Crunchbang Time #!

To set time in Crunchbang Statler:

sudo apt-get update

First update the system.  

sudo install ntpdate

ntpdate is the pkg to sync to time server.
edit: I have had to do this through the pkg manager (i.e. synaptic) this doesn't seem to obtain ntpdate anymore? as of 11/29/2011

sudo dpkg-reconfigure tzdata

This will enable you to set/change your time zone even if you had previously set this to the wrong location.

Linux

so finally, I have entered the world of Linux.  I cruised around the distros for awhile, finding the best one to run on an old Dell laptop, so there is that limitation.  Ultimately, though, the "slimmer" distros run incredibly fast.  It actually makes my everyday computers seem more noticeably slow by comparison.  Top contenders for me were: Ubuntu 11.10 (natty narwhal), Puppy Linux (Lucid Puppy) and Crunchbang 10 (Statler).  I finally settled on Crunchbang, it really is the smoothest, and most asthetic distro and is very fast and trimmed down.  Ubuntu was very easy to transition to, and very useful.  If you can work with Crunchbang, though, I think you will learn more about linux in general and how to navigate / use it better than if you go through only Ubuntu.  But I have to say, Ubuntu smoothed my transition significantly, and I still plan to have that running on one of our computers at home for the rest of the family to use who don't want to try to solve their way through crunchbang (#!)
So, I plan to post some of my issues here as I work through them, mostly as my own repository and reference for myself, but perhaps someone could find it useful.  A lot of this is on the forums, of course, but as they grow it can be hard to find exactly what you are looking for.  And my problems will be absolute, BASE beginner problems so...
Just for info: I ran ubuntu 11.10 from a USB HDD - I found that the best, most stable install was just to install it directly.  I did multiple partitions the first time, etc.. it wasn't as stable.  Just a straight install has been the best.
I then switched the USB HDD to Crunchbang 10.  Same install, just a straight install to the external HDD... most stable and reliable booting.
Puppy I ran from a USB installed using pendrivelinux.  While it was very fast and rapidly configured almost instantly with almost NO input from me (everything "just worked") my only problem was that puppy was not as stable: firefox would crash frequently, streaming media was jumpy.  Otherwise it worked nicely.  Crunchbang, while requiring a little more "set up", has been much more stable, smooth, and constant.  It also introduced me to Conky and openbox which now I find it hard to be without.