What is this world coming to?

Well, things are getting really bad when you constantly hear news of shootings at schools — but when the killings are at a small Amish school in Pennsylvania, you know things are really bad! What a sad day indeed.

Jericho (TV show) moves me

I am not sure why, but the new TV Show "Jericho" always leaves me in a high emotional estate. It could be that the father-son struggle portrayed reminds me of what my Dad and I went through. It may also be the result of seeing small kids in danger -- a normal reaction by most parents. Anyway, this is an awesome show.

The best jams ever!

If you want to try the best jams ever you really need to go to imladrisfarm. Talk about great jams! You barely taste the sugar in these great products. Forget the price -- they are worth every cent of what these folks are asking for!

We need NetForce!

Could it be possible? Could there be an organized effort to destroy it? As I read details of the latest Internet Explorer vulnerability, it dawned on me that the first websites to exploit the weakness came from Russia. I have nothing against Russia or its people -- but there has been a number of "black hat" programmers from the former USSR that have caused havoc amongst Internet users. Could this be a conspiracy to disrupt or destroy the ultimate capitalist symbol, the Internet? Could the Internet, rather than Internet Explorer, be under attack? Much of the world depends on the Internet for major parts of life: email, e-commerce, e-banking, etc. Email has already been crippled -- and the other sections are under constant attack. Could there really be an organized effort to destroy the Internet? Evidence clearly points in that direction.

Will it never stop?

A U.S. Senate committee has approved three bills that further undermine the established judicial system of checks and balances by allowing widespread surveillances without a court order. If you care about your privacy then you may want to read about these bills and act by communicating your thoughts to your representatives in Washington.

How long will we Office?

In his August 28 column, John Dvorak makes a point about why Microsoft Office, on the back of Word, will continue to be the dominant Office Suite. His messages are always interesting to read, whether you agree with his point or not. I happen to disagree with this one. Short term (which I define here as for the next five years) you may see the Microsoft Suite remain the dominant package. But there are too many others out there that can do as good a job. Economics alone will allow OpenOffice to make significant gains in market share. Various web-based programs will also erode Office's dominance. It is possible that the new Office 2007 innovations will do more to hurt than to help Microsoft -- that remains to be seen. Surely, the new version will require significant re-training by current users. The stability factor no longer will be completely in favor of the current champ. Listen to the wind -- it sings of changes ahead.

When boundaries fade

I see an interesting trend in computer technology. With Apple's migration to Intel chips, many users are installing the Windows OS in Apple computers. That was unimaginable a few years ago. It gives Microsoft an interesting opportunity to expand into a market it once thought closed. However, the picture gets even more interesting when you introduce virtualization. Now, we can have several operating systems running side by side in the same computer. It gives OS X, should Apple wake up and realize this huge opportunity, an opening into the previously-closed PC world. But which OS will be the "host" system of choice? Will Linux finally make it through? It certainly can do a great job at managing resources and providing stability and security. Those are critical factors of any virtual host OS. It seems obvious that major players are counting on significant growth in the virtualization technology; why would Microsoft and VMWare give away their virtualization products otherwise? I believe they are setting up the industry to finally come to realize the many benefits of virtualization. And as the previously well-defined boundaries of what OS runs in what platform melt away, I also predict that hardware vendors will benefit greatly by the increased demands virtualization will put on equipment (more RAM, faster CPUs, etc.). Indeed, it is an exciting time to be in the computer field. More importantly, all of us need to set aside preconceived notions and be receptive to new concepts. Change is the only constant in the world of computers.

Downsizing

S: We have some bad news.
P: Huh?
S: You are no longer.
P: What?
S: We are downsizing, you see?
P: What are you talking about?
S: You used to be one of them but you are not.
P: One of whom?
S: Planets.
P: Planets?
S: Yes.
P: I am a planet.
S: Not anymore.
P: What???
S: We decided that you are no longer a planet.
P: What???
S: Sorry, times are tough.
P: But ... you can't do that!
S: We can and we did.
P: But ...
S: Now, we need to go to another exciting scientific conference. Good bye.

Failure

So I get this email from my lovley wife that reads:

Subject: something to make you laugh

Message:

Go to google and type in the word failure

So I did and I almost fell off my chair onto the floor!

Just in case the Google search engine gods get punished for showing the truth, here is a capture of what the search results were.

The Dog Whisperer

We have been watching this fantastic TV show called "The Dog Whisperer." it depicts Cesar Millan sharing his extensive knowledge of dog psychology. We have three dogs now, and they all have some sort of minor disciplinary problem. We have learned a great deal from watching the show. The most important thing is to start by exercising with the dog to use up some of its energy. The next thing is to discipline and train the animal with a calm and dominant attitude. The dog needs to know that you are the alpha, the dominant member of the pack. The whole things revolves about how your energy will influence the dog's energy -- if you are calm/dominant then the dog will be calm/submissive. The third stage is to reward the dog, mostly with praise and love. We strongly recommend that you watch this great educational show.

Information Overload

I think we are seeing the nastiest symptoms of information overload. Not only are we personally being seriously affected by too much information, our whole society is being overwhelmed by all the data it has to manage. For example, there is the unbelievable number of laptops being lost everyday that contain confidential information. Despite all the publicity that highlighted the problem in the last few months, we are still experiencing data security breaches due to laptop theft or loss. Another example: government agencies are unable to safeguard valuable data. NASA is the latest victim as it confessed to have lost magnetic tapes of man's first moon landing. Not only are the tapes lost, but NASA's attitude about these important and historical objects reflects how overwhelmed we are. The spokesman stated: I wouldn't say we're worried -- we've got all the data. Everything on the tapes we have in one form or another. Unfortunately, the quality of what we got is seriously degraded from the original. The spokesman also said it is possible that the tapes will be unplayable even if they are found because they have degraded significantly over the years -- a problem common to magnetic tape and other types of recordable media. Which to me indicates potential mismanagement of these valuable data holders. I bet we would not be hearing the same non-chalant tone if the Declaration of Independence was suddenly lost. Nevertheless, it is perhaps time to re-examine our world, our priorities and our methodologies -- and it is definitely time to simplify our lives. I do believe this train is a bit out of control.

About values

What do you value? Our values are the things that guide us during all decision-making, small and large alike. It is our values that help us determine what is wrong and right, and what the best course of action is in different situations. Only after we are completely clear on what our values are that we can begin to decide what our mission in life is, what our goals are, and how to achieve those goals. It is extreme differences in values that cause significant human conflict. It is ignorance or vagueness of our values that cause us to act inconsistently and erratically. Do you need help clarifying your values? Creating an Ethical Will may be helpful in determining what things are important enough for you so that they will drive the rest of your life. You can download the software for free (it is ValueWare -- you pay as much as you think the software is worth to you).

Lesson from the Flea Market

It is getting harder to make ends meet. What with the rising cost of gas and everything else, we have tried all sorts of things to increase our earnings. This weekend we tried a flea market. Tracey is very artistic and has created some beautiful jewelry and other crafts that should attract some great interest. I decided to bring some used computer equipment and put it up for sale. We learned some valuable lessons on our first day. First, do not get there too early -- customers do not arrive until later in the day. Second, be ready for intense heat -- fortunately, we were pretty ready (plenty of water in a cooler, plus some fruit for snacking, and a nice fan). Third, make sure you have all the needed equipment -- Mr. Geek forgot a keyboard and mouse for the demo equipment (do I hear a big DUH from the audience?). Fourth, be ready to call it an early day if there are no significant sales (especially in the hot days). Fifth, talk with your neighbor vendors -- you learn a great deal by being sociable.

This last lesson, however, can be extended to many other aspects of life. It is through communications with other, more experienced players in a chosen field, that we shorten our learning curve and gain experience more quickly. Talking with others with an open mind is a very valuable lesson indeed. Above all, have fun doing whatever you are doing at that moment -- it will never happen again.

About Peace

Peace seems to be the one goal that human beings keep pursuing without achieving. It is commendable that we keep trying; goal setting is fantastic. Yet, setting goals without achieving them is an exercise in futility. The Middle East is constantly at the center of violence. Every time violence erupts there I feel humanity's overall energy is drained once more, and humanity as a whole suffers. I have friends with roots in Lebanon and Israel; I have learned from them the hurt that comes from each of these conflicts. I am sure it is the same in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and every country in which violence prevails. When we, as a race, finally challenge our anger into more productive activities we will realize the brightest of futures. May peace be with you wherever you are.

About teaching and teachers

This week has made me gain even more respect for anyone that teaches. I taught a five-day course covering the complete Linux+ certification. Overall, the course went fantastically. As I expected, there were as many lessons learned by me as by the students. I encourage you to consider teaching a class on any subject you are interested in. You do not have to be an expert on the matter. As I learned, you do need to make a serious commitment of time and effort. You need to prepare for the whole class ahead of time. You need a plan of action for each part of the course. Each day, you need to thoroughly prepare for the next day's session, as well as review the previous day's class to make sure you covered all critical points. If this sounds like a lot of work I confess that it is. In the end, however, it is all worthwhile when students thank you for your efforts. And do not expect perfection in either the classroom, the equipment, the students or yourself. Strive for excellence, not perfection. Things will go wrong and your students will respect you if you calmly tackle each problem; enlist their help and you will begin to build a team. Finally, you do not have to know it all or have all answers to all questions. Encourage your students to research those along with you. Always give honest answers, even if they sometimes may be "I don't know but I will get back to you with a response." Above all, have fun!

I am Registered

I recently became Registered -- I am Linux Regsitered User No. 418894. This is an important statement on my support for Open Source and GNU/Linux.

But today I also became registered in a different area. As of 2 PM today I registered to be a bone marrow donor. It is a very easy process. Most of the time is spent filling some basic paperwork -- it took all of five minutes or so. Then you provide four simple samples of your saliva, seal the samples and you are done. Hopefully one day I will be able to help someone survive a fatal disease. Please consider registering for such a worthy cause! Visit the National Bone Marrow Donor Program website or call 1-800 MARROW-2 to find out when and where a screening is available near you. It only takes a few miinutes of your time -- it may save a child's life!

Free bracelet kit helps fight cancer

Go to the link below and order a free bracelet kit; it costs you nothing, but for every one that is ordered, Merck Pharmaceuticals donates $1 for cervical cancer education and screening. It only takes a minute - the link sends you right to the Merck website.

It would be great to get Merck to donate the "up to $100,000" they have agreed to!

http://www.maketheconnection.org/

On standards and spyware

Last week I began hearing about the introduction of pre-802.11n equipment in the marketplace. Some manufacturers are offering devices that comply with the draft of this wireless standard. Unfortunately, the draft is not a sure bet for approval and anyone buying these devices may end up with unusable equipment in their hands. Standards are supposed to be adhered to after they are approved. However, some manufacturers are pushing for this new standard even if it's questionable. Dell will be shipping laptops with pre-802-11n Wi-Fi adaptors although they may be incompatible with 802.11g networks. That tells me that Dell (and others) will force the approval of 802.11n regardless of existing problems. They may "force" consumers to buy newer technology simply to stay compatible with their equipment. This is objectionable behavior in the part of Dell and others; they have disregarded due process and forced the adoption of a potentially-incompatible standard.

In other technology-related matters, Windows XP was reported to be "calling Redmond" everyday. Many of us consider this a form of spyware from Microsoft. What do you think? Could this be another reason to switch to Linux?

The meaning of life

A friend of mine sent this to me in an email. I had seen it before and found it very funny. I hope you do too!

On the first day, God created the dog and said: "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

So God agreed.

On the second day, God created the monkey and said: "Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span."

The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?"

And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow and said: "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years."

The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

And God agreed again.

On the fourth day, God created man and said: "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."

But man said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

So that is why the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

Patriot Act Protest and More

We are beginning to see some public reactions to the effects of the Patriot Act and Patriot Act II laws that went into effect as a consequence of the 9/11 events. Four librarians have challenged the U.S. government's actions under the Act. I applaud their courage for standing up to what is clearly a branch of government that has been given a waiver in the checks-and-balances system that was wisely implemented by the founders of this nation and that served us well for centuries. The FUD strategy used by the current administration will end one day and history will show whether the Patriot Act was a wise choice. I believe it was not.

---

After reading these thoughts (published elsewhere), a friend of mine sent the following commentary:

Whenever I read more “sky is falling” fears of the Patriot Act, I cannot decide whether to laugh or cry. Today, in California, they have adopted the “Anonymous 911 Drunk Driver” laws. Is there anyone you don’t like? An ex-spouse? Somebody owes you money? Annoying neighbor? Make the 911 Drunk Driver call, and the local police can enter their home without a warrant, take the suspect away in handcuffs to the testing facility. Of course, they also have the “in plain sight” laws, and once inside the house, anything is fair game. Care to have them inside looking around? Where’s this mythical “checks and balances”?

Of course, your name is kept confidential, so the poor schmuck never even knows who made the call, and unlike the Constitutional guarantees, he will never get a chance to face his accuser.

Where's the ACLU?

The DEA can also enter your house without a warrant, seize your personal property, computers, records, all cars, even the house! You need to prove innocence before recovering anything, which can and does take months. These drug laws are considered the single most dangerous invasion of privacy and individual rights on record. There are countless cases on record. Where’s the NYT’s and the ACLU? Where’s the outrage?

Many law agencies are now expanding the Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), to tap your phones on a whim. No warrant.

The 1966 Lautenberg Gun Ban is so expansive and vague that almost any misdemeanor will prevent gun ownership. But that’s not enough for Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) who has launched her most recent effort to use Orwellian Big Government with her Bill HR 1415 -- the McCarthy bill -- would require states to "make electronically available to the Attorney General records relevant to a determination of whether a person is disqualified from possessing or receiving a firearm under [federal law" [Section 102(c)(1) (A)].

Now, God forbid this passes, but if it does, how does the gov’t obtain such records? Simple. The bill assigns millions to the FBI to troll through our income tax and phone records, internet use, military records, medical history, divorce records, police arrests, and yes, even library records, to examine whether retroactively you might have performed “something of a violent nature” that would preclude you from gun ownership. Something decades ago. Okay, you are anti-gun anyway, but what do you suppose the gov’t does with all those records? Throw them away? Yeah, right.

This is just another tactic for the gov’t to acquire citizen databases, triggering the end of personal privacy. Ever signed that box on a doctor or hospital form about sharing information? If so, you gave permission for any agency to obtain any record they want, without a warrant and without you even knowing.

While you are looking out the front door, worried about the gov’t checking library records, a dozen federal, state, and local agencies can already enter your back door, take your history, computers, phones and records, and then confiscate everything in site, and haul you away. All very legal, and without warrants.

Patriot Act? Sheesh..

---

After I asked permission to use these comments, I received a follow up:

Use it anywhere you like. I am certainly not hiding my opinions. Or my name.

Thanks for the comments. I know we disagree on this subject, but I truly believe the PA is about 1/100 of the privacy invasions we unknowingly encounter every minute of the day.

As a hard core Libertarian myself [except for some of their loony platforms] I am firmly against government intervention and interference, and a very strong supporter of civil rights and the Constitution.

But the PA is a straw dog, an easy target of the media hype. If we think that neutering the PA will somehow restore privacy, well, there are several bridges we can still buy. How about waterfront property in Florida?

Meanwhile, the government continually chips away at our rights and we don't even know it.