city. TTC Alerts  is probably the neatest, most useful app I have installed so far. When a diversion, delay or cancellation happens on Toronto’s bus, subway and light rail system I am notified by a vibration and red TTC icon in my status bar. Dragging down the status bar gives me the details. When the issue clears up and everything is moving smoothly once more the icon turns green. Essential for anyone who relies on The Rocket.

Another sweet app for TTC users is Transit Now Toronto. You can use your GPS to find the closest bus stop and plan your route. The free version of this app does not support the Alerts function but the TTC Alerts app discussed above makes this sort of moot. If you’re lazy like me you may also like the TTC Subway Efficiency Guide which helps users pick the right place to stand on platforms so they are better situated to stairs and escalators at their destination. Toronto PATH Map is a pocket-sized map of the world’s largest underground shopping complex.

Being a man of the province I also downloaded Go Mobile from Ryerson University. Go Transit is Ontario’s inter-municipal transit system, it operates a combination of diesel-electric locomotives and coach busses to interconnect the towns and cities of Southern Ontario. My biggest complaint about this app is it requires a data connection to even get to the main menu. I feel the bus and train schedules could at least be cached daily. A minor gripe is that it is impossible to plan a route end-to-end where there is a connecting bus or train.

Speaking of caching, data is going to cost a lot on a prepaid plan so anything we can grab while at home or near a hotspot is golden. Nowhere can I see this being more beneficial than with GPS navigation. The apps that came loaded on my droid – and many of the third party apps out there -  rely on a data connection and Google Maps. Fortunately, MapDroyd has you covered: you can download a pre-compiled map of a given geographical area to your SD card .

That brings me to entertainment: with all of the weather and TTC updates and bells and whistles going on in the background non-stop I expect to be chewing through my 250MB quota without even using the connection. Obviously, browsing youtube is not going to be an option on the road. In addition to audio and video files off the PC I have found these interesting apps which will let you store their content for offline viewing:

• The Toronto Star – News notifications, background synchronization and off-line viewing of one of Canada’s most respected news outlets.
• TED Air – Download videos of TED talks to watch at any time. Very slick looking but also very crashy. I have had a _lot_ of problems with this one.

To track my data usage I’ve been using DroidStats because it’s one of few which track wifi in addition to 3G. DroidStats also comes with 4 different sized widgets to keep you informed of your quota usage on the launcher.

I’ve decided to keep this phone for the time being. The wifi combined with $10 data plan and one-number-unlimited still make it more economical for me to put up with routing my calls through VoIP than ponying up for a real phone on a proper data plan. It’s a big shock for me, giving Telus a good review but I’m so happy to finally have a cellphone that DOES things.

For $99 I have no regrets. This time.

I had been meaning to chronicle my tinkering with Home Automation in the same way I have been documenting my ongoing experience with Electronic Cigarettes. Unfortunately, I never found the time to post as I made my installations and I will be moving soon, leaving most of them behind. I want to make sure the 100th post on foxpa.ws has substance so without further carry-on may I present unto you my complete experience with X10:

What Are X10 and Home Automation?

Home Automation is the art of modifying and integrating household systems (lighting, HVAC, etc.) to respond to events automatically (timers, security sensors, etc.) or methods of control not already provided (computer, remote control, etc.).

X10 is a power-line and wireless communications standard for home automation. Developed in 1975, X10 is widely deployed and devices that use it are relatively inexpensive.

How Does X10 Work?

X10 devices communicate digital information over your house’s power lines at the zero-crossing point of the (60 Hz) AC current by either sending a 1ms long 120 kHz pulse to represent a 1 bit or not sending anything to indicate a 0. Each device is configured with a 4-bit “house” code (A-P) and a 5-bit “key” code (1-16, always ends in 0). Additionally, there are 16 global commands which are also 5-bits and always end in 1. The house code is intended to prevent conflicts with neighbouring houses or units but is more commonly used to group different sets of devices together in larger installations.

To grab the attention of the devices all commands are preceded with a start code, 1110. Since the idle data-stream consists of an absence of 120kHz pulses or 0s, devices can be sure if they see three 1s in a row that a command is being sent and they are not simply picking up noise. To improve reliability all commands are sent twice, with a three cycle delay in between. An X10 frame might look like this:

1110  0110  01100 000   1110  0110  01100
start house  key  pause start house  key

X10 also has a radio frequency specification that lets remote controls and computer attachments send X10 commands via a radio receiver plugged into the house wiring.

My Installaton

My installation started small and increased in stages as I became more aware of the capabilities of X10. My first order was for:

• TM751 Mini Transciever – This is the device that takes wireless X10 signals and repeats them on the wire.
• HR12A PalmPad Remote Control – These are large RF “clickers”
• KR22A Credit Card Controller – A less bulky RF controller that only covers 4 units
• AM466 3 Pin Grounded Appliance Module – A grounded module is slightly more expensive than a 2-prong “lamp” module
• WS12A 3-Way Dimmers – I didn’t use their 3-way capability. Annoying one-pole switch requires double tap to adjust light in opposite direction

As you can see, some modules are designed to be wired into the electrical box and others are designed to plug into pre-existing sockets. There are some light modules that even screw into the Edison-type connector typical North American light bulbs use for easy installation in fixtures and lamps. Maliciously, these dimmers have cover plates which are shaped to provide the appearance of rocker switches. In truth, they are one-poll switches. A single tap to turn the light on or off, hold to dim or brighten the light or – this is my favourite part – hold to see if the current “direction” is dim or brighten, release, very quickly press and hold to go in the opposite direction.

It should be noted that most dimmers – including the ones I purchased – do NOT work with fluorescent lighting. I use the 20A rated on/off wall-switches which are usually advertised for appliances where there are fluorescent lights or fans. The drawback to this is every few moments the CFL may flicker very dimly while the switch is “off” due to the switch itself drawing a small amount of current. The other caveat in using the 20A switches is that they must be wired into both hot and neutral; this presents a problem in electrical boxes where both are not accessible. It is perfectly safe to use a 20A rated switch in a 15A circuit; overload protection is provided by the breaker which only means the switch has leftover potential capacity on a 15A circuit.

Here’s a shot of the dimmer and 20A switch I installed in my ensuite. The dimmer is rated for 500watts so it runs my 4x100Watt vanity strip perfectly. I’m sure the ladies can appreciate the kind of light range that can give you in a bathroom. The fan, being an induction-driven appliance, does not like TRIAC-based dimmers so it goes on on a simple 20A switch (WS13A).

It wasn’t long before I noticed there were intermittent problems getting the signals across to certain parts of the house from the RF receiver. Many household devices, particularly: televisions, PCs and uninterruptible power supplies will absorb X10 signals passing through them. The most effective solution is to put them on a filter. X10 filters block the frequency X10 devices use from entering the connected device(s) at the wall. Unfortunately, while the modules in the first two pictures averaged $10 each filters are much more expensive.

An XPPF 5 amp plug-in filter (far below) runs upward of $15 and an AF120 15 amp filter (above) runs upward of $35. Given I use two 1400VA UPSes for my workstation and networking I was forced to get the full 15A filters. These come with a screw hole in a tab at the top aligned so that the screw of a standard receptacle faceplate can be used to secure the filter into the wall. Given its size and weight, I highly recommend doing this. Smaller, singular appliances should be fine with the 5A rated units but check your documentation. I have seen folks out there wire what is intended to be an inline (in the wall) 20A filter into a power strip and use this instead. It is cheaper than the 15A plug-in filters; it is also ballsier.

It didn’t take long for me to get interested in the security applications of X10. To start off I purchased a security console (PS561) and two cheap magnetic sensors (DS10A). The security consoles seem to operate using a proprietary (non-X10 specification) wireless protocol. Sensors and remotes are configured using two-button authentication; first the console is put into a programming mode then the test button or equivalent is pressed on the device to be registered. This particular unit will dial up to 4 numbers until one of the dialled people presses 0 to confirm they are listening to the call. At that point one can listen in on what’s happening in the vicinity of the console. This is severely hindered by the fact that there are two piezoelectric sirens mounted in the same chassis going off at the same time (and optionally additional alarms).

Like an idiot I didn’t realize the console would not come with at least one controller. This set back installation by T+shipping.

The peizo sirens in the security console don’t penetrate much farther than the room it’s in if the door is closed. Apparently the solution to this is throwing more sirens at it. I purchased the X10 PowerHorn (SH10A) which can be installed anywhere in the house by plugging it into the mains. The security console is configured to send alternating on and off commands to a certain house and device code. The original purpose of this was to flash lights on and off to make your house more visible to law enforcement. The PowerHorn takes advantage of this by sitting on the same house and device code as your lights and waiting for a pattern of on and off codes to activate. This sort of brute-force approach has two major limitations: the PowerHorn will lag behind your security console when the alarm is tripped and if you turn the lights with the same code on and off too many times too quickly by hand you can easily produce a false positive. This happened to me twice at poorly chosen hours before I decided to live without the horn. It deactivates shortly after the alternating pattern ceases.

I find the door sensor I installed falls out of sync once every two months or so; this is inconvenient enough to make it not worth using. Often I just don’t have the time to re-program the unit when I’m on my way out the door.

• XPPA Plug-In Filter Module – A grounded, 5 amp plug-in X10 signal filter.
• SS13A 3 Unit + Dim RF Style Switch – A wireless X10 switch that can be mounted anywhere
• SC546A Remote Chime – A doorbell-type module which responds to the ON command

To use the SS13A modules as doorbells I had to open them and slice out the rubber tab that produces the rocker-switch effect that makes one side of the button “on” and the other “off.” I then taped over the “off” contacts on the circuit board so no matter what side the button is physically pressed only the “on” command is sent.

The 15A filters helped my signal problems a lot but there was still the odd blip in service so I went ahead and bought two 5A filters to dick around with. The chimes take a simple on command and – contrary to some advertising – have only one, non-selectable “melody.” The wireless switches can be programmed to take any 3 consecutive key IDs and any of the 16 house codes. The bottom button is a toggle pad for bright and dim commands. The cool thing about them is they stick on to the wall using an adhesive backing and are thin enough to provide the illusion that they are the faceplate of a recessed electrical box without having to smash into the wall. They take a CR-32 battery in the bottom tray and communicate using the RF->mains receiver.

My final purchase was the MT13A Mini Timer. I had for some reason been under the impression that the PalmPad remote would be able to act as a timer, which was one of the main reasons I became interested in X10: it would be possible to automatically turn off the lights when I pass out with them on. I didn’t have the time to do anything really sophisticated with computer automation and I needed a new alarm clock so I ponied up, plugged it in and never touched it again. I’m sure it’s great, I just wouldn’t know.

Controlling X10 Devices with your Computer

Obviously the really sweet part about Home Automation is interfacing your house with your computer. For about $5 you can pick up a wireless transmitter called a FireCracker (CM17A) that works with standard X10 wireless receivers and takes instructions from a standard serial port. I have found that there is an issue with the internal timing on one of my USB-serial cables’ particular chips. The transmitter uses pins not normally used by serial devices to transmit data so it can be transparently daisy-chained with another serial device behind it. I have read that some USB-serial adapters drop one or more of these pins. If your USB-serial adapter does not seem to work with the transmitter be sure to do your research before selecting another one.

Other versions exist for USB which plug directly into the wall. I can only guess as to whether or not these use an embedded USB->serial adapter (linux compatible) or if they are intended for use with Windows based home automation software.

There are a couple of packages that can drive the FireCracker but I have only used bottlerocket

To compile on Gentoo run:

# emerge bottlerocket

Bottlerocket takes these options:

Usage: br [<options>][<housecode>(<list>) <native command> ...]

  Options:
  -v, --verbose                 add v's to increase verbosity
  -x, --port=PORT               set port to use
  -c, --house=[A-P]             use alternate house code (default "A")
  -n, --on=LIST                 turn on devices in LIST
  -f, --off=LIST                turn off devices in LIST
  -N, --ON                      turn on all devices in housecode
  -F, --OFF                     turn off all devices in housecode
  -d, --dim=LEVEL[,LIST]        dim devices in housecode to  relative LEVEL
  -B, --lamps_on                turn all lamps in housecode on
  -D, --lamps_off               turn all lamps in housecode off
  -r, --repeat=NUM              repeat commands NUM times (0 = ~ forever)
  -h, --help                    this help

          is a comma separated list of devices (no spaces),
                each ranging from 1 to 16
      is an integer from -12 to 12 (0 means no change)
     is a letter between A and P
    is one of ON, OFF, DIM, BRIGHT, ALL_ON, ALL_OFF,
                LAMPS_ON or LAMPS_OFF

For native commands,  should only be specified for ON or OFF.

In order to control the lights with a meta key on my mouse I had to wrap this in a little script so the KDE shortcut manager could reference it correctly:

mdma bin # cat x10on
#!/bin/bash
br -x /dev/firecracker k2 on

Where /dev/firecracker is, in my case, a symlink to /dev/ttyUSB0.

I’ve noticed that the device has little or no buffer; sending too many commands too quickly will cause the device to cease functioning, possibly temporarily. Unplugging and re-seating it seems to solve the problem every time. The lack of built in buffer or command queue (indeed, even the ability to ignore commands while one is being transmitted) is something which should probably be addressed in controller software or front-ends.

Neat Stuff I Wanted to Play With But Never Got the Chance

The coolest part about X10 if you’re a real geek is its ability to remotely turn on or off anything that has an on or off switch through your house’s existing wiring.

The so-called universal modules allow you to wire directly into an existing switch. They can be configured for normally open or normally closed operation. This means that you can control virtually any device which does not natively support X10 or remote control like, say, your old garage door opener. Or a hydroponics pump.

Just sayin'.

Coupled with computerized control it would not be hard to make a web interface that controls your coffee maker, or other sinister devices.

Conclusions

Since most houses have their three-phase input split into two two-phase segments signals from one side of the house may need to travel all the way down to the transformer at the end of the road then back into the house, by this time severely degraded. To remedy this a repeater can be installed across the phases at the breaker panel (about $30) but this is “serious business” and should only be performed by a real electrician. The safer alternative is a $100 (depending on three or four prong configuration) repeater that plugs into the dryer or stove outlet.

I look forward to trying one of the newer home automation protocols in the future. X10 is slow to the point of agony. To dim a 100W light bulb from maximum to minimum takes about a minute of repeat pressing on the buttons. The controllers either do not auto-repeat when the buttons are held down or they repeat so quickly the messages become garbled on the wire. In support of this theory, I have found that clicking the dim button then waiting for the reaction before clicking it again is far faster than mindless rapid clicking. This, combined with the poor quality of the entry level security modules and lacklustre signal performance make X10 a labour of love in my most humble of opinions.

As of yesterday the number that is being thrown around the most is 37,000 transfers out; however this figure is based on the number of domains transferred away from GoDaddy using their DNS service (domaincontrol.com) and not the actual number of domains transferred out of the registrar. As this article outlines, the number of transfers in are also not taken into account. As commenter Jamie Zoch of DotWeekly points out:

One interesting stat that I found (based on data from Webhosting.info) is the total loss over the past 30 days…. in the tune of 1 Million domains. This data is from 11/14/2011 to 12/19/2011. 37,841,094 down to 36,884,911.

So the transfer out because of the SOPA deal really doesn’t mean a ton as much as the total loss over the past 30 days IMO. If my memory servers me correctly, I have not seen a loss like this for GoDaddy.

Despite this, webhosting.info reports their market share has been increasing over the same period:

I am prone to believe that this is due to deficiencies in their reporting mechanism rather than a decline in the actual total number of domain names. Nonetheless I don’t think anyone has accurate statistics but GoDaddy themselves and they have deemed the loss great enough to reverse their position on SOPA. Despite this, they have reminded consumers of their true colours and by all accounts the campaign to switch moves on. There are now reports of GoDaddy staff personally calling customers whom have transferred multiple domains to ask them to change their minds.

I would find all this personally very amusing if I wasn’t locked into agreements with their reseller service, Wild West Domains. Since the resale business is a relatively small club there isn’t a lot of information on GoDaddy’s ethics in dealing with reseller domains but it is conventional wisdom that if they are willing to seize one of their own they are willing to seize one of yours. If SOPA ever becomes a reality it will be easy to diversify your domain portfolio into registrars not under American jurisdiction but resellers may find themselves without recourse.

Exactly how far this will go and what effect – if any – it may have on SOPA remains to be seen. GoDaddy isn’t the kind of giant a boycott can topple; conversely they don’t have significant lobbying clout no matter what position they are forced to take. If I were an anti-SOPA activist I would be trying to look for a more meaningful way to attack the legislation – though I don’t mind seeing GoDaddy take one in the kisser. It’s a long long list of supporters and so far there’s only one down.

On a lighter note, all the hullabaloo has sparked a new meme: Scumbag GoDaddy

Please read:

• http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/12/manning-assange-laptop/
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/foreign-affairs-defense/wikisecrets/new-evidence-of-assange-manning-link/

Assuming this isn’t a set-up, this story disappoints me in two ways. First, the super-smart and fastidious image of WikiLeaks has been effectively shattered. All the talk of encrypted phones and special security measures may be true but when they are so casually discarded they are practically useless. This is exactly the kind of loss-of-confidence the naysayers have been praying for. Second, this makes an AMAZING case for disc encryption and proper log wiping/disabling. I don’t have everything encrypted myself (might after this wakeup call!) but if I were the guy who leaked a bunch of  classified material I would hope to have the good sense to plan for the worst beforehand.

Ironically, Assange once contributed to the Rubberhose filesystem, an exercise in Deniable Encryption and precursor to StegFS that probably would have served its purpose excellently in this case.

This kit retails for up to $120 in Canada but if you’re able to fill an order for at least 10 they run about $38/unit after shipping. It took only four days for my package to leave Shenzen, China and arrive in Vancouver, half a day to clear customs and only another two days to reach me here in Ontario. Mind blowing. The coffee maker I had shipped from the states a month ago only arrived today. :/

The kits include:

• 2 × EGO-W clear atomizer
• 2 × VV batteries
• 1 × Inject bottle (10ml)
• 1 × Wall Charger
• 1 × USB charger
• 1 × User manual

eGo-Ws also have a pen-style cap with a clip on it. This sounds more useful than it is, because the (at least 1100mAh) batteries are long and heavy enough to club someone to death with. I do like the cap for the fact that it keeps the mouthpiece from getting filthy when in transit but the clip exerts an alarming amount of pressure on the – as I am beginning to read – fragile inner cartomizer.

My shipment came with two (I am assuming) sample eGo-T type B (cone) atomizers and 5 T-style tanks. If my first W cartomizer breaks like this guy’s I’ll be giving those a shot and appending my findings:

eGo batteries support 510 atomizers and cartomizers thanks to dual threading. I can’t see myself using the atties off of my 510s; so far I have found the W cartomizer to be superior in every way. There is none of the burnt polyfill taste that comes with cartridges and the e-juice flavour comes out much more clearly.

The part that makes this particlar e-cig really cool is the variable voltage battery. Though I was hoping there would be a 5-click safety on-off as in some newer eGo-T batts this is sacrificed in the variable voltage battery; it is always ready and clicking the button 5 times in under 2 seconds changes the voltage.

Voltages range from:

• 3.8 – 4.2V   Blue LED
• 3.4 – 3.8V   Blue & Red LED
• 3.0 – 3.4V   Red LED

I am so glad I went with variable voltage batteries. I can see the higher voltages causing problems with additives that combust at too low a temperature but the high setting is so intense it can make me cough. This is exactly the kind of experience I was hoping for in terms of vapour production, throat hit and flavour purity.

It would be nice to be able to disable the battery indicator; on a full charge 5 LEDs must be powered on every hit. That’s a lot of juice that could be better spent … vaping juice. On that note, if you’re ordering bulk you’d be an idiot not to go with the 1100mAh batteries as they only run $2 more per unit than the 650mAh batts. If your regular 650mAh eGo-T only lasts so long without charging imagine what the higher voltages would mean to your vaping time.

I have one serious issue with this model. To fill a new cartomizer one must puncture an indentation in the silicone plug that is flush against the side of the tank. The indentation only goes about halfway down the plug. This results in a lop-sided plug after you’ve done your first fill, worse you may end up compromising some of the seal’s integrity by coming out too far up or close to the side. I recommend removing the sleeve around the tank for this first step and make the puncture at as inward an angle as possible. Once the sleeve has been replaced it’s probably wise to leave it there for the next refill(s) to reduce unnecessary stress on the tank plastic.

As with my review of the 510s I’ll be adding updates to this post as these begin to grow on me (or not).

I also want to make special mention of Ms. Lucy Lu of Esco‘s excellent customer service; she was a pleasure to deal with and kept us informed of our order’s progress every step of the way.

UPDATE Lucy was kind enough to send me some great shots of the individual components of the eGo-W:

I should note that – possibly due to the fact that these were being shipped to Canada – the filler bottles in my order came empty despite the apparent option of different strength juices.

Another thing I want to mention is that the low air resistance on this cartomizer is fantastic. The draw is nowhere near as hard as with the 510s so it is possible to puff without straining one’s cheeks. I found with the 510s I have to smoke them like a joint; straight into and only with the lungs. The Eliq cart provides a much more realistic cigarette experience despite the default flute tips, which I am getting quite used to.

UPDATE Day three and I’m still at half the factory charge, having used only one battery. I think I mixed the blackberry juice a little heavy on the nicotine and the all-round better experience this e-cig provides has significantly reduced how often I vape. I also haven’t had to re-fill yet, and the hits are staying consistent (though decreasing slightly with the battery’s charge). I don’t want to come down on the 510s because they were good enough to get me to quit smoking but they are absolutely no match. I can never go back.

As far as my addiction is concerned I am going so long between puffs now I often forget why I feel mildly stressed in a peculiar way and have to think about it for a minute before I realize I could use a hit off the vape. This provides instant relief, I can feel the first three or four puffs rushing up my spine and into my brain. It’s definitely time to kick the nicotine down a notch.

My only complaint so far is that this morning I started getting juice in my mouth. After taking off the flute tip it’s clear this is from condensation and not leaking by the way the droplets are configured within the chamber. It just takes a q-tip to clean but I am wary about removing and re-inserting the mouthpiece more than absolutely necessary to prolong the life of the tank.

UPDATE I refilled my cartomizer with “apple candy” juice mixed fresh last night and realized that when you inject juice into the tank you can create tremendous pressure on the tank walls from within. I don’t think it’s a leap to suggest this might make the cartomizer particularly vulnerable to shattering. I recommend that after every fifth or sixth of the tank that you fill it should be brought battery-connection-up so you can suck some of the air pocket into your squeeze bottle.

UPDATE The unit rolled behind my keyboard while typing. It took me a while to realize I was hearing the atomizer firing. The coil has discoloured the silicone around it and there is a bit of an off-taste. If I place another order I’m going to see what can be done about the 5-click on/off safety mechanism found in newer regular eGo batteries.

UPDATE One of the customers left their cig in a car outside over night. It froze and the tank shattered. This is probably an obvious one to avoid but worthy of mention nonetheless.

UPDATE It has only been 8 days and I’ve already managed to burn both of my cartomizers. I just loaded up a “type B version 2″ or regular cone atomizer and tank. Much to my surprise there has so far been no overtly disagreeable taste from the primer fluid. The regular atomizer does not produce nearly as well as the Eliq W cartomizer and I find the larger flute-tip of the tanks less comfortable.

UPDATE Still going strong with the cone T-type atomizer and tank. It hits well enough and I’ve had no problems with leakage etc. Touch wood. Every filler bottle that came with the kits and I have used (about 4 so far) has broken at the tip on the first use. Be careful when you withdraw the needle or it may stay stick in the silicone.

UPDATE Day 18. The cone T-type atomizer and tank are still holding up well. Just made some Juicy Fruit juice, not bad. Doing peach in the T right now and it’s still weak, will try adding more flavour drops. One of the customers passed her e-cig around at Christmas and something happened whereby it stopped hitting and the Wildberry juice I mixed myself turned fluorescent piss yellow. Will investigate when I have time. Cleaned out my first W cartomizer today. Pretty sure I ruined the seal by pressing to hard on the air straw, which also serves as one of the battery contacts so this may hold it in place. Also may have put the silicone seal on improperly. We’ll see. Serious pain in the ass, got my hands and the carto covered in full strength nicotine juice. I’m wired.

How to Do It WRONG

A week into my adventure I realized I would soon be running out of e-juice. At the time fearing I would only be able to get nicotine juice from China (~30 days shipping) and with little knowledge I hit up a health food store and bought a bottle of Vegetable Glycerine (VG) and some flavour additives. There are two things horribly wrong with this picture:

1. The gauge of those needles is far too fine to draw highly viscous VG; pulling the plunger on anything much smaller than an 18 gauge will simply suck the air in from behind
2. Those arty-farty organic flavour additives are oil based. Apparently using oil-based flavour additives in your e-juice may lead to a build-up of fluid in your lungs, which is conducive to respiratory infections.

With a little more research under my belt I ordered some water-soluble flavours from The Perfumer’s Apprentice and some tobacco samplers from NorthernVapor.

I have this to say about the tobacco flavours I tried:

• Weak.
• Canadabacco tastes grapey.
• Flu-cured hits better in the nose, tastes somewhere in the ballpark of burnt toffee.

Naturally, the flavours become more dilute when mixed with an appropriate amount of nicotine juice. This confirmed my theory that it is not worth leaving the flavouring up to other people, whom are fallible and may not have as deadened taste-buds as we.

Behold:

It took them a while to ship and a million years to get here (US->Canada postal service is abysmal during the hollies) but I’m finally breaking into my new flavours:

• Caramel Cappuccino
• Maple Syrup
• Bavarian Cream
• Lemon
• Maraschino Cherry – Very fruit-punchy. Sort of a powdery, perfumy rose petal undertone. Burns the tongue when over-mixed.
• Apple Candy – Weak in small quantities, awful if over-used
• Peach – Delicious but much less potent than Cherry, cart required full cleaning to noticeably change flavours.
• Granny Smith
• Key Lime – Crisp and refreshing!
• Tea
• Hazelnut
• Cola
• Juicy Fruit
• Mango
• Blackberry – Amazing! Has a sort of floral note in weaker concentrations. Cool fluorescent colour. Contains ethanol and hits strong! Good tolerance for under/overmixing. My favourite so far.

I’ll post what I think of them as I try them out.

To make your own e-juice first decide what base you want to start with:

• Propylene Glycol – The standard which most e-cig producers and commercial juice suppliers use.
• Vegetable Glycerine – Slightly sweeter, produces noticeably more vapour.
• PEG 400 (Polyethylene Glycol) – Some people say it’s safer, some people say it produces more vapour and some say it tastes worse. It is usually the most expensive of the three.

Many seem to find that they are happier mixing two or even all three of these in varying proportions. The second item for consideration is nicotine. Nicotine is so poisonous that a couple of undiluted drops on the skin is potentially lethal. Chances are you can not and do not want to get your hands on some of it. Patronizingly, some “veteran” e-ciggers will throw a tantrum at the mere mention of the idea; but the fact is they’re probably right and you’re really not as clever or careful as you think you are.

The generally accepted standard in the e-cigging community is to try and get very high strength flavourless juice, be it from China or a local vendor if you can find one. I have seen juice with concentrations as high as 100mg/ml but the bottle I am working with currently is 46mg/ml which can be cut by two parts to produce “medium-high” juice. Obviously the lower the concentration of nicotine in the mixing juice the less room you have to add flavours etc. Some folks like to add a drop or two of ethanol or vodka (I imagine the higher the proof the better the taste) to enhance the throat hit. It’s difficult to obtain scientific grade ethanol in Ontario without the benefit of paperwork but not at all difficult to distil; I will share my thoughts once I have tried it.

MegaUpload is currently being portrayed by the MPAA and RIAA as one of the world’s leading rogue sites. But top music stars including P Diddy, Will.i.am, Alicia Keys, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West disagree and are giving the site their full support in a brand new song. TorrentFreak caught up with the elusive founder of MegaUpload, Kim Dotcom, who shrugged off “this rogue nonsense” and told us he wants content owners to get paid.

Universal is already attempting to censor this video.
UPDATE Megaupload files a suit against Universal on Monday Dec. 12

Please download your copy courtesy of foxpa.ws at http://foxpa.ws/dist/megaupload.mp4

As it turns out there is good news: it is still possible to get PositiveSSL for cheap through a reseller. Currently 1 year is running only $8.00 on CheapSSLs. I’d never heard of CheapSSLs before yesterday but my bare modicum of research indicates it is a reputable front-end for Comodo, GeoTrust and VeriSign/Symantec and a daughter of registrar DomainCheap.com.

After one makes their purchase one must proceed to the “My SSL Certificates” page on CheapSSLs to activate it which seems to throw off some folks expecting the process to be taken over by the actual issuer of the certificate. In fact, the CSR is provided to CheapSSLs and the entire process is handled through their site.

There is a small e-mail verification step but if everything goes correctly you will be issued your certificate from the signing authority proper via e-mail in mere minutes.

Bonus: CheapSSLs accepts payment by PayPal allowing for truly anonymous/paper-trail-less certificates.

Happy reselling :)

It’s good to know you have our back :)

k

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