The DevSecops Manifesto / Le Manifesto DevSecOps

We have agreed and hold these ideals as our own:

We strive to do the right thing at the right time. And the wrong ones too.

We want to improve: our work, our customer satisfaction and indeed our lives.

We live by the ideal of: work smarter and not harder

We are collectively responsible for our success. Which means we are collectively responsible for everything.

We do not need unanimity to have an agreement. We seek a consensus, but not at all costs.

It is better to make steady slow progress than being late for the sake of perfection.

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There is no point in blame for failure. Failure is expected and it is part of the process.

We put safeguards that so that each step taken is a step forward. Measured and secured.

We agree that we must find an or some objective metrics to measure our success.

The determination of these measures will be ours but also accepted by our customers or representatives.

We think that transparency and visibility of our progress, are necessary allies.

 

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We are slave to constraints and cannot and will not encourage bottlenecks

We try to understand our coworkers as best we can, roles, ambitions, expertise and all.

We design our work and processes to avoid single points of failure.

We believe that security is quality and there is no quality without security.

We accept that security is everybody's responsibility as we are responsible for everything.

 

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This is our guide, this is our convention. If these ideals change it will be because we agree.

 

 

Nous avons convenu que nous tenons à ces idéaux comme étant les nôtres:

Nous avons la volonté de faire les bonnes choses au bon moment. Les mauvaises aussi.

Nous voulons nous améliorer: notre travail, la satisfaction de nos clients et en effet nos vies.

Nous croyons que bien travailler ne veut pas dire travailler plus.

Nous sommes tous responsables de notre succès. Ce qui veut aussi dire que nous sommes tous responsable de l'ensemble de notre œuvre.

Nous n'avons pas besoin de l'unanimité pour arriver à un accord. Nous désirons un consensus, mais pas à tout prix.

Il es plus important d'avancer un peu assurément, que de tarder pour le bénéfice de la perfection.

 

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Il ne vaut rien de blâmer. L'échec fait partie du processus et est prévu.

Nous sécurisons nos processus pour qu'ils soient robustes et adoptés en fonction du progrès mesuré.

À cette fin nous convenons d'être mesurés de façon objective et quantitative.

Les métriques qui nous mesurent seront personnalisés à nous, mais acceptés par nos clients ou représentants.

La transparence et la visibilité de notre progrès, sont des alliés indispensables.

 

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Nous sommes tous esclaves des contraintes. Nous ne sommes ni tenus ou n'encourageons pas de forcer une limite contraignante.

Nous voulons bien comprendre nos collègues, leur rôles, leurs ambitions, leurs expertises et tout.

Notre travail et nos processus sont réfléchis afin d'éviter les points de défaillance uniques.

Il n'y a pas de qualité sans la sécurité. Un produit de qualité a, la sécurité à sa base.

Nous sommes tous responsable de la sécurité. Étant dit préalablement que nous étions tous responsable de tout.

 

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Ceci est notre guide et notre convention. Si ces idéaux changent, ils l'auront fait par accord commun.

 Ebike Conversion

These days, there are kits that you can purchase that will convert your normal bike, into a battery powered one.

DIY in 4 main parts.

Obviously there will be things needed to added to your bike to make it go and it's broken down in a few key parts. Each with it's interests and caveats. (circled in the picture below).
Essentially one should have the right tools to grind and file part into place.

There was no accompanying manual to install and understand the parts. I had to go online. And the supplier's website wasn't up to date. So I had to figure some of it out with a different model. But the videos on their YouTube channel break down the installation in fairly simple bits that are easy to reverse engineer with your specific setup.

If it's your fist time setting this up, expect half a days work

Controls

Handle bars and pedal crank/main post

Most of the controls are set on the handle bars and in complete kits such as the one I got (ebikebc.com) they come with a main control and power switch (left) a screen and a throttle thumb controller (right).

The throttle can be used to spontaneously accelerate or simply control the speed, if you are using the bike in full electric mode. Otherwise, the left buttons allow you to choose modes where you must pedal and the motor assists you in moving you forward. 

Using pedal assisted drive is the one that will give you the most mileage with your battery. A little effort goes a long way in this case. You can easily quadruple your range, depending how much your pedaling is part of the effort. The particular controller that I use allows 5 different levels of "assistance". 

Level 1, is mostly you putting the effort in making the bike go forward, 5, the least. To be fair, on level five, I can easily make the bike go upwards of 35 KM per hour. After which, I cant keep up with the pedals. So the effort is very low.

And as you can see on the pedal crankshaft, I added the included disk with little magnets as well as a little sensor (arrow), that detects the rate at which you pedal.

Lastly there are magnets and detectors that optionally go on your brake levers. (currently not installed)

These detect and cut off power to the motor instantly if the brakes are applied.

Caveats: 

Depending on your configuration, you may find it difficult to position the brake detectors and magnets.
I recommend having some epoxy glue on hand to be able to make adjustments or hacking the installation to fit your bike's needs.

Motor/Wheel

Arguably the simplest part of the setup. Just switch wheels with your front one and fit your tire on it (they make back ones too, but I cant make a very good argument for their use).

Then you use the built in cable and plug it in the controller box (intelligence)

Caveats: Size:
The motor is pretty wide. And if you have a fat or re-enforced front fork, the motor my not fit or it may rub on your fork.

Also, the bolt/shaft is pretty thick. On my European sized bike I had to file open my apertures to make it fit. 

And then there is the circumference of the wheel itself.

Ideally you would want to get a wheel, the same size than the one you had, otherwise you will need to also get a new tire and a new tube to fit on the rim/motor that comes with the kit.

But there are good reasons why you may consider changing sizes. Smaller wheels will allow for more torque and taller wheels less friction. In any case, the kit is calibrated so that no matter the wheel size you use, it will be limited to 42 km/h (I tested it). However, if you know how speed is calculated, adjusting the computer's expected wheel size can possibly work around this... use at your own risk.

I got a smaller one to get better traction and torque.

Intelligence

It's basically a metallic box with a bunch of wires (connectors to be precise) and everything color coded. You can't really connect things that don't belong together with a kit. There is some effort required to fit the controller box in the included pouch, such as cutting it to pass the wires outside of the pouch and the actual pouch "attachment" to the underseat, needed to be filed, "dremmeled" to fit the intended part.

Caveats: 

One size fits all seat mounting bracket. You may need to file/adjust it. And you may need extra zip-ties (there a nice bunch that came with the kit) for cable management. Extra tools may be required.

Power

The battery. 

Say goodbye to your water bottle. Because this part assumes that this is where you will attach the battery holder. But you could also use a backwheel cargo rack. (you can still use side pouches like I have, for cargo).  Or you can boost the height of the rack to fit the battery underneath!

Caveats: Cost and wear

Batteries wear out after so many uses. And their size, pretty much dictate their cost. And the size also dictates the range you will get, per ride. So decide carefully on the one you get. And in a kit, there isn't much of a concern, but for a DIY project, expected voltage between motor and battery is critical. In the brochure they say that my current setup should get me around 70 km, for my weight (~80 kg) and at 120 kg, that goes down to 30 km. That remains to be tested. Exhausting a battery on a given trip is tricky because you have to be able to complete your trip somehow to recharge. 

Since you can still use the bike as a normal bike, that issue is somewhat mitigated. But the added weight from the battery, motor and controller will make the effort more challenging. So consider this before you decide to test this on your own. 

Conclusion

Well that's it. A setup such as mine will set you back about 1500$ Canadian and take about a week to deliver. The box it was included it was from china, but the ebikebc.com people would like you to think of them as a Canadian manufacturer. But in fact, they provide packaged parts that are compatible and support. They take the guesswork out of the equation. Which in my case I found acceptable. 

You can get well rated and cheaper solutions if you are more experienced. And even entire basic ready made ebikes, for what I paid. But for the tinkerer in you or if your current bike just needs a little more "Umph", give this a try.

P.S. Get a helmet! 

At 25 MPH/40 KMPH your head is no much stronger than a watermelon and will burst open like one, if you hit something head on. Be safe!!!!

Beer blog update

So I was in Japan (Beer and other alcoholic beverages)

And I didn't have much time to try many things, but here is a quick rundown of what I had and how I liked them. (in order of appearance) 

Asahi

This is probably one of the most popular and well known beers from Japan. Readily available throughout the north American markets, it's a comfort beer. One that is rather so close to mainstay local beers that you could easily adopt it. Thus it can readily go with all the things you already know and love or might help you through something you are trying for the first time.

Not great, but clean and consistent. If you haven't tried it, it won't surprise much. If you like Pilsners, this is for you.

Strong

This, is not a beer per sé. And is actually known as a "Chuhai" which is is an abbreviation for Shochu Highball and originally a mixed drink of Shochu (and I must insist, NOT MALT LIQUOR) with soda and lemon juice. It became very popular as a canned alcoholic beverage with many different flavors of fruits and teas. Chuhai also is served at many Izakaya restaurants. The alcohol for the canned version is around 9% whereas it depends on the individual mix of alcohol and soda for each restaurant.

It is quite clear what is appealing about these drinks. They have a very clean taste and are very refreshing. They also get you drunk in no time flat.

Sapporo

Arguably the second most popular beer and certainly one of the most common, it is also a very classic beer. Marketing itself as Japan's oldest brand it has does have the qualities of a beer that has staying power. It is very well balanced and it's malty flavour is distinctive.

Technically a pale lager, it goes great with almost any food and fantastic with fried food.

It is no wonder why it has been around in Japan for so long.

Asahi Black

The dark or "stoutish" version of their recipe. It seems to me that it features a bit more roasting in the grains and perhaps a bit more time of fermentation. Still it's a nice representation. Perhaps a bit more "flavor robustness" than actual alcoholic content increase. But really not a great change, despite the much darker colour,  a mild change to the essential flavour. One thing I can tell you, is that you can be sure that it has retained all the refreshingness and drinkability of it's more pale cousin. So it seems that for once, you can trust the advertising. It just has a bit more punch per gulp, so to speak.

Sapporo "the gold"

So it would seem our friends at Sapporo have joined the worldwide madness of having some kind of wheat beer. Don't get me wrong, it is a madness I embrace whole heartedly.  But I just wonder sometimes where it comes from and where it leads to next. With that said, like most wheat beer it adds another layer to the flavour. Robustness, to be sure, but not in a heavy and filling way. There's something also aesthetic about a beer that is naturally cloudy. (most beers should be this way, but seldom afford to do so) I found it personally appealing and I also was pleased with the offering. "Regular" Sapporo, leaves me somewhat on my appetite and this comes in and fills the gap. More body but again not easily saturating. I guess what I am trying to say, is that you can have multiple glasses without feeling like you have to change.

Yebisu Beer

I really wish I could say more about these fine offerings. But that is simply due to the fact that this area of Japan is named after the beer (and not the other way around). As a matter of course, it means that there is a whole palate of beers that hold this name. Yes, so little time and so many beers, Well this single prefecture of Japan has a lot to offer in that way. I had the "time" to try the Dark and Pilsner and they did non disappoint. Though I would have wished I could dissect their distinctiveness more, all I can say with safety is you should easily find one to your taste. They are without a doubt a whole a series of high quality beers, because both of the ones I tried were excellent in their own genres and as beers. The only complaint I have is that the glasses they were served in had so much head, that it took room that could be occupied by more beer. Yum factor pretty much guaranteed.

Suntory the "PREMIUM MALTS"

Get ready folks, because you are going to read the worlds you never thought you'd see: I didn't like it.

The flavour inspired a headache. It was a rather filling taste and felt thick in mouth. As much as I tried, I could not get over these factors to find any more appeal to it. Suntory makes a whole slew of consumable products and alcoholic beverages. I guess they prove what happens when you try to be a "Jack of all trades". Considering it sat along other beverages, that I did appreciate, one has to presume it will fit some peoples' taste, but just not mine. Actually with a bit of after-thought it came on strong, like some malt liquors but without the full alcohol punch associated with them. I guess I just don't get it.

Asahi Super Dry, Super cold.

I've seen elsewhere really bad reviews for this beer, but I loved it. I have to confess it had a bit of a sweet finish but not enough to have a "sickly" effect. And since it was served so cold, I was very tempted to chug it. (I like beer induced, near ice cream headaches) I went down fast and easy. So I can speak for no one but myself to say I really loved it and it is lovable. I believe I had a sandwich with it (BLT?) and just needed to have another. Perhaps it was my impending end-of trip (I had this at the airport) but, like the tin man, I believe this is the one I will miss most. So that is to say, if the opportunity for you, arises, get completely smashed on it. And I will be jealous. (but really you should drink responsibly)

Well that's it for my beer blog on Japan. There are many more brands and flavours to discover, notably Shirohonoka, Edelpils and Ginza Lion. I just ran out of time to try and/or appreciate them enough. But keep in mind just about all of these were enjoyed with meals (sometimes copious) which would surely be for a different post. I have hopes that the opportunity will present itself, for me to be able to share some feedback on other offerings someday.

So in the spirit of the place, Aligato for reading my post and Sayonara!

What is the TPP and why you should care.

So yeah, what is the TPP?

It is the Trans‑Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement.
Click on the link to read the whole shebang. But if I may boil it down to you, it is essentially an infrastructure for business and merchants to write law directly.

In it, they decide what is legal and illegal to do, in the name of business. And this on an international scale.

Think of it. It locks your country into agreements that may not be in your best interest, but in the best interest of business. And they will have a court, outside of civil and criminal law, that decides what is or isn't legal. Effectively, criminalizing certain activities that are "bad for business" even if it is unconstitutional to do so. Democracy for sale, if you will.

Did you know that downloading and copying MP3s on a CD isn't illegal in Canada? It isn't. There is a levy paid on each purchase of blank CDs to compensate the artists. That's what Canada had decided was the best solution to sidestep the problem. hat was our law.

Under the TPP, your would be judged a criminal. And Canada has no say in it. Indeed, the trade agreement "trades" some sovereignty on laws, for commercial benefit of multinationals.

I'm not a law student, but this seems like a very dangerous precedent.

Of course, I'm a tech head, so I used the blank CD issue, but until you've gone through the whole thing, you may or not be affected in your daily lives without knowing it!

Here's another example.

Under the new trade rules, grocery stores would no longer be allowed to indicate the country of origin from beef.

If it has the potential to undermine a participant country's profits, you are not allowed to do it, pursuant that the product is under the trade agreement. And a "new" international commercial court will decide if it does or not violate the trade agreement. Effectively removing your democratic right to say that it this is or not in your best interest to do so.

I urge you to to join Open Media's campaign to stop this. Follow this link and "sign" the petition to stop this now before it's ratified.  https://act.openmedia.org/finalbattle

And without "harassing" your friends like I do, talk to them about this treaty that will affect us all.

Thank you!

Beer Review: La résolution

La résolution

Unibroue is famous for being one of the first compelling micro-breweries to offer a world class beer in the province. Yet I had to experience something so distinctive or impressive that was really worth mentioning.

There was the "maudite" beer that was a signature beer they made with a high percentage of alcohol (relative: 8.0 alc vol) for the same price, that made it's mark for obvious reasons. (it's really a fairly decent beer, notwithstanding)

But taste-wise it wasn't remarkable or on my "radar".

Other offerings from the brewery have come and gone, under my palate, but haven't been noticeable enough that I would want to blog about.

I digress.

But finally, I decided to give them one more chance.

Well never neglect the power of second chances. 

This was an absolute delight.

Nice clean flavour, dark and not bitter and the distinctive taste of gingerbread. Smooth and not faint. I would easily consider it an "after dessert" beer. Except that, I can just as easily see it as a an apéritif beer.

Honestly I believe it would be a waste with food. But I am sure one could easily find a perfect dish (or two) that would fit right with it. I will let others decide. I like it clean as it is.

If you are lucky enough to have access to it, do give it a try. It's a powerful drink at 10.5% alc/vol. Cripes, it's almost wine.  And in many ways it's just as fine.

To your health, and to my taste.

Enjoy!

Beer review: Weizenbock

Weizenbock (dark wheat ale)

I rarely get seduced by packaging, but I do have to admit it does have an effect on me. The series of beer from "les Trois Mousquetaires"  have gotten me to pay attention to their wares, more than thrice.

This specific brew took me fo a bit of a loop. The fact is there are very rare opportunities to match a beer and dessert. Though I hear great things about a real beer float, I've yet to try one myself.

So here we are with this brew that has very distinct overtones of caramel, maple and ripe fruit (bananas!). I wasn't ready for this.

As a matter of fact I should probably have finished an evening with this, but instead started my afternoon with it. Since the die was already cast I went with it.

it was a mixed class affair since the only thing that came to mind to mix this up with was kind of a cheesy (no, literally...) chex mix snack. And I got to tell you, it worked out.

It is kind of similar in the experience as having a nice port after dinner... but before.

Anyhow I don't want to "rave" about it, but I did enjoy it. Quite a bit in fact.

At a almost wine-level of 10.5% Alc/Vol it is quite intense. And with it's dessert-y quality it can take you by surprise. At least it's taste did for me. Try some after a meal or an afternoon snack. It is at least as good as it's packaging leads you to expect.

4.5 burps out of five!

Brew review: Nixal (Amber)

Nixal

This was no ordinary brew. As a Canadian, there's always a sense of pride in me when a product of maple has any measure of success.

Since it is malted and brewed with methods that are all very similar to the ones used for beer, you could easily mistake it for another ambered ale. But almost half way through your first throatful that distinct maple flavour will hit you.

To the credit of the people crafting this nectar (Maison Rupicole) the balance of maple flavour is perfectly balanced as not to rise above anyone's tolerance. (unless you simply dislike maple flavour)

This one chimes in at 9% alc/vol and it's light colour and flavour might fool you into overindulging. I recommend pacing yourself. Your taste buds and your head will thank me in the morning.