So the new version of WordPress is out, and it’s got over 70 new bug fixes, performance enhancements and also addresses some security issues. As always, upgrading is fairly straightforward.

Version 2.5.1 of WordPress is now available. It includes a number of bug fixes, performance enhancements, and one very important security fix. We recommend everyone update immediately, particularly if your blog has open registration. The vulnerability is not public but it will be shortly.

Read the WordPress 2.5.1 announcement | Download Latest Version Here

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Rob Riggle is HILARIOUS in this clip.

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We had a good trip to Monterrey, Mexico, and thankfully were able to make our connecting flights back flying standby on Northwest.

More pictures to follow. If you can’t wait, this is the Flickr set that will have all of them in it.

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Northwest pilot saves the day.

So, our flight to Monterrey, Mexico was supposed to be today. Kristin has an author school visit tomorrow morning. Got the message that our flight had been cancelled. Went to the airport, scanned passport in the machine. “You’re checking in too early for your flight, which, by the way, we’ve rescheduled for TOMORROW”.

So, Kristin’s dad being a pilot for Northwest, who just happened to be at the St. Louis airport by chance, helped us out by doing some research to help solve the problem.

Our journey so far:

1. St. Louis non-rev Northwest flight to Detroit. 2 seats available.
2. 1 seat available in Detroit flight to Houston. Did not want to split up, so declined single seat
3. Talked to 10 people about why they couldn’t re-list us on flight to Minneapolis, continuing on to Houston.
4. Finally got re-listed, got flight from Detroit to Minneapolis.
5. Flight to Houston is now delayed. We’ll be getting in around midnight.
6. Had to re-book the Continental ticket purchased earlier today from Houston to Monterrey (extra $100 charge each ticket) for tomorrow morning instead of tonight
7. Power is running out on the laptop. Gonna go charge it up and get on this flight to Houston.
8. Got some dinner, a tasty sandwich, fries, side salad. Plugged in laptop. Making Internet with the phone. Booking a hotel in Houston for approximately 6 hours of rest for $84.24.
9. Headed to the gate, to wait.
10. Made the flight to Houston. Took a cab to the EconoLodge, where it was good we had a reservation since they were full. Sleep time, then shuttle to the airport at 6:30 am.
11. Got on the 6:30 am shuttle to the airport, passed through security with no problems. Got on the plane to Monterrey, got through customs just fine. Was picked up by Fiona (Kristin’s contact) and we drove straight to the school. So in the end, only the first presentation of the day had to be rescheduled. Yay!
12. Oh yeah, it’s going to be ~38º C today here in Monterrey. That translates into right around 100º F. But it’s a dry heat, so that’s good. They’re treating us very well. So, victory, at last, despite American Airlines FAIL, which would have forced Kristin to cancel the entire day of school visit talks.
13. Here is more information about the cancellations from American Airlines that includes a link to their Customer Service email contact form if you want to request a refund.

Why, American Airlines, why the spectacular FAIL TODAY!?!?!

Some tasty coffee on our Northwest flight. Tunes of choice on the iPod right now? Gogol Bordello of course.

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Kristin has some author school visits scheduled at an international school in Monterrey, Mexico in the next couple of days. We’re leaving later this morning (Wednesday, April 9) and will be returning Monday evening (April 14).

Where is Monterrey, Mexico, you might ask?

View Larger Map

This is the hotel we’ll be staying at over the weekend. Even though it looks fun and all, and is supposed to be in the 100º F range temperature-wise, I will be working throughout the trip.

I don’t think my cell phone is going to be working, however, so email or IM is probably going to be the best way to get in touch while we’re gone.

Still to-do before I can go to bed before waking up in a couple of hours:

1. Finish preparing tax docs for the accountant
2. Prepare mileage spreadsheet for 2007 - uggh
3. Pack
4. Clean this mess up.
5. Save new voicemail greeting message explaining why I’m not picking up
6. Backup laptop (just in case)

My desk looks like this right now:

So fun. Sort of.

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I really like how the focus came out on this picture.

You can see more of my favorite pictures in my Favorites set on Flickr.

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In preparation for upgrading a whole mess of sites to using the latest version of WordPress I decided it was time to finally upgrade my own site and to implement the new design I’d been working on for a while (for over a year now).

Check it out: www.gabrielserafini.com

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Barack Obama is the most intelligent, reasoned politician I have ever heard. This video is remarkable. In it, he shares his views on religion and its role in a pluralistic, progressive society.

My favorite passage of the speech (emphahsis added):

And even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? Would we go with James Dobson’s, or Al Sharpton’s? Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is ok and that eating shellfish is abomination? How about Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount - a passage that is so radical that it’s doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application? So before we get carried away, let’s read our bibles. Folks haven’t been reading their bibles.

You can read the full transcript of his speech here.

Are you hearing this America?

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