Amazon Web Services Down Again!

I really love Amazon's Web services. But, they're down, again, this morning, bringing our Web app to a screeching halt.

It looks like we need to have a contingency plan built into our Web app's start-up config to check for AWS down time and fall back to an alternate plan.

At least now, with Cloud Status, I can get independent confirmation.

Click to enlarge

Amazon's official AWS status board says:

9:05 AM PDT We are currently experiencing elevated error rates with S3. We are investigating.

9:26 AM PDT We're investigating an issue affecting requests. We'll continue to post updates here.

9:48 AM PDT Just wanted to provide an update that we are currently pursuing several paths of corrective action.

10:12 AM PDT We are continuing to pursue corrective action.


[ digg this ]

iPhone Screenshot

Here's a neat trick with the iPhone 2.0 software.

Press the sleep/wake button and the home button, simultaneously, for about half a second and the iPhone will take a screenshot and stick the image into your Camera Roll.

[ digg this ]

20 Year Reunion

My mother-in-law and I pushed my wife to go to her 20 year high school reunion this past weekend. It was a three day event, drinks on Friday, formal dinner on Saturday, and a picnic on Sunday. After Friday's mixer she was hooked and couldn't get enough. Tonight, she's back out with her high school friends.

I'm amazed how many people don't want to attend their high school or college reunions until they actually attend and love it.