As I have 20 GB of data per 30 day period or an average of 682 MB/day of data to use with my hotspot device I use at home for Internet during the winter months for work and play, I have to be careful on how much data I use

As I have 20 GB of data per 30 day period or an average of 682 MB/day of data to use with my hotspot device I use at home for Internet during the winter months for work and play, I have to be careful on how much data I use. While I only used about 11 GB during the December 24 – January 23 period, it’s important that I be measured with my data use.

I wrote a short script to output my connection strength, 5-minute / 1 hour / 1 day data use and current topΒ  application using data that I display in the XFCE panel using gen-monitor. For example, this is the display:

LDL314DL_7014: 70/-22
4.29 KB / 72.50 KB / 118.28 MB
/usr/lib/firefox/firefox/

Here is the PHP script I use to generate it — it’s a mix of PHP and BASH. I could have done it all in BASHΒ  but truth be known I’m lazy and I’m better at PHP coding.

$net = exec("iwlist scan 2>/dev/null | egrep -i 'Signal level='|cut -b 29-31,49-51|sed -n '1p'");

$ssid = exec("iwgetid wlo1 -r");

$dataTtl = str_replace('i','',preg_replace('/^( *)/', '',exec("vnstat | sed -n '19p'|cut -d\| -f 3")));

$dataHr = preg_replace('/^( *)/', '', exec("vnstat -h | tac | sed -n '2p' | cut -d\: -f 1"));
$dataHrAmt = str_replace('i','',preg_replace('/^( *)/', '', exec("vnstat -h | tac | sed -n '2p' | cut -d\| -f 3")));

$dataMinAmt = str_replace('i','',preg_replace('/^( *)/', '', exec("vnstat -5 | tac | sed -n '2p' | cut -d\| -f 3")));

$nethogs = preg_replace('/(\d.*)$/', '', exec("nethogs -t -c2 2>/dev/null|tac|sed -n '2p'"));

if ($ssid != '') echo "$ssid: $net\n";
else echo "Offline\n";
echo "$dataMinAmt / $dataHrAmt / $dataTtl\n";
echo "$nethogs";

I actually enjoy watching the meter and being careful with my usage. It forces me to be deliberate, and make sure I’m careful with the data I’m consuming, using my smartphone for video meetings and watching video. I am actually surprised how little data ordinary web surfing uses – it’s really the video and downloads that eats a lot of data – especially the big GIS files. But I can go to the library for such purposes.

While I don’t have a good count based on SSID, it looks like I used about 11.2 GB on the hotspot and 19.2 GB on wired networks, mostly at the library and some at my parents house, downloading videos for later watching, updating or installing Linux apps, and downloading large GIS files. Downloading Youtube videos for later consumption really is a big bandwidth suck.

I like the challenging of being aware of my internet consumption and being responsible about the amount of data I use each day.

Hannacroix Falls

Looking down over Hannacroix Falls at Hannacroix Preserve on a icy, snowy wintery day.

Do Jews Run the World?. Why Jews are overrepresented in… | by Allison J. van Tilborgh | Interfaith Now | Medium

Do Jews Run the World?. Why Jews are overrepresented in… | by Allison J. van Tilborgh | Interfaith Now | Medium

Although Jews only occupy 2% of the United States population, these innovations have increased their social capital in American life. They do not occupy the arts because the arts are the easiest way to control popular culture, but because the arts presented themselves while they existed on the fringes of popular culture.

That's an important point. Much of our best cultural innovations come from the creative arts by people pushed to the fringes. We should welcome diversity and new ideas, give all more chances to succeed. 

January 24, 2021 10 AM Update

Sunset Times …

  • Albany – 4:58 pm
  • Allegheny National Forest – 5:21 pm, 23 minutes later then Albany
  • Blenheim, NY – 5:01 pm, 3 minutes later then Albany
  • Dolly Sods, WV – 5:29 pm, 31 minutes later then Albany
  • Fox Lair – 4:57 pm, 1 minutes earlier then Albany
  • Kelly Stand, VT – 4:50 pm, 8 minutes earlier then Albany
  • Massena – 4:56 pm, 2 minutes earlier then Albany
  • Moose River Plains – 4:59 pm, 1 minutes later then Albany
  • Montauk – 4:55 pm, 3 minutes earlier then Albany
  • Jamestown – 5:21 pm, 23 minutes later then Albany
  • Staten Island – 5:05 pm, 7 minutes later then Albany
  • Syracuse – 5:06 pm, 9 minutes later then Albany

Samuel D Champlain Monument

January 24, 2021 – Looking Ahead This Week

Weather Summary
Today. Sunny and 23 degrees , -5 max wind chill, 4:58 sunset.
Tonight. Mostly Clear and 12 degrees , 5 max wind chill, 7:15 sunrise.
Monday. Mostly Sunny and 29 degrees , 8 max wind chill, 5:00 sunset.
Monday Night.
Feels like …
February 20th.
Mostly Cloudy and 18 degrees , 12 max wind chill, 7:14 sunrise.
Tuesday. Slight Chance of Snow then Snow is likely and 29 degrees , 12 max wind chill, 5:01 sunset.
Tuesday Night.
Feels like …
March 3rd.
Snow is likely and 21 degrees , 7:13 sunrise.
Wednesday.
Feels like …
February 10th.
Mostly Cloudy and 33 degrees , 5:02 sunset.
Wednesday Night.
Feels like …
March 3rd.
Mostly Cloudy and 21 degrees , 7:12 sunrise.
Thursday.
Feels like …
January 22nd.
Mostly Cloudy and 30 degrees , 5:03 sunset.
Thursday Night. Mostly Cloudy and 12 degrees , 2 max wind chill, 7:11 sunrise.
Friday. Mostly Sunny and 24 degrees , 2 max wind chill, 5:05 sunset.
Friday Night. Partly Cloudy and 8 degrees , 4 max wind chill, 7:10 sunrise.
Saturday. Partly Sunny and 27 degrees , 5 max wind chill, 5:06 sunset.

Catskills with the Setting Sun